Prehistoric Rabbit Repellant for Gardens

Somehow Peter Rabbit snuck into our garden a few nights ago, even though we have a raised bed surrounded by chicken wire.  The little furry pest ate one entire row and a half of green beans, all of the cucumber plants but one, and trampled the peas. 

I looked up a natural deterrent for rabbits while Brad and I were out the other night and found out that rabbits are skittish and can be temporarily scared off by a rubber snake. 

We were lacking in the rubber snake department, but we had plenty of dinosaurs to spare, and believe it or not, they’ve done the trick!  They’ve guarded our garden quite nicely until Brad had an opportunity to put another layer of tinier holed chicken wire up.  They might have just earned their way out of the toy box for the summer. 

 

Take THAT, Rabbit.

Growing…Growing…Growing

   

You asked for an update on our raised garden.

It’s coming right along…

The Peas, Green Beans, Corn, (Thanks to Your Suggestion) and Cucumbers are growing quite nicely.

(And The Boys Have Kept from Pulling, Digging, and Drenching so far!)

Tomatoes and Peppers still need to be planted. (One of these days!)

So amazing to watch tiny seeds becoming little plants.

Kinda reminds me of how our boys have grown from miniature preemies to little dudes.

God is so amazing.

Fighting Hunger Right Where You Live

It’s been such a privilege to have a part in the “Child Hunger Ends Here” campaign with ConAgra and Feeding America.  It’s encouraging to know that even my small role in this combined rally can change the hunger statics right where I live. That’s the thing I love about this effort – even a small contribution can make an impact! Did you know that $1 provides 7 Meals to your local community when you donate online? 

Yep, you read that correctly.  SEVEN.

Think about how even a $1 per neighbor/church member/classmate/PTA member donation could significantly impact your community.  Now think even bigger.. For instance if each person in my own town of around 20,000 made a $1 donation we could provide 140,000 meals! 

There’s no better time than the present.  With summer quickly approaching more kids in your very own community will struggle with hunger. The 19.5 million children receiving the free or reduced-price lunches significantly will drop to only 2.2 million receiving meals through the Summer Food Service Program. Remember, every dollar raised and donated online stays in your community to help those children in need.

(Keep reading how YOU can make an IMPACT today just by simply leaving a COMMENT.)

There have been many inspiring bloggers demonstrating examples of how you can get involved.  Hopefully their initiatives, ideas, creativity, and energy will inspire you to make a difference in your own community as well:

~ Judy from Dirt Road Musings held a “Taste of Italy” Pasta Dinner in her home town of Omaha, Nebraska,and a portion of the proceeds were donated to Feeding America.

~ Courtney from Detroit Mommies teamed up with a local restaurant that donated 5% of the invite’s tab from the food and drinks to the cause.

~ Laura from My DFW Mommy opened her own home and collected canned goods and donations from her neighbors.

~ Andrea from Savvy Sassy Moms hosted a neighborhood ice cream social in Los Angeles, California.

See? It doesn’t have to be elaborate or complicated to make a difference. You can find more ideas, resources and sign up for a FREE toolkit at the Child Hunger Ends Here site.

Now that you’re creative juices are bubbling and overflowing with ideas I want to hear them! 

And here’s the impact you can make with a simple comment:

For every comment, a donation of $1 will be made on behalf of our blog to Child Hunger Ends Here, up to $100. That means that 100 comments on this post could provide 700 MEALS for my local community! 

I’m not too proud to beg…

Will you leave me a comment telling me your ideas for how you could make an impact in your own community?

It’s that simple.

Pretty Please.

With Sugar On Top?

AND a Cherry?

 

Me. The Cows. And Haiti.

So I entered this essay contest that Stonyfield is holding for bloggers…

… Cuz I’m really interested in learning more about eating natural foods, finding out where our foods come from, passing the goodness along to my boys, and all.

… I’ve been even more inspired after watching this movie   and while growing our garden.

… Well, just so happens that I was chosen as a TOP TEN FINALIST!

If I’m voted into the Final 3, I’ll be invited to tour the farms and facilities of Stonyfield to learn more about the farmers dedicated to organic food production.

(Wish I could take these handsome little farmers along for the ride. Goodness, they’ve grown up since this picture!)

