Heavenly Homemakers

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doTerra Essential Oils Giveaway

February 21, 2013 by Laura 475 Comments

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

essential_oils

I am just now diving in to the world of Essential Oils. Why has it taken me so long?  Good question. I probably just needed someone to break it down and make it simple while I learned about these healing oils.

That’s exactly what Janine, a doTerra consultant, has been doing for me. She sent me several oils to try, along with a simple but detailed explanation of how to use each of them. Just what I needed! Break it down, tell me how to use them – aha! It is all beginning to make sense. :)

The Lemon Essential Oil seems to be a favorite, and I can see why. Talk about being multi-purpose!! You can clean with it, wash fruit with it, and use it as an antioxidant. Janine even uses it to make these delicious looking Lemon Bars!

Peppermint oil can be used for an energy boost, for sinus and  headache problems, and to lower fever. Lavender oil is great for burns and cuts, and to help you get a good night’s sleep. Janine sprays lavender oil on her three year old’s pillow at night to help him settle down and sleep. Smart thinking!! :)

And on and on the list goes of oils that help with concentration (great for kids who have trouble focusing – or mom’s who have trouble thinking straight!). Oils that soothe aches and pains. Oils that calm nausea or heartburn. All of the oils have so many uses!

What a wonderful way to naturally give our bodies the boost they need! Essential oils can be pricey, but a little goes a long way, which stretches your dollar. I am very impressed with the quality of these oils. doTerra is a brand you can trust! I encourage you to look at Janine’s blog, which she just started as a way to help you learn more about using essential oils. That’s a great thing about doTerra – you have a consultant to help you learn as you go!

Today, Janine is offering a great giveaway! Two of you will win a bottle of doTerra Lemon Essential Oil. If you’re interested in winning, leave a comment on this post. I’ll draw two random winners on Monday, February 25. Be watching for a post stating the winners as you will be responsible for contacting me if your name is chosen.

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

Oh, For Real! The Book (Round One of the News I’ve Been So Excited To Tell You About!)

February 19, 2013 by Laura 85 Comments

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

The past few weeks have been very exciting (and maybe a little bit busy) around here. Why? Because we’ve been finishing a big project and making some big plans. 

We have been putting the final touches on a book that has been in the works for over two years. I began working on it in 2011 and added to it as I had time and as more ideas came to me – usually based on questions from you. :)

Then finally, last summer, God allowed all of the pieces to come together and I began to work on the book in earnest. Now, here we are at the end of February 2013 and the book is almost complete. The goal is to launch the book the beginning of March. (Less than two weeks…is it possible?! We shall see.)

So what is this book all about? Mostly, it is all about how I always feed my family a perfectly healthy diet, every day, without fail, while maintaining a spotless house, and…

Oh, for real!

On the contrary, this book is about the real me and my real family, with our crusty dishes, picky children, and a trail of reeking compost juice that somehow managed to dribble its way out of the bucket from the kitchen all the way outside.

Oh wait. That was just yesterday.  That particular bit about fermented compost didn’t actually make it into the book. But you get the point.

Over the five plus years that I’ve been writing this blog, I have received countless emails from people asking me, “How do you do it?” How do I manage to work from home full time on this website, home school my kids, invite people into our home frequently – all while feeding my family a healthy diet of real foods? How do I afford it? How do I get my kids on board with healthy eating? How do I figure out what is healthy and what isn’t? And how in the world do I find the time?

If you’ve read here long, you know that I don’t always have the time. My kids don’t always like what I make for them to eat. And if you open any number of the closet doors in our home, you will be frightened by what you’ll find inside. 

Our family is real – with a real busy schedule and a real budget. But we still eat real food. (Along with the occasional Dorito.)

Eating a real food diet is possible for everyone. For real. This book answers the question of, how I do it. How I find the time. How I manage to consistently put healthy meals on the table in a simple way and without killing myself all day in the kitchen. It also talks about how much I love butter. Are you surprised?!

ForRealBookCover6

Coming March, 2013

Oh, For Real is more than a cookbook. It is a fun read, full of healthy food information, time saving tips, and freezer cooking ideas. Oh, For Real compiles much of the information I’ve shared over the past five years on this blog (in over 2,875 posts). Now, you can read through all of those posts, scroll through loads of recipes, and try to piece together all of the information as you work to figure out freezer cooking, getting ahead in the kitchen, buying basic real food ingredients…

Or, you can just store Oh, For Real in your kitchen, which encapsulates everything my blog is about, and organizes it into 99 pages – with over 115 of my favorite, most used recipes!

Recognize this though:  I don’t have a flawless system! In fact, my system really is systemless. You will be able to take the information in this book and make it work for you in your real world and in your real season of life. Oh, For Real offers simplified information that you can learn from, then you can grab what works for you and drop kick the rest.

