Homemaker Happenings #8 (9.19.25 – 9.25.25)
Welcome to Homemaker Happenings! I am so happy you’re here.
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If you are not aware, my husband is currently deployed and has been gone since Father’s Day weekend. I don’t know of any military spouse who ever wishes his/her spouse to be deployed, and I certainly did not ask for mine to be gone for eight months. Deployment is one of those things that only military families will ever understand. Having your spouse leave for a work trip is simply not the same. Separation for months on end is not my idea of a good time. However, it does end. In fact, as Jake and I were talking the other night, he gave me his tentative timeframe for redeployment (a.k.a coming home) and it dawned on me we are down to just five months. FIVE MONTHS! I can do this!!
It got me thinking that, while I will have my husband home in about five months, I also don’t want to wish my time away. Having him gone can be agonizing at times, but it’s strengthening me. Waiting can be unsettling, but God provides peace and strength. Isaiah 40:31 tells us, “…but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; hey shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” It is only in the Lord that we can find true peace during difficult times. This week, I urge you to lean into Him during times of waiting and ask for peace and strength. I promise He will give it.
Weekly Menu
The weather is cooling down and air conditioning units are being used less! Exciting, I know 😉 Either way, we are headed straight for my favorite season of the year. Check out these cozy recipe ideas.
Breakfast:
- This fall glow smoothie bowl is healthy, refreshing, and the perfect flavors of fall.
- It may be a little indulgent, but pumpkin cheesecake stuffed French toast would be amazing on a cozy weekend morning.
- I have a slightly unhealthy obsession with breakfast tachos, but only because they are so good!
Lunch & Dinner:
- Sheet pan sausage and fall veggies sound like a great way to begin the fall season.
- I’m dying to try this maple-glazed roast chicken with apples and cranberries.
- This spiced brown sugar chicken and roasted veggies has become a new favorite and staple.
- Beef bulgogi is delicious with jasmine rice and snap peas.
Sweet Treat:
This apple cider donut loaf cake is possibly my favorite fall treat of all time. Not only does it taste just like an apple cider donut, but it’s a little easier to make because it’s in loaf form. Make this for a gathering and you will get so many requests for the recipe.
My Weekly Agenda
The Weekend
It’s my first official weekend back in Colorado! I’ll only be home for a few weeks, but I’m treasuring the moments here. Tonight, I’m heading to a brewery with some other Army wives in our unit, and I’m excited to make some new connections. Saturday will involve a search for porch decorations and Gilmore Girls trivia with two of my friends that evening. I will continue the Gilmore Girls excitement by getting GG-themed donuts and coffee on Sunday morning. In the afternoon, my friend and I are celebrating her birthday with a walk around her neighborhood to scope out the Free Little Libraries.
The Week
I’m so glad I am jumping into this week with a good mix of fun and downtime. Tuesday is Taco Tuesday at a friend’s house. Other than that, it’s a pretty mundane week. However, it will give me plenty of time to plan for this year’s Gilmore Girls anniversary watch party. I can’t wait! With time to fill in, I’ll also make sure I get in plenty of exercise and find some fun activities to do in the area. It looks like this is going to be a great week.
Books of the Week
Fiction Recommendation: Harvest Season by Melanie Lageschulte
If you’re looking for a non-spicy, cozy fall read, this certainly fits that description! I read this book last year and found it absolutely heart-warming. With fall here, the weather cooling down, and leaves beginning to change, this book will get you in the mood for “harvest season.”
Synopsis: The right road will always lead you home. But how will you know which path to choose?
As late summer fades into fall, Melinda’s efforts at her rented farmhouse are starting to bear fruit. She’s learned to preserve produce, outsmart some stubborn chickens and wrangle a flock of spoiled sheep. She revels in the peace she’s found in the country, where time is marked by morning-fresh eggs and stunning sunsets.
But even in the small town of Prosper, nothing stays the same. One member of the hardware store’s coffee group shares a startling announcement, and a trip back to the city makes Melinda realize how deep her roots run in rural Iowa.
When autumn’s changing winds bring new opportunities, will she seek the security of her old life or take a chance on an uncertain future? Escape to the heartland with this refreshing series!
Nonfiction Recommendation: The Lifegiving Home by Sally Clarkson
Sally Clarkson may as well be the GOAT of homemaking. If you are in a homemaking rut, or just need some inspiration, Sally’s book provides fresh ways to make your home not just cozy and welcoming, but also a place that glorifies the Lord.
Synopsis: How to make home your family’s favorite place to be . . . all year long.
Does your home sometimes feel like just a place to eat, sleep, and change clothes on the way to the next activity? Do you long for “home” to mean more than a place where you stash your stuff? Wouldn’t you love it to become a haven of warmth, rest, nourishment, and joy . . . the one place where you and your family can’t wait to be?
There is good news waiting for you in the pages of The Lifegiving Home. Every day of your family’s life can be as special and important to you as it already is to God. In this unique book designed to help your family enjoy and celebrate every month of the year together, you’ll discover the secrets of a life-giving home from a mother who created one and her daughter who was raised in it: popular authors and homemakers Sally and Sarah Clarkson. Together they offer a rich treasure of wise advice, spiritual principles, and practical suggestions. You’ll embark on a new path to:
- Create special memories for your children
- Establish home-building and God-centered traditions and rhythms
- Cultivate a peaceful and creative environment in which your family will flourish
Be inspired to create a refuge for all that is beautiful, good, holy, and foundational to life.
On the Hunt
Check out the fun items I’m searching for this week!
Native Coconut & Vanilla Deodorant
Gilmore Girls Napkin & Party Plate Pack
Party Planning Tip of the Week
Plan backwards to help create a timeline.
By planning backwards, this will better help you determine the timing of events leading up to the party. When I plan backwards, I begin with the event itself. From there, I determine what tasks needs to be accomplished and when they need started. I then decide on specific days and times when these tasks will get done. For example, I make homemade Pop Tarts for my Gilmore Girls party. I work backwards to figure out when to make them, store them, and unthaw them before the party.
