Happy Homemaker Monday - 09/16/2013

The Weather:::
66 degrees this morning, it feels so good outside.  We've had lots of rain the past week, some low temps, and some cold mornings and evenings.  Here's what is ahead for the week....

 

Right now I am:
Enjoying a cup of Pumpkin Pie Spice coffee, sitting in my cozy pj's and thinking about what I have planned or on the to do list for today. 

Thinking:
About my life, about the big changes we've been going through and how I need to adapt.  It's not easy when your whole life takes another course, but it's up to us to make it through and push forward and not dwell on what was. 

On my reading pile:::
Freud's Mistress which I'm reviewing this afternoon on the blog.  Also have a few others on the list.  I've mostly been reading crochet and knitting patterns though. 

On my tv:::
Why is it that everything we want to watch on TV comes on so late in the night???  I can't keep my eyes open until 11pm waiting for something to start.
But anyway, this morning while everyone is asleep I plan on catching up on last night's Breaking Amish and whatever else I've been missing. 

On the menu for this week:::

Monday - Chick Pea Tuna Salad
Tuesday - Roast Chicken and Potatoes
Wednesday -Crockpot Italian Sandwiches
Thursday - Chicken Fricassee with Spaghetti
Friday - Fish and Chips
Saturday -Portuguese Pepper Steak with Rice
Sunday -Chili Dogs

On my to do list:::
Laundry - one load to iron and put away
Homeschooling
Book review on blog
Pay electric bill
Take kids to Tae Kwon Do
Take niece to dancing

What I am sewing, crocheting, knitting or creating:::
This weekend I made some easy quick knitted boot cuffs for winter.  I can't wait to wear them :)  Also started a pair of cute crochet slippers.  Have some crochet Halloween projects started that I'm hoping I'll be able to sell at the Harvest Festival in town. 

Looking around the house:::
The kitchen is mostly clean, except for the small bowls in the sink from last night's dessert (Arroz Doce - Portuguese Rice Pudding).  Hubby is downstairs doing school work, my nephew Colby is on the couch playing on his laptop and the rest of the folks are all still fast asleep.
The living room needs some tidying up and I have to run the dishwasher shortly, but other than that I only need to give the house a quick sweeping and mopping and it's done :)

From the camera:::

On my prayer list:::
My stepmom and dad.
My brother and sister in law for jobs.
My friend Jen.

Bible verse, Devotional:::
The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way. —Psalm 37:23

Heading into Fall.....

There's a crispness in the air.

The sun is coming up over the mountains much later than usual, mornings are starting to feel cold, afternoons are warm and then night times are back to cool air.

I am loving every second of it. 

See, after being gone for 7 years to a State that didn't have the full 4 Seasons, I am so looking forward to enjoying every leaf color change, every degree that drops in temperature and every hot cup of coffee that will be sipped under a crochet blanket on the couch.

My mind is already swirling with the thoughts of Pumpkin Pies, Gingersnap cookies, Spice Cake slathered with hot caramel sauce and soups and stews on a cold night.

For a few years I have done the 31 Days of Autumn daily picture, and I've had to make do with what I had, but it was so hard when everything around me was palm trees and hot weather.

I honestly dreamed of the moments where I could enjoy a big pile of freshly fallen orange leaves and was able to look out on a sea of colorful Autumn trees.

Oh goodness, I'm getting antsy just thinking about it.

Autumn

© Ryan Larkin

Descending leaves fall to the ground,

Twirling, twisting, round and round,

Autumn season is almost here,

The smell of freshness is oh so near.

The crisp, cool breeze,

Shakes the leaves from the trees,

Autumn takes away the green,

Golden-bronze and brown is all that can be seen.

Are you starting to feel and see Fall around your area?

Happy Homemaker Monday - 09/09/2013

Oh goodness, I'm so tired of being busy, I need to slow down and very soon.

You know what I miss the most?  Just sitting on my couch with my crochet, watching mindless TV.  Maybe in a month or two I can finally get there, but for now there is just too much going on around me.

I want to quickly apologize to you all for not yet making it around to visit you, I assure you that it's on my mind and that every day I say to myself that I need to go say hi, and then life gets in the way and by the time I get a free moment it's 11pm.  I do thank you all for continuing to come by and visiting me through this difficult busy adjustment period :)


The weather.....
Cold this morning.  I actually feel great saying that LOL  It's only 50 degrees this morning, usually I only saw that kind of temp in December back in Arizona, I think I need to get my body used to cold weather again. 

Right now I am....
Thanking the Lord above for again seeing us through a difficult time.  Writing this post up, planning lessons and thinking about what I have to do today. 

Thinking....
That I'm blessed in so many ways and that I need to remember that when a struggle arises, instead of going straight into worry mode.  

On my reading pile....
Have two books from the library to finish reading, both from the Civil War period.  Also have quite a few for reviews coming up :)     

On my TV.....
Same thing, still haven't had a chance to watch any of it.
The Great British Bake Off
Hell on Wheels
True Blood
White Queen
Breaking Amish

On the menu for this week....
Have been making a lot of easy meals, all Portuguese and from my childhood.  Everyone here has been enjoying every single minute of it.

