Outside my Rain-spattered Window...

Outside my window... the last drops of rain are slowing slipping down. I was gonna get out and go to church tonight but with no carport or garage; the current deluge "rained" me in!

I am thinking....that it's really hard to know what to do sometimes when both options feel "right" and either choice will make one person happy and the other one sad.

I am thankful...that Danielle loves to eat! There's just something so satisfying about feeding a child. We had Socio's "deetda" with a friend in Pace for lunch today after checking on one of Daniel's jobs. It is truly the best pizza ever! We say this every time we eat it!

In the kitchen... sits a cast iron Dutch oven of boiled peanuts. They turn blackish/purplish from the iron and are just plain good! Try it!

I am wearing... BLACK! BTW, is black a color? Or the absence of color? Either way, I love it.

I am creating...a new hot pink and black lumberjack plaid dress in my mind. Hopefully in reality tomorrow. Or wait; make that later today. It's 12:37 AM.

I am going...to blog more! I've never missed or remembered that work I didn't get done or the zzzz's I didn't z when I chose to write instead! I decided to use this format again tonight because when I haven't written in a while, I feel overwhelmed by all the things I've missed touching on, and this style helps me condense it and feel "current."

I am reading.... Spark JOY by Marie Kondo. I need this woman to come to my house! ASAP. And I'm marathon-reading a new friend's awesome blog!

I am hoping...to sleep double. This is something I wish often was possible!To get the benefits of 2 hours of sleep for every hour slept lol. 

I am looking forward to...taking Danielle to a pumpkin patch. I will let her choose her own pumpkin even if it's really ugly.

I am learning...to accept myself. To be myself, but be my best self.

Around the house....things, stuff, clutter, is drowning us! You wouldn't know that I've been slowly KonMaring for a month now...you wouldn't know it, but I do. I've actually, amazingly taken several loads to WeCare and I can breathe just a wee bit better now. A tiny bit of negative energy from things that don't spark joy has flown away! YAY!

One of my favorite things.... is also one of my worst habits! STAYING UP instead sleeping like normal people do.  I mean I do go to bed when Daniel does, but I get back up! And relish the perfect silence of solitude, and read, and putter, and mutter, and tidy up, and eat, and think, and dream, and have my devotions, and write in my 5 year diary, and Danielle's 5 year diary, and my devotion journal, and sometimes like tonight, I blog. 

Taking Time to Think

Saturday was the annual Fish Fry at the Walnut Hill Volunteer Fire Department. So enjoyable, as always. Miss Smith and I got our usual to-go boxes of a fillet of fried fish, fillet of grilled fish, and a piece of chicken! No decision this way, just the chance to enjoy it all! I did feel rather complicated when the cashier asked, "For our records, are you getting fish or chicken?" "Well....both!" "OK, for here or to go?" "Well...I'm getting a to-go box so I can take home any leftovers, but I'll be eating here!" Keeping it simple has never been my talent. Maybe that's why she gave us all non-winning tickets! Oh well, I'd rather win nothing than some junk or clutter that I don't need! (Wow! Did I really just type that?! Maybe I am slowly becoming FlyWashed...but the bags of loot I scored at Aunt Donna's family garage sale wouldn't prove that...I could do a whole post on my treasures!) Anyway, after a Walmart grocery run for Miss Smith, I dropped Danielle off at Aunt Rhonda's and donned my camo and grabbed my bow before meeting Daniel to get my hunting instructions. I had forgotten to bring the bag that contained the artificial scent killer, so we crushed some cedar (leaves?? they don't seem leafy...maybe I should say sprigs??) and rubbed them in my hair and on the back of my neck. Major ITCH. Then I climbed the ladder and sat happily nature-watching while basking in the bliss of having time to just THINK. I can honestly say I have never been bored a minute in my life. It feels sorta Dr. Suessy, but oh, the thinks you can think! I love to have the chance to just think and think....I thought about past memories good and not so good, projects I want to do.... projects I will skip this year (sadly I shelf the adorable pumpkin family I had visually created) I mentally clean-swept our home of current clutter and relished its "new" look, I thought about God and His plans for me, I thought about how fast our little baby is growing up... that the days with her being this needy and clingy seem long, but that the years are short, and I need to consciously enjoy her tugging at my skirt and live in this moment...that this will be the only Fall that she is 7 months old! And that it doesn't matter how much my friends with babies can accomplish, I shouldn't compare and complain, because I am doing the very best I can.

