Tasty Thursday

Ok I know tasty is supposed to be on Tuesday but I couldn't wait to share my treats!

I made some wonderful homemade salsa! Kid approved I might add!

1 yellow bell pepper

2 green bell peppers

1 banana pepper

2 large tomatoes

1/2 an onion

1-2 teaspoons of salt (pretty much to your liking really)

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder ( u can use fresh but I didn't have any)

Couple shakes of pepper

You can also add a jalepeno and I do this for the adult version but the kids generally are not a fan.

Blend it all in a food chopper. Tastes better if you chill for awhile to let the flavors blend together.

Next I made some guacamole. I tried some a couple nights ago, it was ok but could have been better. So today I made it again and changed it up instead of following all the other recipes out there.

2-3 large avocados. (I used 2 and 1/2 because that's what I had left but it wouldn't hurt to use 3 full ones)

1 small lime

1 teaspoon garlic powder

Couple shakes of salt and pepper

Then 3 tablespoons of my homemade salsa ( you could just use some tomatoe instead or bought salsa)

Blend in food chopper and squirt like juice into the mix and blend until smooth.

Hope you enjoy!

What's that Wednesday?

So I always get the question of what is for dinner. It seems to be a Facebook game of sorts to get ideas or give ideas I think. However when I say corn cakes people are like what?!

I seriously can not be the only person to know what these are. It was something we always has growing up. I am sure my family didn't invent them or anything but we sure ate them a lot. It was a nice change of pace from a pancake and went well with anything we had for dinner. They are very filling so I am sure back in the poorer days that's why we had them a lot.

You know those foods that always bring back memories from your childhood? Corn cakes make me remember grabbing them and running outside blowing it so I could chomp it down and keep playing. 

So today I share with you how to make them. I dare you to splurge a little on the healthy eating and try a wonderful southern side.

2 cups cornmeal

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 egg

1 cup of water (more or less depending on consistency)

Mix all the ingredients, should be a little thickish, soupy like pancake batter. Then fry in a little oil (coconut oil works too) until golden on each side.

You can also add a but of honey if you like a sweater flavor. I make my cornbread sweet do corn cakes are good sweeter too.

Farm Life

So we are spending some time out in the country at my parents little farm. The kids are having a blast learning and exploring the world around us. They started out by milking the cow.

They then found that the horse water tank, that isn't in use, was full of tadpoles. They quickly reminded me of the life cycle of a frog. 

It has been raining everyday since we have been here as well. So of course there are mud puddles all over. They went from splashing around to learning that those puddles were habitats.

They also found baby bullfrogs and have caught a ton.

There is so much to explore in the country.

Recaro Preformance Ride Giveaway

Giveaways don't get much better than th

Welcome to the "RECARO Performance Ride Giveaway Event" sponsored by Mommy's Favorite Things. This event is from 6/9-6/23. 

RECARO has a wonderful convertible seat, the Performance Ride. Rear facing from 5-40 pounds and forward facing from 20-65 pounds means this seat will last for most of your child's car seat needs. 

RECARO has over 100 years of history designing seats for the world's most prestigious automobiles, airlines, and race cars. RECARO is German engineered, and an international leader in seating safety, design, comfort and style. RECARO is the pioneer of child seat side impact technology, going beyond any side impact requirements as tested with the ADAC European standard. For your peace of mind - every seat is built with RECARO's superior side impact protection technology.

You can check out the review of the Performance Ride on Mommy's Favorite Things here. 

One winner will get the chance to win a Performance Ride in the Marine color shown above!!

You can also connect with RECARO on Facebook and Twitter

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Mommy's Favorite Things and the participating bloggers are not responsible for a sponsor who does not fulfill a prize. 

Live Learning

Doesn't get much better than this!

Kinder Cottage Publishing Review

Vendor: Kinder Cottage Publishing Products: Peter Rabbit and Jack the Jumper

How Peter Rabbit Went to Sea

Price: $4 each Age: 3-9 years old

I don't know about in your home, but in my home we jump for joy when we get a new book.  Kinder Cottage Publishing allowed me to review two books of theirs; Peter Rabbit and Jack the Jumper and How Peter Rabbit Went to Sea.  These are hardback books that are 5x7 in size, perfect for little hands.  Both are 64 pages in length and have colorful illustrations that are similar in style to the original versus of Peter Rabbit. The pages are set up to having the reading on the left side and the picture on the right side of the book.