Monday - Amish Chicken Pot Pie
Tuesday -  Tacos, Mexican Rice, Salad
Wednesday - Italian Crockpot Sandwiches
Thursday - Chicken Spaghetti
Friday -  Homemade Pizza
Saturday - Beef Stew
Sunday - Veggie Soup, Sandwiches, Fruit

On my to do list....
Laundry
Homeschooling with 4 kiddos
Take my brother to the bank
Take my brother to get his car registration
Take my niece to dancing
Take remaining 3 kiddos to Tae Kwon Do

In the craft basket....
Crochet, crochet, crochet.  I'm told myself that there is no more putting it off, it's time to get through my huge pile of yarn and start cranking out the projects so I can start selling them.
  
Looking forward to this week....
Oh boy....I am just basically looking forward to some quiet time whenever I can get it.  Not sure when that will be LOL
Also looking forward to one of my favorite shows returning "Haven".

Looking around the house....
The two boys are up and playing on the X-Box.  Hubby left for work early this morning.
I have some dishes in the sink that need to be washed, a dishwasher that needs to be emptied and refilled, and some other housework.
Living room needs picking up and I need to give my carpets a good cleaning, they're not dirty but I like running the carpet cleaner at least twice a month. 

From the camera....
This past Saturday it was Air Force Appreciation Day.  It was fun seeing the parade that we used to attend and also seeing my husband's old Squadron at this base. 

On my prayer list.....
My stepmom
My father
My brother and sister in law, they have put in job applications in quite a few places so hoping to hear something back soon

Bible verse, Devotional....
But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.
– 2 Corinthians 4:7-9 (NIV)

Lowcountry Bombshell - TLC Book Tour

Lowcountry Bombshell

Susan Boyer

Private Investigator Liz Talbot thinks she’s seen another ghost when she meets Calista McQueen. She’s the spitting image of Marilyn Monroe. Born precisely fifty years after the ill-fated star, Calista’s life has eerily mirrored the late starlet’s—and she fears the looming anniversary of Marilyn’s death will also be hers.

Before Liz can open a case file, Calista’s life coach is executed. Suspicious characters swarm around Calista like mosquitoes on a sultry lowcountry evening: her certifiable mother, a fake aunt, her control-freak psychoanalyst, a private yoga instructor, her peculiar housekeeper, and an obsessed ex-husband. Liz digs in to find a motive for murder, but she’s besieged with distractions. Her ex has marriage and babies on his mind. Her too-sexy partner engages in a campaign of repeat seduction. Mamma needs help with Daddy’s devotion to bad habits. And a gang of wild hogs is running loose on Stella Maris.

With the heat index approaching triple digits, Liz races to uncover a diabolical murder plot in time to save not only Calista’s life, but also her own.

About Susan Boyer

Susan M. Boyer has been making up stories her whole life. She tags along with her husband on business trips whenever she can because hotels are great places to write: fresh coffee all day and cookies at 4 p.m. They have a home in Greenville, SC, which they occasionally visit, and they run away to the beach as often as possible.

Susan’s debut novel, Lowcountry Boil, is an Agatha Award winner for Best First Novel, a 2012 Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense recipient, and a 2012 RWA Golden Heart® finalist. Her next book, Lowcountry Bombshell, will be released September 3, 2013.
Susan’s short fiction has appeared in moonShine Review, Spinetingler Magazine, and Relief Journal, among others.

To learn more about Susan, visit susanmboyerbooks.com. You can also connect with Susan on Facebook and Twitter,  see what she’s pinning on Pinterest, and find her on Goodreads.

My thoughts:
So first and foremost, you all know that I'm not a fan of murder mystery, but once in a while a certain book will catch my eye and I find myself enjoying it immensely.

So, Liz is the main character and I fell in love with her pretty much from the get go which made the book that more interesting to me.

The author delivers mystery, romance, and all these crazy characters which make for such an enjoyable read, there were quite a few funny moments too....imagine trying to solve a mystery while having to worry about a gang of wild hogs running around LOL

And boy, what a mystery it was, you never know who did it right until the end of the book, and that for me is a HUGE plus. 

I truly enjoyed spending my quiet moments with this book in my lap and Susan Boyer is an author that I will definitely read in the future.

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

Family outing!

On Sunday we packed a picnic and headed out towards Glenns Ferry. It's a very small town on the banks of the Snake River, but it's beautiful and peaceful and the perfect place to have a small lunch and enjoy the fresh air.

One of the best things about these day trips is that you don't spend money, especially if the museums are free, which this one was.

As much as I love taking a peek back in time, I have to admit that my favorite items are house related.  Anything to do with the kitchen, bedrooms, living rooms is where I am most excited to be.

So I have to show you the items that most caught my eye...

Oh if only.  I have a huge fascination for old sewing machines, I think it's because of all the time I spent with my grandmother helping her sew when she had her job as a seamstress.

And then of course crochet, because well....I think you know why :)

I would love this stove, it's gorgeous and I absolutely adore the blue.

If I had to pick a way to spend a weekend, I will say that it's surrounded by family, going for drives, enjoying museums and having picnics.

What is your favorite way to spend the weekend?