Happy Homemaker Monday

Hosted by Sandra over at Dairy of a Stay at Home Mom.

The weather 

Monday sunny, 49

Tuesday cloudy, 63

Wednesday  sunny, 69

Thursday cloudy, 71

Friday  cloudy, 49

Saturday cloudy, 50

Sunday Partly Cloudy, 55

The yo-yo    temps this week  look  like a good way to catch a cold..   Proper dress and warmth are the  rule of the days!

On my mind

Well,  I was planning to  spend the holidays in Boston, then  I was ill and we decided  the kids would come to us! I was getting all excited about    decorating and and what we might do  during their stay,  and then my situation so improved   we will now  be back on the long drive  up north!...  I am a bit disappointed about some things I had hoped to do here,  but I am sure   we will have a glorious time!  

On the breakfast plate

Yogurt and coffee!

On my reading pile

Nothing.. at this time

On my tv

Hallmark movies and and Christmas vlogs!.

Interesting youtube vlog I saw this week:

I really enjoy following the Daily Connoisseur. I think you'd like it, too!

On the menu this week   is  doing most of the main cooking  ..  

NO plans

Looking around the house

We have been wrapping gifts like mad! The dining room table is  terrible askew~~

On my to-do list

• appointment with the  eye doctor  as a follow up to my  laser treatment to  correct  my glaucoma
• Straighten up the guest room
• Intercessors for America
• Study group  study of the minor prophets
• Bible Study of Hosea

To relax this week 

Listen to Christmas music, Bible Study, vlogs, 

Prayer and devotional  We  have been looking for a new church  after we  chose to leave  our previous one  at the end of the summer. Thankfully, we have found a wonderful church  and everyone there  has been exceptionally    loving to us   during my  time of  illness. The prayer and  the follow up calls  have been  so encouraging! 

Prayer about the influx of illegals into our nation,
everywhere that persecution is taking place...

Our government leaders to seek God, and for the fear of the Lord to

 spread among all people.
For healing of the sick,
 salvation of the lost,
 deliverance for the hurting,
the supply, food, and building shortage problem: may it not  become

 a huge crisis  
Churches to arise and pastors to  preach according to our times and

 this days.. very vital!
protect our children from the ungodly teachings and protect them

 from ungodly people who wish them harm for their own purposes. 

Especially for  people to turn or  return to God.   Only He can

 save..  There is no other way to God except through the shed blood 

of His son! I cannot imagine negotiating these days  without knowing

 that  God has my back.  Otherwise, I would be a basket case. He is in 

control ;even  the  terrible things He is allowing for his own purposes

 and it may be for the judgement of America. A nation cannot kill 63

 million babies and think God doesn't notice and care.  His judgement

  may be  right around the corner,  but His people  will go through it 

 in the palm of His hand. Please  turn to God through Jesus Christ.  

Tuesday 4 November

 

Novembe

 Let's talk about November!

Hosted by Annie!

1. Besides Thanksgiving, is there anything about November you

 like/dislike?November the 9 is Amanda’s Gotcha Day!  She ar-

rived here in the states from South Korea at age 3 1/2 months.  

2. How is November weather where you live? Does it suit you?

The weather here can be very cold

 or be mild, as it was today.  Yet this past

 weekend we had killing frosts and it was 

very cold! 

3. When do you plan for Thanksgiving? 

Eat home or out? Menu?As the kids are 

coming for Thanksgiving to spend a week, we will, also, celebrate

 Christmas!   That is why We are working hard to get it all together! 

I would love to not do the whole turkey, but actually just do turkey 

cutlets which I think are very good.  The dressing, gravy, 

mashed potatoes, Brussels sprouts and cranberry relish take 

enough time to prepare! 

4. When do you begin your decor and plans for Christmas.

 It "officially" begins after Thanksgiving and the Macy's Parade

 when Santa arrives at the end.   As I said, we will celebrate 

with our family during Thanksgiving week, so Lynn is 

bringing  up the boxes and I am decorating from each box as

 quickly as I can. Today I  plan to take a break in decorating to  

wrap gifts and  now that we have lights on the small tree, I will 

decorate it.

 

Happy Homemaker Monday

Hosted by Sandra over at Dairy of a Stay at Home Mom.

The weather 

Monday sunny, 72

Tuesday cloudy, 76

Wednesday  sunny, 73

Thursday rain, 64

Friday  sunny, 63

Saturday cloudy, 54

Sunday Partly Cloudy, 53

With  a bit of running around to do this week,  it is nice  to have  more pleasant weather!

