Notes From A Writer's Heart - Coffee Can of Colors

Happy Wednesday, my friends!

I hope all of you had a special Easter with family or friends. We had a wonderful day with lots of good food and lots of babies running around. I can't think of anything better 💛

Today I want to share a story with you from my book Notes From A Writer's Heart. It's called Coffee Can of Colors and it's a true story about my grandmother and me.  

I hope you enjoy...

Coffee Can of Colors

If you drive down Hill Road, turn left onto the dirt drive

and through the aluminum gate, you’ll see the wooden house.

Worn and tattered from too many years of

fixing and not enough paint to make it shine.

If you walk up the back steps and through the screen door,

you’ll enter the dining room and kitchen

where a rifle stood in the corner

and meals were cooked day and night.

If you open the bottom cabinet, nearest the back door,

you’ll find a coffee can of colors,

several coloring books and a trail of sugar ants.

It was the first place I looked when I walked inside.

That cabinet full of crayons made me feel like she was

always waiting for me; knowing I’d come again.

I would take my place at the table, with MawMaw straight across.

I remember sugar cubes in her coffee and her red dress on.

I don’t remember what we talked about,

but I remember coloring as we sat.

MawMaw and me and a coffee can full of colors.

💙

I don't have many memories of my grandmother, but what I do remember is that she loved the color red. She wore red dresses, had red bath towels and red interior in her car. She loved to play the piano and cooked a huge meal every Sunday. 

I don't remember her being a warm and fuzzy kind of grandmother, but she spent time playing the piano when I asked her to and she sat with me when I colored. Maybe after raising 7 boys and 2 girls, that's all she had left to give. She was probably tired. 

But I did feel special when I walked into her house, opened that cabinet door and always found the coloring books and crayons there waiting for me. 

💙

If you would like to read more of these personal stories, you can purchase the book by clicking on the sidebar photo like the one below. 

Until Next Time...

Blessings! 

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter everyone!

 

Enjoy this beautiful song and have a wonderful celebration of our savior today 💜

Until Next Time...

Blessings! 

What Margin Does...

Happy Good Friday everyone 💛

I hope you've had a good week and are preparing for a special weekend with family or friends. 

I've had a great week hanging out with the family and have thoroughly enjoyed having some down time to get things done around the house. 

I finally cleaned out my closet. I took every piece of clothing out and laid it on the bed. Then I weeded out things I don't like or can't wear anymore and put the rest back in, nice and neat. This is always such a satisfying feeling, when you can see what you have and realize that you have plenty. 

I've cooked a few family favorites this week - Millie's One Pot Pasta on Tuesday and Taco Soup last night.  Both are so easy and only take a few ingredients that you probably already have on hand. (I'll put the recipes below).

I've started a new puzzle and work on it at night. I've also started a new book I've had hanging around...Theo of Golden. It came highly recommended. Have you read it? So far, I'm enjoying it. 

This week has been one that reminds me of how much we can do when we stay home. We can cook and clean and read and watch tv and get projects completed and feel totally satisfied in our work. I love and prefer those weeks, as opposed to the ones where life feels rushed and chaotic. I've never thrived in a rushed and chaotic lifestyle. Instead, I thrive when I have lots of margin in my days and can think clearly about what I want to spend my time on. Isn't it funny how we're all different and some do thrive on chaos and rushing here and there?

This week I've talked to my mom twice on the phone. I've texted with my baby sister. I've seen the whole family one night, the girls the next day and exchanged a few videos with Asa. This is another thing that margin allows...time to communicate. I've prayed for friends, prayed for family, talked with one of my boys when he called to tell me good news. I've exchanged Wordle stats with the other son and tried to explain to David what in the world Wordle was 😅

 And most of all...I've talked to the Lord throughout the days and read his word daily. I've prayed for clarity on some things and gotten peace about other things. I've played this song on repeat and enjoyed singing it while cooking, cleaning and going about my day. 

I didn't set out to write about "margin" today, but as I was walking through the week in my mind, I realized that margin was the star of the show this week. Having time to live life in meaningful ways. Not being dragged from task to task or obligation to obligation, but having time to choose with intention. 

