Clean With Me – Videos, too!

February 6, 2019 By Deanna Piercy Leave a Comment

Do you ever need some motivation to clean your house? If not, please share your wisdom. If so, you’re in good company. I’ve been sorely lacking in the motivation department lately. That’s part of the reason I invited my parents over for dinner last week. There’s no better motivation than having company, right? But we can’t invite people over every day so that’s where “clean with me” videos come in handy. Along with grocery hauls and “what’s for dinner?” videos, these are my favorite things to watch on YouTube.

I decided to film before and after videos last Thursday when I was cleaning and share them with you just in case you could use a bit of motivation, too. Or if you’re just curious what my house looks like. That’s a totally valid reason to watch these.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. Read more here.

Here is what my house looked like before:

And here is the after:

I cleaned for an hour and a half. That gave me a tidy and relatively clean house. Clean enough, anyway. I didn’t do any deep cleaning or organizing. This was just a basic cleaning – sort of like the FlyLady’s Weekly Home Blessing. And speaking of The FlyLady, would you be interested in me doing a FlyLady series of some sort? This past April I did a 31 day FlyLady Baby Steps series in my Facebook group – Make Over Your Life With Dee. I could do something along those lines either in that group or here on the blog. Leave me a comment and let me know if you’d like something like that.

The Best (and Worst) of The Flylady

LWD Book Club ~ February 2019

February 1, 2019 By Deanna Piercy 2 Comments

Well, January certainly did zip on by, didn’t it? Are you ready for a new LWD Book Club selection? I’ll be honest and admit I haven’t finished the January selection yet. I was trying to finish up some other books before starting it and all of a sudden I realized I only had a few days left to the month. I started out reading my hardcover version of Becoming and then switched to audio while cleaning house or in the car. The audio version is 19 hours long! I had intended to host a book discussion on the Life With Dee Facebook page but I don’t want to host a discussion for a book I haven’t finished. I’m going to try to finish it this weekend and if so, I’ll do the discussion the first part of next week. In the meantime, here is the February book club selection.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. Read more here.

LWD FEBRUARY BOOK CLUB SELECTION

David and I had a fun experience at Shakespeare and Company book store in Paris (you can read about it here) so I am definitely intrigued by this month’s book club choice.

Time Was Soft There by Jeremy Mercer

“Wandering through Paris’s Left Bank one day, poor and unemployed, Canadian reporter Jeremy Mercer ducked into a little bookstore called Shakespeare & Co. Mercer bought a book, and the staff invited him up for tea. Within weeks, he was living above the store, working for the proprietor, George Whitman, patron saint of the city’s down-and-out writers, and immersing himself in the love affairs and low-down watering holes of the shop’s makeshift staff. Time Was Soft There is the story of a journey down a literary rabbit hole in the shadow of Notre Dame, to a place where a hidden bohemia still thrives.”

First Big Grocery Haul of 2019

January 31, 2019 By Deanna Piercy 2 Comments

It’s that time, friends. Time for a monthly grocery haul! Lisa and I went to the city Tuesday and we are now all stocked up. As always, we enjoyed our day together while tackling a big job. So here’s what I bought…

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. Read more here.

January Grocery Haul

Sprouts

organic bok choy
organic green onions
organic gala apples
organic green bell pepper
organic orange bell pepper
organic red bell pepper
organic bananas
organic celery
organic leek
bag of sweet mini peppers
2 boxes of cereal
oil spray (coconut, safflower, avocado blend)
organic chicken broth (four 8 oz. cartons)
organic penne rigate pasta
pasture raised unsalted butter
organic pasture raised eggs
sour cream
sharp cheddar cheese
organic sliced white American cheese
organic flour tortillas
loaf of bread
bath soap
Hawthorn Berries
collagen peptides

Total: $111.60

Trader Joe’s

frozen organic riced cauliflower
frozen organic chicken breasts
frozen organic super sweet corn
peach/mango yogurt (6 pk.)
strawberry/banana yogurt (6 pk.)
organic crumbled feta cheese
frozen turkey burgers (4 pk.)
organic red potatoes (5 pound bag)
fresh flowers
lobster ravioli (see note below)

Total: $46.01

*Note: The nice young man at the checkout asked if I found everything I was looking for. I mentioned that I needed to stop watching Trader Joe grocery hauls because I kept seeing interesting products our somewhat-smaller Trader Joe’s doesn’t carry. We joked a bit and then he asked what I hadn’t been able to find. I mentioned lobster ravioli and he said he was pretty sure they had it and to wait a minute. He went sprinting off to the produce area (I had assumed it was frozen) and brought back a package. I had already paid for my groceries so I pulled out my wallet. He said, no, you can just have it. I started to protest but he said they were allowed to do that and he wrote it down in a little notebook. I thought that was so nice and a great company policy. Assuming I like them you can be certain I will be buying them in the future.

