Currently Hodgepodging ~ February 4, 2026

The temperatures are above freezing finally!  What a great way to celebrate by participating in Hodgepodge and Currently with our 2 great hosts, Joyce and Amy!

1. The Winter Olympics kick off on Friday, February 6th...on a scale of 1-10 how excited are you? (1= eh and 10=watching every event all day every day). What's your favorite Winter Olympic sporting event? 

I love watching the opening ceremonies to the Olympics and seeing all the countries represented.  I know they are all competing, yet it seems like such a time of the world coming together too.

I enjoy watching the ski jumping because I am in awe of how people really do this.  Ice skating is also fun to watch!

2. In other sporting news, the Superbowl (American football's championship game) will be played on Sunday, February 8th. So tell us...what's your superpower?

Oh, I wish I could time travel (in the words of Huey Lewis, back in time), but I don't have that superpower.

3. Are you a romantic? 

Unfortunately, yes.  Although, because it has been about 5 years since anything romantic has happened towards me, I would say I am less and less of one.  I just want someone to be kind at this point, much less romantic.  

4. Blue cheese-yay or nay? How about feta? If you said yes to one or both, what's a dish you like that calls for one of these? 

Blue cheese, not so much.  I do like feta cheese on a salad!  One of my favorites is spinach leaves, pecans, strawberry halves and feta cheese.  Adding grilled chicken to this is great too!

5. What's more important-doing what you love or loving what you do? 

I think there has to be a balance.  Doing what you love gives you energy, but it can change and doesn't always pays the bills in regard to a job.  Loving what you do means gratitude for what is before you.  

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Tomorrow is my firstborn's 25th birthday!!  I love this girl so much and look forward to seeing her.

Loving

I am currently loving that it isn't January, ha!  I thought it was going to be okay, but mercy, I could have done without January 2026 for many reasons.  No thank you.  Here's to February being better.  Bye winter decor!

Baking/Cooking

Due to the cold weather and being at home so much, I have done some cooking lately:

Pork, veggies and sweet potato fries

Sourdough bread

Scrambled eggs with crumbled turkey sausage & cheese was for breakfast several days last week.

Chili

Watching/Reading

I finished these first 3 shows during the snow week and am in progress watching the other one.

Planning

I have been planning a few trips.  I have a blog trip, a trip to watch my daughter graduate, and an epic end of the summer trip that has been in the works for over a year!

Savoring

I have been savoring any night where I sleep all the way through more than 6 hours.  It rarely happens, so when it does, I am so thankful,

Hope you have a great Wednesday and thanks for reading!

 

Currently Hodgepodging ~ January 7, 2026

I hope 2026 is treating everyone okay.  Mine has had some ups and downs, but upward and onward starting with the first 2026 Hodgepodge with Joyce!

1. What are three words you would use to describe your 2025? 

Brave

Travel

Tears

2. I ask this question every January, and I always get comments about how we shouldn't be banning words. This is fun and games so just play along : ) 

Every January 1st since 1976 Lake Superior University has published a list of words they'd like to see banished from the Queen's English. Words may be banished due to misuse, overuse, or just general uselessness (go here to read about how the words are chosen). Here's the list for 2026- 

67 • demure • cooked • massive • incentivize • full stop • perfect • gift/gifted  • my bad • reach out 

Which one (if any) do you use most often? Which one of these words/phrases would you most like to see banished from everyday speech and why? Is there a word you think should have made the list? 

I use perfect a lot to describe my agreement with something. I would say 6/7 is just general uselessness, although the little ones giggle over this a lot!

3. What are your nightly rituals? Is that different from your 'ideal' nightly ritual? If so what's your ideal? 

My nightly ritual is usually looking at my phone.  My ideal nightly ritual would be to have someone to talk to in person and kiss goodnight.

4. January 6th is/was National Bean Day. Do you like beans? Which one is your favorite? Last thing you ate made with beans? 

I do not like beans.  My family was going to make taco soup one night last week, but they said they were going to add beans.  We made spaghetti instead!  I don't like beans in soup, chili or as a side dish.  That includes baked beans and green beans.  I do like lima/butter beans though.  That is the exception.  

