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 :)

What a lousy day!

Well friends, I try to stay pretty positive on here- after all, I love being a wife and I love taking care of my hubby! But I have to say- I am in a terrible, rotten, no-good, unhappy, unloved, unwanted, mood tonight.

Do you get days like this, too? When you feel like, "I'll never accomplish anything, no one will ever take notice of me, and if they do, it'll be because I've failed somehow?" I do. Every now and again. I know it will go away- it does. It's a miserable feeling when you're dealing with it though.

At times like this, I just try to pray for love, compassion, and understanding. I don't know that there's much else you can do! lol

So, if you're sitting out there, feeling the same way...I'm sorry! Have a hug on the house and know that it will pass. These negative feelings are temporary and they are untrue.

You ARE loved, you are cared about, and you are important.

So, if you're having a rough day, you're not alone and you'll be feeling better soon. (And if you're not, for heaven's sakes, see your doctor! Life is too short to be sad and miserable feeling for more than a few days at a time. They have medicines that can help!)

So, here's hoping that the next time I post, I'll be feeling more like myself and less like this lump of useless nothingness. lol

Bless all of you, friends. Take care of yourselves!

:)

Mandy

Spring is in the air!

Howdy all-

It has been absolutely BEAUTIFUL here for the past 2 weeks. We've had unseasonably warm temperatures- in the 60's and 70's. The sun has been shining and all the flowers are popping up out of the ground and making the neighborhood cheery. The daffodils are a sunny yellow, hyacinths a blushing rose or pale white, and although the tulips aren't blooming just yet, I expect them to make an appearance soon!

While browsing the internet tonight, I came across restaurant commercial that features my brother-in-law! I'll share the You Tube link so you can view it.
In case you're curious, he's the fella in the blue shirt saying "They always check my order for me, they care about getting it right." Give it a watch and see his television debut! I'm sure Karan, my nephew, will be excited to see his daddy on tv! Eat'n Park

I know I haven't posted in awhile, but to be honest, not much has been going on. I'm getting ready to start my spring cleaning and I may post a few tips on here, if I can think of anything different or relevant.

I guess that's about all for now. Take care, all of you and may God Bless you!

Have a wonderful day!

Mandy

Making the most out of your cookbooks!

Hello there!

It's been a few weeks since I made a post, and I figured I better get going and blog already!

I was looking through my cookbooks the other day, and as I organized them, I realized how MANY I had! How about you? Do you have a shelf (or shelves, in my case) full of cookbooks that are old and forlorn, covered with dust?

I like to pull one out at a time and pick 1 or 2 recipes I'd really like to try. Then, plan them into next week's menu. It's pretty simple, really.

If you haven't amassed an enormous collection of cookbooks, you can still find fun new things to try. Check You Tube for lots and lots of fun cooking videos. Two of my favorite You Tube "chefs" are Betty of "Betty's Kitchen" and Titli of "Titli's Busy Kitchen". Type what I have in quotations into the You Tube serach and you'll pull up lots of neat things.

Betty's Kitchen is great for you ladies (or gents) who don't have a lot of kitchen experience. She's really thorough in explaining each step. (Don't despair if you're a seasoned veteran- she posts the recipe at the bottom of each video and you can just use that, if you'd rather!) I think you'll really like her channel. "Lazy Day Lasagna" is one of our favorite casseroles that came courtesy of her.

Titli's Busy Kitchen is filled with lots of dishes from all around the globe! This lovely lady is from the UK, but she's traveled all over and makes many different dishes (some I'd never heard of before!) She also has a website that has lots of helpful conversions. Her sense of humor is fun and unique. Just tonight I made "Baked Courgettes (Zucchini) with Feta" and it was very very good!

So, that's my tip for today- use your cookbooks! Make those investments actually pay you back with delicious meals!

If you don't have many cookbooks, try using the web to find recipes.

Now, off topic, let's see. I hope that you're having a good day. If you're in an area of the country that's been plagued by nasty storms and tornadoes, I've been praying for you.

I want you to know that though we may never have met, I hope you feel some kind of care radiating out of this blog. I care about you and so do so many others. Reader, you are blessed because our awesome God loves and cares about you, too. He's actively pursuing you, you know. Have you noticed? :) He loves you!!

