Category: MEMORIAL DAY

HAPPY HOMEMAKER & MENU PLAN MONDAY week 23 of 2021

Be sure to join us for Happy Homemaker Monday and link up
with our host, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

I hope you have had a great weekend so far. Being military, Memorial day is quite somber for us as hubby becomes quite affected by having lost friends while he was in country.

There has been quite a bit of discussion on the significance of Memorial Day recently. This meme spells it out quite well.

We did have a couple nice lunches out and did some antiquing yesterday. I kept meals simple and was able to score a fantastic watermelon for the warmer weather we’re having.

It is supposed to be in the 90’s here the next couple days (pretty unusual for the Pacific north west in May) and then cool back down to our more normal 70’s for a few days before heading back towards the 80’s.

I’ve been helping my mom get ready for a garage sale father’s day weekend and we have been cleaning out attics, sheds etc… so it’s been hot, dusty, musty and sweltering at times getting things down and out for her to sort through. 

So far it has been quite productive!! with many boxes of 20-30 year old files to go to the shredder, several bags going to e-waste, the trash barrel and recycling almost full (the trash man just came Friday 😀 ), but we’ll make it work. Whatever is left is getting priced and what doesn’t sell will get donated 🙂

Hot water and peach yogurt

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS & APPOINTMENTS
  • LAUNDRY & CLEANING Laundry is caught up and everything is pretty tidy, but need to pull out some summer clothes. Also, please tell me why it is that ALL my favorite blouses need ironing and are in the ironing pile all at once??
  • GROCERIES & ERRANDS No grocery shopping today since it’s a holiday, but I will head into town tomorrow for a Walmart run and groceries.
  • PAPERWORK & PHONE CALLS still working on a stack of paperwork, but hope to make some serious headway this week.
  • PROJECTS, CRAFTS & PAINTINGS I have been restoring an old hope chest. Hubby sanded it down for me, uncovering 3 coats of paint (white, black and yellow) and a layer of contact paper on the outside before reaching wood. 😀 Fortunately, they never marred the inside and the cedar is in pristine condition. I did oil the inside with orange oil and have relined the cubbies with new felt on the swing shelf. Unfortunately, I forgot to take before pictures! I painted it with a primer coat followed by a coat of the same candy apple red I had left from when I painted the last chest and then 3 coats of the Milano Teal blue.
  • RECIPE RESEARCH & MENU PLANNING I have made the menu plan through mid June and am researching a few celebrity recipes (Molly Yeh and Valerie Bertinelli) for later in June.

WHAT’S ON THE DVR/TV
  • NETFLIX Finish season 10 STARGATE SG1, Army of the Dead, Looking forward to Sweet Tooth that begins on the 4th
  • DISNEY+ Mandalorian
  • CABLE All caught up on what we missed while we we’re gone and now we’ll reevaluate all the streaming services

I finished Jana DeLeon’s Frightfully Fortune. I’ve been so tired by the time I go to bed at night lately I have hardly been reading at all 🙁 though I have several titles in que to begin, just not sure which I’ll read first 😀

  • The Lost and Found Book Shop by Brenda Novak
  • While My Sister Sleeps by Barbara Delinsky

I wish I’d remembered to take before pictures, but I didn’t 🙁 The first box here I found in an antique store for $10. It was painted in the ugliest black and duck tole pattern, but I loved the shape and feel of the box. When I opened the box though I saw the most beautiful wood on the inside so I took a chance and bought it. Hubby sanded it for me and we found a nicely made box with pegwork and dovetails. After 2 coats of English Chestnut stain this is what I have 😀

In a nearby antique store on the same trip I found an OLD cedar hope chest that had been painted white, yellow and black at different times as you can see from the side of the drawer that still needs repair and hubby is working on fixing it before he sands it. I’m also going to add a knob of some sort to the drawer as it is hard to open. At first when the entire thing was white you couldn’t even tell there was a drawer there. 😀

I was able to pick it up for $60! which was an awesome deal.  With the new lock, paint and repairs we still have less than $100 in it. Most of it has been elbow grease 😀

It is difficult to find the right depths of wood cuts sometimes and he has become a champ at modifying new pieces to fit 😀 Our bedroom is done in teal and gray so I am absolutely LOVING this Milano Teal blue color (though the picture makes it look more robin egg’s blue) on this chest. It will be used solely as a blanket chest.

