Ten Breakfasts for Kids (& Adults) Instead of Cereal

It’s so easy to just give your kids cereal for breakfast but the convenience can be costly and is not the best thing for their health.  Now, let me start by saying this is NOT a post with the most healthy options.  I’m simply listing alternatives to cereal here; however, all of these can be healthy options depending upon your product choices.  My inspiration for this is my family’s skewed belief that if we are out of milk or bread we “don’t have any food in the house”.  (eye roll)  It drives me insane.  There is more to breakfast than milk and cereal!  I always have food in my pantry and fridge and I assure you know one is going hungry at my house.  Some of these options will be easy while others will be more time consuming.  Choose what works for your day.

1. Yogurt — Yogurt is versatile!  I always keep yogurt on hand.  I avoid brands that use high fructose corn syrup and lots of additives.  My favorites for the kids are Dannon or Yoplait and I buy those in the quart sizes.  Dannon Vanilla is a staple in our home.  For those focused on health I recommend Oikos Triple Zero in various flavors or a plain unflavored Greek Yogurt (Greek has higher protein).  Simply put, a bowl of yogurt can be a lifesaver.  Add fruit, oats, chia, or even a SPRINKLE of cereal and it’s a great option.  
2. Smoothies — Hmmm... back to yogurt, again.  Kids love smoothies.... even the ones that say they “don’t like yogurt”.  Ummmm... of course, you don’t like yogurt, except when you have no idea that’s the main ingredient in that smoothie you just sucked down.  Ha!  We use any flavor yogurt, frozen strawberries and blueberries, and a tablespoon or two of water when needed to thin it out.  This is when a mini-blender is invaluable.  I can whip this up in just a few minutes.  Of course, you might want to add other fruits or even veggies but I focus on strawberries and blueberries because those are low glycemic index fruits (low sugar) and I keep those on hand at all times.  
3. Scrambled Eggs — Well, this one is pretty straightforward but honestly if you have a kid that will eat scrambled eggs this is one of those "it's so simple it's insane" options.  Protein!  Kids really need protein and there is very little in a cereal option. Add a slice of toast or some berries alongside and you have a great start to their day.  
4. Omelets or “Scrambles” — Omelets sounds so fancy but most of the time I am in a hurry and I add the same ingredients but I stir it around the whole time so I tend to refer to mine as "Scrambles".  It's all the same and they are loaded with protein so not matter what veggies or meat you want to throw in there you are going to have a healthy option for the start of the day.  I like to oil my skillet with olive oil and use a slice of lunch meat and some veggies that I saute a few moments before adding my scrambled up eggs to the skillet.  Surprisingly, broccoli is amazing in eggs but I also love any squash.   
5. Oatmeal — I don't recommend those little individually packaged oatmeal packs that are full of sugars but if that is what you want to do it certainly will pass as an alternative to cold cereal.  I buy whole rolled oats or Quick Oats (we use those to speed things up a bit sometimes).  I also cook (this can include the microwave) my oats IN MILK which totally changes oatmeal for people that often say they don't like oatmeal.  Actually, I use half water and half milk most of the time because I like to cut out milk usage as much as possible because I believe it is one of the worst things for your health.  At our house we simply add some sugar to sweeten it up a bit and we are good to go.  If you need a healthier option here I have found that I can have oatmeal for me in Oikos Triple Zero Vanilla yogurt and I am pretty happy with that.  Adding fruit, cinnamon, etc to your oats might be something that makes you happy.  Find what works for you.  
6. Pancakes — Make your favorite pancakes fresh or make ahead and freeze for a quick option.  Serve with bananas and syrup for an extra yummy treat!  For a healthier option I use cream cheese and an egg that I whirl in my mini-blender and cook on an oiled skillet to make low carb pancakes.  I have mine with sugar free syrup.
7. Protein Shakes — Well, this is incredibly simple!  You can use a mixer cup or a mini-blender (Can you tell that mini-blender is my favorite gadget?!) Simply add your protein powder and your choice of nut milks or water and you are good to go!  For added fat (and creaminess) I like to add two tablespoons (or more) of heavy whipping cream.  Yes, I add fat because fat burns fat and this adds more protein, also.  I recommend Jay Robb protein powder, Trim Healthy Mama protein powder, or Plexus P96 as I have found the ingredients in those three to be superior.  I personally prefer the Plexus P96 (chocolate or vanilla) because the flavors is stronger and better in my opinion.  *Note: You can also add fruits and veggies to your liking to protein shakes for a more complete meal.  
8. Waffles — Grab the frozen ones if that works for you.  I use my Belgium Waffle Maker to make huge thick ones using Emeril's recipe.  I can control my ingredients for healthier waffles.  Again, topping them with bananas or other yummy stuff makes them even better.  
9. Ham & Cheese Melts —  This sounds like a sandwich and you could do that if you want to but what I am talking about it simply placing sliced lunch meat ham or turkey on a plate, sprinkled with grated cheeses, and nuke in the microwave for 1 minute 30 seconds.  This is super fast and super flavorful.  Served along 3-5 whole strawberries it is extra yummy!  
10. Apples & Peanut Butter —  Core and slice an apple and dip some peanut butter on a plate and you are done!  Eat up!  For a healthier option I use Peanut Powder (peanut flour; defatted peanut butter; PB2, etc) to make my peanut butter for me.  My kids think it's weird but it tastes like their peanut butter but less sweet.  

So, there ya go!  Go eat something besides cereal!!  

Trim Healthy Mama & Me: Refocus

There is a reason why I am on a health plan.  I have bad habits and make poor choices.  I have done so well on the Trim Healthy Mama plan, so you would think I would know it works and just do it.  Nope.... although I have stuck with it I have gotten very laxed after losing my first major goal of 30 pounds lost.  I actually lost another 5+ but I got too comfortable and we did some traveling.  During that travel time I made some really poor choices.  I let myself keep having cheats here and there and they finally caught up with me,  Try as I may I just could not get my focus back but last week I made a recommitment to making better choices and stopping the excuses.  I also am not going to be weighing for awhile.  I have discovered that I use that scale the wrong way.  If I don't lose weight, I tell myself it is impossible even though I know better.  And, if I do lose weight, I tell myself that I that the cheats won't hurt.  Of course, I know that is wrong, too. 

