Category: BLOG 365

HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY weel 12 of 2024 ~ BLOG 366.78

I hope you’re having a wonderful start to the week. I’m off and running as I have a ton to get done today. Be sure to join us for Happy Homemaker Monday and link up with our host, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

We got home last night and it was absolutely gorgeous – 68° and sunny! Today is supposed to be the same, but the as the weather page said “Drag The Jackets Out Again; Winter Isn’t Done“! Tomorrow is supposed to dip to mid 50’s and then by Wednesday we’re back into the 40’s and really wet. Today is Levi’s and a lightweight flannel with tennies.

There is A LOT for me to “UNPACK” both physically AND mentally from the past 3 weeks. I’m not really ready to go there yet here on the blog, but I am glad I did the “right” thing.

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS & APPOINTMENTS
  • LAUNDRY & CLEANING I have 3 weeks worth of laundry to do and some general cleaning.
  • GROCERIES & ERRANDS There is literally NOTHING in the refrigerator so my first stop will be the grocery store.
  • PAPERWORK, PHONE CALLS, PROJECTS & TRAVELS It will take a few days to get all my ducks in a row and get back on track. At least they are all in the same pond this week.
  • RECIPE RESEARCH & MENU PLANNING This week is planned, but I’m going to start some spring recipe research for some lighter versions of our favorites.

WHAT’S ON THE DVR/TV
  • We have a mess load of shows to catch up on the DVR. We watched a few movies while we were gone though. A couple I’m surprised I didn’t catch the first time – UPGRADED, The OTHER ZOEY, ALIENS ABDUCTED MY PARENTS, HITCH, OVERBOARD, THE PROPOSAL…

I’m about half way through THE ALICE NETWORK  by Kate Quinn – I’m really enjoying books about WWII, especially about women spies. And especially when it covers multiple time periods in history as in this case both WWI AND WWII.

“1947. In the chaotic aftermath of World War II, American college girl Charlie St. Clair is pregnant, unmarried, and on the verge of being thrown out of her very proper family. She’s also nursing a desperate hope that her beloved cousin Rose, who disappeared in Nazi-occupied France during the war, might still be alive. So when Charlie’s parents banish her to Europe to have her “little problem” taken care of, Charlie breaks free and heads to London, determined to find out what happened to the cousin she loves like a sister. 

1915. A year into the Great War, Eve Gardiner burns to join the fight against the Germans and unexpectedly gets her chance when she’s recruited to work as a spy. Sent into enemy-occupied France, she’s trained by the mesmerizing Lili, code name Alice, the “queen of spies,” who manages a vast network of secret agents right under the enemy’s nose.  

Thirty years later, haunted by the betrayal that ultimately tore apart the Alice Network, Eve spends her days drunk and secluded in her crumbling London house. That is until a young American barges in uttering a name Eve hasn’t heard in decades, and launches them both on a mission to find the truth . . . no matter where it leads.”

BREAKFAST is always a work in progress for me – it will generally be hot water and a fruit yogurt 😀
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
DINNER
SPAGHETTI & MEATBALL SOUP
 TOMATILLO CHICKEN
 CHICKEN FRIED STEAK RANCHERAS
 CABBAGE BEEF SOUP
 HAM & BEANS with BUTTER BISCUITS
 POT ROAST & VEGGIES
 LEMON HERB ROAST CHICKEN
DESSERT
 
 BUTTERMILK DEVILS FOOD SHEET CAKE
 

I still have a bunch of pictures to edit from the trip, but a few of my favorites are from The Cadillac Ranch.

HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY week 10 of 2024 with MENU PLANS ~ BLOG 366.64

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

Snowing at home and a balmy mid 70’s here. A real toss up for me! I LOVE the snow and cooler weather, miss my friends and volunteer projects, but so love the restaurants, shopping and things to do here! But, like they say, you can’t go home again. We’ve been gone from here a few years now and in that time the traffic has gotten even more absolutely horrendous, the people are absolutely EVERYWHERE and it seems like a lifetime ago since this was my hometown.

For the past year I’ve been working with a girlfriend on estate sales and have loved doing it. We just finished one right before we left to help my cousin with her father’s estate. I have to say this is so much easier when you don’t personally know the person 🙁

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS & APPOINTMENTS
  • LAUNDRY & CLEANING I’ve been doing some laundry and cleaning here at my uncle’s as we begin “THE SORT”. My cousin will be here on Friday to begin going through things and loading her van and trailer to take things back home.
  • GROCERIES & ERRANDS There are a couple errands I need to do while we are here in the city that I can’t do elsewhere and I’ll bring in a few groceries at that time.
  • PAPERWORK, PHONE CALLS, PROJECTS & TRAVELS we’ll see what I can get accomplished from afar.
  • RECIPE RESEARCH & MENU PLANNING I’m trying to get caught up on posting for Cooking Thursdays.

WHAT’S ON THE DVR/TV
  • Not sure what this week will bring.

BREAKFAST is always a work in progress for me – it will generally be hot water and a fruit yogurt 😀 Since we’re still on our trip dinners will consist of some of our favorite old haunts
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
DINNER
GRACES KITCHEN
 RAZOOS CAJUN
CHUY’S
 PAPPASITOS
UNCLE JULIO’S SCRATCH MADE KITCHEN
TORCHY’S TACOS
 IRMA’S CAFE
DESSERT
 
 
 

I put a few photos on Instagram and Facebook this week from our journey before deleting them, but saved the “ODD” ones for here 😀

  • HOT CHICKEN SALAD
  • PINEAPPLE LEMON CHICKEN

HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY week 9 of 2024 ~ BLOG 366.57

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

We’re beginning our LONG journey to my uncle’s funeral today so this will be quick.

I think the weather will change hourly for the next several days. I am starting with a turtleneck, flannel, levis and Ugg’s. It is supposed to be exceptionally cold and snowy here this week with the latest storm moving in.

I’m feeling a little melancholy about what this weekend will bring emotionally. I also feel bad for hubby as Saturday is a BIG birthday for him, and no matter how we tried, we couldn’t arrange the service at any other time to accommodate everyone. As much as I LOVE to travel I’m not thrilled about traveling during this time of year, but you know my motto – IT IS WHAT IT IS! 😀

The weather on the other end of this trip will be much warmer so that also increases the amount of packing and layers necessary.

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS & APPOINTMENTS
  • Nothing to do this week or next, but will do a bit of recipe research while I’m gone. I will also visit my favorite spice shop and farmer’s market while I’m gone.

WHAT’S ON THE DVR/TV
  • Whatever is on in hotels for the first few nights.

BREAKFAST is always a work in progress for me – it will generally be hot water and a fruit yogurt 😀
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
DINNER
 We’ll be on the road for the
 next several days so there
 is no menu except visiting some
 favorite old haunts along
 the way.
 Hubby’s birthday dinner is being set up by my cousin since we’ll all be together for the funeral.
 I’ll take hubby someplace special tonight – just the 2 of us for his birthday.
DESSERT
 
 
 
chocolate cake of course

I found this fun alien #RailArt near the local lumber yard the other day and I planted a crocus, but it was a bit too soon. This is the prettiest it will ever be 🙁 Herbie on the other hand has mainly artificial flowers planted in it so looks absolutely adorable.