Simple Woman's Daybook- Sunday Jan. 3, 2016

Outside my window:
Cooler weather arrived and I am pretty over the moon about it, although its been gray and raining too. Its still much more enjoyable than the 80 degree humid Christmas weather.

I am:
Fighting a little fever, sore throat, congestion and generally not feeling energetic. I had the last 3 1/2 days off which I've mostly spent snuggled down on the couch in front of a fire.

I am Listening to:
Currently, the dog snoring on his pet bed  and the burning fireplace. All is quiet.

I am watching:
I just watched War Room movie on Amazon. It was only $5.99 to rent but its 75% off until Monday  (here). So I paid $1.25

I am watching, part 2:
The birds at the feeder in the back yard. There are a lot of them today. The dog has been joining me in the watching, but with more interest.

I am planning:
2016 goals with Lara Casey's goal planning series here and some books I want to read in 2016.

I am planning, part 2:
Because I don't feel good, I've been slow to start putting Christmas away. It also takes extra time to organize by color, so I am deep in the middle of that and the house shows it. I am slowly getting the bins down and going at it, but they are all sitting on my dining room table, making the house look a little chaotic and unorganized.  


I am reading:
I'm between books, which is rare. I'm awaiting The Finishing School to arrive, and after seeing War Room, I'm starting Fervent.

From the Kitchen:
The last of the New Years Day left over blackeye peas, cabbage, ham and cornbread was eaten for lunch. I put beef stew in the crockpot yesterday and packaged up for lunch at work. Since I've been feeling under the weather, a friend brought me some chicken gumbo for dinner.

Quote:
"I have heard there are troubles of more than one kind, some come from ahead and some come from behind. But I've brought a big bat and I'm ready you see, now my troubles are going to have trouble with me." Dr. Seuss

I'm linked here

sephora monthly subscription

When I got the email from Sephora one morning that they now had a monthly subscription box for $10 a month. I dropped everything and went to the site to sign up. Apparently, they went fast.  A co-worker tried to get one a few hours later and they were already sold out. 

 

 

I can honestly say this is the best monthly box I get. Two months in, and I LOVE it.

November box:

• Josie Maran Argon Oil, which I already know and love and use all the time, including most recently, on a steam burn on my thumb (from making asparagus soup) after the skin began to peel.
• Stella McCarthy's perfume I loved it. Very strong rose scent. its one of my favorites. I would buy a full size but my complaint is it does not stay on long.
• Bite Beauty Lip Pencil in Rhubarb. A red that I've been wearing almost every day in December.
• Makeup Forever primer
• Buxon plumping lip gloss in Dolly. A sheer pink that smells like peppermints that immediately went into my purse and I use it every single day over the red lip pencil.
• Electric Blue eye liner pencil from Sephora.

December box:

• Viktor & Rolf's perfume: Flower bomb. I loved it. (I know I keep saying I love it, but I do! I loved everything in the boxes)
• Fresh Seaberry Moisturizing face oil. I love all oils and glad I got to try this one, but Josie Maran is still my favorite.
• Smashbox full expose eye shadow duo. Probably my favorite thing in this box. I had never used their shadow before and after trying it, I'll be looking for a palette.
• Dr Brandt pore exfoliator. I have used this before and I really like it so glad to have another little one.
• Nude Skin Care serum. What I love about this is it came in seven different sample packets, enough to use twice a day for a week. I love being able to try it out for a whole week.

The books I read in 2015

 

1. Yes, Please by Amy Poehler
2. Every Bitter thing is sweet by Sara Hagerty (she has a blog here)
3. I'll drink to that, a life in Style with a Twist by Betty Halbreich
4. Choosing the Simply Luxurious Life by Shannon Ables
5. Hebrews (a Bible Study) by Lisa Harper 
6. Orange is the New Black by Piper Kerman
7. The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
8. Carol Burnett, this time together by  Carol Burnett
9. Quiet Strength by Coach Tony Dungy
10. The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo 
11. Positive Moves by Angela Langsbury
12. Bossy Pants by Tina Fey
13. The Daniel Plan by Pastor Rick Warren
14.  Can We Talk (Bible Study) by Priscilla Shrier
15. Ann Landers Letters to my Daughter by Margo Howard
16. Lessons from Madam Chic by Jennifer L. Scott (she has a you-tube channel here)
17. Change your Clothes and Change your Life by George Brescia
18. Style and the Successful  Girl by Gretta Monahan
19. Bread and Wine by Shauna Niequist (she has a blog here)
20. The Woman I Wanted to Be by Diane Von Furstenberg
21. The Hoarder in You by Dr. Robin Zasio
22. The Best Yes by Lisa TerKeurst
23. The Fringe Hours by Jessica Turner
24. You are a Bad Ass by Jen Sincero
25. In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day by Mark Batterson
26. Lessons From Madam Chic by Jennifer L. Scott
27. Nourished by Rachel Randolph and Becky Johnson
28. Hosea (Bible Study) by Jennifer Rothchild
29. Deuteronomy (Bible Study) by Kay Arthur
30. Every Girl Guide  to Diet and Fitness by Maria Menounos
31. Empty Mansions, the Life of Hughette Clark by Bill Dedman
32. How to Use a Journal by Jim Roth
33. Lean In, by Sheryl Sanberg (also gave one to my niece)
34. For the Love by Jen Hatmaker
35. Gray Mountain by John Grisholm
36. 10 Steps to Success by Mary Kay
37. We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook by Rachel Randolph and Becky Johnson (their blog here)
38. Goodbye Survival Mode by Crystal Paine (she has a blog here)
39. Audacious by Beth Moore
40. Polish your Poise by Jennifer L. Scott
41. Positive Dog by Jon Gordon
42. Shelter for the Spirit by Victoria Moran
43. The Residence by Kate Andersen Brower
44. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
45. So We Read On by Maureen Corrigan
46. The Story
47. The Early to Rise Experiment by Andy Traub

corn casserole recipe

Like corn bread isn't delicious enough, add a stick of melted butter, cheese and corn and bake it into a casserole.

