{ New Year Fun - 2018 Edition }

I love doing this meme every year, it sort of brings the whole blogging year to an end and also takes me back in time to reflect on what I was doing.

Post the first sentence of your first blog post of each month. You can also add a favorite picture from each month.

If you decide to do one as well, let me know so I can come and see it :)

Happy New Year everyone!

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{ Happy Homemaker Monday - 12/31/2018 - Goodbye 2018 }

Good morning.

Well here we are, the last day of 2018.  What a year it's been, ups, downs, good things, heartbreaking losses, just a variety of occurrences.  It wasn't an easy year to get through, not at all, but it's taught me some valuable lessons that I'm sure I needed to learn, and for that I'm thankful.

As always, I don't know what the new year has in store, and that really used to play on my mind, but I've decided that there's no need for that kind of thinking, because the Lord is already there, He's already seen what is going to happen, and He has prepared me for it all.

And so I got into 2019 with an open heart and an open mind, and ready to claim it as the best year yet for us.  My wish, for every single one of you reading this post, is that you are abundantly blessed, and that the new year brings you everything you wish for, but above all, health and happiness.

{ Upcoming Period Dramas in 2019 and current Period Dramas to watch }

 Good morning everyone, come on in and sit with me a little.  I have a hot cup of coffee with some Oreo Creamer, it is delicious, and I also have a list of upcoming period dramas mainly from the UK, to share with you.

Oh there are some good ones coming up, I'm excited to watch and I know that a lot of my readers are as big a fans of Period Dramas as I am, so grab a cup of coffee or tea and sit a bit, I have a lot to share with you :)

{ When Calls the Heart and Call the Midwife Christmas Specials....plus getting the house back in order }

Hi everyone, I hope you've had a wonderful blessed Christmas.

Mine was quiet, surrounded by family members, and turned out to be one of my favorite Christmas to date.

I just realized that I hadn't put up a proper post since last week.  I've been so good about uploading daily and then the holidays came up, and all of that went out the window.  My apologies, but I'm back now and ready to get right into the daily routine.

{ Happy Homemaker Monday - 12/24/2018 }

Good morning everyone and a Merry Christmas Eve :)

I'm sorry I've been missing from the blog, just had a lot going on and haven't had a chance to be online.

I just walked into my kitchen to start my baking and cooking, but I wanted to come in first and get this post up for you all.  Wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year!!! 

{ In my element }

My wonderful husband told me to stay home today, and let him do Jasmine's drop off.  I did say I would go, but he was adamant that I stay home and do what I needed to do :)

Oh I needed today so badly.  It's not that I'm out of the house all day long because I'm a stay at home mom, but the past month the driving back and forth has meant 4 trips every morning and 4 trips every afternoon or night, depending on her schedule.  It makes it harder to get things done in the house because I'm constantly having to keep an eye on the clock to be sure I am where I need to be.

{ Cooking Thursday - Chicken Sopa }

 

When my husband and I were newlyweds, we traveled to Oklahoma to visit his family.  We had our daughter at the time, she was just about a year old and at my husband and his family's request, we had her baptized in their local family church.

As we arrived at the church, there were a stack of cookbooks, you know the church cookbooks that used to be so common?  My mother in law asked me if I would like one, she knew I loved cooking, and wanted to gift me one because there were recipes from her, her mother and her niece featured in the book.

I was thrilled.

{ Homemade Caramels }

I thought I would come in today and share with you a an idea for some homemade gifts you can make right in your kitchen.  Sometimes we feel the pinch and need to come up with some gift ideas that won't break our bank.  These caramels have always been a hit.

I made these many years ago, back in Arizona.  Come to think of it, back in Arizona I made a lot of things, much more than I do nowadays, but things were different, times were different and I had a lot more time on my hands to be in the kitchen baking and cooking.

{ Home Day }

It felt so good to have a full home day, and by that I mean, not having to leave the house not even for 5 minutes.  That whole homebody thing?  Yeah, that's me, I'm most comfortable in my house.

So, the kicker is that I kept thinking that I needed a day at home to get caught up on some things, to start the Christmas cooking and baking and so on.  And then today came, and it started with a bad allergy attack which had me turning to my Benadryl.  I'm sure you know how that went.

I fell back asleep around 7:40am and woke up at 8:14am.  Not a long nap at all but I felt so much better. 

