Monday, November 26, 2018

Happy Homemaker Monday {11/26/2018}

Hi Lovelies!

Good afternoon everyone! I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We visited our local museum and explored the dinosaur exhibit and played in the general store. The girls had a blast and want to go back real soon.

The weather. Clod and windy today, but starting tomorrow we are supposed to be in the 60s for the rest of the week.

Right now I am... sitting at the dining room table typing this post. 

Thinking.  Still thinking about how I need to to update my planners and do some research on meal planners and writing a cookbook.

On my reading pile. Right now I am reading On the Street Where You Live by Mary Higgins Clark (just started) and then it's on to Two by Two by Nicholas Sparks at the end of the month

On my tv. I'm watching some shows on Netflix and my Roku app and Amazon Prime and Hulu.

On the menu this week:

Monday-Spaghetti and veggies
Tuesday- Beans and cornbread
Wednesday- Mississippi chicken, rice, and veggies
Thursday- Tacos, rice, chips and salsa
Friday- Pizza, bread sticks, salad
Saturday- Beans, fried potatoes, corn muffins
Sunday- Mexican cornbread, salad

On my to do list:

Laundry
Kitchen
Write and schedule blogs for the next two weeks (by end of the this week)
Update planners and bullet journal


Looking around the house: The house is a mess. Every room needs to be tidied and the clothes are piling up in the laundry basket.

Bible verse, devotional, or quote:








Saturday, November 24, 2018

4 Ways to Take Care of Yourself During the Winter Months

I feel like during the holidays we can run ourselves ragged. It’s so easy to forget to take care of you while you’re busy trying to find the perfect gifts, go to all the family parties, and do all the things. Today I am sharing 4 ways to take care of yourself this holiday season so you don’t feel like you need a vacation come January!

4 Ways to Take Care of Yourself During the Winter Months



Take Care Of Your Hair: With all the parties and events, you can really damage your hair this time of year. Plus colder weather can make your scalp dry and flakey! Especially if you’re one of the 50 percent of people who have issues with dry, itchy scalp and dandruff, which can get worse when the temperatures drop. I recommend using a tea tree and peppermint-infused product from Head & Shoulders that will ensure the only flakes on your shoulders this winter are snow.
  
Take Care Of Your Mentality:  I  am a big fan of yoga. This is a great ways to take care of your mentality so the holiday stress doesn’t get to you! It’s one of the most stressful times of year.

Take Care Of Your Sleep: It can be so easy to want to do ALL THE THINGS. Sometimes you have to say no to something and get the extra few hours of sleep. Otherwise you will make yourself sick and you may not be able to do any of the fun stuff you want!

Take Care Of Your Body: While it can be easy to want to indulge in all the cookies, pastries, drinks, etc. remember to take care of your body with moderation. Everything in moderation. Also, this is not the time of year to skip the gym. Make sure to give yourself time to get some workouts in, even a 2 mile walk around your neighborhood. It will make detoxing after the holidays SO much easier!

Currently {11/24/2018}

 Time and place: 3:27pm  and I am in the dining room, typing up this post.
 
Eating: Goldfish crackers ( I know these are not healthy, but there wasn't anything else to eat.)


Drinking: A big glass of water (always)


Watching: Cleaning videos, planner videos, and bullet journal videos.

Reading: Two By Two by Nicholas Sparks






Loving: the holidays have officially started.

Working: I just started designing a meal planner. I cannot wait to see how it turns out! I'm so excited for this new project. I am also working on a weekly planner insert that I am excited about and I am working on some stickers for my bullet journal.

I am also planning on working on some smaller projects as well. 

Listening: to the girls playing in the playroom

Buying: Christmas presents

Planning: I have most of my posts planned forDecember already. I just have to write and schedule them. I am working on setting up some deadlines for my meal planner. I am also working with my husband on designing a new website. I am also working on some planner inserts. This should keep me busy for a while!

Wondering: can I pull it off? How will I pull it off?

Feeling: tired, but happy, always.

What are you currently up to?


Thursday, November 22, 2018

Wednesday, November 21, 2018

20 Interesting Facts about Thanksgiving

Did you know that turkey wasn't even served at the first Thanksgiving — and that the Pilgrims didn’t use forks because they weren’t invented yet? Impress your kids (and the in-laws!) with these crazy, yet true, fun facts about Thanksgiving!




On the fourth Thursday in November, families across the U.S. gather to feast on turkey, watch football and gear up for Christmas by looking for Santa during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, but did you ever wonder why these Thanksgiving traditions started?


