Happy Homemaker Monday January 4, 2021

 

Wow, I haven't participated in this in so long. Happy Homemaker Monday comes to you from Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom and this post is coming to you from this empty nester mom. I was an avid follower of Sandra's blog, even going back and reading every single post from the beginning, and then I go a smart phone, and most of the people I whose blogs I followed stopped blogging, and I stopped following. I have been following her on Instagram though so I haven't lost touch. Today I am in a fresh start, homemaking mood and so I thought I would stop by and join in!

The weather outside is

Chilly! Since I've last participated my husband and I have moved from Connecticut to northwest Georgia, and I am getting used to the warmer temperatures. Today is 54 and sunny.

Monday 55

Tuesday 54

Wednesday 54

Thursday 46 brrr

Friday 46

Saturday 48

Sunday 52

As much as I love temps in at least the 60's, this is our winter and I am not complaining! It is only our second winter here, so if I remember correctly, we got our leaves back in March! I tell you, that is the BEST thing about moving south (the barbecue is a pretty good reason too), that we are without leaves for three months instead of six, and even though we have lost our leaves and our lawn is brown for the winter, I am looking out my window at a bush with beautiful red flowers on it right now. Another wonderful thing about being here that is weather related is our gas fireplace that turns on with a turn of a dial and heats up our house better than our furnace, as opposed to our wood burning fireplace that we bothered with maybe five times a year, made a mess, and didn't heat nearly as well. Moving on!

Breakfast this morning was

(I changed the heading a little since it is now 2 pm, lol) a cinnamon raisin bagel with cream cheese and fruity water. I throw frozen fruit in some water and drink. Sometimes I blend it and end up with a slushy of sorts, but it's too cold for a slushy now! I will just keep adding water to the same fruit throughout the day, and just keep drinking the water. If you have ever had Hint water, it tastes like that. And it makes me feel great! I don't know why, but it seems to flush out toxins for me better than just plain water. 

As I look out my window

I see sun, those bushes with the red flowers, and a quiet neighborhood.

As I look around my house

Most of Christmas is taken down, there are random items here and there that have to be put away. That is one thing on the agenda today. My bathrooms have to be cleaned, but it's cozy here. The fire is going, I have plush pillows and warm and fuzzy throws in the family room, and the house looks clean although there is dirt lingering and it needs a deep clean, which I will be tackling this week.

What I am wearing today

I have my bathroom cleaning garb on - an old pair of black workout pants and a t-shirt (and a blanket wrapped around me).

Currently reading

Scriptures, Clean Mama's Guide to a Peaceful Home, Abandoned Georgia, and The Paper Daughters of Chinatown.

On the TV for this week

I am currently watching New Tricks on Amazon Prime. I like crime shows and true crime podcasts. Yes, I am one of those, lol.

On the menu this week

I have a separate post with my menu, but I will give a quick recap:

Today: pot roast (from freezer) with egg noodles, gravy, and Brussels sprouts

Tuesday: chicken soup and rolls

Wednesday: pork roast, sweet potatoes, and veggies

Thursday: Lasagna soup, rolls

Friday: Slow cooker chicken breasts with gravy, baby potatoes, and veggies

Saturday: Vegetable soup, rolls

Sunday: Slow cooker kielbasa and cabbage, beans, corn bread

Monday: leftovers/takeout

Something fun to share

I am still mostly on Instagram, so one account I really like is handmade.farmhouse. She is super sweet and shares some yummy recipes. Her Garden Vegetable minestrone is fabulous and I make it regularly.

Favorite photo from the camera

Christmas is Georgia. My husband put lights on the rockers. Some days it's still actually warm enough to sit out there, but for the most part they will be empty until March.

Prayers and Inspiration

Would love prayers for my mother in-law who is in the hospital with Covid. She is 90 years old.

Happy Homemaker Monday January 23 2017

Good morning! It's been awhile since I have participated in Happy Homemaker Monday, hosted by Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom. Seems like I didn't feel I had much to share. But, today I feel a bit differently. My husband and I are embarking on a new eating plan and I am so thrilled. Life is good, I feel blessed, and here I am, ready to share. Thank you, Sandra, for your endless inspiration. 

The weather: 

It is a bit stormy - mostly wind right now, but we will be getting heavy rain, 36 degrees, and it is January! I live in Connecticut - it's not supposed to be raining in January in Connecticut, it's supposed to be snowing. And I am NOT complaining. So thrilled that we are getting some much needed rain, and it doesn't have to be shoveled! (Especially since I do not have any more boys in the house to do it for me.)

On my reading pile:

Everything and nothing. I am getting super picky about what I read. I want it to be uplifting and/or thought provoking but also well written. And I just don't seem to have the time, or I have all the time in the world so I put it off... So nothing to recommend right now.

On my tv:

Not a tv watcher.

