Happy Homemaker Monday: August 5, 2019

My last attempt to come back did NOT go well *cough*
I'm trying, though.
Trying to change a lot in my life...which includes coming back to my little corner of the interwebs.

The Weather: Seriously, so much rain. The good news is I haven't had to water the dahlia garden at all this summer. The bad news is, it's ALWAYS RAINING. Usually, when a hurricane comes through here, we have noticeably more rain. But it's been so rainy here that when Tropical Storm Barry blew through here with "rain bands", we all barely blinked.

On the breakfast plate this morning: Would you be surprised if I said nothing? Haha! No, I'm fasting a bit til noon, and then I will have a keto pizza bake thing. Trying to lose this weight.

Right now, I am: Bopping around to some Owl City with my youngest daughter, and typing this post. Otherwise, it's pretty quiet here. We'll have to go check the mail, as I am expecting a package from a friend in Canada.

On my bedside table: A book and my laptop. Maybe a pen?

On my reading pile: "Where the Crawdads Sing" by Delia Owens.

Movies or Shows I watched this weekend: Saw Movies 1 and 2 (Heaven and Dark Angel) in the Casteel Family Saga. You can't go wrong with V.C. Andrews. Also trying to make my way through all the episodes of Dance Moms, that show is CRAZY.

On my TV this week: Ella and I are trying to make our way through the second season of Light as a Feather. My friend's cousin actually wrote the book the show is based on, how crazy is that?

On the menu for this week: 
Today: There's a pork roast in the crock pot.
Tomorrow: I'll be on an overnight at work. I'll make stuffed peppers. Gabe is on his own at home.
Wednesday: Taco Soup
Thursday: Beef Stew (I'll be teaching Ella)
Friday-Sunday: TBA

On my to-do list: Some light housework. Check on my outside plants. Window shop for a new kitchen trash can.

What I am creating: Hopefully, artwork for the kids' rooms.

Looking forward to: If the weather co-operates, a big surprise for my kids this weekend. Stay tuned!

Looking around the house: Y'all, you can definitely tell that a toddler lives here. And that I like kitchen gadgets. And plants.

From the camera: 

Not current, but these are the last 2 years of Christmas pictures. The first Josie was about 7 months, and in the 2nd, she was 19 months. Every year, our hospital decorates a gigantic Christmas tree. The first year, I saw that it was a rainbow, and both of my girls are rainbow babies (babies born after a loss) and I had to take their picture in front of it. It's become a tradition. I'm so looking forward to this year's portrait. Though, with Ella being a teenager, Christmas dresses are quickly becoming a thing of the past. Sigh.

What I'm wearing today: A mustard yellow T shirt that came from the Goodwill and some leggings with little dogs on them. Mom wardrobe is on POINT today.

Thinking about: So much. Everything from the shootings this weekend, to missing my Dad, to the summer ending.
I'm heartbroken over the loss of human life, and heartbroken that everybody is making the shootings about politics one way or another. It's ridiculous and disgusting. Things need to change. We need to love our fellow human beings more.

Bible Verses, Devotionals, Prayers: I'm asking everyone to pray for my friend Elsa and her baby daughter Justice. Justice is in the NICU and will remain there quite a while, as she weighs just over a pound. Elsa fought so hard to bring Justice here and will need all the strength and prayers. Meanwhile, here is my Scripture writing schedule for August. Child of God seems fitting, as I am a child missing her Dad.

Have a beautiful week, everyone!!!

Happy Homemaker Monday: May 6, 2019

Let me preface this by saying: Yep, I disappeared again. Mom life. Wife life. Work life. Home life. No excuses, that's all I got.

The weather: Warm and gorgeous. We're due to release butterflies today, and it's going to be beautiful weather for that. Tomorrow is slated to be nice to, but rain at the end of the week. Oh, well.

On my reading pile: "I will carry you" by Angie Smith, my Bible. I have a ton of books to read, honestly. But life is so busy right now...

Movies/shows I watched this weekend: I watched the Zac Efron/Ted Bundy movie, "Extremely Wicked, Shockinly Evil and Vile". Well, I tried. I was so tired, I fell asleep 2/3 of the way through. The second time, I picked up where I left off and was able to watch maybe 15 minutes before I fell asleep. I shall try again tonight, wish me luck, ha.

On my TV this week: That Zac Efron movie. American Idol (even though I know what happened last night). "Untouchable" (Rob Lowe as Drew Peterson, yes, I love my murder mysteries)

On the menu this week: I'm winging this week, but breakfast for dinner tonight. I have some ground lamb in the freezer, what on earth do I do with it?

What I am creating: Going to be participating in a lettering/drawing challenge. The theme is "Florals."

