As a child there was nothing that thrilled me more than a box of new art supplies: stickers, crayons, markers, colored pencils…I loved them all!  And, still as an adult new stationary makes giddy.   So, I want to bring those memories of my childhood to my own children.  So, ever since Judah could hold a chubby toddler crayon I’ve been doing projects with him and buying new art supplies.  And now that Eliana is getting a little bigger she’s been dying to get in on the action.

So, when we received a big box of Crayola Color Wonder products and Sidewalk Chalk I knew fun was in our future!  First, the kids spent the afternoon coloring on the porch with the Color Wonder Kits and tools.  The kits in our package were perfect for my kiddos – Hello Kitty and Hot Wheels!  Judah preferred the brush tip markers while Eliana went straight for the gel paints.  It was a great little afternoon project and held their attention for much longer than most things they play with!

I also took the coloring books and color wonder mini markers with us when we went for a drive on Mother’s Day.  We met my mom’s family about an hour away so this was the perfect “car-occupier.”  I love that all of the color wonder products are mess free!  So, while my kiddos were all dressed up for their lunch date their outfits were still in ship shape after all their artsy fun in the car.

We saved the chalk for a sunny day and yesterday proved the perfect day for it.  We took the Sidewalk Chalk Paint set out as well as a box of Crayola Sidewalk Chalk.  Even I had a little fun in the drive way. I LOVE side walk chalk.  I especially like Crayola’s side walk chalk because it is so much more vibrant.  The colors are bright and really pop.

Judah and Eliana made a big ol’ mess with the paint set and Judah was really thrilled with the novelty of using paint on the drive way.  The set came with apaint roller and a paint brush.  Judah hogged the paint roller the whole time but Eliana didn’t mind a bit.  She was just happy to be allowed to paint with a paint brush.   This was the perfect place for her to practice her painting skills since there weren’t any walls in this space to worry about!

All of these new products are available at Walmart.  And, they are all very affordable.  Side walk chalk is $1.97 for 12 or $2.97 for 24 pieces.  The Color Wonder kits -with coloring pages AND markers- are on rollback this month for $6.97 {down from $7.97}.  The Color Wonder books {like our Hot Wheels and Hello Kitty ones} are just $4.97 as well as the tools like the brush tip markers and gel paints.  That makes these the perfect “anytime” gift to put a smile on the face of a kid who deserves it.  Let ‘em know you appreciate their manners, hard work, or effort by bringing home an inexpensive treat.  Crayola is always a good choice … you’ll be giving your kids the keys to their creative side.

When I was faced with making a new appetizer recipe incorporating raisins I immediately thought of all the sweet foods I enjoy raisins in: cookies, pastries, pies, and charoseth.  But, I wanted something different.  My brain went to a Moroccan dish that a friend made for me once: Moroccan Chicken Stew.  I remembered this dish had golden raisins and tomatoes, along with beans and peppers, and chicken and I loved the sweet and spice together.   I thought about how to spin this dish into something more portable.  Something a guest could hold while sipping a glass of wine.  Pizza!  Everyone loves pizza, right?

Well, this is a Moroccan spin on pizza… flatbread.  Flatbread made from pita to be exact.  Instead of a traditional Italian marinara I decided to add spices that would be more “Moroccan” like cumin, mint, and raisins in place of oregano and basil.  The raisins are the real star in this dish – not only adding a powerful cancer fighting punch with it’s team up with tomatoes, but also the raisins give the sauce an element of sweetness.  The sweetness of the raisins in chorus with the smokiness of the cumin makes for a great flavor combo.

What became of this kitchen experiment was something magical.  My guinea pigs {also known as my family} gave it rave reviews.  We were all shocked at how delicious this turned out.  It really is a fine dining restaurant quality dish that you can make in your home fairly simply.

I used homemade whole wheat pita which added an hour to my prep time.  You can get the recipe here.  But you can totally use store bought flatbread or pita for this to speed up the process a bit – especially if you are preparing this appetizer for a large party.  I also used rotisserie chicken, another great time saver.  If you use store bought pita and deli rotisserie chicken, you’ll be able to whip this recipe up in 15 to 20 minutes.

Here’s how to make your own:

Fun Fact:  California Raisins are grown in the San Joaquin Valley in California by FAMILIES.  It is a family business and many of the farms have been in the family for more than a century and knowledge is passed from generation to generation.  Doesn’t that make your feel warm and fuzzy?

