Everything at Deals to Meals revolves around our families. Planning healthy meals, learning to live on a budget and enjoying time together. We love sharing our favorite traditions, parenting tips, and helpful ideas on how to manage a household.
Lemon Bar Perfection
July 2, 2019 | No Category | Deals to Meals
These past couple weeks have been a roller coaster of emotions. Our oldest daughter left a week ago for her mission for our church and flew to Mexico for 6 weeks and then onto the Dominican Republic. We are so excited for her, but also missing her so much. We feel so blessed…
KSL News Story: 14 Simple Ways to Save on Vacation Costs
June 7, 2019 | No Category | Deals to Meals
Last week was such a riot! It’s not very often you find your family picture on the front page of the most popular news station in the state 😉 My kiddos thought that was pretty cool. I was abl…
KSL5 News Story Link
July 23, 2018 | No Category | Deals to Meals
Our news story posted last week in case you missed it. KSL 5 Story: How to save on food during your family vacation Here’s the link to our story. For those new readers from KSL, don’t forget to take advantage of our HUGE discount for a membership…
Lemon Berry Ricotta Stuffed Danish Pancakes
May 30, 2018 | No Category | Deals to Meals
My parents just returned home from a month long vacation to Europe. Their pictures and videos they sent home made us all anxious to be there with them! Not only their pictures of the beautiful scenery, but also their food pictures were enough to make us drool. Their last sto…
Memorial Day 2018
May 28, 2018 | No Category | Deals to Meals
Hope you had a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend! We sure did 😉 Wonderful family time, great food, memories of those we love, honoring those who serve our country and more. You name it, it was a great weekend! God Bless America.
5 Simple Grocery Shopping Tips to Save Thousands!
May 22, 2018 | No Category | Deals to Meals
Looking for ways to cut back on your food budget? Jordan Page from Fun Cheap or Free shared 5 Simple Grocery Shopping Tips to Save You Thousands on her blog awhile back. The tips are still relevant and exactly what I am still doing today! Head over to Jordan’s blog to …
Spicy Chipotle Pork Street Tacos
April 4, 2018 | No Category | Deals to Meals
The other day I was plum out of ideas as to what to make for dinner. I had only a few bell peppers in my fridge, an onion and some corn tortillas. I didn’t have time to thaw some chicken, so I turned to a roll of Jimmy Dean Sausage I had in the freezer […]
Turkey Stuffing Casserole
April 2, 2018 | No Category | Shandra
I hope you had a wonderful Easter weekend! We are enjoying the weekend in the beautiful and sunny St. George with family. It has been wonderful to relax, spend time in the sun and be together thinking about our Savior and His sacrifices for us. My in laws spoiled us wi…
Easter Passover Meal and Steak Pita Sandwiches
March 29, 2018 | No Category | Shandra
One of our families favorite traditions is our annual Passover Dinner. It is such a special night to eat a delicious meal and celebrate all that our Savior’s life (and death), means to each of us. Over the years we have evolved this tradition and this year was my favor…
Meal Planner Monday: Rainbow Bread
March 26, 2018 | No Category | Deals to Meals
There isn’t a more festive and fun recipe to highlight from our meal planner this week than this Rainbow Bread. We made this a couple years ago and it has forever since been a tradition to make every holiday. The kids can’t get enough of this super fun bread. It …
St. Patrick’s Day Family Feast
March 16, 2018 | No Category | Deals to Meals
Ready for St. Patrick’s Day tomorrow? Here’s a link to our favorite meal we always eat sometime this weekend. Delicious Irish Potatoes, Corned Beef & Cabbage, Green Jello and Green Rolls (of course). Login to Deals to Meals to find all of your favorite St. Pa…
Ray of Sunshine on an Otherwise Sad Day
February 15, 2018 | No Category | Deals to Meals
The real meaning of Valentines. With all the sadness and heartache for the families in Florida yesterday, these roses brought a ray of sunshine to so many. A group of young men from Herriman High School saved their money and bought 1500 roses to pass out to every girl for Va…
Christmas Updates 2017
December 27, 2017 | No Category | Deals to Meals
Hi Friends! Hope you had a wonderful Christmas. We had a great time with family and loved celebrating the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. I hope your weekend was special as well and you get a little break until the New Year.
Help a family in need {$400 Walmart Giftcard Giveaway}: Nominate today!
December 17, 2017 | No Category | Deals to Meals
I am so excited to be able to share some amazing news with you!! Our friends at our local Walmart (Riverton, Utah) are sponsoring a $400 giveaway to families in need. We know this time of…
Christmas Tradition Fun!
December 16, 2017 | No Category | Deals to Meals
This past week has been so fun. A little crazy, hectic and amazing all at the same time. I love this time of year and all of the traditions that go along with it. Our family is so blessed to live so close to one another. I count this as one of my greatest blessings. [&hellip…
How to Fight Against Depression and Anxiety During the Holidays
December 6, 2017 | No Category | Desiree Ward
Anyone else feeling a little anxious that Christmas is just over two weeks away? I seriously can’t believe it. Time is flying by and there is much to be done. Although Christmas is a beautiful t…
Jordan’s Tips for ‘Shelf Cooking’ {Save Money & Time!}
November 30, 2017 | No Category | Jordan Page
Hey friends! Jordan is sharing some awesome grocery shopping and cooking tips on her website today. As I was reading over her post, I realized what sh…
His Day: Making Room for What’s Important
November 26, 2017 | No Category | Deals to Meals
This past week Todd and I returned from a really amazing (and quick) trip back east. In five days we made it to five different destinations and six airports. It was super crazy, but we had such a wonderful time together. Grateful to our friends Russ and Debi who were s…
Happy Thanksgiving 2017
November 23, 2017 | No Category | Deals to Meals
Happy Thanksgiving friends! Thank you for all of your amazing support and love through the years. Our family feels so blessed and can’t thank you enough for being here for us, and helping us through this journey on this blog!
Grandma’s Cherry & Chocolate Chip Jubilee Cookies
November 7, 2017 | No Category | Deals to Meals
In memory of Grandma, I decided to make her famous Cherry Chocolate Chip Jubilee Cookies, to remind me of cooking with her in her kitchen. My son and I had a great time making these same cookies my Gr…
His Day: We’ll Miss You Grandma!
