adventures of a stay at home mom

Feminine Friday

2011-04-29T13:44:00.005-05:00

Obviously things have been pretty quiet here at my blog. I have been trying to focus on caring for my family and myself, and preparing for the baby. Only five weeks to go! I did decide to pop in today with a quick Feminine Friday post. My sweet little B had her eyes closed in every shot, but you can her feminine look as well :)

Shirt - Old Navy

Cardigan - not sure, hand me down from years ago

Skirt - Gap

Shoes - Bakers

baby update

2011-02-17T17:09:00.004-06:00

At my last OB appointment we got an ultrasound and were able to see that we'll be adding another little BOY to our family. We're so thankful to see that the baby is healthy and everything looked great! My due date is June 4th, which seems just around the corner. I'm feeling pretty good these days. I'm really trying to eat healthy and get enough rest (much easier said than done). We've started pulling storage totes of baby items out of the attic. Exciting times! I have been making menu plans each week; I just haven't gotten around to posting them. Life gets in the way of blogging sometimes :)

photo credit

Menu Plan Monday

2011-01-31T06:03:00.004-06:00

Hey everyone, hope y’all had a great weekend! You may have noticed that I never posted a menu plan for last week. Well, my house was hit with a stomach bug. Everyone was feeling yucky and didn’t want much to eat much. So I served a lot of toast, rice, bananas, etc. Here’s what I’ve got scheduled this week, also I'm adding a dessert of the week:

M - stuffed chicken breasts (packaged, frozen kind), roasted potatoes & glazed carrots
T - beef stew & garlic bread
W - chicken broccoli casserole, green salad
T - leftover buffet
F - chicken enchiladas, sliced avacados

D- peanut butter cornflake treats

New Year's Resolutions - Part Three

2011-01-17T13:10:00.006-06:00

My third New Year’s resolution is to rid my house of clutter. It seems like almost every flat surface in my home has piles of paper or other random items that don’t belong there. My children have more toys than they know what to do with, many that they’ve outgrown. My closet is packed full of clothing that doesn’t fit, I don’t like and I never wear. I could go on and on... I’ve been reading the book Clutter Busting: Letting Go of What's Holding You Back. Oh my goodness, it has been so helpful and inspiring.

Lately I have been focusing more of my daily cleaning time towards decluttering rather than typical cleaning. I’ve kept up with the necessities of dishes, laundry and meals, but for now everything else is on standby. This is temporary, and in the long run I think it will be so beneficial. How wonderful to be able to just dust. Not pick up and move a bunch of stuff and then dust, same thing with vacuuming. I’ve already made two trips to Goodwill, once with a substantial amount of clothing, and next with several boxes of toys and books. For me the process is really difficult, almost painful. I have all the typical excuses of why I need to hold onto all these things. But once the stuff is gone, I feel so much better!

I know it’s Monday and that is supposed to mean a meal plan post. I haven’t fallen off the wagon already. When B goes down for nap I am going to inventory my deep freeze and pantry. There are so many people doing “Pantry Challenges” right now, I thought I’d play along too. So hopefully I will get my plan finished this afternoon and posted by tomorrow.

Snow Day / Menu Plan Monday

2011-01-10T10:01:00.020-06:00

In the last 24 hours we’ve received about 5 inches of snow, and there’s more coming tonight. Isn’t it beautiful!?! Schools are closed and my husband stayed home from work. I’ve been busy trying to keep changes of clothes, gloves, hats, etc clean and dry. There has also been a steady flow of hot chocolate when everyone comes inside to warm up.

We knew this winter weather was coming so on Saturday we went to the grocery store and stocked up. I wish I had the picture my husband took with his phone. There were 12 checkout lanes open and each had at least 5 people in line. Here’s my menu for the week:

M – tamales, avocado slices, black bean & corn salsa
T – crock pot roast, potatoes, carrots
W – Sunday school get together - bringing cucumber toasties

T – spaghetti with hamburger meat, onions & peppers, green salad
F – leftover buffet

New Year's Resolutions - Part Two

2011-01-07T08:00:00.006-06:00

Here’s an excerpt from my 2010 New Year’s post:

My next resolution for 2010 is to keep a “Thankful Journal”. Everyday I am going to jot down a few things I’m thankful for. It can be big (my patient husband) or small (my meatloaf turned out well), just positive things that have happened throughout my day. I purchased a simple, inexpensive, but lovely journal to write in and found a pen that is comfortable and writes well. I keep these in the top drawer of my dresser. When I’m feeling overwhelmed or negative, I force myself to pull it out and think of a few things to write down. It really helps my attitude.

Well, I did this every day until about May. Everyday I forced myself to think of all the positive happenings in my life. I can not tell you what a difference it made in my attitude. Unfortunately after a few months my journal entries dropped back to maybe once a week, then every few weeks, and so on. Truth be told, I stopped completely back in October. Well, it’s a new year and I’m going to try again. I think scheduling a specific time to write will be helpful. I’m going to try naptime and see how that goes.

photo credit

New Year's Resolutions - Part One

2011-01-03T08:49:00.000-06:00

So it’s 2011, and I'm sure we're all thinking about resolutions. There’s something really exciting about have a fresh start. I’m feeling so much better and I’m ready to get back in the game! My home, my schedule, my life in general has been in a bit of a shamble during this first trimester and I’m ready to dig my way out.

I’ve set three major resolutions for the year and I’m going to give each one into its own post. First up is meal planning. I want to get back in the habit of writing out a meal plan for each week. Of late, I’ve either thrown something random together around 4:30 or we’ve just gotten take out. Once again, I’m blaming that pesky first trimester misery… Anyway, I’ve always used this blog as a way to sort of hold myself accountable, so I hope to post my meal plan each week on either Monday or Tuesday. Drum roll please, and here we go:

Monday – grilled duck & veggie kabobs*, wild rice
Tuesday – take out pizza (SUGARBOWL!! GO HOGS!!)
Wednesday – sausage & potato skillet, green salad
Thursday – homemade “hamburger helper”, lemon pepper broccoli
Friday – ham, fried potatoes & glazed carrots

* My husband is an avid duck hunter. This means I have to (reluctantly) work duck into our menu about once a month…

I'm still here

2010-10-18T11:53:00.000-05:00

I apologize for my disappearance from the blogging world for the past month, well almost three months actually. It was sort of like the snowball effect. I decided to take a few days off and that quickly spread to a few more and so on. I have lots of excuses. We had a bit of a medical emergency with Miss B, which led many doctor appointments and ongoing testing and follow up visits. My husband has had a change in his employment situation, unfortunately not for the better. G has started fourth grade and team sports are back in action. But my biggest excuse of all… I’m pregnant!

We are so happy that baby #3 is on the way. Unfortunately I have been extremely sick. With all my pregnancies I’ve experienced pretty severe all day sickness. It usually lasts about half way through my second trimester. Y’all, it’s been bad. My house is a complete wreck. We’ve been eating a lot of take out. Seriously there have been days when I can barely function at all. So you can see why blogging has not even been on my radar. I hope to start posting again when I feel better, but it will probably be sporadic at best. But I definitely look forward to reconnecting with all my blog friends!

a few good reads

2010-08-03T07:05:00.001-05:00

David Copperfield by Charles Dickens

- Oh my goodness, it took me a long time to finish this one. I’m trying to work my way through some of the “classics” that I've never read before.

Homeschooling with a Meek and Quiet Spirit by Terri Maxwell

- This is exactly what I needed in my quest to parent with kindness. I ordered the book, study guide and cd. Even if you don’t homeschool, this is a wonderful book to help with having a “Meek and Quiet Spirit” in general.

The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Recipes from an Accidental Country Girl
by Ree Drummond

- Yum! Love her blog too. I heard that a movie about her life is in the works, with Reese Witherspoon set to play Ree. Oh, I can’t wait!

Love & Respect: The Love She Most Desires; The Respect He Desperately Needs by Emerson Eggerichs

- This is a must read! Courtney is discussing this book in this week's Completing Him Marriage Challenge.

Mark Twain once said, “The man who doesn’t read good books has no advantage over the man who can’t read them.”

Feminine Friday

2010-07-30T16:35:00.003-05:00

Happy Feminine Friday everyone!

Shirt - JCPenney

Tank - JCPenney

Skirt - Union Bay via ebay

Shoes - vibram flip flops

Feminine Friday

2010-07-23T08:32:00.007-05:00

Hey everyone! I'm going to just pop in for a quick Feminine Friday post, then it's back to my very long to do list. Here's my outfit details:

Top - Kohl’s
Skirt - Old Navy
Shoes - Bakers

Home Sweet Home

2010-07-22T08:50:00.000-05:00

Whew, let me begin by saying that cross country air travel with young children is not for the faint of heart… We have spent the last eight days visiting my family in California. We spent one day at the beach; G learned to boogie board and Miss B played in the sand. We visited Disneyland (my mom kept B at home this day). We went to my parent’s cabin and hiked around and played in the creek. It was a great trip, but we’re glad to be home. Oh, and by the way, the entire trip I only got online one time to quickly send an email.

photo credit

Completing Him Challenge - Priorities

2010-07-11T21:03:00.006-05:00

Week #5 Challenge: Make a list of 5 things you currently do and ask your husband to prioritize them for you of what is important to him. For example - a clean home, home cooked dinner, coupon clipping, service at church, having friends over for dinner, watching/doing sports with him, etc.

Not too long ago I did something similar, and wrote about it here. I didn’t give him a list. I just left it open, and he came up with three things that were biggies for him.

Mr. H told me that dinner was at the top of the list. He would take a good home cooked meal over a spotless mopped floor any day. That old saying about the way to a man’s heart is so true of my husband. So I make sure to have plenty of meal prep time in my schedule.

He also requested that the kitchen be cleaned up after dinner. Mr. H doesn’t like coming in to breakfast to be greeted with all of last night's mess still in the kitchen. He added that he should probably help with this, but I’ve yet to see it happen :)

Mr. H’s last request was to just keep clutter in check. He especially likes the floor to be clear. So, I schedule 10 minutes just before he gets home to do a quick run through of the house. I pick up and put away any random toys, shoes, paper, etc.

Feminine Friday

2010-07-09T09:30:00.010-05:00

For me wearing modest, feminine clothing is an outward reminder to myself of the changes I’m trying to make in my heart. I wanted to pass along a link that has been so helpful to me on my journey. Nancy Leigh DeMoss did a radio series called The Beauty of Meekness. I’ve been listening each morning as I do my chores and have been so encouraged.

