{ Blogtober 2026 - Day 26 - Happy Homemaker Monday 10/26/2026 }

Good morning and welcome back!

 

I am so tired this morning and actually wondering what happened to the weekend.  And why is it already the end of October?  I've often said that time is flying by but this is getting ridiculous, I've quite perplexed at how fast the days are moving.  This year practically just started and we are but a few weeks from Thanksgiving.  What is going on?

 

Anyway, I need to go back and publish posts for the days I missed, it's been a busy busy week.  That's another thing I'm over at the minute.  I am over the busyness of life, of always feeling like I'm being stretched thin, overwhelmed, needing to be places.  I'm just a bundle of joy this morning aren't I?  hahahah

 

Let's just get on with the post before I ramble even more.  

 

Have a blessed week my friends.    

  

 

 

*** The Weather *** 

It's been really nice.  Cool mornings and then warm afternoons, well warm as in high 70s or very low 80s which I happen to enjoy.  I think we are getting some more rain this week, so yay for that.       

 

Monday - Mostly cloudy, 78

Tuesday - Partly cloudy, 79 

Wednesday - Mostly sunny, 84

Thursday - PM showers, 81

Friday - Rain, 67 

Saturday - Showers, 73  

Sunday - Cloudy, 80

 

 

 *** Right now I am ***

Actually sitting on my bed with my laptop.  I am too tired and too stressed and too all over the place.  I'm listening to a book video on YouTube, the babies are asleep on the bed next to me and the roosters are crowing out back.         

 

 

*** Thinking and pondering *** 

Life and the upcoming holidays. 

 

 

*** How I am feeling *** 

I have been struggling a lot lately with anxiety and doom and gloom thoughts.  I have never dealt with anxiety before but it's been so bad lately, it's driving me up the wall.  My doctor says it's related to hormones and upcoming menopause, which I am very close to according to her.  I don't know how any one deals with this because it's making life a bit hard for me at the moment.  Everything sets me off.  The pets not feeling 100% gets me going, a family member going through a hard time gets me going, the crazy world around us sets me off.  It's exhausting and I am just over it.  If you have any tips please send them my way.

 

Also, allergies have been at their highest this past week too.  Good grief!   

 

 

*** On the breakfast plate *** 

I just had my second cup of coffee and a maple donut.  I am regretting it now, but nothing I can do to change that.  Oh well.  

 

 

*** On the lunch plate *** 

Tuna salad.   

 

 

*** On the dinner plate *** 

Lebanese beef stew, rice, broccoli and cauliflower 

 

 

*** On the menu *** 

 

Monday

Lebanese beef stew, rice, broccoli and cauliflower  

Tuesday 

Dad's favorite chicken, Mashed potatoes, Salad

Wednesday 

Meatball Moroccan Stew, Couscous, Sauteed Squash 

Thursday

Sausage Rice, Salad

Friday

Lahmacun

Saturday

Kielbasa Pasta Bake, Salad

Sunday

Chickpea and Sweet Potato Curry, Rice

 

 

*** What I am wearing *** 

Still in my pajamas, will change into something later hahahah  I don't even know what I'm going to change into, a dress?  Leggings?  Shorts?  Who knows.  

 

 

*** On my reading pile *** 

2 Samuel in the Bible. 

 

The the first book in the Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion series.  I am almost done with it, it is a short book so even though I haven't had much chance to read this past week, I am way past the middle point.     

 

 

 

*** On my TV this week *** 

Vlogtober on Youtube.  

Great British Bake Off on Netflix.

Turkish series. 

 

 

*** Looking around the house *** 

I've kept up on my daily cleaning, so don't have much to do today other than the usual daily chores.  .  

 

 

*** To do list *** 

Bible and Devotional time 

Daily homemaking chores 

Water inside plants

Embroider the eyes on the crochet cat

Daily 10k steps

 

*** What I am creating ***

Universe in Bloom Blanket by Look at What I Made.  

 

Puss in Boots by Toft Crochet.

 

 

   

*** From the camera ***  

I love morning light, and this picture I got last week just makes me smile.  The way the sun is streaming in through the blinds. 

 

   

*** Devotional, Prayers, Bible Verses *** 

My brother Paul as he continues recovering from his heart surgery.

 

For me, I need prayers for this anxiety, it's driving me crazy.  

 

{ Blogtober 2026 - Day 21 - This Wasn't the Plan by Kenz Durham }

About This Wasn’t the Plan: How to Surrender Your Stuck and Set Your Soul in Motion

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Publication date: October 6, 2026

Have you ever looked at your life and thought, I thought my life would look better than this by now. This book is for the woman who feels stuck—in her career, relationships, emotions, or calling. It’s a guidebook for the one who feels like she’s just enduring rather than embracing life to start moving toward the life you really want.

If you’ve ever felt lost between the dreams you had freshly post-grad and the reality you’re living now, you are not alone. Mac Bridges and Kenz Durham get it. They’ve been in your shoes and walked through their own journeys with chronic illness, unanswered longings, and prayers that never seem to be answered in the miraculous way they’d envisioned. But in the midst of those seasons, they’ve also seen transformation.

