Happy Homemaker Monday

Hello and happy Monday Friends ~

Happy Holiday blessings to you all as we start a new week and lead into the Christmas time ahead. And it's rapidly approaching! I hope you're not feeling stressed and enjoying some of the peace and joy of the season. 

We had a weekend that flew by as we spent it out-of-town visiting relatives in Green Bay. Both of my kiddos and my honorary kiddo from way back (Annie's bestie) met Matt & I down there (we drove separately - I explain in pics below). It was wonderful catching up with family and enjoying some Christmas time fun. We even went to Lambeau field on Saturday to eat lunch! We got to see it all decorated for the holiday season and might have had some fun getting some items in the Packer Pro Shop. Then we went to a family favorite - the Green Bay Gamblers hockey game. We got some other extra shopping time in too. I loved the time so much with all of my people and just some rest and relaxation away a bit too. Sunday night we got home in time to watch the Packers game and see them beat the Seahawks! Yay! 

Now on to the crazy that is this final preparation week. Matt's folks come into town this week too. I haven't even started my Christmas baking- so that begins as well. Bring on all the holiday cheer! Don't stress my Lovelies, we've got this! 

The only thing I'm kind of bummed about is no real snow yet for Christmas. Some slight patches here and there. There's a little bit in the forecast so we'll have to wait and see...

This pic is from earlier this AM - melty partly icy bay and patchy snow. I'm dreaming of a white Christmas 🎶🎵❄️

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE IS:

ON THE BREAKFAST PLATE THIS MORNING:

frosty mint coffee pod today with some chocolate mint premier protein 

ON MY TO DO LIST THIS WEEK:

groceries, baking, Annie's derm and dental appts, lunch with a friend, final holiday preparations, hospice work

THINKING ABOUT:  

My lists for this week - things to-do, clean, bake, finalize for festive fun ahead!

AS I LOOK AROUND THE HOUSE

I see some of Annie's things lying around and I love it! It's so nice having my Girlie home. And Aaron will be home by this weekend. I love seeing all the decorations and soaking it all up as I know it will be over before I know it! 

CURRENTLY READING

The Christmas Project by Maxine Morrey

ON THE TV TODAY:

  Survivor, Jeopardy, Ghosts, Shark Tank, Holiday Baking Championship,  hallmark movies taped, Christmas movies taped

ON THE MENU THIS WEEK:

    MONDAY - tacos

TUESDAY -  cardamom french toast, breakfast potatoes, bacon, fruit 

(an Annie fave)

WEDNESDAY - 30 minute pho soup, these sandwiches

THURSDAY - leftovers or easy meal

FRIDAY - maybe order in pizza?

TO RELAX THIS WEEK I WILL:

 craft, read, color, watch movies 

TIPS OR SOMETHING TO SHARE:

FROM THE CAMERA:

I have a funny story related to the first 2 pictures. Annie had been in the Twin Cities (MN) with her brother and her bestie the night before the trip. Matt and I were headed to Green Bay from northern WI. The plan was meeting them in GB. We left at different times and about 2-3 hours into our trip the highway had a merge ramp feeding into it and who comes off that ramp by my kiddos. Driving in the lane right next to us! What are the odds??? Lol Matt had looked over and said "look at that!" and I look over and there's Annie giving me a peace sign (she was driving her bro's car because she likes driving more than he does). It was absolutely crazy because if we had even tried to time it in some way we'd never have been there at the same time. 

As we drove it started to get dark and it was almost a full moon and so pretty! It's a lot of farm (& some Amish) country along the way to Green Bay. So many farms had their homes or barns lit with Christmas lights. I wasn't fast enough to catch pics, but it was so beautiful to see shining on as the night got darker. On the trip back home Sunday, it was foggy and I caught a pic of one of the farms/barns for my friend Mari. She loves them and they always make me think of her. She's a Michigan Girl with her own farm country around her.

Early Saturday we went to Lambeau to a restaurant there for lunch with my special Uncle Don, my Aunt, one of my cousins and his wife and family. It was fun to see it all decorated for Christmas. I'd never been to Lambeau during this time of year. 

We had a nice lunch with them and exchanged some gifts. Through the window at the end of the restaurant you could see the giant statue of the Lombardi trophy. Matt, Aaron & I went and got our pic taken under it. 

Then we walked around the atrium looking at the other pretty decorations and went in the Pro Shop and might have picked up a few treasures. I didn't get a cheese head though. They're actually heavy! Lol

Saturday night we went back to the area for the Gamblers hockey game. It was in an arena across the street from Lambeau. It was pretty to see Lambeau all lit up. They also have a pretty area behind the stadium with a skating pond, sledding area, fire pits etc. I didn't get pics of it though. 

Also, the arena we went to for the hockey game was all lit up with red and green lights. So festive everywhere and I loved it! 

Even though Gamblers didn't win it was still a fun game to watch. 

And we always love seeing their mascot - Ace

Sunday morning we went to brunch at one of my favorites down there (great food and it's also has a boutique shop attached). We got to catch up with both of my Aunties and my Uncle Don again. It was a great weekend and flew by too fast!

💚❤️💚❤️

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 safe travels for all this holiday season and keeping everyone healthy. For those who have heavy hearts during the holidays - that God grant them 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:

I thank God for mine every day. And for the family I got to choose in this life - wonderful friends like you! 

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

Cooking Thursday: Chicken Almondine

 

Hello Friends ~

Still been a busy bee over here so getting to this post later than I intended today, but still thought I would post. 

