The Sparrow's Home: Life is hard. God is good. We need each other.

6 Bread Recipes & a Quick Reference Guide to Make Dinnertime Easier

April 15, 2016 by Susan 3 Comments

Busy moms all over the world have, probably for millennia, come up with ways to make their lives easier. Call them lifehacks, timesavers, or shortcuts – we all have them.

I’m a pretty simple gal when it comes to meal planning. My formula for dinner tends to include a main dish, a vegetable, and a starch. Sometimes I’ll go a little crazy and make an extra side dish, but those are pretty special days.

Many times the starch takes the form of some kind of home baked bread. Some time back, I started writing my most used recipes on sticky notes and putting them up inside my cabinet door so I could reference them easily.

About a year ago I typed them all up on one sheet and taped it up. It looked a little neater, and it saved me from having to keep re-sticking my sticky notes.

The Next Wave of Family Board Games

April 14, 2016 by Susan 17 Comments

Finding family board games that everyone enjoys can be a challenge. This list of strategy games are ones that everyone can get on board with. The world of family games has expanded massively in recent years!

Maybe you grew up on the same standard set of games I did. Things like Monopoly, Scrabble, Trivial Pursuit. Maybe you’ve ventured into things like The Settlers of Catan in recent years. But did you know there are dozens of creative, family friendly games out there to choose from?

If you’re like us, you are always looking for fun things that the whole family can participate in. Especially as kids hit the teenage years, it can be difficult to engage.

You might be surprised to learn there is so much out there to choose from!

Homeschooling High School: 2 Things You Might Be Missing

April 13, 2016 by Susan 1 Comment

Homeschooling through high school can feel intimidating. I am a teacher by trade, and I am constantly second guessing myself and checking to be sure that I have not left my children with a gaping hole in their education.

We tell our kids that they can do anything they want, but am I stealing part of that future from them if I don’t aptly prepare them to meet it?

Raising Chickens for Eggs is Easier Than You Think

April 12, 2016 by Susan 2 Comments

I used to think I wanted a hobby farm. Hobby farms are lovely and I enjoy visiting them. But I came to the realization some years ago that I will support local farms without becoming one.

How is it that we have chickens, then?

Chickens are to farming what going to a nature preserve is to hiking the Grand Canyon.

Let me tell you how we do it and you can decide if it’s something that would work for you.

First, we only have up to 4 at a time. When they’re laying, we get one egg per day from each chicken…and we don’t need more eggs than that. As it is, we often have enough to share with our very gracious neighbors.

Dulce de Leche Oat Bars

April 10, 2016 by Susan 11 Comments

These caramelly, oat-y squares will become a favorite sweet treat fast.
Bonus: more ideas for using dulce de leche in recipes!

Dulce de leche is a thick, rich, decadent caramel that folks in Latin America have been enjoying since sometime in the 1800s. Thank you Latin America, we owe you a debt of gratitude.

Today I’m sharing several ways that I like to use this amazing ingredient AND a recipe for one of my family’s favorites!

Raspberry Leaf: The Lady Herb

April 10, 2016 by Susan 14 Comments

In my experience with herbal remedies, what works wonderfully well for one person may not work at all for another. My family has tried remedies that people swear have changed their lives … with virtually no effect. Whereas other things make a noticeable difference. Our bodies are all made and respond to things differently.

Having said that, I will tell you honestly that