To Scrapbook or Not?! ~ Photo of the Day Challenge~ Tree

Hello everyone. The July Photo of the Day Challenge theme is TREE. I took this photo of my neighbor's tree today on my walk because it is just so beautiful. I love her crepe myrtles.  It was HOT!!! My walks are getting a little harder to do in the heat, but I am forging on! 

We have a few different varieties of Crepes in our yard as well. Normally, the one below (our tree) is so beautiful, but the heat has really hit it. My neighbor's tree is a different variety and its 25 years old. Mine is three years old. 

I got this tree for free from our city that did a plant a tree campaign. It was a little offshoot on a stick. I was like how will this grow into anything, but it did!!!

Of course, I am going to share a throwback of this mighty tree in Arkansas that my mom and I went to see during our camping and hiking trip last year (May 2025)

This is an Arkansas Champion Winner. Each year trees are nominated. 

Southern Catalpa

It is located in Hempstead County by the Historic Washington State Park in Arkansas. It is so massive. I wish I could have captured the massiveness of this tree on my phone camera. 

As always here are some my favorite quotes I have recently saved tree or nature related! As you know I am a lover of Forest, Trees, and all things Nature. All from Pinterest. 

SO.... as the title stated.... I finally got all my pictures cleaned off my phone and all of them organized in my digital storage so I can easily access them by month and year. 

I did a huge overhaul of my photos in 2023. I have kept up with weeding out my phone and uploading them to my digital storage yearly since. I decided to c

lean up the digital storage and organize it better. This was a good project to work on while I have been recovering and sitting a lot. 

NOW....I am in the process of trying to decide if I want to go back to scrapbooking. 

I stopped scrapbooking in 2017 and started photo books from my digital storage I use (Amazon Photos)  and just printed photo books off. I did this until 2023. It was easier and more simple for me at the time as a homeschool mama and pastor's wife. Now, I have a little more time AND while the photo books are nice the quality isn't always the best. I could just print the pictures I suppose and store them, but I really want to have pictures and our memories a little more enjoyed and accessible. If not, why take pictures, right?

The thing is it feels overwhelming as to where to start. Do I want to go back to 2024 and start and pick some of our favorites and scrapbook? Do I want to just do special holidays and occasions? Trips? Do I want to just start with this current year? Hmmm!

Also, as an avid hiker and explorer as well as we take a cruise or vacation once a year, we have soooo many awesome pictures that I want to showcase. I visit state and national parks a lot, so I am thinking of maybe just doing an explorer scrapbook of the trips. 

Do you scrapbook, or print and put in albums,  or just store them on digitally or just simply do not care? LOL!

I guess I wonder if something happens to me will my kids be able to access any of my storage stuff online to see all these great memories and pictures? So, I am thinking of ways to go about making them available and more accessible. 

I also do not want overcomplicated or expensive. I did look into digital scrapbooking, and I am just to hands on for that. I also do not like clutter and tons of supplies. Sigh.... I am still debating. 

Anyhoo.... until next time....

Chrissy T

A Little Check In ~ Daily Photo Challenge ~ Red

 Hello everyone! Today's Daily Photo Challenge theme is RED. So, I thought I would snap a selfie of myself on my walk this morning with my "RED" hair or not as much as it used to be RED hair. It has lightened up tremendously once I hit mid 40's. Oh, well it is still RED. When I was younger it was a deep dark auburn. I do not color my hair so it is natural. Some may say it is orange but I detest that. 😆 

It was VERY HOT where we are and I think it is that way all over! We have a heat advisory. Nonetheless, I have gotten THREE 10-15 minute walks a day for the past week. I usually do 10 right after breakfast, 10 after lunch and 10-15 after I eat dinner (supper) Here is my selfie sporting my RED hair!

Here is one without the sunglasses. I have people say all the time they do not hardly ever see me without sunglass. Sunglasses are staple for me like a toe is to a foot. 😏

This was taken early this morning after breakfast. I have really enjoyed this flow of walking and it helps me break it up in this heat as well as not push too much during my recovery. It gives me something to look forward to and has structured my LONG days.

