Art of Domestic Living

i heart

2012-02-07T08:18:00.000-05:00

Do you decorate for Valentine's Day? I have a few items that I display, but for the most part I don't spend much time decorating for this holiday. I have found that it is great just to add a couple of extra touches to my winter decor! Isn't it great to be able to use red all winter long!

One thing that I did different this year, was to place the heart window adhesives to my girls' bathroom mirror. They were so excited when they came home from school and noticed this addition to the bathroom! By the way, I store the plastic like hearts in between plastic wrap so I can use them from one year to the next.

2012

2012-02-06T18:40:00.000-05:00

After struggling with my computer, camera and blog, I am finally back to blog land. I've still been reading your blogs, just sorry for my absence and my lack of commenting. I think I need a tutorial on all the new changes with blogger. Any suggestions? I'll be back soon with some new posts!

Christmas Tour

2011-12-11T19:34:00.001-05:00

A number of my favorite bloggers are hosting Christmas tours this week! I hope you get to check them all out! This year I found myself simplifying my decorations and putting less accessories out. Someday this might change, but for now the simplicity works for our family.

This first picture is a close up of our front porch. I got some birch logs from my parents property! Just a galvanized bucket with some natural decorations!

I still use a lot of red in my decorating. It could be, because red is my favorite color! I've seen so many beautiful homes that have an all white theme, with just a touch of greenery, but I still keep my traditional red going. Will see what happens in the future!

Here is our mantel. These are the same blue shutters that I picked up at a garage sale, and spray painted. I just add some seasonal decorations. I like to be able to use decorations year round, and make simple changes for each season or holiday.

Some of our built-ins.

Here is the vase that I got from my Grandmother. Just switched up with some Christmas greens!

I switched this vase to the table in our dining area. Typically it is on the mantel, but I wanted to simplify the corner stand. I'm using some leftover fabric from a craft project. It has red in it, but it isn't a Christmas fabric. It should get me through the winter months, since it doesn't "scream" Christmas.

Here is some of my everyday glassware with a Christmas touch added to it!

My changeable sign with JESUS - the reason we celebrate!

Lastly, here is our tree! This is the first year that we put the tree in the front window. We have a nine foot tree and we typically put it in the entry area of our home. We just decided to try something different this year!

Thanks so much for stopping by and enjoy all the other tours!

Linking up with the following:

Jennifer Rizzohttp://www.jenniferrizzo.com/

Framed

2011-12-07T08:35:00.000-05:00

When I was single, I "invested" in some nice pieces of artwork. That was a while ago and I have found that my tastes have changed. Because my priorities and spending habits are at a different place right now, I have found some inexpensive ways to decorate my walls!

Thanks to Michaels & Hobby Lobby I have gotten some great frames. Lately, I've had a white theme going. I've purchased a few different frames on sale for $4.95!!! My other great find is all the free downloads available on-line!

My first print came from the Handmade Home. Love the vintage prints! I actually printed three different designs. One other "hint" - I used heavy card stock paper from the scrap booking section of Hobby Lobby. It cost a lot less than purchasing heavy paper from the office supply store.

This Christmas print was also FREE! In addition to cute prints, I'm also finding free tags to print for Christmas! We have so many resources available to us!

My last frame is my new chalkboard! Yes, I have gotten the chalk board paint bug! I found a 50% off frame, got out my paint and went to town.

These are just a few ideas of how you can decorate your walls and keep your cost down. What are you putting on your walls?

What I learned From the Cleaning Lady

2011-11-02T08:57:00.000-04:00

Last spring my husband bought me a Groupon for three hours of cleaning! I have never had anyone clean my home before. How exciting!!! I was waiting for the perfect time to take advantage of this gift. Well, the past few weeks have been extremely busy (part of my absence from blogging), my parents were visiting for five days, parent teacher conferences (my husband and I both teach), countless meetings for committees and volunteer responsibilities that we are apart of, etc. I know many of you can understand!!!! So, I figured this would be a great time to use up this Groupon. I had no idea what to expect.

When I first called to set up the appointment, I was asked, "What are your priorities for things to get cleaned?" I was thinking - my entire home! Well, I knew that wasn't going to happen, so I blurted out "the bathrooms and the hardwood floors". Now, keep in mind, I do a fairly good job at keeping the clutter organized, but deep cleaning is another story!

