{ Happy Homemaker Monday - 05/30/2022 }

Good morning sweet friends, hope you are all having a fantastic Memorial Day weekend.  Let's first and foremost remember why we celebrate this day......to remember those who died during military service.  My thoughts and prayers are with all those who perished fighting for our country, and with the families who were left behind.

 

Our weekend has been quiet.  Curt actually went to get together with his side of the family on Saturday, but I had previous engagements so wasn't able to make it.  That's ok though, he enjoyed his time there and that is what matters.

 

I am not doing much of anything today, other than returning my new bread maker to Target.  I mentioned before my old one broke and I'm so upset, even though it was bought at a thrift store for $5, it worked for 10 years and was just perfect.  I tried buying another online through Target, and I was wanting a bigger size, since my previous was only 1.5lbs.  I bought a 2lb, and much to my surprise, I opened the box and the breadmaker was almost half the size of my previous one.  Weird!!!

 

Anyway, that's basically what I'm doing today, going to return it and try to find a good sized one.

 

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend, hope you're spending time with your friends and family.  

 

BTW, I am about to reply to all the comments from last week's post, and will be visiting you all later today.  I'm sorry I've been so bad about doing it the past few weeks.

 

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

 

♥♥ The Weather ♥♥

The wind is back, it's driving me insane.  The temperature right now is 75 and it's not even 9am.  Oh boy.  We are however expecting some more rain this week, which I'm good with, as long as there's no tornadoes involved.

Monday -  Windy with a mix of clouds and sun, 95

Tuesday - Mostly sun and wind, 95

Wednesday - Partly cloudy, 89

Thursday - AM Thunderstorms, 74

Friday - AM Thunderstorms, 80

Saturday - Isolated Thunderstorms, 89

Sunday - Partly cloudy, 94

♥♥  As I look outside my window ♥♥

Crazy winds again, so all I am seeing is the trees swaying crazily, back and forth.  What else am I seeing?

Grackle Birds flying around from tree to grass, and back to tree.  2 bunnies playing.  Grass that needs to be mowed again.  Empty flower pots that were knocked down by the wind.  Bird feeder needing to be refilled. 

♥♥  Right now I am ♥♥

Just sat down on my bed real quick to type up this post.  I've already been out of the house to run an errand, came back and made my breakfast, made my bed, and now I'm working on getting this out for you all. 

♥♥  Thinking and pondering ♥♥

About how thankful I am to God for the blessings He continues to shower upon us.  Selling my mother in law's house has taken such a huge financial weight off our shoulders.  We didn't get as much as the house is worth, but it was enough for us to take our half, and pay off pretty much all of our debt, only leaving us with Curt's truck.  We may not have much money at all left to put in savings, but that's more than ok.  You have to count your blessings and look at the bigger picture.    

 

 

♥♥  How am I feeling ♥♥

Pretty good, although dealing with a little bit of pain in my right wrist.  Not sure if it's due to Carpal Tunnel, or if I twisted it doing something.  I don't know.  Maybe it's because I'm 47 and it seems with every year some new pain comes up.  Hahahah   

♥♥  On the breakfast plate ♥♥

Had a cup of coffee and some cereal.    

 

♥♥  On my reading pile ♥♥

Still haven't finished Exodus in my Bible

My devotional.

Janette Oke's Women of the West

♥♥  On my TV this week  ♥♥

Star Trek Strange New Worlds

Seinfeld

Homemaking vlogs 

Pirates of the Caribbean

 

♥♥  On the menu  ♥♥ 

Monday - Costoletas de Cebolada (Pork Chops in Tomato Sauce, Mashed Potatoes, Sauteed Green Beans

Tuesday - Cream Fettucine, Bacon Swiss Garlic Bread, Salad

Wednesday - Slow Cooker Coconut Chicken Curry, Rice

Thursday - Sloppy Joe Sour Cream Rice Bake, Broccoli

Friday - Hot and Spicy Lasagna, Salad

Saturday - Fried Chicken with Milk Gravy, Potato Wedges

Sunday - Baked Beef Ravioli, Sauteed Squash

 

 

♥♥  Looking around the house  ♥♥

It's quiet.  House is clean and tidy.  Yesterday hubby and I picked up a few plants, but it's been so windy that we want them inside for now.  We set up a shelf in the living room, with all the plants.  Is there anything better than a house filled with greenery? 

♥♥  To Do List ♥♥

-  Nothing, going to enjoy this day off with the hubby home. 

