Happy Tuesday

Good morning, friends. Happy Tuesday! Today is June 2nd, 2026, and this morning I woke up feeling very motivated to start tackling some of the things that I have been putting off for way too long. You know those little projects that stay in the back of your mind for months? Well… today is the day to finally start checking some of them off my list.

Instead of feeling overwhelmed by everything at once, I decided to break things down into smaller goals and focus on one thing at a time.

Here’s what I’m hoping to accomplish this week:

• Closet clean-out and donation pile
I have officially started going through closets, shoes, purses, and all the extra “stuff” that I keep hanging onto for no reason. Clothes that are too big, too small, too worn out, or things I simply never wear anymore are all going into a donation pile. Honestly, I have shoes I haven’t touched in years, so why am I still keeping them? It feels like the perfect time to let go of excess clutter and simplify things a little.

• Decluttering my devices and storage
My iPad has been begging for storage space because it refuses to update until I clean things out. So that’s another big project on my list this week. I’m going through photos, apps, downloads, and files on both my iPad and phone to free up some room and get everything updated properly again. It’s definitely time-consuming, but it needs to be done. I’m also planning to start ordering printed photos again instead of keeping thousands of pictures stored on my devices. I miss having actual printed memories to look through.

• Finishing Moira’s  journal
Mora’s journal arrived yesterday, and she included the sweetest little packages of pens and goodies inside. Now I need to focus on finishing my part of the journal and gathering a few fun things to send back with it. I’m also going to message her and ask if she would mind giving me about two weeks to finish everything up and get it mailed back to her. I really want to take my time and make it special.

• Planning Brody’s birthday party
Thursday, June 4th, we’ll be celebrating Brody’s birthday here at the house with around 20 family members and friends. We’re keeping things simple and fun with a pizza party — six pizzas, breadsticks, drinks, and all the paper goods. Elizabeth is bringing the cake, a big salad, and possibly cupcakes for the little kids.

One thing I’m really excited about is setting up the karaoke machine outside along with cornhole. I’ve had that karaoke machine for a couple of years now, and we’ve honestly never used it. So I figured… why not? Even if nobody sings much, it’ll still add a fun vibe to the party.

Brody is going to be VERY surprised by his main gift this year because several of us all chipped in together to buy him a large gun safe that holds around 36 guns. He is going to absolutely love it. I’m also putting together a small gift bag with Monster drinks and some of his favorite candy so he’ll still have a few things to open at the party. I think Elizabeth and Savannah also picked up a few smaller gifts for him too, so he’ll definitely have some surprises waiting.

Overall, this week is shaping up to be a busy but productive one, and honestly, I’m looking forward to it. Sometimes it feels really good to reset, declutter, and focus on getting life a little more organized.

Thank you so much for stopping by my blog today. I’d love to know where you’re reading from, so leave me a comment below and say hello!

I hope you all have a wonderful, safe, and blessed day ahead.

Hello June

 

June 1st, 2026 — A New Chapter Begins

Today is June 1st, 2026, and somehow we are already standing at the halfway point of the year. It honestly feels impossible that six months of 2026 have already come and gone. Some days seemed to fly by in a blur, while others felt long and heavy, but here we are beginning a brand-new month and stepping into the second half of the year.

First of all, I want to wish everyone a blessed, peaceful, and fulfilling day ahead. I hope this second half of 2026 brings happiness, better health, success, laughter, comfort, answered prayers, and many wonderful moments with the people you love most.

Do you happen to have anything special planned for June? Big vacation? Summer projects? Family gatherings? Fresh goals? I honestly do not have any huge plans myself, and maybe that is okay. Sometimes the quieter seasons end up being the ones that matter the most.

Personally, I am really going to focus on spending more intentional time with Mr. C, my family, my friends, and especially my grandbabies. Life moves so quickly, and I have realized lately that I do not want to always be rushing from one thing to another without fully soaking in the moments right in front of me. I want to make memories instead of just making to-do lists. I want more front porch conversations, more laughter, more little road trips, more hugs, and more moments where I put the phone down and truly enjoy the people around me.

