A Touch Of Fall Around The House

 

I love a bit of coziness around, don't you? 

Have a lovely weekend, my friends.

Thanks for visiting!

Billie Jo

Yep

My response, if you ask me...

to hike, bike, jog, or run. Anywhere.

to go anywhere after I've changed into my cozy night clothes.

to attend any outside activity on a hot, sunny day.

to put ketchup on any food that goes into my mouth.

to drink Coke when there is Pepsi.

to participate in any outdoor activities between November and March.

to go to bed without washing my face.

to stay in bed after waking up in the morning.

or to make, eat, or even smell any type of chili.

How about you??

Billie Jo

Monday Morning Coffee

Good Monday morning, my friends! I've already had my morning coffee, but the mug is somewhere out of reach. With two cozy pups near me, I decided not to get up to look for it now! In other news, today is my husband's birthday! Let me tell you a little about the man I married.

Steve is a fantastic husband and father, and I am one lucky girl to have him beside me every single day. He excels in business, finance, and numbers, all the things that I do not. He is the most awesome father ever. From field trips to concerts to doctors' appointments, he is the go-to dad. He enjoys watching pro football, college football, racing, and ESPN. And ESPN 2. And NFL Redzone. He is always on the go, running errands, helping the kids, and picking up groceries. Steve loves to talk on the phone, often calling people he hasn't seen in a while to check in on them. He rarely complains about watching yet another true crime documentary with me, and he gets me my favorite pizza whenever I ask. 

He is tough to buy for, so I was one step ahead this year. I hired a private chef to come prepare a birthday meal, and he was so surprised! His best friend helped out by asking him to go buy shorts or something believable, and when they came back, Chef Jeremy was in my kitchen cooking up a storm! I had read online reviews, and he came highly recommended. He brought his own supplies, cooked a delicious meal, and even cleaned the entire kitchen. It was awesome! Here are a few pictures we took that night.

Steve was thrilled! And I am still dreaming about that chocolate mousse! Well, I am off to start our day. The rain we had yesterday is clearing, and it actually looks like fall outside. Today marks the start of a new week in our fall calendar, so here is a reminder if you are following along!

Have a lovely Monday, my friends. Thank you for visiting!

Billie Jo

What A Week

Hello! And Happy First Friday of September! This week was full of all the things: family, food, fun, and favorites. Believe it or not, going back to school is a favorite for both Flynn and me. Honest. We both enjoy learning and spending time together. What began in a small dining room and homeschool space with a preschooler in a ponytail learning letters and numbers has evolved into a sophomore year studying Chemistry, and a teenager with curly hair and the same love of learning.

But first, even though Steve's and my birthdays are still a few days away, we all went to dinner to celebrate while Peyton and Chris were here. Nicolas was working, and we missed him, but Madison was sure to take him home some delicious leftovers! 

And then, it was the first day of school! I made Flynn's favorite chocolate chip breakfast cake, and then we headed to the new schoolroom to get her sophomore year started.

Flynn chose lasagna and garlic bread made on hamburger buns for her Back to School dinner. And because one can never have too much cake on a special day, we had chocolate chip cake for dessert. 

I will finish the week with some pup pics, as usual, since I have an extensive amount on my camera roll.

Have a lovely, cozy weekend, my friends. There will be some autumn decorating happening here, along with Sunday evening mass. I am also planning on snuggling on the couch and spending some time getting caught up wth you. As always, thank you for visiting. 

Billie Jo

Breakfast Cake 

Servings: 12

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 35–40 minutes

Total Time: 45–50 minutes

Difficulty: Easy  

Ingredients

• 1 package (15.25 oz) devil's food cake mix  
• ¼ cup vegetable oil  
• 2 large eggs  
• 1 ½ cups water  
• 1 package (3.9 oz) chocolate instant pudding mix  
• 1 ½ cups (6 oz) chocolate chips

Instructions

• Preheat the Oven: Heat your oven to 350°F (175°C).  
• Prepare the Pan: Pour the vegetable oil into a 9x13-inch cake pan, tilting the pan to evenly coat the bottom.  
• Mix the Batter: Add the devil's food cake mix, eggs, water, chocolate instant pudding mix, and chocolate chips to the pan. Stir with a fork until well blended, about 2 minutes. Scrape the sides of the pan and spread the batter evenly.  
• Bake: Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  
• Serve: Remove from the oven and let cool slightly. Cut and serve directly from the pan. Optionally, top with whipped cream or a dusting of powdered sugar.

