MONDAY MOMENTS

 

WHAT A LOVELY SUNDAY I HAD.  I rested on this Sabbath.  Rested well.  Ready for the week to continue.  

The sky was overcast and cloudy with cooler temps.  There was a slight breeze.  Whirling to the ground were tree seeds.  I use to think they were nature's helicopters as they twirled downwards spreading the possibility of planting themselves elsewhere.  Prosperity.  Seeds spread elsewhere making baby trees appear with some time and moisture.  

Hubby has been raking the dead grass and planting new grass.  We have some spots in our yard that died off.  He dealt with grubs eating the roots of the grass and causing the yard to die in certain places.  He's busy like a farmer tending to his herd.  

Cooing doves could be heard the majority of the day.  These are the only ones I could identify amongst so many other bird calls.  They have made a nest high up in the Locust tree that is in the side yard.  Their cooing is one of the most beautiful sounds I know.    

This time of year is when I really enjoy leaving the windows open letting fresh air in when the prairie farmers aren't burning the pastures.  From about April 1st until May they burn wide open spaces which causes asthma and allergies to flair up so when there is a day without the smoke it is heavenly.  Today was heavenly.

I went down memory lane from my recliner as I went through greeting cards from days gone by. I haven't the heart to throw them away.  I think I will keep them awhile longer.  Thumbing through old magazines as well.  These are easier to pitch or bundle to give to someone else for craft projects.  Also old photos.  Oh, the memories.

November 1979.  I was pregnant with my third baby who would be born the following April.  Me (24) on the left and my sister (26) on the right.  Gosh we were young.  We were at our Grandma's house in Syracuse, Kansas celebrating Thanksgiving.  

Grandma hadn't been in this house very long as Grandpa died in January 1978 and she later relocated to Syracuse where she grew up and had two sisters still living there.  The two bedroom house was tiny, but cozy.    

Here I am pregnant with our first baby.  This would have been Spring of 1975.  Hubby was super skinny and graduating from Community College.  We were so young and didn't have a clue what parenthood was about.  We'd learn.  Live and learn.  Learn and live.

Our first born son in 1975.

Our second born son in my arms in 1977.

Daughter and I.

This had to be around Christmas 1980 

with all those bows in her hair.

My Daughter with her daughter.

Lil Miss

Sons in head dresses in Hugoton, Kansas.

Omaha, Nebraska.

Wonderful memories.  I have been sitting aside some photos for my children for their own.  I hope they like the packages.  

Making very slow headway with tidying.  The month of MAY is here.  There will be graduations this month and weddings.  I need to get a new dress for this month's events.  This week.  Looking at the calendar, Mother's Day is in a week.  I have a card and gift for my Mom already to go, but think I should drive over to see her.  I will pick some flowers and hand deliver them to her. 

Graduating Grandson this Spring with his Mom, Shell, my Daughter-in-law.

I have a Grandson and a Granddaughter graduating from Middle School and a Grandson graduating from College.  That's 3.  What a nice time of year to graduate.  I bought some cards already.  Now I just have to find where I put them.  Oops. 

My calendar is starting to fill up.  I have to check it daily to remind myself.  This week, I need to finish up this round of papers, cards and magazines and move on to the next tidying project.  I'll have a Physical Therapy session this week, go see my Mom, a track meet to attend, bills to pay, basic cleaning, etc.  Lord help me get everything done and done well.  Amen.    

I weighed myself and I lost another pound and a half.  Whoopie.  If I can get the hang of this losing weight I will head toward a healthier me.  Thanking God for progress.  

Sipping natural spring water, 

the Beverage of CHAMPIONS!      

Don't forget the Organic Apple Cider Vinegar.

Add it to spring water and whalaah.

 

FOOD FOR THOUGHT:  Simple nutritious meals with lower carbs and more organic veggies.  

Homemade Pizza with organic veggies, organic pepperoni and grass fed beef.  Next we'll try something different for the crust as it wasn't organic.  This pizza had such a delicious flavor it was worth every penny spent toward buying organic.  Hands down grass fed beef has better flavor than regular ground beef.  Aldi's and Sam's sells it. 

Pizza with organic Spring Green Salad and organic celery.

Our vegetarian meal was a different salad with organic spinach, spring greens, organic carrots, tomatoes, kalamata olives, some seeds and nuts with vinaigrette salad dressing.

Sunday Dinner was grilled flank steak, zucchini, squash and half a red potatoes.  After I ate, my stomach was satisfied and when I figured My Fitness Pal calories I was stunned at the low caloric number.  My breakfast had more calories then this evening meal.

Vegetarian Meal.  Boiled potatoes with parsley sprinkles, green peppers with onions.  Peppers and onions were fixed in Olive oil. Added some salsa on the potatoes which added more flavor.  A decent meal.

Cottage Cheese sprinkled with Ocean Spray Craveology on a bed of Spring Green Salad.

Another vegetarian meal of Cabbage, carrots, and potatoes.

Studying up on what foods to avoid so there's no inflammation which causes diabetes and high cholesterol.  Gluten free products helps with combatting inflammation.  Eating lower carb foods will help with weight loss.