This is how I want to live. This is the life I want to look back on - one filled with time to do all the important things that have meaning. 

And on that note, it's time for breakfast and another cup of coffee and catching up on all of your blogs, which I love to do.

I hope you have a wonderful Friday and take time to think about what today stands for. Jesus died on the cross and became the sacrifice you and I could never give. Today is significant and has meaning. Don't let that pass you by 💚

So...Until Next Time...

Blessings to you as you live today. What a gift you've been given. 

Here are the recipes I promised:

Millie's One Pot Pasta

1lb breakfast sausage (browned with chopped onion in olive oil)

1/2 box spaghetti noodles, broken in half

16 oz vegetable broth

1 can Rotel tomatoes

Onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste

Sautee 1/2 cup chopped onion in 1 tbsp olive oil

Add sausage and cook until done.

Add pasta, broth and Rotel and make sure there is enough broth

to cover pasta.

Bring to a boil, then simmer until pasta is tender.

(I used the "hot" sausage and it was so good in this dish!)

Taco Soup

1 can of each:

Diced tomatoes

Corn

Black beans

Pinto beans (or Ranch style)

1 lb ground beef (cooked)

1 pk taco seasoning

16 oz vegetable broth

salt and pepper

Add all ingredients into a soup pot, bring to a boil, simmer until hot and bubbly.

A Fun and Relaxing Weekend

 Happy Monday, friends!

I hope you had a great weekend. Mine started on Friday with a visit from my friend Kim, who lives out of town now. We go months without seeing each other, but talk now and then by phone. But when we see each other it's like she never left. That's a nice friendship 💛

For the past few years, Kim and I would gather weekly and work on crafts together, always stopping to pick up food from our favorite restaurant. Then we would continue crafting, talking and solving all the world's problems while we worked.  It was time I looked forward to, every week.

So when she said she was coming into town, we decided to cram as much as we could into one day. 

Before she arrived, I ran up to the local coffee shop and bought these gigantic cinnamon rolls. Needless to say, we had to split one and saved the 2nd one for later, but they were delicious. We ate and caught up on a lot of life before we decided to drive down the road to a local thrift/antique store. 

We had fun reminiscing about all the "old" items we saw from our childhood years and finding a few fun things for ourselves. Afterwards we stopped into a restaurant where we ate chicken and sausage gumbo and potato salad for lunch. It was delicious. 

Back home, we started on our craft project for the day. Kim came equipped with palettes, paints, flowers and other goodies that we could quickly throw together and make something fun. This is what I made and later put a quote at the top (which I forgot to get a picture of). It made the perfect addition to one of my bookshelves near the fireplace. 

When it came time for Kim to leave, we hugged and were so thankful for the day we had together. We picked up right where we left off and those are the best friendships to have. (A fun tidbit...Kim went to school with my husband and they always have stories to swap too. Who knew we would become such great friends?) 

On Saturday I went to Kroger for a big stock up on groceries. I like to do that at the beginning of each new month. I spend a bit more, but most things will last me for weeks, so I only have to do small orders each week afterwards. 

After grocery shopping I spent time putting everything away, but only after pulling everything out of the pantry and putting it all back in, but in better form. Having to use cabinets for food, as opposed to an actual closet type pantry, is a challenge. Things that get piled in the back are hard to see and I forget what I have. 

The rest of the day was spent cooking and just working around the house. I worked on my puzzle a lot, which I'm really enjoying. David put up a ceiling fan and then moved the birdbath, which has been on the list for a while now. I wanted it just outside the living room window, so I could see it from my chair. 

But as I kept looking at it through the window, I decided to search Pinterest for ideas on decorating a birdbath. It just looked so plain and needed a little pick me up 😀

So Sunday we bought a few cheap items from Dollar Tree and I decorated the birdbath. How fun!

I hope the birds will feel welcomed there and that the squirrels don't destroy it 😅 But in the meantime, I'm loving it!

David and I spent the rest of the evening having a Dr. Blake Mystery marathon and just really took time to relax before the week started again. 

I love those kinds of weekends. The ones where there's no agenda, you don't have to be anywhere. You just casually work around the house, relax and eat good food. 

