NANEA HOFFMAN – Chasing MY Life WHEREVER it Leads ME

HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY, RECIPE LINKS & MENUS week 51 of 2025 ~ BLOG 365.356

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

LAST WEEK RECAPPED

GOOD MORNING sweet friends! Grab your coffee and join me.

Can you believe we’re only 3 days from Christmas? And only 10 days from a brand new year?!!!!! I just don’t know where this year went so quickly!!

That said, I am basically ready early for Christmas or as much as I can be and am enjoying each day as it comes for a change. I did make some pre-planning and organizational changes to the scheduling and shopping for the Eagles to ease my stress and well, if they don’t like it, they can find someone else to do my job. 🙂

BLOGMAS is in full swing with these completed posts:

BLOGMAS #1 days 1,2 and 3 ~ Holiday Schedule, Christmas Cards, Elf on the Shelf/NISSE & Wrapping Ideas
BLOGMAS #2 days 4 and 5 ~ Christmas Music and Movies
BLOGMAS #3 days 6, 7 and 8 ~ Real Tree vs. Artificial, Decorating & Favorite Ornaments
BLOGMAS #4 days 9, 10 and 11 ~ Advent Calendars, Presents, PJ’S, Books, Last Minute and Homemade Gifts ~ updated with 2 new soups ~ FRIENDSHIP & SPICY BLACK BEAN CORN SOUPS
BLOGMAS #5 days 12, 13 and 14 Presents, WISH Lists and Stocking Stuffers
BLOGMAS #6 days 15, 16 and 17 Quiet Christmas or BIG Get Together, Favorite Family Traditions and Christmas Memories
BLOGMAS #7 days 18, 19 and 20 Winter Wonderland, Lights and Parades, Christmas Markets and Fairs, Winter MUST Haves and TAGS
BLOGMAS #8 days 21, 22 and 23 Christmas Menus, Party Foods and Favorite Recipes
BLOGMAS #9 days 24, 25 and 26 12 Days of Christmas, Meaning of Christmas, Merry VS. Happy, Inspirations and Stories

Coming up this week will be:

BLOGMAS #10 Christmas Eve, NORAD, St. Nick and Merry Christmas

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE

We’re FINALLY getting some winter temperatures, but I’m fairly confident when I say we’ll NOT be seeing a white Christmas this year. 🙁 Highs this week will be in the 40’s with lows in the 30’s and a bit more rain.

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY, WHAT’S ON MY MIND, PROJECTS, APPOINTMENTS & DVR/TV

TO DO: LAUNDRY & CLEANING I have a couple loads of laundry to get caught up on before the holiday and the cleaning is up to date besides the mess I’m sure to make in the kitchen each day as I finish last minutes gifts.
TO DO: GROCERIES & ERRANDS I have a hair cut and pedicure this morning before I drop off the DHS gifts and food basket. I’ll squeeze in a SUPER small visit to the grocery store for 5 quick items before I shoot home to meet my neighbor who is bringing over hubby’s BIG gift and hiding it for me while hubby is at his Red Cross donation. Then I have a quick meeting tomorrow night with a ornament and cookie exchange. Tuesday morning is Taco Tuesday with friends and a gift exchange. Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday will be baking for the neighbor plates. I still have the BRIGADEIROS, BUTTERFINGER COOKIES, HAYSTACKS, SLOW COOKER CANDY and BROWNED BUTTER TOASTED COCONUT CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES to make.
PROJECTS & TRAVELS Nothing on the calendar right now.
RECIPE RESEARCH & MENU PLANNING Good through the end of the year! I’ll reevaluate at that time.
DVR/TV I have quite a few Hallmark movies to catch up on and am looking forward to several new Food Network shows, but have had very little TV time. When we have time we have been binge watching EUREKA which is always fun.
THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY Being ready for Christmas with time to spare so I can sit and enjoy the twinkling tree…the smell of a favorite memory food baking…the first snow of the year falling…the look on a friends face when they open your gift that you picked out special for them…

READING TIME

I finished GONE BEFORE GOODBYE by Reese Witherspoon and Harlen Coben – WOW a slow start, but what a bunch of twists and turns to a surprise ending! I started something lighter for now until Book Club meets on January 3rd, Merit Badge Murder Merry Wrath Mysteries #1 by Leslie Langtry. I’m not sure if she was trying to emulate Jana Deleon’s Miss Fortune series, but it sure has similarities. It’s not bad, but it’s not as good as Jana’s books.

