Thoughts on Sundays

 While getting ready for church this morning, I was thinking about the things I wish I had learned while my children were young (or before). I did not grow up going to church. My family attended church until around the time I started elementary school, and then we stopped going. I began attending regularly with a friend when I was nineteen years old. That is where I met and married my husband. We have always gone to church as a family. 

I always felt out of sorts when getting things planned for Sundays. I had to learn on my own how to get everyone dressed and to church peacefully. Now I did not always succeed at this, but these are a few things I learned along the way. 

--Make church a priority for your family. With your husband, decide what church to attend and which services. For example, will you only attend Sunday morning or will you attend Sunday morning, Sunday night, and Wednesday night (if your church has all of these services)? Our church only has Sunday morning services year-round and Wednesday night services during the school year. Whatever you do, be positive about going to church and how much fun it is!

--Find a church where you fit and stick with it! My husband and I failed on this. We bounced from church to church for various reasons. One of them was because of a move, which obviously can't be helped. However, we left a few other churches because we disagreed with teachings (minor things, not salvation issues) or something else. This left a mark on our children. 

--Start preparing for Sunday earlier in the week. Honestly, my preparations usually begin on Saturday. It might be easier on you to begin preparations earlier in the week. Do what works for you! Have everyone's clothes ironed and hanging up ready to put on. Lay out the entire outfit down to undergarments, socks, shoes, barrettes, hair bows, etc. 

--Decide early in the week what you will have for Sunday breakfast and lunch. Prepare as much food as possible ahead of time. Some families enjoy lunch at a local restaurant on Sundays. If this is what you desire and it is in the budget, that is great. Just make traditions for your children to remember. Make it fun!

Simple Woman's Daybook~Week of August 30, 2021

For the Week of August 30, 2021

Looking out my window... Hurricane Ida has moved through our area. We just had a lot of rain and some high winds. We didn't have anything devastating in our area like they did in others. My younger son (age 23) will be going to New Orleans next week to help with clean up and hurricane relief efforts. 

I am thinking... My husband and I have been discussing different home improvement projects we would like to complete over time. We will have to do these slowly because of time and budget constraints. 

Progress report on some of the things listed in my last blog post: 

 ~Finish removing wallpaper in my oldest son's bedroom. Prep walls for painting. My husband has completed most of the painting of the room. We just have the trim and her bedroom furniture left to paint. Then we can move her into the room. The plan is to complete all of that during Labor Day weekend. 

~Do a major declutter of the entire house. This may have to be conducted one room per week until finished. 

~Finish planning a weekend getaway for my husband and me. 

~Catch up on sewing projects. I have a list already made of these.

~Restart yoga practice to improve flexibility.  I am also adding Essentrics from PBS. 

I am thankful... that I have a job that I truly love. 

One of my favorite things... keeping my nails done. My favorite nail polish brands are Essie and Olive & June. I usually order these online from their websites because they are difficult to find locally. 

I am creating... a decluttered, organized home slowly but surely. 

I am wearing... Old Navy striped linen pants, a blue top from Target, and Birkenstocks.

I am reading (read) /watching (watched) / listening to... 

Reading--The Cellist by Daniel Silva. Still reading this one. It has been a disappointment with an obvious political slant. 

Watching--Chicago P.D. with my daughter and the Tales from Cuckoo Land YouTube channel

Listening to--Bible Broadcasting Network (always!)

I am hoping... For a productive weekend that includes painting and lots of decluttering.

I am learning... French with Duolingo. I complete at least one lesson per night. I took two years of French in high school, but need a big refresher. 

In my kitchen... We got the new refrigerator! It is a Crosley brand purchased from a local appliance dealership. It is a bit smaller than our old fridge, but we will make it work. 

On Saturday, I did a lot of cooking ahead for the week. I cooked sausage patties for the week for my husband's breakfast, made crock pot pizza, made Barefoot Contessa's tomato basil soup, and assembled lasagna to freeze and cook for later. 

Sunday lunch for August 29, 2021--This past Sunday for lunch I made Crock Pot Pizza. I layer pasta sauce, cooked rotini pasta, pepperoni, mozzarella cheese, and sausage until I run out of ingredients, topping with mozzarella. Since everything is already cooked, it just has to heat on low in the crock pot while we are at church. 

I also made homemade French bread with garlic, butter, and Everything Bagel seasoning.

 For dessert, we had homemade strawberry shortcake. 

In my garden... My tomatoes are finally almost finished. I have begun planning next year's garden. I bought a beautiful flower pot and plant for my kitchen. 

Post Script...This YouTube video is so inspiring! It is a video from Canada about gardening in a small space. 

My Urban Garden

Closing Notes... I love planning each week in my dayplanner. I am not fancy or artistic, but I have cute stickers from Dollar Tree and colored pens and Mildliners to color-code activities. 

If you would like to view more posts from the Simple Woman's Daybook, click here.