 

♥♥  From the camera  ♥♥

Our sweet Kaia has fit right into the family, and her and Elliott have become the best of friends.  It's very sweet to see. 

 

 

♥♥  Devotional  ♥♥

No need to carry the burden or ownership of your life today.  You have been bought with a price, so you don't belong to you anymore.  - New Morning Mercies by Paul David Tripp

{ Remember Whose Little Girl You Are by Ellen Nichols - TLC Book Tour }

 

About Remember Whose Little Girl You Are

• Koehler Books: May 3, 2022
• Paperback: 128 pages

Remember Whose Little Girl You Are captures the flavor of the Deep South like no author since Eudora Welty or Flannery O’Connor. Ellen Nichols captures the tenor of small-town Southern life in the fifties and sixties, with its vicissitudes and hilarity. One is captured with her openness and drawn deeply into the dialogue-so much as to, according to one reader, sometimes feel guilty of spying.

Read it and see if you want those times back-or are just relieved they’re gone.

Purchase Links

IndieBound | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

 

About Ellen Nichols

Ellen grew up in the American Deep South, but with a spirit of adventure, she went up to Toronto, Canada, to go to graduate school, and stayed 50 years.

No, she wasn’t a slow student, she just ended up getting married, raising a family, and building a successful career in charitable fundraising. She has been writing for a living for years, but was always writing for someone else. Her grant proposals, direct marketing letters, and especially her thank you letters, are legend. Her persuasive writing skills raised millions of dollars.

Those Canadians loved her tales about her southern life so much, she decided to write them down and they became Remember Whose Little Girl You Are.

Recently, she moved back down south where she lives on Santa Rosa Sound near Pensacola. And yes, she is now writing about all her Canadian adventures.

You can learn more about Ellen on her website.

 

REVIEW:

"I was born in 1944, the second of four daughters.  Our father was a Methodist preacher and our mother was a preacher's daughter.  My three sisters were each the epitome of what a preacher's daughter ought to be:  modest, caring, chaste, full of good deeds, discerning, and cautious.  It fell to me to uphold the popular image of a daughter of the parsonage:  wild, willful, religiously disrespectful, incautious, and a trampler of tradition.  and oh, I fell to this role with relish and abandon."

 

 

Remember  Whose Little Girl You are is a phenomenal memoir.  Oh my word, it's been years since I've read a book that not only kept me glued, turning every page as quick as I could, but laughing out loud at some of the quirky funny moments.

 

First and foremost, can we just talk about the fact that the author actually sent us all a pair of sock that match the socks worn on the cover of the book?  I absolutely love when authors do these kind of things.

 

Ellen Nichols did such a brilliant job of taking us back into the fifties and sixties while retelling the story of her childhood and being the wild non traditional daughter of a Methodist preacher.  She takes us step by step from city to city, as the family moved, and shares sweet and sometimes hilarious stories of the new town, the people she encounters. 

All of this is done and is happening, during one of the most important and known time of American history, which is the Civil Rights movement.  She mentions how her Methodist preacher father would often times incorporate talk about the movement, into his sermons.  Ellen talks about an encounter her family had, while driving down the street, with the Ku Klux  Klan.  How they were handing out pamphlets, and her dad pulled up, rolled down his window and basically yelled at them, before driving off.

 

As I read through the numerous stories the author shared, I kept wondering about the title.  

 

Remember Whose Little Girl You Are!!!! 

Why, why that title and what did it mean?  I was so happy to see that halfway through the book, she hones in on this phrase and explains where it came from.

It was something her mom would always say to her and her three sisters, anytime they left the house.  Whether they were going to a church function or even just downtown to have a coke with friends, that phrase meant, behave yourselves because you're representing your preacher father and mother as well.

Ellen talks about how that phrase plagued her sometimes because she felt the burden of carrying that within her.  But she also talks about, how she started seeing that others were doing things, that were against what her parents expected of her and her siblings, and yet they seemed to be having a great time.

She then says, which I thought was quite funny, "Maybe my mom and dad weren't as enlightened as they appeared to be."  Hahahahahah

That struck me as funny because it's such a child reaction and thought to have.  We've all been children, we've all been at those moments where we are out with the family, and trying to behave and wondering at times, why can the other kids do certain things, but we're not allowed to.  It was just funny to see that written in the book.

The book itself is quite short, very short chapters, each focused on a city or a specific event in her life.  Very quick to read through but packed with so much fun, information and sweet storytelling.  It is wonderful seeing how she shifts her thinking from childhood to an adult, and even sharing some pretty funny stories about the beaus she encountered along the way.

