Guide to Vicksburg, Mississippi

Our day trip to Vicksburg, Mississippi was so fun! I really wanted to go somewhere with some Civil War history while I was in Louisiana because we just don't have that history in Utah. Utah wasn't even a state in the union yet. The Mormon Pioneers first made it to Utah or Deseret as they called it in 1847 and were busy settling the territory while the tensions back east raged into civil war. Of all the places we could have visited, I was so happy that a city with such historical significance was nearby. 

Vicksburg was in a key strategic position high a top a 200ft cliff overlooking the Mississippi. President Lincoln said that they would never win the war unless Vicksburg was in their pocket. 
while Jefferson Davis knew it was the "nailhead that held the South's two halves together." Sever that, and the Confederacy would effectively be cut in half and the Union would control the entire length of the Mississippi which was a huge military advantage for keeping supply lines strong.

There were many unsuccessful attempts by the Union to take Vicksburg and led to Vicksburg being nicknamed "The Gibraltar of the West". Finally, General Grant gambled by taking his troops deep into enemy territory and attacking Vicksburg from the South. 70,000 Union troops lay siege to Vicksburg with a plan that is still studied today as a classic example of how to conduct siege warfare. 47 days later, on July 4th, Vicksburg surrendered. It took over a hundred years for the city to celebrate the 4th of July as a holiday again. 

Where to Eat

There were a few must-see items on our list for that day and we definitely made use of all the time we had while still enjoying ourselves. Originally, we were going to grab lunch and take it over to the Vicksburg National Military Park because along with a visitor and civil war era war ship, the tour is mostly a driving tour with optional stops to get out and look around. However, we also wanted to see an antebellum home. Most of these required appointments and we didn't have enough time to do the driving tour of the military park before our scheduled appointment at the Bazsinsky House so we decided to have a sit down lunch and hit the park later.

The Tomato Place
I never feel like I can really experience a culture or location unless I can try its food and there is no better way to do that than by finding a local 'hole in the wall' in the most obscure place. I really wanted to try The Tomato Place and it did not disappoint! 

It is really unassuming and could easily by missed. It isn't near any other commercial buildings and just looks like a fruit stand off to the side of a back road. 


Actually, it is a fruit stand off to the side of a back road. They sell the most delicious seasonal produce. I bought some grapefruit and some oranges to take home for the next morning and couldn't believe how good it tasted. Those oranges were soooo juicy. Oh, and they make their own orangeade and lemonade at the Tomato Place. It was to die for! 

Not only do they sell mouthwateringly good fruit, but they also have a large selection of pre-assembled smoothies that you can pick from in a wall of freezers and have them blend it up fresh for you when you pay. 


If you keep walking through the fruitstand part, there are two more rooms behind it. I would have never guessed looking from the road. In the back is the restaurant. Everything is fresh and local. With a name like theirs I just had to try their BLT. It's what they are famous for. I got the Fried Green Tomato BLT for a little southern twist. I also got their housemade baked beans and fried okra. Everything was great. In retrospect, I should've only gotten one fried thing (probably the okra) to switch up the flavors a bit, but I really wanted both. And the fried green tomato BLT was such a cool idea. So yummy! 

I love that they make so many things in-house. They had the most amazing condiments and sauces. There was one spicy/tangy sauce they named the Mississippi Fever that I am just kicking myself for not buying and bringing home with me. But, while writing this post I found out that they have an online store! Now I don't feel so bad. 


I felt so at home among the canned veggies and preserved fruits and jellies. They had so many interesting things to choose from. I wanted it all. I did manage to buy the Pecan Soppin' Syrup. Pecans are such a traditional ingredient in the south and thought my girls would love a little southern infused syrup for their pancakes. 


The Tomato Place might be the thing I liked most about Vicksburg. It had so much personality. I loved the laid back, eclectic vibe and decor. We spent way more time there than we were originally planning. Every time one of us would buy something, someone else would go back in to look around some more. Oh, the loaves of bread they sell are amazing too!


I was like a kid in a candy store and lost all track of time. We finally had to drag ourselves out of there 1 1/2 hrs later and were actually late for our appointment...oops. Luckily our host Andrew was very gracious about the whole thing.

