Friday Fun Day

It’s hard to believe that this time next week, I’ll be writing the first Friday Fun Day of 2020.

Time to assess, evaluate, process and plan.

What have you done in 2019 that has been fun?

What is one thing you wish you could go back and change?

What is one thing you are thankful for?

What is one improvement you’d like to make in 2020?

Your lists may be long, or they may be short, but it’s good to look at your year and take account of the good, the bad and the ugly. It doesn’t mean you can go back and change it.

However, if we keep doing the things we’ve always done, expecting a different results, we are not wise. I believe Albert Einstein actually said it amounts to INSANITY.

If we expect to see change, we must like a flower bush be pruned, watered and fertilized, and in the spring, growth will appear as a tiny bud. It may seem tiny, but over time, the beautiful fragrance will convince you of the change.

Happy Friday Fun Day! Go have some fun!

Let 2019 go out with a bang and welcome 2020 like a beautiful, sweet fragranced rain.

Merry belated Christmas! (and Whimsical Wednesday)

I didn’t post yesterday; even though, it was Christmas AND Whimsical Wednesday. I do hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and a very whimsical day!

Overall, it has been a beautiful Christmas season here, as well as, a miserable one for my sweetie. Having the flu on Christmas is absolutely no fun. It was nice to be with his family, and I’m so thankful they treat me as one of their own, but I sure did miss him during all the festivities.

Praying you and yours made lots of happy memories and everyone stayed and stays well! 😉💗🎄

Tuesday’s Treats #194

The Grizzle Grist

Location: North Georgia

I know I’m a bit late on posting today, and this is usually my day to review a restaurant, but since it’s Christmas Eve, and I have a short moment here between a family lunch and our evening festivity’s, I thought I’d share a little recipe with you that a family tradition. 😊🎄

I love to bake, and I especially love to bake around the holidays. So often, the calendar is too full to do all the baking I’d like to accomplish, but I always try to get in, at least, a little. There’s one item that is almost always on the list of things I am to bring to a family function. These are called marble-top brownies, but I’m not sure you’ll find this particular recipe anywhere, as I made my own version about 20years ago, and they’ve been a family tradition ever since.

Now, I believe in EASY; so, get ready for a bit of “straight-out-of-the box” instructions, and please, don’t snub your nose if you’re more of a “straight-from-scratch” kind of gal. I’m sure you can modify this to your own desires and likings. 😉

Marble-top Brownie’s (Momma Mia Style)

1 box favorite Brownies Mic (I like Betty C’s)

Ingredients to make the brownies (this will vary – typically egg(s), oil and water)

1 pkg Cream Cheese

1/2 c. Sugar

1/2 tsp. Vanilla

1 egg

Bag of Coconut Flakes

Bag of Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels

Preheat oven to 350. Spray the bottom of a 9×13 baking pan with cooking spray. In medium bowl, mix brownie ingredients as directed into he back of the box. Once mixed well, pour batter in bottom of pan. In medium bowl, mix cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until well blended. Add egg and mix just until blended (don’t over mix). Pour over brownie mix and spread till all brownie mix is covered. Take knife and “cut” batter and turn to make swirls of brownie and cream cheese mix. It will have a marble effect. (*Note, don’t make it “dirty;” in other words, don’t over marbleize, or the cream cheese will be more brownie mix than creamy.) Sprinkle coconut over mix, followed by chocolate chips. Bake for 28 mins or until cream cheese is almost set and edges are slightly golden.

*Once out of oven, use a plastic knife to cut into brownies. This makes cutting so much easier and less messy.

Hope you enjoy these! Merry Christmas!🎄

*Sorry for the Saran wrap pic below. They’re already readied for Christmas lunch tomorrow! 😉

Friday Fun Day

Get out and enjoy a Friday Fun Day today.

If you’re cooped up at work, then, plan for tomorrow.

But get out and do something different.

Change the atmosphere. Change the routine.

Get out and remember why you’re alive.

You have a purpose. You have a significance.

Remember what, why and who.