On the menu for this week:

For the past few years I have been trying to keep a monthly menu on this blog, so that I eventually would have ideas to make meal planning easier. I never succeeded in completing an entire month's worth of menus (fast food isn't very inspiring, lol). But now we are embarking on a new adventure and are approaching meal planning in a whole new way. I took a trip to my local warehouse store and came home with a fridge full of produce. So the menu plan is quite simple: 

Breakfast: yogurt with fruit and nuts, or scrambled eggs with veggies and a fruit slushie, or oatmeal with fruit and nuts

Lunch: vegetable soups (salads in the summer) with beans or chicken, etc

Dinner: rice and beans with lots of veggies, some chicken, beans, pork, fish, etc, or soup/stew 

I am scouring the internet for some basic soup bases and then just adding whatever I have that looked good in the store. This week I have new potatoes, brown rice (already in my pantry), sweet potatoes, butternut squash, red and green peppers, zucchini, cauliflower, carrots, celery, onions, garlic, spinach and kale. For proteins I have almonds, walnuts, boneless chicken breasts, and turkey kielbasa. Fruit: apples, berries, bags of various frozen fruit combinations, and I need to pick up some grapefruit. 

I will then be adding recipes on my blog once I have tried them to keep a running menu (which is found at the top - first post) of various soups etc. Eventually I will just mix and match as I get a good base of recipes. That's the beauty of soup - you can add whatever you want. And no, I never tire of it, although I make it loaded with food, so it's never brothy, more like stew. I am prediabetic so I am limiting my starches, but on days when I am feeling a bit hungrier, I will add a starch to another meal - a sandwich on whole wheat bread, a whole wheat bagel with breakfast, etc.

So, today's menu looks like this:

Breakfast; yogurt with blueberries, chopped almonds and walnuts, and unsweetened coconut (my husband takes a whole wheat bagel and berries with unsweetened nonfat yogurt)

Lunch: leftover Chunky Vegetable Soup  and leftover fruit salad (from an extended family dinner last night) for me. My husband takes a HUGE salad everyday. I mean a family size salad, lol.

Dinner: Sausage and kale soup (will us the turkey kielbasa for the sausage).

On my to do list:

Clean bathrooms and wash towels, bookkeeping for clients

What I am creating:

just food!

Looking around the house:

I still have breakfast ingredients to put away, piles of papers on the kitchen table, and we still have our Christmas tree up! Now let me explain, the ornaments have been taken off and put away, but we have a prelit tree and most of the lights are no longer working, so my husband wants to see what he can do. The problem is that he hasn't had time. So, it is still standing, lol. Other than that the family room and living room are neat because we are never in there! All of the kids are temporarily out of the house. Now I know for sure who made the messes around here, lol. 

From the camera:

My daughter in New Caledonia (serving a mission there). She found the prize in her cake on Three Kings Day, so she got to be queen. (It's not from my camera, but all I take pictures of these days is of the pets or food, lol).

Something fun to share:

I got the Chunky Vegetable Soup recipe from this blog and I look forward to seeing what else she has to offer.

Simply Sisson

What I am wearing today:

Black jeans, fuzzy red socks, slippers, and a red sweater that I have had for years and is looking a little ratty so I only wear it at home, But it's oh, so soft!

One of my simple pleasures:

My BIGGEST pleasure - getting emails from my children serving missions. My daughter is in New Caledonia (will be coming home in May!) and my son will be heading to Cambodia (he is in language training now). 

Bible verse:

Isaiah 53. (I'll let you look it up.) It is about the Savior's Atonement and I try to reflect on it regularly to remember what He has done for me. I am so grateful for His sacrifice for me and for everyone. I am so grateful for His love and His teachings.

I hope you have a great week!

Happy Homemaker Monday Oct. 10 2016

Wow, am I inconsistent with blogging lately. Well, for the past five years or so... So many big things are happening in my life right now, and yet the daily stuff is slowing down. It is a beautiful time to be living in New England now that the leaves are changing and the air is getting cooler. I love this time of year! Have already made some pumpkin bread because, what a smell in my kitchen besides its deliciousness. So I am grateful that Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom is still hosting Happy Homemaker Monday to continue to inspire all of us!

The weather is cooling off. The rain and wind we had this weekend brought cooler but welcome temperatures (58 today). Today is sunny and beautiful! We have been fortunate to have not been in the path of Hurricane Matthew. We do know people who have been affected here in the states and pray for those in Haiti who are suffering the loss of family and property.

On the breakfast plate was a gala apple, fresh this season and delicious! Also some cashews. Yum.

As I look out my window the leaves are just beginning to change to yellow. Our backyard is a wall of trees and therefore magnificent color six months out of the year.

Right now I am feeling so grateful for my blessings. Today didn't turn out like I had planned, I was going to clean my bedroom and upstairs bathrooms and instead spent all day on the computer. I know that sounds awful, but I spent it reading some really inspiring words and stories and having a very uplifting conversation with my nephew. In this case, it was time well spent. There is always tomorrow to clean the upstairs.

