Last week's goals and how they went...
Weekly Goals for August 19, 2013
1) Make Laundry Soap. There is probably enough left for two-three weeks but with the move fast approaching, I want to be sure we don't get busy and run out. Check
http://seekhispurpose.blogspot.com/2013/06/homemade-laundry-soap.html
2) Clean Spidey's tank. (He's our beta fish and his tank is green.) Check
3) Give the bathrooms a complete cleaning. Check
Moving plans:
1) Entertainment Center Check
2) Laundry Room
3) Curio Cabinet
4) Basement Play Room
5) Liam's Room
Weekly Goals, August 26, 2013
1) Sort Through Toys
2) List Thirty-One Products on Shop the House
(I've decided to sell my 31 bags that I purchased for my business but don't need.)
3) Clean House
Our moving plans have been put on hold. There was another delay in the mortgage process and we're hoping that it will be within the next month. Although it is really disappointing, I'm going to try to look at the only positive thing I can find. It will give me a longer opportunity to get things ready.
Moving plans:
1) Laundry Room
2) Curio Cabinet
3) Basement Play Room
4) Liam's Room
5) Our Bedroom
Sunday, August 25, 2013
Saturday, August 24, 2013
A Moment of Success
Matthew is a fun loving, talk your ear off, energetic, intelligent, caring, sensitive, creative, respectful, friendly kid. He has so many characteristics that I pray will continue to mature and grow. One day, he's going to change the world. If only we can get through today... and next week... and the next few years.
ADD or ADHD is a diagnoses that has been misused, overused, and abused. If we sent Matthew to a traditional school, I am 85% sure he would be labeled with the disorder. He forgets a lot. His thoughts, ideas, and plans sometimes come so fast that my head spins. He often can't control his energy. He has a difficult time in adult oriented situations and ends up acting out. His self-regulation skills are taking longer than average to develop.
But, he doesn't go to a traditional school.
He is homeschooled and more specifically, unschooled.
He is given time, space and resources to help him learn. Not just the academics, but the skills that are harder to learn in a classroom setting. Skills that this mom believes are just as important (if not more so) for future success.
Self-regulation
Planning
Following through with plans
Self-Control
Compassion
Empathy
How to get along with people of various ages
How to budget money
Time Management
Making choices
Before I returned to work in May, we would go for family walks. Matthew would typically ride his bike and his father and I would have to constantly remind him that he could only go so far ahead of us. We would call out to him, yell to stop, scream to stop. This typically ended with the consequence of him having to walk his bike with us. It was almost as if Matthew was in his own world and was incapable of following the safety rules we had set up for him in our world. Never was he disrespectful. When we talked, he would regret making us nervous, breaking the rules and promise to remember. Until 5 minutes later when he forgot again.
I was frustrated.
My husband was frustrated.
Matthew was frustrated.
Two and a half months have passed. My work schedule has been crazy long and family time has been scarce.
Today I told the boys that we were going to have a home day and asked them what they would like to do. Matthew suggested taking a walk to the park which is a little over a mile from our house. Liam loved this suggestion because it meant we would be passing the train tracks.
We got ready, packed snacks and drinks and began our Saturday morning adventure.
I took a stroller so Liam could rest when he got tired and Matthew put on his helmet and rode his bike.
When Matthew started getting too far, I called out to him to stop and wait or turn around and come back. I called out his name again and he rode back, asking me what I wanted. I told him that when I called his name, he needed to stop and wait or turn around and come back. Okay, he said.
The next time he began to get far, I called his name. He turned around and came back.
When he got too far, I called his name again. He stopped and waited for us to catch up.
This is how the entire walk went.
I did not have to scream his name. I simply called it out.
Every time, he followed my directions and either waited or turned back.
I don't know if all our walks will go this well, or if it was a freak occurrence.
Freak occurrence or not, it happened today and it shows me that with a little time, a lot of patience and an abundance of love, we can succeed.
ADD or ADHD is a diagnoses that has been misused, overused, and abused. If we sent Matthew to a traditional school, I am 85% sure he would be labeled with the disorder. He forgets a lot. His thoughts, ideas, and plans sometimes come so fast that my head spins. He often can't control his energy. He has a difficult time in adult oriented situations and ends up acting out. His self-regulation skills are taking longer than average to develop.
But, he doesn't go to a traditional school.
He is homeschooled and more specifically, unschooled.
Self-regulation
Planning
Following through with plans
Self-Control
Compassion
Empathy
How to get along with people of various ages
How to budget money
Time Management
Making choices
Before I returned to work in May, we would go for family walks. Matthew would typically ride his bike and his father and I would have to constantly remind him that he could only go so far ahead of us. We would call out to him, yell to stop, scream to stop. This typically ended with the consequence of him having to walk his bike with us. It was almost as if Matthew was in his own world and was incapable of following the safety rules we had set up for him in our world. Never was he disrespectful. When we talked, he would regret making us nervous, breaking the rules and promise to remember. Until 5 minutes later when he forgot again.
I was frustrated.
My husband was frustrated.
Matthew was frustrated.
Two and a half months have passed. My work schedule has been crazy long and family time has been scarce.
Today I told the boys that we were going to have a home day and asked them what they would like to do. Matthew suggested taking a walk to the park which is a little over a mile from our house. Liam loved this suggestion because it meant we would be passing the train tracks.
We got ready, packed snacks and drinks and began our Saturday morning adventure.
I took a stroller so Liam could rest when he got tired and Matthew put on his helmet and rode his bike.
When Matthew started getting too far, I called out to him to stop and wait or turn around and come back. I called out his name again and he rode back, asking me what I wanted. I told him that when I called his name, he needed to stop and wait or turn around and come back. Okay, he said.
