Goals for 2012 – An Update

Posted on May 9, 2012 by

Here is an update on how I’m doing with the goals I set for myself this year.

Instead of one big resolution (which I probably wouldn’t keep anyway) I committed to smaller, more manageable goals this year. My goals are spread out in different areas of my life. Some will be easier than others but the important thing is that they are all doable.

Household

  • Complete quick tasks immediately rather than let them pile up. I was making progress but need to refocus!
  • Take 10-15 minutes each evening to put away clutter. I manage to clean up at least the kitchen each evening.
  • Plant an herb garden. Done!
  • Enlarge our current garden plot to increase our food production. Working on this now that the weather is warmer.
  • Complete the six projects for 2012 I have listed here. Two of the six completed with success! Will be making baby food before we know it!

Personal/Family

  • Read one book a month from my 2012 reading list. I’m doing really well with this, have read 5 off the list and working on number 6 now!
  • Have a monthly date night with my husband. We’ve managed a few dates but need to go on another one soon!
  • Have a monthly get-together with my girlfriends. I went out with the girlfriends a couple weeks ago. We had a great time!
  • Eat more whole and local foods. We are doing great with this most of the time. Now that we’re heading into growing season we’ll be eating more local fruits and veggies!
  • Be more patient with my daughter. Practice self-discipline and control my frustrations. It’s getting easier but we still have our moments.
  • Conquer potty training! Done!!!!!!!!

Financial

  • After maternity leave, recommit to monthly savings/debt repayment goals. Yes! Back in the swing of things! My last student loan will be paid off soon!
  • Commit to weekly meal planning to help with grocery budget. I’m failing miserably at this goal!
  • Continue using a monthly written budget. Yes!

Blogging

  • Plan blog posts one month in advance. Fell off the wagon :(
  • Write blog posts one week in advance. Not since going back to work. I need to schedule some time each week to dedicate to writing!
  • Network with other bloggers to increase readership. Have met a lot of great people on Facebook, love the community and all the love and support!
  • Host one giveaway each quarter. I’m actually removing this from my goals for this year. I’m finding my time is very limited these days so I have to prioritize.

What goals have you set for yourself in 2012? How are you doing with achieving your goals?

Posted in Goals | 4 Comments

Spring Activites for Little Ones

Posted on May 3, 2012 by

Spring is definitely here. Time to head outdoors and have a little fun! Here are a few ideas on how to get your little ones away from the TV and develop an appreciation for the outdoors:

  • Take a walk and enjoy the color! Talk about all the colors you find in nature. Look at the different leaves, flowers, insects, rocks, and birds. Explain that flowers are brightly colored to attract bees and butterflies. Explain why attracting pollinators is important (without pollinators plants wouldn’t grow). Help your child understand the importance of color in nature. Color can help camouflage, attract, or even act as a warning that a plant may be poisonous!

 

  • Find a nice quiet spot and listen to all the different sounds. Spread out a blanket and sit quietly. See how many different bird songs you can hear. Do you hear any other animals? Maybe a twig being snapped by a deer or the scuttle of a squirrel in the leaves. Do you hear any insects or frogs? This quiet activity will help your child appreciate their surroundings, promotes relaxation and develops the senses.

 

  • (My daughter’s favorite activity!) Dig for worms! Get out in the garden or other small patch of dirt and start digging. Explain to your child how worms are an important part of healthy soil. Talk about how worms move through the dirt, eating and digesting organic matter as they go, making the soil rich and fertile. Have your child pretend to be a worm, wiggle, wiggle, wiggle!

 

  • Go on a bird hunt! See how many different birds you can spot. What colors are they? Are they big or small? Are they in a tree, bush, or on the ground? Are they singing? Talk about how you can attract birds by setting up feeders, birdbaths and birdhouses. Assist your little one in setting up a small bird habitat so you can enjoy bird watching everyday! If you don’t have a yard to build a habitat consider hanging a small feeder or a hummingbird feeder outside a window.

 

  • Develop the inner artist in your little one. Go online and show your child some images of nature sketches (think John James Audubon). Then grab a small sketchpad and head outside. Spend some time quietly sketching your surroundings. Encourage your child to observe the shapes of the leaves and flowers. What types of textures do you see? This activity is more about observation skills than the artwork itself!

Source: For even more great ideas check out the book, I Love Dirt!: 52 Activities to Help You and Your Kids Discover the Wonders of Nature by Jennifer Ward.

 

Posted in Frugal Living, Natural Living, Parenting, Wildlife | 2 Comments

Homemade Yum Yum Sauce

Posted on April 25, 2012 by

One of our favorite local restaurants is Ichiban, a Japanese Steakhouse. The food is always delicious and we always have a great time watching the chef prepare our meals over a hot Hibachi grill. Because the meals tend to fall on the pricey side we usually only eat there for special occasions. But what really keeps us coming back is the Yum Yum Sauce!

