{ This home that I love }

Do you ever just stop and look around your home, your property, your life, and think "I wouldn't want to be anywhere else, I love my life"?

It's easy to get caught up in every day, and to forget to look around, and to be thankful for what you have.  I learned a few years ago, to thank God constantly, for everything, even those little things that we think He surely wouldn't care about.

But He does.  See He cares about everything that has to do with us, the big things, the little things, the important things, the mundane....all of it.  

 

 

I started my day in the kitchen, early, getting a batch of cinnamon rolls into the oven.  Most days, breakfast is more along the lines of a piece of toast, some cereal or oatmeal.  Whatever is quicker and at hand.  But sometimes, it's good to take the extra effort, to prepare a special treat for the family.

It's all about getting organized, and if you learn how to organize your time, you will be surprised at how much you can accomplish in just a few hours.

But, as I sat making the cinnamon rolls, the washer drumming a beat in the background with a load of laundry, the pets playing with pieces of ice, and the steam of my coffee cup rising ever so gently, I felt this overwhelming feeling of gratitude, of contentment, of pure joy.

 

The kind of feeling you wish you could bottle up, for those days where you're lacking joy, lacking motivation and just not feeling it.  And yes, we all have those days, those moments of sheer irritation that creep up on you, that make you snap at everyone and everything around you.  

I actually get on my own nerves on days like that.  Here's the kicker though, I can't get away from my own attitude, so I have to get through it, and change it.  Oof, it's not easy, but it's doable.

I pottered around the kitchen, sipped my coffee while the cinnamon rolls baked, replied to family member messages, switched laundry from the washer to the dryer, all while sporting a lazy smile on my face.

As the cinnamon rolls came out of the oven, the smell was incredible.  It's the smell of an Autumn morning, cinnamon and spice, coffee, all the wonderful scents that set your senses on high alert.

 

The kids came out of their rooms, gathered in the kitchen, and in between huge bites of gooey cinnamony goodness, chatted, with each other and with me.

I sat back for a second and watched them.  My 23 year old and my 19 year old, just chatting, laughing, egging each other on.  At that very moment, I had a pang of hurt in my heart, a want and need to deep to turn back the time, to go back to when they were toddlers running around my legs.  

We all want our children to grow, to become adults, to be successful, and then they get there and we start feeling like we want to pull them all the way back and do it again

I often see moms online complaining about their children, about the mess they create in their picture perfect living rooms.  How they are exhausted and wish they would just be older to take care of themselves.

I'm here to tell you that while I myself had those thoughts once or twice, back in the day, I regret it so much.  Because......well because you wish their childhood away, and because those toys you trip on today, will be the toys you wish you could trip on years from now.

I long for the chaotic home of runny noses, toys strewn all around the living room floor, tousled hair, tight hugs, and fingers stained with strawberries and blueberries that were enjoyed as a snack.

I'm in a different season of life now.  I no longer run after little feet.  My days consist of taking care of our home, running errands, cooking and running after Jesus.  I guess in a way we spend our lives running, running from things, running after things.

 

Most days now, you will find me in this little spot.  It's become my reading nook, right next to one of the big bookshelves.  After the housework is done, I grab a small blanket, a good book, and sit and read for at least an hour.  There is always a cup of milky tea next to me, and sometimes a few shortbread cookies.

I used to dislike the quiet, it reminded me too much of the noise of children that no longer were around.  But God has taught me to enjoy the quiet, to use it to  my advantage, to read, to relax, to be thankful that our children are grown, healthy and happy.

As I sit and enjoy the view from my reading nook, I smile, again, because I am where I never thought I would be, just led by God's hand.  We never in our lives thought or even considered living in Texas, it was not something in our plans.  

But then our plans are not God's plans, and He always knows where we belong, even if we don't.

Today, I am so thankful, so blessed to live in Texas, in this beautiful house, on this gorgeous property.  Feeling pure contentment and joy.  It's a great feeling to have.

{ Cooking Thursday - Slow Cooker Pecan Pie }

Hi everyone, welcome back to another Cooking Thursday.  

Today I am bringing you a recipe that I just recently tried myself, and it was a huge hit.  As with all new recipes, there are things I often have to change for the next time I make it.  

 

With regards to this slow cooker pie, I need to keep an eye on it, and probably cut down the cooking time slightly, because some of the edges of the pie were a bit dark and hard from the filling.

Aside from that, this was so good, sooooo good, and I think it will be going on my Thanksgiving menu.  I have a pumpkin pie one to try as well, in the slow cooker, and if that one turns out good as well, then it will go on the menu right alongside the pecan pie.

