Granny’s, Old-Fashioned Chicken and Dumplings
There are some recipes that just make you feel good. Chicken and dumplings is always one of those recipes for me! If it’s cold outside. If you aren’t feeling well. If you’ve had a bad day. It’s just one of those warm yummy comfort foods, that makes everything better. Plus its super simple and can be a whole meal in itself!
I feel like chicken and dumplings is a simple recipe, but I’ve had several women tell me they don’t make them. They tried one time and it turned out like glue and they are too scared to try again. I hate that, because I feel like this is one of those recipes that is so simple, but still so good and flavorful. Everyone should enjoy the comfort of chicken and dumplings!
I’ve seen several different recipes, but the way I was taught to make it, like Granny, is literally-
chicken and dumplings
Of course, the best way to start it out is to cook a chicken so you have that yummy broth, but many times I don’t have fresh broth and store bought tastes fine too. I make biscuit dough and just loosely roll it into balls, but you could roll it out and cut it if you like flat dumplings. OR you can even use canned biscuit dough if you are in a hurry. You see, its a pretty simple and forgiving recipe!
For me, the trick is the boiling. Get the broth and chicken to a boil and then drop in the dumplings. Reduce to a low simmer for a few minutes and they are the perfect consistency! I can whip this up in about 30 minutes and its also a great one pot meal!
With flavorful stock, big chunks of chicken, and fluffy dumplings, it’s a perfect wintertime meal.
Now the important question. Do you call them dumplings or dumplin’s???
Old Fashioned Chicken and Dumplin’s
Course: Food From ScratchCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy8
servings5
minutes30
minutes10
minutesIngredients
4 chicken breasts (uncooked)
6 cups of chicken broth
1 teaspoon of parsley
1 teaspoon of celery salt
salt and pepper to taste
- Dumpling Dough
2 Cups of all purpose flour
1 Stick of butter
3 teaspoon of baking powder
2 teaspoons of sugar
1/2 teaspoons of salt
3/4 Cup of milk
Directions
- In a large stock pot, bring chicken broth to a boil. Add in seasonings.
- Place the chicken breast in the chicken broth and cook the chicken.
While the chicken is cooking make the dumplings dough. Mix all of the dough ingredients together and roll into balls. - Once chicken is cooked thoroughly, shred it and add back into the broth.
- Once it’s back to a boil, start adding your dumpling dough to the mixture.
- After adding dumplings, boil for 3-5 minutes, then reduce to low until you serve.
Recipe Video
Notes
- If you prefer flat dumplings, you can roll out the dough and cup into sections. I just pinch off sections and roll loosely into balls. It saves time and my family likes the big dumplings.
- You can also add celery, carrots, or other vegetables to cook with the chicken in step two if you’d like.
- This is an easy recipe to double if you’re feeding a crowd! I not only double the chicken and broth, but also the dumpling dough too!
See what products I used:
I use this to store my flour and sugar. It’s functional and also looks pretty on my counter top!
We are on Pinterest! Pin our recipes there so you always know where they are!
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5 Ways to Keep Christ in Christmas
*This post may contain affiliate links. I may receive a small commission with no extra cost to you.
To Santa or not to Santa, that is the question!
Early on in our marriage, Andy and I had this discussion, and I’m not going to lie, I was on team NoSanta. But, we made the decision to compromise and enact a few traditions that would point our kids to the reason of Christmas and away from the consumerism that can overtake the holiday season, while still keeping the fun of Santa. I do want to say, I have friends that do Santa and go ALL out, and they are still good Christian people. I also have friends that are VERY anti-Santa and tell their kids its all about Jesus, and they are still good Christian people. The moral of the story is, you do you! Do whatever is best for your family. We chose to keep Santa, because Andy made a very compelling argument that Santa (especially the real St. Nick) is a good way to portray the love of Christ in a tangible way through giving of gifts. Regardless of what combination of traditions you choose to do, you set the tone for your family. If you choose to make it about things, they will make it about things. If you choose to be present and focus on the birth of Christ, they will too.
This is by no means, an exhaustive list, but these are some things we do to keep Christ in our Christmas.