What to See
Bazsinsky House
There are antebellum houses spread all over the south and Vicksburg had quite a few to choose from. I really wanted to see the Martha Vick Home (as in Vicksburg) or The McRaven House but they were closed for President's Day. We ended up going with the Bazsinsky House which is conveniently located across the street from our next stop, The Old Courthouse just up the street from the river. 

The Bazsinsky house has a very interesting family history and the architecture inside and out is beautiful. It is so interesting to think about what life and the town would have been like before, during and after the war. Everything changed so much.

The house itself didn't have any period furniture which was disappointing and not what I was expecting. I wish there had been more information available on the website. Some of the other houses function more as a museum and have artifacts from the era. The Bazsinsky house is available as a B&B which is a fun idea I would love to try if I had enough time. But it didn't offer quite the view I was hoping for into everyday life. It has been recently restored by the new owners and you can check out some interesting pictures of the restoration here. 

The Old Courthouse Museum
This museum boasts the largest collection of Civil War artifacts in America: confederate flags, including one that was never surrendered, the tie worn by Jefferson Davis at his inauguration as Confederate President, fine portraits, china and silver, exquisite antique furniture, the trophy antlers won by the steamboat Robert E Lee in an 1870 race, antebellum clothing, toys, Indian and pioneer implements.

It was fascinating and I would highly recommend making the stop to see it. I only wish we had had more time.  

Vicksburg National Military Park

 Vicksburg National Military Park is really interesting because it is not just a visitor center with exhibits. The Park is reconstructed on the actual battle site with 20 miles of historic trenches and earthworks to give a feel for what it was really like during the siege. It also includes 1,325 historic monuments and markers,  a 16-mile road tour, a 12.5-mile walking trail, two antebellum homes, 144 cannon, and the Grant's Canal site, where the Union Army attempted to build a canal to let their ships bypass Confederate artillery fire during one of their other unsuccessful attacks.


The first thing I like to do at any national park is to watch their orientation video which is usually about 20 minutes long. I feel like it helps give a very solid understanding of the background to everything else you will see later. They are really well done and so worth the time.

You need at least 1 1/2 hours here but really 3 hours would be best. There is just so much to see and do. We decided to buy the 1 hour audio tour they have available at the bookstore, there is a 2 hour one too but we didn't have time for it. Getting the tour was great, as we drove around the 16 mile tour road, the guide would point out the things we were seeing and give interesting facts about them.

USS CAIRO


Another very interesting housed in the military park is this war boat. The USS CAIRO was one of the first ironclad warships built at the beginning of the Civil War. This ship was the first to be sunk by a torpedo. It took 12 minutes and luckily no loss of life.


So many artifacts were recovered from the ship when it was raised over a hundred years later in 1964. The craftsmanship of everyday items seems so much better than now.


The last stop was the cemetary. Vicksburg National Cemetery is made up of 116 acres, and holds the remains of 17,000 Civil War Union soldiers, more than any other national cemetery. Almost 13,000 of them unknown. When the National Cemeteries were created, only Union soldiers were allowed to be interred there. Most of the Confederate dead were buried behind Southern lines in the "Soldiers' Rest area of Cedar Hill Cemetery.

It's a sobering sight to see all those white markers stretching as far as the eye could see. What a sad time in the history of our country. The ride back to Louisiana was a quite one where we were all lost in our individual thoughts. There are so many who have fought to make America what it is today. I am so grateful for all of their sacrifices and hope we as a country can make it worth the cost.

Well I hope you all liked this historical peak into the Civil War past. Where else are good locations to learn about the Civil War?
Civil War, Family Activities, Life with Kids,
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Guide to Northern Louisiana


Andrew and I just went to Louisiana to visit my sister. She lives just outside of Shreveport (near the top of the boot). It was so great to see her.  Can I also say it was so nice to only have 1 kid for a few days!

 This was Andrew's first flight and he was great. I took a late flight hoping it would help him get some rest but he didn't sleep a wink. Luckily he was more than happy to explore and eat. Just like his mom.


DAY ONE
I've been to Louisiana a couple times now and I am always surprised at how much there is to do there. I took my 2 oldest girls during Mardi Gras a few years ago and we had a blast. This time we came to meet my newest nephew and just explore locally a little more. 

EXPLORE  _______________________________________________________________
Moray Eel
Shreveport Aquarium - It was so fun! They had a lot of fish I hadn't seen before. My favorite was that they had an exhibit of just local/ native fish and amphibians. That is such a great STEM idea. The kids who visit will now know the different species if they come across them in the wild. I think that helps build a desire in the younger generation to help preserve and respect wildlife and the outdoors.


