Author Archive
Gratituesday: Wrapping It Up
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Every year is my favorite school year. This year was no exception.
I love home schooling my kids. I love all the time we get to spend together every day. I love reading piles of incredible books with them. I love having a flexible schedule. I love learning beside them. Seriously, did you know that we have 60,000 miles of blood vessels in our bodies? That’s enough to go around the entire earth almost three times! Yes, I learned that today. I am getting so smart. (It is an added benefit to home schooling that the kids are getting smarter as well.) ;)
We’ll be continuing to read all summer, but we do usually take a break from “regular school work” for a couple of months. This week, we’re wrapping up our last few math lessons and finishing the final chapters of a few books…
And then? Well, it would appear that we started a new tradition last year on our final “official” school day: Ice Cream Cones for Breakfast.
And not the healthy, homemade ice cream either. I know. I don’t know how that even came about. But apparently I did it last year, so that’s all the boys have been talking about for the past few days. Hey, why not? We can have broccoli for lunch that day.
I am so thankful for the gift of another great school year with my kids. And…I am amazed at a God who could arrange 60,000 miles worth of blood vessels in my body with such perfection. What an amazing Creator!
Share how God is working in your life on your blog, then come link up with us here. If you don’t have a blog, be sure to leave a comment letting us know what you’re grateful for! Please read through the Gratituesday Guidelines so that you understand what kinds of posts you can link up to share here. Posts that are linked but do not fit our Gratituesday theme will be deleted.
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$40 Wildtree Gift Certificate Giveaway
Posted by: | CommentsEver tried any of the fun products from Wildtree? I hadn’t until Elizabeth, an independent representative from Wildtree, sent me some samples to try out. Delicious!
Wildtree offers food and convenience items that do not contain preservatives, MSG, food dyes, fillers, or high fructose corn syrup. They are also are 100% nut free. I love this!
We have had a blast trying the samples so far, and our opinion of the products? Well, you just can’t go wrong with a healthier version of Chocolate Mousse…
And how about this easy Mexican Skillet Meal that I threw together easily before a soccer game one night…
We’ve been talking a lot here about how healthy food and convenience DO go together, and I’d say that Wildtree fits right into that discussion. They are a company that is doing what they can to offer you healthy choices that will help you put whole food meals together easily and quickly for your family.
You may want to check out the various opportunities listed on Elizabeth’s Wildtree site along with checking out the different products they offer.
Interested in trying some Wildtree products? Elizabeth is giving away one $40 gift certificate today. Leave a comment on this post for a chance to win! I’ll draw one random winner on Friday, May 11. Please watch for a post stating the winner as you will be responsible for contacting me if your name is chosen.
20% off Vanilla Beans at Olive Nation
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You may have seen this update on last weekend’s Healthy Deals post, but just in case, I wanted to be sure you noticed that Olive Nation is offering free shipping plus 20% off their Vanilla Beans through Monday, May 7. That’s a wonderful price break, making this a great time to invest and start making homemade vanilla extract!
We have vanilla beans on hand and are planning to start a new batch of vanilla this week – but with this deal, I’m definitely thinking we’ll stock up on more beans!
Use the code VB20 at checkout to receive the 20% discount. Free shipping should be automatic with this order.
Save Money Online – Healthy Deals
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~ Be sure to read this post about a great deal on Muscovado Sugar. I am so thrilled to find it for just $2.31/pound at iHerb!
~ I haven’t tried these before, but they look like an awesome, healthy snack. You can get a pack of 26 Raw Rev 100, Chocolate & Cashew Organic Live Food Bars for just $15.63 with subscribe at save at Amazon. They also offer a Chocolate and Coconut variety for this price. These bars are just $0.60 when you take advantage of this deal.
~ We’ve got one batch of Homemade Vanilla Extract in the works, and we’re getting ready to start another. (Meaning, I’ve got vodka sitting on my kitchen counter right now and I need to hurry up and get my vanilla made!) Just a reminder that Olive Nation, our favorite source for vanilla beans always offers Heavenly Homemakers readers a special 10% discount if you use the code hhm2012 at checkout. They also always offer free shipping on their vanilla beans! UPDATE!! Olive Nation is offering 20% off their vanilla beans through May 7 – use the code VB20 to take advantage of this awesome deal.
