Category: HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY

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 everyone had a wonderful weekend full of sun and family fun.

Ours was fairly quiet. My main activity was when I spent a few hours Friday making 36 mini pineapple upside down cakes as a dessert for an Eagles Auxiliary dinner on Friday night. My friend made the most wonderful Cobb Salads with grilled chicken. The original plan was for 30 dinners, but the city started their music in the park program that day and we ended up selling 44 salads (many of them to go for the park) so we obviously ran out of dessert. Next time I’ll make a significant amount of extras. I’m sure they won’t go to waste 😀

We did go out for lunch on Saturday after hubby weed whacked the back hill that backs down to the highway as some added safety towards fire season.

We grilled some burgers on Sunday with some FRESH yummy pasta salad, played some Mexican train dominoes, watched some of the Olympics, a few movies and stayed out of the heat (yesterday hit a pretty still 94 degrees) for the most part. There was a nice breeze most of the day EXCEPT in the middle hottest part of the day.

We’re supposed to be under a new “Heat Dome” this week into next. The drought and fires are bad here and getting worse so that’s NOT good news 🙁 We received a notice this week that watering anything besides a food garden is strictly forbidden. We NEED rain desperately! We had a drier than normal winter and spring and now summer has been completely rain free. The creeks, rivers and ponds are sooooooo much lower than normal. Ironically we did have a sprinkler leak that we just fixed and now is obsolete as the system is turned off.

I keep falling asleep almost immediately so I’m still reading Jana DeLeon’s newest book, Backrush

But, I’m hoping to finish this week so I can start Heather Webber’s The Lights of Sugar Berry Cove

I’ve been keeping an eye on the neighbors garden while they have been away the past 5 weeks. The flowers are still looking good, but the grapes are beginning to suffer.

• CRISPY HOT HONEY WINGS
• DR. PEPPER CARAMEL BBQ CHICKEN
• MACARONI POTATO SALAD
• CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER CRINKLES

• HAWAIIAN CHICKEN
• CHICKEN FRICASSEE
• ANTIPASTO SALAD
  

• BROKEN aka SKILLET C.O.R.N. LASAGNA
• SPICY CUCUMBER SALAD
• GRILLED SPICY LIME PORK CHOPS

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 everyone had a wonderful weekend. Ours was productive and quiet and I can’t say that upsets me. An “unplugged” and “down” day soothes me A LOT lately.

Friday and Saturday were super productive with errands and lunch out, planning our route for the trip next month, laundry and cleaning so I got caught up on the DVR on Sunday, did some reading and we grilled dinner and virtually nothing else.

For summer, the weather hasn’t been half bad. Unfortunately we are pretty far behind in rain this year and there are way too many fires going in our state.  The Bootleg fire is a couple hours away from us. I read that it is growing 1,000 acres per hour!!!! A friend with the National Guard said his unit is being sent to help along with many others – unfortunately with the drought on top of it and lack of jet fuel they aren’t able to fight these fires like they normally do with aircraft and such 🙁

So the breeze is awesome for us against the heat, but horrible for the fire fighters. 🙁

Hot water and baby food squeeze, Apple, Carrot, Pineapple.

I started Jana DeLeon’s newest book, Backrush

My mom’s house backs up to a highway and has a real “dead” spot in the back that is easily accessible because of the way her fence is. So, hubby made her this cute little “Kilroy” was here type sign, just for fun and hopefully scare someone that happens upon it.

Her friend saw it and really liked it, so he made one for her too. We went and installed it on her fence the other day. Her son came home late that evening and went out on the patio for a phone call and just about jumped out of his skin thinking that someone was looking over the fence.

All I have to say is 😀 JOB well done!

I’ve been working on cleaning out my recipe stash and making as many new receips as I can to eliminate the clutter of paper scraps. And our CORN AND YOYO nights have been moved to Fridays and Sundays to accommodate a couple of our schedule changes.

• PINEAPPLE UPSIDE DOWN CAKE with PINK PEPPERCORN CARAMEL
• HAWAIIAN CHICKEN
• PEA & BACON SALAD with FRENCH DRESSING
• CHICKEN THIGH FRICASSEE

• JET TILA inspired FRIED RICE
• CHICKEN PARMESAN MEATBALLS
  
• PINEAPPLE PEPPER LIME CHICKEN

• DR. PEPPER BBQ CHICKEN & POPPY SEED DRESSING
• GRILLED SPICY LIME PORK CHOPS
• CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER CRINKLES
• ANTIPASTO SALAD

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 your weekend was as good as mine was. Mine was very relaxing. We slept in a bit on Saturday, but then had a nice morning at the Car and Quilt show. It was cancelled last year due to COVID, but was back this year. It’s held at a local River Park (the same one that does that amazing light show at Christmas time) so it was beautiful with the cool breeze, grassy area and the river flowing by. There weren’t quite as many cars or quilts as in years past, but you gotta start somewhere.

