Lucas Corner Farmhouse

365 Miles in 365 Days

2024-05-28T10:06:00.008-05:00

Way back in 2010 (seriously, that feels like a couple of years ago....but it was 14 years ago!) I started tracking my progress of running/biking 365 miles in 365 days on a page on this blog that I never published. (I didn't get too far haha!) I just stumbled across that page and decided since I started running again this week, it's probably a good time to try that goal again.

I was never a big long distance runner, but I did train for a 5K roughly once a month for a few years while in college (and ran a one mile fun run with my Dad the morning of my wedding.)

If I wasn't racing in a 5K, I would just challenge myself to run the 3.1 miles around campus or around town once a month or so (in between my regular runs with a friend where we finished our run with a trip to the coffee shop!). In the mix of all the 5Ks, we signed up for one half marathon.....what a terrible idea haha! We had fun the day of the race, but leading up to the race we didn't train like we should have...so we walked the majority of the race. There was a storm that delayed the start time on Saturday morning so they rescheduled start times into two parts for Sunday morning. If you wanted to try to finish before you church service started, you could come to an earlier start time, or you could stick with the original start time. We tried to make it to the early start....but I think it was around 6am and with the storms the day/night before we didn't sleep well. We did make it to the later start time with plenty of time to pick up our race packet, stretch, and hang out. We both started out with a good jog, but then I stopped around mile 4 haha! I jogged off and on after that, but I had rolled my ankle (not uncommon for me) and was way out of practice. Adam ran until mile 6.5, then stopped to wait for me when he got to the halfway point. We walked for the last 6.5 or so miles. We had fun with our little Sunday morning stroll, but if we ever do another half marathon, I definitely want to be better prepared haha! We didn't finish last though, three people finished after us!

255 - Adam Lucas - Auburn  AL - 3361 - 24 - M - 25 20-29 - 3:10:53.62 - 14:34/M
256 - Wendy Lucas - Auburn  AL - 3362 - 25 - F - 44 20-29 - 3:10:54.28 - 14:34/M

I'm re-starting small (and already feeling the pain after one run ha!), but I'd love to work up to being able to run another 5K! I think the last one I ran was when Blake was about a year old and Cole crossed the finish line with me (wearing Paw's tag after Paw already ran, if I remember correctly). I'll start logging my miles below....and maybe I'll go buy myself a coffee when I hit miles 365! :)

Total: 14.72 miles, 97 days

**I need to start upping my distance and frequency!!**

August 30, 2024 - 1.56 miles - treadmill - average page 15'23" (I really need to remember my earphones when I go to the gym! It helped that tennis was on the tv to distract me thought haha!)
July 25, 2024 - 1.70 miles - didn't want to overdo it since I couldn't hardly move on July 21 after taking over a month break from running haha! 25'31" with a 15'pace.
July 20, 2024 - 2.01 miles - hip started hurting, so life walking than I planned, but still a 15' pace in 30' total run/walk!
June 13, 2024 - 1.71 miles - longer walk warmup followed by faster run on the treadmill (topped out at 6.0 speed) then a cooldown. Average pace 15'00" (and how about I synced my watch to the treadmill, but then forgot to confirm that I was planning on running haha! So it thinks I did 1.44 miles.
June 7, 2024 - 1.25 miles - short run with longer stride walk to stretch on treadmill - average pace 16'12"
June 6, 2024 - 2.10 miles - walk outside with friends - average pace 25'01"
June 3, 2024 - 1.35 miles - 1.15mi run with ~.1mi walk warmup/cooldown combined treadmill - average pace including warmup/cooldown 13'02"
May 29, 2024 - 1.53 miles - 1.0mi run with ~.5mi walk warmup/cooldown combined - treadmill - average pace including warmup/cooldown 13'38"
May 25, 2024 - 1.52 miles - 1.0mi run with ~.5mi walk warmup/cooldown combined - treadmill - average pace including warmup/cooldown 13'22"

Kids Eat Free in Birmingham Area

2024-05-13T14:22:00.001-05:00

When you search "kids eat free Birmingham" you'll get several articles with lists like this one. However, I noticed some were put together 5 or 6 years ago, or only shared specials from 2020. Some of the places that previously offered deals to let kids eat for free once a week have moved towards rewards apps for accumulating points for free or discounted meals, but there are still some out there with scheduled kids' specials! I've listed the ones I've found alphabetically, and updating the list as I find out more information!

Websites are linked (or social media pages) with locations or more information on specials in the name of each restaurant. Call ahead to verify any specials, as they could change at any time.

Baumhowers - Tuesday, 1 free kid meal per adult meal of $10 or more
Big Whiskey's - Tuesday
Brusters Ice Cream - Free Baby Cone for kids under 40" tall
Denny's - Kids eat free with adult entree purchase of $6 or more, but days vary, so check with the restaurant nearest you.
Huddle House - Monday & Tuesday, free kid's meal per adult meal $6 or more.
IHOP - Kids eat free everyday from 4-10PM
Moe's Original BBQ - Kids eat free on Taco Tuesday after 5pm, check your location for participation
Moe's Southwestern Grill - Kids eat free on Sunday, check your location for participation
Moss Rock Tacos - Monday, 1 free kid meal per adult meal $10 or more. 616 Preserve Parkway, Hoover
Panera Bread - Kids eat free Tuesday with adult meal purchase, look in the app for the deal, as not all accounts will get this promotion.
Ruby Tuesday

Tuesday, Kids 12 and under eat free after 5pm with purchase of adult entree
Friday, Kids 12 and under eat free all day with purchase of adult entree

Vecchia - Tuesday, 1 free kid meal per adult meal
Whiskey Foxtrot Burger Dive - Wednesday, 5pm-9pm, Kids 12 and under eat free with purchase of adult entree
White House Restaurant - Saturday Kids eat from the steam table for free.

What's going on in Summer 2024?

2024-05-02T10:26:00.279-05:00

UPDATE

2025 Events are posted on the new blog here: https://lucascornerfarmhouse.wordpress.com/2025/05/15/whats-happening-in-summer-2025/

When school is out for all our friends, we're always looking for something fun to do together at one of our houses or around town. I've been putting together a list of fun events in our area (Jefferson/Blount/Walker/Cullman counties) so we will never be bored! There's no way we can be at all of these, but I'm keeping them on my radar.

If you know of something else that I've missed, leave it in the comments. I'll be updating this post as I find out more information on events and adding registration links as they are available, so make sure to check back often!

At the bottom of this post, you'll find a calendar you can download and print for the months of June and July! :)

Scroll down to see all the info, or click the links below to jump to different sections of this post.

*List of VBS, in order by date*

*Library Events (sorted by Library name, then date)*

*Farmers Markets*

*Community Events and Programs*

*Parks & Playgrounds*

---> See this post for activities to do at home too! <---

--> See this post for places where kids eat free in the Birmingham area! <--

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOLS

JUNE

First Baptist Church Hayden: June 3-6, 9-Noon ( Register here )
Gardendale First Baptist Church: June 3-7, 9am-Noon, ( Register here )
Enon Baptist Church: June 3-7, 9am-Noon, ( Register here )
Mt. Zion Baptist Church: June 3-7, 5pm-8pm (Register here )
Smoke Rise Baptist Church: Wednesday nights in June & July, beginning June 5, 6:15-7:30pm ( More information here ).
Fultondale First Baptist: June 9-12, 6-8pm ( Register here )
Church H2O: June 9-12, 6:30pm ( Register here )
Liberty Baptist Church - Kimberly: June 9-13, 6:30-8:30 ( Register here )
Kimberly Church of God: June 9-13, 6-8:30pm
North Point Community Church - Kimberly: June 10-12, 6-8pm, ( Register here )
Mount Olive Alliance: June 10-12, 6:30-8pm ( Register here )
First Baptist Mount Olive: June 10-13, 9am-Noon ( Register here )
New Temple Baptist Church: June 10-14, 6-8:30pm ( Register here )
Beechwood Baptist Church: June 16-20, 6-8:30pm (Register here )
Calvary Baptist Church: June 16-20, 5:30-8pm, ( Register here )
Good Hope Baptist Church: June 22, 9-3:30pm, ( Register here )
Church of the Highlands: June 24-26, 9am-Noon, ( Register here )
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church: June 24-28 ( Register here )
White Oak Independent Baptist Church: June 28 10am-3pm ( Register here )

JULY

Waterstone Church with Move Church: July 7-11, 6-8:30pm ( Register here )
Calcedonia Baptist Church: July 7-11, 5:45-8pm ( Register here )
Gardendale Baptist Tabernacle: July 15-19, 9-noon ( Register here )
CrossRoads Baptist Church: July 8-12, 8:30-11:30am ( Register here )
Smoke Rise Baptist Church: Wednesday nights in June & July, beginning June 5, 6:15-7:30pm ( More information here ).
Church 29:11: July 14-17, 5:30-8pm ( Register here )
Desperation Church (Hayden campus): July 15-17, 9-12PM at Hayden High School ( Register here )
HighPoint Community Church: July 15-17, 6-8:45PM ( Register here )
Sumiton Church of God: July 16-19, 6pm-8pm ( Register here )
Desperation Church (Jasper campus): July 22-24, 9-12PM at Jasper Civic Center ( Register here )
Gardendale Church of the Nazarene: July 22-24, 5:30-8:30pm ( Register here )
Gethsemane Baptist Church: July 22-25, 6-8:30 with dinner at 5:30
Desperation Church (Cullman campus): July 29-31, 9-12PM at Cullman campus ( Register here )

LIBRARY EVENTS

Fultondale Public Library - Summer Program Registration begins May 20
*Summer program events in the Fultondale Event Center (June & July)

May 17, 10am: Story Time about pets
June 5 - 10am in Fultondale Event Center: Tommy Johns Magic & puppets
June 12 - 10am in Fultondale Event Center: Ruffner Animals in the Classroom
June 19 - 10am in Fultondale Event Center: Gene Cordova, Ventriloquist
June 26 - 10am in Fultondale Event Center: Hula Hoop Fun, Hoop for Fitness
July 10 - 10am in Fultondale Event Center: McWane Science Center
July 17 - 10am in Fultondale Event Center: Mark Seymour, Percussion
July 24 - 10am in Fultondale Event Center: Closing Party Day - Pandy's Snobiz, crafts, and activities

Gardendale Public Library
*Most events in the Children's department, unless otherwise noted.

May 3, 10, 17 ,24 - 10:30am: Toddler Time (infant to 4 years)
May 4, 10:30am: Star Wars Kids' Craft - Gardendale Library
May 7 & 14 - 3pm: Craft Snack
May 8, 22, 29 - 10:30am: Story time (5-8 years)
May 15 - 10:30am Homeschool Hub - Astronomy
May 20 - 3pm: Drawing the Basics
June 3, 10, 17, 24 - 11am: K-4th activity
June 4, 11, 18, 25 - 11am: 5th-9th activity
June 5 - 10:30am: Intro to Gardening
June 6 - 1pm: Chalk Day
June 7 & 28 - 11am: Toddler Time
June 12 & 17 - 10:30am: Toddler Zone play time
June 14 - 10:30am @ Civic Center: Animal Tales
~~June 15 - 10am: 61 Bee Company~~ will be rescheduled
June 20 - 1pm: Board Games
June 21 - 10:30am @ Civic Center: Learn Fencing
June 26 - 10:30am @ Civic Center: Learn Fishing
July 1, 8, 15, 22 - 11am: K-4th activity
July 2, 9, 16, 23 - 11am: 5th-9th activity
July 3 - 10:30am: Alabama Museum of Natural History
July 10 - 10:30am: Alabama Museum of Natural History
July 12 - 10:30am @ Civic Center: Learn Fencing
July 17 - 10:30am @ Civic Center: Mr. Larry Magic Show
July 18 - 4pm: Board Games
July 19 & 26 - 11am: Toddler Time
July 19 - 2pm: Magic of Reading
July 20 - 11am: Animal Mask Craft (PreK-5th)
July 22 - 6pm: Family Bingo Night
July 24 - 10:30am: Toddler Zone play time
July 25 - 5-8pm: Mini Golf
July 27 - 10am: Kids Movie

Graysville Library - They have library totes available for $5 each if you'd like one.

