Heavenly Homemakers

Encouraging women in homemaking, healthy eating and parenting

Menu Plan for the Week

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Tis the season to be…tired. :)  I’m wishing I had some good freezer foods stashed away, but in my recent busy-ness, I’ve fallen behind and my freezer holds no convenience items. I’ve chosen some fairly simple meals to make this week as we work on our many Christmas preparations. I think I’ll be enlisting the help of my favorite chefs this week too. We’ll just make “cooking with mom” a part of the system!

Sunday, December 12
Oatmeal, pears
Italian pasta bake, tossed salad, corn
Pizza pockets, fruit

Monday, December 13
Whole wheat waffles
Grilled cheese, tomato soup
Shepherds pie, tossed salad

Tuesday, December 14
Omelets, clementines
Veggie soup, soft pretzels
Cheesy Beef and Rice, green beans

Wednesday, December 15
Pancake and sausage muffins, fruit
Corn dog muffins, smoothies
Lamb chops, baked potatoes, peas

Thursday, December 16
Giant breakfast cookies, pomegranate
Chicken noodle soup, carrots
Turkey sausage, hashbrowns, oranges

Friday, December 17 (our little family Christmas celebration day)
Whole wheat cinnamon rolls, scrambled egg casserole
Crackers with ranch cheese ball, meatballs, apple slices, peppernuts
Lasagna, tossed salad, homemade bread and butter

Saturday, December 18
Fried eggs on toast, fruit
Leftovers
Hearty bean casserole, bread and butter

Please click over to download our free Christmas Menu Planners 
to make your holiday time meal planning more fun!!

christmasmenuplanner6sm1.JPG

Visit Organizing Junkie for more menu planning inspiration.

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Do You Regift?

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I’ve done it. I’ve regifted. It’s rare, but yes…I have given away a gift someone else has given me.

For instance, when I received baby gifts for all of my boy babies, there would sometimes be a little outfit that my chubby babies outgrew before I could even take the tags off. I saved the outfit for someone else’s baby. And regifted it.

There’s a little controversy out there about whether or not regifting is okay. Is it rude? Mean? Thoughtless? Cheap?

I suppose it can be. But it doesn’t have to be. Right? 

I just read a helpful article in Daily Worth, a daily (free) email newsletter I’ve been receiving for several months regarding saving money and investing money, written just for women. I don’t always agree with all of the Daily Worth articles, but usually I can find at least a nugget of financial encouragement and advice. Today, they talked about Regifting. Is it a way to gift someone without spending? Or is it best avoided because of the potential hurt feelings it could cause?

What are your thoughts about regifting?

Daily Worth

In case you’re interested in receiving the free Daily Worth newsletter I receive,
you can sign up for it by clicking here.

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The Most Practical Gifts

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Hello, my name is Laura and I’m a bundle of fun and a barrel of laughs. Being with me is a hoot. I’m one big party. I give the coolest gifts.

Just kidding. About all of it. Except that my name really is Laura.

I can be kinda fun and I like to host parties. I have barrels of wheat and bundles of brown rice, both of which I think are a hoot. Which leads me to the “coolest gift” statement. The fact that I think wheat and rice are so exciting may tell you something about the gifts I give. I will never win the “Coolest Gift Giver Prize”.

I’m not too much into giving junky or fru-fru gifts and I don’t usually like to spend a lot, not because I’m stingy (hopefully), but just because I don’t see the importance of spending tons of money on gifts. Unless someone needs something.

I am a Practical Gift Giver. 

Gifts for our boys usually include items of clothing they need, shoes, jammies and books. They get some toys too, but I’ve got to see the practicality in the toy before I’ll spend money or Swagbucks on it. (Like Legos. I can totally get into Legos.)

And games. I love games. Especially if they are games I can win.

Did I just say that out loud?

I think I come by my Practical Gift Giving honestly. One Christmas my grandma gave all of the men in the family a pair of ear plugs. All of them. My dad, my brother, my uncles, my cousins…all of them. We were a family of farmers (and preachers…hmmm..) so ear plugs were a very practical gift. But we all got tickled because everyone started putting them in and wearing them around during our big get-together. Every single male in our family looked ridiculous, but that’s okay. They couldn’t hear all of us females laughing and making fun of them.

Ah the memories. 

I say all that to let you know that I’m getting ready to write a short series here with some practical gift suggestions. I already wrote a post about Gifts for Women. Cast Iron, Pyrex Dishes, Stoneware. Practical.  Makes me SO happy.

Here are the posts I have planned so far:

Gifts of Books
Gifts of Games (The kind I can win – just kidding – not really)
Toys I Like (to watch my kids play with)
Stocking Stuffers for Kids (Yes, these can actually be practical)
Stocking Stuffers for Moms (Yes, because Moms really can have a stuffed stocking)
Gifts for Men (If you can twist my arm hard enough. It’s HARD to buy for men, much less post about it.)

