https://chitchatwithjean.com/

Browsing the Land

Chitchat No Comments

Had a few minutes this morning as my work schedule changed. Went from training this afternoon, to a full day, to just a few hours followed by training. And I’m going in to work to do a zoom meeting type training. Don’t even ask.

Not yet Thursday but I should also throw in here how very thankful I am for hot coffee and warm breakfasts.

Pouring down rain again today and cold! Had to don the mud boots to take the trash and recycle out to the curb. (Note: snow boots in the winter are the same boots I call mud boots once it becomes spring)

Thankfully, I brought in all the sensitive plants last night. Hopefully, Lucinda the lemon tree won’t shudder and throw off all her leaves now.

Since spring cleaning and the scary terrifying number on the scale have been mostly on my mind. Thought I’d share some fun sites I’ve found while browsing the land of the Internet. Maybe you’ll enjoy them as well.

Weight Loss Related Sites

These are some sites that caught my eye while searching for various weight loss ideas and plans. Most of my searches in this area start with the word “free” because I’m cheap. Plus, I’ll be honest, it’s not like I need to pay someone to tell me what I need to do. Going back to the old adage, really, I need to pay someone to follow me around and slap my hand whenever I pick up junk food.

Sites found browsing the land the of weight loss ideas, a vast sea I’ve narrowed to a few favorites:

The Mom Grows Up blog caught my eye when I was doing a weight watchers vs Noom search.

(Sidebar: I thought $159 for 6 months of Noom was a bit pricey! $159 for 6 months after a free 14 day trial? Pass. And why do free trials always demand your payment up front? Let me really try for free and then, if I’m happy, you can have my money. I don’t appreciate the mal-intent behind hoping I’ll forget to cancel even if it seems to be the way of the world.)

I read quite a few of her posts and found her very relatable in her struggles and enjoyed the humor in the posts. She also mentioned this book titled Brain-Powered Weight Loss which intrigued me.

Reading her posts and reviews/thoughts on the various diets made me realize something about myself, I hate doing food math. Whether with calories through Noom or points with Weight Watchers, it all feels too complicated to me.

I just want to eat and be healthy. That thought led me to this article:  20 Ways To Lose Weight Without Counting Calories, According to Experts and Real Women  

Common sense advice. I think I’ll print the article out as a reminder to myself. One last link to share in this area as I remembered I had a whole Pinterest board devoted to getting healthy! And an item on my 22 list to try my pins this year, clean up those boards. Note: pins made long ago might no long lead to very nice sites, SIGH. This pin still worked, however, and I think I’ll start by adding it in to a routine. Especially after the whole pulled muscle from kicking the chair thing: How to Regain Flexibility After 50

Let’s move on from this topic and see what I found when browsing the land of the Internet regarding spring cleaning.

Spring Cleaning Fun

I’ve not done a lot of spring cleaning this week. Honestly most my to do list items remain undone today. However, last week I did find this fun site when searching up “spring cleaning in a weekend.” It’s a site devoted to weekends and I’m quite enamored with it. Been reading it a lot when I should have been cleaning. Hopefully, you’ll enjoy Almost the Weekend as much as I am. It’s my favorite place of all the Internet land I’ve explored in the last week or so.

Finally, since I need to stay a bit on track, I also found this handy calendar called 31 Days of Deep Cleaning Your Home over at Laura’s Crafty Life. It’s nice how it isn’t for any one specific month so could be used at any time. And some time soon, I might just give it a try.

Have you found anything interesting while searching/browsing the Internet lately?

 

 

 

Happy Homemaker Monday, It’s Spring!

HappyHomemakerMonday 12 Comments

Happy Spring! I’m so happy it is finally here. I really do try my best to embrace fall and winter. Recently, I’ve even come to appreciate those seasons. However, spring and soon to follow summer just fill my spirits with such happiness.

Bee happy, it’s spring!

I’ve already done a few chores and run a few errands this morning and now am taking a break to put up my post for Happy Homemaker Monday, hosted by Sandra over at Diary Of A Stay At Home Mom. These posts really do help me stay on track and I enjoy very much visiting all the other bloggers who join.

The Weather

After a beautiful and warm (!) sunny weekend, rain is supposed to start this afternoon and be here the next couple days. I don’t mind. We need the rain (Still a fire ban/red flag warning until March 23). It’s supposed to dip down into the 30’s a few days. Then, the sun and warm weather returns. Probably with a lot more green grass and flowers on the ground!

As I Look Outside My Window

Grackles taking over my bird feeders, squirrels chasing them away, tiny bits of green and spring flowers pushing through the ground. Also, a pretty sunrise this morning.