November 5, 2017 | No Category | Shandra
This past week has been so full of emotions. My Grandma Lucy, who was 90 years old, had a sudden stroke last week. She was just at the park with us a few days prior, and healthy as can be. Since her stroke, she quickly went down hill and was only able to communicate to [&hel…
Happy Halloween 2017
October 31, 2017 | No Category | Shandra
From our creepy family to yours, we hope you had a wonderful Halloween! Yes, that is my sister who is the headless horseman on her black horse every year. It is such a creepy and amazing costume! I think she wins the award 😉
Bloody Cyclops Burgers with Halloween Roasted Potatoes
October 31, 2017 | No Category | Shandra
Who’s ready for Halloween tonight? I feel like this holiday has snuck up on us. I’m sure you already have dinner plans, but if you don’t, here is a simple meal I threw together last …
Vegan Stuffed Halloween ‘Pumpkin’ Bell Peppers
October 27, 2017 | No Category | Deals to Meals
Love these super fun…and spooky Halloween Stuffed Bell Peppers. Not only are they healthy, but such a fun activity for kids too. If you want more healthy recipes, make sure and follow Ellen @myn…
The Mom Conference Encore Day: Watch for FREE one last day
October 24, 2017 | No Category | Deals to Meals
I am sad the Mom Conference is coming to an end. Today is Encore Day where they are sharing the six most popular guest speakers from this past weekend. Many of these were my favorites too and I know w…
Day 2 of The Mom Conference is in full swing and we’re loving it!
October 18, 2017 | No Category | Deals to Meals
The Mom Conference is in full swing today! This is day 2 of 3 and I am LOVING this conference. If you are a Mom, this conference is for you. SO many tips, ideas, inspirational thoughts and motivationa…
Favorite Birthday Dessert: Pumpkin Cream Cheese Roll
October 14, 2017 | No Category | Deals to Meals
What could be better than a birthday and a pumpkin roll?!? Two things I completely love. Not to mention a day spent with family, friends and a night out with Todd. Can’t get better than that com…
Register Today for the FREE Mom’s Conference
October 11, 2017 | No Category | Deals to Meals
It’s that time of year again and I can hardly wait to participate in the Mom Conference. The Mom Conference is an online webinar hosted by our friend Desi from Unconventional Kitchen. Listening to this conference in the comfort of my home, eating dark chocolate a…
Weekend Wrap Up: Disneyland 2017
October 8, 2017 | No Category | Shandra
Thanks everyone for being patient with us this past week. We’ve been a little slower to answer work emails, write blog posts, etc. since we spent the week in California with the family. It was my husband’s family’s annual reunion and we had a great time pla…
Triple Chocolate Protein Pancakes and Conner’s 16th Birthday Celebrations
September 30, 2017 | No Category | Shandra
This past week it was my handsome sons sweet 16th birthday. We had such a fun time celebrating with family and friends and have a hard time believing …
Flashback Friday: 12 Bake Sale Favorite Recipes and How-To Videos
September 15, 2017 | No Category | Deals to Meals
Very Best Cinnamon Rolls EVER Bars, Bars and more bars are by far the biggest sellers of our annual charity bake sale. Here are a few of our all-time favorite bar recipes. Butterscotch Bar…
Annual Charity Bake Sale 2017: Raised $4000!
September 12, 2017 | No Category | Deals to Meals
Anyone who has followed our blog for awhile knows every year we host a charity bake sale. This is seriously one of our favorite days of the entire year. We live in such an amazing community and there are so many generous and sweet people. Every year we break our previous rec…
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
August 23, 2017 | No Category | Shandra
It’s official, as of today all five of our kiddos are back to school. It’s a bitter sweet day. I thought all I wanted was some peace and quiet and now that we have the house to ourselves, Todd and I feel a little sad. We’ve watched several Hallmarks and now…
11 Healthy, Creative and FUN Home School Lunch Ideas
August 14, 2017 | No Category | Ellen Johnson
Hi Friends! Do we have a treat for you? My dear friend Ellen Johnson has put together 11 of the most adorable, healthy, creative, delicious and FUN home lunch ideas you’ll ever see! She taught a…
Weekend WrapUp
August 13, 2017 | No Category | Deals to Meals
Had a fabulous week this week! Celebrated Todd’s second half of his birthday with an outdoor Sundance Theater Play of Joseph and the Technicolor Dream Coat. Had a surprise guess showing of David Osmond which was fun! Went on a date with friends to Parade of Homes (and …
Easiest Summer Birthday Cake: Campfire Chocolate Marshmallow Cake
August 11, 2017 | No Category | Deals to Meals
I was looking through my files and came across a cake picture that I forgot to share with you from last year. This cake is so stinking cute and would be perfect for any end of summer gatherings, or su…
Todd’s 40th Birthday Shenanigans
August 5, 2017 | No Category | Shandra
Hey friends! Hope you had a great weekend. We had a wonderful time celebrating Todd’s BIG 40th birthday. We had lots of friends, food and fun! And of course we had WAY too many hot dogs and peanut butter chocolate treats in honor of T-Dawg 😉 So grateful for amazing …
Moving Weekend–Feeling so Grateful
July 30, 2017 | No Category | Deals to Meals
This past week has been so difficult. I’ve heard moving can be as traumatizing as a death or divorce. I’m not sure if that’s true, but it is interesting how you have to go through a grieving process. I know this has only begun and there will be more tears t…
5 Favorite Camping Meals to Simplify Your Summer (So easy your kids can make them!)
July 27, 2017 | No Category | Shandra
This post is probably coming a little too late, but in case you have a trip planned later this summer, I wanted to share a few tips to make camping ea…
Bear Lake Highlights–Favorite Summer Gadget and Fun Kid Game
July 26, 2017 | No Category | Shandra
Summer wouldn’t be complete without our family reunion in Bear Lake Utah. We have been going here since I was a young girl and it is one of my very happiest places on earth. The water is so blue…
#HisDay Foundation of Christ
July 23, 2017 | No Category | Shandra
While camping up in Bear Lake this week we had the awesome opportunity of being at church with an apostle from our church, Elder Quinton L. Cook. We didn’t know he’d be there, but we ended up being on the second row and were able to hear Him bear his testimony of…
#His Day: Stay in the Boat and Stay Centered on Christ
July 16, 2017 | No Category | Shandra
The other weekend my family and I did one of our favorite summer activities. We LOVE to raft down the Provo river. This river isn’t a very aggressive river, but it is the perfect speed for lots …
Thursday Tip: Salad Dressings and Seasonings on the Go
June 29, 2017 | No Category | Deals to Meals
Now that vacation time is in full swing, I wanted to share a simple tip that makes eating on the go a little easier and inexpensive. When our family travels, I try and find places to stay that allow u…
Father’s Day Sweet Treats (Oreo-style)
June 15, 2017 | No Category | Shandra
It’s almost Father’s Day and that means every kind of snack, chip, cookie or treat is on sale this week. The Dad’s in our life must be known for having a sweet tooth! This is one of the only times a year that Oreo cookies go on sale for less than Costco. If…
It’s true–we are moving! Our home is for sale, check it out!
June 12, 2017 | No Category | Shandra
Typing this post has been several months in the making. I am still in denial that my family is moving. After 14 amazing, blissful, wonderful years in this home, it is time for a new adventure. I am no…
Trek 2017: What is our Sacrifice?
