Motivation Monday ~Sure Sign of Spring ~Where the Weekend Went ~Weekend Brunch ~What’s on the Work Table

 

Signs of Spring? It’s not this.

It’s wet, it’s chilly, and the Junkyard Cats are shivering in the wind.

But it is April and we do live in the Dakotas…

This weather is not unusual.

A sure sign of Spring is when Hubby and his Buddy

bring the Golf Cart home to shine it up.

League starts this coming week.

Lizzie came out in her harness to hang out with Hubby.

However, she decided she’d rather

watch our neighbor work in their yard.

A definite sign of spring is when one first spots a Robin.

When I was a little girl, my mother and I always

watched for our first Robin in the Spring.

When I take the Easter Eggs and Bunnies off my vanity tree,

I replace them with Robins for the Spring Season.

Hubby was in the mood to make his Signature Weekend

Brunch of Hash Browns, Bacon, Eggs and Toast. 

This gave me time to organize this box of books from the Storage Room.

I’d like to re-home these, if anyone knows a young bookworm,

or a teacher that is growing her classroom library.

They are FREE to the first responder.

In the Sewing Studio, on the work table…

these are now ready for hand stitching.

Stay tuned to see the progress.

Take care,

~Natalie

Easter 2022 ~Table for Four ~Planning and Preparing our Menu ~Blessings

Hubby’s Mother and Sister gathered with us at our table.

We enjoyed being together, and chatting about

all our family’s blessings.

These Retired Empty Nesters dyed some eggs the day before.

We used Food Coloring and the color is so intense.

Do you ever make the individual Egg Bakes?

My Fitness Class prepared them in school,

as they are loaded with vegetables.

This idea was shared by the Today Show Nutritionist.

The Bunny Face is so cute and would appeal

to the Young and Young at Heart.

And how simple is this?!

Use a triple layer of paper liners for stability,

then three wads of aluminum foil,

placed at the 12 o’clock, then 10 and 2 positions.

Bake as your recipe directs.

Early in the day, I create our tablescape and set out the dishes.

Did you notice the little notes on our serving platters?

That’s how I make sure I haven’t forgotten about a menu item.

Cadbury Eggs are a must~

~and they look perfect in these Bird Nest Cookies.

I had forgotten how delicious Peanut Butter & Butterscotch

is together, with the Chow Mein Noodles,  in this Sweet Treat.

Along with the Traditional Easter Ham,

Hubby was in charge of the Grilled Asparagus.

Roasted Potatoes and Carrots with Fresh Rosemary…

And a new Spring Salad recipe…

Spring Greens, Green Onions, Strawberries,

Blue Cheese, and Sliced Almonds.

It was drizzled with a Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing.

Refreshing and Yummy.

I hope you enjoyed a lovey Easter Weekend

with Worship, Family Traditions,

Spring Weather, Good Food,

and the company of Family and Friends.

Take care,

~Natalie

Spring Break Road Trip ~How We Made it Home

The drive between SD and GA takes Two and a Half Days,

depending on traffic, of course.

This stand-still situation was due to a lane closure,

merging lanes,

and an accident up ahead.
 

Our daughter and son-in-law sent us on our way with a

hearty breakfast of Avocado Toast.

You know you’re not in the Dakotas anymore,

when you stop for fuel and convenience store snacks,

and see this counter.

No, we didn’t try them, this time…

maybe on our next trip south.

And this is what a Rest Area looks like in Kentucky.

 It was complete with a greeter, information brochures,

 along with the usual bathrooms, and vending machines.

Breakfast was served on our laps the next morning.

Fresh Bagels and Cream Cheese.

With a Large Coffee for me and

Diet Coke for Hubby.

We crossed two big Rivers on our way home…

The Mississippi River,

And the Ohio River.

We enjoyed this quaint little spot for lunch.

And we also took a break at a handmade/antique/flea market.

Fitbit was telling me that we needed to get some steps!

How cute is this cat?

“Meow”

We rely on Google’s recommendations to find food

and lodging along the way. It works well for us…most of the time.

This was where we had hoped to find a beverage and

bite to eat at the end of our travel day.

You can see it was closed until the weekend.

It was one of three places to eat in this large Casino.

We had parked, checked in, and walked across the parking lot,

so didn’t really feel like getting back into the pickup.

The other restaurant was up-scale, white tablecloths, etc.

We were in our travel attire.

We were satisfied to find something here.

Our last stop was in Sioux Falls, SD,

as Hubby wanted to get a bag of their grass seed.

I guess he was feeling optimistic about

working outside in the yard when we got home.

I was hanging out with these cute bunnies while

he was outside in the Garden Center.

Back in the Pickup for the last leg of our trip…

Then this happened.

An appropriate ending

to our Spring Break Vacation!

Take care,

~Natalie

Spring Break Road Trip ~Our Last Weekend ~Lacrosse ~House Projects ~Wings and Rock Fest ~Family Time is Priceless

Our Spring Break Trip to Georgia went by so fast,

as a family vacation usually does.

Jake and Emily’s nephews all play Lacrosse

at a nearby High School.

We were pleased to attend one of their home games.

The oldest nephew is a Senior and a talented

three-sport athlete, Football, Wrestling, and Lacrosse.

Here is his Uncle Jake at the same age.

He started dating our Emily when they were College Freshmen.

We quickly learned how to watch Lacrosse…

and to love Lacrosse.

By the time he was a Senior he was Team Captain,

and was named All-American that year.

A decade later, here’s our All American Son-in-Law

working on projects around their new home.

While they also had other work obligations, Hubby and I explored

their Hometown Main Street. There were plenty of Shops and Boutiques

to keep us busy for a couple of hours.

With their job deadlines met, we returned to some fun house projects,

like the furniture for the Nursery.

They assembled the crib,

while I “tested” the Rocking Chair there.

Then the dresser…Those of you that have purchased IKEA furniture

know that the booklet of instructions can be a challenge.

Taking it one step at a time, is the key.

While there are no words,

one just needs to match the parts with the photos.

Our last day’s highlight was their

local Wing and Rock Fest.

Live Music…

…Lots of Food Trucks with the best southern BBQ,

And plenty of people.

We snagged a place to hang out…

While Jake snagged us a variety of wings and sauces.

It was up early the next day to load the car

and say goodbye to our family. We had a wonderful time.

Emily and Jake, thank you for everything.

We look forward to our next visit to see the progress on your new home…

and to meet that new little bundle of joy.

Take care,

~Natalie