Happy Homemaker Monday

Hello my lovely Friends and Monday blessings to you. 💗

I hope you had a wonderful weekend. We were very productive since it was finally nice dry weather (we have had a lot of rain). We put away the last of the outdoor pots and deck furniture things. I even put away my outdoor Fall decorations (though the inside of our home we still have all of our Autumn things out). I put up just 2 evergreen wreaths on the doors but did not get out all of my outdoor Christmas stuff yet - we just moved them to the front of the shed for easier access. But Matt did take the opportunity of our nice weather to put up our Christmas lights outside - and even got the shovels ready on the deck just in case. With many of our predicted rain moments they now include that it could be a mix with snow, so it never hurts in the northwoods to be prepared. 😉

Other than that, on Friday we ran to the lake cottage because Matt accidentally had a package delivered there. So we made a fun afternoon and evening of it (as it's a few hours away) and we went to dinner at a favorite place there before we headed back home. Then Saturday we streamed and watched some of Annie's hockey on tv. It was her college's season opener. Her team won both of their games over the weekend. And the gal that sings the national anthem for the Tampa Bay Lightening pro team sang at their first game and did such a beautiful job! Annie got to shake her hand in the photo opp because she is president of her hockey organization (see pics below). It was pretty cool. 

We also went to church and out for dinner Saturday evening and spent some time with my Mom and step Dad. And of course watched our Packers on Sunday. They looked so good and played so well! If we could only keep this up who knows how our season could go?? But I won't hold my breath. Lol 

Now on to the week ahead...

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE IS:

ON THE BREAKFAST PLATE THIS MORNING:

vanilla protein waffle, turkey bacon and coffee

ON MY TO DO LIST THIS WEEK:

going to a show with friends, pickleball, errands and groceries, dinner with my Mom & step Dad, getting together with gf's to buy tickets for NY together (we are going on a trip there in the Spring), hospice work

THINKING ABOUT: 

I have a can of pumpkin in my cabinet calling out to me and may need to bake something today 😋

THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY:

facetimes with my kiddos (sometimes at the same time) and love hearing about their lives and laughing and teasing with them

 

CURRENTLY READING

I probably won't have much to add here, other than holiday magazines, because I have mainly been working on craftsy projects. (I am trying to finish a book I started a while ago and already mentioned here before - but yes, mainly crafting away on other things)

 

ON THE TV TODAY:

 Jeopardy,  Best Medicine, Survivor, Dancing with the Stars, Youtube things, Holiday Baking Championship, Great British Baking Show, The Gilded Age, may start streaming something with Matt but we haven't decided what yet

ON THE MENU THIS WEEK:

    MONDAY - creamy potato soup and salad (did not make last week)

TUESDAY - may run errands this night so something easy & not sure what yet?

WEDNESDAY - we have been trying to do a belated bday dinner with my Mom and this week finally works - making her homemade pizza she has been wanting, salad and spiced pear bars she loves

THURSDAY - filet-o-fish sliders (I don't think I shared this recipe here so will share soon), sweet potato fries, veggies and protein ranch dip

FRIDAY - out for dinner?

TO RELAX THIS WEEK I WILL:

work on holiday projects, bake something

TIPS OR SOMETHING TO SHARE:

FROM THE CAMERA:

When we ran to our lake home it was almost sunset and it was so pretty! We ran down to the water to get some photos. It sure looked like November with no leaves left.

We also got the bird feeder back out for the season (as a lot of bears will  be heading to hibernation season) and Bubba was in heaven! Lots of bird activity and what they drop the squirrels come on the deck and eat. Bubba's "favorite show" is back on! Lol

Here are pics from Annie's college team's first season opener game. This is from social media photos that were posted for her college in FL. That is Annie shaking hands with the amazing singer that sang the national anthem and sings it for Tampa Bay's professional hockey team. And a photo of Annie's team and her in action (we ❤️ #16). Annie is president of the USF women's club hockey team. 

And here are photos of our empty deck, shovels at the ready, and Christmas lights strung up outside. We wanted it all done before snow flies (which in the northwoods could be any time now). We haven't plugged in the lights yet and will probably wait another week or 2 to do that. I will keep up Fall decorations in the house until after Thanksgiving but I will dig out the candles I put in all the front windows and when I put them out we will plug in the outside lights to come on each evening too. 

PRAYER LIST:

 For an end to the conflicts all over the world and anyone living in war & fear, especially everything going on in the middle east right now. 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. Especially praying for the people of Krakow Poland after the recent shooting in the marketplace there. I was in Krakow 27 years ago and in that exact market place shopping (it was a trip I took with my Aunt to visit family). It breaks my heart that nowhere is safe in this world. 😢

For the Lord's love and peace to fill all ❤️'s.

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:

Amen to that. Yay gratitude! 🍁🧡🙏🏻

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

Happy Homemaker Monday

Hey my sweet Peeps!

Happy Monday to you. :) 

How is the week beginning for you? And how was your weekend?