Watch for more information as the book comes together and is ready to launch. :)

As for the other plans we’ve been working on recently – you’re just going to have to wait a little while longer for me to share that news. We’re still working out some of the details.  And trying to finish the book. And going to our son’s basketball games. And wiping up fermented compost juice.

In the meantime, I will be sharing some sneak peeks into the Oh, For Real book – just so that you can learn more about what’s inside. I can’t wait!

For today:  Tell me something “real” about you!   Don’t remember the last time you cleaned behind your refrigerator? Did you eat ice cream for dinner last night? Do you need to organize your closets as badly as I do? Let’s share. After all, we’re all real, right? :)

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

Gratituesday: The Thirteen Year Old “Manly Trip”

February 18, 2013 by Laura 24 Comments

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

Our second son, Justus, turned 13 last Friday. As he did with Asa two years ago on his 13th birthday, Matt took Justus on an out of town day trip to spend some one-on-one time with him.

What did they do on this trip? They spent a lot of time having great conversations. Road trips are good for that. :)   Before the trip, Matt had talked to three godly men that Justus respects. While on the road, each of the guys called and gave some words of wisdom to Justus. We are so blessed to have these men (and so many more!) in our lives to enourage our sons.

Once they reached their destination, Matt and Justus stopped at a park and kicked around a soccer ball. They went to Cabela’s. They ate a manly meal of BBQ meat. Then, they got to do what Justus was so excited about – they went to a Tim Hawkins show!

 Ever seen Tim Hawkin’s Chick Fil a clip? So fun!

I am so thankful to have another awesome teenager in our house. And I’m so grateful that Matt is so diligent about training our sons to be godly. 

Oh, and while they were having their fun day away, the other three boys and I got to go to a Mother-Son banquet put on by our church. A great day all around for our sons!

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!

 

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

$10 Off Your First Order at ThredUp

February 17, 2013 by Laura 5 Comments

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

I mentioned thredUP a few months ago as a great place to buy or sell used kid’s clothing. Since then, I have purchased several pairs of nice, inexpensive jeans for my boys whose legs continue to grow longer and longer. I am very pleased with thredUP and what they offer!

If you are a new customer or making your first purchase, you can use the code GIMME10 at checkout and receive $10 off your order. The fun part is that many items are $10 or less, so with this code, all you’ll have to pay is shipping!

If you have an abundance of nice used kids clothing at your house, you may also want to look into selling them through thredUP. It’s a great way to acquire a little bonus cash. :)

$10 off your first order of practically new kids’ clothes from thredUP. Use code GIMME10 at checkout. Valid for new customers/first purchase only. Cannot be combined with other offers. One use per person. Does not apply to shipping. Valid thru 2/22/13 at 11:59PM PST. Click Here

What’s the best way you’ve found to score good prices on kids’ clothes?

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

Menu Plan for the Week (with surprise, surprise – lots of potatoes)

February 17, 2013 by Laura 15 Comments

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

Here is my inspirational and insightful thought for today:  When you have a lot of potatoes, it is neato to come up with a meal plan that includes a lot of potatoes.

How deep was that?

What I mean is…sure I ended up with twice as many potatoes as I really need. But what a blessing to have an abundance of food that is so versatile. There are soooo many yummy dishes to make with potatoes. I had fun coming up with our menu plan. :)

taco_potato_1

Mmmm, Taco potatoes.  :)

Sunday, February 17
Baked oatmeal, apple slices
Leftovers
High School Huddle:  Nacho bar with chips, meat, cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, olives, sour cream, and salsa; brownies with fudge frosting

Monday, February 18
Whole wheat waffles, blueberries
Easy noodle stir fry with broccoli and carrots
Chicken fried steak strips, mashed potatoes and gravy, peas

Tuesday, February 19
Applesauce bread, bananas
Calico beans, homemade soft pretzels, sliced kiwi
Cheesy chicken and rice (this recipe, except using chicken instead of beef) with carrots

Wednesday, February 20
Easy breakfast casserole, oranges
Potato soup, carrots
Pizza boats, tossed salad

Thursday, February 21
Homemade poptarts, applesauce
Taco potatoes, fruit salad
Alfredo sauce with pasta, tossed salad, steamed broccoli and carrots

Friday, February 22
Scrambled eggs, hashbrowns, creamy orange coolers
Chicken patty sandwiches, homemade fries, green beans
Cheesy salsa enchiladas, tossed salad

Saturday, February 23
Peanut butter pancakes, bananas
Leftovers
Lamb chops, baked potatoes, asparagus, tossed salad

100 pounds of potatoes aside, I have some really fun plans to share with you this week. Be on the lookout! :)

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

My Azure Standard Order (One Hundred Pounds of Potatoes? Really?!)

February 14, 2013 by Laura 89 Comments

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

Since I took a picture last week of my grocery store trip and so many of you seemed to enjoy it, I decided to take a picture of this week’s Azure Standard order for you.