Muscovado Sugar
Posted by: | CommentsMuscovado isn’t a sugar I’ve talked about much here, mainly because I’ve had a hard time finding a good source for a good price. We use it sparingly at our house for these reasons. Our favorite way to use muscovado sugar is sprinkled onto a homemade tortilla with melted butter. SO good!
Muscovado acts much like brown sugar, but is processed in a way that keeps a high mineral content. I trust Muscovado Sugar to be a good choice for my family and was very excited to find it when I was shopping at iHerb this week! It is 30% off right now, and can be purchased for only $2.31 a pound - a fantastic price!!!
You’ll receive free shipping at iHerb if your order is at least $20. And, if you are a new customer and use my referral code, BID487, you’ll receive an additional $5 off.
The more I look around at iHerb, the more I like it. I’ll keep poking around to see what other goodies I find to tell you about.
Have you used Muscovado Sugar before? What are your favorite ways to use it?
Free Shipping at MadeOn Hard Lotion
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My very favorite skin product (on the face of the earth!) can be purchased with free shipping - today only (May 4) - through 8 p.m. MST. Once I saw this promotion, I took advantage and re-stocked my supply. I cannot be without my BeeSilk Lotion Bar!
I promise you, no other lotion has ever worked for me the way MadeOn Hard Lotion has worked for me. Ever since I can remember, I have had dry, cracked, and bleeding hands – year round. Once I started using MadeOn Lotion Bar, the problem went away almost immediately. As long as I use it faithfully, my hands are soft and smooth. I can’t say enough good about this product.
It is made with only three ingredients – all of which I trust to be safe and pure to put on our skin. My favorite is the BeeSilk Lotion Bar, but all of the products are wonderful. If you’re looking for a fun and inexpensive Mother’s Day gift that you can make for several women in your life – be sure to check out the MadeOn DIY Kits. We’ve made these before and have had so much fun!
Enter the code mdshipping at checkout to receive free shipping.
Epicurian Products Giveaway from Mountain Rose Herbs
Posted by: | CommentsMountain Rose Herbs has long been my resource for dark amber bottles which we use for our homemade vanilla. Recently, they sent us a nice package of their new line of Epicurian products to try out.
Wow – can you say fancy??! We’re looking forward to experimenting with some unique salads with this package of goodies. If you like the idea of branching out and trying more “gourmet” type dishes, you will love these Epicurian products.
Since 1987, Mountain Rose Herbs has been known for its uncompromising commitment to organic agriculture, sustainable business practices, and a steadfast focus on the pure aesthetics and freshness of botanical products. Their wide range of certified organic product offerings includes bulk herbs and spices, aromatherapy and essential oils, tea and tea supplies, and natural health and body care. Every aspect of product creation is carried out in accordance with strict quality control and organic handling procedures by employees who care. From fragrant and beyond-fresh organic herbs and spices, to soothing essential oils and delicious herbal teas, the quality and integrity of Mountain Rose Herbs is unparalleled – with smiles guaranteed.
Here’s what we received in our package, and what you will receive if you are the winner of this giveaway:
Macadamia Nut Oil: Made from expeller pressed Macadamia nuts, this pure oil is a unique and decadent treat. The alluring aroma and flavor of this elegant champagne colored oil imparts a rich buttery sweetness to any dish. It’s a marvelous oil to infuse with garlic, aromatic basil leaves, or spicy red chilies. Try it with pasta salads, grilled seafood, omelets, vegetable sautes, or as a finishing oil on oven baked pizza.
Almond, Sweet Oil: This wonderfully aromatic oil will invigorate the senses with its refreshingly nutty aroma and light sweet finish. Our unrefined oil is expeller pressed from raw almond kernels, making it exceptionally rich in fatty acids. The delicate flavor makes this a gentle cooking oil for both sweet and savory dishes. Try it as a gourmet salad oil with your favorite fruit vinegar, garden herbs, and shaved parmesan.
Rainbow Peppercorns: Grinding whole peppercorns will add intoxicating spice to every edible creation imaginable. The farmers who grow our herbs and spices are given full negotiation rights in determining the price of their harvests under our Good Trade Program. This far exceeds traditional fair trade standards – which is good for the growers and good for you! Mountain Rose Herbs also donates 2% of the proceeds from this line to the Organic Consumers Association in thanks for their important work. This helps support the organic movement with every meal you lovingly prepare.