1-Three Gifts
Over the years, many people have asked us, “How do you pay for Christmas for all those kids?!” Well, I’m going to share what we do to keep Christmas affordable while putting the focus on Jesus. We obviously talk to our kids about why we celebrate Christmas, but one way we reinforce that is the 3 gift rule. I’m not even sure how/when we set forth the 3 gift rule, but it has proven to be a good reminder for them of who and what we are celebrating. I just remember saying, Jesus got three gifts, and that’s enough for us too and it kinda stuck! It not only keeps the gifts cost effective, but also we don’t get too caught up in consumerism of Christmas. We also read about the real Santa Claus and how the tradition of gift giving started. All of these conversations help to give some meaning and the reason behind the gifts.
2-Lottie Moon Christmas Offering
If you are a Southern Baptist then you have most likely heard of Lottie Moon. She was a revolutionary figure in foreign missions and changed the way the denomination supported and treated missionaries, especially those in foreign lands. She was not only a woman, but was unmarried and both of those characteristics were almost unheard of in missionaries at the turn of the century. She spent over 40 years in China and suffered much persecution and personal loss, but she loved the people and longed for them to hear the truth of Christ and the freedom it brought. She forever changed the foreign mission field with her work. For months before her death she was giving her food away, and had become so frail and sick, they were sending her home to America. On December 24, 1912 she died while still in port in Japan and so in her memory, each year at Christmas, we collect a special offering that goes specifically to foreign missionaries preaching the good news of Jesus all over the globe. You can read more about here here if you’d like.👇
https://www.imb.org/who-was-lottie-moonAndy and I not only support this, but we look for ways that our kids can too. The older kids have begun making crafts and things to sell at our church craft bizarre each year. After we studied about Lottie Moon and read her biography, they wanted to give part of the money they make to support the offering. This is just another practical way of taking the focus off of self and putting it on things that really matter for eternity.
You may not have a Lottie Moon offering, but I’m sure your church, denominations, or family knows a missionary or ministry family that could use your support. There are so many worthy ministries out there, and unfortunately they aren’t operated for free. I firmly believe if we as the church would support ministry, we wouldn’t need the government. Pick a missionary and send their kids toys or treats for Christmas that they can’t get in country. Donate money to a food pantry. Pick a women’s shelter and donate NEW clothes. Adopt a ministry that you believe in and support them each month financially. Get your kids involved in missions and serving. Get them invested in furthering the gospel by not just giving, but doing too! Serve WITH your kids. We’ve been Salvation Army bell ringers, packed shoeboxes for Samaritan’s Purse, and picked out baby clothes for a pregnancy crisis center, all WITH our kids in tow.
3-Random Acts of Kindness
A few years ago, our church gave each small group preloaded debit cards to spend on random acts of kindness (RAK) throughout the community. It was the most fun thing I think we’ve ever done! We paid for people’s groceries, left gift baskets in hospitals and nursing homes, paid electric bills, blessed police officers and nurses, left quarters on coke machines, brought flowers to gas station attendants, paid for meals at fast food restaurants and left big tips, just to name a few. Some were big things, but most were not. Some we did anonymously, some we couldn’t. But everyone we encountered was so happy to receive an act of kindness.
My family started doing this many years ago, and it has become the highlight of our Christmas traditions. We will randomly do them all year round, but we love doing them at Christmas! We usually organize it all and take a whole day to go out and do RAK in a community near by. You could easily pick a few and do one a week, or just a couple throughout the month if you didn’t have a whole day. The main thing is to give, give, give. In taking the focus off of ourselves, it opens our eyes to the needs of others around us, and then, we are truly able to be grateful for what we have been given in Jesus’ birth. It doesn’t have to be a grand gesture or even expensive, but small things to say you are loved. For so many people, the holiday season is such a hard or sad time, and its a great way to reach those people in a simple way. Here’s a list of over 40 ideas to get you started.👇
You can also print these cards to go along with you RAK!👇
Random Acts of Kindness Printable Cards
4-Advent Bible Reading
We have done several different advent programs and reading plans over the years, from reading a chapter of Luke every day, to opening small books to read each day, but this is the one we have done recently and love. It’s called “God With Us” by Catherine Pawlak. It’s easy to do as a whole family, it includes scripture, and is simple enough for the little kids to still understand. This one in particular has ornaments that correspond to it and I love that aspect of it, because it helps make the connection for the little kids, but you could make your own or even go without them if you don’t want to purchase them. Here’s the links if you’d like to check them out for yourself.
