LOAD 'EM UP!!

     In my house one of our favorite things to eat are potatoes. Potatoes are good for you, cheap, and best of all, filling! I love making baked potatoes for dinner, they are a great thing to have when you are busy doing lots of other things and don't have the time(or energy!) to cook. Even though they are a great thing to have for dinner, they take an hour to cook in the oven. Yes, I know they can be cooked in the microwave, but I'm just against microwave cooking (It doesn't taste as good to me). The crock pot is a great way to "bake" your potatoes!

Here's how to make Crockpot Baked Potatoes:

1. Wash and dry your potatoes. ( After I do this, I also like to rub just a little bit of olive oil on them and sprinkle them with sea salt)

2. Cover each potato in aluminum foil and place in the crockpot.

3. Cook on Low for about 8hrs (This is great if your out running errands, or have to work during the day! You can get things done and then dinner is ready when you get home!Which means you can spend time with your family and not slaving in the kitchen!)

4. Load up with your favorite toppings!
I like my potato with butter, sour cream, salt and pepper. (I know how Plain Jane of me!) Some fun toppings to add could be: bacon bits, chives, cheese (pepper jack is yummy!), bell peppers, chili, broccoli, cauliflower,or mushrooms. The possibilities are endless!

We hope you enjoy crock pot baked potatoes as much as we do! We would love to hear how you load up your potatoes!

Happy Campers!

With the summer starting to wind down, I thought it would be great to take my daughter camping; after all, what is summer without a camp out! (hint: it's not summer without camping! ha ha!) To make it an official summer I had to plan a trip, so last weekend we got away to the great outdoors of Grammies Wilderness (OK, OK, it was Grammies Yard, but it was still a great escape!) This was an awesome alternative to packing up and heading out somewhere, not only did it not cost me anything (besides food), it was so low stress (compared to real camping where you have to pack up food, and clothes, and equipment, etc)! My daughter and I experienced just the right amount of the "wilderness"(I like camping but I also like running water, flushing toilets and a comfy place to lay my head)! This idea of a backyard camp out is great for any age kid, from toddler to teenager, it's always fun to camp out!

First we had to set up camp! I set up the tent all by myself (the kiddo "supervised" ha ha!), and I only had to look at the directions one time! We set up our tent on the deck because I was paranoid about bugs getting in (I'm sure I really had nothing to worry about though)! We didn't have sleeping mats so we laid down the cushions from the patio furniture inside, it was actually pretty comfy!

After all the hard work of setting up the tent, there was a rumbly in our tummies! Camping makes you hungry! We built a fire so we could cook some dinner! (FYI the insides of old washing machines make fantastic fire pits!)

Though I didn't catch my own dinner, I did buy it at the grocery store. We cooked up some pork chops and fresh grown veggies from the garden in true camping fashion. We wrapped them up in foil and let the campfire do the rest.

After Dinner comes...Dessert! There is no other dessert to have while camping other than S'mores! So of course we had some and then S'more! ( I don't know if you can tell by the picture but we got the extra large marshmallows. They were gianormous!!

(If you don't have access to a fire pit or fireplace to roast your marshmallows, set up some candles and create a makeshift camp fire, it's still great fun and works good for s'mores!)

While we were sitting there watching the fire, my daughter says,"Hey Mom, shouldn't we sing a song, or tell a story or something?!" I told her I didn't have any stories so we could sing a song if she wanted. She then stated that she didn't know what song to sing, so I busted out with a bad rendition of KumBaYah ( I thought it was a great campfire song), but she looked at me like I was a weirdo! After a few more s'mores we decided to go to bed, lets face it we were both pretty excited to sleep in the tent!!

We got all snuggled in and then giggled and chatted for a while about the happenings of the day. We drifted off to sleep underneath the stars (they're really Christmas lights that are in the tree above us, we're in the city so there really aren't too many stars to see!) It was a great camp out and we both enjoyed our time together! There is something about camping that is magical and mysterious, no matter if you're in the middle of the woods, your backyard, or even in your living room!

(Even if your kids have started school, it's still technically summer! Take advantage of the great weather and do a weekend backyard campout!)

HAVE FUN CAMPERS!

