Sean and I have taken each of our boys on a special trip with just the three of us for their 13th birthdays. We visited San Francisco with our oldest son, Sam, and visited Denver with our middle son, Ben.

This time our destination was Pigeon Forge, TN and it did not disappoint. We found a great cabin to rent in Sevierville (complete with video game tables, air hockey, and a hot tub) and Nate declared it the best rental house ever.

We very much enjoyed exploring the area and thanks to your awesome suggestions via my newsletter request, we found a few unexpected things to do too. Hillbilly Golf in Gatlinburg was such a big win, we’d have gone back for another round if we’d had the time.

We stopped at the Tennessee visitor center as we crossed the state line and Nate picked up a bunch of brochures there for activities that caught his eye.

First on his list was Smoky Mountain Knife Works (yeah… that one wasn’t on my must-do list at all, but it was his trip and his call) and it wound up being one of his favorite places.

More than just a knife store, it’s marketed as the world’s largest knife showplace and it is. The showroom is mind-boggling in size, I got turned around a couple of times and had to wander a while to get my bearings.

He and Sean had a great time checking out endless knives, tools, flashlights, and other truly bizarre weaponry. The Viking helmets and cosplay gear were good for a lot of laughs along the way too.

Then we were off to the Hollywood Star Cars Museum where we spent quite a while checking out everything from the original Batmobile to General Lee, the DeLorean to Herbie, and so many more.

I giggled at Granny’s rocking chair strapped on top of the Oldsmobile from The Beverly Hillbillies tv show, and my guys gawked a while at the Harley from Terminator and the chopper from Ghost Rider.

The collection of cars from the Fast and the Furious movies was impressive and seeing Nicholas Cage’s “Eleanor” from Gone in 60 Seconds was pretty awesome too. I’m not much of a car geek these days, but the museum was fun for all of us.

The Smoky Mountain Alpine Coaster was on the side of the mountain near our cabin, and Nate couldn’t resist the chance to try it. Sean and I happily let him do that one on his own and he loved it.

This is the longest downhill ride in the US, with over a mile of track. The riders are in control of the speed (up to 25-30 mph) with braking controls too, making it a cool hands-on experience.

I love an interactive museum and the Titanic Museum is one of the best I’ve seen. The audio guide was excellent and luckily, Nate and I discovered that the children’s audio was far more fun than the adults.

I loved the voices and the interesting extra bits of real life that were included. When you enter the museum, you’re given a ticket with a passenger’s name on it and information about their life.

At the end of the tour, you find out if you survived the journey and if so, how the remainder of your life was lived. It made things very real and sparked a lot of conversation throughout the rest of the trip too.

It isn’t a vacation for our family if there isn’t a science museum on the list. Wonder Works turned out to be very cool, albeit crowded and loud the afternoon we were there.

I didn’t plan well and I wore flip-flops the day we were there, so unfortunately I was unable to participate in any of the climbing activities. (Note to future visitors, wear tennis shoes for the museum!)

Although, after watching him on the ropes 4 stories high, I wasn’t quite as sad to be firmly planted on the ground. I do wish I’d been able to do that one with him though.

Are you even allowed to visit Pigeon Forge and not attend a dinner show? Nate chose Pirate’s Voyage for our night out and I booked the tickets. I’ll admit that I booked them a little warily, as I wasn’t sure exactly what we were in for with the show.

Turns out I was pleasantly surprised. We were all impressed by the talent of the acrobatics, the diving, and the gymnastics. There were several times when a genuine “wow” was warranted.

The food was good, though not particularly memorable. All in all, it made for a really fun night out.

Nate is a child after my own heart and requested “all the Asian food and sushi” that we could find. While Tennessee might not be a big destination for that, we lucked into a few good places along the way.

Roll On In creates awesome hibachi bowls, along with sushi burritos and tacos. It’s Asian fusion in a casual, friendly restaurant and we all enjoyed it. The wonton tacos were a favorite.

We had dinner one night at Little Tokyo, where Nate got to experience Hibachi cooking for the first time. He loved the whole show that our chef put on for him.

We had breakfast at the Sunliner Diner and it was a trip back in time to the 1950s. Nate got a kick out of sitting in one of the booths made from a classic car and later browsing the vintage gift ship.