Not sure this is completely true as I have some white gray hairs! HAHA! But my grandmothers (both of them had red hair) didn't not turn completely gray. It was more like strawberry blondish orange like. 

That is all I have for today! I am making Tacos for dinner. Simple and easy! I have been reading a lot. I have read almost all the books on my Summer to be Read List I shared. You can check that out here.  I have about three books left and I am currently reading 2 of those. I have also read several in between that that are not on the list. I either came across them and felt led to read those or was given some as a gift this summer. I have been having fun reading a lot of animal character books. It is very different from my normal readings, but it has brought some whimsy and fun! 

I will leave you with this! Of course, it was found on Pinterest. 

With Love,

Chrissy T

Breaking Free ~ Colorful Photo Challenge ~ Slow Cooker Angel Chicken

Hello everyone. Today I was able to venture out for a short HOT minute. This was the first time I have driven in 28 days, I was a tad nervous but I did it! I took my special pillow to wear under my seat belt so it didn't aggravate my incision but I was able to actually remove it and all was fine! I felt like Mrs. Claus driving with that pillow and it was quite silly and uncomfortable. I didn't plan to drive but I was making a recipe and had everything out and preparing it only to discover that my main ingredient was actually not delivered. I didn't realize that because my hubby put the groceries away. 

Anyway, I made it and it felt nice to get out. I drove about 5 minutes away through a neighborhood to a Dollar General where it was easy to get in and out. I was glad they had my ingredient. 

Speaking of the recipe this is the first time trying this recipe. I chose three simple meals to make this week to get back into the swing of cooking. 

Tonight is Slow-Cooker Angel Chicken. Here is the recipe. 

I will serve this with green beans and garlic bread. I am making Tacos tomorrow and Roast & Scalloped Potatoes Thursday. In between those meals we will do leftovers or sandwiches which we enjoy in the HOT summer months. 

Speaking of HOT it is HOT!!!!! It is currently 94 degrees. No clouds and no wind. JUST HOT! 🌞

The daily photo challenge is COLORFUL, and I am excited to share my summer puzzle I completed yesterday! I rushed it because I want to do my new puzzle. Check out yesterday's post to see what FUN NOSTALIGIC puzzle I am excited about.

Since my puzzle is COLORFUL I thought it would be great to share today for the theme.

It was a simple puzzle truly. I did it in two days. I needed something simple and easy. It is super cute. I enjoyed putting this one together!!!

Just in case you missed yesterday's post I shared this..... I am excited to announce that I have created a September Photo Challenge. I have it all planned out and designed. I will be sharing that it in Mid-August if you would like to participate. 

I hope you all have a super rest of your day!!

With Love, 

Chrissy T

Double Surprises ~ Nostalgic Fun ~ Black & White Photo Challenge

Happy Sunday! I hope everyone has had a good weekend. Well, I was BLESSED yesterday (Saturday)! Not ONCE but TWICE I had two friends pop by at different times to deliver me treats! I had no expectations of either. 

First, I had a friend text me a picture of her homemade rolls that she made for the first time and said some were heading my way!! Within a few minutes she was at my door with warm rolls and honey cinnamon butter. Oh, and DELICIOUS THEY WERE!!!  

Then hours later around 7:30 p.m. I had a friend text me and said she was sorry it was late, but she made me a Pineapple Side Down Cake and wanted to drop it by! I was like... ABSOLUTELY. It was so good. 

Neither of these friends are connected. I knew this was a truly a blessing from above. A little hug sent by the Lord using two wonderful ladies to shower love on me. I haven't seen anyone other than my family since the first week of surgery. In other words, in almost 22 days, I have seen no other person than my hubby and kids.  I am thankful for both of them thinking of me and for a hug from both. Now, my waistline may not be feel so blessed! :) Kidding!