In the first broadcast Nancy said the following: We need to recognize first of all that meekness is not something that comes naturally. It’s not a matter of having a naturally meek personality. Some people are naturally quieter people or more reserved, but that doesn’t mean that they are necessarily meek. There is no one who is naturally meek in spirit. Meekness is supernatural. It’s an expression of the character of Christ. It’s a fruit of the Spirit. It’s a grace that the Spirit brings about in our lives, and it’s something that cannot be produced apart from the Spirit of God.

Oh my goodness I really needed to hear that, because meekness most certainly does not come naturally to me. It’s really been a challenge and I've had my share of failures (I raise my voice, I say unkind or critical things, etc). But I’ve made a conscious effort to just keep trying to do better, and I continue to pray for the strength to do so.

Now onto today’s Feminine Friday outfit. This is an old photo (my sweet B looks so little!), but I’m wearing this exact outfit today.

Top - Target

Tank - Old Navy

Skirt - Old Navy

Shoes - Walmart

Feminine Friday

2010-07-02T09:40:00.006-05:00

Hello ladies. It’s Friday, so that means it’s time to post your modest, feminine outfits. Check out Buildeth Her House and link up your looks as well.

I’ve been noticing that many bloggers find great items at thrift stores. Well, truth be told, I had never been to a thrift store. I decided it was time for me to check it out, so I headed to the local Goodwill. I don’t know what I was expecting, some sort of magical place packed with wonderfully thrifty finds… Well, that is not exactly what I found. After I got over my initial shock, I did some searching and digging. I did come away with a treasure, my first thrift store purchase!

Top - New York & Company
Skirt - Thrift Store!
Shoes - Bakers
Belt - JCPenney

I'm Exhausted

2010-06-21T20:39:00.002-05:00

Nice title, right? Vacation Bible School is wearing me out! It’s consuming every bit of my time and energy this week. So blogging is going to take the back burner. I’ll catch up with y’all next week.

Feminine Friday

2010-06-18T14:23:00.015-05:00

I love, love, love this top! You can’t really tell from this picture, but it has a feminine, gathered ruffle around the entire neck line. I caught a great sale and actually bought it in three different colors!

Top - New York & Company

Skirt - Junee

Shoes - Bakers

Bag - Target

I'd love to see your modest, feminine outfits from this week. Visit Feminine Friday to link up yours looks as well.

Completing Him Challenge - Dating Days

2010-06-16T07:38:00.003-05:00

Captivate your husband; that is this week's challenge. Think back to your dating days when you were first captivated by each other. I brought this up with Mr. H a few nights ago. We reminisced over our first date. It was sort of a blind date; he was late and I almost left. Ha! Almost immediately we were inseparable. Mr. H’s most vivid memory from dating was missing me terribly when we were apart. He said it was just excruciating when we were away from each other. He used those exact words. Wow. I was scared to ask if he still felt that way…

As we continued talking, he surprised me by blurting out, “You had really blond hair.” He mentioned it more than once, and said that he liked it. I guess since I became pregnant with Miss B I’ve just taken the easy route (darker hair) with less upkeep. Hmm, maybe a trip to the salon is in my future.

Mr. H loves to travel. He’s been all over the place. Years ago we would take trips just the two of us. The first picture is from a resort in the mountains where he got a cabin for us. It was super romantic. We got lots of room service (obviously this was not a “rustic” cabin). Another memorable trip together was to Niagara Falls and Toronto. The second picture was taken from our hotel room window.

But some time ago our romantic adventures took second stage to trips with the kids. While working on our budget we decided that we could afford to take one big family vacation each year. We’ve been to Orlando and Branson; this summer we’re going to California to see my family. All these trips have been fabulous, but the focus has been on the kids.

Recently we (really he) decided that the two of us need some special couple time. We are going to start taking trips just the two of us again. We will have to just get past all the excuses. Can we really afford it? What about he kids? Time away from work, etc… We will start small with just a weekend getaway. Yeah, can’t wait.

Feminine Friday

2010-06-11T09:34:00.001-05:00

I've been wearing skirts more and more, at least two or three days each week. It's less of an effort now, and more just second nature. The effort comes in finding the feminine clothing at a reasonable price to add to my wardrobe. Especially since one year ago my dress/skirt collection was pretty much none existent. I’ve always liked how D’Rae gives a breakdown of her outfit. It gives me ideas, and well, I’m nosey. So I’ve decided I’ll do the same with my Feminine Friday outfit posts. Here goes:

Shirt - Hank's Vintage Threads
Tank - Old Navy
Skirt - funkyfrum
Shoes - a.n.a. JC Penney

Completing Him Challenge

2010-06-07T08:15:00.005-05:00

Every husband has different needs. Every marriage will look different as a result. Do you need to work on being the wife your husband needs? I do, so I'll be participating in the Completing Him Challenge - Be the woman your man needs.

Courtney from Women Living Well will be giving a weekly principle from scripture along with a challenge to apply in your marriage. Want to join us, link up here.

Feminine Friday

2010-06-01T10:11:00.009-05:00

Greetings all from the sweltering South. It's so hot, the high tomorrow is close to 100! With this weather, our only chance to play outside is first thing in the morning. On Monday we all headed to the park right after breakfast.

This skirt is new to me via ebay. I love the army green color and interesting pockets (which I know you can't really see).
As always, check out Valencia at Buildeth Her House to see her modest, feminine outfits and link up yours as well.

Feminine Friday

2010-05-28T10:54:00.004-05:00

Happy Feminine Friday ladies! I am happy to report that I wore skirts almost everyday this week. I only took photos of this one; life gets in the way of blogging sometimes. I decided I would talk a little about slips, since they do go hand in hand with feminine dress.

I am a huge fan of slips, and have quite a few. This isn’t my entire collection, there are several in the wash. (I keep them folded in a drawer, just hung them for better display). Nearly every time I wear a skirt or dress I wear a slip. Slips help the skirt or dress to hang smoothly, concealing panty lines and whatnot. Slips feel good against your skin; they can prevent chafing from rough fabrics like wool or denim. Slips help keep me cool in the heat, and add warmth in the cold. Slips will protect fine fabrics from perspiration. Slips can also be worn under sheer skirts or dresses to reduce transparency.

A close family friend, who has since passed away, gave me many from her collection of slips. These vintage undergarments are so lovely, with lace and beautiful details. Most of the slips I’ve purchased for myself are less ornate and more functional. I have a few full slips, but I rarely wear these (full slips and camisoles can double as lingerie). I mainly wear my half slips. I have a variety of lengths and colors, both straight and full. I seriously could go on and on, but I don’t know if everyone else is as excitied about slips as I am... so I’ll wrap this up. If you don’t wear or own slips, I encourage you to give it a try. Start your collection with one knee length and one mid-calf length in a neutral color. Slips are a lovely (and very functional) way to look and feel feminine.

1930s Marital Scale (a fun little quiz)

2010-05-26T13:28:00.002-05:00

How do you rate as a husband or wife of the 1930s?

As a 1930s wife, I am
Very Superior

Take the test!

Feminine Friday

2010-05-21T11:27:00.007-05:00

It's already Friday? My goodness, this week flew by. I wore outfit number one to church last Sunday. I feel pretty bold in red. I don’t wear (or own) much of this color. But the black, white and red combination is a classic that works. Outfit number two is another feminine alternative to the “t-shirt and jeans” I've gotten in such a habit of wearing. This was just a casual day, running errands, etc.

Do you see my basil? I have more than I know what to do with. My herb garden is really thriving. I'll post more on that later. Ok, that’s all for now. You can join Valencia at Buildeth Her House to see other modest, feminine outfits and link up yours as well.

wandering about...

2010-05-19T13:56:00.003-05:00

Read the following verse. Then read it again, only this time replace the word house with blog.

(1 Timothy 5:13) “…they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house.”

Ouch. Lately I feel like I have become somewhat idle. While I’m not literally going from house to house, I have been spending too much time on the internet. I’m doing exactly what the apostle Paul warned women against. When life within my own home seems somewhat dull, with just the click of a mouse, I can instantly wander about from blog to blog.

I tried limiting my self to 15 minutes online, three times a day. But somehow 15 minutes would turn into 45. One day last week I decided that I would have an internet free day. I started strong, but when Miss B went down for nap I caved. I told myself that I’d scan my email and that was it. Well, then I was just going to quickly check in on my favorite blogs, and so on. I was so disappointed in myself; I seem to have such willpower with most anything else.

I was determined, and decided to take drastic measures. The next morning I set a timer for 5 minutes. That was it, 5 minutes online. I then unplugged my mouse and sent it to work with my husband. I had no choice, no internet. I had a wonderful day. I got so much accomplished. I spent more quality time with my kids. I had quiet time to read while B napped. I’m going to start doing this once a week. I’m not going to trust myself; I am going to send the mouse away with H. If that’s what it takes, then so be it. I encourage you to try an internet free day.

I am going to end this post with a quote from Created to Be His Help Meet. “Modern inventions have provided a way for a woman to stay at home and still not be a keeper at home. We can sit at home in body while traveling in spirit by means of the telephone and the computer… Keeping the home is more than staying at home; it is having a heart that is fixed on the home.”

photo credit

Feminine Friday

2010-05-14T08:14:00.005-05:00

Happy Feminine Friday everyone! So here is my feminine version of the old standard “t-shirt and jeans”. It was just as easy to throw on, and almost as comfortable. I think it looks (and I feel) so much more put together. Being a stay at home mom, my most common outings are Walmart, the library and G’s sports practices. So I need lots of casual, comfortable outfits. I want to look nice, but not over-dressed. It’s much easier with warm weather. It has been just beautiful this week. Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

Monday Meanderings

2010-05-10T08:05:00.002-05:00

Memory Verse: Proverbs 31:15
*She gets up while it is still dark; she provides food for her family and portions for her servant girls.

Husband Encouragement
*Get up earlier in the morning and try to start the day with a cheerful attitude. Take the time to make a hot, healthy breakfast. Hug and kiss H goodbye as he leaves for work.

Train Them Up
*Continue to work on “parenting with kindness”. Try to find some relevant books at the library to check out.

Must Do / Personal Goal
* Hem H’s pants.
* Work on our summer vacation plans.

Zone
*Kitchen – I’m going to go with FlyLady this week.

Menu Plan
Monday – leftover bbq, beans and fruit
Tuesday – grilled pork chops, salad, skillet potatoes
Wednesday – crock pot roast
Thursday – going to a friends, bringing a dessert
Friday – take out pizza

FUN THINGS!
*Moms Group on Monday.
*Dinner with friends on Thursday.

