Confessions of a Mom

Spicy Chicken Burritos

This is a great way to make a cheap and tasty meal. I thawed a whole chicken, because that’s what I had in the freezer. Then, I made a dry rub marinade and placed it in the crockpot on two cups of homemade salsa. Turned it on low at 8:30 this morning. By 2pm, I [...]

Reading Therapy Dogs

I didn’t even know such a thing existed until I read about it two years ago in a local publication. I made a call and found out that our area in Hutchinson, MN has actually had this program available for quite some time. Reading therapy dogs are trained to read with young children who need [...]

Nine People and One Destination

Several months ago my parents, sister and brother-in-law, and all of us decided to head to Florida in lieu of a family Christmas celebration. The kids, having never been there before were so excited. For weeks before we left, we were hounded with questions like “When do we leave?” and “Will it be hot in [...]

Somebody Paid My Heat Bill for the Winter

I have an exciting story to tell. It starts a while ago when we went to pick up a few bags of wood pellets for our pellet stove. We switched to an alternative heating source a couple years ago to save money on our heat and allow us to burn whatever fuel is available. We [...]

Wordless Wednesday: Disney ‘Nuf Said

A Cat Themed Live Nativity Scene

“Preparing for the Savior’s birth” “Arriving to find baby Jesus in his manger” “The cat and the little Lord Jesus lay down their sweet heads” “Go, quick! Tell all the good news!”

The Easiest Turkey Recipe Ever

This year I heard of something shocking. Earth shattering really. Someone said a turkey could be baked from a fully-frozen state to near perfection. Blasphemous! Who ever heard of such a thing. It’s been done the same way for generations and that includes starting days a head of time, placing the turkey in the fridge, [...]

Wordless Wednesday: A Cake of Thunder Lizards

Dinosaur Train reigns at our house, and it’s the theme for my daughter’s 4th birthday. Here’s the cake I made with Buddy in the nest, surrounded by Mom Pteranodon’s red flowers, the train station, big pond, and Shiny hunting for fish. Sound familiar?

Confession: Please Forgive Me

Please forgive me, as it’s been over a month since my last confession and blog post. Where does the time go? This fall we’ve had the pleasure of hosting our foreign exchange daughter, Kate. It seems like yesterday she arrived and we talked about doing so many things. She leaves next week for her next [...]

Cutting Bills in Half: So Easy a Kid Can Do It

I’d like to take credit for a recent shopping trip that saved over 50%, but I can’t. My 12 year old daughter deserves all the credit. After years of watching me do coupon match-ups and accompanying me on trips to double coupon days, she is a pro. I’m so proud of her, that I thought [...]