Happy Homemaker Monday

Happy Monday Besties! ☀️

How is your Monday so far?

Mine started with an early appointment for a trim and hair coloring. It always feels good to have that done. :) 

Did you have a lovely weekend? We were at the lake with Matt's folks and celebrated belated Father's Day with Matt's Dad. We had fun playing games, grilling, pontooning and swimming in the lake (it was hot there this weekend!)

We had a little excitement too. On Friday night we went to sleep with the window open a little listening to the peepers (little frogs) singing outside and soft rainfall with some distant thunder. But then about 1:30AM Matt's Dad came to our room and told us the alarm was going off for a storm and tornado warning! So we all went to a solid interior area of the house and sat there until the warnings passed. It was crazy and a little scary! Thankfully their immediate area didn't get hit too badly - but some cities not far from there got 100 mph winds and had had semis tipped over, many downed trees and damaged homes! Thankfully no one was hurt.🙏🏻

So ya, a little too much excitement!! But the rest of the weekend was calm and just hot (high 80's with the heat index near 100*) So we lived in the lake or lived in the a/c playing cards and watching movies. 

Then back home to check on how my flowers were doing and so fun to see my peonies open up! But also home to the scary news about our attack on Iran and now their retaliations. My kiddos are on a trip overseas with their dad and I pray extra hard for their safety. 

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE IS:

ON THE BREAKFAST PLATE THIS MORNING:

iced coffee, high protein light & fit yogurt

ON MY TO DO LIST THIS WEEK:

hair appointment, work on hospice work from home and I need to catch up on paperwork, errands, groceries, get together with my Mom, hospice work at facility

THINKING ABOUT:  

how scary this world can feel (weather, wars...) and I'm so grateful to know where I can put my concerns and whose hands we're in 🙏🏻

 

THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY:

falling asleep to summer sounds (rain, thunder, peepers singing)

CURRENTLY READING

catching up in my bible study workbook

ON THE TV TODAY:

 Americas Got Talent, Jeopardy, TWD catch up, The Last of Us, Just Like That, Stick, I've started watching The Gilded Age on Max (like Downton Abbey but in early America - same creator as Downton. It's so good so far!)

ON THE MENU THIS WEEK:

    MONDAY - mediterranean salad kit with rotisserie chicken, melon

TUESDAY - tacos (for me maybe air fried sweet potato taco bowl)

WEDNESDAY - thaw something from freezer maybe to throw on the grill?

THURSDAY -  leftovers to clean out fridge

FRIDAY -  out for dinner

TO RELAX THIS WEEK I WILL:

read, maybe sketch/paint, play with my flowers/garden

TIPS OR SOMETHING TO SHARE:

I've added this interior designer to my go-to YouTube shows. She's based out of Toronto in Canada and has such great ideas for decorating small spaces. I've been sharing with Annie as she'll be in an apartment this next year at college. 

FROM THE CAMERA:

Went into Annie's bathroom the other day and this was what I saw on the counter. There's still some of my little baby girl deep inside that mature young woman. Gave me a such a smile 💗

Matt was the master chef this past weekend - look at those grill marks! 

I lived in my bathing suit or sleeveless sundresses all weekend - it sure felt like summer and was HOT!

Then back home to gray rainy weather, but flowers poppin' 😍

beginning to pop...

a little bit more...

full bloom!

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 conflicts in Iran and Israel and the protection of our country. PLEASE BRING PEACE!

For Christ's Light and Love to cast out the darkness everywhere and help the world find its way. 🙏🏻

PRAYER, INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE OR DEVOTIONAL:

Wishing you a great week ahead. If I could I'd reach through the screen and give you a big hug!! Love and blessings to you always. 

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

Cooking Thursday: Another Great Oldie - the Best Munchie Mix

 

Hellooooo Beautiful Friends!!

How's it going? Are you diving into summer yet? The summer solstice is almost here. :) We have been enjoying our deck as a 2nd living room and we are out there every moment we can get. 😍 We've gotten in some ladder ball, mini golf, and some cornhole. Now we need to get in some pickle ball, and real golf! 

We've also been looking at some summer hikes we want to take. I have a book with local hikes that are 3 miles or less and we plan to check several off the list over the months ahead. 

I've also continued to love to play among my flowers and little container gardens as much as possible. My peonies are just about ready to pop out:

And our little strawberry plant keeps producing little jewels. It will never do enough to amount to a lot at once...but we enjoy nibbling some whenever they're ripe. They're so sweet and juicy and taste like nature's candy. 😋

Speaking of delicious things - I thought I'd share another blast from the past. This munchie mix has been a go-to staple around here for over 20 years. It's pretty simple to make and it's SOOOO good. It makes a good amount so you need a pretty good sized bowl for it...or at least for a  double recipe (which I always do). It's too good not to make a big batch if you're going to go through the effort. But I also only make it when I know there will be plenty of folks to eat it. And we're going to be doing belated Father's Day with Matt's Dad - so I figured it would be a good time to make it. 

