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A Little Egg Lay on a Leaf

Thankful Thursday 2 Comments

I’ll get to the title of my post with the stolen passage in a moment. (In case you don’t know, it’s from The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle)

Been a minute (or two or so very many minutes) since I’ve done a Thankful Thursday post! Thought I better take some time to share one. Time seems to be going so fast this summer (technically though it’s still spring so maybe not?).  I’m torn between being in a hurry for my flowers to bloom and the weather to *finally* be warm and wanting to make sure I take time to savor my days. Just me?

I really want to be thankful and savor these sunny summer days as they happen. Especially with the weird weather where it’s taken a while longer for them to arrive.

However, the first thing I want to take time to be thankful for this week is last week’s successful band trip for J.

Safe Travels and Modern Communication

I’m so thankful the band (and my son) was able to go on their trip to Disney in Orlando, Florida. The planning began in 2021 or maybe even 2020 so obviously, a lot of holding of the breath as we sent in payments for it. Hooray for it still happening despite COVID and crazy high gas prices (we did end up needing to pay a bit extra due to gas prices. Boo!).  However, they were able to go and spend a week visiting different parks, the beach, and the Kennedy space center.

And despite my own anxieties about sending my kid with anxiety on this trip without either of us, he did great! I requested one text photo a day and didn’t really expect much. To my surprise, I often got more than one photo a day! While I’ve been one to curse the cell phones, I’m certainly thankful for the ease of communication from far away with them.  Here’s one of the photos he sent me: 

I love that he usually sent me bird pictures or things he thought would interest me each day.

Working a few days last week helped keep me busy and my mind off the fact that my youngest son was many miles away from us.

Job Perks

Working as a part-time substitute preschool teacher doesn’t come with a lot of traditional job perks. Definitely no golden parachutes over here. The ones I do have are priceless though.

Choosing my own hours essentially. While I seldom say no, I never have to say yes.

This week though….one of the best perks ever. Every job should have a playground and outside time shouldn’t it?

Now, we get to the title of the post. Yesterday, during the outdoor time before lunch, a few of the kids and I were able to observe a monarch butterfly lay an egg on a milkweed leaf. Hopefully, we’ll get to see the tiny caterpillar pop out sometime soon. (And just to note: last week we watched 2 mature monarch caterpillars form their chrysalis). How can you not be thankful for a chance to observe the miracles of nature as well as share the excitement with young children?

**No photos of the amazement as I generally don’t carry my phone when working**

Summer Produce on the Horizon

Speaking of miracles of nature at work, I observed a few at home this week as well. Such as our garden produce starting to come alive. Green cherry tomatoes are forming. The okra actually sprouted! And we have a few peppers, eggplants, and cucumbers growing as well. Each year we seem to do just a little better with the garden.

Other Thankful Thoughts 

Perhaps I needed a reminder to “bloom where you are planted” as I found this little pansy growing happily in the sidewalk crack beside a big planter of dianthus.

Or maybe a reminder to slow down and enjoy the last few days of spring official before summer kicks in full force? I am thankful for the scent of summer that’s starting to drift across the front porch in the evenings as the summer flowers start to respond to warm sunny days and put out more blooms. I’m thankful for a beautiful place to sit and soak up my summer. And for a house to provide shelter on the stormy, rainy days that we need for those flowers to bloom.

Mostly, right now, I’m just thankful we have enough. Not too much and not too little. Just enough.

What things are you thankful for this week?

 

 

Happy Homemaker Monday

HappyHomemakerMonday 8 Comments

I can’t seem to get caught up lately. However, I’m trying. Our internet/this computer gave me problems all last week. However, I’m hoping it’s done acting up for a while.

Time to get on with another Happy Homemaker Monday and plan the rest of this week. Joining in as always with Sandra over at Diary Of A Stay At Home Mom.

The Weather 

Finally summer!! It’s been so rainy and cool out. Today was nice and warm and tomorrow is supposed to be a bit warmer yet, closer to the 80’s and 90’s than the 70’s. Sunny skies with just a few chances of rain.

As I Look Outside My Window

Not much to see through the basement window as it’s frosted glass. I do know on the other side of it soaking up the sun outside are my lemon gem marigolds in pots.

Right Now

I’m taking advantage of working internet/computer to get this post up and visit a few of you!

Thinking And Pondering

Just wondering why I feel so insanely behind on so many things.

Homemaking Tips

A sharpie is a great kitchen tool! Whenever I put leftovers in freezer bags, I make sure to mark them. Also, if I buy a large bag of frozen chicken breasts at the store, I find it very helpful to mark the date on them.

How I Am Feeling

Relieved. J came home from his band trip not feeling good and a couple of the kids tested positive for Covid but his test was negative and he’s feeling better already. Also tired. Aside from that dread and drama, feeling pretty good.

