Gypsy Bandanas is currently is having a huge winter sale:  

Ponchos, headbands, & bandanas are buy one get one 50% off!

Head on over to Gypsy Bandana site to complete your holiday shopping-

 CLICK HERE  to visit gypsybandanas.com

Around Here....

We have been enjoying time together outdoors on the weekends on the slopes at Giant's Ridge.  We are enjoying alpine skiing, snowboarding - and - this mama's new style: telemark skiing.

Zoe and I are spending time on the nordic trails as well.   We are having a lot of fun together and it is good for everyone to get away from the responsibilities of home and have a weekend day of fun.

Around Here....

It certainly feels like December in kindergarten!   There is lots of energy and excitement.   In December I like to pull out some of my favorite projects and activities to share with the kids.   We are in the process of  hand sewing project with felt and buttons. This week my kids completed a winter birds project (I get a lot of inspiration from Patty Palmer's Deep Space Sparkle site) .   The Kindness Elves have also been visiting our classroom, this week the kids were inspired to make Christmas cards for residents of our local nursing home.   (I love this alternative to the elf on the shelf idea.)  

Around Here.....

James is continuing to make great progress on our sauna building.   We now have an installed stove, a sheet rocked wall and a door!   

Around Here...

The nordic ski season has begun!  Our daughter competed in her first meet this past week and did great.   We are excited to cheer her on at our first home meet next week!

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This act of sharing photographs and ramblings of our daily life is a practice in gratitude that brings me joy.

I encourage you to reflect on the good in your life.

What are you grateful for today?

Last week I shared some ramblings about my weekly chore and challenge of meal planning.   I know so many of you are in the same arena, trying to prepare nutritious weeknight meals that already before your kids fill up on after school snacks.  

My Sanity Saving Strategy for Weeknight Meals: Here's How

I had some good feedback from my last post, so I am going to continue to share my meal plan for the upcoming week so that you might get some inspirations - or better yet, maybe you can give me some good ideas!  (Thank you to those of you who posted comments or sent me an email last week!)

Here we go:

Monday:  Steak and Chicken Sheet Pan Fajitas with Spanish Rice

(inspired from Jo's comment on my last post and from this recipe feature that I wrote for Minnesota Parent magazine last April)

need:  peppers, tomatoes, cilantro, steak, Spanish rice mix

Tuesday:  Meatloaf Muffins,  Mashed Potatoes & Garden Green Beans

I am going to try an adaption of this highly rated recipe this week.  Using some of the herbs that I have dried and stored from our summer garden and some store bought pork/hamburger grind and some venison

need:   carrots, onion, pork/beef grind,  saltines, potatoes

Wednesday:   Pasta Bar

Twisting a recommendation for "pasta boats" from Jo's comment on my last post to a pasta bar idea.

need:  ham, mushrooms, bacon, broccoli, chicken, red sauce, alfredo sauce, broccoli, parmesan cheese, pesto, noodles

Thursday:   Crescent Bacon Breakfast Ring

Using up eggs is always a great option when we have laying hens.  I am going to try this recipe this week: https://www.jocooks.com/recipes/crescent-bacon-breakfast-ring/

I have a great go-t0 recipe for homemade crescent dough from this book that I will use for the dough.

need:  eggs, bacon, green onions, peppers, cheese, crescent dough

Friday:   Mini Sub Sandwiches

need:  Sarah Lee Center Cut Hoagie Rolls, lunch meat, cheese, lettuce, and extras

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I would love to hear what you are cooking too!  

Post a comment or shoot me an email.

Have a great week!

The December issue of Minnesota Parent Magazine is available throughout Minnesota and online now.


My ramblings in my School Days Column this month are about planning a girlfriend get-a-way.

This month I also wrote a recipe feature, highlighting a great, seasonal recipe for meatballs from the new cookbook Run Fast, Cook Fast, Eat Slow  for the "In the Kitchen" column.  Be sure to check it out!

Pick up a print copy, or read the full issue by clicking --> HERE.

Find the online link to my column---> HERE.

Find the online link to the Run Fast, Cook Fast, East Slow recipe feature----> HERE.

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If you like what you see, social media 'shares' are appreciated!

As always - thanks for reading!

James has been working hard and making great progress with our sauna building.   He recently finished paneling and sealing the ceiling (Aspen).   The walls and ceiling of the sauna are paneled with cedar.  The windows and doors are in and he has one wall of sheetrock up and another paneled with birch tongue and groove.   The sauna stove is also mounted.