I have been back on track for one week now.  I can't tell my scale progress since I am not weighing but I am focusing on my commitment level right now.  I will call my week a success even though it was not perfect.  I had a couple of "moments" but I quickly reminded myself to focus on my goals. 

One thing that really helps is to have some quick meal options available.  One of my favorite things is a little
Fast Food Sue meal.  This is simply slices of Hormel Naturals ham with cheese sprinkled on it and heated in the microwave for one minute and thirty seconds (1:30).  Pair this with some strawberries and this is a great breakfast or small lunch.  Adding avocado onto the ham makes it even better.  I eat these as a finger food like little tacos. 

THM, Me, and Greek Yogurt

So, going back in time a year ago I had this little list of new foods and products to try.  One of the items on that list was Greek yogurt.  I made my purchase and came home fully prepared to convince my taste buds to like it.  I tried... Really, I did... and then, I gave that container to a friend that likes Greek yogurt.  I tried it with sweetener and fruit.  I tried it as a substitute for sour cream.  I was just not feeling it.  It had to go.  I gave up.

I bought Oikos Triple Zero yogurts and those were hard for me to like.  If I squirted a bit of whipping cream in them I could tolerate them but I was far from being in love.  It was more of a back up plan item for me.  I kept a few on hand for moments when I needed something on the go.  

Time passed and I started to realize my taste buds were changing quite a bit.  I slowly stopped adding the whipped cream to my Triple Zero.  I still was not a super big fan of the Triple Zero but it was tolerable.  Before long I decided I was ready to make my own version of Triple Zero that way I could get rid of the chalky taste and possibly tinker with the stevia because I have a minor allergy after eating them.  By this time I had discovered that I like Truvia better than the other sweetener choices available.  I began to make parfaits out of Plain Greek Yogurt, Smuckers Simply Fruit jam or Polaner's All Fruit jam, and fresh strawberries and blueberries, and a Truvia packet.  I began to really like this and not only did it become one of my breakfast options it also became my dessert of choice especially when I added 1/3 of a diced up banana.  Often I top it with unsweetened toasted oats that I make.  As the blueberry and strawberry seasons ended I started dicing up 5 to 7 grapes in place of those and no longer adding the jams.  My summer and fall yogurts are different than my spring season yogurts.  The thing is... I like the Greek yogurt now.  Honestly, I don't always need the sweetener anymore. 

The point here is that it is a journey.  My taste buds had to adjust and my body had to detox.  If you try something that you don't like, give it a little while and try it , again. 

Recipes for My Generations, 1, Ranch Style Beans & Rice, Variations

So, I was looking through my drafts folder and I found this unfinished, unpublished post from SIX YEARS AGO.  I am going to leave it alone mostly and make current day comments in purple. 

My nine year old daughter (Savannah... she is now FIFTEEN) told me the other day that I was going to have to write down my recipes, so she would know how to cook when she is grown! I am so thrilled that even at such a young age she asked me to do that! Thrilled really! And I know I have plenty of time, but I know how fast time is going to fly by (the years a truly flying by) and if I do not commit to this now she will leave home one day as I did barely knowing how to boil water.... well, I was able to do some baking, but I don't think it is wise to try to live off cakes and pies. ;)

I am going to begin using this blog to journal those recipes and hopefully my children and their children will use them and maybe they can find their way to the table in some of your homes, also. I grew up on homestyle southern cooking. You might see some of that here, but mostly I try to make it healthier in some ways. My own mother would faint at the thought! LOL!! Where she would cook green beans with slices of bacon in them, I will cook green beans with a drizzle of olive oil instead.... but I do confess that I love hers.  (Oh my word!  I am so happy to report that I have learned a lot since this and now know her bacon in the green beans is just as healthy as mine with olive oil.  Hallelujah!)  I cook beyond what I grew up on. I love Italian food and have a decent knowledge of cooking Mexican food from past job experience in a Mexican restaurant. I like simple quick cooking and I love to cook, but I do not want to spend my day in the kitchen when I have my hands full of children. What I don't cook are those little pretty meals... mine may be pretty sometimes, but I am talking about those gourmet meals that look like they are only for looking at. REAL food that real people eat is what I cook and I would love to say it is all healthy and all natural and perfect with no preservatives, etc.... one day it may be, but for now I am "just cooking" and little by little I try to find better ways or healthier ways and I implement them. (My cooking has really changed quite a bit.  I follow a very strict diet now.  I try to use only whole foods and focus on healthy.)  So, without further ado I am going to post the first recipe of this ongoing series.

I have picky children with "texture" and "visual" issues.... I have "texture" issues, too. They do grow out of this some, but not soon enough. This is one that my kids all like, BUT my five year old (Sierra) has to be blind-folded to eat.  (Not anymore... this is her favorite food!  Amazing how they change!  She is also ELEVEN now!!!) I am sharing this one/two recipe because it is SIMPLE and versatile. You can make it into one meal of a totally different with a simple change. WE do not eat this enough because of the "issues" some in the home have, but once you get them to taste it they love it. (We eat this ALL.THE.TIME now.)  I will include the first way and then below that the variation and some other ideas to make this meal morph into many others.

Ranch-Style Beans and Rice

1 lb. hamburger meat

1 can (FOUR cans now... gotta stretch the budget and beans have plenty of protein) of Ranch Style Beans (I actually by the Great Value Southern Ranch Beans now because they do not have all the high fructose corn syrup)
2 cups of rice (white of brown... we only eat brown rice now)

Put hamburger meat in a skillet and season with salt and pepper. Cook hamburger meat and drain off excess fat. For added health you can rinse the meat to make it leaner.  Add Ranch Style Beans and 1/2 cup of water (1 cup of water or more if you are using 4 cans of beans). Cover and cook on a fast simmer until you see the bean in the mixture change to a darker color (5-10 minutes). (Seriously, I look at the color to know, but if you cook it for a while it is not necessary that you be aware of the color change.) Simply serve this over rice. 