  • The first Thanksgiving was held in the autumn of 1621 and included 50 Pilgrims and 90 Wampanoag Indians and lasted three days. Many historians believe that only five women were present at that first Thanksgiving, as many women settlers didn't survive that difficult first year in the U.S.
  • Thanksgiving didn't become a national holiday until over 200 years later! Sarah Josepha Hale, the woman who actually wrote the classic song “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” convinced President Lincoln in 1863 to make Thanksgiving a national holiday, after writing letters for 17 years campaigning for this to happen.
  • No turkey on the menu at the first Thanksgiving: Historians say that no turkey was served at the first Thanksgiving! What was on the menu? Deer or venison, ducks, geese, oysters, lobster, eel and fish. They probably ate pumpkins, but no pumpkin pies. They also didn't eat mashed potatoes or cranberry relish, but they probably ate cranberries. And no, Turduckens (a turkey stuffed with a duck stuffed with a chicken) were nowhere to be found during that first Thanksgiving.
  • No forks at the first Thanksgiving!The first Thanksgiving was eaten with spoons and knives — but no forks! That's right, forks weren't even introduced to the Pilgrims until 10 years later and weren't a popular utensil until the 18th century.
  • Thanksgiving is the reason for TV dinners! In 1953, Swanson had so much extra turkey (260 tons) that a salesman told them they should package it onto aluminum trays with other sides like sweet potatoes — and the first TV dinner was born!
  • Thanksgiving was almost a fast — not a feast! The early settlers gave thanks by praying and abstaining from food, which is what they planned on doing to celebrate their first harvest, that is, until the Wampanoag Indians joined them and (lucky for us!) turned their fast into a three-day feast!
  • Presidential pardon of a turkeyEach year, the president of the U.S pardons a turkey and spares it from being eaten for Thanksgiving dinner. The first turkey pardon ceremony started with President Truman in 1947. President Obama pardoned a 45-pound turkey named Courage, who has flown to Disneyland and served as Grand Marshal of the park's Thanksgiving Day parade!
  • Why is Thanksgiving the fourth Thursday in November? President Abe Lincoln said Thanksgiving would be the fourth Thursday in November, but in 1939 President Roosevelt moved it up a week hoping it would help the shopping season during the Depression era. It never caught on and it was changed back two years later.
  • The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade began in 1924 with 400 employees marching from Convent Ave to 145th street in New York City. No large balloons were at this parade, as it featured only live animals from Central Park Zoo.


  • Turkey isn't responsible for drowsiness or the dreaded "food coma." So what is? Scientists say that extra glass of wine, the high-calorie meal or relaxing after a busy work schedule is what makes you drowsy!
  • How did the tradition of watching football on Thanksgiving start? The NFL started the Thanksgiving Classic games in 1920 and since then the Detroit Lions and the Dallas Cowboys have hosted games on Turkey Day. In 2006, a third game was added with different teams hosting.


  • Wild turkeys can run 20 miles per hour when they are scared, but domesticated turkeys that are bred are heavier and can't run quite that fast.

Monday, November 19, 2018

Thanksgiving Like a Gilmore Girl

hanksgiving is just days away, which means it’s time to re-watch that Gilmore Girls episode, “A Deep-Fried Korean Thanksgiving” to get us into the spirit of things. This episode has it all: Rory/Jess/Dean drama, Kirk gets a cat, Luke trying not to show how much the Gilmore gals mean to him, Jackson deep frying a turkey, drunk Sookie, Lane’s first kiss with, Paris being Paris, and a nice kerfuffle between Lorelai and her parents. In honor of the holiday and my love of all things Gilmore, I’ve created a guide on how you, too, can celebrate Thanksgiving just like a Gilmore Girl. Let us give thanks and begin:

Volunteer At A Soup Kitchen
Invoke your inner Paris Geller and make your way to your local soup kitchen or homeless shelter and volunteer to help out. If you don’t have enough time to stay and cook or serve food, you could also take up a collection of canned goods and drop them off, or make a donation so others can purchase a Thanksgiving meal. Sure, Paris is technically looking to volunteer so it looks good on her college applications, but she does admit she also does it for “the good of mankind,” and at this time of year, we’d like to give her the benefit of the doubt.

Try To Hit Up More Than One Thanksgiving Dinner
The Gilmores are a popular duo in Stars Hollow. So much so that they end up booking themselves for a total of FOUR Thanksgiving dinners: The Kims, Sookie and Jackson’s, Luke’s, and the elder Gilmores. While that may sound like a pain to some, I think it sounds awesome. For one, you get to socialize with tons of friends and family, many of whom you might not see often enough. For another, if there is a dinner or two in there involving people who might cause some drama in your life (such as Lorelai’s hesitation at having Thanksgiving dinner with her parents), it won’t be so bad because you won’t have to spend more than an hour or so there. Less time means less chance of it ending up in a not-so-friendly food fight. Plus, think of all the different types of food you’ll get to eat! More than likely at least 2 different kinds of stuffing and 4 different kinds of pie.

