tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67668162536200807412023-11-16T06:21:05.264-05:00con•tent•ment"The willingness to be and to have just what God wants us to be and to have, nothing more, nothing less, and nothing else, would set our hearts at rest, and we would discover that the simpler the life the greater the peace."
~Elisabeth ElliotJennifer Hootshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16757290424217660803noreply@blogger.comBlogger236125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6766816253620080741.post-8075477656849977292020-09-21T15:37:00.000-04:002020-09-21T15:37:31.997-04:00Jump Back In<p> Hello Friends! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkKjwX_v_rCTPwMVyBhE35cj77PwUOAKf4ViHTIoggwX5PCz0-y8XXlLwYNPqiZ9GGARZemtoNxDbdeib3PUdLM2UQC5_9ft6FcJXExPs0l-lL_VHstg_m9xd8hflJAVa62p8XV-mKVCk1/s2048/fullsizeoutput_1003.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkKjwX_v_rCTPwMVyBhE35cj77PwUOAKf4ViHTIoggwX5PCz0-y8XXlLwYNPqiZ9GGARZemtoNxDbdeib3PUdLM2UQC5_9ft6FcJXExPs0l-lL_VHstg_m9xd8hflJAVa62p8XV-mKVCk1/s320/fullsizeoutput_1003.jpeg" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>This is the last week of summer, a profound statement to be sure. Six months ago, my husband came home to work. Six months. And I am not sure why that is so mind-blowing, except that it is! Slowly though, life is resembling normal. We have been attending church in person with my parents. Glory! We have trimmed way back our usual commitments. I am on a leave of absence from my ladies bunco group. I am not in Sunday school. We still Zoom our small group meetings. But, I can see a glimmer of hope when going to the grocery store and all is well there with the stock. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLaXY7SJWvy03m-dxsi3evGDw3zWC_GDmxa09rPsR_RuXL6bgykXXspSxKLOMyn-HIAGr_FPKdan2HsleaV-4p0oqkvnx2mHcASsuo_jFtZ7sXgvfA8pUlNEdcS7LB8PKs4czulEQMWscK/s2048/fullsizeoutput_1004.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLaXY7SJWvy03m-dxsi3evGDw3zWC_GDmxa09rPsR_RuXL6bgykXXspSxKLOMyn-HIAGr_FPKdan2HsleaV-4p0oqkvnx2mHcASsuo_jFtZ7sXgvfA8pUlNEdcS7LB8PKs4czulEQMWscK/s320/fullsizeoutput_1004.jpeg" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>We truly are enjoying a new rhythm of life. We have found it so enjoyable to visit our college kids. This past Saturday we spent with our oldest. After a leisurely lunch with extended family, we played 18 rounds of disc golf, his favorite sport. Then we all enjoyed a trip to Dairy Queen. We took him to the grocery store and loaded him up. (Yes, there goes my grocery savings, Shani! Haha!). But I don't mind. It was a joy to get him restocked. He doesn't have a meal plan this year, also no car, and he finds it hard to carry groceries on the bus. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMsZJBXmbMMbT1ONdFXJ34N5vkyx6QDK7Pr4SYuNNXHQs6gfD5Q5UQm2guQtFRwloOEwbKN1YbSH78MveE_6MC0JTs7KQz4rsHJPJXLci2-kjz-uHXCTcNW9Yg_nrzKNTnk4ktuS89CfKi/s2048/fullsizeoutput_f78.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMsZJBXmbMMbT1ONdFXJ34N5vkyx6QDK7Pr4SYuNNXHQs6gfD5Q5UQm2guQtFRwloOEwbKN1YbSH78MveE_6MC0JTs7KQz4rsHJPJXLci2-kjz-uHXCTcNW9Yg_nrzKNTnk4ktuS89CfKi/s320/fullsizeoutput_f78.jpeg" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>The weekend before last, we trotted up to see our youngest at his school. He decided that he wanted the mini-fridge that a friend had gifted us, so it was our pleasure to bring it to him and take him to lunch. We did not stay too long but it was so good to see him. He is doing so well and we are very thankful. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVjbsg1u3-E_zjAHFgrzFazCZzJSDTOJBxOtpVXkUzGnOZixquMee8k6-SPkLZ6VHQMIfohnyCMeEkszrPdKWKLkLX4DOA6kDJUlKjBFS-UGRqIfBEoBo5hSMm5hHEfoUuvnSEPdJs_mXe/s2048/62207292666__A5E34D55-7181-4506-9AC7-B1D9C65E1C3A.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVjbsg1u3-E_zjAHFgrzFazCZzJSDTOJBxOtpVXkUzGnOZixquMee8k6-SPkLZ6VHQMIfohnyCMeEkszrPdKWKLkLX4DOA6kDJUlKjBFS-UGRqIfBEoBo5hSMm5hHEfoUuvnSEPdJs_mXe/s320/62207292666__A5E34D55-7181-4506-9AC7-B1D9C65E1C3A.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>Soon it will be Grace's turn for a visit! And then they will all be home for 6 weeks at Thanksgiving. And then I am adding a newborn to my side-gig! I will so enjoy those newborn snuggles again. I will have 3 littles to keep me busy at home. And BOOM 2020 will be history!! </p><p>Until next time!</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Jennifer Hootshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16757290424217660803noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6766816253620080741.post-74898190853381019332020-08-27T08:24:00.000-04:002020-08-27T08:24:09.948-04:00And They're Gone! <p> For the last few years, I'd let my mind wander to where I am right now with no children at home. I imagined great angst, maybe even a break down of sorts. But here I am and all I feel is overwhelming pride in my fine young adults! And, dare I say, I am actually enjoying the first week of our empty nest! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioTE9uKltD_Ly0MUn0H9y_ZUGVmhCyzjJCbXlcF_nHMndjXia8JWkILgF-VFydesPRsxhrQ1opPx6K8zi7P-fG6oXSyJ3CDYeh7JHOxLYoPCK_ZI4t8RyNJ9wT7_dFrjhM5ON4RB_VmBtn/s2048/fullsizeoutput_ea9.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioTE9uKltD_Ly0MUn0H9y_ZUGVmhCyzjJCbXlcF_nHMndjXia8JWkILgF-VFydesPRsxhrQ1opPx6K8zi7P-fG6oXSyJ3CDYeh7JHOxLYoPCK_ZI4t8RyNJ9wT7_dFrjhM5ON4RB_VmBtn/s640/fullsizeoutput_ea9.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>Food bills were getting out of hand the last 5 months with 5 mouths to feed. Now it is just us two! I can cook what I want and no one complains. I open the pantry and it looks bare compared to when all of us were home. The freezer is also able to circulate air. I only buy what foods Jeff and I like. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHAqqb6iRF68aAWdk8yY8VSxlHPRDesGORemGpJh89on-uXEAAqx45zvmLyyK2t5Im2H8vKKHCHCNyzDmYfE7YgmP1RFvjhzZNPWavZ7QdplATvQ4tSw-UGBQTV93sLKND410Hgk1YfPPq/s2048/IMG_7286.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1539" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHAqqb6iRF68aAWdk8yY8VSxlHPRDesGORemGpJh89on-uXEAAqx45zvmLyyK2t5Im2H8vKKHCHCNyzDmYfE7YgmP1RFvjhzZNPWavZ7QdplATvQ4tSw-UGBQTV93sLKND410Hgk1YfPPq/s640/IMG_7286.JPG" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>The house is tidy unless we make a mess! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZP1qEdIs-qiN-orYWVY5Yf7W5g8qcO3PTwTQJszaX4MEbO0SAtalXBZCSz2JAE4ecd3pEOp25OsPSf4jk-2N2s8Q0rPfwLc-m7OQESnnRH6i6i-yokdMKc4AKNiSxH1-X9zF79WgMJYUa/s2048/fullsizeoutput_eed.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1535" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZP1qEdIs-qiN-orYWVY5Yf7W5g8qcO3PTwTQJszaX4MEbO0SAtalXBZCSz2JAE4ecd3pEOp25OsPSf4jk-2N2s8Q0rPfwLc-m7OQESnnRH6i6i-yokdMKc4AKNiSxH1-X9zF79WgMJYUa/s640/fullsizeoutput_eed.jpeg" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>Laundry is done in a snap. I can start a load at 6 AM if I want. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTa0nsmJEnWy1a7tzacfCl1ya99CHDRr1ZlYOscgFEZmsYx_pfN09HvsNQ17Qrj-KKnUcRuKOIeUhW8vy6EFn1NYMPO42xtAU6rO5LZbPguX7GkHOBPyp-RoOi5NR_va_0QMF9aO96EAPt/s2048/IMG_7251.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTa0nsmJEnWy1a7tzacfCl1ya99CHDRr1ZlYOscgFEZmsYx_pfN09HvsNQ17Qrj-KKnUcRuKOIeUhW8vy6EFn1NYMPO42xtAU6rO5LZbPguX7GkHOBPyp-RoOi5NR_va_0QMF9aO96EAPt/s640/IMG_7251.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>Dishwasher runs once a day, not on the hour. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyr4cJuG2lmqidKAzltJlLNHbJIno-TNBXNOTbHA553nKyFctdNzPStxe5tyPP90hrUwqLYOwii-5cvQaq3J0HfIMnIFctaYy0GgBNfgfBCej-ug3L9IPJRRDh6O3W-AG2IRvvDLL1B9qp/s2048/fullsizeoutput_eab.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyr4cJuG2lmqidKAzltJlLNHbJIno-TNBXNOTbHA553nKyFctdNzPStxe5tyPP90hrUwqLYOwii-5cvQaq3J0HfIMnIFctaYy0GgBNfgfBCej-ug3L9IPJRRDh6O3W-AG2IRvvDLL1B9qp/s640/fullsizeoutput_eab.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>We can change our minds about going here or there and not have to check with anyone but ourselves. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgndG71LuqmAuJ96JFxY7NSRmnfGT_KCTuzU-WWrv_n6hMPZm3Kuww2JfLFgBtSnIMg5-iwBckZsRSCrHrRVrAwcDAf7xgyQenbJceHHw21rBW6udmpUva5B7qUJOnnZ-_JktV8atDU94v8/s1280/IMG_7237.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgndG71LuqmAuJ96JFxY7NSRmnfGT_KCTuzU-WWrv_n6hMPZm3Kuww2JfLFgBtSnIMg5-iwBckZsRSCrHrRVrAwcDAf7xgyQenbJceHHw21rBW6udmpUva5B7qUJOnnZ-_JktV8atDU94v8/s640/IMG_7237.JPG" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>No one is up late chatting or playing guitar in the loft outside our bedroom. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQCcFSUqhFwIzHVf8F6mMKaooNMBkS1XLHZvOjvPM08PNYWZs7eowVZdwCUA0i6DcMgywZfIDGY6IrltOQCH0a1gXL5RhuiYLMvY8hUJwgoZiZbeH6j7FKRJna4XaybMwYajDvbS05tuDI/s2048/fullsizeoutput_ec3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1535" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQCcFSUqhFwIzHVf8F6mMKaooNMBkS1XLHZvOjvPM08PNYWZs7eowVZdwCUA0i6DcMgywZfIDGY6IrltOQCH0a1gXL5RhuiYLMvY8hUJwgoZiZbeH6j7FKRJna4XaybMwYajDvbS05tuDI/s640/fullsizeoutput_ec3.jpeg" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>These are only a few of the things I have noticed. Of course, I miss them. I hate not being a part of their daily lives. I am just happy that I am going to be OK and I look forward to having them back at Thanksgiving. </p>Jennifer Hootshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16757290424217660803noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6766816253620080741.post-1496340461104391762020-07-25T16:14:00.000-04:002020-07-25T16:29:37.388-04:00Summertime, Socially Distanced of Course<br />
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Our summer is quickly coming to an end with schools starting soon. Our oldest goes back to college in two weeks! The youngest goes in three weeks and our middle goes in 4. Three kids at 3 different schools is fun, really. I am thankful they are all in-state. We are 1 hour and 15 minutes from two of the schools and 1 hour 30 minutes from the other. They are just far enough away that coming home is possible but not likely to happen too often. For the first month, they will stay put and we will come to them if they need anything. The semester will go quickly as they will all be home for 8 weeks the end of November. Already looking forward to it! </div>