Not only does advent help guide the kids to the reason for the season, but also sparks the anticipation leading up to the birth of Christ. It also provides a starting point for some great questions and conversations when reading the scripture each day. It has been some of the sweetest times of family study we have had.
5-Rest
This one may seem peculiar for me to include, but hear me out. As a parent, this season can be exhausting and full of anxiety. Let me just stop right now and say, this should NOT be the accepted normal.
You don’t have to do it all.
Your kids will be ok if they don’t attend every, breakfast with Santa, cookie baking party, festival of lights, or ugly sweater contest.
You can skip a year giving teachers and friends and even extended family gifts if you can’t afford it.
Do you know what my kids’ talk about and remember? Sleeping under the Christmas tree. When I let them put their pajamas on early one night and we drank homemade hot chocolate and looked at Christmas lights. When I let them help me make a mess bake Christmas desserts. You get the picture.
Be present. Your kids just want you!
So, let them put the ornaments on the tree wrong, let them help ice the cookies, and don’t worry if you don’t all have matching PJs for a Christmas picture.
Rest and just be present.
“un-Chili”-A Simple Twist to one of The Best Comfort Foods.
I am a soup lover. In fact, it is my favorite food! Pretty much if it is served in a bowl, I like it! Yes, I’m one of those people, who the minute the temperature drops below 75, I’m making all the soups and warm comfort foods. It’s only natural that when my mom use to make this simple recipe, it was always a childhood favorite. I remember her coming home from teaching school and throwing it all together in our avocado green kitchen before a basketball game or before we headed out to Wednesday night Bible study. It seemed like she always made it in the fall or on a cold rainy winter day and it would just hit the spot, as only good comfort food can.
I had mostly forgotten about this until recently when I was looking for some new, simple recipes. Ya’ll know I love cooking from scratch and value all things simple, but sometimes you just need simple with a little help! We are entering a really busy time in our farm family’s life and that is pumpkin patch season! So, I give myself a little grace and don’t worry if everything isn’t perfect and I’m not cooking 3 nutritious meals a day from scratch. I recently made it for my crew and they scarfed it down calling it “chili without the sauce”. And they are right! I had an epiphany of sorts, that it DOES taste like chili and I’ve never made the connection. 😂 It’s kinda like chili but not. Hence we’ve named it un-chili.
It’s just one of those one skillet meals that every busy mom needs in her arsenal. It’s versatile enough that you can eat it with Fritos or add some lettuce and tomato on top for more of a taco bowl feel. Put some cheese on top and you are ready to go! I hope all my other busy (or just tired) mama’s enjoy! Use paper plates and you only have one dish to wash! 😉
“un-Chili”
a simple, time saving twist on one of your favorite comfort foods.
Cuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy6
servings5
minutes30
minutesThis easy recipe will save you on busy nights with family or friends to feed in a hurry. It’s a simple and time-saving twist to one of the best comfort foods-chili! What it lacks in a name, it makes up for in heartiness and taste. Your family will enjoy the filling delicious flavor and you will enjoy the easy preparation. 😊
Ingredients
1 16 oz can of tomato sauce
1 package of Spanish rice
1 cup of water
1 lb of ground beef
2 cans of ranch style beans (they must be these specific beans to give it the flavor you are looking for)
Directions
- Cook the ground beef and drain.
- Add the ground beef back to the skillet, add in tomato sauce, water, and package of Spanish rice , cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Or until the rice is tender.
- Add in the can of beans (and extra water if needed) and simmer covered for 5 more minutes.
- Serve warm by itself or with shredded cheese and all the fixings!
