Thankful Thursday

We have had a nice week since my last Thankful Thursday post.  My husband got home Thursday night from his business meeting.  He'd already planned to take off Friday for my birthday.  Then we ended up with a snow day!  I've never had a snowy birthday.  We do not see that much snow here so it was very pretty to see the entire yard and roads covered.  We were able to get out and see my Mom as is our tradition on my birthday.  I was preparing myself that we might not be able to make it due to the weather.  But it was clearer her direction so we went slow and met to eat, had birthday cake, and came home before dark. The snow/ice remained all day Saturday.  It started to melt Sunday, and we were able to make it to church services.   It did warm up some but was still in the 50s.  Wednesday the temperature continued to drop all day and was sleeting and icy by dark! So today ended up being another ice day from school,  and my husband went in at noon when the ice was melting.

~ my husband being home on my birthday and driving me to see my Mom.  I'm so thankful for the help he gives me each day with whatever needs to be done.

~ enjoying a day home with my boy.  I know we won't have too many of those days of me and him before the baby arrives, and I enjoy our time together.

~ seeing my belly move from the baby's movements.  We can't help but laugh and be amazed as we watch the movements.  I have another appointment next week.

~ birthday cards in the mail that made me smile.  Some had gift cards too which was another fun surprise!  

~ having the sun come out to melt to the ice.  The forecast makes it seem spring is coming. We shall see!

~ going to ladies night out to eat with the ladies from church.  We had a small group this month but it was nice to chat with these ladies and get to know them a little better.

Have a day of blessings!

Thankful Thursday

It's the end of February almost!  We woke up to a "white blanket" this morning as Caleb said to his Dad on the phone.  It has snowed some more during the day as well.

This week I am thankful for...

~ seeing how my husband has handled a surprise situation that came up last Friday at work. I'm so proud of him and his skills, and when others recognize his abilities too it is nice.

~ enjoying having my boy home this week for 2 days of "ice days."  He enjoyed playing and relaxing without school stuff to do.

~ enjoying feeling the baby moving around.  Some of those kicks are pretty hard! We wonder which part we are feeling when we feel or see my stomach move!  32 weeks :)

~ finding a few bargains at the consignment sale today for my boy and baby and being able to drive to it. The roads were not bad so I went ahead and went.

~ getting some sleep on the couch this week while my husband as gone.  I wasn't sure how I'd sleep on the reclining couch but I slept well.

~ beauty of the weather and how it changes. I'm thankful it is not the same every single day.

Have a day of blessings!
 

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. Did you watch The Oscars? How many of the Best Picture nominees have you seen? (American Sniper, Birdman, Boyhood, Selma, The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Imitation Game, The Theory of Everything, and Whiplash) 
Do you think actors should use their acceptance speeches as an opportunity to promote their political and/or social agenda? Does that sort of speech make you more or less inclined to change the channel? 
Nope, I've never cared to watch them. I haven't seen any of these movies. If I was watching I would change the channel if an actor went on and on and on promoting their agenda in their acceptance speech.

2. Speaking of the movies... are you comfortable going to a movie alone? How about dinner in a restaurant (not fast food, but an actual restaurant)? The second half of this question was posed by Carrie who blogs over at It's Not Easy Being Queen. Thanks Carrie! I have not been to a movie alone, I don't think it would bother me much.  I don't think I've eaten alone in an actual restaurant either.  I have fast food.  It wasn't so bad but I don't really like it.

3. What's the last home repair or home improvement project you had to pay someone to complete? In hindsight was this a project you could have done yourself? The only thing that comes to mind is mowing the lawn.  We have paid someone to do this in the past.  I usually do it as a little "treat" for my husband so he doesn't have to do it himself.  We have a fairly large yard, and it is so much quicker when someone else comes to do it with 2-3 men.

4. Have you ever had Indian food? Like it or no? If you're a fan, what's your favorite dish? Have you ever prepared this yourself at home? Is there an Indian restaurant in your current hometown? No, I have not tried Indian food. I don't know if there is an Indian restaurant here or not actually.

5. A song that reminds you of your parents? I can't think of any. I know there are some that my Mom told me was "their song" when they dated.  I remember them singing at church but nothing in particular stands out.