As I look around the house there are a few things to clean off of my kitchen counters, but I got the house pretty clean last week, so it is not yet at disaster level!

On the to do list:

Monday:  clean one bathroom? read scripture, make dinner

Tuesday: clean bathrooms, bedroom, make dinner, correspond with my missionary daughter

Wednesday: clean downstairs bathrooms, youth group

Thursday:  vacuum, dinner out with my boys, menu plan and make grocery list

Friday: grocery shopping, dinner, movie at home with my husband

Saturday: I have a very special day planned to go to our temple in Boston

Currently reading I haven't been consistent with reading lately

On the menu just scroll down to the next post for my menu!

Favorite photo of my youngest standing in front of our temple. He will be leaving in December to serve a mission in Cambodia - five months before my daughter comes home from New Caledonia. They bring so much joy to my heart!

Inspiration

“We should not assume … that just because something is unexplainable by us it is unexplainable.”

M. Russell Ballard quoting Neal A Maxwell in regards to trusting God 

I hope you have a great week!

Happy Homemaker Monday August 15 2016

Good morning! Thank you, Sandra, for continuing to host your Happy Homemaker Monday event. I love the opportunity to reflect on my life as a mom and homemaker and share it with others. The times that I forget, I am tempted to post on another day of the week and link up ;)

The weather Just a couple of weeks ago I decided that August was my favorite summer month because it tended to be cooler and less humid than July. Then it got hot and humid on me! Today's high is 88 degrees. At least the humidity is down to 58%. It looks like we have a hot week and then next week we'll have cooler temperatures. I hope their predictions are accurate!

Right now I am sitting at my kitchen table, as usual. I consider it my desk, lol. I have my two kindles and phone beside me, as well as my grocery list and paperwork that needs to be filed downstairs.

Thinking about the adjustments in my life at this time. My kids are all out of school. My oldest is working, my daughter is on a mission, my youngest son is preparing to go on a mission, so he is putting college on hold, and my foster son is currently in Marine recruit training and then will be attending college. My kids are adults and making adult decisions. Up until now, every year at this time we were in school preparation mode. Clothes shopping, school supply shopping. I love school supplies. I love brand new notebooks and planners - clean slates waiting for your life to be written. I am in heaven in any kitchen store, office supply store, or book store. I don't care about clothes, jewelry (all I ever wear is my wedding ring), or makeup. Now I get a pang of sadness every time I go by the school supplies at Walmart. I do not even have to shop for seminary anymore. My kids are out of school (for now) and I am no longer teaching. Now I have to find my new normal. The one nice thing is that I am saving money!

On my reading pile Currently reading A Man Called Ove (reminds me of my husband, lol) and Go Forward With Faith: the biography of Gordon B Hinckley. And the New Testament (currently in Hebrews!).

On my tv Still re-watching Friday Night Lights with my husband.

On the menu Tonight we are having a farewell dinner for one of our missionaries who will be going home in a couple of weeks. So we are having four missionaries, three of my former seminary students, and another young man from our church for pasta and ice cream sundaes. This is my happy place!

Monday - Penne with 25 year sauce, salad, bread, ice cream sundaes
Tuesday - grilled chicken, salad, corn on the cob, mashed potatoes
Wednesday - fend for yourself (which usually means Chinese food, but salad for me)
Thursday - grilled swordfish, rice, green beans
Friday - ??? maybe hot dogs and macaroni salad
Saturday - dinner out for my MIL's birthday
Sunday - pork roast with gravy, egg noodles, peas and carrots

On my to do list
Today - pick up kitchen area, vacuum (have my son home to do this), grocery shop, cook, two loads laundry

Tuesday - clean bathrooms, laundry
Wednesday - clean basement, laundry
Thursday - continue basement cleaning (includes purging), laundry
Friday - laundry, take it easy!

Looking forward to my daughter's email, my son's letter (always these two!), reading, weighing myself and seeing the the scale go down.

Looking around the house There is definitely some cleaning up that needs to take place. My son was in the play Our Town last spring. They took these old fashioned photos and made poster size prints of them and hung them in the theater. We were given some to take home, and they have been sitting on my dining room table since! We still don't know what to do with them. He doesn't want to hang them in his room. (They are pictures of his "wedding" and his "family". I really don't want to hang them in our family room. There would be too much explaining to to!

From the camera My daughter and her new missionary companion

Devotional

Have a great week!

Happy Homemaker Monday August 1 2016

Good morning everyone! Oops, it's almost noon here. If you have commented on my blog and I have not responded, please forgive me. I rarely get comments and stopped getting notification for them because of spammers, so I hadn't even noticed the comments that were left. But THANK YOU for stopping by and leaving a comment. I will try to be better about checking and responding! Thank you to Sandra at Diary of a Stay At Home Mom for hosting Happy Homemaker Monday. Stop by and see her!

