Happy Homemaker Monday

Happy Monday Friends

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. And that these crazy times aren't getting to you and that you're finding new and inspiring ways to keep busy and sane. ❤️ 

We had some lovely sunshine this past weekend. And one of the days it was close to 60*!! My Mom came over and hung out on the deck and had a meal with us and visit. It was so nice. Aaron helped me get out my deck table and chairs and I hung up my wind chimes. The grass is getting so nice and green and the robins are around everyday. Along with the bunnies too. Spring is busting out all over and it's sure helping my soul! ☀️ 🌞 

I also gave the main rooms in a my home a good clean. So I'm hoping the motivation continues to lead me to clean out the closets. They're on my list next. What have you been up? Cleaning, organizing? Playing?

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE IS:

Look at the end of the week in particular - a four day stretch of Spring lovely coming up! 

ON THE BREAKFAST PLATE THIS MORNING

1/2 of a pop tart,  coffee

HOW I AM FEELING THIS MORNING:

Feeling a bit sore, but good. I've been on a good streak with working out motivation. So besides my treadmill I've been doing core work and weights. I think the sun has given me more pep! 

ON MY MIND:

Finishing my Mom's laundry to get back to her. Getting more cards done for my hospice volunteer list. Also, I've actually been thinking about a new challenge and focus for myself. I'm not sure if I want to pursue it yet. It would involve going back to school...which I don't feel good about at this current time in the world. But I've been doing some research because I'm that interested in it, and considering going back to school once this virus is less of an issue. Maybe next year?
Also, thinking about my guy still stuck in AK. He's hoping he's going to be able to get back to MN in May for a long leave time. Guess we'll have to wait and see. 

AS I LOOK AROUND THE HOUSE

It's nice and tidy. I have some dishes to catch up - but these days there are ALWAYS dishes!! 😂 

CHORE I'M NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS WEEK:

Going through all of the closets I mentioned. 

 

CURRENTLY READING

Reading a Debbie Macomber book I hadn't finished before. I'm still reading it but only a small bit at a time. I need to find a good reading time of day to get caught up. I have so many good books to read!! 

ON THE TV TODAY:

 Spring baking championship,  The Voice, Outlander, Call the Midwife, When Calls the Heart (the finale was sooo good - I'll miss this one), Survivor, The Masked Singer, I started the Marvelous Mrs Maisel - almost done with season 1 and I'm loving it!!

 

ON THE MENU THIS WEEK:

There isn't really a purpose for this right now as I'm not planning meals like I used to. I don't want to waste any food and since I don't feel good bringing things to my vulnerable Mom and my FIL - just in case - there are far less items I can make because kids are so fussy.  Plus, now we're even more subject to waiting to see what we're in the mood for day by day based on what I have stocked up. We basically rotate each day some kind of pasta, or breakfast food, or soup/sandwich. The main things both kids will eat. (going to leave this here as standard response for now - but will include a recipe or update each post)



The recipes I thought I'd share this week are:

These naan bread pizzas. I kind of made them up but they were so tasty! I was trying to come up with something for lunch for the kiddos and I had naan bread, and I knew I had marinara. And then I remembered I had mozzarella cheese too. I've been buying more of the brick cheeses and grating them myself because they last longer and I get more out of it. I had tomatoes too, so I thought how's about a margherita kind of pizza and I added Italian seasoning and chopped tomatoes. I baked them at 350* for about 15 mins or so.

But since I didn't have basil I did a chiffonade of some spinach I had and dressed it with lemon juice, olive oil & s&P and put it on top of the hot pizza. It was so yummy!! 

I also made one of our fave pasta salads recently. It's a go to for a meal. As a side dish. Even just a snack. 

I like tricolor pasta. I chopped up some veggies and some grapes. I also added some chopped cooked chicken. I blend it all together. And then in another bowl I take about a cup &1/2 of mayo. Stir in 3 Tbsp sugar and 3 tsp vinegar. Add a little s&p and then pour that dressing over pasta salad. Toss it all together and chill an hour or more. So yummy! 

TO RELAX THIS WEEK I WILL:

go for walks with Ruby, play outside with the kids, sit in the sun and read, bake some lemon bars 🍋 

FROM THE CAMERA:

homemade chocolate chip cookies on regular rotation 

getting ready to go grocery shopping looks so different these days

daffodils up and ready to burst open any minute

remnants from momma turtle's hole she dug for eggs and pieces of shell left from the hatching

did this the beautiful day last weekend - planning on more of it this week...sunshine, magazines and ice cold water

my partner in crime everywhere I go

I got out the cushions for the front bench and pots are ready for flowers once I can go pick some up and some dirt

The house all clean and tidy from a productive weekend

somebody is obsessed with the bunnies that visit each day

PRAYER LIST:

All of the responders, grocery store workers, caregivers, all those sick and suffering through this, and those who have lost loved ones. I pray psalm 91 over all every day. Prayers for all of us my Friends. We are all in this together. 🙏 💜 

I'm also praying extra rosary time for a cure, quicker vaccine, and better treatments and testing. 

PRAYER, INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE OR DEVOTIONAL:


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

Happy Homemaker Monday

Hello Friends and Happy Monday to you!

