Weekly Worship - Brandon Lake - So Close ft. Amanda Cook (Lyric Video)

Our Week in Photos

 We have truly enjoyed our week!  Our friends were back in school and we have NOT started school so we were able to enjoy some quiet, relaxed days.  

On Saturday Darryl worked in the morning/early afternoon  and then we went to dinner at my mom's.  It's nice to get back into a routine after a busy month.  Sunday was church.  

On Monday I worked on some projects on my list while also enjoying some Hallmark movies :-) 

Monday evening, Nate and I went to see some folks we know do their black belt testing.  It was also a retirement party for these two - the Goodemoots.  Cherith was Nate's first teacher and she's the one that really put the drive in him to get his black belt.  

On Tuesday I ran errands before coming home and working on things for our co-op.

Wednesday I had a Leadership Team meeting for our co-op and both my guys came with me to hang out with friends.  It has been since before covid that all of the Leadership Team "kids" could hang out at meetings so it was nice to hear them together again. Then my guys went to my mom's to mow her grass and my mom came to our house for dinner :-) 

Thursday was just a perfect day for me.  I slept in a little and then just read, watched some of my favorite shows, and enjoyed the cloudy, rainy, dreary day.  I don't get many of these days when our friends are at school and we don't have anything happening.  I treasure these days! 

Friday - Nate had TKD.  He's training for his black belt!  

This last picture is just because we love Dash so much and he loves when one (or all) of us are on the couch and he can snuggle in with us.  I don't want to wish away the quiet, dog days of summer but I do look forward to our cool, crisp days of fall too! 

Weekly Menu

We are at that transition between the relaxing days of summer and the more busy time of the school year.  In just a few weeks music lessons and church activities will pick up and I'll be running around more!  I will miss the slow days of summer though!  Here's the plan for the coming week! 

Friday -  Chicken Nuggets (homemade) and Fries

Saturday - Dinner at my mom's 

Sunday -  Heading to my father-in-laws for a birthday gathering for him. 

Monday - Oven Baked Chicken, Mac and Cheese, roasted carrots and biscuits

Tuesday - Loaded Nachos (they were so good a few weeks ago I decided to make them again!)

Wednesday -Ham and Cheese Quiche, Sausage balls, Overnight Coffee Cake and Fruit

Thursday - BBQ Chicken, Crash Potatoes, Stuffing and Salad 

Here's the truth - I'm in that time when I'm tired of planning menus so I went back about a year ago in my blog and used that as inspiration :-)  It made it so much easier!  

Gulf Shores Vacation Part 1

 I realzied recently that I never shared about our vacatoin back in April.  Part of why I share it is so you can enjoy it but also so I can look back and see what we did as we plan future vacations!  We were gone for nine days so I'll split it up between two posts.  

We really didn't think we would be able to make a trip to Gulf Shores this year - it wasn't even on the radar.  Darryl and I were chatting one day in mid-March both saying how much we needed to get away.  Well, I said quietly . .. .lets go to the beach; I think we can do it.  It's what I want for my 50th birthday.  I had been trying to plan something - a little get away - for my 50th.  It was all I really wanted.  I was checking out AirBnb's on Lake Michigan; Hotels with a lake view . .. but the cost for just 2-3 days was crazy (Lake Michigan prices are crazy!).  Anyway, all it took was my little statement . .. and the planning begin.  We shortened it a few days from what we did last year to save some money and just plain stopped spending money HA!  

Here's a look back at the first half of our trip: 

We loaded up early on a Saturday morning and hit the road.  Well, not super early - our goal was to be on the road by 8:00 and we were!  So thankful for our "new" vehicle so we didn't have to rent a vehicle this year!  

We enjoy making stops.  We saw the sign for Uranus Fudge Shop and thought it was funny.  We all said we wouldn't make any jokes about it while at the store because we were sure they heard it all.  Well, I'll just say that the joke was on us!  The employees said every joke and then some . .. the shop was pretty "PG-13" actually.  While the Taffy and Fudge we purchased were some of the best I've ever had - we all agreed that we wouldn't stop again ;-) LOL  It's all about the memories, right? 

    Love this bridge :-)  We also love checking states off of our list.  We decided to make day 1 our longer day and go all the way to the bottom of Tennessee before stopping.  Leaving just Alabama for day 2 (which is the longest, most boring state ever!) 

I don't remember where I took this photo - maybe when we stopped for dinner? Or at the hotel?  I will just say that the four of us love being together.  We laugh a lot.  

We stopped for lunch and got Subway/McDonald's (they were right next door to each other making it easy!).  Then we headed on to our hotel.  We planned well - there was a Waffle House and a McDonald's in the "parking lot" of the Hotel making dinner choices easy.  

After a good nights sleep and breakfast at the hotel, we hit the road.  This was our shorter day!  In six short hours we'd be at the beach! 

