Mandatory Monday is a weekly blog post that was originally inspired by the release of Just the Essentials. Every Monday, I’ll share some of the things I’m loving in the current week!
Hello!!! How was your weekend? Mine was awesome! I cooked Thanksgiving dinner in my new kitchen! And I didn’t burn anything down. That’s my definition of a successful holiday meal.
In other news…we are completely moved out of our old house. Done. Finished. It feels so good. It’s been the most hectic two weeks of–quite possibly–my whole life. No joke. But it’s all been in a good, exciting way, and I’m so grateful for this new house.
Our new little area is just lovely, and it’s the town my husband grew up in, so he’s just as happy as can be. It’s such a friendly little town, and though it’s rural, I’m five minutes away from the grocery store. And Enstrom Candies’ Coffee Shop. (If you don’t know what Enstrom is, you must click here. They are famous for their almond toffee, and their lattes are awesome.)
Back to the point of the post. What things am I loving this week? I’ll tell ya!
- Babysitters! – My kids were sick, sick, sick of going to the old house while we packed up. They were bored, they wanted to play, and they were done. On Friday, out of the blue, my Aunt Angie called to see if she could watch the kids. Then, on Saturday, we
stoleborrowed my niece andheld her hostageoffered to let her babysit her cousins. The kids were recharged enough to spend the whole day cleaning up the house with us today. Love family! (And don’t feel too bad for my niece. She ate leftover Thanksgiving Oreo pudding and played video games with the kids all day.) - Ruthie’s Apple Pie Recipe – Best apple pie ever. The recipe is from an old Reader’s Digest cookbook that I fell in love with before I was even old enough to cook. I made it for Thanksgiving, and it did not disappoint. If ya’ll ask nice, I might just post it before Christmas. But let’s stop here for a few brief words of caution–do not, DO NOT, exchange the apples for berries. Though it may sound delicious, I will tell you from horrifying experience that you will end up with fruit soup. Embarrassing, hang-your-head-in-shame, small-group-will-never-trust-you-with-dessert-ever-again, fruit soup. *ahem*
- Norwex – You know those catalog parties you get invited to where you feel like you have to buy something? Norwex is one of those, and I have to admit I used to sell it. Their stuff is actually pretty awesome. We used the microfiber cloths and cleaning paste like crazy as we were cleaning out the house the last couple of days. If you don’t want to spend $16.49 on a cleaning cloth, you can buy generics. Honestly, they work almost as well. But the cleaning paste? Now that’s what I’m in love with. I haven’t found a product or recipe that works like it. (Though I’m working on a recipe).
- Tums – Let’s do some math, shall we? Stress and fatigue = drinking caffeine. Drinking caffeine = heartburn. Several years ago, when I was having a lot of trouble with acid reflux, my doctor told me to cut out citrus fruits and vinegar, excess fats, chocolate…basically everything that makes life worth living. And last…caffeine. I laughed on the inside. Like, a lot. Caffeine was not causing my heartburn. Well, finally, I cut it out. Guess what? The problem disappeared. What’s with these doctors and knowing what they’re talking about? Annoying, right? I drink decaf coffee now, but every now and then, a girl just needs a Dr. Pepper. And then, at three in the morning, a girl needs one or five Tums.
Those are this week’s essentials! I’d love to hear about the things you’re loving this week. If you want to do a Mandatory Monday post on your blog, be sure to add the link to your post in the comments. I’d love to read it!
Shari L. Tapscott 