Heavenly Homemakers

Encouraging women in homemaking, healthy eating and parenting

Menu Plan for the Week and My Upcoming Birthday Celebration

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I have exactly three weeks left before I turn 40. God is good to give us wisdom as we age, and I’m thankful to be at this point in my life journey. So instead of fretting that I’m “getting old,” I am going to celebrate!

I’ve been putting together some fun sales and giveaways, all of which have something to do with the number 40. I will be revealing these one at a time during the next three weeks, beginning tonight. Be sure to check back! Above all, for the next twenty-one days, I am only 39 and don’t you forget it. :)

celebrating_40

Here’s our menu plan for this week:

Sunday, July 14
Orange glazed poppy seed bread, cantaloupe, blueberries
Cheesy chicken and rice, green beans, grapes
Grilled hot dogs, watermelon, baby carrots

Monday, July 15
Quick mix pancakes, blueberries, strawberries
Chicken patty sandwiches, tomatoes, lettuce, pickles
Crustless pizza, tossed salad, peas

Tuesday, July 16
Honey cinnamon muffins, cantaloupe
Chicken salad, lettuce, tomatoes, grapes
Cheeseburger macaroni, steamed broccoli and carrots

Wednesday, July 17
Scrambled eggs with cheese, pineapple mango smoothies
Grilled turkey and cheese sandwiches, watermelon, raw veggies
Spanish rice with hamburger meat, sweet peppers, tossed salad

Thursday, July 18
Pancake sausage muffins, strawberries
Taco corn fritters, grapes, kiwi
Teriyaki chicken and veggies

Friday, July 19
Peanut butter pancakes, bananas
Pizza boats, watermelon
Salmon patties, potato wedges, peas

Saturday, July 20
Fried eggs, toast, creamy orange coolers
Leftovers
Grilled Italian chicken, green beans, corn on the cob, tossed salad

Care to share your age? Where are you on the timeline of this journey called life?

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Homemade Chocolate Caramel Cups

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Chocolate Caramel Cups

Can I interest you in a Chocolate Caramel Cup recipe to go along with the Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup recipe I shared earlier this week?

Upon typing that sentence, I am suddenly reminded of Mrs. Hendricks, my really, really old 2nd grade teacher. Seriously, she had to have been at least 33. She taught us how to carry the 1 when adding double digits and she would never let any of us say the word can.

We would frequently forget this rule, saying in our best whiny 7 year old voices, “Mrs. Hendricks? Can I get a drink of water?” And she would say, “I don’t know. Can you?” We would then roll our eyes without her seeing us because we were really sneaky and cunning and besides at her age, surely her failing eyesight wouldn’t allow her to see our facial expressions clearly. Obligingly we would come back with, “I mean, may I get a drink of water?” I believe those of us who shall remain nameless who were really sweet and running for teacher’s pet of the year award also added a please in there too.

To this day, I am not able to say can I without switching to may I and I think I might also roll my eyes a little bit while I’m saying it. Old habits die hard.

So, can I interest you in this wonderful recipe to go along with the Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup recipe? And together, with all of the second graders and Mrs. Hendricks we say, “I don’t know.  Can you?”

Chocolate Caramel Cups Yum

1 cup chocolate chips
2 Tablespoons butter
1/4 cup homemade caramel sauce

First, whisk together a batch of Homemade Caramel Sauce. You won’t need it all for this recipe, but get yourself some vanilla ice cream and you’ll be serving the best caramel sundaes with the leftovers.

Prepare 6 regular sized or 16 mini-sized muffin cups with paper liners. In a small saucepan, heat chocolate chips and butter, stirring until melted. Spoon half of the melted chocolate mixture into the prepared paper-lined muffin cups.

caramel_cups_1

Place a spoonful of caramel sauce (hot or cold) into each cup, dividing the mixture evenly among the cups. Top each with the remaining chocolate, smoothing it the best you can to cover the caramel.

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Refrigerate for two hours until solid. (Or place in the freezer for about thirty minutes to speed the process.)  Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

caramel_cups_4

Can I challenge you to refrain from eating these all in one sitting? {I don’t know. Can you?}

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Everything You Need to Make Vanilla Extract for Christmas Gifts

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vanilla

There’s nothing like talking about Christmas while we’re dripping sweat off our foreheads this summer. The only reason I bring it up in July is that many have been asking about the specifics of making Homemade Vanilla Extract for Christmas gifts. Now’s the time to get this project going if you’re planning to put it under the tree or in stockings in December. Just think – if you get this going now, your busy holiday time preparations will be just a little bit easier! It takes 4-6 months to make strong, flavorful vanilla extract. Therefore, beginning anywhere from May to August is ideal if you want your vanilla to be ready by Christmas.

