Happy Homemaker Monday

Let's join in with Sandra here.

Breakfast time....what is on the plate this morning::::
We enjoyed a fruited yogurt and a  wonderful plate of leftover Christmas breakfast...  quiche,  sausage balls and  cinnamon roll!  Yum!!!

Right now I am::
Gloriously and happily watching our grand daughters   play..  putting their Christmas  puzzles together.

The weather outside::::
sunny, but super  frigid... a layer of  crisp Christmas snow lies on the ground

Looking around the house::::
Our daughter, Amanda,  seems to have to work constantly to get ahead  of the laundry and    dishes....but considering  the mess of  yesterday's unwrapping...  the house looks amazing  great!!!


On this week's to do list::::
Today  the three of us   take  Birdie to  Princesses on Ice..

Tomorrow we celebrate  Lady Bug's second birthday....   

On the reading book shelf:::
I got  some new books  but  I  am not sure of the titles..  more on  books next week!!

   

            On the TV ::::
             No tv this week

On the menu this week:::
Whatever is set before me!   Odd week ahead.

If I have a few minutes to myself, I will::::
maybe catch a few z'szzzzzzzzzzzzz

Looking forward to this week::::Only a couple more days here  then we are back on the road  to go home  for the New Year!!!

Favorite photo from the camera::::

Bird just got up from her nap  and  loved curling up  by  Baa Baa..I see sleepy eyes!!

Devotionals, Scripture Reading, Key Verses::::

Glory to God in the Highest

The people walking in darkness

have seen a great light;

on those living in the land of the shadow of death

a light has dawned.

For unto us a child is born,

to us a son is given,

and the government will be on His shoulders.

And He will be called

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Of the increase of His government and peace

there will be no end.

He will reign on David's throne  

and over His kingdom establishing and upholding it

with justice and righteousness

from that time on and forever.

The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this."

(Isaiah 9:2, 6-7) 

"Glory to God in the highest  

and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests."

- Luke 2:11 

   

Saturday Critters

      Merry Christmas to everyone as we  take time to share with Eileen's Saturday Critters party. This week we are visiting our daughter's family near Boston... Imagine my surprise when out riding through their neighborhood we saw a whole flock of  wild turkey hens...

Last year, when we visited,  these wild turkeys who claim this neighborhood as their  forever home,, were more like chicks.... my, how they have grown!

Happy Homemaker Monday

Let's join in with Sandra here.
Merry Christmas!!!

Breakfast time....what is on the plate this morning::::
Hubs  made our traditional coffee and  yogurt,  but I am using up a bit of  items form the fridge and making  homemade biscuits, as well!

Right now I am::
awaiting the biscuits to bake,,, hubs is out doors doing a few  minor  jobs  to get the house set for the holidays... We have a super busy day today!

The weather outside::::

A sunny  bright day  today  with milder temps.. going to be some pretty nice days this week,  but  colder weather next week.. perhaps a bit of snow for Christmas!

Looking around the house::::
I have loads of  clean clothes  on my bed ready to  sort and decide what to pack.. we will be leaving for Boston one day this week. Lots to do to get  things ready to take..  going to  share Christmas with our grand daughters.. age 4 and 2  so  we will have a  packed  vehicle for sure!

On this week's to do list::::

Final countdown to Christmas

On the reading book shelf:::

I will be taking  a few new books... I cant even remember their titles,  but one is  Debbie Macomber,  and  two  faith based books...   

            On the TV ::::

I enjoy the Christmas Hallmark movies

I  seem to have watched mainly reruns,,  but I still enjoy them.. pone of my favorites  is Trading Christmas

On the menu this week:::
I have no idea....  oh boy  a week of surprises!

If I have a few minutes to myself, I will::::

definitely read on my new books...I can now put my new glasses to work..  I was needing  a new prescription..

When I tired on these frames  I felt wow,  it reminds me so much of my college days.. I felt pretty good..   and  folks do seem to like them...  They were a good choice!

New recipe I tried, or want to try this week:::: 

I am taking a few recipes with me  to my daughter's home  but  I don't know that  she will  want  any of the traditional stuff...She likes to try her own new things  so if  she has something   great  I will share next time

Looking forward to this week::::
Making our arrival  to be with our kids,,,  

not that excited about the two day  driving!

Favorite photo from the camera::::

Devotionals, Scripture Reading, Key Verses::::

It's Almost Christmas.... Remember the Birds

Today I am deep into Christmas planning,  but taking time to share with Eileen's Saturday Critters party.  I  can't wait to start using our new dslr  camera for  our bird-watching....   my  little canon just doesn't cut it...for long range or    through  double pane glass..  but  we did enjoy our cardinal visitors this week. .. especially since they
are our state bird!!!

Meanwhile,  those pesky squirrels did a job of wrecking the  bird seed wreath.. here and gone in just a couple of days...

Those  aggressive house sparrows wouldn't be afraid on take on a squirrel, however! 

 

He just took it over and  homesteaded there until it was all gone!!

Meanwhile, the cardinal couple found the bird feeders

 Oh, those sparrows  will not be outdone....

 and they don't mind foraging for the leftovers!!!

One morning  I was delighted to find a  beautiful  adult dove -grey tufted titmouse

on the feeder,  but, alas, he got away  before I could  snap a shot...  But he  brought a few sweet friends, Carolina Chick-a- dees, who took their leisure  and posed  right handsomely for me!

