Happy Homemaker Monday, October 28th

Happy Monday everyone! Hope you had a great weekend. I definitely did. My birthday was on Saturday and I had a fantastic day! The weather was gorgeous and we spent a lot of time outside. We also had a fantastic lunch at Deising’s in Kingston (oh, Rueben on a homemade pretzel roll, you were soooo delicious) and brought home a yummy chocolate mousse pie for my birthday treat. It was just a fun, family day… exactly what I wanted.

Yesterday I tried to focus on some cleaning, so I vacuumed, washed the floors, did laundry… Last night I went out to dinner with a friend I had not seen in a while. We went to Santa Fe in Tivoli where I got the pulled pork tacos. Again… just a delicious meal and it was so great to catch up!

But, now it’s back to the old grind! Lucky for me I took today off, and the schedule at work this week is quite light so I am happy about that. I feel like I have been going non-stop! I am really looking forward to Thanksgiving because I have that whole week off. The library is always closed on Wednesdays, and we are closed Thursday and Friday for the holiday, so I just had to take off Monday and Tuesday. It is going to be wonderful!

All right, on to HHM. Linking up with Sandra.

The weather outside is::::
It’s partly cloudy and 55 degrees at the moment — pretty typical for this time of year! Looks like we may be in for a rainy Halloween night, so we will have to play the trick-or-treating by ear. Also, the temperatures are really going to drop towards the end of the week, so I think we will be revving up the wood stove for sure!

On the breakfast plate this morning::::
Toasted English muffin with butter and orange marmalade

As I look outside my window:::
The leaves have all pretty much fallen of the trees. Some of the oak leaves are hanging on (barely), and they are always the last to go.

Right now I am::::
Listening to the washing machine, drinking tea, grilling chicken, and typing this up

As I look around the house::::
I did some cleaning yesterday, but honestly it still kind of looks like a tornado ran through it, LOL…

On today’s to do list::::
I am off of work today, but I have to pick up Laura from school and take her to the periodontist for her follow-up exam. (She had her upper and lower frenum lasered two week ago because they were “high” and pulling on her gums). I’ll run some errands while we are out — Joann’s, Dollar Tree, Walmart, and then pick up my levothyroxine on the way home. Later on I need to pick up Jake from play rehearsal.

On the menu this week::::
Monday – Baked ham, scalloped potatoes, green beans
Tuesday – Chicken bacon ranch quesadillas, salad
Wednesday – Chicken Tikka, rice/cauliflower rice, cucumber salad
Thursday (Halloween!) – Mummy Dogs, cole slaw, chips
Friday –  Pizza
Saturday – Cheeseburgers, french fries
Sunday – Chicken Parmesan, whole wheat spaghetti, salad

Currently reading::::

Getting ready to start Imaginary Friend by Steven Chbosky and The Whisper Man by Alex North.
      

It’s the season for spooky reads!

On the TV today::::
Finishing up the latest season of The Walking Dead on Netflix with Drew & Jake. Couple more episodes to go. I’m also watching Unbelievable, and want to check out the Jenny Slate stand-up special.

What I am creating at the moment::::
Working on a shawl for Laura.

New recipe I tried or want to try this week::::
Not sure… we need to bring a snack to the Boy Scouts Halloween party tomorrow night so I want to make something fun & festive. I’ll see what inspires me when I’m out shopping!

Favorite photo from the camera::::
Saturday night was trunk-or-treat at a local church and we always go because it’s really fun. Drew loves Halloween and loves dressing up, so he wore his “Business Panda” costume, which just cracks me up for some reason!

Hope you all have a great week and a fun and SAFE Halloween!

Oh hey!

Oh that’s right. I have a blog. Guess I kind of forgot about it. Summer was crazy and went by in a blur. Fall has sort of been the same. Work is starting to level off now that I have a full staff and I’ve finished up most of my previously scheduled Saturday programs. It will be so nice to have an honest-to-God weekend!

I didn’t make it to Sheep & Wool this year, which was fine. Instead I started a poncho for Laura. I have three of these Big Cakes in Cranberry Crisp, and I think one will be enough for the poncho. Not sure what I’ll use the other two for. Maybe a throw? Or a super giant scarf? Not really sure.
We’ve been busy doing all kinds of fall things like apple picking, baking pies, watching movies… and of course with a high school senior we’re doing college applications, too! Saturday (my birthday!) we’re going to an open house at SUNY New Paltz. It’s not necessarily one of Jake’s top picks, but it’s a good school and it’s close so it makes for an easy college visit. Senior portraits are done. Yearbook has been ordered. Things are getting checked off the list.
Well, I just wanted to pop in and ensure anyone who still reads this (if anyone is actually reading this), that I have not fallen off the face of the earth! I’m not going to promise daily updating, but… hopefully it won’t be another two months until I write again. Hope all is well with you!

This Week’s Menu – October 21-27

Trying to get back to posting my weekly meal plans! Should be pretty easy to stick to this one. The only dinner that is up in the air is Friday — I have to go back to work in the evening for a program, so… it may or may not be ham. We’ll see.
Saturday is my birthday! We will be out all day and most likely eating out for lunch, so I’ll throw a yummy dinner in the Crock Pot so there is little for me to do when we get back. I’m also thinking of getting a chocolate cake for dessert. My favorite!