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!

MakingToDo List

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❤️

Food Compilation for July

Rearranged leftovers and took to work for my department to enjoy. Was a big hit.

Mud Creek BBQ Ringling OKLA.

Energy Drinks are a must in the call center.

Frito Chili Cheese Pie 

Loaded scrambled eggs and toast 

Chicken and dumplings 

Hard Taco and salad 

Salad 

I really need to be more intentional about getting photos of my food thru out the month.  We eat very basic  at least that's my personal thoughts. 

 

Looking At The Weekend

Happy Friday, everyone!

I am sitting in the parking lot at work this morning, watching my coworkers slowly trickle in one by one. I never like rushing into my day, so I usually wait until about 6:45 before heading inside. That gives me plenty of time to grab something to drink, fill up my water cup with lots of ice, get my computers turned on, and have all my work apps loaded before the phones start ringing. Starting the day calm is much better than starting it in a panic!

After work today, I’ll be picking up a small grocery order because tomorrow is going to be a fun Nana and Grandpa weekend. Lane and Landon are coming to spend the day and stay the night with us, so of course I have to make sure we’re fully stocked with all the important essentials—milk, chocolate syrup, cookies, ice cream, and plenty of snacks. If you’ve ever shopped for picky eaters, you know it’s almost like preparing for a tiny food critic convention! Thankfully, a little chocolate milk can solve a lot of problems.

Tomorrow I’m also hoping to attend the Peach Festival. I’ve never been before, and since this is their 50th year, I figured it’s finally time to check it off my Oklahoma adventure list. I need to get with my friend Nancy today to see if she’s still planning to go with me. If she can make it, that’ll be wonderful. If not, I’ll still head that way because I’ve learned that sometimes solo adventures can be just as much fun.

I talked with my best friend, Cherrie, yesterday. She’s doing well at her new job and making more money, which I’m so happy about. The downside is that she’s working a lot more hours, so it’s been hard for our schedules to line up. Our famous Sunday Fundays have almost disappeared lately, but we’re hoping to get together one evening next week after work. Sometimes friendships just have to work around busy seasons of life, and that’s okay.

I’ve also been having a great time on Swap-bot lately. I’ve picked up a couple of new pen pals, and my goal is to get at least two letters written and mailed tomorrow. I’m determined not to get behind this time! It’s funny how people who start out as strangers eventually become friends through handwritten letters. There’s just something special about opening your mailbox and finding something besides bills.

Tomorrow I also need to mail my “Pen Pal Kit No. 3” swap. I really enjoyed putting this one together. It’s filled with fun stationery supplies and little goodies that another pen pal can use while writing letters. I honestly think the kit turned out really nice, and I’m excited to see what arrives in my mailbox in return. Even if it’s not quite as full as the one I sent, that’s perfectly okay. Let’s just say I’m definitely not suffering from a shortage of stationery supplies around here. If there were an Olympic event for collecting stickers, washi tape, and pretty paper, I might actually have a chance at bringing home the gold medal!

For now, though, it’s time to head into work. I’m hoping for a great day with lots of member saves so I can earn a little extra money. And if it wants to rain off and on all day, I certainly won’t complain. Rainy Fridays have a way of making the weekend feel even cozier.

Thank you so much for stopping by and spending a few minutes with me today. I’d love to hear from you! Is your weather hot, rainy, or somewhere in between? Leave me a comment and let me know what kind of day you’re having where you live.

I hope you all have a wonderful Friday and a fantastic weekend!

middle of Week Unexpected Cookout

Wonderful Wednesday

It is the middle of the week, and I always look forward to Wednesday because I know I’ve only got two more days until the weekend. Truthfully, at my age, I feel like I live for the weekends when I can get out and do something besides work and being at home. I’ve always been someone who loves to go places more than most people. I always joke that I must have a little gypsy blood in me because I just love to roam.

Today is going to be a little different than our normal routine, and it’s all thanks to my sweet husband, Mr. C. Yesterday while I was at work, he texted me and asked what I thought about having a cookout tonight. Of course, I was all for it! He immediately started making phone calls to see who could come over, then sent me a grocery list of everything I needed to pick up after work.

The cookout will start around 5:00 this evening. I should get home around 4:30, which will give me enough time to help in the kitchen while he’s outside working the grill. I think it’ll be a smaller gathering than we’re used to, with Brody, Savannah, Lane, Landon, Sophie, Charles, and Elizabeth coming over. It’s just too far for Alisha and Jonathan to make the drive after work since they live about an hour away, but Mr. C still invited them so they’d know we were thinking about them.

