Foods 
Perfectly chewy and surprisingly healthy, these grain-, egg-, and dairy-free banana nut butter buckwheat cookies are just the treat you need! Looking for gluten-free recipes and resources? This Everything Gluten Free page is a library of everything gluten free we’ve worked on. Healthy treats. As a healthy-minded momma, I don't often give my kids sweet things. They usually only have treats on the weekend, and boy, do they look forward to it! Even so, I try to keep their treat options as healthy as possible. Homemade fudgesicles, homemade peanut butter cups, homemade marshmallows, and healthy cookies are all ...Read More
6 Things to Pray for Your Kids Every Day
I don't think it's possible to overstate the impact of a parent's prayers in the life of her child. At the very beginning of my parenting journey, God drew my attention to the biblical account of Hannah in 1 Samuel 1-2. She was a praying woman, a praying mom who devoted her son to the Lord quite literally, sending him to the temple to live and work when he was very young. But the temple was a wicked place during that time, and Samuel was surrounded by immorality. Yet from his boyhood and throughout his whole life, God spoke to Samuel powerfully, using him to speak his truth to multitudes of people, including ...Read More
Grandma’s Best 5-Minute Dill Dip
What's the best way to get kids to eat a food they're not too sure about? Dip, of course. Grandma's Best Dill Dip definitely does the trick! It seems that adding dip to my kids plate can change their whole disposition to the food in front of them. Veggies? Just add this dip or ranch. Meat? Just add barbecue sauce or mustard. They go from wrinkled nose grumbling little minions to scarfing down their food and asking for seconds. If you haven't tried this trick with your own kids, you really must. The transition is remarkable! Not Your Average Dill Dip... My niece was recently at my house, and when I got the dill ...Read More
Kids & the Bible: 10 Ways to Help Kids Focus on God’s Word
As parents, we can help kids focus on God's Word. Here are my thoughts and tips about helping kids with the Bible. Without a doubt, the most valuable tool a parent can have in their home is a well-worn Bible. The apostle Paul said all Scripture is inspired by God, or more literally, “God-breathed”—the product of the creative breath of God (2 Timothy 3:16). When the Bible is heard and read, it revives the soul, makes wise the simple, rejoices the hearts, and enlightens the eyes (Psalm 19:7-8). 10 Ways to Help Kids Focus on God's Word This is why the Bible tells parent to saturate their homes in His Word: "...these ...Read More
Should you cook with lard? 6 surprising facts about piggy fat
I used to be deathly afraid of fat. Like, seriously terrified of it. Do you remember back in the day, when everything with fat was villainized? And animal fats? They were the worst offenders! This fear of fats didn't help me out. It meant in college I lived on Surge (oh my goodness...do you remember how awesome that neon green stuff was?), Sprite, Trix, Lucky Charms, and fat-free microwave popcorn. Literally, a recipe for disaster! It took years of reading and re-research to unprogram all the bad stuff I learned. And it took even longer to come to terms that fat—even animal fats—could be a heathy, nourishing ...Read More
Christians Parents Ask: What Should I Teach My Kids About Tattoos?
The other day I received an email from a Christian mother asking how she should talk to her kids about tattoos. Her family had recently made friends with others who had large, very prominent tattoos on their body, and her children were curious about them. She wanted to be able to address the matter of what to teach kids about tattoos from a Christian worldview. This was my reply... Christians have different convictions about tattoos. Teaching Kids About Tattoos: Does God Forbid Tattoos? Some look to Leviticus 19:28 which commands Israel: "You shall not make any cuts on your body for the dead or tattoo ...Read More
Quick & Easy Potato Soup in the Instant Pot
Hearty and comforting, this quick and easy potato soup will be sure to become a regular in your house. Easy Potato Soup for the win. There are many, many types of food that I love dearly, but my favorite is definitely anything that falls into the category "easy." With five kiddos running around, homeschooling, etc., easy is something that is quite important in my life! Soups usually fall into the easy category, and therefore they make it onto my menu often. While some of our favorites are my Quick & Easy Veggie Lentil Soup, and my Chicken & Sweet Potato Chipotle Chili, there is definitely a soft spot in my ...Read More
Swapping Sweeteners: The Ultimate Guide to Substituting Sweeteners and Sugar
It doesn't have to be difficult substituting sweeteners. Let's talk about swapping sweeteners with this Ultimate Guide to Substituting Sweeteners and Sugar. Nothing is quite like sugar. No sweetener makes a batch of cookies quite like sugar. Carmel is next to impossible without sugar. I guarantee nothing tastes and acts just like sugar, but we can find some decent replacements. Substituting sweeteners and sugar isn't as hard as it sounds! Substituting Sweeteners: What? Why would I want to get rid of sugar? I don't think any of us really want to get rid of sugar. I certainly didn't. But if you're ...Read More