Looking forward to: My only day off this month, Sunday!!!!!

Looking around the house: It's quiet, it's clean. It's sunlit, and that's my favorite kind of morning.

From the camera: 

I took myself down to the river on Saturday evening, and this is one of the flowers I found down there.

What I'm wearing today: A pair of leggings I got 3 summers ago from my Dad (I finally fit into them again!!!!) and a big white shirt I found at the Goodwill for almost nothing. Oh, and yoga flip flops with rhinestones. I'm a hot mess today. Will I change? Nah.

One of my simple pleasures: Vacuuming. No, really.

Bible verse, devotional, prayers: There's so much to say here because I've been gone for almost a year. Last October, I re-dedicated myself to God, and I've been journaling daily.
Learning 1 Peter 5:6-7. Casting my cares on Him, and NOT picking them up again.

Have an amazing week, everybody!!!

Happy Homemaker Monday: September 24, 2018

It's seriously been over 3 months since my last HHM post, so I'm long overdue! Forgive me please, life has been crazy.

The weather in my neck of the woods: There's a cold front moving through, for which I am super grateful and it's a little rainy today. Perfect for some slow-cooking.

Breakfast time, what's on my plate: Nothing so far, whoops. I mean, I have had a spoonful of cream cheese. I'm doing a lazy version of the keto diet, and this fits just fine. I suppose if I wasn't low carb, I would have some toast with it hahah.

On today's to do list: Vacuum the living room, clean the bathrooms, take the girls to the library, run to the grocery store.

Currently reading: The World Before Us by Aislinn Hunter. I'm having a hard time getting into it, but I'm going to try my darndest.

On the T.V. this week: Even though I've seen it a million times before, I'm going to try and finish That 70's Show.

On the menu this week: Making Italian Cream Cheese Chicken in the Insta-Pot today, tomorrow is Pizza Soup, and the rest of this week is TBD.

If I have a few minutes to myself this week, I will: Read my book. Have a pedicure. Take a long walk.

What I'm creating this week: I have absolutely no idea. I need to do something to keep my mind and hands busy.

New recipe I'm trying/want to try this week: Honestly, anything in the InstaPot. My birthday is coming up, and as an early birthday present, my boss got me a big fancy InstaPot. So, I'm Pinterest-ing ALL the recipes.

Favorite photo from the camera: 

My husband was off last week on Wednesday, so the older daughter and I had a girls' day. We had dinner at the local deli, and took a small hike to the waterfall in our town. We're having a repeat girls' day this Wednesday. What should we do?

Bible verse, Devotionals, Prayers:  This entire country needs prayers. Things are so messed up here and there is so much division.

A Jumble

This is where I come back from one of my disappearing acts.
Trust me, I needed this one.

We lost my Daddy on July 6.

I still feel so incredibly lost sometimes. Like, how is this even real?
How is he gone?
My Dad was always larger than life to me. He could do anything, fix anything. He was my hero. Still is.
Two days before he died, Dad told me, "I'm leaving. I love you guys."
I can still hear him saying "Odchodze" (I'm leaving).

When my friend Ms. Lora died, I knew she would die. But I was still unprepared.

Unprepared is the understatement of the century when it comes to how I feel about Dad being gone. I find myself thinking about two years ago, when Ella and I went to visit him and Mom. I think about joking around with Dad about stupid things and getting the grand tour of the neighborhood and then remembering that he is GONE and I will not have those conversations with him again and it's like I'm being hit by a truck every single time.

And I know that where he is now, there is no more pain, no more cancer, no more sickness. Dad is whole and healthy and reunited with his parents and his older brother. My babies in heaven have met their Pop Pop and that must be so beautiful.

And as much as it hurts to be here, and be Dad-less, I know I'm really NOT Dad-less. Because he's always here. Every time I say something to make my kids laugh, I know Dad's there. Every time I fix some household item, I know Dad's there. Every time I play gypsy music for the girls, I know he's there. Since the day he died, I've been seeing blue butterflies everywhere.

I'm trying. I've wanted to sit down and write a blog about this or that and make my way seamlessly back.
But I couldn't. Not without writing about Dad.

Because I owe him at least this.
At least.

Happy Homemaker Monday, June 4, 2018

Good...afternoon!
I hate that I'm always late/rushed to post this, but that's the season of life I live in right now.
My schedule is back to semi-normal, and I work Monday nights again, so at least I'm home in the daytime.

The weather: It's legit GORGEOUS right now, and I'm enjoying the nice day. Open windows and a nice breeze. It can't get any better!

Right now, I am: channeling Carly Rae Jepsen while I unload my dishwasher. Baby's hopefully going down for a nap, and then I can get a few more chores done before work.