This aquarium had so many touch and feel pool areas. I love that! It really helps the kids have a 'hands on' experience. And realize these are real living things. The first area was star fish and it was definitely a hit with the kids. 


Don't you just love this lionfish? His fins are poisonous though so I wouldn't want to meet him in the wild.


 Next up was the quintessential ray pool. Andrew was fascinated watching them whiz by. He could never quite reach down and touch one fast enough. 

  Then came something that I've never seen at an aquarium touch pool before. Jellyfish!

At first I wouldn't let Andrew put his hands in the water because I was afraid he would get stung. The employee told us just to touch the top of the jellyfish but I was wondering how they thought all kids would obey that directive. You know there is always at least one who has to push the boundaries. I was afraid someone would get hurt. Well, turns out I didn't know as much as I thought about jellyfish. Some of them are quite harmless. Especially the ones that don't have long tentacles. Phew! 

Andrew loved the jellyfish. I had a hard time keeping him from crawling right into the tank with them!

I love STEM activities that also nurture a learning and love of nature and the environment. Playing outdoors is one of the best ways to make sure kids will be active and healthy. It also keeps them away from electronics. I have always tried to start introducing my kids to nature, animals and the outdoors from a young age so that they will feel comfortable and enjoy being outdoors as they grow.

If you are ever in the Shreveport area, I would definitely recommend stopping by the Aquarium.

EAT  _____________________________________________________________________

Frank's Louisiana Kitchen - Later that day my parents and little brother came into town as well as my aunt and her grandson. We left the kids at home with a babysitter and went out for some traditional Louisiana Cajun cuisine.

Love spending time with my beautiful sister
I love that Louisiana has been able to retain its rich, french culture. Louisiana was settled by Acadian French refugees from Canada who were expelled by the British during the French and Indian War. One thing I find so interesting is that Louisiana French is barely recognizable to the rest of present day, french speaking people. They were so far removed from France's influence that their language didn't keep up with the frequent updates from other french speaking colonies, and consequently still uses many 17th century words that have become obsolete in modern day french. The word Cajun comes from the french word Acadian. 

Well Frank's Louisiana Kitchen did not disappoint. We must've ordered half the menu and every. single. dish. was. absolutely. delicious! 

We started with:
*Baked Cajun Spinach & Artichoke Dip with Lump Crabmeat- this was voted the favorite
*Blackened Crab Cakes which had a delightful zing due to added jalapenos- these were my favorite
*Crawfish & Scallop Beignets- nothing is more Cajun than crawfish and beignets so it was fun to try them together in a savory beignet. 

Next came 
*Shrimp Remoulade Salad- lettuce was tossed with remoulade sauce which is a very traditional, creamy, red, New Orleans sauce that has quite a kick from tons of horseradish and cayenne pepper. It was absolutely divine. Everything should be served with a side of remoulade. 
*Creamy Acorn Squash and Leek Soup- delicious

Crawfish Ã‰touffée
For my entree I just had to get CRAWFISH Ã‰TOUFFEÉ- this is a must-try dish if you really want to get a feeling for Cajun food. Ã‰touffée is a dish of seafood (most popularly with crawfish) served with rice. I love that it reflects the Cajuns in the bayous and backwaters of Louisiana just making use of what they had nearby all while infusing it with their traditional french sauce techniques. The base of Ã‰touffée is a roux. 

Me and my mom 
One of the things I loved most about Frank's is that every single side dish was incredible too. Some restaurants just rely on their main dishes and just offer basic sides. I loved that all these dishes were very traditional Louisiana ingredients. 

*Hazelnut Green Beans * Roasted Cauliflower with Basalmic Vinegar Glaze * Purple Hull Peas Cassoulet * Dauphinouse Potatoes and Asiago Stone Ground Grits. 

I wasn't kidding when I said we'd ordered half the menu. I could have had a meal of just sides they were that good. 

We were so full from our amazing dinner but couldn't leave without sampling a few desserts. 

