Project Simplify: Pick Your Own Space

This week, I decided that my laundry room was out of control. I was planning on having a playdate at the begininning of the week and some areas of the house were a mess, so now was a perfect time to tackle some of those areas!

 Some future craft ideas had gotten out of hand! Not to mention some paper work and bills needed to be filed away!

 Awe nice, clean surfaces, my fave!!

And all the junk and trash that needed to disappear!!

Faith in Action Friday: Our Love Life

If you know me, I cannot stand The Message translation of the Bible. It drives me bonkers, don't get me started.

However, the other day I was studying LOVE. I had read this wonderful post over at Raising Homemakers, and I just needed to dive in and glean more. I looked at many translations online to get a better picture of what it was really saying.

It was about the outward appearance of our homes vs. the inward atmosphere. I truly believe that our homes should be a place of peace and a welcome haven from the world, but that doesn't just mean that I've purged my clutter, have a menu plan, or even have a nightly devotional at the dinner table.

It has to mean that the inward appearance of our hearts need to be filled with God's love in order to really have a peaceful retreat. We can look great to everyone that comes by and look like we have it all together, but if the minute those people leave we go back to screaming and treating each other terribly, we don't really have a home filled with God's love, we are hypocrites and are putting on a fake front.

Our close family members are the people who really know who we are, they know the imperfect, struggling sheep that are desperately trying to follow the Shepherd's guiding. They see the true us and if we are putting on a front for others, they will have a mixed up view of us and our Lord.

It boils down to Love. Love for Christ and love for each other.

In her article, Amy, shows how 1 Corinthians 13 has to be the springboard for everything we do in life. It's caused me to take a step back and really look at my heart and actions. I really want to dig deep into each of the points in this verse. I hope to do a more in depth look as I study through these goals and really see how I can apply them to our home, the way I treat my husband and kids, and what the true atmosphere of our home really is.

The Bible really breaks it down into applicable instructions on how to create a peaceful atmosphere in our homes and lives and The Message makes 1 Corinthians 13 even more simpler, "If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don't love, I'm nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate. ²If I speak God's Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, "Jump," and it jumps, but I don't love, I'm nothing. ^3-7If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don't love, I've gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love.

Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn't want what it doesn't have.
Love doesn't strut,
Doesn't have a swelled head,
Doesn't force itself on others,
Isn't always "me first,"
Doesn't fly off the handle,
Doesn't keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn't revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything, Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.

^8-10Love never dies. Inspired speech will be over some day; praying in tongues will end; understanding will reach its limit. We know only a portion of the truth, and what we say about God is always incomplete. But when the Complete arrives, our incompletes will be canceled.
¹¹When I was an infant at my mother's breast, I gurgled and cooed like any infant. When I grew up, I left those infant ways for good.
¹²We don't yet see things clearly. We're squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won't be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We'll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us!
¹³But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation: Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love.

Tasty Tuesdays: Baked Potato Chowder

Last Tuesday, I shared how potatoes can really help to stretch your budget and make a simple and easy meal.

Another delicious meal idea is to make soup. I love to make this soup at the end of the month when I start cleaning out the refrigerator. It is super easy to make and in no time you've used up leftovers that were going to go to waste and you have a filling dinner.

I like to make a large batch because this freezes so well. And even though this is the basic recipe I start with, I add anything that sounds good and it has always turned out great!

Combine listed ingredients in a large stock pot and cook until hot and thick! (About 45 mins on medium heat)

• 8-10 potatoes -peel and microwave in a covered dish until soft and then rough mash
• 3 cups milk
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar or your favorite cheese(it's even great with Velveeta style cheese)
• 1-2 cups cubed chicken
• Any leftover vegetables (think corn, carrots, onions, etc)
• 1/4 cooked bacon or turkey
• 1 tsp salt
• Optional: 1 tbsp garlic powder 
•                  2 tbsp of ranch seasoning powder

To thicken it up into a chowder, I make a roux with flour and butter in a skillet then add milk whisking quickly until I have a rather thick pasty mixture. Slowly pour this into your stock pot while stirring.

