Raising Arrows

Trim Healthy Mama for the Whole Family!

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September 18, 2017143 Comments

{This post is brought to you via a partnership with Harmony Books.}

Over the years, one of the biggest complaints about diets and eating plans is that they are rarely family friendly. No mama wants to be cooking and eating something entirely different from her family (Hello?! I don’t need MORE work to do!)

I’ve shared before about the Trim Healthy Mama by Pearl Barrett and Serene Allison, and I’ve had a lot of readers ask me how to make Trim Healthy Mama work with a large family. While I’ve had my own personal tricks and tweaks, I now have a not-so-secret weapon I can hand them!

Introducing the latest cookbook from Trim Healthy Mama…

Introducing the Trim Healthy Table - family friendly cookbook! Here's how this family of 11 makes it work!
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How to Create a 30 Day Master Meal Plan

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September 17, 20177 Comments

How to Create a 30 Day Master Meal List

Many years ago, I wrote a series on shopping once a month. In that series, I shared how I had a monthly meal list. My podcast this week is on creating a 30 day meal list, and this post is a supplement to that to help you create your own, no matter if you want to shop once a month or just need a simple way to put together a menu. {You can also listen the PODCAST or watch the VIDEO.}

First, open a Word doc (or Google doc or whatever) and label it “30 Day Meal List”, add some cute clipart (it just makes this process more fun!). Then, make headings for Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and Miscellaneous/Sides.

Here’s a version of this I put together 5-6 years ago:

30 Day Master Meal List Example
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How to Create a 30 Day Master Meal Plan – Podcast 025

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September 17, 2017comment

Creating a 30 Day Master Meal List Podcast!

If you are looking for a way to pull together an easy meal plan that gives you tons of freedom and flexibility, a 30 Day Master Meal List is the way to go!

Don’t want to listen?
Read the POST!
or
Watch the VIDEO!

Find all of the Raising Arrows Podcast HERE!

Please Subscribe!
iTunes | Stitcher

Don’t miss the
Trim Healthy Table
GIVEAWAY!

Introducing Trim Healthy Table!

In this episode:

How I use a rotating list to make shopping easier.
Why the Miscellaneous/Sides category is so important.
Tons of great recipes!

Resources mentioned:

–> Once a Month Shopping Series

–> Master Meal List post

–> Large Family Recipe page

–> Trim Healthy Table from Trim Healthy Mama

Introducing the Trim Healthy Table - family friendly cookbook! Here's how this family of 11 makes it work!

–> Evernote

–> Cinnamon Roll recipe

–> Oven Pancake (aka Dutch Babies)

–> Banana Bread
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Helping My Struggling Reader

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September 14, 20179 Comments

I have mentioned before that my 8 year old has struggled with certain aspects of learning. He’s a very bright boy with tons of creativity, so it really surprised me when I began to notice he just wasn’t catching on as quickly as most of the other children, including his younger brother. It was difficult to come to terms with this as a mother, but I was determined to stick with it and find a way to get him over the “hump” and into a love of reading.

How I helping my struggling reader in our homeschool.

First of all, I slowed WAY down on his studies. I gave him about a month long break from the two subjects that were giving him the most trouble. This allowed him time to relax and gave me time to find resources. When we started back up, it was at a much slower pace. I took a week on concepts that were taking the other kids a day or so. I reviewed every chance I got, and I also gave him room to breathe and mull over the things he was learning.
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Celebrating with an End of Summer Picnic – Podcast 024

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September 11, 20172 Comments

How to celebrate the changing of the seasons with an End of Summer Picnic!

It’s time to say goodbye to Summer! Whether you love Summer and are sorry to see it go, or you are more than ready for Fall and all the smells and sights it brings, start a new family tradition by having an End of Summer Picnic with your favorite summer treats as we usher in the new season!

Find all of the Raising Arrows Podcast HERE!

Please Subscribe!
iTunes | Stitcher

In this episode:

Our picnic menu.
How we incorporated our back to school kick off.
Ideas for creating your own end of summer memories!

Resources mentioned:

–> End of Summer Picnic post

–> Homemade Lemonade recipe

–> Hot Air Balloon Ride

–> A Year of Playing Skillfully

–> The Peaceful Preschool

Simple Planning for Preschool

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September 8, 20176 Comments

I briefly mentioned how I am planning preschool using several different curricula in our Preschool Curriculum post, but I realize many of you are like me and need a few visual aids to really make it make sense. This post is meant to give you a better idea of how I plan and execute preschool, pulling from several resources and making it easy to grab an activity and run with it! (I’ll be adding a video soon as well.)

Making preschool planning (and doing) easier - especially when pulling from several resources

I start by choosing curricula that fit my homeschooling personality. I prefer a relaxed homeschooling atmosphere that has a very organic, nature-based feel to it. I want my kids to enjoy being kids, to run and play, and be filled with awe and wonder by the little things in life. They don’t need to reach the pinnacle of academia by age 4. There’s time for that once I’ve filled their little hearts with a love for learning.
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Hot Air Balloon Preschool Activity from A Year of Playing Skillfully

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September 7, 2017comment

In my post on Occupying a Busy Preschooler, I mentioned how I was homeschooling Preschool for the first time EVER, not because I’ve never had a preschool-aged child, but because my 8th child really broke the mold when he entered this world, and he NEEDS to do preschool.

Starting off our preschool year with A Year of Playing Skillfully and a "Hot Air Balloon" ride!

Because this blog is all about raising arrows, I wanted to share our preschool journey with all of you in the hopes of inspiring and giving you a real life glimpse into how a relaxed homeschooling mom of many is making this work.

Earlier this week, the weather cooled down significantly, so I decided to hold our End of Summer Picnic early. I had already planned to add in the Hot Air Balloon Preschool Kickoff activity from A Year of Playing Skillfully to our picnic. I went down to the local dollar store and got balloons for a dollar a piece (aired up right there in the store), brought them home and tied them to a laundry basket!
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My Winter Secret Weapons

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September 5, 20171 Comment

Every winter my little boys get chapped cheeks, hands, and lips. While I love coconut oil for such things, I find it to be very messy and not something they can apply themselves. So, for years now, I’ve used Beesilk Lotion Sticks.

My Winter Secret Weapons - PLUS get a FREE Beesilk stick!

Every year, I buy a ton of these and dole them out to the boys as well as keeping several throughout the house. In fact, you could probably find a Beesilk Lotion Stick in every single room in my house! The boys keep one by their bedside at night and in their pockets during the day.

My husband has also taken these sticks on deployments (so if you need a Christmas gift for a soldier, this is a great one!)

My Winter Secret Weapons! (get a FREE BeeSilk Lotion Stick!)
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