Had a nice weekend seeing friends on Friday, eating lunch out on Saturday with G, and watching the Chiefs win on Sunday.

Spent most of this beautiful day outside. Taking advantage of a 70 degree and sunny November day.

Glad to still join in with Sandra over at Diary Of A Stay At Home Mom for a Happy Homemaker Monday post. Let’s just get to it:

The Weather

It’s been beautiful out today! Supposed to stay that way with highs in the 70’s until Wednesday and then, I do think it’s going to cool back down on Thursday and Friday. Even might actually get a real first frost on Friday. We were supposed to get one last weekend but nope, not yet.

As I Look Outside My Window

I was finishing grilling dinner as darkness fell so not much to see now. Earlier, however, I saw this in the front yard!

Right Now

Just finished dinner and now, I’m working on this post while waiting for Monday night football to start.

Thinking And Pondering

How nice it was to be able to just go for a walk with my camera today. I’d forgotten how much I enjoy just taking my camera and taking photos of whatever caught my eye. I enjoy it so much and am sad I stopped. I’m glad I picked the camera back up recently.

How I Am Feeling

A little tired and my hands hurt a bit (oh no, that might mean weather changes coming soon…sigh)

On The Breakfast Plate

Blueberry bagel with mixed berry cream cheese, coffee

On The Lunch Plate

Um, what did I have? A few pomegranate cashews (from a package), mixed berry yogurt, rice crispy treat. So did I have lunch? Not really.

On The Dinner Plate

Brown sugar bourbon pork chop (from a marinade mix) and mashed potatoes

On The Menu

MONDAY: Bourbon brown sugar porkchops, mashed potatoes

TUESDAY: Chicken thighs with spicy corn

WEDNESDAY: Not sure (G is coming over, I have plans with friends Wednesday night)

THURSDAY: Baked Spanakopita Pasta with Greens and Feta (new)

FRIDAY: Minestrone

Not sure if I’m mentioned it before but 2 of the recipes up there are from my Easy Weeknight Dinners by Emily Weinstein cookbook. I’d checked it out of the library and ended up buying a copy because so many recipes from it had been a hit with our picky crew.

What I’m Wearing Today

Blue tee-shirt, striped white, light blue, and white linen pants

On My Reading Pile

Carrie over at Northwoods Scrapbook mentioned Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen and I was intrigued by the title alone. So, now I’m reading it and having a very hard time putting it down!

On My TV

Football! Chiefs won! That said, I’m a realist, they played the Jets. Hopefully, they’ll get it together a bit better soon. Over the weekend, I mainly watched You-tube videos with music playing.

On My To Do List

I’m actually in the progress of making a BIG to do list just because when I sit down to write one out, I forget things. For this week, random order and including things I didn’t do last week:

1. Grocery Store *DONE*
2. Make green tomato salsa
3. Go for 2 walks *1/2 DONE*
4. Get J to finalize his birthday plans
5. Keep J company/offer support when he renews his driver license on Thursday
6. Mom’s Night Out on Wednesday/friend is having a fire pit because of the super nice weather!
7. Target trip
8. Pay bills including blog renewal fees (I think I have until Thanksgiving week but need to check)
9. Hang to dry laundry
10. Start making list of holiday events I’d like to attend (light displays, etc)

What I Am Creating

Trying to declutter and create a peaceful home

Something Fun To Share

I still get preschool ideas in my Pinterest feed and I thought this looked fun. Might have to make it just for myself: Pumpkin Pie Play dough.

When the boys were little, I made them edible peanut butter play dough one time and G still talks about it!

From The Camera

From my walk

a nest.

This made me think of the Velveteen Rabbit story. Hoping it becomes real or gets reunited with its child soon.

Quote For The Week

Happy Halloween week! And Happy Monday!

Joining in the chorus of can you believe this is the last week of October over here. And also joining in with Sandra over at Diary Of A Stay At Home Mom for another Happy Homemaker Monday.

Let’s just get right to it.

The Weather

Not even sure at this point. Are we in August? September? June? Maybe October? Nobody knows. I’m still harvesting cucumbers over here. It’s not heatwave hot and dry but I was perfectly fine in a t-shirt and shorts all day yesterday. Right now it’s 54 outside with an expected high of 77. Upper 70’s most the week with some (very) slight chances of rain on Thursday. Same for Halloween except the high is *only* supposed to be 70.

As I Look Outside My Window

The sky did look like this one day last week. It was pretty this morning as well but I missed the photo op.

Right Now

Making time for this post before going back to focusing on all the Monday chores.

Thinking And Pondering

Keeping it short here today: mainly just J’s upcoming birthday (in November) and the holiday season.

How I Am Feeling

Okay, got off track eating a lot of junk last week so determined to do better and go back to eating like I was still working this week.

On The Breakfast Plate

Coffee, homemade breakfast sandwich with English muffin, egg, and sausage. Made one for J as well but with cheese also.