One thing about June 1st that always gets me thinking is how I tend to look at my life in seasons or chapters, almost like a book being written one page at a time. Today feels like opening the very first page of Chapter Six in the book of 2026.

Five chapters have already been written.

Some pages have made us smile.
Some pages have made us stronger.
Some pages have tested us.
Some pages may have even changed us forever.

There were probably moments we wish we could relive again and moments we are grateful to leave behind. But that is the thing about life — every chapter teaches us something, even the difficult ones.

And now today gives us a blank page.

A fresh start.
Another chance.
Another opportunity to notice the beauty instead of rushing right past it.

As I move into this next chapter, I really want to work on carrying more gratitude, more wonder, more kindness, more joy, and honestly… more positivity. I have noticed as I have gotten older that sometimes I have become a little more grumpy and negative than I used to be. Maybe life and stress and responsibilities can slowly sneak that into our hearts if we are not careful. But I do not want to stay there.

So this month, I am going to intentionally work on shifting my mindset. I want to become softer instead of harder. More optimistic instead of expecting the worst. More thankful for the little things instead of focusing on what is missing. I want to laugh more, complain less, and truly appreciate the people and moments that make life meaningful.

Summer is here.
The days are longer.
The sunsets are prettier.
And maybe this chapter still has some beautiful surprises waiting for all of us.

Thank you so much for stopping by and spending a little part of your day here with me. I truly appreciate every single one of you who takes the time to read my ramblings, reflections, stories, and little pieces of everyday life.

Now I would love to hear from you:
What are your goals, hopes, or thoughts for June 2026?

Let’s step into this new chapter together and see where the pages take us.

Have a marvelous day, friends.

Tulsa Bound

 

Tulsa, Oklahoma Bound

This weekend was finally our Tulsa birthday adventure, and let me tell you, it was everything I hoped it would be and more. Me and Cherrie loaded up and headed out bright and early Saturday morning. She made it to my house around 7:30 a.m., and before long we were officially Tulsa, Oklahoma bound. The drive takes several hours from my house, but honestly, the excitement made the trip fly by.

Our first stop was the Tulsa Farmers Market, and I absolutely loved it. There were so many vendors set up with fresh produce, beautiful flowers, handmade soaps, lotions, and all kinds of goodies. They even had a live musician playing while everyone walked around shopping, and it just created such a fun atmosphere. I was actually surprised by how many people were there. It felt lively and cheerful and was such a great way to kick off the trip.

After the farmers market, we headed over to The Outsiders House Museum. I have to say, it was a really cute setup. The gift shop alone was huge and packed with all kinds of merchandise and memorabilia. Walking through everything honestly made me want to sit down and watch The Outsiders all over again. It brought back so many memories.

Next, we made our way to the Fire Department Museum. They were serving hot dogs, hamburgers, and root beer floats, plus admission was free for the event. I’ll be honest though — I was a little underwhelmed with the museum itself. I think I expected there to be more exhibits than there actually were. But even so, I’m still glad we went. I got to take a few pictures and officially mark it off my list.

We did also get to see some of the Vintage cars that was in the Route 66 car parade. Celebrating the centennial celebration of Route 66. 

From there, we drove over to Jenks where they were hosting a food truck festival. That place was packed with people, live music, and food trucks everywhere. It was definitely one of those fun community events where you can just walk around, people-watch, and enjoy the atmosphere.

Of course, no girls trip is complete without a little shopping. We stopped at Ross where I picked up a charger, and then headed over to Ollie’s. I found a book about U.S. state parks for only $3.99 that I originally planned to decompose for pictures and journaling. But now I’m debating if I can actually cut it up because there’s so much good information in it. That’s always the struggle with creative projects, isn’t it?

Later in the day, we headed downtown to visit the Center of the Universe. I’m glad we stopped there, but they’re currently redoing and revamping parts of it, so it’s kind of in transition right now. Also, let me just say — they tell you when you stand in the middle and talk, nobody outside the circle can hear you. Not true. Not true at all. But hey, we still had fun and got another thing checked off our Tulsa bucket list.

By this point, we were exhausted. We had walked so many steps, seen so much, and taken tons of pictures. But we still had one more stop to make before calling it a night.