June 3: 12-1PM - Graysville Fire Department
June 10: 1-2PM - Magic with Tommy John's
June 17: 2:30-3:30PM - Magic with Gene Cordova
June 24: 12-1PM - Magic with Larry Darnell

Pinson Public Library - Registration begins May 20

June 1 - 1-3PM - Once Upon a Summer Reading Party
June 3 - 5-7PM - Treasure in the Library
June 4, 11, 18, 25, July 2, 8, 16 - 9AM-4PM - Take Home Tuesdays
June 5 - 10AM - Beyblade Club
June 7, 14, 21, 28, July 5, 12, 19 - 10AM - Pre-K Story Time
June 7, 21, July 5, 19 - 2-3PM - Free Play Friday
June 10 - 5-7PM - Talent Show at the Library
June 12 - 10AM - Alabama Ballet Dance Discovery
June 18 - 4PM - Early Reader's Book Club (K-2nd), Registration Required
June 26 - 10AM - Alabama 4H: Straw Rockets
July 3 - 10AM - Mr. Larry's Magical Misadventure
July 8 - 4PM - Animal Tales: Zoofari Earth
July 10 - 10-Noon - Skate, Ride, & Roll at Pinson Bicentennial Park
July 11 - 11-12 - Family Picnic at Pinson Bicentennial Park
July 15 - 5-7PM - Camping in the Stacks
July 17 - 10-11AM - Dynamic Education Adventures: Adventures in Science
July 20 - 10-12 - Touch a Truck
July 25 - 4-6PM - Splash Bash at Pinson Bicentennial Park

Sumiton Public Library - Registration begins May 1 (205-648-7491)

Ages 3-4

June 11 - Touch a Truck
June 20 - Smokey Bear Activity Day
June 27 - Camping Day
July 2 - Russel Davis Magic Show
July 9 - Water Fun Day
July 18 - Camping Crafts Day

Ages 5-12

June 11 - Touch a Truck
June 18 - Alabama Forestry
June 25 - Sloss Furnace
July 2 - Russel Davis Magic Show
July 9 - Water Fun Day
July 16 - Battle Tank Boxing/Olympic Day

Warrior Public Library - Summer Library Program Registration begins May 28
*Most events at North Storm Shelter on Trafford Road, unless otherwise noted.

June 3: 10am - Nature Crafts
June 10: 10am - Tommy Johns
June 17: 10am - Hoop for Fitness
~~June 21: 7pm @ Warrior Baseball Fields - Friday Night/Movie Night Under the Stars~~
June 24: 10am - The Science Lady
July 8: 10 am - Animal Tales
July 15: 10am - Smokey Bear!
July 22: 10am @ Warrior Baseball Fields - Warrior Fire Department
July 29: 10am @ Warrior Baseball Fields - Foam Zone Finale!

FARMERS MARKETS

Warrior Farmers Market - 550 North Main Street - May-October, 1st & 3rd Fridays, 10AM-7PM
Gardendale Farmers Market (now at Bill Noble Park) - May 16-Sept 26 (Thursdays) 9am-1pm
Walker County Farmers Market - Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday 7am-Noon
Kimberly Farmers Market - May 14-Sept 17 (Tuesdays) 2-6pm, 6/22, 7/27, 8/24 8am-noon

COMMUNITY EVENTS/PROGRAMS

$3 Movies at AMC Theatres: Check the website for days, times, and locations. Movies include Minions: The Rise of Gru, The Lorax, Sing, Sing 2, The Secret Life of Pets, Migration, Despicable Me 2, and Despicable Me 3.

Cullman Dates & Shows (Mondays and Wednesdays, 11am & 2pm) $3 each

6/24, 6/26: Minions: The Rise of Gru
7/1, 7/3: Super Mario Bros Movie
7/8, 7/10: Sing
7/15, 7/17: Sing 2
7/22, 7/24: The Secret Life of Pets
7/29, 7/31: Migration
8/5, 8/7: Despicable Me 2
8/12, 8/14: Despicable Me 3

Home Depot Kids - First Saturday of each month - Check the activities here
Lowe's Kids Workshops - Monthly, date varies - Check here for date and activity
Kimberly Food Trucks Under the Lights & Farmer's Market - May 16, June 20, July 18 5-8PM @ Kimberly Truck Stop, 9178 US Hwy 31
Kids' Weekend at Bass Pro Shops - May 18 10AM-12PM - Scavenger Hunt, Outdoor Tips, Giveaways Blow-Up Archery Range
Musicality Concerts & Family Day - May 18 9:30AM-7pm - Gardendale Civic Center Outdoor Stage - Performances by students and instructors - Food, Face Painting, and Games.
Arley Day Festival - May 18 8AM-2PM - D.H. Hamner Park - Arts & Crafts & Food vendors, Free carnival rides & games for kids under age 18, free hot dog lunch for kids, car show, pickleball tournament, and horse rides as well. Here is their Facebook event page.
Cullman Electric Cooperative Touch a Truck - Saturday May 18, 10am-2pm (Sensory friendly hour from 9am-10am) - Free hands on experience with bucket trucks, tractors, buses, and construction equipment. Food trucks will be on site if you need to grab a bite to eat!
Sportsman Food Trucks - May 21, 5-8:30PM, Sportsman Lake in Cullman
Party at the Park - May 22, 5-8PM, Gardendale First Baptist's Upward Park. Many activities for Preschool through 5th graders including outdoor games and food trucks available for dinner (and a pizza style food fight!)
Movie at the Park - May 24, 6-9PM Migration showing at Bill Noble Park with Green Top BBQ available to purchase
Kids Fish O Rama - May 24, 7:30 AM-Noon, Veterans Park, Hanceville - Fishing tournament and free hot dog lunch for kids ( More information here )
Fourth Fridays Food Truck Nights in Morris - May 24, June 28, July 26, August 23, September 27 5-8:30PM at Morris Town Park
Customer Appreciation Barbeque at Bass Pro Shops - May 25 11AM-2PM

Memorial Day at American Village - May 27, 10AM-4PM - Remember American Heroes at 11AM and several family events throughout the day.
Storytime at the Gardens: Fridays at 10am at Birmingham Botanical Gardens
Sumiton Main Street presents First Friday: Movies, Vendors, Food Trucks, 5PM on June 7th (Toy Story), July 5th (Lilo and Stitch), August 2nd (The Little Mermaid)
Kids Bowl Free: Sign up for 2 free bowling games per day at select bowling alleys. Shoe rental is not included, and that price varies by location (Referral Link to sign up - Trussville & Jasper are the closest locations)
Maker's Coffee After Hours the last Friday of every month! May 31, June 28, July 26 from 5-8PM. Bring the kids to play in the play area and enjoy food from their full menu, or bring dinner with you. They have introduced four new summer drinks with options to have three of them caffeine free. This will be a great way to burn some energy before bed!
KooKoo Concert: Hoover Library June 4 10:30, 2pm, 6pm and Jun 5 10:30am & 2pm, free concert, first come, first served
Kids Day on the River - June 8, 8:30AM-3PM - Cleveland, AL - Free event with education about birds of prey, the river, turtles, water conservation, kayaks, and free lunch hosted by Friends of the Locust Fork River - Register here! (And read more information here).
Gardendale Civic Center Food Truck Night - June 13, 5-8PM - Battle Axe's Fest, Cream & Sugar, D's Crazy Dogs, Kayjun's, Pandy's Sno Bix, Pasteles L MoreliAna, Stephen's Hotdogs
MiLB Play Ball Weekend: June 15 at Regions Field. A free one day clinic for kids aged 5-12 to practice baseball skills with the Birmingham Barons. ( Register here )
CityFest 2024 - Pinson - June 15, 5pm with fireworks at Dusk, at Rock School Complex. Celebrate the 20th Anniversary of Pinson becoming a city! Enjoy food trucks & birthday cake. There will also be family-friendly activities. Fireworks extravaganza will begin at 9 PM from behind the Rock School Complex/Pinson Public Library.
Fultondale CityFest - June 22
Summer Block Party at Bill Noble Park - June 27, 5-9pm - Car show, arts & crafts, kids scavenger hunt, water balloon toss, vendors and food trucks (Register for free kid's scavenger hunt here )
Art 4 All - June 29, 11am-2pm - Old Warrior Armory, hosted by Move Church - Move Church is putting on a fun family event called Art 4 All where kids will be given a Wotown Co. design on a canvas to take their very own creative spin too, face painting, coloring station, bracelet making, games and more! It will be a great time for the whole family!
Art 4 All is FREE but we are asking that everyone register so we can be sure to have the amount of supplies needed. (Register here )
Chick-fil-a will be there for purchase so be sure to come hungry!

Faith, Fireworks, & Freedom - June 29, 6:30pm - Prospect Independent Church in Nauvoo - Free hotdogs, games, and fireworks
4th of July Celebration - June 30, 5pm - Gardendale Baptist Tabernacle - hot dogs, popsicles, inflatables, and fireworks
Fireworks in the Park - June 30, 6pm with fireworks at 8:30pm - Locust Fork Park, hosted by Locust Fork Baptist Church
Summer Jam - June 30, 6pm - HOPE Church - A Summer celebration Big enough for all ages! Join us for a night of games, giveaways, and Jesus!
Mount Zion Freedom Celebration - June 30, 6:30pm - Mt. Zion Baptist Church, 2427 Corner Road - Fireworks, celebration, and ice cream!
Independence Day Celebration - July 3, 5pm with fireworks at 8:30pm - Argo First Baptist Church - Cotton Candy, Hot Dogs, Sno Cones, Inflatables
Family Fireworks Spectacular - July 3, 6pm with fireworks at 9pm - Morris Ballpark, hosted by Enon Baptist Church
Community Firework Show - July 3, 6:30 with fireworks at dark - Crossroads Baptist Church, Hayden - Hot dogs, drinks, popcorn, shaved iced
Sumiton Church of God Freedom Fest - July 3, 7pm-9pm - at Sumiton Christian Football field. Food, music, inflatables, games, and fireworks
Town of Oakman 4th of July Celebration - July 4, 5pm - Food trucks, music, kids games, fireworks
Fireworks & Pokemon & Lorcana tournaments - July 4, 5pm - Gamer Geeks in Warrior - 8037 Rouse Road - Kicken Cowboys Hotdogs truck with food available to purchase
Town of Hayden 4th of July Celebration - July 4, 6-9 - Hayden Town Hall Park - 5030 State Hwy 160 - Live music, Fireworks at 9pm, Free hotdogs, chips, drink and dessert, inflatables
Fellowship and Fireworks - July 5, 6:30 - White Oak Independent Baptist Church - Food, games, waterslide, bouncy obstacle course, snow cones, hot dogs & hamburgers
Community Night of Worship at Hillside Ninety-One - July 28, 6pm - Hillside Ninety-One - 8989 Al Hwy 91 in Hanceville - Gather with friends and family for a night of heartfelt worship! Learn, grow and connect with your community through prayer, praise and worship to our God. Worship will be led by local musicians, vocalists and spiritual leaders of the community. While childcare is not provided, we hope that you will bring your kids (small and big!) to worship together as a family in a casual, welcoming environment. We can’t wait to see you there!

