Currently...A Life List

Outside my window...

Thank God! When I look outside my window I see the sun is shining and it is 79*. No rain. My heart goes out to Texas and the horrors from Hurricane Harvey. Seeing the pictures on CNN and MSNBC are heartbreaking. My prayers this week are with Texas. 


Pondering..

I'm pondering upon the kind of flooding that is being seen in Texas. Did anyone see the picture of the nursing home where the residents were sitting waist deep in water waiting to be rescued? So sad! I do not live in a flood zone. It would take a lot of rain (and I mean a lot) to cause my house to flood like that. But I ask myself today: Would I be ready to deal with the likes of what Houston is dealing with?



Watching...

Today I am watching reports from Texas! There are amazing stories of struggle and of rescue.






Reading...

I'm starting new reading this week. I finished my last books. I have already reviewed Belong to Me and I will review Drawn in my August favorites post. I have started reading The Railway Man's Wife by Ashley Hay and I have begun listening to The Prettiest One by James Hankins (my new favorite author). 

 
Learning...

This past week was a hard one. I will not elaborate here. But I had to learn to dig deep with patience, understanding, and many, many prayers to get me through the ordeal. Learning to let go is hard sometimes. Learning to ask for help is even harder.



Planning....

I'm beginning to plan for September. It is almost upon us. We have the Kansas State Fair here in Hutchinson during September. I may plan to take a day and wander around the grounds. I've never done that by myself but I think it will be a good time for me to venture out.


Drinking....

This past week I stuck with drinking lots of lemon and grapefruit (essential oils) water. Yummy!



What's in the kitchen...

Monday...leftovers

Tuesday...Oven fried chicken

Wednesday...Heading to dinner with Justin 

Thursday...Mushroom meatballs on noodles

Friday...Salad

Saturday...Taco Spaghetti 

Sunday...Green Bean Soup




A quote to share...

From My Camera...

Harley with Papa's ear

shadows on my driveway on Eclipse day

SnapChat from Paige

A final thought...

Shouldn't we be thankful all the time? Thankful that we are not in Texas. That we are not having to wade through waist deep water to reach a shelter. Thankful for those first responders who are helping, with little sleep. Thankful for the troops that are being sent to help. Say a prayer today for those who are needing it!

And to end on a high note click here. This is a clip shown on a Wichita TV station this weekend. All about sunflowers. Harley is there!!! Plus the sunset picture right after her picture is also taken by Heather!

Dear Friday

As another Friday sneaks into our view I have some letters to write.

Dear Friday:

Today we are watching for a hurricane to soon reach the coast of Texas and possibly Louisiana. You know I have a brother in Louisiana so my concerns are for him. He tells me is pretty far from the areas which will be affected but will still have rains and mild winds. I have blogging friends in the Texas area. I am not sure where exactly they are located but I offer my prayers for them and for all those in the paths of Harvey. 

Dear Justin:

You know how much I appreciate all that you do for our family! You have stepped up when you didn't have to. You worry along with me and help me reach solutions that will be for the betterment of all of us. I have leaned on you so much in the past few years. I am blessed to have you as the wonderful son you are. Paige is blessed to have you as her father. Darian and Harley are blessed that you stepped up and became the father they needed. We all love you so much. And I will always remember we are #TeamMaxfield. You make my gratitude list every single day!!!

Have a good, safe weekend everyone!

Belong To Me-A Book Review

It's taken me a good long while to make it through listening to this book. It was a freebie from Nook Audio. It was a good book! It wasn't that I didn't like it that  I kept going away from it and then find my way back. It was more that my life just kept getting in the way. And that I would try to listen at night and then fall asleep. I'm really glad that I stuck with it and made it to the end.

The story follows, basically, three married couples and a single mom with a brilliant 14 year old son. 

