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Making Your Home a Haven on Monday: It's Anti-Procrastination Day!
 After the busyness of the last few months, I have a number of projects which were shelved for more important things. Now that life has become a bit more calm, these projects are calling my name to tackle--the piles of garage sale stuff in the basement I need to sort and box up for our next garage sale; the garage which needs straightened, swept, and organized; the flower gardens in the front and back in dire need of weeding; the carpet in our bedroom seriously needing to be steamed; and about twenty-five other things if I were to sit here for another moment and keep typing. I know there is no way I can start and finish my mile-long list today, but I'm going to make a goal to start and finish at least one project I've been procrastinating on. I'll post my progress this afternoon. Graphic from AllPosters.com
-------------------Would you like to join me in the anti-procrastination challenge? If so, just pick something you've been putting off and tackle it today. Then leave a comment telling us about it or post about it on your blog and leave the link below. I'm looking forward to seeing what great things you all accomplish today! Labels: Making Your Home a Haven
Beauty in our home
In light of today's Making Your Home a Haven challenge, I took a little extra time to look for beauty and create beauty in the everyday things. Sometimes it's the little touches that matter the most!  Breakfast: Blueberry biscuits (quite healthy and delicious!) and strawberries--yum! Fresh veggies (most from our garden!) for morning snacking. Homemade peach pie for dinner--ready to go into the oven. Just for fun, I added hearts and stars to the top instead the usual top crust. Freshly-cut flower arrangements from our flower gardens--beautiful, so easy to do, and free (well, unless you count the initial cost of the little flower starters or seeds)!  Instead of the usual flower vase, I like to use my tea pots , tea cups, or cream and sugar servers to hold fresh flowers. It adds a unique and beautiful touch, and eliminates the need for extra vases while allowing my tea collection to serve a dual purpose! Lunch: Heart cut-out PB&J, carrots and grapes with a pretty napkin and flowers to garnish the table.As an aside, did you notice that most of the pictures were of food? One of the major changes I've made in the last few months in order to help combat "the worn-out woman syndrome" I had been experiencing is to spend close to an hour exercising (walking, elliptical, weight gym, running) six days per week. This has made a significant difference in the way I feel and I have so much more energy and stamina throughout the day as a result; however, I am almost always hungry now. So I'm trying to fuel my body with lots of healthful, wholesome foods every few hours throughout the day. I'll be sharing more on this in our upcoming series which starts tomorrow. Stay tuned! Labels: Making Your Home a Haven
Making Your Home a Haven: Take time to beautify!
 In an effort to make your home a haven and bless and refresh all those who would enter its doors, I want to encourage you to take a few moments to beautify at least one area of your home. Maybe it's picking some fresh flowers and making a simple arrangement for the kitchen table, or rearranging some furniture, or hanging a picture. Think about something simple you can do to make your home a more welcoming haven and then do it! I'll share pictures of what I do later on today! Graphic from AllPosters.com----------------------- Would you like to join us in the "Making Your Home a Haven" Challenge? Just do something to beautify an area of your home or do something else to "make 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! Labels: Making Your Home a Haven
Making my home a haven: A peek into our Monday
 I had high hopes of getting up around 5 am this morning since I'm really trying to get back into the swing of getting up early again. But alas, the alarm clock went off and I got up to nurse Kaitlynn and promptly went back to sleep as soon as I was finished and didn't wake up until 7 am. Instead of feeling frustrated, I just decided to get up and get with it! I turned on some music jumped on the elliptical--our new and very first piece of exercise equipment secured for a great deal off of Craigslist--and tried to outdo my time and calories burned from yesterday. I've found that the first 10 minutes are the hardest and after that, it's a lot easier. (As an aside, Jesse and I have been having a blast trying to beat the other person each day in time and calories burned. It's a fun little competition we have going and it's very motivational!) After exercising, I felt quite energized and ready to begin the day--even if I was two hours behind! The girls were still sleeping so I spent a leisurely time reading a devotional book and finishing up the last four chapters of Job and the first chapter of Psalms. I'm so excited to have finally made it to Psalms this year in my plan to read through the Bible in a year! Yay! I spent some time meditating on Psalms 1:2, "But his delight is in the law of the Lord and in His law doth he meditate day and night." This verse has been going through my mind today at random intervals and I've been contemplating whether I'm truly delighting in God's Word. That is my heart's desire but so often I can get distracted by the cares of this world. I hopped up from my time of refreshment in God's Word to make Jesse's lunch and get him out the door. The girls were still sleeping, so once Jesse had left for work, I flipped on my computer and checked my email, moderated blog comments, and wrote up a few blog posts for my other blog, MoneySavingMom. Kathrynne finally sauntered downstairs after an hour or so and I turned the computer off until naptime. (I've been trying really hard to keep the "black box" in it's proper place in our home so for me, that means it's only on in the early morning or during naptime. This makes such a major difference in our home!) We woke Kaitlynn up and went downstairs to make strawberry/banana/flaxseed smoothies and English muffins for breakfast. While the girls ate, I read the Bible to them, introduced our new verse for the week, read from Teach Them To Your Children, reviewed the ABC memory verses, and read two library books to them. Kathrynne has been begging me to read, read, read to her and since I figure lots of great books will certainly not hurt her (!), I've been trying to fit in as much reading as possible. After breakfast, we were supposed to do baths and clean-up, but my highly-side-tracked self instead got motivated to clean out the dressers and closets, thanks to the inspiration from Handprints on the Wall. We try to keep things very simple and uncluttered here, and I routinely go through the whole house to get rid of excess stuff. I'm always amazed, however, at how much we can accumulate even with me being pretty ruthless!  The girls' Summer/Fall closet--after the pruning. (I shoot for 2-3 Sunday dresses and a few play dresses per season. They also have around 3-4 tops and bottoms that are mix and match for everyday wear.)
