Kombucha

While the world loves alcohol, I’m in love with raw kombucha and it’s millions and billions and trillions of organisms.

Over ice, this healthy option gives me the carbonation that I miss from soft drinks in a cold and refreshing drink. With tons of flavor options, it's good for promoting gut health, too. 

Swirled not shaken.  

Hot Summer Day's Charm

My home was built in 1935, in 15 years it will be 100 years old.

With that said, it has been completely remodeled inside maintaining the original charm. Recently the carpets ripped up to the original hardwood floors, which are in perfect condition and reflects the character of the home.

The windows open in a neighborhood filled with adult trees and landscaping, the sounds of the outdoor wildlife almost sounds like a jungle. I couldn't love it more and I prefer to listen to the nature versus the white noise of television and music.

This home is filled with windows giving a bright and airy feel. The wrap around deck, fresh iced tea brewed in the sun and today hot and 86, brings out the character in this home. I thought about turning the air conditioning on, then I lose the sounds of nature in this nostalgic home. Thankfully, all the upstairs rooms have ceiling fans.

My dad finished the wall renovation and painting project yesterday and I am SO grateful for his talent and perfectionism that he made my vision come to fruition. It looks even better than my vision.

It's fun to personalize a home and I confess, sometimes I walk all around just looking in awe that it's mine and it's so much more than I ever imagined.

We opened the pool and looking inside the tiny house, I found two deck umbrellas absolutely perfect for my patio, since I have two patio tables.

Adding airy flowers to my deck, I find it's another destination I just enjoy being surrounded by.

I do need to re-pot them, but there is only so much time in the day. 

Oh my goodness, I woke up to two ducks floating in my pool. Opening a pool is a whole new experience I am learning and I am grateful for the tiny house filled with pool toys and a solar panel. 

Grateful for Memorial Day and so happy to have the day off, Happy Memorial Day world wide web. 

A Walk in My New Neighborhood

Rejoice! Events are re-opening June 1st and I thank God I sailed through this pandemic without job loss or base salary cut, which actually hit the corporate office. It truly shows my company values its employees. 

Rolling out a new marketing campaign yesterday in an industry that I have zero experience took off like wildfire! I like to tap into unknown territory and make it successful. This will be fun and mentally stimulating for me.

Oh my gosh, a 3-day weekend! Picking up flowers for my deck and my stunning new kitchen chandelier, I came home and went for my 1st walk in my new neighborhood. 

With lots of little blocks and different paths to take, the neighborhood is filled with pretty little houses and adult trees, which a huge plus. Very quaint. With trees lining the streets, flowers and flowering trees and bushes everywhere, it gives me the feel of Savannah. 

... And Some Etta James

What an accomplished weekend! My new mattress and couch arrived, a full truck load of mulch delivered, and the weekend became a blur of activity.

Heartfelt, love, adoration and appreciation to my Dad who has not stopped doing renovations and painting at my house. This house is definitely a reflection of me thanks to his hard work. 

Much thanks and appreciation to my Mom who has also not stopped helping in any capacity needed. She is my Dad's assistant during the day and cleans up behind him and she has helped me tirelessly cleaning out massive flower beds and even spreading mulch.

When she lays in the grass to cool off so she doesn't pass out, I may or may not say, "DNR! Do Not Resuscitate!" I know her wishes. ha ha 

Thank you to Brooke, who helped mulch for four hours with no complaining. This is the new and improved married version of the former Brooke!  

A huge thank you and much respect to my son-in-law, Alex, who does landscaping for a living, and worked circles around us. 

It was a major team effort and we still are not done. We worked until we physically couldn't anymore. We were back at it today and there is still more. 

More thanks to my Mom & Dad, I can mow my entire yard on the 50" deck, zero turn Toro in rabbit speed in 18 minutes. 

I'm tired. Everything hurts and I have found the most wonderful way to cool of and relax. In the middle of the day with the windows open, I fill my claw foot tub with cool water, get an icy drink, turn on some Etta James, and lay back and relax. 

