Brunch with babs

Brunch with babs Restoring an 1830s Basket Shop (now the Basket House) šŸ§ŗ
former pre-school teacher | life-long homemaker | faith | family | food | life skills
(26)

A wonderful family vacation Sea Island Our daughter Elizabeth and our son in love Ray were married here šŸ¤ Twelve years l...
08/16/2026

A wonderful family vacation Sea Island Our daughter Elizabeth and our son in love Ray were married here šŸ¤ Twelve years later, we finally returned, this time with their four children in tow, along with our oldest son, Bill, our daughter in love Jen, and some of our oldest grandkids.

Scroll to the last photos for a few pictures from my daughterā€™s wedding and of her four children now leading the bridal procession down that same aisle šŸ«¶ Wow, time flies.

With grandkids ranging from 3 to 23, finding a vacation everyone genuinely enjoys isnā€™t always easy, but Sea Island has something for every age.

We enjoyed days at the pools and beach, fishing, the nostalgic bowling alley, arcade, golf, archery, bikes around the island and more activities than we could possibly fit in.

We stayed at Kingā€™s Cottage, which was perfect for our crew, especially our golfers! With its own driving range and even a golf bay in the garage, they were in heaven. Our college golfer, Matt, also gave the courses at The Lodge very high praises.

Having Chef Austin from Sea Island put on an amazing spread right before bingo was so special. He and his team were the epitome of hospitality. A true southern menu.

We couldnā€™t leave without experiencing the famous Sea Island bingo. Men and boys in sport coats, kids dancing on chairs to ā€˜60s music, and the whole room completely caught up in the fun. Itā€™s one of those traditions you really have to experience for yourself. And Aunt Jen was our big winner!

Mr. Babs and I also had our first couples massage after 56 years together, and it was his first massage ever!

One thing I truly love about it here are the traditions. Formal bingo, the bagpiper at the Lodge, the photo albums at the cloister which hold a photo from each wedding held there and so many more.

But more than anything, it was the time together that made this trip so special. Spending time with my family is my ultimate vacation, and returning to the place where so many of our family memories began felt like coming full circle.
We now have a whole new set of memories to treasure šŸ«¶

Comment BEACH and Iā€™ll send you all the recipes and a link to my Substack, for Everything I Made for a Dinner at the Bea...
08/11/2026

Comment BEACH and Iā€™ll send you all the recipes and a link to my Substack, for Everything I Made for a Dinner at the Beach for 8 or click the link in my bio.

The full menu, along with all my prep, packing, serving, and cleanup tips, is waiting for you in this weekā€™s edition of Everything I Made.

I love a casual sandwich night at the beach, but this time I took everything I love about hosting a special summer dinner at home and brought it right to the water.

And exciting news! Instead of sending my Substack once a month, lā€™ll now be sharing a new edition every week, filled with everything I made for family gatherings, busy weeks, everyday meals, lifeā€™s special moments, and everything in between.

08/04/2026

The Hot Spoon Trick for Bug Bites šŸ‘ Place a spoon in hot water for a few minutes, then gently press it against a mosquito bite for a few seconds. The warmth reduces the itch by affecting the proteins involved in your bodyā€™s itch response.

08/03/2026

šŸ„„ The Hot Spoon Trick for Bug BitesšŸ„„

Place a spoon in hot water for a few minutes, then gently press it against a mosquito bite for a few seconds. The warmth temporarily reduces the itch by affecting the proteins involved in your bodyā€™s itch response.

07/29/2026

If youā€™ve ever wished you had an Aunt Dee, comment ā€œAunt Deeā€ and Iā€™ll send you the link to Homemaking with Babs.
Two years ago, long before anyone knew this book existed, I got to tell my Aunt Dee that I was writing a homemaking book inspired by her and was dedicating it to her. This week I got to bring her the first copy šŸ«¶

Long before there was Homemaking with Babs, there was Aunt Dee.Ā  She taught me that caring for a home isnā€™t about perfection. Itā€™s about creating a place where people feel loved, welcomed, and cared for. She found joy in organizing a closet, cleaning the tiniest powder room, and sharing the simple systems that made everyday life run more smoothly. She showed me that homemaking isnā€™t just about keeping a house cleanā€”itā€™s about creating a home.

Every page of this book is rooted in the lessons she shared with me over the years. Being able to tell her that Homemaking with Babs was inspired by her and dedicated to her and getting my first copy signed by my Aunt Dee is a moment Iā€™ll cherish forever.

If youā€™ve ever wished you had an Aunt Deeā€”someone to teach you the little tricks that make life easier, the routines that keep a home running smoothly, and the wisdom that only comes from decades of experienceā€”this is that book.
Inside youā€™ll find practical systems, time-saving routines, cleaning solutions, organization ideas, seasonal checklists, recipes, and decades of tried-and-true homemaking wisdom to help you spend less time managing your home and more time enjoying the people in it.

