Fudgie Homemade Brownies

 

Happy Thursday Peeps! I jus thought I'd pop in and share this really yummy brownie recipe from gimmedelicious.com They turned out so fudgie and delish and I recommend this recipe as a quick easy way to make up some brownies from scratch. 

I made these just how the recipe said. I used hershey baking cocoa - so they had the yummy hershey chocolate flavor. And then I used some of the cup of chocolate chips in the brownies themselves and some sprinkled on top before baking.  

And when you make such delicious brownies... and they're still warm from the oven...isn't the rule to top them with a scoop of ice cream? 😉 

Just sayin 😋 

Happy Homemaker Monday

Hello Friends ~

Happy new week to you! I hope you had a wonderful weekend. It was a quiet one here.  My kiddos were helping with their dad's hockey program and tourney out-of-town,  so I was on my own most of it. One of my besties came over one night and we had pizza (& maybe a margarita or 2) and just caught up, laughed a ton, and had the best girlie pow wow. Then the other night my Mom came over and we had dinner and played cards. So snuck in some fun...but also cleaned, did some homework, talked to my "Friend" a lot, and worked on some projects around here. Overall a great weekend and ready for the week ahead.  

Also, last week some of you said you were unable to leave comments...I'm not sure what was wrong there. But I hope it's resolved now. I love and appreciate when you stop by and say hello!! 

 

 

 

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE IS:

ON THE BREAKFAST PLATE THIS MORNING

strawberry yogurt, coffee

HOW I AM FEELING THIS MORNING:

Excited because I get to visit a new puppy today! My SIL has today off from work and told me to come visit so I'm going to bring some lunch and we'll hang out and I'll get new Tika puppy time. And Angel time (their other poochie). Well, SIL Jill time too of course! Lol 😉 

ON MY MIND:

Still a lot of school on the brain. I've had my first classes and it went so well! We have over 90 students in my class, so zoom is interesting. You only see 25 on a screen at a time and two of them are always the 2 instructors. We had break out sessions into small groups or pairs - so there is a tech advisor that handles that and just shoots you into a room with your random group picks. It's really cool actually. I'm learning a lot already and the content is deep....and sometimes so moving. The folks I've met so far are wonderful too! Loving it overall and just know it's the path meant for me.  

Also, my Friend is on my mind a lot too. His name is Scott (yes another Scott, Lol) And we connect at times all through the day and continue to talk or facetime for hours every night. I don't know that I've ever had such a friendship with a guy since Ad, and we're just so aligned in so many ways. He's just very cool and coming up to see me soon. I have never felt so nervous and excited and JUST FREAKING OUT like I am about him. Lol Ad and I started falling apart almost 5 years ago. We separated almost 3 years ago. And have been divorced for 7 months now. For the first time I can say that I feel truly ready for a next chapter. I'm not sure what that looks like...but I will say I'm really looking forward to meeting Scott. As always, prayers are welcomed to help out my crazy life! 😝 

AS I LOOK AROUND THE HOUSE   

It's so dark and gray and gloomy out. It's been raining for days and more gray ahead. Ugh! I miss the sun!  

CURRENTLY READING

nothing currently - still in magazine phase

ON THE TV TODAY:

 Spring Baking Championship, Escape to the Chateau, New Amsterdam, Masked Singer, Greys Anatomy, This is Us, The Good Doctor, Lone Star 911,  Men in Kilts: a roadtrip with Sam & Graham, When Calls the Heart, Tournament of Champions, The Rookie

 

ON THE MENU THIS WEEK:

MONDAY - breakfast for dinner? (eggs, toast etc)

TUESDAY - ?? grocery run

WEDNESDAY -  slow cooker baked ziti, garlic bread, mixed veggies

THURSDAY - grilled chicken sausages, pasta salad, fruit

FRIDAY - veggie stir fry, basmati rice

TO RELAX THIS WEEK I WILL:

read something fun (non homework, even just magazines), meet up with a gf for lunch, do some scrapbooking

FROM THE CAMERA:

On zoom for school 

I've been loving this magazine about different women in their own personal businesses and work spaces. I have some ideas related a little to my future EOL doula work that I may want to pursue in this manner as well. Recommend this magazine for some very fun reading though!