6. The 26th of February is National Tell A Fairy Tale Day. What's your favorite, or one of your favorite, fairy tales? Do you have any childhood memories associated with a particular fairy tale? I've always liked Beauty and the Beast. My cousin and I would sing the songs from the Disney video, so I always think of her and our being silly as we sang them when I hear those songs or think of that tale.

7. What's a problem you solved yesterday? Being tired from being awake off and on through the night so I took a nap.  I have a runny nose (a cold I guess? It seems to be improved today) and couldn't get in a comfortable position and seemed to be awake more than normal.  

8. Insert your own random thought here. We had 2 ice days this week.  Today it was back to school for my boy.  He had a fun time being at home.  Yesterday he commented what a great day it was to be home and do whatever he wanted.  He worked on a robot he got for Christmas and made things out of rubber bands part of the day.  The ice melted away by afternoon.  The forecast calls for colder temperatures and snow on Friday again.

Have a day of blessings!
 

Lift the Flap Bible

I was so excited to be able to review this book called Lift the Flap Bible by Karen Williamson and illustrated by Louise Anglicas.  My son always enjoyed "lift the flap" books when he was a toddler, and I thought this one would be great to have for our new baby!

About the book:
What's under the flaps? Find out in this collection of eight very simple Bible stories in a large cased board book format. Each story is told across a double-page spread and there are flaps on every page. Bright, quirky illustrations full of wit and color from Louise Anglicas are perfect for this engaging introduction to Bible stories. Stories are: Noah and the Ark, Moses and the Bulrushes, Daniel and the Lions, Jonah and the Great Fish, Born in a Stable, Boy with Loaves and Fishes, The Lost Sheep, and Man Lowered Through the Roof.

My thoughts:
I thought this was a great little book. The pages are large and I liked that the flaps were big pictures. There are about 3-4 flaps per story.  The art work and pictures are wonderful.  I always like it when books for young children have bright, colorful images of "extras" like birds, animals, flowers, etc. that you can use to identify colors, shapes, etc. as you read the book. The stories that are included are biblical favorites, and only minimal text is used with the pictures.

This book was sent to me by Kregel for my honest review. Thank you.

Have a day of blessings!
 

The Fringe Hours

I have seen this new book called The Fringe Hours by Jessica N. Turner mentioned on a few blogs.  I was glad to be able to listen to the audio version.

About the book:
Every woman has had this experience: you get to the end of the day and realize you did nothing for you. And if you go days, weeks, or even months in this cycle, you begin to feel like you have lost a bit of yourself.

While life is busy with a litany of must-dos--work, child-rearing, keeping house, grocery shopping, laundry and on and on--women do not have to push their own needs aside. Yet this is often what happens. There's just no time, right? Wrong.

In this practical and liberating book, Jessica Turner empowers women to take back pockets of time they already have in their day in order to practice self-care and do the things they love. Turner uses her own experiences and those of women across the country to teach readers how to balance their many responsibilities while still taking time to invest in themselves. She also addresses barriers to this lifestyle, such as comparison and guilt, and demonstrates how eliminating these feelings and making changes to one's schedule will make the reader a better wife, mother, and friend.

Perfect for any woman who is doing everything for everyone--except herself--The Fringe Hours is ideal for both individuals and small group use.

My thoughts:
When I read this book's description, I thought it sounded interesting so I would give it a try.  What I liked was this was a practical book of ways for women to take time for themselves.  Women are busy whether they are stay at home Moms or work outside the home, and it is vital for women to make time for themselves in all stages of life.  Women need to make it a priority to find time to do something they enjoy just for them.  There are many reasons we do not do this because of guilt and the pressures of comparison due to social media.  The author asks the reader to identify her passions and use those to find what you will enjoy doing during your "fringe hours." When we pursue our passions as women, we will end up being better wives, mothers, and friends.  Some scriptures are mentioned but not many.  I found this to be a useful book that would be beneficial to women no matter what stage of life they are experiencing.

Reading this book would be a good first step in making time for yourself as a woman!

This audio book was read by Carla Mercer-Meyer.  I did not enjoy her reading at first but got used to it as the book went on.

