Baby Steps Towards Wisdom

Have you made your New Year's Resolutions yet?  Are they the same ones you made last year?  And the year before?  And the year before that?  Do some of them include loosing weight, exercising more, becoming more organized, being a kinder person?

If you are like me, the answer to these questions is a disappointing yes.  Every year I have a list I really intend to work on in the coming year.  And I do work on those things for the first week or two.  Then life gets in the way, I loose my focus, and I fail on one item....and then another...and then another, until sometime around March I hate myself for my failures.

So this year I have resolved to NOT make a list of resolutions.  I will NOT try to change every aspect of my life in the first week of January   I will NOT beat myself up for my imperfections.  I will NOT set impossible goals for myself.

What I am going to try to do is take baby steps towards wisdom.  I am so excited about this!  The best part of this plan is that I do not come up with the steps.  I am not smart enough to plan steps for life that will make  life happier or more fulfilling, but I know where to find that list.  A king named Solomon was inspired by God to write a book full of baby steps towards wisdom.  Inspired by God.  These baby steps come from the Creator of the universe, from the Source of all wisdom, from my Father who loves me.  AND EVERY STEP IS RIGHT. If I take the step, my life will be better.  All I have to do is read the list and take the steps.  See why I am excited?

So the plan is to focus on one step at a time, learn that step, and then take another step.  That is my plan for the year.  Want to come with me?  I would love the company.

KJV Proverbs 24:3-4  "Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established:  And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches."

Bubble Bath and Comments

The winner of the how to post a contented sigh contest is.........entry number 3 by Allicat's Alley.  Sorry entry number one..I thought you were one of my children hollering for me.  And entry number two, I will definitely use your entry next time I am splitting boards in half with my awesome karate chop!  But thanks so much for playing.  I now know at least two people read this blog on occasion! ;)  Allicat, your bubble bath is coming post haste, perhaps you could share with entry number 1 and 2 since you live in his house and he pays the bills!!

In other news, I have fixed the comments settings, so now anyone should be able to post.  For those of you who have tried to in the past, and have failed, I am sorry my technological illiteracy inhibited your ability to post witty, charming, and even scintillating statements.  I look forward to reading your posts in the future.

The New Year is fast approaching and I am excited for 2013 to begin.  I have plans for this blog that I hope you will find useful and perhaps enjoyable.  Have a blessed Christmas.  I'll be back next year!

No More Scream!!

I have decided to take a sabbatical from blogging for the rest of the year.  When I mentioned this to a friend tonight, she reminded me that my last post was one big scream.  She said " I keep checking your blog every so often and think...still screaming!"  HAHAHAHAHA! OOOPS!!

The crazy schedule that caused me to post  my blog scream has past.  I am enjoying time with my family, and I am plotting and planning new posts for next year.  I will probably not post again until January, so let me wish all of you a Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas, and Blessed New Year.

I would leave you with a sigh of contentment, but I am not quite sure how to write one.
ahhhhhhhhh......that's too much like a mini-scream
ooooooooo....sounds like I'm ogling Christmas lights
Sigh......seems sad

How would you compose a contented sigh?  We will make it a contest.  Post a comment here, or if you can't post here, you can post on my facebook page.  The winner will receive a container of bubble bath to enjoy while contentedly sighing.  I guess I will have one more post this year to announce the winner.  Deadline for sighing entries will be December 1.

Sometimes You Just Need to Scream

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Better.  Thanks!

Fighting the Good Fight

Some days we wonder why we fight.  The battle is won. Our amazing Savior secured the victory.  Heaven is our home.  So why fight on?  Why strive to do what is right when what is easy is so much.....well, easier?  Why struggle against our nature when giving in is so...natural?  Why be cheerful in the face of adversity when throwing temper tantrums feels so right?  Why fight when victory is ours?

.  Because living like victors means acting like the King.  Because giving up is for quitters, and who wants to be a quitter. Because there is joy in battle and small victories...true, reviving, heart shining joy.  Because those around us will be strengthened, encouraged, and uplifted when our joy rubs up against them.   And because it is the right thing to do.