The weather is beautiful! We finally had a good rain last night, which we desperately needed, and today is is cool (74 degrees) and comfortable. We are due for some more rain over the next couple of days, but I am not complaining, we still need more. The rest of the week will have lower temperatures - in the low eighties. I love August!

On my reading pile (Kindle) I am still reading the New Testament this summer, currently on 2 Corinthians. Does anyone else struggle with the epistles of Paul? Oh, I tell you, he gets my head spinning in circles, but I am always able to pull out a nugget or two of wisdom, so I keep reading. Still working on the biography of Thomas S. Monson too. In between I snuck in The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson. I started reading it a few years ago and got about halfway through, this time I read the whole thing and really liked it. He is very thorough and it was interesting. Now I need to find another book to read.

ON my tv Still re-watching Friday Night Lights with my husband. That's it. 

On the menu: I haven't updated my monthly menu so I will share it here. I have finally been able to lose some weight and want to keep going. My strategy is first, to take it to the Lord and prayerfully ponder what is best for me. This is what I have been led to so far:

Breakfast: usually a big bowl of fruit with almonds, eggs with veggies a couple of times per week, sometimes a little cereal with lots of fruit

Lunch: usually a salad with some protein, occasionally rice and veggies or a sandwich on whole grain bread, fruit.

Snack: two dark chocolate granola bars

Dinner: a big salad with a little of what I make for my family

Monday: pasta with homemade sauce, salad, garlic bread

Tuesday: Taco Tuesday! Ground beef tacos, taco soup, corn on the cob (we are feeding a crowd)

Wednesday: fend for yourselves, I'm having a salad! (I have youth group at church)

Thursday: grilled chicken, zucchini, rice-a-roni

Friday: maybe grilled fish...that's as far as I've gotten.

Basically, I am trying to listen to my body and pay attention to how I feel after eating and stick with the foods that give me energy. After a day or two of a lot of salad, I am ready for a sandwich or something a little more substantial, and it's okay. It seems to be working so far. Will have to tweak as I go. I am trying to avoid white flour and sugar. Have not given them up completely, but am working on it, and the cravings haven't been bad, so I am happy and GRATEFUL.

On my to-do list: washing sheets today, clean and vacuum uncarpeted area of the main floor (kitchen, bathroom, mudroom, foyer).

Looking around the house: my youngest (17) son is off from work and it looks like he is making a quesadilla (he makes really good quesadillas). The cat and dog are both outside. My husband and oldest son (22) are working, my 20 year old daughter is sleeping because it is 3:33 am in New Caledonia right now, and my 19 year old son is recruit training for the US Marines. Actually, he may be getting his wisdom teeth out right now, poor thing.

From the camera: breakfast

Inspiration 

I hope your week is full of love!

Happy Homemaker Monday July 18 2016

Welcome Monday! I am feeling the love today because I have been having problems with my knee and it is finally feeling better and I can get things done! Haven't been feeling the happy homemaker while it's been hard to move around. Thanks to Sandra at Diary of a Stay At Home Mom for hosting! Go see her for more HHM posts!

The weather is a bit uncomfortable, but that is typical for July around here. Right now it's about 90 degrees, but the air is heavy (pressure?) and we are due to get some severe thunderstorms this afternoon (which I admit, I absolutely love - as long as we don't lose power, lol). My son who works outside is off today so I don't have to worry about him for which I am grateful.

On My Reading Pile (which is mostly on my Kindle) are tons of unread books, lol. I have a goal to read the New Testament over the summer and am on schedule! Today I finish Acts. I am also reading To The Rescue, a biography of Thomas S Monson, and I once again started Anna Karenina but haven't touched it in awhile.

On My TV we are rewatching Friday Night Lights but that's about it. I need a good series to watch on my kindle at night when I can't go to sleep, which is often in the summer.

On the Menu tonight is pasta with meat sauce I had in the freezer and salad. The rest of the week will be mostly grilling and salad, with a baked potato thrown in here and there. It's too hot to do anything else.

On My To Do List I have my whites soaking in Oxyclean in my washer, so I will have to finish them tonight. Clean up the kitchen and vacuum, make a grocery list, do some bookkeeping, and watch the thunderstorms and make dinner. Oh, and videotape our family singing happy birthday to my daughter and load it on YouTube (will explain below).

What I am Creating What I NEED to create is a big pile of donations or garbage. Need to continue purging my house to simplify my life!

Looking Around the House for the most part the stuff that is out is manageable, but it desperately needs to be dusted and vacuumed. 

From the Camera I am going to cheat a little here - this picture was not taken by me but sent to me from my daughter, who is serving a mission in New Caledonia in the South Pacific. It's also a few weeks old, but I wanted to share one that showed the beauty of the island. We communicate via email, and today is her birthday, so I can send her the youtube link of our singing to her, thus why I need to create the video.

