• Eczema Care with Gladskin

    ‘Tis the season for dry skin. You know the drill. The weather gets cooler, and our hands get drier. Not only are the cooler temperatures causing dry skin, but also the more frequent hand washing as germ season gets underway. Those of us with eczema prone skin are in for double the discomfort.

    I received this product for free from Moms Meet (momsmeet.com) to use and post my honest opinions. Compensation for this post was provided and this page may contain affiliate links.

    There are several members of my family that struggle with eczema. It has been a tough battle to get it under control so they aren’t miserable. Finding a cream that works best is a struggle. I have gone through so many creams and prescriptions to try and get my daughters some relief. So much money has gone down the drain. As a mother, I have been extremely frustrated and felt incredibly helpless. It was bad enough to see them uncomfortable when they were infants and toddlers. But now, as they have grown up, we have the added emotional aspect to it. It is embarrassing to them to have large, red, dry patches of skin that is always itchy. It’s hard to resist scratching it, which only draws more attention to it. We knew that something needed to change, and I was feeling desperate.

    Gladskin Eczema Cream is a first-of-its-kind cream, formulated with Micreobalance (a patented smart protein) that keeps bad bacteria in check to bring balance back to the skin microbiome. WHAT! I have never seen a product that works to restore your skin microbiome. Micreobalance is their star ingredient, and what makes it so different. By now, you all know how I feel about taking care of our microbiomes. Gladskin with Micreobalance rebalances the good and bad bacteria that naturally live on the skin as it moisturizes. This means that gladskin is leaving the good bacteria untouched while defending against the bad bacteria. This is music to my microbiome-loving ears.

    Using clean products on our skin has been the best way to manage eczema flares. Gladskin eczema cream has no fragrance, no drying alcohols, no parabens, no steroids, and no sulfates. I don’t know about you, but I personally want to avoid using steroid creams on my children whenever possible. Gladskin cream is dermatologist recommended and clinically tested. It’s safe for long term use. Other eczema products are either only aimed at managing symptoms after a flare or don’t take yours, or your child’s, health into account holistically. There are no withdrawal reactions when you stop using it.

    I love that there is a recommendation to store the product in your refrigerator so that it lasts longer. This is always a good sign of real ingredients as promised. The recommendation is that the product is good for three months from purchase if stored at room temperature, or until the date stamped on the package if kept in the fridge. Mine is stamped with 4/22, just so you get a clear picture of how long you know it is good for. The effects of a cool moisture cream on dry skin are so, so comforting.

    My daughters that battle eczema often get flares where their skin creases. The backs of their knees and the bends of their elbows are where we fight eczema the most often. One of my daughters has been in the midst of a flare. She will scratch her skin until she bleeds. We applied Gladskin eczema cream, and she exclaimed “it already looks better!” She felt relief immediately. If you have children that fight with eczema, or you fight with it yourself, you know that most creams burn very badly when applied to the dry and broken skin. That was not the case with this cream. There was no pain or discomfort, just blissful relief.

    We live on a homestead. I am HARD on my hands. They are in the garden, cleaning out chicken coops, and baking a lot of bread. I wash my hands frequently, and they show it. It’s like leather. It gets exceptionally dry and painful. This cream was a dream. It went on so thick and creamy. Even an hour later, my skin still felt moisturized, but not greasy or gross. It feels so luxurious, which is a real treat.

    You should apply the eczema cream at least twice per day on and around the eczema prone areas. Most people see results in the first few days, but it could take up to three weeks of daily application to see the results. Staying consistent will give you the best results. Man, that fits everything in life, doesn’t it?

    Gladskin can be used safely on the most sensitive skin– even your eyelids! It is proven safe and effective on children as young as three months old. Gladskin is non-toxic. It is formulated to work with the nature of you and/or your child’s skin, not against it. You can apply it as often as you like, and it can be used with your other products. Just apply it first and give it five minutes before you apply anything else. Basically, it is incredible, and I may be the new president of Gladskin’s fan club.

