Sunday Mornings at Home
Good Sunday morning, everyone! Welcome to Sunday Mornings at Home, a weekly lifestyle post.
Sunday Mornings at home is always different…and today is no exception.
I hope that all of you are safe, warm and cozy in your location…this massive winter front is all the way down here in South Texas…so I know some of you are pretty cold.
For the most part, we are wimps down here and shutter when it gets in the 20’s…we would not handle 30 below like so many are.
So, my heart goes out to you this Sunday Morning and so hope you are warm.
Let’s get a warm Cup of Joy this morning in a cozy place under a cozy blanket and enjoy today’s Sunday Mornings at Home.
SUNDAY MORNINGS AT HOME: NEWS YOU MAY WANT TO KNOW
You may be interested to know that there Is an official fashion retail conglomerate as of last week.
The sale of Chico’s, SOMA, White House Black Market to Sycamore Partners takes them into the same ownership as Talbot’s, Ann Taylor, LOFT, and Lane Bryant.
Here is the article from FORBES: SYCAMORE PARTNERS IS BUILDING A $6 BILLION FASHION POWERHOUSE WITH CHICO’S ACQUISITION.
I suppose we all will wait to see what this means to the brands.
THIS JUST IN: FLASH SALE ON TRAVELERS PIECES FOR TODAY (SUNDAY JAN. 14)
SUNDAY MORNINGS AT HOME: WINTER HOME DECOR
Three of you sent along your winter home decor, so I created three collages.
Diane’s snow was beautiful for a classic winter shot.
She keeps around her snow people and snowflakes for winter home decor…and joins me with pine cones.
Diane lives in upstate New York.
I loved how similar Diane and Kathy’s color schemes are in their homes.
Kathy definitely has a artisan vibe to her decor with beautiful flowers…and a touch of evergreen.
Kathy wrote: “I do keep some of my holiday decor up through the end of February. I remove glass trees (although I did think about keeping them), candles, snowmen from my table and mantel. I keep the white magnolia and red hydrangea arrangements. I add a magnolia wreath to the front door. I keep the grey wool table runner with white embroidered trees and the winter tree pillows on the sofas. I live in a coastal city in Washington State with lots of evergreen trees. We “might” get a dusting of snow next weekend.”
Audrey seems to have February on her mind with her winter home decor.
Since she sent two pictures, I stuck the Valentine’s heart in the top corner.
This is so much fun to see everyone’s home decor. If you would like to share your winter or Valentine’s Decor, please send to over50feeling40@gmail.com.
Also, feel free to share your photos with winter recipes, or street style where you live, or mannequins you see in your stores.
Make certain to send to email and not try to put the pictures in comments.
Thanks!
SUNDAY MORNINGS AT HOME: COOKING FROM THE PANTRY
One day last week, Mr. B and I were hungry and I had no meal planned for us.
So, I went pantry and refrigerator surfing, and this version of Red Beans and Rice was so good, I believe I will make it again exactly as I made it this day.
THE BEANS
Two large cans of Bush’s Pinto Beans
Small can of Bush’s Sidekicks Simmerin’ Caribbean Black Beans
Chopped yellow onion
Two minced garlic cloves
Can of HEB chopped tomatoes
Can of Hatch’s Chopped Mild Green Chiles.
2 tablespoons of Fiesta Pinto Bean Seasoning
1 tablespoon of real maple syrup
THE SAUSAGE
Aidells Chicken & Apple Sausage – cut into pieces and browned in olive oil, then stir into the beans.
I cooked the beans and sausage for about 45 minutes.
THE RICE
Red beans and rice has always been white rice at our house.
But, all that was in the pantry was Ben’s Original Long Grain & Wild Rice.
As I said, these flavors were so good together, that I think I will keep this version going…Mr. B liked it as well.
SUNDAY MORNINGS AT HOME: FAVORITES
I took this picture in my allergist’s waiting room, and these CLOUDMONSTER athletic shoes were the top selling item on the blog this week!
The two best links for them are in this post, WINTER OUTFIT IDEAS.
