7 Practices of the Effective Woman

7 Practices of the Effective Woman

1.    She rises early
2.    She maintains the spiritual disciplines
3.    She focuses on relational priorities for every season
4.    She sets up regular times for planning
5.    She develops an effective to-do list system and calendar/planner system
6.    She establishes an efficient routine for managing her home
7.    She organizes her house systematically

Check out the articles, and the "Girl Talk" blog of Carolyn Mahaney and her girls.

8:55 AM - Apr. 8, 2009 - comments {1} - post comment

Virtual Kitchen Cabinet Makeover

My kitchen cabinets are in desperate need of a paint job. Instead of the current antique white I've been playing with the idea of painting them red. So, I snapped a pic and booted up my handy-dandy photo editing software.

What do you think?

3:02 PM - Dec. 16, 2008 - comments {2} - post comment

Photo To Do List

Here's my To Do List for today. I'll post pictures as I get them done.

1. Use leftover bread and make stuffing (for lunch/dinner, and to get in the Thanksgiving mood).

2. Do 3 loads of laundry (1 load of girl clothes, 2 load of boy/Daddy clothes)

3. Be joyful all day!

4. Supervise the cleaning of the playroom.

5. Work on birth story and photo montage - try to post before Friday

8:54 AM - Nov. 12, 2008 - comments {3} - post comment

Bulk Food Storage

Note to Self: 50lbs of oatmeal takes up twice as much space as 50lbs of wheat. Its basic seventh-grade chemistry, but I forgot the concepts of volume and density when I purchased 50 lbs of oatmeal.

Here's our bulk storage. I didn't straighten up, sorry! This is my laundry room, and the buckets take up a lot of space. Its not ideal to stack them since they are incredibly heavy and hard to move. During the winter we may put some of these buckets in the shed since they won't get too hot in there. RIght now we have three and a half buckets of wheat and two and a half buckets of oatmeal.

These smaller jars are for everyday use, so that we don't have to go back and forth to the laundry room.

2:00 PM - Nov. 7, 2008 - comments {1} - post comment

Decorating for Fall

Fall decorating is so much fun. Here are a few of the pretty things I've put throughout the house.

Mom and Dad sent me this flowers after the baby was born. I stuck them in one of my rooster tins, and voila! I'd love to try to recreate it with fake flowers, but I haven't yet. I'm a bit of a procrastinator.

This pumpkin sits on our kitchen table. Easy-peasy.

Guords are virtually indestructible.  Believe me, my boys have tried.

1:52 PM - Nov. 3, 2008 - comments {2} - post comment

Frugal Buying in Bulk, Etc.

I know I promised to post my birth story, and I'm working on it. It will be ready soon. Its such an amazing story, one full of God's goodness, that I want to do it justice.

As you know, from yesterday's post, we're trying to be more frugal around here. One of the ways we stretch our dollars is buying in bulk. This started slowly, about two years ago. First, we started shopping Sam's Club for many things that we had been purchasing at WalMart. We buy pasta, cheese, sausage, bacon, butter, margarine, frozen veggies, frozen fruit, chicken, spices, yeast, honey, olive oil, brown sugar, and powdered sugar at Sam's. These things are much cheaper, and they don't get purchased every month. Some things are not cheaper at Sam's and we try to stay away from those. If I used white flour to bake with, I would purchase it there too. If Sam's sold brown rice in bulk, I'd buy that, but that only sell white.

Then, I started making our bread. For that, we began purchasing wheatberries in bulk from a local health food store. Currently we have 200 lbs of wheat. We stocked up in May when we heard that wheat prices were going up. Having the wheat makes me feel a bit secure, because I know it lasts forever and its a healthy, versatile food that the family could live off of if needed.

Our plan is to begin purchasing one bulk item each pay period (or every other, depending), which I anticipate costing from $30 - $50. My list of items to purchase is: oatmeal, brown rice, popcorn, lentils, pinto beans... I'll purchase the oatmeal this month. I can buy 50 lbs for $32, that's $.64 per pound. When I buy it at WalMart, its $2.22 for 2 lbs, which is $1.11 per pound. I bet you are wondering why I'd buy popcorn in bulk. I grind it for cornmeal. It makes great cornbread, plus you can dress up popped popcorn with caramel coating or sprinkle ranch seasoning on it for a great (cheap) snack!

