Category Archives: Daily Snippets

Daily Snippets, Deep thoughts, Photos

A momentous occasion for sure

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Please ignore my awful complexion, I’m working on that. What I wanted to share with you here is that today I discovered my first gray hair. Do you see it? Right there on top, just bending towards the right? I wasn’t sure if I would ever notice my hair graying, because I don’t see colors well, and my hair is a version of blonde. My mom is a blonde and she still doesn’t have much noticeable gray hair.

So I’m surprised! I don’t know why this excites me really, I guess you could say I’m having a slow day for entertainment.

I think I’m “supposed” to dread the aging process, gray hair, crow’s feet, wrinkles, etc. But I don’t mind. I think with age comes experience and wisdom and personal growth, and those are all good things I treasure. So I’ll take it all in one big package and will hold me head high, thank you very much.

Coffee, Daily Snippets

Lovely leftovers

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I still have some whipped cream left in my fridge from hosting Thanksgiving, and there’s no pie left to go with it. So I’ve been putting it in my coffee! I don’t put sugar in my coffee normally, but the whipped cream offers just a touch of subtle sweetness that’s not too overwhelming. And on a cold day with snow on the horizon, it really hits the spot!

 

Daily Snippets, Disability, Funny story, Memories

Matilda’s Gone

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Funny story – Back when I was working I set up a dummy account with my actual email for testing a new web portal. That was over three years ago. Just this evening I received an email from the company urging me to engage them to have my tax returns prepared, only it was addressed to my alter ego… Matilda Redmond.
First it gave me a chuckle, and then it brought back some memories I had left in the past, where they belong. The job I had when I lost my hearing was a really stressful job. I’ll admit now that I hated it. I missed my coworkers when I was forced to go on disability, but I didn’t miss the stress of the job. I had nightmares for almost a year following my departure. However, with the passage of time and the progress of my recovery, I no longer have those nightmares. And I do sometimes miss aspects of the work I was doing – the accounting portion – and wonder if some day I’ll be able to do any of it again.
For now I’m content balancing our checkbook on an insanely regular basis, and managing our family budget. Also, after receiving that email addressed to Matilda, here’s to hoping the nightmares don’t start up again tonight!
Daily Snippets, Family, Food, Holidays

Pre-Thanksgiving Prep

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So Thanksgiving is almost here. We host, so that means we have a certain level of preparing that needs to be done. I keep it at a low level though, cuz I fail miserably at hosting if it try too hard.  We roast the turkey, we make the mashed potatoes, the corn, the stuffing, and everybody else brings the rest. I don’t decorate, though I do have a fall themed tablecloth I hope to remember to bring out for the occasion. I don’t even clean the house beyond what I do normally. Anything to minimize my stress and anxiety is worth it if it means everyone has a good time and we can enjoy each other’s company. Planning ahead helps me to both budget my energy and to make sure everything is ready. And if it’s not, I have to decide that’s okay too. Half the battle is changing my perspective. My family all knows this about me, thankfully, so that takes the pressure off. They see what needs to be done and fill in the cracks accordingly.

One thing I am striving for today though, is to clean out the fridge to make room for the turkey day leftovers. Which means I am working on using up our every day leftovers. In other words, I’m eating whatever I can. It’s a slight departure from my daily smoothies but my gut doesn’t seem to be bothered by it, yay! This morning I had scrambled eggs with red onion, red bell pepper, and feta. It was scrumptious, and I was able to rid the fridge of four containers. Still have lots of cleaning out to do but that was a fun way to get it started. Well not as much fun as it was tasty, I guess. You know what I mean, right?

I have a sick kid home with me today so I’ve taken plenty of breaks to tend to her needs, but overall it’s been a relaxing yet productive day so far. The best kind, if you ask me!

Daily Snippets, Family, God speaks

Thankful for do-overs

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Lest you think it’s all sunshine and roses with me, I’ll share that I had a bad day yesterday. I was tired and hungry and my emotions were all off kilter and I was a complete jerk to my family. I am sparing you the details, but let’s just say it was not pretty. It’s not the first time of course, but I’ve been having this happen more frequently than I would like. And it makes me feel like a helpless crazy person and that’s just an awful way to feel. 