Variations:   (taco seasoning.. I actually make my own now)
1- Add a packet of taco seasoning and you have the meat mixture for Taco Salad.
2- Add a packet of taco seasoning and you can pour this and refried beans over tortilla chips for Nachos.  Add lots of cheeses and stuff you like to change it up.  Cook in the oven on 350 degrees for several minutes.  Top with veggies and anything else you like.
3- Add a packet of taco seasoning and stuff it in tortillas and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for Burritos.  Add various types of cheeses inside and outside the burritos.  Drizzled some of the juiciness of the bean mixture over the burritos before baking sort of like a gravy. 
4- Add a packet of taco seasoning, a large can of diced tomatoes, half a bag or more of frozen corn (frozen just has a better flavor quality), more water and this becomes Taco Soup.  Serve with sour cream, cheeses, or whatever you like. 
5- Take the Taco Soup one above and pour it over tortilla chips and it is kind of like Frito Pie on Tortilla Chips.  This is one of Sahara's favorite things. 

Miscarriages, MTHFR, Food Changes, and Health

Sierra when first trying beans & rice many years ago.
She would only eat them blindfolded.
I forced her to try it and she said she could not
stand the way the beans looked.
Now, at eleven years old this is her favorite food.
~This is kind of how I felt at first about the food changes I needed to make.~

Through my journey of four miscarriages I was told I should have genetic testing after the third miscarriage.  I did and it turns out I have MTHFR... It's a gene.  I have TWO copies of the gene which means that I got the gene from EACH of my parents.  It is really complicated to explain but the short story is if you have MTHFR your body does not rid itself of toxins like it should.  Instead it stores up the toxins.  This becomes a problem with SYNTHETIC vitamins.  Synthetic vitamins are made in a lab are not the same as NATURAL vitamins.  The MTHFR person can not process these properly.  These synthetic vitamins are almost all food products.  If it says it is "enriched", that means it has these synthetic vitamins in it. 

Enriched... Now, there is an interesting word:

    Enriched        ENRICH'ED, pp. Made rich or wealthy; fertilized; supplied with that which is desirable, useful or ornamental.


That all sounds good... unless you are talking about the enriched flour, enriched pasta, enriched cereals, enriched crackers, enriched cookies, enriched puddings, enriched cake mix, enriched everything...   The problem is that most everything you buy has something enriched in it.  For the MTHFR person that means TOXINS.  This means the only safe thing to do is eliminate everything enriched. 

I started health journey with eliminating the "enriched" foods.  I seriously cried over wanting pretzels in the chip aisle.  I was giving up so much.  I really just wanted some pretzels to eat with a healthy dip.  It was hard to adjust to.  After the fourth miscarriage I felt like all I was doing to fix my body was in vain because I still lost another  baby.  I quickly started letting my health diminish.  That went on for a few months and then, I finally realized I had to make a change if I wanted to be around for my children.  I had gained 30 pounds from January 2014 through January 2015 (exactly one year).  This was not a pattern I could continue and expect to have good health.  I decided to order the Trim Healthy Mama book that I had heard so much about.  So, in mid-January 2015 I started Trim Healthy Mama.  I also continued my MTHFR dietary restrictions.  This was truly the beginning of my new health journey.  I will stop here for now... but I will not end there... I will update what I have done over the last year.

Getting Twisted: Pretzel Time

I have not made pretzels in a long time... a VERY long time.  In fact, I am certain it has been so long that my kids have no memory of it.  So, when a dear friend made pretzels recently I started feeling a little guilty that my kids have not gotten to enjoy the experience when they love soft pretzels so much.  

Savannah, 13

I wanted to use my own freshly ground wheat so this would be something I could eat for my MTHFR dietary restrictions.  Knowing that the Heavenly Homemaker blog would be a good place to start for a tried and true recipe I went straight to her blog under recipes.  She quickly won me over by introducing the recipe noting that she used to actually sell these pretzels.  I mixed up the recipe and left the dough to rise. I came back later and punched down the dough and got busy with my older two girls rolling out some yumminess.  Sahara joined us (not pictured unfortunately) and was a pro at rolling out the dough and she loved it. 

Sierra, 10

Not long after, we were enjoying salted butter pretzels and buttered cinnamon sugar pretzels... And they tasted just like the ones at the pretzel shops.  

O Give Me Some Figgy Pudding... Figs

Okay, so it is NOT Christmas season and I don't really know what Figgy Pudding is, but...

Hello figs!

I grew up eating these little gems when my grandmother made them as preserves.  They were dark and syrupy and to be honest I always thought figs were brown on the vine.  Of course, they do turn a tan color but I did not realize the that brown color comes from cooking them.  I also did not realize that you can just eat them straight off the bush.  They are incredibly sweet and tender.  No one at my house truly has come to appreciate them, but I hope to see that change as this season's figs begin to ripen.

Do you like figs?  If so, how do you like to eat them?     

Surprises on the Vine!

We had a week of good rain, so I have not been out to this little area of raised beds lately.  Somehow I missed that there were tomatoes growing!  This was a nice surprise..... 

Roma tomatoes

I do need to get out there today and do a little watering, though.  That rain has now ceased.  I can hardly wait until harvest time!  Thank you Lord for the surprises you give us each and every day. 

Yummy Healthy Pizza & MTHFR

Lately, I find myself scrambling to figure out meals that are healthy but also quick.  The set of "healthy" rules I am trying to follow is pretty extreme since finding out I have the MTHFR.  I am not going to ramble on about all the "rules", but just trust me when I say it is extensive.  Lucky for me I was already grinding my own wheat for a lot of things.  I am not supposed to have anything that is enriched because of the synthetic vitamins that are used to "enrich" the health content of the food that is being over-processed.  For my body it is like taking a poison and it stores up that poison.  Nobody needs a little poison floating around in their body now do they? {insert sarcastic laughter}  Being that this is a genetic thing I feel that my children need to be learning how to eat healthy because they are likely to have it, also.  