On my prayer list the world. My missionary daughter, my son who is in Marine recruit training this summer, my husband - his work is very stressful right now.

Inspiration a friend shared this on Facebook and it really hit home.

I hope your week is full of the things you really need, including joy!

Happy Homemaker Monday January 11 2016

Good morning and happy Monday! I actually like Mondays, believe it or not. I guess I like fresh starts. We have a whole week ahead of us, full of possibilities. And Sandra has put up her Happy Homemaker Monday post, so I think I will start right here!

The weather

is a little cold, but considering it is January, it could be worse. Right now it is 28 degrees and has actually dropped since early this morning. I think today's high is 35. We haven't had any snow yet, but the next two weekends are supposed to be a wintry mix, as they like to call it, of snow, sleet, and freezing rain. Nothing to accumulate but a good reason to stay home with a fire in the fireplace!

Right now I am

laughing at what I wrote above, that I will be starting my day with this post. I have been up for 4 1/2 hours already. I have already taught a scripture study class at my church which is 12.5 miles from my house and brought my son to school. I am watching my other high schooler, who is getting ready to leave the house (he has first period study hall and since he is a senior, he can skip it and go in late). He is such a good kid; I am very blessed.

Thinking

about New Year resolutions and getting healthier. My sister has gone eleven days without sugar. I think I need to join her. Will let you know if I succeed.

On my reading pile

The Old Testament. We are studying Joshua and getting into Judges this week.

On my tv

Downton Abbey started and we missed the first episode! Hopefully we can get it on Roku still. My son has been watching The Office, so I get sucked into that sometimes.

On the menu

Yesterday we had pot roast, (oh, so good!) cooked in the slow cooker so it was easy. Tonight is creamy chicken soup with rolls, we have a graduation dinner Tuesday (for a class my foster son had to take), and the rest of the week will be grilled cheese sandwiches and soup and tacos. I only have up until Thursday planned so far, but I really want to try Sandra's Portuguese Chicken and Rice that she has planned this week. It sounds delicious! My monthly menu (however incomplete) can be found here.

On my to-do list

Today: clean the upstairs bathrooms, update my bookkeeping, and clean my washing machine.

Tuesday: vacuum main floor, clean litter box, wash towels.

Wednesday: pack up stuff to go in attic, continue organizing basement, wash colors

Thursday: dust, wash whites, menu plan

Friday: grocery shop

Looking around the house

I get frustrated. Our toaster oven went, so the old one is sitting on the kitchen island and the box for the new one is sitting on the floor. There are various things sitting around that need to be put away. The rest of the main floor is in good shape, but the kitchen needs attention. My bedroom and the basement are disasters because we have been in the process of purging and rearranging our storage and I STILL have stuff of my daughters that needs to be packed up and put in the attic.

From the camera

I finally made Hoppin John and there is nothing more beautiful in the food world than chopped peppers and onions there is ham in there too).

Devotional
Joshua 24:15  "...choose you this day whom ye will serve...but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."

Have a great week!

Happy Homemaker Monday December 21 2015

Wow, Christmas is upon us already! We complain (in my house, anyway) about Christmas starting too early and not giving Thanksgiving its proper due, but before you know it, Christmas is less than a week away and I always feel a little panicky that I have run out of time. But then I remind myself that whatever we have and whatever I have to offer is enough, and I let it go. And here we are! I wish you  all a very peaceful, joyful Christmas. 

The weather outside is

cold but getting warmer. Right now it is 37 degrees and overcast, which I don't mind because then I put on the tree lights and they look beautiful. We are supposed to have rain all this week but I am not complaining because I am not ready for snow yet.

On the breakfast plate

was granola bars with peanut butter. I was going to blend yogurt with frozen berries and add some granola but I was too cold. Maybe for lunch...

As I look outside my window

I see that we are, as usual, behind in our chores. The chairs to the patio set are still on the deck, and there have been two scrub brushes sitting on the patio table for weeks now. My husband is in the process of expanding our shed (instead of getting rid of stuff, he keeps expanding it, I tease him that it will someday be bigger than our house) so he hasn't had time to take care of those things. Meanwhile, I was going to clean out our flower beds and haven't done any of that, so I cannot complain.

Right now I am

sitting at my kitchen table, which is where I always am when at the computer. I'm thinking how I really tried to start the season (which begins the night of Thanksgiving for our family) by reflecting on our Savior and the true meaning of Christmas. But then the gift buying, wrapping, and BAKING take over and I lose it. I haven't read my scriptures for days, until today! So that's a start, I have already read some today. 

As I look around the house

I see my clean crock pot still sitting on my counter along with all of my baking paraphernalia, I am done making cookies for my husband to bring to work (36 dozen) and for our church Christmas party. Now I just have baking for my family, which won't be too much. Then my kitchen needs a thorough cleaning before tax season starts as it is covered in flour!