She ends the book saying "And yes, I did manage to find attractive, interesting, and unsuitable Canadian men, and even married a few of them-but that's for another book."

Well if she writes that book, I am for sure, reading it.  I fell in love with Ellen's style of writing, she makes you feel like you're sitting on a front porch, in the Deep South, enjoying a glass of sweet tea, and listening to a friend recount childhood memories and stories, that leave you in stitches.

Thank you TLC Book Tours and Koehler Books, for providing me with a review copy.

 

{ More than a Mom by Kari Kampakis - TLC Book Tour }

 

About MORE THAN A MOM: HOW PRIORITIZING YOUR WELLNESS HELPS YOU (AND YOUR FAMILY) THRIVE

Publisher: Thomas Nelson (April 5, 2022)

Paperback: 240 Pages

What if taking care of yourself was the first step to helping your family thrive?

If you’ve parented long enough, then you’ve learned firsthand why your personal wellness matters. You’ve felt the pain (or consequences) of devaluing yourself. Whether your wake-up call came from a diagnosis, a breakdown, an issue with your child or spouse, anxiety, or simply feeling depleted and numb, it most likely unveiled this truth:

Mothers are humans too. We require love, compassion, rest, and renewal. Taking care of our needs strengthens us and equips us for the road ahead.

In More Than a Mom, bestselling author Kari Kampakis offers a practical, approachable, and attainable framework to stay on a healthy path. You can take your kids only as far as you’ve come–and since their strength builds on your strength, you must take time to focus on you. More Than a Mom is about unleashing God’s power in your life and standing on timeless truths that will help you

• know your worth and embrace your purpose,
• build strong, uplifting friendships that you can model for your children,
• quit the negative self-talk and make peace with your body, and
• learn to mother yourself by resting and setting boundaries.

The world shaping your children is more callous and complex than the world that shaped you. Kids need to be stronger, smarter, and more rooted in what’s real. Empower your son or daughter by tending to your heart, soul, body, and mind. Give them a vision of a healthy adult–and know that as they launch into the real world, they will build on what you started.

About Kari Kampakis

Kari Kampakis is an author, blogger, and national speaker from Birmingham, Alabama. Her best-selling book for moms, Love Her Well: 10 Ways to Find Joy and Connection with Your Teenage Daughter, and books for teen girls, 10 Ultimate Truths Girls Should Know and Liked: Whose Approval Are You Living For?, have been used widely across the country for small group studies.

Kari’s work has been featured on the Today show, Today Parents, Yahoo! News, Grown & Flown, Motherly, FaithGateway, EWTN, Ann Voskamp’s blog, The Huffington Post, and other national outlets. She also hosts a podcast called Girl Mom. She and her husband, Harry, have four daughters and a dog named Lola.

 

REVIEW:

If there is a single book about motherhood and being a Christian mom, that you need to read this year, it is this one.

 

More than a Mom by Kari Kampakis, is just the book that I needed to read.  For a while, I have struggled with the balance of being a Christian mom, trying to raise and guide my children in Godly ways, while living in a very much chaotic and destructive, evil filled world.

 

It is not an easy task, it is not something I take lightly, and it has left me many nights, laying in bed, wondering what to do, replaying scenarios in my head, trying to figure out how to get around some of the information that is being pushed into their heads, on a daily basis.

 

Sometimes it feels like a losing battle, but that is where you need to firmly plant your feet in the word and pick your battles.

 

The author does a wonderful work of reminding us as moms, to take care of ourselves first.

 

If you're anything like me, I tend to put others first, sometimes running myself ragged in my need to make sure that everyone else is taken care of.  It's exhausting at times.

 

This book does a wonderful job of not only reminding us, but giving us some very interesting and informative ways to do that.

 

I think I will be referring to this book, many times.

 

 

 

{ Thank you Mama by Linda Meeker - TLC Book Tour }

 

 

About THANK YOU, MAMA

Hardcover: 40 Pages

Publisher: Thomas Nelson (April 19, 2022)

TikTok and viral video star Grey (@greyandmama, 6M followers) says “Thank you, Mama!” to healthy foods in this picture book that teaches gratitude, manners, and the joy of sharing meals with those we love.

We all want to raise happy eaters who enjoy eating new foods, mealtimes with family, and being thankful. That’s why so many parents love Linda Meeker’s charming videos of her son Grey saying “Thank you, Mama!” With colorful illustrations that capture a child’s daily snacks and mealtimes, Thank You, Mama will delight parents and kids alike.

