Our son Brandon and his wife Jennifer were home for Christmas from Germany. It had been a very long 2-1/2 years since we’ve seen Brandon and we were so excited to have him home. I really just wanted to sit and stare at him for hours – with an occasional hug for good measure. But, …
Well, how many times have we seen various chefs, moms, and bloggers claiming to possess the “Best Chicken Enchilada Recipe Ever”? But, guess what? I concede, my recipe – or the recipe I’ve used for years – may not be the best. (I hate to admit that! Sigh…) I just read a recipe on Ali’s blog over …
I love pizza. I love whole wheat pizza dough. So, it’s no surprise that one of the very first recipes I’m sharing here on The Birch Cottage blog is my favorite whole wheat pizza dough recipe. My husband, Lenny, and I took a trip to Niagara Falls, Canada a few years ago and while there, we …
I may have mentioned this or maybe you already know this about me, but sometimes I think I’m the funniest person I know! Seriously! I TOTALLY crack myself up. Well, when I’m not amusing myself by being funny, I’m sometimes amusing myself by being clever. And, believe it or not, this is one of …
A couple of weekends ago, my hubby and I went on a trip for a long weekend. Included in our trip was four hours of shopping at the IKEA store in West Chester, Ohio. This was our very first visiting an Ikea store! We were both amazed and overwhelmed with the selection. My Lenny was …
I spent some time today perusing The Wood Grain Cottage‘s blog. Shayna is the creative voice at The Wood Grain Cottage and she has some incredible projects featured on her blog. If you haven’t been to her site – go there now! One of the projects on her site that caught my eye was the …
I downloaded the “Building a Framework” eBook from Abby Lawson of Just a Girl and Her Blog entitled “Building a Framework” (you can read about it here). I’m not even half-way through the book, I am already feeling inspired. I have so many thoughts and ideas about what I’l like to share with each of you, …
Browsing through Martha Stewart’s website today, I discovered that you can actually make your very own chalkboard paint. Not only can you make your own chalkboard paint, but you can make it in any color you want and – maybe the best part – at a fraction of the cost! How did I not know …
These Healthy Chocolate Chunk Muffins are not just a healthy alternative to chocolate muffins, but they taste amazing! Part of my quest for eating healthier means trying to find alternatives – especially those that help satisfy a sweet tooth. I found this recipe which happens to be a Whole Foods Vitatop Muffin copycat. I found …
Believe it or not, but I’m really sticking to this whole eating healthier journey that I’ve begun. My weight loss has been at a stand still for a couple of weeks, but I actually saw the scales move again yesterday – down 1-1/2 pounds. I’ll take it! The weather has also been a little nicer …
Lenny and I were fortunate enough – or maybe stupid enough or adventurous enough – to travel from our home in Ohio to San Diego, California and back last summer. We made the trip in our trusty Ford Freestyle, while towing our little pop-up camper behind us. We made many stops along the way, with …
I am still in the process of getting my blog setup, but I wanted to post my very first official post anyway! I am super excited to be sharing creative projects, DIY projects, recipes, photography tips and family stories. From my family to yours, welcome to our little cottage!