Since my family finally made the switch to fresh milled wheat {I bought a mill and I guy whole wheat berries} I have been converting some of my most loved recipes to whole wheat.  So far, I’ve made baguette {still working on this one}, loaf bread with hazlenuts {this one is a winner!  Recipe coming soon.}, tortillas, biscuits, and now pita.

My original recipe called for all purpose flour.  They are delicious with all purpose flour, but even with this white flour, the pitas puff up only about 1/3 of the time.  Its fine though.  You end up with a really delicious flatbread if the pitas don’t puff up.  Either way, you end up with a product MUCH better than store bought pita or flatbread.

It isn’t as difficult to  make as it sounds and actually, I made it for dinner after work the other night…so it isn’t out of the question to make during the week.  It takes about an hour and20 minutes to make and one hour is just wait time – while you are waiting on the dough to rise.  It is during the rise time that I usually prep the rest of the dinner and start a load of laundry!

If you haven’t’ made a lot of homemade bread in the past, this one is fairly simple and would be a good one to start with.

This month is crazy busy for us…I’m just trying to figure out how to get it all done!  I’ve got lots of trips planned, work to wrap up, baseball games, and the usual busy-ness of family life!  So bear with me as I may seem scattered {as you may notice this post is a day late!}

My life is drastically changing in a few short weeks {stay tuned for a post} and I am just trying to “keep swimming” as I go through this transition period!

Need a weekly meal planner? Use my printable 2 week plan here}

:: Monday
Moroccan Flatbread Pizza {recipe coming this week!}
Simple Salad

::Tuesday
Picnic Dinner
{Judah has a Baseball Game}

:: Wednesday
Spaghetti
Homemade Marinara
Homemade Bread
Salad

::Thursday
Grilled BBQ Chicken
Grille Corn
Sauteed Green Beans

::Friday
Beef and Broccoli Lomein
Crispy Edamame

:: Saturday
Roast Chicken & Carrots
Parmesan Baked Potatoes
Brussell Sprouts

:: Sunday
Cubed Steak
Rice
Spinach

Did you see my post about National Buttermilk Biscuit Day?  Looking for something quick and easy to spread on that delicious, hot-from-the-oven biscuit? How about my 10 minute Blueberry Jam.  Yeah, just 10 minutes – that is all you need!  Sound easy enough?

 Check out my post at The Georgia Blueberry Commission today for the recipe.

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Tomorrow is National Buttermilk Biscuit Day! You know I’m a southern girl, so this is like music to my ears!  I’m happy to use any excuse for a good ol’ buttered biscuit.

But wait, don’t flip your lid just yet… I know what you’re thinking.  Buttermilk biscuits are TERRIBLE for your health.  And you have a point.  A biscuit made with white flour has no value to your health.  In fact, white flour can lead to a myriad of health problems!

So, that is why my momma and I have come up with a healthy southern biscuit.  Yep, you heard that right.  My momma, the same wonderful woman who fed me buttermilk biscuits from scratch when I was a little girl, has helped me to change this biscuit into something more healthful: Whole Wheat Buttermilk Biscuits with Coconut Oil.

Why whole wheat? Read my post here. It will give you all you need to know. Why coconut oil? Read my other post here.

I recently had the opportunity to try out a new online shopping venue…Vine.com.  Vine.com has all the natural products you crave in household cleaning, beauty products, kitchen gear, grocery items, and even apparel.  It is affiliated with other online stores you might be familiar with like soap.com, diapers.com, and many others.

I got to try all the items you see in the photo-several of them I had used before like the Mrs. Meyer’s cleaner, Green Works, and Seventh Generation dish soap.  I love them all and they are regulars in my kitchen/bathroom cleaning cabinets.  I also enjoyed the snack cubes – they have been awesome for my son’s lunch box.  They are both beautiful and functional (which is why I love them so much!).  I am excited to continue this service as they are really a one stop shop for everything that I can’t get at the farmer’s market!

See the details on the products I tried..including links to the site and prices:

1.       Ecover Dishwashing Liquid, Lemon & Aloe Vera ($2.65) cleans and degreases while being gentle on your hands. Plus, it’s made with plant based ingredients, biodegradable, and the bottle is 100% recyclable.

2.       Seventh Generation Dish Liquid, Lemongrass & Clementine Zest-25oz($3.60) new 25 oz. bottle made from 90% post-consumer recycled plastic. Great smelling lemongrass and clementine is also non-toxic & biodegradable.

