Christmas is just around the corner! If you need some ideas, I have compiled a list of 20 interesting gifts for about $20 and under. I cannot stand going in and out of stores, picking through things, and jockeying for a parking space, but what I do love is browsing from the comforts of my home. If you don’t like dealing with crowds and crazy parking lots either, here’s a little holiday shopping help for you. Grab a mug of coffee or cocoa, a cozy blanket, and let the shopping begin! Most of the items here are favorites of mine and are all affordable. Each gift* idea would make a great stocking stuffer 🎄 To shop for any of the gifts, simply click on the name of the item or the photo. Some other options may be listed in the description. Happy shopping!! *(Disclosure: Some ... View Post
Art is Not What You See
“Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.” Edgar Degas He appeared suddenly on the stage and promptly perched himself on the piano bench with his face to the rear of the stage. With his back straight, he reached toward the ivory keys without acknowledging the audience and began to play a melody that caused a hush in the amphitheater. His fingers danced gracefully across the keys and captivated us all. It was breathtaking. Ludovico Einaudi, an Italian classical pianist and composer, performed non-stop for almost three hours. He played along with several other equally gifted musicians for most pieces, and a few he melodized alone. While you may not recognize his name, Ludovico Einaudi has composed music since the mid 80’s for dance, film soundtracks, ... View Post
How to Make Super Easy Banana Bread
Super Easy Banana Bread~ This year for Mother’s Day my son bought me the Magnolia Table: A Collection of Recipes for Gathering cookbook. Sometime in June his girlfriend and I decided we would devote Tuesday afternoons to baking our way through the cookbook. What fun we had! Joanna wrote a recipe on how to make super easy banana bread which she calls “after-school banana bread, and it was one of our favorites. The Magnolia Table cookbook contains tasty recipes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner: however, we focused almost solely on making desserts. Joanna incorporates little stories of the Gaines family throughout the cookbook, and with this super easy banana bread, she wrote that she makes it for her children to eat along with scrambled eggs for breakfast or as an after-school snack. ... View Post
Celebrating Thirty Years of Love in Europe
Five years ago, after celebrating our 25thwedding anniversary, my husband and I discussed ways we would like to acknowledge the next big milestone- our 30th. A "fancy" vacation was what we talked most about doing. Early this year, we decided we wanted to be celebrating thirty years of love in Europe, so we planned a BIG trip! My husband and I joked that we would love to spend one week in Europe for each decade of marriage, and that’s just about how it worked out. He and I rolled around so many ideas of places to visit, and we finally settled on taking a Mediterranean cruise. We built the remainder of the vacation around the departing and arriving ports and planned a trip of a lifetime. I am excited to share with you a peek into our anniversary trip💗 Here is the itinerary we ... View Post
My Horrible, Sad, No-good, Hard Week
I endured a horrible, sad, no-good, hard week. My best friend moved far, far away, and now over 5,000 miles of land and ocean lie between us. She is not just the regular, run-of-the-mill BFF, but one who lived with my family on and off for years ( you can read more about that here). She became more than a friend; she became a sister to my husband and me, and an auntie to my children. We went grocery shopping together, cooked dinner alongside one another, and sipped early morning coffee with each other. She joined us for several family vacations, most holidays, and was there for all the ordinary in-between days. You know, the days where true relationship forms, builds and grows. “How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard." A.A. Milne I’m the first to admit ... View Post
When You Step out of the Boat
s Welcome to my summer blog swap! During the month of July, I invited four of my blogger friends over to this space to share their stories. It is a fun way to introduce some of my favorite writers to all of you. My fourth guest is Carol Graft. We met through my favorite writing group, Hope*Writers. Carol loves encouraging women on their journey with Jesus. She shares here that when you step out of the boat, God meets you where you are. Matthew 14:22-33 tells the tale of an encounter Peter had with Jesus. First, though, he had to be in a situation that he was unsure. I’ve been there many times.I’m sure you have as well. The disciples are on a boat in the middle of the Galilean sea when a storm happens. Your Galilean storm, your fishing boat may look different, but it’s ... View Post
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