June 11, 2017 | No Category | Shandra
Pioneer Trek 2017 was the BEST!! This past weekend was one of the most amazing and spiritual experiences of my life. I am a changed person and I will be forever grateful for this sacred opportunity we had. Todd and I, my three teenagers, and 465 other youth and adults headed…
Puff Pastry Apple Roses
June 8, 2017 | No Category | Shandra
If you’re a fan of scanning Pintrest for delicious recipes, you’ve probably no doubt seen these Puff Pastry Apple Roses. They are literally everywhere online lately! These make the sweetest, most delicate dessert for any wedding shower, baby shower or ladie…
#HisDay: Friends and Family
May 28, 2017 | No Category | Shandra
For thirteen years we have lived across the street from one of the most darling families you could ever imagine. From the first time I met them, we knew we were kindred spirits and they quickly became family. These past couple months as we’ve helped them move, it’…
5 Ways to Create Your Perfect Day
May 2, 2017 | No Category | Brittany Jones
It’s Tuesday and that means I get to introduce you to another one of our amazing contributors on this blog. These women are so talented and I can’t wait for you to get to know them better as time goes on. Brittany Jones is no exception! I have known Brittany for …
#HisDay: Each Life That Touches Ours for Good
April 30, 2017 | No Category | Shandra
One of my favorite Hymns from church is a song titled, Each Life That Touches Ours for Good. I have been thinking about this song this past weekend and all of those beautiful people who have touched my life for good. I feel truly blessed to be surrounded by so many angels an…
Hot Corn Queso
April 26, 2017 | No Category | Ellen Johnson
Want a fun way to get to know your neighbors? Our neighborhood has started dinner groups and they are a blast. All you need are a couple people to host, and several people to attend. The person who hosts plans the main dish and then everyone else coming brings side dish…
#HisDay: God Loves Us Completely
April 23, 2017 | No Category | Shandra
This is one of my favorite quotes. I printed it off years ago and it’s still hanging in my bathroom all these years later. I read it every single day and find comfort in it’s message about God’s love. It’s such a great reminder that even though w…
Grocery Savings, Easter Highlights & Pintrest ‘Nailed-Its’
April 17, 2017 | No Category | Deals to Meals
How was your Easter weekend? I hope you had a wonderfully relaxing time with your family and friends. Our children’s school break was last week so we decided to go hang out in St. George with ou…
#HisDay: “Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed”
April 16, 2017 | No Category | Deals to Meals
Happy Easter Friends! Hope you are having a beautiful day spending time with family and worshiping our Savior on this special Sunday. Let us celebrate…
Easter Recipe Roundup: 16 Favorite Easter Recipes
April 13, 2017 | No Category | Shandra
Before all of your Easter meal plans are finalized, I wanted to share a few of our favorite Easter recipes with you, as well as others from the web. These blog authors are so talented and I’m excited to share there ideas with you (seriously…look at those chicks. …
Free Prince of Peace Digital Downloads: Creating a Sacred Easter Week
April 9, 2017 | No Category | Shandra
I can’t believe it’s Easter time already. It feels like it was just yesterday we were celebrating at my sisters house with our annual Passover meal. I love this time of year and the c…
Easter Gift Giveaway: FREE Living Scriptures Streaming Membership ($155 Value)
April 3, 2017 | No Category | Shandra
Friends, do I have a giveaway for you!? I am thrilled about this and can’t wait to share this giveaway with our readers. We are giving aw…
#HisDay: Optimism
April 2, 2017 | No Category | Shandra
Question of the day friends: are you a complainer or an eternal optimist? I am married to the most upbeat, optimistic person in the world! Todd is my hero. He has so many attributes I look up to. To be honest though…sometimes it can be hard to be married to someo…
#HisDay: Worth the Wait
March 19, 2017 | No Category | Shandra
I’ve been thinking a lot about God’s timing lately. I don’t know if it’s the beginning of a New Year, a new blog, family changes happening, or what it is exactly, but I keep thinking how grateful I am for a loving Heavenly Father who has a p…
St. Patrick’s Day Pancakes & Leprechaun Smoothies
March 17, 2017 | No Category | Deals to Meals
Happy St. Patrick’s Day everyone! For our clan that means waking up to some favorite green treats, a note from the Leprechaun, green milk and lots of cousin’s over for green pancakes and s…
Welcome Friends to our NEW Blog!
March 16, 2017 | No Category | Shandra
It’s official and we are ready to PARTY! What a crazy, fun, thrilling last two years this has been designing and putting together this blog. We couldn’t be happier with the way it turned out and we hope you love it too. Really, the only reason we have put th…
#HisDay: Do Your Best
March 12, 2017 | No Category | Shandra
Happy Sabbath! While creating this new blog I have thought long and hard about what I want this space to entail. I have pondered for many hours on what I have to offer the world that hasn’t already been done already. Or, honestly, hasn’t been done better than wha…
Vacation Favorites and Traditions
February 16, 2017 | No Category | Shandra
It’s been a few days back from our trip and I can’t stop thinking about how wonderful it was to relax and be with my family. For journaling purposes (I’m awful about that!) I wanted to share just a few highlights for you 😉 Our trip started in Anah…
Sunny California Get-Away
February 11, 2017 | No Category | Shandra
We have officially ran away from the snow and are spending some time in sunny California–and are loving it! Whether we’re playing at the ocean, spending the day at Knott’s Berry Farm, or hanging out at our condo, it’s been a great time. One way …
Planning the Perfect Party {Menu, Decor, Favorite Things}
January 20, 2017 | No Category | Shandra
Last week was my sisters 35th birthday and we decided to throw her a surprise birthday party. She is a huge fan of birthday’s so we wanted to make this one special. Instead of just going out to …
Happy New Year and Holiday Updates
January 2, 2017 | No Category | Shandra
Happy New Year! I hope you have had a wonderful Christmas, and Christmas break with your friends and family. We have loved every minute of this past week and I have taken advantage of no blogging and just hanging out with the fam. Our break has been nothing but slow, relaxin…
Christmas Swirl Bread
December 20, 2016 | No Category | Shandra
My sister is a bread genius! She is the one that came up with our Rainbow Bread that people have loved on You Tube. It is such a fun, creative way to take bread from boring to beautiful. Well, she decided to use this same technique and turn our favorite bread recipe into thi…
New Christmas Song: If I Were a Shepherd
December 14, 2016 | No Category | Shandra
Okay friends, I have a HUGE Christmas present for you from a dear friend of mine. She is the sweetest, most humble woman you would ever meet, and has a talent bigger than life. Her name is Stephanie and she lives here in my neighborhood. She surprised us this year wit…
#Lighttheworld: 25 Days in 25 Ways
December 1, 2016 | No Category | Shandra
I couldn’t be more excited about a new initiative our church has started today to help bring Christ back to the center of Christmas: #LightTheWorld. We all get so busy and it’s easy to get distracted during the holiday season. I am grateful for this new program t…
Holiday Traditions and Homemade Hot Chocolate
November 16, 2016 | No Category | Shandra
Anyone that’s followed this blog for awhile knows how completely important I feel traditions are for families. In fact, you could probably say I’m slightly obsessed with traditions. My parents made my childhood SO fun! In fact, many times I feel guilty that my ch…
Money Saving Tip: Prepackaged Chip Bags
November 16, 2016 | No Category | Shandra
For those who follow our Instagram (thanks mucho!) you might have seen a Money Saving Tip I shared earlier today. Making home lunches for my children can be a challenge and it can add up quickly. Although it is still much less expensive to send a home lunch, sometimes having…
Happy Veteran’s Day
November 11, 2016 | No Category | Shandra
Happy Veterans Day! Went to the most touching and patriotic program at my children’s school today (seriously, it’s the BEST school ever!). There were few dry eyes and we all left feeling so grateful for the men and women who serve our country. I feel so blessed t…
Happy Halloween 2016
October 31, 2016 | No Category | Shandra
Hope you all had a wonderful, happy and safe Halloween!