Right Now

Laundry in progress, wondering when the boys are going to get out of bed (soon, hopefully, as it’s noon), and working on this post.

Thinking and Pondering

Spring always puts me in get healthy mode. Probably because as I switch out clothing I realize it’s all a bit snug (understatement). Trying to figure out the best diet (ugh) to work with the family (making 2 meals at a time is not for me). Noticed there is a new gym going in about a mile down the road, might look into that when they open. Just need to do something. Have a few ideas that I’m “thinking and pondering” in my mind.

Homemaking Tips

Not sure it’s a practical tip but I found the best way to clean a ceiling fan. Two ways really. One: Just get rid of it! Two: take it down off the ceiling and clean it.  Also, the old adage of shop your house first goes in here as well. Spring cleaning the kitchen a tiny bit on Saturday led to us taking down the ceiling fan over the kitchen table, replacing it with another led light and then, taking down the rather dated ceiling fan in the living room replacing it with the white one from the kitchen. Made a huge difference. And the Dawn Spray Dish Soap is great for cleaning off the blades (if the fan is down off the ceiling).

How I Am Feeling This Morning/Afternoon

Optimistic and in the mood to get things done.

On The Breakfast Plate

Maple Brown Sugar Oatmeal, coffee, apple cider vinegar tabs, vitamins, water.

On My Reading Pile

Mainly just reading through the David Baldacci series with Amos Decker, I’m on book 6 titled Walk the Wire. Though my library hold of The Winemaker’s Wife by Kristin Harmel just came through. Probably going to DNF (did not finish) most other books on my pile, the Joshua Becker one, the memoir of Hillary Clinton’s aide (just wasn’t holding my attention), and some other random library books included.

On My TV

Masked Singer, still trying Outlander but it’s losing me a bit in season 3, and for fun, I watched Highlander (you know have to go through all the “lander” shows) last night. I did enjoy it, probably more than the Outlander series to be honest. If I can get the AMC+ app to work, I might catch up a bit on Walking Dead while folding laundry.

On The Menu

Always a bit tricky to plan during spring break weeks. Just throwing ideas here and then, if I have to move them around, I’ll still have the stuff to make dinners another time.

MONDAY: Chicken sausage, broccoli, and orzo skillet (found this while browsing a magazine last week) *J has a baritone lesson at 6:30*

TUESDAY: Chili (By request), also planning to make a vegetarian chili and freeze in individual portions for my lunches *J has an appt at either 2 or 3pm*

WEDNESDAY: Pulled Pork in crock pot *I work 8:30-5*

THURSDAY: Hamburgers/hot dogs and French Fries

FRIDAY: Fish, coleslaw, asparagus

*Probably be some OUT meals in there somewhere since it is spring break*

From The Camera

 

Looking Around The House

I’m in spring cleaning mode so it’s a bit frustrating to look around the house as I keep seeing things I need to do. It needs cleaned before it can even be spring cleaned. Hard to do with people underfoot but eventually, it’ll get there.

On My To Do List

  1. This post
  2. Grocery Store *DONE*
  3. Laundry *In progress*
  4. Cut up fruits/veggies for week
  5. Wash kitchen cabinets with Murphy’s Oil Soap (Floor as well if I have time)
  6. Start the cat grass seeds I picked up yesterday
  7. Take back library books (cringe, yes, the overdue ones from last week)
  8. Send a couple letters

On My Prayer List

A good friend having knee replacement surgery this week, all the spring break people to have safe and fun ones, the people of Ukraine as well as those of Russia who oppose the war but are unable to speak out for fear of repercussions against their families, family, strangers.

Quote For The Week

Never underestimate the healing power of a moment in the garden
(Josephine Albert)

********************

A Bit of Green on Thankful Thursday

Thankful Thursday No Comments

Thought I’d share a bit of green from around the house in today’s Thankful Thursday post. I really do need to get back into the swing of picking up my camera! I can tell I’m out of practice.

bit of green

That said, I’m extremely thankful I do have a “fancy” camera to pick up and use. Some day, maybe, I’ll learn how to use it properly. For now, I’ve decided to just stick to auto for a bit.

I’m thankful that somewhere along the line I went from having a completely brown thumb with plants to more a yellowish green hue. Don’t look to me to save your houseplants but the ones in my possession might just have a chance.

That said, I’m also grateful to see our local grocery store carrying shamrock plants as mine suffered the fate of someone (me) without the completely green thumb. (I think, it’s outdoors, we’ll see if any green springs forth from the pot once it fully warms to spring and summer.) Plan to pick up a replacement, hoping they go on sale though they aren’t overly expensive (hooray for that!).

