My Birthday

 One of my brothers recently pointed out that my Wednesday posts are usually something joy related or whatever HA!.  So I thought I'd share about my great birthday weekend since it brought me alot of joy! 

I personally love birthdays.  I know not everyone feels that way but I feel like I have earned my year and love to celebrate that fact (some years are earned more than others ha!).  I big part of it for me is doing something I really enjoy, eating really good food (perferable that I do not have to good) and spending time with the most important people to me.  This year those things all lined up and it was just great.  Not to mention that having your birthday actually fall on a weekend is great!  

The celebration began on Friday.  Our Co-Op had a brunch meet-up for our teens so I was able to enjoy a wonderful breakfast at a local cafe and chat with a good friend of mine as we were the chaperones for the group.  I did not take a photo of my breakfast but it was an amazing omelet and rye toast.  I love breakfast foods but not always making them so this was perfect. 

This is such a great group of teens.  I thoroughly enjoyed the morning.  After everyone finished eating we all headed outside so they could all walk around town until it was time for them to be picked up. 

After that my guys took me out for the rest of the day (their gift to me).  We headed first to Linden to visit my dad's spot.  It's important to all of us to stop by when we can.  It's a nice time to remember and reflect on what a great impact he had on all of us.  My grandma is "right next door" too. 

Now, if I'm in my hometown I want to eat dinner at a long time favorite, Mega Coney Island.  the prices are STILL good and the food is always amazing.  

From there we headed about 30 minutes away to a concert - We are Messengers, Austin French, and Leanna Crawford.  The pastor of this church is a long time friend of mine - we attended church together years ago and were part of the college and career group plus this is the home church of one of my sweet Aunts (my dad's sister).  It is a smaller venue which is nice too. 

Leanna Crawford sings some of my favorite songs - they are heartfelt and just a great reminder of truth. 

Austin French is someone that Nate and I have seen a few times and he's just amazing.  He brings so much energy to a concert and always connects back to Jesus. 

We are Messengers are loud HA!  He even commented on that it would be loud because it was a smaller venue and he was not lying!  It was still amazing though- I especially liked when it was just him and his guitar singing a few songs.  He is Irish -with a thick accent.  At one time he kept saying something about "Prius".  I turned to Nate and said, "Why is he talking about a Toyota Prius? " Nate laughed and said, "Mom, he is saying PRAISE!" LOL  Oh well.  

We also had a great drive home - lots of talk about the NFL draft and who the Lions picked up (as well as other teams).  I just love hanging with my little family.  

Saturday was just another beautiful day. 

I enjoyed some favorites for lunch - French Bread Pizza, Pringles, and a coke zero. 

Then we went to my mom's later in the day to celebrate me!  I picked my favorite dinner - Her BBQ Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes, and Green Bean Casserole plus she made Red Lobster Garlic Cheddar Biscuits.  It was AMAZING!! 

We played a great game of 5 Crowns.  I did not win . .. but I didn't lose either LOL 

My mom made a great dessert!  

My mom got me this awesome Gnome for my birthday!  I just love him so much!  He's homemade by a friend of a friend, so super soft and just plain adorable.  He brings me so much joy every time I look at him! 

Sunday was my actual birthday and it started with church :-) 

I love all three of my guys.  I'm so thankful for each of them and how much they make me laugh.  

I decided on Little Caesar's Pizza for lunch because I didn't have to plan dinner or cook dinner HA!  Plus it is so good (and we had gift certificates!) 

My guys then made brownies for hot fudge brownie Sundays.  It was fun listening to them all work together to make them AND they turned out amazing.  So yummy! 

The day ended with the annual burning of the Christmas Tree.  (No, this doesn't happen on my birthday most years but the weather was perfect so it did this year! Shoot, some years it snows on my birthday!) 

And, since we had a fire, we were going to roast some hot dogs but we were running out of time and the fire wasn't quite as hot as it needed to be so we started them outside and finished them inside on the stove.  They still tasted good.  We will try again - maybe next weekend since we have more sticks/wood to burn. 

It really was a great day . .. and a great weekend!  Now, on to a new year :-) 

MercyMe - Greater (Official Lyric Video)

So today is my birthday!  Yeah!  So I decided to pick a song from one of my favorite groups - Mercy Me.  This takes me back to the concert I attended with Nate last year.  The concert was amazing and attending it with Nate was even better!  So enjoy :-) 

Our Weekly Snapshot

 Te problem with this post happening on Saturday is that sometimes our Fridays are busy so it doesn’t happen on time … … like this week!  🤪

Better late than never!  Here’s a look back at our week.  

Last Saturday we planned to go to my in-laws to celebrate Easter but I was fighting a tough cough so we stayed home and decorated Easter eggs instead!  

Sunday was just a beautiful Easter Day!  Church was wonderful and then we had a great dinner and Easter Egg hunt. 

Monday Nate took part in judging some TKD testing. 

Tuesday morning I started at the Secretary of State and then went to the clinic!  My cough and wheezing was getting pretty annoying.  I ended up with a breathing treatment which helped a lot. 