Lift up the standard of the King and fight on.  Stand strong, and others will rally to your side.   The battle may, at times, be exhausting, but the rewards our worth the struggle. Fight the good fight, never complaining, knowing there is glory in battle for the strong warrior.

p.s.  this is my favorite "battle scene!"  

A Bad Day

Today was a bad day.  I worked ALL day trying to clean house and accomplished very little.  Example, the sheets that were done washing @ 9:35am did not make it into the dryer until my seventh attempt to complete that chore @ 6:30pm.  They were going to go on the clothesline, but......  Many of the days disturbances were caused by my three-year old testing every boundary ever set by parents and God.  Yes, that includes the law of gravity.  In case you are wondering, it is still in effect.  And, it is still not okay to hit your Mom, sister, or the little girl your Mom babysits.  Errands that were supposed to be done by 10:00am were not started until 10:30am because we had to wait on someone else. School started off with six conversations in 60 minutes with my daughter about focus.  By the time she had gained hers, I had lost mine.  My poor husband came home to a woman who was wondering how the bright, healthy, energetic college student who spent her days singing and her nights going to concerts and symphonies had become an overweight, poop scooping, nose wiping, maid, laundress, cook, and nincompoop!

Hero that he is, my husband sent me to my room (how I have longed to be sent to my room!) and made supper....eggs, bacon, biscuits and gravy....comfort food.  And then my other hero, my daughter, carried my supper to me on a tray with a homemade place mat that said." 'It Is Well With My Soul.'  I Love You Mom!"  What a beautiful and appropriate reminder from my beautiful and wise little girl. "When peace like a river attendeth my way, when sorrows like sea billows roll...."

 Notice at the top I said today WAS a bad day.  Some days, Moms need superheros.  Today I was blessed with that, and what was a bad day turned into a blessed day.  Thank God for people who love me when I am ready to give up, help me pull it together, and remind me that God is still on His throne.  I love this saying:
"The ending is good.  If it is not good, it is not the end."   I hope I will remember that.

Mr. Guest

Today, I dictated a poem by Edgar A. Guest to my daughter.  He is my favorite poet...I have lived so many of his words.   The poem we used today is entitled "Creation."  This stanza I love:

Man writes his loftiest thoughts in words,
  And builds with brick and stone.
But dreams of butterflies and birds
  Belong to God alone.

How magnificent is God for creating an Earth filled with beauty.  Who else could have thought to make a bird or a butterfly.  And not just one kind, but a myriad of species in a rainbow of colors.  If ever we doubt the mercy of God, we only need stop and notice the beauty He put in nature.  Thank you, Mr. Guest, for this well worded thought.

Blessed

Do you have two arms?  You are blessed.  A friend of mine lost one of his arms today.  Can you take care of your children?  You are blessed.  A friend of mine can't do that on her own right now.  Do you have a loving spouse?  You are blessed.  A friend of mine is alone tonight and every night.  Do you have children?  You are blessed.  A friend of mine has never and will never have that experience.  Do you have a sound mind?  You are blessed.  A friend of mine is loosing her's.

I read this question somewhere recently and it stopped me in my tracks.  What if tomorrow you awoke to find  ONLY the blessings you had thanked God for today?

WOW!!  What would you still have?  What would you have lost?

So often we are so wrapped up in our own petty troubles and stresses (usually self inflicted)  that we don't recognize how blessed we are. I want to take a step away from my self-absorbed existence and look....really LOOK...at my blessings.  And then I want to thank a wondrous God who would condescend to bless a person as dreadful as I am.  I AM WONDROUSLY, AMAZINGLY, BREATHTAKINGLY BLESSED BY MY LOVING, BEAUTIFUL, MERCIFUL GOD.

The Finish Line!!!!!

The last post of Pinterest week.....YEA!!!  I have had so much fun doing so many pins, but I will be glad to cross the finish line.  A more normal routine should return next week with the start of school, and I am ready for routine.  Remind me of this if I start whining about being in a rut.  Sometimes ruts are comfortable places to be.

