Monday, August 31, 2009

Happy Homemaker Monday

The weather in my neck of the woods:
Its 70 degrees. It is feeling like fall here in Ohio.


One of my simple pleasures:
A hot cup of tea on a cool day.

I am reading The Bride’s of Lancaster County Series. I finished the 2nd book “Looking for a Miracle’ and 3rd book Plain & Fancy. I am now reading the 4th and final book in the series The Hope Chest. I can not believe I have actually made the time to read 2 books this past week and start a third.


On my bedside table:
The same as last week tissue, lotion, candle, lamp, a glass bowl that holds chapstick and hair ties. An Upcycled candy sprinkles contained that now contains chocolate and a fabric placemat.


On my TV:
Nothing


On the menu for tonight:
Homemade Pepperoni & Mushroom Pizza


On my To Do List:
My daily cleaning schedule such as laundry, dishes, and cleanings up the kitchen. I am finishing the work on organize my little office this week. It has been slow moving but mostly because I haven’t spent a lot of time on it. Some of our homeschool activities start this week so we will be plenty busy. My daughter Nastasja and I are baking later this week to sell at the Farmer Market.


New Recipe I tried last week:


In the craft basket:
I am still working on the Mary Engelbreit embroidery project called “Sentiments in Suede” from her book “Wrap It Up Gifts to Make Wrap and Give”.


Looking forward to:
I look forward to watching a movie at home with my family tonight while we eat homemade pizza.


Homemaking Tip for this week:
I like to always have some kind of little cleaning or organizing project going on that I can work on over a week or two. I am not talking about normal cleaning that gets done daily so that it doesn’t get backed up. The projects I have worked on this summer have been clean & organize my cabinets, my extra kitchen stuff in the basement, my stored homeschool supplies in the basement, our homeschool room, the entertainment center, my potting space in the shed, and currently my little office. My next project will be my gift center that I have in the basement so it will be ready for the holiday season. I never pull out more than I can do in an hour and try to work on it daily until it is finished. Most of the time an hour is all that is needed since I am constantly working on an area as I see a need so that it never get too messy.


Favorite Blog Post of the week (mine or other):
I can’t think of just one.


Favorite photo from last week:


Lesson learned the past few days:
That there are a lot of people who don’t cook or bake.


On my Prayer List:
My husband and children
My family
Our homeschool
Homeschool programs starting up


Devotionals, Scripture Reading, Key Verses:
The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes. Psalm 19:8


To see other Happy Homemaker Posts please visit Diary of a SAHM.

Pizza Hut Style Pizza Dough


1 1/3 cups water
2 tsp sugar
1 1/4 tsp salt
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp cornmeal
3 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1 1/2 tsp yeast

Add ingredients to bread machine, according to manufacturer's settings, and run dough setting. After the machine beeps, roll out the dough. You can roll the dough into two 9x13" pizzas or into two medium pizzas or a large pizza and an order of breadsticks (as instructed above). Parbake the crust with a drizzle of olive oil on it at 450 degrees for ten minutes. Remove the crust and add sauce and toppings. If making breadsticks, add your breadsticks at this time. Place into the oven for another ten to fifteen minutes or until golden and bubbly. Enjoy!

Note:
This recipe yielded a large crust and an order of cheesy bread for our family. The cheesy bread was prepared by rolling out the dough, drizzling it with olive oil; sprinkling with cheese & garlic salt and throwing it in with the pizza dough after it has been prebaked. You can cut these (before baking) with a pizza roller.

August 31- September 6 Menu Plan


This week from our garden we have zucchini, yellow squash, winter squash, broccoli, green peppers, tomatoes, and cucumbers. We have been eating lots of fresh vegetables this summer mostly from our garden but supplemented from the Farmers Market or grocery store. We mostly eat leftovers for lunch and the breads that I am making are for breakfast.

We are having 3 crockpot meals this week. My kids and I always do errands and Teen Tech at the Library on Wednesdays. Our homeschool Co-op starts this week which is on Fridays and they are doing the play “The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe” so try-outs are on Thursday. We also have SWAM on Thursday night which is a community service oriented group for Christian homeschooled teens. And my daughter Nastasja and I have baking to do on Thursday & Friday for the Farmers Market. This will be a very busy week for all of us.

