Currently {7/17/2021}

Time and place: 7:00am  and I am in the dining room, typing up this post.

  
Eating: Nothing at the moment, but I am thinking about what I want to fix for breakfast

Drinking: A big glass of water (always)

Watching: Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants on Peacock TV

 

Reading: Sisterhood Everlasting

Loving: Being able to sit down after a long day of housework and taking care of my family and read my book for a little while/.

Working: I just started designing a meal planner. I cannot wait to see how it turns out! I'm so excited for this new project. I am also working on a weekly planner insert that I am excited about and a note pad that I have been wanting to design for a while now. I am also working on a monthly/weekly planner. I can't wait to see how these turn out. 

Listening to: my girls playing in the living room.

Buying: Groceries for the rest of the month and stocking up on certain items that are needed. I'm also looking at clothes and other household items that are needed. I am also shopping for my youngest's birthday presents.

Planning: I have most of my posts planned for the rest of July. I just have to write and schedule them. I am working on setting up some deadlines for my meal planner and other planners that I am working on. I am also working with my husband on designing a new website. I am also working on some planner inserts. This should keep me busy for a while!

 

I'm also planning my youngest's birthday, which is next month.

Wondering: can I pull it off? How will I pull it off?

Feeling: tired, but happy, always.

Currently {7/11/2021}

Time and place: 7:24pm  and I am in the dining room, typing up this post.

  
Eating: Nothing at the moment.

Drinking: A big glass of water (always)

Watching: Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants on Peacock TV

 

Reading: A Killer's Wife

Loving: Spending time with my husband and kids. 

Working: I just started designing a meal planner. I cannot wait to see how it turns out! I'm so excited for this new project. I am also working on a weekly planner insert that I am excited about and a note pad that I have been wanting to design for a while now. I am also working on a monthly/weekly planner. I can't wait to how these turn out. 

Listening to: my girls playing in the living room.

Buying: Groceries for the rest of the month and stocking up on certain items that are needed. I'm also looking at clothes and other household items that are needed.

Planning: I have most of my posts planned for the rest of July. I just have to write and schedule them. I am working on setting up some deadlines for my meal planner and other planners that I am working on. I am also working with my husband on designing a new website. I am also working on some planner inserts. This should keep me busy for a while!

 

I'm also planning my youngest's birthday, which is next month.

Wondering: can I pull it off? How will I pull it off?

Feeling: tired, but happy, always.

8 Things To Do Before 8am

We're always talking about how it would be great to have just one more hour in the day. We wonder how the uber-successful people in our lives find time to fit it all in, how they get as much accomplished as they do, and why they always seem to be one step ahead of everyone else.

Their secret might be simpler than you think, and with a little shift in how you lay out your day, you might be able to take advantage of the benefits of a well-orchestrated, intentional morning. So, get ready to feel energized, motivated and totally on top of your game. Here are the top eight things you can do to set yourself up for success in the morning:

8 Things to Do Before 8am

1. Move your body.

Before the many priorities of the day creep in, commit to moving your body. We're more likely to exercise—and commit to doing it regularly—if we fit it in before we're overwhelmed by to-do's. Even if it's just for 20 minutes, take advantage of this part of the day where there are fewer interruptions and kickstart your productivity with a big hit of endorphins.

2. Meditate.

No worries if your morning won't allow for sitting on a pillow and chanting for an hour. You can reap similar benefits with just a few minutes of quiet, mindful breathing. Focus on inhaling for four counts and exhaling for four counts as your mind settles and your body releases any panic about the day ahead. This isn't supposed to be an opportunity to solve problems; Rather, it's meant to reset the mind and create space for open thought and creativity later on.

3. Eat something and hydrate.

It seems simple, but eating and hydrating within the first hour of waking is a great way to set up your body and mind for success. A nourished, hydrated physical self will be less stressed, less tense and more focused throughout the day. Plus, you can avoid distracting hunger later on by pre-fueling. Aim to have at least three glasses of water before you leave the house, and power up with ample protein and fats to keep your cells running strong until lunch.

4. Stay positive, set goals, and speak intentions.

Starting the day on a positive note by checking in with goals you've set for yourself and giving yourself kudos for a job well done can set the tone for more successes and more goals realized. Set an intention for the day (“I intend to be focused”) and reflect on your goals (“Today I will eat well to nourish myself”) to keep your priorities in line. You can also jot down a few lines of gratitude. The more attention we pay to this, the more likely we are to continue to notice these moments all day long. This leads to more gratitude, more openness, and more satisfaction with the little things, which means less stress and feeling overwhelmed.

