If you are planning a family trip during school vacation week expect to pay a premium to fly. I knew this when I checked into airfare for our recent trip to Florida for my sister’s wedding but I was shocked at how sizable that premium would be! It was going to cost over $3000 for our family of 4 for airfare alone! For a little less than that we could rent a nice minivan from Priceline, drive down, stay in a nice hotel along the way, and tack on a two day Disney Resort Package! Continue reading
Have you noticed the seasonal aisles are already stocked with treats for Valentines Day?!
And based on the shelf space dedicated to to them, I think it is safe to say the heart shaped box of chocolate reigns supreme. I always bring one home for the family on Valentine’s Day. It’s a classic! This morning though, I was noticing how much of a premium you pay for those chocolates in that heart shaped box. And after thinking about it for a while it also occurred to me how ordinary those mass produced symbols of love really are.
So I decided to make my own! Continue reading
5 minutes of fun with a piece of yarn, paper, and a hole punch
Guess what I am doing right now…
I am mending clothes, a pair of my son’s pants to be exact. I don’t bother fixing most things but if my kids get a hole in something nice that still fits, I will add it to the top of my sewing pile.
What’s at the bottom? Sorry Mr. Doodles and Jots, I promise to eventually get to your pants that you haven’t been able to wear for months because they need a button. Continue reading
I was so totally struck by the perfection of my infant children. It made me want to paint! I even wanted to sculpt their sweet faces in clay (I wonder if anyone can relate?). It is clear, even in just the blog world, that I am not the only one inspired by motherhood. I wanted to see what it was like to create something so beautiful. Not a perfectly rendered copy but I wanted to document what I saw and understand it deeper than you can from just seeing. The way taking notes helps you remember material from a lecture or book.
Lemon-pepper chicken and rosemary roasted potatoes (crayons and construction paper)
Here is my recipe for lemon-pepper chicken “you only think you don’t like dark meat” thighs with roasted rosemary potatoes. You can team this meal up with any number of seasonal steamed vegetables. The reason I say “you only think you don’t like dark meat” is because maybe you have never had it like this! What’s my secret? I cook the LIFE out of that chicken at least 3X over! The result is the perfect crispy skin to meat ratio with only one bone to negotiate and meat with the texture and taste similar to roasted duck. And the potatoes – they are full of flavor and crispy goodness. Your whole family AND your pocket-book will love this meal! Continue reading