Happy Homemaker Monday - 09/29/2014

Good morning everyone, hope you all had a good weekend.

I wish I could say mine was good, but there was a lot of family drama and tears and I am just too exhausted to even go on about it.  So let's just go right into our Happy Homemaker Monday, and pray and hope for a better week, shall we?

Breakfast time....what is on the plate this morning::::
All I have had this morning is a big and I'm talking big cup of coffee.  I just don't feel like eating right now, maybe in an hour I may have some toast or something else, we'll see. 

Looking around the house::::
It is very dark in here today, it's currently raining outside so I have my lamp on in the living room.  I always find that it makes everything look so cozy. 

On today's to do list::::
Laundry.....Have one load in the washer right now and one in the dryer.  Here shortly I'll go fold the stuff from the dryer and switch the clothes over from the washer.  
Cleaning.....Need to unload the dishwasher and reload it again.  I feel like the dishes are never ending and there's always something in the sink needing to be washed. 
Homeschooling.....prepare today's lessons.  Jasmine was not enjoying Japanese at all, so we actually dropped Japanese and switched her to Spanish.  I think this will be much easier for her, as I'm Portuguese and the languages are very similar so I will be able to help her.  Plus, she will be able to understand Portuguese better.
Crocheting.....Still haven't made myself the slouchy hat but I think it's something on the agenda either for tonight or tomorrow.  The weather is definitely cooling down and I need the hat.  Also working on the crochet pillow. 
Cooking....Making pancakes for lunch, or maybe waffles, not sure.  Tonight for dinner we are ordering Domino's or Pizza Hut.   

Currently reading::::
The Outlander Series by Diana Gabaldon.
The Shelter of God's Promises by Sheila Walsh

On the TV today::::
--  Portuguese Soaps - Beijo do Escorpiao, Mulheres, Mar Salgado
-- Downton Abbey's episode from last night


The weather outside is::::
Cloudy and dreary, it is currently raining.  It's also very windy, last night especially was pretty bad, we woke up this morning to my tree looking like this....

On the menu this week::::
Working on the menu plan for the next two weeks, as I have to go grocery shopping tomorrow.

Monday
Domino's or Pizza Hut
Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday


If I have a few minutes to myself, I will::::
Work on the crochet pillow. 

New recipe I tried, or want to try this week::::
Last week I tried Mari's Slow Cooker Cubed Steaks.  They were a hit, so yummy. 

One of my simple pleasures::::
Chatting with my husband.  Truly, just sitting down and chatting about our past, about what we want for the future and where we are at the moment.

Favorite photo from the camera::::
My little Lola.  This hat was on the arm of the couch, and as she went to lay down it literally slipped onto he head, she just sat there hahahah

Visiting with Blog friends (blog you want to share, blog post that caught your eye)::::
I managed to go by some of you and leave some comments, but haven't gone to all and will hopefully do that.    

Praying for::::
I need prayers for myself, for my health, for my physical and mental health actually.  I have gone through a lot this past month, things which I haven't even mentioned here, but I am feeling very worn down and very defeated, I am finding myself crying at the drop of a hat and just need this to stop.
For my dad and my stepmom, for this divorce to go through in an amicable way and for there to be peace for the whole family. 

Bible Verse, Devotional that is resonating with me at the moment:::: 

PLEASE, don't add links to this list that are not part of the Happy Homemaker Monday. I've asked numerous times, and I'm frankly quite tired of having to remove links to other posts that shouldn't be in this list. Please be respectful of my request!

Very Fall like day!

Hello my sweet friends.

Well, I want to start today by thanking you all, so very much, for all the good thoughts, words of comfort and prayers that you left on my last post.  It made me feel like I am not alone, and a lot of you out there know exactly what I'm going through.

I am still in somewhat of a shock, not really sure what to think about it all.  I almost imagine that I could wake up in the morning and this would have all just been a dream, but unfortunately I don't think that is likely to happen.

So, onwards and forwards, the best way we can.  For me, that means praying, taking comfort from my siblings and some of the family, and thinking about the future, reminding myself not to dwell on the past or things that I can't change.

