Our Fantastic Fairy Garden!

 Kids are MAGICAL.  They just have all sorts of imagination and so many whimsical ideas.  So when my kids and I came across tiny little chairs, a little wheelbarrow, and a little door they knew exactly what to do with it.  We managed to find a Fairy and a Gnome to give some residents to our play.  

Small Turtles

Little Door

Our love of gardening meant that we needed a bit of a garden for this little patch of wonder and soon, we'd added a path and a little mailbox.  You know, in case the fairy mail carriers might have something to drop off! 


Placement of everything quickly shifted and took on it's own life as the kids moved the bits and pieces around according to that morning's pretend!  One day the Fairy is greeting the Gnome at the door and then next minute the Gnome is racing away on an adventure on his red scooter! It seems fitting that the kids are able to really explore the ideas that they pictured so vividly in their minds when we were bringing our purchases to life.  

We couldn't believe how much life our little Fairy Garden took on when we added all the moss.  Like a natural blanket of grass to bring a whole new dimension to our this little yard.  We have a very mossy yard, so we were able to borrow the bits from the shadowy corners of our garden. 

BEFORE MOSS

AFTER MOSS

 It's such a nice little home for children's thoughts! Every visitor to our home lately has been given the tour out to the Fairy Garden and the kids have spent hours out there making it a highlight of our day.  We keep finding new bits and pieces that will make this garden continue to be interesting.  

Thank you for visiting our Little Fairy Garden! Come again soon! 

MamaBolt and Her Instant Pot 2

As promised here are some of my FAVORITE ACCESSORIES for the Instant Pot!!!
Having an Instant Pot is one thing, knowing how to use it is completely another thing- and if you really want to dive in and use your instant pot to it's full potential you'll need to grab some dandy stuff.  It wont be my only Instant pot accessory product review, but it's a start.
First things first, your Instant Pot comes with stuff.  You'll get a trivet and some utensils.  These are great, and I use them all the time.  However, as far as the trivet goes- there are better options if you're willing to spend a bit of that hard earned cash. I'm happy to report that these products wont break the bank either.  As for the utensils, you'll be able to look around your cupboards and come up with ones with longer handles that might just be your trusted ol' favorite anyhow.

2-PCS FILWIN Food Steamer Rack for Pressure Cooker, Egg Vegetable Steam Rack Stand Basket Set, Egg Cooker Eggassist with 1 PCS Plate Bowl Clip

One of my first purchases to play with was this set of trivets.  These trivets are so awesome as they not only work for all of the pot-in-pot cooking that you'll want to try, but they are the best ever way to get hard boiled eggs.  Or better yet, have you heard of the Instant Pot Potato salad? Yeah, throw in them taters on top of your supplied trivet, place the new trivet on top with the eggs, Manual High for 5, Natural Pressure Release for 5 and then after your eggs and potatoes cool- you can add all your other favorite Potato Salad ingredients.  Credit and thanks given  to https://www.apinchofhealthy.com/classic-potato-salad/ for this amazing tip!

Lazy Susan Instant Pot

The next bit of kit that I'm so excited to rave about is my Lazy Susan... Ah, the ease of spinning my Instant Pot around so that I can release the pressure away from my cupboards!!! It's black, so by the look of things you wouldn't even know it's there.  I spun it around one day and my Mom said "How'd you DO THAT?" Felt pretty fancy!!! And now, I'll magically move my IP before your very eyes!!! Viola!!! 

Bluecell 12&xFFFD; Inch Heavy Duty Rotating Swivel Steel Ball Bearings Stand for Monitor/TV/Turntable/Lazy Susan

I'd love to hear any products you have used that are similar or that you've found to make using your IP better.  I love me a good scarf, but give me an accessory to my Instant Pot and we'll have the perfect crime! 😉

Mamabolt and Her Instant Pot 1

So like most of the world at large, I've become a bit obsessed with my Instant Pot.  It's a learning curve and I feel like I'm making the grade.
My Father-in-law uses his pressure cooker with such confidence.  Always giving me lessons on how to not blow up the kitchen.  After every lesson, I feel like I still am white knuckle driving and might as well be on my knees praying that the dinner won't explode.
This is not the case with the electric pressure cooker! I feel like I can chuck in the food that I want to cook dinner with and can be assured it will come out as dinner, rather than ugly wall art!
Now, it's okay if you're old school or live off the grid.  I admire those that have the patience for this kind of cooking with out a power cord, but I am just so happy to take the guess work out of knowing whether the pressure has come up and for how long to let it pressurize and depressurize.
Never say never though and my feared but loved pressure cooker might just make a great addition to the camping equipment, or better yet: a present for the boat! (Insert the OMGoodness! look from my husband... "Not another kitchen gadget on the BOAT!") Either way, seems I'm stuck with my old piece of kit because pressure cooking is here for dinner.
I have yet to try out any other brands of Electric Pressure Cookers other than the Instant Pot. The industry leader has so many features and accessories, recipes, instructional YouTube videos and blogs, etc. that it is a "no brainer" to just go with the most popular brand.










I saw the infomercial for the Instant Pot a couple years ago and had to have it.  I decided when my rice cooker died, that I would splash out and get it. A glorified rice cooker that could also woo me into giving up my crock pot, my vegetable steamer insert, and my yoghurt maker all in one go! It was good that I'd waited and didn't get the first model available because the new models are tip-top-awesome with fancy new features. Seriously, there is even a model with Blue-tooth!

Honey, get ready for the purge! It felt so good to clear out cupboard space, and felt like Christmas filling up those spaces with shiny new Pot-in-pot bowls, trivets, and a spring form pan! This comes straight from the mouth of a experience hoarder.  Don't give nothin' away!!! That stuff is still useful and good, right?!
So over the next few Blog Posts, I'll be giving my tried and tested recipes (cuz that's what you're really here for!) and what accessories I have purchased to help me accomplish those recipes.
Thank you for your attention and I hope you can benefit from an Instant Pot the way I have!

What a fantastic Life...

What can I say? There is so much to say.  All at once! And in such a way that I almost don't know where to start.  I want to tell the world about my tips, my ideas, thoughts, and general knowledge.  Maybe they're not always the best, but it might just be what you're looking for.  Or not.  Either way, I'm sharing.  And Contributing. Doing something beyond myself; which is what we are constantly trying to teach our children to do and who to be in society at large.  
So who am I and why should you be so compelled to keep reading? First and foremost, my most valued attributes are that I am a Wife and a Mother.  Should I stop there or have I sold you on how worthy I am by just those 2 wonderful identifiers? Seriously, if that was all I was that would still be a lot! So keep reading, because that's not all.  I'm also a home school mom, a gardener, a geocacher, a traveler.  I'm a neighbor and a friend.  I'm a damn good cook... I wouldn't say that I'm anything special, but it really has been a fantastic life so far! 
Without further much ado, Introducing... Mamabolt.  A little bit of a sideshow, with a pinch of educated charm!