Monday Morning Coffee

Good Monday morning! I hope you had a nice weekend, my friends. Here, we had a tiny glimpse of spring, and despite my affection for fall and winter and all things cozy, I loved it! When I took the pups out early yesterday morning, I smelled spring. Do you know what I mean? It's hard to describe, but it is just a mix of warmth, fresh soil, fresh air, and...spring. 

Once I was outside, I realized that the birds may have some insider information on the arrival of spring. And maybe that missing one hour of sleep was worth it to wake up to this.

Back inside, I lit the candle for the third week of Lent.

What else did I do this past weekend?

I read. Not sure how I feel about this one, but I finished it. 

I ate. We went to the restaurant that Rhett manages, and had a delicious Lenten Fish Fry. Delicious!

And I went to mass. The weather was so nice at our house, but as we got closer to the ocean, the fog became so thick that you could hardly see.

Couldn't resist. Rudolph's my favorite.

Other weekend activities include but are not limited to: sweeping the bathroom floor, vacuuming our bedroom, changing the bedsheets and the quilt because one little pup had too much to eat and was sick in bed, and then deciding I might as well wash the blanket too - Clearing a path to the washing machine so I could, in fact, wash said bedding, and then continue to wash, dry, and fold a tremendous amount of laundry - Working on my planner for the upcoming week - Playing Boggle on Netflix with the family - Making No Bake cookiws with Rhett - Eating too many No Bake cookies and having zero regrets-

And receiving beautiful evening photos from Steve while he walked on the boardwalk...

This inspired me to look outside for a peek at the sunset here at the house.

And I am so glad I did.

Today, Flynn and I will continue our homeschooling together, and Steve is cooking dinner. Tonight, we will most likely gather after dinner for our evening routine of an episode of The Chosen, followed by some Boggle. Exciting? Maybe not so much. Comforting, cozy, and relaxing? Absolutely. Soon enough, we will be scattered outdoors during the beautiful summer evenings, some working, others swimming, walking, or running into town for an ice cream. All good things to look forward to, of course. For now, though, I am hanging on to this together time. Happily.  

Have a wonderful Monday, my friends.

Thank you for visiting!

Billie Jo

No-Bake Oatmeal Cookies

Servings: About 24 cookies

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes (plus cooling)

Ingredients

• ½ cup oleo (margarine or butter)

• 2 cups granulated sugar

• ½ cup milk

• ½ cup peanut butter

• ⅓ cup cocoa powder

• 3 cups oatmeal

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

• Prepare the Base: In a medium saucepan, bring the oleo (margarine or butter),

sugar, milk, and cocoa powder to a boil over medium heat. Stir frequently to

prevent burning.

• Cook the Mixture: Once the mixture reaches a rolling boil, let it boil for 1

minute, stirring constantly.

• Add Remaining Ingredients: Remove the saucepan from the heat. Stir in the

peanut butter, oatmeal, and vanilla extract until fully combined.

• Form the Cookies: Drop the mixture by teaspoonfuls onto a sheet of wax paper.

Shape into rounds if desired.

• Cool and Set: Let the cookies cool at room temperature until firm, about 30

minutes. Store in the refrigerator for a firmer texture.

* We use only two cups of oatmeal.

* I cannot remember where I found this recipe. We have loved it for so long!