Woke up this morning to a beautiful fall like day, and I think it's just what I was needing......a day surrounded by my children and husband, in our cozy home, with candles and sweat pants and cups of coffee, while the dark clouds loomed outside and sporadically dropped some rain.

I was up at 8:30am and hobbled myself on down to the kitchen.  It is finally cool enough in the mornings for me to start wearing warm slippers.  That makes me smile.

Just look at how dark it was indoors at this time of the morning.  It looked like it was the middle of the night.

8:30am is late for me, but the hubster and I haven't been sleeping well at all.  I've mentioned before how restless Bella has become, and it's due to the old age, but I think she may also be feeling some discomfort and pain from her back legs.

Needless to say, she keeps us up all night and it really is like having an infant again, and that is something that I was so glad I was past in this stage of my life.  It is seriously messing us up, if we get 2 hours of straight sleep, we consider ourselves lucky.

We have ordered some herbal drops for her, highly recommended by some vets and other senior dog owners.   I would also like to give her something for the pain but need to find out what I can give her.  At this point we are looking to give her some comfort and allow her and us to get some sleep.

It has been a pretty day.  I like sunshine, but I much prefer a cloudy, rainy looking day.  I don't know why.

I managed to get to the storage unit this morning and finally located my pumpkins.  Was so glad to find them and they are already out for us to enjoy.

Still love them as much as I did when I first made them, and they held up very well over the years.

As my husband headed off to work for a few hours, I got busy with laundry and the usual household chores.

Today, seeing that it was the perfect Fall weather, I got a big pot of soup cooking for dinner.

While that simmered away, Curt came home and was craving something different for a quick lunch. He grilled up some Linguica (Portuguese sausage), as we were out of Chourico, and cut up some french bread too.

We really enjoy simple quick snack kind of lunches, paired with a glass of wine, they hit the spot.

I spent the rest of the day chatting back and forth with my older brother back home in South Africa, folded some laundry, did my daily Swagbucks tasks and watched a video on YouTube.

Soup was done, and we had a yummy comforting dinner. You know as the temperatures cool down, I start making Sunday my Soup day. I will either pair it up with Sandwiches, a dessert like maybe a cake, or some yogurt etc.

Luckily for me, my kids enjoy these kind of dinners too.  You know sometimes we think that our families are only happy with big meals and elaborate dishes, but often they are just as happy to enjoy a simple filling bowl of soup and a yummy sandwich.

Just an easy going, relaxing day.  I needed it so very much.

At the moment, I am so looking forward to better days.  I feel like the past month I've been so down and sad and worried and stressed and I would hate for all my posts to turn into a soppy constant mess.  I am usually not like that so this does bother me, as I find myself missing my happy, chirpy self.

I know she's in here still and I know that she will be back in action soon, or at least, I really really hope so :)

I'm going to go work a little more on my crochet pillow, I forgot to take a photo, but I'll try to remember to do that tomorrow.

We have two movies to watch The Internship and Delivery Man, but I'm not sure if the family wants to watch them tonight or tomorrow during the day.  If they don't want to watch tonight, then I'll find something else to watch on my laptop or I may do some more reading of my Outlander series.

Whatever you may be doing, or wherever you may be at the moment, I hope you are having a wonderful night, and know that I am holding you up in prayer and wishing you a blessed weekend.

Heart Broken!

Divorce is never easy!

Not for the couple involved, and certainly not for the children.  I have lived through it once before when my father divorced my mother, yes I was only 2 years old, but the ramifications are something that have stayed with me my entire life.

The finger pointing, the "you love that parent more than me" accusations and the constant feeling of sadness that you don't have your mother and father together.

My father remarried and he and my stepmother have been together for 37 years.

Today, we got the news that they are getting divorced.

It is like the floor has been pulled out from under me.  This month has been excruciatingly difficult, so many things gone wrong, so many issues, so many worries and this feels like the icing on a very sad and heart breaking cake.

Folks, to say that I am exhausted mentally, would be an understatement.