How to Make Vanilla Extract

I have a detailed post showing you how to cut your vanilla beans and how to get your vanilla extraction process going. You will not believe how easy it is to make homemade vanilla!

Where to Buy Vanilla Beans

I have tried vanilla beans through the years at a few different places, but none of them compare to Olive Nation. Their quality and price is the best, hands down. When we contacted Olive Nation about promoting them here at Heavenly Homemakers, they were quick to give all of you an ongoing 15% discount (when you use the code home at checkout and click through this link). Plus, they always offer free shipping on vanilla beans.

How to Finish Your Vanilla Extract

After 4-6 months, you’ll simply strain the vanilla beans and bottle your deliciously wonderful liquid gold. Here are the details about how to finish your vanilla extract.

Where to Buy Bottles for Vanilla

I’ve searched many websites for good prices on dark colored bottles for my finished vanilla extract. When I add in shipping costs, the best price I’ve found has been through Mountain Rose Herbs. Here are more details about where to buy bottles for vanilla.  You may be able to find a better price locally, but since I live in a small town with no dark bottle options, I have found it’s best for me to order online.

Fun Labels for Your Vanilla Bottles

You can print your own labels to decorate your vanilla bottles when giving them as gifts, or you can have my friend Char custom design some for you. I love her work!

What have been your homemade vanilla experiences? Have you gifted it to others? 

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Homemade Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups {Real Food Recipe Makeover}

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This recipe was inspired by Laura S., someone I met at the Colorado Springs Meet and Greet. Not only was her idea brilliant, I think her name is absolutely beautiful. ;)

I wasn’t able to make these Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups look perfect and beautiful like one you’d pull out of a Reese’s wrapper. But I did make them taste better, so we’ll go with “taste before beauty” on this one. And of course, with these, you avoid the hydrogenated oils and turn out an even more delicious treat than one that comes from a factory.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups
Warning:  These are super rich and slightly messy. Children and adults alike may end up with chocolaty fingers and faces, not to mention a sugar high. You’re welcome and I’m sorry.

Chocolate Peanut Butter CupsYum

1/4 cup natural peanut butter
2 teaspoons honey
1 cup chocolate chips
2 Tablespoons Butter

Stir together peanut butter and honey in a small bowl. Set aside. Prepare six regular sized or 15 mini-sized muffin cups with paper liners.

In a small saucepan, melt chocolate chips and butter, stirring until melted. Spoon half of the melted chocolate mixture into the prepared paper-lined muffin cups.

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Place a spoonful of peanut butter mixture into each cup, dividing the mixture evenly among the cups. Top each with the remaining chocolate, smoothing it the best you can to cover the peanut butter.

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Refrigerate for two hours until solid. (Or place in the freezer for about thirty minutes to speed the process.)  Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

pb_cups_2
pb_cups_3
You’ll be happy to know that while playing with this idea, I also came up with a Chocolate Caramel Cup. Recipe coming soon…

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Learn about Diastasis From Fit2B Studio

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Fit2BStudioI wanted you to be sure and check out a great service offered by one of my newest advertisers, Fit2B Studio!

One of the big focus of the site is healing an abdominal injury called a diastasis. This is a very common injury that can be a result of pregnancy, poor posture, weight gain and even some exercises. Many people have this injury and are completely unaware. There is a video on the website where you can check yourself for diastasis.

Here’s what Amy (mother of 5 and promoter of this great program) has to say about Fit2B:

I do not think that I have a severe diastasis, but have still greatly benefitted from Fit2B, here are the things that have made Fit2B Studio so great for me:

