It all started for us on Saturday night.  By the time we went to bed, we had lots of freezing rain.  The wind was howling, and it was bitterly cold!  We even had thunder right before we woke up, and it was very eerie.  The kind that rattles the windows in the house, low and long.  I woke up at 6 AM to go to the bathroom, and that’s when we heard everything suddenly cut off.  We had lost our electricity.  I made it downstairs to find our backyard in shambles, tree limbs down everywhere, and the whole outside coated with thick ice. However, I had high hopes that the electric company would get us back on right away!  No poles were down, and I was convinced that we’d be back on in no time.  Well, no time ended up being two days later.

We stuck it out all day at home and into the evening, but by nightfall, it was super cold in our house.  My mama had lost electricity, but hers was restored that afternoon, so we packed up all of our necessities (including Jake!) and headed to my mama’s house.  I was so very thankful we had somewhere warm to go and stay, with lights and running water.  We came back home each day to check on things. The thermostat in our house read 46 degrees! My main concern was Beetle, my little black outside cat.  He will not stay inside our home (I have tried so many times), but he has a heated house on our patio, which didn’t do much good when the electricity went off.  We called and called for him.  We left food out twice a day (and something was eating it), but I spent a lot of time crying over that cat.  I just knew there was NO way he made it through this storm.  It was absolutely freezing, and the temperatures never rose above freezing for over a week!

It was early Tuesday morning when we got the text that power had been restored to our home, so hubby and I headed over to turn the heater back on and check on things again.  I was so thankful that we could return home.  Of course, I loved being with my mama, but I just had all of my creature comforts at home.  Around lunch time, it was finally warm enough to move everything back to our house.  And that night, as I was preparing supper, guess who showed up at the back door?  Beetle! I was startled and then SO relieved to see that little booger bear!  I bundled up and went outside to feed him and hold him.  Thank you, Lord, for protecting him!  I don’t know how he made it, but he did!

Hubby and I left the house on Wednesday and went to Walmart.  The food aisles were ransacked (mainly the food items you didn’t have to cook), but we were there to get other things, and mainly just to get out of the house.  Even days later, all of the roads still had a thick coating of ice.  I’m so thankful for hubby’s big truck!  And I am so thankful he was here, not out on the road, when this happened.  He took care of so much for us and so many others.  He made grocery store runs for some of my mama’s older friends, fed someone’s dogs, and helped some elderly neighbors clear tree limbs from their driveway.  Just this weekend, he cleared our yard of all the broken limbs.  He has been my hero!  We couldn’t have made it through this without him.

But Saturday, it hit 70 degrees!  I was so very thankful!  I spent last week putting my house back together and doing a full cleaning.  It has been nice to be able to wash clothes when I want to (and not have to wait until the temps go above freezing to risk the pipes) and not to have to leave my faucets dripping. I can finally walk out my front door without risking a fall on ice. It’s the little things!  This ice hung around for a LONG time.  Usually, it melts off in a day or two.  It hung around a full week before the roads were mostly safe.  Young Man’s school was cancelled all week.  All of the schools were.

This week is looking even better temperature-wise.  I am so ready for spring!  I pray this is the last we see of winter weather for a while!

The post We Survived Winter Storm Fern appeared first on Read. Write. Mom!.

But backing up, last Friday, Hubby and I were able to slip away out of town for the day.  I think it had been since October that I had really been able to get out and look around.  You know what my first stop was!

Bath & Body Works was having a sale on candles, so I picked up a few.  Hubby loves the Vanilla Buttermint one, and that particular one is part of the big winter clearance sale, and only $6!  I grabbed three of those!  I also got a couple of body care items on deep discount.  I love to shop their sales!

I also popped into TJ Maxx.  I found the cutest little conversation-heart cocktail napkins to use for my coffee in the morning.  I was hoping they would have some Valentine’s Day napkins, and they did!  Yay!  I also grabbed this cute little bird-themed coffee cup.

