Weekly Wrap-Up 4/3

 Happy April to all!  Hope this finds you well and safe.

We have had another one of those roller coaster weeks.  Lots of wind and rain and cool temps.  I am so ready for some dry days and warmer temps.  Patience, Cheryl!!!!!

I have walked around out in the yard and things are coming to life.  The roses are leafing.  I have a small shoot on the clematis, peony shoots popping up, poppies up, lilies of every kind, tulips up and the daffies are still blooming like crazy.  The grass is so green and will need mowed soon!

We have no real time to get out and do much outdoors - it has just been too wet, cold, and windy.  

This coming week looks to be much the same.  It appears it will be soggy and a little warmer.

             Another vase of daffies.  They sure make me smile - just like a vase of sunshine.

My week was fairly quiet again

• I made an appointment to get taxes done this coming week
• Paid everything due
• Cancelled an account - saving myself $30 a month
• Picked a bouquet
• Cleaning out a storage closet - so much stuff hadn't seen light of day in ages!!!!!  Making ready for more donations
• No groceries or shopping of any kind
• Met my best friend from high school for breakfast/brunch one day - such a lovely time
• General cleaning
• All laundry hung inside to dry - except towels (they went in dryer)

Meals this past week:

Egg, sausage and cheese biscuits (leftover biscuits)

Greens and ham, roasted baby potatoes (leftover greens)

Homemade crunch wraps

Mex. rice bowl (used leftover meat/beans from crunch wrap)

Fried okra and summer sausage 'pigs in blanket'

Out to eat

Pork chop sandwich and banana/orange whip (kind of a shake)

SNACKS:  cake, biscuit & jelly, fruit, popcorn

                 Crunch wrap - tostada shell with toppings, set on a large tortilla - fold and grill

Used jalapeno summer sausage with a can of crescent rolls (older - needed used) - tasty piggies!  Fried okra turned out to be more like fritters with all the breading - but it sure did hit the spot.

How was your week?  I hope you are all getting better weather than we are.  Did you get out and do any yard work?  Find any deals this week?  Using up leftovers in a new way?  Inquiring minds need to know!!!

I hope this finds you all safe and well.  I wish each and every one of you a wonderful week ahead.  Blessings to you and yours from my humble little home.

fear not, for I am with you, be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.

Isaiah 41:10

Lord, help us to be what you want us to be.  Help us to be full of compassion, love and peace.  May we live our best life always.  Amen

Motivation and Attitudes - We Got This

 OK - we have had a long winter and it is easy to get comfy and complacent.  I know I was inside the warm a lot and I didn't accomplish all I wanted.  I was just cozy staying in my warm home and curling up with my kitty!  

Now I do get outside, every single day for a good 2 hours a day.  Yep, every day.  Other than that I am not always out and about.

Now spring is here and we need to get ourselves motivated and up and moving!!!!  There are many simple things we can do to motivate ourselves and change our 'winter' attitudes.

I think we can ALL use a bit of motivation!!!!!!

• Get up and moving.  Get cleaned up and get dressed every day!
• MOVE - get outside every day - if only for a few minutes.  Don't matter the weather.  Fresh air and sunshine make a huge difference. Exercise if you can.  Dance - that so brightens a mood - seriously!  Turn up that music and just dance/move.  
• Give yourself ONLY X amount of time each day on your devices.  Unplug more.  Quit watching so much news and doom and gloom - you DON'T need that.  You need to lifted up not depressed.
• Schedule chores in 15 minute increments to get yourself motivated.  Do something for 15 minutes.  Clean, de-clutter, garden, cook, etc. and then either rest or change to something else.  Repeat.  It is amazing what you can accomplish in a short time.
• Learn something new every day!  A new word, a new craft, a new item from history, anything!  Just learn something - expand your brain and mind power.  That re-awakens the soul!
• Disconnect!  Go sit on the porch, read a book, watch the birds and nature, take a walk, listen to music, work on a hobby or project - just turn OFF devices.
• Connect with family and/or friends.  Staying in touch helps us stay up and positive
• Journal - keeping track of your thoughts helps to motivate.  Write what you are grateful for every day.  Write what your plans are.  Write your dreams.  All you need is a notebook and a pen.  You may find that writing gets you back in touch with yourself!!!

It doesn't cost a thing to motivate and improve our attitudes.  We need to get more in touch with ourselves.  We need to move and 'get physical'!  We need positivity in our lives.

You want a positive life?  You have to do something!  It isn't just thrown in your lap.  It takes work and only you can do it.  

Turn off - move - learn - enjoy - and have a great day.

WE GOT THIS - START TODAY!!!!!

