And...It's Friday Again

Hello! How was your week? I hope it was nice, cozy, and productive. Our weather in Maryland is pleasant and very much fall-like, especially in the morning. When the sun comes out, it gets a bit warmer, making for a perfect late autumn afternoon. I have walked every morning this week, except yesterday, when a friend and I went Christmas decoration shopping! I am still enthralled with all things Halloween; however, I am one to be prepared for when the clocks strike twelve on Halloween night, Christmas arrives!

I don't have much to share in terms of food this week. That is not to imply that we didn't eat, of course. For instance, lunch one day ...                                                                                                                                                                                                                

We enjoyed a full week of homeschool, with our bonus student doing very well so far this year. And we kept in touch with Peyton, who is happy as can be, baking and sending us pictures of all her yummy meals and treats!

In other news, my Madison and Nicolas are safe and sound in his beloved Denmark, and are having a wonderful, wonderful time enjoying family, friends, and Copenhagen! I am getting beautiful photos too, like a traditional Danish breakfast with grapes grown by Peter, Nicolas' father.

So happy for and proud of these two. Miss them also. And lastly, Steve and our friend Ross walk along the boardwalk and take pictures for all of us. The ocean is unbelievably breathtaking in October. Highly underrated.

Flynn added one of her own from her bedroom window. 

Today we have homeschool, and I also heard a rumor about some chocolate chip cookies. Made with brown butter. Sounds perfect for my afternoon coffee. Tomorrow we are going to Mass and then out to dinner with some friends of ours from Pennsylvania. They were just married, so we are so excited to see them and celebrate with them. The remainder of the weekend is up in the air, so I am thinking possibly some Halloween movies, laundry, lesson plans, and a nap, too. 

Let's see what Pinterest is thinking about today.

Have a lovely weekend, my friends.

Next week is Halloween Week!!

Billie Jo

Wednesday, Morticia, Lily...

 And...Bats.

Happy Wednesday, my friends!

Billie Jo

Monday Morning Coffee

Good morning, my friends. Today was the first day I needed a jacket for my morning walk. And that made me happy. I will take a chilly day with a soft zip-up jacket over a hot, sweaty day every single time. Anyway, the transition from bright, colorful October to the more subdued browns of November has begun here, and I couldn't help but think this morning how thankful I am that as each new season approaches, I am in some way ready for the change. As much as I love the colors, leaves, and excitement of early autumn, I am also ready to embrace the cozy, more muted days of late autumn through November. It feels like the right time to slow down and start preparing for the cozy days ahead. My walk today reflected the changes taking place as the vibrant greens faded and the water, once bustling with activity, grew still.

Madison and Nicolas are off to Denmark today! They are so very happy to return to his beloved Copenhagen to visit with his family. Steve cooked dinner last night for them, and Madison requested sloppy joes and Kraft Macaroni and Cheese. Spirals. Our favorite. If you look closely at my plate, you may notice the macaroni-and-cheese-to-zucchini ratio is a bit off, especially for this fifty-seven-year-old. Still, there is something about that blue box macaroni and cheese that gets me every time!

I contributed Halloween cupcakes for dessert, and they were delicious! Again, boxed, but sometimes Pillsbury does it better. Especially the festive holiday mixes I cannot resist.

Sharing this picture of my handsome, hilarious, and hardworking son because he is the best. And because I love the young man my little boy became. 

Lastly, last night I went to throw something away, and the garbage can was empty, with a fresh new bag in it. Can I tell you how happy that made me?! I started thinking about other seemingly small things like that because, more often than not, we find happiness in the simplest things. Here are a few of those things for me...

~ Opening the dishwasher to find it has been emptied

~ The first night sleeping in fresh sheets

~ Stirring pumpkin creamer into my hot cup of coffee

~ A stack of new books sitting on my bedside table

~ Lighting the Yankee Home For The Holidays candle for the first time each year

~ Plugging in the Christmas Tree on a dark December morning



Feel free to add something simple that makes you happy!

And have a cozy Monday!

Billie Jo

Photos From An October Week

This week was all about October around here. There were snuggles on the couch in the late afternoon, one pup in front of me and one behind my knees. Every time.

The early morning walks are what I wait all year for. I don't have the words to convey the feeling I get when I walk outside on these mid-October mornings. I have loved this specific time for as long as I can remember: As a teenager, practicing with the marching band in my little hometown, looking up and seeing the colorful trees that made up the mountains surrounding us, then walking to class around the autumn-colored trees that lined the small campus of my beautiful college, and the distinct smell of crunchy leaves mixed with the joy of second graders running onto the playground for an extra recess at the end of the day because it was simply too beautiful to keep them inside, the happiness of pushing a stroller so many times with each of my four precious babies, sometimes two at a time, pointing out leaves and trees and pumpkins, and now, as a middle aged mom, reflecting and enbracing the changes life brings to each of us...these few days that October shares with us each and every year are so very special to me, and I am thankful.

It wasn't all snuggling and walking around here, though. There was eating too! Funny story about us. We buy a cow every year from a local farmer and then have the butcher cut it into the types of meat we need. Well, every year without fail, we use up all the ground beef and chip steak first, and are left with steaks at the end. So this week, Steve had steaks to cook, and we invited his friend Brandon to dinner. Brandon is a local farmer, and Steve and Madison met him at the Farmer's Market. We had steak and potatoes from his farm for dinner. 

Madison brought one of our favorite cakes with some spooky additions for dessert. She also made these amazing, beautiful cookies and brought them over while we watched The Great British Bake Off because it was Biscuit Week!

And of course, there was homeschool. It is slightly sad how excited I get about Geometry. Flynn is liking it too, promise.

Lastly, Steve and I went out on the town last night with some of our good friends from back in Pennsylvania. They came down to spend a few days at the condo, and we went to dinner last night. It was so nice to see them and visit with them. We are thankful that they made the drive. 

Oh!!! The Twitter "discussion" with Duff Goldman! So, I did not remember the specifics, and I went to one of my memory banks, also known as Rhett, and of course he remembered the entire thing. This was years ago, maybe like ten years ago? The kids and I were watching one of the baking shows on Food Network where Duff was a judge, and that night the theme was Dessert Imposters. You were supposed to make a dessert that looked savory. For example, Rhett says, a pie that looks like a cheeseburger. So this one woman made cupcakes. And she put fondant pieces on the cupcakes. Duff and the judges were obsessing over her and praising her efforts, even though the other contestants had made incredible imposters. It was just weirdly blatant. Anyway, I had Twitter at the time and typed a comment; honestly, it wasn't rude or anything. I just pointed out that she really didn't complete the challenge. My goodness, Duff commented back, and he clearly did not appreciate my opinion! It was really funny! So we went back and forth a bit, and then I told him off realized that this was a good teaching moment for my children, and I agreed to disagree with him. I didn't even know he had Twitter! 

OK! I'm done! Happy Weekend, my friends!

Billie Jo