God's love and pull for you are so strong that it knows no bounds. He reaches out to you every minute of every day and is constantly searching for his lost sheep. His heart breaks when they turn away, but He doesn't give up on them. No matter what has happened in your life, or what will happen in the future, there's never a bad or a wrong time to turn to Jesus. He is here for you. All the time, 24/7, 365. No problem too big, no worry too small. He's here for you. Just ask.

And there's the Holy Spirit at work, folks. That paragraph flew off of my fingers. I didn't even have to think about writing it. It practically wrote itself. If you look at it, it's not really even the same writing style. Anyway, I digress.

My point was trying to be that I care about you and I hope you're all having a good week. Share any thoughts you'd like with me below. I'd love to know what's on your mind.

Have a great day and God bless you!

Mandy

A thought that won't leave me alone...

If, as a Christian, I am only able to get one thing right, I hope that it's to love everyone I meet to the best of my ability.

Without love, everything else seems pretty pointless.


That's all for right now. I just felt a very strong urge to write that down.

I hope you are having a marvelous day. I pray that you are finding love, comfort, and peace in your life today.

:)

Mandy

Happy Valentine's Day!

Hello to one and all and a very Happy Valentine's Day to you!

Do you celebrate this holiday? If so, what do you do that makes it special?

In this household, we keep things simple. We exchange cards and do something small and inexpensive to let the other know how much we care for them. I baked peanut butter cookies for my husband, put them in a cute container, and then put some assorted conversation hearts on top of the container to dress it up a bit.

If he was home, I'm sure I'd make us a special dinner, but since he's working, it's just a regular old dinner for me tonight.

Actually, I was trying to use up some of the stuff in the fridge, freezer, and pantry, so I kind of just came up with dinner on a whim tonight. I started with 3 Italian sausage links, added in a decent sized onion, roughly chopped, and let that brown. Next, I stirred in a 16 oz can of diced tomatoes, added some water, and finally put some quick cooking rice into the pot. When the rice was fully cooked, I stirred in Cajun seasoning and finally added some uncooked shrimp that had been lurking in the freezer. It turned into a gumbo-like skillet meal. Not too bad, for just throwing stuff in on the fly! lol

Do you ever feel helpless about certain situations? I know I sure do. I keep turning it over to God, but I'm afraid there isn't much progress being made. I pray that things will turn around soon. I'm not terribly worried- God knows what He's doing and it's not my job to be like, "Hey, hurry it up already!" lol He'll do things in His own time. Humans are ridiculously impatient, aren't we?

Have you prepared your income tax return yet? My husband does ours every year with the aid of the H&R Block tax software. Our refund should be in our account shortly. Woohoo!

I'm planning a post on utilizing your cookbooks soon- using them, when it's time to get rid of them, etc. I'm looking forward to it!

Happy Valentine's Day to you. I sincerely hope that someone has taken the time to tell you how important you are to them. You are important, and you are loved! Have a great day!

May God Bless you!

Keeping the bedroom fresh in the winter time

If your home is anything like mine, in the winter time, the bedroom can be the stuffiest room of all- especially after you've been sleeping in it all night!

Here are a few easy tips to keep it smelling fresh, clean, and comfortable.

1. Crack a window open for a few minutes every day (yes, even if it's brutally cold out there- the room needs air!)
2. Change/wash your sheets weekly
3. Give your hamper a quick spray with lysol once a week.

That's it. It might not seem like a lot, but I think you'll find it makes quite a difference. We're all busy- I understand that! However, I really feel like three little things can add up to a nicer place to sleep. :)

Okay, now that the homemaking tip is up, I am afraid I have some sad news to report.

My grandma passed away on 1/26/12. I just spent the last few days at home with my family to attend the viewing and funeral. I know that she is free of pain and is happy to be with my grandpa again, but my heart aches and I miss her lots already.

The service was very nice and it was good to see my cousins, aunts, and extended family, although the circumstances were sad ones. I slept poorly while at my parents house, but last night, I was in my own bed and slept great. What a relief.

One thing that everyone brought up about my grandma was her kind and generous spirit. She always asked if she could make you something to eat, or if you wanted a drink as soon as you came in the door- and often times, even if you didn't really need anything, she'd make it for you anyway! lol

My grandma loved gardening and the flowers that were done for the funeral were gorgeous. My mom kept looking at them and said, "It's just perfect for mom. She would have loved them!"

My advice to all of you ladies is to show love and appreciation for the people in your life. You never know when they won't be around to tell. I know that may sound silly and cliche, but it's also very true.

Bless you, dear reader.