Task it Tuesday - Oct 27

Originally created by The Geeky Blogger, Task it Tuesday is a weekly meme to help you--and me--get things done. The challenge is to post a task or list of tasks you want to complete before next Tuesday. These tasks can help you with your blogging life, reading life, personal or professional life.

We have come to the last Task it Tuesday of October. Last week flew by in a blur. This week will be close to the same. I have a short break at the beginning of November before the National Association of Realtors Conference starts. After that, I hope to get the house in order for the holidays... I still haven't finished fall cleaning. 

Here is how I did last week:

• Daily Bible reading--Missed a couple days, but enjoyed Bible study
• Walking three days--DONE
• Parent/Teacher conference Monday--DONE
• Inspections Tuesdays--DONE
• Meetings Wednesday, Thursday, & Friday which I need to prep for--DONE
• One class on Thursday--growing in your career is important--DONE
• Finish editing two chapters for a client--one is done and I'm working on the second--NOPE
• Meet with local charity Friday to discuss holiday fundraising events--DONE
• Come up with marketing plan for the new edition of A Christmas Kindness--NOPE
• Look into getting a small dumpster--won't happen, but need to keep it on the list--Never even thought about it
• Continue reading Systemology--No time
• Continue reading The Christmas Spirits on Tradd Street--One chapter
• Start looking into a new publisher for three of my books--won't happen, but need to keep it on the list--I knew this wouldn't happen

This is my last to-do list of the month:

• Daily Bible reading
• Walking three days
• MassSave Audit Tuesday
• Meetings Wednesday
• Media interview Thursday
• Finish editing two chapters for a client--Working on the second
• Come up with marketing plan for the new edition of A Christmas Kindness
• Look into getting a small dumpster--won't happen, but need to keep it on the list
• Continue reading Systemology--Probably won't happen
• Continue reading The Christmas Spirits on Tradd Street
• Start looking into a new publisher for three of my books--won't happen, but need to keep it on the list
• Plan to be off Friday (we will see how that goes)

I will leave you with a bit of encouragement to get your own list done.

Mailbox Monday - Oct 26

 

Mailbox Monday is a meme started by Marcia of To Be Continued. Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week. It now has a permanent home at the Mailbox Monday blog.

There really should be a law against feeling this exhausted. Between a hectic work schedule and the tinnitus making it challenging to sleep, my behind is dragging. The holidays can't come soon enough. Things should slow down then... believe it or not. 

This week I participated in an online cooking class for the first time. A local chef helped us make falafel and rice with a tomato and cucumber salad. I plated mine before he showed us how to plate it. I'm not much on presentation. The third plate I did his way: rice on the bottom, falafel on top of the rice and the salad on the side with some tahini sauce. 

The Lil' Diva bought the animals Halloween costumes. The animals were not impressed.

Theo the Lion

Dwight the Pumpkin

Travis the Bat

The one really nice thing about the pandemic is that I've been walking in the woods behind the house. Tonight, the man about the place and I took a leisurely stroll with Theo. Not the best photo, but the fall colors in the woods are beautiful. 

On the mailbox front, I received two books for review.

I also picked up these freebies for my Kindle.

I used credits to buy this seasonal story.

It looks like that's it from my end. Hope you have a great week.

PBS KIDS Helps You Celebrate Halloween with Fun Activities

 

With celebrations, school, and work pushed into virtual and socially distanced formats, normal can be tough. Holidays, like Halloween, will look a bit different this year. That doesn't mean it can’t still be spook-tastic and fun for children of all ages!

Check out these tried and true activities from PBS KIDS to help children and their families safely get in the spirit this year.

• Make Halloween Treat Bags to drop off on porches of friends and family members in your neighborhood
• Throw a virtual Halloween party and decorate your house with glowing ghost jugs, hand print spiders or pipe cleaner pumpkins
• Carve a pumpkin (or two) to jazz up your front porch with these PBS KIDS pumpkin carving templates
• Create your own Daniel Tiger, WordGirl or Wild Kratts costumes for an at-home Halloween costume parade 

Even when life is different, you can count on PBS KIDS to be there to help. 

Task it Tuesday - Oct 20

Originally created by The Geeky Blogger, Task it Tuesday is a weekly meme to help you--and me--get things done. The challenge is to post a task or list of tasks you want to complete before next Tuesday. These tasks can help you with your blogging life, reading life, personal or professional life.

Well, well, well, here we are at Tuesday. It's a busy one, so I am putting this together as quickly as I can so I can focus on the rest of my day. 

