Entertaining!

 We had opportunity to share our evening with a young couple.  Time spent around our table with a yummy meal and getting to know new believers.  We love to have people in our home and remember how much it helped (and is still helping) us in our life.  I have learned through the years not to be uptight about having company.  If you cannot enjoy the process, you are doing something wrong and missing the whole point of entertaining!  Be genuine.  Plan ahead...by always having a stocked pantry.  Keep it simple.  

I had to laugh as I pulled out silverware to set the table.  We use the silverware every day but I don't pay attention to the patterns.  The forks don't match the spoons and both don't match the knives.  I have three tablespoons from my original pattern...no teaspoons.  I have a couple forks and knives from the same original.  NOTHING matches anymore and I cannot figure out why.  I'm not complaining...I just actually really noticed.  I told Ted about it and he admitted he probably left or brought home different silverware along the way...and our three chair fillers most likely helped.  "If you want something that matches, go get it, but get rid of the old!"  It seems like a waste to me to do that when it all works perfectly fine.  And I noticed...no one was looking critically at the table to see each fine detail... our warm welcome and the smell of supper caught their attention instead.  

It was a reminder to me that it is too easy to get caught up in stuff that really doesn't matter!  After 25 years of marriage and rearing three children and countless gatherings, our life is made up of all sorts of different events that have shaped us to who we are today...and I really appreciate and cherish that.  I may never do anything about the mismatched silverware, we will see!

What did our date look like?

We drove and looked at properties!  It is always fun to drive and talk and plan.  We continue to explore this area and find interesting things.  My job was to find a new place for supper.  I found a place on Lake Saint Claire that had opened for the season.  We were too sore to walk out to the end of the dock to actually see the water.  Nautical Mile is a place to go back and check out!

Potato swirls that were battered...

Coconut shrimp...

We beat the rush...we could hardly get out of the place as we left.  Nice weather....everyone is out and about for a Saturday night!
 

So yummy!

I stopped at the last raspberry to grab a picture.  Mmmm....raspberries and cream cupcakes for a funeral lunch for our church friends.  I remembered not everyone in the family likes chocolate.  So many people have made yummy things for our family during hard times.  I always jump at the chance to make food to be a blessing.

I had to test the ingredients to make sure it all tasted good!  Oh my...yes!  Buy croissants...use them for dessert options too!

 

Saturdays are for working

Ted took the rest of the deck off the house.  I carted the pieces to the truck.

The steps are for the dogs only as we wait for the guys to come do the patio.

Ted carted the woodpile back by the shed and I stacked it.  We will see how long it takes to fall over...Ted seems to think it will.  A professional wood stacker I am not, but it looks nice today.

We decided we were done after bending and twisting and pulling.  Oh boy...we did a lot of moaning when we got up to put stuff away.  Here is to the season of using muscles we forgot we had over the winter!

A hot shower and the plan of a date night spurred us to move.  We miss the help of our chair-fillers these days!

 

Puppy love and a big deal about nothing

These little friends keep me company each day!  Ted and I took them to a pet clinic to update their shots..  They don't get out much and were a little anxious.  But they did well and all is well.

I came down to a beautiful view of a Monday morning full of talk about the eclipse.  I got to pick up Alisa from the airport and enjoyed the beauty of the day. 

When we got back, Alisa and I stopped in for a pick-me-up tea...our pretty nails against the cups.

We laughed walking back into the house...Alisa with her bags and me with my cups!

The puppies were happy to see her even in their shot reactioned state.  We had to give Velle a Benadryl.

They slept most of the day!

And we watched the skies...

Whoop do doo!  I guess when you are not in the path of totality...you don't get to see anything!

 

An Underestimated Perk of Stepping Back and Out

It has been a help and privilege to be able to sit most un-interrupted to read and study my Bible each morning.  I've had opportunity to dig deeper as I listen to good music that causes me to stop and meditate on truth.  It hit me yesterday and today, that I underestimated how much I would love this time.  I am trying to plan things later in the morning so I can protect this time.  When I get things in the right order in my heart and head, the rest of life makes better sense!  As I spend time sharing truth with a friend each week, it is my heart's desire to communicate this.  I have gone through stages of learning in my life...and each time...I can point back to certain Scripture and songs that have impacted my thinking.  I am thankful for the unchanging Word of God...and every time I read it...I learn something new.
 

How do you deal with your big kids leaving?

Wrap up homemade cinnamon rolls for a special delivery from Michigan to Teddy in Tennesse.

Send them off with a yummy lunch and prayers for safety!

Ted went to work and I spent the morning reading and listening to music.  It was so quiet in the house!  I went and got my nails fixed, and then made a yummy supper for my love.

When I looked at our dessert presentations...I laughed.  Not as fancy when the kids were here...the presentation looked like how we felt...well, mine did.  I made Ted's cheesecake nice with crushed Oreos.

Mine got dumped upside down in the leftover strawberries.  Hey, you guys, you didn't eat enough while you were here!  The fridge still has lots of stuff in it.  I guess I'll get creative with meals!

Lots of moping by the dogs, so I gave them a chew stick.  We love to have people come and visit...especially our children...but it is neat to see them return to the life they are building!
 

Easter 2024

We enjoyed a breakfast of quiche and cinnamon rolls before church with the kids.

The message was a challenge to my heart and the music moving.

The guys took a drive to go see the new machine at Ted's plant.  We girls supervised the dinner preparations and rested.

MMMM...strawberries for homemade cheesecake!

A yummy ham dinner and cheesy potatoes.

Easter treats that made them smile!

Naps all around...guys and basketball...girls and Once episodes...

                                                                          then dessert!

We had a supper of steak and then played several hands of UNO with a lot of laughter!

Ashlynn got lots of cards!

"That's not very nice!"  Sorry, I HAD to play the cards in my hand...it's the rules!

Alex won with the most points!