A Toaster Oven Fire Story

I took a walk in memory lane the other day when I was using my toaster oven to warm up a piece of pizza for lunch: way back, 20 years to be exact. I started thinking about the time my cute little two year old daughter almost set my entire house on fire - with a toaster oven.

Homemade Pizza Night

Today, September 22nd, is Family Day. What a great day to celebrate! Spend time in the kitchen tonight making homemade pizza together. Then, gather around the table, eat pizza, sip on soda and play games. I can't think of a better way to spend the evening. Here is my famous (at least with my family and friends) pizza crust. Have a great night with the family!

Fall Centerpiece

I love it when September hits and I can pull out the fall decorations. It's one of my favorite times of year. When I went to the farmers market this week I was excited to finally see the pumpkins. I always enjoy coming up with fun things to do with the small sugar pumpkins and this year I put together a simple centerpiece for my table. It was super quick to make and looks great.

Mini-Berry Pies

One of the joys of living in the Pacific Northwest is the bounty of berries we have here. Blackberries are EVERYWHERE and with a short hike you can have your hearts content with wild blueberries and huckleberries. With that comes pie of course! With just the hubby and I at home we don't need a full pie so I wanted to make it a little smaller and a lot healthier. These little mini pies fit the bill perfectly on both fronts.

FREE Lunchbox Printables

I love putting little notes into lunchboxes for someone to find halfway through their day. I think it really helps to brighten an afternoon to know that you are being thought of and that someone has your back. I have taken the time to make up a handful of printable lunch notes that you can use. Just print them up, cut them out and put them in everyone's lunchboxes. You will put a smile on their faces and make them feel loved.

Have A Cooking Day With The Kids

Saturday, September 13th, is "Kids Take Over The Kitchen" day. This is an awesome opportunity for kids to get their hands dirty and learn from start to finish what goes into preparing a meal. There are several reasons why getting your kids into the kitchen is a great idea, and I go over the most important (in my opinion). So, get out the aprons and let the kids do the cooking this weekend.

5 Tips to Creating Healthy Homework Habits

Homework. It's such an ugly word. I hated homework as a kid, and as an adult helping my kids, it wasn't much better. I finally got my kids graduated, and what did I do? Go back to school! So, I finally finished helping my kids with their homework and had to move into doing my own. Nothing can make homework fun and exciting, but there are a few tips that definitely make it easier. Here are my top five tips I have learned work well,  with helping my kids to doing my own.

Take A One Day Road Trip

Yesterday was a sunny Sunday with nothing on the books. We decided it was the perfect day to grab our son and his wife and head out for a little day trip. We packed the car with road snacks and headed out for an adventure and had a GREAT time! Taking a road trip in the area you live in could just be the ticket your family needs for a day of fun together.

Banana Note

I'm a big one for leaving little notes for people to find. I hide them in bedrooms, backpacks and lunches on occasion to let them know I am thinking of them, and hopefully brighten their days a little. When I saw this idea I thought it was genius. I just used fork tong to write a little message onto a banana and by lunch time it had browned enough to read plainly - but it doesn't damage the banana in the slightest.  What an awesome way to slip a note into the lunchbox!

Home Canned Dill Pickle Relish

We have had a great summer here in the Seattle area, which has made me and my garden extremely happy. At the moment however, I have zucchini and cucumbers overflowing the veggie bin and I have been working hard to keep it from spoiling (you can eat only so many cucumbers!). If you have always wanted to try canning, but have been intimidated by the complicated equipment and long list of directions, relish is a good starter. It's easy and you can use what you already have in your kitchen.