    Gladskin also has many other products that also support the microbiome-balancing work that Gladskin eczema cream does. These products also do not contain any harsh ingredients or preservatives that most cleansers contain. They are all non-drying products that leave your skin feeling clean without feeling dry or tight. You know that feeling. You MUST try the shampoo bar. My hair is below my waist. That’s over two feet of thick hair, if you don’t know. I LOVE the shampoo bar! I have been trying to find a shampoo that doesn’t dry my scalp, but still cleans my hair. I finally found it with Gladskin’s shampoo bar. Plus, I am not wasting another huge plastic container of shampoo. It’s a win all around.

    Head on over and get yourself some luxurious eczema cream, or try out a shampoo bar for yourself. You can save 10% on your order at gladskin.com when you enter the code GLADMOM10 at checkout. Code expires 3/31/22.

    **In some rare cases, first-time Gladskin users may see temporarily slightly increased eczema symptoms. Any discomfort should be mild and not last longer than the first 10 days. This is often a sign that the cream is beginning to work as it rebalances the skin’s microbiome. This is not something that we experienced, but something that I do feel you should be aware of.

  • HOA Conference 2021

    Holy cow. I don’t even know where to start.

    Earlier this year, Scott and I volunteered to help at the Homesteaders of America conference. We have been learning over the past several years all about gardening, livestock, preserving, etc. Many of the members of HOA are the ones who I have been learning from, so I was excited for the possibility to learn from them in person and help the organization out during the event.

    We headed out last week. It was a 10.5 hour drive one way. I am so glad we did it… and so glad that we drove…

    I was most looking forward to hearing Jill Winger speak. She has been my #1 mentor for quite a while. She shared how to make the most of your time on the homestead. She gets a ton done, and is super inspiring. We were sitting eating lunch when Scott pointed and said “There’s Jill.” Introverted me almost stayed in my seat, but I got brave. I went up to her and got to chat with her about what we are doing. I walked away completely dumbfounded. She is a wealth of knowledge and inspiration, so go check her out. You can find her Youtube channel, Blog, and Instagram page by clicking on each word there. She also has an incredible podcast called “Old Fashioned On Purpose”. Also, her cook book is excellent. It is not just a cookbook, but also full of tons of homesteading information.

    I also got to meet my other mentor, Melissa K. Norris. Once again, a wealth of information and inspiration. Unfortunately, we missed getting to hear her session because we had to get some sleep after being up all night. I will watch it on the membership page later though. You can find her on Youtube, Instagram, blog, and her many books that she has written. She also has a podcast called “Pioneering Today” that is so good. She was so incredibly kind and told us how to take care of the blueberry bush that we bought.. because, yes, we bough a big blueberry bush that rode in a seat home with us.

    It really is a gift to be surrounded by thousands of like minded people. We didn’t have to explain any of our choices. It was a group of freedom-loving folks who started each day with prayer and the national anthem. So many people are tired of the system, and see how broken it is. We met several people who were just trying to learn as much as they could before they took the leap into homesteading. Everyone was in a different place with their goals, and it was so refreshing to see what can be accomplished.

    We got to see Michelle Visser speak about homeschooling, which was so, so good. Ann Accetta-Scott spoke on food preservation. She had such a packed tent that we couldn’t hear her, and will be watching that one again later. There were so many good sessions that it was hard to pick which ones to go to.

    The last night, after most people had gone home, we got to experience “Songs and Stories from the Homestead” that Rory Feek did. His story is so special, and he was so funny and kind.

    I am so glad that we decided to take the girls along for the ride. I hope that they learned a lot, and feel just as inspired as Scott and I do. We are home feeling so grateful for all that we got to do and experience.

    Thank you, HOA and Amy Fewell for all that you put into this event.

  • Homemaking Mama

    We have had a huge answer to prayer in our household. As you know, I’ve been working part time at the local library for almost three years. Last week, I had my last day working outside of the home.

    For the past year, I have really felt a pull to be back home full time. But, as many know, it is difficult to live on one income. Around July, I started feeling an urgency to come home. I don’t know why, and that is the best way I can explain the feelings that I had. I prayed and “told” God that if it is what He wanted for us, He would have to make a way. I kid you not, a week after praying that desperate prayer, He made a way.