Our menu this week:

Monday:
Homemade Pepperoni & Mushroom Pizza

Tuesday:
Italian Breaded Pork Lion Chops, Winter Squash Casserole, Baked Potatoes, and Corn on the Cob

Wednesday:
Crockpot Lasagna, Salad, and Yellow Squash Muffins

Thursday:
Crockpot 3 Cheese Chicken & Noodles and Broccoli

Friday:
Slow Cooker Chicken & Dumplings, Mashed Potatoes, and Green Beans
Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

Saturday:
Leftovers

Sunday:
Grilled Steak, Hamburgers, Hotdogs, Potato Squash Casserole, Baked Potatoes, and Broccoli


So, what's on your menu this week?

Visit I'm an Organizing Junkie to see more menu ideas.

Potato Squash Casserole



4 small potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1 small butternut squash - peeled, seeded, and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 pound cooked bulk pork sausage
1 small onion, chopped
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

1. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the potatoes, squash and water. Cover and cook on high for 5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Place half of the mixture in a greased 2-qt. baking dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Crumble sausage over potato mixture. Top with onion and remaining potato mixture.

2. In a small bowl, combine flour and 1/4 cup cream until smooth; stir in remaining cream. Pour over potato mixture. Cover and bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes. Uncover; bake for 20-30 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Sprinkle with cheese; bake 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

Winter Squash Casserole



6 cups mashed winter squash
1/2 cup butter, melted
6 eggs, beaten
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt

TOPPING:
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup slivered almonds

In a large bowl, combine the first five ingredients. Pour into an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish.

Combine topping ingredients and crumble over the top. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.
Submitted to:

Thursday, August 27, 2009

Summer Morn' Tablescape

The dishes are called Summer Morn’ by Taylorstone I paid $5 at a Flea market for the whole set that serves 6. I bought them because I thought the Rooster Theme would be a nice tablescape. My style is not usually Roosters but the dishes did catch my eye so I had to have them. I used the dishes and no other rooster accessories since I didn’t have any. I like that they are green & white because I can use them in the summer and then later to play up a fall theme. This tablescape I tried to play up the Summer Morn’ Theme by using lots of flowers and doing an early morning breakfast. I am serving Spiced Applesauce Bread using Zucchini Apple Sauce w/Green Grapes and Sunny Orange Delight for the drink.

I am using my green depression glasses. The candle centerpiece I got yesterday at a thrift store to use for this tablescape I paid $4 for it and $2 for the candles at the Dollar Tree. The wood rounds I got at a pioneer fieldtrip my family went to a couple years ago. We used a large 2 person saw, one round my son Brandon and I cut and the other my daughter Nastasja & son Shawn cut. The bottle is a recycled Starbucks coffee drink that I spray painted the lid a hammered metal color and then added green food coloring, water and oil. I like how it catches the sun. The cloth napkins I got about a month or so ago for $1 for 8. The flowers I got for free and the vases also. My husband and I had the same idea yesterday to pick some flowers along the road He was coming home from work and the kids and I from the library and shopping. I couldn't decide which looked best the flowers in the middle or at the ends of the table.


Wednesday, August 26, 2009

The Picnic Spot

We enjoy sitting at our picnic table in the summer talking and enjoying a meal. We have also been known to do crafts or woodworking project here also. We bought the picnic table at Home Depo when we first moved into the house 8 years ago for $100. It has definately been worth having because it has seen a lot of use.

I buy a new plastic tablecloth every spring for the table at a thrift store or yard sale and never pay more than $0.50 or $1.00 since it will be in the trash before the end of fall. I like the solid colored ones so this year it is yellow last year it was green and next year is blue. In the fall the squirrels tear the tablescoth to shreds because they pick the cotton backing off of it for nesting. The first year I put a plastic tablecloth on it I couldn't figure out what had happened. As I watched the spot for a couple days I spotted a squirrel pulling and tugging pieces of the cotton off early one morning. I decided after that to leave the cloth on until I think the squirrels are done with it and then I throw it away.

