The Adventures of Julie and Bella 2025

Happy Sunday, friends! 😊 Another Crockpot Sunday is in the books, and this time, I went full-on improvisational chef. No recipe? No problem! I threw together a homemade sauce 🍅, loaded it up with mushrooms 🍄 and spices, and let some chicken thighs 🍗 soak in all that slow-cooked goodness. Served it over zoodles 🥒, and voilà—dinner was done! It was nothing extravagant, but it hit the spot, and best of all, I have leftovers for lunches 🥡.

Of course, Sunday isn’t just about good food; it’s also the inevitable catch-up day 🏠🧹 for all the household chores I blissfully ignored on Saturday. No matter how much I try to stretch it, the weekend never feels long enough. 😩 Lately, I feel like I blink and it’s already Sunday evening, with my to-do list still staring at me like an unpaid bill. The workweek takes a lot out of me, and by Friday, I’m running on fumes. 🚶‍♀️💨

But in the spirit of celebrating the wins 🎉, I did manage to squeeze in some me-time today! I finished book #13 of the year 📚, and I wore my hearing aids all day 🎧 without feeling overwhelmed. That might not sound like a big deal, but trust me—it is. And as a bonus, Bella 🐾 and I got treated to a nature soundtrack 🎶 on our afternoon walk. A determined little woodpecker 🐦 provided us with a full three-block performance, tapping away like he was getting paid for it. Honestly? It was pretty magical ✨.

Here’s to hoping this week is a little smoother, a little less chaotic, and filled with small joys 🫶—like a good book 📖, a cozy meal 🥘, or an unexpected bird concert 🎵. Fingers crossed! 🤞