FUNNIES

MENU PLANS

BREAKFAST is always a work in progress for me – it will generally be hot water and a fruit yogurt 😀

	12/22 MONDAY	12/23 TUESDAY	12/24 WEDNESDAY	12/25 THURSDAY	12/26 FRIDAY	12/27 SATURDAY	12/28 SUNDAY
DINNER	CHICKEN STEW & BISCUITS	BUTTERMILK CHICKEN & BAKED BEANS	BLACK EYED PEA CHILI & CORNBREAD	PRIME RIB, TURKEY BREAST, MASHED POTATOES & GRAVY and GLAZED CARROTS	CORN/YOYO clean out the refrigerator night OR you’re on your own	ONE PAN CHICKEN & VEGGIES	BEEF BARLEY STEW
DESSERT	SALTED BROWNED BUTTER COCONUT CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES	BUTTERFINGER COOKIES and SLOW COOKER CANDY	BRIGADEIROS, PEANUT BUTTER MOLASSES CRINKLES and HAYSTACKS	CRANBERRY CHEESECAKE

FAVORITE PHOTOS FROM THE CAMERA

A friend popped by yesterday with this beautiful flower arrangement that she made me.

And I made headway on my soup mixes.

INSPIRATIONS

LIFE TIP

HOMEMAKING / COOKING TIP

RECIPES COMING UP THIS WEEK

LEMON BUTTER CHICKEN PARMESAN
MODIFIED UNITED KINGDOM BAKED BEANS

RECIPE LINKS FROM LAST WEEK

WEEKLY FEATURED PARTY LINKS

This is usually a favorite thing for me to do, but to relieve a lot of stress on myself this year I’ve decided to forego doing these link parties until 2026.

SILENT SUNDAY ~ BLOG 365.355

TGIF ~ BLOG 365.353

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY ~ BLOG 365.351

HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY with RECIPE LINKS & MENUS week 50 of 2025 ~ BLOG 365.349

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

LAST WEEK RECAPPED

I’m getting into crunch time on the Eagle’s charity project. The first batch of gifts was originally supposed to be delivered by the 19th, but the social worker changed the date last minute (last Friday) to the 15th. Unfortunately for her, our group couldn’t get together before today. We’ll be meeting this afternoon to wrap and then pack my car for delivery first thing tomorrow, the 16th.

I wrapped all the gifts for the family of 8, the 2 veterans and 4 elderly ladies (WHEW 46 gifts) that hubby and I adopted for what seemed like ALL weekend, but it was only about 8 hours total. Then I wrapped gifts for all our local family and friends as well as hubby’s gifts. All the shipped gifts have been sent except one that I’ll do this week and fortunately it’s small enough to go first class USPS so no long lines to wait in at UPS. I’ll deliver the veteran gifts and the elderly gifts tomorrow morning after social services gifts.

The grocery shopping for the family I’m doing personally later this week and it won’t be delivered until next Monday so that the food for Christmas dinner will all be fresh. I’m hoping to do the food shopping for them as well as our Christmas dinner groceries on Thursday or Friday, but that will depend on the “atmospheric river’s” path. It started last night and as of now Thursday is slated to be the worst day with potential flooding, not that any of them will be great as we’ve seen the last of the sun until after Christmas according to the forecast.

Now all of that said, with only 10 days until Christmas, I am for the first time in a VERY long time AHEAD of schedule 🙂 and loving every minute of it!!!!!

BLOGMAS is in full swing with these completed posts:

BLOGMAS #1 days 1,2 and 3 ~ Holiday Schedule, Christmas Cards, Elf on the Shelf/NISSE & Wrapping Ideas
BLOGMAS #2 days 4 and 5 ~ Christmas Music and Movies
BLOGMAS #3 days 6, 7 and 8 ~ Real Tree vs. Artificial, Decorating & Favorite Ornaments
BLOGMAS #4 days 9, 10 and 11 ~ Advent Calendars, Presents, PJ’S, Books, Last Minute and Homemade Gifts
BLOGMAS #5 days 12, 13 and 14 Presents, WISH Lists and Stocking Stuffers
BLOGMAS #6 days 15, 16 and 17 Quiet Christmas or BIG Get Together, Favorite Family Traditions and Christmas Memories

Coming up this week will be:

BLOGMAS #7 days 18, 19 and 20 Winter Wonderland, Lights and Parades, Christmas Markets and Fairs, Winter MUST Haves and TAGS
BLOGMAS #8 days 21, 22 and 23 Christmas Menus, Party Foods and Favorite Recipes
BLOGMAS #9 days 24, 25 and 26 12 Days of Christmas, Meaning of Christmas, Merry VS. Happy, Inspirations and Stories

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE

WET, WET and more wet as the atmospheric river is reaching us for the next 10 days or so. The temperatures have also returned to a more ‘normal” level of cold. Highs this weeks in the 40’s and lows in the 30’s so the best description is bone chilling! LAYERS, LAYERS and more LAYERS of turtlenecks and hoodies with heavy socks.

