God Bless Audrey

 

The day after Melissa’s Bridal Shower, we headed two hours across the state from the Detroit area to Grand Rapids to celebrate Audrey’s Christening day.  It was a special day for our family to see her baptized into the Catholic church.  Audrey wore the Christening gown made from my Mother in laws wedding dress; the christening gown her mother, auntie and all that generation of cousins wore. Megan chose to make the day small with immediate family only and I think that made it even more special.

After mass and the christening ceremony, we headed to Megan and Adam’s home for a delicious lunch, including a beautiful carrot cake.  It was a calm and relaxing day after the hectic week before and of course our little Audrey was the star.  I know I am biased, but she really is the most happy, content baby and will play, talk and smile all the time.  She also was happily passed around and held by both sets of grandparents, her great grandmother and godparents - her auntie and uncles.

My husband flew back to Florida, but I stayed for a few days for more Audrey time (and Megan too).  It was just what I needed and there were many cuddles, quiet playtime, plus a trip to the zoo.  What Nanna dreams are made of.

Happy Saturday!

Life Lately

 

It is a few days past Easter and April is already whizzing along for me with a lot on my calendar.  Melissa’s bridal shower is fast approaching and I am hoping for a flurry of rsvp’s to come in this week, so I don’t have to follow up with people.  I am working on menu cards and some table top signs and still need to place a flower order at Trader Joe’s.  Otherwise all is well with that.  3 months until the wedding!

I didn’t take any photos on Easter, but do have a few fun shots of our Good Friday.  As is our tradition, we went to Stations of the Cross and then did a mini bar crawl in the afternoon.  This tradition dates back to our parish friends in Michigan and we see no reason to not continue in Florida.  There was one big change and it was very Florida centric. Instead of stations of the cross in church, there was a procession through downtown Venice.  This was the first year for this and it was really quite special with several hundred participants on a beautiful day under a bright blue Florida sky.

Happy April!

Easter Weekend Florida Style

 

We were blessed to be able to spend our Easter weekend with both friends and family and in both instances, found a feeling of normalcy and hope. Like so many, last Easter was spent at home, just the two of us.  We missed our Good Friday tradition of Stations of the Cross, followed by a bit of bar hopping with friends.  A tradition that began in Michigan and has since been carried on in Florida.  And, the Easter season is a prime time for family visitors here in Florida, but that was not happening last year as well.

This year, with the vaccine in all our arms, we were able to celebrate together, give hugs and generally pick up on life as we knew it before the word lockdown came into our vocabulary.  Spring and the Easter season always feel hopeful, but this year, the smiles on our faces seem just a bit brighter.

I hope you felt the same.

Life Thoughts

Sometimes life comes at you hard.  And there are two ways to react to a sudden loss.  You might question your faith and rail against the unfairness of it all.  Or, you might choose to appreciate the good that you have and continue to rely on your faith for strength and comfort. 

My group of Michigan friends lost a great guy suddenly last week.  These are my people; the ones we have history with, the ones who know my daughters and my daughters consider them family.  My friend, the wife of the great guy, is understandably sad and broken, but we will all lift her and her four young adult children up the best we can.  It’s one of those situations where there are really no words, but just your presence can make a small difference.

I flew to Michigan for the funeral and am so glad I did.  It reminded me that there was a reason all those years ago, that we became friends and navigated the child raising years together in our close knit parish.  We will need each other even more as life’s most difficult moments come.  But, we will also find a way to celebrate the happy moments as well; weddings, grandchildren and retirements.  

I plan to get my friend to Florida as soon as she is ready.  She can sit with her face to the sun or experience the beauty of a sunset and maybe heal just a little bit.  And we will keep the faith.

Thoughts and Questions

Doesn’t it seem like things changed in an instant?   A random virus none of us really worried about as it began to close things in Europe, suddenly changed life in our country, our states and our hometowns in a matter of days.  What I find the most unsettling, is that every morning here in Florida, I wake up, the sun is shining, my street looks exactly the same, yet everything is different.

After the initial panic buying, the stores are restocking, so I’m not worried about food.  The restaurants still have takeout too.  It’s the uncertainty and the unknown end to all of this that is the most frustrating and frankly, scary. How do we make any kind of plans, beyond the day to day?   I have a lovely home, with a pool and beautiful outdoor space, so I am luckier then many, but how long is staying in your house, without social interaction, a viable option to our mental health?

I do go out and walk my neighborhood, the beach and other walking paths around my city. My husband and I may take our bikes to ride a bike trail tomorrow. But, because I am diabetic, I am being extra careful to stay a distance from other people.  It's funny, but also not, the side eye everyone is giving each other in passing.  Will we get back to the point of natural interaction, including hugs and handshakes?