PARKS AND PLAYGROUNDS

We love to pick up something simple like a pizza for lunch, or pack some sandwiches and fruit and head to one of our favorite parks to spend an afternoon when the weather is nice!

Bill Noble Park - Gardendale Recently built with lots of unique play structures. Picnic tables and pavilions available for a picnic lunch while you're there.
Celebration Park (Playground & Splash Pad) - Gardendale There's also soccer fields and a gravel walking track around the fields, as well as a frisbee golf area.
Dora Park Right next to Dora Fire Department. The play area is fenced in, with activities for all ages. There is a nice walking track around the entire complex, fun for bike riding or a stroller ride. They are currently working on some updates at their pond.
Fultondale Children's Park Lots of huge animal statues, playground equipment, and a small creek. Rails to Trails walking track goes by this park as well.
Gardendale Civic Center Outdoor Walking Track There is a big bridge my kids love checking out, and there are several wooded sections of the track, which makes it nice on sunny days when you're looking for shade.
Kimberly Park Nice fenced in playground with basketball goal, tennis courts, and soccer fields nearby. My kids like looking through the Little Free Library here!
Little Park - Gardendale This tiny hidden gem of Gardendale has a picnic table and wooden play equipment that my kids love. Drive down Tarrant Road, and turn left onto Keith Circle to find this shaded playground.
Lumen Harris Park Located in Gardendale, near Fultondale, this park is another favorite and has lots of accessible playground equipment too! Drive down Tarrant Road and turn on Pineywood Road and you'll see it on your left.
Maker's Coffee Excellent place to hang out on days when everyone needs to burn some energy indoors, but also need to get out of the house. Pick up a tasty coffee and pastry, and let the kids have some fun in their indoor playground! (Check out the info above about their extended hours once a month!)
Mt. Olive Community Center Walking Track & Playground The track and playground is in a fenced in area behind the Community Center. Kids can run and play in the center of the track area while you walk or push a stroller with younger toddlers or babies who need a nap.
My Backyard - Morris New this year, and one of my kids' favorite places to visit. Picnic tables under a pavilion, and playground equipment for all ages. Another Little Free Library location!
Sportsman Lake Park - Located in Cullman, Sportsman has a playground, a lake, a small train that runs on weekends (along with pedal boats, bikes, and kayaks available to rent on weekends), a concession stand, and now they have added s Splash Pad.

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👉Click Here to Download the July 2024 Calendar PDF.

👉Click Here to Download the June 2024 Calendar PDF.

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**Special thanks to all my family and friends who have answered my texts and questions about what they've seen around town too, so we can keep adding as many events as possible to this list!! :) **

Summer Activities at Home

2024-04-26T11:52:00.009-05:00

I'm working on putting together a list library events, church events, and community events this summer (Find that here!). But for the days when you want to be at home, here is a growing list of simple, but fun activities you can do at home to keep kids entertained on rainy days or when school is out. I've included some affiliate links from Amazon to hopefully help you find some good deals. If you click on them and buy anything (not just what I've linked!), I get a super small commission at no extra cost to you.

I hope this helps you prepare for a fun summer with your kids!!

Contractor Paper - I'm starting here because this is *key* to helping for easy clean up for some of the activities I'm adding at the bottom of this list haha! You can get contractor paper/kraft paper/butcher paper on Amazon in different widths (we have this one for covering a smaller space), but the best deal is to run to Home Depot or Lowe's and spend under $20 for a BIG roll! Harbor Freight has also had good deals on narrow rolls too, so it might be worth a trip there to check. We cover our table or the floor and then bring out the kinetic sand, playdough, markers, paint, anything messy! It makes a great space for practicing handwriting and math problems or drawing a town with roads for playing with cars.
Painter's Tape - While we're talking about easy clean up solutions, let's talk about painter's tape. Yes, it helps hold the paper on the table in place, but it has so many other uses in play! My kids will use painter's tape to make parking spaces and roads all across the floor for their small cars and trains, set up hopscotch in the kitchen, create shapes and art on windows....they come up with more ideas on their own than I could ever think of. Masking tape works too, but painter's tape seems to be easier for little hands to remove without damaging any surfaces in the house. I just grabbed this pack from Amazon recently.
Movie Theater - One of my kids' favorite activities! Let the kids make "movie tickets" from paper, pick out a movie and some snacks (as simple as popcorn or go big on a theme matching the movie), and everyone settle down for some movie time. On rainy days ,this will often turn into "movie marathon."
Sidewalk chalk - We don't have a paved driveway, but the porch is always full of new artwork, so I buy sidewalk chalk in bulk. Get creative thinking of where they can draw! Mine like to take chalk to the playground and draw. You can even set up some concrete pavers in a walkway or flowered where they will get washed off in the rain. Use the painter's tape you picked up to make stained glass style art, or to make a "frame" around any other sidewalk chalk art. On rainy days, use chalk to create masterpieces on dark construction paper too!
Play dough - It's a classic toy that keeps my kids entertained for hours! Do I love it when they mix all the colors into one big grey pile? Not really, no....but they don't seem to mind....and then they say it's outer space play dough haha! Playing with playdough is great for building the muscles in little hands, which will help them when they are learning to write. While I'm putting together this blog, my kids are playing with a dentist playdough set a friend gave them. I didn't find the exact one on Amazon, but this one is similar! Here is a good variety pack too. We've made our own play dough a couple of times too, and really like being able to add scents with vanilla extract or peppermint extract or lavender flowers. In our experience, the homemade play dough lasts at least 6 months, as long as you keep it in a sealed container. Here's a link to instructions on my blog for how to make your own!
Kinetic Sand - If you're not a fan of dry play dough that gets left out....you should get some kinetic sand! It sweeps up easily if it gets on the floor, and still provides hours of creative entertainment for all my kids. My sister put together kinetic sand kits for my two oldest when they were little, using plastic storage boxes and some simple toys they could use to play with the sand. You can put together different theme boxes to get out on different days, or keep everything together. Pinterest and Amazon are full of good ideas for how to put together some kinetic sand theme boxes. I will say I made the mistake of getting "slime sand" on accident one time, and it's not the same! I haven't tried making my own kinetic sand yet, but here are several links to ones you can try.
Rocks - Roll out that contractor paper, get the rocks the kids have been collecting from every parking lot and playground they've visited, set out some paint, and let them get creative! After they're dry, they have a new set of homemade stacking toys. For a slightly less messy option for preschoolers, you can give them a paintbrush and a cup of water and let them "paint" the rocks with water.

Rice - Is there colorful rice all over my floor right now? Yes, but have my kids been well entertained when I’m cooking the last few days? Also yes! There are lots of variations for how to make colored rice for a sensory bin, but we went super simple and it seems to work! Pour some rice into a zip bag, add just a smidge of food coloring (we used the kind in the jar), and mix mix mix mix! Once all the food coloring is incorporated to the rice, you can pour it into a big ton or bowl and play like you would play with sand! We made three bags: one with pink and purple food coloring (one color on each side so you wind up with variations of the two colors, very cool!), one with orange and yellow, and one with green and blue. Since I didn’t use a TON of food coloring, these came out somewhat pastel, which I like!

Puzzles - I like keeping a puzzle out for people to work on as they walk by. I don't keep one out all the time, but every once in a while you'll find one on our table or bar. Check the thrift store for some super inexpensive puzzles! We've found several brand new ones there recently!
Nail Salon - Trace your hands and let your littles practice painting nails! We've done this with old nail polish, but I found empty nail polish bottles online and I think I'm going to order some and fill them with some washable paint in various colors!
Summer Reading- Several libraries in the area offer incentives to encourage reading at home this summer! I'll be adding related local events to this page as I hear of those, but there are other companies that also work to encourage summer reading if you aren't able to make it to those events. Here's a few I've found.
- BJU Press Journey Forth Summer Reading
- The Good and The Beautiful Summer Reading
- Sonlight Summer Reading Challenge Kit
- Book It! by Pizza Hut (year round)
- Chuck E Cheese (lots of incentives, not just reading, and not just summer)
- Mensa for Kids Excellence in Reading (year round)

Weekly Meal Plan (with little to no leftovers)

2024-02-04T09:06:00.002-06:00

I'm attempting to post our meal plans each week....mostly so I can refer back to them later! If you want to see all my previous meal plans (some are monthly, some are weekly), you can see them here. Future ones will be tagged too if you want to bookmark that link.

I typically make sure to include some meals designated for leftovers to hopefully reduce the chance of forgetting about food in the back of the fridge, but this week we'll be eating out more at the end of the week and over the weekend and I don't want food to go bad, so I only planned for one night of leftovers and picked meals that don't typically leave much left to keep. We'll be doing most of our cooking Sunday through Thursday.

Breakfasts tend to switch between cereal & oatmeal or granola, with the occasional muffins or cinnamon rolls thrown in. As everyone is waking up, they can fix their breakfast with some coffee or hot cocoa, and pick out a book or quiet activity like coloring to do while eating while we wait for the day to get started. During basketball season, I made muffins on several Saturday mornings for the early games and will do that again this week. When baseball starts, I'll probably do the same!

SUNDAY

Muffin bars & fruit
I made muffin bars Saturday morning and there were some leftover, so everyone had those and some fruit. Muffin bars are just my muffin recipe poured into a baking dish then cut into squares! I used applesauce instead of oil this time, making them a little more dense and less likely to crumble and fall apart.

Grilled Chicken
Aldi had chicken tenders on sale this week, so I picked those up for us to grill and use to make buffalo chicken dip, but I won't make that until Monday. For lunch Sunday, we'll have some with some vegetables & pasta.

Sandwiches & Smoothies
I'll make a fresh loaf of bread after church and it'll be ready for sandwiches. We have some yogurt & frozen fruit, so I'll use those to make some smoothies after archery.

MONDAY

Cereal
I picked up more cereal at Aldi & more is being delivered by Kroger on Monday.

Chicken Noodle Soup (& Buffalo Chicken Dip for snacks this week)
If there is still some grilled chicken left after I set aside some for the dip, that may get added to the soup. If not, I'll use some chicken or turkey I have frozen with some broth I made that I froze and add in some vegetables & pasta. I'll also make some buffalo chicken dip so we can snack on it during the week.

Spaghetti & Toast
Haven't made any in a while, and it'll be a good way to use up any bread that needs eaten!

TUESDAY

Oatmeal
We typically have old fashioned or quick cooking oats in a jar on the counter and I use those to make some fun varieties of oatmeal for the kids. I think their current favorite is Smores, which is where I stir in chocolate chips and top with graham cracker crumbs and mini marshmallows.

"Lunchables"
This is another name for "Kid Charcuterie" at our house. Basically, I get out any crackers, fruit, trail mix, cheese, peanut butter (for crackers or on a spoon), and anything else that seems good and make mini platters for everyone.

