NowWeAre6's Profile

Popcorn is our weekend movie snack--cooked in olive oil and tossed with butter & real parmesan cheese. Yum! But for after school, my kids enjoy peanut butter or nutella spread on graham crackers and topped with sliced bananas, ants on a log, granola bars or apple slices with peanut butter. After a long day at school, they need some protein to keep them going.

I understand what everyone is saying about not skimping on floors, but I'd like to be a voice for the opposite camp. Right now, we simply couldn't afford great floors, and with 4 kids and one on the way, I was okay with that. We simply leveled the existing floors in our 1885 home with plywood & maybe backer board (I think--my husband is the reno guy) and used the peel and stick linoleum tiles from a big-box home improvement store. It's been 2 years and they show no signs of wear-and-tear, and I cook and bake every day. The pattern is neutral & hides the dirt well, and with the other much more dramatic changes we made, no one really pays it attention one way or the other. Someday, when we have the budget, we can always put in a better floor if we choose, but for now, if something happens, we can replace just a square. And with little kids, that's a much better option for us right now.

That's a great idea! I just wonder how sturdy it is. Knowing my boys, they'd probably try to hang on it and rip the whole thing off the wall!

Oh, yes, I forgot to add: pantries stocked with accessible junk food, like chips, cookies, sugary granola bars, and marshmallow fluff (for fluffanutter sandwiches, of course!). We only had basic, mostly healthy foods, so I was always in awe of being able to go over to a friend's and just help myself to foods that were completely taboo in my house. Especially when you didn't even have to ask a grownup and could just eat up in your friend's room or in front of the TV! Total luxury!

This is very cute, but forgive me--I just can't justify $350 for something that will get dirtied and destroyed under little feet. Target has adorable owl stuff right now in a similar aesthetic for a fraction of the cost. And I won't cry when the rug and other accessories get "worn" by my two little girls.

This actually looks doable; I always thought PEEPs would be waaay more trouble than they're worth. But these I think I'll try! And yes, J&H--stale PEEPs all the way!!

Blessing others with meals is one of the most basic & beautiful things you can do. I was on the "meal ministry" team at my old church, and as others have mentioned, we did it not only for families with new babies, but families with illness & other crisis situations as well. With my 4 children, people have always done this for me, and it's always been wonderful. For my 4th, a friend actually coordinated both neighbors and people at church (via facebook & email) and set up a schedule; I had a steady stream of meals for 3 weeks! (I'm hoping it happens again when my 5th arrives this July!)

I like to make large batches of something that will yield leftovers or food for visiting families, like casseroles, veggie lasagna, or soup. Add in some fruits & veggies, dessert, and muffins for the next morning. (If they have older kids, I like to include a treat for them as well to make them feel special and thought of.) For friends that live out of town, you could order food from a company and have it shipped; my aunt & uncle did this for me (they live out of state) with my 3rd. When he was a week old, a whole cooler from Omaha Steaks arrived on my doorstep--best baby gift they could have given!

Wait--do I detect a layer of topping or sugar in the middle of the cake? Do tell!
Also, if I don't have a tube pan, would a 9x9 square work okay?

@clampers--my gas stove has one "super burner," 2 regular-powered burners, and the 4th burner is a lower powered burner, perfect for simmering (but terrible if you need to boil a pot of water or something). So I'm guessing this pot has that less powerful burner in mind. The size of the actual burner is the same, but the flame/power is smaller.

Another great option is to go local, either at nearby farms and produce stands or farmer's markets. While the produce may not be 100% organic, many small farms use as little chemicals as possible to maintain their crops. Plus, our local farms provide us with fresh, delicious produce that's less expensive than the sales at the grocery store. And when you pick your own (apples, strawberries, etc.), the price tag tends to be even cheaper. It's also a great lesson for my kids to really understand where our food comes from.