1. Flexibility. I can workout at home, most of the time in my pajamas. The workouts vary in length (from 5 minutes to 50 minutes) and intensity, so I can customize it depending on how much time or how many times I was up the night before to nurse the baby. :) There are many ‘exercise pathways’ that you can choose as you grow stronger and tons of different workouts to graduate to as you get stronger.
2. Family Friendly. They are always modestly dressed and there is no offensive or loud music. I never have to worry about what my kids will hear or see. There are even kids work outs that my kids love to do and ask for.
3. Gentle, yet effective. There is not a lot of jumping around and crazy moves that my body can’t handle right now. It is not jarring or fast paced. They have a whole section that is safe and profitable for pregnant ladies and new moms. They encourage you to listen to your body and move at your own pace. The focus isn’t on being swim-suit ready or fitting in to skinny jeans, but healing your core and being strong to take care of your family. I have definitely noticed a difference in my strength and muscle tone in the last two months. Bethany is very encouraging and supportive. She even has live weekly chats to answer questions!
Look into this great program at Fit2B Studio. If it looks like something that will benefit you and your family, use the code “rosamond” to get 3 months for just $20 or $10 off a one year subscription.
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Gratituesday: Everything We Need

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You would think that after God has proven Himself to me over and over and over, I would have complete confidence in His ability to provide for my every need. Not once has He left me hanging. Never has He asked me to do something, and then sent me on my way with a little shove saying, “Good luck with that. Let me know how it goes.”

God is at work in our lives all the time. When we listen and are open to His calling, He will direct and show us just what He needs us to do. While we are doing it, He continues to equip us with everything we need so that we can carry out His will. Every time. Always. Without fail.

I should tattoo this message on my forehead. Do I actually think that I have to do anything without His help? Who do I think I am, anyway?

Just last week, I found myself doing what God had asked me to do for the day. All was well, right? No, because part-way through the morning I began to feel that He’d called me to do too much. People were coming and going and needing my assistance constantly. I had a deadline I needed to meet by 2pm that was hanging over my head. More people came and went. I became tired and discouraged, feeling sorry for myself as I trudged through the morning trying to get through all of the many tasks at hand.

Just at the moment I thought I might cry from being so overwhelmed, my house unexpectedly and totally cleared out. By totally cleared out, I mean that all of my company and even my own kids took off with sudden plans that would keep them busy and away from the house for five or six hours. I sure hadn’t seen that coming.

In a matter of a few minutes, my household had gone from chaos to quiet. I had the entire late afternoon and evening to myself. I took a two hour nap, had some much needed prayer time, warmed up leftovers for dinner, took a walk with Matt, and read a book.

Did God call me to work hard meeting the needs of others in an out-of-the-normal way that morning? Yes. Did He then provide rest and refreshment? Yes. Would it be good for me to remember that God always gives us just what we need so that while I’m in the midst of hard work and service to others, I can smile and be gracious instead of feeling sorry for myself and becoming overwhelmed? Yes. Yes. Yes.

God calls us to serve – with Him, not on our own. When we need guidance, He gives it. When we need rest, He gives it. When we need a peanut butter milkshake, He gives it. Oh yes – apparently I thought you might appreciate knowing that part of my afternoon refreshment time included getting out the blender and making a treat. Isn’t God good?

Share how God is working in your life on your blog, then come link up with us here. If you don’t have a blog, be sure to leave a comment letting us know what you’re grateful for! Please read through the Gratituesday Guidelines so that you understand what kinds of posts you can link up to share here. Posts that are linked but do not fit our Gratituesday theme will be deleted.

If you are linking up a blog post for Gratituesday, please copy and paste the following sentence into your post! Thanks!

Join us for Gratituesday at Heavenly Homemakers!

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When Legos and Learning Collide (Free Lego Learning Printables!)

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If you didn’t already know about our family Lego obsession, let me remind you that not only do we have lots and lots of Legos, we have an entire room dedicated to Legos. (I am personally more obsessed with butter than Legos, but my boys love them, so I love them too.)

If only it was still this clean. At least it’s not as bad as it used to be though.

All of our boys have loved Legos through the years, but our youngest son Malachi, who is now eight, is our Lego King. Not only will he spend hours each day creating with Legos, he is actually saving his money to begin a Lego Business some day. Who knows but that it just might happen?

As I’ve been working to prepare our curriculum for when we begin school in a few weeks, I got super excited when I came across FREE Lego Learning downloads! Here is one for Lego Mini Figure Writing Prompts. Here is a Language Arts Lego Mini Figs Download. Both of these are perfect for Malachi (who will be a third grader). What a great and fun way for him to work through his English lessons this fall!