On The Breakfast Plate

One of the usual items in my rotation, flip yogurt and of course, coffee.

On My Reading Pile

I have to finish Chasing the Scream. the non-fiction about the war on drugs, this week as it’s due back to the library but I’ve only got a couple chapters left.

Took a break to read Out of the Corner by Jennifer Grey. I wanted to like her memoir a lot more but I found myself skimming whole sections of it. While her life was certainly interesting, I think the book would’ve been better served without so much of her self-introspection about it all. And for the record, I don’t care who is producing or starring in it, I can not get behind a sequel to Dirty Dancing. Some movies should just stand alone without any sequels or remakes.

On My TV

Little bit of everything. Started re-watching Dr. Who (starting with the Peter Capaldi episodes as that’s where I left off), the music game shows, Time Traveler’s Wife, whatever else I stumble across.

On The Menu

Why are the simpler summer menus the harder ones to plan?

MONDAY: I’m still undecided. Maybe chicken on the grill or turkey sausages, broccoli, and orzo (most likely) *I worked 7-12*

TUESDAY: Something in the taco genre or perhaps a version of white chicken chili *I work 7-12*

WEDNESDAY: Something easy from the freezer, maybe brisket (already cooked) *I work 7-12* *J has an appt at 3*

THURSDAY: Leftovers *I work 7-12* *J has a baritone lesson at 5*

FRIDAY: Spaghetti? *I work 7-12*

**All subject to move around and/or change depending on how the days go**

From The Camera

Do not discount the cheap seed packets from Dollar Tree. Planted both of these last year and they’ve come back and done great again this year!

I planted these late last year so they didn’t come up until this spring but look at them now!

 

Looking Around The House

Bonus homemaking tip: keep your outside pretty in the summer so you can just entertain people outside and not need to show the inside. Ha! It’s in dire need of a cleaning in here.

On My To Do List

I don’t even know any more.

  1. Sort/pay bills
  2. Grocery store *DONE*
  3. Finish up laundry
  4. Clean house

On My Prayer List 

Family, friends, strangers. Prayers of gratitude for the band returning safely from last week’s trip to Florida, our health, having enough during these hard times.

Quote For The Week

Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished. (Lao Tzu)

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Happy Homemaker Monday, Late Again

HappyHomemakerMonday 4 Comments

Last week and our long weekend went by in a bit of a blur.  And I didn’t get around to commenting and visiting much on your blogs. I’ll do better this week.

We did have a nice but busy long weekend. Spent most of yesterday doing outdoor things.

Since I’m already a day late again, let’s just join in with Sandra over at Diary Of A Stay At Home Mom by getting straight to the categories.

The Weather

This morning is dark and stormy. Yesterday was beautiful and sunny. Tomorrow is set to be another rainy day, then Thursday and Friday we get nicer sunny days again. Followed by chances of rain for the weekend. Temperatures mostly in the upper 70’s. Strangely cool for June.

As I Look Outside My Window

When I looked earlier it looked like a dark and stormy night even though it was 8:00a.m. Thankfully, the storms are not of the severe nature. Just average late spring thunderstorms.

Right Now

I’m enjoying a quiet house, working on this post and getting ready to take a quick break to change out the laundry. Also, cleaning up my e-mail a bit here and there.

Thinking and Pondering

There are quite a few things on my mind. Just not sure I’ve got the words for it all today.

Homemaking Tips

Not sure if this counts as homemaking or organizing but sometime last year I started storing my kitchen storage containers with the lids attached. It makes such a big difference! No more piles of lids or containers crashing out of the cabinet. And it keeps the numbers of containers in check (I should note that my husband isn’t a huge fan of this method for that very reason but he tends to hoard containers so I love it!)

How I Am Feeling This Morning

Could have used a bit more sunshine but at least the rain is making me determined to get some inside chores accomplished. Ones I’ve been putting off for far too long. I guess I’m feeling determined this morning.

On The Breakfast Plate

Oatmeal and coffee.

On My Reading Pile

Still reading Chasing the Scream by Johann Hari, my interesting non-fiction pick. However, I noticed that a Daisy James fiction lighter read is finally available on kindle unlimited so I’ll likely be reading Sunny Days at the Hummingbird Hotel later this week. Or I may save it for when I can sit on the front porch and read.

On My TV 

We’ve been watching all the music shows on network tv: Don’t Forget the Lyrics, Beat Shazam, and Name That Tune. Plus, the new season of Master Chef, it’s a second chances show this time around. On HBO Max, I binge-watched the show Barry. So funny. If you love absurd comedy, it’s worth your time. And thank you Steven Moffat, for adapting one of my favorite novels, The Time Traveler’s Wife, great so far. Nothing like that horrible “chick flick” movie they made it into a few years ago. I have a 2 month trial of Apple Plus TV starting soon so I’ll be checking out the shows over on that very soon.