    Yes, it is a huge sacrifice to live on one income. We have only one car, and it’s not the greatest. We have the oldest phones possible with a cell phone plan. I can’t hear when people call me unless I turn the phone on speaker.. it is what it is. It was also much easier to leave for work and not have to make dinner or clean up messes. But.. and I have a big but…

    Hard is not the same thing as bad. Did you catch that? HARD IS NOT THE SAME THING AS BAD!

    Yes, baking fresh bread is harder than picking up a loaf at the store, but it is not BAD. Yes, it is hard to have a farm, but it is not bad. Yes, it is hard to be ON all the time at home, but it is not bad. Dishes and laundry are hard, but they are not bad.

    The girls cheered when they found out that I wouldn’t be working anymore. I am fully aware of the blessing that we have been given. It is huge and wonderful.

    I love homemaking.

    I have been loving Shaye Elliot and Angela Reed’s podcast Homemaker Chic Podcast. They are challenging women to “embrace the art of homemaking”. I always laugh my face off and feel so inspired and encouraged by their words. Just thought I would plug that for them, because I appreciate it.

    In the true spirit of homemaking, I am now shopping for a kitchen table and cabinet. haha! We have borrowed this beautiful table and hutch form our landlords knowing that it would leave eventually. That time is now. I found a beautiful hoosier cabinet that we can actually afford, and I am praying that it will come into our kitchen soon. We also found a kitchen table we really like a lot. But, we have some time to figure it all out.

    Friends, I hope you are doing well. I know that this year has been a rough one for many.

    Happy Taco Tuesday!

  • Taking Stock

    Making: A lot of lists– packing lists, food lists, to-do lists.. and piles.. (We are heading to Cuyahoga this week.)

    Drinking: coffee with maple syrup and half and half

    Reading: Mama Bear Apologetics for me, The Victory Garden with the kids, and listening to an advanced copy of Food Saved Me

    Wanting: this apron haha!

    Watching: Scott and I started watching the show Heartland and we really like it.

    Listening: Homemaker Chic podcast or the piano music station on Pandora

    Wishing: that normalcy and critical thinking would return to society….

    Enjoying: walking with my mom almost every morning

    Loving: the cooler weather and having my windows open!!

    Hoping: for a safe trip this week

    Needing: a new minivan. Never buy a Chrysler.. ever.

    Feeling: grateful. Some excited new changes are happening in our family, and I am so thankful.

    Wearing: Scott bought me some pajama pants with pumpkins on them, and they make me happy.

  • Back to School Lunch Routine with Monster Pop!

    Back to School season is in full-swing. Whether you have already started, or will be starting after labor day, lunch packing is always a pain point for many families. I am here to share some back to school lunch packing tips. I know, I know. I am a homeschooling mom. What could I possibly teach you about packing a school lunch? Right?

    Here is the thing. I still do packed lunches for my kids every school day. It streamlines our time, and makes lunch time much less of a fight. This also makes everything easier for the days when we school on the go. We can pack up a lunch quickly, and be on our way. I like implementing systems that save us time on the boring things so that we have time for more fun. If it saves fights early in the morning, this is even better!

    I received this product for free from Moms Meet (momsmeet.com) to use and post my honest opinions. Compensation for this post was provided and this page may contain affiliate links.

    To make lunch packing easier, and save my sanity, we have four bins that the kids can choose from. The bins get pulled out every day, and they choose one item from each bin to go along with our main dish. The bin contents are sweet, salty, dairy, and fruit/veggie. Stainless steel water bottles full of water go along with lunch every day as well. Doing these bins has given them some control over their meals each day. This means they typically don’t fuss about lunch and will eat everything that they pack since they chose it. They also know that their sweet, which is usually a dessert type of side, must be eaten last.

    Here are some ideas for things to put in each bin.

    SWEET:
    raisins
    dried cranberries
    granola bars
    muffins
    banana chips
    granola
    fruit leather
    fruit snacks


    SALTY:
    chips
    almonds
    pretzels
    meat sticks
    crackers
    Monster Pop!**

    DAIRY:
    string cheese
    cheese wheel
    yogurt

    FRUIT/VEGGIE:
    applesauce pouches
    fruit cups
    carrot sticks
    celery sticks
    banana
    sliced apples (soak in 4 C water and 1 Tbsp lemon juice for 5 minutes to keep from browning)
    strawberries
    grapes
    snap peas
    blueberries
    pears
    cucumbers
    mandarin orange

    We do not do a bin for our main dish, but here are some ideas of what we love to do. Use a thermos to keep hot food hot.

