Category: MEMES & LINK PARTIES

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

How is everyone this morning? Are you ready for Christmas?

I’m actually ready. ALMOST! Shopping is done. Packages are wrapped and will be ALL shipped as of later this morning. Rib roast is ordered at the Butcher. Menus are made. Food donations are arranged for the baskets being given away. Cookies are proportioned for the Cookie Exchange later this week.

But, for some reason this year I fell behind on Christmas cards (I’m usually ready by the end of November) and I’m not even sure why! I also whittled down my list this year so there are fewer cards ~ so I have no real excuse. I will get them finished today or tonight.

I’m even up to date minus yesterday’s post on BLOGMAS so all and all I’m pretty pleased.

DAY 1 ~ Holiday Schedule
DAY 2 ~ Elf on the Shelf / Gnomes
DAY 3 ~ Christmas Movie MUST Watch List
Day 4 ~ Christmas Music Playlist
DAY 5 ~ Quiet Christmas?
Day 6  ~Christmas Cookies
Day 7 ~ Real or Artificial Tree?
Day 8 ~ Winter MUST haves
Day 9 ~ Christmas Cards
Day 10 ~ Advent Calendar
Day 11 ~ Favorite Decorations and Ornaments
Day 12 ~Outdoor Decorations & Lights
Day 13 ~ TAG questions
Day 14 ~ Stocking Stuffer Ideas
Day 15 ~ Neighbor Plates & Gifts / Delivery Drivers
Day 16 ~ WISH List
Day 17 ~ Party Food Ideas/ CHARCUTERIE Boards – OOPS I’m a day behind, but will get caught up today 😀
Day 18 ~ Favorite Christmas Foods, Beverages & Recipes

Our forecast keeps alternating between rain and snow so it really could go either way since we are now on WINTER STORM WARNING! Our highs are supposed to be in the low 40’s and the nighttime lows in the very low 30’s and lots of wet, wet days ahead this week.

We’ve also been extremely windy. Saturday night we had to disconnect the Frosty and Santa blow-ups because they were trying to take flight. We also lost one of the old fashioned Christmas light posts when it blew off the porch and shattered. 🙁 The rain pounded for all of Friday and Saturday making everything a soppy mess, but there were a couple hours in the 40’s yesterday where we were able to get the blow ups drained off of excess water, untangled the wind blown lines and re-secure them. Hubby was even able to glue some of the lantern pieces back together, but this will be the last year for it.

WINTER STORM WARNING ~ PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
* Travel is strongly discouraged because of dangerous conditions.
* If you must travel, keep tire chains, a flashlight, blankets, food, water, medications, and 
a fully charged phone with you.
* The safest place during a winter storm is indoors.
* A Winter Storm Warning means that severe winter weather is imminent and poses a threat 
to life and property. Take protective action now.

Hot water and Peach, Apple, Pear squeeze

I’m in between reads right now and need to decide on something, but for now have just been playing words with friends as I fall asleep.

We had this family recipe lasered onto cutting boards (made by a local artisan) made for gifts this year and I can show you how cool they are because the recipients don’t read my Monday posts 😀 I wish the picture was better, but too late to take a new one as they are wrapped and ready for shipping in a couple hours.

with the links to last week’s posted recipes, featured party links for the week and upcoming recipes to be posted soon.

• CAST IRON SKILLET MEATLOAF
• SHRIMP SCAMPI PASTA
• NORWEGIAN MEATBALLS

• PINEAPPLE RUM PUNCH
• FRENCH PEAR TART
• HONEY BUTTER GARLIC PORK  LOIN
  

• RUSTIC TATER & HAM SOUP
• ROASTED POTATO SALAD
• BLUEBERRY SOUR CREAM BREAD/MUFFINS

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

Did you have a good week? Are you ready for the holidays? Are you going simple this year or going BIG after last year being so low key? We’re going low key, but I didn’t have to be talked into decorating this year. Wanting to downsize many things made that choice easy.

I had a pretty good week and accomplished quite a bit. I also ended it with a painting class yesterday that I enjoyed, BUT was really a bit of a pain in the butt because many people weren’t paying attention and she had to repeat herself quite a bit.

