The Simple Woman's Daybook - December 29th

FOR TODAY, Tuesday, December 29th

Outside my window... It's finally getting cold again, the snow has stopped melting & we now have an ice rink in our driveway.  Hopefully we will get more snow to cover up the ice!

I am thinking... That I can't believe its the end of the year, 2010 here I come  :-)

I am thankful for... My trusty SUV.  I had hoped to get a new vehicle this year, but had to make other priorities instead.  It's kept me safe the last 6 years.  Go baby go!

From the kitchen... The counters are over run with holiday goods, there is no way that the two of us will eat it all, so I will bring some to work to share with friends. 

I am creating... Break from crafting for a while, until I get the holiday clutter under control!

I am going... To get ready for work, sometimes I enjoy having more time in the morning before I have to work, & other times it would be nice to have more time in the evenings. 

I am reading... Digital books on my Iphone. 

I am hoping... To take down the holiday decorations this upcoming weekend.  We always do this after the first of the year. 

I am hearing... The microwave, heating up some water for a cup of tea. 

Around the house... We have a 4 day weekend so will put away the christmas decorations as well as reclaiming our second bedroom that has become over run with wrapping paper & boxes. 

One of my favorite things... Looking forward to a fresh start to a new year, & a new year's resolution.  I've had mine planned for a while now, do you?

A few plans for the rest of the week: Coast through work, enjoy the evenings with Kyle watching some movies, & catching up on some housework.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing...

A wintery view of downtown Anchorage.


You can visit Peggy over at The Simple Woman's Daybook for more daybook entries.

The Simple Woman's Daybook - November 16th

FOR TODAY, Monday, November 16th

Outside my window... Burrr!  It's very cold, we've been in the single digits the last couple of days.  I would much rather have snow than frigid temps.

I am thinking... That its time to start wearing flats to work, high heels in the parking lot is a bit precarious when you're in a hurry.

I am thankful for...  KYLE, he makes me laugh, comforts me when I cry, & is my best friend.  I Love You.

From the kitchen... Slightly chaotic, working on more canning projects (sweet & sour sauce), & pulling out holiday baking recipes. This year I will be making both grandmother's fruit cake recipes, they are drastically different!

I am wearing... Warm fuzzy socks, flannel pants & sweater (yeah, nothing exciting)

I am creating...  Working on two projects right now, some really cool place mats & a kitchen towel with cute little smiling apples. 

I am going... To make myself a cup of Chai Tea.  I swear it tastes like pumpkin pie!

I am reading... Starting on the Twilight books & Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain.

I am hoping...  That we get more snow, PLEASE!!!

I am hearing... Silence

Around the house... Getting ready to pull out holiday decorations, I will have to pick up a new door wreath this year as my cranberry wreath was really sad & abused so I tossed after last christmas.  I have picked out one I like but since its $50 bucks I might have to keep looking  :-(

One of my favorite things...  Those cinnamon/spice scented pine cones, & potpourri on the stove. 

A few plans for the rest of the week:  Finish our Thanksgiving meal plan & finalize christmas gift lists.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing...

Frank & Winston enjoying the snow.

You can visit Peggy over at The Simple Woman's Daybook for more daybook entries.

My favorite things...

I found this interesting post over at The Simple Woman's Blogspot, she is also the creator of The Simple Woman's Daybook. I thought I would share.

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20 Of My Favorite Things

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1. Color-Green, my birthstone & the color reminds me of spring.

2. Dessert-Anything with lots of chocolate; molten lava cake, flourless chocolate cake, & awesome chocolate cake are just to name a few.

3. Smell-Stargazer lillies, fresh ginger, lemongrass, brown sugar, & freshly baked bread.

4. Flower-Bleeding hearts (Love you grandma!)

5. Animal-PUGS of course

6. Month-August

7. Beverage-Coffee, peach ice tea, & ginger ale

8. Pair of shoes-Sandals for the summer

9. Snack-Pepperidge Farm cookies

10. Song-Halo by Beyonce

11. Book-Spiced, & Memoirs of a Geisha

12. Fruit-Asian pears

13. Hairstyle-Long & curly

14. Piece of clothing-Pink waterproof jacket

15. Store to clothes shop-Kohl's

16. Season-Autumn

17. Hobby-Soap making, jewelry making, photography, & stained glass.

18. Thing to collect-Rocks & things (agates, crystals, sapphires, rubies, & seashells)

19. Movie-Chocolat, Marley & Me, What women want

20. Restaurant-Olive Garden (please come to Alaska!!!)

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Click HERE for more lists of favorites posted at The Simple Woman.