We bought the Teak Torches at a fleamarket last spring for $5 for the set. They are brass (I think) and we spray painted the rod part green to match our swing area. We were glad to find them since the bamboo ones we had were rotting. We have daffodils planted around one of the trees and purple forget-me-nots. My daughter Nastasja and I dug the forget-me-nots from the grass and replanted them when she was 10 years old. I also have a squirrel feeder on one of the trees that I got at a fleamarket for $10. The squirrels love eating ears of corn off it and we enjoy watching them.


This is what our picnic spot looks like now. I have a sheppard's hook that I plan on adding to this area so that I can put a hanging basket on it. I would also like to add some wildflowers around the tree to give it some color in the summer. The second tree without flowers is going to be cut down because it died as you can see it doesn't cast very much shadow.


This is what it looked like in the spring. (The date on the picture is not correct)

Submitted to:

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Blessed Be Your Name




Blessed Be Your Name
In the land that is plentiful
Where Your streams of abundance flow
Blessed be Your name

Blessed Be Your name
When I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed Be Your name

Every blessing You pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

Blessed be Your name
When the sun's shining down on me
When the world's 'all as it should be'
Blessed be Your name

Blessed be Your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there's pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name

Every blessing You pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord, blessed be Your name

By Matt Redman

Happy Homemaker Monday

The weather in my neck of the woods:
Its 80 degrees. It rained last week so my garden got the needed watering.


One of my simple pleasures:
Opening the doors to the house when I get up to see the fresh new day.

I finished reading the 3rd book of The Daughter’s of Lancaster County Series last week and then started The Bride’s of Lancaster County Series. I read the 1st book “A Merry Heart” in 2 days and am now reading the 2nd book “Looking for a Miracle’. I love getting that much reading done in a week as it doesn’t happen often enough.


On my bedside table:
The same as last week tissue, lotion, candle, lamp, a glass bowl that holds chapstick and hair ties. An Upcycled candy sprinkles contained that now contains chocolate and a fabric placemat.


On my TV:
Nothing


On the menu for tonight:
Cheddar Bratwursts, Boiled Purple Potatoes, and Green Beans


On my To Do List:
My daily cleaning schedule such as laundry, dishes, and cleanings up the kitchen.

I am still working on organize my little office.

My daughter Nastasja and I are baking Chocolate Zucchini Bread & Spiced Applesauce Bread to sell at my husbands work.


New Recipe I tried last week:
Grilled Salmon


In the craft basket:
I am still working on the Mary Engelbreit embroidery project called “Sentiments in Suede” from her book “Wrap It Up Gifts to Make Wrap and Give”.


Looking forward to:
I look forward to watching a movie at home with my husband tonight.


Homemaking Tip for this week:
Take time to set a pretty table for dinner once in awhile and enjoy family.


Favorite Blog Post of the week (mine or other):
I can’t think of just one.


Favorite photo from last week:
A Cheerful Cup Tablescape



Lesson learned the past few days:
That my husband appreciates that I take care of our home so well.


On my Prayer List:
My husband and children
My family
Our homeschool


Devotionals, Scripture Reading, Key Verses:
Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Proverbs 3:5-6 (KJV)


To see other Happy Homemaker Posts please visit Diary of a SAHM.

Monday, August 24, 2009

August 24-30 Menu Plan



This week from our garden we have zucchini, yellow squash, winter squash, broccoli, green peppers, green beans, tomatoes, and cucumbers. We mostly eat leftovers for lunch and the breads that I am making are for breakfast.

Our menu this week:

Monday:
Cheddar Bratwursts, Boiled Purple Potatoes, and Green Beans
Spiced Applesauce Bread using Zucchini Apple Sauce


Tuesday:
Skillet Shrimp and Rice, with Broccoli


Wednesday:
Crockpot Lasagna, Salad, and Yellow Squash Muffins


Thursday:
Zucchini Gratin, Roasted Baby Potatoes with Rosemary, Broccoli Salad


Friday:
Mexican Pot Roast, Rice, and Corn
Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread


Saturday:
Chicken Broccoli Lo Mein


Sunday:
Chicken & Black Bean Burritos, and Steamed Yellow Squash


So, what's on your menu this week?
Visit I'm an Organizing Junkie to see more menu ideas.

