{ Happy Homemaker Monday - 09/28/2020 }

 Good morning everyone, how was your weekend?

I feel like I'm finally starting to get some sleep.  It had been a month since I had gotten proper sleep, and I truly felt like I was a walking zombie.  

We had my mother in law's funeral on Friday, got to spend the day with a ton of family which was wonderful.  Now we start the long process of grieving.  

I am hoping as things calm down, that I can start getting back into  my blogging and doing the things that bring me joy.  

Can you believe this is our last Happy Homemaker Monday for September of 2020?  These months are just flying right on by.

Alright, let's get going.

♥♥The Weather♥♥
 
Monday - Mix of clouds and sun, 74
Tuesday - Sunny, 79
Wednesday - Sunny, 91
Thursday -  Sunny, 79
Friday - Mostly Sunny, 76
Saturday -  Mostly Sunny, 84
Sunday - Sunny, 83


♥♥How I am feeling this morning♥♥
More rested, but boy have the allergies kicked in.  My poor brother in law suffers from allergies as well, so it's been me, him and Nick sneezing and coughing and sniffling constantly.  

 

♥♥On my mind♥♥
A lot of things, just trying to get through life at the moment, honestly.    


♥♥On the breakfast plate♥♥
Just a cup of coffee.  I ran out of creamer so I sprinkled some cinnamon on the coffee to try and give it a little bit of a kick.        


♥♥On my reading pile♥♥
Book of Psalms in my Bible.  I really need to get back to my daily bible reading now that things have calmed down a little.
With everything going on, I haven't done much reading at all, but have tons of review books that I need to get through.


♥♥On my tv♥♥
 My Portuguese Soap *Quer o Destino*
Youtube vlogs


♥♥On the menu this week♥♥
Have to work on a new menu plan for the next two weeks, as I'll be grocery shopping on Friday.

Monday - Spaghetti, Garlic Bread

Tuesday - Pork chops and Mashed potatoes

Wednesday - Fettucine Alfredo

Thursday - Take out (driving brother in law to Dallas for his flight)

♥♥From the camera♥♥
I couldn't find a photo of myself and my mother in law, and it was really bothering me.  I'm always the one behind the camera.  But when meeting with family before the funeral, we found this one on mom's cellphone.  Oh my goodness how happy did it make.  Love her so much and am going to miss her terribly.

♥♥Looking around the house♥♥
It is quiet for the moment.  Kids are still asleep although Jasmine will be up for work soon.  My brother in law is asleep on the couch, my husband is off to work.  The sun is just now starting to come up.  Yep Fall is here, takes longer to get brighter and also gets darker quicker at night. 

 
♥♥New recipe I tried last week, or one that we really enjoyed♥♥
No new recipes.


♥♥To relax this week, I will♥♥
I am hoping to get some bible reading done, also start on one of the review books as well. 

 

♥♥On my prayer list♥♥  

Our family as we prepare to start the grieving process and learn to live without the presence of my mother in law.

My nephew Colby who broke his shin at his football game on Friday night.  

My brother in law Chris who is returning to his job in South Korea, this week.

Our country, our President.

{ Happy Homemaker Monday - 09/21/2020 }

Good morning everyone, hope you've had a good weekend.

I am just ok.  We lost my sweet mother in law, on Friday morning, and since then we've been on auto pilot, trying to get things done, funeral planned, taking care of family and basically learning to live on without her.

We thought she had more time, she thought she had more time.  Turns out the 2 months she had, became 3 weeks from moment of diagnosis to her passing.

I can't even put into words how we are feeling, and so I won't attempt to.

I just want to thank each and every single one of you, who prayed for her these past few years, and especially the past 3 weeks.  The Lord chose to take her home earlier than we anticipated, and as much as we hurt for ourselves, we know that she is in a much better place.

Please continue to keep my family in your prayers, more specifically my husband, his brother Chris, my children and my father in law Ken.

♥♥The Weather♥♥
 
Monday - Partly cloudy, 81
Tuesday - AM showers, 73
Wednesday - AM clouds, 78
Thursday -  Sunny, 84
Friday - Sunny, 88
Saturday -  Sunny, 91
Sunday - Sunny, 85


♥♥How I am feeling this morning♥♥
Exhausted.  Have been going to bed late and getting up very early to care for family.  I am numb, I am sad, I am a mix of feelings at the moment.    


