Category: HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY

HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY & MENUS & RECIPE LINKS week 50 of 2024 ~ BLOG 366.351

Be sure to join Happy Homemaker Monday with our host, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

WEEKEND RECAP

LONG AND BUSY weekend here. Friday was a chaotic and odd day putting out fires for the Eagles. Saturday we helped an elderly friend get rid of her moving boxes and trash and then I spent a good amount of time getting presents wrapped as well as preparing the chicken wings and doing some baking for the Christmas party at the Eagles yesterday. The Christmas Party was a success, but super busy! It was a lot of work and I was exhausted!!! I still am, but have A LOT to do this week so need to get on with it!!!

And I have my first delayed package of the season. It originated about 500 miles away and almost made it here, but then somehow ended up on a plane to Kentucky! It was supposed to be delivered yesterday, but they’re now saying Friday! As long as it’s here by Christmas I guess it’s all part of the season. I hope you all have a blessed and productive week.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE

Can you spell W E T? or even C O L D? It’s our normal Pacific North West winter that’s quite gray, wet and cold though not as cold as normal, but wet enough to make it feel even more cold. 😀 I prefer a dryer cold. Snow is preferable to ALL this rain!

12/16 MONDAY 49°High 37°Low Rain
12/17 TUESDAY 49°High 40°Low Rain
12/18 WEDNESDAY 49°High 47°Low Rain
12/19 THURSDAY 47°High 43°Low Clouds & Rain
12/20 FRIDAY 48°High 46°Low Clouds & Rain
12/21 SATURDAY 48°High 44°Low Rain
12/22 SUNDAY 47°High 43°Low Rain

TO DO LIST, APPOINTMENTS & PROJECTS

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS & APPOINTMENTS
  • LAUNDRY & CLEANING Need to deep clean this week after all the girl’s night projects and gift wrapping, but the laundry is up to date.
  • GROCERIES & ERRANDS BUSY, BUSY week starting with a pedicure today. I’ll pick up everything I need today for dinners I’m hosting Tuesday and Wednesday as well as potluck dishes for parties Friday and Saturday while I’m in town.
  • EVENTS
    • Tuesday hosting dinner here with friends
    • Wednesday hosting dinner here with another friend
    • Thursday out with the girls for dinner and a play
    • Friday Christmas Party
    • Saturday Christmas Parade Tailgating

DVR/TV TIME

WHAT’S ON THE DVR/TV
  • CABLE FINALLY getting caught up on the DVR and back up of the past couple months.

READING TIME

Book club met yesterday, but no one had much time to read the new book so that made me feel better. I’m about to start the book now, THE LAST ONE AT THE WEDDING by Jason Rekulak

FUNNIES

MENU PLANS

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
 TARRAGON CHICKEN & PASTA
 APRICOT HABANERO ROAST CHICKEN, ROAST CARROTS and CREAMY MAC & CHEESE
BACON CHEESEBURGER BALLS, CREAMY MAC & CHEESE
GIRL’S NIGHT  OUT to DINNER AND PLAY
 CHRISTMAS PARTY POTLUCK
 OUT
 LEMON CHICKEN & RICE SOUP with BUTTERMILK BISCUITS
DESSERT
 
CRAN CHERRY CHEESECAKES
CRAN CHERRY CHEESECAKES
 

FAVORITE PHOTOS FROM THE CAMERA

The first batch of foster gifts has been delivered! Niki and I tried out the photo booth before the dance and I found this adorable cow chowing down when I went to retrieve a donated tree for the Eagles.

And here are a couple of alternate trees from girl’s night. I didn’t get a picture of Lu’s finished one, but as you can see she has a fun eye for color as does Dana. 😀

INSPIRATIONS

LIFE TIP

HOMEMAKING / COOKING TIP

RECIPES TO LOOK FOR THIS WEEK

  • ROAST TURKEY BREAST
  • RB’S BAKED BEANS
  • PUMPKIN PULL APARTS

RECIPE LINKS FROM LAST WEEK

WEEKLY FEATURED PARTY LINKS

HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY week 49 of 2024 ~ BLOG 366.344

Be sure to join Happy Homemaker Monday with our host, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

WEEKEND RECAP

Thursday morning’s earthquake off the coast of California triggered a TSUNAMI warning for us. Have seen the signs for years, but never experienced an actual warning until now. Friday was spent cleaning and finish winter prep around here.

On Saturday I FINALLY completed my holiday decorating inside and hubby finished the outside just before the rain began. We literally finished just before we had to leave and meet friends to watch the DUCKS vs. PENN STATE game which did not disappoint. DUCKS won (45-37) and are now 13-0! We ALL had a GREAT time.

Then on Sunday we stored all the boxes from the decorating and I began planning my baking schedule for the neighbor plates I’ll be making and checking to see if I had all my ingredients. I also started arranging things for girl’s night this next Wednesday. I’ve also been wrapping the gifts for the Foster kids that I’ll be delivering this next week. Congratulations Jean on the Chiefs win last night – 2 inches more to the left and it would have been a loss.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE

12/9 MONDAY – MOSTLY SUNNY after the fog burns off 43°/26°
12/10 TUESDAY – MOSTLY CLOUDY after the fog burns off 44°/30°
12/11 WEDNESDAY – MOSTLY CLOUDY after the fog burns off 46°/38°
12/12 THURSDAY – RAINY 46°/38°
12/13 FRIDAY – RAINY 45/37°
12/14 SATURDAY – RAIN!!! 45°/38° YUCK WE’RE DOING WREATHS ACROSS AMERICA AT 1PM 🙁
12/15 SUNDAY – RAINY 44°/38°

TO DO LIST, APPOINTMENTS & PROJECTS

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS & APPOINTMENTS
  • LAUNDRY & CLEANING I was able to get EVERYTHING done over the weekend. I will need to spruce up a bit after my prep for girl’s night on Wednesday.
  • GROCERIES & ERRANDS I am LITERALLY cooking out and planning my menus around the freezer and pantry cleaning them both out to start the new year completely fresh! The good news about this is that I have very little to shop for except a bit of produce and dairy here and there. I also lucked out and have no appointment until I drop off the foster kid gifts on Friday morning 😀
  • PAPERWORK & PHONE CALLS I have tons to do, but most will wait until Thursday or next week.
  • PROJECTS Jewelry trees, homemade vanilla and some painting projects for girl’s night Wednesday.
  • RECIPE RESEARCH & MENU PLANNING

DVR/TV TIME

WHAT’S ON THE DVR/TV
  • STREAMING We’re watching HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER as a late night comedy.
  • CABLE I’ve finally gotten the DVR cleaned up until November so will keep working on dwindling it down as I bake this month.

