February 19, 2025

Wednesday Wondering

 I wonder...

1. Do you know the name of this show from the 70s? 

2. How about this one?

3. Did you ever drink from these? Bonus! What did you do with the bottle after you were done?

4. Did you do this in middle school? 

5. Do you know what these are?

6. How about these?

Just for fun today, my friends! Answers are down below.
Have a cozy Wednesday, and stay warm and safe!

Billie Jo

1. Land of the Lost 
My sisters and I loved this show! We were terrified of the creepy creatures called sleestaks!

2. Alice
My dad loved this show. It was about a group of women working at Mel's Diner. It was on Sunday nights, and it was so funny.

3. Glass Pop Bottles
I remember drinking from these in high school. The best part was peeling the labels and seeing how long of a piece you could get. See how we amused ourselves before phones?!

4. Square Dancing
 Oh, man. I remember those days. My friends and I would always frantically try to plan our strategy for getting into the group with the boys we were crushing on! It was silly, but it sure beat getting pummeled by those rubber balls in Dodgeball!

5. Notes
Remember these? It was a good day when you opened your locker and saw one of these inside. Of course, you always had to look nonchalant in case the guy who wrote it was watching you!

6. 
Candy Land
Just seeing these makes me happy. They are the original cards from one of my favorite games, Candy Land. Remember going through the Gumdrop Mountains and hoping you picked the Ice Cream Floats?

( Thanks to the magic of the internet for the memories. )
















February 17, 2025

Monday Morning Coffee


Weekend vibes.

Good Monday morning, my friends. How was your weekend? Here in Maryland, it was rainy and windy! Of course, it was the perfect weather for hibernating, reading, napping, sipping coffee, and watching movies. I also crossed a few long overdue household chores off my list, which was good! Oh, and I am not one bit embarrassed to tell you how excited I was on Saturday when I got a delivery at my door! What would cause such excitement in my blissfully mundane day? I'm glad you asked.


A new vacuum cleaner, of course! Our vacuum quit working...ahem...a while ago, and suffice it to say, I was more than ready to put this new one together and get to it! And that, my friends, is something that made me happy this weekend. That and some cozy time with these two watching some true crime.



Peyton sent this picture of her Valentine's Day dessert!


While we enjoyed these amazing soft sugar cookies with whipped, not-too-sweet icing that Masion made.


Today is homeschooling, laundry, and Breakfast for Dinner. We had planned to do that yesterday, but the day got away from us, and we ended up on the couch hungry and tired, so Nicolas made the executive decision. 


( One of our favorites from our favorite...Seinfeld. )

Anyway, we plan on waffles, bacon, eggs, and fresh fruit. Then, it is cozy time with The Bachelor, who we fear is beginning to make some poor decisions. Exactly how many women can you "feel a connection to" at the same time???? And if that many, is it truly a connection? It's almost as if these people aren't really going on the show to find true love but rather to find some sort of social media stardom. But that can't be, right?? It's Reality TV! ; )

Have a cozy Monday, my friends. Thank you for visiting!

Billie Jo






February 14, 2025

Happy Valentine's Day!

Hello, and Happy Friday! But wait! There's more. Happy Valentine's Day! I'm not quite sure how that happened since last week was Christmas, right? It actually did look like Christmas here this week—cold and cozy as can be.







After almost two years, I finally finished our dining room! 


And when I was looking for something to put on the wall, I found the most perfect thing.


This Norman Rockwell picture. 
It is the exact same one my mom had hanging in our house when I was young. I like to think she sent it to me, and now I think of her every time I see it.



Thankfully, Etsy and eBay have several other Norman Rockwell items that I could purchase.
And now I am done.

Speaking of my Mom, I miss her.



I am showing myself some grace, slowing down, doing less, and resting more. Thanks for the love, my friends. Have a Happy Valentine's Day, too!

Billie Jo


February 12, 2025

Just Wondering Wednesday

 Just wondering your thoughts on some very significant issues this Wednesday morning...for example...

1. Do you refrigerate apples? 

We do, and we don't. I always put them in one of those drawers in the fridge, but recently, we have been keeping them in a bowl on the kitchen island. You know the saying: out of sight, out of mind. It is proving to be true. Suddenly, sliced apples are the in thing around here.

2. Do you have a problem finding clean towels and washcloths on a regular basis?

Okay. Hear me out here. I do laundry all the time, and I actually enjoy it. However, for some reason, we consistently have a shortage of clean towels and washcloths. It is bizarre! Clearly, the answer is to buy more sets of towels. Why have I not done this? I have no idea. 


3. Do you have a set schedule for cleaning your house, or do you clean things randomly as they need it?

Years ago, young Billie Jo cleaned her house every Friday—floors, tubs, the whole deal. When my kids were younger, having everything clean and tidy for the weekend felt good. That worked well for me during that chapter of my life. Older Billie Jo has less enthusiasm for scheduled cleaning. It is a clear hit-and-miss situation, with occasional whole-house tidying. This chapter of my life is slower, with more breaks for coffee and naps.


4. What is something small that often goes unnoticed by others but really bothers you?

Okay, this is random. I realize how ridiculous it sounds, but I cannot stand the black ring of soot on candle jars. It just really bothers me! I am constantly wetting a paper towel and wiping it off. Sad, but true.

Finally, here's a picture of our dinner last night. We had something else planned, but it was cold, snowy, and dark, and we were in the mood for one of my mom's go-to quick meals: toasted cheese and tomato soup. We served it on parchment paper because the dishwasher was already packed, leaving no room for plates.

Any thoughts on these pressing issues, my friends? I'd love to hear! Have a cozy Wednesday. Thanks for visiting!


Billie Jo