The next time he began to get far, I called his name. He turned around and came back.
When he got too far, I called his name again. He stopped and waited for us to catch up.
This is how the entire walk went.
I did not have to scream his name. I simply called it out.
Every time, he followed my directions and either waited or turned back.
I don't know if all our walks will go this well, or if it was a freak occurrence.
Freak occurrence or not, it happened today and it shows me that with a little time, a lot of patience and an abundance of love, we can succeed.
Caterpillar Update: New Additions to the Family
At the beginning of this week, we had two monarch butterfly caterpillars and a milk weed leaf that looked like it had a caterpillar egg on it.
On Thursday, August 22, 2013, I found that Robin had made a chrysalis.
To read more about our adventure with caterpillars, visit
http://seekhispurpose.blogspot.com/p/nature-study.html
On Thursday, August 22, 2013, I found that Robin had made a chrysalis.
On Saturday, August 24, 2013, we found another monarch butterfly caterpillar
when we went for a walk.
This caterpillar is Matthew's and he named it Teddy.
That evening, the boys and I went to put our new friend into the butterfly habitat and found this cute little guy. That little white dot on the milk weed leaf had been an egg!
Liam had wanted to name it Friendship, which was okay, but a little unoriginal. Friendship the III?
I gave him a few other suggestions and he decided on Diego.
Currently, we have three caterpillars, Friendship Jr., Teddy and Diego.
Robin is in his chrysalis.
Friendship, Jr.
It's super cute to see his head bob up and down as he munches on the milk weed.
Liam wanted to touch him and this led to screeches of laughter.
I think Friendship, Jr. will be forming his chrysalis any day now.
To read more about our adventure with caterpillars, visit
http://seekhispurpose.blogspot.com/p/nature-study.html
Thursday, August 22, 2013
Question and Answer Session with Sara Horn, author of "My So-Called Life As A Submissive Wife" and Book Giveaway
I had the amazing opportunity to join a team of women who helped Sara Horn publicize her new book "My So-Called Life As A Submissive Wife." We shared information on facebook, blogged about her book and talked with as many people as we could.
Sara also asked if anyone would be interested in doing a Q&A Session with her on their blog, and I jumped at the chance. Sara is down to earth and lays it all out there. My relationship with my husband has benefited from her honest approach, humor and thirst for the truth.
One of my readers will receive a copy of her new book!
To enter to win:
1) Comment if you have read any of Sara's books or
2) Comment if this Q&A or my book review makes you want to read her books or
3) Subscribe to this blog and comment that you did so or
4) Share this blog post on facebook or your own blog and comment that you did so.
The contest will end September 7, 2013 and the winner will be announced the following day.
Please ENJOY!
#2: Has your parent's divorce played any role on your wanting to follow God's lead and strengthen your own marriage?
Your parents' relationship is the first example of marriage you ever have growing up. I think anyone would say that. I want to be careful here because I want to be respectful for the 29 years that my parents did devote to each other and to their children, but there were many lessons I learned from my parents' marriage of what not to do in my own relationship. While my husband and I have had a couple of rough patches in our fifteen years and counting (year #7 was a doozy), I'm grateful that both of us are not the same people today that we were when we first got married. We've grown up - in our relationships with God and with each other, and part of that has stemmed from the challenges and the hard stuff we've walked through. Communication with each other is key; so is forgiveness, so is being willing to put each other before ourselves.
#3: As you see your own spirit changing and becoming more in line with God's direction, there is a ripple effect that you see in your husband. Have there been any changes in your son, Caleb, because of your healthy marriage?
My review of the book "My So-Called Life As A Submissive Wife" by Sara Horn
http://seekhispurpose.blogspot.com/2013/08/book-review-my-so-called-life-as.html
My review of the book "My So-Called Life As A Proverbs 31 Wife" by Sara Horn
http://seekhispurpose.blogspot.com/2013/06/book-review-my-so-called-life-as.html
Sara also asked if anyone would be interested in doing a Q&A Session with her on their blog, and I jumped at the chance. Sara is down to earth and lays it all out there. My relationship with my husband has benefited from her honest approach, humor and thirst for the truth.
One of my readers will receive a copy of her new book!
To enter to win:
1) Comment if you have read any of Sara's books or
2) Comment if this Q&A or my book review makes you want to read her books or
3) Subscribe to this blog and comment that you did so or
4) Share this blog post on facebook or your own blog and comment that you did so.
The contest will end September 7, 2013 and the winner will be announced the following day.
Please ENJOY!
#1: Were there specific events in your life that lead you to look more closely at Ephesians 5:22 and question how our culture (both secular and Christian) look at submission or was it just a general observation?
I think looking at this whole idea of biblical submission was probably a natural progression for me following my walk through Proverbs 31. I saw so much change and improvement in my marriage and my family and my relationship with God through that. My greatest heart's desire is to pursue Jesus. To apply God's Word to my life. And what probably started the submission experiment for me was the fact that this short but sharp little statement "Wives, be submissive to your husbands" isn't mentioned just once, but a few times in scripture. But as women, most of us, if we're honest, cringe when we read that. There's a lot of men who would cringe too.
But I believe in the Bible's inerrancy and I believe there's a reason for this instruction. I just think what was intended in scripture for good, has been twisted, first by men who saw these verses as an opportunity to lord over their wives with power, who ignored the verses for themselves that outline such heavy important responsibilities (like showing love to their wives the way Christ loves the church) that they are called to as husbands, and then second, by culture, and the other extreme where women are told they don't need their husbands input or opinion and they should do as they want when they want and not allow anyone else to ever tell them otherwise. We have two widely different ideas of paths it seems like we think women should follow: "doormat-ism" vs "feminism." I think biblical submission is really intended for somewhere in the middle.