On our last night in Tennessee, Sean and I both were craving some vegetables (yes, sometimes that does happen) and Nate wanted a burger. We decided to try Local Goat and boy, was that an excellent decision.

We all commented that we wished we’d tried it earlier because we would’ve gone back for sure. Our steak salads were some of the best restaurant salads I’ve ever tasted and every other plate I saw delivered to a table near us looked mouthwateringly delicious.

It’s hard to believe that our teen birthday trips are complete. But who knows? Maybe we’ll be taking our grandkids on a birthday trip someday. What a thought.

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Happy 4th Gotcha Day, Oscar. We love you and we’re celebrating with your favorite Watermelon Dog Treats today.

It’s hard to believe that our sweet Oscar has been with us for four years now! It’s hard to imagine our lives without him.

After saying for so many years that I wasn’t a dog person, I’ve had to eat those words. He has very much become a member of our family and I love him dearly.

So many of you have shared in our excitement over the past few years, as we’ve become first-time dog owners.

You messaged me countless tips and endless advice and I’ve loved it all. So, I wanted to share our pup’s favorite treats with you.

Dog Popsicles

Several people sent me recipes for their favorite homemade dog treats when Oscar first arrived. The most popular treats by far were these watermelon dog treats – made simply by blending fruit with a bit of yogurt to make dog popsicles.

This combination has become Oscar’s favorite treat too. It cracks me up when he hovers near the freezer and peeks inside to see where the treats are.

Watermelon Dog Treats

Lucky for him, these are as easy as can be to make. Place cut-up watermelon into the blender, add a scoop of yogurt, and blend until liquid.

Pour the fruit mixture into ice cube trays (or these cute paw print molds!) and freeze until solid. Pop the frozen cubes into an airtight container and store them in the freezer.

Dog Popsicle Recipe

These frozen treats are so easy to make, I typically use whichever fruits we have on hand. Super ripe bananas? Check. Berries? Check. Cantaloupe? Check.

I use about ¼ cup of yogurt for every 2 cups of chopped fruit. That’s it. Just blend them together and pour the mixture into ice cube trays or molds.

Don’t worry about spillage or mess on the molds when making these. Just set the molds on a sheet pan and it will catch any spills. Freeze on the tray and easily pop the cubes out when frozen.

I hope that your pup enjoys these treats every bit as much as Oscar does!

We adopted Oscar on Father’s Day the year we moved to Ohio and surprised the kids with him when we picked them up at camp the following day.

Our youngest son had wanted a dog for as long as we could remember, so we told him that after we were settled in Ohio we would look for one.

We found our family’s perfect match with our Oscar. He’s the sweetest dog I’ve ever known and he’s been the best gift in our lives.

His chin is almost entirely gray now and there are gray hairs sprinkled throughout his coat. It just makes our sweet boy that much more distinguished.

Print

Watermelon Dog Treats

Watermelon dog treats are the ultimate dog popsicles – and best of all it only takes a minute to make them!

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Freezer Time 4 hours hours

Total Time 4 hours hours 5 minutes minutes

Servings 12 bite-size dog treats

Calories 11kcal

Ingredients

• 2 cups watermelon, cut into chunks
• ¼ cup plain yogurt

Instructions

• Combine the watermelon and the yogurt in the blender. Blend until smooth. Pour into molds or ice cube trays.
• Place the molds in the freezer until frozen solid. Transfer to an airtight container and store in the freezer.

Nutrition

Calories: 11kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 3mg | Potassium: 36mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 149IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 1mg

{originally published 6/16/20 – notes and photos updated 6/15/23}

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Pulled Pork Tater Tots

All of my kids would probably choose pulled pork as their favorite meal, especially when it’s served in tacos, enchiladas, pulled pork mac and cheese, or hot and crispy, like in these street tacos.

To celebrate my oldest son Sam’s 13th birthday, Sean and I took him on a trip all by himself. We flew to San Francisco and spent a few days exploring the city. (Scroll down to the bottom for a peek into that trip.) These pulled pork tater tots were inspired by a favorite meal from that trip.

We’ve made a tradition of taking a special trip with our boys to celebrate their 13th birthdays. We visited Denver with our middle son, Ben, and we visited Pigeon Forge with our youngest son, Nate.