Mexican Pot Roast

4 lbs. lean, boneless chuck pot roast
2 TBSP olive oil
1 can (14-1/2 oz.) whole tomatoes
1 can (3 oz.) chopped green chilies
3 TBSP dry taco seasoning mix
1 TBSP dry beef or chicken bouillon
1 tsp. sugar1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder

Brown pot roast in olive oil in a Dutch oven. Combine tomatoes, green chilies, taco mix, bouillon, sugar, onion powder and garlic powder. Pour mixture over top of pot roast. Cover and simmer on low heat for 3-1/2 to 4 hours or until roast is tender. Carve into slices. Serve with noodles or rice. Yield: approximately 8 servings.


Submitted to:
Recipe Swap
Food On Friday
Friday Feasts
Foodie Friday
Fridays Family Recipe
5 Dollar Dinner Challenge
Ultimate Recipe Swap
Slow Cooking Thursday
Crock Pot Wednesday

Chicken & Black Bean Burritos

Chicken & Black Bean Burritos
1 cup Cooked and Diced Chicken
2 cups Rinsed and Drained Black Beans
2 cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Flour Tortillas

Soften tortillas in the microwave. Fill with a small amount of chicken, beans and cheese reserving some of the cheese to top the burrito with. Roll up tightly and top with cheese and microwave for about 5 minutes. Then top with your favorite combination of salsa, onions, sour cream, tomatoes and lettuce.

Submitted to:
Ultimate Recipe Swap

Chicken Broccoli Lo Mein



8 ounces linguine or thin spaghetti
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup fresh button mushrooms
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 bag frozen broccoli pieces
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 tablespoon ketchup

Cook pasta as directed. Clean & chop mushrooms. Heat oil. Cut chicken in bite size pieces. When all the chicken is cut, add it to the skillet. Add mushrooms and broccoli to the skillet. Cook for five to six minutes or until mushrooms have released their liquid and chicken is cooked through. Add soy sauce, vinegar, and ketchup. Stir to combine. Add cooked pasta and serve immediately.

Yellow Squash Muffins



1 pound yellow summer squash, cut into 1-inch slices
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 egg, lightly beaten
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Place 1 in. of water in a saucepan; add squash. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 5 minutes or until tender. Drain and mash; stir in the butter and egg. In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir in the squash mixture just until moistened. Fill greased muffin cups three-fourths full. Bake 375° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. Yield: 1 dozen.

Spiced Applesauce Bread


1 1/4 cups applesauce
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
3 tablespoons milk
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
In a large bowl, combine the applesauce, sugar, oil, eggs and milk; beat well. Sift in the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and salt; stir until smooth. Fold in the pecans. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.

Bake in preheated oven for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean.

Zucchini Apple Sauce

1 can frozen apple juice concentrate
Zucchini peeled and de-seeded to fill the crockpot
1-2 apples also peeled and chunked up
sugar, cinnamon, vanilla to taste

Cook the zucchini until it is much. Blend or mash until desired consistency. Flavor to taste.

Skillet Shrimp and Rice

4 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (3 oz.)
1 small onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
2 cups long-grain rice
1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 tsp. Old Bay seasoning
Salt
1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Place bacon in a large ovenproof skillet and cook over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain.

2. Discard all but 1 Tbsp. fat from pan. Add onion, garlic and bell pepper to pan and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes, broth, Old Bay seasoning and salt; bring mixture to a boil.

3. Cover and transfer pan to oven. Cook until rice is tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Uncover, lay shrimp on rice, re-cover, and continue to bake until shrimp are opaque, another 5 to 7 minutes. Sprinkle with bacon and serve.

Submitted to:
Mouthwatering Mondays
Homemaker Mondays
Tasty Tuesday
Tuesdays at the Table
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday

Friday, August 21, 2009

Orange and Raspberry Sparkle



1 env. Kool-aid Orange Drink Mix
1 env. Kool-aid Raspberry Drink Mix
2 cups sugar
3 qt. (12 cups) ice water
1 Liter ginger ale, chilled

Mix drink mixes and sugar in large plastic or glass pitcher. Add ice water; stir until drink mixes and sugar are completely dissolved. Refrigerate several hours or until chilled. Stir in ginger ale just before serving. Garnish each glass with a fresh orange slice.

