Last Weekend . . .seems so long ago!

 So . . .Mark bought a new tractor for the farm! He and his twin brother and their cousin are the new owners of a brand new John Deere tractor. Isn't she pretty?

While Mark was meeting the John Deere delivery people, I was working hospitality at Party in the Lot which is our annual back to school bash.

We had fog bubbles again - like we did during VBS.

We are able to close the street between the church and the parking lot which gives us lots of room. Before the night was over, there were LOTS of people.

We had a free dinner of burgers or PBJ's, chips, cookie, cuties (oranges), and a drink. Everyone is welcome - all of our neighbors!

As I was driving home that night, the sun was setting and it was so beautiful.

Mark sent this photo to me with the caption "greed will kill you." The photo was originally "live" so you could see movement. The greedy bass was dead, but the bream he tried to eat was alive!

Meanwhile, two hours south our middle granddaughter was participating in cheer photos.

Friday was Mark's birthday and I treated him to dinner at Tres Luna, a locally owned restaurant. Our food was yummy. I have no idea who these people are, but I was snapping a photo of the bar. Let me just say that this place was packed.

My sister gave him a gift card, but she also sent him some lotto tickets. We love getting the tickets as part of our gifts. He didn't win anything . . .

Our friend mailed a picture to him and said the gift was on its way. The shirt has a picture of a tractor on the back and the front says, "Life is Good."

We left Birmingham at the crack of dawn on Saturday morning and drove two hours south to see that cutie patootie cheer at her jamboree. There are 47 cheer leaders - K, 1, and 2nd grades. Those little boys are already playing tackle football!

It was another HOT Saturday. Very hot - not a stitch of make up on that hot face!

The girls were doing their halftime cheer (below). The tent was in the way, but we could see our girl on the left hand side.

We went back to their house for about an hour but they had a full day of plans. The grandgirls all love pops - they were playing with sparkly slime.

This one had a NASTY cold. I won't describe what was coming out of her nose, but it was gross.

I worked Sunday morning and taught Sunday School and then had to go back for a nominations/lay leadership meeting at 4:00. Our supper club was meeting at 6:00 and our friends live near the church. Needless to say, I was the first guest.

Look at the beer . . .Bigfoot!

We were going with a Mediterranean theme - host grilled lamb steaks/chops and chicken. I made the charcuterie board and it was really pretty and good!

I am running on fumes this week. I hope all of you are doing well!!

Wednesday Hodgepodge

Just FYI - I am running behind this week. I watched a Time Management Ted Talk for one of my classes and I do know that I have the same number of hours in a week that everyone else has . . .but whew!

Also, since I am late writing this -- let's all extend lots of love and sympathy and prayers to Joyce, our host, and her family on the death of her mother.

1. How do you feel about the transition from lazy summer days to a busier fall routine? Since my summer days are not "lazy," that is not a transition from me. My August and September are very busy this year so I hit the ground running every day. I do love the fall colors and plan to pull out the fall decorations on Labor Day weekend.

2. Your favorite cookie? Our friend, Donna Nelson, makes a white chocolate, almond, and coconut cookie that is to die for. I don't really eat sweets anymore, but sometimes I will have a bite of hers. I also LOVE a good homemade chocolate chip cookie - Donna also makes excellent chocolate chip cookies! Most of the time I eat Alyssa's oatmeal cookies that you can purchase in the deli/bakery area of your local Publix. They have no added sugar.

3. What's something you've learned from a culture different than your own? I've learned so much from reading blogs written by others who live in the UK or Australia. I also love learning about cultures when we travel. We've eaten dinner twice with families in Palestine. Let me just say that sitting around a table, eating food cooked by someone's mama, and sharing our lives makes you think differently about others. 

4. Food critic, film critic, book critic, art critic...which hat would you most like to wear? Tell us why. I think I would really enjoy being a food critic. I would want to be a world-wide food critic. I might have a hard time eating a few things especially things that are still alive. I would have to take Mark along to sample those items haha! I would try to always find something positive to say first.

