Ordinary Days Of Summer

Hello there! Happy Friday. Just a few photos to share today. This week has been refreshingly ordinary. When my children were young, and our days were much more scheduled according to naps, walks, and meals, I took ordinary for granted. Maybe because I loved it so. Every day was very much the same, and life existed within the walls of our cozy home. 

Thankfully, I still have two of my four living at home, but as they get older, we have less structure and more spontaneity. Not a bad thing, of course! Instead, something different I am learning to embrace. How many will be here for dinner? Does Flynn have tennis? When does Rhett work late? Who has appointments this week? These are things that add variety to our days. And so, when we have a week with nothing much on the calendar, I appreciate it a bit more. This was one of those weeks.

Our favorite neighbors wandered over for a visit.

We took a moonlit boat ride on a lake that was as smooth as glass and as quiet as can be.

And I made a fresh, delicious quick meal with veggies from the produce stand. ~If you are curious, it is spaghetti squash with homemade sauce and zucchini sprinkled with freshly grated parmesan cheese. Madison taught me how to cook spaghetti squash. Cut it in half lengthwise, but be careful! It is like carving a pumpkin! Scoop out the seeds. Drizzle with avocado oil, and sprinkle salt, pepper, and garlic powder on top. I threw some herbs from my pots in, too...basil, rosemary, and parsley. Put on a baking sheet, flesh sides down. Poke some holes in it with a fork, and bake at 420 degrees for about 40-45 minutes. When it is done, let it cool, then take a fork and start shredding the insides. It will look like thin pasta!~

I made some quick sauce with olive oil, garlic, and chopped onions. I added a big can of crushed tomatoes, some tomato paste, fresh herbs, and some sugar to taste. Once that got simmering, I sliced a zucchini I had right into the sauce. That simmered until the zucchini was soft, and our house smelled amazing! Then I topped the spaghetti squash with some sauce and cheese. Easy and delicious!

Well, I suppose I need to go start my day. Tonight Peyton and Chris are coming over for a boat ride and a fire. We are planning on hotdogs and smores! I will work on my scrapbooking, visit my momma, and relax for the remainder of the weekend. How about you, my friends?

Whatever you are up to, enjoy!

Billie Jo

What's Inside my Dutch Oven And Flynn Cooks Dinner

Hello! Yes, I know we are smack dab in the middle of cookout season, and believe me, we are enjoying all the hotdogs, hamburgers, and chicken you can imagine. But, sometimes, we enjoy a delicious comfort meal together on a cloudy day. This past week, Flynn pulled out her new cookbook and chose this recipe to make for dinner. It was delicious! I am so proud of her! The recipe is Chicken Pot Pie from this cookbook right HERE ON AMAZON. I am not affiliated with it or Amazon; I just love it, and so does Flynn! 

 

And then there is this. Last night I made this easy, quick, delicious dinner for my people. It is Shrimp Tortellini, and it is good! Here is the RECIPE. I followed it exactly, except I omitted the horseradish and used fat-free cream. I served it with bread and a Ceasar salad. And the people rejoiced. LOL.

Ok. That's all for now, my friends. Have a wonderful summer Wednesday!

Thanks for visiting!

Billie Jo

Monday Morning Coffee Talk

Good Monday morning! I am on the couch sipping my coffee, which has Pumpkin Spice creamer, thinking about the things I do this time every year. After the Fourth of July, time seems to speed up, and before we know it, summer is a pleasant memory wrapped up in our hearts. Autumn is my favorite, as you may know. Always. As I get older, though, I find the lazy days of summer taking their place in my heart. I am learning to embrace these lovely summer days' slower pace and less structure.

However, every year around this time, I start thinking about things I want to do before I can unpack the tubs of autumn pumpkins and colorful leaves that make our home cozy for fall. I always do my scrapbooking in July or August, so soon, I will haul out my supplies and start that. I print pictures monthly and organize them into piles, so they are ready to go. I also begin looking through Flynn's curriculum and planning the first few months of homeschooling. I actually love doing this! I love sitting with a fresh new planner and all the books and manuals around me. I also start looking for new fall recipes to add to my binder. 

This time of year is bliss for an autumn-loving, summer-enjoying person like me. I am reminding myself to live in the moment and enjoy the beautiful days of summer. I am also able to start planning for my favorite time of year. I never understand all the people that say, "Only 12 weeks until Halloween!" I mean, I don't want it to BE Halloween. I want it to be time to think about, plan for, and enjoy all the Halloween things! 

