And so it begins . . . Summer is here!

 

Summer has finally arrived!  I've been waiting so long for the 21st of June, when I could officially say that summer is here!  

I had such a wonderful week!  On Tuesday, my blogging friend, Deb and her husband, met my husband and I for lunch at Olive Garden here in Idaho where I live.  I can't even tell you how excited I was to meet her!  I know we have been following and blogging together for the last 6 years or so.  I have personally been blogging for 15 years.  My first blog post was, August 9, 2009.  Since that time, I have only met 2 of my blogging friends in person, and I feel so blessed to have met them in person.

We had such a good time with Deb and Charly, and are looking forward to meeting up with them again sometime in the future.  She was so beautiful, gracious, fun, interesting and exactly like I imagined her to be!  We had so much in common, no wonder I drawn to her and her blog!  Go check her blog out, you will feel very blessed if you do!  Thank you Deb!

On Wednesday, one of my sisters and I went to visit an aunt - more like a sister actually.  She has macular degeneration to the point that it is affecting her eyesight, and wanted us to go help her sort through some of her things.  We had a wonderful day!  She wanted to make lunch for us, and it was delicious.  She made teriyaki chicken, new baby potatoes and green salad.  I brought cinnamon rolls with plenty of raisins in them especially for her and her husband.  We visited for hours, went through some of the things she wanted us to go through, and just had the best time visiting and talking about old times. 

While we were visiting, a man came to the door and told us that there was a fire in an acreage right next to them, and wanted us to do something about it... he didn't want to call 911.  As we were getting ready to report it, we heard sirens and we knew that someone had called.  

Those big poplar trees actually started on fire shortly after I took these pictures, and the fire department was there for  quite some time making sure the fire was completely out.  They weren't sure what caused the fire, but I assume someone threw a cigarette out of their car window.  

My aunt had the most beautiful peonies in the front of her home, and they smelled so delightful!  Here she is holding one up for me.

 

I can remember my mother growing the most gorgeous peonies, and I loved it when she would float one or two of them in a big round glass bowl.  As a child, I thought it was one of the most beautiful things ever.  My sister and I were reminiscing about that on this day.

My aunt also had the most beautiful Lark Spur growing in her garden.  I haven't seen one of them for so long, it was so pretty.  I need to get a start from her.

While we were there, we decided to go and put some flowers on my grandparent's grave, my parent's grave and my sister's son's grave.  She only lives a short distance from the cemetery, in fact, it's on the same road my grandparent's lived on and that she grew up on.  I used to play in that cemetery for hours with my cousins.  My grandmother would send us to the cemetery with a picnic lunch.  She told us that great grandma Johnson would just love to have us sit by her grave and have a picnic with her... it wasn't creepy or scary at all, we loved it.  I didn't get any photos, but it was such a good thing to go there and think of them and how much we loved them and the wonderful memories we made with them.  My aunt is the last of my mother's siblings, and I just want to hear all the stories and get all the information from her while I still can.

I wish I would have taken a picture of the three of us, just so I could remember how special that day was.  I told her I would come and help her three or four times a month.  I can hardly wait!  

On Thursday, my two daughters took me to the spa.  I have to say, I have had better experiences there.  It was fun, because I was with my daughter's, but the person who took us to the different parts of the spa was less than helpful.  That night my back hurt so bad, and when I looked,  I had bruises up and down my back from the massage chair, so did one of my daughter's.  

After the spa, we went and had sushi for lunch, which was delicious.  Then off to Ulta, because, you know, who doesn't love a trip to Ulta?!  It's not a place I go often, but once in a while it's fun.  

Today, my husband and I spent part of the day at my daughter's home so that Bob could help her and her husband fix their sprinkler system.  I decided a long time ago that I would never have a sprinkling system, because they're always broken!  But, it was fun spending time with them.  We had lunch there and came home so we could get some things ready in our camp trailer for a week of camping and more fun next week!  

We also had a couple of birthdays in our family this month!  One of my son-in-laws turned 50.  My daughter went all out and had a super fun birthday party for him.  It had a Mexican theme, with Pina colada punch (non-alcoholic), churros, and a nacho bar, with several different homemade salsas.  It was so much fun!!  I think he really enjoyed having so many friends and family celebrate with him.

Another son-in-law had a birthday shortly after James, and we celebrated his birthday on Father's Day, with prime rib . . .  that he smoked.  It was heavenly, and fun to spend the day with him... of course, I'm horrible about taking pictures!  I need to work on that ;0)

I'll leave you with some pictures of a few sunsets.  My view has been blocked with new homes and building projects, but the sunsets are still beautiful.

