Five on Friday: Day Dreaming

Hello All and Happy Friday! 

I'm so sorry I ended up having a busy day yesterday and didn't get a chance to post a recipe. I will be back with that next week. However, today I'm here to share my 5 things as it's Friday! Yay!! 

I wanted to share what I've been day dreaming about lately and what's mostly on my brain these days!! Of course it's about warm sunny days, flowers, and Spring and Summer days. ;) 

ONE

Time to find all the fairies and their houses & accessories. My daughter & I have fun getting them settled in pretty pots among the flowers, and in her garden outside her room.

TWO

Enjoying cozy time by the fire table on our deck. Often with a nice beverage of some kind. It's so relaxing and gives hubby and me nice time for chats...or fun for gathering with friends for s'mores time!

THREE

Lilies all around the deck, pots all planted, hanging baskets up....basically flowers and more flowers everywhere!!

FOUR

Life on the deck. Meals at the patio table, sitting in the sun reading, having coffee out here in the AM while listening to birds sing. It just doesn't get better than here!

FIVE

Going out on our pontoon on a beautiful sunny afternoon and coming back home - drifting in as we watch the sun setting.  Life is good. 

I'm linking with Amy of Love Made My Home for Five on Friday.

Wednesday Wonder

GREEN GROWING THINGS

The Gift: Part 2

Last week I shared a post with some layouts from my Mother-in-law's heritage scrapbook she created many years ago.  She made several albums during her "scrapbooking years" and they are such treasures to our family, especially now that she suffers from Alzheimer's disease. You can read the first post here. 

Today I'm going to share some more layouts from her side of the family (this album also has family photos tracing back my FIL's family).  I love the nostalgia to the old photos and the neat ways she decorated each page. I love, also, that so much of the album is done in her handwriting and with her memories. 

I love the old stamp stickers she put all around these photos involving her grandfather.

And I love these photos of her grandma with her American Legion group and her bowling group. Aren't the matching outfits beyond adorable?? Lol

And isn't this "grandmother" sticker just beautiful? So perfect for a heritage album. And the sweet hearts my MIL drew on the bottom...makes my heart full.

The full layout all together.

Love the background paper for these pages with photos of my MIL's grandparents, mom, and her grandma's cousin. Like old wallpaper.

I love how my MIL added her own sweet little captions...

and precious stickers to show the passage of time.

I love how on the full layout of this one my MIL made the paper look connected from one page to the next by the bridge of background paper. Such a cool idea.

This next layout is so neat because on one page is a personal letter by my MIL sharing her memories of her grandma and grandpa and what they meant to her.

And the next page is a letter from President Harry Truman to my MIL's grandma for her service as a registrar.  Pretty cool!!

And I love that she added this on the first page too. ;) 

The full layout.

This is the final page of her family's section of the heritage album. The next section begins my FIL's family background.  

Hope you enjoy these neat old photos - and the love behind them - as much as I do! Happy Tuesday! xo

Happy Homemaker Monday

Hello Friends! Sorry I'm later today. My son had an appointment this AM and then as long as I was out in the miserable weather already - I did some running around I needed to do.  Since I'm running late I'll just get to HHM for today! Happy Monday :)   

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE IS:

Cold, very windy, rainy - just yuck! I think temps might even be only upper 30's. We're on our 2nd day of this and it can feel free to leave any time now please!!  I think there's a promise of better weather by later in the week. Sure hope so! 

ON THE BREAKFAST PLATE THIS MORNING:

Lemon isagenix bar and 1/2 cup of coffee.

  AS I LOOK OUTSIDE MY WINDOW:

I'm watching the wind blow the trees all over the place! When I was out running around I noticed several broken branches here and there on the streets in the neighborhood - that wind is so strong! And at times when I look out at the bay I can see sheets of rain blowing sideways over the water. Yuck and bbbrrrr!! So happy to be snuggled back home indoors.

RIGHT NOW I AM:

I'm going through some paperwork in my office and working on this post. Listening to ABBA today on Pandora to help wake me up a bit.  And when Dancing Queen came on dancing may have broken out for a bit.  Maybe. I blame Ruby - she's a wild Girl!  ;) 

AS I LOOK AROUND THE HOUSE:

I need to get work. Need to do some picking up from what kiddos have left here and there before leaving today.  A few dishes to load and dryer is beeping at me that it's done so next load needs to go in.

ON TODAY'S TO DO LIST:

Cleaning up, go through some more paperwork things, laundry, change my kiddos' sheets that didn't get done this weekend. Also, this weekend I realized how many more clothes that my daughter has outgrown.  We need to go through her things and figure out what she needs to donate and get her dresser drawers reorganized. Sounds like a good after school project to me!

CURRENTLY READING:

Just finished Susan Branch's new book Martha's Vineyard: Isle of Dreams and it was so good! Not sure what book I'm going to jump into next. My daughter and I have been reading The Indian in the Cupboard out loud together at night before her bedtime. She's just loving it! I read it to my little brother when he was young, and then I read it with my son many years ago, and now with my daughter. Such a great book!

ON THE TV TODAY:

I watched Outlander this weekend.  I also watched Grantchester and Call the Midwife. I need to catch up on The Good Wife and The Amazing Race. 

 

ON THE MENU THIS WEEK:

MONDAY: leftovers from the weekend (I brought the in-law's dinner last night including the yummy caramel apple tart!)

