All posts by Life of Joy

Friday Tidbit: Week 1 Update

So I’ve made some progress, although admittedly not very much, with updating the website behind the scenes. I know this is going to be a slow process and that is why I’m not ceasing to post at least something Mon-Fri.

I never did get around to updating last week’s post. Sean, Tiffany, and I were playing some Phase 10 when I realized I needed to do my blog post. :D I made that quick little diddy in between rounds.

And this was the winner! Before that we got Michael to play Concept with us. :)

We had a good time. Of course it would have been more fun with the rest of my family, but we made do. And of course, we toasted in 2021 with some sparkling grape juice :) and I found that some of my cheapo glasses are broken and I’ll need to de-clutter some of them. ;)

This week we’ve gotten rid of the clutter that developed while I was taking some days off. ;) After making cinnamon rolls and donuts on New Years Day, I ceased all cooking and cleaning for a few days and enjoyed some down time playing a Switch game that Sean got recently (Immortals Fenyx Rising {Greek mythology} which has a game play style like Breath of the Wild, one of my favorite games ever).

It is amazing how many clothes I let accumulate over the last little while. Between the towels Michael washed while he was off work and my pile, I must’ve folded four loads of laundry! :D

Well, I’m going to run for now. I hope you have a good weekend.

Until next time, God bless,

Michele ºÜº

Art Tidbit: Do it Your Way

Beginning Jan.4th, while I am working on updating this website, I’ll only be posting tidbits each day (with maybe a bit more on Fridays) until the update is completed.

I use a bullet journal as a place to keep my many lists and notes. It is the place that I write my list of things to do and sometimes I even put sticky notes on the pages. I use stickers and washi tape and keep it very simple. Some would agree with me and others would look at it and see it as too much for them to do. Bullet journals are meant to be useful, first and foremost. If it isn’t pretty, I won’t use it. ;) So I do what I feel comfortable doing to make it something I enjoy using.

Here are some of the pages I set up so far; the two new ones are goals and self-care. The others are pages I loved in last year’s bujo.

I had a marker drop some odd dry-ish ink on my page after I’d finished it. But I choose not to dwell on that. ;)Do I love everything about these pages? No, but they will work just fine. And if I find that any of them bother me later, I can fix them then. :D

I hope you take some time to do something artsy/crafty this week.

Until next time, God bless,

Michele ºÜº

Chicken Sausage Casserole ~ Lifeofjoy.me

Food Tidbit: Plannedovers are a Good Idea

Beginning Jan.4th, while I am working on updating this website, I’ll only be posting tidbits each day (with maybe a bit more on Fridays) until the update is completed.

Plannedovers are leftovers on purpose. Why would you make leftovers on purpose? Well there are two reasons that I do it: 1) because we love the meal and will love having it again in a day or two or for lunches or even breakfasts 2) because I can use the leftovers as a base for another meal, like a casserole. (If you are having chicken, broccoli, and a salad for dinner make extra broccoli and chicken and take out the extra part before serving; make a chicken broccoli casserole with rice or pasta within the next night or two.)

Until next time, God bless,

Michele ºÜº

Marriage Tidbit: Don’t Hold a Grudge

Beginning Jan.4th, while I am working on updating this website, I’ll only be posting tidbits each day (with maybe a bit more on Fridays) until it’s completed.
When hubby does something that hurts you, decide if it is something you just need to realize that he didn’t intend to hurt you, get over it, and forgive him or if you need to discuss it with him.

Until next time, God bless,

Michele ºÜº

It’s New Year’s Eve! 2020/2021

The links I shared last year for New Year’s planning and review are still good (or updated). So I’m re-sharing that post here today. :) I hope it will bless you and your family.


I believe that we should always trying to better ourselves. The beginning of a new year is a good time to decide what area I want to focus on this year. Children can (and should) do this too. I found some good printables to help.

This first one is from 2014 but it is a good one. So, I recommend printing it out and putting a number sticker over the wrong year or using some correction fluid or correction tape, to erase it, unless you are one of those that can easily edit it before printing. ;) Here is the page describing this printable. The original link went 404 on me but I persevered! :D Click on the picture of the printable on that page and it will open the pdf.
This one is a little different but it goes along with what a lot of people do, creating a word for the year. It also has the individual write down a want, a need, something to share, and something in which to succeed. It’s a nice contemporary printable. At the same link is a New Year’s Eve bingo printable as well.

The same site also has a really cute Year in Review. I have shared this one before, I think but she updates it every year. It is really a nice printable and colorful, although you could definitely print it out in greyscale to conserve on colored ink, if you so desire.

This one is similar to the last. It too is a year in review printable. The author shares her family history with this and it sounds like a very sweet tradition that is a great memory maker. :) Like the previous one, it has you list some of your favorite things, which could be really interesting to look back on after several years and see what changed and what stayed the same.

Then there were a few game ideas that looked interesting as well. This memory game looked really cute! And here is a page with a lot of New Year’s Eve ideas to include children. The idea on the last link for glow stick games was so cute that I’m including a link to that one as well. With the days shorter, winter is a good time to try some of these games, if you happen to live in an area that gets some warmer weather this time of year. ;)

Finally there was a really cute idea for a decoration for a New Year’s party. If you happen to be one that takes their Christmas decorations down by the first, this could work for you. I, however, am not only not home as we go to my sister’s home, but keep my decorations up until Epiphany on January 6th. But it really is a cute idea. You could get a jump on some of the decoration clean-up by taking the ornaments off the tree and changing it over to a New Year celebration tree. Check it out here. :)

Well, I believe I have rambled on quite long enough for today. I hope you have a great New Year’s celebration with your family, whether it be at noon on December 31st, midnight of the first, or some other time. (I knew a lady that changed her clocks and celebrated the new year with her young children at 8pm, so they still got into bed on time. But you could just make it a thing, there are lots of ideas out there and listed above as well.)

