Thirty

[asimplesun]

Started making bread last week and I am so pleased with how they’ve turned out! Tonight I made cinnamon raisin. I’ve learned from the mistakes I made both times and I’m determined to master it.

[asimplesun]

Blackberries from the backyard today

Fresh juice thanks to my new juicer I received on Mother’s Day (love this thing so much)

p.s - even though the juicer can discard the peels (and seeds/pits) if you’re ever juicing kiwis I recommend peeling them first. The kiwi juice was not as good as I expected and I suspect it’s because of the taste of the peels

Chocolate and vanilla covered bananas

[asimplesun]

[asimplesun]

Bought this blackberry bush 2 years ago and this season I forgot all about it until I saw these yesterday. As you can see, I have not been taking care of it, but I’m looking up how to. I’m excited about all the berries this year.

[asimplesun]

Yikes. Just called the car dealership to schedule a service appointment. They had me talk on the phone with an AI system who asked for my vehicle info, mileage, issues I want checked out, my name, and even listed off time slots over 3 available days that I could book my appointment. Appointment is set with all that information included via AI.

[asimplesun]

Thankful for mommy-daughter dates ♡

[asimplesun]

Tried my hand at making Pavlova. Made a few mistakes, but overall I’m pleased with how the first time turned out & I’ll do it even better next time.

I saw a few recipes that added custard or fruit spread inside, so I made one with lemon curd & another with apricot spread. I’ve only tried to apricot one so far, and I think it’s delicious.

Every time we watch the Bluey episode where they’re eating pavlova, Mia asks me to make it. Happy I could bring it to life for her today.

[asimplesun]

JC’s mom seems to be such a bitter, vile human being. She was so nasty to us last year and we gave her time to cool off. I was pissed when it happened but I eventually got over it. She apologized & started doing what she knows best to “win us over” again. Money. Buying us things.

But she does this. It’s her thing.

She blows up, says hateful things & goes off the deep end, then tries to come back with gifts. Seems to be a bi-annual pattern.

Well she just started up again. I finally said something back & oooh she didn’t know how to handle it. I’ve never confronted her about what she’s said until today. Then I stopped replying because I don’t necessarily want to argue with JC’s mom. I also don’t want to be disrespectful even though she has no issue being that way with me.

She’s nuts. She’s so rude, hypocritical & just downright nasty. She completely twisted around a conversation we had a couple months ago that apparently has been bothering her this whole time. I tried to clear up the miscommunication or misunderstanding but she is dead set on misinterpreting things, so there is nothing I can do about that.

Yall know those moms where the kid calls them out for something or simply doesn’t agree with what mom says, and she goes “well I guess I’m just the worst mother ever then!!!” ? That’s her. Throws herself a pity party any chance she gets. Nothing could ever be her fault.

She abandoned her own son and grandson for over 2 years before I even came along (they used to hangout all the time then suddenly she cut all contact with JC), she constantly cancels or reschedules plans, she doesn’t come around as much as she acts like she’d like to, but somehow it’s my fault that she doesn’t see her grandkids. Mind you, she’s had JC’s son stay over at her house at least 4 weekends since the summer, we have hung out all together maybe 2-3 times since then & she just came trick or treating with us, all while I truly thought we were getting along and maybe even bonding. We had nice conversations (or so I thought) and just having a good time.

Anyways! It doesn’t matter because her brain is apparently telling her something else.

I’m already on my way out of this relationship, so there is no reason for me to try with her anymore. She’s a soul sucking leech. A parasite.

Good riddance.

[asimplesun]

Ahhhh here she goes again!

Guess it’s due! Only took 5 months instead of 6 this time around.

This absolute demon is so filled with hate I don’t know how she’s not dead by now by all the turmoil she lets fester in her frigid “heart”

She hates me and she’s hated me long before I ever stuck up for myself. She is now rejecting our daughter as her granddaughter & acting like she only has 1 grandchild, JC’s son.

She hated me when she learned that I was a constant woman in JC’s life & hates our daughter for also being another female in his life that is taking up his time, and the fact that daughter came from me.

