HAPPY HOMEMAKER & MENU PLAN MONDAY week 3 of 2017

Guess what? It's Monday - AGAIN!  This past week just flew by for me and I didn't get anything I planned on doing anywhere close to done! I know it's actually a holiday, but NOT around here. I ended up spending most of last week helping hubby on the backyard and fencing.  I'm also trying to do more frequent posts to help me get through all this.  Here are the links from last week's updates if you are interestd.

• DAY 442 UPDATE of the HOUSE FROM HELL
• DAY 445 UPDATE of the HOUSE FROM HELL
• DAY 446 UPDATE of the HOUSE FROM HELL

OUTSIDE MY WINDOW & THE WEATHER OUTSIDE
Seems like every week starts out on the gray side lately.  This week is the same.  It is also unseasonably warm STILL!  I hate it!  I REALLY MISS having four seasons!

ON THE BREAKFAST PLATE
An English muffin with homemade BlackRaspberry Curd and COFFEE.  I tried to give up the coffee one day last week. And that is exactly how long it lasted - 1 DAY!

AS I LOOK AROUND THE HOUSE
It is a bit of a wreck this week as I put aside everything to help hubby outside and so my projects from last week will carry over to this week.

WEEKLY TO DO LIST & HOUSE PROJECTS
MONDAY

• GROCERIES
• ERRANDS
• ORDER SAND FOR BACKYARD

TUESDAY

• WORK ON STUDIO ORGANIZATION
• LAUNDRY
• CALL CONTRACTOR FOR A COUPLE BIDS 

WEDNESDAY

• SHOWER DOG 
• WORK ON STUDIO ORGANIZATION

THURSDAY

• EBAY
• WORK ON STUDIO ORGANIZATION

FRIDAY

• BACKYARD

SATURDAY

• EBAY
• PLAY OFF GAMES

SUNDAY

• PLAY OFF GAMES
• READING

CURRENTLY READING & TELEVISION / DVR
We're watching our normal shows, but are starting to try more and more shows on Netflix and Amazon. I've been too tired to read at night so have yet to start anything new.

CRAFTS & PROJECTS
Still nothing yet, but I have hopes for next month after the backyard is done. 

I'm starting to get the cooking bug again and have lined up a week for trying a few new recipes. I'll post the recipes as I go if we think they are worth making again.
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	SALMON QUICHE	CARAMEL APPLE CINNAMON FRENCH TOAST
LUNCH	FRUIT & CHEESE	SOUP & CRACKERS	SANDWICH	OUT	MEAT & CHEESE	LEFTOVERS	SANDWICHES
DINNER	GOURMET MAC & CHEESE with SHEET PAN SWEDISH MEATBALLS	PORK CHOPS AND CARROTS	C.O.R.N.	CHICKEN with MAGGI CREAM SAUCE and PARMESAN ROASTED CARROTS	PEPPERONI MACARONI & CHEESE with SALAD	GARLIC WINE CHICKEN and SALAD	C.O.R.N.
DESSERT		LIME ANGEL FOOD CAKE				MOLTEN CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER CAKE

HEALTH & BEAUTY TIPS

HOMEMAKING/COOKING TIP

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.

HAPPY HOMEMAKER & MENU PLAN MONDAY week 2 of 2017

Good morning and Happy Monday. I hope you had a wonderful weekend and if you are a football fan that your teams won.

OUTSIDE MY WINDOW & THE WEATHER OUTSIDE
It is gray, but no threat of rain, at least I think.  Last week was COLD (for here) and this week is supposed to warm up into the 60's and 70's.  I will never get used to the heat in the winter or the quickness that the temperatures flux here.

ON THE BREAKFAST PLATE
I made an omelette in a cup with my coffee.

AS I LOOK AROUND THE HOUSE
I'm happy with all we have gotten done and there is very little actual mess.  Just the standard after the weekend clutter. Hubby and I have agreed to continue paring down the house. There are just so many things we don't use anymore.  Technology has changed things a lot so we rounded up 50+ DVD's to donate also. I've started a new spiral binder for 2017.