Whole Foods

grated parmesan cheese
whole milk ricotta cheese
organic cottage cheese with pineapple
specialty sharp white cheddar (those samples really do the trick)
sliced garlic rosemary roast beef (deli)
organic corn tortillas
organic sliced turkey breast
organic dill weed (bulk)
organic onion powder (bulk)
patchouli goats milk bath soap (3 bars)
sparkling lime water (12 pk.)
San Pellegrino mineral water (4 pk.)
100% recycled paper towels (1 roll – about a year’s worth – ha!)
Pickapeppa hot sauce (I thought I was almost out. Turns out I had TWO bottles in the pantry. Oops.)
organic Worchestershire sauce
chili garlic hot sauce
rice noodles
King Arthur unbleached all purpose flour
salt and vinegar potato chips
organic cheese puffs
chorizo sausage
bourbon and black pepper sausages
jalapeno pepper
hot red pepper
asparagus

Total: $117.85

Grand Total: $275.46

We started the day with lunch. We decided to go to Tucker’s Onion Burgers, in part because their seasonal peppermint shake will be gone after this month. It was delicious! We are both moderately lactose intolerant but we decided it was worth the risk.

We also went to The Container Store. I had a list of some items I was looking for but was only marginally successful. I needed some containers for DVDs. We have an entertainment center and we store our DVDs in the cabinet portion below the TV. However, it’s just a big, deep hole and a real pain to find a particular movie. I figured it would be super easy to find DVD-sized containers but apparently we are the only people who still have a DVD collection. Good thing we got rid of our 8-track tapes. 😉 Seriously, though, I combed the store and finally settled on some that I hoped would work. I only bought two because I wanted to make sure they fit. Plus, they weren’t cheap!

I also wanted some pantry organizer containers. I only ended up buying one for now. Stay tuned for some organizing posts in the coming weeks.

I’ve invited my parents over for dinner tonight so I’m cleaning house today. I took a “before” video and after I finish I’ll do an “after”. I’ll share them in a blog post soon for those of you who, like me, are inspired by such things. Or are simply nosy and interested in seeing what my house looks like. It’s okay if that’s your reason. I’m the same way – ha!

How to Create a Weekly Menu Plan

19 For 2019

January 17, 2019 By Deanna Piercy 2 Comments

I’m always interested setting goals, especially for a new year. There are many ways to do this and I like to change it up now and then. The other day I was listening to one of my favorite podcasts, Happier With Gretchen Rubin, and she shared her list of 19 things she wants to do in 2019. I sometimes find it difficult to narrow my goals so having a limit of 19 sounded like a fun and realistic number. Here is my 19 For 2019 list!

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. Read more here.

Dee’s 19 For 2019 List

Complete at least one oil painting
See Masterworks of British Painting at OKCMOA
See Van Gogh, Monet, Degas exhibit at OKCMOA
Attend at least one concert
Start YouTube channel
Read at least 25 books
Plant a garden
Build a greenhouse
Bake bread regularly
Host at least one dinner party
Go out to dinner at Vast in OKC
Make 6-8 glasses of H2O daily a firm habit
Yoga three times a week
Do a one-week digital detox
Declutter and organize my closet
Declutter and organize our big storage closet
Declutter and organize my office closets
Complete Rosetta Stone French – Part 1
Organize my recipes

I’ll be sharing more about these goals in future blog posts so stay tuned!

Do you set goals? Have you selected any for 2019? I’d love to hear about them so leave me a comment.

If you’d like to hear the podcast which inspired this post, click here:

Gretchen Rubin – Podcast 203

My Word of the Year is a Song

January 4, 2019 By Deanna Piercy 6 Comments

For several years I’ve chosen a “Word of the Year” to give myself focus and direction for the year ahead. Last year I selected the word “Simplicity”. I wanted to strip away some excess in several areas of my life. I made a bit of progress in that area and it’s an ongoing quest.