What about you? I hope you had a good weekend. I have a feeling it's going to be a busy week.

Until Next Time...

Blessings! 

How Do You Schedule Your Week?

Happy Tuesday, friends!

 I've always been a curious person when it comes to how other women schedule their time or run their home.

 When I was a new homeschooling mom, many years back, my favorite books to read were the ones where other moms shared their daily schedules (now called "a day in the life"). I'm always looking for new ideas or new methods, whether in shopping, organization, scheduling, budgeting and all other things concerning the home. 

I remember keeping a planner in the early days of being a young mom. I would write important dates on the calendar and then write my list for the day or week, along with meal plans and shopping lists. Back then HOME PLANNING NOTEBOOKS were all the rage. These were 3-ring binders that contained everything you could think of to run your household. 

Actual picture of my notebook from many years ago

The notebooks would have lists of schedules, when to maintenance your car, change your air filter, do your chores, grocery lists, budget templates, notes to leave your babysitter and things I can't even remember right now. I kind of chuckle at the thought of how overwhelming that all sounds to me, all these years later. 

I remember watching an episode of Wife Swap back then and one of the wives calling her notebook "her brain" and thinking that was a great way to describe it, because it did all the thinking for you, if you set it up right. 

Nowadays I have one simple planner and an ongoing to-do list in the back of the planner. I write a daily list of things to do and throw it away when everything is done. In other words, I've simplified immensely. 

But one thing I have done that has helped me schedule my week is put a simple schedule together that tells me what each day should focus on. 

For instance:

Monday is for school prep, household chores, and groceries

Tuesday - Millie School

Wednesday - Office Day - used to write, learn something, get creative

Thursday - Millie School (or school prep if girls are at co-op)

Friday - Pay bills, day out to spend with a friend, shop, run errands, etc.

Saturday - cook, projects around the house or an outing with David

Sunday - church, meal plan and grocery list

This is just a suggestive schedule and always subject to change, but it gives me a good outline of what to do on what day. Of course, the usual tasks are taken care of as needed, such as cleaning, laundry, cooking, etc. I also leave room for last minute grandkid visits or invitations. 

What I like about this schedule is that it came out of my natural rhythm of what I was already doing. In other words, I didn't just create a schedule and then try to adjust to it. These were the tasks I was already doing on those days and so it feels doable and something I can stick with. 

So...the question is...how do you schedule your week? (I told you, I'm always curious 😀)

Do you have certain chores on certain days or are you willy-nilly and just wake up and go with the flow?

Did you ever have a household planner notebook? Apparently they are still a thing (according to Pinterest).

Well, I'm looking forward to hearing your answers. So...

Until Next Time...

Blessings! 

Happy Monday Morning!

 Good Monday Morning, my friends!

I hope you had a wonderful weekend! We had a weekend at home, still trying to get over whatever this was that has had us both stopped up and coughing. 

In spite of not feeling great, we did manage to babysit some grandkids on Friday night. Five of them, to be exact 😅 We had pizza and I made peanut butter cookies. We played Yahtzee, Crazy 8's, Battle, had a Bluey dance party and just had a lot of fun. 

On Saturday it was back to taking it easy, with the exception of a grocery pick up I had to do. I had not been to the store all week, so it couldn't be put off any longer. 

David spent the afternoon painting the grout in one of the bathrooms. Did you know you could paint the grout? For less than $20 your tile can look brand new. We have tile in both bathrooms and the grout was horrible. So he has spent the past two weekends making our bathrooms look brand new. Normally this would not be "blog worthy,"  but who knows who might need to have a refresh and paint their grout? So I thought I would share 😀

Yesterday I stayed home, started a new puzzle, made some lunch and basically just rested. We did go for a little drive in the evening, just to get out of the house for 30 minutes. Then it was back to the puzzle and a few shows on tv before heading off to bed.

Thankfully I feel a lot better this morning, so the hope is that each day will be better and better. 

Today I will be working on lessons for tomorrow's school day. The girls will be here bright and early, ready for Millie School. 