♥♥On my mind♥♥
My sweet mother in law.  Her funeral is this week and I don't do well with funerals, but I have to be strong and be there for my husband.   


♥♥On the breakfast plate♥♥
Cup of coffee with caramel creamer.      


♥♥On my reading pile♥♥
Book of Psalms in my Bible.

Have a couple review books, but haven't been able to read anything for a few days. 


♥♥On my tv♥♥
 My Portuguese Soap *Quer o Destino*
Youtube vlogs


♥♥On the menu this week♥♥
Honestly have no idea.  My menu has been set aside, we have been eating out and eating food brought over by family and friends. 


♥♥From the camera♥♥
I have no photo to share today, sorry.

♥♥Looking around the house♥♥
It is quiet at the moment.  It is also a big mess, we have my brother in law staying with us right now.  I had my father in law staying this weekend, and we also had family over to plan the funeral.  I honestly haven't done much cleaning, I haven't had the time or the inclination.  

But I am hoping to get into that sometime today.  

 
♥♥New recipe I tried last week, or one that we really enjoyed♥♥
No new recipes.


♥♥To relax this week, I will♥♥
I won't be relaxing this week, that much I know for sure.  However, I really need to try and take care of myself through this too, or I won't be any help to anyone else.  I am very tired, headachey, my lower back is killing me from walking and standing so much the past few days.

 

♥♥On my prayer list♥♥  

My father in law Ken.  He is so lost without my mother in law, and it breaks my heart to see him this way.  We spent a lot of time with him this weekend, I made him breakfast and lunch, made sure he was comfortable, and we allowed him to talk and talk and feel loved by the family as well.

My husband who is so hurt right now.  I don't know what to do to help him, so I'm supporting him as best as I can, in whichever way he needs me to.

My brother in law Chris who was actually holding her hand when she passed.  My heart just breaks for these boys.

The rest of the family through this grief, through this week, and through the funeral.

Our country, our President.

{ Temperatures cooling down, means Fall is around the corner }

The weather is cooling down, and oh how happy that makes me.  Been waking up with the temps being around 60 degrees and the past week we have been staying in the lower 70's during the day.  I think that for me, that is the perfect temperature, only wish it would stay year round.

As the temperatures drop, my mind goes into Fall/Winter mode.  Moving things around, bringing in little pops of Fall here and there, lighting more candles especially if they are pumpkin anything scented.

The list of chores to be done is growing, things like chopping more wood for the fire, winterizing the house, storing the window air conditioner and so on.

The days are getting shorter, quieter, I'm starting to crave soups and stews, oh and chili too.  Lots of meat and potatoes, and cheese, and of course bacon, cause you know......

The bookshelf has also been kind of reorganized in preparation for Fall/Winter reading.

I don't think I will ever not have a couple of bookshelves completely filled with books.  Nor will I ever really stop buying new ones, even if my To Be Read pile is ever growing.

The thermos bottle is brought out and will be on full display for the next few months.  Fresh poured over coffee is a whole new ball game, and in the cooler months, there is nothing better than having a bottle filled with hot coffee, sitting on the kitchen island.

Life is slowing down, and after the year we've had, I don't think any of us are too upset about it.  There's been too much noise, chaos, craziness, I'm pretty ok with shutting myself in, living simply and moving slowly.

Today, I actually sat down and shelled some pecans that we have from last year.  We still have so many, and our trees are full and will be ready for harvest in October.  Thankfully our family and friends always receive a ton from us.  I also freeze them, make pies and bars, cookies, and I still want to make some pecan milk which I never got around to last year.

We have started preparing the garden for Fall crops.  It will be my first year attempting to plant anything during the Fall and Winter season.  Wish me luck.

The tomatoes are reaching their end of season.  The center of the plants are starting to go brown and dying out but the outer part of the plant is still thriving, growing and producing tomatoes.  I'll leave them in just a little longer and then pull them.

Same with the zucchini, part of plant has died off but there are still quite a few zucchini growing and coming in on the other side of the plant that is still doing well.

We've started building some beds in preparation.  In the ground are already lettuce, green onions, kale, beets and sweet peas.