Move beyond the mundane and into the extraordinary.

You can do this! Now, go have some fun! 🎉

Whimsical Wednesday

Sometimes, you must make your own whimsical moment.

Like stepping on (packing) bubbles and becoming a child again.

Like doing a jig on those bubbles as if you’re Mr. Magorium from Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium.

Like stepping out in the rain and not running from the pain.

Like doing a dance right in the middle of the waterspout just to say you did.

Yeah, sometimes, you just have to make your own whimsical moments.

Tuesday’s Treats #193

La Trattoria

Location: Carrollton, Ga

*I will begin by giving my apologies for the pic. It’s not the best in presentation, but it’s all I’ve got, because we gobbled down that pizza so fast, and the place was pretty busy; so, I didn’t get a good shot. Maybe this will give you an indication of the yummy topping you can get. 😋

This place was great. Nice atmosphere, pleasant wait staff, and delicious pizza. We had salad and pizza, but they have many more items on the menu.

You’ll not regret a nice lunch here,l but be sure to arrive a little early. It was pretty busy when we arrived and never stopped with customers coming and going. It’s not a huge restaurant, but what they have they do well.

Website

Sometimes, You Can See It

As a parent of two older teen sons, there are often times, I wonder if we’ve raised them right.

When their attitudes are stinky, and their relationships are floundering. When they’d rather threaten to “punch you in the face” to show brotherly love than express a kind word. When they’d rather goof off and smart off than do what they’re told and help out around the house.

As a parent, you work real hard to train up your children in the way they should go. You work real hard, constantly hoping your words are matching your own deeds, and somehow, that example is being seen by the tiny feet (now big feet) that follow.

As a parent, you spend long hours teaching the hard lessons, conveying life truths and praying, “Dear Lord, help this child to hear and understand what I’m trying to tell him.”

As a parent, you’re continually pleading with God to protect, guide and help, give grace, and most importantly, to love and help them to realize just how much.

And you wonder…

Are they getting it?

Will they hear it?

Much more, will they believe, receive and repeat it?

Then, in one brief moment, one twinkling of an eye, you get a glimpse…

You and your sons are sitting in a restaurant, awaiting your food, and an elderly couple pulls up in the rain. The husband is bent over in stature, trying desperately to help his wife, who is just as feeble, to get to the door and out of the downpour.

All of this has been in your peripheral vision, not completely cognizant of the events, until at the same split second, you hear your 18 year old’s chair loudly scrape the floor, and by the time you turn to see him, he’s already at the door.

He proceeds to hold the door, take the lady’s hand from her husband (so he can go park the car that’s been running on the curb) and he proceeds to walk the little lady to her table and make sure she’s alright.

Wow. He’s gonna be okay. Not just ok, he’s already become an amazing young man, and I just got to see the proof of it.

This momma’s heart is full. ❤️

Friday Fun Day

Sometimes, you have to choose to dance in the rain.

Life isn’t going to always be what you want.

Circumstances aren’t always going to be what you like.

These things may laugh and mock at you while you faulted and flop.

What you choose in that moment will often determine your destiny.

Choose life. Choose joy. Choose peace.

Choose love over hate.

Choose truth over lies.

Choose a smile. Choose fun.

These things might not change your event, but they will change your perspective.

They will change your heart.

They will change your mind and your eyes.

Fund Days are happenstance.

Sometimes, you stand to make it happen.

Whimsical Wednesday

Oh, the deadlines, test dates, pictures, invitations, test scores, applications, conversations and far away visits that happen in the last lap.

The tears flow unexpectedly and without warning. The memories flood in like a cold, hard rain, and the expectations burst forth like a bright ray of sunshine.

There’s apprehension, excitement, fears, doubts and joys to be had.

Your heart desires to hold on tightly, clinging to all that has been, not wanting to extricate or even peek ahead.

Yet, your head knows the day comes and waits for no man, understanding this is all you’ve worked toward since the day your eyes first met.

Your hands acknowledge the time is beckoning him to fly, and there will be no flight if they don’t release their grasp.