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY, WHAT’S ON MY MIND, PROJECTS, APPOINTMENTS & DVR/TV

TO DO: LAUNDRY & CLEANING While I was doing all the wrapping yesterday I was able to get 4 loads of laundry done! Having done a crock pot dinner freed up a ton of time. I also got the laundry room deep cleaned 🙂
TO DO: GROCERIES & ERRANDS Wednesday will be a BIG Eagle’s shopping day. I told them I would NOT shop on Christmas Eve nor New Year’s Eve so we’re all putting our thinking caps on to get it all this week. Then, like I said I will do our shopping and the family of 8’s shopping on Thursday or Friday.
RECIPE RESEARCH & MENU PLANNING I had a plan in mind, but I’m staying flexible on this as you never know what’s coming along at this time of year to change it all up.
DVR/TV Just a few cooking shows and Hallmark Christmas movies to catch up on!
THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY

READING TIME

Book club isn’t going to meet until January. We took a break for the holiday chaos time. We’re reading GONE BEFORE GOODBYE by Reese Witherspoon and Harlan Coben.

FUNNIES

Penny trying to understand Sheldon’s ornament placement tool 🙂

MENU PLANS

BREAKFAST is always a work in progress for me – it will generally be hot water and a fruit yogurt 😀

	12/15 MONDAY	12/16 TUESDAY	12/17 WEDNESDAY	12/18 THURSDAY	12/19 FRIDAY	12/20 SATURDAY	12/21 SUNDAY
DINNER	CORN/YOYO clean out refrigerator night or you’re on your own	CHICKEN PEANUT STEW & BISCUITS	CORN/YOYO clean out refrigerator night or you’re on your own	HAM & CHEESE QUICHE & SALAD	CORN/YOYO clean out refrigerator night or you’re on your own	OUT MAYBE	MEATLOAF, MASHED POTATOES & GRAVYwith GREEN BEANS
DESSERT		BROWNED BUTTER TOASTED COCONUT CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

FAVORITE PHOTOS FROM THE CAMERA

The sunset last Monday was ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!!!

I love seeing the wrapped packages, it just shows so much productivity.

INSPIRATIONS

LIFE TIP

HOMEMAKING / COOKING TIP

RECIPES COMING UP THIS WEEK

CHICKEN LEMONAISE
ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH BISQUE with CRANBERRY COULIS

RECIPE LINKS FROM LAST WEEK

WEEKLY FEATURED PARTY LINKS

This is usually a favorite thing for me to do, but to relieve a lot of stress on myself this year I’ve decided to forego doing these link parties until 2026.

SATURDAY COFFEE ~ BLOG 365.347

HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY, RECIPE LINKS & MENU week 48 of 2025 ~ BLOG 365.335

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

LAST WEEK RECAPPED

GOOD MORNING! I hope everyone had a yummy and safe Thanksgiving with loved ones. So glad to not have been anywhere in the MidWest or near the storms from this past weekend.

Can you believe we’re in December? These next few weeks will rush by in a blur if we’re not careful! I have so much to do just this week between mom and her physical therapy schedule as well as the new appointments for post hospital time (she ended up in the hospital most of last week due to issues incidental to the knee replacement), meetings for the DHS foster kids Christmas gifts, appointments for hubby, Christmas shopping and all the regular shopping for the Eagles that I didn’t do last week because of the holiday. And the first appointment of the week is at 9AM so I’ll just jump right into today’s post.

There are only 10 BLOGMAS days this year to ALL of BLOGMAS in an attempt to simplify it and make it more fun, or so I hope! Day 1 was Holiday Schedule, Christmas Cards, Elf on the Shelf/NISSE & Wrapping Ideas. and you can see it here. Day 2 will post later this morning with Christmas Music and Movies. Please join in if you can, leave a comment and I’ll stop by to visit.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE

Our temperatures took a serious drop over night and the wind kicked up quite a bit so we’re back to the wet cold, you know the kind that gets into your bones and stays there if you’re not careful!

