Monday, May 4, 2026

Happy Homemaker Monday


Hello beautiful Friends!

How is your week (& May) beginning so far? 
This morning in the northwoods it's a breezy gray one with threats of raindrops. But it was gorgeous over the past weekend and so it was a productive one for us. 

We spent a lot of the weekend at our lake property a few hours away. We opened it up and cleaned everything to get it ready for Matt's folks to return soon for the summer. It's a family property Matt bought after his Grandma's death to keep it in the family. His folks still come every summer but "rent" from us now. It's the property we plan to renovate and will be our retirement spot one day (hopefully along with snowbirding in AZ). 

We also got some time here at home Sunday to clean up our yard and get out the deck furniture. Matt did a lot of yard work and I weeded out all of my lilies. We still need to power wash all the deck furniture - but that is for another day. My poor Hubby hurt his knee a few weeks ago. He has had surgery on both of his knees due to sports injuries in college. But the doc thinks he has a slight tear in his ligament so he's in a brace for 4-6 weeks and can't do anything too crazy. But, he was still on the roof at the lake doing silly things & I was on his case (such is the way with stubborn dudes sometimes - Lol) But overall he did less than he normally does and was smart and let me do more things to help too. 

It's so wonderful getting these things done as it gets me so excited for summer ahead!! :) 







 






THE WEATHER OUTSIDE IS:

















ON THE BREAKFAST PLATE THIS MORNING:

sous vide egg white bite with cheese and roasted red pepper (from Costco), coffee












ON MY TO DO LIST THIS WEEK:

spectrum here to work on a modem issue, meeting with financial advisor, errands and groceries for Mother's Day (& our Annie's bday!), more closet cleanout, hospice work














THINKING ABOUT: 

I'm so excited my sweet Annie boo is on her way home from college! She should be home by later in the week and will be here with us for the summer. My Momma heart is thrilled and misses my Girlie so much. It's her birthday soon and we will celebrate, along with Mother's Day, this weekend. 














THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY:

the sound of my wind chime back up (it's windy today so it's playing lots of music 😊)















CURRENTLY READING

Not sure - might read next in Debbie Johnson series or go to something else?
 

But in between I've been reading
The Waiting Place by Eileen Button as well. I just read a chapter a day as almost extra devotional time. It's a group of essays and it's great food for thought and uplifting.

 











ON THE TV TODAY:

  Jeopardy, old seasons of big brother & the office,  Survivor, Outlander,  Call the Midwife, Ghosts, Shark Tank, Love on the Spectrum

(excited because I just saw that later in the month a show we love will be back on HGTV about a young couple fixing up a chateau in France)













ON THE MENU THIS WEEK:


    MONDAY - Italian chicken sausage and orzo skillet, salad



TUESDAY - tacos (Cinco de Mayo)




WEDNESDAY -  jalapeno and cheddar sausages on keto buns, dill and garlic natural fries, veggie plate




THURSDAY - if Annie home maybe her fave french toast & fruit?




FRIDAY - maybe out for dinner or order in?


*planning on a Mother's Day BBQ here and celebrating Annie's bday. My kids always choose their bday dessert and I make it from scratch. Annie chose for this year a lime cake with a strawberry buttercream frosting. So we will have that for dessert with vanilla bean ice cream. 

We will have my Mom and step Dad here (it's also his bday). We will also have our Aaron and Jill here...and maybe my Bro and SIL too. I think we will bbq burgers and do mac and cheese for Annie, side salads, fruit, chips etc. 













TO RELAX THIS WEEK I WILL:

look at gardening magazines, craft











TIPS OR SOMETHING TO SHARE:













FROM THE CAMERA:

It was so great to road trip to the lake and feel like summer is truly around the corner. We spend lots of time at the lake in the summer to get quality time with Matt's folks (& cuz we love it there) 💗
my cute Clark Kent in his driving glasses













Then back at home yesterday we cleaned up the yard, got out deck furniture and the grill,  and I weeded all the lilies along the deck. It felt so good to hear the birds and feel the sun here as it was almost 70* out. 









Some cooing doves have built a nest and laid eggs in a corner of our home near our kitchen window. Bubba has been LOVING the show of them flying back and forth.

still bare branches but seeing some buds on the trees


some wild daffodils in the woods by our house


my rhubarb peeking up!





I got this cute hummingbird solar lamp new for the season. I can't wait to fill up my little planter stand with pots and good things. :) 



I thought I'd include some videos of my favorite sounds over the weekend. Our wind chimes dancing in the breeze. And at the lake property the sounds of the peepers and birds (I missed that sound so much over the winter!)














