Five on Friday - April 28, 2023

We've made it to Friday!  Thanks for popping into Five on Friday.  Let's get right to my five for today ~

1.  National Arbor Day

Celebrate National Arbor Day today by planting a tree!  My dad has always said, the best day to plant a tree is yesterday.  Pick a fast-growing tree so you can enjoy it sooner, or a slower-growing tree to invest in the future.  Either way your actions will give generations to come shade and beauty.  Happy tree planting!

2.  Happy Place

Emily Henry's newest book came out this week and it's just in time to add to your beach reads for the summer.  I really enjoy Emily's writing style.  It's light and fun.  Perfect for vacation!  Here's the summary from Amazon ~

A couple who broke up months ago pretend to still be together for their annual weeklong vacation with their best friends in this glittering and wise new novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Emily Henry.

Harriet and Wyn have been the perfect couple since they met in college—they go together like salt and pepper, honey and tea, lobster and rolls. Except, now—for reasons they’re still not discussing—they don’t.

They broke up five months ago. And still haven’t told their best friends.

Which is how they find themselves sharing a bedroom at the Maine cottage that has been their friend group’s yearly getaway for the last decade. Their annual respite from the world, where for one vibrant, blissful week they leave behind their daily lives; have copious amounts of cheese, wine, and seafood; and soak up the salty coastal air with the people who understand them most.

Only this year, Harriet and Wyn are lying through their teeth while trying not to notice how desperately they still want each other. Because the cottage is for sale and this is the last week they’ll all have together in this place. They can’t stand to break their friends’ hearts, and so they’ll play their parts. Harriet will be the driven surgical resident who never starts a fight, and Wyn will be the laid-back charmer who never lets the cracks show. It’s a flawless plan (if you look at it from a great distance and through a pair of sunscreen-smeared sunglasses). After years of being in love, how hard can it be to fake it for one week…in front of those who know you best?

3.  Somewhere in Queens

I'd love to catch a movie this weekend and my pick is going to be Somewhere in Queens.  It came out last weekend and it is getting pretty good reviews.  We saw the trailer and it looks like one I would like.  It starring Ray Romano and here's the synopsis ~

Leo Russo lives a simple life in Queens, New York with his wife Angela, their shy but talented son “Sticks”, and Leo’s close-knit network of Italian-American relatives and neighborhood friends. Happy enough working at the family construction business alongside his father and younger brother, Leo lives each week for Sticks’ high-school basketball games, never missing a chance to cheer on his only child as he rules the court as a star athlete. When the high-school senior gets a surprising and life-changing opportunity to play basketball in college, Leo jumps at the chance to provide a plan for his future, away from the family construction business. But when sudden heartbreak threatens to derail Sticks, Leo goes to unexpected lengths to keep his son on this new path.

4.  Mornings with God

Last Saturday I hosted a tea for a group of my friends.  I'm excited to share all the details with you in a separate post coming soon.  As a favor, I got each guest the book Mornings with God.  It was a hit!  This little book is packed with prayers and devotionals.  The perfect way to start each day!  And the perfect little gift to send to your friends, give to someone recouping from an illness, or tuck in a basket of goodies for Mother's Day!

5.  Thought on grocery shopping...

Hope you enjoy this last weekend in April!  As April comes to an end, so does my career at my current employer.  I gave my notice a couple weeks ago and today is my last day at a place I've worked for over 25 years.  I'm feeling all the emotions!  I have a few weeks off before starting my new job and a new chapter in my life.  We're celebrating all weekend long!  

2023 Hawaii Vacation - Day 7

Hello!  Thanks for stopping by Thinking Out Loud Thursday.  Today I'm thinking about our final day of vacation in Hawaii.  It's taken me a while to recap the entire stay, but today is the finale!

Day 7 being our last day there, we decided to spend it hanging around our resort, Aulani.  It was a wonderful way to soak up the sun and relax before heading back to reality.  

