Little Town On The Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder
A couple weeks ago I finished reading Little Town on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder to the girls. It is the seventh book in the Little House series. It is hard to believe we are flying through this series and before long we’ll be done. The girls loved these books so much I am already thinking about if I should do another series or something similar next.
Now that the long winter of blizzards is over the Ingalls family is heading back out to the homestead to work the land. Laura got a new job, attended some fun parties in town, and began to spend time with Almanzo Wilder. She continues to study hard for the teacher’s test so she can help Pa and Ma keep Mary in school. Mary is going to college for the blind. Even though Laura is fifteen years old she past the test and receives her teaching certificate early.
Chocolate & Peanut Butter Banana Bites
Awhile ago I got some bananas on clearance and had an event coming up so I decided to try a variant of a recipe that I had seen somewhere months ago. It was pretty easy to do and tasted delicious. The girls loved putting these together and enjoyed eating the frozen delicious bananas too!
Chocolate & Peanut Butter Banana Bites
Bananas cut and ready to be dipped
1 cup of milk and white chocolate swirls with 1/4 cup of creamy peanut butter
Melted chocolate and peanut butter is ready to have the bananas dipped into it.
Once the bananas are dipped into the chocolate and peanut butter put them in a single layer in a pan and put into the freezer until they are completely frozen. After they are frozen you can transfer them into a ziplock bag. Pull them out immediately before you serve them (if you keep them out too long they will start to melt).
How to Keep Fresh Garden Vegetables Separate & Accessible in a Refrigerator Drawer
Refrigerator drawer full of fresh garden vegetables
We love it when our vegetable drawer is crammed full of fresh garden vegetables! The problem is at times it can be difficult finding the vegetable you want in the middle of all the other goodies in the drawer. Now that Spring is here and people are planting gardens, going to farmers markets, and stocking up on some of the great fresh produce in the stores I thought it would be a good time to share how I have found an easy and inexpensive way to keep the garden vegetables separate yet accessible while in the refrigerator drawer.
Solution – recycled bread bags! It seems silly but it really works well! You probably already have them around plus you can usually fit more bags into the drawer. We tried doing containers but every week we had a different amount of vegetables or they were overflowing among other things that just didn’t make them work well. As I was throwing out a bread bag the thought came across my mind that it would make a good “holder” for the garden vegetables.
The bags can be packed as little or as much as needed (and can be adjusted accordingly) plus they keep the vegetables separate so I can easily reach in and grab whatever veggies I needed at the time. It also made it super easy for the kids to pack their own lunches or to grab a quick snack from the vegetable drawer.
Here’s how we did it:
French bread loaf bag, washed & dried so it can be filled with cherry tomatoes from the garden
Once the tomatoes are all in the bag roll the remaining bag down until it is even with the stack of tomatoes
Bag of tomatoes ready to be put into the fridge drawer
Fresh veggies organized and accessible for the next meal
Heart Reflections: Riches of the Heart
In one our traveling excursions I came across this sign “Riches of the heart cannot be stolen”. I immediately liked the sign (simple but to the point) and was thankful for the reminder in my life. What is my focus and where do my thoughts tend to wonder?
Joy, blessings, contentment, laughter, love, thankfulness, and many amazing riches that come from my heart are ones that cannot be taken away from me. May the riches of your heart and mine be abundantly overflowing so we can be content, generous, positive, and kind to those around us.
Save A Lot: Deals for the week of April 10 – 16, 2013
The Save A Lot weekly ad deals are listed below for your convenience. It is a great time to stock up on some Save A Lot deals. Sign up for the Smart Shopper Club, by doing so you will get a $5.00 off of $25.00 coupon!
Meat and Seafood
Boston Butt Roast – $1.49 lb
Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast – $1.99 lb
Sirloin Steaks – $4.99 lb
Pork Steaks – $1.79 lb
Jamestown Bacon (10 p0unds) – $21.99
Country Style Pork Ribs – $1.69 lb
Hillshire Farms Sausage (14 oz) – $1.99
*Pick 5 for $19.99 promotion on going! Pick any 5 specially marked packages of your favorite cuts or types of meats, vegetables and more.