Now, I begin to closely read the labels to avoid the inflammatory ingredients that cause blood pressure to rise, cholesterol to rise and cause havoc for diabetics.  Even my medicines, vitamins and supplements will get looked over.

Maltodextrin and modified corn starch are two examples of GMO corn products that are inflammatory and cause issues.

Skip the High Fructose Corn Syrup as well.

Avoid artificial sweeteners like aspartame, Caramel coloring,

and Natural Flavors.

ON MAY DAY, we heard a knock on the door and the door bell rang.  How sweet!  The neighbor kids from down the street had left a MAY BASKET on our door knob.  I can't remember the last time I had someone leave a MAY BASKET.  Absolutely put a smile on my big face.  

On my way to a healthier me.

May you have a blessed week,

🏡d

Partying with HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY

https://familycorner.blogspot.com/2021/05/happy-homemaker-monday-05032021.html

Beautiful Babies

Fantastic news just came over the phone!
A precious baby is on his way to greet our daughter-in-law and son. They are expecting their first BABY February 10th! A boy!

Covet your prayers. I will be praying for all to go well. Healthy Baby and safe delivery for daughter-in-law. Prepared Daddy and Momma.

Glorious NEWS,

~Deanna~

Santa, The Tooth Fairy and Where Babies Come From

Thank you for taking time out from your busy day to take a peek at my blog and see what's happening here in Flint Hills.
We just finished celebrating Valentine's Day over the week-end with Valentine Cards, Chocolates and a Steak Dinner,  as I was reminiscing about days gone by.
In grade school or as some would call it elementary school, every year we'd have a Valentine Party where we'd exchange homemade or store bought cards with one another.
At home, I'd write the names on the back of the cards, place the cards in the envelopes and then address them.  Then place the sealed cards in each others card holders that we had carefully made the week before during Art.  It was always a contest to see who could create the most bee-u-ta-full card holder weither it be a decorated shoe box or a construction paper envelope with a heart shaped papered doily on the front of it. Anxiously waiting for the oohs and awes.  Peer pressure and acceptance was different then.
Sweet memories.  During the party, we were allowed to open each valentine, play games and have refreshments.  At the end of the school day, we'd take all the treasures home.  These were the days when Public Schools were into teaching the 3 r's of readin', ritin' and 'rithmetic.  We didn't have to worry about guns, knifes and drugs being brought in by students, no gangs and we could walk home for lunch.  Pleasant thoughts.  Ahhhh the innocence of youth.Now for Santa, the Tooth Fairy and Where Babies Come From.
During my childhood, I would learn that there was no Santa Claus. My oldest brother would tell me it was actually Mom and Dad placing the toys under the Christmas tree that we would discover on Christmas morning.  I remember being shocked when I heard this aweful truth!  I suspected that it was true when we went to a movie theatre for an afternoon matinee.  As we left the show, a petite woman dressed in a santa suit was handing out candy canes to the kids.  She almost fooled me until I saw her well groomed painted fingernails.  They were lovely to say the least, but when she said, "Ho.  Ho.  Ho." in a saprano voice through the white beard, it cinched the deal and santa was a fraud.  When I first heard that Santa wasn't real, I was concerned that next Christmas there wouldn't be any toys.  Man, was I delighted to see that the toys were there the next year.  Pleasant thoughts.

The Tooth Fairy was welcomed right along with Santa.  The first tooth I lost was when I was five.  Pretty neat placing the tooth under my bed pillow and wake up to a coin in its place.  When the Tooth Fairy stopped visiting it wasn't quite the shock as Santa not being real.
BUT THE BIGGEST SHOCK OF ALL was when my sister told me how babies were made.  She had gotten upset with two of her friends that were sisters that told her the truth about THAT.  She defended her stance on this by saying, "Huh uw...my mom told me that when she wanted a baby all she had to do was pray to God and He gave them to her!!!"  Then my sister broke the news to me..."Preachers do it, too!!!"  I don't know where we got the idea that the actual act was a dirty thing that only bad people did, but none the less when I heard Preachers do this, I was mortified.
I learned all of this out in the front yard beside the car that was parked by the curb.  Gutter trash?  No, I laugh now at how innocent we were.  I forgot to mention the Easter Bunny.

Of course by the fifth grade, we had that famous talk about the female body and what was going to happen to it.  My mother attended the movie that explained this biological event.  I remember sitting in the front seat of the car as we went home.  She asked me if I had any questions.  I couldn't think of any at the time.  That would come later and that's a whole different story.

There has been other shocking news through the years that greatly out did these childhood stories.  Only God has helped me process and deal with the ones that stunned me so badly I couldn't speak or pray.  I learned the hard way that He is the one that will comfort when you hurt beyond words.  No one else can quite do this.
Though we are fearfully and wonderfully made, so much is still a mystery.  Santa, the Tooth Fairy and how babies are made are all pleasant things to me.  I was so innocent and that's a good thing.  Sweet memories.

Now I know that Santa doesn't answer prayers.  The Tooth Fairy disappears after Grade School and the Stork drops babies off in the Cabbage Patch!

Til next time,
May the Good Lord Bless you real good.
Deanna from the Kansas Flint Hills