Leftovers
I'll either start another loaf of bread Tuesday or Wednesday this week.

WEDNESDAY

Cereal

Homemade Pizza
A recipe for really good pizza dough was included in the book that came with my bread machine. I'll stick that in the machine during breakfast and it'll be ready to use by lunch for everyone to make their own pizzas.

Sandwiches

THURSDAY

French Toast
On homemade bread of course!

Quesadillas & Rice
At least one kid is guaranteed to pick a "Pizza Quesadilla" to make haha!

Sandwiches

FRIDAY

Cereal

Sandwiches

Breakfast for dinner (Eggs, Toast, Sausage, Etc)

SATURDAY

Muffins or Muffin Bars

Eat out

Ready-by-Lunch Sandwich Bread

2024-01-28T21:50:00.004-06:00

Ask Adam how many ~~loaves~~ bricks of bread he has sampled over the last 15ish years that I've tried making. It's been....a lot haha!

MamaRie always made bread making look so easy! She had at least one sourdough starter in the kitchen at all times and was making bread for every get together (or just because) and experimenting with different recipes. Cheese bread, Rosemary bread, and Pepperoni bread were pretty popular with me and my sisters.

I have some sourdough starter trying to grow on my counter....but I have to say MamaRie was a lot better at it than me haha! I haven't given up on it, but it's not my go-to for sandwich bread right now.

Once I had two kids, Grandma gave me her bread machine because she said I was quickly going to run out of time to do all the kneading and rising necessary to keep bread cooked for two growing boys. I used that machine until it finally gave out on me! (Then I got a new one for my birthday from Bruce & Linda!)

I think anyone that loves some homemade bread should get a bread machine. It really does make it very simple. Add the ingredients into the pan. Push start, and a couple hours later you have bread. (I have a Pioneer Woman machine that's made by Hamilton Beach, but looks discontinued. This one looks like the newer version of that machine if you're looking to get one).

With 6 of us in the house (plus friends and family stopping by), we go through a lot of bread though and really I need to make a loaf or two every few days. So when I need to make more bread than what the bread machine makes, I make this recipe! It's a variation of what I found on another blog (jennycancook.com).

Some notes about ingredients and tools that I use:

Today, I used 3 cups unbleached all purpose flour and 1.5 cups whole wheat flour, and it was good! Usually though, I just use 4.5 cups all purpose.
For yeast, I have bought SAF Instant Yeast (in the red bag) several times, but I think I currently have Fleischmann's Instant Dry right now. I always transfer yeast to a glass jar and store it in the fridge.
I don't cover my dough with plastic wrap to let it rise because I rarely have plastic wrap at the house. Instead, I use a lid to one of my storage bowls to cover the bowl loosely. A lid that's too big for the bowl I'm mixing in is perfect!
When it comes to the pan...I change it up every time.

I have long loaf pans for standard sized sandwiches that I got for Christmas and I line those with parchment paper. I will let the bread do it's last rise in one pan in parchment paper then transfer the parchment paper and bread to the second pan to bake.
I also like cooking bread in an enamel cast iron Dutch oven. A loaf this size will fit in a 5 or 6 quart Dutch oven well. If you bake it in a Dutch oven and want a crispy crust on the bread, start with the lid on when you bake, then remove the lid at the end and add another 10 minutes.

----------------------------------------------------

4.5 cups flour

3 tsp yeast

1.5 tsp salt

2.25 cups hot water

Mix your dry ingredients in a large bowl and stir in water until the dough looks shaggy.

Cover and let stand at room temp 1 hour.

After an hour, place the pan you're going to use into the cold oven, the preheat to 450 degrees. (If you're using a pan with the lid, make sure you preheat the lid as well).

Sprinkle some flour on top of the dough, and use a plastic or wooden spoon to pull the dough away from the edge of the bowl and fold everything together, "kneading" with the spoon 10 times.

Shape the dough, place in a bowl or similar sized pan lined with parchment paper, cut a few lines in top with a sharp knife, cover, and let it rise 15 minutes.

Once oven is preheated and bread has had time to rise, transfer the bread and parchment paper to the preheated pan. Bake for 30 minutes. If the pan you're using has a lid, keep the lid on. After 30 minutes, you can remove the lid and bake an extra 10 if you like for a crispier crust.

After 30 minutes, remove the pan from the oven and transfer the bread to a cooling rack and try really hard not to cut the bread until it has cooled some!

Then go ahead and make yourself a grilled cheese or a grilled peanut butter jelly sandwich.

Meal Plan for this Week

2024-01-27T22:13:00.003-06:00

I'm going to try to start posting my meal plans each week....mostly so I can refer back to them later! If you want to see all my previous meal plans (some are monthly, some are weekly), you can see them here. Future ones will be tagged too if you want to bookmark that link.

I always make sure to include some meals designated for leftovers to hopefully reduce the chance of forgetting about food in the back of the fridge.

SUNDAY

Cereal

Eggs & Rice
I'm sure there's a better name for this, but it's basically rice topped with a fried egg, soy sauce, sesame oil, sesame seeds, butter, and sriracha. It's such a delicious rainy day comfort food!

Grilled Sandwiches
I'll make a fresh loaf of bread after church and it'll be ready for grilled cheese, grilled PBJ, or grilled pepperoni and cheese sandwiches by dinnertime.

MONDAY

Korean Ground Beef & Broccoli
We may use this recipe that I pinned on Pinterest, or something similar that Adam makes.

Pizza
Basketball practice nights are a good excuse to pick up a pizza!

TUESDAY

Cereal

Leftovers
I'll need to start another loaf of bread while we eat lunch. Actually, I'll make two.

Cheesy Taco Pasta
I found this recipe on Pinterest and it sounds really good!

WEDNESDAY

Oatmeal

Sandwiches

THURSDAY
Thursdays are a busy day for us, so it's a good day for something simple.

Cereal

Sandwiches

Pancakes, Eggs, Bacon

FRIDAY

Oatmeal
...and time to make more bread! I may make some buffalo chicken dip as well to have to snack on for the next few days (or to put on top of loaded tater tots).

Loaded Tater Tots
Make a big pan of tater tots (top them with ranch seasoning to make them really good!) Then load them up with cheese, taco meat, barbeque, shredded chicken or turkey, bacon....so good! This is usually a good way for me to clear out some frozen leftovers too.

Leftovers

SATURDAY

Muffins
I have an oatmeal muffin recipe that I can either cook the night before or I can mix up the dry ingredients and keep them in my cabinet. It's really simple and filling for days when we are going to have a busy morning and need something to keep us full.

"Lunchables"

Spaghetti & Toast

Prime Day Deals 2023

2023-07-08T20:41:00.023-05:00

I'm keeping my eyes open for deals that are coming up on Prime Days. I'll be sharing them in my Facebook Group: Wow Deals but also posting them here so they're all in one place and easy to find!

I'll start by pinning these at the top, since I designed them! :) So far, the purple Ballet composition notebook has been marked down and I'll be sure to tell you if I notice more markdowns!

School Supplies

>>> 20% off when you spend $30+ on School Supplies and everyday essentials from Amazon's brands: https://amzn.to/46Ftb1P <<<

This Coil Binder is marked down to $103.99, which is the lowest I've seen one lately. The price may not have updated in this link, so run over and check it out if you're interested!

> Box Book Sets: https://amzn.to/46WJjfN

Skin Care

> Sun Bum Skin, Sun and Beauty Essentials

We've used this brand and have been really happy with it! I haven't tried their face stick, but we have used another brand and it's a great way to make sure you have even coverage! Again, sometimes the prices in these linked images don't update immediately, so click to double check the price because odds are, they are cheaper once you go view them! :)

SPF 50 Spray: https://amzn.to/3NBUlOw
SPF 70 Spray: https://amzn.to/46EewUI

> Dr. Teal's Bath & Body Products

3 pack sleep spray: https://amzn.to/43jCv8X
4 pack lavender Epsom salt: https://amzn.to/44BiNX3
4 pack foaming bath with epsom salt: https://amzn.to/3D7hio2

> Maybelline, Neutrogena, Aveeno, Honest, Dove, SheaMoisture, Degree

Neutrogena Hydro Boost: https://amzn.to/3PM55N3
Aveeno Night Creme: https://amzn.to/3PKnERG
Neutrogena Rainbath: https://amzn.to/3XI17XJ
Neutrogena Acne Patches: https://amzn.to/3NKhGO6
Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion: https://amzn.to/3rttjkM
Neutrogena SPF45: https://amzn.to/3roPyIU
Neutrogena Retinol Pro+: https://amzn.to/3JM5MSM
Neutrogena Hydro Boost + Caffiene: https://amzn.to/3DqeZg1
Neutrogena Hydro Boost + Niacinamide: https://amzn.to/44o3WQ7

Shoes & Clothes

> Hey Dude Shoes: https://amzn.to/3pHSGPA

> TOMS Shoes: https://amzn.to/44zwwxM

> Huk Fishing Apparel: https://amzn.to/44h7gfW

> New Balance Shoes: https://amzn.to/3NBWOIM

> Up to 30% off Clothing by Amazon Brands:

Men's & Women's Clothing: https://amzn.to/3DaEwJI
Kid's and Baby's Clothing: https://amzn.to/3O6Mry7

Cleaning Supplies

>>Chemical Guys Car Wash products are marked up to 30% off: https://amzn.to/3pBT95X<<

These bread slice sponges are cracking me up!

Some things I'm keeping my eyes out for that I've seen that should go on sale. I'll add pictures and prices once I see they're marked down.

Vitamins and Supplements

Vital Proteins: https://amzn.to/3XLF5Dm

Protein drinks, snacks, and powders
Home Cleaning, Home Storage, and Air Care
Health & Wellness Support: Pain Relief, Oral Care, Allergy Relief, Digestion Support
Baby Diapers, Wipes, and Skincare
Solo Stove Fire Pits: https://amzn.to/3XIUUux
Filterbuy Air Filters
Bento Kids Lunchboxes: https://amzn.to/3roUA8f
YETI Coolers & Drinkware: https://amzn.to/43fWc17
Pet Honesty Supplements
Utopia Bedding
Goli Gummies: https://amzn.to/3pQvZIO
Liquid IV: https://amzn.to/3roZphT
Up to 25% off Jewelry from Amazon Brands
Up to 20% on Electronics and Office Supplies from Amazon Basics
Up to 30% off Home and Kitchen
Up to 30% off Fitness Essentials
Black + Decker Products

Cordless Vaccuum: https://amzn.to/44kbovM
Furbuster Handheld Vaccuum: https://amzn.to/3JOr7uC

Affresh Dishwasher Cleaning Tablets and Washing Machine Cleaning Tablets
Coleman Camping Equipment
Stanley Drinkware

18oz Food Jar: https://amzn.to/3JORH75
Trigger Action Travel Mug: https://amzn.to/3pJtkkf
Classic Vacuum Insulated Wide Mouth Bottle: https://amzn.to/43k7otA
Trigger Action Travel Mug: https://amzn.to/3NHKiYo

Sports gear from Rawlings, Franklin, and more
Paddleboards, Trampolines, and Outdoor Accessories from SereneLife and more

Inflatable paddleboard: https://amzn.to/3pF1oy2

Nerf Disc Golf Starter Set: https://amzn.to/3rhStTA
Under Armour

Men's Shorts: https://amzn.to/3D2NXuK
Men's Short Sleeve Shirts: https://amzn.to/44yDp2e
Boy's Pants: https://amzn.to/3rjJaCA

Mossy Oak Hunting Apparel

Heavy Duty Folding Camping Chair with Cooler in the armrest: https://amzn.to/44yq61N

Luggage

SwissGear expandable softside luggage: https://amzn.to/44hqHoU
Kenneth Cole Lightweight Hardshell: https://amzn.to/44hvXbU
TravelPro expandable softside luggage: https://amzn.to/44AO8ZV
SwissGear 21-inch softside luggage: https://amzn.to/3JLhywn
US Traveler Hardside 30-inch: https://amzn.to/3D6BDK3
Traveler's Choice 30-inch Hardside Spinner: https://amzn.to/3pD6N8N
Traveler's Choice 22-inch expandable hardshell: https://amzn.to/44mKNOv

There's so much more that is supposed to be marked down soon! Hop back over here and follow the group on Facebook to see more deals!