It's perfect. 

Eating Clean

Breakfast is typically a bone broth and collagen protein shake and on the weekends, sometimes I make breakfast.

Here's breakfast (on a small dessert plate) and a Dixie cup flower. 

Hearing Chipotle has a Keto salad, I was looking forward to trying it last night. Yuck! They call it a steak salad, I call it mystery meat. It was in the form of beef, but it wasn't steak. Everything tasted plastic, even their lettuce. 

It got me thinking, not eating out for months and eating strictly clean, processed food isn't enjoyable at all. Which is actually a good thing. Massive amounts of processed crap is consumed when you eat out. For those who eat out all the time, the waste of money on processed (unhealthy) foods is a lose, lose. 

Thanks to my neighbor, Sue, for the strawberries. She's on Keto now, too, and it's fun to try different recipes and share them with one another. We swap entrees, desserts and fresh fruit. She is in the same season as me in life and we have become fast really good friends with so many similarities. She's like being a friend with myself! 

Back to eating clean, I wonder how many people made best use of their time eating at home with new recipes and I wonder if they discovered how much money they saved not eating out all the time during quarantine? 

Just yesterday I said, I would rather take my money and invest it in furniture, decor, and flowers, then waste it on eating out. I never ate out much and yet I felt the positive financial impact of savings during quarantine. 

Have a good weekend, everyone! 

Blooms and Blossoms

My yard in bloom is so beautiful! Along the side of my house, two stories high is a beautiful, yellow tulip tree. It's flowers are so pretty looking out the windows and I'm so happy to see it. 

Looking out other windows of my home are flowering trees in bloom...

Phlox in bloom around my deck...

... and right behind my home, thankfully and gratefully, is not another home, but a handsome pine tree. 

Dividing my backyard from the houses behind me is a little creek and on the sides of my house between my neighbors are flower beds.

I love my yard as much as I love this house. 

Home Renovations

I cannot believe it's been two weeks since I got the keys to my home. 

Just as everything was washed, unpacked, decor home put in it's perfect place, and yard tended to, we began home renovations. Knocking out parts of walls and painting has begun so much faster than I originally thought. 

I'm flying on my new Toro mower and in awe of how quickly I mow now. Mulch is about to be delivered. My new bed arrived today and my new couch tomorrow. It's so pretty. 

Month #2 on Keto Diet

The 10th of the month is official month marker on my Keto journey and today is month #2. The drum roll, please... I am still amazed and thrilled to share I have lost:

30 lbs!!

The first month on Keto it is expected to lose weight quickly then the weight loss slows down and I am averaging losing a couple pounds a week. At this rate, by my 50th birthday, I will be at my target weight. 

I have fine-tuned eating clean and healthy and with Keto Diet cookbooks, I'm enjoying delicious recipes. It truly is a lifestyle eating clean and feeding your body with healthy foods comes with significant benefits.

Honestly, I cannot imagine going back to eating processed foods. 

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

Happy Mother's Day, Mom, I love you!

Today is Mother's Day and I am excited for my 1st family gathering in my new home. 

Today is also my last day of vacation and I am ready to go back to work. Thank you, Jesus, the move is behind us. 

Thank you to my mom (70) & dad (72) who worked tirelessly every day. It's important to have a strong team and nobody works harder and better than my perfectionist dad. My mom being an excellent house cleaner cleaned my home prior to the move, washed everything before it was put away, and helped with my massive flower bed clean-up. 

This past week was a blur of work with a larger home and having more than I realized I had, I've managed to completely fill it. Everything is 100% put away and decor is up. In fact, my dad has already begun to paint. 

As the state begins to re-open tomorrow and the move is behind me, this new season in life is starting very well.

House Warming Gift

WOW!!!!! My house warming gift from my mom & dad was delivered yesterday. 

The envy of the neighborhood, as I hopped on and was learning to mow with my new ride (I LOVE the drink holder!) my neighbor behind me stopped on his mower and gave me the thumbs up. My yard is bigger than what I thought and push mowing + monstrous flower beds is a lot!

