And so it begins... ♥

Hello Friends ♥

On Sunday as we patiently waited for Henri to arrive (which thankfully seemed to miss us!), I was a busy bee at home cleaning and bringing out fall.  Yes it's still summer. Yes it's still 90 degrees and humid, but in my heart it's time to turn that page.  John starts school in a week and I needed to have the house in back to school mode. I can't even think about school if it's still summer.  

I'm sure all my fall obsessed friends understand : ) 

Anyway, up in the attic I went which was easily hotter than the equator! UGH.  I lugged down the bins and off I went.  Not everything came out but enough to give us a nice fall vibe in here.  

I'm so ready for this! ♥

 

One week until high school begins! Eeeeek! 

   

Meanwhile.....

I'm dreaming about cold dark morning drinking my steamy coffee under the glow of these fairly lights. 

Frosted windows with leaves blowing past....I can't wait for the glow of the colors to shine through.  

It's coming....(this pic is from last year... my view was so pretty : ) 

And about all the cozy dark nights to come under blankets while candles flicker.  

Watching movies and making Christmas lists.  Happy, happy! 

Comfort food like pot roast and chicken pot pies, with apple crisp or bread pudding baking in the oven. 

This year I'm planning on making homemade applesauce as soon as apple harvest begins : ) 

Not yet...but soon! 

It wouldn't be the kick off to fall without a pumpkin donut from Dunkin Donuts.  

My all time favorite.  YUM!

As for today, I have sweet & sour chicken bubbling in the crock pot and John and I are off to a movie.  He's holding on to every last minute of summer vacation! 

Happy Wednesday friends!  Are you ready for fall??

Ready or not it will be here soon! xoxo 

**this is me....hahah!**

A Quiet Morning ♥

Good morning friends and happy Friday! ♥

We woke up this morning to no power.  Ugh. I had already gotten my coffee and headed back to bed, which I always do when suddenly I heard a loud BOOM.  It sounded like a gun shot and probably would have scared me more if I hadn't recognized the sound.  I heard it once before last summer and I knew it was a transformer in front of our neighbors house up the street.  The house got suddenly quiet.  All fans and a/c stopped.  No humming fridge or morning news coming from the TV in the living room.  Oh well.  I just hoped it wouldn't last long enough for it to heat up in here....  

  

Thank the good lord the coffee was already brewed!  I lit some candles and basked in some silence which I truly enjoyed.  I was missing the balcony in New Hampshire that I sat on in the morning last weekend admiring the mountain views.  And I thought of my friends beautiful porch that we enjoyed at her lake house in July.  I decided someday my retirement home has to have a view of some kind...a lake, a mountain, the ocean....and a deck with a chair just for me.  

I kind of can't wait for that ♥

Luckily it was only about an hour when we heard the electric company truck outside.  

Ta-daaaaa!  What a thrill when it finally came back on!  The cool air started to blow and I quickly ran to the microwave to heat up my coffee.  Thank God it's Friday!!! : ) 

The weather is going to be humid and stormy this weekend.  My plan is to bring out fall!!! My pumpkins and fall candles are calling me. I know some of us are still holding on to summer but I'm just about to let it go.  We are in full back to school mode around here, which to me means a change of season, no matter what the calendar says.  

Have a wonderful weekend friends!  Stay cozy....fall is coming!!  ♥

Byeeeeeee!!!! xoxo 

John is 14! ♥

Yesterday my little boy turned 14 ♥

It's hard for me to believe he's growing up so fast!!  Anyone that knows John knows he loves music, The Office, and being with family.  

Here are a few more things about John at 14:

♥

he loves long car rides

he drinks coffee now! eeek! 

he starts high school in two weeks

he is kind to everyone he meets

his new favorite food is seafood (just like me!)

Dunkin Donuts is his second home : ) 

he loves shopping

he has an infectious laugh (especially when watching The Office)

thanks to Rob he has discovered classic rock (i.e. ACDC, Led Zeppelin, Van Halen, etc..)

his visit to the Rock & Roll Hall of Face this summer was a one of his favorite days ever 

he still plays drums and is looking forward to the high school band

he loves sleeping and has turned into a late sleeper

he loves New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, the beach, and still loves Disney (yay!)

It's been a big year for John.  He graduated 8th grade and has left a school he's been at since preschool.  New adventures begin in September.  We are so proud of his positive attitude.  

He's much more laid back than I am! LOL 

 

Nothing makes me happier than to see this boy smile! ♥

Happy Birthday John! Now please stop growing up so fast!!! 

At age 7.  Feels like yesterday. 

Have a happy day friends! Enjoy the little moments.  They go by fast.....♥

Weekend in New Hampshire ♥

Hello Friends! ♥

I am just back from a quick weekend get-away to New Hampshire.  You all know how much I love the ocean, but there is something about being in the mountains that also has my heart.  Rob has a very good friend that generously offered us his condo for the weekend...which we graciously accepted!  The place was beautiful, comfy, cozy, and just what we needed.  