This playful picture book for 3 to 7-year-olds

• follows a little boy as he explores different foods–from vegetables to sushi–and tries to pick his favorite
• encourages children to try new foods and become happy, healthy eaters
• honors the bond between parent and child
• models respect, manners, and thankfulness
• builds vocabulary and prereading skills with colorful food illustrations paired with words for each item

 

This first children’s book from TikTok and Instagram stars Grey and Mama is the perfect story for

• Parents and grandparents who want to instill good habits and gratitude from a young age
• Any family eager to celebrate the love of food and family that develops over shared meals
• Baby showers, birthdays, holiday gift giving, or to a little one scared to try new foods

 

This cheerful story about an adorable, curious, and kind child will have your kids saying “thank you”–and maybe even giving those peas a chance!

 

About Linda Meeker

Linda Meeker of @greyandmama stumbled upon social media popularity as she shared sweet videos of her son Grey learning to say “thank you.” Expressing gratitude was a value instilled in Linda as a child raised in a Vietnamese family, so she was delighted that the simple act of her toddler saying “thank you” received such a reaction on TikTok and Instagram. Linda, her husband, and Grey live in Seattle, Washington.

 

REVIEW: 

I'm not a TikTok user, not in the sense of having an account or posting anything on there.  I do have an account to be able to watch videos and especially the links sent to me by my family.

So, with that said, I wasn't aware of who the author of the book is, or follow her account at all.  I can't speak as to that, but I can speak as to the sweet little book that she authored, called Thank you Mama.

This sweet little story that encourages little ones to eat healthy.  It is based on the author's little one, called Grey, who always says "Thank you Mama" when offered healthy meals and treats to eat.  We live in a world of fast food and convenience eating.  What is fastest, easier to nuke in the microwave, or already made, is what most people reach for.

It is geared for 3 to 7 year olds.  Grey is offered a myriad of different healthy foods, and we get to watch as he tries them, figuring out what his favorite is.

Will it convince your little ones to try different foods?  Hopefully.  Maybe after reading through this adorable book, your little one will be a little more eager to try that piece of sushi or that broccoli he or she always deny.

{ Happy Homemaker Monday - 05/23/2022 }

Good morning everyone, and a very happy Monday to you all.  ♥

 

My days seem to just be running from one into the other.  I feel like I used to be able to distinguish between the week days and the weekends, but they're equally busy lately so it's just a big run on from one to the other.  

 

Anyway, I am home today, and thankfully so because we're expecting some major storms, and I really love rainy days, so I plan on enjoying the heck out of the next few days.

 

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

 

♥♥ The Weather ♥♥

It's been so hot lately, and extremely dry.  We are in desperate need of rain, and the good Lord is going to provide the next few days. 

Monday -  Scattered Thunderstorms, 70

Tuesday - Thunderstorms, 71

Wednesday - Partly cloudy, 72

Thursday - Sunny, 85

Friday - Sunny, 94

Saturday - Partly cloudy, 97

Sunday - Partly cloudy, 99

♥♥  As I look outside my window ♥♥

We have cloudy skies, and a little bit of wind.  It is beautiful outside, only 57 at the moment which feels amazing after the triple digits we've had.  

I don't know about you all, but I always love seeing the contrast between the dark rainy skies and the green of the trees. 

♥♥  Right now I am ♥♥

Sitting on my bed working on this post.  I just saw my hubby off to work, and finished my coffee, may need to go get more.  I am watching some videos on youtube, and the puppy and kitty are both asleep next to me on the bed. 

♥♥  Thinking and pondering ♥♥

About the fact that we finally were able to close on the house last week.  What a relief, what a blessing!!!  

 

 

♥♥  How am I feeling ♥♥

Tired, but that's the norm for me.   

♥♥  On the breakfast plate ♥♥

Just coffee for now.   

 

♥♥  On my reading pile ♥♥

Exodus in my Bible

My devotional

Janette Oke's Women of the West

Remember whose little girl you are by Ellen Nicholas

♥♥  On my TV this week  ♥♥

Star Trek Strange New Worlds

Seinfeld

Johnny Depp Trial

Homemaking vlogs

 

♥♥  On the menu  ♥♥ 

Starting to work on the new menu this week. 

Monday - Roadside Diner Cheeseburger Quiche, Sauteed Collard Greens

Tuesday - Chicken Bolognese, Salad

Wednesday - Pork Roast, Roast potatoes, Fried Cabbage

Thursday -

Friday -

Saturday -

Sunday -

 

 

♥♥  Looking around the house  ♥♥

It's quiet, and dark.  I gave it a good clean yesterday, so thankfully today I can take it easy. 

