Happy Homemaker Monday

Happy new week my Friends!

Can you believe it turns October tomorrow? As a super Fall loving Gal I think it's the best month of all. 😉🍁🧡

the photo in my planner for October 😍

The geese have been flying over with abandon in the northwoods. I hear big groups of them honk away right over the house almost daily. The leaves are starting to really change colors now too. The temps have been mild during the day...but really nice and chilly in the evenings (40's and 50's and even some nights in the 30's!). All signs of Autumn fully in the air. 

We had a relaxing weekend at Ten Mile visiting Matt's folks and helping them start the process for shutting down the cottage for the season. They'll be heading back to AZ soon already. 

It was a wonderful weekend (besides the chores part - Lol) of cozy meals, playing cards, lovely walks, watching movies and a last pontoon ride for the season. Oh and we watched some football of course! Our Packers lost to the Vikes - which is always a bummer. Especially when our kicker missed 2 field goals and if he had made just one of them we would have won! Grrr. But we enjoyed the togetherness and cheering just the same. 

I have such a grateful heart that where our Annie is wasn't really affected from Hurricane Helene. My heart and prayers go out to all those folks that were affected badly. It was scary knowing Annie wasn't really all that far from where places were going to be hit. But her school has a protocol for it all and if evacuation had been needed they would make it mandatory for the students to leave. Thankfully, they knew Annie's area wasn't going to be affected too badly and Annie was just fine. 🙏🏻

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE IS:

ON THE BREAKFAST PLATE THIS MORNING:

Fasting this AM so only sugar free syrup and a splash of protein creamer in my coffee. 

ON MY TO DO LIST THIS WEEK:

errands, out to lunch with a Friend, walking date with another Friend, hospice work from home and at facility

THINKING ABOUT:  

This Guy:

It's my little brother's (Steven) birthday today! And that's my SIL (Jill). He turns the big 5-0 today. 🎂

He has lived all over the world. He was a lifer in the military since he was 18. He was a combat medic in the Green Berets and has a purple heart from getting shot in Iraq many years ago. He is now retired from that. They moved back to the northwoods several years ago. He went on to get a degree in emergency medicine management and now works well in a way for the corps of engineers (he's never been one to sit around)😉 He's also one very smart cookie. And obviously very brave. Also, sweet, kind, strong and a wonderful doggie Dad to 3 sweet furry babies! We're connecting with him and Jill soon so we can treat Steven and celebrate him. 😋

AS I LOOK AROUND THE HOUSE

It's a beautiful sunny and breezy day outside. I can hear the wind rustling the leaves and see showers of some falling now and then. The sun is streaming in and I'm listening to soft Celtic music. The house looks bright and pretty with all the Fall decorations now.  I love this time of year in my home because the colors of Autumn decorations just goes so well with the colors in this house. I share some of the decorations in the pics below - along with pics of this past weekend. 

CURRENTLY READING

Death by Crockpot mystery by Linda West

Thanks for the fun suggestion Lisa!😁 (from At Home with Lisa blog)

ON THE TV TODAY:

 Big Brother, Dancing with the Stars,  Survivor, Grey's Anatomy, Great British Bake Off, Jeopardy, movies taped

ON THE MENU THIS WEEK:

    MONDAY - leftovers 

TUESDAY -  protein chicken crust pizza topped with avocado caesar salad

WEDNESDAY - asparagus stuffed chicken, cucumber salad

THURSDAY - sushi night

FRIDAY -  ?

 

TO RELAX THIS WEEK I WILL:

walks, read, decorate the outside of the house

TIPS OR SOMETHING TO SHARE:

I gave for those dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Helene - if you want to help too, you can go to redcross.org and can specify you want to give for Hurricane Helene relief specifically.

