This Week In My Home: Flash In A Pan

This week in my home:

 

I'll share more at another time but our family holiday was...crazy.  An unexpected guest, a change of plans for other family members, a late afternoon photo session with Santa, a little boy who felt decidedly unwell,  a car breakdown that necessitated a long drive and rescue operation, a hurried meal and gift session...I feel like I'd been in a whirlwind and I didn't get a clear vision of any one moment.   There was a lot of babble and bustle and irregular hours.  I'm not by any means saying it was a bad holiday, but it was hectic, even more so than it normally might be. It felt a bit like a flash in a pan.  And then it was done.

This week...this week...I wanted to rest and recover and I started it knowing I've already burst someone's bubble.  I'm sorry as can be at present but I'd just come in from the rescue operatfion to a very very late and very overcooked dinner.  I was beyond hungry, weary to the bone, trying hard to hang on to enjoy the last hour left of my so called family day and  I was promptly asked to make plans for next week and I just couldn't.  To do so meant to spend three days running at a fast pace.  The very idea of it was too much then.  It's too much to think of even now.  I feel a total witch but I needed a break for one day and I knew Saturday was that day.  Not to mention that John is working 24 hours starting Friday morning and coming in from work on Saturday.  Honestly?  The dinner invite NEVER takes into account his schedule.  It is always expected that I'll just go on with out him.  I've barely seen him this month, most especially these past two weeks.

And then I had two more guests...It's enough to make a girl give in quietly without much of a fight.  Obviously God has placed me in a season of hospitality so I shall just go with it and do my best.  Besides...I'm too tired to fight it!

I worked:

Aside from clearing up behind little children and baby proofing areas for a crawling toddler, Saturday was relatively carefree.   Dinner was simple and came together quickly.  I was thrilled.  And then came a phone call to make a necessary rescue.  Katie's car had broken down a good ways from our home, but not close to her own.  Mom to the rescue.  And from that point on the day was a blur.  When I returned there was dinner to serve, clearing up to be done, a rushed gift exchange, a quick packing up of one family and my mother to see off, stripping the guest bed so it could be made fresh (third time in four days!) and watching a very busy, quick to climb any available thing,  two year old girl.   And that was just Saturday, lol.

On Sunday I spent the morning trying hard to put my chaotic home back to rights.  Anyone else remember what it's like to clean with a two year old trailing behind you?  I had clearly forgotten, or I'd have saved my efforts.  I'd turn to look behind me and a pile of freshly folded clothes put on a hassock in the bedroom trailed across the floor.  Opened a dresser drawer to put away clothes and little hands grabbed for all the bangle bracelets (but NOT the green one.  It's most assuredly not a favorite color!).  I didn't catch her when she slipped the Jamberry bag filled with samples and orangewood sticks and cuticle pushers and files out of my room...I heard her mom say, "Did Gramma give you that?"  I peeked around to see what she was asking about and there was my surprise.  I told John later that I felt like I'd had a hard aerobic workout.  I was sure I'd had all the exercise I would need for the rest of the week!

Monday we entertained a guest who truly is a family member at this point.

Tuesday I went out to pay bills and get cash for the week after seeing our company off.  I decided that day that I needed to it quietly and recuperate for the next wave.

Wednesday I took care of  household things.  Then I welcomed in my next guest.  Yep.

Thursday a long day out to do errands.  We got home around evening.

Today: housework and running errands.  Planning meals for weekend and thawing stuff to make them.  Working on Jamberry work and negotiating wages for my other part time job I agreed to take on (oh yes...) and trying hard to catch up on writing.   I'm very much looking forward to Shabat!

 I prepared meals:

Chili dogs, chips, dips, cookies.   We were meant to have coleslaw but I never progressed that far.

Homemade General Tso's Chicken, Steamed Rice, Steamed Broccoli

Beefy Pasta Bake, Kale and Romaine Salad

Leftovers for me

Nachos with everything, Clementines

dinner out with John while running errands

Fish fillets and fries for one.

I saved money:

Let me just say once more that I LOVE AAA.  I considered once a few years ago cancelling my subscription but for about $10/month it's proven it's value over and over again.   They allow me to use my membership to cover both my own car or my mother's (if I'm driving hers) or Katie's.  It saved a large towing bill this day.