On The Lunch Plate

Something lighter, maybe just yogurt and blueberries

On The Dinner Plate

Still working on the menu but the current plan for tonight is “chicken of some sort”

On The Menu

MONDAY: Chicken of Some Sort

TUESDAY: Burritos (trying out a new recipe)

WEDNESDAY: Possibly French Toast

THURSDAY: Hula Pork Sliders (another new recipe try out)

FRIDAY: Quick Jambalaya

Halloween Menu: either pizza or taco soup, salad, brownies, and candy

What I’m Wearing Today

Denim dress and tennis shoes (my at home wardrobe hasn’t caught up with my work wardrobe and also, it’s laundry day)

On My Reading Pile

Finished reading Lady Tremaine by Rachel Hochhauser last week. It took a bit for me to get into it but once it got going, I found it hard to put down. I’d call it more of a story inspired by Cinderella than a re-telling from the step mom’s point of view.

On My TV

SIGH, last night’s football game certainly felt more like a trick than any treat around here. I’m glad that a decent team took away our undefeated status at least. Hopefully, that was just a bad game and they’ll bounce right back. Go Chiefs!  And also, not a huge baseball fan, I’m cheering on the Milwaukee Brewers in the World Series (just don’t ask me to name any of the players).

Non-sports viewing: I’ve been enjoying VisionQuest on Disney + and so took a minute to re-watch Avengers: Age of Ultron. Over the weekend, I also watched the new (from 2025) Now You See Me: Now You Don’t movie. I enjoyed it, my husband couldn’t get into it. So, probably need to watch the first one if you haven’t to enjoy it (he had not seen that one). Enjoyable but not quite as good as the original. Oh, and somewhere in there I watched the rest of Lanterns and the latest episode of Best Medicine.

On My To Do List

1. Quite a few leftover from last week: pay a bill, clean out purse, fall decor, garden
2. Grocery store (DONE)
3. Make pesto
4. Laundry
5. Clean the house
6. Thirty minutes de-cluttering bedroom
7. Go for walk
8. Measure some pictures for frames
9. Drop off donation items
10. Measure a couple indoor plants for new pots

What I Am Creating

Hopefully, a calm and clean home

Something Fun To Share

Marshmallow cobweb, this fascinates me. I’m planning to try it on brownies for Saturday.

From The Camera

How about a real-life spider web complete with spider?

And a few random photos (all from the phone)

Quote For The Week

In honor of Halloween week (found on Pinterest)

Friday was my last day working at the preschool. And so, today, it’s a new start.

As well as back to having a bit of time to do things I enjoy. One of those is these Happy Homemaker Monday posts and actually putting them together on an actual Monday!

I’m glad Sandra over at Diary Of A Stay At Home Mom still does these. I really do enjoy making a small plan for the week and then, seeing what the other lovely bloggers out there plan to do with their weeks as well.

The Weather

Well, I was just reading where the Farmer’s Almanac said “a warm October means a cold February” so I guess we’re going to be freezing in February if that’s true. Today’s high is supposed to be 90! Of course, it’s showing rain mid-week in the 60’s and then, 57 for a high on Friday so who knows. The garden sure doesn’t. It’s so confused.

As I Look Outside My Window

I can see it’s going to be another pretty, sunny day with a bit of a breeze. No birds at the bird feeders this morning. Leaves haven’t started turning too much.

Right Now

Feels very weird to be sitting in the living room working on this post with no schedule to follow.

Thinking And Pondering

How I kind of miss being at work this morning (yes, there were a few tears on Friday and maybe still a few this morning). The bizarre feeling that part of my identity is gone. I mean I know it’s not but it feels like that a bit because I put so much of myself into my job these past few months. Just because you know it was the right choice doesn’t make it easy.

The weird dream I had about a bunch of butterflies one day last week. Then, coming home to see a large group of dragonflies 2 days before my last day. And the randomness of yesterday’s church sermon being about rest. Coincindence or signs?

How I Am Feeling

See above. Mentally: Hopeful, anxious, excited, tired, unsure. Physically? A bit tense but okay.

On The Breakfast Plate

I had a brown sugar bagel, one piece of sausage and one piece of bacon. Fridge clean out. Coffee, also but have now switched to sparkling water drink called (don’t buy them on Amazon, expensive there, wow!) Bubbl’R. 

On The Lunch Plate

Marinating some steak bites in Thai peanut sauce to have with rice. Not sure I’ll eat but I’m trying to get a few options ready for J to have this weekend while we’re on a trip.

On The Dinner Plate

J requested Chicken Katsu. Probably with a fresh cucumber from the garden and some shredded cabbage.

On The Menu

Still haven’t found the recipes for I don’t know and I don’t care, the two biggest requests around here. Ha! Also, I need to go to the store so this could all change.