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Monday our state becomes a masked state. I know it is a controversy, especially if you have clinical reasons not to wear a mask. I just wear mine and go about my life. Hopefully, this trial will ease some soon. </div>
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We did manage to get up to Lake Michigan for a day trip on Jeff's staycation week. We were able to avoid the crowded beach. We had a yummy lunch at one of our favorite restaurants. We walked up a dune trail. We sat on the beach and read books while Grace produced a lovely watercolor. I never want to take for granted again these times with my kids at the beach. I was tempted to despair a little. I wanted a week at the beach, not 3 hours! But I realized that 3 hours was more than some get so I needed to be thankful for them. </div>
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We have been riding our bikes, playing disc golf, walking to the little park when the weather is not unbearable. We were going to go camping but the weather turned super hot and humid so we have put that on hold for September and October. I am looking forward to camping this fall, something Jeff and I can do together without children. </div>
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Speaking of the empty nest, since the kids have been home since March, I am ready to send them off! It is time for them to be working towards something productive. Yes, I will miss the daily interactions. I will probably not hear from the oldest very often. I will eagerly await any and all text messages. Thankfully, I have been down this road a couple times now and I am prepared for the emotional toll. I am actually looking forward to a few of the perks of the empty nest, especially, less food to buy and fewer dishes to wash. It has been 22 years since Jeff and I lived alone. </div>
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Summertime freedom is almost over but there is still a lot of summer left to enjoy! </div>
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Jennifer Hootshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16757290424217660803noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6766816253620080741.post-16116407838957481002020-07-05T11:32:00.000-04:002020-07-05T11:32:06.939-04:00Wherein We Finish Homeschooling <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Gf3xKuADhysNOumGcz1DzvZGxeZTgTHlkK6vY9OFsPank4HoFWDIcmNh9TPbn3Mpl1adUJEUxa5-eD0W9rI-oLa1G1R92iPm076Fb2qdR4GbnwR1VAtmUmEP1oqkI42pJpiUCAb9LI2W/s1600/headshot2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Gf3xKuADhysNOumGcz1DzvZGxeZTgTHlkK6vY9OFsPank4HoFWDIcmNh9TPbn3Mpl1adUJEUxa5-eD0W9rI-oLa1G1R92iPm076Fb2qdR4GbnwR1VAtmUmEP1oqkI42pJpiUCAb9LI2W/s320/headshot2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Congratulations, Trevor!</td></tr>
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Wow. We are celebrating our last graduation from high school. I am so proud of this young man. He's been a real trouper with all the canceled milestones his senior year. Thankfully, his first semester at Purdue University is still a go. It will be challenging for college students to adjust to social distancing away from home. The semester will end online at home, as well at Thanksgiving break, no other holidays either! You can be sure I will be on my knees for this young man as he takes his next steps towards adulthood. Go Trevor!! Jennifer Hootshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16757290424217660803noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6766816253620080741.post-19378340333654657202020-05-01T20:17:00.000-04:002020-05-01T20:17:45.732-04:00SpeechlessBack in December, we were hosting our small group, sitting around chatting after our meeting. One dear friend, who happens to be Chinese, was telling us about this terrible virus and how it was impacting her family back in China, a lockdown no less! I blurted out with a laugh, "Oh that would never go over here in the US!" I laughed it off and went about my life until it did indeed impact my life weeks later. <br />
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I have been quiet here, digesting these changes. I do not think many people could have expected this level of upheaval. I do not feel qualified to write about such a deep topic either. I am not able to do it justice with my writing skills. Yet, I feel compelled to write something as this space is in part a record of my life. Someday I would want to look back and remember these difficult times. <br />
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I am first of all so thankful that we are all healthy at this moment in time. We have the privilege to shelter at home. My husband is working from home. My children are able to complete their semesters online from home. I have a bonus time with my college students. I am continuing to babysit as my babies have essential workers for parents. I have food and can buy more when I need to. I am able to worship at home with my church online. I even have toilet paper, hee hee. <br />
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This virus has taken from my family little in comparison to others. My heart aches for those who have lost loved ones, jobs, homes, security, wedding days. We have a senior who is not going to have his in-person graduation and a big celebration like his siblings. Thankfully, he is taking it all in stride. <br />
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I have gained a deeper degree of thankfulness for the things I find at the grocery store. Before the pandemic, I was spoiled. I had thousands of choices. I could count on getting what I wanted when I wanted, how I wanted. Spoiled! Now, I am so happy to just have what we need and a lot of what we want. Those early days, I was shocked to find empty shelves and being unable to find simple things like hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes, toilet paper, paper towels, eggs, milk, chicken, and many other things, Finally, grocery stores put limits on things and we all were able to get restocked. Just amazing. I hope that I do not take this for granted again. <br />
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Everyone is talking about a "new normal." I know the world has changed. Our state is reopening and I am eager to get back to a life that includes going to church, seeing my family, and getting a haircut. <br />
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Take care,<br />
JennJennifer Hootshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16757290424217660803noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6766816253620080741.post-89012901340749357722020-03-07T15:45:00.000-05:002020-03-07T15:45:47.643-05:00Saving My Sanity Right NowCurbside pick-up!<br />
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I don't know about you, but routine grocery shopping has never been something I love to do. I say routine, because, I did love grocery shopping with my dear husband when grocery shopping dates were a thing. We used to go to Trader Joe and Costco while the kids were at youth activities at church. Those were the days! Now, well, shopping is my sole job and I prefer to be as quick as possible. Enter curbside pickup!<br />
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First, you put a fun little app on your phone to build your list as you go. All I have to do is notice that I am running low on an item, quickly grab my phone and add it to my list. I don't have to spend time thinking about what we need. As the week goes along, I see my bill rising. Sometimes the growing total prompts me to take off an item or two to keep under budget. It's rather useful as a budgeting tool. I have also taken my app out when shopping at another store to compare prices. <br />
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Once my list is finished, I reserve my time slot and wait for my grocery fairies to go to work for me. There are a few things I usually like to pick out myself, so I still go to another smaller store to get those things, fresh produce and meat on sale. But that trip is quick and usually a few days later so I can also pick up anything that we may be low on at the moment or is a better deal at that store. I am usually out and about anyway so I can make this an easy stop. <br />
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At the appointed hour, I hop into my van, drive 7 minutes to the big box store and wait for the nice, friendly people to load me up. I actually cannot imagine walking around a big grocery store gathering all this stuff all by myself! I used to do that with 3 kids??? Another perk is that sometimes my darling husband will stop and pick up the groceries for me on his way home. I do not like to use this option very often because I would rather have him home as soon as possible, but it is a good plan B. <br />
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So, that's my current sanity saver! Do you use grocery pickup? Do you have anything saving your sanity right now? Jennifer Hootshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16757290424217660803noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6766816253620080741.post-78669625483042593842020-02-22T13:43:00.000-05:002020-02-22T13:43:01.561-05:00Let's Talk About RoutinesHello friends! Like a lot of homemakers, I have been all over the place with routines in my 25 years of being home. Probably like most people, I go for spurts and then life happens and I get off track. When I first found <a href="http://www.flylady.net/c/lp.php" target="_blank">Fly Lady</a>, back in the days of homeschooling littles, I thought my life was set!! I had found my guru!! I remember printing out routines each week with a grid labeled Monday through Sunday. Nothing would make me happier than checking those boxes off. And I think along the way I learned to be more organized. <br />
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Flash forward to this past year, again with littles and a house that needs my attention. (Just an aside here, this stage of life is hard. As moms, we labor to raise our babies, teaching them to do chores alongside us, and they grow up and become a vital part of the housekeeping team, but then they leave you but said chores do not go away! So here I am with work to do and fewer hands to do the work.) <br />
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It came to my attention a few months ago that dear Fly Lady now has a free smartphone app. Glory be! All her routines in one place and I can add my own for customization! Plus I can check them off as I go, a win. <br />