Indoor Stuff

I’m thankful for knowing how to cook (mostly) and more than enough food in the pantry, fridge, and freezer.

The privilege of being overwhelmed with too many “to-do’s” when so many simply struggle to survive.

Candles, books, coffee, and tea. It’ll be green chai tea later today, of course, for St. Patrick’s Day. Also, a Shamrock shake.

Thankful for minor family traditions like J and I always getting a Shamrock shake from McDonald’s on or around this date. One thing I’ve noticed lately is that the simpler traditions seem to be the more memorable ones.

And finally, I’m grateful for tiny chunks of time home alone this week. As well as time spent with friends. So glad I decided to go ahead and go to Bunco on Tuesday night. A much needed mental break! And a haircut, same style but also a good lift for the spirits. (And now that gas is a bit more, I’m also thankful she moved to a salon that’s just the tiniest few blocks closer to the highway than the old one)

Outdoor Stuff

Though it might snow later tonight, I am so grateful to see sun and a bit of warmth on this Thursday instead of snow and cold! Hello, little purple-blue flowers. My harbingers of spring for sure. Though I fought them for many years, I’m now grateful for their presence knowing once they take over the yard, warm weather is sure to follow. And take over the yard they do.

Speaking of spring flowers, I’m happy to see my alliums poking through the ground and growing. Just last week, I searched for tiny signs and found only one pushing up through the dirt. This morning, I have this:

And grateful to see more tiny purple signs of spring and summer every time I walk around the yard. Found these peeking out from the daffodil foliage.

Yes, I still need to rake the leftover fall leaves. I’m thankful my leg no longer hurts from a pulled muscle so I can get out there and take care of things later today. It’s amazingly wonderful to simply be able to put on pants with no pain (no pain, definitely not a minor thing to appreciate)

A Few More Items 

A husband who can not only change a lightbulb but change out a whole light fixture in less than an hour

We had the ugliest fluorescent light fixture in the kitchen and when I mentioned replacing it on Sunday, it was done before dinner. This is an LED light. Not sure what any of it means except it gives out more light and looks so much better. Sometimes I take for granted how handy my husband is at this type of thing.

Messages of faith when I need them the most

Friends who follow up and check in when you ignore messages

Music

**********

What things are you thankful for today?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Homemaker Again on Tuesday

HappyHomemakerMonday 6 Comments

Yesterday just wasn’t great. A lot of issues with J just left me a bit too emotionally drained to even put together a coherent post. Thankfully, this morning was better.

So, here I am again on a Tuesday. Better late than never? And it’s my Spring break at work! We’re actually celebrating 3 spring breaks in a row around here. Unfortunately, not much overlap. My break is this week. J’s is next week (though they also get Friday), and then G has the following week. My poor husband doesn’t get one.

Late to the party but still linking up with Sandra over at Diary Of A Stay At Home Mom.

The Weather

Spring’s trying! Sunny days most of the week with highs near 60. Chilly start today as it’s currently 43 degrees but supposed to warm up quickly after lunch. Slight chance of rain on Thursday, still much needed as we’re in drought conditions. Okay with it as long as the wintry mix they hinted at on the news skips out on us.

As I Look Outside My Window

I see sunshine, a bunch of front porch plants and a yard in need of tending. Hoping to get out there later today.

Right Now

Working on this post in efforts to put off chores  (cleaning, paying bills, etc.)

Thinking and Pondering

Too much to share. Here I’ll share the lighter things on my mind:  I’d like to use my spring break to do some much needed spring cleaning and refreshing around here. Easter is also on my mind a bit. The garden areas of the front porch and yard.

Homemaking Tips

I’ve been adding a few drops of lemon and lavender oils to the washer when washing the bedding. Makes them smell so good!

How I Am Feeling

Tired. Trying to push through some depressing and defeatist thinking.

On The Breakfast Plate

I’ve switched over from yogurt to oatmeal each morning. I haven’t compared it officially to my flip yogurts but I noticed I feel a bit better with the oatmeal breakfast. Also, apple cider vinegar tablets, vitamins, water (as well as coffee!)

On My Reading Pile

I’ve slowed down on my reading a bit. Still working on The Fix (Amos Decker #3) by David Baldacci. Also, need to decide if I want to renew or return The Minimalist Home: A Room by Room Guide by Joshua Becker. (All my library books are a couple days overdue!)