If anything, the fact that it is cooked in the crockpot, and I don't need to faff over it, is a huge plus.

Slow Cooker Pecan Pie 

 Source:  The Country Cook

 

 

Ingredients 

1 refrigerated pie crust 

4 large eggs, lightly beaten 

1 ⅓ cups light corn syrup 

 1 cup sugar 

⅓ cup salted butter melted

 ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon (optional) 

2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

2 cups pecan halves, divided use 

 

 

Instructions 

 

Line a 6-quart oval slow cooker with parchment paper (12.5 inch x 16 inch). Press the paper down into the slow cooker to create an outline of the bottom of the slow cooker. Remove parchment paper and place unrolled pie crust onto the parchment paper (lining it up with the creases from the outline in the parchment paper). 

 

Gently roll up the edges of the pie crust and make small indentations to help the crust stick to the parchment paper and to keep in the filling better. Place parchment paper/pie crust into slow cooker (pastry should extend 2 to 3 inches up the sides). Bend and fold the pastry as needed to get it to fit properly. In a bowl combine the eggs, corn syrup, sugar, melted butter, cinnamon and vanilla. Whisk until smooth. Stir in 1 cup of the pecans. 

 

Gently pour batter into crust in the slow cooker. Then top with remaining cup of pecans. Placing them evenly in a pattern to make a nice presentation. Place a layer of paper towels on top of the slow cooker then cover with the lid. Cook on high for 3 to 3 ½ hours or until filling is puffed and set. Turn off slow cooker. Let stand, uncovered, 1 hour. 

 

Cut and serve straight from the slow cooker. Or gently lift the parchment paper out of the slow cooker, then slice and serve. 

 

{ Hello crisp mornings, and an Autumn Reading List?}

I am soaking in all the crisp mornings.  The moment I get up, I pull back the curtains, open the blinds and window, and just take a big whiff of the morning air.

When I was little, I would hear people talking about the smell of Autumn, how you open a window or step outside and there's a scent that permeates the air.  I used to think they were crazy.  Really,
I did.  

 

After all, how could a season have a scent?  I mean outside of the usual things we attribute to a specific time of year.

Pumpkins, apple and cinnamon in the Fall

Hot chocolate and peppermint in the Winter

Cut grass and rain soaked earth in the Spring

Coconut, barbecues and margaritas in the Summer

 

 

But aside from those, there does seem to be a certain scent on early cool Autumn mornings.....and I absolutely love it.

 

I usually sit at the window with Elliott.  He loves just watching the birds flying by, giving them his chattering once in a while.  He is so cute to watch. 

I had the day to myself, so I slowly pottered around, watched a few beautiful Autumn inspired vlogs, as well as some book and reading vlogs.  Do you any of you watch those?  

It may sound strange to watch a video of someone reading, but I personally find those so relaxing, and then there's the constant flood of gorgeous books.  I tell you, I could live in a library and be content.  

 

With the way technology keeps advancing and all the ebooks, audiobooks etc., I don't think I will ever quite be into that kind of reading.  I have a Kindle, like one of the older ones and it has thousands of books, no joke, but I don't think I have ever fully read a whole book on that Kindle.  

And not because I don't like the books I have, I love them, I just find the whole ebook so impersonal.

I much prefer the feel of a real book and the smell of the pages.  

While watching the book vlogs, and seeing their Fall Reading lists, I thought, that I would look into maybe compiling my own.  Then I laughed at myself, because I remembered my list for the year, you know the one I was so excited to get through.

I guess I bit off more than I can chew, which is not super surprising for me.  Hahah

Anyway, I do have a few review books coming in for the next few months, there's quite a few National Geographic books and some cookbooks and food related books or a book, I can't quite remember what was on the list.  But yeah, not so much reading material per say, so I need to throw in some of mine.

However, I was wanting Autumn inspired books, and I'm not sure that I have anything like that on my shelves.  I guess I need to do a quick look through and then maybe seek out some good books to pick up for the Autumn and Winter season.

I also plan on doing a list for shows and movies, for this season as well.  I'm excited about that, and I'll share them here in a post.

Little Women is definitely going on that reading list though.  I've been wanting to re-read it for a while and I think it fits this time of year. 

 

As I get more into the Autumn spirit, you will no doubt see a change on the way the blog looks, the way my photos look, a lot of Autumn inspired posts and so on.  

You know a few years ago, about the time we moved to Texas, our life was in such a chaotic stage, that I kind of stopped decorating for the seasons, or paying attention to anything.  We kind of just lived day to day, one foot in front of the other, so to speak.

