Happy Homemaker Monday

Hello Friends ~

Well Happy Tuesday! Lol I didn't even really pay attention to what day it was until this afternoon. And then I thought I would still post something quickly to join in for this week. Partly holiday brain. But a lot still kind of recovering from being so sick. The sickest I have been in many years. While Scott and his daughter were here the last weekend - I thought I was having a bad arthritis moment. Well later Monday I got full body aches, then fever, chills, bad headache etc. Needless to say it was a really rough week. I had congestion in in my lungs and it would hurt...but yet my head and nose were so dry I was getting bloody noses. Even with humidifiers. Just weird. I went a got test for covid and it was negative. And thankfully my kids and Scott and his daughter are all fine. It has been a horrible flu. And I had my flu shot this past Fall too!  I have finally been feeling much better the past few days, but just trying to catch up on my life. I feel like I completely lost a holiday week of getting things done. So I pray you are all doing well. Staying healthy and able to enjoy this wonderful season much better than I have lately.  I am so grateful to be feeling better though. I will grab groceries soon and have some traditional baking with Annie planned this week. Thankfully I did so much of my shopping early so i'm pretty set there. A few packages should finish arriving this week and I have a bit more wrapping. But since it will probably just be the kiddos and myself, it's not too stressful. My Mom may come for a little bit on Christmas and we'll wear masks. I have been cleaning and sanitizing everyday. And since it wasn't covid I feel a little better about it because we will take all precautions around her. 

 

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE IS:

ON THE BREAKFAST PLATE THIS MORNING

toast, jam, and peppermint hot tea

HOW I AM FEELING THIS MORNING:

I had a bit of a headache this morning but feeling much better as day went on. Getting lots of things accomplished to catch up around the house

ON MY MIND:

Thinking about the coming holidays and how different it will be for most people. I hope everyone can still focus on the love of the season and get to spend it with some of their family or friends safely. 

AS I LOOK AROUND THE HOUSE

I have all the Christmas lights on even though it's early evening.  Always a favorite about this time of year....when it changes into the twilight of evening and glowing things on timers either pop on or I plug things in. The glow is just so pretty. 

CURRENTLY READING

 Christmas at Holiday House by RaeAnne Thayne 

ON THE TV TODAY:

 HGTV shows, holiday baking shows,  Greys Anatomy, Mad Men, Great British Baking Show (holiday one too),  The Bachelorette, The Crown, Hallmark movies, Escape to the Chateau on HGTV

 

ON THE MENU THIS WEEK:

MONDAY -   2 cheese grilled cheese sandwiches, tomato soup, apple slices

TUESDAY - need groceries - probably frozen pizza & veggies & dip

WEDNESDAY -  waffles, fruit, bacon, breakfast potatoes

THURSDAY - ham, baked potatoes (the kids like it better than cheesy), garden salad, fruit salad, corn, crudite, dinner rolls, *desserts

FRIDAY - leftovers 

**For desserts for Christmas this week: Annie and I will be making my Gram's cut out cookies with cream cheese frosting and sprinkles, we'll make chocolate dipped marzipan balls with sprinkles, and a frozen chocolate peppermint stick ice cream pie

TO RELAX THIS WEEK I WILL:

holiday baking, take a long bubble bath, snuggle under a blanket and read, chat with Scott on his break, zoom with my gf's

FROM THE CAMERA:

Ruby and I have done a TON of napping over that sick week. Some days I couldn't even leave bed because I was so tired. 

And the snow fell and it was a world of pretty sparkling white again and Ruby was in her element. "Throw me another snowball Mom!" One of her absolute favorite activities. Catching and eating snowballs. Lol Looks like it's going to get even prettier as more snow predicted tomorrow. The northwoods will definitely have a white Christmas. 

I think sunsets are extra enchanting when the trees are full of snow ❄️ 

A sweet bestie sent me some goodies - including these northwoodsy cordial cherries. Too cute to eat....well almost. 😉 

My Christmas card holder is getting full. 😊 Another one of my favorite parts of the season. ♥️ 

Yes, that's baby Yoda. Lol My son's gf of many years did a gift exchange with Aaron the other day and one of the gifts she gave him was this adorable baby Yoda. I teased them both by wrapping him up today and sending this pic to them and told them I was taking good care of the grandbaby. 😂 

It was snowing again today and looked so pretty out my window. 

PRAYER LIST:

I pray for an end to this virus. For peace, healing and unity in our world.  I pray for anyone sick, suffering, isolated, and afraid - for their peace and comfort. Please Lord give strength to those fighting the virus on the frontlines.  🙏 I hope this vaccine will be safe and effective and the beginning of the end for this virus. I pray for everyone to have a very safe, peaceful and happy holiday season. 

PRAYER, INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE OR DEVOTIONAL:

From my northwoods cozy home to yours, wishing you all a very safe, healthy and Merry Christmas! 🎄 🌟 🙏 ♥️ 

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

Happy Homemaker Monday

Hello Friends ~

Happy Monday to you. I hope you had a lovely weekend. Maybe even getting into holiday festivities already? That's what we did here. Scott and his daughter came to visit me and my kiddos over the weekend and we had wonderful food, played games, went for walks with Ruby, shared gifts, went looking at Christmas lights - and just had a fun holiday weekend. It was the time that worked for us to celebrate as Scott will be going back up to AK for work and be there over Christmas and New Year's. 