{ I just love books }

I was typing up the Happy Homemaker Monday post this morning, and I had said in there that I wasn't reading anything at the moment, as I was expecting new review books to come in.

Low and behold, I got two in the mail today, which made me very happy.

The first one I'll be reading is the Tamera Alexander "With this Pledge".  Ooohhh I can't wait!!!

I have also been trying to finish my Diana Gabaldon's "The Drums of Autumn", which has been slow going because I had so many review books the past few months, and only really got to read it here and there, when I had a spare moment between books.

{ Happy Homemaker Monday - 12/17/2018 }

Good morning everyone, I'm sorry this post is going up a little later than usual.  I just walked in the door after taking hubby and daughter to work.

It's been a rush of a morning for me, I almost feel like I didn't even have a chance to catch my breath until now.  But I'm here, I'm ready to get going with my day and try to get as much done as I can.

Hope you've all had a wonderful weekend and I wish you all a blessed week ahead.

{Family weekend }

The past 3 days, I've been busy with family and homemaking, and haven't had a chance to be online much.  Sometimes it's good to focus on what is around us and not worry so much about making our presence known online.

{ The Lady Travelers Guide to Deception with an Unlikely Earl - TLC Book Tour }

 

About The Lady Travelers Guide to Deception with an Unlikely Earl

Mass Market Paperback: 384 Pages
Publisher: HQN; Original edition (November 20, 2018)

Set sail for love in this sparkling new adventure in #1 New York Times bestselling author Victoria Alexander’s Lady Travelers Society series.

Harry Armstrong has spent years in Egypt, recovering relics and disregarding rules. Now he’s back in England with a new title and a new purpose: penning his exploits. But his efforts are overshadowed by London’s favorite writer about Egypt—a woman they call The Queen of the Desert, of all things. Worse, her stories—serialized in newspapers and reprinted in books—are complete rubbish.

{ Ironing and my favorite Vlogmas Channels }

My skin has been so dry the past month or so, it's quite awful and no matter how much wash it or apply lotion, it just doesn't seem to help.  So this morning, I decided to start with a Rose Face Mask which I've had on hand for a while but hadn't yet gotten around to trying it.

It smells amazing, and it worked really well hydrating my face.  I'll have to keep using it throughout the winter months.

{ Little bits here and there }

I was out all morning, drove Curt to work, Jasmine to work, then had to pick up prescriptions at the base hospital and then pick up my husband for lunch.  He dropped me off at home around 12:30 and that was when I was finally able to start on my household chores.

The first thing I got into were the dishes and the kitchen, because for some reason, I find that if my kitchen is clean and tidy, then everything else seems to run smoothly.  It may sound silly considering the kitchen is predominantly just for cooking, but when mine is sparkling clean, the rest of the house seems to follow and things just run better for me.

Once I was done with that I got started on some Christmas cards.  I don't think I got around to sending any last year, I had the best intentions but it just got away from me.  I do miss the days where every single day in December we would get cards in the mail, but I think with the technology and social media, it's all become online business and people no longer take the time to sit and write a personal note.

{ Shinesty - A Review }

A few weeks ago I was contacted by the wonderful folks at Shinesty, and asked if I would be willing to review them in exchange for some *Ugly* Christmas outfits for our family.

Let me start by telling you that I would have never gone out and bought these outfits myself, mainly because I didn't think my family would go along with it, and also because I didn't think I would ever be able to pull this off.

With that said, let me tell you, we had such a blast wearing our outfits and have already talked about getting different themed ones for Christmas this year.

What exactly is Shinesty?

I had never heard of them either, but oh my goodness now that I have I am quite chuffed and will for sure be heading over quite a bit.  They are not for everyone, obviously but they do cater to those who like to have fun, attend theme parties and are fully comfortable in their skin wearing some of the *not so cutest* outfits.

Here is what Shinesty says on their website:

We created Shinesty for one reason and one reason only:

To bring you the most outlandish collection of clothing the world has ever seen.

When worn correctly, the right clothing can make Mike Tyson's albino tiger purr like a kitten, blow the minds of boringly-dressed onlookers, or be a major contributing factor in the creation of a small human that looks strikingly similar to you.
Whether you are searching for a rare retro piece, enough neon to blind the 80s, or simply something that would make Chuck Norris weep with pride, Shinesty is here to help.

