Good Monday Morning!
Welcome to another edition of “My Little Miracles” and link-up with my friend Shaunacey at Simply Shaunacey. Hope you will stop by to enjoy some of her moments of gratitude today as she prepares to return to work after a year of maternity leave. Yes, a year! Gotta love that about Canada’s Parental Leave benefits. I read a little bit about it here, if you are interested in learning more. I know Lauren and Brennyn returned within two months of having their babies and I was back at work within a month of having them! Wishing Shaunacey and her adorable little family a smooth and a close to stress-free transition as possible.
As you may remember, PC and I just returned home from a trip to visit our parents in Ohio and Kentucky. We were blessed with safe travels and a good visit both places. Here are a few of the other blessings bestowed on us in the past week.
Cincinnati Reds win. That might not seem like a blessing to you but at our house that is a big one! We attended a game at Great American Ball Park with PC’s father, uncle, two brothers and sister-in-law. Enjoyed great seats, good hot dogs (except for the rubbery, under-cooked one that upset my Prince’s sensitive tummy for two days after). Best of all was the Billy Hamilton steal to home base for the win against the Brewers in the 9th.
My three fingers in the second picture are actually a W. A W for WIN! Lest you think I am throwing gang signs for ‘westside’. Everyone knows I live in the northeast part of El Paso anyway. If you know anything about the Reds, you will agree that a Red Legs win is a big miracle.
My dad aka butterfly on our windshield. After the Reds game we drove down to Lexington to spend a few days with my mom. When we pulled into the parking lot of our hotel, a butterfly landed on the windshield. Since my dad died four years ago, I have associated seeing butterflies with a feeling that he is near. Having this little fellow land on the windshield felt like my daddy was welcoming me back “home” to Lexington.
I guess I need to clarify that our windshield was not impaled by a butterfly-bearing tree branch. Actually, the butterfly landed on the driver’s side glass but when PC tried to snap a picture of him for me, my “dad” flew onto the branch above the car.
My mom. Really enjoyed the short visit with my mom and brother, sister-in-law and nephew. I usually take lots of pictures when I am visited but this trip I just enjoyed being present in the moment.
My mom is an amazing 89 years old. She lives in an assisted living community without any assistance…other than having her linens washed and her apartment vacuumed and dusted once a week. She has a kitchenette where she can cook when she likes, although rarely does. Mom participates in exercise several mornings a week, plays Bridge and Bingo multiple times a week, reads quite a bit and keeps up with current events. What a blessing.
Dinner with friends and Luby’s salads. Not sure if I have shared how much PC and I are homebodies. We are. So this traveling I have been doing since March, six trips in four months, has been tough. There is no where I would rather be than in my house…well, maybe with the exception of the beach with all of my family.
Any who, we were invited for a swim and dinner last night at Annette and Carlos’s house. They are new friends we met through PC’s Over 50 baseball team. Annette prepared some delicious salads and when I asked for the recipes, she pulled out a well-loved Luby’s (cafeteria chain) cookbook. One of the recipes was for a chilled green pea salad. I served my Prince and put a helping of the pea salad on his plate although I know he doesn’t “do” peas. And miracle of miracles, he ate it! Better yet, he liked it!
I couldn’t grab my phone to snap pics of the recipes fast enough! PC will be seeing this salad on his plate again in the near future. The second recipe is for a chilled spaghetti salad. So refreshing. I don’t “do” cucumbers much but the cukes make this salad. Such great flavor. Served with the smoked chicken we had…delicious. I found both recipes online, here.
I should have thought to take some pictures of the salads before I ate them. But I have priorities. Eating comes at the top of almost all priorities. I did find pictures on Pinterest that look a lot like what I ate before I gobble[source] and [source]
Granddaughters. What would a my little miracles post be without pics of my granddaughters. My junior princesses. Princesses-in-training, if you will. Both reached a milestone this week. Cady learned to walk in heels. Here we go, fashionistas. Runway ready.
And in action, here.
And Lucia learned how to suck her thumb. Accidentally at first. But then on purpose.
One last picture just because she is so darn cute. Lucia wearing one of her fabulous head wraps. Check them out on Amazon, here.
Thank you for stopping by for a quick visit today. You, too, are one of my little miracles. I am so thankful for YOU spending a little of your day with me. Won’t you share a blessing or little miracle in your own life in a comment below?
Hugs and kisses,
Sharon
Love the pics friend! Those grands are growing fast and just adorable! Love love the pic of you and your mama! She looks amazing! I’m sure she had some funny stories for you guys. 😊Miss her and you!!
Shaunacey
thanks soooo much for linking up and for all the love sent my way. I’m so thankful to have a had a year home and to have a job to return to. I’m also super thankful for Brent who is very helpful in the morning.
Your grandbabies are the sweetest things!!! So so so cute!
I also associate butterflies with loved ones no longer on this earth… they just seem too magical to not mean something greater.
Wishing you a week full or moments to be grateful for 🙂
Carrie @ Curly Crafty Mom
Your granddaughters are adorable! That is so neat that the butterfly landed on your windshield and that you feel your fathers presence when you see one. It looks like you had a lot of fun! We haven’t even been to a ball game yet this year, I usually like to take the kids to at least one Cardinals game.
Carrie
curlycraftymom.com
Deena
What sweet granddaughters! Jealous that you got to go to a ball game, I love ball games.
Sarah @ Foxy's Domestic Side
The butterfly thing, so darn sweet! Love it! And thumb sucking is my favorite thing EVER!