One of the greatest gifts we can give our children is the ability to work hard and take responsibility for what’s in front of them. Living on our homestead makes those lessons a part of everyday life. Out here, the chores aren’t just chores—they’re real jobs that matter. Feeding animals, gathering eggs, pulling weeds, building equipment, and helping with the garden all teach our kids that their effort makes a difference.

Farm life doesn’t wait for the perfect moment, and it doesn’t run on excuses. When the animals are hungry, they need to be fed. When the garden is overgrown, someone has to tend it. These daily responsibilities instill a sense of ownership and pride in our children. They see firsthand that hard work produces results, no matter how small.

In the last five years, my children have seen and experienced so many amazing opportunities. Three of my children remember what it was like to live in a suburban neighborhood and have barely enough grass to throw a ball. My youngest 2 (the twins) don’t know anything else than being barefoot farm kids. They have helped Dad build chicken barns, put together hay rings, driven the tractor, watched baby chicks hatch, fed the cows, watched a calf be born, experienced heartache when one of the animals doesn’t make it, planted a garden and watched it grow full, and so much more!

My hope is that by raising my little arrows with the knowledge that you can try and learn anything, don’t give up when it gets hard, don’t get lazy, and realize the results of all the hard work and determination, they will leave the homestead and make the world a better place.

🚜What chores and activities are your kids a part of?

🚜 Can you tell a difference in their attitude or ways of approaching challenges?

If you’re anything like me, weeknights can feel like a juggling act. We have kids with homework, volleyball or baseball practices, ballet, laundry piles, and everything in between. Then there’s something that happens EVERY night – dinner! That’s why I’m always on the hunt for dinners that are fast, flavorful, and kid-approved. These ground chicken tacos check all the boxes and have quickly become a family favorite around here.

What I love most about them is how customizable they are. You can keep it super simple for picky eaters (like one of mine who just wants meat and shell!), or load them up with fresh toppings if you’ve got adventurous taste buds at the table. Plus, ground chicken is a lighter alternative to beef, but still cooks up juicy and satisfying.

Ingredients

Tacos

• 1 lb ground chicken
• 1 Tbsp avocado oil
• 1 small onion, finely diced
• 1 packet taco seasoning (or homemade—chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper)
• ½ cup salsa
• Taco shells, flour tortillas, or lettuce wraps

Topping Ideas

• Shredded lettuce
• Diced tomatoes
• Cheese/Dairy Free Cheese
• Avocado or guacamole
• Sour cream or Greek yogurt
• Fresh cilantro
• Lime wedges

Side Ideas

I love making Spanish rice and a mixture of black beans, corn, and red onions. I season them with Tajin and a little garlic salt, and place in the oven for about 5 minutes.

Instructions

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes.
2. Add ground chicken, breaking it apart with a spoon. Cook until browned and no longer pink, about 5–6 minutes.
3. Stir in taco seasoning and salsa. Let simmer for 2–3 minutes until the flavors meld and the mixture thickens slightly.
4. Spoon chicken into taco shells or tortillas, and let everyone top theirs just the way they like!

Why I Love These Tacos, and You Will Too:

✅ Quick: Ready in 30 minutes start to finish.

✅ Family-Friendly: Perfect for my picky kids!

✅ Flexible: Works with hard shells, soft tortillas, or even over lettuce or rice for a taco bowl.

Pro tip: Make a double batch and use the leftovers for taco salads or quesadillas later in the week. 👏🏻

✨ Dinner doesn’t have to be complicated or super fancy to be delicious. These ground chicken tacos prove that a simple weeknight meal can still feel like a feast!

🫶🏻 If you try this easy recipe, let me know! I’d love to hear your take on them and how you made them special for your family.

As a parent and homesteader, I have been trying to find more natural remedies for common issues we can treat at home. One of my favorites is elderberry syrup—a delicious, immune-boosting staple that’s easy to make right at home.

Why Elderberry?

Elderberries have actually been used for years in traditional medicine. They’re packed with all kinds of great things:

• Vitamin C – supporting a healthy immune system
• Antioxidants – fighting oxidative stress
• Flavonoids – which may help reduce inflammation
• Natural antiviral properties – often linked with shorter colds and milder flu symptoms

I make and keep elderberry syrup on hand about 3 times a year (especially during the colder months) as a natural way to strengthen the body’s defenses against cold and flu symptoms. With 5 kids in the home, they bring a variety of germs! Sometimes it seems like we could use this all year round.