Well I finally found the perfect recipe! So for this evening’s meal I prepared the rice, fired up the pan and grilled the chicken and veggies. The entire dish was topped off with this homemade Yum Yum Sauce that I made the night before. So delicious!

Here is the super easy recipe courtesy of Gluesticks:

Ingredients:

  • 1 Cup Mayonnaise
  • 1/4 Cup Water
  • 1 tsp Tomato Paste
  • 1 tbsp Melted Butter
  • 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
  • 1 tsp Sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon Paprika
  • 1 dash Cayenne Pepper (we were out of this when I made the sauce)

Directions:

Whisk all your ingredients together in a bowl. Add the water slowly until you get the right consistency. Refrigerate overnight. This is very important, your sauce will not taste right unless you let it sit overnight!

Enjoy!

 

Posted in Food, Recipes | Leave a comment

Brown Bag Burritos

Posted on April 24, 2012 by

After a wonderful maternity leave I am back to work. That also means I’m back to packing lunches. I found this recipe for “Brown Bag Burritos” early last year when I was getting tired of the same old soup and sandwich lunches. Not only is the recipe delicious but it is incredibly easy, which is a blessing for a busy working mom like myself. Even if you don’t work outside the home this is a great idea for those busy evenings when you need to get dinner on the table quickly.

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb. ground beef (substitute chicken, turkey, or venison)
  • 1 can refried beans
  • 3/4 C enchilada sauce
  • 1/4 C water
  • 2 Tbsp dried onion (or 1/4 cup diced fresh onion)
  • 1 Tbsp. chili powder
  • 1 Tbsp. garlic powder
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. dried oregano
  • 1 1/2 C shredded cheese (cheddar or Mexican blends work well)
  • 20 flour tortillas (taco-size)

Directions:

  • In a large pan, brown ground beef; drain. Add remaining ingredients (except tortillas). Cook over medium heat until cheese is melted and everything is blended, about 10-15 minutes.

  • Heat a few tortillas at a time. Spoon mixture down the side of each tortilla. Be careful not to overfill.

  • Roll up. Wrap each burrito in a paper towel, then wrap in foil. 
  • Stick your burritos in the freezer for a quick and easy lunch or dinner. I reuse the bag the tortillas came in to store them in the freezer.  
  • When ready to eat, remove foil and microwave for about a minute, leaving the paper towel on the burrito to keep it moist. You can also reheat using an oven. Just skip the paper towel and bake, wrapped in foil, at 400° until heated through, about 35 minutes, turning after 20 minutes, until heated through. 
  • Top with sour cream, lettuce, cheese, and taco sauce for a nice meal. If you’re in a hurry just enjoy as is!

If you end up with more filling than you have tortillas for don’t worry! Just put it in a freezer bag, label and freeze for later use. Or spoon over tortilla chips with a few other toppings for a great nacho meal! I’ve even used leftover filling to make a quick and easy dip!

What types of meals do you make ahead of time? Please share your links and recipes in the comments!

Posted in Food, Frugal Living, Recipes | Leave a comment

Traditional Morel Mushroom Recipe

Posted on April 16, 2012 by

Dry Land Fish

Every Spring we look forward to heading out into the woods and foraging for wild morel mushrooms. Mushroom season usually peaks around the end of April where we live but the season got off to an early start this year. We had our biggest find of the year on Easter Sunday when hubby came back with almost 40 mushrooms!

The morel mushroom can usually be found in wooded areas, along roadways, old orchards, and even along railroad tracks (where hubby found his 40!). We’ve even found them growing in the middle of our yard before! They are commom to most of the U.S., especially the Midwest and Great Lakes regions. Morels can be grown using home growing kits but we have never tried this method. They can also be purchased fresh or dried depending on the season but beware, they come with a pretty hefty pricetag!

Once you have your morels it is time to cook’em up and enjoy them! We start by soaking them in salt water. This helps clean out any stowaway bugs and flavors the mushroom just slightly. We soak them for about an hour. We then pat them dry and cut them in half lengthwise. Larger mushrooms can be cut into quarters and smaller ones can be left whole.

