Way Better Snacks

I was given a sample of Way Better Snacks sweet chili corn tortilla chips in my influenster VoxBox.

These chips are so good y'all! I have a love for all things snack related and these are delicious and something you can feel good about! They have sprouted grains in them, which if you don't know about sprouted grains you should really read into it. Basically the sprouting of the grain gets you way more Nutrients like vitamin B and Folate. The best part is my girls liked them too! I will definite be picking some more up soon!

Pampers Cruisers Review!

I'm back! We have a lot to catch up on so I am working on a post for that, but first a review! I received my first voxbox last week! I received sample of Pampers new (revamped?) Cruisers diapers for free for testing purposes.

My thoughts?

First thing I noticed was they are much heavier scented (baby powder smell)than the diapers I currently use. Not unpleasant, but worth noting. They also seemed to be a bit larger than the diapers we use (Luvs size4).

My little one seemed to be able to move and get into as much mischief as she wanted without any issue from saggy baggy diaper syndrome. They also were quieter.. I know that's a strange observation, but I can't be the only one who notices some diapers have a noisy plastic sound when baby is moving.

Honestly, it was a little hard to judge if they were less saggy than my current diapers since they were a bit too large for my girl. That being said they lasted through a full nights sleep! (woah super rare!)

Over all I would definitely give them a second chance in a smaller size.

Come back soon for a little catch up session!

How Does Your Garden Grow?

As promised today I am posting some updated pictures of our garden.

First a picture of the day we planted.

This is what it looks like today. The watermelon plant was all over the place but my husband moved it to mow yesterday.

 Look it's taller than me. (please excuse the goofy expression)

 okra blossom

 This is what happens when you don't pick your okra every day. Whew look how big that sucker is!!

One more thing I learned about Okra: the leaves are a skin irritant and the okra themselves have little thorns that will prick you.

Garden Time!

Ever since Ryan and I have been together he has talked about building a kitchen garden.  Nothing fancy just enough to put some veggies in our pantry. When we bought our house this year it was the first project we tackled.  We got started a little late in the season so there was not a lot we could plant, but we were able to harvest more than we really expected.

 Isn't it perfectly lovely?! This picture was taken the day we transplanted all the starter plants. I will take an updated picture soon (as soon as I break out the lawn mower). The Okra is as tall as me now!

We didn't get any tomatoes this time, but we kind of knew it was too late. We got about a pound of black eyed peas, TONS of okra, several eggplant, loads of Jalapenos, and a couple of bell peppers. We had two watermelons but they were broken into by some critter. :( However, we are still hopeful that we may get some more.

What I've Learned :
Next time I plant okra it will be in its own box, because as it gets taller it blocks the sunlight to the other plants. I will try different recipes to can/pickle them and possibly sell some.

I will plant more pea plants next time and stake them up better. (I planted three plants this time)

I will NOT try and plant watermelon again unless we make a VERY large box for melons only! THEY TAKE OVER LIKE CRAZY!

It is a lot of work but it is so worth it! I love seeing my daughter play in the garden and I know she will value the experience of watching and growing her own food!

Do you have any advice for first time veggie gardener? whats your fav/least favorite thing you have tried to grow?

That's all for now! Check back soon to see updated pictures!!

I'm Baaack

Wow... I have no excuse I have been a slacker. A lot has happened over the past year for our little family! We got a puppy, bought our first house, started a garden, and Ryan was promoted to Executive Sous Chef! It's been a whirlwind year and now I am ready to get back to writing! I have really come into my own as a wife, mother, homemaker, and gardener. I cannot wait to share all my adventures with you!!

My daughter and her "puppy"

A Fresh Start

About a week ago Ryan and I watched the documentary Food INC., and it had a huge impact on us. We always wanted to eat fresh and local, but never bothered to put in the time to make the change. After watching the documentary we decided from that moment on we would no longer be buying our meat and produce in the grocery store.  Not only is it pumped full of unnatural things that were never meant to go into our bodies and shipped from all over the world, but the way the animals are treated is absolutely apalling. Seeing chickens raised in coops where they will never see the light of day and cows standing knee deep in their own feces was the last straw.

The American supermarket has no seasons, you can walk in and get tomatoes year round. Eating local you get only the freshest ingredients and here is a shocker, they taste SO much better. When you eat local not only are you getting better healthier foods but you're supporting your local economy and farmers. It's a big step and even a little scary. It will change the way you cook because you will only have the ingredients that are in season in your area to work with. I imagine I will be posting my dishes and recipes soon.

 The best way to make a change is to join a CSA.

"Community Supported Agriculture or CSA, is an alternative food system... It represents an informal agreement forged on an annual basis between a farmer and a group of members to produce and distribute food.  Members, sometimes referred to as shareholders, are people concerned about where their food comes from, how it is grown, and by whom.  They recognize the connections between thier food choices and the economic system that supports it...."  - The Community Supported Agriculture Handbook, The Center for Sustainable Living, Wilson College

For our meats we got a half share at a local CSA and paid $325 plus $50 membership fee for a10 weeks of meat. Each week we get four different cuts of meat one of which is substitued for 1/2 a dozen eggs every other week. This week we got some ground beef, beef stew meat, beef shoulder roast, and pork chops.  All the meat is pasture raised, grass fed, and hormone free.

For our produce we decided to go with a delivery service, Greenling,  that offers local and non local organic foods.  We will buy a local box every other week for $35 and we can add anything else we need or want for the week. They sell everything from meat and dairy to produce and pantry staples.
This week in the local box we recieved:
Asian Pears, Prickly Pears, Sweet Potatoes, Assorted Peppers, Okra, Sweet Potato Greens, Summer Squash, Pickling Cucumbers, Eggplant, Loose Shallots, and Limes. To that we added two white onions and .5lb of Purple Hull Peas.

Not Convinced.. Just take a look at what showed up on my doorstep!

I encourage you all to watch Food Inc, for yourselves and be informed what the Government is allowing to happen to the food you feed your families everyday. ( I will write more on this later)

 To find local CSA's in your area go to http://www.localharvest.com/ and for delivery service check out http://www.greenling.com/ 

The Candy Chronicles...

I'm on a mission.. I want to start baking and making candy..

We all love candy and baked goodies right?..  Plus I have to put my Kitchenaide to good use! Seasonal candy, colorful candy, chocolate candy, even weird candy! We have a good family friend who always makes candy at the holidays and I want to follow in her footsteps.. SO.. I am going to be trying out lots of recipes between now and Christmas and I will give reviews after each trial!! Have any favorites? Ideas? Send them to me and I will try them out!