The cookies our eldest baked many times for her Egg Substitute science project. The cookies we whip up quite often for a treat. The cookies with ingredients that are easy to keep on hand in the Cook Box. The main ingredient is a cake mix. You know these are a favorite because I’ve been using […]
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M&M Teacher Gift
I’m starting to think of end of the year gifts for piano, drama and choir teachers. We may do this again because it is so easy and fun. Plus M&Ms are universally loved. From the archives… Last year, we gave 18 bags of M&Ms to some very special choir and percussion teachers. Using the instructions […]
Annual Azalea Photo
Since the time I had just one child toddling about, my grandmother encouraged a habit. Each year, when the azaleas are in full bloom in front of her house, I get a phone call. “It’s time to get out the quilt!” she says. Because of her prompting, I have photos of myself with my children […]
V is for Vehicles
Mud puddles and a big construction site go hand in hand. My entry in the Homeschool Post’s A B See Photo Meme. Other entries: A is for Angel B is for Brown-Headed Nuthatch C is for Crayon D is for Dough E is for Earthworm F is for Flower Girls G is for Giggling Siblings […]
Frugal Living: Beans and Rice
A very simple way we’ve been cutting expenses around here is this. In a two week meal plan, we have each of these at least twice: Breakfast for supper x 2 Veggie plate x 2 (Batch cooked beans from the freezer plus cornbread or biscuits) (Southern Plate’s Hoe Cake pictured above, is like a giant […]
Spring Break Week Sped By
Last weekend, our first couple of days of spring break, we fixed up the playhouse! We cleaned, swept and knocked down last summer’s wasp nests. Hodgepodgedad installed shelves. Now it’s a backyard nature spot, a place to tuck the shovels and big construction machines out of the rain. We watched Tangled twice. Sunday night, with […]
Makeover for Mom
When we think of makeover, our mind usually goes to things pertaining to clothes, hair, makeup and so on. Or maybe we think of Ty and those crazy folks at Extreme Home Makeover 🙂 I’d like to suggest a different kind of makeover for mom. I was in dire need of this kind of makeover […]
The Butter Cat: Hodgepodge Classic
I told you that our youngest daughter gives us lots of material to share. Last fall, our then just-turned two-year-old came to me as I was changing baby brother. She had that glowingly proud look on her face. “I washed the cat!” she said. “Oh, really?” I asked.”What did you wash him with?” “Soap!” she […]
My Favorite Cleaning Products
I hear everyone’s spring cleaning right now. I need to catch up! Meanwhile, I’ll dream of some of my favorite cleaning products. Here are some of my top finds: 1) Mr. Clean magic eraser… excellent for getting fingerprints off the wall; also good for cleaning sinks, showers, and stains on linoleum floors. I take it […]
The Spring Time Hunt for Queen Anne’s Lace
(Photo of Queen Anne’s lace full of seeds at summer’s end in September). Back last summer we had a time hunting for Queen Anne’s Lace. We went to north Georgia looking, found it on the roadsides but couldn’t find a safe spot to pull over. Then, on a regular walk up my childhood road, we […]
Graham-wiches
an update from the archives because we are making them this spring break week… Here come the sprinkles! And you know if there are sprinkles children will adore them. So it went with Nana and the children this morning. Hodgepodgedad and I were off at the annual homeschool convention. Nana brought ingredients. Now a stack […]
Cooking Fun: Bread and Butter
When she asks to help, I say yes. And she does it all on her own. She counts out the pieces of store-bought bread. Enough for us all plus a few extras for seconds. She gets the butter and slices it up. One fold. Then she stacks them all on a dinner plate. Less than […]
Swinging Sisters
Beginning our theme for April, Habits for a Happy Mom. A habit I’ve learned is to stop and take in my window view. To pause – right in the midst of the day – and to notice… The backdoor swings shut. It’s my cue to peek, just a bit, through my kitchen window. I lean […]