Meals Easy and Tasty - I Keep it Simple & Inexpensive

 I always hear y'all say "your meals sound good".  Show and tell - sometimes it helps to see things.  I don't spend a lot of money or time on cooking, but I love to eat.  I keep things simple and easy and I use ALL my leftovers!!!!!!!

                                                     Breakfast food is always a hearty meal.

Goulash - simple and tasty

Smoked sausage, kraut, and mashed tators

Baby lima beans, fish strips and roasted potatoes

                                                                 Tamales over rice

                                                           Bologna salad and fresh veggies

                                                       Fried rice - using leftover veggies

                      Tasty burger w/sauteed peppers/mushrooms and cheese - shredded salad

                                            Mixed greens with ham, seasoned rice and biscuits

           Tacos - always yummy.  Beef, pork, fish or chicken - whatever you have (soft or hard shell)

              Split pea soup.  Doesn't get much cheaper than that!  I love all kinds of soups.

I think we all need to remember that we can eat well on little.  It doesn't take a lot of money.  I know there are some that cannot have pasta or rice or maybe even legumes.  You know the things you can substitute.

I don't always have meat in a meal - I often have another protein.  Meat is not essential every day.  

Meals do not have to be many courses.  A single plate or bowl of food is ENOUGH!  

We should be eating to live - not living to eat!!!!!!

Keep your leftovers and use in a new way or freeze for use in a meal at a later date.  It is nice to be able to pull a helping of soup or meat or sauce out of the freezer and thaw and heat.  So simple for those days you don't feel like cooking.

Come summer and warmer weather - there will be a lot of sandwiches and salads of all kinds.

So when your money is tight, and supplies are low - take a moment and look around.  Odds are you can create something quite tasty from what you have.  It doesn't have to be fancy.

If you keep basic supplies on hand in your pantry - you can be a super creative person.

EAT WELL ON LITTLE - Keeping it simple!!!!!

Sunshine in Life

 Good golly, I have been thinking a lot lately.  I don't know if that is good or bad!  LOL!  I have to believe good.  Spring is a time for rebirth of the land and nature - and I am going to try to make it a rebirth for me as well.  I think there are many of us that may need to do that.

I love the season of spring, but the past few years, it has become a time of remembering loss as well.  In less than a month it will be 3 years since losing my love.  Now this post is in NO WAY about trying to get you to feel sorry for me - I am hoping this post will give hope and strength to others!!

I have many people and things that make me happy - but it seemed the 'sunshine' was gone from life.  I need to get that back.  I know a part of me is gone forever, but I need to move forward.  I have 'maintained' for a long time - and I guess that is good.  BUT, I need to advance.  Oh, heck no, I don't mean a new person in my life (can't even imagine), but just getting back into life.  

Year one was awful - then came a couple summers and years of upheaval in the world.  I am ready to enjoy a little again (I think).

Sunshine is not just that big bright orb in the sky - it is also a part of your life that you need to survive a happy life.

There are many of you who have lost your loves.  It is a loss that can't be described.  Whether it is family, friend, spouse or child (can't even imagine that) -  many have lost their 'sunshine'.

IF you have been like me you feel sadness, loss, loneliness, anger, emptiness, etc.  You may also feel GUILT when it comes to changing or moving forward.  YEP!

That has been me.  I hate to get rid of things or change things - because!!!!!!  Well, I am finally realizing that is normal and it is kind of crazy.  Our loves would want us to move forward and to be happy.  They don't care about that STUFF!  They sure wouldn't want us to be stuck.

                                                                             AMEN!!!!!

Whether you are getting through a loss of love, or worried about your current circumstances, or worried about the state of the world - God has it and you!

Remember that always.

**Slowly start making small changes around your home.  Slowly let go of things.  Slowly move forward.

(SLOWLY) is truly the word!  Don't rush yourself - God will let you know when you are ready.

**Turn off the news.  Quit spending so much time on current events.  You can be aware, with out spending so much time watching or reading.  REALIZE - there isn't a darn thing you can do about it!  You can not change the world.  Work on your little corner and make it 'sunny'!  Pray.

**Quit complaining - you are sucking the joy out your life by doing that.  Again, nothing you can do - but live life the best you can!  Complaining isn't going to solve a thing.  Most of the world is going through the same thing - we all know stuff is bad.  Just adjust how you shop, eat, buy, and live.  That is all we can do!!!!!!

**Move forward inch by inch.  Quit stagnating life.  Make your own 'sunshine' and joy and happiness.  It is possible.

Here is an example.  I got an invite to a gr.gr. nieces first birthday celebration the other day.  I smiled, then saw the date!  My heart sank - and I thought, no I can't do that.  It is on the anniversary date of G's death.  Then I swear I heard a voice yell - "STOP IT - go and celebrate that sweet baby".  

I swear I heard it!!!!!!  Yes I did.

I will be going.  I need to celebrate that adorable babies LIFE - not feel sorry for myself.

