Happy Homemaker Monday ~ 3/1/2021

Come join Diary of a SAHM for Happy Homemaker Monday. 

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Hello, and Happy Monday!

WE MADE IT TO MARCH!!!!

Can I get a hip-hip-hooray?

The weather outside is:

Look at that weather!  No snow in sight and lots of sunshine!  I'm so excited :)

On today's to-do list: 

The usual suspects.  Groceries, devotions, exercise, blogging and catching up from the weekend.

Happening this week:

Thank the Lord that Laken is back in school full-time starting today!  Some kids might excel and thrive with virtual schooling but Laken is not one of them.  She excels but does not thrive.  It is a delicate balance for a 14 year old psyche as it is.  She need some normalcy in her life.

Kaylee and I both have check-ups this week.

The hubby is on second shift, my least favorite...

Currently reading:

I'm currently reading "Hidden Currents" by Christy Barritt.  You can read about My Weekly Bookishness HERE!

On the TV:

Hallmark Movies

Listening to:

I featured   "Faithful God" by I Am They  this week on Songs on Sunday.

On the menu week:

Monday ~ Taco Bell

Tuesday ~ Ham, Fried Potatoes

Wednesday ~ Salisbury Steak, Noodles

Thursday ~  Irish Stew

Friday ~ Grilled Cheese and Soup

Saturday ~ Cheeseburger Pasta Bake

Sunday ~ Potluck at Church

In the Craft Basket:

Once again I decided to do something different with the Line I Love This Yarn.  I decided that instead of the Beautiful Shells pattern I'm going to make granny squares.  I love granny squares and I can work on them while I watch youtube or TV.

Memory Verse

"For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline." 2 Timothy 1:7

Have a great Monday!

Colletta

February 2021 Monthly Wrap-Up

The Monthly Wrap-Up Round-Up is hosted by Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction and Shannon @ It Starts at Midnight.

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January 2021 Wrap-up

You can find my January 2021 Wrap-Up HERE!

February 2021 Reviews:

I read 2 books in February.  Click on the cover to read my review :)

  

 

Goodreads Challenge:

Having read 2 books in February, at the end of February I was 6/26 books.

Favorite Book of February 2021:

Book Review With the Most Views:

DNF's

This book just wasn't doing it for me.  The female lead kept calling the male lead a "hottie" (to his face) and other such annoying words.  I was 50 pages in and decided to drop it like a "hottie" potato!

Again, what is with telling the guy how built he is; even if it is obvious?  I couldn't get over the gushing over all the firefighters' manliness by the "heroine".  I didn't make it very far into this one...

Where I've "Traveled":

Kauai, HI

South Carolina

Montana

Miami, FL 

North Carolina

Top Ten Tuesday Posts:

~Books Written Before I Was Born

~Books With Love In the Title

~Purple, Yellow and Green Covers for Mardi Gras

~Books That Made Me Laugh Out Loud

My Weekly Bookishness:

This includes book hauls, teasers, and other great bookish fun :)

February 5th

February 12th

February 19th

Other Posts:

A few of my favorite posts from the blog:

Kaylee in the Kitchen ~ Enchilada Stuffed Shells

Songs on Sunday ~ Good God Almighty by Crowder

Three Things I Hate About Winter

Coming Up in March 2021:

Things were really hectic in my daily life during February with lots of stress and little reading time.  I'm hoping to get back on track of reading at least 1 book per week in March.  March is also my Birth Month, so I plan on celebrating as much as I can.  Gotta have something to look forward to this time year :)

Songs on Sunday ~ Faithful God by I Am They

A little bit late today, but here is a song :)

Colletta

Three Things ~ Favorite Bible Verses ~ 2/27/2021

This is a post containing a list of "Three Things".  

If you'd like to join in with a list of "Three Things" of your own, 

leave a link in the comments!

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Three of My Favorite Bible Verses:

For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for prosperity and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.  Jeremiah 29:11

But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.  Romans 8:37

Having cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares about you. 1 Peter 5:7

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What are some of your favorite Bible Verses?

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Colletta

The Good Stuff ~ 2/25/2021

Here are some things that made me thankful/smile/excited this week:

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~The Weather!  Sun, glorious sun!  Thank you, Jesus!  I crave the days when I can go outside when all the snow has melted and sit on my Porch Swing (yes, capitalized) and swing my worries away :)  We had some really nice days this week and the snow IS melting!

~Last Week of Virtual School!  This is Laken's last week of virtual schooling.  Starting March 1st, her school will be going back to 100% in school learning.  She needs it.  I'm not going to lie, the longer the virtual schooling lasts, the tougher it is getting for her to want to do her work and it is starting to be a struggle.  Therefore, in school learning is a good thing for her.  I pray that all the students and staff stay healthly!