It's just the stage of life I found myself in, and that's ok, but I am happy to be back on track, back to being excited about the different seasons and holidays, about decorating and bringing that feeling into my home.

Now I've never been one to go all out, like some people, but I do like to have a few things here and there that remind us of the time of year we are currently in.

So in ending, I am curious.  Do you have specific shows or movies you watch during different seasons?  Do you plan book reading lists according to those seasons too?

What is on your list?

I would love to know what you all will be watching or reading too.

{ A walk through the garden }

I come to the garden alone 

While the dew is still on the roses 

And the voice I hear, falling on my ear 

The son of God discloses 

- In the Garden by Alan Jackson 

 

I took a walk through the garden this morning. My favorite time of day to visit, is early morning or late afternoon.  I find that is when everything looks most magical.  

 

I sometimes wish I had a Secret Garden tucked in the corner of my property....a place I could walk through and hide at times, just to sit, talk to God, or sit in silence.

 

Maybe one day.

 

It is something I have talked about with Curt, carving out a little section in our back yard, putting in a walkway, a closed garden, some decorations and so forth.  

 

It will probably still happen, in the area where we have our fruit trees, but that is something for the future, as our finances allow.

 

For now, I am pleased with what we already have.

 

Walking through the garden this morning, I was reminded of just how wonderful God is, in everything that He does and creates.  Our summer was brutal, and we're not completely out of the hot temperatures, though they're nowhere near what they were.

 

With that heat though, our veggies struggled to produce, they did all they could to stay alive.  We lost a lot of the plants, but we did manage to keep some, by constantly keeping an eye on them, and watering early morning and late evening, sometimes having to throw a little water on them midday too when we could see that they were desperately needing it.

I cried many nights, thinking that our garden had no chance.  Oh me of little faith, I should have known that God never forsakes us nor leaves us, and even in these moments where everything is seeming to work against us, He comes in and shows us otherwise.

Our garden survived.  Oh we did lose a lot, but also were blessed with some tough plants that held in and are now thriving, growing, producing and giving us the harvest we should have had a month ago, at the very least.

In the patch above we have pumpkins, watermelon and cantaloupe.  The cantaloupe didn't quite make it, I think there may be just one plant still hanging in.  We do have one or two watermelon plants still growing, and then we have a ton of pumpkins.  

It makes me so happy every time I walk by and see all the gorgeous huge yellow blooms.  Intermingled in the blooms there are tiny, perfect little pumpkins.

Walking across the yard, to the enclosed veggie garden, you will find my peppers, basil, tomatoes and cucumbers.  I need to get my Fall and Winter garden planted, but am going to wait a few more weeks before that, so that these guys have time to finish what they're doing.

My cucumber plants are also hard at work, putting out the sweetest looking little fuzzy cucumbers.  

This is my first year growing these, last year we grew zucchini, this year we are doing cucumbers instead.  But I think next year I'll do both.

I often stop and just stare at my garden.  How amazing it is, to see something growing from a tiny seed that you threw into the soil, a month or two earlier.  It boggles my mind, just how perfect this whole process is, from the seed to the soil, the watering, the first shoots, the growing plant, the little blossoms that give way to the fruit or vegetable that you will then consume.

Every little detail thought of by our Creator. 

I lost one of my green pepper plants, it just didn't survive the constant beating of heat it received.  And that is how the garden goes.  Sometimes even when you do everything you can, some of the plants just don't make it.  You never know which will and which won't.

But gardening itself has become such a pleasure for me.  It's a learning experience.  Every year that we plant something, we no doubt end up learning something too.  And through those experiences we better ourselves, we make plans, we figure things out and we apply the new tools to the next planting season.  

We've only been growing our own veggies for about 3 years, and we are now also working on growing fruit plants, which take longer and have their own issues.  We thought we had lost our pear tree during the heat and drought season, but we kept watering and babying it, and it's come back alive, with beautiful new green shoots.  It's actually looking more beautiful than it was before.

And finally my tomatoes.  The 3 plants are only now throwing out dozens of flowers and tiny little tomatoes.  I am hoping we get a good harvest before the frost sets in, but if this weather is anything to go by, I think we have a good chance of receiving some good tomatoes out of this crop.

What joy both Curt and I feel, each time we walk through our garden.  It is a true blessing.

Before I end this post, I just wanted to show you real quick, a yummy recipe that I'll be sharing on Thursday, on my Cooking Thursday post.  It was so good, can't wait to make it again.  Think it will go on the menu for Thanksgiving this year.

