Because we thoroughly enjoyed the Ranch Chicken and Veggies Sheet Pan Dinner I made a few weeks ago, I wanted to try another sheet pan meal. This one tastes quite different from the ranch one, but it is still yummy, rich in veggies, and convenient. Ingredients (Adapted from this recipe.) 4 small/medium boneless, skinless chicken … [Read more...] about Balsamic Chicken and Veggies Sheet Pan Dinner
Archives for 2017
Our Casual, Play-Based Preschool Curriculum
As many of you know, we’re not enrolling our 3-year-old in a formal preschool program. In lieu of a formal program, we’re providing her with a casual, play-based preschool experience at home. As I noted last week, we’re doing this with the help of a customized Timberdoodle curriculum kit. I explained then why we chose this instead of … [Read more...] about Our Casual, Play-Based Preschool Curriculum
6 Ways to Cultivate Silence
As we saw last week, there are numerous benefits to carving out periods of silence in our daily lives. Given most of us are busy and are surrounded by technologies that make noise, this isn’t easy to do. Let’s consider some simple ways to cultivate silence. We’re never going to experience complete silence, of course. There will always … [Read more...] about 6 Ways to Cultivate Silence
Our Casual, Play-Based Approach to Preschool at Home
Three weeks ago we considered if preschool is really necessary and two weeks ago we discussed four questions that parents can ask themselves when determining if preschool is right for their child. As promised, today I’m going to discuss the decision we’ve made for our preschool-age daughter. We’ve decided that she does not need to … [Read more...] about Our Casual, Play-Based Approach to Preschool at Home
Why We Need Silence
After putting my girls to bed a couple of nights ago, my husband and I sat in companionable silence as I folded clothes and he reorganized some old computer equipment. I thought about turning on some music, but I realized I was enjoying the silence. There were no children’s voices asking for snack, no towers of wooden blocks crashing … [Read more...] about Why We Need Silence
Salisbury Meatloaf
A couple of weeks ago my husband requested Salisbury Steak for dinner. As I began preparing this dish, I realized that the meat patties of Salisbury Steak—comprised of minced or ground meats combined with extenders (bread crumbs, flour, oats, etc.), seasonings, binders (such as egg), and various liquids (broth, cream, vinegar, etc.)—are a lot … [Read more...] about Salisbury Meatloaf
6 Routines for Doing the Laundry
Laundry is one of the most frustrating homemaking tasks because you’re never truly done. Even if you wash all of your laundry, within hours you have more clothes that need washed! I’ve never had a formal system for completing my family’s laundry. We use cloth diapers, so I usually need to wash these every other day. On the days in … [Read more...] about 6 Routines for Doing the Laundry
Deciding If Preschool is Right for Your Child
As we saw last week, the research findings on preschool are varied. Some studies show that preschool boosts school readiness skills (particularly for low-income children) and gives students an academic advantage during their elementary years, while other studies show the benefits of preschool are transient and that it may contribute to burnout … [Read more...] about Deciding If Preschool is Right for Your Child