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Right now, my goal is to have my morning routine done before babies arrive between 8 and 8:15AM. It goes better if I get up at 5:30, but I have not mastered that yet. <br />
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Morning Routine<br />
<ul>
<li>Make bed</li>
<li>Ride bike 20-30 minutes</li>
<li>Get dressed to shoes (includes a shower, teeth, etc...) </li>
<li>Eat breakfast</li>
<li>Empty dishwasher</li>
<li>Start a load of laundry</li>
<li>Kitty box #1</li>
<li>Cat bowls changed </li>
<li>Swish & swipe bathroom(s)</li>
<li>Powder room reboot</li>
<li>Adjust thermostat</li>
<li>Talk to my precious mom</li>
</ul>
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Then, I try to get my afternoon routine done by the end of naptime, usually 3PM. <br />
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Afternoon Routine</div>
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<ul>
<li>What's for dinner?</li>
<li>What can I do now to make dinner easier later? (<a href="http://www.thelazygeniuscollective.com/" target="_blank">Lazy Genius</a> question)</li>
<li>Drink your water ( my cue to refill my water bottle)</li>
<li>Reboot laundry</li>
<li>Fold clothes</li>
<li>Homeschool paperwork/emails </li>
<li>Sweep kitchen</li>
<li>Be a reader!</li>
</ul>
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I am usually pretty good at getting both morning and afternoon routines done, but my after-dinner routine suffers at times, depending on if there is an after-dinner activity or a dreadful attack of apathy occurs. My future self depends on this routine happening, but so far it is the hardest to make happen. <br />
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After Dinner/Before Bed Routine</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Check calendar and forecast</li>
<li>Hot spot clean up (dining room table is usually the worst offender)</li>
<li>Shine your sink</li>
<li>Vacuum living room, set up for babies (I do this in the morning a lot.) </li>
<li>Personal hygiene</li>
<li>Go to bed at a decent hour</li>
<li>Kitty box #2</li>
<li>Put away laundry</li>
<li>Bible</li>
</ul>
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I am blessed to have Mondays off to get errands run, appointments made, groceries bought and my house blessed. The key to Fly Lady's weekly home blessing is to do the middles! Set your timer for 15 minutes and quickly go through each item. It does take me longer than an hour but I do not mind. Fly Lady also breaks the house into 5 zones and there are lists to do in each zone as well as weekly missions. I am hit or miss on those. She suggests a daily 15 minute decluttering, but I try to at least do a weekly one. This summer I plan to do a daily one in the garage. I need to purge in there but it is too cold right now. <br />
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My Weekly Home Blessing</div>
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<ul>
<li>Vacuum</li>
<li>Dust</li>
<li>Mop</li>
<li>Windows/sliding glass door</li>
<li>Trash/recycling</li>
<li>Tend to plants (water, fertilize) </li>
<li>Change sheets</li>
<li>Change bath towels</li>
<li>Save the veggies (My own reminder)</li>
<li>Declutter in this week's zone </li>
</ul>
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How about you? Do you have routines? Do you wing it? I'd love to know. :) </div>
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Jennifer Hootshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16757290424217660803noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6766816253620080741.post-86807977118263465022020-02-16T14:15:00.000-05:002020-02-16T14:15:17.361-05:00Five Things Making Me Happy This WeekLet's just jump in, shall we?<br />
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1. FaceTime!<br />
Regularly we have FaceTime calls with Grace and I love it. Valentine's Day, we set my phone in her spot at the table and talked away as we enjoyed our meal. It really is almost like she is with us. This is the best gift she could give me! We frequently text, but nothing compares to seeing her smile and hearing her melodious voice.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7_Sm4a-WEIbILrgYuZOm3WMxFfIb77-ajXzj2-x6j9q0sSgYm0m6WpspR1Lkn5007sfDzvRcb9r4O3sCVStIVPVijPY7fF1w_22WlkCmLb4-fYMZZkb7huTFutwD2f_jqGoedVGijCe9P/s1600/60341393910__55BDE532-5694-429F-8002-93FF522DD6C0.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7_Sm4a-WEIbILrgYuZOm3WMxFfIb77-ajXzj2-x6j9q0sSgYm0m6WpspR1Lkn5007sfDzvRcb9r4O3sCVStIVPVijPY7fF1w_22WlkCmLb4-fYMZZkb7huTFutwD2f_jqGoedVGijCe9P/s320/60341393910__55BDE532-5694-429F-8002-93FF522DD6C0.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pretending I have a woodstove. </td></tr>
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2. My Fly Lady routines.<br />
This might be a whole other post soon. I just can't say enough about how having good routines will get you through the day that ends up successful. I have 3 routines, morning, afternoon and after dinner. They are essential! More soon.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3kJyL_TUqFcdlNAgEImOAPGeJJhyphenhypheni8HRJcFqqNvkgM5kwRthk7QYmvRR11LX3toAfiEIuPAZYf96xES77cPHH3kZqAfwOqjSUhXQrK1hOdlFqAU2pU-PJBBJPml7ZkRSf6OU9l7eSiHYF/s1600/60340976548__1A9D0F66-4CD7-499C-BB78-C01E1BC14E36.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3kJyL_TUqFcdlNAgEImOAPGeJJhyphenhypheni8HRJcFqqNvkgM5kwRthk7QYmvRR11LX3toAfiEIuPAZYf96xES77cPHH3kZqAfwOqjSUhXQrK1hOdlFqAU2pU-PJBBJPml7ZkRSf6OU9l7eSiHYF/s320/60340976548__1A9D0F66-4CD7-499C-BB78-C01E1BC14E36.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Valentine's Day gift!</td></tr>
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3. My Instant Pot!<br />
I know. I can't say enough about my IP. Just this week I have made soup, yogurt, chicken stock, and cheesecake. It would have been more but when I am making yogurt it is tied up for 9 hours plus time in the refrigerator, so I had to use my oven and my cast iron dutch oven this week, too. Haha. My 6 quart IP is on loan to a friend who is enjoying it so much that if she can fit 2 racks of ribs in it she will keep it. Otherwise, she will buy herself an 8 quart. I have enjoyed helping her overcome her fears of the pressure cooker and see her soar this week!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trevor hard at work. </td></tr>
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4. My Kindle.<br />
I am reading again. I am out of my drought!! Currently, I am reading <u>A Gentleman in Moscow </u>by Amor Towles. So far it is a pretty good book with an interesting plot. One of my Fly Lady routines in the afternoon is "Be a reader." I decided that if I was indeed a reader, the way to read was to set aside some of naptime for reading a chapter as well as other things I need to get done without babies. It has been working!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tea after an arduous snowy carpool. </td></tr>
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5. My stationary bike.<br />
Another routine that is serving me well is getting on my stationary bike every workday morning. Moving wakes me up at the early hour of 5:45. For a couple of weeks, I was either sick or nursing a sore knee so I was so happy to be back up to over 50 miles this week. I do not take it for granted being able to ride. <br />
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So there you have the 5 things that are making me happy this week. <br />
~Jenn<br />
<br />Jennifer Hootshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16757290424217660803noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6766816253620080741.post-74338279931198953072020-02-09T14:45:00.000-05:002020-02-09T14:45:23.486-05:00Visiting Grace Yesterday, Trevor and I made the one hour, 15-minute drive to see our dear Grace at her university. She was eager to see us, although it had only been a couple weeks. I love that!<br />
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She wanted to get off campus so we took her to the mall so she could spend Christmas money on a new dress and matching sweater. Then we had lunch. Dorm food is good but she enjoyed the change. What she really wanted was my food. Next time I will have to make that happen. They do have a dorm kitchen I could use. That would be a lot of fun to do together. <br />
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After lunch, we cheated and I drove us to a parking space in a central location, another way to spoil her as she is used to walking 5 miles a day now. We walked to the student center and I treated us to BIG Starbucks drinks, more spoiling, ha. We hung out and chatted until it was time to walk over to the school's amazing art museum. <br />
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She was so excited to give us a tour before the actual tour by a docent that happens each Saturday. Grace has spent hours at the museum sketching. It has an impressive collection on two floors, 10,000 objects! The building itself is art. It was built in the 1930s and has been restored, just a delight!<br />
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The guided tour was very interesting. I always learn a lot on museum tours. This one focused on the funerary art of all things! Side note: does it concern anyone else that we have taken these objects from their original location, from their original purpose, to mark the grave of a person. I mean, what if a thousand years from now people from Italy come here and take our grave markers back to their museums? Oh well.<br />
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After the tour, we headed back to her dorm to visit with her sweet roommate, play Uno, and relax until it was time for yet more food. Again I drove us to the dining hall of choice. Another little note here, Grace's dorm is the farthest away from the center of campus and it does not have a dining hall. They are building a dining hall nearby but it is not open yet. She has to walk quite far to eat. <br />
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Her roommate joined us. We enjoyed a little more conversation and food and then it was time to drop them off at the dorm and head home. I do not love driving that far in the dark but it could not be helped. Only three weeks until her spring break!!! <br />