Cancun Update and 9 Favorite Mexican Recipes
October 21, 2016 | No Category | Shandra
Oh, it’s been good to be home and back in the swing of things. Todd and I went on a dreamy, romantic getaway last week to Cancun Mexico. We went with my sisters and their hubbys to an all-inclusive resort and had the best time of our lives. We had been to Cancun severa…
The Mom Conference Encore Day
October 18, 2016 | No Category | Shandra
Last week’s Mom Conference was amazing! I wasn’t able to watch all of the webinars since I was in Mexico, but the ones I was able to I loved. I always learn so much every time I watch their presentations. In case some of you missed this free conference, th…
Cherry Peach Cobbler with Brown Sugar Crumble and Summer Happenings
July 29, 2016 | No Category | Shandra
One of my favorite parts about summer is all of the fresh fruit that goes on sale. I love that fresh peaches, apricots, cherries, watermelon and cantaloupe are all on sale this week. I am a…
Our Favorite Things Giveaway: Sevylor Fish Hunter 6 Man Raft
July 25, 2016 | No Category | Shandra
Congratulations to Eraka B. who was the winner of our $25 Amazon Gift Certificate. We are excited to be giving away an another $25 gift card this week and highlighting another one of our favorite prod…
Our Favorite Things: Brookstone Pocket Projector
July 11, 2016 | No Category | Shandra
BROOKSTONE POCKET PROJECTOR Each week I am excited to share with you some of our family’s favorite products that make our life more enjoyable and fun! Whether it’s kitchen gadgets, specialty foods, or products my family uses on a regular basis, we want to …
Healthy Hulk Green Pancakes {with Spinach and Bananas}
July 6, 2016 | No Category | Shandra
No, it’s not your eyes. These pancakes are meant to be green. Before you mock them, or disregard this recipe, give them a try! We served these for a family breakfast this past weekend and…
S’more Cookie Bars and Summer Update
June 25, 2016 | No Category | Shandra
Sorry I have been awful at blogging this past week. We are spending some good, quality time disconnected this week with my inlaws and my family. We are on our annual week long reunion and having a blast. I really love the way his family does reunions. There are 9 sibl…
Happy Father’s Day {Favorite Family Tradition}
June 20, 2016 | No Category | Shandra
Happy Father’s Day to all of the amazing fathers and husbands out there! I am so grateful for all of the inspiring, strong, faithful men in my life. I couldn’t have asked for a better fath…
My Go-To Party Menu when throwing a shower, small party or ladies brunch
June 12, 2016 | No Category | Shandra
Spring and summer seems to be the time for weddings, baby showers and family parties. I wanted to share our go-to party menu that we use for baby showers, wedding showers, and ladies brunches when we …
5 Father’s Day Gift Ideas—your man and family will love {Special discounts for our readers!}
June 9, 2016 | No Category | Shandra
Can you believe it’s only a littler over a week before it’s Father’s Day? Father’s Day is one of my favorite days because I ge…
Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes
June 1, 2016 | No Category | Shandra
What is not to love about these super cute Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes? My dear friend Ellen made these for her daughter’s birthday party and I wanted to share them with you. If you have a birthday party coming up, or just want a fun, summer treat, this is the recipe…
Best Brownie Recipe EVER
May 30, 2016 | No Category | Shandra
Happy Memorial Day! I couldn’t be more grateful for the many men and women who have lost their lives and give of their time and talents to serving our country. I am grateful every day to be an American and feel so proud and blessed to live in this great nation. …
Happy Mother’s Day!
May 8, 2016 | No Category | Shandra
Just wanted to wish all of you amazing women and mothers a Happy Mothers Day! I’m so grateful for all of the beautiful and inspiring women who have touched my life. I’m also grateful to have the privilege of being a mother to these five kiddos. Hope you’ve …
Homemade French Bread Video
April 19, 2016 | No Category | Shandra
Subscribe to Deals to Meals on YouTube so you don’t miss any of our cooking videos. This is our most popular recipe on our blog {Homemade French Bread}, so we thought we’d show you how simple it is to make. Hope you love it! If you do, pass it along, would…
Easter 2016 Family Updates and Traditions
March 29, 2016 | No Category | Shandra
I hope you had a wonderful Easter weekend! We had a great time enjoying some of our family’s favorite traditions and spending time in sunny St. George with our extended family. It was great to get away while the kids were out of school and have some quality family time…
Flashback Friday: “He is Risen Rolls” and Easter Bunny Orange Rolls
March 25, 2016 | No Category | Shandra
Before Easter was here, I wanted to share with you a couple of my favorite past Easter recipes and traditions I thought you might like. I am all about…
Happy St. Patricks Day and get cereal for only $1.10 a box!
March 17, 2016 | No Category | Shandra
Happy St. Patricks Day everyone! Did you have your breakfast of champions this morning? The one day a year I don’t feel any guilt eating sugar cereal. I loved every bite, and of course had to sa…
Hooray!
February 24, 2016 | No Category | Shandra
Hooray–we are out of the snow, and in sunshine and blue sky! Thanks for letting us take a break over here at Deals to Meals and get some much needed (okay, wanted AND needed) time with family. We are loving every minute of sun, good food, and making some great memories…
Valentine’s Desserts: Raspberry Cheesecake, Double Chocolate Bundts, Cherry Chip Brownies & MORE!
February 9, 2016 | No Category | Shandra
How was your weekend? I hope all of you had a great game day weekend. We didn’t watch the Super Bowl, but we had a great time being together and…
Merry Christmas from our family to yours!
