My favorite gifts to give are pampering ones. Most people don’t take the time to truly pamper themselves and these kind of gifts give people a reason to take some time out for themselves. If you are struggling to find that perfect gift, consider spending an afternoon making some his and hers spa gift baskets. …
We were first introduced to pipe cleaners and borax crystal ornaments when my older children were in elementary school. We made borax snowflakes for a science experiment and had so much fun. In fact, they made so many snowflakes and other crystal ornaments that they sold them for .25 each at a craft fair …
One of our favorite dinners is pancit bihon, which is a Filipino stir fried rice noodle dish. {By the way, if anyone knows why Filipino is spelled with an “f” and only one “p” and Philippine is spelled with a “ph” and a double “p”, we would like to know. So far we’ve made up …
A few years ago I started making fabric gift bags to use for Christmas. I love making these bags, they are so simple and just take a few minutes to whip up. We mainly use these within our family so we can use them year after year, but I also make some each year to …
{Warning:: In this post I’m sharing the similarities of baking with three different flours, gluten free flour being one of them. If you are making a gluten free dish to serve to people who are on gluten free diets, please use proper protocol. Everyone reacts differently to gluten and some people have a very severe reaction, …
Oh, have I got a treat for you today. The first time I had chocolate chip peanut butter cup cookies was at a baby shower our church had for me when I had Phoebe – yep, 14 years ago and I still remember how amazed I was by them. {don’t laugh, this was before pinterest and blogs when …
For me, cookie making isn’t about the cookies, it’s about spending time with my children making memories. I learned a long time ago that I would need to have a relaxed view of cooking making if this was going to be an enjoyable experience for all. Keep it simple, let the children come and go as …
Fall has come to some areas of the country, I hear. We’ve had a few mornings that the temperature has just barely dipped into the 60’s and you should hear all the clamoring for hot chocolate for breakfast. We have a couple of favorite ways to make hot chocolate but we also have a favorite …
Last week we got quite a bit of rain and although we normally wait until mid October to plant our fall/winter garden, it’s quite a bit cooler than normal so we are starting a little early. When I pulled our seeds out and started going through them, I thought about some of the gardening mistakes …
Did you know that October is National Cookie Month? Well, it is and we are celebrating. But we’re not celebrating with hard, dry cookies from a package. Oh, no, we’re making all kinds of family favorite cookies this month. Like Sunbutter cookies dipped in chocolate….yummm… When I make cookies I mix the wet ingredients first and …
Sometimes it really is the little things that can make all the difference in our schedules and in our budget. A couple of months ago I shared 5 things I regularly do that help me save time and money in the kitchen. I’ve been doing these things for a long time and don’t necessarily think …
Compost is a gardener’s best friend. Unfortunately, it can be quite expensive if you have to purchase it. The cost in my area is about $30 per cubic yard. I can drive about an hour and a half and get mushroom compost for $10 a cubic yard. So, what’s a person to do who wants …
Vegetable gardening doesn’t have to end with the first frost, you can grow fall and winter vegetable gardens in almost any climate. By planting frost tolerant plants you can extend your harvest well into the fall and winter. Here are my favorite 15 cold weather plants for the fall and winter vegetable garden. When you’re …
I know it’s a little early to be sharing pumpkin crafts but it was 105 degrees here today and thinking of fall is one of my survival techniques. Plus this thumb print pumpkin patch t-shirt is such a fun and easy craft I just couldn’t wait for a more “appropiate” time to share it. Esther …
My absolute favorite thing to grow is tomatoes. I love that there are literally thousands of varieties to try. I love the flavor of homegrown tomatoes – store bought tomatoes just cannot compare. I even love the smell of tomato plants – which don’t really smell very good, but I love them anyway. So, for canning …
One of the things we are experimenting with this year is growing buckwheat. Buckwheat is super versatile and can be grown as a weed suppressor and cover crop or for seeds and for the bees. Buckwheat is pretty great in that it likes warm weather unlike other cover crops, like rye, and it does well in poor …
My family loves salsa; we eat it on everything from eggs to tacos. My boys can polish off a quart of salsa and a couple of bags of tortilla chips in no time flat. Sometimes I like to serve a salsa that has a little extra nutrition, you know, to counter the bags of tortilla …
There are many ways to save money at the grocery store, but I truly believe this is the budget category we have the most control over. Unlike fixed expenses like housing or insurance, grocery spending can be adjusted week by week with small, intentional choices. Most people already know the basics — buying items on …
I love keeping home canned corn on hand. Although canning corn takes a little bit longer than canning other vegetables does, it’s totally worth it. There’s nothing like the flavor of locally grown sweet corn during summer, and when you can your own corn you can enjoy that bit of summer all year long. This …
During this time of the year (harvesting and preparing) I often wonder if my kitchen will ever be tidy again. I know it will and yet, sometimes, I get so frustrated by it. I would love to say that I don’t but that would be a lie. {This post contains affiliate links. You can learn …