Then I thought I heard a deer approach...crunch...step...crunch...step....BE STILL, my beating heart! THUD, THUD, POUND, POUND....slowly I turned my head to view with disdain, not a deer, but a fat o'possum! So I watched him creep around nibbling on my deer's corn while the squirrels fought like two-year olds, the birds chirped, the leaves fell, and the stars came out. Then I wrapped it up by thinking that even though I am still a bow-huntress with no bragging rights, it had been a most successful THINK. From now on instead of going hunting, I'm gonna go thinking! I know I'll always be successful at that! We even heard in church Sunday morning that taking time to think is a key to success, spiritually and financially! So really, going thinking should become a priority! If I ever do happen to snag a deer, it'll be a bonus!  

Outside my window....Tonight.

Outside my window....the darkness of night enshrouds the earth. 

I am thinking....that I should soon go to bed, but I love being awake when everyone else is sleeping!

I am thankful...that our new "Speed Queen" washing machine has been ordered via amazon.com! Hauling loads of laundry wherever I go is getting old! Thanks, my family, for letting me use your machines!

In the kitchen...  the dishes haven't done themselves! They are resting on their laurels amidst grease splatters from buttermilk breaded fried venison and loaded baked potato fries! (potatoes are vegetables, right?!)

I am wearing... lime green sparkly, sequined slippers!

I am creating...a new blog post at last! 

I am going...to take Miss Smith and Nana with us to the Firehouse Fish Fry tomorrow! 

I am reading.... Bringing Up Bebe AGAIN because surely if I reread it enough times I will figure out how to best mother Danielle! Our bitty bebe is beyond baffling to me at times! She went on a milk strike the other day for reasons unknown!? Thankfully her drinking problem seems to be resolved!

I am hoping...to get Danielle's birth story completed before she turns one! I've written as far as my first post-birth meal now!

I am looking forward to...finding out if you like the new "SUBSCRIBE" feature I added to this blog! Check it out! Also, you no longer need an invitation to view. Just type in carrottopcakes86.blogspot.com and you'll be there!

I am learning...that there's nothing better than witnessing the mutual love and complete adoration of a daddy and his little girl! She was so pleased to ride in the skid steer with Daniel today for a bit when he was working at Shane and Mel's shouse!

Around the house....things are looking like Hurricane Danielle hit! Hopefully FEMA (Female Emergency Mother Agent) will respond before midnight. 

One of my favorite things.... is breakfast from McDonald's! But stick with Starbuck's for a good pumpkin spice latte! My McCafe version this morning was WAY TOO SWEET! I'm not lovin' it.

Life is Good...in so many ways!

How is Life Good? Let me count the ways....

Daniel is loving his new job at the Atmore Police Department! It makes my day to see him so happy and excited to go to work!

I'm pretty sure I've finally felt our baby girl move... some soft thumpish feelings....WOW! This thing of creating a new life is just plain amazing! I'm 19 weeks now, almost half-way!

The 6th Annual Yard & Bake Sale last Saturday was  a roaring success! Especially the Bake Goods Booth which brought in a whopping $2,544!

Diesel's surgery to remove a growth/tumor was successful! He rather likes having surgery, I believe, since he was allowed to recuperate like a king on the couch in the living room!

I finally gave this blog a new 'do! Not sure that I love it, but at least it's different! Trying to learn to not let my perfectionism hinder me from just getting things DONE!

The vintage strawberry coffee cup I got from pilfering through Aunt Charity's treasures delights my soul every time I drink from it! The handle doesn't get hot in the microwave either!

Melvin repaired the kitchen floor by the sliding doors in a flash! Why didn't we do this sooner?! So pumped about the pending kitchen renovations on the horizon - new countertops, flooring, pantry, and cabinet hardware! Also, "Goodbye, butter yellow paint!" "Hello, fresh creamy white!"