♥♥  To Do List ♥♥

-  Nothingggggggg, aside from the usual small daily tasks and making dinner

 

♥♥  From the camera  ♥♥

Last week we noticed that we have a pair of Whistling Ducks living on our property.  They are so pretty. 

 

♥♥  Devotional  ♥♥

The grace of Jesus, the love of God, and the activity of the Spirit surround you. There are no moments in your life where this is not the case. The fact is, the more you live as if these words are true, the more you experience their reality in your life.

 

{ Cosmic Queries by Neil DeGrasse Tyson - TLC Book Tour }

 

• Publisher: National Geographic (March 2, 2021)
• Hardcover: 312 Pages

In this thought-provoking follow-up to his acclaimed StarTalk book, uber astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson tackles the world’s most important philosophical questions about the universe with wit, wisdom, and cutting-edge science.

For science geeks, space and physics nerds, and all who want to understand their place in the universe, this enlightening new book from Neil deGrasse Tyson offers a unique take on the mysteries and curiosities of the cosmos, building on rich material from his beloved StarTalk podcast.

In these illuminating pages, illustrated with dazzling photos and revealing graphics, Tyson and co-author James Trefil, a renowned physicist and science popularizer, take on the big questions that humanity has been posing for millennia–How did life begin? What is our place in the universe? Are we alone?–and provide answers based on the most current data, observations, and theories.

Populated with paradigm-shifting discoveries that help explain the building blocks of astrophysics, this relatable and entertaining book will engage and inspire readers of all ages, bring sophisticated concepts within reach, and offer a window into the complexities of the cosmos.
For all who loved National Geographic’s StarTalk with Neil deGrasse Tyson, Cosmos: Possible Worlds, and Space Atlas, this new book will take them on more journeys into the wonders of the universe and beyond.

Purchase Links

National Geographic | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

About Neil deGrasse Tyson

Legendary astrophysicist NEIL DEGRASSE TYSON is the host of the popular podcast StarTalk Radio and Emmy award-winning National Geographic Channel shows StarTalk and Cosmos. He earned his BA in physics from Harvard and his Ph.D. in astrophysics from Columbia. The author of more than a dozen books, including the best-selling Astrophysics for People in a Hurry, Tyson is the first Frederick P. Rose Director of the Hayden Planetarium. He lives in New York City with his wife and two children.

Follow him on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and TikTok.

 

REVIEW:

My husband and I are huge, and I mean HUGE science nerds.  If there is a science related documentary, we watch it.  If there is a science fiction movie, series, special, book, you name it, we have probably watched it and read it.

 

We just love anything space related.

 

Watching Neil DeGrasse Tyson is something we became accustomed to.  Cosmos was one of our favorites to watch.

 

When I was given the opportunity to review his latest book, Cosmic Queries, I immediately jumped at it.  I could hardly wait for it to arrive, and when it did, I grabbed it out of the box and immediately showed my husband.  He stared at it (had no clue I was receiving it for review), and made a comment about how cool and how he couldn't wait to read it too.

𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳.

𝘜𝘯𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘮𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘪𝘱𝘭𝘺 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘴𝘲𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘥.

𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘌𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘨𝘺

- 𝘕𝘦𝘪𝘭 𝘥𝘦𝘎𝘳𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘦 𝘛𝘺𝘴𝘰𝘯

This quote had me laughing so hard.  My kids thought I was crazy, but my husband got a good laugh out of it too.  I guess that's humor for nerds like us.  

Neil DeGrasse Tyson is a very well known astrophysicist, and he has delighted audiences with his knowledge of the universe, how it was made, how it exists and everything and anything related to black holes and stars, galaxies and nebulas, so forth, and so forth.

In Cosmic Queries we are privy to a one on one lesson with Neil, the book is stunning in an of itself, beautiful photography, and some very interesting topics.  

He tackles the tough questions that so many of us have had.  Or maybe it's just me and my nerdy family.  But I have stopped many times to think about our life on planet earth and wondered what would happen if the gravity pull were altered by a mere second?

What if another planet hurled into ours?

How old is the universe?  How will it all end?

Albeit scary to even imagine, he gives us a pretty detailed explanation of how it all will come to a halt.  Reading through his description of the Sun's trajectory, it's life, what is going to happen to it.

In five-billion years, as the Sun beings to die, it's outer layers of glowing plasma will expand stupendously, engulfing the orbits of Mercury, then Venus, as the charred ember that was once the oasis of the life called Earth vaporizes into the vacuum of space.

