Five on Friday

Hello Friday! So happy for the weekend! It’s been super crazy at work so I’m looking forward to some rest and relaxation! Here are five from the past week:  

1. Eating – Last weekend I took my daughter to the Jefferson Valley Mall to get sneakers and a new mouth guard because she’s playing on a field hockey league that starts this weekend. There are not many food options in the mall, but there are always some food trucks outside.  She saw this Mac and Cheese grilled cheese and had to try it.  I had a bite and it was really good!

Last weekend my husband and I also went on a lunch date to Little Drunken Chef in Mount Kisco. They have a large vegetarian menu and we enjoyed sharing some dishes including these mushroom ravioli. I know you can’t see them, but there were two giant mushroom ravioli under all those leeks, mushrooms and peas.

2. Reading – I am finishing When I Was You by Amber Garza.  It’s a suspense/mystery with lots of twists. I’m enjoying it and should finish today. I have picked up so many books from the library over the past two weeks and I just got approved for a NetGalley book that I want to read….so not sure what I’ll be reading next.

3. Watching – My husband and I have found a new show that we are watching together. We started the first season of Billions on Amazon last weekend and are one episode away from finishing it.  I know a week may not be a binge for some, but there are some weeks where I watch hardly any television! I have also started watching Ginny and Georgia (Netflix). My daughter binge watched the season in a couple of days (she’s a professional binge watcher, LOL!). I like being able to connect with her and try to read/watch some of the same stuff that she has.

4. Cooking – This week one of our favorite meals was this Pasta with Roasted Chickpeas, Cauliflower and Spinach. 

5. COVID Vaccine – Sunday I got my first dose of the COVID vaccine.  It took awhile for me to get on board with getting it, but I finally decided to do it. I want to be able to travel and allegedly, two weeks after you’ve gotten your second vaccine you don’t need to quarantine if exposed. 

ICYMI this week on the blog:

Wednesday I shared 5 Questions With Hudson Green.

Sharing with Friday Favorites!  Have a great weekend!

You may also enjoy:

Five on Friday {Goodbye February}

Happy Friday! The temps are rising to the 40’s and the sun has been out this week.  I can see signs that spring is finally on its way! Now that the temps are getting warmer I’d really like to do something outside this weekend. But it looks like it will be rainy both days. My daughter is volunteering at a Girl Scout event Saturday so we have to stay in the area. Otherwise, not sure yet what our weekend plans are. Here are five from the past week: 

1. 5 Wits- With all of the bad weather hopefully behind us, we had to get the kids out of the house.  Last weekend we took the kids to 5 Wits at the Palisades Center Mall. We chose the “Tomb” adventure and were tasked with trying to find a long forgotten Pharoah’s burial chamber and set his spirit free. My daughter is the only one in our family who had been to 5 Wits before.  There are three different adventures and Tomb was the only one that she hadn’t done, which is why we chose it.  We ended up with a score of 95/99 in 27 minutes!  It was a lot of fun and my 12 and almost 15 year old were the perfect ages to do this. We enjoyed this more than the escape the mystery room that we’ve done in the past.   

2. Reading – This week I finished The Home Edit by Clea and Joanna.  I watched and loved the Netflix show.  The book had beautiful pictures but overall, I didn’t find it super helpful.  However, it did inspire some major cleaning and purging, which was much needed.  I’ve also started reading Call Me By Your Name by Andre Aciman.  My daughter watched the movie and read the book and recommended that I read it.  So far, it’s not my thing, but I’m trying to finish it since she recommended it.

3. Watching – This weekend we had a family pizza/movie night and watched Over the Moon on Netflix.  It’s a Golden Globe nominee for animated film but none of us were impressed.

4. Cooking – This week one of our favorite meals were these Sun-Dried Tomato Quesadillas with White Beans and Broccoli which I served with a side of roasted broccoli. 

5. Sledding – Earlier this week my son met up with a friend to go sledding. We went snow tubing earlier this year, but he has not been sledding in years. A couple of years ago, we got him a foam sled similar to this one that has been gathering dust in our basement. He finally got to test it out this week, before all the snow melts this weekend! It was very fast! All the other kids sledding had similar sleds or snow tubes. I guess the flying saucers and plastic sleds are out?? He had a great time and I’m glad he finally got to use the sled!