#2: Has your parent's divorce played any role on your wanting to follow God's lead and strengthen your own marriage?
Your parents' relationship is the first example of marriage you ever have growing up. I think anyone would say that. I want to be careful here because I want to be respectful for the 29 years that my parents did devote to each other and to their children, but there were many lessons I learned from my parents' marriage of what not to do in my own relationship. While my husband and I have had a couple of rough patches in our fifteen years and counting (year #7 was a doozy), I'm grateful that both of us are not the same people today that we were when we first got married. We've grown up - in our relationships with God and with each other, and part of that has stemmed from the challenges and the hard stuff we've walked through. Communication with each other is key; so is forgiveness, so is being willing to put each other before ourselves.
#3: As you see your own spirit changing and becoming more in line with God's direction, there is a ripple effect that you see in your husband. Have there been any changes in your son, Caleb, because of your healthy marriage?
Caleb will be 13 next spring (ack, a teenager! Y'all pray for me! :)). He has always seen his mom and dad as loving and caring towards each other. He's also seen us argue and have heated discussions, but apologize and hug afterwards, too. I would have to say that if he's been impacted in any way, it would be that it's more apparent that his dad is leading our family in a more vocal, tangible way, and Cliff has been very intentional in leading Caleb, especially the last several months. He no longer leaves it up to me to do most of the disciplining or even the corralling (making sure chores are getting done, instructions are being obeyed). That has been an awesome thing to watch, and see their relationship as Caleb gets older just blossom and grow.
#4: Are you still working on being a submissive wife even though your book is complete?
Oh yes. This is something that I think is a daily occurrence and I don't expect to ever check it off an invisible list. Every once in awhile, both Cliff and I will catch ourselves getting lazy or less focused, and we have to reset a little bit but it's all about the journey. There will always be blessings to be found when we pursue loving God's way over our own.
Oh yes. This is something that I think is a daily occurrence and I don't expect to ever check it off an invisible list. Every once in awhile, both Cliff and I will catch ourselves getting lazy or less focused, and we have to reset a little bit but it's all about the journey. There will always be blessings to be found when we pursue loving God's way over our own.
#5: Any ideas on what your next book may be about?
There's a couple of topics, actually, that I'm looking at with my publisher. One deals with this whole idea of forgiveness and letting go of stuff that we tend to hold onto and hold in. Another delves a little more deeper into marriage. Neither will be a year-long experiment format. But we'll still keep some of the funny and definitely the real. We learn a whole lot better when we're real with each other, don't you think? :)
Thanks Wendy for the questions! Please invite your readers to check out the new book and please visit my website at sarahorn.com or find me on FB or Twitter! :)
My review of the book "My So-Called Life As A Submissive Wife" by Sara Horn
http://seekhispurpose.blogspot.com/2013/08/book-review-my-so-called-life-as.html
My review of the book "My So-Called Life As A Proverbs 31 Wife" by Sara Horn
http://seekhispurpose.blogspot.com/2013/06/book-review-my-so-called-life-as.html
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Caterpillar Update: Robin and Friendship Jr.
I did not accidently murder Robin last week. (I kinda freaked out when I saw green goo oozing from his body after the boys and I had been holding him, but he's all well and good.)
We needed fresh milkweed for him and my wonderful husband drove ever so slowly down the back roads until I spotted some.
I checked each plant very carefully and found one that had a tiny little guy on it.
Grabbing that milkweed plant and an extra for Robin, we headed home.
This new little guy is Liam's. When I asked him what he was going to name it, he said "Friendship."
Meet Friendship Jr. and look at how big Robin has become.
I think he'll be creating his chrysalis soon.
I am also keeping an eye on this because I think it might be a butterfly egg.
Sunday, August 18, 2013
Weekly Goals, August 19, 2013
Here are last weeks goals and how far I got with them...
Weekly Goals for August 15, 2013:
1) Try to stay on top of everyday cleaning. Enlist the help of everyone to do this. Check. Everyone helped out. My husband cleaned the kitchen all week and cooked 3 out of 5 days. This left me more time to spend with the boys.
2) Change the picture displays before I pack all of my scrapbooking supplies up. Check. I've now got about 4 boxes with my supplies all packed. When we move, I'll be able to put the update displays out without having to wait for those boxes to be unpacked.
Moving plans:
1) Entertainment Center Started, not a quick project like I thought. We have about 25 dvds that are out of their cases.
2) Laundry Room Started
3) Pack the dishes from the Curio Cabinet. This will finish the den.
4) Organize and sort entry way. Check
5) Basement play room.
Weekly Goals for August 19, 2013
1) Make Laundry Soap. There is probably enough left for two-three weeks but with the move fast approaching, I want to be sure we don't get busy and run out.
http://seekhispurpose.blogspot.com/2013/06/homemade-laundry-soap.html
2) Clean Spidey's tank. (He's our beta fish and his tank is green.)
3) Give the bathrooms a complete cleaning.
Moving plans:
1) Entertainment Center
2) Laundry Room
3) Curio Cabinet
4) Basement Play Room
5) Liam's Room
Weekly Goals for August 15, 2013:
1) Try to stay on top of everyday cleaning. Enlist the help of everyone to do this. Check. Everyone helped out. My husband cleaned the kitchen all week and cooked 3 out of 5 days. This left me more time to spend with the boys.
