HAPPY HOMEMAKER & MEAL PLAN MONDAY week 37 of 2019

Be sure to join us and link up with
Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom for Happy Homemaker Monday,
Christy at  at Southern Plate for Meal Plan Monday
and with Laura at I’m an Organizing Junkie for Menu Plan Monday.

GOOD MORNING I’m back from our trip and we had a GREAT time.  I still need to finish editing pictures, but all in good time.  Right now I’m trying to get back into a routine and organized.  Traveling was hard on my system with trying to regulate the hypoglycemia and stay hydrated while getting enough activity and the proper diet.  I had a few reactions, but all and all we were able to keep it under control.  I’m looking forward to visiting everyone now that I’m back and returning to my regular “blog routine”.

OUTSIDE MY WINDOW & THE WEATHER OUTSIDE & WHAT I’M WEARING I follow 2 different weather sites and they are usually quite similar 😀 It is supposed to cool down a bit this week despite one day in the 80’s and rain too which works well for inside projects.  I love that my birthday falls mid September and is usually in the 60’s with the added bonus of being the gateway to FALL, my favorite season!!  It’s only 2 weeks away.  Fall officially begins on September 23rd!! I have on Levi’s, a plaid blouse and pops. 

ON THE BREAKFAST PLATE hot water, peach yogurt and snap pea pods

AS I LOOK AROUND THE HOUSE, WEEKLY TO DO LIST, HOUSE & CRAFT PROJECTS, APPOINTMENTS

  • LAUNDRY, LIVING AREAS & KITCHEN… pretty clean and caught up on laundry 😀
  • YARD… some weeding and clean-up
  • APPOINTMENTS & TO DO… a long overdue nail appointment now that we’re back from our trip, sort through winter clothes which will be a serious project as EVERYTHING needs to be tried on since all the medical issues with the excessive weight loss and trying to get some things together for ETSY and EBAY sales before October.
  • BLOG… I need to start thinking about BLOGMAS for 2019 and get back on track with the antique recipes.
  • CRAFTS/PROJECTS… hopefully the final parts arrive today to finish the Christmas garland.  BTW it’s only 107 days until Christmas, just saying 😀

ON MY MIND / THINGS THAT ARE MAKING ME HAPPY While we were away hubby’s father passed away.  This is really sad for us, but was also somewhat expected. The part that is on my mind is how things are being handled by my SIL.  Hubby has 3 sisters and a brother.  One of the sisters is a, hmmm what do I say here, let’s just call her controlling.  So much so, that in the past EVERYONE just gives into her instead of standing up for what is the best or right thing to do.  His mom passed away 2 1/2 years ago and it was decided then that her ashes would be put on the mantle to wait for dad to pass and then we would do a joint celebration of life.

The part that is on my mind now is hubby is quite upset because the controlling sister is not communicating and just deciding unilaterally how the celebration of life is going to be handled as well as EVERYTHING else!  She has chosen the worst and most inconvenient time (Thanksgiving Day) and decided to do a “dinner” at her house.  Did I mention she has a small house?  He has a few issues with this as does his brother, but she won’t listen to hubby and the 2 older sisters just won’t confront her.  Issue number 1 is that Thanksgiving is like 3 months from dad’s passing.  Issue number 2 is that she lives in smaller neighborhood with limited parking.  Issue number 3 is that we have a HUGE family and everyone would like to be there and many family members are now married with kids and grand kids or blended families making Thanksgiving completely a poor time choice.  Both brothers are in favor of giving mom and dad their own day and having the celebration at the Elks where there is ample space and parking.  They also believe that mom and dad would want it that way and so do I.  I support hubby and what he wants, but it’s not my place to get into it with his sister and so I pray that the situation works itself out without too many bad feelings between siblings.

Dad was 97 years, 8 months and 1 week old.  Mom was 4 days short of her 97th birthday. Makes me feel ancient to think of it, but then I remember hubby is 20 years older than me and wasn’t the eldest so everything goes back into perspective for me.

WHAT IS ON THE DVR, I LIKE OR ON THE LIST TO WATCH/SOMETHING INTERESTING I WATCHED I’m looking forward to the fall season, but in the meantime football is back, Chesapeake Shores has returned and there are some Hallmark movies on the DVR 😀

I’M READING I’m now working on Women and Children First: Bravery, love and fate: the untold story of the doomed Titanic.  I can’t say enough about how much I enjoyed The Secret Wife by a wonderful historical novelist, Gill Paul and her amazing ability to weave a tale that makes you feel like you’re living the history yourself.

FAVORITE PHOTO FROM THE CAMERA – I’m still editing the trip photos, but here’s another peek from the amazing wildlife we encountered.  We LITERALLY ran across 2 different herds just hanging out by the main road and neighborhoods.  This is about a third of the herd that was moving through this neighborhood.  The guy that owns this house won’t need to trim his hedge or fertilize his lawn for quite some time!

