Today, it’s been a year since my sweet Nanny went home to Heaven. There hasn’t been a single day that has gone by without thinking of her. I miss her so much and that part doesn’t really get easier. However, while I miss her more than words can express, I find comfort knowing that she is in a better place.  And because of that I choose to celebrate today instead of being sad.

My mom is up in Washington right now with our family and last night they sent balloons with written notes up to my Nanny and ate her favorite dessert – Lemon Cake – to kick off the celebrations. Here is a little video:

I wish I could have been there to celebrate. The bookstore on campus didn’t have any balloons, and I don’t have a car to get off campus. But, as soon as I find my way to a balloon, I, too, will send a love note up to my Nanny.

My mom and sister, Emily, come into town this weekend and we are looking forward to being together to celebrate our Nanny, Easter, and my other sister, Allie’s, birthday. My weekend is going to be full of celebration and I’m really looking forward to it!

I wish each and every one of you a happy weekend!

Waffle House was always my dad’s and my thing. My mom was never crazy about it because she said she preferred to eat at a restaurant where she didn’t stick to the syrup caked onto the seats. While that is a reason that usually would keep me away from a restaurant as well, I love Waffle House anyway. The food seems to always hit the spot for me. But not only that, I love that it’s time spent with my dad. Talking about anything like jokes we’ve heard, stories from his childhood, or what I want to do with my life.

Another thing that I love is how we eat our food. We order the same thing every time. One waffle, two eggs over medium, ham, and triple order of hashbrowns that are to die for. Once all the food arrives at the table, we cut the waffle and the two eggs in half. Then, we put the egg on top of the waffle, drown it and syrup, and eat every last bite. This was the way my grandfather, my dad’s dad, always ate his waffle and eggs. I’m convinced that every time my dad and I go to breakfast at Waffle House together and eat our breakfast the way my granddad would…my granddad is sitting down next to us in spirit. I miss him a lot and seem feel a little bit closer to him when I am at Waffle House.

So, every time I’m back in Georgia, my dad and I make sure we go on a Waffle House date! It’s one of my favorite things.

Waffle House, I love you!

Dad, I love you!

Granddad, I love you!

When I look at as many blogs as I do (I look at so many different kinds but this time I’m talking about food blogs in particular) and of course Pinterest too, I always wish I could cook or bake up the many mouthwatering dishes I see on my computer screen. And since I don’t have a kitchen in my dorm, I knew spring break was my chance! So while I was home, my parents and I were in the mood for some warm apple crisp…especially since we were seeing snow flurries outside!! And decided to make a spontaneous trip to the grocery store one night. The Almond Apple Crisp really hit the spot. I think it is one of my favorite desserts!

(We got the recipe from this cute blog!)