I don't know what to say, other than I feel extremely sad that this is happening, even though I know it is what is best for both my father and stepmother.  I love them both dearly and only want their happiness, and that unfortunately is something that has been missing for the past 4 years.

I am glad to see this come to an end....but on the other hand I can't help but be devastated at the news. 

So I cry.  I cry for what was, I cry for what has become and I cry for the good memories that I hold dear in my heart.  I also cry because I feel like I've been dealt this hand TWICE and I ask why?  But then I have to quickly remind myself of, why not?

I am not special, I don't get to go through life without ever been affected by bad things, and so I need to just get on with it, and get by as best as I can.

Some people say that divorce doesn't affect the children, especially when they are adults.  I beg to differ, because it does, it can't help but not to.

I think in a way being an adult and in my own marriage, it just makes me see things much clearer and able to understand where they are both coming from.  Still, there is the side of me that wishes this wasn't happening, you always want to see your mom and dad together, no matter how old you are.

Then there is the side of me that immediately thinks of my own marriage, and this serves as a reminder that no matter how much we love each other, the future is not set in stone and things can change drastically.



Maybe I'm just throwing things out as they pop in my head, maybe it's my weird way of dealing with the information or trying to make sense of it, or maybe I'm in denial.  I don't know what it is, I just know that I feel so absolutely out of place right now, in a lot of areas of my life, and I just wish I could see the end in sight.

I also have a doctors appointment coming up in the next few weeks and would really appreciate some prayers.

If you've read this far, I have to thank you because I do feel that I just blabbed all over the blog but I needed to get this out, so I apologize for the long, sad, mopey post.  I hope you forgive me.

Slow Cooking Thursday - 09/25/2014

Good morning, welcome to another Slow Cooking Thursday!

Hope you all have your crockpots ready to go, mine is as today I'm making Cube Steaks with Gravy, recipe courtesy of my sweet friend Mari over at My Little Corner of the World.

To share with you all, I have one of my kid's favorites.  Hope you enjoy it too.

Pizza in a Pot

1-1/2 pounds ground beef
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
1 jar (14 ounces) pizza sauce
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 cups spiral pasta, cooked and drained
2 packages (3-1/2 ounces each) sliced pepperoni
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Directions

In a large skillet, cook the beef, green pepper and onion over medium
heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the tomato sauce,
pizza sauce and tomato paste.

In a 5-qt. slow cooker, layer the pasta, beef mixture, pepperoni and
cheese. Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours or until heated through.

Yield: 8 servings.

If you'd like, substitute 1/2 pound bulk Italian sausage for the pepperoni in Pizza in a Pot. Cook it along with the ground beef, green pepper and onion.

Renewed Soul!

You know, your prayers must be working, because I woke up this morning feeling so much better than the past few weeks.  It was as if my soul replenished completely and I was ready to face the day.

I don't even know how, because I didn't get much sleep the night before.  You're probably getting sick of hearing that, but truth is, as Bella is getting older she has become extremely restless at night, and being the mom that I am, every little stir, movement or huff and puff wakes me from a deep sleep.

Some nights she's fine, others she is as restless as my soul has been.

Last night was one of those.  I don't think she knew exactly what she wanted, she would lay down and then start panting because she's hot and get up and walk to the other side of the bed and ask to get down.  I would wake up, put her on the ground, and she would walk around to the other side of the bed and go scratch by my husband's side to ask to be put back up on the bed.

And so it went, all.night.long.

Just when I thought she had settled in, my hubby's alarm clock went off at 6:30am.  I'm usually a morning person but today I really could have done with a few extra hours.

Now mind you, I could have stayed in bed but I have always gotten up with my husband and fixed the morning coffee and his lunch, and seen him off to work, so I am not about to change that.  Even on those days where I'm running on empty.

Once I was up and had some breakfast in me, I was ready for the day. Today's breakfast consisted of coffee and some Cinnamon Roll Toast for Nicholas and I.  So yummy, if you want to try it for yourself, you can find the recipe over at the food blog.

I got dressed, I started the laundry and then got busy with cleaning.

