A Change of Pace

There's no special reason I can give you for why I let my blog fall into neglect like I have.

Well, that's not entirely true.  I can give you a few reasons. 

I like to fancy myself a homemaker and a good wife.  I'm no Proverbs 31 woman, but I do try to live up to that standard.  Let's face it, though...that can be exhausting, both physically and mentally.  Knowing that I'll never be that good is discouraging some days, to say the least.  Other days, it is something that inspires me and I strive to be that woman.

I thought I'd make a blog specifically about homemaking, because I really feel as though it's becoming a lost art and, it seemed like a niche I could fit easily into.  I honestly cannot say that I am any better or worse than most women I know.  We all struggle with this and that.  I come home tired at the end of the day, just like anyone else who works a 40 hour week, and I don't always relish the thought of cooking dinner, cleaning up dishes, and keeping the house running smoothly.  I usually do these things because we can't just go out to eat every night, and often times I do enjoy cooking.  I rarely enjoy cleaning up.

So, at any rate, I thought I'd find enough things to discuss on the homemaking front to keep this blog running.  As it turns out, not only do I not have an endless source of material, I am more than just a homemaker.  I have opinions on plenty of other topics.  It's not even so much that I feel that these opinions are worthy of anyone else reading, but isn't the whole point of blogging to satisfy the need to write?

I enjoy writing although  I am no expert.  You are likely to find errors peppered throughout my posts.  I have what I would guess to be an average education.  I'm no super genius, nor do I claim to be.  I have many faults.

I am a Christian, and it is hard.  It is hard because I grew up in a secular household and I didn't grow up with religion.  Religion is a lot different than having a relationship with Jesus, IMO. People who claim to love and be all about Jesus put an awful lot of hurt on other people, I have noticed.   I could write a lot more about this.  I actually want to, but I don't have the time at the moment. 

I guess maybe what this blog will reflect, if I am able to keep up with it, will be a little of this and a little of that.  I'll post what is on my mind, if we are going anywhere or doing anything.  If I come up with some homemaking tips, I will post about those.  It'll depend on my mood.

This may or may not suit your taste.  It's okay if it doesn't.  I'm not looking to please everyone nor do I expect to.


I do want you to know that I am still the same Mandy.  Maybe I haven't really expressed anything like this so far, but it's just me.  :)

God bless you, reader.  Take care of yourself. 

Autumn Happenings

Greetings and howdy doo to all who stop by to read this!

Our autumn has been rather busy and fast paced, but I must say that I like it!  I've been as busy as a bee baking up all kinds of yummy casseroles, slow cooker meals, and hearty dishes to keep me and hubby cozy and full.  Have you caught the fall cooking and baking bug yet? 

I posted some time ago (quite a looong time ago, really) that we were going on a little weekend camping excursion up towards Wellsboro, PA.  It was a wonderful time!  In addition to that, September took us to the Bloomsburg Fair to see all the sights, as well as take in an Alan Jackson concert.  It was a wonderful month filled with fun! 

I thought I would share some of those photos with you--I hope you enjoy them!   

Our cute little camping cottage! 

A rainy day at Colton Point State Park or the Grand Canyon of PA.

Sunrise on Hills Creek Lake

Walking on the Pine Creek Rail Trail

Old railroad bridge that is on the rail trail

Old highway bridge that has been bypassed at RB Winter State park

Panoramic shot at RB Winter State Park--one of the most beautiful parks in the state!

In love with each other!  :o)

The one room schoolhouse exhibit at the Bloomsburg Fair

How would you feel about using one of these as your only heat source? 

Across from the school is the Barton House, which has lots of neat things to look at! 

Can't you just picture some pretty young gal getting ready for a party in this lovely dress?

I thought this lightweight bedspread was so beautiful!

And a cozy bed for the little one!

We caught a local act on the free stage at the fair- Chris Ruble- he was really good!

The highlight of the evening- we had tickets to see Alan Jackson!

He did a wonderful job- it was a great show!

I'll leave you with this photo of part of the Bloomsburg Fair lit up at night.

 As you can see, September was filled with lots of fun! 

October has been going by so quickly.  This weekend we are going on a bus trip to West Virginia.  Both hubby and I are really excited and are looking forward to the trip. 

I am trying very hard to get the house organized and ready for us to leave on Thursday so that I don't come home to a mess.  So far, so good!  :o) 

Well, though I haven't really posted anything substantial here, other than photos, I think this will be the end of this post.  I need some sort of reminder to blog more often than once per month...  I also need some topics.  lol 

I hope you are doing well, that your family is happy and healthy, and that you feel loved.  God loves you more than anything!  He wants you to trust him- so let go of the worry and let Him take care of your troubles. 

