HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY – Page 9 – Chasing MY Life WHEREVER it Leads Me

HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY and MENU PLANS week 26 of 2022

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 had a busy and productive weekend despite the heatwave that descended on us this past week. Yesterday I volunteered at the Eagles cooking and serving brunch for new members and brainstorming with a friend on some new recipe ideas. I also got some indoor chores accomplished.

I hate to be the bearer of this news, but we are officially at the midway mark for 2022 and Christmas is only 181 days from Christmas. Which also means we’re only 187 days from the new year, 2023.

We began a heatwave over the weekend and while it isn’t as horrible as so many others are experiencing everywhere else in the country and the world or as bad as the southern California desert when I was a kid, it did happen literally overnight for us! Last weekend I needed a jacket when we went to dinner with our niece and her boyfriend. We went from early spring type temperatures to summer temperatures hitting triple digits yesterday in literally just days. We’re slated for the low to mid 90’s with lots of sunshine yet today and then it will incrementally drop back into the 70’s by next weekend. At least there’s no humidity to speak of. 😀

Mt heart hurts. 🙁 I don’t normally get political in these posts. I’m all about personal space and people doing what is right for themselves.

Personally, I DO NOT believe in abortion, BUT it is NOT my place to decide what is right for anyone else and in what instance! You can be both PRO LIFE and PRO CHOICE. So I don’t think the government (federal or state) having the control to make that decision for them is a good thing either. It’s a personal choice between a woman, her family and her doctor – there are too many gray areas…. We do not live in other people’s lives or bodies. I have enough trouble making the right decisions for myself… As a woman I can see the potential for so many other issues that women have been fighting against for so many years…

But! No matter your religious, moral or ethical beliefs… This isn’t ONLY about abortion…

Government control over personal rights and how you act/react on YOUR PERSONAL religious, moral or ethical beliefs… The biggest point to be had in the events from this week is that this is only the beginning of an agenda and that it opens MANY, MANY doors… doors that COULD send us spiraling backwards in society on soooooooooo many levels.

Between the political upheaval, COVID, earthquakes, floods, massive heat waves, spiraling economy and inflation… I PRAY we see relief from all of these things, but more importantly that people wake up and realize that we are NOT in control here and need to act accordingly… As I said, my heart just hurts 🙁

You guessed it 😀 … Hot water and peach yogurt.

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS & APPOINTMENTS

LAUNDRY & CLEANING Finished the laundry over the ungodly hot weekend while staying indoors.
GROCERIES & ERRANDS I have a small list for this week, but will work it in with a doctor appointment this afternoon. I also have a painting class Saturday afternoon and have convinced hubby to tag along and do a date night.
PAPERWORK, PHONE CALLS & PROJECTS I need to update the quarterly follow-up for the yearly list I’m doing along with Jean to post on Friday. I’m finishing up a few pieces of correspondence that need followed up on also.
RECIPE RESEARCH & MENU PLANNING Menus are done through July, but would like to find some fresh salads and new dressings/vinaigrettes for August.

WHAT’S ON THE DVR/TV

NETFLIX Maze Runner – The Cure
DISNEY+ Doctor Strange Multiverse, FREE GUY with Ryan Reynolds
CABLE NASCAR races, Cooking Shows, The Haunting and a REALLY old black and white called Down Three Dark Streets with Broderick Crawford and HIGH SIERRA with Humphrey Bogart and Ida Lupino

I finished the River’s End series and am reading Last Known Contact by the same author. I’m really enjoying her.

There are many photos I could post here, but today is and always will be a tough day for me as it is the anniversary of my dad’s death. He was gone WAY TOO young and has been for WAY TOO long now 🙁 so instead I’m posting this old favorite of mine that was taking many years before I was even born.

	MONDAY	TUESDAY	WEDNESDAY	THURSDAY	FRIDAY	SATURDAY	SUNDAY
DINNER	ENCHILADAS SUIZA	BBQ CHICKEN & CORN SALSA SLAW	C.O.R.N. CLEAN OUT REFRIGERATOR NIGHT	CHILI & CORNBREAD	CHICKEN COBB SALAD & TWISTY ROLLS	C.O.R.N. CLEAN OUT REFRIGERATOR NIGHT	BUFFALO CHICKEN MEATBALLS & HOT SLAW
DESSERT						BROWNIES?

OVEN BAKED CHICKEN & RICE with GRAVY
CILANTRO LIME CHICKEN THIGHS
BBQ MEATBALLS & BACON CHEDDAR BAKED POTATOES

TEX MEX BACON CHEESEBURGER BAKE
GARLIC BUTTER CHICKEN
SHEET PAN SWEET & SPICY BBQ CHICKEN
WINE MARINATED FROZEN GRAPES
TOMATO CUCUMBER SALAD

HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY and MENU PLANS week 25 of 2022

Doing Happy Homemaker Monday so extensively helps keep me on track as it summarizes the past week and lays out a fairly concise plan for this week.