5. What's a small, random thing from your childhood that you still remember clearly? I had a stuffed monkey that I loved. I sucked on his banana until it fell apart - that sounds so yucky now! I also remember playing with play dough and coloring in a coloring book. I still enjoy playing with play dough and coloring! I also remember sitting in our swing with my daddy and how my little hand felt in his big callused hand.

6. Insert your own random thought here.  Someone else said they have a hard time with the random thoughts. So do I. 

Flying on a Hodgepodge

 

1. August 19th is National Aviation Day...do you like to fly? Last time you were on an airplane? The date is chosen in honor of the history and development of aviation, and celebrated on the birthday of Orville Wright. Have you ever been to the Kitty Hawk area of North Carolina? The city of Dayton in Ohio (their birthplace)

I do not like to fly, but I do fly because I love to travel. I take a combo of Ativan and Dramamine when I fly. Those 12 hour flights are a killer. I would love to go visit some places like Australia . . .or New Zealand, but I might have to fly somewhere in the middle and stay a day or two and then continue on. I was on an airplane in October and will be on an airplane again this fall. I don't think I've been to the Kitty Hawk area of North Caroline and I know I've never been to Dayton, Ohio.

2. In what area of your life do you tend to 'wing it'? Is this an area you should be winging? 

I wing it until I make it! I'm winging it as a 68 year old college student. Some days I'm winging it on my job! Some days I'm winging it through life.

3. A favorite book, song, or movie that relates to flight in some way?   

The Flight Girls: A Novel - A Gripping WWII Tale of Fearless Women and Forbidden Love - I haven't read it yet so I don't know if it is a favorite, but it is loaded on my kindle ready to go. Fly Me to the Moon is not a favorite, but it did pop into my head! Leaving on a Jet Plane is another one that popped into my head. I don't know that I have a favorite.

4. Soft serve, gelato, sherbet, frozen yogurt, or good old fashioned ice cream...what's your pleasure? Your favorite flavor? How often do you indulge? 

These days, my two favorite frozen indulgences are sugar free fudgsicles and Halo Top Salted Caramel (no sugar).

5. I never get tired of hearing the words, "I love you."

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

I know I say this every semester, but I feel a little freaked out. Classes start on Monday and we already have the syllabus for the Research class. It is so much work and so far beyond my normal scope of knowledge. I will definetly be winging it. We don't have the information for our other class yet.

A Full and Fun Weekend in Review

 

This post has a ridiculous number of food pictures and random pictures. After work on Thursday, we met our long-time friends for dinner at Soho Taco. My shrimp kebabs and black beans were yummy!

After we ate, we walked around the corner to the Homewood Theater for the season opener. This is our least favorite "entertainment" of the season. It just isn't our kind of music, but we love the theater - the rest of the shows will be plays and they will be really good.

On Friday morning, I had a 7:15 a.m. doctor's appointment and I was in and out by 7:55! I headed back home and did some laundry and rode the stationary bike and then headed back to Homewood to meet three friends for lunch at ZoZo's. 

It was a weekend of eating . . .we met Mark's twin brother and wife and her cousin and spouse at Stix. The cousin and spouse were in town for a dental conference.

Mark enjoyed sushi -- the tuna was minced which was very different.

I was disappointed we didn't sit at the cooking tables, but I was able to order shrimp . . .like I would have ordered if they were preparing tableside. We both ate my leftovers on Saturday - 3 meals (plus some still went in the trash!)

On Saturday, it was HOT here in Alabama. It was opening day for the fifth grade tackle football team (along with the other teams). Most other school systems cancelled their outdoor activities on Saturday, but not this one. Our oldest granddaughter was cheering so Gran and Pops loaded up and headed 30 minutes southeast. See the two blue tents? She is the cheerleader "between" the two tents.

It was so HOT! Did I already say that? haha!

I had on my hat to cover the tops of my ears (remember I had a sqamous cell removed a couple of years ago). I had on sunglasses and had my neck fan. When we stood up, the back of our shorts was wet - seriously hot.

