{ Getting back into routine }

January comes in with a loud bang and then silently falls into the background.  It seems to want to hide away, luring you into a false sense of security where you feel like it's still holiday season, but yet sense in your soul that things have changed.

 

Suddenly the overwhelming thoughts that so much had happened the past 12 months of your life, are flooding with overwhelming thoughts of a whole new 12 months still before you.  The possibilities are endless, but so are the unknowns and sometimes it's hard to navigate these first few weeks without feeling like a fish out of water.

 

I find, for myself, that the best way to approach this is to step back into a normal pre- holiday routine.  The decorations come down, everyone steps back into school and work, and as a homemaker you also step back into the role of provider and carer, because you see, you have to not only get yourself back into the groove but your family as well.

 

Early mornings are back and with that means, no makeup, stumble around in the kitchen making coffee for hubby to take to work.  As much as I struggle in the mornings, I do love this routine, it brings me a sense of peace and normalcy after a month of no schedules. 

 

I gave the room a good clean, top to bottom, dusted, changed curtains, rearranged the bookshelf and just put my touches here and there.

 

I think next to the kitchen, my bedroom is my favorite place to be and I need it to be calm and not chaotic. 

I removed the last few items of Christmas that were still laying around, some on the bookshelves that I totally forgot were that, so while in the middle of changing my slipcover on that little sofa chair, I spotted one and immediately grabbed it because I knew I would completely forget within the next 2 minutes.

 

Thank you perimenopause brain.  My word, I can't remember anything. 

There is something so wonderful about the house being set back to it's normal, usual self, after the holidays.  Don't get me wrong, I love Christmas and all the decorations, the trees, the garlands and big paper snowflakes.  I love family around and a crowded house with things just thrown here and there, reminders that a big family is living and enjoying the season.

 

But.....yes, butttttt, I would be lying if I didn't say that about a week before Christmas I start feeling overwhelmed and then just want it all over with so I can get back to normal.  I know, strange creatures that we are. 

Two days before my family arrived, my kitchen faucet decided to start leaking, and by the time they were here for a week, it was leaking to the point where it just wouldn't stop.  We didn't want to get into any major repairs but it was necessary when you have 10 people using the faucet multiple times a day.  So, off to Lowes we went, me, my husband and my brother.

 

I picked the faucet I wanted, we came home and then it took 3 plus hours to get it on because the old faucet and sink area hadn't been touched or updated in years (long before we even moved into this house), and everything had rusted, screws had stripped and it was a royal pain in the behind.  It took screwdrivers, drills and eventually a chainsaw to be able to remove all the piping and the old faucet.  

 

But it eventually came out and the new one went in.

 

By the next morning, the drain was leaking water undernearth, so back to Lowes we went.  This time my brother and husband said to me "maybe it's time for a new sink, instead of trying to throw sealant on this old one and fix something that will eventually need changing anyway."

 

I conceded and decided to go with a single deep sink, one I had always wanted. 

I will tell you that this was the best decision we could have made and I am in love with my new faucet and sink.  I never realized just how tight and shallow the previous double sink was.  I always got frustrated trying to fit everything in there and with just a few dishes it always seemed overflowing, but not anymore.  

 

This Kohler sink is beautiful and it came with a cutting board and a drying rack, which for me is like a spaceship kind of feeling.  I am not one to have the newest and bells and whistles, I always use things until the literally fall apart, so this is major.

 

Speaking of which, I had my old Samsung phone for almost 10 years, and it was in terrible shape, overheating, hanging and so on.  My brother convinced me to get the new Iphone, and after weeks of talk, I decided to do it.  Curt got it for me for Christmas, the Iphone 17 Pro Max and oh my goodness.

 

Again, I feel like a fish out of place with a super duper amazing phone.  I don't even know how to use it completely, it has so many new functions for me.  But I will get there with time.   

I really do love the dish drying rack, and have even been using it to dry my mop pads and smaller dish towels.  It's wonderful!

 

Getting back into routine also means cooking homemade meals every dinner, which I really, and I mean REALLLYYYYYY missed.  There is nothing like food prepared at home, it's so much tastier and healthier than all the take out junk we were having.

 

I made delicious roast chicken legs and thighs, paired it with a garlic spaghetti for the boys, and I had broccoli and cauliflower mix.  It was so good.  I shared it on my Instagram stories last night. 