I don't think my sister was too keen on me stealing her Lemon Spongecake. But she did share a bite. mmm mmm!
*Housemade Honeydew Sorbet- perfect for ending the meal on a light note
*Bourbon Chocolate Pecan Pie a la Mode- how could you go wrong with that?
*Lemon Spongecake with Berry Mousse and Lemon Curd- very southern
*Chef Van's Banana Pudding- with bananas foster sauce and whipped cream
I don't think my sister relished the thought of me having her Lemon

I don't think I have been to a restaurant where every single dish was so good. I can't wait to go back again!

Luckily the next day was a relaxing, family day. I definitely needed time to recover from my food comma. 

Stay tuned for our visit to Vicksburg, Mississippi.










Family Activities, Life with Kids, Louisiana,
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How to Make Chia Seed Eggs


One of the best things that has come from the explosion of vegan cooking into 'mainstream' cooking is the discovery of the chia seed 'egg'.  Yes chia seeds. The same ones we used in the 80's and 90's for chia pets. Little did we know that these little seeds had so much more to offer. There have been many egg substitutes over the years, but what I love about using chia seeds is that there is so much nutrition in them

Chia Seeds
Most people who buy pasture raised eggs do so for their high Omega 3 content. Any grass-fed meat or dairy product has a completely different Omega 3 to Omega 6 fatty acid content than its factory farmed counterpart. Most American's diets are way too heavy on the Omega 6 side and desperately need more Omega 3's. Chia seeds are an easy and really cheap way to get this essential fatty acids into our diets. In fact, if you have chickens (lucky!) you should consider feeding them chia seeds to up the omega 3 content of their eggs even more.

Not only do you get the omega 3 fatty acids in a chia egg like you would in a pasture-raised egg, but there is also about 85 mg of calcium, 3 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber! I love to use these because they are so cheap and really help keep down the budget. A pasture-raised egg runs about .50 cents an egg which is a lot to me to just throw in a recipe and not even notice there is an egg in there. We only eat our pasture-raised or organic eggs when you can tell that's what they are. Scrambled or over-easy mostly. Anytime I am cooking and it calls for an egg, I reach for my chia seeds. I usually buy chia seeds when they are on sale for around $1.99/lb. That turns out to be about 45 'eggs'! That's a lot of savings over a year.

Chia seeds are amazing. They can soak up to 6 times their weight in water! Once they soak up the water, they form a gel that will bind food together just like chicken eggs do.

The actual 'recipe' is as simple as can be.


 Measure 1 Tablespoon of chia seeds. You can use whole or ground. These are ground. I just use my coffee/spice grinder.


Add 3 Tablespoons of water.

Stir and let sit for a few minutes. As the chia seeds soak up the water, it will start to gel.


When your chia 'egg' looks like this, thick and sticking to the spoon, it is ready to be used in a quick bread recipe like muffins, cakes, pancakes, waffles. I even used them to make yeast rolls to take to my husbands family for Thanksgiving and they came out perfectly. Everyone loved them and no one suspected a thing.

NOTE---I will say that in that recipe and any other where I thought the black seeds might be too noticeable, I will grind the seeds first. If I do it like that, I will just add the ground chia seeds to my dry ingredients and mix them together really well, then I will add the wet ingredients and add those extra Tablespoons of water. If you try to incorporate a ground chia seed 'egg' that has already gelled it is hard to equally distribute into the rest of a dough or batter. 

You can also use this same technique with flaxseeds although I like chia seed eggs better. They seem to have a neutral taste whereas flaxseeds are more noticeable to me although I do use them if I want the colors to blend better.

This really is one of my favorite tricks in the kitchen. Leave a comment below to let me know what clever things you do to save money but not sacrifice nutrition.
Food, Frugal Ideas, Healthy Ideas,
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Essentials for Flying Solo with Baby

I have traveled cross-country many times with babies and toddlers. Over the years I have found what is really useful and worth bringing even if it takes extra space and what to do without. When I am traveling by myself, I have a diaper bag for my baby and a backpack for my personal item. I will put the diaper bag in the overhead bin because it is usually bigger than my backpack and I will pack that as full as I can of everything I will need once I get to my location but I will use my backpack exclusively on the airplane because I can shove that under the seat and that way I won't have to keep getting up every time I need something. Here are my top 5 must-haves for traveling with a baby along with a few extra tips to help things run smoothly.




