No More Doritos!

Recently, I ordered this local Black Bean Hummus with our organic CSA delivery.  We had never tried Black Bean Hummus before but I figured since we love black beans SO much, that we would probably like this stuff too!  And we did- boy did we ever love this!

SO good!

The husband and I were sitting in bed one night watching Sleepy Hollow and munching on chips and this "bean paste" as the husband calls it.  When he turned to me and said, "these are so much better then Doritos."

Shut.  The.  Front.  Door.

Prior to the "food change" that occurred in our household, we ate Doritos like they were going out of style.  Seriously- we loved them.  Thankfully, Doritos haven't graced my pantry in years but the husband and kiddo still have fond memories....So yes- it was kind of a BIG deal when the husband said he preferred this "bean paste" over his beloved Doritos.

In the weeks since we first tried this delicious Black Bean Hummus- I have ordered several more containers and the husband has now deemed it, "survival food" and labeled it a "necessity".  Really- who am I to argue?

But here's the thing- one little container of this delicious creamy beany goodness is $5.  And considering the husband can eat the whole container in one sitting- that's a lot of money.  SO....I thought to myself, "Self- you can TOTALLY make this stuff!"  And so I did.


Black Bean Hummus

1 can black beans, drained
1 garlic clove
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
pinch of cayenne pepper
juice of half lime
tiny drizzle olive oil


Combine all the ingredients in your food processor.

Chill in the refrigerator for a few hours.

Enjoy.


So yeah....how easy is this business?!?  And can you believe the ingredients list?  This would be good for nachos, with pita, inside of a warmed flour tortilla or you could just eat it by the bowl full with your favorite tortilla chips.

I spy a kiddo doing his worksheets & munching
on this yummy stuff!

Death for Halloween

Halloween is a big deal for us.

But its not just about Halloween night, it's everything leading up to it.  The pumpkin patch a few weeks before, picking out the perfect costume, decorating the house, carving pumpkins, trick or treating with friends, taking professional photos of the kiddo in his costume, watching our favorite Halloween movies.  It's the time together and the traditions we are building.

So yeah- Halloween is kind of a big deal for us.

But you guys- this year, we've turned a corner.  In years past the kiddo has been a myriad of adorable costumed characters.  Sadly, this year when I asked him what he wanted to be for Halloween, his reply- "Death."

Umm.  What?

Yeah.  No.

And so we compromised.  That is what parenting is all about right?  Listening to your child and doing your best to reach an agreeable solution.  I am happy to report that the kiddo will NOT be dressing up as "Death" for Halloween.  I allowed him to choose his costume this year (with veto power by me and the husband) and so he's going as a creepy jester.

Bummer.

No more cute Disney characters or homemade Lego costumes.  It's all about the gross and scary now.  Close the book because that adorable chapter is done.  And so I find myself doing my very best to support and encourage the gross and scary- even when I want him to wear something sweet and colorful.

But I draw the line at "Death".

So here you go- a picture of the kiddo dressed in his Scary Jester costume.  Here's the link to order if you're interested and no- I didn't pay full price for this bad boy.  Hello Groupon!

Go Ahead: Frame That Picture!

Ladies- do you ever take a family photo and everyone looks super cute but you?  Or at least that's your perception of it anyway.  No amount of photo shopping is going to solve the frizzy hair and splotchy face.  And so, instead of displaying this photo that holds some truly sweet family memories, you keep it hidden.  Safe and sound on the old laptop photo drive.  Am I right?

I took one such photo just a few weeks ago when we visited the Pumpkin Patch.  In my defense, I had worked WAY late the night before and then had to get my boys up and out SUPER early.  FYI- the kiddo and husband do not do early.  At all.  I didn't shower and we were so rushed for time that I packed the kiddo a bean burrito for breakfast on the road, the husband a Kombucha and I- a gallon or so of coffee.

We were late in meeting up with Grammie and Grampie and immediately hopped in the line for the hayride to the pumpkin patch.  So yeah- I wasn't looking my very best.  But to be honest, I wasn't there to win any fashion awards- I was there for the fun.  Oh- and for the memories.