FROM THE CAMERA:

Isn't my Hubby a cutie pie? ❤️

this is the neigbor's place next to our lake property - love that they had pumpkins out front 🎃

the cottage

chili in the slow cooker yesterday for the big game! 🏈

My cute in-law's - this is a shelf in my dining room hutch you can see below:

PRAYER LIST:

 For an end to the conflicts all over the world and anyone living in war & fear. For peace and unity in this country, especially from hate and shootings or violence.  For anyone sick, suffering, in pain, fear, loneliness etc ... that God bring them comfort and peace. For those affected by Hurricane Helene. For His Light and Love to cast out the darkness everywhere and help the world find its way. 🙏🏻

PRAYER, INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE OR DEVOTIONAL:

Blessings on your week ahead! I'm sharing this with Sandra of Diary of a SAHM for Happy Homemaker Monday.

Cozy Kitchen (some recipes) & Fall Decorating has Begun!

 

Hello beautiful Friends! 

How has this week been treating you so far? Are you getting into all the Fall feels yet? I have definitely got the vibes going on the inside of the house...but not so much outside. It's still been summer temps during the day and I've had to put the a/c on still quite a bit. 

But inside I've been doing cozy kitchen time, partly in preparation for the weekend. And I've also finally been putting away summer. I've been cleaning and then going through the closets and bins to drag out my Autumn decorations. I have a good majority of it up now and only a few more bins to go through. :) 🌻🍂🍁🧡💛

Last night I got cozy in the kitchen making a sheet pan of veggies (I forgot to photo) - to go along with Italian beef sandwiches. Here is how I make slow cooker Italian beefs:

I add a little water and a couple of pepperoncini peppers, and some of their juices from the jar, to the bottom of a slow cooker. I don't like it super spicy and I like to taste the meat that's why I don't do mine like a mississippi pot roast style. I place a 3 pound beef roast on top of the water/peppers mix. I salt and pepper it a bit. I then add 2 packets of dry Italian dressing seasoning mix all over the roast. And a sprinkle of garlic powder too. I then add a few more peppers on top and cover and cook on low all day (about 7 hours). 

Once it's tender enough I shred it up in the slow cooker and turn to warm until ready to eat. We had ours on onion buns - but you could do hoagie buns, low carb keto buns, whatever you like. I like mine with some of the au jus from the bottom of the cooker. Matt likes his topped with some sriracha mayo. I had made a sheet pan of roasted veggies and Matt put some of the roasted onions on top of his too. You could do BBQ sauce too and that would be tasty. 

I didn't get a pic - but how I like to do my sheet pan veggies is to cut up whichever veggies you want to use (or need to use up like me). Last night I did zucchini, carrots, broccoli, onion, and cauliflower. I cut them into chunks and put them in a big bowl. I drizzled the veggies with oil (I usually use olive or avocado) and I sprinkle whatever seasonings I'm feeling. Last night was seasoned salt, pepper, garlic powder and Italian seasonings. Toss it all together and pour onto a sheet pan. I baked them in a preheated *425 oven for about 30 mins until they were browned and caramelized a bit. Then I take them out and put a balsamic glaze drizzle on top and a little sprinkle of parm. SO GOOD! 

Then today I was cooking and baking to prepare for a weekend we're going to be spending with Matt's family. I made a batch of taco meat. My brown sugar chili (great for football time!), honey butter glazed cornbread muffins, and spiced peach pie. I have all the fixings ready for both the tacos and chili too. 

Of course candles make kitchen time extra cozy!! 

And you know me - I had to be "extra" and I cut out some Fall leaves. I felt I need to remind us of the season...as right now it feels like summer! Lol We will have this with vanilla bean ice cream. My recipe for this pie you can find if you click here.

Next week I'll share my brown sugar chili and honey glazed cornbread muffins as I don't think I've ever fully posted them on here (I don't think it linked right and only my sloppy joe recipe is on there that time?). 

And I thought I'd share some of the decorating I've accomplished (although I tend to rearrange over time - anyone else do that?). Also some shots of the glow last night. I love having pretty decorations on timers this time of year. It adds to the cozy since it's getting dark earlier and earlier. How about you, have you got all your Autumn decorating finished?

The glass that looks like a mug of apple cider with a cinnamon stick is a candle. I got it at a craft fair last year and I think it's the best smelling thing on earth!!! 

Do you have fun plans for the weekend? Are you a football fan? 

I hope whatever you get up to you have a very blessed and snuggly weekend ahead. 

xoxo