On My TV

Sigh, no more Joe Millionaire. Read where one of the couples is already no more. It was a fun show though. And now, I’m more excited than I should be to see The Masked Singer is back. As are The Flash and DC Legends of Tomorrow, both of which I just watch on the CW app. Finally, I caved and started watching Outlander on Netflix after Carrie from Northwoods Scrapbook suggested it. Two episodes in and I wasn’t sure but another friend encouraged me to stick with it a bit longer. Now, I’m on season 3. Honestly, I still have mixed feelings as it’s not my usual type of show (Time travel stuff? Yes. Period drama? Not so much) but I do love the scenery and music of it!

On The Menu

Not overly exciting this week.

MONDAY: We had tacos and I baked a (store bought) apple pie for pi day

TUESDAY: Chicken and spinach skillet, rice

WEDNESDAY: OUT probably Subway *J has a school band concert*

THURSDAY: Irish Bacon and Cabbage Soup, homemade brown bread, Lucky Charms bars *St Patrick’s Day*

FRIDAY: Freezer Frenzy (Need to clean out some already cooked items in the freezer)

From The Camera

Still sorely lacking in this department. With the exception of the dove photo further below, all the pictures from this morning just for this post.

Looking Around The House

There’s a reason I want to spend my week spring cleaning, the entire house needs it!

To Do List

  • pay bills
  • Spring cleaning (might make a post with an outline of the tasks to keep me on track)
  • E-mail J’s teachers (I’m skipping parent-teacher conferences this week as I didn’t think I could hold it together 7 times in a row with everything that’s been going on (some of them already know the anxiety info anyway), e-mail felt safer)
  • Write/send a letter
  • Yard work and enjoy the beautiful spring weather

On My Prayer List

The people of Ukraine, an end to the horrific war (I made the mistake of watching the world news one night and could not contain the tears as they told the stories of the millions of refugees, so many of them children!), family, friends, strangers. A kinder, peaceful, and healed world.

Quote For The Week

I need to end this post on a lighter note with thoughts back on spring flowers and green yards. I get a “Daily Moment of Happiness” e-mail from Gretchen Rubin and she shared this quote in it last Tuesday. It just spoke to me:

I shall never have the garden I have in my mind, but that for me is the joy of it; certain things can never be realized and so all the more reason to attempt them. (Jamaica Kincaid) 

****************

 

On Thursdays, It Snows

Thankful Thursday 2 Comments

It seems as if on Thursdays, it snows. And I put out my Thankful Thursday post.

Thankful for the much needed moisture to the ground. However, I’ll be doubly thankful when I can say: On Thursdays, it rains.

Not that I haven’t been thankful but the week from last Thursday to this one feels like such a blur making it hard to remember things. I’m sure I’ll leave some things out but I still want to share the good things I do remember.

Perhaps, I’ll start with today and go backward.

Definitely, thankful to have all my family home and safe on this snowy Thursday. And for a home to keep us sheltered from this round of cold, wet weather.

Glad to have easy access to clean, fresh water for laundry, cooking, dish washing, drinking, and watering my too many plants.

Thankful to share this post with whoever is out there reading it as well as the photos. Especially since the computer photo app was not working this morning and I spent a couple hours fixing it. (Go me! Thought for sure I’d have to call technical support aka one of the teenagers but I managed to get it going again.)

Coupons, Gift Cards, and Savings

Happy that I went ahead and splurged on these 3 tiny bud vases in the Target dollar spot (Bullseye playground, I still call the dollar spot though I guess it should be the dollar(s) spot. Thankful for the little coupon which helped me make up my mind. The vases came in handy for the daffodil buds I had to pluck prior to the cold snap moving through.

And I’m thankful for this lavender plant filling our living room with a lovely summery scent. I used a Home Depot gift card from Christmas to “rescue” it from the outdoor garden area (Too soon! I really hope they moved the rest of them indoors last night).

Finally, going back to Monday, I’m so very thankful for the grocery store gas discounts. Since Chiefs season is over, they’ve been using the Sunday temperatures. Forty-four cents off a gallon at least helped a little to offset the current super high prices.

Going Places

Haven’t gone too many places but I am thankful for a reliable car to get me there.

  • Out to eat and a game night with friends
  • Spotting a great horned owl on the way to J’s lesson
  • A bit of alone time in Target and Home Depot
  • Mom’s night out and fun catch up during Happy Hour last night

At Home Again

I started the post by giving thanks for a home to shelter us from the storm. However, I think I can count that one twice when so many lack that in this area and across the world.

  • The security of monotony, being able to watch tv shows and read books while resting a sore leg
  • A stocked, pantry, fridge, and freezer for meals
  • The amusement of watching Chelsey, the little gray cat, demand time and attention
  • The joy of watching the birds at the feeders
  • The luxury of a pajama day (probably why I’m having trouble focusing on this task)

What things are you thankful for today?