ICYMI this week on the blog:

Tuesday I shared an updated post about Dinner Deals in Westchester County. 

Wednesday I shared Westchester County Family Dinner Deals.

Sharing with Friday Favorites!  Have a great weekend!

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Five on Friday {Waiting for Spring}

Hello Friday! It’s been another week of crazy weather here. I had Monday off but we stayed home because the weather wasn’t great.  Even though schools are closed this week, District office staff still have to work. But because of another snow storm, I got a snow day yesterday.

New York is used to snowy winters, so fortunately we are not experiencing what Texas is currently going through. My thoughts are with everyone without power and heat. I see posts of people with burst pipes and the state not being equipped to deal with the weather. I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned it before (ha!), but I can’t wait for spring to arrive!

I am hoping to be able to get the kids out of the house this weekend.  Since they are off they have been staying up super late.  They both  got up around  2 pm on Tuesday!!  Here are five from the past week:  

1. Valentine’s Day – We don’t go crazy on Valentine’s Day.  But we did order a breakable chocolate heart from Jane Street Sweets for the kids. It was fun to break open and had lots of tasty treats inside. You can watch the Instagram reel of us breaking it here.

My daughter went to a friend’s Valentine’s Day gathering.  She brought some snacks but I also bought a pink rose grape juice and cherry 7 Up (pink bubbly drinks).  I sent her with enough champagne flutes for her and all her friends to enjoy their drinks in.

2. Reading – I am about halfway through The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Kline.  It’s a fantasy book which I’m enjoying more than I thought I would!

3. Watching – This week I started watching Tiny Pretty Things on Netflix.  It’s a YA drama about a ballet academy.  It’s alright and keeping me interested enough and again, based on a book! Yesterday, I also watched the Mars Rover Perseverance land on Mars. It was exciting to see it happen live.

4. Cooking – Last night I made the famous TikTok Feta Pasta.  It was pretty good and so easy to make.  Although the family decided that they like the Gigi Hadid TikTok pasta more.

I also made Pinch of Yum’s No-Knead bread to go with it because #carblover! 

5. Puzzle Time – My parents stopped by last weekend and my mom dropped off 4 more puzzles for me.  So with the day off Monday and a snow day yesterday, I’ve started this one.

6. Eureka Crate – My son got his last Eureka Crate last week.  He spent some time Wednesday working on the project – a pinball machine! He did it entirely on his own and it works! 

ICYMI this week on the blog:

Wednesday I shared my Hudson Valley Day Tripper Guide to Beacon.

Sharing with Friday Favorites!  Have a great weekend!

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Five on Friday {No More Snow}

Happy‌ ‌Friday!‌ ‌What‌ ‌a‌ ‌snowy‌ ‌week‌ ‌it‌ ‌has‌ ‌been!‌ ‌I’ve‌ ‌had‌ ‌two,‌ ‌2-hour‌ ‌delays‌ ‌and‌ ‌one‌ ‌snow‌ ‌day‌ ‌from‌ ‌work‌ ‌this‌ ‌week!‌ ‌ And there‌ ‌is‌ ‌more‌ ‌snow‌ ‌expected‌ ‌next‌ ‌week‌!‌ Tomorrow‌ ‌Dana‌ ‌and‌ ‌I‌ ‌are‌ ‌picking‌ ‌up‌ ‌a‌ ‌treat‌ ‌that‌ ‌we‌ ‌ordered‌ ‌for‌ ‌the‌ ‌kids‌ ‌for‌ ‌Valentine’s‌ ‌Day.‌ ‌They‌ ‌have‌ ‌all‌ ‌of‌ ‌next‌ ‌week‌ ‌off‌ ‌for‌ ‌their‌ ‌February‌ ‌break‌ ‌but‌ ‌I‌ ‌only‌ ‌have off‌ ‌Monday‌.‌ ‌Here‌ ‌are‌ ‌five‌ ‌from‌ ‌the‌ ‌past‌ ‌week:‌