Thanks so much for checking out these links as I update them! Since I have an Amazon Associate account, I earn a small commission when you shop through any links I post (at no extra cost to you!) I just enjoy shopping for a good deal and I love passing those good deals onto others!

Homemade Play Dough

2023-02-13T18:36:00.003-06:00

Before Christmas, I tried out a play dough recipe I found, tweaked it a little to make them seasonal, and my kids have played with that play dough almost every day since. I keep it stored in the take out containers I bought on Amazon, and it hasn't dried out! (16 oz is the exact size for a full batch). It has even been left out for a few hours and easily kneaded back to its regular consistency.

My kids like to use plastic or laminated placemats to hold their play dough creations while working (and it makes for a little easier clean up! We've also used silicone baking sheet liners, but the laminated placemats store easily on the counter so they can get it out to play anytime. This is an EXCELLENT activity for them while I'm cooking dinner and need everyone away from the counters ha!

We made Sugar Cookie Play Dough (with green & red glitter mixed in!), Hot Cocoa Play Dough, with gold glitter mixed in, and Candy Cane Play Dough with red and silver glitter. But since it's now halfway through February, I figured it was time to make another batch in a new scent! We decided on Lavender and used Butterfly Pea Flowers to dye it a light purple/blue color. Beau said he wanted to help, and he was a wonderful helper!

So this is pretty simple, and takes about 30 minutes to put together. Beau helped me measure everything and get it all mixed. I took over when it was time to cook it on the stove, then handed it back when it cooled! This is the SOFTEST play dough ever, by the way!

Here's what we used for

Lavender Play Dough:
* 1 1/2 cups flour

* 1/3 cup salt

* 2 tsp cream of tartar (I've read that this is what helps play dough stay stretchy)

* 1 Tbs oil

* 1 1/2 cups water

* 6 or 7 dried Butterfly Pea flowers (for color, can use food coloring instead)

* 1 Tbs fried Lavender buds (for texture and scent)

* 5-6 drops Lavender essential oil (for scent)

If you plan to add food coloring at the end instead of using butterfly pea flowers, use room temperature water. If you're planning on using butterfly pea flowers for coloring, you'll need to boil the water and let the flowers steep in the water while you measure and mix everything else. Then remove the flower buds before using the water in the next step.

In a medium saucepan, stir together flour, salt, and cream of tartar. Add oil and water. Turn stovetop to low and stir this very sticky mixture often until the dough stops sticking to the pan and starts looking like play dough! It will start to change color slightly and look like it is drying out....keep heating a little longer! This part takes about 30 minutes. When done, plop the play dough onto a silicone baking sheet liner or a clean baking sheet, some aluminum foil, a plate...you get the idea! :) Let it cool so you don't burn your hands. Once cool, knead in lavender buds and essential oil.

For the other batches of play dough that we made in November, the basic recipe is the same.

Sugar Cookie Play Dough

* 1 1/2 cups flour

* 1/3 cup salt

* 2 tsp cream of tartar

* 1 tbs oil

* 1 Tbs vanilla extract

* 1 1/2 cups water

* glitter can be added in at the end to make it match any season

Hot Cocoa Playdough

* 1 1/4 cups flour

* 1/4 cup cocoa powder

* 1/3 cup salt

* 2 tsp cream of tartar

* 1 Tbs oil

* 1 1/2 cups water

Peppermint / Candy Cane Play Dough

* 1 1/2 cups flour

* 1/3 cup salt

* 2 tsp cream of tartar

* 1 tbs oil

* 1 Tbs peppermint extract

* 1 1/2 cups water

* a few drops of red food coloring can be kneaded in at the end

The lavender play dough is a full batch, around 16 oz. Sugar Cookie, Hot Cocoa, and Candy Cane are half batches, around 8 oz.

Keep these, a few placemats, and a couple of plastic cookie cutters together for an easy activity! Peyton likes kneading it like she's making a loaf of bread (I guess she's been watching me!). Blake likes to make a "tray" of cookies on a placemat. Cole & Beau have made some pretty awesome gingerbread men (That would be another fun scent to make!)

If these colors get mixed and we're left with one big batch of grey Christmas scented play dough, I'll just have an excuse to make more! It's super simple and inexpensive. I used to get stressed out about play dough colors getting mixed up and being left with a whole pile greyish play dough...but one day a few years ago, Cole & I decided to mix some silver glitter into the play dough that had gotten all combined and we called it Space Play Dough! (Mixed together playdough that is starting to dry out also is a great material to use to make a model of a cave for a science experiment - also Cole's idea!)

What variety of homemade play dough should we make next? I really like the idea of using flowers or plants to color it...so I'm thinking a Dandelion play dough should be a good option soon, once there are more in bloom.....or Rose scented when our Roses start to bloom! Oh maybe use cold coffee in place of the water, but that might be more energizing instead of relaxing like the lavender! Lemon would be a fun summer scent as well, so I guess stay tuned to see what we try!

This link will take you to all my favorite kitchen things found on Amazon, including a lot of what I mentioned in this post.

Chicken & Corn Dip

2023-01-30T10:36:00.003-06:00

Sometimes, I just want to eat "tailgate food" with dinner. That might be why my last post was about pigs in a blanket and this post is about Chicken & Corn Dip! This is a QUICK recipe, so if you need a last minute dish to take to a party, tailgate, get together (or just a late night snack), this is the one!

Also, this recipe is Beau Approved

You can bake all this in the oven, but it works just as well in the microwave!

(These are the chip & dip bowls we have. My Mother-in-Law gave them to me and they make a great snack bowl! Amazon has similar ones in both stoneware and plastic).

Here's my notes while looking at a few other recipes to make my own. I was going to use sour cream, which is usually a staple in my fridge...but I thought I was out, then when I saw it at the back of the fridge, I knew it needed to go. I don't think the chickens would even snack on it! That said, I went to look up replacement options for sour cream when used in dips and two that I kept seeing were buttermilk or yogurt. If you use buttermilk (like I did), you decrease the amount a little, so keep that in mind. Another option was to make your own sour cream, which sounded really cool but I wasn't willing to wait 2-3 days for it to set up. :)

Another thing to note about this recipe is the Lime Crema Sauce. That was an accidental find at Target a few years ago, and now we keep it stocked in our fridge! It's essentially lime juice and sour cream, but nice to have on hand for tacos, rice bowls, and sandwiches! (For all you cilantro lovers, this has cilantro. But for all you cilantro haters, this has cilantro.)

Don't worry, there's a new jar in the fridge!

So the recipe is super simple. Cut the cream cheese into a few squares and microwave it in a glass dish. Microwave for one minute, stirring about halfway through. Open up a can of chicken, drain it, and add it to the dish. Open up a can of corn, drain it, and add it to the dish. Add your buttermilk/sour cream/yogurt, then toss in some taco seasoning (more or less to taste...we like to buy the bulk jars rather than packets, but either will work!), lime crema sauce (or a little lime juice), and shredded cheese! Stir it all up and microwave two more minutes, stirring halfway. This took *maybe* 10 minutes for me to throw together.

We ate ours with tortilla chips, but it would be good with bell pepper slices, carrots, or celery too!

-------------------------------------------------------

Chicken & Corn Dip

Lucas Corner Farmhouse -- wendyandadam.blogspot.com

1 block (8oz) cream cheese
1 can chicken (I used a 10 oz can, you can use more or less)
1 can corn (I used 15.25 oz can, you can use more or less)
1/3 cup buttermilk (or 1/2 cup sour cream or 1/2 cup yogurt)
1 Tbsp Taco Seasoning (more or less to taste)
3 Tbsp Lime Crema Sauce
1 cup shredded cheese
Cube the cream cheese, place in a microwave safe bowl or dish and microwave for 30 seconds, stir, then for 30 more seconds.
Drain the chicken and the corn and add to the dish with all the other ingredients and stir.
Microwave one minute, stir, then microwave one more minute.
Serve with tortilla chips, veggies, pita, or toast!

Pigs in a Blanket from Scratch

2023-01-22T20:58:00.002-06:00

Like most of you, I've always made pigs in a blanket using canned crescent rolls and cocktail sausages. However, it takes 3-4 cans of crescent rolls make enough for this crew and the price has really gone up!

So....I started looking up some recipes that might make a good substitute (other than making actual crescent rolls...which are delicious!) I wanted something buttery (of course), but didn't require any rise time either. I found a few options and came up with a recipe that was somewhat of a mix of the ones I read online.

My helper followed the directions and made some delicious pigs in a blanket! We had exactly the same number of sausages as slots in my new pan, so we used that to make some bee and beehive pigs! The pan is perfect for pull apart breads, but was cute for this too! You can easily cook these on a lined baking sheet or in a round pan as well.

One of the cutest cooking helpers I know!

This dough makes enough to wrap 20-30 sausages, depending on how thin you roll the dough and how much dough you want to use per "pig."

- - - - -

Pigs in a Blanket

- cocktail sausages (20-30)

- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

- 1/2 teaspoon salt

- 1 teaspoon sugar or honey

- 1/2 cup buttermilk (or regular milk will work as well)

- 1/2 cup melted butter (Yes, an entire stick! You can decrease this down to 1/4 or 1/3 cup if you like, but I was wanting a buttery dough!)

*Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

*Pat cocktail sausages dry with a napkin and use a fork to poke holes in them so they don't make the dough soggy while baking.

*In a medium bowl, whisk together your dry ingredients, then stir in wet ingredients until the dough begins to come together.

*On a floured surface, knead your dough for 5-10 minutes, then sprinkle a little flour on top and roll out to a rectangle with a floured rolling pin.

*Cut to 1/2" thick (give or take) and wrap one around a sausage and place on the pan.

*Bake for 20 minutes, then try not to eat them all at once!

Homemade Food Gifts that will become Pantry Staples!

2023-01-14T19:07:00.001-06:00

This year for Christmas, we made a goal to make as many of our gifts for others ourselves. There were a few that were store bought, but for the most part, we made them! We went through a lot of flour, butter, sugar, and chocolate this year, but it was a lot of fun! I realized as I was starting to write all this down that I didn't take very many pictures at all of this entire process....so if I gave you one of these gifts and you have pictures, send them my way and I'll add them to this haha!

The boys helped out baking and making mixes, as well as coming up with their own gifts to give their grandparents, aunts, and uncles. Cole worked with Adam to make wooden coasters as some gifts, and he designed and whittled mallets for his Paw & Grandpa to keep in their workshops. He also found coupons to places in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge and gave those to some family who he thought would enjoy certain stores or restaurants. :) Blake painted pictures for his grandparents and aunts and uncles. He says he will be the next Bob Ross. :) Beau and Peyton were encouragers to their big brothers, and mighty cute encouragers, if we say so!

