Labor Day Celebration

Labor Day, Good Food & A Little Something to Think About

Well, y’all… Happy Labor Day! 🇺🇸

Today started pretty early around our house. I think Mr. C was up around 5:00, and I was up around 6:00. By 6:30, we were already in the kitchen getting things together for our Labor Day potluck at Elizabeth and Charles’ house.

And let me just tell you… there was going to be FOOD! 😂

Mr. C and I were making a lemon cookie pudding that is about as easy as it gets. Lemon cookies, Cool Whip, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla pudding mix. Mix it all together and somehow those simple ingredients turn into something really, really good. Sometimes the easiest recipes are the biggest hits!

We were also making a Mexican casserole and putting together a big salad. I decided to make the salad a little more fun by putting all the toppings in my snack box so everyone could pick and choose what they wanted. You want cheese? Go for it. Croutons? Yep. Whatever toppings you like, make your own perfect salad.

Elizabeth was making her cheese dip with chips, and y’all… her Rotel with sausage is SO GOOD! It reminds me of something my mom used to make, so there’s a little bit of nostalgia mixed in with all that cheesy goodness.

She was also making tacos, and Mr. C and I had bought the ingredients for Savannah to make chicken enchiladas.

This is what was left when I made my plate. Her enchiladas went fast!

So between all of that, we definitely weren’t going to go hungry!

Once we got everything packed up and ready to go, we headed over to Elizabeth and Charles’ house. We got there around 11:00, and before long, the house started filling up.

At first, Alisha and Jonathan weren’t going to be able to make it because they were coming in from Tulsa. But they ended up getting there around 11:30 to pick up Marshall and Scout, the dogs, and they were able to visit with everyone for a while too.

Before long, we had Brody and Savannah, the three kids, Elizabeth and Charles, Alisha and Jonathan, me and Mr. C… basically a pretty full house!

And honestly? It was good.

Savannah and Sophie

Good food. Good conversation. Good fellowship.

We stayed from around 11:00 until almost 2:00, and I would definitely call it a successful outing for Mr. C and me. Sometimes you don’t need some big elaborate adventure. Just getting out of the house, spending time with family, eating good food, and laughing and talking can be enough.

Of course, there was also a little something that got me thinking.

Everyone was talking about taking a cruise next May, and Elizabeth asked me if I wanted to go. Naturally, I mentioned it to Luther.

His response was basically, “I don’t care if you go or not.”

😂 Well, okay then!

But when we got home, we talked about it a little more, and that’s when I started doing the math in my head.

If I went, I would probably be looking at around $1,400 just for the cruise because I wouldn’t have someone sharing the room expense with me. Then there’s spending money, transportation, possibly a hotel if I ride down with someone who stays overnight, food, and all those little extras that seem to magically add up.

And suddenly that $1,400 cruise isn’t a $1,400 cruise anymore.

We’re probably talking $2,500 or more.

And that’s where I’m sitting here thinking…

Do I really want to spend $2,500 on a cruise?

I know it would be fun. I know I’d probably have a wonderful time. And I’m not completely ruling it out yet. But when I look at everything else I’m trying to accomplish financially, I just don’t know if that’s where I want my money to go.

Especially right now.

Maybe I’ll change my mind. Maybe I’ll figure out a way to make it work. But right now, I’m leaning toward passing on this one.

And honestly, I’m okay with that.

Sometimes being intentional with your money means being able to say, “That sounds like a lot of fun, but it’s just not the right thing for me financially right now.”

And speaking of things that make me happy…

When we got home, I spent some time playing on my phone and finished writing a letter to one of my new pen pals. I’m actually sending out three pieces of mail today—one to Denise, one to Katie, and one to Linda.

I’m really proud of myself for getting back into snail mail!

There is just something about sitting down and actually writing a letter to someone. It’s slower than sending a text or typing an email, but somehow that makes it feel a little more special.

After that, I took a shower and got myself ready because tomorrow is going to be another busy day.

I’ll be working overtime tomorrow and staying until 5:00 PM. I’m trying to bring in a little extra money, and I’m also hoping to make up some saves since we weren’t there yesterday.

That means I missed out on potentially getting about 10 saves.

But you know what?

I’m not going to stress about it.

We’re still very early in the month. If I can stay on track now, it will make things so much easier toward the end of the month. I’d much rather work steadily toward my goal than get to the last few days and be scrambling, stressing, and beating myself up because I didn’t make it.

So that’s my Labor Day.

A little family time.

A LOT of good food.

Some laughter and fellowship.

A little cruise conversation.

Three pieces of snail mail.

And a little planning for tomorrow.

Not a bad way to spend a holiday at all.

