Weekly Wrap Up And Father's Day!

Well, summer arrived in all her glory this week. Man, it was hot! You know how much I love the sun and heat, right?? Evenings are my time these days, and we made the most of Wednesday evening this week with dinner on the lake and some swimming!

It was a beautiful evening with my people. In case you were wondering where the missing two are...

They are hiking out west and visiting beautiful places like the Grand Canyon, Sequoia National Park, and the Channel Islands. They are having a wonderful time, and I am so happy for them both. But I miss them too!

This Sunday is Father's Day. And it has me thinking about my dear Dad, whom I miss every day. 

Here he is with me, his fourth little bundle of pink!

He ended up with five! Can you guess which one is me?

Happy Heavenly Father's Day, Dad.

And  Happy Father's Day to this guy, the most amazing father I know! Sunday is his day, and he wants to cook on the grill! Madison is making strawberry pie, and I suspect there will be a few gifts too! 

Have a wonderful weekend, my friends!

Stay cool!!!

Billie Jo

Wednesday Wisdom

Not that I have many, but it sounded good! When I was a young mother with four precious little ones at home, the days were filled with things to do, meals to make, games to play, shows to watch, and laundry to fold. I loved every minute, from breakfasts on the porch to afternoon movies, ice cream cones after dinner, and baths before bed. With three of my children grown and my baby almost thirteen, my days are far less busy and much quieter. If I am not mindful, I could start to feel sorry for myself and wonder what in the world I should do with my time!

Thankfully, Flynn enjoys spending time with her mom, and we have fun binge-watching shows, listening to music, and swimming in the lake. However, I still have a great deal of free time, so I am learning to embrace it rather than fear it. I find it helpful to get up and get ready for the day, even if the day holds no concrete plans. Another thing I do every morning is make my bed. Something about smoothing the sheets and fluffing the pillows makes me feel as if I accomplished a major task! I also remind myself that it is perfectly ok to take time for myself, whether that means spending time reading or napping in the afternoon. 

I try to plan and prepare healthy and delicious meals for my little family, even if they are not as elaborate or consistent as they once were. Last night I threw some leftover grilled chicken breast into some Barilla pasta sauce and steamed some store-bought green beans. Sometimes Steve or Rhett brings dinner home. And that is ok too. Our lives are full of seasons, I suppose. No sense hanging onto one when the time comes to move to another. Every season has beauty, right? Like the buds in the spring, the green in the summer, the glorious colors of the fall, and the barren beauty of winter, peace, and joy can be found in every season. The key is adapting, embracing, and being grateful for each one.

Have a wonderful Wednesday, my friends!

Thanks for visiting.

Billie Jo

Monday Morning Coffee Talk

Good Monday morning! Welcome to summer! When I came down this morning and opened the door, I was met with that indescribable feeling of a perfect summer day. This week we will see summer temperatures arrive in our part of the world. Those sunny, sweltering days always bring memories of summers past, when central air conditioning was not yet a thing, and afternoons were spent behind my mom's heavy curtains to keep out the sun. Big box fans were set on the ground, and the lights were turned off. After dinner was outside time, playing kickball with our neighbor Ronnie or cutting through the jaggerbushes to the 3rd Street playground. Summers have changed, but the feeling of summer stays the same.

Not too much on the calendar for today. I will fill in my planner for the week, throw in some laundry, ice my hand, write out some cards and bills, call my mom, and make a few phone calls. Dinner is some chicken on the grill with some yet-to-be-determined sides. Any ideas? Have a wonderful day, my friends. Thanks for visiting!

Billie Jo

It's He** To Get Old And Other Stuff

 

"Billie, It's hell to get old!" My Dad used to say that all the time. And my young, naive self would smile and laugh. I can relate now, Dad. I get you. Yesterday morning, I walked outside with my Mocha, like I do every single morning, and somehow ended up on the ground by the front door. I am fine. Nothing is broken. Just sore and bruised and determined to be more mindful of my movements. And of the fact that I am fifty-two years old. Any plans I had of cleaning and organizing this weekend are temporarily on hold. Oh, who am I kidding! I had no plans!