    MAIN DISH:
    sandwich
    pizza kits (flour tortilla wedges, sauce, cheese, pepperoni)
    bagel pizza
    crackers, cheese, deli meat
    mac and cheese
    hot dog
    chicken nuggets
    pita and hummus
    hard boiled eggs
    tuna salad and crackers
    pinwheels (tortilla, deli meat, lettuce, and cream cheese rolled and sliced)


    Monster Pop has been gracious enough to sponsor this post alongside Moms Meet. Monster Pop Big-Time Butter Popcorn has been such a fun snack to incorporate into our salty snack bin! It is made with only four ingredients– popcorn, sunflower oil, clarified butter, and sea salt. Hooray for a cleaned up kids snack! Plus, the packaging is the cutest ever. I know that I am not the only one who is a sucker for good branding. Monster Pop is also gluten free, Non-GMO, and kosher. It does not contain any trans fat, added sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, or artificial ingredients. It is so important to fuel our kids with healthy and real ingredients. Kids’ brains function better when fed real food. Reaching for Monster Pop makes this easy. It retails for $16 for 16 half-ounce bags, $15 for three sharing-sized bags, or $27 for six sharing-sized bags.

    The big-time butter flavor is delicious. If you aren’t a fan of butter popcorn, be sure to pick up their cheeseriffic cheese flavor. It’s so yummy, and my personal favorite. Each flavor has it’s own personal monster. Bud is your pal on Big-Time butter while Cas is your friend on Cheeseriffic Cheese. What kid doesn’t love a cute monster?

    Not only is Monster Pop super fun for your school lunches, but it would be so cute to pass out on Halloween and even at a Halloween Party, if you celebrate! You can grab them for on-the-go snacking– going to football practice, dance class, gymnastics, and during baseball games. Pull it out for after school playdates! When my middle daughter turned two, we had a monster themed birthday party for her. Monster Pop would have been such a cute addition to her party! I told you that I’m a sucker for good branding. There are so many fun ideas that you can do with Monster Pop.

    You can buy Monster Pop Big-Time Butter and other flavors online at monsterpopshop.com. Be sure to use the code MOMSMEET25 to get 25% off of your purchase! This code is valid until 10/31/21.

    **Monster Pop Big-Time Butter and Cheeserific Cheese flavors contain dairy. Please be aware of this if you have food allergies in your home or classroom.

    If you have any great ideas to add to this lunch setup, please share them in the comments! I’m always looking for ways to shake things up.









    Other sources:
    lunch boxes
    pink bins (similar)
    clear fridge bins (similar)

  • Chloe’s 11th Birthday Interview

    1. What is your favorite color?  purple

    2. What is your favorite toy?  tutu lulu

    3. What is your favorite fruit?  I think it’s kiwi.

    4. What is your favorite tv show or movie? hmm.. I think its Frozen

    5. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch?  hot dogs. I also like the macaroni on fridays

    6. What is your favorite game? clue, I think

    7. What is your favorite snack?  I like the goldfish and cheese-its the most.

    8. What is your favorite animal? rabbit

    9. What is your favorite song?   I’m not sure. I like a lot. “Till the Day I Die” by Toby Mac

    10. What is your favorite book? The Penderwicks

    11. Who is your best friend?   I have a lot. Gretchen, Abby, Maddie, Selah, Lillian

    12. What is your favorite cereal?   honey nut cheerios

    13. What is your favorite thing to do outside? That just got tricky. I can think of three things off the top of my mind. Riding my bike, jump roping, and flying my kite.

    14. What is your favorite drink? sweet tea or cappuccino

    15. What is your favorite holiday?   I like them all, but I think the one that I like the most is Christmas.

    16. What do you like to take to bed with you at night? blankie, I usually sleep with. (It’s a blanket she got when she was a baby.)

    17. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast?   I like the dutch babies.

