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Wood Pallet Herb Garden – Wordless Wednesday

Posted by html404 on July 3, 2013
in DIY Projects, Family Stuff, Farm Stuff, Fun Stuff, Gardening, Home, Organic, Wordless Wednesday

Wood Pallet Herb Garden – Wordless Wednesday

If you click on the photo it’s not so blurry. I don’t know why the editing program does that to photos!

This post was inspired by http://www.repeatcrafterme.com/2013/05/wooden-pallet-herb-garden.html?showComment=1372278599739&m=1 but I did not originally hear about it from her. I can’t even remember where I learned of this unique way to recycle pallet and plant a wood pallet herb garden. All I remember is seeing the idea and liking it. Then when we got our bags of soil, still on a wood pallet, I told the family I wanted to keep the wood pallet for an herb garden.

This was very easy to do. I just took a small roll of landscaping fabric and stapled it to the bottom of the wood pallet. Then my husband and I filled it up with about 2.5 bags of organic soil mix (sorry cannot remember the size of the bags right now), added some perlite and then planted our herbs.

We planted from left to right: rosemary, chives, curly leaf parsley, oregano and basil in the last two rows. These plants all came from a friend’s farm. She specializes in transplants, has a greenhouse; and since we never got our herbs planted from seed we got these from her. I’ll have to let you know how well the plants grow in this wood pallet herb garden, as this is the first time we’ve tried growing something this way.

We still have fennel, more parsley and oregano to plant, as well as all our fall planting…amidst everything else – one monthly market, a weekly market and possibly a corporate market for just five weeks this summer. Oy!

So much to do and so little time….We cannot wait to cook with our own herbs and share them with our CSA members (Consumer Supported Agriculture) and customers! Here’s to hoping the plants yield enough for all.

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Brother Vs. Brother

Posted by html404 on June 15, 2013
in Contests, Entertainment, Family Stuff, Home, Home Improvement, TV Shows

This is a featured post.

Reality TV is here and probably here to stay since so many reality shows are popular among viewers. Our family watches a few like X-factor, Shark Tank, Undercover Boss, Secret Millionaire. Then there are others that we just shake our heads wondering why they are even on the air. We have also seen a few episodes of a home buyers show and another one where they go in and demolish homes, fix them up and resell them. They were fun to watch too. If you are into real estate and construction etc. then the new home renovation competition show Brother vs. Brother on HGTV will be of interest to you.

HGTV’s popular property brothers face-off in new home renovation competition, brother vs. brother. Identical twins, Jonathan Scott, a licensed contractor, goes up against is realtor brother, Drew Scott, in this battle of the skills competition of home renovation upgrades and highest increase in property value. The show will also feature other HGTV real estate stars like, Mike Aubrey (Power Broker), Kennon Earl (Selling LA) and Hilary Farr and David Visentin (Love It or List It). The winning team takes home a $50,000 grand prize.

Viewers can even vote for their favorite brother team by using hashtags #TeamDrew or #TeamJonathan Via HGTV.com/brothers.

Take a peek at the show’s promo video:

The show premieres Sunday, July 21, at 10 pm ET with a six-episode series to give us a taste of the Property Brothers skills set.

What reality shows do you watch? And will you be catching the Brother vs. Brother show?

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Cascade Platinum #MyPlatinum

Posted by html404 on June 12, 2013
in Cleaning, Home, Reviews, Shopping

“I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Cascade. I received a product sample to facilitate my review and a promotional item as a thank you for participating.”

Cascade Platinum

Washing dishes is an every day occurrence at our house, as I am sure it is at yours. With ten of us we use a lot of dishes and run our dishwasher 1-2 times per day. In January we reviewed Cascade Complete Pacs, which we really liked. So when Cascade Platinum came out, it was with great interest that we tried the new Cascade Platinum pacs.

The difference between the Cascade Complete and the Cascade Platinum is the advanced tough food cleaning and film protection for a sparkling machine. We have noticed the dishes are cleaner and more sparkly. Our machine seems to be cleaner but we have some hard well water that seems to have made the inside of our dishwasher a rusty color so it may take time to see if there is a change in the color with consistent use of Cascade Platinum.

We will definitely be purchasing Cascade Platinum again, as we mentioned in our Cascade Complete post, Cascade is one of our favorite brands because we have yet to find an organic, eco-friendly dishwasher detergent that does a better job than Cascade.

