tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9156478945523757082024-11-05T22:04:19.098-05:00We are a family of four trying to guide our lives towards better health and a more self sufficient life.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02040617588159171319noreply@blogger.comBlogger145125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-915647894552375708.post-86593535627802159602013-07-15T14:29:00.000-04:002013-07-15T14:29:09.540-04:00

Jeff and I went shopping this weekend at some of our local resale stores.  We have an area that we keep all our lunch boxes and lunch food containers in and it gets really messy and unorganized.  I really wanted to get this area under control before school starts back up.  This cabinet is huge and once we buy some baskets for the inside should work out beautifully.  When

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02040617588159171319noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-915647894552375708.post-68528276531931981132013-05-13T10:05:00.000-04:002013-05-13T10:05:44.386-04:00

This is what I made for breakfast yesterday morning.  I saw it on the Cooking Channel with Rachel Khoo's 'Little Paris Kitchen'.   They were her take on some sort of French classic dish.  I didn't follow her recipe exactly because it just seemed like it would be so very simple to do.  This one really is. I think her recipe had a cheese sauce mine has apple

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02040617588159171319noreply@blogger.com0Grand Blanc, MI 48439, USA42.9275277 -83.62995180000001542.8810187 -83.710632800000013 42.9740367 -83.549270800000016tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-915647894552375708.post-32595486000245875372013-05-12T13:42:00.000-04:002013-05-12T13:42:14.643-04:00

To all the mamas out there Happy Mother's Day!  I hope your day is amazing.  I think an amazing Mother's Day would involve a church service that didn't make me go through a box of tissues but it's probably never going to happen (ever).  For my gift this day I received seven cubic yards of dirt.  It came in a dump truck (that was far quieter than I had expected) and put

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02040617588159171319noreply@blogger.com0Grand Blanc, MI 48439, USA42.9275277 -83.62995180000001542.8810187 -83.710632800000013 42.9740367 -83.549270800000016tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-915647894552375708.post-79499841981552936902013-05-06T10:15:00.001-04:002013-05-06T10:15:38.616-04:00

We are finally able to get some work done in the yard!!!  Whoo hoo!!!  Three of the boxes are laid in the back and we have on in the front yard too.  We are hoping to put in another box to the right and then three more in front of these.  By the house there is a huge area of white stone laid down that Jeff is pulling up and sifting the dirt out of the rocks and those will

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02040617588159171319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-915647894552375708.post-58764772126461471002013-04-29T09:43:00.002-04:002013-04-29T09:54:57.190-04:00

In our city we can't keep bee hives.  I think that it is fear of swarming that keeps that in the laws.  We live in a subdivision with a smallish yard so it probably wouldn't work anyway.  What we can own is Mason Bees.  They are a native bee to North America and they don't live in colonies they live by themselves.  In town we have an amazing store called J.J.

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02040617588159171319noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-915647894552375708.post-40014817602094744462013-04-10T11:25:00.001-04:002013-04-10T11:25:42.034-04:00

  We had an awesome Spring Break last week.  The kids I baby sit for spent it with their dad so I just had Molly and Jack.   I don't think we've ever had such a fight free week.  Mostly we did nothing but playing around, the TV was only on probably a handful of hours the whole week.    The one event we had been planning for weeks was checking out the

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02040617588159171319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-915647894552375708.post-38457172613660928812013-03-25T19:52:00.000-04:002013-03-25T19:52:45.451-04:00

I think it is funny when I talk about my system for grocery shopping and mostly cooking from scratch; people are amazed by it.  For me there is no other way to do it and it just seems like common sense.  Well I was pretty lucky (although it didn't seem like it at the time) I had no choice but to go grocery shopping with my parents and along the way I learned a few things.  I

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02040617588159171319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-915647894552375708.post-62908373495454997482013-03-14T08:00:00.000-04:002013-03-14T14:04:27.429-04:00

This week I was in charge of the teacher's luncheon something our school parent group does during every conference week.  We figure that since they are at the school all day and well into the evening we can at least make sure they have things to eat.  Some people brought in pasta salads, veggie/fruit trays, macaroni and cheese, cookies and other assorted nibbles. 

