The Simple Woman's Day Book, Jan. 2017

January is upon us, how can the holidays have gone by so quickly?  My year is not off to the best of starts...I have been home since Monday morning with an intestinal virus.  I do believe that maybe it is finally reaching the end of its stay and that I will be heading back to work tomorrow.  I certainly hope so, at any rate, because I am quite bored of snoozing and watching television.  That's why today I thought I'd give blogging a try and get an entry done for The Simple Woman's Daybook.

January Edition

For today:

Looking out my window...the sun is shining (a rarity in this part of Pennsylvania in January), but the wind is howling, ushering in colder weather and later this week, snow.

I am thinking...how very tired I am of being home with this bug...and also a little bit about how hungry I am.  Surely that means I am recovering!

I am thankful...for our new grandson who entered the world December 13 in the middle of a snow storm.  He was nearly two weeks early, but what a joy it was to have him with us when the family gathered together on Christmas Eve day.

One of my favorite things...the way our sweet old hound dog knows when I need some extra love and does just that in his way..."smiling" up at me with his big brown eyes, wagging his tail, snuggling up beside me, resting his chin on me, and just being there to love back.

I am creating...my 2017 bullet journal.  I'd hoped to have it done by now, but life happens and the best of plans get off track.  I love my bullet journals. Having that daily check list helps me keep my focus.  I may still not get everything done (hey, life happens, remember?) but I don't get as easily distracted and it helps me stay organized.

I am wearing...high fashion, let me tell you.  Being that I am sick and no one other than the dogs and my husband have seen me for three days I am rocking the red plaid flannel-lined leggings, a long-sleeve red shirt, and fuzzy gray socks along with my ratty old slippers.

I am reading...The Seventh Plague by James Rollins.  He is one of my favorite fiction writers.  His stories center on an elite and secret government team of former Special Forces troops turned to scientists.  While the stories are fast paced and a little far fetched, the core idea comes from science so they make you think.  In this one the team is investigating strange events that lead to the question, "Can the plagues of Egypt happen again?"

I am hoping...that things work out with the possibility of a new job for my husband.  His current job seems to be putting us more and more in the hole (long story) and a change to a company closer to home, or that provides a company vehicle or pays more would make a huge difference in our financial situation.

I am learning...to trust God.  I am doing a Bible study by Beth Moore that is teaches me how to have more faith.  It has 5 major points:

1. God is who He says He is.
2. God can do what He says He can.
3. I am who God says I am.
4. I can do all things through Christ.
5. God's Word is living and active in me.

In my kitchen...there isn't much happening...the whole flu thing.  Once I am back on my feet I am really going to tackle some slow cooker recipes.  I have a ton of them pinned and I also pinned a plan to make the meals ahead of time and freeze then all you have to do is toss them in the slow cooker.  If we are going to eat healthy, homemade meals more often than not this is a must do for me.  Otherwise, I am too tired at the end of the day to do more than throw the quickest of things together or call for take-out.

Board room...I made this amazing twice-baked potato casserole as a side dish for Christmas and it met with rave reviews.  It comes from the casserole board of Taste of Home.

Post Script...Here's a link to an article on the Breast Cancer Site that might be helpful to just about everyone.  12 Signs You Need More Magnesium In Your Diet.  I was surprised at some of the things magnesium does for your body...and how many symptoms I have of needing more!

Shared Quote...

A moment from my day...there's that beautiful outfit I mentioned earlier!

My prayer and hope for all of us is this,

that 2017 is a much kinder year

and that we, too, are kinder and gentler

than this past year proved us to be.

The Simple Woman's Daybook: I Am Tired

For today...

Join in or read other posts

by clicking here.

Looking out my window...autumn is beginning to make itself 

known in the leaves that are fading to a dusty green, 

a yellowish shade, and even brown.

I am thinking...about the baby shower I am hosting for my

daughter.  It is less than a month away and there is so

much that needs to be done yet.  It is exciting, 

though, this planning to celebrate our third grand-

child, due the day after Christmas!

I am thankful...that while it has finally turned out (after

2 1/2 months) that the problem with my husband's 

truck is the same part we paid $8000 to have

replaced in April....IT IS UNDER WARRANTY!

One of my favorite things...spending time with my

grandkids.  Yesterday we went to the zoo, 

watched the new Jungle Book, and they helped

me make supper and bake cookies.

I am wearing...my pajamas as it's Sunday evening and

I will be going to bed early since tomorrow is a 

work day and it's back to waking at 3:45.

I am watching...the new Jungle Book.  I'm not sure it's 

suitable for the easily scared or upset children as it is darker

and more violent than Disney's original cartoon

version.  The computer generated animals are

incredible and the action, intense.

I am hoping...the temperature is done rising into the 90's

and that the humidity will stay low as well.  It has

been quite miserable on the buses during the

afternoons these past two weeks.

I am learning...to make better use of my time and be more

organized.  My work schedule this year leaves me very

little time at home during the day and by the time I

get home in the evening I am exhausted.