Visit Sarah at In Light Of The Truth for more Monday Meanderings.

Feminine Friday

2010-05-07T11:56:00.002-05:00

Here are two of my feminine looks from this week. I can’t believe it’s been one year (well, almost) since I first participated in the “Feelin’ Feminine Challenge”. Since then I have been saving all my outfit photos in their own folder in date order. It’s extremely helpful to scan back through them. I can see which looks were flattering and which ones just didn’t work. I can also be reminded of items in my closet I haven’t worn in a long time. Obviously this only applies to my dresses and skirts, since I’m only documenting my feminine dress.

Having an attractive outward appearance is somewhat important to me, but I don’t want to imply that that is my main reason for doing this. Feminine, modest dress for me is a reminder to also have feminine, modest behavior. I have struggled with having a meek, quiet and gentle spirit. I feel that I have been called to dress in a feminine manner to help me during my journey to be a better Christian, wife and mother.

Check out Valencia at Buildeth Her House to

see her feminine outfits and link up yours as well.

sweet little dresses

2010-05-05T07:55:00.007-05:00

I’ve long been inspired by Ashley over at Lil Blue Boo. She makes such cute and creative children’s clothing. I recently purchased her Sienna Dress pattern and have since been sewing up a storm. I gathered all of our old t-shirts that were destined for the donation pile. H even contributed some of his old fraternity shirts to the cause. So here’s what I came up with:

Feminine Friday

2010-04-30T08:20:00.005-05:00

Yesterday as I was getting dressed, I panicked a little. I realized that tomorrow was Friday and I haven’t worn a skirt this week. I’m so glad I have these posts to hold me accountable. I probably sound like a broken record because I say this so often, but once again... I am always so glad when I take the time to put on a lovely feminine outfit.

It has a positive effect on my attitude (though you wouldn't know it from my frown in this photo...) and I feel more comfortable. I’m not talking about the physical comfort of pjs and house shoes; I’m saying that I’m more comfortable with myself. With jeans there’s a fine line between being tight enough to fit properly and being somewhat flattering and being too tight and immodest. I went to the mall last night in this outfit and I was not self conscious at all (as I might have been in jeans). There’s something very freeing in wearing a long flowy skirt. Hope that makes sense.

As always, visit Feminine Friday here and here to check out other modest, feminine outfits and to link up yours looks as well.

Feminine Friday

2010-04-23T08:06:00.005-05:00

Hello ladies, here is one of my feminine outfits from this week. This is another skirt that is new to me from ebay. I bought several during the coldest of winter that I’m finally getting to wear. So, check out my hair, I got four inches cut and lots of layers. Oh my goodness, four inches is a lot! I like that I have more styling options now, not just long, straight, blah.

I'd love to see your modest, feminine outfits from this week. Visit Feminine Friday here and here to link up yours looks as well.

parenting with kindness

2010-04-22T12:58:00.003-05:00

Some time ago I wrote a quick little post on parenting with kindness. I had been inspired by Michelle Duggar’s calm and gentle way with her children. This is something I promised myself I would work on, and unfortunately of late it’s fallen by the wayside. More times than I’d like to admit, I have become frustrated and angry and yelled at my children (and occasionally my husband). I then feel guilty and somewhat of a failure as a mom and wife.

So, I pledge to stop yelling at my children and husband. I pledge to work towards having a more kind and gentle demeanor.

Whenever I have a task or goal, I do best with a plan. I want to set in place ways to handle an escalated situation, and also ways to prevent such a situation in the first place. It also helps to have some way to hold myself accountable. Therefore, I plan on having somewhat regular posts on this topic. I will share my progress, and fess up to my failures.

Here’s my action plan:

“In the moment” - Take a deep breath. Sometimes I react so quickly, I’m yelling before I even realize. When I’m frustrated, I react rather than act. I will try to take at least one deep breath, just a moment to let my anger dissipate, and choose my actions.

“Prevention” - Going outside does wonders for my spirit. When I’m grumpy, sunshine and birds singing really cheer me up. Whether it’s just sitting on the deck or tending to my flower beds, I’m going to make an effort to go outside everyday. Less grumpy, less yelling, right?

Cleaning Progress - before / after pictures

2010-04-15T12:49:00.018-05:00

We have a large bonus room above our garage. I use this area for "my office", sewing, crafts and scrapbooking as well as a playroom for the kids. This is always the messiest room in the house. I’m a little embarrassed to post these before pictures, but I’m going to “keep it real”, so here goes...

And after...

Ahhh, much better. G loves to play air hockey, but is rarely able because it’s serves as a catchall and is always pilled with stuff. I’m really going to try to keep it clear. As for the boxes piled behind the recliner, they’re donation items. Once I finish organizing/purging the book shelf and closet I will haul the boxes to Goodwill.

Hope your spring cleaning is going well. You can linkup your before/after cleaning pictures and check out other’s progress today Ordinary Inspirations.

Daily Cleaning Schedule

2010-04-13T08:30:00.007-05:00

This week Traci at Ordinary Inspirations is hosting a Spring Cleaning series. Today she asked: How do YOU keep up with your daily cleaning?

I like having a schedule, a very detailed schedule. But here’s the thing, a schedule can get old and dull. So every month I change up my routine. I drastically change my schedule; it keeps it fresh and somewhat interesting. I get ideas from the books and blogs I read. I usually type up the schedule, print out a copy and laminate it. I need to see it in front of me, in black and white and be able to mark things off. Each day I take my dry erase marker and mark through each item as it’s completed. I keep all my previous laminated schedules and rotate them into the mix.

This month I have one hour in the morning blocked off for cleaning. During that hour I work as hard and fast as I possibly can. I always set a timer. It’s hard not to stop and take a break, but I know that this is it. This one hour, then I am finished. You would be amazed at how much you can get done in just one hour. When I work hard and fast I get SO MUCH DONE in those sixty minutes.

I recently listened to this interview with Victoria Botkin. She gives such wonderful advice. She suggested that you clean only when it needs it. How simple is that? I used to windex all the mirrors in the house every week. I had it in my head that this was a “weekly task” and did it whether they really needed it or not. Well not anymore. I windex the mirrors when they start looking like they need it. For the guest bathroom that may only be once a month. My house isn’t quite as pristine, but in this season of my life I can accept that it’s just not going to be. It’s clean enough.

Victoria also suggested that you speak with your husband and find out what is most important to him. H told me that dinner was at the top of the list. He would take a good home cooked meal over a spotless mopped floor any day. So I make sure to have plenty of meal prep time in my schedule. He also requested that the kitchen be cleaned up after dinner. He didn’t like coming in to breakfast to be greeted with all of last night's mess still in the kitchen. He added that he should probably help with this, but I’ve yet to see it happen :) H’s last request was to just keep clutter in check. So, I schedule 10 minutes just before he gets home to do a quick run through of the house. I pick up and put away any random toys, shoes, paper, etc.

So there you have it. This is how I try to keep my house clean and tidy.

Get Dressed Challenge - Day Four

2010-04-09T07:39:00.004-05:00

I love a good challenge. I’m so glad that I took part this week and put that extra effort into getting dressed each day. I don’t have a photo of day four, but here’s what I wore. I added a white cardigan to the brown skirt and blue floral top outfit.

For me, this week wasn’t just about the clothing. It was also about those extra feminine touches. I tried to wear a variety of jewelry. I polished my nails. I wore perfume. I will definitely continue to “Get Dressed” in the future. When my appearance is lovely and feminine it’s sort of a reminder that my attitude and behavior should also be lovely and feminine. Here are links to my first three days of the challenge.

day one
day two
day three

You can link up and check out other's “Get Dressed!” experience here. Thanks Sarah Mae!

Get Dressed Challenge - Day Three

2010-04-08T07:43:00.007-05:00

Day three. Yes, I cropped my head out of this picture. I am uber critical of myself. Every time I post a picture of myself I have difficulty. Today it just wasn’t happening. My husband snapped a few quick shots and I looked strange in them all. So there you go, the headless woman. We did get a shot of my hair. An unfortunate side note is that H told me I looked like I belonged on the “Big Love” compound. He doesn’t care for this French braid look. He prefers hot rolled, hair sprayed, big hair.
Moving on... I went with jeans today, but really tried to have a put together look (aka no more frumpy). I think this is at least a step or two up from tshirt and flip flops, right? I pulled out this bracelet and was on my way.

Get Dressed Challenge - Day Two

2010-04-07T07:39:00.002-05:00

Ok, here’s a quick run down of day two. I seriously tried on five different outfits before I decided on this one. It was one of those days when nothing seemed to look good or feel “challenge” worthy. I knew I wanted to wear this skirt; it’s new to me via ebay. I just struggled with a top. Do you see my earrings? I actually went with something other than my usual small silver hoops, yeah! Also, I devoted a little bit of time to my nails, and will hopefully get them polished today.

Now I’m going to quote Sara Mae. It’s about taking care of yourself so that you feel good and are ready to care for your family. Click here to find out more and participate in the “Get Dressed!” Challenge. There’s also a fun giveaway to enter for some lovely new clothing.

Get Dressed Challenge - Day One

2010-04-06T08:15:00.009-05:00

Day one. You would think I would be "gung ho" on day one of my new challenge, but I really struggled. B and I did yard work all morning (in our grubby yard work clothes). After I got cleaned up, I so badly wanted to throw on a yoga pant and t-shirt sort of outfit… but no, no more frumpy.

Instead I broke out my new tiered skirt. I got it from Old Navy using a gift card from Christmas. I’m so glad I took the time, I felt good and it improved my attitude. My husband noticed and complimented me. My goal for tomorrow is to go through my jewelry case so I can incorporate some of my forgotten pieces and maybe carve out some time for a manicure.

The Get Dressed Challenge

2010-04-05T07:10:00.006-05:00

Long time, no post, right? My number one excuse is that my camera died. Beyond repair, dead. But I now have a snazzy new one and I’m back in action. I’ve been sewing up a storm, mainly sweet little dresses for my baby B. It’s getting warm and she was in definite need of spring clothing. I’ll be posting those lovelies soon.

Also I’ve recommitted to meal planning and more thoughtful planning of each week. So hopefully you’ll see Meandering Monday posts back into my routine. I’ve been reading some great books on marriage, hospitality, biblical womanhood and such. I have a lot of ideas to discuss on those topics. Can you tell that I’m excited to be back from my blogging hiatus?

