Hello Monday Tuesday

If you're looking for this week's Hodgepodge questions you'll find them in the post before this one. 

Good morning friends. Linking up with Holly and Sarah for their weekly Hello Monday party, happening this week on a Tuesday due to the holiday. Am I the only one who will be a day off all week because of the extra weekend-ing? 

Even though in retirement every day is technically the weekend?

It's officially September and September means a month of birthdays in our house, starting with hubs. Daughter2 has a birthday next week, then mine rolls around the following week. I'm all about making a birthday celebration last more than a day, and will no doubt mention mine more than once before it actually arrives. If you've read here for any length of time you already know this. 

Our backyard construction project is moving right along, but it's all a lot. Hubs likes to stand on the upstairs deck and survey the work from above. He goes in and out at least a hundred times a day, he paces and frets about that one rock he thinks is leaning in a downward direction more than it should, and all that to say it was time for a break. 

He reluctantly agreed, so on Friday we went to the late afternoon showing of Reagan. Fantastic! I'd seen a preview and wasn't sure how I'd like Dennis Quaid in this role (even though I love Dennis Quaid in pretty much everything), but he did a great job in his portrayal of 'Dutch'. Penelope Ann Miller plays Nancy and she was wonderful too. 

I won't say too much about it, except this...I miss having an articulate leader who inspires with wisdom and wit and common sense, one who is unafraid to say the hard things, and who lives out the courage of his convictions no matter which way the wind blows. I miss when nearly the whole of America loved America. 

At the end of the movie everybody clapped. 

Saturday I made my second trip to the supermarket to get some last minute things for hubs birthday dinner happening the next day. I got home in time to watch our favorite college football team (the Tennessee Vols) crush their opponent and also watch our second favorite college football team (the Clemson Tigers) get crushed by their opponent. 

I spent the rest of the afternoon cooking and baking. I made a key lime pie which is what hubs wanted for his 'birthday cake', and I also slow roasted tomatoes for one of our favorite appetizers, Pomodori al Forno, all for Sunday. 

When you spend hours cooking it feels like you shouldn't also need to make dinner, but meals just keep on coming. About a week ago Amy (Coffee and Cocktails at the Casa) shared a recipe for an egg roll bowl and we tried that on Saturday night. It was good. I added slaw to my bowl like she suggested, and Siracha too because we like Siracha. 

On Sunday hubs officially turned a whole year older. I offered to make him a blueberry waffle which is one of his favorite things, but we had a big dinner on tap so he declined. Do you have Publix where you live? Have you tried their bakery cinnamon bread? I'd picked some up the day before and it's super delish, so that was his birthday breakfast. 

We spent the day getting the house in order. The dust y'all. It's everywhere. Everywhere! I don't think there's a surface inside or out that isn't wearing some dust. It's impossible to get on top of just now, but we tried. Plus I had to make yet another trip to the store for three things I'd forgotten. Bother. 

Friends came Sunday evening to celebrate and hubs grilled steaks because that's what he wants on his birthday. I'd made twice baked potatoes (forgot how labor intensive they are), a salad, and fresh green beans. 

One of our guests is a wine aficionado and he brought a fabulous highly rated bottle to share. It's a Vineyard 36 cabernet called Five Bands. The bottle has five silver bands across the front, with the design intentionally made to resemble the Stanley Cup. Vineyard 36 was started by two former NHL players, along with a vintner named Jason Earnest. This one is hard to get so it was really fun to have a taste, and it made dinner feel like an occasion. 

Which it was. Happy birthday hubs! We'll see both girls this month which is the best present of all. 

Monday morning was beautiful, and while we wanted to lounge we thought exercise would be the better option. 

We got the kayaks out and had a nice long paddle around the neighborhood. The weather was perfect, warm and sunny with a gentle breeze. 

We got back to the dock and swam for a bit, then went in for lunch and a nap. Actually hubs napped and I worked on my blog. Neighbors who live here part time were in town and invited us over for happy hour so we walked to their house about 4:30 and enjoyed catching up with them. 

