Finally Home from Florida

I wish I had walked along the beach and selected these shells and goodies but that isn't the case. The niece that lives here now got a week long reprieve from the freezing cold Illinois weather with a trip to see her grandma in Florida. Lucky girl!!!

A new centerpiece on the dining room table welcomed friends as we had our first meal after the niece was home. She tried a macaroni pizza at pizza buffet so I was feeling inspired to recreate it. She said I was pretty close...and the whole dish of pasta and crust yumminess disappeared before the dinner was over.

This little birdie came from a garage sale around the corner a couple of summers ago. The tray was a couple of bucks at an estate sale in our neighborhood last summer. The shells and garage sale finds of summers past make me so ready for June. The colorful picture in the background between the windows was a gift from my mom last year for our anniversary. So thoughtful!

A piece of my grandmother's crystal takes center stage. Easter was one of her favorites to decorate for. Going through my Easter decoration, most of which were hers, is always a bittersweet event for me.

I missed having a teenager here so much while she was gone. So glad she's home and has already enjoyed a good night's sleep in her bedroom. Neither of us are particularly happy about returning to school early in the morning.