The only problem with bulk buying is storage. We don't have a garage, which would be the perfect storage solution. We really don't want to use our shed, as the temperature varies a great deal. We will store the food in 6 gallon buckets with airtight lids, but I'm not sure where to put all of those buckets. We have three in the laundryroom right now, and its getting pretty crowded.

I want to buy in bulk not just to save money, but so that we develop a small stockpile of food. I'm not living in fear of the economy or what might come, but I do think its wise to be prepared. If we buy one item a month, then each year we could buy 12 items, restocking them on a yearly basis. I'm sure it will take our family a year to go through 50 pounds of lentils. :)

If you don't have a local place to purchase things in bulk, then it may not save you any money to buy in bulk. When buying from the internet you have to pay shipping and these items are usually pretty expensive to ship, considering their weight. But you can stock up on things like rice and beans at WalMart. Share your grocery tips or link to frugal posts on your blog. The best way for homemakers to do their job well is to learn from others.

11:43 AM - Oct. 16, 2008 - comments {2} - post comment

Frugal Luxuries

Yesterday, our homeschool group had a swap meet. We all brought our unwanted stuff and got to 'shop' other people's unwanted stuff. It was fun, and I got some neat stuff. My favorite find is a book called "Frugal Luxuries: Simple Treasures to Enhance Your Life and Comfort Your Soul".

Hubby and I are on a mission to live more frugally. This is in an effort to be better stewards of the money that God has blessed us with, to stop the bad habit of using credit cards, and the get out of credit card debt. My husband is an excellent provider who works hard, likes his job, and doesn't complain about taking care of his family. Our cars are paid for and he always makes sure to tithe and pay the bills.  But we've both noticed that we have 'heart' issues when it comes to money, spending, and self-control. So, I was thankful that God provided this book (for FREE), to help me get excited about living frugally.

Here's a quote from the first chapter of the book:

"There is a vast difference between practicing frugality and being miserly. To be frugal is to set higher standards for your thoughts, behavior, acitvities, surroundings, and possessions. Frugalites (a word of my own making)...prefe to make wise decisions on how to spend money and time and hold a respect for the principle and disciplines of frugality."

Doesn't that make living frugally sound like an adventure, rather than a burden? Its sort of thrilling to think about ways to enhance our lives in a manner that doesn't effect our checkbook. I hope to find more FREE resources for frugal living as time goes on. Today, tho, I'm thankful for this book.

11:16 AM - Oct. 15, 2008 - comments {1} - post comment

Weekend ToDo List

I enjoyed posting my To Do list last week, so I thought I'd start another one. This is stuff I'd like to get done this weekend. THe more I can get done today, the better. Some of these will be done with the kids helping, some will be delegated to oldest child or hubby, some will be done by me alone.

1. Clean kitchen: "buff" countertops, pine-sol walls/trim/cabinets, heavy mop floors.

2 Clean kids' bathroom & master bathroom, heavy mop floors

3. Finish laundry (two loads to wash, about four  to fold  & put away) - all of us together

4. Take stuff to Goodwill

5. Make a grocery list/ go shopping (or delegate to hubby)

6. Vacuum bedrooms (delegate to oldest child)

7. Do school: priority - dictation, copywork, mult table drill/test, independent work

8. Put boxes in attic

9. Take stuff to friend

9:53 AM - Sep. 12, 2008 - comments {0} - post comment

Master ToDo List

Organization is not my strong-suit. I have several things that I need to get done, so I though I'd share them for some virtual accountability.

