Keeping this short. However, I did want to make sure and share a few photos I took of the Cooper’s Hawk hanging out in the backyard on Thursday afternoon.

A robin was shrieking a warning for all the local song birds to be alert!

A cardinal was wary but not too worried. I thought that a bit odd. It kept it’s distance but didn’t stay out of sight. Maybe it was just staying out of range?

The hawk eyed me suspiciously and with not a little annoyance. I think I was making the hunting a bit more hindered tromping about with my camera.

Happy Homemaker Monday, Back to Work

July 5, 2021

jehdld

HappyHomemakerMonday 10 Comments

My staycation comes to an end today. And after a week of waking up at the same early time each week, it figures today I slept in! Felt nice though I do hope it doesn’t mess me up for going to bed on time tonight.

Definitely going to need a plan for the coming week. Glad to join in with Sandra over at Diary Of A Stay At Home Mom for the Happy Homemaker Link Up.

The Weather

While my staycation week started off rainy, it finished with nice sunny weather. Looks like more of the nice sunny weather for the rest of this week as well. It’s supposed to be in the mid 80’s to upper 90’s most of this week. Slight chances of thunderstorms, hope those chances stay very slight!

How I Am Feeling This Morning

Still a bit disoriented from waking up late. Also, still a little sore from some yardwork we tackled on Saturday. Mowed the lot of an empty house so it wouldn’t appear empty. My shoulders are still talking to me about how no good deed goes unpunished.

On The Breakfast Plate

Chocolate chip muffins and coffee.

On My Reading Pile

Just magazines. However, J has a baritone lesson later and I noticed there’s a new Maddie Dawson book on the Amazon Prime First Reads list so I’ll probably download that for tonight.

On My TV

Finished up my Walking Dead series including the new one Walking Dead The World Beyond (only one season of that). Watched the latest Loki episode. And because it was randomly on TV one day, I watched Terminator (kind of a if it’s on tv, I’m going to watch it movie for me). Then, yesterday, because it’s tradition, I watched Independence Day. Not sure how much TV I’ll watch this week.

On The Menu

I’m still struggling with the menu planning. Different schedules for all of us. G is working now, keeping his own schedule hanging out with friends, etc. And my husband is probably going to work lots of hours to make up for last week. Probably going to end up shuffling the menu around a lot.

Still, we have to eat so I’ll keep trying…

MONDAY: grilled steaks (didn’t make them yesterday), crunchy coleslaw (leftover), corn on the cob, and strawberries. Probably salads as well. *J has a lesson at 6:30* *G works 3-8*

TUESDAY: spaghetti, garlic toast, salad *I work 8-4:30**G works 3-8*

WEDNESDAY: grilled chicken, baked potatoes, watermelon *I work 8-4:30*

THURSDAY: pork chops, no idea what we’ll have with them maybe rice? *I work 8-4:30*

FRIDAY: tacos, pizza, out? Depends on how the week goes. *I work 8-4:30*

On My To Do List

Decided I need to keep this category to stay somewhat organized and productive. Or at least to look and know the things I’m not doing that I should be doing. Ha!

Fill out online forms for J’s college level chemistry class
Fill out online high school enrollment forms for J
~~Clean up our Fourth of July trash in yard and street~~ DONE
Laundry (In progress)
Clean the house up a little, work with G to figure out what to do in his room. After getting his desk last week & rearranging, a lot of the contents of his room remain in the living room.
Look into buying some new work clothes
Go for a walk at least 2 times this week
Spend at least 15 minutes working on cleaning the basement
Write and schedule some posts in advance so it’s not silent on here all week

From The Camera

Red, White, And Blue in nature

Looking Around The House

See above about the contents of G’s room being in the middle of the living room. Some is also in our bedroom as well. And on the kitchen table. A bit of a project for today.

To Relax This Week I Will

Read, go for a walk, work in the flower garden areas in the yard or work on my garden journal.

Quote For The Week

So, I’ve been struggling with missing the way things used to be lately. The pre-pandemic days and really, even the times before that. Things are changing and that’s normal though I’m not one who does well with change. At all. I’m trying though. Interestingly, this was the verse in my Jesus Calling book this morning.

See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. (Isaiah 43:19)

And while it wasn’t listed in the book, the verse right before that one?

Forget the former things; Do not dwell in the past. (Isaiah 43:18)

Sometimes I guess we need a (not so) subtle reminder to look forward, huh?

**********

Before I end my post, do you struggle with looking back? What are you looking forward to this week?

A Low Key Fourth Of July

July 4, 2021

jehdld

Chitchat 2 Comments

Happy Fourth of July!

We have no plans. It’s been nice and yet at the same time I’ve been a bit lost all day. Since I was spending some time reminiscing about our previous holidays by going through my Facebook photos, I thought I better post about our holiday on here. And I wanted to share the rest of my Flags4Freedom photos I took on Thursday.

Why? Well, it seems I decided to more or less quit engaging on Facebook in 2019 and had a hard time remembering what we did for that Fourth of July. Finally, realized that sadly, we didn’t do much as we left maybe the day after the holiday to go through the contents of my husband’s late grandfather’s house before it went on the market.

Anyway, better to have a record of a low key holiday than no record at all. I do like to look back and see how we spent the holidays.

First, speaking of reminiscing, I’ve also been thinking about the Fourth of July holidays I had as a kid.

