Recipe:Skillet Apples

I thought that this would be a great opportunity to officially welcome in fall and the beginning of October. Skillet apples are a warm and wonderful treat that is very adaptable to either a dinner side dish, breakfast topping, or a dessert or dessert topping. My kids love them and they seem to be their go to side when we go to the restaurants that serve them, so recently, because of an abundance of apples, I attempted them and was very happy with the results...The sweet sauce paired well with the slight tart flavor of the apples. They were tender, with a little bit of crunch still left in the center, and coated with the oh so good, gooey goodness of the cinnamon sauce that they are cooked in. It is a really simple process that doesn't take long...that is if you don't include the time of peeling, coring, and chopping the apples.

Here's what you need: 

8-10 Apples, peeled and chopped
1 stick of butter
1 cup of brown sugar
Cinnamon to taste
2 tsp ground nutmeg

Directions: 

 In a large skillet add the butter and begin to let it melt. Add the apples and let them cook for a couple of minutes. Add the cinnamon, brown sugar, and nutmeg. Continue to cook the mixture until the sugar is completely melted and the sauce thickens. Cook until the apples are as tender as you would like them. Be sure to stir the apples the whole time to make sure that they don't burn. Let them cool and serve them as they are, on pancakes, waffles, biscuits, ice cream, pound cake or anything else that cinnamon butter smothered apples sound good on.

Review: Kupp

The kupp’ was created by Kate Oliver, the founder of  Katesplace. She came up with the kupp as a tool to help her young boys learn accountability and responsibility. Each of her children their very own glass in a different color and put them in charge of their cup and all of the responsibilities that came with it, including setting the table, washing, and putting it away. She quickly discovered that she had a cleaner kitchen and her family consumed less plastic. As a result, the Kupp’ was born...it is a six-ounce glass with a colorful silicone sleeve designed just for kids.

The Facts

• The kupp’ is a six-ounce glass outfitted with a colorful silicone sleeve. It’s designed for kids ages 3-10.
• The firm grip and silicon sleeve helps to protect the glass from damage while providing a safe, toxic free vessel to drink from.
• The kupp’ comes in four vibrant colors that represent the environment: blue for water, green for earth, orange for the sun, and red for warmth.
• The kupp’ is the perfect serving size for children, and allows them to become more conscious of waste and consumption.
• The kupp’ is made in the USA using imported glass, and all materials are sourced from environmentally friendly manufacturers that adhere to EU and US regulations.
• All glass is recyclable, certified lead and cadmium free, and is made from a pure soda-lime formula. It is also dishwasher safe!
• The grip-friendly silicon sleeve is BPA/BPS free and made with medical and food grade silicon to prevent damage. The sleeve does not have to be removed when washing, which makes cleaning your Kupp’ very simple.
• The adorable kupp’ is designed to resemble a smile so kids are naturally attracted to it!
• The retail price of the kupp’ is $16.99 each.

The Review

We were given the opportunity to test out kupp Brand cups Through Moms Meet. These are really cute little glass cups with a silicone wrapper on the outside. Upon opening the shipping box, there was a whole bunch of excitement and squeals...the kids loved them, and could not wait to try them out!
They each chose out the color that they wanted, we sat down and I explained that these were their cups, they were to take responsibility for them, use them, keep them clean, and make sure that they were put either in a safe area on the kitchen counter or put away when not in use. I have to say at first glance these made me a little nervous to hand over to my children.  I understand the concept and the idea of responsibility and independent growth, but to hand over glass to my wild bunch was a little daunting to me. I hovered for a day or two especially with my four year old, but even she has really been very good at making sure that her cup is put away safely.

It has been just over a week, and I am happy and proud to say that we have not lost one cup so far. Even though they are glass, they have held up to my children...I am almost sure that at least two have fallen on the floor and not broken. The children have been extra careful to make sure that they are not left around where the toddler can reach it.