The husband wanted to take a photo of our family standing in front of the corn stalks and of course I agreed.  Although I totally tried to hide myself by putting the kiddo in front of me.  Yeah- it's a little trick of mine.  When we got home and I looked at the pictures, there was one really great one of me.  Only problem was the husband had his eyes closed and the kiddo was picking at something on his face.  Umm...yeah, totally not flattering for my boys AT ALL.  And then there was one that was super cute.  The kiddo was doing a "pose" that he'd never done before and the husband was laughing at something off in the distance but sadly, my eyes were all scrunched up and it wasn't very flattering.

Sigh...we seem to have this problem quite often.  When one looks good, the other doesn't and vice versa.  But we were all together and we all had a smile on our face and most importantly- we were all looking the same direction.  If you've ever taken a family photo with a small child, you know how major this is.

So I framed it.

And now- now I kinda love it.

This is simply my message to you all.  Us Mom, well- we have a tendency to only want to look our very best.  Frame the very best pictures and put all our good sides on display.  But you know what- those unflattering pictures are pretty great too.  It means that you accept that things aren't perfect.  It means you are confident in yourself but most importantly- it means that you are happy exactly where you are.

Go Ahead- Frame That Picture!

I framed it!

Public School Is Like Playing Russian Roulette

"Mom- how come I don't go to a regular school?"


How do I tell my 9 year old the real reason?

How do I tell him it's because public school isn't safe?

How do I explain to him about bullying and tell him that some kids are truly mean?

How do I tell him that some of his teachers really don't have his best interests in mind?

How do I tell him all the reasons that we have for keeping him at home?

Sometimes I pray for guidance.  Sweet Jesus tell me what to do.  Most times, it's quiet.  So I trust in myself- I listen to my heart as it seizes when I think of sending my baby out the door.  I pay attention to the fear that paralyzes me when I imagine all the what-ifs.

And then a moment happens.  A tragedy.  And I know that those feelings weren't just my feelings after all.  They were God's way of saying- LISTEN.  Pay attention sweet Mama and don't you send your child, my child- through those public school doors.

It's not safe.

Don't you play Russian Roulette with his education, with his life, with his heart.  Don't you do it.

And so, we continue to homeschool.  We keep watch over our child and protect his heart and his life because the sad reality is that public schools are simply not safe anymore.  Every time our children walk through those doors- there's a chance they won't be coming home.  And I know this is an inconvenient truth but it needs to be said.  Its hard to hear but it is our nation's reality.  Our children are not safe in school, they aren't.  So why do we keep sending them there?

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Today's blog post was in response to the tragic school shooting very close to where we live.  You can click the link here to read more about this story.  The reality is that this is NOT uncommon.  School's are no longer safe places for our children to learn.  They simply aren't.  And this is just one of the MANY reasons why we chose to homeschool.

Review: 100 Days of Real Food Cookbook

You guys- I am LOVIN' this new book out from Lisa Leake's over at 100 Days of Real Food.

Now, normally I don't go all Lady Gaga over cookbooks.  I like them and all but find that 95% of the recipes are just too much.  I mean seriously- I'm never going to feed my family gazpacho and oysters, hell- I don't even know where to buy oysters.  And if your cookbook does not have a picture for every single recipe, I'm simply not interested.  Seriously- I need to see what this food is going to look like before I even consider adding it to my list of dishes to try!  But this one- this one is the rockstar of cookbooks.


