Cranberry Chicken

I got this recipe while living in South Carolina. I don't know where the recipe originated but I know it is so good. One of my family's favorites! Even my husband likes it and he doesn't like cranberries. Me? I have an obsession with them! And with only 4 ingredients it's super simple.

1 can of jellied cranberry sauce
1 packet dry onion soup mix (i.e. Lipton)
1 small bottle of Italian salad dressing
6-8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Mix the first 3 ingredients together in a blender. Pour over chicken breasts and cook either in crockpot for a few hours or just in a baking dish in the oven preheated to 375 degrees for about an hour. Serve with rice and of course a veggie of your choice. So yummy!

The Bean Jar

Here's an idea for those of you with young children. I don't know about you but I am always looking for something to encourage good behavior from my kids. They're good kids but sometimes it's nice to have an incentive to get them motivated to do the things that are asked of them.

Find a jar to fill up with beans. Any kind of beans and any size of jar that you prefer. I use pinto beans and a pretty small jar since the beans are so small. Before you begin with the behavior there are a couple things you should do. Fill the jar with beans so that you know how much you need then dump them out into a bowl for easy access. Then decide on a prize for when the Bean Jar gets filled so the kids know what it is they are working toward. We have done everything from go to a movie, have a sleepover in the living room with popcorn and a movie (my kids love this), go out to a museum, etc.

Once the incentive is there, the jar can begin its job! Every time a child does something nice or accomplishes something great they can put beans in the jar. Mom and Dad usually decide how much is appropriate. It's always different. At first they would get beans for being asked to do something and following directions. Now they usually get beans for doing something without being told. They might get beans for clearing their plate after lunch or for just being kind to their siblings. The amount of beans they receive for these things can differ each time. Sometimes sharing a toy is worth 4 beans while the next time it might be worth 7. Whatever you feel is appropriate. A child may even receive beans for accomplishments. When my daughter was learning to tie her shoes she was getting very frustrated. I told her she would get 15 beans if she would keep working at it. She worked all day that day at tying those shoes and by the next morning, she could do it all by herself!

Now remember, this is only a good behavior/accomplishment jar! Don't punish children for bad behavior by taking beans out of the jar. Then it becomes a chore and we want to encourage good behavior! Children may not get excited about it if beans are taken away. This is a team effort! One child's good behavior helps everyone.

I wish I could take credit for this idea but I can't. I got it from an essay I read. The essay is a companion to a book called A Thomas Jefferson Education. Great book! I would recommend it to anyone.

First Thing's First

This blog is dedicated to my craftiness, or lack of it. See, I didn't stand in all the crafty lines in heaven. My mom and my sister did but apparently I couldn't find my way to those same lines. I stood in the EDC line (Extremely Directionally Challenged). I'm positive I tried to find the craft lines because I LOVE crafting and such but after standing in the EDC line, I could no longer navigate my way to the lines I wanted to be in. So, while crafting comes easily and is just a gift for some like my sister and mom, I have to really work at it.

Plus, I have the added benefit of being a 90%-er. You know those people that start a project and get 90% done and then they quit? Yeah, that's me! I have scrapbook pages finished....with no pictures; taught myself to knit and knitted many coasters (actually the same one over and over again), I never learned to end it; made a Christmas wall hanging about 4 years ago, never got the sides sewn up...the list goes on and on. So I am hoping that this blog will inspire me and help me to tackle the projects I want to try/finish.

I find so many fun things online, in books, boutiques, etc. that I am too intimidated to try. Well, no more! It is my New Year's Resolution. Don't be afraid to try! Besides, I've always wanted to start a blog that could inspire others as well. I will post ideas, thoughts, traditions, reviews, recipes, tips, and much more. I hope you can find something that will inspire you to try something new. Leave me a comment to let me know you stopped by. I know there's not much here yet, just wait! There will be LOTS to see and do. Please check in often. You never know what you may be missing out on...