Thriving Home — Page 2

Fourth of July Craft Ideas

by Polly on June 6, 2013

It’s June! It’s summer!

I’m already seeing some Fourth of July crafts floating around the blogland so I thought I’d throw a few of mine in the mix. Pin it if you like it!

Here is a Fourth of July Onesie

I made this little festive outfit for my daughter last year. It only takes some basic sewing skills and a little bit of time.

This is one of my favorite craft projects. First of all it’s cheap and easy to make. Just cut up some felt and pin it on to a foam wreath. All the supplies can be found at your local craft store. I also love this 4th of July craft because it is a really fun one to do with a group of friends. It’s a pretty monotonous project so it’s great to have a person to chit chat with while doing it.

I’m hoping to have a little time to do another 4th of July craft this year but having a 6 week old and toddler proves to be a bit time consuming… haha! For now I’ll just have to live vicariously in my past when I had time to do holiday crafts.

Happy summer!

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Glimpses of Grace

by Polly on June 5, 2013

If you’ve been around Thriving Home a bit, you know we love books and to recommend good reads to our readers. (Most of the books we’ve recommended can be found in our store so if you are looking for a good read, check it out.)

I’m excited to add another book to our recommended reading list. Author, Gloria Furman, generously sent both Rachel and me a copy of her newly published book, Glimpses of Grace , to read and review.

I haven’t had a chance to finish it (thank you, newborn and toddler) but the chapters that I have read have proven to be very encouraging and good for my heart at this stage in life. It’s one of those books that just feels like was written for me at this moment! So what’s this book about?

Here is a word from Gloria about Glimpses of Grace.

I’m a church planter’s wife, mother to young children (#4 is due next month), and a cross-cultural worker in the Middle East. My life is all things mundane, busy, and (at times) super messy.

So, why did I write Glimpses of Grace: Treasuring the Gospel in Your Home in the middle of all this? For far too long the mundane loomed larger than eternal life for me. I wrote this book because I wanted to remind myself (and others) that every mundane moment of the day contains the potential to plunge our hearts into worship of the Living God whose matchless kindness leads us to repentance.

For far too long I’d bought the lie that “this, too, shall pass” was the hope that I needed to cling to. The hope that I need to cling to is that God’s faithfulness will never pass, and because of the person and work of Jesus Christ, I am constantly running headlong into his future grace. Learning to cherish the gospel became key for me in beginning to understand this, and living in my home is the primary place I need to work out these heart-anchoring truths.

She also was willing to share an excerpt of her book. You can download the PDF Glimpses of Grace – Sampler for free if you’d like to get a taste of what the book is about or even check out the trailer that Crossway books has put together for it.

Like I said before, we love getting quality books into the hands of women in hopes that it can encourage you in the stage of life God has you in. We are careful about the books we recommend with the hope that we have credibility with you all too. That being said, I put my stamp of approval on Glimpses of Grace.

Lastly, if you purchase a copy of Glimpses of Grace from your favorite local or online retailer from June 3-7 you can receive a free copy of the ebook as well as one of Gloria’s (and my own) favorite resources—the ESV Study Bible Online (ESVBible.org Web App & Ebook)!

To redeem your free extras, simply scan and email your receipt to glimpses@crossway.org before 11:59am on Friday, June 7.*

*Any receipts that are not legible, not included, or believed to be fraudulent will be disqualified. Limited to one promotion per person.

Hope you find this read as encouraging as I do!

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Burrito Pie Recipe

by Rachel on June 4, 2013

So I’ve been in this Freezer Club for 6 years with some of my besties. We strive to cook freezer meals made with mostly local, organic meats and produce, while also avoiding foods with preservatives and additives. We try to balance that value with making things our families will like. (Here are my Top 10 Favorite Freezer Meals, in case you’re wondering.) When our friend, Darcie, first delivered Burrito Pie to us years ago, our friend, Devin, reported at the next Freezer Club meeting, “We ate the crap out of that!” From then on, when one of us made Burrito Pie, it typically had “eat the crap out of this” written as part of the instructions on top.

It’s true. Burrito Pie is one of those comfort meals that it’s hard to stop on.