In less "self-pity" news, the pups got washed and groomed and fresh for summer! We have a wonderful woman that brings her van right to your house. She comes to the door, takes your scruffy dog, and returns with a fresh-smelling, cute-as-can-be pup in a short amount of time. 

Easy summer meal Number One: Chicken and Pasta Alfredo with fresh green beans. Steve did some chicken breast on the grill Sunday, so I had him do extra for easy weeknight meals. I boiled some whole-grain penne - trust me, you won't even notice the difference - heated some of the cooked chicken breasts with some alfredo sauce -  sometimes I make my own, this time I used a jar - and combined it all with some freshly shredded parmesan cheese. Steve added some avocado oil and garlic powder to the cooked beans, and we were all set! Easy and delicious!

Well, that is all for today, my friends. I hope you have a wonderful summer weekend! Whether swimming, boating, hiking, gardening, or grilling, enjoy! I will be thinking of you!

Happy Weekend!

Billie Jo

Things Aren't Always What They Seem

 

Just a little reminder that things on the internet can be deceiving. For example, let's say I share a photo of my kitchen sink with you. I can choose how much and what angle I want to share with you, right? Looks pretty good. But let's look a bit closer, or maybe from a different angle.

There we are! What the remainder of my kitchen sink area looks like this Wednesday morning! I usually don't like to go to bed with dishes in the sink, but life happens, right?! I suppose the thing to remember is that what we see isn't always all there is. So no use comparing, lamenting, or worrying. Just enjoy.

Nothing behind the scenes here. Just the beauty of nature on a summer morning.

Happy Wednesday, my friends!

Billie Jo

Monday Morning Coffee Talk

Good Monday morning! And just like that, summer is here. The lake that seemingly just yesterday was frozen solid and still, surrounded by barren trees, now looks like this. It is time for swimming, boating, kayaking, and swimming. The latter will have to wait for the temperature to warm just a bit for this old lady!

We did, however, take the boat out for the first time this season on Saturday night, and it was beautiful. Family time is the best time. Our weekend was not all fun and games, though. It also included outside work like weed pulling, boat cleaning, garage organizing, and sweeping. ( Thank you, Steve and Rhett! )

On the other hand, I worked on a new recipe binder, meal plan, and grocery list. I also watched a few too many episodes of The Walking Dead with Flynn. I had seen several episodes years ago when it was first on tv, but I was happy to restart the series with her. And am surprised how much I don't recall! 

We enjoyed eating outside this weekend. Last night Steve grilled chicken breast and vegetables. Do you ever see those vegetable kabobs at the store? They are so easy to grill or sautee, and all the work of chopping is already done. Simply remove them from the skewer, and you are all set! I bought two that had red onion, green pepper, yellow pweepr, two types of squash, and mushrooms. Steve drizzled them with avocado oil and put them on the griddle. They were delicious! We made enough for lunches this week too. 

However, the highlight of my weekend was visiting this lovely woman! Doesn't my mom look wonderful? Steve and I visited with her Sunday morning, and it was so nice. She is happy and pleasant and so grateful. I am thankful for the immaculate, clean, cozy, loving place she calls home. If you have a loved one in an assisted living facility and think that the unpleasant odors, lack of assistance and love, dirty clothing, and such are normal, I tell you they aren't. We saw that firsthand. Advocate for your loved one and get them out of there! Better places exist. Promise.

This weekend, we watched in awe, joy, and inspiration as England so wonderfully celebrated Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee Celebration. As an American who has followed the Royal Family since I was a child, I felt so many emotions as the country came together to honor its monarch. Congratulations to my friends from across the pond on such a fantastic tribute! There are so many beautiful images from Queen Elizabeth's life, but this one from Instagram is my very favorite.