The stinky part about sharing this is that not all of you have the option of ordering from Azure Standard. :(  I feel very blessed that they deliver to Nebraska, especially since I have very few options in my small town for organic food. Plus, Azure’s prices are amazing! (Read this post to learn more about Azure Standard and to see if they deliver in your area.)

This month, I ordered loads of fresh produce, a case of white cheddar cheese, and five pound bags of frozen green beans and peas. We got a 20 pound box of organic braeburn apples, plus a 20 pound box of pink ladies. There will be no limits on apples eaten for snacks at our house!

azure_2

Asa makes a mean Homemade Guacamole, so the avocados I got will be handed to him in a few days to make us some dip. I got a lovely two pound bag of kiwi, some lettuce, leeks, and tomatoes. Aahhhh, so many delicious options for my family!

Now, let me explain my crazyness bulk potato purchase. You see, last month I ordered 50 pounds of potatoes but they didn’t come in. So what did I do this month? I ordered two different varieties of 50 pound potato options, hoping that this would ensure that we’d get at least one 50 pound box of potatoes. Both were good deals, both were organic.

And what do you think happened? Both varieties of potatoes arrived on the truck. I now have 100 pounds of potatoes in my kitchen. (50 russet and 50 yellow)

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What will I do with 100 pounds of potatoes? Well, feed them to my family, of course. I’ll make French fries and baked potatoes and mashed potatoes and hashbrowns for the freezer. In addition, I will likely bag some of them up, drive around town, and deliver them to some of my friends. Nothing says “I treasure our friendship” like the gift of a bag of potatoes, right?

Oh how my friends must roll their eyes at me.

We plan to get a good start on the potatoes tomorrow since it is Justus’ 13th birthday and he has ordered homemade fries to go with our lunch. I gasped when he first requested this, asking if he thought this was a wise choice, seeing as we only had 100 pounds of potatoes to get us through the month.

He smiled, because he’s sweet. But I’m pretty sure inside, he was rolling his eyes too. On second thought, he may have really been calculating how many potatoes we really could eat tomorrow since there was no need to hold back.

Think of me tomorrow. I may be slicing two hours worth of potatoes into French fries at lunchtime. ;)

Do you have the privilege of ordering from Azure Standard? Are you a part of a different food co-op? What would you do with one hundred pounds of potatoes? 

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

A Fresh Tablecloth Makes Everything Better

February 13, 2013 by Laura 40 Comments

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

Really? Does a fresh, clean tablecloth really make everything better?

It doesn’t heal you when you’re sick. It doesn’t take away life’s frustrations and grief. It doesn’t make the “to-do” list go away or suddenly give you an empty laundry hamper. It certainly won’t make sure your bills are paid.

But every single time I get our table cleaned off, our kitchen counters wiped down, the leftovers put away, the dishwasher humming – and I lay down a clean, fresh tablecloth – I suddenly feel as though I can breathe again. I find it extremely refreshing.

tablecloth

It probably sounds silly, simplistic, and maybe even a tiny bit ridiculous to those who could really care less about a tablecloth. But I find that a clean tablecloth gives me a fresh start – even if it’s just a fresh start to the morning or the afternoon. The next time I walk into the kitchen to serve my family, I can look at the table and say, “Aaaaahhhhhhhh”, instead of looking at it with discouragement because it is covered with school books, crumbs, maple syrup drippings, dirty dishes, and a variety of Lego people or paper airplanes. I’m all about letting our house have a “lived in” look, because indeed, we do very much live here. But it is no fun to cook a meal around a huge mess. 

When I begin with a less cluttered kitchen, I can then cheerfully make a new mess of the kitchen, cook up a storm, dirty up pots and pans, serve a meal, watch the kids dribble gravy or ketchup or cheesy pasta off of their plates and onto the table. 

And it’s all okay. Because a fresh tablecloth will make everything better. :)

Are you a tablecloth user? Do you find that you can breathe easier when your table is all cleaned off?

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Red(less) Velvet Cake

February 12, 2013 by Laura 38 Comments

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


Have a recipe you’d like me to try and make over?
Submit your recipes on this Real Food Recipe Makeover Submission Page.

Looking for a special treat for Valentine’s Day? How about a Red Velvet Cake? Without the red. While the red food coloring is pretty, it doesn’t add anything to the cake (except for freakish fake color that I don’t really want in my gut).

This cake experiment became a treat that is super moist and delicious, with a mild chocolate flavor. And hey, if you squint and look through pretend red colored glasses, the light brown color of this cake really does have a reddish tint. It’s true. Can you see it? 

velvet_cake_1

Red(less) Velvet CakeYum

1 cup butter
1/2 cup cocoa powder
4 Tablespoons water
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (I recommend using flour made from hard or soft white wheat)
1/2 cup organic cornstarch
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 cups sucanat, made into “powdered sugar”
3 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Cream Cheese Frosting

Place butter, water, and cocoa powder in a small saucepan. Cook over low heat until butter is melted and ingredients are well combined. In a large mixing bowl stir together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and powdered sucanat. Pour in butter mixture, and the eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla. Beat the ingredients together until smooth.

