Happy Homemaker Monday - December 30, 2019

Greetings, Dear Ladies! Happy Last Monday of 2019! 

Can you believe it??? 😲 I do believe that that's the fastest year that's flown by yet and here we are...on the cusp of another one! 

So how was your week, weekend, and Christmas? We had a nice Christmas here. Several of our children and their families came over on Christmas Eve. We enjoyed finger foods, hot cocoa, and a great time of fellowship. 

After snacking and visiting we loaded up, drove around town, and looked at Christmas lights; at 10:00 p.m. some of us attended the Christmas Eve Candlight Service at one of the local churches. 

Christmas Day was spent at Patrick and Amber's (our son-in-law and daughter); Patrick's parents (long-time friends of ours) and our youngest son and his family were there, as well. We had a great visit with all.

We have had a few glitches along the way (no hot water since Christmas morning and a flat tire among other things) and some sad news this week, too. 

On Christmas Eve we got word that a dear friend (Geri) had passed away and, on Christmas Day, my cousin, Mary, passed away. Both funerals are today and we will be unable to attend either one as we have pressing things on the homefront that must be dealt with immediately.

I do wish each and every one of you a Happy New Year! May 2020 be a year of great awakening, personal revival, wisdom, insight, and vision for all!!! 

Now...let's get right on into this week's post...shall we?

Please join me as I link up with Sandra of Diary of a
Stay At Home Mom and all the other lovely ladies that gather
there on this week's Happy Homemaker Monday! 💗

Right now I am...

... taking a break from taking care of business and working on this post.

On the breakfast plate...

... This morning I met up with daughter-in-law, Angie, at Mary's for our quarterly breakfast get-together. I had a biscuit and gravy with a side of bacon. It's the only time I get bacon and it's always so good! 😋

The weather...

... A couple of days ago we were under a tornado warning; today it's cold and windy. Now that Christmas is over, I either want snow ⛄ or else it can just warm on up and go right into spring! 🌷 

...  On my reading pile...
I finally finished My Father, Daniel Boone - The Draper Interviews with Nathan Boone edited by Neal O. Hammon and I have no idea where I'm headed next.

On the menu this week...

Monday - Broccoli, rice, and cheese casserole

Tuesday - Oven-roasted chicken breasts, baked potatoes, and oven-roasted carrots

Wednesday - Black-eyed peas and cornbread

Thursday - Hot pork sandwiches with mashed potatoes, gravy, and green beans

Friday - Broiled salmon, baked sweet potatoes, and mixed vegetables

Saturday - Black bean burritos
Sunday - Leftovers

On my 'to do' list...

- Monday - Meet Angie for breakfast, plan the week ahead, see what we can do about getting the hot water heater fixed or replaced, have tire on van fixed, do weekly "home blessing" and laundry (if time and energy permit...if not...tomorrow)
- Tuesday - Start taking down, organizing, and packing up Christmas decorations, think about some of the things I want to accomplish and work on in 2020, set up January budget on EVERY DOLLAR, set up 2020 bill-paying notebook

- Wednesday - Celebrate the new year and our next-to-the-oldest son's birthday, work (First Day Hike)

- Thursday - Figure January bills, celebrate grandson, Silas's, birthday a day early
- Friday - Bank, pay bills, work
- Saturday - Work, celebrate daughter-in-law's birthday
- Sunday - Church

In the craft basket...

... the tail-end of the temperature aghan

Looking forward to this week...

... finishing up the 2019 temperature afghan

Something I enjoyed watching this week...

Two of my favorite Christmas movies...It's a Wonderful Life with Jimmy Stewart and Scrooge with Alistair Sim

From the camera...

🎉 Wishing You and Yours a HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! 🎉

Scripture passage...

Well, Ladies! That's it for this week! I pray that each and every one of you have a beautiful week ahead and HAPPY NEW YEAR💗

Until Next Time...

~Rebecca

Recent and related posts that you might enjoy reading...

Happy Homemaker Monday - December 23, 2019 - The Late Night Edition

Happy Homemaker Monday - December 16, 2019

Happy Homemaker Monday - December 9, 2019

 

Happy Homemaker Monday - December 23, 2019 - The Late Night Edition

Greetings, Dear Ladies! Happy Monday and Merry Christmas Eve Eve! 🎄

It's been a long day (week, month, year...you name it and it's been long), but I'm determined to get this post out before midnight! 😣 

So much has happened this week that I hardly know where to begin, so I will just hit the highlights. 

