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If you dangle a carrot..

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One week into 2017, how’s everyone doing out there?

We’re doing well here, although this coming week will be our first FULL week back into school and work.  I can sure get used to 3 and 4 day work weeks!!!  Nice.  Very Nice!!

Any resolutions?  I didn’t really make any official proclamation of resolutions so to speak.  A few internal conversations with myself on organization and time management and healthy eating and food prep and yada yada yada, but really.  Nothing truly earth shattering.

Our Dave Ramsey train keeps plugging away.  A full year and 2 months in and I remember listening to Dave and at one point him saying that the average of people meeting financial goals through his plan took about 3 years.  That is a long time to be budget focused.  However, if you live another 40-50 years….3 years isn’t so much.  Right?  We’re definitely making headway, using our cash and are far more intentional with our spending.  A long way to go from perfect, but learning and making strides and that is something!

Tomorrow starts a 10-week “Mayor’s challenge” for the town I work in and so I joined with a few  friends.  Our team works towards points and each person needs to attend 2 of 3 workouts each week and at the end of the week the individual male and female winners are awarded $1000.  Hello there $1000 carrot.

My veggies are prepped.  Lunch is made.  Workout plan for the week is a go and now to turn  in for a good night sleep.  I am.  In it.  To win it.  Certainly going to work my tail off anyway.  And with the cold weather all weekend, we got the good cookies made and on their way out of the house via bellies, so I’d say.  I’m ready.

Stay tuned.  It’s only my 400 millionth effort at this, surely one of these will stick.  And for $1000, I am certain to have  a few good habits and results take root over the next 10 weeks!!!

Happy 2nd week of 2017!!

How we survive winter in the South

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Well.  It finally happened.  One week into January and it actually got COLD here in Florida.  High in the 50s yesterday and looks to be about the same or a bit cooler AND windy today.  Needless to say, there is a level of confusion here in the South when it gets “cold”.   With a large number of snowbirds (my personal aspiration and 5-10 year plan!) they chuckle at us as we don our boots with the fur and every scarf, hat and warm jacket we own to make it through these bitter days.  Of course, on the flip side we scoff at their heat and humidity intolerance during August, so it all evens out.

In the meantime, I’ll drink a ridiculous amount of coffee and hot beverages and hunker down .

So that you don’t fret too much for us, here are a few ways we shall soldier through these 2 days of cold:

3 Bean Bake in the crockpot (instaNOTHIN’) and sour cream muffins for dinner–certain to bring all my chickens back to the nest for a family dinner!

NO.  Please don’t confuse this was a 90-year old grandpa.  Just our resident  17 yo son wearing the ever present socks and Chakos.  Even his girlfriend is embarrassed.  I’ve just let him have this battle.  This is also the same kid that didn’t own a pair of jeans until he was 16.  The cold simply confuses him.

Meanwhile, I’m pretty sure my tights are on year 6 or 7.  When you only wear them once or twice a year…..lifelong extra layer for the win!

Poor dude.  He has alllllllllllllllll the blankets in his crate.  I know he looks cold, but secretly really enjoys running like a bat our of he**  in the backyard in circles and then passing out in one of his favorite chairs.  (aka all of them)

Then there’s me.  Yesterday, I started out the day in capris, a 3/4 length peasant top and flip flops.  Perfectly fine when the day started at 70 degrees.  But then as we hit Target a few hours later and some thrift stores, it plummeted to 52 and so I added my Banana Republic Cardigan/Sweater—so toasty and light!! and switched the flops for my clogs.  Kinda dorky, but really didn’t care.  My feet were warm.  Therefore, I understand my son’s confusion.  We just basically hybrid everything and know that it 2 days from now it will be 70 and we can go back to our usual wardrobe.

As for the rest of y’all.  Brrr.  I don’t even know.  How DO you do it?  Seriously?  I just can’t even.

3 Cheers for Advent! and other quick takes

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The usual link up with Kelly (and you really should check in and follow her update of hosting Bart and Lisa–God Bless you all,  that’s a task I don’t know that I could handle).