This pizza fits all the "rules".  Yippee!  And, of course, some yummy veggies would be even better but my kids like things really plain.  

I usually make a crisp thin crust but I wanted a softer slightly thicker crust... maybe 1/3 inch thick.  

Healthy Soft Wheat Pizza

4 unpacked cups Wheat Flour (not enriched) *I used Spelt.

1 cup water

2 Tbsp Yeast

1 Tbsp Honey

2 tsp salt

1 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp onion powder

Jar Pasta Sauce (I use Great Value brand because they do not add HFCS - high fructose corn syrup.) or make your own sauce

Mozzarella Cheese & Fiesta blend cheese ... Or whatever you like.

Start with oiling your pan with a little Olive Oil of choice.  This will make it easier if you have this done first.

Fill one cup of water and warm it slightly.  If it is too warm it will kill the yeast.  After it is warm add the yeast and honey.  Stir.  Set aside.  Grind your wheat (or use previously ground wheat) and place the remaining ingredients in your mixer (wheat flour, salt, garlic powder, onion powder) with the dough hook attachment.... or you can hand mix and knead.  Add your water/yeast/honey mixture to this and mix.  This should be a sticky dough.  The more moisture you have the more soft your dough will be.   Rather than turning this dough out on flour surface I oiled my hands and place it directly on the pan and starting spreading it out with my hands.  You might want to use a rolling pin.  If so, oil it liberally.  I have found that I like kneading things our with my fingers when possible.  Place this crust in the oven at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes.  You do not want it to start browning.  This is just to let the inside cook some so you do not end up with a doughy crust.  Take it out and spread on your sauce and any toppings that you want including cheese.  Put it back in the oven and bake on 400 degrees until done.  Serve!!

I Want a Johnny Appleseed Mentality

I have been thinking about the orchard plantings we have done over the last year.  We have added quite a few things to our property:

• 3 varieties of blueberry bushes - 6 bushes
• 1 mayhaw bush
• 3 varieties of grapes
• 1 peach tree
• 1 nectarine tree
• 2 varieties of pear trees
• 1 satsuma tree
• 1 navel orange tree

It could be real easy to get caught up in the fact that not everything starts to produce as soon as we want it to.... or that what is produced gets taken by the birds, squirrels, or other wildlife before we get much of it... or that some plants simply do not make it. 

But I want to have a Johnny Appleseed Mentality about it all.  Who knows what my future holds.  I may not even be living here when all my plantings start to really go to fruit.  But even so I am planting and the reality is that it may never benefit my personal body.  It may be others that reap this harvest.  The thing is if we all had a Johnny Appleseed Mentality and we were all planting then our world would be filled with fresh fruits and veggies growing all around us.  I imagine a world where you go to look at a property that is for sale and it is has orchard plantings instead of decorative shrubbery.  Now, that would be amazing. 

Going Raw Again! & MTHFR

Well, we are going back to raw milk.  We tried it in the past and our drive was so far for pick up.  We only had a couple of us doing the trips so we had to each go every other week.  I found it to be overwhelming.  After discovering I have the MTHFR gene this is one of the many recommended dietary changes.  Now, their are five families so the trips per person are less frequent.  

So, this is the stuff!  The lids are ugly, but this is truly a thing of beauty!!!  It is $6 a gallon which is almost twice what I pay for store milk per gallon, but I can skim the cream off for making butter.  In reality that makes the cost about the same I was spending at the grocery store... And, this is much healthier!!! 

Savannah, 13, is skimming the cream off.  

All that cream came from 4 gallons!!

This is the cream churning away that my daddy found in someone's shed that was  going to be thrown in the garbage.  I am thankful grabbed it for me.  You just plug it in and watch it whirl. We the blade stops turning it is tome to unplug it and your butter is done.  

This is me cheating a bit to strain the butter.  And yes, that butter was YELLOW.  No additives!  I was told this is what you get when your butter is from cows that are eating a natural grass fed diet.  It looked almost like scrambled eggs!

Once the butter was strained and put in a pan the final step is to take that milk that is under the strainer and strain it through a cloth and reserve the buttermilk for other uses.  

I wish I had taken pics of the finished butter.  I guess I will do that next time.  I spread it in a small baking pan to rthe thickness of sticks of store butter and place it in the freezer to firm up. Once fairly frozen I took it out of the freezer and sliced it into sticks which I placed it a gallon zipper bag.  I store this in the freezer.  I learned the hard way that this butter will go bad sooner since it does not have preservatives in it. 

Time to Make the Calories... I Mean Donuts

Time to make the calories...

Yes, I meant to say donuts.  

They really are good but totally not my idea.  I am all about the healthy whole foods these days.  My husband... not so much.  He came how with three cans of pop-a-can biscuits and said HE was going to make donuts.  

So, while he was gone to run an errand a couple of days later I made the donuts to go along with breakfast.  Not a smart move.  Here I was making oatmeal and scrambled eggs for breakfast to go alongside donuts.  Guess what they wanted to eat?  Yep, the donuts.  So, the chickens and the cat got way more scrambled eggs and oatmeal scraps than I had intended.  The silver lining... Happy cat... And happy chickens.  

So, just in case you don't know how, and you want to know how this is the "recipe"... And I say that loosely because it is so bad (for us health weirdos). 

Donuts

Small can biscuits

Oil for frying

Powdered Sugar

Preheat oil to medium heat in a deep frying pan.  Prepare your area for an assembly line type situation.  you will need a small dish of powdered sugar to coat the donuts in and something to take the donuts up on.  i used a cookie shert with cookie racks on it.  Open the can biscuits on a plate or clean surface.  Poke your finger through the center and stretch a dime size whole.  Test the oil to see if it is ready.  When it is ready drop one biscuit in.  Flip when lightly browning.  Add another biscuit to the pan.  Very soon the first one will be ready to take up.  Take it up and place it immediately into the powdered sugar and use a fork and spoon to coat it well.  This must be done as soon as you take it up so the oil will stick the sugar in.  Continue until you have made them all.  

Hope you enjoy these calories!!! 

