Theres a New Peek Into Last Week Video Up~

Just a quick reminder, if you enjoyed the "A Peek Into Last Week" posts, I am now doing video versions of them on my YouTube channel! Please stop by and say "hi"👋! 

xo, TJ

A Peek Into Last Week (August 26 - September1)~

 

Welcome back...to you and the month of September! 

While we have still been experiencing higher than average temperatures, I continue to find most of my entertainment and enjoyable pastimes Indoors. I have been watching All Creatures Great and Small on PBS (the book is in my reading list queue to read) and diving into season 2 of The Chosen.

a hint of clouds...no rain in sight

Even though it has remained hot and humid for weeks on end, and we've also been experiencing drought and red flag conditions, a few nice breaks in the heat have allowed moments for me to get back outside to play in the soil! Experiencing the wonders of my garden again after so long, awakened the sleeping poet within and inspired me to write a few lines about her. Even though she had been left to her own devices for many weeks, she seemed to do quite well on her own. I used to spend many sweet and solitary hours writing poetry, drawing and painting in my younger days. Sadly, I tend to forget those loves until some small something nudges them awake again. I will definitely be doing more of those things in the future!

I have been attempting, once again, to get higher quality sleep and have a better sleep schedule. I have attempted this a few times before, but end up getting discouraged when my mind refuses to cooperate and demands to stay up late. So, I have always thrown in the towel and went back to my night owl ways. This time, I am determined to push through the hard part. I have been applying every bit of good sleep hygiene advice that I have in my arsenal. It is still a work in progress but I am hopeful I will get there. Or...at least achieve some improvement. 

dim lights, candles, a cup of hot tea and a warm bath 

Our family had sad news this past week with the sudden passing of a close family member. It is still fresh and raw and we are in the early days of processing it, but we are a family of faith so that helps to comfort us in these dark days.

I hope your week was filled with pleasant weather, good news, garden blossoms, sweet dreamy sleep and a hopeful heart for bright days ahead!

Thanks for stopping by! 

💋xo,

TJ

Mornins With Mommy ~

 This is an all too familiar sweet scenario in my mornings. Gally on my lap, Dollar by my side. I thought I would share in the hopes that it might put a smile on your face! 😊

Have a wonderful day and thanks for stopping by! ~ xo TJ

Livin' La Vida Nightgown~

 

I'm blushing a bit as I confess post this😳

I have been living in thin cotton nightgowns more often than not this summer, as we've had days upon unending days of triple digit (Fahrenheit), heat advisory/excessive heat warnings. I've said (ad nauseum 🫣) that I don't do well in our heat, so wearing the coolest garments possible has been my saving grace. They have literally kept me from experiencing the nausea and other unpleasant symptoms I have become accustomed to in past summers that even my coolest of dresses never helped.

Do I feel weird wearing nightgowns most days? For 'bout a split second. And then I remind myself that I am doing it for my health so that I feel good, not out of laziness (it actually has helped me be more productive this summer since I feel better more often). I then throw an apron on and carry on with my day.

Let's all take care of ourselves unapologetically (as long as we aren't hurting anyone else with our actions-I don't wear my nightgowns when I'm out & about 😆). Stay cool & hydrate!

Thanks for stopping by!

Sign me,

Livin' la vida nightgown

 

A Peek Into My Week Video Style~

 

Hello again!

I thought I would put a new twist on my "A Peek Into Last Week " posts that I had frequently done in the past here on my blog, by doing a video version! I am truly enjoying getting back into making YouTube videos as it is allowing me to flex my creative muscles in that arena. I had forgotten how much I love it but the more I do it, the more I fall in love with it all over again! (I have a now defunct YouTube channel by the same name floating around out there in cyberspace that I have been unable to access -due to my faaabulous technological skills😉. So, I had to start all over again.) 

Although I am a homebody at heart, being tethered to the home as a round-the-clock caregiver to my homebound spouse takes it to a whole 'nother level. When the world went into lock down in 2020, I honestly didn't notice a change in our lifestyle. We had been in lockdown for the 8+ years before that, and still are today. Anyhoo, all that being said, any creative outlet, for me, is a necessary survival skill at this point. A must, in order to keep some semblance of my sanity. I truly know the meaning of cabin fever!

