Currently

 

Watching: EVERYHING!  What else is there to do?
Seriously - I have been watching everything to escape from the madness of the world.  I should say EVERYTHING EXCEPT THE NEWS!!!  

I just finished Dash and Lily on Netflix - which I really enjoyed the book & was excited to see it come to life. Books are always better though - always.

Also excited This is Us is back - & my heart can't handle the Big 3 when they fight... & Grey's Anatomy. I never gave up on it & this past week's episode... McDREAMY!!!!!

I even got all caught up on 60 Days in on Netflix (Pleas Lord, let me never go to jail) & I finished both seasons of The Order (LOVED THAT SHOW SO MUCH!!!)

& excute me, but this weekend, you can expect this girl to be in front of Netflix catching up on the latest season of The Crown!

I'll also add in there - Dancing with the Stars, The Masked Singer, & of course, the new Real Housewives' of Salt Lake City - cue that madness.

Weather:  After all the wind over the weekend, we're in what feels like real Fall weather.  Really cool mornings - nice, but cool in the sun, but definitely the heat is on in our home at night.

Eating:  I went to the grocery & found they have made a lot of those prepackaged salads that are new.  I have to watch them because a lot of them have chicken or bacon - some sort of meat. (GAG) but I found 2 that I really like - one is a Mediterranean salad with feta cheese & balsamic dressing.  The other is called "Everything salad" & it has a package of that Everything Seasoning in it -with bagel chips & ranch dressing. I LOVE that one.  The Hubs hates ranch dressing so that one is all mine.

Feeling - Physically:  I've currently got some sort of sinus thing happening with a sore throat & earache & headache.  Which of course, any time you're not feeling the best in 2020, its like, where do you get tested for COVID?  I dont have a fever so that's good - but if I feel worse in the next day or two, I may go get tested.  I'm just hoping the ear infection doesnt kick my vertigo in gear.  That's just the worst.

Feeling Mentally: DONT ASK.... I'm just over the craziness in America.  I'm embarrassed more than anything.  Embarrassed at the childish tantrums that is causing division when America's democracy is put to work.  Sickened at the selfishness of people who are STILL fighting masks by saying its a "freedom" issue.  Shocked to see people gathering & acting like there's not a global pandemic that's raging out of control.  It's really worn me out.  I've debated not blogging the rest of the year, uninstalling all the social media apps, holing up in my home with my husband & dogs & wishing everyone luck like we're in the Hunger Games.  May the odds be ever in your favor.  Geez. That's what we've come down to.  I'm typically an optimistic person... well, good job 2020 - you've won. You broke me.  

  

Excited about:  Putting up my Christmas tree.  I'm hoping we can get it up this weekend.  I need some sparkle & soft light in my dark life lately.

Excited about #2:  Starting my Advent Bible Study. I actually bought 2 & I dont know which one to stick with.  I thought I'd buy them both & see which one looks better - but they're both looking really good.  I got the Lifeway study & the Daily Grace Advent Study.  Anyone buy either of these?  I'm anxious to dig in - maybe I'll just do both.

Lifeway's Study - Click the pic for link

Daily Grace Advent Study - Click Pic for Link

Reading: Unleashing Mr. Darcy - its a easy light read. Just what my brain needs right now. - I need to find the Christmas book I want to read for the season.  I'm thinking In A Holidaze.

Working On: Trying to find all my Christmas gifts online.  I know the holidays are going to look totally different for us this year & shopping is one of them. I'm usually someone who browses aisles & see what pops out to me for someone for a gift.  Browsing online isnt the same for me.  When I shop online, its usually I know what I'm looking for.  I'm just ready to wrap up some gift cards & BAM - Christmas shopping done.

