Recent Blog Posts

This Mother’s Day, make Mom’s day by surprising her with a homemade breakfast. Here are three easy ideas that the kids can whip up with just a little help from Dad. None of the recipes require the use of the stove or oven, and Mom is sure to ooh and ahh over them. 1. Mini Breakfast Pizzas - For...
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Dear Friends, Mother's day is THIS Sunday, May 10th. I did not understand the power of Mother's Day until I had my son, Carl Shorter. Once I was pregnant, and when he was born, I was overcome with emotion and respect as I began to understand what mothers go through for their children. Carl was ...
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Hello friends! It's almost Mother's Day again, and what mom doesn't love a homemade gift? In need of a Mother's Day gift or some unique ideas? How about something homemade and from the heart? Homemade Mother's Day gifts are great. They are made with love and won't break the bank either! I can prom...
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Hello, friends! Today on the blog we're talking about morel mushrooms. Have you ever had them? I grew up on a rural farm here in Northern Michigan and every spring we would spend the evenings and weekends out on our property mushrooming. My dad always knew of the best spots in our area  and he...
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Michigan has its share of hard to spell and hard to pronounce names on the map, like Topinabee and Fort Gratiot. And lets not forget the question that confuses thousands of tourists every year. Is it Mackinac or Mackinaw? But we also have some towns with names that are just plain unusual and might ...
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My mother-in-law, Mari Shorter, is out visiting us this week so we teamed up today to share some table setting ideas.  I have found that many people are not learning how to set a table properly before entering the adult world.  It is a good skill to have when entertaining or helping a...
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Hello friends! With the days getting longer and the weather getting warmer is seems to be that time of year when we all start eating a little bit healthier. You know what I'm talking about. Summer will be here soon and I know when it comes to summer I like to have easy healthy meals on hand and sp...
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Good morning, friends! Can you believe it's the last week of April already? I don't know about you, but I'm getting antsy for school to be out and for summer to finally be here! Today on the blog I am bringing you information on summer camps here in Northern Michigan. I work from home year-round...
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Earth Day was this week, and folks in Michigan had a lot to celebrate and be thankful for. We’re rich in natural resources here. A portion of four of five Great Lakes lie within our borders. 35,000 inland lakes and 49,000 miles of river stretch across our state. Wetlands, sand dunes and forest ma...
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If you know my mother-in-law, Mari, you know that she knows all things about proper house keeping and entertaining. This is something I really admire and strive towards. Mari just showed me a great trick on how to fold a napkin so you can grab the corner, lift it up and spread it across yo...
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