Pork chops are on the menu for tonight's dinner. Kroger has a package of 5 pork chops for $5.00, which is a good deal! I've started keeping a few packs of these on hand. I sometimes like to bake these in the oven with brown sugar and pepper, which are delicious. But lately I've been simmering them on the stovetop in a skillet with a bit of oil and seasonings. They come out tender and delicious, as well. 

Well, I'm off to eat breakfast and start the day. I hope you have a great start to your week. I hope to check in with all of you in the next few days.

Many blessings to all of you, my friends 💛

Until Next Time...

Blessings! 

Just a Short Post to Say Hello

Good Morning, Friends!

Well, the cold winds have blown in the allergies and this time they've taken me out for a few days.  But not before I could teach the girls all about St. Patrick's Day during school this week. 

I had the table set with all the green things when they arrived on Tuesday morning.  Green drinks, green snacks, green plates, a green toy for recess and they each had a packet of papers to work on with activities pertaining to the holiday. 

For lunch I let them dye their mashed potatoes with green food coloring and we had a great day learning all about St. Patrick and what a great missionary he was. After lunch we watched a few videos about learning the Irish dance and gave it a try. It's not easy! 

 Teaching in themes, or known as unit studies, has always been one of my favorite ways to teach. We will be doing a lot of themes on our homeschooling days, in fact. The next one coming up will be all things Spring and of course, Easter.

Now...on to other things...

Like I said, the allergies are getting the best of me right now, so I've been moving kind of slow for the past few days. My to-do list is not getting checked off as quickly as I would like it to. I did manage to make it to the post office and to a hair appointment to get my hair trimmed. The hair dresser was sniffling too, so I wasn't the only one suffering. Then I came home and basically did nothing but clean the kitchen and feed myself a few times 😅 David and I watched one show together and then I was off to bed.

Today will be spent at home, working on school plans for next week, laundry and hopefully cooking a good meal for supper. 

And probably a lot of sniffling 😏

Take care everyone. See you soon.

Until Next Time...

Blessings! 

Without Him, Everything is Nothing

 Good morning friends!

I had every intention of writing here yesterday, but the day got away from me, so here I am today, sharing something that I just read in my morning Bible study. 

I recently started a book titled, Even Silence is Praise, by Rick Hamlin.  It's all about spending time with God by sitting in silence with him; also known as meditating. Not meditating in the yoga-ish type of way, but as in, sitting with the Lord in expectation, quieting your soul and focusing on God's still small voice. 

But that's not really what I wanted to share today. It was a quote in the book that touched me and had so much meaning, that I just wanted to share it in case anyone else could relate.

"Without him everything is nothing,

and with him nothing is everything."

(Jean Pierre de Caussade)

When I read those words, they stopped me and took me back to my years before I found Jesus, or actually before he found me. 

I was a few months shy of my 23rd birthday and my life was empty of anything that resembled a God-centered life. I had friends, a college path, family, but absolutely no hope of anything good. I was just going through the motions of life, without significance or purpose. Inside I could feel an emptiness that I couldn't explain, but I knew there had to be more. "Without him everything is nothing..."

It wouldn't have mattered if I was the CEO of my own company by then...it still would have been nothing compared to a life with him. 

But then, everything changed, all because Jesus was calling me to himself and I was moving toward him, day by day, until one night I understood what he had done for me and why my life had felt so empty, and I gave my life to him and never looked back. 

From that day forward, my life started looking like something. "... and with him nothing is everything."

All the "nothings" in my life, started to have meaning. I had a new outlook and new standards and new goals. Everything that felt empty, now felt like purpose. I gave up what needed to be given up and I embraced what mattered more and though I was not the CEO of anything, I had everything that I needed and it all meant more than it ever would have before. This is what happens when you meet the savior.

This is what is still happening 38 years later. All the little things mean everything and all the big things I used to think were something...mean nothing. 

"Without him everything is nothing, 

and with him nothing is everything."

I've heard it said that with God, the world seems upside down. What the world deems as good and worthy, is useless in eternity. People will sell their soul to be "somebody" (just look at Hollywood). But those whom the world would deem as "nothing" really have it all, in my opinion. The non-influencers. The regular people just trying to put food on the table and pay the bills. The moms in the trenches, the dads out making a living...these are the ones who have everything worth anything. 