 

 

 

 

Happy Homemaker Monday, Snowy Start

HappyHomemakerMonday 8 Comments

So last night we had rain, hail, thunder & lightening, all followed by a tiny bit of snow. Oh, and now it’s cold again. Thankfully, not bitter cold. Just average winter cold but I’m ready for those warmer days to stick around for good. I’m ready for sitting on a sunny front porch surrounded by blooming flowers.

However, for now, I’ll sit inside and continue to dream of those days while joining in with Sandra over at Diary Of A Stay At Home Mom for another Happy Homemaker Monday. (And look two in a row for me posting on an actual Monday!)

The Weather

Already mentioned it a bit to start my post. Cold. Snow on the ground (though not much and the roads were fine when I went grocery shopping). It’s supposed to get back into the upper 40’s/low 50’s tomorrow and Wednesday before we get another chance of more snowfall on Thursday into Friday. While I don’t necessarily want the snow, we do actually need something wet (I’d prefer rain) to soak into our ground around here.

As I Look Outside My Window 

This is a cheater picture as it’s from early Sunday morning (prior to our weird weather) but I was so excited to see a goldfinch at my feeder! Today I’ve seen mainly cardinals, snowbirds, and sparrows. And of course the Carolina wren pictured above (though not at the feeders).

Right Now I Am

Freezing! And wondering why as it’s usually a bit warmer in the basement from a heater we have down here. I’m about to go check and see if the pilot light on it might be out or if it’s just cold here by the window. (Heat is going strong, must be cold because I’m by the outside wall/window)

Thinking And Pondering

Wondering about J, we had a full diagnosis type appointment at the therapist office on Friday (so many surveys and questions and I still have one that came via e-mail to complete). Hoping, however, it gives us answers so he can feel better. Of course, everything always takes so much time. Pondering that. 4-6 weeks for answers. Not their fault, we’re in line…lots of people needing help these days. And of course, hoping the answers are simple and not scary. I don’t expect them to be scary but all of this is a new experience and while I can kind of guess the answers, I’m waiting for the experts. Also, thinking I probably should be reading something other than a nonfiction book that’s an account of several sons in a family suffering mental illness.

Homemaking Tips

I got nothing.

How I Am Feeling Today

Well, in one of those only I could manage it moments, I pulled my inner thigh muscle (or maybe a ligament) while kicking the recliner part of our loveseat last week. The chair gets stuck when reclined and I *possibly* kicked too hard in trying to get it to go back. I spent all of Saturday (bummer, too as it was a nice day) resting and elevating my leg. Felt better but now I’ve walked on it a bit too much and it hurts again. Stairs are not very fun, going down isn’t bad but the trip back up them is a bit brutal. Otherwise, I feel okay.

On The Breakfast Plate

Boring as always, oatmeal, coffee, water, and vitamins

On My Reading Pile

Usually, I don’t do this but I have 3 books in rotation. Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family by Robert Kolker. The one about mental illness, I’m not very far into it as it just popped up yesterday but it is interesting, one of my skip the line library loans. The Fix by David Baldacci, the 3rd and final installment in the Amos Decker series. It’s not really holding my attention well but I plan to finish it at some point. Finally, since the Baldacci book wasn’t holding my attention on Friday, I started reading Both/And by Huma Abedin. I thought it was just a memoir when I started it but I guess she was one of Hillary Clinton’s aides. The part about her background was very interesting, I’ve just hit the part where she’s starting her career in politics, hoping it doesn’t get overwhelmingly political as I read on.

On My TV

So since I sat and rested my leg on Saturday, I did watch a bit o’ TV. The Dropout on Hulu is very good. Then annoyed as season 1 was only 3 episodes, I switched over and watched The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley on HBO Max, also very good. (And if you’ve not read the book Bad Blood by John Carreyrou, start with that. I read it last year or maybe in 2019). Staying in a documentary mood, I also watched on HBO Max, Gaming Wall Street about the GameStop stock controversy. Definitely worth your time. And then just for fun, I started playing catch up with D.C. Legends of Tomorrow. This week will be more of that along with the finale of Joe Millionaire on Thursday!

On The Menu

Struggling with my menu planning today.