The first couple, Tao and Cornelia, move from the city to the suburbs. Tao is a much loved doctor and Cornelia is trying to fit in with the people of her new neighborhood. She meets up with Piper and her husband Kyle. Piper sounds like a true bitch to me. She is perfect in every way and maintains her home the same way. And judges all those around her by these standards. To the outside world all looks perfect. Piper's best friend, Elizabeth and her husband Tom, are the third couple. Elizabeth has cancer and Piper is doing everything she can to save Elizabeth's life. She cares for Elizabeth, her children, and maintains her home for her as well as her own. But Elizabeth just continues to die. Cornelia befriends Elizabeth and therefore grudgingly accepts Piper. But her one true friend is Lake. The single mother with the very gifted teenage son who came to this town so her son could attend a school for the gifted. And all the lives become enmeshed.

The story ends with a HUGE surprise that will affect all of these people in a way that none of them seen coming. I, too, was surprised when it was revealed. All the ends were tidied up in a way that I doubt would have happened in real life. But it is what it is. 

I am going to give the book ***. It was a good read. (or in my case a good listen)
  

Currently (well It was current yesterday)

Outside my window...

Today is the much anticipated and awaited solar eclipse. I'm not sure what all the hoopla is about. I am not really all that into science. But I guess it is something to get excited about. It is pretty cloudy here at my house so I don't know that we will be able to see anything here. Harley's school bought glasses for all the students and Harley was supposed to take pictures of the students watching the eclipse. BUT she has an optometrist appointment at 2:00 p.m. so I don't know what she will get to see.


Pondering..

I am pondering what our President will have to say to the nation, tonight, when he speaks. Will he read off the teleprompter and stay on track or will he go off script and act crazy like he has been lately. Prayers for our nation. 


Watching...

I am watching CNN right now and the total eclipse is being shown in Wyoming. Very interesting. 






Reading...

Still reading and still listening to the same books from last week. I have been wasting too much time on You Tube and I need to get back to my books!!



Learning...

Today I am learning more than I ever wanted to know about solar eclipses. 



Planning....

I am thinking about my boy and wondering if I can plan a trip to see him this fall. He thinks he might get to come home at Christmas. But he doesn't know. And I think enough time has passed and I want to see him again.

Drinking....

I haven't been drinking much more than water with drops of lemon and grapefruit essential oils. I have added four more oils to my collection: peppermint, lavender, sweet orange, and another lemon. I bought myself a little infuser at Walmart but I am not really impressed with it. Will be looking on Amazon this week. 



What's in the kitchen...

Monday...Leftovers
Tuesday...Autumn Chopped Salad
Wednesday...Broccoli Soup
Thursday...Hawaiian Chicken Bowls
Friday...Baked Chicken and Cauliflower
Saturday...Green Bean Soup
Sunday...Taco Spaghetti




A quote to share...

A final thought...

A bit of a short currently this week. I didn't have any new pictures on my camera. I have a picture that I wanted to share of my siblings and me but I can't figure out how to save it from my brother's email. If anyone knows how to save an embedded photo please share with me. 

 

(I'm not sure why I didn't post this on Monday, but enjoy it anyway)

Seniors 2018

The first day of their last year of high school. 

Harley

Paige

Currently...My Life List

Outside my window...


We are having a beautiful, almost fall-like, day here in Kansas. The current temp is only 74* What?? It's August mother nature. Have you forgotten. They skies are partly cloudy. Thunderstorms are predicted for Tuesday. YaY! Love that free water for the lawn.
*I started this post yesterday


Pondering..

I am pondering the week ahead. We are going to take a little road trip on Monday to eat dinner with Justin. Paige is coming over on Tuesday to spend the night. She starts school on Thursday. (her senior year too!) On Wednesday Harley's youth group at church will be having their Back 2 School paint party. (where they paint each other) and Friday is Harley's first day of the last year of high school. Is that a YaY? Or sad? Can't decide.



Watching...

We joined the millions of people who have Netflix and I have been binge-watching Scandal. Love the show. But I have only watched it the last few years. Also, have Grey's Anatomy on my check list. And I even made a spread in my Bullet journal to keep track of my watching. Now to limit my time in front of the TV. LOL! Not gonna happen.





Reading...

Still with the same books and audios from last week. Reading Drawn by James Hankins. And I am determined to finish listening to Belong to Me by Marisa de los Santos on my Nook audio before I move on to anything else. I am enjoying the book. I just don't make time for listening and I need to remedy that!

