I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend and was able to celebrate motherhood – either with your own mother or being pampered as a mom yourself.

Every year, Mothers Day has taken on a different feel for me.  I would have loved to have spent time with my own mama, but she’s been gone since 1997 – I sure miss that sweet, spunky woman.  This has been the first year for me to not have all four of our children home.  Our oldest daughter moved six hours away to Boise, ID for work.  I really miss that girl.  And then, our middle daughter was committed to attending her boyfriend/almost-fiance’s nephew’s first birthday party in southern Oregon this weekend.  So, the kiddos still here took me to brunch last week – we skipped the crowds yet it was still festive since it was also Cinco de Mayo weekend and we enjoyed yummy Mexican food.  Then, for Mothers Day, we spent time with Mike’s mom in Longview, WA after serving the church nursery.  And my Idaho girl called me and told me she missed me.  =)  What more could a mom ask for?

Hope your weekend was full of family and friends, and included some time in an apron!

Be sure to show some special love to our sponsor, Carolyn’s Kitchen.  If you didn’t receive a new apron for Mothers Day, maybe you should treat yourself??

I LOVE shopping and I LOVE swapping — and I joined a fun swap this month over at Lean Green Bean called Foodie Penpals.  Rules are simple – send $15 worth of goodie to a foodie and a different foodie sends a box to you.

What a wonderful partner I was blessed with, Natalia from Bananas and Barbells!! Thank you for such a thoughtful and DELICIOUS package. You just hit every flavor note exactly right, from the sours to milk chocolate all the way to that wonderful card. Thank you.

I shared my love for lemon and sour flavors, chocolate, and new flavors.  Look at my delicious box!

photo from Sew Many Ways blog

Just popping in to share a cute apron tutorial using fat quarters that was re-created and posted this week over at Sew Many Ways. Check it out!!

Have you read about all the harmful ingredients in store-bought soap yet the thought of making your own is too intimidating? Would you like to wash with a gentle lather safe enough for a baby’s skin? Then let me introduce you to Mae’s Handcrafted Natural Soaps.

These natural soaps made with real tallow will delight your senses! Mae lovingly makes all her soaps in small batches to ensure the highest quality. She uses the best of the best ingredients: real tallow is gentle on your skin while at the same time is used for the bar’s hardness, which means it doesn’t get mushy in the shower. Olive oil is added for further gentleness along with a touch of coconut oil for a fluffy lather.

Only high quality soap scents or essential oils are used, and even then they are added with a light hand. Mae’s bars give you an absolutely delicious scent you can enjoy in the shower, without becoming obtrusive during the day. Even her coloring agents are of a natural origin. These unique combinations make long-lasting, gentle bars that your whole family will love.

You Can Win Natural Handcrafted Soap!

Would you like to win some of Mae’s Natural Handcrafted Soap for yourself? Well, here’s your chance! Enter below and be one of SIX winners for a $25 credit that you can use to chose your favorite soaps from Mae’s delicious selections.

This review and giveaway is on behalf of a dear friend and sister in Christ who unexpectedly lost her beloved husband in February of this year. He left Mae and a young son behind, reeling from their loss.

Mae’s husband had been out of work for a year, living off of a small military pension. The family, understandably, had to cut back on expenses – one of which was their life insurance policies. His sudden death now leaves Mae and their son with very little income (less than a couple hundred dollars a month). Because of different personal situations, she is currently ineligible for benefits like Social Security. Mae homeschools their son, and thanks to The Home School Foundation, she will receive a grant to cover homeschooling supplies and curriculum. She is asking the Lord to provide for her son and herself through her small businesses, one of which is making soaps and other body products.

As you can see, the situation is dire for this sweet widow and her son, but we know that God is able to do more than we could ever think, or ask (Eph. 3:20), and we hope that you will consider joining up with us to help our dear friend by supporting her business.

We’re asking you, dear readers, to seriously consider the call of James 1:27—to care for widows and orphans and consider Mae’s Handcrafted Natural Soaps for your next soap purchase.

Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world. James 1: 27

Anyone who knows Mae is touched by her. She is an incredibly godly woman, who acts as a Titus 2 mentor to those who know her. She is loved so dearly and we want to do all we can to support her during this incredibly difficult time! Please pass this on by sharing this giveaway on Facebook and Twitter.

If you’d like to give a donation, you can send via Paypal to RaymondBenevolentFund@gmail.com. Please remember to choose “Personal” giving so the Raymond family doesn’t incur fees with your donation. If you need more details on how to do this, please contact sarahevan5@aol.com and she’d be happy to send you directions.

