Midweek Rambling

Welcome, August! Family Visits, Fresh Goals, and Looking Forward

Good morning, friends!

It’s Wednesday morning, August 5th, and I’m on my way to work. It’s about 6:30 a.m., and we are blessed with another beautiful Oklahoma sunrise. I don’t know about you, but I have a feeling August is going to be a wonderful month.

The biggest reason? My youngest son, Trevor, his wife Mellissa, and my sweet grandchildren, Kyndall and Liam, will be coming home from North Dakota for a week and a half! It feels like it’s been far too long since we’ve all been together, and I honestly can’t wait to hug those babies.

Over the past few weeks, Mr. C and I have been busy getting everything ready for their visit. We completely decluttered Kyndall’s bedroom, which doubles as our guest room, and gave the toy room a complete makeover. It feels so nice knowing everything is organized, clean, and ready for little feet to come running through the house again.

Yesterday our new window air conditioner arrived for Kyndall’s room, and Mr. C is planning to install it today. With August being one of the hottest months of the year here in Oklahoma, I know they’ll sleep much more comfortably.

If you’re wondering why we named our guest bedroom Kyndall’s room is because her and I have always utilized the guest bedroom as if it was hers. She has a dresser drawer that has clothes, small treasures and hair items waiting on her. When they leave to go back to North Dakota I send most home with her. Then I start gathering up new items for the next visit. 

Now I just need to start planning a few fun Nana-and-Kyndall adventures. She always loves helping me in the kitchen, so I’m already thinking about a few treats we can bake together. I’ll also be stocking the pantry with plenty of kid-friendly snacks before everyone arrives.

Monday

Work started the week off fairly well. I finished Monday with 9 saves. While it wasn’t exactly where I wanted to be, every save helps someone, and that’s something I’m always grateful for.

Monday was also a big day for our grandson, Landon. He had his tonsils removed, his adenoids taken out, and tubes placed in his ears. Anytime your grandbaby has surgery, your heart worries a little extra. Thankfully, everything went well, and now it’s just time for him to heal.

Tuesday

Tuesday turned out to be a much better day at work. I finished the day with 14 saves, and I was really pleased with that. Today I’m setting my goal at 16 saves, although I’ll be happy as long as I reach at least 10.

After work, I picked up Taco Mayo for dinner because Mr. C had spent nearly the entire day helping Brody and Savannah with the kids while Savannah was getting her classroom ready for the new school year. Since Landon was still recovering from surgery, it was a huge blessing for them to have Grandpa there to help out. I know Mr. C enjoyed every minute of spending time with those grandbabies.

Tuesday evening I also worked on my required credit counseling certification. I’ve finished everything except the final chat session. Once I complete that, I’ll officially have my certification behind me, and that’ll feel wonderful to check off my to-do list.

Wednesday

Today I’m heading into work feeling optimistic.

We’ve had some changes happening in our department recently. Madison is transferring to the National Team on August 10th, and Whitney will be out beginning August 12th for surgery, with an expected six-week recovery.

Because of that, our schedules are shifting around. Sam has been moved from his normal 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. schedule to working 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. If you know Sam, you know that’s going to be quite an adjustment! He’s definitely a night owl who usually stays up until around two in the morning. I imagine his alarm clock is becoming his least favorite thing these days.

Thankfully, we’re expecting a new employee to begin training around August 18th, so relief is on the way. Until then, we’ll all be pulling together. It will certainly be busy, but busy also means more opportunities to earn those extra save bonuses.

After work today, I plan to finish my certification chat, and then I think Chicken Express is calling my name for supper. I’ll even order enough so I can pack leftovers for tomorrow’s lunch.

Speaking of lunch, today I’m keeping things fairly simple:

• A low-carb roll-up
• Frozen fruit
• Yogurt
• A Diet Root Beer
• A Diet Pepsi
• An energy drink

Little by little, I’m trying to make healthier choices.

This year has really become about being intentional. I’m trying to eat better, manage my money wisely, stay organized, and simply become the best version of myself one day at a time. Progress may not always be fast, but progress is still progress.

Five Simple Ways I’m Trying to Cut Back on Carbs

• Make wraps using low-carb tortillas instead of bread.
• Keep fresh vegetables ready for quick snacks instead of chips.
• Choose grilled chicken more often than fried foods.
• Drink more water and diet drinks instead of sugary beverages.
• Keep healthy protein snacks like cheese sticks, boiled eggs, or nuts nearby so I’m less tempted by sweets.