Has anybody watched Grantchester? It's a British drama series set in the village of that same name. Hubs and I watched the first several seasons a while back and enjoyed it, and then last week my daughter told me they went to Grantchester for the day, and she found it so charming. We decided to pick up the series again this weekend and I'm looking forward to seeing the village up close and in person when we visit the UK in a few weeks. 

The list of people and places we need and want to see while we're there is a long one. I'm trying to manage my expectations, but haven't been too successful so far. I'll keep you posted. 

Hey, did I mention I have a birthday this month? 

Happy Monday Tuesday everyone! 

Seven

If you read here regularly you know I always write my grandchildren a letter on their birthday. Today is one of those days. 

Dear Mancub, 

Today you are seven. 

Once again you're marking a birthday thousands of miles and an ocean away from your Nana. This past week you boarded a plane with your family and moved to England, and you know what? 

Nana isn't sad. 

How can I be sad when you have the chance to live in one of my most favorite places in all the world? 

When your momma was a teenager we moved to England. We hugged her grandparents goodbye and flew across the ocean just like you. We had so many wonderful experiences as a family making our home in a country not our own, and I know you will have that too. 

I also know you'll ask at least a million questions in the next six months. I know you'll love the language and the way words like gobsmacked, brilliant, knackered, and cheers roll right off your tongue. I know you'll learn a lot about a lot, that you'll see so many beautiful new old places, and I'm also one hundred percent certain you'll fall in love with the English countryside, just like Nana did once upon a time. 

Seven feels big. You are growing up and we love you so. You and your momma and your brother and sister too, were able to spend ten days with us before your big move and we had so much fun in the sun.

There was of course, the the annual run off the dock with Nana, but this trip what you really wanted to do was paddleboard. You hopped on the first day you were here and it became a fast favorite way to spend the day. 

Nana still wobbles, but you bounced up on that board like you'd been doing it all your life, and suddenly you seemed not quite so little. 

Hey guess what? While we're not in the same time zone on your big day, we will be on mine. Yay! Pawpaw and I cannot wait to visit. We look so forward to sipping tea in your garden, giving and getting big in person hugs, walking along the High Street with you and your sibs, re-visiting some of our favorite old stomping grounds, and most especially discovering new ones too, all with you by our side. 

Happy birthday Mancub! Remember no matter where you roam in this great big world the God who made it all holds you in the palm of His hand. 

Know too your Nana loves you deep and wide xo

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths." Proverbs 3:5-6 

A Few Of My Favorite Friday Things

I wrote a post Monday (linked here) recapping our houseful, but wanted to share a few more favorite things from the past week on the blog today. 

While my youngest daughter and her littles went home last Friday, my oldest daughter and her family were here with us until Wednesday. On Wednesday we loaded up in two vehicles, that is the in-laws in one car with dad and the two boys, and then hubs and I in the other car with momma and her little miss, for the trek to the Atlanta airport and their flight to the UK.  

Two kids dragging backpacks of their own, momma wearing the baby pushing a cart loaded with three huge bags, dad pushing a wagon carrying a car seat and then pulling a cart with another two ginormous  bags, and whew! They're rockstars!  

They will be living in England for the next six months, and believe me when I say one of my favorite things currently is knowing I have a trip already booked and on the calendar. 

For the record, airport goodbyes are not my favorite.

Let's talk fun...linking up today with Andrea and Erika for this week's edition of Friday Favorites. 

1. A 'Grand' Summer Bucket List- I like to ask the two oldest grands what they want to do when they visit, and then I make a little bucket list/chart, hang it on the side of a kitchen cabinet, and they can check off as we go. They enjoy the checking and remind me when I forget. 

This year's chart included the usual swimming-boating-fishing type of activities plus a few newbies as well...paddle boarding, the jumbo Connect 4...

...a trip to the Fish Hatchery, and jello pie. 

2. Jello Pie-have you had this? 

In this picture I hadn't spread the whipped cream over the top yet, but you get the idea. Hubs has very fond memories of his grandmother making him jello pie as a child. He told me it was plain strawberry jello poured into a graham cracker crust, topped with sliced bananas and topped with cool whip. I wasn't convinced, but he really wanted the boys to try it. 