Pulled Pork Totchos

Along the way, we found some great foods to eat. It was Sam’s first trip “just for fun” and he loved it. It’s always a lot of fun to travel and visit family around the country, but the joy of exploring an entirely new place is great in a different way.

Naturally, I put together a list of restaurants to check out while we were there. Sam’s favorite food during the trip turned out a tie between Tater Tot Nachos from Tacorea and Tostadas De Caracoles (snails baked on seasoned croutons with parsley aioli) from Zarzuela.

Can you even believe that my kid tried snails for the first time and absolutely loved them? At any rate, when I decided to recreate his favorite thing from the trip to share with you, the tater tot nachos were the obvious choice.

Tater Tot Nachos

To make my own version of Tacorea’s nachos, I decided to use pulled pork and crisp it a bit in a hot skillet while the tater tots were in the oven, essentially turning this nacho idea into our favorite carnitas piled high and melted onto tater tots.

The whole family devoured this meal and there wasn’t a tater tot leftover.

I served these Pulled Pork Tater Tot Nachos with fresh vegetables and Homemade Ranch Dip.

Kitchen Tip: I use this baking sheet to make this recipe.

Tater Tot Nachos Recipe

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Spread the tater tops across a large baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes, until golden and slightly crisp.
2. Remove from the oven and sprinkle half the cheese over the tater tots. Distribute the pulled pork evenly over the cheese layer and top with the remaining cheese. Scatter jalapeños over the top.
3. Bake until the cheese melts completely, about 10 minutes.
4. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with green onions and cilantro. Add the additional toppings of your choice. 

For more tater tot dishes you won’t be able to resist, check out these Cheesy Bacon Tater Tots and this Tater Tot Casserole. Did you know you can make Homemade Tater Tots?

Print

Pulled Pork Tater Tot Nachos

Pulled Pork Tater Tot Nachos start with piping hot cheesy tater tots that are piled high with crispy pulled pork. This dinner is a guaranteed two-thumbs-up meal in our house.

Servings 4 servings

Calories 446kcal

Ingredients

• 1 32 ounce bag frozen tater tots
• 2 cups pulled pork roughly chopped
• 4 ounces freshly shredded cheddar cheese
• 4 ounces freshly shredded monterey jack or pepper jack cheese
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced jarred jalapeños
• 4 green onions sliced thin
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro chopped
• optional toppings: guacamole salsa, crema, and cotija cheese

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 450°F. Spread the tater tops across a large baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes, until golden and slightly crisp.
• Remove from the oven and sprinkle half the cheese over the tater tots. Distribute the pulled pork evenly over the cheese layer and top with remaining cheese. Scatter jalapeños over the top.
• Bake until the cheese melts completely, about 10 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and sprinkle with green onions and cilantro. Add the additional toppings of your choice. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 446kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 106mg | Sodium: 1179mg | Potassium: 100mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 1011IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 484mg | Iron: 2mg

{originally published 9/5/17 – recipe notes and photos updated 6/3/22}

Like most first time visitors to San Francisco, we visited the Golden Gate Bridge. However, we opted not to walk across the bridge that afternoon, as it was a crazy windy day and fairly cold.

Instead, we hiked down under the bridge and explored Fort Point. The fort is situated directly below the southern approach to the bridge, underneath an arch that supports the roadway.

When the bridge was originally being constructed, the plans called for the fort to be destroyed, however, Chief Engineer Joseph Strauss redesigned the bridge to save the fort. “While the old fort has no military value now,” Strauss said, “it remains nevertheless a fine example of the mason’s art… It should be preserved and restored as a national monument.”

Exploring the fort wound up being far more fun than I expected it to be. I love seeing all different kinds of architecture and the masonry here was like nothing else I’ve seen in person.

Point Bonita Lighthouse across the bridge was on our list of things I would’ve liked to see, but unfortunately, we simply ran out of time. If and when I’m back in San Francisco, that will definitely be happening.

We spent Saturday morning at California Academy of Sciences. It’s an impressive collection of exhibits including a planetarium, a rainforest, an aquarium, a natural history museum, a living roof, and plenty of hands on exhibits as well.