Until Next Time...

Blessings! 

Happy Friday, Y'all!

Happy Friday, friends!

Wow! This week seemed to fly by so fast! I've been busy with teaching the girls on Tuesday and Thursday. 

Wednesday I took the day to rest. The pollen finally beat me down and I tried to listen to my body and just give it the rest it was craving. 

I spent the day going at an easy pace and used that time to make phone calls, catch up with people by text, reading and watching tv. Everything in me was telling me that I had no time to be sitting around, but I just didn't have the energy to do much beyond some laundry and cooking. 

I think it did me some good, because by Thursday morning I was ready for the day with the girls.

 I was the "bus driver" that morning, so I picked them up and we headed to the library to get some new books. These girls are going through books so fast! They love going to the library, especially when they get to see their uncle who works there. 

After the library we headed home to start on our school work for the day. We ended the day with bubbles out in the front yard, before I took them home. 

Just like with the other grandbabies, as soon as they're gone, I miss them. 

The great thing is that we will all be back together tonight for family dinner to celebrate Collin's birthday, which was last week. 

Can you see the butterfly?

Today I will spend the day catching up on laundry, doing a small grocery run, putting gas in the car, paying bills and a few other office things that need to be done. 

My pantry is in desperate need of organizing, which I think about every time I open the cabinet. That might be on the list for today, or it might have to wait until tomorrow. 

Tomorrow I have to follow David to the oil change place for the 2nd time this month. Whey they changed his oil they left the cap off and 3 quarts of oil blew out all over the engine and all over the white truck, before he figured out what was going on. Thankfully they took responsibility and are going to completely clean the truck and give him the next oil change for free, since he had to replace all the oil they had just put in and he had to buy a new oil cap. This is not the first time we've had car issues after getting our oil changed. But the cap? That's basic OIL SCHOOL 101, don't you think?

The rest of the weekend will be spent working on some projects around the house and then church on Sunday. Sundays usually consist of church, eating out for lunch, then sometimes visiting David's mom in the nursing home. If not, then David will visit her during the week after work. 

I did just finish a great book (last week) and it's definitely worth sharing here...

I love watching Walker Hayes and his daughter dance together on Facebook, so when I saw this book about how he came to know Jesus, I had to read it. It is such a heartwarming book about Walker and his unlikely friend, Craig. Craig was a pastor and Walker was an atheist who drank all the time, while trying to make it as a singer/songwriter in Nashville. Their unlikely friendship is so inspiring and ultimately led to a total lifestyle change for Walker. It's a small book and a quick read, but full of love and grace. I highly recommend it. 

Well, I'm off to start the day. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend full of Spring 🌺🦋

See you next week!

Until Next Time...

Blessings! 

A Little Catch Up and Some Talk About Creativity

 Happy Tuesday, my friends!

How's the pollen count around your neck of the woods? 😷🌳 Ours is causing a lot of trouble around here lately. I read the report for the week and the oak trees and the pine trees are the culprits and we are surrounded by both! 

But...life must go on, sneezing or not!

Our first day of homeschooling went great! These girls love to learn and they love keeping busy, so I made sure we had our work all lined out, even down to "recess" in the backyard while I fixed lunch. 

Today is a school day, so I spent yesterday getting their boxes full of assignments and planning our lunches for the week. This is bringing back so many memories from all my years of teaching the boys. 

It's tough teaching different ages, because they are on different levels in reading and math and you have to accommodate for all the different workbooks and abilities. I remember with the boys, I felt like a ping pong ball, going back and forth between the two, trying to teach two different levels (6 years apart). At least with the girls, they are closer in age, so that makes it a bit easier. 

On Sunday night we got to keep Asa and Sunday James, so Morgan and Collin could go out to dinner for his birthday. 

These boys are such a joy and typical boys...active! They never stop moving! Well, I did get them to slow down with a bowl full of goldfish crackers and some Thomas the Tank on tv 😅 Sunday will sit and play with toys and Asa enjoys his trucks and building blocks. He loves to read too, which always blesses me to see. 