The last pin I tried was super silky summer legs.  I gave this pin a test.  After shaving regularly, I put this concoction......................

......on my left leg and shaved again per the instructions.  Then I shaved my right leg normally.

O.K.  I don't usually write messages in the shaving cream, but it is my last pinterest post!!  Anyway, after I showered I tested my legs and the left was silkier than the right.  My mother, daughter, and two of her cousins could also feel the difference.  They might not of wanted too, but they did!  

I don't think I will do this every time I shave...the tub is left oily requiring scrubbing. : /  But for special occasions or a pampering session, it is worth the trouble.

I hope you have enjoyed Pinterest Week as much as I have.  We are heading out tomorrow to go to a church meeting and then school starts next week so it might be a while before I post again.  I hope you can take some time to appreciate the blessings we enjoy every day.  Laugh.  Pray.  Live.

God Bless.

More Pins

YUM!!  That is the word for homemade Samoas.  The pin I used to find the recipe has recipes for homemade versions of all the Girl Scout Cookies.  Samoas are my GS cookie of choice, so I made them for church this Sunday.  I made bar cookies instead of round cookies.  Two observations....they are NOT a cookie to make on Sunday morning, and they would be best with chocolate on the bottom.  These two statements are closely related.  I did not have enough time to wait for the cookies to cool enough to dip, so I just spread my chocolate on the top.  It was very good, but the bottom was a little dry.

Definitely worth cooking again!






Speaking of chocolate, my three year old sat in chocolate sauce at church a couple of weeks ago.  When I went to get his shorts to pretreat, they had disappeared.  I found them this week at the bottom of his toy box.  (why didn't I think to look there before?)  I used the "best stain treatment ever", at least that is what the pin said.  Here is the before picture.

Chocolate sauce sitting for two weeks on light colored shorts.  I was not hopeful.  The results.....

I was sooooo excited.  This is a keeper!  It makes me want to go stain something!!

One evening we tried our hands at shadow puppets.  Everyone got into the act and we had a BLAST!!  Giggles and hand contortions abounded!  Imaginations were sparked!  We were happy.

Dog

Dinosaur

Horse

I still can't make a bear, but I am going to try again soon.

I tried a vinegar foot soak for my tired feet.  It was nice.  I will probably do it again.  However, since there is vinegar and salt in this foot soak, I will wait for the scrape on my toe to heal first.  OUCH!!!  But the scrape did look much better this morning.  Still......OUCH!!!

We tried exploding ziploc bags with vinegar and baking soda.  It was underwhelming.  We much prefer volcanoes or baking soda/vinegar art.

Finally, today, my mother and I made some freezer meals.  We made my regular freezer meals...lasagna, enchiladas, and chicken pot pie.  But we also made some crockpot freezer meals.  Yes, the only thing better than assembling and throwing a meal into the crockpot in the morning is reaching into your freezer, pulling out a bag, and dumping the contents into the crockpot.  These meals were super fast to assemble (in freezer cooking time) and will be sooo handy.  I hope they will be as tasty as they are convenient!

Crock pot meals on top, others on the bottom.  11 meals.  11.  Insert audible sigh of relief here.

You can find all of these pins on my done board.  I have had fun this week, but I AM glad Pinterest week is almost over.  SO MUCH PRESSURE.  ;)  Keep smiling and God bless!!

Following Instructions

When I was in the third grade, Mrs. Golden, my teacher, handed out a worksheet that she had us place face down on our desk.  She then instructed us to read the worksheet from top to bottom and to follow the instructions carefully.  We were not to begin working until we had completely read the worksheet.  We had all day to complete this assignment.

When she allowed us to turn the worksheet over, my heart sank as I read what our tasks for the day included.  Write your spelling words ten times each. (that would have been 150 words)  Do pages 82-88 in your math book. Show your work.  (we were only on page 20)  List all of the states and their capitals. (Little Rock, AR...ummm)  HOW AM I EVER GOING TO GET THIS DONE!!!!