Have a wonderful day, and I hope to see you soon!

May God bless you!

Sha-la-la-la-la-la-la dee dah, la dee dah

This post, which is long overdue, sadly doesn't have anything to do with anything...except that I'm listening to this right now and it's making me happy. 

We're going away this weekend and I'm pretty excited.  I hope I'll be motivated enough to post about it when I get back.  Until then, sit back and enjoy the music. 

Good day, everyone! 

It has again been a rather long time since I’ve posted anything on this poor little blog, so I figured I’d better come up with something to say to everyone!

How has your summer been?  Mine has been going well, although I’m not quite sure how it got to be August already.  It seems like everything is just a blur- one day blends into another, a new cycle of bills arrive in your mailbox, and bam! It’s a new month. 

After 2 months of summer, I am thankful for this last 30 (okay 31) days of sunshine, warm temperatures, and fun times outdoors.  On the other hand, I will warmly welcome cool evenings, katydid sounds filling the night, and all the other little glorious beginnings of autumn that we usually start seeing in the beginning of September. 

My hubby and I planned a little trip in September.  We’ve rented a little camping cottage up around the grand canyon of Pennsylvania.  We’re planning on dragging the boat along with us and…we are going to be going on a dinner train!  The train leaves the station for a 2 hour trip and you are served a meal in a lovely little dining car while you enjoy the scenery.  I am very much looking forward to this little trip! 

Also, in the end of October our bus trip is going to West Virginia.  We have two lovely vacations coming up (well, both are 3 day trips, but still…mini vacations!) and I am very excited and ready to go relax and spend time with my hubby. 

Until then, it’s the same old thing up here in Pennsylvania.  The weather has been hot and humid, which has done little to motivate me into doing some deep cleaning.  The kitchen floor hasn’t been mopped in 2 weeks and I probably haven’t scrubbed out the bathtub in well over a month.  If the house had central air, I might be a bit more motivated, but we only have 2 window units- one in the living room and one in our bedroom.  Truly, the one in the living room is so noisy, that I really dislike having it on if we’re trying to watch television at all.

This weekend, we are planning on going to a little carnival.  I so enjoy these little bursts of fun and entertainment.  It’s not large- in fact it will take about 10 minutes to see everything available, but I don’t mind a bit!  Our local carnivals all support the local volunteer fire department, and you can’t find a much better cause, if you ask me!  All the money generated from the food stands and raffles and such go to providing training and buying equipment.  I’ll gladly spend my money to try and support my community! 

In July, a rodeo came to town and Scott and I decided to go.  I had never been to a rodeo before-- now  I’ve  seen them on TV, but it’s a lot different than being there in person.  The cowboys rode bucking broncos, roped calves, wrestled calves, and rode bulls.  The gals did some roping as well and- my favorite- barrel racing!  It was a night full of fun!   At the end of the rodeo, a band played and the food stands were open till almost midnight.  We got to the rodeo just as it was getting started, so we didn’t have time to eat until it was over at 10:00! 

The rodeo announcer was introducing the cowboys and cowgirls and throwing in a promotion for some of the food stands when we were sitting down.  He was from Kentucky and had a good old-fashioned  southern accent.  Hubby and I had to laugh when he drawled “Folks ya’ll gotta get over to the stand for some homemade haluski and pierogies!”.   lol  Only in Pennsylvania!  For those of you who don’t know, Haluski is a polish dish that consists of buttered noodles, shredded cooked cabbage, with plenty of salt and pepper.  It is very much a regional favorite- but I doubt he’d ever announced the sale of that item anywhere down south!  lol  

I guess I haven’t written much about being a busy homemaker this time around.  I have noticed a lot of cobwebs lately and have been trying to keep on top of them. 

Cooking this time of year is kind of not fun for me.  Again, we have no central air, and when I come home the house is usually around 82 degrees.  Once I turn on the oven, it goes up!  I’ve been using the crockpot some, as well as cooking food on the stove top.  All in all, I’ll be glad when the temperatures cool down and I feel like cooking again!  

Have you been watching the Olympics?  I must admit, I am quite a fan of gymnastics!  I've been tuning in nightly and as a result, I'm pretty sleep deprived.  I need to work out some sort of schedule so I can stay up to watch the Olympics, but still get more than 5 hours of sleep! 

This post is getting insanely long, so I believe that I’ll say goodbye for now.  Take care, my friends out in blog-land.  I pray that your day is happy and filled with all the things that you love.  May God bless you!