The fireplace area was needing a sweeping and dusting.  I also dusted every picture, shelf, area that needed it.

I love this stuff and the smell is divine, but then, in my opinion, anything Lavender and Vanilla is amazing.

No matter how tired I may be, there is a rhythm to homemaking that I really enjoy, and once I get going, I quite like all the chores that come with keeping a home clean and cozy.

After dusting, I swept and vacuumed and then moved into the kitchen.  Why is it that no matter how hard we try, the counters seem to catch all sorts of random stuff and end up looking untidy and messy all the time?

I try so hard to keep it clean and clear but it doesn't work, I turn around and there's stuff all over again.

There are a few things that I like keeping in the kitchen, mainly my menu plan book and my budget book because I tend to use those quite often.  Also my tablet, mail that comes in, a few jars to catch loose change and some pens and pencils.  I don't, however, like seeing everything all over....and that is how it had been for a while.

This morning I dug out one of my many baskets and packed it all neat and tidy, it now sits on my counter and I can just reach in for whatever I need without having things strewn all over the place.

I also had an extra apothecary jar that was sitting in the pantry, so I pulled it out and it now holds all my chargers. When my husband needs to charge his phone, he just pulls out the charger and charges it right there, and when he's done it goes back into the jar. I do the same with my Kindle and Tablet chargers.

It's great not to have to hear "where is my charger?", all the time.

While I was doing all of that organizing, I also poured out my change jar and started counting the money in there.  I have two jars, one that holds all the pennies and random dimes and nickels, and one that I add dollars to, as I count them out.

So, for example, I gather 4 quarters to make a dollar and pop it into that jar, any extra quarters that don't make another dollar I pop into the other jar with the other coins.  Every week, I reach in, count out a few more dollars and add it to the Dollar Jar.

You know loose change is something we all have, and so many times it gets thrown on the bedside table or on a desk and forgotten about.  With money as tight as it is at the moment, and with Christmas fast approaching, I am trying to make money from wherever I can, and so far we have over $30 just in change.

Once my Dollar Jar is full, I will take it to the bank and exchange it for bills, and it will go into a Christmas Envelope.  It will definitely help.

Fall continues to rear it's head around me. I'm starting to see a lot of leaves on the ground, and the trees are turning all shades of red and yellow and orange.  I do think Fall is one of the prettiest seasons of all.

Since we're speaking of this beautiful season, I did go ahead and make Laura Ingalls Wilder Gingerbread, this afternoon.

The kids dove into it as soon as it was done.

I just love the rich dark brown color and the flavor of all those spices, it makes it the perfect pairing for a hot cup of coffee.

I think that is what I'm going to go have right now, I may just have made myself crave a bit of that Gingerbread with some coffee.  I'm just thankful that coffee doesn't keep me awake, or I may have been contributing to my no sleeping issues tonight.  HA!!

Tomorrow I need to run to my storage to grab the Halloween decorations and some of the Fall ones too, I think I still have a box or two in there.  I am mostly wanting to track down my fabric pumpkins that I made a few years ago, but if I can't find those I may quickly whip some up tomorrow.  Just hope I have some fabric that will work, maybe some reds or browns?

The crochet pillow is coming along great, I will have to take a picture tomorrow to show you.  I know some of you thought it looked complicated but it's such a simple pattern, it couldn't be easier, honestly.

Alright, my husband wants to sit and chat a bit before we turn in for the night, so I am out of here.

Blessings, hugs and lot of love to you all,
Sandra
xoxoxo

Welcome Fall, I've missed you!

 
I am so happy to see this first day of Fall finally arrive.  I've been looking forward to this day all year long.

In preparation for the official first day of Fall, it seems that the weather has been changing over the past few week, matter of fact, the last two days the temperatures have been lowering and giving us very Fall like days.  I of course have been loving every second of it.
 

Autumn
Charlotte L. Riser

When the trees their summer splendor
Change to raiment red and gold,
When the summer moon turns mellow,
And the nights are getting cold;
When the squirrels hide their acorns,
And the woodchucks disappear;
Then we know that it is autumn,
Loveliest season of the year.