I really can't say enough about Aulani!  Disney did their magic at creating an amazing place full of beauty and fun.  Around every corner, there was something that makes you stop in your tracks and appreciate the sight.  

We got downstairs early and staked out our beach chairs.  They have a rule that if chairs are unattended before 8:00 am, they will remove any items left on the chairs and put them in lost and found.  So when we found our chairs, we stayed put!  We witnessed them carrying out this rule and were there when the people came back to their items being removed.   People watching at its' best!

One of the highlights from the day was our son and I getting our picture taken with Mickey.  I swear I don't know what it is, but seeing Mickey Mouse makes me totally giddy!

While we were relaxing in our chairs, we decided that maybe we should visit Mina's Fish House again that night for dinner.  Earlier in the week we had dined there and it was truly the best experience I had ever had in a restaurant.  Should we test fate and see if the second visit was as spectacular?  Heck yes!  

There are so many amazing this about this place.  One of them was the sound of the conch shell blowing at sunset.  

I could have sat looking at the view from our table forever!  Just the whole experience there is outstanding.  When we go back to Hawaii, this will definitely be a place I want to revisit.

The next morning, we were up early to pack up and get to the airport.  It was a long travel day to get back to St. Louis through Phoenix, but it was worth every single second to have had a vacation like we had in Hawaii!

If you missed any of the recaps, you can find them here ~

Day 1       |       Day 2       |       Day 3 and 4       |       Day 5       |       Day 6

Now it's your turn.  What are you thinking out loud about today?  Link up and share!

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Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop - April 26, 2023

 

Welcome to another week of the Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop! We are so glad that you stopped by.

Here you will find inspiration from dozens of bloggers including recipes, home DIY, gardening, decor, family fun, traveling, fitness, and so much more. A friendly reminder to our guests that as a courtesy to the hosts, we ask that you follow every host on at least one social media channel.

If you are a blogger, be sure to link up below. You may be our next feature!

Before we get this party started, let’s meet the hosts and check out this week’s featured favorites.

MEET THE HOSTS

1. Ahna – HAMMERS N HUGS | FB | IG | PINTEREST
2. Bev – ECLECTIC RED BARN | FB | IG | PINTEREST
3. Emily – LeCULTIVATEUR | FB | IG | PINTEREST
4. Penny – PENNY’S PASSION | FB | IG | PINTEREST
5. Sinea – DUCKS ‘N A ROW | FB | IG | PINTEREST | TWITTER
6. Tammy – MY LIFE ABUNDANT | FB | IG | PINTEREST | TWITTER
7. Tara – STILETTOS AND SHIPLAP | IG | PINTEREST
8. Denise – THIS IS MY EVERYBODY | FB | IG | PINTEREST | TWITTER

TOP VIEWED

A Big of Spring Decor

VERY POPULAR

Easy Cinnamon Roll Casserole

EDITOR'S CHOICE

Bacon, Leek and Spinach Egg Bites

LET’S GET THIS PARTY STARTED!

Please follow all hosts on AT LEAST 1 of their social channels.

Add as many family-friendly posts as you would like to. NO Etsy shops, adult sites, or blog parties please.  Visit others. Caring is sharing. Like, comment, and pin posts.

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Five on Friday - April 21, 2023

Happy Friday!  Can you believe it's Friday already?  This week has flown by!  I barely had a moment to blog this week, but I did get my five together for today.  Here they are ~

1.  National Earth Day

Saturday is National Earth Day.  We here in the United States won't be the only ones celebrating Earth Day.  In 1990, Earth Day went global and now 141 countries participate in protecting the environment.  What are some ways you can observe this holiday you ask?  Here are just a few ~

• Support and use recycling programs in your community
• Volunteer to clean up local parks and streets on clean-up days
• Use re-usable products versus disposable
• Repurpose items that have outworn their use
• Shop secondhand and thrift stores for gently used items
• Carpool or make one trip instead of multiple trips to the store
• Line-dry your clothes

See - there are a lot of ways to observe National Earth Day!  What are you going to do?