MONDAY: Might be an OYO kind of night. Leftover roast, leftover taco meat, etc. *J has a baritone lesson at 6:30*

TUESDAY: Pork chops, baked potatoes, salad

WEDNESDAY: Pepper chicken? (Like pepper steak but I’m making it with chicken)

THURSDAY: Spaghetti or Korean meatballs, undecided

FRIDAY: Possibly BBQ shrimp (we have a seasoning packet) or maybe something else *J has an appointment at 3*

Sat/Sun: Chili?/Homemade pizza

From The Camera

The Carolina Wren singing its song

Looking Around The House

The last holdouts of my flowers from a couple weeks back

I did clean off the kitchen table this morning (really cleared it completely). That’s about all I accomplished.

On My To Do List

  1. This Post (almost done)
  2. Clean off kitchen table DONE
  3. Grocery store DONE
  4. A bit of laundry
  5. Start cantaloupe and honeydew seeds DONE
  6. Finish survey from therapist office

On My Prayer List

Friend who just lost her brother, and now her uncle. The people of Ukraine. An end to the ridiculous war over there/peace in the world. Family, friends, strangers.

Quote For The Week

I smiled when I read this in the current issue of Better Homes and Gardens magazine. It’s so very true in this area.

 

Hello, Sunshine!

Thankful Thursday 2 Comments

I’m so thankful on this Thursday to be able to say hello, sunshine! It’s something I miss during the dark winter days.

I really do think perhaps that I am solar powered. Nothing feels better and more energizing to me than bright sunlight soaking into me.

Hello, sunshine!

Are you solar powered also?  Nothing wrong with a cloudy, rainy (or snowy) day and I appreciate those as well. I just don’t love them as much as I love the ones filled with bright sunshine and warm breezes.

And on this bright sunshine filled day, it’s time for another Thankful Thursday posting.

Hello, sunshine!

I’m definitely thankful for grocery store flowers continuing to bloom into their second week now! Nicely filling in the gap for me with the contradiction in the temperatures of spring and summer while outside remains in the browns of winter.

I’m so thankful my little tomato seedlings are growing. Very much looking forward to the day I can plant them outside (of course, I know that’s closer to May but still exciting!) Hello, sunshine!

If you’re thinking I seem to be on a bit of an outdoor theme with my thankfulness today, you’d be right. I’ll end with a couple of indoor pictures for you. Hello, sunshine!

Glad to have switched out (and used up!) my February candle. Time for the house to smell like Sunshine and Daffodils! Very thankful for the clean, refreshing scent of this candle. And also, thankful that most my daffodils (there were a few too close to blooming) seem to have made it through last week’s deep chill temperatures.  A few last thankful sentiments before I return to my dreams of spring plantings and blooms. Hello, sunshine!

Grateful for my family, friends, and my job (nothing soothes the soul like preschool children).

Bonus Items:

Always think of a few things right as I’m about to finish these posts! Not a bad problem to have.

  • Car washes! Want to know something funny about me? Automatic car washes freak me out so I only wash the car by hand in the stalls. And I gave the car a much needed wash on Tuesday!
  • Books and silly tv shows.
  • Sleeping well last night

What things are you thankful for on this Thursday?

 

Happy Homemaker Monday, Goodbye February!

HappyHomemakerMonday 8 Comments

Well, it’s Monday night but I’m still back to posting on a Monday (finally)! The first two months of the year feel so foggy and distant already but I’m so glad for a brand, new fresh month tomorrow! 

Since it is late on Monday, I’m just going to get straight to the categories. Joining in with Sandra over at Diary Of A Stay At Home Mom as always.

The Weather

Beautiful! The end of last week was cold and snowy. However, the snow is almost all melted and our week is full of high 50’s and 60’s sometimes upper 60’s even. Think a slight chance of rain for the weekend. March is coming in like a lamb for sure.

How I’m Feeling

Okay. Really wasn’t the best Monday as it was a rough day for anxiety with J. However, we’ll just try again tomorrow. New month, fresh start. 

On The Breakfast Plate

Strawberry blueberry instant oatmeal. Glad it was the last packet! I thought it was packets of two flavors when I bought it but no, they were combined. Not my favorite. Coffee, water, vitamins.

On My Reading Pile

Still reading away, too much to escape. Read another Kristin Harmel over the weekend, The Forest of Vanishing Stars. Very good historical fiction work about the Jewish people hiding in the forests during WWII. Invisible Girl by Lisa Jewell was creepy good as was Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware (both kept me guessing to the end). And for a little lightness, Spring Blooms at the Hummingbird Hotel by Daisy James didn’t disappoint.

On My TV

We watched The King’s Man one day last week (not my pick), it was long but okay.  And I watched Free Guy by myself on Friday. I enjoyed it a lot! Planned to watch Defiance as the Kristin Harmel book afterward mentioned it but all these streaming services and is it on any of the ones we have? No. No, it is not. Grumble. I’ll of course, also watch Joe Millionaire on Thursday.

