Thanks for stopping by! I'm Magi, a scratch cooking, homeschooling mama, learning to raise good kids, good food, and good fun on our teeny-tiny little farm!
Thanks for stopping by! I'm Magi, a scratch cooking, homeschooling mama, learning to raise good kids, good food, and good fun on our teeny-tiny little farm!
I was recently chatting with one of my oldest and dearest friends who also happens to home school. We were gabbing about homeschool, curricula and perks, when the question arose as to whether I thought there might be gaps in a Charlotte Mason education. My […]
I know you’re super busy, so let’s just skip right to the really easy dinner roll recipe, shall we? Add the following ingredients to a mixing bowl in the order listed: Mix/knead for about 5 minutes. (I use a stand mixer) If dough is too […]
Although I have such fond memories of big family celebrations, I avoided hosting any for most of my early adult years. I just couldn’t imagine it all coming together without turning me into a basket case. After all, I spent most of my childhood watching my mom storming around the house, tending to last minute details, and freaking out that people might start arriving before her relish platter was ready.
Mom loved having the family all together for a special meal, but she definitely did NOT enjoy the hours leading up to the occasion.
Looking back, I think Mom could have had a stress-free Thanksgiving if she’d had realistic expectations, delegated effectively, and planned/prepped in advance.
Having realistic expectations and knowing what your loved ones value most will inform which details you put the most energy into. Mom’s relish platter is a great example. She was always adamant about using her crystal, and arranging the items on the platter really carefully, with lettuce garnishes, and a sprinkle of paprika.
And nobody cared.
It was beautiful, but all the kids cared about was putting the olives on our fingers. And the grown-ups knew they needed to avoid the appetizers altogether if they wanted room for dessert.
Is there a figurative crystal relish platter you can leave in the cabinet to gain yourself a little peace?
If you DO choose to keep the platter, and do the garnishes, and arrange everything just so, what can you delegate to get yourself some margin? One reason mom was always so stressed is that she almost never accepted help. This is definitely an area I need growth in as well. For me the issue comes up when I don’t have a plan. Without a plan, I can’t articulate what needs done, and therefore can’t effectively ask for help. One thing that helps is to have some simple, yet solid traditions. For instance, each of my kids has a dish they always prepare. This not only takes some weight off me but gives the kids a practical way to contribute.
Can you identify a dish, or task that you can allow someone else to handle?
Advance planning is the number one thing that minimizes stress for me. I have joked with friends that it takes me two weeks to get the house ready for a party. Realistically it takes much longer. For my personality type, four weeks is ideal. It allows plenty of time to set an initial budget and shopping list, and to identify and create a reasonable timeline for any projects. (Raise your hand if you’ve found yourself scrubbing baseboards fifteen minutes before guests arrive.) For day-to-day planning, I love a good old spiral notebook. For bigger events I find it helpful to use a template to help me remember all the little details.
Click Here to get your FREE copy of my Thanksgiving Planner!
My wish is that having a great game-plan allows you to truly enjoy your friends and family. Have a stress-free Thanksgiving!
Cheers!
As Mom to a busy family, I can usually feel when my family needs to lean into comfort and rest, and I consider it my job to facilitate that. Here are five ways to bring an extra dose of Cozy to your winter.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn on qualifying purchases. This post contains affiliate links. A few days before the big 2021 Valentine’s/President’s day long weekend I thought to myself, “Self, let’s see about going away for a long weekend”. But it was too late to […]
I have to start this post with a confession. Are you ready for it?
I still buy jarred foods at the store. GASP! Are you shocked?!
It’s true. While I’m a great fan of scratch cooking and canning there are still plenty of things we don’t produce here, and even a few I just prefer to buy. Those jars of queso, for instance, are just way tastier than any cheese dip I’ve tried to make at home. We use about one jar a week when we host taco night for our neighborhood, which means we’re starting to have quite the collection of jars.
I can’t bear to toss them, our area doesn’t recycle glass, and they shouldn’t be used for canning. So how can I reuse these jars?
Food Storage. Just because you shouldn’t can in them doesn’t mean they are useless in the kitchen. I use them for dry storage of home grown herbs, leftovers I want to freeze, and even my homemade Ranch Dressing. Pretty much anything you wouldn’t want to waste a canning jar and precious lid for.
Gifting! Dress up the jar by painting the lid or covering it in pretty fabric or paper, then fill it up with cookies, candy, dry mixes or fancy nuts. Last Christmas I mixed up Hot Buttered Rum batter and gave it to my girlfriends in these jars.
Bits and Bobbles. These jars are great for storing assorted small items. My grandma always had a jar of rubber bands she saved on her windowsill. I remember plenty of times she used those rubber bands to pull my bangs out of my eyes. It was the 80’s! I like to keep buttons salvaged from worn out clothes. I rarely find a need for the buttons, but just looking at them makes me happy!
Homemade Salves. I used to use canning jars for my homemade balms and salves, but since canning lids are in such short supply it doesn’t make sense to use them for anything but actual canning anymore. Moving forward I’ll plan to use my queso jars.
Candles. I usually just use them to hold and catch drips from store bought candles but these jars would be great for making Yankee style candles. Those candles also make great gifts!
This is just a small sampling of how you can reuse jars. Do you have another great way to use or upcycle them? Share it in the comments!
I get it. You did not sign up for distance learning. You’ve been thrown a major curve ball and basically no lead time to prepare for it. And let’s not forget you were already juggling parenting, work, and family time to the best of your […]
First, let me say I love chore charts. I love looking at them on Pinterest, I love how they inspire me to greatness. I love making them and hanging them up where they can make it look like I’m totally on top of moving the […]
You probably won’t be hearing much from me for the next few weeks, because it’s gardening season and I’m B-U-S-Y! But ya gotta eat right?
I whipped up this quick and tasty meal tonight and knew I had to share it with you.
Talk about a double punch of heart healthy goodness! This Omega-3 powerhouse is packed with gourmet flavor and comes together in about 20 minutes! So it won’t keep you in the kitchen and away from the garden too long. 😉
Plus I have a fantastic source for wild Alaskan Fish and plenty of our own home-grown walnuts.
Ingredients:
2 portions Sena Sea wild Alaskan Sockeye
1 tsp Dijon Mustard
1 tsp Mayonaise
1 tsp Honey
1/2 C crushed walnuts
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp pepper
Directions:
Preheat oven to 475 degrees.
Whisk together Dijon, mayo and honey and brush over the flesh side of the salmon.
Press crushed walnuts into the honey mustard on the fish and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Place fish skin side down on a broiling pan and bake for about 15 minutes at 475 degrees.
Enjoy with a spring salad or a helping of steamed veggies.
Happy Spring!Â
Man, this winter has been LOOONG! I have to admit it’s getting a bit oppressive. I’m not usually one to get bogged down in winter blues, but this one has me on edge. It’s not so much blues as impatience though. I just can’t wait […]
This is a great chip dippin’ salsa, or topping for tacos. Best of all it’s a very satisfying and hearty base for your next taco salad. Much tastier than basic lettuce! Â