December 25, 2015 | No Category | Shandra
From our family to yours, we wish you a very, Merry Christmas! May this holiday season be a time when you can slow down and spend some time with those you love and reflect on our Savior and the true meaning of Christmas. We will be spending time with our family and will be e…
4 Favorite Christmas Breakfast Casseroles
December 23, 2015 | No Category | Shandra
Cream Cheese French Bread Casserole What would Christmas morning be without a breakfast casserole? They are super easy to make the night before, throw in the fridge and then bake when you wake up in the morning. By the time you are done opening presents you’ll have a d…
Christmas Cranberry Craze! Cranberry Salsa, Cranberry White Chocolate Bread Pudding and More!
December 23, 2015 | No Category | Shandra
What would Christmas be without the sweet and sour flavor of cranberry? Cranberry is one of my favorite holiday flavors. Today I wanted to share with …
Annual Charity Bake Sale 2015–A great success!
September 30, 2015 | No Category | Shandra
Another charity bake sale down and we had a RIOT! This has been a tradition in our neighborhood for 4 years now and it is the highlight of my year. It is so fun to see the entire neighborhood come tog…
Happy Memorial Day
May 26, 2015 | No Category | Shandra
I am so grateful for all the selfless soldiers and their families who give their lives so valiantly for our freedom. We have so much to be thankful for on this Memorial Day and I hope we all say extra prayers of gratitude for the amazing country we live in. Feeling so blesse…
“He is Risen” Rolls and Five SIMPLE Easter Traditions
April 2, 2015 | No Category | Shandra
Around our house, if things aren’t simple, they just don’t get done. It’s annoying but true. There are days I beat myself up over the fact I am not a ‘Pintrest’ ki…
Life Changing Moments
February 12, 2015 | No Category | Shandra
Hi friends! If you haven’t noticed it has been a couple week’s since I last posted on my blog. It’s amazing how life can change in the blink of an eye. For those of you who follow me on instagram, probably have heard about the hard last several days our fam…
Merry Christmas!
December 25, 2014 | No Category | Shandra
Merry Christmas everyone! I am so thankful for each of you and all of your support throughout this past year. I truly hope you have a wonderful Christmas and have time to spend with those you love most. I am so thankful for a loving Savior who came to this earth to take upon…
8 Tips to Plan and Host a SIMPLE and INEXPENSIVE Christmas Party!
December 3, 2014 | No Category | Shandra
love to party! I love hosting. I love people and I love having people over to our house. It’s one of my favorite things in the world. However, I am not a cutsie-crafty-pintresty-kind of ga…
ABC Gratitude Game
November 26, 2014 | No Category | Shandra
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2GlPW5TKJfmb1U2MkFPa0x6T00/view?usp=sharing If you want a really simple and fun Thanksgiving game, this Gratitude chart is really fun. Have you played Scattagories before? My kids and I love that game and so we decided to create a holiday ve…
Uplifting Messages
October 7, 2014 | No Category | Shandra
Loved this weekend! Such a wonderful few days to sit with my family and enjoy uplifting messages from our church leaders. Here are some of the highlights my children remembered and I loved. We always gather together the Monday after Conference to put together a subway art of…
Mom’s Best Meatloaf
September 11, 2014 | No Category | Shandra
Since today is my Mom’s 60th birthday I thought I would post about one of her recipes that is my all-time favorite. This recipe for her meatloaf has been around for a long time and I have to say it’s the best I’ve ever had. Meatloaf is one of those things t…
Charity Bake Sale 2014-Best Cinnamon Rolls & Pesto Cheese Rolls
September 5, 2014 | No Category | Shandra
Another fantastic bake sale has come to an end. This is one of my favorite nights of the entire year. Besides the fact that all of the proceeds of our bake sale go to a local family in need, it is so …
Back to School Life Savers & Freezer Breakfast Burritos
August 27, 2014 | No Category | Shandra
Welcome to my home! Isn’t it a clean, peaceful place to be?!? Ha! I apologize for not blogging for the past week. You see..we moved into our house over 10 years ago and I decided that as soon as…
Best Buttermilk Pancakes
July 24, 2014 | No Category | Shandra
Here in Utah July 24th is a special holiday. It’s the day we get to pay tribute to our ancestors who went before us and settled this beautiful Salt Lake Valley. I have several ancestors who crossed the Missouri plains through hardships, died along the trail and …
Asian Turkey Lettuce Wraps & My First Half Marathon
June 26, 2014 | No Category | Shandra
It was nearly a modern day miracle the other night when I made a dinner without any butter or cheese-shocking I know 😉 I have to admit I am slightly addicted to these two ingredients and pro…
Angry Bird Chicken Sandwich & Favorite Restaurants in Banff Canada
June 17, 2014 | No Category | Shandra
I’m sure it’s not a surprise but one of the highlights of our vacation to Canada was the food. Besides the higher prices on food, we were thoroughly impressed with nearly every rest…
Pineapple Cream Cheese Cake & a Happy Birthday to Dad!
June 13, 2014 | No Category | Shandra
I just wanted to say happy 61st birthday to my amazing Dad! I love him so much and am so thankful for all that he has taught me. I feel so blessed to be his daughter and am so grateful to have …
“Orange” you glad it’s summer? Adorable end of school gift idea
June 5, 2014 | No Category | Shandra
How cute is this? My sister is watching a couple of our kids while we are out of town this week and this is what she gave my kids after they got home …
Cream Cheese Crescent Squares
April 21, 2014 | No Category | Shandra
Since I am completely awful about keeping a journal or scrapbooking, I hope you bear with me as I post a few pictures from our family’s weekend 😉 I hope you had a wonderful Easter as well. Ours was pretty low key but a lot of yummy food, family and fun. We had our a…
Chocolate Mint Oreo Cupcakes and St. Patrick’s Day
March 17, 2014 | No Category | Shandra
Happy St. Patrick’s Day! I hope the Leprechauns found your homes and brought you something yummy and green..or even better, a pot of gold 😉 Yesterday we were trying to th…
We need your prayers!
February 28, 2014 | No Category | Shandra
We need your prayers! https://www.facebook.com/prayersforlexihansen My husbands cousin Lexi Hansen was in an accident yesterday at BYU and is in a coma with severe brain injury. She was hit by a car while she was skateboarding and has less than a 1% chance of survival. Our e…
Vacation Updates, Favorite Restaurant in CA & Sugar Cookie Bar Recipe
February 25, 2014 | No Category | Shandra
I have to apologize for being such a slacker blogger lately. I had grand plans of having recipes ready to post before I went on vacation but time seemed to slip away from me. So, I am back home and re…
Peanut Butter Cookies & Annual Taste Test
February 20, 2014 | No Category | Shandra
If you have read my blog for awhile you would be familiar with our family’s tradition of our annual taste tests. All of us look forward to this fun part of our trips. This year we were excited to finally figure out which brand makes the best peanut butter. My husband a…
Happy Valentines Day!
