Dogs, Ducks, Dreams, And Dessert

What would you say if I told you I didn't like dogs? Well, let me clarify that. I didn't always like dogs. In fact, I like my own dogs. You see, I grew up with cats. My family always had cats. My very first word was Pepper, the name of our all-black cat. We had Mittens, a black cat with white paws, and Maggie. When Steve and I were first married, and even though we lived in an apartment and Steve was a dog person, we got the cutest little kitten of our own. I had never touched a dog. Seriously. And then, my baby at the time, Rhett went to Kindergarten, and I was alone. By this time, Chelsea had found a new, quieter, child-free home with a sweet older man. My kids and my husband wanted a dog. And so Kirby became a member of our family. And we all loved him so. Eventually, Mocha joined our family, followed by Madison and Nico's pup Draper. Sadly, Kirby passed last summer at the age of fifteen, and then Cosmo and Marty arrived to help mend our broken hearts. Why am I telling you all this? Only to put the following few photos into context. And to explain why it is funny that my family now calls me, the woman who had never even touched a dog before her own, The Dog Whisperer. 

See what I mean? By the way, Marty was close by in his little pen for some quiet time. He is still in puppy mode!

In other news, I received two ducks the other day! Steve got one after he left the carwash, and we received one at the Boardwalk! If you are unfamiliar with this, as I was up until a short while ago, Duck Duck Jeep is widespread in the Jeep Wrangler community, and it is simply the act of placing a small, plastic duck on a Jeep Wrangler you see and like, appreciate or even to spread an act of kindness. It's fun!

Well, it is getting to be that time, my friends. I am starting to get the tiniest little itch to think about my favorite time of year...fall! Just a tiny bit, I promise! I am ready to enjoy every ounce of summer, I promise!

Finally, what is summer without a delicious fruit dessert? Madison found this recipe in her Pioneer Woman magazine, and we both knew we had to try it! We made it together, as it is easier with two sets of hands, and it was amazing! We substituted some blackberries for some of the blueberries and used sour cream in place of the yogurt, but otherwise, we followed the recipe as written. The homemade whipped cream is AMAZING! I will link the recipe below. 

Well, have a wonderful weekend, my friends. Thanks for visiting, commenting, and emailing. This world of blogging is such a wonderful, happy, cozy space!

Billie Jo

Blueberry Upside-Down Cake

(Google for fun.)

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday

 

Down by the boardwalk!

Billie Jo

Monday Morning Coffee Talk

Good morning! Was your weekend everything you wished it to be? We had a lovely one here, with delicious dinners cooked by the kids for their father, a beautiful mass, a relaxing visit to the beach, and a long afternoon nap for me. My son brought me flowers, Madison and Nicolas made Steve his favorite pasta dish, he talked to Peyton on the phone, and Rhett and Nicolas took him out for a drink. 

Flynn, Marty, Cosmo, and Mocha will finish our school year this week. I am happy to say they all passed eighth grade. A few of them need to work on some minor behavioral issues over the summer, though. : )

Oh, and if there are any questions, Halloween is always in style here.

Billie Jo

A Friday In June

Happy Friday! And here I go, lamenting that it is Friday already, not only Friday but Friday in the middle of June! How in the world is this possible? Sometimes, I feel like I am on a merry-go-round, and it starts going faster and faster, and I want to slow down. I can't because I'm not in charge. I want to jump off, but I can't because, well, pain and injury, so I hold on as tightly as I can and try to focus on what is happening instead of how fast it is happening, but I can't because although the ride is smooth, it is also moving way too quickly! 

As Father's Day approaches, I am reminded of the many times I knocked on my parents' bedroom door and opened it to tell my Dad goodnight. I remember him listening to me talk and talk and then telling me not to wish my life away because the older you get, the faster it goes. As so often the case, young teenage me heard him but couldn't comprehend what he was saying. Time is time, right? And again, as so often is the case, my Dad was right. The older I get, the faster the days, months, and years pass. Suddenly, I am far from that teenager, pulling into the driveway with minutes to spare before curfew, wishing for just one more "Goodnight, Dad" before bed. 

He was an awesome dad who adored his five girls so much!

I am blessed to have been born to a fantastic father and to have married a man who became one! This weekend, we will celebrate Steve, who is the most amazing father to all of our children. He has a special, unique relationship with each one, and always has the answer for any of life's questions. He was the field trip parent, the soccer coach, the driving teacher, the concert-goer, the amusement park rider, and the vacation planner. He continues many of those things with Flynn and is now the older kids' financial advisor and all-around advice-giver. 

We will celebrate him with dinner, gifts, and phone calls this weekend, too! 

In other news, Flynn and I are still working on homeschooling. We will finish next week, although we could continue because we really enjoy it! A break will be good, though. And when we resume, she will be a freshman! There are flowers and puppies and sunshine around here, too!

Have a wonderful weekend, my friends. Happy Father's Day to all! May those of us who no longer have our fathers here with us find peace in the memories we hold. 

Did I mention Steve bakes, too?? Peach upside-down cake. Who knew?

Billie Jo

Did You Ever

Think this was the very best Christmas present when you were too old for toys?

Get so excited to wear these to school until you found out they were not allowed because of the stairs?

Love this cake, but wonder what that grainy filling actually was?

Search for the perfect pattern to go with the shoes you weren't allowed to wear?

Wonder why all of your friends had these same glasses you weren't allowed to use?

Think the Velcro strip made these sneakers extra cool?

Wear this blouse on the first day of school, even though it was eighty-five degrees outside?

 

Find one of these in your Christmas stocking and wear it all day, but never use it again because you lost it and then couldn't remember if it was yours or your sister's when you found it again?

Or was that just me??

Happy Wednesday, my friends!

And thanks to Google for all the memories.

Billie Jo

 

Monday Morning Coffee Talk

Good Monday morning! I was up earlier this morning than usual, but I didn't mind. I am one of those people who cannot lie in bed once awake. I can't fall back to sleep, either. I have a saying, "When I'm up, I'm up!" It may be conditioning from the years of rising early to go to work, followed by years of getting up early with the kids, but whatever it is, I am here for it. The early mornings, once filled with bottles and babies, cereal bowls and Sesame Street, and morning baths followed by matching play clothes, are now quiet and cozy, filled with coffee cups and prayers, snuggling puppies, and dinner plans. I love the early mornings. I love the start of a new day. I love watching the world wake up and slowly come to life. I miss the chaotic mornings with small children and a husband getting ready to head to work. I miss wiping faces, and rinsing bottles, tying shoes, and brushing hair. But I love quiet mornings, too. I love sitting with my pups, sipping my hot coffee. I love knowing my family is sleeping nearby and will soon meander in and say good morning. This morning, I am at the beach, so I am happy I woke early.

I literally saw the new day beginning. 

Here are a few random pictures of other parts of the weekend.

I love birds. These freak me out a little.

A calm ocean is serene and lovely. And a rough one, majestic and powerful.

Fish at the ocean. The colors are fun. But the original red is the best.

On our way to mass Saturday with fifty percent of my children.

Have a wonderful Monday, my friends! We will head back to the house later, and Flynn and I will do school. I will check the birdfeeders, start some laundry, and be thankful that I always tidy the house before I go anywhere. Oh, and in the interest of transparency, I will most likely take a late afternoon nap! Thanks for visiting!

Billie Jo