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02040617588159171319noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-915647894552375708.post-7989799486601838462013-03-13T10:11:00.001-04:002013-03-13T10:11:13.324-04:00

I'm going crazy at home!  A week and a half ago I had an accident at karate (completely my own fault) and I sprained my knee.  I spent a week in this big immobilizer brace and on crutches.  It is the first time in my life I've been on crutches.  Now I'm in a much smaller compression brace so I have some movement.  It is so hard to give over all the jobs around the

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02040617588159171319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-915647894552375708.post-45335174486359395962013-03-11T11:35:00.000-04:002013-03-11T11:43:05.508-04:00

One of the first dinners I made after the whole I'm not cooking for anyone thing was a fantastic stuffed chicken breast.  I have never tried to do stuffed anything before and it was a lot of fun to do.   I started by butterflying my chicken breasts I wish that I had a meat mallet to thin out the breasts.  Unfortunately it got lost in a move and I never remember

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02040617588159171319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-915647894552375708.post-69800249503691655992013-03-05T17:18:00.001-05:002013-03-05T17:18:41.789-05:00

     Ah so welcome to the year of the snake my friends.  As you can tell we are running about a month behind here.  To all of you who cook for your families every night have you ever just gotten to the point you want to scream?  I LOVE cooking for my family I enjoy figuring out the weekly menus for us and watching everyone smile when they see what's put down

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02040617588159171319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-915647894552375708.post-48649040120892612282013-02-06T14:26:00.000-05:002013-02-06T14:26:40.091-05:00

Ah yes National Pancake Day one of the great holidays of the year in our house...  A much anticipated day in the midst of crappy gray weather and slush.  This year we moved a bit out of the box and tossed away the sweet pancakes and decided to go a more savory route with Bacon and Green Onion Corn Cakes.  To be honest this was not well received by the little people in my house

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02040617588159171319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-915647894552375708.post-22883045548503946142013-01-30T08:00:00.000-05:002013-01-30T08:00:06.459-05:00

Of course right after I write my post about my stubborn computer the card reader starts working, gah!  So frustrating.  We had tostadas the other night for dinner very American style of course.  I even deep fried the corn tortillas myself and smoked up the whole darn house.   Jeff ground the meat for me and it was the best part of the whole dinner.  We used

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02040617588159171319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-915647894552375708.post-67086624039481519292013-01-29T09:52:00.001-05:002013-01-29T09:52:56.946-05:00

My computer and I are not getting along.  I have a wonderful recipe for this awesome Mexican style meat for you.  Jeff took the photos and now I can't get the computer to read my SD card.  My computer has been fighting with me more and more often.  There is a plan to get a new one soon.  Until I can get the card reader to do it's thing here are some adorable photos

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02040617588159171319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-915647894552375708.post-15315033831625928992013-01-24T08:00:00.000-05:002013-01-24T08:00:11.286-05:00

 I'm an old fashioned girl at heart really.  I have always loved the idea of hostess gifts but very rarely do I get the opportunity to give one.  When we were invited to our ministers house a few Saturday's ago I was as excited to go and talk as I was to be able to bring a gift.   The tag was the most fun to make and I have to say it turned out better than I thought

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02040617588159171319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-915647894552375708.post-91139466139318453932013-01-21T10:10:00.002-05:002013-01-21T10:46:41.014-05:00

 Do you love homemade buttermilk pancakes but hate when you don't have buttermilk on hand?  Then you get stuck doing the whole milk with lemon juice mixed in to make a soured milk substitute right?  We decided to try making our own cultured buttermilk and oh my gods is it easy!  I don't think we will be running out again any time soon.   Start with 6 to 8

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02040617588159171319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-915647894552375708.post-8993853751422315012013-01-14T08:00:00.000-05:002013-01-14T08:00:11.301-05:00

Aren't these so pretty?!  We are lucky to have a year round farmer's market not too far away.  The kids and I picked up some carrots for snacks, soups and all sorts of other yummy carrotness recently.  As we did not get the amount of canning done that we had planned on this year I decided to get some extra pickles made for us.  These are spicy pickled carrots and I'm

