Hey everybody!

In looking around my office area and our “warehouse” shelves I’ve realized that it’s time to pare down. We’ve about maxed out the space we have available for business stuff, so the slow sellers are going to be discontinued so that we have space to bring you new stuff!

From now until they’re gone, these items are on sale:

all Teeccino products (including the sample packets, which are really cute in little gift baskets)

the Matisse and Jack mixes (very yummy, but selling slowly, so out they go!)

almost all of the teas (again, very good, but slow sellers)

and many varieties of the Larabars and Jocalat. (**updated to say that Jocalat bars are SOLD OUT now)

I hope that these sale prices end up being a big help to some of you!

My family is looking forward to taking some time off from tending the home businesses, in favor of some family fun.  This coming Saturday we will be attending the Glasgow Highland Games, in Glasgow, KY. Last year I took my husband to it for his birthday, and we enjoyed it so much that this year we are taking all the kids. All of the boys have kilts, and my daughter has a coordinating dress to wear.  :)  I will be sure to post pictures so you can see us in all our celtic, plaid, kilted glory! 

After that we are looking forward to spending some time with various family members and  celebrating my grandmother’s 85th birthday.

If you need to place an order, get it in by June 3.  After June 4 I won’t be sending any more orders out, probably until June 14.  If you do happen to order while I’m unavailable, your order will just be On Hold until I get back.

Thanks for your patience while we enjoy some family time!

This is what is in my crock pot right now.  Super easy, not expensive, and for my anti-tomato children, this is a chili they actually enjoy. 

Soak one pound of dry white beans overnight in the crock pot (without the heat on).  I used navy beans, but Great Northerns work well too.

In the morning drain off the water, and add in six cups of chicken broth.  The best choice I know of right now, for avoiding glutamates, is the Imagine Brand Organic Free Range Chicken Broth.  It comes in cartons (like rice milk).

Also add in 2 teaspoons of minced garlic, and a chopped up small onion.

Cook on high for a couple of hours until beans are soft.

After that, sautee

3 Tablespoons of olive oil

3 teaspoons of minced garlic

another chopped onion

Once those are lightly cooked, throw in a pound of ground turkey, beef, or venison and cook it up, breaking the meat into small pieces with your spatula.

Add in 7 teaspoons of the homemade taco seasoning mix that I told you about two days ago.  (or one packet of chili seasoning)

Once the meat is cooked, add it to the beans in the crock pot.  Also add in about two cups of frozen corn.

Cook on low until it’s time to eat!  (when it’s getting to within a half hour of dinner time, add one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar)

If you are not going to be home for doing those steps in the middle of the day, I see no reason why you couldn’t just throw the cooked meat and everything else into the crock pot first thing in the morning and cook on low.  **The one exception to this would be the seasonings.  If you add salt to beans before they are cooked, they prevent the beans from getting soft.  Not good!  So, if you want to leave this chili to cook on low for the day, hold back the spices and just add them as soon as you are able to before eating, but after the beans are soft.

I used to keep a lot of leftovers on hand, but lately I am just freezing the leftovers into containers that are good sizes for my husband to take to work for a meal, or for us to have for dinner another night.  This recipe makes a lot, so we will almost definitely end up with enough for two dinners for us.  Especially if I serve some homemade bread or salad with it. 

I’ve been offering my Supermom’s Simple Steps to Healthier Eating 101 class online since January 2008, and have learned a lot from the experience.  Thanks to the learning curve I have made some adjustments to the class that I think will be better for all of us.

It used to be that I would just offer the class every couple of months, but that meant that class members had to either wait until the next class, or possibly join late if they did not get in right when it started.  Now I have set the class up so that YOU DECIDE when the class begins.

That’s right!  When you are ready, just join the class, and it’ll start from the first class within a day (normally).  I know how important it is to strike while the winds of inspiration are blowing, and now you can!

I have restructured the emails so that the class will now span 10 weeks instead of 12.

Best of all, because of the new structure, there will now be a lot less work for me to do on the administrative end of running the class, leaving me more time and energy to put into the personal coaching that each class member gets.  All of this translates into a LOWER COST for class members as well!  :)  Good news, eh?

You can choose from class membership which includes a 10% discount on all of your purchase for a full year, or choose to not take the discount and just enjoy the class.  Choose the one that works best for you!

The new class structure starts today!  Enjoy. 

