HAPPY HOMEMAKER & MENU PLAN MONDAY

I have a favorite saying, "Man Plans, God laughs, We Adjust".  I try to live by this to remind myself that I am not always in control and learning to roll with the punches is the best way to live without stress.

Many of you know that our family has been dealing with my ailing aunt. My aunt has been recovering from a really bad fall that shattered her knee in early February, the surgery to repair that and then the infection that sent her back to 2 more surgeries when she spiked a VERY HIGH fever on Easter.  We received a call Thursday 2 weeks ago that she'd had a stroke... the rest of the time has been a blur since then.  She was in "Skilled Nursing" (that place was a joke) at the time and rushed back to the hospital. She also had respiratory distress/pneumonia and a CDiff infection so she was placed in an ICU quarantine after the ER.  She conquered the ICU quarantine and began to improve even being moved to a regular room in the main hospital as she was breathing better and they were even going to begin physical therapy again. She still couldn't communicate from the stroke though and was in so much pain she was unable to hardly lift her fingers. Unfortunately she was returned to ICU just a few days later and the pneumonia took over coupled with kidney failure and we lost her last Friday.

Thank you everyone for your notes and prayers. I do believe they made a difference, at the very least for myself and our family. The only consolation is knowing that she is no longer in any pain and her worst fear will never come to light.  She was so fearful of eventually being "institutionalized" for her Alzheimers. We will be having her funeral on my cousin's birthday which also seems apropos since we lost Beth just 18 months ago.

WEATHER OUTSIDE
It has been pretty nice in the mornings and late evenings, but fairly miserable midday, every day with the heat and humidity from all the rain we've been having, but this week looks like we'll be a little more spring normal with mid 70's days and very little rain.

TO DO FOR THE WEEK
Despite last week's to do list getting kicked to the curb AGAIN, we got A LOT done!  What didn't get done last week will start this week's list.

• Second coat spare bathroom vanity
• Spare Bathroom Floor
• Set toilet spare bathroom
• Paint Living Room 
• Hang Living Room fan
• More Kitchen Organization 
• Order flooring for living room and Atrium??
• Laundry

CURRENTLY READING

• Tender is the Night - Callaways #10 by Barbara Freethy

TELEVISION / DVR
Nothing much yet.  We have rented a few more movies.

• Misconduct
• Back Track 
• Jane Got a Gun

MENU PLANS FOR THE WEEK

	MONDAY	TUESDAY	WEDNESDAY	THURSDAY	FRIDAY	SATURDAY	SUNDAY
BREAKFAST	YOGURT & FRUIT	SCRAMBLED EGGS & CHEESE	FRUIT SMOOTHIE	YOGURT & FRUIT	MAPLE OATMEAL & RAISINS	EGGS in the CLOUDS	BACON & EGGS
LUNCH	FRUIT & CHEESE	SOUP & CRACKERS	SANDWICH	OUT	MEAT & CHEESE	LEFTOVERS	SANDWICHES
DINNER	CHICKEN MARSALA, ASPARAGUS & NOODLES	PORK CARNITAS & SALAD	C.O.R.N.	CADILLAC CHICKEN, ROASTED NEW POTATOES & GREEN BEANS	SALISBURY STEAK & SALAD	CHICKEN & NOODLES	BACON GUACAMOLE CHICKEN, RICE PILAF & SALAD
DESSERT

HOMEMAKING/COOKING TIP
I may have already mentioned this, but it works so well, it's worth mentioning again.  I keep a small glass jar full of apple cider vinegar on my kitchen shelf.  Gnats and fruit flies both are drawn to it!  I spoon out 8 or 9 every single day.  Makes me feel better, like I'm doing my job since we have biting gnats here in this area.

ON MY MIND
How fleeting life can be and how to find better and more purpose in life. I re-evaluated everything in my life during the cancer and find myself doing it yet again as we mourn the passing of my aunt.

THINGS THAT ARE MAKING ME HAPPY
Just a quick update on my 30 day minimalist challenge.  We were aiming at 465 items as per the original challenge.  I can say that we are very pleased to have hit 701 items at the close of day 9.  It feels fantastic to be ridding ourselves of items we no longer use and be giving them to others who can.  A local boy scout troop picked up 2 easy ups, 4 camping chairs and a table today.  Tomorrow I will make a 3rd trip to the local resale shop for the women's shelter and then Tuesday a 3rd trip to Habitat to Humanity.

FAVORITE CAMERA PHOTOS & HOUSE PROJECTS

These are easily removed as we continue to paint, but I needed my "Cross Wall" to be up. Helped to get things off of tables.

We also found a great clock for the "BIG wall".  I can't wait until the beam, ceiling and walls are finally painted.

I had a hard time getting a decent picture with the humid conditions, but this is a beautiful mini rose condolence gift from my neighbor.

The spare bedroom is as good as it is going to get for now.  At least it is ready for use with family coming in for the funeral.  Eventually the bookcase will not be there and the things on the bed are from the bathroom we're working on. Since this is the "family room" it was pretty cool to add my uncle's Vietnam era Army footlocker to the room.

I was also able to get one of my favorite quilts hung in the studio. The studio itself will be a chaotic mess for a few more months to come as it will be the LAST thing to get finished. I'm going to pare down in there too with craft tools and projects.

Remember the cabinets I told you about from Habitat for Humanity that we bought for hubby's garage?  They are really helping him get organized! I can't believe how good his garage is looking.  Looks even better now than when I took this picture a few days ago.
PRAYERS & INSPIRATION

Be sure to link up with Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom for Happy homemaker Monday and with Laura at I'm an Organizing Junkie for Menu Plan Monday.