Let me tell you why-

• It's not just a cookbook.  That's right!  The entire first section is an easy to understand guide in helping you navigate healthier eating.  For those of us in the know, it's a great reminder.  For those of you wanting to learn and make better choices, it's like the Bible of healthy eating.
• There's pictures for every recipe.  No joke- every single one.  I don't know about you, but if I'm going to be trying out a new dish, it's helpful to see it before hand.  Otherwise, how do I know if it's worth my time?  Am I right?
• I would actually eat 90% of the dishes.  Do you ever browse a cookbook and think- "who would eat that?!?"  ME!  The answer is me!
• The husband and kiddo would actually eat many of the recipes too.  Yay!  My picky eaters would happily scarf down this family friendly food.
• The ingredients are simple and easy to find.  Sometimes cooking healthy, organic foods means you find yourself completing a scavenger hunt for things that no one has ever heard of.  But these meals- totally do-able!
• Lots of variety and plenty of vegetarian entrees.  As flexitarians that eat meat just a few times per month, it can be super hard to find a good cookbook that includes plenty of simple and yummy vegetarian dishes.  This one totally hits the mark.  And bonus- many of the meat entrees can easily be converted to vegetarian or vegan.
• No sugar added.  Unless you've been living under a rock, you know that Americans are consuming upwards of 150 pounds of sugar per year.  Holy Buckets!  My family is currently watching our sugar intake and I love that many of these recipes include natural sugars like honey or maple syrup.
• So easy- even a child could make it.  Seriously, these recipes are hands down some of the easiest to make.  So for those of you who are kitchen challenged, trust me when I say- you got this.

I'm enjoying this cookbook SO much, that I'll probably be buying it.  Say what?!?  I know...I know...I never spend money on books unless I'm in love.  Because let's face it, I can read everything I want to for free through my local library- so why pay good money for something I can get for nothing?  But this one?  Yeah- this one is worth it.  And before you start thinking I've been paid for this review- I have not.  I checked out this book from my library, stuck post it notes all over this baby and now I'm pretty sure I need it sitting on my bookshelf permanently.

Highly recommend!

Want to read more about this great cookbook?  Click this link here to visit Lisa's website with a page dedicated to her new cookbook, lots of photos and a table of contents.  LOVE IT!

Copycat Frozen Burritos

We LOVE frozen burritos, especially the husband and kiddo.  But holy moly- those things are BAD for you.  So you just know that I've found a way to make over this favorite.  Use all organic ingredients if you can and you have a great quick meal!


Copycat Frozen Burritos

1 large #10 can refried beans
2- 30 oz cans enchilada sauce (or one #10 can)
2 pounds ground beef
2 large onions, diced
4 tsp oregano
2 taco seasoning packets (I make my own, recipe here)
black pepper
shredded cheddar
1 cup mozzarella cheese
25 grande size flour tortillas


Step 1- Cook your ground beef and onions.  Add in oregano, pepper and taco seasoning.  Cook until meat is cooked through.

Step 2- Add refried beans and enchilada sauce.  A word of caution- add in your enchilada sauce slowly.  You do NOT want your mixture to be super runny.  If using a #10 can of enchilada sauce, you will only need about half.  Freeze or use the remainder for another meal.  If too thick, you can add up to one cup of water.

Bring to a low boil, add in mozzarella cheese and simmer on low for 30 minutes.

Your meat & bean mixture should now look like this!

Step 3- Ladle about 1/2 to 3/4 cups meat and bean mixture onto your tortillas.  Top with shredded cheddar cheese and roll up.

Step 4- Lay on a sheet pan and freeze.  Once frozen, put your burritos in a freezer Ziploc bag- don't forget to label it!

To eat- simply remove from the freezer and microwave for 3 minutes, turning over halfway through cooking.  Or heat in oven on 350 until warmed.

Tip- It's ALL about finding the largest tortillas you can.  Otherwise you'll have problems rolling up your burritos.  The husband loves these in his lunches and one of these burritos made on the BIG tortillas is enough to keep him going all day long.

See the difference in these tortillas?  The one on the left
 is "soft taco" size while the one on the right is "grande".

Now, here's the truly great thing about this recipe.  You can make it your own.  That's right!  Feel free to add in some jalapenos, rice, more beef, even shredded beef or pork might be good in this.  The sky is the limit!

This recipe will make approximately 25 grande sized burritos.  Enjoy!

2014 Thanksgiving Project

We aren't perfect. We aren't rich. We don't give as much as I wish we could. We can't feed all the children. We don't always have enough. We want to do more. We want to do better. We want to teach our child to have a giving & generous heart.

How do we do this?

By leading by example.

So while we can't feed everyone, we can feed one family. 

My family can put a turkey dinner on another family's table. My family can give you mashed potato's & all the trimmings. My family can ensure that another family doesn't go hungry this Thanksgiving.

And so we will.