Here is what I accomplished last week:

• Daily Bible reading--DONE
• Walking three days--DONE
• Six meetings and one class--DONE
• Appointments with new clients--DONE
• Continue fall cleaning--Whoops, was I supposed to do that? 
• Look into getting a small dumpster--Didn't even think about it 
• Continue reading Systemology
• Continue reading The Christmas Spirits on Tradd Street
• Review writing goals from 2020--DONE
• Start looking into a new publisher for three of my books--No time for this one

Real estate has been getting busier lately. I'm not sure why. People worried about the election? People worried about rising COVID cases? People deciding to give it a go despite those two things? As such, this week quickly turned into one where there was little white space left on the calendar.

• Daily Bible reading
• Walking three days
• Parent/Teacher conference Monday
• Inspections Tuesdays
• Meetings Wednesday, Thursday, & Friday which I need to prep for
• One class on Thursday--growing in your career is important
• Finish editing two chapters for a client--one is done and I'm working on the second
• Meet with local charity Friday to discuss holiday fundraising events
• Come up with marketing plan for the new edition of A Christmas Kindness
• Look into getting a small dumpster--won't happen, but need to keep it on the list
• Continue reading Systemology
• Continue reading The Christmas Spirits on Tradd Street
• Start looking into a new publisher for three of my books--won't happen, but need to keep it on the list

That's what my week looks like. How about yours? 

Mailbox Monday - Oct 19

 

Mailbox Monday is a meme started by Marcia of To Be Continued. Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week. It now has a permanent home at the Mailbox Monday blog.

October is chugging along. It's hard to believe we are three weeks in. Before we know it, Halloween will be here. I'm not sure our town has made a decision about trick or treating. How is your community handling it?

This weekend was crazy busy. I staged and listed a new property, continued editing a large project, and did some baking and cooking. Check out this great looking chicken stock. I used a different recipe than the last time and it smelled divine. 

Travis and Dwight enjoy hanging out in the kitchen when I'm there.

My physical mailbox was empty with the exception of an order of some of my books. The publisher is going out of business and I wanted to make sure I had some copies to sell if I needed them.

I picked up these freebies for my Kindle.

I also downloaded a sample of this book.

That's it from the homestead. This week is going to be filled to the brim, so I'm not sure how much I'll be blogging. Hope you have a great week.

New Release: Modern Comfort Food by Ina Garten

 

A collection of all-new soul-satisfying dishes from America’s favorite home cook!

In Modern Comfort Food, Ina Garten shares 85 new recipes that will feed your deepest cravings. Many of these dishes are inspired by childhood favorites—but with the volume turned way up, such as Cheddar and Chutney Grilled Cheese sandwiches (the perfect match for Ina’s Creamy Tomato Bisque), Smashed Hamburgers with Caramelized Onions, and the crispiest hash browns that are actually made in a waffle iron!

There are few things more comforting than gathering for a meal with the ones you love, especially when dishes like Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas are at the center of the table. Old-fashioned crowd pleasers like Roasted Sausages, Peppers, and Onions are even more delicious and streamlined for quick cleanup. For dessert? You’ll find the best Boston Cream Pie, Banana Rum Trifle, and Black and White Cookies you’ll ever make. Home cooks can always count on Ina’s dependable, easy-to-follow instructions, with lots of side notes for cooking and entertaining—it’s like having Ina right there beside you, helping you all the way.

From cocktails to dessert, from special weekend breakfasts to quick weeknight dinners, you’ll find yourself making these cozy and delicious recipes over and over again. 

Purchase at:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Books-A-Million

Indiebound

Get Kids Ready for the Election with PBS

 

We are three weeks away from the 2020 presidential election. Some may wonder how to tackle this challenging topic with their children as they prepare for an election year like no other. 

PBS LearningMedia and PBS KIDS provides many resources for parents and educators to successfully engage children – young and old – on the topics of voting and civics. 

• Explain how grownups vote with Daniel Tiger: To help young children understand voting and the process of doing so, what better way for them to learn than alongside their neighbor, Daniel Tiger? If voting in-person this year, this video resource can familiarize young children with the voting process before they join their parent at the polls, with a step-by-step guide on how grownups vote.
• Share a history lesson and make informed predictions with The Election Collection: Parents and educators of middle and high school-aged kids can help them not only keep up with election news, but also learn about the history and process of presidential elections with this collection of videos and activities. The interactive Electoral Decoder, for example, allows learners to explore electoral college results from previous elections, and predict the outcome of the upcoming election.
• Talk about civics in an age-appropriate way: This guide provides parents and caregivers of children aged 2-8 tips and tricks to best talk with their young about voting and civic engagement, all the while improving their reading, art and math skills in the process. 

PBS KIDS has been providing parents, caregivers, and educators resources for decades. As we all adjust to new ways of learning, what better way than to turn to PBS KIDS for ideas, activities, and information. 

Task it Tuesday - Oct 13

Originally created by The Geeky Blogger, Task it Tuesday is a weekly meme to help you--and me--get things done. The challenge is to post a task or list of tasks you want to complete before next Tuesday. These tasks can help you with your blogging life, reading life, personal or professional life.

