You May Not Know This But...

 

I was once able to make copies of these on a really loud machine. One was for the car ignition, the other for the door.

I loved to roller skate when I was younger. I was really good at it too! 

I liked this when I was young.

But I LOVED this! And to this day, I am still deciding if adding the milk or the powder first is better.

Post Malone is my very favorite artist. I listen to his music all the time. He is an amazing singer, performer, and a very humble man. Does his music contain some explicit words? Yes. Can I overlook that? I sure can!

I have a strong dislike for owls. This is the only image I could even look at. I cannot describe it, but their puffy bodies, backward heads, and their....oh... never mind!!! I'm getting grossed out just thinking about them.

I never had a dog growing up. But I had this. And I remember every single thing about it.

I never learned to type. In college, I met a wonderful woman who would drive to my dorm, pick up my handwritten papers and type them for me. Her name was Barb, and she was amazing. I couldn't take typing in high school because I was in the concert band, my one elective class. Looking back, it was unfortunate because I really kind of needed to know how to type. 

I had these exact shoes in eighth grade. I wore them with my Jordache Jeans and thought I was ALL THAT! lol

This is my absolute favorite tv show from my high school and college days. It is so funny and makes me so happy! It is finally available on some streaming and tv channels, and I have loved watching it again after so many years.

Well, that is about it for today!

I'd love to hear something surprising about you, my friends.

Have a cozy Wednesday!

BillieJo

( Google for the fun. )

Monday Morning Coffee Talk

Good Monday morning! How was your weekend? We had a nice one here, starting with Rhett's lovely girlfriend Kyrstin celebrating her 23rd birthday! We enjoyed Steve's homemade shrimp and steak fried rice, fresh watermelon, and cantaloupe for dinner before an evening boat ride and a game of trivia made by Rhett! She requested brownies and Peyton's chocolate chip cookies for dessert. We had a wonderful evening celebrating this most amazing young woman. One birthday tradition we have as a family is to go around the table on a person's birthday and tell that person something we like about him or her and one special memory we have. It was so lovely hearing what everyone shared about Kyrstin and seeing the different relationships she has made with each of us. I am blessed to have her as my only son's person, a fact that I do not take for granted. Rhett is a very dear soul and always has been. As the mother of that little boy who held my hand and picked me flowers,  I often thought about and prayed for the young woman who would one day have his heart. I could not have asked for a better woman than Kyrstin. She is kind, fun, loving and fits into our close-knit family. She loves my son, and he loves her, which makes me happy and thankful. I also love that she is like I am in so many ways! I also realized that night that suddenly, I had become a woman I admired and loved so much, Steve's Mum. It hit me that Kyrstin is like I was when Steve and I were young, and I am now like his Mum, the woman who raised the man I love. Life goes by quickly, doesn't it?!

Also, this weekend, Peyton and Chris invited Flynn to go to the local fair with them, and of course she was thrilled! They had a great time eating fair food, winning prizes...yay SpongeBob!...and seeing all the animals. I am thankful the older kids enjoy including Flynn in their fun times. I am older now and happy to be home on the couch, knowing she is having fun!

Mocha and Steve are finding their new relationship comforting. And it is actually a joy to watch. Mocha knows exactly what each of us needs and is always there to help.

Here she is, snuggling on my bed while I do the laundry. And please note the piles of clean laundry on the window ledge. The laundry room is right off the bedroom, and after it is folded, I make piles for the people to pick up. Some pick them up, while others prefer to pick off the pile. And I am okay with that! 

I hope you have a lovely week! I cannot believe some schools are beginning again so soon. That makes me sad, especially when I look outside and see the kids playing and swimming in the lake, doing exactly what kids should be doing in the summer. Kids should be kids, and summer is short enough. When I was little, school was out from the first of June until after Labor Day. And that is my rant for the day.

Have a great day, my friends. Thanks for stopping by!

Sorry, not sorry!

Lol

BillieJo

Thank You, Winners, and Peach Cake!

Good Friday morning, my friends! Thank you so very much for all the kind and thoughtful comments on my anniversary post. I enjoy this community so much and am grateful for all the wonderful people I have met here. I wish every single one of you could have won! This morning, Steve and Mocha helped me choose the winners in a very scientific way ~ choosing random numbers to correspond to each person ~ and the winners are:

Amazon Gift Card ~

Amy

Yankee Candle Gift Card ~ 

Karen

Dunkin' Gift Cards ~ 

Jenny from NC

Mo

A Joyful Chaos

Please email or message me, and I will send your gift card right back to you!

Again, thank you all. And because this is so fun, I am putting a reminder on my phone to do it again in the fall. Because what better reason to celebrate, right???