I spend a lot of time in solitude and lately I keep hearing Glen talking to me.  No, I am not going crazy - I do think his words are coming to me somehow and some way.

I keep hearing "You are OK".  "It is OK to change".  "Get your butt in gear and move forward".   "You got this".

Yep sweety, you are right.

We are all stronger than we can possibly imagine.  You are stronger than you know!  You can get through anything - give it to God and allow Him to help you through it.

I spend a lot of time trying to encourage others in life - but not so much myself.  

I am going to "listen" to my sweety and encourage myself as well.  Now is the time.

NOW is the time to LIVE and do all we can on this earth to enjoy and be happy.  Kids, we get one shot at this - let us ALL make it the best.

We can't change yesterday - tomorrow hasn't happened yet - today is EVERYTHING!

Blessings my friends!

Weekly Wrap-Up 3/27

 Happy Sunday all!  Hope this finds you all well and safe.  It is a cold morning here.  We are riding that roller coaster again!  We have gone from 70's to 20's in a few days.  I am so tired of rain and wet and WIND!  Geesh, it has been a windy week.

This week looks to be much of the same - rain, rain - go away! (so muddy)

March may well go out like a lion!!!!

The forsythia are out in bloom and the daffodils started blooming.  They are covered right now - hoping to save the blooms.  There is a huge magnolia tree about a block behind me, and it is in full bloom.  I well imagine it will look much different after last nights freeze - it always happens!  The grass is vividly green after all the rain.  It won't be long and I will be mowing.

                                  Forsythia is just so bright and pretty.  It makes me smile!

      If you look beyond all the wires you can see the magnolia that is blooming.  It is huge!

This week seems like a bust to me.  I got to be out Monday and enjoy the beautiful weather - then it all went bust.  Rain and wind came and didn't leave all week.  Even had some snow flurries yesterday.  Today is sunny but cold.

I didn't do a lot.  It seems I took a lot of naps this week!  That is just not like me.  It was gloomy and ick, and well, naps seemed to be the remedy!  LOL

My week:

• I did work out in the yard most of Monday.  It was lovely.  I did a lot of pruning (things growing where they shouldn't) and raking and cleaning
• Using up precooked things from the freezer again
• Picked a couple pretty bouquets - which are still going strong!
• I made biscuits and a butter cake - using oven once to bake 2 things
• General cleaning and sorting
• Watched some You Tube videos and caught up on a couple posters
• I did run out on Thursday to Kroger to get out of the house.   I needed to see people!!  I got some salad goods, milk and buns.  I got a couple mark downs in meat department.  I got 2 packs of marinated turkey breasts, each costing 3.49.  These are perfect for me - it will definitely satisfy my turkey hankering and not be too much.  Each will supply me with a few meals.  I also got a 6 pack of thick center cut pork chops on clearance for $3.50.  Pretty cheap for 6 meals!

• I did get to air out the house on Monday
• Hung a little laundry out

See, nothing much happening here.  I just need lots of sunshine and warm temps - that so gets me motivated.  I feel like a slug.

Meals this past week:

Nachos (using leftovers)

Fried chicken (freezer) and fries

Beef enchilada soup (freezer) over rice

Fish, mac n cheese and fresh veggies

Homemade pizza

Burger topped with sauteed mushrooms and peppers (peppers from freezer) and Swiss cheese and salad

Mixed greens with ham, leftover rice and biscuit

SNACKS:  applesauce, cheese and crackers, pizza slice and butter cake

Quiet week and much rest gotten.  I need to get busy and figure out a blankie to make for a new nephew I will be getting in May!  I am thinking of using some of G's shirts for some of the fabric.  I do believe his mommy would love that!

I think I will try to work on all the office stuff I have and never use anymore this week as well.

How has your week been?  Keeping busy?  Is your weather getting warmer and staying or are your still getting cold as well?  I guess this is normal for March, so I shouldn't complain.  I am just so ready for warmer temps.  Did you get any deals this week?

I hope you all have a wonderful and full week, and that you all stay healthy and safe.

Blessings from my humble little home to you and yours.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

Romans 15:13

Thank you Lord for our many blessings and let us always be mindful of them and that you embrace us in your loving arms.  Never let us waver in our belief nor doubt Your ways.  Amen

Thursday Random Thoughts & Tips

 Another day to ramble.  Some days I have nothing particular on my mind - just random thoughts.  Here are a few things - as my mind just roams around!!

Pretties from the yard.  Pretty yesterday and pretty today - who knows after that.  So very windy and rainy and after tonight we have 2 or 3 nights of below freezing.   Eeeeerrrrr!  Happens every spring.  I will cover the daffodils - hoping to save them!