Ingredients:

  • Mushrooms
  • Egg
  • Flour
  • Butter

Directions:

  1. Start by beating the egg with a little water to thin it out.
  2. Dredge your mushrooms in the egg and then coat with flour. Set aside until all the mushrooms are done and ready to cook.
  3. Melt butter in a large skillet, preferrably cast iron, over medium heat. Don’t scrimp on the butter, we’re not going for low calorie here! You’ll want enough to allow the mushrooms to get a rich golden color, a few tablespoons to a quarter cup depending on how many you are cooking.
  4. Once your butter is heated and ready begin laying your mushrooms in your skillet. Allow to cook until they have a nice golden brown color, about 2-3 minutes.
  5. Turn your mushrooms and cook the other side for another 2-3 minutes until done.
  6. Remove the mushrooms and allow to cool slightly on a paper towel-lined plate.
  7. Salt and pepper to taste and enjoy while still warm!

We eat our mushrooms without any dipping sauce because we really love the flavor of the mushroom itself, but you could always try this recipe along with your favorite sauce.

***Use caution when hunting wild mushrooms as many can be poisonous and even deadly. Ask an experienced mushroom hunter for help if you aren’t sure!***

Here are a few resources to check out for more information:

Happy Hunting!

Posted in Food, Foraging Wild Plants, Frugal Living, Natural Living, Preparedness, Recipes, Wildlife | 3 Comments

Attracting Beneficial Insects to your Garden

Posted on April 9, 2012 by

Every year, gardeners all over the world wage a war against pests in their gardens. Fruits and vegetables are sprinkled, sprayed, and saturated with pesticides in an effort to eradicate the bugs that consume them. Even organic gardeners use pesticides like diatomaceous earth in their battle against pests. The problem with this is that pesticides, conventional and organic, don’t differentiate between “bad bugs” and the beneficial “good bugs” in our gardens, they simply kill them all.

In the latest issue of Mother Earth News I learned a few great tips for natural ways to eliminate pests from my garden without having to use pesticides. By using various techniques you should be able to attract a variety of beneficial insects to your garden to help control pest populations. Here are a few of those tips:

  • Plant a variety of food sources for beneficial insects.

Beneficial insects eat more than just pests, they also feed off the nectar and pollen of flowering plants. Supplying an alternate food source will not only attract beneficials but keep them coming back for more. Plants from the daisy family, carrot family, alyssum family, and mint and buckwheat are all great options! For a list of plants to attract beneficials to your garden click here.

  • Provide shelter to protect beneficial insects, giving them a place to call home.

Dedicate an area near your garden for beneficial insects to call home. Plant sources of food and leave the area mostly undisturbed. Many beneficial insects spend part of their life underground and can be harmed or killed when you till and dig the soil. Attempt to mimic natural systems by planting perennial plants and shrubs.

  • Plant native species.

Plant species that are native to your area to attract beneficial insects. Native plants not only attract beneficial insects through pollen and nectar but they often attract pests which in turn brings the beneficials to your garden. Milkweed is a great example. Milkweed will attract native aphids that feed exclusively on it. The native aphids will feed on the milkweed while the lady beetles they attract will also feed on the aphids in your garden!

For even more tips on attracting beneficial insects to your garden, and a list of the top 10 beneficial insects, be sure to check out the article in Mother Earth News!

 

A Tomato Hornworm, the victim of a Braconid Wasp

Posted in Gardening, Natural Living, Wildlife | Leave a comment

Happy Easter

Posted on April 8, 2012 by

Happy Easter!

photo source

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Whole Wheat Bread in Five Minutes a Day

Posted on April 2, 2012 by

After the success of our first loaf of bread we decided to try making a whole wheat variety. We love the nutty, rich flavor of whole wheat and appreciate that it is better for us than white bread.

The recipe we used was called 100% Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread. Here is how we made it:

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/3 cups lukewarm water
  • 1 1/3 cups lukewarm milk
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons granulated yeast (or 2 packets)
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons Kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 5 tablespoons light flavored oil
  • 6 3/4 cups whole wheat flour

Directions:

Making the Dough

  1. First you will need to make the dough. Mix the yeast, salt, honey, and oil in the milk and water in a large 5-quart bowl (we used the bowl from our stand mixer).
  2. Add in the flour, without kneading, and mix into a dough. You can use a spoon, food processor with a dough attachment or a heavy-duty stand mixer with a dough hook. (I love our KitchenAid stand mixer!)
  3. Cover the dough (we just used a dishtowel) and allow to rest at room temperature until the dough rises and collapses, about two hours.
  4. At this point you can either bake the dough or refrigerate it for later use. Refrigerate in a covered container for up to 14 days.