For today’s lunch I threw together this veggie taco meal and my husband and kids loved it.  So, of course, I have to share it with all of you. 

Start with melting about 2 tablespoons of butter in a skillet.  (You could use olive oil instead)

I added about a teaspoon of garlic and one small diced onion.  (whizzed it up in the food processor)

after sauteeing that for a few minutes I added in four carrots and one zucchini, both of which I had whizzed up into small pieces using my food processor.

Also added three cans of beans:  1 kidney, 1 black bean, 1 pinto.

Plus 7 teaspoons of my homemade taco seasoning mix.  (basically equals on taco seasoning packet from the store–will share the recipe at the end)

I stirred this up while heating, making sure it didn’t scorch on the bottom.  Brought it to a boil, then covered and simmered for about 10 minutes or so to get the carrots cooked.  Then uncovered and continued to cook and stir at medium temp. for about 20 more minutes.  Basically, once the carrots aren’t too hard, you can be done.  (I liked leaving them just a little crunchy for texture)

We had hard taco shells and soft tortillas.  You can probably find whole wheat tortillas at your grocery store.  I also had

organic lettuce

guacamole

sour cream

colby jack cheese

and taco sauce to put on these.

My kids do not like tomatoes, so this recipe really made them happy.  Of course, you could add some diced tomatoes while cooking, or just have them to add afterwards for those that enjoy them.

It was definitely a messy meal, but everybody ate happily and there were no complaints.  A golden recipe for my arsenal! 

I am sure you could use more or less veggies, different beans, etc.  This is a great “cooking from the hip” recipe because it’s hard to mess up.  As long as it’s hearty, and not too liquidy, you are good to go.  This recipe did seem a little runny in the skillet, but once it started to cool off it turned into a perfect consistency for tacos.

If you plan ahead you could soak and cook the beans ahead of time.

Zucchini is so great for adding into recipes like this.  When we get excess zukes in the summer time I just whiz them up in the food processor and freeze ‘em in ziploc bags.  They don’t have a strong taste, so they are easy to throw into soups, stews, casseroles, and other stuff to add nutrition and heartiness without setting off anybody’s “veggie alarm.”

To make your own homemade taco seasoning just mix up:

6 teaspoons chili powder
5 teaspoons paprika
4 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
3 teaspoons onion powder
2 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

I just stick it all into a Tupperware spice container and have it on hand for times when I need taco mix.  It saves money and helps avoid the unhealthy fillers that are in so many pre-packed mixes.

I’m always appreciative of fresh ideas to help me organize my home, and to do better at creating an environment where the whole family can be relaxed and able to learn and grow.  I thought this article was very helpful and hope you do too. 

~Erica 

Setting Up Your Home to Learn!
By Cindy Rushton

Homeschooling? Thinking about Homeschooling? BUT…do you have to turn your home into a school? No, my dear friend, you do not need to turn your home into a school. Your home can still be a HOME. A home ready to learn! Ready?

Ready? This is EASY as ABC…

–>  Find a good nook! It does not have to be huge. Certainly does not need to be expensive.  All that is needed is a place that invites your children (and YOU!) to think, work through the studies (writing, reading, studying, proofreading, projects, experiments…). Ask yourself, “Where do they gravitate toward to read…to research…to write…to print?” Keep in mind that each and every student in your family will be very different during the learning process, but most will appreciate having all of the supplies and equipment in a safe, quiet, comfortable place to study. When deciding on a spot, make sure that the spot has good lighting and a good, solid, clean, work surface.  Make sure it is a good spot to think AND work on lessons.” Set up the area with a nice table or desk with plenty of work area…comfortable chairs…limited distractions…shelves for books and notebooks…space for a computer and printer…convenient power supply…space for you to sit down and work with them during their lessons…and a specific spot for organizational bins that will hold supplies.

–>  Get supplies together! You probably have supplies ALREADY in your home. Use our list to remind you of which supplies you will need to gather for homeschooling. Gather them and organize them so they will be ready to use when your children can snatch time to dig into their studies.

–>  Give easy access to materials and supplies! Don’t just gather supplies, give your children easy access to those supplies! Nothing else can encourage your children to dig deeper into studies like having the materials needed to learn AND free reign to use them. Gather the supplies you will need and store them in clearly marked plastic bins and containers. There are SO many options available. Find what will work for you and your family. Get paper and printable pages together. I have always stored ours in our school materials so the children had their materials on hand as they needed it. A quick glance can remind me that we need more. I buy all of our paper, ink pens, pencils, 3-ring binders, etc in bulk at Sam’s Warehouse. During the school breaks, many stores have supplies and paper in bulk for better prices than all year round. That is when we also stock up. We store it on our school shelves and have what we need as we work.