The weekend was a lovely one here. The end of the week a gf took me out on an early birthday outing (my birthday is later this week). Matt went to the lake property Thursday evening. He took Friday off to help his parents pack up and close everything at the lake. I stayed back because we had the work crew here still working on our bathroom renovation. Plus, I was going out with that gf as I mentioned. 

Then Matt got his folks to the airport early Saturday and when he got home we did some work around here too. It was unseasonably warm (in the 80's!) - so we figured it was a good time to get started on putting away some of the deck furniture. We went to Saturday evening mass and then out for a nice dinner. Sunday we did some house cleaning and then watched our Packers. It was so nice to see them look more like themselves and they played great! They won against the Bears. Yay! We also watched Annie's hockey games online throughout the weekend as her college team played in a tourney in Georgia and they did great! Annie had some assists and goals. Go Bulls! 💚 I was grateful she had that tourney and got out of Florida due to hurricane Isaias. I always worry about those hurricanes with her going to school down there. 

Today it's gray and rainy and windy. This whole week is supposed to only be in the 50's - so back to true October in the northwoods. I'm going out for another birthday outing with Mrs. C. this afternoon. We go every year for our birthdays (she's an October girlie too). 

Pretty great way to start the week in my book 😊

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE IS:

it was warm this past weekend but definitely back to normal chilly temps this week

ON THE BREAKFAST PLATE THIS MORNING:

just coffee today - saving up for our lunch outing 😋

ON MY TO DO LIST THIS WEEK:

lunch with Mrs. C, pickleball, out for lunch and shopping with my Mom, home projects, hospice work

THINKING ABOUT: 

that it's hard to believe I turn 55 this week 🙈

Birthdays always makes me reflect on things - do they do that to you too? I look around me...at our parents. At my Ruby. Sometimes she sleeps so hard I check to be sure she's breathing (she is almost 15 now - which means close to 105 in dog years) and she has several health issues. I'll tear up when I look at her sometimes and remember her as a puppy. And then remember my hardest years - finding myself alone after being with my ex for almost 30 years. The kids were getting older and off with friends on weekends and I would often be alone. I, of course, spent time with family and friends often. But many times I was on my own for the first time since I was a teen. And Ruby has always been that extra special smart, sweet, wonderful pet and bestie that has been there for me through all of the tough times. 

It also gets me emotional when I think of the loss facing Matt and I in the future (all of our parents are in their 80's). And I just thank God for the gift of aging. For the gift of all of our parents still with us. And for the gift of Matt in my life - a true partner to face all that life will bring in our future. I think that's truly how I've always tried to approach everything. With gratitude. It's amazing how happy a grateful heart is in this world. ❤️

THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY:

Getting some early Christmas shopping done and working on secret holiday gift projects ❤️💚

CURRENTLY READING

I have such a list I want to read yet - I have a book called Garden Spells (sounds very Autumnal), one that my friend Bille Jo recommended a while back(The House Wife), I still need to finish Rebecca, and Theo of Golden is also on my list as I've heard such good things. 

 

ON THE TV TODAY:

 Jeopardy,  Best Medicine, Survivor, Dancing with the Stars, Youtube things, Fall movies I want to watch, Halloween Baking Championship, Great British Baking Show

ON THE MENU THIS WEEK:

    MONDAY - harvest pasta skillet and green beans from the garden

TUESDAY - slow cooker salsa chicken we will have over spanish rice with toppings and raw veggies and protein ranch dip

WEDNESDAY - buffalo chicken & sweet potato bowls, lemony green beans

THURSDAY - birthday time! (out to dinner or takeout)

FRIDAY - slow cooker chicken ramen and I will either wilt in baby bok choy or spinach

TO RELAX THIS WEEK I WILL:

embroidery project, watercolor painting, diamond art

TIPS OR SOMETHING TO SHARE:

FROM THE CAMERA:

Last week Matt had to go for some work outings about an hour away and asked if I wanted to go along. He would be long at either place and then we could go out for dinner. It was quality time together, good food, and a beautiful drive. I am always in on that! 

Watching our Girlie kick some butt! We 💚 #16

A lovely and very thoughtful birthday card from a friend across the pond. 😍 (Thanks again Jules - you touched my 💗!)

The garden keeps producing green beans! So we keep collecting them and cooking them up. So good! They were so good as a side dish one night when I made a brown butter sauce to go with butternut squash and caramelized onion ravioli we had picked up at Costco. I also toasted pine nuts to put on top. It was decadent, so Fall and so yummy! I will share the recipe later this week. 

Autumn days around here...

that little light yellow glass pumpkin was a gift from the gf that took me out for dinner for my birthday - she knew I collected them :) I'm such a blessed and loved girlie 

PRAYER LIST:

 For an end to the conflicts all over the world and anyone living in war & fear, especially everything going on in the middle east right now. 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 of those affected by, and dealing with, hurricane Isaias.

For the Lord's love and peace to fill all ❤️'s.

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'm so grateful for the gift of YOU Friends. And I love and treasure your visits here. Have a blessed week ahead!

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