A Penny For Your Thoughts

  I am participating in Monthly Musings today with Patty and Holly all with a Halloween theme. 1. Favorite Halloween traditions When my girls were little, it was always a fall trip to the pumpkin patch, school activities, harvest parties if they were going on, and of course trick or treating. Now as a grandma, I try to join in on as many events I can do with my kids and their families.  This year I have been to Boo at the Zoo and will attend their school Halloween parade.  I may also go to my friends to hand out trick or treat candy like last year. We had a great time seeing the kiddos and visiting with one another.  2.  Any special Halloween dinner and snacks Again, when my girls were little, we often had hot dogs and chili for Halloween.  A few times, we also went to McDonalds to get Boo Buckets after trick or treating.  Now it is whatever I decide to make, if I decide to make anything lol. 3. What do you typically do on Halloween Either trick or tre...

  Well it's been a minute....lol I feel like my my yearly post is to say I am going to start blogging again, and then never do.   I hope this is the year that consistency is in my wheel house so to speak.  I have again changed career paths.  Not completely though.  I am now the School Librarian in one of local schools. I LOVE IT!  I am looking at utilizing all my degrees in some form or another this year: Teacher cert in Family and Consumer Sciences, Reading Teacher, Library Information Specialist, Psychology, and maybe even Cosmetology.  In know, I know.... it may sound like how? but really, I use all of them every single day,  and I have some ideas on how to use them to benefit more people than those in my inner circle.  I will share more as it develops.  So in my world nothing says back again like a currently post, so here goes: Currently reading: The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic by Breanne Randall All the hyp...

 Questions #2 is  When you were a child, what did you dream of doing when you grew up? Like most little girls I use to play school a lot when I was little, but I don't think it was as much of a passion as it was modeling some pretty amazing influencers in my life. I also liked to play librarian and my mom got me library cards and pockets that I could put in my books, this was so fun.  But ultimately I just wanted to be a mom.  I really always thought I would just be a stay at home mom, girl scout leader, Sunday school teacher, etc.   When I was in Junior High during the 80's the idea of being a stay at home mom didn't even seem to be a consideration anymore.  There was the whole push of what are you going to do, where will you go to college, etc.  I think at that point I only thought about where I would go to college, still not "what would I do".  I figured I would go to the local State University (where I eventually did go) and decided I wou...

 So I am not going to write my resolutions here because I feel resolutions are better kept to oneself.  I don't necessarily wish to have someone else's accountability because if they fall through the cracks then I will feel defeated and that is not something I need to sign up for and also sometimes what I think I want actually changes the more I work on it.  Sometimes it evolves into something a little different and my success is measured differently.   I will tell you what areas of my life I try to look at when thinking about my resolutions for the year: Personal Career Financial Family/Home I try to have at least 1 if not more for each area.  Some areas have 4-5 but they usually tie together as more of many goals or steps.  I do not have diet goals specifically but I  do always strive to add something health related.  Last year my health goal ended up being following through with a surgery that I have not wanted to have.  It ended up b...

 Word or Words for 2021 I have put a lot of thought and prayer into my word for 2021.  I decided on the final three but since they all go together, I have decided to use them all.  Drum Roll please........ Hopes Dreams Goals I am ready to do some reevaluation, some work towards growth, and thinking outside the box.  I could have added faith as well because I know that faith will help with learning to hope and dream again. It has been a long time since I have allowed myself to truly hope and dream.  I try to live in my current reality but in doing so, I have forgot that without hopes and dreams, goals are kind of boring and not always what I really want from life.   I am HOPING that this year will bring more sunshine and less rain, more flowers and less weeds, more smiles and less tears, more butterflies and less stomach flips.   2021 Let's call a truce, maybe during all the craziness I can call you "My Year"

 On Pintrest I found a journal writing prompt list from www.solutionstoallyourproblems.com for Finding Your Passion. There are 10 Questions and I am going to answer each one post at a time.  So here goes with Question #1 What was your favorite thing to do growing up? So without saying this would have been different for different ages.  From about as young as I can remember to at least 10 years old (maybe longer if I admit) was to play Barbies.  I LOVED playing Barbies all.the.time.  I loved her clothes, camper, plane, dream house, tiny accessories, carasel kitchen, car, dog, cat, boat, pool, horse, and on and on.  I had all the stuff.  When I was little my dad was a drill sergeant in the army and when families with older girls would move and purge their toys, I got all the barbie stuff.  I was over the moon.  I think it was partly due to the fact that it was something I could play all by myself, since my only sibling was male and 13 years old...