This is my favorite photo from last week.
My youngest granddaughter was asked to bring her favorite book to school, and shared it with the class while the teacher read the book….the class is all three year olds.
She was excited to take her favorite book about Cinderella.
I did not gift her this book, but I give all of my grandchildren lots of books…encouraging them to read is so important.
I hope you have enjoyed today’s Sunday Mornings at Home…any thoughts?
We had some wonderful conversations last week, and I have more fun planned for this week….so make sure you stop by, stay warm & cozy, and always….
STAY STRONG & KEEP SMILING!!
By Pamela Lutrell
I was encouraged to explain more about my SHOPPING LINKS page and how to use it. (In fact I just added a few new brands to the list)
I am an affiliate for many different brands and when you click on those brands and shop, then I receive a small commission.
This is such an important income for me and my family.
I have tried to include the brands most shopped by this audience, but sometimes I miss one of your favorites.
If you will tell me what you are shopping, then I can tell you if I am affiliate for them and give you that link…if it is not already on the page.
And remember to send your recipes and home decor with pictures to over50feeling40@gmail.com. Send to email and do not try to put in comments! YOU are the best.
So much to comment on today. Love the decor! I buy my 10 month old grandson lots of books. Right now he just likes to open and shut them, but at the minimum, he gets read to every night before bed. I went through a time in recent years where I didn’t read as much as look at the computer, but I love my kindle paperwhite (never thought I’d say that) and read daily. Today it’s wind chill -26, and even an Ohioan (at least this Ohioan) doesn’t go walking in that weather! Good thing there’s football and hockey on for the next couple of days. We are all rooting for the Detroit Lions.
It is even a perfect day way down here for football and a fire in a fireplace…enjoy your game! Thanks for being here!
The joy of opening the first page of a new book! I’ve bought my littlest grandchildren lots of books in their five years and do hope they continue to read with joy!
Love the winter decor pictures! Thanks for sharing! And I might make my own version of red beans and rice today. Such a good lunch on this much colder day…. ( yesterday was near 48 degrees/ up here that’s balmy in January! Lol).
Red Beans & rice is perfect for cold weather. It was fun to face the challenge of something unscripted from the pantry. I am going to do this more often!
The teacher looks great! Teaching that age is a physically active job. She looks comfortable, but stylish and pulled together.
Lovely decor pictures and I love the picture of your granddaughter. It did though bring back a sad memory from my grade one teaching days. At an open house a grandmother said to me, ” I told Kerry that when she learns to read I’ll buy her a book.” I taught in a depressed area. It broke my heart. I always give a collection of early reading books as baby shower gifts.
They have wonderful teachers! Such a blessing!
Wow…that is sad. I met a woman just last week who is maybe in her sixties. She was glad to have a library card for free Internet access, but actually said that she would not need the card otherwise because she hated reading books. That one was very sad to me!
Good morning Pamela, I’m in Granbury watching through the windows of enclosed porch as my feral mama kitty and 2 kittens are coming in and out of our outdoor kitty house complete with heating pad…they don’t stay out in the 14 Fahrenheit very long! I’m waiting for the heating water bowl to arrive from Amazon today. I have on my Talbots PJs waffle knit henley’s, and L.L Bean Wicked Good fleecy moccasins. Coffee and doing my church reading at home today…Blessing sent to you😇
Our home is all a shambles as we are packing up for our move. Last night, our power went out during our PNW ice storm, and still hasn’t come on yet. We are all under warm blankets, watching some candles flicker that I hadn’t packed yet. So grateful for a roof over our head, when so many don’t have one, even if it is uncomfortable in here. Love your post today, Pam, and all of the lovely ladies’ pictures of their homes. Your granddaughter is precious 💞. XOXOXO Stay warm, everyone.
Wonderful post. The picture with your granddaughter and her book is precious. The bean dish is perfect for this weather. I just made hot oatmeal with pecans for breakfast. Yummy for the tummy! It’s -6 here. Have a blessed Sunday.
Blessing sent to you…enjoyed your description of your morning. Stay warm!