Now on to the “Get Dressed” Challenge! For some time I’ve been trying to incorporate more skirts and dresses into my wardrobe. But you can totally look frumpy in a skirt, and I think I sometimes do. Sara Mae is currently hosting a challenge to go the extra mile, and I’m on board. So each day this week I'm going to try to wear a really "put together" outfit. I’m going to fix my hair in new ways. I’m going to wear lovely jewelry (instead of my standby silver hoops every day). I will take the time to put on my makeup and perfume. Sara Mae challenges us to do this by 8 am. This part might not happen, because I usually take my shower and dress when my baby B goes down for nap, but we’ll see.

I’m looking forward to my adventures during this “No More Frumpy” week, and will be posting each days progress. You click here to join along.

The Betty Crocker Creed

2010-02-18T09:50:00.000-06:00

I came across this while reading through archives at Project Home Economics. It's an interesting homemaking purpose statement from an old Betty Crocker cookbook. Love it, love, love it!

The Betty Crocker Creed -

I believe homemaking is a noble and challenging career.

I believe homemaking is an art requiring many different skills.

I believe homemaking requires the best of my efforts, my abilities and my thinking.

I believe home reflects the spirit of the homemaker.

I believe home should be a place of peace, joy and contentment.

I believe no task is too humble that contributes to the cleanliness, the order, the health, the well being of the household.

I believe a homemaker must be true to the highest ideals of love, loyalty, service and religion.

I believe home must be an influence for good in the neighborhood, the community, the country.

10 things that make me happy

2010-02-06T13:07:00.000-06:00

What a nice surprise, I've been given a blog award by Valencia over at Buildeth Her House. Thank you so much. One of the rules in excepting the award was to list 10 things that make you happy, so here goes:

1. Scarves. They have recently become my accessory of choice. I’m not talking about practical ones you actually wear for warmth. I’m talking about pretty, dainty ones that you wear in place of a necklace. I recently crocheted an open work scarf and just love, love, love it! I’ll take a photo next time I wear it.

2. The library. The kids and I go probably twice a week. Obviously there are the books. I have a huge stack next to my bed currently checked out. G did an origami project in art class that he really enjoyed, and wanted to do more. So off we went, and origami books we found. There are also a lot of planned activities going on there. I’m facebook friends with my local branch so I see all the scheduled events, everything from knitting group to toddler time.

3. Chicken spaghetti. It’s my favorite comfort food and I make a mean batch of it that can’t be beat.

4. Hand me down clothes. I am so blessed to have two relatives with boys just a little older than my G. They pass down their boy’s outgrown clothes to us. It’s like Christmas when we get a big garbage bag full of clothes from them.

5. Date night. Neither of our parents live close and we just don’t have anyone to babysit. We don’t really have any time away from the kids whatsoever. But we recently discovered that our church has parent’s night out once a month. Hallelujah! It’s reasonably priced and I feel comfortable taking them there. It’s so nice to go out to a nice restaurant or a movie or to run errands just the two of us.

6. Target clearance racks. I recently scored two lovely knit cardigans for just $4 each. Often you have to dig a little, but there are treasures to be found.

7. Wreaths. I don’t do a lot of seasonal/holiday decorating through the year. But I always have a wreath on my front door. I switch it about every two months. I enjoy making them, and I’m currently working on a Valentine’s wreath to hang during February. Again, I need to take pictures. I could have a parade of wreathes post.

8. My daughter waking up in the morning. I love hearing her sweet little voice call out for me. Then when I open her door, she squeals and jumps up and down in her crib. What a great way to start your day.

9. Lists. Oh am I a list maker! Grocery lists, chore lists, to do lists, I love making lists, crossing off my lists, running through my mental lists. Yep, lists make me happy.

10. Blogging. I get so much inspiration from reading blogs. Great ideas, funny stories, a real sense of community. Here are some great blogs that I enjoy and think are award worthy:

Tea Rose Home

According To His Power

Make It and Love It

In Light Of The Truth

Raising Arrows

Ruffles And Stuff

sewing and such

2010-01-12T10:03:00.000-06:00

Let me begin by saying that I am a complete sewing novice. My limited knowledge on the subject has come from books and any skill (ha!) and experience I have has been self taught. There’s been a lot of trial and error. Please keep that in mind as I present my latest sewing accomplishments.

Up first is my apron. I love aprons, but they can be pricey. So I set out to make my own. I was pretty much winging it, with no pattern. I’m proud to say that I didn’t spend a cent. I cut up a pair of H’s khaki pants that had become worn in places and were no longer suitable for work. I also cut up a dress my mom had given me years ago that I had never worn, and away I went. If the apron looks a bit wrinkled and worn, well, it's because I've been wearing it all day :)

Next I made a pin cushion. I again used the khaki pants, including the button, a scrap of felt from a previous project and the pink thread was generously donated to the cause by my son. He has a friendship bracelet kit and didn’t think he’d be using pink. As for stuffing it, well, forgive me B, I cut up an stuffed animal. I got inspiration for this project here and here.

I’ve found that sewing is a stress reliever. It’s relaxing, and I have quite a sense of accomplishment when I’ve completed a project. I love my little handmade ventures. Even with all the errors I made along the way, I think they’re more beautiful than something purchased that is “perfect” and free of flaws.

Proverbs 31:13 (KJV) She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.

new year's resolutions

2010-01-05T12:47:00.000-06:00

Ahh, a new year begins and that of course brings resolutions. Last year I decided that instead of setting a few grandiose resolutions come January 1st, I was going to set small, more realistic goals (resolutions) each week. I stuck with it pretty well. Weekly sometimes became monthly, and that was ok.

One of the first I set last year was to send each member of my immediate family and each close friend a card on their birthday. I do believe this is the first resolution I have actually kept for an entire year. I checked my birthday calendar once a month. I got all the cards for that month addressed and ready to go. I then put sticky notes on each with a date to mail. It really helped to have plenty of cards on hand. I tried to send as many homemade cards as possible, but also found several cute ones at the dollar store. I plan on continuing this again through 2010.

My next resolution for 2010 is to keep a “Thankful Journal”. Everyday I am going to jot down a few things I’m thankful for. It can be big (my patient husband) or small (my meatloaf turned out well), just positive things that have happened throughout my day. I purchased a simple, inexpensive, but lovely journal to write in and found a pen that is comfortable and writes well. I keep these in the top drawer of my dresser. When I’m feeling overwhelmed or negative, I force myself to pull it out and think of a few things to write down. It really helps my attitude.

photo source: AllPosters.com - A Happy New Year

My Grandad

2009-12-08T11:24:00.000-06:00

This is my grandad, who sadly past away this weekend. I have never known a more honorable man.

He was a retired US Air Force veteran, serving 28 years. Grandad was a Senior Master Sergeant, the most difficult enlisted promotion to attain in the Air Force. He was a tail gunner in the B-52 and B-36 programs, flying 44 combat missions in World War II. (This military photo is him in his flight suit). After retiring from the Air Force, he worked 16 years for the United States Post Office. His three great loves were the Lord, his country and his family.

While planning the funeral, we were told that Grandad had earned full military honors (3-volley salute, bugler playing Taps, etc). To our surprise, my grandmother refused. Grandad had discussed it with her, and he felt that our soldiers had better things to do with their time. He simply wanted a flag drapped on the coffin, no more.

While writing his eulogy, my uncle recalled that when he first became a father, granddad gave him the following advice: The best thing you can do for your children is to love and honor their mother.

I say this again, I have never known a more honorable man.

Please pray for my family during this very difficult time.

Feminine Friday

2009-12-04T15:01:00.001-06:00

Y’all it’s cold! I’ve really been struggling to adapt my feminine wardrobe to this winter weather. I purchased a few pair of sweater tights; I’m wearing a pair here. They’re thick and cozy, but I’m not in love with the look. I absolutely need to invest in a pair of tall boots…sigh, but they’re really pricey.

B’s so funny, always wanting to pose with me. We were heading out the door, and she was already bundled up in her sweater cape. Too cute! I had no luck trying to fix our red eyes, oh well. That's all I have today, back to my chores.

As always, check out Valencia at Buildeth Her House to see her feminine outfits and link up yours as well.

Monday Meanderings

2009-11-30T15:34:00.000-06:00

Bible Study / Memory Verse
“Won’t You Let Him In? An Advent Study For Adults” by James W. Moore
This is our Sunday School study through the end of the year. This week’s scripture is Luke2:1-7, also the phrase “one another”. It appears over 30 times in the bible: Love one another, Encourage one another, Rejoice with one another, etc…

Husband Encouragement
* Help him get his home office organized and clean.
* I'm making his absolute favorite dinner tonight. I'll post the recipe soon.

Train Them Up
Make an “If/Then Chart”

Must Do / Personal Goal
* Make progress on Christmas shopping.
* Work on sewing projects. I can't wait to post what I've been up to :)

Zone
Our bedroom. It’s become a catch all for all sorts of things, definitely not the relaxing haven it should be.

Menu Plan
Monday – kielbasa & potato skillet, salad
Tuesday – chili noodle bake, corn-on-the-cob
Wednesday – grab something quick (G has basketball camp)
Thursday – chicken and spinach enchilada soup & cheese muffins (I made a double batch of the soup last time, so I just have to take it out of the freezer. I love bulk cooking!)
Friday – mahi mahi, rice & green beans

FUN THINGS!
Decorate for Christmas.

Visit Sarah at In Light Of The Truth for more Monday Meanderings.

Thanksgiving Break

2009-11-22T14:06:00.000-06:00

Freedom from Want - AllPosters.com

Thanksgiving is rapidly approaching. In an effort to make it a somewhat stress free experience, I’m going to take the week off from blogging. I have something scheduled to post Thursday, otherwise I’m out of here. We have lots of rounds to make and a bit of traveling (and of course cooking). So I need every minute possible. Hope everyone has a safe and joyful holiday and I’ll see you next week.

Feminine Friday

2009-11-20T12:16:00.000-06:00

Hey everyone. Here’s one of my feminine looks from this week. I say one of as if there were others… Truth be told, this was it. I’ve been slacking. I even wore pants to church Sunday. Sigh… I’m going to get back on track pronto.

Lately I’ve needed to remind myself that to take good care of others, you also need to take good care of yourself. I encourage all you ladies to devote some time to pampering yourself. My “to do list” includes: scheduling a hair appointment, giving myself a pedicure and picking up a few makeup and skin care proucts that I need.

As always, check out Valencia at Buildeth Her House to see her feminine outfits and link up yours as well.