Jill is the best bestie ever! She has cut out, sewn, and shipped me two adorable maternity dresses, and is currently working on the third!! I am beyond blessed.

Trent, Kristi, and kids are home on furlough from Guatemala! It was awesome to be with Kris again yesterday and to finally meet my little cousin and birthday twin, Elena! She even has reddish hair! xo

William's Station Day is today! It's one of my favorite Atmore activities! I love small-town times....and all the booths of art, and things like funnel cakes and fried Snickers.

The kumquat tree on the porch is loaded down with perfect little orange orbs of tart sunshine!
I carefully counted and was pleased to discover that my precious tree bore 65+ kumquats this year! They are rapidly diminishing though. Harrison (Jarrod & Casey Schneider's 2 year old - I'm keeping him several days a week during peanut harvest) loves to pick them, but doesn't love to eat them, so I let him pick them and I let me eat them.

Bow Season came in today! I am thrilled to begin a new session of nature watching with a deadly weapon! Hopefully the new, cute little food plot (food plots CAN be cute, even though guys would probably digress!) that Danl planted will be my lucky charm this year and I will be able to nail my first kill with my bow!

Getting rid of clutter is so liberating! I am giving nursery closet tours today, free admission! I'm just a little bit proud of how much better it looks and how much roomier it is! I think MamaBear from Berenstein Bears and FlyLady are both smiling.

This list could continue, but my mocha hot chocolate got cold and I need to go microwave it, and then go out to walk in this lovely Fall morning. Fall is simply the best season God made, in my opinion. I've been rolling a Fall poem around in my head for over a month now...maybe tomorrow it will finalize and I will post it here. I've missed writing - and can't figure out why I've been so slackish. Also, ask me for my new favorite breakfast recipe! Gingerbread in a mug! Mmmmm.....

Outside my window...

Outside my window....the grey clouds of a summer thunderstorm are looming.

I am thinking....that some homemade vanilla ice cream would hit the spot right about now!

I am thankful...that I don’t have any checking to do or lesson plans to make! Definitely a perk of my new office job at Schneider Farm Fence.

In the kitchen...sits Danl’s new Savage .22 bolt-action , bull-barrel rifle he bought with birthday money. I got to shoot it today and totally annihilated a leaf!

I am wearing...an old dress that I call my “Carrot Branch” dress. The fabric came from WeCare Thrift Store.

I am creating...my dress for Alisha & Pierre’s wedding! Once again, I aspire to channel Princess Kate.

I am going...to go out an d help Daniel reinstall the running boards on Bonnie.

I am reading.... The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and Attention Deficit Disorder In Adults.

(I feel quite strongly that I have this wonderful disorder because…Oh yeah I could really use some chocolate cake!)

I am hoping...to get the orange hall bathroom “minted” this week! And also “Londonified.”

I am looking forward to...flying to Calgary on June 28! And attending Pierre & Alisha’s wedding on July 4! And seeing my little sis tie the knot with Shane on July 12! And listening to my cousin Renae & Erik Olson say their “I do’s” on August 23!

I am learning...that there is nothing like having family that you can count on to always be there for you.

Around the house....things are looking better! I’m still a FlyBaby in the process of becoming completely FlyWashed!

One of my favorite things.... is sitting in my red chair in the evening knowing that the dishes are done and the house has been moderately straightened and broomed while visiting with Daniel about his day or the guns he wants to buy while he relaxes in his ninja turtle green La-Z-boy. (Talk about a run-on sentence!)

tell me quick before I faint....

Note: I wrote this post last night, but wasn't able to finish editing it before the hubby called me away to bed. So hence the past tense.

