Tips, Treats & Treasures: Thoughts and Things - This week ... Memorial Day Weekend, Foods, and Celebrations

I hope everyone enjoyed a wonderful Memorial Day weekend! A special "Thank you" to the many, many heroes who have served and sacrificed for our nation and our freedom!
I salute you!

Memorial Day is a time to honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation and freedom. I hope those who celebrated over the weekend also remembered the true meaning of Memorial Day!

image source

*** *** ***

It's always nice to get a three day weekend, especially when you get to share it with those you love.

Our family was fortunate to be able to spend some of the weekend together. With everyone being in different places, busy with work and school schedules, along with travel being needed to achieve our being in one place at the same time, it was a successful gathering that we have been trying to pull-off for weeks. A three day holiday was just the amount of time to make it work and we were able to play catch-up with a few celebrations all in one day! Our youngest grand's birthday, Mother's Day, and also our youngest daughter's birthday. Whew!

*** *** ***

We enjoyed some good food over the weekend. Hubby and I started the weekend off on Friday evening by making our first attempt at cooking Pizza on our Big Green Egg-BGE. We have thought about doing it before, but just hadn't done it yet. It was quite a success and had us wondering why we waited so long, and now we can't wait to do it again! So easy, and so good! Only negative is cooking just one pizza at a time if you plan to need or want more! But, the pizza cooks in only about 10 minutes or less, so having a pizza on the ready to be cooking while you enjoy another is the plan, and that's definitely doable. I see a pizza party in the near future! *wink*

Hubs also prepared his specialty, Pork Boston Butt for Sunday. He put the pork on the BGE Saturday night just just before midnight, to smoke all night. We enjoyed a late lunch/early dinner with our kids and grand kids on Sunday afternoon. We had quite a spread with BBQ pork sandwiches, Italian pasta salad, coleslaw, spinach salad, baked beans, a variety of chips, and a few fun cocktails, too. And, for dessert strawberry delight and mini cup cakes.

While enjoying the time spent with my family, I forgot about taking photos throughout most of it. I captured just a few photos and moments on film, but, all the rest will always be memories in my heart and on my mind!

It was a perfect day, beautiful and filled with sunshine! The house filled with our kids, and grand kids, and all of our pups, all enjoying a great time together with lots of delicious food, many smiles, and much love! My heart is full!

*** *** ***

So proud of our first pizza cooked on the Big Green Egg. It was delicious and the flavor was fantastic! A store bought ready pizza dough and a few ingredients, 4 italian cheese blend, fresh mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, fresh basil and pizza sauce made for one of the best home cooked pizzas we've ever had! Looking forward to making more pizzas on the Egg!

A beautiful Mother's Day gift with my favorite phase on it. They know me so well.

I love this LED luminary! I also received a beautiful ring for Mother's Day, a combined gift from everyone, it will be re-sized and I'll be able to enjoy wearing it soon!