It is bringing us so much joy, seeing our backyard transforming into our dreams.  It's been a slow progress, a lot of it is due to finances, everything is so expensive to build, so we are still doing what we want, but at a slower pace.  That's ok though, that's how dreams are built.

My soapberry tree is almost ready to be harvested, and making soap is on the list as well.

There will be time spent in the kitchen, soups bubbling on the stove and crisp air streaming in through the windows.

I think you could say that I'm ready for Fall!


On this day in 2006 - Friendship Friday
On this day in 2007 - Nothing important just some bloggity news
On this day in 2008 - The Simple Woman's Book
On this day in 2009
On this day in 2010 - Faithful by Kim Cash Tate
On this day in 2011 - Slow Cooking Thursday
On this day in 2012
On this day in 2013
On this day in 2014 - Happy Homemaker Monday
On this day in 2015 -
On this day in 2016 - 
On this day in 2017 - Fall is right around the corner
On this day in 2018 - A day of pawn shop hopping
On this day in 2019 - A new noodle board

{ The Brothers of Auschwitz by Malka Adler - TLC Book Tour }

 The Brothers of Auschwitz by Malka Adler

• Paperback : 464 pages
• Publisher : One More Chapter (September 1, 2020)

An extraordinary novel of hope and heartbreak, this is a story about a family separated by the Holocaust and their harrowing journey back to each other.

There was a good orchestra at Auschwitz. I could immediately hear it was good. I almost wept for the beauty of it, but the large pile of striped pajamas stayed in my mind, and I didn’t cry…
Dov and Yitzhak live in a small village in the mountains of Hungary, isolated both from the world and from the horrors of the war.

But one day in 1944, everything changes. The Nazis storm the homes of the Jewish villagers and inform them they have one hour. One hour before the train will take them to Auschwitz.
Six decades later, from the safety of their living rooms at home in Israel, the brothers finally break their silence to a friend who will never let their stories be forgotten.

Narrated in a poetic style reminiscent of Margaret Atwood, Malka Adler has penned a visceral yet essential read for those who have found strength, solace and above all, hope, in books like The Choice by Edith Eger and The Librarian of Auschwitz by Antonio Iturbe.

Purchase Links

HarperCollins | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

 

About Malka Adler

Malka Adler was born in a small village near the Sea of Galilee in northern Israel.
She began her work as an author when she turned 50. After taking a creative writing course, she fell in love with the art.

Malka has written six books, four of which are about the Holocaust. She obtained her undergraduate and graduate degrees in educational counselling at Bar Ilan University and is a family and couples’ therapist, writer and facilitator of several reading clubs.

REVIEW:
Think of a book you have read that has touched you so deeply, that you can't even find the words to properly describe what you felt.

When I first started reading I was a bit confused with the way the author chose to write it.  The parts that were spoken by Yitzhak and Dov, or anyone else for that matter, were not in quotes, and I felt like they were run on sentences.  But let me get that out of the way, because in no way, shape or form, does that interfere with the phenomenal story you are about to read.

I have always been interested in the Holocaust, and I know that may seem like a strange thing to say, but I love history, love learning and believe that we need to learn from our mistakes, so that they are not repeated.  I have read multiple books on the subject, watched movies, listened to interviews with survivors, but never, and I say NEVER, have I encountered a book that brought to life in such vivid detail, what these poor souls endured.

Heartbreaking doesn't seem near enough adequate to describe what was done to them. 

Malka Adler grew up with Dov and Yitzhak, in the Sea of Galilee in Israel.  She makes the journey by train, over a period of time, to hear the stories and first hand accounts from the brothers.  What we get out of that is a book so poignant to history and so filled with shocking moments, that we can't help but cry.

I was merely 20 pages in and the tears were flowing.  The ugly cry overtook me.  The brothers leave no detail out, they don't try to make it look prettier than it was, and they get completely vulnerable and down to the point in every single situation they encountered.  That in itself is so hard to read.

Like I said above I have read and watched and listened to a lot of material on the subject, but this book leaves nothing unsaid and makes a point of telling us, word for word, what happened from the moment the Nazi troops invaded their small village in Hungary, in 1944. 

