Friday favorites vol. 6

Rolling into Friday night with a little Friday Favorites link-up with Erica, Andrea, and Narci.

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Whew! What a week. We’re all moved into our new place, my first FAVORITE! At least, all of our belongings are in the house or garage. We’re about 95% unpacked. That feels like success after being here for only 7 days.

It was so bittersweet leaving our last house and a whole side of our family, but this house and town are already starting to feel like home. Everyone we’ve met so far has been so welcoming.

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We went to Mass at our new parish (my next FAVORITE) for the first time on Sunday and LOVED it. The parish was so vibrant and they used lots of incense during the Mass. That morning we were both feeling a little overwhelmed by the move, and that smell was so familiar and comforting. <3

There were 9 altar servers assisting the priest. 9! Our last parish had 3, for a frame of reference. When we went back on Wednesday for the Holy Day, the Mass was packed which was another encouragement to us that we chose the right faith community.

I’m excited to register and get involved in the ministries soon. Mark and I are thinking about doing the marriage prep ministry. He has wanted to do it since we were married for about 2 weeks, but I was hesitant then because we were marriage newbies. But now! Over 10 years in, I feel more confident in our ability to provide value in a marriage ministry. 😉

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You know what else is my FAVORITE? Cooking. We packed up our kitchen stuff about two weeks before the move. The month before we listed the house, I barely had time to cook because we were doing home repairs/staging to get the house ready to sell everyday after work. Then we didn’t want to dirty the kitchen after the house was on the market. Add up that time and it’s been a while since I’ve done anything meaningful in the kitchen.

This week I got to make a shepherd’s pie. It was perfect for a cool fall evening. Also, I keep discovering new features in our kitchen cabinets, like this spice rack. 😍🙌🏻

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Thursday and Friday this week I started working from home full-time. I worked from home occasionally before, but now it will be 100%. The commute from my bedroom to the office down the hallway was my FAVORITE. 😉 For the last nearly 11 years, I’ve spent on average 1.5 hours per day commuting. I’m excited to be getting that time back, not to mention the money from the tolls! If you have any great work-from-home tips, I’m all ears.

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My sister’s BFF invited us to her Halloween/Housewarming party last weekend. We were so tired from packing, so we didn’t last long, but it was a great break to relax and have some fun in the midst of all the moving chaos.

It was surreal (and my next FAVORITE) to be at a Halloween party with my Mom, Stepdad, sister, and brother-in-law. I wonder how long it will take me to get used to living closer to my side of the family. Will it ever stop feeling special and exciting? I think I’ll always appreciate it more than I would have if I’d always lived nearby. 💜

What are some of your favs from this week?