{ My kind of Saturday }

When I was younger, actually when I was a teenager, I loved sleeping in.  I would sleep until 10 or 11 and sometimes feel like I didn't have enough sleep.

I also remember seeing my parents taking afternoon naps on the weekends, and I couldn't understand why.  I felt that it was such a waste of a good day.  Musings from a teenager who didn't understand adulthood and how much she would one day come to treasure the naps and the early mornings.

Nowadays, if I get a chance to get in even just a 10 minute nap, you bet I will take it.  Although, to be honest, it's like my body just goes into nap mode if I am sitting down for longer than 10 minutes.  The eyes start closing, your body starts relaxing, and before you know it you're sitting on the couch, mouth wide open and fast asleep.

My kids like to laugh at me when they walk by.  I must look quite the sigh Hahahah

About 10 years ago, I started realizing that I am in fact, a morning person.  I treasure the quietness, the darkness of dawn, being able to sit on the couch with a cup of hot coffee, and being with my own thoughts and the Lord, while the house is still fast asleep.

Though, before my Marley passed away last year, he would be at my feet too.  Now my company comes in the form of a fluffy cat.  Who would have ever thought that I would have a cat for a companion.....me the highly allergic to cat person.  But he brings me so much joy.  He waits for me every morning, on the other side of my bedroom door, and the minute I open it, he starts purring and meowing softly at me.

As I walk into the kitchen, he drops at my feet constantly, laying on his back, stretching, meowing, tail wagging, purring loudly, and those moments right there, bring me such happiness.  They truly warm my heart.

My Elliott, my sweet boy ♥

My morning started at 6am, I made myself a cup of coffee, fed Elliott and opened the curtains in the living room.  I prayed, I scrolled through Instagram for a few minutes and then enjoyed the last bit of my coffee, while watching the sun rising and the birds outside the window.

After dropping Jasmine at work, I made my way home and started the laundry going.  Made a sandwich, and refilled my salt container.

Gave the kitchen and the island a quick clean and tidy, and watered my plants.  

Speaking of plants, I wanted to show you this Peace Lily.  I received it from my mother in law, 4 years ago when my grandmother passed away.  Since then, I've been able to propagate it a couple times, have lost some of it, but it's coming back again and I'm so happy to see it thriving.

It's sad that I've lost both my grandmother and my mother in law within these past 4 years, but each time I look at this plant, I remember them both fondly, and I smile knowing that they are both in Heaven, probably having the biggest chat over a cup of tea.

I got all my housework done, then sat down on my bed with my book.  It's the kind of day that I just love.  Not having real commitments to be anywhere and being able to read for as long as I want to.

I wasn't sure I would enjoy the book, it started really well, then it got a bit blah and I almost, almost put it aside and reached for a different one.  However, I didn't.  I told myself I had to read these books, that was the goal and that were the rules I made, so it would be kind of wrong to break them.  Besides, I am trying really hard to stick with my reading goal for this.

Around lunch time, I set it aside, because Curt and I had to run to Walmart to pick up some laundry detergent, which I didn't get at the commissary, and a few other little bits that the commissary didn't have.

We returned home and I went right back to my book.

As I read more into it, I am finding it more interesting and am quite enjoying the story.  If you don't know, it is a novel about the plague in London and tells the story of Anna Frith, in the year 1666.  The story itself is inspired on the true events that occurred in the village of Eyam during that horrible plague.

If it's something that interests you, you may enjoy this book.

And that my friends was my Saturday, nothing really going on.  Just a very laid back, slow day that is now culminating in me sitting on my bed, again, this time showered and in my warm pajamas, ready to continue reading a little more before calling it a night.

I know, it's a Saturday night and my idea of a fun time, is curling up with a book and being asleep before 10pm.  *snicker*

My days....

Have been filled with rain and a lot of homemaking.

It's Wednesday afternoon, just after 2:30pm, and I'm sitting down to chat a little with you and show you some pictures of what I've been up to.

Hope you're ready for a lot of pictures :)

Rain::::

The loud thunder roaring across the skies and thousands of rain drops washing down.  I do so love a good rain shower, when the house gets all dark and you can light candles and then watch the rain beating against the windows.