2) Change the picture displays before I pack all of my scrapbooking supplies up. Check. I've now got about 4 boxes with my supplies all packed. When we move, I'll be able to put the update displays out without having to wait for those boxes to be unpacked.
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| Before |
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| After |
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| Before |
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| After |
Moving plans:
1) Entertainment Center Started, not a quick project like I thought. We have about 25 dvds that are out of their cases.
2) Laundry Room Started
3) Pack the dishes from the Curio Cabinet. This will finish the den.
4) Organize and sort entry way. Check
5) Basement play room.
Weekly Goals for August 19, 2013
1) Make Laundry Soap. There is probably enough left for two-three weeks but with the move fast approaching, I want to be sure we don't get busy and run out.
http://seekhispurpose.blogspot.com/2013/06/homemade-laundry-soap.html
2) Clean Spidey's tank. (He's our beta fish and his tank is green.)
3) Give the bathrooms a complete cleaning.
Moving plans:
1) Entertainment Center
2) Laundry Room
3) Curio Cabinet
4) Basement Play Room
5) Liam's Room
Friday, August 16, 2013
Homemade Eye Makeup Remover
Every morning I had these great big dark circles under my eyes. It wasn't just from lack of sleep, it was all the eye makeup that didn't come off when I washed my face before bed. I use baking soda instead of paying for expensive facial cleanser. This works out great for my over-sensitive skin but not so great for getting eye makeup off.
A while back I had read a pin on pinterest on how to make your own eye makeup remover.
Of course, I forgot to re-pin it. :-(
This is what I came up with from memory and I must say, it works fabulous!
The only dark circles that are under my eyes now are sleep related.
Ingredients and supplies needed:
1) Water
2) Baby Oil
3) Tear Free Baby Shampoo
4) A Small Container With A Pourable Lid.
I put 1 teaspoon of baby shampoo in the container, added 1 1/2 tablespoon of baby oil and filled the rest with water. Then I shook it to mix the ingredients.
You will have to shake it before each use. (Thus the need for a lid.)
I had everything needed for this already but if I had to guess how much it cost to make, I would say approx. $0.12. That estimate does not include the cost of the container which would add about $1.06 to your start up cost.
This sure beats the $3.99 plus tax at our local store!
Thursday, August 15, 2013
The Woman Who Fears the Lord #8
The Woman Who Fears the Lord
A Study of Proverbs 31
Verse 17
"She dresses herself with strength and makes her arms strong."
I'm pretty sure we're not talking about fashionable clothes here.
Mrs. Proverbs is one tough cookie. She was physically able to handle all the manual labor that needed to be done back in biblical times.
There was no kitchen aid to mix her cookies.
There was no bread machine to make her bread.
There was no washer and dryer to do her laundry.
There was no dishwasher, no coffee pot, no crockpot, no car,
and no grocery store to pick up a few things.
I'm sure that she didn't need a gym membership because her work was very intense.
It kind of makes me think about how easy we have it.
What does that mean for me?
I have a washer, dryer, dishwasher, bread machine, kitchen aid, mini-van, lawn mower, computer and a long list of stores for my choosing.
What would it look like for me to be one tough cookie?
For starters, I wouldn't need to take a nap everyday. Naps are a family tradition and they are a cheap anti-depressant when I am having a hard time with things. I remember when I first went back to working full time three years ago. I wondered how I would ever make it without my afternoon nap.
I am able to hold down a full time job just fine. No naps required. I just have to be super religious about my sleeping patterns. And, drink lots of coffee.
I'm not willing to totally give up naps when I return to being a stay at home mom. Children needing you in the dead of night, an extra long day or week, or an emotionally taxing period of time requires a nap.
To limit the amount of naps I need, I will need to exercise more. When I am walking 30 minutes, 3-6 times a week, I have a lot more energy. I'm excited about moving and having sidewalks to go for walks on. Plus, a state park with lots of walking trails is only a 5 minute drive.
Eating healthy will also give me more energy. Fewer refined sugars and lots of fresh produce are important keys for me.
Changing my lifestyle to include a healthier diet and more exercise has been on my mind a lot.
I am strong but there is lots of room for improvement.
I want to be a tough cookie just like our friend, Mrs. Proverbs.
Crystal Light
There's this thing that I do. Someone will ask me to help out with something and when it is something that will put me in front of people, I turn them down. I get mad at myself about it because it's usually something I would enjoy doing. Like singing or reading aloud to a group.
Which brings us to last night.
My family, a co-worker and I went to our church's last summer barbeque for the season. The barbeque always ends with a devotion and last night, the man who was leading the devotion asked me if I would read a passage of scripture.
My inclination was to turn him down. So, I quickly said "Sure." before I could overthink it and come up with the 100 reasons why it wouldn't be a good idea.
He thanked me and told me what I would be reading.
I scanned the verses and checked with my husband on how to pronounce one word and sat back and enjoyed the beginning of the devotion.
When it came to me, I began to read.
I should have checked more closely for words that are uncommon to me.
The scripture was Revelations 21:15-25.
In verse 20, there are a whole lot of jewels that I have never even heard of, let alone knew how to say.
I took a deep breath, and assured myself that if I spoke with confidence and just said them phonetically, no one would know the difference. Besides, no one else had a bible in front of them anyway.
I plunged in with both feet.
Onyx, Carnelian, Chrysolite...
It was on Chrysolite that I almost lost it.
I pronounced it Crystal Light and nearly broke out in hysterical laughter.
(Long few weeks and lack of sleep will do that to me.)
I summoned as much self control as I could muster and continued with the others...
Beryl, Topaz, Chrysoprase, and Jacinth.
Which brings us to last night.