Sam talked for days about this place. It was a lot of fun to see it through his eyes. A science museum likely wouldn’t have been on my radar if he hadn’t been traveling with us, but his excitement made it the perfect place to visit.

Directly behind the science museum is Jenny’s Burgers. We found it as we were walking out of the museum, desperately hungry and willing to try the nearest place. (How exactly did we travel and find things before Yelp? I love technology.)

Jenny’s wound up being a great find with burgers nearly the size of your face. Luckily, they were tasty in addition to being gigantic.

We walked along the shore at Fisherman’s Wharf, saw the seals, and found hot coffee and ice cream sundaes at Ghiradelli. We made our way over to the Maritime National Historic Park where we found the USS Pampanito.

Have you ever been in a submarine? How about a really old one? We walked through the submarine with the self-guided audio tour and then were fortunate enough to meet a gentleman volunteering who had served on the submarine.

It was mind-boggling to imagine all of the crew sharing such a tiny space. This submarine is significantly smaller than its modern-day counterparts.

I know that most of you awesome readers are here for the food, so I’ll tell you now that the food in San Francisco inspired a lot of delicious cooking once we returned home. As you probably realize already, breakfast is my favorite meal and when traveling, San Francisco did not disappoint.

We waited in line at Mama’s and at Dottie’s for breakfasts and both places are well worth the wait. Mama’s was our hands-down favorite meal of the trip with everything from Huevos Rancheros to omelets, carrot cake to pancakes (yes, the plain buttermilk pancakes were something to write home about) every bite in that restaurant was memorable.

Sam knows how much I love tapas when I go out and so he asked if we could do tapas while we were there. I don’t think we’ve ever taken the kids with us for a tapas-style dinner, because let’s be honest, with their appetites?

We’d be looking at a minimum of 72 plates and they’d probably still want a burger later. I did a little research on the local options though and Zarzuela came highly recommended.

We ordered 8-9 plates between the three of us and the kid was in heaven, snails and all. Who knew? He never fails to surprise me with his willingness to try new things.

Here’s a little San Francisco travel tip: don’t plan on making your visit to San Francisco a walking trip unless you’re a fitness rock star or truly in phenomenal shape. I had a huge laugh at myself over the idea that we’d be walking everywhere.

When exploring new places, I typically choose my central location based on the walking distance between the places we want to see. We spent 10 days in Montreal a while back and the only vehicles we stepped into were our rides from and to the airport.

So, walking as much as possible while traveling is my thing. I absolutely love exploring on foot. However, those hills in San Francisco are serious business.

We walked (a.k.a. hiked straight uphill for half a mile) to Tacorea for these Tater Tot Nachos the night we arrived and I very happily caught a ride everywhere else all weekend.

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June 4, 2022

Welcome to the weekend, my friends! We’ve had a fun first week of summer over here. We drove up to Cleveland, visited the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (photos at bottom of post), and had lunch at Larder Deli and Bakery. 

If you’re in the area, Larder is a must-try. We had the pastrami, the Reuben, and the fried chicken sandwiches. Every single bite was fantastic. Oh! The oatmeal cream pies, the stoner bar, and the chocolate rye cookie were all keepers too.

ON THE BLOG this week: Smoky chipotles, garlic, and honey are combined in this Chipotle Chicken Marinade. This simple marinade is packed with an awesome smoky southwestern flavor.

Bite-size Glazed Lemon Drop Cookies are soft not-too-sweet cookies dipped into a sweetly tart glaze. These cookies are so irresistible, that I happily ate cookies in lieu of my dinner the first time I made them. (Traditional and gluten-free variations are both included with this recipe)

Perfectly bite-size Marinated Tomatoes are seasoned with a combination of oil, vinegar, and spices along with just the right amount of sweetness. I’ve always liked tomatoes, but these tomatoes are irresistible!

Tender pasta and mouthwatering flavorful tomatoes are tossed together with a tangy-sweet dressing to make a versatile Tomato Pasta that can be served warm, cold, or at room temperature. This is perfect for summer barbecues and potlucks, as it can be left out for a couple of hours without any issues.