It begins with a question: What if God is getting you ready? What could He be preparing in you and for you in this season? Readers are invited to imagine the great plans God is setting in motion for them, even when everything around them seems stuck in place. Through quizzes and powerful reflection questions, readers will name the areas in which they feel stuck, identify the root of those feelings, and get honest about the ways those feelings are manifested in their everyday lives.

But Mac and Kenz don’t leave readers there. Using the scaffolding of Jesus’ instructions to “ask, seek, and knock,” they challenge the reader to:

• pray without having an answer in mind;
• seek out clues about what God is up to;
• take bold but faith-filled risks that unlock transformation; and
• believe that your stuck place isn’t your final destination.

It’s time to stop waiting on the sidelines and start moving with God, trusting that He is inviting you to take the next steps into a story where every detail matters.

About the Authors

MacKenzie “Mac” Bridges is the passionate co-founder behind Delight Ministries, an organization that provides Christ-centered community for college women at 200+ universities across the United States. As co-host of the “For The Girl” podcast, Mac, alongside her best friend Kenz, brings warmth, wisdom, and big sister advice to women in their 20s seeking to follow Jesus. She’s also the author of several beloved Bible studies, including “In My Feels” and “The Wild Invitation.”

Mac currently lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, with her husband, Tyler, and their daughter Myla. Outside of ministry, Mac is a proud connoisseur of chain restaurants, pickleball, and home decor. She’s never left a TJ Maxx without a knickknack in hand.

Mackenzie “Kenz” Durham is the passionate founder behind Delight Ministries, an organization that provides Christ-centered community for college women at 200+ universities across the United States. As co-host of the “For The Girl” podcast, Kenz, alongside her best friend Mac, brings warmth, wisdom, and big sister advice to women in their 20s seeking to follow Jesus. She’s also the author of several beloved Bible studies, including “In My Feels” and “The Wild Invitation“

Kenz currently lives in Vero Beach, Florida, with her husband, Josh, and their two kids. Outside of ministry, Kenz is health guru, self proclaimed baker, and lover of the sun! Catch her on the beach soaking up the sun 80% of her days!

 

{ Blogtober 2026 - Day 20 - Reading }

I have loved watching the morning sun starting to rise.  From my spot on the bed, I have the perfect view, right as it comes over the horizon and starts bathing everything in it's path, with the most glorious orange glow.

 

It's moments like these that I thank God for being the beautiful creator that He is, I mean, the colors, the details, the textures, I still feel complete awe when I see what is around us. 

It's been a very slow day, just like I enjoy.  After getting my daily homemaking chores done, I have started a new book.  Before I talk about the book though, can you see the kitty cat in the picture above?  The crochet one?

 

Well I have completed it and just need to embroider on some eyes in black yarn.  It is not perfect, and I did struggle a bit with the Toft pattern, I find that it's pretty much a pattern for advanced crocheters or anyone familiar with the way she writes her patterns, which is not me.

 

There weren't very clear instructions, and I found myself kind of like a fish out of water, flapping about, turning to Google and even AI to try and figure out how to continue certain parts of the pattern.  I am hoping as I get more familiar with the Toft way of crochet, I will enjoy it more.

 

But, it is done, I just need to make the cape and the boots and the tail, now that I think of it, it's missing it's tail.  Hahahaha  I can't believe I forgot that important detail, dear me. 

As for the reading.  I have been putting off reading The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion, mainly because as you know me, the more people go on about a book or a movie or whatever, the less I want to try it.  I've always been like this, since I was child.  If everyone is loving yellow I will immensely dislike it.  

 

So everyone in the book world has been going on about this series by Beth Brower.  I held off for quite a while but decided to just get in there and see what the fuss is about.

 

I went in full expecting to not like it, or find it overrated.   

The truth?

 

I'm quite enjoying it and I'm not even very far, I'm only on the second entry of her journal, but it's already caught my attention.  Guess I'm going to become a fan too.  

 

Other than that, it's been a quiet day, the temperatures have sat in the high 70's, which is quite alright with me.

 

What else have I been up to?

 

I got my groceries today which is always a good thing.  I love seeing the fridge and freezers full when the food first comes in.

 

I will be making a Baked Salmon for dinner with a vegetable Quinoa and some brussel sprouts. 

 

The rest of the evening I will be working on my crochet blanket a little more now that I have the yarn I needed to continue.  I will also obviously watch something on the telly while I do that too.

 

Oh and I am so excited.  I just purchased some yarn and a pattern for a cabled jumper that I want to make for myself for winter.  It's beautiful and I just can't wait to get started.

 

It is the Clarendon Cables Jumper from Lottie & Albert.

 

 

 

The yarn I will be using is the Lion Brand Two of Wands Hue + Me and I've gone with the sunflower color which I think will be gorgeous.  Also, I don't tend to wear yellows so I'm a bit hesitant but I want a change and I think it will look great with my dark hair. 