On The Menu

No school lunches to worry over, J’s out of town for the week, so it’s just 3 of us with random work schedules over here. And I didn’t go to the store on my usual day (yesterday) and not planning to go unless absolutely necessary today. Hmmm…..time to see what’s in the pantry, fridge, and freezer again.

MONDAY: We had leftover pizza/brisket from the weekend

TUESDAY: pork chops, asparagus

WEDNESDAY: spaghetti and meatballs, salad

THURSDAY: salsa verde chicken or white chicken chili, undecided *I work 7-1:30*

FRIDAY: hamburgers and French fries (husband’s turn to cook) *I work 7-4:15*

From The Camera

G had a belated birthday get-together with friends on Sunday night. We smoked a brisket and I made him a cookie cake for it.
Is this the start of a lemon on the Meyer lemon tree? Stay tuned…

Looking Around The House

Living room and main bathroom are good. The rest? *shudder*

On My To Do List

A lot.

  1. Wash our bedding (in progress)
  2. Clean the house
  3. Clean out my e-mail inbox (in progress a bit)
  4. Pay the trash bill! Oops.
  5. Make hotel reservations for a trip we’re planning in July
  6. Grocery store and Target for usual stuff
  7. Spend some time cleaning this basement!
  8. Clean out pantry/fridge/freezer
  9. Take some books to Half-Price books (on a non-rainy day)
  10. Make J an appt for an immunization he needs before the next school year
  11. Make the cat a vet appt

Stopping my list at lucky 11. Maybe I’ll accomplish all that. We’ll see…

On My Prayer List

Friends, family, strangers. Of course, Uvalde and Ukraine. A kinder, gentler world. A safe time for J and the rest of the band on their trip and in their travels.

Quote For The Week

“The planet does not need more successful people. The planet desperately needs more peacemakers, healers, restorers, storytellers and lovers of all kinds.”  (Dalai Lama)

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Happy Homemaker Monday, Tuesday Style

HappyHomemakerMonday 6 Comments

After missing last week, it was just a rather busy and emotional week (more on that later), time to get back to planning. A day late as usual.

Linking up with Sandra over at Diary Of A Stay At Home Mom as usual also. Let’s just get straight to the categories.

The Weather 

Today is a cool, rainy day after a weekend full of nice, sunny days.

As I Look Outside My Window

The much needed rain is falling but I can see where a squirrel had breakfast on the deck leaving his mess of walnut shells.

Right Now

I am working on this post while also trying to clear out my work e-mail in attempt to figure out why it won’t forward to my regular e-mail any more.

Thinking And Pondering

Mostly just hoping this week is a bit calmer than last week. Last week was emotional and rough. The co-director of my work passed away Monday evening, I worked more than expected, and J had some rough days (not related) as well. There were some happy moments, G turned 21 on Saturday! We ate dinner out with family (including my father-in-law) to celebrate. Sunday was the celebration of life and the day we did G’s presents and cake here (He worked Saturday and had plans that evening after dinner). A bit surreal to bake a birthday cake in the a.m., attend a funeral service in the p.m., and then go home to frost the cake and sing Happy Birthday.

Homemaking Tips 

I’ve discovered checking cookbooks out from the library! There’s just something about browsing through an actual cookbook vs. finding recipes on-line. Fun way to try new recipes. (Haven’t tried anything from this one yet but added a few recipes from a Gordon Ramsay cookbook to our rotation)

How I Am Feeling This Morning

Okay, I slept better last night but have quite a lot to do this week.

On The Breakfast Plate

Oatmeal and toast

On My Reading Pile

Just started reading Chasing The Scream: The First and Last Days of The War on Drugs by Johann Hari. Really interesting so far.

On My TV

Watched both seasons of Emily in Paris on Netflix in far too few days last week. I think there’s one more Better Call Saul left before the mid-season finale. So just whatever happens to be on mostly. Last night it was Don’t Forget the Lyrics and Shazam.

On The Menu

Dutch baby blueberry pancake, a successful internet recipe find

 

Definitely trying to do a bit more eating at home and out of the freezer/pantry with current prices. YIKES.

MONDAY: We had pork chops (Gordon Ramsay recipe, simple pan seared/finished in oven with garlic and thyme) and baked potatoes

TUESDAY: Forgot to thaw a roast for the crockpot so it’s now Taco Tuesday. *J has a baritone lesson at 5:30* *I’m helping with preschool graduation at 4:30*

WEDNESDAY: Roast in the Crock pot *I have work training 1-2:45* *J has early morning band practice*

THURSDAY: Pepper steak/chicken with rice *I work 8:30-5*

FRIDAY: Choice of leftovers *I work 8:30-5*

From The Camera

Didn’t have a lot of camera “mojo” last week so most photos in the post were from yesterday.