This is a photo my granddaughter took one night and sent to me.  Isn't it gorgeous!?

I need to be better about taking photos!  Hopefully I can take more photos this summer ;0)

Be safe, XOXOX

Hugs and Love,

Barb

June, time to slow down. . .

 

June will definitely be a slower month for me... and I probably should say that right after I knock on wood!  We do have a couple of birthdays, and of course Father's Day in the mix, but other than that, I'm pretty sure it will be much slower.

Our weather has been so up and down so far, and today, it's a down day.  At the beginning of the week, we were able to get the garden planted, and put some flowers in the pots on my front porch.  I didn't do much, because I just wasn't sure what Mother Nature had in mind.  Hopefully they won't get blown away in our Idaho wind.

Bob got a new toy!  He sold his big tractor and has been looking for a smaller one for a few months.  The other day, he found one that was perfect for him, and I think it will save wear and tear on his back and shoulders.  He really likes it, and it waiting for the weather to improve so he can break it in.   It's not brand new, but it's new to him 😄

For two weeks in a row, I have been able to talk to Brody!  Today, kind of out of the blue, he video called Bob and I.  It's always so fun to see his face and hear his voice.  For me, if I can see him, I can tell just by looking at him that all is well.  Croatia is a long way from home, and we just miss him so much!  Brody has been out for 16 months, which means he'll be home in 8 months!  We are all counting down the months!

I am not able to sit and watch TV without doing something... ADD 😕  So I found a crochet pattern for cute little mushrooms.  They are easy to make and will look cute in a bowl in the kitchen.  Here is the pattern, I got it from Pinterest.  I like the pattern because after you figure it out, you can make it your own and add your own special touches.

And this naughty girl just loves it when I crochet!  I have to watch her every minute and never leave a ball of yarn unattended!!

That's about all for today.  I'll leave you with a beautiful sunset, and a thought to maybe make you smile.  

 "The most beautiful curve on a woman's body, 

is her smile."

Be safe.  Until next time - 

Hugs and Love,

Barb

 

 

My May Daybook. . .

Outside my window. . . It's been such a cold spring this year,  but since we had tomatoes, that have been in the garage, we decided that we really needed to get them in the ground... right now they look terrible!  I'm hoping they grow well, and grow beautiful tomatoes for fall (which is actually right around the corner here in Idaho 😄😂😁  The other beds have onion sets planted in one, and the long, smaller bed will have a zucchini and a cucumber plant in it, it's way too cold for them right now.  That's what it looks like outside my window!  The high today will be 82 degrees!  Yesterday, on Memorial Day, it was 72 degrees.  

I'm just grateful that we aren't having the horrible weather that the mid-west and south have been experiencing.  I can't even imagine what they have been going through, and pray for them daily.

On my playlist. . . I've really been trying to stay positive and "think summer", and so I've been listening to fun and uplifting music.  You know me, I love the old standards, and I've always loved this song.  Just a side not about Tad Hunter, and I may have shared this before, but you know, I'm getting old, sometimes I do that!  When I was a little girl, someone gave me a wallet and it had a photo of Tad Hunter in the photo section.  I loved it so much, and told all my friends he was my boyfriend!!  The things kids do!  The apple Blossoms are in full bloom here, and so I thought of this song!

I'm wearing . . . I'm wearing gray jeans, a coral t-shirt and finally - sandals.  Hopefully by next week I'll be wearing shorts!

I'm thinking. . . What an incredibly busy month we've had!  I know that May is like that for so many people, and it's such a good thing to have fun things going on in your life... very good for my brain that needs sunshine to keep me happy!  I'll be glad when it slows down a bit, hopefully in June ;0)

First of all, Clara, one of my granddaughters had a birthday!  Her mom and dad took her out of town to do some things that she had wanted to do, so we didn't actually spend her birthday with her.  But, this is a cute photo of Clara with Emily last week-end.  They are so cute.

Clara is smart, funny, happy and very sensitive about others feelings and loves to help however she can.  She loves her family and gives the best hugs!  We love this amazing, beautiful granddaughter, and can't wait to see what this coming year has in store for her!  

This is a photo of Clara, in a school play a few weeks ago, she's the one kneeling.  It was a fun play!  We are always to happy when we are able to support her in her activities at school.  She is a good little actress :0) We were able to celebrate her birthday with her after the play.

Clara has always loved birthdays, and we love her!

