Making Your Home a Haven Challenge: Day 3
Keep the inspiring posts and comments coming, ladies! You've blessed and encouraged me so much this week. And I'm hearing from a number of other women that your posts are motivating ladies from around the world! Thank you to the many of you who are taking time to participate in this challenge. I hope your families are being blessed, most of all!Today's Challenge:
1) Refresh Your Spirit (5 minutes)
As we've been doing all week, take a few moments to sit down with a cup of tea or coffee and quiet your heart before the Lord. Pray, read Scripture, and just encourage your heart in the Lord. Ask Him to love through you today.
If you have a chance, I encourage you to think of three things you are thankful for. Write them down and express gratitude to the Lord. Focus on the blessings in your life, not on the things you wish you could change. Choose to bloom where God has planted you! An attitude of gratitude will go a long way in making your home a haven!
I'd love for you to post three things you are thankful for.
STOP: Is your morning routine done? Don't move on to #2 unless it is!
2) Take Time to Plan (5 minutes)
In addition to writing out a short to-do list numbered in order of importance today like we did yesterday, I encourage you to plan what you are having for dinner. Make it your aim to have dinner completely made or almost completely made by lunch time. This will make for a much more peaceful afternoon and evening.
Share your to-do list today, if you have a chance. Also, what's on your menu for dinner?
3) Do Something! (15 minutes or so)
Today we're going to focus on the laundry and laundry room. Light a candle, put on your apron, turn on some uplifting music, and get busy!
Your goal by the end of today is to have all of your laundry finished, folded, and put away. I'm really behind in this area right now since I never got caught up from our Thanksgiving trip and then Kathrynne had the stomach flu a few days ago so I know it is going to take me longer than 15 minutes to finish, but I plan to stick with it until it is done! Hopefully you are more on top of things than me so it doesn't take you all morning like it might very well take me.
For those of you with a laundry room or laundry area, take some time to organize and clean up this area. Wipe down your washer and dryer, check for socks and other articles of clothing behind and on the sides of your washer and dryer, and clean out your dryer lint.
If you're brave, post some before and after pictures of your laundry piles and laundry-room makeovers. I'm not sure I can fit all of my incredibly massive Mt. Neverest in one picture - yes, it's that bad! I can't wait until it is done and put away. And then hopefully I'll stay on top of it from here on out - at least until the next trip or stomach flu incident!
Graphic from Art.com
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Would you like to join us in this "Making Your Home a Haven" Challenge? Just do one or more of the challenges listed above or something else related to "making your home a haven" and post about it on your blog. Come back here and leave your link below so that we can be inspired!
posted by Crystal Paine at 1:39 AM
37 Comments:
Hi Crystal,
Great challenge idea to clean the laundry area!
We have a laundry room on the first floor (which I am sooo thankful for after having a laundry in the basement for years). The laundry room is also the mudroom and our main point of entry into the house and tends to get really dirty. I've wiped down the washer and dryer and used a long duster to reach behind them.
Take Care,
Trixie
Crystal, I'm really enjoying your 'challenge'! Today I have a lot of other stuff that I need to get done, schooling and groceries, but I'm going to try and do laundry and clean my laundry room as well. Thanks for the encouragement!!! :)
I did my laundry yesterday, but I will clean my washer and dryer today, scrub out my laundry baskets and the hampers, and wash the floor in the bathroom (we have a stackable washer and dryer set in there :-)). Along the lines of laundry, I DO have a pile of mending that needs to be done. Taking a cue from you, I'm dressed to my shoes and ready for the day and enjoying a cup of tea right now. Here's my thankful list:
1. a wonderful, awesome husband who so faithfully goes to work every day in spite of the cold weather
2. little voices saying, "Mommy, I love you!"