Welllll.... I did a thing! HAHA! I came across this puzzle on Pinterest, and I literally knew that I had to have this puzzle. I grew up in the era of Strawberry Shortcake. My entire room was decorated, had clothes with her on it, books, toys, dolls and owned every single VHS tape known to man that was related to her. I have this huge love for this era. Call it Nostalgic Fun but nothing can beat this puzzle! I knew I had to do it. Childish as it may seem...... I like to stay young at heart!! I am currently working on a puzzle but as soon as it is done (which will be soon because I am excited to do this puzzle) I will be working on this!

On to the Daily Photo Challenge! Today's theme is BLACK & WHITE. I chose to share a beautiful special piece of wall art and a little decor piece I have. 

First, I want to share this wall art that was given to me by our oldest son on Mother's Day 2018 and also it was the day before he was also going to graduate. This was one of the sweetest gifts he had ever given me. He isn't really a sentimental person nor a big gift giver so when he wrapped it and gave it to me it was such a sweet moment and touched my heart so much!

It hangs in my bedroom and I see it daily! I will be honest I often need to look at this as a reminder how they truly feel about me. I am thankful for this gift!!

Then this past spring our daughter surprised me with this cute home decor. I used to sing this song to her for bedtime all the way until she was a teen. I often send her the saying by text at times. 

There ya go! There are my Black & White photos for the day! I am excited to announce that I have created a September Photo Challenge. I have it all planned out and designed. I will be sharing that it in Mid-August if you would like to participate. 

Until next time,

Chrissy T

It's a Wonderful World! A Throwback Photo (Photo Challenge) & a Little French Happy & Beauty of the World Love

Hello friends. I am sharing a throwback photo for the daily photo challenge today. Today's theme is ANIMAL/INSECT. I just cannot muster the energy to go look for either at this time. I like taking a current daily photo for the challenge, but this will have to do! I am bringing you this sweet fellow from my time this past spring when I stayed in a Tiny Home on a goat farm for a solo getaway and hike. I just loved feeding the goats and watching them. 

It may be a throwback photo but it is still super cute!!! :) 

Last week my husband attended a LOCAL ministry conference. There were some missionaries to France there and he purchased me some goodies. I wanted to share. It supported them and blessed me. 

It was handmade dish soap that is suppose the be good on your skin, a candle, a lotion bar (although, I giggled at the name of it) as well as a scrub brush and a smell good star to put in a drawer like a sachet.  The bowl is lovely. Inside the bowl is a soap that is good on the skin as you wash dishes but also works as a nice cleaner for other things along with the brush. 

The missionary wife makes the soap herself and pours them into these nice bowls. I am looking forward to using it. I am also looking forward to once the soap is gone! I have plans for this bowl!!!! 

The scent of this candle is European Belgium Linen and smells very nice. I am really and I mean REALLY picky when it comes to candle smells. This is light and nice though. 

The little brush! It is just so cute and purposeful!

This smell good star is made with frankincense and lavender. It smells very nice. I am not sure where I want to really store it but for now I have it in my closet area, but I cannot really smell it in there. 

I have to say I giggled when he gave this to me. LOL! I am not sure I like that he gave me a Crepey Skin Eraser. HAHA! He told me she suggested it for dry hands. So, that is why he got it. I will have to trust that. 😏😆😜

It was all so thoughtful. I am glad he supported some missionaries and, in the process, blessed me. We love supporting missionaries. We have been on the mission field for short trips and see how much sacrifice and hard work missionaries do to spread the gospel. 

I hope you all have a wonderful day wherever you are in this WONDERFUL WORLD! Isn't this world filled with so much wonder?!

I want to leave you with a LIVE YOUTUBE channel I check on daily to see the bears catch salmon. This is at Katmia National Park (Alaska) where you can watch in real time the bears. I sometimes catch them playing, swimming and even fighting. 