A Few Things Growing in MY Backyard

It is amazing the feeling you get when you plant things and watch them grow!  I highly recommend you plant something even if you don't want to be a gardener or a homesteader.  Pick one thing and just plant it.  You will be amazed as you watch it grow. 

 

These are grapes... in MY backyard!!! One day they look like these dead vines and suddenly they begin to sprout growth and get leaves and a few weeks later you suddenly spot these amazing little clusters of tiny flowers that become eensy, weensy little grapes.  I live in Southeast Texas and I have never seen anyone grow grapes in their backyard.  I just assumed it was not possible.  Guess what?!  It is!!!  Just because other people do not grow something in your area does not mean it can not be done.  So, if there is something you are wanting to grow in your backyard please do not assume it is not possible.  Instead, get on your computer and start searching... or read a book... whatever works for you.  Find the plant you want to try and then check what zone it grows well in.  It is best to trust that and pick a variety that works well in your area.  You might love Red Delicious Apples, but they may not be good for your area.  That does not mean you can not grow an "apple".  For me that means I needed to plant Gala Apples and I also needed to plant an Ein Shiemer Apple (small hard green apples) to be a pollinator for the Gala.  The grape bush in this picture is a Champanel Grape.  I will be honest I really did not do my research.  I was thinking we would be eating these little treasures right off the vine.  It turns out they are more of a wine or jelly making type grape, but that is okay because..... 

I HAVE GRAPES GROWING IN MY BACKYARD!!!  

Seriously, it is just amazing to watch them grow.  Since then I have also planted two other varieties: Venus Grape (good for table eating, wine, & jelly) and Lakemont Grape (sweet green table eating). 

These little gems are Goldmine Nectarines.  Oh my gosh... they are so sweet!  The birds think so, too.... unfortunately.  But that is okay.  Planting these things is something you have to be willing to invest time in... and I don't mean just your personal, hard working "time" in planting and nurturing it.  I mean, you have to be willing to WAIT while your trees (and all your plants) have time to mature and strengthen and produce more.  Planting is not merely for what you will get now.  It is somewhat of a "time investment".  If you wait it out, eventually your time investment should pay off.  We are blessed that this small tree has produced last year and this year already, and this is only its second year in the ground.   We won't really get more than a few nibbles this year, but that is okay.  The birds don't know we planted this here for our OWN selfish enjoyment.  There are probably 20-30 nectarines on it and they are already ripening even though they are very small.  That's all fine... remember its a time investment.... right now this tree is maturing for a big harvest in our future. 

This is one of my four varieties of blueberries.  I went a little overboard!  I had bought two Tif Blue , one Premier, and one Brightwell blueberry bushes and then, I went to a local plant nursery that had locally grown blueberry bushes for sell for a mere $3 each.  I snatched up three Rebel Blueberry plants.  That is SEVEN blueberry bushes... I guess you could say we have one for each person in the house.  Ooops!  When they get larger we may be in the Blueberry business!!!  This is another fruit that the birds are beating us to, but once again we must remember this is a "time investment" type of thing.  One day I am sure there will be plenty for the birds and us.  

Amaryllises!  Nope, I can not eat these, but I certainly can enjoy them.  I am a lily lover!!  I have quite a variety growing in my backyard.  This is one thing I must recommend... stop fighting planting annuals and start investing in some perennials.  Perennials will come back year after year and are very easy to grow. 










The pic below is a new raised bed that we put in for growing veggies.  If you look close you will see some lilies starting to sprout up that I snuck in the there.  ;)

Not everything we grow should be for our physical nourishment.  Our heart and soul needs some nourishment, too!  This is one of my irises in my lily garden (a.k.a. the weed garden).  My lily garden is wild and unruly and has a mix of whatever I stuck in the ground.  I did not plan at all.  I just planted.  Most of it has been lilies that have been shared from a friend or transplanted from somewhere.  It is my little patch of craZy and I love it.  At this time it amazing, but by the time late Summer or Fall come around it is quite messy and I just get the mower out and mow it all down.  Every year it is faithful to come back up.  I can not tell you the times I have looked out my window to find a beautiful lily emerging just as I have really needed a lift in my spirit.  God is amazing!  He has such creativity and I am so glad I get to grow some of His creations in MY very own backyard!!  

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Post Miscarriage Test Results

I am going to go a little in reverse for now because telling some of my story is going to be quite lengthy.   One thing that happened after my recent miscarriage is that my midwife suggested that I have some genetic testing done since this was my third miscarriage.  There were some other tests we wanted to do, also.  For years every doctor that sees me asks right away if I have ever had my thyroid checked.  Apparently, I have a bulging neck or something, but I also have quite a few symptoms of thyroid issues like a raspy voice and some other minor issues.

The doctor that did my D&C ordered a thyroid test of some sort.  Being that we were uncertain what kind of test that was done the midwife decided to order a complete thyroid panel.  In addition she wanted me to have a CBC (normal bloodwork) and a MTHFR (genetic test).

In all honesty I thought I knew how these tests would come out.  I thought:

• there would be a thyroid issue of some sort;
• the CBC would be all normal (because the hospital had to have done that one already);
• and, the MTHFR would be normal (negative).

 It is funny how we get to thinking we have things figured out.... 

The test results were actually pretty much the opposite of what I thought. 

• Thyroid Screening-- All good (the doctor never let me know the results of the testing she ordered... sigh... doctors!).
• CBC-- My iron level was low (the doctor nor the hospital let me know this either).
• MTHFR-- I am positive for 2 copies of the A1298C MTHFR.  That means I inherited a copy of the gene from my mother and I inherited a copy of the gene from my father.  

So, the thyroid thing is a huge blessing to know.  I have wondered about this for years, but never really invested time in having it fully checked out.  Amongst life and eight pregnancies over the years somehow it just never got tended to.  That is a huge weight off my shoulders.  My raspy voice is something that is probably just an allergy issue since my allergies are really bad... even though I choose not to treat them for the most part.  I might take a little Benadryl a few times a year and I use Lavendar Oil and vapor rub for coughs and the cruddy throat.  And, yes, I know it is weird that I mix the use of essential oils with Vapor Rub, but it works for me and I am not too concerned about a little petroleum jelly.  I just love Vapor Rub too much to give it up.  Back to the result of the other testing...