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<br />Jennifer Hootshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16757290424217660803noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6766816253620080741.post-69616078719027473122020-02-03T14:30:00.000-05:002020-02-03T14:44:32.138-05:00Good-bye January, Hello February!<span style="font-size: large;">I am not going to lie, winter is not my favorite season. I used to think it was the cold, but now I think it revolves around lack of light. Winter is the season of darkness! Thankfully, I have learned to endure and even thrive. So it is with a happy heart that I bid farewell to January! February is here! I am one month closer to spring. Rejoice!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">One of my favorite podcasts is <a href="https://emilypfreeman.com/podcast/" target="_blank">The Next Right Thing Podcast</a> with Emily P. Freeman. She sends out a newsletter as well. Emily has the great practice of looking back and reflecting on her past month in order to move forward into the next. Here are her 3 questions for January and my attempt to answer them as well. </span><br />
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<strong style="line-height: 1.5em;">1. What was my most life-giving yes in January?</strong></div>
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<strong style="line-height: 1.5em;">2. What was my most life-giving no in January?</strong></div>
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<strong style="line-height: 1.5em;">3. What's one thing I want to leave behind moving into February?</strong></div>
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What was my most life-giving yes in January? I think it has to be saying yes to Fly Lady again. Installing her app and actually making a promise to myself to do the daily routines has given me life. Last week I fell sick. The babies had a cold, I was doomed. Yet, my simple and life-giving routines kept me moving forward. Last Monday, my hardest physically speaking, I literally just did one thing, checked it off and sat down until I could do the next thing. I got through my whole routines that day and my whole world felt better. To borrow a phrase from Gretchen Rubin, "Outer order equals inner calm." I did not get the whole house clean last week, but I did get to what mattered most. My family even remarked at how well we ate while I was sick, thank you Instant Pot! </div>
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What was my most life-giving no in January? I struggle saying no. When I know that I have to or should say no, it can even wake me up at night, especially if I really care about the person I need to say no to. In January I had to say no to a couple future babysitting dates to a precious family member. I knew that it was possible to do the work but I would be dreading it for weeks and then the actual dates would come and I would be overwhelmed with 3 babies, all one-year-old. I hated to say no but after I did, I knew I had just saved my sanity! I wish I could do it all, but I can't. Know your limits! </div>
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What's one thing I want to leave behind moving into February? I felt a great deal of despair while I was sick the last 10 days. Despair on top of wintery blues is what I want to leave behind. I tend to catastrophize when I am sick, even with a cold. I wonder at how people with real sicknesses manage to cope? I start to think about changing careers, changing locations, wishing I could stop the world and hide until I was well. See? Ha! And then I start to feel better and the sun shines and I am feeling like living my life again. I know I will get sick again, that is life. I want to move into February without all the weight of those feelings. They are past. February is a new start. I am healthy again. Time to look for ways to enjoy this season that I am in. </div>
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And there we have January! </div>
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~Jenn </div>
Jennifer Hootshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16757290424217660803noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6766816253620080741.post-73913358791913739202020-01-24T20:31:00.000-05:002020-01-24T20:31:48.043-05:00CURRENTLYLong ago in the blogging world of old, the group of us would all fill in how we were doing "currently." My friend <a href="http://prairiedays.blogspot.com/2020/01/currently.html" target="_blank">Jane</a> popped up with hers last week, so I am joining in the fun for old time's sake. 😀<br />
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Weather:<br />
We saw the middle 40's today! Tomorrow we are expecting to accumulate snow. This has been an odd winter for us with warmer weather and no snow. I do not mind so much. It is cloudy so it doesn't feel as warm as a sunny day in the 40's would. <br />
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Feeling:<br />
I am feeling a bit stiff today. I have increased my stationary bike milage to 50 miles a week and I am feeling it in my legs today. Plus carrying toddlers up the stairs to naps and rebooting the laundry a couple times, my legs are telling me to take a rest tomorrow. I love my bike though. It helps me wake up at 5:40 AM each weekday!<br />
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Wearing:<br />
My standard uniform for baby duty is dark yoga pants, a long-sleeved t-shirt, a zippered sweater jacket, my comfy clogs. I have to be able to get on the floor to play, so comfort is a must. Plus, I get noses wiped on me and little mouths chewing on me all day long. <br />
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Watching:<br />
The Price is Right with my husband. Ever since the hospital, we have watched almost every day! It is weird, I know. It is nostalgic, I guess. Don't judge me. Haha. <br />
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Listening to:<br />
The dishwasher going for the second time today and I am so thankful. <br />
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Doing:<br />
Besides watching TV and writing this post, I am relaxing after a long 4 days of baby duty. So my answer is trying not to do anything at the moment. <br />
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Reading:<br />
I just finished my first book of the year today, <u>The Diary of a Bookseller </u>by Shaun Bythell. Now I am not saying to rush out and get this book. It is a non-fiction title written by a sarcastic, worldly bookseller. The reason I read it was because I have a habit of reading books about books. I am not sure why I read them. I am usually disappointed. This one was interesting because it explained the plight of the independent bookseller and how Amazon has wrecked their business. That is why I kept reading. <br />
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Cooking:<br />
Well, I made a really good meal today, even after having the babies! Thanks to my Instant Pot, I made chicken breasts in gravy, mashed potatoes, and a blend of vegetables. Tomorrow I will make yogurt. I should make soup, too. <br />
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Planning:<br />
Not sure if I am actively planning much at the moment. I have a graduation party to plan for in June. I am doing a little gathering of photos at the moment and thinking about what I need to be doing to make it not so hard all at once. I have the venue secured and the date. I need to get a photographer for senior pictures this spring. And I can't forget to order the cap and gown soon. May will be here before I know it. <br />
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Working on:<br />
I am working on getting more consistent with the housework. Three weeks ago I started using the Fly Lady app. I have been a follower of her for many, many years. Lately, I had been slacking off, just doing what had to be done to keep up with appearances. Hahaha. I love how her system is "start where you are." If I don't get to it this week, it will cycle back soon enough. The advantage of her app is that I can check off things each day. Since I have been using her app, I can say that I am getting more done and things look better. I also have a motto that I adopted and that is, "If I see it needs to be done, do it now!" So hard! <br />
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Crafting:<br />
Ha! I am lucky to be reading books, my only hobby at the moment. <br />
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Thinking:<br />
I am thinking about too many things! There is the looming graduation, adding a new baby this fall, praying I don't get the sick baby's cold, will it snow tomorrow, where will Trevor decide to go to college in the fall... am I going to lose my mind when he goes!!! <br />
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Loving:<br />
Like many people, I am loving Walmart pick up!! I cannot live without it. I do walk through another store for fresh vegetables and meat on sale but that is quick and painless now. <br />
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Celebrating:<br />
Jeff's feeling better and getting stronger. It is a gift! Life is a gift.<br />
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Grateful:<br />
I am so grateful that my Jeff is feeling better. I am over the moon happy and grateful that Grace is doing so well at her school, making friends, learning a lot. We got to have her home over the recent long weekend. I am so thankful that I have meaningful work to do. I am thankful that Trevor has gotten over a stomach bug and no one else got it. Jennifer Hootshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16757290424217660803noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6766816253620080741.post-11703777678687199242020-01-17T06:00:00.000-05:002020-01-17T06:00:00.336-05:00Instant Pot Update<a href="https://6diamondsintherough.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Sally</a> asked if I love my new Instant Pot? So I thought it would be a good time for an update. I will tell you straight out that I do love my IP but I will not tell you to run out and get one. If your old tried and true slow cooker stops working, I would have you think long and hard about getting an IP to replace it, however. And to tell a little secret, I actually am on my second IP! My dear mom got me a bigger (8 quart) one with a yogurt button for Christmas and I gave her my first one.<br />
