April One Day at a Time

Time for another look at every day life here in Upstate NY.....one day at a time. A fun thing to do throughout the month and then fun to share!

April 1st

Still lots of snow in my yard :-(

April 2

I had 15 minutes to spare so I quick ran into my favorite thrift store. Score! The frame may be getting a makeover, the jadeite plate is a very special find and the silver fork and spoon already has that great natural verdigris on it.

April 3

Decorating cut-out cookies with Cassidy, an annual fun afternoon we've been doing since she was about 4 years old. I have pictures of this pose every year. She will turn 10 on the 11th!

 

April 4

 

NaNa and Nonno (Italian for grandfather) delivered the Easter baskets to Chloe and JC. We will all be going separate ways on Easter Sunday. The pink basket for Chloe is my daughter Jena's basket from her childhood. The plush car for JC was my son's when he was a baby.

 

 

 

 April 5

Easter Sunday. We went to Sticky Lips BBQ Sunday brunch with a side of gospel. Great southern food....dirty rice, shrimp and grits, brisket, mac and cheese, biscuits and gravy, fried chicken and waffles. Plus breakfast food including the best banana pudding. Different gospel groups perform each week. These guys were great!

 

When we left....SNOW!

 



April 6

Can you see it? There by the base of the tree? That's the first sign of Spring in my yard!

 April 7

Thirty years ago today on Easter Sunday, my daughter Jena was born. The sweet, young child has grown into a sweet, caring woman and I am proud to have her as my daughter and friend.

 

April 8

 

It is a cold, rainy damp day and I am feeling under the weather! Does that mean I feel worse than the weather is?! Here is a bright spot in my day. A second flower bloomed on my pretty red Asiatic Lily, an Easter gift from Jena.

 



April 9

A little over a week later and finally the snow has mostly disappeared.

 

This is all that is left!!





 

 April 10

Baking, baking, baking for the open house at our new facility for Impact Theatre's Christian Arts & Cultural Center. A great example of God closing one door and opening another! More on that in a future post!
I made a boxed brownie that is so moist I had to put them in mini cupcake cups, my famous biscotti, my famous oatmeal cookies and a new cake recipe I just had to try to make sure it was good! It was great!

 April 11

A scene from the Open House. My friend Bonnie was there knitting to promote The Knit Whits Prayer Shawl Ministry. Our friend Karl, my son Michael and her husband Lou thought they'd join in.

 

Fred, who is 85 years young, was painting in front of the gallery wall of his life's work, all donated to Impact Theatre to raise funds.

 April 12

Cassidy's 10th Birthday party. Blowing out the candles with cousin Chloe.

 

April 13

 

First Spring day playing catch. It was 80 degrees today!

 



 April 14

I am so sick today. My closest allies.

 April 15

Had to graduate up to this medicine. Double the mg. Hopefully it works.

 April 16, 17

The view from my bed where I spent the last two days. It was as dismal as it looks!

 

April 18

 

The winter in the northeast did a lot of damage to roofs from heavy snow. The repairs begin.

 



April 19th

Today was supposed to be my daughter's 30th birthday party.....rescheduled till next week because I'm still sick! :-(

April 20th

I gave in and went to the doctor. First day I could get out of bed anyways! Sinus infection. Antibiotic. Yuck.

April 21st

Had to take my son Michael to the doctors. Sinus, chest pain. He had a collapsed lung last July so there is always the fear of that again. Antibiotic, chest x-ray. All Clear! Had to get groceries and had to thrift, just a little!

April 22

The Forsythia is starting to bloom!

April 23

WHAT??!!?? I woke up to this blanket of white stuff this morning. But...but...but my daffodils are bloomed and my tulip leaves are up!!

You can just barely see the little yellow daffodils in the foreground and
the green in front of the garden chair are the tulips.

 April 24

Ya know when you have to make all the food for a party and today is too soon but tomorrow there won't be enough time in the day? Lots of my menu falls into that category! But  I decided to cheat a little and make the angel food cake tonight. I figured it would be okay till Sunday when I make lemon parfaits out of it. It has been a long time since I've made angel food cake.....anyone know why they make you cool it upside down?