The results of the CBC show my iron is a little low and is something I think I should have been told about.  This is good to know on those days that my energy level is low.  I know to watch what I am eating or take some iron supplements.  It frustrates me that with doctors there seems to be a breakdown in the doctor/patient relationship and some information just does not get shared that really should.  (I have way more coming regarding that part of my story... way more.)

Even though I am not happy to find out I have a gene mutation, MTHFR, I feel it is a blessing to know that I have this.  Since I know I have it I feel I can better my health by making changes.  It is also likely that my children have it and I feel I have a responsibility to educate them and maybe when they are adults they will not have miscarriages and other health issues.  You can read my last post that has some links to go to to learn more about MTHFR by clicking here.  I want to be clear that I do not think the MTHFR is for sure why I had this miscarriage or my others.  I do believe it could be, though.  If you want to learn more, I suggest you do some research starting with the links on my other post and other sources.  There are way more issues that area caused by MTHFR.  It is worth looking into a bit. 

In the future you can expect to hear how my family is changing our diet.  I also hope to eventually have my kids tested.  We already do some great things for our health regarding diet and I just see this as one more step in the right direction.  There are moments I want to cry because the changes are hard, but I know those changes would be better for any person's health, so it is a win-win situation to make the changes.  The only thing I am finding difficult is that some things are just difficult to acquire, but we do what we can. 

The Easiest Cake Your Ever Gonna Make... & it's Festive & Chocolate Packed!

This was my daughter's (Savannah... the big "13") birthday cake that I made for her requested slumber party this past weekend.  I have never thrown a cake together this fast!  Yet, there was not sacrifice on the quality and taste.  




This is NOT whole foods folks, so let's not even get started worrying about all that.  ;)  This cake is all about delight and splurging and that is what birthdays are for, right?!!  


So, here's what you need:

• 2 boxes of Devil's Food Cake Mix (I used Duncan Hines)
• 1 Container of Chocolate Icing (from a container... GASP!!  This was my daughter's request.  I was just happy it said "No High Fructose Corn Syrup" on the label, so I bought it and moved on.  sigh...)
• 2 Large Hershey candy bars
• 1 package of Hershey's Caramel Kisses (These are our weakness in my home.  For that reason they are only purchased about once a year.  Sinful I say!!!... but oh so yummy!)
• 1 package of Mini-M&Ms (You could buy a small individual package, but we put the remaining amount in a candy dish on the table and they were wiped out almost instantly.)

I really don't need to tell you how to make it because it is pretty much a look and see it kind of thing.  Not too much explanation is needed.  But here we go:

• Mix the cake mix according to the instructions.  I added on extra egg because I just like to do that.  I also added a cup of milk in place on one cup of water.  Other than that I followed the directions on the box, oiled my pan, and baked it.  I used a large round Spring Form pan and put a small amount in a small round 8" pan because I had too much mix for my Spring Form pan.  
• After baking I left it alone to cool while I did other things, do do something for a couple hours and come back.  ;)  This is a good time to unwrap all the caramel kissed and place in a bowl... and hide in a safe place until you are ready for them.
• Now that the cake is cool move it from your pan and put it on a glass platter or whatever you wish and simply open your container of store bought chocolate icing.  Spread it all over the top and sides evenly.  It will not matter if it is smooth because you are going to cover it all with excessive amounts of candy.
• Begin with the candy bar and break it along the break lines.  Stick these little bars to the side of the cake as you see in the picture.  I spaced mine about 1/4 inch apart to make sure I would have enough.  I could have put them closer together, but that's okay because I had a little extra to munch on.  ;)
• Next you will evenly space the kisses all over the top of the cake.
• Lastly, get your sprinkle on.... Sprinkle the Mini-M&Ms all over the top as liberally as you please.  This adds color and makes it all so happy and pretty!
• Serve and enjoy with guests.  Like... say 13 pre-teen/teen girls at a slumber party. 

Dinner Out With Five Kids!! : How do you afford it?!!!

Yes, we do go out to dinner quite often compared to a lot of people with our lifestyle.  It is our splurge in life.  We sacrifice in many areas so that we can afford this treat.  I guess I should mention that we are not wealthy financially, but you would never know it... unless I told you.  People are usually shocked if I tell them our income level especially since my husband has a "professional" career.  He is a Assistant Principal and I think we all assume those people make a nice paycheck.  Assume away... but it just ain't so.  When he promoted up from being a teacher to an Assistant Principal he got a promotion.... we were a bit surprised when we realized that meant his salary increase was $190.83 per month after taxes.  The rest all went to taxes since the salary increase pushed him into the next tax bracket.  

So, I bet your wondering what the salary is for an Assistant Principal that has been in education for about 18 years.  Well, for my husband that is $55,000 gross this year (and that is adding in the next two months of pay to give you an annual salary).  His net take home pay each month is $3,876.01 .  I realize this is sharing a lot of information, but I just don't think I can expect you to take me seriously unless I share this information.  When I write these frugal living posts you need to know that I don't live on a nice fat income.  We have to be good stewards of what God gives us to make it all work.  And sometimes we just have to go on faith alone.  I thank God the numbers don't always make sense, but that He always makes them work.  

So, going out to dinner takes some creativity sometimes.  Last night I did not want to cook.  I have been making a lot of phone calls, preparing for the holidays, trying to find a new dentists and new caregivers, preparing to possibly sell our house and move, etc..  Yesterday was a busy day that started with me being tired already, doing a couple loads of laundry, kitchen cleanup that was not done the previous night, homeschooling, 3 phone calls, early lunch (so we could leave the house at mid-lunch time), extra homeschool choir practice (to prepare for some events), a quick thrift shop run (always a fav with my kids), and a trip to Wal-Mart for groceries.  That brought me straight up to 5:30 p.m. which is dinner time around here and with all the running about we were starved (or so we thought).  