The inside was in beautiful condition and with a little new orange oil looks like new!

MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
DINNER
BBQ PORK TENDERLOINS
CHICKEN in HERB SAUCE & BALSAMIC CARROTS
BBQ PORK SANDWICHES & COLESLAW
C.O.R.N. CLEAN OUT REFRIGERATOR NIGHT
LONDON BROIL NIGHT @ the EAGLES
BARNYARD BREAKFAST PIE HAMBURGER STEAKS & TATER TOTS
Y.O.Y.O.
DESSERT
CHOCOLATE CHIP SCONES and LEMON CAKE

  • AVOCADO & PICKLED RED PEPPER SALAD
  • PORK SCHNITZEL
  • GERMAN BRAISED RED CABBAGE

HAPPY HOMEMAKER & MENU PLAN MONDAY week 22 of 2019

Be sure to join us and 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.

GOOD MORNING sweet friends.  We’re back from our family reunion trip and had a GREAT time.  I hope to get a post with pictures up later this week after I edit out all the stray arms and feet from the pictures. 😀 I have had a productive weekend getting caught up on the laundry and getting organized to settle back into a more normal routine.  I spent most of yesterday watching the INDY 500 and then The Monster Energy Race, but it was not wasted time as I went through recipes and picked out and organized enough of my scraps of paper to have an Experimental Recipe Summer 😀

I hope you are having a safe and wonderful holiday weekend with family and friends.  Being a military family though, this is a very solemn holiday for us. 

Memorial Day is an American holiday formerly known as Decoration Day is observed on the last Monday of May, (May 30th is the OFFICIAL Memorial day) and honors the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. Decoration Day originated in the years following the Civil War.  It became an official federal holiday in 1971. Many Americans observe Memorial Day by visiting cemeteries or memorials, holding family gatherings and participating in parades.

For decades, Memorial Day continued to be observed on May 30, the date selected for the first Decoration Day. But in 1968 Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which established Memorial Day as the last Monday in May in order to create a three-day weekend for federal employees; the change went into effect in 1971. The same law also declared Memorial Day a federal holiday.

OUTSIDE MY WINDOW & THE WEATHER OUTSIDE & WHAT I’M WEARING Looks like it’s going to be a gorgeous week in the neighborhood!  Levis and a favorite red, white and blue t-shirt for Memorial Day.

ON THE BREAKFAST PLATE Weak coffee and black cherry yogurt

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

  • LAUNDRY… ALL caught up finally!  Coming home after 16 days on the road with events from dressy to camping, beach ware and snow ware as well as bedding for the rental was a daunting task, but it’s ALL caught up.
  • LIVING AREAS… pretty clean
  • KITCHEN… pretty clean
  • YARD… flower box project
  • BLOG… I have several recipes to input and have ready to post once I get pictures
  • CRAFTS/PROJECTS… probably not this week
  • APPOINTMENTS… dentist, doctor
  • TO DO… groceries, errands, nails

ON MY MIND / THINGS THAT ARE MAKING ME HAPPY We had a wonderful family reunion despite the damper of my SIL passing away.  We also had a SUPER visit with my recently widowed SIL that I had been missing like crazy when we were in Texas.  It was wonderful to spend so much time with her! We also spent a couple days visiting with my FIL who is now on hospice (technically, but only because he’s so old – we should all be so lucky to live to 98), but is in GREAT spirits and sharp as a tack.  I also got to meet my newest nephew and while I’m quite biased, he’s just the cutest little thing ever!  He’ll be 6 months old next week.