Five Easy Ways to Save Money

• Plan meals before grocery shopping.
• Cook enough supper to enjoy leftovers for lunch.
• Give yourself a 24-hour waiting period before making impulse purchases.
• Keep a running grocery list so fewer trips to the store turn into fewer impulse buys.
• Put even five or ten dollars into savings each payday—it adds up faster than you think.

Nana & Kyndall’s Kitchen Corner

One recipe I know Kyndall and I will have fun making together is Mini English Muffin Pizzas.

All you’ll need:

• Whole wheat or regular English muffins
• Pizza sauce
• Shredded mozzarella cheese
• Pepperoni or cooked sausage
• Mini pepper slices or olives (optional)

Let Kyndall spread the sauce, sprinkle on the cheese, and decorate each pizza with her favorite toppings. Bake at 375° for about 10 minutes until the cheese is bubbly. It’s easy, delicious, and kids absolutely love making their own creations.

I’m counting down the days until our family is all together again. There’s just something about hearing little voices fill the house that makes everything feel complete.

I hope each of you has a wonderful Wednesday. Thank you for stopping by and spending a few minutes with me. Until next time, take care of yourselves and make today count!

Thursday Vibes

Thursday Check-In: Beating the Heat & Checking Things Off My List

Good morning, friends!

Grab a cup of coffee and come sit with me for a few minutes.

It’s going to be another scorcher here in Oklahoma today, with temperatures expected to reach around 107 degrees. Summer is definitely making its presence known! Thankfully, my employer has been letting us wear shorts all week because the air conditioning in our building hasn’t been working properly. They have also placed large stand-up fans throughout nearly every aisle, which has made a huge difference. I even keep a small fan on my desk. Not only does it help keep me cool, but it also creates a little background noise that helps drown out some of the conversations around me while I’m working.

I can’t believe we’re already to Thursday. The weekend is finally in sight!

After work this evening, I’ll be making a quick trip to Walmart to pick up some of Landon’s back-to-school supplies. Brody and Savannah have already purchased quite a bit from his school list, so we just wanted to help out with a few of the remaining items. I looked everything up online this morning, and our total should be around $63, which isn’t bad at all. We’re also planning to pick up a few classroom donation items like cotton balls, sidewalk chalk, colored copy paper, and a few other miscellaneous supplies that teachers always seem to need.

I still need to buy back-to-school outfits for Wesley, Angel, Clifford, and Max. I’m thinking Old Navy will probably be my weekend destination since I’ve always had good luck finding clothes for them there.

Today’s To-Do List

1. Fill my weekly pill organizer so I stay on track with taking my medications every morning.
2. Finish my July journal before the month comes to an end.
3. Continue sorting through the tote bags in my sunroom, especially the ones filled with old paperwork that needs to be shredded or tossed.
4. Stop by Burger King after work and pick up dinner for Mr. C and me.
5. Focus on getting 10 saves at work today so I can finish the month strong.

I’ve also been spending some time looking over my budget, and I realized I owe a little more on my vehicle than I originally thought. The balance is down to about $790, though, so I’m finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.

The best financial news this week is that I canceled two subscriptions that I really wasn’t using anymore. That will save us about $100 every month, and that money can now go toward more important goals.

One of those goals is paying down my credit card debt. I really don’t want to head into retirement with debt hanging over my head. I’ve struggled with finances at different times throughout my life, and while I’ve come a long way, I know I still have work to do. That’s okay, though. Progress doesn’t happen overnight. It happens one step, one payment, and one good decision at a time.

That’s what I’m focusing on today.

Easy Vanilla Caramel Iced Coffee ☕

If you’re trying to stay cool, here’s one of my favorite easy iced coffee recipes.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup chilled strong coffee or cold brew
• ½ cup milk (any kind)
• 1 tablespoon caramel syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla syrup or ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• Ice
• Whipped cream (optional)

Simply fill a glass with ice, pour in the coffee, milk, caramel, and vanilla, then stir well. Top with whipped cream and a drizzle of caramel if you’re feeling a little fancy. It tastes like a coffee shop treat without the coffee shop price!