 

I'll of course show you the progress as I make it.  Well that's it for today, I better get things organized for dinner.

{ Blogtober 2026 - Day 19 - Happy Homemaker Monday }

Good morning everyone, welcome back to my little blog.

 

It is a cold Monday morning, very much a Fall day.  The light, the air, there is something about Fall that you can't quite pinpoint but it's a different vibe from summer, know what I mean?

 

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend, and I wish you all a blessed week ahead.  I am finally going to be able to get some time to start visiting you all, leaving comments and devoting more time to blogging.  It's been crazy and I mean crazy busy around here, as summer usually is, so I am very much glad that the slower time of the year is upon us.

 

Now, let's see what is happening around our homes.  

  

 

 

*** The Weather *** 

Quite a few cold mornings but we will be in the 70s and 80s this week, as the cold front moves out.     

 

Monday - Sunny, 75

Tuesday - Mostly sunny, 78 

Wednesday - Sunny, 81

Thursday - Partly cloudy, 82

Friday - Partly cloudy, 83 

Saturday - Morning cloudy, 82  

Sunday - Mostly cloudy, 79

 

 

 *** Right now I am ***

Sitting at my desk.  I am listening to a video on the TV, working on this post and trying to remember what I need to look up today or get done today.  I really should be writing this down.

 

I am sipping on my second cup of coffee, lately it's been two cups of coffee a day to keep me going, and if it were up to me, it would probably be more, but I need to control myself.       

 

 

*** Thinking and pondering *** 

Holidays.  I am wanting to start making some Christmas gifts, and also buying some.  I don't want to wait until the last minute and this year I really would like to have everything done, by the beginning of December.  Will that actually happen?  Probably not, but I will give it a good try.    

 

 

*** How I am feeling *** 

I'm feeling pretty good.  Just have a lingering congestion and a bit of a tiny cough.  My allergies have also been the worst the past two days, but aside from that, I am good.  

 

 

*** On the breakfast plate *** 

I just finished my breakfast which was some toasted Cranberry Orange Bread with butter.  I've been really bad with carbs lately and especially bread, I've been eating way too much bread and that is going to change soon, but I am trying to finish this bread that I got at Market Street.  It is so good.  I am actually going to find a recipe to make my own.  

 

 

*** On the lunch plate *** 

Not really sure.  I haven't been very hungry at lunch time lately, so we will see. 

 

 

*** On the dinner plate *** 

Slow Cooker Pork Chops, Buttered Noodles, Sauteed Mustard Greens 

 

 

*** On the menu *** 

I have to work on the new meal plan, so this is what I have left on the last meal plan.

 

Monday

Slow Cooker Pork Chops, Buttered Noodles, Sauteed Mustard Greens  

Tuesday 

Oven Baked Salmon, Curried Quinoa, Squash and Zucchini Casserole

Wednesday 

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

 

 

*** What I am wearing *** 

Pajama set, pants and short sleeved shirt.  Will change into black leggings, black tank top and a checkered black and white shirt over, when I get dressed for the day.     

 

 

*** On my reading pile *** 

2 Samuel in the Bible, I am almost done with it. 

 

Finished The Familiars by Stacey Hall and will now start the first book in the Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion series.  I have put this off for a while because I'm not a huge fan of books written in diary form, but everyone talks about this series and it's an era that I love so I decided to grab the first book, and give it a go.      

 

 

 

*** On my TV this week *** 

Vlogtober on Youtube.  

Great British Bake Off on Netflix.

I am a Stalker on Netflix.

 

Turkish series. 

 

 

*** Looking around the house *** 

I need to give it a good clean today, the typical Monday morning usual.  Also want to hang some Autumn lights above the big windows in both the living room and dining room.  

 

 

*** To do list *** 

Bible and Devotional time 

Daily homemaking chores 

Water inside plants

Embroider the eyes on the crochet cat

*** What I am creating ***

Universe in Bloom Blanket by Look at What I Made.  

 

Puss in Boots by Toft Crochet.

 

 

   

*** From the camera ***  

Started putting this one together on Saturday.  I just love doing things like this, they bring me so much joy.  

   

*** Devotional, Prayers, Bible Verses *** 

Continuing to pray for my brother Paul as he is now 6 weeks post triple bypass surgery.  He is recovering amazingly well.  

 

{ Blogtober 2026 - Day 18 - A cold Sunday }

 

 

Woke up to 39 degrees.  I don't understand how we went from triple digits about three weeks ago to this cold.  What happened to the transition between summer and Winter, you know the season called Fall?  Oh Texas, always keeping us on our toes.

 

We started the morning with a walk for Kaia around our neighborhood, which I will say is so stunning, there is nothing quite like living in the country. 

 

 

It didn't last as long as usual because it was bitterly cold and I am still not 100% person over this flu.  

 

The rest of the day was spent indoors, I took the day to start my Gingerbread Christmas Book Nook, watch TV and finish my 44th book for the year.  The Familiars by Stacey hall.