{ Happy Homemaker Monday - 09/30/2019 }

Good morning dear friends, I hope you have all had a wonderful, restful weekend.  Mine was great albeit a little short, feels like Saturday morning just came about and now here we are, Monday.

But nevertheless, it's a new week, a blank slate and a chance to right any wrongs, throw all the negativity and bad feelings to the side, and start fresh.

Many people dislike Monday, but I actually love it and have always enjoyed Monday mornings.  It kick starts my week, it means a fresh clean house, and a whole 5 days to get things done.

I don't have much going on this week, Jasmine's schedule is a little less frantic which I'm glad about, but I do have to take her for an eye exam this morning, thankfully just up the street so it won't take very long.

I am starting this morning with some youtube videos playing in the background while I work on getting this post up.

Have a wonderful blessed week, friends, and thank you again for participating, for sharing, for joining in and for being so kind to each other.  I really do have the best blog readers. :)

The Weather:::

I've started turning off the air conditioner for quite a long time during the day, thankfully the temperatures are still hot but manageable.  We have had a ton of rain the past 2 weeks, which I've gladly welcomed, although my husband doesn't like it as much because it means the 3 acres that need mowing is constantly growing.  We are past the triple digits and though some days we're in the 90's, we are also starting to plateau on 80's and even some 70's thrown in.  Thank goodness.

Monday - Partly cloudy, 91
Tuesday - Partly cloudy, 93
Wednesday - Sunny, 93
Thursday - AM showers, 79
Friday - Mostly sunny, 84
Saturday - Partly cloudy,89
Sunday - Partly cloudy, 82

On my reading pile:::

Working on finishing Diamond in the Rough as the review is coming up in a few days.
  

Also getting through A Bitter Feast, which is equally good as the book above. 

   

On my tv:::

Youtube homemaking vlogs
Cold Case Files
Star Trek:  The Next Generation
When Hope Calls

My list hasn't really changed mainly because I haven't had time to watch much, I've been doing more reading lately.

On the menu for this week:::

Monday -  Durotar Warrior's Pie (Hearthstone inspired dinner, picked by the kids)
Tuesday -  Ham Steaks, Scalloped Potatoes, Salad
Wednesday -  Chicken and Sausage Ragu, Roasted Squash
Thursday - Korean Beef Bowl
Friday - Out to dinner with mother in law
Saturday -  I'm going to be away with my mother in law for a family baby shower, so the hubb and kids will fend for themselves
Sunday  - Smoked Sausage and Potatoes Skillet


On my to do list:::
Homeschooling
Change bed linens
Eye exam with Jasmine
Clean house

What I am sewing, crocheting, knitting or creating:::

Didn't get around to it last week, but am really wanting to sew up some pillow covers for the couches.   

Looking around the house:::

It's quiet.  The kids are both still asleep and Curt is off to work.  I need to open all the curtains and some of the windows, to let in some fresh air.  The house is not dirty or untidy, but I do want to dust today. 

From the camera:::

Just love all the touches of Fall around the house.   

On my prayer list:::

♥ My mother in law Pat
♥ My husband.  He is adopted and he just did his DNA test and all of a sudden a lot of things are coming to light.  He is struggling to take it all in and doesn't quite know how to go about it all. 

Bible verse, Devotional, Inspirational Quotes:::

 

{ Glorious rain, answers at the doctor and living life }

I feel like I've been gone for a long time, but really it's only been about a week since I've done a proper post.  By that I mean one of my usual chatty, show you photos and take you along my days, kind of posts.

Life has been insanely busy around here.

When my kids were little and in school, I used to wish for summer because I knew that for 3 months I could just relax, not have to go anywhere, not have to rush or get anyone ready.  My mornings were easy going and relaxed.

Now, even though my kids are grown, I am back to driving every day to take Jasmine to work.  She will be getting her drivers next year, she has a lot of anxiety and it has stopped her from driving.  I didn't get my license until Nick was 3 years old, and I was 32 years old.  That fear had kept me from getting behind a car for many years, so, I get it, I understand it.  She will be getting back behind the wheel next year and working on facing that fear.  She wants to be independent and of course it will help me out too where I won't need to be driving her back and forth every day.

But that is not what I've been busy with, though it does take a chunk of my morning and afternoon.

The past month or so, you know that I've been for some doctor appointments.  I've been trying to get my health figured out so that I can get on the right track and know what I'm dealing with and how to treat it.

