Meal Of The Week And Happy Fourth Of July!

 

Happy July, my friends! And Happy Fourth of July! I love this holiday. And this year, celebrating seems even more significant. I always get choked up watching the fireworks and listening to John Philip Sousa's The Stars and Stripes Forever. I know you have heard it, but if you want to hear it again, there is an amazing rendition right HERE. I hope and pray this Fourth of July will somehow serve as more than a few extra days off of work or as a chance to have a cookout with family and friends. I hope that it will be a reminder of what this country stands for, what those who came before sacrificed, that the past is important and cannot nor should not be erased, but rather studied and learned from, that those of us who are proud of our country, our flag, and our history have a voice and are not intimidated by fear of being canceled or mocked. 

This holiday is bigger than the hatred that pervades our government today. Through years and years of history, of good times and bad, our country and our flag remain tributes to freedom, courage, struggle, and pride. Those who disagree have that right. But those who love our flag and all it represents have a right to be heard and be proud as well. I rarely write about my thoughts on current topics like this, but I cannot apologize for loving my country and acknowledging that I am blessed to be an American. And I cannot be afraid to stand for what I believe in while accepting others may feel differently. 

 

On a lighter note, here is one of my favorite simple meals we enjoyed this week. I actually purchased some chicken kabobs at the grocery store and brushed them with a simple marinade I made of avocado oil, fresh garlic that I minced, fresh basil leaves, salt, and pepper. Steve grilled them while I boiled some egg noodles and made a delicious salad of baby romaine, cherry tomatoes, and fetta cheese. I drizzled some balsamic vinegar over it, and dinner was served!

Have a wonderful weekend, my friends.

Thank you for all the anniversary wishes.

Enjoy all the red, white, and blue!

Thirty

From this...

To this...In a blink of an eye.

In between?

A first apartment ~ Houses made into homes ~ Blessings of babies who have grown into amazing people ~ Kittens and Puppies ~ Birthdays and ordinary days ~ Joys and sorrows ~ Gray hairs and extra pounds ~ And through it all...Love.

Our children and their spouses hosted a surprise dinner for us and the joy I felt sitting there among the very children I prayed for beneath a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary as a young bride on that sweltering day thirty years ago filled my soul. 

Have a cozy Wednesday, my friends!

Thank you for visiting.

Monday Morning Coffee Talk

 

Good Monday morning! My coffee looks a bit different today. It is a hazelnut vanilla blend, and I am enjoying it outside the beautiful Bedford Springs Resort. Steve and I are on a quick little getaway until tomorrow. I am relaxing and reading. He is relaxing and walking. I cannot believe this weekend is the Fourth of July! We have no plans other than celebrating in our backyard with food and family. In the meantime, I am gathering pictures for scrapbooking and plan to get caught up on that after the Fourth. I am down to two children! I began the albums when Madison was born and go up until each child turns twenty. I enjoy doing it and am happy to have memories of special times in each child's life. It passes so quickly, doesn't it?!

Well, have a cozy Monday, my friends. 

Thanks for visiting.

Meal Of The Week And Other Random Things

 

Summer in Pennsylvania means a few weeks of these sweet things appearing at a little fruit and vegetable stand in the parking lot near the bowling alley. I serve them with pound cake. Madison makes a delicious Danish dessert called Rødgrød med fløde, which translates to red porridge with cream. I also throw some in my smoothie, but they are best eaten right as is, sweeter than candy.

Summer also means easier and lighter meals. This is one of my favorites. I made an easy slow cooker chicken cacciatore recipe this week for dinner, and it was delicious. I used this recipe RIGHT HERE. I added a large can of Italian Style diced tomatoes because I had some, as well as some fresh basil leaves. I served it over angel hair pasta to make it lighter. And using fresh parmesan makes a world of difference! 

Leaving you with this precious picture. 

Because who doesn't love a pup in a basket of freshly washed and folded beach towels? Have a nice weekend, my friends! Thanks for visiting!

Currently, I Am

Reading this.

And it is amazing. It is so beautifully written and captivating as well.

I read long into the night with this one!

Eating this.

Baby romaine, grilled chicken, cherry tomatoes, Fontina cheese, hard-boiled eggs, and avocado with balsamic vinegar. So easy if I prep a few things beforehand. So delicious. And feels so fancy! 

Waking to this.

Today, I woke to this. What else is there to say?

