Aww...Mondays Love is... Sparks Tuesday4 Happy Tuesday

 Aww...Mondays

Love is...

Always the best of love. 

A tribute to Annie at Sparks. She doesn't blog any more but many of us still share some faovrites for Sparks.

Summer Solstice

 

Welcome, it's Tuesday 4 time.  Annie keeps it up in memory of her friend Toni Taddeo who really enjoyed her blogs. 

The Summer solstice arrived and some got hot weather and some got chill and rain.  But summer is the time for holidays or vacations, summertime activities and being outdoors more.  It's also a time, like winter, for complaints and we realize that people in Texas, Arizona and Florida stay inside in summer.

1. How is summer treating you so far this year?   Could things improve? How do you make summer fun in your neck of the woods? Possibly baking my brain with the hot weather. I published my posts on the wrong blog so here I am doing it twice with a different outlook.  The rain left and the heat arrived. I would not mind it so much but like my mother before me, I have this pre-cancer on my nose. So the sunlight is not always my best friend. I have lots of cute hats to wear in the sun.  It stay cooler, I would be happy. It could rain at night too. That would be perfection.  We do lots of phamily activities. Outdoor cooking rather than heating up the whole house. We have a cool flat grill that you can make breakfast, lunch and dinner on. Our son0in0lw has a smoker so something good is cooking most days outside.

2.We give you magic powers! You can change the climate, the surroundings, even  your house and anything you like. Tell us what you are doing to make your summer or your entire year better..... GO! Oh I would make the weather have lots of evening rain but cooler day temps 60-77 is ideal. Sigh....Summer reading, I was use to it as a kid. So although I read all year long, I have made a commitment with myself to read more summer books too. My ideal home would be larger because I love having the grands over and entertaining. So many ideas, With the way the world is today, I never take a day for granted and try to enjoy them to the fullest with those I love best.

3. The puppy on the boat at the right is your new friend.  He wants a name.  What name will you give him and  would you like to be in that picture (if you can't sail we will provide someone for you) Jib would be a great name for that seafaring pooch. I would join him as long as I had an experienced sea Captain aboard. 

4.   It's friendship pot luck day at your house this month.  Everyone is  coming. Please assign us what dishes each of us are to bring to make for a great day.(by the way, you needn't use names. Just name some dishes  you would like people to bring along) Let's do Pasta Night - Meatballs, Alfredo, Spaghetti, Garlic knots or breadsticks, a garden salad, Tiramisu, Italian Soda drinks. That would be a great potluck.  Plus Rebekah's Pasta salad which contains mini pepperoni, colorful bell peppers black olives and corkscrew pasta. If some  wish enjoy some nice red wine. I have a great table wine called Love My Goat, made in a winery in upstate NY.

Happy Tuesday

Brittany and Jeremy are hosting Taco Tuesday since Hannah and Jake are visting. We will have tacos and tostadas, Rebekah's homemade Mexican rice, Salsa, hopefully Avery's, and maybe even some green chili although we promised Hannah and Jake to do lunch later this week at our favorite Mexican restaurant El Mirador so Hannah would be able to eat some cheese enchiladas which she loves. We love Mexican food so much, a co worker once asked my husband if he was married to a Mexican woman. He replied, no just both natives of Pueblo, Colorado where you can get some amazing green chili.

Street tacos are so yummy and so are Tacos el Pastor

Feline Friday Friendly Fill In's and Pink Saturday

 Feline Friday

Hey kitty, it's Friday don't be unhappy be cool! 

Friendly Fill In's

Here are the Friendly Fill-Ins for tomorrow. Ellen came up with the first two and her co-host, Lorianne of Four-Legged Furballs came up with second two.

1. Never underestimate _the value of salvation and trusting God for it. 

2.Dishonesty makes me angry and in the world today, it is everywhere.   

3. I need to  get my bills paid down so I can buy a different car.

4. I didn’t realize how beautiful the rain brought in Spring until I saw the green, green grass in my yard.

Pink Saturday 

I found this cute blue and pink cottage on Pinterest. I would love to be able to peek inside.

