Coffee Chat & Celebrations
Happy Saturday! This week we had a lot to celebrate and be thankful for including Gracie’s FINAL showcase of the year and another healthy happy year of life.
Not only did Gracie wrap up her first year at the CAVOD performing arts academy with their massive spring dance concert (they had 800 people show up on the opening night), but we also celebrated my birthday while prepping to leave for our first vacation which we left for bright and early this morning!
We are headed on our annual trip to my aunt and uncle’s beautiful property in Tenessee where our time consists of games, food, and lounging by the pool.
Quite literally. That’s all we do, and it is a delightful respite from our busy schedules.
I celebrated birthday #36 on Wednesday with a massage in the morning, and then a lovely day of reading with no interruptions.
I shared 36 things I was grateful for:
Pivoting toilet paper holders.
The remote start feature on my van.
Squeezable guacamole.
The massive deck on our rental house.
Our rental house.
Gracie’s love of performing arts.
The smell of a campfire.
Caleb’s laugh.
Instacart.
Lily’s baby feet.
Reclining sofas.
Zach’s gorgeous smile.
A well-played cello.
My dad’s wisdom.
Apple cinnamon candles.
My mom’s example of a strong, independent woman.
Indoor plumbing.
Siblings and siblings-in-law I actually like
My father-in-law’s humility.
GoBena Coffee.
My mother-in-law’s gentleness.
Friends who let me hold their babies.
When those babies smile at me.
Anyone’s smile.
The men and women in Samoa loving on my son until I can.
Our Sunday School class.
Fox Meadows Creamery lemon lush ice cream.
Robot vacuum cleaners.
The smell of Hawaiian Tropic sunscreen.
Kindle.
My king-sized mattress.
Big, fluffy blankets.
That my kids have memories with all 4 of my grandparents (who are still living)
Cordless brad nailers.
The ability to smell the ocean [& anything at all for that matter].
YOU.
Zach surprised me with one of my favorite desserts – tiramisu! He is becoming quite good at making this dish!
We had so much fun watching our little ballerina on stage.
When she came out, Caleb said, “You did good dancing, Gracie!” Cuties.
My mom has sat through her fair share of performances and shows between my years in choirs, bands, show companies, etc. It has to be a strange feeling to start it all over again 15 years later.
My precious girls!
This week on the imPERFECTly emPOWERed Podcast I chatted with Dr. Laura Brown who is an expert in gut health and how it relates to our overall wellness.
Don’t miss her expert advice on food sensitivities, food sensitivity tests, and how to improve our gut health!
Trying to think of creative things to do with your kids this summer but don’t want to spend a small fortune on the fun? Check out 100+ budget-friendly summer activities for kids!
Don’t miss all of these ideas that include activities using things you already have in your home or links to kits for some extra summer fun! The best part? They are ALL SCREEN FREE!
Did you catch this budget-friendly home decor DIY? I shared the farmhouse-style no-sew curtains that I made out of drop cloths!
You can get the tutorial HERE!
Let’s check out more home ideas from last week’s blog hop!
Summer is here, which means patriotic holidays! Learn how to create a DIY wood bead garland with stars for the 4th of July.
The weekend is a time to relax and recharge, but you can also accomplish lots of simple productive tasks to prepare you for the week ahead.
Made with delicious fruit in patriotic colors, these red, white, and blue popsicles are perfect for kids and adults alike.
Learn how to upcyle some vintage salvaged chair spindles into farmhouse style American flags.
This hibiscus lemonade is a refreshing, sweet, and tangy summer drink you can make at home. Cheers to the weekend!