Tell me quick before I faint, pitch them now or keep them quaint?? The issue at hand is several issues actually. Think plural in its greatest sense. Beautiful, treasured issues of Southern Living that I have hoarded ever since I began getting my own copies. Last week as I was decluttering in Zone 4 {master bedroom} I felt compelling to follow FlyLady's advice and simply purge them. When do I ever look at them?! Have I even sneaked a tiny peak at any of them in the last past year? No..... So! With great resolve I hauled them out from under the bed and put them bravely beside the recycling bin. And....for some reason....there they stayed....I guess I wasn't as ready to part with them as I thought I was. But now today, before my resolve completely dribbled away, I grabbed the basket and resolutely headed for the curb to pitch them as tomorrow the big green go-green truck is scheduled to grab them. I slowly started to dump, and then stopped as a few lovely, glossy issues fell in with a plop. It felt like I was throwing away my friends!! Standing out by the road like a ninny, I started to page through each issue for closure, tearing out ideas/pictures that nabbed my attention. A recipe for sweet potato pie with marshmallow meringue that I had baked and loved, {even a few tell-tale splatters on the page} was added to the memento pile. But the fading light of the summer night along with the whining and feasting of the mosquitoes zapped me back to reality. I could do this! I would be strong, and would fight my hoarding gene instead of letting it take a'holt of me! With a small sigh, the rest of the pile slid silently into the great netherlands of the recycling world. Who knows? Maybe, instead of living the stagnant lives of their boring hoarded existence under my bed, those old issues will someday be in my hands again as the pages of a haute new copy of Southern Living! Wait! Speaking of "new" copies, I haven't even absorbed my last two issues properly! So I shall sit and bask in the glow of my latest decluttering accomplishment whilst I lose myself in the South with my current friends instead of hanging on to those from the past.

P.S. I really think this new plan of tossing the old issue as soon as the new one arrives, will help me to heartily enjoy the issue at hand as in cooking the recipes that strike me and cutting out ideas {or finding them online and pinning them} straight away!

a midsummer night's dream....came true!

This evening as I was sitting upon my porch bench reflecting, I thought how drastically different this night was from one month ago June 12. That evening I was just saturated with sadness, overwhelmed with work that needed doing, and completely lost as to where in the world I should start. I wanted to escape it all, go to sleep, and wake up to a new life! This evening, I felt so peaceful as I enjoyed some time outside watching the sunset and reading while eating watermelon, my timer at my side. Supper was over, {chicken had been out and thawed in the sink}, everything was orderly, the dishwasher was empty, a load of laundry had been done, the bed was made, our bathroom had been swished and swiped, I hadn't had to do ANY major cleaning because I had done a One Hour Home Blessing earlier in the week! The difference has been an answer to my desperate prayers in the form of FLYLADY! I know, I know, the post before my last one totally mocked her, but this month has proven to me that her system was built for distracted, unorganized, late people like ME! And it works! I haven't arrived, and sometimes still do more puttering than fluttering, but I feel so differently about my life in general! This will be all for now....I'm sure you will hear more and will get tired of my ravings about how FLYing works! Happy One Month Anniversary to me of being a FlyBaby! Never thought I would be happy to be called a FlyBaby, but I AM!

{P.S. Don't forget to sign up for the cupcake batter dispenser giveaway on my last post! It ends July 18!}

rubba scrubba??

Well, you know I need to write about CLEANING since I just had to clean two glumps of some unknown substance off my laptop screen so I could see what I was typing! It's bad, I know. And since I am a much better analyzer, list maker, and ponderer than I am a cleaner, I have been making so much progress this summer in internal therapy as to WHY I am such a wretched housekeeper! Is it genetic?? Did my mom just not train me RIGHT?? {sorry, Mom! :)} Am I just plain LAZY?? Should I even try to CHANGE? Or just accept my Mama Bear closets?? And be HAPPY that Daniel and I spend way too much time hunting for our stuff among our stuff??

I am too much of a perfectionist to accept the myth that I can't improve my habits, and put my life back together like a magazine picture! {As if it ever was?!} So...... I have started polling my friends that appear to live like Martha Stewart/Betty Crocker {they tell me they don't, but the drawer under the oven doesn't lie!!} for success tips, etc. to get me on the road to complete, organized bliss. Here are some snitches of what they had to say!