If those don’t work for you, or if you have younger kids, you’ll want to look at all of the Lego Learning options over at Homegrown Learners. I was so impressed with what she offers (for free!) that I had to share with you. :)

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Menu Plan for the Week and Some Teenager Food Math

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We continue to have houseguests, and have been having such a great time. Asa and Justus are at church camp, so while we are so proud of them and excited about what they are learning, we sure do miss them being home! Can’t wait to hear about their adventures. :)

As I have been cooking for our guests, but not cooking for my teenagers, I have really learned about how much my two oldest boys eat. Here is a little story problem for you:

The Coppinger family of 6 has 2 teenagers away at camp. They have welcomed 4 guests into their home while their boys are gone. If Laura continues to prepare the same amount of food she normally serves at each meal, what amount of food will she have leftover at the end of each meal?

Give up? Our family of 6 take away 2 equals 4 plus 4 guests equals 8…eating the same amount of food normally prepared for 6 and leaving leftovers.

Conclusion: My teenagers eat as much food as two or three people…each. I knew they ate a lot, so this has been eye opening to experience just how much they can put away. I love that they are such good eaters! You can bet I’ll be making their favorites when they come home. Have I mentioned that I miss them?

Here’s our menu this week (for 6-2+4=8 people)

Sunday, July 7
Chocolate chocolate chip muffins, grapes
Pizza casserole, tossed salad
Leftovers

Monday, July 8
Whole wheat waffles, strawberries, whipped cream
Nachos (with healthier cheese dip), kiwi
Grilled Italian chicken, tossed salad, green beans, watermelon

Tuesday, July 9
Scrambled eggs, turkey bacon, hashbrowns, cherries
Easy noodle stir fry with carrots, broccoli, and zucchini
Black bean taco salad, cantaloupe

Wednesday, July 10
Creamy orange cooler, toast
Tuna salad on lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, grapes
Pizza on the grill, veggie tray, watermelon

Thursday, July 11
Pancake sausage muffins, blueberries
Pigs in a blanket, baby carrots, raspberries
Grilled salmon, potato wedges, peas, tossed salad

Friday, July 12
Quick mix biscuits with butter and jelly, cantaloupe
Homemade hoagies, pineapple mango smoothies, carrots
Chicken tacos, watermelon

Saturday, July 13
Homemade whole wheat donuts, blueberries
Leftovers
Grilled steak, baked potatoes, corn on the cob, tossed salad

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Crustless Pizza

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crustless_pizza_1

Yum

Do you like how I cleaned up the crusty baked-on edges of the pie plate before snapping the shot?
Oh my bad. I was thinking of another picture I didn’t take.

Sometimes, I just don’t feel the need to have grains or carbs with every meal. I’ve been learning to listen more to my body and to give it what it needs – or to not give it what it doesn’t need.

I have especially become more aware of my body’s nutritional needs since I began working out regularly. There are times I find my body screaming for protein. Other times, I can tell that if I don’t get some carbs in me, I am not going to feel well. Later, I might be craving a huge salad or an orange.

I’m not sure how to explain away yesterday’s chocolate chip cookie. Cookies. Plural. Did my body need them? Yes I think so. But of course, not really.

One day recently, while making pizza for my family, I found that I was not hungry for the crust. That day, I was just in it for the meat and veggies. Therefore, I cooked up some hamburger meat with mushrooms, sweet peppers and onions, stirred in some sauce, spread it in a pie plate, and topped it with cheese. I put it into the oven with the regular pizzas I had made, just long enough to melt the cheese the way I wanted it.

crustless_pizza_3

In case you ever find yourself short on time and not able to make a crust, or if you simply don’t want a pizza crust on your pizza – I highly recommend the Crustless Pizza. So incredibly tasty.

Ever tried this before? 

 

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Cake Boys Season One Finale

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While there are already Season Two episodes in the works, this is the final episode of Cake Boys Season One recorded in 2012. Why yes it did take seven months to finish this (which is why you’ll see a Christmas tree in the background in one clip). That’s because the boys have too many ideas and not enough time. You should hear the commercial ideas they come up with. Be thankful they don’t make all of them for your viewing pleasure. I love their creativity though!

If you haven’t watched any of these episodes, I really encourage you to watch this one if you can. The boys have really improved their movie making skills over the past few months. We got them new software for Christmas and I love seeing them learn how to use it and try new things. They’ve made some pretty neat changes in how they put together their movies and I think this one is their best so far. (Proud mom? Yes.)

Bet you’re just dying to try that awesome food from a box my boys are advertising, huh? :)

Happy 4th of July!

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