 

Creating...

Creating bullet journal spreads. And loving the fun of pencil and paper. Do any of you like to draw, color, paint?



Learning...

I haven't yet learned this but I need to. I have to create a schedule for myself that I am willing to follow. It is so easy to keep putting things off for tomorrow. 


Drinking....

The store was out of Turkey Hill Peach Tea this week so they substituted my order with Snapple Peach tea. Not the same but it will do. Harley says she likes it better. She said it tastes like "sucking on a peach." 



What's in the kitchen...

Monday....eating in Wichita with Justin
Tuesday...Paige will be here
Wednesday...salad
Thursday...Ham and cheese sandwiches
Friday....Crunchy Taco Casserole
Saturday...TBA
Sunday...TBA




A quote to share...

On my camera...

getting senior pictures started
with Heather

Heather took this picture
as we left the field
it is now my screensaver

On my dining table

A final thought....

I am sad about this last week in our great country. We need to find a way to accept EVERYBODY. We need to avoid war at all costs. I hope we will soon see a President that will try to unite this country and stop

provoking people to hate and fight in wars. God Bless America!!

goggle image

Dear Friday

And here we are again. It's Friday!

Dear Friday:

So good to see you again. You come often to visit and we enjoy you. Soon we will enjoy you even more. Harley goes to school for the first day this next Friday!!

Dear Bank Fraud Department:

Imagine my surprise on Monday morning when I received a text from my bank's fraud department. And it was so early. I almost ignored it. Thinking it was a hack. Then I checked my emails and saw that I had an email as well. Plus almost $200. worth of charges to iTunes! What the heck. I rarely use iTunes. And never to the tune of $200. So I quickly called the number they provided me with and my debit card was blocked. Then I had to make a trip to the bank. I wasn't the first customer of the day to fill out fraud papers against someone buying from iTunes. Kelsey at the bank was very gracious. She helped get the proper paper work done and a new debit card made and I was on my way in under 30 minutes. It took a few days for the money to be returned to my account. But all is 'almost' back to normal. Still waiting on a $35 refund. I am so grateful for my bank being on top of these kinds of things. I DO check my account everyday and make sure the charges are all mine. But they beat me to it on Monday!!

Dear High School:

Thank you so much for on-line enrollment. So much better than back in the day when I had to go to the school and walk down a long line of tables filling out papers and paying fees. Hasn't it been wonderful to have the INTERNET in our lives? (Well except when someone is frauding my bank account).

My Favorite Things in July

We are already at the end of the first week of August! Here are a few of my favorite things from July. 

I jumped on the 'essential oils' bandwagon in July. I bought three. Lemon, grapefruit, and eucalyptus. I've used both the lemon and the grapefruit in my drinking water. I have put lemon in my Scentsy warmer. And I love them. Especially the grapefruit in my water. Oh so refreshing. I'm learning what these three are about before I move onto buying more. Did you know that grapefruit essential oil can stimulating the immune system, curb sugar cravings, and help with weight loss? I didn't know that either. And I'm not sure I totally believe it. But I'm going to research and do my own testing. I bought mine through Grove Collaborative because I get an order from them every three months or so. The brand is Aura Cacia. More affordable than some of the higher priced brands out there. 


My favorite drink in July has to be the Cherry Limeaid. McDonald's put out a fairly decent one this summer. And Harley would make sure I got one at least once a week. But I also tried a new cocktail when I was out to dinner with Justin one evening. 
Watermelon Sangria! Oh my goodness. So delicious.


Back to Grove Collaborative I forgot to mention the Lavender Room spray they sell. I love it. I spray it in my room at night and on my pillow and blanket. And it smells like a tiny bit of heaven. It doesn't take but a tiny mist and it only cost $4.99 for an 8 ounce bottle. Love it! 

I had two favorite books. One I read and one I listened to. I have reviewed them both on my blog. You can find the reviews by clicking on these titles. The Dry by Jane Harper and The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware. Both really, really good books. 

