Last Week was Weird!

October 19-21 I was in Indiana visiting my best friend. We went to a Tauren Wells concert, which was so inspiring. I spent the weekend just fitting into the life of my friend, I watched her paint, made dinner with her, went to church with her, watched football with her family and then we went to the concert. We had so much time to chat, laugh, cry, worship and rejoice.

I left Monday morning at like 5 AM. Tuesday, Chris left for a work trip at 3 AM. Wednesday, I got up at 4:30 to take a friend to the airport. Thursday was the first morning I felt like I was fully rested and Friday, I finally felt like myself.

While Chris was gone, I caught up on ironing, cleaned out the guest closet and the laundry room, did all kinds of social things and delved into Hallmark's Countdown to Christmas!

Ok, usually, I resist until the day before Thanksgiving...however, it is the 10th anniversary and this year just feels exciting.

Chris has been stressed at work and needs a break, so we are heading to Gatlinburg Thursday to relax in a mountain view cabin. I am looking forward to picking up some apple butter at Apple Barn and just RELAXING with Chris.

This Week's Spread

This Week's Goals

1. Read a lot

2. Crochet a lot

3. Relax a lot

4. Track down final cabinets for Carol's kitchen

Kitchen Renovation
So, this kitchen reno was supposed to be finished. Cue the eye roll. Now, we are pushing Thanksgiving. THANKSGIVING. When I am going to be serving 13 people out of her kitchen. It's ok. I'm not stressed at all. Ok, that's a bit of a lie. But the paint looks less blue since we installed the floor and the cabinets!

Weekly Motivation

Burn this into my brain after Thursday...I'm seriously looking forward to wine, fires, hot tubs, popcorn and hiking.

What are you planning to do for Halloween?

79 Days Until 2020!

Over the weekend, I drove up to Marion, IL to spend an evening one-on-one with one of my best friends. We had lunch, checked into the hotel, chatted, relaxed in a hot tub, napped, drank a lot of wine, ordered Chinese food, moisturized and connected. It was insanely relaxing and grounded me.

Heading into this week, things are going to be busy. I have a lot of things to accomplish on my 19 for 2019 list, Thanksgiving prep that needs to be done and my mother-in-law's kitchen remodel is in full swing.

This Week's Motivation

Last week, I listened to the audiobook version of Amy Poehler's "Yes, Please!" and this quote knocked me off my feet. Why do we take on other people's chaos? She was telling a story about how someone else screwed something up and instead of offering ways to fix it that would be easy for the other person, she stayed silent and let the other person think about possible fixes. This is definitely something I need to employ!

First half of the week

I'm only sharing Monday-Wednesday this week because I honestly haven't planned Thursday and Friday yet.

Goals

1. Create and Order 2 Photo Books
2. Find an Area Rug for the Living Room
3. Bake something Paleo
4. Teach Ellie a Trick
5. Thanksgiving Prep
6. Order Christmas Cards
7. Read 3 Books
8. Work on Baby Registry

It's a big list, but I want to knock as much stuff off my list before the holidays as I can!

What is your biggest goal this week?

My Last 90 Days - Heading into 2020

As we approach the end of 2019, it is easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. Halloween is a mere 29 days away, which is when things start getting crazy. I don't know about you, but I don't want to lose the progress I have made in 2019 or lose the momentum I have working toward my goals.

The Last 90 Day movement is about ending the year intentionally instead of getting swept up in the holiday craziness.

I have an insane last 90 days planned.

1. Girls Weekend with Erin
2. Girls Weekend with Tiffany
3. Weekend Getaway with Chris
4. Thanksgiving (maybe up to 15 people)
5. Remodeling my MIL's Kitchen
6. New Furniture for my MIL's Family Room
7. New Carpet for my MIL's House
8. New Light Fixtures for my MIL's House
9. Christmas
10. Weekend Getaway with my Mom

In addition to those things, I have my goals I need to accomplish.

1. Crochet a blanket
2. Make Aprons
3. A lot of sales
4. Catch up on photo books
5. Read a lot of books
6. Get an area rug for the living room
7. Paint the bedroom
8. Remain Gluten/Dairy/Sugar Free as much as possible.

