Wordless Wednesday-Add A Caption

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Linking with 

The Fabulous Party

 Wednesday parties 

and a few others.

The list is below

Happy Homemaker In Texas

Welcome.  Each week I join Sandra at Family Corner for her party

Happy Homemaker 

Sandra provides the prompts-I add a few of my own

The Weather

 Winter is creeping 'Outa Town'.  We still have some cool days but it's warming up nicely.  I love it when we have a super mild 

winter!

Right Now I  Am 

 Thinking how happy I am that the weather is so nice.  I am  spending alot of time planning for gardening. 

On my reading pile

Today I do have a little pile.  I have a few print books. 

The top one In The Line of Duty by Carolyn Arnold I won!

Graciousness by John Crotts I will be reviewing here for 

Cross Focused Reviews. 

And Best of Luck by Corinne Scott I will be reviewing over 

at My Reading Journeys it is part of the Great Escapes Tours.

Click here to visit my blog.  I would love to know you came by please leave me a comment.

In the kitchen
This week I am planning super simple meals.  The weather is supposed to be really nice.  And I have huge plans for flowers 
and veggies.  Well I intended simple didn't happen.  See below.

On the menu
Monday--Chineese Chicken w/Brocolli, Fried Rice,Crab Suishi
Tuesday-- Fried Pork Chops, Rice, Black Eyed Peas
Wednesday-- Deer Camp Casserole, Fried Okra, Crusty Bread
Thursday--Kid Friendly Chicken Strips, Mashed Potatoes, Corn
Friday-- Alfredo, Salad, Bread

Last weeks menu--What Worked/What Didn't

Monday

Mexican Pot Roast, Spanish Rice Beans ✔

Tuesday

Potato Soup, BLT'S ✔

Wednesday

Smothered Pork Chops, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans 

Back on the menu for this week.  Fried instead and Black Eye Peas

Thursday

Coconut Shrimp (we didn't have last week) Rice Pilaf, 

Chinese Dumplings

Have no idea what I cooked

Friday

Bisquick Impossible Cheese Burger Pie, Salad, Corn on Cob

Leftover meat from Monday cooked into a frozen crock pot Stragonoff, Green Beans, 

Sliced Butter Italian Bread

In the garden

I am researching how to plant potatoes. I think I am going to try this method. 

Although I have a large garden space it will not all be ready for 

planting.  I will be planting 4 I think unless someone tells me that 

is too many!  

Another reason I am using this method is I can plant alot without spending a lot of money.  

Stay tuned!

Something fun to share

 I got an email the other day from an author I like.  She was inviting me to join this club.  They will send you a book every month for 'Free'. Yea I love free.  

This is the book for January.  Click here to join the club. 

A new blog to share

I stumbled onto this fun blog when I was visiting another blog.

Perhaps it was the name.  Not really the olives but I love okra!

Go over for a visit you'll find lots of recipes. Click here. 

On the to do list

Not alot planned this week.  This is my hard work week.  5 houses to clean!  

I am planning to do a lot of blogging.

Cooking simple meals

Keeping up with laundry and the house.

Reading

Planning for planting 

Planting Pansy Seeds.  Read my post here. 

My Ta Da List

 3 Junk Journals finished ready to mail.  (no photo's till the bloggers receive them!)

Garage almost ready to move the shelves to get Christmas put away

Got Valentines decor. out and ready to put up.

Got alot of clean up down around the garden.  Planted some seeds.

In the craft basket

 Nothing to show but planning some things for Valentines

Fabulous Features from the party

Check out these cool posts 

Visit Carol here. 

   Click here. 

From the camera

The puppy pages . . .
           

Devo./ Scripture

Source

Linking with Sandra for Happy Homemaker Monday

The Fabulous Party

 

and a few others the list is below this post.

Simple Sunday-The Fabulous Party

Have a Blessed Day

Let's Party

Something Fun To Share-Blue Paper Swap

Last year I found the coolest thing in blog land.  I thought I would share with you today . . . 

I've met some fun people and I have received mail and 'paper' from all over the world.  

Yesterday I received a special 'Swap' package.  It was called 

Brown Bag-Blu Swap.  

It originated in Germany with our Swap leader. . . 