PRAYER LIST:

 For an end to the conflicts all over the world and anyone living in war & fear, especially everything going on in the middle east right now. 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 Annie's safe travels. For healing for Matt's knee. And for blessings for all Mother's everywhere and for those that struggle with Mother's Day. 

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. 🙏🏻












PRAYER, INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE OR DEVOTIONAL:



If you are celebrating Mother's Day this weekend I am wishing you (& the Moms in your life) a very blessed and Happy Mother's Day ahead. And I pray for peace and strength for all those that struggle with that day. 

Have a great week Friends! I'm sharing this with Sandra of Diary of a SAHM for Happy Homemaker Monday.

11 comments:

  1. Men and doctor visits just don't go together. Bob is having shoulder issues and I can't get him to go in, and of course, he keeps working with it. Hope Matt gets his issues resolved.
    Hooray for Annie coming home for the summer. It'll be wonderful.
    We're thrilled that The Beau Chateau is coming back!
    Your cottage time is the best, and you now have a whole summer in front of you to soak it in.

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  2. Glad you get to enjoy your Annie all summer. Hope Matt's knee gets better quickly. Looks so nice at the lake property. From your pictures I'd say your season is about 2 weeks ahead of us. Pretty solar lamp, I want to buy a few to put outside. Have a great week

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  3. Hi Carrie, the pink Petunia basket in your header is gorgeous! You are such a good gardener. I hope Matt's knee recovers soon; it is hard for the guys to be in pain and unable to work about the house. My Mister has been to the Physio today with knee issues, but at least he now has a list of new things to do and new exercises. The Lake House is lovely, and what a nice retirement place for you. I love that you grow Rhubarb. We rarely see it here (thinks: mmm, I could try that). I am looking for Daffodil bulbs because it is time to plant them for a display in Spring. It is predicted to be cold over the next week which is very handy for bulbs. Love your Hummingbird lamp on the planter stand, and hope you send some Hummingbirds over to Ontario to meet me in August. Have a great week dear Carrie. xxxxx

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  4. I love that Matt was able to keep the family property. My siblings and I always say we regret not being in a place to keep the place and property where my grandparents once lived. Yay for Annie coming home and being with her to celebrate Mother's Day and her birthday! It sounds like a lovely time. Enjoy your day friend!

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  5. I've said it before and most likely I will say it again - but the lake property is so serene and calls to me loudly! I'm getting to the point where I wonder if Jeff is ever going to find us a place up north :( (I'm having a bad day - ignore me) I love all the signs of spring! We're having a rainy day here and I'm bummed I can't get outside today!

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  6. Happy Mother's Day to you!! Enjoy your weekend with your family. Thank you for your sweet comments on my blog! I appreciate you! I will have to look up that Chateau fixer upper show that sounds like a neat show!

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  7. Happy early birthday wishes to Annie...and Happy Mother's Day (coming up) to you Carrie. Sure hoping that the brace will help Matt's knee and that his issue will not require surgery of any kind. Your deck looks so inviting. I 'm sure that you all fully enjoy it during the warm months.. How nice to have a lake home to go to...there is something about the lake that seems to be so relaxing. This is great that you all are able to keep and maintain the property for your later retirement years. Wishing you a great weekend and any even more awesome Mother's Day weekend..

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  8. Hello Carrie, your photos are beautiful! Happy Mother's Day to you! Thank you so much for sharing, and I really appreciate your visits and kind comments on my blog as well!

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  9. Perfect timing for Annie to come back home, I know you will love having her back again.
    Sorry to hear about Matt's knees, hopefully he won't have to deal with any surgeries.
    I bet it is nice to get up to the lake house again and get it opened up. I am sure his parents enjoy having you all closer for the summer too.
    Oh I don't have HGTV anymore and I love that Chateau show, I wonder if I will be able to see it on HBO/MAX, they show some HGTV shows. Happy Mother's day to you!

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  10. Hello Carrie,
    I am quite behind in reading posts. I am popping in. I am glad your Annie is coming home and I can imagine you are tickled!! I hope you have a wonderful week! Getting outside projects always makes me feel lighter.

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  11. These are lovely photos. I also smiled reading about Bubba watching the doves by the kitchen window. Pets get so invested in bird activity. And your hummingbird solar lamp is adorable; it’s going to look so pretty once all the flowers and pots are out.

    Your Mother’s Day and birthday menu sounds wonderful too, especially the lime cake with strawberry buttercream. Homemade birthday desserts always make celebrations feel extra special.

    Wishing Matt’s knee a quick recovery, even if stubborn husbands are not always the easiest patients.

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