Highs in the 40’s, cloudy and windy with lows in the 30’s. Definitely UGGs, flannels and turtleneck weather this week.

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY, WHAT’S ON MY MIND, PROJECTS, APPOINTMENTS & DVR/TV

TO DO: LAUNDRY & CLEANING I did get half the laundry done yesterday as well as MOST of the Christmas cards, but still need to do the bedding and the remainder of the cards done.
TO DO: GROCERIES & ERRANDS I do have a bit of grocery shopping and COSTCO shopping to do for myself and will get that done today after the first 2 appointments. The Eagles shopping will be sometime Thursday afternoon. Mom has PT Tuesday and a orthopedic doctor follow up Thursday. I’m meeting up with a girlfriend Tuesday after my DHS meeting before she leaves town and another friend and I are going to the annual county Christmas craft fair and lunch on Friday. I also have a pedicure on Tuesday and I want to work the shopping in for the DHS foster kids wherever I can. Oh and I’ll work in Taco Tuesday somehow! 🙂
PROJECTS & TRAVELS Who has time? 🙂 Though I am making a cookie cutter wreath for the front door and hubby started the outdoor lights and hopes to finish today or tomorrow before the rain begins on Thursday night.
RECIPE RESEARCH & MENU PLANNING I had the whole month planned, but am having to make adjustments so will take it one week at a time.
DVR/TV We’ve been watching WAREHOUSE 13 & then WINGS late night. I’m also up to date on the holiday cooking shows.
THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY Fuzzy socks when it’s cold, finding that perfect gift for special people that they didn’t even know they needed, a lazy Sunday with good football games, the first time for the Christmas lights each year…

READING TIME

I found a fun new author, Deany Ray, with a similar series similar to Jana Deleon and am going to start reading book #1 COMING IN HOT. I hope it measures up 🙂 Jana also has Book 29, COEDS AND CATTAILS out, of the Miss Fortune series out that I’ll begin next.

FUNNIES

MENU PLANS

BREAKFAST is always a work in progress for me – it will generally be hot water and a fruit yogurt 😀

	12/1 MONDAY	12/2 TUESDAY	12/3 WEDNESDAY	12/4 THURSDAY	12/5 FRIDAY	12/6 SATURDAY	12/7 SUNDAY
DINNER	BAKED CHICKEN & RICE	CORN/YOYO clean out refrigerator or you’re on your own	BEEF STEW & DUMPLINGS	SPLIT PEA & HAM SOUP with CORN BREAD	CORN/YOYO clean out refrigerator or you’re on your own	CREAM OF CAULIFLOWER SOUP & CHEDDAR DROP BISCUITS	NAVY BEAN & HAM SOUP & CORN BREAD
DESSERT		UPSIDE DOWN NANTUCKET PIE CAKE

FAVORITE PHOTOS FROM THE CAMERA

We live in a small town right next to another small town and within 10 miles of the next small town that is actually twice the size of both of our side by side towns. BUT, you would think they would talk to one another and coordinate their times for events so all can be attended. YET, last night at 6PM they ALL held their tree lighting ceremonies!

We didn’t go to ANY of them, but I will get pictures one evening this week of the lit trees. These pictures are from Saturday afternoon where our town and the one next to us set up their trees. The Christmas tree farm we buy our wreaths at supplies the live tree for Oakland (not California) whereas our town went techno several years ago.

INSPIRATIONS

LIFE TIP

HOMEMAKING / COOKING TIP

RECIPES COMING UP THIS WEEK

REUBEN BRAID
WALNUT GORGONZOLA STUFFED MUSHROOMS

RECIPE LINKS FROM LAST WEEK

SLOW COOKED BEEF & MUSHROOM STROGANOFF
CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER CHEESECAKE BARS

WEEKLY FEATURED PARTY LINKS

With the holiday last week I never completed the links so will be repeating them this week.

- BLUE CARROT BUNDT CAKE
- PEASANT STEW
- BRUNSWICK EVERETT STEW

HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY, RECIPES & MENUS week 47 of 2025 ~ BLOG 365.328

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

LAST WEEK RECAPPED

It was a busier than usual week plus mom had her knee replacement surgery last Wednesday. And this will be a “short” week, so let’s just jump into it.

