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Saturday Salutes ~ Seven Soups for Fall

October 19, 2019 by Tracey 2 Comments

Our temperatures dipped in coastal South Carolina this week, and I pulled out a soup recipe to celebrate! I decided to take a different spin on our regular Saturday post and “salute” my favorite soups for this time of year.

At the top of my list is this Corn and Potato Chowder. Several years ago, friends invited us over and served this soup. I immediately asked for the recipe, and have been making it ever since.

However, if I’m looking for convenience, this Slow Cooker Bacon Corn Chowder is very similar, and I love that I can put it in the slow cooker in the morning to be ready when we walk in the house for supper. (If you’re in the market for a slow cooker, I recommend this one.)

Our younger daughter and I really enjoy this Loaded Potato Soup. I’m not sure where I got this recipe originally, but I posted it here on the blog MANY years ago!

I’ve tried several of Trisha Yearwood’s recipes, and one of my favorites is Trisha’s Chicken Tortilla Soup.

Here’s another one for the slow cooker. Spicy Beef Vegetable Soup is now labeled as a stew but was called a soup when I first printed the recipe. It definitely has enough liquid to feel like a soup.

If you’re looking for a classic, this is my favorite Roasted Chicken Noodle Soup. However, I do make some changes to the recipe. I leave out the celery (which no one in our family likes) and potatoes, then substitute broken-up angel hair pasta for the egg noodles.

It doesn’t get much easier than this Taco Soup. Christy includes instructions for gathering all your ingredients into a bag ahead of time to really streamline the preparation.

Let me know your favorite type of soup! Hope you have a wonderful weekend!!

This post may contain affiliate links, which means that if you click on a product link and make a purchase, I’ll receive a small percentage from any sales.  This does not affect your price in any way.

Filed Under: Salute

Saturday Salutes ~ Keep It Classy, Mom Life Hacks, and a Pretty Fall Patio

October 12, 2019 by Tracey 2 Comments

I’m LOVING the cooler temperatures we’ve had lately! Makes my morning walks in the neighborhood so enjoyable.

Here are some interesting posts I found this week.

Joy gives advice on How to Be a Better Homemaker.

Christy talks about When Beauty is Fleeting in a Camera-Happy World.

Jennifer lists 5 Ways to Keep it Classy in a Trashy Society.

Rachel shares a great list of 10 Hacks to Uncomplicating Mom Life.

I love Sarah Joy’s Cozy Fall Patio + 12 Fall Doormats.

I’m taking this Apple Crescent Roll Pastry Ring to our Sunday School class for breakfast tomorrow, so I hope it tastes as good as it looks!

And if you’re already thinking about Christmas shopping, I really liked this list for kids from Country Living.

Have a wonderful weekend!!

Filed Under: Salute

Saturday Salutes ~ a Joyful Outlook, Fall Decor, and the Books I Read in September

September 28, 2019 by Tracey 4 Comments

Kari shares 5 Things to Remember in Hard Times.

Betsy gives us 3 Truths When You Need a More Joyful Outlook.

Joy tells us How to Decorate for Fall on a Budget.

These Pumpkin Spice Krispie Treats sound like they would be a delicious treat for fall!

I read a good number of books this month. These first two were non-fiction.

If you’re looking to create new habits of any kind, I highly recommend Atomic Habits by James Clear. He outlines a very practical process for making small changes that can have big results in our lives.

Covert Cows and Chick-fil-A: How Faith, Cows, and Chicken Built an Iconic Brand by Steve Robinson was an excellent book on leadership and company culture. Robinson is the former Chief Marketing Officer at Chick-fil-A.

During our slower-than-normal week as we waited for Hurricane Dorian, I re-read 6 of the Betsy~Tacy books by Maud Hart Lovelace. This was my favorite book series as a child! I started with Heaven to Betsy, which covers her freshman year of high school, and read through the last one, Betsy’s Wedding.

I read another book by Laura Frantz, The Frontiersman’s Daughter. I’ve read a good many of her books over the last couple of months.

A few pages into Imposter by Davis Bunn, I realized that I’d read this book before. However, I didn’t remember how it ended, so I read it all the way through again – and it was worth it!

Finally, I’ve been listening to this song often since a fellow mom-of-a-college-freshman introduced me to it a few weeks ago. And yes, it can be tear-inducing!!!

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!!

This post may contain affiliate links, which means that if you click on a product link and make a purchase, I’ll receive a small percentage from any sales.  This does not affect your price in any way.

