Monday - Simple Woman's Daybook

For Today...
Tuesday June 16, 2015

Outside my window...

More sunshine!
We live in a city that is nicknamed The Sun City so we see a lot of it.

I am thinking...

about a summer calendar.
Summer officially begins on Sunday/Father's Day and we have already started some things since the children got out of school last week but I have a bit more thinking to do.

I am thankful...

that my Marine is almost done with training and will be heading to his duty station soon. We continue to see God at work in his life and are so grateful for the blessings that are being poured out on him right now.  Military life is not easy but it has been rich and rewarding so far for our son and we know God's plan for his life has put our boy just where he needs to be.

I am wearing...

My favorite denim capri pants and a taupe blouse today.  I am always tooling around in my brown sandals, too, this time of year.  I am not much a sneakers and socks kind of girl... which is not good if you do the Flylady plan but I love my sandals.

I am creating...

new menus and recipes to keep me on track with my eating plan.  I am still working through the Whole30/Paleo elimination plan and contemplating some more changes come July.

I am going...

out to the DMV/DPS to get my daughter her driving permit.... and to the grocery store for a big run and then home to the cool of the house while the day heats up.

I am wondering...

if I should put a sewing or crochet project together this week or clean out something instead.  I have to choose or I will get nothing done!  LOL

I am reading...

Just started these two yesterday... yes, reading more than one at a time.  I am reading one devotionally and the other in the afternoons for personal growth.

Your Sacred Yes by Susie Larson

Better Than Before by Gretchen Rubin

I am hoping...

to have a quiet weekend for Father's Day.  Dan and I are both on the introvert side and enjoy quiet weekends but rarely get them.  We are in need of one as a family.

I am learning...

to write the Hebrew alphabet as I study with the Love God Greatly study on Psalm 119.  I am learning a new letter with each passage and practicing it.  I am also studying Korean all summer but wanted to learn the Hebrew alphabet as each letter is given in the Psalm chapter.  I pulled out my calligraphy pens.... how fun!

In my garden...

I am getting ready to turn over the soil and prep the bed for winter squash, root veggies, onions, garlic and some broccoli and maybe Brussel Sprouts.  June is when that starts... Father's Day is when the pumpkin seeds start going in.  I love an Autumn garden!  I did not do much of a summer garden but am still tweaking my herb garden so those will grow year round for me.  No pictures today... maybe in a week or so.

In my kitchen...

I am prepping more summer salads and fresh fruit.  I love all the fresh produce this time of year.  I am also cleaning and clearing stuff.  It has just exploded and needs a purge.  One thing I am going to be doing in the next week is starting the canning on the berries again.  Strawberry and blueberry jams and maybe something with peaches.  I have pulled the peaches off that tree because of the birds and hope to add a peach cobbler to one of our dessert days soon.  I am letting them ripen on the counter right now.

I made these Plantain Baked Fries this past week.... you might enjoy the recipe, too!

The fruit salad from this photo can be found here...

and that burger is all my recipe with sweet potato bun for me and regular buns for everyone else.

and a favorite breakfast lately

A favorite quote for today...

A peek into one of my days...

One of my favorite things...

Enjoying this now since I cannot have dairy anymore.
This certainly hits the spot nicely!
YUM!!!

Post Script...

A couple of links I will be coming back to this week are:

A Gluten Free Pie Crust Recipe

An Informative Little Article on the Summer Solstice and what it is from Farmer's Almanac.

13 Ways Successful Women Make the Most of Their Time

Peaches in Paradise... a tribute to Elisabeth Elliot



The Simple Woman's Daybook is the creation of The Simple Woman and there is a weekly link up for those who participate.  See more about this on her website.

Saturday - Simple Woman's Daybook

For Today...

Saturday June 6, 2015

Outside my window...

It is getting hot out there... we have been in the mid to upper 90's all this past week.  Last night there was a bit of rain and so there is a little more green out there today with the sun high and hot.  The peach trees are full again this year and our June tree is going to need to be covered because the birds have started attacking them.  The covering will go up this afternoon or early evening or we won't have a peach to eat.

I am thinking...

about summer plans a lot today.  The children have two more days of official school and then we are on break.  This crossed my path yesterday and we will be using it for personal growth in music, reading, writing, studying God's Word, etc... 

Do Summer with Jon Acuff

Check out his Facebook page and video overview of the plan here.

Everyone will write their own goals and we will be growing and learning about things we love all summer.

I am thankful...

for our youth group at our church.  I am thankful that our children love going to church and spending time with other Christian teens.  I am thankful that they love praise band time, Bible study time, and fun and games with their friends in such a positive place.

I am wearing...

My favorite denim capri pants and purple girly t-shirt.  I have a sweater on because our air conditioner is running a lot more with the heat outside.  I tend to be more cold than everyone else so when they are comfy I wear a sweater and I am fine with that.

I am creating...

a schedule for my summer so that I can plug in all the things I have not had time for lately... crochet, sewing, more reading, exploring new recipes, etc... 

A girl needs her hobbies!

I am going...

through closets and drawers this next week to purge the excess.  I started reading more about this this week...