Here are mine and Jessica’s paintings. I’m fairly happy with it so far, but will probably do some touch up in the future.

Don’t forget to join in to BLOGMAS when you can. Here is a list of the links to date. I’m not doing a linky, but will visit you if you comment so I know you played along 😀

DAY 1 ~ Holiday Schedule
DAY 2 ~ Elf on the Shelf / Gnomes
DAY 3 ~ Christmas Movie MUST Watch List
Day 4 ~ Christmas Music Playlist
DAY 5 ~ Quiet Christmas?
Day 6  ~Christmas Cookies
Day 7 ~ Real or Artificial Tree?
Day 8 ~ Winter MUST haves
Day 9 ~ Christmas Cards
Day 10 ~ Advent Calendar
Day 11 ~ Favorite Decorations and Ornaments

It’s going to be quite a wet week. Snow was even in the forecast for 2 days, but we’ll see if that materializes. Our highs will be in the low 50’s and low’s in the low 30’s. Hubby has an early doctor’s appointment that I need to go to also this morning so I’m in layers of warm things 😀

Hot water and baby food squueze – apple pineapple carrot today – actually a favorite flavor!

I have been so exhausted when I fall into bed that I haven’t gotten much reading done recently. I did get 3 new Bible journaling and devotional books delivered over the weekend and will be beginning on them soon.

I did my part for shopping local and then encountered feeding time on the way home from town – only in the country do you have to wait for the cows to be fed in order to get where you’re going.

with the links to last week’s posted recipes, featured party links for the week and upcoming recipes to be posted soon.

• THANKSGIVING CASSEROLE
  
• THANKSGIVING EGG ROLLS
  
• TURKEY TETRAZZINI
  
• LOADED FRIED MASHED POTATOES

• SPINACH ARTICHOKE CHICKEN
• CHICKEN SOUR CREAM YEAST ROLLS
• GRASSHOPPER BROWNIES
  

• REUBEN EGG ROLLS
• KILBOURN SANDWICHES
• SHRIMP SCAMPI PASTA
• CHARCUTERIE BOARDS

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

How is everyone this morning? Number one question – did you take your turkey out of the freezer this morning to thaw in the refrigerator? 😀 Have you done your grocery shopping and are you ready to

I had a SUPER busy week around here preparing for the carpet cleaners that should be here around 9AM. Most of the furniture is in the dining room, kitchen or bathrooms as well as stacked on top of each other to clear a path and make their job easier! Hopefully, it will also make it go faster. I’ll go run errands after their done so I’m out of the house while it dries. A friend recently did her own and ended up sick from the chemicals so I want to be out while it’s drying.

Fortunately I have already done the grocery shopping so can avoid those stores!

I’m also working on My BLOGMAS 2021 list and am ready to dig in just after Thanksgiving this year. I’m so ready for Christmas!

It’s supposed to be a relatively mild week with highs in the 40’s and 50’s and lows in the high 30’s with a little rain starting on Thanksgiving.

Hot water and baby food squeeze

I’m still working on some seasonal recipe magazines and tagging the recipes I’d like to make this winter. I also started a new series called Five Island Cove by Jessie Newton, Book number one is ‘The Lighthouse’.

I just LOVE this old one-lane bridge near us and someone (no one knows who) puts up a new seasonal decoration on both sides of the bridge each month.

AND A FUNNY THIS WEEK

I know I shared this last week also, but it bears repeating with Thanksgiving upon us.

with the links to last week’s posted recipes, featured party links for the week and upcoming recipes to be posted soon.

• CHEESEBURGER PASTA
  
• BUTTERMILK POBLANO GRAVY
  
• CARAMELIZED PEARS with PORK BELLY
  
• GRAN’S APPLE CAKE
  

• CHOCOLATE CARAMEL APPLE CHEESECAKE BARS
• TUSCAN CHICKEN VEGGIE STEW with CHEESY SCALLION SODA BREAD
• OVEN BAKED CHICKEN & RICE with SAUTEED MUSHROOMS

• HONEY LEMON (or ORANGE) PORK CHOPS
• MEXICAN STREET CORN CHOWDER
• GREAT GRAN’S CHICKEN & NOODLES

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

Can you believe we are half way through November already? And that Thanksgiving is only 10 days away? Have you bought your turkey yet? On that same line of thinking we’re only 40 days from Christmas. This year sure seems to be FLYING by!