Signed Up for:  I've been using Daily Burn since March for working out & really enjoy a new work out every day. They're 30 minutes long & have a lot of options of workouts.  BUT - I'm moody lately - if you couldnt tell by most of my previous answers.  I just need ... NEEEEEEED... music when I work out. MUSIC with words.  MODERN music.  Beachbody had switched to a lot of workouts with NO music & that did me in for them... & Daily Burn uses instrumental music for their work out.  I mean, its energetic & has a beat... but I did some workouts on YouTube where they did workouts to the soundtrack of Hamilton & let me tell you - I felt that spark.  I pumped it OUT. I need lyrics - I need songs I can sing to that get me lost in working out. That's why I always said I couldnt run without music.  ... so, all that to say, I signed back up to LesMills On Demand.  They have some repetitive moves that get old - but they have music that is the best.  So I signed  up for a 3 month subscription to see how it works. If it gets me through the holidays sane, it's done its job.

Tell me something currently going in on your life.....

Friday Favorites

 

Click on Pic for Link

Favorite Cutting Board

OK, So I may just have to have a Schitt's Creek item every week up till Christmas.

& I'll love every single one of them!

Favorite Winter Jammies

I love thermals in the winter.  They're comfy to me.

Favorite Tech Helper

I like these leather cord organizers.

SO MANY CORDS next to my bed, or on our kitchen counter..

I really like that you can wrap your ear buds up too.. for those of you (like me) that still use corded ones

Favorite Note Pad

I LOVE THESE!!!! You end up scratching off the black - not really writing in white.

But I saw the idea where people use these & cute them in half & use them as name tags on gift bags - SO CUTE!

Favorite Sweater

Between the color & the shape of it - I LOVE!

Favorite Hand Cleaner

I want these & I may end up giving these to everyone for Christmas.

You get 200 sheets of SOAP in these. So when you go to a place that has water, but no soap dispenser or a GROSS one you dont want to touch. you put these in your hand & wash away!

GENIUSSSSS!!!!

It was made for hikers or traveling - but in the world of COVID - keep those hands clean!

Favorite Tea Helper

Look at these little snails!!!!

You can wrap your tea bag string around it so it doesnt get sunk into your cup.

Plus, they are just so dang cute!

Favorite Ice Cream Help

Who knew this existed????

A personalized cozy for little Ben & Jerry cartons of ice cream! LOL

A place to hold your spoon too! I love  it!

If you have a ice cream lover - this is a perfect little gift.

There's lot of designs too!

Favorite Funnies

(This one hurts because its a little TOO accurate to me)

(OK- I'M JUST STOPPING RIGHT NOW BEFORE THESE ARE 

JUST MEMES OF MY FACE)

Happy Weekend Y'all!!!!!

Work it out, straighten it out & A room with a view{Thankful Thursday #286}

 

This week I am Thankful for:

Masks selling again
I totally forgot I had masks on my Etsy store. I havent made any in awhile just because I dont have a good place to leave my sewing machine & materials out.  When I sold a few this week, I was pleasantly surprised. I have just a few left.  After the holidays, once decorations are put up, I have sewing plans so I gotta start finding a place to set my baby up.  Maybe I'll make some more masks again.

Heated Hair Brush
Why did I wait so long to get that Revlon One Step Heat Brush? It's amazing how I can use it to do my hair when I get out of the shower & be presentable. It doesnt get me as straight as a straightner, but its faster & doesnt leave me looking TOTALLY frizzy headed. I think with more practice, I'll get better at it too.  It's so much cheaper now too - I see it on sale at a lot of places & even at Sam's Club.  Amazon has it cheaper than ever too.  A great gift for someone! (Or yourself)

Cheaper Prescription
The Hubs had to get some medicine from a dermatologist & that stuff wasn't cheap!  Who wants to spend $150.00 for stuff that's not fun? The doctor ended up sending the presciprtion to a place that blends it all in house & it was more than half than what you get in big name prescriptions. What a nice surprise!

President Elected
... I know its still a sticky point for some... but I'm just excited to move on.

Book Finished
I hate when I have a book that takes me forever to read. My last one - it took over a month! UGH. The worst. I felt accomplished when I got to the last page.

