What's Up Wednesday ~ January 2024

 Can we all say amen to the last day of January?   Here is a recap of the month....

What I'm eating this week.......

Monday - dinner at a friend's house

Tuesday - I made the chicken recipe recommended by Jennifer last week.  I halved the recipe and put 3 chicken breast, 1 package of ranch dressing and a package of cream cheese in the slow cooker.  I served it with roasted potatoes, onions & bread.

Wednesday - BBQ tacos

Thursday - maybe breakfast food? 

Friday - weekend celebrating my daughter's birthday!

What I'm reminiscing about.....

Sometimes this question honestly makes me sad because I wish I could turn back time, but clearly I know that isn't possible.  I wish I could turn back time on the last 4 years.  I think I will stop reminiscing and go forward!

What I'm loving....

I am loving seeing the sun this week.  After a week of snow and then rain, the sun is welcomed!

What I've been up to.....

Surviving January....I have been working a little, but also feel like I have been home a lot after a week of being snowed in this month.

What I'm dreading....

I have some hard things going on in life right now, so sadly, I have many things.  I am trying to stay positive, but would love prayers for some encouragement to stay strong and keep going.

What I'm working on.....

I am making sourdough every week and currently making some plans for a spring trip!

What I'm watching/reading.....

I watched Fool Me Once and it was very interesting.  I finally caught up on all my Hallmark Christmas movies, but admitedly, there were a lot I started that didn't keep my interest until the end.  I also started watching season 2 of "The Way Home" on Hallmark.

I had heard a lot of about the book "How to Stay Married", so I read it last week and it was so well written.

What I'm listening to.....

I'm listening to sounds of the ocean when I sleep.  I am also listening to the Big Boo Podcast, Let's Read the Gospels, Our Time to Rise, Midlife Matters and a few other podcasts.

What I'm wearing....

A mix of everything it seems this week!

I wore a lot of sweatshirts and comfort clothes when I was home for a week.  Now I am back to dresses and sweaters/pants for my daily work routine.  This past Sunday, I borrowed a jacket from my college girl's collection of clothes.  I forget I can go to her closet and borrow a few things, ha! I wore this jacket over a black dress with wedges. I'm not great at these "mirror" pictures of outfits, which is why I don't share what I wear a lot in pictures.

What I'm doing this weekend.....

I am going to celebrate my oldest birthday and will get to see both girls!   

What I'm looking forward to next month....

I am looking forward to seeing both my girls.  It sometimes seems rare that I see them both at the same time outside of holidays.  That seems so strange to say.  

What else is new....

Not new, but I am thankful for this community and friends made!

Monthly Musings ~ January 2024

 Happy Thursday!  I am linking up with Patty and Holly for the first Monthly Musings of 2024.

1.  How do you take care of yourself in winter?

I try to keep my routines the same and take it day by day.  I enjoy the cooler temperatures vs. the extreme hot.  I feel like our winters are short lived, so I try not to rush it.  That being said, when our city shuts down for a week due to snow, I am ready to see it go after a week!

2.  How do you fight the winter blues?

The past few years we have gone on a short weekend trip to a new place to us that is within 3-5 hours.

3.  Tips to make your living space cozy?

I still enjoy keeping white lights on above my fireplace, candles and lots of blankets on the couch.  This winter, I even plugged up an electric blanket on the sofa because the den area is one of the coldest rooms of the house.

4.  Suggestions for fun witnertime activities?

Ice skating!  I think I would like to try this each winter now that I have done it the past 2 winters.  

5.  What are your exercise routines in the winter?

Sadly, it is not much of anything right now.  I really need to get back on the treadmill and lift some hand weights.

6.  Best tips for restful sleep?

Unfortunately, I am not a great sleeper.  I feel like my mind races so much and I fight the enemy with thoughts in my head.  A few nights a week, I do take an over the counter pill to help me sleep.

7.  Favorite warm beverage?

My two warm beverages of choice are either hot tea or hot chocolate. I don't actually drink coffee :).

8.  Best winter skin care tips?

I usually keep my same skin care routine, but I make sure I keep my skin moisturized well in the winter.

