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Big Family Food and Fun: June 7-13, 2026

June 13, 2026 by Laura Leave a Comment

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Here’s our Big Family Food and Fun: June 7-13, 2026 post!

Big Family Food and Fun: June 7-13, 2026

Our Sunday started out with lots of sweet kids rubbing their eyes and stumbling into the kitchen for Breakfast Cookie Bars. I finished prepping for Sunday Lunch by cutting a watermelon and baking two loaves of Stir and Pour Bread. I love how easy that bread recipe is to put together with almost no effort.

After church, 30 of us gathered at our house for lunch.

We all worked together to put together a beautiful and super tasty Salad Bar with Grilled Chicken, Greens, Cucumbers, Peppers, Cheese, Onions, Tomatoes, Bacon, and Boiled Eggs. The loaves of Stir and Pour Bread plus Cantaloupe and Watermelon were a perfect way to round out the meal, plus Rice Krispie Treats for dessert.

I ducked out a little bit early while everyone finished eating and visiting and headed over to Eva’s parent’s house for a sweet little Baby Sprinkle. Eva’s mom, Paula, and Eva’s sister-in-law, Ashlyn, put together a lovely gathering as we get ready to welcome Baby Girl next month!

We all got to color pages for a little Alphabet Book that Ashlyn plans to laminate and put together for Baby. What a sweet idea!

I headed home afterward for the last hour of our Community Group time. The rest of the evening was spent wrangling kids outside and eating leftovers for dinner.

On Monday morning, we started another big week of summer day camps for the kids! Kiya, Bonus Buddy, and Anna got an early start out the door for full day camps. Matt took Brayden and Keith to York with him to finish one final job on our rental house before we sold it!

That left Acacia, Josie, Auggie, and me to hang out at home for ABA therapy that morning. I got some work done in the kitchen, and Auggie joined me when he was on “work breaks.” He helped me make Flourless Chocolate Banana Blender Muffins.

I made a double batch of Honey Sweetened Peanut Butter Cups for the fridge.

Then Auggie discovered one lone Mudball on the counter and decided it would be a good snack.

Acacia and Josie decided that they wanted a picnic during their snack time. So they took a blanket outside with Bagels, Apples, and Blueberries. The ABA therapists joined the fun!

That afternoon, Brayden went to an afternoon Rec Center Camp and Keith went to a Tennis Camp. Acacia and Josie got to a camp called “Twinkles” which was at their school and taught by their preschool teachers. They were so excited to be big kids going to camp like their siblings had been doing! Then Matt and I sat together in the quiet for two hours while Auggie napped and the kids were all enjoying their events.

For dinner that night, I stirred leftover Taco Meat into Hamburger Hashbrown Casserole and cooked in in a Crock Pot. We had it with Peas and Oranges.

We were on the run early on Tuesday as we got Kiya off to camp. Keith and Bonus Buddy were excited to start their a Soccer Bible Camp that morning! Anna and I had a therapy session, Josie and Auggie had ABA therapy, and by the end of the morning, I felt a bit overwhelmed by all of the therapy and running around we were doing! The mental load of figuring out all the logistics and details of each day was pretty intense. Plus, ongoing therapy for our kids means that we are working hard closely with therapists so that we can best parent these kiddos. So…phew. Mama felt tired by the end of the morning, and it was only Tuesday.

We fed the kids leftovers for lunch, then got four more kids headed out the door for camps for the afternoon.

Keith got himself decked out in a sun hat for Tennis Camp.

Matt and I sat together for a short time during the afternoon with coffee and enjoyed relaxing and visiting. Our goal for this week was to enjoy every afternoon together since all of the kids had plans every single day. We are so thankful to have this work out for them and for us!

I took Brayden and Kiya to our weekly Food Distribution that afternoon. Kiya was on “cooler duty.”

Brayden got to hand out food at a table station.

For dinner that night, we had a pan of Stick of Butter Rice with leftover Grilled Chicken and Salad.

That night, I put scoops of Lemon Yogurt onto a cookie sheet and froze it into Frozen Yogurt Bites for our breakfast the next day.

Wednesday, after dropping five kids off at various day camps, Brayden and I headed to Aldi. We needed fresh produce to get us through the next few days!

It was good for Brayden to shop with me as I was able to teach him a few lessons in good grocery shopping practices. We scored a couple of fun World Cup soccer balls in the “Aldi Aisle of Shame” – and I felt no shame. It’s World Cup season and our family can never have too many soccer balls.

Matt and I have a super cheap subscription to Panera sip club, so I surprised Brayden with a stop to pick up a Lemonade for him on our way home. He was very excited about this treat!

Back at home, Arrow had been dropped off and Pop had given him a snack.

All the kids were enjoying trampoline time and Arrow has declared himself to be one of the big kids, doing all the big kid activities.

At lunchtime, we ate Chicken Sandwiches and I baked a huge pan of Fudge Brownies for a birthday dinner that we were hosting for Asa that night.

Matt and I were able to get all the kids to their camps that afternoon, then sit together with coffee for a couple of hours. Then it was party time! Asa had turned 29 on Monday and this was the night we were all able to get together to celebrate. He invited his Heartlands Community Group to come join us, so altogether there were 27 of us gathered for a Nacho Bar and Brownies that night!

I set out a buffet with Chips, Taco Meat, and all the fixings and we had a feast!

Gatherings like this are my favorite. People everywhere, lots of chatting and laughing, kids running in and out…

This was a sweet scene in the living room with Justus, Hopelyn, and Josie.

After dinner, most everyone played outside. We were still having ABA therapy sessions that night, so we had four RBTs with us. We really appreciate how all of them go with the flow of our family life.

I loved how Hopelyn attached herself to Uncle Malachi’s hip. Here are Keith and Bonus Buddy attempting to kick our new soccer ball at the bricks of the house while avoiding windows. Oy.

Kelsey captured this precious scene with Acacia, Josie, Hopelyn, and Arrow on the steps. What precious babes!

Thursday morning was a great gift to us! Emma came and stayed home with kids and ABA therapists while Matt and I got kids to various camps (with Malachi’s help too as he ran two boys to a camp close to his work). Then, Matt and I went to Holmes Lake and just…sat. All the running and the therapy meetings and plans of the week were good, but also hard. Sitting and visiting while watching the water ripple provided much needed calm for my nervous system.

I smoked 24 BBQ Chicken Legs for dinner that night, made five boxes of Mac and Cheese, and made a big pan of Stir Fry Veggies. During ABA therapy sessions that night, Matt and I had a meeting with four of the kids’ BCBA, who is the main therapist in charge of their treatment plans. It’s intense, good, hard, and affirming to hear about the progress and big needs of our kids. We are so thankful for the diagnoses and resources God has provided and the care He continues to provide.

On Friday morning, I baked Crustless Cheesecakes and a double batch of Breakfast Cookie Bars.

Today was the kids’ final day of camps for the week. Josie had a dentist appointment in the midst of it all, so she and I had a one-on-one outing. After her appointment, we went to Hy-Vee for our WIC pick-up order.

After camps that day, there were several open houses that Matt and I tried to get to for the kids as they showcased all they’d been doing all week.

Back at home, I wrangled kids to shuck corn for dinner. Look how sweet these two minutes were, ha!

Acacia was my helper of the day and was excited to make a salad.

I warmed up leftover Roast Beef to serve with our Corn on the Cob, Salad, and Soccer-Shaped Pasta.

On Saturday morning, I made round one of Homemade Ice Cream for Sunday’s lunch the next day. (I made round two later that evening.)

I also baked a batch of Spinach Cupcakes.

Asa and Eva had planned a wonderful 2nd Birthday Party for Arrow at one of the coolest parks in town. But alas, it started to rain and threatened to storm all that morning. So they texted to ask about switching the party location to the Castle. Of course we were happy to do this! 34 people gathered in our home to celebrate Arrow, and we were so thankful for everyone’s flexibility with the plans!

Muffins rank very high on Arrow’s list of favorite foods. So Eva had organized a Muffin Brunch – and Arrow LOVED IT!

I love his delighted face here!