I put away a bunch of clothes that no longer fit the girls, put a number of items that were stained or we just didn't like or use in the garage sale box, and organized what was left. Wow! I can't describe how much better it feels to have pruned things back down to the basics or almost-basics again.  My Summer closet--after the pruning. As you can see, I keep it really simple and definitely fit the title of "minimalist" when it comes to clothing. :) (Half the closet is my business attire that I keep handy for wearing to political/legal events. The other half is my Sunday and everyday stuff. I have 2 Sunday/nicer tops that I mix and match with skirts. I usually buy 2-3 new tops per season, plus some nice T-shirts for everyday wear and maybe one or two new skirts per year.)
After the closet-cleaning-out was finished, I cleaned up the kitchen, tackled the mountain of laundry on my bed, and did some picking up and dusting. While doing this, I talked with Jesse on the phone and found out he was coming home early so we could go pick up the van from the repair shop (again!). We had a quick lunch and I put the girls down for their rest time/naptime. (Kathrynne doesn't really nap anymore, she just usually lies down for awhile and watches Mr. Fixit or reads stories in her bed.) While the girls were resting, I finished up some of the morning chores and got dinner ready and the kitchen cleaned up (we kept it simple and used a lasagna from the freezer along with green beans and grapefruit for dinner). When the girls got up, I gave the quick baths and got them dressed in their matching outfits to go out with Daddy. They just looked so cute that I had to take pictures...    There's nothing Jesse loves more than to come home to a relatively clean home, a cheerful wife, and his girlies all dressed up cute. I think it makes it a very welcoming haven for him! Labels: Making Your Home a Haven
Making Your Home a Haven - Refresher Series
 I hope you all enjoyed a restful and refreshing weekend as a family. We certainly did, though our house is a bit more the messier for it! And that's why I'm glad for another Monday and another Making Your Home a Haven Challenge!
If you've not had a chance to join us yet, feel free to jump right in wherever you and do whatever you can do. Remember that doing something and starting somewhere is better than nothing at all! I've added in a few extra items this week since hopefully some of us have established some basic routines now. If it feels too overwhelming or too much, just pick one or two of the following items and do those. Don't bite off more than you can chew! 1) Refresh Your SpiritBegin your day with the Lord. Fix yourself a delicious hot drink or cold drink and spend at least a few minutes praying, reading God's Word, and meditating on Scripture. Ask God to bless your day and to love through you. Find your joy and hope and strength in Him. Did the Lord give you a special word of encouragement this morning? Share it with us!2) Do Your Morning RoutineIf you don't have a morning routine, take a moment to write down five things you'd like to accomplish in the same order every morning. And then get busy tackling them! Remember to keep it simple. It's better to plan a few things and get them done, than to write out an elaborate list and not do it. 3) Take Time to PlanAfter your morning routine is finished, write out a short to-do for today (five items or less). Number the items in order of importance and start on number 1. Don't move on to number 2 until you've completed number 1. What's on your to-do list today?4) What's on the Menu for Dinner?Take a moment to plan what you'll be having for dinner and then do as much of the prep work as possible before noon. Fix up a pot of soup, throw something in the crock pot, whip up a casserole, or pull something out of the freezer. I recommend you have this dinner prep work as part of your morning routine or scheduled into your morning somewhere. Then you'll save yourself realizing it's five o'clock and you haven't a clue what to fix! What are you serving for dinner?5) Project of the DayTurn some uplifting music on, light some candles, put an apron on, roll up your sleeves, and let's get busy! Set your timer for five minutes and start at your front door again and quickly walk through the main living areas of your house straightening and picking up and putting away anything that's out of place. When the timer beeps, you're done, so work fast and don't get distracted. Then, go to your kitchen (you knew we'd get there soon, didn't you?) and wash, dry, and put away any dirty dishes there are (or use the dishwasher) and then quickly straighten anything else that's out of place, wipe down your counters and cupboards, and replace your dish towels. If you have a chance, take before and after pictures of your main living areas and kitchens and share them with us.I'll post my challenge update in the early afternoon or evening. Have a wonderful day, ladies, and I can't wait to see and hear how God blesses you as you seek to be a blessing to your families. Let's pray for one another while we work! Graphic from Art.com----------- Would you like to join us in this "Making Your Home a Haven" Challenge? Just do one or more of the items listed above or something else to "make 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! Labels: Making Your Home a Haven
It was a good day...
So, it took me a little longer than two hours to complete everything on this list--more like 3 1/2 hours--but, by God's grace, I finished it!Here's what the house looked like at the beginning of the day:   And here are the post-cleaning pictures:   Do you know how nice it feels to have the whole house picked up, the carpets vacuumed, the bathrooms cleaned, and all the laundry done? All at the same time? This is definitely a historical day. And tomorrow you may not even be able to tell that any of it was done (!), but at least for tonight, Jesse walked into a welcoming haven. Labels: Making Your Home a Haven
Making Your Home a Haven Monday: The Two-Hour Quick Clean Up!
 With the busy holiday weekend behind us, our home could definitely use some basic all-purpose picking up and cleaning today. So instead of tackling our Refresher Series like we've been doing for the last few weeks, I'm devoting two hours today to getting things back in order around here--want to join me? Two-Hour Quick Clean Up*Before starting, spend time at least a short time in God's Word and prayer. Refresh your spirit with the promises and encouragement found in Scripture so that you will be well-prepared for the day and whatever challenges it holds. I also encourage you to be showered and dressed to your shoes. There's something about being fresh and dressed for the day which helps me work so much faster and stay on track so much better. Don't ask me what it is, but it really works for me! And now you're ready to roll...
