The Friday Five

I'm not sure The Friday Five is officially a thing, but I'm declaring it officially a thing on my blog today. I'm so out of sync with my blog and know I need to dive back in and write more often because that makes my writing better. Today you'll have to settle for this-

The Friday Five

I hope I've got Five. It might be The Friday Four. Or The Friday Fourteen.
You never know what you're going to get on This Side Of The Pond.

1. When I flip the page to May at a glance in my calendar I feel a little dizzy. There is so much happening here next month beginning with a hair appointment (that's half a day for me), the dentist, the eye doctor, a wine dinner event, cards and gifts to send for nephew and niece birthdays and a nephew's graduation, Mother's Day, lots and lots of company including college sorority sisters, a high school/camp friend, my mom, my mother-in-law, my daughters, son-in-law, and the cutest baby boy in the world.

photo credit: Sincerely Shannon

Seriously he's the cutest.

2. In preparation for his visit I've purchased a few small toys and a highchair. I've borrowed a pack and play from a friend, but bought a mattress to add to it so he'll be more comfortable. They have a full day of flying plus a couple hour car ride from the airport, plus a three hour time change so we want to do everything we can to help him sleep sweetly once he's here.

Also, it's fun to walk through my kitchen and see a highchair. This one is a Graco and was a literal snap to put together. As in you snap the parts in place. It also converts to a booster seat which is a nice feature and one we'll need down the road.

3. Do you jot notes in the Notes feature of your phone as a reminder of things you want to mention on your blog? I do that sometimes and one thing I'd written there was Big Little Lies. Did anyone watch it? What did you think? We don't get HBO here, but Daughter1 has it so we watched Season One when I was out west a couple of weeks ago.

I really enjoyed the way the show was produced and thought the acting was great, but here's my rant. I don't know why they had to use the F word as much as they did. I have a lot of women friends and nobody I know regularly drops that word a whole bunch into everyday casual conversation. It seemed unnatural and distracting.

4. Turning to the world of fashion...I don't get these tops with the super long wide bell sleeves that come down over your hands. I think some of them are so cute, but then when I imagine trying to do anything at all while wearing one the style seems completely crazy.

5. You know what they say...April showers bring May flowers.  Here's hoping! We've had so much rain this spring, three days this week it's just poured and it rained again last night. On the bright side the weekend weather and next week too all look lovely. We have a fun weekend planned with friends we haven't seen in a while and I'm excited for sunshine and warmer weather.

We did manage a boat ride on Wednesday afternoon while hubs mom was in town with some friends. Hubs was not happy about it at all. Ha!

photo credit: Sincerely Shannon

Enjoy your weekend everyone! 

It's The Hodgepodge Calling

Welcome to the Wednesday Hodgepodge. If you've answered this week's questions add your link at the end of my post, then go say howdy to your neighbor. Here we go-

1. They say you learn something new every day. What did you learn yesterday?

I reprogrammed the TV.  Not sure I could do it again without the tech walking me through the process, but still I learned I could do it. 

2. Have you ever had a now or never moment? Elaborate.

Never is a big word. I guess in the sense it's used here, more as an expression than a firm never-ever-ever, then my answer would be yes. There are things I've done that required a leap of faith, and that's what I associate with this saying. As in- go for it because this particular opportunity might not roll around again. 

Moving overseas, various professional roles I've filled as well as some volunteer assignments...I'm sure there's more but I'm blanking. 

3.  April 25th is National Telephone Day. Do you still have a land line or have you gone mobile only? When you receive a text message do you respond immediately? Last time you turned your phone off?  In two or three sentences share with us a story/memory/incident from your childhood (or something current if that's too hard) where the telephone is featured.

We are strictly mobile in this house, but I do miss the landline. I don't like carrying my phone around when I'm in the house.  

I think in general I respond to text messages in a timely fashion, but that may not always be the second they're received.  I do try to always text hubs back right away because if I don't he'll call me and say, 'Did you get my text?' "You didn't reply". 

The last time my phone was turned off was during Sunday morning church.  

An incident featuring the phone? Hmmm...well there was that time when my brother was babysitting my sister and I and we accidentally started a smallish fire in the kitchen. This was back in the day when your phone was attached to the wall, but had a ridiculously long chord allowing you to make it somewhat 'mobile'. My brother had the phone cord stretched all the way from the kitchen into the den and was happily chatting away while my sister and I put butter on the stove to melt and promptly went back to our game upstairs. A large amount of panic ensued but thankfully we can all laugh about it now. 