Stay Weird and Shine On

We were sent the Millenial Snowflake patterned suits and dresses.  The minute I saw them I started laughing, I mean mine and Jasmine's dresses are actually quite cute, but the boys suits, I couldn't for the life of me picture them in those.

They were such good sports though and I happen to think as quirky as the suits look, they actually look very handsome :)

You can find the Millenial Men's Suits here, and the ladie's dresses here.

I found the dress very comfortable to wear and I'm sure I'll make use of it again next holiday season.

But I urge you to go on over and take a look at all the other family outfits available, and did I mention they have doggie ones that match their humans too? 

Whether you are looking for this year's Christmas matching outfits, or a special something for events such as Skiing, Retro, NFL parties, Sports, 4th of July, Beach, Halloween, Thanksgiving or New Year's Eve......Shinesty has it.


Thank you to Shinesty for providing us with the outfits in exchange for an honest review.

Disclaimer:  Please keep in mind that the website is not geared towards children, as there are  few items on there better suited for adults.  I wouldn't want anyone to think that I'm willingly sending them to a website that may offend them in any way.

{ A simple Christmas }

:::: Have you ever heard the saying "Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without"?

It is actually one of my favorite quotes, so much so that I've mentioned it quite a few times here on the blog.

I'm a huge believer in using what is already on hand and not spending money on unnecessary things, and with Christmas literally around the corner, I've decided that one thing I am not going to spend money on, is wrapping paper.  Why?   Well because I have a few small pieces left from last year, and I've also got brown wrapping paper, which I used for my Thanksgiving Table.

{ Happy Homemaker Monday - 12/10/2018 }

Good morning everyone, how was your weekend?

I had a pretty good one, but for the past two days, I've been dealing with a niggling headache.  I'm pretty certain it is sinus because it's right between my eyes and the top of the head and I feel quite congested.

I've been taking Ibuprofen and it does keep it manageable but the minute it wears off, there it is again.  Goodness!!!

Anyway, I hope you all have a wonderful week ahead as you prepare for Christmas and holidays with the family.  :)

{ Present wrapping and some crochet }

Can we just stop a moment to appreciate this cuteness?  He is just so sweet, love his face :)

Although, have to tell you a quick funny story.  Mister decided to try and get into his present today.  This year I'm wrapping some of the gifts in brown paper, I'm trying to go for a simpler effect, while also saving money on buying wrapping paper by using the leftover from last year that I already had on hand.

I was cleaning in the living room and heard him rustling some paper, when I turned around, there he was, with HIS present in his mouth, trying to get into it.  I can't folks, I have never had a dog do this, and he has never done this either, he usually stays away from the tree.

But the fact that not only did he try to get into a present, but it was HIS, was just enough to make us all have a good laugh.

{ A Quiet Heart }

“If we are pre-occupied with ourselves, trying to fulfill ourselves …

do you know what we are asking for there?

We are asking for the kind of peace that the WORLD can give.

But when we let go of ourselves, and put ourselves totally at the disposal of God,

He gives us His kind of peace – supernatural peace – the kind that the world can never give.

The quietness of my heart is the fruit of an absolute confidence in good.

That is a source of a quiet heart…

Every assignment is measured and controlled for my eternal good.

As I accept the given portion other options are cancelled.

Decisions become much easier, directions clearer,

and hence my heart becomes inexpressibly quieter.”

– Elisabeth Elliot, Keep a Quiet Heart

{ Winter Watch }

My day started very early, as always.  Lately I find that when the alarm goes off at 6am, I feel like I have slept for only about 5 minutes.  It's so hard getting out of a warm comfy bed, to dark skies, freezing cold and rain.

{ Once a midwife by Patricia Harman - TLC Book Tour }

About Once a Midwife

• Paperback: 512 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks (November 6, 2018)

Welcome back to Hope River in USA Today bestselling author Patricia Harman’s newest novel as midwife Patience Hester, along with her family and friends, face the challenges of the home front during World War II.

The women of Hope River trust midwife Patience Hester, whose skill in delivering babies is known for miles around. But though the Great Depression is behind them, troubles are not, for Europe is at war…and it can only be a matter of time before the U.S. enters the fray.

And while some are eager to join the fight, Patience’s husband, Daniel, is not. Daniel is a patriot—but he saw too much bloodshed during the First World War, and has vowed never to take up arms again.
His stance leaves Patience and their four children vulnerable—to the neighbors who might judge them, and to the government, who imprison Daniel for his beliefs.