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The Simple Woman's Daybook - May 10th

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FOR TODAY SUNDAY, MAY 10,2009

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Outside my window... A feathered visitor to my bird feeder, Chickadees are one of my favorite birds.

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I am thinking... That I am addicted to Fire King dishes, I won another auction at Ebay for two dinner size swirl plates and am currently bidding on Jadeite in the Alice pattern, is there a group for antique addicts?!?

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I am thankful for... My job, even though it really sucks getting up at 4am, ugh!

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From the kitchen... Breakfast was some kick butt stuffed French Toast with macerated Strawberries. Check back for my recipes and a full spread of pics *also* a recipe for some really sweet strawberries.

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I am wearing... Peek-a-boo! I am wearing one of my new pairs of earrings, they are sterling silver with mother of pearl.

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I am creating... Hoping to start work on some silhouettes to display over my fireplace. Below picture is just an example, to see my inspiration for this project, click on NieNie Dialogues.

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I am going... To finish planting all of my greenhouse and home grown plants this week, I have been procrastinating. This is some of my back deck last year, I am hoping to add more pots this year as I am growing mostly produce and only a little bit of flowers.

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I am reading... Really good book if you are interested in what is in the food you eat, better yet what your food eats before you eat it (think lots of corn).

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I am hoping... To locate a duvet cover for our new goose down comforter, I haven't been happy with what I have found locally and really don't want to order off of the internet.

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I am hearing... Haha, they are so cute when they snore!

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Around the house... Not a lot going on, finishing up my weekly washing/changing bed sheets and trying to keep up with the flying fur (the Pugs are shedding).

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One of my favorite things... My formal dining room, especially when I have a bouquet of beautiful flowers to display. This is one of the least used rooms in the house but I really love the dark on light wood look and my stained glass votives on the wall shelves.

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Here is picture thought I am sharing... Almost fishing time! Yeah, obviously not a real Red Salmon, this is a stained glass salmon that I made for my father-in-law. Which, now with the warmer weather, I can break out my stained glass stuff, wahoo!

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You can visit Peggy over at The Simple Woman's Daybook for more daybook posts.
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The Simple Woman's Daybook - April 16th

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FOR TODAY THURSDAY APRIL 16, 2009
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Weather outside...Not too bad, will be in the 40's through the weekend, can you say spring thaw! :-)

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I am thinking...That were in for a glorious summer!

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I am thankful for...AHHH...you guessed it, my Sweet Loving Handsome Funny Caring HUSBANDa :-)

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From the kitchen...My army of doughboys standing guard on my counter, I have more just in other spots.

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I am wearing...Comfy sweater, jeans and my fuzzy socks, we've almost stopped using our heater so it is a bit chilly in the house.

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I am working on...Cleaning nick-nacks and little things, like this adorable matroyshka set. There is a total of 10 carved wooden dolls that nest inside of each other.

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I am going...To spritz my little seedlings, seeing new shoots makes me happy.

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I am reading...

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I am hoping...That our Anniversary flowers last a while longer, they smell soo good!

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I am hearing...Music from my cool little radio Kyle got me for Christmas, I love it :-)

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Around the house...Organizing my craft area, now I am ready to start more projects.

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One of my favorite things...My entry window, looks like stained glass but is really a window cling that I put up for privacy, I love how it looks when the sun shines in! My little glass floats that come in a variety of green to blue shades, these are antiques and they are found in coastal rural Alaska where they are dug out of the sand.

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A few plans for the rest of the week...Steam some carpets, clean up the back deck and maybe fire up the grill.

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Here is picture thought I am sharing...Curious little Lucy, already trying out the lettuce. Lucy turned 4 on the 15th, I love you little luli girl!

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You can visit Peggy over at The Simple Woman's Daybook for more daybook posts.

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The Simple Woman's Daybook - March 24th

FOR TODAY, TUESDAY MARCH 24, 2009

Outside my window... It is a clear night and the snow is starting to thaw as we will be in the 40's tomorrow with a chance of snow/rain, yuck!

I am thinking... About my little Lucy girl, she has always had a lot of ear infections and I think that it has finally caught up to her. We noticed today that she is having difficulty hearing us when we speak in low tones. Today I was behind her and she didn't hear a word I said, I ended up having to reach down and pet her to get her attention. I am really sad...she just turned 4.

I am thankful for... The wind, with Mt. Redoubt erupting multiple times since Sunday, we've been saved from having to deal with cleaning up ash as the wind has been carrying it far.