Baking the Bread

  1. Lightly dust the surface of your dough with flour and cut off a cantaloupe-size piece. Dust the surface of this piece with a little more flour and quickly shape into a ball by stretching the surface of the dough around to the bottom, turning as you go. Place in a greased loaf pan and allow to rest for an hour and 40 minutes.
  2. Preheat your oven to 350º for 20 minutes. Place an empty broiler tray on another shelf where it won’t interfere, we placed ours on the bottom shelf.
  3. Sprinkle a little more flour on the surface of the dough and, using a serrated knife, cut slashes into the top.
  4. Once the oven is finished preheating slide the loaf pan onto the middle rack. Quickly pour one cup of water into the broiler tray and close the oven door. Bake for about 50 minutes or until the crust is a nice brown color and firm.
  5. Allow to cool and enjoy!!

 

This recipe makes enough dough for three 1 1/2-pound loaves. The rest of your dough can be used for up to 2 weeks to bake additional loaves. Just store it in the refrigerator, lightly covered, until you are ready to bake. You can easily double or halve the recipe according to your needs! I am really excited about this book, it has so many more recipes to try!

Posted in Books, Food, Frugal Living, Natural Living, Recipes | 4 Comments

Easter Ideas

Posted on March 26, 2012 by

With Easter only two weeks away I thought I would post a few fun ideas, courtesy of Pinterest! Please click on a photo to visit the original site for more details!

 

Dye your eggs using all natural ingredients! Beautiful colors!

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Cute little chocolate nests!

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What a lovely Easter centerpiece.

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Another beautiful centerpiece.

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 More naturally decorated eggs!

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Peep S’mores!

Posted in Holiday Ideas | 4 Comments

Go Green ♥ Give Charity Cloth Diaper Giveaway Event

Posted on March 24, 2012 by

Booty Buns Giveaway Event

Welcome to the Go Green ♥ Give Charity Cloth Diaper Giveaway Event sponsored by Booty Buns Cloth Diapers! Over 175 blogs have teamed up to present this amazing cloth diaper giveaway hosted by Daily Mothering.

Here’s your chance to win an entire stash of one-size cloth diapers!

 

This amazing cloth diaper prize pack includes:

20 Booty Buns One-Size Cloth Diapers

(these true one-size cloth diapers fit 3-45 lbs!)

20 matching flannel/terry cloth wipes

40 microfiber inserts

20 cotton flannel liners

Booty Buns Cloth Diaper Giveaway

(picture does not show inserts or liners also included)

First, a little about Booty Buns…

Booty Buns One-Size Cloth Diapers

In case you haven’t heard about them, Booty Buns Cloth Diapers are incredible one-size cloth diapers that truly fit from birth to potty training! They feature a snap-down rise with 5 different snap settings (most one-size diapers only have 3!) and a waist with 10 regular snap settings plus 2 crossover snap settings. The diapers have hip snaps to prevent wing droop on smaller sizes. The incredible size range of this diaper fits from 3-45 lbs!

Booty Buns One-Size Cloth Diapers

Booty Buns Cloth Diapers are pocket diapers and each diaper includes 2 snap-on microfiber inserts that can be stuffed into the diaper or laid on top with the included cotton flannel liner against your child’s skin. The diapers have a waterproof PUL outer and a soft suedecloth inner with dual gussets on the inner lining to ensure everything stays IN the diaper! Booty Buns One-Size Cloth Diapers come in an assortment of bright colors and each diaper includes a matching handmade flannel/terry wipe. You can find out more about the diapers at Booty Buns, or check out the detailed Booty Buns One-Size Cloth Diaper Review at Daily Mothering!

Booty Buns Cloth Diapers

Booty Buns is dedicated to encouraging others to “go green” and “give charity.” Shannon, the owner of Booty Buns Cloth Diapers, leads by example. For every diaper that Booty Buns sells, she donates one Booty Buns Cloth Diaper to a child in need in the US and third-world countries. Booty Buns is the exclusive cloth diapers donator for Operation Showers Of Appreciation, and they are also donating diapers to babies that have severe medical issues here in the US. Shannon hopes to donate a lifetime supply of cloth diapers {20 diapers} to every baby in need around the globe. You can join in this effort by purchasing your own set of Booty Buns Cloth Diapers and telling your friends about Booty Buns!

Make sure to stop by and follow Booty Buns via Facebook, Twitter and Blog for news and giveaways!

And now for the giveaway!!

Booty Buns Cloth Diaper Giveaway

ONE WINNER will receive this gigantic cloth diaper prize pack valued at $546!

And, the winner will get to select their choice of diaper colors!

This giveaway is open to U.S. and Canada.

Use the Rafflecopter form below to enter.

Sign in using your Facebook account OR your name and email address.

Click “Do It” for instructions on how to complete each entry.

There is no mandatory entry. Complete as many entries as you wish.

The more entries you submit, the better odds you have of winning!

Continue reading →

Posted in Giveaways | 6 Comments