Purple Peppers, A Turkey Family and A Dirty Boy

My first peppers... and they're really purple.  How weird is that??

The Best Dang Quesadilla

Yes, it's true.  Every single time I eat or even think about a quesadilla I also think about Napoleon Dynamite.  And pronounce it "kaysadilla."  I know, it's weird.

But these here dang quesadillas are amazing.  And easy.  And amazing.  So, you'll want to make them soon.  Because they don't heat up the kitchen much.  And the ingredients are simple.  And they're amazing!

Summertime, And the Livin' is...

Random.

Tip Tuesday: Traveling With the Fam

 Here's ten tips that my kids wanted to share with you about road trips with the family.  They just rattled these off for me as I typed. 

I have no idea what is going on here...

1.  Always bring a barf can.  Coffee cans are our favorite for this (and we've tried lots of different things, sadly).  Even if you never actually need it, it gives a sense of comfort just knowing that if you do, it's there.  Keep a big zip-lock bag in the can, so you can zip it up and dispose of it at the next convenient stop.  Trust me on this one.

2.  Good stories on CD are a lifesaver!  The library has tons or buy them on itunes.  Some of my kid's favorites are:  Around the World in 80 Days, Little Britches, Johnny Tremain, The Witch of Blackbird Pond, and of course... The Narnia Series!  We wear those things out and still looooove them!

3.  Keep a case of waters or each kid bring their own water bottles in the van.  No other sweet drinks, because everybody chugs them and then has to stop in 20 minutes.

4.  Snacks.  Keep it simple, but keep them in the car at all times... not just on a long trip.  We like peanut butter crackers, granola bars, pretzels, nuts or dry cereal.  Apples are great, too, if your kids are older... That way we don't need to stop nearly as often and we avoid fast food like the plague.

5.  Baby wipes.  Even if you don't have a baby.

6.  Hand sanitizer in a handy pump.  Pass it around after every stop.

7.  Keep a roll of paper towels in the car.  You'll know why when you need them.

8.  Make up a family sound off...no child left behind!

9.  Liquid Benadryll.  But you didn't hear that from me.

10.   Lower your expectations.  Kids make everything take longer.  But once you get there, you'll be glad you brought them along.  Have Fun!


So, what other advice would you like to add???  C'mon, somebody out there needs to hear it!  ; )

What to Do With Toddlers

 Thanks for all the great responses to the homeschool question, "What do I do with the baby/toddler while I'm trying to teach school?"  You can read other mom's great ideas in the comments of the last post.  I'm hoping to get a few more on there pretty soon.

 While we're waiting...

Homeschool Forum Question: What to do with Toddlers

Hi there faithful blog friends!  Today I've got a question for YOU.  You're all so smart and helpful, I'm sure you've got lots of answers.  So, here's the question...

Yesterday I had a really nice talk with a younger homeschool mom who was heading to one of our local conventions for the weekend.  She said that she wished there was a speaker there who would address one of her most pressing issues...

What to do with the baby/toddler while homeschooling?

I think that the issue is rarely brought up at convention/co-op etc. because the speaker is often older and busy touring conventions, often DONE homeschooling or has a husband who is HOME and helping on a daily basis.  Young moms with babies who are in the thick of it are rarely ever the guest speakers!  So, that's where you come in!  What advice do you have for this young mom? 

And if you're not a homeschooler, don't worry!  You can also chime in if you're a mom... coz ALL moms have their own helpful methods for keeping those littles under control and happily occupied while you're busy doing something else.

OK, so, Fire away!

Mahvelous Muffins

 This is my tried and true, make-em-at-least-once-a-week, everybody loves 'em muffin recipe.  I thought you might like to try it.  It is a very flexible and forgiving recipe, which is the best kind.

 I use whatever I've got handy:  wheat/white flour, eggs/ground flax, blueberries/cranberries/raisins/diced apples/bananas/chocolate chips, etc., sugar/honey, milk/water.  You get the idea.  They are always good and always gone.

Confessions of a Compulsive Stripper

It's time I told you.