WEEKLY TO DO LIST & HOUSE PROJECTS
MONDAY 

• Home Depot run - order 100 bags of leveling sand for backyard.  We brought home 900 pounds (12 bags) the other day to see how far it would go and I have to say it will be worth the delivery fee for a forklift to bring the pallet right to where we need it.  
• Grocery Store
• Errands
• Paperwork

TUESDAY

• STUDIO!!!!!!!!!!!! I get started and even make headway, but then get discouraged as there is not enough space.  Deciding what to keep is such a daunting process especially while this space is being used as a catch all for Christmas decorations that I refuse to store in the attic or garage because of the ungodly weather here, the cat, our office, etc... Downsizing seemed like a great idea, but going from 3000 square feet to 1750 square feet is HARD!!! My studio here would fit in my last studio twice over and the Christmas decorations were in the barn there so that alone gave more space.
• EBAY!

WEDNESDAY

• Work on leveling backyard.
• Install new back gate and start on fence planks.

THURSDAY

• Backyard again

FRIDAY

• Cleaning 
• Laundry

SATURDAY

• Studio
• EBAY
• Football Playoffs

SUNDAY 

• Studio
• Football Playoffs

CURRENTLY READING & TELEVISION / DVR

• BIG BANG THEORY
• WHEN CALLS THE HEART
• PURE GENIUS
• NCIS
• BLUE BLOODS
• THIS IS US 
• GRIMM
• THE MAN IN THE HIGH CASTLE
• GOLIATH
• BULL
• SCORPION
• SUPERGIRL
• CHICAGO MED, PD, FIRE
• HEARTLAND
• HEART OF DIXIE
• STRANGER THINGS
• Z-NATION
• DESIGNATED SURVIVOR
• MADAM SECRETARY
• ONCE UPON A TIME 
• CHESAPEAKE SHORES
• ICE PILOTS
• ETC....... I'm sure I forgot a few...

READING

• THE BRANDS WHO CAME FOR CHRISTMAS by Maggie Shayne

CRAFTS & PROJECTS
??

KITCHEN WISHES
This category is always in flux!  Especially in this house as I continue to go through and downsize unnecessary dishes and Tupperware.  I am trying to get to my "CORE" pieces.  You know the ones you gravitate to on a regular basis.  If I haven't used it in the past year, I probably never will and will be leaving it behind.

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	HAM & CHEESE BRUNCH CAKE	EGG NOG PANCAKES
LUNCH	FRUIT & CHEESE	SOUP & CRACKERS	SANDWICH	OUT	MEAT & CHEESE	LEFTOVERS	SANDWICHES
DINNER	TUNA CASSEROLE	WHITE CHICKEN LASAGNA	C.O.R.N.	SNAPPER WRAPPERS	MEATLOAF AND SALAD	CHICKEN & NOODLES	C.O.R.N.
DESSERT

SUCCESSFUL RECIPES and their links FROM LAST WEEK

• WHITE CHICKEN LASAGNA
• HAM & CHEESE BRUNCH CAKE

RECIPE FINDS TO TRY LATER

• EGGNOG PANCAKES with MAPLE BUTTER RUM DRIZZLE

HEALTH & BEAUTY TIPS

HOMEMAKING/COOKING TIP

ON MY MIND
I've been trying to decide what to do next after this house.  We know we'll end up with another project house, but one of OUR choosing so are trying to pick an area that suits us best so that hubby has some outside interests, places to go, organizations to get involved with to help others... preferably a LARGE military base so we can go back to commissary/PX shopping...

THINGS THAT ARE MAKING ME HAPPY

• RESEARCH for getting the hell out of here.
• Minimizing the studio stash.
• Completed projects.

FAVORITE PHOTO FROM THE CAMERA
Not a great photo, but it does show progress on the dog run area! Especially compared to what it looked like a year ago when the air conditioner was slanted and the area was so overgrown and filled with dead plants and trash that you couldn't even tell.

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.

HAPPY HOMEMAKER & MENU PLAN MONDAY ~ WEEK 1 of 2017

I hope everyone had a WONDERFUL Christmas and a safe and HAPPY NEW YEAR! 