If you are an Eagle lover like me then you may enjoy popping in on occasion and following this couple at Big Bear in California. I love to follow their lives with their Eaglets.

Images I am sharing below are from stockphotos!!! I just love the Beauty of the World!

These beautiful rocks at Glacier National Park!! I hope to see this in person one day!

A waterfall in Missouri at Dogwood Canyon! I mean! Missouri! There is beauty everywhere. 

Whoever caught this image needs an award! It is beautiful. How unique and beautiful. Oh, how intricate the Lord created things. It amazes me. 

With Love,

Chrissy T

Flower Pressing & Photo Daily Challenges

Hello everyone! I hope you all had a great week. I needed the little pause I took for a few days. I feel a little more reset! I will first share some Flower Pressing that I started this past Tuesday and at the end of the blog I will share the last few days of my photo challenge. 

I started taking a big interest in flower and leaf pressing in May of 2025. At the time I was always in nature and hiking. I came across so many beautiful leaves and flowers and wanted a way to keep them. I just put them in some heavy books between tissue paper and it worked okay. I realized I would forget about them and because the heavy books I used to press them were rarely opened due to being vintage books I use for decor I hardly ever remembered them. It takes a while to press them. Weeks. I also realized I had them tucked away in so many books I lost track which book I pressed what in. I began to look for a flower press and received one for my birthday last June (2025) fast forward to now I am just now really cranking the thing out because a lot of things happened over the summer and fall. I never got around to pressing. Then winter limited me the foraging of those flowers and leaves. Spring came and my health went down. Anyway, I had a lot of beautiful flowers from bouquets people had given me for get well gifts. I decided to choose some of my favorite ones and press them.

First, I chose the ones I wanted to press and cut them and cleaned them up to press evenly.

Second, I pressed them gently to get any moisture I can off of them and run a blow dryer on low setting for 30 seconds. This helps with preventing mold as they are being pressed.

Third, after I put the press together, I placed the cardboard piece, then blotting paper made for specific for pressing, add the flowers spaced out, add another sheet of blotting paper, then another cardboard piece, and then start another layer.

Then once I had all my layers made I placed the last layer of the cardboard piece. You add the top of the press and then tighten the gadgets to press down tight but not too tight where it might crush them. Put in a place with good air flow and check once a week. By week three to four should be ready.

So, what do I do with these. You can create nature journals, use them for card making, decor, or frame them for a special home decor piece. You can add dried flowers or herbs to soaps or candle making if you do that. Which I have added lavender to soaps when I hosted a "Make Your Own Soap" night. 

Truly my favorite is do press leaves and make a neat fall collage frame for Autumn decor for my entry table. I like to collect them when I am on my walks and hikes. They must be special and unique!

So, I missed posting Tuesday-Thursday daily photo challenge so I will show that here. I will say these days were kind of hard. Well, not hard really but truly seemed kind of basic to me and I had a hard time being creative due to my limitations.

Here goes...

Tuesday- On the Floor

Yep, when you have had surgery in your abdomen dropping anything on the floor is a dread. I can't bend at the waist still. I dropped my lid to my water and had to use my little handy pick-up tool!

Wednesday- I skipped this day. I do not have really any signs in our home that I haven't already shown, and I can't get out yet to drive. So, no sign. Plus, I was not inspired today to be creative. I felt pretty rough this day.

Thursday- Indoors

My current view for mainly the last 3 weeks. Indoors was easy and yet again I felt less inspired to get up and be creative. I just haven't felt super this week. 

Friday (TODAY)- on the shelf

I had to share my sweet brass little ducks and swan I found this past winter at an antique store. It was a new to me store. It was PACKED. A little overwhelming to be honest. I did come across these precious things. I knew I had a place for these. I am a sucker for birds, ducks and etc. 

I found the wooden duck and the brass beauties on FB marketplace when I used to have social media. I love them so much!!!

Tomorrow's theme (Saturday) is Animal/Insect. I hope to pop in and share something. 

Until then....

Chrissy T