Caption This?

 

Happy Wednesday, my friends!

Billie Jo

Monday Morning Coffee

Good Monday morning, my friends! I am enjoying my coffee this morning in my new favorite mug. Cinderella is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, and because I love Cinderella so much, I treated myself to this pretty mug from the Disney Store website. What does it say about me that two of my favorite mugs are Cinderella and Michael Meyers from Halloween?  

Friday evening, we drove the whole fifteen minutes to the condo for the weekend. It was a quiet, relaxing weekend. The clouds finally lifted Saturday morning, and the ocean looked again like winter was nothing more than a bad dream. Don't be fooled, though. It was still quite cold! We went to mass on Saturday afternoon, and apparently, we missed the memo that the entire heating and cooling system was being replaced. It was freezing in there! Of course, I am usually warm in church, and I thought I was being proactive by wearing a fleece jacket. I thought about what my mother would do and decided it was a good opportunity to "offer it up," as she used to say. The upside was that it was a beautiful mass, and the air outside didn't feel too bad afterward!

 

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After mass, we did what any other family with an entire evening in an exciting ocean town ahead of them would do. We went back to the condo and played Yahtzee Word! To be fair, we were really thinking of the pups being alone, so we decided to get pizza and have a cozy night in. And it was fun.

Sunday morning, I went to the indoor pool for a swim. The pool is empty this time of year, which is always a good thing, right? Afterward, I showered, read my book, and visited with Flynn and Kyrstin, who came to visit after work. Steve went for a walk on the beach and took some beautiful pictures.

And if you aren't tired of beach photos yet, I snapped a couple before we packed up and headed home. My mom loved the ocean, and I felt like she was telling me goodnight.

Today, Flynn and I will homeschool. I have laundry to do, and dinner will be grilled cheese and tomato soup. And then it's Bachelor Monday! Honestly, this is a rough season, but I am in it for the long haul. I hope you have a cozy and happy Monday. Thank you for visiting, and if you are a praying person, please join me in praying for The Holy Father, Pope Francis. 

Billie Jo

Just A Friday In February

 

Happy Friday! I was just thinking how, when I was much younger, a day like today would have been a normal one—just a Friday in February. Thinking back, I remember sitting in class, counting the days until the next big event in my teenage life: Easter Break, Prom, Majorette Tryouts, and finally, summer! All the other days were just normal, regular days in between. 

Now, much older and a bit wiser, I understand that it is these days, days like the normal, average Friday in February, that I love the most. They are the best days for me because I know how quickly they pass. It is easy for me to recall the special days, what we did on Christmas, or what we ate last Easter. But the regular days? The days that I stay in my pajamas, run the vacuum, load the dishwasher, homeschool with Flynn, and heat up leftovers are the ones I cherish the most and that seem to blend together into the fabric of my life. Today is one of those days. 

Here is the spot where I sit and homeschool with Flynn. She and I look forward to our afternoons together each day, and the time we spend together learning is so much fun! I am thankful for all the time we share and the memories we are making. As an early childhood and elementary teacher, I was concerned about teaching some upper-level courses. Biology and Algebra, I'm looking at you!. However, there are an unlimited number of online classes taught by people who are much more versed in those subjects; thank Heavens! 

Steve dragged took me out to dinner last night at a local Mexican restaurant, and I ordered my favorite shrimp meal. Weird Fact About Me Number 265: I prefer to eat meals like this with a fork instead of using the tortilla wraps that come with it. I actually eat everything separately. 

And that's a wrap for today, my friends. I plan to visit you this weekend while cozy on the couch with my pups and some coffee. Other weekend highlights include setting out some St. Patrick's Day decorations, attending mass, and changing bedsheets. It is the normal days I cherish, after all. 

Have a cozy weekend, and thanks for visiting!

Billie Jo

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. )

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

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

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

Monday Morning Coffee

 

Good Monday morning, my friends. We spent the night at the condo, so my Monday morning coffee is coming to you from here at the beach. 

Rhett and Kyrstin hosted us for the Superbowl, and they went all out! They prepared Buffalo Chicken Dip, Mexican Street Corn Dip, a Fresh Salad Bar, Deviled Eggs, Chocolate-Covered Strawberries, and Oreo Balls, and ordered pizza and wings. Madison brought a pasta salad, and Steve made a pineapple dessert. Flynn and I provided a few cans of soda because we didn't want to arrive empty-handed!

While I intended to go strictly for the food and company, I did watch some of the game. When it comes to a championship game like that in any sport, I feel bad that one team has to lose. So congratulations to the Eagles fans and to the Chiefs fans; I am sorry. Next season will be here before we know it.

In other exciting news, Peyton and Chris got a new dog! Allow me to introduce you to Tundra!

Isn't she beautiful?! Peyton has always loved Huskies. Her childhood favorite...

Remember Webkinz?

She loved this one!

Christopher works with a family that has a new baby and an older dog. They wanted Tundra to go to a loving home. Peyton and Christopher met her, bonded with her, and brought her home this weekend! 

Their sweet Jenny has already welcomed her in.

Madison and Nicolas celebrated their sixth wedding anniversary! I am so proud of these two and the life they have created.

And lastly, this weekend, Flynn joined the ranks of the Dunkin Iced Coffee Club! Well, it's time for me to get going. We are cleaning up here, heading back to the house, homeschooling, and then getting ready for The Bachelor tonight. And I am sure I will find time to snuggle with these two.

Happy Monday, my friends!

Billie Jo

Google for the non-mine pictures. : )