Wrapping Up The Week

Well, the first week back to reality passed in a lovely haze of normalcy around here. I hope it was the same for you. Now, the holidays may be over, but that does not mean we can't still be cozy, right? So while Santa may be packed away, the snowflakes, winterberries, and twinkling lights remain. 

Aside from homeschooling, packing Christmas away, and drinking coffee, both hot and iced, I also made a valiant effort to cook a reasonably healthy meal each night this week. On Monday, I started slowly with a sheet-pan meal: Mediterranean Chicken. 

Tuesday was taco bowls, as you already know.

Wednesday was Flynn's favorite: Breakfast for dinner. 

And last night? A meal I have been making since Steve and I got married. Stuffed Peppers!

Tonight? Steve's turn!

My word for the year...So far. So good!

Have a good weekend, my friends. We are heading to the condo for the weekend. I am looking forward to getting some swimming time in. It has been a while! I am also looking forward to getting cozy on the couch and visiting with you all. Thanks for visiting. I am always so happy you do!

Billie Jo

If It Is Wednesday

 

Then last night must have been Taco Tuesday! And indeed it was. This is one meal we never tire of, and it is also a very easy one to prepare. Steve browned the meat and added the seasonings, and I did the rest...This translates to washing, chopping, and displaying several different types of toppings. I opened a couple of cans of vegetables, too! 

But seriously, we all love this and can eat it however we choose. I prefer a taco bowl, Flynn is all about the hard shell tacos, and Rhett will eat whatever he is feeling at the moment. I realized recently that if I lay a piece of parchment paper down and put the toppings on that, I have way fewer bowls to wash! Cleanup is always foremost in my mind.

Last night, we had rice, ground beef, shredded lettuce, cherry tomatoes, shredded cheese, corn, black beans, avocado, Greek yogurt, salsa, and cilantro to choose from. Greek yogurt is the perfect substitute for sour cream, by the way. 

In other Tuesday news, Flynn and I resumed homeschool, and suddenly my days went from coffee and naps to something like this...

We needed a minute to adapt to the change! Fortunately, our homeschool mascot was ready and waiting for us to begin.

And that is all I have for you today, my friends. Have a wonderful Wednesday! The sun is shining here!

Billie Jo

Monday Morning Coffee

Good Monday morning! Just like that, we are back to our ordinary days. And I am not unhappy about that. As much as I love the Christmas season, and I do, I am looking forward to regular days and cozy nights. What does that look like around here? Mornings with my coffee by the fire...

Snuggling by the fire with the pups and fluffy throws...

And regular meals like our dinner last night... baked ziti, salad, and fresh bread...These are the things that make the ordinary days my favorite.

Finally, I don't usually choose a word for the year, but this year I am. 

I recently realized that I need to be slower in most everything I do. One night a few weeks ago, I was doing my nighttime skincare routine when I suddenly realized I didn't need to rush through it. Why was I going through it like I was standing next to Bob Barker playing Beat the Clock? What about the time not long ago when I was in such a hurry that I brought a package in from outside, and a day later, I had no recollection of bringing it in or where I'd put it? Or last month, when I forgot that I had gotten water on the bathroom floor and, in my haste, I slipped and fell? Nothing injured, thankfully, except perhaps my pride! 

For my purpose, there may be better words to choose, like intentional, focus, or deliberate. However, slower is the one for me. The fact is, I just need to be slower. I need to slow down and be present in each moment, not hurrying either physically or mentally. Why do I seem to rush through things? It may be that I once had four children who needed me every day, or that I am, at my core, a people-pleaser. It may be that I was younger once. Whatever the reason, I recognize that I need to make a conscious effort to do and be slower. 

I hope you have a wonderful January day, my friends. For many, it is back to work, back to school, back to life. And aren't we blessed to be able to do just that?? Today I will be packing away Christmas and chasing dust bunnies before making a nice, regular dinner of chicken and potatoes tonight. Keep all the Christmas joy inside, my friends, as we head into the blessedly beautiful ordinary days.

Billie Jo

 

Ringing In The New Year!

Happy New Year, my friends! We rang in the new year at Madison and Nico's on New Year's Eve, and it was absolutely lovely! Madison loves holidays and is a natural hostess. 

I was so happy to see her wearing my momma's blue sparkly holiday sweater!  

She made the traditional Danish New Year's dessert, Kransekage, and it was not only beautiful but also delicious! 

We each brought a favorite food from the past year, and had a delicious dinner of pizza, shrimp and crab fried rice, chips and guacamole, and honey-roasted carrots. We missed Peyton and Chris, but kept in touch with them as Peyton prepared a special New Year's meal for Chris's family.

I am so happy for and proud of my Peyton, living the life she dreamed. 

New Year's Day found me hibernating with my coffee and my favorite marathon, The Twilight Zone. I have watched this on New Year's Day for many years, and look forward to it each year. Yes, I can watch it any day at any time I want, but there is just something about snuggling in and watching it on New Year's Day that makes me happy.

I did set the table for dinner, but that is all I take credit for. Steve always cooks our New Year's meal of pork, sauerkraut, dumplings, hot dogs, and kielbasa. And it was delicious.

And just like that, the holiday season concludes. Soon, the decorations and tree will be packed away, and the house will be dusted and prepared for the winter months of cozy indoor time. Now is the time for rest, reflection, comfort, and calm. I have never been one for the traditional January Reset. After months of planning, preparing, and celebrations, we need this time to rest and reflect. Nature settles in for a few months, and we should do the same. Thank you, my friends, for reading and sharing your lives here. Have a cozy weekend. I will see you on Monday!

Billie Jo