Blogtober 2017 - Day 31

Day 31 - Halloween decoration

I decorate primarily for fall with only a few touches of Halloween.  This one is my favorite.

Vic, Sophia and Pamela

And that's a wrap for Blogtober 2017 - I hope you enjoyed it!

Blogtober 2017 - Day 30

Day 30 - Something you accomplished

I went to the dentist last week.  For a mega-dentaphobe like me, that's a huge accomplishment!

Happy Homemaker Monday 10/30/2017

It's time for another Happy Homemaker Monday with Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom.  Click here if you'd like to join in.

I want to start with a thank you for all of the lovely comments on my photos of Sophia.  She was a cute youngster and has grown into a beautiful young woman, inside and out.  It's killing me to be so far away and it's going to get worse...read on.

The weather:::
Not quite fall yet - four out of the seven days this coming week are still in the 70s.  Boo.

On my reading pile:::
Part Four of Keep the Home Fires Burning is still waiting on my Kindle.  I've been too busy with December Daily to read anything.

On my TV:::
Outlander, Season 3, on STARZ
Bramwell
Doc Martin, Season 8, on Acorn
Poldark on PBS
The Durrells in Corfu on PBS

On the menu for this week:::
Monday - Salmon, Roasted Potatoes, Brussels Sprouts
Tuesday - Sausage with Colcannon and Carrots
Wednesday - Tex-Mex Tilapia, Roasted Red Potatoes, Green Beans
Thursday - Lemon-Garlic Grilled Shrimp, Zucchini
Friday - Dinner and a Movie
Saturday - Vic's cooking
Sunday - more of Vic's cooking

On my to-do list:::

• Continuing on with the Holiday Grand Plan - it's Family Room week and since we don't have a Family Room, I'm continuing on with Pantry/Closets.

What I am sewing, crocheting, knitting or creating:::
Picked up the last item - patterned paper - for our card-marking project so that's on the agenda for next weekend and I'm working on my foundation pages for December Daily.  Foundation pages are a rough draft of what my December Daily project will look like - nothing adhered to the pages, just cards and embellishments and numbers placed in sheet protectors as a rough guide.

Looking around the house:::
Laundry, sticking to the daily housekeeping plan.

From the camera:::

Found this at Michaels - so cute!

Something fun (or intriguing) to share:::

Not a picture this week but an announcement - It's here - our Letter of Intent, the first step in preparation for our move to...Okinawa, Japan!  Vic's assignment is being cut short (we were scheduled to be here through December 2018) and we will be setting up our new home in the summer of next year.  The Letter of Intent is the document that enables us to begin the overseas screening, setting up the movement of our household goods, storing our car, arranging for housing - just a few of the things on the long, long list of things to do before an overseas move.  It's our first overseas assignment in 23 years - exciting, yet terrifying!

What I'm wearing today:::
Yoga pants, a long-sleeved T-shirt and sheer panic on my face - lol.

Blogtober 2017 - Day 29

Day 29 - Plans/Planning for November

In a word, or three, Christmas Craft Fairs!  I have four on my calendar already and I'm sure there will be more.  I have several ornament exchanges in December and I love to find unique crafted items to give as ornaments.

In addition to shopping at the craft fairs, I have the usual round of board meetings, and volunteer shifts, as well as hair and dentist appointments.  There are some great movies coming out in November, we have tickets to see Dirty Dancing on stage, and Thanksgiving will be here before we know it.

Blogtober 2017 - Day 28

Day 28 - On my wall

My favorite would be our large picture that hangs in the dining room called The Prayer at Valley Forge.

George Washington's quote, "I consider it an indispensable duty to close this last solemn act of my official life by commending the interests of our dearest country to the protection of Almighty  God and those who have the superintendence of them into His holy keeping", is inscribed on a brass plaque.

Blogtober 2017 - Day 27

Day 27 - How do you meal plan?

I meal plan on Thursdays because I go grocery shopping on Fridays.  I have these great stickers in my planner, not so much to remind me because I know I meal plan on Thursday, they are more for decoration and I love them because I used to have a set of bowls just like this.  I think they call them vintage now!

We eat some version of the same things each week, loosely following a clean eating/Whole 30 type food plan - chicken, salmon, tilapia, shrimp, lean pork, steak, and lamb.  Our dinners are usually some form of the aforementioned grilled or roasted with potatoes and vegetables.  I roast a lot of vegetables as it is so easy to spread them all out on a sheet plan, add a little seasoning, and roast away.  Vic usually eats leftovers from dinner for lunch unless he's eating out with his office.

We pretty much eat the fridge clean each week so I'm starting all over again every Friday.  I make a menu and a grocery list from the menu.  The days when I used to check the pantry for things I needed are over as I don't buy processed foods so my grocery list is basically proteins and vegetables.  It can get boring but we try to jazz it up with spices and sauces to keep some variety in the meals.