April 25

Watching Mickey on Nonno's computer.....

 

Oh! Nana's taking pictures!

April 26

Finally, I was able to have the 30th Birthday party for my daughter Jena!

with baby JC



with her mason jar lemon parfait "birthday cake" and dark chocolate pistachio cookies

April 27

 

Every year my family and I walk the JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes in Rochester, NY in a team called Cassidy's Crusaders for my 10 year old granddaughter Cassidy who has Type 1 diabetes. Adding to that this year is the MS walk in Canandaigua, NY for my son-in-law Britt who was just diagnosed with MS. I need some new sneakers! I went straight to Skechers and couldn't decide because they are both cute and comfortable. I might have to keep both!

 

 

 

 April 28

 



 Been craving homemade banana pudding since we had it southern style at brunch on Easter. This is how mine came out!

 

April 29

 

I spent a little time outside today in the gorgeous weather and noticed that my tree on the edge of our property has really leaned over even more than ever! I kinda like it.

 



April 30

Bye, bye April!

Happy May to you!

AnnMarie xoxo

I am linking up with these great blog parties:

Best of the Weekend

April One Day at a Time

Today I am linking up with Show Us Your April Link Party.

Every day for the month of April I took pictures of random things in anticipation of this party. I thought it would be fun and it was! Click on the link to join in on the fun.

Here is my picture story of each day in April...

April 1 ~

Yup, it snowed April 1st. Even my snowman has had enough and has given up.

April 2 ~

Wednesday is my day every week with my granddaughter Chloe. We go to the library for story time and then hang out at my house. She loves her bright pink rocking horse. I love that I got it half price on GMA's half price deals show!

April 3 ~

I saw this idea on another blog and loved it. I just happened to have all the parts to put it together. It is an old gallon glass jar with moss on the bottom inside, a faux nest with eggs, a doily for over the top and a silk butterfly clipped to the edge. Hint, hint Spring, we're waiting for you!

April 4 ~

Every morning before my husband Frank goes to work, Miss Kitty has to have her scratching time with him. A man and his kitty.

April 5 ~

My oldest granddaughter Cassidy was visiting for the day and had just finished dancing her heart out to "Be Happy" by Pharrell Williams. She is also into gymnastics as you can see by the pose!

April 6 ~

Ahhh, sunshine on my front door in late afternoon means it was a sunny, nice day all day....finally!

April 7 ~

 My youngest daughters' 29th birthday today! She let Chloe blow out the candles while hubby Britt looked on.

April 8 ~

Been shopping for Easter candy for the four baskets I make up every year. This is my stash as of today.

April 9 ~

A girlfriend had surgery this week so I made her and her husband a meal. It is Tuscan Chicken Stew, Italian bread, oatmeal chocolate chip M & M cookies and a few candy hearts!

April 10 ~

I went to my first garage sale of the season today and found this fabulous 1950's lime green vinyl sewing box. Let the picking begin!

April 11 ~

Today is my oldest granddaughter Cassidys' birthday - she's 9! I don't have a picture of at her party but I do have one of the snack I made for the adults....sausage bites. Oh my, are they good!

April 12 ~

It was finally warm enough to wear sandals! I had to polish up the toenails....first of the year!

April 13 ~

My friend Susan is a picker too and found these great items for me. That gorgeous blue pitcher is a Hall Cadet Blue Royal Rose Ball Pitcher, there is a moustache cup and a set of linen napkins. They are all listed in my shop.

April 14 ~

Elijah and Michael

These guys grew up together going to each others' birthday parties year after year. Just reunited after many years to hang out for some Nerf gun fighting and pizza.

Jason and Frank

These guys, the fathers, haven't grown up yet.

April 15 ~

Oh my goodness, these are the BEST jellybeans I have ever had! I haven't been able to find them until this year, there they were at Walmart! I bought two bags, spice and fruit flavor. I am the only one in the house that eats them so they are all mine!