Filed Under: Salute

Saturday Salutes ~ Powerful Prayers, Verse Mapping, and Habits for Well-Adjusted Kids

September 21, 2019 by Tracey 6 Comments

We’re having some amazing fall weather here in South Carolina!! We’ll be back to ninety degrees next week, but we plan to get outside and enjoy the cooler temperatures today.

Deb tells us How to Pray Powerful Prayers: 4 Questions that Will Change the Way You Pray Forever.

Arabah explains one of her Bible study methods in Verse Mapping for Beginners: How to Unlock the Scriptures.

I’m preparing for the parenting years just ahead of me by reading Deb’s advice in How to Love Your Adult Children Really Well.

There’s a reminder of some helpful parenting principles in Boundaries, Routines, and Early Bedtimes: 13 Habits that Raise Well-Adjusted Kids.

A Neutral Fall Centerpiece is featured in an older post of Sarah’s, but it would certainly work for your fall decor this year!

It’s just about time to make my favorite Pumpkin Pie Bread! [Note: It’s not part of the recipe, but I often stir in a cup or so of chocolate chips before putting the batter in the pan to bake.]

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Filed Under: Salute

Saturday Salutes ~ Enemies of Faith, Everyday Rituals with Kids, and Care Packages

September 14, 2019 by Tracey 3 Comments

Hope your week has been a good one! It’s been a fairly quiet week here, which has been nice. Enjoy these helpful posts I’ve come across recently!

Carolina shares The Enemies of Faith and How to Overcome Them.

Kristen writes For All the Parents Who Don’t Know What They Are Doing (So, Basically Everyone)

Christie has 10 Everyday Rituals That Mean a Lot to Kids.

Jenn has 9 Psalms to Read with Your Kids at Bedtime.

I immediately pinned this post of 15 Adorably Unique College Care Packages You Can Order on Etsy. I didn’t even realize this was a thing! Some of these care packages would work for more than just a college student who’s away from home.

These Chicken Bacon Ranch Pull Apart Rolls will be making an appearance on our menu soon!

This week I’m reading Steve Robinson’s book Covert Cows and Chick-fil-A: How Faith, Cows, and Chicken Built an Iconic Brand. It’s an excellent read…except I’m frequently craving a CFA chicken sandwich!!

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

This post may contain affiliate links, which means that if you click on a product link and make a purchase, I’ll receive a small percentage from any sales.  This does not affect your price in any way.

Filed Under: Salute

Saturday Salutes ~ Meditation, Growing in Busy Seasons, and Change

September 7, 2019 by Tracey 4 Comments

Our week centered around Hurricane Dorian. My daughter was out of school all week and my husband’s office was closed, so we spent lots of time at home together.

Thursday we had winds around 40mph and plenty of rain. We lost electricity for about six hours. When it was over, there was small debris in the yard and a few branches down, but that was it.

We’re very thankful that there was no significant damage here, but know that many suffered great loss due to the hurricane. Our thoughts and prayers are with those families.

Here are the posts I found to highlight this week.

Kay shares a very practical method for meditation that I want to use myself in Why and How to Meditate on Scripture.

Jennifer gives advice on How to Be a Godly Woman in a Modern World.

Brianna tells us How to Grow in the Busy Seasons.

As we headed down to Florida a couple of weekends ago to drop our oldest daughter off at college, my sister sent me Deena’s post Change and the Unchangeable. It was one of the best things I’ve read about sending your child to college.

I enjoyed reading through these 15 Easy Tips for a More Inviting Home.

Today we’ll just be over here getting ready for what will hopefully be a “normal” week ahead! Hope you have a wonderful weekend!!

Filed Under: Salute

Saturday Salutes ~ Knowing Your Child’s Heart, Recipes I’m Trying, and the Books I Read in August

August 31, 2019 by Tracey 4 Comments

We’re settling into a new rhythm here at home. Our daughter seems to be adjusting well to college, and I get excited when we receive little updates from her.

Here are some helpful posts I’ve found around the Web lately.

Lori shares 10 Ways to Dial into Your Child’s Heart.

Susan gives advice on How to See the Sweetness in the Stress of Caring for Two Generations.

Ayanna lists 5 Simple Steps to Becoming a Better Wife.

I’m always looking for a new recipe to take to breakfast for our Sunday School class. This Croissant Breakfast Egg Casserole is what I’ll be trying next!

I also want to try more sheet pan dinners. Both this Sheet Pan Pasta Bake with Chicken and Kale and this Sheet Pan Pesto Chicken with Asparagus, Tomatoes, and Walnuts will be on our menu soon.