Notes
- This is an easy recipe to double and feed a crowd. We always love to eat it topped with shredded cheese, but you can also add, lettuce, tomato, black olives, sour cream, chopped onion, OR eat it over corn or tortilla chips. The possibilities are endless! 😊
How to Have The Best Picnic, Our “Must Have” List
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If you have followed along with us for very long, you will know that we are pretty big fans of picnics. We love to be outside and firmly believe that food taste better in nature! We like to picnic all year round, which may sound funny to some, but if you have a system, then it’s not so daunting of a task. These are just a few of our favorite things that make our picnics easier and help keep us organized! I’ve shared links so you can check them out yourself if you want!
Silicone yogurt molds: We use these for everything! Applesauce, yogurt, popsicles, frozen yogurt and fruit. We make our own popsicles almost daily in the summer! These are well
2. Picnic basket: This one has served us well! We’ve used it for hot and cold foods and it always does the trick! It’s big enough for all our food and the inside can be wiped down if something spills. We’ve had our current one for at least 3 years.
3. Reusable bags: I started using these about a year and 1/2 ago and now I don’t even buy plastic bags! I have 3 sets so I’m saving money in the long run! They can be used in the refrigerator or freezer and have held us incredibly well! I use them for literally everything-cut up fruit and veggies, sandwiches, shredded chicken for salads, cookies, you name it, you can use them for it!
4. Beeswax wraps: I was looking for something to wrap my homemade bread in and these have been perfect! Plus, I use them in place of plastic wrap too! I have 2 different kinds and I use them everyday for something. They will last several years and you can save money on plastic wrap or bags in the long run. They are not hard to take care of once you get the hang of it and are so handy to have around!
5. Cups: I recently switched all my kids (except the baby) to aluminum color coded cups. You can read about my color coding HERE. These have been great for keeping them straight and keeping their drinks cold all day! The lids also close well if you don’t want to use the straw and this has cut down on spills tremendously! It was quite an investment to buy one for all the kids, but it was worth it for me!
6. Small mason jars: We have used these for everything- applesauce, fruit parfaits, cottage cheese, mini taco salads, crackers, desserts, etc. They are a great serving size for kids and you can just throw them in the dishwasher! Plus, it is cheaper to buy your yogurt, apple sauce, etc in bulk and then divide into individual servings. We carry these to every picnic!
7. Plastic jar lids: I was using the 2 piece lids on the small mason jars, but they were hard to wash, so I have started using these instead. They come in different colors and both wide and regular mouth so they are so convenient to use! My kids each have an assigned color (read about it HERE) and we have added these in each of their colors to further help organize our life!
8. Half gallon jars: We use these for all kinds of storage, but on picnics, for drinks. We usually fill one with water and one with lemonade. They hold up well with no spills and can be thrown in the dishwasher when you are finished. You can never have too many jars! Plus it is cheaper than buying bottled water or canned drinks.
9. “Foldable” picnic table: This may seem silly to some, but we have gotten alot of use out of our folding picnic table. There are many times we don’t have a place to sit so we alway have this on hand. I say it is “foldable” because it does fold up, but it folds up in 3 pieces instead of all in one. Either way, we have really enjoyed having a ready use picnic table in our trunk!
10. Canvas bag: I know there’s lots of different options on bags, but this is a great one for all the items that don’t need to be kept in the cooler. We use it for plates, chips, bread, paper towels, etc. that way they don’t get wet or cold in the cooler.
The BEST Homemade Doughnuts…Just Like Mama’s. Simple and Easy!
I love cooking from scratch and recently I (re)discovered homemade doughnuts! Growing up my mom made homemade doughnuts, but they were a little different than store bought. Like in a good way different! She never used glaze but always rolled them in powdered sugar. This became my favorite way to eat them. Every time I make them I’m transported back to my big, round kitchen table of my childhood. In my opinion these are better than anything you can get in stores, but I kinda feel that way about most everything homemade!😉 I think it’s safe to say my whole family is pretty excited about my (re)discovery of homemade doughnuts and just how easy they are to whip up a batch for breakfast or a snack.
Don’t be intimidated! These may have several steps, but they are fairly simple to make and so, so good! I’ve included a few variations, but hey, it’s doughnuts, so they are good any way you fix them! Don’t be afraid to double the recipe if you are feeding a crowd or want to have some left over. They are best served hot, but the left overs are pretty delicious too! Now, go make your family happy with some doughnuts!