Mandy

Sometimes it's hard to juggle it all!

Talking to you as a woman with experience, I know it can be ridiculously hard to juggle your home responsibilities with your work responsibilities. 

I work 7:30-4:00 Monday through Friday with a half hour commute either way.  Essentially, I am up at 6:00 to leave by 7:00 and then don't return home until 4:30. 

Between 4:30 and 7:30, I try to get the house clean and tidy, cook a meal, clean up after cooking the meal (also eat said meal) wash laundry, if needed, and then collapse into the couch at 7:30 or so. 

It can be frazzling to keep up this pace day after day! 

My suggestion to you-  make it easier on yourself.  

I always lay my clothes out the night before.  Our tiny closet doesn't have a light and my hubby is still peacefully sleeping in the warm cozy bed (as I longingly wish I were still there, too!) when I get up in the morning, so I don't want to turn on the big, bright overhead light.  It's so much easier to lay your clothes out the night before.  That way, you pick them up, and head over to the powder room, and when you're all showered up and clean, your clothes are right there. 

Don't take yourself, your housecleaning, or your cooking too seriously.  Don't get me wrong- it's an important job.  But really, if you end up missing washing windows one week or just skip making a meal and as a result, hubby eat leftovers 2 days in a row...nothing terrible will happen. 

Take 20 minutes and make up a chart.  This has really helped our house.  I have a set list of tasks that I should be doing after work each day.  It makes sure that everything gets attention and I'm not running around like an idiot on Saturdays, trying to clean every room in the house.  I like checking off what I've completed, too.  I like lists and organization...I'm just not all that good at it naturally!  lol 

I've talked about meal planning before, and you're going to hear about it again.   For heaven's sakes, make out a menu so you know what you're cooking.  The last thing I want to do after I come home from the office is look around and see what I have on hand and try to figure out what I'm going to cook.  If I meal plan, I know that on Thursday (today!) I'm going to be making spicy shepherd's pie (recipe here) along with broccoli and bread/butter.  I'm going to open a can of peaches for dessert.  And voila.  Since I meal planned on Saturday, I know I have everything I need to make this delicious dish, and I know it will get eaten, because both hubby and I like it.  Probably too much.  I mean...it really is good.  lol 

Pray.  Don't forget about this.  God can help you through any situation, and even if it's mundane He wants to know about it.  Put your cares and burdens on Him.  He's listening and He cares!   

Ephesians 6:10
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.

Those are the few little things I could come up with off the top of my head.  I hope one of those suggestions will help if you're in a similar situation.  

This weekend we are going camping, so I feel a bit like I'm running around like a chicken with its head chopped off.  Tonight I need to make sure that I pack my clothes and the kitchen stuff we'll need to be taking.  Hubby takes care of the tent/tarps/camp stove/pie irons, etc.  Oh!  I need to bring sheets for the airbed too.  See?  I told you I'm running around in a tizzy! 

I hope we'll all have a nice time together.  It's the hubs and I on one site, his twin bro, wife, and daughter on the next site, and his dad, step-mom, and two step-sisters on the next site.  I'm sure we'll all have a fun time together.  My in-laws are really super nice people.  :)

Till next time, God Bless you, my blogging friends.  Enjoy your weekend and stay safe!  

Summertime

We've been enjoying beautiful weather in Pennsylvania for the last week or so, and it's been amazing. Unfortunately, working full time has limited my ability to actually get out there and enjoy the gorgeous weather. What can you do?

The past few weeks, I've been really good about menu planning, and then actually following through and cooking the meals I've planned. All except today. Today was pretty much a wash out. I came home, had a tv dinner and fell asleep on the couch for an hour and a half. Yes. I was a slug. But that's okay. I'm convinced that if you are tired, and your body needs rest, take it. I slept poorly the night before and I'm fighting an ear infection, so I'm perfectly okay with my crappy tv dinner choice as well as my slug nap.

My friend/neighbor Kristin and I got together tonight and went for a nice walk. It was so nice to have someone to do something with! We must get together more often. Since we live next door to one another (actually we're in the same house, since it's a duplex) it's always like "Oh, I'll see them some other time" or something like that till we're both starved for conversation and company.

I think I need to find something to do after work once in awhile, as well. My life is rather boring and sometimes monotonous so it'd be nice to have a game plan to change things up once in awhile. The big problem with that is the anxiety that tells me I must go right home after work or else bad things could happen- namely car accidents. I'm still not really over that accident from a few years ago, I guess. Oh well. C'est la vie. I try to just trudge through whatever it is I'm dealing with. This too, shall pass.