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What do I love most about my IP? It is so versatile. It does what it says it will do! I kind of doubted one machine could do so much. I was a resister, against the fad kind of a person. Now I am on the bus! Haha.<br />
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I have never had juicier "roasted" chicken! Never. It falls off the bone in just 30 minutes of cooking. (Insert asterisk here. When they say it is 30 minutes that doesn't count the time to reach high pressure nor the time for release.) But still, it is more consistent and pretty easy.<br />
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I love making rice in it. I hated to make <a href="https://pressureluckcooking.com/recipe/instant-pot-brown-rice/" target="_blank">brown rice</a> and we can't eat white, so I would make it sporadically. The first time I made brown rice in the IP I thought I had done something wrong because it was so fluffy. And it is done so much faster than on the stovetop*. No more stovetop for me!<br />
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I love yogurt. I debated about making it. I used to make it on the stovetop and then let it do its thing in the warm oven, then strain it in the fridge taking up valuable space. I gave up thinking it was easier to buy it. Well, let me tell you about my <a href="https://www.friedalovesbread.com/2017/06/easy-cold-start-yogurt-no-boil-method.html" target="_blank">Cold Start Yogurt</a>! I literally dump in the milk, stir in my starter, press a button and 8 hours later I have the thickest yogurt that doesn't need strained. I am making my 3rd batch as I write this. Now, I do have to say I thought I knew it all and I made my first batch with regular ultrapasteurized milk. It was soupy and some people like it that way. Then I went back to my <a href="https://www.friedalovesbread.com/" target="_blank">yogurt guru</a> and watched her videos about why you need to use the ultrafiltered and ultrapasteurized milk. Now it is just perfect.<br />
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<a href="https://rootitoot.com/recipes-and-cooking/desserts/rootitoot-cheesecake/" target="_blank">Cheesecake!!! </a> If you had told me that I would be raving about cheesecake from a pressure cooker, I would have thought you were crazy. But here I am raving. I have made 2 of the best cheesecakes of my entire life. In fact, I am making one this weekend by request for my husband's birthday cake. And it won't take me very long! Wow. I did buy a smaller spring-form pan for this purpose, highly worth it.<br />
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Spaghetti!! I am not a huge spaghetti fan, but I tell you what, my IP makes THE BEST spaghetti I have ever had and if I had it for this one reason alone, it would be worth it. You can make it all in one pot and it is done in less time than it used to take me to heat up the big water pot for the pasta, let alone browning the meat. The recipe I have is pretty informal and I found it searching the Facebook group that I belong to. <br />
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Melanie Brown's IP Spaghetti<br />
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<span style="background-color: #f2f3f5; color: #1c1e21; font-family: , , , ".sfnstext-regular" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Parmesan cheese and fresh basil for toppings (optional)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f2f3f5; color: #1c1e21; font-family: , , , ".sfnstext-regular" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Olive oil (for browning)</span></span><span style="background-color: #f2f3f5; color: #1c1e21; font-family: , , , ".sfnstext-regular" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 lb ground beef</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 onion, chopped</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">1/2-1 tsp kosher salt</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">1/2 tsp garlic powder</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 tsp Italian Seasoning (dried herbs)</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">2 cups water (divided)</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 24 oz jar of spaghetti sauce (we like tomato and basil, get whatever kind you like).</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">10-11 oz of spaghetti</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #f2f3f5; color: #1c1e21; font-family: , , , ".sfnstext-regular" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">1. Put IP on SAUTÉ. Once it reads HOT, brown the beef and onion. Season lightly with salt, pepper, add the garlic powder and Italian seasoning. Once browned hit CANCEL.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f2f3f5; color: #1c1e21; font-family: , , , ".sfnstext-regular" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">2. Dissolve the kosher salt into the 2 cups of warm water.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f2f3f5; color: #1c1e21; font-family: , , , ".sfnstext-regular" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">3. Add 1/4 cup of the water and deglaze the pan. Get as much of the brown stuff off the bottom (sometimes I use red wine to do this part instead of the water).</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f2f3f5; color: #1c1e21; font-family: , , , ".sfnstext-regular" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">4. Pour 1/2 of what’s leftover from the water on top of the beef mixture (please don’t make me do the math, just pour what looks like 1/2 of what’s left).</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f2f3f5; color: #1c1e21; font-family: , , , ".sfnstext-regular" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">5. Snap the spaghetti in half and lay across the top of the beef and water.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f2f3f5; color: #1c1e21; font-family: , , , ".sfnstext-regular" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">6. Press down a bit on the spaghetti to immerse as much as possible. Don’t stir.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f2f3f5; color: #1c1e21; font-family: , , , ".sfnstext-regular" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">7. Pour the jar of spaghetti sauce over the top.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f2f3f5; color: #1c1e21; font-family: , , , ".sfnstext-regular" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">8. Pour what’s left of the water into the jar and swish around. Get all the good stuff left behind, and pour that on top. Gently press down, but don’t stir and mix the pot.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f2f3f5; color: #1c1e21; font-family: , , , ".sfnstext-regular" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">9. Set the Instant Pot on PRESSURE cook (and make sure the vent is closed).</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f2f3f5; color: #1c1e21; font-family: , , , ".sfnstext-regular" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">10. Set the time for 1/2 of what the spaghetti directions call for. I use thin spaghetti, so it’s 4-5 minutes for me.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f2f3f5; color: #1c1e21; font-family: , , , ".sfnstext-regular" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">11. Once the Instant Pot beeps that it’s done, do a quick release. Open up and stir around.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f2f3f5; color: #1c1e21; font-family: , , , ".sfnstext-regular" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">12. Garnish with Parmesan cheese and fresh basil if desired</span><br />
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Eggs! The first thing I made in my IP was hard-boiled eggs. Now, they didn't cook in a flash, but the best part was that the shells practically fell off. My guys love egg salad and deviled eggs. They are more likely to get them now. Lots of people have their favorite method. I did the <a href="https://rootitoot.com/recipes-and-cooking/breakfast-breads-and-sandwiches/hard-boiled-eggs/" target="_blank">4-4-5 method</a> .<br />
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And it still makes a decent slow cooker. I have heard some criticism about its slow cooker function because the heat comes from the bottom and is not wrapped around like the Crockpot. I have made my favorite chicken stock and chili without any differences. It even goes to keep warm when the time is done. I call that a win. I did buy the <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Genuine-Instant-Pot-Tempered-lid/dp/B01K7XKN8I/ref=sr_1_4?crid=3BQCMH5OFITK&keywords=instant+pot+lid+8+qt&qid=1579031937&sprefix=instant+pot+lid%2Caps%2C176&sr=8-4" target="_blank">slow cooker lid with the vent</a>. I use it for making yogurt, too.<br />
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When it comes down to it, does anyone really <i>need</i> an Instant Pot? No, it is just another tool. But if you enjoy learning something new, finding new inspiration for feeding your family, making progress and feeling successful, it might just be for you! I do highly recommend joining an IP group on Facebook if you do get one. That is where I have found helpful inspiration and support. Or find a good friend who loves hers! It can be intimidating to just turn it on that first time.<br />
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<br />Jennifer Hootshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16757290424217660803noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6766816253620080741.post-1078503896804350222020-01-11T14:27:00.000-05:002020-01-11T14:27:13.529-05:00Normal Life Oops! I missed a week! I think it was due to that "getting back to reality" adjustment after the holidays' thing. Life is now back to our normal with work, school, church and the like. I think this will be a "newsy" post since there is nothing else coming to my mind!<br />
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We got both college students back to their schools. I only cried a little. Is it so bad that I love being with them? I do really like them. We had such a lovely break. I wish they could be here and at the same time I know I would never really want that. I want them off making a life for themselves. Who knows, maybe they will come back and live around here after graduation. <br />