(Not on my TV but we did go to an actual movie theater (!!) to finally see Spiderman: No Way Home. Enjoyed that. We were also the only ones in that movie.)

On The Menu

Pretty basic week here. Gordon Ramsay’s quick and delicious menu item was a dud so I gave another chicken recipe a try tonight. It was okay. Everyone else seemed to enjoy the carrot side dish but I personally, did not. Cooked carrots aren’t my thing.

MONDAY: Bacon wrapped chicken, carrots in a sweet sauce (honey, chicken stock, butter)

TUESDAY: Pancakes

WEDNESDAY:  ?? Maybe out *I work 8:30-6*

THURSDAY: Roast in the crock pot *I work 3-6*

FRIDAY: Shrimp/Fish/Asparagus/Garlic Toast *J has appointment at 9*

From The Camera

I’ve been pretty lazy with the camera especially about changing out the zoom and regular lens. The zoom is on their often when I need the regular. Last week was also a little dreary with the weather near the weekend.

Looking Around The House

Lots I needed to do today just didn’t get done. Maybe it’ll look better tomorrow.

On My To Do List

  1. Go to store (DONE)
  2. This post (In progress)
  3. Finish up laundry
  4. Take care of a couple e-mails
  5. Check Spring Break dates on calendar
  6. Everything else I’m forgetting

Quote For The Week

I go to nature to be soothed, healed and have my senses put in order. (John Burroughs)

Another Snowy Thursday

Thankful Thursday No Comments

Would it be wrong to start my thankful Thursday post this week by saying I’m thankful spring is almost here and winter almost over?

I mean I’m realistic as I know our frost-free day is a long way off and we have had snow in May. However, warm spring breezes are coming. We had a few (too early) of those last week teasing us into thinking about spring plantings. Thankfully, I at least have my seed catalogs to curl up with on this snowy day.

A Few Thankful Things From Last Week/Weekend

I was thankful to get J outside to enjoy the snow with me for a bit. He probably would never admit it (teenagers) but I think he had fun. He even made me a free form snow penguin after I was telling him about seeing an ad for a mold for one.

That snow (and the cute little penguin) are long gone and I was okay with that since a wonderful almost 70 degree day replaced it. The outside time did come with a price (a bribe of Wendy’s for dinner) and I was grateful that they got our order right! We have two picky eaters in this family and sometimes fast food drive thru windows are a bit challenging.

Can’t recall the exact day but G and I had a bit of a spat right at dinner time. Normally, I probably could’ve shrugged it off but with all the extra stress from J’s situation I took it pretty hard. Let’s just say I was angry. Angry enough to leave the house and go for a drive. Like mother like son? I returned to find G also had gone for a drive. He came home and apologized to me. So, while it wasn’t an ideal evening, I am very thankful to have a son who is capable of admitting his mistakes and apologizing for them.

This Week So Far

Mentioned in yesterday’s post about my bargain flowers. Very excited and happy to have some bright flowers to brighten up this dull, snowy day. And that I bought two bouquets. One for the kitchen and a smaller one for the bedroom.

I think I’d have fresh flowers in every room if I had the time and budget for it. Maybe one day I’ll finally achieve enough of a cut flower garden at home to do that.  I just love fresh flowers, don’t you?

On a different note, I am thankful for the new drinking glasses I found at Target. Plastic but logo free! We have glass glasses but the boys were always grabbing the plastic logo ones. I like that these look nice but are ultimately unbreakable (and dishwasher safe!)

A Bit More in the Kitchen

Yesterday’s dinner was a bust. Neither quick nor delicious, Gordon Ramsay! I’ll take the blame for overcooking the chicken but turns out none of us are likely to book a trip to Morocco any time soon. The flavor profile was not for us. Couscous wasn’t awful but not good enough to round out our meal. And I forgot that poor G doesn’t like lemon in food unless maybe it’s a dessert.

All that to say I was thankful we had other options for dinner last night. Bowl of cereal for me (Even after spending so long making the dish, lots of chopping of veggies, I couldn’t do it), pretzels from QT for my husband and J. G went out with his friends later. At least now we know, we don’t like that flavor profile (I should have thought it out as I tasted the spice while fixing dinner and kind of thought it yucky but wanted to try it cooked.).

Rounding Out The Final Few Thankful Items for This Week

Thankful a friend let me know about receiving a digital order we’d both placed prior to Christmas (a download of a band concert) so I contacted the gentleman and figured out the problem, getting our order as well. It was supposed to take 4-6 weeks so we hadn’t thought much of it until recently.