For one of my nephews, we put together a dry erase coloring book (by laminating pages then binding it with our coil binding machine) and added some colorful washable dry erase markers (perfect for a road trip or a quiet activity). My niece got a dry erase hand lettering book and a few beginner calligraphy markers (my calligraphy buddy!!). The boys helped me clean out their playroom closet and picked out some of their favorite toys that they haven't played with to create BIG gifts to their two younger cousins. We also made three batches of homemade play dough in Christmas scents and wrapped them with cookie cutters for a few friends to play with all month long! We plan to make more of that later with some new scents, and when we do, I'll post those recipes!

We taste-tested all the food and drink recipes before we made batches to wrap, and they were all so good! Some really will become pantry staples for us! I wanted to write down the recipes we used for the baked goods and mixes so we could have them all in one place. So, this will be a "wordy" blog post, but also a long overdue once, since I haven't posted anything here in a few years!

Blake helped me mix up Instant Mocha Mix for the grandmas and aunts. I tested this as an instant coffee, but also as a creamer. It's a good instant drink! As a creamer, it was a big strong simply because there is already coffee in the mix, but I still thought it was tasty! I was inspired by a recipe for instant cappuccino mix on another blog (right here, if you want to check it out!), but wanted to use dry powdered milk instead of powdered creamer. Here's the version we mixed up!

In a large bowl, mix together:

- 3/4 cup instant coffee

- 1 cup hot cocoa mix

- 1/2 sugar

- 1 cup dry powdered milk

- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Once everything is well incorporated, scoop into a jar or other container with a lid for storage. (We used these 16oz plastic airtight deli containers, but you could also use a mason jar or a larger container if you aren't dividing it up). When you're ready to have an instant cup of mocha, add 3 tablespoons of the mix to hot water or milk and whisk!

Cole made a simple Mug Cake Mix for his grandmas and aunts. Of course, we made enough for all of us to test (and we will be keeping this in the cabinet too!) This wasn't necessarily from another website, it's something I'd had before years ago. You can customize it to be whatever flavor you like, but we chose chocolate!

In a large bowl, combine

- 1 box angel food cake mix

- 2 boxes chocolate cake mix.

That's it! So simple! Scoop the new mix into an airtight container (we used those same deli containers and made labels for them) and when you're ready for a quick dessert, mix 3 Tablespoons cake mix with 2 Tablespoons of water in a coffee mug. Add some chocolate chips on top, then microwave for 1 minute. We included a small bag of chocolate chips with the cake mix, but white chocolate chips or butterscotch chips or peanut butter chips would be good too!

Beau was a great helper working on some seasoning blends for his grandpa. We picked two from this website that we thought he would like to use to add to chicken, pasta, soups, or just about anything else, and tweaked them a little to make them our own! (I then used some of the same blends to make some homemade crackers using Melissa K Norris' Easy Homemade Cracker recipe. I need to practice my technique on these crackers a little more, but they were seriously so delicious. We gave some of the crackers to my father-in-law so he could have them for sampling his seasoning, and also gave some to my brother in law to have with his Candied Jalepenos (which I call Cowboy Candy). I use a recipe by Rebecca at Foodie with Family and she goes goes into so much great detail on her blog, that it's really worth hopping over there to read! The only different thing I did was instead of using the spices she has listed, I used a spice blend that I have on hand that includes turmeric and cayenne as well as black pepper and cinnamon. I've also used her recipe to make Cowboy Candy with mixed peppers, not just jalapenos!)

Back to the seasonings! For a No-Salt All-Purpose Seasoning, we mixed:

- 1 Tablespoon Garlic Powder

- 2 Tablespoons Onion Powder

- 1 Tablespoon Chili Powder

- 1 Tablespoon Paprika

- 1 Tablespoon Parsley

- 1.5 Teaspoons Black Pepper

And then I decided it was so good, I needed to double that. :) We poured some in a spice jar and labeled it, then poured the remaining seasoning in a washed jar that chicken bouillon originally came in. It was the perfect size for a refill jar!

Then he helped me make a delicious Ranch Seasoning (which I'm going to use as a base to make Ranch Dressing Mix later this week). Learning my lesson from the all purpose seasoning, we went ahead and doubled this one and made it as low-salt as possible. Combine in a bowl:

- 5 Tablespoons Parsley

- 4 teaspoons dried Dill

- 5 teaspoons Garlic Salt

- 5 teaspoons Onion Powder

- 4 teaspoons dried Minced Onion

- 2 teaspoons Black Pepper

The original recipe also had salt listed as an ingredient, but we omitted that. I didn't label it as a No-Salt Ranch Seasoning though since we used garlic salt. You could swap Garlic Powder in place of Garlic Salt though, and have a lower sodium seasoning.

My dad loves Vanilla Wafers, so when I saw this recipe from The Baker Upstairs, I had to try it. I doubled the recipe as it was written on that blog, and that was a good idea haha! When it was time to bake, I tried scooping the dough and rolling it then pressing it down. Those came out nice little circles, but I felt like I was losing a lot of the dough to the scoop and my hands and the bottom of the jar pressing the cookie. I decided to try just scooping the batter by the spoonful onto the cookie sheet and it worked *almost* perfect (much like the original blogger said herself). Then I scooped the batter by the *half spoonful* and they were **perfect** according to the boys. They weren't as smooth as the ones you buy in the store, but they sure did taste great! The larger cookies still tasted the same, of course, but they were fluffier, and we were aiming for something a little more crisp. I do think if you wanted to make a filled cookie (with cream or jelly or peanut butter), the larger cookie would be good for that.

So, for the perfect (double recipe) homemade vanilla wafer, you'll need:

- 1 stick of softened butter

- 1 cup sugar

- 4 teaspoons vanilla

- 2 eggs

- 2 cups flour

- 1 teaspoon baking powder

- 1 teaspoon salt

Beat together the butter and sugar until fluffy. You can use an electric mixer, or by hand with a whisk or fork. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until your batter is smooth, then stir in your dry ingredients and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. While the dough chills, preheat your oven to 350. Once firm, scoop about a half of a spoonful of batter and use another spoon to place it on your baking sheet and bake 15-20 minutes. They will harden a little more as they cool on a cooling rack.

I have this oversized baking sheet that my dad gave me a few years ago, and I love to use it when I want to make sure that the cookies have plenty of room to bake without getting squished!

A cookie that I've made for quite a few years is 3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies. It became a family favorite so fast that it made it into my cookbook (and on the last page so it's easy to find!). I try to remember to make them anytime I'm signed up to bring dessert to dinner when my brother-in-law will be eating (and I've made batches while at their house since I know both him and my sister love them!) They are super simple, quick, and easy to change up a little if you're feeling creative. We've added chocolate curls on top, put buttercream icing between two cookies, or added a few sprinkles for color!

All you need is:

- 1 egg

- 1 cup sugar (can be reduced to 1/2 cup brown sugar)

- 1 cup peanut butter

Mix those three ingredients and bake at 350 for 8 minutes, then take them out and let them cool on the baking sheet. I'm sure they would last a few days on the counter or in the fridge, but they never have the chance to last more than 24 hours at our house!

When I asked my youngest sister what kind of snack I should make for my brother-in-law, she was quick to say Chocolate Chip Cookies. I wasn't really surprised! I found this recipe for "the best chocolate chip cookies ever" at JoyFoodSunshine, and it was perfectly named. Reading the recipe was so informative too! Scroll to the bottom of her post and read about various reason for why your cookies may come out looking different each time based on ingredient temperature or type.

My brothers-in-law aren't big coffee drinkers, but I knew they would all like some Hot Chocolate Mix, so I found this simple recipe, that I do believe tastes better than store bought! It's a simple mix using cocoa, dry milk, powdered sugar, and granulated sugar. You can mix it with water or milk, but I always prefer milk! :)

I made a plate of snacks for our parents and sisters' families with Christmas Tree Pretzels & Spritz Cookies.

For the Pretzels, I used a candy mold I've had for several years. I can't find the same one in stock in the US online, but it's this one. I think I bought it on clearance after Christmas one year, along with the cookie press I started using for the Spritz Cookies and a candy mold meant to be used with Oreo-type cookies. I put a few sprinkles in the mold, then melted green candy melts and poured into the mold. I twisted the pretzels as I put them in the mold so that they would be covered with candy and hold the tree in place. They were a perfect mix of sweet and salty.

Now the Spritz Cookies come with a funny story, First off all, I decided to use this recipe. It's a nice basic one (but I added a little green food coloring because I planned to use the tree shape disc). Like I said, I bought my cookie press several years ago during an after Christmas clearance. I paid about $1.50 for it, so I'm pretty surprised it has lasted as long as it did. I pressed two cookies onto the baking sheet and as I was pressing the third....the cookie press cracked. Thankfully, it cracked in the part of the press that didn't come into contact with the dough, so I didn't have to toss the batter. But I needed a quick solution because I really wanted these cookies to look like trees! Adam told me to try the jerky press. It wasn't quite the same size as the cookie press, and it didn't "click" to only release a specific amount of dough....so my Christmas tree cookies looked quite unique haha! I finished them off by drizzling melted white chocolate across them and adding some pink sugar sprinkles on top. In the end, they kinda reminded me of Little Debbie Tree cakes!

All that said, I'm searching for a good cookie press to add to my wish list haha!

I know that was a REALLY long post, and if you read the entire thing, I just might owe you a batch of cookies if I live near you! Let me know if you've tried one of these recipes or if you plan to make one to keep in your pantry!

FREE 2021 Printable Planner Pages - Calendar

2020-11-30T22:56:00.002-06:00

2021 will be here SOON! Last year I made a printable weekly calendar that I added to my Happy Planner and listed it in my Etsy Shop. This year, I made a few changes to the layout of the calendar (weekly Bible verse to memorize, horizontal layout of the days of the week, and I used a doodle font to color each week) and am posting it here as a free download! I hope you love it! It's formatted to print on 8.5x11 paper, so you can add it to a binder or any refillable planner that size. I use this hole punch to make it work in my Happy Planner, but any discbound or mushroom punch will work!

Click HERE to download my

2021 Printable Weekly Calendar with Bible Verses!

Here are some links other supplies to help you build your own discbound planner, if you don't already have one to refill. I love that I can add and remove pages quickly without worrying about rings getting bent (or pinching my finger!) I keep my budget sheets in the front of my planner, followed by my calendar pages (divided by month), and some blank pages in the back for notes. Of course, a standard binder and 3 hole punch will work wondeful as a planner as well!

Spinach Chicken Alfredo Pasta

2020-05-24T13:53:00.001-05:00

Happy Sunday!

I've been working on this week's Meal Plan and came up with a new recipe in the process! While searching for some recipes to include using what was already in the cabinet, I came across a spinach alfredo dish that looked delicious, but it was made using one of the dinner meal kits from the grocery store, so I used it as inspiration to come up with my own.

This is easy, and it uses cabinet and freezer staples that we keep, but fresh ingredients can easily be substituted.

You'll need:

4 frozen chicken breasts
3 cloves garlic
2 Tbs olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbs dried basil
1 box (16oz) pasta (I used angel hair pasta)
1.5 large jars alfredo sauce (about 35 oz total)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup fresh spinach (or thawed frozen spinach)

Place the chicken, garlic, and salt in the bottom of a Dutch oven or large stock pot and drizzle with olive oil.

