Strawberry shortcake - one of summer's joys. We made vanilla pound cake, adding just enough lemon to give it some zing, It isn't quite as nice with strawberries as hot milk sponge cake, but it definitely works in a pinch. Even my husband, who grew up with Bisquick biscuits for strawberry shortcake, enjoyed the pound cake.... Continue Reading →
Making our own vanilla extract has been on our to do list for quite a while. Last month I realized that if we were going to make homemade vanilla in time to give some away as gifts, we needed to get started. I ordered our vanilla beans and amber bottles through a Frontier coop. With... Continue Reading →
This post is part of the Carnival of Authentic Parenting hosted by mamapoekie. July's theme is summer holidays. As a family of introverts, we need home days. We crave home days. When we don't have them, everyone goes berserk. Not quite, but everyone is stressed and irritable and life doesn't move along very smoothly. In June we... Continue Reading →
Every little child who loves horses needs a stick horse. When I was a small child, my stick horse was an old broom handle my grandfather found in his garage, complete with the hole and leather throng still attached from where it used to hang on the wall. Stick horses have gotten a bit more... Continue Reading →
Socks tend to multiply, get eaten by dryers, run off on their own leaving poor mateless singletons behind, and be a source of dissention for many households across the world. Certainly they serve their purpose. They keep our feet warm and help keep our shoes from stinking. But managing them and their wild ways has... Continue Reading →
Reusable grocery bags are popular these days. You can find cheap ones at the grocery store for $1, although from what I've heard, they don't hold up very well. I made a set of canvas bags many years ago. They lasted us well, but they weren't as convenient as they could have been. A few... Continue Reading →
The first time I saw Amanda Jean's ticker tape quilt at Crazy Mom Quilts, I knew I wanted to make one. It appealed to my contemporary quilt loving side while recalling memories of the older quilts I grew up with. The idea stayed on my to-do list until I saw her tutorial on Sew, Mama,... Continue Reading →
Happy St. Patrick's Day! Our festive decorations so far this month, minus the artwork the kids have been making, includes these lovely salt dough shamrocks. Normally, I would just hang the 6 larger ones and call it finsihed. However, my 5 year old daughter really thought that the smaller ones were needed, too. The differences... Continue Reading →
We keep our holiday decorations pretty simple. Too many makes our home feel cluttered. Besides children's artwork, which there is no shortage of around here, an easy, inexpensive way to decorate is with the use of salt dough ornaments. We have a shelf in our living room with six hooks. It's the perfect place to... Continue Reading →
We've been making salads as side dishes a lot lately. Throw in some baby spinach and chop up an assortment of vegetables to go in it. Add some chopped hard-boiled eggs and cheese to the mix and then lightly toss with some healthy salad dressing. This is a great simple project for kids to help... Continue Reading →
living peacefully with children 