Summer Wreaths

These can be found on my Pinterest board under Summer or the board titled Wreaths. I noticed many of these are no longer available, but here are ideas to your own! Summer is coming fast ~ complete with afternoon showers and plenty of sunrays. Use sunscreen! And have a great time wherever you choose to spend your Summer days~ 

Love the beachy theme of this one!

Who doesn't own a pair of flip flops!

Too cute!!

A girlfriend actually made one of these.

Turned out cuter than the photo! 

Blessings for a safe and happy season ~

It's St. Patrick's Day, 2015

Here's a look through past posts on this Irish holiday ~

St. Patrick's Day, 2015

St. Patrick's Day, 2014

St. Patrick's Day, 2013

St. Patrick's Day, 2112

Celebrated with Deborah & Richard by driving to Fairhope and joining in with the Arts & Crafts Fair - which was HUGE - then having a traditional meal at McSharry's Irish pub. Yum!!! Below is a precious model for her mommy's talents! Elle says, "Happy St. Patrick's Day!"

St. Patrick's Day, 2011

An awesome Pa & a precious Noah, 4 yrs old

St. Patrick's Week, 2010

A girlfriend and I visited another girlfriend that had recently

relocated to the Gulf Shores area! We had a great time~

Our bestie and hostess, Deborah. I heart her.

St. Patrick's Day, 2009

St. Patrick's Day, 2008

It won't be long before Spring arrives!

And Easter!

Then Memorial Day & school's out for Summer!

Does time pass quickly for you, too?!?!?!

Recent Favorites ~

This sweet baby of ours is excited, because~ 

they had a SNOW DAY!

Stacey's a teacher, so she was happy, too!

We got none. Nada. Zilch. Not a flurry.

BUT, Winter isn't over yet!

I laugh out loud each time I see this.

Or think of it! 

And I have a girlfriend that needs this. Bahaha.

She wants a bike to ride,

and she loves walking on the beach.

Heeeeere ya go, Deborah!

This sweet beauty?

One of God's gifts to us in the animal kingdom.

Oh John, find a way to take me here one day.

And not just in my dreams~

I want to make these for Easter.

They're just too cute!

Raspberry Confetti Kisses

And this one has grabbed my heart!

Leslie & Heath's latest 'baby bump' photo

of our newest grandbaby. A boy.

To say we're thrilled is an understatement.

I pray your week has been filled with moments

that made you laugh, made you giggle,

made you thankful, made you dream,

caused you to pause and say a prayer.

Deborah's Gift ~

I have a dear friend, Deborah, and she knows how much I love food. Especially bread pudding. We decided to get together for a meal over at her house recently and she surprised me with this delicacy. Oh.my. It is almost, if not as good, as Elli Bistro's daily bread pudding. I say daily, for they change their recipe on a daily basis. I've never gone there that I didn't swoon at the first bite. You might get a fudge laden bread pudding or a fruit filled bread pudding or a white chocolate bread pudding. I never thought I'd like fruit IN mine until I had theirs. NOW, if it's a day when the waiter (we like Nemo) tells us that there will be raisins in it, I go home without dessert. Do NOT destroy my BP with raisins.

 

I mentioned this on my blog, "Losing Forty" and had several comments on Facebook for the recipe. Deborah made it that one time and gave me the recipe. I think she got it from a Kraft site and I think she made hers with French bread cubes instead of white bread. (She's like that. French toast at her house is made with real French toast and another friend and I always fight over who gets the last piece! It's that good. Having thick toast just soaks up that custard mixture so much better than my typical slap a piece of white bread back and front in a milk/egg mixture and fry til browned. No, no, no.  Deborah bakes hers. I think. I don't remember hers ever having an eggy edge like mine.)

 

Head over to my other blog (that I am NOT being faithful with and losing weight!) and get this recipe! It's even good cold.