Give me a moment to breathe into a paper bag...please.

I'm going to need all the coffee on the planet.

The stuff at my MIL's house was sort of planned, but in order to host Thanksgiving for 15, she is demanding new carpet and furniture BEFORE THANKSGIVING. Also, the kitchen needs to be done by Thanksgiving so I can serve dinner there. In addition to that, I would also like to clean out her garage and Chris's bedroom and overhaul her filing system all while sticking to my health and life initiatives. I need a raise.

Ok, I need to go make a comprehensive life plan and rethink my life decisions. ;)

How are you feeling about your last 90 days of 2019? Optimistic? Overwhelmed? Ready to Crush it? Looking for some wine to drown away your worries?

Let me know!

I need to figure this out - Week of September 23

Hello!

Its been over a month and I suck.

I do need to figure out how to get this done in real life. I'm kind of considering ordering an hourly planner with the rest of 2019 in it so I can get better at blocking out my days so I can get stuff done.

I'm a big procrastinator.

Ok, anyway.

Motivation for the Week

Over the past few months, I have been struggling with the juxtaposition of how people perceive me and who I really am. I'm not sure what is holding me back from letting the world know me, but I am trying to be confident and let myself out.

Goals for the Week

Look. At this point, I am just going to let myself coast through the rest of this week and then pick it back on up on Monday, which is basically October 1. I do have a few goals though.

1. Travel Agency Facebook Posts (2 weeks)
2. Stick to Food Rules
3. See Downtown Abbey movie
4. See Hustlers movie
5. Clean
6. Sell the stupid treadmill
7. Set up Powersheets
8. Set up October Planner.

First Half of Planner

Going Forward

I think this week I am going to shoot for one more post and then move to three posts a week going forward.

So, how have you been? What are you most proud of in the past month?

Unmotivated Motivation

I was so low energy and unmotivated last week...it was ridiculous. A lot of the time, I am either un-motivated OR low energy...very rarely am I both unmotivated and low energy. This week, I am still feeling it, but its mid-way through the month and we need to kick it in gear.

So, fake it till you make it...right?

Planner spread

Goals for the Week

1. Costco*
2. Order glasses*
3. Finish Facts of Life Binder
4. Get HVAC Quotes*
5. Bake a pie
6. Prep Baby Clothes*
7. Make and Order a Photo Book
8. Run a Facebook Ad*
9. Blog Daily*
10. Watch Webinar Replays*
11. Add Travel Agent Vendors*
12. Finish City of Girls*

Wow. A lot of non-negotiables this week...I better get my mojo back!

Quote of the Week

I need to paste this to my forehead this week. While last week feels like a wash, I need to remember it wasn't. I did a lot of piddling...do you piddle? That means you wander around and do all these little tasks that will never make a to do list, but need to be done. I piddled several days away and the result of the things I finished is amazing!

This week, though, I need to handle a lot more big picture things.

Ok, what are you up to this week? Do you fake it until you make it?

I have no idea what happened last week

I spent the week just fluttering. Things were so crazy and Chris dropped a work schedule change on me and I was just an exhausted, fluttering mess.

Anyway, the past is the past. Everyone survived and most stuff got done.

Planner Spread of the Week

Goals

This is a light list this week. I am leaving on Thursday morning to head home to help my mom throw a 30th birthday party for my little brother. Basically, I just can't get a lot going this week.

1. Travel Tips October posts
2. Send a form to our credit union
3. Order lightbulbs
4. Post daily
5. Digital Organizing
6. Read

Motivational Quote of the Week

Yes. It's back.

Now you...how did last week go? Also, what TV show are you watching right now?

Here comes August!

I love the end of the month and the beginning of a new one!

I get so much joy from looking over the last month and seeing what I have accomplished and thinking about the things I could have done better and then planning the month ahead.

For us, August is a great big ? .

Tomorrow, we find out if/when my mother-in-law will have surgery to correct her carotid stenosis. We are still trying to decide if it makes good financial sense to go on vacation in September. So, I am budgeting and planning and trying to keep us on a strict budget so we can go to South Dakota.

Planner Spread of the Week

Goals
1. Plan Sanibel Island trip
2. Cut Stickers
3. Facebook Posts for August 12-18 and August 19-25 *
4. Costco Trip...major trip *
5. Pick up necklace at Kay Jewelers *
6. Plan Ben's Birthday Party *
7. Travel Tips posts for October

Motivation for the Week

A major focus for me this month (and the rest of the year) is going to be getting myself back on track. I need to eat in a way that makes me feel good, I need to move as much as possible to get myself fit...I just want to conquer this lifelong issue. I can do this.

What are your goals this week?

Five on Friday: Travel Essentials

We travel a lot. Mostly to my parents house, but we are always packing suitcases...so I'd like to think I'm a bit of an expert. I can pack a suitcase for a weekend away in 20 minutes and my clothes aren't wrinkled when I arrive. So there are a few favorite things I want to share to help you with your packing.

1. Bago Toiletry Kit
I love this toiletry kit. I can fit almost everything I need to get ready inside of it except my hair stuff.

2. Makeup Kit
I use this daily and usually travel with it. If I'm strapped for space, I will condense into a smaller bag. But this bag is great to protect your makeup if you have higher end makeup that is prone to breaking while traveling.

3. Jewelry Roll
I don't use this as often anymore because I don't wear as much jewelry (#homemakerlife), but when I am going on longer vacations like cruises I use this to organize my necklaces, bracelets and earrings. They are well protected and don't get tangled.

4. Suitcase
After years of using American Tourister exclusively, I bought my husband an Ebags Motherlode 21" Carry-on Wheeled Duffel and we BOTH love it. It is a suitcase that you can customize and keep organized. We can fit everything he needs in this suitcase for a week long business trip. When we are taking a week long vacation, we each use our carry-on and then bring a third for toiletries and shoes.

5. Netflix/Amazon Prime
I love the download feature they both have so I can download several hours worth of TV or Movies to watch on the plane or in the car. In the past year, this has become an essential for travel for me. I struggle to read on a plane for a variety of reasons lately, but this feature is amazing!

What are your travel essentials

Fajita Feast Menu

Over the weekend, we had family over for fajitas and the meal was delicious, so I wanted to share it with you!

Menu
Chicken Fajitas with green bell peppers and onions
Mexican Rice
Refried Beans
Homemade Salsa
Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Shredded Lettuce
Sour Cream
Tortilla Chips

We marinated the chicken (with this recipe) and then grilled it.

I sauteed the peppers and onions and added Old El Paso fajita seasoning. I used Rice-a-Roni Mexican rice and El Prefida refried beans.

We have a huge amount of tomatoes, so I made homemade salsa with this recipe.

It was easy and delicious and you should make it at home too!

Tending Tuesday

I am rocking this monthly task thing. My weekly tasks on the other hand...yeah.

I think for August, I need to really think about how to more effectively use my daily and weekly tasks. I was feeling like my weekly to dos were weak this month anyway and they have turned out to be very weak.

I need to focus on crocheting and reading when I'm not busy instead of scrolling on the Social.

As you saw in yesterday's post, I am planning on finishing up the monthly tasks and purging the living room this week.

Ok, so here is my tending list that is looking good!

How is your July going? What goals are you struggling with? Which goals are you rocking?

It's a New Week!

Well, last week did not go as planned, but I'm giving myself some grace. I spent a lot of time cuddling Ellie, cleaning up her messes (she has a UTI) and relaxing. Actually, I was glancing at my tending list and it wasn't as bad of a week as it felt, but if I had just stepped it up a tiny bit...

Grace. Right. Grace. Ok, it's a new week.

Planner Spread of the Week

This Week's Goals

1. Work on Ellie's new trick
2. Travel Tips with Jennie September posts
3. Catch up on ironing*
4. Purge the living room
5. Schedule outings with Kathy and Linda*
6. Facebook posts August 5-11*
7. Plan Sanibel Island
8. Design Stickers

As usual, the starred items are the non-negotiable goals, but I really want to get the others done too! It is totally possible this week too. There is not a ton going on except the bathroom remodel and a lunch that I forgot to add to my planner.

Motivational Quote of the Week

I have a feeling this will probably be the quote of the week for the next few weeks...

This week, things seem pretty calm, but when things seem pretty calm, those are the weeks that usually end in chaos. And next week, we find out if and when my mother-in-law needs surgery that will require her to recuperate at our house.

Updates

So, I wrote this post this morning and then took a nap because I couldn't sleep through the night and ended up awake at 3 AM and napping from 6:30-7:15. Since then, I have finished my ironing, most of the laundry and scheduled my outing with Kathy.

Five on Friday: Favorite Books So far in 2019

I love reading and I try to not share every single book I read on here, but you can follow me on Goodreads to see what I've been reading if that interests you.

But, my five favorite books so far this year are...

1. Unenchanted series by Chanda Hahn
This series is a complete departure from my normal reading preference. It is a series about a descendant of the Brothers Grimm. It is a YA series and I am totally enthralled with it. I will say that it would be AMAZING if it were fleshed out a bunch. If you were looking for something fun and easy to read this summer, this is the series to read.

2. A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
This is another series, though I have only read Book 1 so far and another departure from my normal reading preferences. It was recommended by Sherri from Young Love House Has A Podcast and it is about a young girl who goes to live in the fairy world. These are long books, but Book 1 at least is a page turner.

3. A Whole New World by Liz Braswell
Another departure...May was weird, ok. It is a YA book based on Disney's Aladdin, but there is a twist...Jafar gets the lamp at the Cave of Wonders.

4. Outer Order Inner Calm by Gretchen Rubin
Back to my normal authors...this a book of tips for people looking to create order in their surroundings.

5. The Gifts of Imperfection by Brene Brown
This is the first Brene Brown book I have read and I loved it. I can't wait to read more. Also, if you haven't watched her Netflix special...you should.

What were your favorite books so far this year?

Five on Friday: Summer Traditions

I don't love being outside. I am uncomfortable with all the bugs and the humidity and the sun...you've seen me. I'm pale.

But I do like to do some stuff in the summer!

Here are 5 of our summer traditions...

1. Gardening.
My husband is the gardener...but I do love that we have a garden.

2. Grilling
Again, my husband is the griller...but he is an amazing cook, so I love to send him outside to prepare our dinner.

3. Sitting outside with an adult beverage
There is nothing better than sitting outside on a nice summer evening with an adult beverage...this summer I'm obsessed with the Smirnoff Ice canned drinks.

4. Sonic
We find ourselves at Sonic so much more in the summer...slushes, lemonades and ice cream...its the perfect time to swing by Sonic

5. Big Brother
What...did you think I was going to say hiking? Big Brother is a big summer tradition for us...mostly because there is nothing much else to watch on TV.

What are your summer traditions?

Tending Tuesday

Ok. I basically made zero progress. It is actually laughable how little progress I made. I did pretty good at tracking food and did a bit of my 30 day fitness challenge. I stared at my crochet from across the room.

But, I'm going to give myself some grace. And make a plan.

My bathroom remodel starts Tuesday or Wednesday, which means that my life will revolve around daily trips to Lowe's and being here to let my workers in.

Other than that, I need to finish planning the South Dakota Trip, run a Facebook Ad, work on Ellie's training, track food, do my 30 day fitness challenge, crochet and read. Whew. And we are leaving on a trip on Friday.

I can do it though.

Did you struggle with the start of your July? Are you rocking it? Share below!

Hopefully this week goes better...

Last week was rough. I always underestimate how much my mother-in-law exhausts me. We joke she is an "energy vampire" because she always seems to get more energized when we are around and we end up falling asleep at like 6:00 after a day at her house.

Anyway...this is a new week.

Monday Motivation

"Lord, Prepare me for what I am praying for."

I believe I used this earlier this summer, but it is very pressing on my mind. With the adoption "waiting" in full force, I need to work on being prepared to be a parent. It's still really surreal to think of myself as a parent in a real way. For years I have shut down that dream and held it down with everything I have and now....its so much more of a possibility and my brain and my heart are at war with each other.

One is always happy...the other is always cautious. And it switches. It's really a crazy thing. One part of myself is always holding back to try to protect myself. So praying for preparation is probably the only thing that will turn this around.

Planner Spread of the Week

I left Tuesday and Wednesday mostly blank because my bathroom remodel is starting one of those days and I want to mark it, so I will fill that in when I know the plan. Later this week, we are going to Maumee Bay State Park Lodge for a family reunion!

Goals for the Week

* Facebook posts for the weeks of July 8-14, July 15-21 and July 22-28*
* August Blog posts for Travel Tips with Jennie
* Work on Ellie's trick
* Read 2 books
* Finish planning our South Dakota trip
* Plan that shopping trip with Kathy*
* Create a photo book
* Bake and decorate Abby's birthday cake**
* Run a Facebook ad**
* Order Tile**
* Pick up Vanity and Necklace**

You might notice that A LOT of those goals are leftover from last week. They really, really must happen this week.

How did your week go last week? What is your biggest goal of this week?

Five on Friday: Grilled Favorites

I love to send Chris outside to cook during the summer. I hate turning the oven on and standing over a hot stove, so I want to share a few of my favorite grilled meals.

1. Roasted Corn Orzo Chicken Salad
I did a post about this a few weeks ago and it is literally my new favorite meal. I have to cook a few things in the house, but the main parts of the meal are grilled.

2. Frozen Pizza
This is the absolute best way to cook frozen pizza. It changes the flavor and makes it taste like a pizza from a wood fired pizza oven.

3. Chicken and Grilled Veggies
I know this is a simple, go-to meal for most people, but it is one of my favorites. You can marinate it in Italian dressing or BBQ sauce to change it up every night.

4. Salmon
I love plain, grilled salmon. Don't put stuff on my salmon. Maybe salt.

5. Summer favorites
Burgers, Sausage, Hot Dogs...toss some corn on the cob on the grill as well to round out your dinner.

What is your favorite grilled meal? Share below!

Tending Tuesdays: Powersheets Check In

We finished our Home Study! I have the approved home study in my possession and I just feel like dancing!

Ok, but how else did I do?

I made a lot of progress and checked some stuff off the list, but I didn't go great in any other arena.

Monthly-

Carol's landscaping will be done Monday. I am on the contractors schedule. I can't find a newborn first aid class and I'm going to Target with Kathy next week.

Weekly-

I baked twice, kept up with Facebook and my blogs. I did ZERO work on the YouTube channel I want to launch.

Daily-

I did not do well going dairy free. Crocheting was hit or miss. Reading always happens. And this month, getting up early was rough for this "lark" because I was sleeping poorly.

I would give myself a passing grade for the month...barely passing, but passing.

How did your June end?

Here is a little peek at my July tending list...

I have so many fun things on this list, I think I will do ok. I am most looking forward to taking the newborn care class...which goal are you most looking forward to tackling this month?

A New Start-Happy July

Happy July!

I’ve been writing here for over a year now and, while I love sharing, I want to share better. I want to make it more genuine and more useful. I love being a housewife, but I think that as a modern housewife, I can learn from other housewives and maybe I can share my successes and struggles in a way that is valuable to the greater housewife community.

Today, that starts.

I don’t want to make promises about what each day will hold and I don’t want to make promises that there will be a post every single day, even though that is my goal. But I do want to make a practice of sharing a lot of things about how I get through the day, week and month. So I will be sharing my planners, my meal plans, grocery hauls, motivational quotes, my renewed health goal and so much more.

So, here we go….

Monday’s Motivation

“You have spent enough time at war with yourself.”

I can definitely relate to this. It makes me think of all of the negative things I think about myself and my world. I’m generally a pretty happy person, but that does not make me immune to negative self-talk. And I imagine that, like me, your negative self-talk has a familiar rhythm. Every time I allow myself to get negative, I think about the same things…my weight and mistakes I have made.

Brene Brown said “Talk to yourself like you would to someone you love.”  If I love myself, I need to stop the negative way to speak to myself about my weight and my mistakes. I need to own them and put them away.

Do you engage in negative self-talk? How do you get out of that spiral?

This Week’s Goals

Create and schedule posts for July 8-14 and July 15-21. *

Work on a new trick with Ellie

Read 2 books

Order Bathroom Flooring and Tile *

Sign up for Baptism Class

Start 30 Day Fitness Challenge *

Create blog posts for Travel Tips with Jennie for August

Work on South Dakota Plans

Schedule shopping day with Kathy

Plan Ben’s Birthday Party *

Have a good long weekend with Chris *

That is a lot. Especially with a holiday and Chris being home for 5 straight days between the holiday and working from home.

A couple of the goals are really fun! A few of them will only take 10 minutes. A couple of them are easy, but will take a significant amount of time. And one or two of them are just plain hard. The ones with the * are non-negotiables…they must happen this week.

When you are making your goals for the week, do you try to give yourself a mix of easy and hard goals?

Planner Time-Before the week starts

How are you celebrating the 4^th of July? Do you have annual traditions or do you just go with the flow?

Happy July Friends!

Motivational Monday: Good Things

I have been struggling. My biggest, hardest project of the year is at a standstill and as I am writing this, I am two days past my personal deadline and am waiting to hear if the paperwork will satisfy the agency. If it does satisfy them, we move on. If not...

So for about 10 days I have been a ball of stress, with it manifesting in sleeplessness, stomach issues and just general crabbiness.

Late last week, my husband said "It will all be ok in the end. If its not ok, its not the end." Honestly, that, and a friend joining me in some outrage, pulled me out of the funk I was in. Since Thursday, I have been sleeping much better and my stomach is sorting itself out.

I have to remember that good things are going to happen...and I'm just going to leave it there.

How do you cope when you are struggling?

Five on Friday: My 5 Favorite Beauty Products

I'm not a beauty blogger, but I thought I would share my five favorite beauty products with you this week.

1. Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel

I have loved this since the first time I tried it! It helps my skin feel hydrated and makes makeup application much smoother.

2. Jade Roller

I'm not sure what a jade roller is supposed to do or if it really does that thing...but I like to roll it over my face after my shower to cool my skin before I start applying my makeup.

3. Milani 2 in 1 Conceal and Perfect Foundation

I love that this negates the need for concealer. It applies well and lasts a long time.

4. Koress Wild Rose + Vitamin C Advanced Brightening Sleeping Facial

I don't know what it is about this, but my skin improved hugely when I started using this. It came in my Spring FabFitFun box. It is light, perfectly fragrant and a little goes a long way.

5. Maybelline The City Mini Eyeshadow Palette

I love these palettes. They are very pigmented, blend well, apply with little to no fallout and I love the price!

And those are currently, my five favorite beauty products! What are yours?

Powersheets: My Second Month Review

A few years ago, I came across the Powersheets, and while I was intrigued, I was not in a place in my life where I could even fathom doing the work and sticking to the goals I created for myself.

A few months ago, I started watching a couple of new (to me) YouTube creators who were using Powersheets and I was inspired. I watched all of their Powersheets videos and made the decision to purchase the 6 month, undated version.

I received my planner in April and sat down to do the prep-work...even though I had planned to mostly use my Powersheets to focus my 19 for 2019 list.

For the month of May, I just got used to using the tending list and now, mid-way through June...I love them. I love that I can track my progress on the bigger goals and keep myself accountable for goals I should be doing daily or weekly.

Below is a photo of my June tending list, updated two days ago. You can see that I need to work on my YouTube channel and going dairy free...there is still time in June!

It also called to my attention that I need to run an ad for my travel agency and build my archery backing. Both of which I added to my to-dos for this week!

Have you used the Powersheets? Are you interested in them? Let me know!

Jennie's Recipe Review: Roasted Corn Chicken Orzo Salad

I have been trying to make Roasted Corn Chicken Orzo Salad from Little Spice Jar for weeks.

It is a little out of my culinary comfort zone and I just wasn't sure Chris would like it...

We both LOVED it. Seriously one of our favorite dinners in a while.

Let's break down what I changed...

Chris makes THE BEST smoked chicken breast on the grill, so I had him smoke two chicken breasts and I wrapped the corn in foil with butter and sent it out to the grill as well.

We also used our home grown cabbage in place of the spinach.  Otherwise, I followed the recipe as written.

It was freaking delicious. We ate it both hot and cold and it was great both ways. One note that Chris had was it was a little lime-y, so next time I'm going to reduce the lime in the dressing.

You need to make this recipe...tomorrow.