Window View
Working from home, still loving it... but even more right now, I get to see my tree turns color. It's funny because my trees are always last to go.  I sat here & watched all the trees across the street change  & it was stunning. & now, I've watched my trees turn  different shades of red each day this week.  Yesterday, the wind was so strong, I watched as a lot of the leaves were swirling in front of my window.  This is definitely a better view than the cubicle I sit in in the office where there's no windows anywhere.

Testing out the ankle
I just wanted to get out & enjoy some of this warm November weather so I ventured on some walks.  It was a test to my ankle & boy oh boy.... it aches now.  But I'm glad I got to get out & get my ankle moving - even if it hurt. I consider it progress. Gotta have some pain to get stronger, right?

... plus...

WARM WEATHER
I'll add onto the one above.  This weather we've been having the past week - GLORIOUS. Just simply glorious. So warm & beautiful.  Let's just leave it here November.  I'll take this till the end of the year please.

What's something good going on in your week?

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10 on 10... all about Thanksgiving ...a day late

 

Joining with Beautiful Leslie who hosts this every month.
She's been through the ringer the past few weeks so even if you dont  join in, stop by & give her some well wishes!  

1. Will you watch Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade?  Football? Movies?
I do watch the Macy's parade. Anxious to see how they do it this year. I always love the time before the parade actually gets started - when they would have all the Broadway acts do their thing. I was there for every single one of those songs & dances!!! 

Football? What's that.... could care less.

Movies? I'll typically watch some Christmas movies because I'm usually putting up my Christmas tree on Thanksgiving day.

2. Who does the cooking? Fix ahead of time?Usually, my sister in law & brother do most of the cooking & my mom would bring some sides & I bring the easy stuff.  Maybe a side.... pumpkin pie usually too.  I'm the one that doesn't cook so we're the family that brings drinks or plates. LOL... what can I say?

3. What time do you eat the big meal?
The past few years, we've eaten fairly early - maybe around 2 or 3... because we had to get out to do some Black Friday shopping... that isn't on Friday at all.  

Now, this year, with COVID, I'm not even sure what's going to happen... with family get together and/or shopping.  

I'm ready just to hole up in my house & eat all the pumpkin pies myself in front of my Christmas tree.

4. Do you set a formal table or keep things casual? Place cards? Children's Table?
If you do place cards... I want to shake your hand. You fancy!  

I can remember the Children's table when I was little & we would go to my grandparents.  My mom is one of 10 siblings - so you can IMAGINE all the cousins & how full this little house was on Thanksgiving.  It was always just ALIVE with personalities - all the laughter, all the crowds.  We always said that strangers could walk in & no one would even know because they would think it was someone's boyfriend/girlfriend.  ... I miss those days.

Doesnt sound so bad this year, does it?

5. Is the food placed on the table or served buffet style?
We're usually a "place it on the table" people... take a bowl, serve yourself & pass the bowl down.
I just sit near all the carbs.... mashed potatoes, mac & cheese, rolls. 

6. Ham or turkey? What's for dessert?
.... gag.... gaaaaggggg.... GAGGGGING!!!!
Nope - no ham NOR turkey for us.  You're welcome Ms. Pig & Mr. Turkey.  Not on our watch.
I mean - when you're belly is so full of carbs anyways, I dont miss it one bit.  Not for a second.

Dessert is anything that's there.  Give it all to me. Apple pie, pumpkin pie, cake, peanut butter balls. ALL OF IT.  Let's kick this season off with a bang... & 5 lbs.

7. Does your family have a Thanksgiving tradition?
Not really... kinda... nah... maybe...

I mean, I usually put up my tree on Thanksgiving.... The Hubs & I have gone shopping Thanksgiving evening the past few years.... I used to do a 5k every morning.... 

Its things that are expected... but I've never really thought of them as "Traditions"

8. Yay or nay to leftovers? Favorite leftover recipe?
If its carbs or dessert - yep, Wrap those babies up!

I know a lot of people eat on turkey for a few days.... gagggg.... 
& the whole coming up with recipes for turkey or ham the next day... that always has grossed me out.
Not sure why.  Even when I did eat meat, it bothered me.
As you can tell, I have weird food issues.