Smoked Sea Salt: A new breed of natural smoked sea salt which we find stimulating to the taste buds and complimentary to North American culinary dishes. This Pacific Sea Salt is slow smoked over real Pacific Alder wood, giving it an authentic and full bodied smoke flavor. This alluring salt is a 100 % natural way to add an authentic smoked flavor that does not leave a lingering “charcoal-like” after taste. Smoked Sea Salt combines traditional Alder wood flavor with the benefits of mineral rich sea salt to create a unique flavor profile to be used within your favorite foods.
Himalayan Pink Salt: Himalayan Pink Salt is one of the purest salts available for culinary, therapeutic and cosmetic uses. This delectable salt has beautifully formed crystals which range in color from off-white to a lustrous pink, which indicates a quantifiable amount of 84 trace elements & iron. The benefits are endless but Himalayan Pink Salt is primarily used for gourmet cooking and in bath preparations.
Grilling Herbs: This blend packs a punch with its bold flavor and penetrating aroma which holds itself well against high heat and direct flame. Popularly used as an all purpose flavor enhancer for any item which you grill or barbeque where most seasoning will burn off or dissipate.
Contains the following ingredients: Organic Garlic, organic Rosemary, organic Black Pepper, organic Thyme, and organic herbs.
Cyprus Flake Salt: A Mediterranean delight, Cyprus Flake salt is known for its distinctive pyramid shape, light texture and mild taste. Widely used for cooking and baking, its delicate crunch also makes it a tasty garnish for fish and vegetable dishes. A superb finishing salt!
For a chance to win this great package from Mountain Rose Herbs, leave a comment on this post. I will draw one random winner on Monday, May 7. Please watch for a post stating the winner as you will be responsible for contacting me if your name is chosen.
Getting Fit With Your Kids
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My great friend and personal trainer, Jen, of Getting Fit With Jen, has said it to me time and again: “Sometimes, working in time to exercise can be as easy as getting up and playing with your kids.”
The statement makes perfect sense and ultimately, I agree. But I also have to say that doing this has often been a struggle for me. I’ll admit that I don’t often just stop and “play”. There is work to be done!!! Often, I find that the best time to get that work done is when my kids are off happily playing…on their own. Happily playing children means that I have a moment of peace to focus on other tasks. To take the time to stop my cooking, laundry, website work, house work – and instead go play with my kids? It almost feels as if I would put myself behind in some way. That I would be more stressed out because of the growing “to-do” list that didn’t get finished.
All of that may be true sometimes. There is nothing wrong with taking advantage of quiet moments and content children when there is work to be done. But – I promise you that I have never, ever regretted time I have taken out of my “very busy schedule” to go play with my kids. And when that play involves some sort of exercise? Well, I do believe we can call that multi-tasking. :)
Remember the day I scored five!!?!?!? (Why yes, I did just give you the link to that post so that I could brag some more in case you forgot that story.) It was a great workout, and wow did we all have fun! A few days after that, while waiting for our seven year old to warm up for his soccer game, I headed over and kicked a ball around with our 10 year old. You should have seen his face light up once he saw me and recognized that I was there to play with him!! Golden. Never will I regret taking advantage of opportunities like this to play with my kids.
Remember how my kids were doing this:
And then they talked me into doing this:
I loved every minute of that – and so did my kids!
Jen is right. Now that I’m being more intentional about being active with my kids, I’m finding that there are plenty of opportunities to enjoy spending time with them in this way. And lo and behold – all of my other work still gets done somehow. ;) After playing, I get right back to the house work or computer work – this time full of extra energy because I’ve just been up moving around!
Here are some specifics Jen had to share on this topic:
Anything that involves moving for several minutes at a time will increase your heart rate and be beneficial for your health. Go outside with your kids. Kick a ball around, chase them, play some sort of tag, play catch, go for a walk or bike ride - the ideas are limitless. Your kids will love this time with you and you will be burning calories, building muscle, and increasing your endurance level.
Do recognize your limitations so that you don’t injure yourself. Don’t break into a full on sprint to chase your kids if you aren’t used to running. Pace yourself, maybe taking short breaks between play times. Remember, even 10-15 minute segments of activity will be good for your body.