To make this type of casserole healthier, try to find whole grain tortillas and refried beans with no shortening (which means trans fats) or preservatives. Trader Joes is my go-to place for these items. When making a recipe that requires several canned food items (which are so convenient at times!), be sure to look for BPA-free cans. Our health food store carries several safe brands–Eden Organics and Muir Glen are just a few, but if you aren’t sure ask an employee. Bottom line when buying convenience items like tortillas and canned food: Read the label and buy the ones in which you recognize the ingredients! This is harder than you may think, unfortunately.

Here’s to hoping you don’t “eat the crap out of” Burrito Pie too much!

Burrito Pie Recipe

Yields: Makes: 2 8x8 casserole dishes

Refried beans, taco meat, veggies, and sauce are layered between whole wheat tortillas for a hearty and tasty meal for the entire family.

Ingredients

2 lbs grass-fed ground beef
1 onion, finely chopped
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 (2 ounce) can black olives, sliced
1 (4 ounce) can diced green chiles, drained
1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
2 (16 ounce) cans refried beans (organic or one with no trans fat, preservatives, or additives)
12 (8 inch) whole wheat flour tortillas
1 (16 ounce) jar red enchilada sauce (organic or one with no preservatives or additives)
12 ounces shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a large skillet over medium heat, saute the ground beef for 5 minutes. Add the onion and garlic, and saute until onions are translucent (about 5 more minutes). Drain any excess fat, if desired. Mix in the olives, green chile peppers, tomatoes, and taco sauce. Stir mixture thoroughly, reduce heat to low, and let simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.

3. While meat mixture simmers, spread a thin layer of refried beans on one side of each tortilla. Set aside.

4. In the bottom of the casserole dish(es), spread a thin layer of the meat mixture. Cover with a layer of tortillas that have been smeared with the refried beans, followed by more meat mixture, and then a layer of cheese. Repeat tortilla with refried beans, meat, and cheese pattern until all the tortillas are used up. Topping off the casserole with a layer of meat mixture and cheese.

5. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until cheese is slightly brown and bubbly.

Notes

ht: Darci for the original recipe!

http://thrivinghomeblog.com/2013/06/burrito-pie-recipe/

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Three Great Grilling Recipes: Chicken, Steak, and Salmon

by Polly on June 3, 2013

Oh how I love to grill out! There is something about the atmosphere, the taste, the smell, and the mood it creates that is a recipe for good times. For the most part, grilling is also a healthy way to cook. Most recipe use real foods and it can add flavor to veggies that make them more appealing to the eye and taste buds.

With summer around the corner we are using our grill more and more. There are a few recipes we’ve posted about before that I thought were worth mentioning again.

Chicken Kabob Marinade

One of my all time favorite grilling recipes is Garlic-Honey Chicken Kabobs. It’s all about the marinade people. I can’t get enough of these kabobs in the summer time.

Ingredients

1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup honey
1/4 tsp group black pepper (I leave this out because I don’t like pepper)
2 cloves garlic minced

Instructions

In large bowl whisk together all ingredients in marinade.

Chop up veggies and chicken.

Mix marinade with veggies and chicken and let it sit for two hours (refrigerated) for up to 8 hours. The longer the better!

Pre-heat grill to medium heat (around 350-400 degrees).

Drain marinade from veggies and chicken and place on skewers. We’ve found it works best to put all the chicken on the same skewer, all the onions and peppers on one, etc. That way you can cook them as needed without over cooking.

Grill for around 12-15 minutes. Some veggies will cook faster than others, so you’ll just have to keep an eye on them.

Steak Marinade

Grilled steak on the menu? Steak kabobs? Consider using this Steak Marinade Recipe.

Ingredients

Sirloin Steak
1 C veg oil
3/4 C soy
1/4 worcestershire sauce
1 tsp pepper
2 cloves of garlic
1/4 C lemon juice

Instructions

Lay steak in a 9×9 baking dish. Mix up all ingredients and pour over your steak. Let it marinade as long as you can! (Up to 12 hours).

Firecracker Grilled Alaska Salmon

If you like salmon, you’ll LOVE this firecracker salmon recipe. It has a 5 out of 5 star rating on allrecipes.com by 21K+ people.