9. What will everyone wear? Dress up or comfy?
All about the comfort.  I have actually gone to my parents for Thanksgiving wearing my clothes I just ran my 5k in when I let the day get away from me.  All of you that have matching outfits & look super nice.... you are #Goals to me.  

Thanksgiving Pants Joey Tribbiani GIF from Thanksgivingpants GIFs

10.  For what are you most thankful this year?
In a crazy year.... I am super grateful that my family has been healthy & even when Julie got COVID, she did OK with it.  I think we'll never take health for granted after a pandemic rolls through.  

I'm also super grateful that I've been able to work from home in these crazy times.  That's taken so much anxiety off of my mind & I know so many have not had that opportunity ... I dont take it for granted about how amazing my job is.

& of course, my biggest gratitude is always & especially, my relationship with Jesus... whom I can cry out to & lean on & learn from -especially in a crazy year.

How does your Thanksgiving look?

Show Us Your Books {November 2020}

 

Honestly - I've been sitting on the same book all month long.

With COVID numbers spiking up breaking records every day, with election chaos going on, with less sunlight every day... all of it has just sucked away my motivation to read.

Funny enough - November 7th - the day we got our results of the election for the projection of who is becoming President, I was able to sit out in beautiful sunshine & finish reading.  Ahhh... 

Hope ... I felt hope... & I was able to find my reading mojo.
Hopefully next month, I'll be able to share more than 1 book.

The Heir Affair

*** / It was OK

Quick Summary:  The follow up to Bex & Nick after their Royal wedding from "The Royal We".

How do  they pick up in the beginning of their marriage after Nick finds out & deals with his brother trying to steal his fiance away & how do they handle all the pressures of filling Royal shoes.

I think most sequels are just not as good as the first book - especially if it's not a series that tells a story.  I think this feels like an afterthought.  I could be wrong. Maybe the authors had the idea for this when they wrote the first one.... didnt seem like to me though.

It started off strong for me.  I thought I would get through this pretty quick... but its 464 pages & I think that's the problem. It felt REALLY long to me. While I was just not feeling the urge to read, being in a long book that seemed to be going on with useless pages, it was a struggle about mid way in.

It would pick up & have its moments that would suck me back in, but then more pages that just was like, I dont need this.  

In the end, I enjoyed it enough to finish. I enjoyed seeing these characters again. I still love Freddie & wish he got happier things in his life.  I'm not sure I'd pick up a 3rd book if it came out in this series.

“It’s unrealistic to expect to find peace in the arms of someone else if you can’t find it within yourself”

Currently Reading

Click pic blow to see what everyone else is reading

The weekend I learned about our new President while getting some Chick Fil-A tea

 How can I even talk about anything much about the weekend when we finally got a decision on who our next President is? ... or at least to half the country.

... sigh...

I think we all knew that no matter how this turned out, it wasn't going to be easy &  we know that half of the country is still upset & fighting the decision & probably wont accept it in the end.

... And here we are America.  A bunch of stubborn headed people that just would rather have division.  I'm not pointing  fingers to one side or another.  I'm sure if Trump was elected President, we'd have comments & posts & memes going the other way too.

It just makes me sad.  There is no bending.  There is no give or take. There is no compromise.

You know as children, when you had disagreements with siblings, parents would make you sit in a room & work it out, or no dessert for either of you.  We need some parent figure to come in & start making everyone calm down, talk it out, get along.  Because I think no one has been getting dessert lately in America.

I remember when they talked about the amazing Ruth Bader Ginsburg & how even though she was a Democratic nominee, the vote to confirm her a Supreme Court Member was 96-3.  Let that sink in... 96 -3 .... she had the Democrat votes AND the Republican votes.

Where are those days?  Why is the division so full of hatred & anger.... & the bigger question, how do we get back to that again?

Of course we can have difference of opinions... heck, 99% of my day is difference of opinions just in my home with my husband.  But people would rather say horrible things to one another because of who they support politically. I dont get it... I really dont.