I have experienced that Linda. I pray that your lights return soon! Make sure you move around!
I really love seeing a peek into these other readers’ homes. The expression on the lower tier snowman in Diane’s vignette is terrific – he seems to be looking up slightly puzzled, as if the other snowman was perhaps up to some mischief! Also, I love the wall color behind them. Seems like a peach tone of some sort. Very pretty! Your pulled-together recipe is exactly how I like to cook. Looks delicious. Coincidentally, I will be attending a cooking class later this week with a friend out at a local winery. Bratwurst will be the focus, so maybe I will have something interesting to share, too. Happy Sunday and football and staying warm! 💕
Please share! I would love to go to a class like that! Thanks Connie!
Stay warm, Matcia…it is perfect hot oatmeal weather.
Thank you Linda for rooting for my Lions. They’ve had a tough time for so long. My grandfather was head coach back in the 40s so I grew up a fan and have been disappointed so many seasons. Pamela, I love the photo of your granddaughter and her favorite book. I hope she will always have a love of books and reading. They open up the wide world for us. Thank you for sharing Diane’s, Kathy’s & Audrey’s winter decor. Now I’m inspired to add some here as the house always looks so bare after Christmas. I do keep my wreaths and outside lit trees until Valentines Day. My neighbors’ lights are still on too. The lights bring me joy when I take Coffee for “last outs” right before bedtime. Happy Sunday.
Wonderful post! Geez, I always have several books going at once. So happy I came from a family of readers and encouraged my children to read. I love watching my grandchildren develop their reading habits. Interesting about Chicos and other stores. I hope our favorites remain standing and stick to their brand. Our beach here took a beating. An iconic “Lobster Shack” a little north ended up floating. So sad. Stay warm everyone!
Your grandfather was head coach?? How cool is that? I am now rooting for the Lions! Rooting for The Cowboys is also a part of my family heritage. I started watching the games when I was six with my dad. He took me to a game when I was 11, and the highlights were hanging out by the entry ways and getting to see Tom Landry and Vince Lombardi. Football has been in my blood so when you tell me about your grandfather, I get really excited. I am also rapidly becomeing a staunch Houston Texans fan. I love the leadership CJ Stroud is showing at such a young age.
I also regret seeing the lights go away too soon after Christmas, Kathie…I want to keep some around during the winter.
I also love to watch my grandchildren develop good reading habits…right now, all six love books. That is sad about the Lobster Shack. I hope the destructive part of these storms ceases soon. Thanks Deborah.
I love reading circles in school, and it’s great your granddaughter has a favorite book. A lot of kids don’t.
Interesting about retail acquisition: with little competition, I think we can expect to see prices rise. Maybe Chico’s will add more petites – disappointed that the jacket I liked doesn’t come in petite. I have a couple of independent boutiques near me and am going to get there soon –hoping to make a couple of investment purchases and not looking like everyone else.
Boutiques are a great way to begin your search. I love shopping boutiques for many reasons…to not look like everyone else and to support local small businesses are at the top of my list. Enjoy your shopping. I hope you are wrong about the prices rising…they are already pretty high.
Thanks Maeve.
Definitely staying cozy at home this morning. It’s -46ºC (-50.8ºF) outside and even the churches are closed! Here in Alberta we had a critical emergency alert last evening warning us that the extreme cold was resulting in high power usage and putting the grid at a high risk of rotating power outages. We were asked to immediately limit our electricity use to essential needs only. People must have complied as we only experienced one minor power blip. Stay warm everyone, wherever you are!
I love buying books for children and have bought many books at book fairs for children other than our grandchildren. When discussing reading I so often am reminded of a discussion I had with a high school junior in my chemistry class many years ago. He asked what I had done over Thanksgiving holidays, and I responded that in addition to all that cooking, I had read two books. His response “ Gosh, that’s one more than I have read in my life!”. I’d guess he was thinking of an adult type book rather than children’s, but still, isn’t that a sad statement? I have shared this story many times, and it continues to haunt me about teenagers who do not enjoy reading.