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 am loving the weather we’ve been having (mid 50’s over the weekend), but hope to actually have some late spring weather (70’s and 80’s) this week. Weather.com says we will, but they have been saying that the past several weeks without materializing and then things change and we end up cloudy and much cooler than expected. So, I’ll believe it when I see it.

I’m trying to concentrate on finishing some long overdo projects, but things seem to keep popping up that delay the progress!

This is just a sad 🙁 category for me as it NEVER seems to be able to change 🙁 Hot water and cherry yogurt again this morning.

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS & APPOINTMENTS

LAUNDRY & CLEANING I’m as up to date as can be since laundry is a never ending thing… 😀
GROCERIES & ERRANDS No appointments per se this week, so will put together a small list and make a run to town one day later in the week.
PAPERWORK, PHONE CALLS & PROJECTS I have a stack that I’m bound and determined to get through this week.
RECIPE RESEARCH & MENU PLANNING Menus are planned through the middle of July and then I’ll do a freezer inventory and plan for the next 6 weeks. Grocery costs have me streamlining many things.

WHAT’S ON THE DVR/TV

NETFLIX We watched INTERCEPTOR which was pretty good and RED NOTICE which was super fun with DWAYNE JOHNSON and RYAN REYNOLDS. I can’t wait for sequels 2 & 3 which are already in the works. We also started SPIDERHEAD with CHRIS HEMSWORTH, but it was slow moving and we moved on… POWER OF THE DOG was just weird too so stopped about halfway through.
CABLE MASTERCHEF, ON THE ROAD WITH GUY FIERI, GREAT AMERICAN FOOD TRUCK RACE, BEAT BOBBY FLAY, GIRL MEETS FARM, AMERICAN NINJA WARRIOR, THE CHASE, NASCAR

I’m on the 4th in Phillipa Nefri Clark’s River’s End series, The Christmas Key.

The flowers are perking up a bit more with the roses finally making an appearance. We’ve still been having really cool weather – mind you I’m not complaining as I know most of the country would give anything for it – but things are just now blooming that should have bloomed months ago so the veggie garden will be iffier this year. I’m hoping this week is as warm as they say it will be and I think the flowering plants will really take off. Oh, and the color of these Calla Lillies – I’m in love!

And the kittens are still as adorable as can be! They make a Mosh Pit at night in one of the patio chairs – it’s so cute!

I had fun at the flag day class, but will probably do a few more touch ups.

	MONDAY	TUESDAY	WEDNESDAY	THURSDAY	FRIDAY	SATURDAY	SUNDAY
DINNER	BBQ MEATBALLS & BACON CHEDDAR BAKED POTATOES	CHICKEN SCAMPI & SALAD	STUFFED SHELLS & TOMATO CUCUMBER SALAD	C.O.R.N. CLEAN OUT REFRIGERATOR NIGHT/YOU’RE ON YOUR OWN	TEX MEX BACON CHEESEBURGER CASSEROLE	GARLIC BUTTER CHICKEN & SCALLOPED POTATOES	CHICKEN BLT CASSEROLE and SALAD
DESSERT		COBBLER of some sort

CHERRY CRUMBLE BARS

HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY and MENU PLANS week 24 of 2022

I love doing Happy Homemaker Monday so extensively. It helps keep me on track as it summarizes the past week and lays out a fairly concise plan for this week ahead, but it also gives me a sense of accomplishment and hope. 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 had a super rainy weekend so we missed the car show on Saturday that we had been planning on attending. They had already rescheduled it from last weekend and then this weekend was even worse. Only a about a dozen cars even showed up! The temperature has also dropped back down to the high 50’s. Unfortunately, it was also the city wide garage sale weekend. Hopefully, most people will be able to do next weekend instead so all their hard work preparing all year doesn’t go to waste.

I helped out on dinner service at the Eagles Friday night when someone failed to show up. I also spent quite a bit of time reading and working on cleaning out photo files. So for that reason 😀 BIG WARNING – today is a little photo heavy 😀

The rest of the week is supposed to be partly sunny, but still lower temperatures which is fine by me! I’m a BIG believer in the whole “a butterfly flaps its wings” theory which makes me think much of this is a result of the quadruple trip around the globe that the aftermath of the underwater volcano in Tonga took last January.

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS & APPOINTMENTS

LAUNDRY & CLEANING Laundry is up to date after the rainy weekend. I tried to get all the chores done while stuck inside in hopes of a better weather week and working outside a bit.
GROCERIES & ERRANDS I have a painting class on Tuesday evening so will work my errands into the afternoon to avoid using more gas than necessary!!!!
PAPERWORK, PHONE CALLS & PROJECTS As always have a few irons in the fire and waiting on some resolutions, and will end up having to write some letters regarding simple issues that aren’t being resolved internally because of inefficiency on the organizations part.
RECIPE RESEARCH & MENU PLANNING I just haven’t been feeling really adventurous lately 🙁

WHAT’S ON THE DVR/TV

NETFLIX We started watching the series Lincoln Lawyer and it’s pretty good, but I think I really enjoyed the movie more with Matthew McConaughey.
PRIME The Tender Bar was a really cute movie. We also finished watching season 1 of Night Sky with Sissy Spacek and JK Simmons. Hubby had never seen Conspiracy Theory with Julia Roberts and Mel Gibson so we rented that one rainy evening.
CABLE I’m ALMOST finished catching up with season finales from while we were gone. I also have several movies and cooking shows to catch up on.