Its like I said to many people this weekend.... people are acting like we've never had a Democratic President in their lifetime.  Or a Republican President. Or that the parties switch with every election day.  THIS IS NOT THE END OF THE WORLD Y'ALL.... we'll be OK.  There's another election in 4 years.  That's the great thing about America & how democracy works.

One of my favorite memes I've seen this weekend

I for one just felt relief when the decision was made.  & even some hope.

I also felt really excited to see a woman break through & make it to the seat of Vice President. I can imagine how many parents had discussions with their daughters to point to this & let these little girls know they can be ANYTHING they set their mind to.

Whew... this is the most I think I've ever spoken about politics.  This is what 2020 has driven us to... me talking about politics - LOL

Anyways... if you're still with me... the rest of my weekend 

.......

It was just GORGEOUS here all weekend long. Those sort of days where I didnt want to come inside. 

Saturday, I had to get up early & run to the bank & do some things for work & then I ran to the library to pick up a book on hold.  I got some grocery shopping done & then ran into Chick Fil-a to pick up some lunch.  The line there is just the craziest thing - every single day, the line wraps around like 3-4 curves & is anywhere from 20-30 cars deep. Not even joking.  They make it move fairly quickly.  I think I was in line for 20 minutes... I expected longer.  

I'll sit in that line for their mac & cheese!

It was in this line that I pulled up Instagram & saw the very first post from my friend that had a pic of Biden & Harris & was congratulating them & I commented - DID THEY CALL IT? I had no idea.  

I got home & watched the news for about 30 minutes & then got on social media & saw all the YIPEEE / BOOOOO posts hitting & I was like, -I'm outta here.... 

Grabbed my book, some coffee & went out to read in the glorious warm sunshine.  My life went on as usual.... still loving my family, my home, my dogs, my friends. 

 Life goes on however you want to focus on it.

I was excited to stay up to see Biden & Harris speak... which again, I watched with so much hope & smiles on my face & felt like I could actually get a good nights sleep finally.

... hot flashes had other things in mind - but I at least THOUGHT I'd have a good nights sleep...

Sunday, I got up & made some breakfast & went to sit outside to read before church, but it was already HOT in the sun. Hello November - keep this up!

I did church online & then we headed out to Sam's Club so I could get a case of paper for work.  

Also got me some new house shoes ... or do you call them slippers?... anyways, I wear mine down. AND I also have to hide them from the dogs who thing that the fur on them makes them their new sibling & they want to play.  Yikes!  I'm going to try my best to put these on my nightstand each night to give them a chance at survival for awhile.

Ricky had been craving a McAlister's tea since we havent eaten in there since March.  I stayed in the truck & he ran in & by the time he came out, he said, NOPE - wont be going back in there again. He said it was so crowded - people sitting at every table, line going out the door.  In Indiana, restrictions are gone for capacity... which makes ZERO sense to me.  Indiana is having more than 2000 new cases a day... & you wonder why? I dont think the virus says, "Oh, I wont infect them because they're putting food in their mouths"... you have packed places, with no one wearing masks, obviously since they're eating... & when the positive infection numbers go up crazy high, are you really surprised?

Oh... forget 2,000... we're now hitting over 4,000 in a day... geeezzzz

Needless to say... we wont be back to McAlister's for awhile - unless we have it brought out to us with curbside.

More reading outside... while the Hubs worked on some of the leaves in the back part of our property.

Bye leaves.... it's been a glorious beautiful fall this year. No complaints there.

I went over to see the horses & took mom to the store & then heard the sad news about Alex Trebek.  What a sad sad thing. I know I'm not alone when I say I hate cancer.  

I love hugging & kissing this sweet girl

So... here we go... another week ahead... inching closer & closer to the Holidays.

I tried to get The Hubs to bring my tree in & he said NOPE - not till the weekend before Thanksgiving.  I've got to start making negotiations to get him to bring it in this week.  I need some cheer & beautiful lights in my house STAT. 

How was your weekend?

Where were you when you heard the President results?

You having a warm Fall?

Is your tree up yet?