In my kitchen...there was much laughter and smiles yesterday

as I taught the grandkids to make that culinary delight -

hotdogs stuffed with cheese and wrapped in cressant

rolls.  They did a great job and had so much fun.

In my garden...things are winding down.  My "garden" this

year consisted of many pots on the deck filled with

peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, and herbs.  The

cucumbers were a bust, but the tomatoes and peppers

have been prolific.  Some types have finished but I still

have about a half-dozen pots going strong.

Board room...Baby showers and weddings are front and

center in my mind these days, so my favorite pins

have been ideas for those.  I really like this idea

for a crock pot gift basket from

nicerecipess.blogspot.in

Post Script...someone shared this link to a blog post on

Facebook earlier this summer.  I found it hilarious

because it is spot-on.  Read here to see what it

would be like If 70s Moms Had Blogs.

Shared Quote...

A moment from my day...here's another from the zoo of 
my silly grandson pretending to be eaten by a gator!

Closing Notes...There is so much to do these days and so little time to do it in.  My work schedule this year keeps me on 
the go all day with just short breaks...not really enough time to get much done when I am at home.  Plus, with getting up at 3:45 every morning, I am pretty darn tired when I get 
home at 5:30 each evening.  

I am trying to keep up with 
chores and the things that I like to do or need to do
and let the rest go.  I'm trying not to get discouraged by the fact that nearly every time I sit down and open my
Bible, I wake up a little while later with
nothing studied.  Sigh.  

I'm also trying to balance how much I depend on
my mom.  I don't always have time to run the 
errands I need to and have to ask her.
I feel like a big pain.

I'd quit the extra bus run I added to my work day
if I could, but it adds a substantial bit of extra
money each week and right now we are
really in need of it.  

I guess we do what we
have to do.

The Simple Woman's Daybook, Aug. 2016

Today I am linking up with The Simple Woman for her monthly Daybook, a place to share photos and thoughts on the simple pleasures of life.

For today...

Looking out my window...

the sun is shining and everything is a deep green again after Saturday's much needed all-day rain.  The weeds are, unfortunately, growing quite well, too.

I am thinking...

that I could really use a nap before Bible study tonight.  We always have a good time and stay late.  I don't want to be falling asleep in the middle of it.

I am thankful...

for the friend who called on the way to her doctor's appointment this morning to ask if I'd like to have brunch afterward.  It was good to get out and spend some time with a friend I don't see much of these days.

One of my favorite things...

a warm, juicy tomato just picked fresh from my own vine with a bit of salt and pepper.  It's summer in your mouth.

I am wearing...

demim capris with embroidered cuffs and a neon green t-shirt touting "Beach, Sunshine, Paradise."

I am creating...

an organized home.  Turning my daughter's room into a private space just for me after she moved out has spurred me to go through the whole house exercising the excess and organizing things to help life run more smoothly.

I am reading...

a book to review for Revell Publishing.  It's not a title I would normally choose for myself, but I am learning a great deal from it.  It's called I Wish He Had Come With Instructions: The Woman's Guide to a Man's Brain.  While I am learning about men, I am learning a great deal about myself.

I am hoping...

tonight's the night my husband finally gets done fixing his truck.  It took a while to decide what was wrong and what the solution was, then we had to find the necessary kit (not available from regular auto parts stores...only found online) and order it and wait for it to come, and then began the ordeal of removing the old and putting on the new.  Through all of it he has been using my car.  I have been without a vehicle for over a month.

I am learning...

to take my thoughts captive, to be in control of them, rather than me being controlled by them.  I am learning to stop before I speak or act and think about what is motivating me.  Why am I saying this?  Why am I doing this?  Am I doing it because I really want to and because it lines up with God's truth?  Or am I motivated out of fear and emotional neediness?  I have been stunned to realize just how negative and toxic my thought patterns have become.

In my kitchen...

tomatoes picked from the plants growing in pots on the deck march across the window sill ripening to perfection in the morning sun.  The last remnants of this past Saturday's gender reveal party can also be spotted...a stack of pink and blue plates, a dish that needs to be returned to the one who brought it, a blue balloon drifting lazily in the corner.

By the way, grandchild number 3 will be a boy!

In my garden...

which is really just a collection of pots on the deck, the tomatoes are ripening with dizzying speed, the peppers are growing but seemingly taking forever to ripen, the herbs are thriving, but the cucumbers...have failed.

I added a new "pet" to the garden today.  He's very low maintenance, but cute as can be.

Board room...

I have been pinning a lot lately.  I am pinning recipes to use summer veggies and those for the crock pot since school will be starting up in a month and I will be heading back to work.  My quest to "get organized" has led me to pin all things that streamline spaces.  Finally, I have been pinning ideas for bathroom remodels as the main bath in the house, the one my daughter claimed as her own all through her teenage years is in sad, sad shape.  That is the next big project on our list.  We like the idea of a rustic look and of course I want streamlined and organized.  I tend to like just a bit of an industrial look as well. I think I found the perfect look...

Pinned from The Pink Tumbleweed

Post Script...

