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

Blogaversary Giveaway Winners!

 

Hello dear Friends! 

Thank you again so much for all of your kind comments and for signing up for the giveaway - which is just a small token of gratitude I love doing each year. Thank you for being here! 

Over the weekend I watercolor painted the cards that I will also be sending to the winners. So here is a peek at them. I had blank cards with floral bouquets sketched on them. I thought that would fit nicely with the Valentines theme. 💝  In the process I mix my own colors, layer the colors to add dimension (so I let areas dry between layers), and I'm learning shading and shadows etc. It's truly a hobby I am loving! I will be putting my initials & the year on the front of the cards and then write a message for each of the winners. :) 

And here is how I got the names together and drew them. It's pretty high tech. Lol

here are all the names written on strips of paper I cut up

here's a closer view so you are sure to see your name in the mix and that I didn't miss anyone 💗

put all the names in a bowl and shuffled them up

Here's a reminder of what the 1st person will receive:

And here's my handsome and sweet assistant drawing the first name and the winner is....

congrats to you!!

And here is a reminder of what the 2nd person will receive:

And that winner is...

congrats to you!!

Congratulations to Karen and to Marilyn! Please email me at cbeargroup15@gmail.com so I can get your address and make arrangements to ship your goodies to you. 😊💗

Thanks again to you All dear blogging Besties! I will be back later with my HHM post for today too. I will be gone some of this week and will be taking a blogging break until next week, but I will post my usual Monday post yet today, so please come back and say hi!

Blessings. xo

Blogaversary Giveaway

 

Hello my Dear Beautiful Blogland Besties!

First of all, thank you so much for being here. I treasure this blogging fun and the wonderful friendships I've made here. I like blogging for many reasons - including a place to keep memories...but the main reason is YOU! Connecting with you friends and sharing our worlds means so much to me. 

Even though my true blogaversary was late last Fall (when it gets so busy for the holidays) - I like to at least do a little something, even late, to acknowledge how much I treasure you being here. It is my 11th year blogging now. I can't believe that's real, as it's gone so fast! 

I thought I'd do a giveaway based on some of my favorite things lately, and that fact that we're whizzing through January with lightening speed and Valentines Day is right around the corner. I finally got Christmas down and kept up some greenery, snowmen, deer (all things we'll be seeing in the northwoods for months to come yet). But I also added some Valentines touches everywhere:

Okay onto the real fun: for this giveaway I'll be giving away 2 separate packages of goodies. For the first name drawn I will be sending you this:

A pop-up floral bouquet. 

I love the pretty vase with it and that roses just say Valentines Day (or maybe I should say Galentines Day😉 💗) It comes with a sweet little card too.

The first person chosen also get this blind date with a book. If I remember correctly it's in the thriller genre. I have been so much more into reading this past year...than I have been in years! So to honor that I thought this would be fun. 

Again, connected to Valentines Day I thought some sweet heart shaped earrings.  I found these crochet ones (& I've just started to get into crochet as a hobby). 

I bought these earrings (& the 2nd pair for the 2nd person drawn) from this small business on Etsy. I love that she included the Jesus stickers with her box. :) 

I forgot to take an individual pic of these - but these are also something bookish + coffee (another of my favorite things!). They are tiny adorable magnets. I thought they might be cute if you had a fridge where magnets work. Or maybe a little magnet recipe holder in your kitchen where you stick a recipe card to follow. Wherever you may find a spot they sure are cute and very detailed! They were also bought from a small business. ❤️

Now on to the 2nd name drawn...that person will receive this:

also a pop-up bouquet, cute book & coffee magnets and a pair of crochet earrings

Aren't these earrings SO cute too? And again, some hearts in honor of Valentines Day coming up. 

*Not seen is that I will also be including my other favorite hobby lately - watercolor painting. I will be hand painting cards for each of the winners plus maybe a few tiny extras thrown in to be a surprise. 

Oh, and I will do the drawing by Sunday and post the winners on Monday. All I will need is an email to reach you and get your address if you win. Thanks dear Friends. See how to enter below:

All you need to do to enter is leave any kind comment below about blogging, or Valentines Day, or your favorite hobby. I will ship internationally as well. And you don't need to be a blogger to enter either. Again, I appreciate you being here as well as your love, support, and friendship all of these years! 

🙏🏻💗

And I need to mention this little Valentine of mine as our sweet Ruby turned 14! Yay!! She is our other baby and we treasure her sweet little soul. Happy Birthday Ruby! 🎉🎂

💗💗💗