Sunday Matters

This past week was not bad. I had one day of “why me?” stuff going on but I got over it and realized it could have been much worse.

The Girl’s choir concert was lovely. She is growing up so fast. The pic is very overexposed because that is what happens when she only gives you 2 seconds to snap it.

winter-concert-2015

Right Now:

After many cups of coffee, we will head out to church. Later, it’s back to church for a Christmas party for the middle-school group I volunteer for. In between, I will figure out my week, do some laundry and maybe take a nap.

This Week:

Did I mention that my last day of work is 12/16 and that I am off until 1/11? Yes!!! I’m sure there will be plenty of last-minute work stuff for me to get done before I leave but that’s okay. I tend to not leave stuff hanging anyway because I hate to return from a long break and then have to see it again.

With my time off, I hope I can get some stuff done before Christmas. I just don’t want to be out in the crowds! Lately I am much happier just holed up at home. Probably because I spend so little time here.

So, with this week, the Christmas season really begins for me. Time to put it in gear and figure it all out.

Reading:

I am reading Tender is the Night. I’ve always wanted to read it but when I read Villa America a few months back and realized it was based on the real-life inspiration for Fitzgerald’s Tender is the Night, I figured I had to read it soon. Another blogger (Sue) is reading it with me!

Watching:

This weekend and week are all about Christmas movies and movies I’ve been wanting to see. I recorded The Man Who Came to Dinner (Bette Davis) and really just want to sit down with some snacks and watch it.

I did manage to see How the Grinch Stole Christmas (animated version) and I have A Charlie Brown Christmas and Rudolph all lined up. I am itching to watch Love Actually, too. I have a long list to work in, for sure.

Making:

We made tacos last week and I made chili and cornbread for us to much on before going to another production of The Cat’s Meow. I made more banana bread for the other choir bake sale and I made coconut macaroons for a work party.

Grateful for:

I am really grateful for the roof over my head. I spent the evening outside working concessions for the show last night and it felt so good to come home to a warm house and bed. Not everyone has a home to go back to. I notice it more this time of year but it’s a year-round problem. California is typically not “that” cold, so we tend to also have a lot of homeless living in and around the city.

What are you grateful for?

Sunday Matters

Right Now:

At this moment, I am waiting for my coffee to brew and taking a quiet moment to write this post. The sun is streaming through the window and I can tell that it’s going to be lovely out. I type this with a heavy heart, though.

I mentioned the living situation of my mother and sister before, but the situation has not changed and I’ve come to the conclusion that there is nothing that I can do. The building is in foreclosure and I cannot reason with them and I feel as if the entire situation is hopeless. I pray. I pray for answers. I pray for patience but dealing with mental illness in its advanced stages is quite frankly, a very difficult situation. It’s not something that I can easily wrap my brain around. I like logic and realistic thinking and planning but I am unable to function this way when it comes to them and it’s killing me.

I apologize for such a downer of a post today, but I’ve always been “me” on here and today’s “me” is struggling a little. I’m about to head to church and I am hoping that I find some clarity for their situation while there.

This Week:

I got through this past week. It was busy, but not nearly as crazy as I anticipated. This week is more of the same. I have a holiday party to attend this Friday. The Girl has Peter Pan rehearsal on Monday and her Winter concert this Wednesday. This is her first choir concert so we are all excited. The Teen has two more performances of The Cat’s Meow, which I thought went very well this past weekend. It’s a fun show with GREAT flapper like costumes. Everyone looked so great.

Since it’s been a few days since the cast list was posted, I think it’s okay to share that The Teen was cast as Seymour for Little Shop of Horrors this Spring! His girlfriend got the lead of Audrey so this is going to be a very special show.

With the flurry of activity I’ve been dealing with lately, I pulled out my new, 2016 planner and got to work on putting in appointments for 2016. This ALWAYS puts me mind to ease. Knowing what’s coming, putting it down and getting it out of my head is a great comfort. This year, I got a daily planner from Simplified Planner. I usually use a monthly planner so this is a bit of a change for me, but isn’t it pretty?

Simplified Planner

Reading:

It’s embarrassing but I am still reading the same two books I’ve been reading for the past month. I just cannot get them read! Too much going on, me not feeling well, etc. Blah blah. Excuses. I need to get them read and reviewed before the month ends.

I am starting a new book today, Tender is the Night, which I am reading with another blogger. I’ve always wanted to read it. It may be my last book for this year at the rate I am going.

Watching:

I watched Captain America: The Winter Soldier last night. My kids saw it while we were on vacation one year, but I offered to stay with the pup so I never got to see it. It was good, once I got past what I thought was a very slow beginning.

I am loving Fixer Upper. It’s a home improvement show with a big reveal at the end but Chip and Joanna Gaines are a lot of fun.

Other than that, I’ve been watching I Love Lucy and Seinfeld. My go-to comfort shows.

Making:

I baked some banana bread to sell at one of the shows. I made a chicken stir-fry last night but I haven’t a clue what to make tonight. I’ve got a Christmas “wrap” party to attend for the middle-school ministry later so maybe we will just go out!

Grateful for:

Friends, and their ability to make me laugh no matter what is going on.

What’s going on with you this week? Anything you are really looking forward to?

Chatting with friends about books and life…