Monthly Archives: August 2015

Happy Homemaker Monday 08/31

Posted on by

HHM

I cannot believe it is the last day of August.  The summer went way too fast.  Already in our second week of school, and we have a beautiful week ahead, all sunshine and 80’s.  Have a great week!!

Linking-up with Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom.

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE IS:

weather0831

CURRENTLY READING/HAVE READ:10424982_881314688570282_2773762407463106939_n

Reading another Elisabeth Naughton book, Hold on to Me.  When Simone and Mitch find themselves running from gunfire, each one thinks that their pasts have caught up with them.  A really good story line, I don’t want to give anything away.  Very suspenseful, but keeps you wanting to read just one more chapter, and before you know it, you’ve read five, and it’s 2 o’clock in the morning  🙂

 

NEW RECIPE I TRIED OR WANT TO TRY THIS WEEK:

I did try Carrie’s recipe for BBQ Bacon Cheesy Chicken.  So much flavor, it was a big hit here.  I will be making it again in the next couple of days.  I served mine with green beans, chicken flavored fettuccine noodles, and corn bread.  My youngest son was trying to come up with a new name for it, but I think he was distracted by all the flavors assaulting his taste buds, lol.  I’m sure he’ll come up with something this next time around. 🙂

LOL CHUCKLES, AND GIGGLES:

11846543_10153160638248301_485695465239961738_n

Yes…I remember this all too well.

FAVORITE VIDEO/BLOG POST:

My fellow Blogbattler Phoenix Grey posted this on Sunday.  I was familiar with this song, but never stopped and listened to it all the way through.  Such a great song.  I always think of my young adult/teenagers and all that they face as they make their way in this world, bombarded by so many messages through media.  They need songs with positive messages like this.  I like to call these kinds of songs life anthems 🙂

Here is the post from Phoenix you can check out, and here is the video:

Also, Phoenix has been writing her Blogbattle stories about a Fairy named Winter.  I just love this character and all the stories about her.  You can read these stories here or by clicking on the BlogBattle: Winter tab on her blog.

FAVORITE NEW WEBSITE:

Litographs.com

These T-shirts are so awesome!! A T-shirt created from the text of favorite books.  The designs alone are so cool, but then when you look closer, the colored part is the words to a book!!  You can really zoom in on each shirt on their site.  They also have posters, totes and tattoos.

sherlock-tee-2_f606600e-d584-4e9d-b077-f7445194df1f_1024x1024The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle

FAVORITE PHOTO FROM THE CAMERA:

© 2015 Liv’s Photography

 

INSPIRATIONAL QUOTES (PRAYERS OR DEVOTIONALS):

Found this after my Five Minute Friday post.

Five Minute Friday: Alone

Posted on by

It’s been awhile since I’ve joined in with FMF.  But when I saw the word, I had to jump in.  Hope you have a wonderful weekend!!

Linking up with Kate Motaung for Five Minute Friday.  If you would like to join in or learn more about it, click on the icon to the left.  Write for 5 minutes, here we go.

 

TODAY’S PROMPT: ALONE

GO…

Recently I have been studying personality types.  I’ve always liked learning about people, and what makes them tick.  I have always known that I am an introvert.  But like most people I really didn’t know what that meant until now.  I LOVE to be alone, I crave it and I need it, and this is something that is the most misunderstood especially when you are surrounded by extroverts.  I have been thought of as rude, or that I am ignoring someone, which then made me think that there was something wrong with me, but there isn’t, and there isn’t anything wrong with extroverts…we’re just different.  But as an introvert, I feel we are looked down upon because of how we interact with people.

Maybe you’ll see yourself in the following characteristics, or someone you know, but this is what I have learned about me…an introvert.

I do enjoy talking, and being social.  I prefer one on one conversations, and can sit and talk with a good friend for hours.  But after that I will need some alone time, this is where my energy is restored.  I do enjoy social get togethers, I can be social and can have fun, but that is not where I get my energy, and I can only do it for so long…afterwards I will need to be alone.  But if I have a choice between a social gathering or staying home and reading a book…well you guessed it, I’d enjoy reading the book so much more.  I’m not a big fan of phone calls, but I will email all the livelong day.  I cannot just pick up the phone to call someone, I think about what that person could be doing, and would this be a good time for them, and thinking that it probably isn’t a good time, I then don’t make the call.  I feel that an email can be read and dealt with when they want to.  I do not like to be the center of attention.

Introverts are intuitive by nature, and observant.  We are in tune to our surroundings, and pick up on moods, and take in everything around us.  Therefore, that is why we don’t like to stay in social settings for long, we need to be alone, recharge and process everything.  So when interacting with an introvert, if you find them distant or quiet, don’t take it personally, what they want you to know is, “it isn’t you…it’s me.”  Respect their need to be alone to recharge, it is crucial for them.

