Father's Day Crafts :: Free eBook

Looking for great crafts to make with your child for Father's Day?

This free ebook has wonderful crafts designed from craft bloggers! Some of the crafts included are a stitched leather key chain, manly coffee jacket, and homemade spice rubs.

Little Buddy and I are getting busy on his presents for this weekend. What are your children making dear old Dad?

Accountability Buddies and Blackberry Tartlets

I'm in the beginning of my journey to change my lifestyle and lose weight. As a girl whose favorite books are by Julia Child and Irma Rombauer, this is going to be interesting.

I would say it is going to be hard, but two of my blogging pals and I have begun this journey together. Kristen of Dine and Dish and Amy of She Wears Many Hats and I have joined together to keep each other accountable, to encourage one another and to provide intervention when needed.

Once a week, we hold a conference call to check in and discuss our successes of the week, frustrations, and practical tips. And while that would seem to be plenty, we've shared our most embarrassing information with each other --- pictures of the scale. Believe me, we were all kicking and screaming before we shared that information. For a girl who has thrown a towel over the face of the scale and has jumped off so quickly she almost broke a toe when her husband walked into the bathroom, this is a big deal. Finally, we all agreed that to succeed we have to trust each other (and pray those photos don't make it online in any way shape or form!).

I'm using Weight Watchers as I've known lots of folks who have had success with that plan in the past. I love that you can eat anything you want, while learning the importance of choices and portion control. I hope y'all will enjoy going along on this journey with me as I'll be sharing wonderful recipes and tips I learn on the way.

I found a recipe for Summer Tartlets in a Weight Watchers cookbook that I modified slightly. These tartlets are absolutely delicious! You won't even have to tell your family they came from a Weight Watchers cookbook. They will never know! The best part, you can enjoy them with the satisfaction of knowing they only have one point per tartlet!

Blackberry Tartlet



Prep: 18 minutes     Cook: 16 minutes    Chill: 2 hours {15 minutes in freezer}

Ingredients

• 2 (12-ounce) packages frozen blackberries, thawed
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup fresh orange juice
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 30 frozen miniature phyllo shells, thawed
• 1 1/4 cups frozen fat-free whipped topping, thawed
• 30 fresh blackberries

Step by Step

Step 1. Combine first 4 ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. Strain berry mixture through sieve. Discard solids.

Step 2. Pour berry juice back into saucepan. Combine cornstarch and water. Pour into berry mixture. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Cook 1 minute.

Step 3. Remove from heat and add butter and vanilla. Cool slightly.

Step 4. Spoon 2 teaspoons of berry mixture into each shell. Chill 2 hours in refrigerator or approximately 15 minutes in the freezer. Top each tartlet with 1 teaspoon whipped topping and a fresh berry.

Step 5. Serve immediately or keep chilled until ready to serve. Make wonderful desserts for entertaining, especially showers or luncheons.

Note: you can use raspberries in place of the blackberries if you prefer.



Kristen shared a recipe for Vidalia Onion Bake and more on our story of accountability buddies on her blog --- War of Weight Loss (Recipe: Vidalia Onion Bake).   Enjoy!


What tips do you have to share? I'd love to know what you have found that works for you.

This post is linked to Works for Me Wednesday.

On the Grill : Meet Our Judge ~ Week 8 {Wenderly}

This week's On the Grill will be our Father's Day edition. Share recipes that Dad will love -- burgers, steaks, ribs, chicken, delicious side dishes, desserts, and even Dad's favorite drink. Share whatever you make to celebrate our favorite day with Dad! Get ready to share Wednesday night before midnight (Eastern).

I am excited to introduce you to this week's Guest Judge for On the Grill! It's Wenderly!

From excellent step-by-step photography of her recipes to creating gorgeous decorations in your home,
Wenderly shares practical, easy to follow tips. She laughs because I call her the  Sweet Potato Queen, but honestly - she has delicious recipes for that lovable guy - Grilled Sweet Potatoes to Garlic Rosemary Sweet Potato Fries. Yum!

Which of Dad's favorite recipes are you planning to share?

Mingle Monday :: Week 3

Last week had 30 wonderful bloggers join in on the Mingle Monday fun!

I'm a simple sort of Mom, especially during the summer months. Lighter schedules and relaxed attire are definite requirements for my summertime happiness. This blog party goes right along with that theme, simple.