Celia, as a retired elementary school teacher that breaks my heart. Reading to my students every day was one of my favourite parts of teaching and decades later I’ve had a few former students tell me how much they enjoyed it too. I know that for some, that was the only time they were ever read to.
Your recipe looks and sounds delicious. One question, do you drain the pinto beans? Thank you for your blog. I look forward to it every day.
I did not…thanks for being here!
It is sad! I think this is an area where we can make a difference. I still want to build a book swap box in my neighborhood. It might be vandalized but it is worth a shot!
I know it is really cold up there, Elaine! Stay warm!
I miss teaching. We need to stay active and encourage reading when we can!
Love seeing the winter home decor. Three different styles, but they are all lovely. Seeing your sweet granddaughter with her book filled me with joy. I love to read, & my granddaughters were read to all the time. They still enjoying reading even with their busy schedules. The younger one received a couple of Colleen Hoover books for Christmas. She started reading that afternoon.
So enjoy your post today. The Sunday sharing of decor and recipes is great.
We live in SC and it is too cold, no snow but wind and rain.
Loved the picture of your granddaughter and teacher. I was a high school teacher and required book reports did help our students with reading.
Thank you for sharing your home, Audrey!
I was an elementary school librarian for years and my go to baby gift is always a few board books. Loved seeing that young teacher dressed so comfortably! Sneakers were forbidden in my day but how wonderful a more casual look is appropriate. Teachers are on their feet for hours! I spent the better part of 2 days watching my grandkids play lacrosse in a tournament in Southern California. My heart goes out to those experiencing extreme cold!
Loved the comments about the importance of reading. My husband and I took our grandchildren out on their birthdays and gifts for Christmas each year to the local B& N bookstore. They would pick out books and then we would get a drink & snack in the cafe.It made a nice get together. Need to start soon with the great grands.
I love seeing your other readers’ winter decor. Thanks to each of them for sharing! Right after New Year’s I always switch to my “January wreath/mantle/table“ which is more icy branches and less greenery than my Christmas stuff. Since I did not get my collection of mercury glass trees out until the week of Christmas I decided they were “winter“ and not Christmas, so they will be out for a while. I loved the photo of your granddaughter taking her favorite book to school. When my daughter told me she was pregnant with my first grandchild, literally the first thing out of my mouth was “Well, Nan and Pop (the other grandparents) will have to do trips and electronics and I will be Book Grandma.“ I have wished a thousand times that I had said something more appropriate like “How exciting! How are you feeling? When are you due?” I went to the bookstore that day and bought my oldest granddaughter her first book and it’s very rare that I show up to visit at their house without at least one book. Now that there are three of them I can’t always take three at a time, but for birthdays and Christmas they each get specially chosen books.
Although we haven’t gotten any freezing precipitation yet, our chill factor is down around zero here in Fort Worth, so I plan to make a pot of chicken and dumplings and spend Monday under a blanket by the fireplace reading one of several new books I got for Christmas. They were all on my wish list and I’m not sure where to start. I try to avoid having more than one book going at a time now that I’m retired. I am reading mostly non-fiction lately, and I’m excited that you’re going to be discussing books in some of your posts. I get many of my ideas for new books from the bloggers I follow, or from my fellow readers on those blogs. I’m still catching up on posts because I’ve had my two year old grandson since Friday afternoon. We made some great memories, but I’m worn out. Thankfully the weather dictates that my plan for a lazy day catching up on posts and reading is a sensible one!
Hi Kathie, just had to jump back on here and say Congratulations to the Lions! It was an excellent game and I loved bed the excitement in the stadium! I will watch their next game too!
Loved the decor photos. Your lovely little granddaughter is getting a good start at being a reader. My mom never missed a bedtime without reading a story. I believe that is why I could read before starting school. I still have a book on Kindle and a book on Audible going all of the time. It is so sad to hear that a grandmother is living in such a small world without books. Perhaps it is a learning disability that kept her from learning to enjoy books. It is 4F outside here and snowing lightly.
Thanks Sydney!