Favorite Fall Things

Hygge for Fall! It has taken its merry time to visit us this year, but I’ve found that even with the AC blasting away most of October, it can feel like autumn has arrived if you surround yourself with a few favorite fall things! Here’s my list for this season. 
Mulled Cider candle from Walmart! It smells amazing and I love the mustard color! Once you peel off the hideous label, it adds the perfect look and smell of the season. 

The Big One Super-soft Oversized Black & White Buffalo Check Plush Throw from Kohl’s last year! It’s a family favorite, and gets fought over. 

But this gold/mustard blanket from target.com has evened the playing field! It’s the epitome of cuddly. 

Home screen and lock screen pics. No explanation needed! 

This Soothing Caramel Bedtime tea just feels like sipping a cup of fall. Feel free to add cream! 

The adorable lil white pumpkin with its novelty stem from Katie, sitting by the basket of books entwined with twinkle lights. 

Gold metal deer that were purchased years ago at WeCare that stoically stand atop our little fireplace heater. 

Happy Fall, Y’all! 

Acceptance or Action

I’m feeling philosophical as I sit here in the shaded area of the parking lot of Atmore’s Tom Byrne Park, pondering again the thoughts that have been rolling around in my somewhat scrambled brain. -side note: {We should be strolling the aisles of Piggly Wiggly, plunking necessities into our cart, but Danielle fell asleep just before we arrived. So we did the bank run, then I decided to just sit and write a bit, while I let her have a 30 minute snooze.}

So! Is acceptance a muscle that gets stronger with use? Sometimes I think I pretty much know how to accept whatever comes my way, and that years of practice have made it easier. But then other times, I feel like I still fall way way short of accepting the little things that I wish were different about my life in general, myself, or others around me. When I look at the big picture, it’s perfect. I have it so, so good. A husband who adores me, (most of the time lol) a healthy happy entergetic daughter, a place to call home, and plenty to eat, just to list a few blessings! But then, I find myself wishing I would get more done, or be like so-and-so, or just change the way I am in this area or that! When simple, complete acceptance would bring relief and peace. But! What about action? Maybe a little mental shove is needed to actually spur a change that would bring happy results! Who knows? Like somehow sticking to a schedule! Or learning a new skill! This whole subject makes me think of the Serenity Prayer. It really can’t be said any better. Lend me your thoughts though! Do you tend to try to accept the things about your life or yourself that you wish were different, or take action to make a change?

Breakfast of Champs!

I know it’s almost lunchtime, but before I sat down with my breakfast,  I’ve tended the ill, made Ramen noodles, read snatches in my book from Dollar Tree, torn off countless pieces of tape for my tireless, craft-loving toddler, supplied a small spread of breakfast for aforementioned toddler to stare at, broomed up the floors, added items to our ever-growing grocery list, made the bed, and worked on my to-do list! And at last am sitting down enjoying the following breakfast which I felt inspired to blog about because I wish I would use my BlogTouch app that I am paying for every month, instead of posting statuses. Not that anyone cares what I eat for breakfast, but I just love to write about food whilst I’m eating it! 

Apple Tea actually from Harrods in London in my favorite London mug. #thanksjill

Toast with a thick layer of peanut butter.

2 brown eggs fried in bacon grease.

Several swings of homemade mango kombucha. #refreshing

And the highlight, a cup of pistachio salad with lots of toasted pecans! 

What broke your fast this Monday morning? I, for one, would love to know! 

Go Around Again!!! (Our Story of Fastfooding in Faith)

Ordering whatever the person ahead of you ordered in the fast food drive-thru is becoming a popular challenge! And rightly so! The thrill is similar to thrift shopping! You have no idea what you might (or might not) score! One of my friends had recently suggested that I do this and blog about it, and the other day one of my cousins (ask Mervin Smith about their experience!) regaled me with their tale of fastfooding it, piquing my interest even further. Since Mondays usually involve an Atmore errand run for me and Danielle, I decided that today was the day! Some people do a whole day of this adventure, but for us it was just lunch, rather late. I did no scouting or lingering to wait for what looked like a HappyMealdallic, but just slid in line at 1:20 pm behind a cream-colored Cadillac, hungry and hoping for the best! The voice in the box seemed a bit dubious of what I was trying to order, but soon figured it out and proclaimed that the car ahead had only wanted ONE VANILLA ICE CREAM CONE. "OK, that's what I want!" Stomachs rumbling, I slipped the attendant the cash, explained what we were up to, and asked if she was familiar with this challenge. She wasn't but wished us luck! I told her we were gonna "Go around again!" hoping to score more food! This time we were behind a small red car.... fingers crossed... but no bananas!!!! ONE LARGE SWEET TEA. Oh well, better luck at Burger King! Danielle, pleased to be eating dessert first, licked her cone in contentment while I sipped sweet tea and swung into the empty lane of Burger King. And finally we scored!!! LARGE CHICKEN FRY, BBQ SAUCE, LARGE FRY, and LARGE DR. PEPPER. We took the mother-load to the Magical Alleyway and feasted happily on our fry meal, I read in Educated, and Danielle found two kids books to borrow from the adorable little lending library that is now homed there. So the moral of the story is that life is an adventure if you are willing to look for it, but you might have to go around again, and again, and again! 