Finally, while I found great joy in watching the celebration in England, I do not feel the same emotions watching the news here in my own country. I refrain from any political discussion here, so I will just say that seeing so many of the issues here in my beloved country fills me with anxiety and sadness. I have chosen to stay informed without becoming oversaturated. I limit my time watching the news. What can I do, then? This quote from St. Joan of Arc is what I am leaning on these days.

Well, that was a long coffee talk today, my friends. Thanks for making it to the end!

Have a lovely Monday. Thanks for visiting!

Billie Jo

 

Home And Another Birthday!

Home.

There is nowhere else I'd rather be.

And look who turned 22? My Peyton Rose. And to no one's surprise, she prepared her own birthday meal and cake, with help from her hubby! She served sloppy joes, BBQ chicken sandwiches, homemade macaroni salad, baked beans, and corn on the cob. And the cake. Oh, the cake. Sometimes I still see her as a tiny toddler in a purple Garanimals sweatsuit with a small little bow on the top, standing on a chair stirring a big bowl of brownie batter. 

Christopher surprised her with a set of cast iron cookware, and he made her a board to hang them on! She was thrilled!

The Core Four, as Rhett calls them.

( Before I took this picture, I said, "I am responsible for this!" )

Well, have a lovely weekend, my friends. Not much planned here. Some hamburgers on the grill, meal planning, grocery shopping, mass, and hopefully some lake time. Oh, and if you haven't seen this movie yet, you must. It is amazing!! We all loved it, and for different reasons. My kids enjoyed it for the action and storyline. I did as well, but also for so much more. I mean, thirty-six years!! Thirty-six years since I went with my sister and her friend to see Top Gun in the theatre. Seeing Tom Cruise reprise his role without missing a beat and realizing that thirty-six years have passed, even though it feels like yesterday, was unbelievable. And that sixteen-year-old high school junior is now a fifty-two-year-old wife and mother. As my mom always sings, "Life is but a Dream."

Billie Jo 

Well, That Was Neat!

Hello, and Happy Wednesday! In fact, Happy June! We are home safe and sound, ready to enjoy our summer days here in our little house on the lake. I am sure you are tired of hearing about our time at the beach, but I have one more thing to share. You may or may not know that I am an avid fan of beauty pageants. My sister and I have watched The Miss USA and Miss Universe Pageants for as long as we can remember. Back then, a young Bob Barker would host the pageant! We would pick our favorite and watch through the pageant, hoping she would win.

Last week at the beach in Maryland, my brother-in-law, who reads every single newspaper, mentioned that the young woman who recently was crowned Miss Maryland USA was from Ocean City. How neat! He said she actually worked at a restaurant there. When we arrived at our restaurant that evening, we were thrilled to find it was the restaurant she worked at!

Usually, I am quiet and reserved. I did, however, mention to our waitress that we had read about Miss Maryland, and she was so excited to point her out and tell us how proud of her they all were. We continued to enjoy our delicious meal, and before we finished, I simply had to ask if Caleigh could possibly stop by our table and say hello. It was extremely busy, and she had several tables to serve, so I didn't expect her to, and I would have totally understood had she not. Soon enough, however, she came right over and visited with all of us! She was the kindest, most sincere, humble young woman. She spoke to us as Caleigh, a server at a lovely restaurant in Ocean City, who just happened to have recently achieved her dream of becoming Miss Maryland USA, her state's representative in the Miss USA pageant this fall. 

The New Miss Maryland USA, Caleigh is a beautiful, hardworking young woman, unassuming and grounded. She took the time to give us an autograph and pose for a photo. And we promised, as proud residents of Pennsylvania, to cheer for her as well in The Miss USA Pageant this fall!

Have a wonderful Wednesday, my friends.

It has been a while since I have been around.

I will visit soon!

Oh, and if you are ever in Ocean City, the restaurant is The Hobbit, and it is fantastic!

Billie Jo