Why Moms are Basically Superheroes

May 27, 2015 - Mama 2 Comments

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #V8EnergyBoost #CollectiveBias

Come on, moms, we do it all-- quick changes after baby spit up, mind control through redirection techniques, and the power of sonic hearing! Moms are essentially superheroes, with a whole list of incredible superpowers! What's your super power? #V8EnergyBoost #Ad

My son has gotten really into superheroes lately. Every time I ask what he wants to watch before bed, it’s always, always superheroes. And the other night when I was watching, I realized with all of the quick changes, invisibility, and super speed, Super Powers really aren’t that far removed from what being a mom is like. Moms, we’re basically superheroes, and I’m pretty sure our families don’t know our secret identity, but if you aren’t convinced, here are a few ways that moms are pretty much superheroes…

The $1 DIY Gift Box (And How to Create a Last-Minute Gift under $15!)

May 25, 2015May 28, 2015 - Mama 8 Comments

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #SendSmiles #CollectiveBias

Did you forget a birthday until the last minute, and now there's no room in your budget? Trust me, you've got this-- try this awesome $1 reusable gift box idea that is personalized to the recipient, and see ideas for last-minute gift giving under $15. Don't let a forgotten birthday get you down! #SendSmiles #Ad

I am the worst when it comes to birthdays. A few years ago, I thought I’d get better– I made this great birthday calendar of everyone’s birthdays and thought “I’ll never forget a card again!” However, instead of helping me remember the birthdays, it just made me realize I’d forgotten to plan for them. And what usually happened on the rare occasion I did remember, was that I didn’t really have a ton of room in the budget anyway. Then, I realized that planning for birthdays didn’t have to be that hard or that expensive if I kept some great gear on hand for birthdays (and if I could find some really affordable go-to gift options!)

Thick and Chunky Pasta Sauce (Or How To Use an Overload of Tomatoes!)

May 22, 2015January 13, 2017 - Mama Leave a comment

Have an overload of tomatoes from the garden? You'll love this thick and chunky sauce recipe that the whole family will enjoy! Try this pasta sauce and use those tomatoes from your garden!

It never fails. It seems like everyone I know with a garden starts the season with a tomato or two… and then suddenly? It’s an abundance. At the end of the growing season, my friends can’t give away their tomatoes fast enough! That’s why I’ve started looking for great ways to use that overwhelming amount of tomatoes from your garden to feed your family! If you saw, earlier in the week, I shared a great recipe for Spicy Tomato Ketchup. The ketchup recipe is one of my favorites, but since it just uses the juice of some boiled down tomatoes, you’re left with some pulp… and this is how to use it– in a chunky pasta sauce your family will LOVE!

Secret Recipe Spicy Ketchup

May 19, 2015January 13, 2017 - Mama 4 Comments

What's better than homemade ketchup? Homemade ketchup that is lip-tinglingly good! This spicy ketchup will set your mouth on fire in the best ways and make you crave more! Perfect companion to fries or burgers! You NEED this ketchup at your summer cookout!

So we’re big ketchup fans around here. Big ones. We are such ketchup fans, that about six months ago, my son even decided his name should be ketchup– and he refuses to go by much else. So, when we started going through the ketchup like crazy, I decided to dig out my old family recipe from my great grandmother, and make my own. But this ketchup held a lip-tingling secret… lots of spice! This spicy ketchup is the perfect pick for summer cook outs, but be warned, it bites back!

Just-Like-Freddy’s Fry Sauce and Seasoning

May 12, 2015January 3, 2017 - Mama 16 Comments

Oh, Freddy’s… if you haven’t been to Freddy’s, you are SO missing out. A steakburger and frozen custard chain started in Wichita, Kansas, Freddy’s has great food all around… but there’s one thing that they’re known for. Fry sauce. In fact, the first time my mom and brother went, they didn’t grab fry sauce from the counter, and an employee physically brought them some. My mother, a tried-and-true ketchup hater, was skeptical… but like everyone else, she quickly converted to the “fry sauce is basically tasty, tasty crack” camp. This stuff? It’s irresistible. And because our trips to Freddy’s were becoming all-to-frequent thanks to Fry Sauce, I had to do something… and by something, I mean learn to make it at home. Not only is it the perfect recipe for enjoying with family, but it’s also great for serving at cookouts– you’ll be the star of summer if you make this sauce for your summer party!