"Make the bed!! Even if it's late in the day, just make it." {Even after making this a New Year's Try-To, I still fail miserably at this one.}

"I like to get dressed and comb my hair before leaving the bedroom."  {Oh dear, no lounging in yoga pants til lunch?!}

"Keep the dishes done."  {Supposedly this tidbit had come at one time from me!!!?? Wow. I went off course.}

"It helps to have enough storage."  {OK, this one makes sense. Trailer house does not = storage!}

"I actually enjoy cleaning." {You DO? Oh....HOW?}

"Try FlyLady's 15 minute Decluttering rule. It really works!!!"  {FlyLady, here I come!}

"You can't have it all. I wish I had all your ideas and creativity. Just be yourself." {Thanks! I feel better already!}

"I don't like to cook, but I love to sew."  {Well, I don't like to sew, but I love to cook....if I don't have to do dishes.}

"I didn't like how rigid my mom was with household rules. We had to put our shoes away immediately and hang things in our closets just so....I hated it. {Thanks, Mom, for being just the way you were!!}

"I don't think we can completely change our natures, but we can each try to improve in areas where we don't shine. {Such wise, sane advice. Maybe I don't need to continue internal therapy, and friend surveys after all.}

{Mr. Rubba Scrubba}

Anyway, I decided to check out http://www.flylady.net/ to see what she had to offer. Hmmmm.....I signed up for her daily emails that she deems very important, {GULP! 10+ per day?! I guess I will be so organized I will have time to read piles of emails!} but I am not completely convinced that I should become a "FlyBaby" and go "fluttering" around! I also draw the line at wearing lace up shoes in the house!! That being said, I did enjoy her tip of grabbing a trashbag and walking around the house throwing aways 27 things. Love the randomness of the number 27! It was actually harder than I thought it would be, but then it would be hard for a hoarder to throw away 27 things....Her next command was to give away 27 things. This was actually easier for some odd reason... Both activities were very good for my constitution! Maybe I should become a fledgling FlyBaby, and go fluttering around swishing and swiping with my Purple Rags, Rubba Scrubba, and Rubba Sweepa! Ummm... Really?? I'm thinking some Sitta Whila while I Reada Booka would be better! Like my favorite poem, "Dust if You Must!" I'm torn. I want to be a relaxed, fun person whose house is always ready for friends to drop by! But, that doesn't happen while you're Deepa Sleepa! What do you think?? Are any of y'all already happily fluttering around as FlyBabies?! Maybe if she didn't call her followers FlyBabies and FlyGuys I would be more excited about this. But then I never have been excited about cleaning! It's much more fun to write about cleaning than to actually clean. 

{Mrs. Rubba Squisha}

living the life of a loo redo

   

I miss my ole blog! I feel like it is always the thing to get pushed off the never-ending "to-do" list and this makes me sad. I so often don't know how I am feeling about life in general until I sit down to write about it! So here I sit to type instead of finishing up the dishes with Dawn. :) Feeling a sudden compulsion to blog immediately if not sooner, I promptly neglected the dishes and rushed to the couch to begin a small summary of our lives of late. We are doing well! Landon has been expertly re-doing the loo, which was what I thought would be a somewhat small project. NOT. Sawdust, Sheetrock dust, insulation, and dirt covered the house from tip to tail. And has stayed that way mostly until I have been attacking it today. We do love the new loo though! Bye bye  to the following: old, unused, huge Jacuzzi; ugly, country blue counter top, chintzy gold half-working light fixtures, and cracked, mended {with some yellow stuff that always made me think of urine} shower. Hello classy black counter top, new closet, sparkling white shower, and brushed silver light fixtures and cabinet handles! Fresh paint in the tint of Martha Stewart's "Dolphin" which is a pale, fresh grey, will hopefully soon be gracing the walls. Also the cabinets will be transformed from yellowish oak to a glossy white. Since the pot for our master bath is basking in sun out in our front lawn, we have been using our hall/guest bathroom. This has resulted in me becoming totally repulsed at the orange walls this small dungeon of a room!! Orange, I have learned, is NOT a calming color! I become very agitated and slightly nauseous when I have to spend any amount of time there. Come to find out, Daniel has been having these same feeling for quite some time now, but has kept them bottled up since he thought I was deeply in love with our orange loo. This will never do!! We will attempt another loo redo as soon as the time and funds are available. I'm thinking a very pale mint for the walls, and accent colors of cherry red, emerald, lime, navy or royal blue, black and white wallpaper on one wall... maybe some British nick-nacks? It's been fun to brainstorm and gather ideas! As long as there is NO ORANGE involved!!!
   Daniel has been breaking his back dozing and hoeing while putting up with the dozer and 'hoe breaking their backs. Repairs are not for the feeble-minded.
   Well, my friend Dawn is impatiently awaiting some assistance with dishes, so I shall return to the work wither it goest where I go, and lodgest where I lodge.