On my mind

After almost a month of suffering with this  gall bladder problem,  I am finally  in a mend, enough to get some Christmas decorating done.... even if very slowly.. Being  so  poorly for a month has  made me weak with a  terrible  lower back.. But    if I keep moving it gradually improves!

On the breakfast plate

Coffee, 2 eggs, and a small bagel.  I have to watch my dairy intake while on this particular  antibiotic!

On my reading pile

Nothing.. at this time

On my tv

Hallmark movies and and Christmas vlogs!.

Interesting youtube vlog I saw this week:

I really love  Entertaining with Beth.  Her food is amazing and to watch her it seems  fairly simple!

On the menu this week  Yn is  doing most of the main cooking  ..  so ???

Monday -Split Pea soup and  a bit of leftover brisket

Tuesday -  

Wednesday - soup and sandwich 

Thursday- 

Friday -  baked cod, and spinach salad.From the Camera an   Looking around the house

From the camera and Looking around the house

I created a new look on the hall cupboard  I am pretty happy with it!!!

 I , also, got some table top arrangements done today!

Since we will be celebrating Thanksgiving and Christmas at the same time, essentially, during one week, I took a fall arrangement and added a bit of red  while removing the sunflowers...  I rather like it!!!

On my to-do list

• appointment with the  surgeon who will eventually remove my GB
• follow up appointment with ophthalmologist who did my  laser treatment is coming up soon
• Straighten up the guest room
• Intercessors for America
• Study group  study of the minor prophets
• Bible Study of Hosea

To relax this week 

Listen to Christmas music, Bible Study, vlogs, 

Prayer and devotional

Praise for the election results here in Virginia!!! 
Prayer about the influx of illegals into our nation,
everywhere that persecution is taking place...

Our government leaders to seek God, and for the fear of the Lord to

 spread among all people.
For healing of the sick,
 salvation of the lost,
 deliverance for the hurting,
the supply, food, and building shortage problem: may it not  become

 a huge crisis  
Churches to arise and pastors to  preach according to our times and

 this days.. very vital!
protect our children from the ungodly teachings and protect them

 from ungodly people who wish them harm for their own purposes. 

Especially for  people to turn or  return to God.   Only He can

 save..  There is no other way to God except through the shed blood 

of His son! I cannot imagine negotiating these days  without knowing

 that  God has my back.  Otherwise, I would be a basket case. He is in 

control ;even  the  terrible things He is allowing for his own purposes

 and it may be for the judgement of America. A nation cannot kill 63

 million babies and think God doesn't notice and care.  His judgement

  may be  right around the corner,  but His people  will go through it 

 in the palm of His hand. Please  turn to God through Jesus Christ.  

Update and Praise!

 

It is  Saturday, and I am finally feeling    good enough to do a bit of decorating around the house. I had   my second endoscopy in two weeks  last week. Praise God the doctor found no cancer,   but my  gall stone was as large as a ping pong ball and  the laser   treatment only crushed half of it. So I will be returning for another    treatment in December.  But praise God again, I should still be able to have Amanda and her family here over Thanksgiving to celebrate both holidays.   Right now the house is a topsy turvy   mess!  But all of the fall decor has been stored  back into their  cartons and  Christmas is  beginning to show up around the downstairs!I actually was able to clear out 2 Christmas cartons, but , goodness, so much yet to do!

Today I worked on four various arrangements.. something I could do seated.. I wish I was springing back in strength and capacity to get things done,But between discomfort and a weak back from being so ill for 3 weeks, things are pretty hard.  I cannot stand up straight without pain and am so weak I cannot keep it straight for long.  Oh, my, I am my mother!Maybe, tomorrow I will have a few photos to share, but also, I am looking forward to attending church.  I’ve missed three weeks!  

Lynn is my Inspiration

When one becomes almost totally dependent on one’s  spouse, one really learns to appreciate them more  than ever! That is how I feel about 

Lynn . I mean he is awe inspiring.ly sweet! The meals,  the taking care of the house, and doing the massive yard work, as well, he is simply amazing,..plus his temperament about it all is really inspiring!  This coming spring we will celebrate our 50th year together.. and it just keeps getting better!❤️❤️ I would appreciate your prayers that on  Wednesday when I have my endoscopy to crush the massive stone that is blocking two ducts and biopsies making sure there is no cancer connected to my gall bladder situation, that the biopsies are clear and the original plan for my gall bladder to heal and right after Thanksgiving I can have it removed and move beyond this hitch in my giddy up! 