‌ ‌ ‌1‌.‌‌ ‌‌Eating‌ ‌-‌‌ ‌last‌ ‌weekend‌ ‌we‌ ‌drove‌ ‌down‌ ‌to‌ ‌Port‌ ‌Chester‌ ‌to‌ ‌support‌ ‌local‌ ‌restaurants.‌ ‌They‌ ‌have‌ ‌been‌ ‌closed‌ ‌for‌ ‌indoor‌ ‌dining‌ ‌for‌ ‌quite‌ ‌some‌ ‌time‌ ‌and‌ ‌restaurants‌ ‌have‌ ‌lost‌ ‌a‌ ‌lot‌ ‌of‌ ‌business‌ ‌and‌ ‌some‌ ‌have‌ ‌even‌ ‌closed.‌ ‌ ‌ ‌We‌ ‌went‌ ‌to‌ ‌Mary‌ ‌Ann’s,‌ ‌a‌ ‌Mexican‌ ‌restaurant‌ ‌and‌ ‌I‌ ‌enjoyed‌ ‌the‌ ‌Sabras‌ ‌combo‌ ‌plate‌ ‌which‌ ‌included‌ ‌a‌ ‌cheese‌ ‌relleno,‌ ‌a‌ ‌black‌ ‌bean‌ ‌enchilada‌ ‌and‌ ‌a‌ ‌guacamole‌ ‌taco‌ ‌served‌ ‌with‌ ‌rice‌ ‌and‌ ‌beans.‌ ‌

 ‌Even‌ ‌though‌ ‌we‌ ‌were‌ ‌all‌ ‌stuffed,‌ ‌we‌ ‌went‌ ‌to‌ ‌Bona‌ ‌Bona‌ ‌ice‌ ‌cream‌ ‌and‌ ‌shared‌ ‌a‌ ‌cup‌ ‌of‌ ‌Holy‌ ‌Cannoli.‌ ‌So‌ ‌good!‌ ‌ 
‌

2.‌ ‌‌Reading‌ ‌‌-‌ ‌I‌ ‌am‌ ‌finishing‌ ‌up‌ ‌Get‌ ‌Lucky‌ ‌by‌ ‌Katherine‌ ‌Center.‌ ‌It’s‌ ‌one‌ ‌of‌ ‌her‌ ‌older‌ ‌books‌ ‌that‌ ‌I‌ ‌found‌ ‌on‌ ‌the‌ ‌little‌ ‌free‌ ‌library‌ ‌bookshelf‌ ‌at‌ ‌work.‌ ‌It’s‌ ‌been‌ ‌an‌ ‌enjoyable‌ ‌read‌ ‌but‌ ‌I‌ ‌don’t‌ ‌love‌ ‌it‌ ‌as‌ ‌much‌ ‌as‌ ‌I‌ ‌love‌ ‌her‌ ‌newer‌ ‌stuff.‌

3.‌ ‌‌Watching‌‌ ‌-‌ ‌This‌ ‌week‌ ‌I‌ ‌started‌ ‌watching‌ ‌Virgin‌ ‌River‌ ‌on‌ ‌Netflix.‌ ‌I‌ ‌didn’t‌ ‌realize‌ ‌it‌ ‌was‌ ‌based‌ ‌on‌ ‌a‌ ‌book‌ ‌series‌ ‌by‌ ‌Robyn‌ ‌Carr.‌ ‌I‌ ‌don’t‌ ‌know‌ ‌why‌ ‌I‌ ‌didn’t‌ ‌start‌ ‌this‌ ‌show‌ ‌sooner,‌ ‌since‌ ‌I’m‌ ‌really‌ ‌enjoying‌ ‌it!‌ ‌

 ‌4.‌ ‌‌Cooking‌ ‌‌-‌ ‌This‌ ‌week‌ ‌we’ve‌ ‌made‌ ‌so‌ ‌many‌ ‌tasty‌ ‌things!‌ ‌Super‌ ‌Bowl‌ ‌Sunday‌ ‌we‌ ‌made‌ ‌soft‌ ‌pretzels‌ ‌again. This time I also made ‌a‌ ‌beer‌ ‌cheese‌ ‌sauce‌ ‌to‌ ‌go‌ ‌with‌.‌ ‌ ‌