When I Was A Kid

My mom would fry chicken and then put it in the oven to make the best barbequed chicken (and no, I have no idea how to do it sadly). Plus homemade macaroni and cheese. And a lemon layer cake with vanilla pudding in the center and simple powdered sugar on top. We’d load up and drive to my Aunt Thelma’s house in the country. Relatives, kids, lots of fireworks, outside. A pond. That’s what I remember.

As A Young Adult

One brother or the other would have a gathering. Lots of nieces and nephews (note there is a 7 year age gap between me and my siblings, I’m the youngest) running around with fireworks. Note the food, same as above or more…maybe my brothers grilling something, too much. Chicken, brats, hamburgers, hot dogs, pop, beer. Crazy fireworks. Let’s just say my husband’s introduction to my family’s Fourth of July was interesting. Did I mention 2 of my 3 brothers are retired from the fire department? Crazy fireworks.

As A Wife And A Mom To Young Kids

One Fourth of July gathering on my husband’s side (too tame for me) and I declared Fourth of July as belonging to MY family. No alternating though we sometimes did go see his family for a bit on the way to my family’s gatherings. The irony of having a child who HATED my favorite holiday. Trading off with my husband sitting inside while one of us was outside watching the fireworks. Second child takes after my side and loves all things fireworks. More than I do, I think. Still going to family gatherings with good food. Taking my now signature dish of crunchy coleslaw.

Recent Holidays

A rough one in 2017 after my nephew lost his father. Went to a friends with sister-in-law and nephew so as not to overwhelm (my family can overwhelm sometimes). The one from 2019 again lost in the black hole of grief. The weird pandemic one from last year. Sister-in-law and husband over for a cookout and then my nephew hanging out and doing fireworks with us. A pretty good time despite the pandemic.

AND TODAY

Did I mention we have no plans? Seems so odd. Family we spent the holiday with last year moved out of state. My family hasn’t had a gathering since 2018. G has his own plans tonight.

This morning, I made red, white, and blue strawberries. Then, we took J and bought a few fireworks (G was sleeping and see above, he still mostly hates fireworks). Went out for lunch at a local restaurant. It was very good and none of us are hungry yet even though we ate at noon and it’s now 6. I watched Independence Day (a tradition).

Currently, I’m waiting for J to wake up from his nap, trying to decide if I’ll even mess with dinner, and sometimes sitting outside and listening to the neighbor’s party (they live a few houses away and we don’t know them or I’d crash it, LOL). We’ll enjoy their show later.

And I’m thinking that it’s time to host a family gathering soon….

Are you off doing something fun? Maybe having a family gathering? Going out to see a display some where later?

My Staycation Week

July 1, 2021

jehdld

Chitchat 4 Comments

Know that saying about needing a vacation after your vacation? That’s me this week! Staycations are not my thing. It’s not been a bad week. However, I don’t feel as though I really had a vacation in the traditional sense at all.

Rainy Days

It rained every single day except today.

I’m good with a little rain so I don’t have to water the gardens every day but this was a lot of rain so I’m not going to need to water for at least a week. Rainy days made it hard to make plans to do anything. Motivation lacks as the sheets of rain fall from the sky. Plus, I just couldn’t get it together with my planning.

A lot of the local things I thought we’d do were still closed or on timed tickets due to Covid. While things are better and mostly open, I do miss being able to be spontaneous. SIGH.

So mostly, the teenager has slept (what he wants to do anyway though I did get 3 games of Connect Four out of him) and I’ve played Animal Crossing and watched too much TV. (oh dear, I found yet another spin off of The Walking Dead. I do love a good zombie show.) Read a little bit as well.

Retail Therapy

I needed new tennis shoes for work. And while I don’t enjoy shoe shopping (I know! Really though I don’t like to shop for shoes.), I made myself go this morning. So I have some new tennis shoes to wear to work next month. And, I found this fun pair of Keds on clearance! I have a leopard print shirt so I’m excited to have matching shoes.

After shoe shopping, I ran in Five Below and picked up some random Christmas gifts to stash away. Then, I went to Target for cat food and cleaning supplies. Apparently, I’m not very good at retail therapy.

A Journey to Sweden

Sort of. We went to Ikea in Kansas to buy a desk for G. A bit of a belated birthday present. He knew he was getting one but we had to find one he wanted and that fit and all that. Finally, 2 months later, he gets his desk. Photo below is from a park near Ikea.

At least I finally got to see the Flags 4 Freedom that I’ve always wanted to go see.

More pictures of the flags coming soon.

A Weekend Project

And now, somehow, the desk set up has morphed into tearing up the carpet in G’s room (replacing it is long overdue). I’ve been mostly down here staying out of the way. However, I suppose I should go check on the progress of things (and the occasional raised voices I’ve heard).

Hoping things are back to a true normal where we can be spontaneous again and travel without worry next year. Did you take a vacation this year? I’d love to hear how it went!

Happy Homemaker Wednesday (Oops)

June 30, 2021

jehdld

HappyHomemakerMonday 4 Comments

Better to join in late than never, right? Hope so! On vacation (staycation) this week, so I’ve been a bit lazy about coming down here and working on the blog. However, I still wanted to go ahead and join in the fun for this week!

If I can, I’ll still link up with Sandra over at Diary Of A Stay At Home Mom. And of course, I plan to visit all the fabulous bloggers who link up over there as well.