I began thinking about what word I would choose for 2019 several weeks ago. I knew I wanted to focus on health and wellness but neither of those words felt right. Maybe it’s because I was a nurse but those words feel rather clinical to me and I wanted something that spoke to my soul. Then I listened to a podcast by The Productive Woman (I did an interview with her a couple of years ago) and she was talking about choosing a word of the year. She said that it could be a single word, a phrase or even a song. A song!

I immediately knew what mine would be.

You see, part of the driving force behind my decision to focus on health and wellness stems from witnessing my parents’ declining health in recent years. It’s been sad and sobering to see what poor health has done to them in terms of life satisfaction. For one thing, they used to love to travel but are no longer able to do so. I still have so many places I want to explore and I don’t want my health to be a limiting factor.

But there’s more to it than simply being physically healthy. And that’s why the words health or wellness didn’t adequately express my focus for this year (and beyond!). I want to stay healthy and vibrant in my mind and soul, as well. That’s why I’ve chosen Bob Dylan’s song, Forever Young, as my Word/Song of the Year.

Forever Young

by Bob Dylan

May God bless and keep you always,

May your wishes all come true,

May you always do for others

And let others do for you.

May you build a ladder to the stars

And climb on every rung,

May you stay forever young,

Forever young, forever young,

May you stay forever young.

May you grow up to be righteous,

May you grow up to be true,

May you always know the truth

And see the lights surrounding you.

May you always be courageous,

Stand upright and be strong,

May you stay forever young,

Forever young, forever young,

May you stay forever young.

May your hands always be busy,

May your feet always be swift,

May you have a strong foundation

When the winds of changes shift.

May your heart always be joyful,

May your song always be sung,

May you stay forever young,

Forever young, forever young,

May you stay forever young.

I actually wrote about this song back in 2007 when I claimed it as my life philosophy. I still remember the first time I heard the song. It touched me deeply then and still does. I love the idea of using a song as my focus because I can make a point of listening to it every day as a reminder.

If you choose a word (or phrase…or song) of the year, leave me a comment. I’d love to hear what you chose!

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. Read more here.

If you love Dylan and The Band I can’t say enough about how wonderful this recording is. I have it on vinyl and it is sheer perfection.

Click below for a Free 30-day trial:

LWD Book Club January 2019

January 1, 2019 By Deanna Piercy 1 Comment

It’s a brand new year and that’s always a good time to freshen things up a bit. I’ve been doing the LWD Book Club since March of 2016 and I think we’re due for a change-up.

Instead of three book selections each month I’m just going to do one. AND…I’m going to add a group discussion at the end of the month! I’m still working out the details but I think we’ll do it as a Facebook event. If you aren’t on Facebook you can always share your thoughts about the book in the comments here on the blog. I don’t want to leave anyone out. So let’s get this year off the ground!

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. Read more here.

LWD JANUARY BOOK CLUB SELECTION

I’ve been hearing a lot about this first book of the year and after listening to an interview Oprah did with Michelle Obama, I’m really excited to read “Becoming”. Michelle grew up in a working class family and from an early age demonstrated a lot of internal drive. I always enjoy the stories of people who work hard to beat the odds.

Becoming by Michelle Obama

If you’d like to listen to Oprah’s interview with Michelle Obama, here are the links. I listened via my podcast app while cleaning house the other day and I couldn’t believe how fast the time went. Oprah’s always a good interviewer but I was a bit surprised by how how funny Michelle can be at times.

Oprah’s Super Soul Conversations

Michelle Obama: Becoming Part 1

Michelle Obama: Becoming Part 2

Note: I’ve been including links to all previous book club posts at the end of each month’s post but the list is getting rather long. I’m going to create a dedicated page here on the blog for all the links. As soon as I get it done I’ll put the link to it here and probably in the sidebar.

