Stacie's Ramblings

Happy Friday! I'm looking forward to gorgeous weather this weekend. I'm in full Thanksgiving prep, so I'll be making sure I have everything I need for the big meal from appetizers to turkey frying oil and everything in between.  Sunrises This week has had some spectacular sunrises. Here's one I took on my walk early one morning. The air was crisp and fall was in the air.  Our flowers are also in full bloom. The flowerbeds are full of yellow mums. I overwintered these mums from last year and if I remember correctly the blooms were a little more orange last year. They're still festive though! Reading I have been sitting in my usual reading spot on the porch reading Four Thousand Weeks, Time Management for Mortals  (affiliate link). It's not a typical time management, productivity geek book, but more focused on enjoying what really matters in life. Perfect reminder for the holiday season.  Food My wonder mother-in-law made up some bacon wrapped shrimp with jalapeno

  What’s Up Wednesday! I’m gonna link up with  Sheaffer  and  Shay  to answer a little  about what’s going on around here. 1. What we're eating this week: Monday - We had NY Strip Steaks, sautéed mushrooms and onions, and green beans from the garden.  Tuesday - We had take - out from our local Mexican food restaurant.  Wednesday - Tonight we'll have hamburger steak, zucchini and baked potatoes. Thursday - Smoked chicken I have in the freezer with sautéed zucchini and mushrooms on the side.  Friday - Homemade pepperoni pizza I have not thought as far ahead as Saturday and Sunday yet.  2. What I'm reminiscing about: The Formula 1 race in Austin just finished last weekend and while we did not attend in person this year, we did last year. It was a fun weekend and my dad even got to come down and go to the race with us. Formula 1 has recently become super popular since there is a Netflix series about it.  3. What I'm Loving: The sun is just starting to rise on my way to work

We just got back from being gone for a week to a horse show and I thought, this was the perfect time to share my top tips for preparing for a vacation. I have tips for preparing your home, packing, preparing  arrangements for pets, garden prep tips and more. This list changes seasonally as obviously a summer trip tends to take more preparation for me than a winter trip on the garden front. Over the years, these tips have helped make my return to home and routine much easier. Here's how I get it all done.  Home Cleaning - I clean my home periodically throughout the week, so it's usually not a huge mess before leaving town. I do make sure to wash the sheets the night before departure, so I come home to fresh-er linens and will not have to change the sheets immediately. I wipe down all of the counters, put out fresh towels, dust, vacuum and mop as needed. Staying on top of the cleaning on a regular basis greatly reduces my anxiety.  Laundry - The clothing I wear at work is not t

Happy Friday!! We're getting ready for a pretty busy weekend; lots of errands, honey do's and catching up. Here are some of my favorites from the week.   A Fall Wreath I found this festive fall wreath online from Sam's Club and I just love it!! They orange and yellow hydrangeas will be perfect from now through Thanksgiving. I also love the ribbon detail. It was very affordable and I am impressed with the quality. If you're on the lookout for a fall wreath, check out Sam's.  Homemade Bread  I have used my bread maker twice this week to make this classic white sandwich bread recipe . We used it to accompany meals and made these amazing jalapeno popper grilled cheese sandwiches . I should've taken a picture of the sandwiches, they were soooo good!  Cream Eye Shadow Sticks I redeemed my Sephora birthday reward this year and it has a small trial size of this Laura Mercier caviar eyeshadow stick in the color strapless. I loved it so much I had to order the full size.

  Linking up & sharing  What’s Up Wednesday  with from Sheaffer & Shay ! Here we go… 1: WHAT WE’RE EATING THIS WEEK: Lots of beef 😁. We've had steaks, beef fajitas, hamburgers and more on our menu this week. Last night we ended up with take out due to a late night; I had tacos al pastor (pork with onions & pineapple) and M had cheese enchiladas.  2. WHAT I’M REMINISCING ABOUT: Last  year our family trip to the Formula 1 race in Austin. We won't make the race this fall, but it was a fun experience the last few years!  3: WHAT I’M LOVING: We have a year around calving season and I just LOVE seeing the new babies. These two cuties were near the gate one evening when I drove in. Are they not the cutest greeting committee?  4: WHAT WE’VE BEEN UP TO: It has been a pretty quiet week around our house. M just got back from his Alaska trip so I've been doing a lot of laundry and just enjoying hearing stories from his trip. He had zero phone service and the satellite pho

I am back in meal planning mode as I took a little time off. M was gone on trips over the last few weeks, so I just took the really lazy approach in the meal planning department since it was just me. Some nights I would make a mini charcuterie board, some nights a smoothie or sandwich and other nights I would have a simple salad. Now that there are two of us back at home each night this week, I have put together another meal plan. Monday - Beef fajitas with peppers, onions and guacamole. Tuesday  - Leftovers Wednesday  - Hamburger steak and green beans Thursday  - Spaghetti with a side salad Friday  - Hamburgers Saturday  - Dinner Out Sunday  - Steak and vegetable kabobs What is on your menu this week?

Happy Labor Day! We have a bit of a crazy week with my husbands upcoming work schedule and trip, so it's a menu full of easy foods this week.  Monday   Grilled steak with baked potatoes and left over cream style corn.  Tuesday   Crockpot Chicken with Creamy Cajun Sauce and green beans Wednesday Crockpot Cube Steak with a side salad Thursday  Leftovers Friday  Tacos Saturday Spaghetti Squash with Homemade Marinara  Sunday Taco Salad  What is on your menu this week? Any favorite recipes to share?