FINE. I don’t want that nasty cunt in my daughter’s life anyways. She doesn’t deserve to be in it.

[asimplesun]

Something beautiful and inspiring about the Amaryllis flower: last summer while in Florida, my grandparents had over 300 bulbs in a pile from years of growing these. I took home about 30. I had only planted 5 in our front planter bed, but since I was told these bulbs would be good for years, I didn’t quickly decide where to plant the rest.

So the rest have been sitting in bags in my garage. The other day I see them like this.

No sunlight, no soil, no water, and they are still determined to grow. A sweet little thought that can pertain to us as well.

[asimplesun]

Finch eggs on our front door wreath. Trying to give mama bird her space as much as possible, but got to snap this when she flew away due to a delivery coming in.

Sometimes I get to look through the peep hole and see her sitting there. Hope they all make it okay!

[overclassy]

[asimplesun]

Had a picnic in the backyard for lunch. Mia made “bird soup” yesterday — weeds, bird seeds & water, which was marinating overnight.

[asimplesun]

Happy April! (ignore the details in the amateur lemon drawings lol) I am excited about more consistently warmer weather & all the things that grow.

Repotted my jades & Christmas cactus. I let them have some fresh air yesterday, but will bring them back in when the temps call for it. Still have 2 jade plants that need to be repotted so I’ll have to go back for more pots. Walmart has the cutest selection, which I saw over a month ago, so I’m glad I finally got to bring some home.

I love using fruit & vegetable peels for natural plant fertilizer. This time I’m using apple peels & tops of strawberries.

[asimplesun]

My 75 gallon tank started to leak. JC and I quickly removed the remaining water & temporarily moved the fish into a fish bowl. Daughter then poured an entire bag of fish food into the bowl. I then moved the fish temporarily into a 5 gallon bucket for the night and was going to set up another spare tank I have in the morning. I told her “do not put anything into this bucket” and what does she do? Poured a tube of bubbles in. Both fish died. Happy holidays.

[asimplesun]

My hostas are coming back! In the pots, there looked to be nothing there a week & a half ago, and in the planter bed, they were just little babies. now look at them!

Beautiful day outside yesterday & my daughter wanted to paint. I sipped on a little cocktail while enjoying the sun.

Tito Pepito explored the backyard.

[asimplesun]

I am so excited for this weekend. My niece is in a school play which most of the immediate family is attending on Saturday. And then! Sister sleepover! I feel like a little girl, how giddy I am.

My little sister and I (and our daughters) will be staying the night at our older sister’s house. We NEVER get to do this. Yes, when the whole family is together it’s great, but the 3 of us sisters have never stayed in the same place over night together in adulthood. And all 3 of our daughters (plus my 2 nephews) will have time together as well.

I stayed at my older sister’s house sometime last year and it was wonderful staying up late chatting, just us two. Our younger sister couldn’t make it then, so this will be a real treat. I feel so blessed feeling this way about my siblings.

All 6 of us siblings recently said we need to take a siblings only trip. We’ve never done that either. Hell, all 6 of us have never had an outting together, just US, at all.

Earlier this month I went to a concert that 2 of my brothers invited me to & I had a great time with them. That was a first for us as well.

We all obviously have our own things going on, but I feel like too much time has gotten away & it’s time to make some real plans together more often. No one is to blame, but we could all be better at it.

I remember being younger & we went back to Florida to see family, and my mom with her 2 sisters went out shopping & to lunch and such, alone. No kids allowed. We couldn’t understand why we weren’t able to go. Now? I totally understand. Parents need their alone or adult only time anyways, but to do that with your siblings that you love and may not get to see often is a true gem.

[asimplesun]

AI is freaking me out. Well over 6 months ago, while watching videos, I used to believe they were real but had to question if it’s AI. Now?? I assume it’s all AI & have to question if it’s real.

Used to be so easy to spot. We’d laugh when our grandparents couldn’t tell the difference.

And yes, even most of the ones that look very real, you can still hear it in the tone of the voices or movements, but guys…it’s getting better. More advanced. By next year we will be screwed.

What have we come to??? It feels gross & concerning. I probably sound dramatic, but it does worry me.