Yesterday was gorgeous and today we’re back to 100% chance of rain. The pond that was near barren just 6 weeks ago has been refilled. There was also a rock slide last Friday from all of last week’s rain that blocked the highway a few miles from our house. I believe that is supposed to reopen later today, but now they’re sating Tuesday. They originally estimate 5-600 cubic yards of debris to remove so they could repair the road. Last I heard it was now over 7,000 cubic yards so it is taking more time.

PICTURE OF SLIDE ON THIS LINK

The rest of this week is supposed to be much cooler and quite wet which is fine by me since I’ll be home and inside working.

I’d like to say last week’s appointment with the chronic care manger went well, but it didn’t even happen… I got to the receptionist to check in and was told the chronic care manager is no longer with the practice and they’ll get back to me when they get a new one. They didn’t even call to tell me the appointment had been canceled! I cannot tell you how infuriated I am with this particular medical practice.

They did get me in with the nurse practitioner o Friday and she ordered my monitor and set into works the specialty referrals I need to go back to the endocrinologist and dermatologist.

I also have a last appointment with my primary care doctor that I love and is the one leaving. I’m hoping to find out what practice she’s going to and see about transferring even though it means it’s 65 miles away. Sometimes small town living is bad… when it comes to not enough decent medical.

So once again I’m having hot water and peach yogurt while waiting for new referrals and monitors to be ordered. The delicate balance between reactive hypoglycemia and dumping syndrome is like walking a tightrope as you move through your day – EVERY day 24/7 and it is absolutely exhausting!

I’ve been reading some seasonal recipe magazines and tagging the recipes I’d like to make this winter. I also started a new series called Five Island Cove by Jessie Newton, but haven’t really gotten far enough into it to say whether I like it or not. Book number one is ‘The Lighthouse’.

I’ve also been reading up on the power of comfort food. I found a few Scandinavian recipes I plan to make over the winter. They say these recipes will brighten dark days 😀 Recipes like, Apple and Cinnamon Cake, Norwegian Cream Buns, Auntie Inga’s ‘Kladdaka’ aka sticky chocolate cake and Kanelbullar aka real cinnamon buns.

I’d really like to know the history, (no pun intended) of this billboard off the highway near where we live.

with the links to last week’s posted recipes, featured party links for the week and upcoming recipes to be posted soon.

We updated the Thanksgiving menu a bit – just decided there was too much food on it so we simplified to our favorite recipes. 😀

• HONEY BUTTER GARLIC PORK LOIN
• HOT ITALIAN SANDWICHES
• S3 SWEET, SALTY & STICKY PORK CHOPS – SWEET & SOUR 1000 ISLAND PORK CHOPS
• MELT IN YOUR MOUTH CHICKEN PARMESAN CASSEROLE
• TUNA TARRAGON

• CARAMEL APPLE HAND PIES
• FONTINA STUFFED PORK CHOPS with SWEET PEPPER SAUCE 
• CHOCOLATE FUDGE MARBLE CELEBRATION CAKE 

• GRAN’S APPLE CAKE aka HARVEST CAKE
  
• PORK BELLY & CARAMELIZED PEARS
  

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

Did you remember to set your clocks back? I did, but my body didn’t get the message so I was WIDE awake at 5AM on a Sunday! Oh well, I got a lot done and was happy for the extra time. 😀

I’m anxious to jump into some normalcy and begin this holiday season! I started with our local Harvest craft fair last Saturday and did a bunch of Christmas shopping while supporting local artists. The Christmas holiday fair is in a month and I will support it also. Entry into both fairs is canned goods for the food drive which I highly support.

I also have everything gift wrapped to date which is such a relief to be ahead of the game. I even have the Christmas cards started 😀

While we didn’t have “luck” on finding a new project home this trip YET I’m a believer in things happening for a reason and know what is supposed to be will be in time so I’m okay with it. It is prompting me to spend the winter sorting and planning a HUGE garage sale for spring to downsize when I know things will work out better. I’m hoping by then we have entered the endemic phase of this pandemic and to find a bit of normalcy in the world around us.

