October 30, 2023

Monday Morning Coffee: Halloween Week Edition!



Good Monday morning, and Happy Halloween Eve! We celebrated this weekend with our annual Family Halloween Party. We sure missed Peyton and Chris, who were here last weekend, but she surprised us by sending down these amazingly delicious cookies for the party! The kids went all out with the costumes this year! We ate, played games, and had lots of fun together. I was thankful that the dining room furniture arrived just in time!











If Saturday was all about Halloween fun, then Sunday was for cozy and quiet and the beauty of an ordinary autumn day. 







Today is going to be beautiful here, so Flynn and I are going to do school earlier than usual and then head to the beach. The rest of the week is going to be much more fall-ish, so we thought we'd get one more beach visit in. Thank you for all the love for Cosmo, our furry new family member. He is absolutely precious and, so far, quite the snuggler. Mocha is warming up to him, too! I hope you have a wonderful day, my friends. And have a Happy-Not-Too-Spooky-Halloween!!!


BillieJo





October 28, 2023

An Extra Special Saturday Post

 Because something this special deserves its own post! 

Introducing...


Cosmo!!!

Steve found him and knew Kirby didn't want him to be lonely. Wednesday afternoon, Steve, Flynn, Rhett, and Kyrstin went to pick him up while I stayed and got things ready. I soon received photos and knew Steve had found his new best friend.








The first meeting went very well, and Mocha is cautiously curious about her new brother.



Cosmo is a five-month-old Cavapoo and has stolen our hearts.




Especially this guy, who has so much love to give this fluffy little friend.

Happy weekend, my friends!

BillieJo










October 27, 2023

All The Fall

Well, here we are. Friday again. And it is the last Friday in October! Soon, all the cozy fall vibes will be replaced with Christmas joy, so before we jump headfirst into Mariah Carey and the Elf on the Shelf, let's enjoy all the fall we can. First up: Fall here, in the schoolroom...

In the front yard...

And in the backyard.

.

On the beach, where Flynn and Steve head for late afternoon walks...

Back home at Madison's house...

And at Peyton's, too.



Fall looks different in different places. I truly learned that this year. Fall can be a feeling, too. It doesn't have to be trees with leaves of glorious shades and perfect pumpkins on the porch (although those things are amazing!). It can be a cozy feeling of contentment, a cup of pumpkin coffee, or a walk on the beach at sunset. All that is fall.

I will wrap this up with a few random pictures from this past week here. Mocha, forever by my side, Peyton, Christopher, and Flynn, having so much fun last weekend and breakfast on an October morning. A perk of having a husband in retirement is having meals prepared and cleaned up for you! Who knew??! 






Have a wonderfully, not-too-spooky weekend, my friends. Madison and Nicolas are heading down here, and we have lots of Halloween fun planned! Thank you for visiting. I am always happy you do.

BillieJo





































October 25, 2023

Would You Believe



~ I know every single episode of Seinfeld by heart?

~ I really want to get a tattoo on my wrist?

~I played the clarinet in school and was actually pretty good?

~ I am really creeped out by owls?

~ I have never driven in a city?
( Be glad. )

~ I have the remarkable ability to sleep anywhere, anytime? 

I don't drink alcohol.
( No hate. Just don't like the taste. )

I strongly dislike being in the sun?
( And being hot. Or sweaty, Or both. Just hate it. )

~ I floss my teeth twice a day, every day.

~ I don't like shoes. I don't like shopping for them, or buying them or wearing them.

Well, it's true! 

Before I go, I'd like to answer a few questions from previous posts.

Jennifer wanted to know if it was too cold for swimming. ~ Indeed it is! Fortunately, our condo is in a building with an indoor pool that is never busy this time of year! 

Dianna asked if Madison still blogs. ~ So nice to see you here, Dianna! Madison doesn't blog anymore, but she is on Instagram, and you can find her by clicking HERE!

lejmom asked about the lake house, this house, and the condo. She said she was a bit confused about where we live, and believe me, sometimes I am too! ~ Our primary home is our lake house in Pennsylvania. A few years ago, we bought a condo on the beach that we have vacationed at since the kids were little and realized how relaxing it could be! Steve recently retired, and since I homeschool Flynn, we decided we could spend more time here. We bought the house where we are now, and someday, hope to make it our forever home.  The house is in a wooded area near the bay, about fifteen minutes from the ocean and the condo.  For now, we plan on splitting our time between the lake house and this one. We go to the beach and stay at the condo most weekends when we are down here. We will be heading back to Pennsylvania in early November for the holidays. 


Well, I hope you all have a wonderful Wednesday, my friends. Thanks for visiting! Be sure to make some time for a good Halloween movie this week. Halloweentown and Twitches are some favorites here! 



Both are Disney movies available on Amazon Prime Video.


BillieJo