  

Completely "Spring Broken"

I have written this post so many times in my head but never on digital paper.

So for those of you that can't read my thoughts yet, here it finally is in black and white! {albeit the short version}

During the magical 10 whole days of Spring Break I... Slept in. Way, way in. I cooked. Ate. Reorganized my Pinterest boards. Cooked again. Had lunch at Dixie Catfish with my friend Kristy Benner. Baked cinnamon rolls. Ate. Fished with Daniel. {I caught the biggest catfish and the most bass! Yay! Nothing like some good competitive fishing for a healthy marriage! :)} Had a fish fry. Worked 5.5 hours in the office for my Dad. {If you read that really fast it looks like 55 hours. Kind of.} Thought about taxes. Read. Emptied the entire contents of the guest room/studio closet out into the room. And left it all sitting right there where it landed. Shopped Fairhope with Priscilla and Anne and Matthew. Bought a whimsical little painting of a sad dog sitting by a red door. Purchased 2 tiny loaf pans so I can bake miniature loaves of bread for my future children like my mom baked for us. Had coffee drinks at the Southern Living-famous "Coffee Loft." Shopped Pensacola with Aunt Sue. Thought about taxes again. Worked in my classroom. Picked up litter along Garrett Road. {I've decided to adopt a highway. Shall I make my own sign?! "This road is maintained by resident Sharon M. Faircloth" LOL} Reveled in being plain lazy. Climbed the Pensacola lighthouse {all 177 steps!!!} with Mel, Katie, and Mom. Then we ate our packed lunch and laid in the sun at the beach. Blissful. Got Krispy Kreme donuts. I ate 6 in 2 days. Chocolate-covered mocha-filled, raspberry-filled, chocolate-covered creme-filled, lemon-filled, cappuccino frosted chocolate-dribbled, and one more last chocolate-covered mocha-filled. Gained 3 pounds. Drank coffee. Gave Diesel and Leroy a severe outdoor shower. And of most consequential consequence, I signed my name with red pen on the dotted line of the contract that says I will teach 5th & 6th grades at WHCS for the year of 2014-2015. So instead of staying home to {hopefully} have 1 child, I will be a working "mom" with 8 kids!

http://www.whatscookingintheburbs.blogspot.com/2012/07/bacon-cheddar-chicken-and-rice-bake.html

http://www.skinnymom.com/2012/05/11/skinny-sour-cream-enchiladas/

http://willcookforsmiles.com/2013/07/coconut-crusted-stuffed-french-toast.html

http://www.ohbiteit.com/2012/07/french-toast-dumplings-simmered-in-maple-syrup.html

http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2012/01/16/chocolate-frosting-shots/

{this was a fail. Let me know you get it right. mine was soupy, not firm like the pic. but it tasted good.}

Made and ate these with Mel one night. :)

http://www.lovefromtheoven.com/2012/07/15/single-serving-deep-dish-cookie-a-la-mode/

http://www.justapinch.com/recipe/opal-newcomb/almond-joy-bars/quick-easy-cake-for-kids#.T26CR8kBVvp.pinterest

{Made these this past Thursday for the Schneider gathering we had at my folks to celebrate that Uncle Lyle and Aunt Polly were down for a visit. So wasn't a Spring Break bar. Just wanted to clarify lest you think I went completely sugar-bonkers during Spring Break! Which I guess I did....}

quickly thinking whilst i type...

I like this quote.