Meanwhile, I will enjoy the fresh herbs, vegetables, and visitors of summer.

How about you, my friends? Are you thinking about cozy autumn afternoons yet? 

Have a wonderful summer day!

Thanks for visiting!

Billie Jo

Fun With Friends

 

You know you have a true, lifelong friend when... a) She and her family drive eight hours to spend time with you. b) You don't feel you have to clean the entire house before they arrive. c) You come down in the morning in your jammies and no makeup. d) You are beyond sad when they leave. My answer? All of the above! 

My beautiful friend Danielle, who has an amazing blog right HERE, and her awesome husband and son are visiting here this week, and my entire family is so thrilled. We have had the best time talking, drinking coffee, playing games, boating, eating, laughing, and just being. There was lunch at a tearoom, coffee at a favorite coffee shop, a pizza-making contest, a fire with music and smores, and so much more. 

I pray everyone finds a friend like Danielle. Someone who laughs with you, who loves to drink coffee, and watches old game shows with you. Someone who gets you and loves your whole family too. Someone who, were it not for these things called Blogs, you never would have known existed. Someone who lives the same life as you do in her own part of the world, but you wish were right next door.

Thanks, Danielle!

We love you guys!

Have a wonderful weekend, my friends!

Billie Jo

Fireworks, Family, Food, and Friends

 

Just like that, The Fourth of July came and went. We were blessed with a beautiful day for celebrating and enjoyed food and fun together. We ended the day with the most spectacular fireworks display, complete with a patriotic playlist supplied by Madison. It was simple, cozy, festive, and fun!

As I looked at the sky and watched the brilliant display of colors, I was reminded that although our country is currently divided and the news is filled with ugliness and hate, we, as a people, have been here before. And we have come through the darkness together. When it gets to be too much for me, and I feel overwhelmed and helpless, I listen to the words of a wonderful friend and priest who told me, " BJ, turn off the news, look away, and pray." And that is what I intend to do. 

Have a cozy summer day, my friends!

Oh, and if you are interested in a mindless but entertaining guilty pleasure, Big Brother starts tonight!

Billie Jo

Weekly Wrap Up And Fourth Of July Weekend

Hello, and Happy Friday, my friends. Thank you for the prayers and words of support for my friend this week. She had her surgery Monday morning. Unfortunately, we did not get the results we were hoping for, but she took it in stride, as she does with everything. She was up and walking that first afternoon! She is seventy-three years old and has no family other than her brother, who she cares for. She is a happy, busy, amazing woman, and she will not let this setback stop her. Her doctor is wonderful and has already arranged for her to start chemo next week. The surgery was to remove a cancerous tumor in her colon, but unfortunately, the cancer had invaded her uterus, so she will have chemo to shrink the tumor, and we will try again in a few months. Please keep her in your prayers. 

Tuesday, after I checked on my friend, I decided at the last minute to pick up a couple lemonades and head over to visit my mom. She was getting her hair done and was so happy to see me! She said we must have a connection because she was thinking about me all day! So if you hear a voice in your head suggesting you do something, do it. God may be whispering to your heart. Look how awesome my momma is!

 

I had no plans for dinner that night, so I raided the fridge and came up with corn tortillas, Colby jack cheese, and a zucchini. I recruited Steve to grill some quesadillas and zucchini. Quick and delicious!

 

Wednesday, we celebrated our anniversary! Steve and I drove my friend home and got her settled. Then we went to dinner at one of our favorite places. Steve had a steak salad, and I had the same thing I get every single time I go there. It is a shrimp bowl with coconut rice and mango salsa. So good! Steve agreed to take a pic with me, and although my glasses have a glare, and this was the third take, I think it came out ok.

Now, while we were doing that, look what my children and their significant others were doing!

Yep! They took a Fourth of July party to my mom! She loves this holiday, and the fireworks are too late for her now, so Madison organized a party with burgers, fries, and patriotic music. Peyton made cupcakes that I heard were delicious! I was beyond touched and thankful to all my children for making Mom so very happy. I think about the love and care my mom gave each one of my children from the day they were born, and I am reminded of how roles reverse as time passes and our lives change. And just how quickly it happens.

What are your plans for the long holiday weekend, my friends? We plan on celebrating with food, family, friends, and fireworks. And a nap or two, of course. I hope you have a wonderful, safe, healthy, and happy weekend, whatever you are planning! Happy Fourth of July!