Here is what I learned from the experience:
1. Walking into the home that smells clean can do wonders for you!
2. Polishing the chrome surfaces so they shine will brighten your day!
3. Enjoy the moment or hours of a clean home, it will not last!
4. Given the chance, I would do it again!

By the way, I'm not posting any pictures, because the house has reached the point of "it will not last"!

Would you or do you use a cleaning service? What would be your cleaning priorities?

Words Into Action

2011-10-17T08:58:00.000-04:00

Last week I shared with you this post about a great quote from Mother Teresa. Well, this past weekend I was able to put it into practice! First of all, I don't want you to get the wrong idea. I'm not tooting my own horn, just showing you a practical way to put love into action. Trust me, I fail at this all the time!

My husband ran his second marathon yesterday! It was an incredible accomplishment, and in many ways I feel like our entire family ran the marathon. Okay, well maybe not quite ran the marathon, but we did participate. For anyone who has ever trained, you know that athletes don't just show up on the day of the event, but they put many months into the preparation. For our family this meant looking at weekly schedules for "running time", setting the alarm for 5:00 AM, missing certain events, planning courses, running Gatorade to different locations, doing lots of laundry, etc.

So, my girls and I decided that we would make t-shirts for the race. Last year we made signs and we were afraid that it might rain, so we thought the shirt idea might be a big hit. My husband loved it!!!! Thanks to Hobby Lobby you can get some colorful t-shirts at a very reasonable cost. Here is a pic of me with my girls after the race.

Many times the little things we do, mean so much. One doesn't have to spend a lot of money to show love. What are some of the things you have done lately, to show love to others?

The girls finishing the race with Daddy!

Quote

2011-10-12T08:16:00.000-04:00

I recently came across LeAnn Rice's blog She Cooks. It is amazing and LeAnn has an incredible testimony! As I was snooping around her blog I came across this quote from Mother Teresa,

“To show great love for God and our neighbor, we need not to do great things. It is how much love we put in the doing that makes our offering something beautiful for God.”

This quote challenged my thinking and effort that I put into things, especially the little gifts, you know the ones we just "throw together". It puts meaning into the little things we do around the home: folding the laundry, stacking the pantry, setting the table, organizing our home.

What quote has inspired or challenged you lately?

I Chose White

2011-10-10T08:39:00.000-04:00

It has been almost 12 years since my husband, then fiance, and I registered for our wedding. At the time a number of my friends and family were registering for both every day dishes and fine china. I decided that I wanted one set of dishes that could be used for all occasions! I chose Mikasa's Italian Countryside and I couldn't be happier!

There are times when I see "pretty" dishes in vibrant colors, but I love the flexibility of the white. Besides, I can always pick up a couple of accessory pieces in other colors to blend in with my white dishes. Here are some white inspirations!

What color dishes do you have?

Dressing For Work

2011-10-06T13:52:00.000-04:00

I realize that this title could go in lots of different directions! However, I was thinking of the work that takes place in our kitchen! I work part-time outside of the home, but I spend a lot of time at home, in my kitchen. The kitchen truly is my favorite room in the house. It is the hub of our family activity and generally where my guests spend a lot of time.

So, this brings up the topic - do you wear an apron when you are in the kitchen? I've had a few aprons in my cooking career, and generally when I'm cooking, I'm wearing one! I think the apron has a couple of different benefits:

1. The obvious - it keeps us clean! I'm very messy. Need I say anything more?
2. It makes me feel better about what I am doing in the kitchen.

Last year I made a new apron out of some darling fabric. There is just something about that apron that makes me want to cook! The apron is cute and fun! If you haven't worn an apron recently, try one on! Or better yet, go get a new apron!! There are so many darling aprons out there, it might just put a little bounce of spice into your cooking!

Reading

2011-10-04T17:15:00.000-04:00

I'm a reader. Not a writer. I know, it has been forever since I last posted....... I have no excuse, except I love to read blogs a lot more than I like to write them.

With that in mind, I wanted to link up some of my favorite 31 day series posts! These are some great must reads!

Eat2Gather

Reluctant Entertainer

Life In Grace

The Inspired Room

The Nesting Place

Remodeling This Life

What are you reading right now? Do you have a favorite 31 Day Series?