In prayer it is better to have a heart without words than words without a heart. - by John Bunyan

Daniel is bow-hunting. 

He has worked all morning on servicing "Rosie the Dozie"  aka bulldozer and the track hoe. It is still too wet to work much to his dismay! I think this is the soggiest winter we have ever experienced. Didn't mind wet winters so much when we had lawn service contracts....but such is life!

I am taking a couch break.

 Because I have gotten out of bed, washed loads of laundry, scrubbed piles of dishes and scummy counter tops, sorted mail, paid bills, made Three Cheese Hamburger Helper, and straightened up the house. After a short sit and a piece of chocolate cake from Aunt Sue that I denied myself of when I was on a "diet day" earlier this week since I am on a "off day" today, I will bound up and vacuum out the car "again" so we can get it parked somewhere for sale, clean out the Yukon, trim my rose bush, dust, clean up the dog area, clean bathrooms, vacuum and mop floors, bag up piles of stuff that I pulled out of closets and drawers in January so I can drop it by the thrift store next week, visit Grandma Schneider, go to folk's so Dad can help me do a demo of the sound wave science experiment that I want to do Monday, grade some tests, type next week's school schedule, spend some quality time with Danl, and get ready for church at 7:15! Lucky for us, Mel {koehn} sweetly made and gave us some gourmet potatoes and pork loin that will be a scrumptious meal for us tonight! Such a blessing to have dear friends.... And meanwhile I need to be pondering on how/what we should do to celebrate Florida's birthday at school on Monday! 

Anyone want to bring freezers of homemade key lime ice cream?! :)

Any ideas on how to actually accomplish all that stuff I just listed out?! Knowing how to prioritize would be amazing...it ALL seems important to me....but I fail miserably at being Superwoman. Sometimes I just know I am one step from the loony bin! You know what I did Thursday?! I had gone to Pensacola for allergy shots and was supposed to meet Daniel and David at Sake for supper. So I pull in and wait and wait and wait on them, and finally almost 15 minutes or so later, I realize that I am sitting in the parking lot of Tuscan Pizza Oven!!! Not Sake! SO DUMB!!! Then I meekly pulled out, and proceeded to go next door to Sake where they were waiting for and laughing at me! See? There's no hope for this scatterbrained redhead!!

a shopping day = a little more giveaway

The giveaway gift is now complete! Aunt Tricia, this dazzling box of black British tea will also be bestowed upon you once the British bookmark finally arrives. {Sigh of relief to have finally found something else Britannic that I liked! I think things of the mother country are going out of style!} It felt strange but blissful to be out shopping before 4:00 p.m. on a school day! Since I couldn't get an after school hours appointment with Dr. Cleveland, and it didn't make sense to rush back to teach for maybe an hour, Roxie subbed the whole day for me! I met my sweet mom-in-law for a quality-time lunch at Cheddar's. Today was the day to try "Chicken 'n Waffles!" Loved it! Thanks, Mom! For some reason I was totally in turtle gear and went slowly plodding around the stores, looking at everything and buying basically nothing. I kept telling myself, "Less is More." and "Think of all the stuff you have piled up everywhere at home." And it worked! I barely remember what the things were that I thought I wanted to buy! ....except that darling pillow that said "sparkle" in glittery copper letters...and that aqua scarf with the little birds all over it...and that emerald fabric at JoAnn's.....guess I'm not as good at forgetting as I thought I was....but I pinched my pennies and only came home with a birthday gift for Anne, a yoga mat that I'm going to ingeniously cut into a mod-looking shower mat, a book-themed journal to use for checking books out of my home library {no more not knowing where my books are?!} from World Market, the British Invasion tea also from World Market, 2 books from a thrift store {Teach With Your Heart by Erin Gruwell and Be Happy or I'll Scream by Sheri Lynch. Gonna send this one to you for your birthday, Annie! :) Looks like your style!} and some awesome essential stuff from WallyWorld like deodorant and paper towel and trash bags. So unglamorous but so necessary. Why can't they at least make it more appealing to shop at Walmart?! Like maybe lime green shopping carts...food samples...tellers with British accents...

