Showing posts with label catching up on life. Show all posts
Showing posts with label catching up on life. Show all posts

Friday, February 23, 2024

{ Friday Catch-up }

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It is a beautiful day here in North Texas.  The sun is shining, it is 60 degrees, the birds are all chirping and happily flying around and my chickens are playing in the run.
 
We have had the best winter in years, it's been very mild, only a few days of ice, no snow (at least yet, fingers crossed), and what seems to be an early spring.  You know I love snow, but I am not about to complain about this because my fingers are itching to get in the dirt, to plant, to start our garden, and work on the chicken area and fix my yard and create a wonderful space for outside dining and a little nook to just sit, with a cup of coffee and a book.
 
So, it's Friday morning, I have already been busy.  I seem to have been bit by the organizing and renovating bug, and for the past month I've worked on different projects around the house.  It keeps me busy, which has also really helped in my health journey because while I'm concentrated on projects, I am not thinking about snacks and food, or just sitting watching something on TV.
 
With that in mind, and because I've been working on so many things around here, I thought that I would bring back the Tackle it Tuesday posts.  If you're one of the old bloggers, like early 2000's bloggers, you may remember participating or seeing it around blogland.
 
I have to say, I feel that bloggers nowadays are not what they used to be.  That's not meant as an insult, in any way, shape or form.  They are just a different breed of bloggers that I don't quite relate to, whereas, when blogging first took off, we were a community of like minded moms, with little ones, homemaking and cooking, sharing tips, sharing advice, motivating each other, and all the blog posts seemed to be directed at just that.
 
Menu Plan Monday
Happy Homemaker Monday
Slow Cooking Thursday
Tackle it Tuesday
Show and Tell Friday
Works for me Wednesday
 
Just to name a few?  Do you remember those?   

Anyway, Tackle it Tuesday was a weekly feature (obviously lol), that focused on getting something done and sharing it to hopefully motivate others.  It was started by 5 Minutes for Mom, and in the beginning it was a huge hit, so many participants.  
 
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So, starting next week I'm going to bring it back here on my blog.  I have been taking pictures of the areas I've been working on, so I will have a few to share, and as I go, I'll just continue taking pictures and sharing. 
 
You are more than welcome to join in, if you have a specific area in your home or a project you've been putting off, now is the time.

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I've also been working on my new blanket.  I've mentioned it a few times here but I can't help showing you because it is the most beautiful thing ever.  I'm using colors that I don't typically go for, I tend to use pastels and very much Cath Kidston inspired colors, but since this is a Winter Blanket, I wanted to keep it a bit more darker and warmer, so I went with charcoal and cream.

I wasn't sure if I would like it, because again, very different to my usual colors, but I'm so happy with the way it is forming.  Next one however, I will be making in white and red to keep it typical Nordic and Scandinavian.  

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In my health journey, I have also been trying out different recipes to enjoy my cravings, without going for the usual breads and carbs.  It's been very enlightening and educational for me.  Some I haven't liked, but most I have really enjoyed, like the Keto Avocado Bread which was just insanely good, and these egg muffins which are also really good.

I'll be sharing those recipes on the food blog soon.

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My home has once again become my shelter, my haven and my pride and joy.  Not to say that it ever stopped, but if I must be honest with myself and with all of you, I did go through a few years where other things took priority.  Yes the home was here, and yes we lived in it, but I wasn't taking pride in it, I wasn't paying attention to detail or adding little touches here and there.

It's those little touches that make your home your own, you know what I mean?  When someone walks in and says "oh it's so cozy and so you".  That is such a compliment to me and brings me such joy that I can't even begin to describe.

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I've also reached a point in my day to day, that I don't have so many chores to tackle and so many things to do.  The key is being organized and not letting things accumulate, and when we do this, it frees up time for the fun things we enjoy.

For me it's crochet, watching a period drama, and lately, getting my exercise in.  I have only been doing between 10 and 20 minutes each day, and that right now is enough for me.  Perimenopause, hormonal symptoms, some knee pain and getting older, has definitely showed me that I can't be doing the usual 45 minutes to an hour exercise that I used to be able to handle 10 years ago.

And that's ok, because I have also learned that you can get the same results in doing short, even 4 minute HIIT exercises a day, as if you were killing yourself for 30 minutes at the gym.  The point is to move, to keep moving, to do some sort of workout, no matter what it is.  Walking is amazing, and there are ton of videos on Youtube for Walking Workouts which are amazing for older ladies, and for those that have knee pain or joint pain or whatever pain you may have.  