The party was a great success! The sun started to shine afterward, so we loaded our kids up for a big outing. First, we went to Chick fil a and Dairy Queen because we had free meal coupons. Then we took our food to a park for a special picnic lunch.

Keith and Bonus Buddy had brought tennis rackets and a ball, so naturally we played baseball after lunch. (No, that wasn’t a typo.) :) :) :)

It was actually a pretty fun park outing and we were able to stay and play for quite a while! Right next door was the Dairy Queen where we’d used the lunch coupons – and we just so happened to have Dilly Bar freebie coupons also. So we took eight hot, thirsty kids into DQ for eight waters and eight Dilly Bars. It was a great treat!

Back at home, we played outside, ate leftovers for dinner, got baths, and tucked everyone in for the night.

And that was our week!

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Big Family Food and Fun: May 31-June 6, 2026

June 6, 2026 by Laura 2 Comments

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Here’s our Big Family Food and Fun: May 31-June 6, 2026 post!

Big Family Food and Fun: May 31-June 6, 2026

Of course we started our Sunday with a plate of Breakfast Cookie Bars. Routine and predictability is best for our kids. And it helps my brain, too, so I don’t have to think as hard about every single meal and detail of the day. :)

There were 27 of us gathered at lunchtime that day after church.

We set out a Burrito Bar with Salsa Chicken, Taco Meat, Stick of Butter Rice, Beans, Tomatoes, Spinach, Cheese, Sour Cream, Guacamole, Salsa, Chips, and Fresh Fruit.

The food and fellowship was beautiful. And look at Eva’s wonderfully beautiful baby bump! :) :) :) Only a few more weeks before we get to meet that sweet baby girl!

Christina had brought a big bucket of sidewalk chalk and all the kids took full advantage after lunch.

Matt and I enjoyed Community Group time that afternoon. We had a Facetime call with Elias and Malorie that evening. It was so good to see their faces and catch up with them! I made two pans of Taquitos for dinner and we ate more fresh fruit. Then we hung out outside until bedtime.

Monday morning’s parenting challenges started very early when at 5:45 this dear one met me in the living room where I was trying to enjoy a few minutes of quiet Bible and prayer time. She had snuck gum the night before and learned the hard way what happens when we chew gum as we are falling asleep. Peanut butter to the rescue. :/

The rest of the day was full of VBS, camps, a new friend moving into our house, and ABA therapy – so I only got one more picture that day. I made a last minute, super quick dinner of Tuna Salad and set out spinach, carrots, peppers, tomatoes, blueberries, pickles, chips, and guacamole for people to choose from as they made their plate.

On Tuesday morning, we ate Sausage Links and Peanut Butter Honey Rice Krispie Bars as we got ready to head out to VBS and Camps.

Everyone took turns scrubbing potatoes for dinner.

We put them in to slow cook all day to turn into Crock Pot Backed Potatoes.

I remembered to get a VBS picture that morning before I dropped off the girls!

It’s a great crew!

Back at home, I baked a batch of Crustless Cheesecakes for snacks.

Keith needed a camp break to calm his nervous system. So he stayed home that afternoon and helped me make Parfait for dinner.

We had a popsicle to cool off that afternoon.

For dinner that night, we had Crock Pot Backed Potatoes with leftover Taco Meat and toppings plus Strawberry Parfaits!

Wednesday morning, I made a blender full of this Smoothie. I make this several times each week, but every once in a while I feel like taking time to snap a picture of it. This right here is a great way to eat salad…

I scrambled a dozen eggs for the kids, which they ate with Nutella Oat Bars.

Arrow hung out with us all morning!

Kiya was supposed to go to a Volleyball Clinic this week, but at the last minute we learned that it had been cancelled. We were so disappointed! To provide something structured and fun for her, I opened up my Kids Cooking Camp for her to enjoy this week. On this particular day, I told her to look through all the listed recipe links to make both a snack and something for lunch for everyone. She LOVED this!

She chose to make Strawberry Cream Muffins for a snack and got right to work. She made these with almost no help from me. I loved watching her be independent and capable with a recipe!

While the muffins were baking, she chose to make Pizza Boats for lunch. We didn’t have any French or Italian bread, so she used hamburger buns instead.

She made 15 little Pizza Boats – and look how pretty her Strawberry Cream Muffins turned out!

When the other kids got home from VBS and camp, they all dug in to the boats, muffins, plus a package of grapes. They were a big hit!

Dinner that night was chopped Grilled Chicken, Caesar Salad, and Oranges. The chicken stirred into the salad was super good and a perfect summer evening meal!

On Thursday morning, I made French Toast and Sausage before we got three kids to VBS and three kids to two different camps.

I used the morning to stock up at Costco. I got lots of fresh produce, super cheap pork loin, frozen pizza, yogurt, cream, butter, tuna, bacon bits, 100% juice popsicles, kombucha, protein bars, cream cheese, and chips.

Matt was at home with Kiya and Auggie. This picture shows Kiya’s feet and her chalk drawing of Auggie. :)

That afternoon, five kids went to an Art Camp, Auggie napped, and Acacia and Josie got to go to Eva’s for the afternoon. This provided Matt and me a few hours to ourselves to rest and regroup! Eva later sent us these pictures sharing all the fun activities the girls enjoyed, including painting nails and using water squirters.

Look at Arrow enjoying all the fun with the big kids!

We had Hamburgers and Hotdogs for dinner that night with Berries, Cucumbers, and Carrots.

I made a Spinach Cake for a bedtime snack.

After we got six out of eight kids to VBS or camps on Friday morning, Kiya helped me make 20 Uncrustables for an outing on Saturday.

We had just finished when our friend Paula showed up with a trunk full of grocery items for us to put in our Little Free Pantry.

Kiya was a great helper taking food in with Paula while I took some directly to the outside pantry for our neighbors.

As soon as we got the groceries unloaded, Kiya and I headed to the finale of Brayden’s Choir Camp to enjoy their performance.

His friend, Clara, took part in this camp too and she and Brayden got to be in the same small group!

Next, we drove over to Anna, Acacia, and Josie’s VBS where we enjoyed their Friday program.

Do you see the little girls there on the left in the photo? Their mom didn’t get the memo that everyone was to wear their yellow VBS shirts. Honestly, their mom was just glad that they made it to VBS that day wearing…shirts. Any shirts. This alone was a win. ;)

That evening, I made Spaghetti with Green Beans, Corn, and Cantaloupe.

We had a very big day on Saturday and loaded up to leave for York at 7:30 in the morning. After an important meeting, we took advantage of being in York and met up with some of our kids’ extended biological family. We hung out together at one of the parks we used to love when we lived there. I had packed a picnic for all of us with the Uncrustables that Kiya had helped me make the day before plus grapes, apples, applesauce, oranges, popcorn, veggie straws, cheese, and cold drinks. We enjoyed our picnic and played more before heading home.

When we got back to Lincoln, we sent Brayden off to a pool party with Heartlands Youth Group. Then the rest of us changed and headed to the Splash Park.

Eva and Kelsey met us there with their babies. It’s pretty awesome to watch the two mommies teamwork together – Kelsey helping with Arrow and Eva helping with Hopelyn. And both of them helping with our kids. :)

We came home to enjoy a Roast that I’d started in the slow cooker early in the morning before we started our big day. I warmed up Mashed Potatoes from Costco, Fried Zucchini and got out Fruit. It was a great meal to end our day!

And that was our week!

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Big Family Food and Fun: May 24-30, 2026

May 30, 2026 by Laura 3 Comments

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Here’s our Big Family Food and Fun: May 24-30, 2026 post!

We enjoy a Sabbath rest from Saturday evening through Sunday evening – so I turn off my computer on Saturday afternoons and miss posting some of these pictures. I’ll catch up on our last Saturday activities before launching into our new week!

May 23

Late afternoon, we headed out of town to our friend’s property. They had invited us to enjoy their cabin in the woods. This evening turned out to be amazing! We started with a tour of their place…

Everyone took turns sitting on the tractor.

Asa’s and Justus’ families met us out there, and Don and Rochelle fed us a perfect meal of Fried Chicken, Fruit, Carrots, and Chips.

