Category Archives: Kitchen

I officially did it. I ran a half marathon and was able to check that off my bucket list. Many ask, “Why running?” Honestly, it was God’s answer to my prayer for a way to navigate this chaotic and challenging solo-parenting season while Blake is in school. Training wasn’t normal, finding time was really tough, and...

It appears our house has expanded into a mini backyard. We welcomed 11 chicks into the shed in May – all of which are named after food. We have Butter, Waffles, Pancake, Muffin, Pretzel, Smores, Sprinkles, Biscuit, Peaches, Caramel, and Turkey Sandwich. Hayden must have been hungry for lunch when he decided to name one...

One of the things our household looks forward to every spring is the start of rhubarb season. According to conventional wisdom, rhubarb should only be harvested in a month that does not have an “R” in it. For several years, Lynnette delighted in picking our first batch of rhubarb on the last day of April,...

Welcome to the Hjelmeland kitchen, where there’s never a dull moment and there’s almost always an experiment in progress! In my retro kitchen that looks straight out of the ’70s, you never know what recipe I might be whipping up on our teal countertops for my family of five to try. From sourdough bread made...

A time for everything

A Time for Everything, Ecclesiastes 3, is something that has come to mind this last month and describes some of the events that took place. It has been a month now since we said our goodbyes to Grandma B. here on earth. In her day she was a very involved...

May is here. Summer temperatures are entering the forecast. My half-marathon is this month, and Blake started his final semester of paramedic school. Talk about a great month! In my last article, I mentioned we are renovating our backyard to create play stations for the kids. I’m happy to say we are well on our way to...

I have lived in this area almost all my life, growing up in New Sharon and only moved away for college and a few years living in Waukee as newlyweds, but moved here in 2020. Can you believe that this was my first full experience going to Tulip Time?! I briefly remember seeing the parade...