First of all, I don't do Cool Whip. I know some people love it, but homemade whipped cream is so easy and a thousand times better. Also, jello pie? I went to Pinterest and found a variation of hubs grandmom's technique, and the boys helped me put it together. 

I was out of bananas so used strawberries instead and they were yummy. Hubs assures me the bananas are possibly more delicious but then childhood memories are hard to beat. The boys helped make the jello, and my 'recipe' had you add a little cornstarch and less water so it was more like that filling you get in fresh strawberry pie. I think I really wanted strawberry pie and hubs had his heart set on the jello version. This one made everybody happy. 

We stirred the sliced strawberries into the mixture, then poured that into the crust. I'd purchased a large box of jello, but the recipe only called for 3 ounces so I mixed up the rest of the jello as directed on the box. Because the strawberry mixture only half filled the pie shell I went ahead and poured the rest of the regular jello on top to set. It worked. 

I have to say, it was so tasty. Surprisingly light and refreshing and the boys thought it was a big treat. Hubs too! 

3. Paddleboarding. Y'all. My six year old grandson jumped on the paddleboard on day one and navigated like a pro from the word go. Even the four and a half year old could manage without a lot of help. We made the paddles shorter after their first try and that was even better. 

The mancub had to literally be pushed off the board and into the water if you wanted a turn. He absolutely loved it, and while he used to spend all day running off the dock he's now spending all day on the paddleboard.  I mean he still loves running off the dock, but the paddleboard is his new favorite.

4. Water skiing-

Friday night we went for a quick boat ride so Daughter1 could waterski. She hadn't skiied in a few years, mostly because she's birthed three children in the last seven, but she is her father's daughter in terms of coordination. Popped right up without even thinking about it. 

Her children thought she was amazing. 

She pretty much is. 

5. My people-

We've had no less than nine people in the house, eating, sleeping, and playing since July 14th. The level of activity from sun up to sun down has been something like mach ten. The volume too. 

There's been swimming and boating and jumping and games and books and movies and outdoor showering and indoor legos and meals eaten...so.many.meals. We've talked and laughed and applied sunscreen and reapplied sunscreen and we've sipped a lot of coffee. We tried to take a few pictures too, but this crew was not having it so we let that go. 

Yesterday it was back to just me and the hubs, and the silence is deafening.  

The house needs cleaning from top to bottom, every sheet and towel is in the process of being either washed or dried and folded, the frig needs wiping down, the windows too because little hands and noses need to press against the glass for a really good look at the world around them. 

Not gonna lie...the transition from full to something less than that takes time. We give ourselves a lot of grace and space to reset the house and our heads too. It takes a few days to get back into the rhythms of regular life, but we'll get there. We always do. 

Girls who grow up and grow families of their own, who keep touching home plate whenever they can... definitely one of my favorite things. 

Summertime And The Livin' Is Easy And Also Loud

We've had a full house all week and we still have a mostly full house this week, but I want to put some of the happenings here on my blog while they're fresh. It's not short so buckle up. 

Before I dive in I do want to let you know I've finally added a 'follow by email' option to my sidebar. If you'd like to be notified of new posts here via email, just add your address in the box there and hit subscribe. 

I'm joining Holly and Sarah for their regular Hello Monday link party to talk about the week that was. 

There has been lots of merrymaking with both daughters and their littles here at the lake this past week. It has been loud messy fun and we're all exhausted and ready for bed at an early hour, but we are truly loving all the minutes spent together. I have washed at least 100 towels and cooked 1000 meals. Nine people in and out of the lake and the pool means a lot of towels and all that swimming means we need fuel. These boys can eat and I'm not even kidding. 

I made myself a calendar of menus before everyone arrived and that's been so helpful. I did have to run to the store once but mostly I shopped ahead and hubs has been doing a lot of grilling. My girls appreciate home cooking, plus dining out with five small children might be too much, even for us. 

Going all the way back to Tuesday for this recap...we declared Tuesday a boat day. Sounds simple, right? Y'all. The amount of gear we needed to pack, take down to the dock, get on the boat, as well as five children swim-suited and sunscreen-ed, buckled into life jackets, hats and sunglasses on, water bottles in tow, not to mention our own selves, plus noodles and water saddles and fishing poles, beach towels and lunch in a cooler, well it does make one wonder for a minute if it's worth it?

