Okay, not a bit busy. Still a lot busy but I’m starting to countdown just a little. Two full weeks left of the full-time work schedule. Then, I’m not sure what is happening the second week of August, I might be working or I might get a break. Same thing for the first week of school. 
However, we’re not there quite yet so let’s at least get a planning post on the blog for this week. I’ll be linking up with Sandra over at Diary Of A Stay At Home Mom sometime tomorrow as I’m putting this post together on Sunday afternoon.
The Weather
Last week we had some rain that cooled down our air, then the sun came out and did it ever get steamy out there! And then, we had another nice day with highs just in the mid 80’s, lower 90’s for Friday and Saturday. However, we’re bracing ourselves for the crazy heat due to arrive tomorrow. Highs near 100 every day with the heat index in the 100’s.
As I Look Outside My Window
Well, this morning I did see the cutest little Carolina Wren sitting on the fence when I glanced outside the back door.
Thinking And Pondering
Nothing too deep today. Just enjoying the final fragments of my weekend. Thinking about what to wear to work this week to stay comfortable in the crazy heat. Pondering how crazy it would get if we did a Christmas in July day at preschool and a few ideas I have for it. Probably going to try it on Tuesday (one idea involves making “snow” from baking soda and shaving cream).
How I Am Feeling
Not too bad though a bit tired as the cat thought maybe 4:15 AM was a great wake-up time for a Sunday morning. It is not.
On The Breakfast Plate
A blueberry muffin and way too much coffee. Vitamins
On The Lunch Plate
I made tacos plus we had some chips and guacamole
On The Dinner Plate
No idea, maybe leftover pizza from last night. J and I were the only ones who ate tacos for lunch while my husband and G had leftover pizza. Sundays are hard because J and I leave to go his band practice basically at dinner time and don’t get home until around 8:30. *UPDATE: We had a frittata with red peppers, ham, cheese, and bacon bits*
What I’m Wearing Today
Missouri State t-shirt, black shorts, socks and tennis shoes
On My Reading Pile
I feel like I have too many books on my pile which makes it funny that one of them is titled The One Thing by Gary Keller. Really need to read a bit more of that one, it’s interesting but I keep getting distracted from it. A few “real” books from the library plus another book on my kindle app called Intuitive Eating by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch. It’s very intriguing and it sounds weird to say I’m enjoying a book about how to eat healthy but I am finding it so comforting and insightful to read. Focus is on our diet culture and this book is about making peace with food and ourselves and being healthy.
On My TV This Week
Nothing much. I did watch a couple Dr. Who episodes this weekend. And found a fun HGTV show called Problem Spaces that I really enjoyed.
On The Menu This Week
Nothing that bakes forever in the oven! Oh, and I’m also on a bit of a grocery store strike this week as well. Need to use what we have around here.
MONDAY: Pepper steak and rice *J has a baritone lesson at 6*
TUESDAY: Turkey sausage hash/salad?
WEDNESDAY: Ribs in the crockpot
THURSDAY: 15 minute Italian Garden Pasta (I’ll have to figure out some sort of meat to add for my husband)
FRIDAY: Probably OUT if we haven’t melted away.
Looking Around The House
Well, I could tell you it’s spotless and clutter free but I wouldn’t be talking about our home. It’s a mess with the exception of J’s room which I did deep clean yesterday morning while he was out. Oh, how it needed that and he was very happy that I did it. I think sometimes those suffering from depression and anxiety need that extra help so I didn’t mind. He’s doing so much better but I think his room was at the point where he didn’t even know where to start.
On My To Do List
Well, I did manage to mow and pay bills plus go to Menards this weekend. By the way, I’m changing their slogan from save big money to spend big money. SIGH. Let’s see what’s left.
- Do a bit of housework/laundry (thankful that my husband is helping with the laundry!)
- Encourage/Coerce/Bribe? J to finish his graduation thank you cards.