TUESDAY: something easy as I have wallyball

WEDNESDAY: pierogie casserole I didn't get a chance to make last week

THURSDAY: something on the grill - not sure yet what

FRIDAY:Maybe out for dinner?

** might bake another new dessert to try this week

WHAT I AM CREATING AT THE MOMENT:

Continue to work on my gift baby album for my cousin. I need to work on my recipe projects too. Also, want to start back to work on the heritage album I'm doing for my Mom's side of the family as there's a family reunion planned this summer and I'd love to bring it to share - even if it's only partially done.  (yep, these same crafts in the works - nothing new)

NEW RECIPE I WANT TO TRY THIS WEEK:

Not sure yet, may bake a new dessert.

TIP OF THE WEEK:

I'm still loving 1000lifehacks.com for great ideas!

FROM THE CAMERA:

Ruby and I watched the rain clouds roll in the other day.

caramel apple tart = yummy

Between the rain and wind - the bay has really been churned up and now has turned brown.

PRAYER, INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE OR DEVOTIONAL:

I'm linking with Sandra of Diary of a SAHM for Happy Homemaker Monday.

Easy Caramel Apple Tart

Hello Friends!  

Since I'm planning to make this on the weekend - I thought I'd just share the recipe today right out of the cookbook. It's from the Pillsbury Holiday Baking one.  I'm excited to give it a try - not only because it sounds nice and easy, but because it sounds really tasty too! My FIL loves apple pie...but instead of the same old thing I thought it might be fun to shake it up and do a dessert like this one. And I think the caramel flavors in there will make it extra special and a perfect ending to the Sunday dinner I'll bring them this weekend. 

Enjoy!! 

Wednesday Wonder

A TRUE SIGN OF SPRING

The trampoline is back out!

The Gift: Part 1

I haven't talked about my Mom-in-law for a bit and I thought you might like to get an update on things with her. 

My MIL and Ruby

As many of you that visit me regularly know - I have been a caregiver part time for my MIL with Alzheimer's for years now. Well recently she had worsened in her condition and due to increased depression, anxiety and behaviors my Father-in-law had decreased his work time (because she does the best at home and with him) - so I was caregiving only part of "part time".  

Unfortunately a few weeks ago she has even worsened more and meds were increased and my FIL made the brave and loving decision to stop working for now and stay home with her full time. We talked to him about burn out...about other options etc. He was adamant that he wanted to do this and have as much time with her as possible, while he can still manage things and she's safe to be there. So we have respected his decision. We are however still involved regularly and helping whenever we're able. My Mom just took her for a haircut a few days ago. I still take her for MD appointments and make sure her fungal toenails are taken care of (clipped and to pedi appointments). I still bring them meals at least 2 days  a week. My hubby & bro-in-law (their sons) often have lunch with them during the work week when they take a break. I call and check in. As the weather improves I will go get her for walks and visits here to give my FIL more of a break. They go out to dinner with other relatives one night a week.  So for now there is a rhythm and routine that appears to be working. My FIL said when he feels the time is right he will let us help him look at facilities for her. 

Many years ago now I talked my MIL into going to a scrapbooking class with me. I knew I was going to get into it no matter what - but I'd thought it'd be so much more fun to share with someone and she had always been really artistic and liked things like that. She agreed and thankfully the rest is history! For many years we scrapbooked regularly together. Due to that we have the wonderful gifts of the scrapbooks she made during that time. They're a legacy of love - as well as a history of the family that we wouldn't probably know if she hadn't done that. I believe it was God's hand and we're all incredibly grateful for it!! I have looked through the books with her many times and she used to have some connection and genuinely triggers of some memories of family/relatives. Now there appears to be no real memory to any of it. So sad and feels unfair.

Anyway, I know this post is lengthy but I wanted to give you the update and share this info - as I thought that for a time here on Tuesdays I would share some of the pages of her different scrapbooks she made. Today I'll start with the gift of the heritage scrapbook she made for each side of their family - my MIL's and my FIL's.   They're so beautiful and special and I feel this is a way I can honor her a bit. So here are a few pages from her side of the family. I may share a few more next week and then my FIL's side after that. She made family trees that I won't share here due to privacy of names etc. 

The inscription she put on the inside cover of this album.

Her grandparents are the young man in the front right of the first photo and the young lady in the front left of the second photo.

Different photos of her grandparents. Aren't old photos just the coolest?

I love the blue paper she used in that top one - like old wallpaper. I love looking at the old cars and styles of their clothes!!

My MIL said this was a photo of her grandpa up in a tree with a friend. Love the caption that was on the back! Lol

Look at those old cars. And the hats and boots of the ladies! Right out of Downton Abbey don't ya think? ;)

Here are those pages side by side in full layout so you can see the together how they are in the book.

This is my MIL's grandparents. I believe Alzheimer's can have a genetic component as this maternal grandma of hers also had Alzheimer's/dementia fairly young (started in their 60's) like my MIL.

I love the way she pieced the borders on these pages - looks so old fashioned. And I love the stickers like the old trunk & the watch.

My MIL's mom. She was an only child. 

These are those pages side by side to see the full layouts. 

Thank you for tolerating this lengthy post. In the future series of posts they won't be nearly as long. This one was due to all the updating as well. Thank you for all of the kind thoughts and prayers you've shared as we go through this journey. They mean so much, and I've shared them with hubby too and he has thought it's wonderful that I'm finding such sweet friends in blogland. So again -thank you and blessings to you!!