A big thank you to all the bloggers participating:
Ann @ DuctTapeandDenim.com
Anne @ Authentic Simplicity
Tara @ Everyday Ramblings of My Life
Jill @ Jill’s Home Remedies
Sara Elizabeth @ A Mama’s Story
Gail @ The Imperfect Housewife
Renee @ I Am The Clay
Del @ Devote & Seek
Jill @ Blessed Beyond a Doubt
Rebecca @ Rebecca’s Ramblings
Hilary @ Accidentally Green
Marci @ Amazing Graze Farm
Susan @ Learning and Yearning
Erin @ The Humbled Homemaker
Justyn @ Creative Christian Mama
Chelsea Rebecca @ For Unmarried Christian Women
Chelsea Rebecca @ Hearts for Home
Paula @ Whole Intentions
Amy @ A Heart Surrendered Blog
Bambi @ In the Nursery of the Nation
Dana @ Clan Chris Dean
Kristen @ Smithspirations
Caroline @ The Modest Mom Blog
Alicia @ Walking In Faith
Stephani @ The Cheapskate Cook
Amber @ Homemaker by Choice
Marci @ Thankful Homemaker
Katie Sullivan @ Brighton Park Blog
Anjanette @ Raising the Barrs
Pam @ Mom Does Reviews
Kristy @ Little Natural Cottage
Stacy @ Something Whimsical
Natalie @ Visionary Womanhood
Paula @ Beautiful Life of Joy
Rachel @ Of Love and Beauty
Reagan @ The Arsenal
Kelly @ Generation Cedar
Kelly @ Practical Savings
Stacy Karen @ A Delightful Home
Kristen @ Five in Tow
Diana @ A Little Bit of Spain
Elizabeth @ Yes They Are All Ours
Jacque @ Deep Roots at Home
Karrilee @ Abiding Love, Abounding Grace
Karrilee@ Blessed Memories Scrapbooks by Karrilee
Shawnee @ The Apronista
Adrienne @ Whole New Mom
Janine @ True Aim Education
Kathryn @ Singing Through the Rain
Alicia @ Fun Reviews and Giveaways
Deborah @ A Delightful Glow
Stephanie @ The King’s Bookworm
Christy @ The Simple Homemaker
June @ A Wise Woman Builds Her Home
Shadedlily @ With Them
Joy @ Artful Homemaking

I was popping around on Pinterest tonight (instead of going to bed like I should be) and I found this amazing picture:

These gorgeous, bright aprons!  And, for once, the Pin actually had a good link and I was taken to Meg Duerksen’s Whatever Craft Weekends blog page.  Oh. my. goodness.

How did I not know about these wonderful weekends??  In a nutshell (copied from her site), a lucky few from wait lists fly to Kansas for a Craft Weekend.  The price for the entire weekend is $475 and everything is included….

YUMMY food
comfy lodging
fabulous crafts 
trip to the barn to antique
SONIC drive-in happy hour  :)
transportation  (to/from airport)

all you need to bring is YOU!
and your jammies and a toothbrush.
everything else will be taken care of.

doesn’t that sound great????

to have someone else taking care of YOU (me!) for the weekend?!!

I so want in!   Or, if I can’t get in (plus don’t really have $500 laying around), I want to figure out how to host one myself!  Oregon is so beautiful and chock-full of crafty gals, too.  And I can whip up a mean apron, ya know?!  =)

How often do you get away for a weekend retreat, to recharge your creativity?

Be sure to show some special love to our sponsor, Carolyn’s Kitchen

I have switched up one of my favorite recipes and it is now part of the Recipe Book over at the  LG Do March Right™ Tip-Off Facebook page, which celebrates the best parts of March Madness®—awesome food, playoff excitement and plenty o’ friends, so head over and check out all the delicious game day recipes that have been submitted!   Be sure to vote on your fav in the Bracket Challenge!  #LGDoMarchRight

Chorizo Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients:
1 family-size can Campbell’s® Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup or Campbell’s® Condensed 98% Fat Free Cream of Chicken Soup
1 (16 ounce) container sour cream
1 small can diced green chiles
1 can diced olives (optional)
2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 lb ground beef chorizo
4 cups chopped cooked chicken (I usually boil 3 breasts and rough chop OR use a rotisserie chicken)
10 Flour Tortillas, slightly warmed

Directions:
In medium skillet, brown the chorizo over medium heat until cooked through. In a large mixing bowl, combine soup, sour cream, chiles, olives, and 3/4 of the cheddar. Stir in the chorizo and chopped chicken.

Place the tortillas on a plate and warm in microwave about 10 seconds. Spread about 1/4 cup chicken mixture down center of each tortilla. Roll up and place seam-side down in large shallow baking dish (I use a 9×15). Spread any remaining filling on top and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Cover with foil.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 40 minutes or until hot. I remove the foil at the end and broil until the top is brown and crispy.

The LG Do March Right Tip-Off Challenge

This game-time recipe has been submitted for The LG Do March Right Tip-Off Challenge.

Put on your shades, because all this cute might be too much for your eyes!  Behold, the Ice Cream Shoppe Collection at Cupcake Provocateur:

Keep it Clean – Darling Aprons with Matching Glove for 73% Off!

30-Day  Unconditional Guarantee…

yep it’s cool like that!

support@pickyourplum.com
Phone: 1-800-985-9136

7am-3pm M.S.T.

Pick Your Plum 3275 N 750 E #4 Layton, UT 84041 USA www.pickyourplum.com

3275 N 750 E #4 Layton UT 84041, USA

Wow, what a great deal at Amazon on the yummy cookbook by the sweet Bakerella! Download for your Kindle or Kindle-app for your computer.

Snap it up quick, since prices are always subject to change.

Do YOU make aprons? I am looking for a quote for a girlfriend who wants some special aprons for a fun Girl Scout patrol cooking event. Her six middle-school girls are in a small competition and their team’s theme is Dr Seuss, specifically the Star-Bellied Sneetches story.

She would like aprons for the girls that have removable stars!  We need two canvas (so a heavierweight) aprons for the outdoor cooking portion and four cotton aprons.

Here are some Sneetch interpretations I found on the web:

by The Jenya

image via thetropicaltank.co.uk

image via www.coolest-homemade-costumes.com

source unknown

from rebeccadayton.blogspot.com

Send me YOUR ideas and pricing quotes for delivery to Oregon (it’s a girl scout troop, so funds are tight).  Aprons are needed by late-April if not sooner.  I  can’t wait to see what you come up with!