We headed over to the Blue Whale in Catoosa for their big celebration weekend. There were vendors, food trucks, live bands, and lots of people enjoying the festivities. We walked down to the Blue Whale itself and checked out the brand-new gift shop since it was opening weekend. It really was a huge celebration and such a fun Route 66 stop.

Finally, we made our way to the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino to check into our room. To top off the night, we went to see Neil McCoy in concert, and he absolutely put on a fantastic show. It was the perfect ending to a very full and very fun day.

Overall, this trip was exactly what I hoped it would be. Lots of laughter, lots of memories, lots of walking, and lots of fun celebrating birthdays with my best friend. We made it back to the hotel around midnight, which honestly wasn’t too shabby considering everything we packed into one day.

Living Life

Wednesday, May 27th, 2026

Happy Midweek!

I cannot believe we are already wrapping up another Wednesday. Sometimes it feels like this year is moving at lightning speed, and other times I feel like I am just trying to keep up with my own thoughts and projects. Lately, I have really been procrastinating on getting my blog updated. I honestly do not know why I do this every single time. Maybe I get overwhelmed trying to figure out where to start, or maybe my creativity simply shifts into other things like journaling, letter writing, or planning little adventures. I tend to get stuck in my own head sometimes, and before I know it, the blog gets pushed to the back burner again.

Even so, today I am focusing on doing my best at work and helping my members however I can. We have new girls coming out of training, and apparently I must be doing something right because management keeps having coworkers sit in and listen to my calls. I still do not know if that is a blessing or a curse! It definitely adds a little stress to the day because I do not exactly see myself as a teacher, but I will absolutely do my best to help encourage and support them.

After work, I need to make a quick Walmart run for the essentials: milk, snacks, and of course a few Monster drinks to survive the rest of this week and probably part of next week too. I already know how this trip will go. I will walk in needing five things and somehow walk out with twenty. Walmart has a way of convincing you that you suddenly need items you never even considered before entering the store!

I also need to pick up a few snacks for Mr. C since this weekend I will be heading to Tulsa with Cherrie for our birthday weekend getaway. I am honestly so excited about this trip. We are trying to keep things budget-friendly, which works out perfectly because Tulsa is celebrating the Route 66 Centennial this weekend. There are going to be so many free and low-cost events happening all over the city.

One thing I am especially excited about is visiting the fire department museum. They are offering free admission along with hot dogs, hamburgers, and root beer floats. If you have followed my blog for any amount of time, then you already know firefighters absolutely have my heart and always will. There is just something about first responders — firefighters, police officers, military personnel — that I deeply admire and respect. But firefighters in particular? I cannot even fully explain it. They have always held a special place in my heart.

On the way home tonight, I am planning to grab supper from Braum’s. I am getting their grilled chicken strawberry salad, and I am being smart about it by dividing it into two meals. Half for supper tonight and the leftovers for lunch tomorrow. I even remembered to ask for an extra dressing this time, which honestly feels like a personal victory. I will probably throw in a few crackers along with some pepper jack and cheddar cheese, and lunch tomorrow will be easy, filling, and pretty healthy too.

Health-wise, my sciatica nerve does seem to be calming down a little bit, thankfully. Nights are still the hardest part, and I am really hoping I can sleep in our bedroom all night without having to move around trying to get comfortable. Fingers crossed for a decent night of sleep because that makes such a huge difference in everything else.

For now, though, I am simply taking this week one day at a time, trying to focus on the good moments, looking forward to Tulsa, and reminding myself that not everything has to be perfect to still be meaningful.

#MidweekRamblings #TulsaBound #Route66Centennial #BirthdayWeekend #FirefighterHeart #WalmartRuns #BraumsDinner #SciaticaStruggles #EverydayLife #OklahomaLiving #JournalingLife #SimpleMoments

Monday is Here

Monday Ramblings – Tulsa Plans, Journaling, and Sciatica Struggles

Monday, May 18th

I am honestly surprised at how quickly May is flying by. Before we know it, Sherry and I will be headed to Tulsa for our little weekend getaway on May 30th and 31st, and we are both really looking forward to it.