Don't think you can do it?  I get it, money is tight and my home is no different.  So from now until Thanksgiving- the Homeschooled Housewife will be donating all of our Ebay sales to the 2014 Thanksgiving Project.  And I've already made my first donation!

I hope you'll think about donating to a deserving family this Thanksgiving. Scary Mommy Nation, which is a totally legit charity, has put together this wonderful and heartwarming project.  With one goal in mind- feed those in need this Thanksgiving.  And if you are one of the many families struggling to put this special meal on the table- there's a link for you to sign up to receive these wonderful blessings. 

From one Mama to another- your babies will NOT go hungry this Thanksgiving.  Together, we can make a difference, one meal at a time.

Please visit this website below for more information.  It is seriously SO easy to donate.  Click the link to the project site, click the link to "donate" and BOOM- you're done.  By the way, you do NOT have to donate $50,  Give what you can, but please think about giving.  When we give, we receive far more in return.

http://www.scarymommy.com/the-2014-thanksgiving-project/

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Click here to read an update on the 2014 Thanksgiving Project.  

We Pumpkin Patched

Fall in the Pacific Northwest is seriously beautiful.  Stunning really.  And with so many awesome activities, it makes for great family fun.

One of our favorite things to do is visit the pumpkin patch.  There's lots of them around here but we have a favorite, Bob's Corn and Pumpkin Farm.  Its our favorite because it's smaller than the other pumpkin patches, has lots of great things to do including corn mazes, apple picking, farm animals to pet, corn and apple cannons and even a playground.  There's fresh corn on the cob straight from the field and homemade apple and pumpkin donuts.  Seriously- THE BEST!

Fresh roasted corn straight from the field!

But what I love the most about it is that it's run by a local family.  Bob and Sarah and their adorable five daughters.  But wait!  It gets even better....Bob's farm has been in his family for over 100 years.  So when we walk around their country store that was once a calf barn or ride the tractor to the pumpkin patch or purchase some of their local honey- we are supporting this great local family.  Sure, I pay WAY more here for a pumpkin then I ever would in a grocery store.  But it's not just about the pumpkins people.  It's about this family and supporting their way of life and my community.  Now that's an awesome thing to teach your kids.

We've been coming to Bob's for several years now.  The kiddo's very first trip to a pumpkin patch was when he was just 18 months old.  The husband and I set his little feet down in the dirt and away he went.  And today, almost 8 years later, he's still running around the patch like a pro.

With Grammie & Grampie

When we make our 10 minute trek to the pumpkin patch, we always try to include the important people in our life.  Most years- extended family will join us at the patch.  It varies year to year, cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents etc but we do our best to make it a true family outing.  This is just one of the many traditions that the husband and I have started for the kiddo and I'm so very glad we did.

Building holiday traditions is easier then you think.  What starts out as a fun activity soon turns into a yearly "must do" and for us, our trip to the pumpkin patch signifies the start to our holiday season.  Fall is officially here, let the celebrations begin!

Comments from the Peanut Gallery

I get asked all the time, seriously All The Time, how to handle the people in your life who are not supportive.  Whether its your decision to homeschool, your parenting, your marriage, how you run your home, if you work-don't work etc.  The unfortunate reality is that there will be people who don't support you.  The crappy thing about this is that many of these people will voice their unwanted opinions and this can be hurtful.  Very hurtful.

Today, in an effort to answer your question- I posted this over on the Homeschooled Housewife Facebook page.  I hope that it might help some of you.

Comments from the peanut gallery-

You're a bad Mom.

I'm concerned that he's not learning everything he should be learning. Here let me quiz him on something WAY above his grade level because I'm an expert.

He's old enough to go by himself, cut the cord already.

Why aren't you eating organic chocolate?

You should let your child stay with us during the week so you can go get a real job.

We don't like the way you disciplined him. You need to be tougher on him.

You're too hard on him.

Don't you think it's time you put him in a real school?

He didn't show what I deem to be the proper appreciation therefore he's ungrateful.

You need to have another kid so he doesn't grow up to be a spoiled brat.

You must not trust your husband if you read his text messages.

A real woman works outside the home.