I kept reading, though I was tempted to begin working right away.  And finally, at the bottom of the page, was this last instruction.  Disregard all of the above.  Sign your name at the top of the page and turn in your worksheet.   WHEW!!

I was the only student in my class to read all the way through before starting to work.  While the rest of my class wrote spelling words, tried multiplying two digit numbers, and looked for the capital of Montana, I read my library book and ran errands for the teacher.  In third grade I knew how to follow instructions.

This ability of mine has declined greatly in the intervening years.  I give you Exhibit A.

This is a picture of some boiled eggs I made in order to test the pin "the perfect boiled egg."  This was not the expected result.

The words pinch and gently are important words.  I was to add a pinch of baking soda to the water. I added about 2 TBS.  I was to gently "bumper car" the eggs.  I shook them like a can of spray paint.  I didn't read the directions carefully, and I certainly did not follow them. And the resulting boiled egg soup was definitely not the next big thing!

I tried again, following the directions this time, and came out with better results.

This egg turned out quite well and was just like the pin said it would be.  It's companion was not as good, but still functional.  I think this would work best when doing several eggs at once instead of just one or two.  

I have more pins to share, but I'll wait until tomorrow.  For tonight, I just want to remember what Mrs. Golden tried to teach me so many years ago......following the directions makes life MUCH easier!!

Day Two and Three

Time for a pin update.  We have been super busy getting ready for my mother's arrival and my daughter's return.  They are here now, and Hannah LOVED her room.  Just wait until you see the piece of furniture we built and painted for her!!

First, a couple of pins without pictures.  (Sorry, sometimes life happens before you remember tot ake a picture.)  I made what was advertised as the best sweet tea ever with a special ingredient.  It was REALLY GOOD tea, and the secret ingredient was 1/4 tsp of baking soda.  Strange, I know, but what a difference!  I will never make tea any other way.  Thanks to Ceridwen for pinning the recipe first.  That's my favorite thing about Pinterest...finding a ton of great ideas and recipes in one place.

I also made some bacon/cheese potato rounds for some gentlemen to enjoy last night while their moms/wives were out on the town.  They were a big hit and super easy.  I am almost certain this recipe will appear at our church potluck in the near future.

Speaking of church, we have a lot of company throughout the year when church meetings are in the area.  My next pin will have my company's olfactory senses delighted.  It is a mixture of about 2c baking soda and a TBSP of fabric softer, sprinkled on a mattress, left to sit for an hour, and then vaccumed off.

It is the most blissful smell I have ever experienced when going to bed at night...even better than lined dried sheets!  It also gets rid of dust mites.  This will become a regular part of laundering my sheets every week.

I organized my batteries into a fishing lure/stuff organizer.  Originally, my batteries were lost in a junk drawer that would make anyone with OCD spontaneously combust.  About two months ago, my darling SIL organized that drawer using any box she could find.  My batteries ended up in a repurposed Captain Crunch box...a huge improvement.

But with the fishing box, I could organize them by size and snap the lid shut.

It is nice to be able to see at a glance what batteries we are low on...AA.

Finally, Hannah's bookshelf.  It has shelves on the front and the back and is mounted on a lazy susan.  I painted stripes on the sides so it matched her desk, and the insides of the shelves white for contrast.  The revolving bookcase I pinned is round, but we wanted flat sides so we could put a marker board an a bulletin board om one side and hooks on the other...eventually!

We have some touching up to do, but I am so pleased with how this turned out.  There is a lot of storage on this thing.  

All of these pins can be found on my "done" board on Pinterest.  God Bless!!

Due to Life.....

Day 2 and 3 of pinterest week will be published tomorrow evening.  Life was to busy today for a long post.  God Bless!!

GO!!!! Day 1 of Pinterest Week

WHAT A DAY!!!!  I am tired, but very excited to show you day 1's results.

We will start with the bad.  I had a paintbrush that was in pretty bad shape due to my forgetfulness.  I was distracted while cleaning up my last painting project and forgot to clean the brush.  But I found a pin that suggested soaking the brush in warm vinegar for 30 minutes and then washing it with warm soap and water. This accomplished nothing.  I was very disappointed.