Let's Make Pizza And 31 Years!

 

We are pizza people. When the kids were little, we had pizza every Wednesday night for dinner. Sometimes we ordered out, but usually, Peyton and Rhett stood on stools and spread the sauce and sprinkled cheese from the Chef Boyardee Pizza Kit. (That is actually really good, by the way.) As the kids grew, they helped me broaden my horizons, and we began to make homemade pizza. Honestly, it isn't hard and tastes so much better. It is also a fun family activity, so there's that!

In our search for the best homemade pizza recipe, we have tried several different pizza crusts and have finally settled on one we love. It is actually pizza dough already made from the store. It is in the refrigerated section with the pepperoni and things. It comes individually wrapped in bags; you simply allow it to come to room temperature before spreading it onto the pan. While that is happening, make your sauce. Sautee a few crushed garlic cloves in some olive oil over low heat. I like to use fresh garlic and press it with a garlic press, but minced garlic in the jar works too. Add a large can of crushed tomatoes and a tiny can of tomato paste. Then add some sugar, dried oregano, basil, and parsley. Just do this until it tastes good to you! You can also add some fresh ground pepper. Allow that to simmer for about thirty minutes. Your house will smell so good!

Once the sauce is done, you can make your pizzas! Rhett likes using fresh mozzarella slices, fresh basil, and olive oil. Soo good! I usually opt for a simple cheese pizza. I add freshly grated parmesan cheese first and then freshly shredded mozzarella. Honestly, I get the good stuff here. The Kraft pre-shredded is good for some things, but with pizza, I think it is worth it to pay a little extra for the real cheeses. You will taste the difference, I promise. Have some fun with the toppings! Pepperoni, tomatoes, pineapple, whatever you want! Then bake according to the directions on the crust package. Let it cool a bit before slicing if you can! And be careful not to try it too soon! You will burn your tongue. Ask me how I know.

Before I go, I must post the one photo I have scanned of our wedding day, a sweltering, sunny, magical day thirty-one years ago today! Thirty-one! Looking back, I remember so many things about that day and how wonderful it was. My favorite memory, however, was the feeling I had when Steve and I drove off together, knowing we were beginning the life we had dreamed of since the day we met...This wonderful, blessed life I would be writing about thirty-one years later, while curled up on the sofa in a house on a lake. We didn't know about the joys we would share,  bringing four blessed babies home and watching each grow. We didn't know about the sorrows ahead, the sickness and death of our parents, or the pain of losing a baby before we had a chance to meet her. All that and so much more, the blessings, the laughter, the sadness, and the struggles, were out there, waiting. Those young people knew that they were very much in love. And they would tackle whatever came their way. Together. 

Have a wonderful day, my friends!

Thanks for visiting!

Billie Jo

Monday Morning Coffee Talk

Good Monday morning, my friends! I woke up with the sun yesterday and was greeted with this beautiful sight. Note to self: Slow down and appreciate the beauty God shares with us.

My kids requested raspberry muffins for breakfast. I was happy to oblige. They are as good as they look! I'd share the recipe with you, but I don't have one. If you want to try them...go to the store and buy this!

Yep. These! Sprinkle some sugar on top, and enjoy!

 

The muffins were good, but our smoothies were better!

We ended the day with homemade pizza. Rhett made the fresh mozzarella and basil, and I worked on the three-cheese pizza. We made the homemade sauce too. So easy and fresh.

Today I am going to the hospital to be with a dear friend who is having surgery. She is a wonderful person, and I am thankful to be able to be with her, as she has been there for our family many times over the years. Tomorrow Kirby has a vet appointment, and I am hopeful he will get some relief for the spots that keep appearing. He is fourteen years old, and the bumps bother him. Wednesday, we are planning on having my mom out for dinner! She loves the Fourth of July, and since the fireworks are way too late for her, Madison suggested we celebrate with her earlier. We will enjoy hot dogs, patriotic music, and sparklers on Wednesday evening! 

Later in the week, I will clean the bathrooms and put fresh sheets on the guest bed because we have some visitors coming in for the Fourth of July! Luckily, they are such good friends I don't feel like I need to clean the whole house. That is how you know you found a true friend, right? 

Well, I better get going. I hope you all have a relaxing summer day, my friends. Thanks for visiting! Stay cool!

Billie Jo