But then my husband talks me out of it, not taking any of my crap, and welcomes me back to earth with open arms. 

And then this morning I see this view from my front porch and I am compelled to thank God for another day.

Daily Snippets, Health, Running

It runs deep

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I have a strong aversion to folding the clean laundry. Really strong. If I can think of anything else I can do instead, I’ll do it. 

So today I’m going to the YMCA!

I know what you’re saying, I was doing that already, so not a great excuse, but eh… I woke up this morning NOT feeling it. Almost cancelled my ride to the gym. But fortunately I procrastinated on that too, until the bus came, and now I’m on my way. I know once I’m there I’ll be glad I stuck with it.

And that’s my Friday snippet. Make today a good one!

Daily Snippets, Holidays

Christmas letters

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I love getting Christmas cards. Cute pictures of people’s kids and pets, seeing how everyone is growing, I love it. Sometimes – sometimes – we get a letter. And those are my favorite. I’ve been sending out Christmas cards every year for the last few years, the photo cards you can make by uploading your favorite picture(s) from the year, but this year I’m running into some trouble. Thing is, my recipient list has grown longer and prices have gone up. I’m not really excited about spending $100 plus on Christmas cards. So I thought maybe this year I would start sending generic Christmas cards, and just insert a photo and a personalized letter into each one of them. I’m excited about doing this, but I wasted so much time this morning browsing the photo printing sites for cards that I won’t be able to get going on it today. So I’m posting this here to help me remember. It works, really. Oh, and here’s a link I wanted to save with some useful tips:

http://www.marylandwriter.net/2009/11/five-tips-for-writing-perfect-christmas.html

So I know it’s just barely November, and we are possibly all still reeling from the election results, but I have been thinking about Christmas for weeks! I’ve even made a good head start on my gift shopping. I’m not trying to pressure anyone to get going on holiday planning, because Lord knows holidays can be stressful and I don’t want to stress you out. I just wanted to share my little bit of excitement, and hopefully take your mind off that aforementioned event. Holidays are coming! Tell me, if you enjoy the winter holidays, what’s your favorite thing? What do you look forward to most?

Daily Snippets, Deep thoughts, God speaks, Kids, Motherhood, Parenting

HE KNOWS

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I’ve been trying to get back to reading scripture on a daily basis, and I’m glad I’ve been doing it. It’s a great comfort, and God still uses it to speak to me. This morning I was reading in Jeremiah where it talks about the Israelites and how God was angry with them because of their wickedness. That seems to be a common theme in the Old Testament. But after the weekend I had, it really helped me to know that God understands what I’m feeling. See, my daughter had been wanting a mermaid tail for her birthday. I bought her one, but it wasn’t the exact one that she wanted, or rather it was missing a piece she wanted. She was heartbroken and to be honest, ungrateful. It didn’t help that she was at her birthday party, in front of all her friends. I was really upset with her. Then later that night I was trying to help my son get his football uniform and equipment together for turning in the following day, and I was asking him where things were. He had a friend over, so he didn’t like me interrupting him with these questions and told me to leave him alone. So I let him do his own laundry!

But the point is, I had been pretty upset and down about having two children acting ungrateful, after a week spent doing things for them (chaperoning the school field trip, putting together preparations for the birthday party, cooking, cleaning, etc.). So it was really therapeutic and healing to read this morning, and to know that God can relate to what I was feeling. He knows what it’s like to have ungrateful children, and yet He loves us all just the same.

“Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security. I will bring Judah and Israel back from captivity and will rebuild them as they were before.” Jeremiah 33:6-7

Daily Snippets, Kids

Coldfront coming through…

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This morning my daughter tried to go to school wearing skimpy gym shorts and a tank top. Because it’s gym day, of course.

Then my son kept trying to argue his way out of wearing a coat to school.

My children are clearly in denial about the weather changes. It’s 38 degrees and raining.

I, on the other hand, am happily wearing a sweater, jacket, and scarf. Because I an a realist. And also I love this beautiful Michigan fall weather.