                                       



The rest of my projects today went very well.  First, Daniel and I made shaving cream paints!

 We filled the cups of a muffin tin with shaving cream, and added food coloring.  We mixed colors and added different numbers of drops.  Then we stirred.  These were the results.

The young artist stayed busy until he ran out of paint.  He was quite pleased with his efforts.  Clean up was easier than expected and the bathtub (his canvas) is quite clean.



I also cleaned my washer today.  It was NASTY!!

I have wiped out the inside from time to time, but have never in my 15 years relationship with this appliance cleaned it like this.  Long story short, I used a bleach soak, a vinegar soak, and minimal elbow grease.  Look at these results!!

This next pin I did earlier in the week, when we were in Fort Smith.  Actually, my husband ran in and did it for me while I stayed in the car with the wiggly, destructive one.  He took a photo into Staples and asked then to make a 2x3 ft engineer print.  Elizabeth from Staples was extremely helpful and the print is wonderful!  And it cost $3.00.  HA!!  I put it in a poster frame, and it will hang in my daughter's newly decorated room.  She knows I am decorating, but doesn't know how.  I can't wait for her to see this!!  BTW, they only print in black and white.

Also for her room, I am painting her desk.  I was going to wait until it was completely finished to share it with you, but I am to excited about the how the top turned out.  First a before picture.

I removed the rest of the hardware and lightly sanded the whole thing with a hand sander. Then I painted the entire thing with flat black paint.  And then I added stripes to the top with the same color of paint in a semi-glss finish.  This is the result.

The pics don't really do it justice.  I can't wait to paint the hardware and put it all back together.

Finally, for super we had a taco bake.  Yummy, though not the most nutritious meal ever...LOTS of cheese.  But it was quick, and easy, and cheep.

So that is day 1 for me.  I am tired, and will soon be going to bed.  I have several things planned for the rest of the week, and I am excited about the prospect of sharing with you.  All of these pins can be found on my "done" board on pinterest.  I would love to hear from some of you this week.  God Bless!!

On Your Marks. Get Set.

I've made a list and have purchased supplies.  I am ready to start Pinterest Week!  How about you?

Plan for Pinterest Week

I am planning a Pinterest Week.  Starting the morning of August 9th and concluding the evening of August 15th, I'm planning to actually do, as many as I possibly can, the items I have pinned.  We will eat pinned recipes. I will use those toilet paper rolls I have been saving.  The kids will be occupied with so many new activities their heads will spin.  Organization will occur at a lightening pace, and craftiness will abound!!!  At least, that is the plan.

Why don't you join me?  It will be fun, and I'll post my successes and failures.  You could share yours.  And we can fill up our "done" boards before school starts.  Come on, join me.  I DARE YOU!!

How To Kill A Monster Mess

Don't you hate it when the mess monster invades your home?  Sometimes it comes with a construction project, sometimes with a pile of company, and sometimes it just jumps out of nowhere.  It is easy to be overwhelmed by a huge mess, but you can kill a giant mess with patience, persistence, and a few tips.


#1  Clear out a pile place
This should not take long.  You just need to clear a large area so that you can make piles.  In a bedroom, I will strip the bed, put the sheets in the wash, and tumble the comforter or hang it out on the line.  In  other rooms, I just push things in the middle of the room to the edges so that there is an empty space in the middle of the room.  This doesn't have to be pretty and should take no more than 5 minutes.


#2 Go to the corner
No, you are not in trouble!  A corner is a logical starting point for two reasons.  First, things tend to pile up in corners.  Cleaning out a corner will give you a great sense of accomplishment.  Two, the starting point is defined by the room, not the mess.  As you clean, you will always be able to tell how far you have come.