It really has helped with many of the concepts that Kate has created these cups for. The kids are not wasting water bottles meant for car trips and outings, we have eliminated the use of disposable cups, they have taken responsibility for their own cup and have taken very good care of it because they love them. Instead of constantly asking me to get them something to drink they have taken the initive to find their own cup and get their own water and sometimes milk or juice. These little glasses are a great tool to begin fostering some responsibility and independence in your little one.

We have really enjoyed trying these kupp cups out and highly recommend them if you are ready for your little ones to begin to grow into big kids. They are so much easier to clean than all the sippy cups with the lids, stoppers, straws, and other parts that seem to never get completely cleaned...and the kids can clean these up themselves, which is an even bigger bonus.


Disclosure: I received this product for free from the sponsor of the Moms Meet program, May Media Group LLC, who received it directly from the manufacturer. As a Moms Meet Blogger. I agreed to use this product and post my opinion on my Blog. My opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Moms Meet, May Media Group LLC, or the manufacturer.

Birthday: Jacob, Seven Years Old

Today is Jacob's 7th Birthday. He is our third child and our third boy. He doesn't give up or give in when he truly believes what he wants is what he needs; he can be very driven, strong willed, and stubborn. Determination and strength of spirit are two very dominate parts of his personality...he has the heart of a warrior, and yet, he is very kind-hearted, gentle, has a very generous spirit and is a very sweet boy. 
He is a very active and adventurous, loves to explore and investigate his world, always ready to find something new to investigate, discover, and learn. His imagination is immense and he can make up cute imaginative stories. He doesn't ever meet a stranger and one look into those beautiful eyes, and one smile could melt even the most grumpy of people. It doesn't matter where we go Jacob always finds, talks to and befriends someone new. 

Happy Birthday my sweet little man! May you continue to grow strong, smart and steadfast as you grow into a man. Love you always!

School: Another Year begins

Summer is coming to an end for the year and a new school year is now underway and in full swing. We typically wait until after Labor day in order to give a couple weeks extra to planning and preparing for our year.

This year we have hit a big milestone. We have a Highschool Freshman! Nathan is beginning his 9th grade year. Seton worked out okay for last year so we went ahead and ordered his books again for this year. Even though getting Nathan to actually do the required school work; it was really nice to have more accountability on his end to get assignments complete on a time schedule and have to be more responsible for his own work that is partially graded by the Seton staff.
The other nice thing was having back up when needed, teachers that could help and counsel if needed, and best of all we will have complete transcripts for his highschool education if he chooses to pursue a college education.
He will be taking the advance courses for college bound students. Last week his box of books came in and we went through them...it was really funny to see the look on his face when he saw the size of the books. This year will be Algebra, Physical Science, English, Spanish, Vocabulary, Geography, Spanish, and Religion. Last year he ended his year with a high A/B average in his subjects even thought we had to persuade him quite a lot and quite often to get the assignments complete...I think it was worth it in the end. This year school will be accompanied with an existing part-time job that he is really enjoying. I love that he is also getting real life experience as part of his education.


Noah is beginning the 4th grade this year! I look at him and think how in the world is that possible...he just looks so small and yet he will be nine soon. I have been so excited with his progress and change over the year.
We began with him struggling to read and having difficulty with even simple books...now he is reading novels on his own some even above his reading level. I'm not sure if he is truly ready for some of it, but he is reading and enjoying reading so...I say way to go!







Jacob will be starting 1st grade. Like Noah he had some difficulty grasping the reading thing, but I think that when this year gets started he will handle it like a champ. It is very difficult to get him to keep still for more than 5 minutes at a time and he is a very active child.
Breaks and lots of Physical activity are absolutely necessary for this kid. He is quick to grasp things and I think that this year will be a great year of discovery for him.

Evelyn...Oh Evelyn...She is something else. Last month she told me that she was ready to learn her EBD's...and she had a reason to say "EBD's". E is the first letter in her name so it is only right that the Alphabet start that way too.
So this year we will learn the alphabet and maybe, just maybe, they will no longer be EBD's but it is really cute. I'm guessing we can add some numbers in too.