It's a wonderful sweet and salty concoction and you can find my original post about it, from way back in 2015, if you click here.

These are 2 key ingredients of the dish. Another is parmesan cheese (the powdered kind in the green canister) which I forgot to get in the photo. To double the recipe I took 2 cans of mixed nuts. Mixed with some melted powder, the parm cheese, and some herbs & seasonings (oregano, celery salt, and garlic powder) and bake it. Then while it's warm you pour the nut mixture over the golden grahams and toss it all together. 

It turns into this wonderful crunchy, earthy, salty, & sweet dream of a snack. We love to munch while we play cards or games, or watch a movie. Beware it's highly addicting!! And if you bring it to a gathering you'll be asked for the recipe or to bring it again and again. 

I make sure I keep it in a bowl with a good sealed cover as then it will stay fresh for many days. 

I urge you to make it just to try it because it's so yummy! I wish I could send you all some. 💗 I'll write the recipe below as a single batch, but I highly recommend you just DOUBLE IT because you'll need that much as it goes fast!!

BEST MUNCHIE MIX:

1/2 stick of butter (1/4 c.), melted

1/2 c. parmesan cheese

1 can of mixed nuts (regular size)

1/2 tsp each of: oregano, garlic powder, celery salt

6 c. golden grahams

Preheat oven to 300*. Melt butter in a bowl. Stir in the nuts, cheese and seasonings. Toss all together well and pour onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, stirring twice during that time.

Take a different large bowl and put golden grahams in it. If you double the recipe (I HIGHLY recommend you do) don't do 12 c. of golden grahams. I think it would be too much. I never measure the cereal out to be honest. I just dump in about 1/2 the box of a 1 pound box in the bottom of the bowl for a double recipe. You want the nuts to shine too. You could always add more cereal later if you thought it needed it - but start with less cereal first. 

Then once the nut mixture is done baking (while it's still warm) scoop it out onto the cereal. Toss it all together and keep it in a sealed container. Then get ready to watch it disappear!! 

Enjoy

xoxo

Wednesday Wonder: Favorite Window Moment

 

The older I get, the more I realize how the little things in life bring me so much joy. The obvious ones - like a sunset, smelling lilacs, sweet words from my Hubby, chats with my Mom or my Besties, playing games with my kids, hearing loons on the lake etc. 

But even the sweet little items I'm surrounded by in my home bring me joy. And these little Home Sweet Home vases are one of them. I love changing out the flowers or greenery in them each week. I just go out around my garden areas and see what's blooming and looks like it would be pretty to put in there. I use flowers, leaves, herbs - whatever fits the bill that week. This week I have bleeding hearts (while they're still blooming) and this pretty geranium out of one of my pots. 

I put it in the kitchen windowsill and smile at it every time I cook in there or do dishes...or even just wash my hands! :) 

Look at the colors in that geranium. Isn't it beautiful? God is the most amazing artist!! 

It sits right in front of my sinks next to another another simple joy (well guilty pleasure really). Which is to have some pretty seasonal soaps around. I love how the bottles are pretty and the fragrance is heavenly! 

How about you? What kinds of simple things bring you joy? 

💗💗💗

Happy Homemaker Monday

Happy Monday dear Friends!

Getting to this a little late as Annie & I were out to lunch and running around. 

I hope your week is starting gentle and lovely. 

It's a gray cloudy one here and looks like rain is on the way. 

I hope you had a wonderful weekend. We celebrated for Father's Day. First Matt on Friday evening. My kiddos wanted to do a pizza party - so we got pizza from Matt's favorite place.  And the kiddos gave him the sweetest (& some goofy) gifts, as well as such meaningful cards. Annie's especially made both of us cry. I gave him some funny things too. And Aaron's partner, Jill, even made him a homemade card and gave him some gifts they specifically picked out for him. 

We played games all night and Matt told me he just felt so moved and lucky to be step Dad to such great kiddos...and that he sure felt loved. 💗

Saturday was Jill's birthday so we got to give them gifts this weekend too; even though Aaron and Jill were doing things with Jill's parents Saturday. 

Also Saturday Annie & I went to a grad party of one of her besties. Matt and I went to church that night and then brought dinner & gifts to my step Dad & my Mom.

Then Sunday the kids went to see their dad and Matt & I had my Dad and  step Mom, Mary, over for a BBQ. We had fun appetizers. Then Matt grilled ribeyes and I made a Mexican corn salad and a green salad with blueberries & blackberries, feta cheese, walnuts and a homemade lemon honey viniagrette. I also made apple hand pies and vanilla bean ice cream for dessert. We taught them a card game Matt grew up with that we play at the lake. We also watched the US Golf Open. It was another wonderful day! 