Submitted to:
Ultimate Recipe Swap

Sunny Orange Delight



1 env. Kool-aid Lemonade Drink Mix
2 qt. (8 cups) cold water
1 can (6 oz.) frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed

Place drink mix in large plastic or glass pitcher. Add water; stir until drink mix is dissolved. Stir in orange juice concentrate until well blended. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve over ice cubes.

Orange Sweet Rolls



Ingredients

Rolls:
1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (105 degrees to 115 degrees)
1 cup warm milk (110 to 115 degrees F)
1/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
Filling:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 tablespoons grated orange peel
Glaze:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
4 teaspoons butter or margarine, softened
4 teaspoons milk
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract

Directions
In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in water. In a large mixing bowl, mix milk, shortening, sugar, salt and egg. Add yeast mixture and blend. Stir in enough flour to form a soft dough. Knead on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch dough down; divide in half. Roll each half into a 15-in. x 10-in. rectangle. Mix filling ingredients until smooth. Spread half the filling on each rectangle. Roll up, jelly-roll style, starting with a long end. Cut each into 15 rolls. Place in two greased 11-in x 7-in. x 2-in. baking pans. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes. Bake at 375 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned. Mix glaze ingredients; spread over warm rolls.
Submitted to:

Thursday, August 20, 2009

A Cheerful Cup Tablescape


The morning cup of coffee has an exhilaration about it which the cheering influence of the afternoon or evening cup of tea cannot be expected to reproduce.
~Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr., "Over the Teacups," 1891

I bought the yellow mums at Wal-Mart yesterday for $2.50 and I potted them in the white flower pot that I got for free several years ago. I got the bird music box at a church rummage sale last summer for $3.00. I am using the same candlesticks as last week. The little yellow candle with candle holder I got for $0.50. I overlapped my blue tablecloth that I got for $5.00 at a yard sale earlier this summer with the light yellow tablecloth I got for free. I wanted a softer look and didn’t want the wood table to show. The coffee service was my thrifty find last week. I paid $49.99 for the Josephine-Blue by Wedgewood China pattern that was manufactured in 1970–1977. I am serving orange sweet rolls and black coffee.










Wednesday, August 19, 2009

My Log Bench


The kiss of the sun for pardon
The song of the birds for mirth,
One is nearer God's heart in a garden
Than anywhere else on earth.
~Dorothy Frances Gurney




My husband made this log bench from a tree that was in our front yard a couple years ago. I like to sit here in the early morning or in the evening as it's turning to dusk. Thanking the Lord for another glorious day and each new blessing. When you open your eyes and heart you see all the wonder He provides!



This is my view as I sit on the bench praying. It faces out into my vegetable garden and onto my neighbors property.



Submitted to:
Outdoor Wednesday

Monday, August 17, 2009

Morning Has Broken



Morning has broken
Like the first morning,
Black bird has spoken
Like the first bird.
Praise the singing!
Praise for the morning!
Praise for them springing
Fresh from the Word!

Sweet the rain's new fall
Sunlit from heaven,
Like the first dewfall
On the first grass.
Praise for the sweetness
Of the wet garden,
Sprung in completeness
Where His feet pass.

Mine is the sunlight!
Mine is the morning.
Born of the one light
Eden saw play!
Praise with elation,
Praise ev'ry morning,
God's recreation
Of the newday!


Words: Eleanor Farjeon

Morning Has Broken Sung by Natasha Marsh

Happy Homemaker Monday

The weather in my neck of the woods:
Its 90 degrees and it's going to be another scorcher here today. I really wish we would get some rain as some of my garden is starting to wilt and I don’t like to water if I don’t have to.


One of my simple pleasures:
Sitting at the kitchen table reading the 3rd book of The Daughter’s of Lancaster County Series with a glass of iced tea, and a snack.


On my bedside table:
Tissue, lotion, candle, lamp, a glass bowl that holds chapstick and hair ties. An Upcycled candy sprinkles contained that now contains chocolate and a fabric placemat.