STOP…PENCILS DOWN

Happy Homemaker Monday 08/24

Posted on by

HHMToday is our first day back at school.  After home schooling 4 kids at once 2 should be a walk in the park.  It is still a challenge, when you are doing two grades, I have a 5th grader and a Freshman this year.  As I do every first day of school, I will be making our favorite dessert, Oreo Surprise, find the recipe below.  My sons had fun at the Sidewalk Chalk drawing contest, no winners this time, but they had fun.  Hope you have a wonderful week ahead!!

Linking-up with Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom.

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE IS:

Looks like a great week.  Today is much cooler, and we have nice strong breeze coming in through the windows.

weather0824
CURRENTLY READING/HAVE READ:
I am just finishing the 3rd book in the Aegis Security Series by Elisabeth Naughton.  These are really good Romantic Suspense books, based around the Security Company run by Jake Ryder.  The male characters are all former military guys, black ops, and other special secret military groups, and one book has a former female CIA agent.  The missions are action packed, and the romance…ahem…equally action packed. 😉 (not a PG-13 read) The three books are:

Extreme Measures
Lethal Consequences
Fatal Pursuit

NEW RECIPE I TRIED OR WANT TO TRY THIS WEEK:
I will be trying Carrie’s recipe for BBQ Bacon Cheesy Chicken which looks delicious!!   Here is the our favorite dessert, and the one I make every first day of school.

Oreo Surprise

Most people probably know this as “Dirt” but we have added a little twist to it, and make it Oreo Surprise, (sounds a little more appetizing too) 🙂

1 pkg Double Stuff Oreo Cookies
1 pkg Regular Oreo Cookies
12 oz. tub of Cool Whip
5.1 oz. Jell-O Instant Vanilla Pudding
2 cups milk
Maraschino Cherries
Bananas
Pecans

Put Oreos in the freezer for about 45 minutes before you crush them, makes it a little easier.  Use a blender or a food processor to crush them until they are fine crumbs (that resemble dirt).  I usually use one whole package of Double Stuff and about 1 ½ rows of regular Oreos.

Mix Cool Whip, Vanilla Pudding and Milk with electric mixer

In an 9 x 13 cake pan, start off with a thin layer of the Cool Whip mixture, then layer the Oreo cookies on top.  Next layer a thicker layer of Cool Whip mixture and Oreos two more times, and finish with a layer of Oreos.

Put in fridge uncovered, it is ready to eat in about 30 minutes.

When serving add maraschino cherries, sliced bananas and pecans, or any combination of the three.  Store uncovered in the fridge if you have any left.  This usually serves about 10 – 12.

When we have described this to people with the cherries, bananas and pecans, most people are a little skeptical about the combination.  But when they try it, they are like, you know you’re right this is really good.  I personally don’t eat it with the pecans, but the people that do say the pecans just add a little something to it.

FAVORITE VIDEO/BLOG POST:
With getting ready for school, I haven’t read many posts, or watched any videos lately.

FAVORITE PHOTO FROM THE CAMERA:
This is the view we see if we walk about 350 yards from our backyard to the beach. (That’s the Chicago Skyline).

sunset

© 2015 Liv’s Photography

 
INSPIRATIONAL QUOTES (PRAYERS OR DEVOTIONALS):

Three-Day Quote Challenge: Day 3

Posted on by

Day 3

You will always miss a loved one who is gone, but as time goes on,
you find yourself smiling more from the memories. 🙂

 

This quote is a good one for anything that comes to an end, so I saved it for my last day of the challenge.  Thanks again to Marje @ Kyrosmagica for the nomination for the Three-Day Quote challenge!!  This was fun.

Rules for Three-Day Quote Challenge

• Thank the blogger, who nominated you.

• Publish 3 quotes on 3 consecutive days in your blog. It can be your own, or from a book, movie or from anyone who inspires you.

• Nominate 3 more bloggers to carry on this endeavor.

Here are my nominees:

Carrie @ Northwoods Scrapbook

Sandra @ Diary of a stay-at-home mom

Helen @ I will Bloom

 

 

Three-Day Quote Challenge: Day 2

Posted on by

Day 2

Another classy lady.  Just the other day, I spent time with one of my friends, and we swapped stories of the changes we are experiencing as we grow older.  We laughed and rolled our eyes and accepted what is inevitable for women.   But I agree with the last part of the quote, that “The Beauty of a woman grows with the passing years.”  The beauty lies within our confidence, our wisdom, and our caring of our families.  As her and I shared stories of the decisions our young adult children are trying to make, I just said, “oh to have the knowledge we have now, with a 20 year old body.” lol 🙂   Age should not stop us, I find I am more physically active than I was when I was younger.  We can also still accomplish our dreams or embark on a new adventure.  A week after my friend turns 46, she will board a plane for the first time, for a missions trip in Uganda.  Passion…is beautiful.