* I used this recipe, but substituted yellow cake and vanilla pudding.

Just For Fun

Because sometimes life gets too serious.

Have a happy Wednesday!

 Billie Jo

September Monday Morning Coffee

 

Good Monday morning, my friends! Happy Labor Day, and Happy September! 

I love September. Perhaps because it is my and Steve's birthday month. It may be because September reminds me of colorful, sharp crayons, fresh, clean notebooks, and shiny new textbooks. It could be because September brings the promise of cooler breezes, a less harsh sun, and leaves replacing mosquitoes swirling through the sky. Perhaps I love this beautiful month so because watermelon and peaches are replaced with apples and pumpkin spice, and crockpots take the place of cookouts. It may be because September draws us inward, inside on earlier evenings, cozy throws and candles surrounding us as we snuggle in for the evening. Or it could be a combination of all these things, along with the knowledge that the hustle and busyness of summer afternoons are replaced with slow, calm, and intentional cozy autumn evenings, and that the soft glow of Christmas tree lights is not far away. Whatever it is, I am here and all in!

Thank you all so much for your kind comments on my previous post, which shared photos of our new home. We are grateful and settled, and looking forward to making this house our home. Perfect timing because I will be decorating for fall this weekend! I'd like to share a few things I've realized as a result of this recent move. First, the appliance industry and society do a great job of making us believe we need it all. We needed to purchase a new washer and dryer for this house, so Steve and I went to the store and were overwhelmed by the numerous washers and dryers, which made my head spin. No pun intended. The washer and dryer in our previous house were highly complex and had numerous options, buttons, beeping sounds, and flashing lights. I knew I hadn't used half of the options, and I really didn't want or need to learn to pre-treat, then sanitize, then rinse, and then ultra-spin my clothes daily. I didn't need four choices of different levels of wrinkle resistance either. I knew I wanted a basic washer and dryer that would wash my whites on hot and my colors on cool, and dry them on high, medium, or low. I found them, and I'm thrilled! 

Something else I learned while packing up my house to move is that I am constantly exposed to things. Things I don't need. Things I may like or think are cute, but really don't need. Holiday items are my downfall. I realized that just because I walk through HomeGoods or Target and see the cutest little pumpkin napkin holder, I don't have to buy it. I don't have to purchase cute new things to add to the adorable new things I bought last year. People used to go to the store when they needed something. Now, I am afraid that society dictates that shopping is a necessity, a hobby, and buying is the ultimate goal. I made this move intentionally. I chose to bring only things that I had a connection to, that were useful, and brought me joy. And, although social media influencers will try to convince me that I absolutely must run out to buy the pumpkin and ghost plates they absolutely love this season to replace or add to the adorable ones they pushed me to buy last year, I say no, thank you. We have too much stuff. And I am hopping off the consumer excess train. I can hear Steve singing with joy right now. 

How can I better spend my time this September? Rather than buying, I will strive to be doing, being, appreciating, and savoring. Last night we went for a walk on the boardwalk, and it was nice. Here is a picture of my girls and me.

What do you notice?? Yep. That is Peyton! She and Chris came down to visit for a few days, and I was totally, unbelievably, blessedly surprised! Saturday night, FLynn, Steve, and I were settling in after dinner, and I was folding laundry in the laundry room. Flynn had just told me she had called Chris to ask if he could play video games, and he couldn't because he was mowing the grass. The next thing we know, they are standing in the living room! They had cooked this up with Steve to surprise us, and it worked!!! I am so happy!

Rhett was working last night, but he and Kyrstin will be joining us for some fun these next few days. And I will be happy to have all my chicks back in the nest for a few days! 

I never shared these photos of the hurricane's effects from last week. Thankfully, it remained out in the ocean, but still managed to produce some incredible wind and waves. 

Well, I need to get going with my September day. Don't forget, if you are following along on the September calendar I posted a few weeks ago, it begins today! Here is the schedule for this week.

Have a wonderful day, my friends.

Thank you for visiting!

Billie Jo