Mother's Day 2017

Hubby and I hosted Mother's Day brunch on Sunday evening at our house. I set up a mimosa bar in the living room.  The moms sat in the sitting room for brunch and gifts.  Years ago we set up a Mother's Day table for the moms separate from all of the guys and toddlers.  It was a break from feeding kids.  The tradition has continued though everyone can feed themselves now.

 I used my Mom's wedding china for our Mom's only table.

My sister that is a Snapsister set up a photo shoot after we had eaten.

 Our Mom struggles with dementia and so we treasure her good days and her smiles.

Her sister, my Aunt Shirley passed away Sunday morning.  She also had dementia. I'll be sharing more about my Aunt Shirley in a later post. My Mom misses her sisters.

 Melinda, our sister from another mother (my Mom's youngest sister Clarice) joined us for dessert.  I made the Happy Birthday Cake because it was Kathi's birthday and she requested it.

Since Jodi's kids were all there, she wanted a quick photo shoot with them.  I was a little envious until I watched her try to get them to cooperate.

I am so thankful for my Mom and my sisters and my sister cousins.  We had a good day celebrating.

Clutter, Lists and Junk

When the guys were younger and still living at home we ate dinner at the table every night.

Hubby and I still eat dinner but not always at the table.  My house was tidy when the guys were here.  Now it's messy.  I have no one to blame but Hubby and myself.

I don't know how or why this has happened.

 I clear off the table and then it just fills back up with junk.  The sad part is that a lot of the piles are lists to help me be organized.  If they are lost in a pile they don't do anyone any good.

 Hubby brought me a new pencil. I hope it helps!

Today! I am going to clear off the table.  

It's a lofty goal. Each piece of paper represents something to do, an appointment to be made, a phone call, an errand, groceries to get or finding a spot for something new.

#thestruggleisrealandboring

Easter, What I'm Reading and some Random

First, an Easter recap because I want to remember this Easter.  It just felt extra special to me.

Our church gives us an opportunity to share a white lily, azalea or an orchid in memory of family or friends. Our church is full of flowers and it's a blessing to remember the hope we have in Christ.

We sang Up From the Grave He Arose, In Christ Alone and other favorite Easter songs. At the end of the service our church invites anyone that knows the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel's Messiah to sing in the choir. 

After Church we went to dinner at Jeff and Kathi's place at Birch Bay. And then it was time for the Easter Egg hunt.  Uncle Jeff laid out the rules.  Yes, those are some big kids hunting for eggs.

 The Grandmas watched from a great vantage point.

 Washington beaches are rocky!

It was sunny, which was an Easter miracle, and Mt. Baker was gorgeous.

This week I've been substitute teaching.  I'm still having fun.  I love the actual teaching and the kiddos. Yesterday I had a kindergarten class and at one point a para educator came in and told me she was putting me on a prayer chain. Not just any prayer chain but her mother-in-law's heavy duty Southern Baptist prayer chain!  I needed it.  It was a really cute, energetic group of kiddos!

Yesterday, Hubby had a day off and I came home to dinner. Yes, those are some delicious beef ribs, roasted asparagus and whipped cauliflower.  He's figuring out that if I have kindergarten I may be a little tired when I get home.

 I did a lot of reading in Maui and I've kept it up since I got home. Hubby had some shift work so I filled my evenings with some good books.  The Nearness of You is a quick and enjoyable read.

I am reading Eliza Waite and enjoying it. The author is local.

As Good as Gone is my next read.

Max is coming home this weekend.  He's a groomsman for his college roommate's wedding.

Won't Max be surprised?  There is food in our fridge!  His last two visits happened while we were in Las Vegas and Maui and the cupboards were bare.  Mama's in Maui, get your own groceries!

Bo is coming too so I am dog proofing the house today. And I'm starting to clean the patio because eventually Spring and even Summer are going to show up in Washington.

Have a fantastic weekend!

Easter Basket Cookies

I haven't made these cookies for Easter since the boys were little but I guess I was feeling nostalgic and I wanted to bring back this Easter tradition. They are a fun treat while you're waiting for the Easter Egg Hunt to begin.

Chocolate No Bake Cookies aka Easter Basket Cookies

2 cups white sugar

1/2 cup butter (some recipes call for 1/4 cup)

4 T. cocoa

1/3 cup milk

3 cups quick oats

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup peanut butter

In a sauce pan, combine coca, butter, milk and sugar. Bring to a boil  and boil between 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, stirring constantly. Do not boil longer.

Remove from heat and add oats, peanut butter and vanilla.  Stir all together.  Drop by scoop or spoonful onto waxed paper.  I use the medium scoop and my mini muffin tin from Pampered Chef.  Or my small scoop for the dropped version.  I sprayed my tin with cooking oil and they popped right out of the muffin tin.

The muffin tin gives a basket shape and the spoonfuls give a nest shape.

Press three small jelly beans into each cookie for the eggs.

I think they turned out okay this time but honestly Rice Krispie Bars and Chocolate No Bake Cookies are my nemesis in the kitchen. The struggle is real and y'all know that I can bake.

Happy Easter!

*Reminder, no one pays me to write this drivel or recipes.  Pampered Chef or Rice Krispies pay me nada.

Happy Easter Friends

But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay.

Matthew 28:5-6

Wishing you a Blessed Easter, celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ, our Savior.

Maui 2017

Hubby and I go to Hawaii with our friends, Mark and Karen once every three years.

This year it was Maui.  We go to the beach. Everyday, it is a beach day.

We visit different beaches to change it up.

 We find good food.  We are always looking for the best Mai Tai, the best coconut dessert and the best food truck.  Oh, and the best music.  We found the best food trucks, music and beer at the Maui Brewing Company.  Kimos, in Lahaina is a tradition too.

 At the beach, every day, all day. Like a job!

The best Mai Tai was at Monkey Pod, a Peter Merriman restaurant. 

The coconut cream pie at the Monkey Pod was disappointing.  Sorry Chef Merriman, my coconut cream pie is heaps better.

I don't have a picture of the pina colanda cake at Tommy Bahama's restaurant but I can vouch for it.  It was full of favor, moist and creamy.

 Surprise! Another beach day.  We do go for walks and we spend a lot of time in the ocean bobbing and body surfing.

 While on the beach, we read and always go through a pile of books.

 Some days we sit by the pool and read after we come up from the beach.  This was our last afternoon before our red eye flight.

 If you see a theme of beach, delicious cocktails and food and  relaxing, you'd be correct.

 I usually take a lot of pictures of the flowers in Hawaii but I was *sick this trip and I didn't take as many pictures.  A flower garnishing a cocktail was an easy shot.

We had a wonderful vacation and we are counting down the days until we can go back.

Aloha!

*I had a disgusting cold that ended with all sorts of complications.

I slept most of yesterday and have antibiotics so this can only get better.