Your example to them will encourage them to want to be fit as well. Get out there and be active with your kids!
Be sure to visit Getting Fit With Jen to learn more about how you can make fitness a part of your life.
Homemade Mac and Cheese vs. Annie’s Mac and Cheese – Which Takes More Time?
Posted by: | CommentsThe Macaroni and Cheese Experiment has been conducted.
In an effort to prove that “real food” often doesn’t take more time or more energy to prepare than “processed food”, I made both Annie’s Mac and Cheese, and my homemade Creamy Mac and Cheese – timing myself from start to finish on each – not doing any of the steps ahead of time.
I began last week by making three boxes of Annie’s Mac and Cheese.
I do purchase this sometimes for the very occasional treat. I appreciate that Annie’s brand is at least made with better ingredients. But did it save me time to make this boxed, convenience food?
From start to finish, making a big pot of three boxes of Annie’s Mac and Cheese took me 18.5 minutes. Not bad, plus I was able to wash a few dishes while the noodles were boiling.
And how long did my homemade Creamy Mac and Cheese take???
Many of you suggested that I needed to be sure and count the time it took to grate the cheese for this recipe! I do try to keep some cheese in the fridge that we’ve already grated and put into a baggie to save time while I’m cooking. I didn’t do that this time though, so that I could give you a more accurate time calculation for this recipe. However, as I usually do when I haven’t grated my cheese ahead of time - I simply got the noodles and milk cooking on the stove, then grated a big block of cheese while I waited for the pot to get hot. Multi-tasking is so wonderful! (Plus I even grated extra cheese so that I will be ahead of the game next time I need it!)
I do have to watch the pot and stir more often while I’m making homemade mac and cheese, compared to the boxed variety. However, I have found that I don’t have to stir the pot constantly, and can stir, then do another little job, then stir again, and do something else. As long as I keep going back to it, I am able to get several other little jobs accomplished while I make this dish. This time, I was going back and forth between boys and May Day projects, keeping up without any troubles with stirring the mac and cheese.
Total time it took for my Creamy Mac and Cheese to be finished? 19 minutes. Exactly 30 seconds longer than Annie’s. Woe is me. I am simply exhausted from the additional effort. ;)
From experience, I know that whole wheat elbow noodles cook more quickly than the whole wheat fusilli pasta, so that may have cut my time even more. (Also, if you’re interested, you can use Tinkyada Brown Rice noodles in this recipe, which I’ve found works great and takes only a couple of extra minutes to cook.)
My conclusion: Homemade Creamy Mac and Cheese is just as convenient and easy as making boxed mac and cheese. I dirtied the same number of dishes for each, and I was able to multi-task while making each of them. (Large pot, spoon, and cheese grater for the homemade; large pot, spoon, and strainer for the boxed. Yes, I did grate the cheese onto a plate, but then I served my food on that very plate, so as not to dirty another dish!)
And the taste? There is no comparison. Boxed mac and cheese is kinda fun, but I ultimately find it to be empty and flavorless. I also have a hard time getting past the unnatural color. Cheese isn’t orange, people! I love that the homemade mac and cheese has more sustenance and more natural flavor. Bring on the nutrients!
While I was having this mac and cheese throw down, I decided to be nerdy and calculate the price difference. It costs around $3.85 to fill my family with Annie’s Mac and Cheese, because yes, it does take all three boxes to fill us. It costs about $4.50 to make a pot of Creamy Mac and Cheese, since I’m using organic, raw white cheddar. That breaks down to be $0.11 extra cents per person to feed my family this healthy, easy meal. I’m pretty sure I can afford that.
So there you have it. Am I completely knocking boxed mac and cheese? Nope. Just stating the facts based on my research and experiment conclusion. Might we still eat the occasional boxes of mac and cheese? Maybe, and we’ll probably even enjoy it a little bit. But do I ever get to say that making a box of mac and cheese saves me time and money compared to making homemade mac and cheese?
Not unless I really feel like I can justify whining about 30 seconds of extra time, $0.65 extra for my entire family of six, and no extra dirty dishes. I think we all know the answer to that. :)
I’m thinking that it might be fun to do other experiments like this one. Any suggestions or ideas for what I should test next?





