If that is not a scary thought, I don't know what is.  But it is something that physicists have looked into and studied for many years.

If we stop and really think about the planet we live in, where it is situated in space, what is around us, and how absolutely amazing God is to keep it all moving and rotating in precise ways, we can be amazed.  The other side of that is realizing that one little shift can throw it all into chaos.

Neil DeGrasse Tyson breaks the book into categories, namely:

What is our place in the universe?

How do we know what we know?

How did the universe get to be this way?

How old is the universe?

What is the universe made of me?

What is life?

Are we alone in the universe?

How did it all begin?

How will it all end?

What does nothing have to do with everything?

 

This book is amazing, and I honestly believe that everyone and anyone who is even slightly curious about space and our universe, needs to have this one in their library.

I had a lot of questions answered within the pages of this book, but many more remain to be answered, not because Neil DeGrasse Tyson forgot to mention things, but merely because as he likes to remind us,

many questions about our own humble universe, remain to be answered.  

That's not really a bad thing, because it pushes us to keep asking, to keep looking up to the stars, and to keep searching.

The book also contains many of his twitter posts, with tidbits here and there and fun facts from our universe.

And.....I got to learn about Tardigrades.

Do you know what a Tardigrade is?  Let me show you.

They are also known as water bears.  I had never heard of them, where they lived or what they did.  In the book, I learned that they tolerate extreme conditions.  They can live in frozen polar lakes, boiling hot deep-sea vents and can even survive high doses of radiation.

They can survive without water for decades.  Just think about that.  By the way, they are microscopic.  Wow!

Cosmic Queries is so well written and so filled with information, that you'll spend hours just completely immersed within it's pages.  

5/5 stars

{ Happy Homemaker Monday - 05/16/2022 }

Good morning my sweet friends.  Hope you've all had a wonderful weekend.

 

Mine was good, albeit a bit busy yesterday, but we are thanking God for many blessings last week, namely the sale of my mother in law's house.  Finally, after almost a year of trying to finalize things, we were able to close.  Can't tell you how thankful and happy we are for that.  

 

I am now free of that stress, so able to actually start focusing more on my house, my homemaking and blogging.  I haven't even been on Instagram much either, just haven't had the time or focus for any of it.

 

Anyway, I hope you all have a wonderful blessed week.  Let's see what is happening in our Homemaker Mondays. 

 

♥♥ The Weather ♥♥

It's hot.....it is HOT!!!!  We had 104 degree weather this weekend and this coming week we are seeing triple digits for a couple of days.  Lord help us, we went from Winter straight to Summer.  Hahahahah 

Monday -  Sunny to partly cloudy, 90

Tuesday - Partly cloudy and windy, 103

Wednesday - Sunny and windy, 106

Thursday - Mostly sunny and windy, 107

Friday - Mostly sunny, 98

Saturday - Partly cloudy, 78

Sunday - Mostly sunny, 82

♥♥  As I look outside my window ♥♥

It is an absolutely gorgeous day.  There is not a cloud in the sky, the sky is a deep blue, and as a backdrop against the green of the trees, it surely looks like a painting.  

From my window, I can see the fields behind the property.  I love having this view.

♥♥  Right now I am ♥♥

I am typing up this post, while listening to the trial on the TV.  I am also waiting to hear from the bank as to the house sale, so that we can go ahead and make some payments that need to be made. 

♥♥  Thinking and pondering ♥♥

About the goodness of God.  How faithful and good He is, all the time.  On this house sale.  Curt and I just need it over and done with, so we can get out from this financial strain we've been under the past 2 years. 

 

 

♥♥  How am I feeling ♥♥

A little tired, I was out of the door yesterday at 7am, and didn't sit down for the rest of the day, until 6pm. But happy and blessed, nonetheless. 

♥♥  On the breakfast plate ♥♥

I had some coffee and a cheese and ham sandwich. 

 

♥♥  On my reading pile ♥♥

Exodus in my Bible

My devotional

Janette Oke's Women of the West

Remember whose little girl you are by Ellen Nicholas

♥♥  On my TV this week  ♥♥

Star Trek Strange New Worlds

Seinfeld

Trial

Homemaking vlogs

 

♥♥  On the menu  ♥♥ 

Y'all I got groceries on Friday, and oh my word, my budget has doubled, and I'm getting nowhere near the amount of food I used to.  Plus most of the things I need are not in stock. Crazy I tell you.