"Anything is possible with sunshine and a little pink. " No author was noted

 

 

Tuesday4 Happy Tuesday Maxine Cracks Me Up Wordless Wednesday Thankful Thursday Friendly Fill In's

 Tuesday4

Personal Snapshot

 

Welcome back to Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4 where we try to get you talking, thinking and making new friends while you get to know old friends better.

Today is a hodgepodge of question for you to ponder:

1.  What TV programs that everyone else loved/loves did/do  you  dislike and why? Conversely, what program did you love while everyone else thought it was awful? (or maybe a song, book..etc) 

The Walking Dead! I am not nor will I ever be into zombies. Isn't the world sad enough? Not a reality TV series person either.

2   Do you resent serving without thanks or do you see a higher purpose behind it?

No I don't  usually mind. I remember that God is calling all the shots. He makes the rules, sometime they are, hard to follow  but I try my best to follow Him.

3.  What flavor ice cream is your favorite and how do you like it served? (Sunday, Blizzard, cone, dish?) What toppings make your day?

I am Pistachio anything and especially ice cream. I love Spumoni and there is an Italian buffet/brunch where they always have it on their menu. I like them best in a cup or bowl. I do love toppings, but that is usually at the Yogurt store because I turn into a little kid, wanting all the snowcaps and other delights. I dream about owning a soft serve machine too. hahaha....

4. How many pairs of shoes do you own? How many handbags? Do you use/wear them all? Should you weed them out?

Too many shoes, too many purses, nothing terribly snobby or super expensive. I love Montana West and I use to buy lots of Kathy van Zeeland handbags. She adds little touches inside the bags and I found a few in thrift stores. Otherwise they are pricey. Downsizing these days. A friend, Diann who use to have the blog The Thrifty Groove, she recommended taking purses  we want to giveaway and filling them with small toiletries and other girlie things and give them to a shelter for homeless women. I am going to try to do this soon. I have lots of cute shoes but these days I love comfort. Clothes too and I have some LuLaRoe that was a habit I had that got totally out of control.  I found some ladies who may be able to help me get some things old. I need car repairs or a newer car so saving is now my main goal.

Happy Tuesday I use to love buying things. They made me happy then I realized I was in a better position to serve God and forget stuff. I still enjoy things but I am learning to do without so many things. God makes me happy and trying to be better at serving Him because there is nothing in the world worth serving.  I am not sad or unhappy, happy to be realizing what is truly important and it is not any stationery thing of the world.

A famous person from my youth who I follow is a kind soul. I have always prayed for his soul as he was a non believer. It made me sad . But he is in his 70's now and still performs the old tunes. He had a gig in Utah and anywhere you go with higher altitude will mess with your body when you come from the sea level states. So he wrote a nice post stating his doctor told me he could not perform for a while and had to kick back and relax. He was very sincere in apologizing and it made me feel happy. There are others who I use to follow because of the nice memories of youth but he is the only one I see who is not stuck on his celebrity appeal. It made me happy to see this firsthand. 

Denis Waitley

Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude.

Maxine is not being ornery about this one!  she is right on. Everything is so costly. It is very sad to see what is happening to our country and my dad's words haunt me everyday. He would say the world will be backward  and boy is it ever coming true each day I am here!  

Shipwreck Gold Beach in Oregon on a Wordless Wednesday

Thankful Thursday

There was a blogger who use to make my day by stopping by here on Thankful Thursday. She still blogs but she stopped coming by. I kept going to her blog without any interaction from her . She was always sharing stories of her youth. I know she knew I loved her telling these stories but for whatever reason she drifted away. I am thankful though, for the times she did stop by.

Thankful for the rain but I would like a small break to clear the weeds away.  Thankful Hannah and Jake will be here soon. Thankful my sweetheart will be off too and we can spend well deserved time together without an alarm ringing at 5 A.M. Thankful we have an air compressor for the low tires that seem to happen with all the wacky weather.