READING TIME

FUNNIES

MENU PLANS

BREAKFAST is always a work in progress for me – it will generally be hot water and a fruit yogurt 😀
12/9 MONDAY
12/10 TUESDAY
12/11 WEDNESDAY
12/12 THURSDAY
12/13 FRIDAY
12/14 SATURDAY
12/15 SUNDAY
DINNER
roast chicken, glazed carrots & mashed potatoes
 brisket sandwiches and coleslaw
beef stew and biscuits
 lemon chicken and rice soup
 out
CORN/YOYO clean out refrigerator night or you’re on your own
 pot roast, glazed carrots and mashed potatoes
DESSERT
 
grasshopper brownies
 
bacon and waffles

FAVORITE PHOTOS FROM THE CAMERA

I have a friend that LOVES to try all the crafts she sees on Facebook and she made this BIG star for me out of yard sticks and light string! I LOVE it!!!

INSPIRATIONS

LIFE TIP

HOMEMAKING / COOKING TIP

RECIPES TO LOOK FOR THIS WEEK

  • OLD FASHIONED OATMEAL RAISIN COOKIES
  • CRAZY PIZZA BREAD
  • LAYERED SALAD

RECIPE LINKS FROM LAST WEEK

WEEKLY FEATURED PARTY LINKS

HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY with MENU & RECIPES week 48 of 2024 ~ BLOG 366.337

Be sure to join Happy Homemaker Monday with our host, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

WEEKEND RECAP

WOW, what a whirlwind weekend! I’m glad it was a long one! I hope your Thanksgiving was as relaxed as ours was full of yummy food, family and friends. I didn’t even leave the house except to feed the neighbor’s cat and still managed to do over 12,000 steps on Thursday alone!

On Friday we met my girl friend and her mom at our local family owned and managed Christmas Tree Farm to help her with her tree and buy our wreaths for the holiday season. I’m so glad we did it when we did because sadly, the wreath room and flock room along with multiple pieces of equipment were destroyed in a fire early Saturday morning! I was impressed that with all they lost (power, water, wreath making abilities, flocking machines…), they were open again on Sunday for trees only. Small towns rally together to take care of their own.

Saturday was a flurry of activity that started by meeting with the ladies helping our “Angel Tree” gift program for the holidays because we received the names on Wednesday evening and need to be done shopping and wrapped by the 11th so I can deliver them on the 12th. It’s a super quick turn around this year.

Sunday was just as busy meeting with a friend to design flyers for her bar and grill’s Christmas party, shopping for the Eagle’s lodge since we skipped last week with the Thanksgiving crowds, helping my mom pack to finally leave on Monday for her snowbird run, laundry and cleaning. Sadly, a close friend lost her son suddenly on Sunday afternoon 🙁 My heart aches for her and I’ll be picking up as many meal prep and chores for her that I can while she’s away.

Don’t forget that BLGOMAS 2024 has begun. I hope you can join in!

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE

Layer season is here! In fact it has become MULTIPLE layer season 😀 It’s cold, but sunny with highs in the mid 40’s and lows in the high 20’s or low 30’s for most of the week until the weekend when it is supposed to start raining again. UGG’s, turtlenecks and flannels have become my best friends again!

TO DO LIST, APPOINTMENTS & PROJECTS

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS & APPOINTMENTS
  • LAUNDRY & CLEANING Laundry is up to date, but will be deep cleaning today so I can go full on decorating mode tomorrow. We had decided to do a live tree this year and planned to go get it tomorrow afternoon. With the fire at the tree farm, we’re rethinking it and probably going to do our artificial tree again this year.
  • GROCERIES & ERRANDS I have a hair cut appointment in town on Wednesday and will do the grocery store on the way home.
  • PROJECTS I’m hosting a “GIRL’S NIGHT” next week so am concentrating this week on finishing ALL my decorating and getting some baking done. “GIRL’S NIGHT” will be a BYOB, SNACK, PIZZA and project night. Some will finish Jewelry trees from last year, some will be making an adorable painted stacked wood project we just found, some will do both, some will just eat and drink… 😀 the whole point of the night is just to have some fun together. As for the BYOB some will definitely drink, but the BYOB is mainly for making homemade flavored vanilla.

DVR/TV TIME

WHAT’S ON THE DVR/TV
  • STREAMING Have been watching or should I say re-watching BONES which is now 20 years old! Where did that time go? We’re in season 5. Also re-watching late night HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER which is almost as old.
  • CABLE Trying to get caught up on everything on the DVR. The Hallmark movies will be something I’ll have on while decorating this week.

READING TIME

Yesterday was book club (SOCIETY of LIES by Lauren Ling Brown) and sadly I didn’t finish the book in time. I was only 75% done, but fortunately neither did half the others. We did pick the next book (The LAST ONE at the Wedding by Jason Rekulak) though and I got it ordered. 😀

FUNNIES

MENU PLANS

BREAKFAST is always a work in progress for me – it will generally be hot water and a fruit yogurt 😀
12/2 MONDAY
12/3 TUESDAY
12/4 WEDNESDAY
12/5 THURSDAY
12/6 FRIDAY
12/7 SATURDAY
12/8 SUNDAY
DINNER
 BEEF & SHORT RIB LASAGNA (COSTCO)
 TACO TUESDAY with FRIENDS
OUT
 ROAST CHICKEN
 PIZZA ROLLS (homemade – recipe soon)
 GERMAN MEATLOAF
 TURKEY NOODLE CASSEROLE
DESSERT
 NONE THIS WEEK
 
 

FAVORITE PHOTOS FROM THE CAMERA

In case I’ve never mentioned it I have thing for barns… 2 of these may not make it another year if we have a heavy snow as they are barely standing on their own now.

INSPIRATIONS

I probably should have shared this one LAST week, but I live by this ideal, so I guess anytime is a good time to share it! In fact, I have only ever done 1 black Friday sale when I was in my early 20’s and have NO intention of ever doing another.

