Last Week of July Faves!

Well, here it is August and the last few days of July were crazy busy for our family!

Here's FIVE FAVES that top my gratitude list from the last week......I'm linking up with like-minded people who look for the blessings in our daily lives.  Head over to Susanne's site to learn more.

I enjoyed the Chicken Cobb salad
image courtesy of Yelp website

• DAUGHTER DINNER:  My oldest daughter and I were alone last Tuesday for dinner due to Dave going to a work event and Claire working the closing shift.  So off to this amazing healthful new-in-town restaurant we went.  It was a nice evening so we ate outside on the little patio area.  I loved our conversation (she shared some thoughts on dating, a ministry she's been a part of, and work, budgeting, young adult stuff).  It made me thankful that we had this time because my own mother and I never did stuff like this at all.

SISTERS!
(from l-r: Hope, me( Faith), Joy, Jill
I'm the oldest, followed by Joy, then Hope, then Jill

• FAMILY BBQ:  Every summer, my sister Hope and her husband Donny like to have an afternoon BBQ at their little house in the woods out in central NY.  It's about 80 min. from where Dave and I live.  This year my uncle (dad's youngest bro) and his wife couldn't make it due to illness so it was just me and my sisters, our spouses and my youngest sister's 2 daughters. My own girls were either working or had other obligations as did Joy's son. We all had a great time though eating delicious food and playing a rousing game of Scattegories.  I'm thankful we took the day to go out there and spend it with my side of the family.  

Courtney and I

Dave and I

• BASEBALL GAME!  Sunday evening we had 4 tickets to the minor league baseball  team (The Tri-City Valley Cats). The agency where I teach preK was participating in the "make a wish" foundation event held that night for children with special needs. Claire was working so Courtney brought her bff from church/high school, who is like a third daughter to me. We all had fun eating kettle corn, ice cream and Dave got his hot dog. I'm thankful we had a good turn out and that it was a relaxing evening doing something we hadn't done in a long time.

image courtesy of Business Journals online

• BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION! My husband Dave turned 53 on Monday (yes, he's 6 years younger than me) and to celebrate, he wanted all of us to try the food market on the edge of town...we'd never been there. It's an upscale suburban food court type of place with Japanese, Moroccan, Italian, American, and Seafood venues inside, all privately owned and most feature local items.  Dave chose a Moroccan dish and the rest of us had Japanese dinners. Mine was Veggie Hibachi and was so delish!  The food and prices are amazing.  It was much too hot and humid to sit outdoors so we enjoyed the ac and there were only a handful of people inside. Dave was happy to have good food and when we came home, he opened his gifts.  I'm thankful all 4 of us could be together to help him celebrate and that we've discovered a new place to try.  I want to go back and try the Panini cafe and the Thai rolled ice cream!

• CERTIFIED!  Claire is now a certified barista for this place!  It's been a great summer job with many weeks of training.  It's really a great company to work for.  (no, we don't get discounts...in fact, she isn't allowed to serve family members!).  They said she can work during any of her breaks from college.  She's already planning on working during her 5 weeks of Christmas/Winter break.  I'm thankful it's been steady employment for her this summer. She'll use the money to pay for ballet supplies, vegan snacks for her dorm,  and school supplies/text books.

Those are the things that made me smile this past week.

It's been crazy busy with family obligations, appointments, house cleaning, yard work, walks in the evening, meetings, and helping Claire start her dorm packing.

I'm looking forward to this weekend!  so far the only obligation we have is a wedding to attend tomorrow afternoon.

Enjoy the weekend, everyone!