The train rides to the camps, the moment they all realized they weren't just being sent somewhere to work, the awful conditions they were forced to endure inside the train, the first signs of torture and merciless killing upon arriving at their destination.  We go through every moment, every pain, every humiliation, every fear, every hunger pang, every realization that they are in hell on earth.  We also get to follow along the moment the war is over, their recuperation after, the flashbacks, the overwhelming fear that never seems to leave.

Malka Adler does such an amazing job of portraying their lives and I am so thankful that, we also get to see how they deal with the aftermath of the war, how it affected them, how they overcome their demons, learn to fit back into a society that doesn't seem to have a place for them anymore.

I have no words to describe how brave these survivors were.  What was done to them and many others, was some of the worst torture and punishment ever put upon a human being.  I am in awe of their strength and how they were able to keep pushing on through adversity. 

This book is going on my bookshelf, right at the top, it is now my absolutely favorite book of all time. 

I had never read Malka Adler before, but my word, I am now on the hunt for her other books on the Holocaust.

Let me be completely real with you all.  This book is not easy to read, and if you are easily affected by certain things, I don't know if you will be able to get through it.  However, I believe in my heart, that this book needs to be read by every man and woman on earth.  It needs to be read, it needs to be shared, it needs the respect and admiration it deserves.

Giving this book 5 stars doesn't seem enough, I feel it deserves so much more.

Thank you to TLC Book tours and Harper Collins Publishers for providing me with a review copy.

{ Happy Homemaker Monday - 09/14/2020 }

Good morning friends, hope you've all had a restful weekend and are ready for the week ahead.

This morning, my husband heads back to work, and I can not begin to express the gratitude that I have flowing within me.  I will miss having him home with me every day, but, that is something that I am gladly giving up, to know that at least that area of our lives is returning to normal.

My mother in law still needs prayers, she is on a downward spiral, quickly going before our eyes.  I choose to continue praying for a miracle, or for a quick passing with no pain and suffering.  It breaks my heart to see my husband and brother in law going through this, they lost their dad 17 years ago and now they are facing losing their mom.  The pain in their hearts is palpable, and I wish I could do something to take it all away, but I can't.  So, please, continue to pray for my mother in law Pat, my husband Curt and his brother Chris.

Now, let's see what is happening in our homes.  BTW, I am so sorry for last week, I completely forgot to add the linky.  My head was all over the place and it just slipped my mind.

Wish you all a very blessed week ahead.

♥♥The Weather♥♥
Our temperatures have finally dropped and I couldn't be happier.  I am more than ok with 80's. 

Monday - Cloudy, 78
Tuesday - AM clouds,83
Wednesday - Sunny, 86
Thursday -  Mostly sunny, 84
Friday - Sunny, 83
Saturday -  Sunny, 81
Sunday - Sunny, 79


♥♥How I am feeling this morning♥♥
I am feeling extremely blessed.   


♥♥On my mind♥♥
My sweet mother in law.  I am really hoping to be able to get back down to see her soon. 


♥♥On the breakfast plate♥♥
Cup of coffee with peppermint mocha creamer.    


♥♥On my reading pile♥♥
Book of Psalms in my Bible.

Finishing up last pages of The Brothers of Auschwitz by Malka Adler. Review will be up TODAY, so keep an eye out for that.



♥♥On my tv♥♥
 My Portuguese Soap *Quer o Destino*
Youtube vlogs


♥♥On the menu this week♥♥
Some of the meals from last week will be shifted to this week.  With my mother in law being sick, my husband has been traveling back and forth, which means I never know which day he is going to be home for dinner and when it's just the kids and I, we tend to eat sandwiches or cereal or whatever is easier.

Monday - Great Grandma's Portuguese Meatballs, Homemade Fries, Salad
Tuesday - Chicken a la King, Rice, Rice, Creamed Spinach
Wednesday - Salisbury Steak, Mashed Potatoes
Thursday -   Spaghetti Pie, Garlic Bread
Friday - *grocery shopping*
Saturday - Crockpot Grinders
Sunday - Costoletas de Cebolada (Pork Chops in Tomato Sauce), Fried Potatoes. 