Your soul understands if there is no surrender, his wings will be clipped, and the sorrow will be grave for all involved.

Your feet can feel the earth begin to tremble; you question is that the ground or the foundation of your dreams.

For they’re no longer your hopes, your visions, your aspirations; they must become his as he pursues the calling within.

The smiles savored and the grief in farewell is intermingled with the confidence and exhilaration of the promises yet to come.

As you cheer him on for this last lap that will count for a lifetime of yesterdays and tomorrows.

Penned – MG – 12/10/19

Tuesday Treats #192

Sushi Nami

Location: Suwanee, Ga

*a bit late, but better late than never, I suppose! 😊

Ok, let’s preface this post by stating, I am NOT a sushi lover. I’m sorry. I know it’s very trendy right now, and I know a ton of people who love it. This includes my oldest son. If you won’t judge me, I won’t judge you. 😂

My son asked me to meet him here one day, and I agreed. It doesn’t matter if I don’t eat sushi, time spent with your oldest who will be gone next year is both crucial and priceless. Now, that I’ve eaten here, I would eat here again. It was that good…but not because I got sushi.

Let me tell you about the atmosphere first. I can sum it up in two words: Modern Minimalist. It is totally different than many restaurants I frequent, and I liked it. What you see in the pics is exactly what you get. Very simple but nice. The waitress and hostess were both very nice as well.

The menu is pretty extensive on sushi, but they also have a nice array of “I don’t like raw stuff” items. The prices are a bit high on some things, particularly for mid afternoon (not dinner), but it was about what you’d pay at a Hibachi.

Please, excuse the “corner shot” of the sushi and rice pics. My sons had already dove in before I clicked the pic, and when it comes to food, there’s no slowing down a teenage man-child. My oldest ordered the Fire Dragon Roll with a side fried rice bowl. Six came on the plate, and he said it was good, but he wasn’t incredibly thrilled with the spicy tuna on top. He prefers the volcano roll and said he would get that the next time.

My youngest ordered the beef fried rice, and it was amazing. We all took a few bites. I’m not sure how to describe this other than to say this, it had a very clean taste; even though, the flavor was full and wonderfully tasty, it wasn’t like you specifically tasted (individually) the teriyaki, soy sauce or butter that it was cooked in nor did you taste the grease that you typically will taste at a Hibachi. I do believe that is what made the dish so amazing.

I ordered the butternut squash soup and a hot tea. To be honest, I wasn’t real crazy about the tea. It was great tea, which I generally like, but this was so incredibly stout, I added two packs of sugar and even a smidgen of artificial flavor, and it was still overpowering. I’ve not drank matcha green tea, but it almost made me think it might be that. I didn’t complain as I wanted something warm, and I kept trying to convince myself it would grow on me. Sadly, it didn’t. The soup, on the other hand, was absolutely delicious. I was a bit taken aback by the “foam” (see pic) that was in the center when they first presented it. I’m still not sure what it was, and I didn’t eat it, but the soup, with the topping of pumpkin, sunflower and a few others seeds I didn’t know, was incredible. I had gone into the restaurant a bit full from already eating earlier, but I consumed this whole bowl by myself! It was that good.

I will say, this day became a bit aggravating on the wait time. We arrived around 1:30, and we not served our food until about 2:00… and this wasn’t because we waited to order…and they weren’t slammed with customers. There were only two other tables the whole time. Looking at the hours now, I tend to wonder if they are at the end of the lunch portion of their day (the last Hour??), and maybe there was a shift in chefs or something. I’m not sure, but had it taken a bit longer, it would have been beyond ridiculous…not quite a deal breaker on the first run, I suppose, but it could be if it were to happen again.

However, I will definitely meet my son here again, both for the delicious food and for the precious quality time!

I couldn’t Google an actual website, but I am including the Google page for location and phone number. Evidently, there are various locations, and I think this one is rather new.

After searching a bit more, I found this news article that will give you quite a bit more information about this particular location.