On Monday we had ice and snow. I worked around here just trying to get caught up and get prepared for the next round of holiday happenings. 

On Tuesday John and I ran to town to get bakings supplies and other things needed to finish up holiday baking.

On Wednesday I presented two programs at our local library and baked a ton of cookies to be divided between friends, neighbors, extended family members, and co-workers. I delivered the goodies to the recipients on my way to the Christmas party at work on Thursday. 

Christmas Cookies

I worked Friday, but was off Saturday. John and I ran errands, visited Pat at the nursing home, finished up the last of the Christmas shopping for us (15 items each at the Dollar Tree...what fun!!!), and took a couple of our granddaughters to watch the Living Nativity Pagent at the Oakton United Methodist Church. It is an outdoor presentation that includes live animals and the cast does a great job of bringing the story of Jesus' birth to life right before your very eyes! This was their 62nd year of putting on the performance! Wow! 🌟

The Living Nativity Pagent @ The Oakton United Methodist Church
Oakton, Missouri

Enough about last week!  l need to get right on into this week's post.

Please join me as I link up with Sandra of Diary of a
Stay At Home Mom and all the other lovely ladies that gather
there on this week's Happy Homemaker Monday! 💗

Right now I am...

... enjoying a cup of hot tea while working furiously on this post.

On the breakfast plate...

... I don't remember having anything this morning before taking off for the day...other than a cup of hot tea, of course!

The weather...

... Gorgeous!!! Today it was sunny with afternoon temperatures in the 60's. 🌞 The next few days don't look bad at all...especially when considering that it's late December! 😲

...  On my reading pile...

Nothing at the moment. 

On the menu this week...

Monday - Turkey Italian sausage and oven roasted potatoes

Tuesday - Finger foods (crackers, salami, pepperoni, assorted cheeses, chips, etc.)

Wednesday - Christmas dinner @ daughter and son-in-law's

Thursday - Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and frozen peas

Friday - Broiled salmon, baked potatoes, and oven-roasted carrots

Saturday - Oven-roasted chicken breasts served with cauli-rice and green beans

Sunday - Leftovers

On my 'to do' list...

- Monday - Plan the week ahead, do my weekly "home blessing", laundry, celebrate a belated birthday lunch with granddaughter, Sarah, pick up and finish any last minute items needed for tomorrow night 

- Tuesday - Celebrate Christmas Eve with family and friends, drive around town and look at Christmas lights, and attend the candlelight service at the Christian Church

- Wednesday - Enjoy Christmas and relax

- Thursday - Work
- Friday - Work
- Saturday - Work
- Sunday - Church

In the craft basket...

... still trying to catch up on the temperature afghan. I'm only a few days behind now.

Here is the lovely grandchildren wreath that our oldest daughter-in-law made for me for Christmas. I LOVE IT! 💓

Grandchildren Wreath

Looking forward to this week...

... Celebrating Christmas with family and friends.

Something I enjoyed watching this week...

The Nativity Story

From the camera...

Granddaughter, Sarah, and I @ Lunch Today

We Went To Freddy's
So yummy!

Scripture passage...

Prayer requests...

 - Pat - she was in the hospital again this week (ICU) for a couple of days and, now, on top of everything else, has been diagnosed with respitory failure. She has been placed on hospice and fell twice yesterday. Please continue to remember her in your prayers. Thanks!

Well, Ladies! That's it for this week! I pray that each and every one of you have a beautiful week ahead and a very Merry Christmas! 💗

Until Next Time...

~Rebecca

Recent and related posts that you might enjoy reading...

Happy Homemaker Monday - December 16, 2019

Happy Homemaker Monday - December 9, 2019

Happy Homemaker Monday - December 2, 2019

 

Happy Homemaker Monday - December 16, 2019

Greetings, Dear Ones! It's Monday again and, as usual, I'm running late! 😲

Saturday was our annual family Christmas get-together (our children and grands), so this past week was kind of like our last-week-before-Christmas-week and what a wild week it was! We had all the usual comings and goings, cooking, baking, and last-minute shopping, but in the end everything came together and we ended up having a good week and great weekend. Unfortunately, I don't think anybody thought to take a single picture at family Christmas. 😞

I am sharing a few photos, though, of the first edition of The Family Christmas Chronicle that our granddaughter, Audrey, surprised us with. With help from her mom she made copies for each household and hopes to put together a future edition each Christmas. What a treat and a blessing! Several members of the family contributed things to be included and Papa and I found each addition to be a delight! 💗

The Family Christmas Chronical - Volume 1, Issue 1

Family Photos in the Chronicle

An Article in the Chronicle

Okay...enough about last week! As I am already running so late, let's get right on into this week's post, shall we?