I finally was told that I'm officially in perimenopause.  With that statement came a lot more doctor visits to make a plan on where to go from here.  It is just simply to help with some of the bigger symptoms which for me have been the night sweats, some hot flashes (nothing major just feeling really hot at times), the fluctuating cycles and some other things here and there.

For the next two months, I'll be on my birth control patch, without taking a week off for my cycle.  My gynecologist wants me to skip the next two periods and see how my body and the symptoms react to not having that week off with no hormones.

In order for any of this to work though, she had to be sure that I was healthy enough with regards to not having cholesterol or diabetes (both can cause blood clots when doing hormone replacements of any kind).

I've mentioned before that my family has a history of both of those, on my dad's side, and Osteoporosis on my mother's side.  With perimenopause and menopause comes the loss of bone density, so because I'm at a higher risk for Osteoporosis, she ordered a bone density scan.

I have spent the better part of this month at the base hospital, every other day for a doctor appointment, an exam, blood work and numerous hours wasted at the pharmacy waiting for meds.

So where are we after all this run around?

My blood work came back perfect.  No cholesterol or even an inclination towards it, no diabetes and no inclination towards that either, and my thyroid is also working as it should.

My bone density scan however, came back with a diagnosis of Osteopenia, wish bone loss on my left hip.  I was expecting it so wasn't shocked at all.  I'm now on daily doses of Calcium and Vitamin D3.

I will be back at the doctor in 2 months to see how I'm doing with the constant hormones and not having a period.  I'm not really sure how any of this is going to work or if I'll feel better or not, but my hope is to eventually come off birth control all together and not have to rely on added hormones of any kind, that stuff just scares me.

Anyway, that has been my month, but I'm glad to have answers and know exactly what I'm dealing with, so that now I can face this new chapter of my life, the best I can.

In other news, we have had the most glorious rain storms.  I thank God every minute it starts pouring down because it's been so hot and stuffy here, and this makes it more bearable.

A full week of non stop rain, and this week we have a few days here and there where we're expecting storms.  I don't know about you all but Fall makes me happy.

In other news, a ton of books have started arriving for my Fall and Winter book tours.  I have to say that I am thankful for this opportunity.  Receiving these free books for reviews is a blessing, I've come across authors I never would have picked up on my own and have even added some new favorite books to my list.

The current ones I've been reading have all been really good and it doesn't always work out that way, I've had tours where books were just ok, tours where maybe one book was ok and the others not so much, but I've never had it where every single book that has come into my hand, has been one I've loved.

Which means, any spare moment I have, and they are not many at all, I reach for my books and sink right into them.

Boy I've missed that.

I also wanted to show you my noodle board now that I've painted it white. I still want to take some sandpaper to it the edges, but haven't had time for that yet.  I do love it though :)

A couple of you had never heard of a noodle board or why it was called that.  From what I was able to research, they were used back in the day, to knead bread dough or make noodles.  Since there wasn't too much room in the kitchen, they were set atop the stove to make more room.  Now they're just used for decoration.

I like to use mine not just as a decoration to cover the ugly looking stove top, but it does help when I need extra room to place things on.

Plus they add a touch of charm to the kitchen.

Goodness I feel like I've been talking for ages, I'm sorry for babbling on, but now you're caught up and know what has been happening around here.

I better skiddaddle on out of here.

{ Happy Homemaker Monday - 09/23/2019 }

Good morning everyone, welcome back to my little corner in blogland.

I hope you've all had a fantastic weekend.  Mine was great because I did absolutely nothing.  I chose to stay home, not go anywhere, not do anything and aside from laundry and cooking, I lay in bed, caught up on my shows, read a ton and just relaxed.

I apologize for being absent from my blog, pretty much all of last week, but it was just really busy.  I was back and forth to the doctors, appointments, blood tests, bone density scans and endless hours spent at the pharmacy waiting for meds.  Driving the girl back and forth to work, homeschooling and trying to keep the house running.  Crazy busy but it was all done.

I have another busy week ahead of me but I am going to make sure I take photos, and put up a few posts throughout the next few days.

Right, with that out of the way, let's get going and take a quick look at what our weeks look like, ahead.

The Weather:::

The past few days we have been blessed with rain, and I've soaked it all in just like the earth does.  It's finally knocked our temperatures down a bit although we still get pretty hot days, but nothing like it was before.  Fall may actually be arriving in our neighborhood. 

