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GOOD MORNING! I hope you are doing well and are ready for this week.  The week before Christmas is one of my most favorites as the house always smells so good with the tree and all the baking for the neighbor plates.

OUTSIDE MY WINDOW & THE WEATHER OUTSIDE
FRIGHTFULLY COLD FOR HERE! It is supposed to be sunny today, but not yet so right now is quite gray and cold.  Add in the wind chill and it’s downright frigid.  I have noticed that many people here seem to consider 60 COLD so not sure what they are feeling with this weeks weather in the 30’s and 40’s BEFORE the wind chill. Fortunately, we own cold weather gear from out time in the U.P.

I do laugh though as we are quite close to the gulf coast and when I check weather I also get the “small craft” and “low water” advisories for the fishermen. Always takes a minute to realize those are not for us directly.

ON THE BREAKFAST PLATE
Some nice warm oatmeal and coffee.

AS I LOOK AROUND THE HOUSE
I’m feeling so much better each week at how finished things are getting.  This week my biggest concern is 2 dozen totes in my dining room that I took out of the studio (where I stashed them when mom was visiting).  Hubby has been working the past several days on a protected place to put them in the garage for me.  The corner we’re using had a funky trash receptacle and door to the outside that we are in the process of sealing up and enclosing before I put down a protective brick layer to stack the totes on.

WEEKLY TO DO LIST & HOUSE PROJECTS
Monday

• Mail last of Christmas cards – I am so late this year.
• Finish spot in garage for totes. Need a quick Home Depot run for supplies. 
• Paint remaining trim work in Carlie’s room.  YAY!!!! She’ll be here a week from tomorrow!

Tuesday

• Last minute Christmas shopping and grocery shopping.
• Organize studio. I know I won’t even try and get to the deep organizing and sorting until January, but with the totes out I can get the furniture organized so I’ll be ready.

Wednesday

• BAKE, BAKE and BAKE for the neighbor goodie plates that I’ll distribute tomorrow in time to start enjoying for the Christmas weekend!
• My new kitchen and foyer rugs should arrive today. 

Thursday

• Laundry, Clean and vacuum.

Friday

• Lunch with Diana!
• Not sure yet about the rest of the day, we’ll see how the first of the week goes and this will be my catch all day.

Saturday 

• Nothing special – sit and enjoy hubby’s company, the tree and some football.

Sunday 

CURRENTLY READING & TELEVISION / DVR
With most of my favorite shows on Winter Hiatus I’m playing DVR catch up and getting my fill of Christmas movies. I’m also reading a fun author Jana Deleon. I LOVE her series books, they are so outrageous and LOL funny.

• MISS FORTUNE MYSTERY SERIES book 9 LATER GATOR by Jana DeLeon

CRAFTS & PROJECTS
Unfortunately many a project fell by the wayside this year while working on the HOUSE FROM HELL, but I will begin next month to sort and organize my studio which doubles as my office so it will take awhile to sort all the paperwork and get it properly filed so I can begin to complete the gifts for next year.  I can’t wait to really get my hands on my studio!

MENU PLANS FOR THE WEEK

	MONDAY	TUESDAY	WEDNESDAY	THURSDAY	FRIDAY	SATURDAY	SUNDAY
BREAKFAST	YOGURT & FRUIT	SCRAMBLED EGGS & CHEESE	FRUIT SMOOTHIE	YOGURT & FRUIT	MAPLE OATMEAL & RAISINS	EGGS in the CLOUDS	BACON & EGGS
LUNCH	FRUIT & CHEESE	SOUP & CRACKERS	SANDWICH	OUT	MEAT & CHEESE	LEFTOVERS	SANDWICHES
DINNER	WAGON WHEEL WINTER SOUP  & CORNBREAD because BABY IT”S COLD OUTSIDE!	TWISTED PEPPER STEAK and SALAD	C.O.R.N.	GRILLED PORK CHOPS with RASPBERRY BBQ SAUCE and a salad	HAM STEAK and VAMPIRE SLAYER MAC & CHEESE	CHICKEN FRIED CHICKEN and PARMESAN MASHED POTATOES	TROPICAL PORK ROAST and CHEESY au gratin POTATOES
DESSERT

HEALTH & BEAUTY TIPS

HOMEMAKING/COOKING TIP

FAVORITE PHOTO FROM THE CAMERA

Recipe says the alcohol is optional.  It should say MANDATORY!

INSPIRATION

Be sure to link up with Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom for Happy homemaker Monday and with Laura at I’m an Organizing Junkie for Menu Plan Monday.