Giant Aldi Grocery Haul

January 1, 2019 By Deanna Piercy 3 Comments

Every January I do a no-buy month. It’s a good way to get back on track after the holidays. I’ll be sharing more about that in a separate post but here is my final grocery haul for 2018. I went to Aldi on Sunday evening and stocked up for the coming month. I’ll still purchase some fresh produce and dairy this month but otherwise I’ll be cooking from our pantry and freezers. So here’s my giant Aldi grocery haul:

Aldi:

Cokes – 12 pack
Raisin Bran
Honey Graham cereal
Shredded Wheat
fabric softener (like Downey)
organic frozen strawberries
frozen mixed fruits
frozen mango/tropical fruits
frozen mixed vegetables (2)
frozen peas (2)
frozen corn (2)
frozen Asian vegetables
frozen California style vegetables
frozen wild caught salmon
chicken thighs
chicken breasts
chicken tenderloins (2 pkgs)
Black Angus top round beef
grass-fed ground beef (2 pkgs)
tomato basil sausages
chicken apple sausages
pork tenderloin
thick-cut pork chops
organic milk
half & half
Kerry Gold butter
jumbo canned biscuits (2 cans)
organic plain yogurt (1 quart)
turkey bone broth (1 carton)
refried beans (1 can)
bread and butter pickles
jar of mild pepper rings
organic honey (2)
assorted fresh peppers (1 bag)
red grapes
lime
bag of lemons
cauliflower
bag of yellow onions
10 pound bag of russet potatoes
3 pk. bell peppers (red, yellow, orange)
3 pk. green bell peppers
3 pk. garlic
bag of Cara Cara oranges
bananas
zucchini (3)
yellow squash (3)
organic olive oil
organic quinoa
couscous
extra sharp cheddar (3 pkgs)
string cheese
deli sliced cheddar cheese
wide egg noodles (16 ounce pkg)
flour tortillas
bagels
flatbread (2 pkgs)
English muffins
organic spring salad mix (large carton)

Total: $185.53

Whew! That is the most I’ve ever spent in one trip to Aldi. But we are well-stocked for the month. I already had lots of other food in my pantry and freezer, as well. I keep a good stock of things like dried beans, rice and pasta which can form the base for many hearty winter meals.

My goals are to use up some of what I already had on hand, cook and bake more, and experiment with some new recipes. I’ll keep you posted on all this and share some recipes, too.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. Read more here.

Do you want to eat a healthy, organic, grass fed diet but don’t think you can afford it? My friend, Victoria of A Modern Homestead, explains how they do it on less than $200 a month. Click here to find out how:

LWD Tea Lover’s Gift Guide

December 11, 2018 By Deanna Piercy 6 Comments

If you know me at all, you likely know that tea is “my thing”. I’ve been drinking it since I was a baby and never a day goes by without at least one cup (usually several!). So it only makes sense that the first thing that came to mind when I considered doing a gift guide was tea. If you have a tea lover on your holiday gift list I think you’ll find something here to please them.

LWD Tea Lover’s Gift Guide for 2018

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. Read more here.

All of these items are in stock on Amazon at the time I am posting this. That means that you can have them in two days if you have Amazon Prime, something I highly recommend. It’s a lifesaver for those of us who still have shopping to do!

Try Amazon Prime 30-Day Free Trial

11 Piece China Tea Set

Every tea lover needs a sweet little tea set. I just love the shape of this teapot and did you notice the fleur de lis on the cream pitcher?

Tea Time magazine subscription

Give a subscription to Tea Time magazine and the recipient will have a full year of tea inspiration. Also available in Kindle version.

Wooden Tea Box

For the tea collector, this lovely wooden box provides attractive storage for tea bags.

Seasonal and Festive Tea Blends

This collection of high quality teas includes two each of the following teas: Rum Raisin Biscotti, Sweet Orange Spice, Winter Chai, Spiced Ginger Rum, Harvest Apple Spice. Perfect for a cozy winter afternoon curled up with a book.

Tea Lover’s Coloring Book

Give your tea-loving friend something to do while sipping a favorite brew.

Tea With Mussolini

Brew a steaming cup of tea and enjoy this charming drama featuring two of my personal favorites – Judy Dench and Maggie Smith.

Tea Cup and Saucer Set

This delightful set of cups and saucers is on my own personal Christmas wish list. Mugs are fine for coffee or hot chocolate but for tea, I prefer a china cup and saucer. Aren’t these lovely?

Tea and Scones

Take tea time up a notch with freshly baked scones. This collection of recipes has excellent reviews on Amazon. If you find yourself in need of a scone recipe right now, check out Dark Chocolate Cranberry Scones.

Tea Time print

Isn’t this sweet? This would be darling in a breakfast nook.