I truly believe Homemaking with Babs is the handbook every home deserves. My hope is that it becomes dog-eared, bookmarked, splattered in the kitchen, and the first book you reach for whenever you need a little help around the house.
And if you havenā€™t yet, comment ā€œAunt Deeā€ below, I canā€™t wait to share it with you.

07/23/2026

My sister, Louise, and I were four years apart. You take so much for granted throughout life like youā€™ll always have your big sister there no matter whatā€¦especially an older sister who looked out for you and with whom you shared so much, no matter how many fights you had growing up.

My sister became the matriarch of the family after my grandmother and my mother passed away. She continued to make all those traditional cookies that took hours, not to mention the homemade Lebanese sfiha and, of course, my grandparentsā€™ homemade Italian sausage. Louise changed the spices of that recipe and refused to tell anyone what she did to take that sausage to the next level.

Louise was the kind of person that would literally give you the shirt off her back. Her door was always open and her dinner tableĀ could always find a place for one more.

Even though we didnā€™t see each other often since she
lived in the Midwest and I on the east coast, we spoke to each other almost every day.

The day before she died unexpectedly, I called her and she told me that her priest came to hear her confession, give her Holy Communion, and anoint her. None of us thought that was preparation for the next day but just a beautiful blessing from God. Little did we know.

That was my last conversation with her. We both ended it with ā€œI love youā€. She passed away less than 24 hours later.

After her passing while going through her recipe box, her daughters found her spice recipe for the Italian sausage.

Rest in peace, my dearest sister until we meet again.

07/22/2026

šŸ«– Take a Tea Bath for SunburnšŸ«–
Steep 8-10 black tea bags, let the tea cool, and add it to a cool bath for a soothing soak. Black tea contains natural tannins and polyphenols that help calm irritated skin and take the ā€œstingā€ out.

Iā€™m coming to see you (and some of you are coming to see me šŸ§ŗšŸ’›!)One of my favorite parts of writing a book is getting th...
07/22/2026

Iā€™m coming to see you (and some of you are coming to see me šŸ§ŗšŸ’›!)

One of my favorite parts of writing a book is getting the chance to meet the people who have welcomed me into their homes every day.

This tour isnā€™t just about signing books itā€™s about sharing stories, answering your homemaking questions, giving hugs, and celebrating this wonderful community weā€™ve built together.
Iā€™d be so honored if you joined me at one of these special events including a very special TOUR OF THE BASKET HOUSEšŸ§ŗā˜ŗļø

See if Iā€™ll be in a city near you, and grab your tickets through the link in my bio (or visit geni.us/babsbooktour)

07/19/2026

Available for pre-order today!! Homemaking with Babs will be on your doorstep September 1st!

This book is truly the culmination of a lifetime of lessons, traditions, and practical homemaking wisdom, and I cannot wait to share it with you.

For years, youā€™ve been asking me to put everything Iā€™ve learned about running a home into one place. Well...here it is.

This isnā€™t a coffee table book.Ā  Itā€™s a handbook. An ownerā€™s manual. A workhorse of a book.Ā 
The book youā€™ll reach for when youā€™re wondering:
Where do I even start?
How do I get organized?
How do I keep up without feeling overwhelmed?

Because the truth is... no one teaches us how to run a home.Ā  Not all of us just naturally know how to care for a house, create routines, stay organized, or keep everything running smoothly. Most of us learn through trial and error, picking up little tips along the way.
I wanted to change that.

Inside, youā€™ll find the systems Iā€™ve used for a lifetime.Ā  From The Babs Method (just 15 minutes every morning and every evening) to simple daily, weekly, and monthly routines that help you stay ahead instead of constantly catching up.

Then weā€™ll walk through the year together.Ā  Season by season.
šŸŒ· Spring cleaning and decluttering
ā˜€ļø Summer outdoor living
šŸ‚ Fall routines and family organization
ā„ļø Winter homemaking, hosting, and home care.
Plus seasonal checklists, organizing systems, DIY cleaners, home maintenance, and practical tips to help every roomā€”and every seasonā€”feel a little easier.

My hope is that this becomes the book you pull off the shelf again and again whenever you need a little guidance, a little encouragement, or simply a better system.

Homemaking with Babs arrives September 1. Pre-order your copy today through the link in my bio!

and last but not least thank YOU for encouraging me to write it.Ā 

XO,
Babs

07/17/2026

šŸ‹Keep Flies Away with Lemons & Cloves šŸ‹
Cut a lemon in half and press whole cloves into it before setting it on your picnic table or wherever you are eating outside. The strong scent of clove oil (especially eugenol) helps repel flies, while the citrus adds another fragrance they tend to avoid. Follow along for more grandma hacks!

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