{ Happy Homemaker Monday - 09/12/2022 }

 

Good morning everyone, how is your Monday morning going?

 

I've already been out of the house, in the crazy morning rush traffic, and am back home.  

 

This weekend went by far too quick, I was actually out of the house all day yesterday, and returned home just to eat, shower and bed.  I don't like days like that, so I'm glad it doesn't happen very often.

 

Anyway, I hope you all have a wonderful, blessed, productive week.

♥♥ The Weather ♥♥
Woke up to 55 degrees, and the most beautiful of mornings.  It is cloudy, it is crisp, it is the first Fallish day we have had, and I'm here for it.  Unfortunately it will be short lived, as our temperatures are going back up to the high 90s this week.  *sigh* 

Monday - Mostly cloudy, 89
Tuesday - Partly cloudy, 96
Wednesday - Mostly Sunny, 95
Thursday - Mostly Sunny, 93
Friday - Sunny, 95
Saturday - Mostly Sunny, 96
Sunday - Sunny, 98



♥♥ As I look outside my window ♥♥
It is dark and cloudy, there is a slight breeze.  From my bedroom window I see my pool, my gazebo and the pumpkin patch at the far end of the yard.  It is bright green with huge leaves and filled with tiny pumpkins, little yellow blossoms and big bright yellow flowers. 

 

♥♥ Right now I am ♥♥
Sitting on my bed with Kaia and Elliott.  They are both asleep next to me.  I am listening to a word from God, on the TV, typing up this post, and also talking back and forth on Telegram, with my stepmom. 

♥♥ Thinking and pondering ♥♥
I decided that instead of writing out the Bible, I will go the journal route.  The reason being, that I know if I take on a huge undertaking at the moment, I will quickly lose interest and fail.  Journaling my daily devotions, verses that stand out etc., will be much easier. 

 

♥♥ How am I feeling ♥♥
I am blessed, as always.  I am feeling pretty good, though I AM PMSing, so theres that.  If you're a woman, you knowwwww.  Hahaha   

 


♥♥ On the breakfast plate ♥♥
Just had my second cup of coffee, with Starbucks Pumpkin Latte Creamer.  Also had a toasted sandwich with cheese and salami.    


♥♥ On the lunch plate ♥♥
Will be having a tuna salad with chickpea, egg, onion, parsley, olive oil and vinegar.   



♥♥ On the dinner plate ♥♥
Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings  

 

 

♥♥ What I'm wearing ♥♥
Summer maxi dress, it's red with tiny little white flowers on it.   

 


♥♥ On my reading pile ♥♥
Reading through Isaiah in the Bible.

Paul David Tripp New Morning Mercies devotional.
Morning and Evening Devotional by Charles Spurgeon.   

About to finish Butter in the Well (FINALLY)

♥♥ On my TV this week ♥♥
Mad About You - the newer season that came out I think 2 years ago. 

Homemaking vlogs - some of you have asked who I watch, and I mainly follow Portuguese/Brazilian vlogs.  Nothing against the US vloggers, other than I feel I don't relate, everything is too commercialized, the homes are all magazine cover worthy, and they just don't seem relatable to me.
House of Dragons

The Lord of the Rings Series on Amazon Prime

The Serpent Queen



♥♥ On the menu ♥♥

Have meals until Thursday, then will start the new Menu Plan, which I have to work on throughout the week.

 

Monday - Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings, Easy Dinner Rolls 
Tuesday - Pork Chops in Gravy, Rice, Steamed Broccoli
Wednesday - Buffalo Chicken Wraps (Copycat Wingers Sticky Fingers)
Thursday - Ground Beef Sandwiches, Air Fryer Fries

Friday -
Saturday -
Sunday -



♥♥ Looking around the house ♥♥
The living room and dining room need some tidying up.  

♥♥ To Do List ♥♥
- Pick up living room and dining room
- Iron a load of laundry
- Water veggie garden

- Start dinner in the crockpot

 

♥♥ From the camera ♥♥
Time with the Lord is so important, especially in the world we live in right now.  No matter what is happening in my day, I always make time for some reading.  Some days, I can only squeeze in a sentence, a verse, in the Bible, but it doesn't matter, it is something.  We make time for so many other unimportant things in our lives, where we should always, ALWAYS, put God first, and then fit everything else in. 

 

 

♥♥ Devotional ♥♥ 

Grace means you can never say it's too hard, that you've been left on your own, or that you simply don't have enough. 

 

— New Morning Mercies by Paul David Tripp