The instructions were to choose as many pieces of paper as you wanted.  Then you had to replace that many pieces and then mail the package to the next person.  

These are the pieces I chose . . . 

From Germany it traveled to France and then Scotland

And then across the ocean all the way to Canada for several stops

before making it's way to Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, 

New York,  Pennsylvania, Virginia, South Carolina, Illinois, 
Oklahoma and then to me in Texas. 
I am sending the package on to one more Texan and then it will  
go to Argentina and back to Germany. 

I've enjoyed so much being a part of Paper Swap.  The 2018 

swap begins in February and goes all year.  

Here's the list of Swaps for the year. 

Feb                         Quick Swap (Theme: Details)

March                   Brown Paper Bag (Monochrome)

April                       Big Swap

May                       “Send, Receive or both” Swap*

June                       Quick Swap (Theme: Flora & Fauna= Plants and Animals)

July                        Big Swap

August                   Quick Swap

Sept                       Artful Snail Mail (Letter: “A day in my life”)*

Oct                         Big Swap

Nov                        Quick Swap (Theme: Words and numbers)

Dec                        Postcard Swap (Theme: Winter cosiness)

If your interested in getting mail from all over the world go by and visit LaWendula's blog and get all the details.

You can sign up for any or all of the swaps.  Click here.

I can't looking forward to swapping this year.  Wanna join us?

Linking at The Fabulous Party

and a few others. 

See the list below this post. 

In The Garden

Planting Pansy's

Back in the fall I had a few extra bucks and so I splurged and bought a flat of pansy's.

I have small area at the edge of the veggie garden that I want to be a flower bed.

I don't spend alot in my garden and so I wanted something that would last from fall into the spring.  

Pansy's were the perfect choice.  They are usually inexpensive and can be easily found in garden centers.  I bought a flat for $15.00. 

I was delighted.  I had a $20.00 bill I intended to spend. 

Yesterday I was watching the dog play and admiring those beauties that I had planted in the fall.  

And I had a 'Duh' moment.

If Pansy's are so inexpensive and so plentiful in garden centers 

they must be easy to grow from seed.  I had never thought about it

before!   

So being the 'Jazzy', 'High Tech' grandma that I am I googled it!

Then I looked on Pinterest and I found . . . 

A great 'How To' over here. 

I'm going to try it. 

And maybe I'll have some beauties like this 

And so I am off to the garden center to look for seeds   

Wordless Wednesday-Add A Caption

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Linking with the Fabulous Party 

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Linking with the Wordless Parties 

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Have a Good Day

Have a good day!

Menu Monday-No More Boring Menus

Some days I feel like this . . . 

i

I said 'feel' not 'look'.  Most days my hairs not done; no make-up.

I am quite a sight.  But I do try to cook a good dinner.  

I think I need a Meal Plan Support Group.

Let me know if there is such a thing!

Sometimes dinner is like this!

I am not too good at creating.  I am very good at reading a recipe. 

I'm just not good at coming up with great menus that aren't boring!

The Cowboy just doesn't seem to get into is food. 

Honestly most of the time I have to ask for a compliment or a comment about what was served.  Most of the time he really likes it.  Occasionally I have a flop but mostly that's when I try to step out of the box.  

So my menus are

Boring

I cook the same thing over and over like . . .

Pot Roast, Taco's, Pork Chops, Kielbasa, Fried Fish, Spaghetti with a plain sauce. A family favorite We call it 'Goulash', Chili (no beans) and a few others that I can't think of.  

But I think you get the idea.

I want to feel like this.  All happy and smiling while I am cooking knowing I have a new and fun and creative meal to serve. 

And so each week I plan a menu.  I try to include a new recipe or something different.  But most weeks I fall into that rut. 

And so with the help and inspiration of a few bloggers.  And by setting my mind to it I think I can make a change and have fun!

Last week I planned to have . . . 

On The Menu last week  What Worked What Didn't 
Monday- Hamburgers, Cole Slaw(left over from Sunday) Pinto's from freezer ✔
Tuesday - Quinia, Chicken/Kale Ravioli, Ceasar Salad, Bread ✔
and some leftover spaghetti in case the Cowboy can't choke down the Ravioli
Wednesday -Clam Chowder, Homemade Sub Sandwiches
Thursday -  Roast w/Potatoes and Carrots, Green Beans
Friday -  Coconut Shrimp, Rice Pilaf, oven Roasted Veggies

Wednesday the Cowboy got into the kitchen and made Scalloped Potatoes from scratch, Pasta Salad from a mix and Ham. Thursday we had  Turkey and Dumplings.