Sewing Lessons

2011-05-24T08:42:00.000-04:00

It is starting to feel like spring here in West Michigan! As much as I love summer and all the activities that summer time brings, I will miss the "slow pace" of winter! I realized I never showed you one of the winter activities that I did with my daughter and some of her friends - sewing lessons.

As a young girl, my Mom taught me how to sew, and with her help and instruction from the 4-H leaders, I learned this valuable skill at a young age. However, I am finding fewer young people who know how to sew. So, after some persuading from my daughter, I decided to start teaching her some of these life skills. I also thought it would be easier, and motivating for me, if I taught a couple of girls at the same time.

Here they are working on their PJ bottoms:

Do you know how to sew? When and how did you learn?

Paint

2011-04-12T17:10:00.000-04:00

I feel like I need to re-introduce myself, "HI, my name is Kim and I blog about the home!" Sorry it has been so long, since my last post. I have no excuse. I pinkie promise to do a better job with writing! However, I have been keeping up with my blog reading, and I have decided that I love reading blogs, much more than I enjoy writing. But, I will do my best to share a little of my heart for the home with you!

It seems like Spring Fever hits me about this time every year. I want to change up something in our home. The easiest thing, (and most cost effective) thing for me to do, is paint! Two years ago I painted the master bedroom and main bathroom, last year I painted the guest room, and this past Friday I painted the half bath. My girls have already put in a request to have their rooms painted next Spring. Unfortunately I don't have any before pictures, but it was the same color as our basement, Benjamin Moore HC 98, providence olive. The new color is boothbay gray, HC 165, also from Benjamin Moore. It looks more blue than gray, and it goes nice with the white trim and fixtures.

Paint fixes my desire to update our home, especially when I find myself daydreaming about hard surface counter tops, and board and batten for the bedroom. Maybe someday we will have those updates, but for now I am content with my new paint color!

What do you do, when Spring Fever hits your home? (If your like me!)

creativity

2011-02-26T10:53:00.000-05:00

I'm lacking in creativity. This is one gene that I don't have. I see many great ideas in blog world, and I usually think, "why couldn't I come up with that idea?" So, I copy it. I can copy! I'm okay with this.

However, I still want to encourage creativity, especially in my girls. My oldest had an idea to decorate her room with her own artwork. She went through her school box of the last four years to find her favorite pieces of art. After a little putty, she was able to display them throughout her room. She couldn't be happier!

I'm so proud of the creativity that my daughter is showing and displaying!

joining the ranks

2011-02-23T08:17:00.000-05:00

Guess what I found at the thrift store last week? Five dollars later, I have a new addition for the top of my kitchen cabinets. Thanks to Meg and Lindsey for inspiring me with this great decorating find!

green on red day

2011-02-15T20:25:00.000-05:00

Happy late Valentine's Day! Don't get confused by the title. Yes, I still wore red yesterday, and my girls were clothed in pink and red for the holiday. However, I've been thinking about what it means to be "green"!

First of all, I'm very far from being a "green person" or a tree hugger. (No offense if this is a passion of yours)! But, I have been thinking about my responsibility and involvement in helping to take care of the gifts that we have been given! The concept of being a good steward!

The first change that I made switching over to the reusable grocery bags. Do you know how many plastic bags were hanging out in my cupboard? My tip for making this work is to keep the bags in my vehicle! I never know when I'm going to make a quick stop at the store, so it is handy to have the bags with me.

My girls' school had a Mixedbag fundraiser in the fall. This was a new company too me, that specializes in reusable bags. The great thing about this company is you could choose different sizes and designs! I purchased several bags and used them as part of my Christmas giving! This way they had a dual purpose - gift bag and a gift they could keep reusing.

The second area that I hope to get better at, is using cloth napkins. I have a couple of sets that I use for special occasions, but recently I have been thinking, "why don't I use these all the time?" They add that little extra special touch to our dining experience and then I wouldn't have to purchase paper napkins.

How are you reusing or being a good steward of your resources?

valentine

2011-02-08T16:09:00.000-05:00

I'm a little slow.

Valentine's day is six days away. It hit me, that I have done very little to prepare for this holiday.

I know some of you say, "blah, blah, blah, blah, blah!"