Fridge and Freezer
Home Churned Tub Spread Margarine (45 oz) – $1.99
Coburn Farms Yogurt (6 – 8 oz) – $0.45
Fairgrounds Bologna (1 pound) – $0.99
Produce
Fresh Cantaloupe – $0.99
Green Cabbage – $0.39 lb
Idaho Potatoes (10 pounds) – $2.99
Grocery
Ginger Evans Granulated Sugar (4 pounds) – $1.99
Golden Baked White Round Top Bread (20 oz) – $0.99
Mantia’s Spaghetti Noodles (16 oz) – $0.89
Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ Sauce (28 oz) – $2.39
Kurtz Hamburger Dill Slices (32 oz) – $1.69
Heinz Ketchup (38 oz) – $1.99
Hamburger or Hotdog Buns (8 count) – $0.99
Ginger Evans All Purpose Flour (5 pounds) – $1.79
A.1. Steak Sauce (10 oz) – $2.99
Sunny Delight (48 oz) – $0.99
Portside Chunk Light Tuna in Water (5 oz) – $0.69
Betty Crocker Hamburger or Tuna Helper (11 – 12 oz) – $1.79
Kiggins Frosted Flakes Cereal (17 oz) – $1.99
Tipton Grove Apple Juice (64 oz) – $1.59
So Cheesy Mac & Cheese (12 – 14 oz) – $1.39
Duke’s Mayonnaise (32 oz) – $3.29
Wylwood Canned Vegetables (14 – 15 oz) – $0.49
Save A Lot Today Soda (2 liters) – $0.89
Crystal 2.0 Purified Drinking Water (24 pack, 16.9 oz each) – $2.29
Del Pino’s Pasta with Meat – $o.79
J Higgs Potato Chips (10 oz) – $1.49
Save A Lot Today Soda (12 pack – 12 oz cans) – $2.89
Remember you can use the $5/$25 printable coupon to sweeten these deals! Plus you can earn up to 5 additional $5 off $25 coupons for sharing the coupon with your friends. For more information about Save A Lot’s coupon policies go here. If you find additional deals or savings please let me know and I will add them to the list. Please make sure to check with your local Save A Lot store, the ads do vary per region.
Steamed Fresh Vegetables
There is just something about Spring and fresh garden vegetables! Whether you get your vegetables from a garden or the store they are still delicious and a healthy part of the meal for your whole family. We enjoy our vegetables raw (at meals, in lunches or just for a snack), on the grill (add touch of Italian salad dressing and they taste amazing), baked, or steamed (a perfect compliment to any meal).
The pictures are some of the vegetables we ate recently. Included in the steamer are cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, green beans, and purple beans. Some were ones we had from our garden and the rest we got at our local grocery store. I prefer to steam the vegetables over boiling them because I believe more of the nutrients remain in the vegetables plus they tend to stay more firm (not mushy, which happens if they are boiled too long).
Our steamer has printed on it how long it takes to steam a variety of items. Since there are several vegetables in this one I just average out the time for the items I put into the steamer and make sure to check it before dinner is served. Although the purple beans are beautiful they do lose their purple color (they turn green) when cooked. If you want the purple beans to retain their color you will need to serve them raw (on a salad, raw, or in any other cool dish that calls for green beans). What is your favorite way to eat fresh vegetables?
Steamed fresh vegetables
Go Light Your Candle by Chris Rice
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmquDS65YZs
There is a candle in every soul
Some brightly burning, some dark and cold
There is a Spirit who brings a fire
Ignites a candle and makes His homeSo Carry your candle, run to the darkness
Seek out the lonely, the tired and worn
Hold out your candle for all to see it
Take your candle, and go light your world
Take your candle, and go light your worldCause We are a family whose hearts are blazing
So let’s raise our candles and light up the sky
Praying to our Father, in the name of Jesus
Make us a beacon in darkest timesWhat’s for Dinner: Our Weekly Menu Plan
Last week was pretty full of fun activities with the girls off from school for Spring Break. We got to spend some time together with our family both at home and a few days in Charleston. I was so sad that the girls had to go back to school this morning, but thankful for our fun time together. Having the menu ready in the evenings has been a big benefit for our family and makes the evenings go much smoother. Here is our menu plan for the upcoming week:
Our Weekly Menu Plan
- Monday (Beef or Seafood Entree): Spaghetti & Meatballs, French Bread
- Tuesday (Kid’s Night to Cook): Sandwiches, Fruit Salad
- Wednesday (Chicken or Vegetarian Entree): Chicken Pot Pie, Fresh Fruit
- Thursday (Pasta or Pork Entree): Pasta Casserole, Steamed Vegetables
- Friday, Saturday, & Sunday: Leftovers, Family Preference, and Hosting
I have a general pattern I try to follow for my weekly Menu Plan (for example Monday we have a beef or seafood entree and so forth). It is my goal, at least in the beginning, to have at least the main dish and one side planned. I will put together the remaining side dishes (veggies / fruits) based on the food items that need to be used up first and compliment the main entree.
Setting a weekly menu plan helps me utilize my time better, thus freeing up extra time to spend with my family. On the days that I am working longer hours I can prep the meal in advance so it will be easier to pull together once I am home. As I go through the menu planning process I will try to share some of our favorite family recipes. If there is a specific recipe you would like please let me know and I will do my best to accommodate (some recipes are a toss together meal and I do not use any set measurements).