I hope you will take a few minutes to view (and maybe even subscribe, share and give it a thumbs up?🙏) A Peek Into My Week ~ Snippets of My Days . I would love to hear what you think of it!

Thanks for stopping by!

xo,  

TJ

My Morning (Homemaker) Routine~

Happy Monday!

There's a new video up on my YouTube channel sharing a little peek into my morning routine as a homemaker. We would love it if you would join us over there!

Thanks for stopping by! 

xo,

TJ

A Little Catch Up~

cheery daffodils are abloom in the garden

Hello friends!

I know it has been a while. The holidays and winter days were relaxing and invigorating for me. I hope yours were just what you needed them to be. 

I have been busier than usual, what with trying to get the BP Challenge figured out, sort out the direction I want this new year to go for me and just trying to keep on top of the everyday business at hand.

The challenge has had me feeling like I'm in a race each day. A race to eat the required six meals spaced 2-3 hours apart. A race to drink the amount of water I need to each day. And juggling all that, plus normal life stuff, with trying to fit in the daily workout. The discipline of it all is unfamiliar territory but that very discipline is much needed in my life. You see, after my husband became disabled and I had to quit my job to care for him full time, I slowly drifted into unscheduled days without the usual routine I was accustomed to. I slowly worked out a new normal, albeit a more relaxed, and dare I say it? A lazy one. Thankfully, the healthy meals and exercise and rivers of water I have been drinking have given me the energy to tackle it all. I posted a YouTube video about it if you are interested.

This past week we had some heavy thunderstorms along with tornadoes that touched down not far from us. Actually, the tornadoes did heavy damage in a city I lived in twenty years ago so I was particularly concerned for those affected. The worst we got of it was a little flooding in our neighborhood and our backyard. 

reflections of a stormy day

The sunset the day before the storm was absolutely gorgeous however!

I hope you are having a wonderful winter season and many beautiful sunsets and sunrises!

I will see you soon.

Thanks for stopping by! 

xo,

TJ

Daily Selfie 2023 ~ BFL Challenge

I have officially been accepted into the latest challenge offered by the author of these books! I have had Bill's BFL and EFL books for several years now and refer to them often. To say I am over the moon excited to be included in this team challenge is an understatement! Between losing myself in the midst of a perfect storm of simultaneously navigating the final year of our youngest child's high school years and my spouse's stroke along with the aftermath of it, the ensuing journey of being a caregiver had left me comfortably numb. I turned to food for comfort. (heck, I just plain turned to comfort for comfort!) Add to that, I have always considered myself to be a binge eater and food addict. 

I need to start taking better care of myself and put myself as a priority also. I want to rebuild and regain my health. I recently had surgery to remove cancer and have that healing journey ahead of me now as well.

My goal for the challenge is to lose 25 lbs and gain energy and strength. I have never been a highly energetic person even in my younger days (I've always compared myself to a luxury vehicle...built for comfort, not for speed, lol) I don't have aspirations of looking like a fitness model, I just need the stamina to navigate my daily life, which is sorely lacking for me right now.

This is me on day one of the twelve week challenge. I'm in the middle of enjoying a post walk/"trot"(~entry level jog😉) protein shake. Wish me luck!

Thanks for stopping by! 

xo,

TJ

Daily Selfie 2023 ~ Dinner Prep

 My daily selfie saga continues, lol. And quite honestly, for this normally camera shy girl, that's no small feat. I'm fluffier than I want to be (working on that!), older than I've ever been (thankful for that!) and living a life that by most people's standards is quite uneventful. So, what is there to post? And who would care to see it? The answer to both of those questions is,  "I don't know." but nevertheless, here we are. As I stated when I said was going to post a selfie a day in 2023, I think it will be interesting to document how my face has worn my life in the upcoming year. And why the heck not? It's for fun. I try to never take myself, or life, too seriously. 

Here's today's selfie with a little commentary...

fridge pov aka how the inside of my fridge sees me 

Dinner prep, fridge POV, 2:56 PM. 