It was a steal at $3.00.  They had lots of great sales, but I really didn’t need anything.  I was just happy to get out into the world and look around for a little while.  It has been so crazy since the end of October, so being able to slow down and do something fun was great!

But getting back to this storm.  I have a long checklist of things to do these next couple of days.  I’m about to leave to pick up a big Walmart order of nonperishable foods and items we may need.  Hubby went out yesterday and got a Mr. Heater and backup fuel for it, just in case we need an extra heat source.  We do have a fireplace.

My other job will be to make sure all laundry and bedding are washed and ready by Friday morning.  We also need to charge all of our electronics.  I think my mama is all set at her house.  She just needs to place an order for a few things to be delivered from the store, and she should be good to go.  Honestly, my main concern is us staying warm.  Our home is all electric.  However, my mama does have a gas log fireplace and a water tank.  If worst comes to worst, we could just go stay at her home.  I am so thankful to have that option.

However, I pray that the improvements to our infrastructure since 1994 will help us retain all of our utilities.  I was almost 20 years old the last time this happened, not a care in the world, and my daddy took care of everything.  Now I have to be the adult, and it’s scary, haha!  I’m also praying Hubby makes it back home ok before the really bad stuff sets in.  He should, so that gives me a little comfort.

I saw this on Facebook and thought it might be worth sharing if you are in the path of this storm:

And this link lets you check for power outages across the country.

I will try to check in on Saturday, assuming we have electricity and internet.  I pray that any of you who are in the path of this storm stay very safe and warm.  Weather events like these are why I dread winter the most.  I am so looking forward to spring!

The post Gearing Up For Winter Weather appeared first on Read. Write. Mom!.

Believe it or not, I have been trying to keep up with the blogs I check regularly.  It’s usually at night, when I finally have a chance to sit down and relax a little before heading to bed.  I promise I am going to do better about that, too.  I think I just got a little overwhelmed with my blog.  It had WAY too many ads, and I didn’t know how to turn them off.  I finally removed some of the code in it last night, and I hope it helped a little.  Please let me know if you are seeing an obnoxious amount of ads on my blog.  I may have to pay someone to fix it.  I’m honestly ready for a more minimal blog design, but I am so afraid of breaking it!  Plus, hiring a blog designer is WAY more expensive than it used to be.  Sometimes I wish I had kept my blog on Blogger.

We did have a good Christmas.  We had fun at our extended family get-togethers.  I tried a new cheeseball recipe, and it ended up pretty good!

Beetle (our outside kitty) even came inside to inspect the tree, and he approved!

Jake did a LOT of napping, haha!

But by Christmas morning, my little family was sick.  We all had a two-week-long battle with bronchitis and sinus infections.  I was thankful, at least, it happened when hubby and Young Man had a lot of time off from work and school.  So, we spent a lot of time at home just semi-functioning, haha!  But we are all on the other side of it now.

I racked up at Candle Day at Bath & Body Works.  It was my first Candle Day, where all of the candles were put on a super good sale, and these were all purchased online.

I’m also big into wax melts now.  I just love to keep our home smelling amazing.  Yes, I have way too many candles and wax melts, but they’re getting used, I promise!

Young Man started back to school on Monday, and it is his last semester of college (unless he decides to further his education at a 4-year college).  These two years have really flown by!  He is learning so many awesome things while working towards his associate’s degree in Precision Manufacturing and Machine Technology.

I’m just trying to get the house back together from the holidays.  We are almost there, but January always has me itching to clean out all of the closets and cabinets, and it’s a slow process.  I have also been taking an online “work at your own pace” course, learning to use ChatGPT and other AI tools.  I know a lot of people don’t care for it, but I needed something other than reading to stimulate my brain, and it really is fascinating how these tools can help in everyday life.

That about wraps up what has been going on around here.  I hope to start getting caught up on blog reading and post here more often.  Hope you have a great Thursday!

