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!

February Catch Up

 Happy Friday, friends...and happy almost spring!

Well, it's the end of another month and I figured it was time to give a little recap of what I've been up to lately.

The month of February brought more cloudy days, than sunny ones. But we have had a few nice days where the kids could play outside. 

We put a big swing under the tree and the kids love it. They also have a swing set that they love to play on, as well. When the summer comes we will have to add a kiddie pool and some other fun things to keep them occupied. The girls have always loved playing in the sprinkler, so maybe we'll do that too. 

These little creatures have been enjoying the yard too, but on the other side of the fence. And one early morning, about 3:40 a.m., our front door camera caught them walking around the front porch. I know they will eventually move on, but we sure are enjoying them for now. 

🦌

This month we celebrated Addie's birthday, who turned seven. She is just the sweetest girl and so easy going. She loves to play waitress, so we bought her an apron stocked full of supplies for running her little restaurant. She had play paper pads that were pre-printed with menu items and an old fashioned waitress pad for taking orders. We added cute pens and some cloth napkins. She loved it 😀

This month I've also delivered Valentine boxes to both sets of kids and I've collected quite the array of sweet notes on the fridge. I smile every time I pass by 😀

In the evenings I've been working on a puzzle while we watch tv. It's the hardest puzzle I've ever done, but I'm pushing through.

I actually picked this one up at Barnes and Noble one day when they were having a sale on puzzles. It has a mystery set into the picture, so once I'm done, I can continue to try and solve the mystery by finding all the clues. 

I've always wanted a puzzle table in the living room, so I could work while we watch tv (I get bored). I set it up in the back of the room, near the window. 

I started out working on this black felt puzzle cloth but it wasn't flat enough and wouldn't suffice when I needed to put the puzzle away when the kids come over. So I ordered a puzzle board from Amazon and now when the kids come, I just pick up the whole thing and put it in another room. 

This is definitely going to be one that I glue together and hang somewhere. I can't imagine tearing it apart! 

In the evenings we've been watching Dr. Blake Mysteries (for the 2nd time), Elsbeth, Best Medicine and we are waiting for NCIS:Origins to return. We are also enjoying Seinfeld bloopers on Youtube 😂

This month I also bought a small pack of calling cards with my blog name on them. I've always wanted to have something in my purse to hand someone who asks where they can get my books, so I finally ordered a handful of these cute, little cards. On the back of the card I have my email, blog address and where to find my books. I got them from Vistaprint, with a coupon, so they weren't much at all, but fun to have just in case. 

Also in the month of February, a big decision was made...I will be homeschooling my granddaughters once again, starting next week. 

Several years ago I had Emmy and Ella for two years of schooling and then took a break. But the girls have been asking to have "Millie School" so how could I resist? We're all excited about it and we will start next week. I'll only have them two days a week, but we will have a great time while they are here. This will be in addition to the co-op they attend, which is amazing. 

So this week I've been busy pulling out all the books, making a plan and gathering supplies. I guess you can retire, but you're never really done, are you? 

In the meantime, Alex has taken over the bi-weekly family dinner, in exchange for me taking over the schooling. This works out for everyone! I don't mind cooking for a small crowd, but she is definitely the expert at feeding our huge army! In fact, last night we headed to Ted and Alex's for dinner and she had fixed chicken fajitas, grilled veggies, beans that were better than most restaurants, queso, rice, guacamole and Morgan made a delicious homemade salsa. I threw in some homemade oatmeal cookies and we had the best meal! I think this exchange is going to work out just fine 😀

Today will consist of a grocery pick up, some organizing projects when I get back and just catching up on some to-do list things. I think we'll have an easy going weekend, which sounds good to me. 

Here's hoping March will bring sunny skies and the occasional rain shower. It will also bring another birthday. My "baby" turns 27 in March. I can't believe it. 

Time just keeps marching on, doesn't it?

It's been great catching up with all of you today. I'm off to check on each of you now, so I'll see you in the comments! 

Until Next Time...

Blessings! 

Spring Will Come

 Hello Friends...

I've written about this tree before, but even if I write it every year, it's worth remembering that spring will come and life will return, when you least expect it. 

There's this little tree in our backyard and every winter it looks so dead. Skinny little branches and not a speck of green anywhere. Then one day I walk outside and there are deep pink blooms all over and little sprouts of green. 

It always catches me off guard because it literally happens from one day to the next. In fact, the first winter we lived here, we talked about cutting the tree down because we thought it was dead. It had never shown a sign of life the entire fall through winter months. But thankfully we are slow to act because overnight it came back to life. And that's exactly what happened this year, just a few days ago. 

And not only did it come back to life...but the blooms smell amazing!

When I look at the miracle of this little tree, I can't help but think of other things that seem dead, but in an instant can feel alive again. 

So many things we go through in life can seem like the end. We can't imagine going forward from "there."

But little by little, God is working in and around and one day you wake up and life seems doable again. Little sprigs of green start to bud and you feel more alive than you have in a while. The trauma of the winter season of life start to slowly fade and you dare to see colors and blooms and notice the good things coming back to life. 

This is the Lord's work. In fact, I dare say, this is his specialty. He makes dead things come to life.

No matter what we've gone through or what we've lost, the Lord restores. The new life may not look like the old life, and we may be tattered and worn. But we are alive! And being alive brings hope and hope feels like you're going to make it. And you will. 

🌳

Now, every day when I walk past this little tree in my backyard, I think of God and I smile. I bend down to smell the blooms because I know they will only last for a short time, but I'm going to enjoy them to the fullest while they're here. 

I think this is a good reminder about life, as well. 