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Our youngest started his last semester of high school and I have, as they say, "all the feels!" First of all, I have senioritis which started last year when our daughter was a senior. I am tired of school. There, I said it. Ha. Thankfully, he is able to do it all on his own and he doesn't share my apathy. He is expecting another college acceptance letter any day now. He can basically go wherever he pleases with his good SAT score and grades. Yay! Secondly, I find myself often thinking about how life will change when he is away at school. I will be doing a chore and think, "Who will help me do this then?" Please tell me I will be OK. His leaving will be hard!!! I am at the stage where I cling to each opportunity to do anything for him as it was my last chance. <br />
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Jeff has returned to work. He is doing so well. I am so thankful for this blessing. I feel as if he is getting a second chance at life!! <br />
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We are enjoying a bit of a quiet weekend with all three children gone, our youngest being at a winter retreat. It has been a lovely day at home doing as we please. Maybe life after kids will be more pleasant than I fear? <br />
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Have a lovely week and do stop by again! (Do you like my new coffee table? The cats are not sure.)<br />
~Jenn<br />
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<br />Jennifer Hootshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16757290424217660803noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6766816253620080741.post-62353375447995477392019-12-28T14:12:00.000-05:002019-12-28T14:12:22.774-05:00Ending 2019 Intentionally (Inspired by this post on <a href="https://nosidebar.com/intentionally/?fbclid=IwAR1F85JQ0uCO6jaYcadTXpU3QugmWsGsDifDbLEXj-yYwjKXDVUL8puKQRs" target="_blank">No Sidebar</a>, where we are encouraged to end our year intentionally with some thoughtful questions.) <br />
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What did I worry about most in 2019?<br />
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2019 had too many worries! My dear husband was very sick with an infection/abscess in his colon. I worried to no end about him. We really did not know what we were facing for a long time and then he kept getting worse. We literally found ourselves facing a nightmare, our bread-winner was to have major surgery with no guarantees of restored health. I would have to say my biggest fear, other than losing him, was to be without an income or deep in medical debt. Praise God, none of those fears were realized. Jeff's health is slowly being restored. His employer-provided short term disability for 6 weeks! And our insurance took care of most of the $197,000 bill. My working paid for our share, $10,000. God provided once again!<br />
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What's one thing that changed about me?<br />
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As a result of our trial, I had to step up and do more for myself. Jeff literally would go to work and come home to bed for weeks on end. I was mom and dad to our kids. It was exhausting at times. I really missed Jeff's companionship, too. It is only recently that he has started to do more, thankfully! I did see how I had become lazy, depending on him for little things I could and should do myself. It also gave me a taste of what it must be like to be a single parent or widow. I grew in appreciation of my husband's provision and his ability to keep going when he was even at his worst. I learned to admire him anew. <br />
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If you could go back to last January 1, what suggestions would you give to your past self?<br />
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This is a good question! I am thankful that I ran to my Lord when things got so hard. I was used to praying and reading my Bible so I felt strengthed for the valley of 2019. So I would tell myself to keep in God's word, pray and surround myself with godly friends because you do not know when you will face a difficult time. Also, trials do not last forever. It only feels like circumstances will never change. Jennifer Hootshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16757290424217660803noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6766816253620080741.post-23806165321144394652019-12-21T10:10:00.000-05:002019-12-21T10:10:51.589-05:00See Grace? Say Thanks, Always!Nearly every day, I take a moment and write in my notebook something for which I am thankful. I've been in this habit for several years now (inspired by Anne Voskamp's 1000 Gifts). I really enjoy looking back at previous entries, too. <br />
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Recently, our pastor gave us the assignment to write down 10 things a day for a week! While I decided to only write down 5, it was an interesting exercise, even for someone used to the task. He told us, "When you see grace, say thanks, always." <br />
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I am very grateful in general, especially now that we have come through a challenging and long season of illness. I thought this week I would record my observations of grace here along with a few pictures that I have enjoyed recently. <br />
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12/14/19 The gift of a relaxing Saturday afternoon at home.<br />
12/15/19 Pizza delivery after church when having visitors makes everyone happy.<br />
12/16/19 A snowy day at home, able to avoid driving in the mess!<br />
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12/17/19 Good post-op visit for my husband with the surgeon!! This is huge.<br />
12/18/19 The husband's bloodwork came back within normal limits!! <br />
12/19/19 Two sleeping babes at the same time, a little rest for me. <br />
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12/20/19 Blessed with some very nice Christmas gifts from the babies' families! (They went over and beyond to express their appreciation and I am so very touched!) </div>
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12/21/19 Having all three of my young adults home for the next few weeks. </div>
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<br />Jennifer Hootshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16757290424217660803noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6766816253620080741.post-50983619701057161202019-12-14T20:06:00.000-05:002019-12-14T20:06:07.131-05:00What Do I Do All Day? My homeschool career is mostly over with only one student home, ready to graduate in May, doing his own thing. Last school year I decided to find a job to do at home after thinking long and hard about working outside of the home. I even went to an interview at a local school! <br />
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My heart has always been at home, so I started to think about what I could do from home that I am good at. And about that time, someone from church put a notice on a Facebook group that she was looking for someone to care for her new 12-week old baby. That was over a year ago. I have had quite the year. In March, I saw another notice in the same group for another baby. Now I have a 17-month-old boy and an 11-month-old girl coming to my home four and three days a week. <br />
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The whole idea was quite a change for me. I had to relearn all that I had forgotten about babies. And I had forgotten a lot! And I also fell in love! I love those babies! I love their families. It is hard, honest work. Those babies keep me busy from 8 to 5. My own family has sacrificed and fell in love with the babies, too. And the babies love them. Their families trust us with their most precious children. <br />
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A year ago we did not know that my husband would end up having major abdominal surgery this past November and we would need every extra penny I have earned for insurance deductibles. God knew. I am thankful for the work, the joy the babies bring, their families' friendships. And it is wonderful to see how my children have learned to care for little ones, a valuable life skill. <br />
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<br />Jennifer Hootshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16757290424217660803noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6766816253620080741.post-27083640388038274212019-12-07T14:12:00.000-05:002019-12-07T14:19:07.246-05:00Time For a Reboot<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Well hello, friends!!<br />
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I am back. I am going to pick up where I left off because so much has happened in almost 2 years, 2 years!!! Anyway, I am going to blog to please myself, record my hum-drum life so that I can remember these precious days the Lord has blessed me with. So let us do get on with it!!! :)<br />
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My most beloved kitchen appliance, my slow cooker, died last week. I have been known as The Queen of the Crockpot around my circles for awhile. I mean I really loved that thing!!!! We were joined at the hip. And it was a nice one, an All-Clad!!! It lasted for over 10 years. I always told myself that if anything happened to it, I would rush out and get a new one.<br />
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Enter the Instant Pot!! My father purchased this Instant Pot a few years ago and never used it beyond the first few times experimenting. He, bless his heart, decided to give it to me, way before my slow cooker died. I was always curious about them and scared to death of them at the same time! Silly really.<br />
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I have decided to give it a go, a real go. I am going to wait for 6 months and see if I can live without my slow cooker. This one is a basic model, 6 quarts. I think it will do fine with my shrinking family. (3 in college this coming fall!)<br />
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I just love how the Lord orchestrates things like this. He knew my slow cooker was going to die. He knew my Dad had an unloved Instant Pot. He even knew that Walmart pick up was going to give me 36 eggs for the price of 12 this week. (What??) So my first pressure cooking will be of hard-boiled eggs! Wish me luck!!<br />