The post I’m Still Alive appeared first on Read. Write. Mom!.

In any case, you know I’m still going to try to get the Halloween vibe going with my candles!  These are the ones I will be burning for October.

I’ve lit two of them so far this morning, and so far, so good!  I was ready for a change after burning through last month’s selection.  So much so that I pulled out a bubble gum-scented one yesterday because I was just done with apple scents and fall scents!  Haha!

As I said, it’s hard to create a fall ambiance when it doesn’t feel like it.

I also got out my new Halloween cocktail napkins and paired them with yet another new mug.  These little seasonal mugs at TJ Maxx are so hard to resist!

I was able to get out my fall home decor last weekend and got everything put out.  I shared my fall home decor tour from the previous year, and it’s pretty much the same this year.  I don’t think I added anything new except a new throw for the couch.  Another TJ Maxx find.  It’s a good thing this store is a 45-minute drive away from me because I could get into a lot of trouble there if it were closer!  Haha!  I guess that’s one good thing about living in a small town.

We met my cousin and her family for lunch last Friday.  It was good to get together with her and visit.  Saturday, Hubby went to the Ole Miss/LSU game in Oxford.  You know I stayed home and watched it on TV!  Haha!

He met up with two of my cousins who live there, and they enjoyed the game.  I’m so glad he got to go.  He works so hard and deserves to have some fun whenever possible.

This week is being spent trying to catch up on housework.  I’m really struggling physically, so it is going a lot slower than I would like, but it will all get done.  And naturally, having THIS in your laundry basket downstairs doesn’t help one bit!!

Jake has suddenly declared the laundry basket in the laundry room is THE perfect sleeping place, so I’m having to work around him a lot while I’m in there.  He also woke me up at 4:00 AM this morning, wanting to be fed and let outside.  It’s a good thing he is cute, that’s all I’m saying!

Are you excited for October?  Are you decorating for fall?  Or not at all?  I would love to hear about it!  Happy October!

The post Happy October! appeared first on Read. Write. Mom!.

I want to thank you all for the kind comments you left on my last post.  I love for things to be positive and upbeat here, but sometimes life throws big curveballs, and writing down my thoughts and getting things out is a big way I cope.  I’m always so thankful for my sweet blog friends who show up and offer words of encouragement.  It means so much to me.

Y’all know I love, love, love candles!  I light this Espresso Martini each morning while checking email and attending to “house business.”  It smells like coffee brewing, and that helps me get to work.

I’m also in DEEP love with Honeycrisp Hayride by Bath & Body Works.  Hands down, it is my very favorite fall scent that I have purchased.  I hope this one makes a comeback next fall, because it’s just that good!

I also bought myself a cute fall mug during my last visit to TJ MAXX.  It’s a Rae Dunn, and it’s awfully cute, but awfully heavy to hold.  However, I just couldn’t pass it up because it was on sale and super adorable.

I also decided a cute cup of coffee deserves cute beverage napkins each morning.  I have a habit of folding a paper towel into a square each morning and placing my coffee cup on it while I pour the coffee, then putting my spoon on it when I’m finished adding Splenda.  These cute beverage napkins caught my eye (also available at TJ Maxx), and I thought I’d use them instead of the boring paper towels.

I think this might be a new obsession!  Haha!  They make the cutest little napkins for every season.  These are the ones I’ve purchased for September and October.  I’ll probably even have some left over for next year!

And, of course, a little fall Snoopy music video each day from YouTube.  I put one of these videos on in the morning, and it plays for hours lightly in the background.  I usually stick to the Mellow Vibes channel for this, but I also enjoy a few others, like Snoopy Chill Beats.

So these are just a few ways I’m trying to lift my spirits around here.  I’d love to hear the little things that help you out as well!

The post Little Pockets of Happiness appeared first on Read. Write. Mom!.

Life has certainly been life-in’ around here.  Every time I think I’m going to return to blogging regularly, life gets in the way, and blogging has to be put on the back burner.

