{ National Geographic's Almanac 2019 - TLC Book Tour }

 

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: National Geographic (October 23, 2018)

A one-of-a-kind annual featuring surprising facts, stunning color photos, arresting infographics, and illuminating maps that present the world in a whole new way.

{ Grape Hyacinths }

There are always those specific signs that say "Spring is here".

One can wish it to be true and even start imagining it from weeks prior, but there's one sign here in my yards that always, and I mean ALWAYS tells me Spring is here.

{ Welcome Spring, I've missed you }

The weather has finally switched to Spring and I have been taking full advantage of it.

There is something very renewing about this time of year, it's almost like shedding the negative stuff and starting over.  I get all this energy and my mind is filled with ideas and plans and projects.  It's like I can't wait to get out there in the yards and start cleaning, pruning, planting, getting things ready for the summer and barbecues.

{ Happy Homemaker Monday - 03/18/2019 }

Good morning everyone, how was your weekend?

I had a fantastic one.  We had a lot of family time and realized just how much we had been missing it, and how important it is to connect, talk, hang out.  We live in a very fast, chaotic and often times isolating world.  People tend to go off into their own corners of the house and only really see each other during meals, and sometimes not even then.

My husband and I try very hard to keep the kids engaged and out of their rooms.  Not to say that we don't give them their space and don't allow a day of just being lazy and doing what they want, but even then, we are constantly checking in, talking to them and so forth.

So Saturday, we had a nice dinner out and then a stroll around the mall, we hadn't done that in a long time and all enjoyed it.

Yesterday, Curt and I did some odd jobs around the house, then we spent the afternoon with the kids, in the living room watching movies.  It was such a nice afternoon, we ate snacks, had popcorn, bacon sandwiches and chips and soda and just hung out.  Perfect!!!

Anyway, good morning again, I hope you have a fantastic week ahead.  Let's get on with our Happy Homemaker Monday.  
 

{ Ear issues and a trip to the mall }

I had a doctor's appointment yesterday afternoon, to finally see what is going on with my ear.

I knew that it was allergy related, I knew that it was sinus related and usually it clears up on it's own, and so I waited 3 weeks to see if it would.  It didn't.

By Thursday night when I went to bed, I was in a bit of pain, my ear felt very clogged, I was dizzy and the ringing/buzzing in my ear was louder.  I knew then that it was time to make the call and go in.

I was almost 100% sure that it would be an ear infection.  Thankfully it turned out that it wasn't an infection, but I do have a lot of fluid behind the eardrum which is all brought on by my allergies. 

I have been given Singulair, Allegra, Sudafed and some allergy nasal spray.  The doctor did say it would take about 7 days for this all to clear up, so I guess I'll be dealing with the ringing etc. for a little while longer. 

But at least, it's a step in the right direction.

So, it's Saturday, and I haven't done much aside from the usual laundry and cleaning here and there.  The meds make me a little drowsy and I'm still not feeling very well so I've been resting as much as I can.

This afternoon though, we all went to pick Jasmine up from work and then headed to the mall.  She wanted to go get some things for work and also wanted to take us to dinner at Red Robin.

It's such a strange feeling when all of a sudden your child is an adult, making her own money and taking YOU out for meals.  Definitely a change, but a good one and we are incredibly proud of her.

{ What a week it's been }

I really don't want to come in and whine and moan and complain.  It's just been one of those weeks, bad weather, a lot of driving around and dealing with horrible allergies that have decided to attack my right ear.  Last year I got fluid in both years from the allergies, right around this time as well.

3 week ago, I started struggling with the allergies again, getting bad bouts that would leave me coughing and losing my voice.  A week after that started, my right ear became muffled and felt like I couldn't get it to pop.  A week after that, I had put some olive oil and tea tree oil in, as advised by some people, and two days after that I started getting the ringing in my ear.

It's now been 4 days of the non stop low buzzing in my right ear, the ear is still muffled, and I'm about to rip my head off with this nonsense.

I am giving this until this weekend, and if it's not getting better, I'm making an appointment for the doctor next week.  I just can not handle this clogged ear and ringing feeling.  I don't have pain, I do have itching inside the ear, so I'm starting to think that it's developing from fluid into an infection and it's time to nip this in the butt.

{ Happy Homemaker Monday - 03/11/2019 }

Good morning friends, come on in out of the cold and rain.

It's been raining non stop since yesterday morning, and it's dropped our temperatures down significantly  Saturday was warm, we were in the 70's but that's all gone down the drain into the 30's.

But never mind that, I have hot coffee so come on in and sit with me a little, I'll show you what is going on this coming week.  :) 

{ Amazon goodies arrived }

Good morning everyone and a very happy Saturday to you all :)

It's been a bit of a crazy week, lots of driving around, back and forth, no internet for a day and feeling so tired that I climb into bed at 8pm and I'm out for the count.

Nothing super exciting to tell you, so I won't bore you with the nitty gritty, but I did think I would come in and show you my Amazon delivery.

I don't really shop much online, I think during Christmas is when I actually order from Amazon or anywhere else, aside from that, yeah just not much of an online shopper. 

The only reason I even made this purchase is because I was gifted an Amazon card for Christmas and had yet to use it, plus the two items I got were things that I needed.

Right, let me show you what I'm excited about.....

{ Corpse and Crown by Alisa Kwitney - TLC Book Tour }

 

Hardcover: 320 Pages
Publisher: Inkyard Press; Original edition (February 12, 2019)

Agatha DeLacey’s family isn’t rich or titled, so studying nursing at Ingold’s East End hospital in London is a rare opportunity for her. Despite the school’s focus on the innovative Bio-Mechanical program, Aggie cares more about the desperately poor human patients who flood the hospital, even if that means providing unauthorized treatment after-hours…and trusting a charming, endlessly resourceful thief.

But the Artful Dodger is barely a step ahead of his underworld rivals, the menacing Bill Sykes and mercurial Oliver Twist, and Aggie’s association with him soon leads her into danger. When a brutal attack leaves her blind, she and the Dodger find themselves at the mercy of an experimental Bio-Mech surgery. Though the procedure restores Aggie’s sight, her new eyes come at an unnerving cost, and the changes in Dodger are even more alarming—instead of seeing Aggie as the girl he fancies, he now views her as a potential threat.

As war between England and Germany brews on the horizon and a sinister medical conspiracy threatens to shatter the uneasy peace in Europe, Aggie and the Dodger must find a way to work together so they can protect their friends and expose the truth…even if it means risking their own survival.

{ The nitty gritty of daily homemaking and her DNA Ancestry Results }

You ever stop what you're doing and think "I've done this a million times, and I'm sure I'll do it a million times more?".

It's how I feel every day of my life, there are chores around the house that are never ending, and just when you think you've caught up, it all piles up again and there you are, back at the kitchen stove scrubbing, or throwing the millionth load into the washer.

Sometimes I want to throw my hands up in the air and claim defeat, just let it be.  I can't though, it would drive me completely insane.  As it is, my kids say I'm always cleaning.  LOL

Anyway, good morning everyone, how are you today?