The other night I dug out one of my old cookbooks. From way back when I was working full time as a social worker, had my first home and was newly married to my ex. So that's a pretty old cookbook I've held on to. Lol But I used to make several dishes out of it regularly and one was this dish. I was doing medical social work at the time and a nurse consultant that had come to our facility gave it to me as a sort of "wedding" gift. It's a heart healthy cookbook, but as a new cook it had simple recipes which I appreciate a lot. When I was looking it through it brought back memories of how much this dish was enjoyed by my ex and other members of my family as well. My Mom always especially loved it. 

So when I made it the other night Matt gave it 2 thumbs up and loved it too! He even wants me to make it when his folks are here visiting over the holidays as he said he thinks they'll love it too. It was such a cold night the other night and so this really hit the spot! 

I forgot to take a pic of it all done on our plates - so I took a pic of what was left in the pan after dinner. I think of it as almost a unique version of chicken pot pie. But it has a unique crunchy veggie in it and a yummy crunchy crescent roll crust. 

You take chopped chicken and veggies and make a creamy base with it all. Put it in a greased 9x13 pan.

Bake it for about 20 minutes or so until it's nice and bubbly. Then take it out and place rolled out crescent roll dough on top and brush with melted butter. Sprinkle on some parmesan cheese and some slivered almonds. Then bake some more. It's creamy, savory, warm and comforting. 

This is the book it's from:

As you can see from the wrinkles and spills this book was well loved once. And I think I spilled water on the whole book once so that didn't help it either. 😂

Here's a closer look at the recipe so you can really see it. The recipe doesn't list chicken broth - but in the directions it states to water down the cream of chicken soup with some. Just FYI on that. Do you see the unique ingredient? Water chestnuts! They're actually so good and crunchy in this. That's what I like - the veggies still have a bite to them. If you like things softer than precook the veggies in a pot a little before adding to the recipe. 

I didn't use fat free anything - I believe they never cook as well. But I did use light mayo and light sour cream - the way I always used to make it. I also use butter and not margarine. It's such a yummy chicken dish. Serve a nice crispy green salad on the side and you have dinner! It's Matt approved and recommended. 😋

Stay warm and cozy. 

Enjoy! 

xoxo

Blogmas Mash-Up: Ornaments, Advent Calendar, and Christmas Wishlist

 

Hello Friends! 

Since I'm not able to join blogmas every day - I thought I'd grab a few of the recent ones I've seen friends post and share a little mash-up that way. 

First up

ORNAMENTS

I'll confess that even though I have 2 trees that require ornaments on them - I still have more than are needed and don't put some up. Lol I have so many family ones from through the years with the kiddos. I get them each a new one that fits them in some way each year. So I have quite a collection for Aaron & Annie! They still haven't taken all of their "own" ornaments yet. Aaron is in his own household now, but it's an apartment and they don't have a lot of room for storing those kinds of things yet. 

Also, I do a more themed tree in the formal living room each year, but I change it up every few years. Several years ago it was decorated more with gold, browns, creams and those kinds of colors. But the tree now is reds and golds. So I still have several neutral color ornaments leftover. So that explains the overflow still in the bins. 

And the downstairs tree is the one that houses more of the kiddo's ornaments and family ones through the years. So I thought I'd share a few favorites from each tree for you:

On the formal tree upstairs there are red berry picks I put all over the tree, gold garland, gold and cream bulbs, and then a fun variety of ornaments that have red or gold to them. Here's a few favorites: I love the sunflower given to us as a wedding gift (as I had a sunflower bouquet & that was our theme), the northwoodsy house that lights up, the Scandinavian star and Polish Girl (Matt has Swedish heritage and I have Polish), another wedding gift ornament, and the little ugly sweater with the truck (Matt loves old trucks like that). 

And on the downstairs tree here are a few of the favorite family ornaments: the Packer tree (of course!), Aaron's fave hockey team chair, his heavy metal ornament, a Ruby ornament, Matt's fishing & old truck ornaments, a Bubba ornament, and Annie's Clara ornament (from the first time I took her to see the Nutcracker) and the ornament I gave her last year when she was graduating high school. I love going through each ornament I put up and reminiscing over them. ❤️💚

Next up is

ADVENT CALENDAR

I have been doing this northwoodsy cabin advent calendar ever since my kids were little. Through a lot of their growing up years I would have candy behind some of the doors (like you see in the 1st pic below). And some would have a slip that said "see Mom" and they knew they would get a prize that day. Each door would have 2 pieces of candy behind it in those days. Or if they got a prize I had a hidden bag filled with little toys, stickers, cocoas to give out...or sometimes I'd even have little dollar bills behind the doors. It was a tradition they loved for many years. As they got older I started giving them their own filled calendar (like makeup or perfume ones for Annie and gaming things for Aaron). But I would still fill the cabin calendar with candies like I still do today. :) 

And I love this painting that Aaron did way back in grade school and still hang it every year. ❤️

And finally 

CHRISTMAS WISHLIST

I love to give gifts far more than it matters to me to get them. It's been my love language from way back. I find the most joy in finding the perfect something for someone, or making something for someone, and I even love packaging gifts so pretty before I give them. 

Matt and I went shopping back in the Fall at the Mall of America and got each other what we considered our "big" gifts for this year. He got new airpods and I got an ipad mini. But we both enjoy finding little funny or thoughtful things to give one another. When my kiddos and Matt asked about things I might want - I told them I would love to learn how to make my own sourdough and get some of the tools for making that properly. Also, I would love some books on herbs and how to use them in recipes, medicinally etc. I love to garden and grow herbs every year but would love to know how to dry, store and use them properly in many ways. 

I'm curious - what's on your wishlist this year??

So that's my sharing for this big blogmas post! I'm not sure when I'll get time to do another one as I have a busy week. But if nothing else I hope to get in a recipe post this week too. 

Christmas blessings to you all. 

❤️💚 xoxo