When it comes to crafts, easy is what I do best. Almost all of the clothespin wreaths I’ve seen over the last couple of years appeared pretty easy to make, so I decided to give one a try. Indeed, it was easy to make. Better yet, the materials cost next to nothing and I’m quite pleased with its appearance! Supplies Wreath form … [Read more...] about Easy Spring Clothespin Wreath
Keeping the Home
Budget-Friendly Dinners Roundup
Every time I visit the grocery store it seems like food prices have increased. My husband’s salary hasn’t increased proportionally and we keep adding to our family, so we must find ways to pay for increasing amounts of increasingly expensive food. As I’m beginning to brainstorm for our summer menu, I’ve been looking up ideas for “dollar … [Read more...] about Budget-Friendly Dinners Roundup
How to Have a Hospitality-Ready Heart
Last week we looked at some ways to have hospitality-ready homes. I mentioned several practical strategies, but one strategy—preparing to welcome guests with genuine enthusiasm—is not practical. Instead, it relates to the state of our hearts. In trying to prepare my heart for hospitality, I’ve found it useful to consider some things … [Read more...] about How to Have a Hospitality-Ready Heart
How to Have a Hospitality-Ready Home
This last summer, when I was 36 weeks pregnant, our AC stopped working. It was June and we live in southeast Texas, so you can imagine how hot it was in our house! I’ll never forget how two gracious friends invited us to stay with them until technicians were able to fix our AC. They had no warning, but these friends welcomed us into their … [Read more...] about How to Have a Hospitality-Ready Home
Slow Cooker Creamy Tortellini Spinach Soup
One really interesting thing that has been happening since my husband started pinning meal ideas on Pinterest is that he’ll select some options that include ingredients he doesn’t usually eat. This recipe is an example. My husband hates spinach, but he saw this recipe and it looked good to him (plus he knows I love slow cooker recipes) … [Read more...] about Slow Cooker Creamy Tortellini Spinach Soup
Spring 2017 Menu
The warm spring weather is on its way in, so we’re starting a new menu! I won’t delve into the details of my menu planning process here because I’ve described these in a previous post. In summary, I plan a new menu that contains a month’s worth of meals at the beginning of each season (spring, summer, fall, and winter). We use each of … [Read more...] about Spring 2017 Menu
Sausage and Tortellini in Cheesy Tomato Sauce
I think this may be my favorite of the new dishes on our winter menu. It’s one that my husband found on Pinterest! Conveniently prepared in one pot, this savory and warm dish is a perfect winter dinner. Ingredients (Adapted from this recipe.) 1 lb. smoked sausage, sliced 1 medium onion, chopped ½ tablespoon olive oil 1 … [Read more...] about Sausage and Tortellini in Cheesy Tomato Sauce
Cook Once, Eat Twice: Taco Soup and Queso Dip with Chips
Preparing "cook once, eat twice" meals has been one approach that has really expedited my meal preparations recently. Taco soup and queso dip with chips, which I’ve included on our winter menu, is a pair that my whole family loves! Ingredients For the soup: 1 1/2 lbs. lean ground meat 1 large onion, chopped 32 oz. chicken broth … [Read more...] about Cook Once, Eat Twice: Taco Soup and Queso Dip with Chips