1. Do 4 loads of laundry (including folding & putting away) - TODAY

2. Pack bags for hospital

3. Pack boys' bags for grandparents

4. Hang up stars in the schoolroom

5. Hang up solar system in the schoolroom

 6. Hang up white board in the schoolroom (we'll add a 'frame' at some point)

7. Paint molding for schoolroom maps

8. Take picture of carseat for friend who made it - TODAY

9. Blog about great handmade gifts from shower (with pictures)

10. Organize schoolroom file cabinet

11. Hang up schoolroom curtains (pick them up from mom)

12. Put sheets on baby girl's crib

13. Hang up baby girl's name over her crib

14. Pick up childbirth books from friend.

15. Call doc about 10yo's meds

That's all for now, I may add more as I think of them. It will so good to be done with all these 'little' projects.

3:24 PM - Sep. 3, 2008 - comments {8} - post comment

Cottage-y Fun Stuff

I've been in the mood for fun, crafty, COTTAGEY stuff. Here are some blogs that I've found to fill the need to feel 'creative', but not actually BE 'creative'.

http://cottagemagpie.com/

http://thecottagenest.blogspot.com/

http://acottageindustry.typepad.com/

http://annamariahorner.blogspot.com/

and of course...my cousin's blog. Scroll down for some cute stuff, and check the archives too!

http://www.mama2ryleigh.blogspot.com/

8:22 PM - Aug. 27, 2008 - comments {2} - post comment

I Got That Nesting Feeling

Martha Stewart, I am not. But lately I've been feeling awfully crafty and bake-y and just generally homemake-y. It all started with this set of pictures. This apartment is so adorable, and I love how she puts cute stuff together without it feeling all stuffy and formal. She's a hippy-Christian (you know, dreads, granola, homeschool, all that...) and her blog is pretty interesting.

I love stars and seeing hers reminded me that I had a whole bunch of vintage iron stars that I've never hung up. I'm just too symmetrical to know what to do with them. Anyway, I decided to paint them in funky colors and finally put them up. I haven't exactly decided where to put them yet, but when I do, I'll post a pic.

The boys also had cookie cravings yesterday, but without eggs or milk I was short on ways to turn basic ingredients into cookies. I decided to make no-bake-chocolate-oatmeal cookies. I've made them several times, but they never turn out the same. I couldn't find my usual recipes so I had to rely on allrecipes. They look great, but taste...interesting. They didn't harden up and are awfully gooey. But the boys love them.

Perhaps all this homemakey goodness means I'm 'nesting'. I've never really done that before. Of course, I've got six weeks to go...

7:05 AM - Aug. 15, 2008 - comments {3} - post comment

Acid Stained Concrete Floors

We recently decided to rip up the carpet out of our dining room living room and have the concrete stained with an acid stain. We are somewhat pleased with the results. In hindsight, we should have realized that our slab wasn't in good enough condition to be acid-stained. I expected a high gloss finish, and it isn't glossy at all. I think that would really make a difference in the final look.

Here are some pics of the boys working. Scroll down and you can see pics of the finished product.

That's the 10yo cutting the carpet away and the 3yo rolling it up. What good workers they are!

 Much to my mother's chagrin, the boys and I ripped up the entire living room without my husband. We wanted to give him a headstart for cleaning and prepping the floors. Its not the best thing to do while pregnant.

Our 10yo was a big help in scrubbing up the carpet pad glue around the edges of the walls. It took him and my husband several hours to finish. I am so thankful to have a hard-working son.

Here's the final product. It looks dirty and in serious need of a mopping. But its clean. The white spots are where my husband had to patch the concrete slab, they didn't react with the acid the same way as the original foundation. We knew about that to begin with, but we just didn't expected it to look this way.

So, do a bunch of research before you try this project.

5:19 PM - Jul. 20, 2008 - comments {2} - post comment

Morning Routines

My husband must like morning people. Of course, I am not one of those. I require at least 20 minutes after waking to lay in bed, stretch, and 'think' about getting up. I have to mentally prepare myself to actually get out of bed. Not to mention the physical ailments of pregnancy. My back doesn't work in the morning, so without the proper stretching, I walk like a  deformed-French-bell-ringer for the first hour of my day. Forget making the bed...I don't have any strength in my hands that early.

Back to my husband. This morning he jumps out of his shower, all perky and cheery, and tells me to get out of bed so he can make it. I appreciate the thought, after all he's only trying to help me with this week's goal of waking before the kids do. However, being forcebly required to pop out of bed upon waking and participate in the ridiculous ritual of bed-making is akin to Chinese-water-torture. I don't know what's wrong with that man.