Homemade Doughnuts
Course: Food From ScratchCuisine: American6
servings1
hour15
minutesThese homemade doughnuts are made from scratch, but are still simple and easy to make. They are versatile enough to add your own flavor or glaze, but still turn out delicious every time! They are much different than any store bought doughnut you will get, and your family will thank you!
Ingredients
- Doughnut Dough:
2 1/2 teaspoons of yeast
3 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon of salt
2/3 cup of milk
1/3 cup of sugar
6 Tablespoons of butter
2 eggs
1 teaspoon of vanilla
oil for frying
- Glaze (optional):
1 1/2 cup of powdered sugar
1/4 cup of melted butter
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla
2 Tablespoons of milk
Directions
- Combine flour, sugar, yeast, and salt and mix well
- Put milk and butter in a sauce pan and heat on low. Allow it to cool a little before mixing.
- Pour milk mixture into the dry ingredients and mix well.
- Whisk eggs and vanilla and add the mixture.
- Once dough is formed, place in a warm spot and let it rise for 30 minutes.
- Roll out on a floured surface to 1/2 inch thick. Cut out doughnuts and let rise for another 30 minutes.
- Heat oil in a skillet to 350 degrees. Fry for about 1minute on each side.
- Drain briefly on a paper towel and glaze while still hot!
- Serve while they are still warm, with a big glass of milk! 🍩 +🥛=😍
- Glaze (optional):
- Whisk together butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla.
- Add milk 1 Tablespoon at a time until you have a smooth consistency.
- While hot, dip doughnuts and place on a wire rack to dry before serving.
Notes
- I opted to roll mine in powdered sugar, but they are delicious with the glaze too!
- 🍎Apple Cinnamon Variation: Add 1/2 cup of apple sauce instead of butter and 1 teaspoon of apple pie spice.
- 🍩Cinnamon Sugar Variation: Add 2 teaspoons of cinnamon sugar mixture to the dough.
- 🎃Pumpkin Pie Variation: Add 1/2 cup of pumpkin puree and 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice to the dough. (You may have to add a little flour to the dough to make it the right consistency, but when I make them, I did not and they turned out just fine!)
Granny’s Old-Fashioned Lemon Teacakes made with Violets
We’ve been reading Paul’s letters from prison for our family Bible study. It wasn’t planned this way, it was just where we happened to be when all things broke loose in our world. He talks alot about contentment. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that we came to these passages at this particular time either. No matter what you think about the situation we find ourselves in, it has affected us all in some way. I’m learning, it’s all about perspective.
During COVID lockdown, we aren’t stuck at home, but we GET to be at home with our families!
I like that perspective. I’ve been using this time to try and focus on the positive and enjoy the little things. If you’ve been following along, then you know we are already homeschooling, but even after several years you can get into a rut. I have always considered myself a relaxed homeschooler, but for some reason, this “stay at home” time has made me even more relaxed. We have taken on learning in new ways and I haven’t felt rushed to get things done. Because of that, we have been doing even more baking and cooking in our school day. I have been wanting to make these cookies for a while, but just didn’t want to take the time to do it. Well, since we have slowed down, we finally took the afternoon and made them. They were so good and, the girls especially loved helping. We had them during our tea time and it was the perfect combination of light and sweet.
I’m sure most everyone has some version of tea cakes that their grandma used to make. This is the same simple recipe with just a little variation. I always love cooking from scratch, but especially now when its easier than going to the store. These are not something I would make every week, but they were a fun change and a nice way to celebrate the pretty weather and our time at home.
Lemon Violet Cookies
Course: Food From Scratch, Herbal Remedies, HomeschoolingCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy2 doz.
cookies10
minutes25
minutesGranny’s old-fashioned lemon tea cakes just got an upgrade when you add these beautiful, yet edible violets found right in your back yard! The perfect light, quick, and easy dessert for the special occasion that just needs a little something “extra”. 🌺
Ingredients
1 cup of sugar
1 stick of butter
1 egg
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1 Tablespoon of milk
1 Tablespoon of lemon juice
1/4 cup of violets
Enough flour to make a stiff dough (I used 2 cups of all purpose)
Directions
- Mix all ingredients one at a time except the flowers.