My dad recently and completed and gifted us with this beautiful stained glass window (pictured above).  This will be such a special addition to our sauna building.

As you can see from the pictures, the building is already being used for waxing skis.   It is the perfect spot and we are excited about the potential of this new space on our homestead.

Meal planning is not my favorite thing to do.   

Our family eats a lot, more than the average anyway.   High metabolism combined with active, growing children make a chore out of planning and preparing enough food (without restocking at the grocery store several times a week).  

It is a daily challenge to prepare a nutritious meal that it is ready before my kids fill up on after school snacks.  I have shared some ramblings on this topic in this piece I wrote for mothering.com:

My Sanity Saving Strategy for Weeknight Meals: Here's How

I know you may be facing similar challenges so I thought I might as well start sharing a little bit about what I will be cooking at our house from week to week, so that you could get some inspiration - or better yet maybe you can give me some good ideas!

Here's what I am planning on cooking this week:

Monday:  Rice Bowls

brown rice, a can of chili beans, pan fried steak strips, lettuce, cilantro, guacamole, tomato, cheese & chips

Tuesday:  Burgers & Salad

frozen chicken burgers, frozen turkey burgers, buns, pickles, & green salad

Wednesday:   Pasta & Salad

rigatoni noodles, crumbled Italian sausage, parmesan cheese, garden pasta sauce, frozen breadsticks, & green salad

Thursday:   Fish Tacos

baked Alaskan cod fish, tortilla wraps, coleslaw, & tomatoes

Friday:   Fried Rice

brown rice, frozen peas and carrots, scrambled eggs, orange chicken, & cream cheese wontons

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I would love to hear what you are cooking too!  

Around here......

We have been on skis almost everyday.  Our daughter started practice with the nordic ski team and the boys and are also spending some time together on the trails after school.  

Our oldest son (11) tried skate skiing for the first time last Friday, he picked the technique up very quickly and is enjoying the speed associated with this style of skiing.  The other two younger boys are impressing me with their endurance, so we are already able to go a litter farther together.

The weekend held opportunity for some outings with more daylight.  It feels good to transition from running to skiing and too to have something different and fun with the change of the weather.

Around here...

Our family participated in a community Gifts that Give fair that was coordinated by our church.  At the event there were tables set up by various community groups where you could buy holiday gifts or make donations to support different programs in our community and others in need around the world.  It was great to have all of our children involved.

Around here....

My eldest two and I are back in the grove of guitar lessons.   The past several winters we have had Nick (pictured above) come to our home to share the gift of music with our family.   Now he is getting busier with his own musical career, performing at more and more venues with his band Van and the Free Candies.   Because of this, we had to go in a different direction for lessons.   To make it work best with our schedules we went with an online option:  GuitarTricks.com.   So far, it has been working for us.   And, this mama is participating as well!  I am developing finger calluses once again, practicing and learning new skills alongside my two oldest children.   We are trying to do a new lesson/activity once a week, with time to practice in between.  It is not quite the same as having Nick come into our home, but I am grateful for the time and experiences he shared with the kids and happy that we have found a way that works for us to move forward in developing our guitar skills.

 .......

This act of sharing photographs and ramblings of our daily life is a practice in gratitude that brings me joy.

I encourage you to reflect on the good in your life.

What are you grateful for today?

Winter weather is here!  Two boys and I found opportunity to go out for our first ski of the season this past weekend.   And, I went out with all three boys after school yesterday.  Our daughter started her first day of practice on the nordic ski team yesterday.    

These images highlight the afternoon darkness that is setting in this time of year, the sunset currently is around 4:30 and will continue to creep earlier until the winter solstice.   

We are bracing ourselves for a long winter, but we are ready with our gear and activities to get us through.

The November issue of Minnesota Parent Magazine is available throughout Minnesota and online now.

My ramblings in my School Days Column this month share my personal tips on proactive stress-management strategies to navigate holiday stress and the affects associated with long, dark winters.

This month I also wrote a recipe feature, highlighting a great, seasonal recipe for spiced cider from the cookbook Simple Green Meals by Jen Hansard  for the "In the Kitchen" column.  Be sure to check it out!

Pick up a print copy, or read the full issue by clicking --> HERE.

Find the online link to my column---> HERE.

Find the online link to the Simple Green Meals recipe feature----> HERE.

---------------------

If you like what you see, social media 'shares' are appreciated!

As always - thanks for reading!