I promise not to suggest that you buy ear plugs. But I may request some for myself this year. Have you ever tried to write a complete sentence with the noise going on at my house?

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Gifts for Women (a not so subtle hint for husbands…)

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Okay Gals, not that I actually know every item that you would put on your Christmas List, but I took a chance that you and I probably like many of the same kitchen goodies and came up with a list for you to give to your husband or anyone else who might be desperate to buy you something. To make sure he sees this post, conveniently leave it up on the screen and put your laptop in his favorite chair. Or you can just print out the post and circle your favorite choices in bright red lipstick. I’m sorry that I am not at all into bling or fru-fru, so if you want any of those things, you’ll have to tell him yourself. However, if you’re looking to bake or cook or watch wheat turn into flour, I’ve got you covered…

Dear Heavenly Homemakers Husbands,

I’m glad you are so eager to make your wife happy on Christmas morning. I’m pretty sure she would love many of these great items to make her cooking and baking experience wonderful. Now of course, you know that if she has some of these great gadgets, you will benefit. Not that you’re buying her these gifts because of selfish reasons. But hey, there is likely to be a chocolate cake or some homemade bread or even a pie in it for you (quite often I would imagine), so I’d say it’s a win-win. 

I know you guys aren’t so much into words and details so I’ll work hard to simply state the facts. (Food…good…nice gifts…yah)

First, let’s start with Stoneware. I love stoneware and feel that baking in them creates the best bread and brownies ever. Here are some stone baking pans of choice:  Round Pizza Stone; Rectangle Baking Stone Set; Stone Bread Pan. Did you want to see the bread and brownies she can make you with these stones? Yes I thought you did:  Bread…Brownies (food…good). 

Next, let’s look at some Cast Iron. I like having a big Cast Iron Skillet. Your wife can scramble some mean eggs in a skillet like this, or fry up some good burgers or steaks. 

Third, I will show you Stainless Steel Bakeware and Stainless Steel Cookware. Both are among the best quality for your wife to cook with and while they may look a little bit expensive, you should know that they last a million (give or take) times longer than their cheap non-stick counterparts. Plus they’re much safer to cook with and I’m not trying to tug on your heart strings or anything, but I know you do so cherish the health of your beloved.

I can’t leave out Pyrex Dishes. Pyrex Dishes will make your wife’s job of cooking and freezing and reheating leftovers oh so much easier. They are not expensive and they have nice lids that come with them. I like this set and this set and this set and this set. You don’t have to buy them all, but well…you sure could if you wanted to because your wife would find a great use for every single piece.

Don’t get all panicky on me now, but I absolutely have to mention the Grain Mill. I’ve already written you a letter about why you should buy a Grain Mill for your wife, so just head right on over and read all about it. Long story short:  good bread, save money, be healthy without knowing it. Oh and also, your wife will flip with joy when she sees it.

Last but not least, I will mention that your wife might enjoy some of our Hand Crocheted Items, which of course you will be willing to use often as you help her clean and wash dishes. Hey, pick out some things that are the same color as your favorite sports team and you’re all set.

Happy Eating Shopping,
Laura@HeavenlyHomemakers

Wives, what have I forgotten here? What’s on your Christmas list?

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It’s Not in the Budget

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We have a new Christmas shopping tradition at our house. We’ve done it for two years now, so that makes it a tradition, right?

We take a day (and believe me, it does take an entire day) for our kids to Christmas shop for each other, one boy at a time. This means that everyone else stays home playing games with Dad while I take one boy to the store to pick out gifts. The two of us finish, I drop off that boy at home, pick up another, and head back to the store. I do this four times. It’s the best. Not only does each boy get to have one-on-one time with Mom, they get to go to the toy aisle too. It doesn’t get much better than that.

The boys get to spend their own hard earned money on these gifts; what better way to learn about budgeting and spending. Our five year old still doesn’t quite understand that a $119.96 price tag is a bit over $5, so even though his brother would surely love it if he were to purchase the very large and exciting box of Star Wars (trooper, fighter, land speeder, warship, yada yada…) Lego Set, it just costs too much and he’ll have to pick out something else. 

The other boys have a little bit better understanding of how to read a price tag. Usually, as we drive to the store, the two of us talk about how much they plan to spend on each gift and what amount would be wise. 

This is always such a heart-fluttery time for me, as I love spending rare one-on-one time with each boy. Listening to them plan for how they’re going to spend and what they want to get for their brothers (“because I think he’d really, really like it”) makes me get all melty inside. 

And then, my eight year old….oh my eight year old. He was beside himself with excitement during his shopping trip, feeling so grown up with his wallet in his pocket and his list prepared. He was all smiles, but oh so serious about what he had come to the store to do.

