Happy 11th Birthday, Little Blog! And A Giveaway!

Eleven Years? Wow! When I began blogging so many years ago, I had no idea the positive impact it would have on my life. I am thankful for this place where I can share, save, and document the important and ordinary days of our lives. I have made many special friends; some I have met in person, others I feel as if I have. To celebrate eleven years of blogging, I am sharing one random photo from each year. My, life passes quickly!

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

Also, in honor of YOU, my friends, I am having a fun little giveaway to thank you for reading and sharing all these years. If you want to enter to win one of five gift cards...one Amazon, one Yankee Candle, and three Dunkin'...simply leave a comment below. I will randomly select the winners and post them Friday. Please enter by 12:00 AM Friday, August 4, 2023. Thank You, my friends!

BillieJo

Monday Morning Coffee Talk

 

Good Monday morning! This was me for a substantial amount of time last week at the beach. Cozy clothes, makeup-free, with my coffee and pup nearby. For many years, I enjoyed the fun and excitement of being in the middle of the action at the beach. Now I am happiest as a bystander and only occasionally joining the excursions, choosing instead to stay back and watch the dogs. Yet another reason this introverted homebody is thankful she married an extroverted fun seeker.  

On this trip, I had a friend to drink coffee with and watch crime shows with! Danielle has a beautiful blog right HERE, and she and I have been friends for years. We met through our blogs, and now we are friends in real life too! She and her family spent the week with us, and it was filled with laughter, coffee, movies, beach time, and fun. 

It was a wonderful week for us all. We were all able to enjoy the time together, except these two, and we missed them dearly, but they were on their own adventure in Washington, D.C., celebrating their 2nd wedding anniversary! So happy for my Peyton Rose and her Christopher!

We stayed in touch with phone calls and photos, of course. I am home, safe, sound, and ready for a new week. Today I will organize some things, do the laundry, and make my meal plan with a shopping list. The leaves are appearing on the trees, and the days are getting longer. Spring is trying to arrive here in Pennsylvania, but winter isn't going quietly. We had snow flurries this morning, and I have the fire going beside me. And I am not complaining about that. Have a wonderful day, my friends. I will be around to visit and get caught up! 

Thanks for visiting!

Billie Jo

Favorite Recipe Friday and a Giveaway!

Hello! And Happy Friday, my friends. I hope you had a lovely, cozy week. We passed a touch of something around here this week and therefore spent an inordinate amount of time sleeping. The symptoms were mild: a quick bout of sweating, dizziness, exhaustion, and a stuffy nose. Thankfully, we all feel better, no doubt in part to the excellent care we experienced. Rhett's girlfriend Kyrstin made us a delicious dinner Monday night, and Madison brought another delicious meal for us on Valentine's Day. And now, the windows have been opened, the sheets changed, and the Lysol sprayed. 

I'm sharing this recipe from a couple weeks ago, and I may have shared it before, but it is easy and delicious. It is Enchilada Casserole, and I will link the recipe down below. 

I also wanted to share two beautiful books I recently read and loved, written by two lovely Blogging friends! Each of these books is beautifully written and filled with helpful advice and heart-touching words that you will reach for again and again. 

Mrs. White has a beautiful blog right HERE. I have been a reader and friend for years.

Debbie is a new blogging friend I am so happy to have met. Her beautiful blog is found HERE.

I would like to gift two of my readers a copy of both of these books. Please leave a comment below letting me know you are interested, and I will draw two names from that list and announce the two lucky winners Monday! 

Well, Mocha and I have a few things to do today. First, though, I am pouring another cup of coffee. Have a cozy weekend, and thanks so much for visiting. I am always happy you do!

Billie Jo

ENCHILADA CASSEROLE

Update On A Special Blog Friend

 

The daughter of my dear blog friend, Lorraine of Mamas Merchantile, posted an update on her mother and the beautiful crafts she completed for Christmas. If you would like to leave a comment and let her know you are thinking of and praying for her, the link to her blog is right HERE. 

Billie Jo

(Pinterest for the beautiful image)