A Joyful Update...

There has been a lot of life happening around here lately.  

I have a ton of things to share but let's start with the fact that... 

I am a new Grandmother!

The new grandson was born April 1st... no, I am not kidding!  LOL  He was 8 pounds 5 ounces and has been growing steadily for the last 3 weeks.  Mom and Dad are doing great, outside of a lack of sleep that is.  I made the trip out to meet him and got a week with my kids and that precious boy.  I am over the moon!  I think I am going to love being a grandmother most of all my roles.  

Just thought I would log on and share that with you guys.  I cannot wait to hold him again soon!

Road Trip North...

I love going to Las Cruces, New Mexico.  It has my favorite bookstore in the whole world and a few yarn places I like to visit.  It also has a yearly event called Tournament of Bands (TOB).  This was our 10th year of going with our kids.  It was a magnificent overcast cool day for a band contest.  Thought I would share a few photos from the day for you...

The first thing I did this morning was head to Coas Bookstore for a book signing with Bruce Wilson.  He just published a new book called Death in the Black Patch.  He just happens to be the father of a sweet friend of mine.  I love historical fiction so this is right up my ally.... if I can keep it long enough to read it before my husband snags it I will do a review for this one, too.

The rest of the day was spent looking at this magnificent sky!

and a plethora of bands

This band is the one my son is part of.

It was a great day.

I also came home and wrote over 3,000 more words for NaNoWriMo.  I am sitting just under 9,000 words right now.  I am still plugging away and doing a little reading for inspiration tomorrow.

Hope you guys had a great Saturday and that your Sunday will be one that is a day of recharging for the week ahead.

Summer is here.... there should be goals right?

My life has been so insane lately that I have let summer sneak up on me with zero personal goals.  It seems the big obvious goal is to make it from one thing to the next right now.  We have had three major life events and a few smaller but important events lately with more on the horizon.  I am hoping there will be a respite at some point before my daughter leaves for college but for now I think I will just give you the rundown of all that is consuming us lately.... with photos.

Eagle Court of Honor

Youngest became an OA member

Girlie had a senior recital 

Youngest got inducted into NJHS

We made a trip to Texas State Solo/Ensemble competition where Em had two first divisions on a solo and an ensemble.... that brings her total to 8 gold medals and one silver for her time in high school.

We had a last day of school... with a senior, sophomore and sixth grader.

We had a graduate on June 13th

and we added a new daughter on June 18th.

I told you.... crazy!  LOL

Now, we are moving toward getting the girlie ready to go off to college.  If I survive the summer we will start over with a new school year come August.

There have been projects, too, but we will save those fun things for another day.

Happy summer...

What are you planning to accomplish this season?

Ch... Ch.... Changes...

For the first time in 22 years I have been home alone during the day this week.

Our youngest started sixth grade at the school where his father teaches.

That would mean that I am no longer a homeschooling mother.

Our days start each morning around 5:30 am.

It was also this week a year ago that our oldest left home to become a Marine.

Seems life never slows...  it is always in flux and changing

It is one of those times in life where one might feel like they are starting over.

It is a new experience for me because, before I had our oldest nearly 22 years ago, I was in graduate school and teaching fifth grade at an intermediate school in Lake Worth, TX... just north of Ft. Worth.  Dan was in SWBTS in Ft. Worth studying to become a pastor and working a landscaping job.  

I was pregnant with our oldest my last year of teaching and I walked the stage to receive my master's degree two months before he was born so I had two months at home tidying the house and preparing for his birth.  Since that time I have never been alone.  I have had children home with me while Dan went to work each day... until this past Monday.  

It has been a strange and quiet week.

I am forging new routines and ways to spend each new day.  

I can assure you I am not bored.  The last thing I ever am is bored.  

It is quite possible that the changes in our life this past week have brought on a Lupus flare.  It has been a true Godsend to be able to rest through it in a way I never would have been able to before this week.  It was as if God knew it was coming at just this moment and that I would need this time to rest and think and plan and recover.  I am grateful it did not come one day sooner.  

I shared, not too long ago, that I read a book by Gretchen Rubin on Habits.  The timing on that read was perfect as well.  I am monitoring my days to see where I can work through habits, schedules and routines to be more efficient and productive with the times when I feel better and have more energy. Mornings seem to be the most productive time of day for me and I am craving earlier bedtimes with the early morning starts.  