As soon as they completed their dance routine, they called it and we all left. The teams they were supposed to play had backed out so the team was divided and they were playing against each other.

While driving to the game, we had decided to stop at Aldi on the way home and buy charcuterie stuff. It was too hot to cook. Our friend, Marietta, who is one of my monthly lunch bunch friends (ZoZo's above), brought us a cute reusable bag. I still had it in my purse from lunch on Friday and we used it at Aldi. We bought my favorite crackers and cheese and turkey and other fancy meats, along with olives. The bag folds back flat and fits in the square with the kitty cat face!

We had the baby dills, mini saltines, and carrots at home. We usually have figs or dates, but all I had was prunes haha! We were still hot from the football game so came in the door and I went straight to the shower! While Mark was showering, I started putting together our plates. It wasn't really a charcuterie, but more of a cold cut plate.

I worked on Sunday morning! Everyone was back in worship - it was a great Sunday. Our new campus opened and they are already out of space. They literally used every chair in the building (even kid's chairs) and people still had to stand (photo below).

Working the welcome desk - it was a great day in all of our worship services.

We even had fog bubbles greeting everyone. All of the kids loved the bubbles.

I taught Sunday school and afterwards we had family over for lunch. I thought I would grab a picture of all of us at the table, but that didn't happen!

We had a weekend full of eating and fellowship!

Sunday Stealing from Country Dew

 

This week's meme was stolen from Country Dew. A decade ago, she shared these "get to know you" questions she found on Facebook. Let's use them to go to know you better.

WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE ...? JUST FYI - I am horrible at favorites - I like an assortment of things! 

1. Flavor? Flavor of what item? I love strawberry - I have strawberry no sugar jam/jelly. I also enjoy chocolate - sugar free fudgsicles. Fresh lemon (not fake) is really good, too!

2. Movie? I so rarely watch movies that I don't have a favorite. We do love a portion of Four Christmases and watch it, along with Christmas Vacation, every year. I also loved the Wizard of Oz and Lion King. I enjoyed the Indiana Jones, James Bond, and Pirates of the Caribbean movies, too.

3. Piece of jewelry? I love my engagement ring. Compared to the rings of many of the young women today, my "a little over a carat" ring seems small, but it is just right. I also love my diamond earrings and necklace that Mark gave me. For costume jewelry, I love pearls - earrings, necklace, bracelets.

4. Place to be? I'll give my selfish answer first - traveling the world or lying on a wonderful beach. My non-selfish answer would be "with my people"!

5. Boy's name? We are too old to have any more children (haha!), but I love the name Griffith for a boy. I guess you would call him "Griff"?

6. Girl's name? Same thing - not going to have anymore but I think I would choose Elizabeth.

7. Candy? My all-time favorite candy is Reese's cups - I prefer the pumpkins or Christmas trees. I don't eat candy anymore, but I do love those.

8. Sports team? Auburn tigers - War Eagle. Our granddaughters cheer - one team is the Hornets and the other is the Panthers (I think).

9. Color? Red, hot pink (fuschia), light pink, vibrant blue, green - I love all of those. I'm the kid who always wanted the biggest box of crayons so that I could have all of the colors!

10. Month? I love the "ber" months - September has football, October has Halloween, November has Thanksgiving (my favorite), and December has Christmas. BUT . . .I also love May, June, and July. 

Thank you for playing! Please come back next week.

Hodgepodge Wednesday

Joyce writes the questions and we join up! Come on and join the group!

1. I saw a meme on Instagram that went like this-'The movie Dirty Dancing came out in 1987 and was set in 1963, so if remade in 2026 it would be set in 2002. Now I need a little lie down in a dark room for a while." 

Time is crazy isn't it? So...what were you up to in the year 2002? Where was I in 2002? I think our kids were Freshmen in high school . . .so I was driving people everywhere in my big Expedition. I always drove carpool to school and they were involved in youth choir and youth activities at church so we were burning up the road between Hoover and Homewood. I was a SAHM at that time.