And maybe that’s something I’m learning more and more as I get older: not every day has to be exciting to be a good day. Sometimes a simple day filled with people you love, good food, and a little time to think is exactly what you need.

Now… if you’ll excuse me, I think I need to go think about that lemon cookie pudding again. 😂

Until next time, friends, take care of yourselves, enjoy the little things, and remember to be intentional with both your time and your money.

Stop by next time. I hope to see you then!

—Karen ❤️ 

Sunday errands

A Peaceful Sunday, a Little Shopping, and a Whole Lot of Family ❤️

There is just something about a peaceful Sunday morning at home. Maybe it’s the slower pace, the coffee in your favorite cup, or simply knowing that family is coming home later that day. Whatever it was, this Sunday started out feeling pretty darn good.

Mr. C and I got up and decided to knock out a few of the easy household chores before Trevor, Melissa, Kyndall, and Liam made it back to the house around 7:30 that evening.

We worked together and got the house freshened up. I wiped down the kitchen counters, emptied the trash, and took care of the laundry and laundry room. Mr. C cleaned the bathroom really well, swept and mopped, emptied the bathroom trash, and wiped everything down. We also straightened up the living room. It really didn’t need much—just a little dusting and a quick vacuum.

Once we had the chores out of the way, we headed out to run a few errands. We stopped by the ATM, filled up my Jeep with gas, and then made the most important stop of the morning… Sonic for breakfast!

Lately, I have really been enjoying their Supersonic Burrito. It has eggs, sausage, cheese, tomatoes, and jalapeños, and it is filling enough to keep me going for quite a while. Of course, I also had to get myself a peach mango slush. Because breakfast without a little something sweet just doesn’t seem right to me. 😂

After breakfast, I knew I needed to make a little trip to Duncan. I wanted to stop by Dollar Tree for a few more energy drinks. They carry the Bang energy drinks for $1.25, and I have really been enjoying the Strawberry Kiss flavor. For $1.25, I don’t mind grabbing a few when I’m there.

Then it was off to Hibbert Sports because I had another important mission.

I needed to find Lane a pair of football cleats.

I told the young man working there that I needed a size 13C, preferably solid black, although black and white would work too. He brought out two different pairs—one Reebok and one Nike.

Well, you probably already know where this story is going.

I chose the Nike pair.

They were mostly black with the little Nike logo in silver, and I just liked the look of them better. When the young man rang them up, I was expecting to pay around the $65 I had seen online.

Imagine my surprise when my total came to only $38!

Now THAT was a win!

I couldn’t believe it. Grandpa and Nana Karen are buying Lane’s football cleats, so saving that much money made me very happy. And now I can’t wait to see him out there wearing those cleats and playing football.

As a matter of fact, I believe his next three games are going to be right here in Rush Springs—less than two miles from our house!

You better believe Nana and Grandpa will be sitting in those stands cheering him on. ❤️

After we got back home, we realized we needed a few more things for dinner because Trevor and his family would be arriving that evening. We decided to make a Mexican casserole so everyone would have something good and easy to eat when they got here.

Luther ran me up to our local grocery store, Delbert’s, and I picked up the few things we needed for the casserole, along with some snacks and other odds and ends for the house.

When we got home, we started putting everything together.

And this is where our little “romantic cooking class” came into play.

I jokingly told Luther, “Hey, I signed us up for a romantic cooking class!”

His immediate response?

“Nope, you did not.”

😂😂😂

I told him that I thought it might be something fun and new for us to do together. Of course, I already knew he wasn’t going to be signing up for any romantic cooking classes anytime soon, but I had to tease him.

Then I told him, “Well, actually, I feel like we’re having our own little cooking class right here at home.”

And honestly, we kind of were.

We were working together, figuring out the casserole, preparing everything for the family, and just doing what we have done together for so many years—making a life together.

Luther and I are definitely different in a lot of ways.

He is much more comfortable staying in his own little comfort zone. He’s not a big crowd person and isn’t particularly social. I, on the other hand, am usually the one wanting to try something new, go somewhere, meet people, or push myself outside of that comfortable little bubble.

Somehow, though, those differences have worked for us all these years.

Maybe that’s part of what makes a marriage work. You don’t have to be exactly alike. Sometimes you just need to love each other, respect each other’s differences, laugh together, and meet somewhere in the middle.

And when I look at my life, I am incredibly thankful that Luther is by my side.

He really is everything to me.

Around 7:30 that evening, Trevor, Melissa, Kyndall, and Liam finally pulled into the driveway.

And just like that, the house felt a little fuller.

We visited for a good while, the kids got their baths and got ready for bed, everyone got fed, and there was just that wonderful feeling of having family home.

Eventually, I headed off to bed around 9:15.