3. a warm, cozy home to make into a haven
Here's my to do list:
1. load dishwasher/tidy kitchen and mop floor
2. clean up laundry area & machines
3. tackle mending pile/put away when finished
4. shovel snow for 1 hour while children play outside
5. prepare supper (Tator Tot casserole, glazed carrots and pumpkin rolls) and get dough rising for rolls
I'm planning on having my son help me some of the tasks while the baby plays nearby. I'll also take out his arts and crafts supplies for him to use at some point. While I'm preparing lunch I'll let him watch a short educational video. After lunch we'll have our aloud reading time. In between everything there will be nursing breaks for baby and such, so , I'm sure the day will zoom by as usual. I just love these challenges and enjoyed your before and after shots. You are keeping all of us motivated for our great calling of homemaking. Thanks! :)
Crystal, thank you for hosting this! I will try to participate, even though I'm getting in late...can't start today, but I will check back tomorrow and see what I can do :)
I have a suprise for you over at my blog (as well as a playdough recipe that you might like for your girlies....it is in the "Do I Have to Share?" post.
Blessings!
Lori4squaremom
http://lori.scottdomain.com
Crystal:
As I was working on my laundry room, I was struck with a thought that you might want to share. For this truly to work (I mean making our homes into havens), we must be protective of the rooms we have already taken care of. I don't mean to imply that our families can not use these rooms. But it is necessary to be vigilant in picking up or having our children pick up after themselves.
Hope this makes some sense...
Blessings,
Heather - Doodle Acres
I've been enjoying reading "Making Your Home A Haven" since it ever started! Unfortunately, we are moving at the end of the month, so I'm in the middle of cleaning/packing, hence my not being able to participate right now. However, in my new home, I can "try" to do those challenges while unpacking! 8^D On top of it all, I'm in the middle of my pregnancy with baby # 4! Whew...
Crystal,
I'm enjoying the challenges. Didn't get much done yesterday, but I am motivated to get more done today! Thanks!
I've been doing well on my challenge. This morning, I was up at 4 a.m. to get my day started! Talk about the Proverbs 31 woman rising while it is still night-LOL! After my quiet time with God and my coffee, I did my chores and got out the bins of Christmas decorations. We should complete everything except getting the tree by this evening.
Patricia
Tonights dinner is refurbished pot roast. I will cut it into smaller pieces and serve it as a stroganoff with sour cream, mushrooms and noodles. I will also serve a salad or peas.
Last night I tried a new pot roast recipe which called for coffee and balsamic vinegar! It was delicious!
Patricia
I am still challenged by laundry in the new house... There is no natural gas, and the cost of electric drying is CRAZY! And with the humidity here, things take forever to air dry. So I'm never DONE with my laundry... I just need to try to get (and stay) "caught up"...
I have to tell you about laundry: The year my daughter got married, my son asked me to show him how to do his own laundry. (He was 20 at the time.) The Saturday after her wedding, I went downstairs to the laundry room, expecting to see the usual piles and piles of -- Mount Neverest? Mount Washmore? -- and found a tiny little heap of my husband's and my underwear. I stared at it in shock for some minutes, thinking, "My life is over." So fear not -- one day, Mount Neverest *will* be conquered. And you won't know what to do with yourself.
Hi Crystal,
I am loving this challenge, although I must confess I haven't been able to keep up with it! I am hoping to rectify that today. The past two mornings took me away from home and the next two will as well. This is not a typical week for us by far. Another distraction for me is the phone. I need to drastically cut out my phone time. But I have a couple ladies (my mother included!!) who call me daily. I am so afraid that I will offend them. My children are not responding to me well and I fear it is do to the phone time. Do you, or your readers, know of a polite way to say that I will not be answering the phone in the mornings anymore? If I just stop answering and let the machine get it, I know they will send out the calvary looking for me, fearing something bad has happend! But I desperately want to change this since I see it as a huge obstacle in making our home a haven for the four (almost five) of us.