From the kitchen... Still smells like dinner; chicken alfredo with sauteed mushrooms and green beans.

I am wearing... Pink pajamas (one of my fav. colors)

I am creating... Actually taking a break from projects for now, we've been busy on house stuff.

I am going... To get the dogs into bed, Winston is all ready and he is waiting outside his kennel, he's a tired little fella :-)

I am reading... Still working on The things they carried.

I am hoping... That Mt. Redoubt is all done, getting phone calls at midnight is no fun.

I am hearing... SILENCE, as it is time for bed.

Around the house... The office nook looks like a bomb exploded, my brother in law will be staying with us for a week so all the extra stuff was moved out of the guest bedroom.

One of my favorite things... New sheets on the bed, we changed them back to the flannel set as they are the warmest. They are really cute decorated with snowflakes.

A few plans for the rest of the week: Just get through the week, and then have to go to work on a day off for a meeting. I am looking forward to next week as it will be short, Kyle and I will be celebrating our 8th Anniversary so we both took some time off of work.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

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Did you remember to get some Girl Scout Cookies?? Yep, I was once a brownie myself, wow how I've changed through the years.

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You can visit Peggy over at The Simple Woman's Daybook for more daybook posts.

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The Simple Woman's Daybook - March 16th

FOR TODAY, MONDAY MARCH 16, 2009

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Outside my window... It's a bright cool day outside and even though we got several inches of snow over the weekend, it still feels like spring!

I am thinking... About St. Patrick's Day, I have some traditional Irish food planned, but we may go out to a local pub to watch the Irish dancers and bagpipers and enjoy some free food, & maybe an Irish coffee for me.

I am thankful for... My full pantry as even though we have a fairly strict budget, our pantry is always overflowing with tasty food.

From the kitchen... I haven't started dinner yet, our planned dinner will be steak bites with sauteed mushrooms, and a green salad. I am already hungry :-)

I am wearing... Still in my stinky work clothes. Even though I can't smell it, Kyle says I smell like tomatoes and onions which is obvious considering that I work in a mostly Southwestern style restaurant.

I am going... To check out what is on pay per view tonight, our show Heroes isn't on so we may watch a movie.

I am reading... The things they carried. It is a story about American soldiers during the Vietnam conflict. It was one of my great finds over the weekend at the local used bookstore.

I am hoping... That I don't have any more accidents today. I got a bad burn at work today that is 4 inches long with the skin mostly peeled off at this point, I brushed my arm against a 500 degree oven, ouch!. And then once at home I went about picking up the yard, and being in a hurry I was outside without gloves. In all I was out about 30 min. and ended up with completely numb hands, I've never had frost bite but there is a first for everything. They are still really tingly but hopefully will be ok. Probably not a good idea to go outside for an extended amount of time when it is in the single digits and have no gloves, duh!

I am hearing... Lovely Irish music, makes me smile and even though St. Patrick's Day is an Irish holiday it mostly reminds me of spring and that summer is just around the corner.

Around the house... It is warm and toasty, the dogs are happy to be out of there kennels for the day and we are anxiously awaiting Kyle's arrival. Things are always better when we are all home together.

One of my favorite things... Pictures of pugs, Kyle bought me a Pug calendar for Christmas and it resides next to the computer so I get to see a new Pug(s) everyday.

A few plans for the rest of the week: Finish up the refinance on our home, our appraisal came back higher than what we estimated which is REALLY GOOD!

Here is a picture thought I am sharing...

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Frank & Lucy all decked out for St. Pat's Day. This photo was 2 yrs ago, just a month after Winston was born. I use to dress up the dogs quite a bit but have gotten away from that as they really don't enjoy it.
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You can visit Peggy over at The Simple Woman's Daybook for more daybook posts.