I got my 6 quart enameled cast iron Dutch oven from World Market several years ago, but they don't make the same one anymore. This one by Lodge on Amazon looks like a really good one though! We use ours all the time for soups, roasts, and popcorn!

Cover and cook on medium high until internal temperature of chicken reaches 165*. Turn the chicken twice while cooking to let it brown a little. Remove chicken and give the garlic a squeeze into the stock. Add water to fill the pot and bring to a boil. Add pasta. While pasta cooks, chop chicken into roughly one inch pieces.

Drain pasta and return to pot on lowest setting as you stir in alfredo, cream of chicken, and chopped chicken. Add spinach and fold in until spinach is wilted.

This easily made 2 meals for our family of 5, with more leftover! We ate it with the last of the homemade garlic bread sticks I made a few days ago, and it was a hit!

Click here for a Printable Version of Spinach Chicken Alfredo Pasta recipe!

Meal Planning Time!

2020-05-23T17:39:00.000-05:00

Last week I made a Meal Plan for the first time in a very, very, very long time. I full expected that I would fall off the wagon, but we did really well sticking to it (or switching a meal here and there). When we were first married, we would make a meal plan for an entire month (I posted about it at least once!) and make one BIG grocery trip if possible, using the best deals available in store and stacking coupons. As we would run out of milk, bread, cheese, or fruit, I would make quick stops to pick up those things. That was great for our budget and incredibly feasible with the schedule we had at the time. I may go back to that style of planning one day, but for now, I'm liking a week at a time. I can plan my grocery pick-ups and farmer's market trips around the meal plan (and when we start to harvest our garden, I'll write the meal plan based on our crops!).

A few things about the way we tend to eat around here....

We eat a lot of eggs (when our hens aren't being stubborn....).
When Adam is at the station, meals are super simple because meal prep when all three boys are chasing each other around the kitchen without Dad to distract them gets a little crazy.
In the summer, there are many days that we stay outside until the sun sets, which can be basically bedtime some nights! For that reason, there are a lot of days when we eat a bigger lunch and then have simple dinners.
We haven't bought sandwich bread since sometime around Christmas! I used the bread machine that was my grandmother's for several years. She insisted I take it home with me one day because she said I would get more use out of it than she did (She was right!) The machine finally made its last loaf of bread just before Christmas. My birthday is at the end of December, so my in-laws bought me a new bread machine!! I make a new loaf of bread about once or twice a week.

I'm working on finishing up this week's meal plan, but in the meantime, you can download last week's here! Links to any online recipes are at the bottom of the Meal Plan so that they're easily accessible when viewing online. I printed the Meal Plan and any new recipes and put them in a page protector and kept it in my kitchen to keep everything clean during meal prep!

Hope this helps you decide what you're having for dinner this week!

Hall Bathroom Surprise

2017-02-13T09:00:00.001-06:00

I had considered doing a post showing “before” pictures of all the rooms….but I’ve decided to just showcase each room one at a time as we do some work in them. 🙂 That said, here is the Hall Bathroom BEFORE!

Hall Bath Before (Listing Photo)

Let me preface this by saying…we have a binder where we have pictures, to-do lists, and price lists of projects for the house and at the front of the binder is a simple one year calendar outlining what projects we plan to do this year and when. We only filled in that calendar through June, knowing that things will need to be shuffled, pushed back, moved forward, or may take more (or less) time than we anticipate. The Hall Bath wasn’t on the calendar yet because it was something we thought we might start to tackle towards the second half of this year. However, a piece of the sink piping broke and water covered the (heavily cracked) tile floor and flooded the (older) pressed wood vanity. It was obvious that this wasn’t the first time that the vanity had been flooded, so we had been planning on replacing it since we moved in. We decided some things in the bathroom needed replaced immediately, others needed a temporary fix, and still others would have to wait until later. We’re calling this Phase One of the Hall Bathroom Renovation. 🙂

In an attempt to make a $2 update to the bathroom in the meantime (before the surprise flood), I started to cover the counter with wood grain contact paper. I did this in our old house in the kitchen and the result was perfect. However, our three year old showed us how easy it was for him to stand in the bathroom and remove the vinyl….so I stopped knowing it was going to wind up all over the floor.

When we removed the countertop and sink, we found wallpaper that I keep referring to as “the yellow rose of Texas.” Once the vanity was gone and the wallpaper removed, it was obvious that we’d need to paint if the vanity we installed wasn’t exactly the same size (spoiler: it’s not haha!).

We found this small vanity (unfinished) with a sink included at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore for under $100. Using stain leftover from refinishing our hardwood floors, we have this guy a pretty Provincal color and coated it in clear polyurethane.

We didn’t have the original paint from the bathroom, and really wanted to try a lighter color. When we moved into the house and shopped for paint, We discovered the mis-tint rack of paint at Lowe’s and picked up a gallon of a shade of light grey for $9! (Lowe’s was also running a rebate promotion on that particular line of paint and later sent me a $10 Lowe’s gift card…free paint!)

You can see lines where the texture the previous owners had applied to the walls ended and the wallpaper behind he vanity began….but Phase Two will likely involve subway tiles to fix that 😁. Isn’t the light grey so pretty, clean, open, and just overall nice looking?

A friend of ours from church had some vinyl flooring he didn’t need and it was the perfect size for our bathroom! Eventually we will tile the floor, but since we aren’t exactly sure what we want in there, vinyl was the perfect solution to hold us over.

After ordering an adorable outdoor water pump inspired faucet that was too big, we made a trip to Lowe’s for a smaller faucet (which wound up being the same style as the previous faucet….minus the fact that the previous one was basically glued to the sink and not moving and that the precious one didn’t work quite right) and installed a pop up drain in the sink. We also went to Target to return some things….and you know what happens when you walk into Target. You walk out with 10 things you hadn’t planned on buying….including a nice new mirror on clearance, and a wall ladder on clearance…and baskets to organize towels on clearance…. Needless to say, after removing the big mirror that was likely installed when the house was built, more paint was needed. 🙂

There are still some other projects left for this room, including a shelf next to the sink to hold those cute mint Dollar Tree baskets, and the eventual replacement of the tub with a pedestal or claw foot tub….and replace the toilet with one to match the sink (and eventual tub). In the meantime, I love the new look! By replacing the vanity with a smaller one and painting the room several shades lighter, the room feels twice as big! (Which is important when two toddler/preschool boys hear bath water running and barge in ready to take a bath!)

The mirror isn't available anymore, but here is a similar one with a wide wooden-look edge on Amazon.

The Start of Our Farmhouse

2017-02-04T09:00:00.000-06:00

During our first two years of marriage, we lived in an apartment in a ~~dorm~~ residence hall with nearly 100 college ladies. Those two years are highly documented through lots of pictures, recipes, and sewing projects on our blog. We loved living on campus and being able to walk anywhere we wanted around our “little” college town. If the weather was nice, we would grab a jacket and walk about a mile to downtown and eat at one of our favorite local restaurants.

For the following year, we moved into a friend’s 2 bedroom 2 bath trailer while she was trying to sell it from across the country. Living there was very different from living on campus! We went from being in the center of a large university surrounded by people all the time to being “in the country” surrounded by cotton fields and horse pastures. We were only about 10 minutes from campus (if that!) but it felt like we were in another town. Walking to eat dinner wasn’t an option, but we did have the convenience of a small back yard where we would sit outside and grill dinner and hang out with friends.

When the trailer sold, we packed our things, turned in our notices at work, and moved two hours away into a rental and dreamed and planned what kind of house we’d love to buy or build and where exactly we would like to have this dream house. We knew it would need to be a little bigger than the house we were in, because we had two sweet boys born while we lived there and those boys needed lots of room to run and play! Like the dorm, the rental house was close to everything! It wasn’t walking distance to any restaurants, but it was walking distance to church and to a paved track where we would meet friends to exercise. We could easily make it to town to eat or shop in five minutes.

After just over four years in that cute 3 bedroom 1 bath house on just under half an acre, we stumbled across a listing for a house that met several of the characteristics on our “list”…

Open kitchen/living room floor plan
Space for a play area for the boys
Two bathrooms
Lots of outdoor space and not too close to a busy road
Space for a garden
Space for a workshop
Space for current and future pets and farm animals
Space for a craft room/sewing area
Something that we could add on or remodel
Some “crops” ready (even if it was just honeysuckle growing that we could use for making homemade honeysuckle jelly!)

We’re pretty excited about what has been named simply, “The Farmhouse” by our oldest son. He loves to tell anyone he sees (even if they just met) that they can come to his Farmhouse to pick pecans and play in the yard. It’s a longer drive to church and shopping, much like the trailer was, but we will never be far from a snack thanks to the eight million pecans in our backyard!

Some of the rooms got a fresh coat of paint before we moved everything in, and we refinished all of the hardwood floors as well. A few other small projects have been tackled in the last three months, so I wanted to start a blog showing the changes we make before the list gets too long to remember. 🙂

I’ll update with some before and after pictures of paint and flooring (and what we’re calling Phase One of the bathroom remodel that started a few months earlier than we had anticipated!) over the next few posts.

Lately- Hemming pants with a frayed hem

2015-10-16T22:34:00.001-05:00

It's been a while since I've posted, but I've been doing a lot of sewing in between growing babies, having babies, and feeding babies. :) Specifically, these two guys:

I have a PILE of fabric and a long list of things to sew, but I'm working my way through them! Recently, I sewed this adorable Brindle + Twig Scuba Hoodie (with an altered neck) for C (the smaller one for B is in the pile of fabric to be cut haha!)

I love it! The blue firefighter's print is from Hancock (got it for $3 or $4 a yard) and the red is actually cut from a jersey twin XL sheet I found at the thrift store for $3!

Right now, the project that has made its way back to my sewing machine is re-hemming two pair of pants. You know how the bottom of a hen will start to fray, especially in the back?

Well, my father-in-law brought me two pairs to see if I could shorten them about 1/4-1/2 inch to keep them from fraying anymore. Here's what I did...

1. Seam rip the hems

2. Zig-zag stitch (I used the widest stitch and almost as close together as possible) over the former bottom edge of the pants, where the fraying is happening. This should help make sure the frayed section doesn't catch on the heel of your shoe and start to rip more. (You can see it better in the finished picture ;) I just drew it in place here so it would show up).

3. Fold the hem so that the green lines match up (the frayed former hem and the fold below that)

4. Fold again so that the red lines match up (halfway point between original stitch line and frayed hem and halfway point between frayed hem and inside fold). Stitch over the original stitch line so that the old hem doesn't show up as holes! :)

How about that? :D Here's the before and after next to one another:

Also, I've recently learned that sewing clips or hairpins are AWESOME for holding things in place while sewing...faster than pins and doesn't damage the fabric (or your hand when you get stabbed...)

Oh, Hey!

2015-09-09T22:56:00.001-05:00

It's been a while since I've posted here....but the last few months have been CRAZY BUSY. Between February and August, there were very few weekends where we didn't have some event to attend that somehow related to some major event in a friend, family member, or our life haha! Just in our family of three (now four...), Adam finished his Associate Degree and picked back up on his Bachelor Degree, Cole turned two, and Blake was born!