Totally worth it. 

There are lots of islands in our lake and many have sandy beaches so we headed to one of those. Once hubs set the anchor the process of getting everyone and everything off the boat and onto the island begins. Hubs totes most of the gear while one daughter puts the swim diapers on the babies and the other daughter gets off the boat and then I pass the kids to her and she escorts them to the island. 

Is it worth it? 

100%!  A morning in the sand and sea with little ones is not a walk in the park, but we don't care because it is way more fun than not. 

We got home in time for naps for some, although probably not for the ones who needed it most-ha! Hi hubs!, and the older boys watched a movie while the three littlest slept. 

Hubs had to attend an event Tuesday evening so I made spaghetti and meatballs and we got everyone in bed on the early side. Daughter2's hubs arrived from working nearby so we hung out on the deck until Pawpaw aka 'the hubs' got home. He had just sat down to finally relax with his favorite bourbon when I ever so gently reminded him he was grilling a pork butt for Wednesday's dinner. 

Which means he has to prep it on Tuesday night. 

As in right now.

And also get up at 4 AM to get it on the Green Egg. Hi hubs! 

Wednesday morning he and my son-in-law were up before the sun, so when I came outside with my coffee at 6:45 am the smell was already so good. We swam in the lake that morning, and then late afternoon my older sister drove the hour and a half out from her house to mine with my mama. 

My mama is in town for a few days while my younger sister and her family (who she lives with) are traveling. It was wonderful for her to be here the week the girls were both in town. 

Wrangling everyone for this picture might have been trickier than boat day, but I wanted a pic of my mom with all of her great-grandchildren, and with my girls too. 

My sister was a big hit with the boys especially and they had so much fun with her. I didn't take a single picture of her while she was here because there was a lot going on (possibly a giant understatement! lol). Hubs made maybe his best BBQ ever and I added coleslaw, baked beans and roasted veggies to the meal, with a peach and blueberry cobbler for dessert. So good!

Thursday morning we went back up to the neighborhod pool and everyone had such a nice time playing in the water. We came home for lunch and naps (so grateful these little ones sleep the way they do!), then had an early taco dinner before loading everyone up in two cars to get ice cream in town. Making the fun happen with littles of various ages is something of a production but we all dig in and make it happen. 

And we don't take a lot of photos but we're definitely living it. 

This spot does the Nitrogen ice cream which is exciting to watch, and they loved every single bite. When we got back to the house Daughter1 and I took the big boys to the lake to swim again, and Daughter2 and the younger three hung out on the deck with Pawpaw. 

Divide and conquer is not a bad motto for managing kids of varying ages and stages. 

Friday morning daughter2 and her sweeties headed back to their home in Tennessee.  After they got on the road we went for an easy boat ride with daughter1 and her kids. 

Still a few things to carry but we just brought towels and snacks and opted for lunch at home. 

We hung out in a cove and jumped off the swim platform and had a grand time before the clouds rolled in and we made a bee line back to the dock.  Hubs made popcorn in our big popcorn machine and the boys watched a movie with him while little miss napped. Daughter1 and I sat on the porch with our iced coffee and solved all the problems of the world. 

Maybe not all, but a few. 

It was leftovers for dinner Friday night because this cook needed a break. And my next door neighbor brought over a blueberry pie for dessert which was so sweet and so thoughtful and we all really enjoyed that. 

Which brings us to Saturday. I needed to do a grocery run so hubs took the two older boys (the mancub and Max as they're known on the blog) to a fish hatchery not too far from here. He encountered a detour so it ended up being further than anticipated, but he made it and they had a ball. 

They were allowed to feed the fish which was exciting and it was a great way to spend a drizzly morning. 

Hubs treated them to lunch on the way home and they came in laughing and happy and full of fish stories. 

I had ordered some legos for the boys and they arrived midday Saturday, which kept them busy the rest of fthe afternoon. They were anxiously waiting for their Daddy to arrive as he wrapped up his Fellowship in Cincinnati on Friday and will hang out here for a few days before they all head to England for their six month stay (you can read more about that on Daughter1's blog linked here-Sincerely Shannon). 