February 14, 2014 | No Category | Shandra
Happy Valentines Day! Since I can’t give each of you a fresh bunch of flowers for Valentines Day, I thought I would give you a virtual batch 🙂 Walking to the pool yesterday I was amazed at all of the different varieties of flowers here in California. I thought of ou…
Lemon Chicken Picatta & 15th Anniversary
January 14, 2014 | No Category | Shandra
January 2nd is a special day in our family. Fifteen years ago I married my best friend. Celebrating our wedding anniversary around the New Year is such a great way to think about the many wonderful memories of the past year, and the blessing my marriage is to me. I ha…
Carribean Quinoa Salad
January 8, 2014 | No Category | Shandra
My name is Shandra and I love food. I think I need to go to a AAA for foodies. I am sure my love for food borders on an addiction. I pretty much eat, drink, sleep food. My job revolves around food, grocery sales, menu plans, food blogs, creating new recipes, teaching cooking…
Merry Christmas!
December 25, 2013 | No Category | Shandra
Merry Christmas from all of us here at Deals to Meals. We hope each of you are having a wonderful day with family and friends and are filled with the Christmas spirit of Jesus Christ. I am so grateful for Christ’s birth and what his life means to me and my family. I fe…
Favorite Family Tradition & Fondu Cheese Sauce
December 24, 2013 | No Category | Shandra
I can’t believe I had to make one last shopping trip to Walmart today. It was an absolute zoo!! You could hardly walk down the aisles–what was I thinking?! You would be shocked but I ran o…
Thanksgiving Highlights and Sweet Potato Dinner Rolls
December 3, 2013 | No Category | Shandra
I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving week. It is good to be back in a routine again…kids back in school, kitchen finally clean, house quiet, pumpkin pie eaten out of the fridge (I …
Restaurant Review: Best Bacon Cheeseburger
October 26, 2013 | No Category | Shandra
Last weekend our family spent our fall break in St. George visiting my husband’s brother and his wife. Judi is an amazing long arm quilter and has a blog and website that you will totally love. We love getting together and talking about our website’s and getting …
Oatmeal Pancakes with Blueberry Syrup
October 5, 2013 | No Category | Shandra
This weekend is one of my favorites of the entire year. There are few times when I feel justified to sit on my couch and eat delicious food for two days straight. Our church has what’s called General Conference where the leaders and prophet of our church speak t…
Bake Sale Success Take 2
September 24, 2013 | No Category | Shandra
Thank you to everyone who supported our annual charity bake sale. For those of you who are new to this tradition, it has become one of my favorite traditions in our neighborhood. Every year we choose a cause or family in our neighborhood who is need of a little love and fina…
Annual Taste Test 2013
September 3, 2013 | No Category | Shandra
Along with our Iron Chef Competition the children (and adults) always look forward to our annual taste tests. This is where our family chooses one (or several) items we would like to taste test and decide which brand, product or flavor is our favorite. We have done this trad…
Creamy Potato Chowder
September 2, 2013 | No Category | Shandra
For those of you who have followed my blog for awhile know my family and I have a reunion each year in Park City where we do a lot of fun and crazy traditions. With 16 grandchildren, most being under the age of 8, we have to be creative and find ways to keep [……
Sugar Ray BBQ Pork Chops & Happy Pioneer Day!
July 24, 2013 | No Category | Shandra
For those of you outside of Utah, you probably are unaware of our Utah holiday we celebrate tomorrow. You see, 166 years ago a group of hot, dirty, tired, hungry, famished, pioneers came to the Salt Lake Valley hoping to have a new start. A chance to finally practice their r…
Cut your vacation food budget in half
July 20, 2013 | No Category | Shandra
Summer is in full swing and here at Deals to Meals we are excited to help all of you save money on your vacation food budgets. If you are like my family, we love to vacation! With a family of 7 however, the food portion of our vacations can sometimes price our trips out of […
Peanut Butter Frosting & Birthday Cakes
July 19, 2013 | No Category | Shandra
(Good thing he is so stinking cute–it makes up for an ugly cake 🙂 Life is funny, isn’t it? When will I learn that if you throw judgement out to the world you will eventually have to eat your words. In this case, it’s birthday cake I&#…
Summer Vacations
July 9, 2013 | No Category | Shandra
Summer is in full swing and I am sure many of you are planning and having a great time on your summer vacations. Our family just got back from a week in Yellowstone and had a great time, saw a bear, ate lots of great food, walked miles of boardwalk, saw several hot pots, wen…
Zucchini Brownies
July 4, 2013 | No Category | Shandra
Happy Independence Day! I hope you have some fun plans this weekend to be able to celebrate this holiday, and the amazing country we live in. I feel so blessed to live in America. I am grateful for all of the freedoms we enjoy and for all those who have sacrificed so …
Butter Lime Corn on the Cob
July 3, 2013 | No Category | Shandra
Have you been asked to bring a side dish to your barbeques this weekend? Here are a few of our favorite side dishes that are sure to wow your friends & family! If you have not tried grilled corn on the cob yet, this will be a must on our holiday menu this week! [&…
Fall Off the Bone Baby Back Ribs & Fathers Day Tribute
June 14, 2013 | No Category | Shandra
I am super picky when it comes to ribs. I want the meat to just fall of the bone, I like them to be sweet and juicy and most of all I don’t want to deal with the sticky mess that they can …
Grilled Steak & Parmesan Herb Butter
June 11, 2013 | No Category | Shandra
We have one week to put together our anticipated Father’s Day Menu and I am excited to share with you some of Ellen’s and my favorite ‘man-food’ recipes. For my husband this would include anything meaty and stick to your ribs goodness. It would…
Welcome aboard Ellen!
May 31, 2013 | No Category | Diana Suker
There are times in life when you meet people and you know that somewhere, before this life you were friends. This is how I felt the first time I met my new, dear friend Ellen. I feel so blessed already, to have so many great friends, but I couldn’t have been happier wh…
Garden Time!
May 17, 2013 | No Category | Shandra
I can’t believe it is garden-time already! Could that picture get any cuter? My youngest son cracks me up! It is funny (or should I say sad?) how the older my kids get, the less they want to hang out with me. I knew those days would come but I am sad they seem […
Strawberry Cupcakes
May 12, 2013 | No Category | Shandra
Happy Mothers Day to all of you wonderful women out there! This is a great time of year to take time to give a special thanks to all of the amazing women in our lives who influence us for good, and help us be the people we are today. I know I will […]
Hola Amigos!
April 24, 2013 | No Category | Shandra
So, you may or may not have noticed, but I have been pretty much m.i.a. this past week. For years my husband and I have been saving up to go on a romantic get-away to Cancun and the much anticipated time finally came. We spent this past week in absolute paradise. Our …
Happy Easter!