Please join me as I link up with Sandra of Diary of a
Stay At Home Mom and all the other lovely ladies that gather
there on this week's Happy Homemaker Monday! 💗

Right now I am...

... dealing with a myriad of circumstances and situations (most of which are beyond my control) while trying to work on this post.

On the breakfast plate...

... This morning I had oat pancakes with sugar-free syrup.

The weather...

... At the moment it is super cold and we are in the midst of a winter weather advisory. In fact it is icing and snowing as I type this, but the week ahead doesn't look bad at all. 

...  On my reading pile...

I'm happy to say that I made considerable progress this week on My Father, Daniel Boone - The Draper Interviews with Nathan Boone edited by Neal O. Hammon

On the menu this week...

Monday - Taco soup served with shredded cheese, sour cream, and Chili Cheese Fritoes and salad

Tuesday - Pulled pork sandwiches and oven fries

Wednesday - Creamy turkey and wild rice soup with homemade bread and salad

Thursday - Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and frozen peas

Friday - Broiled salmon, baked potatoes, and oven-roasted carrots

Saturday - Oven-roasted chicken breasts served with cauli-rice and green beans

Sunday - Leftovers

A Pretty Picture Found On Facebook

On my 'to do' list...

- Monday - Plan the week ahead, do my weekly "home blessing", catch up on laundry, mail some cards, go to the bank, try to make some sort of sense out of what's left of the holiday season

- Tuesday - Take a family member grocery shopping, buy baking supplies and birdseed

- Wednesday - Present two library programs and bake cookies for our neighbors and the guys at work

- Thursday - Attend work Christmas party
- Friday - Work
- Saturday - Finish up anything that needs before John and I's Christmas here
- Sunday - Church

In the craft basket...

... continued progress on the temperature afghan 

Looking forward to this week...

... Getting the last of the holiday baking done and delivering goodies to our neighbors

Molasses Crinkles

Something I enjoyed watching this week...

A variety of Charles Dickens classics put out by the BBC. They've inspired me and I think I'm going to start reading the books! 💗

From the camera...

Bison Art That Was Gifted To Me This Week

Scripture passage...

Prayer requests...

 - President Trump, Vice-President Pence, all elected officials and their families in every arena from the federal to the local level in every town, city, county, and state, and our nation as a whole

- A great awakening within our nation as took place in the mid-1700's, again in the early 1800's, and again in the late 1800's...early 1900's. Its time!

- Godly wisdom, direction, and peace during this holiday season and time of change
- My oldest daughter, her dad, and the rest of his family. Just got word this morning that her grandfather in Canada passed away. 

Thanks so much!

Well, Ladies! That's it for this week! I pray that each and every one of you have a blessed and beautiful week ahead! 💗

Until Next Time...

~Rebecca

Recent and related posts that you might enjoy reading...

Happy Homemaker Monday - December 9, 2019

Happy Homemaker Monday - December 2, 2019

Happy Homemaker Monday - November 25, 2019

 

Happy Homemaker Monday - December 9, 2019

Greetings, Dear Ones! 💓 Happy Monday! 

Here we are...already into the second full week of December and time just keeps marching on!

Last week was wonderful! I spent most of the week at home cooking, cleaning, planning, crafting, and getting ready for our rapidly approaching family Christmas get-together on Saturday. I can hardly believe that Christmas is already upon us! 🎄

I did manage to get the tree decorated this week...only one though. The past three years I have put up four trees...the big one and three smaller ones. This year...only the big one. No time, no energy, no inclination. This year...one is enough. (I didn't even put my mom's tree up with the vintage ornaments. THAT makes me sad, but it can't be helped.) 😞

This year's Christmas tree. After I got it up I noticed that one
row of the prelighted branches has gone out. Oh, well!
 I hear that that is a common problem with pre-lit trees. 😖

I worked Friday and Saturday. Friday at the park; Saturday at Watkins Woolen Mill State Park where our youngest daughter works and coordinates their annual Christmas on the Farm event. It's always a lot of fun and my husband and I have worked that event for so many years now, that it would hardly feel like Christmas without it. 

One of My Favorite Things - The Traditional
Centerpiece on the Watkins Family Table

(I've included a few more pictures a little further along in this post.)

