Good Thursday morning, friends! Summer activities are now in full swing, and so is my summer cooking. I love seeing all the salad recipes coming through my Instagram and blog feeds. So, for what it’s worth, I thought I’d throw one of my favorites out there. I’ve always loved broccoli! When I was expecting my first baby, I ate a bowl of raw broccoli ever afternoon. Seriously. And because of my love for broccoli, I’ve always enjoyed a good broccoli salad. If I see it offered at a restaurant, I order it! My mom always made a delicious  broccoli salad, and so does my friend Michelle! There was a time that husband and kids did to not share in my respect for broccoli. They liked cooked broccoli ... Read more

I love Winnie-the-Pooh. I love his friends too. That silly old bear and all his friends from the Hundred Acre Woods have given our family some sweet memories. A couple of weekends ago, I took my little guy to see a fantastic production of Winnie-the-Pooh. It was the most adorable thing to watch! We giggled the whole time. I was so happy to see him still enjoying those silly Pooh characters so much. And honestly, my older girls would have enjoyed it just as much, but I was taking them to another playhouse that night to see Pride and Prejudice (also outstanding!), so it was just my handsome little date and me for the Pooh matinee. Since seeing the play, I’ve been reminiscing over all the ... Read more

Two things I enjoy shopping for are gifts and home decor. But it’s important that I shop wisely and find good deals so those expenses aren’t a burden on the family budget. I’m always eager to hear from other women about any good deals they’ve found, so today I’d like to share a few good bargains that I’ve scored lately. 1) Outdoor Festival Blankets- I found these festival blankets at Five Below for, you guessed it, five dollars! They are thinner than the heavier duty ones that can go on wet grass, but they’ll still be great for all those summer concerts and picnics. I used the blue ones as gifts for Incredi-Boy’s soccer coaches (they’re both women) since the uniforms were blue this year, ... Read more

Around here, Friday is the day to "fluff the nest", which is just a much cuter way of saying "clean the house". Am I right? So my Friday posts are all about tidying up and getting the house fresh and in order for the weekend. Some weeks my nest-fluffing comes more easily than others. I need motivation each Friday. ***  One incentive I’ve come to rely on each week in getting through my cleaning time is the use of podcast. I listen to a few different podcast programs during the week while excercising and getting ready in the morning. By Friday, there are a few left over that I didn’t get to, so I use my cleaning time to catch up. With a little podcast prompting, I can convince myself to ... Read more

SCRIBERE EST COGITARE (translation: Writing is thinking) One of the numerous aspects of homeschooling that my children and I have enjoyed together has been the inclusion of a little Latin in our learning. Over the years we have become familiar with several Latin sayings, each of us having our own favorite. My personal favorite Latin saying is SCRIBERE EST COGITARE, and it means “Writing is thinking”. I love that! The practice of writing calls for our minds to process our thoughts through words--living, moving, swirling words! Taking information we have absorbed through reading, listening, and experiencing, and organizing into words what we believe from that information. Writing partners the ... Read more

Good morning to you all on this last day of April! You know the old saying “April showers bring May flowers”. While that’s certainly true in nature, April has offered another kind of shower. The Lord has rained blessing after blessing on our family this month. One of the reasons I blog is to remind myself of all there is to be grateful for amidst daily routine and even seasons of trials. It’s like my gratitude journal in the form of photos and stories. April has had its challenges, but as I scan through the photos on my phone, I’m reminded of everyday delights the Lord has granted. And yes, one of those blessings is all the flowers popping up around my yard from that good April ... Read more

Good morning! I hope your week has been a great one so far! Our Bible study group meets every Wednesday night to study the Word of God and enjoy some fellowship. It’s a welcomed time of midweek refreshment! The first three weeks of the month we just do dessert and coffee, but the last week we have a big meal. The host family for that month provides the main dish while the rest of the families bring sides and dessert. Last night’s meal was baked ham and sides, and it was glorious! My guy had recently put in a request for Pineapple Cheese Casserole, so when I heard we were having ham at small group, I knew it would be a good opportunity to fulfill his wish. I wasn’t going to post another ... Read more

Now that spring is officially here and summer is on its way, I’m starting to think about liter menus of grilled meats with sides of salad! One of my favorite salads to pair up with grilled chicken, pork, or hamburgers is this super-easy Orzo Salad. It goes together so quickly and is very forgiving with any substitutions you might need to make. Easy Orzo Salad  Ingredients: 1 box orzo pasta  1 *bottle Ken’s Steakhouse Greek dressing 1 container cherry or grape tomatoes, washed and halved 1 English cucumber, quartered lengthwise and then sliced  1 **6-8 oz. container feta cheese  Kalamata olives (a couple of handfuls will do)  Cook the orzo according to the box directions. Drain and let ... Read more