Friday's Five Fave #3

This week I have looked for what my 5 faves would be all week ! LOL . It was a refreshing way to approach things .
1. Whan last summers shorts still fit ! LOL
I got out all the summer clothes and was pulling on the shorts with trepidation ! I was sure they would not go up ! But they did ...and they are not tight , just comfy ! Yay !

2. Having gran-pups ! Our sons Pitt-bull had 8 pups this week . They are ugly and cute all at the same time . I will try to post some pics on here soon .

3. Things that work as advertised . We are in high pollen season here and everything is yellow . I bought one of those swiffer dusters and it really did pick the pollen up and hold on to it ! My fave is how well it did the TV and all the little nooks and crevices in the back . Good product !

4. Coupons for things I really need ! This week I had a $3 coupon on dog food and $1 off the swiffer duster mentioned in #3 ! I am getting good at looking for printable coupons on line too . The Avenue has a $10 coupon which I think my daughter will use today . They have the best "foundation garments" there ! more on that later too !

5. Watching things grow ! I have 9 tomato plants on the window sill ...almost ready to go to the garden . I also have some new baby plants poking up . The wonderful , new leaves still have seeds on them ...it looks like they are praying ! Ahhh...love that !

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend ! Be looking for what makes your heart smile next week . It really does change your attitude ! :-)

Friday's Five Fave

I am back for a second round ! Yea !

#1. My absolute fave this week is the RAIN we had yesterday ! After several day with pollen counts hovering around 6000 , it RAINED and washed the air clean ! Easier breathing and cleaning for so many . Thank You GOD for the rain !

#2. Going to the thrift store and leaving empty handed . I think it speaks much about contentment level for me . Now don't get me wrong , I love a good deal ! In fact I am going on the hunt for a yard sale or 2 as soon as I am done here !

#3. Homeschool flexibility ! We can make the school day fit the rest of of life . When we need to visit someone in the hospital , we just work around that . When my son comes home from CAP and says he needs to teach a safety class ...we can make it fit into school time . I love that!

#4. Hot coffee on a chilly morning . Ummm...my hubby left me some in the pot this morning .

#5. WIsteria ....it's everywhere here in GA now and it smells heavenly ! I know it is a pest of a plant but it is beautiful (and I LOVE the smell !)

Menu Plan Monday

I am trying to get back to menu planning . I do so much better when I have a plan . Less trips to the grocery , to the drive-thru etc... less stress at 5pm when I realize I haven't got a CLUE ! LOL

Sunday we had a crock-pot mis-hap ! For some reason the roast did not get done ! So after church the princess and I were scrambling for what to make the family for our after church meal ! We ended up with quite the feast ! Left-over grilled chicken , salad, steam veggies and chips with cheese dip !

M- When the roast did get done late Sunday after-noon I broke it apart and refrigerated it . So tonight we will have pulled pork in gravy over rice . The prince , who is gravy phobic any other time LOVES this ! LOL

I will add some mixed veggies with it and some sweet tea

T- hamburgers and brats on the grill ! Served with chips and green shake smoothies

W-chicken and dumplins ! And hopefully enough to share with the Pastor .

T- Pork chops with baked potatoes(w/real butter,sour cream& fresh chives) and steamed green beans

F- Making an finger food to take to home group meeting

S- Steaks on the grill , baked sweet potato and salad

S- Crock-pot beans and cornbread (hope to have my new oval crock-pot by then!)

Ya'll have a blessed week !

Saturday at last....

Ah....Finally a Saturday with-out alot of demands .
Oh, don't get me wrong, there's plenty to do . The "to do list" is as long as ever ! Some things on the list have to wait until there is money enough to do them (like building the new deck) . But...the kids are at Gram & Papa's , and it's just us and Abby home . We slept later than normal , had egg and cheese sandwiches for breakfast and did some cyber surfing . Sitting here listening to the wind chimes ring in the delightfully cool spring breeze . It is in the 68-75 degree range .
I think DH is feeling the call of the grass . The mowers need to be checked over since the first trim of the season is surely only days away . The garden is needing tilled . Our church is planning a community garden for the first time this year . I want to help and am excited to see what God will do with it !
Well , have a joyous Resurrection Sunday !
See ya back here on Monday for MPM .

Friday's Five Fave

Ok ....this is my first try at this so hereeeeeeeeee goes !

1. In honor of Good Friday .........

I thank Jesus for all He has done for me (for the world! John 3:16-17)

2. I am surrounded by beautiful spring flowers !

3. My min-pin Abby is my fave !

4. Spring isn't my favorite season ........but I am glad it's here ! GA is SOOOOOOOOO beautiful in the spring !

5. And last , for this week, my current fave song :-) Derek Webb "Wedding Dress" you can look it up on youtube and have a quick listen for free !

Well .... it wasn't fancy . But not bad for my frist try !

Have a blessed Resurrection Weekend !

Everytime I say I want to try to post with some regularity it seems LONGER between postings ! It is silly really !
I have been trying to stick with menu planning fairly loosely ; mostly in my head . I have not been posting it. But with my DH home last week and this week failure to plan is certainly planning to fail . I may occasionallly be able to tell the kids that it is fend for yourself night but that will just not do for my hard-working man . LOL
Case in point , this morning it is 22 degrees and he is in the shop , handling all manner of tools and frozen steel . While we are in the nice warm house , cats and all . I am getting ready to have a cup of "Pure Empower-mint" tea (my fave!) My hubby has to be drinking coffee and adding and subtracting layers of clothes through out the day . He is a good man and a hard worker !
I am trying to participate in FlyLady's decluttering olympics . Yesterday didn't go so good but as MS marla says ...you are not behind , jump in where you are .
I did do a major closet clean out . Then I got stuck thinking about how much $$ I had spent on those clothes I was trying to purge , Ironically 1/2 of what was in the basket I actually bought new 1 ;-( ! I am the Good Will diva for the most part ! LOL
I also started doing Breaking Free Bible study by Beth moore . I am LOVING it . She encourages you to dig into the word and explore it . Think for yourself and then own it . there are a few questions that are introspective enough to sting a little . But we are hanging in there ! LOL
There are only 6 of us in the group and that includes the facilitator !
Back to the idea of menu planning...
I made Beef Stew in the oven for after church on Sunday . It turned out spectacular ! I used beef I had gotten on the markdown sale at my local grocery . I added 2 bags of frozen "for stew" veggies . The recipe on the veggie bag called for tomato soup and I couldn't find any so I sub-ed some beef broth (with no MSG) and some organic speg. sauce I had in the fridge. It cooked in the cast iron dutch oven at 250 degrees for about 5 hours . YUM ! I made some quick garlic cheese bread out of some hogie rolls . It is SO nice to have something new to add to the usual winter rotation .
I am ALWAYS looking for suggestions for after church meals to help keep us from going out . My DH is out of town allot with his work and that means he eats out all the time. So it is good for him to have nutritious , home cooked meals for body and mind . And on the financial side there are usually 6 of us and even at the Chinese cheap lunch , that adds up fast !
OK ........I guess I have prattled on long enough .
YA'LL have a great week and I will try to get get back here next week and post a menu plan . :-) Maybe I will manage to spend less at the grocery that way .

A new year !

I am very excited to have a new year ! I am trying to get back into menu planning , organizing and baking ! The weather is definately co-operating on the baking end ! Wowzers ! It is SERIOUSLY COLD ! It isn't expected to crest the freezing mark today . This is GA folks...it ain't supposed to be this cold . I am Thanking God for the sun-shine tho' and least I can open the curtains and park the car in it ! Yes...simple pleasures !
Looking forward to posting more here too . See ya'll back soon !