SOMETHING INTERESTING I WATCHED LOL I am trying desperately to get caught up on ALL the season finales we missed while away as well as the pilots for the new shows that interested me.

I’M READING Seaside Dreams – Love in Bloom #1 by Melissa Foster

WHAT IS ON THE DVR, I LIKE OR ON THE LIST TO WATCH Blood & Treasure started last week and I think that’s going to be a fun watch.  We also watched Black Swan with Natalie Portman while at SIL #2’s house.  She did an excellent job at such a diverse character. The MASTERCHEF and GREAT AMERICAN FOOD TRUCK starts soon and will be all about beach towns.  The FINAL season of Elementary is also starting.

FAVORITE PHOTO FROM THE CAMERA There are WAY TOO MANY to edit this week, but I ran across this one of my nephew staring in the window and the pool lights behind me reflected perfectly in his eyes – too funny and eerie at the same time!

INSPIRATION

HEALTH & BEAUTY TIPS

HOMEMAKING/COOKING TIP

MENU PLANS FOR THE WEEK
MONDAY – HONEY GARLIC CHICKEN & ASPARAGUS
TUESDAY – STUFFED BALSAMIC CHICKEN & broccoliWEDNESDAY – PIRI PIRI CHICKEN & GREEN BEANS
THURSDAY – OUT
FRIDAY – ROAST CHICKEN IN LEMON SAUCE with MASHED POTATOES & CARROTS
SATURDAY – SUPPER STRATA & SALAD with VIDALIA ONION DRESSING
SUNDAY – C.O.R.N.

SUCCESSFUL RECIPE LINKS FROM LAST WEEK Just one this week

FEATURED PARTY LINKS FOR THIS WEEK

BOSTON BAKED BEANS
HONEYED BOGS
CHILI LIME STEAK BITES

MEMORIAL DAY STEAK MARINADE

Remember why we celebrate this weekend.
It is NOT for the Monday off, , it’s NOT national BBQ day, it’s NOT for sales and so forth.
It IS for the veterans who gave their ALL for you to live a better and free life.

Have a safe and happy memorial weekend, but remember to thank a VETERAN.

Do NOT forget Memorial Day is ACTUALLY May 30th, not the Monday you are off, so think about it and thank that veteran on the actual day also when their sacrifices are most prevalent in their minds.

 

Here at our house, Memorial Day is a somber occasion after all the years hubby spent in the military, but we DO BBQ too. This is my go to steak marinade or marinade for ANYTHING going on the grill.

STEAK MARINADE
1/3 cup BRAGG’S liquid aminos
1/2 cup avocado oil
Juice of 2 large lemons
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 tablespoons fresh dried basil
2 tablespoons dried parsley
1 tablespoon Frank’s Original red pepper sauce
1 clove black garlic

  • Combine everything in a small food processor or bullet, blending until well mixed.
  • Pour mixture over meat, turning to coat.
  • Marinade 8-24 hours.
  • Drain off marinade.
  • Grill and Enjoy!

Save

Save

ALL GAVE SOME, SOME GAVE ALL

Remember why we celebrate this weekend.
It is NOT for the Monday off, it’s NOT for sales and so forth.
It IS for the veterans who gave their ALL for you to live a better and free life.
Have a safe and happy memorial weekend, but remember to thank a VETERAN.

Do NOT forget Memorial Day is ACTUALLY May 30th, not the Monday you are off, so think about it and thank that veteran on the actual day also when their sacrifices are most prevalent in their minds.

Save

ALWAYS REMEMBER

Last year someone told me that Memorial Day no longer means as much because we have so many intermixed cultures in the U.S. now.  I beg to differ.  While it has become a 3 day weekend to most, it is NOT just about picnics, BBQ’s and swimming.  Remember that without those brave men and women who died and are honored on Memorial Day, you may not have the rights that you do have.  All of our freedoms came with a price for some and an observance for all.
Memorial Day is about honoring the countless individual acts of bravery and sacrifice. This holiday is also about honoring the brave men and women who make it home. That means keeping our promises to America’s veterans. This Memorial Day, we remember all the Americans who gave their lives in defense of America. They died so that we may be free – and we are forever in their debt. Too many people have lost sight of the meaning of this holiday. If you visit How to Observe Memorial Day you can read the whole article, but here is an excerpt that lists the highlights.