<br />Jennifer Hootshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16757290424217660803noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6766816253620080741.post-11202559810631217142018-03-20T10:30:00.000-04:002018-03-20T10:30:12.261-04:00My Happy Spring "This and That" Post We are now in the season that I dearly love! Gone are the extremes of winter!! Well, not totally gone. We are expecting a snow storm tonight and tomorrow. But for all intents and purposes, the weather will moderate and life will improve a great deal because of it.<br />
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Last week, my dear college student was home. We had a great time. We got to see a couple movies as a family. Mostly we just enjoyed being together. This is a huge praise as things were not as friendly at the beginning of the school year.<br />
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While Ryan was home we celebrated his belated 20th birthday. It was so odd not actually seeing him on his special day. We did have birthday cookies delivered to him at the dorm, but it wasn't the same. This is the hard side of letting go! (It's all hard!!)<br />
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This coming Friday, the other two students are going to Quebec with their grandparents for 5 days. They have their passports and are eager to see the sights. I know they are going to have the best time. Trevor will get to practice all the French he is learning.<br />
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My mouth continues to heal. In two weeks I can have coffee again. (Yay!) I even survived the start of daylight savings time without coffee. I was tempted to get an iced coffee that day but decided to be tough. It is interesting how I used to think that I needed coffee to survive. I am actually glad to know that I am not addicted to caffeine.<br />
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While the kids are away, my dear aunt is coming for a few days. I am trying to think of something fun to do. I know how to entertain children and teens, but not sure what an older woman would want to do. Perhaps we will go to an antique mall or two. I love those!<br />
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Tax season ends in 26 days! Right now my dear husband is working ridiculous hours, but soon we will have him back. I am so thankful that he has a good job and good health.<br />
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There are only 66 more calendar days until the end of our school year. There is still plenty to do. Trevor is working on a term paper. He also has more state-mandated testing in April. Grace has that SAT to prepare for.<br />
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Both kids are going to the school's prom in April. Trevor is on the prom committee. Grace will be taking a good friend. Our families will be having dinner out and then take the kids to the venue. We have purchased a lovely dress for Grace and rented a tux for Trevor. Fancy!<br />
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We celebrated the year anniversary of adopting our little Pippin the Cat. He is such a joy and big part of our family. I cannot imagine life without him.<br />
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A few pictures...<br />
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Until Next Time,<br />
JennJennifer Hootshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16757290424217660803noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6766816253620080741.post-70812912313863764412018-03-07T10:08:00.001-05:002018-03-07T10:08:56.437-05:00February Blessings <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<ul>
<li>Jeff got his bonus! (But we have to use it to fix my tooth.) </li>
<li>We have the means to fix my tooth!</li>
<li>Sunshine</li>
<li>New ink pens</li>
<li>A crockpot full of chicken</li>
<li>Our little space heater keeps us warm</li>
<li>Watching musicals with Grace</li>
<li>Oral surgeons who are skilled</li>
<li>Texting with my aunt</li>
<li>Pink and blue sunrises that are amazing</li>
<li>Dorothy (cat) curled up next to me</li>
<li>Seeing my sweet aunt's heart for others</li>
<li>Church days</li>
<li>A warming trend, even with the rain</li>
<li>Good anesthesia during my oral surgery</li>
<li>Support of my family and friends during my recovery</li>
<li>Robins heard singing in the early morning</li>
<li>Getting an email that says someone prayed for me</li>
<li>State testing mercies for Trevor </li>
<li>My mouth is healing. The antibiotics are working. </li>
<li>Good probiotics</li>
<li>Library's electronic books</li>
<li>New recipes to try</li>
<li>60 degree days</li>
<li>Surviving meteorological winter </li>
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As you read, my February was a little different than usual. I had oral surgery to remove an infected tooth after a very painful, unsuccessful root canal in January. I was put on strong antibiotics and had to take them for four weeks which caused some unwanted adverse reactions. The actual tooth removal involved cutting out the root from the front of my gum and I had a bone and skin graft. The stitches were removed today and the surgeon is pleased. It will be healing until June! Anyway, I am so thankful that the worst is behind me. </div>
Jennifer Hootshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16757290424217660803noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6766816253620080741.post-31794873380642485232018-02-27T10:00:00.000-05:002018-02-27T10:00:20.779-05:00Finally a System!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Since 2009, I have been keeping household journals that have evolved from a place to hold my to-do lists into a weekly-at-glance with a to-do list, memory verse, counting my blessings, write down recipes, quotes, notes, ect., book. Not exactly a<a href="http://bulletjournal.com/" target="_blank"> bullet journal,</a> but close. I have filled up 9 composition notebooks, working on number 10. Nothing fancy, but it works for me! <br />
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Fortunately, I started out by numbering pages and making an index in the front of all but the first. If I wanted to find a recipe, I would dig through the indexes and there it would be. That is ok when you have a small number of books, but wow, dig through 9 and you have a job. So.... my dear husband says,"Take a picture of each index and store it on your phone in an album." Wow! He's a genius! It works! I'd like to say that I used his suggestion as soon as he offered it, but after a few more times digging through the 9 journals, I decided to give it a try. It's brilliant! And that's my tip of the month, perhaps the year!<br />
<br />Jennifer Hootshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16757290424217660803noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6766816253620080741.post-33860530344903921932018-02-15T10:07:00.001-05:002018-02-15T10:56:07.885-05:00My Reading Life <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I love to read, but I have a quirky, sometimes contradicting <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/year_in_books/2017/45500428" target="_blank">reading life</a>.<br />
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I despise twaddle, however, it does find its way onto my to-read list and I always feel unsatisfied. I find myself delightfully stuck in time periods and places for long periods of time (WWII England). I love to read cookbooks as well as other nonfiction books. I do not read many popular novels, nor do I want to read anything mysterious, very depressing, or in the fantasy genre, although I will tolerate some fantasy. (I loved My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand). I have adopted the notion that I do not have to finish a book if I do not like the book, liberating! Although, I do finish books that I might not start out enjoying if I think they might have hope for a redeeming ending. I try to read books that are online through my library or can be bought for a couple dollars with my Kindle. I love paper books most, but the convenience of the Kindle wins! Sometimes I find an author that I enjoy and then try to read everything that I can from that author. (Barbara Pym, Gene Stratton Porter, Georgette Heyer)<br />
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If I could change anything about my reading life... Sometimes I read 6 books and then find myself in a dry spell, as the TV beckons (The Crown, Victoria anyone?) It would be nice to be more consistent, however, the dry spells do not last too long as I cannot resist adding books to my GoodReads <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/45500428-jennifer-hoots?shelf=to-read" target="_blank">Want-to-Read shelf</a>, which taunts me!<br />
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I also find myself reading 4 or 5 books at one time. This frustrates me about myself. It takes me longer to read a book that way. Thankfully the library has a 22-day check-out that I must obey, so I give those books priority. <br />
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Three books that I have really enjoyed lately are The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery, Cluney Brown by Margery Sharp, and The War That Saved My Life/The War I Finally Won by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley. All delightful reads!<br />
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One book that I hated was The Versions of Us by Laura Barnett. The concept was good, I guess. The author writes the book from 3 different timelines depending on how the characters would have turned out if they had made different choices. The format was confusing, alternating between the storylines was difficult. I almost gave up at 40%. And on top of it all, the story was depressing and did not end well. Sigh.<br />
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My goal is to read 50 books again this year. Finding 50 worthwhile books that fit my quirky tastes will be difficult, but I will have a lot of fun trying!<br />
<br />Jennifer Hootshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16757290424217660803noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6766816253620080741.post-45133370022216944422018-02-06T13:00:00.001-05:002018-02-06T13:00:41.720-05:00January Gratitude Journal <div>
For the last several years, I have been writing things that I am thankful for or things that bring me joy in my paper journal. I have decided to write them here for the coming year. This one is from January. </div>