The Pacific North West in November and it’s raining, imagine that LOL We’re supposed to be in the 50’s with low in the 40’s all week along with more rain. We needed the rain so bad that I don’t even mind! I love that all the flannel and layers are back with my comfy UGGs.

Hot water and black cherry yogurt

I’m working on Kristen Proby’s book #3 Serendipity: A Bayou Magic Novel, but I keep falling asleep before I get but a few paragraphs in.

Hubby and I were both getting a little cabin fever from the recent rain storms so took a drive to a neighboring town and had lunch at a favorite old haunt and did a little antiquing. It was cold, but so good to get out and I actually took a few new pictures.

Buster’s Main Street Cafe where we went is too small and unable to operate under current COVID restrictions, but we were happy to find that several of the downtown businesses have banded together with a local Brewery, Covered Bridge Brewing and are able to still function and stay in business. They deliver your food directly to you at the brewery who in turn serves your drinks and is large enough to have tables that meet the social distancing requirements.

It’s a cute little town and actually has a fun history dating back to the filming of Buster Keaton’s The General in 1926 and John Belushi’s Animal House parade scene down Main Street in 1978. Cottage Grove is also home to many working covered bridges and a go to spot when people are visiting. The covered bridge below is actually only a mile and half from the house and one of my favorites that we use quite often.

with the links to last week’s posted recipes, featured party links for the week and upcoming recipes to be posted soon.

• ROASTED TOMATILLO CHILI
• PISTACHIO CRUSTED ROCK FISH/HALIBUT
• ENCHILADA MEATBALLS, RE-FRIED BEANS & TEX-MEX RICE

• CRAN PINEAPPLE SAUCE
• CRUSTLESS APPLE PIE ~ SPICY BAKED APPLES
• WINTER CRANBERRY ORANGE PORK ROAST

• BEEF STROGANOFF on a BUDGET
• HONEY BUTTER GARLIC PORK LOIN
• MELT IN YOUR MOUTH CHICKEN PARMESAN
  

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

I hope you are all doing well and I promise to play a better catch-up game this week now that I’m home! I’m still playing catch-up on mail, laundry, current events/news (so much happened while we were traveling), etc…, but I’m home! As wonderful as the trip was, it’s always good to get back!

Oh my can you believe it is November already? 24 days until Thanksgiving and 54 days until Christmas if you were wondering! I can say that now that Halloween is over. I hope your was great whatever you did. Ours was quiet with about 4 dozen or so kids. At one point we wondered why we heard them coming to the door, but not ringing the bell when we realized they were just taking from the delivery driver bins 😀 We brought those inside so they would ring the bell for the Halloween candy instead. HA HA, It never occurred to me to bring those in.

I was planning on doing BLOGTOBER and BLOGEMBER this year, but honestly will be lucky to do BLOGMAS. I do have high hopes of returning to a more normal blogging in 2022.

We’re back in the cool fall of the Pacific Northwest! I’m absolutely loving it, but need to get my wardrobes changed out to warmer clothes and soon! Highs will be in the low 50’s with the lows in the high 30’s and lots of clouds and rain. Flannel shirts and UGG’s are in! 😀

Hot water and pear applesauce

We got through 12 books of the Jana DeLeon Miss Fortune series while on the trip and I didn’t get much reading done at night, but did finish the 21st book in the series. I’m about to begin the 3rd in the Bayou Magic series by Kristen Proby.

I’m still editing the last of the trip photos, but those of you that follow my Instagram have seen most of them already. I still have the last few days of the trip to go, but hope to get them up on Instagram the next couple days. 😀 One of my most favorite is this old photo booth style composite of lunch with some of our oldest friends 😀 I know I shared it last week, but it’s still one of my favorites 😀

with the links to last week’s posted recipes, featured party links for the week and upcoming recipes to be posted soon.