When we first started to eat this way, I would have given my right arm for a taco or an honest to goodness church potluck-type casserole, something made with a Cream of soup or a tub or two of sour cream.  Unfortunately, or should I say fortunately, our bodies soon told us that eating this type of food was not doing us any good and once we started to eat more wholesome food, we felt much better.  We're not perfect, we splurge now and then usually on a date night dinner but there are certain things we avoid because they really make us feel blah.  Clean eating is a great way to find out what foods you really should avoid.  Your body will thank you for it.

The question was How do you meal plan? wasn't it?  I'll get down off my clean eating soapbox now.

Blogtober 2017 - Day 26

Day 26 - Your kid(s)

Preschool and High School

Sophia

Equestrienne, Fashionista, Chanteuse

Our pride and joy

A beautiful young woman

Cherished by your family

Admired by your peers

Full of promise for the future

We wish for you

Blessings in abundance

An amazing college experience

A horse always by your side

Travel abroad to places full of history and culture

True friends for life

And one day, the love of your life

We know that you will always

Smile and look for the best in people

Love animals

Be kind to little children

Value the advice of your elders

Strive to leave the world a better place

Give back because you have been given so much

We are so proud of you

With all our love

Mom and Dad

October Rudolph Day

October Rudolph Day was all about plannng and looking ahead - only one more Rudolph Day before the big day arrives.  My planner is all in order, all gifts purchased and to be purchased listed, stocking stuffers logged, and December calendar mocked up.  The days are filling very quickly.

I was actually supposed to be planning meals but since we're going out for dinner on Christmas Eve, I only had Christmas Day to consider and that will be some bakery items for breakfast and a selection of tea sandwiches and small cakes to munch on during the day.  We eat pretty light while we're lounging in our pajamas, watching movies and reading whatever books and magazines were under the tree.

I thoroughly enjoyed this month's movie - no matter how many times I see it, I still burst out laughing at the scenes when Tim Allen is trying to eat after his Botox injections!

Here is a collage of the lovely ornaments I received from my Magical Holiday Home sisters.  It was a great ornament exchange and I look forward to hanging these on our tree.

The top center ornament is the front of the round ball and the top right-hand corner is the back of the round ball.  The snowman in a bottle is featured twice because there are nine blocks in the collage.

If anyone is looking for a stamp set that is perfect to mark Rudolph Day in your planner or date book, or on your calendar, Michael's has just the thing.

I hope you had some Rudolph Day fun!

Blogtober 2017 - Day 25

Day 25 - Favorite Bible Verse

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me - Philippians 4:13 NKJV

It's a family favorite - Vic used it on the back of the commissioning program at his ceremony in 2012, along with a quote from President John F. Kennedy.

October Rudolph Day is tomorrow!

What's Rudolph Day? Here is the definition according to Organized Christmas:

A few years ago, members of our Christmas community began to observe "Rudolph Day" on the 25th of each month.

On that day, we take a few moments to plan some simple tasks for the month ahead, in order to get ready for Christmas Day with plenty of time to spare. By starting early--and working a bit at a time on each month's Rudolph Day--it's easy to prepare for Christmas, save money on gifts, and cut holiday stress.

Here's the annual line-up with the sub-theme (if there is one) in parentheses:

January - Tie Up Loose Ends (gather ideas and organize your Christmas notebook)

February - Begin a Holiday Letter

March - Birthday Gift-Buying Strategy (party planning for the holiday season)
April - Plan Holiday Crafts

May - Catalog Shopping Tips

June - Recipe Round Up

July - Choose a Holiday Plan (Christmas in July celebration)

August - Craft Control (thinking ahead to Elf on the Shelf)

September - Prepare for Holiday Gifts and Giving

October - Plan Holiday Meals

November - Write Holiday Letter

The bottom line is...prepare for Christmas by doing something every month and make the 25th of each month a Rudolph Day by doing something Christmasy!

Less than ten weeks to go until Christmas, time to kick up those Christmas plans a notch!  I started to look through my planner yesterday in preparation for working on it tomorrow and surprise, surprise, what did I find?  An unused $25 Barnes and Noble gift card and 80 Forever stamps.  See how important it is to keep up to date with one's planner?

Almost all of my December Daily products have arrived and I'm excited about the Product Play class that will start on November 1.  Check out Ali Edwards' site to learn more.  I am working my way through one of her classes, Hybrid, right now.  It teaches you how to pair digital products with traditional scrapbooking products.

This month's movie is Christmas with the Kranks.

Have a great Rudolph Day!

Blogtober 2017 - Day 24

Day 24 - Thankful for...a hard-working, loving husband, a beautiful daughter, a steady income with good benefits, a warm home and food on the table, loving family and wonderful friends, happy memories of good times gone by and hopes for the future...so many blessings.

Happy Homemaker Monday 10/23/2017

It's time for another Happy Homemaker Monday with Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom.  Click here if you'd like to join in.

