Friday Favorites ~ April 18, 2025

Happy Good Friday friends! 

A few favorites from the week......

I had a microdermabrasion facial this week.  I am trying to pay attention a little more to my skin and have enjoyed getting facials.  My face felt so clean afterwards!

Another favorite is enjoying these beautiful flowers from an event I attended last week.

I baked 2 loaves of sourdough Tuesday morning before 7am!  I wake up crazy early most days, like in the middle of the night.  Some mornings, I will drift back off to sleep around 6am for another hour.  This particular morning I enjoyed some huckleberry jam. I love all things huckleberry, but it is mostly found out west.

Eating at Salad Station is a favorite and a double favorite when I do that with Jenn.  We laughed a lot and it felt good.  

Wednesday was work from home & I was able to do some garage clean up on a beautiful day.  I joined my sweet friend's family for dinner that night.  

I got a new foot stool this week that also has storage and the top can also be flipped to be used as a tray.  I often eat in the den, so this will come in handy for me.

I hope you have a great holiday weekend.  I feel like I have been in the waiting, living in a Saturday with the silence for several years now.  I am always thankful and will never give up on the hope that comes on a Sunday.  I love what Easter represents for Christians.  

Blessings to you and thank you for reading today!

Hodgepodge ~ April 16, 2025

 Happy Hodgepodge day!  

1. Do you complete your own taxes? Besides actual taxes, what's something you've found taxing lately?

I complete my own taxes online, however, there were a few years where we had someone help due to other circumstances.

Waiting on the legal system is a very taxing process as nothing moves quickly it seems.  

2.  What are three values you treasure most in a friendship? 

I feel like there are so many!  Here a few that came to mind....

Laughter

Dependable/loyal

Encouraging

3. Do you meal plan or do you mostly wing it? Share your dinner menus for this week. 

I don't cook that often, but I do plan some of my meals.  This is one of those weeks I am not cooking!  I had a cookout Sunday night to attend, I ate out Monday and Tuesday, going to a friend's house tonight and then I have an event Thursday. For lunch, I do plan those with leftovers or food I take out of the freezer.  I am thankful to have a lot of cooked food in my freezer.

4. Thomas Sowell is credited as saying, ''There are no solutions, only trade-offs.' Agree or disagree? Discuss.

 My first thought is that nothing ever will be perfect, yet maybe somethings will be perfect to an individual's perception?  It is always good to recognize the good things in any situation. I do think with every decision there is a trade-off, but there can also be balance without sacrificing something altogether.  I am writing this late so apologies for any lack of clarification in this answer!

5. What's the best perk you've enjoyed at a job?

My first job out of college was with Delta Air Lines and I had free flight benefits and flew first class if a seat was available.  As a travel agent, I also got a few free tickets a year back in the 90's.  The free flight perks were not as great the last few years I worked in travel.

6.  Insert your own random thought here. 

Here is my song lyric for the week.  I shared this with my daughters this week too.

"The Truth" by Megan Woods

How many times can you hear the same lie

Before you start to believe it?

The enemy keeps whisperin' to me

I swear these days, it's all that I'm hearin'

I used to know who I was

Now I look in the mirror and I'm not so sure

Lord, I don't wanna listen to the lies anymore

The truth is I am my Father's child

I make Him proud and I make Him smile

I was made in the image of a perfect King

He looks at me and wouldn't change a thing

The truth is I am truly loved

By a God who's good when I'm not good enough

I don't belong to the lies, I belong to You

And that's the truth

When I feel like there's so much noise

Livin' rent free in my head

Heaven finds me in a still small voice

And it sounds like grace instead

You remind me who I am

When I look in the mirror and I'm not so sure

Lord, I don't wanna listen to the lies anymore

I know who I am 'cause I know who You are

And I hold Your truth inside of my heart

I know the lies are always gonna try and find me

But I've never been so sure

The truth is I am my Father's child

I make Him proud and I make Him smile

I was made in the image of a perfect King

He looks at me and wouldn't change a thing

The truth is I am truly loved

By a God who's good when I'm not good enough 

I don't belong to the lies, I belong to You 

And that's the truth

I hope you are believing the truth today that you are loved by God, your creator.  

Hello Monday ~ April 14, 2024

Hello Monday and hello blog friends!  It was a busy, but good weekend!  I am so thankful! It was a weekend full of beautiful weather and fun activites!

I started my Friday off by working and decorating an event center for a work fundraising gala we had that night.

Jenn came to the event that night so we of course got a picture.

I borrowed these cute bow shoes from a friend.

There was a beautiful sunset.

I was the emcee of the night.

Saturday morning, I walked with a friend at our local park.  Then I drove a little over an hour away to a state park.  I rented a kayak and took myself on a day date.  It was a beautiful day!

All of these turtles were on the log and some had jumped off by the time I got close enough to take this picture.

I took a walk and love the symbolism of a path that is marked.  It lets me know where to go.  I veered off the path once and was got into some thorny bushes.  Back on the right track, I had to walk through the mud a few times, and clearly, I was in deep thoughts thinking of the parallels of life to this path. I am often walking on this path of life just looking around the corner for a sign that I am on the right path.