The atmosphere was so incredibly peaceful that our kids all sat and ate. Therefore, I GOT TO SIT AND EAT. This is no small thing. I got to enjoy my food, sitting outdoors in my happy place. I was so grateful for this gift!

Mr. Don took everyone on a tractor ride!

Brayden was too big for a tractor ride – so he got to drive! He was so proud, and so were we!

Awww, look how sweeeeeeet!

We ended the night by making smores. Then we headed home for baths with some very happy, tired kids. :)

Big Family Food and Fun: May 24-30, 2026

We ate our way through a plate full of Breakfast Cookie Bars on Sunday morning.

Our favorite marine and his family were back at church that morning! It was such an emotion-filled moment to see them all. We’ve been praying for Sam all these weeks while he was away at Bootcamp. Worshiping with him was amazing. And his reunion with Keith afterward? Precious!

Because it is one of Sam’s favorites, I had made a huge roaster full of Smoked Chicken for lunch. We got to enjoy hearing about so many of his Bootcamp experiences, making us even more proud of him.

We had Cream Cheese Corn, Green Beans, Rolls, Carrots, Cantaloupe, Watermelon, and Macaroni Salad for lunch with our Smoked Chicken – plus desserts. Notice how Keith had changed into his “military” uniform to be like Sam.

There were 35 of us gathered that day. It was wonderful!

Mid-afternoon, we all hugged Elias and Malorie goodbye. They were heading to Kansas to see family on their way to Texas where they will be with Malorie’s family for most of the summer. We will miss them!! And we are so glad for the time they will have there enjoying Mal’s family.

We didn’t have Community Group that afternoon. But the Nabbs were back in town and we were blessed to sit and visit with them for a glorious hour.

These three girls decided to change into matching dresses that afternoon. This was sweet (and also made more laundry for Mom, but oh well). :)

We ate Frozen Pizza for dinner and played ball until bedtime.

I baked a triple batch of Whole Wheat Banana Muffins on Monday morning. I guess it’s been a while since I made these, plus we all have “play in the sunshine and fresh air appetites” right now. After two rounds of baking we turned out 33 of these regular-sized muffins. By the end of the day, we had only one left. WOW.

I made Strawberry Banana Smoothies for the kids to eat with their Muffins that morning. They liked the idea of eating outside for a breakfast picnic.

Everyone was pretty antsy because we had plans to go to the Splash Park that afternoon – but at 9:30 it was STILL NOT the afternoon. Rude. SO, we tried to calm everyone down by telling them to log some reading minutes so they could earn prizes through the Library Summer Reading Program. This worked pretty well, thankfully, for at least a few minutes.

Our friends, Matt and Terra, came over mid-morning so that we could do meal prep for a Memorial Day lunch Heartlands was serving to our friends at the Atlas community a few blocks from our house. We cut up lots of veggies and watermelon in preparation.

We ate a quick lunch of Chicken Salad with crackers and cantaloupe before dropping some of the food at Atlas. Then finally we could go to the Splash Park. It was opening day, we all had new swim suits, and we were EXCITED!

We got there only to learn that the water wasn’t on yet. This is not what we read online as it was supposed to open on Memorial Day. BOO. Our kids were disappointed but very good sports about it. Matt and I quickly came up with a Plan B.

We were already equipped with swim suits, snacks, and water bottles, so we took our kids to the Zoo to play in the water area there. They loved this idea, and we were very proud of how they were all flexible with our change in plans.

The kids played in the water for over an hour.

At 2:00, we discovered that there was a fun and educational Tortoise Exhibit. So we dried off and sat with individual bags of chips while we learned about Betty the Tortoise. It was perfect.

We went back to the water for another half hour, then to the big Elephant playground for another hour or so. It was here that we finished off most of the muffins I’d made that morning, plus about 10 applesauce pouches and a bunch of meat sticks. These kids were hungry!

At 4:00, we headed home tired and satisfied with a fun day out. I made Hamburgers and Hotdogs for dinner with Baked Beans.

We thought we’d take a walk that evening. But instead, we ended up taking turns hitting balls that Daddy pitched to everyone. We did this until it was bedtime, then tucked eight tired kids (and two tired parents) into bed.

On Tuesday morning, Kiya, Keith, Bonus Buddy, and Anna got to go to their very first day camp! We have to keep these kids very busy to help their nervous systems stay calm. So this spring I researched and applied for scholarships and got kids signed up for multiple camp opportunities, sport clinics, and VBS events.

Matt stayed home with the other four kids to prep for ABA therapy. I dropped off camp kids then drove two minutes to the nearest Panera to get caught up on some work. Then I ran to Aldi to get caught up on some grocery needs.

We were getting pretty low on fresh produce and dairy products so I loaded up at Aldi: bananas, salad kits, zucchini, strawberries, blueberries, spinach, spring mix, cilantro, mandarins, yogurt, and cheese plus granola, sausage, pork loin, canned pineapple, and some lunch box items for our camp kids. It felt good to be stocked up again!

That afternoon, Josie had the privilege of going to our weekly Food Distribution with Brayden and me. She was a terrific helper and felt so grown up. :)

After we handed out all the food, Josie asked if she could take a picture of me vacuuming.

Back at home, Matt had warmed up Sloppy Joe meat that I’d pulled out of the freezer. He made a Caesar Salad, washed Blueberries, and air fried some French Fries to go with the meal.

Just before bedtime, Josie helped me make a double batch of Honey Sweetened Peanut Butter Cups for our breakfast the next day.

After I dropped the Camp Kids off on Wednesday morning, I went to Sam’s to stock up on what we needed there. I found loads of meat markdowns from chicken to hamburger to roast!

Brayden has been very serious about getting lots of reading minutes in toward the Library Summer Reading Challenge. And he’s making sure his little sisters get their minutes too. It’s been very sweet, not to mention great for his reading growth needs!

That evening, we were blessed to have friends from Texas come for a few hours. We hadn’t seen them in eight years so we had a lot of catching up to do!

We had a Nacho Bar for dinner with Taco Meat, Stick of Butter Rice, Beans, Cilantro, Spinach, Olives, Salsa, Cheese, White Queso, and Sour Cream.

We ended our meal with Gelato from Aldi, highly recommended!

Then we took a walk to Sunken Gardens together. It was very sweet to see Auggie make friends with Ms. Heather. :)

Our time with them wasn’t long enough. But we were so thankful to have the hours we did have.

Thursday morning after we dropped off camp kids and settled in Auggie and Josie with ABA therapy, I stirred together leftover nacho bar ingredients and made twenty Burritos for our dinner that night.

Acacia asked me to braid her hair, then show her a picture. :)

Thursday was a catch-up day, so the only other picture I got that day was of a couple Burritos warmed in the air fryer at dinner time, plus our plate of fruit. After that, Kelsey and Hopelyn came over to help Matt with kids while Brayden and I rushed out the door to join Justus at Heartlands for Worship Rehearsal.

Friday was a rainy day! We got four tired kids to camp for their final day of the session. Josie and Auggie started their ABA therapy sessions. Then I got out a pile of Highlights magazines that our friend Terra had handed off to us. It was a perfect rainy day activity.

Kelsey was taking Hopelyn to the Children’s Museum for the morning, so she came and picked up Brayden and Acacia to go too. This provided me with an hour and a half of kid-free time. What happens when you give mom some free time?

She bakes! Well, at least that’s what I wanted to do with this slot of free time. We didn’t have any easy snacks and breakfast foods on hand, so I spend the entire time in the kitchen whipping up a bunch of recipes while listening to praise music. It was glorious!

I made: Breakfast Cookie Bars, Oatmeal Butterscotch Cookies, Nutella Oat Breakfast Bars, Mudballs, and Peanut Butter Honey Rice Krispie Bars. I used three pounds of butter and two huge tubs of peanut butter, dirtied up a lot of dishes, and felt like I’d had a lovely Jesus-filled therapy session by the time I was finished. Baking and Praising are good for me. :)

That afternoon while Auggie napped, Brayden, Acacia, and Josie spent a fun afternoon at Asa and Eva’s house! Matt and I won’t be able to have our regular Wednesday evening dates much this summer with Elias and Malorie gone. So we’re trying to work out other chunks of time to have quiet couple time together. With four kids at camp, three kids at Eva’s, and Auggie napping, we had a lovely, restful afternoon.