Copious amounts of Lattes have been consumed, cinnamon and nutmeg, ginger and pumpkin pie spice have flavored frothy milk paired with yummy coffee.  My Latte machine has come out of storage and now has it's own reserved spot on the counter.  I think I am ready for this.

Tomorrow, I will make some of Laura Ingalls Wilder Gingerbread, as a welcome to this wonderful season.

I just realized though that as I was checking to make sure I had the ingredients I needed, I have no pumpkin puree in my pantry.  That has to be remedied immediately.

Do you do that as well?  Do you keep certain items on hand during different seasons?  I tend to to do that, and so in the Fall season I have pumpkin puree, molasses and a lot of spices on the shelves.  Christmas I always have chocolate and peppermint, powdered sugar, shortening, lots of cinnamon and mixed fruits.

Can you believe that just next week it will be October, and then soon after that Thanksgiving and then Christmas?  It always feels like a crazy race the minute that September comes to and end, a race that I'm not sure I'm quite ready for yet.

I've been puttering around the house today, doing my usual chores but also trying to get other things taken care of, mainly computer stuff.  I have two reviews that I am posting this week and really need to get the photos taken.  I also have computer work that needs my attention, like a new schedule that I'm trying to make using Excel, which I will tell you, I am not very good at, it gives me headaches and I find it so confusing whereas my husband constantly tells me it's extremely easy.

Who knows, maybe I'm getting dumb as I get older?

For lunch the kids requested some Tuna Salad.  It seems to be a favorite around here, and I quite enjoy it myself.

After lunch we got busy with our homeschooling and once that was done and my niece and nephew had gone home, I got dinner going and then sat down for a few moments to work on my newest crochet project.

I got the pattern from my Handmade magazine and when I saw it, I knew that I had to make one for myself. I decided to go with more of an Autumn inspired color palette, using beige, green and red.

It's worked in wedges both for the front and the back, but the front will have the addition of ruffles too. I'm quite excited to see how it turns out.

It is just what I needed right now.

I don't know what is going on with me lately, but the past week I have felt completely restless. Have you ever had that feeling where you don't quite know what you want to do, but have so many things that need to be done, but yet none seem to please you? I find myself sitting down because I have no energy or motivation to do anything, but then thinking that I need to be up and doing something, only to find that no matter what I get busy with just bores me.

It's so hard to explain exactly what I'm feeling, I hope some of you out there can understand.

My husband says that I have a lot on my mind and am just overwhelming myself, I tend to agree and this month hasn't been an easy one for us, so I'm wondering if maybe it just threw me off kilter.

Aside from praying incessantly, I have also started reading this book.....

Even though I'm currently reading Outlander by Diana Gabaldon, I needed something that would help me through this complicated time in my life.  I think Sheila Walsh and The Shelter of God's Promises is just what I need.

The failures, disappointments, and regrets keep us questioning:  Do God's promises hold fast when everything else is falling apart?

That single line could have easily been spilled from my mouth.  I think of that all the time, especially in those moments where things see to be especially difficult.  This book is teaching me that no matter what is going on in my life, His promises are there, never failing. 

What a relief!!

I am looking forward to reading the book from cover to cover, and I'm especially looking forward to seeing how these words and teachings help me think straight and see clear.  I need it, I need to set my sights on the Lord and not stray.

Easier said than done, but then the things worth fighting for are often the hardest, right?

Happy Homemaker Monday - 09/22/2014

Good morning, welcome to another Happy Homemaker Monday!

I am quite tired today, couldn't fall asleep for the longest time last night, and usually I am a person who gets into bed and am out. Not sure what was going on yesterday.

You may have noticed my template change, just wanted to let you know that it's not going to stay this way.  At first I quite liked it, but as the days have gone on, I find myself really disliking the whole thing, so I need to work on a new one today.  I'm nuts, I know hahahah

Anyway, let's get on with our HHM, shall we?