 

 

One thing I also missed and am so happy to get back into, is my reading.  I try to do it either early morning, or before bed, and if I don't get a chance, then I try to fit it in usually when I'm waiting for dinner to cook.

 

That's what I did today, just sat on the couch with my book and enjoyed 30 minutes of reading. 

 

It is hard sometimes to find a moment to read, at least for me it is, I tend to push it to the bottom of the list and give everything else priority, which is not ok.  As I mentioned in my previous post about intentional and purposeful living, reading is something I want to intentionally do more of in 2026.  Instead of reaching for my phone and social media when I have spare moments, I will reach by my Bible or my current book. 

Life is slowly falling back into place, routines are being reestablished, and I for one am very happy and very content.

 

Tomorrow morning it's back to the gym which I am so looking forward to, and then I think Curt and I are going shopping downtown, we both need new clothes and we also love looking around thrift stores, so we may do a lunch date.  

 

I hope you're all having a fantastic Friday, enjoy your long weekend (funny story, I forgot it was a long weekend and was surprised to see Curt home earlier and even more surprised when he mentioned only returning to work on Tuesday hahahah).  I told you, this brain of mine is non functioning right now.

 

Hurry up Menopause, let's get this over and done with! 

{ New routine, same ol' homemaking, how I stay organized }

Good morning from a warm Texas.

 

We have been blessed with some rain, the past two days, and have more incoming this afternoon and through the rest of the week.

 

It has set me into Fall mode, and I've been planning, reorganizing and getting ready for all the cool weather goodness.

 

I haven't had as much time as I wanted, because my schedule is very tight at the moment, with Jasmine starting her driving school.  It will run for a full 4 weeks, so I have a lot of driving back and forth to do.

 

It will all be well worth it in the end, when she has her driver's license in hand.

 

You know, as I've mentioned before, Jasmine has anxiety and is fearful of driving.  It doesn't help that she sees the crazy drivers in our town and that does not in any way make her want to get out there.

 

Who can blame her right?

 

I've said many times and I'll say it again, I drive because I have to, not because I enjoy it.  If I could go with out ever having to drive, I would be quite alright.

 

I've been trying to figure out the best schedule for us, as a family, but it's going to take some time.  I can tell you that I'm already exhausted with all the time spent in the car, and of course gas prices being so expensive, doesn't help either because I feel like I live at the gas station.  Oh well, it's just a season and soon will be done.

 

I sat the other day and pondered on the fact that I used to think, I was super busy when the children were young.  I thought surely when they're adults, I will have all this extra time for myself and I can relax, do whatever pleases me all day and so forth.  Oh how the Lord must have been chuckling at my ignorance.

 

There are days, I find myself more busy, than when they were toddlers in need of my full attention.  

 

I think often times we try to convince ourselves that, the minute the kids hit 18, they don't need us anymore.  I think it's quite the opposite at times, they need us just as much if not more, depending on what is going on.

But, I've been given this charge by God, and I will carry on willingly and joyfully, until I am no longer called upon Him to do it.

This time of trying to adjust to the new schedule, has meant that I've had to organize my days better, and really plan ahead of time.  Every minute counts, and every minute means I need to be doing something, throwing a load of laundry in to wash while I take her to work, so that I can hang it out to dry or put it in the dryer when I return.

It all works itself out, and somehow I manage to get it all done.  Don't ask me how, but the hours just fit into what I need, when I need.  

Above you can see my newest candles, these are the ones I mentioned to you in a previous post.  They are from Irie Lights and oh they smell amazing.

I want to light them so badly but also want to keep them for as long as I can.  By the way, they do come previously lit, as you can see by the wick, but that is because they do light them after making them, to make sure they work correctly. 

I have managed to work in a few minutes here and there, to do some reading.  I actually add that to my schedule, along with crochet or anything else that I want to do for my own leisure.  I learned that trick very early on in my marriage, and it's always helped balance life out between homemaking, kids, errands, husband and leisure activities.

Remember life is about balance, it shouldn't be all one thing or the other.

Cooking and baking has been a bit of a struggle too.  Mainly because I need to pick Jasmine up by 4:30pm (time I would usually start prepping dinner), take her to the driving school because her classes start at 5pm and run until 7.  

 

It doesn't give me much time, and I can either cook dinner and have it ready by 4, which is far too early and means having to reheat later to eat, and I will be honest, I'm not a fan of that at all.