Well most of us can laugh about it now. My mom I'm not so sure. 

4. Close call, at someone's beck and call, call the shots, call a meeting, call it quits, call in sick, call on the carpet, wake up call...which call have you 'heard' recently? Explain.

I'm going with close call. We had a small plumbing issue in our storage room on Monday and fortunately I happened to go in there and see it before it got out of hand. We don't go in that room every day so it could have become a large headache. Thankfully just a close call. 

5. What subject do you wish you'd paid more attention to in school?

French. I wish I were fluent. And I did pay attention, but I didn't practice enough.  

6. Insert your own random thought here.

Who else thinks Princess Kate is adorable? They looked so cute bringing their new baby home. And with her in heels no less! I so admire her poise and patience with the media .

Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 349

It's that time again. Here are the questions to this week's Wednesday Hodgepodge. Answer on your own blog, then hop back here tomorrow to share answers with the universe. See you there!

1. They say you learn something new every day. What did you learn yesterday?

2. Have you ever had a now or never moment? Elaborate.

3.  April 25th is National Telephone Day. Do you still have a land line or have you gone mobile only? When you receive a text message do you respond immediately? Last time you turned your phone off?  In two or three sentences share with us a story/memory/incident from your childhood (or something current if that's too hard) where the telephone is featured.

4. Close call, at someone's beck and call, call the shots, call a meeting, call it quits, call in sick, call on the carpet, wake up call...which call have you 'heard' recently? Explain.

5. What subject do you wish you'd paid more attention to in school?

6. Insert your own random thought here.

It's Her Turn

I had every intention of blogging on this rainy Monday morning but instead spent hours (read: painful hours) on the phone with the very helpful gentleman at ATT trying to figure out why our smart TV is no longer smart. I had to reconfigure the settings on the TV while this patient soul walked me through all the screens and boxes and dealt with all my 'wait wait wait I hit the wrong box' and 'wait wait the screen is gone! Where did it go???" and 'wait I hit the wrong box again'. I think you get the idea.

Also Jason deserves a medal.

I'm not intuitive about these sorts of things which is why I like hubs to handle anything technology related. And he was except as luck? would have it a plumbing thing was happening at the very same minute, so he was forced to hand me the phone while he dealt with the plumber. Can't we just hang up and call back when you're finished???

Y'all I reconfigured that TV like a boss. I think I need to use my brain more. It feels good.

Let's talk about something more fun-

This little peanut is getting married.

I don't care if you've married off one daughter or six, each time is like the only time and your heart feels a little tug at the letting go. It's a happy mushy tug, but a tug all the same.

It's been a little over three years since we were knee deep in wedding planning here, and while I know we moms have no real say in the timing, I'm grateful for the space between our two events. Daughter2 and her fiance (how fun it is to write that word!) are planning a spring wedding so we're busy pinning down the date and venues now.

When Daughter1 got married I wrote about it. A lot. I wrote ten posts after the event and several leading up to the day so like I said-a lot. Besides sharing all the nuts and bolts of the best day ever I also wrote quite a bit about how it feels to see your first born baby girl get married. To watch your daughter become a wife, leave home for real, and join her heart and soul to the boy who has stolen her heart.

And now it's Daughter2's turn. And it's the same only different. My girls are like two peas in a pod in the sense they've been best buds since the day Daughter2 was born. They have loved one another well all their lives, and as grown women now it's even more lovely to see. Daughter1 worked in design and had a very clear picture as to how her wedding day would look. She could drill down on some graphics y'all. Whew! But in the end it was perfectly perfect and a wonderful reflection of her personal style and taste.

Daughter2 has her own sense of style and her day will reflect that too. She's always loved sparkle and I suspect there will be more bling in her day than her gypsy souled sister had and I'm good with that. If anyone could wear a tiara on their wedding day it's this girl. She's not having it, but I like to keep throwing that option out there anyway. As we visit reception venues and think about a color palatte and peruse menu options I'm very much aware of my Daughter2's desire to make her day her own.

As every bride should.