LIFE TIP

HOMEMAKING / COOKING TIP

RECIPES COMING UP THIS WEEK

  • LEGENDARY POTATOES
  • MEAT LOVER’S SAVORY BREAD PUDDING
  • SLOPPY JOE SLIDER BAKE

RECIPE LINKS FROM LAST WEEK

WEEKLY FEATURED PARTY LINKS

HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY with MENUS & RECIPES week 47 of 2024 ~ BLOG 366.330

Be sure to join Happy Homemaker Monday with our host, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

WEEKEND RECAP

My weekend was a whirlwind that began with the bomb cyclone hitting us here in the Pacific North West with lots of wind, rain, slippery roads and power outages early in the week. It also started with prep for a charity meal that my friend Dana and I did on Friday night for the Eagles. We had shopped on Tuesday to avoid crowds and being last minute which was fortunate because the bulk of that storm hit Tuesday night and the first round of power outages.

For the dinner we made Brisket sandwiches, her yummy baked beans and coleslaw and I made a fun new recipe for dessert, Neapolitan cake full of fudgy chocolate, french vanilla and raspberry strawberry cake topped with a lemon cream cheese frosting.

Saturday I went to a friend’s craft fair, did laundry and cleaning and Sunday was the normal lunch with a friend and football. I made a yummy smoked brisket potato soup using up my portion of the leftover brisket from Friday night.

While this week is the same length as any other, it ALWAYS seems shorter because of all the prep for a mid week holiday!

Here’s your reminder to start defrosting your turkey if it’s frozen 😀 And if you’re traveling this week, be safe! HAVE A BLESSED AND HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

And don’t forget BLOGMAS begins on Friday, November 29th. I look forward to you joining in.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE

Highs in the 40’s with lows in the 30’s ALL week and LOTS of rain today, but then we’re supposed to get some actual sunshine for the rest of the week! 😀

TO DO LIST, APPOINTMENTS & PROJECTS

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS & APPOINTMENTS
  • LAUNDRY & CLEANING COMPLETELY caught up for a few minutes at least. 🙂
  • GROCERIES & ERRANDS I did all the major shopping for the holiday last week, but I do need to pick up the turkey and a few fresh produce items on Tuesday. Dana and I are taking her mom on Friday to get a Christmas tree and our wreaths and will then go to lunch.
  • PAPERWORK & PHONE CALLS I’m not even going to try and make calls this week with it being such a short work week. I do have a couple meetings today, but after that I’m good.
  • PROJECTS I’ll be adding a bit of an extension to the bed frame today to accommodate a bulky mattress. I’m also building a nativity scene for decorating this Christmas season.
  • RECIPE RESEARCH & MENU PLANNING After I get the projects and Christmas decorating done over the next week I’ll get back to thinking about menus.

DVR/TV TIME

WHAT’S ON THE DVR/TV
  • STREAMING We’re still watching BONES and late night we’re re-watching THE MIDDLE
  • CABLE A lot of shows have gone onto winter hiatus this week giving me time to get caught up on the DVR before they begin again in January.

READING TIME

I’m reading SOCIETY of LIES by Lauren Ling Brown for book club next Sunday. It’s not a book I would have chosen on my own, but I’m getting it done!

FUNNIES

 

MENU PLANS

BREAKFAST is always a work in progress for me – it will generally be hot water and a fruit yogurt 😀 And lunches are generally leftovers or out depending on the schedule for the day.
11/25 MONDAY
11/26 TUESDAY
11/27 WEDNESDAY
11/28 THURSDAY
11/29 FRIDAY
11/30 SATURDAY
12/1 SUNDAY
DINNER
 OUT WITH FRIENDS FOR A LATE LUNCH/EARLY DINNER BEFORE SEVERAL MEETINGS
CHICKEN NOODLE CASSEROLE
OUT with a friend before PAINTING CLASS
 BRINED TURKEY BREAST, DADDY’S STUFFING, GREEN BEANS ALMONDINE, MASHED POTATOES & GRAVY, PINEAPPLE CRANBERRY SAUCE
CORN/YOYO clean out refrigerator night or you’re on your own
 OPEN FACED BURGERS with BACON AIOLI and CORNBREAD SALAD
 CORN/YOYO clean out refrigerator night or you’re on your own
DESSERT
 
 
APPLE WALNUT CAKE
 

FAVORITE PHOTOS FROM THE CAMERA

There was a short break in the rain yesterday and I came across this cat slinking across the sheep field.

INSPIRATIONS

LIFE TIP

HOMEMAKING / COOKING TIP

RECIPES COMING UP THIS WEEK

  • PEAR WALNUT CRISP
  • PEASANT STEW
  • CHICKEN CHILES HOT DISH CASSEROLE

RECIPE LINKS FROM LAST WEEK

WEEKLY FEATURED PARTY LINKS

HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY with MENUS & RECIPES week 46 of 2024 ~ BLOG 366.323

Be sure to join Happy Homemaker Monday with our host, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

WEEKEND RECAP

It was a whirlwind weekend, but a good one that really started on Thursday again. We went to pick up my holiday Hallmark order and made a day of it since the nearest Hallmark is an hour and a half away. Hallmark stores are far and few between here and when the one I normally dealt with closed a family owned and run old time drugstore took over for Hallmark. This drugstore is like an old time Woolworths or TG&Y and so much fun and the woman who runs the Hallmark section is so nice. Because I live so far away she puts back for me anything I need until I can get there. I even one the door prize from last month’s premiere event! So, I picked up a nice little haul to get me in the Christmas spirit.

While we were there we visited a local hardware chain that does their garden area as a Tinsel town for the holidays. We didn’t need much, but it’s always fun to look. I did pick up a white projector light for the new nativity we’re doing this year and some paper white bulbs.

We had a wonderful lunch along the river at a favorite haunt and then did some antiquing on the way back in a favorite store, 5 Flying Monkeys and finished the day with a dinner at another favorite haunt and had a yummy Thankful Thursday turkey dinner. On Thursdays they do Thankful Thursday for veterans, first responders and moms at half price. They rotate meals throughout the year doing either the turkey, pot roast or meatloaf. All three are exceptional! My favorite is the turkey or the pot roast because it comes with the BEST glazed roasted carrots I think I’ve ever had!

Saturday brought the annual craft fair at the community center. I had several friends selling their wares there so that was a lot of fun! Then Sunday was spent with a bestie. I was also able to get a lot of organization done during the weekend as well as catch up on laundry, football and NASCAR as it was super wet and cold ALL weekend.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

The first one is probably better for next week, but is also something we should all remember this time of year as we are getting together with friends and family. We should all remember that our differences aren’t as important as our commonalities and love for each other. So enjoy your friends and families over the holidays.