My wifi was spotty for most of the weekend and quite honestly, I did not mind.  It was nice not reaching for my phone every five minutes.  I spent the majority of my time unplugged and enjoying time with my family.  We walked, talked, ate, shopped, swam in the pool, ate some more, watched movies, and slept!  It was glorious! 

We've come to this part of New Hampshire (which is about a 3 and a 1/2 hour drive from Boston) many many times, and every time we come here it's always like the first time.  The beauty of the mountains, the rivers rushing, and that clean mountain air...its just the best.  

It was a hot weekend but when I took my coffee out to the balcony this morning I felt a chill in the air.  It was breezy and I could smell fall coming.  That made me smile : ) 

And just like that I'm home again, but feeling refreshed and a little more rested which is always a good thing.  

I have a busy week ahead and a very special birthday to celebrate tomorrow.  

Someone is turning 14 on Monday.  I still can't believe it!  14! Wow.

I have just a few more hours to process that and then I will celebrate him!  ♥

Have a great day friends! Byeeeee xoxo 

The Things I Know: ♥

 

The things I know:

I know I need 7 hours of sleep a night to not feel tired during the day. 

I know I feel better when I don't skip lunch and eat 3 meals a day. 

I know my skin loves it when I wash my face at night and moisturize it before bed. 

I know coffee in the morning is essential to my well being and the well being of others around me.

I know as far as friends are concerned quality is way more important than quantity. 

I know, for me, simple living is best. 

I know the power of a comfortable pair of slippers and a soft cardigan.

I know that nothing is permanent and all situations will change at some point - for better or worse.  

I know that carrot cake is a very underrated dessert.  Very delicious too. 

I know that I Love Lucy had made me feel happy since I was 12 years old. 

I know that I like to be alone sometimes. 

I know that it's ok to say no things that I really don't want to do.  

I know I need to please myself before I please others.  

I also know that Paul is the best Beatle, Rose should have saved Jack, and life is too short not to eat dessert.

These are just some of things I know to be true.  For me ♥

Happy Wednesday Friends! 

Easy Banana Cake ♥

 Hello Friends! 

Welcome to August! We are in the home stretch of summer right now.  Where did it go?  I am so looking forward to September and the fall weather I can barely stand it.  I've been resisting the urge to bring out my Fall décor! I always use John's birthday as a gage.  He turns 14 (OMG) on August 16th.  After his party, that's when I go full Fall mode.  Until then we are still soaking up the days of summer.  

It's been a great summer.  We started with a wedding in Newport, and then we had an amazing time visiting our dearest friends in Pennsylvania, and now I'm nagging Rob for one more trip someplace.... not sure where yet, but I'm working on it : ) 

Anyway.....♥

Would you agree that the smell of banana bread baking in the oven is one of the coziest smells ever?  I know you're nodding your head!  I put it right up there with pumpkin bread, which I almost made and would have if I didn't have three old bananas sitting on my table just waiting to be mashed up into goodness.  I spent Sunday doing some neglected cleaning around the house and when I clean I like to have something baking in the oven.  It makes me feel more homey - if that makes sense.  Plus it's sort of a payoff for my hard work.  We've been busy the past couple of weeks and I haven't done much around here.  There was dust.  A lot of it.  And the bathrooms needed a scrubbing.  Not my favorite job but so satisfying after it's done! Anyway, before I started I put this easy banana cake in the oven.  I went with a cake instead of "bread" just because it cooks a bit faster and I wanted to make frosting : )  

I grabbed the easiest recipe I could find on Pinterest.  Simple.  Nothing fancy.  Delicious.

The recipe comes from Life of the Party on Pinterest ♥

3 large ripe bananas

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1/4 cup melted butter

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

Frosting:

1/4 cup softened butter

2 cups powdered sugar

3 tbsp milk

1 tsp vanilla

With a mixer combine bananas, sugar, egg, and butter.

Add the flour, salt, and baking soda until well combined.  Do not overmix.

Bake in a greased 8x8 baking dish at 350 for 40 minutes.  

Combine the frosting ingredients and mix on high until fluffy.  

Frost when cake is completely cooled and enjoy!  

This cake came out moist and delicious! The only thing I added was a dash of cinnamon to the batter* 

♥

How easy was that?!  

I stored leftover cake in the fridge and it was gone in 2 days : ) 

I remember my first days as a young wife in our house.  We moved in in the fall and I would bake all the time.  The oven was never cool.  I was living my dreams. My mind goes to that place often.  Seems like yesterday.  I still feel that way when I bake for my family.  See what the smell of banana cake does to me? Maybe I'm just feeling a bit nostalgic today.  Or maybe this cake was just really really good.

Or maybe both~

Have a wonderful day my friends! 

(now what can I make next???) 

Thanks for stopping by today! xo