–>  Invest in the best tools! It may seem to be an added expense, however tools make all of the difference in the world! For example, you can buy a cheap stapler for under $5.00 OR you can buy a long-arm stapler for $29.95 at an office supply store. The difference? Well, we have bought SO MANY cheap staplers. They simply do not last. Plus, they are limited in what they can do. Now, contrast that with the long-arm stapler? They are built to last. You can use those for making any size booklet and for regular stapling. Just watch your most reluctant writer when they figure out ALL that they can do with one stapler! $29.95 will be the best investment ever!  Buy the best as you can. The investment is more than just for equipment, it is investing in your child’s education!

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Need MORE Help?

Check out our Ultimate Homeschool Expo! When you purchase your ticket you get MORE help with record-keeping–you can immediately download two Bonus Gifts that will help you today:

Let’s Get Ready for the New School Year Super Set
A Quick Start for Notebooking Mini-Set!

Yep! Both! Complimentary!  Get your ticket here.

Today is the last day that you can take advantage of the awesome $8.97 price for the Supermarket Savings 101 program.  Don’t miss it–it’s a really valuable skill to learn that has the potential to help your family SO much!

Hi everybody!

As gas and food prices are climbing daily all over the world, many of us are wondering when it will stop, and how we will be able to keep up. One of the best resources I know of for lowering grocery costs is a wonderful program written by Crystal Paine. It’s called Supermarket Savings 101, and it will teach you how to significantly cut your grocery costs without spending tons of time!

Crystal is a wife and mother of two who has just about perfected the art of getting her groceries for pennies on the dollar. For a couple years now I’ve read her blogs and been amazed when she featured photos of big bunches of groceries that she got for free or close to it. Obviously, this is a skill that most of us could stand to learn, and Crystal has made it so easy.

Since I know how badly we can all use this kind of help, Crystal has agreed to not only let me tell you about this program, but she is selling it for only $8.97, which is 50% off the normal price! I have no doubt at all that even if you just apply a few of Crystal’s strategies that your $8.97 investment would be paid back to you many times over.

In addition to the awesome price, Crystal has sweetened the deal with six additional bonus items, including ebooks on menu planning, gardening, making homemade bread, and some recipe books!

I strongly encourage you to go check out the program information so you can understand how beneficial it will be to you. Feel free to forward this newsletter to your friends and family as well. I think this is a wonderful deal for something that can truly help everyone, particularly when times are so tough right now. I hope this is a blessing to you!

Are you feeling the financial crunch now that gas is almost $4 a gallon and grocery prices are going up?  I have something GREAT coming tomorrow…..be sure to check your inbox for your newsletter on Tuesday!

Moms can always use a little inspiration, can’t they?  I wanted to share this article with you gals because any mom–homeschooler or not–can find some good ideas here.  :) 

There are lots more goodies and pick-me-ups for moms at The Ultimate Homeschool Expo also.  Check it out here. 

~Erica

Tired? Weary? Need some fresh ideas for taking care of mom? Feeling that push and pull on you as you balance all of the many demands in your life? Are you great about taking care of others, yet not quite so good about taking care of YOU? Has it been a long, long time since you have done the little things to just fill your cup back up? How about a few fresh ideas for filling your cup and ministering to your heart! I promise that these will be easy for you to do! Here goes:

–>  Grab Your iPod and go for a long, long walk! I LOVE my iPod. I have it filled with great Praise and Worship music, teachings and workshops, podcasts, tutorials, etc. My iPod has become my “pocket pal” when I work on my chores, take care of business duties, or even get out for my walk. Talk about my best investment of 2006!

–>  Laugh! Just sit there right now…laugh! Start small…just a little giggle! Then…laugh about laughing! Roll on the floor laughing!  Feel better?

–>  Begin a new Bible Study.  Either find a Bible Study guide…or dig out Words to study on your own!  For Word Studies, I LOVE my Strong’s Concordance. It helps to find all of the references of a certain word of interest. I also love my Vine’s Dictionary. I use it to look up the meanings of the words AND it also has other references for uses in Scripture. Another great help for Word Studies is my good old faithful Webster’s 1828 Dictionary. I LOVE it as a reference to deepen the studies. Usually it helps me to also find OTHER great studies to dig into also! Dig into the Word! It will feed your heart and soul during this tough time!