…But Make Sure To Leave Room For Each One
Having 2 to 4 dinners back to back might be a bit difficult on the body, so the Gilmores have a few tips for y’all on this front. For one, skip the rolls. Rolls are completely unnecessary filler food that you only need to eat if the green bean casserole isn’t done cooking or if someone knocked over the cranberry sauce. Also, consider bringing a few Tums on hand for the possibility of your turkey turning on you. Then again, if your eating skills are on par with Lorelai Gilmore, you could probably skip that and just go in there with a positive, can-eat attitude. You can do it!

Make A Few Bucks Working A Little On The Holiday
Pull a Dean and rake in extra cash. Most places give at least time and a half for your troubles. Extra money for holiday gifts is never a bad thing.

Bring Flowers To All Your Hosts
Bringing the host a gift is always a nice gesture. Plus adding some gorgeous, seasonal flowers to the occasion will only add to the festive ambiance. And if your host is anything like Luke, consider also buying them a small vase to put them in.

Plus Some Cranberry Sauce
Because there can never be too much. The Gilmore Girls prefer theirs canned, but personally, I’m a big fan of making my own. It’s the easiest thing to make for Thanksgiving. Try out this recipe and see for yourself.

…Add Some Chocolate Turkeys, To Boot!
Unless of course they’re Mrs. Kim. Might not be too late to order these sweet treats from Godiva!

Avoid Your Exes
Because the last thing you need is any awkward encounters that might ruin your appetite. Feel free to let friends or family (or your own personal Lorelai) run interference if need be.

Open Yourself Up To Trying New Foods
Mrs. Kim, being a vegetarian, serves Tofurkey at her dinner. Being a vegetarian myself, it’s always nice when non-veg folk try out some of my personal favorites. I’ll probably be opting for a Field Roast for myself this year. But if you end up needing to dispose of foods you end up not liking, stuffing them inside some extra napkins so as to avoid insulting the chef might work.

Wear A Fabulous Autumn Coat
If it’s cold enough where you are, that is. These ladies always look sharp.

Decorate Like Sookie
Between her beautiful cornucopias, the turkey table runners, and the floral wreaths, who wouldn’t want to enjoy Thanksgiving at her house? If you’ll be the one hosting the party, we suggest you go all out.

No go out there and get your Gilmore on this Thanksgiving!

Sunday, November 18, 2018

50 Self Care Ideas

Self care has always been a topic on the internet. I think it's important to take care of yourself and reward yourself for just getting through the day or even the week. So, today I am sharing 50 self care ideas!

50 Self Care Ideas



  • Take a bath
  • Do a face mask
  • Go for a walk
  • Try a new workout class
  • Treat yourself to a yummy holiday drink
  • Go shopping
  • Or at least go try on clothes that make you feel great
  • See a movie alone
  • Binge a TV show
  • If you live near it, go to the beach
  • If you live near it, go hiking
  • Check out a local museum
  • Bake some cookies
  • Rearrange your furniture 
  • Buy some flowers
  • Journal
  • Clean out your closet
  • Organize drawers
  • Clean up your house
  • Listen to a good playlist
  • Make a new playlist
  • Go on a solo trip
  • Make a grateful list
  • Say NO more
  • Take a nap and catch up on sleep
  • Take up a new hobby
  • Color
  • Binge a podcast
  • Go 24 hours without social media
  • Take a personal day off work
  • Try a new skincare regimen
  • Mute people on Instagram/Twitter who make you feel bad about yourself
  • Get a massage/facial
  • Go to bed at 8PM every night for a week
  • Sleep in
  • Use an acupressure mat
  • Have a staycation weekend in a hotel alone
  • Try a new wine
  • Go to your place of worship
  • Pay it forward
  • Go find the perfect lipstick/lipgloss
  • Have dinner delivered from your favorite place
  • Dance around your living room to your favorite songs
  • Get dressed up and sit at a bar and order a fun drink
  • Stretch/foam roll
  • Have a picnic alone and read
  • Reconnect with an old friend
  • Go to a meetup group/bible study etc
  • Play with puppies/kittens/your favorite animal
  • Adopt a pet
What is something you do for self-care? What would you add to this list of 50 self-care ideas?