Random Musings

 First, I cannot rave enough about the Florida Sunshine this weekend.  It was in the 80's again during the day and in the 50's at night.  Perfect sleeping weather and in the daytime, it is hard to stay inside.  I just finished my 1-mile walk hoping to get some Vitamin D and tan up my skin a bit. Even though sometimes I do not feel like taking the walk I know it is good for me.  

Today on my walk I listed to a new podcast about grief.  Typically, I will listen to music that I have downloaded from Apple Tunes, but I wanted something different for my mind to listen to instead of just music.  This podcast was from Dr Alison Cook and she had a guest host.  He was a priest but also a therapist. They referred to him as a thera-priest.  He had a lot of insightful thoughts and could totally relate to loss due to his own personal experience at a young age.  Normally her podcasts are devoted to Mental health. You know this morning I was listening to a church broadcast, and they had a guest on giving the statistics on Mental Health. A lot more people have been facing mental health issues in this day in age than any other. Or maybe you just hear about it more.  I am just glad that people follow their calling so that they can share their knowledge to others that may not know what to classify their "state of mind".  or how to fix it.  There are answers people, pursue the answers.  

But I also know that grief is a totally separate category and should be treated as such. I remember hearing someone who had lost a loved one to say that sometimes just out of the blue she would start tearing up.  She said it felt like little pockets of love that she could not give.  Because the person had passed away.  And that is so true.  Grieving is hard, I have never had to deal with grief before losing my parents.  I never truly knew what it meant to experience loss.  But when you take people out of your life that walked this journey alongside you for so many years, it is an out of body experience.   Nothing that I would ever want someone to go through.  It makes you question your existence.  You know that God has a master plan and that is what keeps you pursuing the journey.  Because somewhere along the way God will show you that joy comes in the morning.  Psalm 30:5.  Keep your eyes on God, if you keep them on yourself, you will keep feeling sorry for yourself and doubting.  God wants us to remember to lean on him during times of despair.  Isaiah 43:2-3 When you walk through the waters I will be there, and through the flames.  I remember singing this hymn as a child.  

All that being said, it is okay to continue to mourn.  You loved somebody deeply and they are missing.  God knows.  He knows everything.  

Well, it is Sunday evening and that means my days of vacation are over (mini-vacay).  Back to work.

Something quick that I wanted to share, I read this blog every day, her name is mixandmatchmama.com.  I love reading her blog because it allows me to just take my eyes off of my own life for just a brief moment and be happy for her.  I am careful not to idolize and think wow she has it all because I know she doesn't post all the details of her personal life.  It is a fun blog to read and just follow along and get to hear about all the good in the world. She is a travel agent so she does travel extensively.  If you don't follow her, you should.  She is a real live person, and she lives in Mckinney, TX.  God says not to covet so I don't but wow she is one blessed lady!  

Also, this is an article I just read today.  How inspiring is this lady?  She is 65 and looks amazing!  She has been lifting weights and is really putting her best foot forward to get in the best shape of her life.  

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/other/i-m-a-65-year-old-bodybuilder-i-ve-never-been-more-confident/ar-BB1lBNAG?ocid=socialshare&pc=HCTS&cvid=3ab166bc10544d87a5a99c784bb6d7aa&ei=20

My Sunday night regimen is about to take place.  First, bath time.  Second, face mask for 20 minutes. And then a few minutes of screen time.   Tonight, I also had a glass of wine.  That helps too to unwind.  

Have a great week!  I hope that you take a few minutes and just take intentional time for yourself this week.  Or just dream about taking intentional time for yourself. ha!   Sirius XM has a spa channel.  Perhaps play it inside or in the car! It used to be number one on my presets in the car.  Very soothing.  

Peace, Love and all Good things! 

Friday Faves!

This post was stored in my drafts and was originally from 2011.  Great Memories at Gemini Springs in Debary.   Gemini Springs was a place you used to be able to swim at the park but now it is officially closed for swimming due to bacteria.  Can you even imagine?  It is still a great place to picnic, canoe and take pictures.  We have had several birthday parties at Gemini because of the expanse of lawns.  It really is a great place to just take a picnic and chill.  Also, they have a walking path that goes for miles. 

These pictures were taken after I had bought my new Canon Camera.  I loved having my kids be the victims of my new hobby.  James was 8 and Susan was 11.  Also my sister and my niece joined us.  What great memories to share!  Seeing the smiles on my kids' faces are definitely a Friday Favorite for me!  

Just hours away from the weekend and I am looking forward to it.  Have a great day!  

Spring is in the Air

 I hope you enjoyed the previous recipe for Lasagna!  I loved it and nearly ate every bite of it.  Well, this blog all started about 14 years ago, I actually started on a different website and lost my password, so I was unable to log in any longer. And the email address is no longer valid.  I then created this blog picking it up in the year 2012.

This page was originally started to document all the years of my kids' lives and everything in between in life that happens.  It was mainly geared for my family as the audience, just a way to keep everyone updated with family holidays and being able to have a place to upload pictures and stories of the day.  

