Happy Homemaker Monday December 16, 2013

I came on here to write another post and realized it was Monday. I don't want to miss too many weeks in a row! Happy Christmas! Not much longer now, and I admit I am feeling the stress. I have not had time to think about what to get my kids, let alone buy it. Thank goodness for Amazon! Right now I am up to my elbows in cookie dough, but I'll tell you about that below. Thank you, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom for hosting! Go see her blog for more Happy Homemaker Monday posts!

As I Look Outside My Window
I am looking at about 4 inches of snow on my deck, and I understand we are getting some more tomorrow. Snow days sometimes provide a nice break from the craziness that is December, but it also messes up my game. This morning it took my awhile to realize that the kids had to get up and get ready for school!

Right Now I Am
Baking cookies. My husband is a manager overseeing three shifts and he brings in a tray of my cookies for each shift. He says my cookies are probably the only reason they like him. I started baking yesterday, but we ran out of water (love well water, grrr) so that was the end of that. I managed one batch, and that was for my family.

Thinking and Pondering
I must admit I am not very spiritually minded right now, with my huge to do list, but I do try to think about the Savior and his great gift of His Atonement and what it means for me. I am also thinking about what I have left to buy for presents and what other cookies I am going to bake. Right now I am baking the second batch of the Pioneer Woman's Brown Sugar Oatmeal Cookies. The only thing I did differently is using light brown sugar instead of dark (because that is what I had) and I did include the optional pecans. They are delicious - I have to keep myself from eating them! Anyway, I first came on my blog to write a post about what cookies I made this year, since I never remember from one year to the next, and then realized that it was Monday. So that post will be coming next.

On My Bedside Table
Mostly the scriptures right now. Doing my best to focus on the Savior when I can.

On My TV
Christmas, Christmas, Christmas! We watched It's a Wonderful Life and A Christmas Story this weekend. Tonight may be the Walton's Homecoming.

Listening To
Pandora's Mannheim Steamroller's Christmas station. Right now is Canon in D by Brian Crain.

On the Menu for This Week
Cookies! Not really, but since I will be spending two days baking, well, tonight will be pizza anyway.

On My To Do List
Um, bake cookies. Shop, wrap, and CLEAN THE HOUSE. It's a mess.

My Simple Pleasure
Having my kids walk in the door after school and comment on how good it smells in the kitchen because of what I am cooking/baking.

Lesson Learned
That I desperately need the Atonement as I struggle to become better.

Looking Around the House
Christmas cards to send out, a box from Amazon, and cookies are on the table. Paper plates and plastic silverware are sitting around the kitchen and dining room since we had no water to wash dishes last night. Last night's lasagna pan is still sitting on the table waiting to be washed. And cookie baking supplies and ingredients are on the counter.

From the Camera
My wonderful kids:

Prayer List
My kids, mom, in-laws, a few friends with serious health issues, and myself.

Bible Verse
Psalm 24:9-10: "Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, He is the King of glory."

Look to Him, the Lord of Glory, whose birth we celebrate this month!

Have a great week!

Happy Homemaker Monday December 2, 2013

Good morning! Can you believe it is December already! I have been trying to think of things that I love about the month that we are in, so that I can appreciate the season and not grumble at any unpleasantness it offers. However, December is easy. I love the Christmas holiday - the whole season as well as the day. I love my Savior, and love the opportunity to focus on Him as well as all of the other fun aspects of the holiday. So let's celebrate!

As I Look Outside My Window

It's a gloomy day. The sky is gray and completely overcast. Although it is not as cold as it has been (36 degrees right now), the air is wet and it seeps right into your bones. I came home from seminary and crawled under my electric blanket and slept for 3 hours. Caught up on sleep from our busy weekend, but I still had to force myself to get out from under that blanket.

Right Now I Am

Sitting at my kitchen table, as usual. I am, however, in a different chair and am facing my family room and fireplace. It sure would be nice if there was a fire burning in there! Everyone else is at work or school.

Thinking and Pondering

about how to make the Christmas season more focused on the Savior - more for myself than anything. It is so easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle as we try to shop for our loved ones and keep up with everything else. The stores are much busier and we are going to get in peoples' way, and they are going to get in our way. Some of them are going to be rude, and, to be honest, I know I have come across that way too at times, especially when in a hurry, as I often am. So I need to find ways to keep my focus on the Savior, and put all the other things into perspective. And I need to remember to be kind and to be forgiving when others are not.

On My Bedside Table

I am all over the place with reading. Right now I am trying to listen to The Infinite Atonement. But, I have a recommendation for you. The Autobiography of Santa Claus by Jeff Guinn. I love the write up they have on Amazon:

It all started when Jeff Guinn was assigned to write a piece full of little-known facts about Christmas for his paper, The Fort Worth Star-Telegram. A few months later, he received a call from a gentleman who told him that he showed the story to an important friend who didn’t think much of it. And who might that be? asked Jeff. The next thing he knew, he was whisked off to the North Pole to meet with this “very important friend,” and the rest is, well, as they say, history.

It is an interesting look at history and the history of the Christmas and Santa Claus tradition. And, it is written in a way that is perfectly safe for believers to read/hear.

On My TV

Caught up on Glee, which I am finding a bit boring this season, with the exception of The Quarterback, which was phenomenal. Hopefully I will get in a holiday movie tonight to help with keeping me in the right spirit of the season.

Playing on the Radio

I have Pandora's Peaceful Christmas station on, which is instrumental. I love Windham Hill.

On the Menu for This Week

I am actually looking forward to having a week of menu planning, but alas, this is not the week for a full menu plan:

Monday turkey soup (stayed up until 2 am on Thanksgiving night until that broth was cooked down to a flavorful concoction), rolls

Tuesday pasta, salad

Wednesday ham, mashed potatoes, green beans

Thursday freezer leftovers

Friday taco casserole

Saturday son's Christmas concert in the afternoon, and daughter's play at night. So it's dinner out.

Sunday beef stew or some such yummy, one bowl meal

On My To Do List

One load of laundry, grocery shop, take son to orthodontist. Now, all I want to do is turn on that oven to warm up the kitchen and bake some cookies. So, I'm thinking I'll do that and my laundry, go pick up my son and take him to the orthodontist, then stop at the store for just the necessary items. Yes, I like that plan! I won't venture out until I have to!

My Simple Pleasure

Baking cookies while listening to Christmas music

Lesson Learned

My lesson comes from Mary, mother of Jesus. When the shepherds came to visit the baby Jesus, Mary was quiet, and pondered the things they said. Too often I react too quickly to things, and later regret how I handled a situation. Saturday I came across a rude shopper (to his defense, I am sure he thought I was rude, because I honed in on what he was looking at, but I was friendly about it). I replied pleasantly and moved on, then worked the situation out in my head, prayerfully processing it so that I would not let it ruin my mood, or think badly of the person. And it worked. I need to do this more often, letting Mary be my example.

Looking Around the House

There are Christmas decorations everywhere! Two of my kids did most of the work, including getting the boxes down from the attic, and I get to sit and enjoy them! Now, if I turn around, I will see all of the stuff leftover from Thanksgiving sitting on my kitchen counter. Ugh.

From the Camera

On My Prayer List

Me, I am having trouble with sores in my mouth, which can be a result of Lupus (or the medication, I cannot remember which), my kids, mom, in-laws.

Bible Verse

Luke 2:19   "But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart."  (see above)

Have a great week!

Monthly Menu December

Thu  ham, mashed potatoes, green beans

Fri  Irish beef stew

Sat  

Sun lasagna, garlic bread, salad