Sunday was spent watching the NASCAR races and catching up on some older television shows. We grilled some steaks and I made some pineapple upside down cake for dessert. It was so nice that we spent some time just relaxing on the patio and I was able to get quite a bit of reading done. 😀 It felt good to just relax a bit.

We have cooled down considerably and have had an almost regular strong ocean breeze that makes it seem even nicer than it is during the day and we’re cooling down well at night. It’s summer so it’s okay by me. I love having season changes. Unfortunately we also have several fires burning early in the season 🙁

Issues, issues, issues again 🙁 hot water and baby food squeezes are my friend

I just finished A Fire Sparkling by Julianne Maclean and I LOVED it! Just when you thought you had it all figured out she’d toss in a subtle plot change that made so much sense I couldn’t believe I hadn’t thought about it before. For some reason I’m drawn to WWII stories that play out in our time.

Now I’m about two thirds through The First Wife’s Secret by Claire Amarti and while they are entirely different stories I’m enjoying it just as much.

I’m still editing the pictures from the car and quilt show we went to over the weekend, but here is one of my favorites. It transported me back to watching the movie Grease. I could just see them racing for pink slips in a car just like this 😀

Since we are in the last half of 2021 – yep, you read that right, I’ve started a Christmas wall hanging using a quilt technique, quilting each square as you go, that I have personally never done before.

And just to punctuate the point:

• LEMON THYME CHICKEN 2 WAYS
• JET TILA inspired FRIED RICE
• RESCUE WRAPS 
• 49er CHILI & CHILI DOG CASSEROLE

• ASIAN KETCHUP MEATBALLS 
• CHICKEN PASTA SALAD 
• JALAPENO HONEY STICKY WINGS
  

• CHICKEN THIGH FRICASSEE
• PEA & BACON SALAD with FRENCH DRESSING
• HAWAIIAN CHICKEN

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 that you all had a safe and wonderful holiday weekend full of fun and relaxation too. Our was a quiet weekend since I was down and out Friday night and Saturday so we took it easy yesterday. With living in the country and the high risk of fires we tends to stick really close on the 4th just in case of firework mishaps.

We’re in a traditional summer pattern now which seems wonderful after last week’s excessive heat from the heat dome. We’ve also been having very pleasant ocean breezes almost daily that make things really, really nice.

I had a bad week and a pretty bad reaction Friday night and Saturday so am really watching what I eat A LOT! Breakfast is hot water and baby food puree.

I’m in the middle of A Fire Sparkling by Julianne MacLean

This guy won the patriotism award at our favorite tavern yesterday.

Since we back up to a country highway with tons of brush, hubby was ready for the potential of fireworks mishaps yesterday.

I still have touch ups to do, but I’m pretty happy with this week’s painting 😀 And it was appropriate for the holiday.

I’m trying some new recipes this week from some of my current favorite chefs 😀

• ASIAN KETCHUP MEATBALLS
• CHICKEN PASTA SALAD
• CHICKEN, BLACK BEAN AND CORN SALAD with VINAIGRETTE
• PINK ALFREDO PRIMAVERA MEATBALLS

• BETTY WHITE’S CHICKEN WINGS
• PAN SEARED CHICKEN in GARLIC CREAM SAUCE 
• BAKED SHEET PAN HAMBURGER STEAKS
  

• 49er CHILI & CHILI HOT DOG CASSEROLE
• JET TILA inspired FRIED RICE
• RESCUE WRAPS 
• SPICY CUCUMBER SALAD 

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 everyone had a wonderful Father’s Day weekend with lots of family, fun and relaxation! Our was quiet with a couple small projects and errands. We also went for pizza (hubby’s choice) at one of our favorite restaurants.

Hello Summer! Bring on the sunshine! I know it’s hot just about everywhere, but it’s really been tolerable here with refreshing breezes – just don’t stand out in the direct sun too long!

Hot water and strawberry banana smoothie

I’m between books and will be starting one of these this week. A Fire Sparkling by Julianne Maclean, The CookBook Club by Beth Harbison, Seaside Manor Bed and Breakfast by Lilly Mirren or What We Find by Robyn Carr

When we re-did the flower beds, garden beds and whiskey barrels last year we purchased all new garden soil to fill the new beds. While it can’t be explained, evidently there were calla lily bulbs ground up into the new garden soil somehow. We have NEVER planted calla lilies before, but now have them coming up like volunteers beautifully everywhere we placed the new soil 😀

The bees have been having a hey day with the pink mallow and heather especially.

The hummingbirds have been flitting about everywhere with all the flowers in bloom.