On today's to-do list

towel washing, counter cleaning, gift wrapping, cookie baking, and planning a game day for our seminary class on Wednesday. Dinner is going to be leftover chili, so that's easy.

Happening this week

Tonight is a night at home, thank goodness. 

Tuesday - swim meet, birthday party for my nephew's wife and daughter (they are visiting from out of state)

Wednesday - preparing for Christmas

Thursday - Christmas eve at my sister's house

Friday - Christmas day at our house (plans are still up in the air) and Skyping with my missionary daughter!

Saturday - hopefully some house cleaning! game playing, relaxing with the family

Sunday - church, family time

Currently reading

Starting A Christmas Carol this week

On the tv

Christmas movies! We have only watched two so far: Scrooge and The Homecoming. 

On the menu this week

leftover chili tonight. The rest can be found here (not much on it though).

Favorite photo

This came to me by an anonymous missionary mom in Arizona, where my daughter is currently serving. (She is on the right.)

Inspiration

Have a great week and a very merry Christmas!

Happy Homemaker Monday November 30 2015

It has been a long time since I have participated in HHM. I really have no excuse, Mondays just seem to get away from me I guess. Please see Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom for more Happy Homemaker Monday!

Weather:

Winter is just starting to show up in my part of New England. The Friday after Thanksgiving, which is our Christmas decorating day, was a beautiful 65 degrees! It was hard to get into the Christmas spirit, lol. But today it is only 36 degrees and it's 1:37 pm. So, brrr. Cloudy too, but now snow in the forecast, thank heaven!

Out of my window

I see clouds. Also, my 17 year old son is practicing lacrosse in the backyard, and my husband is working on expanding our shed. I prefer to stay in the warm house, but, alas, I do have to venture out to the grocery store.

Right now

I am listening to Christmas music. Friday I took a lot of time uploading all of my Christmas cds onto my computer (had done it before but we lost the hard drive on that one) and then loading them on my mp3. I put it on shuffle and love the random styles that come up. Variety is the spice of life! I am also warming up the car so I can venture out to the grocery stores (one warehouse club and two grocery stores) plus the post office to get a package out to my daughter.

Thinking about

How blessed I am! We all are if we just learn to see it! My daughter is preparing to serve a mission for our church in New Caledonia. It's on the other side of the earth! And warm! She is happy! I know two other girls who are doing the same, but going to different places. And since she has dedicated this time of her life to the Lord our family has been so blessed! Mostly I am grateful for the blessing of my Savior. There is no greater gift, and I would like to keep that foremost in my mind during this holiday season. He is the most important gift!

On my bedside table

My phone (at night), my tablet, a magazine, a pile of books, my glasses, two bottles of water, and a lot of dust!

On my tv

We will be watching Christmas movies, I don't care about anything else right now. We always start off by watching Scrooge, the musical from the 1970s with Albert Finney on Thanksgiving night. I can watch every version of A Christmas Carol ever made (except the muppets), I just love that story. I thank my dad for that. But, I want to start Jesus of Nazareth soon so I can watch all of it during the month.

On the menu

You can find my menu here.

To do list

Post office, grocery shopping, one load of laundry, make dinner, make lunches for hubby for the week.

Happening this week

We are having the missionaries in our area over for dinner Tuesday night, Wednesday is youth night at church, Thursday one son has scouts (until he gets that Eagle project done), Saturday is girls mall day, woot! My mom, sister, and I (and my daughter when she was here) spend the day at the mall, eating out and shopping and laughing a lot.

Simple pleasure

Christmas lights! Right now we have a miniature village on our fireplace mantel with lights in them and candles in our front windows. Love them!

Looking around the house

It got the best cleaning it has had in a long time for Thanksgiving, so it's not too bad. The cat is sleeping on the top of her tower and the vacuum hose is out waiting to be used.

From the camera

Packing up the fall decorations

Inspiration

This was my Facebook profile picture this month

Have a wonderful week!

Happy Homemaker Monday June 29 2015

Wow, it is almost July, my kids are out of school and working (all of my kids are old enough to drive and have jobs!), and it is grilling and pool season. Today is a beautiful day. Life is good.

The Weather

It is gorgeous! The forecast was mostly cloudy (and maybe that will happen) but right now it is sunny with blue skies, 61 degrees (high is 75, perfect!), and supposedly 81% humidity, but it doesn't feel like it to me. Humidity is an important factor around here, probably more of a concern for us than the actual temperature. We only have this issue in the summer, but that humidity level is what can make or break us on a summer day.

Things That Make Me Happy

Reading a really good book. But what may make me even happier are book lists. Oh, the possibilities! 