HOwever, it was nice to have a few minutes to read my devotions,  check email, and write this blog post before the hooligans wake up and attack me. Haha...now I can go on the offensive and attack the little monsters myself! Thanks, hubbby.

7:24 AM - Jun. 27, 2008 - comments {2} - post comment

Crucial Aspect of Raising a Daughter

I'm really trying to figure out this whole "daughter" thing. I mean, after four boys, I'm not sure I can switch gears. I want to raise my boys to be brave enough to lead, and I want to raise my daughter(s) to be brave enough to follow. That is a minor issue compared to the one that I am truly having trouble with. It has plagued women for centuries. I have personally struggled with this issue ever since taking my marriage vows. I'm just not sure how to instill the qualities in my daughter that would inable her to overcome this horrendous burden of womanhood.

What am I talking about? LAUNDRY!

Yes, laundry, the absolute worst part of being a woman. I'd rather have hours of hard labor and pms every day than have to wash, fold, and put away a thousand little pairs of boxer shorts. In an effort to begin training my daughter from birth about the realities of laundry, I think I'll start with subliminal messages that tell her "laundry is good", "doing laundry is fun", "laundry is your best friend."  Fortunately, I found a very easy way to do this.

Hey, if you want your boys to like sports, give them ball and bat crib bedding. If you want to daughter to be snooty and self-righteous, give her princess crib bedding. So, I figured that clothes line bedding would produce a daughter who loves to do laundry.

Now all I have to do is wait until she's old enough to take over for me.

9:35 PM - Jun. 5, 2008 - comments {3} - post comment

Chaotic Life

Life here has become pretty chaotic lately. Mostly because of my extreme laziness and lack of discipline in the areas of homemaking and child training. I hope to use the summer to get back on track, especially with the baby coming.

It is a poor testimony to always be sinking under the burden of our home workload. --Terri Maxwell, Managers of Their Homes

I love this quote, and I think its true. So many times I have crumbled under the huge weight of managing a home and training four children, not to mention helping a husband and nurturing various pregnancies. I know that this is what God has called me to, and I know that He equips those He calls. So, I have to believe that this job He has given me is possible, and completely within my realm of ability. I may have to change my attitude, my approach, or my habits, but I know that I am capable of eficiently running a home and raising Godly children. To do any less would be poor testimony of my life in Jesus.

I'm trying to sketch out a plan for the summer that involves homemaking and child training. Ideally, my children should come first and I should train them before jumping into housework. But I find that when the house is in chaos, I can't remain calm enough to effectively handle the kids. So, I plan on spending a few weeks working on the house, using techniques from the amazing book "The House that Cleans Itself". Then, I'll do some tight tomato-staking and training.

I'll try to get to the blog and share what I'm working on periodically. Mainly, just in case it can help someone else.

3:28 PM - May. 29, 2008 - comments {1} - post comment

Journal of an Overwhelmed Mom

This morning I didn't want to be at home. When I get overwhelmed by the state of the house, I tend to throw the kids in the car and make a beeline for town. But between insane fuel prices, living 20 minutes from town, and driving a gas-guzzling-mega-truck, I am allocated to one trip a week. So, this morning, I was feeling sorry for myself. I decided to sit down and write out all the things that I was thinking and praying. I'll let you peek, just in case these words can help another overwhelmed mom.

Lord, I don't want to be here today. I wish I could take the car and drive anywhere. Sometimes I hate being stuck here. I feel like I am at a crossroads, but I don't know which road to take. I don't want to get up from this seat and still be discouraged. At some point, I have to make a change. At some point I have to choose to be happy where I'm at - which includes babies, and dishes, and high gas prices, and loads of laundry.

Why can't I find joy in any of these things? I just want to be a cheerful mother and homemaker. But I feel like its impossible. The house is always a mess and the kids are always screaming.

I'm afraid this is my last chance. I have a feeling that whatever I do when I get up from this seat will determine my future. I can choose to live like I have been or I can choose to change. I can get up and let the kids run around the house while I cope with the chaos by surfing the internet. Or I can choose to RIGHT NOW get up and do the dishes and smile and have the children help me.