My family, a co-worker and I went to our church's last summer barbeque for the season. The barbeque always ends with a devotion and last night, the man who was leading the devotion asked me if I would read a passage of scripture.
My inclination was to turn him down. So, I quickly said "Sure." before I could overthink it and come up with the 100 reasons why it wouldn't be a good idea.
He thanked me and told me what I would be reading.
I scanned the verses and checked with my husband on how to pronounce one word and sat back and enjoyed the beginning of the devotion.
When it came to me, I began to read.
I should have checked more closely for words that are uncommon to me.
The scripture was Revelations 21:15-25.
In verse 20, there are a whole lot of jewels that I have never even heard of, let alone knew how to say.
I took a deep breath, and assured myself that if I spoke with confidence and just said them phonetically, no one would know the difference. Besides, no one else had a bible in front of them anyway.
I plunged in with both feet.
Onyx, Carnelian, Chrysolite...
It was on Chrysolite that I almost lost it.
I pronounced it Crystal Light and nearly broke out in hysterical laughter.
(Long few weeks and lack of sleep will do that to me.)
I summoned as much self control as I could muster and continued with the others...
Beryl, Topaz, Chrysoprase, and Jacinth.
That barbeque will forever be etched in my brain
as the time I said there were Crystal Light jewels in heaven.
Maybe I should go back to just saying no.
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
Friendship, the Monarch Butterfly
When I arrived home yesterday evening, my husband let me know that there was a caterpillar in our butterfly habitat.
After dinner, the boys and I headed out to the sunporch to check.
Liam said "Friendship came out of his chrysalis."
And there he (or maybe she?) was.
Both boys wanted to hold the butterfly but Liam ended up declining his turn.
(2 year old jitters.)
My husband came out to meet this little guy, too.
The butterfly had been out for a while and his wings were pretty dry so he was able to fly all over the room.
My husband ended up saving Friendship from our cat, Stormy.
We decided to let Friendship go and he took off into the sky.
Then, we checked on Robin.
But, I think I may have let the boys hold him too early because
Robin didn't look so well when I put him back in the butterfly habitat.
I about had an emotional breakdown because I was thinking I had killed another caterpillar.
I'm going to check on him later and see.
Monday, August 12, 2013
Never Ending Education
As a lot of my friends are sending their children off to begin a new school year and others are beginning their homeschool year, I want to offer a different perspective.
It's a place where children learn through the natural flow of life.
It's free from teaching to the test and testing of any form.
It's a place where we get up early when we have somewhere to be and
get up when we want to on all the other days.
It's full of interactions with people of various ages.
It's a lifestyle that allows the children to grow and learn at their own pace.
It is our home and in it you find laughter, joking, playfulness, discipline, responsibilities, exploration, discovery, passion, education and love. It's untraditional when compared to our culture's idea of education but the methods have been around since the beginning of time.
Our life, our journey, our education.
Multi-Tasking
Today's morning routine ran like a well oiled machine. The boys played together with minimal arguing while I got ready and they cooperated with me when I made the normal requests. Get dressed, brush your teeth, get your shoes on, get in the van. I got three loads of laundry folded and dinner put in the crock pot.
Ahhh... if only this happened everyday.
But, it doesn't.
So, I'm going to write this down in history and maybe, someday, it will bring me hope.
I will never say that I am an awesome cook. I can cook and I can find yummy recipes to make. That's what I do. I copy everyone else and there is nothing wrong with that.
This is what I made for dinner in the crockpot- Crock Pot Chicken Fajitas, yummy.
They smelled great and tasted fabulous.
Joking with my husband, I said "Look! I made dinner while I was at work."
With a smile on his face, he responded "That gives new meaning to multi-tasking."
Yes, it does. Yes, it does.
Here's the link to the recipe for Crockpot Chicken Fajitas
http://amy-newnostalgia.blogspot.com/2012/02/crockpot-chicken-fajitas-healthy-fix.html
Enjoy!
Ahhh... if only this happened everyday.
But, it doesn't.
So, I'm going to write this down in history and maybe, someday, it will bring me hope.
I will never say that I am an awesome cook. I can cook and I can find yummy recipes to make. That's what I do. I copy everyone else and there is nothing wrong with that.
This is what I made for dinner in the crockpot- Crock Pot Chicken Fajitas, yummy.
They smelled great and tasted fabulous.
With a smile on his face, he responded "That gives new meaning to multi-tasking."
Yes, it does. Yes, it does.
Here's the link to the recipe for Crockpot Chicken Fajitas
http://amy-newnostalgia.blogspot.com/2012/02/crockpot-chicken-fajitas-healthy-fix.html
Enjoy!
Book Review: "Homeward Bound"
I don't know if I expected the amount of information that is in this book. I picked it up and thought "I want to be home, this book should help give me ideas or motivation to do it."
In the book "Homeward Bound, Why Women are Embracing the New Domesticity" by Emily Matchar, we are able to look into the lives of people from all across our country. Stay at home moms trying to find more passion in their daily lives, families who homeschool, same sex couples who long for a better way to live, single women and men who live "off the grid" and a lot of people who are raising chickens in the city.
Why are women leaving the workforce to be at home?
Home is the very place that women fought so hard to leave so they could have careers, earn an income, and feel the satisfaction that comes along with it.
A common theme is throughout this book...
It's all about choice. Women's Liberation gave females the choice to work outside the home or inside the home. We should thank our mothers, grandmothers and great grandmothers for that.
For giving us the opportunity to choose.
Why are all these people choosing to do things the hard way instead of letting others do the work for them?
There are lots of reasons and I doubt that Emily Matchar was even able to list them all in her book.