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE

I’m going to sound like a broken record, but it’s cold, wet and rainy 😀 like always in November. We’ve had a fairly mild autumn up until now, but it feels like winter is going to hit a bit early. Highs this week in the 40’s and 50’s with lows in the 30’s and 40’s. Layers and flannels are a definite for this week.

ON MY MIND

There’s a “GIRLS NIGHT” in a a couple weeks to finish the Jewelry Christmas Trees we began last year. We’ve decided to “simplify” things this year and just order pizza. We’ll each provide a little something else like a favorite cookie, drink makings or ???? I’m thinking of making this cute charcuterie board appetizer board with some crackers. How cute is that?

TO DO LIST, APPOINTMENTS & PROJECTS

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS & APPOINTMENTS
  • LAUNDRY & CLEANING I got all the laundry done yesterday!
  • GROCERIES & ERRANDS I’m putting together my list for this week to get all the errands and groceries done this week. Crowds are already crazy around her and I have no inclinations of going near stores the week of Thanksgiving EXCEPT to pick up the turkey from the butcher next Tuesday.
  • PAPERWORK & PHONE CALLS & PROJECTS I’m chairing this year for the Eagle’s holiday families and foster kids so have LOTS of paperwork and organizing to do.
  • RECIPE RESEARCH & MENU PLANNING Menus are done through November, but I’m starting on December. With the cold we’re having I’m envisioning a lot of soups, stews and chilis.

DVR/TV TIME

WHAT’S ON THE DVR/TV
  • STREAMING I’m getting caught up on the things on the DVR FINALLY
  • CABLE I’ve been recording all the new Hallmark Christmas movies and am saving them up for when I start decorating for Christmas.

READING TIME

I joined a book club that started yesterday and we’ll be meeting every 2 weeks. I missed the first meeting, but they chose the book, SOCIETY OF LIES by Lauren Ling Brown. I downloaded the book and started it last night.

FUNNIES

MENU PLANS

BREAKFAST is always a work in progress for me – it will generally be hot water and a fruit yogurt 😀
11/18 MONDAY
11/19 TUESDAY
11/20 WEDNESDAY
11/21 THURSDAY
11/22 FRIDAY
11/23 SATURDAY
11/24 SUNDAY
DINNER
 RB BEANS AND CHARRED HOT DOGS
 BURGERS & CHILI CORNBREAD SALAD
CORN/YOYO clean out refrigerator night or you’re on your own
CHICKEN ALA KING and PEA STUFFING
 COOKING AT THE EAGLES with a FRIEND – BRISKET SANDWICHES, COLESLAW, BAKED BEANS and
 BEEF & BEAN STEW
 GOULASH and ROASTED CARROTS
DESSERT
 
 
NEOPOLITAN CAKE

FAVORITE PHOTOS FROM THE CAMERA

There is a BIG hardware store called Jerry’s here that reminds me of a combination Fleet & Farm plus a Menards that turns their garden area into a Tinsel Town for Christmas. I never need much, but it’s always fun to look. I LOVE how they display their lights making it easy to envision what they’ll look like on your house or project.

INSPIRATIONS

LIFE TIP

HOMEMAKING / COOKING TIP

RECIPES COMING UP THIS WEEK

  • PICKLED PLUM CRUMBLE/CRISP
  • GO TO SLOW COOKER RECIPES ~ BLACK BEAN SALSA CHICKEN, GREEN CHILE CHICKEN, BUTTERMILK RANCH PORK CHOPS and TERIYAKI WINGS

RECIPE LINKS FROM LAST WEEK

WEEKLY FEATURED PARTY LINKS

HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY, MENUS & RECIPES week 45 of 2024 ~ BLOG 366.316

Be sure to join Happy Homemaker Monday with our host, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

WEEKEND RECAP

AHHHHHH a weekend away was just what the doctor ordered! Last year my girlfriend and I went to a great holiday market at the fairgrounds in the county 100 miles to the south of us. We did it all in one day along with a trip to a HUGE Hobby Lobby and it was A LOT to cram in.

So this year we planned it as a weekend and took hubby along. Unfortunately, the holiday market was not as good as last year, though we did manage to find several of our favorite vendors and start the Christmas shopping with a bang!

We were also able to get in some quality antiquing time as well as some great happy hour time at a Jimmy Buffet hotel we stayed at for Friday and Saturday nights as well as some amazing food at mom and pop restaurants along the way. This picture is silly and so optical illusion like. Dana is 6 inches shorter than I am and didn’t think she could get in and out of this HUGE chair so stood in front, but it makes me like so tiny by comparison 🙂

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE

COLD, WET & RAINY! This is the only way to describe this week. And so far, it’s not that normal kind of cold, but the bone chilling kind that makes you feel like you’ll never be warm again! 🙂 So it’s layers time! Highs will start in the 50’s today and tomorrow and then drop into the 40’s with lows in the 30’s along with lots of rain and gray clouds all week.

ON MY MIND

Once again weighted down by Eagle’s responsibilities and dealing with unprepared close minded people. At this point I am committed through the holiday season, but seriously wondering if there isn’t a better way to volunteer my time, talents and money.

TO DO LIST, APPOINTMENTS & PROJECTS

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS & APPOINTMENTS
  • LAUNDRY & CLEANING LOTS to do with being away 3 days!
  • GROCERIES & ERRANDS I will make a list in a bit and get everything done on Wednesday. I have an appointment to the north tomorrow.
  • PAPERWORK & PHONE CALLS I have an auxiliary meeting tonight that looks like it’s going to be canceled and some calls to make regarding the stove replacement at the Eagles.
  • RECIPE RESEARCH & MENU PLANNING ??????????? I did get a couple “new” vintage recipe boxes/books with some promising meals soon.

DVR/TV TIME

WHAT’S ON THE DVR/TV
  • CABLE I’m NOT even sure what recorded while we were gone, so will get caught up over the next few days.
  • STREAMING I’ll finish SCARECROW & MRS KING this week.

READING TIME

I’m reading THE KEEPER OF STORIES by Sally Page.