Our friends, the Nabbs, came for one final dinner together before they head back to Texas. I didn’t get a picture of our meal, but I smoked four small marinated pork loins that I’d picked up at Aldi, steamed green beans, and made several boxes of mac and cheese for the kids. The meal was simple and we relished our last moments of time together.

The Nabbs had brought ice cream bars to share with us. We noticed Sam and Keith sharing their treat together so I captured the memory.

The goodbye was special and tear-filled. We treasure our time with these dear friends.

Keith and Bonus Buddy had been counting down the days until the Soccer Clinic I’d signed them up for. Finally, Saturday was the day! We dropped them off with cleats and shin guards and eager energy!

The rest of us headed to Sensory Friendly Story Time where Kelsey and Hopelyn met us!

Afterward, we made a Pancake, Sausage, and Bacon lunch for a bunch of hungry kids.

That afternoon, we played for a few hours at a park.

We weren’t too far from Costco, so just before we left the park, I ordered three large pizzas to take home for an easy dinner before bath time.

This sweetheart absolutely hates having her hair brushed. It’s been such a huge battle, and I finally decided that it wasn’t worth the screaming. She agreed to a hair cut and it turned out super cute! (But don’t look too close. Mama is no professional.)

And with that – our week ended!

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Free 7-Day Summer Menu Plan

May 27, 2026 by Laura 2 Comments

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Come get your FREE 7-Day Summer Menu Plan!

I don’t have to explain why feeding our families in the summer time is both fun and hard. Right? You already know about your hectic VBS/baseball/work/camp/clinic/appointments/zoo/park/family event/vacation schedule.

The fun part: We get to grill and eat corn on the cob and watermelon

The hard part: We just fed them and they want to eat again already

Every day. All day.

I just created a big list of Easy Summer Side Dishes as a way to make meal-prep easier. That list led me to create a complete 7-Day Summer Meal Plan – filled with breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack ideas for all seven days of the week. You can use this in any way that you need, and we hope you find it helpful so that you can make the most of your summer days!

It’s for everyone, and it’s free. Be inspired, stay cool, and enjoy a few extra minutes hanging at the pool with a glass of iced tea because your planning has been done for you. :)

Tell us where to send your 7-Day Summer Menu Plan here!

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Big Family Food and Fun: May 17-23, 2026

May 24, 2026 by Laura 4 Comments

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Here’s our Big Family Food and Fun: May 17-23, 2026 post!

May 16

Keith got to be involved in a Track Meet on Saturday! He did a softball throw, then 50-meter dash, then felt too intimidated to do the final race he’d signed up for, the 200-meter dash. We were proud that he was willing to do any of it at all as events like this stretch him quite a bit. Plus, as a 7-year-old with a birthday that fell weird, he was competing with 8-9 year-olds. That, along with the heat made for a boy who was not able to keep pushing after the first race.

Either way, it was a pretty fun family outing that day. We had a tasty packed lunch of cheese, meat, crackers, frozen go-gurt, applesauce, muffins, and juice pouches.

And it was fun to watch the races and cheer while we ate!

We went from a meeeet to….Buresh Meats. It’s a super cool store that’s far from our house – but close to the high school where the track meet was held. So of course, we headed over so I could run through as fast as I could to look for the best deals. Man, this place is awesome! Organic grass-fed hamburger meat for $4.50/pound, boneless chicken thighs and tenderloins for $2.20/pound when bought in bulk, and eggs for just $0.85/dozen!

Back at home, I made a second round of Crunchy Ranch Chicken for our Sunday lunch (I’d made round one a few days prior).

Then I practiced 20-pounds worth of my “Just Dump Sauce on Some Chicken” trick. The thighs I had bought that day made their way into the freezer, all marinated and ready to go!

Earlier in the day, knowing I’d probably pick up more eggs at Buresh Meats, I had boiled 17 eggs to make Angeled Eggs. The kids were amazed by cracking hard boiled eggs and not getting messy yolk everywhere! They were actually very helpful in taking shells off all the eggs as we moved forward with our project.

Anna stuck with me for the whole process, smashing the yolks for me before I filled the whites. We were very proud of our results!

After I put away the eggs and cleaned the kitchen, I warmed up leftovers to feed us quickly for dinner. Then we headed to a graduation party where we were treated to a cupcake!

Back at home, we had bath time and watched a show before bed. Phew – big day!

Big Family Food and Fun: May 17-23, 2026

On Sunday after church, a fabulous crowd of 37 people gathered in our home to share lunch. I had made around 11-pounds of Crunchy Ranch Chicken and 17 eggs worth of Angeled Eggs. Friends brought chips, dips, salad, corn on the cob, and fruit. I made a quick blender full of Cream Cheese Salsa Dip to contribute to the chip/dip section of our buffet.

I’d made the chicken ahead of time and had a bit of a hard time getting it re-warmed fast enough to get us all fed. So I air fried some of it to get kids going through the line. Then, I was finally able to pull out two huge pans of it to serve to everyone (70-ish chicken strips). The meal was a big hit, with only a few Chicken Strips left over afterward!

The best part of Sunday Lunch is seeing so many dear ones crowded around our tables, visiting and sharing life.

We had a birthday girl among us, so we got to end our meal with a huge Ice Cream Cake!

On Monday morning, I felt super tired. For three days in a row, kids had gotten up reallllllly early (like 4:00 early) and the short nights and lack of down time in the morning was catching up to me. Emma came that morning, and I went and wondered around several stores: Trader Joes, Target, Walmart, and Costco. Then I went home and napped all afternoon!

Bonus Buddy helped unload groceries when I got home.

After a nap, I felt better and grateful to have had the down time. Refreshed, I got a few extra food items put together for us to eat. Dinner was a weird casserole that included leftover taco meat and hamburgers chopped up, the leftover dips from Sunday Lunch, and frozen hashbrowns. We adults liked it just fine. The kids mostly ate a dinner of Strawberry Parfait.

Josie was eager to be a helper that evening!

We made a batch of Angela’s Egg Free Banana Chocolate Chip Breakfast Cookies…

…and a pan of Nutella Oat Breakfast Bars. It felt good to have prepared a fresh batch of quick-to-eat breakfast items to get us through the next couple of days!

We had to stay in the house all evening because it was raining. The rain was so very needed and we were grateful, even if the evening did feel a bit long since we were cooped up in the house. Anna’s ABA therapist played chess with her (an activity that always cracks me up because of all things to play, this little girl wants to place chess?? It’s awesome). Naturally, Acacia, who doesn’t understand the game at all, wanted to set up a board and teach Bonus Buddy how it worked. Ha!

For a bedtime snack that night, Keith and Josie at an entire package of raspberries – just the two of them.

On Tuesday morning, I made two packages of Meat and Cheese Sliders for Matt to warm up for dinner that night. We had a full day/evening ahead of us!

Hopelyn and Arrow both spent the day with us. We don’t know for sure what this Cousin Conversation was about, but we are guessing it had something to do with Muffins or Blueberries.

Bonus Buddy led everyone in a sweet game of The Floor is Lava.

After school that day, Kiya went with me to our weekly Food Distribution. Back at home, Matt got everyone fed and ready for an evening outing. Our kids’ elementary school had secured a grant that offered the entire school and their families to have a Zoo Night!

Our kids’ ABA therapists met us at the zoo, which was super helpful as we navigated eight VERY EXCITED KIDS through the zoo with their classmates and teachers.

Everything was free that night, including train rides and feeding the giraffes! Josie doesn’t like the train (everyone screams too loud while going through the tunnel), so she and I stayed back and waved as the train went by. :)

As it turns out, Brayden speaks “giraffe.”

We got completely overstimulated and dysregulated over the entire event. Was it worth it? Yes. But bedtime was a relief that night.

We had a regular and fairly calm morning on Wednesday, with ABA therapy for Josie and Auggie and with Acacia and Bonus Buddy playing outside. Our friends who help us clean once a week came over late in the morning and Auggie was excited to use the spray bottle while Ms. Rebecca wiped down the door. :)

That afternoon, Anna had kindergarten graduation! Kiya is in Student Council at the elementary school, so she got to help check in families when they arrived. She did a great job!