However, it is important. Enough said! I was able to throw up some of my decorations. I have a minimal amount, especially since I still have my winter decor up, and I use red all the time. I can get a lot of mileage out of my red decorations.

How do you celebrate February 14th?

Recipe Search

2011-02-02T12:43:00.000-05:00

Where do you find your recipes? Do you have a "tried & true" cookbook? Do you use allrecipes or have a favorite blog that you turn to? Maybe you call a friend or your Mom......

I try a lot of recipes!! I can't give you the best cookbook or site, because there are so many out there. Many times I will try something new, and my family will like it, but it doesn't make the list. You know, the list, the one that declares it needs to be made again and again!!

However, I wanted to point out this recipe! This one made the list! We ate it so fast, that I never got to take a picture of it. I think the best endorsement for this recipe came from my six year old daughter, "Mom, I want this recipe for when I get married!!" Just love it! Thanks Andrea for posting this!

Here is another recipe for cookies that I wanted to point out! (I did manage to snap a picture). I made this recipe twice. Here is my little twist on this recipe, I added cinnamon chips! It was by mistake (I didn't have enough chocolate chips). Made them very tasty! I'm still on the look out for the perfect cookie! I know a lot of it is personal preference AND a lot of it depends upon the type of fat you use (or combination of fats), and the type of pan you bake your cookies on.

I would love to hear about your favorite cookie recipe of tip for cookies AND what has been your favorite recipe find?

Crafting

2011-01-21T16:05:00.000-05:00

I know a number of people who seem to "nest" during the month of January, you know, "get organized, clear the clutter, etc." however, I would much rather craft! I think it has something to do with the snow and the cold. Did I mention it is only 12 degrees today?

Most of you know that I teach part-time. It is a great schedule for our family. Well, the last two weeks the schedule has slowed down even more, compared to my regular hours. My youngest daughter was sick for two days, then we had two days off for school wide sick days (that means I taught one day last week -for those who are counting!) This week was a final's schedule, so it meant a late start and very early dismissals for a few days. So, why am I telling you all this? Because it has given me extra time to knit (and crochet)!

Here are my latest projects.

My youngest has been after an extra pair of mittens. I looked around for a pattern, and I kind of created this one, with some help from Ravelry.

I'm learning to crochet. It is amazing what you can learn from google and youtube. If there is something I don't understand, I just search for it on-line. I would like to make some Granny Squares and turn them into a pillow. (I thought it might be easier than making an afghan).

Here is my yarn stash! Truth, I actually have some other yarn, but I have a glove pattern and a mitten pattern that I hope to get at, in the near future.

Here is my oldest daughter in her new hat. The pattern looks complicated, but it isn't. I used a pattern from the Cascade 220 book of hats, scarves and mittens. Actually, I finished this during Christmas break, but I wanted to share it with you.

This is my fastest pattern! It is for felted loafer / slippers. I'm almost finished with them. Felting is a lot of fun, but there is always that period of time, when the item is in the washer and you aren't sure if it will fit. I've decided, if they don't fit me, they will fit my daughter!

What are you doing this January to keep busy? Are you crafting, baking, reading or cleaning? It is the perfect time of year to hibernate in your home!

weekend

2011-01-08T15:21:00.001-05:00

It's the weekend! Do you know what that means? Time for meal planning.

Do you remember, last November, I asked you what were your hardest domestic challenges? Well, you answered! A number of you mentioned meal planning. So, I thought I would share with you some of the things that I do, to make meal planning a little more manageable.

However, here is my disclaimer, I don't have a grip on this area, and like many of you, I'm still searching for an easier way to handle the meal time question of, "what's for dinner?"

Here are a couple of things that have worked for me:

1. I start by taking an inventory of the food that I already have available. What can I use up? It is a nice surprise to find the frozen mashed potatoes, or cut up and grilled chicken!

2. I look at the food advertisements for the week. If you don't get the paper, check out your local grocery stores ad on line. Does anything on sale go with the groceries in my pantry?

3. Look at my schedule for the week. This is one of the most important keys to meal planning. I look for two things: When do I have time to cook? AND do I have any time crunches that will make meal time or preparation difficult? For instance, every Wednesday from 4:00 - 5:30 I cart my girls to and from gymnastics. It would be very easy to pull through the drive thru at McDonald's if I hadn't already planned dinner. Most of these evenings I plan for leftovers, a casserole that my husband can put in the oven, or a crock pot meal.