       

Simple Woman's Daybook~Week of August 16, 2021

For The Week of August 16, 2021

Looking out my window... It has rained all day. I love the rain and how much cooler it is outside!

I am thinking... I feel like I am running in a hundred different directions lately. Usually when I start feeling this way, I do a "brain dump" where I take a notebook and write down everything on my mind that I need to do. 

A few of those things:  ~Finish removing wallpaper in my oldest son's bedroom. Prep walls for painting. My daughter will be moving into this room when we finish painting since it is larger than her current bedroom. My oldest son has moved into an apartment closer to his job. 

~Do a major declutter of the entire house. This may have to be conducted one room per week until finished. 

~Finish planning a weekend getaway for my husband and me. 

~Catch up on sewing projects. I have a list already made of these.

~Restart yoga practice to improve flexibility. 

I am thankful... That all three of my children have full time jobs that they love!

One of my favorite things... Time listening to podcasts while I clean or while at work. My favorite right now is The Bakery Bears Radio Show. They have such an inspiring marriage!

I am creating... Hand-knitted socks for my husband. 

I am wearing... Lavender slacks and a pink peplum top that I sewed. 

I am reading (read) /watching (watched) / listening to... 

Reading--The Cellist by Daniel Silva. I have read all of his books and anxiously await a new one each summer. 

Watching--Lego Masters with my 23 year old son. 

Listening to--Podcasts, "Gateway to Joy" by Elisabeth Elliot, and "Christian Classics" (both of these specific shows are on Bible Broadcasting Network that I have mentioned before). 

I am hoping... For a relaxing weekend!

I am learning... How to root cuttings of different plants. Some of these have been successful and others not so much. 

In my kitchen... Cleaning out the refrigerator--We are having a new one delivered Saturday morning. Our old one has been on its last leg for a while now. 

I need to work on a meal plan--I plan to start WW (Weight Watchers) again this week. I feel so much better when I am in control of my eating. 

Sunday lunch for August 15, 2021--This past Sunday for lunch I made Mississippi Pot Roast with carrots, Onion Soup Potatoes (I double this recipe except for the oil), and a yellow Duncan Hines cake with chocolate frosting. 

In the school room... My oldest son is in his first year teaching in a high needs school. He is LOVING it! My daughter (youngest child) is in her first year of graduate school online. 

In my garden... My cucumbers have produced enough for one batch of pickles, and I think they are finished. :-(  My tomatoes, however, have been super producers this year. My mom has canned salsa, I have canned tomatoes, and we have had plenty for tomato sandwiches. 

My succulents are not doing well. I think I give them too much attention and water since I read that they thrive on neglect. 

    My night blooming Cereus bloomed this week!

Post Script...One of my favorite blogs~ The Legacy of Home

Closing Notes...  I have a pretty calm weekend planned. I get my 2nd COVID vaccination tomorrow afternoon. After the 1st one I was extremely sleepy for about a day and a half.  I also do this after my flu vaccine every year. That is why always get them on Fridays, to have the weekend to recover. This time I plan to just rest and re-watch the Harry Potter movies. If I have enough energy, maybe I can knit and get caught up on some knitting YouTube channels I watch. 

If you would like to view more posts from the Simple Woman's Daybook, click here.

       

  

Sunday Lunch

     Several years ago, I decided to make a big deal about Sunday lunch after church.  Our family doesn't get to eat dinner together every night like we did when the children were younger and all at home. With everyone working different shifts and going to school, it just isn't feasible. Sunday lunch is the one time of the week when most of us can be present. My hope is that as my children get married and have children of their own, this will be a dependable time for them to come visit. 

    I try to make this meal the most special one of the week. I plan the meal ahead of time, keeping an eye out all the time for interesting Sunday lunch recipes. I especially love Bell's Best cookbooks, church cookbooks, and Southern Plate.  I want a home-cooked meal including dessert. This week my daughter requested herbed chicken. I found a delicious recipe on Downshiftology. I also cooked corn (one can of cream style corn plus one can of whole kernel), and butter peas. For dessert, I made my grandmother's lemon ice box pie (recipe below). 

    My daughter and I set the table with a nice tablecloth and dishes. When everyone gets to the table, we join hands and one of my sons or my husband will say the blessing before eating. We have really enjoyed this and look forward to it all week. 

Grandmother's Lemon Ice Box Pie

Ingredients: 

Graham cracker pie crust
8 oz. Philadelphia cream cheese
Eagle Brand milk
1/2 cup lemon juice
4 oz. Cool Whip

Mix the cream cheese, Eagle Brand milk, and lemon juice until smooth. Gently stir in the cool whip and pour into pie crust. Refrigerate overnight for the best flavor. 

What I am Listening To...