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So that's it, that's been the past few weeks, I wanted to come in and chat and get you all caught up on my life.  I am slowly (again) getting back into blogging and trying to post more, and I think as we go into Spring, I have more to show you and take pictures of.
 
Before I leave, just wanted to show you my bird seed wreath.  I first made one back when we were stationed at Luke AFB in Arizona.  The birds loved them, and the kids and I loved making them.  It's a great project to make with the kids.
 
I do have the recipe and how to already here on the blog, you can go to this post to read, if you want to give these a try.
 
Now I need to get off here and get ready for my doctor's appointment.  It's just a follow up on the Triglycerides results that showed up on my routine blood, work that my Gynecologist had me do.  Since she's not the family doctor, she obviously asked me to make a follow up appointment with the family care clinic on base to discuss the results and nutrition etc.  To be honest, I think it's a bit pointless going a month later, since I already know what to do and have been doing it for the past few weeks, but if they ask me to do something I do it.

Have a blessed day and if I don't see you before Monday, have a blessed weekend!


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Wednesday, October 01, 2014

Catching up on life....

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Hello my sweet friends, how are you all doing?

Thank you for all the kind words, the support, the prayers and the emails asking me how I am, and checking up on me.  I can tell you that I'm much better today, and so, I thought I would come in and give you all an update.

The past 5 days have been excruciatingly difficult.

I have learned things I didn't want to learn, I have tried to comfort my siblings, I've had my siblings comfort me, and in the middle of this all I have felt this heavy sadness that seemed to be pulling me down, just like an anchor.

My home duties took a back seat, and I have been completely drained.

Divorce as an adult child is extremely hard, for many reasons, but the main being that we are expected to understand certain things, and are made aware of others and sometimes put in very difficult positions.

Yesterday, it all kind of came to a halt, I had to say things I didn't want to say, face some other things that were very hard to comprehend and accept, while putting on a brave face....but I did a lot of praying and I felt immediately better after facing certain things head on.

I honestly woke up with a renewed spirit and ready to get back to what matters, which is my family.

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5 days of things taking a back seat, was starting to take some toll around here, so I got right to business.

A simple breakfast of coffee and toast and some lesson planning for the rest of the week.

I got the laundry going, worked on my budget, and also paid some bills.

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Also updated the chalkboard with the new menu for the week, as yesterday was grocery shopping day for me.

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I gave the house a very good cleaning, got things all tidy and put back in their rightful places, and really did for the first time smile in quite a few days.

It felt good to be back in the game, and my children certainly appreciated seeing mom as she always is, happy, smiling, puttering around the home and whipping up treats for them.

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You know in the middle of all this drama, we have grandchildren that are very confused with everything going on and have a lot of questions.  I just hate to see this happen, and I hate especially to know that my children and my nieces and nephews are suffering as well.

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The only way I can think of to try and make things a little easier, is to retain some sort of normalcy, not just for their sake but for mine as well.

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Stepping outside today felt amazing.  It was as if I had been imprisoned inside a jail for months on end and was now for the first time enjoying the fresh air and the sun on my face.

Fall is here folks, and with a vengeance.  The past two days have been very cold in the mornings and evenings, I am thinking we may just have a really cold winter coming up.  We'll see.

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Back in the house, I made some Breakfast Burritos for the freezer and cooked up some chicken for dinner, which left me with some delicious broth which I will refrigerate and use in upcoming recipes.

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As my soul and my spirit continue on their healing journey, I am choosing to surround myself with pretty things and to look at life for what it is....a here and now moment, to be enjoyed and soaked up to it's very last minute, because as I've been reminded of, nothing is set in stone and things can change very quickly.

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So, I am here, I am doing ok, I have my days, some better and some worse....some filled with questions, some filled with worry and many filled with tears.

But my job is to take care of my own children and I can't do that if I'm not in a good place physically and mentally, which means I can't take on other people's problems as my own and I have to detach myself while still being available for comfort and support where needed.

It's a balancing act, and I will be completely honest and tell you that the past few days, I was not winning and the scales were tipped in the opposite direction, but I'm working very hard on tipping them back to my side.

I know I will be ok and I will come out on the other side of this trial, a much stronger woman.  The journey is never easy is it?  The finishing line though?

That is sweeter than honey, and I am looking forward to ripping through that ribbon with a huge smile on my face.