1. Put on an apron, turn on some uplifting music, light a candle, and start a load of laundry.2. Go to the kitchen sink and wash, dry, and put away the dishes. Then, shine the sink (ala FlyLady!) and wipe down the counter tops. Try to get this completely finished in 30 minutes or less. 3. Set the timer for 15 minutes and briskly go through the house and pick up as many items as you can which are out of place and return them to their proper places (and if it's trash, throw it out!). 4. Switch the laundry in your washer to your dryer or clothesline and start another load of laundry.5. Take some all-purpose cleaner and a few rags and go quickly spray and wipe down all the bathrooms. Remember, this is just a simple spray and wipe of your bathrooms which should only take five minutes maximum per bathroom. Save the heavy-duty cleaning for later! 6. Do a quick sweep and mop of your kitchen and bathroom floors if they need this (and if your home is anything like our home, they will need this!). 7. Vacuum the main living areas of your home--don't worry about moving furniture or going over every inch of carpet, just make sure and hit the main traffic areas. 8. Pull the laundry out of the dryer and fold and put it away. Switch the laundry from the washer to the dryer, and start another load in the washer if you still have more laundry to do. You're done! Make a pot of tea or coffee (or a glass of iced tea or lemonade!) and put your feet up for a few moments. Way to go! Your whole family will enjoy the fruits of your labors. *Adapted from Keeping the Home's Emergency Quick Clean. Please edit or add to it to suit your home and family's needs!
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Join in the fun! Post about your two hour quick clean up (with before and after pictures!) or share anything else related to making your home a haven and then come back here and leave your link below so we can all be inspired and motivated. Don't have a blog? Tell us about your accomplishments in the comments section. Labels: Making Your Home a Haven
Making My Home a Haven: A peek into our day today
I had all these visions of the pictures I was going to share along with this post, but alas, my camera battery died and the replacement I thought I had turned out to be no good. Oh well!It's been a rather productive day around here, despite interruptions (they're the stuff life is made up of, aren't they?!). My morning began with the usual early-morning routine: nurse Kaitlynn, read my Bible, start some laundry, make Jesse's lunch, head out for a morning run, take my vitamins, and put Kaitlynn back to bed. After Jesse was out the door, I settled down to check my email, moderate blog comments, and post a few quick posts over on MoneySavingMom.com. Then the girls were up and it was time to start our normal mid-morning routine: breakfast, my shower, girls' baths, fix hair (Kathrynne's been asking for "two braids" every day, so the fixing hair part is taking a bit more time since I'm still learning how to do that hairstyle on her!), clean up the kitchen. [We had numerous interruptions in the morning so we didn't get in our usual Bible Time during breakfast; we'll add that in to our afternoon school time.]The girls helped pick up their toys while I picked up the main floor, switched the laundry, cleaned the bathroom, picked up our bedroom, emptied the dirty water from the carpet cleaner (don't ask me how long I'd procrastinated on that task--ick!), and took the sheets off our bed. Kaitlynn went back down for a nap and Kathrynne painted at the kitchen table and then rode her bike around and around the kitchen table (yes, I know! Isn't that against some cardinal rule of mothering? Oh well! Now you know the truth...) while I finished straightening the house and folded a load of laundry. Kaitlynn usually only sleeps for an hour or so during her morning nap, but she ended up sleeping through lunch so we skipped our usual after-lunch school time and had our afternoon quiet time earlier than usual. As soon as Kaitlynn wakes up, we'll have our Bible Time and afternoon school time and then head out for our weekly grocery shopping trip. We're planning to stop at the library, too, since we've read and re-read all of the books we checked out last week. The girls and I normally have a really great time doing the grocery shopping--they are both at easy stages and I bring snacks along to make the shopping trip extra fun. And the library is one of their ultimate favorite places to go so they always eagerly look forward to our weekly trip there! I put some chicken and vegetables in marinade last night before I went to bed so we'll be grilling out for dinner and eating on our deck (we recently were given one of those handy-dandy Off! PowerPad Lamps and we're hoping it works like it says it does so we don't have to ward off misquitos!). As a special treat, I'm buying ingredients at the store for s'mores. The girls have never made these before so we're going to finagle a way to roast the marshmallows over our grill. Should be a fun family memory! And isn't making special memories with your family so integral to a home that is a haven for your family? Labels: Making Your Home a Haven
Making Your Home a Haven Monday: Refresher Series--Tackle the Bathrooms!
 Happy Monday morning! Are you rested from a quiet weekend and ready to "hit the ground running" today in service to the Lord and your family?Today's Challenge:1) Refresh Your Spirit (5 minutes)As we've been doing in our recent challenges, take a few moments to sit down with a glass of iced tea or cup of coffee and quiet your heart before the Lord. Pray, read Scripture, and just encourage your heart in the Lord. I encourage you to pick a special verse to meditate on today while you're going about your homemaking tasks and write it down on an index card and put it in a central location as a reminder.