And the partying continues as we are going to be celebrating with Matt's Dad this coming weekend. 🎉😁

*And on a special side note - last week I went to lunch with Mrs. C and I was able to snuggle up baby Thea! It was the best 💝

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE IS:

ON THE BREAKFAST PLATE THIS MORNING:

iced coffee with pistachio cold foam (yum!) and a little sweet treat as we had extra almond kringle left from the weekend 

*sometimes your week needs to start with sweetness 😉

ON MY TO DO LIST THIS WEEK:

going to lunch with Annie & my step Mom, help Annie pack for a Europe trip, Matt & I are going to a fundraiser dinner with friends, errands, groceries, hospice work 

THINKING ABOUT:  

that I can't believe it's mid June - the summer is already flying by and is always so short in the northwoods

 

THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY:

back rubs from Matt!! 💗

CURRENTLY READING

been doing more crafting instead of reading...and I'm not one that likes to listen to books but prefers to read them. And I have a pile waiting for me!

ON THE TV TODAY:

 Americas Got Talent, Jeopardy, TWD catch up, Vacation House Rules & Castle Impossible (HGTV), The Last of Us, Just Like That, we started watching Stick on Apple TV, I'm watching The Art of Vintage - it's a series on Max with a designer that does people's spaces using lots of vintage and repurposed things and she's in Stillwater MN which is only a few hours away from me

ON THE MENU THIS WEEK:

    MONDAY - weekend leftovers

TUESDAY - out to dinner for a fundraiser 

WEDNESDAY - brats on the grill, asparagus, melon

THURSDAY -  "breakfast salad" - green salad with roasted sweet potato, avocado, veggies and topped with a chili crunch egg and we will have a side of melon/fruit

FRIDAY - leftovers or out for dinner

TO RELAX THIS WEEK I WILL:

work on projects, read

TIPS OR SOMETHING TO SHARE:

FROM THE CAMERA:

Sometimes it's the little things and joy is just a new adorable lemon air freshner/nightlight. :) 

I forgot to take pics on Father's Day but I did grab a few when I was just starting to set the table to show you these sweet blueberry placemats for summer. I found them at Home Goods. And I also snapped the cute card Jill made for Matt.

Mrs. C and I met baby Thea & her Mom in the park... and I got to snuggle her for an hour!! It was bliss.😍  And right across from us were penned up goats that they had fenced in there to eat the weeds and invasive species. They were so cute too, especially the little baby goats in the mix. 

The grad party for Annie's bestie was so cute. They had a bagel bar with smoked salmon, different cream cheeses, salads & fruit. They also had cake and these adorable ferrer rocher grad caps. Plus, we got to snuggle up one of their pets - a giant maine coon cat named Sebastian. 

makes Bubba look so little in comparison 😂

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 all the division and chaos going on in this country. 

For Christ's Light and Love to cast out the darkness everywhere and help the world find its way. 🙏🏻

PRAYER, INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE OR DEVOTIONAL:

I thought you might like a little summer inspiration. ☀️

 I'm sharing this with Sandra of Diary of a SAHM. Have a blessed week ahead dear Friends. xo 

Cooking Thursday: An Oldie with Some Twists

 

Hello Beautiful Friends!

How are you doing this fine Thursday? 

The sun has been popping in and out and it's a bit cool and windy today. Just makes it feel more cozy inside. I've been doing some home projects, but also spent some time working on a cross stitch project. 

But late this morning I threw some yummy ingredients into the slow cooker and it's in the kitchen doing its thing. It's a recipe I have made many times through the years as it's an old favorite. It's also one Matt now loves too, so I continue to add it into the mix somewhat regularly. 

We love Asian food and this is a homemade version of yummy restaurant sweet and sour flavors - but healthier and made in our own home. To make it extra convenient it's a sweet and sour meatball recipe...so I just use frozen meatballs and it's that much easier! :) The flavor is SO good!! Here's a photo I took this AM of when it all first went into the slow cooker:

I usually use colorful peppers - but only had green today...so that's what we're doing. 😋

Here's a photo of what it looked like when I posted all about it the first time, which you can read here if you like. 

And here's the recipe - but here are the twists I make to it:

I added maybe a few more meatballs than the 28 oz bag (I had a 64 oz bag and added half). I don't add the whole can of pineapple so it's not so sweet. I do 1&1/2 times to a full double of the sauce because we like things saucy here. Today I doubled it, so today I did 1 c. of the ketchup, brown sugar & apple cider vinegar. And a 1/4 c. of the rest of the ingredients. I also added a little bit of sesame oil (just a tiny splash) as we always have this hand. And I added a sprinkle of red pepper flakes as Matt & I like things with a kick. But it's absolutely wonderful just as the recipe states too. 

We will eat it tonight over cauliflower rice to make it lower carb and add more nutrition and fiber. We will top with some cashews or sesame seeds for crunch. If we're feeling extra hungry I may air fry some veggie spring rolls we have in the freezer. 

This recipe is such a great go-to and I hope you give it a try! 

Enjoy!!

xoxo