Friday's Favorites: Pro-life Help!

I was able to counsel outside the abortion clinic today and was wonderfully surprised! 

The local pregnancy crisis center has started to come out to the clinic, park across the street, and offer free ultra sounds! What a blessing! 

 Seeing this mobile unit helped raise my spirits especially when one can become disheartened by so many abortions at just one location!

Resolutions Revisited

So... I have been thinking about one of my goals regarding waking up at 5:00 a.m. on a routine basis by the end of the year.  I am just not sure this is a viable goal. I don't get home from work until 7:00 p.m. and dinner isn't usually eaten before 7:30 p.m.. It doesn't leave much time for me to really do anything before my shower/evening routine and then bed.

What do you think? Should I keep pushing this goal or keep to 5:30 a.m.-6:00 a.m.?

Weird Things to Re-purpose

Hubby was making fun of me when I said I wanted to keep the CD case holder. I thought it would be a good idea to use it for storage in the kitchen. What do you think?

I put the shelf under the kitchen sink (in the cabinet) and then shelved my aluminum foil, parchment paper, and stand-by mouse traps. 

Good idea or bad idea?

Saturated Saturday: Lights!

My house is still a huge mess from Monday, but we had someone come over to do some work. This, of course, gives one incentive to clean while they work in our house. I made some progress, but it continues to be messing. We will keep pressing on! Onward Christian soldiers!

The project? We had some light and fan fixtures changed.

The previous owners had installed a ceiling fan for the source light in the garage! Check these babies out now!

There were actually eight fixtures changed in all, but some of them were the same as these posted here. 

100 QUESTIONS ABOUT THE GIRL SCOUTS

The Girl Scouts and Planned Parenthood

Question: Are parents of Girl Scouts aware that Planned Parenthood promotes teaching children by the time they are five that "it's normal to touch one’s sex organs for pleasure" and among other things that their website promotes masturbation, teaches youth they can have "safer sex" using "sex toys," and that safe sex can include "cybersex" and "phone sex?"

Please visit the link to read all the questions and pass this around to anyone thinking of  signing up their daughter with The Girl Scouts.

Just Another Manic Monday....

So, not my usual Manic Monday post, but it is an unusual week. 

Hubby and I were supposed to be visiting family in another state, but he is ill with (what we believe) the flu. I also think there might be a bronchitis residual hanging about as well. 

Well, with me home and Husband home... trouble is bound to arise.

I was open about the soap, but he has banned me from any more purchases! The horror!

So, I already made some of my own....

I get these ideas to take down Christmas decorations....

And then I make big messes!



WorK: I am only working three days this week.

Home: Finish taking down Christmas decorations and have the new lighting installed.

Music: I have two practices this week for the choral group.

Friday's Favorites: He is feeling better

After an entire month, our little fish is finally feeling better! 

He has started building bubble nests again-so exciting! I am still medicating his water, but in lower doses, but he seems really close to normal.

Sometimes a Deal Isn't

I picked up this hairspray at a low price, but I should have kept my money. This hairspray just doesn't do anything for my hair. Have you ever used this product?

Reading List Update

1. The Three Ages of the Interior Life, Vol. II (Garrigou-Lagrange)

2.      Jane's Fame: How Jane Austen Conquered the World (Harman).

3.      The Adolescent (Dostoevsky)

4.   Dark Night of the Soul (St. John of the Cross)

5.   The Autobiography of a Hunted Priest

6. Lady Susan, The Watsons and Sandition (Jane Austen)

7.      The Ascent to Mount Carmel (St. John of the Cross)

8. They Have Uncrowned Him (Archbishop Lefebvre)

9. The Biblical Basis for the Eucharist (Salza)

10. Ten Universal Principles; A Brief Philosophy of the Life Issues (Spitzer)

11. Memoirs from the House of the Dead (Dostoevsky)

12. Uncle's Dream (Dostoevsky)

   

I sure did! I finished a book! Woo Hoo!

Bathroom Remodel Update: It's mine?

