Blessings Monday

Last week was a particularly stressful.  Work stress was the brunt of it.  I’m so thankful to have a boss who’s got my back.  It all ended up swell.  I was all set to study for my certification exam this afternoon, but do you know what?  I’m just TIRED.  I’m all spent on regs at this point.  I’m glad our survey has passed and that we were deemed to have done a good job.  YAY!  There were many answered prayers this week!  I LOVE IT!!!

 

Keith’s schedule has been flip-flopped to overnights at a different store the last couple of weeks.  He doesn’t mind helping out where there is a need, but it’s weighing on his life.  His sleep schedule is all fussed up and he’s missing the routine of home-life spent with me.  I admire him for being able to accommodate the need of his employer.  I’ve reminded him that he’s making a good impression on some people by being the willing and available one.  I appreciate his dutiful making of a living to support us in our endeavors as a family.  I also appreciate the blessing of added shift-differential he’s getting while working nights. 

 

Albeit odd, sometimes the ability to stretch out diagonally across the bed at night is a blessing.  Not having to fight for a fair portion of blankets, pillows, and space can be a blessing.  I’d much rather be cuddling and snuggling, but I’m one that can find the good in all situations. 

 

Finally, we were blessed with the lovely company of the Zom’s for dinner tonight.  As is our custom, we enjoyed dinner and interesting conversation at Olive Garden.  YUM!

 

Thank you Lord for provisions, patience, peace, and good times.  This has been a busy and interesting week.  I’m blessed to know your presence every step of the way.

Saturday Savings & Meal Planning

I worked the Farmer’s Market today.  I got some meat as part of my pay and still walked away with some cash in my pocket.  SAWEET!

 

I’m so proud of myself.  I got about $100 worth of groceries today for $69.  Our standard weekly grocery budget is $60; however, last week we did NOT use any of it, so I do not feel bad spending some of it this week.  In that bundle I got SIX full-size tubes of Colgate toothpaste for FREE.  Anybody need toothpaste?  I don’t even use Colgate, but if they are giving it away for free… I’ll take it!  I’ll share it with whomever wants or needs it and what’s left I will donate to the food pantry.  Believe it or not, they do appreciate toiletries as well as food. 

 

After leaving the grocery store, I hit Rite Aid for a few deals.  I spent $12 and walked away with $7 in up-rewards for next week.  So really I only spent $5 out of pocket.  Not bad!  I got the last two bottles of Dial Nutri-skin lotion on sale this week.  I needed it SO BAD. 

 

So, looking ahead, I need to plan some meals.

 

1) Chicken n’ Biscuits w/ Salad --- Saturday Night Dinner!

2)  Olive Garden w/ Zom’s --- Sunday Night Dinner

3)  BBQ Meatloaf w/ potatoes & green beans --- Monday

4)  Gorton’s Fish Fillets & Salad (just salad for me) – Tuesday

5)  Pork Roast w/ Sauerkraut in the Crockpot --- Wednesday

6)  Eggs, Bacon, & Toast --- Thursday

7)  Cheese Pizza

 

Random fact:  I’m pretty much so addicted to Pomegranate Blueberry juice!  LOVE IT!!! 

Beautiful Sky

I love how the sun shines down through the clouds.  Awesome!

This is my favorite photo this week. 

2011 Hiking Commitment–Take 3

We planned ahead to go for a hike and by the time the day arrived we had invited our husbands to come along as well.  I was annoyed because I had planned to be out of work early to get my chores done and hoped to have a few hours of daylight to put some miles in.  As it goes… I got out of work late.  I asked Janet to take care of the ponies for me.  We were able to pound out a good 2.25 and then ran out of daylight.  We met at Tammi & Rich’s house.  We circled through the woods on their family’s farm and then a ways down the road as well. 

 

Tammi made baked spaghetti and salad and had Zanella’s chocolate chip cookies for dessert.  It was a delightful visit with friends.  We watched some of the truck race and enjoyed the company for a while before we departed.  All in all… a great evening with fantastic company. 

 

I can’t wait to go again!

Quick Weekend Jaunt

Keith and I set out for a quick hike today in search of some geocaches.  It was snowy.  The wind was blowing, but not too bad once we were under the cover of the woods.  I have to say that the terrain was a wee bit slippery because of the snow and ice, but we didn’t have much difficulty traveling. 

We hit the Rachel Carson Trail in Hampton Township.  We found two geocaches there.  One took some climbing down a hill and through some jaggers.  I cannot imagine trying to find this one mid-summer.  We made both finds in little time and hiked back to the car to motor on down to the next idea. 

There is a puzzle cache at the Hampton Township Community Center, but we decided we couldn’t put it all together today.  So we headed on down a little further to the Irma Knot Nature Area to look for the last one.  Unfortunately, after scaling the hillside and searching over and under just about every tree… we were NOT able to find it.  It’s just too snowy.  We’ll try that one another day.  The hiking in that valley is lovely.  There are bridges over streams, hills, and rocks, and wildlife. 

Overall, 2 out of 4 finds.  We talked about setting a goal to find a certain number of caches this year.  My hiking goal is with Tammi, because she and I cover miles.  When I hike with Keith, it’s usually shorter distances looking for treasures.  (although occasionally we’ll put in a good distance.) 

Any way you put it… it’s just good to be out exercising and enjoying each other’s company.  God’s creation has so much to offer!  I love it!

2011 Hiking Commitment–Take 2

Yesterday Tammi and I covered the 2nd hike of our 2011 200 mile challenge.  Jill came along too.  We covered 4.75 miles.  Tammi parked at the trail-head on Christly Road and then Jill and I drove to the trail-head near the park-office on Old 422.  The Weggeston Trail is a 3-mile hike one-way with a 1.5 mile loop at the end.  (plus a lil’ back-tracking in the middle)

Rain, freezing rain, and snow were all part of the forecast for the day.  As it goes, we were blessed with mostly pleasant weather.  Yes it was cold, but we warmed up quick and easy. 

There were a couple good hills.  Some places smelled like gas.  There are natural gas wells in the area.  We ran into a guy heading the opposite way who had two dogs.  We stopped to pet the puppies, but the little beagle was skittish.  After heading on our way for a good ways more, the dogs came barreling through the woods.  The beagle was hot on the trail of who knows what.  The bigger dog circled around us and then headed back from where he came, but not on the trail.  We thought for a few minutes that maybe the guy had gotten hurt, so we back tracked a ways until we found footsteps in the snow headed up the road we had crossed… that were obviously not ours.  Satisfied that they must be that guys tracks, we headed back on our way.  A short while longer we heard him calling the beagle… whew!  Glad to know he wasn’t lying in the woods somewhere.  We made another mile and a half loop and at that we were finished.  It was a GREAT HIKE!

By evening, and again this morning, I am a wee bit sore.  My hips ache, but overall I still feel pretty good.  It’s just a reminder that it was a worthwhile hike.  Can’t wait to do it again! 

Add this to our previous hike and we are now at 6.75/200.  Only 193.25 more to go!