FUNNIES

MENU PLANS

BREAKFAST is always a work in progress for me – it will generally be hot water and a fruit yogurt 😀
11/11 MONDAY
11/12 TUESDAY
11/13 WEDNESDAY
11/14 THURSDAY
11/15 FRIDAY
11/16 SATURDAY
11/17 SUNDAY
DINNER
 LEMON CHICKEN and RICE SOUP with CRUSTY BREAD
 RB BAKED BEANS and HOT DOGS
CORN/YOYO clean out refrigerator nigh or you’re on your own
 CHEESEBURGER BALLS, COLESLAW and LEFTOVER RB BAKED BEANS
 CREAMY LEMON PARMESAN CHICKEN, NOODLES and MUSHY PEAS
 CHILI and CORNBREAD
 CORN/YOYO clean out refrigerator nigh or you’re on your own
DESSERT
 
 GINGERBREAD PEAR PUDDING CAKE
 

FAVORITE PHOTOS FROM THE CAMERA

It’s my FAVORITE time of year!! Burn piles, hay barns and clouds!

INSPIRATIONS

LIFE TIP

HOMEMAKING / COOKING TIP

RECIPES COMING UP THIS WEEK

  • PEANUT BUTTER BREAD
  • PARMESAN ROASTED GREEN BEANS
  • PORK MEDALLIONS with ONION GRAVY

RECIPE LINKS FROM LAST WEEK

WEEKLY FEATURED PARTY LINKS

HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY, MENUS & RECIPES week 44 of 2024 ~ BLOG 366.309

Be sure to join Happy Homemaker Monday with our host, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

WEEKEND RECAP

I don’t know about you, but I always sleep weird the first few days after a time change! I wish they’d go back to standard time and leave it alone!!! Or even Daylight Savings time, but either way, leave it alone after that!

My weekend was good!

Friday started with meeting a repairman to try and get the stove at the Eagles handled (FINALLY!) While we were there waiting for the repairman during a 4 hour window, a friend and I de-decorated Halloween in the lodge. It POURED down rain ALL day long and according to the rain gauge we got almost 2 inches that day alone!

Saturday also poured, though a little less. I worked on the sewing machine drawers a bit, but it got so cold in the garage that I came inside to watch a NASCAR race and get warm. I tried to convert a favorite recipe to a slow cooker recipe and wasn’t thrilled with it at all unfortunately.

Sunday’s weather started out gorgeous and then turned gray and cold so that was also a day spent inside. My THRIVE grocery order arrived with quite a bit of damage (the kosher dill pickles were broken along with the pickled jalapenos and a bag of flour – what a mess!) so I spent an hour on the chat line getting that handled and then went to a late breakfast with hubby that was horrible! Well, the food was good, but the service was the problem. I spent the rest of the day working on menus, doing laundry and watching football.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

The thought works for forwards AND backwards, fall or spring 😂

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE

It’s official, flannels and turtlenecks are back! A little bit of rain today and then sunny and cloudy until the new storm moves in on Friday. The whole week should be in the mid 50’s for highs and high 30’s for the lows.

TO DO LIST, APPOINTMENTS & PROJECTS

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS & APPOINTMENTS
  • LAUNDRY & CLEANING All caught up! YAY!
  • GROCERIES & ERRANDS I think it’s going to be a boring week on this front as we leave Friday for the weekend and I’m not doing much before the trip.
  • PROJECTS & TRAVELS We’re going with a friend for the weekend to a big HOLIDAY MARKET we like and are splurging on a fun Jimmy Buffet hotel. I’m looking forward to the relaxed pampering!
  • RECIPE RESEARCH & MENU PLANNING Recipes are scheduled through Thanksgiving, but I’ll start making a December menu plan next week after we get back.

DVR/TV TIME

WHAT’S ON THE DVR/TV
  • STREAMING We’re watching BONES and then next weekend the FINAL episodes of YELLOWSTONE begins.
  • CABLE Lots of Hallmark movies on the DVR that I’ll get to after Thanksgiving. Holiday baking shows are taping also.

READING TIME

I just started reading THE KEEPER OF STORIES by Sally Page

FUNNIES

MENU PLANS

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
 CHICKEN TOSTADA CUPS and SALAD
CORN/YOYO clean out refrigerator night or you’re on your own
RB BAKED BEANS & HOT DOGS
CAMPFIRE CASSEROLE
 CORN/YOYO clean out refrigerator night or you’re on your own
 CORN/YOYO clean out refrigerator night or you’re on your own
 CORN/YOYO clean out refrigerator night or you’re on your own
DESSERT
 
PEAR GINGERBREAD PUDDING CAKE
 

FAVORITE PHOTOS FROM THE CAMERA

I’m going to do up a separate post that is more in depth, but I have always LOVED this little church and was FINALLY able to see it from the inside when I went to their annual Christmas Bazaar last Saturday.

INSPIRATIONS

LIFE TIP

HOMEMAKING / COOKING TIP

I found a FUN link I found for making your own Thanksgiving centerpiece.

RECIPES FROM LAST WEEK

RECIPES COMING UP THIS WEEK

  • SNAP PEA SALAD
  • PEPPERONCINI CHICKEN & RICE
  • PECAN PIE BROWNIE BOMBS

WEEKLY FEATURED PARTY LINKS

HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY, MENUS & RECIPES week 43 of 2024 ~ BLOG 366.302

Be sure to join Happy Homemaker Monday with our host, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

WEEKEND RECAP

4-6 PM Saturday was TRUNK or TREAT in our little town. The weather really showed up with a pleasant 71° and sunny which was great because Halloween itself is supposed to be pouring down rain and only 50° so Saturday may be the only Halloween some of these kids see.

TRUNK or TREAT has taken on a life of its own the past couple years. Surrounding towns bring their kids to our little area. It has also become quite an expensive endeavor. The kids have a great time and so do the businesses, but where and how do you draw the line on events like this? Our population is only 8,200 so how is we now have upwards of 2,500 kids participating? We did the math and between the candy, extra employees needed to man the booths and decorations it’s costing the average business between $500-$1,000 or more for a 2 hour event, especially if you’re located near the haunted house where the lines are long.

Sunday rained and the temperature dropped 20° so it was the perfect day to watch NASCAR, read a little and just do what you want kind of day. 😀 We did have a bit of a momentary break in the rain and we went and fed stale bread pieces to the peacocks and the deer that had wandered down into the park.

Let’s get on with Monday!

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE

We’re supposed to get quite a bit of rain this week which we REALLY need, so I’m okay with that. The highs are supposed to be in the 50’s and 60’s with lows in the 30’s and 40’s.

