Happy Homemaker Monday - #1 - 2011

The weather in my neck of the woods:
36 degrees.  I've had the heater on in the house and I'm finding it hard to walk on the tiled floors without constantly yelling out "it's cold it's cold". 


Things that make me happy:
The end of the holidays.  I know I know, I love the holidays and all the time spent with family and good food etc, but when it gets to the first week of January, I actually welcome this return to normalcy.


Book I'm reading:
Absolutely nothing


What's on my TV today:
Tonight, the return of Pretty Little Liars.  I can NOT wait, love this series and have been dying with anticipation for it's return. 


On the menu for dinner:
Stuffed Green Peppers, Salad


On my To Do List:
Sweep and Mop the Floors
Dusting
Finish all the laundry
Get ready for homeschooling starting tomorrow


New Recipe I tried or want to try soon:
Made a super easy but delicious Mexican Dip.  I'll have it up on my food blog this morning, along with the Menu Plan for this week.

In the craft basket:

My African Flower crochet blanket.  I'm having so much fun working on this one :)


Looking forward to this week:
Not having to send my children off to that horrible school and beginning homeschooling.


Tips and Tricks:
Give your home a quick straightening before bedtime, things like empty glasses or bowls or whatever laying around, just take them to the sink, even if you don't get to them that evening, it will make clean up easier in the morning and you won't have to wake up to a disaster house.



My favorite blog post this week:
Don't have one yet.  I hit Mark All as Read on my Google Reader this weekend and am determined to start fresh and try to keep up with everyone.


Blog Hopping (a new discovered blog you would like to share with the readers):
Noodlehead - Love the crafts and the pictures on this blog


No words needed (favorite photo or picture, yours or others you want to share):

Lesson learned the past few days:
That we should never expect people to live up to the ridiculous expectations we impose on them.  That if I decide to put someone on a pedestal and label them as perfect, it's MY fault for doing so and that I should not blame them for being human and for making mistakes.  That just because it's never happened to my family doesn't mean that it won't, it's not just "oh that only happens to others, that would NEVER happen to us", because it does and it will and when it does you will find strength and courage you never thought you had.


On my mind:
The beginning of a new year, the possibilities and the unknown.


Devotionals, Scripture Reading, Key Verses:

Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

Colossians 3:12

I couldn't have picked that verse above any better, if I tried.  It's JUST what I needed to read right now, how amazing is our Lord.