Trick or Treat

We had the cutest little bee buzzing about our house tonight...

Take Care

Slow Cooking Goodness

Part of my favourite fall thing is to bring out the crock-pot and have the super delicious and usually quite easy dinner meals.

Here are a few of my fave's.

Potato & Ham Chowder

{photo credit & recipe website}

Ingredients: 1 box (4.7 oz) Betty Crocker™ scalloped potatoes 1 cup diced fully cooked ham 4 cups chicken broth 2 medium stalks celery, chopped (1 cup) 1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup) ⅛ teaspoon pepper 2 cups half-and-half ⅓ cup all-purpose flour Directions: Mix Potatoes, Sauce mix from potatoes, ham, broth, celery, onion and pepper in 3 1/2- to 4-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on low heat setting 7 hours. Mix half-and-half and flour. Gradually stir half-and-half mixture into chowder until blended. Cover and cook on low heat setting 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until thickened and vegetables are tender.

Sweet & Spicy Meat Balls

{photo credit & recipe website}

Ingredients:

1 (32-ounce) bag frozen fully cooked meatballs (about 50)

1 (18-ounce) jar grape jelly 1 (18-ounce) BBQ sauce Directions: Combine the grape jelly and BBQ sauce in a small bowl or in the base of your slow cooker. Add meatballs and stir until they are coated with the sauce. Cook on high for 2 to 3 hours. Hash Brown Casserole

{photo credit & recipe website}

Ingredients:

1 large package of frozen hash browns (about 2 lbs or 1 kg)

1 can cheddar cheese soup 2 cups sour cream 1 onion, minced 2 cups grated cheddar cheese ½ tsp salt ½ tsp pepper Directions: Mix all ingredients together and place in Crock Pot slow cooker. Cook on low for 5-6 hours.

I hope you enjoy these as much as I do!

Take Care

Five Fabulous Fall Fiction Finds

I love to read… I think I might have mentioned that a time or two…

So I thought I'd share 5 books that I've read and loved and would highly recommend.

First Comes Love by Emily Giffin   

In this dazzling new novel, Emily Giffin, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Something Borrowed, Where We Belong, and The One & Only introduces a pair of sisters who find themselves at a crossroads.Growing up, Josie and Meredith Garland shared a loving, if sometimes contentious relationship. Josie was impulsive, spirited, and outgoing; Meredith hardworking, thoughtful, and reserved. When tragedy strikes their family, their different responses to the event splinter their delicate bond. Fifteen years later, Josie and Meredith are in their late thirties, following very different paths. As the anniversary of their tragedy looms and painful secrets from the past begin to surface, Josie and Meredith must not only confront the issues that divide them, but also come to terms with their own choices. Emotionally honest and utterly enthralling, First Comes Love is a story about family, friendship, and the courage to follow your own heart ~ wherever that may lead.

Curious Minds by Janet Evanovich

Emerson Knight is introverted, eccentric, and has little-to-no sense of social etiquette.   Good thing he’s also brilliant, rich and (some people might say) handsome or he’d probably be homeless.  Riley Moon has just graduated from Harvard Law and Harvard Business.  Her aggressive Texas spitfire attitude has helped  her land her dream job as a junior analyst at Blane-Grunwald.  At least Riley Moon thought it was her dream job until she is given her first assignment, babysitting Emerson Knight.

What starts off as an inquiry about missing bank funds in the Knight account, leads to inquiries about a missing man, missing gold and a life and death race across the country.  Through the streets of Washington D.C., and down into the underground vault of the Federal Reserve in New York City, an evil plan is exposed.  A plan so sinister that only a megalomaniac could think it up, and only the unlikely duo of the irrepressibly charming Emerson Knight and the tenacious Riley Moon can stop it.

Turning Thirty Twelve by Sandy James

Jackie Delgado didn't want a new man in her life until a dreaded blind date turns out to be more exciting than she'd ever imagined.

When her youngest son leaves for college, Jackie is hit hard by empty nest syndrome and pours herself into her work as a teacher. Bowing to pressure from friends, Jackie agrees to a blind date. But when Mark Brennan calls, she realizes the date won't be 'blind.' He's the father of one of her students.

