Linda @ Linda’s Lunacy

In the Kitchen with Linda – Easter

April 4, 2018 by Linda @ Linda's Lunacy

Our Easter dinner was really good. And really unusual.

We had 3 Easter dinners! One daughter that lives out of state was coming into town on Saturday but didn’t want to miss dinner. So Easter dinner #1 was that night.

He had ham, mashed potatoes, roasted asparagus, green beans, corn, stuffed eggs (you probably know them as deviled eggs), and Resurrection Rolls. For dessert we had yellow cake with chocolate frosting and banana pudding. I baked the cake, but my daughter frosted it.

The best time for one of my sons and his fiancee to come to dinner was Sunday right after church. that would be dinner #2.

We had ham, mashed potatoes, roasted asparagus, corn, stuffed eggs, Resurrection Rolls, cake, and banana pudding.

My husband had made 10 pounds of mashed potatoes on Saturday but we were running low for dinner #3 on Sunday night. I cheated a little. shhhhh. There was a packet of instant mashed potatoes for one of my sons in the pantry. Instead of making more mashed potatoes from scratch I made those, then stirred in the leftover homemade mashed potatoes. shhhhh don’t tell anyone! We were running out of other food, too. So Easter dinner #3 was smaller than the others.

We had to have dinner #3 because my married son had been with his wife’s family before coming here, so he missed dinner #2. And my college daughter tries to fit in as many home cooked meals as she can when she’s home. lol

We had ham, mashed potatoes, corn, Resurrection rolls. And the same desserts.

And those Resurrection rolls? They are so good! It’s a good thing I only make them on Easter! . We went through 48 rolls! Adding up all the dinners, we feed 27 of us overall. So not too bad on the count, but that’s still a LOT of rolls! lol

I don’t think I’ll be doing that many dinners again. For any holiday. If they can’t make the main dinner, then they can get out the left overs themselves when they get here and warm some up in the microwave. It was all just too much work and too many dishes!

Are You Drinking Enough Water?

January 24, 2018 by Linda @ Linda's Lunacy

Did you know that up to 80% of your body weight is water?

Are You Drinking Enough Water?

Not drinking enough water has been associated with many complications and diseases. There have been a couple of studies that show that drinking more water can reduce the chances of getting some diseases. (Source for both those statements)

There are many consequences on a daily basis from not drinking enough water that you may not realize. Foggy thinking, daytime fatigue, lethargy, headaches, nausea, and constipation.

Benefits of Drinking Enough Water Every Day

helps to lose weight
healthy skin
fights infection
rids the body of toxins
healthy heart
helps to prevent joint pain & arthritis
boosts energy
prevents constipation
reduces risk of cancer
improves productivity

How Much Water Should You Drink

How much water you need to drink every day depends on many factors. Age, body size, weather conditions, activity levels. The old recommendation of 8 – 8 oz glasses a day may not be enough for you.

For the last few months I have been reading that you should drink half you body weight in ounces of water daily. That is what I try to do.

The best way to judge if you are drinking enough water is by your urine. Urine should be light yellow to clear. If your urine is darker, you are not drinking enough water.

Ways to Drink More Water

drink a glass of water upon waking
use a straw
use a pretty or thermal water bottle
set an alarm every hour
add fruit or cucumber slices to your water
drink 1 cup before every meal
use a water tracking app on your phone

Drinking enough water is vitally important to you health. It is so worth the effort to monitor your, and your family’s, water intake to ensure their health.

Now go get a drink of water!

What Should Your Homeschool Day Look Like

January 3, 2018 by Linda @ Linda's Lunacy

That is both a hard and easy question.

What should your homeschool day look like?

Homeschool moms & dads everywhere struggle with that question.

It’s tough because we want to make sure we fit everything in. All the required school work, the supplemental music, art, sports, church activities, scouting, etc, and family time.

I think I have fried a few brain cells over the years trying to answer this question. We started homeschooling kindergarten with our oldest in 1991. We are still homeschooling our youngest. That’s a lot of years, and a lot of homeschool schedules to figure out!

~ To make answering this question easier, start with how you want your family’s life to look outside of school hours.

Does Dad or Mom have a work schedule that is different from 9-5? Adjust school hours to coincide with the work schedule. Some people do school on the weekends, so the family can have the same days off together.