9.  Flannel sheets - yes or no?

Yes.  I usually keep flannel sheets on the bed from November - April.

10.  Favorite winter pajamas?

I stay pretty warm when I sleep, so I don't sleep in super warm pajamas, but I did get a new pair of lightweight winter pajamas from Christmas which I like.

Hope your week is going well!

Wednesday Hodgepodge ~ 1/24/24

I have read Wednesday Hodgepodge posts, but this is my first time to link up with this fun post! 

1. Do you have a word for the year (WOTY)? If so, and you'd like to share, please share. How do you decide on a word? If you don't have a word are you still on the hunt for one for 2024? 

I have not given this much thought this year until this prompt.  The first word that came to mind was change.  I see this being a year of change.  I am hopeful the changes will be for good, but know it will come with some pains. Last year, my word was listen.  

2. January 23rd is National Pie Day...will you celebrate? Do you like pie? What's your favorite? 

I missed this, but I do love a pie.  My favorite is Key Lime Pie, but I also am a fan of lemon and strawberry pie too.

3. Tipping. What are your thoughts, expectations, as to who, when where? Do you appreciate a store/restaurant giving a 'suggested amount'? Have you ever left an extravagant tip? 

I haven't left an etragvagant tip, but I do believe in tipping!  I do appreciate a restaurant "doing the math" for me, but I don't always leave what they suggest, depending on how much that number is. I don't tip at places where I am ordering something at the counter though.  It seems like everywhere asks you if you want  to tip these days, as opposed to when you are just having table service.

4. Share with us one household 'tip' that works for you.  

My random household tip is always keep a freezer meal on hand.  Whether it be precooked meat or a packaged meal, it is nice to have a quick meal ready to prepare after a long day.

5. Influencers on social media are people who've built a reputation for their knowledge and expertise on a particular subject. Do you follow any influencers online? Have you made a purchase or tried something new because of that 'influence'? If there's one you particularly enjoy tell us who they are and why you enjoy them. 

I have made several influencer purchases based on recommendations from Sheaffer and from the Big Boo Podcast.  I have also been influenced by readers here who have shared items.  My favorite item from Sheaffer are my Ugg boots that I bought in 2015!  One day soon, I may do a post on items the blog world "made me buy"!

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

I am so thankful our snow has melted and we are able to get out again this week, even in the pouring rain!  It seems like a lot of us are having rain this week, so stay safe and enjoy your day!

Share Our Lives ~ January 2024

This was a previous link up and I am so late to the party, but am coming in late anyway!

Introductions and Jobs You've Had

My name is Marilyn and I am in my 50's living in Tennessee. I grew up in North Mississippi and attended Delta State University in Cleveland, Mississippi.  After college, I moved back to my hometown until I got married.  I got married at Glacier National Park in 1998 and we moved to a suburb of Charlotte, North Carolina.  We lived there 5 years and our first born daughter was born there.  We moved to Memphis when she was 2 1/2 years old.  A year later, we had our second daughter.  They are almost 23 and 19 now.  

When the girls were 9 and 13, we moved to Bogota, Colombia in South America.  We lived there 3 years as missionaries.  It was a great experience, but also hard at times as well.  We met some wonderful people along the way though that I will treasure forever.  After living there for 3 years, we moved back to Memphis and have been here for 7 years. 

I began blogging 12 years ago.  I do blog most weeks, but certainly not every day.  I have taken a few breaks along the way as well.  I am thankful for this community and love this space!  

Here is a recap of past jobs I've had....(I can see pictures in my mind that were taken from some of these early jobs, but have no idea where they are.  Most of this all happened way before cell phones became our cameras!).

High School - My very first job was working on Saturdays at a needlework store.  I didn't work there too long. I then began working at the restaurant Golden Corral.  I worked there for 2 years and it was a lot of fun with my co-workers.

College - Probably one of my funnest jobs ever, I was a tour guide at Graceland during my summers/Christmas breaks during college.  I loved this job!  It was long hours, but so much fun!  I grew up an Elvis fan and still am.  Elvis was my first concert, July 1976.  That is always a fun fact to share!

