November 14, 2022

Monday Morning Coffee Talk

Good Monday morning, my friends. This morning's coffee is an old favorite, Maxwell House International Instant Coffee. I have been drinking this since college, and although my favorite flavor has changed through the years, currently French Vanilla Cafe, I still love a steaming hot cup of this goodness every now and then. 

Today I am thinking about Thanksgiving being next week. This time of year always seems to sneak up on me. Maybe because I am all about Halloween for so long beforehand, that once October 31 comes and goes, and I am still surrounded by orange, black, and bite-sized candy, I have but a couple weeks before Thanksgiving is upon us. At the same time, Christmas begins to appear, along with the urge to surround myself with all things jolly. Not that I am complaining, mind you. Just trying to appreciate the fact that we are entering the most wonderful season of the year, one I wait for all year long.

Adding to the festivities are the birthdays of two of my precious children, the one that made me a mother and the one that completed our family. Madison has her special day after Thanksgiving, while Flynn celebrates hers before. Steve and I took these beautiful ladies to dinner this past weekend, and we had the most wonderful time. 



Looking ahead to this week, we are getting some weather much more aligned with November. I plan to decorate the Christmas tree, decorate the house, and prepare for Flynn's birthday. Wednesday night is our annual Ornament Night, where we all meet at The Hallmark Store and choose an ornament for this year. This is the twenty-fifth year Steve and I have done this, beginning with a tiny Madison and continuing through this year with four children, two sons-in-law, and one sweet girlfriend. Each of the kids has a box of ornaments to keep, illustrating their childhoods from Baby's First Christmas to Barbie and Matchbox, from Monsters Inc. to Ironman, each representing a special moment or memory from a year of their life. Which passes way too quickly, don't you think?

Well, I have to run. The dishwasher needs unloading, as does the dryer. The bed sheets need changing too. These are all things I feel blessed to be able to do here in my little house on the lake. What are you feeling blessed to do today, my friends? 

Have a cozy day!
Thanks for visiting!

Billie Jo






17 comments:

  1. Good Morning! I am drinking Maxwell House too. It's a favorite in our house, as you know. I have added a bit of peppermint mocha creamer to it : ) I love the picture of Madison and Flynn! Dinner looked amazing too! Have a wonderful week! The planning and festivities are starting. Rob is currently raking leaves but I think he'd rather be unloading your dishwasher! LOL Happy Monday. Miss you! xx

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  2. About the coffee, is it just me or are the flavors harder to find than they used to be? I remember in years past there was more of a variety. French Vanilla is still my favorite so as long as they don't discontinue that one I'm okay! ♥

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  3. Your daughters are both gorgeous! Happy Birthday to them. It is the best time of the year and I have to stay mindful or it flies by. Have a great week Billie Jo.

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  4. I shipped the Indy Hallmark ornaments today…I started this in 1970 when my son was born…I have the ones for Florida group at Christmas…we owned Burke’s Hallmark for ten years1987 to 1997…I did not like retail…I worked in it daily the first five years and then went to college to teach…when we sold it, I had thousands of ornaments…I have given ,most to the family, and I have a few left for a tiny tree..I am now a minimalist in a small condo…one of our great memories…the Hallmark ornaments each year…glad you are doing it…

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  5. I am feeling so blessed today! Feeling a little overwhelmed with all there is to do, but you know what? There's no reason to be concerned! If it gets done: good. If not, it'll be okay!

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  6. How special that Madison and Flynn's birthdays are around the same time. I like the ornament idea that you do every year. I cherish the old treasured ornaments, but the new ones bring smiles too. Have a wonderful week, Billie Jo, and I look forward to seeing all the Christmas decor you put up in your home. Oh Yes, I remember Maxwell House coffee. That's nice that you have memories of drinking it in college. I've been looking all over for Hills Bros, but can't seem to find it anywhere. : )

    ~Sheri

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  7. How sweet that tradition is with the ornaments. Happy birthday to those two amazing women.

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  8. Happy early birthday to both of those beauties!! And I love that you still do that ornament tradition. Those are the core memories your kids will carry forever. I feel blessed to do another load of laundry (kind of - sigh, Lol) and put on my big comforter after changing sheets this morning! First real blanket of snow on the ground today. 😊

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  9. It's cold here and feeling more like Christmas. I'm about to do some gift wrapping tonight.
    It's birthday month for us too. A granddaughter was the 5th, our oldest daughter is this week and mine is on Thanksgiving. Busy month!

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  10. I am just about to enjoy coffee with vanilla creamer, before going into work. Feeling blessed to be in a job I enjoy and to work with some wonderful people. Xx

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  11. I'm anxious to put our tree up but I will stick to tradition and wait till the day after Thanksgiving. I can't believe it's next week already! We'll just have the boys over and hopefully hang out all day, playing card games eating too much food. And then the next day, everything switches to Christmas like Cinderella's carriage at midnight. LOL!

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  12. Happy Birthday to your two sweet and beautiful girls! Such a special time to remember their birthdays! Trying to keep leaves swept up here and yesterday, we had snow flurries! Too soon for that! Have a wonderful week!

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  13. Our daughter had a lifetime of ornaments saved too. Their tree fell one Christmas and destroyed the majority of them. She was devastated!

    Your ornament tradition is a lovely one.

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  15. Hi Billie Jo~ Happy belated birthday to your beautiful daughters!

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  16. November and December are very busy months for sure, but having two birthdays definitely makes it even more busy, the dinner out looked so yummy! Happy birthday to both girls! And yes, I can hardly believe it is Thanksgiving next week, how this year has flown by! I haven't had a cup of the Maxwell coffee for years, I must try it again soon! Have a blessed and wonderful week :)

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  17. Haven't had Maxwell House coffee in forever, might have to look for it next time I'm out in the store. Happy Birthday to your girls! Just love hearing about all your traditions. I do the ornament tradition as well though I pick them out (what a fun idea to have everyone choose their own!). I used to always do personalized ones until I realized they were going to have trees full of their own names one day. Hope your Wednesday is off to a wonderful start!

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Thanks so much for saying hello!

Billie Jo