Monday - Ground Beef Stroganoff, Rice, Beans

Tuesday - Chicken and Sausage Ragu, Fried Cabbage

Wednesday - Ono's Hawaiian Grilled Chicken, Ono's Hawaiian Macaroni Salad

Thursday - Taco Stuffed Shells, Salad

Friday - Roadside Diner Cheeseburger Quiche, Sauteed Collard Greens

Saturday - Chicken Bolognese, Garlic Bread

Sunday - Hubby's Birthday - Country Style Ribs, Baked Potato, Salad, Lemon Cake

 

 

♥♥  Looking around the house  ♥♥

It's quiet, all that we can hear are the birds outside in the yard.  The furry babies are sleeping.  I need to fold some laundry and put it away, and give the living room couches a tidy up, just fix the pillows etc. 

♥♥  To Do List ♥♥

-  Water the veggie garden

-  Pay bills

- Prepare wire transfers

- Take meat out for dinner

 

♥♥  From the camera  ♥♥

Last week I made a Zucchini Pizza Casserole.  The base is shredded zucchini, and oh my goodness, it was absolutely delicious.

 

I really need to get these recipes up on the food blog, just haven't had time. 

 

♥♥  Devotional  ♥♥

We are guilty.  The cross purchased our forgiveness.  We are unable.  The Spirit gives us power.  We are foolish.  God's Word provides wisdom. 

New Morning Mercies Devotional by Paul David Tripp

 

{ The Resistance Girl by Mandy Robotham - TLC Book Tour }

 

About The Resistance Girl 

• Publisher: Avon (May 10, 2022)
• Paperback: 432 pages

Norway, 1942: She has lost everything to the Nazis. But now she fights back…

War rages, and, under cover of darkness, Rumi Orlstad and her fellow resistance fighters smuggle British agents, fugitives and supplies across the North Sea into Nazi-occupied territory.

One night, when he braves a storm to complete an ill-fated mission, Rumi’s fiancé is lost to the dangerous waters. Broken-hearted, she withdraws from the clandestine group, vowing never to let her loved ones put themselves in the line of fire again.

But months later, Rumi stumbles across a Nazi secret that lays Hitler’s plans for Norway bare, and she knows she has no choice but to risk her life for her country once more…

Readers of The Tattooist of Auschwitz and anything by Fiona Valpy will love this heartbreaking tale of the sacrifices ordinary people made to keep friends, family, strangers – and hope – alive.

Purchase Links

HarperCollins | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

 

About Mandy Robotham

Mandy Robotham is a Globe and Mail, USA Today, and UK, Canadian, US and Australian Kindle Top 100 bestseller. She has been an aspiring author from the age of nine, but was waylaid by journalism and later enticed by birth. She’s now a former midwife who writes about birth, death, love and everything else in between. She graduated with an MA in Creative Writing from Oxford Brookes University. To learn more about Mandy, follow her on Instagram.

 

REVIEW:

This book was right up my alley.  I am a huge fan of WWII, so I am always drawn to stories or movies that focus on this time in history.

In The Resistance Girl, we follow the story of Rumi.  She is determined to do everything she can to help win the war against Nazi Germany.  Along with her fiancee and a group of other resistance fighters, she risks her life to smuggle British fighters, fugitives, supplies or anything else related, across borders and seas, to get them where they need to be, which is smack dab in the middle of conflict.

Much as she feels she is fighting for the right cause, Rumi also understands that every time she sets out on one of these missions, she may not come back, or even worse, one of her loved ones, could lose their lives.  And that is exactly what happens, when during one of these risky dangerous missions, her beloved fiancee is killed.

Rumi is devastated.  She knew the risks, she knew what was on the line, but she truly believed in her heart that everything would be ok.  She never dreamed that her own fiancee would be lost to this senseless war.  Caught between a sense of loyalty to the cause and her shattered heart, she decides to walk away.  She just can't keep going, and the pain she feels is too much to endure.

But, all that changes, when she stumbles across a secret.  A secret that can bring the war to an end, and stop Hitler in his tracks.  Much as she would rather not get involved again, she can't help but feel she must do her best and risk it all again.  In a way, it will make her fiancees death worth something.

I absolutely loved the story, loved the authors way of making you feel as if you were right there in the middle of the conflict.  I was on the edge of my seat at times, just hoping they wouldn't be caught, imagining in my mind what it would have been like to know you're doing the right thing, on the right side of history, but risking your life every second.

Rumi is such a strong willed woman, determined, brave, courageous, and she faces all the challenges thrown her way, making you admire her every move.