Well one thing happened, two of my biggest fans are no longer here to update (they are now keeping the angel's company), so I have kinda slacked off, but I do feel led to update even still.  

Here is to you mom for the memory that still lives on.  

I recently bought a home! (well, actually in Dec 2022)  My first home to own alone.  I absolutely love it!  And I love the neighborhood that it is in.  There is so much work to be done; it will be an ongoing project for sure.  

One of the first big differences in the home is the living room.  The woman that lived here before me with her daughter was renting and they allowed her to paint the walls all black. (my realtor said it looked Navy to her)  I mean it was dreary! but I could see the potential even still.  here is a before pic.

Here is what several coats (more like 4 coats per wall) of paint did.  I love the way it turned out. The color is Sashay Sand by Sherwin Williams.

And here is my most fav thing to do. Curl up to the fireplace with a movie and a blanket.

I'll show you more pictures of the house soon.  Trying to make it pretty!  In time it will be all done.  But in the meantime, it keeps me busy on pinterest researching inexpensive ways to fix it up. 

Right now, since it is Spring, I have been focusing more on the outdoors and I have all the pins from pinterest.  Hoping to check them off one by one. 

Here are just a few ideas and wishes of how I would like my outdoor space to look.  

I just love pink and since I have been divorced I tend to lean towards pink a lot.  I guess I do because I can!  

I love the squared floor.  You could most certainly do this with a stencil so this is on the pinned list.

I just love the flowers and wicker furniture. So refreshing to look at.

 Sunday is the day to unwind, relax and plan for the week ahead.  I am planning to get back on track with eating right (after the week of lasagna) and hopefully being consistent and get back to walking at least 10000 steps a day.  That really helps with my energy.  The weather sure has not been disappointing this weekend. I did manage to get in over 8000 steps today. Tomorrow it is supposed to be in the 80's.  How can you not be in just the greatest of moods with that weather?

I always start my day with prayer, reading my bible study and an energy drink plus coffee.  Caffeine wakes me up, Jesus keeps me going.

         

Resurrection Day

Today is the day celebrated throughout all eternity as the Resurrection Day!  I hope you are able to spend intentional time today remembering this day and what it means.  

My day was so relaxing.  I cannot imagine having a more relaxing day. First, I attended church and heard an old familiar hymn, Amazing Grace. I love the older hymns intermixed with the current songs.  The message was great, a message of hope and assurance.   After church I did not turn on the tv or my phone.  I just wanted it to be lowkey and quiet.  I spent the day outside, reading my book, making dinner and listening to some tunes by Fleetwood Mac, Doobie brothers and many other similar artists.   It was perfect and just what I needed.  

For dinner I decided to make Lasagna!  I want to share this recipe I found.  This year since I knew my son was going to be here with me, I decided to make Lasagna.  Normally I am a Stouffers frozen lasagna girl, if I eat Lasagna at all.  I don't typically eat Lasagna a lot or at all throughout the year but if I do it is frozen.  So, I pulled up this recipe from the internet.  It was titled the World's Best Lasagna.  I knew I had to try it.  If I am going to eat Lasagna, I want to make sure it tastes like the World's best lasagna.  

Here are the ingredients:

1 pound sweet Italian Sausage

3/4 lb ground beef

1/2 cup minced onion

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatos

2 (6.5 oz) cans canned tomato sauce 

2 (6 oz) cans tomato paste

1/2 cup water

2 tablespoons white sugar

4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, divided

1 1/2 teaspons dried basil leaves 

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon italian seasoning

1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

12 lasagna noodles

16 oz ricotta cheese

1 egg

3/4 pound mozzarella cheese, sliced (I used shredded)

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

These pots and pans were my mothers, when she passed away, we inherited all of her dishes, and these are just two that she had. I felt a small piece of her with me today. Disregard the olive-green avocado stove.  ha!

To make:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

Brown the ground beef, Italian sausage and minced onion with garlic cloves until completely browned. 

Stir in the tomato sauce, tomato paste, sugar, water, 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, basil, salt, Italian seasoning, fennel seeds, pepper.  

Let simmer for 1 hour.  Stirring occasionally.

After 1 hour, mix together the ricotta cheese, 1 egg and remaining parsley with pepper.  Leave in the bowl. 

Boil the 12 lasagna noodles in slightly salted water.

After oven is pre-heated, place 1 1/2 cup of meat sauce along the bottom of the 10X13 baking pan.  

2nd layer is to lay down 6 noodles lengthwise, slightly overlapping. 

Spoon on half of the ricotta cheese mixture. 

Sprinkle on half of the mozzarella cheese, Also sprinkle on parmesan cheese. 

Repeat for a second layer.  

Top with remaining meat sauce, mozzarella and parmesan cheese. 

Bake in the oven for 25 minutes covered with foil, then another 25 min without foil. 

Let rest for 15 minutes before serving.  

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Yummmm......The final product was Deelicious!  It was so yummy!     And this recipe I would give 5 stars.  I tasted all the flavors and savored every bite! A step above the Stouffers frozen Lasagna.

The sun is shining here in Florida, and I love it.  I hope you have a great week! 