Fresh apricots are tossed with cinnamon sugar and then layered between a brown sugar and oat crust to make these Apricot Crisp Bars. Served on their own or topped with Vanilla Ice Cream this is a dessert that everyone loves.

What I’m CRAVING: A few weeks ago, I had the most amazing fish I’ve ever tasted while in Florida. It was Chilean Seabass and when I tell you it was unforgettable, well, it really was. I’ve been thinking about it for weeks now. So, when I saw my friend Courtney’s Lemon Caper Butter Chilean Seabass I put her recipe on my list to try soon!

We are not strangers to seafood over here, as evidenced by the number of salmon recipes and more on the website, but I haven’t been very creative with our seafood choices in a while. I’m looking forward to trying my hand at cooking seabass soon.

My FAVORITE THING this week is my knife holder. I’ve had it ever since we moved to Ohio and it gets used multiple times a day. It still looks as nice and works as well as the day we got it. If you’re like me and have as assortment of different brands and sizes of knives that you love, this is the perfect knifeholder for any assortment.

I’ve tried countless other storage options over the years, from blocks to magnetic strips to knife sleeves in the drawers, this simple minimalist holder is my favorite.

What I’m WATCHING: Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore. Our whole family went to see this in the theater this week and we really enjoyed it. We’re big fans of pretty much everything Harry Potter and we’re enjoying the new Dumbledore movies as well.

What I’m READING: The Inimitable Jeeves by P. G. Wodehouse. I hardly even know how to describe these books. This is British humor in linked short stories, so well done, that I was engrossed from the very first page.

As Ben Schott so perfectly stated, “To dive into a Wodehouse novel is to swim in some of the most elegantly turned phrases in the English language.” 

“See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:15-18 ESV

Wishing you a beautiful week full of little things that make you smile!

Mary

The post The Little Things Newsletter #315 – Cleveland, OH appeared first on Barefeet in the Kitchen.

Welcome to the weekend, my friends! My family spent a few days this week in Michigan on Lake Huron and it was an absolutely lovely spring break. We swam (in the pool – because it was way too cold for the lake!), played games, laughed, and truly relaxed. I’m looking forward to our summer road trip even more now, as well as our annual family camping trip in Arizona. I can hardly wait to see the whole family again.

If you want to see a few photos from the trip, you can scroll down to the end of this newsletter.

ON THE BLOG this week: Peanut Butter Baked Oatmeal is lightly sweetened with bananas and honey. Your morning oatmeal meets up with banana bread in this fun twist on a classic breakfast. Served warm, topped with sliced bananas and a drizzle of peanut butter, it’s a favorite with kids and adults alike.

Creamy homemade ranch dressing coats every bite of pasta and vegetables in this Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad. Sprinkled throughout with bacon and cheddar cheese, my kids went absolutely nuts over this salad.

Perfectly tender Broiled Chicken Thighs, marinated and then glazed with this homemade barbecue sauce made for a great weeknight meal. Learning how to broil chicken makes it easy to get a delicious dinner on the table fast.

Honey and Oat Gluten Free Bread is soft, fluffy, and perfectly sliceable gluten-free sandwich bread with a rich flavor from oat flour and honey. This bread is perfect for sandwiches, toast, or as a snack on its own.

Whipped Strawberry Butter is fluffy, creamy, sweet, and buttery goodness in a pretty pink package. This is amazing on toast, scones, pancakes, popovers, muffins, breads, and just about anything else you might want to butter!

What I’m CRAVING: Have you ever had Paska Bread a.k.a Easter Bread? I’m fascinated by my friend Natalya’s grandmother’s recipe. Her Paska is made with light & fluffy brioche bread filled with plump, juicy raisins. Topped with a simple glaze, she says that it simply melts in your mouth. I can’t wait to try it!

What I’m WATCHING: Upload. This is an Amazon original show that has been on my radar for a while now and I finally started watching it last week. It’s a sci-fi comedy set in a future where people can upload their consciousness to a digital afterlife. With Greg Daniels (from Parks and Rec) directing, I assumed it would be a fun watch, but it’s more than just a comedy. I really enjoyed it and am looking forward to seeing future episodes.

