Each year around Christmas, many of you stop by and check out a post I wrote several years ago about alternative gift exchanges. This post has inspired many of you to try out some non-traditional approaches to giving gifts! This year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many of us will be having non-traditional Christmas celebrations. Because of … [Read more...] about Printable List of Alternative Gift Exchange Ideas
December 2020 Dinner Menu
We’ve made it to December! This year has been full of surprises and I know many of us are hopeful that 2021 will look different from what we’ve been through over these last 12 months. We’ll soon find out, but first we must tackle December. At the start of each month, I take a little time to sit down and plan out our dinners for the … [Read more...] about December 2020 Dinner Menu
DIY Tree Skirt with Kids’ Handprints
My husband and I didn’t have a tree skirt for our Christmas tree for the first several years we were married. It wasn’t until our firstborn child was 2 years of age and our middle child was about 6 months of age that I decided what I wanted in a tree skirt. I decided to make a simple tree skirt out of felt on which we could chronicle … [Read more...] about DIY Tree Skirt with Kids’ Handprints
Vanilla Buttermilk Spice Waffles
There are two breakfast foods that my kids absolutely love: muffins and waffles. About a year ago I made some Vanilla Buttermilk Spice Muffins that had a delightful taste. At the time, I thought that they would be a perfect treat to make during the fall months because they have the yummy flavors of cinnamon and nutmeg. When I thought … [Read more...] about Vanilla Buttermilk Spice Waffles
Sausage and Root Vegetable Sheet Pan Dinner
Sausage is one of the few foods that everyone in my household will eat. Vegetables, of course, are another story. I decided to mix the two in a sheet pan dinner to try to entice my kids (and my husband) to eat a few more veggies. The result was a super flavorful, easy-to-prepare dinner! Ingredients (Significantly adapted from this … [Read more...] about Sausage and Root Vegetable Sheet Pan Dinner
Why Gratitude Isn’t a Panacea During Tough Times
When many of us plan for the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, we envision large gatherings around the dinner table and loved ones sprawled out in the living room opening gifts. Unfortunately, things will look different for many of us this year. The risk of spreading COVID will lead many of us to choose smaller gatherings or perhaps even no … [Read more...] about Why Gratitude Isn’t a Panacea During Tough Times
Build-Your-Own Sliders: A Great Meal for a Crowd
One of the challenges of having guests over is preparing meals that everyone will enjoy. One thing I like to do is to prepare options where each individual gets to customize his or her meal. I’ve done this in the past with French bread pizzas and with omelets. Recently, when my parents visited us, I did it with sliders. As most of you … [Read more...] about Build-Your-Own Sliders: A Great Meal for a Crowd
What Does God’s Peace Look Like?
In order to prepare my heart for the Thanksgiving holiday, I usually begin each November with a post on the topic of gratitude. However, to be honest, I’m not thinking about gratitude that much today. I’m quite distracted with thoughts of the election (which is tomorrow) and with the deep divisions that characterize our nation right now. … [Read more...] about What Does God’s Peace Look Like?