Looking Around The House

Haven’t had a lot of house cleaning “mojo” either even with using the Fly lady timer method. Not awful but hoping to get a burst of energy and make it look a bit fresher today.

On My To Do List

Longer than 5 items but I’m struggling to focus and remember it all.

  1. Clean up the house
  2. Put winter clothes away in space saver bags (FINALLY, had to order couldn’t find the bags anywhere)
  3. Figure out when/where to get J a haircut and some new shorts
  4. Pay bills *DONE*
  5. Grocery store *DONE*

On My Prayer List

All the big and little kids graduating, my boss and her family (the co-director was her father), safe travels for the high school band on their upcoming trip, an end to COVID once and for all, peace, the world.

Quote For The Week

Gardening is cheaper than therapy and you get tomatoes.  (unknown)
and squash, cucumbers, and beans! No tomatoes pictured, they’re in a different part of the yard.

 

Buggy, Muggy, and Miraculous

Thankful Thursday 4 Comments

I started this post early this morning. Then, deleted all the words because really nothing miraculous had occurred this week even though I liked my post title. However, I have a whole new post to share now.

First, yes this week has been buggy and muggy. And I’m still thankful for the bugs that pollinate the flowers and remind me summer is truly here.

And I love the hot weather, dreaming of swimming pool days. Funny because I rarely go swimming but the thought is there.

And now for the miraculous.

I’m So Thankful I Saw and Talked to My Sister 

If you’ve caught any Happy Homemaker Monday posts you might remember I’ve mentioned in passing how my family is not exactly let’s say on the same page about many things. And my sister stepped back from all of us sometime in early to mid-2019, maybe before that even. Then, the world went crazier than before with the pandemic.

It’s been hard and very sad at times. However, I did continue to send texts and the occasional holiday/birthday cards. She never unfriended me on Facebook as she did some other family members (I totally get that as they are part of my “30 day snooze” rotation though I try to keep off there anymore).

Today

So with a day off today, I decided to get up and run a few errands. Code for go spend too much money at all the garden centers in town. I also had a library book to grab. Frustratingly, the library and the small garden center I wanted to stop by on the way didn’t open until 9 and I was there way too early.  Annoyed a bit, I decided to just go to the garden center by my parent’s home where my dad used to go. They are the only place that I’ve seen carry the lemon gem marigolds. 

Found those, went outside to get a bigger pot of lavender. A gal was helping me go inside to find the lemon grass when I heard some one say my name. It was my sister! 

She was there with one of her sons buying things for their garden. We stopped and talked for probably 30 minutes about many things, the plants, the birds, how we missed our father (who gave us a love for both those things). We briefly discussed our other siblings and she was surprised to hear I’d not been getting together with them either.

She told me she’d had to just step back and take care of herself and her significant other for a while. While you can’t get too in depth in the middle of a (super) busy garden center, it felt so good to reconnect with her and her son (plus hear about the amazing things my other nieces and nephews, all grown, are doing.). 

I’m so very thankful that my post title with the “miraculous” came true this morning. We didn’t make official plans to call or get in touch again but I do have hope now.

Other Items For This Week: Some Big/Some Little

  • An official diagnosis for J yesterday. Other specified anxiety disorder and other specified depressive disorder. Plus a suggestion he might be close to the autism spectrum but not enough to diagnose it. The appointment went well yesterday and I have hope that he can work through these things.
  • New rocks for my butterfly garden area and a good Mother’s Day

    This used to be made of crumbling bricks
  • A couple peaceful days at work plus nice weather for it
  • Time to enjoy the migrating birds in the backyard
  • Surprise wildflowers in the backyard 
  • A get-together with my old Mom’s club friends later tonight

Probably lots more should be on my list but obviously my big one this week is seeing and talking to my sister! Did I cry happy tears all the way home over that? Yes. Yes, I did.

What things are you thankful for this week?

 

 

 

Happy Homemaker Monday, Manic Style

HappyHomemakerMonday 6 Comments

Felt a bit like just another manic Monday (wish it was Sunday…are you singing yet?) around here. Oh, and random trivia before I get my actual post: Did you know that Prince wrote the song Manic Monday? Heard it on the radio a few weeks back. Please share any trivia winnings with me. Ha!

On to the weekly planning post where I join the link up hosted by Sandra over at Diary Of A Stay At Home Mom.

The Weather

Hot, hot, and hotter still. Was I wearing my winter coat last week? Highs in the 90’s most of this week with chances of rain for the weekend. It’s a bit windy out there right now, comfortable but I can feel the heat building.

As I Look Outside My Window

Clouds from the weekend are blowing away and the sun’s appeared. Wish I could stay home and play in my garden areas. However, it’s a working day.