I remember reading Peter Rabbit when I was a kid.  His silly little antics always kept me wanting to read more. These books always tell an adventure that is takes and might I add ones he shouldn't take.

How Peter Rabbit Went to Sea is a story about Peter Rabbit getting in trouble for forgetting the cabbage and leaving his family to have no food.  His mama spanks his butt which brings him to run off and start his adventure.  His siblings and him make some popcorn and then Peter decides to play in the brook even though his mother told him not to.  So the book goes on to tell about his adventure at "sea" till he returns home and goes to bed.  It was a very good book and the kids loved it.  They were sad that he got a spanking though, we do really spank in our home so it was a bit new to them.  They were not sure why he got a spanking with paddle either versus a hand and they insisted it could have really hurt him.  So I suggest if you do not believe in spanking or want to introduce the topic to your children you skip this one in the set or pass the page on by.  It is a pretty good story otherwise.  

As you can see it does look a little scary and maybe if you plan on reading this to younger children.  My kids are 9, 8, and 5 and I was able to explain to them in a way they didn't freak out.

Peter Rabbit and Jack the Jumper is about Jack the Jumper coming to get Peter the Rabbit and go to McGregor's cabbage patch while his mom was away.  Peter was to stay in the yard, but of course we knew he wouldn't because that is not what Peter does. This continues on to his adventures going out of his yard, I won't spoil the details.  This book had lots more to read than the other one as well.

Overall these were great little books.  This is 2 books out of a set of 10. They make great bed time stories which is what we used them for.  We did end up using it as a little lesson too talking about why we should listen to our parents and that anything could happen when you disobey.  This books are a funny little gentle way to teach kids that.  We are not all perfect and we will make mistakes.  It is better to know what could happen if you choose not to mind so it's best to learn about it and be able to make the right choice.

Be sure to check out the other reviews and learn about the other books in this series to decide if you would like the collection for your home.  Once again they are only $4 a book or you can get the whole set for $30.  Also you can enter code TOS and receive a 20% discount, which makes it even that much better of a deal! These would make a great little set to have in your school room for the kids to read or even as a gift for an upcoming birthday for your little reader.  I can't convince you anymore by myself to get these books, we will be getting the rest of the set, so check out my fellow crew members reviews down below.

Progeny Press Review

Vendor: Progeny Press Product: Frog and Toad Together Age: Grades K-3 Price: $11.99 E-Guide Progeny Press gave me the chance to review some work with one of my all time favorite books, Frog and Toad Together by Arthur Lobel.  This was an e-study guide for the book. This company is also a husband and wife combo who thought that some of the old classic books should be used again and in a Christian way.  
This study guide consists of 34 pages and was written by a Leslie Clark. The first portion of it in basically the instructions on how to use the study guide with your child.  Next it has an overview about what the book is about.  Then there is a section that tells about the author of the book. Next you have the "before you read" section that asks things about your (the child doing the work) friend and what makes them a good friend.  It also shows what God's says about it too.  Then we go on having a section for each of the five chapters of the book.  Each sections has some questions over the chapter and a Bible versus to read that goes along with the topic of the chapter. There is also a project for each chapter, from planting seeds to cooking and crafts.  Following that you will have a diagram and a word search.  The added bonus of other reading books to look into and finally the answer key.
Since my kids are all elementary but range from kindergarten to fourth grade and are at various levels in learning I read the book to them.  We just moved to a new area that is very homeschool friendly and we are joining in activities and the kids are making new friends.  This book went along great with us starting new friendships and how we should pick them and act.  So  I read the entire book to them and then we went to the study guide.  Once again since we were all doing it together we did the questions out loud as a family type discussion.  This worked out well because I had the questions to ask and I have two that can't spell so they do not write much yet.  However I think we can later revisit this and I can have each one of them put their answers down when they are able to write better.  That is one perk of having the e-guide because you can use it and copy it for any of your children.  
We also really enjoyed the Bible versus and I thought it was great because it was helping us learn God's word without being strictly a Bible curriculum.  The kids get bored of constant scripture that they have a hard time understanding.  This made it easier because it was based with something that was at their age level and things they are facing in life currently.  I will be using more of Progeny Press in the future of other classic books for the kids.

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