As for the challenge today! I am ready for it. I need to change and wash all the bedding, in addition to our regular wash. Then I want to do a quick clean in both bathrooms and go over all the floors. At naptime I plan on going over our budget and making a grocery list. I am thankful for the baby moving in my belly this moment, the two precious little ones playing in the other room and a hubby that works hard so I can stay home. - Mrs. S
I am loving the challenges. Thank you so much! Keep them coming.
I joined the challenge yesterday but I'm having trouble posting what I've done on my own site publically. I am havnig problems with a serious harassing person that has been warned by my sheriff to NOT bother me, but he doesn't get it. I dont' want him to have any part of my private life to ponder. Can I post here what I've done in my home?
Thanks so much for the challenge!
I am not behind in laundry, but I do need to clean my washroom/ 3/4bath. So I will work on that. For dinner we will be having homemade pizza with bruschetta instead of pizza sauce (it makes a wonderful light foundation for the toppings). My blessings for today are: 1. having a loving God who is patient with me.
2.a husband who loves God, our children and me.
3. Four wonderful blessings-Nicole, Christopher, Alicia and Hannah.
4. Being able to homeschool my children freely.
5. Having friends who are willing to keep me accountable.
My thankful is biggest for me today-I am thankful for time spent with my teenage daughter last night, discussing her new found interest in growing plants and herbs, and their uses. It's been a long road with her, so a good moment with her is always a treasure!
And I'm thankful for a beautiful family of blue jays that's moved into my backyard!
Yeterday my husband and I spent the day painting our new home(re-built after a fire a year ago) and making plans together for future projects(such as a wood burning stove being installed this weekend) and eventual additions to the house. Today on my list:
1) general housework
2)make cookies for AWANA to share
3) making fudge to sell
4) working on orders for handmade dishcloths and teaching my 7 year old how to purl with her knitting.
Laundry was on my list to do today. I always try to do it on Mondays, but that doesn't always work. One thing I have almost always done (and its easy because I only have 3 people to do laundry for) is to have all the laundry finished in one day, washing, drying, and put away. I was planning on doing some major cleaning between Christmas and New Years. So, I will refer back to you blog then. Thanks, Crystal, for keeping us all on track!
Heather - Thanks for the reminder! I'll try to remember to include that in the challenge tomorrow. I'm writing these as we go and so I'm open to any and all suggestions and ideas!
Mrs. S: Maybe some other wise women here have some ideas as far as the phone goes. My advice is that if it is taking you away from your family/causing you to be distracted and neglect your more important priorities, that you find a solution. My first thought would be to schedule some phone time in the afternoon - let your friends and mom know very kindly that you're on a new schedule and would love for them to call you during your phone time in the afternoon. Giving a creative alternative has worked well for me.
I'd love to hear thoughts and ideas from other women here, too!
Just Me: Yes, you are more than welcome to post your challenges here in the comments as you've done! Thanks for joining us!
Hey! you have to read the cutest post about your pumpkin rolls! This girl was a hoot!
http://femininepursuits.blogspot.com/2007/12/bring-dinner-roll-back.html
I have thought about keeping the rooms we have already done clean too! My solution? As part of my evening routine, I do a 15 minute pickup time (I have the kids do it too!). Seems to be working for us!
Crystal,
Loving the Challenge!! What a blessing! There's such strength in numbers and this is really how the Lord means for us to encourage each other.
Refresh: Read 10 Psalms and 2 Proverbs. It's funny how it seems so many are reading the Psalms.
Thankful: 1)Dh who is so gracious with me 2) My two dc who keep me busy and always laughing 3) That my son's elbow has completely healed (he broke it, but got the cast off this morning) 4) Ds is now playing happily with both his arms (he was so scared when he first got his cast off) 5) The Lord has really renewed my joy lately showing me where my heart was wrong in some areas 6) That God is good to us all the time.