Homemade Elderberry Syrup Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dried elderberries (I use this from Amazon)
• 4 cups filtered water
• 1 cinnamon stick (or 1 tsp ground cinnamon)
• 3–4 whole cloves
• 1–2 tbsp fresh ginger (optional – I know ginger is strong tasting!)
• 1 cup raw honey (local honey if possible because this also boosts immunity!)

Instructions:

1. Add elderberries, water, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger to a saucepan.
2. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook uncovered until liquid is reduced by about half (roughly 30–45 minutes).
3. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
4. Strain through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth, pressing berries to extract all the liquid.
5. Once liquid is lukewarm, stir in honey. (Adding honey while hot may destroy some of its beneficial properties.)
6. Pour into a glass jar and refrigerate. Keeps for 2–3 months.

Dosage (traditional use):

• Adults: 1 tablespoon daily
• Children: 1 teaspoon daily
• If cold or flu symptoms start, many people take the same dose every 2–3 hours.

(Pro Tip: Elderberries should always be cooked before use, berries can cause digestive upset. My sweet husband learned this the hard way.)

The Benefits of Elderberry Syrup

1. Immune Support – Elderberry has been studied for its role in reducing cold and flu duration.
2. Natural Remedy – Making my own avoids the artificial dyes, additives, or unnecessary and excessive sugars found in store-bought syrups.
3. Cost-Effective – A homemade batch costs a fraction of what health stores charge for pre-made syrup. The bag I linked from Amazon has made me about 5 batches!
4. Family Friendly – With honey’s help of natural sweetness, all my kids love it. The whole family gets in line to take a dose!

Final Thoughts

Elderberry syrup is more than just a home remedy—it’s a way of caring for your family naturally, right from your own kitchen. 

Let me know if you make this and what you think!

Pregnancy is a remarkable journey, filled with anticipation, joy, and a fair share of challenges. I have enjoyed each pregnancy overall; all the temporary aches and pains were, of course, well worth it.

My most recent pregnancy journey was quite a story. In sharing this first part of it, I hope I can provide some laughs and encouragement!

In 2021, we had 3 children, all of whom were in school and mostly independent (our youngest was 6 at this point). My husband and I talked back and forth the whole year of 2021 about whether we wanted to add just one more to our family. In December, we decided, “YES, let’s try!” Fast forward to June 2022 – we finally got a little pink line! We were so excited and started dreaming of our life with this new little one added to the mix. I scheduled my first doctor appointment, and I was anxiously awaiting July to roll around. I kept myself busy working, doing some travel, keeping the normal home routine going, and finally, July 13th was here. 

My husband came with me to that first appointment while the older kids were in school. As routine, we checked in, and I took the confirmation pregnancy test. They said it would take 10-15 minutes. We got settled in the waiting room, and the nurse came out literally 2 minutes later saying, “You are VERY pregnant! Let’s go to the ultrasound room.” WOW… okay!

I laid down in the dark ultrasound room, and my husband held my hand – excitement just beaming out of both of us! I remember the nurse was starting to look around in my belly with the wand, and my husband said, “That test came back really quick, does that mean there’s 2 in there?? HAHA” The nurse chuckled, and on the screen, she stopped. “Dad, how did you know? There’s one…and there’s two! Congratulations, you have twins!”

WAIT…WHAT?! I WAS TOTALLY JOKING.

We both busted out just laughing – excitement, disbelief, nervousness all balled up. We looked at each other with wide eyes – what are we going to do??

The first trimester was a crazy blur. I had all the questions – even though this was not my first pregnancy, I had so many thoughts, questions, and worries. “How will this differ from a singleton pregnancy?” “What special preparations do I need?” “How can I ensure the health and well-being of both babies and myself?” I dove into research and blogs to learn as much as I could. 

I started showing at 10 weeks and we started documenting the growth each week with pictures and fruit size comparisons. It was a ton of fun each week. We also had to start looking for a vehicle that would fit our whole family! (We joined the Honda Odyssey van family). I started researching baby items again since it had been over 6 years. So.Many.Items.

If you happen to be here right now, I would recommend getting plenty of rest, exercise, and nutritionally dense food! Growing twins suck everything out of you! I was so tired even after doing nothing, and morning sickness was real. My go-to for curbing that was strawberry milk. No science behind that I’m sure! By week 14-15 people I had some of my normal energy back, for now.

Stay tuned for Part 2 of my Journey with Twins + 3!

I would love to hear from you:

🫶🏻What was your first appointment like?

🫶🏻Any other twin moms out there? What were your initial feelings?

🫶🏻What helped you through the first trimester?

🫶🏻What fun ways did you document or announce?