Let me know what you think, it's a favorite at our house alone or with a grilled cheese or panini!!!

The 2%

So last Monday I shared our outlook on training our children now so that they could be responsible adults in the future! I don't want you too get the wrong idea....that 98% I spoke of takes time, effort, patients.......things that on some days I don't possess.

I also wanted to show you the 2%.

The "I'm getting nothing done, but cleaning up messes, nursing babies, cooking food, and doing laundry days".....it's it amazing that those days always seem to occur when my hubs either has to work late, has a meeting, or is on call.........hmmm

No the playroom didn't get cleaned up before nap time, no the lunch table isn't cleaned up, and no today's chores didn't get completed. Today we have welcomed the stomach flu into our home, yippee!! Nothing like bathing kids 3 times before noon and having laundry coming out your ears.

We are not perfect, no where near.

Every good intention on our part to have a scheduled and organized home has flown out the window and that's ok. So remember, if you are looking at someone's blog and thinking they have it all together --- They don't, I sure don't. It's good to be real, truthful, and open.

I'm a broken, imperfect sinner just like the next gal but I'm happy to say that someday I will be perfect!

Seed Time and Harvest

“As long as the earth endures,
seedtime and harvest,
cold and heat,
summer and winter,
day and night
will never cease.”

Genesis 8:22

God is truly faithful to fulfill the promises that He makes to His people.

 Every spring we plant a garden. We turn the soil, pull the weeds, and plant tiny seeds. God's intricate plan for His creation is renewed as we place our faith in Him to take those little seeds and grow them into plants that show us His beauty and His foresight to provide food for all.

Our lives are just like those seeds, we need to turn them over to the Lord, put our full faith in Him and see how He grows us....grows us into humble followers, strong disciples, and compassionate servants.

He knows the intricate make up of each of us. He knows the specific path that each of our lives will take. I take comfort in His promise to work everything for my good and the knowledge that He sees the entire picture of my life.

Are you growing in the Lord's will? Are you fertilizing with His word? Are you pruning out the bad and soaking up the good??

Project Simplify Week 3: Drawers

 So this week Simple Mom wanted us to focus on drawers and closets, so I worked on my desk/computer area in my bedroom since it seems to be the catch-all for our home. It was in major need of decluttering and organizing!

Not a pretty sight!

 

Pile of things to trash!

 The finished project!! Yes, my hubs surprized me with some flowers that week, so I thought they would look great here!!! 

How is your decluttering coming along? Link up!

Thrifty & Nifty Thursdays: Tools of the Trade

If your broom is on it's last leg like mine, this is a great week to grab a new broom for next to nothing! I've trimmed my broom until it's pretty stubby and a deal like this is too great to pass up!

This week at Reasor's, if you take in your old broom you can get a $5 credit towards grabbing a new O'Cedar broom! They are on sale this week from $6.39 up to $7.99 so for around $2-3 you can get a brand new broom!!

Now that's Thrity and Nifty!!

Weigh in Wednesday: New Water Poll

Thanks for sharing your input last week!

 This week I'd love to get an idea of what the average water bill runs! The poll is over on the right had side again!

As an update, our 5 minute showers are still going great and the kids even think it's fun to try to beat the clock!!! I'll keep you posted on how much all of our simple changes save us!

The Simple Potato

 Looking for a way to save money on your grocery budget? We love to eat a fun and simple meal of baked potatoes either once a week or every other week. I put out cheese, butter, ranch, and cook up some bacon (to please my meat-a-saurus hubby) and it seems like a treat. They each put just what they love on their potatoes and besides baking them, there is hardly no work involved!