Here’s the real kicker…

If I make the Final 3 cut, I’ll receive $5,000 to give to Three Angels Children’s Relief in Haiti.  An organization that has impacted me personally, our church has supported, and my brother recently visited. In such a time of devastation and destruction in this country, $5,000 of American money can make a HUGE impact.  (They also have a great FB Page if you’d like to see more of how they are impacting through their medical clinic, school, and orphanage in Haiti.)

Voting is simple.  Like 30 seconds - Tops. (Your Name, Email, And Vote – Easy Cheesy!) And you can vote 1x a day with a valid email address up until May 25th.

So mosey on over HERE (www.stonyfield.com/barnstorming/) to vote, and I will be super grateful (and so will Three Angels Haiti)!

 Thanks in Advance, Sweet Friends!

 

 

Good Eats.

I’ve had some seriously rockin’ food lately.  (Not at all super healthy crunchy type foods, but you know, the “in moderation” type of yummy food.)

I can’t take credit for any of these creations being my own, so I’ll give credit where credit is due.

• My sister made this yumtastic Strawberry Pie from Paula Deen for my mom and dad’s birthday get together. 

I do love listening to Paula talk about butter. I once met her sons in Savannah, GA.  But that’s another blog post…

• This recipe for a Taco Ring from Hoosier Homemade (Go Indiana!) was as simple as it looked!  An easy alternative to taco night.  All six of us gobbled it right up!

• PW has never let me down.  Seriously, every single recipe I’ve made from The Pioneer Woman Cooks has turned out beautifully.  Her Mac and Cheese did me no wrong. (After all, it’s not swimsuit season yet)

• I’m loving all the produce that’s becoming available as the temperatures get warmer.  Our local Kroger had blackberries for $1 per container. I might have to give this Berry Lemonade from A Southern Fairytale a sip while the berries are so cheap! Or there’s always smoothies.

• And if you have a Kona Grill close by and haven’t tried their Happy Hour, you are missin’ it, Sista! $3 Sushi. $5 Calamari $5 Wood Fire Pizzas. Thank you, Mother’s Day date night.

What Good Eats have you been munchin’ on lately?  Do Tell!

How Does Your Garden Grow?

This year we are trying out gardening. It’s been the perfect age to get the boys involved.  They’ve loved the opportunity to help Daddy build, plant seeds, get dirty, and watch the veggies begin to grow.  So far we’ve planted peas in the raised bed and have tomatoes and peppers growing inside. We’ll be planting green beans and cucumbers in the next week or two.  

Hopefully their excitement about GROWING the veggies transfers to EATING the veggies! =)

I’m excited to have fresh produce right outside our door. How’s that for knowing where your food comes from?

If this goes well, we’ll hopefully expand and grown more fresh options next spring!

 

What’s your favorite garden fresh produce?

Have you had any success with gardening?

Tips to share?

How Will You Fight Childhood Hunger?

As one of the bloggers teaming up with ConAgra Foods to help end child hunger, we’ve been encouraging people across the nation to rally together to make an impact in our communities.  You can follow @conagrafoods on Twitter or ConAgra’s Facebook Page for the latest updates. So far, the efforts have been encouraging, but there’s still lots that we can do right where we live.

Think hunger isn’t an issue in your community?  Think again.  Hunger lives in every state, town, school, and most likely your very own neighborhood.

But here’s the good news, making a difference doesn’t require a grand production or a large sum of money.  It’s things you probably are already involved doing in your community: setting up a lemonade stand with the neighborhood kids, throwing a garage sale with the things you’re no longer using, or pitching in as a neighborhood/school/church to collect foods. You can register your rally at Child Hunger Ends Here and they will send you a rally kit that includes a banner, posters, coupons to share, and a rally guide.  Then, donate a portion of your earnings online, and your efforts will go back to your very own community. 

My sweet friend, Danielle from Extraordinary Mommy is one of the 14 bloggers in 14 different cities hosting neighborhood rallies for Child Hunger Ends Here. She’s hosting “Lemonade Stand Saturdays” to impact her local community in Missouri.  Another blogging friend, Andrea from Mommy Snacks, is offering a coupon workshop to help raise money. Others have participated in House Party events to raise awareness.

Several celebrities are also getting behind this campaign with a neighborhood rally held on Wisteria Lane. There’s also a Celebrity Auction being held to benefit Feeding America. 

So how will YOU get involved personally? 

I’m working out a few details of my own (coming soon), but I’d love to hear your own! 

