Weekly Update - Books, Movies, & Food!

Sunday is always my plan-ahead day.  I make up my menu for the week, plan at least a couple of outfits, think about what manicure I'd like to do, fill in my Day Timer, lesson plan for Emme, and put together a visual in my head of what the week is going to look like. 

This week my boss is leaving town to visit his mother, so work will be at a minimum.  My Sweetness is pretty busy all week, but we will spend Tuesday together.  I have a lot of organizing to do in my home office (now that I have the time) - and plan to cook some very frugal meals seeing as I'm still broke!  lol

I also want to do several memes this week - some I have never done before and others I used to do but want to start up again. 

One thing I am doing right now is downloading Kindle for PC on the mini laptop!  I have a Nook Color and I love it beyond love - but there are several classics my daughter can read for school that are free on Kindle & not on Nook!  Also there is a book here and there for free on Kindle and not Nook - so why the heck not?? 

Speaking of my Nook, I am currently reading the 2nd in the Outlander series by Diane Gabaldon.  Dragonfly in Amber -  these books are amazing!

Tonight's dinner will be cumin-infused lentils and rice with a side of garlic broccoli. 

I'll be starting week 7 (final week) of the Beth Moore James study  and I really want to do her study on Jesus next!

Oh, and my Sweetness & I will be going to see the movie "A Joyful Noise" with Queen Latifah and Dolly Parton.  Looks good! Last week we saw "We Bought A Zoo" and I can highly recommend that as a good, entertaining family movie.

Hope you have a blessed week,

Sherry

Happy Homemaker Monday

I have missed doing Happy Homemaker Monday for the longest time!  Sandra is just the kindest, most wonderful Internet friend to so many people!  I want you to know you are appreciated!




The weather:::
We still are not having the typical Michigan winter.  It's strange because most years people are walking around complaining to one another about the snow - and here we are complaining to everyone about the LACK of it!  Close to 50-degrees here today!

On my reading pile::: 
My Nook was under the weather (GASP!) for about a week so I just happily returned to the last 1/4 of "Outlander" by Diane Gabaldon.  An epic romance with time travel to the Scottish Highlands!
On my TV:::
If I am completely honest - I will be watching last week's "Grey's Anatomy" on ABC.com tonight!  It's the one current tv show I actually still wath regularly!

On the menu for this week:::
Monday - Cinncinnati Chili Five Ways
Tuesday - Lemon pepper roasted chicken with potatoes, carrots, and green beans
Wednesday -  Dinner with my parents & kids
Thursday - Ham & Swiss Stromboli with a big green salad
Friday - Tacos with refried beans & spanish rice
Saturday - Dinner with my parents again :)



On my to do list:::
Homeschooling
Work from home
Organizing!
Laundry!

  Looking around the house:::
A glass of Coke with ice, My Bible on top of my Beth Moore James study with colored pencils, discarded jewelry I took off in a rush! disorganized paperwork, my cat Sophie curled up on my bed.


From the camera:::

I am camera-less :(  


Something fun to share:::
I read on a blog somewhere (sorry!) where she took the tops of strawberries (red portion still attached) and placed them in a bundt pan, covered them with water, and made an ice wreath!  I thought this was SO cool!  It looked amazing and as it melts the birds will get some fruit. 


On my prayer list:::
Family, work, friends, bloggers, troops, church family.

Bible verse, Devotional:::

I have been doing this Bible Study for about 6 weeks now.  I never knew how AMAZING the book of James is! 

Faith apart from good works is inactive, ineffective and worthless (paraphrased James 2:20)

Menu Plan Monday

This is going to be a tight, tight week!  I have plenty of meat in the freezer but only about $9.00 to
buy additional groceries with.  I am going to get two kinds
of pasta, a green pepper, peanut butter, bread, 2 cans of chicken noodle soup
and low-fat microwave popcorn.  I'll be shopping at Aldi.

This menu is linked up with Laura at Menu Plan Monday!

SUNDAY:  Cincinnati Chili 4-ways

2nd Date Jitters

I am still camera-less :(   I hope to aquire a new one shortly & in the meantime, plan to snag my sis's camera for the solitary purpose of taking bloggy pics!

I am going to the movies with my new squeeze tomorrow & and I am on the edge of my seat with anticipation and giddiness.  I am going to color my hair tonight with "ultra light natural blonde" - which will probably just end up looking exactly like the pic on my blog.  It seems that no matter what blonde color I choose, my hair just always seems to settle itself back into a similar shade.  Figures - has a mind of its own!

I haven't a clue what I am going to wear.  It's just a casual date, yet I want to make a good impression!!  It's that early stage, you know, before he's seen you without makeup and the hair up in a pony tail *grin*. 

I think I'm going to wear black pants and my cute black ankle boots or lace up mid-heel oxfords - but as for the top and accessories??  *sigh* 

I just finished up my "date manicure" which consists of:

Sally Hanson Insta-Dry in "Magenta Motion" with a slash of Wen n Wild's "Glitz" (a fuschia-purply glitter) on my ring fingers.  Topped with Wet n Wild's "Wild Shine". 



Magenta Motion #330




Glitz #237

WISH ME LUCK!!!

Sherry




2012 - Off to a Glamorous Start

Happy New Year all!  There is something about a new year, a clean slate, a veritable open book filled with empty pages waiting to be written in.  Maybe for some it is just another day with no overt meaning, but there are some, like me, people who get a thrill out of making lists, planning ahead, filling in calendars....well, it's enough to make a girl giddy with anticipation! 