So many questions, so much unknown still.  As my late father in law used to say, “Keep the Faith”.

Sometimes that is all you can do.

Keep safe everybody!

Good Friday Florida Style

The texts and photos were flying fast and furious on Good Friday, between our friends in Michigan and our group here in Florida.  For close to ten years we have all observed Good Friday as only Catholics would,  with food, faith and a bit of bar hopping.  Now that a few of us live in Florida, we have kept the tradition; just put a Florida spin on it.  Instead of a fish fry, we were eating fish tacos.  Instead of a Good Friday vigil, we attended Stations of the Cross.  And, instead of starting with Bloody Marys and pitchers of beer, we enjoyed a few Margaritas and Frozen Daquaris.

We intended to bar hop a bit more around Siesta Key Village, but a tropical storm blew through and luckily we had an inside table and just ordered another drink to wait things out.  We miss our big group of friends and loved seeing what they were up to via text, but are also happy to start new traditions.  (To see our Good Fridays through the years, just click on the faith label below)

Happy Thursday!

Revisiting 40 Bags in 40 Days

It all began several years ago when I lived in Michigan in a big house with too much stuff accumulated over the years.  Too much that I was saving just because I had the space and also for sentimental reasons.  It was weighing me down, because I knew that a down size was happening in the near future.  I remember being so moved by what my priest said at mass on one Ash Wednesday about how Lent should be looked at as an opportunity to take something on rather than give something up.  So, I started practicing that idea and taking on the 40 Bags in 40 Days challenge.  Each year during the 40 days of Lent, I filled 40 bags (or boxes) with all kinds of stuff to either donate, sell or trash.  And, each year my mind became a little clearer on what is really important.  It all culminated in the year we sold our home and moved to Florida and the process was one of the best things I have ever done.  I will link previous blog posts if you want more details of how I did it.

Now, as Lent begins,  I have very little to get rid of and am extremely careful in what I bring into my new home.  If something new comes in, instead of sticking the old item somewhere "just in case", I let it go.  Living simply and without clutter gives you room to breathe and live for the present and future.  I'm looking for something new to take on this Lenten season that will give me the same feeling of satisfaction. I think some volunteering is in order soon as a repayment to this new city that has given us so much happiness.

Have a wonderful weekend and Go Green on Saturday night!  Beat Michigan!

40 Bags in 40 Days 2013
40 Bags in 40 Days 2014
40 Bags in 40 Days 2015
40 Bags in 40 Days 2016

40 Days

 

 

Pinterest

 

For the past few years, I have tried to take something on during lent rather than give something up. The thing that really spoke to me, especially at the stage of life that I was in, was the 40 Bags in 40 Days challenge. The premise of this challenge is to use the 40 days of the Lenten season and let go of things that you no longer need and do not serve you. To clear your home of clutter and open your mind to new things, including the peace of the Holy Spirit.

I wrote about my process here and here and here and while I no longer need to do this, since my downsizing is complete, I am here to be your cheerleader and let you know how amazing this challenge can be. We all have too much stuff and it's incredibly easy to accumulate things over the years. When we get ready to downsize, it can be overwhelming. Use this challenge to make it less so. One bag a day, whether it be for donation, the trash bin or resale, can add up nicely over the 40 days. As you are filling a bag, let yourself feel the weight being lifted and the opportunity for new beginnings.

We made our move 8 months ago and besides the sunshine and beach living, downsizing and having very little in storage has been my favorite thing about the move. I kept what I love, use and had room for and continue to be very judicious about what I bring in.

It's not easy, but it can give you the greatest feeling, once complete. The 40 Bags in 40 Days challenge is a great way to start.

Happy Thursday!

 

Good Friday Tradition

 

 

 

 

 

It's going on ten years now that we have celebrated Good Friday together as a group and it is a day I look forward to all year. We mix together faith and fun as only Catholics can do and we come away stronger with a true sense of community.

At the Polish Yacht Club in Detroit, we sit at the same long table every year, surrounded by others who have the same tradition. We partake in the worst Bloody Mary's imaginable, trying to improve them with a lot of salt and pepper, but laughing at how bad they are is also a tradition. There are platters of perch, potato pancakes and pierogis, as well as a basket of Easter colored Jell-O shots passed around for dessert.

Over the years we have gone to other churches for the last hour of the Good Friday vigil, but the last few years we have gravitated to the beautiful Gesu, right in the heart of the vibrant University of Detroit - Mercy neighborhood. The service is moving and the music is wonderful and you leave with a sense of peace.