INSPIRATION

HEALTH & BEAUTY TIPS

HOMEMAKING/COOKING TIP

MENU MEAL PLANS FOR THE WEEK
MONDAY – BACON WRAPPED GRILLED CHICKEN WINGS & SALAD
TUESDAY – LEMON LIME PEPPER CHICKEN & SALAD
WEDNESDAY – BACON RANCH CHICKEN CASSEROLE & SALAD
THURSDAY – BAKED PINEAPPLE SALMON & COLESLAW
FRIDAY – CHICKEN LOMBARDY & GLAZED CARROTS
SATURDAY – BREAKFAST ENCHILADAS, CHEESE & POTATO STUFFED PORK CHOPS & BROCCOLINI
SUNDAY – BREAKFAST SLIDERS, BLUE HAWAIIAN COLADAS, TUSCAN CHICKEN & PINA COLADA CHEESECAKE & NO CHURN COOKIES & CREAM ICE CREAM for my birthday 🎂

SUCCESSFUL RECIPE LINKS FROM LAST WEEK

FEATURED PARTY LINKS FOR THIS WEEK

Carrie@northwoods scrapbook

Hello Dearest!
So sorry for both of your loss. And especially sorry that family dynamics are making things so difficult. It’s too bad your SIL has controlling tendencies – but maybe she’s having her own issues dealing with loss and thinking about her own mortality…and this is her way to get to control the things she can in life? Just a thought because I have worked with lots of folks dealing with these issues and have seen grief or facing mortality played out that way. Anyway, please know my prayers (& lots of hugs ) go out to you all.

Love following your travel adventures! You go to the coolest places for fun (& food!) Lol
Blessings on the rest of your week my Friend ❤️

QuiltLady

I LOVE your optimism and I too normally have it. I so wish that it was the way you described. Unfortunately, SIL has been like this since birth according to hubby and my other SIL. The story goes that when she was 5 or 6 and little friends would come to the door asking her to come out and play she would yell NO at them and slam the door. Eventually EVERYONE just gave her a seriously wide berth to avoid issues 🙁 so, so sad! Have a GREAT week too my friend.

Sandra

Tami, I am so so sorry for the loss of your father in law. Prayers for Skip and the rest of the family. It is never easy and even worse when drama comes along with it. Hope everything gets sorted out the best way possible for everyone involved.

Your menu always looks so good. Btw, I would be ok with you sending me your weather lol I’m so sick of the heat here.

Have a wonderful week my friend
xoxo

QuiltLady

Thank you – you know if I could bottle it up, it would be on your door step tomorrow! We just got back from your old stomping grounds and it’s looking more and more like that will be our final choice 😀 – wish you were still there. Have a GREAT week too!

Felicia

I’m sorry that he’s having to deal with a family member who doesn’t want to take the rest of everyone’s wishes into account. And I’m sorry about the loss.

Glad you had a great vacation.

QuiltLady

Thank you for your empathy. I needed to vent about SIL being so selfish, but it will work out (at least between the other 4 siblings) and we will get past this. 😀 Have a GREAT week.

Pamela

I’m so sorry to hear the sad news about your father-in-law and sorrier still that there is this situation with your husband’s sister. As if it’s not a difficult enough time, tension within the family makes it even more so. I hope that she will listen to the concerns of the other family members and make this into a true celebration of life in the way that your husband’s parents would have wanted.

I love fall, too, and Blogmas!

QuiltLady

Unfortunately she’s just plain selfish and has made it ALL about her. At least the other 4 siblings will make the best of it and she can live within her own drama. Have a GREAT week.

Jodi

Sorry to hear of the loss to your family. What a hard situation to deal with. I hope you all can get it worked out… and I don’t think she planned this out well at all… Thanksgiving Day…ugh NO! Your menu is making me drool, and I just finished my dinner so I shouldn’t be hungry still…but oh. em. YUM!!! Have a great week!

Lucie

My sympathies to you and your husband for the passing of your father-in-law. Why do funeral arrangements bring out the worst in some people?
Glad you had a good trip – I find it awesome to think you still travel with all you are going through with your health – kuddos to you!
Have a great week

QuiltLady

Thank you so much. I love to travel 😀 and staying home all the time won’t change anything so I grin and bear it and have a great time!

Jean

I’m so sorry for the loss of your father-in-law. And that you are dealing with family drama on top of that. It’s unfortunate that a parent’s passing can bring out the best in some and yet the worst in others. Prayers that everything works out in a way acceptable to everyone in the end. Hoping you have a great week!

QuiltLady

Thank you – we are big believers in “It Is What It Is” and rolling with the punches, but I pray hubby finds a way to accept things.

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