I've been aiming to start dinner early for the past several weeks rather than wait for the dinner hour. Usually by then (around 5PM), our west facing kitchen is at it's warmest and I am just not in the best of moods (tired🥱? hungry😖? HOT🔥? {I'm a lady of a certain age, after all😉😓}. ALL OF THE ABOVE.) to face making much of a dinner. So, I try to be mindful to start early taking steps to get a decent meal ready by 6 PM at the latest. Last night, I plopped all the ingredients for a meat sauce in our mini slow cooker to simmer overnight for our pasta tonight. The meat was cooked the night before THAT and ground up in my old school Ninja blender last night-mama don't have no patience to stand over a hot, steamy stove breaking up ground beef into bitty pieces I'm lazy like that. Today, I boiled the noodles, mixed them in with the meat sauce, topped with some mozz pieces and stuck the whole shebang in our 8 quart slow cooker to heat up for tonight's din. 

Steps. Baby steps.

"Baking" in the slow cooker. Trying to not heat up the kitchen. 78°F with 71% humidity so...NOPE. No oven tonight. I placed a small casserole dish with the pasta inside of it into my 8 quart slow cooker with about an inch of water in the bottom, pressed "slow cook" to heat it up so it will be ready for a nice, warm, tummy filling meal at 6.

What's for dinner at your place?

Thanks for stopping by! 

💋xo, 

TJ

A Peek Into Last Week (December 10 - 16)~

 endeavor:

authentic•oldfashionedvalues•lowtech•slowliving

~livingsimply~

I'm so glad you're here! Come on in and set a spell. How has your week been? Tell me all about it while we grab a nice wintery beverage-hot chocolate? Coffee? Or maybe eggnog is more to your liking?-and gab a bit. I'll go ahead and start things off while you warm up and gather your thoughts~

Holiday Happenings~

This year is the first year that I can ever remember not putting up a Christmas tree or decorating for the holiday.  It is a bittersweet thing for me. Our home is still in disarray from the water damage we had earlier this year and I couldn't find the enthusiasm to have beautiful decorations competing with the backdrop of all that. 

That's not to say I don't have the warm, cozy glow of the spirit of Christmas within. I have surrounded myself with other holiday delights to "make merry"...

What I'm watching/reading listening to~

(still A Christmas Carol-ing and Little Women-ing 😆)

I've been enjoying listening to an assortment of Christmas music (including the Little Women soundtrack, lol😁) on Spotify this week. Mannheim Steamroller is always a favorite, along with Michael Bublé and of course, all the good old classic songs of the season.

Create~

I dug through my ever ready crafting bag and pulled out the supplies needed to turn an old Christmas card into several bookmarks. I enjoy doing this with beautiful cards that have been sent to me. It's a lovely reminder of that person each time I settle in and open a book to happily while away a few relaxing moments.

the longer bookmarks will be used for standard sized books

the short bookmarks I will use in my traveler's notebooks 

Homekeeping ~ 

This past week's homekeeping focus was the bathrooms. I cleaned in there a little deeper than the everyday type cleaning, really getting into the nooks and crannys (and rewarded myself with lots of bubble baths!).

I also continued to declutter and am considering whether I should try and sell a few of the items and if so, how and where I should list them. Facebook (for miscellaneous household items)? Poshmark (for clothing. Do they take other types of items?)  Are there other, better places to list online? These are the questions swirling about in my head surrounding this subject right now, lol.

It was also a great relief to have two big (and heavy ) boxes full of items for donation picked up after much procrastination in the matter. (I don't know why it takes me so long to schedule the pickups. I think I'm trying to make sure they are getting a "haul" worthy of their time, effort and expense to pick up but then that means we are left with the growing collection-and the temptation to dig through and pull things back out.🤫😊)

What I'm cooking, baking and eating ~ 

I haven't done a lot of cooking lately but when I have, it has been fairly decent sized batches that we can eat for several days that week with enough left over to freeze for future meals. Like the Garlicky Chickpea Soup I made this week. It's faster fast food, as in: it's faster than getting out and driving somewhere to pick up something when I'm feeling lazy(-er than usual) and uninspired to cook up something. Plus, it's definitely healthier and more economical than takeout and it has that special ingredient that you just can't buy anywhere...l♡ve.🥰

Well, as always, it was wonderful visiting with you! Take good care of yourselves, your hearths and homes and let's meet up again real soon.

