Join me on $5 Dinners today? Having that ground meat, already cooked and ready to pull out of the freezer is a super supper saver. It’s a strategy that works with busy toddlers under foot, hungry teens hovering and all those in between. (that’s us!) For about two years now I’ve been batch cooking with […]
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Winter Nature Study: Evergreens
Our study of pine trees and evergreens sort of spread out over our other nature studies this winter. We noticed the green in the snow during our winter weather study. Some sketched pines for our Tree Silhouette study. I guess you could say evergreens were the ‘backdrop’ study of our other winter outdoor hours. And […]
There’s Still Life in There
During the recent snow, I happened to notice that our pepper plant on the deck still had a pepper hanging on it. It was cool to see the red in contrast to the backdrop of white snow blanketing the ground. I thought it was kind of strange for it to be there in January and […]
A Month Long Slow Cooker Celebration
(An update from the September 2010 Hodgepodge archives, adaptable for any time of the year) Because it’s the change of seasons… Because there’s an ever so slight chill in the air… Because we’ll be hitting the books pretty hard for a week… Because we’ll then be taking a week off for field trips and fun… […]
Frugal Living: Homemade Laundry Detergent
We did it! We tried making the powdered version of homemade laundry detergent. And in the grand tradition of batch sessions, Middle Girl suggested we double it! It was easy. Just three ingredients using the Duggar’s recipe. Plus, we found the Super Washing Soda high on the shelf at the local grocery, just like we […]
Heart of the Matter Conference and Living Math
This Monday through Wednesday, the Heart of the Matter is hosting an online conference. I listened in yesterday to Karen DeBeus on Simplifying Homeschool, Heather Laurie on Resistant Learners and Amanda Bennett (of Unit Studies) on Top Ten Tips for Successful Homeschooling. I’ve caught most of the sessions this morning too. What a boost to […]
Rice water soup
If it sounds bland then you’re right. When you are down and out this is just what a body needs. Rough measurements are on purpose. 1 cup rice small amount of cooked chicken, very finely chopped (sometimes I leave this out) enough water to fill half a large stew pot Bring to boil. Reduce heat […]
Love Gives
“Love inspires us to sacrifice what we want in order to give our spouse what they need.” -Stephen Kendrick My husband has been picking up my slack quite a bit lately. I can’t count how many nights he has cooked dinner (or breakfast or lunch) in the 3 months since our 4th son was born. […]
Birthday Tribute
A compiled tribute to Hodgepodgedad. From 2009…. (to the tune of If I only had a brain from Wizard of Oz) And He Has a Technical Brain On the computer he spends hours Musing on the state of a laptop or tower And acts like it’s a game He knows both PCs and Macs Computers […]
Meal Plan: Freezer & Pantry Challenge
I hope y’all don’t tire of freezer and pantry challenges because they sure are a money saver. It is a bit of time investment upfront to assess, to face the freezer and pantry. But this handy inventory print out from Once a Month Mom helps with the planning. Click freezer inventory. Plus, a freezer and […]
O is for Orange
Because this warm weather makes me want to take off for the beach, I pulled this favorite photo from a family vacation. Love the baby hands and feet. O is for orange shovel. My entry in the Homeschool Post’s A B See Photo Meme. Other entries: A is for Angel B is for Brown-Headed Nuthatch […]
Weekly Wrap: Stick fort and sunshine
The Homeschool Highlight of the week? Definitely the sunshine and the stick fort! We’ve enjoyed glorious spring-like weather. Sunny, clear skies and lots of outdoor time. That called for a stick fort, outdoor picnics for lunch and reading a book – all sprawled out on a beach towel. Here’s a few highlights from the rest […]
The Habit of Moral Living – Part I
We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge, or gallantry, would break the strongest cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government […]