The Homemaking Party: A Little Normalcy at VBS

Good Morning Friends! Welcome to The Homemaking Party!

Our family is experiencing a little bit of normal life this week as the kids are taking part in a very small evening VBS experience at a tiny local church. Last night was Pirate Night and kids and teens alike got into the spirit of things with fun costumes!

Miller Church was built around 1865 and is currently pastored by some sweet friends of our family. Each night this week they've shared the Gospel message with grade school age kids, and teens and young adults have assisted with games and crafts. 

Tuesday night was a hot dog cookout and tonight there will be hamburgers for the whole family. It's so fun to watch our kids run around, fellowship, and play games in the same grassy area that families have been doing so for at least 155 years! 

Hope you're all having a happy week and thanks for stopping by The Homemaking Party. 

Shabbat Shalom!

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The Homemaking Party: Overwhelmed in the Ozarks

When I was a kid, I loved to read the newspaper---especially Dear Abby. I'd love to read the newspaper now but every time I buy one it ends up in a clutter pile that I never get to for days. Clutter is taking over my life. If I didn't live in a little corner of the forest on a cul-de-sac with zero traffic, I'd have me a big yard sale. I need a Goodwill trip or fifty. Anyway, all that to say---if I was writing to Abby today, I'd sign my letter, "Overwhelmed in the Ozarks".

It's not a bad overwhelmed---just a "not the best" sort of overwhelmed. I have literally cut every. single. responsibility. out of my life that doesn't specifically pertain to wife-ing/mom-ing/homemaking. I am bound and determined to focus on the best things here at home---even if that means cutting out some good things. I know what I've got to do... I just need to be motivated enough to do it. My house is usually a peaceful place but I've been in a busy rut and things are literally stacking up.

For instance, a couple months ago I went on a massive book-buying spree at my favorite used book shop because I wanted to start making money online selling books. It's gone really well and, after selling most of the books, I went back last week for another round. I've sold most of those too. BUT...the small box of unsold books is sitting here beside my bed and blocking my closet door. It's been here for weeks. Maybe even a couple months. I can barely get in and out of my closet...but every time I do, I have to climb over this little box of books. So, more often than not, my clean laundry piles up on my desk chair because it's so annoying to get into my closet. Is it worth this annoyance to make $20 or so off of these last few books? NO! Will I just take them to Goodwill so I can have access to my closet? PROBABLY NOT. See folks---that's the level of crazy we're dealing with here.

In the last little bit, I've noticed some of my favorite bloggers returning to the block. Has anyone noticed JES is back at Strangers & Pilgrims on Earth? SO excited about that! I'm feeling inspired to be more active here on the blog. Maybe I should blog about all the junk I need to haul off and then I'll be motivated in both areas.

If you've read this far, you've realized this is just the overwhelmed ramblings of a maybe-too-long-quarantined housewife. Nothing too deep and wonderful today...Ha! But, I do wish you all a lovely week and I can't wait to see what you've got to share at The Homemaking Party!

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Easy Delicious Homemade Granola for The Homemaking Party

Good Morning!

After two days of record high temperatures, it's finally cooled off here in NW Arkansas! I'm taking advantage of these lower temps to do some baking today! I've got several things on the plan: zucchini bread, apple muffins, lemon bread, Monster Cookies, Rice Krispies Treats, meatloaf, and more. But first, granola!

Homemade granola is super easy to make and will save you a TON in cost, as well as unhealthy additives and sugars. You can add anything you like to it and it is very forgiving.

I always begin by greasing a large pan and dumping in lots of oats and barley. Then I sprinkle on coconut, sunflower seeds, and raisins. Sometimes I add other nuts and dried fruits. I plan to add chopped dates to their bowls once I serve them, but I keep our dates in the refrigerator so I'll wait to do that until breakfast time. After I've added all my dry mix-ins, I stir it all up. Then I pour on a generous amount of honey. Finally, I sprinkle on the tiny stuff like cinnamon, cloves, and flax seed. I do these after the honey to help them stick to the larger bits without getting lost at the bottom of the pan. Then I stir everything up again good and start baking it, uncovered, at 350 degrees.

I'm not actually baking anything, but rather toasting it. I stir the mixture up every 20 minutes or so until it's all toasted the way we like. This usually takes 2 hours or so for a big batch, so it's a great thing to start in the morning and work on for awhile if you're making a lot. Once it's done, I take the pan out and let it cool 15 minutes or so, stir, cool another 15 minutes, and repeat that process until it's all cooled. I store our granola in large clear plastic containers with plastic snap-on lids. The kids usually gobble it up within a couple weeks but I think it could easily store a month or so in that air-tight container. Yum yum!

What are you working on this week? Let me know in the comments. Have a happy week!

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