5 thing Friday - photo project, pizza, Christmas, cooking, changes

The photo project I am working on is much bigger than I initially thought it would be.  I addition to going through all of the albums (which number in the tens), I also have photos in a couple of places in the house (memory boxes, cedar chest, cigar boxes), and an impressive collection of negatives dating back to the late 70's/early 80's.  Oy.

I stood there looking at the boxes where I had meticulously organized and labeled negatives by decade and thought "no one is ever going to print these".  Instead of leaving it for my kids to deal with some day, into the recycle bin it went - along with the second round of emptied photo binders.  Not gonna lie, that felt good.

I have already purged the albums and recycled the binders.  Now to pull out the photos I am keeping, organize them, replace them into new albums, and scan all of the pages into my computer and then onto thumb drives.  I'm working on this project an hour of two at a time, because its hard on the mama to trip so hard down memory lane.

TMI: Last week I enjoyed some TJ pizza, with roasted garlic, pesto, and added cheese.  Delicious!  But I have decided that after Christmas Day, I will go back to my simple meals featuring salads with added protein and such.  The older I get, the less my body likes certain foods (pizza).  And since I'm trying to find a good balance of eating out/eating in, I need to prioritize things that will not bloat and dehydrate me for the rest of the day. It was good - but it did not love me back.

I got industrious on Christmas Eve and made two quiche - sausage with green chilies, and bacon with green onions.  Also a walnut raisin pie with rum-soaked raisins.  I made a big pot of stew and did some rolls as well.  Leftovers were sent home or stored in my freezer.  But I would like the food prep to be even easier next year.

Church on Christmas Eve was lovely.  I am so glad I have added this in as my tradition.  It was something Mark and I did regularly before kids and even when they were small.  Maybe as time goes by, my peeps will want to join me, but for now I'm not pushing it.

This church holds deep and personal happy memories for me. The whole time I was sitting here watching the church fill up, I reflected on how absolutely blessed and lucky I am to be able to sit here and freely worship in warmth, surrounded by beauty, feeling the peace of the Christmas season like a big hug.  I was there by myself and never felt alone. That being said, I am happy to be moving into January and an even slower season.

The Girl kept saying "a pony" when I asked her what she wanted for birthday or Christmas.  So I could not resist adding this horse ornament to one of her gifts. Ha!  But already I am making plans in my head for how I want to handle gift-giving to my adult children in the future.  I will likely keep making stockings (since those are so fun!) but I don't think I should  "be" Christmas for them - they are adults and maybe we can all figure out how to do Christmas for each other going forward.

  Anyone got any tips for me?

Gina

Empty Nest Menu #161 and the movies

I took myself out last week to The Long Center for another of the Butler Pops Series featuring the Home Alone movie.  At the end of the movie, the symphony continued to play, along with a large choir of AISD students - it was lovely!  I had never seen Home Alone - just snippets.  It was pretty fun. 

But did you know that the "scary old guy" in the movie - Marley - symbolized Jesus?  The movie has deeper meaning - not just the comedy we all think it as.  I have watched very few Christmas movies the last four years - I need to revisit some old favorites and find some new-to-me ones, too. 

Monday - (freezer) Pork Roast, (freezer) twice baked potato, carrots {I'm off today}

Tuesday - Crab Cakes, green beans {pick up filler groceries, on call overnight)

Wednesday - Coconut Shrimp, pesto bowties, peas {baking day!, Christmas Eve church service in p.m.}

Thursday - Beef Stew, rolls, Walnut Raisin Pie, Cranberry Bars {Happy Birthday Bubbie!, I work 6a to 3p}

Friday - (all freezer) Turkey Taco Meat bowl with rice, refrieds, salsa

Saturday and Sunday - kitchen closed, but I will probably have leftover stew!

Gina

5 thing Friday - lunch with a friend, treats, bench, thrifting, slow living

Last week I went to a tasting class at Total Wine.  These are generally pretty fun.  You get to try new things and enjoy a charcuterie with like-minded folk.

My favorite thing was the spiced gingerbread cordial - so good!

I bought some for a friend who is coming to lunch today, and I decorated it with a package tie-on version of a clothespin snowflake like I made a couple of  Christmases ago.  This one has vintage and antique buttons.  I will fix Parmesan Chicken and Caesar salad for our lunch.