What I’m READING: Betsy’s Wedding by Maud Hart Lovelace. This is the last book in the Betsy series and it is my favorite one. Betsy’s struggles as a young wife (who has no clue how to cook, but wants to learn how – oh, how I relate to that one) and her desire to be a truly good and supportive wife for Joe is a refreshing perspective, so different from much that we see today. For anyone who loved Anne Shirley of Green Gables, or the Louisa May Alcott books, the Betsy Ray books are sure to make you smile.

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Wishing you a beautiful week full of little things that make you smile!

Mary

The post The Little Things Newsletter #308 – Life, laughter, and lots of great food! appeared first on Barefeet in the Kitchen.

Welcome to the weekend, my friends! I am absolutely thrilled to tell you that things are pretty much back to normal over here. I’ll be back to work this week working on some great new recipes for you – and I’m pretty excited about that! I remain so very grateful to have been able to take all of this time off work to be with my family and I can hardly wait to be back in the regular routine of our life.

Sean was able to go to all of his martial arts classes this week and his o2 levels remained solid. While he hasn’t attempted CrossFit just yet and that may still take a while, I have my healthy husband back and that has filled my heart this week.

The past month has turned out to be a gift of more family time, laughter, and memories than I could’ve imagined a few weeks ago. While I wouldn’t wish the scary days and nights back again, not ever, I am grateful to have had the chance to grow together through it all.

“Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope.” Romans 5:3‭-‬4 ESV

What I’m CRAVING: These Crispy Pork Carnitas have been on my mind for a week now and I finally have them in the crockpot today. We’ll be very happily eating Street Tacos tonight with Chipotle Lime Rice and some Spicy Guacamole. I’m thinking that I might even mix up a batch of my friend Holly’s Margaritas. It’s 7am and my mouth is already watering for dinner!

My FAVORITE THING this week is this Nertz game. I started playing “Pounce” with friends many many years ago and later learned that the game is also called Nertz. We used to play with a whole bunch of different decks of cards and it could be a bit of a hassle to find so many different decks when we wanted to play.

When I stumbled on this set a week ago, I was excited to pick it up. It’s just 12 decks of cards in a box with a very simple explanation of the rules. The cards are decent quality though and for just about $20? You can’t beat that for 12 non-identical decks. I introduced my boys’ friends to the game on Friday night and I had a blast playing with all the teens and pre-teens.

What I’m READING:  In the Company of Others by Jan Karon. I finally finished this one and it was my least favorite of the Mitford series. It’s still a good read,  but it was slower and I kept setting it down to read something else. There were so many new characters introduced, as Pastor Tim and Cynthia were vacationing in Ireland on an extended holiday.

In addition to that, they were reading an old journal as part of the storyline, which added a whole new storyline to the mix. I’m glad I finished the book, but it simply wasn’t the usual style of writing for this series. I’m looking forward to the next book though, as it is set back home in Mitford.

What I’m WATCHING: Encanto. The whole family watched Encanto a few nights ago and it was ten thumbs up over here. We LOVED this movie. From the unforgettable characters to the fantastic soundtrack, I can’t recommend it enough. We’re still talking about it several days later.

What I’m LISTENING to: From We Don’t Talk about Bruno to Surface Pressure to Dos Oruguitas, there is a song in the movie for everyone. I don’t remember the last time a movie soundtrack caught my attention the way this one has. It’s just THAT good. And yes, I immediately bought it.

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” John 14:27 ESV

Wishing you a beautiful week full of little things that make you smile!

Mary

The post The Little Things Newsletter #297 – Life, laughter, and lots of great food! appeared first on Barefeet in the Kitchen.

Welcome to the weekend, my friends! As I begin today’s newsletter, I am overwhelmed with thankfulness to be where we are in Sean’s recovery. (Backstory here, here, and here.) He’s home, only using supplemental oxygen at night, and overall he’s doing great.

In the bigger picture though, I’ve never been reminded more of the fact that we have hope for a future. While I grew up in a family of faith, believing in heaven and an afterlife with Christ, I know that everyone reading this doesn’t share our beliefs. However, that faith has gotten me through each day, sometimes each hour recently.