This year after church, we headed to the historic Dakota Inn for German beer and snacks. A few of us even stopped at another bar on the way back home to the suburbs, meeting one of our friends who was unable to miss work that day. The sun was shining, a beautiful Easter weekend beckoned and we were with good friends - why not extend the day?

Of the many things I will miss when we move, this lovely day of faith, friendship and tradition will be high on the list.

Happy Tuesday.

 

Mass Mob January

 

 

 

 

 

After taking a break for the holiday season, our Mass Mob group was back at it this past Sunday. If you are not familiar with my past posts about this, there are a group of us from our parish that attend mass together once a month at a different Catholic Church around the metro Detroit area. One person is in charge each month and picks both the church and a location for brunch after mass.

This month we worshiped at the beautiful St. Alphonsus in Dearborn and then went to the lovely and historical Dearborn Inn for a delicious brunch buffet. The Dearborn Inn was built by Henry Ford on the grounds of Ford Motor Company and is steeped in early twentieth history, like so much of Dearborn. It was a quiet and peaceful place to spend a Sunday afternoon.

Our group was a little smaller this time, but we were able to talk to the whole table, so that was a bonus. There were a few others at mass, but they were unable to join us for brunch. We keep things rather informal and all are welcome to come whenever they can make it. It's fellowship and friendship like this that will get us all through these times when the world seems to have gone a little crazy.

Happy Tuesday!

 

Friends and Family

 

 

 

 

Our Easter weekend was filled with a lot of love and tradition. We started out the weekend with an old fashioned polish fish fry (perch) and pierogis at the quaint Polish Yacht Club right in the heart of Detroit. We then attended a Good Friday Vigil at a lovely downtown church, followed by a fun time at another local bar. Our friends are so much fun and we love this yearly tradition, chock full of faith and fellowship.

 

 

 

 

 

My daughters and their boyfriends spent the weekend at our house and it was full of noise and laughter just like I love. On Easter morning, after Mass, we headed to our club for a delicious brunch. We had mimosas, wonderful food and amazing desserts. But of course, being together was the highlight of the day.

Happy Monday!

 

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40 Bags in 40 Days {Update}

 

 

I am proud to say that I have emptied fifteen bins of items that I will either be donating or selling at a garage sale in May. It has been an emotional process, but I feel lighter and seeing my storage area in my basement with so much more room, makes me happy. I tried to go through at least one bin each day during Lent and I did accomplish that; sometimes even more. It was emotional at times, as I found memorabilia from my daughter's school years. There was a bin full of gymnastics medals from both of their years of gymnastics meets (twelve years worth) and while hard to part with, it was time.

 

 

I saved primarily holiday decor, but may need to pare that even further, at some point. I have only one bin of miscellaneous decor and feel good about that too. I did save the two American Girl dolls and their many, many clothes, but picture a granddaughter having so much fun with them someday. The American Girl sized furniture will go, but that was hard too. I couldn't help but look back and see my girls lovingly putting their dolls to bed every night.

Another thing I had an emotional connection with were the tea party sets my girls and I had so much fun with over the years. On rainy days we would have tea parties on a big blanket spread out on the floor. We would fill the tea set pitcher with pink lemonade, cut peanut butter sandwiches into heart shapes and serve strawberries on a pretty platter. The girls had three different tea sets and I forced myself to keep only one.

So many memories in those bins and boxes.

 

40 Bags in 40 Days 2016

 

{Linking with these friends}

 

Savvy Southern Style

Between Naps on the Porch

21 Rosemary Lane

Stonegable

 

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40 Bags in 40 Days {2016}

 

 

Pinterest

 

Today is Ash Wednesday and when I go to mass tonight, it will be a time of reflection, a chance for quiet and an hours peace. As I have for the past few years, I will be taking on a Lenten challenge, rather than giving something up. I will be doing the 40 Bags in 40 Days challenge once again and it is especially timely this year.

 

Pinterest

 

Life has been moving pretty fast lately and throwing more than a few curveballs my way. I think this project will be a much needed activity to move me toward many goals that are coming to fruition. Doing a little each day and seeing the process in tangible ways will be a positive step and a clear sign that I am ready for whatever life brings in the future.

 

Pinterest

 

So, there will be boxes to go through containing things I haven't touched in years. Some of these boxes have moved with us around the country and it's clearly time to let them go. My mantra will be when I move again, is this something I want to take with me? Most likely, for most things, the answer will be no. And, in the process, I may learn a thing or two about myself.