Thursday Nate had a TKD class. 

Finally on Friday we started with a teen brunch.  

Then, for my upcoming Birthday we headed to the other side of the state to stop at my dad’s spot, eat dinner at a long time favorite and then we headed to a We Are Messengers concert.  

That’s all! 

Weekly Menu - It is officially my birthday!

 I love my birthday month and have enjoyed some extra "treats" this month - and not just food!  Attending movies, getting coffee, and yes, eating out for lunch a few times thanks to gifts/gift cards have all brought me joy.  This weekend brings my actual birthday weekend and there are a few fun things planned as well. 

Friday - Two things today!  First, we have a teen co-op meet up for brunch at a local café.  Then our family is taking off for the afternoon/evening for a Christian Concert in the Flint area.  I think we are going to head over to Linden to eat at Mega Coney Island which is a favorite of mine and Darryl's and some place we don't get to very often anymore. 

Saturday - I really debated about what to do on this day.  The past few years I've been able to go scrapbooking on my birthday weekend which I really loved.  BUT my scrapbooking lady hasn't had any crops lately so I'm having my own HA!  I'm also not planning on cooking.  We are going to my mom's for dinner and to celebrate. 

Sunday - Today IS my birthday.  I’m not even sure what we will do.  

Monday - It is back to reality today HA!  Nate has TKD and I have choir so I have to have a meal that can be eaten in shifts.  I'm going to do biscuits and gravy - I did this a few weeks ago and it worked perfectly.  I am able to make the gravy and then put it in the crock pot to stay hot. 

Tuesday - baked ziti (since I didn’t make it last week!) 

Wednesday - Youth group night! 

Thursday - Crockpot BBQ Ribs, fried rice, and green beans

What I've Been Reading

 Years ago I used to write a lot of posts on my blog about the books I planned to read as well as the books I read each month.  I haven't done that in awhile but thought I would do it today!  One of my goals is to read at least 70 books this year.  Not all books are winners and I just stopped reading one book that was not my favorite and am about 1/4 of the way into another book that I am highly debating giving up on because, again, it isn't my favorite.  

Where do I get my book recommendations from?  A few sources.  One is connected to my favorite Christian Book Store in Grand Rapids - Baker Bookhouse.  The book buyer there has two different Facebook pages that I follow and on both she posts new books that she recommends.  I take those titles and plug them into "Libby" (the app I shared last week) and either put them on hold or put them on my "wish list" to read.  The two I mentioned about that aren't my favorites - come from that list.  She shares all types/genres and I just add them  without looking at what they are about.  I also get recommendations from friends.  Most of the time the books are pretty good - they sometimes have more language then I would normally chose but if the book is really good, I'll still read it.  Then if I see new things out from a favorite author I'll add those to my list as well.  Yes, I ready 95% fiction books and most of those are historical fiction.  I do have stacks of great non-fiction books to read too I just have a harder time getting into those at this stage in my life.  

I do a Facebook Album with all of the books I read each month.  I try to give a simple "review" in case others want to read them.  

As to  not repeat what I just posted in that album I'll share what I am currently reading: 

I have been a fan of Ina Garten for a long time - I really enjoyed her show on Food Network years ago (Barefoot Contessa).  She cooked and baked such beautiful food.  A friend of mine recommended this after reading it herself so I added it to my Libby list.  It became available this past week so I have just started it.  As I read it, I can hear her voice and it is written just like she speaks and fits her personality.  I am enjoying it so far.  I have been surprised by how difficult her childhood was as well as the fact that she worked at the white house before buying her store.  

This is the book I mentioned above that am about 1/4 of the way through and I'm not sure if I will finish it.  It is an odd mystery based on an inheritance but the three cousins have to earn/win the house and all it includes.  The Uncle was odd and was a creator of lots of odd mechanical things.  I'm trying really hard to keep reading it and understand the people within the story instead of getting lost in all of the odd, mechanical things throughout the house. 

I thought I'd share this one as well - this is the book that I stopped reading.  Here's the thing, it is not a bad book at all I just don't get into books written in ancient times - more Biblical times.  I prefer more modern historical fiction --- probably 1700's and on.  So, if you enjoy reading books set in ancient cities and ancient times, I think you would really enjoy this particular book.  

So, currently those are the two books I'm reading (and the one I'm not) .  I have a good size stack of books sitting on the end table but I have yet to read those HA!  

I won't promise a post like this every month but maybe just here and there - or maybe when I read a book that is exceptional and worth sharing about! 

You Saved The Day by Phillips, Craig & Dean

I think I share this every year on Easter because it is probably my all time favorite song for this season.  Yes, it is old school . .. but sometimes going old school is some of the best way to listen to music! 

Our weekly snapshot

 We had a much quieter week!! 

On Sunday we were able to attend a great Mercy Me Concert thanks to the gift of tickets from a friend.  

Then on Tuesday we celebrated my dad’s birthday with ice cream for dinner.  

On Friday, my mom, Josh, Nate, and I attended a Good Friday service.  

Finally, Nate went to a birthday with friends where they all line danced.