5. Are you easily embarrassed? Elaborate. 

Yes.  I was just embarrassed last week.  It is not my favorite.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

How exciting to join with my friend, Amy, as she begins hosting Currently this year.  Today I am sharing what I have been loving, resolving, planning, eating/drinking and watching /reading.

Loving

I am loving a clean space at my house, yet still have twinkle lights.  I am loving the hope of potentially catching up on a few things I need to do during these winter nights.  

Resolving

I am resolving to eat a little healthier and do better at meal planning.

Planning

This leads me right into planning meals!  One thing I would like to do is organize my recipes. This has been on my to-do list for a while.  I have so many recipes saved on my phone via Instagram or screen shots of ideas I see.  Now the challenge is how to organize these.  Ideas?  Do y'all still refer to pinterest for organizing your recipes?  

Eating/drinking

And this leads me to what I am eating/drinking!  Right now, I am trying to eat food that I have in my freezer.  I really want to eat more from this and then re-stock.  I have plenty of food here to not eat out for a while or grocery shop for things outside of basics. 

Watching/reading

I am not really reading anything at the moment.  I want to watch the new season of Emily in Paris.  I also started watching the new season of When Calls the Heart on Sunday.  

Have a great day friends!

Currently Hodgepodging ~ December 3, 2025

 It is always a joy to link up with Joyce for Hodgepodge & Jenn for Currently!

1. What does it mean to have the 'holiday spirit'? On a scale of 1-10 how is yours this year? (10=off the charts, 1=still looking for it)

I think the holiday spirit means enjoying the sights, sounds and scents of the season.  It means thinking of others and a season of giving.  I think I am about an 8 as of now, so that seems pretty good to me!

2. What's your favorite character from a (December) holiday-themed movie, book, or TV special? Tell us why. 

Right now, I would say George Bailey or Carol Brady.  George Bailey from "It's a Wonderful Life" because he wondered what life would have been like if he had never been born.  Then he saw the value of his life.  This is a reminder that each of us has value of life.  

Regarding Carol Brady, do you remember the Brady Bunch Christmas episode? Carol had laryngitis.  I have had laryngitis since last Thursday, but it is finally getting better!

3. Do you like gingerbread? Are gingerbread houses part of your holiday tradition? 

I am not a fan of gingerbread.  I have tried assembling gingerbread houses, but have never been successful!  

4. Much of our vocabulary is determined by where we live or where we grew up. What say you-

sprinkles or jimmies? lightning bugs or fireflies? soda or pop? sneakers, trainers, or tennis shoes? sub, hoagie, grinder, or hero? freeway, highway, or motorway? frosting or icing? sauce or gravy?

sprinkles, lightning bugs, soda, sneakers & tennis shoes, sub, interstate, icing, sauce

5. Share a favorite holiday memory from your childhood. 

I have so many sweet childhood memories.  Each Christmas, my siblings and I always took a picture in front of the Christmas tree holding a present.  We always had a real tree until I was probably in high school.  We always took a night to drive around and look at Christmas lights.  My grandmother would go with us.  She lived on a very limited budget as a widow.  I remember she would treat us to a Frosty or something from Wendy's fast food. We also would go every season to something downtown Memphis called The Enchanted Forest. It was a walk through indoor event of Christmas decor and enchanted forest creatures. At the end, we sat on Santa's lap and gave him our wish list!  Every Christmas morning, my grandparents would come over and see what we got.  

6.  Insert your own random thought here.  

I scrolled through some random pictures from lately and found this one.  During my move, I had some random clothes in my car.  At work one day, I shared that I had them and our 2 interns tried on wedding dresses!  First, I love these 2 interns we have had this semester.  I have a few wedding dresses...the one on the left was the wedding dress I bought with my first engagement.  I loved it and never got rid of it, even though it was never worn.  (I was engaged to someone else before I got married).  The dress on the right is the simple dress I got married in while standing on a trail in Montana. I even have another dress that I wore during a vow renewal ceremony.  It was fun to see them try on the dresses and they filmed a reel!

That is some randomness!  Now for Currently....

Loving

I am loving my new rental home!  I am so, so thankful.  I posted yesterday an update on my housing. I have lots of space & I think I know where most things are at this point after being here for 3 weeks now.  