Widower Mark Brennan isn't looking for love. After only a few dates with Jackie, he realizes he's quickly forming deep feelings for her. Wracked with guilt that he's 'abandoning' his late wife, Mark resists the pull toward dynamic Jackie. When Mark's daughter begins to date Jackie's son, things become more complicated.

Can Jackie and Mark find the courage to leave the past behind and embrace a new love? And how will a surprise pregnancy affect all their lives?

Damaged by Lisa Scottoline

Book #4 in the Rosato & DiNunzio series finds partner Mary DiNunzio, at the all female law firm, embroiled in one of her most heartbreaking cases yet.  Suing the Philadelphia school district to get help for a middle school boy with emotional issues, Mary ends up becoming the guardian ad litem of her minor client. As she goes up against Nick Machiavelli, her opposing counsel and the dark prince of South Philly lawyers who will use any means necessary to defeat her, she becomes more and more invested in the case—and puts everything, including her engagement to her longtime boyfriend, on the line.

Behind closed doors by B. A. Paris

Everyone knows a couple like Jack and Grace: he has looks and wealth, she has charm and elegance. You'd like to get to know Grace better. But it's difficult, because you realize Jack and Grace are never apart. Some might call this true love.

Picture this: a dinner party at their perfect home, the conversation and wine flowing. They appear to be in their element while entertaining. And Grace's friends are eager to reciprocate with lunch the following week. Grace wants to go, but knows she never will. Her friends call ~ so why doesn't Grace ever answer the phone? And how can she cook such elaborate meals but remain so slim? And why are there bars on one of the bedroom windows? The perfect marriage? Or the perfect lie?

What books have you read and loved that you would recommend?

Take Care

little ms. happy

my pessimistic tendencies are a stark contrast to little ms. happy.

i’ll admit it. when it comes to happiness, i’m afraid to admit it for fear that it’s only a matter of time until something bad happens.

just typing that out i realize how cray-cray it sounds!  what is WRONG with me?
do you struggle with the same thing? i find that the older i get, the more intentional i need to be.  i mean, i can’t control those around me and “make” them “make me” happy.
can i?
so instead of happiness, i am seeking contentment. {my one word}  it's that something that lasts through the changeable situations of life. because somehow life doesn't always turn out how we thought it was going to be, nor necessarily how we planned it.
is it even possible to be happy?
rather than spend a lot of energy on the negative, {which makes things seem bigger than they actually are} i'm going to choose to count my blessings and be thankful for what i DO have! oh. don't let me fool you… little ms. happy, i am not... but hopefully soon… Take Care

Puppy's Birthday

It's our sweet little girls' birthday today!

Take Care

Now that was a party!

We celebrated a certain someone's first birthday today.  With most of the uncles and a few aunts, all the grandparents and even the great-grandparents were able to come.

It was a dinosaur theme with food for the Herbavores {Baked macaroni and veggies & dip} and Carnivores {Meatballs}, we even food for the Sweet-o-saurus {Fruit kabobs}.

It was Gavins' day!

It was great to see the pictures taken on the 18th of each month.  Oh my! how he's changed in one year..

Of course, there was cake!

And presents too...

And a wee bit of entertainment as our little guy played his daddy's drums.

It truly was a wonderful day.

Take Care

Undone

I've done it again.  I have added too much to my plate, and I'm feeling the effects of this ever so busy schedule. 

I'm overwhelmed again.

I do this to myself more often than I should ~ you’d think by now, I’d learn.

And yet, here I am….. again!

It’s rarely easy to say no to good things.  But saying yes to the wrong good things prevents us from doing our best things.  We each have a unique calling on our lives and accepting that call often can require saying no.

But, let's be honest, I’m afraid of letting other people down.

Because, well, here's the thing, can I let you in on a secret? I want to present an image of “having it all together, all the time”...

God hasn’t called me to be perfect. He’s called me to be me.

That's what so awesome about grace! Not having to have it all together. 

And sometimes for me, saying no, is the best thing I can do.  Not an easy lesson to learn, but one I'm working on.