Last night I tried my hand at making Mary Berry's jaffa cakes using an Americanized version of the recipe. I bought the pan and ingredients for them quite some time ago and just now got around to making them. They turned out good and are quite tasty, but I doubt that Paul, nor Mary, either one, would approve of the appearance of my final bake. Fortunately, my husband isn't particular and he and I both like them as is! In fact, we like them too much! 😆 

My Version of Mary Berry's Jaffa Cakes
(Whispering - I don't think she'd approve of their appearance.)
To get to the link for the Americanized version
of the recipe that I used click HERE

Okay...enough about last week! Let's get right on into this week's post, shall we?

Please join me as I link up with Sandra of Diary of a
Stay At Home Mom and all the other lovely ladies that gather
there on this week's Happy Homemaker Monday! 💗

Right now I am...

... finishing up breakfast and enjoying a cup of tea while I work on this post. 

On the breakfast plate...

... Odd, I know, but am eating up a few leftovers that have gotten stranded in the fridge...a small piece of meatloaf, a cold baked potato that has been reheated and served with the last bits of cottage cheese out of an open container, a slice of homemade bread toasted and smeared with Smart Balance, and a cup of hot tea

The weather...

... Right now it's cloudy and 49 degrees, but temperatures are supposed to be falling all day before landing in the mid-20's this evening and it's supposed to be windy this afternoon. 

...  On my reading pile...

My Father, Daniel Boone - The Draper Interviews with Nathan Boone edited by Neal O. Hammon and Consider Jesus - A 31-Day Advent Devotional by Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth

Consider Jesus
by Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth

On the menu this week...

Monday - Oven-roasted chicken breasts, odds and ends of leftover vegetables from last week (butternut squash, green beans, broccoli, cabbage), and cottage cheese

Tuesday - Taco soup

Wednesday - Italian sausage, oven roasted potatoes, and green beans

Thursday - Ham, beans, and cornbread

Friday - Broiled salmon, mashed potatoes, and peas

Saturday - Potluck (Family Christmas)

Sunday - Leftovers

On my 'to do' list...

- Monday - Plan the week ahead, get caught up on housework and laundry, and work on Christmas stuff

- Tuesday - Dh has an appointment with the eye doctor and has to renew his driver's license; run errands, shop

- Wednesday - Focus on finishing up stuff for Christmas 

- Thursday - Celebrate granddaughter, Mary's, birthday, focus on finishing up stuff for Christmas
- Friday - Work; prepare food for family Christmas get-together on Saturday; expecting youngest daughter's arrival at some point
- Saturday - Celebrate dh's 66th birthday; attend our annual family Christmas get-together 🎄🎅🎁
- Sunday - Church

In the craft basket...

... Am still trying to catch up on the temperature afghan and have made a few more recycled Christmas card crafts to give as gifts.

Looking forward to this week...

... Getting to spend time with our children and grandchildren at Family Christmas 2019! 

Something I enjoyed watching this week...

The classic Christmas cartoons, A Charlie Brown Christmas and The Grinch That Stole Christmas, one of my favorite Christmas movies, The Man Who Invented Christmas and a Dicken's classic, Oliver Twist (BBC 2007).

Quoted by Linus in A Charlie Brown Christmas

From the camera...

A few shots of Christmas on the Farm at Watkins Woolen Mill State Historic Site - Saturday, December 7, 2019...

The Lane That Visitors Follow From The Visitor
Center Down to the House and Mill

Old-time Lanterns Light The Pathway From
The Visitor Center to the Home After Dark

The Watkins Family Home

Father Christmas
Every guest on the tour receives a fresh orange from him. 

The Big Event of the Evening -
The Lighting of the Plum Pudding

The Kitchen Where Treats Are Served After A
Lamplit Tour of the Home is Completed

Scripture passage...

Prayer requests...

 - President Trump, Vice-President Pence, all elected officials and their families in every arena from the federal to the local level in every town, city, county, and state, and our nation as a whole

- A great awakening within our nation as took place in the mid-1700's, again in the early 1800's, and again in the late 1800's...early 1900's. Its time!

- Pat - has been moved into the special needs (Alzheimer's) unit at the nursing facility this week; took two falls on Friday; no injuries, but vitals had to be monitored closely afterwards; has another appointment with the cardiologist this week.

- Godly wisdom, direction, and peace during this holiday season and time of change

Thanks so much!

Well, Ladies! That's it for this week! I pray that each and every one of you have a blessed and beautiful week ahead! 💗

Until Next Time...

~Rebecca

Recent and related posts that you might enjoy reading...

Happy Homemaker Monday - December 2, 2019

Happy Homemaker Monday - November 25, 2019

Happy Homemaker Monday - November 18, 2019