Cascade Platinum Contest

Cascade had partnered with Gail Simmons,Top Chef judge and editor of Food & Wine magazine, to discuss why food presentation is just as important as preparation.

• From prep to plating: It’s more than just a great tasting recipe, but also perfect presentation. Sparkling dishes, shining flat ware and spot free glasses truly!let you put your best food forward with culinary creations that pop!

• Gail recommends impressing with a)Platinum Presentation: “The easiest recipes pop with unexpected, gourmet presentations. Drizzle bright sauces on sparkling white plates or layer
desserts in crystal clean glassware. Keep your presentation sparkling with Cascade Platinum, which keeps dishes perfect for anytime entertaining and impromptu guests.”

Below is a video where Gail shares why plating is so important:

You can learn more about Cascade’s partnership with Gail Simmons by viewing the other videos available on the Cascade Facebook page http://on.fb.me/10Y8RQQ or on You Tube via the video above.

If you enjoy taking photos of your food and want to show how much Cascade Platinum enhances your presentation, I encourage you to enter the contest for a chance to win some great prizes from Cascade. For complete details of the #MyPlatinum Instagram contest visit http://tinyurl.com/PlatBlog

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We Are Officially Homeless!

Posted by html404 on June 7, 2013
in Articles, Family Stuff, Home, Seasonal Stuff

Now before you all start freaking out over my eye catching blog post title stating we are officially homeless….it is true…however, it’s only because we sold our townhouse and no longer own a home of our own. We closed on our house last Friday and are no longer homeowners. We are officially only renters. So yes, we have a place to live….it’s just not ours.

We are beginning a new chapter in our lives. We know we are here for another year and eight months since we renewed a 2-year contract in February of this year. But whether or not we move on to find our forever home or stay here remains to be seen. It’s exciting and scary all rolled into one.

We waited nearly 2 years for our house to sell. Longer if you count when we first put our house on the market in early 2007 just before the housing market crashed – it would have been a more profitable sale to have sold it then, but alas, it was not meant to be. We tried renting out our house, we tried selling it by owner and finally we got a realtor in March 2013. It took her less than 2 months to sell it. We were signing an agreement in late April. Then it took nearly a month for us to set up and complete the necessary repairs based on the home inspection.

We are extremely grateful for our buyers as they had looked at all the homes like ours and found our house was in the best condition, probably with the least amount of work/updates to be done. Our appraisal came in woefully low and based only on foreclosure sales in the area. Nevertheless, because of the condition of our home and our buyers extreme interest they were willing to pay above the appraisal price. We are very fortunate and knew we wouldn’t find another buyer willing to pay more than the appraisal.

So, while we are officially homeless in the sense we do not own a home, we are embarking on a new journey and possibly will begin a search for our own farm or continue to rent. Who knows? We are just glad to finally be done with the townhouse and all that went with getting it ready to sell and maintaining it from here to there. Yet a little apprehensive at the same time because we do not know what the future holds.

Have you ever been without a home?

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Our Farm is Growing AGAIN! – Wordless Wednesday

Posted by html404 on June 5, 2013
in Family Stuff, Fun Stuff, Home, Parenting, Pregnancy and Birth, Uncategorized, Wordless Wednesday

Our farm is growing AGAIN! About 8 or 9 weeks ago we got two lines! (I start having symptoms right away just a day or two late) Nope this was not planned per se and we were completely surprised. We thought our family was done with “Eight is Enough”, but God had other plans….

So far my pregnancy is going well. Nausea has been a constant companion as has the tiredness. Napping has become a daily thing. Since losing our son Matthew in December of 2004 in a second trimester miscarriage – he died in utero at 14 weeks but we did not discover it until 18 weeks when we did not detect a heartbeat – my pregnancies have been rough for me emotionally as I struggle not to worry about losing the baby up until 18 weeks. My worst fear now is a still birth, which could happen. It happens to others, why not me? It’s about the only thing I have yet to experience so I really do not completely relax until I have baby in my arms. Trusting in God’s plan for me and this little one is no easy task. I wouldn’t wish a pregnancy loss of any kind on my worst enemy. It’s a horrible thing at any stage of pregnancy because as moms we love the baby from the time we know of his or her existence.

Our older children are, interestingly enough, very excited about a new sibling. Then again they’ve also been asking for another sibling. I wouldn’t be surprised if it was their prayers that were answered regarding this new baby!

Happy Wordless Wednesday!