Happy Thanksgiving week! I won’t be hosting anything this year, but going to a friend’s house with a couple favorite recipes in tow. The thing is though that when you host Thanksgiving you have the leftovers and more time that weekend for family time. Fortunately, for me anyway, the friend hosting is a snowbird and leaving the next day so I still get leftovers 🙂

When I was a kid we always hosted Thanksgiving and my dad would put up the tree the day after, sit me down with a pile full of presents to wrap, Christmas cards to address, football on television, a freshly made leftover turkey sandwich… aw the memories…

Not having the weight of getting the house ready though has freed me to concentrate on BLOGMAS which I will begin on Friday November 28th. I’m also going to do it a little different this year in hopes of freeing up some extra time. There will only be 10 actual blog days for BLOGMAS, each of which will cover multiple topics that have been grouped together to make things easier. I hope you can play along and enjoy the simplicity of this year 🙂

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY, WHAT’S ON MY MIND, PROJECTS, APPOINTMENTS & DVR/TV

TO DO: LAUNDRY & CLEANING I got all the laundry done yesterday.
TO DO: GROCERIES & ERRANDS I’m avoiding as many stores as possible this week. I will do virtually no Eagle’s shopping either. Mom does have a late PT appointment on Wednesday, her first since last week’s knee replacement.
RECIPE RESEARCH & MENU PLANNING Menus are planned through the rest of 2025 and I’m making them as anti-inflammatory as possible.
DVR/TV Who has had time?
THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY Cold foggy mornings when I wake up early and snuggle deeper into my winter quilt to read for a bit before coffee, soft fuzzy slippers to slide into when I do get up followed by a hot cup of coffee to sip while I check the weather and decide what to wear.

READING TIME

I’m back to falling asleep quickly, but need to spend more time reading!

FUNNIES

MENU PLANS

BREAKFAST is always a work in progress for me – it will generally be hot water and a fruit yogurt 😀

	11/24 MONDAY	11/25 TUESDAY	11/26 WEDNESDAY	11/27 THURSDAY	11/28 FRIDAY	11/29 SATURDAY	11/30 SUNDAY
DINNER	Auxiliary meeting night so it’s CORN/YOYO	SPAGHETTI BOLEGNESE and PARMESAN MEATBALLS	CHICKEN BROCCOLI SOUP with BUTTER BISCUITS	THANKSGIVING @ SHIRLEY’S I’m bringing the stuffing and dessert and bringing home leftovers 🙂	CORN/YOYO clean out refrigerator night or you’re on your own	LASAGNE & GARLIC BREAD	BEEF BARLEY STEW
DESSERT

FAVORITE PHOTOS FROM THE CAMERA

Don’t judge, but my tree is up 🙂 since we aren’t hosting Thanksgiving I got a jump start on Christmas decorating. The new star for the tree top arrived and we love it.

There are 2 barns in particular that I just love to see when we take the back route to town. If I’d have had to make a prediction years ago I would have picked the one still standing as the one that would falls first. If we get a good wet snow this year I really believe the second one will fall completely.

INSPIRATIONS

LIFE TIP

HOMEMAKING / COOKING TIP

RECIPES COMING UP THIS WEEK

SLOW COOKED MUSHROOM BEEF STROGANOFF
CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER CHEESECAKE BARS

RECIPE LINKS FROM LAST WEEK

WEEKLY FEATURED PARTY LINKS

HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY, MENUS & RECIPE LINKS week 46 of 2025 ~ BLOG 365.321

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

LAST WEEK RECAPPED

Last week was busy, but I’m so glad I broke it up with a lunch date with hubby, a little junk hunting for some craft parts and then the painting class. It was a super small class (just the 3 of us), but that made it really nice. And then on Saturday I went for a GIRLS DAY OUTING to a first annual craft fair at a fairly local (less than 40 miles away) casino along with lunch and then drinks at a favorite haunt on the way back. Now this week I will catch up on all the things I DIDN’T get done last week. 🙂

Public service announcement: 10 days until Thanksgiving and only 38 days until Christmas!

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE

We’re having our traditional start to winter with much cooler and wet weather here (50’s for highs and 30’s for lows), so it’s definitely sweatshirts, flannels and UGGs for me this week.