     Most of the time while I work or do housework, I can also listen to audiobooks, music, etc. (While at work, with my earbuds of course.) My favorite things to listen to are sermons and Bible teaching programs. A great, free resource is BBN Radio. It is a listener supported ministry so if you enjoy the programming and can afford to give, please do! I have the app on my phone so that I can choose to listen to their audio streaming service or certain programs "on demand". My favorite programs are "Gateway to Joy" by Elisabeth Elliot and "Christian Classics". I find encouragement and teaching in these programs. At other times, the music and sermons are always nice to hear. 

    I have two local libraries that offer free audiobook checkouts. I listen to these as well, but have found that I have to be very careful. I'm not sure why authors feel they have to include foul language and mature content in their writing, but it is a big problem with modern literature. Usually I can get a feel for the book and whether that will be a problem by reading reviews online. Occasionally, however, I won't realize it until I have started listening. I simply stop listening and return the book. I used to feel guilty about not finishing a book that I am reading or listening to. As I get older, I realize there are entirely too many great books to settle for mediocre. I return the book completely guilt-free. 😀😀

Since My Last Post...

    Since the last time I posted (a little over a year ago!), so much has happened in our family. I moved to a different department at work with more normal work hours. I now work 8 am to 5 pm with an hour lunch. I typically use my lunch hour to eat at my desk and then read or knit for the remainder of the hour. 

    Two of my children graduated from college (one had already finished). My oldest son completed his Master's Degree while my daughter completed her Bachelor's Degree. He is currently looking for a teaching job, and she is going to Graduate School in the fall. My son who had already finished school has a job that he loves and where he plans to make a career. I pray even more for my children now than I did when they were small! 

    My husband and I have been making date nights a priority as many weekends as possible. We try to go to a new to us restaurant once a month while grilling out the other weekends. Afterwards, we either go to a bookstore or watch PBS shows that we have on the DVR. Our current favorite shows are "Death In Paradise" and "Unforgotten". 

    My daughter and I really enjoy going to our local cinema for the Turner Classic Movies showings of vintage films. We recently went to see the 70th Anniversary showing of "The African Queen". It was so good! My grandmother told me that she and one of her sisters went to see it at the cinema when it came out originally!

Scheduling and Routines

I have always been a list maker and a schedule follower. I crave routine! I find that it is more difficult, but very necessary to allow myself some grace and not overschedule. Monday through Friday are scheduled by the hour because I have work and attempt to accomplish most of the responsibilities on these days. This allows my weekends to be more of a routine schedule with morning, afternoon, and evening blocks. This helps with my goal of a peace-filled home. 

For years, I have used the scheduling templates offered for free on Titus 2. They are downloadable and can be easily edited. I am working on a new weekly schedule today in order to make sure I am allowing time for all of the little (and big) things that seem to get pushed to the side.  My schedule and times might look odd to some because I have to be at work at a very early time. A few of the things on my list to include in my schedule and routine:

Bible/Prayer/Scripture Memorization--Daily, begin one hour before bed. This is the Bible I use. I also read daily, even if it is a short section from one of Stormie Omartian's books on prayer. Currently, I am reading and praying through The Power of Praying for Your Adult Children.  I am working to memorize the entire book of Colossians this year. I recently discovered the Bible Memory App and the Bible Audio App. With this Bible Audio App, you can set the app to repeat a chapter, verse, etc. I find this very helpful when working around the house. 

Exercise--Daily, begin one hour before getting ready for work. I will be using Leslie Sansone's Walk Away the Pounds DVDs.

Grooming and Self-Care--Shower daily, wash and moisturize face twice daily, fix makeup and hair daily, paint nails twice weekly. Prepare mine and my husband's clothes for work daily before supper. 

Meals--Prepare my breakfast, lunch, water bottles, and husband's coffee pot each night before supper so that it is ready to pack the next morning before work. Begin supper each after at 3 pm so that is ready when my husband gets home from work at 4 pm. We eat supper early! Meal plan once a week on Thursday evenings based on what is left in the pantry/freezer and adding to the grocery list as necessary. 

Errands--All of my errands such as grocery store, library, post office, etc. take place on Friday afternoon when I get off work. This frees up my weekends to get things done around the house. 

Cleaning--I do three loads of laundry each day, keep the dishes done, and sweep the house daily. The actual cleaning happens on Friday nights. 

Gardening--Right now, gardening is in full swing so each day during the late afternoon I go outside to water everything and see what needs picked from the vegetable garden. Weeding and lawn care are taken care of by my husband on the weekends. 

Sewing, Knitting, Reading--Saturday has become my sewing day each week. I plan ahead during the week what I will work on and get up early Saturday morning to begin. I try to knit a few evenings a week while watching a Youtube channel on either knitting or homemaking. I read every day even if it is for a short period of time. I have a plan where I am always reading a nonfiction book, a series book (currently it is the Mitford series by Jan Karon), a fiction book recommended by the New York Times or another reputable source, and a classic from my childhood (currently the Little House on the Prairie series by Laura Ingalls Wilder). This, I feel, keeps me from falling into a rut and keeps my reading well-rounded.