When I have a child, I will never do what you do. My child will behave exactly how I want him to at all times because that's what kids do.

You didn't even graduate college, how are you ever going to teach your child?

You're marriage isn't healthy because it doesn't look exactly like mine does. Nevermind the fact that I never see my spouse & we have nothing to talk about.

You let your kid watch PG13 movies but ban the Disney channel?

You're too honest with him. You need to shelter him from the real world.

He's too old to do this, it's for little kids. You're damaging him by not letting him grow up.

You're not a real homeschooler.

Your marriage will never last. Here, let me give you unwanted advice & input because I have been married 4 times after all...

You need to go to church. All homeschoolers go to church.

You're too overprotective. You can't control everything in your kid's life.

You're lazy.

You spend way too much time with your husband. He should be able to go out whenever he wants & live the single life like I do.

You're stupid for believing that GMO's are harmful. There's nothing wrong with the food we eat.

You should be doing more.

You do too much, not everything has to be perfect.

So here's how I view these comments-

We as homeschoolers will naturally have to fend off comments such as this because let's face it- we are doing something different & that scares people. And yes, the above are all comments from people in my life or those I've randomly come across. So I know exactly what it's like to be met with these words.

My advice to you all is simple. In fact, I was just telling the kiddo this today-

People who are insecure & unhappy with their own lives have a tendency to comment negatively on other people's lives. Do the best you can. Do what you feel is right. And for heaven's sake- do not give any thought to all this BS coming your way.

Because at the end of the day, the only people that matter are the ones who love & support you. No matter what.

So surround yourself with these people.

Pasta Roni: You Ain't Seen Nothin Yet!

Who here eats Pasta Roni?  Don't be afraid- raise your hands.

We too used to eat Pasta Roni, Rice a Roni, Farmhouse pastas etc but I drew the line at Hamburger Helper.  Somehow I thought Pasta Roni was SO much better for you then Hamburger Helper...BWHAHAHA.

So here's the deal.  These boxed pasta mixes are NOT good for you, Mmkay....Seriously, they are SO bad for your health but why oh why do they have to taste so good?!?  And does it really get any easier then dumping a packet of chemicals into your boiling water?  Umm...probably not.  But not too worry, I'm here to save the day!

This Creamy Tomato and Spinach Pasta is SO good.  Seriously, you'll go back for thirds and pop a button on your jeans, that's how Amazeballs this dish is!  And because I'm a busy Mama just like you, it's quick and easy to make.  Oh how I LOVE that!

Start to finish, 25 minutes.  Ok, maybe 30.  And it makes enough for 4 people for dinner and a little leftover for lunch the next day.  Sign me up!


Creamy Tomato & Spinach Pasta

1 package pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves diced garlic
1/2 diced onion
2 teaspoons basil
pinch chili pepper flakes
salt, pepper
1 small handful sun dried tomatoes, rough chop
2 15 oz cans diced tomatoes
1/4 cup heavy cream or half & half
3 large handfuls fresh spinach
Parmesan cheese


Step 1- Start your water to boil for your pasta.  We like this dish with fettuccine noodles but really, anything will work.  So just use what you have available!

At the same time, start your garlic and onions sauteing in the olive oil.

Step 2- Once your onions are translucent (about 5-10 minutes) add in the basil, chili pepper flakes, salt, pepper, sun dried tomatoes and diced tomatoes.  Saute another 10 minutes.

At this point, your pasta should be cooking away in the pot.

Step 3- Blend your tomato mixture with your trusty immersion blender.  Slowly add in the heavy cream or half and half.  Then toss in your fresh spinach.  Continue to cook on low for a few minutes.

Tomato mixture before blending

After blending- now add in your greens!

Drain your pasta.


Tip- You can totally omit the cream if you're watching your weight.  But it's SO much better with it!  You can also use frozen spinach or another type of greens instead.  It's good with kale too.

Step 4- Combine your drained pasta with your sauce.  Sprinkle with parm cheese and enjoy!

I consider this a complete dish because of the veggies added.  However, many times I serve it with even more veggies or maybe some fresh fruit.  And the leftovers (if there are any!) are even better!