I received this book via the christianaudio Reviewers Program for my honest review.  Thank you.

Have a day of blessings!
 

Thankful Thursday

It's been a fast week for us since Monday was a holiday.  We had a nice Valentine's weekend together.  We stayed home on Saturday and my husband fixed our supper.  Then Sunday afternoon after church we headed to my Mom's to stay the night before my doctor's appointment.  I was glad Caleb could go with us to the baby appointment!  He liked hearing the heartbeat, and I liked seeing his big grin!

This week I am thankful for...
~ going back to eat at The Bean with my husband....17 years after he asked me to be his Valentine.  :)

~ getting to listen to my boy's presentation for his history class. They each had to choose a president to research, write a report, and make a visual.  He chose Dwight D. Eisenhower and for his visual he did a Power Point.  He did great and I enjoyed seeing him. He is confident!

~ the doctor having a good report on the baby.  She said the baby sounds good, and I am doing great.  31 weeks today!

~ having meals in the freezer that my Mom made.  We enjoy those when I'm having a busy week or just tired and don't think I can make something for supper.  And it is often enough for leftovers so that is nice!  We also enjoyed steaks at their house when we were there, and they were yummy!

~ having maternity clothes to wear.  I had some from when I had Caleb, but they don't all fit right. Some will do fine, but I like having options! My sister in law and her sister both shared some of their clothes with me which has been so helpful.

~ sweets we've enjoyed from Valentine's Day!  My husband makes me a chocolate chip cheesecake every year. It is so good! The first week of February I made Caleb an angel food cake and then last week I made my husband his favorite chocolate chip cake.  So we've had lots of sweets lately to share!

(I'm noticing a theme of food/eating in this Thankful Thursday!!)

Have a day of blessings!
 

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. When did you last have to interact, either by phone or in person, with someone in a government run agency? On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate the experience? (10 being fabulous and 1 being pass the Tylenol) Does my husband count?  He works within USDA.  Other than that I don't know.

2. The current governor of Wisconsin is considering a run for President next time around. Walker attended Marquette University, but never graduated. In terms of any candidate running for the office of President (not asking here if you agree or disagree with Scott Walker's politics) would the lack of a college degree influence your vote or no? Would that be a factor in your support of any candidate running for public office, even a role less weighty than President? I would want to know the candidate's experience as a leader and where he/she stands on issues. I think a college education has value, but I don't know if it is the most important thing.  If someone attended college and did not finish I would be interested to know what caused them not to finish and that might influence my vote I believe.

3. When did you last visit a place or site named for George Washington or Abraham Lincoln, and what was that place or site? No idea on this one either!

4. February 16th was President's Day in the US, but did you know it was also National Almond Day? I didn't think so : ) Do you like almonds? If so, what's a food/dish/recipe you enjoy that contains almonds? I will eat them but don't go out of my way to get them or add them to food.  I like them in rocky road ice cream.

5.The television program Saturday Night Live celebrated it's 40th anniversary this past weekend. Were/are you a fan of the show? If so what has been your favorite (or one of your favorite) skits, sayings, or characters that came out of the program? No I've never been a fan. I've seen a few clips but never was a fan.

6. Anything purple within ten feet of you? What is it? Yes my "Bakery Bunch" purple bag.  I carry it with me a lot. I received this from author Amy Clipston to promote her books.

7. Back in December I asked you to submit a question for a future HP as part of a giveaway I was hosting. I grabbed this one from those entries, submitted by Zoanna who blogs over at Penchant for Pens. Thanks Zoanna! She asks, "How often do you make your bed, and how do you like to make it-pull the covers all the way up over the pillows, tuck the covers in around the pillows, or place all the pillows on top of the covers?" Yes I make my bed, some mornings better than others!  I pull the covers up over the pillows.  It's something I've always had the habit of doing since I was  young.

8. Insert your own random thought here.
Our baby appointment on Monday went well. Caleb got to go with us since he was out of school, and he grinned so big when he heard the heart beating.  2 months from last Monday till we meet this baby!  This week is going quickly.  Today I need to finish getting clothes ready to take to a consignment sale tomorrow.

Have a day of blessings!