Want to be done with school in the morning so you can have afternoons & evenings free for family time or visiting others?

Want mornings free for family time before Dad leaves for work in the afternoon? Start school after Dad leaves, and work into the evening if necessary.

~ Then you will need to decide what activities you will do on school days.

Does your homeschool group have classes you attend during the day?When my two oldest were younger, we belonged to a group that had classes one day a week. Some groups meet 2 or 3 days a week.

What about sports? Often times, homeschool sports meet during the afternoon or early evening hours. Then games are often during the day. Two of my girls played on a homeschool volleyball team. We had to adjust their schooling schedules around volleyball practices and games for a few months.

~ There will also be certain seasons that you may have to curtail outside activities, and have a lighter school work load.

Like after a new baby is born, or when someone in the family has a scheduled surgery. Maybe you are going to be taking care of an elderly or sick parent for a time.

A schedule doesn’t have to be forever. It may be just for a season. Fall football, winter volleyball, spring soccer. Until Dad or mom’s work schedule changes, or until the baby sleeps through the night.

~ There are many activities, and daily living activities that you will need to adjust your homeschool schedule for.

By planning what days and times work best for your family, you can make sure everything gets done without the kids, or you, being overwhelmed.

Deciding on a schedule that will work for your family is a must do first step. You have to have the schedule written before you get to the fun part. Lesson planning!

9 Desserts for Your Holiday Meals

November 21, 2017 by Linda @ Linda's Lunacy

Here are 9 of my family’s favorite desserts just in time for your holiday meals! Cakes, pie, brownies, and lots of cookies. Most are easy, all are delicious!

I don’t know about your family, but my family thinks that they have to have multiple desserts. They don’t think it’s a holiday unless they have all of their favorites. That I don’t make all year long. 🙂

9 Desserts for Your Holiday Meals

Cinnamon Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Icing

Chocolate Crown Cake

Vanilla Cupcakes with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting

Ginger Snap Pumpkin Pie

Brownies

Sugar Cookies

Ginger Snaps

Pumpkin Cinnamon Chip Cookies

Chocolate Cookies

What’s your favorite holiday dessert to make? And eat!

World Vision Gift Catalog Review & Giveaway

November 11, 2017 by Linda @ Linda's Lunacy

Are you looking for something different this Christmas? A different gift to give? A way to make a difference in someone’s life?

Check out World Vision. They provide assistance to people in nearly 100 countries. The World Vision Gift Catalog is one of many programs designed to help eradicate poverty and provide hope around the world. The Gift Catalog started during the Christmas season in 1996.

In fiscal year 2017, more than 144,000 people donated more than 301,000 items from the Gift Catalog that helped people around the world raising over $28 million. World Vision works to keep their overhead rates low. In 2016, 85 percent of World Vision’s total operating expenses were used for programs that benefit children, families and communities in need.

There are more than 100 meaningful gifts ranging in price from $16 to $50,000 in the catalog. There are more than 30 gifts in the catalog that are $40 or less, including items like chickens, job training or
school supplies. There are also more than 250 items on the World Vision Gifts website.

Give a donation to make a difference in someone’s life, and get a gift to give. Or keep for your self as a reminder of the gift you gave.

World Vision Gift Catalog Review & Giveaway

When a donation is made to World Vision’s “Where Most Needed” fund, donors can choose from different items (like those below) to receive as a meaningful memento of their gift. (Prices in the Gift Catalog are subject to change.) The donation is a one-time gift that will go towards needs that might otherwise go unmet.

The Heaton Hope Bracelet ($100 donation) – This year, everyone’s favorite TV mom, Patricia Heaton, has partnered with World Vision to design the Patricia Heaton Hope Bracelet. The name was purposely chosen to encourage people to feel hopeful about our world and to give hope, through generosity, to those in need.

This is an absolutely gorgeous bracelet! It is very comfortable wear, too.

Wraparound Ring ($55 donation) – A vibrant, adjustable ring with aqua and blue chalcedony stones set in metal, made by female artisans in India.

I have small hands, so this ring covers the whole section of my ring finger. I love the many facets on these stones. A picture definitely doesn’t do this ring justice. It’s so pretty.

Charm Necklace ($100 donation) – Made by a gold and silver plating specialist in India, the unique and elegant charms make this necklace a subtle statement piece.

