PODCASTS

1.  The Power of Consistency – Mary Ann begins by expressing the power of consistency. She believes that when we are consistent, there’s a blessing that comes with it. Somebody upstairs realizes that you really want to achieve something, and they use their power to help you get there.

2. Little Rabbit Trails: A Year of Poetry Tea Time Group – I have never been a poverty fan but was asked to share my feelings about poetry in the family. As I pondered this question many amazing and moving experiences from my own family came back to me. I had forgotten how much poetry had meant to me as a child and how bonding it was in our family. Join me and hear for yourself why you should add some poetry to your family culture. It will bless you all.

CELEBRATE THE SEASONS AS A FAMILY

1. A Gift for Fall – Fall is my favorite season of the year. I love the mild days and the slower pace. It’s a wonderful time to do things as a family. I want you to have a GIFT to celebrate this amazing season. Here is a plethora of ideas to help you teach your family about the Fall Equinox and engage in some wonderful activities. There are activities for older children and younger children. So take a look, download the page and share some terrific Fall moments with your family. Here’s to a HAPPY FALL.

2. It’s harvest time which means Halloween and Thanksgiving. This is a season for wonderfully warm and yummy treats. I love fall food and I have some great autumn recipes in my recipe box. So in honor of my favorite time of year, I’m sharing a few with you. These are “get the family together” recipes. Let the kid’s help, make a mess, clean up together and then delight your taste buds.

3. Halloween – Where did it come from? Who celebrates it? How has it changed? A page chock full of family fun ideas for celebrating and learning together. Take a look and have a spooky good time!

Holidays and Fun Days

1. Veterans Day – This is a holiday that is celebrated all over the United States and in some other countries too. But it is a holiday that kids and some parents don’t know much about. This page is filled with wonderful information and family activities to help you get into the know.

2. Martin Luther King Day – In January we celebrate Martin Luther King Day. Then in February, we have Black History Month. These two months give families the opportunity to explore a number of themes and have some interesting mealtime, car time, and bedtime conversations. On this resource page, you will find the history of the day, family activities and crafts, as well as a wonderful book list. Enjoy while learning together.

3. Valentine’s Day – When I was a girl I loved Valentine’s Day and I hated it too. I loved making my Valentine’s box and making Valentines for my friends. I loved our class parties and all the treats. I hated that I might not get a card from the boy I liked or some of my classmates. Here is a whole resource page on this fascinating holiday with family activities and crafts, as well as how it is celebrated in other countries.

Cooking with Kids

1. Green Chile and Pancakes – There really isn’t a recipe for this Colorado miner’s meal. It’s been handed down in my husband, Don’s, family for a few generations. But if you have a family that likes to experiment then this is a great dish for kids to prepare. Just so you know, it is delicious!

2. Two Very Old Traditional Family Recipes – Grandma’s Hot Dog Sauce and Verl’s Brown Enchilada Sauce – My father, Verl Cazier, was an amazing cook. When my dad was 19 years old, he invented a product called Hot Dog Sauce. Its purpose was to make an ordinary hot dog taste divine. He took the ordinary things you usually find on a hot dog, ketchup, mustard, onions, and relish, and turned them into something extraordinary. The recipe was a tightly held secret until just a few years before my father passed away.

The enchilada sauce was created later when we owned a pizza parlor called The Valley Villa, in Lander, WY. The pizza parlor also had a deli and we sold food that was shipped to us from New York City and other places around the country. My father was way ahead of his time. : ) I am not sure that the farmers and cowboys in Lander ever appreciated the sophistication he brought to their small town.

3. A Very Special Cookbook – You can print the PDF of the family cookbook that my father gave to all of us in 1984. It contains the two very old recipes above and many more. For the most part, these recipes were created by my father, Verl Cazier. We kids cooked and served them in the many food establishments that my dad had over the years. Here is what he printed on the front cover: Family Recipes from our Pizza Parlor-Delicatessen known as: “The House of Character Building” but better known as “The Torture Chamber.”  My dad was a card!

4. Zucchini Bread – This is a great cooking project for kids. There is a lot to do with the grating and mixing. So, if you have multiple kids everyone can have a job. It is hard to spoil this bread. It’s moist, easy to make, and has a taste of orange. Delicious!

5. Peanut Butter Roundup Cookies – Peanut Butter Cookies are my husband’s favorite cookie, bar none. That means that in the 49 years we have been married I have made thousands of them.

As a gift to you all, I thought I would share my favorite peanut butter cookie recipe. Don likes his made the old-fashioned way, just peanut butter. But I love this recipe because it has character, depth, oatmeal, and chocolate chips! Because I can’t eat chocolate I must substitute carob chips, but I love it anyway.: )

Oh, and one other thing that makes me love it. It came from my best and oldest friend, Linda Brannon. When we first met, she brought my family a huge plate of them. Then every year after that, at Christmas, she would bring a huge plate of cookies. Not just a dozen but 4-5 dozen. We had seven kids and she was an exceptionally good friend! I love her and I love these cookies.

Kids love these cookies and they love making them. They get to use their hands and that is a joy! : )

6. Perfect Apple Pie for Now and Later – I happen to be a fabulous apple pie maker. When our kids lived at home, and for years after they left, we had up to 12 pies at Thanksgiving. That’s because everyone had a different favorite. But we always had a couple of apple pies because everyone loved it. I have to say I have raised a passel of good pie makers in the process.

I also like saving time, so each fall I bottle apple pie filling. It is divine to the taste and easy to use when you want to prepare a pie. However, if you need a pie today I have given you the Perfect Apple Pie recipe. Get your kids involved with the peeling and rolling. Happy Baking.

Cooking for Weight Loss and Insulin Resistance

Visit this page for many recipes from bread and crackers, to casseroles and pies.

Reading as a Family

I LOVE history. However, I got miserable grades in history at school. How could that be when I loved history? As I have learned over time, memorizing dates, places, and names was a challenge for me. But when I understood what was happening to the people during the times they lived I could remember what mattered. Reading together as a family has magic in it. Reading history as a family can lead to real learning and some amazing discussions. Why not give it a try? Here is a list of some stellar children and youth historical fiction books.

Everything You Need to Know to Create a successful Spark Station

Here is a PDF handout with links to audios, videos, and articles which will fill you in on how to create and successfully use the spark Station. this tool will help your kids love learning and create a consistent place for fun and connection in your home.