I finished the StationMasters Cottage which was book 1 in the series. I actually enjoyed the Australian lean to the writing and have moved on to the Jasmine Sea, book 2 in the Rivers End series by Phillipa Nefri Clark.

Those of you who also follow me on Instagram know that I have a thing for #RailArt or #TrainGraffitti and that living in this small #LumberTown in the country where the train tracks actually run right through the middle of town affords me a multitude of those pictures a couple times a day 😀 I finally found one that is not only truly legible, but funny too!

Here are the 3 whole shots I got of the car show. You’ll also notice I got them through the window as we didn’t even get out because it started raining REALLY hard! I can’t believe how late all the flowers are blooming this year. The weather has been so very strange!!!!!!! Fortunately there was an almost sunny day where I was able to snap a few good pictures. The nasturiums are looking pretty good considering they like the warm sunny weather that we are NOT having. And the johnny jump ups as well as the oxalis (purple shamrocks) are loving being combined with the humming bird vine. Even the poppies and clematis are doing well without a ton of sunshine. I’m still most impressed with the calla lillies. I also loved this garden spider with his dinner.

Do you remember the feral cats that adopted us last winter? Well, they have had kittens. Adorable kittens! I’ve named them Callie, Soot, Sonny Jr. and mini Boots. I’m actively trying to find them homes. They are just so dang adorable! Callie was playing Whack-A-Mole with Soot and mini Boots as they hid in the cinder block and kept popping up and down. 😀 They are just so adorable that I cannot stop taking pictures hoping to catch doing something else cute.

	MONDAY 6/13	TUESDAY 6/14	WEDNESDAY 6/15	THURSDAY 6/16	FRIDAY 6/17	SATURDAY 6/18	SUNDAY 6/19
DINNER	LIME CILANTRO SKILLET CHICKEN	Y.O.Y.O. you’re on your own I have a painting class	C.O.R.N. CLEAN OUT REFRIGERATOR NIGHT	PEANUT BUTTER BURGERS, CORN on the COB & MACARONI SALAD	OVEN BAKED CHICKEN & RICE	PIZZA BOATS & SALAD	SMOKED CHICKEN WINGS
DESSERT			Yummy Lemon Blueberry Lush was REALLY good, but won’t hold up to up to the summer evening dinner for the EAGLES so now it will be cherry bars.		CHERRY BARS

CAJUN CHICKEN PASTA
ARROZ con POLLO con QUESO

CHERRY BARS
CILANTRO LIME CHICKEN
CAJUN RICE & PORK CHOPS

HAPPY HOMEMAKER & MENU PLAN MONDAY week 23 of 2022

Doing Happy Homemaker Monday so extensively helps keep me on track as it summarizes the past week and lays out a fairly concise plan for this week. 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 sweet friends. I hope you all have had a wonderful weekend and have a stress free week ahead of you!

It’s going to be another one of those weird weeks of truly uncertain weather. This forecast has changed a half dozen times since I first looked at it last night 😀 As always, Levis and a comfy 3/4 sleeve t shirt are winning the battle along with my most comfy POP’s 😀

Hot water, baby food squeeze and a banana

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS & APPOINTMENTS

LAUNDRY & CLEANING Been working on a water leak problem with hubby and it’s leading to a few side projects 😀 The laundry is up to date though!!
GROCERIES & ERRANDS I have an ophthalmologist appointment later this week which I know is going to be expensive because I also NEED new sunglasses this year.
PAPERWORK, PHONE CALLS & PROJECTS I did accomplish 1 large project, but have a few others to finish this week though today is already shot and so is Thursday so I’m hoping Tuesday and Wednesday will be super productive!
RECIPE RESEARCH & MENU PLANNING I haven’t made much progress on the end of June, but will try and do that this week.

WHAT’S ON THE DVR/TV

AMAZON We started a new series called Night Sky with Sissy Spacek and J.K. Simmons
NETFLIX The BIG Wheel – an old Mickey Rooney film
PRIME Days of Thunder with Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman
CABLE Hatari! an old John Wayne movie, NASCAR, FEAR the Walking Dead, a bunch of cooking shows and I’m still working on catching up with my normal seasonal shows and the season finales as well as a couple Hallmark movies.

I’m still reading The Stationmaster’s Cottage (#1 Rivers End) by Phillipa Nefri Clark – it’s a little deeper than the summer romances I was reading, but I REALLY like it and will seek out other titles by this “new to me” author.