Here are the one's that really stuck out to me. (More like they screamed at me.)
-More people are baking, cooking, gardening, canning, etc. because they want to know what their family is eating. They no longer trust that the people higher up have their best interest in mind.
-More people are leaving their jobs to stay at home with their children. They are not finding corporate America fulfilling and no longer have job security. When faced with the choice between giving a meaningless job your day's energy or giving your energy to your children, spouse and home, they are choosing the latter.
-Blogging is empowering and motivating women. If she/he can do it, I can try to do it, too! Plus, blogging has the potential to bring in an income. I don't want to jump the gun or jinx myself, but what could be better than sharing your life on a blog and getting paid to do it?
-Knitting isn't just for old people anymore. The DIY era is here and we are longing to make things that fill us with a sense of accomplishment. It can be less expensive to do it yourself, you can add a personal flair to it, you can reuse materials and you don't have to depend on a store to give you what you want or need.
-Homeschooling has grown in popularity. With concerns over their children's safety and education, more and more families are realizing that they can do it themselves.
Sounds all happy, wonderful, rainbows and unicorns. Right?
Well, there is always a flip side.
-With so many people not depending on the government, grocery stores, retail stores, and schools, it will limit improvement. The same strong people who would have been an influence in government or the local school's PTA, are no longer there to be the voice for change. This leaves people who are weaker vulnerable.
-If you quit your job to stay home with your children and something happens to your spouse, how will you support your family?
-Dreams of a successful Etsy shop or making a six figure income off your blog are just that dreams. Statistically, the chances of either of those things happening are very slim. Very slim.
Who would want to knit for 8 hours a day just to keep up with customer needs anyway?
The beginning of each chapter made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Then, the second half made me sweat and have a panic attack.
About halfway through the book I remembered something.
I need to do what God thinks is best for me and for my family. I will find His truth in the bible and it will help guide our choices.
No more panic attacks.
Just a wider and deeper perspective than I had before.
http://emilymatchar.com/?page_id=429
In the book "Homeward Bound, Why Women are Embracing the New Domesticity" by Emily Matchar, we are able to look into the lives of people from all across our country. Stay at home moms trying to find more passion in their daily lives, families who homeschool, same sex couples who long for a better way to live, single women and men who live "off the grid" and a lot of people who are raising chickens in the city.
Why are women leaving the workforce to be at home?
Home is the very place that women fought so hard to leave so they could have careers, earn an income, and feel the satisfaction that comes along with it.
A common theme is throughout this book...
It's all about choice. Women's Liberation gave females the choice to work outside the home or inside the home. We should thank our mothers, grandmothers and great grandmothers for that.
For giving us the opportunity to choose.
Why are all these people choosing to do things the hard way instead of letting others do the work for them?
There are lots of reasons and I doubt that Emily Matchar was even able to list them all in her book.
Here are the one's that really stuck out to me. (More like they screamed at me.)
-More people are baking, cooking, gardening, canning, etc. because they want to know what their family is eating. They no longer trust that the people higher up have their best interest in mind.
-More people are leaving their jobs to stay at home with their children. They are not finding corporate America fulfilling and no longer have job security. When faced with the choice between giving a meaningless job your day's energy or giving your energy to your children, spouse and home, they are choosing the latter.
-Blogging is empowering and motivating women. If she/he can do it, I can try to do it, too! Plus, blogging has the potential to bring in an income. I don't want to jump the gun or jinx myself, but what could be better than sharing your life on a blog and getting paid to do it?
-Knitting isn't just for old people anymore. The DIY era is here and we are longing to make things that fill us with a sense of accomplishment. It can be less expensive to do it yourself, you can add a personal flair to it, you can reuse materials and you don't have to depend on a store to give you what you want or need.
-Homeschooling has grown in popularity. With concerns over their children's safety and education, more and more families are realizing that they can do it themselves.
Sounds all happy, wonderful, rainbows and unicorns. Right?
Well, there is always a flip side.
-With so many people not depending on the government, grocery stores, retail stores, and schools, it will limit improvement. The same strong people who would have been an influence in government or the local school's PTA, are no longer there to be the voice for change. This leaves people who are weaker vulnerable.
-If you quit your job to stay home with your children and something happens to your spouse, how will you support your family?
-Dreams of a successful Etsy shop or making a six figure income off your blog are just that dreams. Statistically, the chances of either of those things happening are very slim. Very slim.
Who would want to knit for 8 hours a day just to keep up with customer needs anyway?
The beginning of each chapter made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Then, the second half made me sweat and have a panic attack.
About halfway through the book I remembered something.
I need to do what God thinks is best for me and for my family. I will find His truth in the bible and it will help guide our choices.
No more panic attacks.
Just a wider and deeper perspective than I had before.
http://emilymatchar.com/?page_id=429
Sunday, August 11, 2013
Weekly Goals: August 12, 2013
Here are last week's goals and how each one went... but before you continue reading, I want to share something with you. I am a "wanna be organized" person. I try really hard to develop workable systems and stay on top of them, but I either get busy or I temporarily loose motivation.
I want what I share on this blog to be honest and real. I'm about to show you the mess we hide in our closets and my disorganized and cluttered shelves and table.
I dream of my entire family working together to pick up after themselves and to have a place for everything so everything can easily be put in it's place.
But my reality is messy...
Weekly Goals for August 5, 2013
1) Finish sorting through Liam's clothes Check
2) Begin sorting through Matt's clothes. (His current sized clothes are all mixed in with the clothes that are now too small.) Check
This actually turned into a clean out his closet and get ready for the move kind of project.