- Fold in the flowers. (Do not overmix.) Form into a ball.
- Roll out dough and cut.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.
- Sprinkle with powdered sugar and garnish with flowers.
Notes
- The lemon can be tasted, but is very subtle. You can add 3 Tablespoons for a stronger taste.
Homemade Sandwich bread
Recipe:
2 cups of warm water (105 degrees)
1/4 cup of sugar
1 1/2 Tablespoons of active dry yeast
1 teaspoon of salt
1/4 cup of vegetable oil
6 cups of bread flour
This is the kind I use:
Directions:
Add yeast to the water and stir. Once the bubbles form, add sugar, salt, oil, and flour, one cup at a time. Stirring to mix well. Place in a warm place to rise for 1 hour.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes (although, I never cook mine the full 30)
This bread has become my staple sandwich bread. One of my good friends is a Mennonite and we use to bake together all the time. That was back when I had time, before all these kids! 😜 I have tried for literally years to make a good sandwich bread to mimic hers, but I never could get it as fluffy or the right consistency.
I ran out of bread a few weeks back and because of the corona virus, I decided it wasn’t worth a trip to the store. I tried a couple of recipes I found online, but they fell apart. So, I broke hers out and it worked! Its been years since I tried, so I’m not sure what the difference was, but it tasted sooo good, but it also held up for sandwiches! I think maybe I had overkneaded it before (can we say working out some agression 😂) and also this time I used bread flour, when I think before maybe I had used regular. Whatever the reason, I though it may just be luck, but so far I’ve made it every 2 days (remember all those kids?) for the last 2 weeks and its been great every time.
*I will say, this is good for sandwiches, but it still is homemade bread so it’s not going to be the “exact” same as store-bought. It is the best that I have found in my not so scientific research.
Granny’s “From Scratch” Chocolate Cake
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Family recipes are so special to me and this is one of my favorites! I remember my Granny cooking this for different special occasions and I always loved it. Now, I make it for special occasions with MY family. I love it because it is made from scratch with ingredients that I always have on hand. It does have several steps, but it is simple to make and never dry! It always brings back such fond memories of special times with family. I hope you enjoy some “sweet” special times with your family this season too! 😊
Cake:
- 2 cups of flour
- 2 cups of sugar
- 2 sticks of butter
- 1 cup of water
- 4 Tablespoons of cocoa
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla **I make my own, and you can too! (click on picture below for vanilla beans)
- 1 teaspoon of baking soda
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 2 eggs slightly beaten
These are the vanilla beans I use to make vanilla!
Icing:
- 4 Tablespoons of cocoa
- 1 stick of butter
- 6 Tablespoons of milk
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla
- 1 box of powdered sugar
- 1 cup of pecans
Directions:
Put sugar, flour, and soda into a bowl and mix. Mix eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla in a separate boil. Bring butter, water, and cocoa to a boil. Add egg mixture to chocolate mixture. Then add in flour mixture. Mix well. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
While that is baking, make the icing. Melt butter, cocoa, and milk. Add in powdered sugar, nuts, vanilla, and mix well. Spread over warm cake. You can eat warm or serve it cold. For some reason we always ate it cold, and this is the way I love it! It’s even better served with ice cream!
***I don’t always have buttermilk so you can add 1 Tablespoon lemon juice to a cup of milk and let it sit for 5-7 minutes. This substitution has saved me many times!
Energy Bites-a Healthy Chocolatey Snack for On-The-Go
We love these for snack time and we often eat these during our tea time. They are a great snack to take on picnics and the kids love to have a “sweet treat” without me feeling like they are consuming tons of sugar. They are super easy and a great way to sneak in some ingredients your kids may not normally eat. I use this recipe loosely and you really can’t mess it up. If it’s too sticky, just add more oats. If it’s too dry, add more peanut butter or honey. You can also substitute easily if you have any allergies.
