Happy Homemaker Monday

Hello and Happy Monday blogging Besties!

Can you believe this month is almost over already?? This summer is moving forward at lightening speed. 🙈 I'm still trying to focus on getting in all the summer things we haven't done yet. And trying not to focus on the fact that it will be August in a matter of days...and August in the northwoods is really pre-Fall. It's getting Fall focused even in the world right now as there are lots of Autumn things in the stores and all the back-to-school stuff too. Fall is my favorite, but I'm determined to try and keep my heart and mind in Summer for right now. ☀️🌸

This past weekend I got some great bonding time with my Annie boo. Matt went to the lake to see his folks, but Annie and I had made some plans and I wanted some quality 1:1 time with her. Her bf, Kristopher, comes to visit this week. And not long after that she heads back to college. So I'm soaking up all the time with her I can. We did some fun shopping, fun food, played cards and watched shows. And of course fun girl talk. I treasure time with her and I'm so grateful this is still home base for her. She will be a junior this year - so I know that time is fleeting too. 

But enough thinking about that sad (but proud) stuff and on to the week ahead...

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE IS:

ON THE BREAKFAST PLATE THIS MORNING:

an egg white muffin that has veggies and cheese in it (frozen Costco ones that are really good), iced protein coffee and I will admit to putting chobani pumpkin spice creamer in it...and it was delish! 🎃

ON MY TO DO LIST THIS WEEK:

errands, bring things to my Mom, some groceries, my hair appt, fun outtings with Annie's bf visiting here, going to visit my Dad & step Mom, hospice work

THINKING ABOUT: 

The plans for our Christmas in July day while Kris is visiting. He loves Christmas music like I do, so Annie suggested we do that while he's here visiting. So I'm going to make a simple version of a holiday type meal. And kind of a cheater version of my Gram's cut-out cookie recipe. Just going to use grocery store sugar cookie dough - but make my Gram's cream cheese buttercream and sprinkles for the top. We're going to listen to Christmas music and I will probably color or craft and Annie said she will either color or her & Kris will do a puzzle or work on a lego project she has. :) Not sure if Matt will play along for that part or maybe we will do the music part during the day while he is working. Lol 

I also got some little gifts I'm going to surprise the kids & Matt with that evening. I love Christmas and miss this old tradition I did years ago when Annie was little - so it will be fun to a get a fix before July is over 

🎄❤️💚

THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY:

feeling God's blessings everywhere & having such gratitude in my ❤️

CURRENTLY READING

The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion by Beth Brower

 

ON THE TV TODAY:

Jeopardy, Big Brother, AGT, some Hallmark Christmas in July movies I taped, a last episode of Castle Impossible we didn't watch yet, we need to get back to House of Dragon and finish this new season

ON THE MENU THIS WEEK:

    MONDAY -leftover slow cooker sweet & sour meatballs & veggies

TUESDAY - Christmas in July night: chicken, mashed potatoes, mac & cheese, vegetable medley, cranberries, dinner rolls, sugar cookies with Xmas sprinkles

WEDNESDAY - grilling burgers and vegetable kabobs with glaze

THURSDAY -  maybe leftovers or breakfast for dinner?

FRIDAY - out for dinner?

TO RELAX THIS WEEK I WILL:

color to Christmas music (yay!), craft, read

TIPS OR SOMETHING TO SHARE:

 

FROM THE CAMERA:

Last week one of Matt's old high school & college buddies, Dave, was in the area. So we invited him over for dinner. He played football with Matt and was one of his best friends. They hadn't seen each other in 14 years! Dave lives down by Iowa and doesn't come up this way too often...but happened to be coming up for work and so he reached out. It was so fun to meet him and Annie hung out with us all too. We enjoyed hearing all the old stories about Matt. 😊💗 Their line in football was called "the big dogs" line because they were all big and tall dudes. Matt is 6'2" and Dave is 6'3" and another friend on their line was almost 6'5". Matt said it was so fun for him and that it felt like no time had past since he'd last seen Dave. Dave kept making fun of Matt and saying that it wasn't fair that he looked exactly the same and still had all of his hair. 😂 (Dave was pretty bald under his cap)

My hydrangeas and lilies are really popping out now. I love that about this time of year. 