The grass is finally greening up and the bay is completely open (yay!). Now if we could just get some sunshine!!

Just some Spring moments around my home 🌸 

PRAYER LIST:

I pray for an end to this virus. For peace, healing and unity in our world.  I pray for anyone sick, suffering, isolated, and afraid - for their peace and comfort. Please Lord give strength to those fighting the virus on the frontlines.  🙏 And may the vaccines continue to help the numbers go down and life become more normal.  Prayers for my FIL having some health issues. And Prayers of thanksgiving for the blessings in my life and the excitement of what is ahead in this new chapter and where the Father is leading me. 💕 

  

PRAYER, INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE OR DEVOTIONAL:

Have a wonderful week ahead! I'm linking with Sandra of Diary of a SAHM for Happy Homemaker Monday.

Happy Homemaker Monday

Happy Monday Friends ☀️ 

How are things in your world? I hope you had a wonderfully blessed Easter weekend. It was such a nice one here. Felt a bit more normal. I put together the traditional scavenger hunt for Aaron & Annie to find their Easter goodies.  Ever since the Easter bunny stopped coming, that was my way to make it more fun for them (& I have such fun getting the clues and setting it up) 😉  I have still been attending church online. But I plan to start going in person again soon. Then the kiddos and I hosted my Mom and step Dad and my Brother and my SIL for an early Easter dinner. The kids were so helpful getting out the deck furniture over the weekend, and cleaning up around the house. It was so lovely out both days! So that was another way to keep our gathering more safe as we were able to spend time out on the deck in the beautiful sunshine. I just had the meal more buffet style so folks could eat outside or in and spaced out a bit. And then we played some games and it was just so fun and wonderful to share with family.  I also worked on more course homework and I begin classes later this week. I'm nervous but SO excited to dive into my new path!! 

 

 

 

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE IS:

ON THE BREAKFAST PLATE THIS MORNING

leftover ham on a dinner roll with butter, coffee

HOW I AM FEELING THIS MORNING:

Sore from cleaning and hauling the deck furniture out over the weekend. But the sunshine is filling me with energy and I'm ready to tackle a new week. 

ON MY MIND:

Obviously, my new classes to begin. There are some LONG zoom days scheduled, but I think it's going to be exciting to see how actual class time will go!  I look so forward to the new information and knowledge to be gained from the coursework. 🙏 

AS I LOOK AROUND THE HOUSE   

I still have my Easter tablecloth on the table, and my Easter decor everywhere.  The house is clean and bright and the sun is shining in. I see rain ahead in the forecast so enjoying the sunbeams and fresh air with some windows open. 

CURRENTLY READING

not sure- spring magazines for now

ON THE TV TODAY:

 Spring Baking Championship, Escape to the Chateau, New Amsterdam, Masked Singer, Greys Anatomy, This is Us, The Good Doctor, Lone Star 911, t Men in Kilts: a roadtrip with Sam & Graham, When Calls the Heart, Tournament of Champions, The Rookie

 

ON THE MENU THIS WEEK:

MONDAY - leftover ham, cheesy potatoes & salads from Easter

TUESDAY - slow cooker ham & scalloped potatoes

WEDNESDAY -  buttermilk vanilla protein waffles, breakfast potatoes, fruit

THURSDAY - maybe sushi?

FRIDAY - school days will have begun, might order in?

TO RELAX THIS WEEK I WILL:

sit out in the sun on the deck when it allows, look at magazines, talk to my new friend (we have facetimed and continue to chat on the phone every night for hours...and now making plans to meet! 😊), start planning out the flowers/herbs maybe even some veggies to plant.

