Friday, January 3, 2014

The New Year and new beginnings!

I still can't imagine that 2013 has come and gone! I thought the years would slow down once I became middle aged but I find quite the opposite.  It's true that our days are like a vapor.. here today and gone tomorrow.

What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.  James 4:14 ESV

I like new beginnings. I like Mondays. I like the start of a new diet (okay.. well.. not so much!). And I like the New Year.

I am a "see how much you can cram into one day" kind of gal. I think I learned this from my mother. Sometimes I'm happy with that approach to life but the older I get the less I'm caring for it. Plus, it doesn't leave any margins for unexpected happenings. So, I decided to take a closer look at my housekeeping  and 'life' schedule and to see where my time is going. 


Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Ephesians 5:15-16


So, I pulled out a piece of paper and started writing down every task I do in one week. I also made a list of bi-weekly and monthly tasks. I made sure to give each task an appropriate time slot so I can evaluate if I have any 'free' time left over. I don't! :=)


My daughter in love surprised us with a visit! 


This task calendar has already been helpful. I had a decision to make on whether to take on another responsibility but after my husband looked at my calendar he decided it wouldn't be wise. 


I enjoy working. I struggle at making time to rest or do what I enjoy. So, one of my goals this year is to take time each day to do something I enjoy. For me that would be writing and reading. 


I  really need the Lord's wisdom to know how to order my days. 


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Here are a few things going on in my home this week: 


1. I've been looking for a nice gift to make for a few baby showers. I like the gift idea I found.  It's a nursing cover. I sure wish I had one when I was a young mother. Instead, we used a receiving blanket. I'll show a picture of it soon.
My girls!

2.  I thought I needed to buy more storage containers to fit under my bed. But, instead I started looking in my drawers and realized that I could get rid of enough unused clothes to prevent purchasing the storage containers. We've lived here a year and a half and I've managed to still accumulate more STUFF. I'm hopeless! 


3. I have a cat who is a glutton. He really is! He thinks about food all day long.  I had to buy a treat ball for his cat food because if I leave out a bowl of food he will eat the entire bowl and end up at the vet. Ask me how I know?!? He started having problems with loose stools again. Most likely he found something to eat on his outdoor excursions that made him sick. I remembered the vet said to give him pumpkin. Well, I have a LOT of canned pumpkin  so I've been putting a small cube in his wet food in the mornings.  It worked! The vet said pumpkin could also be used for constipation, too.


4. A friend brought canning jars, lids and lots of fabric. Yep! You remember right! I got rid of a lot of fabric last year and here I am taking more fabric. There is no hope for me! :-) Anyway, I'm just keeping a small amount and will pass the rest on to someone in need. 


5. I made 6 loaves of bread this week. Baking and cooking from scratch saves me so much money!


6. I keep noticing my brand of toilet paper on sale but I've never figured out what I pay per roll normally. So this week I took the time to calculate and then wrote it down in my price book. 


7. I've heard that Walmart matches sale prices from other ads. I already found out the hard way that they do not match discount store prices. I happened to have a sale ad in my purse from another grocery store. I had a few items I wanted to pick up on the way home. Walmart matched the sales price and I didn't have to make another stop. 



Grands spending the night. They are getting so big!


8.  I made a batch of waffles for my mom. We no longer eat these waffles because we are low carbing but I thought I'd post the recipe for you gals. 




Waffles

2 cups white flour (You can also use 1 c. white flour and 1 c. whole wheat)
4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/4 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups milk
1/3 cup oil
Mix together. Grease waffle iron. Bake waffles for 5 minutes in a belgium waffle iron or until golden brown. They freeze great! 


9. The dollar store was out of saran wrap so I bought a box of plastic covers. They remind me of shower caps except for bowls. :-) They came in small, medium and large. At first I thought it was a frivolous purchase but I was in need of saran wrap. But, I think they are going to last longer than the saran wrap because they are easy to wash and dry. I rarely washed and dried the saran wrap in the roll. 


10. What I saved this week:



  • celery and carrot trims (compost)
  • Chicken drippings (broth)
  • Coleslaw bag (reuse as baggie)
  • Turkey neck (soup)
  • Turkey carcass (soup)
  • Low carb tortilla package (reuse as baggie)
  • Seran wrap covers (washed and resused)
  • Tea bags (3 used tea bags make 1 cup of tea)
December was such a busy month. How are you gals doing? Have you caught your breath yet? 

Blessed to be home!

Georgene