1. Car seat Gate Check Bag

Airlines allow you to take carseats for your babies without charging you like a checked bag. I didn't know that the first time we flew with our oldest, so we left it in the car at the airport. For some reason I thought the car rental place would have them available for free but no, we had to pay to rent it for $45! So don't make the same mistake I did. I know I'm not the only one who feels like I have spent a fortune on baby gear and want my stuff kept nice. I don't want some TSA person ruining my carseat or stroller because they aren't being careful when they are tossing things around.

This Travel Babeez car seat gate check bag comes with shoulder straps to carry it like a backpack which is so handy when your hands are already full with baby, boarding tickets and diaper bags. It also has another strap handle making it easier for said TSA agents knowing where to grab instead of grabbing where ever and ruining something. I also love this car seat bag because of the bright color, huge ID label, strong material and also unlike most other car seat bags, this one has a zipper closure instead of drawstrings. I feel like drawstrings are just asking for trouble because they can get caught on other things so easily. You may also need a gate check bag for your stroller if you are taking one. My stroller requires us to buy their brand's padded stroller bag for the warranty to stay valid so you may want to look into that.

If you don't need your car seat at the gate or during layovers,you could just check it at the luggage check-in counter. Just one less thing to worry about. But, then again, if it is checked at the gate, you will know it's not going to be lost in transit or transfers and is on the same flight as you if you get delayed or something.  Just something to think about.

Babyganics Alcohol-Free Hand Sanitizing Wipes, Mandarin, On-The-Go, 20 count reseal pack (Pack of 4)

2. Sanitizing Wipes

Air flight is notorious for spreading germs and the last thing you want is to get sick while traveling. I'm not normally a 'germaphobe' but you have no idea who or what was touching the surfaces around your seat last. If you are traveling with a baby then you know they will be touching and sucking on everything in sight. A quick once-over with some sanitizing wipes will help set your mind at ease. These wipes are great for baby because they are alcohol-free.

Boppy Nursing Pillow and Positioner, North Park, Blue

3. Boppy Pillow

You might think I'm crazy with this one, but hear me out. If you are traveling with a baby, especially a nursing baby this will be a godsend. I once traveled with my 7 1/2 month old across the country and she did great, she fell asleep in my arms right after take off. Unfortunately, my arms and back couldn't take holding her for that long. It was so uncomfortable! My husband kept trying to wedge the diaper bag under her so that she could rest on that instead but all the jostling woke her up and it all went downhill from there. Fast forward a couple years and we were flying cross country again this time were going to be living in NYC for an extended period. I packed the boppy so I could have it at our apartment once we got there and it was just too big to pack in the suitcase so we shoved it in the diaper bag. Wow, what a difference! I was able to feed my baby then she just curled up against me and fell asleep for the majority of the flight and the best part was that I still had my hands free. It was so worth it. If I was bringing an older toddler, I wouldn't use it probably because it would just be in the way but who knows they like to be held too? If you think your baby will fall asleep for any amount if time I would bring it.



4. Easy Baby Sling

I love babywearing. It makes things much easier when you need all your hands free for other things. There are many different kinds of wraps and I use different ones at different times. The one that is the best for travel like this is a ring sling. It is the easiest to use while nursing. There is no fussing with tying and re-tying everytime you want to get baby in or out. There aren't any knots of fabric located on you back that would be uncomfortable to lean against in your chair. And any adjustments that need to be made are easily done by tightening or loosening the fabric right at your shoulder so you don't have to worry about elbowing anyone while trying to get situated. This baby sling is made out of super soft bamboo and doubles as a blanket which is perfect since airplanes get so cold and you won't have to worry about the extra room a blanket would take up in your bag. Your baby can even sleep in this if you aren't bring a boppy.

Fruigees Fruit and Veggie Squeeze Snack Pouches (12-Count Variety Pack) | Made from 100% Fruit & Vegetable Juice | Organic • Non-GMO • Kosher • Vegan • Gluten Free | Tasty, Healthy Snack for Kids & Ad

5. Snacks

This one is probably a no brainer but you can never have too much food for baby. Just make sure to pack any liquids you are bringing for baby in a separate container that you can hand to TSA so they can check them and also so they don't go through the x-ray. The air is super dehydrating so make sure you don't make only dry food. Obviously little pouches of applesauce or other food are great because they help keep things clean. I love these pouches because they are reusable. You can put anything you want in them and use them over and over if you like making your own baby food. Also anything that you can put on the tray and have baby feed himself will help keep him busy. These bowls with the suction bottom will help things from getting too messy. Or these are awesome because baby can only pull one piece out at a time. 