Mingle Monday is a "no-stress, come as you are" blog party. No themed post to write, no worries about if you have the button in the right place or not. All you have to do is just link and enjoy. See, I told you it would be easy.

Just add a link to your favorite blog post, about me page, or even just to your home page (ex:: http://www.ourhomeschoolhome.com). It's completely up to you!

If you would like, you are welcome to include this cute little blog button I made or even just a text link. But even that is not a requirement.






Promote Your Blog!


<center><a href="http://ourhomeschoolhome.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" alt="Our Homeschool Home" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4055/4655084918_47fea96df5_m.jpg" /></a></center>




Do you try to lighten your load during the summer?

As Southern as Sweet Tea

"Say something else," requested the lady at the table behind us. My drawled reply of "Ma'am?" brought hysterical laughter followed by, "I've never heard a little girl speak with such a Southern dialect before."

We were traveling that summer to visit family well beyond the Mason-Dixon line where my manner of speaking was obviously somewhat entertaining. I remember feeling the heat in my cheeks and my father patting my hand. I looked up to see his eyes greeting mine with a quick wink, a signal he'd heard.

I've since grown into my drawl and have been known to pour it on just a little thicker than normal on occasion - especially when I'm reminded of the wildly laughing lady from the restaurant of my youth. And on those days, I embrace afternoons hot and heavy with the smell of gardenia, evenings watching my son hugging his Mason jar as he chases fireflies, and porches filled with loved ones sipping sweet Southern nectar.

Southern Sweet Tea




Ingredients
4 Tea Bags (Family size bags)
2 cups Granulated Sugar
1 Gallon Water


Step 1. Heat tea bags until the water *just* reaches the boiling stage. Remove from heat and allow to steep for five minutes. (Do not allow the tea to become cold)

Step 2. In a gallon pitcher, add sugar and cover with hot water just until sugar is dissolved.

Step 3. Pour steeped tea into pitcher, fill the pitcher with cold water. Stir.

Serve over ice with a wedge of lemon, lime, orange or a sprig of mint.

You never know, you might just develop a bit of a drawl, too.

I Needed Home

I've always worked and I've always loved to work. There is something so fulfilling about having something decidedly all yours and working your buns off to make it better. It may have been the accolades I received for climbing the ladder or it could have simply been the knowledge I had done my absolute best - that the company was successful because of it.

I'm not sure where I got my drive. Was it from my mother who went back to school when I was a little girl to get her nursing degree and quickly rose in the ranks of hospital administration? Was it from my father who worked from daylight to dark and then got his insurance license to be able to provide a better life for his family? Most likely is was a combination of both. Their desire to always do their best and be their best left an impression.

It was hard to leave the world I had given so much love, care, and attention. I had invested so many hours into this baby I called my career. But it still wasn't enough. It wasn't enough to fulfill me. I needed more. I needed home.

Coming home opened my eyes and my heart. I could see what I had been missing. The time I had spent preparing the next big deal was time I had lost playing ball, the time entertaining the hot shot politician was time I could have been reading a story to my son, and the time taking clients to the fanciest restaurant in whatever town I was in was time I could have been cooking a meal for my family. I missed those times. They were gone. I couldn't get them back.

But I most certainly could make them for our future. 

Taking Time

As summer drew near, the boxes arrived. Boxes of our third grade materials full of new adventures, new discoveries, and new skills to be learned. It was tempting to dig right in and begin to unwrap it all immediately and begin feasting on the contents. I'll admit, I had to peek. I just had to get a whiff that comes from the things inside our new curriculum boxes. Books, fresh from the press.

And then, we had to remove the temptation. Not only did we need to remove the temptation so we could finish our second grade year, we needed to remove the temptation to allow ourselves time to get refreshed.

We all get so caught up in our daily activities it can become hard to see the forest for the trees. We see the dishes to be washed or the laundry to be done or the playroom with toys scattered high and low and everywhere in between. And if you homeschool, there is no yellow bus that magically picks up your child in the morning and returns them in the afternoon. Good or bad, the break in your day is not there.

And we needed a break. We all need a break.

Our school year starts back soon, next week to be exact, but our two weeks off have been delightful. I am still in the process of getting refreshed and our new school year includes a plan for regular Mom breaks. One afternoon a week for me time. Afternoons reading, writing, cooking, or dabbling with photography while Little Buddy has fun playing at a friend's house or spending time with Dad. Regardless, the refresher will keep me rejuvenated and my eye on the prize.

How do you take time for yourself?