But what I have spent most of July loving has been my new 'hobby' the bullet journal. If you are interested in finding out more about bullet journals visit this blog : Boho Berry. She does some amazing layouts. I'm not nearly that talented. But I am enjoying finding my creative side. I am a list maker and using a bullet journal really allows me to do this. So far in July I have researched moon phases, cleaning challenges, and the Miracle Morning. I use my bullet journal to take notes and see how I can incorporate some of these into my life. Here is just a sneak peek at what I have created thus far.

And finally who doesn't like to eat salads in the summertime? We eat them a lot. And I have my favorites. Here is one of them.

Cornbread Salad 

I adapted the recipe and made it my own. I found the original on Taste of Home which has some fabulous recipes. But here's how I make it.

1 (pan) cornbread cubed
1 small head romaine lettuce, chopped
1 bag mixed salad
2 large tomatoes chopped
1 (15.5-ounce) can red beans, rinsed and drained 
1 (15.5-ounce) can sweet corn drained
1 (8-ounce) package shredded cheddar cheese
1 medium purple onion diced
8 ounces Bacon Ranch Dressing
4 green onions thinly sliced (optional)

Preparation

Layer a large bowl with half each of cubed cornbread, lettuce, and next five ingredients; spoon half of dressing evenly over top.

Repeat layers with remaining ingredients and dressing. Garnish with green onions is optional.

Cover and chill at least 2 hours. Before serving toss gently or serve layered.

We eat ours as soon as I put it together. I don't like for things to get soggy. But it would probably taste good chilled first. 

Hope you enjoyed my July favorites. Did you discover anything new in July that became your favorite??

Dear Friday

Dear Friday:

Many of those around me are anticipating the weekend. So many fun things to accomplish. Resting and relaxing from their busy schedules. Not me. No siree! All my days are like Friday now. Or Saturday and Sunday. I'm retired and that is one of the benefits of being retired. One of the much anticipated rewards! So there!


Dear Creators of EZMoves:

Love!

Such a brilliant creation. Harley and I deep cleaned her room this week. We purchased a little vanity table for her and we needed to make room. So the dresser (which started out many, many, many years ago as the dresser for Papa's baby clothes...yep, old) is going to find a new home in my dining room. But that thing is really heavy. And just Harley and me were home. Then I remembered my cousin buying me these awesome little foam sliders. And biz, bang, boo that dresser became the easiest thing in the world to move down the hallway and into the dining room. Now to repaint it and make it into a cabinet for my craft supplies. Thank you creators of EZMoves.

Dear Mother Nature:

I feel like I write a letter to you every week for one reason or another. But today's weather is W.O.N.D.E.R.F.U.L. At 10:00 a.m. it is only 66* outside. And that, my friend, is great. And it really is August. Thank you Mother Nature.

Dear Producers of Big Brother TV Show:

This is the worst season of TV bullying I have seen ever. I cannot believe someone hasn't stepped in and put a stop to it yet. And I can't tear my eyes away from the train wreck of a show. I guess that is why it is still so popular. To all my fellow BB fans, what say you? Looking ahead to Sunday!

Brothers and Bones-A Book Review

This is my kind of book. I love a good mystery. I had never heard of this author but he came recommended by my friend Wendy. (check out her blog) The writing of this book was really, really good. Charlie Beckham is a rising assistant district attorney, getting ready to prosecute the biggest case of his career. But as he is hurrying to court on the first morning he passes a homeless man. He has seen this man before and never paid much attention. On this day the homeless man looks up at Charlie and says "Hi Wiley". No one has ever called Charlie "Wiley" except for his brother, who has been missing for 13 years. Charlie blows his first day in court. All he can think about is finding the homeless man. Together Charlie and Bonz chase the story of why Charlie's brother went missing 13 years ago. And find themselves deep into the Italian mob. As they run for their lives to bring justice for Charlie's brother can they become friends. 

I've read a little bit about the author and he says this story came to him as he passed the same homeless man on his way to work everyday. One day he wondered how creepy it would be if the man called him by name. The two main characters of the story are well developed. And I fell in love with both of them. Even though there is a lot of horrific crime I was happy with the ending.  There were times I wondered if it would turn out well. Love this author. I have purchased another of his books today.