2.  Facebook Class Action Lawsuit

Did you use Facebook between May 24, 2007, and December 22, 2022?  If so, you may be eligible for a cash payment from a Class Action Settlement.  Meta, who owns Facebook, agreed last year to settle a class-action lawsuit about the company sharing user data or making it accessible to third parties without the users' permission.  If you want in on the action, file a claim HERE.  The claim amount will be based on the number of claims submitted.  Be patient after filing your claim.  The deadline for submitting is August 25.

3.  The Audrey Hepburn Estate

Brenda Janowitz's latest historical fiction book titled The Audrey Hepburn Estate was released this past Tuesday and it's going straight on my to-be-read list!  It sounds like a great summer read.  Here's the summary ~

When Emma Jansen discovers that the grand Long Island estate where she grew up is set to be demolished, she can't help but return for one last visit. After all, it was a place filled with firsts: learning to ride a bike, sneaking a glass of champagne, falling in love.

But once Emma arrives at the storied mansion, she can't ignore the more complicated memories. Because that's not exactly where Emma grew up. Her mother and father worked for the family that owned the estate, and they lived over the garage like Audrey Hepburn's character in the film Sabrina. Emma never felt fully accepted, except by the family's grandson, Henry—a former love—and by the driver’s son, Leo—her best friend.

As plans for the property are put into motion and the three are together for the first time in over a decade, Emma finds herself caught between two worlds and two loves. And when the house reveals a shattering secret about her own family, she’ll have to decide what kind of life she really wants for herself now and who she wants to be in it.

4.  Magnetic Mail Box Cover

When I was switching from our Easter mailbox cover to our summer one, I noticed that it was time for a new one.  We opted for the black and white buffalo plaid welcome one and we love it!  It's made from waterproof Oxford cloth and feels like it will stand up to the outdoor elements.  It adds a little something something to the mailbox!

5.  Just a fact...

Have a wonderful weekend!  I took the day off today to get ready for a tea party I'm having at our house tomorrow.  I've been looking forward to this event for a while and I'm excited to pull it all together today and welcome my guests tomorrow morning!  Then on Sunday, I'm brunching with some other friends.  It's going to be quite the weekend!  See you next week!

2023 Hawaii Vacation - Day 6

Welcome to Thinking Out Loud Thursday where I talk about something I'm thinking about and invite you to link up and do the same.  Today I'm thinking about Day 6 adventures from our Hawaii trip!

Day 6 of our trip was a Thursday, the day we designated as hiking day.  And hike we did!  We conquered three hikes, which was a bit ambitious for me because I was dragging by the last one.  The day started before daybreak with our hike up Diamond Head.  We thought it would be cool to watch the sunrise at the top of Diamond Head, which meant we were hiking up pre-dawn.  Thank heavens our son brought his headlamp! 

As the sun crested over the horizon, I knew our decision was a sound one! It was majestic!

After the sun rose, we began our descent down the side of the volcano.  It was interesting seeing what we had passed in the dark on the way up.  

Breakfast at the famous bakery Leonard's was next on the agenda.  Have I mentioned how there are chickens everywhere?  We sidestepped a half dozen chickens in the parking lot and made our way inside to order.

We deserved a pastry after hiking almost a mile straight up!  They were scrumptious and put enough sugar in our bodies to propel us to our second hike of the day.

Hike number 2 was the Makapu'u Point Lighthouse Trail.  This entire trail is paved and very exposed.  The weather was great the day we were there, but I could see where it could get very hot if the temperatures were high.  They estimate it will take about 2 hours to complete the hike and that's pretty close to how long it took us.  We weren't in a hurry and stopped often to catch our breath take pictures.

The views on this hike were my favorite.  The water is all the shades of blue!  I know seeing the lighthouse was the goal, but there were a million other views that were beautiful along the way.

On our way to and from Majapu'u Point were lookout areas where you could pull off the highway and take in the view.  If you're there, definitely stop!

Our third and final hike of the day was Manoa Falls Trail.  This trail has a waterfall at the end, which was one of the items on my list of things I wanted to see in Hawaii.