Third time's the charm, you know. 

Thankful on Thursday & Friday!

(I wrote half of this list yesterday and decided to finish and publish it today!)

Today I’m thankful for...

Cheap, chic $1.99 flip flops from Family Dollar...

Friends who are like family...

Ripe red garden tomatoes sprinkled with kosher salt...

Homemade peach milkshakes...

The  scent of Gain “Island Fresh” laundry detergent...

Doctors who care about you like a person instead of just a name on a chart...

Great Value frozen red raspberries...

Books that make you more grateful for your own good life...

Atmore’s splash pad...

Watermelons stands with crude spray-painted signs...

Family who are like friends...

The weeks that I actually make menu plans! 

The realization that we are all more alike than different. 

#thankfulthursday

I’m  thankful for...

• my blue bobby pin

• cans of cold raspberry bubly 

• local swim lessons

• friends who are real and raw

• chances to start over

• a foodie hubby who picks up fish & grills it

• Captain Smiley’s Seafood Market

• the pleasant sizzle of a new idea

• the comfort and perks of my job in the office at my parents’ home 

• AC

• the obvious hand of God in my life 

• Danielle’s timely reminder to “get gas!” today! Fuel light on, my mind off! 🤦🏼‍♀️

• Fresh blackberries 

• my silver satin pillowcase

A Tale of Two Tennis Shoes Continued

Brooks wins! Hands down! There are no words to even explain how much better these shoes are in every way over the Walmart runners. So! Go to brooksrunning.com and take their shoe finder quiz! Order the shoe for you, and become a runner! My results said I need a neutral, energize shoe. I scored these pretty Launch 5s on sale since they were clearancing them out. They fit like they were custom-made for my feet!

Finished the final 5k run today! This is the first exercise program I have ever stuck with to completion, thanks to having a running partner, Heidi Harms! We didn't physically run together, but encouraged each other and kept tabs on each other's progress. Knowing I was accountable to her was the incentive I needed. Now who wants to be my sewing partner?!  

Rosebuds & Raincoats

Two buds on our Gemini bush have bloomed forth! They are truly gorgeous! I gaze in wonder and admiration...just so happy to see them, and to know that I (and hubby #thanks) actually put in the effort to see this dream to reality! All the other bushes except Malibu are doing well also! I may need to order a replacement for her as she is not doing marvelously at all. Quite dormant, in fact. 

Today, I had some rare hours home alone before going into the office. But I did not sit reading on the couch as pictured above! Rather, I raincoated! I packaged the stinky, cheaply made donut trash bag I had ordered for Danielle and my too large but ever so whimsical Joules slicker to go back to Zulily, the pleasing olive “waterproof” coat that absorbs liquid to go back to Amazon, and ordered what I hope is the third and final one for me from Amazon! Third time’s the charm, right?! We leave for London in 
24 days! Pinch, pinch. 

Back to Zulily... I really want this in the correct size! Just not sure I have time to wait for my store credit and then reorder!

Cute, but pweeee-yuuuu! And way too big. 

Back to Amazon! #inaccuratedescription 

Danielle’s 2nd coat was a win! Well-made and totally waterproof! So I went with the same brand for the classic white one I ordered below! 

Good Friday

Good Friday.... it is finished... but the Son will shine again. 

A Tale of Two Tennis Shoes

Well, I bagged these babies at Walmart today, so we shall see how they endure! Danl did a major eye roll accompanied by the "Why would you do that?! sigh when I bragged about my purchase to him! He would definitely go with the feeling that you get what you pay for! But I was standing at the end-cap inspecting them again, when a lady nearby told me that she absolutely loves these sneaks and has 3 pairs! "It's like walking on air! And they last so long! They're super comfy and I'm a diabetic and have problems with my feet!" So into my cart they went! A positive personal review gets me every time! She didn't say she ran in them or anything, but I'm not down much for only $9.98 if they don't hold up for driveway pounding! How can they even make a tennis shoe for only $9.98?! Speaking of minor miracles, I still can hardly believe that I ran for 20 minutes straight today without stopping! Or feeling like I was huffing, puffing, hyperventilating, or side-aching to death! ME! Who used to barely be able to pant through a 90 second jog when I first started C25K. I highly recommend this app/program in case you hadn't noticed by now. And I highly recommend having an accountability partner to goad and cheer you on! #thanksheidiharms

Spoil Alert! I kinda don't want my new shoes to last too long because I want these!