If you're ever in Gulf Shores, go to Pelican Place on Hwy 59. Elli Bistro's on the corner facing the theatres. You won't be sorry. Lunch menus are SO much cheaper than dinner, but you'll find that a common thing in the majority of the eateries here. Ginny Lane at The Wharf? You can choose between 8 meals for $8, includes drink, OR choose from their 5 meals for $5.95, you buy your drink. Or drink free water! Since this is a sister company to EB's you can get the bread pudding! Ginny Lane's only has the white chocolate every day and it's $6, with a size that would easily feed four. There's also seating outside on pretty days. The ambiance is casually different than Elli's but they treat you the same at Elli's and you go away happy.

My favorite dish at both places?! The blackened tilapia with rice, string beans and a light white sauce of some sort over it. I never grow tired of it. Never. John chooses something different each time and he's never complained. Which says something about EB and GL. When you go, tell me what you like best!

Being retired and living here, it's great to have an awesome lunch at less than fast food prices and be full enough that you only want a bowl of cereal for dinner. I'm learning things from the snowbirds! There are a few that don't. Unless they've changed recently, The Original Oyster House doesn't have a lunch menu nor does Tacky Jack's or Lulu's. There's always hope they'll get one or have one already!

 

PS ~ For those of you that love Tacky Jack's? Head down Ft. Morgan Road until you get almost to the end. You'll see a small marina and what my daughters would call 'a dive'. It's one of the original Tacky Jack's and you'll see sights like this. Why? Because it sits on the bay. Not a canal. Of course, it's quieter, laid back, no loud music, but the food is the same. Might not have as many choices, but it's our personal favorite. Just sayin'

Bits & Pieces of June ~

1 ~ What is with the border around the blog title?! I cannot get rid of it! I wanted the title to say "Faith, Family, & Friends" instead of the original "Faith, Family & Food".  When I re-added the new header, there was a border! I've gone thru HTML, and editing shops and STILL, there's a border. An ugly border. Stacia, Teale, ideas?

OKAY! Uploading the photo and putting it on here, there's no border! Why won't it look like this when I try to do the header in Layout?!?!?! Help, someone!

2 ~ I am missing our youngest and her babies! It's been since the first part of March  (I know we're blessed that they aren't further away. All three girls live within less than five hours, so we feel truly blessed). She did drive down with a friend for a quick Sunday lunch - it was a business trip - and that's been it. However {smile font} they may make it here for a weekend trip soon, and we are driving up the end of this month to see them!

Jenny took this photo and I love it!

Elle is a girly girl, but she so wants to learn karate.

Imagine, a girly girl that can turn your head around,

with one kick to the cheek! 

And the two older brothers she adores.

Her karate heroes.

Oh, I can't wait to get my snuggles on!

Stacey came with her babies & the sun was out!

Stacey's two love the open water.

And the waves obliged.

Boogie Board time.

John went with them to The Track.

Go Carts, Bumper Boats, and the Arcade.

Alaina had lost two teeth before they came.

She is our snaggle toothed princess {hearts!}

Stacey's view of the Gulf, and her cute feet.

John and I like sitting under the umbrella!

And her family will be back!

To help celebrate the 4th of July. Which means,

we have to go purchase a grill,

for the Grill Master is coming!!! WhooHoo!!

3 ~ I have a girlfriend visiting this weekend and it's always so good when she's here. Guess where we met up for lunch?!

What do I love about The Hangout?

Besides the music, the dancing on the tables

and in the aisles? The sliders and fries?

IT'S ON THE GULF!

Walk right out to the sand and surf.

Or do as we did,

sit yourself down on a boardwalk bench.

We'd planned to do a bit of shopping,

so we're saving the beachy part for tomorrow.

Always a breeze, always the smell of salt,

always a vacation day ~ when you're retired!

The cutie in the middle and the cutie on the right,

didn't like this photo. Yeah, we all have cellulite.

But you know what?!

We're happy. We feel good,

and we're children of The King.

Can't get any better than that.

Besides, I think cellulite is a natural part

of a woman's body now. Julia Roberts has it {big smile font}

When I saw this, I immediately thought of my circle of friends.

4 ~ I read some of the funniest things on Pinterest this week. Laughed out loud many times and laughter is so good for the soul. Here are a few.

One to inspire ~

and one that taught me something!