    18. What do you want for dinner on your birthday?  Chicken and noodles with grilled cheese

    19. What do you want to be when you grow up?  an astronaut

    20. What makes you feel happy?  my family

    21. Who is your favorite author? J.K. Rowling, Jenny Birdsall

    It is so hard to believe that the one who made me a mama is eleven already. She is a chatty and brilliant young lady who has made her goal this year to “be more responsible.” I am so proud to be her mom.

  • How We Grew Over 10 Pounds of Garlic

    I love garlic. I always have. Back when I was a kid, I always went into the kitchen asking my mom “What are you cooking? It smells so good.” Her answer was almost always “…..garlic….” When I learned how easy garlic was to grow, I knew I had to try. I assumed it would mostly flop, but we went for it. We planted three pounds of garlic seeds, and harvested well over 10 and a half pounds of garlic.

    Last year, in late October/Early November we started planting our garlic. Now is the time to order, and farms will send your seeds in the fall! We got our garlic from Filaree Garlic Farm and obviously had great success, so I ordered through them again. All of our garlic was planted in raised beds, which allowed for larger bulbs since we didn’t have clay compacting the soil. Your planting time may differ based upon what zone you are in and your first freeze dates, so double check all of that.

    Your garlic seeds will come as a whole clove of garlic. Break these apart into individual cloves. You want to space your plants 6 inches apart. The clove gets planted with the root side down. The pointy side should be facing up toward the sky. Plant them an inch deep and cover them gently with soil. Cover all of this with mulch. We used wood chips from our chip drop, but you can use straw, leaves, etc.

    That’s it. Seriously. All you do is plant it, and leave it. Forget about it all winter. You will see it start to sprout when the weather begins to warm in the spring.

    Somewhere around June, our plants all developed scapes. It is this curly looking thing that grows out of the top of your garlic plant. I forgot to get a picture of these, but you can do a quick online search. Cut these as close to the leaves of your garlic plant as possible. You can make pesto out of the scapes or use them in your cooking. Cutting them off allows for the plant to put more energy into producing bigger bulbs. Stiff-necked varieties produce scapes. Soft neck typically do not.

    Around July, the leaves of your plants will start to die. This is completely normal no matter how much you water the plants. When around half of the leaves have died off, that is when you will want to harvest your garlic. We harvested some of ours with only one dead leaf. The rest we harvested after more had died off. We didn’t notice any difference in the size of our cloves.

    Lay all of your garlic on a table in the shade of your yard to help the skins toughen up– anywhere out of direct sunlight and off of the ground. After a couple of days of this, you will want to hang them up for three or more weeks until they completely dry. Leave the leaves on your plant so that the bulbs can continue absorbing from them. Scott grouped ours in groups of five to six hanging from the garage rafters. You want them to hang in a dry place out of direct sunlight.

    We had an abnormally wet July, and let our plants hang for closer to 4 weeks to get them completely dry. Once the bulb and necks are hard and dry, your garlic is ready to be stored. I wish I had faux-braided mine this year, but I didn’t think of it until it was too late. When you are ready to store your garlic, you want to trim the neck down. We left a little over one inch on the neck of our bulbs. Then, you want to trim all of the roots off. Using a dry cloth or soft brush, clean any remaining dirt off of the bulbs. If you have any that have been damaged, you do not want to store those. We broke off the good cloves from our damaged bulbs and have been using them first.

    Believe it or not, there are close to 90 heads of garlic in that basket!

  • Back to School 2021-2022

    Yesterday was our first day of school! I can’t even believe summer break is over. How did it go so quickly?

    Chloe is in the sixth grade this year and is doing Abeka Academy. She wants to be an astronaut. (Also a chef, fashion designer, etc. depending on the day you ask.)

    Addi is in fourth grade this year and is doing Abeka Academy. She wants to be a teacher and a mom when she grows up.

    Harper is in first grade this year and we are doing the Good and the Beautiful curriculum for the first time. She wants to be a librarian when she grows up.

    This is how Addi and Harper really wanted their first day of school pictures to be. HAHA! Perhaps these should be the framers..

    Homeschooling has been such a gift through all of these years. I can’t even believe that this is my seventh year of homeschooling these kids! Harper was a newborn that first year. I remember feeling so overwhelmed and afraid that I was going to fail. Now, I see three vibrant and intelligent young ladies that often outwit me.

    I know that many people are considering homeschooling this year. I am always happy to answer any questions that you may have.