To do list: 1) Take son to the hospital 2)Drink hot cocoa with the dc and enjoy the fresh snow 3)Clean up the kitchen going through the some cabinets. Get rid of overabundance of Tupperware and give to some friends 4) Do some laundry and wipe down machines
Our menu is: Chicken Parmesan over egg noodles with a spinach salad.
I didn't get to post yesterday, but our living room was dusted and swept.
I love the lighting of the candles throughout the day. Before I was married and had dc I use to light candles and lay on my bed and listen to music. Those days are over, but what a blessing to share the candles I've had stored up with my dc. I'm going to ask for some candles for Christmas :)
Edwena
Feelin' good! Thanks a million! :)
What a great challenge for me! Thanks so much for this series Crystal!
Added my link. :) Now going to finish my to do list. :) I've been enjoying the challenges.
This series is great Crystal. I am very inspired.
:)
Crystal,
This is great!!!!!! I've been getting so much done! Thank You!!!
~Ashley
This is becoming a lesson in humility, what with the picture posting and all. :P Sigh :D
I agree with the other ladies...gotta put something in place to protect the haven already created! So I decided that I'm going to just need to suck it up and get up a bit earlier. And what a difference :) My entry way is still clean, and while I do have to restraighten the couch often due to some little girls playing "bedtime" with the blanket, it is nice and clean too :)
Hi Crystal!
I'm really enjoying the challenge! The laundry assignment was much needed in our house... we had neglected it for several days!
Off to fold some more...
Kim :-)
Crystal-I'm going to have to withdraw from the challenge as far as posting publically goes. I had problems with someone over the summer, harassing me nearly to the point of stalking. He's been warned by the sheriff here to not bother me, but I can't post ANYTHING without him showing u at my site. I'm going to have to go protected entirely again to have any privacy.
I'll keep doing the challenge but I can't post anymore about it because my family comes first.
Thank you for doing this. My family appreciates it already!
Woo! I actually got stuff done today!
Didnt' get to share what I did today on my post, but not being online was the evidence I was doing what I need to do and the great joy of being a homemaker for the glory of God filled my heart today! Thanks Crystal!
PS. Got any posts brewing concerning what people do for Christmas traditions? Just a thought. I'm always curious about new ideas since we're just begining to establish our traditions.
This challenge is just what I needed! Thank you!
I don't have a set aside laundry room, but was able to organize the area around the machines and also clean them up a bit in the process. Thanks for the ideas and challenges. It's so encouraging to get even one small thing done that isn't in the normal daily routine. I am profoundly grateful for the motivation! Please keep the ideas coming!
I love the idea of planning supper and getting it prepped by noon every day. I read that another place on your blog in the past, and I'm really striving to make that happen every day. It helps so much in the evening rush! I'm able to pop it into the oven and then relax with my family while it cooks. I really like to have the table set as well so it's just a matter of hand washing and setting out the food when it's time to eat. Our meal times are so peaceful and enjoyable now! My husband has been commenting this week on how relaxed and happy I seem when he comes home at night. He has noticed little things like a candle burning and the aroma of fresh pumpkin rolls (awesome recipe by the way!)!! :) Thanks so much, Crystal.
WOW, that's a CHALLENGE! My sweet baby girl was 8 weeks old on Monday. Since her birth, it has been difficult to keep up with anything, but laundry has been the worst. We now are a family of six and our oldest child is 5. My Mt Washmore was totally overwhelming to me. I would sit and fold and fold, but then I would need to nurse the baby, fix lunch, break up a fight (three boys, 1, 3, and 5) etc... so I wouldn't get it put away. The next day, the piles would all be toppled over and I'd be back to square one. So, today, I decided to not wash anymore clothes, but focus on the clean clothes all over my family room. I put away 67 pairs of socks! I didn't count the shirts, pants, skirts, pajamas, etc... Other than some baby clothes and a few things on the drying rack, the clean laundry is taken care of. There is still a pile of dirty clothes but I am no longer overwhelmed! Thank you so much for your blog and this challenge.
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