As a family of four our life can get busy. What’s for Dinner is our weekly menu planning series and one of the ways to help keep us organized, on schedule, and within budget. Our family typically eats 6 to 7 dinner meals at home a week. We do try to go out to eat at least once a month as a special treat. Breakfasts are eaten at home before work and school, lunches are eaten at work, school, or home, so dinner is our main meal together as a family. Dinner is our time to reconnect, share, and enjoy being together after a busy day. Our weekly menu plan covers Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday only because the weekend (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday) is our time to spend with family and friends. The weekends tend to be more spontaneous and my husband (who is the better cook) likes pitching in therefore we keep the menu open for variety. We use up the leftovers throughout the week for our lunches and on the nights that we are busy or can’t cook.
Photo by Liz
Intentional Living: Weekly Goals
We had a wonderful Spring Break with the girls. Last week Jake had to work for a few days in the Charleston so we went with him. It was nice to hang out together with family and create new memories. This week we are back to the normal schedule with school back in full swing.
Last week’s goals
Family Goals
Read These Happy Golden Years by Laura Ingalls Wilder to the girls (Book 8)- Read Imagination Station: Attack at the Arena by Marianne Hering and Paul McCusker (Book 2) – almost finished, started reading it this past weekend
Ride bikes / scooters / skates / roller blades with the family– rode at home and took our bikes & skates to Charleston to ride as wellGo on a picnic with the kids– had a picnic with the girls at the Easter Egg Hunt & while in CharlestonPlay in the park together– played several parks in Charleston with the girlsVisit a Museum– went to the Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry and the Old Exchange & Provost Dungeon
Plan one special Activity with the Family– spent time together in Charleston doing special activities including the Cooper River Bridge Kids Run on Friday!
Go on a family walk– took walk through Battery ParkGet together with Family and/or Friends– had some family and friends overPlay a board game– played several games with the girlsGo on a special road trip– went to CharlestonSlumber partyGo out to dinner one evening– went out to eat while in CharlestonWatch a movie or TV show together one evening– since we finished reading the Little House on the Prairie books we introduced the girls to the TV show, they were sooo excited!
Personal Goals
Exercise at least 5 days this week– lots of bike riding, walking, and even a mile jog in the Kids Run
Drink 8 glasses of water each dayContinue my YouVersion plan(s)- Finish reading One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp
- Finish reading Overcoming Dyslexia by M.D. Sally Shaywitz (someone gave me this to read)
Home Management Goals
All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day- Weekly Dinner Menu planned out for the week – since we were traveling most of the week I didn’t plan out the menu
Pay all upcoming billsStart Spring Cleaning
Business Goals
Work on ideas for upcoming blog postsKeep up with the day to day items that need my attentionWork completed for clients
Ministry Goals
Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or LunchWrite and Send Out Community Group Email
Financial Goals
Groceries $40 for 4- Payoff the Van – made another payment
- Pay medical bills in full – got one of the bills paid off, working on the other ones now
My goals for the upcoming week
Family Goals
- Read The First Four Years by Laura Ingalls Wilder to the girls (Book 9)
- Read Imagination Station: Attack at the Arena by Marianne Hering and Paul McCusker (Book 2)
- Plan one special Activity with the Family
- Play a board game
- Lunch Boxes & Book Bags packed the night before
- Daily School Activities & Homework Completed
- Attend After School Activities
- Volunteer One Day at Girls School
- Prepare for Upcoming Visitors
- Finish the girls Bookshelf
Personal Goals
- Exercise at least 5 days this week
- Drink 8 glasses of water each day
- Continue my YouVersion plan(s)
- Finish reading One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp
- Finish reading Overcoming Dyslexia by M.D. Sally Shaywitz (someone gave me this to read)
Home Management Goals
- All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day
- Weekly Dinner Menu planned out for the week
- Pay all upcoming bills
- Work on Spring Cleaning
Business Goals
- Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
- Keep up with the day to day items that need my attention
- Work completed for clients
Ministry Goals
- Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch
- Write and Send Out Community Group Email
Financial Goals
- Groceries $40 for 4
- Payoff the Van
- Pay medical bills in full
I think it is important to share and encourage each other as we seek to improve our lives and the lives of those around us. I want to live intentionally not just hope all my dreams and goals come true. When I focus on small steps of improvement I am able to see results as I get closer to my goals. Some weeks I get closer to the goals I have in my life and other weeks a take a few steps back (life happens, emergencies occur, people get sick). Once the goals are written down and shared it provides a guideline for what I aim to accomplish this week.
Why Share My Goals?
- To keep me accountable
- To share a piece of my life with you as I strive to be a better Child of God, Wife, Mom, Friend, Homemaker, Entrepreneur and the many other roles I have each week
- To have my goals consistently written down so I can gauge progress more accurately
- Create healthy habits in my life
- To encourage you to share your goals with me as you continue to grown and learn
How did you do this week on your goals? Feel free to share or link to your list of weekly goals.
The picture above is one that I created for my own purposes, however, The “SMART” acronym was originally coined 30 years ago by Peter Drucker in his classic work, Management by Results.
Qualities Of A Great Friend…