FROM THE CAMERA:

My hairdresser is a great friend...and she recently took over as part owner of the salon where she works. I wanted to acknowledge the momentous occasion, so I hired my bestie Kristi, who is in the cookie business, and commissioned her to make these personalized cookies for my hair gal (& I also had her make a dozen for the other owner too). They were both so surprised by the gesture and LOVED the cookies! So excited for their new endeavor as business owners. And I'm also so blown away by how talented my bestie Kristi is with her cookie making and decorating! 

I gave a local florist some business by ordering some Easter flowers for the table. 

My Spring Quaint Box came over the weekend as well. I always love the unique items that I find in there. 😍 

the kids loved their Easter goodies 💕 

It has been heavenly to have some warm weather. Spotted my first robin of the season and the bay has been breaking up and that is actual open water in the background!! ☀️ 😊 

Some of the Easter eats - dessert was fruit pizza cookies and vanilla cupcakes with lemon filling and strawberry frosting. 😋 And I used my favorite giant flower bowl for the strawberry spinach salad. 

I was enjoying the moment and never got pics when everyone was here. But I still put on my pretty tablecloth, even though I didn't set a formal table this year. 

Easter evening I was back hitting the books...er laptop, for school. 💻 

PRAYER LIST:

I pray for an end to this virus. For peace, healing and unity in our world.  I pray for anyone sick, suffering, isolated, and afraid - for their peace and comfort. Please Lord give strength to those fighting the virus on the frontlines.  🙏 And may the vaccines continue to help the numbers go down and life become more normal.  Prayers for my FIL having some health issues. And Prayers of thanksgiving for the blessings in my life and the excitement of what is ahead in this new chapter and where the Father is leading me. 💕 

  

PRAYER, INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE OR DEVOTIONAL:

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

Happy Homemaker Monday

Hello and Happy Monday filled with ☀️ from the northwoods!

I hope you had a wonderful weekend friends. It was a fun one here. Annie had some friends over this weekend (safely wore masks). We got pizzas and I did some baking for them and they had fun playing some games and just hanging out for a while and feeling a bit more normal. We had one rainy/snowy day and one beautiful day. On the gorgeous day Annie and I had fun out in the sunshine - hitting golf whiffle balls on her golf mat and Ruby and I played outside a lot. It felt amazing and truly like Spring. Annie had her end of season hockey party yesterday at a roller rink and she said it was so much fun!  Also, my Aaron had been out in CO visiting his gf on her Spring break and he, thankfully, got home safe and sound. He brought back such sweet goodies for Annie and I. 

On the yucky weather day I focused on the required pre coursework for my EOL doula classes and put in quite a few hours. This class will be taking up a lot of my time in between family life. I'm loving it already and finding it so interesting and I'm ready to begin this chapter! Thank you Lord for the happiness in my heart I feel pursuing this path in Your 

name. 🙏 💕 I also worked on some things around the house, including changing out some photos. I have a little gallery wall that still had photos from a family trip from quite a few years ago. And since my life is so changed now it was time to switch them out. I've been slowly changing things about every room in this house. I've gotten new furniture for 3 of them already. Next up, a full kitchen renovation. 😊 

It's a gorgeous day already here and it's giving me such energy to jump into this week ahead... 

 

 

 

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE IS:

ON THE BREAKFAST PLATE THIS MORNING

strawberry activia yogurt, coffee

HOW I AM FEELING THIS MORNING:

Ready to go soak up some of the beautiful sunshine! Also, I can't stop smiling. Just got a text from a special friend. We have chats for hours at at time and I laugh so hard sometimes. I enjoy our chats so much and 3 hours feels like 5 minutes. Definitely a light in my life right now 

ON MY MIND:

Easter weekend ahead. I talked to my brother and SIL the other day and also my Mom & step Dad and they are planning to come for an Easter meal and gathering here. I will have the patio furniture out on the deck and it looks like good weather ahead, so it will be nice for spacing everyone to safely gather and eat. It will be SO wonderful to have the holiday feel more normal. 