 At one point  this  friendly  house finch seemed to  want to just take up  housekeeping  at the feeder...  he perched there for some time!!!

Old Fashioned Simplicity

Today Hubs and I spent some time on the sun room...  It was still looking  autumnal....  and  a bit sketchy!!  Yikes... so  he vacuumed, praise God  he does because I  cant bear to with my allergies!!!And we moved a bit of furniture around.  Then  I did a bit of decorating  and now  when guests arrive tomorrow they will feel welcomed!  The style of this room really reminded me  of the    great memories of  Christmases from long ago!!!  Sort of like this song..

The expanse of  cherry and pine in here  creates a warm and country  style   and I'm really feeling like a grandma today... even with my grand babies  living 700 miles away...  I am  associating with my forebears   very much this season!

 By moving the chair  to the corner I now have a cozy spot to sit by the window and enjoy   the birds  who come to the feeders.

House sparrows and  cardinals have been the  first to stop by..
it is also a grand and cozy place to sit and do my morning  scriptures with a cup of  warming tea or coffee!!

Changing up the pillows and table toppers  make an easy    task  with a  big   impact!  The seasonal tree is now  Christmassy and table cloths  are switched out.

Yes,    I do see all that clutter over there.. just no place to put it...  It is all  items  that  are  of a sun room persuasion,  but that just do not look like Christmas,  but  to carry them to the basement    is not in my  low key  strategy this year and  besides  Grandma would have decorated around it as well..  back  in her  dairy farmhouse.  So I'm   calling this  country simplicity!

Grace at Home

Home Sweet Home

Wednesday Hodge Podge

Return to Jyce's page here!

1. 'Hurry less, worry less'...what's your strategy for making that happen this holiday season? How's it going so far? I would say both to this...I don't really have much reason to hurry because   this year we are Christmassing with  the kids, or have  events with family and friends  mostly  in restaurants and other's   houses..for example, our  Prayer Sister's Brunch

in Judy's home.

I will have  a prayer event here on Thursday morning and will  be  celebrating a bit,  but   the house is ready to go since it is mainly  just for our own  seasonal  enjoyment ....and I only have  some light refreshments  for Thursday, so nothing  taxing or wearisome!This truly is a stress-free  year for us! We  got the lights up outside last night..... now we aren't the dark house on the block.. that  feels  great!

2. Do you have a list of to-dos that need accomplishing in order to prepare your home and/or property for the winter season? What are some of the jobs on your list? Are you a do-it-yourselfer or do you hire someone to accomplish these tasks?

 Not this year.. Oh, I have a long to do-list  just to get  it done.. like finish the upstairs remodel that is left in mid  state  that is just passable...the wall tile needs to go up... Because Hubs is a do-it- himselfer,  the tile  just resides  in the box!  Hubs

did,  however, get all the  yard work done  for the season and that is saying a lot...  we have a ton of leaves....  living right off of Oak Street...It is an oak neighborhood!

No, we have done just about all the  preparing for Christmas we are doing to do.... I have one small event  this week here at home  and it will be very low key!

3. According to dietitians surveyed, the most popular health foods for 2018 will be -turmeric, sprouted foods (bean sprouts, breads with sprouted grains, etc), veggies in place of grains, dairy free milk, and pulses (lentils, chickpeas, etc). What's the first thought that ran through your head when you read this list? Of the foods listed which one might you add to your regular diet? Also, can milk really be dairy free? Is it still milk?

My first thoughts are ,   "blech"

I will  enjoy my lentil soup...  always do as long as there is a bit of country  ham in there...chick peas, not so much... I'll leave the  sprouts to the younger generation.. They have much longer to live than I do.. I'll do fine with my   fruits, veggies, and   green tea!  Oh,  and  blech.. on  non dairy milk...  Maybe  you can slip it into a smoothie for me or on cereal ..  but  in a glass.. no way!

4. The Pantone Color of the Year for 2018 is Ultra Violet. According to the Pantone site 'Ultra Violet communicates originality, ingenuity, and visionary thinking pointing us to the future.' What say you? Do you like the color purple? Did you see the movie or read the book-ha!? Is purple a color you wear often? Describe for us one purple item in your home without using the word purple. If you were in charge of such things what color would you select for 2018?

First  of all, I'm sorry to say goodbye to this year's color..

I liked it, although I only have a sweater that  shade..

 and this year  I, again,  do  wear  this color,,

 and    my  sweater is exactly that tone so I am feeling  really in style for the new year... I would not be using that color in my decor, although I love to visit my  sweet cousin, Pam, because her guest room is the most luscious  purple  I've ever seen!!!!

5. Favorite book read this year?

I really enjoyed Debbie Macomber's series, The Rose Harbor books..I took the first one   Rose Harbor Inn with me  on vacation last year  and  got so  involved  I had to stop twice to  pick up the next books in the series...  Even paid  hard back prices  to finish the series on our ride home...here are some...

   

  

6. Insert your own random thought here. This week,  as posted on Monday,  we suddenly had  a huge water main burst  right by our property line  beside the street in front of our house... We failed to get a photo of the  water spout,  but did get the  resulting hole  in our yard.

Later in the evening the water authority  came to  repair  the damage, and they worked  well after bedtime..

Now we are a bit concerned because  they did tell us  the rupture  has very near the sewer line....  oh, boy...  praying it wasn't damaged!!We do not need a New Year surprise!