If you are a fan of WWII history, this story will have you turning the pages faster than your fingers can take you.

This was my first book by Mandy Robotham, but I assure you, it won't be the last.

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

{ Happy Homemaker Monday - 05/09/2022 }

 

Good morning sweet ladies, how are you all doing today?  Are you ready for a whole new week ahead?

 

I am praying and hoping for a good week for us.  My mammogram went well, and got a good report on that.  Unfortunately the house sale, was held up once again, so we've had to move it to sometime this week.  Not sure on the day yet.  At this point, I'm just riding it out and believing that God is in control and this will happen, in His time, when He wants it to.  

 

I have a pretty busy week ahead, lots of driving back and forth for appointments and so on, but will have a day off on Wednesday, which I'm very much looking forward to.  I'm hoping to finally get the recipes up on the food blog, and maybe a post or two here on the blog.  

 

I am wishing you all a very blessed week ahead, and a belated Happy Mother's Day to all my sweet mommas in here.  

 

♥♥ The Weather ♥♥

We hit our first triple digit temperature yesterday, and today we are headed the same way.  I love this time of the year, but the heat is not a friend to peri or menopause hahahah 

Monday -  Windy with sunshine, 103

Tuesday - Mostly sunny, 97

Wednesday - Partly cloudy, 94

Thursday - Partly cloudy, 97

Friday - PM thunderstorms, 94

Saturday - Mostly sunny, 93

Sunday - Sunny, 91

♥♥  As I look outside my window ♥♥

The wind is here, AGAIN.  It's just never leaving, we have wind at least once a day.  From my bedroom window I can see my veggie garden, which reminds me I need to get out there and water it this morning before the heat of the day sets in.  

♥♥  Right now I am ♥♥

Sitting on the bed, the furry babies are asleep next to me, and I have a video playing on the TV.  I am typing up this post, sipping on my second cup of coffee, and trying to relax a bit before I have to go back out, come home, then out again.  *sigh* 

♥♥  Thinking and pondering ♥♥

On this house sale.  Curt and I just need it over and done with, so we can get out from this financial strain we've been under the past 2 years. 

 

 

♥♥  How am I feeling ♥♥

A little tired, but pretty good.  Truthfully, I wish I didn't have to go anywhere today.  Hahahah 

♥♥  On the breakfast plate ♥♥

I am on my second cup of coffee, and I also had a cheese and ham toastie.  

 

♥♥  On my reading pile ♥♥

Exodus in my Bible

My devotional

Janette Oke's Women of the West

The Resistance Girl (book review)

(Nothing on this list has changed.)

♥♥  On my TV this week  ♥♥

Yesterday for mother's day, Curt and I just sat in bed practically all day, and watched TV together.  It was wonderful to be able to do that, have nowhere to go, just sit and enjoy time together.

We watched the first episode of the new Star Trek series, and really enjoyed it.

Also watched the movie Moonfall which was really good as well.

The rest of the day, we watched Seinfeld episodes.  

 

On the tv this week, every night before bed we watch one or two Seinfeld episodes.  We just pick a series and go with that until it's done, then move on to a different one. 

Youtube homemaking channels

 

♥♥  On the menu  ♥♥ 

Will start to work on the new menu throughout this week, but here's what we are eating the next few days. 

Monday - Crispy Cheddar Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, Creamed Spinach

Tuesday - Fold over Tortilla Bake, Salad

Wednesday - Baked Feta Pasta, Garlic Bread

Thursday - Chicken and Dumplings Casserole, Salad

Friday - *grocery shopping*

Saturday -

Sunday -

 

 

♥♥  Looking around the house  ♥♥

I still need to give my carpets a good carpet clean.  They're vacuumed but definitely need a good carpet clean.  I've opened all the curtains in the house, to let in the gorgeous morning sun. 

♥♥  To Do List ♥♥

-  Water the veggie garden

-  Take Nick to get his military ID renewed

 

♥♥  From the camera  ♥♥

My beautiful rose bushes are all blooming.  The pink one is the one I've had for 3 years now, got it from Lowes clearance sale as it was almost dead.  But, it's come back to life, tripled in size and gives out the most beautiful roses.

 

The red rose, I also got from a clearance sale, but from Atwoods about a month ago, it was also almost dead, but it's come back to life and has the most gorgeous red and white roses.

♥♥  Devotional  ♥♥

I must always remember the grace I am daily given, and extend that grace to the people in my life. 

New Morning Mercies Devotional by Paul David Tripp