How's your life going?

We've been pretty busy on the weekends. We went camping 2 weeks ago and had a wonderful time...with the exception of it being incredibly cold on Saturday night. So so so so so cold. I don't think I've ever been colder while sleeping. lol Other than that, it was quite a good time.

Last weekend, we went to my husband's company picnic and had quite a nice afternoon. We ran into some friends, enjoyed chatting with everyone, and rode a few rides at the amusement park where it was held. Hubby even won a nice prize- a Kindle! What a treat it has been downloading free books and enjoying them on this new toy.

This weekend, we are planning on taking our boat out to Bald Eagle State Park and enjoying a nice day there. We're planning on grilling up some hot dogs, trying our luck at fishing, and possibly enjoying the little beach area.

Do you like magazines? I subscribe to quite a few right now, but my favorites are Southern Lady and Family Life. Southern Lady is a beautiful magazine with lovely (and usually rather expensive-looking)recipes, beautiful southern scenery and so many pretty ads. I love looking through it.

Family Life, on the other hand, is a bare-bones publication put out by the Old Order Amish in Ontario, Canada. It's nothing but articles written by these folks, and ranges in topic from farming, caring for home and children, Christin living, and so forth. I always enjoy reading it, as well.

I also enjoy Ladies' Journal (another Amish publication) Keepers at Home (a Christian Women's magazine) Every Day Food (a free subscription I got...and I haven't found many recipes I want to try yet...) Redbook (my grandma sent me that subscription) and I just started receiving Martha Stewart Living today (another free subscription from...oh, I don't know, somewhere). Hubby just gets Pennsylvania Game News.

I hope that you are doing well, reader. I pray that you are healthy, happy, and fulfilled with wherever it is you are in your life right now. There is joy all around us. Look around and you'll see. Take care of yourself.

Till next time!

Mandy

PS- If anyone has experience with Blogger and could tell me why my post isn't showing up with the paragraphs I put in, please let me know. It takes my nice little paragraphs and smashes them into one big chunk of writing and I'm not sure why it would...or how to fix it. Thanks so much. :)

Finally...a new post

Well friends, it's been quite some time since my last post. Here's what's been happening since my last post: I felt better about 2 days after my last post. I knew I would. I just needed to give it a little time. It's funny how things work like that. April wasn't all that eventful. I turned 33 on the 24th of April...by the 25th, I was sick with a 104 degree fever. For the next week, I endured a very depleting flu. I am still so very glad to be done and over with that. Last week, we went on vacation with our friends Josh and Renee. We visited north western Pennsylvania. Some of the highlights included a trip to Lake Erie, feeding the fish at the Linesville Spillway, having frozen custard at Hank's in Meadville, and spending a lot of time fishing. It was a very nice vacation- relaxing and quiet. Since returning home, I'm slowly getting back into the swing of things. Tomorrow will be Friday and I couldn't be happier. Work is starting to get very busy with it getting close to graduation time, and I will be incredibly glad when it is over. We have put down a deposit on Anderson Coach and Tour vacation and I am so excited to go! Our trip isn't until the end of October, but it doesn't matter- I'm excited! The thought of not having to worry about directions, car troubles, being somewhere at a certain time, having a hotel reservation, and a million other little things, makes this a vacation where I feel like I can truly relax and just enjoy our vacation. No need for worrying! This weekend our little community is having a town-wide yard sale. Hubby and I were originally going to fly the coop, so to speak, in order to stay away from the chaos, but since he found out our friends were coming down, we've decided to stay and check out the bargains. Who knows what we will find? Hopefully not too much, because I'm trying to downsize, not acquire more stuff! This is the first day this week that I haven't taken a nap. I have been so sleepy all week, and it's because I've taken an hour nap on the couch around 6:00, then I am unable to fall asleep at 10:30 or 11:00 and lie awake for a few hours before I can doze off. Below, I'm posting a few pictures from our vacation:

Kinzua Viaduct "Sky Walk"

Picture of the cabin we rented

A view of the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon

Another view from the PA Grand Canyon

Entrance to the Leonard Harrison State Park (PA Grand Canyon) views

My hubby and I enjoying some time together

Well, that's just a few of the many many MANY pictures that were taken during the past week. It was an amazing time. I don't think there's anything cooler than being out in God's creation. I love the outdoors! My prayer for you this week, reader, is that God draws you closer to Him. Have a great day! Till the next time we meet (which, hopefully won't be another month) Mandy :)