Also what makes me happy is that all of my kids (and my husband, of course) have jobs. My oldest son, who is 21, is working for our local telephone company in business support. It is not an easy job, because it includes sales quotas, but he is doing really well. He has been earning great commissions and is paying off a lot of debt (caused by financing the band he was in). My daughter is working in a daycare and the kids, parents, and fellow teachers love her. She is really great with kids. She started there the summer before her senior year in high school, worked after school senior year, and summers and Christmas vacation when she is home from college. My youngest, who is 16 now, is working for a man from our church fixing and installing automatic pool covers. This good man has employed so many of our men and youth. The hours are long (because it requires a lot of traveling), and therefore the pay is good. It does require, however, that we leave the house at 6:25 (his hours are about 7 - 7, Monday through Friday). And my last child, my foster son, was supposed to work with his brother (biological brother), but he has not been responding to his calls or texts (this does NOT make me happy). So this morning he texted my youngest son's boss, and sure enough he told him he can start tomorrow. I am so grateful for this man, who also employed my oldest son at one time, and for the good young man who takes them all to work. We are truly blessed.

Menu for this week

can be found in separate posts here for June and here for July. 

What's on tv

Two of my kids have been rewatching Glee from the first season, and I get sucked in once in awhile. Other than that, no tv, other than an occasional movie on the weekend. We watched Mockingjay Part 1 this weekend. I had seen it before but my husband hadn't.

Looking Around the House

The main floor isn't terrible. My one son who is home today volunteered to clean the house because we have a crowd of people possibly coming over tonight. I gave the bathroom/laundry room on the main floor a good cleaning on Saturday, so no complaints.

On My To Do List

I already got my menu planning done, so I have grocery shopping, straightening up the house, and making dinner for the family. Also, calling/texting a bunch of people. We are waiting for a letter with my daughter's mission call in the mail and if it comes, I have to let everyone know to come over!

Looking forward to this week

My daughter's letter! Also, the holiday weekend.

Tips and tricks

This isn't really a tip or trick, but my favorite bathroom cleaner is Borax and kitchen sink cleaner is baking soda. I use a wet microfiber cloth for windows and mirrors and a steam mop on my floors. Why? Because I am very sensitive to chemicals and cannot stand breathing in fumes from spray bottles of cleaner. So grateful for microfiber cloths and Magic Eraser sponges (for the shower).

Favorite photo

Last day of school for the two boys (my daughter's last day of her summer college class was the next day). The boys are officially high school seniors, and my daughter is now a second semester college sophomore (once she transfers the credits).

On my mind

I am in a bit of a panic now because I remembered that I need a permission form from DCF in order for my foster son to climb Mt. Washington next week with the boy scouts since he will be out of state. So far I haven't been able to get in touch with his social worker, and since it is a holiday week, the chances are that she is on vacation. So I will be frantically calling tomorrow (again) and may have to take a 45 minute drive to the office to pick it up, or else he won't be able to go. (He will be 18 in less than a month and then all of this nonsense goes away, yes!)

Devotional

Psalm 37:7 in part: "Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him.. Something we need today as we await that mission call and await to hear about that permission form!

Have a great week!

Happy Homemaker Monday April 27 2015

Wow, it has been so long since I have been able to participate in Happy Homemaker Monday! I am glad to be back! So what is happening? I am through working (almost) full time, and now it is time to get my house on track. I am thrilled that May is almost here (which brings leaves to the trees), even though it is a busy, busy month. My daughter has two weeks left of her freshman year of college, and my two youngest are almost done with their junior year of high school. Time is going by so fast. Stop by Sandra's blog to see more Happy Homemaker posts.

The weather is 
sunny, although a little on the cool side, but I heard it should be hitting 70 by Wednesday! Right now it is 46.

For breakfast
I am drinking fruit water. Here, I'll show you:

I had been toying with smoothies, but couldn't come up with a good base that would not add a lot of calories. Then I was thinking about getting a glass of water, and thought, why not just blend some frozen fruit into your water? And so I did. I have tons of fruit in my freezer from past attempts of a couple of us in making smoothies, so I threw some fruit in, blended it, and it pretty much tastes like water with a slight fruit taste. Pretty much what you would expect. What has made it successful for me, is that I am no longer looking for a different taste (like say, a milkshake). I like water, I drink it all of the time, and now I have flavored water! So right now I am drinking water blended with frozen blueberries and strawberries. 

Outside my window

the trees in my backyard are still bare, but the sun is shining and there is no snow anywhere, which has been such a large part of the landscape for so many months that it is thrilling to see grass!

Right now

I have some laundry going, hoping to finally catch up in that department. Today are towels and rags, which require soaking first. Hopefully the rest of the week I will get everyone's sheets done. The kids are in charge of their own clothes.

Around the house

It is relatively picked up. Needs dusting and my windows need washing desperately! Overall I am pleased with it though because I managed to organize my small desk this weekend.