We started in the auditorium where the Kinders sang us some fun songs they’d been working on.

Then we went to the cafeteria where each child’s name was called and they received their diploma. :)

Last, we got to have a bag of popcorn. Here’s how Anna felt about looking at me and smiling for a picture. :)

Back at home, a friend of Malachi’s had arrived and moved in for part of the summer. I had slow cooked a Beef Roast with Carrots all day, which we ate with Mashed Potatoes, Rolls, and Strawberries.

Brayden and Buddy had a contest while they ate their dinner to see who could eat the most sour blueberry.

Thursday was our last day of school. I didn’t get “last day” pictures of our kids before they left. Why? Because we had ABA therapy as normal and a house full of autism and trauma and Mama is tired. :/ I did give everyone an extra squeeze as they headed out for the day. :)

Kiya helped me make a Spinach Cake before she left. She loved being mostly independent with this!

I baked several pans of Bacon that morning.

This was a fun scene in our living room at the end of our ABA sessions that morning. Lots were gathered, including Justus and Hopelyn.

Acacia and Hopelyn took a ride around the block.

Ah! Some of the Coppingers were able to take a “Last Day of School” picture! This bro-and-sis-in-law shot was pretty sweet to receive. These two work hard at the same elementary school in the special ed department. We are very proud of them for how they help their students!

I did get a shot of these girlies as they headed out for their final day of Pre-K. Next year: Kindergarten!

While we waited for their bus, we watched “the mowers” across the street get their job done.

I took this picture of Bonus Buddy’s lunch that day. He has a pretty slim list of foods he’ll eat (like many of our kids), but he ate all of these happily, and enjoyed that his container looked like a Lunchable.

For dinner that night, I made Turkey Bacon Cheese Croissants with Watermelon.

We enjoyed Kiya’s Spinach Cake that evening. I had made Cream Cheese Frosting for the top – this recipe but with a tiny bit of sugar instead of stevia so the kids would eat it.

Friday morning started out rough. We knew that it might as we transitioned into a new routine with Summer Break. Nobody wanted the breakfast I offered. Nobody wanted to do what we suggested. And it was raining so we weren’t able to go outside and run out their aggression.

Eventually we were able to talk kids into eating apples with peanut butter and cinnamon. Then Matt stayed home with seven kids plus two ABA therapists while I took Acacia to Physical Therapy and Speech Therapy.

We’d been talking to Acacia’s therapists about taking a break now that it’s summer time. This was a tough decision because while she has made a lot of progress, she has a long way to go. But we all decided to take a break, which we think will be good for her for now. This way she can spend her summer playing outside, going to VBS, and enjoying our family outings. Her therapists have been so good to us!

Back at home, Matt air-fried an entire bag of Chicken Bites and sliced a loaf of Apple Bread that had tucked away in the freezer. We served it with baby carrots, then got everyone loaded into the van.

We headed to the Children’s Museum and spent two hours having fun there!

We started in the basement where kids put on costumes and performed on the stage.

On the main floor, I ate my weight in plastic Runza burgers, fries, and chicken strips.

Auggie wants to live in this fire truck and has a hard time when, if you can believe it, other children at the museum also want to play in there so he has to share.

We had a pile of free Dairy Queen ice cream coupons so we went to a location close to our house to treat the kids. They waited on these cool swings – only to find out that this particular DQ doesn’t accept coupons like this.

So we loaded up for home where I saved the day by making the kids ice cream cones.

Evening ABA therapy started soon after this, and I grilled Steak for dinner with Fries and Salad.

Food is a huge challenge for several of our kids, but extra, extra hard for one of them. I took this picture of what often happens at mealtime, even with all our effort to provide accommodations to avoid the fights, the food throwing, and the mess. But still something went “wrong” and food flew off the plate…again. Paper got torn too, which is also normal around here. Notice the book sitting beside the mess: Put Me in the Zoo. Yep, that sounds about right. Our ABA therapists were available to work through this situation with us, which is incredibly helpful!

All throughout the evening, I smoked several rounds of Chicken Thighs for Sunday Lunch.

Matt did some yard work with the help of Acacia and Auggie.

On Saturday morning, we got to go to a birthday party! It started out with donuts and playground…

Then we all went fishing! Most of our kids haven’t had a chance to do this, and it was a hit!

Keith caught not one, but two fish. The rest of us just had fun trying. What a great morning!

We had leftovers for lunch at home, then loaded up for another big outing that afternoon. I’ll share more about that next week!

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Easy Side Dishes for Summer

May 22, 2026 by Laura Leave a Comment

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This Easy Side Dishes for Summer post can be your go-to for Simple Meal inspiration!

I’ve found that meals are easier to put together in the summertime. Why? Because there are so many great fresh side dish options available. Stores and farmer’s markets offer more fresh fruits and veggies compared to cold weather months, making it super easy to set out lots of tasty side dishes without much effort.

I love it when my summer meals look like this:

It truly is so simple to make an easy main dish like grilled chicken, then set out quick, fresh sides. Steamed garden veggies, salad, and/or watermelon – these are no brainers and so refreshing on a hot day!

The more colorful the better. Setting out options like this is great for picky eaters. Even if each kid only chooses to eat one or two of these, at least they are getting something nourishing that they like!

Here’s an example of a super simple meal I made recently: Grilled Brats with Grapes, Carrots, and Sliced Cucumbers on the side. So easy! And so family friendly!

Here’s another picture that shares a great example of a simple main dish with easy sides. This was taken on a day that some of our friends gathered after church and worked together to put this meal together. Pulled Pork was the main feature with salad, chips, carrots, oranges, pickles, rolls, and berries on the side.

Easy Side Dishes for SummerYum

In case you feel stumped after a long, hot day and want some easy ideas or reminders for great sides to set out on the counter with your grilled meat or other main dish, look at these lists for inspiration!

No-Work Side Dishes

Strawberries
Blueberries
Raspberries
Grapes
Cherries
Chilled Canned Fruit in 100% Juice (Peaches, Pears, Pineapple, Mandarin Oranges)
Pickles
Olives
Chips
Chips and Salsa
Chips and Guacamole
Sweet Peppers
Baby Carrots
Sugar Snap Peas
Grape or Cherry Tomatoes

Minimal-Work Side Dishes

Watermelon
Cantaloupe
Honey Dew Melon
Fresh Pineapple
Sliced Oranges
Plums
Peaches
Kiwi
Baked Beans
Cream Cheese Corn
Pineapple Fluff
Steamed Veggies
Corn on the Cob
Easy Blue Raspberry Salad
Hawaiian Fruit Salad
Strawberry Fluff
Hard Boiled Eggs
Strawberry Parfait
Sliced Cucumbers
Cream Cheese Salsa Dip with Chips
Veggie Stir Fry
Black Bean Salsa

Salads

Store-Bought Sides

Consider picking these up at the store to have on hand to serve alongside grilled meat or other main dishes you prepare.

Bagged Salad Kits (I like to keep these on hand for an easy side dish my kids can make to go with our meals!)
Potato Salad
Macaroni Salad
Bag of Rolls
Chips

What easy side dishes would you add to these lists?

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Big Family Food and Fun: May 10-16, 2026

May 17, 2026 by Laura Leave a Comment

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Here’s our Big Family Food and Fun: May 10-16, 2026 post!

May 9

On Saturday, Matt, Asa, and Justus took the kids to Library Storytime and a Train Show all morning. I stayed home and hosted a Bridal Shower for our friend Olivia. Eva came early to help, and all of these lovely ladies pitched in to prepare a sweet feast of muffins, fruit, and cheese/meat/cracker trays.

We filled our living room with Olivia’s friends and family. It was a beautiful morning.

We rested and played outside all afternoon, then went to Keith’s final soccer game of the season.

Before leaving for soccer, I had made some Taco Meat. As soon as we arrived back home, we made simple Nacho Boats before bath and bedtime.

