The Housewife Journal ~ August 2024

~August 2024~

This month has been crazy busy! I think it's because the end of summer is upon us. Everyone is getting ready to go back to school and we're all squeezing in the last vacations, parties, showers, and busy weekends! I might also be grouping the entire summer in this first entry for the Housewife Journal, because it's the beginning of the month so not too much has happened yet (although lots has been planned). 

~Out And About~

So far, my husband and I have gone on two trips, the first to Maine for a family funeral on my husband's side, and the second to Ohio with some of my side of the family. We've had three high school graduations, a couple of weddings, a wedding and two baby showers (one of which I hosted). My husband and I have also been getting more involved in our church community which has been a great blessing! I've come to realize that you can only get as much as you give to a community. We've met so many new people at our church this summer and I believe it's from helping out when needed, inviting families over for dinner, or bringing someone a meal that needs help. 

~In The Home~

My goal has been to slowly make this home more beautiful and more functional every day! I feel like we've made a lot of progress so far. My in-laws gave us a buffet/cabinet that goes with our kitchen table. We made it work in our small kitchen and now we have so much more cabinet space!! 

~Kitchen Happenings~

Our favorite recipe this month came as a surprise to me! I'm not the biggest fan of Asian cuisine but my husband loves it. We planted some Shishito peppers in our garden this summer, not knowing what we would make with them. I looked up recipes for them on Pinterest and found this recipe: Steak & Shishito Stir Fry. I put off making it for weeks! But the time was finally right. I had steak in the freezer and a bag of these peppers that needed to be eaten. So I made it and wow! It was SO easy and SO yummy! 

My husband said it was one of the best things I've ever made him (and he loves a lot of the things I make). The only thing we would have changed is to double the sauce to put on the rice. 

What you should take from this is: 1. plant some Shishito Peppers in your garden next summer. They really gave us a lot and are still producing. 2. Make this recipe, even if you don't typically like stir fry! 

~Gifts From God~

So many gifts from the Lord! Right now I'm especially grateful for the graces He has given me to increase my prayer life. I had a great spiritual schedule before I got married, and now it is a lot harder to find time to pray! (maybe not the time, that was the excuse! But I had to rearrange my schedule a little) I think I have finally gotten a rhythm going and of course it is by the grace of God! Of course I also thank Him for my and my husband's health and all the blessings God has given us! 

~On The Bookshelf~

Or off the bookshelf rather! Currently I am reading the Narnia series for the first time ever! It has been on my list for years, but after attempting to read Lord Of The Rings (that one was difficult for me in high school) I thought it would be the same and didn't try Narnia because of it. Now, I can honestly say I love the books! And they are much better than the movies. I'll never understand why a director can't just add a couple more details here and there to make the movie more like the book. That is what all book lovers want anyways in a movie adaptation. 

And now, we press on in this last summer month before autumn is upon us! It's hard not to get in the mood right now, as stores have already taken out ALL the Fall scents and decorations! But I'm going to try to hold fast till the weather changes (for real. In the South we always get a "fake fall" about this time of year) Maybe in October we'll start getting cozy!