Just over the border into Alabama is the welcome center/rest stop.  It has an awesome Rocket on display.  We missed it last year but stopped this year.  It's got lots of info not only about the rocket but it was also an area that was a trail used by pioneers.  I love learning our history! 

The rest of the day was uneventful.  We played several rounds of the Alphabet Game to pass the time.  

It was great to arrive at our amazing condo on the beach in Gulf Shores.  We checked in, unloaded, and then headed out to dinner and to Walmart. 

Our first dinner was at a favorite we found when we were Pensacola Beach and visited Gulf Shores called Neptune's.  It's so nice to eat outside!  And, the food is amazing.  From there we headed to Wal-mart to pick up some groceries for the week. 

Now, this is a view I could get used to waking up to every day!  I just love the beach and sitting out on the balcony!  Most mornings (I think every morning actually) I'd start with breakfast enjoying this view.  Then at least Nate and I - sometimes Darryl and Joshua would join - headed to the pool(s).  Our favorite was the indoor pool because it was heated!  The out door pool was super cold!  We would spend a few hours in the pool before getting ready to head out on adventures for the afternoon. 

   We made our main meal "lunch" and would head to a restaurant around 2:00 every day.  This is by far a favorite - Shrimp Basket.  I love their coconut shrimp and seafood queso!  Joshua tried the crab claws and loved them.  

I planned one thing each day.  On Monday we headed out on a nature walk.  It was short and built up with this walkway.  I'll be honest, the reviews were a lot better then real life.  Yes, we enjoyed it but we didn't see much "nature" - it was pretty dry and brown.  

We did not see the alligator . . .but we did look!!  A few months after we were there a friend who lives in Gulf Shores shared a video of an Alligator crossing the main road just down the road from here so I guess there really is one that lives there! 

Since we ate our main meal at 2:00 I planned simple meals/snacks for the evening.  This was Monday's snack.  These little boards are so fun! 

Tuesday Morning!  :-)  We did make it down to the ocean a couple of days to check it out.  Most days it was a red flag so we were thankful for the pools to enjoy swimming.  

Lunch was at Lamberts Cafe - "Home of the Thrown Roll".  Yes, they really do throw rolls to you from across the room and they are all you can eat and are amazing!.  This was true down home, southern food.  They also have all you can eat sides like fried okra, macaroni and tomatoes and fried potatoes PLUS you get sides with your meal!  It was a crazy amount of food.  We all enjoyed it enough that we went back a second time later in the week.  I had a steak the first time and their "famous chicken salad" the second time.  Both were great!   

Our "excursion" today was go-karts.  Joshua and Nate have never driven before so this was a fun thing to do.  They had a blast and were the only two on the track during their ride which made it nice for the first time.  

That takes you through the first part of our vacation!  Check back next week for part 2 (which includes my birthday!!)  

There Is Freedom (Official Lyric) - Josh Baldwin

Our Week at a glance

 It's been a super quiet week.  It's the last week before our friends return to school on Monday so I always try to keep it low key; they get to just enjoy the last week off of school.  

These photos sum up most of my week :-) 

One of my "extras" had to go to his school for pictures and registration; when his mom brought him back she also sent in a Sozo's coffee and an amazing cookie (it was like a spice cookie dipped in chocolate with orange and sea salt!)  She loves Sozo's as much as I do and treats me periodically :-)  

This was my big project this week - working on putting together Josh's first two weeks of school; making supply lists for Science projects; and planning out our schedules.  We still have 2 1/2 weeks until we start school but I like to plan ahead so I'm ready!  

Other things this week - my guys mowed lawns :-)  Both ours and my moms.  My mom came over for dinner on Wednesday and we celebrated my parents anniversary - it would have been 59 years this year!  My parents set a great example for sure.  

Nate and our friends enjoyed some Pokemon Go fun on Monday and Tuesday. 

Nate had TaeKwonDo on Friday.  

Weekly Menu

I think the menu posted last week was nothing like what I cooked.  I had written it; then went on vacation and while on vacation with limited internet capabilities, rewrote my menu/grocery list so I could place a grocery order to pick up soon after getting home!  I cooked quite a few SkinnyTaste Recipes.  This week, I'm back to some of our favorite long time recipes.  

Friday - Buttermilk Waffles, Sausage and Bacon.  I might make eggs and grits too (think Waffle House!) if I feel like cooking that much. 

Saturday - Dinner at my Mom's

Sunday - Roast in the crock pot, beefy noodles, and roasted carrots. 

Monday - Lasagna, Salad and Garlic bread.  Ever since I made the simple crock pot "lasagna" I've been craving the real thing.  Sure it's still summer but Lasagna always tastes good! 

Tuesday - Tacos, Rice and Beans

Wednesday - Chicken Alfredo Pasta, Garlic Bread and Salad

Thursday - Baked Parmesan Pork Chops, Fried Rice, and Green Beans

Looks like a great week of eating!