The Simple Woman's Daybook - March 10th

FOR TODAY, TUESDAY MARCH 10, 2009

Outside my window... The snow is starting to melt and it feels like spring!
I am thinking... That it is time to do some spring cleaning and get rid of some clutter that has accumulated.
I am thankful for... My adorable husband, I can't seem to talk about him enough and just how truly awesome he really is.
From the kitchen... Taco soup is simmering away and is smells tasty! Frank's birthday treat is ready to go; a combo of broken up sugar cookies topped with a scoop of frozen vanilla ice cream and blueberries.
I am wearing... Grey sweater and my pajama pants.
I am going... To finish this up and join Kyle for a quick show and some dinner, followed by Frank's little b-day party.
I am reading... Saveur magazine, I have two copies that I wanted to catch up on.
I am hoping... That we hear great news back regarding our home appraisal; it's official, we have refinanced our home so we will be staying in Alaska for a while.
I am hearing... TV show, Stargate, we purchased the whole 10 seasons in Sept. and are on our final season.
Around the house... Picked up and tidy, it's time for me to steam the carpets again and to make our summer to-do list for household updates and repairs.
One of my favorite things... Tonight's dinner of Taco Soup, this recipe is courtesy of my mother-in-law and has become a quick favorite.
A few plans for the rest of the week: Not a lot planned, which is a nice change from the normal busy week.
Here is a picture thought I am sharing...

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My handsome Franklin celebrating his birthday in 2008, It's hard to imagine that he is 5 years old, I love you little man!
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The Simple Woman's Daybook - March 3rd

FOR TODAY, TUESDAY MARCH 3, 2009

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Outside my window... The air is cool and crisp, and it feels like snow!
I am thinking... That I should be in bed by now, 4 hours of sleep isn't enough for anyone.
I am thankful for... My job as it allows me to buy little crafty things that I could really go without, also the paycheck is a definite bonus!
From the kitchen... All is clean and ready for a new day, our breakfast for tomorrow is all ready and my mug and tea packets are ready to go in the morning.
I am wearing... Hot pink jammies
I am creating... I am redoing my coupon book, now that it has been 6 months since I started, I have a better idea of what tabs and sections I need and those that I can get rid of.
I am going... To take a quick shower before I crash for the night.
I am reading... A is for Apron, it has a ton of really cute apron patterns and it really inspires me!
I am hoping... That I am not coming down with something as I have been feeling crummy the last couple of days :-(
I am hearing... Snoring doggies, they are all tucked in for the night.
Around the house... Kyle is waiting for me to come and join him, the house is quiet and dark, and my house plants are draining after a nice sprinkle of cool water.
One of my favorite things... Homemade Granola, something I recently discovered but tons better than the pre-made store bought stuff. I happened to buy some pre-made a week ago and it tastes stale and bland compared to the homemade stuff.
A few plans for the rest of the week: Make a quick trip to the pet store to pick up some stuff for Frank's upcoming 5th Birthday, if I could only find him a stuffed moose...
Here is a picture thought I am sharing...

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Chocolate Lillies blooming in my garden, they are really beautiful but unfortunately they emit a smelly fragrance, so they are great in the garden but not for cut flowers. These started coming up on there own as I have never planted them in my garden, I love summer and can't wait for all my flowers to start popping up!

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You can visit Peggy over at The Simple Woman's Daybook for more daybook posts.

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The Simple Woman's Daybook - Feb. 23rd

FOR TODAY, MONDAY FEBRUARY 23, 2009

Outside my window... It is cool and crisp, the stars are shining brightly and I am hoping for a glimpse of the Aurora Borealis.

I am thinking... That my start to a new week is going well and hopefully will continue to be so.

I am thankful for... My little fuzzy dogs, they are so amazingly devoted even when being punished they will gladly give kisses at a moments notice.

From the kitchen... I am reheating some tasty leftovers and getting our breakfasts ready for tomorrow.

I am wearing... Pj's and my fuzzy slipper socks

I am creating... Dabbling in some sewing projects. I dont have space to set up my craft table and will have to sew at my dining room table which is overrun with fabric at the moment.

I am going... To join Kyle on our cushy couch, watch an episode of Stargate, and have some dinner and a cup of hot tea.

I am reading... Haven't yet made it to the bookstore so no new reading yet, unless you count the headline stories at MSN :-)

I am hoping... That it warms up this week, I dislike going outside with wet hair and having it freeze like dry spaghetti noodles.

I am hearing... The dogs' pitter patter feet on the hardwood floor, time for a nail trimming!

Around the house... The humidifier is going in our bedroom and our awesome new furnace is keeping the house toasty warm.

One of my favorite things... Our Monday night ritual of watching Heroes followed by weekend leftovers and maybe an episode of Stargate, definitely home movie night.

A few plans for the rest of the week: Get our Taxes taken care of and finish at least one sewing project.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing...

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Bohemian Waxwings invade Anchorage every winter during their migration, here they are feeding off of berries on Mountain Ash Trees. It amazes me that they can manage to swallow the berries whole and will occasionally toss them into the air before gulping them down.

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You can visit Peggy over at The Simple Woman's Daybook for more daybook posts.

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