Look at those curls 😊 The minute they walk out the door, I miss them! 

Other than playing with babies and teaching the girls, I managed to get my big puzzle framed and hung on the wall. I hung it in the hallway and will probably start a collection of puzzles along that wall. I won't frame all of them, but if it's a pretty scene and one that takes a while to do, I will frame it, rather than take it apart and store it for no reason. I used to pass my puzzles along to a friend, but now I see that they can become pieces of art for our own walls and fun conversation pieces, as well.

On the dinner table...

Last night I made baked potatoes and fried up some bacon to put on top, along with butter and cheese. It was a simple, delicious meal. 

Today I am fixing the girls some turkey and swiss sandwiches on Hawaiian rolls, with chips and dip and pickles for sides. I also bought a pound cake and cool whip for an afternoon treat. They will love that! 

I've got a few simple meals planned for the rest of the week and then Friday night we will celebrate Collin's 27th birthday at our family dinner. 

On the creative front...

I've been working on gathering supplies for a project I want to do for Mother's Day. (Can't tell what it is, in case anyone is reading along. I don't want to spoil the surprise).  I used to be so creative and fill my days with making things for people. Somehow that has gotten away from me over the years, but I really want to add that back into my life. 

I will say that taking time to make things and be creative, sure feeds your soul. When life gets so busy with the work of life and you find yourself feeling empty, do something creative with your hands and your empty tank will start to fill up once again. This shouldn't surprise us. We were made in the image of a creative Father. It only stands to reason that we were made to create, as well. 

The fun thing is that creativity looks different for all of us. 

Some are creative with cooking, some with baking, some with organizing, some with crafts, some with mechanics, wood work, and the list goes on and on. My boys are creative with making music and putting words to their songs. Other people sew and garden. 

There is no end to the ways we can be creative and I believe, it's a must. It's something inside of us that wants to create, so I encourage you to find something, if you've put that aside for all the responsibilities you have. Even if it's just for one hour a week, you will notice a lift of your mood and spirit for taking the time to do it. 

Well, that's all I have time for today. I've got 3 little girls showing up in a few hours and I have to be ready to put on my teacher hat for the day. 

I hope to get back here sooner, rather than later, and visit with all of you.

Until Next Time...

Blessings! 

Hello Friends!

Good Monday morning, my friends!

I hope you had a restful weekend. Due to some allergies, we had an easy going weekend, just hanging around the house, sneezing and keeping busy.  

I convinced David to help me hang some pictures (finally) and I decorated my mantle. 

I also finished my 1000 piece puzzle. Let me tell you...it was not easy! I normally only do 500 piece puzzles and after tackling this one, I think I'll go back to my old ways. 

Yesterday morning was beautiful, so I sat outside to read my bible and pray. There's something about being outside that lends itself to feeling God's presence. With the sun on my face and hearing the birds sing...glorious. 

Due to me not working now, I've had to tighten the budget and cook at home more than I had been. I don't mind cooking, it's the meal planning that I don't enjoy. I remember when we were newly married and we ate the same 5 meals every week. It was simple, easy and we enjoyed the meals. I need to go back to that sensible way of doing things.  

Last week I made oatmeal cookies that were an old recipe from my step-mother, Ruby. She would make these cookies and we would go visit an old uncle that was in a nursing home. Those were the only times I remember her making those cookies, so that's the memory that comes up every time I make them. I don't remember the uncle (he was old and I was young), but what I do remember is the act of kindness and the impact that made on me. Ruby was always doing for other people. 

I often think about what kind of legacy I want to leave and that would be a good one. People don't care what you did for a living, where you worked or how much money you made. They remember who you were and how you made them and others feel. 

Today I will be getting the girl's school work prepared and tending to household things, such as cleaning and folding laundry. I have a to-do list that needs to be worked on and a book I would love to finish. I will also be digging through the freezer, deciding what dinner will be tonight. Later I will walk to the mailbox and mail a real letter I have written to a friend. This will be the 3rd real letter I've mailed in the past few weeks. I think I'll bring back letter writing. What do you think? 📫

I hope this Monday finds you well and happy. 💛

Until Next Time...

Blessings!