Enjoy your health while you have it. Treasure your babies. Enjoy your pets while they're still here. Enjoy those phone calls, friendships, your job, your home, the provision you have and the little blessings that pop up when you least expect them. 

God is at work all around us. Especially when it seems all is lost. Keep looking for him and go forward, expecting spring to pop out when you least expect it. Then stop to thank him for all he's done and going to do. 

Until Next Time...

Blessings!

Gratitude on Ordinary Days

Good morning friends!

This morning I read an old favorite of mine, Peace and Plenty, by Sarah Ban Breathnach, and she talked of the benefits of coming to the end of the day and writing down at least 5 things you were thankful for that day. A Gratitude List, as it’s known. The benefits are better than healthcare. 

Just taking time to acknowledge your daily blessings from God can improve the way you live, exercise, are in good health, find contentment, have less stress, are more alert and enthusiastic. 

For instance yesterday...a normal trip to Walmart turned into a blessing when a lady recognized me from my time at the library. She actually took time to stop and ask why I was no longer there and that turned into a few minutes of talking about being at home, crafts we're into and becoming friends on Facebook. What a blessing! Who doesn't want to make a new friend on a random Monday while returning something at Walmart?😀

Later that afternoon I received a few pictures of Asa and Sunday from Morgan. She's so good about sending us pictures and videos of the boys. We texted back and forth and that turned into a phone call as I was standing in the kitchen cooking. What a blessing to have a great relationship with my daughter-in-love that she wants to talk and dream about the future with me. That does a heart good 💛

Today I have a sewing date with Ella (she's 9) and I'm looking forward to all the sweet conversations we always have and teaching her a skill she can take into her future life. 

These are the little blessings that I never want to take for granted. The blessings of ordinary days.

It's said that the more you exercise the muscle of looking for blessings, the more you will notice. Maybe this is one exercise routine I can actually follow through with 😀

It’s easy to give thanks for the big things that happen in life. But it’s the little things that happen in an ordinary day that add up to a grateful life.

Have a beautiful day, my friends!

Until Next Time...

Blessings!

Just Doing Some Cleaning Up Around Here

 Hello friends 😊

I know some of you have noticed that my blog has been missing for the past week, while I was also taking a break from social media. 

Sometimes it's good to step away, turn it all off and think about what and where you want to spend your time and energy. That's what I've been doing lately.

With all the noise in the world, I want to write things that matter. Things that are worth other people's time, as well as mine.

With that said...I've been cleaning up some of my old posts, deleting some that don't need to be here and will probably delete more in the future. 

I'm not really one to look back on what I did from year to year. I'm more of a write from the heart, in the moment, so if I'm going to collect stories, that's what I have to share in this space. 

I hope you won't mind that things might look different. And some days they may look just the same 😊

Either way...as always...I'm glad to be here.

Until Next Time...

Blessings! 

Savoring the Days

 Good Morning, Friends!

As I eluded to in my last post, I'm taking things kind of slow around here and trying to just savor the days and the fact that I'm back home, not just house-wise, but in my rightful place as a homemaker. 

Every time I talk about this (to myself mostly) I have a guilty feeling come over me, like I'm doing something wrong by wanting to be at home, after working for 10 months. But that's not right and not fair to the homemaker I used to be and the 30+ years I put in on that job. I need to get over it, right? And I'm trying.

On the other hand, there's a new appreciation I'm feeling as well, for the privilege of being back home. 

Again...all it takes is stepping away from something old, to gain an entirely new perspective on the new, even if you've been there before.

I remember years ago, as a young homeschooling mom deep in the trenches of teaching two boys - all day, every day - and I was starting to experience burnout. Not from my kids, but from the teaching, lesson plans, spending money on curriculum every year and all the time and energy it took to be all things to all the hats I was wearing at the time. 

I would get my favorite homeschooling magazine in the mail and want to hide it, instead of read it, because I felt like I couldn't take one more article about teaching or planning. In fact, I stayed in that mode of burnout for months, just going through the motions, but not finding the joy like I once did. 

I never questioned the calling to be at home teaching my boys, but I had lost the passion, so I had to change things up; step away from all that felt mundane and routine. After a few changes to the schedule, the routines and tweaks to the way we were doing things, I finally picked up my magazines again, started reading and becoming excited and motivated again and never looked back. 

All it took was a break.

Homemaking is the same way. I think it's why some women have a hard time imagining being at home full time and sometimes why homemakers feel like they need to try something new. All the cooking and cleaning and the days and weeks can become mundane and ordinary. But I'm here to say that all it takes is stepping away, living another life for 10 months, to make you appreciate the ordinary days like never before.

That's where I'm at. 

I've been waking up this week, praising God for giving me back my life as a homemaker. In fact, it feels fragile and unreal and yet, so familiar and a part of who I am. As dramatic as that sounds, it's the truth.

So many times in life, we have to lose something to appreciate it. I wish it weren't that way. But in the losing, we often find what we were missing, and yet had all along. I hope that makes sense.

All that to say...I'm so happy to be home again. This is what I was made to do. And I'm thankful that the Lord lets us try things sometimes, because he knows it's what we need, in order to appreciate what he's already given us. 

So I'm taking it slow this week and moving at my own pace. In fact, I may sit at this restful pace for the rest of the month, but probably won't. If you know me, you know I don't sit still for very long. I've got ideas and plans and things to write and meals to create and babies to see and all the good things that life's going to bring. 

But I've got peace and that's the most important thing of all.

Thanks for following along and coming back, time after time. You are treasured, my friends.

Until Next Time...

Blessings!