  • Birthday Interview With Harper

    My baby is seven, and I can’t even believe it. She has grown so much, and is just as silly as can be. She is such an animal lover, and always wants to help out. I want to remember that she loves to make my sandwich for my work lunch right now.

    1. What is your favorite color?  blue
    2. What is your favorite toy?  legos
    3. What is your favorite fruit?  cherries
    4. What is your favorite tv show or movie? The squirrel movie that I got from the library (scaredy squirrel)
    5. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch?  macaroni!! and chicken nuggets!
    6. What is your favorite game? Sleeping Queens!
    7. What is your favorite snack?  hmmm. cheese its!
    8. What is your favorite animal? cheetah! and chicken! and ducks!
    9. What is your favorite song?   umm.. I don’t know yet.
    10. What is your favorite book? hmmm… Nibbles!
    11. Who is your best friend?   *shoulder shrug* I think that me and Abby are friends
    12. What is your favorite cereal?   honey cheerios
    13. What is your favorite thing to do outside?  swim in the pool if it’s really reaaalllllllyyyyy hot
    14. What is your favorite drink? sweet tea and water. mostly water
    15. What is your favorite holiday?   Christmas and Easter
    16. What do you like to take to bed with you at night?  ten million stuffed animals
    17. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast?   cereal or chocolate chip waffles if we have them
    18. What do you want for dinner on your birthday?  pizza and macaroni
    19. What do you want to be when you grow up?  I don’t know! A librarian probably just like you are
    20. What makes you feel happy?  This duck and that I got the lego set that I really realllllllyyyy wanted

    I hope seven is the best year yet!

  • Garden Diaries

    This picture is from a few weeks ago.

    I had really been hoping to share a lot of stories from the garden this year. Ah, the dreams of gardens in winter.

    What really happened was INTENSE rain just a few days after we transplanted our starts that killed all but two of our tomato plants. We replanted them and had drought. I can handle that since we water the garden. Then came 7+ inches of rain in a weeks time. The tomatoes did not handle that well. All of the blooms turned brown and fell off. Ugh, rip my heart out.

    Everything in the garden was green. What we had direct-sowed sprouted and then it was like time stood still. No growth happened for weeks. Nothing was dying, but everything was staying the same. Things have started to pick up this week. We have 7 tomatoes growing from our 8 tomato plants. I know, look out world. Our celery is continuing to grow. The carrots and radishes are growing. Our green beans have a lot of beans and flowers on the plants. The dragon tongue bush beans have the same. We made this teepee trellis and planted more green bean seeds.

    We decided to try succession planting this year so that we aren’t overwhelmed with all of the beans, carrots, radishes, etc. at once. It is hard to see empty spaces in the garden, especially at first when everything was so small. But, it has been worth it. I don’t have a pressure canner (YET) and can’t safely can vegetables, so succession planting just makes sense for us. I do have a deep freezer that I can utilize, but hope to one day be able to can more.

    Our potatoes have been doing really well and so have our onions. I think I may have started and planted our onions a little late in the year, so we will see what happens. We did a storage variety of yellow onion and flat of italy onions because I am curious what they will taste like. I am anxious to see how it all looks in the fall when it’s time to harvest. So far, so good. If we can just stop getting the downpours of rain, we will be set!

    We have harvested over 90 heads of garlic this year. (We planted 3 pounds of seed.) I am so thrilled!! It is currently hanging to dry in the garage. I keep saying that if everything else fails this year, I at least have garlic! If you are wanting to plant garlic this fall– Filaree Farm is where we ordered from. Every head of garlic is perfect! They are currently taking orders to ship in the fall so HURRY! Garlic sells out quickly. I plan to do a post all about this from start to finish. I still can’t believe we grew all of that!

    If you want to start a garden, I encourage you to just start! I started with a three tomato plants and a jalapeño plant in a pot several years ago. Every year, our garden has grown as I have learned more and become more confident. I heard someone say that every thumb can be green if you stick it in the soil long enough. We are blessed that we can do a quick internet search to help us troubleshoot if something is going wrong. There are books galore on the subject of gardening! I certainly am not a pro-gardener, but you can learn and make mistakes alongside me!