Happy Homemaker Monday

Hello and happy Monday my Friends ~

How are things in your world? I hope you have a lovely week planned ahead. 😊

How was your weekend? We had a good one here. We watched lots of Olympics - which Hubby & I both love. There is a actually a mixed doubles team from our area that is doing really well in curling! 

And we did a lot of our usuals...ran errands, went to mass, did home cleaning and projects etc. We brought some things to my Mom and step Dad and will be running some Super Bowl leftovers to them too. 

We had our besties, the C's, over for the Super Bowl and enjoyed way too many goodies, had fun with the football board Matt put together (he was the big $ winner this year), and just had a blast hanging out with our friends and catching up. We plan to go watch some of their daughter's volleyball soon and get in some more date nights. 

Now on to the week ahead....

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE IS:

ON THE BREAKFAST PLATE THIS MORNING:

 protein coffee and half of a banana oat muffin

ON MY TO DO LIST THIS WEEK:

errands, hair appt, bring things to my Mom, lunch with a girlfriend for her belated bday, hospice work

THINKING ABOUT: 

How fast time is going - Lent is right around the corner already and then Easter! But that also means Spring will definitely be on the way.🌸 However, I'm still embracing this cozy time and will work on some painting and crafts this week. 

THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY:

Bubba purring on my lap :) 

CURRENTLY READING

Not sure what book I'm diving into next - I just got some new fun magazines I'm currently enjoying.  

ON THE TV TODAY:

 the Olympics, Jeopardy, old seasons of big brother & the office, Junk or Jackpot on HGTV, Best Medicine, the Pitt, Miss Scarlet & All Creatures Great and Small on PBS, cooking shows and movies

ON THE MENU THIS WEEK:

    MONDAY - my Gram's chickie chip casserole & some leftovers from the weekend

TUESDAY -  cabbage roll soup

WEDNESDAY -  leftovers

THURSDAY - my friend Billie Jo's slow cooker pot roast recipe with veggies

FRIDAY - maybe easy pizza night?

*for Valentines Day this year I want to cook for Matty mine and I'm going to make my friend Mari's steak bites and some sides. And make fun fondue for dessert 😋❤️

TO RELAX THIS WEEK I WILL:

paint, read magazines, watch the Olympics

TIPS OR SOMETHING TO SHARE:

*I relate too well 😂

FROM THE CAMERA:

Even though there is still snow and cold - being outside is still so beautiful. This sunset was so pretty. And we still get lots of fun critters visiting. I think that was one of the biggest pileated woodpeckers I've ever seen. He was as big as the birdfeeder! Lol

This cracked me up. I had fun with chat GPT and asked it to make a caricature of me based on what it knows about me:

We got all set up to watch the Super Bowl down in our lower level - it's like a media room with the bigger screen tv and big lounging couch down there. Matt's office is tucked down there too (he works from home). It's become his gamer space more and we have plans to renovate things in the future. We are going to have a carpenter build some built-in's for down there and get new carpet, some new furniture etc. Just update and renovate - and make it a little more gamer "cool" 😎 I think of it as more of his domain as basically most of the rest of the house is mine. 😂 

 But it still works for now and we had fun setting up (I did a kind of Valentines theme) and as you can see we had way too many goodies! I had made toasted chicken bacon ranch sliders, some easy loaded potato skin snacks, a veggie tray, and a chocolate banana cream poke cake. Our besties brought fruit, taco dip, and really yummy spinach and artichoke puff pastry bites my gf made. Matt had also picked up cheese curds from one of our favorite places and air fryed them up for the game. We both fasted all day to wait for the game but still - way too stuffed! Lol And had way too much stuff (part of the fun of super bowl Sunday though, right?) We sent the besties home with lots of leftovers (they have a growing teen at home) and I'm bringing a bunch of goodies to my Mom and step Dad - so that helps. 

Still enjoying the fireplace often to keep the chill at bay and to feel even more cozy during this season. 

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 Olympics to be fun and safe. 

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 all a very blessed week ahead. 

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

Cooking Thursday: Holiday Shortbread

 

Hello dear Friends and Happy Fri-yay Eve! :) 

It's not quite as cold in the northwoods today and finally warmed up a bit into the 30's. We may get a little snow but I'll take that over being freezing all the time. 

