Way To Warm Yo Belly

~Pepper Jelly with Cream Cheese 

on Ritz Crackers~

Sipping hot PERO with a little Half n' Half

goes a long ways on a cold night.

Yummmmmm,

d

This Is The Kind Of FLUFF I Like

Out the window I looked after getting off the bed on a Thursday morning.  It's true, it was snowing.  The weatherman had said we'd get snow after it rained during the night.  The fluffy snowflakes were gently falling to the ground.  These are the kind of snowflakes I've been waiting for.

~THIS IS THE KIND OF FLUFF I LIKE~

Quietly covering everything.  Wanting another snow before SPRING.  We're really not that far into the WINTER,  but I seem to grow weary of the bitter cold.  With the trees bare, grey skies, breathtakingly bitter, I desired another snow for beauty and moisture.

The perfect day to stay indoors sipping hot chocolate and taking down the Living room CHRISTMAS tree.  Late last night I took some of the red ornaments off the tree and marveled at how pretty they are.  Handling with care, I'll need to wrap the glass ones with hopes of keeping them safe.  

The flocked tree upstairs will be placed in the screen in porch so I can turn the twinkle lights on during the evenings and enjoy a WINTER WONDERLAND right outside the french doors.  I've never had artificial christmas trees out longer than January, but think this could be fun having twinkle lights during the cold months of KANSAS.

I've enjoyed our large CHRISTMAS tree in the Living room for 5 weeks and have delayed taking it down until after EPIPHANY.  Our first CHRISTMAS in this Prairie house.  I'm moving slow at getting settled in.  

TODAY'S THE DAY to work on taking the tree down.  Hesitating because I've enjoyed it so much.  This month will be a great one to make paper snowflakes to dangle in the windows.  

I'll have to turn the CHRISTMAS clock sounds off as it plays CHRISTMAS tunes on the hour.  Jingle Bells just chimed.  Not sure I will put it away until SPRING.  The clock has snowmen on the front of it.  Perfect for January as well.  Maybe February.
  

Hearts are coming out replacing CHRISTMAS.  Red is a beautiful WINTER color.  Brilliantly warming.  

Making HOME a priority in this fallen world,

d

          

Grey Skies

The MONTH OF JANUARY is having it's fair share of grey skies.  Thankful that I don't get sad with so much grey in the atmosphere.  GREY IS.  Momma said there'd be days like this...Momma said there'd be days like this, Momma said.  Momma said.

Grey skies with cold temps is for sure a WINTER's DAY.  A prime time to work inside getting better organized and downsized.  SANTAS made their way into a big red storage tub that I hauled over yesterday from the COTTAGE.  

Thar she sits on the Living room floor waiting to be shut and transferred to the basement.  I have some more tiny Santas to place inside this tub.  Pause.

I pause a great deal these days deciding what to get rid of.  Once again that 'ole thought of selling items for a few pennies or give away and be done with it.  I need peace about this.  JUST DO IT and be done.  

Do what?  
It.

It?  
Yes.

What's it?
IT!

It...what it?
IT!!

Give away and be done IT?
Yes.  Be done.

Okay.  I'll do it.
What IT?

Good grief.  It.  Give IT AWAY and be done with IT.
That's right.

What's right?
Doing it.

Doing it is right?  Gotcha.
Be brave and don't waver.  Get along with IT.

SO be it.
Be what?

Enough already.

Have a blessed day and don't forget that you are able to accomplish much if you just put your mind to it and do it.

Truthfully LIFE is just too short to be in a tug a war about STUFF.  

BLESSINGS,
d

Work Fast

SPENT THE WEEK-END in Oklahoma celebrating Epiphany when the WISEMEN gave baby Jesus gifts.  Decided to take Christmas gifts to the grandchildren.  When I showed my 3 year old Grandson a ornament for him, he said he wanted to buy it.  I said, it was a gift to him. This didn't register as he continued to say he wanted to buy it.  Sweet child.  

We had a pleasant drive across our state for a great visit then on the road again.  Gently raining the entire way from Oklahoma to Kansas.  Smelt like a Spring rain.  REFRESHING.

Stopped by my Mom's on Sunday afternoon to say Hello.  Quick visit then a drive the rest of the way HOME while it was still light out.  Saw no deer.  