#3 Work clockwise picking up everything you come to
This is the real trick.  Work around the room, dealing with EVERYTHING you come to.  You are just sorting and putting away in this step - no dusting, sweeping, mopping, or vaccuming.  If an item belongs in the room you are working in, put it away.  If it belongs in another room, put it in a pile to be taken to that room later.  If you don't know what to do with it, figure it out QUICKLY.  If you can't, put it in a pile to be decided on later.  As you continue cleaning, the solution may come to you.   The key is to not get stuck on one item or project.  If you can't fit something in a cabinet it belongs in, DON"T STOP to clean the cabinet.  Lay the item beside the cabinet and tackle that project another day.  STAY FOCUSED on the clockwise picking up of the room you are in, working your way around the room until you have returned to your starting point. 


#4 Put up those piles
Now take each pile to the room it belongs and put those things away.  You will be surprised how much time and energy you save by first gathering and then taking things to other rooms.  My mother-in-law always says "If you don't use your head, you;ll have to use your feet." True, dat!


#5 Decision time
All that should be left of the clutter is the pile of things you couldn't decide about.  Now it is time to decide.  Should you keep it?  If you need it and can find a place for it, the yes.  If not, no.  If you need it, but you have no place for it, you don't really need it.  If you truly needed it, you would get rid of something else to give this item a home.  To keep something, it must have a place. Period. 


#6 Finish up
Get your cleaning supplies, and look start in the same corner, and go around the room dusting.  Don't forget to dust the middle of the room at the end.  Now clean the glass, scrub any fixtures, vaccum, sweep, and mop.  Now, get a glass of iced tea and a good book.  Go sit in the room you just cleaned (even if it is a bathroom!) and enjoy the fruits of your labors.  Bask in the calming cleanliness and the waves of accomplishment.

A Silver Lining

laundry...............................402 piles done today
nasty diapers......................648 changed today
fever..................................102 and holding

cuddles from a sick boy...........priceless.


(the numbers listed in the first two items represent the feelings of a tired momma and are not to be taken as true or accurate,)

Our PA Vacation

 We had a great vacation in Philadelphia visiting my sister's family.  Here's a quick look at our trip.

The first day we went to Valley Forge and Arnold's Family Fun Center.  Valley Forge was impressive to Lyndol and me.  The size of the place was surprising to me.  For some reason I had imagined Valley Forge to be a small fort, but it is acres and acres of ground camped on and held by the colonial troops.  Lyndol and I would like to take an adults only trip up there sometime.  The children had more fun at Arnold's, which is no surprise, but I do hope that one day they will appreciate their visit to this piece of American history.

The next day we went to historical Philadelphia.  This was on the 3rd, so that we avoided the crowd on the 4th.  The kids were able to experiment with a printing press, make crafts, and ride the carousel in Franklin Square.  There were several locations around historical Philadelphia and at Valley Forge where they had storytellers sharing pieces of history in a kid friendly fashion.  We all enjoyed the wonderful talents of the Once Upon A Nation writers and storytellers.  We went to the Constitution Center, the Betsy Ross House, and Franklin Square.  Lyndol went to Ben Franklin's grave.  We had done Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell on a previous trip, so we bypassed those.

On the 4th, we watched the parade in Lansdowne.  That is the community where my sister's family lives.  They had a fire eater, period costumes, antique cars and bicycles and lots of candy.  After the parade, we walked back to the house and did a family photo shoot.  We spent the afternoon with the little ones catching up on sleep, and the older ones playing Catan, Cities and Knights.  Then we walked back down to the school for the fireworks display.  I must say the display was HIGHLY impressive, but you will have to take my word for it, because my battery power ran out.  

The last day we were there, we went to Ocean City, NJ and played at the beach.  It was the first time for all of my family, except myself, to swim in the ocean.  They loved it!  We all did.  Daniel spent most of his time fist-fighting the waves.  He was so happy punching something that would fight back and not get him in trouble!  Hannah enjoyed riding the waves and looking for and gathering shells.  Unfortunately, one of the shells she gathered was still occupied by it's crab.  This fact was not discovered until she washed her shells the next morning and the dead hermit crab fell out.  YUCK!!  

We had a wonderful time, but we are happy to be home.  I hope all of you are able to enjoy the blessings of simply being home, in your place, with your family, living a wonderfully normal and special life.