So, with our first week coming to a close there will be a football game night for the teens and a weekend full of homework.  I leave you with some first week pictures... and the promise that there will be much more musing on habits and newness and change and routines and cleaning out the house, etc... because this is my new reality and I plan to thrive in it.  Bring on the change... I am ready!

Nineteenth year teaching for Dan and the others are... 

Senior year... Sophomore year... and 6th grade.... here we go!

A Birthday Menu for an 11 Year Old

We celebrated a day early because Tuesday is our weekly Day of Insanity!

Birthday Meal on the table

The Hogbake

The Trifle

Hotroot Sunsalad

Birthday Boy

Strawberry Fizz

Birthday Plate

Here is a link to someone else (Fiction Food Blog) who shared the same dishes.  

Not sure how legal it is to put the recipes up but she did so snag them here if you wish!

Whole30 - Day 22 and counting down

After thinking that I had totally missed the weird dreams about food phase I had one last night.  It was crazy... I inhaled a loaf of bread in the dream but the funniest thing is that I don't even think about bread anymore.  I think it was more about the panic I felt after I ate it and the feeling of not ever wanting to be in that stage of eating desperation ever again.  I have decided that when I do put whole wheat back in to test the old system it will be homemade bread and not store bought ever again.  I say never again because I want only whole food going in from now on... that may not be possible but I can sure try.  I need to institute a weekly baking day again like I used to have before this Lupus mess took over.  I think I can pull it off.  

I have been repeating a lot of my meals and eating simple things for breakfast like the granola, fruit and a breakfast meat and the sweet potato hash with an egg on top.  They are becoming favorites and I know I will continue to enjoy them long after this is over.  

I have had some leg and foot cramping this week some.  I am adding a multivitamin back into my routine and am upping my water and a bit more salt to see if that is helpful.  I know I am getting enough potassium because I get a lot of potatoes and bananas weekly.  I also still enjoy a variety of nuts and dried fruits.  I think the issue is more a lack of magnesium and potassium.  I dropped a lot of mag heavy foods out when I started this 30 day process.  I think my body is rebelling due to that deficiency.  

Here are a few newer foods I have eaten lately...

In other news we are closing in on the end of school.

The band concert is over and we are biding our time until the choir concert is over next Wednesday night.  The kids have finished up all their major state and college prep testing and they are moving into "dead week" and then class semester finals.  I think they are exempt from most of them so that will be a very light week.  They run school here until the second week of June... which I have always thought was absolutely insane!  That is too long.

Em starts driver's education and then we start packing and prepping kids for their various summer camps and trips.  There might actually be one week all summer where we are all home together.  It will be a little crazy but the kids have really been looking forward to scout camps, youth camps and mission trip adventures so I am not sweating it.  I will take them when I can get them and pray for them non-stop along the way.

We will have a new senior in a little more than two weeks and that has enough crazy of it's own.  I am letting my girl enjoy the summer she has with friends and trips before that consumes our world.  They grow up so quickly!

I am ending this post with a few pics for Mamaw...  

The middles at their band banquet

Mother, please stop taking pictures!

Emily trying to get David to do something and he is refusing....

 I have no idea!  

LOL  It was just a funny photo.

The boys prepped food for Mother's Day... 

Josh is quite the grill master when Dad is supervising

David tossing salad at Grandma's house

Em playing her solo at the school class piano recital.

Now, you have been photo blasted!  LOL

Have an amazing Memorial Day Weekend.  

I will check in if I get a chance tomorrow and probably Monday.  

Blessings to you and yours!

A New Month... a New Plan

Tomorrow I start the Whole30 plan.  I have decided to do the Autoimmune Protocol version for those who have Autoimmune issues (Lupus is one).  It is also Lupus Awareness Month so I will be sharing some stuff on that, too.

Goals for May...

1.  Restarting the 100 Days of Change challenge and the first 30 days will be Whole30 for eating.  I am restarting an exercise program, too.  Pilates, some walking, and light weight training.

2.  Choose four areas to clean and clear... one per week, and work through clearing and purging more stuff from the house.  There will be photos.

3.  Drink 64 to 80 ounces of water per day

4.  Read at least 50 pages in a book other than the Bible every single day.

5.  Continue with BIAY Bible reading plan on YouVersion.  I have a few days to catch up but I can do that tomorrow and Saturday and then be back on track.

6.  Whole30 requires detailed meal planning and shopping and I will be reserving one day per week to cook meals ahead of time.

7.  Blog at least 3 days per week.

8.  I just joined a few book reviewer sites and will be reading and reviewing more books each month.  I am very excited about this prospect!

