Happy Homemaker Monday

Hello Friends!

Happy Monday to you. How is everyone holding up through everything? 🙏 We are doing well over here. No one with any symptoms at this point, even after scare a week or so ago. We're just staying home and monitoring things. I would ask how your weekend was, but the days just kind of blend, don't they? I have to work to remember what day it is. Lol  Although kiddos are back to online school during the week, so it gives everything a feeling of more structure. My cop friend, Scott, is stuck up in AK. He was doing his 2 weeks up there but with things as they are he won't be traveling back to MN anytime soon. I continue to worry and pray for him going out and responding to calls etc. We talk/text several times a day so that helps me feel a bit better 😊 ♥️ 

I've been staying connected with family and friends mostly through phone calls and group texts. We send each other uplifting things. Joke around. Send funny things. Get deep about things. All the normal wonderful things....just from afar. 

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE IS:

ON THE BREAKFAST PLATE THIS MORNING

leftover apple cinnamon muffin, berries, coffee

HOW I AM FEELING THIS MORNING:

Awake & motivated and have been accomplishing chores while kids are off in their spaces doing schooling. Annie cleaned her room really well and set up a school space for herself in there. So she has been doing school in there and Aaron downstairs in the media room. So the main floor has been all mine to be able to play my music and clean and got about things. 

ON MY MIND:

The obvious worries, concerns, and caring for what is happening in our world. And thinking about how the kiddos' school things will finish up this year. It will be interesting to see how this is all going to play out

AS I LOOK AROUND THE HOUSE

Pretty tidy from the cleaning we all did over the weekend. I know as the week goes on it won't last! Lol 😂 

CHORE I'M NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS WEEK:

A lot of the usuals this week

 

CURRENTLY READING

Still deciding which book is up next. Working on magazine catch up

ON THE TV TODAY:

 Spring baking championship,  The Voice, The Good Doctor, New Amsterdam, Greys Anatomy, This is Us,  Will & Grace, The Bachelor, HGTV shows, The Voice, 911 Lone Star, Outlander, When Calls the Heart

 

ON THE MENU THIS WEEK:

There isn't really a purpose for this right now as I'm not planning meals like I used to. I don't want to waste any food and since I don't feel good bringing things to my vulnerable Mom and my FIL - just in case - there are far less items I can make because kids are so fussy.  Plus, now we're even more subject to waiting to see what we're in the mood for day by day based on what I have stocked up. We basically rotate each day some kind of pasta, or breakfast food, or soup/sandwich. The main things both kids will eat. (going to leave this here as standard response for now - but will include a recipe or update each post)


Recently made garlic ranch pretzels for us to munch. Take a 16 oz bag of pretzels and throw in 13x9 pan

Pour 4 oz Orville Redenbaucher butter flavor oil over pretzels and toss to coat

Sprinkle a 1 oz packet ranch mix and 2 tsp garlic powder over pretzels and stir well.

Stir every 30 mins for several hours until the oil fully soaks in.

And store in airtight container. We enjoyed ours one night with root beer floats for a treat. 

Some other recent yummies included homemade chicken noodle soup and mini vanilla malts with chocolate drizzle. 

My Aunt sent me this and said "it's not the freshman 15 it's the covid 19." 😂  Sometimes you have to laugh through times like this. 

TO RELAX THIS WEEK I WILL:

take Ruby for a walk in the sunshine, find a good book to curl up with, maybe even take a bubble bath one night

FROM THE CAMERA:

 Keeping the kitchen clean and cozy each day helps me feel better. I burn a candle or do lavender in my diffuser.

Ruby version of nap time!

Spend some time on social media each day - FB always hits my heart going down memory lane. Look how little Annie and Ruby were 💜 

It snowed a little over the weekend and I caught these deer crossing the bay

But it's already been melting away yesterday and today ☀️ 

Our power was out a bit yesterday and during that time Aaron taught me how to play some chess. Lots of brain power! 🌟 

A friend sent this and I thought it was funny 

My sweet special needs Uncle is in an assisted living facility. I've been sending him cards and fun things - all in the family have. But he's been lonely too. So my Aunt was able to go visit him and made him so happy!! 😊 🙏 

I saw this and loved it. I just want to crown and shower every amazing health care worker, fighting so hard for the lives of others, with love and gratitude and God's peace and grace. ❤️ 

PRAYER LIST:

All of the responders, grocery store workers, caregivers, all those sick and suffering through this, and those who have lost loved ones. I pray psalm 91 over all every day. Prayers for all of us my Friends. We are all in this together. 🙏 💜 







PRAYER, INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE OR DEVOTIONAL:

My devotional this AM. I'm linking with Sandra of Diary of a SAHM for Happy Homemaker Monday.

Happy Homemaker Monday

Happy HHM on a Tuesday! 

I braved getting out yesterday to get much needed groceries and to drop off some things for my Mom too. I want her going out as minimally as possible since she's in the more vulnerable category. And yesterday was also the nicest weather day we'd had in quite a while. Almost 50* and sun. So I got out with Ruby for a long walk and played outside with the kids. So I forgot about what day it even was and getting this post up. But I thought I may as well put it up late anyways. 

