At my request (see my previous post), Andrea of Flourishing Mother and Lisa of Stretch Mark Mama kindly offered me their recipes for blueberry muffins.This morning, because we are practically swimming in blueberries and I was in a mood to bake, I decided to make both recipes and compare, contrast, and crown a winner.In one corner, we have Andrea's Blueberry Muffins, which … [Read more...]
Lake Michigan!
When I sat on the sand and watched the water crash against those rocks and send up that spray, I thought, "Why, this could almost be California!" Yet, we only had to drive a few hours to enjoy this Lake Michigan beach.I guess I was surprised that the lake was able to offer such an ocean-like display of power.But when on the drive home I phoned my parents and mentioned the … [Read more...]
Crock-Flops and Minor Crock-Successes
I was so eager to try some new recipes in the crockpot after being inspired by A Year of Crockpotting that I did a little online search and came up with this highly recommended stew: Crockpot Chicken & Quinoa. It looked soooo good in the photograph. The instructions were easy. I even shocked myself by having on hand in my cupboard a box of quinoa and in the freezer, … [Read more...]
Backyard Bounty
It isn't much, but given that I'm a novice gardener harvesting a small, weedy plot...Basil, cucumbers, zucchini, and tomatoesI'm pleased. … [Read more...]
Friday's Food: Crock-Thoughts
I've been having fun digging down into "A Year of Crockpotting." This gal, Stephanie, resolved to use her crockpot every day for a year. She's up to day 207.She posts the day's recipe with instructions and photos along with her verdict on the outcome with humor and honesty.The whole idea is hilarious.And genius.I mean, it landed her a spot on Rachael Ray. If that's not … [Read more...]
Travel Tips
I'm home. Finally.Two loads of laundry out of the way. Most bags unpacked. Travel successes and failures still fresh in my mind.Here's are several things that worked for me on this vacation:Nylon sports bag.I threw this in my suitcase at the last minute, not knowing how much I'd use it.It became the ideal daypack, very flexible. For example, it stays inconspicuous as it … [Read more...]
Leftover Spaghetti? Try a Spaghetti Pancake!
Sometimes the kids slurp up great gobs of spaghetti; other times, they nibble one small bowl and announce that they're finished. Because I never know which response is coming, I make enough for a "great gobs" night. Last week's spaghetti night, however, was a "nibble" night. I had a lot of leftover noodles. We don't mind leftovers for lunch or dinner, so heating … [Read more...]
Bunnies and Clotheslines
I've never been good with laundry. Somehow I end up shrinking my favorite blouses and pulling pants from the dryer only to discover blotches of contrasting dye from a shirt that wasn't ready to be washed with other colors. At those moments, I am especially glad that I shop at Goodwill. Even though the shrunken blouse might have been a favorite, it is somewhat comforting … [Read more...]
Several Summer Solutions to "Mom, I’m Bored!"
To avoid hearing kids exclaim "I'm bored!" in the summer months, it's tempting to fill the weeks ahead with camps and clubs and outings and activities, isn't it? Maybe we think, Keeping them busy keeps them out of trouble. Or, They gain skills they wouldn't have time to develop during the school year. And although not everyone will admit to it, there's the argument, … [Read more...]
Crockpot Broth
** Excuse me...this should be titled Crockpot Stock **Turkey breasts were on sale last week at Kroger, so I bought one and cooked it all day in the crockpot.We enjoyed it as our main course this evening. After dinner, The Belgian Wonder cut every morsel of meat from the carcass. We'll use the leftovers in sandwiches.Then super-frugal, domestic Ann put the carcass … [Read more...]
Oreo Accident
Can I just say that I'm very sad that the truck accident that caused 14 tons of double-stuffed Oreos to spread across an Illinois Interstate caused such traffic grief...and I sure hope that the truck driver is okay...but, wow, would that be an amazing sight to see!Did drivers get out and scavenge?I keep thinking of all those recipes calling for "coarsely crushed Oreo … [Read more...]
7 Keys to a Happier Mother’s Day
Sure, we hope to be honored in some way on Mother's Day. And some of us will. For some of us, Sunday will be a day of extravagant gifts and champagne brunches. Some of us will have creative spouses and industrious children with lots of resources and initiative--we'll have scones and strawberries for breakfast in bed, and chocolate truffles with lunch. Or our … [Read more...]
13 Tips for Finding Free Time for Mom (without multi-tasking!)
Finding free time for mom—at least, for this mom—used to seem impossible. People would suggest multi-tasking as a way to gain time, but multi-tasking simply doesn't work for me. Research reveals the inefficiency of multi-tasking; as quantity of work goes up, something suffers. A 2008 report called "Cramming the Most into Time" on ABC World News with Charles Gibson affirmed … [Read more...]
Monday FunDay (week 10)–Get Up and Play
Welcome!You've arrived at home base for Monday FunDay, a carnival dedicated to swapping simple, amusing–maybe even silly–everyday ways you enjoy good, clean fun.Monday FunDayTo participate in Monday FunDay, just post a story, idea, or explanation at your blog of how you and/or your family has livened up Mondays (or any day).Then link up via Mr. Linky below (if you don’t … [Read more...]
Monday FunDay (week 7)–Tea Party
I'm a little late with my Monday FunDay post. I'm still in the post-retreat Slow Zone (sigh). Please accept my apologies. Welcome to:Monday FunDayWhat? You didn't know about Monday FunDay? Why, it's a carnival dedicated to swapping simple, amusing–maybe even silly–everyday ways you enjoy good, clean fun.Just post a story, idea, or explanation at your blog of how you and/or … [Read more...]
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