On my TV:
Nothing


On the menu for tonight:
Grilled Salmon, Green Rice, and Steamed Yellow Squash


On my To Do List:
Along with my normal daily cleaning I am working on organize my little office because everything is looking a little out of place and I want it to be clean and useable.

I also need to start reading Fearless by Max Lucado since I am reviewing it for the Thomas Nelson Publishing Company. Look for my review on September 8th.


New Recipe I tried last week:
I made Bacon Rosemary Mashed Potatoes and everyone loved it but thought it needed more bacon.


In the craft basket:
I am working on a Mary Engelbreit embroidery project called “Sentiments in Suede” from her book “Wrap It Up Gifts to Make Wrap and Give”. I started the project last summer for a Christmas Ornament gift exchange. I completed the one for the gift exchange but I have not finished the others that I had wanted to make. I am making a total of 7. I modified the direction to make an ornament out of felt.


Looking forward to:
I look forward to my husband coming home from work at the end of each day.


Homemaking Tip for this week:
Do at least one to two loads of laundry each day. Fold or hang the laundry as soon as it comes out of the dryer. It saves you from having piles of unfolded laundry and basket everywhere and not remembering if clothes are already clean or not. It makes your bedroom look nicer to not have piles of cloths.


Favorite Blog Post of the week (mine or other):
I love looking at other people’s books especially homemaking books so my favorite this week is Pantry Talk: Encouragement for the homemaking library


Favorite photo from last week:
My new Coffee Service



Lesson learned the past few days:
Summer is never long enough to get all the projects done before the school year starts.


On my Prayer List:
My husband and children
My family


Devotionals, Scripture Reading, Key Verses:
For as the earth brings forth its sprouts, and as a garden causes the things sown in it to spring up, so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations. Isaiah 61:11


To see other Happy Homemaker Posts please visit Diary of a SAHM.

August 17-23 Menu Plan


This week from our garden we have zucchini, yellow squash, winter squash, broccoli, green peppers, tomatoes, and cucumbers. We mostly eat leftovers for lunch and the breads that I am making are for breakfast.

Our menu this week:

Monday:

Grilled Salmon, Green Rice, and Steamed Yellow Squash


Tuesday:
Salsa Chicken, Rice, Peas Squash Biscuits

Zucchini Apple Bread


Wednesday:
Crockpot Lasagna, Salad, and Bread Sticks


Thursday:
Zucchini Gratin, Roasted Baby Potatoes with Rosemary, Broccoli Salad


Friday:
Tuna Noodle Casserole

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread


Saturday:
Out of Town


Sunday:

Out of Town


So, what's on your menu this week?

Visit I'm an Organizing Junkie to see more menu ideas.

Friday, August 14, 2009

Weekend Thrifting

My husband and I went to several thrift stores this past weekend and I found several things I liked. The Coffee Service was my favorite find and a splerge item. I never pay that much for dishes but I knew it was worth more than I was paying and I had been wanting one for a while that I could afford.


Free Magazine
Better Homes and Gardens- March 2009
Country Living- March, April, June, July, and August 2009


$7.48 Brides of Lancaster County By Wanda E. Brunstetter
I actually got this book at Half Price Books. This is the compilation of the 4 books series. I am currently reading book 3 of the Daughters of Lancaster County so I wanted to have this book for after I finish.


$5.00 Faith Makes It Grow Tapestry
I am probably going to hang this on my front porch.


$1.29 for 6 Brown Cloth Napkins
This will be perfect for the fall and will go with alot of stuff.


$4.00 for Four stemmed 8 oz. glasses
Pattern: "Lido/Milano" design
Color: Avocado Green
Maker: Anchor Hocking
Age: Vintage 1960’s


$49.99 Coffee Service
Pattern: JOSEPHINE-BLUE by WEDGWOOD CHINA
Manufacturer Status: Discontinued Actual: 1970 - 1977


$2.99 Skirt
$1.50 Black Top


$1.50 Skirt


Submitted to:
Frugal Friday hosted by Life As Mom
Show and Tell Friday hosted by Raising 4 Godly Men
Today's Thrifty Treasures hosted by Southern Hospitality