Missing this.

I miss taking my babies for walks. I loved to push them, and talk with them, and show them things along the way. I still remember pushing Peyton and Rhett in a double stroller up and down our little road every day at 10:00. This is my last baby, Flynn. I still remember putting on her sweater and her hat. And how she brought Abby Cadabby with us every single day.

Have a cozy Wednesday, my friends.

Thanks for stopping!

Monday Morning Coffee Talk

 

Good morning! I had my coffee on the deck this morning and so enjoyed the quiet and calm. Unfortunately, we are supposed to get some strong afternoon thunderstorms and then some cooler weather tomorrow. So many people are dealing with severe weather conditions like extreme heat and devastating storms, and my prayers go out to them. 

 

I remember when I was young, and air conditioning was not yet common. During the sweltering days of summer, my mom would close all the drapes in the house to keep the sun and heat out. There was something so cozy about those summer days, when we were together inside, waiting for late afternoon to head back out and play kickball with the neighbor boys while my mom fixed dinner. Then, my dad would come home from work, pulling in the driveway in his truck, one arm out the window. We would run to him as he climbed out with his briefcase, and then we would all head in to eat, with promises to return for our evening game of Ghost in the Graveyard.

Those summers seemed to last forever, didn't they? Endless possibilities stretched before us—afternoons at the pool, games of Monopoly, melting ice cream cones and chasing fireflies. Of course, they are gone now, but something will come along and remind me of those carefree days every now and then. And I can return to them in my heart and once again be nine years old, running barefoot through the grass, waiting for my mom to call us in for dinner. 

Make a memory today, my friends.

Enjoy!

An Easy Summer Dinner

 

Summer. The time for easy, delicious, and mostly nutritious meals, right? That is what we enjoyed last night. Madison and Nicolas joined Steve, me, and Flynn for dinner on the deck. Madison then prepared a plate for Rhett, who was working late. What did we have? Well, we had marinated flank steak and gourmet butter, grilled vegetables, red potatoes with fresh parsley, and corn on the cob. I also made a salad with baby romaine, garden tomatoes, fresh basil, Fontina cheese, and Balsamic vinegar. (Doesn't that sound so fancy?!? The reality is it was very simple, and I ate it in sweats and a t-shirt while my Mocha barked nearby! )

If you want to recreate this delicious summer meal yourself, here are some tips.

The recipe for the Flat Iron Steak with Gourmet Butter is found HERE.

I purchased the grilled vegetables at my local grocery store. They were in the fresh vegetable section labeled as a kabob kit. We simply grilled them with some olive oil and salt and pepper. No sticks needed!

The red potatoes are easy peasy microwavable right in the bag. I put them in a bowl, added a bit of butter, and clipped some fresh parsley to throw on top.

Madison brought some corn on the cob from the store. I always add a bit of sugar to my water when I boil it.

The salad is a staple this time of year. I use baby romaine from the store until I can find garden lettuce. And Fontina cheese is my new obsession!

I drink water during the day, but I do enjoy a glass of lemonade for dinner. Our favorite? Simply Lemonade. Raspberry!

Ok. Enough about my meal. I hope you all enjoy a lovely summer weekend. And to all those amazing fathers, godfathers, fathers who are waiting to be or wanting to be, Happy Father's Day. Enjoy! 

And Happy Father's Day to this guy. He is the fun one. The beach swimmer, kickball player, and concert-goer. He is also the driver's ed teacher, new clothes shopper, emergency room taker, and financial advisor. I am so glad he is my partner on this amazing journey of parenthood.

I Can, But I Can't

 

Things I can do:

1. Cook a healthy, delicious meal for my family
2. Care for, teach, love, and enjoy children
3. Decorate my home in a cozy, comfy way
4. Braid my daughters' hair
5. Lose myself in books
6. Describe every single episode of The Brady Bunch in detail
7. Balance my checkbook to the penny
8. Swim 
9. Cook any type of pasta perfectly
10. Fall asleep anytime, anyplace, no matter what

Things I cannot do:

1. Keep any type of plant alive
2. Sing, at all
3. Assemble anything that requires more than two steps
4. Pump gas
5. Any math higher than Algebra 
6. Sew, stitch, or thread a needle
7. Parallel park
8. Type, correctly
9. Ride a horse
10. Touch raw ground beef

Just in case you were wondering.

Have a cozy Wednesday, my friends.