I noted last month that our cooler temperatures were about to go away. I was sure right! I know many areas of the country had snow this past week, but we’ve had temperatures in the 80s. I’m not ready for the heat, but it’s here now and will be until the fall. Despite the early heat, we are enjoying watching the flowers start to … [Read more...] about March 2023 Dinner Menu
Easy Dump-and-Bake Jambalaya
I’m busier now than I’ve ever been. Consequently, one of the greatest challenges I face in day-to-day life is getting nutritious and tasty food on the table for dinner each night. Once dinnertime rolls around, I’m tired and I often have a number of things I still need to accomplish. Easy-to-prepare dinners, such as this Dump-and-Bake … [Read more...] about Easy Dump-and-Bake Jambalaya
February 2023 Dinner Menu
January absolutely flew by! Aside from a brief visit from some good friends, our month was routine. However, these routine activities were enough to keep us busy! We don’t have plans for anything unusual this month. Given it won’t last much longer, we’ll get outside quite a bit to enjoy the cold weather. We’ll also bake some special … [Read more...] about February 2023 Dinner Menu
Why Use Role Play When Teaching Your Kids
I can recall instances during my childhood when teachers encouraged us to use role play to practice new skills. I always felt like acting out various scenarios was super cheesy! However, now that I’m the one doing the teaching, I realize that role play is a valuable tool. When kids role play, they assume roles and act out a given … [Read more...] about Why Use Role Play When Teaching Your Kids
A Gentle Response
Have you ever noticed how kids often mirror their parents? In addition to sharing genetic similarities to their biological parents, kids reflect the behaviors, language, gestures, and interests of their parents. I see this all the time with my kids! A recent example is the way in which my oldest child addressed my middle child when they … [Read more...] about A Gentle Response
January 2023 Dinner Menu
I had to pause just now when typing “2023” because I’m not used to the new number! It always takes me a few weeks (sometimes months) to adjust after we start a new year. We turned the page to 2023 without much fanfare. We didn’t do anything in particular to celebrate, and our Christmas celebration the previous week was subdued because … [Read more...] about January 2023 Dinner Menu
2022 Year in Review
My husband asked me a couple of days ago if I’d ordered a new calendar to replace the 2022 version that is hanging on the front of our fridge. I hadn’t ordered one yet, but his question reminded me that—ready or not—2023 is about to begin! As we start this new year, I’m taking a moment to reflect on 2022. Winter I began the year by … [Read more...] about 2022 Year in Review
Pecan Pie Brownies
Though we already planned on having at least a half dozen desserts this past Thanksgiving, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to make Pecan Pie Brownies after I saw the idea for them. I suspected that the flavors of brownie and pecan pie would go well together, and they sure did! These were amazing! They were a huge hit after Thanksgiving … [Read more...] about Pecan Pie Brownies