~Kaylee Got Another Raise!  About 2-3 weeks ago Kaylee got a $1.00/hr raise.  Whoohoo!  Then Monday evening, she had her first annual evaluation and got another $0.50/hr raise.  Whoohoo!  Her evaluation was great and they told her that she is a model employee :)

~Baby Gift Shopping!  We're having a surprise (shhhh...) baby shower for Steph and Annalea on Sunday after Church.  It was so much fun shopping for the baby.  The hubby picked out a stuffed elephant that talks and sings and I picked out some super cute outfits including a top and a tiny pair of jean leggings!  And get this...glow in the dark pacifiers (binkies)!  Is that not ingenious????  BTW, Steph chose to go with the pronunciation of Ann-A-Lee-Uh for the baby :)

~Fresh Contacts!  I admit that I wear my contacts much, much longer than I'm supposed to.  So yesterday, I decided it was finally time to put in a fresh pair.  So much better :)

What are you thankful for/smiling/exited about this week?  Tell me all the good stuff! 

Colletta

Blogging Challenge ~ My Greatest Strength ~ 2/24/2012

This week's topic is:  

My Greatest Strength:

 I don't often think of my strengths.  Most of the time I doubt I even have any.  Especially lately.

I'm not feeling very strong lately.  I don't know if it is stress or the weather or both.  All I know is that I can't think of a single strength.

Every time I think of something that I could write about, I always think of reasons I shouldn't.  

I'm feeling defeated right now.

But, I'm going to keep going.  Keep striving to overcome.  Maybe that in itself is a strength...

So, what is your greatest strength?  

Colletta

Top Ten ~ Books That Made Me Laugh Out Loud ~ 2/23/2021

Books That Made Me Laugh Out Loud:

In no particular order...

(Click on the cover to read the blurb and my review)

One

Two

Three

Four

Five

Six

Seven

Eight

Nine

Ten

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Please leave a comment with the link to your Top Ten Tuesday post so I can return the visit :)

Happy Homemaker Monday ~ 2/22/2021

Come join Diary of a SAHM for Happy Homemaker Monday. 

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Hello, and Happy Monday!

The weather outside is:

Some blessedly warmer temperatures are on the way!

On today's to-do list: 

It is going to be a joyful day of groceries and taxes!  Just kidding...  Not so joyful!  We're scheduled to go get our taxes done at 5pm.  I hate getting taxes done.  There is just something about sitting there while the accountant/tax preparer inputs the information that is so nerve-wracking!

Happening this week:

This is Laken last week of virtual schooling.  As of March 1st they are supposed to be returning to school full-time.

Kaylee has an appointment Thursday and the hubby has an eye appointment on Wednesday.  He is well overdue for a new pair of glasses.  It is just so hard to get him to actually GO!  (actually to any dr!)

Other than that it is a pretty normal week with the hubby working night shift.

Currently reading:

Last week I read "The Redesigned Ranch" by Liz Isaacson.  It is the first in a series.  I'm currently reading "Hidden Currents" by Christy Barritt.  You can read about My Weekly Bookishness HERE!

On the TV:

Prodigal Son ~ Dolls are so creepy!

Walker ~ Loving this show!

Listening to:

I featured   "Fires" by Jordan St. Cyr  this week on Songs on Sunday.

On the menu week:

Monday ~ Pizza and Wings

Tuesday ~ Cheeseburger Pasta

Wednesday ~ Spinach Beef Soup

Thursday ~  Ham, Fried Potatoes

Friday ~ Salisbury Steak, Noodles

Saturday ~ Grilled Cheese And Soup

Sunday ~ Potluck at Church

In the Craft Basket:

I'm still working on the "Linen Beautiful Shells" blanket.  I've decided to work on it solely and get it finished as soon as possible so I can move onto something else :)

Memory Verse

"For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."  Romans 8:38-39

Have a great Monday!

Colletta

Songs on Sunday ~ Fires by Jordan St. Cyr

Cause He's walking with me...

Colletta

My Weekly Bookishness ~ 2/19/2021

All things bookish!

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What I Read:

I didn't get anything new read this week.  There were a few DNF's.  So I'll just leave this here for another week.

You can read the blurb and my review HERE!

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What I'm Reading:

Blurb:

You can take the detective out of the investigation, but you can't take the investigator out of the detective.

A notorious gang puts a bounty on Detective Cady Matthews’s head after she takes down their leader, leaving her no choice but to hide until she can testify at trial. But her temporary home across the country on a remote North Carolina island isn’t as peaceful as she initially thinks.