In the age of the Internet, social media, and wedding marketing hype there's almost too much out there for brides. It's easy to get caught up in a million little things and lose sight of who you are and what's important to you on your day.

Here's what I tell my girls about a wedding. The most important thing is to pick the right groom.  If at the end of your wedding day you are married to the right groom then I will truthfully declare it the best day ever. Because your wedding is one very important beautiful day in your life and marriage is all the days after, forever and ever amen.

When Daughter1 was planning her wedding I was living in NJ. She was living in D.C., the groom was already on the west coast, and the wedding was in SC sooooo....yeah. A few crazy logistics, but we made it happen. Daughter2 lives in the town where she'll get married and that town is just a hop, skip, and a jump from the lake so whoohoo! I look forward to a more leisurely planning process this time around although I think every wedding comes with a little bit of crazy. Sorry hubs, it really can't be helped.

And I'm going to share all the nuts and bolts here because it's my blog and she's my girl. And she's so much like me only better in all the ways that count, and I want her to know that her best day ever is going to be her best day ever.
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Slithering Into The Hodgepodge

Welcome to the Wednesday Hodgepodge. If you've answered this week's questions add your link at the end of my post. Then leave a comment for your neighbor on the list because that's what good blog neighbors do. Here we go-

1. Three things on your spring bucket list? If you don't have an actual list that's fine, pretend you do.

Sort out new furniture for the screened porch, give my closet the once over, and reserve the church and reception venue for daughter2's wedding happening in 2019. 

You can't believe how early people book these venues. The planner at one of the venues I saw today told me she had someone reserve a date and they're not even officially engaged yet. Whaaaat??? You have to pay deposits when you reserve these sites and I can't imagine doing that without a ring on your finger. People are sometimes a little bit crazy! 

2. Where do you find rest? What restores your soul? When was the last time you did whatever it was you answered here?

I find rest in the early morning quiet, in nature, and sleeping in my own bed particularly after a lot of travel. Reading my Bible, journaling, blogging, hiking, a swim or a long walk, a hot bath with the lights down low, and a good nap are all things that restore my soul. These are all activities that quiet the noise in my head which is a necessary pre-requisite for rest. 

I had a nap on Sunday afternoon because I'm pretty sure that's the way God intended it. I try to ease into my weekdays with a cup of coffee and my Bible and that generally makes me feel balanced, less stressed, and ready to take on the day.

3. April is National Celery Month. Who knew? Do you like celery? What's your favorite dish made with celery? On a veggie and dip platter which would you reach for first-carrot sticks, celery sticks, cucumbers or cherry tomatoes?

I do like celery. Hubs has a thing about the smell for some reason, but he likes the taste okay. My favorite dish made with celery would be my mama's cornbread dressing. I also love celery in my chicken salad, but cornbread dressing is a rare treat so I'll go with that. On a veggie and dip platter I go for the cucumbers every time. 

4. I read here eight things to do before 8 am to make your day less hectic-Start one load of laundry, drink water, empty the dishwasher, read your Bible, know what you're having for dinner, get dressed, brain dump (two lists-one what you're thankful for and one what's weighing on your mind), and after the brain dump make your to-list for the day

How many of these are you currently doing? Which one do you think would help the most if you added it to your early morning routine?

I actually do most of these tasks, although not always before 8 am. I mean we're retired so what's the rush? That being said I do like to have my day organized from the get go and I agree tackling the items on this list helps. I rarely start laundry before 8 am and I'm not always dressed by 8 am either but the rest of them I can say I do regularly. I love me a good list! 

5. Describe the view from your window.

I see a dogwood in bloom, a squirrel at play and the lake looking still and lovely. 

6. Insert your own random thought here.

So this not so little guy showed up on our driveway Monday afternoon. Hubs likes snakes and I do not. He likes to get a closer look and I like to go in the house and watch from the window ready to call 911 should the snake get feisty. 

Hubs informed me this was one of the 'good guys so I shouldn't kill it'. 

Um. Okay. 

Like I'd kill a snake-ha! 

He was about five feet long and looked like he was still digesting whatever critter(s) he'd recently consumed. Shudder!!! 

Where do you stand when it comes to snakes? Do you want a closer look or do you head for the hills?




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Hodgpodge Questions-Volume 348

Here are the questions to this week's Wednesday Hodgepodge. Answer on your own blog then hop back here tomorrow to add your link to the party. See you there!