My aunt passed away very suddenly last week.  It left us all in shock, understandably, and I’ve spent a few days traveling to my cousin’s house to be with her and help her through it all.  She is an only child like me, and this has been so devastating to her and her little family.  I can only take solace knowing my aunt was saved.  She loved the Lord, her family, and her church.

Our community has also been reeling from recent events here, and adding to that, things going on in the world in general; it’s been a lot.  Things just feel heavy right now.  I’ve just had to take some time to focus on my family and disengage from the online noise.  It can be overwhelming to see people arguing all the time online, and my Facebook feed has been super busy with a lot of this due to all of these things.  I understand that people become passionate about things that happen.  But when it starts turning ugly, that’s when I have to snooze people or take a break, so that’s what I’ve been doing.

I don’t even know where I’m going with all of this.  I guess I just wanted to explain why I’ve been absent, and hopefully I’ll be back soon with happier posts.  I’m praying for all of us.  It’s tough out there.

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Last Tuesday, my best friend took me out to eat lunch for my birthday.  We were a little late celebrating together, but I didn’t do much on my actual birthday, and it worked out that she had a half-day at work, so she picked me up and we ate at a cute little bistro in town that we enjoy.  I forgot to take a picture of my lunch, but I did take one the next day when I had it for leftovers.

She also got me a new candle and a candle warmer!  I was so excited because I had been wanting a candle warmer for upstairs.  I love to have candles going, but I worry about having them on upstairs because I’m not often up there during the daytime.  So, not having an open flame, but still being able to enjoy the scent of my candles is awesome!

Hubby worked a long week last week and didn’t make it in until Saturday afternoon, so our weekend felt really short.  We just stayed in the rest of the weekend and relaxed.  It sure went by quickly, and he was back on the road yesterday morning.  This week looks to be a busy one for him as well.

Jake got his annual back shave last Thursday.  I know this looks like a total hack job, and it is, but there is a reason for that.  Jake will not let me brush him.  He hates to be touched unless it’s on his terms.  The groomer wanted to give him a “lion cut”, and I was all for it, but I knew he would never cooperate with that.  The only way that would happen is if he were sedated, and I hated to do that to him unnecessarily.  I told the groomer my main concern was to get the mats off of his back, and if that meant a hack job, then that’s the way it had to be.  Jake managed to let them get just that much done, so bless it, he will just have to look like this for a bit until his hair grows back in.

I felt pretty good over the weekend, so with hubby’s help, I was able to get a lot accomplished in our extra bedroom.  I think it will all come together better once we decide on furniture for the room.  However, getting rid of a lot of unnecessary stuff has already made the room feel lighter, which makes me happy!  I’ve held on to many office supplies and items from my librarian career, but it’s time to send them to a better home.

This week will be spent with family. My aunt and uncle from Tennessee are here visiting and staying with my mom, so I will be spending lots of time with them this week, as their last visit got cut very short.  I have to run an errand this week that will take me very close to my nearest Bath & Body Works store.  Will I stop in?  Tune in to find out!  HAHAHAHAAA!!  You know I will!

The post Catching Up On Last Week appeared first on Read. Write. Mom!.

September Candle Rotation

Honeycrisp Apple– Bath & Body Works- Fragrance notes: golden honeycrisp, apple blossom, and fresh sugarcane.

Honeycrisp Hayride– Bath & Body Works- Fragrance notes: honeycrisp apples and crisp autumn leaves.

Blueberry Maple Pancakes– Bath & Body Works- Fragrance notes: wild blueberries, griddle fresh pancakes, and warm maple syrup.

Autumn Drive– Bath & Body Works- Fragrance notes: wild raspberry, warm amber, and vanilla birch.