After graduation - I majored in Aviation Management and have a Bachelors of Commercial Aviation.  I began work with Delta Air Lines after college graduation, where I worked for a year and then our office was closed.  This was pre-internet, so I was a reservations agent.  Basically, you called me at Delta to book your trip in the 90's.  When our office closed, I began working as a corporate travel agent.  I did this until I had kids.  I went back to work when we moved back to Memphis from North Carolina, but then stopped working after Brook was born.

For the next 9 years, I homeschooled my girls.  Then we moved to Bogota.  

After Bogota - When we came back to Memphis from Bogota, I went back to being a corporate travel agent.  I was working full time until the pandemic when business travel came to a halt.  It was the last to come back.  

After pandemic - I began working at a non-profit 2 1/2 years ago.  I am program director and we help families who have critically and chronically ill children with their non-medical needs.  I also began working last fall for a company that books Lyfts for senior citizens in the Atlanta area.  I currently work part time at both of these jobs.  I love the flexibility they offer.  

I am hopeful I have a lot of life left and will see where the road takes me from here.  So much has changed in the last 10/5/3 years, so I have learned to be flexible, or should I say, always learning as it is ongoing.  I am thankful for all of these opportunities the Lord has provided for me.

Thanks for reading along!

 

 

Weekend Wrap-Up ~ January 22, 2024

 

Good morning!  I am happy to report it is suppose be above freezing today and by tomorrow night, the lows will be above freezing.  However, schools are still closed in the area due to the side streets still being so slick.  I hope to be back at work this morning, but I did have a low grade fever last night. I am guessing it will probably be a busy week, but I need some busyness though after being home all last week due to the beautiful snow.  These are views from Sunday:

The cove ice is beginning to melt, but our driveway still has lots of slippery places.  It is crazy it is a week later and this snow is still sticking around.  Look at this ice on our house!

My weekend was pretty non-eventful.  I worked Friday morning from home, stayed home Saturday again but was able to get out Sunday finally and went to church.  It was so good to see people.  I also put away the Chrsitmas decorations!!  

Before....and after.  I pulled out a few Valentine decorations on the bed, but will leave them there for another week.

Sunday afternoon, I alternated between snacking on Caramel M&M's (so good!), working a puzzle and reading a book, all while having a small space heater right by me.

Since not much else happened, I am giving a re-cap of the prior weekend.  

We went over to Bentonville, Arkansas to have a January get-away.  January is usually a blah month, so I like to have a weekend trip every year in January.  We left Friday midday and started the trip with lunch at Cracker Barrell. We had these hasbrown tater tots, a new menu item they have.

Friday night, we went to a Mexican restaurant that has great reviews and I actually went to this same place last fall.  Saturday morning, we went to the Marrs Mercantile.  Have you guys seen the HGTV show Fixer to Fabulous?  This is the Mercantile of Dave and Jenny Marrs, the hosts of the show & they remodel houses in Bentonville.  It was a cute little store and we rode around to look at some of their house show remodels.

We got some pizza and calzones for lunch then found a place to go outdoor ice skating.  I went last year in New York City, but it took me a while to get going again this time.  Ice skating is hard! However, it is fun at the same time.  I am just thankful I didn't fall and hurt myself!

I had packed food and we ate dinner in our hotel room. We stayed at a Candlewood Suites, so it had a full kitchen.  I also brought food for breakfast that we ate in the room both mornings.  We drove by the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville on our drive home Sunday.  It started snowing around Little Rock, but thankfully, we were able to make it home before the roads really got too bad.  

The skyline of Memphis as we were driving from Arkansas crossing into Tennessee

I am so glad we did this, especially not knowing I would be snowed in for the next week!

Enjoy your Monday friends!

Friday Favorites/Snow Week ~ January 19, 2024

Well, happy Friday folks!  I hope you have had a good week.  What have I learned this week?  I have learned that it takes approximately 4 days to be snowed in before I am motivated to do much at all.  Apparently, more time at home is not the answer to me getting things done.  Have I put away my Christmas stuff yet? No I have not.  That is where my January 2024 is. I took it all down weeks ago, but it is all sitting on the floor/bed of the guest room.  My goal tomorrow is to put it all away!  

