Happy Homemaker Monday

Happy Monday Friends! 

I hope your December has begun all twinkly and wonderful so far. :) 

I'm still not fully decorated as I haven't gotten to downstairs - but the rest of it is done. And I even wrapped a bunch of gifts that are under the tree already. So I'm feeling pretty positive with the progress so far. I'm just soaking in the season as much as possible. 

This weekend included a lot of the usuals, as well as Friday night hanging with my Mom and step Dad. Matt and I brought dinner and helped them with their decorations and then hung out and taught them a card game Matt's family has played for many years. It was a lot of fun. 

Then Saturday I went to an outdoor Christmas market with my gf Mrs. C. and Matt & I went out with her and her hubby for dinner. Then came back to our house and my gf and I had yummy hot toddies and we played the card game smear for hours. It was a blast! 

Yesterday a fellow mom and I hosted a team dinner for the Annie's hockey team. And then watched the epic Packer game last night! It was a fun one. (sorry Jean). Lambeau is becoming a popular place as Taylor Swift and Simone Biles were there. 💕 (Taylor's bf is on the Chiefs that we played, and Simone is married to Jonathan Owens - a safety on the Packers). 

Now on to an eventful week ahead! 

        

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE IS:

ON THE BREAKFAST PLATE THIS MORNING:

toast, a cutie orange, coffee

ON MY TO DO LIST THIS WEEK:

Annie's hockey games, a shopping outing with my Mom, movers coming to move some furniture to Matt's old place we'll be renting to get ready for painters coming here to freshen up some spaces, a friend over for dinner one night, a Christmas concert at church, going out with friends one night, hospice work, errands

THINKING ABOUT:  

Finishing off my Christmas list - just a few more gifts to grab. And anticipating some fun concerts and quality family and friend time ahead. 

🎄 💕 

AS I LOOK AROUND THE HOUSE

It's such a dark gray day that I have some lights glowing already. I can see some people skating on the bay out the window! There have been a few out lately. We don't really have snow yet - so it's perfect smooth ice conditions. I have a hot cup of cinnamon cardamom tea and I'm listening to Christmas music, of course. I have been enjoying lots of just instrumental Christmas radio on pandora if I'm trying to work on something. 

CURRENTLY READING

Holiday magazines (probably going to remain my go-to through the season). I have several books I'm reading and I jump around - so nothing of mention at this time.

ON THE TV TODAY:

   Survivor, Dancing with the Stars, Jeopardy, The Morning Show, Great British Baking Show, The Crown,  Christmas movies, HGTV shows, Matt and I started watching The Americans (you're right Jean - definitely a more graphic series!), old Gilmore Girls episodes, Hallmark movies taped 

ON THE MENU THIS WEEK:

    MONDAY -  leftovers from team dinner

TUESDAY - tacos

WEDNESDAY -  slow cooker ham & scalloped potatoes I didn't make few weeks ago, cheddar bay biscuits, big green salad, spiced peach pie & ice cream (friend over)

THURSDAY - out for dinner after hockey

FRIDAY - ??

TO RELAX THIS WEEK I WILL:

decorate, work on Christmas cards, wrap more gifts, go to a Christmas concert at church 🎶 :) 

TIPS OR SOMETHING TO SHARE:

I think I might have posted this before - but I'm a big tea drinker and liked the reminder. Hope it helps you if you're a tea drinker too. ☕️ 

FROM THE CAMERA:

I got Matt and I this fun coffee advent calendar and we take turns sampling the yummy flavors 😋 

They had a donkey, horse, and alpaca you could pet at the holiday market I went to with my gf. You could also go into the big building to warm up and they had a fun place for kids, hot beverages, other sellers and food and treats. 

When I got home from shopping that day, Matt had been out running errands and had gotten me a big bunch of roses, as he knows how I love them. And I think they're Christmasy too. He's such a Honey!! I broke it up into a few bunches and added them into the decorating. 🌹 

Matt got me this sweatshirt as an early Christmas gift and I wore it to the team dinner and in honor of the game last night. Lol. The family that hosted the dinner have a huge St. Bernard named Sampson. Annie and couple pals posed in his kennel. 😆 He's so sweet and slobbery. I just love him! 

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 His Light and Love to cast out the darkness everywhere.  For Matt's Mom and for my gf both dealing with some health issues. For anyone suffering in any way during this holiday season. 🙏 

PRAYER, INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE OR DEVOTIONAL:

Amen! I hope you have a great week. I'm sharing this with Sandra of Diary of a SAHM for Happy Homemaker Monday.

Friday Five Senses

 

Hello lovely Friends! 

In honor of the start of December, I thought I would do a December Friday Five Senses post. It's starting to look like December inside my home (still not done decorating though). But outside it still looks like November. Brown, bare and no real snow. But I know it will show up eventually! It always does. Lol 

SIGHT

I'll begin with what I SEE:

I see the decorations that I do have up - and even the gifts I have wrapped so far and put under the tree (to get them out of the closets!) Lol

Love this old cabin advent calendar I've had forever. I used to stock it with candy or else slips that said "see Mom" because I'd have little toys or goodies for the kids. I give them their own fun advent calendars now (like Annie's is a beauty one). But I still stock it with candies. 😉 

SOUND

And this is what I HEAR as I work on this actually. Listening to Christmas CD's in my office. It rests on an old hope chest that was once my Grandma Anne's. 💗 I hear the warm rich sound of Nat King Cole's voice and it fills the whole room. Nice way to start the day. 🎶 

SMELL & TASTE

These were the wonderful SMELLS this morning as I began my day. 

I was sniffing the heavenly smell of this candle. Think of a Christmas tree farm. Pure pine branches with maybe a hint of mint or snow? Just such a fresh smell that helped wake me up too. And the smell of a yummy cup of coffee. It was out of a coffee advent calendar I got for Matt and I to share. It was called Christmas blend (forgot to get pic) and it had faint TASTE  of spiced cinnamon. And I added a little rich creamy salted caramel protein drink that gave it a smooth and salty flavor too. Truly starting to feel like the holidays! 

This is the calendar and this is tomorrow's flavor I already got out and ready for Matt! 

FEEL:

And instead of touch in tangible terms - I'm going with what I feel. Which is nostalgic. I look around and so many of the decorations have meaning to me. 

On one of our first dates Matt and I went to an antique store, because he knew I loved them - and I got this neat old German calendar topper. Last year I had it framed to hang in our home. 

And these pieces of Lefton Christmas and the angels among my china, reminds me so much of my former mother and father-in-law. I miss them every day and talk to them in heaven. They were a part of my life since I was 15, so those feelings stick with you forever I think. They picked these up at antique stores and gave them to me as different Christmas gifts through the years. Some day I hope they'll bring nostalgia to my kiddos. And so is the beautiful cycle of life, holidays and family treasures. 

Happy December and stay cozy! xo