Picture - foodpeoplewant.com

Potatoes are a super inexpensive food, and while I wouldn't eat them all the time, they are "Rich in carbohydrate, vitamin C and potassium, the potato often gets a bad rap because it is a high-glycemic food. However, the potato offers some fiber, especially when eaten with the skin on." - EatingWell.com

So the next time you are running low on grocery money, grab some potatoes and let your family fix them just how they want 'em!

Motherhood Mondays: Training Today

Last week we chatted about how we have to weigh the Now vs the Future. Some days choosing Now takes alot more effort that it should. Sometimes Now get's pushed to later or even tomorrow. I'm not proud of those decisions, but the great news is that - His mercies are new every morning - and I usually get another chance to do the right thing, NOW!

If you come over to my house on an average day, this is what our playroom would look like......

 and

 and sometimes.

Scary huh??

But during the 1pm-4pm quiet time we observe, and when it's time to hop in the tub at 8pm each night, this is what you would find 98% of the time.....

much better.

Does this room miraculously suck toys back onto shelves, reassmble millions of toys with tiny pieces, or wipe up spills from snacks? Oh I wish that was the truth!

Hardly! It took intentional training and that training is still happening each day. And I'm thinking it will be going on for many, many years to come..... :)

Would it be faster for me to run in there every day after the kids are asleep and clean everything up? Yes, for the now, it would be faster. Or wouldn't it be even easier to just leave everything out? I mean they are going to be playing with that stuff again tomorrow and after naptime right?

Sometimes, easier isn't better. Sometimes, faster isn't better.

If I cleaned up for them, the kids would never learn the skill of being responsible for the messes they make. They would never have the oportunity to learn how to do it for themselves. My 5 year old is a super helper. There has been many a time I've been nursing a baby or on the phone and I have been able to ask him to start picking up the playroom and to my surprise I have found it completely finished upon my arrival. On a super day, I may even overhear him showing his 2 year old brother how to clean up too.

Did God instill this boy with super cleaning and organizing genes? Of course not, it has taken 3-4 years of instructing and modeling how to clean up the playroom to get to this point. Because I sacrificed in the NOW, the FUTURE has gotten easier.

How about the idea of leaving it all out everywhere?? Well let's start with the truth......I would go absolutely crazy!!!  I would also be failing my children in leading them to believe that that is how God wants us to live. Self-descipline would fly out the window and quickly the entire house would be overtaken with items out everywhere. Because they know that twice a day they will be cleaning up their mess, they also start to rethink dragging out every board game, train, and item of dress up clothing, which makes the room easier to clean.

Training them NOW teaches them skills that they will need in the FURTURE at their job, in their home, and in their world. By taking the time to pause now and do the right thing, I benefit in the future by having children that are a help and a blessing, not a burden.

So is it worth it to SHOW them 15-20 times or DO it for the next 15-20 YEARS?

Project Simplify: Pantry & Kitchen

Well, my computer has gone crazy and I rotated these pictures a million time, but it wouldn't take, so here they are! :( 

My pantry was kind of a reverse purge. I was doing a pantry cleanout this month so my before picture is an almost empty cabinet. I took everything out, cleaned, organized, and then went shopping and filled it up a bit.

Before

 After

 Again, almost empty! I wiped it out, got rid of some outdated things, made some soup with left overs and then organized everything.

And voila!!!

Faith in Action Friday: Consider the Cost

In the Matthew 7:13 it says, "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it." This verse has been in my head and on my heart lately. With the world becoming more blatantly rebellious everyday and the church buckling under the pressure to do the right thing.....it seems like a fitting verse to have at the ready.

There seem to have been many things in the news these last couple of weeks that have had our family rethinking what we buy, what we watch, and where we shop. We've had to consider the TRUE cost of our purchases and choices. We truly believe that everything we have is a gift from above......our money, our children, our home, our bodies.....and that God has entrusted us with those things to be good stewards. 

What I'm basically saying is every dime, moment, and thing that we have is Gods.