If you have a moment, share with us what verse or verses you are meditating on today.STOP: Is your morning routine done? Don't move on to #2 until 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 the past few weeks and thinking ahead to what you'll have for dinner tonight, take a moment to plan some special way to bless your family this week. Maybe it will be something like breakfast in bed for your children, or a treat for your husband, or a special family activity. Think of something special you can do which will express your love to your family. Share your to-do list today and tonight's dinner menu, if you have a chance. Also, tell us about the special idea you came up with to bless your family this week.3) Do Something! (15 minutes or so)Today we're going to focus on a quick pick up, run some laundry, and then tackle the bathrooms. Light a candle, put on your apron, turn on some uplifting music, and get working! Set your timer for five minutes and do a quick pick up of your entryway, living room, and laundry room. Also, while you're at it, start a load of laundry. And then let's get busy cleaning the bathrooms. If you have the time, feel free to deep clean them from top to bottom. However, if you are short on time, just pick up and put away anything that's out of place, spray and wipe all surfaces with all-purpose cleaner, and change the towels. A quick-clean like this can take less than three minutes and can make a huge difference! Post pictures of your shiny clean bathrooms when you're done to motivate all of us! I can't wait to see how you bless your families with a home that is clean, clutter-free, and a welcoming haven! Lord-willing, I'll share a peek into our day later on this afternoon or evening.Graphic from Art.com
--------------------- 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! As always, if you don't have a blog, feel free to tell us about your accomplishments in the comments section. Thanks for joining us! Labels: Making Your Home a Haven
Making my home a haven: Planning ahead and keeping it simple
We had a really great day today--even with me waking up late! (I've found that I'm a much more cheerful mom if I get plenty of sleep at night so it's worth it to me to get up late if I stay up late or just feel in extra need of sleep.)  After waking, I made some iced tea and spent some time reading and meditating on a few chapters from Esther, reading the Daily Light, and writing down three things I was thankful for today in my journal while nursing Kaitlynn. What a sweet time in the Word and meditating upon God's goodness I had!  Jesse watched Kaitlynn while I went out for a half-mile run. It's so hard for me to motivate myself to get out and run each morning but I'm always thankful that I've done it afterwards as I feel so refreshed and revived and have much more energy for the day! Once Jesse left for work, I put Kaitlynn back to bed and checked my email, moderated blog comments, and wrote up a few quick posts for MoneySavingMom.com. Then it was on to begin the day!  I started some laundry, took my vitamins, took a shower, got dressed, and woke the girls up. I planned the girls' school and projects for the week. Breakfast was leftover blackberry crisp (from Kaitlynn's birthday!). While the girls ate, we read a Bible story, reviewed the ABC verses, and I introduced the "B" verse and song for the week (stay tuned for my post with details on what we're studying this week), along with the story from Teach Them To Your Children. Kathrynne also asked if I could read her a few books, so we snuck some time in to read some short story books. Then it was time for baths, cleaning, and baking. I cleaned up the kitchen, mopped the kitchen floor, ran more laundry, picked up the house, cleaned the upstairs bathroom, and made a quick loaf of bread in the bread machine. Kathrynne helped me for awhile and then had a tea party and watched a few episodes of Mr. Fixit. (If you are looking for some wholesome Bible DVDs, I'd highly recommend these. They are very simply done, very accurate, and include no animation. It is just an older Grandpa-like man, "Mr. Fixit", sharing Bible lessons/stories from a picture book with young children. Kathrynne loves them!). [I had made up a hamburger mashed potato casserole on Sunday evening with some leftover mashed potatoes from our Sunday lunch so we're having that and homemade bread for dinner. Mondays are usually fairly busy so I try to stick with easy dinners--as you all well know, I'm all about keeping it simple and I try to cook ahead whenever possible to streamline things during the week.]After the morning cleaning was finished, we sat down for lunch and school time. We're working on letter and sound recognition of A, B, and C right now using Alpha-Phonics. Today Kathrynne read the whole column of letters by herself and had a blast doing it! She kept asking if she could please do more! (Usually I have to help her and prompt her a bit so it was exciting to see her doing this all by herself.)  We did a bit more cleaning and folded some laundry after lunch and then walked to the library to check out some books on butterflies--our current science focus. What a blessing it was that when Jesse walked in the door tonight, the house was clean, dinner was ready, and I was calm and cheerful. I've really been working on planning and thinking ahead towards his arrival home during the day so that our home is a haven for him when he walks in the door after a long day at work. Little things like getting enough sleep, planning and preparing dinner early in the day (or the night before, when possible!), spending time in God's Word, keeping things simple and not over-booking my day... all of these things can really help to provide a more calm and welcoming atmosphere in our home and in my own heart. Labels: Making Your Home a Haven
Making Your Home a Haven Monday: Refresher Series #3
Good Morning! I hope you had a refreshing weekend (we did!) and are ready to have a great week. Today, we're continuing on with our refresher series, I'd love to have you join us...
Today's Challenge:
1) Refresh Your Spirit (5 minutes)
As I've been encouraging you the past few weeks, 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 I encouraged you to do last week, I also want to 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 usually behind on the laundry on Monday mornings as I rarely run much laundry over the weekends so this will be a great project for me to tackle!
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. Lord-willing, I'll post mine later on today.