💋xo, 

TJ

A Peek Into Last Week (December 3 - 9)~

 endeavor:

authentic•oldfashionedvalues•lowtech•slowliving

~livingsimply~

Some weeks are more relaxed and low key than others. Truly, they all are pretty relaxed and low key for us at this point in time. Some are pretty dreamy though~

Even though I had a doctor's appointment for an ultrasound and some labwork, it went smoothly and quickly.

And there was the time and beautiful weather for more wonderful walks in the neighborhood.

Mid-week my allergies started acting up but it gave me the perfect excuse to take it extra easy, enjoy our blessings and just be.

One evening, after hubby and I left our vaccine appointments, we splurged and ordered takeout from our favorite Mexican restaurant 😋. It was delicious and it was such a treat to not have to cook but there was just one problem: it put us into a carb coma...

And then we woke up a bit later with a bad case of bedhead...

There was also plenty of time to snuggle with my buddy, Galahad...

I'm still watching every version of Little Women and A Christmas Carol that I come across that interests me. They are my favorite Christmas time movie traditions that I always make time for. I'm always surprised that there seems to be a new version of them both each year.

In the kitchen, I tried a new hot chocolate mix recipe and have been absolutely enjoying it (sprinkled liberally with chocolate chips that I stir into it to make it extra decadent🤫) as part of my cozy nighttime routine.

I hope you had a great week with plenty of time to do all the things that you find makes your week dreamy !

Thanks for stopping by!

💋xo, 

TJ

A Peek Into Last Week (November 26 - December 2)~

endeavor:

authentic•oldfashionedvalues•lowtech•slowliving

~livingsimply~

Welcome back!

What I'm cooking, baking and eating ~ 

Chicken veggie noodle soup, asparagus fritatta (using asparagus bought on sale back in the Spring and then blanched and frozen), salmon salad (made like I do tuna salad) served on a bed of greens, blueberry breakfast (or anytime!) cake (I just added a few frozen blueberries to a Jiffy Blueberry Muffin Mix and baked in an 8" pan), bacon and egg breakfast burritos 🌯 😋, Toll House Cookie Bars.

Homekeeping ~ 

This past week's homekeeping focus was the kitchen. In addition to the daily tasks, I focused on cleaning the face of the cabinets (where do all those tiny splatters come from?!😄) and the edges of the floors where the floor meets the walls and cabinets.

Highlight ~

Walks!!! Lots and lots of walks in the neighborhood. We've had some gorgeous, cool weather that just begged us to get out and enjoy nature. And we did!

And after an abundance of fresh air and sunshine, we mayyy have needed a little nappy-poo.

Enjoy the upcoming week and...

thanks for stopping by!

💋xo, 

TJ

Hawks in the Sky~

 

While out for our daily stroll, I happened to look up while paused for Dollface to sniff the area. I enjoy skygazing because you just never know what you might see. Add to that fact I am somewhat of birdwatcher. Not the binocular packin', hiding in reeds in a swampy marsh kind (although a pair of bird watching binoculars is on my wish list), lol. I'm more of a casual bird observer and take immense delight in all their antics. 

Well, today's observation did not disappoint! Hawks patrolling the sky! I have never seen so many at one time. I counted no less than fourteen. I thought surely there must be some prey that they were all going to compete for but no, they just continued to glide high above us until they slowly drifted into the horizon.

red tail hawk 📷: audubon.org

My natural curiosity and love for all of God's creatures great and small got me to doing some online informational digging: 

18 Species of Hawks in Texas (with pictures)

Hawks In Texas: Our Top 15 Lords-Of-The-Skies Species Guide

What Makes a Group of Hawks a “kettle”

Eat, Prey, Love: A Day with the Squirrel Hawkers of East Texas

Or maybe they were turkey vultures?🤷‍♀️ They were so high in the sky, I'm not sure.

turkey vulture 📷: audubon.org 

How Do Hawks Hunt? (7 different methods & how to observe)

I hope you enjoyed this mini bird watching post. Do you like to birdwatch? Do you consider yourself a pro or, like me, a casual birdwatcher? 

Thanks for stopping by! 