A Merry Heart

2009-11-18T08:00:00.000-06:00

I quickly finished reading Created To Be His Help Meet by Debi Pearl. Now I am going back through, studying each chapter and actually doing the “homework assignments”.

Chapter 2 is titled A Merry Heart. It focuses on the subject of cheerfulness. I must admit that I often allow my outside circumstances to determine my attitude. It’s fairly easy to be cheerful when life is going well. But when difficulties arise, it’s not my natural response to smile and rejoice.

I have challenged myself to simply be more joyful. I may not have control over how my day goes, but I can choose to have a merry heart regardless. This is no easy task, for me at least. When things aren’t going so smoothly, I can get down and frustrated. In the book Debi Pearl calls this having a “poor me attitude”. It really takes work to find the positive side of things and CHOOSE to be thankful, grateful, and cheerful.

Here are a few things that help me. I have started playing uplifting music throughout the house. When I sing along with my favorites and dance a bit while doing chores it really helps keep my attitude positive. I am trying to smile more. Even if you don’t have a reason, smiling supposedly makes chemical changes in the body. I've found it's almost impossible to be grumpy and frustrated while I'm smiling or singing.

Another thing that really helps is spending time outside. When I’m feeling especially flustered and overwhelmed, I just go out on the deck and get some fresh air. This usually calms me down and I’m ready to face whatever is going on with a much better attitude. We have a creek that runs behind our house, and the sound of running water is so soothing. Works wonders with cranky children also.

I'm memorizing the following verses, reading over them several times a day for encouragement.

Proverbs 15:13 (KJV) A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.
Proverbs 17:22 (KJV) A merry heart doeth good like a medicine.

In the book Debi Pearl doesn’t sugar coat anything, sometimes is pretty severe. She writes, “Being pitiful, hurt, discouraged and even sickly is one side of a “bad marriage” coin. Men, in general (your husband in particular), are repulsed by women who project this image… Toss that old, destructive coin out the door before it buys you a divorce. God’s will is for a wife to have a merry heart, a cheerful contenance and a glow that will refresh the most stressed and tired husband on the planet. Bubbling cheer goes a long way to maintain or even restore a marriage. Make a decision right now to break the poor me habit…”

Ok ladies, here's to bubbling cheer :)

Monday Meanderings

2009-11-16T15:46:00.000-06:00

Bible Study / Memory Verse
*Ephesians 4:25 (KJV) Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor: for we are members one of another.
*Find additional verses relevant to character quality study of truthfulness.

Husband Encouragement
* Spend quiet time together. Lately we’ve gotten into a bad habit of just watching TV or doing computer work after the kids are in bed. I want to turn off the TV and computer and focus more on our relationship.

Train Them Up
* Began character quality study of truthfulness.

Must Do / Personal Goal
* Make a Christmas gift list/master plan.
* Get out my sewing machine and set up a sewing area.

Zone
Hmm… I’m going to say the whole house. My plan is to do a “27 Fling Boogie” everyday this week. So I’ll do the daily basics to keep things running and just focus on decluttering and purging. Hopefully I’ll have a lot to donate by the end of the week.

Menu Plan
Monday – seasoned chicken strips, creamy noodles & green peas
Tuesday – crab cakes & salad
Wednesday – grab something quick (G has basketball camp)
Thursday – roast with potatoes & carrotts
Friday – bbq sandwiches (with left over roast meat) & fruit

FUN THINGS!
I want to try to spend as much time as possible outside while the weather still allows. Take walks, work and play in the yard, etc.

Visit Sarah at In Light Of The Truth for more Monday Meanderings.

Feminine Friday

2009-11-13T08:21:00.000-06:00

Happy Feminine Friday everyone!

I just want to say that I love wearing skirts! It’s sometimes a struggle getting dressed in the morning. It’s pretty easy to just throw on jeans and a t-shirt since I’m a stay at home mom. But when I just take the time to put together a nice looking, feminine outfit I’m always glad I did.

I also want to say that I love ebay! This long denim skirt is my first ebay purchase, and I’m really pleased. This picture makes the “distressing” look very drastic, but it’s actually very subtle. I was wearing it yesterday while running errands. I ran into a lady I knew from church. She told me that she noticed my outfit from across the store, thinking how cute and feminine I looked. What a wonderful complement. I think I’m going to make an effort to complement others who I see dressed in a modest and feminine way, especially the teenage girls at church. There are some who dress in clothes that are just too revealing. So I definitely want to encourage those who I see looking lovely.

Superbowl Champions!

2009-11-11T08:47:00.001-06:00

G has been playing flag football and the season closed with a 7 day tournament. There were 16 teams in his age bracket and it was single loss elimination. Our team (the Patriots) was about middle of the pack. However, each game we played our boys did phenomenally well. Everyone gave it 100%, and we just kept winning. We made it all the way to the “Superbowl”.

At the start of the game day we filled the field with dry ice smoke and the boys ran through a banner. A group of little sisters were cheer leaders. Some parents had cow bells, painted faces, the works.

That’s G running the ball. The opposing team (the Bears) hadn’t lost a game in two years! They won the Superbowl last year. We were totally the underdogs.

But guess what… Our boys won! They rode around the field on a “float” with music blasting. They even made the local news the next morning. Very exciting, I don’t think these boys will ever forget this experience. Go Patriots!

Monday Meanderings

2009-11-09T16:11:00.000-06:00

Bible Study / Memory Verse
Psalm 51:10 (NIV)
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Husband Encouragement
*Pray for him.
*Try to take care of any projects around the house that I am able to, so he’s not so overwhelmed.

Train Them Up
* Work on shoe box diorama with G.
* Learning names of/pointing to body parts with B.

Must Do / Personal Goal
* Continue to implement “bulk cooking” at least once a week. I plan on having a baking day, making several batches pumpkin bread and blueberry muffins. I want to bake enough to eat, freeze and share with others.
* Figure out what to do for my mom’s birthday.

Zone
Kitchen. I’m going to stick with Flylady this week.

Menu Plan
Monday – mahi mahi, rice & green beans
Tuesday – meatloaf, mashed potatoes & lemon pepper Brussels sprouts
Wednesday – grab something quick (G has basketball camp)
Thursday – chicken & artichoke pasta
Friday – spaghetti with steamed broccoli

FUN THINGS!
I’m going out to dinner with a friend I worked with years ago. I haven’t seen her in so long, can’t wait!

Visit Sarah at In Light Of The Truth for more Monday Meanderings.

Feminine Friday

2009-11-05T12:51:00.001-06:00

We had a few really warm days this week. So I got to get one last wear out of a couple of my summery outfits. Good news since my winter wardrobe is sort of lacking. I threw on a denim jacket with this when we went out in the evening, should have taken a picture because it was cute. The colors are a little off in this picture. The shirt looks almost orange, but really it's a true red.

I have recently purchased a few skirts off ebay and look forward to adding them into the mix. I’ve also been on a mission to find the perfect, quality, reasonably priced tall boots.

As always, check out Valencia at Buildeth Her House to see her feminine outfits and link up yours as well.

Monday Meanderings

2009-11-02T15:35:00.000-06:00

Bible Study / Memory Verse
* "The Jesus I Never Knew" by Phillip Yancey
We’re studying this book/dvd series for Sunday school and we’re scheduled to lead one of the sections.

Husband Encouragement
* Compliment him more often. Tell him things like “You look handsome today” (only genuine admiration, never fake flattery).

Train Them Up
* Try not to yell. Period.

Must Do / Personal Goal
* Schedule dentist appointment for me… blah

Zone
* Outside (same as last week), I didn’t get around to planting my bulbs.

Menu Plan
Monday – grab something quick (G has a football game)
Tuesday – sausage and pepper pasta (never got to this last week)
Wednesday – 15 bean soup
Thursday – chicken pot pie
Friday – grilled pork chops, corn bread casserole, sweet potatoes

FUN THINGS!
* There’s been a standing agreement that if G brings home all A’s on his report card, then he earns a trip to Playtime Pizza. Well, report cards came home and it was all A’s! I’m thankful that he recently received a $20 gamecard as a gift because that place can get expensive.

Visit Sarah at In Light Of The Truth for more Monday Meanderings.

Feminine Friday

2009-10-30T08:30:00.000-05:00

Happy Friday everyone! Don’t y’all just love my new apron, I thought it was worthy of a Feminine Friday photo. I had been admiring it for some time. I showed my husband and thought maybe it could be a Christmas gift. He went ahead just ordered it for me :)

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Monday Meanderings

2009-10-26T12:08:00.000-05:00

Bible Study / Memory Verse
Proverbs 14:29 (same as last week)

Husband Encouragement
Continue to put into action my “ten ways”.

Train Them Up
I want to spend more QUALITY time the kids. I need to focus less on chores and to do lists, and more on reading with them and interactive play.

Must Do / Personal Goal
Try to implement “bulk cooking” at least once a week. I plan on making three batches of chicken enchiladas. One will be for our dinner, one will be given to a friend who just had a baby, and the third will go to the freezer. (Thank you Linda for the lovely cookbook!)

Zone
Outside. I want to tidy up the front flower beds before winter and maybe plant some bulbs.

Menu Plan
Monday – grab something quick (G has a football game)
Tuesday – chicken enchiladas
Wednesday – sausage and pepper pasta
Thursday – grab something quick (G has a football game)
Friday – grilled pork chops, glazed carrots, rice

FUN THINGS!
Lots of football, G is playing in a tournament this week and weekend. Going in we are ranked third, and have a pretty good chance of winning the whole shebang.

Visit Sarah at In Light Of The Truth for more Monday Meanderings.

Feminine Friday

2009-10-23T12:18:00.001-05:00

Hey everyone, I have a big (stressful) weekend planned. We have lots of family coming over. There’s plenty of prep work still to do, so I’ll keep this brief.

Here are two of my feminine looks from this week. Lately I’ve felt pretty dull in the wardrobe department. Is anyone else struggling like me? I need some inspiration. Y’all leave me some links in comments to cute feminine looks (or even to your dull attempts so I know I'm not alone). I always think Esther’s outfits are just delightful. Valencia hosts Feminine Friday if you'd also like to link up there.

