
Happy Monday Friends
First of all I just want to begin by thanking you so much for all the loving and supportive comments and prayers after what I shared last week. It meant more than I can ever say! This isn't the way I would have chosen my path, especially in this season of my life, but I am getting better everyday with accepting this is now the path I'm on. I'm grateful for all the blessings it's teaching me on the way. I probably won't talk about it much on here unless I have something I feel I need to share in the future. My main focus on this blog is to do what I've always enjoyed - sharing motherhood, crafty things, recipes, my northwoods etc. Thank you for sharing in it all with me...and letting me peek into your lives as well. I love this blogland family and appreciate you al!! xo
Now, I hope your Monday is beginning with some sunshine ;) And I hope those that celebrated Mother's Day had a beautiful day yesterday.
It was a lovely weekend here filled with Annie's 13th birthday (yes my baby is officially a teenager!) and mother's day festivities. I think we both felt very loved and spoiled. I share more about all in the photos below. Right now the sky is blue out my window and the sun is shining and it looks like a gorgeous day ahead!
THE WEATHER OUTSIDE IS:
ON THE BREAKFAST PLATE THIS MORNING
a bagel thin with small big of veggie cream cheese and sprinkle of everything but the bagel seasoning, coffee with natural vanilla creamer
RIGHT NOW I AM:
Looking out at the bay with the sun sparkling on it as I work on my planner for the week. The wind chime is swaying in the breeze and playing pretty music for me ;)
AS I LOOK OUTSIDE MY WINDOW
I see that our lawn is in need of mowing and Ad is going to get it out of storage this week and get it back in our shed for the season. There are finally some little buds of leaves on the trees now too. Yay! Really starting to think about it finally staying warm enough now to avoid frost and start picking up some of my flowers to plant
AS I LOOK AROUND THE HOUSE
It was all nice and cleaned for Annie's bday sleep over here. Still some of the last sleepover bedding to put away from downstairs, but overall all cleaned up from the party too
ON THIS WEEK'S TO DO LIST:
More house projects and I may go to a nursery to pick some things up so I can start planting flowers, work on Aaron's grads, Annie's golf practices, hockey practice, taking my SIL out for belated bday lunch and shopping, bring FIL meal, volunteer time, help my Mom with some things at her house, groceries later in the week/errands
CURRENTLY READING
ON THE TV TODAY:
Game of Thrones, Call the Midwife, Grantchester, Spring Baking Championship, the Resident, New Amsterdam, American Housewife, the Rookie, Survivor, Little People Big World, Greys
Anatomy, Trading Spaces, cooking shows, The Spanish Princess, The Bachlorette maybe tonight?
Anatomy, Trading Spaces, cooking shows, The Spanish Princess, The Bachlorette maybe tonight?
ON THE MENU THIS WEEK:
MONDAY: polish on the grill, baked beans, fresh veggies, chips
TUESDAY: one pot veggie spaghetti I didn't get to last week, garlic toast
WEDNESDAY: vegetable lo mein with spicy sesame ginger sauce (BA meal)
THURSDAY: cheesy bacon, broccoli, crouton egg bake, fruit cups
FRIDAY: sweet and spicy chicken stir fry with rice and snow peas (BA meal)
WHAT I AM CREATING AT THE MOMENT
scrapbook gift for a relative, craft room
NEW RECIPE I WANT TO TRY THIS WEEK:
may make a new dessert this week - stay tuned ;)
TIP OF THE WEEK:

Or if you want to be crafty you could take a candle holder and glue a cute tea cup or other little bowl to the top and have that be a nice raised chip and dip set to place in a larger bowl
FROM THE CAMERA
PRAYER, INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE OR DEVOTIONAL:
As I think I mentioned last week, Annie has been into chocolate and orange flavors. So I baked a homemade chocolate cake from scratch (an old fashioned recipe using real mayonnaise instead of eggs), with an orange curd filling and homemade chocolate buttercream on top. Then Annie helped me make a chocolate mixture to dip cutie sections in and let them set up and put as decoration on top. If you'd like the recipe for anything I've mentioned let me know and I'll share it or if you want me to post it. It was a hit and really yummy!