Pour batter into two well-buttered 9 inch round cake pans. Bake in a 375° oven for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Be careful not to overbake these cakes or they will become dry. Allow cakes to cool for a few minutes, then carefully turn them out onto two separate plates. Allow them to cool completely.

Frost with Cream Cheese Frosting, beginning with a layer in the middle of the cakes, then on the top and around the sides.

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See how pretty?

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See the red?

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 Okay, fine. It really is red(less). But it is crazy delicous. :)

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

Gratituesday: Godly Mentors

February 11, 2013 by Laura 27 Comments

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

I’ve spent many of my 15,840+ days on this earth having no clue what to do, making mistakes, and learning as I go. 

As a teenager, I muddled my way through each day, trying to figure out who in the world I was. (Thank you, God, that I never have to be a seventh grader again.) 

I began college with vigor, only to be met with the shocking realization that as a young adult, I needed to claim my own faith, keep up with my own laundry, study my heart out, and make my own doctor appointments.

When I first got married, I excitedly poured my heart into making a home, while serving my new husband many burnt grilled cheese sandwiches and underdone, doughy pancakes.

When our oldest son was born, I found myself totally in love with my newborn who quickly turned into a toddler. But I wore a “deer in the headlights” look for much of the time. Changing a diaper was easy enough, but where was the handbook on how to properly get a stubborn three year old to obey without having a melt-down in the middle of aisle nine? (Take your pick on who was having the melt-down…me or the three year old.)

In a few short years, three more baby boys were added to our family. I now had to learn to manage sibling squabbles, synchronize nap schedules, and deal with having too few hands to keep up with active little boys who didn’t care to sit quietly in a church pew.

There were wiggly teeth and ER visits for stitches. There were illnesses. There was death. There was pain and grieving. There were job changes. There was confusion. There were new adventures. There was more blessing than we could have ever dreamed or imagined.

And now? Now there are teenagers and preteens and a closet full of soccer cleats, work gloves, and basketballs. There are savings accounts, algebra lessons, odd jobs, hobbies, overloaded schedules, learner’s permits, and cute girls. Right around the corner there will be transcripts, scholarship applications, senior pictures, and ACT scores. 

Somehow I did make it through those uncertain baby and preschool years. This gives me hope that somehow, I will also make it through these deep voice changing, independent, cut-the-apron-string years too, even though I often feel utterly incompetent.

As unprepared as I sometimes feel, I take comfort knowing that I’ve never had to do any of this alone. Obviously God has been my ultimate guide, and Matt is a solid rock of a teammate. But what I’ve appreciated more than words can express are the women God has put in my life to walk me through each stage. Women who have “been there, done that”. Women who care. Women who don’t mind that I ask thirteen to three hundred questions. Women who love me for who I am and empower me to be what God has called me to be.

I’m not alone. And neither are you. There’s nothing new under the sun, and nothing you or I are going through hasn’t already been dealt with by someone else. Thank you, God, for wise mentors and for friends who offer encouragement.

Now if I can just refrain from purposely giving my boys bad hair cuts in an effort to ward off the cute girls.  I kid.  (I think.)

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!

 

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

FREE Peppermint Lip Balm from MadeOn!

February 11, 2013 by Laura 4 Comments

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

valentine lip balm

I am so excited to share this fun deal with you! It’s good today only – so act fast!

You know how much I love MadeOn Bee Silk Hard Lotion. Every winter for as long as I can remember, my hands got so dry that they cracked and bled, and ultimately felt miserable. It didn’t matter what I tried – nothing worked – until I tried MadeOn Hard Lotion. Within just a few hours, I noticed a huge difference in how comfortable my skin felt. I’ve been using it ever since, and I just love it.

Even more than I love how well it works is how safe and healthy it is to use on our skin. It is made with just three ingredients – coconut oil, beeswax, and shea butter. That’s it. And it works soooo well! I’m so thankful to have discovered it!

Once I knew how well their lotion worked, I decided to try their lip balm too. Oh my goodness – it is awesome. The Peppermint Lip Balm is my favorite.

Today only, when you make any MadeOn purchase, you will automatically receive a FREE Peppermint Lip Balm. No need to use a special code, and there is no minimum purchase. Simply add any items to your cart that you are interested, and you’ll receive the Peppermint Lip Balm as a free add-on! (Doesn’t apply to e-book only purchases.)

This deal is good Monday, February 11 only. Enjoy your soft, healthy skin and your free lip balm!

 

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