4. Speaking of crock pots - use them! Currently, I'm looking outside, to a white landscape and a temperature of 23 degrees! Yes, I live in Michigan! This time of year is perfect for using your crock pot (even though I use it all year long), winter lends itself to stews, roasts, etc. We are having a pork, sweet potato and black bean stew for dinner tonight. It is great having dinner ready first thing in the morning!

5. Plan for leftovers! Thankfully my family enjoys them. I like making large quantities of food that can either be eaten later in the week, or frozen. I mentioned our frozen mashed potatoes. I purchased a 10 pound bag of potatoes when they were on sale. I made a huge batch of mashed potatoes that I could freeze into smaller containers for later use.

6. Use resources!! The web is full of recipe sites, blogs with meal planning and money saving strategies! Here are some of my favorite resources:

http://allrecipes.com/ I think this is my favorite site to search for recipes. Be sure to checkout the comments from those who have used the recipes.

http://www.savingaddiction.com/ This site is local for those in the Grand Rapids area. These women have done all the hard work for us. They have checked out the grocery advertisements, coupons and kept track of all the deals. The best thing about this site is it is free! For those who aren't local, I'm sure you will be able to get similar deals in your location.

http://e-mealz.com/ This is a new site for me! I just heard about this meal planning, recipe giving, and grocery listing site! For a minimal $5 a month they will tell you want to make and purchase each week! For those of you who have used e-meals, I would love to know your findings with this source!

I know many people who are in cooking groups, do "once a month cooking", swap food with friends, etc. What have you found that works for you and your family?

January Calm

2011-01-05T22:00:00.000-05:00

There is something calming about the month of January. I think it is the busyness of the holidays, have come to a screeching halt!

Edie's Birthday

2011-01-04T07:11:00.000-05:00

Sending you warm wishes on your birthday, Edie!

Edie blogs at life in grace, which you can find on my sidebar. Her and her family lost their home and all their earthly possessions two weeks ago, from a fire. We in blog world have been lifting her up in prayer and today we want to lift her up with some birthday wishes!!

Edie you helped inspire me to paint my kitchen island red! I needed some extra pushes and you were one who motivated me to make that change!

I also need to thank her for helping me use up some of my blueberries with this recipe!

Goals or Resolutions?

2011-01-02T16:35:00.000-05:00

This morning in church the pastor asked, "who made a New Year's Resolution"? Almost no one raised their hand. I don't know the last time I made a resolution, but for the last couple of days I have been thinking about some of my goals for 2011 and how I want to grow this year!

It should be no surprise, but the number one goal for most people is to "become fit". I can echo that and I have made plans to join Lysa TerKeurst for her free webcast, Made to Crave! Click here for more information. She also has information on how you can purchase her new book and workbook! Let me know if you plan on joining in, for her free webcast!

For Christmas, I received the book, "Organized Simplicity" by Tsh Oxenreider. She blogs at Simple Mom. Check out her site for some great tips on how to simplify. She deals with finances, time, clutter, schedules, etc. Something I can use some help with.

Also, I would love to slow down and spend some more time working on my hobbies that include knitting, reading, sewing and organizing.

What are your goals for 2011?

2010 in Review

2010-12-31T09:05:00.004-05:00

Since today is the last day of 2010, I thought I would share a few picture highlights of the year!

Flurry joins our home in early January!

Spring Break trip to Florida and Savannah, Georgia.

Olivia graduates from kindergarten.

Celebrating our anniversary in Mexico.

Waking up to cows in the yard.

Starting a new school year.

Cheering my husband on for his first marathon.

Anticipating what 2011 will bring!

Shining for HIM

2010-12-26T16:18:00.004-05:00

Most days my blog talks about the home! One would find me talking about recipes, decorating, making a warm environment for your family, but today I'm changing gears slightly......

Today I have a unique opportunity! Shari Braendel, from Proverbs 31 ministry, featured me on her blog, as one of the before and after makeovers. No, I did not get to go to New York city and have a full makeover, but I did read her book, "Good Girls Don't Have to Dress Bad". It made a huge impact on me, especially being a Christian and looking at how we represent Christ. Plus, it was full of so many helpful, practical and every day tips for every woman. If you have any extra Christmas gift money I would highly suggest it.

cookies

2010-12-22T22:36:00.005-05:00

I know Christmas is almost here and well, I've been busy. BUT, I did want to write a quick blog post and show you a couple of pics from my cookie exchange.