AS I LOOK AROUND THE HOUSE   

Still clean and tidy from the weekend. The sun is shining in and I have some windows open. Annie was extra helpful cleaning this weekend, as her gathering included a few boys from her school too. I'm not sure I've seen her room that clean in a long time. Lol

CURRENTLY READING

I still want to go back and read some books I never finished. But just got Freely and Lightly: God's gracious invitation to a life of quiet confidence by Emily Lex. I love her illustrations - they're so peaceful.

ON THE TV TODAY:

 Spring Baking Championship, Escape to the Chateau, New Amsterdam, Masked Singer, Greys Anatomy, This is Us, The Good Doctor, Lone Star 911, the Unicorn, Men in Kilts: a roadtrip with Sam & Graham, When Calls the Heart, some netflix shows - I jump around on there

 

ON THE MENU THIS WEEK:

MONDAY - stuffed french toast, bacon, breakfast potatoes, fruit

TUESDAY - wrap sandwiches, leftover chicken soup

WEDNESDAY -  pesto gnocchi with toasted pine nuts, roasted broccoli with lemon & parm

THURSDAY - tomato soup, homemade red lobster biscuits, veggies & dip

FRIDAY - ? maybe order in 

**EASTER MEAL ON SUNDAY: glazed ham, cheesy potatoes, spinach salad with strawberries, mandarin oranges, red onion, homemade candied pecans & poppyseed dressing, corn, dinner rolls, crudite, fruit pizza cookies, vanilla cupcakes with lemon curd filling

TO RELAX THIS WEEK I WILL:

soak up some sunbeams, play a game with my kiddos, bake, chat with friends, craft time, look at spring magazines & recipes

FROM THE CAMERA:

More signs of Spring...the bears are awake! Had one on the deck and it tore down my birdfeeder. 🙈 

Also, Ruby got her haircut and they put a pretty bunny bandana on her and colorful bows. 😍 

In the back hall that heads down to the media/kiddo hang out room - I changed out family trip pics from about 6 or 7 years ago with photos from a couple of years ago. It was a trip the kids and I took to visit my Dad & step Mom in AZ. They spend winters there and I took the kids for their Spring break.  It was such a fun trip!! 

Got my bake on this weekend...is there anything better than homemade chocolate chip cookies? They will forever remind me of my MIL in heaven, whom I miss so much. She was known for her chocolate chip cookies. I still miss her every day. 😢 

many hours of videos, written exercises, & note taking this weekend

and a lot of looking like this with eyes going buggy after a while 🤓 

Even at Easter time, I like to have evening glow 

Enjoyed a gorgeous day out in the sun hitting golf balls with my girlie

And welcomed my sweet boy home from his trip with homemade chicken soup (one of his faves) - did it ramen style this time

And he brought back the sweetest gifts for me - I was touched and moved especially by the hummingbird necklace (he knows they have special meaning for me) and the little prints with one of my favorites (lavender) and this saying that went right to my heart. It's what I believe is my absolute truth in this new chapter of my life. Love my boy so much. ♥️ 

Annie had so much fun at her hockey party. It was a great season! 

PRAYER LIST:

I pray for an end to this virus. For peace, healing and unity in our world.  I pray for anyone sick, suffering, isolated, and afraid - for their peace and comfort. Please Lord give strength to those fighting the virus on the frontlines.  🙏 And may the vaccines continue to help the numbers go down and life become more normal.  For everyone to have a blessed and safe Easter ahead.   Prayers of thanksgiving for such blessings in my life and the excitement of what is ahead in this new chapter and where the Father is leading me. 💕 

  

PRAYER, INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE OR DEVOTIONAL:

Have a blessed Easter Friends! I'm linking with Sandra of Diary of a SAHM for Happy Homemaker Monday.