 

Or, I have had to pick her up, drop her off, drive 20 minutes home, make dinner, eat and leave again to pick her back up, all within an hour.  Crazy I tell you!

 

I've made it work the past 3 days, but as I've been working my new meal plan out, for the next two weeks, I've been adding slow cooked meals to the days she is in school, so that I don't have to worry about cooking between driving etc.

Had this been a few years back, I would have thrown my hands in the air and said "well, I can't do this, I can't fit everything into a day."

I also would have stopped reading my Bible or spending time with God, because something had to give, and between everything else that I felt was absolutely NON negotiable, I often threw Him into that pile.  How shameful of me, but I have no problem admitting my short comings.  The important thing is to see it, recognize it and repent for it, right?

So I do my Bible reading first thing in the morning, and if for some reason, I don't get to it in the morning, then it is the last thing I do at night before going to sleep.  No budging on that!!!

For example, the other morning, I had to take Jasmine to work but I knew it would be a busy day, and I really needed to bake some bread because we were out.

 

While I waited for her to get up and get ready, I got the dough made in the Kitchenaid, then popped in in the bowl, covered it with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel, and set it out back on the patio to rise, while I was gone.

 

I knew I would be back home in about 40 minutes, so that was the perfect rising time, and when I returned I just had to shape it, get it in the loaf pans and into the oven.  

While the bread was in the oven, I started working on the pool.  We are getting it ready to shut it down for the winter, so there's cleaning and vacuuming to do as well as preparing the pool itself to be covered and so forth.

I had about 30 minutes to spare that afternoon, so I sat down on the bed with my crochet.  Well, and with a sleepy kitty of course.  Just look at those paws ♥

Crochet has been something I've been enjoying again, especially since it helps me to relax, and it is imperative that I get some of that in between all the running around.

I also try to keep my crochet to an easy project.  I have blankets on the go, but they require quite a bit of attention, and stitch counting, something I don't always have the time or concentration to do in such a short amount of downtime.  So, I've been sticking to quicker projects, like these crochet baskets that I'm making for my potted plants.

I am using jute to help strengthen them, for the white I actually used jute all through the basket, but I found that it started bulging in some areas.  I'm not sure why, but my suspicion is that the jute itself is not all the same thickness, some strands are a bit thicker than others which altered the stitches.

So what I did for the green one, was to use the jute just for the bottom of the basket, to give it a bit more stability, but kept it out of the sides, and it worked so much better.

I just love how they turned out, love that I can use whatever color I want to match the room they're going in, and above all, I love that it is a quick project that I can make in a day or two.

I also managed to quickly wipe down all my windows, before heading out the door to pick her up.

Ever feel like a chicken with their head cut off?  That's how I'm feeling, hardly time to breathe before I'm getting back into bed, sleep for a few hours and start it all over again.  

Though through it all, I am choosing to stay thankful.  I'm busy, I'm tired, but I'm alive, and that is a blessing in itself, isn't it?

I'm finishing off this post, going to crochet for about 20 minutes, then I need to get dinner in the slow cooker and start gathering my things to get Jasmine to school.  She is off work today, but we still have driving school to get to.  I think I may just wait on her today, it's supposed to start raining within the hour, and I would rather not have to drive home in that weather, then return again.

Tomorrow, I plan on switching my dining room around.  If you've followed me for a while you know that I do this every Fall/Winter.  I love having our dining table near the fireplace.  

I also need to finish my menu plan and grocery list, and get it ready for pickup, write up the bills/expenses for this month and so on.  It really does take a lot to run a household doesn't it?

Well friends, I hope you have a wonderful rest of Wednesday.  I also hope that my post has encouraged you to tackle each new routine or schedule, with a joyful heart.  Don't let it overwhelm you, with a little planning and effort, everything is doable.

And to all those that are struggling at the moment, feeling like life is just coming at us from all directions, the world is falling apart and we sit and wonder how to tackle the battle at hand......remember that God doesn't remove the battle, He equips you with the tools and His grace to fight it.

Take Moses for example, He didn't remove the Red Sea or make it disappear, He simply parted it.  So while he may not take our problems away, be assured that He always makes a way, and equips us in order to overcome them.  :)

{ Homemaking Routine that I love }

I am eternally grateful to God, for blessing me with the opportunity to be a homemaker.