–>  Meet a friend at the park and let the kids play while you visit.

–>  Go for a drive around the city—look at the lights! Look at flowers. Look at the seasonal changes.

–>  Look at photo albums.  Remember the silly stories!

–>  Watch the sunrise! Or, not an early bird? Watch the sunset!

–>  Collect jokes and funnies! Barb Johnson…Chonda Pierce…Becky Freeman are just a few of my PERSONAL favorites! Get one of their books or videos. Then, snag some mom-time to just kick back and enjoy!

–>  Chocolate! Chocolate Candy…Chocolate Bars…Chocolate Shakes…Chocolate Latte’s…CHOCOLATE! REALLY! Chocolate helps to release endorphins in the brain—plus! It tastes great to boot! So, why not grab a bit for mom-time!

–>  Watch an old movie! Curl up under a great big quilt—even if you have to turn the air down COLD!  Don’t forget to turn down the lights and turn off the phone!

–>  Look at your old school albums!  Your HAIR! Ha! Enough said.

–>  Got a grassy hill nearby? Go to the top and just roll down it! Like a child! (Snowy? Get a sled! And SLIDE!)

–>  Take the kids to the park—just WATCH them! They are adorable!

–>  Begin a “Quote Book.”  Collect quotes that encourage you to keep on, keeping on!  Keep them in a special journal dedicated only to keeping your special quotes.

–>  Memorize your favorite Psalm. Try out Psalm 91…or Psalm 61…or Psalm 35…or Psalm 37…Oh! Enjoy!

–>  Begin a Tea Ministry.  Doing for others ALWAYS lifts even the heaviest spirit.  Get a tea basket to keep your goodies in…visit a shut-in…bless them. Then! Watch the blessing boomerang! You won’t be able to leave without a blessing.

–>  Take the kids to a candy store—sample the Jelly Bellies…or Sweet Tarts…or Sour Gummy Worms.

–>  Fly a kite!

–>  Take a ride in the country.  Turn up your praise music…roll the windows down…sing to the top of your lungs!

–>  Watch a funny video!  Elisabeth and I LOVE to watch old movies like If a Man Answers. It is one of our “chick flicks” that we always watch together. We love it! SO FUNNY! Chonda Pierce is another one of my picks. She is just totally hilarious. My children LOVE old comedy shows like I Love Lucy or The Three Stooges.  Oh, you may want to watch anything! Just find something that will make you laugh hard!

–>  Scrapbook!  Pick photos that you MUST tell the story behind! Kick up your favorite music…spread out your goodies…and Scrap till you drop!

–>  Read a biography of a GIANT in the faith!  My favorites are Corrie ten Boom…Hudson Taylor…George Mueller…Amy Carmichael…Jim and Elisabeth Elliott…etc!

–>  Get today’s newspaper and read the comics!

–>  Get a yo-yo! PLAY!

–>  Make Chocolate Chip Cookies with the kids! On a diet? Take them to someone who blesses you! Include a note of thanks and encouragement for all they do to bless you!

–>  Go out and sit on your boat—watch the stars! (Oh, watch the sunset or sunrise, if you can too!)

–>  Dig into the Bible and study what God says about trials…suffering…faith…death…depression…oppression…warfare…battle…

–>  Read a new book! Normally ready non-fiction/how-to’s? Get a fiction book for a change!  Normally read fiction? Get a humorous book! Renew your weary heart and mind!

–>  Take a break and go for a long ride on a motorcycle! Don’t forget your headset and praise music!

–>  Take a hike! Really!  Find a nice nature trail OR go for the tough stuff!!

–>  Go to the mall with your teenager!  ENJOY!

–>  Buy a Mp3 Player and some great praise music—turn it up!  I LOVE my iPod! I have my iPod loaded with all of my favorite CDs. My favorites are Michael W. Smith’s Worship CD’s AND Hillsong’s Praise and Worship!  The moment you enter into worship, you will enter into the very presence of God—so, turn it up and devour the presence of our precious Lord!

–>  Pull out that old sewing machine and make some of those goodies that you have been wanting—new purse/tote…outfit…home decorations…doll clothes…etc!

–>  Buy a “whoopee” Cushion…or “Bubba” teeth… At least your family will laugh!

–>  Write out the funny family stories! Reminisce! Enjoy!

