Monday Musings

The weather outside is... warm, warm, warm.  We may have to close the windows and turn the a/c on again.

I am reading... DragonLight by Donita K. Paul.  I'm finding even though I love this series I am being slow about reading this particular book.  I think it's because I know it's the last in the series and I am not in a hurry for the magic to end.

I am thankful for... our furry children (pets).

In the kitchen... I am trying to regain my love for baking.  Going gluten-free really knocked the wind out of my sails in that respect.  Yesterday I made the German Apple Pancakes recipe at Civilized Caveman.  I subbed almond flour for the coconut flour and used a stoneware muffin pan because I don't have ramekins.  Mine turned out darker than the photo on the site - I mean apples sauteed in honey, nutmeg, and cinnamon are not going to be light in color - and they cooked way faster than the time given, but all was fine.  As far as taste, they were just okay in mine and my spouse's opinion, my youngest refused to even give them a try, and my teenager said they were nasty (his exact word).  I doubt I'll make them again as it was too time consuming, in my opinion, for something we all just didn't go crazy about.

A pet peeve... drivers who don't use their blinkers.  I really hate this.

I've been working on... cleaning and decluttering, decluttering and cleaning.  I really want to get everything out of my house that we just don't need.

I'm looking forward to... three days off homeschool for Thanksgiving break next week.

A favorite thing of mine... is silence.  Peaceful silence.  No tv, no music, no noise from outside other than birds chirping, squirrels chittering, and tree limbs and palm fronds blowing in the breeze. 

I'm delighted by...having found a drawing book my teen isn't complaining about reading.  There will be a future post about our adventures in "Drawing 1" this year.

A thought... I really wish my children got along with one another better.  The arguing, fussing, name calling, picking at one another, etc. breaks my heart.  I'm an only child though, so I've never been in their shoes.

A goal... is to try the 30 day plank challenge I've seen floating around online.  I injured my deltoid muscle a few weeks ago - my second taekwon-do injury - but I believe it's healed well enough now for me to give this a go.

An inspirational quote... Always laugh when you can.  It is cheap medicine. ~Lord Byron

A photo... 

 Taken in the rookery at Gatorland

Monday Musings

The weather outside is... bright and sunny with a slight breeze.

I am reading... DragonLight by Donita K. Paul (last in the series)

I am thankful for... the brave and heroic men (including my hubby) and women who have and are serving our country.  THANK YOU!!!!!  You know freedom isn't truly free.  Your service and sacrifice is deeply appreciated.

In the kitchen... menu planning needs to be done!  I am the worst about this.

A pet peeve... people who don't keep their word.

I've been working on... trying to figure out which curricula I'll be using for each subject with my high schooler next year for 10th grade.  I know, I know ... it's awfully early to be concerned with that, but $$ is tight and I need to make sure I'll have enough funds set aside by late next spring to make the necessary purchases.

I'm looking forward to... not having to go anywhere today. 

A favorite thing of mine... Thousand Foot Krutch's Welcome to the Masquerade cd. Love it!

I'm delighted by... finding organic extra virgin coconut oil at BJ's (wholesale club like Sam's and Costco) even cheaper than another decently priced source I'd been purchasing from.

A thought... my spouse and I are wrestling with many feelings about our church, especially after yesterday's sermon.  It would have been fine as part of a special marriage seminar for couples only, but I'm not at all happy with some of the things that were said and presented (and I'm far from a prude). I'm also very unhappy that pre-teens and teens had to be sent out of the service because they weren't of age to hear much of what was stated and the message was hurtful to others in attendance.  Add to that the sting of them not even bothering to recognize the current and former military members in honor of today being Veteran's Day ... ouch! This is just the latest in a continual string of dislikes we have with this church.  It feels as though we'll never find one that fits or feels like "home."

A goal... to go as paleo as possible.  I don't foresee being completely paleo.  I mean, no beans?  No peas?  No peanuts?  No rice?  Ack!  However, with my youngest's dairy issues of late it seems the way to go from that standpoint.  It's going to be a tough road.

An inspirational quote... Only dead fish go with the flow. ~Unknown

A photo... 

 Lion Country Safari

Monday Musings

The weather outside is... sunny and warm with a slight breeze.  The windows are open, which additionally thrills my heart because it means a savings on the electric bill!

I am reading... DragonFire by Donita K. Paul.  I am absolutely loving this series and wish I had the time to just sit down and read for hours on end.

I am thankful for... healing and restoration of a relationship that's been less than stellar for way too long.

In the kitchen... I whipped up three batches of french toast for my gluten-free, dairy-free kiddo and am looking forward to tonight's dinner of baked flounder, couscous (cooked in veggie broth), and roasted zucchini.  Yum!

I'm delighted by... the discovery of a new-to-me blog called Delighted Momma (see my sidebar for a link).  She has some amazing looking paleo recipes that have me re-inspired in the kitchen.

A favorite thing of mine... E.L.F.'s Glam Bam nail polish trio.  I've never been one to really wear nail polish on my fingernails, but I do love nail polish on the toesies.  Due to my discomfort level with various ingredients, I haven't worn any nail polish at all in years.  Years!  I stumbled upon this set at my local Marshalls store and could no longer hold out once I read it is formaldehyde-free, DPB-free, and toluene-free - plus it was only $2.99!  Paired up with some Sally Hansen base and top coat, which is also free of the aforementioned ingredients, I am feeling all girly again.

A photo...

 Are you sure I can't keep it???

Insightful wisdom

I'm currently reading DragonQuest by Donita K. Paul and came across this extremely insightful passage a couple of nights ago.......

Toopka sighed.  "That seems wrong - to let a gray place make your insides gray too."  She rolled over on the bed, propping her chin on her fists.  "And I think that the gray insides are too sad to try to make the gray outside any different.  So the gray outside stays the same or gets grayer, and the gray insides get grayer too, and pretty soon there's no hope for anything bright and pretty."

This resonated deep within me because I understand it all too well.  Sometimes I feel as though I'm at the point of being too far into the depths to ever have hope of reaching the surface again.  I realized I've known so much hurt and pain in my life that instead of running to God and clinging to Him I do the opposite.  I get angry with Him and turn away.  I don't know at this point if I even know how to run to and cling to Him.  Scary.

Anyone have a magical fairy wand I can borrow?

One ninth grader, one second grader, dishes (by hand), laundry, many more homeschool lesson plans to go for the upcoming year, two dogs, two cats, responsible for paying the bills, running errands, grocery shopping, taekwon-do lessons, two volunteer "jobs" for my teen, continuing with a reading program at the library for my youngest, being the chauffeur, no friends, no family, a nonexistent marriage, feeling shut out of ministry at church, surrounded by clutter in a small house, and so much more my head is a swirling jumble.

Balance.

I need balance.  It's what I fear I will not find but so desperately need.

Anyone have a magical fairy wand I can borrow?

Kindness

Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around. ~Leo Buscaglia

Beachcombing Finds

I've always loved beachcombing, but it's sea bean "season" now in my neck of the woods and I'm determined to make up for how lax I've been about searching for these treasures the last few years.  These are pics of some of my recent finds.

In the top photo are a pile of coin vine pods (top left); sea coconuts aka golfballs (top right); sea glass and a "sea hero" (bottom left); shark's eyes, white mangrove, and seagrapes (middle); tropical almonds, hog plums, and a couple I have yet to positively identify.

In the bottom photo (clockwise) are sea coconuts aka golfballs, a penshell with striped acorn barnacles, crabwood, hamburger beans (1 brown and 1 red), blister pods, sea coconut in husk, starnut palm, and one I have not yet positively identified.