5. Strategize.

When we're clear on what we intend to accomplish in the day, and we craft a plan to realize it, we're more likely to make it happen. Using your morning hours to map out your day will help you stay on track and well prioritized. You can visualize or write these out, whichever works best for your mind. Consider your must-do's, where you need to be, how you'll get there, and who you plan to speak with that day. Factoring in things like travel time and anticipating challenges can also be helpful first thing. If you foresee them happening, you can preemptively develop a solution to work through them if they arise.

6. Tackle the tough task first.

While it can be tempting to procrastinate and tick off the 700 smaller tasks on your to-do list first, that larger more challenging one will loom over you all day (or all week). Email is often the biggest offender for tiny task takeover. Instead, scan your inbox quickly for anything urgent that could derail your day's trajectory, then close your inbox until you get to work. Focusing instead on the largest task at hand, and committing to getting it done early, will free up mental bandwidth and improve your mood.

7. Create a ritual.

Having something consistent and predictable to look forward to in the morning—a walk with the dog, a pot of tea and a gratitude journal, or a few minutes of stretching—is tremendously calming. Knowing you have something pleasurable to look forward to will get you out of bed and into an I've-got-this mindset early in the day. Particularly if this includes something creative, like coloring or music, you'll start your problem solving, artistic neurons firing first thing, priming them for easy use later on.

8. Get up an hour earlier.

The biggest hindrance to a productive morning is the snooze button. Even more so, leaving yourself just enough to time to get the essentials done isn't conducive to spacious, calm time to yourself (and without that, fitting in any or all of the above will likely just cause you more stress). Plan ahead for when you intend to get out of bed, set an alarm and rise when that alarm goes off, even if that's an hour earlier than you would usually get out of bed. How, you ask? Go to bed earlier. The quality and quantity of sleep will also play heavily into the next day's success!

Happy Homemaker Monday {7/5/2021}

  Good evening everyone and welcome back to my blog. 

I hope every everyone had a wonderful weekend and are ready for the week ahead. 

It's 10:00pm and I am just now sitting down to write this post. Today, I have finished 3 loads of laundry ( the last is hanging to dry), cleaned the kitchen for the last time tonight (who loves a clean kitchen at night?), and I have finally picked up the living from a hard day of playing and relazing. I just hope my week will be as productive as this day has been.

Happy Monday and have a wonderful and productive week!

Happy Homemaker Monday 

 

 The weather outside is:

HOT! HOT! HOT!All week long!

What we had for dinner tonight (instead of the breakfast plate):

Chicken and Au Gratin potatoes (in the crockpot) and green beans

As I look out my window:

It's dark with twinkling stars in the sky.

As I look around the house:

The living room needs to be picked up and then kitchen needs to be straighten.

What I'm wearing today:

A gray t-shirt and gray pants

Currently reading:

Sweet Valley High books on Kindle Unlimited.

On the TV this week:

Right now I am watching The Masked Singer, Call Me Kat, Blossom, shows on Hulu and Netflx (I'm watching Cobra Kai again)

On the Menu this week: (I'm still figuring out the meal plan for this week)

Monday- Chicken and Au Gratin potatoes (crockpot) with green beans

Tuesday- Sandwiches with chips and fruit

Wednesday- Tilapia with pasta and veggies and fruit

Thursday- Potato soup with rolls

Friday- Pizza with cheesy breadsticks

Saturday- Meatloaf with mashed potatoes and veggies

Sunday- Chicken and dressing

Inspirational quotes: 

 

 

Interesting Facts About the Fourth of July

    Since today is Independence Day (more commonly known as the 4th of July), I thought I would share some interesting facts about this fun holiday!!

We all know the Colonies adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776  and we are already familiar with the fireworks, parades, barbeques and other festivities like picnics, fairs, and concerts that take place on this day, but there are many things that people don't know about the Fourth.

Disclaimer: All facts were taken from this website: Academic exchange

1. Congress made Independence Day an official unpaid holiday for federal employees in 1870. In 1938, Congress changed Independence Day to a paid federal holiday.