I hope you are all doing okay during this unsettling time. My Aaron drove up last week from FL to come and stay here since all of his classes are online now. I'm so grateful that both of my kiddos are here under my roof so I can make sure they're okay. I'm feeling a little uneasy here because Adam was exposed to a person at work who he now has found out that worker's wife has the virus. And this past weekend Ad was over having dinner with us and playing games. It was nice for him to get time with the kiddos too. But it was before knowing he'd been exposed. So now I'm going to extra quarantine me and my crew here and pray nothing shows up in the next couple of weeks. 🙏 

On a positive note - my Alaska friend has officially moved from AK to much closer to where I live. ❤️  He is still working every 2 weeks in AK until he finds a different law enforcement job...which may take a bit more time now. But we are taking things slow so I'm fine with that. He's such a good guy, friend, and a wonderful distraction right now. And he's so patient in understanding how I'm still healing a bit and don't want to rush things. And we both have kids - so taking them into consideration of course also. I pray so much for his safety and all of the first responders, medical professionals, grocery store workers, gas station attendants, etc. All of those folks who don't get a choice in staying home. 

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE IS:

ON THE BREAKFAST PLATE THIS MORNING

toast with a little lemon curd, coffee

HOW I AM FEELING THIS MORNING:

I feel sore because of the long walk yesterday and a big treadmill workout this AM. But it's a good sore and it sure helps me mentally feel good. 💪 

ON MY MIND:

The same things that I think are on everyone's mind. Worrying about our world. The safety and health of loved ones. I actually had airpods delivered to my Mom. I knew she'd be on her cell phone (it's her only phone) a lot more - which is good for her mental health. And she lives in a duplex and she worries about disturbing the people above her when her phone is on speaker. So the airpods are nice because she can talk on her phone and doesn't even need to be near it. She can be fixing something in her kitchen while she's visiting with her sister on the phone - and her phone is still sitting in the living room. Plus she can listen to music and other things louder too. And I ordered her a big puzzle for an extra fun project. She's a woman of such strong faith and she's not worrying. But, of course, we're not sure how long we'll all be cooped up so I wanted her to have less isolation in those ways. 

AS I LOOK AROUND THE HOUSE

It's funny how some folks have gone into real isolation from all of this (like my Mom) and others have had the opposite - like me. Lol 😂 

 I now have both my kiddos around 24-7. I'm grateful I have a fairly large home! So there is a big craft table set up in the living room, as I got the kids a 2000 piece puzzle to work on. There is Annie's cello from her online time still laying on the floor. There are school books lying around from the work she did earlier. My son likes to leave clothes and other trails as he moves about the house. He is set up with his old desk, from high school, downstairs in the media room. And Annie is set up in the living room upstairs. It's been working well thankfully. 

CHORE I'M NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS WEEK:

I'm hoping these days ahead will motivate me to tackle more of my craft room. And I really need to go through my clothes in my closet and deep clean my bedroom.

 

CURRENTLY READING

I have been catching up on some shows but I want to get back into my pile of books!! I still have magazines I've been catching up on. Also, yesterday a package arrived and I'd forgotten all about it. I did a subscription service through Taste of Home and it only comes every 3 months and it's a box of cooking related items. My box yesterday was great! It had this cookbook in it -which I've been reading and finding many wonderful things! 

It also contained and really nice pairing knife, a cool clip on the pot strainer, a big ladle that has its own built-in table rest, a silicone spoon rest for the stove, and a very cool little cutting board where the sides fold up when you're done chopping so it makes it like a perfect little funnel to throw the chopped items into your pot. All things I will absolutely use! 

ON THE TV TODAY:

 Spring baking championship,  The Good Doctor, New Amsterdam, Greys Anatomy, This is Us,  Will & Grace, The Bachelor, HGTV shows, The Voice, 911 Lone Star, Outlander, When Calls the Heart

 

ON THE MENU THIS WEEK:

There isn't really a purpose for this right now as I'm not planning meals like I used to. I don't want to waste any food and since I don't feel good bringing things to my vulnerable Mom and my FIL - just in case - there are far less items I can make because kids are so fussy.  Plus, now we're even more subject to waiting to see what we're in the mood for day by day based on what I have stocked up. We basically rotate each day some kind of pasta, or breakfast food, or soup/sandwich. The main things both kids will eat. We will do baked potato and salads one day. And tonight I'm planning to make pancakes with cherry topping, breakfast potatoes and bacon. 

TO RELAX THIS WEEK I WILL:

Talk to my AK friend each day. Do some journaling. Scrapbook.

FROM THE CAMERA:

You can see the big puzzle craft table set up and sometimes Annie uses it for class, and sometimes she'd just rather sit with her laptop on the floor. 

Made a nice big breakfast of crepes with lemon curd and berries, breakfast potatoes and bacon over the weekend. 

Ruby is living the dream! More time with her people. Watching tv. And lots of naps! Lol 

I've been seeing the snow go down and even more peaks of grass. Critters have been out - and even heard geese flying back the other day. Spring is finally showing up a bit. ☀️ 

Walks along the bay. Good for the body and the soul 

PRAYER LIST:

All of the folks I mentioned earlier having to go out and expose themselves, those sick and suffering through this, and those who have lost loved ones. Prayers for all of us my Friends. We are all in this together. 🙏 💜 






PRAYER, INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE OR DEVOTIONAL:

I'm linking with Sandra of Diary of a SAHM for Happy Homemaker Monday.