My Week: November 20-26

Thank you for stopping by my blog today!  I hope you enjoyed a Happy Thanksgiving week!

Sunday mornings always come early...it was a beautiful start to the day!

Started raining before we even left for church - but we were able to catch a rainbow!

I worked the nursery for the first service - and was able to listen to the sermon for the second.

After church, we had a quick lunch of meatball subs.  We went back over to help set up for the chili dinner.  Jenny always does a wonderful job of this!

We had a full crowd - praise the Lord!  My husband and I served pie to everyone and then we actually sat down together to eat.  LOL!  Usually I am off working and he is off socializing so this was nice.

We even had tables on the platform - that is where we were sitting.  LOL!

After the dinner and service, I was off to work.  They sent me to my client's home which was not right - so from there I went to Renown Hospital to be with my client.

Monday.  (Even as I am typing this I am mixed up on what day it is. LOL!)
School.  Addie and I worked on the Thanksgiving set up.  My original idea of how to arrange the tables didn't work.  So we did some more rearranging and I think it will work.  We will just call it "cozy".  LOL!

We borrowed these decorations from Jenny. :)

She wanted to the the tables and decor so I let her work on that while I assembled all the serving dishes and utensils.  Autumn and I washed them all.

For dinner we had cheese Polish sausage sandwiches and ranch pasta salad.  Off to the gym and then back to the hospital for my Monday shift.

Tuesday was our last day of school for the week before the Thanksgiving holiday.  Usually I am a slave driver when it comes to school...but with hosting Thanksgiving and working Sunday - Wednesday nights, I decided to make Tuesday our last day.  So most of the morning and early afternoon was working on school and grading.

Then it was back to work at the hospital for that night.

I was so happy to see that night come to an end.  I finally went down to the cafe that day and got me some coffee!

Wednesday, we finished up all the details.  The girls put together the kids' table.  We did wrapping paper and they put together an art station so it would give the kids something to do while at the table.

My daughter, Autumn, loves all things arts and crafts.  She actually put together two crafts for the kids and cut out all the pieces and organized them at each place setting.  She is such a great kid.

We had such tight quarters for the day.  So we had to be creative.  We used our coolers to store the cold drinks - soda and water bottles and they stayed on the deck.

Other cold drinks - sweet tea and sparkling cider were on a small table on the deck as well.

The before picture.  All ready to go on Wednesday.
Wednesday evening, I was off to the gym for my workout and then to work for my last shift of the week.

Off at 8am - yay!  Home to shower and dress for the day.  The house was pretty much ready so it was just time to make my food dishes.
First was crockpot mac and cheese.  I use Paula Deen's recipe - my favorite.

I did cream cheese corn next.

Then avocado taco dip...oh my soul.  I just love this stuff.  HERE is the recipe on my old blog.

My husband made the chicken wings as well as the two delicious turkeys for our meal - one smoked and one deep fried.

Some of our guests for Thanksgiving 2016!  On the left, Linda and Bob Hector and on the end, my father-in-law, Sonny.
On the right, Ashley and Davy Martinez and on the end, Rich Hawvermale.

Addie, Autumn, Summer, Reagan Musser, James and Sammy Martinez.

Melissa McCollam, (missing Joe McCollam), Sierra and Grayson Tastet (my nephew).

On the left, Papa Vern and Joe and Keren McCollam.
On the right, Josh and Jenny Musser with Grant.  My husband and I.

Jenny and I.

Doing crafts after dinner.

It was a wonderful holiday.  We really enjoyed it!
After fellowship and everyone going home, the girls and I worked on dishes, cleaning up, vacuuming, rearranging and taking down tables and chairs, garbage and recycles.  The house is back to normal!  LOL!

Then my husband and I ran to Wal-Mart for one Black Friday deal and then home for the evening.

The next day, the girls and I went to get a few black Friday deals and get a little Christmas shopping done.  Now I know why I usually stay home.  Oh well!  
I did find a deal for curtains to replace my poor bedroom curtains.  I don't know what happened to them but somehow they almost shredded.

We also found these for my Christmas movie collection.  LOVE!

When we finally made it home from shopping (not again!), we had some yummy leftovers for dinner.

Then it was time to put up and decorate the tree - our Friday tradition with Christmas cookies and a Christmas movie.

Saturday was quite the day.  I left the girls in the morning to do their chores and piano while I ran some errands.

Then we spent the rest of the day cleaning out the home of a former church member who passed away.  It was quite the job.  We worked and worked - the girls were real troopers and were a big help!

We started our reading of our Christmas books Saturday.  This was our first book. :)  We read one book each night.

Get ready for Sunday and off to dreamland.  I hope you had a blessed week too!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope you all have a blessed day however you are able to celebrate this holiday!

-Rebekah

My Week: November 13 - 19

Can you hardly believe how November is flying by!  Thank you for stopping by my blog today.  I hope you enjoy reading about my week. :)

So...maybe this is what happens when you are at church by 7:30am and you are the solo nursery worker.  Bahaha!  Hey, got to keep yourself entertained some way!

This is Grant - he is one of my favorite little guys in the nursery.  My daughter, Summer, actually does this to him every week.  LOL!
Church - I worked the nursery both morning services.

Sunday lunch, lime chicken fajitas.  Mmm.  I love fajitas.  I love anything Mexican.  HERE is how I make them - so easy!

I'm not a yogurt person - but this one is really yummy.  I started eating them because they boost my protein levels - yes, Greek yogurt is good for protein.

I worked on some computer stuff in the afternoon.

Then back to church for our evening service.  Keren and Melissa brought me a frapp from Starbucks - yum!  Thank you, ladies!

It was our Awana award night.  The kids really enjoy getting their awards for the work they put into their books.  Whose kid is that up there talking?  Oh, mine.  LOL!