Ten Ways to Please Your Husband

2009-10-21T11:51:00.000-05:00

This week’s topic over at We are THAT Family is “simple, yet thoughtful ways to please your husband”. This reminded me that good relationships don’t just happen; you have to work for it. So I thought I would play along, and here’s the ten ways I came up with:

1. Rub his neck and shoulders in the car while he’s driving.
2. Make him a “to go” drink when he’s heading out the door.
3. Voluntarily watch one of his favorite TV programs that I don’t really care for (sports, a western movie or something on the History channel).
4. Praise / brag on him in front of the family and friends.
5. Brush Lola often and keep cat hair rolled off the couches & chairs (Lola drives him crazy).
6. Keep fresh sweet tea, cranberry juice and Dr Pepper stocked in the fridge at all times.
7. Bite my tongue, and keep critical comments to myself.
8. Try to keep clutter out of our bedroom.
9. Encourage him to continue playing basketball with the men at church (even though that means I won’t have “a break” on those evenings).
10. Smile, laugh and flirt with him.

Monday Meanderings

2009-10-19T19:01:00.000-05:00

Bible Study / Memory Verse

Proverbs 14:29

Husband Encouragement

I want H to look forward to coming home after work. I plan on spending about 15 minutes to spruce myself up and do a quick pick up of the house right before he gets home. I am going to try to have a positive attitude and warmly greet him (even if I’m frustrated and on the brink of a meltdown).

Train Them Up

* work on baby sign language with B
* practice Lord’s Prayer with G

Must Do / Weekly Resolution

* prepare for carpet cleaning scheduled for Wednesday
* make a hot, healthy breakfast every morning (I’ve been slacking here)

Zone

Garage. Oh my goodness, it’s gotten scary in there…

Menu Plan

Monday – grab something quick (G has a football game)
Tuesday – roasted chicken & red potatoes, green beans
Wednesday – turkey burgers dressed with avocado & spinach, fruit salad
Thursday – chicken (leftover from Tuesday) & dressing, broccoli
Friday - grilled steak, jalapeno cheese grits, salad

Fun Things!

*Friday is H’s birthday. My grandmother is coming over Saturday morning to babysit for us. We’re going out for brunch, just the two of us!
*We’re starting a new Sunday school class this Sunday, really looking forward to it.

In Light of the Truth is a blog I like to read. Sarah regularly posts Monday Meanderings. I loved the idea of having this weekly plan. This is actually my plan from last week. It really helped to keep things running smoothly. So I’m going to try to make this a regular part of my schedule.

Proverbs 14:29

2009-10-19T19:00:00.000-05:00

photo by Hamed Masouimi

Proverbs 14:29

(KJV) He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly

(TNIV) Those who are patient have great understanding, but the quick-tempered display folly

(The Message) Slowness to anger makes for deep understanding; a quick-tempered person stockpiles stupidity

(CEV) It's smart to be patient, but it's stupid to lose your temper

When I’m studying a bible verse I like reading several versions. I was looking for something to memorize that went along with my continuing resolution to parent with kindness.

Feminine Friday, well not really...

2009-10-13T13:35:00.000-05:00

Sorry ladies, but no Feminine Friday post this week. I’ve been sick, bad yucky sick. My attire this week has consisted mainly of sweat shirts and pajama pants. I have nothing remotely lovely or feminine to present.

Thankfully, I do feel like I’m now on the road to recovery. I’ve been conjuring up a lot of new ideas for future posts and I’m excited about that. Also, I’ve purchased a few pairs of tights and leggings, so we’ll see how that plays out in my outfits to come. OK, that’s all I’ve got for now, take care everyone.

Chicken and Spinach Enchilada Soup

2009-10-13T13:14:00.000-05:00

Cool fall weather means it’s time for warm comforting soup at my house. This Chicken and Spinach Enchilada soup is one of my family’s favorites. My son gobbles it up, spinach and all. You must make the muffins as well to crumble on top. Enjoy!

Chicken and Spinach Enchilada Soup

2 tsp olive oil
1 lb chicken, cut into ¾ inch pieces
½ medium onion, chopped
2 cups chicken broth
1½ cups milk
1 10.5 oz can cream of chicken soup
10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed
¼ tsp chili powder
¼ tsp ground cayenne pepper
½ tsp ground cumin
shredded cheddar cheese for topping

Pour oil into a nonstick pan and heat over med/high. Add chicken to oil and cook for 6-8 minutes, or until no longer pink in center, stirring occasionally. Add onion; cook another 1-2 minutes.
Stir in broth, milk, soup, spinach and seasonings. Bring to boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered 6-8 minutes. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with cheese. Makes 4-6 servings.

Cheese Muffins

1½ cups flour
¾ cup sugar
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
¾ cup 2% milk
4 Tbsp butter, softened
1½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp vanilla

Mix ingredients together. Pour into a greased muffin pan. Bake at 400 for about 20 minutes or until toothpick tests clean. Makes 12 muffins.

Check out The Grocery Cart Challenge for more great recipes.

And the winner is...

2009-10-09T08:46:00.001-05:00

Congratulations to #4 Pamela

Pamela said...
Hi...love the poem "My Work." I would love to share this with the women of our church in an upcoming marriage seminar my husband and I are putting together. Being a Godly wife in an ungodly world takes lots of work. Great post!!Blessings!!

You are the winner of the $25 Restaurant.com gift card.

Thank you to everyone who stopped by and left thoughtful comments.

Feminine Friday

2009-10-08T21:10:00.000-05:00

Normally my daughter sneaks in all my pictures. Today however you get the addition of my cat Lola :)

Every Friday I have been posting my feminine attire from that week. This change in my wardrobe has truly been life changing. But know that being feminine is so much more than just wearing a skirt or dress. Part of being feminine is having a quiet and gentle spirit. It’s something I have really been working (and praying) on.

So on this Feminine Friday, I challenge you to strive for gentleness. Try the following: a soft touch, a sweet smile, a mild manner and a caring tone of voice. Seek to have a kind nature, to be considerate, patient, understanding, forgiving and not easily offended or irritated.

I enjoyed these posts on the topic: mommymonk, thehomespunheart and proverbs31devotions.

As always, check out Valencia at Buildeth Her House to see her feminine outfits and link up yours as well.

Fall Giveaway Carnival

2009-10-05T09:00:00.000-05:00

It’s that time again, Fall Giveaway Carnival! I will be giving away a $25 Restaurant.com gift card.

To enter, just take a look around my blog. Then leave me a comment regarding any of my past posts. Please make sure there is a way for me to contact you. If you do not have a blog, leave an e-mail address. You can use the cryptic form of yourname(at)domain(dot) com if you wish.

This giveaway is open to those with US and Canadian addresses only. This giveaway will end October 9, 2009 at 10:00 pm central time and the winner will be selected by random.org.

Thanks so much for stopping by. You can check out all the other fun giveaways at Heavenly Homemakers.

Feminine Friday

2009-10-02T12:25:00.001-05:00

For this edition of Feminine Friday you get an action shot. It was taken a few weeks ago at B’s first birthday; however I am wearing this same outfit today as well. I feel casual and comfortable, but still feminine and put together.

I have successfully incorporated skirts and dresses into my casual, day to day looks. My next hurdle is going to be working them into my winter wardrobe. The weather is cooling down here, and I’m not going to be able to wear outfits like today’s much longer. I’m going to search for a few skirts in heavier fabrics (perhaps wool?) and maybe leggings to go underneath.

Letting My Husband Lead, Part 2

2009-09-29T13:47:00.000-05:00

Last week I resolved to let my husband lead. Oh boy, this is tough. I have found that after I do go ahead let H direct the way, I tend to criticize. When things don’t go as I wished they had, it's not particularly easy for me to just roll with it and keep my mouth shut. It’s so hard to relinquish control (especially when I think my way is better).

In the past week there have been a few situations where I did just stay quiet and calm, well, I pretended to be calm… On the inside I was struggling, why is this so hard for me? I asked myself the following: Which is better, to have my way and voice my opinion, or to have an overall happier marriage? Afterwards (when I didn't nag, complain or correct) I was so glad. We didn’t do things exactly how I wanted, but so what. I let my husband lead.

I found this post from the Proverbs 31 Ministries really helpful. I love that they give application steps, reflections and power verses at the bottom of each post. I defiantly need to work on these:

• Tell your husband that you believe in him!
• Don't point out his mistakes, just fill in the gap.
• Ask God to show you ways to serve your husband.
• Don't ever say "I told you so."
• Say "I'm sorry" and mean it when you dishonor him.
• Say "I forgive you" and mean it when he dishonors or hurts you.
• Tell your husband that you thank God for giving him to you (and be sure you do).
• Let him overhear you telling someone something you appreciate about him.
• Support and encourage his decisions.
• Praise him when his decisions turn out well and encourage him when they don't.
• Tell you husband each day about one thing you are thankful for - about his character, his work ethic, his provision, his humor or something he adds to your family.

Feminine Friday

2009-09-25T10:46:00.001-05:00

Whew, I’ve had a really busy week. First, I have to brag on my son. He scored two touchdowns at his flag football game Tuesday night. Go G! I had a birthday recently and my grandmothers sent me money, as they always do. Usually I just put it towards bills or necessity items. This year I actually splurged and got myself something special. I ordered this denim skirt. It was a bit pricey, but great quality and I’m really pleased. I am wearing it in the picture to the right. As I look at this photo I see that B had drooled down the front of my shirt. Ahh, motherhood…

I really like doing these Feminine Friday posts. It keeps me accountable. I have been trying to wear at least two skirts/dresses every week. It's usually one casual look during the week, then a dressier one to church on Sunday. Doesn't my B look lovely in her feminine dresses :) Check out Valencia at Buildeth Her House to see her feminine outfits and link up yours as well.

I love this poem!

2009-09-18T15:32:00.000-05:00

My Work

I have the greatest work in the world;
The job of rocking a baby to sleep,
That of guiding his tottering feet,
A baby's clothes to launder and fold,
A precious life to shape and mold,
A drink to give from a little cup,
At night his toys to gather up,
Hurts to heal and fears to quell,
A baby to keep clean and well,
A stack of diapers to put away,
Oh, what a happy worthwhile day!
I am a "Mother."

I have the greatest work in to world;
A husband to encourage when things go wrong,
When he comes from work to greet with a song,
Denims and shirts to wash and mend,
A helping hand, when needed, to lend,
Three times a day is meals to cook,
To strive to be my best to look,
His back to rub at the close of the day,
For his faithfulness to God I pray,
When hubby's in the field I take lemonade,
for all these tasks his love has paid.
I am a “Wife."

I have the greatest work in the world;
A home to keep happy, clean and bright,
Make things go smooth and strive for the right,
Jams to cook and jellies to make,
Cookies and pies and bread to bake,
Washing, ironing, and sewing to do,
So many tasks, will I ever get through?
Lettuce to wash and peas to pick,
floors to scrub, lost items to seek,
Dishes to wash and windows to shine,
These and many more tasks are mine.
I am a "Homemaker."