Tonight I walked into my bathroom and it was the first time that I felt it was mine. Funny, eh? I have been filling the drawers kind of in a hazardous way until this last week. I actually decided what would be held in the bottom drawer and then I filled a pretty wooden box with various soaps and samples that really need to be used. Does my vanity look a little cluttered? Yes. Is it mine? Yes, and that kind of makes me happy....until Hubby walks in and says, " Stop buying soap!" So I answer, "What soap?"

"Oh...that soap."

I wonder if he knows about the other order.....

Preparing....

Of course this is nothing new, but I am already working on Christmas gifts for 2014. This year I set up a basket to house various "finds" that can be sweet gifts for family and friends. 

That's my story.

Bath and Body Works

If you like to splurge on lotions and nicely scented soaps then head over to Bath and Body Works. They have their annual sale of up to 75% off various products. I was able to place an order and received an extra 20% off using this code: RMN20OFFJAN.

Thoughtful Thursday....

So, somebody asked me how I got my husband to help me around the house without being called a "nag".  This kind of floored me since I would never deem myself a great wife worthy of bestowing advice, but what the hell? 

If I do ask my husband for help and he starts throwing a fit, I simply state that I can't do it on my own and need his wonderful help. If this doesn't work, I  say that I "will do my best" and leave it at that.  This means that I will try to take care of what needs to be done, but I am not going to stay up all hours of the night or work myself into a tizzy.  Marriage has two people and we both need to work together. I remember the hours I spent cleaning house for guests and then it dawned on me; this was our house, and our family. It wasn't a neighbor's house, it wasn't a sister's family- it was all ours. We both had to take care care of things and it can't always be 60/40 or 70/30. So, I stopped stressing, I do my best and leave the rest. If the husband isn't stressed, why should I be? If I am cleaning house and dinner isn't made, then dinner isn't made. Next time, maybe hubby will help me with the house and then dinner will be made. If I am working in the yard and laundry isn't done, then laundry isn't done. Maybe hubby (or if you have kids, maybe the kids) will help with either the yard work or the laundry so either or both can be done. Maybe even tell the oldest kids to have a meeting with the younger kids and get a plan together for handling all the chores so mom can take care of dinner or whatever needs to be done. 

So, no more stress here- I just do what I can and hope he does too. And, if he bitches at me about it, I just call him the nag **wink**.... :-)

When You Have A Lot of Veggies

I set the oven between 375-499 degrees and throw the potatoes in first.

Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and broccoli go in next!

Peppers are last with a little salt and pepper!

We have quite a few left overs from our Christmas dinner which included many vegetables. 

So, for the last couple of meals, I have been roasting various vegetables with a little avocado oil to make as our side dish. 

Just a Reminder....

Make sure to check out CVS for their end of the year close out deals on various hair care and make-up products. This is a great time to stock up and make sure to couple this with coupons if you can!

2014 Reading List

I did not finish two books from the 2013 list and wil finish them in 2014.  The two books were: The Three Ages of the Interior Life, Vol. II (Garrigou-Lagrange) and Jane's Fame: How Jane Austen Conquered the World (Harman). There is a third book that pulled out of the rotation and will also be added back in: The Adolescent (Dostoevsky).

Once again, I want to get through at least 12 books for 2014 and here is the list:

1. The Three Ages of the Interior Life, Vol. II (Garrigou-Lagrange)

2.      Jane's Fame: How Jane Austen Conquered the World (Harman).

3.      The Adolescent (Dostoevsky)

4.   Dark Night of the Soul (St. John of the Cross)

5.   The Autobiography of a Hunted Priest

6. Lady Susan, The Watsons and Sandition (Jane Austen)

7.      The Ascent to Mount Carmel (St. John of the Cross)

8. They Have Uncrowned Him (Archbishop Lefebvre)

9. The Biblical Basis for the Eucharist (Salza)

10. Ten Universal Principles; A Brief Philosophy of the Life Issues (Spitzer)

11. Memoirs from the House of the Dead (Dostoevsky)

12. Uncle's Dream (Dostoevsky)

   

If I finish these books by some miracle, then I will add the following: 

Humiliated and Insulted (Dostoevsky)

Not By Faith Alone (Sugenis) 

The Dolores Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ (Emmerich)

100 Years of Modernism (Bourmaud)

I am always amazed by those who can read a dozen books in just one month! WOW!