Our Little Girls are Getting Bigger . . .

Last week, we celebrated a fourth and sixth birthday. 

How did we go from this:

to this:

And this curly-haired little girl:

to this big girl?

We celebrated with an ice cream bar with lots of yummy toppings.

They were thrilled to open a few presents.

And I spent the day thinking about how the days are long but the years fly by  . . . .

Happy big girl birthday to our Bubbles and Mar-bear!

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Links I Like This Week, #5

We had a great week celebrating a 4th and 6th birthday!  Hope you had a great one! Here are some links I liked this week:

Salad Bar Bento by beneficial bento.

I made this for our 4 year old's birthday this week - whole wheat buttermilk chocolate cake with chocolate fudge frosting.  We did cupcakes :)  I also made my own powdered sugar with sucanat.

Pretty free downloadable canning labels.

Maple Cream Cheese Spread by Easy Natural Food.

Zucchini Corn Bread by Traditional Foods.

Make Your Own Yogurt, A Comparison of Methods by Stitching Hearts Together.

Preschool Activities from Your Kitchen by Green Our Way.


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Herbed Lemon Parmesan Pasta

Like moms everywhere, I sometimes find that it is 5:00 p.m. and I have no idea what I am making for dinner.   I love to have a well-stocked pantry with a few easy go-to meals for days like this. Herbed lemon parmesan pasta is a great change of pace from the typical pasta and tomato sauce.  The best part of this dinner is that there is no recipe needed.
First, cook pasta according to the directions.  We love orecchiette.  I really holds the sauce well.

I shred some parmesan cheese. Okay, lot of cheese because . . . we love cheese.   And, I juice 2-3 lemons.

I pick some parsley from my little container garden.

I mix about 3/4 - 1 cup olive oil with some shredded parm, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir the sauce into the cooked pasta and you have a perfectly light summer dinner.  Serve with a salad and your done!

To be economical, I like to save the lemon rinds to make homemade cleaning products.  I will post these recipes soon!

What is your favorite its-5:00p.m-and-I -have-no-idea-what's-for-dinner idea?

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Links I Like This Week, #4

I hope you had a wonderful 4th of July! Here are some links that I liked this week:

 Beef:  From Field To Freezer, a How-to-Buy a Cow Guide by Kitchen Stewardship

25 Magical Things to Make With Coconut Oil by Revitalise your Health

Coconut Black Bean Brownies by Nature's Nurture.  I have made black bean brownies with great success in the past.  These look good, too.  I would use rapadura in lieu of sugar :)

Mosquitoes love me, therefore, I need to Learn How to Treat Bug Bites Naturally by Keeper of the Home.  And this may help to  . . . Homemade Bug Repellent by Little House on the Prairie Living.

I'd love to win a cuppow! How awesome are they?

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Have you tried Shrub? You should!

We try very hard to eat as locally as we can.  Recently, a friend introduced me to Tait Farms Fruit Shrub.

I was immediately turned off by the name.  Then she told me the ingredients were fruit, white vinegar and organic sugar.

Wow, was I wrong!  Mix 1- 2 tbsp. of shrub with ice and sparkling water and you have a very refreshing drink on these hot, summer days! Not too sweet or tart . . . just right!

My husbands loves to run and swears by shrub after a workout.  My girls start cross country practice next week so I will definitely be making it for them, too!

I love to add a splash of fresh lemon or lime.  Some other uses . . . drizzled over fruit salad or blended with cream cheese.  Yum! 

Do you eat fresh, eat local?

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Happy 4th of July!

We spent the morning cheering Daddy on in his 5K

Now on to some grilling, swimming, and fireworks!

Happy 4th of July!

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Links I Like This Week, #3

No Cook Strawberry Freezer Jam with Raw Honey from Pairie Homestead

A Picture Book of the Mass, Illustrated by the Masters by Catholic Icing

Homemade Taquitos by Naturally Knocked Up.  I made homemade whole wheat tortillas this week - what a great way to use them!

Time Management for Busy Moms from Intigrated Catholic Life

Host a canning party with printables by Cottage Industrialist.

I hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend!


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