Hoping

I am hoping for a fresh start as I am in a new place and will move again next summer.  I am hoping to rebuild in so many ways. I am hoping for a peaceful December and sweet time with people I love.

Doing

At the time of writing this, I have been doing all of my Christmas shopping! From Black Friday through Cyber Monday, I bought all of my gifts! Outside of a gift card, everything else has been purchased online.  The amount of packages due at my door is ridiculous.  Now it will be sorting all the things and then eventually wrapping them. I am thankful to be done with my shopping (outside of one more gift card).

Wearing

Like most other places, winter weather is here so I have quickly gone to sweaters for work and sweatshirts when I am at home.  I bought a new pair of leggings recently from Amazon that have pockets and are lined to keep me warm.

Seeing

I am loving seeing all the Christmas lights!  I love seeing them on the tree and a few other places I have them in the house.  Here are a few pictures...I will be doing a Christmas post next week.  Also, I love seeing all the Christmas lights on houses as I drive at night.

Such fun posts from Joyce and Jenn! 

Hope you all have a great day!

Currently Hodgepodging ~ November 5, 2025

Hi my blog friends!  I am a little sporadic with my blogging this week and next week due to so much going on in life, but I am linking up today with two of my favorites, Joyce and Jenn for Hodgepodge and Currently!

1. Besides Thanksgiving, something on your November calendar you're looking forward to? 

My birthday is next Tuesday, 11/11! I am also looking forward to my college student coming home this month.  I won't see my older daughter for the holiday.  

2. Dictionary.com's word of the year is '6-7'. Huh? 

Is it even a word??? I had to consult the internet to find out it's meaning because apparently I'm old and this particular slang is not part of my vocabulary. Is it part of yours? According to the article I read, it's a viral term, more of an inside joke with an unclear meaning driven by social media.

What do you think? 

Dictionary. com says it's selection each year is a 'linguistic time capsule reflecting social trends and events, but they also admitted to being confused by '6-7'. Some say it means so-so and is sometimes accompanied by the up and down hand motion we associate with the phrase so-so.

What word do you think would have made a better choice? 

I think it is an odd choice, but it is definitely a saying among youth. I am not sure what word I have chosen instead.  

3. What's a food, trend, activity, or thing people love but you think is just so-so? 

Some of the health crazes that are out there are so-so to me.  It's hard for me to think of things that are so-so.  It seems I either like or don't like a trend!  

4. Are you a tea drinker? Hot or cold? How do you like yours and at what time of day? Do you like flavored teas or teas billed as calming, energizing, healing, etc? 

I enjoy hot and cold tea!  I will drink a hot tea anytime of the day.  If I drink it at night, I will drink a sleepytime tea. I drink sweet tea anytime of the day, but I drink tea sweetened with stevia. I just discovered a London fog tea and it is delicious.  I like it with sugar free vanilla and almond milk.

5. The November Hodgepodge has always included a weekly gratitude question. Here's the question for today-what are three things that make your heart sing? 

A call from my girls

A hug from my greats

Laughing with friends

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Now a little Currently.....

Loving

I am loving this fall weather!  I love sitting outside around my fire pit and looking at my back yard. I also love this new railing that was just added!

Looking forward to

Celebrating my birthday next week with friends!

I am not sure what I am going to do during the day, but I have a party that night with friends.

Smelling

I am currently smelling a fire outside on my back porch. 

Preparing for 

I am preparing for a move soon!  I am knee deep in trying to sell a house, doing some more repairs and packing.  I will keep you posted, but this is what I am preparing for and what is keeping me busier these past few weeks.

Thankful for

I am thankful for nice weather.  I thankful for anytime I have with friends.  I am thankful for good music to entertain me when I am alone.  I am thankful for internet and my phone (just being real).  I am thankful for my parents and my siblings. I am thankful for my extended family, including all those precious greats.  Of course, I am extremely thankful for my daughters who are my lifeline in this world.  I am thankful for people rallying around me, especially during this transition time.  I am thankful to be single, although I do miss having someone to do simple things with quite often. I am thankful for my church.  I am thankful for Jesus, who loves me and gives me hope when I have none left in the lonely moments. 