ON MY MIND

I know Halloween is this week and we haven’t even celebrated Thanksgiving yet, but because Thanksgiving is late this year I am trying to get a jump on ALL things December! BLOGMAS is one of those things that keeps me happy and motivated through the holidays and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

That said, I did condense a bit and I have come up with my BLOGMAS timeline for 2024. Doing as many of the posts in advance that I can also helps me keep my sanity through the busy holiday season. I REALLY hope you can and will join in whenever possible.

TO DO LIST, APPOINTMENTS & PROJECTS

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS & APPOINTMENTS
  • LAUNDRY & CLEANING I thought I had finished the laundry and then I realized we were wearing clothes and it wouldn’t stay done 😀 for very long.
  • GROCERIES & ERRANDS I’m making a list for a very few things I need for this next week. I’ll pick those things up on Thursday when I head in to town for my pedicure appointment.
  • PAPERWORK & PHONE CALLS I have a couple calls to make this morning for information for my meeting tonight.
  • PROJECTS & TRAVELS I’m working on a painted pot and repotting of a Christmas cactus for a friend’s surprise birthday party on Wednesday. And I’m working on a “new” antique set of sewing machine drawers (pictures in the favorite photos section). I made reservations for a weekend getaway with a girl friend for a large Holiday Market we like to go to each year.
  • RECIPE RESEARCH & MENU PLANNING My menus are planned through November, but I’m beginning to research some hearty soups, stews and casseroles for December and January.

DVR/TV TIME

WHAT’S ON THE DVR/TV
  • STREAMING We finished watching FRINGE and NIGHT COURT. We’re currently trying to figure out our next binge watches.
  • CABLE I have been taping the new Hallmark Christmas movies, am about to finish the Halloween season of the baking shows and will start the new holiday shows next week.

READING TIME

I started reading RECIPE FOR A PERFECT WIFE by Karma Brown

FUNNIES

MENU PLANS

BREAKFAST is always a work in progress for me – it will generally be hot water and a fruit yogurt 😀
10/28 MONDAY
10/29 TUESDAY
10/30 WEDNESDAY
10/31 THURSDAY
11/1 FRIDAY
11/2 SATURDAY
11/3 SUNDAY
DINNER
 STREET CORN CHICKEN ENCHILADAS
 PEASANT BEEF STEW
RB BAKED BEANS and HOT DOGS
CORN/YOYO CLEAN OUT REFRIGERATOR NIGHT or YOU’RE ON YOUR OWN
 SLOW COOKER LEMON CHICKEN
 GARLIC ONION SLOW COOKER CHICKEN & RICE
 LASAGNA SOUP & GARLIC BREAD
DESSERT
 
 SALTED CARAMEL BROWNIES
 

FAVORITE PHOTOS FROM THE CAMERA

I found a cute “set” of sewing machine drawers at a friends store recently. They even had the rare “secret” top drawer fairly intact. The drawers had been “finished” by her brother, but they were in sad shape with too dry wood, missing drawer guides and “gummy” areas that were dried and yucky. They were also done as two separate units. I’m in the process of rejuvenating them with oil and putting the two towers into a single piece. Hubby is making me a top and a bottom for them, but this is a start for now.

And just a few pictures from the TRUNK or TREAT event. Many of the parents dressed up also. I have to say the Jack Sparrow was one of the more popular ones. He would accept candy from the businesses and then seek out one of the shyer kids to give it to. I also love the BIO HAZARD scarecrow and McDonalds pulled out the stops with their drive through window.

The deer joined the peacocks today for some joint snacking time.

Living in the country gives us some fun local displays for holidays also.

INSPIRATIONS

LIFE TIP

HOMEMAKING / COOKING TIP

With Thanksgiving coming up and so many stories in the news of bacterial diseases on the rise I thought it would be helpful to remind us all that food safety is so very important.

RECIPE LINKS FROM LAST WEEK

WEEKLY FEATURED PARTY LINKS

HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY MENUS & RECIPES week 42 of 2024 ~ BLOG 366.295

Be sure to join Happy Homemaker Monday with our host, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

WEEK(END) RECAP

Fall REALLY hit this past week with foggy mornings, a little rain and that cool crisp air in the morning that makes your coffee taste even better and your favorite sweatshirt that much more comfy.

My weekend started on Wednesday with the prep I could do in advance for my charity dinner on Friday at the Eagles. We had Baked Chicken, Creamed Potatoes, Tangy Glazed Carrots and Almond Cherry Poke Cake. My scheduled dinner in support of our charity fund was moved up a week due to another person having COVID, but my team really pivoted and rallied. We raised $250 for the general charity fund! 😀

These ladies make my life more fun and super easy to enjoy the hard work. We charge a nominal fee for the dinner and I donate all the makings for the meal so that it’s all profit for the charity fund. Thank you Diana, Dana, Pam and Lu!

Lu also made a couple fantastic raffle baskets. And a HUGE thank you to Diana for stepping in last minute when Dana took ill. We were also able to raise an additional $200 for St. Jude’s Children’s Foundation from the raffle baskets during our dinner.

Once Friday was out of the way I could enjoy the weekend fully! I’m so glad Dana had her backyard get together last week because it was truly the last “outdoorsy” weekend.

We watched MLB and NFL and NASCAR all weekend peppered with a few outings and meals. All in all we had a VERY relaxing weekend. Having grown up in SO CAL we are lifelong Dodger fans and have enjoyed them in the playoffs for the pennant. We are also RAM fans. So, both of those games were high on our priority watch list. We’re also Chiefs (YAY Jean) and Packers (YAY Carrie) fans. I’ve also been a Lions fan though there are far and few years between to be happy, but this is one of them (sorry Vikings)!

have some friends who are renovating a really cool old historic building and we spent some time with them talking logistics and ideas. I’m really excited for them and their use of the space. I really hope it all comes to fruition the way they envision. I’m so excited for them 😀

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE

It’s quite crisp! Fall is definitely here. We had a bit of rain last night through the early hours. The rest of the week is supposed to be highs in the low 60’s and lows in the low 40’s with more rain beginning on Thursday. We NEED the rain badly so I hope it happens the way it’s supposed to.

ON MY MIND

I’m so glad the political ads will be coming to an end soon. I’m so tired of the mud slinging. I did see this funny on FaceBook that I LOVE!