Or these!


Too many options... another time, another tale. For now, time will tell if my bargain blushers pass or fail!

Coffee & Confusion

Awwww....life-giving coffee. Coffee is so hyped up both figuratively and literally, but truly, it’s the best! I love that feeling of the first sip...almost scalding my throat and waking up my face.

Once my coffee is downed, and I’m ready to be a nice human, I’m gonna go out and conquer C25K Week 5 Day 2! Should’ve have done this run yesterday, but life got in the way...

Nevertheless, I shall run! But every run makes the hole in my New Balances grow ever larger... which brings me to the question of my current confusion! Are these Asics runners that received the top accolades of “Best of the Best” on bestreviews.com really far superior to these cheap cuties from Walmart?! They both have 4 star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ reviews... Please help me conquer this confusion! My YNAB (You Need A Budget) is telling me to either go with WallyWorld now, or keep being “holey” for awhile! So...???

An "Add-in" Win

Well, here goes! 

I want to see how much I can write in 15 minutes and just post it! 

Daily blogging is my goal, but so often I don't even start typing the posts I write in my head, because I know I won't have or take the time to do them justice! #downwithperfectionism

Several days ago, I joined a group of friends who have decided to give up something they feel is detrimental and add in something positive until Easter. Sorta "Lentish" although I'm not totally sure what Lent really is or means. We just want to become more self-denied and try harder to be our best selves! I have decided to give up phone time from supper until bedtime endeavoring to be fully present with my family instead of distracted with messages, browsing, shopping etc. And for my "add-in" I chose blogging! Thus this post! 

We have been having the best time ever with Alisha, Isla, and Jemma being here for a week over Daniel's mom's 60th birthday! Which makes me feel writers' overload; so many things I could touch on that I don't know where to even start! And if I'm gonna cover much in the few minutes I have remaining, I think I should just jot some random bullet points as they come to me!

• Navarre Beach is truly Florida's Most Relaxing Place as advertised! Felt so blessed to be able to spend 4 nights together in THIS ocean-front townhouse, making amazing family memories, and basking in the blissful sunshine! The water was cold, but the weather was absolute perfection!

• Two toddlers make a terrible combination in a kate spade outlet store.
• Danielle is THREE as of March 20, 2019!
• Throwing a simple beach-themed birthday party takes a village. #thankseveryone
• It takes a little pink pair of scissors, a bottle of water, an iPad, a small Barbie doll with accessories, and a sucker for a successful "tee-tee" session. Who knew?!
• Don't ask me how my courage with this whole potty training thing is going. Reference pic below. 

• I love Taco Tuesday. So lovely to always know what's for supper! Tonight was simple stir-fried chicken tender chunks in olive oil with garlic salt and black pepper in a flash-fried white corn tortilla topped with cheese, sour cream, and blended mild Pace picante salsa. Mine had the additional essentials of green onion and a squeezed wedge of lime! Chips and salsa on the side and - voila! Faster than Blue Apron or Hamburger Helper! 

• Ginger Lime Diet Coke! Wow. They got it right with that combination! 

• Now I want to try all the flavors! Have any of y'all developed new faves? 

(Confession: It took me 40 minutes to write this instead of 15! But hey, at least it got me back in the groove again! An "add-in" WIN!)

Happy 2019!

Happy New Year!!

Don't you just love the freshness, the "clean slate," the "start-over" feel of a brand new year?! 

What? You say it's MARCH 1????! HOW did this happen?? Two whole months of 2019 have already slipped into oblivion?! Wow. Let me regroup. I guess I will post my New Year's Letter in its current state and MOVE ON!

Had family Christmas in Guntersville on January 1! Twas hard to believe that 2018 had already begun.

An anniversary in February called for some time away; so down by the beach in Navarre for a few days we did stay.

Party time for our princess in the third month of the year; we celebrated this donut-loving 2 year old who’s always in high-gear!

Practically zoomed to MS in April to witness Kyle say “I do”; certainly enjoyed seeing Grandma and Aunt Sue too!

Yehaw! Tried something new which was Blue Apron in May, a food service meal that only brought my hubby dismay!

Next in June was the nuptials of Cam & Mel; then of Isla’s 1^st birthday celebration in Calgary I could tell.

(And the rest of the year was amazing as well!) 

OK. March 1, 2019. 