Work was actually a pretty successful day. I stayed focused on each member I spoke with and was thankful to make my daily save goal. I was really proud of that. I didn’t have any especially rude callers, although I did have several who were pretty impatient. I’ve learned that I don’t know what someone else’s life looks like, so when they get upset with me, I try not to take it personally. I simply let that call go and move on to the next one without carrying the frustration with me. That’s something I’ve been working really hard on, and I think it’s making my days at the call center much less stressful.

One fun thing I did today was take a charcuterie board to work. It was made from the leftover meats and cheeses from Sophie’s first birthday party on Sunday. Luther suggested I just throw everything away, but I told him there was no reason to waste perfectly good food because my coworkers would definitely enjoy it.

I packed the meats and cheeses along with some Dijon mustard for dipping, three or four different kinds of crackers, and even a bag of chips. It turned out to be a huge hit! Everyone was so appreciative, and it felt good knowing the leftovers didn’t go to waste. Sometimes it’s the little things, like sharing food with coworkers, that make an ordinary workday a little more special.

When I got off work at 3:30, I headed to the grocery store to pick up everything Mr. C had put on the list. Before long, we’d be getting everything ready for an evening filled with good food, family, and laughter. Those are the moments I treasure the most, and they make the workweek worth it.

Sophie’s Birthday Celebration

 

A Sweet Celebration for Our Birthday Girl 🎉🎂

Today was all about celebrating our sweet Sophie turning one year old, and what a wonderful day it turned out to be!

Mr. C and I were up early this morning, and before we even had a chance to fully wake up, the boys were already on the move. The very first thing Landon wanted was the magnetic blocks. He found one set, and before long Lane had claimed the other. The next thing I knew, they were happily sitting at their little table, watching cartoons, building masterpieces, and enjoying a quiet morning together. Those are the moments you wish you could bottle up forever.

Once everyone was up, it was time for breakfast. The boys enjoyed pancakes with chocolate milk, which I think has officially become their favorite breakfast. Landon was so excited about the birthday party that he barely ate a thing, while Lane made sure not a single bite went to waste. Isn’t it funny how excitement can completely replace an appetite?

Around 10:00, I started pulling everything out of the refrigerator to put together the charcuterie board. I’ll admit it—I bought way too much meat and cheese! But honestly, I’d much rather have too much than not enough. Since I had plenty, I ended up making one large charcuterie platter and a smaller round tray. No one has ever complained about having too many snacks at a party!

After the charcuterie boards were finished and tucked safely back into the refrigerator, we moved on to making the ham and Swiss sliders along with turkey and cheddar sliders. Can I just say…where have sliders been all my life? They’re delicious, simple to make, and feed a crowd so easily. Looking back, I wish I had been making these when my boys were growing up. Better late than never!

We arrived at the Lions Club around 1:45 that afternoon, and Savannah had already worked her decorating magic. Everything looked absolutely adorable with the banners and birthday decorations. All I had left to do was finish setting up the food table. I arranged the charcuterie boards, filled my little serving bowls with the dips, pickles, and black olives, and made everything look as inviting as possible.

Brody and Savannah brought a beautiful vegetable tray and a colorful fruit platter. Of course, there was also the cutest smash cake for Sophie and plenty of cupcakes for everyone else. (Thankfully, the adults didn’t have to fight the birthday girl for frosting!)

The afternoon was filled with laughter, visiting, and making memories. It was one of those gatherings where everyone simply enjoyed being together, and those are always my favorite kind.

Sophie was spoiled with adorable clothes, fun toys, and even a small inflatable swimming pool that I know she’ll have a blast splashing around in this summer.

One of Sophie’s aunts has a tradition that I absolutely love. She always includes snacks or little treats with the kids’ birthday gifts. I think that’s such a thoughtful idea. I’ve always liked adding a bag of candy or a favorite flavored drink when giving birthday presents to my grandchildren. It’s such a simple little touch, but it always makes the gift feel extra special.

As I looked around the room today, I couldn’t help but feel incredibly grateful. Watching family gather together, seeing the kids play, hearing conversations and laughter—it reminded me once again that these are the moments that truly matter.

Thank you so much for stopping by and sharing a little piece of Sophie’s first birthday with me.

I’d love to hear from you! Leave me a comment and tell me where you’re reading my blog from. I always enjoy hearing from my readers.

Until next time, have a wonderful day!