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! Labels: Making Your Home a Haven
Making My Home a Haven: A Day in My Life
Since the house was fairly clean (well, it would depend upon your definition of "fairly clean"!) and there wasn't any big homemaking project I needed to tackle, I decided instead to write down in detail what our day looked like yesterday for the Making Your Home a Haven challenge. I was hoping to keep track of an entire week, like Monica, but I'm doing well to have remembered to write down one whole day right now...5:00 am: Wake up, wake Kaitlynn, nurse, Bible reading, prayer, journal 5:45 am: Take vitamins, make tea, start laundry, make Jesse's lunch, strip the sheets off our bed, change into exercise clothes, put Kaitlynn back to bed 6:15 am: Spend time with Jesse, check email, moderate blog comments* 6:30-7:45 am: Blogging* 7:45 am: Morning run 8:00-9:15 am: Blogging* 9:15 am: Girls up, breakfast (Cheerios, bananas), Bible Time, character story, discussion on diligence, memory verse of the week, introduce song for the week 9:45 am: Clean up kitchen while girls finish breakfast 10:00 am: Girls bathed and dressed, shower while girls play in my room 10:45 am: Kaitlynn is acting tired so I put her down for her morning nap, Kathrynne builds with Legos, I do a quick computer check: moderate comments and fix a calculation mistake in MSM blog post* 11:00 am: Finish cleaning kitchen 11:15 am: Straighten house, empty trashes, fix my hair and put on make-up (finally!) 11:50 am: Re-pack diaper bag (I try to always keep the diaper bag stocked and ready to go and had washed it over the weekend.) 12:00 pm: Pick up and straighten our room, fold laundry, Kathrynne works on cleaning spots/spills in the carpet in her room, unpack and look through deliveries from the UPS 12:50 pm: Make smoothies and quesadillas for lunch 1:00 pm: Lunch and school (Alpha-Phonics, read two books on diligence, discussion of the letter "A") 1:45 pm: Kathrynne works on tracing sheets while I clean the kitchen, quick phone call to Jesse, call my Mom, Kaitlynn plays on the floor 2:15 pm: Write cards with Kathrynne to my younger sister for her birthday, exterminator come over to spray (again!) for ants 2:30 pm: Nurse Kaitlynn, check email, moderate blog comments* 2:45 pm: Girls ready to go, walk to the library 4:00 pm: Visit with neighbors, put away our stack of library books, put Kaitlynn to bed, get Kathrynne a snack and some books for quiet time 4:30 pm: Get a bowl of ice cream and a glass of water, put my feet up, and do some blogging and emailing (it's a tough life, isn't it?!) 7:00 pm: Yard work and time with Jesse, set table and get dinner ready 7:30 pm: Dinner (beef hot dogs, corn on the cob, and pasta salad--leftovers from last night!) and Family worship time 9:30 pm: Clean up the kitchen and straighten the house, nurse Kaitlynn and put her to bed, write a few emails to friends and schedule blog posts for the morning* while Jesse and Kathrynne watch on old movie together, turn computer off for the night and go join Jesse and Kathrynne. And there you have a somewhat-typical day in our household.
*Note: I should mention that Mondays are normally my heaviest business/blogging work days since I'm usually home all day Monday and I take most of Friday and Saturday and all day Sunday off from blogging/business work. I usually only do business work/blogging on Mondays in the mornings before the girls are up and in the afternoons during quiet time, however, because Kaitlynn had been sick on Saturday and I didn't really even get on the computer, I was playing catchup so I added in some extra time slots!
I'm working towards only checking email twice per day and blogging in batches once or twice per day, but I'm still working on disciplining myself to do that! I have a tendency to check email, Bloglines, comment moderation, etc. more often than I should and it hampers my efficiency. That's an area I struggle with and am still searching for a solution to. I think the solution is just learning more self-discipline!
Labels: Making Your Home a Haven
Making Your Home a Haven Monday: Refresher Series
 Well, I was almost thinking about retiring this series since it seems like participation has been rather low recently and that's normally a sign of a lack of interest. However, after the comments on this post, I've decided to keep it around for awhile.
So, back to our refresher series we go...
As always, remember to tailor this challenge to your family and your home; don't feel like you have to do everything or even anything I suggest. The goal is to make your home a welcoming haven for your family and all who would enter it's doors. My suggestions are just that--suggestions. Take them or leave them based upon the season of life you are in and what works for you:
Today's challenge:
1) Refresh your spirit (5 minutes)
Like last week, brew a cup of tea, coffee, or cocoa, or make a tall glass of iced tea and sit down for a few moments of quiet with the Lord. I encourage you to take some time to pray over your day--bringing the activities planned before Him and asking Him to go before you and bless your endeavors for His glory.
STOP: Have you done your morning routine yet? If not, stop here and start with that. When you've finished it, come back here for your next assignment. :)
2) Take Time to Plan (5 minutes)
Do you have a plan for today? A few minutes of strategic planning before you begin your day can not only help you to be much more productive, but it can also save you a lot of time.
If you have not done so, make a short to-do list for today of things you need to do or would like to accomplish. If you are married, I encourage you to ask your husband if there is anything you can do for him today. If he mentions anything, make that your top priority to accomplish today.
Keep your list it to ten items or less. Number the items in order of importance and tackle the first one. Don't move on to #2 on your list until #1 is completely finished.
Post your list on your blog and cross things off as you finish them! Let's help keep each other accountable. Remember, though, to see your list as a guideline, not a slave master. The list is just meant to help you not be aimless. If other things come up which are more important, be cheerful and flexible.
3) Do Something! (10 minutes)
Since we tackled our entryways two weeks ago, we're moving on to our living rooms today. Light a candle, put on your apron, turn on some uplifting music, and then set the timer for ten minutes and get busy cleaning your living room! Start by putting throwing out trash, putting away misplaced items, and straightening up things. If you have time, do a quick dust and vacuum of the room.
Lord-willing, I'll post what I did for this challenge along with pictures in a separate entry later today.
Graphic from AllPosters.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!