The entire time we were hiking this trail I half expected a dinosaur to come busting out of the vegetation that surrounded us!

We heard the waterfall before we actually saw it.  Thankfully there had been enough recent rain and the water was falling!  See how little those people in the picture look?  This waterfall is huge!

After our final hike, it was lunchtime!  We headed to downtown Honolulu and ate noodles from Marukame Udon.  

I thought the best noodles I had ever had were in Hong Kong, but these were just as good if not better.  It could have been because I was starving, but I think they are just that good.   Highly recommend eating here!

After lunch, we walked over to Waikiki Beach.  Guys, I'm not going to lie - it didn't do much for me.  It was crowded and busy.  After only a few minutes there, we headed straight back to Aulani where we enjoy the tranquility (and the hot tub).  Hot tub for the win!  I'm convinced the hot tub saved me from not being able to walk the next day.

We had made a reservation at the resort to do star gazing.  When we arrived at our 8:00 pm time, it was questionable if the sky was going to cooperate.  At the stroke of 7:58 pm, the clouds moved out of the way and the star shone bright!  Eric was in heaven!  He loves astronomy and this was his jam.  

Day 6 was a full one!  This was a day to remember, full of so many memories and moments that will forever be treasured.

Now it's your turn.  What are you thinking about today?  Link up and share!

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Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop - April 19, 2023

 

Welcome to another week of the Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop! We are so glad that you stopped by.

Here you will find inspiration from dozens of bloggers including recipes, home DIY, gardening, decor, family fun, traveling, fitness, and so much more. A friendly reminder to our guests that as a courtesy to the hosts, we ask that you follow every host on at least one social media channel.

If you are a blogger, be sure to link up below. You may be our next feature!

Before we get this party started, let’s meet the hosts and check out this week’s featured favorites.

MEET THE HOSTS

1. Ahna – HAMMERS N HUGS | FB | IG | PINTEREST
2. Bev – ECLECTIC RED BARN | FB | IG | PINTEREST
3. Emily – LeCULTIVATEUR | FB | IG | PINTEREST
4. Penny – PENNY’S PASSION | FB | IG | PINTEREST
5. Sinea – DUCKS ‘N A ROW | FB | IG | PINTEREST | TWITTER
6. Tammy – MY LIFE ABUNDANT | FB | IG | PINTEREST | TWITTER
7. Tara – STILETTOS AND SHIPLAP | IG | PINTEREST
8. Denise – THIS IS MY EVERYBODY | FB | IG | PINTEREST | TWITTER

TOP VIEWED

Atlantic Beach Pie

VERY POPULAR

Carmelized Onion Tartlets with Brie

EDITOR'S CHOICE

Peach Jello Shots

LET’S GET THIS PARTY STARTED!

Please follow all hosts on AT LEAST 1 of their social channels.

Add as many family-friendly posts as you would like to. NO Etsy shops, adult sites, or blog parties please.  Visit others. Caring is sharing. Like, comment, and pin posts.

Party entries appear in REVERSE. This way your entries will be seen no matter when you arrive. Please TWEET our party and invite others to join.

Let’s Party!

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Five on Friday - April 14, 2023

Happy Friday!  It's been so great this week being able to walk outside without a coat!  We've had beautiful weather and I'm crossing my fingers that it continues into this weekend. 

 
Wondering what five things I'm sharing this week?  Here they are ~

1.  National Gardening Day

Today is National Gardening Day!  It's the perfect time to get out in the yard and plant something.  We have a little bitty garden so maybe we will start preparing the ground for planting.  I have to admit, working in the garden is extremely satisfying.  No space for a garden?  Try planting in large containers.  See if gardening gives you a sense of satisfaction too!

2.  Watermelon Mint Iced Tea

Our daughter-in-law made watermelon mint iced tea for Easter and it's all I've been thinking about!  I ordered a canister from Amazon and can't wait to brew a pitcher this weekend.  The tea has a mild watermelon flavor with a hint of peppermint.  I can already tell this will be my go-to flavor for the summer!  