9.  Get herb garden and tomato and pepper garden in order for the summer.  There will be photos here, too.

10.  Photograph something every day.... no particular themes just take more pictures and share them here, Instagram or FB.

Ten is plenty!

Do you have some goals for May?

What are you working on improving in your world this coming month?

Someone had a birthday yesterday 

(Dan turned 50) 

and we celebrated with Dr. Pepper Chocolate Cake.  Thought you might like to see it.  It was so rich and yummy.  It doesn't take a very big piece to overload your sweet sensors.

Cake and frosting made with Dr. Pepper in them

This cake took me about two hours start to finish and I refrigerated it to solidify all that frosting so it would not run.

Such a yummy cake!  We will be having this one again.

Newsy Hodge Podge...

I am confined to one end of the house today.

We got a new air conditioning unit on Friday and while they were installing it they discovered rusted ducts in one section.... down the main hallway between the living areas and the bedrooms.  They are tearing the whole mess out today and installing new ones.  We finally made the switch from evaporated air to central heating and cooling and I could not be more thrilled!  We will finally have a cool summer inside while it is sweltering outside.  I just took an allergy pill, though, because this will be a rough day of rust and dust and dead bug stuff coming from the vents until it is finished. 

The kids are all preparing for AP exams this week and so our schedule is going to be long and crazy for them and there are two birthdays this week.  My Daddy turns 78 and my husband turns 50.  We will try to carve out time for a Dr. Pepper cake and maybe some homemade ice cream.  We would typically just buy Blue Bell but, well, there is none right now in the freezers at any of our stores in town.  We don't buy anything else so, to us, homemade is the only other option.  Dan will not be heartbroken over it, I can assure you. 

I caved on the read-a-thon at some point around midnight on Saturday because I had church on Sunday and needed to be wide awake for that but I did finish A Raisin in the Sun before I closed my eyes.  This was the second time I have read this play.  I plan on watching the play with my daughter at some point over the next few weeks.... the Sidney Poitier version and a newer version made just a few years ago.  Em finished the book over spring break so it will be a treat to see it together.  It is coming from Netflix in the mail.  

Dan and the boys had a camping weekend while Em and I did the Secret Church on Friday and read all day Saturday.  She was working on her studies for history while I read other books.  She made it out to praise team practice and then youth study Saturday evening.  The men folk got in early Sunday morning and then we did our typical crazy Sunday schedule.  The Korean church celebrated Dan with a cake yesterday.  They have loved on us well since we started there almost a year ago.  They are a precious group of people!

There were two cakes... Dan had the smaller of the two and the second one was for a 47th wedding anniversary of a couple in the church.  Dan is always glad to share.  You can see from his body language in this photo below he is not an attention seeking person.  He is always humbled when people celebrate him in any way.

My man!

I am taking on a few more work days lately so that my friend can get to doctor's appointments and physical therapy.  She is doing very well and I am glad to be able to help out.  She is very generous with feeding and compensating us for our time, too.  I love spending time with her.  We have become quite the pals over the last year.  She is a precious woman.  

Everything is good news coming from our oldest and we are grateful for all his amazing opportunities.  The teenagers are so crazy busy they barely have time to breathe but we have about 5 1/2 weeks of school left before summer begins for them.  There will be scout camps and youth camps and mission trips this summer so it won't slow down much but this will be the fun stuff with no homework.  Our youngest is getting excited about going to public school next year and we will no longer be a homeschooling family come June.  It is bittersweet but I know God has designed such an amazing situation for us to be able to home school and then "public school" our children with some of the best teachers we could ask for.  We do have quite an unusual opportunity where we are because of Dan's job and because of the situation with our high school being connected with a military post.  We have some real quality educators and many are Christians, too!  

I am starting the Whole30 plan on Friday this week (May 1st).  I am making some menu plans and continuing to read the two books I have on this topic.... It Starts With Food and The Whole30 both by Melissa and Dallas Hartwig.  I will do a big grocery run over at Sprouts on Thursday of this week to load us up with the good stuff.  Dan is doing at least dinners with me and the kids are usually game for whatever I am serving whenever they are home so no worries about them.  I know there will be a request or two for muffins and desserts but they have been given notice we are doing 30 days off of that but they will get to keep their tortillas and bread for sandwiches and breakfast burritos.  They will live.  