Then after church, off to my Sunday night shift.

Monday was just one of those days.  It didn't have a good start.  Tension running high in the house.  And it seemed like school was just dragging and I was just feeling frustrated and very unaccomplished.  So I decided to just work on something different.

So, we worked on cleaning and rearranging for Thanksgiving.  We already had planned this all out - I just decided to pull the trigger.  And it made me feel a lot better.  I don't know why.  :)  I guess I just feel great when I'm ahead of schedule and checking off my to do list and not getting stressed out with the holidays.

So...this is where I need to set up two more tables for people to sit and eat.  LOL!  I know!  I totally emptied my dining space to squeeze in 25 people.  Plus I need to add another serving table next to the buffet.  It's gonna be fun!  LOL!

Anyways, cleaning and prepping made me feel so much better.  It was Roadside Diner Cheeseburger Quiche for dinner and then off to my Monday shift.

Tuesday morning, I had a photo inspection job for six houses.  I thought I better do it today while the weather is still good. 

Once that was done, I headed home.

Made the hubby's lunch, dropped it off at the church and cleaned out the church trailer.

Then back home to water the lawn and shrubs.  I also sprayed clean my coolers.  

Once they were dry, I loaded up the soda and water bottles that Miss Linda brought on Sunday.  Now all I have to do is add ice on Thanksgiving!

Tuesday, we broke the record with a temperature of 72 degrees!  Had the windows open...watering the lawn.  Just soaking it up before the cold temps hit!  I do love these perfect fall days.

I multi-tasked and uploaded my photos for the inspection job while I went through all my spices in my spice cabinet.  Threw out any expired ones, wiped out the cabinets and then reorganized what was left.

Addie did the pantry for me.  I asked her to do it and when she asked, "Why me?"  Summer pipes up and says, "Because you're the organized sister!"  Ha!  That's true.

My spices organized. :)  I found it is easier to put in baskets because you can take the basket out to find the spice you need instead of digging and digging.  Now I will be ready for this holiday season and know that I have the spices I need for baking and cooking.

In between doing the photos and spices, I made a shepherd's pie for dinner.  Comfort food at its best!

HERE is my recipe for Shepherd's Pie.  This time, I used two drained cans of corn instead of frozen.  I also made five pounds of potatoes...used all of them...and my family ate the entire casserole that night.  LOL!

We had a staff meeting at church from 4-5:30pm then I dropped off Aaron and was off to the gym.  My husband didn't feel like going so I went by myself and then went to my Tuesday shift from there.

Well, remember yesterday?  Record high of 72?  Outside watering my lawn...windows open?

Wednesday was a tad different.  Freezing cold and snow off and on all day.  Good grief!
When I got off work, I first went to do my plasma donation.  Done!

So crazy!  Glad the sun came out late afternoon to warm things up a bit.  Piano lessons from 1-2:30pm.  Drop off Addie for Youth Group at 6pm.  Meet with a lady who is helping with our Foundations Classes.  Off to the gym for a short workout.  Then off to my Wednesday shift.

My client was in the hospital so my shift was there.  It was a long night.  LOL!  The caregiver didn't show up for their shift to relieve me - so I stayed until 9:30am until one of the ladies from the office came to fill in.  13 1/2 hours and I was ready for home and coffee. :)

Sunrise from the hospital.

Home - time for that cup of coffee (actually two!) and working on school.

My favorite spot in the house. :)  Working on school - tests and grading.  The sun is so nice on cool fall days.

Even the dog joined in.  LOL!  Sitting at the table enjoying the sun.

After school, I took a quick nap and then a shower.

Made dinner - someone had given my husband some elk meat and so I cooked that up for him.  It was delicious!  I also made some homemade hamburger helper as well.

Then it was off to practice at 6pm for our worship team.

Friday morning - school.  Yes, there is Belle again sitting with the girls doing school in the sunshine.  LOL!
Made tacos for dinner and then off to the gym with the hubby.
I just want to know how one can sweat so profusely on a stair master?  LOL!
After the gym, we stopped at St. Mary's to see Tracey who is having some complications.  We enjoyed getting to visit with her.
Then we went downtown, got a cup of coffee at Starbucks and strolled.  It was cold - hand numbing cold - but it was so nice to get away even for just a few minutes.

Then home and to bed.  Zzz.

Saturday morning, coffee and an egg burrito and Greek yogurt with a water bottle for breakfast.
Busy day!  Stopped at the bank to have some papers notarized for my retirement accounts.
ATM.
Wal-mart to get a water refill for my husband's office and paper products for Thanksgiving.
Went tanning at Pacific Sun.
Stopped at Sportsman's to get items to do the turkey - wood chips, oil, injector marinade...
Then to the plasma center.  Which was very busy.  Ugh!  It took probably about two hours which seemed forever.

Then Home Depot to get buckets and lids to brine the turkeys in.
Then Winco for my Thanksgiving shopping as long as a few things for this week's dinners.  Boy, that was fun. LOL!
Back to Wal-Mart for meatballs - really?
Then to get my eyebrows waxed.
Then stop at the church to drop off the Emma bracelets and water.
Then...home!  Finally!

Cleaned out the fridge - it is pretty empty.  I haven't been stocking up bc I wanted room for Thanksgiving food.  After cleaning it out, we put away the groceries.
Sierra worked on making pizzas for our dinner.

While Sierra made the pizzas, Autumn made two cheesecakes for Sunday's meal at church.
While they were both working, Summer helped me make chili for Sunday's meal at church.
Once we were all done, we did the dishes and set the coffee maker for the morning.
The girls took their showers after I did and then I did the ironing from the laundry that day.
Then I watched a couple of episodes of Fixer Upper with the hubby and then off to bed.

I hope you had a good week!