Happy Homemaker Monday

Hello and happy Monday Friends ~

And Happy 2025!! It's my first time checking in since the calendar officially turned. 

I hope you've all been having a wonderful start to this shiny new year. We rang it in with our friends - the C's and it was a lot of fun! We got dressed up and met them out for a fancier dinner. And then they came back to our place and we did sort of a belated Christmas and exchanged gifts. Annie hung out with us too. And then we stayed up late gabbing away  - ringing in the new year and with them leaving around 1:30 AM! They have a lot of exciting things going on in their world. So there was a lot to gab about: Their oldest daughter is engaged to be married and is expecting their first child (a granddaughter) in June!! Pretty fun stuff. :) 

Matt and I did lots of lounging on New Year's day. We watched the Rose Parade, played cards, watched movies and he played video games while I read. We helped Annie work on her puzzle and she hung out with us a bit too. 

Annie and I have been having such fun while she's been home. Going out shopping, hanging out a lot, great chats, watching shows, playing games and working on her puzzle. It's going to be so hard to watch her leave back to FL this week. But I've treasured every minute and we're planning to meet up with her in AZ late winter/early Spring - like we usually do to visit my Dad and step Mom. And in between we will text or talk on the phone almost every day - so that helps too. 💗

I don't usually do new year resolutions - as I think they're too easy to break and feel down on yourself. I typically pick a word for the year. Something I can go back to meditating on all through the year. More of a concept than a resolution of any kind. But it gives me a sort of beacon to keep finding my way back to for a little extra purpose for the year. 

This year my word is HOME. For many different reasons:

*an obvious one is literally being home more this year as we were gone so much last year with our epic trips etc. We have projects planned around here and just want to love our first married year continuing to plant our roots here

*spiritually I want to go back "home" - to the start and dive more into the word. I do a lot of devotional time with books I have, but I'm not always as good about reading my bible. That changes this year!

*and mentally/physically going back to the basics or "home base" to get back on my healthier routine...especially for the sake of my arthritis etc. Matt & I have lots of plans of golfing, playing pickleball, camping - very active things and I plan to lead the charge with all of it! 

We had even hoped to be snow shoeing by now - but we still don't have snow. It's just so crazy and really hurts our winter industries up here (ski trails, snowmobiling, sled dog races etc) Plus we need the moisture badly. Our bay was so low last year already, that if this keeps up we won't be putting in our dock this Spring. So I'm hoping that changes and we can get out in the woods for good exercise and activity soon! 

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE IS:

ON THE BREAKFAST PLATE THIS MORNING:

some coffee with protein creamer and a little bit of sugar-free cinnamon roll flavor creamer. Also a grapefruit. Annie's boyfriend's family sent us a crate full of wonderful citrus fruit from FL for Christmas. Everything in it has been SO delicious!! 

ON MY TO DO LIST THIS WEEK:

Costco run, other errands, Matt & I meeting with our financial planner (starting NY the right way there too), home projects, hospice work

THINKING ABOUT:  

What a blessing my kiddos and Matt are in my life and reflecting on all my hopes for them and fun for us all in 2025! 

AS I LOOK AROUND THE HOUSE

I still have my decorations up and enjoy the glow each night. My besties and I have been getting together to do Christmas in January for around 30 years now and I'm hosting it this year. We get together this weekend, so I wanted to keep up my decorations for that. ✨❤️💚

CURRENTLY READING

My new awesome herb book I got from Aaron for Christmas. It's called The Cook's Herb Garden: Grow, Harvest, Cook

by Jeff Cox & Marie Pierre Moine

I also added The Little Book of Cottagecore: Traditional Skills for a Simpler Life by Emily Kent on my kindle

Plus, when Annie & I were out shopping recently I also picked up the newest edition of In Her Studio: spaces and stories of creative women (love those magazines!!)

ON THE TV TODAY:

When Calls the Heart, Virgin river, All Creatures Great & Small (starts this week), The Rookie starts this week, movies taped & cooking shows, lots of football (Packers lost - boo....but at least Vikings lost to the Lions - yay!)

ON THE MENU THIS WEEK:

    MONDAY - leftovers 

TUESDAY -  

WEDNESDAY - 

THURSDAY - 

FRIDAY - 

*will be doing a Costco run and figure out meal plan for the week

TO RELAX THIS WEEK I WILL:

 read, organize craft plans in my office, do fun workouts (too cold to walk outside)

TIPS OR SOMETHING TO SHARE:

I found this on Youtube and it's called "Vintazy" and shows a vintage pic while playing fun vintage music. Nice back drop for cleaning/reading. And they have nighttime jazz ones nice to fall asleep to as well.

FROM THE CAMERA:

We got all dressed up and headed out in New Year's Eve. Look at our cute downtown all decorated for the season. ✨ On our way there it started to snow and added a lot of pretty - however it didn't last. Sigh

I made some yummy ranch dill pretzels for a new year's eve snack for Annie (& a friend she hung out with) and for us all to nibble for new years day lounging. 