I am also thankful for this blog community and my real life friends I have met through this!  Y'all are the best!  

Hugs and have a good day!

 

Currently Hodgepodging ~ September 3, 2025

 Happy Wednesday.  Today I am joining in with my favorite weekly Hodgepodge post and monthly Currently post. 

1. Next Sunday is Grandparent's Day. Share a favorite memory, photo, recipe, or something you learned from a grandparent. 

Oh, I adored my grandparents!  I just said last week the best man I ever knew was my grandfather, who I lovingly called Pop.  He passed away when I was a sophomore in college.  

Here is my sweet grandmother, who lived 19 years later without Pop by her side. She was an amazing woman as well.  

My other grandfather passed away when I was just a year and a half, so I don't have any memories of him unfortunately, but love hearing stories about him.  His wife, my grandmother, was also an amazing woman.  I don't have a picture here to show of her.  She passed away a few months after I got married so she never knew my kids.  

I am so thankful for the Christian legacy my grandparents left me by setting an example of loving Jesus and their families well.

Here are my parents as grandparents to my girls. Obviously, this picture was from quite a while ago!

And it has been so fun to see my parents become great grandparents!

This is also a picture from years past, but these are my in-laws, with my girls.  I am thankful my girls are blessed with knowing all of their grandparents.

2. What's a quote from a book (besides The Bible) that has stayed with you? 

These are not from a book, but two quotes that I say often are "Behavior is a language" and "Put on your own oxygen mask first".

3. What's your number one food pet peeve? 

Using raisins instead of chocolate chips in cookies?

Adding nuts in brownies?

4. What's one thing about you that is still the same as it was when you were young? 

I have always loved concerts and music!  Elvis was my first concert at age 5!  That was followed by the Osmonds & Shawn Cassidy.  Then I got into my teenage concert era in the 80's.  We always had music playing in my house. My girls now are familiar with a lot of older music! 

Posing with "Elvis" at a wax museum above and Graceland below.

I have seen Huey Lewis and the News more than any other performer, probably 10 times at least.

The 3 of us have been to see Harry Styles twice and he puts on a great show!

5. September is National Preparedness Month...does your family have an emergency plan? Do you have some sort of preparedness kit you keep on hand? If so, tell us one thing that's kept there. 

I have a an emergency fire blanket and a few fire extinguishers in my home.  The fire blanket is something I added in the last few years.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

My random thoughts lead into my Currently post.....

Here are the the things I am currently loving, beginning, ending, picking, and posting.

Loving

I am loving the cooler weather.  Even when it is still a little warm in the afternoons, the mornings and evenings are wonderful.  Now I just need to get outside more!

Beginning

I hope some work is beginning in the next few weeks to complete some punch list items that need to be done at my house.  

Ending

I am ending my summer with Brook.  She leaves tomorrow to return to her university.  This momma is sure going to miss a daily hug & seeing someone in my home. 

Picking

My first thought when reading this prompt is picking my battles.  I try to do this and the other thing I am picking is me!  I am picking me and trying to take care of myself.  Pick you my friends!  It will help you be a better person to those around you I believe.  

Posting

I try to do a monthly social media post on highlights from my month in pictures.  I sometimes will re-post something else or share an event/birthday online.  I am active on social media, but don't post every day.  I aim to blog 3 times a week, but as life goes, sometimes it is more or sometimes less. 

That's it for today!  Thanks for reading and enjoy your day!

Hodgepodge ~ August 6, 2025

 Good morning!  I am beginning the post linking up with Joyce for Hodgepodge!

1. The midpoint of summer (believe it or not) is August 7th. Describe a perfect summer day. Have you had one this year? 

I wouldn't say I have had a perfect day this year, but I have enjoyed some moments for sure.  What would that perfect day be? 

Maybe sleeping in after a good night's rest.  Waking up in a new place with my girls with me. We would eat a good breakfast, spend the afternoon swimming and playing with my great nieces and nephews.  An evening boat ride on a lake with a picnic dinner and a cute date would be a great ending.  Keep in mind I don't have a boat, lake or a cute date, but just dreaming :). 

2. What's one thing you wish you knew before starting high school? 

You won't remember 99% of the things that happen to you during this time!

