Kathleen | Roots & Boots

DIY Pallet Shelf

I love to decorate with junk.  I love to repurpose unique materials.  I love to add texture to my rooms.  I love to add storage to my rooms.  And I love me a good bargain! In my efforts to make our playroom/all-purpose room/room where we spend 75% of our day more space-efficient, asthetically pleasing and…

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Favorite Thanksgiving Poems, Hymns & Scriptures

Add meaning and warmth to your family’s holiday celebrations with this collection of Thanksgiving poems, hymns & scriptures. Keep this list handy and simply read a poem at the breakfast table, sing a hymn at the dinner table, or share a scripture at your Thanksgiving meal.  It’s a simple way to elevate your Thanksgiving traditions beyond…

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Tender Marinated Steak Bites

Marinated Steak Bites

Marinated Steak Bites are a new favorite amongst the menfolk here at the Yankee Homestead.  Older Brother refers to it as “that steak cooked in lard.”  Mr. Native Texan calls it “perfect.” And to think, just a few years ago I was still refusing to eat red meat, let alone buy it or cook it for…

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Favorite Thanksgiving Stories for Children | Roots & Boots

Favorite Thanksgiving Stories for Children

My family loves to celebrate the changing of seasons and holidays with collections of our favorite books, such as the following titles from our list of favorite Thanksgiving stories for children. 

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Whole Chicken in the Crockpot

Whole Chicken in the Crockpot

Whole Chicken in the Crockpot is one of my go-to recipes for simple, real food meals.  With only the chicken plus four additional ingredients, I could probably make it in my sleep!

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9 wks pregnant in Dec of 2007

Singing in the Shadow of His Wings: Truths to cling to during trial and tragedy

At 2:15 in the morning on November 3rd, I underwent emergency surgery to remove an ectopic pregnancy. The night started out with a date at one of our favorite restaurants.  Mr. Native Texan had returned from a long business trip and we were eager to catch up, as well as to give me a break…

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Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder

While I am not an “animal person” (something I recently came to terms with, after growing up on a small farm), I have always been a “nature person.” As an adult, I’ve come to value the many opportunities my childhood afforded me to become personally acquainted with God’s creation. As a parent, I greatly desire…

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Chunky Monkey

Chunky Monkey: a frozen, sugar-free treat

  This is one of Mr. Native Texan’s favorites, but we all love it here at the Yankee Homestead.  We relied heavily on this recipe at the beginning of our Strange New Journey.  Sometimes we’re too impatient to chill (ha!), but the chilling really does make a big difference.  The ingredients and amounts are suggestions; we…

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Favorite Halloween Picture Books

Favorite Halloween Picture Books

As I mentioned in this post about local Halloween events , we don’t make a big deal about Halloween here at the Yankee Homestead.  When the kids get a bit older I’d like to explore the holiday’s history, but for now we just carve pumpkins in October and dress up on Halloween night.

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Exploring Nature With Kids: The Nature Display

According to Richard Louv in his most excellent book Last Child in the Woods, [A] growing body of research links our mental, physical, and spiritual health directly to our association with nature—in positive ways. Several of these studies suggest that thoughtful exposure of youngsters to nature can even be a powerful form of therapy for attention-deficit…

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