Using up the other half of a frozen pie crust, I made Walnut Pie for two (well, for one - but I can freeze it in portions for a treat)  The recipe had been in my card box for years.

I sprinkled a bit of sugar on the walnuts I piled on top.  It turned out like a chewy walnut blondie.

These little dishes handle cooking for one or two perfectly!  I would say the pie was "OK".  But it was fun to just go through the box and make something I had always meant to try.

I spied, with my little eye, this picnic bench alongside a neighbor's curb.  (I suspect the husband has passed and the wife and adult son are slowing clearing things out of the garage.  So relatable.)

It was in rough shape, but I gave it a scrub with some sudsy warm water and found a place for it to live in my garage.  I had a plan!

Now ALL of my plants can sit right here and get sun and fresh air a couple times a week while the weather holds.  What's weird is that I thinking that's just what I needed - then it appeared!

I thrifted some things this week - out of boredom - but it was a fun activity.  I got more (new) puzzles to work on, 

Some ornaments and a giant pinecone (all 50% off, making them 1 or 2 dollars each), 

3 tops,

and two books.  I was intentional about what I bought, but this will be my last thrifting trip of the year.  I have been living slowly this week - reading, working my puzzle, and crafting.  Also walking, going to bed early, light cooking...it feels like a mini vacation!

Happy Weekend - less than a week until Christmas!

Gina 

5 thing Friday - onions, Happy Meal, shopping, tiny wall project, plants

Years ago, my mother would pile up sliced onions into the crockpot with butter and let them go on low all day.  She would eat them cold out of the jar, or put them on everything.  And I did it a few times, too, then forgot about it.

But, Lo and behold, this blogger did it one better by adding three types of onion and seasonings and I was all in anew.  I made a batch last week and I am almost done using them up in quesadillas, on burgers, added to dinner, scrambled eggs...its been a delicious reminder to keep buying onions.

I like McDonald's, okay?  Don't come at me.

I treated myself to a Grinch adult Happy Meal and got the red socks.  Yes, I will be wearing them to work.  And I noticed several nurses sporting them at work last weekend.  So its a THING.

It was time for new flannel PJ pants since Old Navy had them at 60% off.  (I realize they mark them up just to put them on sale.)  Literally every retailer does the same thing.  But it made me happy to have such vibrant fun prints to snuggle into at the end of the day.  I cleared out the two top drawers of Mark's dresser so I could start folding my jammies and sweaters.  The dresser takeover begins.

The Pena print hanging so far out from the wall was bugging me.  I think it was because the nails in the wall anchors were too long.  And I couldn't adjust them as the nails were stuck like chuck in the anchors.  So I had to remove said anchors, reinstall new ones, patch the previous giant holes, find smaller screws to hang the art on, and repaint.

You can't even tell.

Then I hung it again (not shown) and the frame still sticks out a tiny bit at the top.  So I will add Sticky Tac to the underside of the top corners of the frame and call it done, because I don't want to fool with this any more.

I moved my plant babies - some to the garage, some to the guest room. (I was over having to load up my window seat in the kitchen every winter)  For the ones in the garage, I will water them once a week and let them soak up the morning sun a couple of days per week.  I also might arrange them differently, depending on how the sun hits the garage door.

I relaxed my "no new Christmas ornaments" rule for a carved snowflake at Hob Lob for a couple dollars on sale.  It made me smile and brought me joy.  Cheap thrills.

Gina

5 thing Friday - simple decor, Christmas tree, feeling peaceful, firepit, sangria

 (not in chrono order!)

The day after Thanksgiving I feel like I was on my feet most of the day.  I didn't go crazy with Christmas decor around the house - I know who has to put it all back up, and she would appreciate it being a painless process! 

I decided for the first time ever to hang the family stockings on the mantel.  I also put the two rattan reindeer in a bed of evergreens.  The Girl took my stocking home with her.  Nothing exciting to see here...

But I also wove fairy lights into it and at night it comes on while I sit reading and sipping tea. 