In addition, my youngest sister graduated high school and my middle sister got married! We went to a retirement party, a funeral, a few piano and band performances, honor ceremonies, baby showers (for us and friends), wedding showers, were invited to a handful of other weddings, did some photography for a few folks, went to birthday parties, and wrapped everything up by spending a week at the beach!

That said, I think life is starting to get "normal." We'll see haha!

{Mostly} Healthy Banana Muffins

2015-01-23T10:15:00.002-06:00

If you were to open my most used cookbook (Betty Crocker's Cookbook...that I snagged from Mom's cabinet when she bought an updated version ...) you would see page 199 --page with the muffin recipe-- is covered in oil, flour, sugar, blueberry stains. It's pretty great. :)

This morning, I took the recipe for Banana Muffins and tweaked it to make it a little healthier. Cole waited (not-so-patiently haha) this morning for them to cool off so he could try one! I used 2 bananas, but if you want an extra kick of banana flavor, use three (and the more ripe the better!)

A few things I sometimes do with recipes to make them healthier are:

*Use flax seed + water as an egg substitute* (Then I can eat the batter guilt-free!)

*Use honey to replace all or some sugar.*

*Use coconut oil instead of vegetable oil.* I use LouAna Coconut Oil if I don't want a coconut flavor and ALDI or Spectrum Virgin Organic Coconut Oil if I do want coconut flavor added.

Hope you love them!

{Banana Muffins}

1 Tbs Flax Seed

3 Tbs water

1/3 cup milk

2-3 mashed bananas

1/2 cup coconut oil, slightly melted

2 cups self-rising flour

1/4 cup honey

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

Preheat your over to 400*. Whisk together the flax seed, water, and milk. Add in the bananas and coconut oil. Add honey, sugar, and flour, and mix until flour is incorporated (will be lumpy, especially if bananas aren't entirely mushed). Fill 12 greased or lined muffin cups 3/4 full and bake about 20 minutes (until tops are golden and a toothpick comes out clean).

Oh Hi. Here's some Get Well Soup!

2015-01-05T12:16:00.001-06:00

I've been horrible about updating the blog (I do good to post something once every 6 months haha!) BUT my mom and dad gave me a serger for Christmas, so I'm feeling pretty motivated to get some sewing projects done. I'm also feeling pretty motivated to cook (particularly some freezer to crockpot meals to practice on before the baby gets here in June). So, with those two motivations, maybe I'll start posting my projects and recipes again, right?

To get started, here's "Get Well Soup." Everyone has been sick in our house...church...town....state.... and we only felt like eating lots of soup in our house. We had some basic ingredients on hand and decided to see what came out...and it was delicious. It's quite possibly one of our favorite soups actually!

Get Well Soup

1-2 lb ground meat (we used venison, but you could use any meat you like)

1 can cream of chicken

~1/2 jar spaghetti sauce

2 chicken bouillon cubes + 1 cup of water

1 green bell pepper

1 batch "hot honey" (4 cloves garlic minced, 2 tbs honey, 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper)

2 stalks celery

2 carrots

salt and pepper to taste

Brown ground meat in stock pot with a drizzle of olive oil and a dash of salt.

Add hot honey mixture (best if prepared a day ahead) and spaghetti sauce.

Add cream of chicken (If using a homemade cream of chicken mix, dissolve in 1 1/4 cup water first).

Dissolve bouillon in 1 cup hot water and add.

Chop and add celery and carrots.

If pepper is frozen, let it set in the stew until thawed, then chop and re-add to the stock pot.

Let everything simmer on low until veggies are soft. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve topped with shredded cheese, sour cream, or crackers.

Cucumber Salad over Lemon Pepper Chicken

2014-06-30T16:46:00.000-05:00

There's an Indian restaurant in town who has a House Salad that is SO GOOD. I've always referred to it as "Cucumber Salad" but it also has corn and green bell peppers tossed in a thin ranch dressing.

I made a variation of that last night at dinner at Mom's house to go with the Lemon Pepper Chicken she made. It was DELICIOUS. We didn't have a bell pepper on hand, but we had a can of Medium Rotel. It added a little extra kick to the otherwise cool salad.

You can eat this as a side, or pour it over chicken like we did!

WENDY'S CUCUMBER SALAD

2 medium cucumbers, diced

1 can yellow corn, drained, with 1/3 cup drained water set aside

1 can Rotel, drained (or diced tomatoes for a milder taste)

1/3 cup ranch dressing

Toss the cucumbers, yellow corn, and Rotel in a large bowl. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the ranch dressing and drained water from the can of corn. Pour over the diced veggies and toss.

That's IT! So simple, and SO tasty! :) Enjoy!

52 Card Pick Me Up!

2014-06-14T16:41:00.001-05:00

Each Saturday morning at our workout class at church. I try to write an exercise plan that is adaptable for various levels as fitness, and that is fun. This week's was one of my favorites! I picked four exercises (specifically, one primarily cardio-focused, one upper body, one lower body, and one whole body) and assigned each one to a suit in the deck of cards. We set the timer for 30 minutes, but finished the deck in 28 1/2 minutes! :) In the end, we did at least 91 jumping jacks, 91 burpees, 91 push-ups, and 91 flutter kicks! (I don't remember which two cards we had to repeat due to drawing the joker card).

Honeysuckle Jelly & Soothing Throat Syrup

2014-06-13T11:40:00.001-05:00

Fireflies.

Rainstorms.

Crickets.

Katydids.

Honeysuckle.

It's summer y'all...

Time for another batch of Honeysuckle Jelly!

You know the tiny drop of liquid goodness (ok, nectar…but it's delicious) that you get from one honeysuckle blossom? Multiply that by a spoonful, and that's what it's like to have honeysuckle jelly on toast. mmmmm….. :)

I first made this Honeysuckle Jelly a few years ago when the house we moved into had honeysuckle all along the wood line in the back yard. It started because we were looking for a Honeysuckle Ice Cream recipe (still haven't made that).…it's become a family favorite.

When we moved into the house we're in now, I was incredibly excited because there were two bushes in the back yard with honeysuckle vines in addition to two more sections in the back of the yard with honeysuckle. I made a batch and gave jars to family members, then waited for the next year to come around to make more. Big mistake….apparently, honeysuckle (and pecans?) show up every other year….and all of our honeysuckle are on the same rotation it seems. This year I've learned from my mistake and am not letting this year's "harvest" go to waste! :)

I'm about to make another batch in the next day or so...so I thought I'd post the recipe I found and am using for future reference.

I use this recipe at New Life On A Homestead, but I double everything so that I can use a full pack of liquid pectin in each batch. I get 7 half pints of jelly each time (not filled completely to the rim)…and they go fast! :D

I also like to make cute labels for my jars. :) I just cut a circle of scrapbook paper,

wrote the name and date on there, and put the lid back on the jar.

Oh yes, and I reuse clean jars….like those miniature baby food jars. :D

I always have extra honeysuckle water/infusion/tea/wonderful-smelling-liquid-from-steeping. I keep this in my fridge in a jar and add it to hot tea as a sweetener (mmmmmm…..) and I make a batch of honeysuckle syrup for my sister. At the beginning of every summer, she gets a scratchy throat from the excessive amount of pollen we have around our houses. She swears by this syrup to help soothe her throat. The first time I made her a batch, she drank it like water haha! (Not recommended because then it will be all gone too fast!)

Honeysuckle Soothing Throat Syrup

1 cup Honeysuckle infusion

1/2 cup water

1 tablespoon honey (preferably local honey, if available)

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Heat the honeysuckle infusion and water on medium heat, so that it's somewhere between simmering and boiling. Add the honey and lemon juice and stir until the honey is well combined with the infusion. Let cool and pour into a bottle to keep in the refrigerator. Drink about 2 tablespoons (warm or cold, but warm is more soothing) or add to hot tea and enjoy!

Happy First Birthday! (blue + green)

2014-05-12T09:00:00.000-05:00

The first birthday party went great! The weather was perfect for an outdoor party. :)

I'm glad, because I really didn't want to have to redirect everyone to the church that's a walk through a big yard…in the rain!

For the cake, I had intended on making a candy shell for the bottom half of the cake. At the last minute, I decided to make the bottom half a huge rice krispie treat! :) (Thanks Sarah for the help with that!) I did stick with the original plan to ice the cake with blue and green rosettes.

I decorated a tshirt using leftover fabric from his crib skirt, and my mom made some shorts to match!

We hung pennant flags from azalea bushes in the front yard and around his high chair (Thanks to Julia and Sarah for helping with that) and hung green and blue gallons from the Magnolia tree and on the mailbox (Thanks Rachel for taking care of all the balloon inflating!!) For seating, we set out camping chairs (and our Eagle's Nest Swing), and for entertainment we brought out some of Cole's favorite toys as well as an assortment of volleyballs, footballs, and bouncy balls (all were quite popular!)

For snacks, we decided to go with some of Cole's favorite snacks (Nilla wafers, teddy grahams, green apples, oatmeal cookies, cheese-its, Goldfish, and cupcakes of course) and had sweet tea, water, coffee, and blue gatorade for everyone to drink.

When he was born, I didn't buy a traditional baby book (I knew I'd never remember to fill in all of the blanks!), so I bought a journal to match his nursery instead. When people came to the baby showers, they signed in there or wrote notes to Cole. After the showers, I recorded all of the gifts in the journal. I took the journal with me to the hospital and tried to remember to get visitors to sign in there. (I made sure to get our nurse that took care of us post-delivery to sign it…we loved her and she loved Cole!) Since his birth, I've added his growth information (Our doctor gives us slips of paper at each visit with his measurements at each visit) and wrote notes to him along the way talking about how he's growing up. I bet you see where I'm going with this….

I brought the journal back out for this party. I didn't print invitations (All word of mouth and Facebook haha!), but I did print one on photo paper to put in the journal and had everyone sign in when they stopped by. :)

Overall, we had a blast, and I'm pretty sure our Cole man did too! :)

Lucas Corner Farmhouse

365 Miles in 365 Days

Kids Eat Free in Birmingham Area

What's going on in Summer 2024?

Summer Activities at Home

Weekly Meal Plan (with little to no leftovers)

Ready-by-Lunch Sandwich Bread

Meal Plan for this Week

Prime Day Deals 2023

School Supplies

> Box Book Sets: https://amzn.to/46WJjfN

Skin Care

> Sun Bum Skin, Sun and Beauty Essentials

> Dr. Teal's Bath & Body Products

> Maybelline, Neutrogena, Aveeno, Honest, Dove, SheaMoisture, Degree

Shoes & Clothes

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> Up to 30% off Clothing by Amazon Brands:

Cleaning Supplies

Some things I'm keeping my eyes out for that I've seen that should go on sale. I'll add pictures and prices once I see they're marked down.

Homemade Play Dough

Chicken & Corn Dip

*Also, this recipe is Beau Approved*

Chicken & Corn Dip

Pigs in a Blanket from Scratch

Homemade Food Gifts that will become Pantry Staples!

FREE 2021 Printable Planner Pages - Calendar

Spinach Chicken Alfredo Pasta

Meal Planning Time!

Hall Bathroom Surprise

The Start of Our Farmhouse

Lately- Hemming pants with a frayed hem

Oh, Hey!

{Mostly} Healthy Banana Muffins

Oh Hi. Here's some Get Well Soup!

Cucumber Salad over Lemon Pepper Chicken

52 Card Pick Me Up!

Honeysuckle Jelly & Soothing Throat Syrup

Happy First Birthday! (blue + green)

Also, this recipe is Beau Approved