Right Now I Am

working on this post while the laundry goes, I’ve just returned from the grocery store, and need to run up and grab my caramel macchiato (iced) from the kitchen counter before it turns watery.

Thinking And Pondering

Lots of things. Had a really nice Mother’s Day weekend, hope everyone else did as well. Of course, I’m paying a bit of the price for a lazy day yesterday. However, it was worth it for a nice low-key day. We just ordered in pizza, then went and got some rocks for my butterfly garden area. Main excitement came when I picked up one of the rocks and there was a baby copperhead (we think, very small but venomous head shape) underneath it. Gigantic wolf spider under a different one. YIKES! Glad I had on gloves. (I’ll share photos of the “new” area later probably in a separate post)

Homemaking Tips

I think of these during the week and then forget them when posting time comes along. Going to have to start writing them down.

How I Am Feeling This Morning

Motivated but tired. Didn’t sleep well. And then, J overslept but managed to get to school on time. Hooray!

On The Breakfast Plate

Lemon curd full milk yogurt (lots o’ protein), coffee, vitamins, apple cider vinegar tabs, and more coffee from the grocery store.

On My Reading Pile

Finished a really good non-fiction read over the weekend: Stolen Focus: Why You Can’t Pay Attention and How to Think Deeply Again by Johann Hari. Went ahead and reviewed it over on Good Reads.  Yesterday I started reading The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware. I love Ruth Ware’s books but this wasn’t a great choice to start reading prior to bed. A bit scary for me though I’ll finish it.

On My TV

Better Call Saul, season finale of Masked Singer, not sure what else.

On The Menu

Dropped J off at school and went straight to the store this morning. Still trying to eat from freezer/pantry as much as we can.

MONDAY: chicken sausage, broccoli, orzo skillet *I work 12-5*

TUESDAY: Ham steaks, green beans, corn *I work 7:45-4:45*

WEDNESDAY: Likely out *J has 6:30a.m. band practice* *J has an appt at 3*

THURSDAY: Going to try the shrimp tacos Billie Jo from Afternoon Coffee and Evening Tea mentioned in her post last week.

FRIDAY: Freezer foraging day

From The Camera

 

Looking Around The House

Laundry mountain on bed, rest needs a bit of a clean, not awful but not great

On My To Do List

  1. Organize bills to be paid
  2. Fold all that laundry, ugh
  3. Get some more outdoor plants/clean front porch/work on garden
  4. Grocery store/DONE
  5. Pick up things I forgot at Target last week plus look for some summer work clothes

On My Prayer List

Friend diagnosed with skin cancer, another friend having some family issues, co-director at my school, family, strangers. Health, peace, compassion, and kindness to overtake all the sickness and hatred that seems so prevalent in the world lately.

Quote For The Week

Not a quote this week but how can I not end my post with this iconic song? Sing along with me…

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Stalking Sparrows

Birdwatching Thankful Thursday Week in Review 2 Comments

Welcome to my random bird-watching, thankful Thursday (except it’s Saturday), and week in review post! This is a combined catch up post if you don’t mind. It’s been a bit of a busy week.

Of course, I’m so thankful for the love of feeding the birds and bird watching I picked up from my parents. And to see the migrating birds making their way through our backyard again.

Stalking My Sparrows Plus A Few Others 

I’ve had to pick up my bird book a few times this week. I believe this little guy pictured above is a Lincoln’s sparrow! New visitor to our yard. A few more:

Not the best quality photos as we’ve had rain and/or clouds pretty much every day this week. Another sparrow that’s been hanging out with us is one of my favorites, the white-crowned sparrow:

Such neat looking birds! Before I share the photos of a couple different species, I want to mention I’ve also seen but not caught on camera a song sparrow and (one I had to look up in the book again!) a Harris sparrow. Exciting times around our feeders. Including two more non-sparrow favorites, hoping for better photos soon:

Rose-breasted grosbeak
Ruby-throated hummingbird

This concludes the bird-watching part of my post. Moving on to more Thankful Thursday and Week In Review content.

Teacher Appreciation Week

This was teacher appreciation week and I worked a couple days of it. I’d have worked more but G had car troubles so I had to balance my work week with a chauffeuring gig.

I love how the MPTO at my school includes me and the other substitutes in all their gestures. It is so kind and makes me really thankful that I took a chance on working at a small, private family run school about 6 years ago. A school that’s really grown I might add. The appreciation gestures included: K-coffee machines with coffee and cereal choices (for “cereal-ously” good teachers) on Monday, Lunch from Whataburger on Tuesday (I missed that one, bummer), plus the goodies pictured above, snacks on Thursday, and I’m sure something special yesterday as well.

Excited and thankful to have some of my summer schedule sorted as well including a week with an easy 7:00a.m. to noon shift.