Getting everyone’s teeth brushed is a huge nightly endeavor. Elias happened upon the scene and Josie asked him to brush hers. It was very sweet. :)

Big Family Food and Fun: May 10-16, 2026

I’d been feeling under the weather on Saturday, but pushed through to enjoy the day. Then on Sunday morning, Mother’s Day, I woke up feeling much worse. I was super sad and tried to get ready to go to church with the family but finally gave in to illness and went back to bed. :(

Not only were all of our kids going to come for Sunday lunch to celebrate Mother’s Day, but the Nabb family was in town – our dear friends who had moved from Lincoln to Texas a few months ago. So we were supposed to celebrate with them also. I texted everyone to assure them that I was sick but not contagious (my lungs are very susceptible to infection due to mold exposure in college, and I’d gotten into some dust a few days prior). So everyone still came to lunch, and I was so, so grateful! I sat while everyone else pulled out and prepped the food for us to all enjoy!

This was a great, simple meal. Last week I’d purchased three Rotisserie Chickens from Sam’s and Matt had taken it all off the bone and frozen it. We had it thawed and ready on Sunday to make Chicken Wraps with tortillas, chicken, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, cheese, guacamole, and a variety of dressings. The Nabbs brought fruit and angel food cake for dessert and we had a wonderful feast!

That night, Kelsey suggested we meet at Mahoney park and Eva suggested we pick up pizza on the way. It was a PERFECT plan to finish off our Mother’s Day together. Friends met us there too, which made it extra special.

On Monday, I was feeling a bit better but very low on energy. Emma came as usual, so I took advantage of her being here and I rested upstairs all morning and part of the afternoon.

Matt was watering our lawn that afternoon and we let the kids run through the sprinkler when they got home from school.

Matt used the leftover Chicken Wrap ingredients from Sunday to make super tasty Quesadillas for dinner that night.

On Tuesday morning, I felt much better. Josie helped me make a batch of Nutella Oat Bars.

I took advantage of the oven being hot and baked a pan of Stick of Butter Rice at the same time that we baked our bars.

Josie and Auggie had ABA therapy that morning, so they stayed home with Matt while Acacia and I ran some errands. I got my hair trimmed, then we went to Aldi. I almost never take kids to the store with me any more so this was a big privilege for Acacia.

She was excited to show everyone her Great Clips balloon when we got home. :)

After we got the girls off on the preschool bus that noontime, Auggie and Hopelyn played in the quiet backyard for a while before their naps. Ope, I mean before Hopelyn’s nap. Auggie decided not to nap that day. He’s getting older and we’re starting to see the beginning of nap transition for him. I have mixed feelings about this. :/

Kiya and Brayden were both able to go to our weekly Food Distribution this week. We’ve had school music concerts for three weeks in a row, so we’d had to juggle those into our schedule the past several Tuesdays. It was good to get back to our normal routine with Food Distribution this week!

Back at home, Matt made two boxes of Orange Chicken from Sam’s for dinner. We ate it with Salad and the Stick of Butter Rice I’d made earlier in the day.

Before bed, I made a batch of Flourless Chocolate Banana Muffins to enjoy the next day.

The kids discovered all of the sun hats that had been stored away and the girls have been looking so cute in them!

Matt and Acacia watered part of the lawn area by our Little Free Pantry on Wednesday morning. Our neighbor stopped for food and a chat.

Arrow spent the entire day with us which was a fun treat! He got to go to school pick up with us that day!

I grilled Hamburgers for dinner that night with sides of Fries and Pickles. It was date night for Matt and me, so dinner needed to be simple!

After we got the kids settled with their dinner, their ABA therapists, and Elias, Malorie, and Malachi – Matt and I headed out. We ran into Costco for diapers and gift cards for some high school graduates. Well, gift cards for the graduates. Diapers for our kids. Was that not clear?

Then we grabbed Panera drinks with our subscriptions and took them to a park where we took a long walk together before heading home to get kids to bed.

On Thursday morning, our 7-year-old Bonus Buddy got dropped off at our house. He plans to be here throughout the entire summer and we are all very excited about this!

Josie and Auggie were hard at work with their ABA therapists, so Bonus Buddy and Acacia spent the morning playing together.

In an effort to get ahead for Sunday Lunch, I made a big batch of Crunchy Ranch Chicken Strips.

Late morning, Auggie had a meeting with his special ed teacher from Early Development Network.

Hopelyn had gotten dropped off and was hanging with the big kids watching for the preschool bus.

After they left, Auggie found our neighbor kid’s super cool helmet and came over to show Hopelyn.

She was very impressed, of course.

So impressed, in fact, that she needed a turn with it. :)

With the pending arrival of Bonus Buddy, we’d ordered a new set of bunk beds for the boys’ room. Matt had been working on building it all morning. When it was Auggie’s naptime, he decided he’d rather help Daddy build the bed than go to sleep.

Bonus Buddy had been counting down the hours until his favorite side-kick, Keith, got out of school. Finally, finally…it was school pick-up time! There were lots of smiles at their reunion.

For dinner that night, I made Smoked Chicken Legs, Mac and Cheese, and Green Beans.

Brayden was incredibly helpful as he and Matt finished assembling the bunk beds that evening.

Friday morning, I made a big effort to get caught up and ahead in the kitchen. After spending about an hour cleaning and washing yesterday’s dishes, I did a lot of baking. Auggie was very happy to help me.

We made a double batch of Breakfast Cookie Bars, Crustless Cheesecakes, a Spinach Cake, and two boxed mixes of Blueberry Muffins. It felt incredible to get so much done that morning!

Matt took Acacia to Speech and Physical Therapy before preschool. Then he set up new sprinklers in an effort to help our grass look a little bit better. Here are two little boys trying to decide if they are brave enough to walk through the cold water.

That afternoon, Auggie helped me teach Bonus Buddy about our Little Free Pantry. It was so sweet to watch Buddy get excited later in the day when neighbors stopped by to take some food!

After school, Keith and Bonus Buddy got drenched riding their bikes through the backyard sprinkler.

Out of time and energy, I did nothing but bake three frozen pizzas for dinner that night.

Saturday was a full day with Library Storytime and a Track Meet for Keith. Eva and Kelsey met me at the library, which was super helpful because Matt had taken Keith to do his field event at track. We all met up back at home, then all of us headed to watch Keith compete in his running events.

I’ll share more about that next week!

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Big Family Food and Fun: May 3-9, 2026

May 10, 2026 by Laura 4 Comments

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Here’s our Big Family Food and Fun: May 3-9, 2026 post!

May 2

That afternoon while Auggie took his nap, Matt took our washing machine apart to try to get to the bottom of why it wasn’t spinning out. I’m so very thankful for how handy and knowledgeable he is. It takes a lot of house and appliance to run life with 14 of us. And yikes, we need a working washing machine! (We have two, but neither were working great this week.)

The rest of us hung out outside. Brayden was eager to mow the lawn some more. Here’s hoping he doesn’t lose that enthusiasm! Elias and Malachi played some frisbie golf in the yard.

We enjoyed a popsicle while we watched them play.

Keith had a soccer game that afternoon. Then we came home and ate leftovers before having bath time and getting to bed.

Big Family Food and Fun: May 3-9, 2026

Sunday morning we ate Breakfast Cookie Bars before heading out for church. We had a smaller crowd for lunch that day because, well, May is a busy month! There were still 20 of us gathered though, and the smaller crowd allowed us to visit more with people.

I made three packages of Turkey/Cheese Slider Sandwiches and asked guests to bring sides. We had Salad, Strawberries, Pickles, Olives, Chips, and Pasta Salad. It was a great spring lunch! I’d made three batches of Homemade Ice Cream, which finished our meal off perfectly.

We enjoyed Community Group time that afternoon after lunch. I captured this sweet moment from the corner of our kitchen with Malachi and our friend, Nathan, visiting and two of our Community Group friends grabbing coffee before we sat down together. Scenes like this bring me a lot of joy with people enjoying time together, making themselves at home, and helping themselves to coffee and dessert in our kitchen.

Late in the afternoon, we loaded up food and kids and headed to the best park in Lincoln – Mahoney Park. It has recently been renovated and has incredible features.

We spent two and a half hours there that evening – playing and eating. The weather was absolutely perfect!