Help me, Father, to faithfully work,
Forgive if I unconsciously shirk,
give me the patience and love I pray,
To keep myself in duties way;
With all the hustle that each day brings
May I not neglect the needing things;
Each day to spend time alone with Thee
That Jesus Christ be seen in me.
Thank you for husband, our home, our girls and boys;
Thank you for love which brings me much joy.
Thank you, Lord.

Mary Lou Burkholder

Feminine Friday

2009-09-11T08:11:00.001-05:00

A few months ago I embarked on a challenge that has since really changed me. I wore skirts for seven days straight. Before that week, I had worn skirts maybe seven days out of the past year. The change is so much more than just appearance; it’s also behavior and attitude. I have slowly been adding more feminine skirts and dresses to my wardrobe and weeding out items in my closet that I don’t feel are modest. At times it’s been a struggle to integrate this change in my attire. I got a lot of inspiration from the other ladies who linked up as they also participated in the challenge and also from D’Rae and Kristin on their fashion blogs. Valencia at Buildeth Her House took part in the skirt challenge and has continued on with her journey in Feminine Friday posts. I love this idea and decided to take part. So here are two of my feminine looks from this week.

* By the way, I wore the first outfit on Sunday, so I wasn't breaking any fashion rules with the white skirt. :)

Letting My Husband Lead

2009-09-09T17:32:00.000-05:00

I have started reading a new book (new to me at least). It’s Created To Be His Help Meet by Debi Pearl. First let me say that I am not endorsing this book nor do I agree with all the author says. However, I have gotten some useful amounts wisdom from Created To Be His Help Meet. My attention was immediately grabbed with this statement in Chapter one regarding the job of leading the family: It is far better that the job be done poorly by your husband than to be done well by you. Wow, let’s read that again. It is far better that the job be done poorly by your husband than to be done well by you.

I have always wished that my husband was more of the “leader” of our family. However, when I take an honest look at our marriage, I see that he hasn’t been able fill this role because I haven’t let him. It is easy to let him go ahead and take charge when he’s doing things the way I want. But what about when he’s not doing things to suit me, or when I feel I could handle the situation better than him? Often I will step in, take over, take control, etc. As Debi wrote in the book, even if you successfully do the job of leading the family, you will not find satisfaction in it. And I don’t.

So this week I have resolved to let my husband lead. Period. I know this is going to be a struggle for me. A challenge indeed, I plan on just biting my tongue and trying to relax.

UGG Boots

2009-08-21T11:39:00.000-05:00

I would really, really love to win some UGG Boots! I want the Classic Tall in black (violet put up a good fight, but I'll go with practical). I see all the cute moms wearing them and have long been jealous. I've been wondering how I'm going adapt my skirt wardrobe for the winter, well hello, with UGG Boots!

Go here to recieve a 15% discount and maybe even win a free pair.

random stuff

2009-07-14T12:10:00.001-05:00

So here’s all the random stuff that’s currently going on with me:

G went to vacation bible school last week from 9 am – 12 noon. My husband took a long lunch break each day to pick him up, and then came home to have lunch with us. What a treat to have everyone home for a sit down lunch. Check out these pretty blue berries and cantaloupe. I thought they were deserving of a picture.

I got a major hair makeover. I got four inches cut off the length, bangs and highlights! You can look back a few posts ago and see that it was previously long, one length, light brown and boring. I will have pictures of the new do soon.

I have completely fallen off the FlyLady wagon… That’s all I’m going to say about that.

Baby B finally got her first tooth (at 11 months)! We thought she might forever be our toothless wonder. I’ve been busy planning her first birthday party. For the invitations I used a heavy, embellished cardstock and made postcards. I love butterflies; B’s room is decorated with quite a few. The card read:

We can’t believe it’s been a year.
B’s first birthday is already here.
Have some cake, join the fun.
Our little princess is turning one!

My neighbor just had a baby, and has asked if I would be interested in keeping him when she goes back to work at 12 weeks. The extra income would be great, but I’m not completely sure that this would be best for me, big G or baby B. My husband and I plan on praying about it and hopefully we will come to a conclusion.

That's all for now, have a blessed day.

parenting with kindness

2009-06-25T14:27:00.000-05:00

I'm a big fan of 18 Kids and Counting. One thing that I admire about Michelle Duggar is how calm and gentle she is with her children. She's inspired me to take a look at myself and try to make some changes. I also found this webpage to be helpful.

I have resolved to work on the following:

Choose kind and gentle words
Watch my tone of voice
Don't criticize, encourage more
Stop yelling

A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
Proverbs 15:1 (New International Version)

If I were...

2009-06-08T13:54:00.000-05:00

1. If I were a month I would be: June
2. If I were a day of the week I would be: Saturday
3. If I were a time of day I would be: 10:00 am
4. If I were a direction I would be: South
5. If I were a piece of furniture I would be: a bed
6. If I were a liquid I would be: sweet tea
7. If I were a stone I would be: an amethyst
8. If I were a tree I would be: a dogwood
9. If I were a bird I would be: a purple finch
10. If I were a tool I would be: scissors
11. If I were a flower/plant I would be: a lily
12. If I were a color I would be: purple
13. If I were an emotion I would be: love
14. If I were a vegetable I would be: broccoli
15. If I were a car I would be: a Jaguar
16. If I were a material I would be: cotton
17. If I were a scent I would be: Ralph Lauren - Ralph
18. If I were a body part I would be: eyes
19. If I were a facial expression I would be: a genuine smile
20. If I were a subject in school I would be: math
21. If I were a game I would be: Mexican Train (dominos)

The Challenge - Part Two

2009-05-27T20:55:00.001-05:00

I’ve continued on with the skirt challenge, you can see part one here. However, I slipped up along the way and wore jeans one day… I wrote a little about how different I felt in skirts, what surprised me more was how I felt on the day I wore jeans. In skirts I look more feminine and maybe it’s subconscious, but I seem to behave more feminine as well. On her final day of the challenge, Kristin wrote that this wasn't just about fashion; it was more about God’s design of a woman. Femininity is more than wearing a skirt or dress now and then; it also includes maintaining an attitude of submissiveness, self control, modesty, and meekness.

That said, ideally I would like to dress in a modest and feminine way, yet also be stylish. It’s quite different seeing a picture versus looking at your self in the mirror. You can really see what works and what doesn’t. Now on with the pictures:

Day 4: Hmm, nothing too exciting, but I'm in a skirt.

Day 5: This dark denim pencil skirt is new. Previously I thought of skirts and dresses just for formal occasions, church, weddings, etc. Wearing skirts in a casual everyday way was so different for me. I purchased this skirt specifically for this reason. I think it is a “classic” piece that will now be a staple in my wardrobe.

Day 6: Have you noticed a pattern? My entire closet is pretty much black, grey, white and purple.

You can check out others who participated in the challenge here. Also check out Joy's post here discussing her experience and thoughts on feminine dress.

The Challenge

2009-05-22T21:06:00.000-05:00

I have fallen into a complete fashion rut. Nearly everyday I throw on jeans and a t-shirt. I can list several reasons… well more like excuses. I’m at home most days, at least half of my closet doesn’t fit, I’m breastfeeding, etc. I stop in at Kristen’s blog occasionally for inspiration. Usually I think oh that’s cute, but then just continue on in my same dull duds. Well this week she’s hosting the Feelin’ Feminine Challenge, and I’ve decided to play along. You can read all the details here, and see others who are participating here. Basically you have to wear skirts or dresses for seven days straight.

Day 1 - I wore this to the baseball park. I trudged through the dirt, climbed bleachers and sat in the sweltering heat all in a skirt. I managed just fine.

Day 2 - I know we’re both squinting, the sun was so bright. I don’t know how I feel about this outfit. The skirt choices are limited in my closet; this one hasn’t been worn in years…

Day 3 - I struggled to find shoes that went with this outfit. I reluctantly went with my burgandy flip flops and bag. I need to invest in some cute new flats.

I’m surprised at how different I feel in skirts rather than pants. I feel, well, feminine. I want to keep this up, it’s going to be this week’s resolution: to wear more skirts and dresses. I'm going to try for three times a week. As for the hairstyle portion of the challenge, well, I'll take that on another week.

patting myself on the back

2009-02-09T21:14:00.001-06:00

I had a really productive day! I actually had some down time this weekend, so I was recharged. In addition to the everyday chores, I changed G’s bed sheets. I cleaned the kitchen trash can. It’s now pristinely clean!

I vacuumed upstairs, then made several batches of baby food, with my faithful sidekick B. Yes, she is a little sweetie. A little sweetie who is currently cutting a tooth, and drooling uncontrollably. Thus forcing her to sport silly bibs all her waking hours. I digress.

Mid afternoon the door bell rang… It was Tipton & Hurst! H sent me my Valentine’s flowers early. He left for out of town business this morning. I’m usually bummed and extra stressed when he’s gone, so he thought I might appreciate them more today.

an ode to my dvr

2009-02-06T10:20:00.000-06:00

DVR, DVR, how I love thee
DVR, DVR, I’m now commercial free
My favorite shows, no longer do I tape
They’re all on demand, when I need to escape

OK, I can’t come up with anything else clever to continue on with my rhyme… I think its fun to see other people’s DVR lists, so here is mine:

America’s Test Kitchen
Everyday Foods
Grey’s Anatomy (I’m losing interest in this quickly)
Little House on the Prairie
Oprah (I delete these 90% of the time, but occasionally there’s a good one)
Project Runway
Real Simple, Real Life
The Office
Top Chef
17 Kids and Counting

clean and shiny sink

2009-02-04T15:31:00.001-06:00

My resolution for this week was inspired by Crystal at Biblical Womanhood. In her post today, she discusses how keeping your sink clean and shiny can motivate you to also keep the rest of your house clean and shiny. So I quickly got to it, and as you can see below, my kitchen sink is now sparkling. Every time I’ve walked through the kitchen since I’ve smiled. My goal is to have my sink back in this condition each night before I go to bed. A pile of dirty dishes is not a very pleasant morning greeting. So ladies (and gentlemen if there happen to be any reading), hop to it and go clean your sink.

the surrendered wife

2009-01-25T17:41:00.000-06:00

I’m currently reading an interesting book. It’s “The Surrendered Wife” by Laura Doyle. It’s brought to my attention some behaviors and actions that are negatively affecting my marriage. I like things done my way. I guess you could say I can be a bit of a control freak. I like rules and schedules (mine of course), and I can be a bit of a pessimist. This is terribly difficult to admit. I strive for perfection and can be hard on myself and my husband. So, this week I resolve to work on the following:

- Give up unnecessary control and responsibility.
- Trust my husband to just handle things on his own.
- Bite my tongue, and keep critical comments to myself.
- Express my gratitude more often.

homemade cards

2009-01-13T21:01:00.000-06:00

My most recent “weekly resolution” was to send birthday cards to each of my friends and family. I really wanted to send homemade cards rather than store bought, so G and I headed out to Micheal’s (with weekly coupon and flyer in hand). I picked up just a few items: 2 value packs of cards & envelopes and some clearance ribbon. I spent around $6.