Sunday morning, I went to church and wore a new pair of earrings I bought at a thrift store Saturday.

Sunday afternoon, my kind next door neighbor mowed my grass!  I also saw I have a few roses blooming!  

I hope you have a lovely day!

 

Friday Favorites ~ April 11, 2025

 Happy Friday!  I am always so glad to see a Friday come!  Today, I am sharing some things from my week going back to last Sunday.

Does anyone remember the song Voices Carry by the group Til Tuesday from the 80's?  I loved that song and had the cassette tape :).  I heard a version of the song by Kate Hudson Sunday.  I had no idea she even sang, but I loved this version too!

After this song, it went straight into Have Yourself a Merry Christmas.  I mean, it was in the upper 40's and overcast, so it kind of felt like Christmas weather!

Because last Sunday was a hard day, I treated myself to frozen yogurt for my lunch.

Monday morning, I worked for a few hours and then I went to take this precious little new 3 year old out to lunch and shopping for her to pick out a birthday gift.  She picked out several :). I loved looking back at this sweet girl in my car.

Tuesday morning I started my day by picking up 14 dozen donuts to serve at the local children's hospital.  We serve these along with 250 Chick-fil-A chicken biscuits to families.  I picked up a diet coke to share with my co-worker!  That evening, I gave a new friend a ride to run an errand and also had a quick visit with my parents.

Wednesday was another busy day!  I worked and ran lots of errands for work, including a trip to Costco.  I hadn't been there in about 6 months.  I also got a car wash after such a messy week last week. 

Wednesday night, I had a ladies event at church and we had some good appetizers.

Thursday, I worked, walked and Jenn came over to eat and visit.

Today, is another busy work day and I'm hoping to have a good weekend!

Unfortunately, this has been me this week.  I am sure hoping to catch up on sleep this weekend.  Hope you enjoy your Friday and weekend!

Thanks for reading friends!

Hodgepodge ~ April 9, 2025

 Good morning!  I'm joing in with Joyce on this week's hodgepodge edition.

1. What's a lesson you've learned from a mistake? 

A few things come to mind that I have learned......

I don't have to say everything I think.

I don't have to entertain everything said to me with a response, especially if I know it is unture and hurtful.

A man and woman shoudn't work exclusively by themselves.

My worth is not based on what anyone else says/does.

2. Do you salt food while you're cooking or let diners add their own?  What's a food you think must be salted? Do you like pepper? 

I am about 50/50 as to when I salt food as a I cook.  Of course, I would have to cook to add salt, ha, ha!  I actually did cook some egg bites last Sunday and cooked pork chops on Monday and I didn't salt either.  However, I added Everything But the Bagel to the pork chops, so I do like seasonings.  I don't have a food that I think must be salted.  I do like pepper and use it on baked potatoes.

3. What was the last gathering you attended and what did you do there? 

The last few gatherings I went to were church on Sunday, community group Sunday night and I went to an elementary school production of Finding Nemo Jr. Monday night.  I was basically a sitting participant at church and helped with cleaning up/tear down afterwards since we don't have a permanent building.  I brought roasted veggies to my community group and just enjoyed the play Monday night.  

4. Your favorite shade of purple? What's your favorite purple flower? 

As a child, my favorite purple was Donny Osmond purple.  Any young Osmond fan knew purple was his favorite color! These days, I think lavendar is such a pretty color, although I don't wear that color.  When I think of a purple flower, I think of a pretty Iris flower.

This is my sister and I from probably 7 or 8 years ago when we saw Donny & Marie in our area.  We had been to Las Vegas the year before and met them at their residency show, so we wore our t-shirts to this concert.  They are really good entertainers.

5. Share a favorite spring travel memory. 

Two trips come to mind....

First, my youngest daughter and I went to Pawhuska, Oklahoma in 2019 (I think) to visit Pioneer Woman's lodge and mercantile/restaurant. We had so much fun, but it was sure full of the Oklahoma winds!

While living in Bogota, Colombia, we took a family vacation one Spring Break to Cartagena.  This was such a great trip.  It is a beautiful city and felt good to be able to travel on our own within the country. 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

About a month ago, my oldest daughter shared this song with me and I love it.  It has meant so much to me:

"Don't Lose Hope" by Cochren & Co.

I wish that I could change the weather

Just to see your smiling face

You know I'm with you come whatever

We're gonna see the brighter days

Don't lose hope when the world is against you

Every high, every low, I am for you

Don't let go when you're at the end of your rope

I'll hold you, darlin', don't lose hope

I'll stay here with you 'til the morning breaks

Until the light moves past the dark

I'm gonna see you through this heartache

You're stronger than you think you are

We can make it out alive

Oh, you know that I believe it,

Even after the darkest night

Oh, the sun will shine and you'll feel it

Oh, don't lose hope, no, don't lose hope

Don't lose hope when the world is against you

Every high and every low, I am for you

Don't let go when you're at the end of your rope

I'll hold you, darlin', don't lose hope

Have a happy mid-week Wednesday!