So the snow here started Sunday afternoon.  As of this morning, I have left the neighborhood once this week.  Wednesday afternoon, my husband drove me to Kroger to get some groceries.  The roads got bad again yesterday after the snow is freezing each night.  On Sunday, it is finally suppose to be above freezing!  Here are pictures from the week........

Sunday evening at the beginning of the snow.   

At this point Monday morning, we had 4 1/2 inches.  It got up to 6 inches at our house.

I do love to watch the snow fall!

 

I took a seat at the dining room table and started a puzzle.  I haven't made a lot of progress on this puzzle because there are just 3 colors total in this puzzle. This was a gift and I jokingly wondered if they were mad at me when they picked out such a hard puzzle, ha!

Monday afternoon, we took a walk to the sledding hill by the lake in our neighborhood.  This sure made me miss having the girls home for this.

The snow by the lake is so pretty.

The customary house in the snow picture!

Tuesday, we took a walk through the wooded area of the neighborhood.

There is a pond in the neighborhood as well.  On the walk, our dog walked along the edge of it and quickly realized it was ice and he fell through.  He probably stayed in the same position just trying to move for about 60 seconds.  We were coaching him back to the edge, found a stick to throw to him, and he finally made it out of the water.

My husband had taken a backpack with him and quickly put his outdoor skills to work by building a fire.  Stache, our dog, tried to warm up quickly.

I did too!  It was cold.

Thankfully, the sun was shining. It is so pretty through the bare trees.

I sat in the hammock and enjoyed the views of the snow and fire.

This beautiful view is on our walk back.  I love the canopy of trees here.

On the way home, I fell on my back and hit my tailbone and head.  Thankfully, I basically just walked away with a bad headache.  I rested that night and took some medicine.

I have worked from home some this week, but it has certainly not been as much as a typical week.  I haven't put away Christmas stuff, but I have cooked!

I made 2 loaves of sourdough bread, brownies, soup, grilled cheese sandwiches and snacks.

This was lunch yesterday...pimento cheese, apples, crackers, turkey breast slices, and candied pecans.

Then later, I had popcorn mixed with caramel M&M's. This is so good.  I also ordered this book and it came in the mail this week.  I hope to start reading it this weekend. Have any of you read it yet?

We also had a frozen drain pipe in our washing machine, which has happened the last 2 years as well when we have a freeze.  Thankfully, we were able to de-thaw it and clean up the water with no damage to anything.

As much as I love the snowy views, I think we will all be ready to leave the house come next week.  It could be a crazy week with everyone getting out and about again, so I'm trying to soak in a few more days of low keyness.

I hope you all have a safe, warm weekend.  

Now I need to go put away Christmas decorations!!!

Amazon January 2024

Good Monday morning!  My weekend was pretty calm.  I basically stayed home, made more sourdough bread, saw a pretty sunset, did a little organizing and watched tv.  Brook made it back to school and starts classes today, so thanks for praying for her.  The highlight was having dinner with our friend Jennifer on Sunday night!

So thankful we live close and for her friendship! 

I am linking up with Tanya today for the first Prime Purchases of 2024.

Most of my Amazon purchases in December were Christmas gifts, but here are a few that were for me :).

My nighttime face cream has become a regular.  I use this each night on my face and neck and it is at a great price point if you need a new face cream.

I have wanted to try eye patches, because I feel like the signs of aging and tiredness are showing on me more and more.  I just received these last week, so I will see in a few weeks or so if I see any results.

I have a small lumbar holiday pillow, but it was showing it's age, even with some seams coming undone.  I purchased this pillow cover and just covered the one that doesn't look so good anymore.  I am glad to have a new winter pillow I can use for a few months and love buying pillow covers!  

Other random purchases have been a dutch oven from Target to use for baking sourdough bread.

I also bought a vew varieties of these candles from Target when they had a sale last week.

I am going to try to not purchase quite as much this year as the costs add up and I also want to downsize my "stuff".  However, it is always still fun to see what everyone buys and I admit, I am influenced!  

Hope it is a good start to your week!