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Post by Rachel Paxton:
Eight Time-Saving Cooking Tips
Written on October 6th, 2008 | 0 Comments1. Plan meals at least a week in advance to incorporate the use of leftovers. For example, have baked chicken, mashed potatoes, and gravy for dinner Sunday, and then use the leftover gravy as the base of beef stroganoff Monday. Full Article
Scheduling Quiet Time
Written on September 20th, 2008 | 0 CommentsScheduling quiet time isn’t easy for busy moms. I find that a lot of the time I don’t even have the time to sit down and schedule my quiet time. Sound familiar? Full Article
The Heart of a Humble Parent
Written on September 20th, 2008 | 0 CommentsDo you ever talk to your children about your failings? About your sometimes unenlightened decisions? I was raised with a distorted view that life is just something that happens to you, and not a reality that is formed, in part, by your everyday decisions. Full Article
A Child Can Make a Difference
Written on September 20th, 2008 | 0 CommentsSometimes dreams really can come true! May 8th – 11th, 2000, my daughter and I traveled to Disney World in Orlando, Florida, because of a dream my daughter, Amanda, has to make a difference in this world. Amanda (then a 6th grader) entered McDonald’s Millennium Dreamer contest and told them about her contributions to the humane society and her dream of making the world a better place for animals. Amanda’s dream is to help homeless pets find homes, and she makes this dream a reality by writing a newsletter and donating all her profits to the humane society. Her entry won her and a parent an all-expenses-paid trip to Disney World to meet with other Millennium Dreamers from all over the world. 2,000 kids were chosen in all–1,000 from the U.S., and 1,000 from 90 other countries. The kids’ accomplishments were recognized in an awards ceremony where Christopher Reeves and the CEO of McDonald’s corporation were among the key note speakers. Each congratulated the kids on all they have done and encouraged them to continue their efforts, emphasizing the fact that their contributions are the key to our future. One of the most exciting parts of the trip was trading pins with the kids from other countries. Amanda came home with pins from Germany, South Africa, Israel, Korea, U.K., and Indonesia, just to name a few. The kids were given free passes to all the theme parks and treated to firework shows, parties, and lots of other entertainment. It was quite an event! Fun as well as inspirational. Full Article
Time Management for Kids
Written on September 20th, 2008 | 0 CommentsDo you ever feel like there’s not enough time in the day? You’ve just realized it’s time for bed, and you still haven’t accomplished all you set out to do today? Full Article
Timely Thank-You’s
Written on September 20th, 2008 | 0 CommentsWhen I was growing up there was an unwritten rule at our house: “Thou shalt write thank you notes.” And in a timely manner. You could beg, plead, and hope mom would forget, but she never did. Full Article
The Giving Jar
Written on September 20th, 2008 | 0 CommentsGiving with a happy heart. If you teach a child to give with a happy heart you will raise a child who will never hesitate to lend a helping hand. Children enjoy helping others, especially if they see their parents doing the same. When a child’s basic physical and emotional needs are met, they are willing to share almost anything they have with someone in need. Full Article
Helping a Child Overcome a Fear of Dogs
Written on September 20th, 2008 | 0 CommentsIt seems inevitable that at one time or another a child will have
an unpleasant run-in with a dog. When my twin boys were about 18
months old, their first encounter with a dog was not pleasant for
them. The dog was fairly small, but very energetic and ran
straight over to them and started jumping up on them. After that
experience it was months before they could even look at another
dog again. Full Article
Buying in Bulk
Written on September 20th, 2008 | 0 CommentsShoppers have enjoyed the convenience of buying in bulk for a number of years. My own bulk buying experiences have been hit and miss at best, but I recently discovered just how convenient buying in bulk can be. Full Article
Five Secrets to Making Better Cookies
Written on September 20th, 2008 | 0 Comments- Make sure your cookie sheets aren’t too thin. The heavier your cookie sheet, the less likely your cookies are to burn. If you can’t afford heavy-duty cookie sheets, you can cover your thin ones with layers of aluminum foil. Full Article
Converting Recipes to Lowfat
Written on September 20th, 2008 | 0 CommentsThe fat content in recipes can be reduced in a variety of ways: Full Article
Freezing Homemade Baby Food
Written on September 20th, 2008 | 0 CommentsWith our twin boys getting ready to start solid food, I have been reading about making and freezing my own baby food. It is very easy! Full Article
Hearty Homemade Soups for Babies and Toddlers
Written on September 20th, 2008 | 0 CommentsHearty soups make great meals for babies and toddlers. These
soups combine meat and vegetables into one easy meal, they are
inexpensive to make, and they freeze well for later meals. Full Article
Homemade Bread Sticks for Baby
Written on September 20th, 2008 | 0 CommentsIs your baby teething? Homemade bread sticks are easy to make
and are great teething biscuits for older babies. You can make
bread sticks out of most any kind of bread by baking at a low
temperature (150-200 degrees) for 15 to 20 minutes, or until
bread sticks are hard and crunchy. Full Article
How to Read to Your Baby
Written on September 20th, 2008 | 0 CommentsWhen my twin boys were born, I was very excited to read to them.
They had received a lot of neat books as gifts, and I was looking
forward to sharing their books with them. Full Article
Homemaking 101: Practice Makes Perfect
Written on September 20th, 2008 | 0 CommentsI recently paid a quarter for one of the most inspirational homemaking books I’ve yet to come across. Published in 1952 and written by Carolyn Coggins, it is called Successful Entertaining at Home. At first glance I thought this book was just a manual for teaching you how to host a successful dinner party, but at closer examination I saw that it was much more than that – it’s “a complete party book and homemaker’s manual all rolled into one.” Full Article
Black and White Themed Teen Bedroom Decorating Ideas
Written on September 20th, 2008 | 0 CommentsWhen we found out we were having twins, our teenage daughter volunteered to move into a smaller bedroom so that the twins could have the bigger one. It was definitely time to come up with a new bedroom theme! We also didn’t have much space to work with or a lot of money to spend. So when we moved her into the smaller bedroom, she decided to decorate with a black and white theme. Full Article
Heirloom Decorating
Written on September 20th, 2008 | 0 CommentsI love to surround myself with things from the past. To me “heirloom” doesn’t necessarily mean something really old, because memories are always in the making, and displaying a family keepsake can be treasured whether it’s from last year or fifty years ago. Full Article
Budget Bathroom Makeover Ideas
Written on September 20th, 2008 | 0 CommentsI recently gave my bathroom a complete makeover. It was much
easier than I expected, and only took a few days to complete.
For less than $200 I gave my bathroom a completely new look that
I love. Full Article
Floral Photos Brighten Spring and Summer Decor
Written on September 20th, 2008 | 0 CommentsDon’t you love the colors of spring and summer? Many flowers are
in full bloom, delighting the senses with their beauty and
fragrances. It always amazes me how quickly these seasons pass. Full Article