1. Three things on your spring bucket list? If you don't have an actual list that's fine, pretend you do.

2. Where do you find rest? What restores your soul? When was the last time you did whatever it was you answered here?

3. April is National Celery Month. Who knew? Do you like celery? What's your favorite dish made with celery? On a veggie and dip platter which would you reach for first-carrot sticks, celery sticks, cucumbers or cherry tomatoes?

4. I read here eight things to do before 8 am to make your day less hectic-Start one load of laundry, drink water, empty the dishwasher, read your Bible, know what you're having for dinner, get dressed, brain dump (two lists-one what you're thankful for and one what's weighing on your mind), and after the brain dump make your to-list for the day

How many of these are you currently doing? Which one do you think would help the most if you added it to your early morning routine?

5. Describe the view from your window.

6. Insert your own random thought here.
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Blogging Letterman Style

I got home late last night from a trip to see my daughter in the PNW. My son-in-law was on an out of town work trip so I flew west to keep my daughter company. Also to spend time with my grandson which is always a treat, but really I was so excited to have five whole days with my girl. She and I both said we couldn't remember the last time it was just us, sans boys.

Other than the boy I mean. But he rolls where we roll so he's easy.

Anyway I thought I'd post a top ten list kind of like David Letterman used to do back when late night TV was funny. I don't think late night TV is all that funny anymore. I don't mind a little political humor, there's always been that and I think politicians are fair game, but it feels like that's all it is now so I just don't watch. Also I'm usually sound asleep by 10 PM so there's that.

Whatever. All this has absolutely nothing to do with my trip west except to say when I started thinking about a recap I thought of a top ten list which sent me down the late night TV rabbit trail.

In no particular order here are ten things I loved about my week in Washington-

1. His face when he sees me. It's like Christmas and my birthday and shooting stars across the sky.

2. Dance party with the baby boy while we belt out old Taylor Swift. Daughter1 and I agree we don't hate the new Taylor but we sure do miss the old Taylor.

3.  A cup of tea and homemade coconut raspberry scones mid afternoon.

4. Working a jigsaw puzzle with a Paris scene. Ma fille et moi aimons tout ce qui est francais!

5. Bathtime. Is there anything sweeter than a freshly bathed baby?

6. Shopping at Nordstroms.

7. Their mischievous puppy dog successfully vomiting up the two baby socks he swallowed when I turned my back for a literal split second. Just keeping it real people.

8. My daughter cooking dinner while I stack colorful plastic cups then laugh and exclaim uh-oh as baby boy knocks the tower down. Also, reading my favorite board books, making animal noises, and chasing the mancub across the room as he makes a bee line for the dog's water dish. He's fast y'all! Almost as fast as the dog going after a baby sock. Almost.

9. Grabbing hold of the teeny tiny pockets of sunshine for walks and talks and Vitamin D.

10. Knowing they will be at the lake in less than a month!

A Jazzy Hodgepodge

Welcome to this week’s edition of The Wednesday Hodgepodge. If you’ve answered today’s questions add your link at the end of my post. Be sure to leave a comment for the blogger linking before you because comments make the blog world go round. 

1. April is National Jazz Appreciation Month. Are you a fan? If so what's a favorite you'd recommend to someone new to jazz listening?

I don't dislike jazz, but don't feel like I know a lot about this particular genre. I will be interested to hear from some true jazz lovers here. 

2. Mandolin, ukulele, harp, accordion or banjo...which would you be most interested in learning to play? Or do you already play one of the instruments listed?

I'm not musically inclined, but if I were I'd opt for the banjo or the mandolin. 

3. Do you judge a book by it's cover? Elaborate. You may answer in either/both the literal or figurative sense of the word.

An actual book? Sometimes yes. A book’s cover can make me want to read more or pass it on by and opt for one with a more appealing cover. 

Now if we're talking in the figurative sense I'd like to think I don't judge people based on how they look. Honestly though don't we all do that do a degree? And I’m not sure judge is the right word but I suppose whenever we meet someone for the first time we make some assumptions about that person,  for better or worse. Sometimes a favorable first impression can be incorrect too-ha! I think we all know I like to talk so given the opportunity I'm going to get beyond the 'cover'.  