~Sonya

A Time For Everything

    Lately, I’ve been feeling a little stressed out! Sometimes being a single parent can be a bit overwhelming! Even with the incredible support system my family provides for me, I often think about how much easier things would be if I had another half. I wish I had a husband to financially/emotionally/mentally support me so that I could be a housewife/mommy all day long! I am constantly being updated via facebook and twitter of all these amazing moms and the numerous amazing things they do on a daily basis.

For example: "Today I went to the grocery store, cleaned the house, completed the laundry, landscaped the yard, wrestled an alligator, and knitted an afghan for all five of my children's beds, oh and we did two full days of school in half the time it normally takes us”. I then sit back and wonder where do they find the time to do these awesome things??  I certainly feel I miss out on doing a lot of cool things with my daughter in the 8 hours I spend at work everyday. I sometimes feel that our weekend is just time to catch up on all the day to day chores we get behind on the rest of the week. By the time it's all said and done....not one alligator is wrestled, and well that’s just not cool! Weekends, especially summer ones, should be a time to relax and enjoy your family, and by all means have some fun!

    
With that being said, I guess it’s all about time management and prioritizing.  This really got me thinking about the things I put an emphasis on in my life. Of course work is a big priority. I need to work to take care of my daughter and myself. Another big one is tae kwon do (my daughter is a black belt!); we spend lots of hours there every week. I also have school (I started again this last term). I look at this list and I wonder if I’m prioritizing the right things. These are very important things and I definitely will not take them off my list, however, I feel my list is lacking and needs to be added to. As a mom I am generally with my child all the time (aside from work),so, why is it that I feel like our time to enjoy each other is the time that’s left after everything else is already completed; the time when we’re both tired and grumpy and just ready for bed, not really when we’re at our best.  I recently read a poll that said, men and women on average spend 5 hrs a day engaged in leisure activities, 2 of those hours being consumed by watching television. Now, I’m not a big television watcher (I usually watch maybe an hour a week), but I am on the computer quite often. If I cut computer time each day I could then replace it with time that I spend solely with my daughter.  We could do whatever: read, watch a movie, talk, knit an afghan, or even wrestle an alligator! Now this is just an example of how we think our time is full up, but really we’re just not filling it with the right things. Take a conscious look at what you fill your time with, and I bet you will be surprised at how much of it is taken up by meaningless and mundane things.

     The Bible tells us in Ecclesiastes 3 that, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:”  Sometimes it may not feel like there is enough time to be the “Super Mom”, but there is always enough time, its just how you choose to spend it! J

~Sonya

What are some ways that you find time to fit it all in?

Make It Monday!

It's Monday and for us this Monday starts Vacation Bible School! Since the kids have a packed dinner for VBS, I decided to make dinner for lunch today and share what we made!

We call it: Buttery/cheesy noodles!

And my kids LOVE it! Sometimes it's hard to get them to eat whole wheat pasta, but when I prepare it this way they ask for MORE!

I used a box of whole wheat Rotini pasta. Cooked according to package directions and drained well.

Added: about 1/4 cup of margarine (or butter), few dashes of salt and Parmesan cheese to taste! At other times I have also added shredded chicken, cooked peas or other veggies or any other leftovers I have in the fridge!

My kids LOVE it and they now have full bellies before we head out for an evening of too much fun!!

I hope your family enjoys this quick and simple recipe you can Make on Monday!!

~Alicia

Summer Fun (And yummies!!)

Hi Everyone!
 Sorry our posts have been so few and far between! Too much Summer, I guess!!

I made the most amazing (and fun) dessert for 4th of July and just had to share! I will admit, I was inspired by a recipe in the Food Network Magazine, but in typical "me" form, I massively altered the recipe! Here it goes! I hope you enjoy it!!

S'Mores Ice Cream Sandwiches

You will need:

Graham Crackers
Marshmallow cream
Nutella
Chocolate Ice cream
Ice cream scoop
Foil or heavy plastic wrap

How to make 'em:

Break graham cracker sheet in half like you would for a s'more.

Spread a couple teaspoons of Nutella on one half and a couple teaspoons of marshmallow cream on the other half.

Put a small scoop of chocolate ice cream on one half.

Top with other half and slightly squish (it works best if the ice cream is a little soft).

Wrap with foil or plastic wrap and freeze at least one hour or overnight.

ENJOY!!!

These were a huge hit with my family on 4th of July and we can NOT wait to enjoy them again!!

Let me know what you think and if your family enjoyed them!!!

