It's July! Thinking of my mom on her birthday ♥

Hello Friends! Happy July! ♥

We have officially entered the dog days of summer! It's hot, we've celebrated July 4th, we've eaten hot dogs, and gone to the beach.  We're in deep!  Some of us "autumn loving" people are already thinking about pumpkin spice, but because we don't want to get lynched, we're keeping it to ourselves...  

For now, we're living our summer dreams.  

For me that means staying nice and cool in the air conditioning: )  

But before I continue, I have to ask...did you see the Strawberry moon last week?  

She was magnificent. 

I was pleased I remembered to go outside and look for her.  So many times I fall asleep or completely forget to look at the moon.  

Not this time ♥

That made my week, but anyway, on to July...♥

To put it bluntly....it's been hotter than the equator here.  It was officially a heatwave with temps over 100 for three days straight. UGH.  I kept trying to remember how freezing cold I was in January with snow up to my eyeballs every time I wanted to complain, so I wouldn't dare : ) 

This is summer in New England. We're used to it! lol 

My hydrangeas are loving this weather btw! 

And I spotted my first tomato! Yay! 

For the 4th we were invited to our friends Dave & Lisa's house. We had burgers, hot dogs, and margaritas!  It was fun!! 

I brought ice cream sandwich cake. It's so easy to make.  All you do layer ice cream sandwiches with caramel sauce, hot fudge sauce, cool whip, and freeze.  It's sooooo good.  

I packed it in ice so it wouldn't melt on the way to their house! 

 I posted the instructions on my blog the last time I made it.  I'll link it here. 

So easy and always a hit! ♥ 

 Ice Cream Sandwich Cake 

YUMMMM! (and no baking required! :) 

The fourth of July is also my mother's birthday.  It will always be her day. She would have been 84. 

 I was missing her a lot over the weekend. 

My entire life our 4th celebrations always revolved around her.  As a kid we would have big family cookouts with fireworks and a cake for her.  When I got older, no matter where I was, my day would always end at her house (now my house) to have blueberry pie and watch the POPs on TV. 

A celebration every year, for America and her ♥

This was on July 4, 2023.  She passed only a few months later.  

I remember being upset that my blueberry pie bubbled over. She said it was perfect and tasted delicious.  

That's how she was. She was just happy I was there ♥

This year I made a blueberry cobbler for me and my Dad, just for my mom (she loved anything blueberry). 

  Yesterday I sat out on my deck with a cup of tea and the leftovers for lunch. 

I added ice cream for good measure.  

I'm sure she would have approved ♥

When she was a little girl her Dad used to tell her that all the fireworks in the world were just for her birthday - and she believed it!  I've always loved that story 🎇

  

And once again we are back to Monday and a new week.  The 4th has come and gone and now we'll try to enjoy the rest of summer before it fades away into fall.  This week I have lots of work to do, meals to make, and piles of laundry that need attention. We are expecting rain tomorrow (we desperately need it) and I'm quite excited for a rainy day.  I'll have candles lit and the coffee pot will be working overtime.

 Its finally cooling off a bit and we can breathe again.  The rain will help clear the air too.  

I hope you all had a Happy 4th and are enjoying the beginning of July.  

Can one stay cozy in July? I'm here to tell you they can!  

I do. Stay cozy my friends ♥

 

Welcome July! ♥

 

Hello Friends! And all of a sudden it's July.....♥

I just changed my screensaver to a July calendar and I can hardly believe we are here already! 

Yesterday John and his friend went to see the new Indiana Jones movie.  While they were at the theater, my friend Julie and I met for a coffee.  We celebrated a new month with European Almond pastries (which were to-di-for) and large, heavily caffeinated flavored coffees.  I love this little café and have been coming to it for years.  They have twinkle lights, play old music, and you can sit by the window and people watch.  This weekend everyone is buzzing because of the holiday weekend.  There is a big parade that goes through the square and by this coffee shop every year.  It's fun to see the town square all decorated and preparing for the holiday. There are flags, banners, and patriotic décor everywhere. People seem nicer than usual this weekend, and that's always a good thing.  Anyway the pastry and coffee were divine, and from what John said - better than the movie : ) 

We don't have anything special planned for the fourth this year.  If you've been around here for a while, you'll know that the fourth of July is also my mother's birthday.  We are having a little birthday dinner tonight for her with a traditional birthday pie - blueberry of course!  And I remembered the ice cream. Yay! Because I always forget.  My mother and I share the same birthday month, and it's funny because neither of us don't really care for July.  We hate the heat and like to complain about that together!  Fear not, it might be 87 degrees on Wednesday, but October is coming.  And that's how we get through July. Haha! 

We aren't really fireworks people around here either.  I mean, I enjoy them if I see them, but I don't feel the need to go out of my way to see them on the fourth.  Our town does a great display, but it's SO crowded.  We are passing this year which we are all OK with.  One tradition we will definitely keep tomorrow night is watching the Boston Pops performance and fireworks on TV.  That's more my speed.  Couch side, with a cup of tea and blueberry pie in my lap.  

Happy 4th of July to me! ♥

I've been thinking about all the fourth's of July throughout my life and how they have changed.  When I was little my whole family would do a big cookout at the beach.  My cousins and I would play horseshoes and go canoeing.  I would be barefoot all day!  At night there would be a big bonfire and fireworks (which I always thought were just for my mom because it was her birthday!:).  Up until a few years ago, Rob's uncle would have a big party on July 4th.  We would eat steamers with butter, play bocce, and see friends and family we hadn't see all year.  It was like a reunion. I look back on all these memories fondly and I realize that seasons of life change and it's OK.  My season now is to slow down, stay out of the heat, and enjoy pie with my family.  