2. Only John Hancock actually signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. All the
others signed later.

3. The Declaration of Independence was signed by 56 men from 13 colonies.

4. The average age of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence was 45. The youngest was Thomas Lynch, Jr (27) of South Carolina.  The oldest delegate was Benjamin Franklin (70) of Pennsylvania. The lead author of The Declaration, Thomas Jefferson, was 33.

5. One out of eight signers of the Declaration of Independence were educated at Harvard (7 total).

6. The only two signers of the Declaration of Independence who later served as President of the United States were John Adams and Thomas Jefferson.

7. The stars on the original American flag were in a circle so all the Colonies would appear equal.

8. The first Independence Day celebration took place in Philadelphia on July 8, 1776. This was also the day that the Declaration of Independence was first read in public after people were summoned by the ringing of the Liberty Bell.

9. The White House held its first 4th July party in 1801.
  
10. President John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe all died on the Fourth. Adams and Jefferson (both signed the Declaration) died on the same day within hours of each other in 1826.

11. Benjamin Franklin proposed the turkey as the national bird but was overruled by John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, who recommended the bald eagle.

12. In 1776, there were 2.5 million people living in the new nation. Today the population of the U.S.A. is 316 million.

13. Fifty-nine places in the U.S. contain the word “liberty” in the name. Pennsylvania, with 11, has more of these places than any other state. Of the 59 places nationwide containing “liberty” in the name, four are counties: Liberty County, Ga. (65,471), Liberty County, Fla. (8,276), Liberty County, Mont. (2,392) and Liberty County, Texas (76,571).

14. The most common patriotic-sounding word used within place names is “union” with 136. Pennsylvania, with 33, has more of these places than any other state. Other words most commonly used in place names are Washington (127), Franklin (118), Jackson (96) and Lincoln (95).

15. Fireworks are part of the tradition of celebrating this national holiday. The U.S. imported $227.3 million worth of fireworks from China in 2012. U.S. exports of fireworks, by comparison, came to just $11.7 million in 2012, with Israel purchasing more than any other country ($2.5 million).

16. In 2012, vast majority of imported U.S. flags ($3.6 million) was made in China.

17. Barbecue is also big on Independence Day. Approximately 150 million hot dogs and 700 million
pounds of chicken are consumed on this day.

18. Every 4th of July the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia is tapped (not actually rung) thirteen times in honor of the original thirteen colonies.

19. Traditions place the origins of “Yankee Doodle” as a pre-Revolutionary War song originally sung by British military officers to mock the disheveled, disorganized colonial “Yankees” with whom they served in the French and Indian War. It is believed that the tune comes from the nursery rhyme Lucy Locket. One version of the Yankee Doodle lyrics is “generally attributed” to Doctor Richard Shuckburgh,a British Army surgeon. According to one story, Shuckburgh wrote the song after seeing the appearance of Colonial troops under Colonel Thomas Fitch, V, the son of Connecticut Governor Thomas Fitch.[2]

20. The tune of the National Anthem was originally used by an English drinking song called “to Anacreon in Heaven.” The words have nothing to do with consumption of alcohol but the “melody that Francis Key had in mind when he wrote those words did originate decades earlier as the melody for a song praise of wine.” http://www.colonialmusic.org/Resource/Anacreon.htm

Have a safe and Happy 4th of July!!!!!

10 Interesting Facts About The Month of July

 Hi Friends!!!

It's hard to believe that it's already July and that the 4th of July is this Sunday! Where has the year gone? So..... a new month has begun, so let’s welcome it in with a few July facts.

1. The month of July is named after Julius Caesar by a decision of the Roman Senate in 44BC as July was the month of his birth.

2. Before that, it had been known as Quintilis (fifth) as it was the fifth month in the old calendar.

3. Until the 18th century, the word July in English had the stress on the first syllable and rhymed with duly or truly.

4. Although six months have passed, July 1 is not the mid-point of the year. The exact halfway point comes at 1pm BST on July 3 in a non-leap year.

5. No month ends on the same day of the week as July unless it is a leap year, when January does so.

6. Julius is not now in the top 500 names given to newborn boys in the UK, though Julia is 79th for girls in England and Wales and 74th in Scotland. Julian comes 326th in England and Wales.

7. July’s birthstone is the ruby, which is said to symbolise contentment.

8. Seven US presidents have died in July, which is more than any other month.

9. “The English winter, ending in July, To recommence in August, now was done,” (Byron).

10. In all parts of the UK July is on average the warmest month of the year.