Tackling the To Do List

 Good Morning and Welcome

I am a bit later than usual posting today.  I am kind you of glad because it has been cloudy all morning.

But, the sun 😎 is peeking out and the birds are singing now as I sit and enjoy the day.

How is your day going?

Today I am playing Tackle . . .

Tackling that 'ole To Do List.

Here's a few things I put on my list for my Happy Homemaker post yesterday.

The To Do List 

Rehab and Grocery on Monday  ✔

Slow Sort decide on what ornies decor to donate

Switch front door to Snow 

Make plans for Valentine's start shopping

It feels good to ✔ off items.

I hope I will get to the other things I planned.

I can half way mark off Sort/retire.  I decided I really like the Christmas tree with with White, Silver and Gold.

So I am retiring the old not really vintage but they are breakable ornaments.  They are just plain balls.  I offered them to our daughter and she wants them.  But I will have store them.

I know there are many more things/tasks I should put on my list.  

I am never very good at actually doing what is on my list.  But I have a goal for the New Year to do better with my To Do List and my Weekly Menu.

So I plan to actually write them on paper.  In a journal or just a note book.  I will probably write the menu on paper that I can on the fridge so I can see it.  I have done that in the past and it worked well.

Do you post your menu and To Do List? 

Are you a list maker?  

I am encouraged by your comments.  

I hope you'll let me know you stopped in!

Good luck with your Menu and To Do List!

Linking at the parties 

Oh

The Fabulous Party goes all week you can link any day.  Any time! 

Happy Homemaker In Texas

Good Morning and Welcome to the blog!  And the last HHM post of 2021!  Let's get on with it and get the New Year!

The weather 

Pleasant.  Upper 40's to upper 60's most days.

On the breakfast plate

We like this new Oatmeal and Cinnamon Pancake mix.  I add a lunch box Applesauce they are super yummy.  And healthy! Yea!

The view from my window

Sunshine

As I look around the house

It's still Merry & Bright.  The lights on tree and Mantle make it cozy.

I am reading now 

My next road trip book.  We will be traveling to Arkansas the end of January.

On my reading pile 

Looking for a Romantic Suspense haven't gotten one lately.  Thinking I need to go to the library.

Road trip this week 

Back in Texas this week.  Traveling to the gorgeous Hill Country.  One of our favorite places.   This is the book I am taking along . . .

A Sweet Romance

On the menu 

Monday Chicken Thighs w/ Mushroom Spinach Cream Sauce over Egg Noodles and  Mixed Green Salad from the garden!

Tuesday Cajun Shrimp & Veggies Zuchinni and Asparagus over Dirty Rice 

Wednesday Chicken Fried Steak, Mashed Potatoes, Gravy and Black Eye Peas 

Thursday Green Chili Stew and Guacamole Chalupa's 

Friday Leftovers or Mixed Dry Beans n Ham 

Thinking I need need to do Beans earlier in the week to use the the Christmas Ham Bone

The To Do List 

Rehab and Grocery on Monday 

Slow Sort decide on what ornies decor to donate

Switch front door to Snow 

Make plans for Valentine's start shopping.

My 'Ta Da' moment 

I feel like these are so silly but I grew a Fall Garden!  My Broccoli is pretty!

In the studio I am finishing up the Christmas/Snowflake Junk Journal for a SWAP 

Sorted Sequins and Sparkles for the J.J. SWAP.  Sparkly Washi Tape ready to make a Sample for the J.J. SWAP

Beginning my January daily for scripture writing

Plan a Quilt Along Project

Cleaning and organizing

In the garden

Planning. Starting/tilling new beds

Something fun to share

A new Feature here on the blog.  on the 25th of each month I will be celebrating Christmas!  And joining in on Rudolph Day.  It's a thing. 

 Did you know it?

 From the camera 

Making party mix with Pa.

Scripture/Devo 

Thanks for joining me today.

I enjoy sharing my weeks plans with you.  

I hope you have a Blessed week and Happy New Year!

Linking with

Simple Sunday

 

Have a Blessed Day

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Post Christmas-After Party-Slow Sort

 Good Morning.  I hope all is well with you!  The day after all the Merriness is always a great day to just chill!

It is a gorgeous warm day here.  Texas can be a sweet place to live!  The birds are singing and the sun is out. 

Today I am beginning what I call the . . . 

Slow Sort

Looking around the house at the Christmas decorations and all the Merry and Bright I am deciding what to change and maybe what pieces I might retire. 

Honestly I had a really hard time decorating this year because we've had to move furniture around to make things easier for the Cowboy.

And now; post Christmas I am looking around the living room beginning Slow Sort.

I am also changing how I store everything because I had an unpleasant surprise when I unboxed.  Everything was stored in the garage In all the years and all the places we've lived we've never had mice.  But yep Hello 2020!

I am looking around and making plans for what I will do different next year.  Like the main tree in the Living Room . . .

This was 2018.  I thought this tree was so pretty.  This tree was in the greenhouse that year.

This year I brought the same tree into the living room.

This is the funniest picture of Domino.  She jumped in this chair realized she didn't fit because there was a throw and a pillow in the seat.

 I didn't use the snowmen and snow flakes on the tree. Instead I did the Cowboy theme this year. In 2018 I had 3 different themed trees.  I combined everything to one tree this year.  We retired the big living room tree. And now we have the tall skinny tree.

I added the ribbon to the tree and the lariat rope.  I think the ribbon makes the difference.  I put the rope on the tree first then added the ribbon. It was super hard. Next time I will put the ribbon on first.