Moving plan:
1) Entertainment Center
2) Table Where We Sort Our Mail Check
3) Laundry Room
4) Den Began working on this room and the hardest parts are done.
5) Basement Play Room
Weekly Goals for August 15, 2013:
1) Try to stay on top of everyday cleaning. Enlist the help of everyone to do this.
2) Change the picture displays before I pack all of my scrapbooking supplies up.
Moving plans:
1) Entertainment Center
2) Laundry Room
3) Pack the dishes from the Curio Cabinet. This will finish the den.
4) Organize and sort entry way.
5) Basement play room.
I want what I share on this blog to be honest and real. I'm about to show you the mess we hide in our closets and my disorganized and cluttered shelves and table.
I dream of my entire family working together to pick up after themselves and to have a place for everything so everything can easily be put in it's place.
But my reality is messy...
Weekly Goals for August 5, 2013
1) Finish sorting through Liam's clothes Check
2) Begin sorting through Matt's clothes. (His current sized clothes are all mixed in with the clothes that are now too small.) Check
This actually turned into a clean out his closet and get ready for the move kind of project.
 |
| Before (There is no before picture of the other side because I couldn't even get his door open.) |
 |
| All the current sized clothes are hung up neatly. I also sorted through the hangers and discarded the ones that are too small. We've been trying to work with Matthew on putting his own laundry away but we get a lot of resistance. Maybe if the shirts he just hung up didn't fall off the hangers, it will decrease his frustration. Or, maybe he just doesn't like putting his clothes away. |
 |
| After I ended up sorting through everything in his closet and got started on packing his room. |
Moving plan:
1) Entertainment Center
2) Table Where We Sort Our Mail Check
 |
| Before |
 |
| After |
3) Laundry Room
4) Den Began working on this room and the hardest parts are done.
 |
| Before |
 |
| After I even cleaned out the broken filing cabinet. It will not be journeying with us to our new home. |
5) Basement Play Room
Weekly Goals for August 15, 2013:
1) Try to stay on top of everyday cleaning. Enlist the help of everyone to do this.
2) Change the picture displays before I pack all of my scrapbooking supplies up.
Moving plans:
1) Entertainment Center
2) Laundry Room
3) Pack the dishes from the Curio Cabinet. This will finish the den.
4) Organize and sort entry way.
5) Basement play room.
Thursday, August 8, 2013
Raising Caterpillars: Meet Robin
Meet Robin. He is our newest addition to the family.
I found him munching on milkweed across the street from our home.
Matthew got to claim him as his because his caterpillar, Baby, had died.
I initially thought he named this one Robin after Batman's sidekick but
Matthew informed me that he is named Robin after a red robin.
Matt asked for his picture to be taken with Robin.
The first 3 pictures are me encouraging him to give me a nice smile.
 |
| The "did someone spike his milk?" look. |
 |
| The "I'm heavily medicated" look. |
 |
| The "deer in headlights" look. |
This last picture is of Matt just being himself.
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
The Woman Who Fears the Lord #7
The Woman Who Fears the Lord
A Study of Proverbs 31
Verse 16
"She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard."
Our Proverbs 31 gal is quite the business woman. She researched and planned before purchasing a field and the field made her enough profit that she bought a vineyard.
Let's put this into 21st century terms.
There are two businesses down the road that are up for sale. One is a restaurant and the other is a hair salon. There are about 5 other restaurants in town and they are always busier than the one that is for sale. That's actually the reason it's for sale, the owner can't get enough customers to break even. The hair salon has five experienced stylists, is one of two hair salons in the community and has an established client base. The owner is retiring and moving to Florida.
Mrs. Proverbs purchases the hair salon. She invests money into some advertising, does a hair cutting fund raiser for the local school and gives all her employees long overdue raise. In the matter of a year, she has had to extend hours and hire four more stylists. If things continue in this direction, she will have add on to the building next year.
With the profit, Mrs. Proverbs purchases an Orchard and plans on hiring people to help out during the busy season. This business sells, apples, apple cider, apple butter, dried apples, apple pie and apple dumpling.
When I was younger, my father had my sister and me read a chapter of Proverbs every day. Most months have 30 or 31 days in them, so we would pick that day's date and read that chapter. I can't even tell you how many times I have read through this book but I never realized Proverbs 31:16 was about a business woman. A woman who had a business. She worked outside her home and made a profit.
That is huge for me.
My mom was a stay-at-home mom. She was the bake cookies, cart her children around, make her house a home, homeschool her children mama. (Which was back when homeschooling was not as popular as it is now.)
My dad always said that they had looked at other people's lives, saw what the moms working outside the home did for the family, and made a goal to do anything and everything to keep my mom from having to work outside the home.
My mom was a little more vocal about why she stayed at home and how it was the right way to do it. God's original plan was mentioned several times.
This became my goal, too. I was going to grow up, get married, have lots and lots of babies and stay home with them. I would be fulfilling God's plan.
Only, I wasn't and am not fulfilling what I thought was God's plan...
I did get married, but I also went to college and I have a career.
We did have children, but I currently work full time five months out of the year.
Does that mean I am not aligning my life to God's plan?
I felt terrible about having to work and yet couldn't come up with any responsible reason to quit. In fact, all I could come up with were responsible reasons to stay at my job.
So, why am I emotionally torn up about working?
Part of it is because I just plain miss my kids.
But the biggest part is the way I was raised and our culture.
So, I researched "Husbands Are The Sole Provider".
I found lots of opinions but no scripture to back them up.
There is no verse in the bible that says "Husbands, thou shalt provide all the money your family needs."
Nope. It's not there. There's not even one that's close.
