Butterflies and Singers

It was difficult to get a good picture. This shot (on the right) was taken through the see-through top (I didn't want to risk losing any butterflies before our "release"). We had at least twenty butterflies. The red on the walls is not blood and is a normal occurrence during the transformation process. We took turns, allowing each child to release a butterfly. Very fun.

Painted Lady

Isaiah

A couple of months ago I got a "new" machine. Isn't is cool?? However I haven't sewn in about 15 years...not to mention that even when I did sew, I was not very skilled. I remember making my daughter a Pocahontas dress and accidentally sewing the arm holes shut. This is how good I am...or how good I'm not. So my new machine was very imitating. It's old and beautiful and I was terrified that I'd break it. When in need, share it with your facebook friends. Within an hour of posting a picture of my new Singer along with a HELP!, I had a taker. Gramma B. came to my rescue! Gramma B. is a dear friend who not only offered to give me some lessons but also brought cookies and a sewing project to work on. Gramma B., a seasoned and skilled seamstress, was a patient teacher. Thank you, my dear friend, for helping me!

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Stay-cation: Fun Things to Do Around Rochester, MN

Family vacations are expensive. Gas, lodging, meals...oh, and then there is the admission cost to all the cool things that you want to see. Vacations cost more than a small fortune. Now figure in the loss of income (some of us don't get paid vacations) and you've "broke the bank". Enter the stay-cation. Gas costs are reduced. Lodging is covered. Meals, although still necessary, can be made at home and packed in a cooler. This summer, instead of taking a week off, I am taking a couple long weekends. One weekend we will be traveling "Up North" to visit my husband's college buddy. Otherwise we're keeping our exploring near to home.

Another benefit to a stay-cation is a little extra time for home projects. I can keep up with the laundry, instead of having a week's worth of laundry to do when I return home. Isn't that the worst part of vacation - the accumulation of dirty clothes you have to wash after being away from home all week? Gardening can…

Homemade Facial Cleansing Pads

My son become a teenager last fall and has since had to battle with teenage acne. At first he seemed to wear it with pride. His acne was a sign for all to see that he had made a passage from boyhood to manhood. This "rite of passage" has grown old and has been replaced with another rite of passage. Vanity. He's willing to try all the acne products at Walmart despite the way his mother freaks out as she reads the labels. Not to mention the cost. Thus began my search for a natural, homemade acne treatment for my dear man-child.

Common sense told me to start with tea tree oil and witch hazel. Tea tree oil is antibacterial and witch hazel is a natural astringent. Both helpful in treating acne.

Ingredients:
Water
Witch Hazel
Tea Tree Oil
Cotton Rounds

Mix:
1 cup water
1/2 cup witch hazel
10 drops of tea tree oil

Place cotton rounds in a container (I happened to have a small glass jar that the rounds fit perfectly in!) and top with mixture.

Day 27 ~ Italian Meatloaf in a (Freezer) Bag

Making meals ahead of time saves time, energy and stress as I discussed onDay 12. This is another meal that I prepared a few weeks ago when I made ten meals for the freezer. This recipe won my families approval so I can now share it with you! :) In a freezer bag combine: 2 lbs of ground beef (or turkey if you wish), 1/4 cup oatmeal, 2 T. Wildtree* Hearty Spaghetti Blend, 2 T. Wildtree*Rancher Steak Rub, 2 eggs. Now here's the fun part. Squish it all up to distribute the herbs into the meat. Label the bag and store in the freezer. Easy. Gathering supplies (if already on hand) and assembling this meal takes less then 15 minutes. The hard part is remembering ahead of time to take the meatloaf out of the freezer to thaw in the refrigerator overnight. This is where sticky notes on the refrigerator come in handy. When ready to bake, form into a loaf and bake for 50-55 minutes. Add marinara sauce during last 10-15 minutes of baking.
While baking the meatloaf prepare the "topping&qu…

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