Some goals for April

 

How did it get to be April already?  Chatting with my Nevada daughter yesterday as a multitude of red-winged blackbirds vocalized in her neighborhood, we marveled that the year 2025 is already 1/4 over.  Yet we lived each day!  And now it's time to set from goals for the new month:

* Keep up with Flylady's homemaking zones of the week
* Get together with my friend Jennifer and her children
* Continue meeting with my young friend R. for discipleship
* Possibly have some of our younger friends over for a meal and fellowship
* Post in this blog as often as possible 
* Post in my Christmas blog as often as possible
* Continue planning for family birthday gifts and crafting any handmade ones
* Continue reading through the One-Year Chronological Bible
*  Continue with the book Fix Your Focus for my Sunday Scripture series
* Continue studying and preparing for my ladies' Sunday School class -- to start in a few weeks
* Continue through the wonderful Daily Grace Co. study of Habakkuk, Even If (this is intended to be a 3-week study; it has taken me months since I only work on it on Saturdays)
* Continue the 40-day devotional The 40-Day Feast, which I will finish this month
* Continue stocking my Etsy shop and continue selling vintage items
* Write at least 4 encouraging notes to friends and family
* Get together with dear friends for lunch and a bit of shopping next week
* Help and encourage my local daughter as I'm able
* Fine-tune menus and continue with food preparation for a ministry opportunity next week
* Enjoy an Easter breakfast and services with our church family
* Celebrate 3 birthdays with our local loved ones
* Plan, prepare and enjoy an Easter dinner with family
* Attend a fundraising banquet for our local pregnancy center
* Plan meals with a greater emphasis on healthy eating
* Get back to memorizing the book of James
* Continue to help a widowed friend with the challenges of life in general
* Get to bed by 8:30 each night we are at home
* Drink enough water each day
* Continue with the habit of getting outdoors for the morning light
* Walk and/or exercise at least 4 times each week

HEALTHY HABITS FOR APRIL:  Drink more water/get more sleep/exercise daily/intermittent fasting/limit carbs/get morning light

And that is more than enough to keep me out of trouble this month!

Happy April Hodgepodge!

 

Taking a few moments to join in with Joyce and the gang for the Wednesday Hodgepodge at From This Side of the Pond. Joyce writes the questions, bloggers provide the answers! Here we go ...

1. No foolin'! April is here. What's one fun thing on your April calendar? 

Getting together with friends next week for lunch and a visit to a curiosity shop.  We also had a fun visit today (April 1) with our friend Jennifer and her four little ones.

2. It's often said, 'A fool and his money are soon parted'...what's the last thing you wasted money on? 

I can't even think.  Maybe a prescription cream that didn't help my hubby's psoriasis? 

3.  April 2nd is National DIY day. Are you a do-it yourself kind of person or maybe you're married to one? If so, what's the last thing you DIY-ed. If you're not a DIY-er what's the most recent job you had to hire someone to complete? 

I am married to a DIY-er but I also like to DIY some things myself (spice mixes, cleaning products, etc.) to save money and up the quality.  I can't remember the last thing he DIYed, but probably my most recent one was  a zesty Italian salad dressing mix.   I usually make 6 or 8 times this recipe and store it in a little jar.  About 1 Tablespoon of the mix equals 1 packet of zesty Italian dressing mix.

 ZESTY ITALIAN DRESSING MIX
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon each: pepper, oregano, onion powder, garlic powder, sweet red pepper flakes
Pinch of paprika
Mix all together. Whirl in blender if a finer texture is desired. This recipe equals one envelope zesty Italian salad dressing mix. It may be doubled, tripled, or whatever quantity you need to make.

 The tea rack below was built quite a few years ago, but it has to be one  of Mr. T's best DIYs ever.  It always gets a ton of compliments from people and a wish to have one of these in their own kitchen.

4. Do you eat lamb? If so do you have a favorite dish that calls for lamb? 

I do not care for lamb, never have.   My mother had a way of preparing it with tomato paste and herbs so that I could tolerate it, but I have never really liked it.

5. Do you fit a stereotype in some way? Explain. 

I don't really think so.  There are some ways in which I might fit a particular stereotype, but other ways in which I shatter that same stereotype. 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Getting ready for another week of cooking for my volunteer job.  I have the menus all organized but there is still a lot to do!  I like to prepare a lot of things ahead at least partially so there is less to do on site for each meal.  I just turned a maple apple muffin recipe into a coffeecake and my hubby tried it out.  Stay tuned as I will share the recipe, hopefully soon!