A Yummy Recommendation!

It's a new year.  I don't do New Year Resolutions because inevitably I break them... and I have enough to worry about besides guilting myself with broken "promises".  However, a general resolution I have built into my lifestyle (though I admit it is ALWAYS a work in progress)... is to try to do more healthy things for my family.  Giving our girls a healthy building block from the start has been important in our roles as parents.  Eloise's (and now Audra's) food allergies have played a major role in that decision... but in general, we just want our kids to be healthy and learn healthy habits.  Of course we don't always do *the very best*.  It's expensive and time consuming.  Living on one income with 5 people is limiting in some respects.  Cory always tells me when it comes to health and food, we will spare no expense - within reason, of course - haha!  So I try to do my best to make things from scratch when I can.  One thing that really bothers me is canned soup.  Why is it that you can CAN your own soup at home with minimal ingredients, but what you buy at the store has more on the label than you can count on TWO hands?  Not to mention the crazy names of things that are hard to pronounce - or even know what exactly it is or does.  So, in an effort to cut back on canned soup - though we DO still buy some, mostly organic - I came across this CREAM OF MUSHROOM SOUP recipe over at the Heavenly Homemaker Site.  

 It has been my go-to recipe when I need a "cream of [insert whatever here] soup".  I wanted to pass along the link so that you can give it a shot!  It's SUPER easy to make.  I usually make it while I'm standing at the stove doing other things and can keep my eye on it and whisk as needed.  It can easily be frozen and thawed for a casserole or whatever your recipes may call for.  Each batch makes approximately 3 "cans" of soup.  You should check it out!  While you're at the site, check out some of her other recipes, too!

Our Dinah Girl turned 3!  

We had Homemade Birthday Ice Cream instead of cake!

Our homemade ice cream consists of milk, maple syrup, vanilla and a pinch of salt.  Cory is always the one who whips it up and I don't know where he keeps the recipe (maybe in his head?).  If anyone would like the measurements, I will pick his brain and gladly email them to you! :)  It is simple and delicious!  Great for anyone with an egg allergy!