The 10 Item Wardrobe

check out the TED Talk on the blog post... it is fabulous!

I am wondering...

if I should take a salad to church dinner tomorrow along with the watermelon and cookies I already have ready.  Salads are always a good veggie option for me when there might not be much more I can eat at these things.  I am still basically eating the Whole30 way with a few tests being done every few days.

I am reading...

My daughter and I are planning on reading some books together this summer.

One we decided upon today...

She is reading it in preparation for Senior English and college and I am reading it because I never finished it the first time I had it in the pile.

I am hoping...

for much more time for reading this summer... because I have a ginormous stack to work through and I want to start them all NOW!

I am learning...

I am getting ready to start a new study with the Love God Greatly girls and we will be in Psalm 119 for the summer study.  Registration starts Monday June 8th and the study begins June 15th.  It is COMPLETELY FREE!  I enjoy their Bible studies like this very much.

Check it out here...

In my garden...

We picked apricots this last week and had a Paleo Apricot Crisp last night.  The apricots are still small and bitter each year but I managed to save them from the birds better this year.  I love birds folks, but... mercy, they love my fruit trees!

Covering that peach tree today.

The Man pinning the netting fabric.

The are lovely and bigger than last year's crop!

I am still being lazy about gardening this year but have my eye on a few seeds for fall crops.  I am hoping to really focus on the fall and herb gardening this year.  I love being out digging in the dirt in the early morning hours and in the cool fall mornings especially.  It stays very warm year round here so a winter crop is possible if you have the right veggies, too.

In my kitchen...

Here is that Paleo Apricot Crisp.

A favorite quote for today...

A peek into one of my days...

Our sweet fur baby, Stormie Weather.  She is now 12 years old.  We have had her all of her life!

One of my favorite things...

My Moleskine Bullet Journal is my very favorite organizing tool!

You can learn more about their notebooks, calendars, and journals here

From the board room...

This link will also take you to this page on amazing Reading Nooks..... so dreamy!

Post Script

I have Lupus and I have been on a mission to find solutions for making me feel better through better nutrition.  I have found that the Whole30 and mostly Paleo way of living is most successful for me at this time.  Two of these links connect with that aspect of my life and the third one is just plain fun!

Lupus and the Paleo Diet Blog 

My Favorite Breakfast these days comes from Paleo Cajun Lady...

Breakfast Sausage Sweet Potato Skillet

I make my own sausage for this from ground pork or ground chicken.

The Summer Bucket List by Laura Vanderkam

Do you like the Simple Woman's Daybook Meme?  You can find her blog here and link up each week as you share your one daybook entry.

Saturday - Simple Woman's Daybook

For Today... 
Saturday May 30, 2015

Outside my window...

A dry hot land with no rain.  I do believe we are the only place in Texas without it but we are in the desert, after all.  I do have some lovely purple flowers that are still blooming from Mother's Day and I am enjoying the morning coolness before we head into the upper 90's again today.

I am thinking...

about a new month and the end of my Whole30.  I still have much work before me as I begin to reintroduce foods in one at a time until I have a new plan for eating in such a way that my body responds and begins to get more and more healthy.

I am thankful...

For the changes I have seen over the past month.  The Whole30 has given me some great successes and changes that I intend to keep.  I will continue in this direction and refine what I put into my body to make me as healthy as I can possibly be.  Since having Lupus I have struggled a lot and this past 30 days seems to have reversed some things for me in a very positive way.  I am thankful for the past 30 days and the new insight.

I am wearing...

My old shabby denim shorts and a plain purple t-shirt so I can work around the house today.  These are my comfy summer clothes.

I am creating...

A LIST!
I am always creating a list but this one is in preparation for June.  A new month and a new plan.

I am going...

NO WHERE!  I am staying home all weekend and working around the house.  I am doing the laundry, the dishes, sweeping, mopping, vacuuming and anything else that will make my home a more lovely place that I can.  As long as my energy holds out I will be working.

I am reading...

Still working on Crazy Love and It Starts With Food

I am also reading Searching for Sunday as a review book

I am hoping...

for a successful and safe weekend for all my children this weekend.  They are scattered all over Texas and New Mexico on trips and events.  I am praying for safe travels all around!

I am learning...

I am putting together more flashcards and loading my Korean lessons onto my ipod to start my summer intensive so I won't get rusty for the fall session.

I am also putting some new crochet projects on the agenda and there will be some new stitches I will be learning.

In my garden...

I am always about the purple daisies!  

Loving my new ones from my family for Mother's Day.

In my kitchen...

I just ordered a new cookbook as I finish my Whole30.  It is my reward for finishing and I cannot wait to get it Monday and dig right in!

It was written by a Paleo/Whole30 blogger named Melissa Joulwan.
Her blog is called The Clothes Make the Girl and is a new favorite of mine.

A favorite quote for today...

One of my favorite things...

This is my favorite coffee these days.... 

I order it every chance I get because we don't have it in stores here.  I also just ordered their bread pudding flavored coffee last week.

This blog meme comes from The Simple Woman... it is her Daybook List that she shares each week for link up fans.