3.       Green Works General Bathroom Cleaner Spray-30oz ($3.85) that is made with plant- and mineral-based cleaning ingredients that power through soap scum, rust and hard water stains-without harsh chemical fumes and residue.

4.       Ecover Toilet Cleaner ($3.60) helps to remove tough stains while it decalcifies and freshens, leaving behind a fresh plant based Pine Fresh fragrance. It’s naturally powerful and safe for septic tanks.

5. Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day Counter Top Cleaner – 16 oz ($5.09 + receive 20% off ALL Mrs. Meyer’s products right now!) Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day Lavender Countertop Spray takes the basic formula of our All Purpose Cleaner and adds a special Vegetable Protein Extract, a naturally fresh way to remove odors. It cleans, degreases and removes odors from the kitchen, bathroom or any room, a naturally fresh way to clean surfaces.

6. Wean Clean Lunch Cubes (2 pack) ($18.99) Wean Green’s Lunch Cubes tempered glass food containers hold an entire lunch (or even supper) for everyone in the family! The square Lunch Cube holds as much as the frozen meals from the grocery store but you can pack them with your own fresh, healthy, organic foods. Use the containers for a great snack pack for kids to fill them for the day. The lids are durable and have passed the ‘use’ testing machine over 3 million times per tab! The child friendly design allows easy opening for small hands and the glass is 4-5 times stronger than a drinking glass!

Interested in shopping with Vine.com yourself?

New customers get 3 months of free shipping with the code {GoCrazy} AND 20% off your first order of $35 with the code {Vine20}.  And, many items are on sale right now like Mrs. Meyer’s cleaners and Earth’s Best Snacks!  Need more convincing?  Vine.com has LIGHTNING FAST shipping – you’ll get your order in 1 or 2 days!

If you haven’t switched to green cleaners I highly recommend you put some thought into it.  The air quality in our houses is worse than the air quality outdoors because of the chemicals we use!   Here’s some easy green cleaning tips from Vine.com that you can incorporate into your cleaning regimen without a lot of new cleaners or special tools.

1.       A lemon for hard water stains: You don’t need harsh chemicals to tackle hard water stains in the shower. A fresh lemon will do the trick with a swipe and a rinse.

2.       Grapefruit and salt as a tub or stovetop scrub: Our team swears by this DIY trick as it removes thick grime and dirt rings off your shower area and does amazing work on cast iron tubs and is really easy. Halve a grapefruit and sprinkle liberally with sea salt (Bob’s Red Mill Sea Salt, 4 lbs., 2 pk.; $8.50). Wet your bathtub and sprinkle the remaining salt around the bottom. Scrub your grapefruit around your shower or tub. Then simply rinse away the pulpy bits and the salt and your shower is as good as new.

3.       Baking soda and vinegar for drain cleaner: Ditch the lye-based drain cleaners and instead, opt for a natural, do-it-yourself trick. Pour 1 cup of baking soda (Bob’s Red Mill Baking Soda, 16 oz., 3 pk.; $9.55) down a dry, empty sink. Next, pour 2 cups of boiling water down the drain. Wait a few minutes. Then pour one additional cup of baking soda down the drain then add 1 cup of white vinegarand plug the drain immediately. If you’re unclogging a double sink, plug both drains. You’ll hear sizzling coming up from the drain and see bubbles foaming up. When the bubbles have died down, add the remaining boiling water down the drain. If you are looking for a preventative treatment, once a month you can pour a cup of baking soda down the drain followed by boiling water.

4.       All-purpose cleaning spray w/ vinegar, water and essential oils: Plain ‘ol white vinegar (Heinz White Vinegar Distilled, 128 oz.’ $7.99) is one of the best and most natural ways to clean… and you can clean just about everything with it (minus marble and finished wood surfaces). Just mix equal parts white vinegar and water in a spray bottle and shake it up. Voila: natural all-purpose cleaner. Add a few drops of essential oil if you prefer a scented option. Add rosemary (NOW Foods Rosemary Oil (Liquid), $14.25 – $16.45) to improve your mood, or lavender (Aura Cacia Essential Oils, Lavender, $12.99) for its calming effects.

 Disclosure: I received products for review for free.  It did not change my opinion of the products I tried.  My opinions are always truthful and honest. You can count on me!

Salmon is loaded with omega 3′s – a healthy fat most of us don’t get enough of.  My family has been making an effort to eat healthy fats and more fish in general.  But, I’ll just tell you – salmon was not my favorite.  Being a gal who has grown up on white fish and mostly very mild flavored tilapia, salmon was a bit more fishy tasting to me.  I had tried cooking salmon filets and had experimented with different marinades but each time while my husband liked it,  it was just tolerable to me.