April 1, 2013 | No Category | Shandra
Happy Easter to everyone! This Easter has been a little different than ones in times past. With everything going on with my burn and the care of it, we have spent less time in the kitchen and more time just being together. So, today I don’t have any fabulous recipes fo…
Cooking Gone Bad & Hard Life Lessons
March 27, 2013 | No Category | Shandra
Wow! Where do I begin? These past three days have been a bit of a whirl wind. There are so many thoughts running through my mind that I want to share with you I hope I can get them all out and make sense of them. All I can say is that Sunday was a […]
Annual taste test: Tortilla Chips
February 21, 2013 | No Category | Shandra
My family and I just returned from a week vacation to a little city near Palm Springs California called Indio. It is my most favorite trip we take all year because it gets us out of the gray, cold weather of Utah into the sunny, blue skies of California. I can’t tell y…
Happy New Year!
January 5, 2013 | No Category | Shandra
It’s a new year and if you are like me, you probably love the feeling of a new, fresh start. There are few things better than putting away all of the Christmas fun, boxing up the Christmas decorations and having an empty house again. I love the clean and organized feel…
Favorite Holiday Traditions
December 22, 2012 | No Category | Shandra
I am sure if you are like me, the traditions of the Christmas season is what makes this time of year so special. When I think back on my childhood, there are very few presents I remember, but there are those family traditions that I will never forget, and I have…
Cherry Pecan Cookies
November 9, 2012 | No Category | Shandra
There are moments in life where things happen and you take a step back and realize how precious life is. I feel like most days my life feels like it is on a runaway train. I feel like there is more to do than I will ever have time to accomplish. I think our to-do […]
Chicks with Sticks Annual Halloween Party
October 28, 2012 | No Category | Shandra
I know Halloween is nearly over, but I am excited to share one of my favorite Halloween traditions with you. Besides the fact my husband grills over 300 hot dogs Halloween night and we have a fun time hanging out with neighbors and friends, my second favorite Halloween tradi…
Mormon Bloggers
October 22, 2012 | No Category | Shandra
(Painting The Lord is My Shepherd by Simon Dewey–one of my favorites!) Over the past four years I have really enjoyed blogging and getting to know many of you as, what I consider, close friends. I have shared many aspects of my life; cooking, recipes, family traditions…
Manti Chicken Marinade & Smoritos
June 30, 2012 | No Category | Shandra
It’s nearly July 4th and for our family that means camping, family bbq’s & lots of roasted marshmallows. I am excited to share two of my favorite recipes to have when camping. I love a good ol’ grilled hot dog every now and then, but when …
Cherry Chocolate Brownies and Butterscotch Bars
June 1, 2012 | No Category | Shandra
Thanks to those of you who came and visited our charity bake sale. We had an absolute blast! It’s amazing how great service feels. We were all nothing but smiles, and sometimes tears at how generous and kind people are. It is a great reminder th…
First Annual Charity Bake Sale
May 29, 2012 | No Category | Shandra
We are having our first annual charity bake sale! A few friends & I took this idea from our friend Jamie and decided this would be a great opportunity for our children to get involved for a good cause. Our friend in our neighborhood works with an orphanage i…
Mother’s Day Brunch Ideas
May 9, 2012 | No Category | Shandra
Mother’s Day is not always my favorite holiday. You know, the guilt, the expectations…I tend to make the day less than appealing for us all (why are we so hard on ourselves as women??). However, if I think of MY amazing mother and not the mom I wish I…
It’s time to garden!
May 5, 2012 | No Category | Shandra
(Remember to get the kids involved with your garden! It teaches many life lessons & the value of hard work. Not to mention they’re cute little fingers planting itty-bitty seeds are so cute..it’s priceless!) I can’t believe it has been a year…
Christmas Tradition
January 3, 2012 | No Category | Krista
Have you ever been to Japan? I HAVE….at least sort of! Last year we started a tradition where all of the grandchildren that are four or older go on a “vacation” with Grandma Lou and Papi and only one set of parents to supervise. Last year it w…
Christmas Memories, Traditions & Recipes
December 27, 2011 | No Category | Shandra
I hope you each of you had a wonderful Christmas! We had a great time together and enjoyed being with family and friends. If you have read our blog for awhile you know I am HUGE into traditions. I think traditions are such an important part of family life. They give stabilit…
Quick and Easy Chili
October 28, 2011 | No Category | Shandra
There is one thing we are not lacking in our home, and that is holiday spirit. We may not be great parents in many aspects of life, but thanks to my husband, our home is a place of crazy-fun holiday traditions. The holiday festivities begin the first week in October with our…
Garden Rocks
June 21, 2011 | No Category | Shandra
I wanted to share with you a really fun idea my mom came up with for her garden. If you are like me, and you plant a bunch of plants and seeds at the same time it is easy to forget which plants you planted where. I often plant seeds and then as the plant […]
My Square Foot Garden Plan-2011
June 10, 2011 | No Category | Shandra
(My garden a month in the making–these plants were planted May 14th) Welcome to my gardening journey. This past month my family and I have spent many hours trying to get our garden plan ready. After learning about square foot gardening we decided this was the direction…
Fun family game ideas for your summer get togethers!
June 2, 2011 | No Category | Shandra
How was everone’s Memorial weekend? Here in Utah it was rainy and cold, but we ended up having a wonderful weekend despite the bad weather. This past weekend was a reunion filled few days of fun…
Annual Taste-Off: Potato Chips & Ranch Dip
February 19, 2011 | No Category | Krista
It was our annual family trip to CA a week ago, so the tradition of a family taste test lived on once again! This tradition started many years ago and we have taste tested pretty much everything from chocolate milk to macaroni & cheese. Last year we tested chocolate chip…
Not about FOOD but it sure is FUN! Homemade Pillowcases
February 18, 2011 | No Category | Krista
Lately, I have really enjoyed my small sewing projects. I had previously posted about the Happy Birthday banner, chaircover and placemat. It seems many of you were interested and excited about this id…
Homemade Birthday Banners and Placemat
January 28, 2011 | No Category | Krista
I realize the majority of our posts are about food, which I love! However, my next favorite thing in life are sewing projects. For no other reason than to ignite your own creativity I am posting about my most recent projects; a birthday banner, a birthday chair cover and a b…
Iron Chef Competition–here we come!!