~ How will you respond to the “1 in Every 4 Kids in America Struggle with Hunger” statistic?

~ Were you aware that childhood hunger was such a serious issue in America?

~ Have you or someone you’re close to experienced hunger as a child?

~ Have you heard of the “Clothes Off Our Back” organization? It’s another great way you can get involved.

*This post is a sponsored opportunity via ConAgra Foods. My enthusiasm and heart behind this initiative are my own.

Child Hunger Ends Here

My definition of “hunger” is so skewed. Seriously.  For me “hunger” is what I experience about 2 hours after a full meal.  I have no real concept of food depravity.

Unfortunately, the same is not true for nearly 17 million children in the UNITED STATES that are not getting enough food to live active, healthy lives. That’s correct – not third world countries, the U-S-A. One in four kids who don’t know where their next meal is coming from, right in our own back yards.

Perhaps its your son’s playmate down the street, maybe it’s the sandy blonde little toddler in your church nursery, or the little girl waiting in the chair next to you at the doctor’s office.  Odds are you are in regular contact with the hungry.

I’m embarrassed to admit that often my first instinct when faced with an issue so vast is to turn my head. After all, how could I make a difference in a devastated population? It’s honestly difficult for me to wrap my mind around that children in our own communities are suffering.

That’s why this spring, ConAgra Foods is encouraging people across the country to rally together to help end child hunger. I will be teaming up with ConAgra Foods and several other bloggers in the next few weeks to demonstrate some ways we can make an impact in our own communities.(Your probably familiar with ConAgra Food’s top brands like Healthy Choice, Chef Boyardee, Manwhich, Marie Callender’s, Orville Redenbacher’s, Peter Pan Peanut Butter, and Banquet.) I love when corporations reach out to their consumers and get them involved in their efforts!

In partnership with Feeding America, the nation’s leading hunger-relief organization,
ConAgra Foods is launching its Child Hunger Ends Here Neighborhood Rally
campaign. Activities such as bake sales, rummage sales, food drives, school carnivals,
neighborhood picnics or other existing community events can become a Child Hunger Ends Here Neighborhood Rally, simply by donating a portion or all of the proceeds from
the event to Feeding America, which has a network of more than 200 food banks
across the nation. Money raised and food collected locally and donated online will stay in that local community. (Love that!)

So what can you do right now to help fight child hunger in your home town?

~ Check out Child Hunger Ends Here and find the tools and resources to participate in a Neighborhood Rally. 

~ Spread the word. Share this post with your friends on Twitter and Facebook.

~ Tweet the following message: “Help the Child Hunger Ends Here campaign. Each RT Donates $1 towards #fightchildhunger in @quatromama ‘s name! http://bit.ly/aW2vdd”

~ Consider a small donation of towards this cause. (100 pennies could make a world of difference if we all work together.)

~ Share with us how YOU are confronting this issue?  How are you going to make a difference where you live?

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Let’s quit turning our heads to this reality in America and together start making a difference in the lives of those struggling with hunger!

 

*This post is a sponsored opportunity via ConAgra Foods. My enthusiasm and heart behind this initiative are my own.

Easy As Pie. Spaghetti Pie.

More than ever I’ve been planning meals based on the following questions:

~ Will most/all of the family eat it?

~ Is it EASY and fairly QUICK?

~ Is it easy on the budget?

~ Is it a healthy choice?

So when I find a “Winner” in these categories, I think it’s worth passing along…right?

Here’s What We Dined-In on Last Night:

It’s as easy as pie.  Spaghetti Pie to be precise.

Here’s what You’ll Need.

SPAGHETTI PIE

10 oz Spaghetti (I Prefer Thin)

2 Eggs Beaten

1/2 c Grated Parmesan Cheese

8 oz Shredded Mozzarella

1 lb. of Cooked Ground Beef

1 Jar of Spaghetti Sauce or 1 Batch of Homemade (I Like To Spice Up a Store Bought Jar to Save Time)

Now, just recruit some cute helpers (and their toys) and you’ll be set to start!

(Yes, I do a lot of food prep on the (cleanish) floor!)

First Cook Your Spaghetti and Drain.

Combine the Eggs and the Parmesan Cheese and Mix into the Drained Spaghetti.

In a 9x13 Pan, Layer 1/2 the Spaghetti and 1/2 the Mozzarella Cheese.