FRIENDLY FILL IN'S 

Ellen and her co host  Lorianne share choosing these four questions. Thank them for this fun meme and please join in.

1. Never underestimate _________________________.

2. ________________makes me _________________________.

3. I need to _________ so that I can _________.

4. I didn’t realize _________ until _________.

I am hopeful I will be back tomorrow to answer these four fill in's, We still have thunder storms, lightening and lots of high humidity. We had power outage's four times in two week, the last one was over 6 hours long. I know folks who lost power for days and weeks. Praying for power for all across the country. 

“Perhaps they are not stars, but rather openings in heaven where the love of our lost ones pours through and shines down upon us to let us know they are happy.”
Eskimo Proverb

 

Aw...Mondays and love is... Sparks

Aw...Mondays 

We have those appointments coming up. Always something important to do. 

love is...always has the best intentions too.

Although Annie no longer blogs, many still share their favorite encouragement with Sparks.

May your days be blessed. We had so much rain and now I feel sad as the temps are rising and I am not a hot weather person, not when it is 90 plus in the middle of June. Sigh....

But grateful to be here. 

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday 

Lake Crescent Washington

Happy Tuesday

Maxine makes me happy anytime I see her but Tuesday's are especially fun. I truly agree with her on this one. 

Joy and happiness go hand in hand. I really love this verse. 

 

These Pinterest finds are precious and I believe I have seen these bunnies at Wayfair. They may on canvas or suitable for framing.  There are several different ones and they give a happy feeling when I see them.

Yesterday was a mixed up crazy day but today took the cake. We were without power for quite some time after a hail storm.  So I mixed up my post for Tuesday4 and it posted at my other blog PHAMILY BLOG. We are also excited that our Denver Nuggets are in the finals and will play the Miami Heat at home tomorrow night.  We would love to see them take the series so we will watch and wait. Both teams are excellent this year so we are happy the Nuggets are in the final series.

“You are responsible for how people remember you—or don’t. So don’t take it lightly.” – Kobe Bryant

“Basketball doesn’t build character, it reveals it.” – James Naismith

Even if you aren't a basketball fan, a fun fact. Mr. James Naismith invented the game of basketball. He was a Canadian/American physical education teacher, Christian Chaplain, and sports coach. He wrote the original basketball rule book and founded the University of Kansas basketball program. 

Tuesday4 Happy Tuesday Maxine Cracks Me Up

  

What Things.....

 It's time for Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4.

Questions about your life........

1. What makes you tired?

Hard work! We worked in the yard after the rain left. It makes me want to take a nap. Also grandchildren. We watched our three year old grandson Saturday night. You need a nap after he leaves. He likes to play mailman and he can not reach the mail slot on the front porch. Up & down we go and he is getting heavy. But would not want it any other way. Oh yes, our adjustable bed. I need a twenty minute rest after making the beast! It is a split king so lots of things to do. But I don't mind it at all. Keeps me busy.

2.What things do you value in life?

Faith, Phamily, Friends are most important to me. I do love my Barbie's and always want to add to my collection.  Grateful for health and all the simple things we often take for granted. I try to take that to heart everyday I wake up and know I am still here. 

3. How do you want others to see you?

I like to be thought of  as kind. I will extend a kind hand to you in need. I like to pray and spend lots of my time with the Lord each day.Our world is getting crazier each day Praying helps calm the soul.  I am here to lend an ear. I like to be thoughtful and kind but I also love laughter and being silly at times.

4.  What things do you enjoy most and find most relaxing to do?

Reading...especially my bible and studying Scripture. But I also love to read and have stacks of books to catch up with.  I spent last Thursday in my pj's reading a new book that was recommended to me. The Secret Book of Flora Lea. I am not sure it is relaxing but we love our Denver Nuggets and enjoy watching them in the playoffs. A few weeks ago we watched our two grandsons ages 5 and 3 1/2. Brody was excited to watch the game and he was yelling, at the TV  be quiet, I want to watch the game! I said to Avery, is he acting like me? My poor husband says, what do you think? I often yell things like, yeah, we know you played back when they invented the basketball, zip it up and let us watch the game!  In the words of the comedian Ron White, I had the right to remain silent but my mouth did not have the ability! Which is probably why my older brother Bill would tell me, you better zip it up lady when you go to your kids sporting events! He coached little league, basketball, football, all of it in his younger days. It is funny though, when Nick ran track and field and cross country in Middle school , high school and college, people act differently. We cheer and support our kids but there isn't any meanness.

Happy Tuesday

Oh Maxine, you think of everything don't you?

BACKWARD MONDAY

 We had rainy, cold, dreary weather. The grass is starting to green up beautifully but I am praying my poor little lilac bush is not going to perish in the aftermath of too much water on it! I am backward because my Feline Friday and the answers to my Friendly Fill In's did not publish Friday and disappeared into thin air! So I am trying to recreate it this morning. Let me get started:

Aw...Monday Since I never got over here last week, it was a wild week. Too much going on. But I had all these notions and ideas and  thought, even though Miss Shea Avery Marie turned 3 on the 19th, I would come celebrate.

With Jacey starting a brand new job working with law enforcement and Colton traveling so much for his job, we did not celebrate B I G for Shea. But we have a gift filled with goodies for her.  This was her first birthday back in 2021. We love this girl, full of spunk, sunshine, orneriness and 100 percent pure PINK and girlies. Oh she can hold her own with the boys but if you ask her to go on line shopping she will sit quietly while she picks out all the pink pretties for herself. We love you Miss Shea Avery Marie.

Noelle and Shea and myself on her 2021 birthday. When she is with me, Shea loves to take her two Bitty babies and wrap them in their cozy blankets. Then we shoot hops. She loves basketball as much as her brother Harrison James and her cousins Addy, Brody and Blake. Happy Birthday beautiful Shea. We love you so much.

Grammie Noelle is in Florida. She and Christal traveled there this weekend to celebrate Roger's life and visit his birthplace and see some sights. Their hotel is right on the ocean. Ah.... what a good time they will have with many beautiful memories.

Sparks for Monday. We finally have a bit of Springtime weather. It is 62 right now and the high will be 76. Save those heat waves for July and August

We had a few days with awful smokey skies and such pollution you could barely see our beautiful mountain ranges. The fires raging in Alberta Canada, and the air quality  traveled over 1300 hundred miles here. Friends in Texas and Illinois were dealing with it too. Grateful the rain washed away most of it.

We love our Denver Nuggets. When Avery and I were newly married we attended many games for pennies on the dollar. Nick and Addy were lucky to get $7 tickets the week before the playoffs started. We are so happy they have won and pray they can finish it with the Lakers tonight in LA. We never saw the dramatics back in the older days of basketball. Just old fashioned basketball which we love.

These guys play to win and they gave their all. We are praying for a big win tonight.

I still have Friendly Fill In's from 10 days ago. Here they are:

1. I've got a yen for another carnival with lots of food trucks.

2. I would gladly trade this life on earth for eternity in heaven.

3. It seems like only yesterday I was young and silly and carefree.

4. If you offered me a million dollars, I would share it with others less fortunate than me.

love is... always has the best things to share.

Please pray for MaryDon, she is back in the hospital and dealing with her skin cancer. Pray for Canada and the fires raging. Pray for America, things are changing too quickly and I am so sad so many I know personally wish to live under socialism.

Maine Coon Kittens

Feline Friday 

If you have a cat does your cat watch TV? My big boy, an orange tabby, loves this commercial about cats on TV and he watches it so eagerly. The cats are just like him. I think it is very sweet considering he has been a real pistol this past week. 

We took this selfie waiting for Rebekah and Zach to come back with some goodies at the Carnival with  Food Trucks this weekend. The music was fun and upbeat, the carnival atmosphere was something  and the food choices were  plentiful. I will be posting on my blog https://annesphamily.blogspot.com more. We were hungry so we never took photos of our food. 

Have a blessed and beautiful new week.