We had a quiet New Year, at least as far as the 2 of us were concerned. We went to a neighbor's house early for a little get together, but were home for the actual event which was good as the neighborhood was alive with fireworks and gun fire.  When will people realize the dangers of both?  I wasn't too worried about the fireworks as it was raining, but the gun shots made me cringe.  What goes up will come down.

Did you know about the NEVER ON SUNDAY rule for the Tournament of Roses Parade and bowl game? This will be the 15th time this rule has come into play since its inception.  Originally the rule was made to prevent horses "parked" outside of churches from being spooked along the parade route as people attended church.

I also brought the BEFORE & AFTER of this house up to date in a post this past weekend. I should have done it room by room instead of all at once.  I can't wait to be able to do an AFTER & DONE post!

Now it's on to the business of 2017.

OUTSIDE MY WINDOW & THE WEATHER OUTSIDE
The weather is gray, cloudy, windy and super thunderstormy, but at least it is a bit cooler than it has been.

ON THE BREAKFAST PLATE
An English muffin and peanut butter with COFFEE of course.

AS I LOOK AROUND THE HOUSE
I am VERY pleased.  Everyone is gone now and Carlie has settled in well.  The tree is down which is unusual for us since we usually wait until King's Day or so, but this year it was practical. All the Christmas decorations have been packed away and those that are being donated are in the car ready to drop off.

WEEKLY TO DO LIST & HOUSE PROJECTS

• GET NEW PHONE!! Mine is OLD, won't hold a charge, changes the settings on its own..., but I wasn't going near a phone store until the holidays were over!
• Start on studio organization. You may see this EVERY week for a while.  That room has become the catch all of the house and will takes WEEKS if not MONTHS to get handled.
• Work on new Website.
• Start leveling backyard.

CURRENTLY READING & TELEVISION / DVR
I'm between books again and the old standards will begin again this week as well as the final season of GRIMM.

We finally dealt with the wire mess around the TV and hooked up the WiiU as well as Amazon Prime.  So far have found Goliath with Billy Bob Thorton and The Man in the High Castle (I LOVE anything WWII) that are catching our interest.

CRAFTS & PROJECTS
Soon, really soon.

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	BREAKFAST CASSEROLE old family recipe - link to follow soon	BACON & EGGS
LUNCH	FRUIT & CHEESE	SOUP & CRACKERS	SANDWICH	OUT	MEAT & CHEESE	LEFTOVERS	SANDWICHES
DINNER	GLAZED STUFFED PORK CHOPS & SALAD	CHICKEN FRIED CHICKEN, MASHED POTAOES, PEPPERED GRAVY & GREEN BEANS	C.O.R.N.	BLACK EYED PEA CHILI & GRILLED CHEESE	WHITE CHICKEN LASAGNA new recipe link to follow soon & SALAD	KRAB SALAD with 1000 ISLAND DRESSING	C.O.R.N.
DESSERT

HEALTH & BEAUTY TIPS

HOMEMAKING/COOKING TIP

ON MY MIND
I'm praying for a good start to the new year and getting this house finished before the hot weather sets in.  I'm also concerned for my uncle who appears to be exhibiting all the classic tell tell signs of dementia and Alzheimers, but is also stubborn as a mule and won't recognize the need for medical help.

THINGS THAT ARE MAKING ME HAPPY

• Every morning when I get up and feel the wonderfully plush carpet under my toes I realize the house is almost done.
• I'm loving the research into a new place to call home and a new house.

FAVORITE PHOTO FROM THE CAMERA
Hubby took this beautiful dramatic shot of the clouds out back.

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.

HAPPY HOMEMAKER and MENU PLAN MONDAY

I HOPE EVERYONE HAD A WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS. It always seems so much better to me when Christmas falls on the weekend. We had a quiet weekend with just the 2 of us, football, church and a Christmas party on Saturday.  Christmas day was just us so I made a small Tropical pork roast with Potatoes AuGratin and maple glazed Brussels sprouts with cherry pie galette for dessert. We also watched my obligatory seasonal favorites It's A Wonderful Life (1946), White Christmas (1954) and the original Home Alone (1990). Our family will be here to celebrate tomorrow.

Hallmark Movies and Mysteries channel played a YULE LOG with puppies, kittens, and Christmas music for 24 hours which made good background.