Quick Recap of the Week

Before I end my post, here’s a quick recap of the things that have kept me away from the computer most of this week.

Monday, I worked at 7:00a.m to 3:30 shift, followed by a grocery store run. Thankfully, my favorite grocery store’s still doing the Monday gas discount with purchase. Very much needed.

Tuesday, a day of appointments.

Wednesday, another running around day plus the spring band concert. The kids were amazing as always!

Thursday, another crazy work schedule day. I worked 7:00a.m. to 1:30p.m., came home and picked J up from school, then returned to work from 3:00 to 4:30 as a favor to another teacher who needed to get somewhere before they closed at 5.

Finally, on Friday, I woke to find my fuchsia bloomed! Took G to work, met friends for coffee at new (to me) coffee shop north of the river (always love when I get to go on the bridge over the Missouri river). Went shopping at the nicer Target up that way. More chauffeuring. Concluded the day with take-out and a re-watch of Dr. Strange.

Weekend Plans

Looking ahead to the rest of this weekend, it’s still a little busy.

G was going to take me to the new Dr. Strange movie but I’d forgotten my husband and I had dinner plans with friends. So, hopefully, we’ll go next week when the crowds are maybe a bit better anyway.

For today, I plan to do a bit of laundry and yardwork, lots to be done outside.

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How was your week/what things were you thankful for in it? And finally, do you have any exciting weekend plans?

 

Happy Homemaker Monday, March or May

HappyHomemakerMonday 8 Comments

Is it Monday or Tuesday? Is it March or is it May? 

Well, I know it’s Tuesday (worked yesterday so a day late with this) and that it’s indeed May. However, it sure feels a bit more like March around here. Cold and rainy. Woke up to hear our heat running as it was in the low 40’s.

Going to join in with Sandra and the other lovely bloggers over at Diary Of A Stay At Home Mom for the Happy Homemaker Monday, even if it is a Tuesday. Let’s just get straight to the categories.

The Weather

sunrise yesterday before the rain moved into the area

 

Cold, windy, off and on rainy. We did have a nice thunderstorm last night. And the weather on the news this morning promised a sunny weekend full of temps in the 80’s. Hope so!

As I Look Outside My Window

I saw a hummingbird this morning! There is hope. Of course, I wasn’t prepared as it’s been so cold. Hope he comes back since his feeder is out there now.

Right Now

Working on this post before I leave to go get my hair cut in about an hour.

Thinking and Pondering

It’s a very rare thing (luckily) but I somehow put the wrong dates down on my calendar at some point. Thought G’s band concert was tonight but it’s tomorrow. Turned things down because of it. My whole week feels kind of off now. However, everything worked out in the end.

Homemaking Tips

Whenever I use Clorox wipes, I always run out of wipes but still have a bunch of liquid left in the container. I always shove some paper towels in the container and shake it up to use every drop of the wipe fluid.

How I Am Feeling This Morning

A bit tired, the cat woke me up at 4:00a.m. this morning and then I got up and finally let her outside about half an hour later (she’s quite vocal when she doesn’t get her way). Normally, I’d just stay up but I fell back asleep on the couch and woke up with a start when the 5:30 alarm sounded.

On The Breakfast Plate

Boring oatmeal. I’ll probably go have some toast and take the vitamins I forgot later though. Yesterday, I had a new kind of yogurt (not the Flip stuff) that was cold brew coffee cream flavored. A new favorite!

On My Reading Pile

I’m on a bit of thriller kick. I’ve discovered a new (to me) author, B.A. Paris and have been reading through her books. Quick reads. The first, Bring Me Back, was mildly predictable but still fun. The second one, Behind Closed Doors was a bit darker but scary good. I’ll need to find the title of the next one, I’ve started reading the preview of it after Behind Closed Doors, hoping it’s a kindle unlimited read as well.

On My TV

My husband and I finished Ozark over the weekend. I found the ending completely unsatisfying but he didn’t mind it. We don’t do well watching tv series on Netflix together. I’m a want to know the name of the episodes, what episode I’m watching, how many are left in the season kind of person. He’s a just let the next episode load and watch it type. I wasn’t mentally prepared for the last episode to be the last one. He didn’t get it. Please tell me I’m not the only one who likes to know when  watching the last episode of something?

Also watching Better Call Saul, Masked Singer, and Moon Knight. Sometimes Fear the Walking Dead (I have to be in just the right mood/have it the right time of day-no night-time for zombie shows)

On The Menu

lasagna from last week

Found myself a little fed up with prices/things the grocery store didn’t have yesterday. I just want normal chicken breasts, not pre-cooked, not wings, just the normal bag. And for it not to cost a million dollars. Too tall an order in 2022 apparently. Ha! It’s see what’s here already week, I think.