Benjamin will be hitting a milestone of his own...It is truly not one that he will like, but it is time to move forward. He and I are going to wean...It is a sad time in one way because it is just one more thing that signles the end of the baby years...he's growing up.
He has nursed the longest of all the kids and I honestly never thought that I would ever do this for this long, but every child is different and has different needs.






So our adventure continues another year of growing learning and loving as a family the way God intended...I truly love this life we have no matter how crazy it gets sometimes every day is special and we have made some wonderful memories with our children and family.

Birthday: Noah, Nine Years Old

Happy Birthday Noah! Today Noah turns Nine. We absolutely love this little guy not so little guy. He has an infectious zest for life, joyful spirit, kind soft spot for creatures big and small.

He is sweet, caring, giving and loving. He has a mischievous prankster streak that tends to get him into trouble, but it somehow just adds to the charm that is Noah. He is the kid you have to expect to hide in waiting to jump out at you when you least expect it. I have to say that I am glad that we don't have one of those stores that have all the pranks and tricks. We would be bombarded by whoopie cushions, buzzing hand shakes and all such types of "fun" things. You will always find him laughing and telling the newest joke that he just learned. If he notices that you are sad, he is quick to try to distract you with something amusing. He makes friends easily...both people and animals. Many of our encounters with nature have been initiated by this guy. We have been able to explore nature through his eyes daily, because something is usually brought home to examine, observe, or explore. He is always up for and adventure or an opportunity to explore and learn new things.


Happy Birthday my fun loving adventurous free spirit. You are growing up so fast into a wonderful young man. I sure wish I could bottle you up just as you are, but at the same time I am so excited to watch you grown into the man I know you can be. Wishing you a life of adventure and discovery, may you always keep this spirit close to your heart and never lose it.

Review Preview: kupp

Today we received a new review item to blog about. I love getting new products to try, and it is even more fun when it is products that can be tried out with the kids. This new item is the Kupp. in the next couple of weeks we will be using these cute little cups as an alternative for plastic cups,  bottles, or disposable items around the house. 

This will be an interesting test for the kids' responsibility with their Kupp and how they take care of it. I am looking forward to see how our children do with these cups they are glass with a silicon wrap and handle. 

So check back with us and see how the trial turns out.

Recipe: Catfish Courtboullion and Corn Macheaux

So here it is, Catfish Courtboullion(cou-be-youn) and Corn Macheaux(mock-shoo). They look nothing like they sound, but both are amazing and full of flavor. It is a childhood dish that I remember having at my Grandparents(Dad's Parents). It's funny how as a child you don't always appreciate good food, but as an adult you crave some of the dishes that you can no longer get because the skilled "chef" is no longer there to make it for you.

Each of my Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, and of course Parents were well taught in food preparation. Each had a strong point, so were great with baking, some were great with side dishes, but most were very skilled at cooking. I have be very, very lucky to grow up in the region(South Louisiana) that I was in, and blessed to have a family that knew good food.

Most of our family gatherings revolved around food, lots and lots of food. Everyone brought their own specialties and even the small family gatherings turned into feasts, but as usual I have begun to reminisce and have gone off topic. This dish was is very versatile and several different kinds of meat can be used for variety-rabbit, shrimp, chicken to name a few-was usually served with a side of corn macheaux, cole-slaw or a salad, sometimes a potato salad, or green beans and smothered potatoes.

Last night I actually started out making a Sauce Picante, but in the process the "gravy" became a bit soupy-er than I would have preferred and it became a courtboullion which is more of a thick soup/stew. I served it as a stew just because the kids prefer it that way.