2. "Me? I'm scared of everything..." What's something that scares you that you'd like to try anyway? I don't know that these things scare me . . . but I really want to go up in a hot air balloon and I want to zip-line through some trees.

3. Watermelon-yay or nay? Which melon is your favorite-watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew. Of the watermelon food/beverages listed which would you say yes to...I love a good watermelon . . .and I love a good ripe cantaloupe or honeydew. They are all sooo good!

watermelon salsa~watermelon feta salad~watermelon sorbet~ 

a watermelon Jolly Rancher~a watermelon margarita 

4. August 12th is National Middle Child Day. Are you a middle child? If not, where do you fall in the birth order in your family of origin? Do you think this has influenced your personality? Elaborate. I am the baby. I had two older sisters and I'm pretty sure I was spoiled. Our mom died when I was 15 and my daddy did spoil me (some). I am bossy and still boss my middle sister if we are together. Mark asked her why she put up with it. I guess she loves me haha!

5. Would you rather talk to everyone at a crowded party for a short time, or have a significant conversation with two people? Explain. It depends on what kind of mood I'm in and if I'm already "peopled out." I do love talking to everyone at the party for a short time, but I love a real conversation at some point during the event.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

Weekend in Review

 I know it is now Monday night . . .but I've been busy! On Thursday night, I took my final - 3 hours and 15 minutes worth of writing. I'm still waiting on the grade, but I have a high A in the class so unless I totally bombed it . . .I should have an A - yay!

On Friday, I went for a pedicure. Oh my goodness! I needed to sit in massage chair and just rest a minute!

Mark came home from the farm and we didn't do anything that night.

On Saturday morning, I went to WW and then I had an appointment for an hour long massage. Yes, two treats in one weekend. On my way home, I went to Trader Joe's to buy flowers for Sunday's workshop. Having a front seat of flowers was sort of fun!

We didn't do much of anything else. It was so hot that I didn't want to do anything. I think it rained again! We actually sat on our front porch for a little while before the rain.

I was at work by 6:45 on Sunday morning. There was a wedding at the church on Saturday evening so I could not set up for the Hospitality workshop. I made flower arrangements for all of the tables. Teal is one of the colors we use a lot in our "Hey Neighbor" logo and I found some inexpensive teal tablecloths. The workshop was well attended. We had about 60 people. We watched about 10 minutes of an Andy Stanley video where he talks about an inward focused church vs. an outward focused church. I did a power point presentation that lasted about 20-25 minutes - included some table discussions. We fed everyone some Full Moon BBQ and sides. I think it was a success.

My co-worker was introducing the video.

On Sunday afternoon, we made the Poppyseed Chicken casseroles for Tuesday night's young adult group and we took a 30 minute nap -- EXCEPT we had another thunder storm so I didn't sleep. I rode the bike. We got cleaned up again and went to dinner with three other couples. It was a nice evening of laughter and conversation and good food.

Here are some random photos from the weekend that our family took at various events.

This is our daughter - this will be year 14 for her
as a teacher! She is back to third grade. This was
on meet the teacher night!

Check - this class is over!! Woo hoo!

This is our sweet middle granddaughter at
meet the teacher night. She attends the
same school where her mama is a teacher.
She is healing nicely from her "shattered
shower door" incident.

It was "blessing of the backpacks" at their
church on Sunday. Our daughter found a clear
plastic one for the little so she didn't
feel left out. 

Ok - this is our daughter on the left. Our son texted
and asked how in the world I allowed that hair cut.
I don't remember . . .but it is bad! Mark's mother and I
used to collaborate and sew matching outfits for our daughter and
son - twins! Anyway -- top right photo is our middle granddaughter
several years ago and bottom right is our youngest granddaughter.
They are all wearing the same dress. This makes my
heart happy.

This is our oldest granddaughter. She
went to "meet the teacher" today. She
is so grown up.

I hope to visit some of your blogs and read about your weekend!!