Had hopes of resting Monday as driving seems to catch up with kind of like jet lag.    

TODAY, I managed to take the acrylic snowflakes off of the upstairs Christmas tree, wrap the Nativity items up to place in storage boxes, look over bills, drive over to RETIREMENT COTTAGE to go through storage boxes, loaded some boxes into the car and waited for my Husband to meet up with me to fix a house window.  We went ahead and ate at the Mexican Restaurant for Supper.  No protest.  Visited then went HOME.

As I worked in the Cottage, I got a little overwhelmed wondering where to go with all the SANTAS.  Too many.  I have to thin down my collection.  I don't know about this phase in life as to when I will be downsized to where I am comfortable with being downsized.  I sound like a broken record.  

Officially tired tonight.  Hope to sleep well and be rested for another day.  I'll continue to pack CHRISTMAS up.  I will be carrying small vinyl boxes from upstairs to the Kitchen.  Eventually they will be taken to the basement for storage.  Hopefully by this week-end the trees will be packed away.  My poor house looks messy all over again.

WORK FAST,
d

Product Review

1. 
   
2. I stumbled onto this product while at the HARDWARE STORE.  We had supper on our way to do laundry.  Decided to stop by the local Hardware Store which had a display of this product.  The TESTER got my attention to try this new product that I wasn't familiar with.
   

THOUGHT it smelled so good and the scent stayed with me.  Before I left the store, I picked up some and checked out.  I may want to go back and get some shampoo and conditioner.

Very satisfied with this HAND and BODY LOTION.  Non-greasy.

It was an extremely COLD day and I think the scent reminds me of SPRING and SUMMER.

I rate this product a A plus.

I'm SOLD,

d  

https://nakedbee.com

Getting Ahead

get ahead

phrasal verb of get

1. 1.

   become successful in one's life or career.

   "how to get ahead in advertising"

   synonyms:

   prosper, flourish, thrive, do well;  succeed, make it, advance, get on in the world, go up in the world, make good, become rich;  informalgo places, get somewhere, make the big time "the desire to get ahead"

Even if you're stuck in a rut, you're moving, because you're breathing…GRINS. So you're advancing. 

Moving ahead. I've often said, "The best way to get ahead is to be born with one." Quote me on that one. Now start moving your head if you can. You are now officially moving A H E A D. 

And while you're at it, remember to have a sense of humor. It's good medicine. Have a super new year!  Blessings to you. You have great value and GOD LOVES you. You never were an animal. 

You are a somebody!
d

WINTER TIME...

EVEN WITH THE SKIES RETURNING TO POWDER BLUE it's so cold the snow crunches under my feet when walking to the car.  Temps in the teens and below freezing.  We got hit hard over the CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS and the week between NEW YEARS.  Way too cold to be out in it.

Changing our plans we stayed HOME over New Years.  Had plans to go stay with my Mom, but thought we had better play it safe and stay HOME.  Relaxing and staying warm.  MADE FUDGE.  Watched a few movies and dreamed of warmer weather.  Thinking about what needs done around the house.    

First day back to work, Hubby's work car wouldn't start so he drove my auto and got a new battery.  I had a very quiet day at home working on paperwork and bills.  I wrote out THANK YOU NOTES  and walked to the Post Office to buy stamps.  A short distance to the Post Office with the Public Library next door.  After I finished at the Post Office, I walked over to the Library to spend an hour on the computer.  Spent another hour thumbing through magazines then checked a few books out.

Bundled up and got some fresh air and some exercise!  One of the books I checked out is about the Presidential Gardens.  Seeing the Gardens made me think that I'd love to see in person when the weather is milder the Gardens for myself.  Touring the WHITE HOUSE is something I'd like to do, but I'm not sure they allow tours anymore.

Walked HOME before Husband returned from work with a new car battery.  He warmed up and then replaced the battery in this cold.  Eventually we'll have the garage cleaned out to where the car could be worked on with the heater on.  For now we are still thinning through things and we haven't worked in the garage yet.  The cold weather has set in.  It will be a Spring before we work out there.

We have the basement yet to tidy.  There are now 15 boxes in the upstairs hallway that I am presently going through.  Tis slow.  I know this is an ongoing process.  