Catfish Courtboullion(cou-be-youn) 

2 lbs Catfish Fillets you can cut it into chunks for easier serving

Seasoning for the fish

1-2 tablespoons of roux

4 cloves of garlic

1-2 onions finely chopped

1 Bell Pepper finely chopped

2-3 stalks of celery finely chopped

2 cans of diced tomatoes

1 can of tomato sauce

1/2 tablespoon sugar

3 cups of water or stock

a dash or two of Worcestershire Sauce
hot pepper to taste

Salt and pepper to taste
lemon optional

bay leaf optional(remember to remove before serving)

Directions: Season catfish and return to the refrigerator. Either make a roux, or if you have a jar on hand just use a little of that. Heat the roux in a heavy stock pot. Once it is warm add the chopped onions, bell pepper, garlic, and celery and cook until wilted. Add the tomatoes, the tomato sauce, sugar, worchestershire sauce, water or stock, and seasoning that you would like to add cook until well combined and vegetables become translucent about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Add fish and cook until done. It doesn't take long for the fish to cook. it should flake, but not fall apart. 5-8 minutes.

Serve in a soup bowl with a large scoop of rice, or serve as a stew over rice with less sauce.

Note: what I have pictured is in a plate and more like a stew(sauce picante) than a soup because that the way my family prefers to eat it. What I made could be served in a bowl and has the consistanty of a thick bisque. So if you would like more of a stew texture, add only enough water or stock to adjust the consistency for that. Probably about 1/2-1 cup. It should have more of the consistency of a thick spaghetti sauce. Adding the fish will add liquid to the mixture so be careful not to add too much water to start with.

Also, if you would prefer not to use a roux, it can be skipped, but a big part of Cajun cooking is the layers of flavor in the cooking.

Corn Macheaux(mock-shoo)

3-4 cups of corn

2 tablespoons of butter of bacon fat(yes, I have a jar)

1 onion finely chopped

1 bell pepper(I used 1/2 green, and several mini peppers that were red and orange for color)

1-3 cloves of garlic

1/2 cup of cream or half and half

Melt your fat of choice, and saute the onions, bell peppers, and garlic. Add the corn and cook until the corn is done if it is fresh corn, or heated if it is canned corn. When it is done lower the heat or turn it off, add the cream and stir. Be careful not to add the cream to the corn if it is too hot the cream will separate.

Eggs in a Hole

Eggs in a hole is one of my favorite breakfasts to make, you get toast and eggs at the same time...I don't do it as often as I like, but when I do the kids eat it up. It is easy, cute, and fun and really really good; very similar to the idea of the bell pepper slices with the egg in the center.
You cut out the middle of the bread, put the bread on the skillet making sure that it has contact with the pan so the egg doesn't escape, and break an egg into the center of the hole.
Cook until the egg begins to turn white and flip over to cook on the other side.
 This breakfast is so well liked that a whole loaf of bread, and twenty eggs were used the morning we made this. I can not tell you how happy I am to have chickens that give us fresh delicious eggs daily.

Try it out with your family, you could get creative and use shaped cookie cutters, add the cut bell pepper rings for extra color, or maybe even try using scrambled eggs and add toppings to turn it into a toast omelette.

New Family Craft

We are working our way into a new craft that we are hoping to eventually turn into a business that each of the children will have a part in. Even though we already have the soap business, the kids are not really able to participate, because of the possibility of danger dealing with the lye during the process of making soap.

They do have an opportunity to help in some of the other aspects, but being that it can be the tedious, boring parts that really don't lend to a true sense of accomplishment, we are venturing into some other things that they can do and call their own.
Matt and the boys always enjoy getting the opportunity to play with leather tooling during some of their Cub/Boy Scout activities, so recently we began working with leather. We are still working out many, many details, but so far it has been fun for most of the kids that are old enough to participate.

Matt began making a unique line of cup holders to "Dress Up Your Solo Cup" in order to give people the option to give their cup a unique look that will help it to stand out among the sea of cups that are at social events, but also give them structure, support, and a better grip.