Repeat Layers Until You Have Something Like This:

 

Bake the Noodles and Cheese at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.  It should come out looking all cheesy and happy like this:

While you are baking the noodles, Add your spaghetti sauce to your cooked ground beef and heat thoroughly.  You can also add veggies like mushrooms, zucchini, and peppers to your sauce. Pour heated sauce over the baked spaghetti.  Put it back into the oven for another 5-10 minutes and Voila!  Cut it into Squares to Serve.  

 

I also like this recipe because it’s less-messy and easier to eat than traditional spaghetti for little ones.

Add a salad or fresh veggie, plus some garlic bread and you are golden! =)

What’s your favorite kid/budget/time/nutritious-friendly recipe? 

Feast Your Eyes On This…

Thanksgiving is such a beautiful time to remember the daily blessings that we often take for granted, isn’t it?  We have SO MUCH to be grateful for…it’s truly overwhelming!

I hope you were able to enjoy your Thanksgiving weekend, not only the meal and the gathering, but the bountiful blessings as well!

We survived hosting, and were grateful for the opportunity to have loved ones in our home. Here’s a glimpse of our own family celebration with Brad’s side of the family.

Gramma came over the night before to help us dress the bird. 

The Reynolds Cooking Chart called for an internal temperature of 180 degrees.  I think we nailed it!

 

Great Grandma helped Brad with his first Turkey Carving…

The Pioneer Woman’s Creamy Mashed Potatoes were melt in your mouth goodness!

How in the world did the Pilgrims and Indians Cook Thanksgiving Dinner Without the Crock-Pot Invention? 

We got all 19 heads seated and served!

And No Thanksgiving is Complete without a Little Tossing Around of the Football Make That a Blue’s Clues Stuffed Animal

Thank you Murray/Cronkhite Family for sharing Thanksgiving 2009 with us!

I’d love to see how your family celebrated Thanksgiving.  If you are blogging about your festivities, feel free to leave a link to your blog post via MckLinky.  You’ll gain some traffic for your own blog, and be able to connect with other blogging families! If you aren’t a blogger, you are welcome to share with us in the comment section! 

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****Also, if you haven’t yet checked out The 4tunate Holiday Gift Guide, please do so in the post below or by clicking on the button on the top right side bar.****

Thanksgiving: It’s What’s For Dinner

Well, I’ve officially begun the process of readying the house for our Thanksgiving guests.  The pantry has been organized, the fridge and the oven are next. (Who doesn’t love cleaning the oven?) This year will be my first year at hosting a family Thanksgiving (Brad’s side), but everyone’s pitching in, so I’m in no way responsible for the entire meal.  Pheewwww! 

Both Brad’s family and my own are known for the traditional Thanksgiving spread:

Turkey, Mashed Potatoes, Stuffing, Green Bean Casserole, Corn, Rolls, and Pumpkin Pie 

I can almost smell it! 

If I get everything checked off my list, I’ll be making my Carrot Cake.  I got it from a school carry-in a few years ago, and I’ve been highly addicted since. If I don’t get around to it, I’ll leave you the recipe so you can tell me how absolutely amazing it is!  Seriously, I consider myself a bit of a “Carrot Cake Connoisseur” and this cake is the best I’ve ever eaten!  _________________________________________________________________________________

Make It From Scratch Because It’s So Worth It Carrot Cake Recipe 

2 c sugar                          2 c flour                              

2 tsp. cinnamon                3 eggs beaten                     

1-2 tsp. Allspice                1 c chopped walnuts         

1 c oil                               1/2 can crushed pineapple partially drained

3 c grated carrots             2 tsp. baking soda

Mix all the ingredients together and pour into two lightly greased cake pans. Bake at 350 for 35-45 minutes or until tooth pick comes out clean. Cool completely.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 - 8 oz pkg. of cream cheese          1 stick of butter

1 1/2 c powered sugar                      3 tsp. of vanilla

Mix cream cheese and butter together until well blended.  Add powdered sugar and vanilla and beat until creamy. 

A couple of tips:

* I would definitely use a food processor for grating your carrots, or you’ll spend the entire duration of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade shredding carrots and your knuckles.

* If you don’t have Allspice on hand you can substitute equal parts nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves

* If you really like icing (like I do) you might want to make a double batch of icing

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What’s on YOUR Thanksgiving menu?  A traditional meal?  Out to eat?  Regional tastes? I’d love to hear about your favorite fixin’s!