You know I add water to dish soap and shampoo.  This is blue Dawn and water mixed with a little vinegar.  Vinegar helps cut grease and adds sparkle.  The vinegar sure turns that Dawn a pretty color!

'Gnome' is where the heart is!!!!  My garden flag at the moment.  I have to admit - when I make a trip to the garden center/feed store I have to get a new flag each time.  I love them!  They just say happy and hello!

I got these a month or so ago at Big Lots for 2.99 for a really big bag.  I love cheesy puffs and these sounded yummy.  Well, they are pretty darn warm for my palette.  Soooo, not being one to waste things, I have ground them up into a powder and I add a bit to mac and cheese or as a topping on casserole or as an add-on on pizza.  It gives just a taste of the jalapeno flavor and tiny bit of zip, but not too hot.  There is always a way to re-use things in a new way!

Some of my dry storage for the kitchen.  It keep some often used items handy and it looks pretty as well.  I love all the old jars - and they sure are useful.  Found that little cabinet at a yard sale several years back - it just said 'buy me'!

Through my door.  Momma and Fluffy sunning and sending you all kisses for a wonderful weekend!

Have a nice and lovely day!

Living on Little

 How low can you go?  It is truly amazing how little we can get by on if need be.  There are times all through our lives that we have had to tighten the purse strings and just get by on little.  

I learned how to stretch a buck from my parents.  I then went through a 'wild child' period of time with over spending with my ex.  Not good.  Big debt - learned important lesson!  Mom and Dad had it all figured out.  Yep.

Then I had super lean years of living alone - super lean.  Then when G and I got together we set goals and worked hard to make them happen.   No we did not live beyond our means at all.  We could have bought a bigger house in a different neighborhood, we could have spent on a lot of things that we really didn't need - but we didn't.  Our vacations were camping and wondering the roads of Indiana.  We had a ball doing that.  It cost so little, but gave us days of joy.

We tried to live life on the wages of one of us - even though we both worked.

We had the funds to help others, to save for the future, and to just enjoy ourselves.  We had that FREEDOM!

Today I live on a fixed income.  That sounds so much worse than it is.  I actually only spend LESS than half of my income on expenses.  I do not have to touch the savings.  

I live a simple life - not because I have to - but because that is what I choose.

I don't need for anything.  Sure, I have a few wants, and I will get them when I find exactly what I want.

Planning earlier in life, has helped retirement life.

I live a simple life, I eat simple food, I have simple wants.  That is me.  It may not work for everyone.  That is fine - you need to do you.

I have been a planner for years.  Planning a pantry, planning for retirement, planning for helping others.  I feel comfortable that if it all hits the fan tomorrow - I will be OK.

I read so many stories about people getting all in a panic and bulk buying and storing things they never have before.  How many of us need to purchase 50 lbs. of flour and sugar and grains at a time?  Most don't.  Did they do this before?  I know that some people may need this - they have big families.

I cook from scratch and I like to bake now and then - but goodness, it would take me forever to go through 50 lbs. of flour and sugar (even if hubs was here).  I purchase regular bags  when I get a sale and store them properly - I am good.  I am sure I have over 50 lbs. of each - but it was purchased over time and will last a looooong time.

Don't feel you have to follow the crowd.  Purchase what you use and what your family likes.  Don't buy and store things that you have never purchased before.

I, for instance know I never have to buy body soap again!!!!!  Seriously.  I get gifts always, and I have enough bar soap to last the rest of my life.  WHY?  I got for free or almost free and I can also help others who might be in need.

I never made a mad dash to stores when there was the big TP debacle!!!!  I had plenty and I know other means of staying clean.

I can wash clothes and clean things in my home for ages.  Just got deals that I couldn't resist, so therefore I am good.  No I didn't go out and intentionally over stock.

Food - yep, good there as well.  I have more than enough.  I will grow what I can each summer and try to preserve that as well.  I have the ability and knowledge to grow a few things in the house and on window sills during the winter.

I watch sales and clearance and get the most I can for my money.  I can help others if I need to, it isn't just for me.  I know I can have alternatives (if necessary) for my kitties.  You betcha I will share my chicken and fish with them.  I keep well stocked on those things.  I know some people think that is crazy - so be it.  These are my babies and they WILL be fed.  

(I know many understand💓💓)

So do what you can with what you have.  If you get the chance to pay off things early - do it!!!!!  

Save what you can.  

Buy and stock what you USE. 

Go to food pantries if need be and don't EVER feel bad about it.  They are there to help.  

Learn to glean what nature has to offer.  

Barter with others.  

Grow what you can.  Preserve what you can for the future.

You can do this!

Don't be influenced to do things that is not in the best interest of your family and home.

Don't live beyond your means.  There are many ways to get by and many people who can help and guide you.

Just be aware (not panicked) and get busy.

Blessings upon you and yours.