Well, I’d better get ready for work. I hope you have a wonderful Thursday! Stay hydrated, try to stay indoors during the hottest part of the day if you can, and remember that even the smallest step toward your goals is still progress.

Thank you so much for stopping by and spending a little part of your morning with me. I always appreciate your visits.

Cheers,

Karen

Grocery Shopping with Nancy

 

If we were sitting together with a cup of coffee this morning, I’d have so much to tell you because this weekend was one of those weekends that filled my heart to overflowing.

On Saturday, my childhood friend Nancy and I headed to Oklahoma City for a much-needed girls’ day. First stop? Dollar Tree! I needed a gift bag and a birthday card for Sophie’s birthday party on Sunday. Of course, I also had one very important mission: finding those famous TikTok pens that everyone keeps talking about. Sadly, they weren’t there this time, but I have a feeling I’ll keep looking!

Next, we wandered through Burlington, and I found the cutest little dress for Sophie. I couldn’t leave empty-handed without grabbing a couple of things for myself too. I picked up my favorite Not Your Mother’s shampoo for only $8.99 (which felt like a steal these days!) and some Right Guard for Women for just $3.99. I love it when practical purchases feel like bargain victories.

Then we somehow managed to spend more at Dollar Tree than we originally planned…imagine that! I grabbed apple juice for Brody’s bunch because those boys can go through juice like it’s an Olympic sport. I also found zero-sugar Watermelon Monster drinks for only $1 each. Now that’s what I call a happy surprise!

By lunchtime we were starving, so we stopped for pho. Nancy ordered one of the noodle bowls, and I went with chicken fried rice. Now, let me just say…Nancy absolutely enjoyed her meal, but I quickly realized pho probably isn’t my thing. I need my meat to look like it has introduced itself to a grill or a skillet somewhere along the way. That beautifully simmered beef just wasn’t convincing enough for me. I think I’ll happily stick with fried rice!

Our biggest adventure of the day was WinCo. It was my very first visit, and wow—that place is huge! It felt like pushing a shopping cart through an airport terminal. I spent a couple of hours working through my grocery list. Some prices were much cheaper than what I normally pay at Crest in Norman, especially the meat department, while other items were about the same or even a little higher. Overall, though, I left pretty impressed and will definitely be making another trip.

Before heading home, we made one last stop at Aldi in Chickasha so I could buy everything for Sophie’s birthday charcuterie board. Let’s just say I walked in thinking, “I’ll only need a few things,” and walked out about $50 later. Isn’t it amazing how cheese can quietly empty your wallet? I figured I’d rather have too much than not enough, so I may have gone just a tiny bit overboard.

Once we finally made it home, Nancy headed back to her house while Mr. C and I unloaded what felt like enough groceries to feed a small town. Thankfully, we got everything put away in record time.

Then came the best surprise of the entire day.

Lane and Landon came to spend the night!

It had been quite a while since Lane had stayed with us, and honestly, I can’t even remember if Landon had ever spent the night before. We had the sweetest evening together. I got down on the floor with Lane and built all kinds of creations with the magnetic blocks while Landon climbed up beside me on the loveseat for some much-needed Nana cuddles.

Mr. C had picked up two sets of magnetic blocks a while back, and we weren’t sure how much the boys would enjoy them. Let’s just say they were a huge hit! They stayed entertained for hours, and seeing their imaginations at work was worth every penny.

I headed to bed before everyone else, but I think Landon finally drifted off around 10:30, while Lane held out until almost 11:00. They made themselves comfortable on the living room couch since the guest room gets a little warm during these Oklahoma summers.

Before I called it a night, I tackled one last project. I started cutting all of the cheese for Sunday’s charcuterie board into different shapes and slices. It took a little while, but I was so glad to have that job finished before my head hit the pillow.

By the end of the day, my feet were tired, my refrigerator was full, my heart was even fuller, and I was reminded once again that the very best weekends aren’t always the relaxing ones—they’re the ones filled with friends, family, laughter, and a little too much cheese.

I’d call that a pretty perfect Saturday.

#CoffeeWithKaren #WeekendRecap #NanaLife #GirlsDayOut #OklahomaLiving #GroceryAdventures #MakingMemories #CharcuterieFun #GrandkidGiggles #BlessedBeyondMeasure

Staying Intentional with Decluttering

 

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