Happy Homemaker Monday: February 10, 2020

Good...afternoon. I was up with the sun this morning, but there was so much to get done that I'm just now sitting down to get this post up.

The Weather: Hot and cold, literally. We were in the 60's, then we had snow, and now it's raining. I keep wondering what the hold up is with Spring, and then I remember that I'm in the mountains. And it's February And I have at least a month of this up and down stuff. We're supposed to warm up this week, and then temps plummet again this weekend.

How I am feeling this morning: Resolute. I realized this weekend how incredibly burned out I am.
A bit of background. When Ella was 4 months old, I went back to work full time (and then some). At one point, I was working 80-90 hours a week, and my health suffered so badly for it. I actually had to leave my job due to health issues...and that was for the best.
Currently, I'm working a ton. And now I'm 14 years older, and I have two kids.
I'm not going to quit my job, but I do need to take some more time for me.

On my mind: The aforementioned resolution to take better care of what I need.

On the breakfast plate: Leftover chicken stew, iced tea and two mini donuts. No regrets!

On my reading pile: Everything I mentioned last week. Things got thrown into a tailspin, because the girls and I are house sitting this week and next week.

On my T.V.: I fell asleep during yesterday's episode of Dare Me, so I have to rewatch that. Ella and I are going to watch Lifetime's "Neighbor in the Window" because it looks so creepy and apparently it's based on a true story. (But aren't they all???) I love having a teenager I can share these terrible movies with.

I started "Dirty John", but haven't gotten very far. Mom Life and all that. It does make me think about how terribly conniving people can be. Yikes.

On the menu this week: House sitting, so I haven't written down a definite menu, but we are having breakfast for dinner tonight. Tomorrow, I'm making a pizza with a puff pastry crust, which is the easiest thing ever. Beef vegetable soup at some point because this rainy weather calls for it. I saw a recipe for tomato parmesan soup which I will be attempting when the kids are with Gabe this weekend.

From the camera: 

The sunrise this morning.

Looking around the house: It's not my house this week, it's my boss's. Things are tidy and organized, but I have some light housework to do here and there.

Chore I'm not looking forward to: Vacuuming. Josie hates the vacuum right now, and gets very upset when I run it. So, I have to think of a diversion and either I take her outside and Ella vacuums, or Ella takes her outside and I vacuum. Either way, it's a lot of work just to vacuum a few rugs. Sigh.

To relax this week, I will: Send my kids to see Gabe this weekend, bwa ha ha :)

On my prayer list: A friend going through cancer treatments, friends waiting to hear back about a loan, my little family.

Devotional, Bible Verse: 

Have a wonderful week, everybody!!

Happy Homemaker Monday: February 3, 2020

I'm incredibly late putting up this post, but only because today was a gorgeous day, I had a work thing to attend, and then chose to spend the rest of this gorgeous day with my kids.

The Weather: Today was gorgeous. Sunny, mid-60's, a springtime dream. It's supposed to cool off little by little, and we may even have some snow by the end of the week. It's February, after all.

How I am feeling this evening: The weather has me in good spirits. I got a lot done today, but I am absolutely exhausted.

On my mind: Everything from a running grocery list to "what scent should I put in the wax warmer?" It's a mess up in there, ha.

On the breakfast plate: I had a scone for breakfast. My boss is Welsh, and he makes amazing scones. I had one with some butter, and I had tea. That sounds almost like proper breakfast food.

On my reading pile: "Uninvited" by Lysa TerKeurst. I haven't read so much as a page in it yet, and haven't really touched "A Man Called Ove". BUT I did finish Songs for the Missing and it was every bit as heartbreaking as I thought it would be.

The goal this week is to get at least three chapters into Uninvited and at least crack open Ove.

On my T.V.: I'm re-watching CSI...because I've had a schoolgirl crush on Gil Grissom/ William Petersen since forever.
Also, going to attempt to watch Very Valentine on Lifetime. Adriana Trigiani can do no wrong in my opinion, but Lifetime better not take too many liberties.

On the menu this week: Oh, man. Full disclosure: This week is gonna be a disaster. My boss is going out of town, which means the girls and I are house sitting. Which means dinner is going to be weird for a few days. But I made Italian Chowder (like Zuppa Toscana, just more veggies) today, and I'm making a pork roast with vegetables tomorrow. Might do a beef and cabbage skillet on Wednesday. Thursday afternoon is when the girls and I leave, so I might just order a pizza for Gabe to have here, and get another one to go for us.

From the camera: 

My mop-topped youngest child can apparently climb playground equipment by herself now. SIGH. Why do they have to grow up?

Looking around the house: I'm quite pleased with what I see. No complaints here. It's quiet.

Chore I'm not looking forward to this week: Clearing out the laundry room of odds and ends. Stuff just builds up, y'all, and it's gotten to the point where it has thoroughly annoyed me. But does it annoy me more than actually cleaning it out? Time will tell...

To relax this week, I will: I have Wednesday off (allegedly), so I will sleep in (supposedly). We'll see!

On my prayer list: My Mom in Wisconsin, my sister recovering from a car accident, this country, the whole world.

Bible Verse/Devotional: 

Have a beautiful week!

On Basic Human Decency

A while ago, I saw a movie where a girl pretends to be pregnant, to see if people treat her any differently.  I think it was called The Pregnancy Project. People DID treat her differently, it was sobering to see how people's judgments of a situation affect the way they behave toward others.

Over the last year, I've lost a bunch of weight.
When I was bigger, nobody was ever mean to me about it. (Although one guy, while under the influence of who knows what called me "that fat girl", and a friend told me "Well, you were never really *that* big)
But, I've noticed, since losing the weight, people are quicker to be nicer to me. A door held open here, a smile there.

And honestly it makes me sad.

Because I've seen people judging others. Based on their size. Or their race. Or their gender. Or gender preference.

It happens so often.  There's a person bigger than you at the grocery store, and you make a little judgment about what they are buying.

You find out someone you know has had an abortion, and you immediately jump to conclusions.

There's an interracial couple, and judgments are made.

Someone you know comes out of the closet and the gay slurs fly.

Is this what our world is reduced to?

In a world that celebrates individuality, why are we so quick to judge someone who is different? Why does someone's size, or their skin color, or gender, or sexual affiliation bother us so much?

People's personal lives are none of our business. But it is OUR business to be kind to everybody. Whether you're religious or not, I'm sure you would like to be treated with kindness.

Why are we so quick to preach kindness or acceptance, and then do the exact opposite?

It's 2020, and we are moving backwards.

Please, just be kind. Be a good Christian. Be a good person. Be a good human being. Whatever you are, BE KIND.