MONDAY: Spaghetti *I worked 7-3:30* (and then went to the store)

TUESDAY: Chicken sausage, broccoli, and orzo pasta *I have a hair appt at 10:30**J now has an appt at 5*

WEDNESDAY: OUT (Subway per tradition) *J has a band concert at 7*

THURSDAY: Ham steaks, green beans and new potatoes, cornbread *I work 7-1:30*

FRIDAY: Maybe homemade pizza or shrimp or whatever else I dig out of freezer? No idea basically.

From The Camera

I made more of an effort to pick up the camera but with the weather, not much luck in photos.

Looking Around The House

Last Friday, I spent some time giving it a good cleaning, the kind you do with music blaring. However, it needs attention again today.

On My To Do List

More to do than I have time to do.

  1. Pick up suet for suet feeder in backyard
  2. Go get more flowers
  3. Laundry (always)
  4. Clean the house
  5. Organize the bills, pay a couple that are due
  6. Make sour cream softies (cookies) with sour cream that’s about to go bad, trying to be more frugal with what we have around here

    banana zucchini chocolate chip muffins from last week
  7. Attempt violet jelly (I have the violets and the pectin, stay tuned for more info)
  8. Target trip, need space saver bags for winter clothes along with the usual
  9. Check calendar and confirm some work dates for summer
  10. Other stuff I’ll think of after hitting publish on my post

On My Prayer List

Friend who just lost her father, friend diagnosed with skin cancer, co-director at my work who suffered cardiac arrest and is currently hospitalized in critical condition (and his family, so sad and scary as we just had a conversation about a week ago! A lot of Covid-19 complications, sigh). Family, strangers.  A healthier, more peaceful world.

Quote For The Week

It’s not what you look at that matters; it’s what you see. (Henry David Thoreau)

 

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Thankful Thursday To-Do List

Thankful Thursday 4 Comments

Happy Thursday! I’m very thankful for an unexpected day off here. Already, I’ve been out in the yard enjoying it. However, we’re now getting some much needed rain so time to come inside and blog for a bit.

Thought I’d approach this thankful Thursday with a to-do list style. Today’s given me an opportunity to catch up on some long overdue tasks. I’ll be honest though and say I’m a bit overwhelmed with the list (not sharing the whole list here) and tempted to just catch up on my TV watching. Might do that later. Or have a cup of tea and read my book.

Outside To-Do List

  1. Plant the Hollyhocks. So happy to have found starts of these at a local nursery. Flowers I love and try to start from seed almost every year without success. Excited to see these blooming along side the climbing rose that thankfully, seems to be thriving in its new home.
  2. Take apart and replant in the yard hanging basket of violas and snapdragons that is not doing so well. Hopefully, the flowers thrive in their new locations and if not, I tried.
  3. Thankful to have a new hanging basket (see above) for creating my annual attempt at a basket of hanging lobelia (Glad I know a place that sells it since my location for the pre-made baskets no longer exists)
  4. Dig up crocus bulbs
  5. Plant miniature rose bush under bird feeder
  6. Try and identify some returning perennials and/or pull weeds
  7. Clean the front porch of old pots/dead flowers from last year
  8. Add rocks to fairy garden areas
Thankful the 2nd bleeding heart plant I splurged on decided to go ahead and bloom!

Stopping here with my outside list to give some thanks for: sunny days and much needed rainy days, hopefully the last of the freezing temps, a front porch to enjoy the sunny days, a hobby that makes me so happy, and returning flowers.

Inside To-Do List

Thankfully, there’s plenty to do around here on rainy days as well. 

  1. Flower garden research/thankful for the Internet and all the information at my finger tips
  2. Perhaps take a trip to the library as all that information can be overwhelming
  3. Clean out my bulging e-mail account and be thankful for the knowledge that there’s always another sale
  4. Add dates to the calendar
  5. Trade out rest of winter clothes for summer thankful for the durability of my clothing though I think some may be on their last lives
  6. Laundry
  7. Wash my gardening gloves and try to find the other lost pairs
  8. Bit of blogging catch up

Lots more on the list but stopping for a few thankful thoughts instead: Unexpected extra time in my day, the library being open again (and mask optional now, woohoo!!), a home to clean, a way that works well to keep track of all our schedules (not an ad, I use Cozi and I love it!), and blogging friends.

A Few Final Thankful Thoughts Just For Fun

Before I finish my post, I thought I’d throw just a few more random thankful thoughts in it. 