Labels: Making Your Home a Haven
Making your home a haven: What's really important
I made out an elaborately long to-do list on Monday and began the day with high hopes and good intentions. Two hours into the day, nothing was going as planned; the house was a mess, the phone kept ringing, I kept getting distracted, the girls were cranky, and I was feeling overwhelmed and discouraged. I decided around lunchtime to ditch the to-do list and my grandioso plans and just focus on what was most important--having a cheerful attitude and meeting the needs of my family. (What will really matter in ten years from now anyway?) We didn't cross much off the to-do list Monday and dinner was a very simple affair on paper plates, but you know what? No one seemed to mind at all. I was calm and cheerful and the girls' needs were met. And Jesse came home to a peaceful wife and happy girls and didn't so much as even notice the smudges on the windows, the toys strewn on the floor, and the piles of folded laundry waiting to be put away. Sometimes it's easy for me to get so uptight about getting things done that I neglect what is most important. How often I need to be reminded that productivity is worthless if it's done at the expense of those I love. Isn't this really what making your home a haven is all about? Labels: Making Your Home a Haven
Making Your Home a Haven Monday: Refresher Series
 Since it's been almost six months since we first started this Making Your Home a Haven feature, I thought it might be helpful over t he next few weeks for us to go back and go through the initial challenge as a refresher to us all.Welcome to the Making Your Home a Haven Challenge! Are you ready to get your home more in order and bless your family in the process? I know I am. Today's Challenge:1. Refresh Your Spirit (5 minutes)Take five minutes, brew a cup of tea or coffee or pour yourself a tall glass of iced tea or ice water with fresh-squeezed lemon, and sit down and be still before the Lord. Pray, read something from God's Word, and take a moment to thank the Lord for His goodness and blessing in your life. Having a home that is a haven starts with an inner peace in our own hearts, a quiet resting in the Lord. You can have a beautifully decorated home with everything neat and orderly, but if you are frazzled and frustrated, your home will not be a peaceful place. After all, the saying is so true, "If momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy."
So before you do anything else today, take time to refresh your spirit in the Lord.
2. Take Time to Plan (5 minutes)Today's planning project is centered on a morning routine. This is a habit I usually follow pretty faithfully, but the last few weeks I've fallen off the bandwagon. I'm determined to get back on track, though, as this is such a tremendous help to the rest of my day! Write down five things you want to do in the same order every morning. Keep it simple and only stick to five things. If five things seem overwhelming, start with three. Starting somewhere is better than not starting at all! We'll be keeping each other accountable for our morning routines over the next few weeks. Put your list in a very conspicuous place and consult it first thing each morning. I'd love to have you post your list on your blog to share with us. 3. Do Something! (5 -15 minutes)Each day I'm going to be giving you a simple organizational task to complete in your home. And today we're going to start at the very beginning - a very good place to start! Put on an apron, light a candle, and turn on some uplifting music. Then go to your front door and pretend you are a first-time visitor to your home. Walk in and take a look around. What is your immediate impression of your home? Is it calm and clean or cluttered and chaotic? Take five to fifteen minutes to clean, de-clutter, and beautify your entry area. Do a quick pick up if there are items out of place, mop or vacuum the floor, shake the rug, spot clean the walls, and rearrange things. Take before and after pictures if you'd like and post them to share with us. I'll be posting my pictures and telling you more about what I did for the challenge today in a later post. I'm off to get started!Graphic from Art.com------------------ 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! Labels: Making Your Home a Haven
Making Your Home a Haven Monday: Showing Christ's love
The sermon at church yesterday was on Titus 2 and encouragement specifically for moms and women in honor of Mother's Day. One thing which really stood out to me was the point that while being a keeper of our home does include striving for organization and cleanliness in our homes, what is most important is that we are showing Christ's love through our homes--to our families and all those who would enter our homes. I don't know about you, but for me, I sometimes find myself focusing more on crossing things off my to-do list than on enjoying my children, loving my husband, and delighting in my calling as a wife, mother, and homemaker. What's the point of clean floors and toilets, if I don't have love towards my family or I'm too busy cleaning and organizing to take time for them? So today, instead of some encouraging you to accomplish some project related to organizing or cleaning for Making Your Home a Haven Monday, I want to challenge everyone (myself included!)to take some time today to enjoy your children, show practical love to your husband, open your home up for ministry to someone in need, or refresh your own spirit in the Lord so that you might be a more joyful wife, mother, and/or homemaker.
I can't wait to hear what creative ideas you all come up with! Post about it on your blog and leave your link below. Thanks for joining us!Labels: Making Your Home a Haven
Making Your Home a Haven Monday: Clear Out the Clutter Challenge
 Nothing can keep your home from being a peaceful haven more than clutter can, so in an effort to make our homes more of a warm and welcoming abode, we're declaring war on clutter this week. Monday through Thursday, I'll be going through our home and collecting as much clutter as I can to put in our garage sale next week. If I haven't used it this past year or do not need it--out the door it's going. I'll be posting pictures of my progress in hopes that it will inspire you to attack your home as well. And if you want to particpate, we'll have a Mr. Linky up each day so you can blog about your clutter-reduction and motivate the rest of us! And don't forget to sign up for our giveaway of two books especially for struggling homemakers.Graphic from AllPosters.com--------------- Join in the fun! Post about the clutter you clear out (with before and after pictures!) or share anything else related to making your home a haven and then come back here and leave your link below so we can all be inspired and motivated. Don't have a blog? Tell us about your accomplishments in the comments section. Labels: Making Your Home a Haven
Anti-Procrastination Week: Day 1