I've tried to quit.

"Give it up", they say.

"Look around at all the good things in your life," they say.

"Look at all the damage you're doing, " they say.

"Think of your family!

We need you here.

Cooking.

Cleaning.

Taking care of us..."

Tip Tuesday: Folding Shirts Military Style

Hi guys!  Today's tip comes to you courtesy of my wonderful husband and his amazing Army experience.  As you probably already know, the military has been a very big part of our lives.  The Captain and I have been together since way before he was a Captain.  We've been through Officer Candidate School and Flight School and Helicopter Test Pilot School and a bunch of other schools and trainings and drills.  And it's been an adventure, to say the least.  He's learned a lot.  And I've tagged along with various babies.  But one thing I did learn that has actually been beneficial to me has been the military version of laundry folding.  It's different from the way my mom did it.

Van Moments: Missing Something?

So, I went to help Benjamin out of the van after church and this is what I found...
I said, "Hey, dude, aren't you missin' something?"
His answer... "No, why?"

Whatta cutie!

Busy and Thankful

This whole week has been VBS at our church.   It's been fun.  And different.  Eating in a big hurry before we leave each evening, leaving the dishes mostly undone.  Rushing out the door.  Getting home five hours later, tired and hungry.  And eating again, leaving the kitchen even messier.

Cake Mix Mix

The other day Ruthie was telling me how much she misses having cake mixes in the pantry because she would frequently mix up a batch of "cake mix cookies" on a sweet-tooth whim.  They used to be really cheap, so we were always stocked up.  Not anymore.  Every time I go to buy a cake mix, my cheap skate self comes out and I put it back on the shelf and tell myself that we can just bake from scratch...alot cheaper.  Which is true.  But not quite as convenient.  Alas, my newest frugal adventure...


Homemade Cake Mix!

A Morning Stroll

Tip Tuesday: Dishwasher Soap

If ya thought I was gonna tell you how to make it, sorry to disappoint you.  I looked it up and thought about it, and even bought the ingredients...but that's as far as I got.  I did, however, come upon a different helpful hint that you will want to know about...

THIS STUFF WORKS!!!

Holy Chicken, Batman!

Date night on Saturday...  Stopped in at Whole Foods while we were killing time waiting for our movie.   I just about had a cow when I saw the price of these eggs!  And people actually buy them.  Oh my.

Spicy Lentil Tacos

 
Lentils??  Say what? Who even eats that?  In America.  Especially in tacos!

We do.  And it's surprisingly delicious!

The Weight of Words

 
When giving directions to a house here in Kentucky, we often say something like, "Pass the third liquor store and turn at the tobacco warehouse."  Sounds just great, doesn't it?  Of course there's plenty of horse and cow farms and other beautiful things along the way, but we usually mention the stores, for some reason.  Well, that might all be about to change.  Thanks to me.  And my words.

A Day in the Life

Tip Tuesday: Homemade Yogurt!

I have no idea why it's taken me so long to get around to doing this.  Making yogurt is easier than just about anything else we make in the kitchen, except for maybe Ramen noodles.  But it's not much harder than that!

So, here's the lowdown.

For the Love of Corned Beef

I walked into the kitchen after weeding my flowerbeds for several hours on Saturday, and this is the scene I found:

This is what happens when you lose that little key thing on a can of corned beef and you're really, super desperate for a sandwich, I guess.

Homemade 80's Shirts

 One evening last week, the girls were trying to decide what to wear the next day.  They were wishing they had one of those cool, trendy (80's flashback) type shirts.  You know, the ones that sortof hang off of one shoulder?  Yeah.  Well, I said, "Hey, that's no problem!  I used to make those all the time in the 80's!"

The Thrift Trap

So, I've been thinking a lot about thrift lately.  And money.  And things related to it.  And trying to get my philosophy straight in my head. This post is gonna be a little different, but it's just me working things out.  And I'd really like to hear from you guys on this topic, too.  It's constantly in our lives, so I think it's worth hashing out.

Here's some background...