To Do

grocery shopping today, bank, pick up son from play rehearsal, meet with another mom about selling tickets (they are performing Godspell this weekend!), cook dinner, plan seminary lesson

Tuesday: clean bedroom, laundry, sell tickets at school during lunch, dinner, lesson plan, rides (not in that order)

Wednesday: same, but dust main floor

Thursday: same, but vacuum main floor, wash floors

Friday: same, but clean downstairs bathrooms, bookkeeping, play

Saturday: play

Sunday: church, lesson plan

Reading

nothing at the moment

Watching

last season's Madmen

Menu

you can find my menu here

Favorite photo

my daughter and her roommate at the Boston Marathon (as spectators)

Inspiration

                          "as we fill our hearts and homes with the Savior's light and truth, we will have the inner strength to withstand in every circumstance"  Cheryl A. Esplin

Have a wonderful week!

Happy Homemaker Monday February 9 2015

It's still winter, folks. Now, I can complain that Mother Nature is being too hard on us, but the fact is that we have had three day (minimum) weekends for three weeks now. It also means that I am not getting paid today, but I choose to look on the bright side. Plus, I have a bookkeeping job waiting for me that I can work on today. So, it is time for Happy Homemaker Monday, from Sandra at Diary of a Stay At Home Mom. 

The weather outside is snowy! Yes, we are supposed to get another 4-8, 12, 24 inches (I've seen all of those predictions, although I think the 24 inches is predicted for the Boston area) of snow today. It will be snowing all day with just a few short breaks in between. My husband cleared the driveway this morning with the snowblower before leaving for work, one son just left for work, and my remaining two are home and are the designated shovel pushers. That makes me the designated cookie baker. The snow shovelers need cookies when they come in, after all. It looks like we will have one day that will reach 33 degrees, but other than that, we will stay below freezing. This weekend it will get into the negative numbers overnight. I am grateful that I have a home with heat, running water, and electricity. It could be so much worse. Meanwhile, my daughter has had classes canceled for the fourth? day. She said last year they did not cancel once.

On the breakfast plate this morning was waffles with peanut butter. And water. I have caught this virus that is going around and have been coughing almost constantly. Water seems to be the only thing that helps, so I have been sipping several glasses a day. At least it is good for me.

As I look outside my window I see, wait for it, snow. I will show you.

Right now I am writing this post while I cough and wash clothes. My two high school students are home and still asleep. The dog and cat have both braved the outdoors out of desperation and are back inside and snuggled in their beds. I have a Yankee candle burning (Christmas Cookie). And I can hear the wind blowing and see the snow falling outside. Oh, I hear toilets flushing, sounds like someone is awake.

As I look around the house I see my candle burning. I see my two rectangular cake pans drying on a towel on my island. (Why do they make pans with seams where water can harbor?) There is some paperwork lying around (college brochures galore). For the most part, it is a pleasant view.

On today's (this week's) to-do list: I know this is tedious, but it really helps me to write it all down.

Monday:  bookkeeping job, laundry, vacuum main floor, clean four bathrooms if time

Tuesday:  seminary, feed pets, log seminary attendance, drive boys to school, eat breakfast, read scriptures, start pork roast in slow cooker, work, pick up son from swim meet, finish dinner, eat, clean up, wash towels, prepare seminary lesson, in bed by 9

Wednesday: seminary, feed pets, log seminary attendance, drive boys to school, eat breakfast, read scriptures, work, pick up son from swim practice, quick dinner, drive sons to youth group, prepare seminary lesson while at church

Thursday: seminary, feed pets, log seminary attendance, drive boys to school, eat breakfast, read scriptures, start dinner, work, finish dinner, pick up son from senior swim night, drive boys to boy scouts, prepare seminary lesson, menu plan, make grocery list

Friday:  No school, no work, no seminary! Feed pets, eat breakfast, read scriptures, grocery shop, unload, plan next week seminary, bookkeeping job, personal bookkeeping, dinner, drive boys to church to decorate for dance, watch Downton Abbey with hubby, pick up boys from church

Saturday: clean house, laundry, watch devotional, bring boys to dance, dinner, pick up boys from dance.

And it's no wonder I feel like I've put in a full day by the time I get to work.

Currently reading scriptures, Miramont's Ghost by Elizabeth Hall (very slowly)

On the tv today I finished Parenthood. I loved that show and will miss it, but am happy with how they ended it, including the death because that is a very real part of life. Husband and I are watching Downton Abbey on our Roku. I have been watching Glee but it is absolutely horrible this season, however I am sure I will watch it to it's end, since I have seen it from the beginning.

On the menu this week You can find my menu here.

What I am creating Seminary lessons and tax returns

Favorite photo from camera: My son and I drove to Boston (he drove the whole way!), picked up my daughter, and joined some fellow church members at our temple in that area. Then we went out to eat, said goodbye to my daughter, and drove all the way home. It was a wonderful day. Here are my son and daughter at the temple.

Prayers, Inspirational Quotes, Devotionals

Have a great week everyone, and if you are getting snow, stay safe and warm!