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The Last Time We Were Sick…

Posted by html404 on May 27, 2013
in Articles, Family Stuff, Health, Health and Nutrition, Home, Uncategorized, Writing Prompts

We are pretty protective of exposing our children to illness if we can help it. With as many children as we have, it takes us a very long time to get over any sort of flu bug, cold or illness when it goes through all of them or us. You will probably be surprised to learn that the last time we were sick was probably 18-24 months ago. My husband was sick last fall but only because our landlord’s handyman discovered mold in the wall where the washer had leaked. Once that was taken care of my husband was well again. It’s weird to say but his body really is a mold detector. He’s the first one to experience any adverse affects of mold.

I am usually the most healthy and I chock that up to being a mom. Mom’s cannot get sick because we have to take care of everyone else! My last bout was with my tooth but it’s been behaving itself, thankfully.

Here are the reasons I believe we have gone so long since the last time we were sick:

1. We have managed to avoid large crowds during the winter by just staying at home. We live simply and most of our children are content just to be home bodies. Thus, we avoid any flu bugs going around.

2. We try really hard to eat healthy. We are not fanatics by any means but a healthy diet is a huge part in having a strong immune system. This means we try not to eat prepared foods or anything in the center of the grocery stores. We try to shop the perimeter of the store. We also cook and bake from scratch avoiding harmful sweeteners, artificial flavors and colorings and preservatives.

3. We avoid chemicals and pharmaceuticals as much as we can. We use natural cleaners and fertilizers.

4. We use essential oils on our bodies and even ingest them if we feel a cold or sore throat is beginning. We diffuse them in the air to purify it of germs and impurities.

5. We try to get enough rest. Sometimes that is harder to do during different seasons, but we are pretty adamant about our children getting to bed on time and getting enough sleep.

6. Our children spend the majority of their time outside since we have moved to the country. They are not cooped up in the house all the time and they are much more active than they were when we lived in the townhouse.

I don’t know for sure what has kept us healthy but these are the things I think have helped us. I am extremely grateful for this long run of good health. In the past we have been sick for weeks on end as it went through the whole family, so this has been a blessing to say the least.

What do you do to keep your family healthy?

P.S. This post was inspired by Mama Kat’s Writing Prompts.

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My Perfect Spring Day

Posted by html404 on May 20, 2013
in Articles, Family Stuff, Home, Seasonal Stuff, Uncategorized, Writing Prompts

I love all the seasons and the fact that we live in an area where we get to experience all four season to their fullest. However, I must admit that I get tired of winter and the other three seasons never seem long enough.

My Perfect Spring Day

My perfect spring day would be sunshine and weather in the 65-70 degree range, with a slight breeze. I would be able to smell the cherry blossoms or lilacs (if in bloom). There would be lots of tulips, daffodils and hyacinths in bloom; an the irises would be budding. It would be a day without any rushing around. All of our family would be home and we would be working together, with minimal fighting or disagreements. But hey, this is my perfect day so let’s just eliminate any fighting among the children and all disagreements!

We would also take a leisurely walk, enjoying the sunshine and fresh air. We would be thankful and enjoy being together for the day. We would eat dinner out and the house would remain neat and tidy – for once!

That’s what my perfect spring day would look like….I have to say that I have experienced all of this, just not always all in the same day.

What would your perfect spring day entail?

P.S. This post was inspired by Mama Kat’s Writing Prompts.

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Mother’s Day 2013 – Wordless Wednesday

Posted by html404 on May 15, 2013
in Family Stuff, Food and Treats, Gift Ideas, Holidays, Home, Seasonal Stuff, Uncategorized, Wordless Wednesday

Mother’s Day 2013 saw me served with a delicious homemade breakfast in bed. (I was also served with a yummy meatloaf dinner the night before and a strawberry dessert Yahoo featured!)

The whipped cream is homemade from our own cream – yummylicious!

And I bought these for the purpose of having a Mother’s Day flowers photo….we ended up giving them to Grandma on her special day too….

How was your Mother’s Day? Were you given the royal treatment too?

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Sumo Sultan Bean Bag Giveaway

Posted by html404 on April 10, 2013
in Free Stuff, Furniture, Giveaways, Home

Who doesn’t love a comfy chair? We have one comfy chair in the whole house, the others leave much to be desired. I have never owned a bean bag chair but my husband had one for the longest time. I thought it would be fun to participate in this Sultan Bean Bag Giveaway and give you all the opportunity to enter to win one!

Sumo Sultan Giveaway

Welcome to the Sumo Sultan Bean Bag Giveaway hosted by Bay Area Mommy with cohost Faith and Family Reviews (me!)!