Spiced Fallen Leaves- GooseCreek Candles- Crisp Apple, Pear Nectar, Autumn Spice & Fallen Leaves

Autumn Road Trip– GooseCreek Candles- Wild Fig, Autumn Acorns, Fall Foliage & A Cool Breeze

Football Season– Bath & Body Works- Fragrance notes: fresh eucalyptus, blue sage, and cedarwood.

Can you tell that apple is my favorite scent note for fall?  I love any candle that has apple in it!  I know this probably looks like too many candles, but I love them so much and burn them constantly since I am home most of the day.  And the kicker is that I will probably be adding a few more to this!  Haha!  However, I hardly ever pay full price for candles.  These Bath & Body Works candles were purchased at a great sale price ($8 and some change each), and the GooseCreek candles were also on sale.  Both of these companies frequently offer sales, so signing up for their emails will keep you notified so you can snag them when they hit a great price!

I’ve already started burning through several of these, and I will make a post at the end of the month to share my thoughts on them.

Are you burning any fall candles yet?  I’d love to hear your favorite fall scents!

The post September Candle Rotation appeared first on Read. Write. Mom!.

It started turning a little cooler last week, so one morning I opened the sliding glass doors upstairs and downstairs (yay for screens!) and aired out the house.  I worked a little more on cleaning out the extra bedroom, and we finally had a big enough pile of donation bags that hubby decided it was time to drop them off.  Our nearest Goodwill is about 45 minutes away, so we made a little trip of it.  We dropped off the bags and headed to the mall.  I just had to stop into Bath & Body Works, as they were having a fantastic sale on their body care products.  Everything was $5.95.  I stocked up on some lotions and a couple of the new fall scents in the body mists.  I also snagged a few more candles!  They were half price, and while it wasn’t the lowest price they would go, it was still a good deal to get seasonal scents that wouldn’t be restocked once they were out.  After that, we headed to a local pizza place, where we enjoyed a meal.  The trip wore me out, and I slept very well once we got home!  Haha!

I battled an issue with my eye and experienced utter exhaustion last Wednesday and Thursday.  I have a bump on my eyelid.  I don’t think it is a stye.  I consulted Dr. Google, and it appears to be something called a chalazion.  I’ve never had this happen.  It doesn’t hurt, but my eye was very weepy, and I think it’s because the pollen has been insane here lately.  I think I was tired because last week I wasn’t taking my usual short afternoon naps that help me get through the rest of the day.  Anyway, hubby was home Thursday, so I gave in to the tiredness and let him take over everything, and I stayed in bed all day and night.  This is the frustrating part of living with heart failure.  Your body just wants to go-go-go all the time, but you really do have to give in to rest when your body needs it.  Lesson learned (again) the hard way!

The rest of the weekend was lovely.  We watched the Ole Miss game on Saturday evening, and I burned this candle (Football Season from Bath & Body Works) while we watched.

It is SO good!  Its scent notes say:

What it smells like: cozying up on the bleachers with a warm flannel blanket.

Fragrance notes: fresh eucalyptus, blue sage, and cedarwood.

To me, it smells like a mix of pigskin leather and a slight hint of cologne.  It gives the nicest scent!  The house just has a clean smell after I blow out the candle.  I was highly skeptical of this one, but I am SO glad I bought it!  I bought a couple more on our shopping trip to get me through to the Super Bowl, haha!

Sunday was 5th Sunday at church, so everyone brings a dish and we have lunch after the service.  My hubby loves to cook, so he made potato salad and a roast, and both were delicious!  I was glad he wanted to take over the cooking for this, as I wasn’t feeling 100% great, but we made it on time with our dishes and enjoyed a great time eating and visiting with everyone.  Young Man was so sweet and helped my mama and a couple of her friends at church who are elderly and not very mobile.  He held one’s hand as they walked to the fellowship hall, and he helped fix their plates.  I hope it doesn’t sound like I am bragging, because this is not my intention, but these are the kinds of things that make me so proud to call this kid mine.  It took a village to raise him, and I’m thankful for the friends, family, and amazing schools he attended for pouring into him.   Above all, I want him to know that it’s the things like this that truly matter.  He has always had a tender heart, and I hope this world never changes that about him.

