Happy Monday! Happy Victory Day! (KC Chiefs fans know what that means) And Happy Birthday to me! I guess I’m officially middle-aged now or something. SIGH. 

Not sure what we’re going to do to celebrate. December birthday means squeezing things in around already busy days. This weekend we celebrated my brother-in-law on Friday evening, Saturday, J & I spent all day in Columbia while he tried out for the all-state band, and yesterday we didn’t do much of anything.

Well, we did cheer on those Chiefs! Some of us. Band kids don’t follow sports much. G asked if the win meant they were in the Superbowl now. Not quite yet.

We were all tired yesterday, I think. And I’ll be honest, I was having a minor meltdown over the number up there.

How was your weekend? Time to move on to the week ahead!

The Weather Outside

It’s been delightful but today is the big switch over to frightful. Not too much though. Just a bit of mist, maybe snow, and wind chills in the teens. However, it was 47 when I took J to school this morning. It’s supposed to be yucky today and tomorrow but nice again for the weekend.

On The Breakfast Plate This Morning

Typical old person breakfast of cinnamon apple oatmeal and coffee

As I Look Outside My Window

I’m in the basement and the basement window shade is pulled. I’m watching a stink bug (ugh) walk around the window sill and wall by it. Trying to decide if it’s worth the effort to go get the bug stuff and remove him from my view.

Right Now I Am

See above, working on this post, listening to G get ready for his last day of classes before finals week begins.

As I Look Around The House

I see Christmas decor amid the mess. It really just needs a bit of picking up and of course, a good *someday it will happen* cleaning.

On Today’s To Do List

1. Water plants
2. Clean out the fridge
3. Go to grocery store (maybe)
4. Work on some Blogmas posts
5. Clean up down here/the desk

On This Week’s To Do List

1. Pay some bills
2. Maybe some Christmas shopping
3. Lots of running J to band practices later in the week
4. Put gas in the car/clean out the car
5. Library
6. Pick up the camera and take some pictures!

On The Menu This Week

It’s going to be a hard to plan the menu kind of week, I think. Probably just throwing ideas out for each day and then, if they happen, great.

MONDAY: Not sure. We may go out early. *J has a baritone lesson at 6:30*

TUESDAY: Pork chops and sweet potatoes

WEDNESDAY: Roast in the crock pot

THURSDAY: Leftovers/something easy *J has band rehearsals from 4-7, I think*

FRIDAY: Same as above *J has band rehearsals from 4 to 9, I think*

Currently Reading

I read an entire book on Saturday while waiting on J, The Mistletoe Promise by Richard Paul Evans. It was a nice Christmas type read. I’ll probably look for a few more of those for the rest of December. However, if I don’t get to the library today..I’m also reading Invincible Summer by Alice Adams. Plus, Anxious for Nothing: Finding Calm in a Chaotic World by Max Lucado.

On The TV This Week

Is it not TV season? So much to watch, so little time! Oh, and I took advantage of a Black Friday deal to get us Hulu. Currently, I’m watching The Great Holiday Baking Championship, Prodigal Son, and Lost on Hulu. Fuller House and Riverdale on Netflix. The Flash on the CW app, Mr Robot (note: I liked this show enough that I bought season 4 from Amazon just to see the last season). And my husband started watching The Handmaid’s Tale over the weekend getting me kind of interested. Plus I watched some Brooklyn 99 episodes with G (he loves that show almost as much as The Office).

What I Am Creating At The Moment

Nothing although I’m in the mood to bake after watching people do it on TV all day yesterday. Of course, I’d like to know who’s cleaning all those dishes. I’d get a lot more excited about baking if someone else did all the cleaning of the dishes.

Quote For The Week

And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

(Luke 2: 6-7)

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What’s on your agenda for this busy time of the year?

Don’t forget to visit the host of Happy Homemaker Mondays, Sandra over at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom.

I missed posting last week! Not for lack of trying. I started a post last Sunday morning, tried finishing it on Monday night, Tuesday, and by Wednesday….well, Thanksgiving!