Of course, my body apparently didn’t get the memo that it was bedtime because it seemed to take forever for me to actually fall asleep. 😂

But even lying there awake, my heart felt peaceful.

There is something comforting about knowing your son is home safe.

I know Trevor, Melissa, Kyndall, and Liam have truly made North Dakota their home, and I’m grateful that they have a place they love and a life they are building there. But there is still something special about knowing they are home with us, even if it’s only for a visit.

Sunday wasn’t extravagant.

We didn’t do anything earth-shattering.

We cleaned the house, ran errands, found a great deal on football cleats, went grocery shopping, made a casserole, joked about taking a cooking class, and welcomed our family home.

But sometimes those are the days that mean the most.

The ordinary days.

The family days.

The days filled with little moments that you don’t realize are precious until you stop and really appreciate them.

I’m thankful for my husband.

I’m thankful for my children and grandchildren.

I’m thankful for a home that can be filled with laughter, noise, dirty dishes, football cleats, and little ones getting ready for bed.

And most of all, I’m thankful for the blessing of being Nana Karen.

I wouldn’t trade these ordinary, beautiful family moments for anything in the world. ❤️

Thanks for stopping by my blog. Don’t hesitate to leave a comment down below. I would love to see where you’re reading from.

#SundayStories #FamilyTime #NanaKaren

Staying Intentional with Decluttering

 

                                                                                My tea for the morning!

Friday Coffee Chat: Little Changes, Big Progress

Happy Friday, friends!

Can you believe this week is already coming to an end? It honestly feels like it just started. Thankfully, work yesterday was fairly slow, which made the day go by a little easier. I finished with 10 saves. My goal was 12, so I fell a little short, but I’m still grateful for the 10 that I was able to help.

Lately, it seems like my job has become a little more challenging. With the economy, job losses, and families trying to cut every expense they can, I completely understand why people have to make difficult financial decisions. At the same time, I truly believe in the service we offer because I’ve seen how much it has helped people over the years. Sometimes it’s just about planting a seed and hoping it helps someone down the road.

One thing that has brought me so much peace this week has been digital decluttering. I’ve also been working through paperwork, and I can honestly tell a difference in how much calmer my mind feels. It’s amazing how getting rid of little bits of clutter—whether it’s around the house or inside my phone—can make such a big impact.

So far this week I’ve accomplished:

1. Unsubscribed from five email lists.
2. Deleted more unnecessary screenshots from my phone.
3. Wrote two cancellation letters to eliminate monthly expenses.
4. Finished my IRS paperwork and updated my direct deposit information.

Speaking of those cancellation letters…

After work yesterday, I stopped by my chiropractic appointment. I’ve really enjoyed getting adjusted, and it’s definitely helped my back and sciatic nerve. Right now my membership is about $80 a month, which includes four visits. As much as I like it, I’m trying to be intentional with every dollar I spend, so I handed them my cancellation letter while I was there.

The chiropractor mentioned they have some lower-cost plans that we can discuss over my remaining visits. I may end up switching to something that allows me to come once or twice a month instead. I still want to take care of my health while also making smart financial decisions.

I also received confirmation that my Minifig subscription has been canceled, which will save me another $20 each month. Every little bit adds up!

Then came the surprise of the day…

When I got home, I found a letter from the IRS in my mailbox. I immediately thought, “Oh great…what did I do now?” I assumed maybe I owed additional taxes since I had already heard back from the state earlier this year.

Instead, the letter explained that I had forgotten to include my banking information for direct deposit! They simply needed me to log in through ID.me, scan the QR code they provided, and enter my account information so they could send my refund.

I couldn’t help but laugh at myself.

The refund is only about $249, but I’ll gladly take it! It should arrive within the next couple of weeks, and I’ve already decided exactly where it’s going.

Straight to my Jeep payment.

Between that refund, my regular payments, and the small work bonus I’ll receive in August, I’m getting so close to paying my Jeep completely off. Right now I only owe about $1,290, and my goal is to make two larger payments in July and August, with the remaining balance paid in September—or sooner if I’m able to send in a little extra.

That feels incredibly exciting.

This afternoon after work I’m planning to add more family photos to my digital picture frame and spend some time learning more about my electronic calendar. I want to start using it for my weekly menus, appointments, and daily to-do lists so it becomes a tool I actually use instead of just another gadget sitting on the counter.

Little by little, I’m creating a life that feels less cluttered, less stressful, and much more intentional. It isn’t happening overnight, but every email I unsubscribe from, every drawer I clean out, every debt I pay down, and every small decision I make is moving me closer to the peaceful life I’m working toward.

Thank you for stopping by my blog and spending a little time with me today. I always enjoy our coffee chats, and I hope your Friday is filled with a few small victories of your own.

Talk to you later!

Cheers, Karen