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY, WHAT’S ON MY MIND, PROJECTS, APPOINTMENTS & DVR/TV

TO DO: LAUNDRY & CLEANING I have a bit of clutter to finish cleaning up from the Christmas set up and a couple of loads of laundry to do.
TO DO: GROCERIES & ERRANDS I made a list last night and hubby has a couple errands he’s added to my list so I guess we’ll be heading to town today to get our personal shopping done instead of trying to cram it into the same day as the Eagle’s shopping.
PROJECTS & TRAVELS I finished my Nutcracker painting and am hoping I can make the MAGI date work to take that class still. If I can’t, I will probably try it on my own, but classes are more fun 🙂
RECIPE RESEARCH & MENU PLANNING Good through the end of the year 🙂
DVR/TV We watched a silly movie on Netflix PLAY DATE with Kevin James, Sarah Chalk and Alan Ritchson.
ON MY MIND Happy heavenly birthday daddy. I really miss you! Getting ready for my mom’s knee replacement Wednesday. Dealing with the new angst (2 women quit the kitchen with no notice) of Eagle’s issues (AGAIN) and the strain of having to go back to covering the kitchen on a day I previously gave up and finding someone to cover yet another.
THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY The feel of freshly laundered sheets, laughing until I cry with good friends, the smell of fresh baked cinnamon rolls, curling up under a soft blanket with a good book, …

READING TIME

I’m still trying to finish THE BOOKCLUB FOR TROUBLESOME WOMEN by Marie Bostick, but have also started FORGET ME NOT by Stacy Willingham. I really enjoyed the thought provoking way she told A FLICKER IN THE DARK so thought I’d try another of hers.

FUNNIES

MENU PLANS

BREAKFAST is always a work in progress for me – it will generally be hot water and a fruit yogurt 😀

	11/17 MONDAY	11/18 TUESDAY	11/19 WEDNESDAY	11/20 THURSDAY	11/21 FRIDAY	11/22 SATURDAY	11/23 SUNDAY
DINNER	CHICKEN MACARONI SALAD & BUNLESS BURGERS	CORN/YOYO clean out refrigerator night or you’re on your own	CORN/YOYO clean out refrigerator night or you’re on your own	FLYING FARMER SALAD	EFFIE’S DELICIOUS DISH	CHICKEN CARBONARA	APPLE BBQ CHICKEN SALAD
DESSERT					STUFFED SNICKERDOODLES

FAVORITE PHOTOS FROM THE CAMERA

Saturday’s GIRL’S DAY OUTING LUNCH was fantastic. I LOVE this group of friends from the Eagles. Our ages are REALLY varied, but that’s okay!! I didn’t get any pictures of the craft fair, but it was a first annual and was pretty good also. I was looking for specific items and I found the main one (a new tree skirt for this smaller tree), so was happy with the day. 🙂

Out of all of us there was A LOT of the same meals ordered, but these were the best in my opinion ~ Shrimp Tacos and a Lemon Ricotta Chicken Papperdelle. There was also a popular Wild Rice Butternut Squash dish, but it didn’t photograph well.

A little indulging is ALWAYS allowed during this season!

No judging allowed! Our tree is up! BUT, we’re not having Thanksgiving here 🙂 I did also order a new tree top star that will be here on Wednesday.

INSPIRATIONS

LIFE TIP

HOMEMAKING / COOKING TIP

RECIPES COMING UP THIS WEEK

BAKED CHICKEN MARSALA
AZZOLINA SPAGHETTI

RECIPE LINKS FROM LAST WEEK

WEEKLY FEATURED PARTY LINKS

HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY with MENUS & RECIPE LINKS week 45 of 2025 ~ BLOG 365.314

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

LAST WEEK RECAPPED

Last week was a whirlwind of activity as we spent Wednesday in the pouring rain doing out of town shopping at the Chef’s Store for the Eagle’s upcoming Friendsgiving event next week, as well as taking the time to do TinselTown for me. There’s a home improvement store that turns their garden area into a bright and light filled Christmas area every year that I look forward to seeking out new treasures for our tree and decorating. As we begin week 45 of 2025, it only seems like the perfect time to remind everyone that there are only 45 days until Christmas 🙂

We also found a new place for lunch, Forresters Bar & Grill. They had the most amazing open face sandwiches (hubby had the turkey and I had the roast beef). I can’t remember the last time I even saw hot open face sandwiches on a menu!

We needed new lights for the tree this year (we threw out the old last year and bought some new at Lowes on Tuesday. Wednesday night we started putting up the tree only to realize we hadn’t bought enough of the glitter sparkle lights at Lowes on Tuesday to do the whole tree. I tried to buy more at Lowes on Thursday when I went to town to do the rest of the Eagle’s regular shopping only to be told they weren’t ordering any more this season. What the heck? It’s only early November and they’re out for the WHOLE season? I found that theme carried into the grocery shopping also. So many stores are stocking less and less inventory forcing you to buy a different brand or style or be forced to order on line. The rest of the lights should be here this afternoon.