3.  Water Bottle Organizer

We've been doing a bit of spring cleaning and organizing.  One of the best things we did was get this water bottle organizer.  Our cabinet was a complete disaster with cups laying all willy-nilly.  With the organizer, they are neatly stacked and stay in place.  And it's a real space saver!  We love it!

4.  The Last Thing He Told Me

I'm so excited for the start of the seven-episode show The Last Thing He Told Me on Apple TV+!  I loved the book and can't wait to see Jennifer Garner playing the main character.  This week, the first two episodes will drop.  Then we'll get one episode per week.  Here's the summary of the show ~

Like the book it's based on, the story follows Hannah, a woodturner and happy newlywed who suddenly must forge a relationship with her combative 16-year-old stepdaughter Bailey (Angourie Rice) in order to find the truth about why her husband, Owen (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau), has mysteriously disappeared.

5.  Thought of the Day...

Have a fantastic weekend!  We're joining our church as members on Sunday, so it will be a special day for us.  Even though we've been attending church there since 2018, we have never become members.  That changes this weekend!  Pop in next week to see what other fun things I'm posting on the blog.

2023 Hawaii Trip - Day 5

Hello and welcome to Thinking Out Loud Thursday.  On Thursdays, I share something on my mind and invite you to link up and do the same.  Today I'm once again thinking about our wonderful vacation to Hawaii and sharing Day 5.

By Day 5 we had fallen into a routine of getting up fairly early and taking a walk.  The above picture is what we would see and every day we stopped to take in the sheer beauty of it.  One day we even saw a couple seals sunning themselves and another day we saw sea turtles.  Ian and Kayla were fortunate to see whales playing in the ocean one morning!  We were sorry to miss that.

When the walk was over and we were back on the grounds of Aulani, we'd swing by Wailana Coffee Bar for a caffeinated treat.  This is a lifestyle I could definitely get used to!

Day 5 was the Wednesday of our trip and a day we had scheduled to be a total relaxation day.  We spent our time going from the lounge chair to the hot tub to the ocean, then back to the lounge chair.  What a great day!

Wednesday night we had reservations at Mina's Fish House at the Four Seasons Hotel.  The Four Seasons is right next door to Aulani and is a very walkable distance from Aulani.  Around sunset, we made our way to the restaurant.  I have to share the description from their website ~

Inspired by the traditional fish houses of the Islands, MINA’s Fish House combines the flavors and ingredients of the Hawaii with the culinary expertise of Michelin-starred Chef Michael Mina in a beautiful open-air, oceanfront setting.

MINA’s Fish House re-imagines Hawaiian fish house theme by combining the seafood bounty direct from pristinely clear waters of the Pacific. Dine on inventive, craveable seafood dishes, such as our signature Hawaiian seafood tower, Kona cold lobster and coconut bisque, or Hawaiian abalone spaghetti. Allow our signature fish sommeliers, Ryan Houser and Saui Matagiese, to guide you on your journey – you haven’t lived until you have experienced a fish paired perfectly with your palette by our expert duo who have, quite literally, spent their whole lives honing their craft just for you. Ryan and Saui work with local fishermen and connect guests with the daily catch and best menu options.

Aged with a warm patina throughout, the restaurant seamlessly connects the inside with the outside. We gracefully plateau from the interior bar and dining room space down multiple exterior decks, ending with beachside “feet in the sand” dining options to deliver the perfect epic aloha as only MINA can.

I'm not kidding when I say that this dinner was the best dining experience I've ever had in my life!  The atmosphere, food, and service were all impeccable.  Live music played in the background while we looked out over the ocean under a sky of stars.  Being there with my husband, son, and daughter-in-law was the cherry on top!  

After dinner, we meandered back to our resort with full bellies and smiles on our faces.   It wasn't lost on me how very blessed we were to be there and able to experience this together.

Now it's your turn.  What are you thinking about today?  Link up and share!

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