  1. It’s Friday and Christmas is in two days.  On a Sunday.  In our working world, I will tell you it’s been an interesting challenge:  take off Friday or Monday?  Who’s off?  Who’s open?  Today is our day off and I foresee Monday as a day to really knock out some of that tedious paperwork!!  But TODAY.  I’m off.
  2. We were planning to go see the Christmas lights in St. Augustine last night, but had a puker, so postponed to tonight.  However, someone has to babysit, so we may do this after Christmas.  Or do it twice.  Who knows?!
  3. Got a nice walk in with the pup this a.m. and now to hit the regular Saturday chores so we can truly relax and fully enjoy the Christmas weekend.
  4. This is an incredibly beautiful season and absolutely my favorite month of the year, but I also know that many people are struggling mightily during these times and unexpected tragedies occur and are even more heartbreaking at this time of year, so let’s all do our part to remember that and extend a little heartier peace all around, especially when faced with the more difficult folks.
  5. Christmas cheer #1:  A co-worker’s son borrowed her van to visit with  his girlfriend the other night.  He dutifully put $4 ($2 change, $2 bills) of gas in so that she could get to work and home the next day.  An army man in the store at the same time, approached him at the pump, put in his credit card and said, “fill it up and consider it Christmas”.  Y’all.  This is the hardest working, gritty, kind Mama you will meet.  That act of kindness made her month.  And from a serviceman no less, who already sacrifices so much as it is.  There is hope for us all.
  6. Christmas cheer #2:   One of my retreat sisters is French and married to an American.  She is not naturalized and is currently going through a very challenging and exhausting process of renewing her work Visa.  She’s not able to work due to this and is struggling emotionally with that–since she has always worked.  She went to the USPO to mail a gift to her husband’s nephew and had his credit card.  Unfortunately, her passport does not have the same name and they denied her.   A customer in the line, said, “I’ve got this” and paid for her mailing.  She was blown away by this stranger’s charity.  God is good.  Humanity restored AGAIN and in the post office of all places!!!
  7.   Christmas cheer #3:  A high school friend who is fighting a recurrence of her stage 4 breast cancer has been in the hospital for several weeks enduring two surgeries and rehab to gain her strength back.  Today she goes home.  What joy for her to share this Christmas with her family.  Prayers for her health, happiness and anxiety today and for her family as I know her kids (21,17, 13) and husband are also struggling to see her suffering so much.  However, the JOY is in her coming home, let us rejoice with her!!

May your conclusion of Advent be joyful in the waiting and may Christmas bring you hope, joy and renewed faith for the year to come!

Plans

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We went to a friend’s house for a Christmas party the other night and this is in their foyer.  THIS verse.  This is MY verse.  OUR verse.  The verse I clung to in the darkest of nights and continue to cling to as I watch this amazing life unfold before me.  Living out this very Scripture verse.

This verse is the foundation of my life.

As we walked through our friend’s amazing penthouse condo on the beach with 360 degree views of the ocean and river; the inside pristine, simple and clean throughout– it was truly enjoyable.  Not enviable, but it was stunning and beautiful and lovely and our host and hostess graciously and beautifully shared that with us all.

When we turned the corner and I saw this, on the wall, it literally stopped me in my tracks.

Yes, God is good.  God is faithful.  His plans are far more amazing than I could ever imagine.  Thank you, God, for that!

We wait

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4th Sunday of Advent.  So exciting!!  Mass this morning was a little like purgatory, just seemed a little chaotic and OFF and the music minister just really enjoys playing ALL the verses for the songs—I love music, but it should ACCOMPANY  the Mass and be a lovely accessory to the Main show….you know,  the Eucharist.  However, we live in an imperfect world and sometimes just have to get through that and be PRESENT for Mass and put aside the human shortcomings–especially our own.  End result, God is good.  And so we wait in joyful anticipation for Emmanuel–God is with us.

The rest of the day was just peaceful puttering and gentle preparation for Christmas.

We watched a little bit of Elf this afternoon.  Hubby hates it and was gone, but we love it so it was ON!

We also put the ornaments on the tree.  It’s been up since Thanksgiving weekend with only the lights and the angel and one lone ornament and it’s been nice and simple and we’ve fully enjoyed it.  But it’s always fun to put the ornaments on and go through them, each one bringing back memories and seasons.  The girls put them on, I only repositioned a couple and rescued one from the dog.

Our newest ornament and memory from vacation this summer!

A reminder that friends are the best!  

Years of an annual ornament exchange with my dear friend continue to add to our collection with several of these beauties!  She has EXQUISITE taste!

Hubby actually did our Christmas letter this year, so I stuffed ’em up and they are ready to go in the mail tomorrow!

Last night we went to a friend’s house for a Christmas party.  We brought dessert.  We also brought a large portion home because SO.  MUCH.  FOOD.  Sadly, I didn’t take a before photo, but please know that I say this in the most humble manner possible:  I completely nailed this one.  Chocolate cake, peanut butter frosting and chocolate ganache topping.  So.  GOOD.

Happy 4th Sunday of Advent!!