4. According to a recent study the ten most nutritious foods are-almonds, cherimoya (supposed to taste like a cross between a pineapple/banana), ocean perch, flatfish (such as flounder and halibut), chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, swiss chard, pork fat (shocking! but I don't think they mean bacon), beet greens, and red snapper. Are any of these foods a regular part of your diet? Any you've never ever tasted? Which would you be most inclined to add to your diet?

I have never tasted a cherimoya but it sounds like something I'd like. I do eat almonds pretty regularly and fish too, although not sure I've ever eaten perch. I love red snapper! 

5. Besides a major holiday what is the most recent thing you've celebrated with your people? Tell us how.

Daughter2's recent engagement. I blabbed on and on about it in a post right here.

6.  Insert your own randomness here.

My son-in-law had to travel for work this week so I’m in the PNW soaking up a little girl time with Daughter1. And her baby boy of course! 

We're having no fun at all-ha! 

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Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 347

Sorry to have missed here last week (you can read why here), but the Hodgepodge is back and this week's questions are listed below. Answer on your own blog then hop back tomorrow to share answers with all your friends and neighbors. See you there!

 

1. April is National Jazz Appreciation Month. Are you a fan? If so what's a favorite you'd recommend to someone new to jazz listening?

2. Mandolin, ukulele, harp, accordion or banjo...which would you be most interested in learning to play? Or do you already play one of the instruments listed?

3. Do you judge a book by it's cover? Elaborate. You may answer in either/both the literal or figurative sense of the word.

4. According to a recent study the ten most nutritious foods are-almonds, cherimoya (supposed to taste like a cross between a pineapple/banana), ocean perch, flatfish (such as flounder and halibut), chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, swiss chard, pork fat (shocking! but I don't think they mean bacon), beet greens, and red snapper. Are any of these foods a regular part of your diet? Any you've never ever tasted? Which would you be most inclined to add to your diet?

5. Besides a major holiday what is the most recent thing you've celebrated with your people? Tell us how.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

More of Last Week's Life

I might be flying cross country Monday morning but I'm determined to get caught up somehow on my blog, and yes I'm still in last week here. Daughter2 got engaged on Sunday as in last Sunday not this Sunday and she was on spring break all the week after, so she hung out at the lake for a few days with her Momma and Daddy.

Or the MOB and the FOB as I like to say.

Monday was nuts. Well actually all of last week was a little bit of crazy fun as hubs left early Monday morning to drive his mama back to Tennessee in order to be back home to SC in time to greet our next set of house guests arriving that evening.

It is never dull here.

I spent the morning washing sheets and cleaning bathrooms and putting Easter away to make room for the next thing and then Daughter2 got up and we had coffee. I was not going to rush through coffee with the bride to be and we didn't. We lingered.

I always have time for wedding talk.

Is this just the cutest mug ever or what? And that bride is pretty adorable too.

Friends we've known a lifetime or at least for what feels like a lifetime arrived late day Monday to spend a couple of days on the lake with us. They live in California now but 27 years ago we birthed baby girls at the very same time and lived in one another's pockets until they moved to Singapore and we moved to Maryland. Then more time passed and they moved back to NJ but we were still in Maryland and then God in His great and infinite wisdom landed us both in the UK at the very same time. Those baby girls we birthed graduated from high school together on the other side of the pond.

Sometimes life is just amazing, isn't it?

Our friends have grown kids now like us, plus an 8-year old who was with them on this particular trip. God bless parents of 8-year olds who are super cute and ask a lot of questions. The two hubs worked together for some thirty years and never run out of things to talk about. These are the sort of friends you just pick up with right where you left off and what a gift that is.

Tuesday was a gorgeous day weather wise so we dropped the boat in the water for her maiden voyage. Such a lovely relaxing day tooling around the lake and soaking up some sun.

Wednesday we decided to explore by land a little and hiked to a nearby waterfall.


The very same waterfall as it happens where the newly engaged became newly engaged.

I hope they come back to this spot often in the years to come.

Afterward we drove into Clemson and  made a pit stop at the baseball stadium and the football stadium and even the indoor practice field which happened to be open. I'd never seen it before so that was fun.

Hubs grilled chicken that evening and we gabbed until the wee hours and then before we knew it they were packing the car to make their way to family in the Charleston area.