Coca-Cola, Cupcakes, and Crafting Party!

May 8, 2015January 13, 2017 - Mama Leave a comment

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #ShareYourSummer #CollectiveBias

We’ve all either been to one, been invited to one, or seen one (or fifty) on our Facebook newsfeeds… I’m talking those “corks and canvases” or “pints and portraits” or… whatever the spin on a whine and painting class is in your area. But here’s the deal. There is a much better option this summer for you to share with your friends– and it involves Coke, Cupcakes, and Crafts.

Microwave Coffee Cake

May 7, 2015January 13, 2017 - Mama 3 Comments

Need a last-minute idea for mother's day breakfast? Here's a great plan-- microwave coffee cake that takes less than 20 minutes, start-to-finish! It's delicious and easy, the perfect breakfast recipe or brunch recipe!

Mother’s Day is Sunday. Here’s a tip: don’t forget that Mother’s Day is Sunday! If you need a last-minute recipe idea, here’s one that will work really well for you– it’s coffee cake. But without any prep work. It literally takes minutes to prepare, and you bake it in the microwave! Because it’s quick and easy, you’ll be able to make this not just for mother’s day, but any time!

Recycled Regatta: How to Make Sailboats out of Recycled SunnyD Bottles

May 5, 2015May 5, 2015 - Mama 11 Comments

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone.
#WhereFunBegins #CollectiveBias

It's time to pull out the sails and have some summertime fun! If you're looking for a summer craft to add to your summer bucket list, or if you just need a boredom buster for your kids, they'll love these fun recycled DIY boats! #WhereFunBegins #ad

I am a huge fan of crafts made with supplies I pretty much have on hand. When my son says “I’m bored!” I like having a project available for him to do. Because of that, I tend to save things like bottles and straws in a bag in our pantry– they make the COOLEST homemade toys!

How to Get Kids to Do Chores (With Free Chore Chart!)

May 4, 2015May 4, 2015 - Mama 9 Comments

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #CleaningUntangled #CollectiveBias

Are your kids slobs? Are they fighting you on pitching in with the chores? Do you struggle to get organized because of the clutter, mess, and lack of family participation? You can get your family to help with chores, without a fight! Get some tips (and print a free chore chart) to get your family motivated to clean up! #CleaningUntangled #Ad

Why does it so often feel like it’s mom’s job to do all of the housework? And how many times have you asked your kids to make their bed, clean up their toys, and help out with cleaning, only to get a fight? It’s an absolute pain, and in our household, it was time to say Enough. Is. Enough. It actually isn’t hard to get kids to do their chores– without the fight. You just have to get a little bit creative.

Fresh Strawberry-Peach Pie

April 27, 2015April 10, 2017 - Mama 21 Comments

The links in this strawberry peach pie recipe may be affiliate links.

This strawberry peach pie is so heavenly... it's perfect for springtime! If you need a potluck dessert or the perfect spring pie, you'll love this-- fresh strawberries marry beautiful juicy peaches inside of a flaky crust, with just the right hint of sugar. You'll make this pie recipe again and again!

There’s a common theme happening when it comes to my favorite recipes. See, anyone who knows me well will know that my favorites all come from one common source. My favorite recipes are all from a box of recipes that my grandfather left me when he passed away. There are main courses and desserts, plus everything in between, and every time I pry through the box, I’m greeted by glimpses of flavors that my great grandparents so carefully placed on recipe cards. They’re the foods my grandparents enjoyed eating growing up, foods my mom enjoyed as a young child.

Whenever I stumble on a recipe that my great grandmothers penned, I just feel this call to make it. This is one of those recipes that I couldn’t wait to make, especially in the springtime. It’s a perfect, heavenly strawberry peach pie. Just the name of it made my mouth water, and the taste? Divine.

Mama Plus One

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