Breakfast time....what is on the plate this morning::::
My usual cup of coffee and some toast.  One of my favorite toasts is sliced french bread.  I just love the crispness after it's been toasted, I don't know, but there's something about a piece of toast where you bite into and hear the crunch.  I'm weird like that, I guess. 

Looking around the house::::
Very quiet.  My husband just left for work and it's just the pugs and I awake.  It's also quite dark in here, it's a cloudy day and we had rain all night, so it's quite dreary outside, but you know me, and I love days like these. 

On today's to do list::::
Laundry.....actually have laundry to do, was a very busy week and I fell behind on the clothes.  Have to catch up on that today. 
Cleaning.....Need to load the breakfast dishes in the dishwasher and run it.  Make the beds, vacuum the bedrooms.  Wipe down the counters and clean the toilets in the bathrooms.
Homeschooling.....prepare today's lessons.  Jasmine has a Japanese portfolio she has been putting off because she needs to record herself speaking Japanese and she's nervous.  I don't think we have a lot of work today, but the usual. 
Crocheting.....Have to make myself a slouchy hat, I've made the girls and my sister in law one already.  Also would like to start on the crochet pillow I saw in the magazine.
Cooking....kids have requested tuna salad for lunch, and for dinner I'm fixing Fettucine Alfredo. 

Currently reading::::
The Outlander Series by Diana Gabaldon.....still, and loving it.

On the TV today::::
--  Portuguese Soaps - Beijo do Escorpiao, Mulheres, Mar Salgado
-- The new show Gotham starts tonight and we want to watch it, see what we think.
--  I am also going to be watching the first episode of Downton Abbey, which premiered yesterday but I was at the Air Show and couldn't watch it live.  If you want to watch the new Season and not have to wait until January for it to air here in the States, you can do so using either Expat Shield, or Hola Unblocker.  Or watch it online, the episodes get posted about an hour after it airs in the UK.
--  New Haven episode.

The weather outside is::::
Cloudy and dreary, quite nippy actually. 

On the menu this week::::

Monday
Fettucine Alfredo
Tuesday
Seafood Subs for hubby, myself and Nicholas....Black forest ham sub for Jasmine
Wednesday
Cottage Pie
Thursday
Slow Cooker Cubed Steaks
Friday
Honey Mustard Chicken Pasta
Saturday
Breakfast for dinner (Sausages, Biscuits and Gravy)
Sunday
Onion and Potato soup, Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

If I have a few minutes to myself, I will::::
Start the crochet pillow or read. 

New recipe I tried, or want to try this week::::
Nothing new last week, but I still have to find a few moments to post my French Bread Casserole recipe on the blog.

One of my simple pleasures::::
Baking Bread

Favorite photo from the camera::::
Thunderbirds at the Air Show

Visiting with Blog friends (blog you want to share, blog post that caught your eye)::::
And yet another week of no blog visiting.  Ugh!    

Praying for::::
Continuing to pray for our financial situation.
Hubby may have an opportunity of working on jets again, and it's something he not only loves but misses dearly, so I'm praying for that.
My brother and sister in law, they are going through a difficult time as they learn to adjust to life here in the States.

Bible Verse, Devotional that is resonating with me at the moment:::: 

PLEASE, don't add links to this list that are not part of the Happy Homemaker Monday. I've asked numerous times, and I'm frankly quite tired of having to remove links to other posts that shouldn't be in this list. Please be respectful of my request!

Good day!!!

This morning my husband decided to take us to Boise.  He has to go buy his Clicker for classes and another Physics book that he was missing, and since we hadn't been to Boise in quite a few months, we went along.

We spent such a nice day.

For those who don't know, we are about 45 minutes from Boise, so it's a bit of a drive and one of the reasons we don't go out there very often.  I know people who live here on base and in this area, that just hop in the car and drive there every weekend, but honestly, we just couldn't afford the gas alone.

After our stop at the University book store, we went to Barnes and Noble, as he needed to check out a different book.  If you know anything about me and my family, you will know that we are huge book lovers and putting us in Barnes and Noble, is very much to the likes of putting a kid in a toy store.