• GARLICKY SHEPHERD’S PIE
• INSTA POT STICKY PORK LETTUCE WRAPS
• BETTY WHITE’S CHICKEN WINGS
• BAKED HAMBURGER STEAKS

• SHRIMP PAD THAI
• TOMATO SCALLOPED POTATOES
• P3 PISTACHIO PLUM PLATZ
  

• CHICKEN MADEIRA
• CHERRY BBQ CHICKEN THIGHS
• ORANGE BEEF LETTUCE WRAPS
• GRILLED SPICY LIME PORK CHOPS

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

Good morning dear friends! I feel like I’ve been gone from blogland for months instead of just days, but I’m back!

How was your weekend? We helped my mom with her garage sale for the citywide community sales. The weather was horrible on Friday – cold (50’s), windy, rainy and then great on Saturday at almost 80 and almost sunny. We had more people on Friday by far and in the end did quite well with sales. That said I have at least 3 loads of things to drop off to Salvation Army this week, but at least it’s over and mom’s house is cleaned out.

It’s supposed to cool and even a little rainy today and tomorrow and then we’re supposed to head into Father’s day weekend and the beginning of summer with a serious bang in the 80’s and 90’s.

Hot water and peach yogurt

I finished THESE TANGLED VINES by Julianne MacClean which I really enjoyed and am following it up with her THE COLOR OF DESTINY.

I hadn’t even picked up a camera this week with all the garage sale prep, but I did do a little Pinterest surfing and fell in love with this kitchen! so thought I’d share the picture with you.

And then yesterday evening there was a group of #Teenagers that showed up at the #Front door and wanted to trade new tires or $25 for #ANYTHING. They were on a #ScavengerHunt. They started with a single #Penny and had to go #DoorToDoor trading up to larger and #Odder items. Having just had a #GarageSale Friday and Saturday my car and garage were full of the #Leftovers that I need to haul off to #SalvationArmy starting today. So I told them to keep their tires and their $25 AND take whatever they wanted from the pile of donations. They took the #MudFlaps for a #Bounder #MotorHome a #ChristmasCookieJar a #Vacuum 2 #BeachChairs a #BeachUmbrella #Honda #TireChains and … have fun #FamilyChurch #YouthGroup I hope you won😉

• LEMON CAKE with LEMON CURD FILLING, LEMON BUTTER FROSTING & CANDIED LEMONS
• MEXICAN MANICOTTI
• COWBOY COOKIES

• ZESTY GARLIC GREEN BEANS
• CHILI LIME CHICKEN
• SOUR APPLE SLAW
  

• SHEET PAN BAKED HAMBURGER STEAKS with MUSHROOMS AND ONIONS
• INSTA POT STICKY PORK LETTUCE WRAPS
• BETTY WHITE’S CHICKEN WINGS 

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

This time last week we were unseasonably high in the 90’s. This week not so much and it looks like it will be on the cooler side all week with a chance of rain for the garage sale days 🙁

Hot water and black cherry yogurt

I’m just finishing up THESE TANGLED VINES by Julianne MacClean and will follow it up with her THE COLOR OF DESTINY.

We went to a car show on Saturday and I was really surprised at the wonderful turn out for the first local outdoor event.  There were quite a few really cool cars and some with some great signage too. But, this dog really made me laugh. So I stuck with a “dog” theme – the hot dog vendor, Hound Dog Salvage and the dog relieving himself. 😀

While cleaning out the attic and going through all of mom’s Christmas decorations we ran across these. She thought I made them, but they were made by kid brother who wants no part of them so this is the last the world will see of these macaroni ornaments.

Hubby found this cute little dragonfly hanging out in the garage and brought him outside before closing the door.

• BRAISED RED CABBAGE
• PORK SCHNITZEL
• AVOCADO & RED ONION SALAD
• MELISSA’S CHICKEN A.K.A. CHICKEN IN MUSTARD SAUCE
  

• PARSLEY, SAGE, ROSEMARY & THYME ROAST CHICKEN
• VESUVIO CHICKEN
• BLUEBERRY LIME NO BAKE CHEESECAKE
  

• PICKLED CARROTS
  
• BARNYARD PIE
  
• COWBOY COOKIES
  
• BAKED HAMBURGER STEAKS & ONIONS
  
• LEMON CAKE with LEMON CURD FILLING, LEMON BUTTER FROSTING and CANDIED LEMON SLICES
  

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’m back! Did you even miss me? I missed being able to easily visit everyone and am looking forward to getting caught up this week. We came back to cooler weather, but this week looks like it will be heavenly 😀 in the 60’s and 70’s.