All other needed supplies I had at home: paper cutter, hole punch, double sided tape, raffia, ribbon and my photo punch that rounds corners. I had saved my 2008 wall calendar because it was so cute, and I knew I would use it in some sort of craft. I spent my evening making these homemade cards. I really enjoyed making them and am so pleased with how they turned out!

sending cards

2009-01-06T11:22:00.000-06:00

I’m continuing on with my weekly resolutions. For the first week of the year I have set the goal of sending every immediate family member and friend a card on their birthday. I’m considering immediate to be parents, grandparents, siblings, aunts, uncles, first cousins, nieces, nephews… Whew, that means 8 this month. When time allows I plan on creating my own homemade cards. For now I’ve already sent out 2 store bought, and hopefully brightened my loved ones day.

look what I won

2008-12-22T13:48:00.001-06:00

Thank you to the Domestic Goddess for this fun giveaway! I chose this cute little girl's apron to go with my Mary's Softdough Set. Just in time for Christmas :)

rediscovering the library

2008-12-10T18:59:00.000-06:00

This week’s resolution is to rediscover the library. I think it’s been nearly a year since I last visited. In my defense, I was pregnant. Pregnant and working full time. Pregnant and moving into our new house, I could go on… Sadly, the library fell off my priority list.

So, my Big G and I visited a new library last night. He was very excited to go with me. I’m so pleased that he enjoys reading. My first book choice was "At Home in Mitford". My interest had been spurred by Monica at The Homespun Heart. I read snippets from the book in her “Mitford Moments” posts. I stayed up way too late last night; I just couldn’t put the book down. My second choice was this. Yes, my next big adventure is going to be in canning. Hopefully I can get some assistance from my Gran.

Click here for 7 Benefits of Reading Fiction

using fewer paper towels

2008-12-02T11:52:00.000-06:00

Being that it’s December, and we’re closing in on a new year, I began thinking about resolutions. I have decided that instead of setting a few grandiose resolutions come January 1st, I am going to set realistic, achievable goals (resolutions) each week. I am going to break down large goals into smaller ones, and I’ve already started.

My first resolution was to use fewer paper towels. I wash my hands so many times each day. I usually just tear off a paper towel, dry my hands and chunk it in the trash. How wasteful! So each morning I have been setting out a new dishtowel to be used for hand drying only. I’ve gotten my husband on board as well. Less money spent buying the paper towels and less waste in landfills.

Why is everyone skipping Thanksgiving?

2008-11-19T22:06:00.001-06:00

That is what my Big G asked me as we entered Lowes (which was in full on Christmas mode). Why is everyone skipping Thanksgiving? There is Christmas whatnot everywhere. Our neighbors have lights and garland up. There is a steadfast rule in my family; you start putting up your Christmas decorations the weekend after Thanksgiving. Per my Gran, any earlier is just tacky.

So we came home and decided to decorate a little more for Thanksgiving. This wall in my kitchen is dedicated to our art projects. (I know the picture is not so great, my camera was no cooperating.) We had a lot of fun making these. I get losts of inspiration from Marie at Makes and Takes. You can get detailed instructions for these crunchy leaf pictures here.

Fortune Cookie

2008-11-11T09:53:00.000-06:00

Fortune Cookies - allposters.com

H recently got a fortune in his fortune cookie that he found to be quite profound. He’s rather ambitious and this really spoke to him. It now resides on our kitchen bulletin board.

“Let your reach exceed your grasp.”

Daily Tasks

2008-11-05T13:17:00.000-06:00

I’ve read in many blogs of management guides and schedules to keeping the house in order, ways to keep on track each day and get everything done. I have found that I do best with a simple list. I need a printed list where I actually have to check things off, it holds me accountable. I have this in a chart format and print it off every Monday morning. This is a work in progress; I continue to make changes here and there. By no means does it encompass all that needs to be done, but it includes the basics and helps me tremendously.

Daily Tasks:
Make bed
Load / unload dishwasher
Dinner preparation
Kitchen (countertops, sink, etc)
One complete laundry load
One weekly task
One weekly task
Overall straightening
Exercise
Primp
Reading / playtime with B
Reading / playtime with G
Something nice for H

Weekly Tasks:
Change bed sheets
Lola’s litter box / Brush Lola
Vacuum downstairs
Vacuum upstairs
Mop hard floors
Bathroom countertops, sinks & mirrors
Toilets
Clean bathtubs & shower
Ironing
Dusting

You may notice/question a few of my listings. Primp. Yes, primp. Being a sahm, it would be quite easy to just throw on sweats or something dumpy and skip hair and makeup all together. I think it’s important to look nice for my husband, and for myself. So everyday I devote a bit of time to primp. It might be rolling my hair, putting on a cuter than usual outfit, or painting my nails. My H, he notices and appreciates my effort.

As for the reading / playtime with Baby B, I’m with her all day, but sometimes I get wrapped up in trying to get everything thing else done. This reminds that it is most important to spend quality time with B, just focusing 100% on her, not dinner or laundry. With Big G, I try to get some one on one time in with him each day. Since his sister was born, I have had less time to spend with him. So having fun just the two of us is a priority.

Something nice for H... Good relationships don’t just happen; you have to work for it. You have to put forth an effort to keep things happy and running smoothly. So everyday I try to do something nice for my H. I tell him how I appreciate him and acknowledge all that he does, or maybe I make a point to kiss him goodbye with more than just a peck.

So that's my list, I think I'll go get to it.

Where have I been?

2008-11-04T10:17:00.000-06:00

Have I fallen off the face of the earth? Nope, we’ve just been without phone, cable and internet for several days. Apparently my entire neighborhood was being sent way too strong of a signal, which put everything on the blink. Whatever, I would like to name names and blast them for being terribly incompetent. Instead I will refrain and move on.

Big G's Birthday

2008-10-27T13:15:00.000-05:00

Saturday was my son’s 8th birthday. We had our entire family over to celebrate. I baked and glazed a ham, made candied carrots and baked beans. Most everyone who came brought a potluck dish, so we had quite a feast. I love having big family get-togethers, and do so every occasion I can. Big G got an unbelievable amount of presents. Although most things were very practical, like a bicycle helmet, winter clothes and Magic Tree House books (we love this series). My family is good about getting things that he truly needs. Of course, as you can see below, he got his share of just for fun stuff too (Bakugan is his latest obsession). It was an all around great day.

My Happy Delivery

2008-10-22T08:30:00.000-05:00

As I arrived home from picking G up at school, I noticed a box on my doorstep. It was from my mom, who lives in another state. She had sent G’s birthday presents. As I unpacked his gifts, I noticed one for me. “Kate, I got you a happy”, the note read.

For as long as I can remember, my mom has surprised me with “happys”. A “happy” was just a little something to brighten my day. It could be any number of things, from my favorite homemade sweet treat to a beautifully framed family photo. I have continued the ritual with my husband and children.

Today my “happy” was a tube of MAC Lustreglass lip gloss. I could not have gotten more joy had I unwrapped a bar of gold. You see, long before children, one income and a tight budget I wore a lot of makeup, most of which was department store brands. These days I don’t have the time to paint myself up as I once did. And there is no way our budget would allow me to just drop down the cash for department store cosmetics. My mom likes to get me luxury items like this that I would never purchase for myself.

Since my happy delivery arrived, I have been bopping around the house doing my daily chores with very shiny lips and a pep in my step. Back to it I go…

Let Me Introduce You

2008-10-13T16:35:00.001-05:00

My Baby B was born August 2, 2008. We barely made it to the hospital in time. Really, I almost had her in the car… Sometimes she’s stubborn like me and then other times she’s laid back like her daddy. Baby B makes my heart gush. I love her smell, her funny noises, I just love her!

And here is her big brother G (and me). He’ll be turning 8 next week. He makes me very proud. He’s so smart, just phenomenal at math. Big G is kind and compassionate. He is gentle with his sister. He has a sharp sense of humor and is all boy.

Unplug It

2008-10-09T11:10:00.000-05:00

Don’t know if anyone else watched Oprah yesterday (it's an occasional guilty pleasure), but the episode was titled “The Thriftiest Family in America". Most of the show went over common sense stuff that I already do. However, it did inspire me to scavenge my house to see what I could unplug. Even turned off, appliances and what not still pull a bit of energy. Anything that I don’t use daily got unplugged. This included my toaster oven, hair rollers, a vcr, the floor lamp in Baby B’s room, an electric pencil sharpener and my cell phone charger among other things. Every lit bit helps.

Sleep Deprivation

2008-10-06T11:31:00.001-05:00

Is she sleeping through the night? It’s the current question of choice. Family, friends, strangers, they all want to know. Is she sleeping through the night? No. No, she is not. So that means that her mother is also not sleeping through the night.

At dinner I declared that I was exhausted and I was about to drop dead. My lovely son G responded, “Why are you tired? You get to just sit around and hold B all day.” I took a deep breath and then conjured the energy to explain how sadly he was mistaken.

And it begins

2008-10-02T09:26:00.000-05:00

My debut post, how exciting... I am completely new to blogging. I didn’t really know this all existed until a few weeks ago. I stumbled here while searching for economical recipes, and have since been reading quite religiously. This is addictive.

Most of my girlfriends happen to be either single, married with no children or working moms. Now let me say that I just adore these girlfriends and they bring me much joy and support. However, they don’t seem to appreciate the pleasure of getting free toilet paper with a good sale and coupon. They don’t care to discuss meal planning or toilet training and don’t relate to any of the other nuances of being a stay at home mom.

I have gotten so many wonderful ideas, and also a sense of comfort reading about other moms going through the same things I am. I’ve debated whether I wanted a blog of my own. I think this would be a good outlet for me. And maybe I can bring ideas, inspiration and comfort to others, so welcome to my adventures as a stay at home mom.