The weather:::
Temperatures this week range from 62 to 79 - fall creeps in and gets knocked back down by summer.  Let's hope fall gets the upper hand soon!

On my reading pile:::
Didn't make it to the library but Part Four of Keep the Home Fires Burning is out so I've got that waiting on my Kindle.

On my TV:::
Outlander, Season 3, on STARZ - didn't it just kill you having to wait an extra week to see the reunion?
Bramwell
Doc Martin, Season 8, on Acorn
Poldark on PBS
The Durrells in Corfu on PBS

On the menu for this week:::
Monday - Coconut Shrimp, Zucchini with Tomatoes Saute, Roasted Potatoes
Tuesday - Sausage with Colcannon and Carrots
Wednesday - Salmon, Roasted Red Potatoes, Brussels Sprouts
Thursday - Olive-Stuffed Chicken Piccatta, Broccoli
Friday - Dinner and a Movie
Saturday - Vic's cooking
Sunday - more of Vic's cooking

On my to-do list:::

• Lunch Bunch Goes Tex-Mex
• Rudolph Day on Wednesday
• Continuing on with the Holiday Grand Plan - I completely missed Kitchen week and now it's on to Pantry/Closets - let's just say that I am VERY loosely following this plan, I get to what I can when I can, hopefully in the right room that week!

What I am sewing, crocheting, knitting or creating:::
No progress with cards or journaling this week but my December Daily package arrived and I am so excited - so many neat products for making a fun album to tell our stories through the month of December.

Looking around the house:::
Laundry, sticking to the daily housekeeping plan.

From the camera:::

Guess who's gonna make sure he's ready for winter?

Something fun (or intriguing) to share:::

Beautiful cards on display at a Scrap and Stamp Expo we went to this weekend - one primary die and three versions.

What I'm wearing today:::
Capris and a long-sleeved T-shirt - typing this up on Sunday night as I'm out early in the morning to run errands before the temperatures rise (today is the 79 degree day)..

Blogtober 2017 - Day 23

Day 23 - Favorite snack

Love this brand - they are extra vinegar-y!

Blogtober 2017 - Day 22

Day 22 - Favorite cleaner

Melaleuca Tough and Tender - an eco and people-friendly alternative to 409, green works, fantastik, and Lysol 4-in-1 for countertops, pots & pans, crafts, car interiors, artificial plants, walls, appliances, lamps, cabinets, light fixtures, computers, and whiteboards.

Blogtober 2017 - Day 21

Day 21 - Your outfit today

Jeans, Dansko clogs, navy blue short-sleeved T-shirt, blue cardigan, blue and silver necklace and matching earrings - it was 55 degrees this morning but ended up in the high 70s by the time we got home from our morning outing - best to have a short-sleeve T-shirt under the cardigan.

The Crown Giveaway

If you're a fan of The Crown on Netflix, head over to What Kate Wore's giveaway - one of three copies of the book, The Crown: The Official Companion, may be yours for the price of a comment.  I would love to have a copy in my library!

Blogtober 2017 - Day 20

Day 20 - Never without.....my glasses!

I used to need them for reading but now it seems like I need them for everything.

Blogtober 2017 - Day 19

Day 19 - Your freshly made bed

I have to cheat a little here - fall hasn't quite come to Virginia yet so my freshly made bed would just have a top sheet, not terribly attractive.  I'm hoping that fall will soon make an appearance and our bed can go back to looking like it should when the temperatures drop a little.

Blogtober 2017- Day 18

Day 18 - Throwback Thursday

Day 18 says Throwback Thursday but today is Wednesday so I think leaving Day 13 out of the list has really messed things up.  Never mind, we can have a throwback on any day of the week.

Here's an adorable selection of Halloween with Sophia 1995-2001.

Black cat and Pocahontas

Dorothy (with Toto in the basket) and Po, the red Teletubby

Madeline and Jasmine

Cleopatra

Blogtober 2017 - Day 17

Day 17 - Favorite thing about fall

Please see Day 5!

If this is Tuesday, it must be England #82

During our last trip to England, we spent a day in Chester.  Chester is an amazing city that dates back to the year 79 when a Roman fort was founded there.  The city is almost completely walled, only a small section is not complete, and there are many beautiful buildings in the city centre which look medieval although they are actually Victorian restorations.

We took a tour of the city to get our bearings.  It included a bus trip around the major sites and a short cruise on the River Dee.  We were fortunate that it was a beautiful day and we really enjoyed our visit.

The Eastgate Clock, the site of the original entrance to the Roman fort.

Ye Olde Boot Inn, est 1643.

Watergate Street - we stopped at one of the tearooms here for a delicious lunch.

A map of the city walls.

Rear view of Chester Cathedral, as seen from our walk along the city walls.

Vic on the River Dee cruise - perhaps exploring a post-Navy career option?

For more information on Chester, please visit this site.