Now ready for the week ahead as we inch closer and closer to Christmastime. 🎄 🎶 🌟  

 

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE IS:

ON THE BREAKFAST PLATE THIS MORNING

did extended fasting today and only had coffee

HOW I AM FEELING THIS MORNING:

My joints are aching. I have arthritis issues and I think it's time I go find out what kind. I have an Aunt with RA and I hope it's not that. But if it is something like that and needs treatment I don't want to put it off. I'm researching a radical change in my diet to rid it of a lot of inflammatory things. Which will also make me healthier in other ways and lose even more weight. So win win all the way around. Lol 

ON MY MIND:

So many things as this year rapidly ends. The holiday things, obviously, but future things as well. I know I have shared a bit with you friends about the end of my marriage. I'm so grateful for what was and it was the hardest thing I ever had to do, which was to decide to move forward in life without Ad, so I could be healthier and happier. But this time of year was always so special to us - not only the holidays, but it also would have been our 25th anniversary. That part makes me so very sad because I had no doubt we'd make it to 50. But sometimes God has other plans. I'm so grateful for the fairy tale that was and how he still takes care of me in many ways, even after divorce.  I know I've shared that Ad went through typical mid life crisis things folks go through, but more so for him with the worsening of his Mom's alzheimers. We tried to work on things, but he couldn't forgive himself and we couldn't move forward on the same page of life anymore. He has been living for years in a little rental house, even though he's a prominent business man and could choose otherwise. He's finally decided to buy a big beautiful home and have his Dad move in with him. I'm so happy he's moving forward and choosing the things that make him happy again. I think it's been hard for him not living a life that he'd been accustomed to. But that means his Dad's house will probably go up for sale. And it's a gorgeous over century old historical home that I adore. The craftmanship is amazing! We had the best memories and Christmases there. Including our rehearsal dinner! Here's some pics from Christmas time past one year:

I have become such good friends with many of you, so I will continue to share my journey with you. And I'm not sure what life will bring in the future, but I know I have several new plans that I have begun to  pursue for the new year. Once they officially begin I will share details with you.  It took a long time to get to a true place of ambition and accepting it's my own journey now. Ad had been my guy since we were 16. I have never truly known life on my own and it's been an education that I'm continuing to learn. My youngest is almost 15 and won't be long until she's out of the nest too. So it will truly be my path alone to choose. It's actually exciting...if not a tad overwhelming, to think about. 😊 Thanks for going along on the ride my friends. The messages I receive on here and in private have meant so much to me. My whole circle of family, friends (including you) have been my strength through these past years, along with my Lord above of course. 🙏 💕 

AS I LOOK AROUND THE HOUSE

I got to this late today and it gets dark so early. It looks so pretty and sparkly and glowing. ✨ 

CURRENTLY READING

I haven't been reading anything very recently but plan to start Christmas at Holiday House by RaeAnne Thayne next. (still need to start this altho it may be after Christmas at the rate I'm going! Lol)

ON THE TV TODAY:

 HGTV shows, holiday baking shows,  Greys Anatomy, Mad Men, Great British Baking Show (holiday one too), The Undoing, The Bachelorette, The Crown, Hallmark movies, Escape to the Chateau on HGTV

 

ON THE MENU THIS WEEK:

MONDAY -  naan pizzas, veggies and dip

TUESDAY - cheesy french onion chicken with garlic bread and lemony roasted carrots (HF meal)

WEDNESDAY -  pork & Mexican corn street tacos (HF meal)

THURSDAY - chicken katsu with roasted green beans & ginger rice (HF meal)

FRIDAY - ?? date night

TO RELAX THIS WEEK I WILL:

wrap more gifts, make my Gram's recipe cut outs, watch a holiday movie

FROM THE CAMERA:

 

I know I've shared that Scott is in law enforcement in AK. He works 2 weeks off and 2 on. So he asked if some of his daughter's gifts could be shipped to my house. He had gotten her a 13 foot gymnastics mat as one of her presents, and she wanted to set it up right away. He had to explain to her that it wasn't the time or the place just yet.  Lol I got Scott some traditional gifts (like airpods & stuff for his harley), but I wanted to give him some more personal things. I had taught him how to play cribbage this Fall and I found a hand carved board with Alaska on it (he loves it up there so much). And I also made this little personalized cookbook for him and his daughter. When he's back in the states he has his daughter and they do cooking together. I shared some recipes I already knew he liked from having here, and also some I thought might be easy for them to make together. I also left some blank ones in there for them to add their own. I decorated it with AK things and polar bear and north kinds of things because he always calls himself a big polar bear. He LOVES the cold and he's a big guy. Here's a few of the pages and the cover:

 

My workout view downstairs this AM. This tree has all of the kiddos ornaments on it through the years and some from when I was a kiddo myself! 

PRAYER LIST:

I pray for an end to this virus. For peace, healing and unity in our world.  I pray for anyone sick, suffering, isolated, and afraid - for their peace and comfort. Please Lord give strength to those fighting the virus on the frontlines.  🙏 I hope this vaccine will be safe and effective and the beginning of the end for this virus. I pray for everyone to have a very safe, peaceful and happy holiday season. 

PRAYER, INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE OR DEVOTIONAL:

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