But mostly, I can choose to be content with where I am right now. I am in a house that needs some cleaning and surrounded by kids that need some training. Yes, the job will be hard. No, it won't be much fun. But whose job is it?

It's mine.

After that, I got up, put on some upbeat Christian music, assigned the kids jobs and went to work on the dishes. The dishes were stinky, I'm not sure how long they sat there. The 2yo kept getting water all over the floor (he was my washing helper) and the baby kept snuggling his face into my rear, as a means of saying "Hi mom! I'm down here, don't you want to play?" But, I did it. I prayed and sang, and winked at the baby, and God proved to be good.

I know how you feel, when the house is a mess and your kids are a mess and your life is a mess. And each day we have to make the choice to ignore the mess or to tackle the mess. It was the hardest thing to get up from that seat and choose to not ignore my mess any longer. Only with the help of God's grace, which He gave freely after I poured out my frustrations to Him, was I able to get past the stinky dishes and the noisy kids, and see that this was a mess that was worth cleaning up.

2:56 PM - May. 5, 2008 - comments {2} - post comment

Redecorated Bathroom

A few weeks ago I hosted a Bunco party at my house. Our bathroom was in sore need of a makeover, since we had begun ripping wallpaper off months before, but hadn't  finished the job. The wallpaper wasn't coming off completely and was leaving an ugly mess behind, so we kept postponing finishing the job. Having company is always a good excuse to complete undone projects.

We used a sand-textured paint for the walls, to cover up any dings and scratches. It worked really well. The only thing we would do differently is to cut in the edges with plain paint (same color, no texture) and then texture the rest of the walls. Cutting in with thick, sandy paint is difficult. Or so says my hubby. I don't paint. Not out of laziness, but out of my hubby's desire to not dislike my sloppy job.  :)

Here are some pictures to show you how nicely everything turned out. My oldest son wanted a beach theme, and I didn't want it looking like a cheap Florida condo. I think we have a good compromise. Most everything was bought at WalMart, except for a wooden seagull we found at Ross and the shells that we put into the glass jars.

12:19 PM - Apr. 19, 2008 - comments {2} - post comment

Clothes Organization

After a week of very funky pregnancy blues and too many loads of laundry, I decided to take control of my life. I'm tired of having laundry on the loveseat. I'm tired of having four baskets constantly overflowing with dirty clothes. 

So, this morning, the boys and I are getting all the laundry washed and we're boxing most of the clothes up.  Each boy will keep three everyday outfits, one dress-up outfit, two pjs, a hoodie (our climate is too warm for coats), socks and underwear. The rest of the clothes stored in the shed for later. This isn't permanent, but is only to give my mind and body a rest during this tiring time of early pregnancy. I had to do something to ease the pressure.

I've pared down our wardrobes before, but not to this extent. Emotionally, it is a hard thing to do. Most of the boys clothes have been bought by the grandmothers, so I feel bad for putting them away. However, this is my life and I'm the one doing laundry, so I have to do what makes it easy for me. I hate having lots of clothes, mainly because I always dress the boys in the same three outfits anyway. 

I'll post pics later. Just imagine having almost empty closets and perfectly empty drawers!

10:30 AM - Feb. 7, 2008 - comments {2} - post comment

Ms.Unorganized

Sometimes I feel like our life is so chaotic. Mostly, its my fault. I do not properly manage my home. I know other homeschool moms with more kids that I have can do it well, so what is wrong with me? Is it spiritual? Why can't I just get organized and get stuff done and consistently do school for two consecutive months?

Aagh!

At some point I just have to stop belly-aching and JUST DO IT. But why does it seem so hard? Why does it seem like everyone else is doing a better job?

1:54 PM - Feb. 5, 2008 - comments {6} - post comment

More Organizational Stuff

Go over to Victorious' place and give her your input on internet/software based organizational systems.  Her son is considering creating something specifically for homeschool moms.

11:44 AM - Sep. 27, 2007 - comments {0} - post comment