I can not stop eating it.

Simple Woman's Daybook: Christmas Eve Eve (Wednesday, Dec. 23)

I am linked here with the Simple Woman's Daybook.

Outside my window:
Rain, grey skies and warm temperatures have me downright a grump. The first year I have a working fireplace and the weather is not letting me use it. Is a sunny 40 degree day too much to ask? It is December after all.... Seriously. Christmas. Where are you?






In the kitchen:
I have a friend who is recuperating from surgery, and I've been cooking for her. I made Vegan Apricot Bars (because I still LOVE them) and Energy Balls (she specifically requested these). I also made a meatloaf and this weekend, I'm making Chicken Pot Pie Soup.

I am looking forward to:  
Pittling around the house during my four day Christmas break. I'll be changing out the blue shears to white shears (These from JC Penny) in the upstairs guest room. UPS tracker says they will be here before Christmas. I'll also continue fighting with/yelling at/pleading with/crying over the wallpaper in the master bath.

I am Reading:
This weekly column in the NY Times on the internet.
So we read on  on Audible. A book about the classic book, The Great Gatsby, and it feels like I am taking a Master Level Literature Class, and not in a good way.... Its interesting but..... its in depth and takes all your attention. I can only read a little at a time.
Lean In, by Sheryl Sandberg On Audible.  Its another deep thinking serious book., that I've tried to read for the last month. I just can not get into it. I am still trying.
Audacious by Beth Moore, the actual paper book. I think this is the best Beth Moore book she has ever written.

I am planning:
My end of the year work activities, which will include some very late office arrivals and very early office departures, planning a day sitting in a coffee shop (or more probably, the Law Library) to review 2015 goals and make some 2016 goals, and taking advantage of the after Christmas 50% off decoration shopping (staring with this white tree). 


I am a little irritated at:
A little list of the irritating things:

• The grey, rainy, warm Christmas weather.
• Starbucks. I heard you can order Vietnamese iced coffee even though its not on the menu, and every time I've tried, no one seems to know what it is. (Its ice coffee with sweetened condensed milk and it makes me gain  a lot of weight, so that's one up side to not having any)
• I've gained Christmas weight and don't feel good about it. I have no one to blame but myself, and the chocolate covered pecans in the office kitchen, and the white chocolate and peppermint Hershey kisses

 

Listening to:
24 hour Christmas music here

Favorite Quote for the day:
Fate whispers to the warrior, "you cant withstand the storm," and the warrior whispers back, "I am the storm."

BBW candle sale 2015 edition

The candle sale was the earliest I have seen it. This year it was Dec.4 and arrived on a Saturday, which I have also never seen. The price increased to $8.50 a candle.  But just like every year, when it is all over, I wish I would have bought more.

I got 13 candles and two body products and had two coupons. The body products were free and the candles were $6 each. (WHY didn't I get more?!) The limit is 15 candles, and I think my bag was just too full and heavy and I was too tired to wrestle with getting two more in my hands.

This year, unlike last year, I was able to actually pick out just exactly the ones I wanted because they had plenty of stock. The store was packed and I did have to wait in line for 40 minutes, but everyone was friendly and chatting the whole time and talking about the different coupons and the deals to be made by combining coupons and so forth. So I felt like I was surrounded by my people the whole time.

After all is said and done, my candle supplies are restocked, and I feel strangely comforted by having a full supply, and I am quite pleased with myself.

P.S... Had the annual Church Chirstmas party at my house this weekend and burned the "Joy" candle (peppermint marshmallow) and everyone raved (raved!) about how good my house smelled. Had a few people threaten to smuggle some candles out, but I think my stash is still safe.

a very little black friday shopping

The outcome of too much food/wine at an office Thanksgiving party on Wednesday and an entire day of feeling rotten and sleeping a lot on Thursday combined with so many online with free shipping sales and accepting a date for Friday made Black Friday shopping rather slim this year.  

Typically, Black Friday is an important day in my life. This year it was not. It was very low key. I just did not feeeeeeeeellll  like going out to the Outlet Mall or the regular Mall or anywhere else really. It was a slow day, and not a typical Black Friday for me.

I did get a few things at the Sephora $10 sale. A few of the items I snagged (or thought I snagged) disappeared from my online cart before I could check out, which I thought as really rude.  I ended up with the things below: A set of three Sephora Masks, a set of three Living Proof hair care items and Tarte blush and illuminizer. I had about three other items that apparently sold out before I could complete my order. The three items I did manage to get, I absolutely love all of them. I made good choices.

I tried to shop on line at ULTA but the things I wanted were already gone.

I also ended up at TJ Maxx to finally buy this little Coach pouch for my purse. I've been eyeing it for weeks and told myself if it was still there, I was going to buy it. It was $24, which I think is really expensive, but it is a real Coach (my ONLY Coach product) and I rationalized it by telling myself it would costs three times that much if it weren't at TJ Maxx and I'd probably have it for the next 20 years.  Both of which are true.

I also had a leisurely stroll through Lowes with a guy, getting some needed small house project type things, that had nothing to do with Black Friday, then had an equally slow lunch and Starbucks trip with the same guy, both not Black Friday related, but none the less, was my Black Friday activities.