I also made this truly amazing blueberry french toast bake. Annie's direct quote: "Mom this is fire and you should definitely make it again!" 😋

I will share recipes later this week!

Lots of wonderful lounging on NY's day

The very difficult - but finally completed puzzle Annie had gotten at Christmas

Bubba last night giving the evil eye to the Vikes so the Lions would win (& they did! 😉)

I still have an ipad coloring addiction when I'm not reading. Going to try to focus on more books  and crafting now. 🙈

As you know, Matt spoiled me so much at Christmas but this little gift was definitely a fave and makes me so happy. It's a little bookstore that lights up that I'm loving on my bookcase (in between the books) in my office. Annie's friend was over crafting with Annie on new year's and they put it together for me. Isn't it adorable??

💗💗💗

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 all those affected in the New Orleans tragedy. For a friend (& family) that recently lost her husband unexpectedly and very young and the funeral is soon. 

For Christ's Light and Love to cast out the darkness everywhere and help the world find its way. 🙏🏻

PRAYER, INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE OR DEVOTIONAL:

Wishing you good health, blessed peace, and endless joy for 2025 my Friends! 🙏🏻✨

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

Happy Homemaker Monday

Hello and happy new week to you sweet Folks! 

I hope you had a great weekend! It was a relaxed one here. We hibernated in a lot because it was so hot and muggy (90's and humid). We had a work crew here cutting 14 - yes 14! dead trees around the property. The ash borer beetle had killed most of them. Some were in spots that we were worried about them falling on the house or our shed in back. So they were the main ones needing to be dealt with. We had them take several others though too. They did such a great job and had amazing equipment and even put down tracks in the yard so as not to hurt it. They cleaned up and hauled all the wood away and I can't say enough what an amazing job they did! So that's a great job done. 

This weekend we also went to church and out for dinner and ran errands - kind of the usuals. And we went to a beautiful rose garden in our area which I like to visit each summer. But mostly we hibernated in and watched some movies and the olympics. 

I agree with many who were appalled about the opening ceremonies display and mockery of the last supper. I understand that the opening ceremony often shows the host country's culture, music etc. But I don't get how that would be part of their culture seeing as France has always been a very Catholic country? I know people who were saying they were going to ban watching the olympics and I completely understand your anger and standing up for your faith that way. I support that fully.  I was outraged too - but I guess I view it differently as I don't feel the amazing athletes that worked years to get to the olympics, and had nothing to do with planning the opening ceremonies, should be banned from being watched and cheered on. I think the committees that put together the opening ceremony should be to blame and punished - so I direct my disgust there. So Matt & I have been watching the games and it's been fun to see our amazing athletes doing so well already... especially in the women's sports! 💗 

But I will say I sure pray for our world every. single. day.  

 

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE IS:

ON THE BREAKFAST PLATE THIS MORNING:

sugar free iced coffee with a little protein creamer (fasted)

ON MY TO DO LIST THIS WEEK:

hair appt, run to furniture store, other errands, home projects, yard work, hospice work

THINKING ABOUT:  

projects I'd like to accomplish this week

AS I LOOK AROUND THE HOUSE

It rained this AM but sun is out now and I can tell it's going to be another warm one! Keeping the blinds shut - like I did all weekend - to keep it a cooler sanctuary in the a/c.  

CURRENTLY READING

Nora Roberts trilogy starting with Awakening - only kind of into it - might switch to something else?

ON THE TV TODAY:

 Olympics, House of Dragons, Grantchester, Bachelorette, HGTV shows, Big Brother, jeopardy

ON THE MENU THIS WEEK:

    MONDAY -  BLTs, corn on the cob, green beans w/ lemon, watermelon

TUESDAY - blueberry wild rice stuffed brats on the grill, asparagus with lemon, fruit

WEDNESDAY - chicken crust pizza with lite caesar salad on top (we didn't have it last week)

THURSDAY - might go to the local fair and split something fun?

FRIDAY -  veggie + egg breakfast burritos (low carb wraps), fruit

  

TO RELAX THIS WEEK I WILL:

work on organization home projects, watch shows, read in some Fall cookbooks, do diamond art

TIPS OR SOMETHING TO SHARE:

they're so good to throw in smoothies too - or to use as a binder/sweetener in healthy sweets

FROM THE CAMERA:

it's right around the corner! 🙈

daisies are a fave of my mom's and I recently made and framed this diamond art for her 💛

rose garden beauty:

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 His Light and Love to cast out the darkness everywhere and help the world find its way. 🙏🏻

PRAYER, INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE OR DEVOTIONAL:

Praying for peace and blessings for you always Friends. I'm sharing this with Sandra of Diary of a SAHM for Happy Homemaker Monday.