September 3, 2010 | No Category | Shandra
I am a HUGE Food Network junkie and have always dreamed of being in a food competition. Well, yesterday I had my shot! Well, almost. We stayed the week in the Marriott in Park City and one of their activities during the week was an Iron Chef competition. Our family LOVES to …
Camping and Vacation Meal Planner
July 24, 2010 | No Category | Shandra
Dirt, smores, pot guts, sleepless nights, laughs, truth or dare, campfires, hot dogs, mofia, sunsets, pine trees, hikes, dutch oven breakfast, flat air mattresses, mosquito bites, and FUN. What do all of these things spell? SUMMER & CAMPING Thanks to my cute husband and …
Family Update: Blake is born
June 17, 2010 | No Category | Diana Suker
Our sweet “little” (or not so little) baby has arrived! Baby boy Blake arrived yesterday at 3:45pm weighing in at 9lbs 2 oz…He is another CHUBBY baby!
Introduction of Diana and Krista…
June 11, 2010 | No Category | Krista
I am excited to introduce two of my sisters who have been a great support and help for me and my company. Deals to Meals wouldn’t be here without their help! They will be contributing to my blog each week with interesting, helpful and delicious tips, so I wanted to int…
Birthdays, boys, and balls!
May 20, 2010 | No Category | Shandra
May is the birthday month in our family. We have 8 birthdays within a one week period in our family. We tried in the beginning to have individual birthday parties for each cousin, but that didn’t last very long. It was non stop birthday parties until we realized it was…
Thankful for many things!
May 16, 2010 | No Category | Shandra
(The oceans, lakes, wharfs, and harbors were breathtaking!) (Paul Revere’s statue across from the Old North Church–yes, I look (and feel) like I am about to POP!)(The graveside of Paul Revere, Samuel Adams, John Hancock, and many others who served in the American…
Green Pizzas, Green Cookies & Green FUN
March 22, 2010 | No Category | Shandra
(We even died the alfredo sauce green for our white sauce pizzas-yum!)I know, St. Patricks Day is over, and I am a SLOW blogger! However, I wanted to share our fun idea this year that we did. Last year I made green mashed potatoes, rolls, etc., but this year we wanted to hav…
Happy New Year!
December 31, 2009 | No Category | Shandra
What are your family’s traditions for New Year’s Eve? Our activities are not always the same, but they ALWAYS involve having delicious appetizers! One of our favorite family get together/party ideas is to have everyone bring their favorite appetizers for dinner. …
Last minute Christmas gift ideas
December 19, 2009 | No Category | Shandra
Many of us are looking for those last minute gift ideas to give family and friends. Why not give them a gift that will be practical and useful for the upcoming year. Here are a few gift ideas that are UNDER $20 that make great gifts or stocking stuffers: Under $10**Gift cert…
Christmas Tradition
November 17, 2009 | No Category | Shandra
How many of you get overwhelmed by the daunting task of doing neighborhood Christmas gifts? I remember a few years back needing to put together over 30 gifts for neighbors. Keeping track of who brought what, and what I brought people, became a time consuming part of the holi…
Homemade Aprons
October 2, 2009 | No Category | Shandra
Are you so proud, I found a hobby that is better for my waistline than cooking! Cooking is by far my favorite hobby, but next to that, it would have to be sewing. My friend found these DARLING patterns for retro aprons (from Hobby Lobby) that will make anyone want to spend m…
Build your own food storage shelves
September 8, 2009 | No Category | Shandra
Here are some quick facts about the food storage shelves my fabulous hubby built in our basement. Our storage room is not very big, but thanks to his great shelves, it actually fits a lot! Having a ‘food storage room’ really helps makes rotating and using your fo…
Family, Food, & Fun!
March 9, 2009 | No Category | Shandra
This is basically our family’s motto! We have an awesome family, who LOVES cooking, eating and having fun together! We are known for our ‘family reunions’ once a week where we all get together (19 & growing) and make a BIG meal, visit, and enjoy being …
Life's Lessons
October 17, 2008 | No Category | Shandra
I don’t know about you, but the last few weeks of economic uncertainty have had me ponder more deeply on the affairs of my family-economically, spiritually, financially. I was reading online an article written by Glenn Beck and thought it had some good advice in it on …
A Family Tradition
July 20, 2008 | No Category | Shandra
To many people the idea of having a ‘store’ in your basement is quite foreign. For me, it has been a family tradition. I was at my cute Grandpa’s house the other day and he was proudly showing me his very large and VERY organized storage room. I thought it …
Check out our video where we show exactly how to make this bread!
It was so nice to have so much time to ponder and think about life. There is one photo we took in New York that sums up my thoughts about our trip and this holiday season. As we went to all of our different stops (Orlando, Palmyra, Rochester, Manhattan and Boston), I kept thinking about how busy and loud the world is. This picture of the small church, squeezed in amongst three sky scrapers was telling to me. Don’t you feel that way sometimes? I feel like the world is trying to ‘squeeze out God’ in our lives. We are constantly told there is no room for Him, we can’t speak of Him and the government is trying to minimize His role and existence in our lives. We went from a quiet, reverent and special place in up state New York where 
Thanks everyone for being patient with us this past week. We’ve been a little slower to answer work emails, write blog posts, etc. since we spent the week in California with the family. It was my husband’s family’s annual reunion and we had a great time playing at Disneyland, Knott’s Berry Farm and St. George.
Not sure how to make homemade bread? Visit our 
If you want to support our friend Beverly with her breast cancer, feel free to send a donation to Venmo @Beverly-Ledward . This family is so strong and so faithful, they could really use the support and love you could send them. Anyone that’s been through cancer knows the medical bills, wigs, nutritional expenses, etc. add up quickly. There are many people in need around the U.S., but if you have a chance to help the Ledward family, I know it would be a huge blessing for their family. Thanks friends, you are the best!!
Hi Friends! Do we have a treat for you? My dear friend Ellen Johnson has put together 11 of the most adorable, healthy, creative, delicious and FUN home lunch ideas you’ll ever see! She taught a class for some ladies in our neighborhood and we were all speechless at how cute these ideas are. Not many of us, besides Ellen, would make lunches to this caliber every day, but use some of these ideas as a spring board for your children’s lunches. Let’s be serious, what adult wouldn’t love these lunches too? 
#6 Tortellini Extravaganza
#9 Bruschetta 
This year was extra wonderful because we got to take a break from packing our home and getting ready to move. (Yep, moving is the pits ;/) It was so nice to relax and not think about moving for a minute. We are home now, and reality is hitting, which makes me want to ball my eyes out. For a few days though, Bear Lake was a much needed summer retreat. 
Grateful to Todd and my Mom who never let us miss an opportunity to learn something. They took us on a tour of an old tabernacle building in Paris, Idaho. It was built in 1888 and ended up being really quite incredible. Amazing what the early pioneers created so many years ago. Despite the whining from a few kids who didn’t want to go on a tour, it was a nice break from the water. 
I hope you are having a wonderful summer too! I am sorry for my lack of blogging lately. Give me a week and we will be settled in our rental apartment and I will be back to blogging on a regular basis. I am ready for life to be ‘normal’ again and to spend some more time in the kitchen. I miss cooking and will be excited to share some new recipes with you! 