When I really start processing that fact, I really have to ask myself, "Would God physically go to the store and buy that product with HIS money?" "Would God physically sit and watch this show?" "Would God purchase this item and put it into His body?"

A few weeks ago, JcPenny announced that Ellen would be their new spokes person. Is Ellen funny? Yes! Is JcPenny my favorite store to shop at? Yes! Will I be shopping there any more? NO! The Bible clearly states that homosexuality is an abomination to the Lord (Lev 18:22) and that means we can not support a company who throws opposing beliefs in our face!

This week I learned that Pepsi, Nestle, Kraft, and Campbell all have been working with a research group, Senomyx, to test their products. Many of these products are being tested on electively aborted babies.
Pepsi even went as far to say that they were only using the "gold standard" in research and that “We hope you are reassured to learn that our collaboration with Senomyx is strictly limited to creating lower-calorie, great-tasting beverages for consumers. This will help us achieve our commitment to reduce added sugar per serving by 25% in key brands in key markets over the next decade and ultimately help people live healthier lives.”

Well, come on people.....lower prices and a funny spokesperson, it's worth it to compromise!! A great tasting beverage in exchange for dumping your beliefs in the trash....that's not too much to ask is it???

I'm happy to report that Campbell listened to the outcry and has stopped using this company for research. But the other companies have made no changes in their research practices.

This news hit our family hard as God has really shown us the blessing that children are, that life is, and the sanctity of young and old. We cannot in good faith take God's money and spend it on companies that support the use of lives in this manner. So we will be boycotting these companies. It won't be easy, it will take extra effort and sacrifice, but isnt' that what being a Christian is all about???

I haven't seen anywhere in the Bible where is states being a Christian will be easy, a party(well wait until we get to those pearly gates) or a popularity contest! Jesus said, "They hated me first!" (John 15:18) "All men will hate you because of Me." (Matt 10:22a)
But the reassuring part that gives us peace in making tough decisions is...."But he who stands firm till the end, will be saved." (Matt 10:22b)

I've listed many of the companies who are using Senomyx and who are included in the boycott on the right side of my blog. Companies won't change their practices until the people demand change....will Christians stand up and be heard?

Third Thursday Thoughts: Super Mom

This month, Hearts At Home is asking........

"We all have days when we feel like just an 'ordinary mom'. If you could have any super power that would help you in your mothering, what would it be?"

I think the superpower that I would want would be multiplicity! Wouldn't it be wonderful to be able to nurse a little one, clean up spilled juice, and read a book to another child all at the same time???

But in this day and age even if there were three of me, one for each of my children(we better throw in another me for my hubs!) I still don't think everything would get done. :( One of me would take on more projects, one of me would spend more time on FB, and one would probably spend the day napping!

We need to remember that God does give us super powers, through Him.....the power to choose patience, to choose downtime to be with our family, the power to choose His will first.....and I think that's plenty for all of us!

Weigh in Wednesday! Poll

I added a poll to the right side of my blog and I would love your opinion !

We are doing an experiment in the months of March & April to see how low we can get our water bill by doing easy and common sense changes. I'm gathering some basic data to see what averages are based on your family stats!!!!

Thanks for your input! There will be a new poll each Wednesday this month! :)

Motherhood Mondays: Future Dividends

I have a pet peeve....it's putting a trash bag in the kitchen trash can. Pretty silly, huh? My husband is fabulous at always rounding up the trash, dumping it together, and taking it out to the dumpster. Many a night he remembers that he forgot to put the dumpster out for the trash man and goes out in any weather to put it out on the curb, yet still, I have this "problem".

I just hate to get out the bag and put it in! But you know what else I hate?

When I have to pull out a bag, try to juggle dumping the overflowing trash into it, sweep up what I've split, grab damp trash with my bare hand, scrub out the can, wait for it to dry .........and then put a fresh bag in!