Anti-Procrastination Week is "reality blogging" at its finest--where all superwoman myths are handedly dispelled and you get to see a real look into our lives. Enjoy the ride... Dressed to the shoes and ready to go! (I detest tennis shoes, but for cleaning our home, they work wonders at keeping me motivated and diligent. Don't ask me why, but this trick I learned from FlyLady really works!)  Time to tackle the messy kitchen. I don't know what it is, but we can never seem to go through a weekend without the kitchen looking something like this on Monday morning. And a messy kitchen just makes the whole house feel messy to me!  Progress after 30 minutes of work and multiple interruptions.  And finally, after another 30 minutes of work--finished! Much better. (If only I had curtains on the windows--that's something I've been procrastinating on for way too long!)  Next I made out the menu for this week. I had failed to do this on Saturday, so I wanted to get this done as it is extremely helpful for me to have a complete menu written out for the week and stuck in my planner. We then whipped up a batch of our favorite homemade bread (recipe here and also in our ebook Fresh-From-The-Oven Favorites). And while I was working on all that, Kathrynne and Kaitlynn worked on this...  Yep, they had brought the mop, brooms, dust pan and more out to the living room and "re-arranged" everything. At least they were trying to be productive!  After we had cleaned up the living room, we all sat down for a snack of tea and chocolate cake.  I didn't really tackle many projects outside of the normal yesterday, so I suppose it wasn't much of an "Anti-Procrastination Day" but our home was much cleaner by the time Jesse arrived home, dinner was on the table, and I wasn't feeling frazzled. These days, having those three things happen in one evening is a big accomplishment! Labels: Home Management and Organization, Making Your Home a Haven
Making Your Home a Haven Monday: Anti-Procrastination Day
 Because I need the motivation (and maybe you do, too), I'm declaring today "Anti-Procrastination Day." Have piles of projects you been putting off? Today is the day to tackle them--stop procrastinating and get busy! I'm going pare down our schedule to the basics today so I can hopefully start and finish some of these long-overdue tasks. I'll do a post late in the day on what we accomplished. (Come to think of it, maybe I need to have an anti-procrastination week? Anyone want to host it at their blog? Last time when Mrs. Wilt did this it was a huge help to me and I'd love to have she or someone else do it again so we can all be inspired to get moving!) --------------------- Join in the fun! Post about the projects you accomplish today (with before and after pictures!) or share anything else related to making your home a haven and then come back here and leave your link below so we can all be inspired and motivated. Don't have a blog? Tell us about your accomplishments in the comments section. Labels: Making Your Home a Haven
Making Your Home a Haven Monday: Kitchen cupboards
 I don't know about you, but when it comes to cleaning, my kitchen cupboards seem to be one of the most-overlooked areas of our home. And yet they are often one of the most-used areas of our home, too. So today, I've purposed to go through all of the kitchen cupboards and drawers (or as many as I can get through!) and pull everything out, clean out the crumbs and dust, and re-organize everything. If I have a chance, I'm also hoping to scrub down the outside of the cupboards with some all purpose cleaner. Want to join me? I'll try and post some before and after pictures later. -------------------- Join in the fun! Post about cleaning out your kitchen cupboards (with before and after pictures!) or share anything else related to making your home a haven and then come back here and leave your link below so we can all be inspired and motivated. Don't have a blog? Tell us about your accomplishments in the comments section. Labels: Making Your Home a Haven
Home: The center for ministry, productivity, outreach, and evangelism
Megan commented on an earlier post and asked:I have a question though that I can't seem to find much information on, and I'm hoping you can help. I currently do not have children but will be coming home to be a SAHW in the fall. I'm worried that I won't have enough to do, especially since kids will not be involved. Any help/ideas? In our current culture, home has become so neglected that many people haven't the slightest idea what its purpose is outside of a place to sleep, relax, and sometimes eat. Home has lost its noble place in society so much that people can't imagine what there is to do there all day long. Any woman who dares consider staying home full-time is made out to be a unintelligent woman living with half her brain tied behind her back. Whatever happened to home being the center of the family, a haven of refreshment, a thriving metropolis of productivity? Instead of homes, we have elaborate McMansions that are devoid of life. They might look pretty to the observer (Thanks to hired maids and interior decorators!), but they are usually just houses, not homes. They sit there empty and lifeless while the occupants live a hectic, frenetic, 100-mile-an-hour life in the fast lane--trying to get ahead, trying to get to the top of the corporate ladder, trying to squish in as many activities as can possibly be had outside the home. We don't have to follow along in this madness; our families deserve something better. Let's make the sacrifices and take the effort to give our families a beautiful, welcoming home which is the heart of the family and the center for outreach to the world. Maybe our home isn't furnished very expensively and maybe it isn't very big, but we can do our best to recapture the nobility and rightful place of home in our society--beginning with our own home. Mrs. Stanley Sherman says in her article titled "Plenty to Do At Home": When you make a determined decision to dedicate yourself to marriage, home, and family, the list of things to do at home is endless. I concur. Although children are a wonderful addition to the home, children do not make a home, nor should children be the only reason for staying home. If your husband wants you to work full-time outside the home and he is not open to any creative alternatives, by all means do it. However, I think most men would readily give up the relatively small amount of extra money brought in by a second income to have a wife who truly embraced her role as a "keeper at home". Being a "keeper at home" does not imply a woman is chained to the kitchen sink and never steps foot beyond her doorstep. Instead, it illustrates a beautiful picture of one of the most important things a woman can invest her life in--glorifying God by nurturing the culture of her home. As Lanier Ivester says in her article, "I am a Stay-at-Home Wife": According to Strong's Exhaustive Concordance, the word "keeper" means literally a guard, a stayer at home, one who is domestically inclined.