♥♥From the camera♥♥
We were at Tractor Supply sometime last week, and this book caught my eye.  We want to become more self sufficient and would love to turn our 3 acres into a homestead.  Does that mean we know how to, or where even to start?  Nope, but that is where books like this come in handy.
I quickly flipped through it and it is filled with so much interesting information.  Can't wait to really get into it.  

♥♥Looking around the house♥♥
Fall is definitely right around the corner.  The days are getting darker sooner, and taking longer to get brighter in the morning.  It is currently 6:48AM and still pitch black outside. 
The house is dark as well, save for a light here and there, but I've already opened my curtains and blinds, so when the sun is ready to arise, we will be waiting.


♥♥New recipe I tried last week, or one that we really enjoyed♥♥
No new recipes, like I said, the past two weeks have been very unscheduled and haven't been in the kitchen much.   


♥♥To relax this week, I will♥♥
Continue reading.  I asked my mother in law if she still had her copy of Corrie Ten Boom's The Hiding Place.  I read it years ago and loved it, and really want to read it again.  She did have it and sent it back with my husband this weekend.  I do have other review books to get into as well.

Also want to do some more crochet.  I played around a bit yesterday and made a plant hanger.  Love how it turned out.

 


♥♥Something I want to share♥♥
Visiting a Textile workshop in Transylvania.  What an interesting place and the work being done is absolutely beautiful.




♥♥On my prayer list♥♥
My mother in law Pat, my husband and brother in law Chris.
Our country, our world, and every single President who is being faced with such evil before them.

{ Living life with a thankful heart }

I've always tried to be thankful, thankful for the things I have and for the people in my life.
But when we go through life, things happen, we are human, we err, we make bad decisions and we often times forget to continue nurturing our relationship with God.

Life gets busy.

That's no excuse, but how many of us can say that we haven't neglected our spiritual journeys, at one time or another, because life got busy and we struggled to fit God into our days?

*Raising my hand way up high*

I'm not going to talk again about what we are going through at the moment, there's no use repeating it over and over.  I've learned the past 3 months especially, since really digging deep and cementing my place at the Lord's side, that God doesn't want you to complain and whine about what you're going through, all you are doing is giving the enemy the credit.

Was that a tough lesson to learn.  We are beings that tend to whine and cry and complain when things get tough, and to be told to stop doing it, is not exactly easy to accept.  But, when you do, things fall right into place because you're taking back control of your situation, you are asserting your place as a child of God and you are using the authority given to you by Him to put an end to your deserts.

As I have sat back and watched my mother in law dealing with the notion that her life is over, in a very few short months, I have found myself learning a lot.

She is teaching me to stop sweating the small things.

I see her struggling to breathe and I am reminded that breathing is something we all take for granted.

We don't even think about it, we just do it without batting an eye lid.

She struggles to get to the bathroom or shower, or even stand up, without being winded and exhausted for about 5 minutes after.  We just walk or run from place to place, room to room.  We brush our teeth with no effort, she gets exhausted and out of breath.

We eat and sometimes complain about not being in the mood for this food or that food.  She would love to be able to eat a full meal, instead she is not eating much at all, and what she does manage to eat has to be very soft or in the form of protein shakes.

She smiles, thanks God and continues to be devoted and faithful to Him.

Us? We question, stomp our feet, throw tantrums when small things in life don't go our way.

 

A few days ago, I was getting extremely frustrated with the animals.  Marley kept barking to be let out, but we would go open the door and he would sniff the air outside and back up.  He did this repeatedly, I kept having to interrupt dinner preparations for it.

At the same time, Elliott being the kitten he is, was in the kitchen jumping on every counter and shelf, and really frustrating me.

I lost it.  I yelled, I teared up and quite irritably said out loud "Why?  Why can't I just have peace and quiet?"

I was in the middle of that self created drama, when we found out my mother in law was starting hospice care.  It felt like a huge slap across my face, a much needed slap to snap me out of my ridiculous tantrum.

 

I immediately asked God to forgive me.

Here I was complaining about something so stupid and my mother in law facing something serious.
This whole experience has made me that much somber, it has made me that much thankful.  I wasn't sure if I was going to even post this or share it, but I want so much to continue using my blog as an online journal.  I believe that it's good to put our feelings down on paper, or to type them out, it helps make sense of things.

