Picnic Party

Good Wednesday morning!

The Gallery Pics are from TWO events yesterday. Josh received the Academic Achievers Award (Top Twenty), and we went to a very nice luncheon with him (chicken, green beans, mashed potatoes, rolls, salad and WONDERFUL pies). And last night, we attended Roxie's Basketball Banquet (Full Moon Barbecue). Mikie and I enjoyed both very, very much. Great memories, AND I didn't have to cook.

And tonight is Pizza Wednesday, so I'm not cookin' tonight either! Don't worry. I'm only taking a little culinary break. I'm doing the Taco Salad thing for Thursday night. (I put it in writing, so now I'm obligated!)

RANDOMNESS #1 - Fun fact for you... Josh has a new job. He will be working at the Chick in Trussville beginning TONIGHT. That's three out of our six... all working at Chick-Fil-A restaurants (Austin, Brad AND Josh). I'm thinking it is now a tradition and Katie, Roxie and Zac will need to work at a Chick, too.

We'll see. We'll see.

RANDOMNESS #2 - Our Mother's Day sermon this past Sunday was on the subject of "Stress." How perfect was that!

I've thought a great deal about stress the last few years, and while I know everyone reacts differently to stress, I have been able to put mine neatly in a timeline. In decades, no less!

21 to 30 - I thought I had stress (finishing school, moving into an apartment, joining a new church, dating, blind dating, working, deadlines, getting engaged, getting married), but I was wrong! That was fun stuff. Really, really fun stuff. And while there was stress going on, it was exciting, adrenaline-rushing stress. (Yes. In my 20s, I had adrenaline!)

31 to 40 - I thought I had stress (giving birth to three babies, raising three babies, preschool parties, birthday parties, play dates, stomach viruses, camping, cooking, cleaning, laundry, LAUNDRY, LAUNDRY), but I was wrong! That was wonderful stuff. Really, really wonderful stuff. And while there was stress going on, it was funny, ever-changing, sweet memory-makin' stress. (Just so you know, I could definitely tell my adrenaline level was getting lower and lower during that decade.)

40 to 49 - I thought I had stress (family illnesses, loss, children becoming teenagers, teenagers leaving home and becoming semi-adults, gravity, GRAVITY, GRAVITY), and this time I WAS RIGHT! I had STRESS! Big time! (And if you are in your 20s and 30s reading A Simple Life right now, let me just tell you... in your 40s there is NO adrenaline left!)

But I didn't have more stress than others around me. In fact, I could usually find someone who was much more stressed than I was at any particular time.

Stress is a fact of life, and quite frankly, I do not care for the "40 to 49" decade of stress. I do not care for it at all! But it's up to me to handle it the right way. I can worry about it, wrestle with it, cry, lose sleep... and wake up with it bright and early the next morning... OR I can follow God's plan for handling stress.

"Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety upon Him, because He cares for you." 1 Peter 5:6-7

"Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful." John 14:27

"These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world." John 16:33

See? God has given us the key to stress-free living. Am I good at this? NO. I am not. But it's a moment-by-moment, day-by-day thing for me... and I hope from 50 to 60 I get much, much better dealing with stress.

We'll see. We'll see.

Wednesday Wisdom - I know it isn't Summer yet. It is still Spring... technically. But if you have gone outside the last few days, it definitely feels like Summer. And if you talk to your kids, Summer cannot get here fast enough for them... or me either! Here are some perfect (to me) Summer quotes to get everyone in the mood!

"Beach sand, perfect tans. Day walks, night talks. Sleepless nights, pillow fights, and spending every day with those who matter most.”

“Here’s to the nights where the sand is your seat, the waves kiss your feet, and your friends outnumber the stars."

"A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing, and the lawn mower is broken.” (This is Josh's quote for the summer.)

"The tans will fade, but the memories will last forever.” (And this one is Roxie's!)

Picnic Party

It's that time of year. The END OF SCHOOL! I always have a little End of School fling of some kind, and this year, I was thinking, "Maybe an old-fashioned picnic? Hmmm."

Of course, with teenage girls, there will need to be something else (picture-taking, shopping, tanning or movies), but for the "meal" part of the event, a picnic sounds pretty good, doesn't it?

Below you will find a checklist from Real Simple Magazine of all the things you need for the perfect picnic. For our little gathering, I'm thinking three or four blankets/quilts to give us plenty of room, fried chicken fingers and all the fixins' and I'm looking for a location near water under a big, shady tree. (It's been awhile, but Mikie and I used to have lovely picnics at Star Lake in Hoover. We could even feed the ducks!)

The key is keeping it simple, delicious AND fun.

1. Casual foods, preferably sandwiches or other things you can eat without utensils. Avoid foods with mayonnaise. Pack everything in lightweight, resealable containers.

2. Ice pack or bags of ice. Food can spoil and harbor bacteria when not stored at the right temperature. Keep everything cold with refreezable ice packs or fill a couple of resealable bags with ice cubes. They’ll chill food as it’s transported. Add the ice cubes to your drinks during the picnic.

3. Drinks. Bring an assortment of beverages, such as bottled water and sodas.

4. Condiments. Some ketchups and mustards come in mini jars that are small enough to throw in your tote. (Keep the jars to refill at home for your next picnic.)

5. Salt and pepper. Allow everyone to season their food to their liking on the spot.

6. Cups and plates.

7. Utensils, if needed. Opt for reusable utensils.

8. Serving utensils, if needed. If you’re serving salads, you may need tongs or serving spoons.

9. Cutting knife. Look for one with a cover for safe transporting. Or wrap the blade in a kitchen towel.

10. Small cutting board. It’s always handy to have a firm surface for slicing meat, cheese, and bread.

11. Napkins.

12. Trash bags. Don’t leave a mess behind. Dispose of everything you bring to the picnic site.

13. Moist towelettes. When you don’t have access to running water, these make it easy to wash up after eating.

14. Paper towels. Keep a roll on hand for mopping up spills and wiping bowls, containers, plates and utensils before you pack them back up.

15. Blanket(s). It should be large enough to comfortably hold all your picnic-goers and food. A light one that folds small is a bonus.

16. Tote, backpack, or picnic basket. Stow everything in a lightweight, roomy carrier.

Have a lovely Wednesday. I have a little Blog Linkage to share Thursday, as well as a nice little date. I guess I will also have more Randomness AND pics, too. I like things to stay the same (day after day after day), and for some reason I assume you like it that way, too.

Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.

Sincerely,

The Enchanting Belinda