 Winter Goals: Try a Hot Chocolate Bomb and document on here.  These look so amazing 💓 Maybe make a Ginger Bread House.  I have not done this since my girls were really little.   Actually go out and document the first real snow.  We had a small dusting the other day but I plan to document the next one and try to make a new relationship with winter.  Since moving to Illinois at 7 years old, I have never really developed a friendship with the white stuff.  Maybe at 50, I can call a truce.   Make a specific home office area in my living room.  I am pretty sure this is going to be a necessity and if not, I am sure we will still use and appreciate it. 

Who would thought that this year would have flown by when it seemed like the whole world came to a stand still.  I feel like  Spring just started even though it is December.  We have been living virtually most of the year, not much action to look back on.   No sporting events, school events, or much organized activities but we still manage to be busy and on the go a lot.   I know part of this is because we have a big family, both nuclear and extended.  In fact, if we want to keep a family gathering small, we basically can't get together.  We are 13 on our own! Wow, our family has always seemed big and noisy, but with all the grandkids, I didn't realize what big was.  I love it, I know my quiver is  abundant and I am so blessed.    I am hoping after the first of the year to add some new content to this blog because we will be doing more with getting our farm and farmhouse ready for our family.  I think it will be a fun...

  So almost every time that I decide I want to start blogging again but have no idea where to start, I do one of these Currentlys.  So Here goes... Currently I am:   Listening to... the puppy chew on stuff he probably shouldn't be (insert eye roll) and Lucy watching Tik Tok or something similar on her phone.     Loving...that it isn't ridiculously cold outside yet.   Thinking that... I can't believe my third grandchild will be 1 this weekend.  Happy Birthday Mr. Magoo aka Rhett (insert heart, kissy face) Wanting.. to eat Mexican food for supper.   Needing.. for this pandemic to be over, for the world to go back to my sense of normal, and to have more time in a day to get things accomplished (motivation would help too).    I am completely over this pandemic thing.  I don't think I can handle another potential shut down.  I don't want to shelter at home, virtually work, or wear a mask and bath in hand sanitizer whenever...

 So our world right now is crazy weird to be honest.  We are still quarantined to a degree, I am still working from home.  Most things are still closed or operating under restricted guidelines.  I was finally able to see my Doctor and have an out patient surgery scheduled for later this week that will hopefully resolve some health issues I have been dealing with for a long time.  More on that another time....  Now, our country is dealing with riots and racial unrest.  I know that as a white woman in a small rural community I am not dealing with it like others nation wide but the effects are still far reaching.  I still feel the hurt and pain of a world that is turning on itself.  I am seeing uncertainty and fear manifesting in my own life because of what the country is experiencing and what potentially it could begin to experience as the consequences of what is currently happening.  A fallen economy, no safety, people and families i...

So what is your life like right now? We live in one of the states that has issued a soft shut down.  We are allowed to go to the grocery store, doctor, gas stations, and anything essential. Only professions deemed "essential" are going to work but other professions such as mine are encouraged to work from home or in some cases, not at all.  Actually, you are not really given a choice about that. My girls are not in school.  We are doing school work from home but I don't feel I can really call it homeschooling.  They are old enough that they are just doing the assignments on their own and I am just the enforcer.   One of the gals is due with a baby in the next week.  This Grams doesn't get to be at the hospital due to the restrictions and now not even the parking lot because of shut down.  I know God is in control and the kids will do fine on their own but me and the other Grandmother just want to be able to support them.  U...

I hope everyone has had an amazing week.  I have had a super busy one, a little stressful, but I made it to Friday! This is what is going on here.... Listening.... to the sound of myself typing (no background noise right now, that is uncommon) Loving.... that the fall colors decided to show up this week.  Now it feels like Fall to me. Thinking.... about buying a new pair of tall boots but trying to decide if I want black or brown.  Not buying both. Wanting.... to feel caught up with life.  I know this will never happen, but I need to get semi caught up, my stress level is through the roof. Needing... a maid, a lawn person, a handy man, a life coach, lol Planning.... on making some potato soup this weekend. I LOVE potato soup and tomorrow is supposed to be rainy, so it will taste even better.  Here is to wishing everyone a great weekend and a great upcoming week!

Today is Tuesday and you know what that means..... Yeah, me either.  I don't know why but I have always sang that line on Tuesday mornings.  I don't know if it really comes from a song but for some reason it comes to my mind on Tuesdays.  If you know the answer to that crazy question, comment below. Today it is  60 degrees and feels cold after the past week of over 100 degrees.  Even I got too hot.  That is usually not possible for this cold blooded gal.   Work today consists of paperwork, home visits, and then we have our first cheer practice for the upcoming year.  I have recruited a previous cheerleader to help since we only have one returning girl and an all new squad to teach cheers to.  As busy as cheer season is, because it is a 6-7 month commitment, I do love it and get excited when it begins.   So, I had fallen off the cooking bandwagon, pretty much for a year (maybe more if honest),  and have jus...