(later I added simple red bows to their necks, but I am DONE pinky promise)

 Very peaceful.  That's been my word of the year for most of 2025 - peace.  I would like to move through this season as calmly as possibly.  No big fuss.  No pressure.  No overspending.

I hauled out the vintage Christmas tree and decorated it very simply.  At this date I also have some gifts wrapped and all of the shopping done - just waiting on those Amazon deliveries!  I did not buy even one new ornament. Nor lights. I'm still debating whether or not to send cards.

Right now, I feel good.

I have been focusing on eating healthily, exercising, getting enough sleep, and staying in the moment.  All things I hope will carry me through the month with no drama.

Thanksgiving was a good day - here Firstborn is trying to get the initial tee pee started so we can feed the firepit all afternoon.  I ordered a new grate for the wood to sit on yesterday.  This little firepit is 23 years old and going strong.  I plan on sitting out here at least one evening a week.  I am so glad to have that store of firewood.

The Autumn Sangria was a hit!

To my large jar I added most of a small bottle of brandy (at least two cups), a large bottle of inexpensive red wine, about a quart of honeycrisp apple cider, and a 2 L bottle of cranberry sprite.  I also threw in some sprigs of rosemary and some sliced oranges, and I made giant ice cubes in plastic drink cups.  We drank the entire thing.  (:

Have a good weekend!

Gina

5 thing Friday - eating, shopping, Queen Bee, painting, memories

Its full on summer here with a few days of no rain, praise.  In celebration, I took myself to Andy's again, but I realize that I probably should put the brakes on such activities. This one was a blackberry jackhammer - 10/10.

I'm going back to logging my foods and following the rec's from the dietician (exercise plan, sleep hygiene, increase hydration, focus on fiber and protein, limit alcohol).  But I'm also not punishing myself for enjoying life.

Is it too early to think about Christmas?  There's a new Hob Lob near me and I spent some time in their A/C walking around and looking at EVERYTHING which is how I spotted these pink ornaments which would look so pretty on my girlie bedroom tree.  I also need to think about what homemade thing I would like to make the peeps this year.  I work until 3:30 p.m. on Christmas Day, but have most of the week off.

Happy Father's Day to me, the Queen* Bee. 

I bought another paint by number, this one is wood.  I just really loved the colors and it was easier than the last one.  These kinds of projects fill in empty parts of my day when I don't feel like repairing or mowing or fixing or maintaining anything house related. I've been reading and working puzzles more, as well.

Slowly I am coming to grips with cooking for myself.  I have been making all-in-one-pan meals using my mini cast iron skillet.  This one was blackened tilapia, with some frozen peas, and some dirty rice.  Other times I do chicken thighs with potatoes and frozen green beans, or taco meat with sweet potato, pasta and sauce with deboned chicken, etc.  Really any protein with a side works.

I came across this license plate frame and had it hanging in the garage because it sparked happy memories for me.  Adding it to Brigid seemed like a no-brainer.  I think Mark would smile about it.  The lettering may need a touch up some day with oil-based paint and a steady hand.

Gina

*Mark used to call me The Queen and even told the Google Lady that was my name...

Christmas 2024, in brief

Christmas was everything I wanted it to be.

Luminarias lining the walkway to the front of the church

A beautiful service that filled me with hope

The tree ready to welcome my peeps

Time spent together as a family

Scout

Firstborn

Bubbie

The Girl and Teddy

A peaceful, loving day full of relaxation, good food, time together.

A beautiful ending to the year!

Gina

Monday menus #103

Monday - BBQ Brisket Salad {fill stockings, clean house a bit, make cookie doughs, pick up my new license plates, maybe shop for books}

Tuesday - Chicken and Pasta with pumpkin pesto, green bean salad {bake cookies, go to Christmas Eve church service}

Wednesday - Roast Pork Shoulder with pan gravy and mashed potatoes (family brings sides), cookie tray, cheese tray {Happy Birthday, Bubbie!}

Thursday - Mini Meatloaf, twice baked potatoes, rest of the green bean salad {assemble Secret Santa gift for work, maybe go here for fun!} 

Friday - Christmas dinner leftovers {going to see a movie at Alamo Drafthouse, book shopping if I hadn't already!}

Saturday and Sunday - kitchen closed

 

Merry Christmas week!

Gina