That makes me very happy ♥

Have a wonderful day, friends!  I'm off to check on my pie.  I think she's done! ♥ 

Xx

Fourth of July Week! ♥

Hello Friends! ♥

I hope you all had a happy and fun holiday week!  I am so glad to be back here on this space. I've missed you! I took the week off for vacation and I can't wait to tell you all about it.  

We were invited to spend the week with our most dearest and wonderful friends in Pennsylvania. Every moment was amazing and I'm missing them already!  We were greeted Saturday night with a spectacular fireworks display over the lake.

My friend BJ lives in a charming and picturesque home right on the lake. Many nights we sat right here on this deck with our families talking and laughing. 

I'm smiling right now just thinking about it : ) 

We took boat rides and the kids went tubing! John LOVED it! I loved the beautiful lake views. 

 Lake life is something I could get used to : ) 

 

And here she is! My BFF!  We met right here on this blogspace, although I feel as if I've known BJ all my life.  We are two peas in a pod! We love home, cozy, coffee, family, gameshows, books, scary movies, and a million other things.  I'm so grateful to her and her amazing family.  They welcomed us as if we were part of the family.  And it sure felt that way ♥

One of my favorite days was lunch at the Strawberry Tea shop.  It's the most darling place, and the food....OH MY WORD. 

If I see grilled cheese on a menu of course I have to order it...with tomato soup!  

This was an "adult grilled cheese" made with three chesses and an onion & bacon marmalade in the middle.  

YUM!  ♥

For dessert we shared three different kinds of pie.  My favorite was the strawberry cream.  

To.die.for. ♥

But the best moments were just sitting on her beautiful deck, overlooking the lake.  

With a cup of coffee and a puppy close by.  It's the best! 

More fun on the boat! ♥

A fourth of July feast! 

One night we had a pizza party! So much fun! 

(clearly John is taking it too seriously! LOL)

They were all delicious! 

I wanted to take this little guy home with me ♥

John and Mocha have a complicate relationship! 

But I think they secretly love each other  ♥

One night is was my pleasure to make dinner for everyone.  I decided on chicken picatta and thankfully everyone enjoyed it!  I had so much fun cooking in BJ's kitchen! She even played Frank Sinatra for me! 

Here's Steve & Rob cooking breakfast on the grill! 

It was soooo gooood! ♥

A gorgeous view from the couch looking out onto the lake.  

BJ's home is so cozy.  I feel so at home in her space ♥

At night we played games, had milkshakes, watched movies, told stories, and made smores.  

All my favorite things! 

The week flew by so fast and they graciously invited us back next month to do it all over again! We were chatting about it and before we knew it we were marking the dates in our calendars.  

We are beyond excited!! ♥

Friends like this come along once is lifetime.  I feel so blessed to have BJ and her family in our lives. We are blog friends, that turned into real life friends, that have turned into family. 

♥

We would never have met if it not for the internet.  Life if so funny, isn't it?! 

You can visit BJ's beautiful blog here.  And you can also visit her daughter Madison's blog here or shop her bridal & dress boutique online here.  FYI I've been to the real life store and it's GORGEOUS!!! 

Thank you for visiting me today ♥   

I hope your July is off to a great start.  Now it's back to reality for me.  Work, laundry, dinner, chores, repeat.  It's ok though.  I now have something to look forward to! 

Happy Summertime!!! Have a great day! xoxo 

Ice Cream Sandwich Cake ♥

Hello Friends! Happy Fourth of July! ♥

I hope you all had a happy and safe holiday! 

We had a lovely, and low key weekend.  The weather has been rainy, so sadly we were not able to see any fireworks this year.  We did, however, watch the Boston Pops on TV like we do every year.  

We also celebrated my mother's birthday on Sunday with a family dinner and her favorite blueberry pie.  She enjoyed her special day with phone calls, cards, and messages from family and friends.  I always think about how much fun it would have been as a kid to have a fourth of July birthday.  Fireworks every year, just for you! Growing up we always had big cookouts on the 4th and always a cake for my mom.  It was like a party just for her.  The good old days! 

It wouldn't be my mother's birthday without blueberry pie ♥

It was also my first time trying my hand at a lattice top : ) 

 

I think I pulled it off.  Whew! ♥

On Monday we were invited to my sister in law's for a small gathering and I wanted to share with you the dessert I brought. 

The idea came from Pinterest and it was the easiest thing I've ever made!! 

All you need to make this dessert is: 2 boxes of ice cream sandwiches, caramel sauce, hot fudge sauce, Cool Whip, and sprinkles. 

 

Line the bottom of a 9x13 dish with one box of ice cream sandwiches. 

Top with an entire jar of caramel sauce.

Layer the second box of ice cream sandwiches. 

Top with a jar of hot fudge sauce. 

*you may need to heat the hot fudge in the microwave for a few seconds so it's pourable*

Almost done....

Top with Cool Whip and sprinkles.

 (I bought 2 tubs but one was just perfect) 

Now freeze for several hours or overnight. 

I put mine in the freezer for a few minutes to "set" and then I covered it in foil and froze it overnight.

Enjoy!!!!  ♥

A foolproof dessert that requires NO baking! Yaaaaay! 

 

It was a big hit, especially with the kids ♥

Well, we are in the thick of the lazy, hazy, days of summer now.  The fourth has come and gone already and time is chugging along.  July is a busy month for us and I'm going to try and enjoy every moment. As much as I love the fall, I don't want the summer to slip away from me so quickly...and I feel like it always does.   

\

Like my mom, I turn another year older in July and lately I've been feeling it.  But that's something to discuss another time....which I will : )

Have a wonderful Tuesday, friends! Thanks for stopping by!