Busy Week Faves

What.a.week.

Busy busy busy but I'm taking the time to pause, and reflect back to find at least FIVE of my FAVE things from this insanely busy week.  I had quite forgotten just how busy life is at the end of a teenager's senior year.....only 6 more weeks until our "baby" graduates from high school.  Here's some blessings from the week that I'm sharing by linking up at Susanne's site.

Hudson River
 from the shores of the
 Papsacanee Nature Preserve
Schodack, NY

• RAINY DAY HIKE:  I don't usually start out hiking in the rain....and Saturday was a downpour...but a good friend of mine from an old church many years ago, named Gerri, wanted to hike with me and we had to cancel our plans for going up to the high peaks area of the mountains due to the thunderstorms that were predicted.  We chose to explore 4 miles of a 6 mile trail system in a nature preserve just to the south of us across the river from Albany that neither one of us had been to before.  It is all flat and follows the shoreline for part of the hike.  Although it was a steady rain, we both had hooded rain jackets and wet weather hiking gear on.  It was chilly with temps only in the high 50s but it felt so good to get out and hike.  We made plans to hike again this weekend. But this time we are heading to a mountain!  I'm thankful for friends who like to hike and for old friends I've reconnected with.

Hibachi!

• MOTHER'S DAY LUNCH!  On Sunday after church, my family took me out for hibachi at this local Japanese restaurant.  It's a bit pricey so we really only go on special occasions.  It had been a couple of years since we last went.  I had an amazing drink called the Pink Coconut Beach with the Chicken Hibachi and my oldest daughter had the same thing with a different mixed drink;   Dave had the Scallops hibachi; and Claire had the Vegetable Hibachi with Avocado Cucumber Sushi.  The miso soup is absolutely delicious there and the salads have a perfect ginger dressing that is light.  I'm thankful for the time we spent laughing and having fun together eating fantastic food.

Me with my oldest gal Courtney

• GIFTS!  My oldest gal surprised me with a beautiful card and these two succulent plants for the new table on our deck.  The succulents are artificial which I love because I won't need to add another chore for her to do while the rest of us are in Italy....plants that don't need watering and look that good (already a couple of people have told me they thought they were real) are a fave with me.  (Of course I have real flowers in pots on my deck too all summer long but those aren't ready yet for photos). I'm so thankful for the thoughtfulness of my first born.

CLAIRE REBEKAH, age 18
SENIOR PICS!

• SENIOR PICS!  So finally this can be checked off the list!  My daughters could finally sync their schedules on a sunny dry day and get Claire's senior pictures done.  My oldest was "hired" to do them to save me some money (yes, I am going to pay her something but not as much as a pro would charge) and Courtney does good work due to the photography course she did at college.  Here are two of the ones I really like. We have several more to go through before I start creating announcements. The high school requires a very formal portrait for the yearbook in which all the girls have to wear a black drape and honestly, the company that they use every year just isn't great with the quality.  It's ok for the yearbook but in my opinion, I like the more informal shots captured outdoors. I'm grateful this is now checked off the long "to do" list.

• SUNSHINE AND WARMTH!  This week we enjoyed several days of beautiful sunshine and HIGH temps.....yesterday got up to 96!!  That is kind of unusual for eastern NY in May.  But I am NOT complaining...we turned on the central air for the afternoons/evening but only needed it for 2 days.  I'm not a fan of the central air but our upstairs gets very hot without it when the temps climb above 82.  I'm very thankful for the wonderful sunshine and glad the temps are returning to normal (70s).

That wraps up the week.

Tonight our youngest is off to the Senior Prom with a guy friend of hers.....and with another couple plus they are meeting several friends at the venue.  Because they have to drive about a half hour away on the very busy interstate, I am praying that the senior class stays safe!  It is a large class (a little over 440 seniors).  I'm hoping everyone stays safe, makes good choices, and drives carefully.

Enjoy the weekend!!