This week I have been able to get back to the homemaking routine that I so love, and nothing makes me happier.  Even the mere act of folding clean kitchen towels, brings a smile to my lips.

{ The little routine that I love so much }

You know that saying "You don't know what you have until it's gone?".

I've felt that over the past few weeks, or rather, month and a half.  The routine that I love, that I thrive on and need in my life, was swiftly pulled out from under my feet. It came unexpectedly, but as all things that come from the Lord, it was done in a way that woke up my soul, and put a fire under my behind.

Truthfully, had the landlord not pulled a fast one on Curt and I, we would have still be sitting here, renting, paying off someone else's home and not even thinking about it, at least for the next two years.

When this all went down, I was frustrated and angry at first, then just submitted to God and let it go.  My life then became a flurry of paperwork, signing this and initialing that, and just getting by with the barest of chores around the house.

I saw it crumbling around me, not in a fast and unexpected way, but more like a slow crumbling, a piece here and there and there was nothing I could do about it.

What this whole process has taught me is that, even though I've always thought that I do well with or without a routine, I really do flourish and grow when I am in my home, homemaking, pottering around, following the daily monotony of life that I've created around me.

My older brother left a few days ago, my younger brother is in Dallas this week, Curt's brother is in Oklahoma visiting friends, this home is OURS, and life has slowed down.

The minute I felt that weight lift off my shoulders, I jumped right into my much loved routine.

Usually I'm up super early, quickly dressed and off to make breakfast for our house guests.  I don't have anything going on this week, so my mornings are have been slow, just as I like them.  Comfy slippers are slipped on, and warm cozy pajamas are left on for an hour or two, as I sip my first cup of coffee.

Doing dishes by hand and taking my time, has been a blessing.  Another one of those chores that you take for granted until you don't have the time to do it.  Lately it's been a 'throw all the dishes in the dishwasher and keep moving', kinda thing.  But being able to sit at the kitchen sink, feel that warm water on my hands, slowly wash the dishes while enjoying nature right outside my window......is pure bliss.

The temperatures have dipped, it's been overcast and cold, and everyone seems to go into a mid day slump.  Naps are taken on couches, covered by big fluffy blankets, while Christmas lights twinkle in the background.

I've set my house to order, vacuumed and carpet cleaned, dusted and moved things around, and my house is starting to look like a home again.

I've been working on lists, gift lists, Christmas food and menu planning for the next two weeks.  I have to tell you, even the grocery shopping took a backburner and I feel like I haven't done a proper, in store, good shop in a long time.  I'm so excited to do that this Friday.

I've also been working on decorating inside, using Christmas tree trimmings from my own tree, backyard and Lowe's.

When we picked up our tree this past weekend, I asked the guy who was wrapping it, to please wrap up all my trimmings.  It's an inexpensive way to add some nature into your home and to make it look more cheerful.

I will take photos and show you all how it's coming along.

It's just gone 8:00 AM, though you wouldn't know it by how dark the house looks.  I'm about to go make a fresh cup of coffee and a big bowl of oatmeal with dates, nuts, cinnamon and a drizzle of cream. 

I have grapefruit slices drying in the oven for a garland that I plan to hang on my tree, I need to take out my pork for tonight's Hot Sesame Pork and noodles dinner, I need to start prepping my kitchen for painting and I am hoping to watch some more Hallmark Christmas movies, though I may start with the newest one on Netflix, A Christmas Prince: The Royal Baby. 

I promise to take you all along with me as I go about my day.  Hope you all have a blessed Tuesday, thank you for always stopping by even when I'm not actively blogging as much as I want to.  I always say that I don't blog for the comments or the engagement (like most bloggers in this day and age do), but the truth is that your sweet words mean the world to me, and give me the incentive to keep sharing my life here in blogland.  So for that I'm eternally grateful :)

{ My Morning Routine }

Hi everyone!!!

I've been meaning to do this post for quite a while and just never got around to it, mainly because I needed to snap photos as I went and some days there are not enough hours to go around.  At least that's what it feels like for me.

Today is one of my typical days, so let me show you what I do. My weekday mornings begin at 6AM, I would say bright and early but truthfully it's usually still quite dark outside.

While hubby gets dressed for work, I head into the kitchen, turning on lamps as I go because, like I said, it is quite dark.  The first stop though is always out back to let Marley out to potty.

I get the water boiling, and then get hubby's travel mug and my coffee cup ready, pack his lunch and make sure he has everything set for the day.