Monday - Scattered Thunderstorms,85
Tuesday - AM Thunderstorms,89
Wednesday - Partly cloudy, 93
Thursday - Partly cloudy, 91
Friday - Mostly sunny, 93
Saturday - AM Thunderstorms,89
Sunday - Isolated Thunderstorms, 89

On my reading pile:::

I am currently reading One for the Blackbird, One for the Crow and oh my goodness, I can't put it down.  However, I need to put it just a little because I started reading it while I waited for my next review book to come in, and now that it has, I need to get through it because it needs reviewing BEFORE this one.

So, the new book I am picking up today is called A Bitter Feast by Deborah Crombe.

   

On my tv:::

Youtube homemaking vlogs
Cold Case Files
Star Trek:  The Next Generation
When Hope Calls

On the menu for this week:::

I am going to be in and out of the house this week, and a few of those times will be right when I'm supposed to be fixing dinner.  With that in mind, I always try to organize my meals so that I can get dinner on the table pretty quick.  I will be doing a blog post on how I get organized with meals on those specific days.   


Monday -  Slow Cooker Ravioli Casserole
Tuesday -  Sour Cream Taco Bake, Salad
Wednesday -  Chicken in Cream Sauce, Garlic Mash, Fried Okra
Thursday - Durotar Warrior's Pie (Hearthstone inspired dinner, picked by the kids)
Friday - Ham Steaks, Scalloped Potatoes, Salad
Saturday -  Ogri'la Chicken Fingers, Onion Rings (World of Warcraft inspired dinner, picked by the kids)
Sunday  - Leftovers


On my to do list:::
Homeschooling
Change bed linens
Carpet Clean
Pharmacy on Wednesday to pick up Calcium supplements
Usual every day homemaking chores, cooking and cleaning.

What I am sewing, crocheting, knitting or creating:::

I am not doing anything creative at the moment, I may actually remove this category from my list next week, at least for the moment because I haven't had time for anything. 

Looking around the house:::

It is so dark, not only because the days are taking longer for the sun to rise but it's been raining this morning too.  The house is not in a bad shape, aside from the usual tidying up after the weekend.
I need to open all the curtains and actually pop open a few windows to let in some fresh air.

From the camera:::

One of the things I most like about Fall season, is the candle light all over the house.  I do light candles during summer, but not very often, I tend to leave that for Fall and Winter. 

 

On my prayer list:::

♥ My mother in law Pat and her battle with cancer
♥ My husband as he goes through all the VA doctor appointments

Bible verse, Devotional:::

Remember what God has invited you into, is better than what is behind you. - Pastor Steven Furtick

{ Day of rest, a Netflix show and more doctor appointments }

Good evening everyone, come on in and sit a bit with me.  I have coffee and tea and a slice of this delicious Portuguese Milk and Cinnamon Tart. (recipe on the food blog, if you're interested).

So, news.

{ Happy Homemaker Monday - 09/16/2019 }

I have a lot that I want to get done this week ahead, some painting, some crafts and I'm pulling out my Fall decorations, whether the weather is ready to cooperate or not.  I'm done with the heat.

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

Let's see what we have happening around blogland.

{ A new noodle board }

 Previous noodle board back in 2010

Years ago, I had my husband build me a noodle board, if you don't know what that is, it is most commonly referred to as a stove cover.

I've always been into the country/primitive/farmhouse look and though my house doesn't completely reflect that yet, I do try to incorporate pieces here and there.

When we were stationed in Arizona, I asked my husband to please build me a noodle board, and he obliged, because he loves me and because he loves woodworking.  We both wish he had more time to devote to it, but with his work schedule it is not always possible.  Well that and the cost of the lumber, which is not as cheap as it used to be, back in the day.

{ First real Fall like day and current favorites }

Was awakened at 4am with the sound of thunder and bright lightning flashing through the windows.  A few seconds later the rain started coming down, the temperatures plummeted and the whole house remained dark until almost 8am.

{ Grandpa Julio's Simple Vanilla Cake }

Grandpa Julio was my dad's father.  He was this amazing man with a killer sense of humor and full of stories to tell.

He used to love singing us random little tunes that he had no doubt learned from his own parents.  It never dawned on me why he knew so many Brazilian songs, and it wasn't until I was old enough to realize and know that his father and his father's parents and ancestors, were all from Brazil.

He was the fun grandpa, we would go to the coast on vacation and would watch him swimming in the ocean, he was like a fish, in and out, gracefully swimming, but also coming to stand by us and holding us tight when a big wave would threaten to go over our heads.  We don't swim, our parents don't know how to swim, and my brothers and I don't either.