We women are gatekeepers--no matter what battles are raging in our culture, we have been entrusted with the culture of our own homes, a culture within which tremendous ministry can take place, both to our families as well as the ones God brings into our lives. And for me, even though He has not blessed us with children yet, that is a full-time job. I believe with all my heart that home is about so much more than scrubbing floors, washing dishes, and bathing babies. Although those are definitely usually parts of our duty as homemakers, we need to look beyond the day-to-day activities and see the bigger picture. We have the incredible opportunity to bring glory and honor to our husband and to the Lord through how we use our time at home. Take a few days and study Proverbs 31:10-31. What an example of productivity, frugality, and abundant, fruitful living this woman was! Spend time reading through each verse and make a list of the various pursuits, ministries, and activities this woman was involved in. By the time you are finished with this exercise, you'll probably realize that there are a world of possibilities available for a stay-at-home wife. When we are home full-time, we have more freedom and energy to be able to better help our husband and be a powerful asset to him: We can become a skilled home economist--stretching the resources we have as far as they can go, becoming more knowledgeable concerning finances and investing, keeping track of budgeting, bill-paying, and record-keeping, perhaps even investing some of our time into entrepreneurial ideas to further contribute to our family's income. We can become an efficient home manager--setting up a household schedule, overseeing household repairs (or completing some of them ourselves), redecorating the home using yard sale finds, cooking nourishing and wholesome meals, making our home a haven of hospitality and evangelism. And when our home and priorities are in order, we can begin looking for opportunities to minister from our home--praying for those who are struggling, lodging missionaries, making meals for needy families, organizing ministries to the poor, reaching out to our neighbors, writing letters of encouragement, teaching young women, helping busy moms, ministering to the elderly and widows... the possibilities are wide open and endless! Personally speaking, I was a stay-at-home wife for about two years, before we had Kathrynne. I had no lack of things to keep me productive and useful. It was so wonderful to be able to devote the bulk of my time and energy to helping my husband and easing his load--especially while he was enduring the rigors of law school. By being home, I had time to plan menus, shop frugally, and make nutritious meals for my husband. I was able to make sure he had his shirts ironed and clean socks to wear. I was able to research out the best buy on items and make phone calls and run errands for him. I was able to take the time to make a nutritious sack lunch for Jesse to take to school or work everyday, saving us hundreds of dollars in food bills. Not only was I available to meet my husband's needs, but I was able to expand his ministry. With school and work, he didn't have much extra time to be able to help and serve others, so I could do things as his "ambassador". I was able to go and help other families in their homes with their laundry, cleaning, cooking, and homeschooling. I made meals for needy families and took care of the details of our home so that we could practice hospitality. I also spent a great deal of time reading, keeping up with current events, writing, and studying in order to help facilitate interesting discussions around our dinner table. It was also during these two years that I was able to learn how to start and run a business. One of my husband's dreams was for us to have a home business and through this time I had at home before children, I was able to make his dream a reality. If I had been out pursuing my own career, I never would have had the hours to devote to this. So, Megan, let me encourage you: there are a thousand things one can do from home to glorify God and bless others. The most important thing is that you seek to make your home a God-glorifying place and you devote yourself to doing everything you can to make your husband successful. Focus on these two things and you'll never run out of things to do. And I can imagine your husband will not be disappointed either! I'd love to hear from the rest of you: What have you done from home to glorify God, bless your husband, and minister to others? Tell us about it. What encouragement do you have for Megan?
(Note: Some of this post was taken from Recapture the Nobility of Home--a post I wrote in July of 2006.)
Labels: Home Management and Organization, Making Your Home a Haven, Marriage
Making Your Home a Haven Monday: Getting Your Home Back in Order
Whether you had sickness at your home this weekend like us or you just had a busy weekend, your home could likely use some basic all-purpose pick up and cleaning today. So instead of tackling a big Spring cleaning project like we've been doing for the last few weeks, today I encourage you to spend some extra time getting your home back in order. I'm devoting two hours today to getting things back in order around here--want to join me? Two Hour Quick Clean Up*Before starting, spend time at least a short time in God's Word and prayer. Refresh your spirit with the promises and encouragement found in Scripture so that you will be well-prepared for the day and whatever challenges it holds. I also encourage you to be showered and dressed to your shoes. There's something about being fresh and dressed for the day which helps me work so much faster and stay on track so much better. Don't ask me what it is, but it really works for me! And now you're ready to roll...
1. Put on an apron, turn on some uplifting music, light a candle, and start a load of laundry.2. Go to the kitchen sink and wash, dry, and put away the dishes. Then, shine the sink (ala FlyLady!) and wipe down the counter tops. Try to get this completely finished in 30 minutes or less. 3. Set the timer for 15 minutes and briskly go through the house and pick up as many items as you can which are out of place and return them to their proper places (and if it's trash, throw it out!). 4. Switch the laundry in your washer to your dryer or clothesline and start another load of laundry.5. Take some all-purpose cleaner and a few rags and go quickly spray and wipe down all the bathrooms. Remember, this is just a simple spray and wipe of your bathrooms which should only take five minutes maximum per bathroom. Save the heavy-duty cleaning for later! 6. Do a quick sweep and mop of your kitchen and bathroom floors if they need this (and if your home is anything like our home, they will need this!). 7. Vacuum the main living areas of your home--don't worry about moving furniture or going over every inch of carpet, just make sure and hit the main traffic areas. 8. Pull the laundry out of the dryer and fold and put it away. Switch the laundry from the washer to the dryer, and start another load in the washer if you still have more laundry to do. You're done! Make a pot of tea or coffee (or a glass of iced tea or lemonade since Spring is finally here!) and put your feet up for a few moments. Way to go! Your whole family will enjoy the fruits of your labors. Adapted from Keeping the Home's Emergency Quick Clean. Please edit or add to it to suit your home and family's needs!
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Join in the fun! Post about your two hour quick clean up (with before and after pictures!) or share anything else related to making your home a haven and then come back here and leave your link below so we can all be inspired and motivated. Don't have a blog? Tell us about your accomplishments in the comments section.Labels: Making Your Home a Haven
Making Your Home a Haven Monday: Spring-Cleaning the Master Bedroom
 "Homemaking--if pursued with energy, imagination, and skills--has much challenge and opportunity, success, failure, growth and expansion, perks and incentives as any corporation, plus something no other position offers--working for people you love most and want to please the most!"
-Dorothy Kelley Patterson, Where's Mom? The High Calling of Wives and Mothers, pg. 47 (I highly recommend this book--read my review here.)
I loved the above quote and hope all it encourages all of you who are homemakers, homemakers-in-training, or wanna-be homemakers today! And with that encouragement, today's Making Your Home a Haven assignment is to Spring-Clean your Master Bedroom! Following | | |
After the busyness of the last few months, I have a number of projects which were shelved for more important things.