As he was picking out a toy for his little brother, I jokingly pointed out a big ticket item and said, “Hey Bud, I think you should get this for him, what do you think?” Looking at the triple figure price tag, his eyes got big and apparently not catching on that I was just kidding, he shook his head and said, “Oh boy. I’d sure like to, but it’s just not in my budget.”

The little cutie. I could have given him a big fat wet kiss right there in front of all the shoppers and Buzz Lightyear for his grown up and wise statement. I resisted and instead snuck in a quick peck on the top of his blond head. He finished his shopping, staying well within his budget and finding fun presents that he was proud to pay for with his own money.

May we all be like the eight year old shopper this year as we make our holiday purchases:  Set a budget. Stick to it.

It’s surprisingly uncomplicated.

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Black Friday Shopping? Question #74

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The time has almost arrived in which people who actually have a rare day off from work will intentionally set their alarms to wake them up after just a few hours of sleep so that they can get frost bite while waiting for a person with a key to open the door and let them into a place that will take a large portion of their money. They will then willingly allow themselves to be pushed around by crowds of hundreds in order to take advantage of a near impossible chance at an item in which there are only a dozen in stock. 

Can I pause a moment to say that I would never want to be the person with the key? Actually, maybe it would be just a little bit fun. I could go stand for a few minutes before opening time and dangle the key at the crowd and wave innocently (while I stood there holding my steaming mug of hot cocoa) and act like I have no idea why they are standing there. Yes…that would be just a tiny bit fun. 

I’ve actually participated in the Black Friday event…once. It was back when my kids were all little bitty and I didn’t have a chance to get out much all by myself. The only  possibility seemed to be shopping in the wee hours of the morning on the Friday after Thanksgiving and so I planned it…I even looked forward to the outing. When I got to the store and saw that there were hundreds of people in line out in the cold, I just sat in my van (with my heater on) watching them shiver. Already I was questioning my sanity. At just before opening time I decided to join the party at the door, which basically means that they stood in the cold for an hour and I stood there for two minutes and we all got  let in at the same time.

I headed directly to the kitchen department for the items I was planning to pick up at their amazing $5 price and realized right away that these items were not even worth $5 as they seemed to be made of tissue paper and rubber bands. I did enjoy shopping all by myself without my kids…but could I have done that after a few more hours of sleep? Yeah, I’m pretty sure I could have.

Since then I’ve been a Black Friday shopping rebel. I stay home and sleep. I shop online later in the day in my slippers (with my steaming cup of hot cocoa). I like it.

And yet this year I feel myself being pulled over to the dark side (literally…because it’s dark at 4 am you know?). Some friends of mine are making the idea of shopping early on Friday morning awfully appealing and fun. We could all go together and shucks, I could almost be home and cooking breakfast before my family even knew I was gone.

What’s a girl to do? 

I may actually join the crowds this year.

Do you think I could just bring my hot cocoa with me?

What do you do? Are you a early morning Black Friday shopper? Or do you stay home and sleep in your warm bed?

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Start Making Homemade Vanilla for Christmas!

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vanilla_beans

About a year ago, I told you about my vodka buying adventures. Fun times. It’s always neat to be carded when you’re in your 30’s. I was so honored. And also embarrassed. Hey, I was buying an entire gallon of vodka at one time. I looked like I was going a little overboard. Like a crazy lady who took her four children to the store with her at nine o’clock in the morning to buy a gallon of booze.

Well anyway, it was well worth it as I handed out nice bottles of homemade vanilla for Christmas last year. And as I continue to pull out bottles of homemade vanilla for our own use. Mmmmmm…it’s so delicious!

I know it’s a little bit early to be thinking about Christmas. Never mind – it’s never to early to be thinking about Christmas gifts. Starting now and planning ahead can save a lot of money. That’s why I’m writing this little post.

It takes six months to make good, strong homemade vanilla. If you’d like to give homemade vanilla to family and friends this Christmas…you’ll need to purchase vanilla beans and start making your vanilla soon! If you get all of your supplies in order now and get the vanilla started in June, you’ll be all set for Christmas!

Here’s what you need to do:

  1. Read this post about how to make homemade vanilla. (By the way, making vanilla is so completely easy!)
  2. Order Vanilla Beans (You’ll find details on the amount of beans you need here.)  If you order vanilla beans through Olive Nation you will receive free shipping, PLUS if you use the code home you will receive 10% off your order! I’ve been very pleased with the beans I ordered through Olive Nation!
  3. Buy some cheap vodka. (You’re on your own with this one. Best wishes.)
  4. Get ahold of a big jar to make your vanilla.
  5. Get your vanilla beans and put into your vodka (as directed here) to start extracting.

Then…in the next few months, you can

  1. Start thinking about purchasing small bottles for your vanilla gifts.
  2. Look into these fun Vanilla Recipe Cards to add to your gifts.
  3. Check out these pretty labels! They are customizable, and come in a variety of designs.
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