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What a Good Cook Keeps On Hand

Yesterday we talked about how to make a menu plan and I shared my process of choosing meals for the week. However, everyone knows that a well stocked kitchen will help you make the most of food that’s on sale, and will enable you to pull together a last minute dish. Here is what I consider absolutely essential to have on hand in our house. I keep a list similar to the one below (except organized according to the aisles of our own grocery store) and take it with me every shopping trip to make sure that we don’t run … Continue reading →

Picture-Perfect Mother’s Day

What are you asking for this Mother’s Day? A clean basement? Not if your husband’s idea of “cleaning” is tossing out all of your stuff. An expensive vacuum? Not if you have to use it more to justify the price. Breakfast in bed? Not if it means doing damage control in the kitchen until dinner. What about a peaceful day surrounded by the people whose existence affords you membership in the sweetest sorority on earth? This Mother’s Day consider cuddling up with your kiddos and enjoying a quiet moment with these picture-perfect holiday reads: The Berenstain Bears: We Love Our … Continue reading →

Entertaining Your Little Ones

When you have little ones running around it can be hard to entertain them day in and day out. Their little attention spans require a wide range of activities to keep them busy and as a single mom running from one thing to the other all day it can be hard to think of simple things to keep them from getting bored during the day. I’m not sure what people did before the internet, but lucky for you, there are a ton of fun ideas to do with your kids, especially during the winter months when you can’t send them … Continue reading →

Homemade Graduation Party Favors

Not for nothing, but these are not the kind of favors I’ll be handing out at my daughter’s high school graduation party. Fortunately, you don’t have to choose controversial or costly items to hand out to guests at a commencement party. Most of the people attending your student’s shindig are there to reminisce about the many milestones they’ve accomplished in high school and chat about what the future holds as they head off to college. The focus of the party should be on spending quality item with one another; not worrying about what types of trinkets should be dispersed at … Continue reading →

How to Use Holiday Food to Save Money

Many holiday foods are starting to go on sale in anticipation of the holidays. The grocery stores want you to shop with the, so they will deeply discount the items that you need for your holiday table. To be frugal, take advantage of these sales and use the items in your cooking throughout the year, making the cost per serving of your regular meals go way down in price. Here are some of the common holiday foods that you will find on sale and how to use them to save money. Turkey and Ham The bigger the better with these … Continue reading →

Spreading Smucker’s Traditions Recipe and Essay Contest,

The J.M. Smucker company which has been operating for 110 years never fails to offer fine tasting jams and jellies which make the family breakfast table a bit cozier. Smucker’s jams and jellies are also a healthier alternative to cream cheese or butter. Try some of your favorite fruit spread on an English muffin and you will gladly say goodbye to the high fat bagel and cream cheese habit. Unless, of course, you use fat free cream cheese and decide to add a dollop of Smucker’s fruit spread for a deluxe breakfast treat. Adding jams and jellies for sweetness instead … Continue reading →

Lunch in the Homeschool House

Even homeschooled kids eat lunch. The only difference is that homeschooled child can rummage through the kitchen at lunchtime or the homeschool mom can cook the meal rather than pack it the night before. For many families, cooking a hot lunch is one more step that if alleviated would be cause for rejoice. In families with multiple children with multiple tastes lunch can up being chaos or more like a diner than a family meal. Feeding time at your homeschool does not have to resemble feeding time at the zoo. Here are some tips to keep you in control and … Continue reading →

Respecting Each Other’s Quirks

One of the pleasures of being in a marriage is that you always have someone in your corner who knows you well and can love and support you unconditionally despite your little personality quirks. Being able to respect the harmless quirks can bring you closer together and make for less conflict in your marriage. I’ll give you a couple of good examples. Although I don’t always like to do it, I am famous for multitasking. I really have to be, since I work at home, and I am the main caregiver for our three children. I often have several things … Continue reading →

Fun Projects to Keep Kids Busy During Summer Break

In Hawaii public school kids headed back to class last week. Meanwhile, parochial schools in the Atlanta area open for the new school year in less than two weeks. But here in the Midwest, public school students don’t begin classes until September 8th. For parents, that means four more weeks of summer, and subsequently, an additional month’s worth of hearing: “Mom, I’m bored!” If you are looking for simple boredom busters to help get through the rest of August, consider the following fun ideas: EDIBLE DIRT Ingredients: 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened 1 (8-ounce) Cool Whip 1 cup powdered … Continue reading →

Frugal Housewarming Gifts

Whether you have a brand new neighbor or good friends who are moving to a new place, you can provide a wonderful and special housewarming gift that won’t break the budget. Here are some ideas. Fresh from the garden Why not take a look at your garden and divide some of your perennials? New plants and flowers might just be the thing to provide a nice welcome and give the new owners something special that they can plant right away. You can also offer to help plant, as part of the gift. Picture perfect Find a special picture of the … Continue reading →