Home Sweet Home

   We are opening a new chapter in the book of our life. We'll soon be moving! We're as busy as bees with all the things we need to accomplish before the big day. Finding boxes, making decisions about what will come with us and what can bless someone else and what needs to go to the landfill. Packing, labeling, organizing, etc.  We have several weeks to accomplish it all in a (hopefully) organized manner.
   We are labeling our boxes with a number/letter/room system that may seem tedious but it really will help. Husband and I have lost many precious things through the years when trying to move to fast. This time we are determined to keep everything we intend to move with us! Each box is numbered and the corresponding number is listed in a notebook with a list of the box's contents. The letters on the boxes represent the priority. 'A' boxes are to be unpacked first; curtains,dishes... 'B' boxes are things that are not urgent but also not to be stored too long. Such things as books and pictures fill these boxes. Third are the 'C' boxes. 'C' boxes are things that can be stored long term or will remain in storage for quite a while. Baby clothes, Christmas decorations and even craft supplies will fall into this category. Don't worry for me I've already packed a bag of embroidery supplies to keep my fingers busy in those precious idle moments.
   Husband has not lived so far north and our little nestling will not remember having seen snow before. I myself have not seen a real snow in four or so years. We will all adapt. God has blessed humankind that way, He gives us the grace we need to change and acclimate to new environments very quickly.

  Another project that I'm attempting to fit in is completing a baby blanket for my dearest girlfriend. She has been blessed by God and is now carrying her 3rd little darling. We wont know before we move if this child is a little Princess or a tiny Prince so I went with woodsey neutral colors. I'll show it to you when I'm finished!

May your new year be blessed.

Giving more

I want to give more. Do you ever feel that way? I want to give more of my time and full attention to my family. I want to give more of my time and effort to serving God. I want to give my crafts more time. I want to give my house the cleaning attention it needs. I want to give so much more attention to making my body healthy so that I can give more of all these things that I want to give more of! ; One thing at a time, yet all at the same time. So that means I need to prioritize my everything better, and that seems so overwhelming and so I just sit and pretend it all away or daydream about it while I tread water, right? I want to encourage you today - fight back! I love that you took the time to visit but get off of here and make your house smell wonderfully clean by doing a load of laundry. then polish your dishes. Those dishes that have stuff stuck on them because you made food to nourish your family. Clean, polish, scrub, sparkle and shine! Nope it doesn't have to be perfect but then nothing but Christ is perfect. Let me also encourage you to pray as you go about doing things. Pray for the one who ate off the dish you are rinsing, slept in the bed that you are making, will wear the jeans you are folding... I have one more trick for the day - learn a new way of doing something and try it out. (why not origami fold a towel for your bathroom) or do the same thing you always do but in a different order. In other words; change things up for yourself. In fact if you can, inspire yourself with a new batch of cleaning supplies! Since it's so close to Christmas may I also add that a new batch of cleaning supplies is one of my sister's favorite gifts to receive! I'm guessing she is not the only one so if you have a lady (or gentleman) on your list that you are unsure of what to get them, why not fill up a new scrub bucket or supply organizer with some wonderful encouraging cleaning supplies! you are giving more! Giving more time to serving my family, giving more time to creativity, giving more time to homemaking, and most of all giving more time to serving God who is so worthy!<

Peace vs Clutter or Too Much Stuff!

As I try to make our home a peaceful, serene, joyful place one thing keeps getting in the way... Clutter. We folded 5 garbage bags of clothes, and household items this weekend. It's not that I wait to do laundry all at once, I do some everyday. So, clearly something is wrong. We just have too much of it. No one needs as many clothes as we have. We've decided to pack up all except 3 work outfits. 2 comfortable outfits and 1 dress outfit. (the baby is the exception to this) I have found that I am much more comfortable in skirts than pants. I actually only have 2 at this time so I'd like to have one more. If that isn't enough, I'll make our clothing pile even smaller.

   There are 3 of us, so we should only need 3 towels, 3 wash cloths and 1 hand towel for each bathroom. With the exception of the day that the dog and cat get baths. We really need only one set of sheets. In the kitchen, I haven't yet thought of a way to eliminate linen in there. We use cloth napkins, cloth "paper"towels, dish cloths and tea towels. The kitchen is a busy place!
   We have huge plans for re-arranging things very soon. the clothes we aren't going to use currently will be packed in plastic bins to be used as our current clothes wear out. Mike and I will share a dresser. Adelaide will have what is now my dresser and the plastic drawers that Adelaide used for a dresser since she was born will be used to organize crafts and office things.

   Books are another area in our home that we are trying to thin. Last spring our library system had a huge book sale. We went overboard! It was without a doubt a blessing. As we take the time to read them we are finding that they don't all capture our attention or, entertain or, teach us. So we are weeding them out. Last night I sold 10 books for $5 on Craigslist.
Ultimately, this is not just a lesson in organization but also frugality, stewardship, and self discipline.
   The peace of not being overwhelmed with things is worth seeking.