Oh goodness, if I could, I think I could easily spend a couple hundred dollars in there.  It is that much of a temptation.

I was very good though as we need to keep a tight hand on our purse strings this month.

I did go ahead and purchase a journal.  It's very simple, but I fell in love with the pretty green color and just had to have it.

I also picked up some book magnets as mine have vanished.  I don't know if I accidentally left some in library books and returned them like that, or if my kids took them, or if they simply just disappeared, but I have none left and was getting a little tired of using random pieces of paper to mark where I was reading.

Shouldn't be a surprise that I picked the Keep Calm with Union Jack ones, is it? :)

Also grabbed this magazine, which I've been wanting for a very long time.  It is filled with tons of great projects that I can't wait to get into.  There is a crochet pillow especially that I will most definitely start tomorrow.

We went by the mall too, just walked around, didn't buy anything.  We quite enjoy window shopping, though there are of course a few things that we see and we wish we could get, but for the most part we are quite happy just walking around together.

By the time we arrived home, it was 3pm.  Didn't stay in Boise very long at all, but the time we spent there was certainly enjoyed.

Tomorrow morning we're headed to the Air Show on base.  I really can't wait, and you know I will come share the photos afterwards.

They've been practicing above us for a few days now, mostly on Friday morning and afternoon so I managed to snap a few pics from the deck.

Super excited to see the real thing in action.

Well, I'm off, going out for a drink with my hubby, brother and sister in law.  We try to do this once a month because it's so important to have some decompression time away from everything, all the stresses and worries that hound us on a daily basis.

Hope you are all having a restful Saturday night. 

God Bless,
Sandra

Show and Tell Friday - 09/19/2014

 
Good morning my friends, how is your Friday going so far?

I must say that I am so happy to see this day come around, I am looking forward to this weekend, not just because we get more family time, we get to relax, but also because Sunday we have the Air Show at the Base.

One of our favorite things to do as a family, no doubt.

Right, but we're not here to talk about that, we are here for the Show and Tell, so let me get right into it.

What you see above, are my journals.  I started keeping a journal before I was married, I was in South Africa and in a long distance relationship with my husband.

There was so much going through my mind and I felt that I needed a place to jot it all down, to get it off my chest and on paper, sometimes wishing that if I saw it written down that I could solve the problem easier.

After we got married, I continued writing in my journals, because then I was in a new country and pregnant and a new military wife, with a lot of things to learn and figure out.

Writing was always a way for me to do that.

So I continued with my journals.

They are very dear to me, and I love going back to read what I was thinking and feeling during different moments in my life.

I kept a journal too when my husband was deployed, and in one of those journals I have this letter that he wrote me from overseas.

I try not to read it very often because I find myself so overwhelmed and emotional that I can't help but cry.

The journal above is from South Africa and this one contains all my thoughts and dreams and hopes and fears when we were in a long distance relationship. 

It's funny when I read it sometimes, I was a young girl without a lot of experience of the world.  Some of my worries were quite pathetic, to me now, but at the time they were all consuming and frightening.

I love reading the progression of our relationship.  Every little word on these pages has a story to tell, from giddy excitement of a late night phone call, or a letter received in the mail, or a little spat that we got into.  Everything leading up to our wedding. 

This journal above, contains most of my thoughts and experiences from my first year in the USA, my little Jasmine, wanting to get pregnant again, friends and family and so forth.

And some little hands got a hold of my journals, many years ago, and decided to scribble all over them.  I can't even get upset because I know it wasn't done intentionally to destroy them, and I can still read what I wrote.  It is, after all, a little memento from when my children were babies.

I will treasure that forever!!!!

Once I got my blog, my journaling kind of disappeared, or rather, changed.  I now do most of my writing and venting and talking on the blog, though it will never be the same as an actual journal where you know you can say everything that is on your mind and get personal without other people reading or knowing.

That part I do miss, and I've thought about restarting my journal writing, aside from the blog, I would love to have a book with everything that I can't say here on blogland.

Maybe that's what I'll do.....go journal shopping one of these days.  :)