OUTSIDE MY WINDOW & THE WEATHER OUTSIDE
Unfortunately it's gray and warm with thunderstorms. I spent the entire Christmas season missing snow and cold.  I am really looking forward to next year being back in the Pacific Northwest or the North woods or somewhere cooler than here. I hope.

ON THE BREAKFAST PLATE
Some spam and scrambled eggs.

AS I LOOK AROUND THE HOUSE
I'm pretty happy.  Just a couple loads of laundry, vacuuming and general cleaning before family gets here for "Christmas".

WEEKLY TO DO LIST & HOUSE PROJECTS
Nothing but enjoy family and help Carlie get settled in.

CURRENTLY READING & TELEVISION / DVR
I will finish up the Christmas movies on the DVR and hope to start a new book now that the holidays are quieter.

CRAFTS & PROJECTS
I'm going to start working on the studio in earnest after the first and hope to be "CRAFT READY" by the time we get back from our spring trip in April. This will be our first trip seeking out our final project house so we can leave this HOUSE FROM HELL behind us and settle for a long while.

KITCHEN WISHES
My Kitchen Aid Mixer is starting to give up the ghost.  As sad as that is, I have used it A LOT and for 23 years next month.  I purchased a professional model after the 1994 Northridge Earthquake demolished my kitchen and EVERYTHING in it as well as the rest of the house.  So, I guess I got my money's worth, I've even painted it twice, but I will be sorry to see it go. I'm thinking about this pretty silver one. It's not the professional model, but I do love the glass bowl! Glass bowls are so much easier to see that things are mixed well on the bottom.

MENU PLANS FOR THE WEEK

	MONDAY	TUESDAY	WEDNESDAY	THURSDAY	FRIDAY	SATURDAY	SUNDAY
BREAKFAST	YOGURT & FRUIT	SCRAMBLED EGGS & CHEESE	BREAKFAST CASSEROLE	PUMPKIN BREAD FRENCH TOAST CASSEROLE	C.O.R.N.	C.O.R.N.	PANCAKES, BACON & EGGS
LUNCH	FRUIT & CHEESE	SOUP & CRACKERS	??	??	MEAT & CHEESE	LEFTOVERS	SANDWICHES
DINNER	C.O.R.N.	ALOHA BBQ RIBS, WAGON WHEEL BEANS and CROCK POT LOADED POTATOES BACON & EGGS	??	OUT	FREEZER SURPRISE	GRILLED STEAKS, BAKED POTATOES and CORN ON THE COB (hubby's request for New Year's Eve  at home)	BLACK EYED-PEA CHILI
DESSERT

SUCCESSFUL RECIPES and their links FROM LAST WEEK

• GINGERBREAD BARS
• MOONSHINE FRUITCAKE
• APPLE PIE SNICKERDOODLES

HEALTH & BEAUTY TIPS

HOMEMAKING/COOKING TIP

THINGS THAT ARE MAKING ME HAPPY
January will be "GET A BACKYARD MONTH" and that is making me very happy!  There are only a few months of the year you can use a patio here, at least in my opinion, and February through April are it.  The backyard was just like the house and garage - completely overrun with a hoarders dream - STUFF.  It also had some structural issues that will need to be addressed first which will require a pallet of sand bags to be delivered to begin leveling it out.  We found this past week that the fence is riddled with termites so hubby has already started changing out the fence board by board.  All in ALL this will be a simpler project in concept, but harder in back breaking effort.  I also found a shade cloth that fits perfectly so we will be installing that too.  I will be thrilled if we can get the shade cloth, sand and fence done in January so we can lay pavers and sod in February.  That leaves March for sealing the garage floor.

FAVORITE PHOTO FROM THE CAMERA

I always have a lot of fun doing a long distance version of elf on the shelf for my favorite munchkins.  This year was twin elves, Ralph and Walter (names were borrowed from the show Scorpion). They made their way to Oregon in time for a Christmas surprise visit with their cousin Sam who spent last year with us before making his way to Oregon in time for Christmas 2015.

We had fun opening our gifts and stockings.  I especially love Sammy the owl and my new picture book from my favorite munchkins.

I LOVE my new glass art ornament from my brother and SIL - so cute.
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.