Rain, schedules and some chit chat!

It started this morning and is still going, the pitter patter of rain drops pouring from the skies.

Sometimes just a drizzle, other times strong and powerful, followed by lightning and loud roaring thunder.

The house has been so dark all day, I've had to light lamps and some candles in the living rooms and kitchen, and I've opened the windows and let the fresh air flow all through.  Don't worry, I made sure the windows open were not letting in rain :)

I got laundry done, I got the usual housework going and I also worked on a new menu plan.  I need to go grocery shopping tomorrow, was actually supposed to go today but this storm that moved in was quite bad this afternoon and I would have to wait until hubby got home from work to be able to go back out to base and really didn't want to go out in that.

He picked up a few things on the way home, but I will go and do the whole shopping tomorrow and then I'll get a grocery haul up for you.


I've really been enjoying my morning routine lately, it's changed a bit from what it used to be.  I still get up at 5:30am with hubby to make him coffee before he goes to work and I'll usually enjoy a cup with him too.

When we lived in Idaho and he was working as the Nestle Merchandiser at the base commissary, he never had to be up early so I kinda got used to sleeping in until about 8:30 each morning, but since moving here he is back on a normal schedule, or rather, a schedule reminiscent of he one he had when he was still active duty in the Air Force.

But, with the move and the stress and everything that was going on, I would get up with him at 5:30 and then after he left, I would go back to sleep on the couch with Lola.  I stopped doing that a month ago, I now don't go back to sleep at all but rather take the quiet morning hours to have some me time.


After he leaves for work, I gather the dogs up and my coffee cup and head back to the bedroom. I climb into bed with Lola, Bella is not allowed on the bed anymore because as she's gotten older she's having a harder time controlling her bodily functions, but she stays on her bed right next to our bed and she loves it.

I then enjoy the rest of my coffee and catch up on computer work, emails, blogging, and watch my Portuguese soaps from the night before and any new Youtube vlogs that have been posted.

At about 7:30am I go back to the kitchen for a new cup of coffee and some breakfast, it's either toast, or cereal, or oatmeal.  This morning though I fancied some toast and fried eggs and that is what I had.

I come back to bed and finish any work I have and then by 8am I'm up for the day, getting dressed and getting housework started.


This morning, I got dressed and then opened all the windows, blinds and curtains to really enjoy the rain, and I wasn't the only one happy to see those big raindrops coming down.



The Robins were so ecstatic, it was such a joy watching them in the rain, they sat in the puddles, flapped their wings, shoved their heads in the water and just flew around, back again, jumped, ran, flew, and continued this ritual over and over.



I could spend hours outside with my camera during a rain storm, just snapping away and watching nature and smelling that rain scent.  Such a simple thing but something that makes me happy.

So the rest of the day I got all my housework out of the way, I'm still busy with laundry, it just never ending and honestly, the one chore that I dislike immensely.

Since I haven't been able to make it to the grocery store this week, the main reason being that since my husband switched contracting companies, their pay was delayed, I've had to make do with what we had in the pantry and fridge/freezer.

For dinner tonight I used a pound of ground beef and some hamburger buns from the freezer to make some homemade sloppy joes, and served up some crinkle cut home fries with it.  These simple meals seem to be the ones my husband and kids enjoy the most, thank goodness.

Hopefully tomorrow I'll be able to make it to the commissary, actually, not hopefully, I HAVE to go as we're definitely running short on food and I just can't put it off anymore.

I'm going to finish up my menu plan and my grocery list right now, catch up on the shows on my DVR list and then try to get some sleep while the rain is still coming down.  I love sleeping to the sound of rain.

Anyway, I hope you've all had a good week so far, I can't believe tomorrow is already Friday again, my word, though I am looking forward to the weekend.

Have a great night everyone and thank you for stopping by.

*SIGH* new shifts bring new stresses

When hubby changes shifts, which usually happens every three months, it's stressful to say the least. This is the thing about being a family, what one does affects everyone else, and when he gets thrown into a night shift, we're all running around discombobulated for the first few days.

I'm feeling like the lady in the picture to the left. See that??? Just that I don't have the baby, so picture it without the bottle holding baby. The two kids on the bottom are exactly like Jasmine and Nicholas when they decide to provoke each other. Something that happens at LEAST once a day. Sibling rivalry at it's best!!!