Some of you might like to see some more of my decluttering for 2015 so I worked on one of my desks last week.  Dan had refinished this a few years ago and it got piled on when my paper shredder broke.  I got a new one and so I went through everything and either ditched it, put it in a new home, or shredded it.  Here is the progression...

Piled high and ready to topple

I can see the top but the notebooks are still piled high and ready to be cleaned out

The finished product ready to use for a workspace.  Look at that lovely old desk!  It was my Meemaw's vanity desk way back when I was a wee lass.  It used to have an old mirror that went with it but that wore out many years ago.  I have a little bench that goes with it but prefer a chair so the bend is somewhere else in the house.

I am choosing a new area to work on this week.  

Eating the elephant one bite at a time is just the way to go for me.  

 That's the news from our little corner of the world.  I will work on a linky post for later in the week with lots of stuff to read and check out.  

A Pinterest Win.... and more....

I often find that things I find on Pinterest are hit or miss when it comes to recipes but this particular cake recipe was a complete win and is going in my permanent file.  

Thanks to the Baker Upstairs for her magnificent Fresh Strawberry Cake.  

It was a lovely way to finish our Easter meal today.  

Here are my process photos...

The cake base for the cake uses a strawberry puree.  It is a very fresh flavor!  I love using natural ingredients and making cakes from "scratch"

Putting the layers together... 

you could cut the sections in half and have four layers if you like.  

I chose not to this time out.

My kitchen is hot this time of year because we have not turned the air on yet but I frosted in layers.  I gave it a crumb coat and then chilled it.  

I gave it a second coat of frosting and then smoothed it out.

This is what was left after lunch today...

and a little different angle

It was a huge hit and I followed the instructions to the letter from The Baker Upstairs' recipe.  It is going into our permanent rotation for holidays and birthdays.  It is the perfect strawberry season cake!

A few more pictures from today....

What does one do on a snow day?

We do not get a ton of snow where we live so the first thing I do is take some pictures to document it.  I probably share that documentation on Facebook for those who will never believe me without proof.  Hahaha

We are literally living in a Winter Wonderland today.  It has been coming down since about 6:00am... without stopping.  The kids are all getting out of school within the next hour or so and Dan is making his way home.  He is picking kids up as he makes his way here.  

So, what does one do in this weather?  

Maybe a bit of laundry to start the day.

I did make a run to deliver some food to a friend early this morning.  People here drive crazy in this weather.  It does not help that visibility is poor today but when you try to give them a wide berth and they are still ugly and try to push you off the road... well, what is a person suppose to do?  He did not kill me but one guy tried to freak me out.  I stayed the course and out of his way and hopefully, he did not kill someone else in his attempt to be a narcissistic road hog.

I came home to snap some photos and start a fire but as the snow has piled up higher and higher I have been randomly snapping more photos.

I have been doing a Plan To Eat video tutorial with Kat Lee over at Inspiredtoaction.com this week.  She has had a new session every day to teach us how to use the Plan To Eat system.  It has been very informative.

I have been spending time this week setting my new account up and plugging in recipes and menus and it has already been a huge help in making my week smoother.  If you want to be able to use your own recipes but still benefit from an online planner and shopping list then I highly recommend this system.  I have tried other systems but they send me THEIR menus and I never use all they send me because I am constantly substituting my own menus and recipes instead.  This lets me try new things but still use my old standby recipes and favorites in an organized convenient fashion.  There is even a button you can place in your bookmark bar at the top of your page and save new things you find as you roam around the internet, too.  It is an amazing system and very affordable!  Click on the link in my sidebar to learn more and, if you are so inclined, sign up for your own account.  It is SO worth it!

I am also plugging away at integrating the Bullet Journal system into my life more and more each day.  I talked about it back in October and I am still using it.  It makes my brain very happy to just have everything in one place all the time.  I have been updating and plugging in some new stuff today as I am working around the house and on the computer.  I have a few study notes I still need to add.

The inside is a catch-all for lists, reminders, quotes/scripture verses, notes, and planning my life in general.

The outside is a Moleskine purple thing of beauty!

It is my brain.

I am also boiling a chicken today...

There will be chicken and dumplings to warm my cold family tonight.

I am not sure what tomorrow will look like.  One never knows in the desert whether the sun will come out and all traces of a snow day will vanish so, we are taking advantage of it today.  The children will go out and try to play in it until they are too cold and then they will track muddy messes in but I don't care.  I can clean it all tomorrow.  I am a lover of snow and snow days because they are few and far between in this part of the world so we will enjoy it in all it's splendor until it is no more.