I put it aside to keep working on Hopefully Matched #3 in an Alaska Matchmakers Romance series by Cathryn Brown.

Next up is A Fire Sparkling by Julianne Maclean

My calla lillies are FINALLY blooming even if it’s months late!

	MONDAY 6/6	TUESDAY 6/7	WEDNESDAY 6/8	THURSDAY 6/9	FRIDAY 6/10	SATURDAY 6/11	SUNDAY 6/12
DINNER	SOY MOLASSES SALMON & CHARRED CORN	PIZZA BOATS and SALAD	Y.O.Y.O. C.O.R.N. YOU’RE ON YOUR OWN CLEAN OUT REFRIGERATOR NIGHT	STEAK CAMPFIRE PACKS & SALAD	GRILLED LEMONADE CHICKEN with RICE PILAF	SMOKED CHICKEN WINGS & SALAD	Y.O.Y.O. C.O.R.N. YOU’RE ON YOUR OWN CLEAN OUT REFRIGERATOR NIGHT
DESSERT		LEMON BLUEBERRY LUSH	The Lemon Blueberry Lush is a work in progress for the Eagle’s Friday night dinner next week.

LEMON BLUEBERRY LUSH
CAJUN CHICKEN PASTA

HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY with MENU PLANS week 22 of 2022

I LOVE doing Happy Homemaker Monday extensively as it really helps keep me on track as it summarizes the past week and lays out a fairly concise plan for this week. Be sure to join us for Happy Homemaker Monday and link up with our host, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

Today may be a holiday, but I’m looking forward to getting back to a regular routine with this first week of June. I CANNOT believe this year is almost half over already! I am trying to get around to visit everyone, but GOOGLE keeps signing me out and lets me sign back in, but not stay signed in. On some of your pages it isn’t letting me comment at all, but know I’ve visited and wish you all well and hope you have a fantastic week!

This past weekend brought us a surprise WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY and some much needed rain, a little hail and even a short lived snow flurry! YEP, you read that right – the weather has been SOOOOOOOOOOO weird lately! A local lake campground that is normally full for this holiday weekend had to cancel half their reservations because of the snow we had 6 weeks ago didn’t melt in time for the holiday weekend. Our neighbors who went to a different campground (like they do every year) came home on Sunday morning because they were so miserable from the cold wet weather, and they were’ in a snug and warm trailer. 😀

Despite that, it looks like it will be a bit drab this week with overcast muggy weather, but NOT excessively warm which I do appreciate!

THERE ARE JUST NO WORDS for everything that is going on in our world 🙁 My thoughts and prayers go out to ALL who are suffering and experiencing loss 🙁

Hot water and peach yogurt

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS & APPOINTMENTS

LAUNDRY & CLEANING We never go anywhere over holiday weekends so have been home and am all caught up.
GROCERIES & ERRANDS I went last Thursday before the holiday weekend so need very little his week, but will be making a run to Kohl’s (an hour and a half away) later in the week and take my mom shopping.
PAPERWORK, PHONE CALLS & PROJECTS I have a few things that need to be finished up and mailed this week that will hopefully bring some closure to some long term things that were postponed by COVID.
RECIPE RESEARCH & MENU PLANNING Menus are made through mid June, but I’m hoping to find some light and fun recipes for the end of June and July.

WHAT’S ON THE DVR/TV

NETFLIX In the Line of Duty
PRIME Being the Ricardos and The last 2 episodes of Outer Range – it was really strange and I’m sorry I wasted so much time on it.
SIL’S HOUSE We saw quite a few movies while we were at SIL’s house and I can’t begin to tell you what stations – the movie UP which was ADORABLE!, Midnight Run, FRAILTY, The 40 Year Old Virgin, Drinking Buddies which was sooooooooooooo dumb, The Last Time I Saw Paris and a couple other old black and white movies that for the life of me names have escaped me 😀
CABLE I need to get caught up on all the season finales that occurred while we were at the family reunion. We did watch all the NASCAR races and HATARI! over the rainy weekend. I also saw the last several BULL episodes of the series and caught up on children’s MasterChef.

The Stationmaster’s Cottage (#1 Rivers End) by Phillipa Nefri Clark

I’m going to finish editing photos today, but here are a couple of favorites. Castle lake was so pretty and perfectly clear. This tree and it’s knothole called to me 😀 I can’t believe there was still so much snow in late May!