I've got my 2nd load of laundry going (I like to start the new year off as glamorously as possible!), hooked up speakers to my computer so I can listen to my favorites on Spotify - currently listening to "Wheel in the Sky" by Journey, my all-time favorite band!  What is not to love about Steve Perry? The plan is to tackle my bedroom today.  Get things more organized in here.  This room is also my home office, and seeing as I work from home, there is a lot of equipment in here! 

Money is going to be a bit tight at least for the next few months - so I need to really work my wardrobe to find new and exciting things.  I have a great penchant for black clothing - probably 75% of all my clothing is black :/    I also have about 6 or 7 skirts and a handful of dresses that I rarely ever wear.  So I want to take some chances.  There are so many fashion and "fatshion" bloggers that I just adore and I've read their blogs all through last year without delurking or trying many of the suggestions they brilliantly come up with.  That is something I want to change this year! 

Again - where money is concerned - I am a big thrifter - love to find really individual pieces and integrate them into my style.  I'll definitely be doing more of that.  DO YOU KNOW I actually let a genuine LOUIS VUITTON handbag go at a thrift store because of a broken zipper?  I'm still kicking myself over that one. 

I'm also starting off the new year with a new man :)   Through texts and calls from his work to my home last night, we agreed to "date exclusively"....   Very excited about the possibilities of this charismatic Christian charmer!

BRING IT ON 2012!!!!  I AM READY!!

Sherry

12 for '12 - Life Challenges

So many people dislike the term "resolutions" - I suppose because it is difficult to find the "stick-to-it-tiv-ness" to follow thru.  I've decided to give myself some life challenges instead.  Seeing as the "12 for 12" mantra is all over the Internet, I've decided that it's a good enough number for me as well!

12 - Get back to blogging regularly!!  I think my problem is that I dont' know where I fit in.  I homeschool.  I am Christian.  I love to cook.  I'm a mom.  I love to read.  I love to write.  I LOVE fashion.  I am single and dating.  I am plus-sized.  I try to be a couponer & frugal.  So it just feels so unfocused and tangential and all over the place - so I wonder, where would I fit in?  But I decided just to blog what I want, how I want - and hopefully someone will get something out of it!!

11 - I really want to get my FLYLADY group up and running again.  My friends (these a-ma-zing women) who I really admire and I used to meet several times a year and keep in touch daily via FB or Yahoo group.  We still talk but it's not the same FlyLady support as it used to be.  No better time of year.   This "life challenge" also includes FOLLOWING FlyLady - getting organized, menu planning, etc.

10 - Eat more healthfully (more veggies, less crap) Drink less pop, much less fast food

09- Move more!

08- Do something NEW!  Join a book club, take a class - do something to become more sociable.

07- Become better at my job.  I learn new things all the time - now I want to be more organized with paperwork, more meticulous, more professional, etc.

06- Read a minimum of 52 books this year.  To some of you that sounds like nothing!  But for me it is a good challenge number, seeing as I read 40-some books last year & felt like I didn't read very much.

05- Get to know more people from my church.  1700+ members and I know a handful by name.  I'm very shy to say the least, but getting into church activities & small groups should mend this!

04- Make Jennah (my oldest) feel special (she is the best 15 year old ever - & due to her perfect grades and sweet countenance, she gets overlooked somewhat as my attention is demanded by the other two)

03- Make homeschooling more fun for Em (she is doing an online accredited homeschool program now & while she is doing well, she's definitely not excited about it - so this is something I need to work on for the rest of the year)

02- Become more involved in Bible Studies (*see #1)

01-  I've been doing the Beth Moore Bible study on the book of James.  It has been so remarkably incredible and not only have I been touched by the teachings, but by the people in my study group as well.   I haven't been as active in the group as I should have been - but their support through the study has been amazing.  One of the biggest themes in the book of James is that of WORKS.  Faith without works is useless.  2012 will be a year of WORKS. 

I'm sure I forgot something important! :)  I always do..... 

Happy New Year!

Sherry

Where Less Will Be More

This past week has been very difficult.  I think I've been pretty difficult to be around too!  A lot of my stress is coming from my job.  Part of me thinks my job is such a blessing and I can't imagine working anywhere else.  On the other hand, the stress that comes along with it is so overwhelming at times that I can't always focus on what is REALLY important.  So I am at a crossroads.  I've been praying for months and months about whether or not to change jobs, and I believe God is telling me to stick it out.  Yet His voice is not always easy to determine......

I LOVE my life.  I have incredible children.  An amazing family and extended family.  Wonderful friends.  And so many Internet friends who bring such joy, wisdom, and community into my life.  Right now it's just the job that overshadows everything. 

So ........  my hours were cut, yet again.  I will make just enough to survive on, barely.  And I am ok with that.  There are people all over the world that quantify the word "enough" with a temporary structure for a home, one change of clothing, water they have to walk a mile for and boil before drinking, and a burlap sack of rice.  My "enough" is a kingdom compared to this.  And I try never, ever to forget that.

Anyway - so why am I complaining on my blog?  LOL!!!  I just want to do an about-face and make this blog more about how to do more with less.  How to make people and situations more important and "things" less important.

I also intend to really utilize those drug store bargains and grocery coupon near-freebies work for me in a tangible way.  I am going to pick and choose those that will give my family the most bang for my buck!

This week the only thing I'm doing is the Rite Aid Pantene deal.  2/7 and there is a 2 dollar +up reward making them 2/5 and there was a coupon in Sunday's paper for 3 dollars off - which will make Pantene 1 dollar per bottle.  I have +up rewards from last week to pay for the 2 bucks. 

I spent most of my life being in the throng of shoppers on Black Friday.  The past ten years or so whipping out my credit card on Cyber Monday.  Was it hard not to do it this year?  I won't lie - yeah - a little bit.  But not enough to matter :)

Blessings,

Sherry