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02040617588159171319noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-915647894552375708.post-50527612697125928732013-01-11T16:12:00.000-05:002013-01-14T10:55:01.658-05:00

Today is one of those gross ugly days that just make me want to hide.  It's the exact end this week deserves really.  Too much homework, too much time inside, too many meltdowns all the way around this week.        Really I want to wallow in it but I know that I've already promised to go to the gym later tonight and that will make me feel loads

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02040617588159171319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-915647894552375708.post-13339558339779927772013-01-07T07:00:00.000-05:002013-01-07T07:00:09.742-05:00

  It is so nice to have snow this year!  Last year we had a smattering here and there but nothing that ever stuck very long.  So far we have a good amount and it's staying cold (which I'm hoping means good sap running in the Spring).  Without much to do around the outside of the house I'm finding things to keep me busy inside like reading.  I can't wait to read Dinner

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02040617588159171319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-915647894552375708.post-47938813664327164272013-01-04T09:13:00.002-05:002013-01-04T11:06:12.053-05:00

I found the ingredients for this delicious honey on this blog.  We decided we needed to try it since the entire family and the kids I babysit for spent the entire holiday break sick.  It is so unusual for any of us to be sick it was honestly a little frustrating.  So to the herbal medicine cabinet we go.  Gorgeous local honey, a nice lemon and a chunk of ginger root

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02040617588159171319noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-915647894552375708.post-50116269137557891032013-01-01T00:01:00.000-05:002013-01-01T00:01:01.402-05:00

So we have been gone for far too long.  One blogger I follow had done the same and then reintroduced herself and I thought it was just clever so here we go. Hi I'm Erin an early 30's stay at home mom of two and a wife.  My family started this blog to share our experiences as we try to become more self sufficient and a more 'homemade' family.  Everyone gets in on the act.  I

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02040617588159171319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-915647894552375708.post-3006142501926707702012-07-31T08:39:00.000-04:002012-07-31T08:39:38.880-04:00

So have you ever had a season go totally wrong?  We have this year.  It all started with the garden the garden that I am too embarrassed to even show you photos of.  We tried to do a huge in ground garden instead of last years boxes.  Within no time it was just a hot mess nothing was neat and orderly at all.  It became ugly to me and I didn't even want to look at it let

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02040617588159171319noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-915647894552375708.post-12754163334866353282012-06-23T08:00:00.000-04:002012-06-23T08:00:03.414-04:00

 It has been hot here like really really hot.  I don't mind it hot is way better than cold being cold stinks.  The children and husband do not agree at all.  They have been rather miserable about the heat.  To help cool off I made this frozen yogurt sorbet stuff.  It was pretty tasty once we added enough honey to it.  We've been making our own yogurt for a

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02040617588159171319noreply@blogger.com1Grand Blanc, MI 48439, USA42.9275277 -83.629951842.9042747 -83.669433800000007 42.950780699999996 -83.5904698tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-915647894552375708.post-29123092390089917362012-06-20T08:26:00.000-04:002012-06-20T08:26:23.723-04:00

Okay I guess that I have become a Pinterest junky!  Never thought that would happen but wow so many people sharing things they have found and things I might have never seen otherwise.  Anyway I found this post about a box a woman made for her car.  It isn't an 'emergency' box like with jumper cables but for the everyday emergencies like runny noses.  We have been using ours

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02040617588159171319noreply@blogger.com0Grand Blanc, MI 48439, USA42.9275277 -83.629951842.9042747 -83.669433800000007 42.950780699999996 -83.5904698tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-915647894552375708.post-2941584924544231012012-06-19T08:00:00.000-04:002012-06-19T08:00:07.447-04:00

Alright so I saw this nifty idea on Pinterest and decided that it was wonderful.  As many things I didn't read the directions and jumped in whole hog and it didn't go as I had planned.   It is a very simple idea take delightful homemade cookie dough spoon into ice cube trays, freeze, then place into a freezer bag so that one always has cookie dough ready for when you need just

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02040617588159171319noreply@blogger.com0Grand Blanc, MI 48439, USA42.9275277 -83.629951842.904274199999996 -83.669433800000007 42.9507812 -83.5904698