Friday I baked a sheet cake for the first Friday birthday celebration at the Eagles. My friend usually does it, but she was away at a conference this weekend. I gave Glenda, the woman cooking the dinner the choice of flavor since her birthday falls in November and she couldn’t decide between chocolate and carrot cake so I combined them 🙂 and I have to say the flavor combo turned out awesome! I made extra for my neighbor to try and a cake for the new neighbors as a welcome to the neighborhood.

Saturday was a more leisurely spent day, but I did make lists for hosting Christmas and the things I need to make the Neighbor holiday plates. If shopping is this bad in early November I don’t want any surprises close to Christmas. I also got a little decorating done though the living room is a mess waiting on the rest of the lights to arrive.

Sunday we met some friends for an early brunch before football. How can you say no to breakfast burritos and Mimosas? After all brunch without mimosas is just a sad late breakfast! 🙂 I really enjoyed the GIANTS and BEARS game with the snow and cold.

And now here we are back to Monday and I have a meeting tonight so need to pull together my notes and get the minutes typed.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE

FORTUNATELY, we’re not getting the bitter cold that the Midwest is, but it’s definitely winter here already. It’s been windy, wet and the bone chilling kind of wet and cold. I did buy some new pretty feminine colored (pinks and purples) turtlenecks and flannels this year so I won’t look like a lumberjack reject (reds and greens) all winter long! 🙂 Temps will be in the low 50’s during the day low 40’s at night with dense morning fog and clouds. The rain will be beginning again towards the end of the week.

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY, WHAT’S ON MY MIND, PROJECTS, APPOINTMENTS & DVR/TV

TO DO: LAUNDRY & CLEANING I need to change the bedding and a couple loads of laundry today.
TO DO: GROCERIES & ERRANDS I only have a couple errands this week, a hair cut and a pedicure. I’m decided on taking the nutcracker class on Wednesday evening. I really wanted to do the MAGI one, but it’s too close to my mom’s knee replacement and I don’t want to leave her alone for that long. My friend who teaches the class said she’d see about scheduling the MAGI again in December.
PROJECTS & TRAVELS Nothing much right now though we are hoping to get away to the coast in December or January for a few days. We actually like being at the coast when it’s cold and windy. We started planning it yesterday while we were having brunch with friends and getting their suggestions for places they’ve been.
RECIPE RESEARCH & MENU PLANNING Menus are planned up to Thanksgiving and I’m planning to do soups, chilis and stews with crusty breads and rolls in December ~ just still working on flavor profiles.
DVR/TV It has been hit or miss on staying on top of shows, but I am up to date with the holiday baking shows.
THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY Looking out on chilly, foggy winter mornings while holding my warm coffee while remembering my own rule that I won’t go anywhere until it’s 40°, the aroma of an all day soup or stew, the matching aroma of a crusty bread…

READING TIME

I’ve been trying to finish A FLICKER IN THE DARK by Stacy Willingham and probably will finish it tonight so I can then finish THE BOOK CLUB FOR TROUBLESOME WOMEN by Marie Bostick before I start a new one. I hate when I have multiple books going.

FUNNIES

MENU PLANS

BREAKFAST is always a work in progress for me – it will generally be hot water and a fruit yogurt 😀

	11/10 MONDAY	11/11 TUESDAY	11/12 WEDNESDAY	11/13 THURSDAY	11/14 FRIDAY	11/15 SATURDAY	11/16 SUNDAY
DINNER	CORN / YOYO clean out refrigerator night or you’re on your own	LEMON HERB ROAST CHICKEN	CORN / YOYO clean out refrigerator night or you’re on your own	CHICKEN ala KING	CORN / YOYO clean out refrigerator night or you’re on your own	CLARICE’S FAVORITE PORK CHOPS & BAKED BEANS	APPLE BBQ CHICKEN SALAD
DESSERT

FAVORITE PHOTOS FROM THE CAMERA

I’m so happy to see water in the “little” pond again and I know this guy is too. I think he spent ALL day there as you can see from the morning overcast picture and the afternoon sunny picture a few hours later. LOL It’s probably two different birds, but a girl can dream…

INSPIRATIONS

LIFE TIP

HOMEMAKING / COOKING TIP

RECIPES COMING UP THIS WEEK

BLOODY MARY PICKLES
BLUE CARROT BUNDT CAKE

RECIPE LINKS FROM LAST WEEK

WEEKLY FEATURED PARTY LINKS

TGIF ~ BLOG 365.311

HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY with MENUS & RECIPE LINKS week 44 of 2025 ~ BLOG 365.307

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

LAST WEEK RECAPPED

Good morning friends. Did you remember to reset your clocks? I’m already hating the early darkness making the evenings seem sooooo very long.