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” Psalm 23:4 ESV

While I’ve never hidden the fact that I’m a Christian, it hasn’t always been at the forefront of my writing on the website. And let’s be real here, I write about food and occasionally our travels, so it isn’t always the most relevant addition to a recipe for the best ever ranch dressing. I am always open to sharing more about my faith if someone is interested, but it’s never been my thing to be preachy or to beat someone over the head with it all.

That said, it’s been an honor to pray with you all this week as I’ve read your emails and heard your stories. My heart has ached along with many of you. It’s been a rough couple of years for everyone, and this year has started with an extra helping of pain for so many. 

If there is something I can pray for with you this week, hit reply on this email or leave a comment to share it with me. It will be my privilege to join you in prayer.

“Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NLT

If it interests you, Why I Believe: Straight Answers to Honest Questions about God, the Bible, and Christianity is a solid explanation of our beliefs.

Moving on to the deliciousness in life, here’s what we’ve been eating lately: all the soups and grilled cheese sandwiches! We’ve had Lasagna Soup, Chicken Tortilla Soup, {Busy Day} Potato Soup, Green Chile Stew, and Italian Vegetable Soup already this year. 

We’ve also had the best ever tomato soup, at least 4x already. I can hardly wait to share that recipe with you, once I break out my camera again. Oh! And my friend Gaby brought us a terrific sausage and fennel pasta for dinner and I already asked her if she’d share the recipe. You can bet I’ll be playing with that one to share with you as well.

My FAVORITE THING this week is this Epsom salt bubble bath. I’ve been using this bubble bath for almost three years now, ever since we moved to Ohio, and soaking in the bath at night became one of my favorite things.

There aren’t many things more relaxing than a hot bath after a stressful day and let me tell you, I’ve never appreciated it more than I have this month. This bubble bath smells incredible, feels amazing, and it’s super affordable too. That’s a triple win and I always have a backup bottle or two stashed in the closet.

What I’m READING / LISTENING TO: 1984 by George Orwell. We’re actually listening to Steve Parker’s dramatized audiobook on YouTube. While I’ve read the book before, this audiobook is new to me and I recommend it. It’s excellent with the sound effects.

What I’m WATCHING: Free Guy. This was such a fun and ridiculous movie. Ryan Reynolds did a great job with it and the kids and I laughed and laughed. It was a much-needed break from days spent at the hospital.

I’m pretty sure we’ve never watched this much tv or this many movies in our lives. Buffy, Twin Peaks, Yellowstone (I was assured that it mellows out after the first few episodes, I’ll keep you posted on that one.), Stranger Things, and Yours, Mine, and Ours (the original) to name a few. Some are long-time favorites and others are new to us. 

While doing our best to take it easy and not do too much too fast, we’ve been spending a lot of time in front of screens. I can’t complain though, what’s not to love about snuggling with Sean on the couch more than ever before?

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling.” Psalm 46:1‭-‬3 ESV 

Wishing you a beautiful week full of little things that make you smile!

Mary

The post The Little Things Newsletter #296 – Life, laughter, and lots of great food! appeared first on Barefeet in the Kitchen.

Welcome to the weekend, my friends. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you for all of the prayers and kind words you’ve sent our way. Sean has continued to improve more every day since he’s been home from the hospital.

He’s feeling so much better already and was able to stay off of the supplemental oxygen all day long yesterday! (Can you feel our excitement??) I’ve been saying prayers of thanksgiving every time I see Sean. Covid with Pneumonitis could’ve turned out so differently for our family.

We’re still taking life very slowly. I’m spending my days with Sean and the kids here at home. If you know him, you know this doesn’t come naturally to my big, tough, doing all the things, husband. However, we want his lungs to heal fully, so we’re following the doctor’s advice and allowing his body to rest as much as possible right now.

Our excitement these days consists of looking forward to a walk around the yard, driving him to get a haircut, and maybe even trying a flight of stairs in the next day or two. It’s a far cry from his usual Krav Maga and CrossFit routine, but right now, it’s the pace we need to keep.

For now, he’s still using the supplemental oxygen at night, but we’re hoping he won’t need it for much longer. Sean is already doing so much better than I dared hope a week ago, I’m just so thankful to be where we are.

A friend reminded me this week that prayer allows us to hand our problems and our struggles to God and say, “This is Yours now. You can handle it so much better than I ever could.” 