Yesterday (Labor Day), Mama and I went to the cemetery to place new flowers on my grandparents’ and my uncle’s graves.  Afterward, we ate lunch together at her house, and I came home and rested.  After a nap, I washed the bedsheets and put them back on our beds.  Hubby headed back to work today, and Young Man enjoyed a day off from school.  It’s been a good past few days!

The post Bring On The Fall! appeared first on Read. Write. Mom!.

I turned 51 last Wednesday. I took turning 50 very hard last year, but I was ok with things this year. I started my day out by getting a MUCH-needed haircut. I wish you could have seen how much hair was on the floor at my hairdresser’s shop! It had gotten so long, and it was beginning to be a pain to care for. I probably had 4 inches cut off and felt like a brand-new woman!

Hubby and Young Man showered me with Bath & Body Works gift cards (the way to my heart, haha!), and we went out and had a great lunch!  It just so happened that Hubby was off work that day, and Young Man was able to get home early from school.  I love days like that when it all works out!

I always order the boiled shrimp and the fajita potato when we go to this particular restaurant. It’s so good! And then we went home, and I took a glorious nap! Haha! Now THAT’S a good birthday!

I got my first order from Goose Creek Candles and fired up a couple of them to try out.  The Marshmallow Sugar candle is to die for!  It smells so sweet and amazing!  It’s easily my favorite in this order! (I am not an affiliate for this company.  Just sharing something I love!)

I’ve also been burning Vanilla Sands, and it’s just “ok”. I probably wouldn’t reorder this one because it smells like lotion to me. I’m burning it along with another random sweet-smelling candle I have to kind of layer over that smell. So far, it’s working. I didn’t pay a lot of money for this candle, but I’m still going to use it up!

But one candle I am really enjoying is this Mainstays candle I picked up at Walmart. For being so inexpensive, it sure gives off a great throw! I think it’s a great transition-to-fall candle, and I would definitely repurchase this one.

It has been quite cool in the mornings so far this week, and I’m thankful for the relief from the heat. However, I am now having to dig out my pajama pants and leggings for the mornings, and I’m not sure I’m ready to do all that yet, haha!  It’s so hard to believe it’s almost September.  I am ready for the “ber” months, though.  I love to pull out all of my fall decor because it can stay up for three months!  I’ve also purchased a few more fall-scented candles to get me through this next season.  I have just really come back into loving candles here lately.  I loved them so much as a newlywed and almost exclusively purchased Yankee Candles.  However, they have become so much more expensive, and I’ve heard that the throw isn’t as great on them anymore because they have switched to soy wax.  Anyway, please be aware that you may occasionally see me showcasing new candles here.  I don’t know why they bring me such joy here lately, but I happily welcome joy in all forms, haha!

The young man started school last Monday and is doing great so far, enjoying all his classes.  He is studying Precision Manufacturing and Machine Technology.   He loves being in all of his “shop classes” and he is learning so much.  Lord willing, he will graduate with his associate’s degree in May of next year.

I’ve been trying for a better bedtime for myself, but so far, I’m still struggling with it.  I know once it starts getting darker much earlier outside, that may greatly help things!  I just hope I don’t get the “sads” this year.  I always struggle a little with feeling down when the time changes towards the fall and winter months.  I know many others do as well.

Next up on my agenda is clearing off a cabinet shelf in the laundry room and re-organizing our pantry.  I have let the pantry kind of get disorganized here lately, and now it’s to the point where I can’t readily put my hands on what I need.  I’ve also got more cleaning out to do in our extra bedroom/office/catch-all.  I’ve been able to put a good dent in that over the last month, but it still needs more.  Always something!

Hope everyone is doing well.  I’m taking things slow this morning so I’ll be visiting blogs for sure today and getting caught up!  Hope you are having a great day!

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