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.

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS & APPOINTMENTS

LAUNDRY & CLEANING Pretty much up to date! GROCERIES & ERRANDS way NOT up to date. I’m going this morning to get a long overdue pedicure, do errands, pick up maps for the next trip and get groceries for the week. I’m also helping my mom get ready for a garage sale with her golfing friends next weekend and then another for her house in June. PAPERWORK & PHONE CALLS I have a BIG stack to deal with this week, but it is HIGH on my priority list! RECIPE RESEARCH & MENU PLANNING I only have menus planned through June 3rd so seriously need to update this category!

WHAT’S ON THE DVR/TV

NETFLIX Army of the Dead, finish Stargate SG1 season 9 DISNEY+ finish season 1 of Mandalorian CABLE We have a TON of things from when we are on our trip that we will be catching up on this week, but we did a binge of FEAR the WALKING DEAD last night and got all caught up on at least 1 show 😀

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?

	MONDAY	TUESDAY	WEDNESDAY	THURSDAY	FRIDAY	SATURDAY	SUNDAY
DINNER	BAKED LEMON GARLIC PARMESAN CHICKEN & ROASTED VEGGIES	EGG ROLLS IN A BOWL with AVOCADO RED ONION SALAD	C.O.R.N. CLEAN OUT REFRIGERATOR NIGHT	MELISSA’S CHICKEN & GREEN BEANS	BOURBON PECAN CHICKEN & WILD RICE	HUNGARIAN CHICKEN & CREAMED PEAS	PORK SCHNITZEL & BRAISED RED CABBAGE
DESSERT		CHOCOLATE CHIP SCONES

• 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

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS & APPOINTMENTS

Still on our trip for a couple more days, so will reevaluate later this week and be back to normal by next Monday!

WHAT’S ON THE DVR/TV

Just what SIL had on her TV and then a couple hotel rooms. We’ll catch up later this week.

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.

	MONDAY	TUESDAY	WEDNESDAY	THURSDAY	FRIDAY	SATURDAY	SUNDAY
DINNER	ON THE ROAD	ON THE ROAD	ON THE ROAD	??	??	??	??
DESSERT

• 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

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS & APPOINTMENTS

Just lots of food, fun and family! Safely too!

WHAT’S ON THE DVR/TV

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 😀

	MONDAY	TUESDAY	WEDNESDAY	THURSDAY	FRIDAY	SATURDAY	SUNDAY
DINNER	CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP & WINGS	??	BBQ STEAKS	STREET TACOS	CHILI DOGS	POT LUCK	??
DESSERT

• 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

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’re all having a wonderful spring and had a GREAT weekend. We’re on the road again this week and having a great trip so I will make this VERY quick 😀

The weather has been quite nice until yesterday when we began to encounter rain and a cold front. We were treated with a nice thunderstorm last night and today is on the cool side so I’m back to flannels and many layers.

This doesn’t change much for me unfortunately no matter where we are at 😀 but it has been challenging with hotels and the way they handle breakfast during the pandemic. We’ve encountered everything from nothing, bagged to go continental breakfast, regular serve yourself buffet style (which we opted to stay away from) to room service only.

I did pack a supply of my squeeze pouches though so today is hot water with a splash of green tea and baby food squeeze – apricot peach this morning. It’s also a hotel with room service so hubby will choose something easy – fresh apple slices, hard boiled egg, a danish and coffee.

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS & APPOINTMENTS

SEARCHING FOR OUR NEXT PROJECT 😀

WHAT’S ON THE DVR/TV

WHATEVER IS ON THE HOTEL TV 😀

I’ve downloaded 2 new books to start this week during our trip. RETURN TO SENDER by Jennifer Peel and THE COTTAGE BY THE SEA by Hannah Ellis.

There have been so many favorite photos from the past week, but this one is probably the most poignant. I love the history of why Borglum chose these 4 presidents and I LOVED seeing how much the monument has changed and grown with the addition of the state flags and history since I was here last many years ago.

Some of the most fun were the 40 miles of Burma Shave like billboards for Wall Drugs in Wall, South Dakota. We didn’t stop this trip, but have before and it’s a fun once in a lifetime stop if you’re in the area.

	MONDAY	TUESDAY	WEDNESDAY	THURSDAY	FRIDAY	SATURDAY	SUNDAY
DINNER	*STILL	*OUT	*OF	*TOWN	*FOR	*THE	*WEEK
DESSERT

• RUSTIC CASSOULET
• SWEET & SOUR BROWN BEANS

• PARSLEY, SAGE, ROSEMARY & THYME ROAST CHICKEN
• P3 ~ PISTACHIO PLUM PLATZ
• TOMATO SCALLOPED POTATOES