This necklace is beautiful. It will go well with many different styles of clothing. I love it.

African Soapstone Box ($85 donation) – Talented artisans bring raw stone to life with etched designs and hand dyed finishes that showcase modern African creativity and provide a sustainable way out of poverty.

This box arrived well wrapped in paper. I just kept thinking what is this? while I was unwrapping it because it’s heavy. It is much more beautiful than I expected. A very unique gift.

Infinity Scarf ($75 donation) – This fashion-forward accessory is made by artisans in India who are trained in the loom industry to attain skills and a sustainable livelihood.

This scarf is so soft. It’s made of thin, flowing material that looks great without being too hot or bulky.

Vietnamese Tote ($100 donation) – Disabled Vietnamese women gain independence by creating these beautiful hand-embroidered purses.

This tote is amazing. It’s a nice, large size with a zippered pocket inside. Check out all the hand embroidery!

To request a copy of the catalog, or to place an order, go online to the World Vision Gift Catalog website. If you donate as a gift, you can choose to have a card sent in honor of a loved one. Cards can also be printed or emailed from the website at any time to let an honoree know that something special has been done for them this Christmas.

How would you like to win a World Vision Gift Catalog Gift Basket that the one I’ve shown here? Simply fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Be sure to read the terms and conditions on the form!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” My opinions are my own.

Fire

November 10, 2017 by Linda @ Linda's Lunacy

It’s been one week today.

And I can still barely talk about it.

What was my in-law’s house, that is right next door to us, burned down. Two of our sons, and one’s fiancee lived there. We had split it up into 2 separate “apartments”.

For about 30 terrifying minutes, I thought one son & his fiancee were in there. (Other son was at work)

I had just talked to them about an hour and a half earlier, and they were there. He had gotten off work early, so was home. Otherwise, she would have been there by herself when the fire started. They don’t have a car, so I couldn’t tell if they were there or not, and they weren’t answering their cell phone.

I didn’t know that someone had picked them up.

So as far as I knew at the time, they were inside. It was horrible.

They were out, and getting ready to go to the next town to go out to eat, when they saw smoke in our direction. They came over here to see what it was before they went.

Thank God they were not in the house!

So we have spent the last week shifting through the rubble trying to find anything that is left (there isn’t much, it burnt to the ground), trying to find places to live for them, replacing medicine, and a million other things that need to be done when you loose everything in a house fire.

We still had the majority of my husband’s parent’s belongings in the house. We had a lot of our stuff over there, too. Furniture, tools, hobby supplies (including all the model cars my husband, myself, and our 6 kids had made over the years), to name a few. Then our 2 sons, and a fiancee lost everything they owned.

There was no insurance. The fire department didn’t try to find out what caused it. Probably because the house burnt to the ground. Maybe because there was no insurance company to report to. Either way, we will never know what started it. We do know it wasn’t the wood stove that we used to heat with, as it had been warm here and there had been no fire in the stove for at least 3 days.

So much was lost in this fire. I still can’t even think straight.

But no lives were lost.

And that’s the most important thing!

(I could not bring myself to take any pictures during the fire. I borrowed this pictures from our fire department’s Facebook page. So photo credit to PCFD)

Easy One Pan Italian Chicken and Potatoes

October 30, 2017 by Linda @ Linda's Lunacy

I got this recipe from a tv show about 20 years ago. Seriously. This was back before tv shows had websites to put the recipes on. I wrote it down, by hand. lol I have used it numerous times over the years. It’s easy. And it’s good!

Easy One Pan Italian Chicken and Potatoes

2 -2 1/2 lbs chicken, boneless, skinless, cut into chunks
olive oil, amount will vary
2 white onions, thinly sliced
8 large potatoes, quartered
2 T oregano
1 c. parsley, finely chopped
salt & pepper to taste

Add all of the ingredients to a large pan or sheet pan. Mix well with your hands, be sure that everything is coated well with the oil. Arrange in a single layer.

Bake at 350 stirring often (every 15 minutes). Cook for 1 hour, until potatoes are nice & crisp.

My son doesn’t like a lot of “green stuff” on his food, so I left the parsley large so he could easily pick it off. 🙂

NOTE: If you want to use pieces of chicken, i.e. the breast, thighs, and/or legs, boil the chicken for 30 minutes before proceeding with the recipe.

« Previous Page