Whew. Who's tired? 

But in the very, very, best way. 

Weekend Shenanigans

Linking with Holly and Sarah for their Hello Monday hop today. 

What a fun weekend! 

Ours started on Wednesday (hey, we're retired) when we got on the road pointed north. I had booked a hair appointment that morning so we got a little later start than normal, but we made good time and arrived at hub's brother and sister-in-law's house in Richmond in time for dinner.

We hadn't seen them in person in a long while and it was fun to catch up at one of our favorite spots there-Joes Inn The Fan for anyone who knows Richmond. Once upon a time, pre-children in fact, hubs and I lived in this town and we still love visiting there.  

We got up Thursday to drive the rest of the way into Annapolis, yet another place we used to live that can still make our hearts go pitter pat. 

Wait! I'm leaving out something important. Before we pulled away we had to hide the family lizard. Every family has one, right? 

This lizard has been in hubs family for more than two decades and has traveled here there and everywhere with various family members. If the lizard ends up in your possession you have to very discreetly pass it on to another family member without their discovering it until you're on the road out of town. 

Success! 

We took the back roads into Annapolis as opposed to the interstate (95 is possibly the worst one in America) and we made a stop en route at a little antique shop we always enjoy browsing-

It's an eclectic collection to say the least. 

We pulled in to Annapolis and went straight to another favorite spot (McGarvey's Tavern) for a light lunch. Well mine was light...hubs had a crab cake sandwich because when in crabtown...

Now that's a crabcake. 

I had their delicious Maryland Crab soup and just like that it felt like we were back in 1998 raising pony-tailed little girls beside the Bay. 

We love this town. 

We met some friends for dinner Thursday evening (O'Leary's since I'm sharing all the best places) and enjoyed dining on their lobster special (delish!!) and hearing what's new in their lives. 

After dinner hubs and I went over to a little spot in the west end to meet up with the bride and groom and their friends and family for a little pre-wedding welcome celebration. 

The Little Tykes gang as I like to call them.

The groom (that's him in the center back) and his sisters (also in the picture) lived across the court from us way back when. Together with our girls they logged a lot of miles on the Little Tykes cars, drew a million chalk houses on the driveway, played 'Pioneer' in our side yard, and lived the best day of their life in 1996 when the blizzard to beat all blizzards struck the East Coast and we had a party to celebrate in our court. 

There was a snow mountain courtesy of the plow, a fire in the middle of the street using metal struts from our basement remodel as a platform, and neighbors young and not so young bundled up in beach chairs sipping cups of mulled wine. It was a happy place to be a kid. 

A happy place to be a mom too. 

Hubs and I began our Friday with breakfast at an Annapolis institution called Chick and Ruth's. The pledge is still recited there every morning, which is such a fun tradition. 

After breakfast we took a long walk. We trekked over to the Naval Academy and across their extensive grounds, stopping for a moment beside the sea wall to picture our girls when they were girls and not grown married women with girls of their own, in their hula hoops, waiting on the July 4 fireworks to splash across the sky. Time marches on...

Pictures and geography wing you back.  

There's a new (to us) spot on Ego Alley called The Choptank, and we went up on their rooftop for the downtown view and to sample their orange crush. Our hometown lake cabana makes an orange crush and we like to compare when we can. 

This one was good, a little sweeter than ours, but still yummy. 

We walked up and down the cobbled brick sidewalks of this old town saying hey remember when...we popped in shops and then of course indulged in the world's best crab dip courtesy of McGarvey's. This was daughter2's favorite food when we lived in Maryland and we had to order one so we could send a picture. Yes, they give you an entire loaf of warm bread for dipping. 

Two actually, which is why this is not a dish to have on the regular-ha! 

The wedding was Friday evening in a beautiful venue on the South River called London Town and Gardens. It's actually an historical site, but they host events and weddings too. The rain held off and the whole evening was lovely.

And then suddenly it's Saturday morning, time to reload the car and aim it south. 

Home. 

We've had more than a few, you know. We've tucked people and places and precious memories in our pockets all along the way. 

We carry them with us wherever we may roam.