If it's not my husbands sole responsibility to financially provide for our family and we need an extra income, I can help out.
Do I still want to stay home with my children? Very much.
So, here's what I am going to do.
I'm going to enjoy my job and bringing in an income and pray...
After the season is over, try a few business ideas and pray...
Enjoy the time I have at home with my children and pray.
I'm going to let go of feeling the need to plan and control everything...
Let go of the guilt.
I'm going to leave our lives in God's hands.
He knows what is in my heart.
He knows what my family needs.
I'm going to trust in His plan.
Wherever God places me, I'm going to be totally fabulous at it.
'Cause that's what Mrs. Proverbs would have done.
I have Sara Horn to thank for opening my eyes to the business side of our Proverbs 31 gal. Her book "My So-Called Life As A Proverbs 31 Wife" was a huge turning point for me.
Sunday, August 4, 2013
Weekly Goals: August 5, 2013
Here are last week's goals and how each one went...
Weekly goals for 7-29-13
1) Have my husband take the boys to the library. Check
2) Sort through Liam's clothes. Replace all the 2T shirts and pajamas with 4T shirts and pajamas. I got this project started. All the 4T shirts and pajamas are in the washing machine right now and I have a plastic storage container to put the 2T clothes in.
We're going to be moving starting in about 4 weeks. It's to a small town just south of where we live now, about a 20 minute drive. I've been putting off making plans until things were official and I got word this week that it's as official as we're going to get until we sign the-- home purchased/it's officially yours/your prayers have been answered --papers.
Now, I need a plan. A loose, flexible, don't flip out on me plan. So, here's where I'll start:
Organize and pack the following areas-
1) Coat Closet Check
2) Entertainment Center
3) The Table Where We Sort Our Mail
4) Laundry Room
5) Den
Weekly Goals: August 5, 2013
1) Finish sorting through Liam's clothes
2) Begin sorting through Matt's clothes. (His current sized clothes are all mixed in with the clothes that are now too small.)
Moving plan:
1) Entertainment Center
2) Table Where We Sort Our Mail
3) Laundry Room
4) Den
5) Basement Play Room
.
I ended up having Saturday off. It was a last minute decision made by our Center Manager and I am really grateful to have had an extra day.
This week looks like it will be long, with teaching all day, bus routes in the afternoon and a home visit. We are also scheduled to work on Saturday.
Let's just see if getting one area of the house done inspires me to work on others or if I'll ignore my list and just go to bed. :-)
Weekly goals for 7-29-13
1) Have my husband take the boys to the library. Check
2) Sort through Liam's clothes. Replace all the 2T shirts and pajamas with 4T shirts and pajamas. I got this project started. All the 4T shirts and pajamas are in the washing machine right now and I have a plastic storage container to put the 2T clothes in.
We're going to be moving starting in about 4 weeks. It's to a small town just south of where we live now, about a 20 minute drive. I've been putting off making plans until things were official and I got word this week that it's as official as we're going to get until we sign the-- home purchased/it's officially yours/your prayers have been answered --papers.
Now, I need a plan. A loose, flexible, don't flip out on me plan. So, here's where I'll start:
Organize and pack the following areas-
1) Coat Closet Check
 |
| I kept out a jacket for each of us, took out the coats that are too small/big to put in the storage bins and put all of out winter coats into the garbage bags. I saw this idea on pinterest and I'm hoping it won't be a pinterest fail. |
 |
| We used this over the door shoe organizer for craft supplies. I sorted through the supplies, threw out all the junk and packed the rest up. |
 |
| The first box is packed! One down and I don't even know how many more to go... |
2) Entertainment Center
3) The Table Where We Sort Our Mail
4) Laundry Room
5) Den
Weekly Goals: August 5, 2013
1) Finish sorting through Liam's clothes
2) Begin sorting through Matt's clothes. (His current sized clothes are all mixed in with the clothes that are now too small.)
Moving plan:
1) Entertainment Center
2) Table Where We Sort Our Mail
3) Laundry Room
4) Den
5) Basement Play Room
.
I ended up having Saturday off. It was a last minute decision made by our Center Manager and I am really grateful to have had an extra day.
This week looks like it will be long, with teaching all day, bus routes in the afternoon and a home visit. We are also scheduled to work on Saturday.
Let's just see if getting one area of the house done inspires me to work on others or if I'll ignore my list and just go to bed. :-)
Saturday, August 3, 2013
"Don't Say Dat To Me!"
We're eating lunch and my youngest, Liam has no clothes on. It just wasn't worth the battle and I promise I'll get him dressed before we go to the grocery store.
I had headed back to the kitchen to get another slice of pizza and I heard my husband say "He's peeing." I looked up and feared the worse (like an almost three year old peeing on the table) but didn't see him and heard the sound of him peeing in the toilet.
Liam walked back into the dining room and said "I peed."
I stood there with my mouth open as I thought about all the times I had asked or "suggested" he use the toilet. He had always responded with an adamant "NO!" and most of the time, I just let it go.
Liam looked at my face and said "Don't say dat to me!"
I guess he didn't like what my face had to say.
I had headed back to the kitchen to get another slice of pizza and I heard my husband say "He's peeing." I looked up and feared the worse (like an almost three year old peeing on the table) but didn't see him and heard the sound of him peeing in the toilet.
Liam walked back into the dining room and said "I peed."
I stood there with my mouth open as I thought about all the times I had asked or "suggested" he use the toilet. He had always responded with an adamant "NO!" and most of the time, I just let it go.
Liam looked at my face and said "Don't say dat to me!"
I guess he didn't like what my face had to say.
Waiting for the Transformation, A Caterpillar Update
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