The birthday girl picked to do an escape room and it involved getting out of a shipwreck. She LOVES puzzles, solving things, figuring things and talks about being an engineer one day. She had a blast and they made it out just in time ;) My Mom and I got to watch the behind the scenes from cameras peeking in as we sat with the one monitoring their game do her work. It was a lot of fun
then gifts and sleepover at our house - she has the most wonderful friends
The next morning I had breakfast for the gals. I had pre-made a variety of mini pancake muffins in various flavors (strawberry, blueberry, raspberry & chocolate chip) that they could just microwave. And of course some fruit and I made a batch of bacon in the oven so it was nice and crispy.
The birthday festivities kept me from going to watch my son play with his band (he plays bass guitar) but his GF sent me some pics ;) I'll share a future post about his graduation and plans at some point. So proud of him and he has such exciting plans for the future!
Mother's Day involved a purse bingo event earlier in the weekend. My Mom and I went with my SIL and some of her family. This is my SIL's Mom with my Mom (my mom in yellow). None of us won a handbag or any of the raffles but it was so fun and lots of laughs and yummy food! And all money raised went to local military. And on Mother's Day my kiddos gave me the sweetest cards and some of my favorite dark chocolate candies. And we went with my Mom and my Brother (my SIL had to work) to a lovely brunch with a huge buffet of wonderful food and one whole wall of tables filled with desserts and they gave every mom some beautiful carnation flowers.
mothers day glow ;)
And I spent the afternoon in one of my favorite ways - soaking up the sun, admiring the bay and reading a good book. So relaxing
PRAYER, INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE OR DEVOTIONAL:
I'm linking with Sandra of Diary of a SAHM for Happy Homemaker Monday.




















My sweet friend, I love seeing you doing well, you're a strong woman :)
ReplyDeleteI must say, that chocolate orange cake looks to die for, I too love the combination of chocolate and orange. I may have to give it a go.
As for the menu, yummy as always. I'm assuming Polish on the grill are the Kielbasa? hahah Yum.
Have a beautiful blessed week.
xoxoxo
What super sweet cards from your kids. I got a little teary-eyed reading the one from Annie. They did good :) That cake looks so yummy! If she's still into that combo at Christmas, get her a chocolate orange (not sure you can find them at this time of year). My mom always used to give me one on my birthday (December). So good! And they're kind of fun therapy as you have to whack them on the counter to break them up. Hope you have a wonderful week!
ReplyDeleteI really love your pictures! Your home looks like one of the most beautiful and perfect places in the world! And you certainly make a beautiful dessert! Your pictures are beautiful and your cards are so sweet! Hope you have a blessed week full of sunshine!
ReplyDeleteLoved seeing your week in pictures :) Seems like your daughter won't forget her birthday party - it looked like alot of fun. Hope you have a wonderful week
ReplyDeleteMmmm that cake! And what a yummy breakfast for the girls!! Love all the pics!! Have a great Monday!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed coming by! Your cake looked amazing!!! I am so glad you had a wonderful Mother's Day! I am praying you have a wonderful week ahead!
ReplyDeleteThere's nothing like a mother's day card like the one you received from Annie to confirm that all your hard work is paying off. When your daughter wants to be just like you, that's about the highest praise you can get.
ReplyDeleteLoved sharing all the festivities. What a lucky bunch of ladies, of all generations, to be a part of your life (and that includes me, of course).
I loved the cake and my son shares Annie's fondness for the combination of orange and chocolate. Did you happen to make the orange curd cake filling in the microwave? I make lemon curd that way, but have never tried orange. If you have a micro recipe, may I have a copy?
Can't wait to see your flowers after you finish planting. I so envy you that wonderful lake view. Soak up all that natural vitamin D on the patio. The sun supplies it better than any other method.
Love to you, love to that I-can't-believe-it teen, and love to that furry baby who brings you so much joy (and forced exercise on those nice long walks), AP
Hey Dearest AP - I realized I never answered the orange curd question. It's the only thing I didn't make homemade. I bought it online on amazon and it was The Welsh Lady brand (actually made in Wales) and it was SO good! So I don't have a recipe for that. Sorry ;) xoxo
DeleteI'm running a bit behind this week, Carrie! Looks like you had a lovely Mother's Day weekend and a belated Happy Birthday to your girl! The shipwreck adventures sounds like a lot of fun! Mmmmm...chocolate and orange! Do you ever get those chocolate oranges??? They are so good! My husband gets me one every Christmas! Have a great rest of the week and weekend! Blessings, my friend! <3
ReplyDeleteSorry didn't answer this last week Rebecca - we do get those chocolate oranges at Christmas and Annie LOVES them! Lol xo
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