	MONDAY	TUESDAY	WEDNESDAY	THURSDAY	FRIDAY	SATURDAY	SUNDAY
DINNER	C.O.R.N. CLEAN OUT REFRIGERATOR NIGHT	PAPRIKA RUBBED CHICKEN & MARINATED BEAN SALAD	BEEF TIPS & GRAVY over MASHED POTATOES	OUT	OVEN BAKED CHICKEN and RICE	CAJUN CHICKEN ALFREDO and SALAD	SKILLET CHICKEN con QUESO and SALAD
DESSERT		BUTTERMILK FUDGE BROWNIE CAKES

SAMOA CHEESECAKE
CRANBERRY APPLE SLAB PIE
MEXICAN STREET CORN CHOWDER
PAN SEARED CHICKEN with WALNUT CREAM SAUCE
RED CABBAGE SALAD with BAKED CHERRIES, APPLES & ALMOND DUKKAH

HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY with MENU PLANS week 21 of 2022

Doing Happy Homemaker Monday so extensively helps keep me on track as it summarizes the past week and lays out a fairly concise plan for this week. 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 will be super abbreviated today. We’re still traveling through tomorrow and getting an early start at parks, waterfall visits and hikes today. We stopped at a local store and picked up salami, cheese, crackers and fruit for a box lunch on the trail today.

It’s supposed to be gorgeous here today – mid 70’s and a light breeze. We were up at the 7,000 foot mark yesterday though and it was more breezy and quite chilly, so I’m layering in my comfiest Levi’s, a tank, a favorite lightweight flannel and hiking boots.

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS & APPOINTMENTS

LAUNDRY & CLEANING I did most of the laundry from the trip at SIL’s house, but will have a week’s worth from the trip home along with the sheets and towels from before we left.
GROCERIES & ERRANDS I have a pedicure on Thursday and will put together a grocery and errand list before I go.
PAPERWORK, PHONE CALLS & PROJECTS I have a few things from before the trip that need to be handled this week.
RECIPE RESEARCH & MENU PLANNING Your guess is as good as mine 😀

WHAT’S ON THE DVR/TV

NETFLIX ?? We did start the new Lincoln Lawyer series in the hotel last night and think we will like it.
PRIME ??
DISNEY+ ??
DISCOVERY + ??
CABLE Everything from the last 3 weeks on the DVR

I finished the girl from Channel Islands finally and need to move on to something much lighter so I began Mystic Falls, A Coyote Wells Mystery by Vickie McKeehan

Here’s where we were yesterday 😀 after we left Lassen Volcanic National park – More pictures to come later 😀

	MONDAY	TUESDAY	WEDNESDAY	THURSDAY	FRIDAY	SATURDAY	SUNDAY
DINNER	OUT	OUT	??	??	??	??	??
DESSERT		*

HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY and MENU PLANS week 20 of 2022

Normally doing Happy Homemaker Monday so extensively helps keep me on track as it summarizes the past week and lays out a fairly concise plan for the upcoming week, but this week will be abbreviated due to vacation time and enjoying the wonderful weather. Be sure to join us for Happy Homemaker Monday and link up with our host, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

Here’s a little funny for you to think about while I finish my vacation:

Hot water and black cherry yogurt

I’m still reading (just been too tired to get very far at night) The Girl from Channel Islands by Jenny Lecoat that is inspired by true events. It’s the story of a young Jewish woman trapped on the occupied island of Jersey during World War II. I love historical novels based on WWII so have high hopes for this book.

We were a small group (about half) this year, but I still literally have thousands of images to edit, but here are a couple of favorites.

	MONDAY	TUESDAY	WEDNESDAY	THURSDAY	FRIDAY	SATURDAY	SUNDAY
DINNER	SIL’S CHOICE	SIL’S CHOICE	SIL’S CHOICE	SIL’S CHOICE	?? ON THE ROAD	?? ON THE ROAD	?? ON THE ROAD

HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY & MENU PLANS week 19 of 2022

It was cold an rainy when we left home last Thursday, beautiful when we arrived here on Friday and not bad on Saturday. It turned SUPER windy and cold yesterday and is supposed to be in the 50’s and windy until we head down to the family reunion on Wednesday where it will be glorious!

Traveling is really hard for me and I have had a couple reactions, but ALL and ALL I’m doing pretty well, but keeping it simple with so much eating out. I’m also quite concerned about staying safe and well while traveling with COVID cases on the rise again. I’m quite worried that the current surge seems to have mutated making the vaccines less efficient.

HOT water and strawberry yogurt with some FRESH cherries we picked up at a roadside stand yesterday.

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS & APPOINTMENTS

LAUNDRY & CLEANING – NONE I’m on vacation 😀
GROCERIES & ERRANDS Wednesday we will arrive in town for the family reunion and will do all our shopping for the weekend.
PAPERWORK, PHONE CALLS & PROJECTS – NONE I’m on vacation 😀
RECIPE RESEARCH & MENU PLANNING – NONE I’m on vacation 😀

WHAT’S ON THE DVR/TV

whatever SIL decides 😀

I’m reading The Girl from Channel Islands by Jenny Lecoat that is inspired by true events. It’s the story of a young Jewish woman trapped on the occupied island of Jersey during World War II. I love historical novels based on WWII so have high hopes for this book.