Sumo Sultan Bean Bag Features:
– Measures 54″ X 54″ X 42″
– Removable microsuede bean bag cover zips off to machine wash; corduroy cover also available
– 10 fit-for-royalty colors to choose from
– Stays fluffy, full, and will never go flat
– Made with 100% Polyester Fiber

You can check out Bay Area Mommy’s review HERE! Now here’s your chance to own one for yourself! Winner will receive a Sumo Sultan bean bag in his/her choice of color and cover fabric (microsuede or corduroy)!

Giveaway ends May 1, 11:59pm EST. US only. Void where prohibited. Must be at least 18 years old to be eligible. No purchase necessary. To enter, use the GiveawayTools widget below. Good luck!

Entry -Form

*Disclaimer: No compensation was received for this post. This blog is not responsible for prize fulfillment. For questions regarding this giveaway, please contact Bay Area Mommy at isis@bayareamommy.net.

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PackIt Personal Cooler

Posted by Professor on April 9, 2013
in Family Stuff, Gift Ideas, Home, Houseware, Reviews, Uncategorized

Introducing PackIt – the freezable personal cooler that keeps your food colder, fresher, and safer for longer than you could ever before – up to 10 hours! There’s no need for ice that melts or for bulky, toxic ice packs. Simply store your folded PackIt in the freezer until you’re ready to PackIt and go!

The Original Cool.
Thanks to PackIt’s patented freezable gel-liner you can keep your lunch cool – for up to 10 hours!

The Personal Cooler is perfect for school, work, the field or anywhere! Simply store the cooler in your freezer for a 12 hour period, pack with the items you want to keep cool and enjoy!

Features:

Keeps food and drinks cold up to 10 hours.
Patented freezable-gel is permanently built into the liner.
PVC/lead-free, non-toxic, earth-safe, & reusable.
Folds compactly in the freezer for storage.
Dimensions: 8” x 10” x 5” (8” x 5” x 2” folded)

PackIt Personal cooler is available in a variety of patterns and colors.

Reasons to LOVE PackIt

Cooler

PackIt keeps its contents cooler longer – up to 10 hours in fact – and it eliminates completely the need for ice or gel packs

Safer for both you and the environment

PVC-free, BPA-free, lead-free, non-toxic, earth-safe and reusable

Lift a burden off your budget

Over a 30-year career, a person can save nearly $100,000 by packing a lunch

Trendy with the times

Save money, eat healthy and look good while doing it
Download PackIt’s 30 day Meal Planner on their website.

Versatile and durable

Perfect for school, work, sporting events, golf, the beach, baby bottles and so much more!

Our Review:

We were pleased to review the new PackIt Personal Cooler in purple.

We must admit we LOVE our PackIt! I have 2 older versions of the PackIt lunch bags…but like this new personal cooler option much better! The primary difference is in the handle. In this new version the handle has a strap that can attach to other bags. It has a convenient lock clasp on the handle, which I use to attach the PackIt to my daughters lunch bag. This is SUCH A NICE NEW FEATURE! Since I have 3 children and 3 PackIts…I may have to upgrade the other 2 PackIts to this new handy version!

PackIt not only stores lunches effectively but also folds nicely for storage in the freezer. The bag conveniently folds up and takes little space in the freezer.

One other added bonus is cleaning! Cleaning is a breeze! The instructions say “Hand wash with mild soap and warm water. Allow to air dry completely with flap open before freezing to prevent frost from forming on cooler. Do not use bleach. Please note that PackIts are not washing machine, dryer, dishwasher, or microwave safe.” We found that these instructions keep the PackIt clean and tidy and have not had any issues thus far.

What about keeping lunches cold? This product is AWESOME!!! There are many times when my children bring unfinished content from their lunches home and after a long school day the items are still cold and fresh.

One feature I do like is that there is no sweating… when I used to pack the traditional ice packs in our old lunch bags the ice packs would sweat as they dethawed and make a wet mess all over the contents and the lunch bag… PackIt does not sweat! AWESOME!

Overall, we are PackIt fans! We might have to try some of their other products aside from the lunch bags…as there are so many options…from wine coolers to picnic bags.

For more information about PackIt and other variations of the bag please visit:

http://packitcool.com/

Faith and Family Reviews received the following product in exchange for writing a review. While we consider it a privilege to receive free products to review, our reviews are our honest opinion and thoughts of the product.