‌I‌ ‌also‌ ‌made‌ ‌homemade‌ ‌naan‌ ‌on‌ ‌the‌ ‌snow‌ ‌day‌ ‌to‌ ‌go‌ ‌with‌ ‌the‌ ‌20‌ ‌minute‌ ‌basil‌ ‌chickpea‌ ‌curry‌ we had for dinner.‌ ‌

‌Wednesday,‌ ‌my‌ ‌daughter‌ ‌and‌ ‌I‌ ‌made‌ ‌everything‌ ‌bagel‌ ‌cheese‌ ‌balls‌ ‌after‌ ‌she‌ ‌saw‌ ‌them‌ ‌on‌ ‌a‌ ‌TikTok‌ ‌cooking video.‌ ‌

‌ ‌5.‌ ‌‌Loving‌ ‌-‌‌ ‌I‌ ‌found‌ ‌this‌ ‌murder‌ ‌mystery‌ ‌puzzle‌ ‌at‌ ‌the‌ ‌Salvation‌ ‌Army‌ ‌store‌ ‌in‌ ‌Port‌ ‌Chester.‌ ‌It‌ ‌was‌ ‌brand‌ ‌new‌ ‌and‌ ‌only‌ ‌cost‌ ‌me‌ ‌$2.70!‌ ‌It’s‌ ‌challenging‌ ‌since‌ ‌there’s‌ ‌no‌ ‌picture‌ ‌to‌ ‌help‌ ‌you.‌ ‌But‌ ‌the‌ ‌finished‌ ‌puzzle‌ ‌should‌ ‌have‌ ‌clues‌ ‌to‌ ‌help‌ ‌solve‌ ‌the‌ ‌mystery‌ ‌that‌ ‌was‌ ‌laid‌ ‌out‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌booklet‌ ‌that‌ ‌came‌ ‌with.‌ ‌I‌ ‌haven’t‌ ‌done‌ ‌a‌ ‌puzzle‌ ‌since‌ ‌the‌ ‌beginning‌ ‌of‌ ‌quarantine‌ ‌when‌ ‌I‌ ‌was‌ ‌doing‌ ‌so‌ ‌many!‌ ‌And‌ ‌with‌ ‌the‌ ‌snow‌ ‌day‌ ‌and‌ ‌delays,‌ ‌this‌ ‌was‌ ‌a‌ ‌good‌ ‌week‌ ‌to‌ ‌start‌ ‌it!‌ ‌ ‌

ICYMI‌ ‌this‌ ‌week‌ ‌on‌ ‌the‌ ‌blog:‌ ‌ ‌

Tuesday‌ ‌‌I‌ ‌shared‌ ‌my‌ ‌January‌ ‌2021‌ ‌Reads.‌ ‌ 

‌ ‌Sharing‌ ‌with‌ ‌Friday‌ ‌Favorites!‌ ‌Have‌ ‌a‌ ‌great‌ ‌weekend!

‌ ‌ ‌You‌ ‌may‌ ‌also‌ ‌enjoy:‌ ‌ ‌

Five‌ ‌on‌ ‌Friday {It’s a Winter Wonderland} ‌

Happy Friday!  What a week it has been! We got hit with our first major snowstorm of 2021 Sunday evening.  I think we got over 18 inches of snow and had snow days both Monday and Tuesday.  I love me a snow day but shoveling all that snow was definitely NOT fun! So there wasn’t a whole lot going on here this past week. I know the Super Bowl is this Sunday, but I couldn’t tell you who’s playing! We are not football fans. But I do love snack food, so we may have to do something fun for dinner! Here are five from the past week:

1. Eating – Saturday we picked up cupcakes I had preordered from Nicole at Baked To Perfection.  I ordered Cookies and Cream, S’mores and Salted Caramel Pretzel Cookie. You can’t tell from the picture and we didn’t discover until we cut into them that 2 of them were filled!

Since we were in White Plains we stopped at Papi’ for lunch takeout.  These fried ravioli were so good!

