Friday Faves!

Here's my Five Favorite things from this last week although really I always have more than 5!
Here are some special favorites!

And THANK YOU to Susanne for hosting this each week! we love you!!

Red Raspberry Jam!

Various jams and jellies are made at St. Joseph's Abbey which is located in Worcester County, MA which is only about 45 minutes from Albany, NY the area I live in. I LOVE this jam and was thrilled to discover that my local grocery store carries it! It is jam made by monks.....and it is delicious. You can even order it online for all of you who don't live in MA or NYS. I have been enjoying it on a toasted bagel or my multi-grain bread for my breakfasts all week......try some...you will love it! (their jams and jellies come in all kinds of fruit/flavors).

"Classic Courtney"

I thought this look was priceless. This is the office area of our 3/4 finished basement. And before anyone asks, YES, computer geeks and their families are the last people to have the latest monitors...which is why you don't see the new flat-screen ones on either computer. The computer Courtney is using is actually 2 different computers....we just need to flip a switch. The other computer is our "old" one used mainly for games or downloading pics from the cameras. Anyways...the reason this pic makes my fave five list is because if you notice in the left hand bottom corner a pile of laundry atop the dryer. My laundry area is right next to the office area...isn't that convenient??! I had just reminded her to take her laundry up when she gets off Facebook to take her shower. (she is allowed the computer for one hour after HW and dinner). She had just sighed and given me that look.....I was SO glad I had my camera in hand!! It really is Courtney's classic look she gives her dad and I. (she will do her laundry, too...she just likes to let me know she does NOT like to be interuppted...oh well....moms do that well, don't we??)

Trendy Waterbottles!

Got these 3 water bottles at Old Navy while shopping for (just) flip flops. The girls and I ended up with several awesome sale items! Since we are hikers, kayakers and and beach bums, we need water bottles. Since learning that the plastic ones are no good for us, health-wise, we decided to get new ones this year. These are much less expensive than the LLBean ones I saw online....at only $7.00 a bottle, I bought one for Dave (red), Courtney (white) & Claire (blue). I had already purchased one for my self from Avon. These aluminum bottles really keep the water cold, too for much longer than plastic! A definite fave for the last week!

"FLOPSY"

This bunny, whom my teenager has named Flopsy (Claire wanted to name it Cottontail but she was in the shower when I was writing this post so she doesn't get to name it!) has been living under our deck most of the winter. Now that it is spring, she is enjoying some backyard clover. We don't seem to have much this year thus far (thanks to my hubby's diligence in fertilizing the grass and putting down weed killer!) but apparently Flopsy is finding something good to eat....she is out here each evening. It is about 7:30 pm in this picture.......I was enjoying a quiet early evening on the deck waiting for Claire to get in the shower so thought I'd snap a pic of our backyard bunny.....then again, it could be a male....we can't get close enough to check :)

Backyard Wildflowers.

This picture doesn't really show the true orange color of these wildflowers.
If you were standing in my backyard, you would get a true look at a very vibrant orange. I have no idea what the flower name of these are. They are part of a mix of wildflowers that Claire and I planted last spring. Since they are wildflowers, they come back every year. These are the first to bloom. Don't they look pretty against my neighbor's fence?

That's it for me this week! It has been a busy one....2 ballet classes and 1 ballet show rehearsal. Ordering a class ring for my teenager! That was so much fun! I can't wait to tell you all about that! Attending my 4th grader's Science and Technology nite preceded by an ice cream social at her school. She did a great job on her electric circuit board and I did horribly at answering the questions! (but hey..it's been many, many years since I had to study the water cycle!). This weekend, of course, is Memorial Day weekend which means we have no school or work on Monday! It is the official start to summer weekends! We have plans to paint the trim on the house, garage and shed on Saturday. Sunday will be church and relaxing at home. Monday will be a hike with Courtney's friend Karissa (from school) and with a friend (Matt) from church. We are planning on doing the part of the Appalachian Trail that runs through October Mountain State Forest on Becket Mountain in the Berkshires of Massachusetts. Why the Berkshires and not the Adirondacks?? Because the blackflies are less severe in MA than in NYS/ADKS this time of year!! and....the Berkshires are a little bit closer to our home...since Monday nite is a school nite....we can't be gone past 6 pm...so.... our first hike as a family of the season....gotta get our legs ready for our Acadia vacation!! Whatever you do this weekend, stay safe, have fun and rejoice in what the Lord has done! And now....what are YOUR favorite things from this past week??