Happy Homemaker Monday

Hi there Blogland family! 

Happy end of September to you. Can you believe October is only days away?? I love it because in my opinion it's the best month of the year. :) Where I live in the northwoods - I don't think the world gets any prettier than up here in October. 

Did you have a nice relaxing weekend? We had a busy one, but fun. We hung out with our friends the C's for a fun night Friday. We mini golfed, went out for dinner, and then came here and had a fire on the deck and then played cards into the wee hours. A perfect Autumn night. 🧡 

And then Saturday night we had my Brother (Steven) and SIL (Jill) over - along with my Dad and Uncle - to celebrate Steven's birthday and to be a send off to my Dad and step Mom as they head back to AZ soon. My step Mom wasn't feel well, though, so she wasn't able to come. But we had a lovely dinner and played cards and visited. 

We also worked to clean out one of our spare bathrooms...as they are here renovating since first thing this morning. Yay!! And last night I zoomed with my gf's as we are planning a trip to NY together in the Spring! We wanted to do a trip for turning 50...but covid and life threw a wrench in some things - so now into our almost mid 50's we are making it happen. 

And amongst all this busy we got the Fall decorations up outside and the trees are changing more color every day. As Anne of GG once said, "I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers" 😍🍁🧡 

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE IS:

ON THE BREAKFAST PLATE THIS MORNING:

 

coffee and a piece of 100 calorie apple cider banana bread (mixes I shared about in a prior post)

ON MY TO DO LIST THIS WEEK:

errands, hopefully get my car back soon (it ended up it was leaking transmission fluid as I must have run over something that damaged it), no pickleball this week because the gym is being used for an event (bummer), going to work on home projects while I'm trapped with the pets on one side of the house while they renovate the bathroom, maybe hanging with my Mom one day, dinner with a girlfriend, hospice work

THINKING ABOUT: 

My blogger friend Danielle had asked about where us women of a certain age find clothes they like. I shared some of my faves with her in a response on her blog. But I'm thinking of doing a post in the future with some pics of some of my favorite kinds of clothes are where I find them. I love the thought of our middle aged woman community helping each other out. 😊

THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY:

gabbing with my girlfriend's and laughing until we cry :)

CURRENTLY READING

Currently reading the 2nd little novel of the Emma M. Lion journals by Beth Brower and have a new book lined up when that is done. Also spending lots of time on crafting :) I am so in love with embroidery and I shared an update on my current projects the prior post. 

 

ON THE TV TODAY:

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

ON THE MENU THIS WEEK:

    MONDAY - PW's BBQ meatballs, roasted sweet potatoes, green beans

TUESDAY - chicken and dumpling stew

WEDNESDAY - leftovers

THURSDAY - Asian style green beans and soup dumplings

FRIDAY - spaghetti hot dish, steamed veggies

TO RELAX THIS WEEK I WILL:

embroidery project, watercolor painting, diamond art

TIPS OR SOMETHING TO SHARE:

Or maybe coming on Halloween season you want to invite the spiders in??! 😉🕸🕷

 

FROM THE CAMERA:

a perfect Autumn night with the C's including a fire out on the deck and the moon was hiding behind the clouds here...but it would peek out and be so bright and pretty

Got our Fall decorations outside and put away summer - although we will probably pick up some pumpkins to carve and some mums in the next few weeks🎃

Matt smoked a salmon on the traeger for our family get together and the boys (my Dad, Bro & Uncle) were all thrilled! Lol I made gluten-free apple crisp with ice cream for my Bro's bday dessert (he has a gluten allergy). And gatherings are always the time to put out fun appetizers, right? Our main meal was pizza from my Bro's favorite local place. And also not pictured is spinach dip with veggies, and apple cider I had simmering on the stove with brown sugar, cinnamon sticks and orange slices with cloves pushed into them floating on top. I love we're into cozy Autumn flavors now. 😋

goat cheese with hot honey drizzle, blackberries and parmesan flatbread crackers

we don't have a Trader Joe's close by so I ordered this online....OMG, SOOOO GOOD!!

and it's the perfect time to get out the cute Fall dishes to use :) 

The sun was streaming into the upstairs tv room so lovely Saturday afternoon...and Ruby was posing so pretty, that I had to grab a photo. 

This is my usual perch - in the recliner with my lap table (see leaning against the side table) on my lap.  The green container holds my current embroidery project. So I recline and relax and embroider as we watch tv. Notice pretty Fall color out the window 😍

And Autumn touches here and there in our bedroom.

I love this Madonna. My former MIL (that passed from Alzheimers) used to collect them and gave me this one. 

Getting awfully pretty in our backyard and on the bay. 🍁

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 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:

Wishing you an amazing week (& beautiful October) ahead. 

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

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! 🎉🎂

💗💗💗

10 Year Blogaversary Giveaway Winners!

 

Midweek hello and blessings wished to you my Friends! 

It's a pretty and snowy one here in the northwoods. Looks like we're getting a few more inches of the fluffy stuff today and it makes inside feel extra snuggly. And it's not nearly so cold today - which is so nice!!

Well last night I gathered up the names. Put them in a dish and my handsome helper Hubby (say that 5 times fast 😂) drew our winners! I just want to thank you all again for all the love and support during these years of my blogging. Many of you have become true friends and I cannot say enough how grateful my heart is for that. And for this wonderful space that I've not only found a sisterhood of support & friendship, but also a space of true artistic expression as a homemaker and a mother. I love it here so much and I hope to have many years of blogging ahead🙏🏻💗

Thank you also for the lovely and kind wishes you expressed to enter the drawing too! They all went to my heart. 😍 Ok, now the moment you really want to know....who are the winners of the 3 prizes??

Here are all of the names and the bowl of them all ready to go:

And here is my adorable helper - all ready to lend a hand. Or at least I told him this had to get done before dinner. 😉

And this is for winner number 1 that will receive these prizes:

The little bookstore kit, the peony bouquet and the starbucks gift card

Here he goes....

And the winner is:

Next up is winner number 2 that will receive these prizes:

the planner calendar, 2025 metal bookmark and a starbucks gift card

He reaches in and grabs our 2nd place winner which is.....

And our final draw which is for these prizes:

the peony bouquet and a starbucks gift card

And that final winner is....

Congratulations to Julia, Jules & Debbie!! 🎉😁

I hope you will love your prizes! Now I just need you to send me an email at: cbeargroup15@gmail.com so I can get your address information to send your goodies!! 

Thanks again for all who entered, and for all of your sweet wishes. I'm so grateful for you all! I hope you have a wonderfully cozy day✨

xoxo