Good Friday!

 This day only comes once a year and I wanted to make sure I took a minute to reflect on this day.  

What does this day mean to Christians?  Well, this was the day that Jesus walked the streets of Jerusalem to his death.

He was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities. Isaiah 53:5

When you really stop and think about the enormity of what Christ did for us, it is amazing.  

After betrayal by Judas and unfair trial, Jesus was flogged and given a crown of thorns.  A company of soldiers put a purple robe on him to mock, spit upon and hit him repeatedly on the head with a staff.  They stripped him of the robe and put his clothes back on him, then led him to Golgotha (which means “place of the skull”) to crucify him.  John’s gospel said that Jesus carried his own cross.  Other gospels mention Simon of Cyrene carrying it for him.  He was followed by a large crowd, and many women wept for him.  Nails pierces his hands and feet.  Soldiers cast lots for his clothes. 

 

But he said…………….

 

“Father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing”.  Luke 23:34

And at three in the afternoon, Jesus cried out in a loud voice, ‘Eloi, Eloe, lea sabachtani?’ (which means ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?).” Mark 15:34

 Jesus’ final words………….. ”Later, knowing that everything has now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, ‘I am thirsty’.  A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips.  When he had received the drink, Jesus said ‘It is finished.’ With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.” John 19:28-30

Week recap

The last full week of March is upon us!  This week has been such a mix of hot and cold weather!  And today it was raining, cloudy and cold!  My son and I were both able to get out in the yard and rake and mow first thing this morning, so I was able to check that off of the to do list.  The sun is still trying to peek out even now, but I am inside to stay.  The wind is blowing, and it feels chilly to me.    

Either way, I can definitely tell Spring is here, and I am so excited!  

First, I want to tell you about this product called oxiclean, if you have not heard of it, I love it!  I love white rugs but as you know they can get dirty quick. I soak the rugs in the bathtub with oxiclean for several hours and hang dry and they are back to looking like brand new.  So, if you are looking for something that will not damage rugs and still have them looking brand new, this is a great product! 

This rug pad I got from Sam's for like $20.00.  It is extremely padded and makes standing for a few minutes doing my hair a little more enjoyable.

This is a turkish cotton rug I got from Kohls and love!  Like I said I like/love all things plush white. 

On another note.............................................

Here is an update to my seeds that I planted last week.  

These are the morning glories, 1 week in the ground. They start out as little butterfly shaped leaves.

And these are the dahlias, unfortunately all the leaves havn't made it down off the oak trees so there are still leaves everywhere!  But I can see the green coming through. 

And in hopes by the end of summer to have my rose garden in full swing, these are a few pics on the web that I found that are certainly goals!  

Roses love direct sunlight and you can sure see why in this pic! This is Barbra Streisands garden. 

I love this arbor look in Christie Brinkley's garden. 

And Joanna Gaines, is there anything that she cannot do?!  I love her assortment of flower gardens.  (I follow her on instagram too and love her pics)

Not only are Roses beautiful to look at, but they sure do smell good too!  

Well, that is all for this week.  I will leave you with this funny pic!  

Green Thumb is back!

 Now that the cold weather is finally taking a turn and temps have been up near the 80's, I am back out in the yard.  Winter sure did bring a lot of dead leaves.  But I have started the clean-up process, and I am projecting to have the yard back in shape by Spring, which is officially March 19th!  

Last week I raked several piles of leaves, I had about 12 bags of leaves and still have several more piles that I need to bag up and ship out to get this yard looking neat again.  

Yesterday I decided to buy some flower seed packets to plant around the backyard.  The packets are from Lowe's and were only about $2.20 per packet.

 

Someone on instagram had posted a picture of dahlias that she had planted along the side of her house and in the direct sunlight.  They were large (at least 1-2 ft) and looked beautiful, so I decided to buy some dahlias and plant those.  We shall see how they turn out.  Also, I bought morning glory packets, impatiens and snapdragon seeds.

Another yard goal!  Check out this hydrangea.  Beautiful!  It is referred to as an incrediball hydrangea, I cannot wait to plant this in the yard.  I have not bought it yet, but it is sure on my radar. The price is about $23.00/each, not too bad in my opinion.  

Here are also some yard goals, I saw this picture on pinterest and would love to recreate.  

How perfect would this spot be?  Like a hidden garden amongst evergreens. 

Another goal is to stencil my back yard patio and front covered sidewalk.  This would make such a world of difference! 

So many goals!  I am a person on a budget and everything takes time Lord have mercy!  

Anyhoo off to a great start!  

These are the pictures of my backyard (where the majority of my focus is) from last year.  The grass was so green and lush! 

This picture was the beginnings of my rose garden.  Also, before I added the arbor and pavers.  

This is my make believe she shed.  It only stores my mower and bike, but it keeps both dry!  Otherwise, it really should be torn down.  I am trying to fix it up in the meantime with flowers and such. 

Hoping to show pictures by the end of summer and see how nice the yard overall looks this year!  

I love the sunshine and being outside!  

That is all for now, have a great day and week!