Makes: 8 servings

8 (4 ounce) fillets salmon
1/2 cup peanut oil
4 tablespoons soy sauce
4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
4 tablespoons green onions, chopped
3 teaspoons brown sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon salt

Place salmon filets in a medium, nonporous glass dish. In a separate medium bowl, combine the peanut oil, soy sauce, vinegar, green onions, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes, sesame oil and salt. Whisk together well, and pour over the fish. Cover and marinate the fish in the refrigerator for 4 to 6 hours.

Prepare an outdoor grill with coals about 5 inches from the grate, and lightly oil the grate.
Grill the fillets 5 inches from coals for 10 minutes per inch of thickness, measured at the thickest part, or until fish just flakes with a fork. Turn over halfway through cooking.

Optional: I bake it in a preheated 400 degree oven for 20 minutes and it’s perfect!

Happy Grilling!

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The BEST Safe and Effective Sunscreens for Kids

by Rachel on May 30, 2013

Every year I find myself doing new research on the best and most affordable sunscreen that will keep my family protected this summer. The good news is that the Environmental Working Group, a non-profit organization that rates the safety of cosmetics and other household products based on their ingredient list, now takes all the guesswork out of this! Check out their extensive list of the best sunscreens.

After reading through most of their list and factoring in safety, effectiveness (I need a waterproof formula, too), and affordability, I decided to order Coppertone Waterbabies Sunscreen Lotion Pure & Simple, SPF 50, 8-Ounce Bottles (Pack of 2). If you buy a pack of 2 through Amazon, it’s a good deal.

What is your favorite safe sunscreen for your family?

Note: This post contains some Amazon affiliate links. Here is our full disclosure. When you purchase through any of these links, you are helping support Thriving Home so thank you!

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How to Make a Chore Chart (a.k.a. Swift Kick in the Pants Chart)

by Rachel on May 29, 2013

You’re probably not like me. You probably don’t sweep your kitchen mostly just when you notice the ants beneath the kids’ stools nibbling on crumbs. You probably don’t check off everything else on your to do list but “swish the toilets”. And, I’m sure you don’t make a discrete pile of clean laundry on the far side of your bed so your room looks clean several days of the week. But, in case any of these horrible crimes against humanity sound vaguely familiar, you might want to know how freaking awesome I’ve just discovered that a chore chart can be!

Why a Chore Chart Anyway?

The chart I mentioned in my monster post from last week called Make Your Summer at Home with Kids Count is done, hanging on my fridge, and Day 1 of using it was a success! Not only is a chore chart a tool to help me accomplish one of my summer goals for the kids–teach my kids (ages 6, 4, and 2) to grow in their responsibilities around the house–but it’s also keeping me accountable to plug away at household chores each day (insert cheering sound in the background from my husband). My goal is to complete these before leaving for any fun adventures. It should be called a Swift Kick in the Pants Chart, if you ask me.

Tips for Making a Chore Chart

This age-appropriate chore list from The Happy Housewife is a great resource, if you’re wanting to institute chores this summer and make your own chart.

If you want, stick some of those adhesive magnets on the back and proudly and prominently display your chart. I also plan to laminate my list and then use an erasable marker to check our chores off as we complete them each day. The kids will love this part. Seriously, they are already getting with the summer program!

Incentives or No Incentives?

One of things I’m convinced of is that our children need to learn early and often that they are part of a family. And, being part of a family means learning to contribute to the group for the betterment of everyone. Most chores in our house will not be tied to incentives at this point, although some that are above and beyond the call of duty may be. That’s because we want our kids to simply learn to serve God and others through serving our family because it is the right thing to do. Imagine the long-term implications in our children’s lives–in school, at work, and in their own families someday–if we can help cultivate the character traits of hard work in tandem with servant-heartedness. Imagine our children becoming adults who don’t feel entitled but instead look to serve where they are at. Imagine the impact they may have in the world someday with a heart and attitude like that.

So, what do you think? Are you going to give ~~the Swift Kick in the Pants~~ the Chore Chart a try? I’m only 3 days in so I’m going to need some support here to keep this baby going strong!

P.S. Side story…My Dad was here yesterday and chuckling at all my little summer systems on the fridge (see example below). I said, “Is this a talent or a sickness?” To which he promptly responded, “Yes.” I take that as a compliment…I think.