And I love that the lettuces and herbs are spilling over in their pots. The garden is becoming a big jungle and in another week or so we will be able to pick some cucumbers already. And it's been so nice not having more wildfire smoke so the nights have been clear with a pretty moon:

Over the weekend Annie & I also went to our local farmers market. There is a lady there that makes AMAZING sourdough bread & items. We got a loaf of cheddar jalapeno for Matt. And a loaf of cheddar chive (in the pic below). We also got sourdough strawberry rhubarb scones (not pictured). We got a huge lovely tomato, some broccoli, a cuke, some huge fresh basil and some jam. Annie made her favorite caprese sandwich for lunch with the basil, cheddar bread & tomato. She wants to go back to get more goodies next weekend! 

Also, Ruby got all cleaned up at the groomers recently and I love the chicken bandana they put on her! And Bubba was up to his usual craziness this past weekend. The furry babies sure keep us entertained! 

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 those in the recent Seattle shooting.

For the Lord's love and peace to fill all ❤️'s.

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:

Have a wonderful week ahead my BEAUTIFUL Friends!

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

Happy Homemaker Monday

Hello Friends and Happy Monday 😊

Are you in the heat of summer right now too? It's been in the 90's here the past couple of days and we have a few more hot days ahead. We don't get too many days in the 90's in the northwoods...so I think they always feel extra warm to us. Plus, they typically come with quite a bit of humidity. So I was doing all of my outside chores nice and early. And my workout - as I have been increasing the time I spend in my workouts each day...so I work up a good sweat!  So I wanted to get it in before it got too warm.  

I sure give a round of applause to the person that invented air conditioning!! Lol 

We had a fun weekend at the lake. Matt's Mom used to be part of putting on a production there each year. Though she's not as involved anymore, she still has a connection to an artist that brings his group up to perform now in the park each summer. He is from her old home town and he was one of her students when she was a teacher there. He has a "big band" type band he is the lead of - and also an 80's band. This year the 80's band came to perform and they were awesome!! So fun and brought back such fun memories of my youth. I'm biased, of course, but I think the 80's were the best!! 💗

We also had fun hanging with Matt's folks and did some chores around the property. As well as playing cards in the a/c, watched an Avengers movie, and spent one whole afternoon swimming in the lake (we didn't want to get out!) It was so nice on such a hot day. 

Now I've been back home and catching up with Annie and chores around the house. So it's on to the week ahead....

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE IS:

ON THE BREAKFAST PLATE THIS MORNING:

ice protein coffee

ON MY TO DO LIST THIS WEEK:

groceries, errands, my MD appt, yard work (when the weather cools down), hospice work

THINKING ABOUT: 

How I'm treasuring the time with my Annie while she's still here this summer. I'm so grateful to get quality time with her. 💗

THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY:

golfing with my Hubby 😊

CURRENTLY READING

Nothing new at the moment

 

ON THE TV TODAY:

Jeopardy, Big Brother, AGT - need to catch up on some other shows too

ON THE MENU THIS WEEK:

    MONDAY - 

TUESDAY -

WEDNESDAY - 

THURSDAY -  

FRIDAY -

*not sure about the menu this week - we need groceries but want to check in with Matt & Annie about things they may want for this week (& will bring some things to my Mom too)

TO RELAX THIS WEEK I WILL:

hopefully read, work on projects

TIPS OR SOMETHING TO SHARE:

 

FROM THE CAMERA:

We had so much fun at the 80's concert in the park with Matt's folks. People came over in their boats and pontoons (as the park is on the lake) and would listen from the water too. 

I had to wear my "sincerely yours, the breakfast club" t-shirt 😉

some of the hot weekend we hung out in the a/c at the cabin and I was coloring on my ipad - I guess I had Christmas in July thoughts going on. Lol

Ruby thought we were going on the pontoon and ran right onto it. We had to coax her off and tell her it was too hot for a ride that day. 

But we loved swimming in the lake and this family of ducks floated on by :) 

Some moments back at home:

Matt & I like to still date one another, even during the day while he's working at home (he's been extra busy these past few weeks). So we often send one another a sweet text, or a pic, or something funny. So I had sent him some love along with this pic the other day. He is the sweetest most hard working Honey. So so grateful for him! ❤️

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 healing for my Mom. For my step Dad fighting pneumonia.

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:

I love this because I love scrapbooking and paper ephemera and tangible memory things. It's hard for me to get rid of things. I'm such a sentimental softie I guess. Do you like those things too?

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

Have a blessed week!