And truthfully, these are all memories, albeit some happy and some sad, but they're still a part of our lives, and I want to record it all.

I think one day, when I go back and read all these entries, I will be amazed at how God has changed me, molded me and taught me to adapt to a myriad of situations.

For that, I am eternally grateful!

{ A quick trip to visit my mother in law, and Marley gets sprayed by a skunk }

Beautiful Texas!

We live in such a beautiful country, every State with it's own beauty.  All it takes is a quick road trip out of the hub bub of the cities.  Anytime we are headed out of town, I always remind myself to take my camera.  Funny how that never used to be a thing, the camera was just always at my side, no matter where I was.

I guess we change with time, and some things change too.

On Saturday we took a quick road trip to visit my mother in law.  They live 3 hours from us, and while that may seem like a short distance to some, for people like me and my son Nick, who suffer from car sickness, it is no fun at all.

We wanted to go spend some time with her, after she had been sent home from the hospital.  We knew we would be staying but a few hours, but that didn't matter, we just wanted to see her and visit for a bit.

As we headed towards their small town, I spent most of the trip looking out and appreciating the beautiful scenery.

Rolling green hills, gorgeous ranch houses sprayed out as if they had been thrown into the prairie and allowed to land wherever they may.

Cows, horses, little stores selling antiquities and barbecue joints.  I mean, it's Texas y'all!

We visited for a few hours, talked about old times and the future and tried to distract her as much as we could.  The situation is dire, she has entered hospice care today.  We know that she doesn't have much time left, she does not want to do any kind of treatments and we have to respect that decision.

I don't blame her, she has been in constant treatments for the past 4 years and they've taken a toll on her body.

I pray for comfort and peace for her, and for a passing that is not surrounded by pain.  For us left behind, I pray for peace and comfort too.  We know she is going to Heaven and that we will see her one day, but we will miss her, that's for sure.

But, we don't want to concentrate on the sad part of it all.  This is life, we are all going to pass away one day.  We are choosing to go on and appreciate the time we have with her, keep positive and lean on God for guidance.

While there, I got to meet Geraldine.  She is their last remaining chicken.  They had a few, but you know how it is living in the country, some predator always seems to find their way in and take off with some.

Geraldine is so pretty, and just the sweetest.  Makes me want to get my chickens, sooner rather than later.  Ken, my father in law also gave Curt some pointers on building the coop, keeping chickens and all that stuff.  We are very excited to get started.

As we headed back home, late afternoon, we were met with the most beautiful skies.  The sun was just starting to set and we were chatting about the situation we went through, the fact that it got resolved positively in one hour and just a few hours later our life was turned upside down again with the news of my mother in law.

It was as if God wanted to show us that there is always light at the end of the tunnel.  The picture of the sun seeping through the clouds was taken from inside the car.  I was in absolute awe, because I have never in my whole life, seen something so beautiful.

The drive takes us through a few small towns, and I mean small towns like the typical small towns in America.  Tiny historic main roads, buildings that have stood the test of time, historic mile markers.  The kind of stuff I am all about.

I told Curt that next summer we need to take a small road trip, so that we can stop at all these places, I can take photos and share them with you.

We arrived home early evening, got ready for bed, and then Marley needed to go out to potty.

Curt took him out back and then next thing I hear a huge commotion and Curt yelling "Nooooooo Marley, noooooo."

The skunk smell hit my nose before I even became aware of what had transpired.  Apparently a skunk got into our enclosed back yard and was on the patio.  Curt didn't see him and let Marley out, which of course, proceeded to chase the skunk around the patio table, before the skunk stopped and sprayed him.

Y'all, this is the first time it has ever happened in the 5 years we have lived out here.  I guess it was bound to happen, and Marley is now officially a country dog. 

He did get a bath right away, with baking soda, hydrogen peroxide and dishwashing liquid.  It works really well for removing skunk smells.  He has a slight linger of the smell on a spot on his chest, but not bad at all. 

The temperatures have now dropped, which makes me so happy, I am looking forward to Fall weather. 

Have you started decorating yet?

{ Happy Homemaker Monday - 09/07/2020 }

*I am soooooo sorry, I can't believe I forgot to add the linky. Please go ahead and add in your post links now, or I'll try to do it manually. Sorry guys!