So we're trying to get used to this shift. The worst part of it, is the fact that Jasmine only sees daddy on the weekends. She gets up for school and he's asleep, when she gets back home he's already gone for the day, and then he gets home around 11pm, she's been asleep for hours. It takes it's toll on her, she misses him, she's cranky, which in turn causes fights with her brother and spats between me and her.

Here in a day or two, we'll all start getting used to this and then he goes to mid shift (graveyard shift) next week. Constant change, that's the military way of life, but you know it's well worth it in the end :)

I'm still sick and woke up with no voice today. Frustrating for me, but the kids think it's wonderful, after all, they can do whatever they wish without the nagging voice of mommy in the background.

I've been trying to get all my laundry caught up, so far it's taken me THREE days. This is what happens when you don't do anything for a week. I started feeling sick last week and really didn't have the energy to do much, other than cook meals and take care of the kids, that's all I could really manage to do. The laundry suffered, my floors suffered, but at least everyone was fed and happy.

So I stayed up late last night, sorting the laundry, putting away mine and hubby's and today I have to do the kids. I still have all the bed linens to wash and a couple blankets, plus some ironing.

It's raining outside and only 50º, I truly feel as if Fall arrived days earlier, and I'm thrilled of course. So I'm sitting here sipping Hot Autumn Pumpkin Spice Tea. It's quite delicious and makes me crave pumpkin pie, which in turn makes me crave Thanksgiving. Here's the thing, it's always just the four of us, but we still make a HUGE meal, then we spend the rest of the day eating, laughing and talking, playing games and just having fun. I can't wait!!!!

Since I'm not feeling well, I decided to have tea instead of coffee, I put in some honey too, it soothes my throat and hopefully in a few hours I will have my voice back.

Of course to finish it off, I have some ginger cookies on the side. What can I say??? I'm an Autumn kinda gal!

One thing that I really miss about autumn and winter in Portugal, is the Castanhas "roasted chestnuts". Any street you walk down, you're certain to find someone roasting these and then serving them in newspaper funnels. Nothing like it, I tell you. Here's some pictures, they surely bring back wonderful memories for me :)

I was reading my "Day by Day" book this morning, and realized that I had somehow missed the entry for September 17Th I went back to read it and low and behold.....

"The tongue is a small thing but what enormous damage it can do..." James 3:5

It brought to mind Barb's post yesterday , and most importantly, my own issues with my unruly tongue. I've said many times on this blog, that I should buy mouth guards. It's not that I intentionally upset people or say the wrong thing....it's just that sometimes, due to life, or personal circumstances, stressed and worries or even my own inability to think before I speak, I've said things that I couldn't take back, but that in turn really upset someone.

"Unkind words are easily dropped, but we can never take them back again."

How true is that??? Over the years I've learnt to curb my tongue in a way, I think before I speak and I try really hard not to gossip. We all know that we're daily surrounded by it, so and so says this, and that one did that, it's all too easy to fall into the rhythm of it and not even realize that the words were speaking are hurtful and many times untrue. I've been guilty of this many times, but with the Lord's help, I've really taken a hold of my thoughts and tongue. It's not an easy job I tell you, and I'm nowhere near being free of it....but I just keep going and when I do mess up (often I might add), I realize that I'm Human...just like Barb said.

So I leave you this morning with a prayer for the day,

Might my words about another, be ones that are spoken in the spirit of Your loving kindness, Father.






Last night I made Chicken Tetrazzini, it was SO SO good, you really need to try it, so go check out the recipe on my food blog.

Right now I have the wonderful aroma of Mushroom-Beef Stew in my slow cooker. It will be served over hot noodles and for dessert I have Carrot Cake with Easy Cream Cheese Frosting. Both recipes will be up on the food blog this morning :)





Rachael Ray - *New* UPN 12pm (mountain time)

House - *New* NBC - 7pm (mountain time)

Law and Order SVU - *New* NBC- 9pm (mountain time)

Laundry
Mopping kitchen floor
Updating Food Blog
Updating Book Blog
Knitting Scarf
Resting and hoping to get my voice back