Teapot Calendar

Am I the only one who still uses paper calendars? I do have Google Calendar on my phone and put all appointments, meetings and such in it. Yet I still buy two paper calendars every year – one for my kitchen and one for my home office. If your tea lover gift recipient shares my old fashioned love of paper, she’s sure to love this calendar.

The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane

And finally, no LWD gift guide is complete without a book. I haven’t read this yet but don’t be surprised if it shows up as an LWD Book Club selection in 2018.

For that very special tea lover in your life, why not give them the gift of an exclusive, organic, seasonal tea every month, delivered right to their door? I love Plum Deluxe teas and highly recommend them. Click below for all the details.

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You may also enjoy these tea-related posts:

LWD Christmas Playlist

December 6, 2018 By Deanna Piercy 2 Comments

It’s time for that annual tradition – the LWD Christmas Playlist. This is such fun for me to put together and I hope you’ll enjoy it. Merry Christmas!

This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting Life With Dee!

LWD 2018 CHRISTMAS PLAYLIST

LWD CHRISTMAS 2018

TRACKLIST:

1. “Christmas Song” – Phoebe Bridgers

2. “Wonderful Christmastime” – Paul McCartney

3. “Step Into Christmas” – Elton John

4. “Christmas Tears” – Eric Clapton

5. “The Christmas Song” – Ella Fitzgerald

6. “What a Night!” – Harry Connick, Jr.

7. “Wintertime” – Norah Jones

8. “Merry Christmas, Darling” – The Carpenters

9. “Joyful Noise” – Raheem DeVaughn, Vandell Andrews

10. “Christmas Prayer”- Aaron Neville

11. “It Doesn’t Have to Be That Way” – Jim Croce

12. “Holding You This Christmas” – John Boutté

13. “Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep” – Diana Krall

14. “I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm” – Dean Martin

15. “By Christmas Eve” – John Legend

16. “Light of the World – Behold Version” – Lauren Daigle

17. “Winter Dreams (Brandon’s Song)” – Kelly Clarkson

18. “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” – Frank Sinatra

19. “The Only Time I’m Home” – Tom Rosenthal

20. “Wonderful Christmastime” – The Shins

Sign up for Spotify – Click here

Previous LWD Christmas Playlists:

LWD Book Club ~ December 2018

December 1, 2018 By Deanna Piercy 6 Comments

It’s December and you know what that means…time for the LWD Book Club selections. I’ve decided to go with a Christmas theme for all three books. And I’ve chosen quick, light reads. I don’t know about you but I don’t currently have the mental bandwidth for anything deep or time consuming right now.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. Read more here.

LWD December Book Club Selections

The Little Christmas Teashop of Second Chances by Donna Ashcroft

“Snow is beginning to fall around the cosy Castle Teashop, with its toasty log fire, scrumptious mince pies and delicious hot chocolates. Romance is in the air and Lily King is hoping some winter magic will help to make her dreams come true…”

The Christmas Café at Seashell Cove by Karen Clarke

“Interior designer Tilly Campbell loves being carefree and single. But her latest job is redecorating the cosy local café for a Christmas party, and when her friends confess their plans for the big night – including a proposal, a declaration of love and a pregnancy announcement – Tilly starts to wonder if she might be missing out…”

Amish Christmas Story by Grace Given

“A gentle couple, an Amish community and… an unruly son. Clement Litwiller has no desire to follow in his father’s footsteps and is not about to waste his life in boring community living. But what he doesn’t realize is that his choices and actions have terrible consequences for the ones he claims to love. Edrei and Chloe Litwiller find themselves shunned and have to find refuge in a lonely cabin on top of a hill, far away from the life they used to live. But then it’s Christmas time. Will the true spirit of Christmas bring solace to this wounded family, and can miracles really happen at this most wonderful time of the year? A tale of snow, suspense and faith that will keep you on the edge of your seat.”

Why can’t we read anymore? Or, can books save us from what digital does to our brains?

7 Ways to Find More Time to Read

My thoughts on book buying: I’m a huge proponent of public libraries and that’s where I encourage you to look first for LWD Book Club selections. Next up would be local bookstores (used or new). However, as someone who lives in a small town with limited resources, I understand that buying online from Amazon is often the most convenient, or sometimes only choice. I include Amazon links in my book club posts for your convenience if that is your book buying choice and I appreciate the small portion of the sales which I receive as an affiliate.