Other Travel Essentials

The diaperbag is the only thing standing between you and disaster so you need to pack it carefully but obviously there are size restrictions. Think about all the things you would need if your luggage were lost.  Extra diapers, enough wipes, change of clothes (at least 2 in case of spit-ups or blowouts), I bring ziplock bags for said dirty clothes so I don't have the choice of either throwing them away or letting them stink up my diaper bag. Do you use a white noise machine? I would pack that in the carry-on if you have one but if not and your baby needs it to sleep I would bring it in the diaper bag. You don't want to risk having the airlines misplace your luggage for a day or two and not have everything you need for baby to sleep well. Because if baby isn't sleeping well, no one will sleep well.

Those are my top 5. What do you absolutely make sure you bring when you fly with baby?
Life with Kids, Parenting, Travel
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Thai Coconut and Mushroom Soup





I was at one of my good friend's houses for lunch the other day. We both share a passion for yummy, healthy food and love making recipes for each other to try.

She served this amazing Thai Coconut and Mushroom Soup and it was definitely a hit with all who tried it. I was feeding my 10 month old baby Andrew some hummus but he kept looking at my soup so finally I started dipping his hummus in the broth and he couldn't get enough. I was somewhat worried it would be too spicy. (I'm kind of a wimp when it comes to spice.) But he loved it. That is also one of the great things about this soup. You can really tailor it to your own taste with all the different toppings.

The lime, coconut and the spice from the chili garlic sauce all blend so well and then you get the meatiness from the mushrooms. Mmm, and who doesn't love rice noodles? The have the best texture and really make this soup feel filling.  You will love how fast this recipe comes together. Like 15 minutes start to finish. 

Bon Appetite!




print recipe

Thai Coconut and Mushroom Soup
by February-15-2018
Ingredients
  • 1 tsp coconut oil
  • 1  jalapeno pepper, minced (seeded and de-veined
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoon fresh garlic, minced
  • 4 cups Vegetable Broth (chicken tastes good too)
  • 1 (3-4in) piece of  lemmongrass
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 (13.5 oz) can coconut milk
  • 1 (8oz) package mushrooms, sliced
  • 4 oz (small handful) dry rice noodles
  • 3/4 teaspoon soysauce
  • 1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoons  fresh lime juice
  • 4 Tablespoons cilantro, chopped
  • 3 stalks green onions, sliced
Instructions
Saute coconut oil, jalapeno and ginger in a medium sized pot on medium heat until fragrant and soft. (2 minutes) Add broth, coconut milk, lemmongrass and salt and mushrooms. Bring to a boil and simmer for 7 minutes. I love to use my dehydrated mushrooms here and they don't need to be reconstituted since they are being cooked in liquid. (3/4 cup dry mushroom slices) Once 7 minutes have passed, throw in the rice noodles and cook 2-3 minutes. When noodles are done, take off heat and add soy sauce, chili garlic sauce and lime juice. I like to just use half of a lime which is about 1 Tablespoon of juice and then cut the other half into small wedges to serve individually. You can add all the cilantro and green onions to soup now or let others garnish their own with extra chili garlic sauce on the side as well.

Enjoy immediately.
Note: rice noodles really don't hold up well so I would only plan to make as much as you want for one meal without planning for leftovers. Or once you get to the point of needing to add the noodles, divide the soup broth in two. One to leave in the pan to continue cooking and eat immediately, then next to refrigerate and you can add the noodles when you are going to eat the rest.
Details
Prep time: Cook time: Total time: Yield:
Food, Healthy Ideas, Recipes
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Why You Should Visit Arches National Park in Winter

Landscape Arch at Arches National Park
 I love Arches National Park. There is something so wonderful and grounding about being among the red rock of Moab. My husband grew up there so I have had an insider's guide to discovering all Moab has to offer. And, I'm going to share it with you! It is definitely where we like to go when we need to recharge.

Over the last few years it seems like everyone else has the same idea and Arches has begun to feel sooo crowded. Almost unenjoyable crowded, which is definitely not the point. I think most people think about visiting Arches in the spring, summer, and fall. But my favorite time really is winter.

Most of the town is shut down from the lack of tourists so you really get to live like a local. Arches is pretty deserted so you aren't waiting in traffic trying to get from place to place. Moab does get snow sometimes and it is only about 5 degrees warmer that Salt Lake City up north, but the red rocks just suck in the sun's warmth and makes it really comfortable to be out and about during the day.