And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. 1 John 5:14‭ ESV

While we all hope that relief from our struggles is part of the will of God, that isn’t always the case. But even when it’s not in God’s plan to heal us or save us from a situation, prayer is still important.

When we present our worries and requests to God, it brings peace that surpasses understanding and guards our hearts and minds against fear and worry.

We thank God and continue to pray every day for the nurses, the doctors, the aides, the technicians, the cleaning staff, the meal staff, every single person working tirelessly, overtime hours on overcrowded hospital floors.

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” John 14:27 ESV

Mary

The post The Little Things Newsletter #295 – Giving Thanks appeared first on Barefeet in the Kitchen.

The prayers, the kind words, the scriptures you’ve sent to us are priceless reminders that God is good. Thank you more than I could possibly say for including our family in your prayers.

We have oxygen service set up at our home now and Sean is able to walk all over the first floor of the house. He’s easily had 20x the amount of movement here compared to what was possible in the hospital and the increased movement has helped so much already.

Oscar has been at Sean’s side constantly. I think our sweet dog is nearly as happy as we are to have Sean home with us. Sean continues to show improvement by the day, even by the hour sometimes. It feels like just being home has made him stronger.

We know that the healing process will take a while and there is a long way to go. There was a great deal of damage done to his lungs due to the combination of Covid with Pneumonitis. But today we are praising God and thanking Him for the amazing amount of healing that has already been done.

“Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done.” 1 Chronicles 16:8 NIV

Please continue to pray for every single person working in the hospitals right now. We’re praying strength and wisdom and health for every one of them.

I’ll close by saying that I am writing this tonight as I sit listening to Sean snore. The snoring that may have annoyed me at times in the past, has never been more precious to me. It’s proof of life, and I am so very thankful for it.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”Matthew 11:28 NIV

We are grateful for friends that pushed us to accept help. Meals are being delivered and I know that can pick up the phone and ask for help if needed.

I’m taking life slowly, day by day and hour by hour. My priorities right now are Sean’s needs, life at home, and keeping everyone healthy. That’s it.

I’m allowing myself as much time as needed before I even think about work again. The recipes are here for anyone who wants them and the website will be just fine without me for a while.

“Every time I think of you, I thank my God.”Philippians 1:3 CEV

The post The Little Things Newsletter #294 – Home Sweet Home appeared first on Barefeet in the Kitchen.

Hi friends, this week’s newsletter looks a little different. My husband is in the hospital with Covid and Pneumonitis. If you are a praying person, we would love to have you include Sean in your prayers.

He is already showing improvement and we’re hoping to have him home again in just a few more days. I am thankful beyond words that our hospital allows the Covid patients to have a support person there with them. I’ve spent every minute possible there with him this week.

It’s been a long time since we’ve had this much undivided time together and I’m choosing to be thankful for every single moment I can spend with him in the Covid unit. It isn’t lost on either of us just how fortunate we are that our hospital allows me to be there with him.

I read this week that the Lord coupled thanksgiving and prayer not so much for His sake, but for ours. When we begin our prayer time by giving thanks for what He has done and all that He has given us, our cares fall away and burdens get lifted.

It works every single time, friends. In the worst of my fears this week, when I start my prayers with thanksgiving, I have been filled with peace that could only come from Christ. 

I continue to pray without ceasing for Sean to be back home with us, but in the meantime, we’ve been gifted a really wonderful week together at the hospital. We’ve played cards and dice, texted with friends, read (and very much appreciated) the scriptures being sent to us. 

I’ve been able to sit with him and hold his hand while he rests, crack jokes with him during some horrible moments we’d like to never repeat, and bring him coffee from home each morning along with some of his favorite foods. I’ve been there to microwave the hospital food and make it a little bit better and done my best to make his stay there just a little bit less scary.

We thank God every day for the nurses, the doctors, the aides, the technicians, the cleaning staff, the meal staff, every single person working tirelessly, over-time hours on over-crowded floors, to help bring Sean back home to us as soon as possible.

I’ve been soaking up the late nights at home with my boys and thanking God for children who are trusting God through all of this.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6‭-‬7 ESV 

Mary

The post The Little Things Newsletter #293 – Life Right Now appeared first on Barefeet in the Kitchen.