–>  Go skating!

–>  Try an afternoon of “Laser-Tag” with your teens! Get um!

–>  Make Homemade Bread—KNEAD yourself!

–>  Plan a regular Mommy Getaway. This is not an extra! It is essential!  I plan getaways for different purposes: to just get alone with God to hear Him, to plan, to work on my homeschool and business projects, to just fill my cup back up. Decide what will fill you up. What do you need right now? Decide what will help meet that need. Gather your goodies: Bible, journal, iPod, camera (I love taking pictures of little treasures along the way), your planner, your computer/Idea Notebook, etc. Pull aside and take that time to just get-away and fill your cup back up!

–>  Get a pet! My bird, Harley, has ministered to my heart MORE than I could remember! He is just SO funny! HE had the idea to “boogie” for Jesus! I had not danced for years! AND it is decent!  Elisabeth’s new puppy, Pooh, is a TOTAL delight!  I say all the time that she is JOY in fur! She has become my little buddy. She loves to sit with me while I work and follow me around while I am doing my chores. She keeps me in stitches. Struggling? Get a pet just for YOU…see that puppy in the window??

–>  Take the day to go for a flight!  Look at the whole world from a different perspective!

–>  Dance! Turn up your favorite music and dance! Dance your heaviness away! Dance till you laugh! Dance in worship to the Lord! Jump! Lift your hands in praise and worship!

–>  Clean out your house (only if this is NOT your struggle! Ha!). Attack those closets…cabinets…dusty bookshelves…paper piles!

–>  Go out for a cup of coffee…tea…or a good old Coca-Cola! Meet your sweetheart or a mommy pal! Or…take your Bible and make it a special time with the Lord!

–>  Find some silly-putty or slime—PLAY!

–>  Get up earlier (or take regular breaks throughout the day!) for your quiet time! You may feel SO weak that you can barely concentrate—if so, just turn on praise music and lift up your arms in praise and adoration. Watch what happens!  Make a list of your heartaches—lift them to the Father (then, hide them in your Prayer Journal—later they will be a praise record!).  Dig into the Word for comfort…perspective…and hope for tomorrow! Really tough days? Well, when the Israelites had very HOT days, they had to gather MORE manna—in the heat of your battles and toughest trials gather a surplus! It will help you survive your struggle.

–>  Make a quilt. You can EVEN cheat by making it on the sewing machine! ENJOY!

–>  Take an afternoon to go to the movies. Get a big bucket of popcorn…a super-HUGE Coke…sour Gummy Worms (unless you are due a BIG DOSE OF CHOCOLATE!). Take your sweetheart…or a friend if you want to share! Pick a movie that will make you laugh like crazy…OR CRY your eyes out! ENJOY!

–>  Ride three-wheelers! Get MUDDY!

–>  Treat yourself to a leisurely afternoon (or a bunch of afternoons!) at the pool…park…or creek.

–>  Try your hand at BOWLING. Take some friends!

–>  Take time for tea—each day.

–>  Exercise. Swim…walk…jog…hike…go skating…aerobics. Relieves stress AND boosts your health to boot.
Learn a new hobby!  What have you been putting off that you have ALWAYS wanted to know? Pottery? Quilting? Flight Training? Smocking? Scrapbooking? Jewelry Making? Sewing? Crochet? Horse-back riding?  Go for it! Now is the PERFECT time.

–>  Treat yourself to a nice looooonnnnnngggg Bubble Bath! Don’t forget to set up your favorite music to play during your Bubble Bath.  Also…be sure to fix a nice cup of tea (or a Latte!) or a nice big Coke that will last till the water gets cold! ENJOY!

–>  Go to the park and just swing—HIGH!
Go get an ice-cream cone—with a double dip!

–>  Do a “Promise” hunt in Scripture.  Keep in a “Promise Notebook” of your very own! KNOW that they are yours.

–>  Snuggle up for the afternoon to read a great book!

Got some fresh ideas? Don’t let this limit you! Let your brain GO! Find some things that will fill you back up and take care of you all along the way.

This is not an extra. This is an essential. Carve out time on your calendar today to just take care of mom!

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Need MORE Help?

How about the ULTIMATE mom-time? Yep! Check out our Ultimate Homeschool Expo! If you missed the live recording of the workshops, no problem! You can now hear ALL of the workshops at your convenience. They are CERTAIN to fill your cup to overflowing! Get your ticket here.