Spruce Hill Homestead

Christmas Breakfast Pretzel Candies: 3 Ingredients to Adorable!

This adorable little candy was on every holiday cookie plate my mother made when I was growing up. I always called them Christmas Breakfast candy, but I have no idea where the idea, or the recipe, actually came from. They always reminded me of little dollhouse food, a perfectly cooked egg and two slices of bacon…in miniature. When I had my own kids, I started to make this, too. They became very popular and people started looking for them. My husband looks forward to these little bites every year. They really dress up a holiday cookie plate and look so cute on a Christmas breakfast or brunch table. The best part? They have only THREE ingredients, so you can whip them up in no time. Continue reading “Christmas Breakfast Pretzel Candies: 3 Ingredients to Adorable!” »

How I Feed my Magazine Addiction (for FREE!)

I love all things about magazines. I admit it, I am one of those people. I carry a magazine most places I go. I love to browse through them. I get a little irritated if my hubby steals a new one before I have the chance to flip through it. But, magazine subscriptions can be expensive, so I needed to find a way to feed my habit. Read on to find out how I learned to do it for FREE (plus gained so much more) with a great site. Continue reading “How I Feed my Magazine Addiction (for FREE!)” »

Beginner Preparedness Vol 5: A Realistic Guide to Food Preps

I have always tended to have an eye towards preparedness, especially when it comes to food. I like to know what is in those cupboards and how I can use those items to make a nutritious and well-received (read: actually something my children will eat) dinner at times when I cannot get to the store. Listen, stuff happens in life….sometimes the bank account is a little low, sometimes you are blocked in by a blizzard, or sometimes you have the flu so bad that the thought of going out to get food is enough to make you lie down and cry. For me, those are really the moments that food prepping is all about. Continue reading “Beginner Preparedness Vol 5: A Realistic Guide to Food Preps” »

13 Amazing Ace Hardware Items to make Decorating Easier!

There is something about a hardware store that makes me smile. I remember, as a kid, running to the hardware store with my Dad to pick up whatever might be needed. It always turned into an occasion, with talking and yakking about the day. As the adults talked, I loved to wander around and find little treasures. They always had the most interesting things. Continue reading “13 Amazing Ace Hardware Items to make Decorating Easier!” »

5 Ways to Enjoy Thanksgiving on a Tight Budget

It’s the reality of life…sometimes the budget is just a bit tighter than you would like as the holidays come upon you. It may be a surprise bill or a true emergency that sent you into a budget crisis, but it’s hard to picture the traditional holidays when your budget is tight. Don’t fret…so much of Thanksgiving can be found in the traditions of the day. You can still host a nice Thanksgiving, while not putting yourself into debt or running up those credit cards. These simple tips can help. Continue reading “5 Ways to Enjoy Thanksgiving on a Tight Budget” »

A Letter to my Sons about Passionate Protest

Dear Son,

Though you may not be out today protesting, I know one day you may feel so passionate about something that you will. I understand that feeling, because I was young once (believe it or not) and remember well the feeling that my voice was not being heard in our world. Before you do, I ask you to consider some things. Continue reading “A Letter to my Sons about Passionate Protest” »

10 Ways to Cook the Thanksgiving Bird

My husband loves to be in charge of the turkey every year, and he has experimented with lots of ways to make the best turkey for our Thanksgiving table. But, when it comes to turkey…there are lots of ways to cook that bird. If you are looking for something new this year, these ten ideas can get you started down the right road. Continue reading “10 Ways to Cook the Thanksgiving Bird” »

10 Must-Have Thanksgiving Items from Amazon

Whether you are hosting Thanksgiving for the zillionth time or the first time (okay, especially if you are hosting it for the first time), setting the perfect table is fun. If you are going to spend hours in the kitchen, you want a beautiful tablescape to display all your creations. Yes, your niece is going to announce that she is suddenly a vegetarian. Yes, your daughter is only going to eat a roll. And yes, your Uncle is probably going to drink too much and make everyone uncomfortable. But, these 10 Must-Haves for Thanksgiving entertaining will have your home looking amazing…and later, when they all go home; you can finish off all the wine!

The Turkey Baster
The Turkey Roaster
The Gravy Boat
The Serving Bowls
The Serving Platter
The Beautiful Tablecloth
The Cloth Napkins
The Centerpiece
The Wineglasses
And something fun for you to wear over your cute outfit!

Dusty’s Note: This post contains affiliate links. As always, I encourage you to shop around and find items that really appeal to you, but have provided links to come of my favorites as a reference.

The Design-Your-Own Dinner: Stir Fry!

Sometimes, around here, dinner is a BIG problem. It’s not that I can’t get dinner on the table, it’s that every single time I do, there is someone at the table who wishes they had something different. This used to frustrate me, and sometimes still does. But, when I started practicing the Design-Your-Own Dinner with my kids…that changed. Last night I made Stir Fry. I got rave reviews from everyone at the table. Why? Because they built their own dinner from the bottom up, and that means they had all the things they love. It’s really that simple. Stir Fry cooks fast, so I can whip up each person’s order in record time, usually a lot less time than I was spending in the kitchen making other dinners. The best part? They don’t even realize how healthy this dinner is. All the vegetables they are consuming are amazing, and the quick cooking time means those veggies are at their peak. Want to Design-Your-Own Dinner? Read on to find out how I do it! Continue reading “The Design-Your-Own Dinner: Stir Fry!” »

Why We Stand

He must have been about 6 years old at the time, and the question came seemingly out of the blue. “Why do we stand when the flag passes by, Mommy?” he asked with that youthful innocence that is so common. As we stood in the hot sun watching a parade, I looked around. We were in the minority that day; many other people were not standing when the flag floated by. Why were we? Continue reading “Why We Stand” »