We had a bit of rain last week and have some more coming in later today and the next few days.  I'm ready for it.

Enjoying the outdoors::::

We've been working on our yard, actually I have a bit of a funny story to tell you, albeit quite frustrating for hubby and I when it happened.

So last month we got a notice in the mail from the city saying that we need to get rid of the weeds in our yard by a certain date or we would be charged 200 dollars a day.  Quite ridiculous if you ask me.  Anyway, hubby and I were quite perplexed as our yard is mowed, doesn't look bad, there are no weeds that we could see etc.  We continued to just do what we do and figured everything would be ok.

A few weeks ago we got a notice from the post office about a letter that needed to be picked up.   When we picked it up we noticed it was from the Municipal Court, which is never a good thing.  In it was stated that my husband had to go to court on a certain date for failure to clear weeds in the yard.  Again, we were completely confused as to what they were talking about because the whole 3 acres are mowed and nothing is out of place.  Since he had to go in to the City Hall and enter a plea before the court appearance, he went and actually spoke to the city worker who not only sent the letter but was taking us to court.

Turns out, there is a WHOLE horse field right next to our house that apparently belongs to us and we had no clue.  The realtors never mentioned it when we moved in, we were never shown a map of the lot and we have been here for a year and a half.

My husband and the man actually hit it off, talked for over an hour and the whole misunderstanding was resolved, the charges were dropped and we gained a whole acre of a horse field we had no clue about LOL

What a blessing it is to be near family who quickly pitched in to help us get that field under control and the weeds and grass cut down.

We wouldn't have been able to do it without them.  My father in law brought in his tractor and a bush hog and within 30 minutes it was all done.  I'm sure you can tell by the pictures, that my husband had quite a good time riding the tractor around.

Homemaking::::

I gave my house a good cleaning on Monday.  Just woke up with determination and motivation and set right to work.  Feels so good when I'm doing what I love and knowing that I'm making a cozy safe place for my family.

With the rain we've been having, I made a huge pot of vegetable soup, and when I say huge, I mean huge, I actually pulled down my big pot.  I used tons of veggies and also threw in a ham bone I had in the freezer.  It was a delicious and I still have some leftover soup frozen for a quick lunch.

One of my favorite soaps brands, Mrs. Meyers.  I've actually had a bit of a hard time finding the cleaning products at my commissary, I need to look at Walmart next time I go in and hopefully I can find them there.

I bought these scented candle melts at one of the local farm stores.  It smells amazing!!!

Birthday gifts::::

My birthday was last week as you know, and some years we don't have the finances for a lot of birthday presents, but we always try to get something for each other, and I'm talking about my husband and I because we always make sure the kids are taken care of.

This year is a bit of a tight one so my husband let me pick a few things I wanted and I really wasn't looking for anything extravagant, just a few bits and pieces I liked.

We went by our local Booksamillion and I got a few cookbooks and devotionals.

I love Stormie Omartian, she has some of the best devotionals and books around.  I was looking for a devotional that included prayers for my children and I struck gold when I found this one (after about an hour of looking through all the shelves).  What I absolutely adore about this one is that they are prayer couplets, which means on the left page is a prayer for myself and on the right is a prayer for my child where I just add their name in the blank space.  Love it!!!

Also picked up this 365 Devotions and Prayers book called Grace for Each Day.  I started last night, so tonight I'll get to read Day 2 and go from there, so excited about this one too.

Then I picked these up as well, oh and all of these books including the devotionals, but except for the magazine, were on the clearance marked down shelves so the most expensive one was the big Taste of Home Cookbook which was $7.  Score!!!!

I've been wanting some new meal ideas and I think these will be very helpful, I'll be using them to plan my next menu which is coming up next week :)

Skies::::

As summer starts coming to a close, I tend to look towards the skies more because they take on a whole new look.

This was the moon last night, what a beautiful sight to see don't you agree?

Anyway, I am sorry I have so many photos up on this post, but I know y'all don't mind.

It's now almost 3:30pm and I need to get some dishes washed, maybe watch a vlog or two on Youtube and then get started with the dinner preparations.

Hope you're all having a fantastic week so far, stay blessed :)