MONDAY: Chicken Katsu

TUESDAY: I might make Carnitas in the slow cooker or we’ll have regular tacos

WEDNESDAY: A local pizza place that’s been around forever is closing down so we may go there. Might rethink Thursday’s vodka pasta…

THURSDAY: Vodka pasta

FRIDAY: ???

What I’m Wearing Today

Sleeveless olive green and white striped shirt and slightly different shade of olive green shorts

On My Reading Pile

Just finished The Book of Unwritten Stories by Helen Phifer, the second in the Salem Sisters Series. It’s a very cozy read for October. Highly recommend. Last night, I started So Old, So Young by Grant Ginder.

On My TV

Watched Hocus Pocus and Hocus Pocus 2 over the weekend. And football even though the Chiefs weren’t playing. Lots of good games. Glad to see Carrie’s Packers won.

On My To Do List

This may not all happen this week just listing things as they pop into my head.

1. Go to grocery store
2. Return (ahem, overdue) library books.
3. Laundry
4. Clean house
5. Go outside and go for walk
6. Garden chores, figure out which plants are coming inside
7. Get garden soil, actually plant my pansies in a hanging basket
8. Clean out freezer and pantry, see what we actually have
9. Make a ham/cheese quiche for the freezer as breakfast option
10. Clean out one shelf in linen closet
11. Decorate for fall/Halloween

What I Am Creating

Nothing at the moment

Something Fun To Share

I had something but I can’t remember now.

UPDATE: I remembered! Just a funny story about a joke my husband played on me. At Christmas last year, we went to a white elephant gift party and I made him keep his gift of 2 sock monkey coffee mugs. Well, he found another sock monkey coffee mug in a thrift store and put it in our sink without telling me. I was so confused, like were the sock monkey mugs ahem multiplying? LOL. Now, we just need one more and we’ll have a set of four! Just a bit of random silliness around here.

From The Camera

Want to play is it July or is it October?

Trick question: They are all October around here! As is that tomato blossom picture under the weather heading. However, I don’t expect to harvest any more tomatoes or eggplants that haven’t formed yet.

Quote For The Week

Psalm 23:3

“He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” 

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P.S. Happy Thanksgiving to those of you celebrating today!

It’s almost 8:30 at night. This time last night, I was ordering a few things on line and my son walked by and said “what are you still doing up?” Ha. I do stay up past 9:00 though I’m often reading in bed by that time.

Let’s get right to the post and hopefully, I can remember to link up with Sandra over at Diary Of A Stay At Home Mom after I’m done.

The Weather

It’s been gorgeous! Open the windows kind of weather but the heat’s creeping back and the a/c is running again. One more last plug before it cools off for official fall weather.

As I Look Outside My Window

Hello, darkness, my old friend…

Right Now

Trying to get this post finished but my husband keeps talking to me about hunting season stuff and so I’m having trouble concentrating.

Thinking And Pondering

All the things. Last week of work unless I give them a couple days next week but I’m planning to be out by next Wednesday for sure. I put this Friday on my notice but my “exit interview” if you could call it that was strange so we’ll see.

How I Am Feeling

Tired. It was a long day followed by a grocery run. Looking forward to going back to my day time grocery shopping routines.

On The Breakfast Plate

Blueberry bagel with mixed berry cream cheese & coffee

On The Lunch Plate

I ate part of the work lunch of a ham/cheese sandwich and then, my yogurt and a couple gingersnap cookies on my break

On The Dinner Plate

Rotisserie chicken, pita chips, and tzatziki sauce (store bought)

On The Menu

Somewhat simple this week with G moving

MONDAY: Rotisserie chicken

TUESDAY: Korean meatballs, rice, maybe cucumber salad

WEDNESDAY: Roast in the crock pot

THURSDAY: Maybe leftovers

FRIDAY: No idea

What I’m Wearing Today

Wore a blue denim dress to work.

On My Reading Pile

Just finished Saltwater by Katy Hays. Really twisty and good. Set on the isle of Capri in Italy, would’ve made a great vacation/beach read.

On My TV

HOW ‘BOUT THOSE CHIEFS?!  Need I say more? 4 and 0. What a start!

Didn’t really watch anything else over the weekend.

On My To Do List

1. Books back to library
2. Target for something
3. Not make any more to do list at 9:00 at night

What I Am Creating

Maybe I’ll have something in a couple weeks or not

Something Fun To Share

Did you know  cucumber blossoms are edible as well? You can either eat them raw in a salad or fry them the same way you would squash blossoms. That’s my plan for right before the first frost as we still have tons of cucumber blossoms (and a few cucumbers still forming, hopefully those finish before the frost). Seems funny to think about frost when it’s supposed to be 82 tomorrow but I know it’s coming.

From The Camera

Not a great week or weekend for photos, here’s the sunset from Saturday while we were in transit helping G take things to his apartment

Quote For The Week

(Found on Pinterest)

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