  • Discovering how much I love the smell of dianthus flowers! Thank you so much Mr. (or Mrs.) Hummingbird Moth for helping me discover them
  • My husband buying Funyuns when he went to Sam’s Club. A memory lane trip to the skating rink on a Friday night. And I’m also grateful he took the time to go to Sam’s club as we were out of some basic items.
  • Preschool kids that make me laugh with their funny ways and interesting ideas.
  • Kind coworkers who also love the kids
  • Time (a very rare thing) to have a conversation sharing/comparing thoughts with another very kind substitute teacher
  • A job/boss willing to invest in training substitute teachers along with the regular teachers.
  • The flexibility of working as a substitute teacher/setting my own hours to an extent
  • As excited as I am about my unexpected day off, I do love my job and miss those kids when I’m not there
  • My own kids who offer balance/countering thoughts to a mom who spends so much time with 3-6 year old kids
  • A challenging church service I’m still reflecting on all the way out on a Thursday.

What things are you thankful for this week?

Happy Homemaker Monday, End of April

HappyHomemakerMonday 12 Comments

Can you believe this is the last week in April?  I’m spending this last week of the month with a fairly full work schedule so I’m just going to get right into things this morning.

As always, I’ll be joining in with Sandra, our host, over at Diary Of A Stay At Home Mom.

The Weather

The weather continues to be up and down and even sideways here. The photo above was from one day last week when the sun was shining and it was raining all at once. We could just pick our weather depending on which direction we wanted to look.

After a warm weekend, it’s 45 degrees this morning and we’re under yet another frost advisory for overnight. I hope that’s the end of those! It’s back up in the upper 60’s/low 70’s for the second half of the week.

As I Look Outside My Window

I see birds at the feeders and spring flowers finally blooming. Plus blue skies and sunshine!

Right Now

A bit of laundry and trying to get this post up before I head off to work at noon.

Thinking and Pondering

The weather warmed up and so I’m pretty much focused on the outdoors right now. I have too many projects going but picking just one is a struggle. Front porch? Flower garden beside it? Vegetable garden? Adding a garden in front of the porch? New garden area in back yard? And on and on my mind spins.

Homemaking Tips

Not sure if I’ve shared this before but I’ve found storing kitchen storage containers with the lids on makes such a huge difference. No pile of random lids falling on my head. An automatic control on the cabinet filling with too many containers (my husband never met a take out container he didn’t want to keep, drives me nuts!).

How I Am Feeling This Morning 

Not too bad. After feeling under the weather most of last week, I had lots of energy for the weekend and it’s spilled over into today.

On The Breakfast Plate

Oatmeal, water, coffee, vitamins.

On My Reading Pile

After finishing The Betrayal of Anne Frank by Rosemary Sullivan, I was quite shocked to find it was a very controversial book.  Mainly because of the conclusion that likely another Jewish person had been the betrayer in an effort to save his own family. Apparently, there were concerns it was anti-semantic .And that the publisher had apologized, removing it from the shelves in many countries. I thought it was well-written and researched and did not get that vibe from it at all (the last 20 percent of the book was nothing but footnotes/bibliography material many times listing the number of people killed in the various concentration camps).

After all that, I picked a lighter read for my next choice. Alison Sherlock never disappoints and I enjoyed a much needed return visit to Cranbridge in The Village of Happy Ever Afters.

On My TV

Probably not much tv watching this week. Masked Singer, Just Call Me Kat, Moon Knight on Disney+, catching up on Fear the Walking Dead, and also watching Better Call Saul on AMC+.

On The Menu

I had lots of inspiration at the grocery store yesterday and was making a mental list of meals while shopping. Unfortunately, I’ve forgotten it already. Let’s see if it comes back to me.

MONDAY: Leftovers/whatever is in freezer (we had roast yesterday) *I work 12-5:30* *J has a lesson at 6:30*

TUESDAY: Lasagna *I work 7-3:30*

WEDNESDAY: Ham steaks, cornbread, salad *I work 7-3:30*

THURSDAY: Pepper steak maybe? *I work 12-3:45*

FRIDAY: Probably OUT *I work 3-6*

From The Camera

I didn’t really pick up the camera over the weekend as I was busy doing yard work. So with the exception of the rainbow, all the other photos in this post are from this morning.

Looking Around The House

I still don’t want to do that! It’s not terrible but I spent too much time outside doing other things this weekend. Like feeling this Lamb’s Ear plant. I might have a new front porch favorite!

On My To Do List

Tried to do a few things over the weekend as I knew this would be a busier week. Not making a super long list at all for this week.

  1. Laundry
  2. Figure out when my next hair appt is scheduled
  3. Check kitchen pantry for ants (don’t really want to do this but thought I saw one)
  4. Write and mail a letter
  5. Sort out winter/early spring clothes and switch for late spring/summer clothes
  6. Continue to research plants/flowers for garden areas
A hummingbird moth sold me on these dianthus

 

On My Prayer List

A friend recently diagnosed with skin cancer who is struggling with the news, friends, family, strangers. The people of Ukraine. The continued receding and a disappearance of the Covid-19 virus. A return to a kinder, gentler world. Peace.

Quote For The Week

 

Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. (Hebrews 12: 14-15)

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