This morning I’m back!

And already feeling a bit accomplished as I just added a plugin to get rid of the new Word-press editor and go back to the classic way. I’d be really accomplished if I’d learned the new system. However, I’m just not ready.

Time to plan the week ahead. Last week was busy, holiday included. The weekend was relaxing though. I’m hoping for a slightly less busy week this time but it’s December so….

let’s just join in with Sandra over at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom to see how this week looks:

The Weather

Cold this morning! Didn’t order this. It’s okay, correction on the way. 40’s later today and then, into the 50’s for the rest of the week. And sunshine!

On The Breakfast Plate This Morning 

Lots of coffee! And a bowl of instant oatmeal (apple cinnamon kind)

As I Look Outside My Window

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas…some neighbors have lights on their houses.

Right Now I Am

Enjoying the quiet while I work on this post, hoping I do not get called into work, and thinking of the hundreds (probably not that much) of things I need to do today.

As I Look Around The House

Not bad if we avoid the teenager’s room and the bathroom. And the kitchen table. And the couch covered with stuff. Christmas is up though! Tree in the living room, greenery on the doorway to the kitchen, Nativity out. So it makes the mess pretty.

On Today’s To Do List

1. Go to library, told G I’d pick up a book for him
2. Grocery store maybe
3. Clean the house
4. Cyber Monday maybe
5. Work on blog

On This Week’s To Do List

1. Must go to grocery store
2. Clean out fridge/freezer of Thanksgiving stuff (should do today)
3. Wrap some Christmas presents
4. Do some clearing out in teenager’s room
5. Clean out some kitchen cabinets

On The Menu This Week 

After a discussion last week (on the way to a restaurant after a visitation, family friend passed away), J mentioned how Americans don’t do as much home-cooking as their European counterparts. I may have made a reply about their kids not complaining as much. However, it made me think I should be a bit better about cooking at home…so I’m trying to be a bit more intentional in my menu. Bad time of year to decide this…however, why make things easy?

MONDAY: *not a home cooking kind of day* Fish and Baked potatoes *J has a baritone lesson at 6:30*

TUESDAY: Sweet and Sour pork, rice *I work 1:00-3:45*

WEDNESDAY: *not a home cooking kind of day* Maybe Subway? *J has a band concert*

THURSDAY: Fried round steak, mashed potatoes, salad

FRIDAY: OUT *This day is up in the air due to band stuff over the weekend that I don’t have the details for yet*

Currently Reading

When Life Gives You Pears: The Healing Power of Family, Faith, and Funny People by Jeannie Gaffigan

On The TV This Week

I took advantage of the Black Friday special and got us a year of Hulu. So I’m re-watching LOST. Such a great show. Not very Christmas-y, huh? We did watch Frosty The Snowman the night it aired. And I need to watch the latest episode of Mr. Robot still.

What I Am Creating At The Moment

A house decorated for the holidays. Not much else.

From The Camera

I’m having some issues uploading photos to my blog and didn’t pick up the camera much this week/weekend. All the photos in the post are from last week.

Quote For The Week

The angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary  for thou hast found favour with God. (Luke 1:30)

(Fun Advent Calendar with the Book of Luke on this site)

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What’s on your agenda for this first week in December? The last first week of 2019!

It’s actually Sunday but I’m trying to get a jump on things this week. Never know when my phone is going to ring with a request to work. Hoping it doesn’t ring tomorrow as I’m feeling a bit under the weather this morning but I do plan to be ready if it does.

Linking up as always with Sandra over at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom, the host of the Happy Homemaker Mondays.

The Weather Outside 

Normal?! It’s a bit of a gray, overcast day with a few rain drops falling now and then. Supposed to have highs in the 50’s most the week but I do see some 60’s on the map toward the end.

On The Breakfast Plate

Cinnamon apple oatmeal and coffee (actually bought a small bag of Starbucks Peppermint Mocha so it’s mixed in with the regular Folgers).