Christmas Past and More Mealplans

Even though there were no carols or snow....

We had piles of gifts with a festive bow!

Christmas at last, we slept over at folks...

We did it up right, true Schneider slowpokes!

Pizza and bacon, a pie or three

Fajitas and fruitcake, croquet and coffee!

I think I'm too tired to be writing poetry....But we did have a wonderful time! Katie had my name and I had hers!! She gave me 2 6" Wilton cake pans, {miniature red velvet layer cake anyone? :)} green pattern weights for sewing, an adorable chevron mug, the most darling little calendar, and the sweetest home-sewn grey and aqua clutch!! Thanks, Katie!! LOVE it all! 

In an effort to inspire myself to cook this week, I am going to scratch out another meal plan!

Monday ~ Supper @ Jaliscos!!! 3 cheers!!! Rah, rah, rah!!! Thanks, Danl!

Tuesday ~ {Last Friday's supper because we had pizza and sloppy joes at Mom's} Buffalo Chicken, Blackened Okra, Garlic Cheese Biscuits

Wednesday ~ Sausage Gravy over Biscuits, Fruit Smoothies

Thursday ~ Chicken Rotel {a bake day item, thanks, Lynette!} Apple Slices, Green Beans with Cheese

Friday ~ {Last Thursday's meal because....ummm...it never got cooked...} Garlic Swiss Venison Steaks over Rice, Zipper Peas

Saturday Breakfast ~ Egg Pancakes

Saturday Lunch ~ Chicken Nuggets, French Fries, Coleslaw {Colesalad as Neil would say :)}

Saturday Supper ~ Something with Porkchops...not sure what. Would love to fry them, but how many fried things can we eat in a day?! {answer = way too many!!}

Sunday Breakfast ~ Ham and Cheese Rolls from Katie {these are the bomb!!}

Sunday Lunch ~ Venison Chili with Frybread, Applesauce

Sunday Snack ~ Stir Crazy Tabasco Popcorn, Ham Quesadillas, Ice-Milk {one thing we do healthy! Ice-Milk instead of Ice Cream!!} Oatmeal Chocolate Brownies {lowfat Prevention magazine recipe}

And there you have it!

Still 5 more days to enter the giveaway...{see post "For the Love of London Happy 2014 Giveaway"}

now is now

Now is NOW. This redundant phrase keeps weaving its way throughout my thoughts these past days. It's Christmas NOW. If I wait until everything slows down, and I'm not tired, and everything that needs doing is done, I'm gonna miss it because it's happening NOW. The JOY, the PEACE, the WONDER of the season is right now. Right in the middle of the furry to get the last pompom hot-glued onto a parents' gift 5 minutes after 2:30. Smack dab during the program that went so smoothly I could have kissed each child. And even now as I sit on the couch surrounded by STUFF on every possible surface. Gift bags, orange peels, dirty dishes, papers, popcorn, light bulbs, you name it! Even an old dead roach on the floor with its feet pitifully sticking up in the air. All stuff that is desperately waiting for my attention. But now, is NOW. Now is the time to fry homemade French fries with Daniel even though it's increasing the mess by adding extra splatters of grease all over the counters. Now is the time to relax on the ninja turtle chair while catching up on the phone with my big sis for over an hour. NOW is the time for merry moods and  merry foods! A cuppa tea sounds good to me! Right NOW. While I sip, I shall endeavor to forget about my to-do list and just focus on the moment. The rest of the season I hope to keep calm and merry on. Because after all, NOW is NOW and that's what matters.

Love the amazing presents my kids gave me at our Christmas party today!! The USA wall art will go up in my classroom for now and the calendar will adorn my kitchen. Gifts still make me as giddy as a little kid....I will never be a real "grown-up" I'm afraid! Also LOVE the adorable owl scarf organizer, the high-heeled shoe cake server, and the "Break Glass in Case of Emergency" Hershey wall art, orange bowls, coffee cups, and 31 gift certificate I received.  And, last but not least, the SWEETEST present of all from my dear hubby...a black GMC Yukon!! I am so blessed.