I’ll have to do a post later with pictures from our overall trip, but for now I’m enjoying being at SIL’s house enjoying the country 😀 Here are some of her frogs, frog pond, honey bees, garden, flowers

	MONDAY	TUESDAY	WEDNESDAY	THURSDAY	FRIDAY	SATURDAY	SUNDAY
DINNER	CHAMISAL tennis club with nephew and his wife	Leftovers from last night’s dinner at The Whaling Station on Cannery Row	somewhere in SOLVANG with a different nephew and his family	cafe at the resort	FAMILY STREET TACO NIGHT at FAMILY REUNION	FAMILY REUNION POTLUCK – we’re bringing a 7 salad platter and an antipasto platter	OUT on the way home
DESSERT		PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES FOR THE TRIP

HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY with MENU PLANS week 18 of 2022

Welcome to another Monday as we begin May already! Can you believe how this year is flying by?! I hope everyone had a great week and did something incredibly spring like. We’ve been doing more walking when possible. I have a lot to get done this week so will jump right into today’s post.

We leave Thursday morning to go to my sister-in-law’s house for several days before we take her to the family reunion next week. So, I decided to check out the weather for here and there and am VERY happy with the sunshine we’re going to find at her house!! Despite the distance (600 miles away) temperatures will be about the same so I’ll pack for layering, but at least it won’t be that “wet” kind of cold that gets into your bones that we have here.

Hot water and cherry yogurt

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS & APPOINTMENTS

LAUNDRY & CLEANING I have a load of laundry to do before we leave on Thursday. I’m also packing in 3 bags to make the trip easier – 1 bag for the trip down, a larger one for being at SIL’s house (before and after) and another for the family reunion. Once we’re back at SIL’s I’ll do some laundry and pack the small one again for the trip home.
PAPERWORK, PHONE CALLS & PROJECTS I have a bit to finish up before Wednesday so I can get them mailed before we leave Thursday, but am ahead of the game for a change.

WHAT’S ON THE DVR/TV

NETFLIX I’m up to date on Virgin River and Sweet Magnolias, but am still working my way through Firefly Lane.
PRIME Outer Range is getting a bit strange, but I still want to see where it goes.
TUBI Saturday night Svengoolie had a horrible remake of Invaders from Mars on and hubby wanted to see the original which we found it on TUBI. When it was over The Goonies came on which was fun for a nostalgic Saturday night 😀
CABLE COOKING Spring Easter Baking, Masterchef Jr., Beat Bobby Flay and Grocery Games, DUFF, Girl Meets Farm CRIME DRAMAS Chicago series (Med, Fire & P.D.), NCIS (Original, L.A. & Hawaii), Bull, The Rookie, Law & Order (Original Remake and SVU), Magnum PI, Blue Bloods and FBI’s (Original, Most Wanted & International) COMEDIES Young Sheldon & Ghosts HALLMARK MOVIES When Calls the Heart DOCUMENTARIES Mysteries of the Abandoned SPORTS NASCAR

I’m started The Girl from Channel Islands by Jenny Lecoat that is inspired by true events. It’s the story of a young Jewish woman trapped on the occupied island of Jersey during World War II. I love historical novels based on WWII so have high hopes for this book,

but I also like lighter reading at times and and The Book of Sorrel by Jennifer Peel is great for 15-20 minutes before I fall asleep 😀

We took a nice walk the other evening after the day’s rain and before the night’s rain and were rewarded with some really pretty scenery and beautiful flowers.

Only carefully obey the command and instruction that Moses the LORD’s servant gave you: to Love the Lord your God, walk in all His ways, keep His commands, be loyal to Him, and serve Him with all your heart and all your soul. Joshua 22:5 CSB

* NEW RECIPE	MONDAY	TUESDAY	WEDNESDAY	THURSDAY	FRIDAY	SATURDAY	SUNDAY
DINNER	*BRUNSWICK STEW & HONEY ROLLS	*PATCHWORK SOUP & BUTTERMILK ROLLS	C.O.R.N Y.O.Y.O clean out refrigerator night – you’re on your own	OUT somewhere ON THE ROAD	SIL CHOICE	SIL CHOICE	SIL CHOICE
DESSERT			BUTTERMILK BROWNIES TO TAKE SIL

EVERETT STEW formerly known as BRUNSWICK STEW

HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY and MENU PLANS week 17 of 2022

Doing Happy Homemaker Monday so extensively helps keep me on track as it summarizes the past week and lays out a fairly concise plan for this week. 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 had a really nice weekend here. Got the patio furniture cleaned up and situated, watered all the new flowers that appear to be going to make it despite our late season snowstorm last week and the tomatoes I finally planted last week appear to be okay despite the weird weather!

We had an absolutely beautiful warm weekend with sunshine and temperatures in the high 70’s. This week though is starting cloudy and is supposed to be 15 degrees cooler than the weekend was with a couple days of rain. Welcome to spring in the Pacific Northwest. 😀

We’re getting ready to go to our annual family reunion and the uncertainty of the weather makes it tough pack 😀 I always pack in layers, but LOL inevitably wish I had something I didn’t bring.

