Wordless Wednesday

*the blizzard keeps on blizzarding

 

 

Happy Homemaker Monday

 

Hello and happy Monday beautiful Friends!

First of all, thanks again to all who entered the giveaway. I posted the winners earlier this morning - so go back and look at that post if you want to see who won.

It is freezing in the northwoods today! It was double digits below zero this morning out there. And I need to go out and run errands and go to my mammogram appointment. Brrr! I'm not sure if I'll get this post done before I need to go but I'll post it this afternoon if I don't. 

How was your weekend? The update here was it was a nice mellow one for Matt & I. We went to our usual Saturday mass and went out for dinner. We did things around the house. But we also went out to my Uncle's place yesterday. He's the one that is a retired priest and he recently had surgery. He lives about 50 minutes away. We went to check on him and I had made some soup, banana bread, a pasta meal, and some cookies to bring him. We hung out and visited and played some cards with him. We also did some chores around the house for him - including Matt doing some snow removal and we brought in some firewood for his wood burning stove. It was a lovely visit and he's happily healing up really well. 

Now on to this cold week ahead...

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE IS:

ON THE BREAKFAST PLATE THIS MORNING:

yogurt & berries, coffee

ON MY TO DO LIST THIS WEEK:

mammo appt, errands, some home projects and some fun ones, hospice work

THINKING ABOUT: 

how I'm looking forward to snuggling under a blanket with a good book

THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY:

the look of big evergreen trees filled with snow ❄️

CURRENTLY READING

Summer at the Comfort Food Cafe by Debbie Johnson

ON THE TV TODAY:

  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 creamy chicken wild rice soup (really good with an Italian bent as I threw some cut up red pepper in it too, and added a little pesto. I had also deglazed the roux with some wine too 😋) I will share the recipe in the future

TUESDAY -  

WEDNESDAY -  

THURSDAY - 

FRIDAY - 

*not sure about the rest of the menu this week yet, but with this cold weather it would sure be good to do a little baking! 

TO RELAX THIS WEEK I WILL:

read, bake, craft

TIPS OR SOMETHING TO SHARE:

we're doing a few trips this year - I've never thought to do this...but I am a list person so it speaks to me :) 

FROM THE CAMERA:

We got more snow over the weekend as you can see from Matt's truck. Lol

With the cold and the snow, Ruby says it's good snuggle in weather. Bubba agrees and loves to hang out in the weirdest places. 😂

On Sunday we brought my Uncle some goodies I made including this homemade creamy chicken wild soup, a slow cooked homemade pasta sauce (with pasta, garlic bread & a salad), and some sourdough chocolate chip cookies I made from my sourdough starter discard. I also made and brought him some banana bread. He was so appreciative and said he felt treated like a king. 💗

It was snowing the day we drove to his place and the trees were so pretty. I love his long driveway lined by evergreens.

In his foyer he still has this little ode to our former pope Francis

And up his stairs I love this collection of family photos. This is my Dad's side of the family and my Uncle and Dad are 2 of 9 kids. 

And you may think that's a lot of kiddos - but here are my great grandparents...Martin and Clara:

And they had 17 children, with only 1 set of twins!! Can you imagine? My Grandpa was one of the oldest of 17 kids. The picture below isn't even all of the kids yet... if you count there are only 16 and she was going to have 1 more! Those good Polish Catholic farm living folks. Lol 😉

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. 🙏🏻

PRAYER, INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE OR DEVOTIONAL:

Wishing you blessings on your week ahead and that wherever you are that you are nice and cozy. 

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

Happy Homemaker Monday

 

Happy new week to you Friends!

The Christmas countdown is on over here. 🎄❤️💚 Busy week ahead and Matt's folks come into town. I don't think I'll get a chance to post much after today and I will be taking a blog break for the holidays. We host everything here for my family and for Matt's. But I will come around and visit you all before I sign off and wish you all a Merry Christmas!

We had a fun weekend, as we traveled to Green Bay to see family (Matt & I and the kids). Annie rode with Matt & I and we did lots of singing and playing of games on the way. We met Aaron and Jill there as they drove from where they live. 

We got in our annual Green Bay Gamblers hockey game too, which is always so fun! They are really good this year and won. Yay! We got great time with family (my Aunts and some cousins) - but sadly, my special Uncle Donald (he is mentally challenged and so special to our family) had covid...so we didn't get to spend time with him. That was such a big bummer!! 

On the road trip home we listened to the Packers game...which was fun other than they lost. Boo! We drove by lots of Amish country and farms. It was so pretty to see horses or cows out in the snow. And there was a gorgeous sunset. I will share in pics below. 

Now on to this busy week ahead...

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE IS:

ON THE BREAKFAST PLATE THIS MORNING:

a fun holiday coffee from an advent calendar Matt got me with a little natural almond vanilla creamer & my protein stuff 

ON MY TO DO LIST THIS WEEK:

errands, groceries, final wrapping & doing of gift baskets, clean & prep, MD appt, hair appt, baking, get Matt's folks all settled in, hospice work

THINKING ABOUT: 

final preparations before Christmas and the schedule of events with Matt's folks in town and Annie and other family time too 

THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY:

The birds at the bird feeder and in the branches beyond - how they sing and enjoy the bird seed. We're so happy to give them fuel for these cold temps. And it's fun to watch how happy Bubba is with their visits. 

CURRENTLY READING

The Housemaid  by Freida McFadden

ON THE TV TODAY:

 Jeopardy, old seasons of big brother, Survivor, Ghosts, Holiday baking shows, Hallmark and Christmas movies 

ON THE MENU THIS WEEK:

    MONDAY - pasta night we didn't do last week

TUESDAY -  maybe breakfast for dinner (Annie kind of meal)

WEDNESDAY -  crispy chicken, mashed potatoes, coleslaw & salad

THURSDAY - might go out for early anniversary dinner for Matt's folks

FRIDAY - maybe chicken almondine, salad

*need to sit down and figure out plan with Matt for when his folks are here - so we know what nights to take them places and what nights to eat here...then we can get the groceries for all the menus :) 

*and for Christmas Eve and Day entertaining my family and his what are full menus will be (most likely Christmas ham egg bake brunch with for my Mom, step Dad, Bro and SIL brunch Christmas Eve. And Christmas ham dinner on Christmas with Matt's folks

TO RELAX THIS WEEK I WILL:

watch Christmas movies, bake, read

TIPS OR SOMETHING TO SHARE:

FROM THE CAMERA:

I did dried apples and oranges, cinnamon sticks, whole clove, star anise, and fresh rosemary for this (but pine tree branches right from the yard work too!)

My Girl's hockey pics for this year 💚 Go Bulls! It's so weird to sometimes look at a picture of her and see myself from MANY years ago: 

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 involved in the recent shootings at Brown University. 😢

For a safe and healthy holiday season ahead. For Matt's folks to travel safely and for all those traveling this season.

For Christ's Light and Love and Christmas peace to cast out the darkness everywhere and help the world find its way to loving our neighbors as ourselves. 🙏🏻

PRAYER, INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE OR DEVOTIONAL:

Wishing you all a very blessed and Merry Christmas! And if I don't pop back in to blog sooner.... also a very Happy New Year! 🌟

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