• PORK TONKASTU with WATERMELON TOMATO SALAD
• PAN SEARED CHICKEN  with WINE HERB PAN SAUCE
• BEER BRAISED CHUCK ROAST with GLAZED RED ONIONS
• MEYER LEMON CAESAR DRESSING

• SOURDOUGH OATNUT HOLIDAY DRESSING
• BRUSSELS SPROUTS CASSEROLE
• PUMPKIN PINEAPPLE CRUNCH CAKE aka HARVEST DUMP CAKE

• PISTACHIO CRUSTED ROCK FISH or HALIBUT
• ROASTED TOMATILLO CHILI
• ENCHILADA MEATBALLS, RE-FRIED BEANS & TEX-MEX RICE

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

Hey everyone! I know I’ve been missing in action, but this is the beginning of our last week of travel! I have to admit I will be so happy to end this trip. It has been beyond exasperating, beyond informative and tiring too (which I will do a post about soon). There were some great highlight moments too, but it was certainly an eye opener. It’s true what they say, YOU CAN’T GO HOME AGAIN! But, that’s a story for another day.

I promise to get around to everyone and visit this next week 😀 Thanks for being patient with me.

We arrived at my SIL’s house yesterday and boy what a weather change from the past couple weeks. It’s extremely cool here, windy and rainy too. We should have highs in the 50’s all week. I’m glad I packed some of my favorite flannels and extra socks 😀 I’m also glad we’ll be here through the worst of the storm which should clear before we head home Thursday.

Hot water and baby food squeeze

We’re still listening to the Jana DeLeon’s Miss Fortune series and will finish Reel of Fortune #12 and Swamp Spook #13  on our way home.

I’m trying to get caught up on editing all the pictures I have taken on this trip, but some of my favorites were the ones from Cadillac Ranch.

And I LOVE this one from lunch last Saturday! We had sooooooo much fun and this series reminds me of an old photo booth series.

I will be attending our local craft fairs in November and December for just this reason!

• PEPERONCINO CHICKEN
• KANSAS CITY BBQ CHICKEN
• ROAST CHICKEN with HOT BUTTER SAUCE

• BEER BRAISED CHUCK ROAST with GLAZED RED ONIONS
  
• MEYER LEMON CAESAR DRESSING

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

We’re leaving on our road trip today (FINALLY) so I’ll make this fairly short and sweet. I hope you have all had a productive week and quiet weekend full of family and fun.

I’m laughing at this category today. The weather has been changing so much all over the country in just the past couple days. I packed for the trip and then repacked a second time before finally deciding on a multi-layered pack that allows for multiple weather pattern changes. Here this morning it’s raining and cool, but we’ll probably see some cooler temperatures and maybe even a bit of snow or at least a frost tonight when the low will be 27°. LOL tomorrow though we’ll be in Las Vegas by the end of the day so are planning for a bit warmer in the 70’s.

Hot water and a baby food squeeze on the go.

I’m reading Jana DeLeon’s Swamp Sweets, book #21 in the Miss Fortune series. Hubby and I will continue to listen to the books from the beginning on audible while we travel the next few weeks.

I went to a painting party last Wednesday for a Halloween painting that’s growing on me and I will definitely be doing some updates on, but I’m really looking forward to the Christmas cookie exchange painting party that my girlfriend is putting together. She’s thinking about maybe doing this one.

I did sign up for this cute gnome in December also.

The Eagles will be having a bake sale while we’re gone (I originally offered to bake for it when we were supposed to go on this trip months ago and thought we’d be here for the sale) so I did all my baking this weekend and prepared them for the freezer. This way they can do as they please for the sale. I made 3 Whiskey Currant Pineapple Carrot cakes, a Pumpkin Spice Dump Cake and a Pumpkin Butter Pecan Dump Cake. Needless to say I ran out of time for much picture taking this week, but hope to make up for it on the trip. 😀

with the links to last week’s posted recipes and upcoming recipes to be posted soon.

• DADDY’S ROAST CHICKEN
• CAFETERIA CHICKEN
• CHICKEN CORN CHOWDER
• POPCORN RANCH BAKED CHICKEN
• BLACK PEPPER BUTTERMILK BISCUITS & GARLIC CHEDDAR BUTTER
• CALIFORNIA CHICKEN CLUB RING & AVOCADO CREMA

• HEART ATTACK CASSEROLE aka TEXAS POTATOES
• BEEF VEGGIE SOUP
• HONEY BEER BREAD