- 3 cups of oatmeal
- 1 cup peanut butter
- 1 cup of chopped dates
- 1/2 cup of honey
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup of shredded coconut
- 1/2 cup of nuts (I like to use walnuts, but any will do)
- 2 scoops of chocolate protein powder (about 2/3 cup)
- 2 Tablespoons of flaxseed,hemp seed, and chia seed ( I use a blend- link below)👇
- 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
Mix all ingredients together and roll into balls. Store in a refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Although, they won’t last that long!
One of the things I love about these is that they are so flexible. Really, the variations are limitless! Feel free to leave out anything you want or add your favorites! A few of the things we like to substitute are Nutella, almond butter, pecans, dried cereal, or dried fruit.
What I used:
This is the nutritional shakes I use so if I don’t have any kid’s protein powder, I use this. It adds a great chocolate flavor while supplying all the extra protein, vitamins, and minerals.
What I Wish I’d known-my Tips for first Time Homeschoolers
So, there’s a lot of parents that are finding themselves as first time homeschool parents, at least for the next few weeks or so. I’ve had several people reach out and ask for advice, so I just wanted to jot down my tips for successful homeschooling. I am by no means, an expert, but this is the advice I would have wanted someone to give me when starting homeschool, whether it’s only for a season or forever.
1. Take a deep breath.
You can do this! God gave you these unique children and you know them and love them best! He will equip you to handle this situation. One of my favorite things about homeschool is the realationship you build with your child. It’s not always easy, you don’t always have the answers, but you are always growing and learning together.
2. Go Outside.
Seriously, it seems so simple, but it makes a huge difference in our days! Even if it’s cold. Even if it’s raining. Try and spend some time outside. There’s so much that can be learned through nature that supports your core subjects like math and science. Go outside, even if its just taking a walk or riding bikes, but its even better if you can take learning outside! We frequently use sidewalk chalk to diagram sentences, play hopscotch with our multiplication tables, or just sit and read on the porch swing.
3. Have a plan.
I’m not super rigorous with our schedule, but I do follow a rhythm. Have a plan, even if its just a loose one. Otherwise, you will end up all being frustrated at the end of the day. Kids do like structure and it can be helpful without being stifling. If the day gets derailed by catching frog eggs and watching them hatch, just start fresh the next day.
4. Don’t just “Do School” at home.
This one took me a while to grasp when I first started homeschooling, but it makes it so much more enjoyable if you get out of that mindset. You don’t have to be sitting at a desk doing bookwork to be learning. Embrace different kinds of learning. Chores (can I get an amen?) are a type of learning. So is baking, being creative, listening to an audiobook, grocery shopping, or learning a skill.
5.Read, Read, Read!
You can tell by my daily rhythm, that we read alot! I have struggling readers and late readers in my family so this is a practical way for me to help them in the additional subjects without spreading myself too thin. We read about ALL subjects. Science, art, music, Bible, history, geography, poetry, and just for fun. This is a great way to learn about not only the subjects, but the people and events behind the subjects. You can read about my tea time reading and how it changed my homeschool game, HERE! You can also see what our favorite books are this semester, HERE!
6. Do what’s best for you.
It’s your family and your homeschool so it doesn’t have to look a certain way. It can be whatever it needs to be for your family. Do what works best for your kids and your time at home. Life is a lesson, so I promise, if you are consistent, they are learning, no matter what that looks like for you! As I mentioned, I have some struggling readers, so I have to change things up to meet their need, and that’s ok!
See our daily rhythm HERE
7. Make it fun!
Sometimes, I get focused on getting done and forget to do this! Change it up, be creative, and make it fun to learn. I’m not the most creative person, but even just a little change here and there can make a big difference. Let them use playdough for their spelling words. Make up a silly song for that phonics rule. I’ve found that basically if I act like a lunatic, they think its funny and will remember it! 😂
8. You set the tone.
If you look at learning as a chore, so will they. If you act like you’d rather be somewhere else, they will too. This is a general rule for the household, but it definitely applies to homeschool too! When I have a whiny bad attitude, so do they. Remember, you are the lead learner! Learn along WITH them!
Don’t worry, you’ve got this!👊🏼