2. Reading – With all of the snow I’ve been reading a lot! I recently finished Punching The Air by Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam. He is one of the exonerated Central Park 5 (see below). This is a YA poetry book and it is really good. My daughter is currently reading it now. I’m currently reading The Daydream Cabin by Carolyn Brown. It’s contemporary fiction/romance and is a good change from the other books I’ve been reading.

3. Watching –  I might have spent a good amount of time these past few days in front of the TV! I finally finished Bridgerton which I really enjoyed.  I watched 3 of the four episodes of When They See Us.  It’s a mini series on Netflix based on the events of the 1989 Central Park jogger case. I also started Firefly Lane after rereading the book. I have to say there are some major differences from the book. I’m also not a huge fan of the constant time frame changes. However, I’m going to watch the whole series since I loved the book both times I read it!

4. Cooking – We didn’t do a lot of recipe cooking this week.  The grocery stores were crazy pre-storm and I didn’t want to deal with crowds and lines.  So we made do with what we had in the house.  We made it to the store Tuesday night and I made Saucy Coconut Curry Rice Noodles with Garden Vegetables from Half Baked Harvest which we all enjoyed.

5. Snow Fun – Since we only have 3 shovels, during one of my shoveling breaks I made a snowman family! Meanwhile, the kids were throwing snowballs at me!

And Monday when I was out shoveling by myself, my daughter made me this mug of hot cocoa topped with whipped cream and chocolate sauce!

ICYMI this week on the blog:

Tuesday I posted Charcuterie Boards of Westchester County.

Wednesday I shared my Westchester Weekly post.

Sharing with Friday Favorites!  Have a great weekend!

You may also enjoy:

Winter Outdoor Dining in Westchester County.

Happy Friday!  Did you see that title?  Yes, my son is in quarantine again.  He was exposed at school last week and is now in quarantine until next week.  He’s getting a test today and we are keeping our fingers crossed that it’s negative.

For more exciting news, we are attending my brother-in-law’s Zoom wedding Saturday!  We were supposed to be in Miami last June for the wedding.  They obviously had to postpone the wedding. They’ve decided to get married now in a small ceremony with just immediate family and then hopefully have the reception in Miami next June.  Here are five from the past week:

1. Eating – This week we’ve had some good eats!  My husband and I shared this crispy eggplant sandwich from the Bus at Salinger’s Orchard.

We also bought this apple twist from Salinger’s Orchard and had it for breakfast Sunday morning.

We had coffee, hot cocoa and pastries from Climbing Wolf in Dobbs Ferry.

Then we had lunch at Sambal in Irvington. This crispy cauliflower was so good!

2. Reading – I am finishing up This Is My America by Kim Johnson.  This is a YA mystery that explores racial injustice. It’s a very good read. Up next I will be doing a reread of Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah, since I heard it’s coming to Netflix in February. I read this book over 10 years ago and want to refresh myself before watching the series.

3.  Watching –  Well of course I watched the inauguration this week!  It was so amazing to see our first female, African-American and Asian-American Vice President!  I am hopeful that this inspires the youth of today (and especially my own children) that they can be and do anything they set their heart on! I also have one episode left of The Wilds to watch. This Amazon show is a bit like the show Lost, but with a group of teenage girls which = drama.

4. Cooking – One of our favorite meals I made this week was this Vegan Thai Peanut Ramen. I only used 1 tablespoon of the red curry paste (instead of the 4 the recipe called for!) and it was perfect for the kids. A little goes a long way but really gives great flavor to a dish.

5. Listening – Kings & Queens by Ava Max. I know this song is on the radio all the time, but I love it! It’s such a girl power, female positive song!

ICYMI this week on the blog:

Wednesday I shared my Westchester Weekly post.

Sharing with Friday Favorites!  Have a great weekend!

