Random Photo Friday On Labor Day Weekend

Welcome to the unofficial end of summer, my friends! Goodbye swimming pool and frozen lemonade! Hello football and pumpkin spice everything! Every season is a blessing, and although I love some more than others, I try to live and enjoy each one as mindfully as I can. Our last week of August was filled with cute puppies and good food. Because. Life is good.

A Super Simple Weeknight Supper

Time to pull out those Crock-Pots, ladies...it is almost fall! Actually, I use mine all summer. But, I digress. Have you ever had one of those days where you have no plans for dinner, but you don't want to eat takeout? A few weeks ago, Madison and I threw this simple supper together in the morning and let it cook all day. It was amazing! Want to give it a try?

First, chop up some tomatoes, green peppers, fresh garlic, and sweet onions.

Throw them into your Crock-Pot.

Annual Visit To DelGrosso's Amusement Park!

Our summer is not complete without the annual visit to DelGrosso's Amusement Park. We have spent so many wonderful moments at this family fun park through the years, I actually get sentimental when we walk through the entrance! One day last week, we picked up a sweet cousin and headed to our favorite park for the day. There is a beautiful water park as well, but this day was all about the rides. And the food. Always the food. : )

Random Photo Friday

Happy Friday, friends! I hope you all had a wonderful week. I know some of you sent your littles back to school...some sent their babies off for the first time...and others sent their babies off to college. Please know I am thinking of and praying for you all as we begin a brand new school year. Our homeschool year begins in a few more weeks, but I am busy planning and preparing...some of my favorite things! Meanwhile, we are enjoying some last few moments of summer.

We missed our dandelion pictures this year, so Madison snapped a few sunflower ones before Mass on Saturday.

You Say Tomato...

I say yum! We are loving our copious amount of garden tomatoes this year. Here are just a couple of delicious tomato recipes we enjoyed last week.

I made this bruschetta to go with dinner, and it was so good!

I just chopped some tomatoes and threw them in a bowl with some olive oil, red wine vinegar, fresh minced garlic, fresh chopped Basil, and some fresh grated Pecorino Romano cheese. (That's what I had, but you could use any kind you have on hand!) I mixed it up and put it in the refrigerator until dinner. Then I put some sliced Italian bread under the broiler until it was crispy. I topped each piece with some of the tomato mixture, and broiled it some more until it was warmed. 

I was told this was as good as a restaurant. : )

This is my favorite lunch lately.

I toast a bagel, then add some sliced tomato, chopped Basil, drizzle with olive oil, and add a slice of cheese. This is Asiago, I think. I put it under a broiler until bubbly. And it is AMAZING!

What do you like to do with your extra tomatoes, my friends??

The Doorway To Motherhood

As I begin planning the wedding of my oldest child, I find myself reflecting on this blessed gift of motherhood. My children are now twenty-one, eighteen, sixteen, and eight, and as years pass, the struggle my husband and I faced to build our family seems so distant, I have to remind myself of the pain and agony of infertility. I search my mind and soul for a specific memory of those days, months, and years I longed to be a mommy.

Random Photo Friday

We are cramming as much summer into these last few weeks of August as we can, my friends. We were blessed with beautiful weather last weekend while my mom was visiting, so we made the most of our time with her. This week has been rainy, so we are cozy inside, watching movies and drinking coffee...getting a taste of fall. But last weekend was all about summer fun!

Almost One Word Wednesday

FUN TIMES

Missing them!

Patiently Waiting For...

Crisp, cool mornings

Sweaters and fuzzy socks

Pumpkin Spice everything

Candles burning all day long

Pumpkins, cornstalks, and colorful mums

New crayons, pencils, and schoolbooks

Earlier evenings

Crockpot meals simmering in the kitchen

Comfy throws on the sofa

New seasons of old, favorite shows

Football on Sundays

Apple pie and pumpkin muffins

Green becoming red, yellow, orange and purple

Hot cocoa and a good book on a Saturday

Leaves swirling in a breeze

Smoke swirling from chimneys

Feeling all the cozy.

How about you, my friends??

Random Photo Friday And Try This Pie Recipe!

Happy Weekend, my friends! I hope you had a lovely week with your people. Our week was full of fun and felt like fall. Here is a quick peek!

This was my view on the way home from Mass last week.

Ask me how this happened.

I have no idea.

Yesterday, I was driving and he was in the back, buckled in a carseat, playing with Matchbox cars.

He's doing awesome though, and I am super proud of him.

Winners On A Wednesday!

That you all for the kind words in honor of my six years here in Blogland! I am thankful for each and every one of you, my friends. We did indeed choose two winners for the fancy schmancy giveaway, and here they are...

How I Make Time For Me

Last week I wrote this post about the importance of slowing down and making time for myself each day. How do I accomplish this in our chaotic fast-paced world where society dictates that busy is better? How do I nourish my own soul in order to be able to bring peace and calm to my home and family? Well, my schedule constantly changes and evolves depending on which season of life I am in, but I continue to make time each day for calm and peace and coffee. I began to create this special time when I was a young mother who decided one day to pour a cup of coffee and snuggle in a chair as her sweet little baby girl napped each afternoon.

Random Photo Friday And Happy 6th Birthday Little Blog! A Giveaway too! ( Closed.)

Can you believe we have been having afternoon coffee and evening tea together here for six years??? Me either! Thank you for sharing your lives, homes, holidays, recipes, joys and sorrows with me, my friends. This little space is a great source of comfort, joy, fun, and wisdom for me. And although the more popular platforms have replaced Blogging for many, I plan on remaining here in this slower paced, cozy setting for as long as you will have me. In celebration of this momentous event, I am having a little giveaway at the end of the post. Before that though, here is a peek at the past week here in our family home. Which for some reason, involved a great amount of food.

It's OK. In Fact You Really Should.

What now? You are probably wondering what I am advocating now. Well, it isn't anything earth-shattering, I promise. It is nothing new, or crazy, or trendy. In fact, it is just the opposite. I am talking about slowing down. And taking time for you. Life is busy for us all. Choosing to pause and step out of the chaos for a bit each day does not make one weak or lazy. In fact, I think it makes one stronger. I am a firm believer in the idea that in order to take care of others, we must first care for ourselves. This can mean different things to different people. For me, slowing down and taking time for me means...

What does it mean to you, my friends?

I'd love to know.