The holders can be customized countless different ways with names, logos, and designs. He is also working on some bottle koozies, and possibly can koozies in the future. The design potential is endless and only limited to the imagination. Business logos, names, symbols like Fraternity/Sorority letters, we are looking forward to the custom possibilities with these it could be really fun to see what potential customers can dream up.

Our oldest, Nathan, has begun making bracelets, rings, and eventually wants to make larger pieces like armor...for now I've encouraged him to stick with the smaller more practical things that actually have real-world application at this point, well that and I would rather him build skills on smaller pieces before tackling something like a set of armor.

In doing some of these recent projects Nathan will be earning his leather working badge in Boy Scouts as he gains more crafts skills to call his own. We love the opportunity to encourage these types of skills in the kids so that they may eventually enjoy a craft/skill that is quickly becoming a lost art. So far he has gotten several commissions  for a few types of bracelets already. He has a good eye at design and is very good at tooling designs onto the leather. 

Nathan(14)...Practice work

The younger boys were really eager to get to design and stamp their own stuff. For a while they were grabbing scrap pieces that Matt and Nathan had left over on the ends and pieces. Noah began to actually create some nice/cute creative designs so I cut out some round pieces for them to make their own little creations.

Noah(9)

Noah(9)...His own design

Jacob(7)... His own design

Noah(9)...his own design.

The kids and Matt were having way too much fun, so I had to try too and began making some barrettes...

Once you get started making things it is really difficult not to want to make more and different things. So in the future I will be trying to make things like bookmarks, small wallets/coin purses, notebook covers, little charms, and possibly random art pieces for people to incorporate into their own arts and crafts projects and jewelry.

 We have already begun to look at other practical applications and suggestions and requests that were asked about like belts, arm guards, guitar straps, dog collars, handbags, and a couple of other things...well, you know all in good time and all when the income for future projects has been generated.

Nathan's Home

• Nathan came home today. He's thinner, and I think a little taller. Matt said it was just his boots, but I think we all know its because he is within an inch of being taller than his dad and I think it bothers  Matt just a little. It's nice to have him home, we have all missed him quite a bit. Benjamin took some time to warm up, and wasn't too sure, but eventually gave him big hugs and smiles. Evelyn, Jacob and Noah were really excited to have their brother back...even though some of them claimed not to miss him. Evelyn became somewhat of a clingy monkey for a while. Jacob claimed that Nathan(the real one) hadn't been returned yet, because this one that came home was so much nicer than the one that used to live with us. Noah been quiet tonight, and just seems relieved and happy to have his pal back. 

Milestone: The Oldest is Going Backpacking

Nathan left today to go on a backpacking adventure through the Boy Scouts Venturing Crew. That sounds simple enough on its own, but he will be gone for two weeks and is going to Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico to trek through a part of the Rocky Mountains. This scouting facility has a fascinating history and looks like a wonderful opportunity and adventure ahead for him.

Hiking Practice

We wish him well and pray that he comes home safe. He has only been gone for a couple of hours and already the kids are missing him, even Benjamin who didn't get to say good-bye this morning has been searching around the house and calling for him.

I am really excited that he is getting this opportunity. He worked really hard this summer doing several jobs for a few different people in order to raise the funds that he needed in order to go...and he actually went beyond and has some spending money to go with it. A grant to help pay for a portion of the trip was also awarded to him through the Boy Scouts. I am very proud of the young man that he is becoming, and looking forward to hearing about the adventures he is about to undertake and all the growing that will come from this trip. I think that this is a great beginning into his up coming Freshmen year in High School.

Cleaning House: Two Weeks in...

Our 14 Year Old's Room  

As usual I didn't have the foresight to take before pictures to show what we were dealing with with the kids just refusing to do the minimum of keeping there rooms at a reasonable state of clean. Many days the accumulated mess was making it hard to see the floor, and it was spilling out of the doorways into the halway, and trailing and gradually trickling into other areas of the house, even the kitchen and the yard has scattered remains of where the children had recently been playing and decided to go on to another task just leaving whatever was taken out to come back to at a later, undisclosed date...which usually meant never, or at least not within the next few days. 