As I Look Outside My Window

Can’t see outside the basement windows. Earlier this morning, I saw the gray cloudy sky and a possum up past his bedtime sitting under the bird feeders.

Right Now I Am

Working on this post while washing our bedding (the washing machine is whirring in the background). I also hear footsteps upstairs telling me someone else just woke up for the day.

As I Look Around The House

I cleaned a bit yesterday so it could look worse. Probably do a bit more cleaning today.

On My To-Do List

1. Still need to pay bills
2. Finish up the laundry
3. Wash all the bedding (guess that should go with laundry)
4. Clean the house a bit more
5. Whatever I’m forgetting

Menu 

I’ve been struggling with this a bit lately.

MONDAY: Some sort of chicken and salad *J has a baritone lesson at 6:30*

TUESDAY: Roast in the crock pot *I have Bunco*

WEDNESDAY: Maybe breakfast for dinner…pancakes, bacon, orange juice

THURSDAY: Pork chops (already cooked, from freezer), baked sweet potatoes *I work 12-4:45*

FRIDAY: Pizza of some sort *I work 7:45-4:45*

Currently Reading

Finished two books this weekend: Mindhunter: Inside the FBI’s Serial Crime Unit by John E. Douglas and Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn. I reviewed both over on Good Reads but much preferred the John E. Douglas book. Had Sharp Objects been the first book I ever read by Flynn, I doubt I’d have read any more of her work.

On The TV

Just a little bit of everything. Found some re-runs of The Middle, so enjoyed that. Watched a dumb Netflix movie called Fractured. And have been watching the Netflix series The Toys That Made Us while doing the laundry.

Creating

Some day I’ll have something exciting to share here. Today is not that day.

New Recipe I Tried Or Want To Try

I’ve been itching to try this ever since reading a short description in a book: Tortilla de Patatas 

Perhaps dinner tonight? We shall see…

From The Camera

Grabbed the camera and took a much-needed walk through the park yesterday morning. It’s the one I drive through on my way to work. Nice to get a slower perspective and have time to walk down to the lake I only see glimpses of when driving.

Quote For The Week

And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul. (John Muir)

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What’s on your agenda for the week ahead?

Missed posting last week (just one of those weeks, worked a lot of last-minute shifts) and yesterday (work again plus no Sunday night-time posting as we had a family birthday celebration to attend). Haven’t been on the computer much at all really.

Just for a bit of quick fun, the neglected little gray cat says “hello”:

99999999999999999999999999999+8+8+8+8+8+8+8+8+8+8+8+8+8+8+8+8+8+8+8+8+8+8+8+8+8+8+8+8+8+8+8+8+8+8+8+8+8+8+8+8+8+8+8+8+8+8+8+8+8+8+8+8+8+8+8+8+8+8+8+8+8+8+8+87

She “wrote” that before I even started my post and managed to get an “okay” readability score with it. Smart little cat.

Moving on to planning the rest of the week ahead…linking up with Sandra over at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom as always.

The Weather

Weird as ever. Snowed Monday, Antarctic air this morning (seriously, an 8 degree windchill in November). Rest of the week, slow warm up right back to 60 by next Monday.

On The Breakfast Plate

Chobani Flip yogurt and coffee.

Right Now I Am

Working on this post and then, probably going to bed. Also, thinking about how I don’t want to walk all the way back upstairs for the camera SD card.

As I Look Around The House

Hunting season is almost upon us and my husband’s stuff is everywhere plus all the extra Winter clothing I pulled out this morning. And as if that weren’t enough, it’s a mess just from the business of life.

On My To Do List

1. Do something about the mess (probably not until the weekend)
2. Grocery store (again, weekend)
3. Pay bills
4. Get J birthday card and one more present
5. Look for different pair of shoes (current ones are causing a lot of pain in my left foot, at least I hope it’s the shoes)

On The Menu

It’s a piece together kind of week…

MONDAY: We had brisket and hash browns (J had a baritone lesson at 6:30/ I worked 7:45-4:15)

TUESDAY: We had chicken noodle soup and baked potatoes (I worked 7:15-3:45)

WEDNESDAY: Maybe spaghetti? (I work 7:45-4:15)

THURSDAY: No idea… (I work 7:15-3:45)

FRIDAY: J’s birthday…his choice. Probably OUT.

