August 4, 2025

Monday Morning Coffee

I really need to get better at remembering to snap a picture of my coffee cup before I inhale it drink it slowly, savoring every last sip. But for the record, I had medium roast coffee with three little splashes of vanilla creamer. 

Thank you so much for the kind comments on my last post. I appreciate every single one and am so thankful for this place where we share our lives with each other. Thirteen years went by like the blink of an eye. Dear Time, kindly slow down to a steady trot. I'm struggling to keep up with this record-breaking pace we're currently setting!

Now, a few photos from my camera roll to document the first week of August in our little world.

Mocha had a spa day last week. Several months ago, she got a less-than-stellar cut from a new groomer. Oh, who am I kidding? She looked like a rat! A large, cute rat. But still. Bad. Bad. Bad. As a result, I opted to forgo any grooming for as long as possible and bathe her myself in the meantime. I admit, I may have stretched that a bit far, and rather than looking like a rat, she resembled a wild cat, living in the jungle for several years. I found a new groomer who comes to the house, and he was terrific. He kept sending me updates and pictures like this one! Now she is happy and fresh and cute as can be. 


Also, last week, Madison took Flynn for a fun day filled with hair appointments, lunch, and a TV show back at her house. I cannot tell you how happy I am that my children love spending time together. The time you spend with your children having fun together also builds relationships and connections that last long after their childhood. Steve and I prioritized family when our children were young, and as a result, our kids now prioritize their relationships with each other, and it is a beautiful thing to step back and watch. 
 
I say all this not to boast, but to reassure anyone reading who is feeling sad watching her children grow, you can look forward to seeing them continue to enjoy the relationships you helped create, and watch as they form new ones as teenagers and adults. It is something I will never take for granted. I found this quote online last week, and I absolutely love it. 


We miss Peyton and Christopher, but love getting snapshots of their beautiful life, and can clearly see how very happy they are together!

Me, coffee, and a pup. Pretty much sums it up, don't you think?


Breathtaking phone pictures of a beautiful sunset after mass and dinner Saturday night.

And, a picture of these two. She rarely allows him anywhere near here, but on this night, she felt a touch of compassion. That, or she was just too tired to care.


Finally, I have resisted the temptation to jump into my season, because although it has been hotter than he** lately, I am actually learning to appreciate aspects of summer. However, as it is a few days into August, I feel compelled to ease my way into the absolutely cozy, color-filled, calm, pumpkin-y bliss that is autumn!!




Ahhh. That's better. Happy Monday, my friends. I will post the winners of the anniversary giveaway on Wednesday. See you then!

Billie Jo

(Google for the autumn love.)




August 1, 2025

Lucky 13th Birthday Little Blog!

Happy Friday, my friends! Sunday marks thirteen years since I started this little place here! Before we talk about celebrating, let's take a quick look at a picture from each year so far.

2012
A sleepy little Princess Flynn in Disney World

2013
Rhett and Flynn on an afternoon walk, complete with jammies and snowboots

2014
Homeschool Preschool

2015
Christmas 2015

2016
Christmas in Denmark

2017
Homeschool Halloween

2018
Nothing to see here, just a family of six out for a walk

2019
Me and my Peyton Rose

2020
My Rhett, the graduate

2021
Peyton and Christopher celebrating their first Christmas 

2022
Christmas Magic

2023
Cosmo

2024
Mom

What started on a whim as a place to document some pieces of our family life has transformed into a space where friends from all over share their lives with me, and invite me into their lives as well. We have made lifelong friendships, celebrated countless holidays, discussed health issues, and exchanged recipes. We have shared the happiest of days and the saddest too. Thank you, my friends. Thank you! 

In celebration of the momentous event, lol, I am having an informal giveaway. If you would like to be entered to win one of four Amazon gift cards, just comment below. I will draw and post the winners on Wednesday, August 6, 2025. A few notes:

1. Please do not comment as Anonymous. Be sure to leave your first name.

2. If your name is chosen as a winner, the gift cards will be emailed to you. 

3. Please check next Wednesday to see if you are a winner!

That's it! I hope you have a cozy, fun, relaxing weekend.
And again. Thank you for reading.

Billie Jo

July 28, 2025

A Finished Project

I recently finished a project that I have been working on for quite some time. I say "working on" as if it were a complicated and tedious task. It wasn't. It was something I had long wanted to do. I began it over a year ago, and worked on it here and there, when I had some free time alone. A few weeks ago, I finally finished and gave my children something I hope they cherish forever. 


This is a recipe binder filled with some of our family's favorite recipes. I made one for each of the kids. When I decided I wanted to do this, I thought about all the family dinners we enjoyed together and what some of our favorite meals were. I chose recipes that we made time and again, for dinner, dessert, snacks, and special occasions. I included a recipe or two from my parents, as well as Steve's, because I want their memories to live on through their grandchildren. 

Each of the recipes I included has a special meaning for our family, and I've tried to include a note with each one. The recipe I included for our favorite stuffed peppers was the very first meal I cooked for Steve after we were married. I didn't cover them, and they never got soft, but he ate those crunchy peppers as if they were the best meal he'd ever had! After I chose the recipes, I gathered them and retyped them on my laptop so that they all looked similar. I printed them and put them in a recipe binder, which I gave to the kids when we were all together. 

They were so happy, and we had a fun time looking through them, sharing our memories of Madison choosing pot roast for her back-to-school meal, Peyton making chocolate chip pumpkin bread every fall, Rhett requesting our favorite fudge for his birthday, and the time I surprised him with it the night before. We discussed Steve's amazing meatloaf, Flynn's love for the double chocolate muffins warm from the oven, and the Manager Cake recipe that my friend Delane gave me years ago, so the kids could make it for Christmas Eve. I was thrilled to know they were happy, and that the food and memories we made would last for years to come.




Have a wonderful day, my friends.
Thank you for visiting!

Billie Jo