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Five on Friday: M.L. King Weekend

Happy Friday!  I am excited for the three day weekend. Not that we have anything exciting planned, just for the extra day off from work! The kids finally went back to in-person school this week, after almost two months doing virtual school only. They only go in two days, but it’s still small progress to feeling normal. As an employee of a school district, I am eligible to receive the COVID vaccine. I’m hesitant for a variety of reasons. However, I plan on sitting in on a zoom session next week with a doctor from our county Department of Health to get some more information to help me make a decision. Like I mentioned, as of now there are no huge plans, but I hope to get out and explore more of Westchester County and the Hudson Valley! Here are five from the past week:

1. Yoga With Adriene – Every year, Adriene does a 30 day yoga challenge for the month of January.  My husband and I are doing “Breath” together.  We are a couple of days behind but it’s been a great way for us to get some exercise together.  Plus, it’s a reminder that I should be keeping up with yoga. I really do feel amazing after.

2. Dish Soap – Is it bad to gush about a dish soap?!  I’ve been using this Method hollyberry dish soap since the beginning of December.  Even though we’ve taken down the tree and all the decorations, the scent reminds me of Christmas.

3.  Watching – This past week we had a couple of family movie nights and watched Moonlight and Mid90’s together.  Yes, they are both rated R, so probably not family-friendly for everyone. I also watched Always Be My Maybe on my own, at my daughter’s recommendation. They were all good!

4. Eating – Downtown White Plains Restaurant month is taking place for the entire month of January. Last weekend we got lunch takeout from Little Drunken Chef in White Plains. This was our first time trying this restaurant and it was sooo good! These samosas were one of the appetizers in one of our three course lunches.

My daughter and I cooked Gigi’s (Hadad) pasta again last night for dinner. She made this a couple of months ago and it was actually really good!

5. Reading –  I am currently reading Don’t Ask Me Where I’m From by Jennifer De Leon. This is a YA book about social justice and race issues. I’m about half-way through and am enjoying it. Once I finish reading it, I’m going to pass it along to my daughter to read.

6.Subscription Box – I meant to write about Kiwi Crate last week.  We gifted our son a 3 month subscription to Kiwi Crate.  He’s 12, but we got him the Eureka Crate, which is for ages 14+.  His first box came and he made a ukulele that is actually playable all by himself! Kiwi Crate has a bunch of different boxes based on age/interest.  They focus on STEM/STEAM and it’s a great way for him to have some unplugged time.  

7. Family Hike – Last weekend we went on a family hike to a new-to-us place. Cranberry Lake Preserve in North White Plains. The trail map was a bit confusing, but we did find this quarry which was fun to walk along.

ICYMI this week on the blog:

Tuesday I shared my December 2020 reads.

Wednesday I shared my Westchester Weekly post.

Sharing with Friday Favorites!  Have a great weekend!

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Five on Friday {Such a Sad Week}

Happy Friday! We are officially over a week into the new year. I don’t normally talk politics on my blog and social media. However, what happened Wednesday is despicable. I am sad that my children are growing up in a world where our “President” can incite an attack on our own country. I am hopeful that the young adults and children of our country can be agents of change.

On a personal level, I see good things in store for this year and am excited for all the possibilities.  Here are five from the past week:

1. New Year’s Day Hike – New Year’s Day Dana and I took a First Day Hike at F.D. Roosevelt State Park.  We weren’t the only ones who had the idea, as it was surprisingly crowed. It was nice to be able to get out in nature before the bad weather hit.

2. Snow Tubing – Saturday we drove up to Windham Mountain to go snow tubing.  It was cold but fun.  Luckily we got there when it opened because the lines were getting really long by the time we left.

3.  Watching – This week I started watching Bridgerton on Netflix.  I’m loving the Gossip Girl vibes it’s giving off, but in Victorian times. I’m only halfway through episode 3, so I have some weekend catching up to do! I didn’t realize that the show was based off a book series by Julia Quinn.

4. Snacks – Since the new year started I’ve been trying to eat more clean and healthy. I found these cute sprinkles tomatoes at the grocery store. I bought a couple and have been snacking on them at work. Other healthy snacks I’ve been enjoying are cucumbers with hummus, nuts and lots of fruit – berries, grapefruit and clementines. What are some of your favorite healthy snacks? I need some new ideas!

5. Reading –  I have finished two books so far already in the new year.  I set my goodreads reading goal again for 75 books.  I recently started Family For Beginners by Sarah Morgan.  This contemporary fiction book is a bit more serious than The Tourist Attraction, which I just finished and really enjoyed!