Before we’d left home, I had baked a Sam’s-sized box of Taquitos and packed them in an insulated bag to stay warm. The kids ate in shifts as they got hungry, enjoying their Taquitos with Carrots and Strawberries then going back to play.

Emma came on Monday morning and the girls had a lot of fun with her dog, Buddy. This is a big deal for Josie who has always been afraid of animals!

After getting school kids out the door, ABA kids settled with therapists, and everyone settled with Emma – I headed out for the morning. I didn’t have as much shopping to do that day, so I just went to Sam’s and Wal-mart. As I was finishing up at Sam’s, I heard a very sweet, familiar voice. I rounded the corner and guess who I found?

Arrow and his mommy, Eva! Arrow was very confused about seeing Lolli at Sam’s and kept asking me, “Brayden?” Kiya?” “Auggie?” It was hard for him to recognize me in a warehouse and without any other kids with me, ha!

He and I walked around while Eva finished shopping. Man, that made my day!

Back at home, Matt was amazing and pulled chicken off of three rotisserie chickens for our upcoming Mother’s Day lunch. I had not been able to figure out what I wanted to do for the special meal with moms: Eva, Kelsey, our friend Cindy whose family was joining us, and me. I needed our meal to be kid friendly, easy to set out after church so that no one had to do much work, and delicious. Stumped, when I was out shopping I decided to let Sam’s tell me what we were having for our meal that day. And suddenly the idea came: Chicken Wraps – with lots of fun toppings like lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, guacamole, peppers, dressing, and cheese. Everyone would be able to make their wrap however they wanted and it would be a win! Thus the three rotisserie chickens Matt needed to prep. What a guy! The chicken went into the freezer and the work of putting this meal together was basically finished six days in advance.

The kids were all very excited to see that I’d bought our first watermelon of the season! They ate it while I cut it for dinner. Then I used the leftover turkey from a meal last week to make Turkey/Cheese/Spinach Quesadillas. I put diced tomatoes on some of them and they turned out delicious!

The weather was gorgeous so we spent the evening outside walking and having therapies.

Our neighbors were watering their lawn and at the end of the night, the little girls and Auggie decided to run through their sprinkler. This was the sweetest! And good timing because we could transition straight into jammies.

On Tuesday, while Auggie and Josie had ABA therapy, I worked with the therapist who comes into our home to work with two of our kids to help with ARFID and attachment. Anna and I drew pictures together as a way to connect.

Hopelyn had been dropped off and was hanging out with Pop. I took a turn playing with her outside and captured this picture of her fancy hair style. How cute is this?

While the little ones snacked later in the morning, I put together a big Cheeseburger Casserole for dinner that night.

We were in desperate need for easy snacks, so I made a double batch of Honey Sweetened Peanut Butter Cups.

Brayden and Keith went with me to serve at our weekly Food Distribution. Junior volunteers get to pick two foods from the giveaway tables as a “thank you” for helping. Keith chose a full loaf of Italian bread, ha! And then he dug right in.

We ran home right away after giving away food and cleaning up, just in time to grab a quick bite, turn Keith over to his ABA therapist, and go to Kiya’s Ukulele and Choir concert.

Brayden had to leave half-way through to get to his school for his Band Concert. Spring is a busy time filled with concerts and programs!

As we were wrapping up our evening and heading to bed, Auggie joined Malorie in making some cookies.

Wednesday was a very big day for Auggie. It started at 6:15 that morning when he and I climbed into the car to go to the surgery center. He needed some major dental work done and it required that he be put to sleep. So while Matt stayed home to get all six of the other kids squared away for the day, Auggie and I spent the morning being brave. The nurses and doctor were amazing with him!

He handled all of this like a rock star and I was amazed at the peace I felt the entire time. Everything went very well and they wheeled a very sleepy Auggie back to me by 8:30.

When we got home, we stayed as calm as possible so Auggie could continue to recover, then he had a good afternoon nap. By the end of the school day, Auggie was back to normal! He jumped right in to “help” with Keith’s latest project – nailing and drilling random pieces of wood together to build…something.

We weren’t sure that Auggie would be up for ABA therapy that night or if Matt and I would be able to have our Wednesday night date. But all was well, so we fed everyone Cheddar Brats and Beef Hot Dogs with Cucumbers, Carrots, and Grapes. Then we left Elias, Malorie, and Malachi in charge while we headed out for a couple of hours!

After the busyness of Wednesday, Thursday felt restful. We got the kids off to school and Josie and Auggie settled in with their ABA technicians. Auggie spent time with his battery-operated “drill” continuing to work on Keith’s project from the night before.

Arrow and Hopelyn were both with us that morning so they got to have cousin time! When they needed a snack, we had a Peaches Picnic.

Dinner that night was fresh and delicious! We’d been given a cabbage, which isn’t something I buy or cook with much. But I turned it into a bowl of Cole Slaw and it really hit the spot! I made Smoked BBQ Chicken Legs, Stir Fried Veggies, Mac and Cheese, and Strawberry Parfaits. So there was something for every person in our house to enjoy – and some of us enjoyed all of it.

The weather was sunny and gorgeous, so we were outside the entire evening. Malachi was so sweet to spend some time playing volleyball with his brother. Brayden has been taking a special PE class this semester that is more on his level of ability – and watching him play that night showed me that he has really grown in confidence and ability!

On Friday morning, Keith and Auggie were excited to help me make a big pan of Granola Bars.

Did we wait until they set up before we dug into them? Of course we did not. :)

Acacia, Josie, and Auggie helped me make four batches of muffins for an upcoming bridal shower I was hosting on Saturday.

At 8:30, I captured this scene in our living room, which shares what mornings look like as we get ABA therapy started for the day. Acacia claimed Auggie’s RBT as soon as he walked in. He works with Auggie for three hours in the morning and with Anna for three hours in the evening. So he’s practically a part of our family now. :) Josie’s RBT was getting logged into her phone app so she could start recording data during her session. The guy there with the computer is the BCBA for Auggie, Anna, and Keith, so he comes several times a week both in the morning and in the evening. Josie’s BCBA showed up soon after I took this picture, so we had all kinds of awesome professionals working with our kiddos from 8:30-11:30. Notice Anna…not putting her shoes on so she could leave for school on time. This, too, is a regular part of our morning routine. :/

Matt got Keith and Anna to school soon after this once we finally were able to get Anna to somewhat cooperate. Brayden gets himself to school by 8:00 and Kiya had left earlier to get to a student council meeting. Justus dropped Hopelyn off with us so he could get some course work done (he’s working on his masters) – so we got a bonus Hopelyn morning! At 9:40, Acacia and I went to Physical Therapy and Speech Therapy.

We got back just in time for the preschool bus. Look how much these two have grown since they started preschool two years ago!

That afternoon, Brayden got to have a special Walk/Run to Zestos outing with his middle school track team. He has been so blessed to be a part of the Unified Track group this season and we are so thankful for the teachers and coaches who pulled him in. Zestos is a fun ice cream shop about a mile from the school. So it is a tradition for the team to end their season there.

Brayden enjoyed a big hot fudge sundae!

Back at home, I started making Pancakes, Sausage, Eggs, and Hashbrowns. Breakfast for dinner is always a hit for everyone!

After we finished getting everyone fed, while the kids were all outside with our three evening RBTs, Matt and I sat down with our BCBA to discuss progress and programming plans for Keith and Anna. This is so helpful so that we can all make sure we are on the same page as we help our kids learn better calming, social, and adapting skills.

After that, Eva’s parents, Randy and Paula, arrived with a car load of food for our Little Free Pantry. Their church group has been incredible to gather groceries once each month to support this ministry. They brought in load after load of food!

I ended the night by making little Pancake/Sausage Sandwiches for kids to eat for future breakfasts.

Saturday morning, Matt took the kids on an outing – with Asa and Justus meeting them with their babies. I hosted a bridal shower at our house, and I wasn’t able to post more that day. So I’ll share all about it next week!

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

Help Your Kids Become Independent in the Kitchen!

May 4, 2026 by Laura Leave a Comment

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.

Want to help your kids become independent in the kitchen this summer? ME TOO.

Hey there, Parents!