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<ul>
<li>Neighbor children spontaneously shoveling our snowy driveway, just because they are kind</li>
<li>Space heaters when our furnace went out for four days </li>
<li>Sunshine on a bitterly cold day</li>
<li>Podcasts to listen to as I do my housework (What Should I Read Next) </li>
<li>Spotify playlists to listen to as I do my housework </li>
<li>Surviving -11 F despite frozen pipes and furnace quitting</li>
<li>Library trips on a cold day</li>
<li>Our old van starting during the cold snap (battery keeps on going!) </li>
<li>Generous grandparents helping with college </li>
<li>My 5th grade Sunday school girls make me smile</li>
<li>A 10-year-old crock pot keeps us fed on busy days</li>
<li>When an ice storm misses us</li>
<li>The furnace didn't catch fire when the switch burned out</li>
<li>Abundance of food</li>
<li>Youth group leaders, winter retreat</li>
<li>Amazon delivery when you don't feel like leaving home</li>
<li>Old friends enjoying fellowship </li>
<li>50 F days in January</li>
<li>A day to rest at home</li>
<li>Hot tea when you have the sniffles</li>
<li>Birdsong in the winter</li>
<li>Visits with your college student</li>
<li>Unexpected lunch with my dad</li>
<li>Emergency dental offices, temporary fillings, pain medicine (more about this in Feb.) </li>
</ul>
Jennifer Hootshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16757290424217660803noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6766816253620080741.post-8464628855962003692018-01-16T10:32:00.002-05:002018-01-16T10:32:39.240-05:00Ordinary Days of Winter<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Well, that was fun. The holidays whizzed by. (Why am I always saying or thinking that time is flying by me?) Sunday we took our oldest back to his college. Tax season busy time has begun for my dear husband. The home scholars are back to their studies. And now the weather has turned towards the extra bitter. And I am working on getting the home back to order. <br />
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So, what is keeping me busy this week? Glad you asked! There is a birthday to plan for and celebrate this week, my husband's. My dear aunt who just lost her husband last month is coming for a few days, too. We are trying to figure out how to keep warm with an electric heat pump. (What crazy person installs a heat pump in northern climates?) I am attempting to <a href="http://www.flylady.net/" target="_blank">Fly with Fly Lady</a> again. She always helps me get back on track and into a good routine. I am reading a few good books. Maybe I will even get around to writing a review? <br />
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I need to figure out if blogging is still a thing that I want to do. I was never in it for attracting great hoards of followers. I wanted to capture our lives so that I would not forget about the days I had my babies home. I am not a content producer, meaning I don't write to inspire others. And then there are so few blogs that I even read these days. Maybe my paper daily journal is enough now? I need to think about that. I miss the early days of blogging where there was a sense of fellowship. It would be nice if there were blogs for mothers of older homeschool children or college-aged. Most blogs tend to be for younger mothers. Sadly, Facebook's popularity seems to be the death of blogging for ordinary people. <br />
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Until next time! <br />
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<br />Jennifer Hootshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16757290424217660803noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6766816253620080741.post-85932907183597455602017-12-31T21:08:00.001-05:002017-12-31T21:08:06.841-05:00On the Eve of 2018Everyone says it. This year sure has gone by quickly! Amazingly so! 2017 has been a struggle at times and full of blessings at others. Thankfully we are ending on a good note. My "babies" are all home and well. We are enjoying our Christmas break. What more can a mom want? Well, she could want all her children seeking after the one true God, my most fervent prayer of 2017. I am hopeful this prayer will be answered one day. Until then, I am content knowing that nothing is impossible with God. <br />
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As for me, I am getting ready to embrace another winter. This one seems determined to be cold and snowy. Yippee. (Insert eye roll here.) Tax season will soon be here and we will try our best to make the most of our limited family time until April 15th. Winter makes things harder. We always have to find ways to thrive and not just survive. I will fight my desire to hibernate. Oh! how I wish it was possible! <br />
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Next week is our last week of break. It's time to think about a plan to thrive through winter. Celebrating minor holidays always makes me happy. Reading books is a must. Tending my indoor garden will bring green to our frosty world. I want to bake bread. I plan to ride my new stationary bike. I want to be outside more. I want to do puzzles when the weather is dreary. I can always spend time purging as well. <br />
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Here we come 2018! Be kind. :)<br />
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<br />Jennifer Hootshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16757290424217660803noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6766816253620080741.post-71503786634652439722017-11-27T09:46:00.001-05:002017-11-27T09:46:56.755-05:00Summer Lessons <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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With the passing of a season hopefully comes a time of reflection. This is my imperfect look back at some of the lessons that I learned this past summer. Big things happened this past summer. We moved. Our oldest moved out. Fun things happened. We rediscovered the joy of living near our tribe. We learned that our entertainment needs are changing. We rediscovered the joy of movement. We spent time as a church focused on worship. <br />
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This move, our 10th or 11th in 23 years, was mostly uneventful. Our house sold in days. Closing was quick, without issues. We were blessed to have funds to hire movers for the heavy lifting. Once you have moved as many times as we have, you get good at it! The hardest part was mostly related to the fact that we moved our son to his college at the same time which I will address next. Since moving back to be near our church, work, family, and friends, our overall happiness has increased a great deal. The lesson here is do not move away from the most important things in life, even for a good job! Also, I am wary of moving. This was not what I had planned for my life, always moving. Yet, we will move again when we find the right house. <br />
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Moving our firstborn son to his college was harder than I had expected. I mean it really threw me! We were not on the best of terms and I was frightened that he'd make good on his promise to never speak to me again. That first week or two I felt as if my heart was broken beyond repair. The loss of daily contact was so difficult. I missed him, missed hearing about his days, knowing he was OK. I really think I dipped into a short depression. I am thankful for friends who prayed for and listened to me. Not knowing what else to do, I kept treating my son as if he was the loving son I so wanted. I sent him a couple care packages. I did not text him but once a week to say hello, to which I usually got no response. Then a few weeks ago he suddenly wanted to come for a visit! His visit, while stressful for me, seemed to go well. He came for another visit unscheduled! We got to hear all about his new world. He was happy! Since then he has texted back when I text him, which is such a joy. He has not kept his angry promise of never talking to me again. I am so thankful! He is coming home this Friday for 10 days. I had imagined him staying on campus, not wanting to be here, it was a choice he could make. Lesson learned? Take these life challenges to the LORD way ahead of time and hold fast to Him. He will provide comfort and peace! (Update: Wow! The Lord heard my prayers and then some! Our son was home and it was a good visit, very peaceful AND best of all, he hugged me when we took him back to school. Three weeks until winter break with fly by.)<br />
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One fun thing that we rediscovered when we moved was that we don't need cable. We really knew that already, but I guess we just needed a reminder. We had planned to migrate our cable package with us when we moved, but as it turns out, it was not available here, so we were all of a sudden free! We ended up buying an antenna. We already had a Roku. We tried Sling for a while but figured out that once baseball season was over we really didn't watch it enough to keep it. We subscribed to our PBS station and unlocked a bunch of good shows like A Chef's Life and The Great Brittish Baking Show. We also have a Netflix and Hulu trial to see which one we want to keep. Both have their good and bad points.<br />
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Both my husband and I started to feel sick and tired of being sick and tired, so we have been trying to be more mindful of our eating and moving. I guess we learned the value of self-care this summer. We have a long way to go, but at least we have regained our motivation. We get up at 5:30 each weekday and do a head to toe stretching program. In addition, we are making an effort to walk, play, and ride bikes several times a week. We enjoyed a family round of disc golf over Thanksgiving at a nearby park. Living by so many parks and trails is awesome!! <br />
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Finally, our church spent three weeks recently focused on worship. While I am not finished digesting this series, it has rekindled in me a desire to prepare my heart better for worship before Sunday morning rolls around. Worship is a gift! <br />
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<br />Jennifer Hootshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16757290424217660803noreply@blogger.com2