TO DO LIST, APPOINTMENTS & PROJECTS

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS & APPOINTMENTS
  • LAUNDRY & CLEANING I have a couple loads of laundry to do as well as clean out the garden beds and prepare them for winter.
  • GROCERIES & ERRANDS I need to take Trudy for physical therapy twice this week as well as for x-rays and surgeon follow up. I fully anticipate him to release her on Wednesday because she’s doing so well! 😀 I don’t actually need any groceries or have other errands this week.
  • PROJECTS I’m helping a friend who manages a local bar and grill with her “TRUNK” or TREAT and SCARECROW contest events with the downtown businesses, which is always fun!
  • RECIPE RESEARCH & MENU PLANNING It’ll be just the two of us again this year for Thanksgiving. Hubby wants a traditional meal so I will be downsizing my normal recipes to mini recipes for 2, but like always will be making a fun new dessert. I found a recipe for a Dulce de Leche pumpkin pie that sounds kinda good, but boring, so I’ll be OOMPHing it up a bit 😀 I’m also only making a turkey breast instead of a whole turkey.

DVR/TV TIME

WHAT’S ON THE DVR/TV
  • STREAMING We should finish FRINGE and HOGAN’S HEROES this week and maybe even NIGHT COURT so we’ll be looking for a few new shows to watch. We’re still thinking about getting Apple TV, but haven’t decided.
  • CABLE Lots of new shows and old favorites to catch up on the DVR. Plus the Hallmark Christmas movies began this past weekend.

READING TIME

I should be finishing THE WRECK by Marie Force tonight.

FUNNIES

MENU PLANS
10/21 MONDAY
10/22 TUESDAY
10/23 WEDNESDAY
10/24 THURSDAY
10/25 FRIDAY
10/26 SATURDAY
10/27 SUNDAY
DINNER
 CHICKEN and APPLE ONION SLOW COOKER MEAL with SWEET CORN on the COB
 SWEET & SOUR MEATBALLS with RICE
CREAMY JALAPENO ARTICHOKE CHICKEN ENCHILADAS and REFRIED BEANS
 R.B.’S BAKED BEAN DINNER
 ZUPPA TOSCANA and GARLIC BREAD
 OUT
 ??
DESSERT
 
 
 

FAVORITE PHOTOS FROM THE CAMERA

Above are the two baskets.

Hubby bought a “STRETCH” of tickets and won the wine basket for me! Love that man! 😀

INSPIRATIONS

LIFE TIP

HOMEMAKING / COOKING TIP

RECIPE LINKS FROM LAST WEEK

WEEKLY FEATURED PARTY LINKS

HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY, RECIPES & MENUS week 41 of 2024 ~ BLOG 366.288

Be sure to join Happy Homemaker Monday with our host, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

WEEKEND RECAP

Fortunately I know how to pivot! This past week and weekend were full of constant change! This next week already has some major changes in it also.

There was a last minute change for physical therapy for my friend adding an additional session on Friday morning 30 minutes south of us. LOL I was already heading and hour and a half north though for an appointment in the afternoon and a little anitiquing ahead of time. So we headed south and then doubled back and headed north.

We got it all done though I arrived home pretty tired. When I originally made my appointment I had no idea it would be the same day/weekend as the BIG Ohio state Oregon Ducks football game. Boy was that town crazy!!! Green and yellow as well as red and white EVERYWHERE and the traffic around the stadium was even crazier!!!

I was supposed to go back north in two weeks for the supplies I needed for my charity dinner on the 25th, but received a phone call literally as I was pulling into the driveway asking me to move my dinner up to the 18th because that volunteer was just quarantined for COVID 🙁  and so the winter cycle is beginning. I will source things locally this week as I don’t have another day to spend driving back and forth.

Then on Saturday we were supposed to go to dinner and see a favorite band with friends, but she wasn’t feeling well and cancelled. Last minute another friend threw together a backyard get together because the weather this weekend was absolutely gorgeous and she didn’t think we’d have that much more luck as we’re well overdue for some serious rain! We did start the day with a little rummage sale and antiquing in a neighboring town where I found a few fun finds. So, it was a great treasure weekend.

Sunday was pretty typical though as we relaxed watching football, did a little laundry and had lunch with another friend.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE

Today is gorgeous already and will be in the mid 70’s, but…. we’re supposed to drop 20 degrees to the 50’s and finally get that rain for several days that we so desperately need.

ON MY MIND

I’m starting to think about BLOGMAS. I know we haven’t had Halloween yet or even Thanksgiving, but Thanksgiving is so late this year that I’m trying to prepare early. Anyone have any ideas for new categories this year? After all it’s only

TO DO LIST, APPOINTMENTS & PROJECTS

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS & APPOINTMENTS
  • LAUNDRY & CLEANING got the laundry done yesterday and things are pretty well in order until I begin some serious decorating at the end of the month.
  • GROCERIES & ERRANDS working on my list for the charity dinner and will do the errands at the same time on Tuesday so I can begin prep work on Wednesday and Thursday.
  • RECIPE RESEARCH & MENU PLANNING One of the antique stops on Saturday in a shop I rarely shop at these days (she’s only open by appointment and “serious” shoppers, but I was with a friend who made an appointment so LOL I was “allowed” in to shop also. It was a BIG score for me though with an old recipe box full of scrumptious recipes to try. Several of the have no “title” or “instructions”, only ingredients so I’m anxious to try those. These are only about 25% of the recipes I’ve found so far.

DVR/TV TIME

WHAT’S ON THE DVR/TV
  • STREAMING We’re considering getting Apple TV as there are several shows that have piqued our interest lately. Anyone have Apple TV? Pros? Cons?
  • CABLE Several new shows begin this week and we have a few DVR’ed from last week. Also watching the Halloween baking, Outrageous Pumpkins, Last Bite Hotel and Halloween Wars.

READING TIME

I’m about half way through Marie Force’s IN THE AIR TONIGHT.

FUNNIES

MENU PLANS
10/14 MONDAY
10/15 TUESDAY
10/16 WEDNESDAY
10/17 THURSDAY
10/18 FRIDAY
10/19 SATURDAY
10/20 SUNDAY
DINNER
 CAMPFIRE CASSEROLE
HAM & CHEESE BREAD PUDDING
SLOW COOKER LEMON CHICKEN & CARROT MASH
CORN YOYO
CORN YOY0 I’m cooking at the Eagles
 PORK & BEAN BREAD & COLESLAW
 CHICKEN & GREEN RICE
DESSERT
 
 CHERRY ALMOND POKE CAKE trial run for Friday’s dessert
 

FAVORITE PHOTOS FROM THE CAMERA

I’m going to have to remember to get into some pictures in the future – seems like I’m always the one taking the pictures 😀 Daisy here was loving the crumbs and chips that everyone dropped.