Patience must support their family and fight for her husband’s release despite her own misgivings. And with need greater than ever, she must also keep her practice running during this tumultuous time…relying on generous friends, like Bitsy, who has returned to Hope River, stalwart neighbors, and her own indomitable strength to see them all through.

Social Media
Please use the hashtag #onceamidwife and tag @williammorrowbooks and @tlcbooktours.

{ Wintery Day }

Folks, it was cold here today, like chill to the bones cold.

I knew it before I even walked out of my bedroom.  The feel of the cold tiled floors in the bathroom and the foggy and condensed windows told me all I needed to know.

[ Fatal Invasion by Marie Force - TLC Book Tour }

 

About Fatal Invasion (The Fatal Series #13)

Mass Market Paperback: 416 Pages
Publisher: HQN; Original edition (November 27, 2018)
First the fire, then the heat…
A brutal home invasion. Two small traumatized survivors who may have witnessed the horror. Lieutenant Sam Holland has never worked a case quite like this one, in which her eyewitnesses are five-year-old twins. But when Sam steps up in a big way for them, she risks her heart as much as her career.
While Sam and her husband, Vice President Nick Cappuano, go to battle in more ways than one for her tiny witnesses, her colleague Sergeant Tommy “Gonzo” Gonzales battles his own demons. Months of unbearable grief and despair come to a head in an unimaginable way that threatens Gonzo’s status with the department and his relationship with his fiancée, Christina.
With trouble both at the precinct and on the case, Sam struggles to keep her priorities straight at home and at work while trying not to lose her heart to her latest crime victims.

{ On the go all.day.long }

I like to think that I'm easily adapted to change, at least in my family I seem to be one of the few who doesn't freak out when things completely change or routines fly out the window.  You know I'm learned over the years that sometimes life will throw you for a loop and you can either adapt and roll with it, or you can fight and complain and be absolutely miserable.

{ Bagels, Beef Stew and Biscuits }

It was a proper winter day here in North Texas.  The skies were grey, it was cold, it was windy and it just felt like we were finally in the middle of winter and not still holding onto summer temperatures.

{ Happy Homemaker Monday - 12/03/2018 }

Good morning everyone, hope you had a wonderful weekend.  Mine was quite uneventful, which is a good thing.  I did manage to start Christmas decorating, finally.

I'll try to finish it off today, but I have quite a few things I want to go get done and not sure if I'll have enough time, but I'm going to try.

Let's get right into our HHM.

{ And then it happened }

My day was your typical Sunday, chores, laundry, dishes and pottering around the house.  I cleaned out two of our hallway closets and moved some things around.  In doing so I found my box with all my African decorations.

{ Grocery shopping on a cold day }

Today was grocery shopping day.  I like going to the store as soon as it opens up at 8am, I just find that at that time of the day there are not a lot of shoppers, it's quiet, I can take my time and then I have the rest of the day free to do whatever else I need doing.

I had the best of intentions and what I thought was a full list of to dos, and I fully intended to do them all.

Then I woke up with a sore throat which immediately threw me off kilter.  I'm not yet over the cold I had and really don't want to deal with round two.

The morning was cold, and very windy, but you know that as a mom and wife, you have to get things done and can't put them off just because you're not 100%.

{ A cold wintry day }

The Texas weather is a bit of a phenomenon.  I always heard people talking about how insane the weather was over here, and how it would flip flop from hot to cold and rain to shine.  But when you don't live in the area you just assume people are being dramatic or exaggerating.

Then we moved to this state and for the past 3 years, I often find myself scratching my head and wondering just what on earth Mother Nature is doing.

{ Change of plans is not always a bad thing }

My hubby is no longer going away, well, at least for the moment, which makes me so incredibly happy.  I'm not a clingy person but for some reason, when I'm sick, I like to have him nearby, so this morning when he texted me from work to let me know the TDY had been cancelled, I felt such relief.   I kinda love this guy :)

That bit of news made my day, it's almost like I went back to breathing, as if I had been holding my breath all along.  It's not surprising, it's exactly how I felt when he was active duty and had to leave or deployments.  You tend to go into auto mode and start planning and doing things on your own, a few days before he is even out the door.

{ Slow day - Working on blog to book }

I'm slowly, and I mean very slowly starting to turn the corner with this cold.  Just letting my body dictate how fast or slow I move, and how much I do.