Now, I could have been really frugal and gone inside and cooked some of those fresh groceries I just purchased, but I knew it was 99 cent kid's meal night at Casa Ole' Mexican restaurant just down the road several blocks and the kids love to get to go out to eat.  So, that is what we did!  I did not look at our ticket, but I would guess we all ate for about $35 with adding a tip.  And you may think that is not cheap, but think of the full price cost and you will see it is.  

So, I guess my tips for eating out are:

• Know the local restaurant specials.  Where I live there are lot of Tuesday night specials where kids eat for cheap.  We try to do our dining out on those days.  
•  A few of our favorites are Pizza Hut, Casa Ole', Crazy Jose's.  There are also burger place specials but we don't usually do those.  In our area I know Whataburger and Sonic offer Tuesday specials.  We used to go to Johnny Carino's a lot on Monday nights because they have Grandisimo meals for the same prices as regular entrees and we can eat there for under $20, but the kids got burnt out on it.
• We also, have made careful choices in buying a couple of fundraiser "smart cards" that have savings on them.  One we have is a free kid's meal with each adult meal purchased at CiCi's pizza.  I have learned to like the pizza there even though it is not my favorite.  I know that when we go there there is really good salad and yummy addictive dessert.  Another "smart card" we have allows for Buy 1 Get 1 at a couple of burger places.  We rarely use those, but they are useful sometimes. 
• Know your local cheap places.... let me a elaborate.  
• These are places that you can pick up food in a crunch for on the go or places that you get a lot for a little.  Little Caesar's really can save the day when you are out and about with hungry kids.  One $5 pizza will go a long way!  This is a great option to tide over hungry kids until you get home.  If you want to make it a meal, go ahead and by more.  We usually get three (2 cheese for the kids and one with meat for us) and there are usually leftovers to snack on later.   
• If you are going to be at Sam's Wholesale or even if you are shopping in the area, the deli there is a good option.  Again, pizza is a good option there (maybe $7... not too sure).  I do remember those pizzas are bigger.  We usually get some "treats" there, too.  And Icee can make my kids' day.  They also have several other frugal options for ice cream or yogurt parfaits, etc..
•  Dollar menus are great.  We don't order "meals".  Yep, no "Happy Meals" or other "Kid's Meals" (with exception to Chick-Fil-A... we don't go there when we are being frugal either).  I have found that my kid's can not eat all that food or it is not the right "fit" for them and the toys are junk.  When we order fast food they usually all get a burger or two each (not bad when they are $1... that is just my older two and the burgers are small) and usually ONE (or two) order of fries is enough for the ones that want fries (usually 2-3 of them) and we order water in a cup (not a bottle).
• And don't overlook the grocery store.  Sometimes picking up a corn dog from the deli is a nice treat for on the go.  And if you have no deli to order from you can always grab a loaf of bread, lunch meat, and some bananas (or other snacks) and a package of some type of drinks.  Have a picnic in the park... or parking lot (car).  LOL

So, that is a little peek into how we making dinner out work in the budget.  Sometimes we splurge and forget about the budget.  ;)  Again, that is why we don't drive the latest vehicle or shop for the latest clothes brand new.

Sorry, I have no fun pics.

Dinner in a Crunch & on a Budget Sequel

Well, it seems I had unexpected company drop in "for just a moment" right around the time I should have been cooking dinner.  It's a good thing I had already made plans for those leftovers from last night's "Dinner in a Crunch & on a Budget"!  Yippee!  I had about a third of it leftover, so it was either eat more taco salad for lunch today or change it up a bit and make it dinner for tonight.  And since I am so bad about forgetting to take meat out of the freezer (which, of course, I did again today until about 2:PM... and since it is church night and the kids have activities that start at 6:PM I needed something quick).  So, this is what I did.  It is not glamorous but it is good, and healthy, and filling.  

Again, I had about 1/3 of my taco salad mixture left over from last night.  I put the pot back on the stove.  Added a cup of water to it.  Turn on the heat and gave it a stir.  I poured in half a bag of frozen whole kernel corn.  Then, I opened a large can of Petite Diced Tomatoes and poured them in.  That is about it folks.  Simmer a little while (or boil on full blast like I do but stir constantly because this will burn quick... don't ask how I know this stuff... hehehe!).  Now, you have a quick Taco Soup. 

I had intended to make fresh rice to serve it over, but when my company stayed way longer than "just a moment" I was pretty happy that I remembered I had leftover rice.  I should not admit that it was still in the pot it was cooked in, but... it was.  In this case that was a good thing because I added a 1/4 cup of water to the rice and turned the burner on high, AGAIN (I have a problem... I like to do things way too fast).  I let that QUICKLY moisten up and then, I dumped the whole thing in my pot of Taco Soup.  So, I guess I really made a pot of Taco RICE Soup!  Whatever you want to call it, it was good and quick to serve because the rice was already in the soup.  Everybody got a bowl with their option to sprinkle in cheese and sour cream.  

For the record I will say that the kids had veggies and fruit at various times throughout the day, so they are getting a variety of food groups even though it may not look that way from these two dinners.  ;)  Happy FAST cooking!  This can be done in under 10 minutes not counting making rice. 

Dinner in a Crunch & on a Budget

Some days there is just not enough time for everything you need to do.  In fact, that is most everyday around here.  There's cleaning to be done, meals to be fixed, homeschooling of four of the kids to be done, guests to socialize with, and all the other normal stuff that life throw your way.  When I am in a crunch to pull together dinner in a hurry I go to one of my old standby meals.  Fortunately, it is also one of my favorite meals and it is versatile.  You can keep it simple or complicate it and it is still a well rounded meal.  T

Yesterday was one of those days, so when I realized I was going to be short on time and somehow managed to end up with four heads of lettuce in my fridge I knew it was good day to have Taco Salad.  This is how I do it:

Taco Salad
-Brown a pound of ground meat in a pot.  Add 2 packages (or 1/2 cup) of taco seasoning to that and four cans of Ranch Style Beans (or Great Value Southern Beans which does not have the high fructose corn syrup) and about a cup of water (to preference) and simmer that for 5 minutes or so.  
-While that is simmering cut up your lettuce, tomatoes, and whatever other veggies.  Set the table and set out any condiments you want to go with it, such as, cheese, sour cream, salsa, chips, cheese dip, bean dip, etc..
-Dinners done!  And if you don't have a thousand interruptions you can pull this dinner together in under 20 minutes.