God Bless America

In honor of Independence day, I thought I would post some great words from some great men! It is of my opinion that The United States of America would not be the country it is had it not been formed under Godly principles. It is the adopted thought now that there should be separation of church and state, but when we look at the words of our founding fathers and of those who helped mold our country, it is clear that this was never their intent. As a proud American it is my sincerest prayer that our nation will get back to these moral/Biblical principles.  (If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 2Chronicles 7:14)

"It is religion and morality alone which can establish the principles upon which freedom can securely stand. The only foundation of a free constitution is pure virtue." ~John Adams

"I have lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth, that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid? We have been assured, Sir, in the Sacred Writings, that "except the Lord build the House, they labor in vain that build it." I firmly believe this; and I also believe that without His concurring aid we shall succeed in this political building no better, than the Builders of Babel: We shall be divided by our partial local interests; our projects will be confounded, and we ourselves shall become a reproach and bye word down to future ages. And what is worse, mankind may hereafter from this unfortunate instance, despair of establishing governments by human wisdom and leave it to chance, war and conquest.

I therefore beg leave to move that henceforth prayers imploring the assistance of Heaven, and its blessings on our deliberations be held in this Assembly every morning before we proceed to business, and that one or more of the clergy of this city be requested to officiate in that service." ~ Benjamin Franklin

 

"Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of patriotism who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of man and citizens. The mere politician, equally with the pious man, ought to respect and to cherish them. A volume could not trace all their connexions with private and public felicity. Let it simply be asked, Where is the security for property, for reputation, for life, if the sense of religious obligation desert the oaths, which are the instruments of investigation in Courts of Justice?

And let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion. Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle. It is substantially true, that virtue or morality is a necessary spring of popular government. The rule, indeed, extends with more or less force to every species of free government. Who, that is a sincere friend to it, can look with indifference upon attempts to shake the foundation of the fabric?" ~ George Washington

For more on what our founding fathers had to say about our nation visit www.wallbuilders.com !

I wish you all a safe and happy 4th of July!!!

~Sonya

Going On A Fairy Hunt

Our first summertime fun activity is all about fairies, or at least their houses! (I know it sounds girly, but trust me even boys get into this one!)  One of our favorite things to do is building fairy houses.  Now in case you don't know what a fairy house is, it is a small structure for fairies and friends of nature to come and visit. Fairy houses are made out of things only from nature.
A fairy house is kind of like a real house, its all about location, location, location. Take a nature walk around the yard or the park and find the perfect spot to build your fairy house. Some things to keep in mind when searching for the perfect location: shade, water and food source, etc.

We found this puddle of water by a leaky sprinkler in the yard. Looks like a perfect swimming hole for fairies to me!

The leaky sprinkler head just happened to be by this collection of toadstools! What luck!! I'd say we've found our perfect building location!

 While on your search for the best real estate in all the land, keep your eyes open for things that you can build your fairy house with. Remember, fairy houses can only be built with things from nature! Things to look for would be: bark, flowers, rocks, wood chips, leaves, snail shells, feathers, sticks, seeds, etc. Also, be on the lookout for other fairy houses! There could very well be fairies living in the area already, and you just didn't know it! (If you have time it might even be fun to go out before you involve your kids and make a few simple fairy homes throughout the yard, this way they'll find actual fairy homes; this gets them really excited! Trust me! ha ha!)

We picked these fresh berries from the garden so that our fairies could have something to snack on after they went swimming!

These are some items that we've gathered! Look we actually found a a piece of bark that looks just like a door! OK, OK not really! My Uncle made this door and it was just too cute to resist using it for our house!

We did find a piece of bark that had a heart shaped fairy house window though!

After you have found your ideal building spot and gathered all your materials, its time to get to building! There is no specific blueprint to follow, just your imagination to guide you!

The finished product! Looks like a fairy dream house to me! I wonder if any fairies will visit tonight?

The best part about this afternoon?! We created a wonderland in our everyday surroundings, and it didn't cost me a penny! OK, that's just a bonus! The real best part is being able to spend time with my daughter; exploring and creating  something together. That's the good stuff!

                                    

When you're finished don't forget to take a picture with your fairy house!

  (We would love to see your fairy house, email us at raspberrycordialmusings@gmail.com)

I hope you have a great time! If you would like additional ideas and perhaps even a book to go with your fairy house building endeavor check out www.fairyhouses.com .