Take Care

Letter to our Grandson

It's his 1st birthday, today! And we wrote him a letter...

Dear Gavin;

You came into this world on October 18, 2015, a wee bit earlier than we expected.  And our hearts melted the first time we saw you.  You are such an incredible blessing to us. Though you have only been in this world for one short year, we already love you so much. You have rocked our world in ways we never imagined could happen.

We want to tell you how very special it is to have you as our first grandson, and so far our only grandchild.  Your entry into the family stretched our hearts as it had never been stretched before. Our hearts swelled as we held you, rocked you, and kissed your sweet little face. Such pleasure comes from watching you learning to crawl, to sit and walk with just wee bit of help from those around you. The moments we snuggle together sharing books are the best! {and perhaps my favourite.}

It is such an incredible privilege and pleasure to watch you grow, and develop your own unique personality.

Gavin, we want to be the best Gigi & Pops possible, but we know we will make some mistakes. But please know that we promise to pray for you.  For your salvation and that you will discover the grace that comes by faith in Jesus Christ.  And for God to give you clear direction as you trust him with your life.

Know that we will support your parents in all they do to raise you. You have been given an incredible mom and dad. They love you so much.

We plan to be some of your biggest fans. Of course, we don’t know what paths you will pursue, but we will be there to encourage you, to cheer you on, to remind you that you can do anything in God’s strength. {Philippians 4:13} You see, we believe God has great plans for your life. {Jeremiah 29:11} And it will be a pure joy to watch His plan unfold in your life.
Dearest Gavin, you are our first. You are the one to make us a Gigi & Pops.  We want you to know that we will always, always, always, be here for you {Lord willing}.  We love you, our handsome little bear. We love you ever so very much!

All our Love
Gigi & Pops 

Take Care

#49 candles

It's my birthday today...

Not an overly significant one, mind you.  

Just one more candle on the cake.

Not that we’ll even have cake.  

My celebration was when the family was home for Thanksgiving... and even then we had pie.

Take Care

One more Candle

My birthday is coming. 

There’s no point in denying it, I am getting older ~ but I can’t help getting my real age number stuck in my throat when I have to actually say it.  So let’s just say the birthday after this one is a BIG one that will have a big fat zero next to the first number.

There.

I kind of said it, right?

So as a way to celebrate I’m writing a list of 49 things I've learned in life:
1. Worry more about what God thinks about you and less about what others think about you.
2. If you can't be kind, be quiet.
3. If we could completely understand God, He wouldn't be much of a God.
4. You can’t have it all; but when you know what’s important, you don’t want it all anyway.
5. Don’t ever underestimate the impact you may have on someone else's life.
6. Don’t ask, “Why me?” Ask, “Why not me?” Nobody is exempt from the challenges of life.
7. Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle. ~ Philo Judaeus
8. Just because you're offended, doesn't mean you're right.
9. Everyone is an example: choose to be a great one.
10. Work harder and smarter (not one or the other).
11. Always give credit where it is due. You can never express too much appreciation.
12. Life is too short to put up with people who don’t bring joy to your life.
13. Do what is right, not what is easy.
14. All things happen in God’s perfect timing.
15. Always trust your instincts.
16. It’s okay to say No. You don’t owe anybody an explanation.
17. Stop wishing for someone else's life and discover happiness in the one you have.
18. There are more important things than a clean house.
19. Bad things happen to good people. Good things happen to bad people.
20. Speak your mind, even if your voice shakes.
21. Life is too short to read a bad book.. or watch a bad movie.
22. Pretty polished nails always make you feel better.
23. Know your priorities and don’t waver from them.
24. Life isn’t fair.
25. Get a dog.
26. You can’t please everyone… don’t bother trying.
27. You don't have to defend or explain your decision.
28. That extra 5 or 10 pounds… nobody cares but you.
29. Hair grows back.
30. Being busy isn’t always a good thing.
31. If you ask me for my opinion, I’ll be honest. If you don’t really want to know, don’t ask.
32. It's never too late to make new ~ and wonderful ~ friends. Some of my best and most enjoyable friends have been made in the last few years.
33. Everybody is entitled to their opinion.
34. Love is a choice.
35. Before you say something, think how you'd feel if someone said that to you.
36. Perfect women aren't real ~ real women are not perfect.
37. You’re not defined by your mistakes.
38. Living a life of prayer is our lifeline, foundation and first defense, not our last resort.
39. Thoughtfulness is underrated.
40. Embrace your imperfection. No one wants to be friends with someone who has it all together, because honestly that person doesn’t exist.
41. Let go of unrealistic expectations.
42. Resting isn’t a luxury.
43. It’s the little things that matter.
44. You’ll never regret choosing to forgive.
45. Believe the best about people, don’t assume the worst.
46. Do what you can, with what have, where you are.  ~ Theodore Roosevelt
47. Time is a precious commodity, use it wisely.
48. It's okay to stand up for yourself.
49. It doesn't matter what everyone else does, it matters what you are doing.