I was super excited with the topper.  I thought about it before but wasn't sure how to do it . . .

. . . The Cowboy swinging the rope is metal and super heavy.  Before I put it on the tree I used hard tube from a  vacuum cleaner the hard tube for the hose.   I attached it to the tree to make it sturdy.  And Wa La.  It held up the Cowboy!

Merry and Bright

I know I have to think about things differently for 2021 because we will have a 1 year old so we will have to do a bit of baby proofing.

I didn't get to put wrapped presents under the tree this year like this . . . 

In all the years I have say this is my favorite from 2016 I think.   The apartment we were in before moving to this house.  I used the printer in the complex media center to print the photos.  I love this idea! 

I also loved the tree skirt.  The lighting is super bad causing it to look yellow but it is really white.  This is my 43 year old wedding dress.

I won't be making any changes to the mantle.  I love it just the way it is.  This year we added hot pink lights behind the Boa.  

I had a heck of a time with the bells.  I don't know who put them away before or maybe those mice got into them! Ick!  The wires were all tangled.  I plan to leave them attached to the greenery this time instead of storing in the box.  

It seems in down sizing over the last few years that my color palette has evolved to Red, Silver and Gold.

I use a lot of Red because I can reuse items for Valentine's and Patriotic themes. 

The wreath and boa will stay till Spring when the Bunnies come out.   

In the kitchen dining area I made some changes . . .

I have tried in several posts to show this area but it is so dark I can't get a decent picture.  I bought the lamp in from my morning room area in the greenhouse.  It adds a cozy feel to the area.

I move the vase from the table  into the kitchen by my mixer now and us it year round. I turn it so the tree faces the wall.

 My kitchen has evolved into Red too.  The vase is  perfect to hold the paper towel and I don't have to worry about storing it.   It wasn't expensive at all but I love it! I bought back in the day like 1998 or so at Big Lots. It was probably on sale.  

This year I changed the Hot Cocoa station.  I have had it on Mama's tea Cart for several years.  

Here is how it looked before 

I liked it but with having to change things and move things this year I changed it a bit.  

I had to move the Santa print and it fit perfectly.

My plate holder had to be moved but I think it looks good and I can display the Sugar bowl and Creamer I found when I cleaned out Mama's apartment.

I set the mugs and mixes in this white tray.  I think it works better than before.

It's fun planning and deciding what to do to make things easier so that everything is in more Merry and Bright.

We had a Blessed Christmas this year and welcomed Noah just in time for Christmas!

Wow I can only imagine what Christmas 2021 will be like! I am looking forward to it and so I plan and Slow Sort.

I hope your  holidays have been Merry and Bright.  Thanks for visiting!

I'll be linking at the Fabulous Party.  I hope you'll come by and link your posts too!

 

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Christmas Memories & New Adventures- On The Road feat. A Cajun Christmas Killing by Ellen Byrin

 Happy Christmas Eve 

We just shared a lovely brunch.  Brunch  instead of Breakfast today because we were tired from yesterdays activities.

It was a special time! Babies are precious anytime but this time of year makes even it more special.  We're making new memories . . . 

And 

Enjoying old ones 

Like this one . . .

I feel old saying this back in '99.  LOL.  I was sitting down for lunch with the Cowboy.  We lived in a tiny town in Missouri and he could come home if he chose.  While we were eating this  particulate day he asked me . . . 

 Are you packed yet?

I looked up and said 'Honey it's only Wednesday we leave on Friday.  I have plenty of time.'

His response . . . 

Nope you don't! 

You have about an hour I  read the schedule wrong. 

He said sheepishly.  And for some reason I could tell he wasn't pulling my leg for once.

I freaked out!  He assured me it was o.k. And it was.  But in that moment I just knew we would miss the most romantic trip we ever planned.

We were taking the train from St. Louis to New Orleans

We had planned the trip for months.  We looked at all the Inns and Hotels near the Quarter.  

We were only there for 3 days and we had one place we wanted to go. We wanted to eat at Emeril's. 

We wouldn't have a car so we planned to wander and see French Quarter on foot.  I was excited to see the beautiful buildings I had only seen in the movies.

One of the funniest things about the whole trip was since we messed up the date we got to spend the first night in the fancy Hotel we considered but chose a cheaper one to save money.  

Our trip to New Orleans was the best trip we've ever taken.  I loved it but I have always wanted to go back.  There were so many things we missed. 

And we planned to go back this year. But even before COVID struck the wind was knocked out of our sails when the Cowboy became ill '19 (feelin'old again) 

Maybe someday we will get to go back.

But instead of waiting and dreaming of travel some day I/we are going on a Road Trip.  

And I'm taking you along. 

When I was on the train I took a couple of library books.  

On my Road Trip I am taking a book and sharing with you what I am reading. 

 Each destination will feature a different book.  

One of the things I missed by staying in the Quarter was seeing a Plantation and so for this Christmas I've made plans to stay at a lovely B&B not far from New Orleans.

  In a fictional town called Pelican.

I'm glad I have the Cowboy along because although it's not really a creepy place there is always a murder to solve.  

   So after our brunch we'll throw a  things in a bag just like before and high tail to Nawlins for A Cozy Cajun Christmas! 

I'll put a few books in my bag to read along the way.

 I hope you have a wonderful Christmas.  I'll be back in a few days to share my regular posts and my New Years adventure. 

Merry Christmas

 

Getti