Happy Friday! How is it that every time I say I am ready to start blogging again, it seems to be a year before the next entry..... Life, that is how that happens.  I am on a crazy hamster wheel right now and a spare minute tends to get allotted to social media or a nap.  Could I carve out more time to blog? Maybe, probably, but I am not going to feel guilty about it. What I do feel guilty about is how I keep saying I am going to get my life out of crazy mode and somehow stay in it.  That is why I have been doing some self discovery.  Who is Penny, what are her passions, what are her goals, and also what are her values?  I often think I know the answer to these questions but then something happens and I realize that they are not as black and white as I originally thought.  There is almost always a back story to everything.   Anyway.... this is how life looks right now. Currently.... Listening to Lucy's phone (a game ...

So to say our life is in a season of change would be a gross understatement. Who are we?  Parents, grandparents, middle aged? Yes... all of those and so much more. What defines us? What we do, what we believe, who we hang with? Yes... but what else? I Don’t Know!   Everyday I feel we peel a new layer off as a family, a couple, and as individuals. I say We because this post is more than just about me, it is about My People too.  My husband and I no longer look like who we started out as 19 years ago. Physically, mentally, or spiritually.   My family no longer looks like our nuclear shell.  Husbands, fiancés, children.  What have we learned? How has life shaped us? How has God refined us? This blog is taking a turn, I hope you follow along to hear about who we are, where we were, where we are going.  What we believe,’what are our goals, what God is showing us.  It is through Bible Study,  prayer, and experience that I have come to a place where...

I am going to offend some, will probably be misunderstood as being self-righteous, and a host of other things that emotions will stir within. However, my intent is to make people think, especially Christians.  My intent is also to use a scared straight approach.... so let us begin. What is Grace? I believe Grace is given and received by those who acknowledge and believe we are humans who make stupid mistakes, feel regret, desire to do better, desire to BE better. I mess up All The Time. When I do, I know it. The Holy Spirit convicts me. I feel bad, I feel guilty, I feel shame.   God sent Jesus so that I don’t have to stay there in those emotions. Jesus gave me a get out of jail free card to let that go, move on, do better. He knows I am human, I can be deceived by the world and by my own desires. I am not God. That in a nutshell is Grace. I am also convicted to fear God. I have not been given a Get into Heaven Free card.  While my entry is not based on works, it ...

So, I wrote the post below when I was obviously very tired and very cranky. I was going to delete the draft all together because I don’t feel this way on most days. However for the sake of being real, some days I do and I bet I am not alone :)  So for all the tired mommas out there..... So, I am at that season of life and have been for about 10 years, of sitting on bleachers most of the school year. For most of those years I have had a high schooler as well as a junior higher so I feel like I am at most school events This is my first year without also having an elementary student.   I know I know... I am going to miss these days, but in all honesty, right now I am exhausted. Like, am I clinically exhausted or just motherhood exhausted? I am tired of being in my vehicle, on a bench, on a bus (I am also the JH cheer coach), in a classroom,  etc. I am also currently sick and tired of wearing our school colors. How pathetic does that sound? Now I will just pour a gl...

Well we have today off again. We are technically off for the MLK Jr. holiday, but I am sure with the weather we would have been off anyway. Stupid snow!! I am enjoying my coffee more this week since I bought some Almond Joy creamer this week...mmmmm. I am planning on making my way over to the Amish Country Salvage today to score some grocery bargains and maybe take some scenery pictures. I am still pondering over the sermon at church yesterday. The verses were spot on for our life situation right now. I love when God shows up so clearly. The cat is thinking... “Whoo Hoo they are home again!” I am thinking either potato soup or cheese dip in the crock pot today... hmmm🤔 Both sound good and the family will be excited by either.

Help Katie settle into her new home before Baby is born in March. Start cooking again...  the family will appreciate that one. Treat myself once a week to something that makes my heart happy. Journal in my Happy Planner. A weekly post of some sort.

Well not really. We have another “snow day” from school and it is pretty nice and cleared off already, so it is more like just another day off now. Score :)  I imagine we will still have our basketball game tonight, so I guess I have part of the day off work.  I am craving Mac and cheese (the box and powder kind) so that will probably be lunch today. My allergies are still in high gear (what is up with that?). I bought plain half and half for my coffee but wish I had some yummy flavor now 😢 I am already over winter, being cold, and having cabin fever.    The cat is only allowed inside when we are home (and awake) so this extended break is really making Clem a happy kitty.