I have been working on a list of places I would like for us to visit while we are there. One place high on my list is the Center of the Universe. I have always thought that sounded so neat and unique. I also want to visit the free farmers market and spend some time at Mother Road Market. I think it will be fun because there are so many vendors and food booths there, so Sherry and I can each pick whatever sounds good to us. We usually enjoy similar foods anyway, but it will still be fun to see what catches our attention.

Another thing I really want to do is take pictures of Tulsa’s murals and spend time exploring the art district downtown. Tulsa has so much character, and I know we are going to enjoy simply walking around and seeing where the weekend takes us. I do need to finalize our itinerary soon, just so we have a little guide to follow if we run out of ideas while we are there.

When I got home yesterday, I had such a sweet surprise waiting for me. Someone from one of my Facebook journaling groups sent me a random act of kindness envelope filled with journaling goodies. There were little pieces of paper, stickers, and other fun bits to use in my journal. It truly made my day. I need to remember to take a picture of everything she sent and tag her in the group so I can properly thank her for her kindness.

Last night Luther and I went to Lane’s game. We ended up leaving early, but the weather was actually pretty nice considering it was over 85 degrees. The wind was blowing hard enough to keep things somewhat cool, which made sitting outside much more enjoyable.

Once we got home and settled in for the evening, my sciatica nerve started bothering me more than usual. I told Luther that after work Tuesday I plan on driving to Lawton to go back to The Joint chiropractor. Since I signed up for their monthly plan, I can go four times a month for $79, and honestly that seems like a pretty good deal compared to paying $65 per visit elsewhere.

I do like Dr. Ellis in Marlow because he is much closer to home, but he mainly uses a machine for adjustments. I personally feel like I get better relief from hands-on adjustments and manipulation. Sometimes that seems to help my back and hips loosen up better.

Sciatica can really be frustrating because it happens when the sciatic nerve becomes irritated or compressed. The sciatic nerve is actually the largest nerve in the body and runs from the lower back down through the hips and legs. Many people notice that the pain becomes worse at night or after sitting for long periods of time. Thankfully, gentle movement, stretching, chiropractic care, and heat can sometimes help relieve the discomfort.

I also really need to keep working on my journal for Mora and get it completed. I feel a little behind, and the closer the deadline gets, the more I start to panic. I think I will be okay though. I have also started preparing another journal that I believe will be for July. I have already been gluing pages together and creating some background art pages so I can stay a little ahead before the journal officially begins.

As many of y’all already know, I truly love junk journaling and creative journaling. I enjoy getting little glimpses into other people’s lives and seeing how they decorate and create their pages. It is such a creative and comforting hobby for me.

Thank y’all so much for stopping by my blog on this Monday evening. I hope you all had a wonderful day, and I appreciate every single visit and comment more than you know.

#TulsaTrip #JunkJournalLove #SciaticaJourney #CreativeLife

Errand Sunday

Sunday Reset & Small Town Errands

Sunday, May 17th, 2026

Mr. C and I got up early this morning and enjoyed a slow, peaceful start to our Sunday. We spent part of the morning getting caught up on some of our TV shows and honestly just enjoying the quiet together before the day got busy. Those kinds of mornings always feel good for the soul.

Around 11 a.m., I headed to Chickasha to run errands. I had a little list of things I needed to get done, but I also planned it where I could make a fun little afternoon out of it. Before I left, I grabbed my Aldi bags and my insulated bag because with these warmer temperatures, I knew I needed something to keep the milk and sweet tea cool on the drive home.

My first stop was Walmart. I ran in to pick up some photos I had printed and grabbed a few things while I was there. I picked up a gallon of milk, some Dawn Powerwash spray, some Match Light charcoal for grilling, and candy for the candy bowl for when Lane and Landon come over. They love gummy worms, and I may have picked up some chocolate too.

From there, I headed to HTeaO to finally use a $25 gift card I have been carrying around forever. I got a gallon of sweet tea and tried their wedding cake tea, which was actually really good. I will admit, I was a little surprised that the gallon of tea was $6.75, but at least I finally used the gift card!