I'd taken out two chicken breasts last Thursday planning to make a meal for company but they never did thaw entirely.  I set them in the refrigerator and used them to make Almond Chicken (only I forgot the almonds).  That made two meals for us, which is typical of these boneless breast halves from The Fresh Market.  I used both halves.

Hung clothes to dry.  Washed full loads of clothes and dishes. Let dishes air dry.

We had to run heat a bit higher than usual with our first guest last week and the babies in the house but we're only talking 2-3 degrees and I don't guess we'll go belly up over that.  I kept a kettle of water on the back burner to help add moisture to the air.

Typical of Georgia weather we had to turn on the air conditioning at the start of the week.  Now we're back to periodic heat running.

Came home, reheatead and ate leftovers instead of seeking out something easier to put together on Tuesday.

John and I brought home half our dinner on Thursday and had it for supper.

I offered up leftovers to my family member house guest.  He didn't mind in the least.

I bought fish fillets and a chicken pot pie to feed me on Friday since I was without leftovers and busy enough to not to want to fully prepare a meal for one.   The two items together cost $10 and will net me four meals, so I think it was well worth while.

Took leftover roast beef from freezer to thaw for sandwich meat over the weekend.

When I made the pasta bake this week I made a full recipe.  This gave me a generous casserole for our dinner (with leftovers) and a casserole which should do nicely for 2 that I put in the freezer.

Coke.com had a special Christmas gift for their members this week: $5 Amazon gift card.  I claimed mine and redeemed it right away.

Made John's lunch, coffee and breakfast on work days and sent coffee and lunch with him to work.

Happily discovered I could, for once, get all the necessary errands done in town and did not have to travel more than 6 miles total.  Yes, the local bank charged a fee for getting cash there but doggone it I saved myself 40 minutes total in driving and didn't have to deal with the madhouse that most stores are at this season.  Yes, I no doubt paid more for the soup mix than I might have elsewhere but happily all other items were on sale for about the same price as at other stores in my usual shopping area.  And what a relief to be gone from home only about 30 minutes and get so much done!  Banking, grocery need, mail, taking off trash and DONE.

I didn't need booties but I have just longed for a pair though I never said so.  John spied a pair at Bass Pro that he really liked and the price was very reasonable, less than half what I'd seen them elsewhere. And oh how comfortable they are!

A bit of swapping and purchasing with our Yeti cups.  A couple of months ago, John bought me a 20 ounce tumbler because the 30 ounce does not fit in the console cup holder.  I found a solution for that but it can wait.  In the meantime, he kept spilling his coffee.  My tumbler had a slide lid.  I swapped him my slide lid since I seldom take my cup out of the house.  He bought me a handle and a lid with straw this week.  And I bought a little rambler cup for coffee with a slide lid that will fit my 30ounce tumbler.  Oddly a local Ace hardware had a far better selection of Yeti products and accessories than Bass Pro has.

I looked over the floral selections hard at the grocery and almost, almost, bought a deeply discounted bunch.  But then I looked them over good and realized I'd get a far prettier bouquet from a fresh one and likely it would last four times as long.  So I opted for what might appear to be the more expensive option but will be good value in the end.

John went for a hair cut yesterday.  I took along my list from Kroger and went in to get all my free and deeply discounted items.  I spent $40 and saved over $16.  This includes my bunch of flowers and a big bag of dog food.  Which impresses me even more. I actually spent about $20 on the free/deeply discounted things!

What we avoided altogether at Aldi and Kroger: the myriad mounds of cookies, chocolates, and specially packaged Christmas treat items.  Easy to do when you are very aware you've a huge jar of cholates at home and lots of homemade cookies in the freezer.  Maybe next year I should start early with the baking and Christmas chocolates so I can avoid them harder all season long?

I had my leisure:

I almost laughed at this category this week but I had brief moments of leisure.   Enough to watch a dearly loved old film "Now Voyager" with Bette Davis.  A few moments to read my Bible study and pray over my prayer list.

I watched "The Elf" which I find heartwarming and full of Christmas cheer.

I decided against doing things and really taking time to rest for most all of Tuesday afternoon.

Now I shall wish you all a Happy Holiday and a very Merry Christmas!