Currently Reading

Just finished Finding Chika: A Little Girl, an Earthquake, and the Making of a Family by Mitch Albom.  Also started the Mindhunter book.

On The TV

I did binge-watch the entire 2nd season of Jack Ryan over the weekend. Thought the 2nd season was better than the first. Lots of subtitles though unless you speak fluent Spanish.

From The Camera

Not much, I’ve been at work more than anything and lazy at home. This is actually the yard from brief snow we had two plus weeks ago around Halloween. Yes! We’ve had snow twice this fall. Not typical. Not a fan. The leaves were pretty in it though.   

Quote For The Week

Children are not a distraction from more important work. They are the most important work. (Dr. John Trainer)

Quote referenced in the book I read this week and of course, it appealed to the preschool teacher in me as well.

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What’s on your agenda this week?

Last week was a rough one. As we were preparing to go out-of-town for our Aunt’s funeral, we found out my husband’s grandmother passed away. Unfortunately, we couldn’t attend her funeral as it was too far away (she’d moved to Texas earlier in the summer).  

As I said in the title, I’m hoping for a better week to end out this month.

Starting today with meeting a friend for coffee and a much-needed catch up on all the things kind of chat. Then, I get to take G and help him through the process of car inspections and tag renewals. Followed by maybe a grocery store trip and taking J to his baritone lesson. Better get to planning this week!

Joining in as always with Sandra from Diary of a Stay at Home Mom. Be sure to check out her site. Making my headings red for the Chiefs, they may not have won but what a game they gave us!

The Weather  

Um, snow chances tonight? And on Thursday! Winter, you’re too early! Go back to bed. It’s about 40 degrees today and 46 is the high. Warmest day of the week until the weekend, a balmy 48 predicted for Saturday.

On The Breakfast Plate

Haven’t made it that far. Coffee. Probably going to have a cheese danish with my Pumpkin Spice Latte in a bit.

As I Look Outside My Window

Cloudy. Dark when J and I left for the high school. Ready for some light in my mornings again.

Right Now I Am

Trying to hurry up with this post before I head out for the day.

As I Look Around The House

Could be worse but could also be a lot cleaner. We have too much stuff sitting around right now in need of a home. Maybe I’ll work on that this week.

On My To Do List

Seems like a lot and not sure it will all happen…

1. Go have coffee with a friend
2. Get G’s car tags renewed
3. Grocery store
4. Deep clean the bathrooms
5. Target?
6. Figure out what we’re going to do for J’s birthday (Nov 15, fast approaching)
7. Pay bills
8. Clean out fridge/freezer
9. Buy new socks (I’m not as holy as my socks would have one think 😉 )
10. Call to get my haircut

On The Menu

MONDAY: Lasagna (from a box), bread, salad (if I get to the store) *J has a baritone lesson*

TUESDAY: Apple Cider Pork Chops (in the crock pot), Fried Green Tomatoes

WEDNESDAY: Chicken in some form

THURSDAY: Chili (either here or at my brother’s house), cornbread *HAPPY HALLOWEEN*

FRIDAY: Been craving Chicken Enchilada Soup….not sure

Currently Reading

Same book as last week.

On The TV

Been watching Riverdale on Netflix. World Series (Maybe the Nationals can still win it?), NFL Football (Chiefs). Need to catch up on shows from last week.

New Recipe I Tried Or Want To Try 

Not exactly a recipe but J and I did try the Trick or Treat Ice Cream at Stone Cold Creamery yesterday afternoon (when it was a nice, sunny, and fairly warm fall day). Our Sunday Dinner: 

From The Camera

I picked everything left in our garden yesterday. 

Quote For The Week

As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17)

Verse from the eulogy of our late aunt. Thought it was a good one.

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What’s on your agenda for this last week in October?