It happens every single summer. School ends. Break starts. Kids want to eat all day.

I’ve been a mom for a long time (28 years) to a lot of kids (11). I know how this summer-break-food-crazy-life works.

That’s why we created this Kids CAN Kit – to help make our summer a little bit easier and a lot more fun!

And guess what? IT’S ALL FREE.

The Kids CAN Kit includes five simple, printable guides and books:

Kids Can: The Simple Guide – What Kids CAN do in the kitchen, ages Two-Teen
Kids Can Plan – Explore what foods go together well so that Kids CAN create tasty, balanced meals and snacks
Kids Can Cut – Teach kids to use a knife safely according to age and ability
Kids Can Cook(book) – 10 Simple meal and snack ideas and recipes Kids CAN make
Kids Can Pack – 10 Great Lunches Kids CAN pack themselves

With just a glance through this kit, your kids will be eager to get started! I know this because my 7-year old (very active, busy, ADHD, autistic, tools-outdoor-and-sports-loving) kiddo took a peek at one of these books and ran right into the kitchen to wash his hands to start making food with me. THIS IS A BIG DEAL!

My goal for this summer with all of our kids is to:

help them become more independent in the kitchen
teach them more about healthy food choices
grow their kitchen confidence
allow them to be more creative and have fun with food

I want to take the burden off Mom and Dad and redirect our kids toward taking ownership and responsibility in the kitchen in all the way that Kids CAN.

There’s a little something for all kids in the Kids CAN Kit, beginning at age two or three. And these resources can be used all the way up through the teenage years. Get all your kids involved. I know I will!

Do this with us this summer!

I couldn’t decide how to price this resource in order to get it into as many hands as possible. So I decided to give it away for…FREE! I’m so very excited about this!

How it works: The week of May 11-15, we’ll send out a series of exclusive emails filled with very simple information, printable resources, and eBooks. They’ll all be yours to keep and enjoy with your family. It’s as easy as that!

Simply click here to sign up.

Spread the word!

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

Big Family Food and Fun: April 26-May 2, 2026

May 3, 2026 by Laura 1 Comment

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.

Here’s our Big Family Food and Fun: April 26-May 2, 2026 post!

April 25

I only took one picture of our Saturday afternoon and evening activities: Keith’s soccer game. When we got home afterward, we only had time for a dinner of leftovers, bath time, then the treat of watching an episode of The Chosen Adventures before bed.

Big Family Food and Fun: April 26-May 2, 2026

We ate our Breakfast Cookie Bars as we got ready for church. This routine saves so much thought and effort!

Sunday Lunch that day was two huge Lasagnas plus Salad, Green Beans, Fruit, and Garlic Bread.

Our dessert section had a tasty pan of Brookies plus Pound Cake with Fruit and Whipped Cream.

We had a sweet crowd of 30 people gathered around our tables.

Having a house full fills my heart and makes me ready to take on a new week!

Matt and I enjoyed a precious two hours with our Community Group that afternoon. Then we played outside with the kids all evening.

Anna and Auggie helped me “make” some Mini Pizzas for dinner that night – a great way to end our Sunday.

On Monday morning, Emma came to help with kids. She brought her puppy, which is a super big highlight for the kids!

I got kids sent off to school with Matt, other kids settled in with ABA therapists or Emma, and I took off for the day!

My first stop was Aldi. I got a lot of produce there: strawberries, peppers, zucchini, grapes, and Caesar salad kits. There were no meat markdowns that day, but I got some other essentials: sausage, pasta sauce, and cheese.

I went to Wal-Mart next, but forgot to take a picture! Mostly I scanned all the end caps and regular Clearance areas to see what deals I could find. It’s been fun recently to use my Monday mornings to casually walk around looking for super deals. I found bacon marked down plus some chips and bars that we can use for upcoming summer picnics!

My last shopping stop was Costco. I didn’t need a lot there and got away with only spending $151 – a record low for me at Costco! I got milk, bananas, peanuts, pepperoni, peanut butter pretzels, Body Armor, shredded cheese, mixed greens, spinach, frozen green beans, z-bars, and two kinds of apples. Then I headed to Panera to sit and work on a fun new project for a few hours!

For dinner that night, I experimented with making Philly Cheese Steak Sandwiches. They turned out super good with small bites of steak cooked with peppers, onions, and seasonings. We served it over buns with cheese or over Stick of Butter Rice. Plus we had big bowls full of Strawberry Parfait fixings to enjoy!

While kids had ABA therapy and other kids were in and out of the kitchen for the evening, I baked a pan of Nutella Oat Breakfast Bars for breakfast the next day.

We had a very full Tuesday! Two of the girls and I worked together with our Attachment Therapist, Hopelyn came over to play, and Josie and Auggie had ABA therapy. Right after attachment therapy, I had an online meeting with our ABA company to start the process of adding one more of our kiddos to the therapy process. Matt held down the fort with all the kids during this.

Meanwhile, a friend had dropped off a couple of fun outdoor toys her kids had outgrown. After all of my meetings, I joined the crew outside for fun with our new toys!

Kiya had an Orchestra Concert that evening, so she headed home right after school to get ready. I took Brayden and Keith to serve at our weekly Food Distribution. Then we made it home in time for Keith to start ABA therapy and Brayden to eat a quick bite of dinner before Kiya’s concert.

Matt took Brayden, Acacia, and Josie to the school to support Kiya while I stayed behind with Keith, Anna, and Auggie who were all having ABA therapy sessions. We had warmed up leftover Lasagna for dinner and Anna helped herself to the final bites of Caesar Salad, eating it straight out of the bowl with the big tongs. Whatever gets that child to eat, we will take it!

We had a small bowl full of sweetened berries leftover from Sunday Lunch, so Anna and Auggie and I worked together to surprise Daddy with a Fruit Cobbler.

He was pleasantly surprised when he got home!

On Wednesday morning, Keith saw what I was working on at my computer (a project I’ll show you soon!). It inspired him and he ran into the kitchen and got right to work helping me make Orange Creamsicle Ice Cream.

Arrow came over for the morning. We got the biggest giggles from him when we rolled a ball down the slide over and over. :)

That and when Uncle Malachi threw him (safely) around the living room. :)

As we were waiting for the preschool bus, Auggie pushed Acacia in the new tricycle.

Brayden had a track meet that afternoon. Matt and Kiya went to support him!

Back at home, Keith, Anna, and Auggie all had ABA therapy. I had found a pan of Chicken Burrito filling in the freezer. So I thawed and baked it for people to use to build Burritos that night with cheese, tomatoes, guacamole, and salsa.

Keith was excited to dig into his Orange Creamsicle Ice Cream after dinner. He loved his first bowl. Then when he had seconds he decided he didn’t like it any more. :) Admittedly, while the flavor is good, the texture is different than what we are used to with “regular ice cream.” The rest of the kids liked it and we declared it to be a fun experiment and overall gave it a half-thumbs up. :)

Acacia and Josie had dentist appointments on Thursday morning.

Hopelyn came over for the day!

For dinner that night, I had slow cooked potatoes in the crock pot all day to make Mashed Potatoes. We’d been given a Turkey Breast so I warmed that in a separate crock pot, and made Green Beans to go with it all. Super good!

Acacia had Physical Therapy and Speech Therapy on Friday morning. Daddy got to go with her, and she happily packed some snacks to take along.

While she was gone and Josie and Auggie were hanging with their ABA therapists, I made three packages of Turkey and Cheese Sliders for upcoming Sunday lunch. I also made a batch of Homemade Ice Cream – but I forgot to take a picture!

Justus was out of town Friday, so we got some extra Hopelyn time! Auggie “taught” her how to draw with sidewalk chalk.

Acacia had another appointment that afternoon – a full day for her!

The timing was perfect in that as I dropped Acacia off at school after her appointment, I got to be a part of an assembly in which Anna was given an award. Her smile was HUGE when they called her name and when she saw me afterward. :)

After school, Keith had the privilege of mowing with Daddy for the first time.

Then Brayden took a nice long turn!

For dinner that night, I grilled some Steaks and Sausages. I made Cheesy Potatoes to go with the meal plus prepped plates of fruits and veggies for people to pick from.