Jessica, my youngest daughter, also had a birthday!  I won't tell you how old she is, but I will tell you she is an amazing woman!  Here she is opening a gift from Tanner, who is looking over her shoulder.  Jess isn't very big, but like they say, dynamite comes in small packages!  She is such a wonderful daughter, wife, mother, aunt and sister and friend.  She's a hard worker, and always willing to help others with anything they need.  She's also kind, beautiful, sweet, a great cook, has a green thumb, loves to walk, loves her children and chickens ;0) and has a heart of gold.  We sure do love this daughter of ours!

We also took Indy in to be spayed this month.  Here she is after her surgery with her dog, who she just loves and sleeps with every night.  I can hardly believe that she is already 6 months old.  She did great and was only down 1 day.  The vet told us to make sure that she was on a leash for at least 10 days when we took her out to go potty. . . that lasted 1 day, she was not having it!  After a few days, you would never know she had anything done.  She's such a fun pup, we just adore her. 

Mother's Day was super fun!  Look at these beautiful lilies that my husband gave me . . .  aren't they gorgeous!!??  All of my children were here and they always make me feel very loved.  We had a fun day and celebrated in our families favorite way . . .  with food!!  We had amazing burgers, hot dogs, potato salad, fruit salad and chips.  For dessert, cinnamon roll cake and ice cream, it was all delicious!!  It was kind of a blustery day, and so we set up canopy's to keep out the wind, but the temperatures were amazing so at least we were warm.  Of course, I didn't get any pictures 😖 I need to work on that.

Emily graduated from high school!!  We are so proud of this amazing young woman, who has excelled in everything she has set her mind to.  She graduated with honors, and is going to college in the fall.  In the meantime, she is working and saving her money this summer.

Her mom had a fun party for her, and it was supper fun!  It was an open house, so there were people in and out all afternoon to congratulate her and have a cookie!  

Her graduation night was exciting, fun and emotional for me.  It's hard to believe that my little grands are growing up and moving on!  Emily won my heart from the minute I held her in my arms18 years ago.  She is such a beautiful girl in every way!  Thoughtful, kind, smart, loving and always up for a fun adventure. She's a wonderful big sister and an amazing daughter, granddaughter, niece and cousin.  As she would say, with a wink. . . practically perfect in every way!  And to top off her night, at her all-night graduation party, she won a professional Kitchen-Aid!!  She's a lucky girl!!

I love making memories with my family, and the older I get, the more important it is for me to savor every second of these moments!

I'm creating . . . I've been making a family cookbook, so I have been going through all of my recipes and cookbooks to find all the recipes that my family loved growing up.  I have my mother's recipe box and several of her cookbooks and that has been so fun to go through them and remember the things she used to make for our family.  I have also found several of my grandmother's recipes that were hand-written by her. . . those are real treasures!  I will be putting copies of those in our family cookbook as well.  I'm hoping to have it done by Christmas.  I'll share some of these recipes here on my blog.

Bob has a birthday today!  He is 70 years old. . . how did that happen!!  We have had so many big events the last two months, and this is the icing on the cake. . . or should I say, birthday cake!  We always celebrate his birthday on Memorial Day, and this year was no exception.  Bob made his famous baby back ribs in the smoker, the kids all brought yummy sides, I made his favorite cake and homemade ice cream.  It was a full, fun, crazy day, and I know he felt very special and loved.

In my kitchen. . . Well, like I said, I've been going through cookbooks, and I have made some delicious meals.  This is one that I basically forgot about, but remembered loving this dish as a young mother.  Not only is this recipe easy to make, it's delicious and makes wonderful left overs.

IMPOSSIBLE TACO PIE

1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 (1.25 ounces) envelope taco seasoning mix
1 (4-ounce) can green chiles, drained
1/2 cup Bisquick mix
1 cup milk
2 large eggs
3/4 cup cheddar cheese or pepper jack cheese, shredded
Toppings:

shredded lettuce
black olives, sliced
tomatoes, chopped
salsa
sour cream
avocado, sliced

Preheat the oven to 400 °F. Spray a 9-inch pie dish with nonstick cooking spray.  In a large skillet, cook and crumble ground beef (1 pound) and onion (1/2 cup), until the beef is done and there is no longer any pink in it. Drain excess grease. Mix in taco seasoning (1 envelope).  

Layer beef on the prepared pie plate. Add green chiles (1 can) to the top of the beef in a single layer.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together Bisquick (1/2 cup), milk (1 cup), and eggs (2) until combined. Pour over beef mixture.

Bake in preheated oven until a knife inserted in the center of the pie comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with cheese (3/4 cup). Put back in the oven until cheese is melted, about 2-3 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes then top as desired and serve.

Just Sayin' . . . Remember how loved you are!!

Have a wonderful week!!  Hugs and Love XOXO

    Barb