Monday Morning Coffee

Good Monday morning! I am here in my spot on the couch, having just finished my first cup of coffee, and am thinking about how there are but six Mondays left after today before Christmas. These next six weeks can be stressful, chaotic, exhausting, and filled with endless consumerism if I let them be. On the other hand, I could choose to reframe my expectations and adjust accordingly to enjoy these weeks of anticipation and preparation in a calmer, more reflective, and simpler way. I choose the latter, as I am sure you would guess. 

We all carry our own idea of the perfect Christmas season within ourselves. Your image is unique to you and you alone. It may be a culmination of your childhood memories, traditions, or a sense of nostalgia. With social media apps, we are now exposed to many additional images, ideas, decorations, and traditions that offer new and different ways to transform our homes and lives for Christmas. This is not all bad. Coming across a specific recipe or way to decorate a wreath and adding it to your list is a great idea, especially if it brings you and your family joy. The problem occurs when we allow all the carefully curated, potentially altered images of a picture-perfect Christmas home fit neatly into a square on a social media platform to change our idea of the Christmas we share with our loved ones. 

Six weeks. Six weeks to fret, shop, shop, shop, panic, rush, and worry about creating the Christmas memories for our families. Or, six weeks to plan while sipping a cup of coffee or cocoa, paring down lists to accommodate changes in our lives, using decorations we have had and loved forever to bring Christmas to life, and six weeks to slowly savor these moments together by a tree, sparkling with lights, allowing ourselves to put all the extra to the side for a bit, knowing it will all be there in January. For me, I choose the latter again. This is no surprise. I am always and forever a homebody. Now I will have Christmas around me to enjoy it even more!

Have a cozy Monday, my friends. Homeschool, laundry, groceries, and a walk are on the agenda here!

Billie Jo

Friday And All The Fall

Hello! Happy Friday! Well, we have reached that very special time of year. The transition between the bright, colorful days of October and the muted, cozy days of early November. This week was bright, sunny, and full of trees with colorful leaves. Today, the clouds are here, and suddenly everything appears in hues of brown. This is the time of inside, as the dark comes earlier, and we are drawn together after dinner, sitting by the fire in the glow of candlelight. I realized long ago that time passes quickly, and the one thing I can do is embrace, enjoy, and live in every moment. 

Yesterday, Steve and I did just that. We stopped, got me a coffee, and then took a nice ride to look at the leaves. This is the same thing Steve's parents used to do, and we smile because we were once a young couple watching his dad drive his mother off to see the leaves, and now, just like that, we are too! I am blessed and honored to be like them. They were two wonderful people. 

Peyton and Chris sent us these pictures of how they spent a beautiful autumn day. Aren't they the cutest? 

Have a wonderful weekend, my friends. Thank you for visiting. I look forward to catching up with you this weekend. Me, my coffee, a throw blanket, and some candles. I'll see you then!

Billie Jo

 

Wondering About Wednesday

The other day, I was getting dinner ready and went to pull a potholder out of the drawer. I looked at the ragged, stained piece of fabric and realized I hadn't bought a new potholder in years! I mean, I just always have three or four in the drawer, and we use them. Then I began to think about other things I tend to keep way longer than necessary. I never think about replacing them. I just keep them - No matter how sad-looking and unproductive they become. Here are a few things around the house I can think of that I never seem to replace, but always seem to have.

Potholders - stained, mismatched

Ballpoint pens - different colors, sizes, working and non-working

Cookie Sheets - old, bent, and stained

Pins, Needles, Picture Hangers, and Nails - randomly thrown in a cottage cheese container

Candles - various sizes and colors, some used and some unused

Tote bags - Various sizes, fabrics, depicting different places, stores, and holidays

Remotes and Chargers - for random items, some known, some not

Could I throw these items away and purchase new ones? Yes. Why have I not? I have no idea. Literally. Maybe someday when I am buying seasonal decorations and yet another throw blanket, I will think about throwing in some fresh new potholders and cookie sheets. Or maybe not.

Have a great day, my friends! Here are a few things to make you smile!

Billie Jo

November Is Here

Hello! Happy November, my friends. I love November. It is the time to settle in, plan, get cozy, and rest in the promise of the upcoming excitement and joy of the holidays, followed by the stillness and rest of winter. 

Before we turned the page into November, we ended October with celebrations. First, on Saturday, Halloween! And then, Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos) last night. Flynn dressed as the main character from her favorite movie to date... Project Hail Mary, big sister Madison dressed as a fashionable witch to go with her. 

I stayed home with the pups to prepare our Halloween dinner.

We enjoyed Cheese Broccoli Soup, Ham and Swiss, and Turkey and American Cheese Croissant Sandwiches, and an Apple Pecan Salad.

And a chocolate ganache tart for dessert. We played some games, visited, and remembered Halloween Past as well. 

Halloween 2003

( Flynn was waiting patiently up in Heaven. )

Last night, Madison and Nicolas hosted a lovely celebration for the Day of the Dead, where we remembered our loved ones who have passed.

It was a wonderful evening spent together, remembering our loved ones.

And now, we embrace all that November brings as we slow down and settle in. 

Thanks for visiting, my friends.

Billie Jo

Friday Before Halloween

Hello and Happy Friday, my friends! Here we are on the eve of Halloween. October was a beautiful month, and ending with some spooky fun seems like a good idea to me. First, though, some pictures of the week leading up to Halloween.

We ate.

Walked.

And did all the spooky, fun things.

Oh. I set up my planner for November, too.

Tomorrow is Halloween! However you celebrate it, if you do, enjoy. We are having our traditional Family Halloween Party tomorrow night, and I can't wait to get started!

Well, my friends. Enjoy the weekend however you choose. We get an extra hour of it, remember! I will see you back here on Monday. Happy Halloween!

Billie Jo

So Far

 

Good Wednesday morning, my friends. This was the first thing I saw when I went outside this morning. I am always in awe of the complexity and beauty of nature and how it all fits together at the same time every year. I see that firsthand as I walk the same circle every morning. I am a creature of habit, as they say. I like to do the same thing at the same time every day. And I am sure you are waiting with bated breath to know what that is, right??!!

I wake up around the same time each day. It is always between 6:15 and 6:45. The first thing I do is brush my teeth. Always. After that, I pull on my sweatpants and T-shirt before quietly grabbing my phone, my watch, and Mocha, not necessarily in that order. We head down to the mudroom, where Mocha begins to bark as if we have never done any of these things before, while I put on my sneakers and grab her leash. 

Once outside, we begin our walk. I usually listen to my prayer app while we are walking. We stop and walk out on the dock to say good morning to my momma. I finish my walk and head back inside, where Mocha gets a drink of fresh water, and so do I. Once Mocha is settled, I usually load any dishes in the sink into the dishwasher, which Flynn empties every night. Then I get my coffee ready to brew, throw in a load of laundry, check Flynn's lesson plans for the day, and go quietly into our room to get Cosmo, who has been patiently waiting this whole time.

Finally, I pour my cup of coffee, add a splash of creamer, and sit down in my spot on the couch. The pups snuggle in on either side under the throw blanket, and we sit together in the quiet of the morning, the only sound being the washing machine in the background. I am the only one awake for a bit, and I enjoy these quiet, peaceful moments each day. Soon, the Christmas tree lights will make it even better!

Happy Wednesday!

BillieJo