It is such a different experience to be able to be alone with your thoughts or letting your kids run free up ahead then when you are having to wade through hoards of tourists and stressing about losing sight of one of your children.

If you have been considering visiting Arches, I would definitely consider going in the winter. Especially if you are from out-of-town, then you can hit two birds with one stone. Stay up in Salt Lake City or in Cedar City and enjoy our world class skiing for a few days, then head over to Moab for a few days to take in the other worldly landscape that Arches has to offer.

A word to the wise though. Since there are so few tourists in Moab a lot of the restaurants are shut down til tourist season. There are definitely some to choose from. But my favorite, The Love Muffin on Main Street, is not open which is a must try if you ever have the chance. The Turkey Chipotle Sandwich is to die for. They make all their bread and roast the turkey in-house. Mmm I might just have to share my copycat version of it with you. One easy way to save money on a vacation is to not eat out and Moab has 2 grocery stores right in town to shop at. We almost always cook at home when we visit. When I am already trying to plan around naps, the last thing I want to do is waste 45 minutes 3 times a day sitting in a restaurant. Why not pack some muffins and fruit and head out on a trail early? Ditto picnic lunch.

If you can't find a way to visit Moab in winter, stay tuned. I have a post in the works about how to get away from the crowds and still enjoy amazing hikes with breathtaking arches.
Family Activities, Guide to Utah, Life with Kids,
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How to Afford Healthy Food on a Budget


Sometimes it seems like the only way to be able to afford healthy, organic food is to be rolling in the dough. But it's not. Sure, it would make it easier, but there are ways to afford feeding your family healthy food on a budget. I am going to share 4 of my most used tips on saving money on my food bill while buying nutritious food at the same time.

Buy in Season
Organic or Non-GMO food is expensive. There is no getting around that. But there are many ways to make it less expensive. The biggest way is to buy food when it is in season. I would suggest this even if it wasn't less expensive because food in season tastes better and is more nutritious than out of season food that has been sitting preserved in a warehouse for months or is being shipped halfway around the world.

I'm sure you know what I mean when I say that a fresh tomato bought in the summer has a completely different and richer flavor than one bought in the winter. Those ones are almost flavorless. Food that need to be preserved and sold at later times, either to keep markets stable or to always have available need to be picked earlier so they won't go bad. Food picked at the peek of ripeness have all the goodness of flavor and nutrients that are missing in out of season food.

Use Everything You Buy
Did you know that a recent study by the Natural Resources Defense Council found that Americans throw away almost $165 BILLION worth of food every year? That translates to about $2,200 for the average family of four. I don't know about you but that is a lot of money I'd rather spend on something else. There are so many ways to use everything you buy. Let's take mushrooms for example. When I use mushrooms in a recipe I will always either use the stems in what I am making or save them to mince up and put in our scrambled eggs for breakfast or in a meat dish the next day.

Fresh herbs are a big money waster. Usually you have to buy an already over-priced package of herbs for one recipe that won't even need the full amount. So you are left wondering what to do with the rest. Fresh herbs freeze wonderfully. I wrote an how-to post here with 3 different ways to do it.  Cilantro is an herb that we seem to use a lot in our house. Maybe because we are out west and enjoy a lot of Mexican food. There is a popular fresh-mex restaurant chain near us that makes the best Tomatillo Ranch Dressing. Ever. We like to make a homemade one from a copycat recipe that calls for 1/2 bunch of cilantro. But whenever I make the ranch, usually I am making their Cilantro Rice too. It calls for 1/2 a bunch of cilantro as well. So what do I do? I cut off the stems and use those to flavor the ranch. Since it all gets ground up you won't even notice, then I can use the pretty leaves in the rice. And, did you know that the most flavorful part of cilantro is the stems? Score. Plus I'll have some extra to use as garnish and the rest to throw in our eggs the next day. Sensing a pattern? I will usually use the little pieces of left-over, cut-up veggies in either our eggs or on a salad the next day. When I am spending money on organic food, I want to make sure none of it is being wasted.

Learn to Like Leftovers 
Ok, so I didn't know there were actually people out there who won't eat left-overs. ??? 