The sun slowly starts to rise while all of this is going in the kitchen.

Marley knows the routine very well, he knows exactly when daddy is leaving, and he will come and stand at the big window and wait for me to open just one side of the curtains so that he can watch daddy's car driving away.

They have this thing where Curt will open his car window and yell out "Bye Marley, bye handsome, bye Marley".  Hahah

At this time, Marley will run back to the bedroom and onto the bed, and quickly falls back asleep.  It's quite sweet watching him go through his own routine every morning.

I take this opportunity to climb back into bed myself, turn on the TV, watch some Youtbe vlogs and enjoy my cup of coffee and reading my devotionals.

 

At about 7:30AM, I take Marley back out to potty

Uncover the birds and make sure they have fresh water and food

And open the curtains

Once all this is done, I then get dressed for the day.  If I'm staying home I'll throw on a simple dress or shorts and a tank because I'm basically going to be doing housework.

Jasmine is working today and she is opening, so we have to leave by 9am, which means getting actually dressed and ready pretty quick.

Put on my make up, fix my hair, brush my teeth and all that other stuff that needs doing.

Once I'm ready, I head back into the kitchen, but will usually stop in the dining room to open the other curtain for the day.

Next I pack Jasmine's lunch which is either leftovers from the night before, or a sandwich with some chips and fruit, crackers etc.

I also fix her some breakfast.  I don't have to do any of this, she is more than capable of doing it, but while she gets herself ready for work I go ahead and do this to make things easier and not so rushed before we head out the door.

While she eats her breakfast, I quickly get my purse and make sure I have my phone and truck keys, as well as anything else I may need.  By this time she is done, and while she brushes her teeth and puts on some makeup, I clear up her breakfast dishes, take them to the kitchen and clean up the dining room table....then we are out the door.

Baby girl is dropped off and I make the trip back home.

She works about 20 minutes from home but with the morning traffic, it's about 30 minutes.  On the way home I will pop on a sermon to listen to, or if there is none available then I will listen to the Christian radio station K-Love.

As always, Marley knows when I get home and he will be at the window jumping up and down, in excitement.

Once I've said hi to him, been kissed a hundred times and give him some big hugs, I move on to the plants.  I keep them on a little table near the back patio door, and every morning, I move them all out one by one.

I water them and leave them outside for a few hours and then bring them in when the sun starts getting too hot.

Today I don't need to pick Jasmine up from work, she leaves around the time Curt gets off work too, so he picks her up.  That means that I have the rest of the day to myself and don't have to worry about running back out for errands or appointments or anything.

On days like these, I change into more comfortable clothes, and today I threw on some pajama pants and a tshirt.  I have a bit of a headache going on and the ringing in my ear is also a little loud.  No, my retracted eardrum is not yet healed and though some days are pretty good, some are not so good and I'll get anything from headaches, louder ringing and even some vertigo.

There is also a lot of wind outside which seems to be affecting the pressure in my ear, and just making it all of these symptoms worse, so I'm doing the basic of necessities in the house today and then trying to get some rest.

When I don't have to drive Jasmine to work early morning, I make my bed immediately.  I find that I can't quite get my day going if my bed is not made.  But when I drive her in, I wait to make it until I return so that I'm not rushing in the morning.

Next thing I'll do is take out the meat for dinner that night, quickly empty the dishwasher and reload it and give the kitchen a tidy.

The rest of the house is in order and so all that I'm going to do is get this blog post up and I also want to post a recipe on the food blog.

Honestly, by the time all this is done, it is usually noon and I'll fix some lunch for myself and move on to my afternoon routine.  I may do an afternoon and evening routine post as well, but that will be next week.

I hope you enjoyed a little peek into my typical weekday morning routine.  It tends to be the same unless I'm grocery shopping, as is the case tomorrow, or I'm heading to a doctor appointment or an unexpected errand.

I used to let my days just flow however they wanted to, but I've found that once I got into an actual routine, everything runs a lot smoother and I even allow myself time to read, watch tv or crochet in the afternoons.

Routines don't have to be complicated or involve hundreds of little tasks all squeezed into a few hours.  Figure out what works for you, and what doesn't, and go from there, but most importantly keep in mind that although things may usually run a certain way, there will be days of unexpected changes and that is ok, don't panic, don't fret, just embrace that and keep pushing on.

Have a blessed Thursday :)