INSPIRATIONS

LIFE TIP

HOMEMAKING / COOKING TIP

RECIPE LINKS FROM LAST WEEK

WEEKLY FEATURED PARTY LINKS

HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY, RECIPES, MENUS week 40 of 2024 ~ BLOG 366.281

Be sure to join Happy Homemaker Monday with our host, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

WEEKEND RECAP

I spent Saturday primarily at an Eagle’s function and then at an impromptu birthday party in the evening. Sunday was another lazy day with friends and football and I did get a little baking done.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE

FINALLY the fog is here in the mornings as our lows are nearing the 30’s. This week is predicted to be in the 70’s. YAY Fall is here!

ON MY MIND

Prayers for all of those people affected by Hurricane Helene and for the first responders helping them to begine to dig out and rebuild. The devastation is just mind boggling – so much loss on so many levels.

TO DO LIST, APPOINTMENTS & PROJECTS

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS & APPOINTMENTS
  • LAUNDRY & CLEANING I didn’t get as much done over the weekend as I had hope. I also have a pile of ironing amassing, but at this point will save it for a rainy day (literally) since it is primarily summer blouses. I washed the vacuum filters and am trying to get a few pre-Halloween projects done.
  • GROCERIES & ERRANDS I’ll be leaving here in a bit to do all sorts of errands and my grocery shopping.
  • RECIPE RESEARCH & MENU PLANNING I’m still working on some new fall recipes, but did make a really good Peasant Stew on Saturday night that I’ll be sharing soon.

DVR/TV TIME

WHAT’S ON THE DVR/TV
  • I’ve been so busy that I haven’t gotten into too many of the new shows, but will get many recorded this week.

READING TIME

FUNNIES

MENU PLANS

BREAKFAST is always a work in progress for me – it will generally be hot water and a fruit yogurt 😀
10/7 MONDAY
10/8 TUESDAY
10/9 WEDNESDAY
10/10 THURSDAY
10/11 FRIDAY
10/12 SATURDAY
10/13 SUNDAY
DINNER
 SLOPPY JOE SLIDERS
 HAM & CHEESE BREAD PUDDING
CORN YOYO
 BBQ PORK CHOPS, LEGENDARY POTATOES and RANCH SLAW
CORN YOYO
 OUT with FRIENDS & TIMBERWOLF
 CAMPFIRE CASSEROLE
DESSERT
FINALLY MAKING the PEAR WALNUT CRISP
 
 

INSPIRATIONS

LIFE TIP

HOMEMAKING / COOKING TIP

RECIPE LINKS FROM LAST WEEK

WEEKLY FEATURED PARTY LINKS

HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY, RECIPES LINKS, MENUS week 39 of 2024 ~ BLOG 366.274

Be sure to join Happy Homemaker Monday with our host, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

WEEK IN RECAP

September has just flown by and quickly at that! I want to enjoy the ‘BER months so I’m going to do my best to slow October down!!

Tuesday and Thursday were spent getting a good friend to and from physical therapy, running her errands and trying to get caught up on her yard work and house maintenance.

Wednesday was a close friend’s birthday so we spent the day with her and many other friends celebrating first with lunch and then drinks that lingered into the evening. There was a ton of good food, great desserts and lots and lots and lots more laughter.

Friday I finally got caught up on some paperwork, but I am NOT finished with it… YET…

Saturday we went to a few Barn and yard sales, but only found a few things I couldn’t live without. Also got most of the grocery shopping done, at least until the end of the week.

Sunday… what can I say? Sunday started great and ended up super lazy! I watched football all day and did finish my book though 😀

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE

It’s going to be another perfect fall week of temperatures in the 70’s during the day and 40’s at night. Perfect for me 😀

ON MY MIND

Prayers for all the people affected by the horrific hurricane Helene. The destruction caused to human life as well as the infrastructure of the south is unimaginable. I pray for help to arrive just as swiftly as the hurricane did.

TO DO LIST, APPOINTMENTS & PROJECTS

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS & APPOINTMENTS
  • LAUNDRY & CLEANING I have a couple loads of sheets and towels to do and am beginning to amass a pile of ironing
  • GROCERIES & ERRANDS mostly done until Friday
  • PAPERWORK, PHONE CALLS, PROJECTS & TRAVELS I’m still working on condensing little pieces of paper and organizing them into an easy to access order. We’re also thinking about going to the Great Junk Hunt so I need to make room reservations as it’s several hours away.
  • RECIPE RESEARCH & MENU PLANNING Starting next week I’m going to pick just one cookbook and cook from all the tabs I have poking out 🙂

DVR/TV TIME

WHAT’S PLAYING ON THE DVR/TV
  • STREAMING We’re still watching FRINGE and I’m listening to The Scarecrow and Mrs. King during the day
  • CABLE Fall shows are just beginning, but so far for me  DRAMAS – Chicago Series, Brilliant Minds, Matlock, High Potential COOKING SHOWS – Last Bite Hotel, Outrageous Pumpkins, Halloween Wars, Halloween Baking Championship, Halloween Championship

READING TIME

I’m finished with Jana DeLeon’s Marsh Madness and started Marie Force’s In the Air Tonight

FUNNIES

MENU PLANS

BREAKFAST is always a work in progress for me – it will generally be hot water and a fruit yogurt 😀
9/30 MONDAY
10/1 TUESDAY
10/2 WEDNESDAY
10/3 THURSDAY
10/4 FRIDAY
10/5 SATURDAY
10/6 SUNDAY
DINNER
 LAYERED SALAD
 SLOPPY JOE SLIDERS
BAKED SPAGHETTI
 HAMBURGER STEW
 CHICKEN CHILE CASSEROLE
CORN
 HAM & CHEESE BREAD PUDDING
DESSERT
 
 PEAR WALNUT CRISP
 

FAVORITE PHOTOS FROM THE CAMERA

INSPIRATIONS

LIFE TIP

HOMEMAKING / COOKING TIP

RECIPE LINKS FROM LAST WEEK

WEEKLY FEATURED PARTY LINKS