My mom says my dad wants to make sure I'm not walking more than him in the family Fitbit challenge, but I know my dad says it will be significantly easier.

I went from a 19" self propelled mower to a 50" zero turn mower that goes pretty stinking fast and was stunned how fast it went. 

Give me a week to feel like a natural on in and my lines will be straighter. ha ha 

What a generous gift and I LOVE it! 

Thank you mom & dad, I love you! 

Welcome!

Welcome to my front door.

I needed to get the lawn mowed, flower beds cleaned up (this is a pretty massive project and they are 1/2 way done), and my new pots placed at my front door with hydrangeas. They are perfect!

A quick text from my new neighbor across the street last night, "Your vases out by your front door look fabulous! Oh my gosh, I love them and your flowerbeds look so good." It's nice to have a friend so quickly here. All the neighbors are friends and I guess they bake as gifts to one another at Christmas, which I think is really neat. It feels good to be surrounded by kind and friendly people.

My neighbor across the street from me is single, too. With many commonalities, our personalities clicked immediately, and it's fun to walk across the street for a visit.

Spring is a gift of life in bloom after a long winter. Being in a new home with incredible flower beds, I enjoying seeing what I have. Off my deck that wraps around the back of my house is a trellis through the side entrance with the layout:  a very large hydrangea bush, rose bushes, the trellis, rose bushes and a tulip tree. I cannot wait to see that in full bloom.

Phlox in bloom and several new plants I don't even know what they are. Everything is so pretty and honestly, it's more than I ever hoped for.

While I knew I would buy a house or condo, this home and property far exceeded my expectations. What a wonderful start to a new season in life. Happy almost 50th birthday to me!

Moved In

I am moved in! Moving is not for the faint of heart, it is about organization, endurance, and a team. A huge thank you to my mom & dad who are both work horses on the constant move to clean, haul, and help me through this whole process. 

This was the easiest move I've ever done since 75% of my possessions were already boxed up in storage. Thank you, Jesus, there were no mice or spiders from the storage unit. That was a huge fear and I didn't want that coming into my new home. 

My storage unit had moisture bags hanging to absorb moisture, which worked fantastic and I totally recommend. I had clear plastic sheets completely covering everything to eliminate dust and the I had a wall of mice spray inside the entrance garage door. 

Professional movers are worth the co$t. Quick and efficient, with straps to tie down and throw blankets to keep things safe, they had me moved in 4 hours. 

I forgot how much I have and I forgot about several pieces brought into my new home. 

It's been non stop for days and unreal to wake up, put on coffee, and turn on the television. Today's tasks will be hanging decor on walls. 

The biggest surprise for me is the family room. It's the one room I couldn't wrap my head around and make a final decision brainstorming color themes how I want to paint this room, but with my furniture in it, it's perfect!! 

It's been two years since I've mowed and I was looking forward to it. It's great exercise and a sense of accomplishment when it's finished. I stopped three times while mowing as surrounding neighbors came out and said hello. What a nice neighborhood! I've met five houses worth of neighbors and everyone seems to have southern hospitality. They all know each other in every home, seem very close knit, and I appreciated their conversations and warm welcoming. It was fun to gather in the middle of the street and talk for no less than 30 minutes. 

In the past, I've been a wave at the distance neighbor because I didn't like my neighbors. Here, they know each other well, help each other out, make homemade Christmas gifts baking for one another, and come out to be friendly. 

Sunny and warm outside, as I am talking with my neighbors, here comes Mariah & Jeremy and my grand babies walking down the road. Less than one mile to their home, it's neat to have to stop by walking. Sofia is all about the pool and her bedroom with her big doll house my mom brought back from Florida with her. 

With windows open for fresh air and warm breeze, it was a good afternoon mowing and visiting and what a better way to cool down then filling my claw foot tub with cool water and dropping a fragrant bath bomb in it. It's the moment I've been excited for and so relaxing. 

The move went fantastic and while I have the remains of things to put away, I'm super glad I am taking next week off to get settled.