Tuesday Tunes ~ Victoria's Secret by Jax ~ 1/24/2023

 

The song I chose to feature today is a bit of a departure for me and my blog.

I don't usually listen to pop music except for when my soon-to-be 16 year old daughter is in the car and talks me into tuning in.

The first time that I heard this song I thought it was hilarious!  The more I listen to it though, the more the message behind the song resonates with me and I am loving it.

I hope no one is offended by the word "boobs".  If you are, just skip this one!  :)

For your viewing pleasure:

What tune(s) are you listening to today?

Colletta

Happy Homemaker Monday ~ 1/23/2023

Come join Diary of a SAHM for Happy Homemaker Monday. 

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Hello, and Happy Monday!

The weather outside is:

We have a very wintry week ahead here in southern Pennsylvania.  Stay safe, everyone!

On today's to-do list: 

~Work

~Laken - eye doctor

Happening this week:

Other than Laken's eye appointment it is a fairly normal week ahead with work, school, Bible Study and regularly scheduled tasks.

The hubby was on second shift last week. I'm glad he's back on third shift this week.  The evenings are lonely without him at home.

Currently reading:

I'm currently reading "The School Mistress of Emerson Pass" by Tess Thompson.  You can check out My Weekly Bookishness post HERE.

Watching:

I didn't really watch much TV this past week.  I listened to music and read.

Listening to:

I'm going to be participating in the weekly linkup called "Saturday 9" which focuses on a different song each week and has questions to go along with the theme of the song.  This week was "Kiss" by Prince.  I also started a a new feature called "Tuesday Tunes".  Last week I featured "Thought You Should Know by Morgan Wallen.

On the menu today:

Steak, Baked Potatoes

In the Craft Basket:

I've spent some time getting a few of the Friendship Swap Quilt Blocks done and in the mail.  If you want to see a more detailed account of what is in my craft basket, click HERE to read my 15 Minutes to Stitch post.

Picture from the Camera

I got my first completed block back in the mail!!

Bible Verse

 ^{"Hold on to loyal love and don't let go, and be faithful to all that you've been taught.  Let your life be shaped by integrity, with truth written upon your heart.}"  Proverbs 3:3 TPT

Have a great Monday!

Colletta

15 Minutes to Stitch ~ 1/22/2023 ~ Before and After

 

One of my "plans" for 2023 is to spend 15 minutes a day stitching.  That might entail sewing, quilting, crocheting anything else I might come up with.  I'll be joining in with Kate @ Life in Pieces.

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I didn't get 15 minutes stitching time every day this week, but I did put in longer stitching time on both Monday and Wednesday.

I was working on sewing Friendship Swap quilt block.  Here are the before and afters of what I got accomplished.

#1

#2

#3

I also received one of my completed swap blocks back. I sent the pink fabric along with a pattern from www.quilterscache.com called Pennsylvania.  I am so happy with this block I received.  I can't wait to get more!

What are you stitching this week?

Colletta

Saturday 9~ Kiss ~ 1/22/2023

Welcome to Saturday: 9. What we've committed to our readers is that we will post 9 questions every Saturday. Sometimes the post will have a theme, and at other times the questions will be totally unrelated. Those weeks we do "random questions," so-to-speak. We encourage you to visit other participants posts and leave a comment. Because we don't have any rules, it is your choice. We hate rules. We love memes, however, and here is today's meme!

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Kiss (1986)

1) In this week's song, Prince insists there's no particular sign he's more compatible with. Do you take astrology seriously?

No, I don't take astrology seriously.

2) He tells his prospective lover there's no need to be flirty. Are you a good flirt?

I doubt it but you'd have to ask my husband!

3) He refers to the nighttime soap opera Dynasty. Were you a fan?

I was fairly young when it was on but I do remember watching it.  We only had one tv channel so we were limited on our watching abilities.

4) "Kiss" was recorded at Sunset Sound Recorders in Hollywood. Built by Walt Disney Studio, it's the studio where the soundtracks to Mary Poppins and 101 Dalmatians were recorded. When you think of Disney movies, what's the first song that comes to mind?

Beauty and the Beast...Tale as Old as Time...

5) Prince said he was "obsessed" with Mozart and read everything he could find about the master. Do you often read biographies? If yes, who was the last one about?

I don't really read biographies or autobiographies.  I guess the closest to one that I read last was The Diary of Anne Frank.

6) He loved snacking while watching a movie in the theater and would mix Goobers (chocolate-covered peanuts) with his popcorn. When you go to the movies, do you visit the concession counter?

I could do without but the hubby and our daughters have to have popcorn and twizzlers :)

7) In 1986, when this song was popular, Peewee's Playhouse premiered. While ostensibly for children, this show had many, many adult viewers. Do you ever watch kids' shows today?