- Get J signed up for the driving lessons that came with yesterday’s driving safety course
- Water the garden/measure some pots so I can replant a few things in cooler weather
- Whatever stuff I’m forgetting and I’m sure I’m forgetting stuff
From The Camera
I did make an effort to pick up the camera a bit this past week. These brown-eyed susans take over my front porch garden area every summer but I don’t mind as they are such easy going and cheerful little flowers. 
A few different colors are still mixed in with all the yellow.
Quote For The Week
No act of kindness, however small, is ever wasted. (Aesop)
So glad J seems to be doing better. I’m sure that deep clean was a boost to his spirits. I understand the work uncertainties! Seems like the 2nd week of August is a goal for us both to see some potential relief. I LOVE your pictures this week, but the cat one especially spoke to me. My inspirations this week are also about kindness. Great minds and all 😀
Thank you. Yes, now I just need someone to deep clean the rest of the house for me, ha! Hope we both get a bit of a break that second week of August. I’m loving being at work with all the kids but I also am looking forward to a chance to breathe a little. Hope you are having a great week so far!
Beautiful pictures. lovely post. Have a great week
Thank you! Halfway there. Hope your week is going well!
Hello my Lovely! We are living parallel lives in a way. Annie and I spend 4 hours cleaning out her old bedroom (it’s going to become a spare bedroom and my crafting room). Yes 4 hours!! I’m so happy to hear that J is feeling better and I believe things like that really helps too.
Also, I’m catching up late and reading about your Christmas in July made me smile, as I last minute decided to do that too! So I hope you get to. I’ve been listening to Christmas music all morning while I did early home tasks. Then going to run to grocery store and I’m going to make turkey cheddar cranberry sliders with side gravy for dipping and mashed potatoes and green beans. Then make Christmas brownies for dessert (think brownies with snowy white frosting and Christmas sprinkles). My son is coming over tonight to eat with us too! I’m going to squeeze in some bit of a Christmas movie in there too. 😉 Just brings my heart a bit of joy amongst the heat and humidity we have right now and awful air from Canada fires. Lol
Love all of your flower pics too! Blessings. xo
I scaled it down a bit but I did read a Christmas story to the kids yesterday afternoon and then they helped me make snow. It was a bit of a mess and took a bit longer than I thought but thankfully the other classroom teachers are great and helped me with it all. Hope you enjoyed your Christmas dinner, it all sounds wonderful! The past couple days have been too hot to even think of having our oven on, today really ramped up the heat, 100 degrees when I left work with a feel like temp of 106. It was crazy hot. Have a wonderful second half of your week!
I enjoyed your blog. I’m commenting now from my photo blog. Those flowers with the dark centers are so beautiful. Thanks for showing them. They look like little sunflowers to me.
I don’t think that bird is found in the Netherlands. I’ll need to translate the name real quick. Let me check. Well, it’s not that difficult. We have one too. In Europe, there’s only one species (which is also found in North America): the winter wren. I saw one yesterday during my forest walk.
I hope the heat isn’t too bad for you guys. If it is, just come over here. ‘Cause in the Netherlands, it’s rainy, cloudy, and tomorrow we’re expecting heavy showers with thunderstorms. But in other parts of Europe, it’s scorching hot. Many people who were on vacation in Italy or Greece are coming back early due to extreme natural conditions.
Your flower photos made me happy. Lieve groet,
Aritha
I never realized we had so many kinds of wrens around here. Not sure I’ve ever seen a winter wren though we used to see house wrens quite often, not so much any more. Might have to come over there as it was very hot today, all week it’s expected…too hot for the kids to go outside in the afternoons. Thankfully, we start out days outside early in the morning when it’s not too hot though it’s strange for it to be 80 degrees F at 8:30 in the AM. We had some thunderstorms this week even a short one today but it just ramps up the humidity and makes the heat worse. Oh, that’s awful about Italy and Greece. Glad you enjoyed the flower photos. Hope you are having a great Wednesday evening (or is it already Thursday there?).