Next stop was Dollar Tree where I grabbed some wide-ruled notebook paper, envelopes, a grill lighter, and a few snacks. I also picked up some peanut butter M&Ms which are definitely one of my weaknesses. Being diabetic, I know I should probably leave them alone, but sometimes you just want a little treat.

After that, I stopped by Aldi and picked up a few things for work lunches this week. Nothing major, just enough to help make the week easier. I grabbed snack crackers with cheese, pepper jack cheese, pretzels with garden vegetable dip, potato salad, strawberries, and a few other little snacks.

My last stop before heading home was Burger King. I picked up Mr. C a Texas Whopper meal and got myself the original chicken sandwich meal. By then, I was definitely ready to head back home and settle in for the evening.

Earlier this morning before I left, I had already put dinner in the slow cooker. I made the Copycat Olive Garden Chicken Pasta recipe, which is one of those easy comfort meals that always turns out good.

Copycat Olive Garden Chicken Pasta (Slow Cooker Style)

Ingredients:

- 2 to 3 chicken breasts

- 1 bottle Olive Garden Italian dressing

- 1 block cream cheese

- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese

- Pasta of choice

Directions:

Place the chicken breasts in the slow cooker and pour the Olive Garden dressing over the top. Add the cream cheese and parmesan cheese. Cook on low for about 5 to 6 hours or until the chicken is tender and easy to shred. Shred the chicken, stir everything together until creamy, and serve over cooked pasta. It makes the house smell amazing all day long.

Once I got home, we did what I call our little Sunday reset. Mr. C handled the laundry by washing and drying everything while I folded and put it away. We wiped down the kitchen, swept and mopped the floors, and just got everything tidied up for the upcoming week.

I also finished Kyndall’s homemade card and letter. I just need to address it and get it mailed out. She keeps every letter I send her, which honestly melts my heart. She told me once, “Nana, you’ve sent me a hundred letters!” That may not exactly be true, but I do try to send them often because I know how much she enjoys getting mail.

Overall, this weekend was exactly what I needed. I had enough time to be productive, enough downtime to rest, and plenty of little moments that made me feel grateful for this simple life we’re building.

Now it’s time to get ready for another week ahead.

Kyndall’s 7th Birthday

May 5th, 2026 — Kyndall Turns Seven 💕

Today is Kyndall’s birthday, and my heart is feeling a little heavy knowing I can’t be there in person to celebrate with her. That’s just part of living far away, I suppose—but it doesn’t make it any easier when you love someone as much as I love that sweet girl.

Kyndall is the big 7 today, and she has been so excited counting down to it. A couple of days ago, I asked her what she wanted for her birthday, and in true Kyndall fashion, she said, “Nana, I don’t care. You always get me good things.” That right there just melted me. There is something so special about a child who feels loved and content like that.

Of course, I still wanted to make sure I got her something she truly wanted, so I checked in with her mama. Melissa told me Kyndall had her heart set on a pottery wheel for kids, and I thought—oh yes, that is perfect. I got online right away and ordered one for her. I can already picture her creating little masterpieces and being so proud of herself.

We also sent her $100 from Grandpa Kendall so she could go pick out something fun for herself—because what seven-year-old doesn’t love a little birthday shopping spree? And honestly, I’m not done yet. In a few days, I’ll probably send her some film for her Insta camera and maybe a little lip gloss or two… just because. That’s one of the perks of being Nana—you get to surprise them for no reason at all.

And of course, I can’t forget baby Liam. I’m already thinking about putting together a little care package for both of them. It just feels right.

Even though I’m not there, it brings me so much comfort knowing how well Kyndall is loved and cared for. Melissa and Trevor do such a wonderful job keeping her busy and involved. Between swimming, gymnastics, and all the activities at the Roughrider Center, she is thriving. Now she’s even talking about learning how to play chess—imagine that! She’s growing into such a bright, curious, and joyful little person.

I have truly loved watching her become who she is. Her laughter, her sweetness, her spirit—it fills my heart in a way that’s hard to even put into words.

So today, from afar, I’m celebrating my beautiful granddaughter. Happy 7th birthday, Kyndall,. Nana loves you more than you could ever know.