Good morning everyone.  Hope you are having a good Labor Day weekend.

We went up to see my mother in law on Saturday, and yesterday I spent the day doing laundry and other chores around the house.  We have nothing planned for today, other than taking my daughter to work later this morning.

Thank you all for your continued prayers for us, this year seems that we have had a lot of trials and tribulations, and you've sure helped make things easier.

I am still struggling to juggle everything going on at the moment, but with God's grace, I know I'll get through it.

Right, happy Monday everyone, let's see what is happening in all our homes this week.

*I am changing my HHM button, I always do when the seasons start changing, and I am just about ready to head into Fall and leave this hot summer behind.

♥♥The Weather♥♥
Thankfully not as hot as it has been the past 2 months.  We did get some rain from the Hurricane, and really strong winds too, but nowhere near what the coast was hit with.  

Monday - Sunshine, 96
Tuesday - Mostly sunny, 91
Wednesday - Rain, 64
Thursday -  Scattered Thunderstorms, 72
Friday - AM showers, 79
Saturday -  Partly cloudy, 85
Sunday - Partly cloudy,85


♥♥How I am feeling this morning♥♥
I'm doing good, tired, but I think that is just my normal at this point. 


♥♥On my mind♥♥
A lot of things going on.  Homemaking things, homeschooling, my mother in law, and so on.


♥♥On the breakfast plate♥♥
Having a cup of coffee right now, with peppermint mocha creamer.    


♥♥On my reading pile♥♥
Book of Psalms in my Bible.

The Brothers of Auschwitz by Malka Adler. 

I have also received a few more for review and am waiting on a bunch more.  I love book mail.


♥♥On my tv♥♥
 My Portuguese Soap *Quer o Destino*
Youtube vlogs


♥♥On the menu this week♥♥
I have not been able to put up a weekly meal video, in two weeks.  There is just so much going on, and our meals have been all over the place.  I still meal plan, but haven't really followed it the past two weeks, we have either been out with family, at my mother in law's or on the road.  I am hoping this week will be easier, I am for sure missing out on home cooked meals.

Monday - Panda Express Sweet Fire Chicken, Sesame Noodles
Tuesday - Great Grandma's Portuguese Meatballs, Homemade Fries
Wednesday - Shrimp Alfredo, Garlic Bread, Salad
Thursday - Chicken a la King, Rice 

Friday - Salisbury Steak, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans
Saturday - Crockpot Grinders
Sunday - BBQ Ribs, Maple Bacon Beans, Macaroni Salad


♥♥From the camera♥♥
You know that I've wanted chickens for a very long time, but we haven't yet made that dream come true.  All in good time.
While visiting my mother in law, I so enjoyed watching their chicken Geraldine.  They used to have a few chickens but as always, living in the country, you deal with predators coming in and killing them.  Geraldine is the only one that is left.  She is just the sweetest, and pretties too. 

♥♥Looking around the house♥♥
Our bedroom window is open, and I'm sitting here watching the curtains blowing in the breeze, there is just enough of a breeze to cool things down.
The sun is barely starting to creep up over the horizon.


♥♥New recipe I tried last week, or one that we really enjoyed♥♥
No new recipes, not really any home cooking done the past two weeks.  I do plan on baking a cake sometimes this week, and that is a new recipe I haven't tried before. 


♥♥To relax this week, I will♥♥
Read.  But I am also hoping to finish a new project I'm working on.  It's so frustrating when you want to do something, but have no time, or too many interruptions, or in my case as well, a little 6 month old kitten that is fascinated by everything I touch and do. 



♥♥Something I want to share♥♥
Have you ever wanted to build a castle, or maybe you're like me and just wanted to live IN a castle.  I've always been fascinated by them and would love to take a trip one day, through Europe, and just do castle hopping.  Oh my goodness that would be amazing.

Anyway, this video is so interesting, if you've ever wondered how castles were built, the location, how the used the different areas to fight off intruders and so on.  Truly fascinating, hope you enjoy it as much as I did.  




♥♥On my prayer list♥♥
My sweet friend Jen, praying God opens the door for her and her husband so that they can make their dream come true.
My mother in law, Pat.
Each and every single one of you who come across my blog.
Praying over our President, country and the rest of the world.