Christmas Nutcrackers are put away.  Today, I worked on putting some angels away.  Figured I've had these angels since we lived in Texas.  Bought them at a Furniture Store umpteen years ago.  The fire didn't get them!  HAPPY to have them for a little while longer.

Tonight, we will have supper at daughter's as we celebrate two of the kids birthdays.  Met Hubby over at the cottage to load up some storage boxes into the cars then go over to Daughter's.  

Found Hubby's dress suit still in a hanging suitcase.  Will need to take suit to the cleaners as it is wrinkled.  The last time he wore this suit was a year ago in February for his Mother's funeral.  We were so tired when we returned after her funeral that we didn't get back to unpacking this special suitcase.  

Things began snowballing as we would soon be selling the shell of our rock house house that burned, buy another house, pack and move plus start going through 675 fire boxes, get settled in new house and furniture shop.  It makes my head spin to think how busy we have been.

Tomorrow I have got to work on bills, wrapping some more Holiday gifts and do some laundry.  I'd love to escape to a tropical island and lay out on a beach.  These bitter cold WINTERS are tough to take.  I start thinking about SPRING FLOWERS and Spring rains.  For now I will continue getting better organized taking inventory of what we have and figuring out where to go with THINGS.  

Soon the flowers will begin to bloom.  I will need to prepare a place in the backyard for an herb garden and a vegetable garden.  The thought of fresh tomatoes makes my mouth water.  Tomatoes and green peppers will be about all I will grow for veggies.  Maybe I should grow some lettuce especially for the bunny that's been hopping about the lawn for months.  If he makes it through the WINTER I'll be surprised to see him in the Spring.       

Always something to do around HOME.
Blessings to you,
d



    

Amazon Echo - SNL

First Day Of 2018

~A BLANK SLATE~

What shall I do with it?

What shall I write?

Blessings,

d

Snowmen With Hearts

AS I SIT TYPING I hear wind blowing.  Sounds like we're in a Ghost Town.  Ever so often howling can be heard from the wind making its way through the crack in the double doors out front.  Remembering when the wind howled through the windows in my childhood HOME.  It was a constant reminder that nature was outside trying to get inside.  Memories of days gone by.  More of 
these taking place.

As the CHRISTMAS decorations flutter away disappearing, I'm tempted to get my snowmen out with Valentines.  Tempted.    Snowmen in January is appropriate in KANSAS as we wait for signs of Spring.  Brrrrr tis bitter cold this New Year's Eve morning.  I've rested.  

Writing THANK YOUs that will be mailed this week.  Epiphany is next week-end on January 6th.  My CHRISTMAS GIFTS will have all been delivered by then.  The WISEMEN arrived to present the CHRIST CHILD gifts.  Giving it some thought for next year about not even shopping until the day after CHRISTMAS using the half off sales to benefit the pocket book.



I have used the day after Christmas sales before to purchase Valentine and Mother's Day gifts.  The gifts sat in a closet until I was ready to use them.  Many use the half off sales at Halloween to buy candy for Thanksgiving gatherings.  Not the first to do this.  Helps stretch the budget toward treats.

Last night we watched the 2017 remake of THE BEGUILED with Nichole Kidman, Kirsten Dunst, Colin Farrell.  Liking the interior scenes and the costuming.  The acting was convincing.  A dramatic thriller with mystery.  The box office: 27.7 million usd.  Nice chunk of change. 

Cpl. John McBurney is an injured Union soldier who finds himself on the run as a deserter during the Civil War. He seeks refuge at an all-female Southern boarding school where the teachers and students seem more than willing to help.

I saw the 1971 film, but didn't remember the plot.  Watching the '71 trailer indicates changes in the storyline.  The costumes are not as elaborate, but still in the South around Civil War times.
      

NEW YEAR's EVE changes will take place.  No new year's resolutions other than giving thought to changes.  More movement, more Spring water to drink, more steamed vegetables, more activity toward hobbies.  Will continue going through boxes and organizing papers.  Up earlier and to bed earlier.  Vitamins.  Typical thoughts.  That should just about do it.

I continue to detox from religious programming.  Reading the Bible for myself and not taking the interpretation of so called teachers and preachers.  Detoxing from being entertained from the well known ministries with living proof the teachers have so twisted the word of God to benefit their own pocket books and deceive people into becoming ecumenical minions that will easily AGREE to go back under one religious organization that presents themselves to be godly, but are so tangled up into bondage that the LORD JESUS set us free from many years ago. 

