Hello and happy new week to you Friends!
Did you have a lovely weekend?
It was a fun and eventful one here as I hosted my annual girlfriend Christmas. We have been doing a Christmas get together and exchange for 37 years (since high school!) We have had one gf move away about 25 years ago, but we still call her during our gathering each year. And she thinks next year she may fly out and be here for a visit and part of the gathering. Yay! She would be coming from California so that is so exciting to all of us! 💗 I share photos below of our time together. They were here for like 7 or 8 hours. It's so fun catching up! Some years there are big heavy things to share, some years joyful things (like Mrs. C's new grandbaby and daughter getting married this year). We have shared it all. I'm so grateful that all the painful drama years I faced are far behind me and now I just share all the joy in my life! So very blessed🙏🏻💗
We also have a theme each year and exchange gifts based on that. We do a big potluck and graze all day. We all look so forward to it every year. I had kept my Christmas stuff up for it...so this week I need to take it all down (well Matt is an amazing helper too). It's always so sad to see it go.
Matt and I also brought dinner to my Mom and step Dad yesterday and helped them with some things in their apartment and played some cards. I had made homemade chicken pot pie with a crust I had made during the holidays and froze because I didn't use it.
We watched a bit of football over the weekend, too, and the biggest bummer is that our Packers are now all done for the season. 😢
Oh well, there's always next year...right?
*a little update: the blogaversary giveaway is still in the works, but there are few things I'm waiting on for it. I hope to do it this week - but again, thanks for your patience and stay tuned!
THE WEATHER OUTSIDE IS:
ON THE BREAKFAST PLATE THIS MORNING:
a little weetabix cereal with protein milk and healthy sweetener, coffee
ON MY TO DO LIST THIS WEEK:
Take down Christmas & cleaning, Ruby's haircut, errands, making things to bring an Uncle that just had surgery, stay consistent with all the walking I've been doing (& add light weights), projects, hospice work
THINKING ABOUT:
excited that I think I finally have a whole wheat sourdough starter (& discard) that seem to be going - but we will see! Lol
THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY:
being outside in the backyard in the winter when it's so calm and still and the snow makes it so quiet and peaceful
CURRENTLY READING
The Housemaid by Freida McFadden (almost done! but not sure what I'm going to read next)
ON THE TV TODAY:
watched the Golden Globes last night, Jeopardy, old seasons of big brother & the office, Junk or Jackpot on HGTV, Best Medicine, the Pitt, Shark Tank, Miss Scarlet & All Creatures Great and Small on PBS, cooking shows and movies
ON THE MENU THIS WEEK:
MONDAY - leftover chicken pot pie, salad
TUESDAY - healthy oat & banana pancakes, scrambled eggs with veggies & cheese
WEDNESDAY - garlic & black pepper roasted pork tenderloin, asparagus, maybe brown rice?
THURSDAY - chicken skewer low carb wraps, roasted broccoli
FRIDAY - out for dinner or order in?
*if starter cooperates may try to bake a loaf of bread or use discard to bake something fun
TO RELAX THIS WEEK I WILL:
finish book, bake, paint/sketch
TIPS OR SOMETHING TO SHARE:
FROM THE CAMERA:
I found these cute snoopy sheet and put them on Annie's bed (as she loves him) for the next time she comes home :)
The sunsets have continued to be so beautiful this winter!
We drew names for our gf Christmas as this year's theme was favorite Christmas movies so wanted to get specific things. The friend I drew loves hallmark movies, elf, and a Charlie Brown Christmas. So I wrapped everything individually and used cute elf and peanuts wrap to make a tower.
We never starve! I contributed a naan bread pizza bar (not pictured) for everyone to build their own pizza. And I took honey goat cheese and rolled it in chopped pistachio, dried cherries, & fresh rosemary & thyme. And also put on the charcuterie a cinnamon and cranberry goat cheese. I even cut little stockings and Christmas trees & snowflakes in the cheese and cucumbers with tiny cookie cutters (as I'm nerdy like that😂). The Girls all brought so many goodies too. Matt was in heaven with getting all the extras! Lol
I also made these pretzels that were such a hit! Take a bag of pretzels, pour and coat melted white chocolate over them, and toss with crushed fruity pebbles cereal. Very addicting! Will share full recipe this week.
A peek at the homemade chicken pot pie I made yesterday. I will share the recipe later in the week. It's so comforting and YUMMY!
💗💗💗💗
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 the Lord's love and peace to fill 2026. ❤️
For Christ's Light and Love to cast out the darkness everywhere and help the world find its way to loving our neighbors as ourselves. 🙏🏻