💋xo, 

TJ

A Peek Into Last Week (November 19 - 25)~

endeavor:

authentic•oldfashionedvalues•lowtech•slowliving

~livingsimply~

Homekeeping ~ 

This week's focus was storage or the laundry room so I continued to focus on decluttering the "storage" (lol) of excess and miscellaneous items. I am a self professed pack rat and work diligently to avoid crossing over into hoarder territory. Admittedly, I do have a hard time letting some things go. Sometimes it may take me several passes of an area before I can release something. A fact I'm not proud of.😊

What I'm watching/reading ~

Each winter holiday season I love to watch all the various versions of A Christmas Carol  and Little Women. It has begun! This past week I watched the 1994 version of LW movie with Susan Sarandon. 

I don't have a favorite version of either movie, I love them all!

Highlight ~

Thanksgiving of course! And...

a brisk walk in the park with my Dollface was one of the highlights of the week! It was a chilly, blue skies kind of day and absolutely beautiful! 

I hope you and yours had a most delightful Thanksgiving.

Thanks for always joining me here in my quiet little corner of the world. I appreciate it more than you know!

💋xo, 

TJ

A Peek Into Last Week (November 12 - 18)~

endeavor:

authentic•oldfashionedvalues•lowtech•slowliving

~livingsimply~

It has been a slow but uneventful week here. With a few glitches thrown in 😆. But, we carry on!

Homekeeping ~ 

 This weeks focus was the office, desk and paperwork. I managed to wade through a stack of old paper and toss, file and shred most of it.

I continue general decluttering and organizing. 

What I'm watching/reading ~

I enjoyed spending some time reading up on some of the fascinating history and fun facts about the great state of Texas, where I was born and bred, on this site. I occasionally recall my ex-husband (may he rest in peace) saying I couldn't be more "Texas" due to the fact that I was born in Texas City, Texas. I had never thought of it that way, lol.

Garden~

snow peas

It always fascinates me to go out to the garden and discover the seedlings that appear seemingly out of nowhere! And the never-ending self seeding abundance of basil at my fingertips year 'round!

basil and blue skies

Highlight ~

This little secret garden pathway that developed organically is definitely one of the highlights of my week. I imagine fantastical, enchanted  garden loving beings using it in the twilight of the evening! 

I hope your week was filled with things that brought you joy! And I hope that every day of every year you find something to be thankful for, not just during the month of November or on the upcoming holiday of Thanksgiving day itself. Each day is a gift, and that in itself is enough to be thankful for. May you have a wonderful, safe upcoming week!🦃

Thanks for stopping by!

💋xo, 

TJ

A Peek Into Last Week (October 29- November 4)~

endeavor:

authentic•oldfashionedvalues•lowtech•slowliving

~livingsimply~

Hello again!  So glad you are here ❤️ I hope your Halloween was safe and fun.

What I'm cooking, baking and eating ~ 

Chicken Tomato Cilantro soup, baked potatoes with assorted toppings and ranch dressing. 

 blondies

Mostly, we enjoyed a lot of precooked and frozen meals that were easy to unearth from the freezer, defrost, heat and eat.

Homekeeping ~ 

This week's homekeeping focus was the living room, entryway, and front porch. It was the perfect time to remove our Halloween decoration and attack the mountain that grows from a molehill on our entry table.☺️

What I'm watching/reading ~

I am doing a refresh reading of Younger Next Year for Women by Chris Crowley and Henry S. Lodge, M.D.. I first read the original Younger Next Year, which I found at a thrift store before finding YNYFW, also at a thrift store. There are just some books I like to read and re-read to let the message really sink in. When it comes to the subject of health and wellness, I need all the refreshes I can get (especially the older I get)! I find it encouraging to stay on top of my health and take care of myself, regardless of how old I get and how it can sometimes be so tempting to sit in my easy chair and rock my life away, lol. NO! I plan on fighting the uphill battle all the way to the end!💪

Highlight ~

I am so thankful for being able to take advantage of the privilege of voting. And early! There was only a short wait and the entire process went smoothly. It was heartwarming to see very young first time voters and the very old and/or disabled, who made it by walker, cane and wheelchair. All were welcomed and accommodated! 

Did you vote early? How were the polls where you are?

*confession-I voted for the very first time at the age of 35 for excuses I won't bore you with. The moral of this story is...it's never too late!

I hope the upcoming week is a delightful one for us all~thanks for stopping by!

💋xo, 

TJ