Here in the Sun-doesntshineitjustrainsandrains State, Spring is just around the corner! Everything is GREEN! Did I mention we have not lacked in moisture lately? And that I have done something wildly different for me?! I have decided to GROW ROSES AGAIN! This goal was one of the "not done" things on my "18 for 2018" list. It got plopped again on my "19 for 2019"  list, and this time I'M DOING IT! I've ordered 5 hybrid tea roses from Jackson & Perkins, and I could not be more excited! I'm nightly soaking my black thumb in essential oils... LOL not really!
But I do hope I can keep these babies alive and be able to pick gorgeous bouquets to place artistically about our home! I dabbled in rose gardening at the old home place prior to marriage with some success! And lots of spraying! Black spot is rampant down here Zone 9. If y'all have any tips for getting the flower of love to flourish, please send them my way!


(Mister Lincoln)


(Malibu)


(Gemini)


(Clouds of Glory)

(John F. Kennedy)

P.S. Before I could get this posted, I got an email from UPS saying they had been delivered on my front porch! Yippity-yay!
And once I got home from work, there they were in all their ugly, bare-root beauty! Now, for the planting thereof.
Forward, MARCH!

Monday Musing & Menus

Today was a really good day.

 

It didn't start out that way...

after Danl left early for work, and Danielle was wide awake, be-bopping around, I hunkered down on the couch under a blanket for an hour, gloomy and glowering. 

Finally I hoisted myself up, brewed some coffee, started smiling, ordered Bloom planners from Amazon for Rhonda and me, completed my morning routine, did yoga, (Danielle joined me! Seriously, seeing a toddler doing the downward dog is just plain adorable!) fixed Disney Princess Spaghettio's and leftover fajitas for lunch, conquered a kitchen mission #flylady, ran to the bank(s), found Jacob an unread book, supervised Neil and Danielle, Instant Potted some venison chili, worked at my desk, ate supper, blended fresh fruit smoothies, hung out with my family, bathed and bedded Danielle, went to bed with Danl, got back up, made a pineapple-raspberry cake and orange 7-up jello for Sewing tomorrow, got hungry, devoured some "tortiyahs" chips & Diet Coke, and now I'm blogging! 

My gorgeous, wood-grain planner gets here Wednesday, and I cannot wait!

Thanks to all of you who sent me suggestions via blog comment or whatsapp! I really appreciated y'all's input!

Here are my menus for this week... I planned them on my phone while in the deer stand. #hungrywhilehunting

SOUL FOOD SUNDAY

Fried Pork Chops

Tossed Salad

Cast Iron Skillet Fried Apples

MAKE WHATEVER YOU WANT MONDAY

Venison Chili

Cheese & Crackers

Pickles

Leftover Jiffy Corn Muffins

Fruit Smoothies

TACO TUESDAY

PW Fried Tacos (venison)

Chips & Salsa

Sliced Avocados

PIE WEDNESDAY

Stromboli

Applesauce

Del Monte Corn

THROW IT ON THE GRILL THURSDAY

Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs

Foil-packet Grilled Cheesy Fries

Grilled Green Beans

FISH FRIDAY

Creamy Crab-topped Tilapia

Garlic Bread

Popeye Spinach

SANDWICH SATURDAY

Chili Cheese Dog Bake

(with leftover chili from Monday)
Jello

Cucumber Slaw

Hungry yet?! 

Goodnight!

A Planner, Please!

I NEED a planner! 

Life without a planner feels pointless! 

I just kind of float around, somewhere in la la land. 

I didn't plan not to get a 2019 planner, but neither did I plan to get one before it was too late! 

I've been busy, and I've made lists, but I haven't planned my "19 for 2019!" 

(I definitely did not completely complete my "18 for 2018" but I do know I got way more of it done than had I not planned it! #anotherpost)

Rave reviews are being uttered about the Time Keeper Planner! By the people who planned ahead and ordered them before they were sold out! Argh.

Last year, I found an Eccolo planner at T.J. Maxx for only $9.99 that I loved! It had the best quotes, and instead of crossing things off, it had  these little bubbles to fill in "heavy and dark" just like achievements tests at school! lol

The year before, I splurged on a rad "Bando" planner. It was cool, but hardly worth the extra moolah at $32 plus shipping. 

This year, I'm looking so late that they are sadly picked over! Amidst the rumpled and crumpled ones left at the T.J. Maxx in Daphne, I found a smallish green Eccolo one that's a pleasing shade of green and says, "nevertheless, she persisted." Which I adore. So I purchased it. But, it isn't spiral-bound, and it's pretty small. So I haven't marred it yet. #floaton

Since a couple of my sisters have scored satisfactory planners at our local Walmart, I need to dash up there and check their stock!

Pursuing the perfect planner is proving to be quite a pain! I shall have to settle for something, and soon! Please tell me what planner you love, and why! Or if you even use one! 

Maybe a year of floating would be more fun...