Hot water & cherry yogurt

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS & APPOINTMENTS

LAUNDRY & CLEANING I got most the laundry done over the weekend, but will have a load or two by the end of the week.
GROCERIES & ERRANDS Need to get the oil changed before our trip next week, get the tires rotated and hubby needs a haircut.
PAPERWORK, PHONE CALLS & PROJECTS I have a few things that I need to get done before we leave, but I made a huge dent in the pile yesterday.
RECIPE RESEARCH & MENU PLANNING Not planning past next week as we’ll be leaving for our annual family reunion, where menus are primarily SIL’s domain in May 😀

WHAT’S ON THE DVR/TV

NETFLIX We watched EAGLE EYE that was quite good, BLUE MIRACLE with Dennis Quaid that was based on a true story and also quite good. And we started a new series that we may or may not stick with called YAKAMOZ 2-345
PRIME We watched 2 more episodes of OUTER RANGE
DISNEY+ We watched The Eternals – I normally enjoy MARVEL movies, but this one was quite long and kept jumping back and forth thousands of years to tell the story so was a bit hard to follow at times. I also re-watched Hawkeye with hubby one evening as he’d not seen it yet.
CABLE COOKING Spring Easter Baking, Masterchef Jr., Beat Bobby Flay and Grocery Games CRIME DRAMAS Chicago series (Med, Fire & P.D.), NCIS (Original, L.A. & Hawaii), Bull, The Rookie, Law & Order (Original Remake and SVU), Magnum PI, Blue Bloods and FBI’s (Original, Most Wanted & International) COMEDIES Young Sheldon & Ghosts HALLMARK MOVIES When Calls the Heart DOCUMENTARIES Mysteries of the Abandoned SPORTS NASCAR

I’m just starting The Girl from Channel Islands by Jenny Lecoat that is inspired by true events. It’s the story of a young Jewish woman trapped on the occupied island of Jersey during World War II. I love historical novels based on WWII so have high hopes for this book.

The local pond is still much higher than normal. This area is right next to the road and the “no trespassing” sign is usually standing about a foot out of water.

On Friday I went to a quilt show at the fair grounds and these are a few of my favorites.

*NEW RECIPES	MONDAY	TUESDAY	WEDNESDAY	THURSDAY	FRIDAY	SATURDAY	SUNDAY
DINNER	*BEEF & POTATO CASSEROLE	ENCHILADAS SUIZA & SALAD	C.O.R.N. CLEAN OUT REFRIGERATOR NIGHT	*STEAK TIP SALAD & BUTTERMILK ROLLS	*BBQ PORK SANDWICHES & COLESLAW	*BRUNSWICK STEW & BISCUITS	BEEF STROGANOFF & GREEN BEANS
DESSERT		*BUTTERMILK BROWNIES

BAKED FRENCH ONION RICE
CHEESY ARTICHOKE CHICKEN

HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY with MENU PLANS week 16 of 2022

I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter Sunday! Ours was simple and quiet.The weather was still quite cool and was hopefully our last night of freezing weather because I REALLY need to get the tomato starters in the ground OUTSIDE because they are actually flowering and outgrowing to shoe box.

I made glazed ham steaks, scalloped potatoes, honey glazed carrots and homemade lemon curd and sour cherry jelly donuts. We delivered several of those to a friend who had to work today.

Maybe, just maybe, the weather is going to return to spring around here 😀 daytime in the 50’s and nighttime in the 40’s (mostly) and WET! I’m hoping to get the tomatoes moved from the shoe box on the kitchen table to the garden this week.

I’d been wishing I hadn’t packed away the heavier winter coats, but layers seem to be working for now. One day last week I actually had on 4 sweatshirts during the snow storm 🙂

Hot water & cherry yogurt

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS & APPOINTMENTS

LAUNDRY & CLEANING Deep clean is done, but have a load or two of laundry to do and a bit of vacuuming.
GROCERIES & ERRANDS I have a booster for my booster today and will pick up a few groceries at that time. I also have a hair appointment later in the week.
RECIPE RESEARCH & MENU PLANNING Menus are made through the month.

WHAT’S ON THE DVR/TV If spring ever gets here, I’ll be outside more and watch less TV

NETFLIX MOVIES Spenser Confidential, Hudson Hawk – how did I not see this when it was new all those years ago? SHOWS I’m finishing the most recent season of Virgin River and just began the first season of Firefly Lane
PRIME Started the new series Outer Range – we’ll see where it goes
DISNEY+ I watched season 1 of Hawkeye
CABLE COOKING Tournament of Champions, Spring Easter Baking, Masterchef Jr., Beet Bobby Flay and Grocery Games CRIME DRAMAS Chicago series (Med, Fire & P.D.), NCIS (Original, L.A. & Hawaii), Bull, Law & Order (Original Remake and SVU), Magnum PI, Blue Bloods and FBI’s (Original, Most Wanted & International) COMEDIES Young Sheldon & Ghosts and we’re trying the new How We Roll HALLMARK MOVIES When Calls the Heart DOCUMENTARIES Mysteries of the Abandoned SPORTS NASCAR, Football

I just finished books #1 Return to Sender and #2 In Name Only and I’m about to start Jennifer Peel’s Silent Partner, book #3 in the Pine Falls series

We had a strange springtime snow storm last week! Made for a strange trip to town in April.