We have to make decisions like this all day, every day as moms. Do I unload the dishwasher now, so I don't have to stack dishes in the sink or will I wait and then have to unload it and immediately reload it, run it, and have to scrub the sink as well?? Will I run a load of laundry now and completely put it away or will I leave in somewhere waiting until a little one unfolds it or gets it dirty and I have to rewash and refold??

The underlying question to any dilemma like this is:

Is it worth it to invest the time in the NOW, to reap the benefits in the FUTURE?

Head back next Monday to see how this problem spills over into our parenting.....

Project Simplify: Kid's Room Before and After

I had tackled the play room in our house recently, so I thought this was a great time to switch over the spring/summer clothes, purge and pack up outgrown items, and tidy up the kiddos bedrooms and closets.

Here is the the trundle under the boy's bunks that I store the clothes for the upcoming seasons and bigger sizes. It had really gotten out of control and disorganized, so it was time to clean it out and rearrange.

Sorry for the pink pics, my camera is freaking out!

All cleaned out!

Drawers all cleaned and tidied!!!

 My cleaning crew!!

Thrifty Thursdays: Cleaning out the Pantry

Oh the love/hate relationship with pantry clean-out eating......

At the end of every month, we are usually running pretty low on supplies to make full meals. My husband starts growling in jest when 4 different types of vegetables, a bean burrito, and some leftover spaghetti graces his plate, but in reality it makes for fun meals and it helps us stick to our monthly budget.

Clean-out eating is a great way to help you save a lot of money on your grocery budget, see what meals your family really like, and reduce waste!

But this past month I was concerned we weren't going to have enough to make it to the end of the month and I was gong to have to dip into next month's budget envelope. God always provides for us and this time was no different. This month our food just seemed to procreate in the cabinets and frige!

So here we are 6 days into March and I still have enough to plan meals until Saturday the 10th!

 It's refreshing to use what we have, not let things go to waste, and to be able to see almost every inch of the frige and pantry.

 I love to take this opportunity to tidy up around the kitchen as well. There's nothing like an unhindered chance to clean, purge, and take inventory.

10 Things to do at Clean-out Time!

1. Take EVERYTHING out of the cabinets and refrigerator
   It's so much easier to to see what you really have, get everything spotless, and get rid of what has been lurking about! 
2. Wash out canisters, tubs, and bins
   Spilled ingredients and spices make for a messy working area and sticky items just aren't fun to work with.
3. Wash down refrigerator and freezer
   Take shelves out and soak if possible, get in those nooks and crannies, and chip off that frozen chunk of ice. Don't forget to change our your baking soda box.
4. Wash out cabinets Now is a great time to wipe out crumbs, polish up your wood, and put down plastic shelf liners.
5. Inventory food items
   Make a detailed list of what you have left and how much. This will help later when it's time to make out our shopping list and menu plan.
6. Throw away outdated items Obviously there is no sense keeping old food in your cabinets. No science experiments allowed!
7. Record items that need to be eliminated from menu
   As you are going through items you may to start getting a feel for items that aren't being used often. Maybe you have numerous bottles of the same thing or maybe you remember the grumbling at the table each time you make a certain meal....write it down, you don't want to waste money.
8.  Organize items
   Make sure to group like items. I find it helpful to have shelves that are dedicated to certain item. Juice together, dry staples together, spices together....there's no sense in hunting down items.  
9. Label Items
   How much easier is it to look into a pantry and see exactly what you have? But when things are in canisters and baskets, you can waste precious time searching for something you need to complete a meal, or worse buy a duplicate item and waste money in your tight budget.
10. Put things back, Correctly When moving into a house, many times things just get shoved into cabinets and there was no real thought put behind where things were placed. Now is a great time to really think about how you use your kitchen and where certain things can be placed to really help you be more efficient....time is money!

Even if you only do this every other month or even twice a year, it's a great time to reevaluate your purchasing decisions, deep clean your kitchen, and get organized. All of these benefits will help lower you budget, help in your menu planning, and reduce the waste in your home. And you may just discover that green bean pizza is your new favorite meal!