Apparently it's true. I don't understand it. I love leftovers. First, most things taste better when they have been left to sit and marinate over night. Second, it gives the cook (me) more time to do something else instead of preparing a meal every night. It is especially nice to have something already made when you know you are going to have a busy day/night and it's just one less thing to think about. Lastly, this is where you save a lot of money buy not throwing dollars down the sink. I just hate thinking about splurging on something only for it to be thrown in the trash. If you don't have enough for another full meal, keep reading below.

One last thought on this topic. I know that eating the same soup for lunch and dinner days on end is not fun. And food should be enjoyable I think. So if you always make enough for an army but your family doesn't make a dent in the amount you made, keep some to eat for a day or two, then portion out and freeze the rest for another time. (Most of the time they won't even realize it's leftovers that way.

Repurpose Your Leftovers
My husband always teases me because I save even the smallest amount of things. But I know it is worth it.  Especially because I have 2 small babies right now and they don't eat big portions. It's so nice to just take a little something that is already made, and that I know is good for them out of the fridge without having to make something special just for them to have a snack. Saves me a lot of time. Which I need with babies 15 months apart.

This also translates to old family members too. Say you splurged and got a grass-fed roast or some pastured chicken. Most likely you aren't going to have enough for another full meal of that so why not shred it up and use it in burritos with some sauted onions and peppers to bulk it up? Or cut up some bigger chunks for soup. Or stick it on a salad. Or sandwich. The options are endless. One of my kid's favorite 'meals' is a clean out the fridge night where they can eat anything they want out of the fridge that is already made.

I have a lot to say on this subject but the post was getting long. For more ideas how to afford to eat healthy food on a budget, check out Part 2 and Part 3. It will deal more with actually how to buy organic food for less.

Leave a comment below if you would like to see any specific recipes that I mentioned above or if you have any tricks you use to make your food budget stretch.
Budget, Food, Frugal Tips,
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How to Teach Gardening Skills to Your Kids

  • Enjoying the last of our garden carrots
  • Oh, the family garden.
  • Or what was supposed to be the family garden, that everyone was supposed to help out with. But somehow turned into a solo project for you.
  • So how do you dig yourself out of this project?
  • Here are a few tips to re-engage your kids or begin teaching your children how to garden. And love it.

  • Focus on Fast Growing Plants

  • Your children probably don't have enought patience to wait the whole growing season to reap the rewards of say, a big pumpkin. They will need a little instant gratification. Or as instant as it gets when it comes to gardening.
  • It doesn't matter what it is you plant at first. Your children will just be thrilled to see the first leaves and stems sprout from the seeds they planted.
  • Lettuce grows very fast and continues to grow until it gets too hot. Other fast growing plants are: spinach, radishes and zuchini.

  • Plant Things They Like

  • Once your children have seen the fruits or their labor begin, they will work hard to be able to sample them. Grow food that your family likes. Great ideas are sugar peas, strawberries, tomatoes and carrots.
  • Gardening is so much more fun when the results are tasty.

  • Give Children Ownership of a Specific Area

  • You can instill a sense of pride in your children if they have ownership of a certain area. It is also easier for them to keep up on the maintenance of the garden if they know exactly what they need to do.

  • Give Your Children Their Own Tools

  • One of the things that seemed to make the biggest difference in my children's attitude and willingness to work in the garden is when they had their own tools. I bought them garden gloves, a trowel shovel and a weeding tool. The first pair of gloves I bought were just cheap cloth ones I found at the grocery store. They weren't great, they slipped a lot and were hard to maneuver around tiny weeds so I would recommend something like these that have microfoam on the outside. Not only do they grip much better, they also keep out water which the cloth ones did not. Leather ones would also be really durable and water resistant too. Both of these options are only a dollar or two more than the cheaply made ones I first got but will last and work so much better.

  • Work Along Side Your Kids

  • Work is always more enjoyable if you are doing it with someone else. Children will be more willing to work if they have the company of their parents and siblings.
  • This is also a great time to have meaningful conversations with your children. Kids will talk more about things that are bothering them when they have something else to focus on.

  • Keep it fun and non-stressful

  • Don't get too ambitious. Start small. Everyone will get burned out and resist gardening if the area is too overwhelming. You can always add more space the next year if you find that your family handled this year well.
*This article originally appeared on https://familyshare.com/258/how-to-teach-gardening-skills-to-your-kids 
Family, Garden Tips, Gardening,
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