Only if I have to :)

8) Also in 1986, Sears shoppers were painting their interior walls with "Country Clover," a pale beige with a hint of pink. What color is the room you're in right now?

Our walls are white.  My decorating style is very hodgepodge!

9) Random question: Do you enjoy pressing the pedal to the metal and driving fast?

Only if I'm running late!

Please leave a comment with a link so I can return the visit!

Colletta 

My Weekly Bookishness ~ 1/20/2023

All things bookish!

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What I Read:

You can read my review HERE!

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What I'm Reading:

Blurb:

When Miss Quinn Cooper arrives in Emerson Pass, Colorado, her entire life is packed into one small suitcase. Her widowed mother and baby sister are depending upon her for their survival back home in Boston. And the self-appointed mayor of the rugged mountain community is counting on Miss Cooper to prove herself a fitful teacher for the young and old alike.

Lord Alexander Barnes is determined to bring a bit of English civility to the wild terrain of Emerson Pass. Using his own resources, the widower and father of five builds a schoolhouse and recruits a young teacher from the east to provide an education for both the adults and the children in his rapidly growing mining town. But when the lovely, and much younger than anticipated, Miss Cooper arrives to town, Lord Barnes finds himself providing more than just employment when the boarding house proves to be an unsafe accommodation for the school mistress.

As Miss Cooper takes a room in the Barnes' home, the five Barnes children are delighted. They are sure Miss Cooper is the perfect woman for their lonely father. But when a friend of the Englishman turns up dead, the hope for progress in the untamed town seems immediately lost. Can Miss Cooper and Lord Barnes bring change to the closed-minded locals? And will their endeavor open their hearts to something more?

First Lines:

"Had I known of the ways in which Emerson Pass would test my character, I might not have had the mettle to step off the train that autumn day in 1910."

56%/Page 56

(Disclaimer:  This passage is NOT from 56%/Page 56 (25) but I couldn't help but share it!)

"I gasped,then coughed so hard that my eyes watered,and I had to clench my butt cheeks together to keep from tooting.  The very last thing I needed was eruptions from my nether regions to escape in front of my new employer."

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What I'll (Probably) Read Next:

Blurb:

Sam and Brody remind each other of what they want to forget—bad relationships and broken hearts.

Sam lost her career and her boyfriend on the same day. Needing an escape, she makes a radical decision—leave the big city for a small town, get a regular job, and take a break from men and romance.

Brody is picking up the pieces after divorce. He’s hoping for a fresh start in the small community of Maple Cove. Instead, he’s forced to co-manage a failing animal hospital with Sam, who seems ready to hate him on sight.

Watch two people learn to face their fears and love again in this sweet, small-town enemies to happily-ever-after romance.

Small Town Shepherd is the first book in the sweet romance series Maple Cove Dog Lover’s Society.

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Book Haul:

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Book Blogger Hop:

Q.  Do you use social media to keep up with your favorite authors? (submitted by Billy @ Coffee Addicted Writer)

A. I do follow some of my favorite authors on facebook and also instagram.

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Bookishly Yours,

Linking up to: 

   

  

 The Sunday Post, Sunday Salon,  Mailbox Monday

Tea Time ~ 1/19/2023

 

Grab a cup of tea, coffee, hot chocolate or your favorite drink
while I share a few things about my life lately...

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~I apologize for not having tea with you last week.  There just wasn't much to write about as it was mostly a week spent getting back into our routine.  I almost skipped this week also because I'm feeling kinda "blah" but what better why to get out of the gloomies than to think of good things :)

~I've been steadily receiving packages in the mail for the Friendship Swap I'm participating in.  It has been fun seeing what quilt block patterns and fabric choices my swap partners have chosen.  I've completed and mailed back 3 quilt blocks so far.  I look forward to receiving more squishy packages in the mail soon :)

~Saturday we celebrated Audrey Belle turning 1 Year Old!  Her birthday was actually December 23rd but with the holidays her Mommy and Daddy decided to wait until after the New Year to have her party.  It was nice having something to look forward to after the holidays.

~I've read two books so far this year already and am working on my third!  I set my Goodreads Challenge to 26 books for the year but "secretly" am hoping for more :)

~I had Monday off work for MLK Day.  I wanted to spend the whole day at home but ended up running around doing errands all day.  So, Wednesday I called off.  I got a lot done but felt guilty almost the whole time I was off!  Crazy, I know but I felt bad for taking a day off for no real reason.  Does anybody else ever feel like that?

~Back to feeling gloomy...  Is it the weather?  Is it the time of year?  I need something to look forward to this winter.  My birthday is in 2 months but that is too far away to really look forward to yet.  I need something sooner.  Any suggestions?