Living under the new identity of Cassidy Livingston, she struggles to keep her investigative skills tucked away, especially after a body washes ashore. When local police bungle the murder investigation, she can’t resist stepping in. But Cassidy is supposed to be keeping a low profile. One wrong move could lead to both her discovery and her demise.

Can she bring justice to the island . . . or will the hidden currents surrounding her pull her under for good? 

First Lines:

Prologue

At the sound of a footfall behind her, Cady Matthew's back muscles tightened faster than a mousetrap snapping its prey.

56%/Page 56

Cassidy (Cady) knelt on the beach and picked up the white debris she'd seen wash up.

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What I'll (Probably) Read Next:

Blurb:

When a mysterious woman washes up in Cape Corral, a wild horse sanctuary off North Carolina's coast, law enforcement officer Levi Sutherland is determined to figure out if she's connected with the crimes recently plaguing the island. The problem is, she can't remember anything . . . 

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What I Can't Wait To Read:

Blurb:

Based on true accounts of how Parisiennes resisted the Nazi occupation in World War II—from fashion houses to the city streets—comes a story of two courageous women who risked everything to fight an evil they couldn’t abide.

Paris, 1939. Maison Chanel has closed, thrusting haute couture dressmaker Lila de Laurent out of the world of high fashion as Nazi soldiers invade the streets and the City of Lights slips into darkness. Lila’s life is now a series of rations, brutal restrictions, and carefully controlled propaganda while Paris is cut off from the rest of the world. Yet in hidden corners of the city, the faithful pledge to resist. Lila is drawn to La Resistance and is soon using her skills as a dressmaker to infiltrate the Nazi elite. She takes their measurements and designs masterpieces, all while collecting secrets in the glamorous Hôtel Ritz—the heart of the Nazis’ Parisian headquarters. But when dashing René Touliard suddenly reenters her world, Lila finds her heart tangled between determination to help save his Jewish family and bolstering the fight for liberation.

Paris, 1943. Sandrine Paquet’s job is to catalog the priceless works of art bound for the Führer’s Berlin, masterpieces stolen from prominent Jewish families. But behind closed doors, she secretly forages for information from the underground resistance. Beneath her compliant façade lies a woman bent on uncovering the fate of her missing husband . . . but at what cost? As Hitler’s regime crumbles, Sandrine is drawn in deeper when she uncrates an exquisite blush Chanel gown concealing a cryptic message that may reveal the fate of a dressmaker who vanished from within the fashion elite.

Told across the span of the Nazi occupation, The Paris Dressmaker highlights the brave women who used everything in their power to resist darkness and restore light to their world.

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What I Was Reading 5 Years Ago:

Originally a feature called Last Year I Was Reading created by Maria from ReadingMaria. 

Literary Feline liked it enough to continue, but has tweaked it

 to feature Five Years Ago I Was Reading. 

See the Blurb and My Review HERE!

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Book Haul:

 

 

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Book Blogger Hop:

Q.  Is reading a fixed part of your morning or evening routine? (submitted by Elizabeth @ Complex Chaos)

A. I usually don't get much reading done in the morning as that is when I take care of everything else I have to do that day.  For the most part my reading routine is usually afternoon before making dinner, while making dinner and in the evening.  Unless...I'm really into a book then I might make an exception :)

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Bookishly Yours,

Linking up to: 

   

  

Stacking the Shelves, The Sunday Post, Sunday Salon,  Mailbox Monday

Thankful Thursday ~ 2/18/2021

 

Here are some things that made me thankful/smile/excited this week:

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~Kaylee is safe and sound!  We had a scare last week when during one of the many snowstorms we've had this February, Kaylee slid off the road on her way home from work.  She had no cell service and had to walk to the nearest farmhouse to use their phone to call.  (We were getting ready to head out and find her when she called from the farmhouse.)  There was lots of praying and thanksgiving that she was OK but she was still an anxious mess.

~A Long Weekend!  Not only was it Valentine's Day but it was a long weekend.  Both girls were off for President's Day Monday and then we had ice on Tuesday.  Thankfully, no school for Laken and Kaylee was also off on Tuesday and didn't have to work.  The hubby also took off due to the ice and spent all day outside de-icing the driveway.  It was nice not having to worry about them after Kaylee's incident last week.  Now to get through the rest of the winter!

~Shawn got a promotion!  Shawn, Kaylee's boyfriend (of 5 years!) got a promotion at work.  It came with more responsibility and a nice raise.  He's such a hard worker and deserves it all!

~A Walk in the Snow!  And ice but it was so good to get outside.  The whole family bundled up and went out to play and get some fresh air.  Here are some pictures of our "excursion".

What are you thankful for/smiling/exited about this week?  Tell me all the good stuff! 

Colletta