Come along to hear about our festive week! It was a week filled with all things holiday, as we start to get into the feel of seasonal magic. From here until the beginning of January we will make sure to pack our moments with all of extra cozy feelings and activities to keep our girls …
Olivia Whalen
Wells, Maine is a very special place to us. We have been traveling there almost every summer since my husband and I have been together. We have loved bringing our children here and watching them grow. This was the first time we camped, however. So here we are with our family camping review #4 – …
We harvested a good haul of potatoes this year so we have been using them in all different ways! The other night I was cooking up biscuit burger sliders and I thought I would pair them with some homemade garlic parmesan fries! They were really tasty and SO fresh. They had just the amount of …
Our family took a big step this year and that was to pull our girls out of public school! With much to consider we felt like it was the best decision at this time for our children and family as a whole. The start to our homeschooling journey has been wonderful. We have focused on …
This 4 step roasted tomato sauce is incredibly tasty but does not take long to put together! It is a go-to in my kitchen when I want to prepare and freeze several large batches of sauce with the tomatoes coming out of my garden. Almost all of the ingredients used in the sauce come from …
This weekend we took some down time to disconnect from technology and reconnect as a family. Our Summer schedules have been non stop so I felt that this was really important for us, to breathe. We did some lovely shadow painting with the kids! We do as many crafts and learning activities through nature as …
An entire day of spooky activities took place today! We did Halloween colored tie dying, made our annual tree ghosts, gravestones and also had dinner with a touch of the season added to it. Crescent mummy hot dogs was on the menu! They are SO easy to make and the kids get a kick out …
I sent my husband to get pepper starters this year for our garden. I told him to get whatever he thought would be fun to grow! Little did I know we were going to hit the jackpot because he got one plant that produces a pepper for my favorite recipe…..blistered shishitos! One of my favorite …
Good morning friends! ‘Tis the season to be completely consumed by processing food out of the garden. While so rewarding it can also seem overwhelming! That is why I do a mixture of storage techniques. From canning to freezing to ready pull packs. Today I’ll take you through my step by step process of storing …
Looking for a recipe that is a fun spin on taco night? I’ve got just the one for you, my taco pasta bake! My family absolutely loves this pasta dish that has a little extra flare of toppings rolled in. It is a budget friendly dish that doesn’t take too long to prepare and is …
We have more blackberries than we know what to do with growing on our property! Each day we are out harvesting container loads! We eat them fresh…mid pick and also bring them in for add ins to pancakes and other fun recipes. However today I decided to make a delightful treat for our mornings this …
We were full of Sunday blessings on the homestead this weekend. Spending the day celebrating family, togetherness and surrounded by simple things that bring us gratefulness! These Sundays always seem to be the most valuable of our time together as a family. We allow ourselves time to slow down, talk more, do things that bring …
Summer is winding down and gearing up for back to school is in full swing! I’ve compiled a wonderful list of back to school crock pot meals that will make the the families new routine feel a little easier. With this list you can put more focus on those earlier bed times, helping with home …
Here on the homestead we have been busy at work with upgrades and expansions, tending to the garden and planning for the future. It has been some time since I updated you on how things were happening here. Our raised beds are doing well, mostly. I am struggling with my cauliflower and broccoli and we …
It has been a rainy Summer! It’s been a little unfortunate with how little of time we have been able to spend outside as a family. This past week we said well, lets throw on the rain boots and go collecting, regardless of the weather! It was lovely to be outside in the misty rain. …
This spin on a traditional party appetizer is mouth watering delicious. Not only is the taste out of this world but how these street corn deviled eggs look has a total wow factor when they are finished! There are not many ingredients involved but you might think there is by just looking at them! They …
We finally did our first harvest out of our new garden beds! I had been eagerly awaiting this day. By now, usually I have had a couple mini harvests. This growing season has been vastly different than any I have seen since beginning my gardening journeys. It has been an extremely wet Summer. With that, …
Growing up, this was a staple in our home. It is easy to throw together and does not require a lot of expensive ingredients. Our home was on a budget and now with a larger family, we budget our food spending, too! This easy American Chop Suey dish costs under $25 and can give you …
For our 3rd camping trip of the summer we visited White Caps Campground at Lake Willoughby! This was a brand new, never before visited campground and area for us. It was one that had been on the list for many years and we were so excited to finally get the chance to book it and …
Over the last few years of our family expanding, we have continued to grow our homestead to provide. Not only are we providing homegrown nutrition to our children through this but also valuable life lessons and education. With the main focus on homeschool through homesteading they are going to one day have the knowledge to …
I mentioned in articles past that we were expanding the homestead this year. One of the ways that we were going to do that was by adding in more raised beds and revamping our existing ones to be be larger and newer! Since then, we have been hard at work! So I thought what better …
This wet and humid Summer here in Vermont has given us the difficult task of dealing with common garden issues. My garden itself is battling some hardships so I thought I would go over some of the ways I am naturally treating garden diseases. We try to grow as organically as possible so when troubles …
We recently celebrated our youngest daughter’s 2nd birthday! Hard to believe that my last baby is already in toddler hood. Time goes by so quickly with little ones. Store bought cupcakes are SO sweet and have dye packed frostings. She won’t eat them! Our girl prefers from scratch baking from her mamas kitchen and for …
This is one of those meals people will talk about for ages after they get a chance to grab a plate. My honey BBQ mac and cheese is something I make to fill us up and keep our guests happy! It is also a comfort dish for my family! This mac and cheese with a …
Family camping trip number 2 in the books! This time we visited Silver Lake State Park Campground. If you hadn’t had the chance to read my first family camping review check it out! What a difference in weather, set up and experience than our first. I’m really excited to tell you about this GEM of …
Taco night at our house is one of the most fun and enjoyable dinners that I do! We don’t go basic though! We do a family taco night without the store bought box kit. Now, my kids do not want anything else! Kits are not the healthiest option and when you have a large family …
Well hello friends! Months back I mentioned that we had purchased a new camper and we finally got to put it to the test out in the real world this past weekend. It was a gorgeous weekend and we had such a lovely time together. Camp session #1…in the books! As promised, I am going …
This easy, crispy and delicious air fryer veggie tempura is a great spin on your average dinner side. You can even turn this INTO dinner by adding in another heartier option like shrimp! It is a bit of a production line to get these vegetables prepared but once you get into the swing it goes …
I’ve got the perfect recipe for dinner tonight! Homemade hot pockets are a family favorite. Not only do the kids love them but they are also the perfect thing to make and freeze to have a snack, a future quick dinner or even a batch ready to go for lunch boxes for the upcoming week. …
Spring served us summer – for a minute, recently. It got into the 80’s and even close to 90 one day. It was HOT! We soaked it up the best we could knowing all too well that Vermont was just showing off and we would be back in jackets and close toed shoes …