Who HE sets free is free indeed,
d

NUTS I'm Crackers.....

FIRST TO GO are the Nutcrackers.  

They'll be dusted then wrapped in tissue paper or bubble wrap 
and placed into a storage tub.  Off to storage they'll go.

The exodus of CHRISTMAS items has begun.

It will be very slow to happen during the month of January.
Each day a little clean-up will take place.
First the Nut Crackers.
Then the upstairs snowflakes and flocked Christmas tree.
Later miniature Christmas trees out on the porch.
Outside wreath...the same.
Little Santas in the Kitchen....poof gone.
THEN the Nativity Scene and angels.
WHAHlaaaah...the Fireplace mantel decorations gone.
Last but not least...the Living room tree disappears.
February will enter the picture.

I wonder if I ought to put up a flocked Valentines tree 
in the screened in porch?  Hummm.
I have stuffed hearts already made up.
Will think about that one for now.

God bless you!
d

Across The Kansas Flint Hills

THE KANSAS FLINT HILLS during the Winter months can get                                                        r a t h e r  COLD.  It's frigid this week as the temps hit the single digits.  This morning at 9 degrees.  

OUR week at HOME is quickly disappearing.  Hubby takes the week off from work the days between CHRISTMAS and NEW YEARS.  His Birthday and  CHRISTMAS were spent at our Daughter and Son.in.law's HOME, ate birthday cake and waited for SANTA.  Ate well, slept well, had fellowship.  Pleasant CHRISTMAS.   Lil Miss spent the night with us, but left early the next morn as her Momma wanted to spend Mother/Daughter TIME together while on her Christmas break.

Braving the cold the day after Christmas we went shopping to see if we could buy some projected lights for our 2018 CHRISTMAS decorations.  We scored!  HALF OFF.  Snowflakes at the front door will grace our abode with twinkle lights in the trees.  Makes me smile.  TEMPS were frigid as we drove HOME before dark.

A quiet evening.  Watched the 1983 movie CHRISTMAS STORY bundled in a fuzzy throw.  Haven't watched It's A Wonderful Life, White Christmas, Little Women, this season so far.

What will 2018 bring?  Not sure, but praying for vision of what I'm to do.  One day closer to SPRING?  We entered the WINTER SEASON with a blast of cold air and 
                                             S 
                                               N 
                                                  O
                                                    W                                                                                .. 
                                    . 
                                                           ...
                          ...
..                               .
                                                           .    

OUR CHRISTMAS TREE in the Living room will stay up until after EPIPHANY then I'll put away this charmer.  Soooooo enjoyed this tree this season.  

We also put a flocked CHRISTMAS TREE in a rotating stand upstairs in the Guest room.  Graced the branches with acrylic snow flakes and twinkle lights.

CHRISTMAS slides into the New Year.  Will try to make Foolproof FUDGE!  So easy.  So gooooood. 

https://homehavenministry.blogspot.com/search/label/%27Life%20Just%20Got%20A%20Little%20Easier%27%20Fudge


On Thursday we made a quick trip to KANSAS CITY to pick up two Parlour Chairs that were worked over by an awesome Upholsterer.  The smaller chair was in the house fire, was refinished then reupholstered.  The other wasn't in the fire, but now has the same soft grey velveteen material placed on it by the same Upholsterer.

BEFORE

AFTER

Terribly cold outside, but warmer the day before.  We picked our chairs up and placed them in the backseat of our car.  VERY pleased with the results.  

APPLEBEE's for lunch.  Since we were in the neighborhood we drove OLD TOWN BELTON.  Quaint downtown.  Walked about in one of the antique stores before going to TARA's CAFE where we got a chocolate milk shake for the road.

Trip went well, but am glad to be HOME today in a warm house.

I was raised in a time where there was NO SOCIAL MEDIA.  My Grandparents and Parents were not aware of every detail I was thinking or minute by minute details of my young life.  

It's exhausting to me to read so much on FaceBook.  Checking often to read the news.  Will pull back on this.  Cutting back on social media in 2018.

Will be eating more veggies, less starchy items and walking my house stairs for exercise.  Hand Weights as I sit.  Bottled SPRING water to the rescue.

Making HOME A Priority,
d