{ The cake my grandfather used to make }

It's a little after 6pm.  I've set the house to bed, dishes have been loaded and the swooshing of the machine reverberates through the kitchen.

I turned on a lamp in the den area because the days are starting to get shorter and darker, earlier in the day.

I've had my shower, used my favorite Cath Kidston Bath Wash and have slid into bed, squeaky clean, bangs clipped back, laptop comfortably propped on my lap, and a crime documentary playing on the TV.

A big sigh emanates from within and as it exhales so does the weariness of a busy homemaking day.

My day started around 4:12am.  I woke up to go to the bathroom and then sleep decided that I had enough.  I tossed and turned, all the while keeping my eye on the clock as I knew that the alarm would be going on at 6.

{ Happy Homemaker Monday - 09/09/2019 }

Hi friends, good morning :)

Come on in and have a cup of coffee with me before we get going with our Happy Homemaker Monday for today.

I had a pretty good weekend, just feel like it flew right by and when the alarm went off at 6Am this morning, I was definitely not ready to get up.

I have a lot that I want to get done this week ahead, some painting, some crafts and I'm pulling out my Fall decorations, whether the weather is ready to cooperate or not.  I'm done with the heat.

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

Let's see what we have happening around blogland.

If you want to save and use the new button, just click here.

Pupcakes for the birthday boy!

When I lost my little Lola, I was completely and utterly devastated.  People will often say that an animal is just an animal, you shouldn't feel about them the same way you do about people, but I can't help it, but pets have always been my babies and when one of them passes away, it leaves a hole in my heart.

If you've followed my blog from way back in the day, you know how much Lola meant to me, so losing her was heartbreaking and I didn't think I could ever have room for another dog.

That changed when I started feeling the want for another dog to love, and even though no pet will ever take that special place Lola holds in my heart, I wasn't prepared for how much I would love Marley.

{ Tuesday - September 3, 2019 }

Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” - 1 Peter 5:5

:::: first thing this morning, devotionals from my Grace for Each Day. 

 
:::: cup of coffee and an apple pastry for breakfast

:::: the first Fall candle has been lit, it smells divine

::::  my Jasmine is always bringing home little gifts for me, or her dad, or brother.  This weekend, when the family was visiting, she went out with our cousin for a little shopping.  She came back home with this for me.  I can't wait to get it out, it smells so good.

:::: finishing off the laundry, and putting it all away.  This is Nick's, he has one of those cubicle shelves with baskets, he prefers his clothes this way instead of in a dresser.

:::: mid afternoon treat, a chocolate chip cookie and a sugar cookie baked by Curt's aunt

:::: little bits of fall are popping in around the house

::::  Curt messaged me to say not to make dinner as he had subs from Firehouse subs for dinner.  They had a function at work and had a ton of leftovers, which he was able to bring home.  They are so good.

{ Happy Homemaker Monday - 09/02/2019 }

Good morning everyone, and welcome to September.  How are we here already?

I hope you've all been having a wonderful Labor Day weekend, mine has been pretty good, but I think today is the first day I am actually planning on sitting for a bit, reading, having some coffee and taking it easy.

I want to start by apologizing for this post going up so late, but I just sent my daughter off to work with hubby.  He has the day off but needs to pick up a coworker from the airport so he is taking the girl to work and heading straight there.

Now that they are out the door, I can concentrate on getting this post up and then getting on with my day.

Anyway, let's get going with our Happy Homemaker Monday, thank you again for all the participants that drop by every single Monday to help me continue this feature.  I surely appreciate it!

If you want to save and use the new button, just click here.

{ The past few days }

I am sitting on the bed, laptop on my lap, a random video on Youtube, curtains opened wide and the sound of wind chimes wafting in through the open window.

It's the first time I'm sitting down to relax, in oh....days.  I haven't even caught up on my vlogs, haven't watched any TV shows and feel like I am all discombobulated and out of whack.

As I was sitting replying to emails, it hit me that it had been days since I had put up a post, and that I needed to get on it.

Then a thought crossed my mind, why bother?

Why bother to put up a post, why bother to update the blog, why bother?

Does it really matter if I update or should I just let it go and do whatever, whenever.  The thing is, though that thought popped up for a split second, the answer popped up even faster than that.

Because it is my journal and I want to keep recording our lives and what we do, so that one day in the future my children will have a place to come and read about their childhood, places we lived, things we did .