         

*******Attention Blogger Friends*******

I have been having trouble with commenting, but it is worse than ever! I hate this because I do and have always enjoyed getting to know you through comments but now unless my comment is super short,  it will not register! Most times nothing registers now.  I can barely write a “thank you”.  Lately I have been responding in my comment list but again they have to be short and my reply doesn’t work at all. I have tried to find an answer to this but it was all to no avail! I have even thought about starting a new blog, but I hate to do that! My most sincere apologies for your not hearing much from me.  I shared about this a few months ago, but it could have been missed.  God bless you all!  

Christmas Vignettes from Years Past

While I am in quarantine awaiting my return to the hospital midweek for a  further testing procedure, I have been perusing my photos of the past for Christmas inspiration. The kids are coming to celebrate both Thanksgiving and Christmas the week of Thanksgiving  so instead of waiting til Thanksgiving weekend to Yule up the house, I really need to start , hopefully,  by next weekend! I decided I needed a good game plan! 

So today I am sharing some  vignettes around the house that have helped in the past to add joy and merriment to our home.. And because of covid they would be new to the kids.  I don’t know if you were like me during covid, but a bit if extra creativity was born out of those holiday hours  of separation. 

I really like how those red berry picks stand out against the white mums in the above  planter… I hopeI  can find all those elements! 

That hall cabinet is a relatively new piece of furniture and during covid. I had great fun creating this homage to  Christmas teatime! I actually got the idea for this from my visit at Open Door, Open Window, Pam’s vignette was blue and totally charming!

Again, due to covid, we took time to declutter the basement storeroom and found the boxes containing the Christmas house collection!The grands have never seen them, so they must be on the mantel this year! Note to self, find the extension cords!

One of my favorite decorating escapades of last year was doing a bit in the den, even if it did come together without a lot of planning!  This year after watching so many wonderful vlogs I would love to beef up the garland and also do both windows.. haha last year it seemed fine to just do the north facing window.  Yes, I hope to do both windows this time!  And apply a bit more consideration on making those garlands statement pieces!

And, last, but not least, if I do not get around putting up a tree, I could just resort to this!  I do remember that the tree lights still shone gloriously through the front window,  which for me is pretty important!

 

A Simple, Quick Supper for Family Night Inspiration

When it comes to meal planning my go to inspiration is one of my favorite vlogs, Entertaining with Beth! She serves up exciting, delicious and relatively easy meals. This one caught my eye because of its simplicity and it looks absolutely scrumptious!  I know my family would love this.. a quick,  yummy and nutritious  dinner.. as we will take turns cooking. I’m sure to choose this one to do! It even looks Christmassy!

Serves: 4

Easy Cashew Chicken Recipe

Easy Cashew Chicken Recipe that makes for great leftovers in the lunchbox the next day! A deliciously sweet and salty stir fry sauce makes this kid-friendly too!

Prep: 30 minutes cook: 15 minutes  total:45 minutes

Ingredients

FOR CHICKEN:

2 tbsp (30ml) vegetable oil, separated

1 1⁄2 lbs (680g) chicken tenders, cut into bite-sized chunks 1⁄4 cup (30g) cornstarch

1 tsp (5ml) salt

freshly cracked pepper

1 red pepper, cut into thin strips

1 green pepper, cut into thin strips

FOR SAUCE:

1/4 cup (60ml) hoisin sauce 

2 tbsp (30ml) soy sauce

1 tsp (5ml) rice wine vinegar

 1⁄2 tsp (2.5ml) honey

3 garlic cloves, minced

1⁄2 cup (100g) cashews

2 scallions (white and green parts) sliced

Instructions

1.,Whisk together the cornstarch, salt and pepper.Add chicken and toss to coat..

2.Whisk together the Ingredients for the  Sauce .Prep the peppers ,and the scallions and measure out the cashews.

3.Haveallyourcomponentsreadytogo,andthenheat1tbspofvegetableoilina large non-stick pan or wok. Cook the chicken in batches (add fresh oil each time) until the chicken is golden brown on both sides and almost cooked through. Transfer to a bowl until all the chicken has been browned.

4.Theb place the cooked chicken  back into the wok,add the peppers and the sauce, continue to cook until chicken is cooked through.

5. Toss in cashews and scallions.Stir to combine and warm.

6.Transfer to a large serving platter serve with rice or steamed broccoli drizzled with toasted sesame oil and sesame seeds.

Notes

The peppers and the sauce can be prepped ahead of time and refrigerated. That would make this recipe even quicker!

P.S.  So funny, Lynn came downstairs with a printed copy of the recipe, saying, “ When are we making this?”  He was totally salivating. I think we will definitely doing a dry run on this recipe one day soon!