So, what's new with you?

 

Colletta

Weekly Weigh-In ~ #3 ~ 1/18/2023

I almost didn't post a weigh-in this week :(

I literally put in no work this past week toward my weight loss journey.  No exercise and no food tracking.  I don't want to quit this journey especially only 3 weeks into it.

Therefore I'm posting.  No matter what.  Good.  Bad.  or  Ugly.

I forgot to weigh-in on Monday before eating breakfast so I'm going to use Sunday's weight for my weigh-in this week.   

As always, my tracking week is Monday through Sunday.  Here are some stats:

Exercise Week #3:

None

This Week's Total:  0 minutes

2023 Grand Total:  240 minutes

Weigh in #3:

Highest Weight ~ 300.6 lbs

Last Week's Weight ~ 1/9/2023 ~ 287.2 lbs.

This Week's Weight ~ 1/16/2023 ~ 287.2 lbs.

This Week's Total:  0 lbs

Grand Total: -13.4 lbs

Please let me know in the comments if you are on your own weight loss journey!  I'd love to follow along :)

 
Colletta

Book Review ~ The Breakup Project by Carolyn Miller

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Title:   The Breakup Project by Carolyn Miller

Series:  The Original Six Book 1

Pages:  360

Date Published: December 29, 2021

Publisher:

 Blurb:

New Year. New Project. New Love?
What happens when the best-laid plans break a friendship?

As the twin of hockey’s hottest forward, romance-loving Bree Karlsson is used to being ignored, leading to a New Year’s resolution to not date any athlete in her attempt to find Mr. Right. But what happens when the man who might prove to be her personal Mr. Darcy is her brother’s hockey-playing best friend?

Mike Vaughan might be happy playing in Boston, but he’d be even happier if Bree could one day see him as more than a good friend. He agrees to help Bree with a special project in the hope she’ll finally see him as something more. But when a misunderstanding ends in a Valentine’s Day disaster, Bree realizes that her breakup project may have broken her friendship with Mike in two. Can she ever redeem her mistake?

This friends-to-more romance has plenty of heart, humor, and swoon-worthy kisses in this first book of the Original Six, a sweet, slightly sporty contemporary romance series. 

My Thoughts:

After my last read (about a serial killer) I needed a fun, light-hearted follow up read.

I came across Carolyn Miller's "The Breakup Project" as a free download for my Kindle and decided it looked to be just what I needed.  

I don't follow hockey but I love reading about hockey players, any sports related fiction actually.  It is always fun to read about the different cities and the ins and outs of whatever sport it may be.

Mike was the perfect hero.  So patient, kind, gentlemanly and manly all at the same time.  I found Bree to be a bit obtuse at times but aren't we all?

I especially enjoyed the strong aspect of Christianity written throughout the whole story.  This was a super fun book to read and I enjoyed it very much.

Onto the next book :)

Tuesday Tunes ~ Thought You Should Know by Morgan Wallen

 

This song is all about a boy and his mom.

I'm a girl mom, but I can still appreciate the sentiments of the song.  I've been praying for my girls since before they were born and KNOW my prayers are heard.

I absolutely love this songs and hope you'll watch the video.  It actually made me tear up a bit!

For your viewing pleasure:

What tune(s) are you listening to today?

Colletta

Happy Homemaker Monday ~ 1/16/2023

Come join Diary of a SAHM for Happy Homemaker Monday. 

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Hello, and Happy Monday!

The weather outside is:

Another fairly mild week ahead!

On today's to-do list: 

~Sleep in

~Fold Laundry

~Work on Friendship Swap quilt blocks

Happening this week:

Laken and I are both off Monday for the holiday.  The hubby has to work second shift this week so I won't get to see him very much other than Monday morning.

Other than that, there's not much going on this week.  I'm hoping for some evenings at home!

Currently reading:

I decided to read "The Breakup Project" after "Mind Games".  It has a fun premise and so-far-so-good :)

Watching:

Bad Boys (the latest one)

Listening to:

I'm going to be participating in the weekly linkup called "Saturday 9" which focuses on a different song each week and has questions to go along with the theme of the song.  This week was "Hurting Each Other" by the Carpenters.  I also started a a new feature called "Tuesday Tunes".  Last week I featured "Wait in the Truck" by Hardy and Lainey Wilson.

On the menu today:

Beef Stew

In the Craft Basket:

I have received a few Friendship Swap packages in the mail.  So I want to get those blocks sewn and sent back out ASAP.  I'm also still working on Sunny Blue Hawaii 2.  If you want to see a more detailed account of what is in my craft basket, click HERE to read my 15 Minutes to Stitch post.