As I settle back into a routine, I see that we are ALMOST through half this year. Where did it go?? I was only gone 3 weeks, but it felt like 3 months – we did 10 days of project research, the family reunion which I coordinate so it can be a bit involved trying to deal with snapfus and such and then a week at my SIL’s house updating her electronics and issues.  WHEW I need a vacation from my vacation 😀

Our trip was wonderful, but it is so nice to have the laundry done and things back in their places, even if just temporarily. Even so, we are planning another trip in August for our BIG anniversary and hopefully the last of the project research 😀

The family reunion went really well despite hating the location! Long story short, we investigated several new venues on the way home for a new site in 2022.  We have this reunion EVERY year (except last year – thank you COVID for breaking our perfect record) and are REALLY excited about the new site we found.The group coordinator I’m working with is wonderful and has even helped us arrange a short trip in August for our anniversary so we can get the “lay of the land”.

It is an RV resort park that will accommodate all the family members with their own RVs or trailers as well as those that want to rent cabins or tent sites. It also has plenty for the littles to do recreational wise and is near by to wine tasting, the Solvang Danish community and even an Ostrich/Gnu farm. I spent most of last week organizing the new venue and letters to family members to get the reservations in place. WHEW, glad that’s over except for the trip hubby and I are even going for in August for our anniversary to acclimate ourselves so that next family reunion goes smoothly.

Hot water and apple, carrot pineapple toddler squeeze.

Hubby and I were listening to Jana DeLeon’s Miss Fortune series on audible during the trip and heard 3 books.  Next trip we’ll do books 4-7 or 8, but in the meantime I’m reading book 20 – Fortune Funhouse!

Editing is HIGH on my list. I know many of you have been following along on my InstaGram feed so you know what I mean! But, I do have a favorite, well one of many favorites, but this one is pretty special. I got my niece laughing and she rewarded me with SUPER SWEET picture!

Some old family friends celebrated a REALLY BIG anniversary recently. When I got to my SIL’s house and saw this invitation with a picture of their wedding day, it really made me smile. Can you guess who Ted looks like?

• BLUEBERRY LIME NO BAKE CHEESECAKE
• VESUVIO CHICKEN
• ZESTY GARLIC GREEN BEANS

• BROCCOLI SLAW 
• MISO GINGER CHICKEN
• PAN SEARED CHICKEN with WILTED BRUSSELS SPROUTS

• GARLIC & LEMON CACIO E PEPE
• LEMON & HERB MARINATED GRILLED CHICKEN THIGHS

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

Hubby and I will be listening to the rest of the series on Audible while we’re on the road. Last week we heard books 1 Louisiana Longshot & 2 Lethal Bayou Beauty and we will start book 3 Swamp Sniper on our way home from SIL’s tomorrow.

I’ll edit photos after we get home, but I do have these 2 – the 45 foot wide flower that is made of ice plant.  My SIL planted this on her property below her garden area after my BIL passed away and it has truly been the talk of the town for a few years now. It can be seen from the Laureles grade between the Carmel valley and Salinas.

The next picture is of the most wonderful mushroom tamale. In fact it is the most delicious tamale I have EVER had!  It was drizzled with a delicious tomatillo sauce, pico de gallo, micro greens and toasted pepitas.

• SOUR APPLE SLAW
• CHILE LIME WINGS
• ITALIAN CHICKEN & RICE

• ZESTY GARLIC GREEN BEANS
• VESUVIO CHICKEN
• BLUEBERRY LIME NO BAKE CHEESECAKE

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’m still on the road, but VERY rural at my SIL’s house this morning so this will be an abbreviated post. We will be heading to the family reunion on Tuesday. We had to cancel last year due to COVID so we are really looking forward to this year.  We changed the location a few years ago and many people want to move back to our original location so I have some research to do.

We received some bad news last week with hubby’s oldest sister passing away suddenly. Last year we were going to have a tribute to my MIL & FIL who have both passed away in the past couple years so we will have that this year and add in my SIL.

Hot water and apple, carrot baby food squeeze

I’m reading Frightfully Fortune by Jana DeLeon.  Hubby is actually listening to the series with me on Audible while we’re on the road. Last week we heard books 1 Louisiana Longshot & 2 Lethal Bayou Beauty and we will start book 3 Swamp Sniper on our way home from SIL’s next week.

I took a ton of pictures this past week, but many still need edited. For those of you that follow my instagram you know what I mean 😀 Here is one of my favorites though. SIL has her own beehives and they produce the best sage honey! My new jar is packed and ready to take home 😀

• BACON CHEESEBURGER SLIDERS
  
• SHRIMP PAD THAI
  
• P3 PISTACHIO PLUM PLATZ
  
• TOMATO SCALLOPED POTATOES
  
• PARSLEY SAGE ROSEMARY & THYME ROAST CHICKEN
  

• ZESTY GREEN BEANS
• SOUR APPLE SLAW
• ITALIAN CHICKEN & RICE