Thinking: Trying to plan the week ahead, and work out some budgeting stuff. I would really love to buy another betta fish and a bigger tank (our geriatric fish, LT passed on to the big pond in the sky last week, he is greatly missed), but I don't know if I can swing that this week.

On my reading pile: Same stuff as last week. I've read maybe two pages in that book, there's just no time, and my Kindle is backlit so I read on it in bed.

On my TV: Season 14 of Hell's Kitchen. I got my best friend into it, so it's fun to do a running commentary on it through text. We both think Jon from Season 11 got robbed.

On the menu this week: Tonight is Sausage, Peppers, and Rice. Tomorrow is Beef Stew in the crockpot. I'm not one to make stew in the crockpot, so I could use all the tips.

On my to-do list: Pack up more stuff to donate. We are minimalizing and it feels WONDERFUL.

In the craft basket: I got nothing right now. Everything else has kept me so dang busy, ugh.

Looking forward to this week: Lunch with a friend tomorrow, working in my garden. Getting my moss roses into a pot. I have some outside, but they're an annual so I'm going to see if they do o.k. year round inside in a pot.

Looking around the house: Who left the living room lamp on? Aurgh. Otherwise, it's pretty quiet.

From the camera: 

We had some wild weather this past week!!!!

Happy Homemaker Monday: May 28, 2018

Good evening, friends! Please take a moment tonight to think about all of the things that we have: all the freedoms, everything. And think of the men and women who made all of this possible with the sacrifice of their lives. Memorial Day is to honor the memory of all those who gave all for this country.

I'm so incredibly LATE posting this.

Why?

Because, in addition to it being Memorial Day, it's also Miss Josie's BIRTHDAY!!!
She's one today!

I apologize for my absence as of late. My Dad underwent chemo, the tumors shrank...and then they came back. Doctors were giving him days to weeks, so the girls and I went to Illinois to see him. We were told to say our goodbyes...and then Dad agreed to undergo chemo again, even though he was told it could kill him.
He did the chemo.
It shrank the tumors again.
He got pneumonia.
We prayed.

Incredibly, Dad continues to beat the odds. He is the strongest human being I know. So, please keep him in your prayers.

The weather: Rain, rain, and more rain. Flash flood warnings until Wednesday, at least. I'm actually at work right now, putting in some hours and I'm watching the rain come down. SIGH.

Right now, I am: Listening to Miranda Lambert, going through the mental checklist of the last few things I have to do here before I can leave, and typing this post. Ha.

Thinking: That I should really dye my hair. The purple has faded some and the bleach-y parts are showing, and I just don't have the time for the upkeep. I'm happiest as a brunette anyway.

On my reading pile: I got a book called "Very Bad Things" from the Dollar Tree to read on my trip to Chicago. I've read maybe 7 chapters. It's a good, easy ready, but life just moves so fast. I'm going to aim to finish it by this weekend.

On my T.V.: Hell's Kitchen, Hell's Kitchen, and more Hell's Kitchen. Also, I'm trying to start 13 Reasons Why, season 2.

On the menu for this week: I need to get back into meal planning, but what with school being done, and me picking up even more work, our evenings are a bit nuts lately. BUT, I am planning Zuppa Toscana, stuffed peppers, and a pot roast this week. Tonight, I made something I'm calling Comfort Chicken, which is a spin off from Chicken a la King.

On my to-do list: Not a lot, I'm ahead of the game today. I have to wash some bottles and pump parts. Otherwise, I'm going to try and rest and read that book.

In the craft basket: Ugh, nothing. And everything. I have so many ideas, but right now, I'm so busy with other stuff...

Looking forward to this week: Couponing and groceries and getting back to my Ibotta, so I can make a little extra cash. Also, the shopping because my freezer is going to be pretty bare bones after this week of meals.

Looking around the house: I'm not at the house, but looking around work...I'm literally the only one here right now, and it's kind of nice.

From the camera: 

A little (cup)cake carnage from this morning lolol.

Inspirational quotes, Bible verse, Devotional: 

Psalm 30:5 is Josie's life verse.

Have a beautiful week, my friends!!!!

I am so ready.

SO READY.

My older sister sent me some pictures of us from her wedding day, almost 18 years ago.

I look so different. Yes, part of it is I'm almost 18 years older, I've carried 5 pregnancies, I have two living children, I work ALLLLLLL the time, I'm pumping for Josie...

But Oh goodness. I hate what I see in the mirror. I hate my weight.


I've decided to revive my weight loss blog, which took one hell of a hiatus while I carried Josie and dealt with the sleepless nights of infancy.

Back then, me staying sane and dealing with one thing at a time was more important than my weight.

But, you guys, I am ready.


I am SO READY to take my life back and to love myself again.