I had my Bible Study Thursday afternoon, then hubs and I had a dinner to attend Thursday evening and then Friday we pretty much waved the white flag and didn't do much of anything the remainder of the weekend.

Oh wait...I did pack. Did I mention I'm flying west today because this little cutie needs his Nana?

Or maybe it's that his Nana needs him? Hmmm...let's just say we need each other and call it a happy Monday!

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Here Comes The Bride

Y'all. So much has been happening here I haven't had a minute to sit down and tell you so much has been happening here.

So much has been happening here.

Is it okay to talk about Easter more than a week later? I'm going to say yes because Easter was a big day around here. For starters this happened-

If you've read here for any time at all you've likely seen pics of the boyfriend turned fiance on my blog. They've dated for 'a while', ahem, and on Easter Sunday he officially asked her to be his bride. We love them both so much and are so excited for this next new chapter in their lives.

Let's back up a bit because you know nothing is ever a straight line in our little corner of the world. Hubs drove over to Tennessee the Thursday before to collect his mama and bring her to the lake for Easter weekend. The boyfriend had spoken to hubs a couple weeks prior and mentioned it 'might' happen over the weekend but there was some sort of delay in the hardware department so it might not happen over the weekend.

I of course proceeded as if it were a done deal because how am I supposed to be an over the top excited mother of the bride if I live in a world of maybe? And I knew if it did happen I'd want to have a couple of fun little gifts for my daughter when they came back to the house. Personalized cookies wouldn't be too extravagant would they?

In my defense I told the baker it was all a maybe and she informed me I could freeze the cookies if need be.

Hubs texted the boyfriend Thursday afternoon and he said it was definitely not going to happen Easter weekend because he didn't have the ring back yet. I resisted interrogating him via hubs text messages and instead called Daughter1 and facetimed my grandson because he just makes every little thing in the world alright.

Here he is in the Evergreen State in all his Easter finery-

Have you ever seen a cuter baby boy?

Meanwhile in the Palmetto State...I had my sister and brother-in-law and my niece and her boyfriend, and my brother-in-law's brother and his girlfriend all coming for Easter dinner and I hadn't seen my sister since Christmas so I just made up my mind to celebrate this beautiful Easter day and know the engagement would happen someday sometime but not today.

Easter dawned bright and beautiful and church on Easter Sunday is always one of my favorite things so hubs, his mama, and I all had a nice morning. We came home and put lunch in the oven and then my sister and company arrived around 2 and we were all having a grand time.

Daughter2 had texted earlier saying they were hiking that afternoon but would be to our house sometime late afternoon. She texted again later saying they wouldn't be there now til closer to 5:30 because they were passing a pretty waterfall and decided to check it out.

A few minutes later she Facetimed me and with a great big smile on her face said, 'We're engaged!!' 

My first thought was to say, 'No you're not-the ring's not here', but I managed to catch myself. Pshew! Then I noticed she was wearing a ring, a very pretty ring that looked remarkably like an engagement ring.

Turns out her groom couldn't wait another day or week or minute so he asked and she said yes. We all find it hilarious that he managed to surprise his bride and both families because when two people date for a long time you feel like there's no way an engagement will be a surprise. Yet there we all were with our jaws dropped grinning from ear to ear at the loveliness of the surprise. He gave her a ring that belonged to his aunt and before that his great grandmother to wear as a placeholder until her ring arrives.

Sentimental stories are my favorite kind.

Daughter2 said they'd be to our house in a few minutes so I leapt from the table, ran to my closet to grab the goodies I'd purchased, and quickly set up an impromptu little celebration complete with an Erin Condren planner, bride bag, mug, and COOKIES!

Go big or go home, right?

Here's her grandmother and her aunt waiting not so patiently for the bride to arrive so they could give her a big hug.

I couldn't wait and had to give my hugs and kisses in the driveway.

Hubs popped the bubbly and made a wonderful champagne toast-

 ...and we all said Cheers to a lifetime of happiness for the most adorable couple we know.
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A Note To Hodepodgers

Hello Hodgepoders! There is a little too much going on in real life here at the moment and somethings's gotta give. Sadly today that is going to have to be the Wednesday Hodgepodge. I have so much to blog about and would love to be doing just that, but real life before blog life right? I hope you'll drop back by here later this week for my fun family news and more.

The Hodgepodge will be back in action next week, April 11th. Thank you so much for understanding!