Happy Wednesday!

 

{Linking with these friends}

French Country Cottage

A Stroll Thru Life

Savvy Southern Style

The Charm of Home

Art and Sand

Between Naps on the Porch

Cozy Little House

Eclectic Red Barn

Skip To My Lou

Rooted in Thyme

DIY by Design

21 Rosemary Lane

New House New Home

Stonegable

Rattlebridge Farm

 

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40 Bags in 40 Days {update}

 

 

 

When I started my 40 Bags in 40 Days Lenten challenge this year, I knew that reaching the goal would be difficult. Because this was my third year in a row, my things to give away were few. My closets were organized, as well as the drawers in all the extra dressers. I had found a couple areas (under bed storage) that I wanted to concentrate on and am happy to say those goals were accomplished. But, in the midst of this challenge, where I hoped to go a little deeper, I found something out.

I'm not quite ready to let things go. I know intellectually that our time in this house is getting short and there are many things that need to go. But, it's my heart that is the problem. I discovered this when I tried to donate the Christmas tree that I put up in the basement every year. I thought I was to the point where I could let it go, since in was the one with the homemade ornaments and all the Disney princesses - everything collected over the years of my daughter's childhood. When it came down to giving all this away, I just wasn't ready. Change for me is a process; something I need to think about over time. There are many things I will need to let go of in the coming years and if I am allowed to take my time, by this time next year, I know I will be ready.

Happy Thursday!

 

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Polish Yacht Club

 

 

 

It's a Good Friday tradition and this year was no exception. We headed to Detroit, straight to the inner city, for our traditional fish fry lunch at the Polish Yacht Club. How to describe a yacht club, with no yachts in sight, but a rich history going back many years? It is kitschy and as unique as you will find, but filled with tables of friends, all who return year after year.

 

 

We enjoy our platters of fried perch, served family style, along with bloody mary's and the manager strolling around with a big basket of brightly colored jello shots.

 

 

As always, after lunch, we head to a beautiful inner city church for the Good Friday vigil. We fill two pews and celebrate our faith together, on this most holy day.

 

 

After mass, we move on to another location to conclude our day of friends, faith and a tradition now five years strong.

Happy Monday!

 

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Mass Mob {February}

 

 

 

The day we decided to join our parish, I didn't realize how much that community of people would mean to us, twenty five years after the fact. But, now I do. As we sat in the pew at church waiting for more and more friends to arrive for our February Mass Mob, I was struck with the thought that we were lucky to be part of such a group. So many old friends, willing to do this thing that was started with a simple group email and join together for worship.

 

 

Each month, we add to our group as we travel to each new church. This month we were joined by a couple that had recently moved back from Philadelphia. They had been gone for nine years, but fit back in like the nine years had been the blink of an eye. We were also joined by our former parish priest, since it was his new church we attended. He was happy to see our group and many old memories and catching up with families was part of the conversation. He started at our parish and school the year my oldest daughter started first grade and was there through all those important school years; even coming to her high school to do the baccalaureate mass. So many wonderful memories.

 

 

After mass, brunch was a wonderful treat and as you can see from the photo, our table was a long one. The restaurant prepared a set menu, complete with our group's name printed at the top. Bloody Mary's were served to start and the food was delicious. But, it was the conversation between old friends that have been through the ups and downs of life, that made the day special.

Happy Monday!

 

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40 Bags in 40 Days {2015}

 

 

source

 

As I reflect on the start of the Lenten season, as well as the start of my 40 Bags in 40 Days challenge, I know once again, this is the right thing for me to take on. As my priest said last year, instead of giving something up, take something on; something that can be a reflection of your faith.

This act of decluttering is good for the soul. It creates space in your home, but it also creates space in your mind. Space to think about what's important. Space for reflection. Space that helps you breath.

I will use these 40 days of Lent to perform this physical act, but it will be a spiritual act as well. I will give up those things that weigh me down, but might also help others. This is my third year doing the 40 bags in 40 Days challenge and I have learned a lot. This year I will be delving even deeper, to find those items I no longer need. Those items I may have been saving for a rainy day, but can help others more.

Some do this challenge by filling one bag each day. I do things a little different. I find an area, such as a closet or room that needs my attention and fill as many bags as I can; both trash and donation. Slowly, but surely, over the 40 days, the number of bags add up. The clutter may not be obvious, but I know it's there. And, the act of taking those bags out of your home is powerful. I can't wait to get started.

Happy Thursday!

 

Linking With Between Naps on the Porch and Savvy Southern Style

 

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