Every year I wonder if I should continue this tradition, because it is such a busy time. However, after being with these women I realize how important it is for us to hang out and enjoy each others company!

We were having so much fun, I almost forgot to take some pictures! (This is why there are only 3 pics to show!)

Home

2010-12-14T13:11:00.004-05:00

This post could have been titled, "comment" or "encourage", but I chose to keep it home!

The comment is because of what my youngest daughter said. The encourage is for everyone out there, who feels like all they do is clean & pick up the house, and it doesn't last more than a day.....

You see last night we were driving home and having one of those family conversations, about being open to whatever God has in store for our family..... This led to the dialogue, that someday we might move. To all my friends and family out there - NO we have no plans on moving :). We just want to be open to what God wants for us.

So, with that said, my youngest daughter said, "I don't ever want to move away from our beautiful home!" It was the sweetest and sincere comment. Not that we have a huge, well kept, or even clean home, it has made an impact on our children. They do notice when we work on making a house a home!!! Be encouraged my friends!!

Christmas

2010-12-12T19:03:00.008-05:00

Here it is. I'm finally getting around to posting the pictures of our home at Christmas time! Earlier this week I had a little "bug" on my computer, so I was out of commission for a few days.

I am getting so many great decorating ideas from all of you! There is so much inspiration in the blog world!

These are two of my crafts that I made. Both were simple. I have my magnets on the refrigerator and my PEACE blocks that I made with some of my girlfriends.

The mantel. This was hard. I kept changing my mind about what I wanted to do, but then I got my blue shutters back out of storage and I found a white berry wreathe and everything seemed to be better. This look will take me through all of winter!

Remember this little stand? It was a garage sale find, that I have gotten a lot of mileage out of! Will see what happens with it this Spring.

Inspiration

2010-12-02T08:36:00.007-05:00

Have you been checking out all the inspiring Christmas decorating blogs? If you need some ideas for decorating check out the latest links!

Nester has a list of all the link up parties! I missed the mantel party sponsored by Layla, but I had so much fun gleaning ideas from others including so many of YOU!

Here are just a few of my kitchen decorations!

Bare

2010-11-29T08:55:00.005-05:00

Last week I started clearing out my fall and "everyday" decorations! I decided to do some extra cleaning and start with a clean slate! Here are a couple of my bare photos!

As I'm decorating for Christmas, I'm trying to keep a couple of things in mind:
1. What pieces do I really love? Sometimes less is more!
2. What decorations can be seasonal? Not just for Christmas, but what items can take me through winter!
3. Lastly, what are some of my everyday items that I can "transfer" into a Christmas decoration?

I'm so excited to see all of the upcoming links for Christmas decorations!

Yep!

2010-11-24T14:30:00.004-05:00

Did you notice the store bought pumpkin pie in my fridge? Yep, that's right! I bought the pie. Also, did you happen to notice the price? $5.99 for a 58 ounce pie. I can't make it for that! I'm still making sweet potato pie and stuffing, but I purchased the pie. Balance is the key between price & time!

Multitasking, or Maybe Just A.D.D.!

2010-11-22T07:10:00.008-05:00

Somehow I came up with an idea to make a number of Christmas presents!You know, give something homemade and from the heart. Well, I have taken on a number of projects including 12 knit items, sewing projects and a couple of other ideas up my sleeve! I won't go into many details, in case you happen to be one of my gift recipients! Oh, and did I happen to mention that I'm also trying to make some homemade decorations for around the house?

I would like to report that I am finished with all my projects! However, that simply would not be true. I would like to report that I'm half finished, again we are scoring a zero! My goal is to be finished by December 3!

What projects are you working on for Christmas?

Sneak Peek

2010-11-19T08:38:00.005-05:00

I'm not decorating yet! However, after my last post, I've mentioned that I'm in the "preparing" stage!!

It is time to change up my decorations for Christmas! Any ideas? Here is a clue!

I will be sharing the specifics with you, the closer we get to Christmas!

