Perks of Being a Camp Wife (and Mom)

Here's a shot from the first father/son camp out of the summer. Daddy learned what he now needs to do to make things go a little smoother, so the stage is set for a summer of mommy time, I mean father/son bonding. Really, it's both. I'm enjoying an evening of wi-fi at the local Arby's for the price of a jamocha as Father and Son are on their second camp out of the season. I wonder if Zane will gather a pile of leaves in the tent this time.

A Brave Feller

When I was a little girl, my dreams of prince charming and my frugality in the making sometimes crossed paths. For instance, I had thoughts like, "If I marry a dentist my family will get their teeth cleaned for free!" or, "If I marry a carpenter, we'll save money on furniture, kitchen cabinets, etc!"

Well, let me share the economic value my rock climbing, repelling, hard core camp husband has brought to our family. He saved us a lot of $$$ by felling 2 big pine trees in our yard all by himself. I was a little nervous, yes, but I knew he knew what he was doing and Zane and I had full confidence in him as we watched from afar.

Easiest Lasagna Ever

There's something that seems daunting to me about making lasagna. I know, it's not really that hard, but the cooking of the noodles, browning the meat, the assembly... Like I said I don't know why, it just seems daunting. But, alas, I have found the Easiest Lasagna Ever. Actually, the name of the recipe officially is Violette's Lasagna and it comes from here.

8 lasagna noodles, uncooked
1 lb. ground beef
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
28 oz. jar spaghetti sauce
1/3 cup water
4 oz. can sliced mushrooms
15 oz. ricotta cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Break noodles. Place half in bottom of greased slow cooker.
2. Brown ground beef in saucepan. Drain. Stir in Italian seasoning. Spread half over noodles in slow cooker.
3. Layer half of sauce and water, half of mushrooms, half of ricotta cheese, and half of mozzarella cheese over beef. Repeat layers.
4. Cover. Cook in slow cooker on Low 5 hours.
   

Books to Check Out

Well, things are looking up in the book department. I've come across some great reads as of late and would like to pass them on.

Recycling

It's time to put away those wool sweaters, or in my case make one into a pillow because I shrank it. Some simple hand sewing was all it took to turn this thrift store cardigan into a comfy addition to our living room! Oh, and an old pillow that had stains on it.

Z-A-N-E

I was feeling crafty one night and decided to try out my new found hobby of em-
broidery. Found some scrap fabric, got out
my hoop and thread, and framed the results. Zane loves it and is learning to spell his name!

Loving On Your Husband

I've come to the point where I close my ears when I hear the term " the state of the economy..." Yes, we all know that our economy is in "a state". You won't hear me say one more iota about the subject after this post, I promise. But, this is for those of you dear sisters who, like myself, have been directly effected by "the state of the economy". Tightening our purse strings might be tough and at times downright maddening, but I have a feeling that it's peanuts compared to how it weighs on the souls of our dear hubbies. Whether you're a stay-at-home mom, contribute to the family budget, or even if you are the primary bread winner, I encourage you to take the time to encourage your husband. Let him know it's okay that you shop at the Salvation Army, let him know it's okay that your hair is your natural color right now, that it's fun to make baby wipes instead of buying them at the store. I bet if he knows these difficulties aren't as hard on you as he may think they are, that maybe they won't be as hard on him.