After a very busy and full three months of travel, mission trips, family reunions, and church camps – our family is all home and back together again. We have loved all the great experiences we’ve had all summer, especially loving that our boys have had such rich times of spiritual growth at church camp. We also really loved seeing family we don’t get to see very often. But being home together again and settling into a routine? We are so thankful!
I counted. In all 31 days of July, I was home only 7 days. And those 7 little days I was home? I was only able to do bare minimum, like laundry and packing for the next trip. Phew! My house is dirty. My computer work is backed up. I don’t even know what’s in the back of my fridge. No matter. I’m refreshed and ready to settle back into home and work life again.
Also? I’ve missed you. I really needed the computer break. I needed the break from writing day after day. I needed to step away from all the work it takes to keep up with this blog. Now that I’ve had this time of refreshment and break from the norm, I am so ready to sit here with you, sharing what I’ve learned, hearing about your experiences, and serving alongside you as we create heavenly homes and love our families together.
So, hi! I’m back. Praise God for how He works and the opportunities He provides to give us just what we need. I hope your summer has been full of God and the perfect lessons He teaches as we seek His will.
Our peach trees are giving us all kinds of delicious fruit right now.
What a great treat to come home to!
In other news: As of today, I am 41 years old. It’s been a fun, happy birthday so far with all my men spoiling me. I look forward to celebrating my birthday with you, too. Watch for fun sales starting tonight!
Fresh banana bread and sliced peaches right off the tree? Perfection.
Now how about a menu plan? I haven’t written one for the past few weeks, so here’s hoping I still remember how. After all, all the boys are back home, and a couple of them grew several inches during the summer. I’m getting shorter and shorter all the time in this family of growing boys. People who haven’t seen them for a few weeks have commented that they didn’t even recognize them at first. Seriously, these teenage boy growth spurts are nuts. Wow, I love these kids – and their appetites.
Have you tried this great Pasta Salad Bar idea yet? What are you waiting for?!
Here’s this week’s menu plan:
Sunday, August 3 (Happy Birthday to me)
Banana bread, strawberries
Out to lunch for a birthday treat
Shrimp and veggie stir-fry with asparagus, broccoli, yellow squash, carrots, and zucchini; watermelon
Monday, August 4 (We start our school year today)
Whole wheat waffles, strawberries, blueberries, whipped cream
Meat and cheese burritos, sweet peppers, olives, pineapple mango smoothies (with spinach blended in)
Italian cream cheese chicken, tossed salad, asparagus
Tuesday, August 5
Honey cinnamon muffins, scrambled eggs, raspberries
Chef salad, banana bread, watermelon
Grilled barbeque chicken, corn on the cob, garden green beans, fried zucchini
Wednesday, August 6
Cream cheese filled crepes, fresh berries
Baked potatoes in the crock pot topped with ham, cheese, sour cream, and peas; cantaloupe
Burgers on the grill, zucchini-cheese casserole, tomatoes, pickles, honey dew melon
Thursday, August 7
Fried eggs, sausage, cantaloupe, blueberries
Baked beans with hot dogs, strawberry peach slushies, carrots and cucumbers with homemade ranch
Lamb chops, cheesy cauliflower cakes, tossed salad, green beans
Friday, August 8
Raspberry oatmeal bars, applesauce, cheese
Pasta salad bar with lots of veggies, watermelon
Chicken veggie quesadillas, tossed salad, cantaloupe
Saturday, August 9
Scrambled eggs, hashbrowns, creamy orange cooler with spinach blended in
Leftovers
Salmon patties, tossed salad, sweet peppers, cucumbers, strawberries with chocolate cream
Ingrid says
Happy Birthday! Our oldest has a birthday tomorrow :) Hope this year brings much happiness and blessings to you and your boys!!
Melissa M. says
First of all, HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I am so glad that you are back and refreshed. I have missed your presence here. And, I heard the music in my head to “The Boys Are Back in Town” LOL
Pam says
Happy Birthday! May it be a year full of God’s good blessings!
Lana says
Happy Birthday! I hope you have a wonderful day! Our middle son is 26 today. That makes me old since we actually have a son only 6 years younger than you. Boys sure do grow in spurts. Our oldest checked his height back to back with me every morning and one morning he was a half inch taller than me when he had been shorter than me the day before!
Kelley says
Happy Birthday!! I hope you have a day as wonderful as you, and “welcome” back!! We have missed you :)
Season says
Happy birthday. Im sure it feels good to be home and back in your kitchen. Good luck with starting school tomorrow, we homeschool year round. I dont comment much but I have a question with your menus do you make breakfast every morning or prep it the night before. I have trouble sticking to a menu in the morning because I don’t have time along with everything else.
Laura says
I almost always make it the night before! This practice helps me so much. The only exception is food like waffles or pancakes – and I try to at least get the dry ingredients mixed and the fruit sliced to top them before heading to bed at night. I also get my boys involved in helping with breakfast at night and the next morning. :)
Deborah says
HAPPY BIRTHDAY LAURA!!!!!I know it is always so nice to be back home and sleeping in your own bed and getting back into your own routine after being away. It’s nice to get away but always nice to be back. Enjoy!
Karen says
Laura,
Welcome back from all of your travels and HAPPY BIRTHDAY! We look forward to hearing about your many adventures.
Heather @ My Overflowing Cup says
Isn’t it wonderful to take a break and do something different for awhile? Especially when you are being spiritually refreshed! I love traveling and doing new things, but there is nothing like being home and back into the routine after being away for awhile. Welcome home! I’ve been home all summer, but very busy. I’m looking forward to things slowing down a bit and getting back into the routine of homeschooling, feeding the family, and writing about how God is teaching me daily. Welcome back and thanks for the yummy food ideas!
Madonna says
Happy Birthday Laura, glad you have had a busy and wonderful summer. also glad you are home.
How do you freeze peaches? I know I read somewhere that you can freeze them whole, unpeeled .
Thanks
LindseyforLaura@HHM says
You sure can! Here is the link to the post Laura wrote about freezing whole peaches: https://www.heavenlyhomemakers.com/you-can-freeze-a-whole-peach
Sian Breslin says
Banana Bread, Yummmmy! Happy Belated Birthday Laura!
Sian :)