Happy J was in a rare good mood last night.

And after a rather roller coaster week of emotions, I’m thankful to settle down, block it all out, and watch my guilty pleasure reality tv show, Joe Millionaire, later tonight.

***********

What’s on your thankful list this week?

 

 

A Long and Rambling Post

Chitchat No Comments

Been a while it seems since I just did a general post. So, this will likely be as the title says a long and rambling post.

Family Matters

Does anyone remember that show? Steve Urkel and his catchphrase: Did I do that?

I’ve got quite the load of parental guilt regarding J’s anxiety/mental health anguish right now. Feeling like I failed Pandemic parenting 101. I mean I was prepared for nuclear winter parenting not pandemic parenting. SIGH. Okay, I was prepared for neither and yes, I know things could be so much worse.

I struggle a bit with what and how much to share of all this. Mainly, I ask myself is it really my story to share? However, I think it might help someone not feel alone should they stumble across this blog (and they’d really have to stumble as I’m loathe to use the whole SEO stuff too often, too much of a headache!).

It also helps to share my thoughts on it a bit. Clear out a bit of the mental space it’s taking up in my head.

Snow days definitely don’t help when trying to get a kid back to some semblance of a routine. Yesterday was a rough one and a no go on the school front. Followed by more bad news from the band director. He’s sharing that sad news of ineligibility with J today. He’s still in band but because of attendance/grades ineligible for contests. One of his favorite things. I appreciated the warning from the band director who knew it was going to be a tough blow coming as things were starting to look up again.

Hope

At least we have a new therapist who seems a bit better than the last one (or perhaps that’s just wishful thinking) and full evaluation to hopefully get complete answers coming up soon. Just hoping and praying for things to get better as winter falls away into spring and summer. Might be the cause of some of my spring fever.

Recharging

When I ran to the grocery store on Monday, the everyday bouquets of flowers were marked half-price! Of course I bought some. Or rather I told my husband he bought me some. Ha!

I wanted to share more pictures of them with you here but alas the camera battery needed to recharge this morning as did my phone. Is it just here that all the phone chargers disappear on a scale on equal to socks in the dryer?

Since J did indeed go to school this morning, I plan to use some of this time to recharge myself. Doing what I do not yet know. It’s much too cold to be outside though the sun is shining brightly. Seven degrees with negative wind chills is not exactly walking weather. Perhaps I’ll do the boring mom thing and clean up a bit. A clean house always makes me feel better. Once the camera battery charges, I’ll work on taking more “in focus” photos of the flowers.

Whatever I do, I plan to take my time with it.

Healthy Stuff

Or maybe it should say unhealthy stuff? I don’t know. The scale number surpassed my scary limit so I’m trying to be a bit more mindful of the crazy amounts of junk I’ve been eating. Stress and emotional eating do not help here. Neither does the abundance of junk food first left from Christmas, then from Valentine’s Day (not quite as much but my husband did buy a giant tub of M&M’s that I keep hiding behind the vitamins. And then, someone keeps bringing back out to the kitchen table.

I have started taking a dose of apple cider vinegar (YUCK!) each morning after eating breakfast and finishing my coffee. It’s supposed to help regulate hormones, another issue happening. I have it on my list today to make a doctor’s appointment for myself. Bottom of the list mom here. Who quite honestly isn’t sure if she’s up to dealing with her own issues until she knows what’s happening with her kid.

Looked for the apple cider vinegar in caplets. So many brands! And why can’t they just have apple cider vinegar? The brand I’d planned to buy adds zinc and vitamin D to their caplets. Um, I don’t remember much from 10th grade biology (actually, I remember quite a bit which is weird) but D,E,A,K are the ones that you don’t want to over do. And I already take a vitamin with C,D, and Zinc.

Final Thoughts

This might be one for my blogging friends. Do you mentally write posts and then, never quite get the thoughts down on your blog? Or is it just me? Sometimes, I get as far as title: Dealing with Disappointment, Routine Adjustment, or A Glimpse at my Rudolph Day and then, nothing. Other times the whole posts is simply written in my head as I go about my day.

Last week (and really, I still want to officially write this one), I had a whole post about being a “but” going in my mind. Those people (sometimes it’s me) who always finish a happy thought with a negative. Perhaps, part of today’s recharge is going to be be actually writing that post as I really want to share those thoughts.

However, I think I’ve reached the end of this long and rambling post. Thanks for sticking around if you’re still reading. And tell me, how do you recharge?

 

 

 

Proudly powered by WordPress & Skyrocket Themes

MENU

Navigation