Picture from the Camera

Celebrating the 1 year old, Audrey Belle!

Bible Verse

 ^{"Direct my footsteps according to Your Word; let no sin rule over me.}"  Psalm 119:133 NIV

Have a great Monday!

Colletta

15 Minutes to Stitch ~ Friendship Quilt Block Swap ~ 1/15/2023

 

One of my "plans" for 2023 is to spend 15 minutes a day stitching.  That might entail sewing, quilting, crocheting anything else I might come up with.  I'll be joining in with Kate @ Life in Pieces.

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I didn't have much time this week to stitch as I was away from home every evening and fell into bed when I got home.

I did however get my Friendship Swap fabric sent out and have started to receive some pattern and fabrics in the mail from my swap partners.  I have Monday off of work so I plan on spending most of the day making quilt blocks.  I'm so excited to get my sewing machine dusted off.

Here are the contents of the packages I've received so far:

I did manage to get some pictures of Sunny Blue Hawaii progress.  I have 23/63 granny squares completed.  I actually plan on crocheting some more after I post this while we have a Family Movie Night.  So hopefully I'll have more to show next week.

Look at all these ends I have to sew in!  I don't mind sewing in ends but I have to be in the "mood" for it.  Which I'm not.   :)

So next week, I'm hoping to have some Friendship Swap quilt blocks to show you and some more Sunny Blue Hawaii 2.

What are you stitching this week?

Colletta

Saturday 9 ~ Hurting Each Other ~ 1/14/2023

Welcome to Saturday: 9. What we've committed to our readers is that we will post 9 questions every Saturday. Sometimes the post will have a theme, and at other times the questions will be totally unrelated. Those weeks we do "random questions," so-to-speak. We encourage you to visit other participants posts and leave a comment. Because we don't have any rules, it is your choice. We hate rules. We love memes, however, and here is today's meme!

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Hurting Each Other (1972)

1) This week's song was written by Gary Geld and Peter Udell, who also wrote 1962's "Sealed with a Kiss." What was in the last envelope you sealed?

I am participating in a quilt block swap so the last envelope I sealed had fabric in it.

2) In "Hurting Each Other," Karen Carpenter sings she wishes she and her lover could stop making each other cry. Have you most recently shed a tear in the last week, the last month, or longer ago than that?

I try not to dwell on tears shed, so I don't know exactly how long it has been.  Probably within the last 6 months.

3) One of the Carpenters' first records was a cover of the Beatles' "Ticket to Ride." Both Karen and Richard were huge fans and nervous about how the Beatles would react to their version. They were thrilled to learn that Paul McCartney responded by saying Karen had "one of the best female voices in the world." Tell us some news you received recently that brightened your day.

When I got the call that I was chosen to be hired for my Human Resources job!  I didn't think I would have a chance but I am loving it :)

4) Karen died in 1983, but her musical partner and big brother Richard is still with us. He has said he grew up a big fan Top 40 radio, listening every morning as he got ready for school and every afternoon while doing homework. When you were a kid, did you like to study with music or the TV on? Or would you prefer quiet?

I always have music going in the background even now.  When I was a kid it was the same.

5) Karen and Richard spent their teen years in Downey, California. It has the distinction of being home to the nation's oldest, still-operating McDonald's. It's been on the same site on Lakewood Blvd. since 1953. Tell us about a business in your neighborhood that seems to have always been right there, in that spot.

My hometown is very small but the bank and the pharmacy (although they have gone through different owners) have always been right where they currently are.

6) The siblings may have had a squeaky clean public image, but Richard did have a brush with the law while in Downey. The Carpenter family lived for a time in an apartment complex, and one of their neighbors -- a policeman -- objected to Richard "banging on the piano" at all hours. When did you most recently interact with an officer of the law?

I work at our county courthouse so I interact with officers all the time.

7) In 1972, when this song was popular, Mark Spitz was America's premier Olympian, winning seven Gold Medals. A poster of Spitz wearing his red, white and blue swim trunks and all seven medals was a top seller. Can you recall a poster that decorated your bedroom wall when you were a kid?

When I was a kid I got a poster from the school book fair.  It had 3 kittens in a basket :)  I was never into putting posters of people on my walls.

8) Also in 1972, Liza Minnelli was encouraging us to "come to the cabaret." Without looking it up, do you know who Liza's famous parents were?

I know Judy Garland was her mother (right?) but I have no idea who her father was.  It was HARD to not look it up!  :)

9) Random question: Are you a better student or teacher?

I think I am a better student than a teacher.  I don't like being in front of people very much.  I do OK teaching kids though.

Please leave a comment with a link so I can return the visit!

Colletta