I know my readers have learned a lot about me over my years of writing. I’m pretty much an open book. I love sharing my life with you all. It warms my heart to have the readers I do. I am so blessed. Thank you for opening the pages to this amazing paper and taking the time to jump into all our articles. We appreciate it more than you know.
So, things you already know about me.
You know I have two wonderful kids, my husband is some serious eye candy, and I’m obsessed with his muscles. You know I love to cook for my family and that I love Jesus. You are familiar with my crazy “cheesy smile” and how much I enjoy making people smile. I say things how they are, and I’m not afraid to stand up for myself or others. BUT did you know that my favorite weekend of the whole year is coming up!?
You’re probably thinking, “Well, geez, it isn’t Christmas or Halloween yet?” Nope. As much as I love those holidays, it isn’t my favorite ‘weekend’ of the year. We have so many wonderful major holidays, and celebrating with friends and family gathered together with traditions and food is the best part! But there is just something about Memorial Day weekend and the kick-off to summer.
How wonderful is it we get to honor our fallen soldiers for an awesome three-day weekend? I love seeing all the American flags in cemeteries. To know all these men and women fought for our country, so we could live free. It gives you goosebumps if you think about it — how this weekend wouldn’t even have happened if these folks didn’t stand up and fight for this country. They lost their lives for it! For 155 years, America has celebrated Memorial Day. It’s not just a day. They don’t call it Memorial Day weekend for nothing.
From when the first blooms start to grow and the days get longer, I start thinking about how many days until Memorial Day weekend. Even now, I keep watching for the flags to wave on tombstones that are put out specifically for Memorial Day. These are the folks we need to remember as we celebrate this weekend.
As I tune into the Rock ’n Roll 500 on Friday while packing for our long weekend at the river, you better believe I remember why we honor this weekend. There’s something about American flags and the Rock ’n Roll 500 that makes it feel like Memorial Day weekend. It’s tradition!
It will be our first camping weekend of the season, and I can hardly wait! I used to not be a real big camper until we had a family pass down a pop-up camper to us. We love that baby, and I made it so homey for our place to stay at the river for the past two years. This year, we upgraded to a hard side. A friend of ours wanted to get rid of it. It needed some work, but nothing crazy. We couldn’t pass it up for what he sold it to us for. You wouldn’t believe it if you saw this Jayco and what we paid for it. We didn’t have intentions of even getting a hard side yet. We both said there was no way we wanted to pay for something that you use for half the year. Are you kidding me!? It wasn’t happening.
We planned to save for one in another few years, but God gave us this opportunity, and we took it! I love to decorate and flip things, so it has been so fun for Chris and me to do this camper over and make it ours. The pop-up is staying with us too. The kids can have friends over, and families can come to spend the night with us now that we can sleep lots more people. Ty pretty much thinks the pop-up is now his. In fact, right now, it’s parked behind our house along the woods because my momma has been staying in his room since her back surgery. He thinks he is King Tut out there with his own little apartment. He just loves having it all to himself.
This Memorial Day weekend will be extra special this year, and all four of us are looking forward to it. Both campers finally parked at the Riverlot, Rock ’n Roll 500 playing on the radio, and our big American flag flying from our flagpole. Family, food, and FREEDOM. Freedom because of our fallen heroes. As we kick off summer with this long weekend, please don’t forget why. Let’s remember those on Memorial Day.
Brown Sugar Glazed Wrapped Sausage
Ingredients:
• 1 package (16 Oz. Size) of Little Smokies Sausages
• 1 pound Bacon Strips
• 1 cup Brown Sugar, For Sprinkling
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
Cut bacon slices in half and wrap each smokie with a half strip of bacon. Place all the wrapped smokies in a single layer in a baking dish or rimmed sheet pan. Take some brown sugar and sprinkle evenly over the smokies. Bake for about 20–30 minutes or until bacon is nice and crisp (bake times will vary).
These babies won’t last long and don’t count on leftovers. 🙂
You can’t get any more American than wieners and bacon!
*insert cheesy smile here*