And that's only a start…

Take Care

Happy Thanksgiving

From our house to yours...

We're celebrating with the family today!

Take Care

Blogtober

It's that wonderful time of year again where many bloggers join the invitation to Blogtober ~ where one writes for 31 days straight for the month of October.

Maybe you’ve heard of it?  Maybe you’ve even done it before?

And again, I found myself thinking, that this year, I might join in on the 31 days.  But deciding to write for 31 days straight seems completely intimidating and exhausting. 

If you’re like me, you write two or maybe three times a week in a normal month.  I am not a quick thinker let alone writer… I like to think and let my blog posts percolate for a while, either in my head or at least in the queue. 

So how then would I be inspired to write each and every day?

I’ve been wavering back and forth about whether or not to join the 31 day series and since we're already one week into October, I think I'll pass. It's just not the right fit for me.  And I'm ok with that! 

Many others, I am sure, will join in and write for the 31 days, and it’s sure to be a joy-filled month reading what everybody else has written.  While admire their dedication to it… I simply cannot put that kind of stress on myself.

I kinda like doing my own thing anyway! 

Whether we write for 31 days in October or we continue on our own path, we can find joy in the day to day, or even week to week posts about our lives that we share…

How about you? Will you be joining the 31 Days?

Take Care

Who me?

The other day my loving son said to me “you know mom you could pass for someone in her late forties”.  Um, hello, I am in my late forties.  

So why did his comment bother me so?  Did I think I could still pass for 29?  Not even close! 

I mean, sure, my children are now adults. And yes, I have the cutest grandson there is, but in my mind, I am not late forties. 

Perhaps “middle-aged”, which dictionary.com describes:: being of the age intermediate between youth and old age, roughly between 45 and 65:: would be a better way to describe myself.  Not sure if that's much different. 

How did this happen?

I certainly don’t feel middle-aged. Although what that feels like I'm not so sure. But I cannot deny what my birth certificate says. 

And you know what? 

I guess it's okay to be “middle-aged.” {I would like to mention I am on the younger side of this category}  Because while I’m still here, I plan to make the most of what God has for me to do, and I want to make the most of each moment I’m given.

I’m thankful age is just a number.

Take Care

New digs

It's quiet here. Not necessarily a bad quiet, if there is such thing, just quiet. 

We're back to it being just the two of us again.  

You see our son who had come home back in January, moved into a studio apartment on Saturday and is out on his own again. 
And while I am happy for him, to be honest, I'm a little sad.  

This is definitely one of those bittersweet moments.

Take Care

Happy October 1st

I love the 1st day of each month!

It's a chance at a fresh start... 

Too often I get caught up in the fact that new chances or changes can only happen on New Year's Day. It makes me think that I have to stay in the mold or rut I am in because it's not a "new year", only a new day. 

But that's just it isn't it.  It is a NEW day!

We're given a fresh chance everyday to become a better person than we were the day before. 

Living out our lives day to day can be pretty monotonous; why is it then, we are so astonished to get the same end result as before? Seems kind of obvious, doesn't it?  If you want different end results you need to make some changes.

A new month ... a new beginning ... a new opportunity!

Take Care