My husband is not really the camping type, but I came across this site for an amazing little campground right here in our home state.  I am working on him...because this place just looks delightful and fun.  You can stay in your RV, camper or tent, but you can also rent "cabins" that resemble anything from an Amish home to a pirate ship to Noah's ark to a covered wagon and more!

This cabin is a caboose!

Shared Quote...

"None of us like to have people trying to 'fix' us. We want to be accepted for who we are, even with our idiosyncrasies. When we feel accepted, we feel safe. When we feel safe, we're more likely to make changes on our own." - I Wish He Had Come With Instructions, The Woman's Guide to a Man's Brain by Mike Bechtle

Closing thoughts...

It's hard to believe we're in the last month of summer already and it will soon be time for school to start up again and for me to head back to work...unfortunately, I haven't found a different job while I've been off.  

This will be the month when we finally begin to do some things for fun.  There are flea markets to see, zoos to visit, fairs to be enjoyed, and birthdays to celebrate.

My mom and I share the same birthday in August.  This year marks 72 for her and 52 for me.  To mark the occasion we are taking Mom to Conneaut Lake Park to ride the roller coaster.  The Blue Streak was once the biggest, fastest wooden coaster between New York and Chicago and the ride everyone wanted to go on.

When my mom was growing up, her mother forbid her to ride it and being a good girl, she listened and she never got to ride.  A few years ago cousins talked her into going to the park to ride it.  She went and bought a ticket, but the coaster broke down and didn't reopen again that day.  As Mom said, after nearly 60 years, her mother was still winning.  This year I decided it's past time for Mom to ride that roller coaster and she is excited.

The Simple Woman's Daybook - July 2016

Welcome to the July edition of The Simple Woman's Daybook

Please click here to visit the host's blog.

For Today...

Looking out my window...

Is not a pretty sight these days.  The pool was torn down and removed in May.
The yard is still in need of a great deal of work and a load of topsoil.

However, if we take a few steps out onto the deck (which I call my tree house) there are plenty of beautiful things to see.

Like the fairy garden.

Or my little mini garden.

I am thinking...

I may not have everything I want, but I have everything I need and

so much more beyond that.  God is so good.

I am thankful...

For air conditioning on such a hot and humid day.

One of my favorite things...

Is this boy's smile.

I am creating...

A lovely new space for my books and crafts in the room our daughter

recently moved out of.  It will be lovely...if the polyurethane fumes 

don't get to us first.  I can hardly wait to move my books in.

Some of my books waiting to move.

I am watching...

A lot of the movies we've accumulated over the years, many of which we've
never watched.  There are a few favorites I'm watching over again for the
umpteenth time...and I'm loving every minute of it.

I am wearing...

Denim capris and a black t-shirt embossed with a white and gray design.

I am reading...

A lot of things.  I have three books to read and review for Revell Publishing.

Currently I'm reading, Honor Redeemed by Christine Johsnson.  It's an historical

romance set in colonial Key West.  I usually don't care for period pieces, but 

I admit this one is well written and as a summer read, I'm enjoying it.

Summer is also the season of used book sales at the local libraries and a

veritable bounty of books is to be had at yard sales and flea markets.  Yes,

I may need a 12-step program for my book habit, but as my mom always

says, "It's not hoarding if it's books!"

This was my haul from a sale this past Saturday.

I am listening to...

k.d. lang's version of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah."  So many artists

sing it, but there is just something about her voice and this song.

I am hoping...

That my husband is able to get the repair/fix done to his truck's exhaust

system.  He has been using my car for over a week now.  I am thinking

not so nice thoughts about that truck at this point.

I am learning...

Prayer that is infused with gratitude is the key that unlocks the floodgates of God's incomparable peace...the peace that passes all understanding.

In the kitchen...

Is a sink full of dishes awaiting my attention. *sigh*  I will give thanks,

because it means we have enough food on our table.

There are also many, many blueberries crying out to be made into 

something or frozen for later use.  I won't tell how many went straight

from the bush to my tummy and never made it to the kitchen.

In my garden...

Grown in pots on the deck, tomatoes weight heavily on plants and three different kinds of sweet peppers are waiting to change color to 

yellows, oranges and reds.

Cucumber plants vine and bloom around the fountain.

Post script...

Here's a link to Only in Your State, a site where you can enter the state of
your choosing and find all kinds of articles and videos about, well,
just about anything in your chosen state!

Shared quote...

(I have been studying peace this week.)

“Peace is the deep, inner, eternal stability the believer possesses by virtue of relationship with Jesus, a sense of balance that’s not subject to external circumstance. It’s also the quality that enables us to live harmoniously with others.” 
― Priscilla Shirer, Fervent: A Woman's Battle Plan to Serious, Specific, and Strategic Prayer

A moment from my day...

Cuddling with my puppies.

Daisy

Elvis

Closing notes...

As usual, summer is flying by much too rapidly...even though I'm

not doing much of anything this year.  I can't believe we are nearly

at the halfway mark and in 7, all too short, weeks I will be

back in the bus driving the kiddos to and from school.

Where do the days go???