My home smells so good right now! I felt like baking this AM and I had bananas to use, and instead of making my usual banana bread I wanted to make something different. And a bit healthier. So I made banana oat muffins. They turned out so yummy and I will share that recipe next week. 

But today I wanted to share this recipe so I can put it in my recipe tab for future reference...as I forgot to share this recipe and add it back in December. It's for a holiday shortbread that turned out so well and was so delicious that I may make some next year as gifts for folks. 

I had always wanted a shortbread mold and my Aaron got me one for Mother's Day or my birthday (I forget when?). And back in later December I decided to try it out on this holiday shortbread. I had made regular shortbread several times. And even this lilac shortbread a few years ago. But when I came across this buttery citrus version that was so Christmasy...I had to give it a go. I found that recipe at a site called entertainingwithbeth.com 

So I made up the dough as directed and when ready to bake I put it into the mold. It baked up and turned out great! 

Matt and I had ours with small mugs of homemade stovetop cocoa. As this was when we were still indulging. 😋 I had followed a fun tip I found that said to make or spray little mounds of whipped cream with sprinkles on top of parchment paper and place in the freezer for about 1/2 an hour to an hour. They were perfect to put in the hot cocoa and slowly dissolve. I recommend that tip for your next holiday fun. 

We topped our shortbread cookies with a little bit of berry jelly, as whenever I make shortbread my kids always liked it topped with jam - so I've gotten used to that. Lol I bet a homemade cranberry or raspberry kind of jam would be amazing! 

They were so buttery and that orange zest really came through and gave them that holiday vibe. You don't need a mold to make them. You could do them in an 8x8 pan too. I think they would make a fun Valentines treat too and enjoy them with some tea. Maybe even give as a Galentines gift along with some tea. 💗 

Here's the recipe:

If you're still freezing and dealing with snow in your world - stay cozy! If you try this recipe I hope you enjoy. 

xoxo

Wordless Wednesday

 

Happy Homemaker Monday

Hello Friends! And hello...

Another new month is here! It's always so nice when you get through January in the northwoods because it's always such a long cold month. February always flies by and then by March we can at least start to think about Spring and warmth.

How was your weekend?

Ours was lovely because our dear Aaron and Jill were up for a visit. They stayed over and on Friday we played lots of games, went out for pizza, and had a great catch up. Then Saturday Matt & I did things around the house, went to evening mass and out for dinner (the kids had things going on with Jill's family). Then on Sunday they hung out here and we watched Annie's hockey game (streaming - she scored a few goals, yay!), played more games and I made us all dinner.  We just love all of our kiddos so much and treasure any time with them!! 

Wishing you all a happy Monday and a blessed and cozy week ahead....

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE IS:

ON THE BREAKFAST PLATE THIS MORNING:

just protein coffee today

ON MY TO DO LIST THIS WEEK:

out to lunch to do some honorary Auntie's birthdays, groceries later in the week, errands, projects, check in with friends about super bowl plans, hospice work

THINKING ABOUT: 

How terrible it is that I have cabin fever already. I need to just continue to focus on the peaceful, restful, and cozy nature of hibernation season that will be continuing around here in the north.

THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY:

a freshly washed super soft fleece blanket right out of the dryer

CURRENTLY READING

Summer at the Comfort Food Cafe by Debbie Johnson

(Just a little bit left to finish) 

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 - gruyere and white cheddar chicken patties on keto toast, salad

TUESDAY -  protein pasta with marinara, & meatballs, veggies & dip

WEDNESDAY -  egg bake, salad

THURSDAY - chicken soup dumplings, veggie spring rolls, fruit

FRIDAY - out for dinner?

TO RELAX THIS WEEK I WILL:

read, work on fun projects

TIPS OR SOMETHING TO SHARE:

FROM THE CAMERA:

I've been enjoying this new devotional :) 

the moon was so pretty over the weekend

since kiddos were coming home, of course I wanted to bake them something (butterscotch and chocolate chunk bars 😋)

love my foamy almond milk creamer on my coffee (& love when my coffee loves me back...do you see the heart at the top?)

the usual critter traffic around here - bunnies with their extra big fur coats and Bubba on squirrel patrol

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:

I hope you get to do lots of this over the week ahead. 💗

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