Lastly, I must share this delicious fresh peach cake with you! Peyton dropped it off for Steve this week because it was one week since our Kirby left us. She is so thoughtful and a fantastic bake too. If you want to try it, she found the recipe HERE.

Have a wonderful weekend, my friends. We are celebrating Kyrstin's birthday with Steve's homemade fried rice and some time on the lake. Thanks again for visiting!

Billie Jo

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, my friends! How was your weekend? I hope it was everything you planned and then some. Today is the last day of July. Can you believe it? Just as we get into the swing of summer, along comes August to remind us that fall and all it brings is pretty close behind. I love fall, as you may know, yet I will be mindful of enjoying and savoring these August days, appreciating them without wishing them away.

Yesterday was a very happy day. Want to know why?

Yep! Steve, Flynn, and I visited my mom at her new home!!! We had a wonderful time sitting in the shade, watching the cars go by, drinking strawberry milkshakes, and playing cards. She and Flynn played War, and then we all played Go Fish. Afterward, we went inside so Mom could get a much-deserved nap. I am thankful for the people in my hometown manor who take such loving care of the most wonderful woman I know.

My mom enjoyed Flynn so much. She and Flynn have always had fun together, and as I sat there watching them, I remembered my mom being right there the day she was born.

Other things that brought happiness and joy recently?

My Peyton Rose, living the life she dreamed of for so many years. She is a natural-born caregiver, homemaker, cook, baker, and the most loving and fun child caregiver ever. If you have been here for some time, you remember how much she cared for Flynn as a baby and a child. Peyton now works as a nanny for several families and loves it so much. She is also a wonderful wife to Christopher and continues our love of birthday celebrations! She recently invited us all to celebrate Chris on his birthday, and look how amazing it was! That cake was chocolate with an Oreo cream icing. Heavenly!

This little girl brings us joy, even as she adjusts to life without her best friend. She is always available for snuggling and cuddling, especially lately with Steve.

Finally, this beautiful lake we live on brings happiness and peace. This past weekend we boated and swam, and it was great. I am not a huge fan...ok, not a fan at all...of exercise. Swimming, however, I can do. I felt so good after being in the lake and moving this old body! 

Well, I have some papers on the kitchen counter that need attention and a few phone calls to make. Tonight we are going to Peyton and Chris's for family movie night. I am told that this second Star Wars movie is the best. Even if it isn't, Peyton's dinner will be worth it! Have a cozy Monday, my friends. Check back here on Wednesday for this little blog's 11th Birthday giveaway! Can you believe it?!

BillieJo

Thank You

Hello, my friends. Thank you so much for all the support, prayers, and comfort since the passing of our precious Kirby. I shared all the comments and emails with my family, and we are thankful for your kindness and prayers. We will continue to reflect on the memories of the happy times and the joy he brought us all.

We miss Kirby terribly and are finding comfort in being together. My best friend Heather and her husband Dave came to visit on Wednesday night, and she brought cupcakes and my very favorite donuts. Madison and Nicolas came over too, and we had dinner and visited. Last night, Peyton and Chris came over for a boat ride, swimming, and dinner.

.

These two are comforting each other. They both miss their best friend.

I hope you have a lovely weekend, my friends. We plan on visiting my Mom on Sunday, and I am so excited to see her! Other than that, we don't have much planned.

I am looking forward to coffee and some time with my new book. I apologize for not visiting this week. I will be around soon!

Thanks again, my friends.

Have a lovely weekend!

BillieJo

Goodnight, Kirby

We said goodnight to our Kirby yesterday afternoon. Although we knew it was coming, we were unprepared for how heartwrenching it would be. Kirby has been a part of our family for fifteen years, longer than Flynn has been alive. He was more than a pet, more than a dog. Kirby was an essential part of our family, and he will be missed every single day. 

Yesterday our entire family spent the afternoon with him in his favorite place, here at home. He ate his favorite thing ever, pumpkin bread, and snuggled with Steve all afternoon. Our vet is the most compassionate doctor ever and came to our home so Kirby could be comfortable and at peace. He was indeed, and after each of us said goodnight, Kirby was free from his pain and confusion. We are left to grieve him, and as one who has never lost a pet, I am learning how very difficult that is.

We are comforted by the fifteen years of memories and the many pictures we have of him throughout the years. Thank you, Kirby, for your friendship, loyalty, and love. Thank you for being there through so many chapters of our lives, both happy and sad. You were Daddy's best friend, and the bond you two had will never be replaced. You were more than a pet to all the kids, sharing a special relationship with each one. And you were Mocha's partner in crime. You loved the color orange, socks, pumpkin bread, opening presents, Kraft cheese slices, and being in family pictures. You were and will always be King Kirby. We miss you, Kirby. Goodnight. Sleep tight.

Thank you for visiting, my friends.

I am always glad you do.

BillieJo