{ Try not to overdo it }

That's the worst thing you can tell a mom/wife/homemaker.

I mean, technically I understand because that's what I tell family and friends when they're unwell, but in reality it's not that easy to follow through.  I think that's why our bodies take it upon themselves to force us into rest.

The past few days that's just what my body has done.  I've had no energy to do anything and have felt so unwell, so I've basically been in bed, taking meds, in and out of sleep, no appetite.  Today was the first day I felt slightly less horrid, and managed to change my bed linens, do some dusting and vacuuming, general tidying up and cooked a meal that I managed to eat. 

{ Happy Homemaker Monday - 11/26/2018 }

Good morning everyone, welcome back to my blog :)

I'm sorry this post is going up a little later than usual, but I am down with a bad cold and not feeling well at all.  Thanksgiving went great and then Friday afternoon it came out of nowhere.  I've spent the whole weekend, practically in bed with a sore throat, horrible sinus congestion and headache and generally unwell.

I'm really hoping this cold goes away soon, I just can't function like this.

Anyway, I hope you all had a wonderful thanksgiving with your families. 

{ Preparing for Thanksgiving }

The holidays have officially kicked off for us.

I honestly can't believe that Thanksgiving is tomorrow, this whole year seems to have sped by at turbo pace.

As always, there is a lot to do, decorating, planning for all the guests, the menu and then cooking all the food.

I used to do all the cooking on the actual day, but that was when there were only 4 of us and didn't have anyone coming over.  It's easier to take it slow, not rush and not really worry about what time the meal is ready.

{ Getting ready for Thanksgiving - Tips and Recipes }

Thanksgiving is 3 days away.  3 DAYS AWAY!!!

I always love this time of year, the cooking and baking, planning and getting the house ready for guests.  I don't let it stress me out because I look at it as a fun time and the anticipation of family and good food, but if I don't get myself organized it can be a bit overwhelming.

Let's face it, no one wants to be stuck in the kitchen during the holidays, while everyone else is having fun.

Before I give you all some tips and tell you my menu and so forth, if you haven't yet taken your turkey out of the freezer, RUN, don't walk, RUN and pop that baby in the fridge.  I shared this graphic the other day but here it is again, just as a reminder.

{ Happy Homemaker Monday - 11/19/2018 }

Good morning everyone and welcome back to my little corner of the world.

I can't believe that by next Monday, Thanksgiving will be over and done with. Goodness gracious!!!

I hope you are all ready for the celebrations this week, spending time with family and indulging in all that glorious food.

I wanted to take this opportunity, and wish you and your family, a blessed wonderful Thanksgiving :)

{ Sunday Vibes }

::::Early morning

{ Slow Day }

Before I even set foot out of bed this morning, I knew it was going to be one of those days.  I woke up with a bad cough, brought on by allergies.  The kind of cough that I seem to get when the dog is shedding and everything that I'm allergic to is surrounding me.

I took an allergy pill and from then on, the day went downhill.

{ Marilla of Green Gables by Sarah McCoy - TLC Book Tour }

 
Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: William Morrow (October 23, 2018)

A bold, heartfelt tale of life at Green Gables . . . before Anne: A marvelously entertaining and moving historical novel, set in rural Prince Edward Island in the nineteenth century, that imagines the young life of spinster Marilla Cuthbert, and the choices that will open her life to the possibility of heartbreak—and unimaginable greatness.

Plucky and ambitious, Marilla Cuthbert is thirteen years old when her world is turned upside down. Her beloved mother dies in childbirth, and Marilla suddenly must bear the responsibilities of a farm wife: cooking, sewing, keeping house, and overseeing the day-to-day life of Green Gables with her brother, Matthew and father, Hugh.

In Avonlea—a small, tight-knit farming town on a remote island—life holds few options for farm girls. Her one connection to the wider world is Aunt Elizabeth “Izzy” Johnson, her mother’s sister, who managed to escape from Avonlea to the bustling city of St. Catharines. An opinionated spinster, Aunt Izzy’s talent as a seamstress has allowed her to build a thriving business and make her own way in the world.

{ The Thanksgiving Tree }

I had such a blessed weekend.  It was a whirlwind of activity, overnight guests, games, laughter, catching up and fellowship.  We talked about what we had each been up to, but we also talked about God, about our individual journeys and what the Lord has been doing in our lives.

It was wonderful!!!