“…gather around their sacred remains and garland the passionless mounds above them with choicest flowers of springtime….let us in this solemn presence renew our pledges to aid and assist those whom they have left among us as sacred charges upon the Nation’s gratitude,–the soldier’s and sailor’s widow and orphan.”

~~General John Logan, General Order No. 11, 5 May 1868

“The “Memorial” in Memorial Day has been ignored by too many of us who are beneficiaries of those who have given the ultimate sacrifice. Often we do not observe the day as it should be, a day where we actively remember our ancestors, our family members, our loved ones, our neighbors, and our friends who have given the ultimate sacrifice:

  • by visiting cemeteries and placing flags or flowers on the graves of our fallen heroes.
  • by visiting memorials.
  • by flying the U.S. Flag at half-staff until noon.
  • by flying the ‘POW/MIA Flag’ as well (Section 1082 of the 1998 Defense Authorization Act).
  • by participating in a “National Moment of Remembrance”: at 3 p.m. to pause and think upon the true meaning of the day, and for Taps to be played.
  • by renewing a pledge to aid the widows, widowers, and orphans of our fallen dead, and to aid the disabled veterans.”
Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May. Formerly known as Decoration Day, it commemorates U.S. men and women who died while in the military service. First enacted to honor Union soldiers of the American Civil War (it is celebrated near the day of reunification after the civil war), it was expanded after World War I to include American casualties of any war or military action.
It is the 
VETERAN,  not the preacher,   
who has given us freedom of religion. 

It is the 

VETERAN,  not the reporter,    
who has given us freedom of the press.

It is the 

VETERAN,  not the poet,
who has given us freedom of speech.

It is the 

VETERAN,
not the campus organizer,
who has given us freedom to assemble.    

It is the 

 VETERAN,  not the lawyer,
who has given us the right to a fair trial.  

It is the 

VETERAN,  not the politician,
Who has given us the right to vote. 

It is the
VETERAN 

who salutes the Flag, 


It is the
VETERAN 
who serves under the Flag.

Always remember and never forget!

“The National Moment of Remembrance, established by Congress, asks Americans wherever they are at 3 p.m., local time, on Memorial Day to pause in an act of national unity (duration: one minute).The time 3 p.m. was chosen because it is the time when most Americans are enjoying their freedoms on the national holiday. The Moment does not replace traditional Memorial Day events; rather it is an act of national unity in which all Americans, alone or with family and friends, honor those who died for our freedom. It will help to reclaim Memorial Day as the sacred and noble holiday it was meant to be. In this shared remembrance, we connect as Americans.”

ALWAYS REMEMBER MEMORIAL DAY

whatIsAVeteranWilliam J Crawford and the men like him who embodied heroism, humility and leadership is what Memorial Day is all about, not sales or BBQ’s.  Please give this holiday the reverence it deserves.

It is the VETERAN, not the preacher,

who has given us freedom of religion.

It is the VETERAN, not the reporter,

who has given us freedom of the press.

It is the VETERAN, not the poet,

who has given us freedom of speech.

It is the VETERAN, not the campus organizer,

who has given us freedom to assemble.

It is the VETERAN, not the lawyer,

who has given us the right to a fair trial.

It is the VETERAN, not the politician,

who has given us the right to vote.

It is the VETERAN who salutes the Flag,

It is the VETERAN who serves under the Flag.

Always remember and never forget!

Worth sharing – LET US PAUSE TO REMEMBER THOSE WHO DIED FOR FREEDOM

LET US PAUSE TO REMEMBER THOSE WHO DIED FOR FREEDOM

DEAR ABBY: Memorial Day is not about war; it’s about people. It’s about those dedicated individuals — most of them young — who died serving their country and their fellow Americans as well as future generations. In other words, all of us.