3. What's something that bothers you if it's not done perfectly? 

I am thinking of breakfast foods.  I like scrambled eggs well done and bacon crispy!

4. What's the most overrated food you're convinced people are just pretending to enjoy? What's a trendy food you actually do enjoy and would say is definitely not overrated? 

sushi? I don't eat sushi, but I know a lot of people do like it.  

I enjoy blended cottage cheese in recipes and I feel like it is definitely having a moment with the push for us all to get extra protein.

5. Wrapping it up this week with five fun this or that's...

personal stylist or personal chef? 

Personal Stylist!  I would love to have a professional color analysis.

dance like nobody's watching or sing like nobody's listening? 

Dance like nobody's watching!  I love to move to the music.

unlimited tacos or free pizza? 

Free pizza

bookshelf organization-by size or by genre? 

genre

ten minutes late or ten minutes early? 

10 minutes early

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

My random leads me into this month's Currently prompts with Jenn!

Loving

I am loving the temperatures being back to normal, manageable summer weather this week and the cooler weekend we had.  I am loving having Brook home.  I know I say that a lot, but it is so true.  

Looking to

I am looking to others to help me with a few house projects.  I have a list of things I need to do to get my house ready to sell. I still don't know when that will be, this year or next, but I am trying to get a few things done here and have to hire people :(.

Scheduling

 I am always trying to schedule a trip!  I may try to have a quick trip in September.  This usually helps me as I adjust to not having Brook home. I always schedule little things on my calendar and write down most things so I don't forget!! 

Buying

I did a lot of Amazon buying this summer and still am working on that post to be released soon! Other than Amazon, I am buying food and that's about it.

Gearing up for

I am gearing up for the fall and lots of little things to bring me joy in the midst of dreading some hard things.  I am always trying to hold both joy and grief.

Sending lots of love to you on this Wednesday and thanks for reading!

Currently Hodgepodge ~ July 3, 2025

 

1. What does freedom mean to you? 

Freedom means the liberty to worship freely, own things, sell things, travel, speak freely with respect to other people and  still abiding by rules and having boundaries.

2. How will you celebrate Independence Day this year? If you live outside the USA answer this question as it relates to your own country's patriotic holiday, wherever that may land on the calendar. 

I will celebrate with family at my sister's home, who has a pool.  I am sure we will eat together and snack too.  I have no idea what I am bringing yet!

3. This or that...red, white, or blue? Stars or stripes? Watermelon, home made ice cream, or blueberry pie? How do you feel about fireworks?  

White

Stripes

Strawberry pie, if I can add a new choice :)

I am indifferent to fireworks.

4. What have you purchased recently that made you excited? 

I do plan on making an Amazon post soon, but until then, this one purchase that has made me excited.  I have a new purse and wanted some organization within my purse. I ordered these bags and love them!  They have a magnetic closure and keep little things organized.  I have some lipstick in one, makeup and hand sanitzer in one, eyeglass cleaner and some sweetener packets in another one (which I realize makes me sound old, but I don't care).  I love that they are different colors too.

5. I'm thankful to live in America (or fill in whatever country you call home) because____________.

I have lived in another country for a few years and honestly, it does make me thankful to live in America.  I am thankful for our freedoms and conveniences I have.  There are so many simple, little things that make me thankful to live here.  

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

I bought these snacks last week at a Trader Joe's and they are so good! If you are not a fan of fried okra, it may not be your thing though.

Now to join in with Jenn for Currently...

loving

I am loving time spent with friends & family.  I am so thankful for each of them, especially during this season which still has a lot of ups and downs for me.

 savoring

I am savoring the time of having Brook at home for the summer.  She has been home one month and I have 2 months left with her.  We often go at different schedules, but it is still nice to have her here at night and in the morning, even if we don't see one another.  

celebrating

I am celebrating the Independence Day holiday Friday with swimming and cooking out with family.

remembering

After seeing some friends from Bogota' last week, I was remembering stories from living in Colombia.  It was funny to think back on some of these!

 trying

I am trying my hand at doing some plumbing repairs this weekend.  These are some things I wish I didn't have to do, but I am thankful I live in an era of You Tube, ha!

Have a great Wednesday!