April 16 ~

Yup, it snowed again! Just a dusting, but still! It looked like a blizzard while it was coming down!

April 17 ~

Spring break from school this week. One of the things Michael and I do to fill our days is have Sequence tournaments. He beat me pretty much this time around.

April 18 ~

It was warm enough again to put us in the mood for some soft serve ice cream at the local Chill and Grill. This place is crazy with their portion sizes. The one on the left is a kiddie and the one on the right is a medium.

April 19 ~

Chloe spent the night last night for the first time since being an infant. It was a little rough but she woke up to her favorite pancakes for breakfast!

April 20 ~

I make Easter baskets up every year for my granddaughters Chloe and Cassidy and fill the baskets that their Mom's used when they were little. This pose on the floor in front of the couch is significant as I have a similar picture of my daughters, around the same ages, in front of the couch in my farmhouse with the same baskets in front of them. I couldn't get it to download so you will have to use your imagination!

April 21 ~ 

I had to use those three very ripe bananas up soon so I whipped up a batch of my Banana Chocolate Chip bread.....the only one I will make, it is so good!

April 22 ~

My daughter Candice just cut mine and Bonnie's hair in my "salon in the kitchen"! Then we all ate turkey sandwiches, chips and brownies.

April 23 ~

I gave in. I finally went for an update on my Tracphone flip phone. My daughter set me up with a Motorola Droid X. No clue how to use it. It's for business related reasons ;-) 

April 24 ~

The forsythia is blooming! My husband and I chopped off about 6 feet of depth from this bush last Fall and I really wasn't sure what we were going to see this Spring!

April 25 ~

This barn sale was pretty far but I went for it and it was well worth the trip. I found so many unique items that I don't already have and a few that I do (the picnic baskets) in my shop. I am currently working on getting them all listed!

April 26 ~

Our friend Karl hung out with the guys today while I was off doing my own thing. We were all going to meet his wife in a few hours for dinner to celebrate his birthday. Yeah, he's eating two totally loaded hot dogs in our kitchen. Not my fault he couldn't finish his dinner!

April 27 ~

This weekend was just non-stop eating out, first at a wedding, then a birthday celebration,  so what better way to end it than to have a clambake at home? We made my famous garbage can chicken, salt potatoes, grilled corn, steamed clams and cornbread. Monday morning came and the scale was not my friend.

April 28 ~

Too full from our pizza and wings lunch (more eating!) with our dear friends Rosie and Floyd to eat it again for dinner, our son Michael benefited from the leftovers......NY style sausage and cheese pizza and garlic parmesan charbroiled wings.....from our favorite place for wings, Ciccino's in Geneva, NY. Don't you love seeing food from a restaurant in another part of the country that you may never get to try? :)

April 29 ~

I have been invited to a last minute surprise birthday party this Saturday and I needed a gift idea fast! A little birdie told me that the birthday girl likes colorful owls. I had all the parts for the idea I came up with except the owls. No worry! Walmart came through and I was able to put this frame together in an hour. I have no idea of her decorating colors but it has colorful owls on it!!

April 30 ~

 April started cold and snowy and ended damp and rainy. It was the perfect night for Sweet Potato Hash. Picture perfect and tastes as good as it looks!

My April was pretty routine. Just filled with everyday things to do with my family and close friends. I realized by doing this blog that there really is something to be thankful for everyday, even in the little things.

AnnMarie xoxo

I am also linking up with these other great blog parties:

Adorned from Above

Thursday Favorite Things Blog Hop

Sincerely Paula's No Rules Weekend Blog Party

Feathered Nest Friday

Share Your Cup Thursday and 100th Party Giveaway!  Link up here for a chance at some great stuff!

Showcase Your Talent Thursday

Thrifty Things Friday

Be Inspired

Anything Blue Friday

Freedom Fridays with all My Bloggy Friends

Pink Saturday

Amaze Me Monday

Make It Pretty Monday

Treasure Box Tuesday

Nifty Thrifty Tuesday