I hope you had a lovely weekend and you were able to shake things up a bit so it didn't feel like the Groundhogs Day movie - same day over and over. Lol It is difficult sometimes to keep track of what actual day it is, isn't it? 😂 

Around here it was church time online. Got a few house projects done. Played outside with Ruby a bit. Played board games with the kiddos. Caught up on some shows. Nothing too crazy or exciting. Although I actually gave myself a break and cooked a little less. We got some pizza delivered and the delivery person just left it on our front bench. Worked out pretty well. Also, the bay fully opened this weekend! No more ice - yay!! Just shimmering water - see pics below

This week I'll need to venture out to get groceries. And it's my SIL's birthday mid week. So we'll drive to my brother and SIL's house before she heads to work (she's a nurse) and bring her some goodies to leave at their doorstep and have a fun chat from the driveway. This weekend when she's not working we're going to connect by facetime and play games. 🎉 🎈 

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE IS:

ON THE BREAKFAST PLATE THIS MORNING

some fruit and coffee

HOW I AM FEELING THIS MORNING:

I'm still fighting some allergy issues but they've been a little better. Things are definitely starting to bloom more. 🤧 I did a good workout today and the sun finally came out - which helps with the energy level a bit too. 

ON MY MIND:

Getting the goodies together for my SIL's birthday. Also, I check in and talk to my Mom everyday. She is in isolation alone, but doing great! She keeps busy with her books, puzzles, spiritual things online, talking to friends on the phone etc. But I forgot to ask her about her laundry situation this AM. I probably need to go grab some from her this week. She can't do her laundry because it's in the basement of her duplex and she can't do the steep stairs ever since her surgery. She's still on a waiting list for senior apartments across town which would have the laundry on her floor. 

AS I LOOK AROUND THE HOUSE

I need to clean up the kitchen from baking homemade bread again this AM. The sun is streaming in now and Ruby is laying in a big sunbeam on the floor

CHORE I'M NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS WEEK:

I need to give all the bathrooms some love I didn't do this weekend. Anyone else hate cleaning bathrooms as much as I do?? 😒 

 

CURRENTLY READING

Reading a Debbie Macomber book I hadn't finished before. I hope I stay focused enough this time to get it done!   

ON THE TV TODAY:

 Spring baking championship,  The Voice, Outlander, Call the Midwife, When Calls the Heart 
I haven't started the Marvelous Mrs Maisel yet because I started watching Interior Design Masters on netflix. It's a British series - think kind of like great British Baking Show but about interior design. I also have on my list to start Parks & Rec series and Ozark

 

ON THE MENU THIS WEEK:

There isn't really a purpose for this right now as I'm not planning meals like I used to. I don't want to waste any food and since I don't feel good bringing things to my vulnerable Mom and my FIL - just in case - there are far less items I can make because kids are so fussy.  Plus, now we're even more subject to waiting to see what we're in the mood for day by day based on what I have stocked up. We basically rotate each day some kind of pasta, or breakfast food, or soup/sandwich. The main things both kids will eat. (going to leave this here as standard response for now - but will include a recipe or update each post)

It's funny how these past few days as my groceries are really down I'm looking at what I have to work with but trying to reinvent a bit too. I have some canned pizza dough I think I'm going to make into like pizza roll-ups kind of situation - bake almost cinnamon roll style in a 9inch round pan and cover with more cheese after bakes a bit. That will be dinner tonight. And use up some of my veggies I have left by roasting in olive oil and italian seasoning to go alongside. I also have boxes of pudding and a little bit of banana left, so I'm going to make chocolate pudding with banana slices for dessert. 

**One tip I have is the last grocery trip I did, a few weeks ago, I had bought some twizzlers and sour patch candies. I hid them away from the kiddos so they wouldn't just go crazy and eat them so quickly. So this weekend it was a nice treat to make popcorn, with my own micro popcorn maker, and pull out that candy to go with it as a treat for game night. It made much more impact being something special and fun with the kiddos.

This morning I made homemade bread. When it was done we of course had to have a piece warm with butter and jam (seedless blackberry this time). I really like King Arthur flour recipe so here it is in case you want to give it a go:

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TO RELAX THIS WEEK I WILL:

work on cards for hospice volunteering, work on scrapbooks, get outside for a walk or hang out on the deck

FROM THE CAMERA:

I have a list of folks, from my hospice coordinator,  that could you use some support by way of a card or note. So I have been making cards in way of donating to that cause I sending them to the people they give me. Like the one above as a way to "perk" someone up (get it 😉 ?) I pray over each one as I make them. It gives me such a wonderful feeling of productivity amongst this crazy time. ✂️ 

Look at how green my backyard is getting and look at that water shimmer with no more ice on it! 

Twilight out the window is pretty too. I love the reflections from the lamps as it darkens outside. 

And it helps so much to have my church priest and our local bishop saying mass on the weekends. There is a spot to leave comments as mass is said live. So I can leave comments and also see my fellow parishoners' comments as they wish peace or other greetings. It sure helps me still feel connected that way and the power of us all praying for this time. 

They also have a cantor come sing and her voice is amazing! If you follow me on instagram - in my Christmas stories bubble you can hear her sing Oh Holy Night with a choir behind her and you'll think it's the angels. 

But it always makes me sad to see the bishop recess out of our Cathedral with nobody in the pews. 

And I just wanted to share I found this miroco frother on amazon and it has been the best little treat! I put my morning coffee creamer in it and it can either just heat your milk/cream. It can heat and froth it. Or it can make a chilled froth for iced coffee. It was very affordable. It's whisper quiet and works great!! 

I just set my frother while the coffee is brewing. And they both finish about the same time. Top my coffee with the warm wonderful sweet foam and it truly feels like coffee shop coffee. Such a treat! ☕️ 

PRAYER LIST:

All of the responders, grocery store workers, caregivers, all those sick and suffering through this, and those who have lost loved ones. I pray psalm 91 over all every day. Prayers for all of us my Friends. We are all in this together. 🙏 💜 

I'm also praying extra rosary time for a cure, quicker vaccine, and better treatments. 

PRAYER, INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE OR DEVOTIONAL:

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