This is a frugal dinner because a little meat goes a long way.  Way back in the day when it was just my husband I made this with one pound of hamburger, 1 package of seasoning, and one can of beans.  As our family has grown I added extra beans to make it bigger and since my kids are the type to pick out meat I have never had to add more meat.  The flavor is there with the texture it adds to the meal without the expense or need for more meat.  And I have learned over time that this really is much healthier anyway.  Beans are so beneficial to the body and more red meats in the diet or not as beneficial. 

Dinner Out with Five Kids! You MUST be CraZy!!!

A few weeks back my husband and I were checking out at a store and I was casually talking to the cashier.  I mentioned that we were about to go out to eat with our five kids.  The cashier blurted out laughingly, "I wouldn't go anywhere with five kids!"  I really was not offended and she was not saying it ugly like it might seem.  That is our culture and I get that.

Fortunately, not everyone shares this cashier's view.  We were at a restaurant a few days ago and a lady that we both have met came up to our table and started a brief conversation.  She was there with her two children and she was saying how much she loved going out to eat with her children.  We briefly discussed the above cashier encounter and laughed candidly and both agreed that it is amazing how people don't want to take their children to restaurants, yet don't seem to understand why those children have no idea how to behave when they take them out to eat.  What better way is there to train children, but by putting them in the situation.

So, that is why we take FIVE kids out to dinner! 

We take them because we want to share that time with them, also.  I can not imagine feeding my kids some junky meal and heading out to their favorite restaurant without them.  I am not saying this is wrong, but rather that I would not enjoy a meal they would love without them.  Now, I can say that a little over a year ago we were out of town and took them to Bucca Di Peppo (sp?) and they did not have an appreciation for the meal.  About $75 later I told Cody that if we ever came back there to eat it would be without the kids simply because that is too much money to spend on a dinner that was not enjoyed.  Now, that is an example of a circumstance that if it were an option I would totally leave them out.  :)  

And the next question I know people wonder is how do we AFFORD to take five kids out to eat.  There are several things we do:

• We don't make extravagant purchases.  We don't have all the big toys that many people have.  Our cars are over 10 years old and in all honesty our parents have gifted some of that to us... not because we wanted them to.  For whatever reason they wanted to.  We still would be fine in that area, but these gifts or partial gifts had made other expenses more manageable.  So, they have been a blessing in more than one way.  And it has allowed us to have extra money to purchase our shuttle bus that we use for travel.
• I cook from scratch and buy very little packaged food. 
• Dining out is our biggest "splurge" in life.  Other people get their hair done or a pedicure or go shopping, etc..  I skip all that and go out to eat with my family.
• We also choose frugal ways to dine.  That may mean that we go to places like CiCi's Pizza (under $30); if we are on the go we grab Little Caesar's Pizza ($10-15 for 2-3 pizzas); we go to Tuesday buffet at Pizza Hut where kids eat free with adults (around $20); we used to go to Monday night at Johnny Carino's (dinner special... we could eat and tip $6 for about $22); we look for Tuesday night sales like Casa Ole'  has 99 cent kid meals including a drink (usually $40 because we get cheese dip... we could go for about $30); We don't order anything other than water unless it is included in the cost of the meal; We don't do happy meal deal types of things and in fact, we don't even order fries for every child.  We order what they eat and in and over indulgent fast food culture we find that our kids get full on a small burger, a few fries, and water and if necessary we buy them an extra burger if they are really hungry for it.
• Often, if we know that we are going to be gone for a whole day or vacation, we will pick-up bread and snacks and have a picnic going down the road and this allows for splurging on meals at other times on the excursion.

 Lunch with special friends at a special place... The American Girl Store's Bistro in Houston, Texas.

 And so... that is how it is done in our "little" family!  What tips do you have to share?

Part 1 Gardening "Firsts" 2013: Onions

 I am really bad at "Series" postings, but alas I will try again.  I got a new camera and I love it.  I have been really busy with many things, but one of those things has been gardening.  I am really expanding my gardening beyond just growing a few simple things to make myself feel like a "gardener".  For a while now I have planted tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and just enough variety that it makes me feel like I am doing something.  The reality is I have never been very good at it and I am not a "real gardener".  In my quest for healthier non-GMO, pesticide covered food I have decided that I will drive myself crazy trying to buy organic through co-ops, groups, or mass purchasing to save money.  And buy organic in the store is way too pricey for our income level and family size.  If I have to pay $7 for a pound of strawberries, we will not be eating strawberries.  So, I began with looking at what we eat or could learn to eat and I have been busy planting and learning from past year's mistakes.  That means learning more about composting, soil amendments, container gardening, raised bed gardening, companion planting, natural organic gardening, etc..  So, I think I will do a "series" on what I have done to share some successes and failures. 

These two pictures may not look too exciting, but they are very exciting to me. One is yellow onions and the other is purple onions growing away in the dirt. This was another "first" for me. I have never grown anything but green onions before. These planted in two different containers.  The tops on this got huge this year, but until the last couple of weeks the part underground did not seem to be growing much... maybe because you could not see it. I can tell by the peek I am getting that they are probably baseball size. That's the good news. The bad news is I should have planted way more. I had some more, but I must not have gotten them in the soil early enough because they did not make at all. Those were in the ground.  So, you can bet the next chance I have to plant onions I am going to plant a ton! ~I am also seeing my kids more interested in gardening and I think it is because they sense my excitement about it.~

Details:  Yellow Onions & Red Onions; planted in containers on my patio in February 2013; pic taken in May 2013; soil was just dirt from the ground with some composted leaves (nothing fancy); containers are a large galvanized washtub and a large planter pot; I let the clover grow simply because I like it and love the little purple flowers that come on them.  I also feed the clover to my rabbits, so I guess it counts as a companion plant (even though I did not plant it)

 ~Yellow Onions~

~Red Onions~