Until next time, God bless,

Michele ºÜº

 

2021 Bullet Journal Setup

I have only used about 2/3 of my bullet journal for 2020. Part of me thinks it a waste to start a new journal but the other part of me thinks that it is a new year and it is good to start fresh. Besides, if I keep going in this one, I’ll surely run out before the year is over and then I’d have to get another one and that would be messy for me. ;) So I start a new year with a fresh journal. :)

Last year I decided to ditch the index. It just doesn’t work for me. I also decided to put collection pages in the front and skip back about 50 pages and begin my daily to do lists and such. This worked out great! I’m definitely doing this again. This year I decided to give myself another ten pages in the front. I had so many pages left in the back that having a few more in the front shouldn’t be a problem.

I start by looking through my current bujo and deciding which pages/spreads I want to do again. I write on my sticky flags the page title and move along. Then when I’ve gone through all the pages, I decide if there are any new ones I know I want to make and make sticky flags for them.

Then I place the sticky flags on the pages I want them. I do this so that I can easily move them around if I so desire, as I’m getting placement figured out.

I usually start with a Year-at-a-Glance on the first two page spread. I don’t really use this very much but it is nice to have all the birthdays, anniversaries, and special days all in one place at a simple glance.

It is interesting to see the different feel I went with for each year’s bullet journal pages. The first year or two I was really into glittery/sparkly feel. However, last year I was more into florals. I use a lot of washi tape because it dresses up pages so nicely and so quickly.

The new one is on the bottom of the picture above. You can see that I’ve used similar washi tape this year as last year, with a floral design. However, the thin ones dividing the months are different. I didn’t like the ones I used last year because they seemed to stick to each other a bit when closed. I struggled to find thin tapes I wanted between months. I may use marker next year. ;) Or who knows, I may go back to glitter tapes next time. :D

I decided that the chore/focus page has served its purpose and I no longer need it in my bujo.

On the other hand, I saw that this one gal does a page for one thing for which she is grateful each month. I decided to add this to my pages and it will be the last page in the front section.

The right side will be the first page of the next section. I may do some art on this page or decorate it somehow or even put a quote or scripture on it. Clearly, I’m not that far yet. ;)

As you can see, the front section takes just a fraction of the pages and now I can flip through the easily to find what I’m looking for.

I hope you liked this look into how I set up my bujo. Some people get all crafty and scrapbooky with it but I use stickers and washi tape to make mine appeal to me. As you can see, there are many ways to use a bujo. I hope this helps you see some different ways.

Until next time, God bless,

Michele ºÜº

Steak-Umm Salad

I like to keep Steak-Umms on hand for a quick beef meal for me. I know it isn’t the best but the only ingredient is Beef, so I feel safe eating them. ;) They are a bit fatty but then I don’t need any extra fat on my salad. :D

I start by cutting up some onion, pepper, and mushrooms. Then I begin to cook them in a skillet with just a tiny bit of coconut oil to keep them from sticking. I used two baby bella mushrooms, and about a 1/4 cup or maybe a bit more of each diced bell pepper and onion. I read yesterday in the new Trim Healthy Future cookbook how good bell peppers are for you, so I was sure to include them this time (I don’t always do so).

When these are nearly done to my liking I break up a portion of Steak-Umm and cook it with it.

This only takes a short time to cook. Season with salt, pepper, and a bit of oregano or any other seasonings you like. Get your salad ready. I washed about 4 or 5 leaves of lettuce and tore them up onto my salad plate.

When the beef is cooked, pour it all over your salad. :) Time to enjoy!

Super simple and super yummy. I added some nutritional yeast when I ate it. You can add some shredded cheese if you like.

Steak-Umm Salad

Ingredients

  • about 1/4 cup diced bell pepper
  • about 1/4 cup diced onion
  • 2 large mushrooms, sliced/chopped
  • about 1 teaspoon coconut oil (or oil of choosing)
  • 1 portion steak-umm
  • 4-5 leaves of lettuce, washed and torn
  • dashes of each salt, pepper, and oregano

Instructions

  1. Cook the veggies in a skillet with the oil until nearly done as desired.
  2. Break apart one Steak-Umm portion and add to the skillet.
  3. Season with salt, pepper, and oregano or other seasonings as desired.
  4. Place lettuce on salad plate or in bowl and top with the cooked meat and veggies.

https://lifeofjoy.me/steak-umm-salad/

I hope you enjoy this quick hot salad.

Until next time, God bless,

Michele ºÜº

Foods Affects Attitude

Over the last several days we have not been adhering to our normal way of eating. We have all eaten sugar and white carbs that we don’t normally eat.

One day we noticed that Michael was pretty frustrated. It has been a long time since he has been that frustrated. We finally realized that it had only happened since eating the way we used to eat. And then realized that it must be a blood sugar level issue.

Tiffany is actually the one that put two and two together for us. Once armed with that knowledge, he made efforts to anchor the sugar and white carbs with lean protein a bit more intentionally.

Food plays such a vital role even in our attitudes. Keeping this in mind is helpful to me. It affects children as well as adults.

I hope you have a good week as you plan to celebrate the ending of 2020 and welcome in 2021.

Until next time, God bless,

Michele ºÜº