Then, I found Wild Planet’s sustainably caught  wild Alaska pink salmon.  Wild Planet’s salmon is 100% sustainable and has been since 2004.  This canned salmon is so good…especially in my Salmon Burger recipe.  If you aren’t sure if you like salmon just yet, but you know it is good for you, I strongly suggest you try my recipe!  Even my two kiddos love them, especially when I make them small for “salmon sliders.”

Like Wild Planet on Facebook!

Disclosure: I received product from Wild Planet in order to review it and develop this recipe. It was quite tasty!

2013 marks the 100th anniversary of the first series of jars designed by the Ball brothers.  These limited edition Ball Jar Heritage Collection Pint Jars with Lids and Bands are a celebration of the heritage featuring period-correct blue color and embossed logos on the front and back.

They are so beautiful I’d love to have a set for parties!   If you’d also like a box to use in your home {or to collect} would you consider buying them through my link?

Here’s a little known fact you might now know… Bloggers can earn sales through their Amazon links.  If you click through to Amazon using my link {like that green one up there in the paragraph above} and then you purchase these jars I will earn a commission.  It isn’t much, but it helps me keep this blog going and money pays bills!  Also, if you click through my link and then shop around on Amazon for OTHER items…I will also earn a commission on those items even though I didn’t directly link you to those juice boxes, kitchen gadgets, or new book you also added to your cart…EVEN IF YOU DON’T BUY THESE JARS.  In fact, if you just click onto Amazon using that link and then buy ANYTHING during the next 24 hours I will earn a commission.

So, if you enjoy this blog and you want to help a mama out, AND you need to purchase something online at Amazon anyway…use my links to shop!  Of course, I am not suggesting you purchase anything you don’t NEED.  This post is just to let you know how you can help someone doing something your already doing.

What does bath time look like at your house?  At my house it is like herding two cats into the tub!  It can be exhausting getting them into the tub {they would much rather just run around the house naked – in preparation for the bath} but once they’re in it is a moment of peace while they are contained!

My kids love to play with empty cups and washcloths more than any other toys in the tub!  It really doesn’t take much to entertain kids!  And, Judah BEGS for more play time every night.  It gives me a chance to just sit and play and RELAX if only for a moment.

Of course, I do have to scrub them up while they are there and it is fun watching Eliana mimic what I do as she tries to wash her on hair and feet.   I like to use fragrance free products and with Johnson and Johnson there is something for everyone.  Everybody has their own opinion and memories about Johnson and Johnson and their own favorite product.  Me, I like the Aveeno products best of them all.

While you’re rangling your kiddos into the tub take a moment for yourself.  Mother’s Day is this Sunday after all!  You still have time to get a little something for yourself…and send an encouraging word to another special mom this Mother’s Day.  During the month of May, if you purchase $9 worth of participating products at Walmart in one shopping trip you will receive a free 1 year subscription to Parents or Family Fun magazine!  I already get Family Fun Magazine and have for several years. I love it!  It is full of fun ideas to make and do with my kiddos each month.

To get your free offer, just purchase $9 or more of qualifying Johnson’s Baby, Desitin, or Aveeno Baby products at your local Walmart from now until 5/31 and either mail in or email photo of your receipt (along with some additional information.)

You can also celebrate a special mom in your life and reassure her of a job well done by creating a personalized digital Care Card on Facebook, by visiting johnsonsbabycares.com.  For every Care Card sent, shared or ‘liked’ JOHNSON’S^® Baby will donate $1.00, benefitting Save the Children^® programs such as Early Steps to School Success, an early childhood education initiative. The Early Steps program works with more than 10,000 children, parents and caregivers annually to help provide a brighter future through early childhood education.

 ”JOHNSON’S^® Baby understands that every mom, no matter her situation, could always use encouragement,” said Ivy Brown , Marketing Director, JOHNSON’S® Baby. “We also recognize that positive reassurance throughout the early years of motherhood is essential to both mom and baby’s well-being. By sending a JOHNSON’S^® Baby Care Card , you can share valuable words of encouragement to a worthy mom in your life, and also help raise funds for Save the Children’s^® early childhood education programs.”

So all you have to do is visit Johnsonbabycares.com

Then, fill out and send an ecard via facebook! Simple.