Our Two Younger
 Boys Rooms

So during the month of July they are required to keep their rooms clean, and this is the result that we have been seeing in the last two weeks. Each room has a jar with a dollar for each day. So far our oldest has lost two dollars and this is what his room has been looking like as we walk down the hall during the day. Our younger two have struggled a little with the concept and it has been a little more difficult to convince them that this is an important task. They have lost four dollars so far, but typically, this is the usual state of their room for the past few days. They have each needed some encouragement to comply, and it is not perfect, but being able to see the color of the carpet and not step on a sharp Lego well placed so that the pointed end is up just waiting to dig into the soft spot in the arch of my foot. So far so good...

Landscaping: Reclaiming our property with Hugelkultur

We live on a hill, a very lovely wooded hill. We have a nice home and property, we just bought it at a time when it has been worn down by age and some neglect, but it has lots of potential. The upkeep, repairs, and trying to get the house and yard at a point where we would like it is exhausting, and many of  the projects we need to accomplish quickly also come with a pretty serious price tag. So in the process of keeping up with the needs of the property we have been researching some more economical ways of fixing some of the issues that we are being faced with.

At some point I came across an article on key hole gardening which was really fascinating. It is a way of piling debris and yard litter into a big pile and lining it with rocks, or sticks, or other materials in order to build up a large raised bed that is typically shaped in a circle with a pie shaped portion cut out making it look like a key hole. The material composts over time feeding the plants that are being grown on top, but also being able to hold in and maintain months worth of water even in typically dry climates, this is becoming a popular planting process in areas of Africa. Very cool idea, but not exactly what we were interested in doing...at least at this time. What we really need is a way to stop the erosion issues that we have, and reclaim some of the areas that have washed out over time.

The quick way of fixing this is call up a company that has fill dirt and begin refilling the areas and restructuring the property the way we want. So that takes lots of hard earned money...with five kids to raise that doesn't tend to stay in the bank. So enter the Hugelkultur! It is ingenious, and I really like to say the word, it's just fun to try and use in general conversation. It's a German word(obviously) that means mound culture or hill culture. This has been practiced in Europe for hundreds of years.

It's like a compost pile on steroids. You begin by putting large logs down. On top of those you begin layering other yard debris such as sticks, leaves, grass clippings, hay, etc. on top of that, a layer of soil, or compost is placed. it creates a mound on which you begin to plant. Over time the whole mound begins to decay and this helps to feed the plants that you have placed within the soil layer. The composting material also creates and retains moisture, so the pile can essentially keep plants watered for several months without needing to be watered. This is why it is such a wonderful idea for dry areas that typically make growing food difficult. When I saw this it seemed like a perfect solution to our erosion issue, and we could start building the property back up one mound at a time until we got it back to where we want it. My hope is to terrace the property in large areas of flat space down the hill so that it doesn't wash away again.

Today we began to fill in a problem area near our drive way. The top of the hill near the house is about 15 feet(or more) higher than the lowest part of the yard near the road. This area seems to be creeping closer to our paved driveway and it needs to be fixed before it gets there. We have lots of dead and dying trees on the property that we are slowly taking care of, or nature is taking care of for us. Today we finally took the pine tree that has been sitting near our driveway for a year, cut it into manageable pieces, and began layering it into the area we want filled in. As we get more yard debris, trees, or others that may want to get rid of their yard debris, we will continue to pile it into the area until it fills in completely. Eventually as it decays I would like to purchase some dirt to layer on top and begin planting.

We will continue this in the back yard also and work toward terracing. It is going to be a long and arduous task, but I think that it will be worth it in the end.

Part of our front yard hill

After hauling most of the dead Pine

Where we stopped for the day

This is where we started
Looking up the hill