I have no idea what we ate Thursday.  Friday we ended up eating Tacos

 A pretty good week with some good and nutritious meals!

But kinda boring

This week I am planning . . .

Monday

Mexican Pot Roast, Spanish Rice Beans

Tuesday

Potato Soup, BLT'S

Wednesday

Smothered Pork Chops, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans

Thursday

Coconut Shrimp (we didn't have last week) Rice Pilaf, 

Chinese Dumplings

Friday

Bisquick Impossible Cheese Burger Pie, Salad, Corn on Cob

A few new ideas.  I never make smothered Pork Chops. 

But notice my old stand by pot roast.  A little different this week though. 

And then on Friday a blast from the past.  We liked the impossible pies back when the kids were home.  It's been decades since I made one! 

You know what they say 'The way to a man's heart is through his stomach'.  So maybe with a little effort cupid will hit his mark 

Again!

Linking at The Fabulous Party

Linking at a few favorites.

See my list below.

If you know of a Menu Monday Party I'd love to join.

Leave me a comment.

Sunday Supper-On The Dinner Plate

Welcome to my first Sunday Super/On The Dinner Plate.

I have been thinking about doing this series for a while.  I hope you enjoy!

I don't know about you but when I think Sunday Supper I am transported back to a simpler time when I got to play outside all afternoon and then dash into supper for a full table of wonderful 

mommy cooked delicacies.

When I think of Sunday Supper I am transported back to the 60's. Mama cooked all our meals.   We weren't all dressed up because it was supper and well we actually didn't 'dress up' at home!  

Sunday Supper 

means family to me

So what memories does Sunday Supper bring back for you?

Honestly those sweet memories were short lived for me.  

Things changed around our house as I became a teenager and joined the youth group at church.  Back in the day we had a fantastic youth minister/Choir Director at our church that kept us all busy with activities.  

Our Sundays began early.  Our breakfasts were always a bowl of cereal and juice.  My mother didn't cook breakfast.  After a bowl of cereal that always had more milk than cereal.  We didn't drink our milk it was always poured into the dog dish.  Remembering back I am not sure now how we got away with that one! 

 

There were no cats in our house but I couldn't find a dog divider

Once I joined choir everything changed.  It was a rushed day.  

Lunch out after church.  And then a relaxing afternoon till I had to be back at church at 4.  The parents got together and served a small dinner usually sandwich's at 5 before choir practise and then church.  

By the time I became a mom things were a little different.  No Sunday night services only Sunday morning so we always had meals together as a family.  

When the kids were little (before youth group)  we always had what we called Smorgasbord.  It could be anything from nachos and chips and Queso. To egg rolls.  The kids delighted in trying to see what small finger type foods we could make.  We bought egg roll and wonton wrappers and filled them with all kinds of things. 

But it's 2018 now.  And Sunday Supper is different. 

Our son is married with a family in Missouri.

Our daughter is planning a wedding in the spring. 

#We're planning a Texas wedding.  

The Cowboy and I and Domino spend quiet evenings together.  

Most Sundays are not planned.  We might have nachos.  Or we might dig around in the freezer and come up with something.  

We come up with some serious dinners. 

We love to cook and we love to eat!

 

I hope you'll come by often and share dinner with us! 

Tonight

The Cowboy is cooking ribs on the rotisserie.  Which he loves/I hate.  The rotisserie not the ribs!  I hate to clean it.  It's his job.

If he wants to use it he cleans it.  

I am fixing that old fashioned Mexican Salad with Frito's that we all ate back in the day.  At least we did.  Did you? 

And I am putting some potatoes in the oven to bake.   

Yum

I can't wait for 

Each week I'll end my post featuring another blogger that cooks. 

I don't know about you but I need help with meal planning.  It 

seems I cook the same ole thing week after week.  I got some 

great inspiration at Renee's.  

Click here

I hope you have a Wonderful 

Sunday Supper

Linking at The Fabulous Party  (click Here)

and a few others the list is below