I read one non-fiction book in August, but it was fairly long. First: Sandra Day O’Connor by Evan Thomas was a very interesting read. Now that I have this author’s perspective, I’d like to read a couple of other books about the first woman appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court.

I finished two fiction books, both by Laura Frantz. Lately, I seem to find an author I like and read all his/her books in a row. Both The Colonel’s Lady and Courting Morrow Little were excellent reads.

We’ll be getting lots of house projects done this weekend, including updating and rearranging our younger daughter’s bedroom. Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

This post may contain affiliate links, which means that if you click on a product link and make a purchase, I’ll receive a small percentage from any sales.  This does not affect your price in any way.

Filed Under: Salute

Saturday Salutes ~ Planning for the School Year, College Drop Off, and Beloved Picture Books

August 10, 2019 by Tracey 5 Comments

Our daughters and I are making the last trip of the summer to spend a few days with my family out-of-state. We’ll be back for the girls to have a few more “sleep-in” mornings before our youngest starts school on August 19th. I know it’s cliched, but seriously, where has the summer gone??

Some weeks I have to dig for posts to share here, but this week I found some really good ones just in my regular blog browsing.

You know this post is right up my alley – College Drop Off: How to Handle this Gut-Wrenching Milestone.

Lisa shares A Mom’s Guide to a Great School Year.

Elizabeth writes Who You Are Is Not Outside You…and 17 Other Things I Want My High School Daughter to Know.

Jennifer has a great list of books in her post Every Child Will Treasure These Beloved Picture Books.

Arleen tells us Why You Should Stop Hitting the Snooze.

You might be surprised by what Jennifer says is The Homemaker’s Best Friend.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Filed Under: Salute

Saturday Salutes ~ God’s Plans, Calming Psalms, and a Reading Update

August 3, 2019 by Tracey 6 Comments

Much has happened in the last couple of weeks! My husband and I celebrated our 28th anniversary on July 27th. Our daughters have been away at camp all this week, so we took a quick overnight trip to Kiawah Island. It’s been nice to have time for just the two of us!

Now I’m ready to welcome our girls back home this afternoon. It’s only three weeks until we drop our oldest off for her freshman year at college. I’m trying to process all that while preparing our youngest for her junior year of high school which starts on August 19th.

Here are some helpful posts I found over the past few weeks.

Jennifer asks Are Your Deadlines Flexible to God’s Plans?

Briana lists 4 Questions to Ask Yourself to Prune Away What Hinders Growth.

Danielle gives us 7 Psalms to Help Calm Anxiety.

Chelsia shares 5 Ways to Be Supportive of a Spouse Who Travels for Work.

And if you plan to travel with your children, Cori has Our Favorite Things to Do in NYC in the Summer with Kids.

Here’s an update on the books I’ve finished lately.

Both of my non-fiction books were re-reads. The Next Right Thing by Emily P. Freeman and Give Them Wings by Carol Kuykendall and Krista Gilbert were just what I need for the month ahead!

I read two fiction books. Effective Immediately was the third book in The Agency Series by Chautona Havig. I really enjoyed Love Starts with Elle by Rachel Hauck.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

This post may contain affiliate links, which means that if you click on a product link and make a purchase, I’ll receive a small percentage from any sales.  This does not affect your price in any way.

Filed Under: Read, Salute

Saturday Salutes ~ Growing in Faith, Hard Parenting Tips, and Cheap Summer Activities

July 20, 2019 by Tracey 4 Comments

It’s the weekend again! I realized this week that my younger daughter begins her junior year of high school one month from yesterday. I’m trying not to let that get lost in the shuffle of college preparations for our oldest!

In the meantime, we’re fitting a lot into this final month of summer…including some family badminton matches. We have a set similar to this one that’s held up well so far in our backyard.

I didn’t intend to have so many parenting posts in this roundup, but that’s what I found this past week.

Ayanna has suggestions for Why You Are Not Growing in Your Faith.

If you have teen or young adult children, I highly recommend you read Lisa’s 7 of the Hardest Parenting Tips You Will Ever Need.

Nancy shares 3 Choices Your Teen Needs to Make Every Day.

Lara lists 7 Things Your Strong-Willed Child Needs from You.

Mary shows us 10 Kids’ Summer Activities Using Dollar Tree Items.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

(This post may contain affiliate links, which means that if you click on a product link and make a purchase, I’ll receive a small percentage from any sales.  This does not affect your price in any way.)

Filed Under: Salute

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Welcome! I'm Tracey, wife and mom to two teenage girls. I seek to help Christian moms raise children who know, love, and serve God by sharing Biblical wisdom, helpful tips, and practical advice. Read More…

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