We Americans are at our best when we come together bonded by a noble purpose. And that’s the reason for the National Moment of Remembrance on Memorial Day.
Abby, your patriotism and compassion have helped us in our effort to unite the more than 311 million Americans who live in this land of the free and home of the brave. Please remind your millions of readers to come together by pausing for a moment at 3 p.m. local time, wherever they are, to acknowledge the sacrifice of our fallen.
Unfortunately, too many of our citizens forget to remember. I am determined to find ways to help America continue to pay tribute to the nearly 2 million men and women who have died for us. Our freedoms should remind us of their sacrifice and our debt to them.
It is our duty to never forget them, to keep them in our hearts and in our actions. They were the best of the best — the pride of the USA. We owe them the commitment to reflect on what they did and to put remembrance into action. This means to give back to our country and to live honoring them every day, not just on Memorial Day.
Thank you for all you do to honor America’s heroes. — CARMELLA LASPADA, FOUNDER, NO GREATER LOVE
DEAR CARMELLA: You’re welcome. I hope readers will heed your request to offer a silent tribute this afternoon to the men and women who have given their lives in the service of this country. Considering the magnitude of their sacrifice, it’s the least we can do.
To all of my friends out there — please join me, as well as the iron workers, sheet metal workers, firefighters and painters unions and thousands of AFL-CIO members who have supported the Moment since its inception, in a moment of silence at 3 p.m. Today, as in the past, major league baseball games will stop, customers and staff will pause in more than 30,000 grocery stores throughout the country, and, of course, personnel serving in the military around the world will observe it, too. To learn what others are doing today, visit www.ngl.org.
May our fallen rest in peace; may our country once again live in peace as well.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

By Mike Elder of Black Sheep Custom Cakes
“I have no illusions about what little I can add now to the silent testimony of those who gave their lives willingly for their country. Words are even more feeble on this Memorial Day, for the sight before us is that of a strong and good nation that stands in silence and remembers those who were loved and who, in return, loved their countrymen enough to die for them.” – Ronald Reagan
And in honor of Memorial Day all you foodies go check out all the tribute cakes at CAKE WRECKS MEMORIAL TRIBUTE POST.

Always remember and never forget… & National Moment of Remembrance

Yesterday someone told me that Memorial Day no longer means as much because we have so many intermixed cultures in the U.S. now.  I beg to differ.  While it has become a 3 day weekend to most, it is NOT just about picnics, BBQ’s and swimming.  Remember that without those brave men and women who died and are honored on Memorial Day, you may not have the rights that you do have.  All of our freedoms came with a price for some and an observance for all.
Memorial Day is about honoring the countless individual acts of bravery and sacrifice. This holiday is also about honoring the brave men and women who make it home. That means keeping our promises to America’s veterans. This Memorial Day, we remember all the Americans who gave their lives in defense of America. They died so that we may be free – and we are forever in their debt. Too many people have lost sight of the meaning of this holiday. If you visit How to Observe Memorial Day you can read the whole article, but here is an excerpt that lists the highlights.

“…gather around their sacred remains and garland the passionless mounds above them with choicest flowers of springtime….let us in this solemn presence renew our pledges to aid and assist those whom they have left among us as sacred charges upon the Nation’s gratitude,–the soldier’s and sailor’s widow and orphan.”

~~General John Logan, General Order No. 11, 5 May 1868

“The “Memorial” in Memorial Day has been ignored by too many of us who are beneficiaries of those who have given the ultimate sacrifice. Often we do not observe the day as it should be, a day where we actively remember our ancestors, our family members, our loved ones, our neighbors, and our friends who have given the ultimate sacrifice:

  • by visiting cemeteries and placing flags or flowers on the graves of our fallen heroes.
  • by visiting memorials.
  • by flying the U.S. Flag at half-staff until noon.
  • by flying the ‘POW/MIA Flag’ as well (Section 1082 of the 1998 Defense Authorization Act).
  • by participating in a “National Moment of Remembrance“: at 3 p.m. to pause and think upon the true meaning of the day, and for Taps to be played.
  • by renewing a pledge to aid the widows, widowers, and orphans of our fallen dead, and to aid the disabled veterans.”

Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May. Formerly known as Decoration Day, it commemorates U.S. men and women who died while in the military service. First enacted to honor Union soldiers of the American Civil War (it is celebrated near the day of reunification after the civil war), it was expanded after World War I to include American casualties of any war or military action.
It is the 
VETERAN,  not the preacher,   
who has given us freedom of religion. 

It is the 
VETERAN,  not the reporter,    
who has given us freedom of the press.

It is the 
VETERAN,  not the poet,
who has given us freedom of speech.
   
It is the 
VETERAN,
not the campus organizer,
who has given us freedom to assemble.    
 
It is the 
 VETERAN,  not the lawyer,
who has given us the right to a fair trial.  
 
It is the 
VETERAN,  not the politician,
Who has given us the right to vote. 
It is the
VETERAN 
who salutes the Flag, 
It is the
VETERAN 
who serves under the Flag.

Always remember and never forget!

“The National Moment of Remembrance, established by Congress, asks Americans wherever they are at 3 p.m., local time, on Memorial Day to pause in an act of national unity (duration: one minute).The time 3 p.m. was chosen because it is the time when most Americans are enjoying their freedoms on the national holiday. The Moment does not replace traditional Memorial Day events; rather it is an act of national unity in which all Americans, alone or with family and friends, honor those who died for our freedom. It will help to reclaim Memorial Day as the sacred and noble holiday it was meant to be. In this shared remembrance, we connect as Americans.”

3PM

“The National Moment of Remembrance, established by Congress, asks Americans wherever they are at 3 p.m., local time, on Memorial Day to pause in an act of national unity (duration: one minute).The time 3 p.m. was chosen because it is the time when most Americans are enjoying their freedoms on the national holiday. The Moment does not replace traditional Memorial Day events; rather it is an act of national unity in which all Americans, alone or with family and friends, honor those who died for our freedom. It will help to reclaim Memorial Day as the sacred and noble holiday it was meant to be. In this shared remembrance, we connect as Americans.”

 aprons 3

Always remember and never forget!

It is the 
VETERAN,  not the preacher,   
who has given us freedom of religion. 

It is the 
VETERAN,  not the reporter,    
who has given us freedom of the press.

It is the 
VETERAN,  not the poet,
who has given us freedom of speech.
   
It is the 
VETERAN,
not the campus organizer,
who has given us freedom to assemble.    
 
It is the 
 VETERAN,  not the lawyer,
who has given us the right to a fair trial.  
 
It is the 
VETERAN,  not the politician,
Who has given us the right to vote. 
It is the
VETERAN 
who salutes the Flag, 
It is the
VETERAN 
who serves under the Flag.

Always remember and never forget!

    
aprons 3

Thought for the day

Memorial Day is actually May 30th. It was first observed on May 30th, 1868. Here in the US we have tended to “move” holidays for the convenience of 3 day weekends, so it is now ‘observed’ on the last Monday in May despite the actual date. I thought the 30th would still be a good day to share this poem.

THE VETERAN

“It is the Veteran, not the reporter,
who has given us freedom of the press.

It is the Veteran, not the preacher,
who has given us freedom of religion.

It is the Veteran, not the lawyer,
who has given us freedom for a fair trial.

It is the Veteran, not the politician,
who has given us freedom of speech.

It is the Veteran, not the campus organizer,
who has given us freedom to demonstrate.

It is the Veteran,
who saluted the flag,
who serves beneath the flag and
whose coffin is draped by the flag,
who allows the protester to burn the flag.”

final blog signature. ♥