What an exhausting start to the week. My work from home day turned into showings, visiting clients, and running around until late. I used to do this before the pandemic. Why does it seem so much harder now? 

Luckily, I started off the week with a Bible study and prayer time, so if I focus on that instead of feeling overwhelmed the week will turn out right. 

Here is this week's to-do list:

• Daily Bible reading
• Walking three days
• Six meetings and one class
• Appointments with new clients
• Continue fall cleaning 
• Look into getting a small dumpster 
• Continue reading Systemology
• Continue reading The Christmas Spirits on Tradd Street
• Review writing goals from 2020--DONE
• Start looking into a new publisher for three of my books :( 

I think that's it. What's on your list this week? Is there anything I can help do to motivate you toward meeting your goals?

Fall Guide to At-Home Learning from PBS

Teaching kids from home isn't always easy for parents and caregivers. Thankfully, PBS KIDS and PBS LearningMedia have created new and updated resources to support parents as they facilitate learning through the end of the year.

Check out this sample fall syllabus with activities and resources tied to holidays and major events from October to December.

October

• INDIGENOUS PEOPLES’ DAY (OCT 12): Explore Alaska Native culture this Indigenous Peoples’ Day in the kitchen by making a new recipe with PBS KIDS’ MOLLY OF DENALI
• THE ELECTION: Help your child learn about civics, voting and elections as we near the 2020 presidential election with this handy guide
• HALLOWEEN: Celebrate Halloween at home while working on your child’s skills in art, reading and more

November

• VETERAN’S DAY (NOV 11): Explain the origin of Veteran’s Day and discuss with your child how you can honor the veteran in their life
• THANKSGIVING (NOV 22): Practice gratitude as a family and teach your child the accurate version of history this Thanksgiving

December

• COLDER WEATHER: Use the change in weather as a way to teach your kid about how the tilt of the earth affects climate and the change in seasons
• HOLIDAYS: Help kids understand the many different holidays celebrated around the world this winter through this collection of videos

You can sign up for the PBS KIDS for Parents newsletter for timely, curated resources, including video content, digital games, DIY activities, and parent-directed information to support at-home learning as it evolves. In addition, parents can find the latest tips, printables, and other tools to Learn at Home with PBS KIDS.

Mailbox Monday - Oct 12

 

Mailbox Monday is a meme started by Marcia of To Be Continued. Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week. It now has a permanent home at the Mailbox Monday blog.

Hope you're enjoying a long weekend. To all my Canadian friends, Happy Thanksgiving! I'm sitting in my office typing this before I head out on an appointment. Check out my view.

I love this time of year. If I could live somewhere that it stayed fall all year round, I would be one happy camper.

These next two shots are from my walk with Theo yesterday.

This last one is just Travis being Travis. Is there any closet that is safe from him?

Now, on to books. My physical mailbox had one present last week. This one I am reading in November for a book tour.

Then I downloaded these two Kindle freebies.

An author friend of my sent me her latest book to review on my children's book blog. I'm enjoying the new WordPress even less than the new Blogger.

That's it from my neck of the woods. Hope you'll share some of your new books. Wishing you a blessed week.

Task it Tuesday - Oct 6

Originally created by The Geeky Blogger, Task it Tuesday is a weekly meme to help you--and me--get things done. The challenge is to post a task or list of tasks you want to complete before next Tuesday. These tasks can help you with your blogging life, reading life, personal or professional life.

This is a busy week. I have several meetings and appointments. Here's what's on tap:

• Daily Bible reading
• Walking three days
• Four meetings
• Appointments with new clients
• Continue fall cleaning 
• Look into getting a small dumpster 
• Continue reading Systemology
• WriteAngles virtual conference on Saturday

I hope you're having a nice week. What do you wish to accomplish?

Mailbox Monday - Oct 5

 

Mailbox Monday is a meme started by Marcia of To Be Continued. Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week. It now has a permanent home at the Mailbox Monday blog.

Welcome to the first Monday of October. I hope you had a nice week. I had a chance to make some good food, get my hair done, and go visit my mother-in-law. The whole family was together, which was nice. Our son might be away for Thanksgiving, so I'm glad we all got together.

Slow-cooker American Chop Suey

New do

Hubby hanging with his brother's dog

As far as books goes, I decided to cancel my Kindle Unlimited membership because I have so many other things to read. If I get caught up at some point, then I will reconsider it.

The mail carrier brought me two books last week that I can't wait to read.

Reviewing Dec 15

Recommended by our former pastor

As you can see, my holiday mood continues. I really want to read more Christmas fiction and nonfiction this year. I desperately need a break from the doom and gloom of 2020. Very few aspects of life haven't been impacted by the pandemic and Facebook has become a politically charged environment where you have to snooze friends in order to enjoy anything. 

I hope you have a wonderful week. Please feel free to share some of your new books.