It was a fairly busy weekend here beginning with Halloween on Friday night. We had about 100 kids (or 2 Costco bags worth of candy) come through our neighborhood. There are a lot of really rural communities around us and they bring their kids to our neighborhood to Trick-Or-Treat because we are literally the first organized neighborhood as you head into town. The welcome sign to our town is literally posted at the bottom of our back hill on the highway 🙂

With Halloween over and us not doing Thanksgiving here at our house, I’m moving right along into enjoying the Christmas holidays. Everything is happening so fast this year! So, I’m starting earlier again as you can see by my new header and background. My front door table is all that’s decorated for Thanksgiving – everything else is moving straight into Christmas. Hubby and I started getting Christmas decorations out of storage yesterday. We’re using the artificial tree this year and it is up and acclimating to the house. Hubby spent some time last night leafing out the branches. We’ll start decorating it tomorrow or Wednesday.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE

We’re supposed to have rain all week off and on. Looks like it may be more on than off, but that’s okay as we’re so far behind this year. Highs in the mid 50’s and lows in the low 40’s will have me wearing my favorite turtlenecks and flannels this week.

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY, WHAT’S ON MY MIND, PROJECTS, APPOINTMENTS & DVR/TV

TO DO: LAUNDRY & CLEANING I was actually able to get 4 loads of laundry done yesterday, the car loaded with donations to be delivered later today during the rain break, lunch with a friend for some of her yummy white chicken chili soup and some spray painting done on a few Christmas decorations that need a refresh.
TO DO: GROCERIES & ERRANDS We went to the butcher last Saturday and the produce farm so groceries are done. I’ve been cleaning out the pantry for the local food drive that is also being held by a friend at her mercantile. On my to do list is working on Christmas decorating, cleaning out more pantry foods, deep cleaning the bathroom drawers and my closet for flannels and coats my friend is collecting for her students. She teaches at a school with a lot of special ed and homeless teens.
PROJECTS & TRAVELS I’m moving right along with a Christmas wreath made from old cookie cutters and a Christmas tree made from old bundt pans. I’m also working on a new candle ring made from thrift store pieces. My girlfriend and I spent the better part of a day thrifting for pieces to take to girls night this year for a cool crystal tree project we’re working on. Another friend, also a Tami, is hosting this year at her house.
RECIPE RESEARCH & MENU PLANNING I’m researching some new recipes for the goodies on the neighbor plates for Christmas as well as Christmas dinner as I’m hosting this year.
DVR/TV The Holiday Baking Championship begins tonight and the Harry Potter one started last night. I also want to get caught up on the Mistletoe Murders as well as a few other Hallmark movies.
ON MY MIND Trying to decide which of these picture to do next. Thoughts and opinions?
THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY Snuggling under a soft blanket with a book, the smell of fresh coffee brewing, the gingerbread scent of my new Nativity scentsy warmer…

READING TIME

I’m reading A FLICKER IN THE DARK by Stacy Willingham right now trying to get caught up with book club. I also just started THE BOOK CLUB FOR TROUBLESOME WOMEN by Marie Bostick

FUNNIES

MENU PLANS

BREAKFAST is always a work in progress for me – it will generally be hot water and a fruit yogurt 😀

	11/3 MONDAY	11/4 TUESDAY	11/5 WEDNESDAY	11/6 THURSDAY	11/7 FRIDAY	11/8 SATURDAY	11/9 SUNDAY
DINNER	AVGOLEMONOA aka GREEK LEMON CHICKEN RICE SOUP	COPYCAT APPLEBEE’S ORIENTAL CHICKEN SALAD	LEMON PORK CHOPS & LEMON NOODLE KUGEL	CORN/YOYO clean out refrigerator night or you’re on your own	SALSA VERDE CHICKEN & RICE	CARAMELIZED ONION APPLE MAC & CHEESE with CHICKEN SCHNITZEL	CORN/YOYO clean out refrigerator night or you’re on your own
DESSERT					CHOCOLATE CARROT CAKE