I pray you've had a good week.

Here's to love, laughter, and family & good friends.

Blessings ~

Friends, Faith, and Food ~

"Be completely humble and gentle;

be patient, bearing with one another in love.

Make every effort to keep the unity of the

Spirit through the bond of peace."

~Ephesians 4:2-3 (NIV)

* * The following is part of my devotional for today.
I found truth within it. Maybe you will, too. * *

"One of the wisest pieces of advice on friendship I ever got was from one of my daughters. She was in middle school at the time. You know that awkward place where insecurities run rampant, hormones rage, and your best friend one day becomes your worst enemy the next? So lovely.

She got in the car one day with tears filling her eyes. She waited until we pulled out of the school parking lot to let all her hurt leak down her cheeks.

"Rough day?" I asked.

"Awful," she replied.

I turned down the radio, waited until we were at a red light, and reached for her hand. "Wanna talk about it?"

"Nope," she whispered as she turned her face away from me toward the window. The rest of the night she sulked around the house. And no matter how many times I tried to get her to talk, this normally very vocal child wouldn't open up.

The next morning, I was surprised when she bounded down the stairs with a smile on her face.

"Well hey! You sure look happy this morning," I said as I lifted up quick thank you prayers to God for whatever had brought back the sunshine to my girl's life.

"Mom," she said with great authority, "I've decided something about friends. They all have good stuff and bad stuff. Things you like and things that really annoy you. So, you just have to decide if you can handle their package deal."
How wise. How true.

Friends are a package deal. And sadly, not all friendships will stand the test of time. Some friendships are for a season. But other times, we have to be willing to deal with the messy stuff to fight for our friendships."

I am blessed with an awesome circle of Godly best friends that support me, laugh and cry with me, and He is constantly bringing more into this circle. There are those that have fallen away for one reason or another. There are those that are there through thick and thin, and though you may not see them but a few times a year it's as if you saw them yesterday. Below are recent photos of a fashion show a few of us attended. There was sharing, laughing, food! and we had such fun.

What a grand place Heaven will be ~

imagine to be always surrounded

by Christian family and friends.

Always. Forever. For eternity.

Another Awesome Week

 Our daughters & grandbabies came in during the MS Spring break for a few days. The water in the Gulf was cold but not enough to stop the young. It was joy to our hearts to see the five interact.

This is Alaina ~ pure happiness, filled with life.

Then it was St. Patrick's Day!

(You can always go to Jenny's Etsy store to purchase some of the items you'll see on here!) You can also find a button for Elle Belle Designs on the right side there.

John and I explored Bon Secour Friday and found it to be a delightful, slow paced town. We stopped at The Tin Top restaurant for a late lunch and thoroughly enjoyed it. Especially the strawberry bread pudding and coffee to wrap up the meal. 

Saturday, we rode over to Fairhope to take part in their annual Arts & Crafts Festival. It is growing each year, so I'm told. This year amazed me! It was our first time but it won't be our last. So many vendors, so many beautiful items handmade from driftwood, paper, marbles,

and other items we take for granted that someone has turned into art. Of course we ate at McSharry's Irish Pub! For $12.95, a huge plate of corn beef, cabbage and new potatoes, with slaw and red onions on the side. And yes, it was good. The music was lilting, the breeze cooling, and the atmosphere straight from wanna be Ireland {wink}. We had a grand time. Thank you, Deborah, for the invite!

 Now, it's time to look ahead to Easter. This week, I'll be featuring Easter ideas across the blogging world starting with this cute garden idea. Or, as they have shown it, a cute centerpiece for a large area.

Good Housekeeping

To make this tower of treats, tape cut-to-fit craft paper around two empty 32-oz. yogurt cartons. Hot-glue an upside-down carton inside a large orchard basket, then glue a medium basket on top. Repeat with other carton and small basket. Fill with faux grass and goodies!

I love love love tablescapes, and this is no exception! Look at the way the light flows thru the glass, and the subtle hints of everything Spring ~

Have a blessed week! and I'll be on the lookout for fresh and new Easter ideas! I'm working on mine!