ICYMI this week on the blog:

Monday I posted about Snow Tubing at Windham Adventure Park.

Wednesday I shared my Westchester Weekly post.

Sharing with Friday Favorites!  Have a great weekend!

You may also enjoy:

Five on Friday {Welcome 2021}

Happy Friday and Happy New Year! Welcome 2021! I’m sure we are all glad to see the end of 2020. We celebrated New Year’s Eve with the four of us. I had to work (sadly, the District Office of the school district that I work in was open!) and then we ordered takeout from Domino’s and had a family game night. Our traditional menu has been finger foods/appetizers for dinner. But there was no way I was doing all of that cooking when I got home from work!

It’s been two weeks since I did a Five on Friday post because…..Christmas. I hope everyone had a nice holiday! So, here are probably more than five from the past two weeks!

1. Cookie Exchange – The weekend before Christmas our Supper Club had our annual cookie exchange. We socially distanced at a local park for a quick catch up and exchanged cookies.

2. NYBG Train Show – We visited the New York Botanical Garden to see the annual Holiday Train Show. It was only open this year to members. It was so much less crowded which was really nice and as beautiful as always.

3. Untermyer Gardens – Before Christmas we also visited Untermyer Gardens in Yonkers for their Grand Holiday Illumination. Since entry was by timed reservation, this was also much less crowded than usual.

4. Christmas Dinner – Since it was just the four of us for Christmas, I didn’t want to go crazy cooking dinner. Christmas Eve Day Dana and I prepped a vegetable lasagna and egplant parm. I also started the dough for Pinch of Yum’s No Knead Bread. It was so easy to get dinner ready on Christmas and it was so good!

5. Reading – I am finishing up The Girl in the Mirror, a suspense read. This will likely be my last book of the year, putting my year end total number of books read at 98.

6. New Mug – I won this Rae Dunn mug from a giveaway that Steph and Jana (of the monthly Show Us Your Books Linkup) had.

ICYMI this week on the blog:

Monday I posted “Snow Tubing in the Hudson Valley.”

Wednesday I shared the newest edition of Westchester Weekly.

Sharing with Friday Favorites! Have a great weekend!

Happy Friday! Did anyone else get hit with Winter Storm Gail?! Yesterday the kids and I enjoyed a snow day! It was nice to have a day off from school and work! Although I hate shoveling and the cold, it sure is pretty! This weekend is a busy one with our Supper Club cookie exchange, a virtual holiday party/White Elephant gift exchange and then a trip to the NYBG train show! I hope everyone has a great weekend! Here are five from this week:

1.Cooking – Last weekend I baked sugar cookies and the kids helped decorate them. Yes, due to poor planning on my part, we may have only had Valentine’s Day sprinkles! LOL!

Sunday night we celebrated Hanukkah, with a delicious dinner of homemade latkes and noodle kugel and matzo ball soup (from a box mix).

My husband made homemade jelly donuts too!

2. Reading – This week I finished Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam. I rated this book 3 stars but it was more like 2.5 stars. I don’t want to give spoilers but let’s just say that I hated the ending.

The year is technically not over yet and I hope to finish a couple of more books. But I like the infographic that goodreads created!

3. Watching – This past week we watched Prom on Netflix. It’s the movie of the Broadway musical, which we had not seen. It has a great cast including Meryl Streep, James Corden, Kerry Washington and Nicole Kidman. My kids enjoyed it too, although they said there was way too much singing! LOL!

4. Eating – Chinese Food. Chinese is probably my favorite takeout. Plus, I love a night off from cooking! Dinner and movie nights are a rare time for the family to enjoy doing something all together at home!

5. Snow Day – Yesterday, in between shoveling snow, I made a snow angel!

Then I spent a good amount of time on the couch drinking hot cocoa (White Chocolate Peppermint Hot Cocoa Bomb from Jane Street Sweets) and reading In a Holidaze.

ICYMI this week on the blog:

Monday I shared where to buy DIY Cookie Decorating Kits in Westchester County.

Wednesday I posted the newest edition of Westchester Weekly.

Sharing with Friday Favorites! Have a great weekend!