*NEW RECIPES	MONDAY	TUESDAY	WEDNESDAY	THURSDAY	FRIDAY	SATURDAY	SUNDAY
DINNER	*CHICKEN SPAGHETTI	CHICKEN NEW ORLEANS	*CHICKEN PAPRIKASH	*PORK CHOPS with TOMATOES and BAKED FRENCH ONION RICE	*MEXICAN BEAN PATCHWORK SOUP & BISCUITS	*CHILI CHICKEN	*CHEESY ARTICHOKE CHICKEN
DESSERT		*BUTTERMILK BROWNIES

JELLY DONUTS

HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY with MENU PLANS week 15 of 2022

Hello there. I hope you all had a good week and spring has taken hold in your neck of the woods 😀 unlike here. I’m in spring cleaning mode myself trying to wait out mother nature 🙂

I found this funny on Facebook, but it fits so well! It has been a REALLY strange week – record heat (it was 88 last Thursday), wind, rain, hail, snow! And it looks like it isn’t over yet. That “S” word is still in the mix though it won’t be anything that sticks, but it’s still freezing almost every night. This time last year I had the garden planted and it was doing well. This year the starters are outgrowing the aero garden and yearning to go outside to play 🙂 I just hope the flower seeds I did plant when it got warm do make it.

Theraflu and cherry yogurt

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS & APPOINTMENTS

LAUNDRY & CLEANING Just a couple loads of laundry, a bit of ironing and general cleaning this week.
GROCERIES & ERRANDS I need a few last minute things for Easter dinner and will make a run to town later this week after I get all my scraps of paper into a single list 😀
PAPERWORK, PHONE CALLS & PROJECTS Roofers will be here Monday FINALLY to finish repairs that began months ago! Dishwahser repairman will be here Tuesday – what a hassle using a warranty is when you’re not in a big city!
RECIPE RESEARCH & MENU PLANNING Looking for some lighter spring recipes, but not getting too crazy until after we get back from the family reunion in May.

WHAT’S ON THE DVR/TV

NETFLIX Captain Nova
DISNEY+ Hawkeye
CABLE Cooking shows: Tournament of Champions, Spring Easter Baking, Masterchef Jr., Beet Bobby Flay and Grocery Games Crime Dramas: Chicago series (Med, Fire & P.D.), NCIS (Original, L.A. & Hawaii), Bull, Law & Order (Original Remake and SVU), Magnum PI, Blue Bloods and FBI’s (Original, Most Wanted & International) Comedies: Young Sheldon & Ghosts and we’re trying the new How We Roll Hallmark/Movies: A Royal Runway Romance and When Calls the Heart Documentaries: Mysteries of the Abandoned

I finished Jana Deleon’s Flame & Fortune, book #22 of the Miss Fortune series – just a fun read. Hubby even enjoys the audibles when we travel. And I have begun In Name Only by Jennifer Peel – book #2 in her series and have The Girl From Channel Islands, a WWII historical novel by Jenny LeCoat waiting in the wings that I can’t wait to get to.

I had a painting class last week for a spring picture. I still want to do some tweaks and layers, but I’m pretty happy with it.

I also started a Ukranian Art in a Box painting and am doing many, many layers to finish it. I have just begun the yellow layers. The studio is donating the proceeds to a family living out of a bomb shelter.

And then the next night hubby and I took a Ricotta Cheese making class at a local winery and had a delicious Italian meal of Crispy Pinwheel Hot Jelly Ricotta appetizers, Garlic Bread, Salad, Lasagna and Raspberry Almond Ricotta Cake made with it.

And what do you do on a cold and rainy afternoon? Play Mexican train of course 😀

	MONDAY	TUESDAY	WEDNESDAY	THURSDAY	FRIDAY	SATURDAY	SUNDAY
DINNER	CALABRIAN CHILE CHICKEN PASTA	HOT HONEY GLAZED PORK CHOPS	SEARED STEAKS WITH SOY GLAZE	C.O.R.N. CLEAN OUT REFRIGERATOR NIGHT	CHICKEN SPAGHETTI & HOT HOUSE SALAD	CHEESY ARTICHOKE CHICKEN & 5 CHEESE PASTA	GLAZED HAM STEAKS, SCALLOPED POTATOES, GLAZED CARROTS
DESSERT		APPLE CRUMBLE for a friend’s birthday		LIMONCELLO CAKE

SWEET & SOUR BRISKET
CALABRIAN CHILE CHICKEN PASTA

Category: HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY