July 2018 Favorites

Another month has come and gone...July was a rough month for me, but I do have a few favorites to share.

So let's jump in!

Favorite Book: The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah
I was a casual fan of Kristin Hannah until a few years ago, but her last few books have been among my favorite books so far!

The Great Alone is about a young girl and her family set in the 1970s. Her father is a Vietnam War POW who returned home six years after he was captured. He receives a letter telling him he inherited a homestead in Alaska.

I thought this book was well written, and while some of the story was predictable, I ultimately could not predict most of it, which kept me on the edge of my seat.

Favorite Movie: The Incredibles 2
Is this any surprise? I love Disney/Pixar, but I wasn't a big fan of the Incredibles. I thought it was good, but I never watched it a second time until right before we went to see The Incredibles 2. The Incredibles 2 made me love this franchise...Jack Jack is the best character. I am really hoping for a third installment!

Favorite Beauty: Neutrogena Under Eye Brightener
I used one of these from Mary Kay a long time ago, but recently have been finding a brightener much more necessary. When I saw that Neutrogena had a new product, I was eager to try it because I have been loving a lot of the new makeup offerings from Neutrogena.

Favorite Kitchen Supply: My new aprons
I have been meaning to make myself some aprons for a long time, but have never gotten around to it. For my birthday, I got 2 Minnie Mouse aprons and I love them both!

Favorite New Recipe: Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice
It takes a while to make, but it is tasty and it just gets better as it marinates in the fridge.

Favorite Memory: My birthday!
My birthday this year was probably one of the best. It was a great day, preceded by a great weekend.

That's it for this month!

What are some of your favorite things this month? Share below!

Motivational Monday: Something Wonderful...

Optimism is probably the core of my personality.

I always look for the best in every situation. Life is difficult and filled with little problems and annoyances at every turn. If you get bogged down in the difficult details, it makes life even more difficult.

Here are some examples of how I look at things...

Today, I picked up a prescription from a doctor that I had a rough appointment with. The prescription she sent to my pharmacy was different than the previous years prescription. After consulting with the pharmacist about the issue, I now need to call the doctor to figure out why it has changed. Either way, this little hiccup made the decision more clear that I need to look for a new doctor next year.

A couple of months ago, we were having difficulties with our truck after it had some warranty work done. Did I really want to spend an undetermined amount of time at the dealer waiting for them to fix what they broke? No. But I looked at it as time to get some reading and planning done.

Whenever I fly, there is always some issue. An ice storm, a problem on my inbound flight, mechanical issues, missed connections...the list goes on. But, I just take a deep breath and think...well, I'm on another adventure!

Now, I don't want you to think I never get irritated or grumpy, because everyone does, but for the most part, it just makes life better to look at the bright side...

A couple of weeks ago, I was delivering a birthday cake to a friend's daughter's birthday party. I got stuck in traffic for over an hour and was thankfully able to drop the cake off in the middle of the party activity. Then, I went to the grocery store and the bright side of the delay popped up...I ran into a friend I hadn't seen in ages and we got the chance to chat for a few minutes.

So just remember, something wonderful is about to happen!

Are you a glass half full or glass half empty person? Share below and let me know if reframing a difficult situations changes your outlook.

Weekly Menu

Happy Friday Everyone!

Click here for a downloadable copy of this week's menu.

Sheet Pan Fajitas from Bake. Eat. Repeat.
Slow Cooker John Wayne Casserole from The Magical Slow Cooker
Roasted Corn and Chicken Orzo Salad from Little Spice Jar

Homemaker Life: The Genius of a Laundry Day

I don't know about you, but I hate doing the laundry. There is always so much of it, then you have to fold it and put it away and it never ends, because everyone in your house wears clothes and uses linens every day.

So, I have been looking for a way to make laundry bearable.

A lot of people recommend doing a load a day. But, when I do that, I end up doing the same load every day because I forget to put it in the dryer, and then I am behind in laundry again.

So, throwing it back to how generations of housewives have done it before, I instituted a laundry day.

When I started Laundry Day, I planned to do all the laundry and clean the master bedroom and bathroom.

I continually failed at Laundry Day.

Why?

Because I kept forgetting to move the laundry and would get behind in folding. Week after week, I would spend all evening folding laundry.

A few weeks ago, I read "How to Manage Your Home Without Losing Your Mind" by Dana K.White (I've talked about this before) and she suggested a dedicated Laundry Day.

After thinking about it, it makes sense. Housewives of the 50s and 60s (and earlier) had a dedicated Laundry Day. They washed, dried, folded, ironed and put everything away.

I thought, I can do that.

And you know what?

It works.

Twice in the past month, when I have had an uninterrupted Monday, I completed Laundry Day...even the ironing for the week. I accomplished something I never thought was possible. The Laundry, except for the few items we were wearing, was done.

And, even on my interrupted Mondays, with some planning, I was able to finish everything, except the ironing by the time my husband got home on Monday evening.


What is your laundry strategy? Share below!

Recipe Review: Crock-Pot "Baked" Potatoes

I hate using the oven for dinner in the summer...I can't be alone in that right?

Our kitchen has these amazing windows that overlook our beautiful, forested back yard. They also take on a lot of late afternoon summer sunlight. So, its hard for me to make one of my favorite foods...baked potatoes because it requires the oven to be on for a long time at a high temperature.

So, when I found this recipe for Crock-pot "Baked" Potatoes, I was elated!

Last week, I tried it for the first time and I have to be honest...it cooked the potatoes even better than my oven.

I'm serious. It was better than the oven.

Here is how it went for me.

After you wash the potatoes, you put it on a square of foil, then prick it all over with a fork.

Then you drizzle it with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.

Then, you place them in the Crock-Pot and cook them on high for 3-4 hours.

For more information, head on over to wellplated for the recipe.

Going to the Beach: What's in My Beach Bag

I love the beach, but I did not grow up going to the beach. When I started going to the beach, I struggled with knowing what to put in my bag. So, if you are like me, keep reading!

I am a beach bag minimalist. We usually rent a house within walking distance and only spend 3-4 hours at a time at the beach because I am terribly fair skinned.

So, what's in my beach bag?

1. Sunscreen, usually several varieties.
I like Neutrogena because that is what my dermatologist wants me to use. I also love Wet Skin sunscreen. It allowed me to spend 7 hours on the beach in the Bahamas last October.

2. A beach towel

3. Bottles of water
I am not usually a fan of plastic bottles, but when we go to the beach, I do pack them in my beach bag. I am also very careful to make sure they leave the beach with me and end up in a recycling bin.

4. Ziploc bags
We use these to put our cell phones in and my beach book when they are not being used.

5. Mesh bags
I am a beach comber and love to collect shells and sea glass and small pieces of driftwood, so I like the mesh bag to collect my treasures in.

6. Bug spray
Sometimes bug spray is necessary, especially if you have to cross dunes to get to the beach.

7. Beach book
The greatest luxury in my life is reading a good book on the beach.

And that is it. I don't like to carry a heavy beach bag and for our short beach stints, we don't need a lot.

What is in your beach bag? Am I missing something that will make my life easier?

Motivational Monday: Do Something Today...

A few months ago, the idea of helping my future self was introduced to me by one of my favorite YouTubers, Sam at Happily a Housewife.

Over the past little few months, I have been helping tomorrow's future self by running the dishwasher or just getting the laundry done instead of letting it linger on for days.

But recently, I have been thinking about how I can help the Jennie in six months. I keep asking myself, What can I do to help myself in six months, or a year?

I have been exercising daily. I do a daily devotional, keep a one sentence a day journal and a gratitude journal, take a German lesson and do a five minute meditation. I am reading as much as I can and I have been fine-tuning my housekeeping skills.

My new morning routine is one that is giving me energy, both mentally and physically, so I know December Jennie will appreciate it, but is it enough? How do you know when you are doing enough or when you are doing too much?

What do you think? Do you keep your future self in mind? Share your thoughts below.