Prepare

2010-11-17T07:42:00.006-05:00

I have the bug! No, not the flu bug. The bug to start decorating for Christmas!

I know some of you already have your Christmas tree up and you are all ready for the holiday season, and some of you are traditionalist and won't decorate until after Thanksgiving. I'm in the latter category. However, both are fine, depending upon what works for you.

Even though I haven't started decorating, I have started preparing for Christmas! Yesterday, I was thinking about all the preparations we go through to get ready for Thanksgiving, Christmas and the New Year. We have a lot of extras on our plate this time of year. In addition to the normal laundry, cleaning, meal making and errand running, we have the holidays to prepare for.

There are a number of books, calendars and websites out there, that can help you prepare for Christmas. I recently came across the Family Life Blog. They feature "8 Weeks to a Frazzle Free Christmas"! This is a great idea, except that my "sweet" husband reminded me that I'm already three weeks behind!

Here are some of the ways that I'm preparing and hopefully making things a little simpler for myself!
1. I'm taking advantage of free shipping!
2. I have goals written in my calendar! For instance, I want my shopping to be completed by December 2!
3. I'm limiting how much baking I'm doing. Plus, I'm making cookies that can be frozen.
4. I have some new ideas on how I want to decorate. On a "budget" I might add!
5. I'm focusing on Jesus! He is what it is all about!

How are you preparing for the holidays?

I will leave you with one more fall decoration,since I'm a traditionalist!

Domestic Challenges?

2010-11-15T15:27:00.002-05:00

I need your input.

I want to know what areas of managing your household are the hardest? Is it laundry, organizing, food preparation, preparing for the holidays, etc?

Also, what have you found that has worked for you? Is there a book, piece of advice, website, recipe, etc?

Thanks so much for your help!

My Genes

2010-11-05T14:35:00.004-04:00

I shouldn't be surprised by this! Yesterday, my youngest daughter was bored. I told her she could go straighten up her room. So she did. However, she decided that she needed to rearrange it, as well. So with a little help from her older sister, she moved her furniture around!

Maybe, she was inspired by the rearrangement of the living room furniture! After all, variety is the spice of life!!

Enlist A Friend

2010-11-02T08:33:00.005-04:00

Do you have any difficult jobs at home, that seem to be "hanging over your head"?

I do! Or I should say, "I Did!"

I had some storage areas that didn't seem to work for me and I was always thinking that someday I would like to tackle them. So what did I do? I emailed a friend who I thought might want to tag team some organizing areas in her home, and in turn help me out. Guess what? It worked!

One Monday she came to my house, we had a quick lunch, and then spent the next two hours tackling my storage areas. Then, the next week, I went to her house and did the same thing. We were both amazed at what you can get accomplished in two hours!

Here are a couple of things to keep in mind:
1. Have an idea (or a couple) as to what area you want to organize.
2. Be open to suggestions! I couldn't believe how many "logical" ideas we came up with!
3. Food always helps!!

Bucket List

2010-10-18T08:28:00.003-04:00

Do you have a bucket list? I don't. My husband doesn't either. However, this weekend he ran his first marathon! To see that I am proud of him is an under statement!

Five years ago, I told him that I wanted to run a 5K. I had never run more than 1.5 miles in my life. So, we found a "Couch potato to 5K" training program and stuck to it! I ran a few 5K races and then ended up with knee surgery. Walking happens for me, and maybe a little "running" or "Wunning" as my neighbor likes to call it - you know, the walk and run!

Anyway, my husband went on to run the Riverbank Run (15.5 miles) three years ago. Then, early this past summer, he was talking to our neighbor friend and they were throwing around the idea of a marathon. So, over 400 miles in training they both finished the race yesterday!

Who knows what will be next, or if there might be a written "bucket list" in the near future!

Not Perfect, Just Better

2010-10-10T15:43:00.006-04:00

In my cleaning, de-cluttering and organizing mode, I came to a stand still this week! I knew I had to tackle my girls' rooms, but I didn't know where to start. So, I ended up taking things out of the closet, off the floor and off the shelves. Then, I tried to put "like" things together: books, crafts, clothes, games, etc. I also had a trash bag handy!! Note, I did this while the girls were at school! Also, any guilt that I might have felt, was replaced by the fact that "I am the Mom, and I know best!" I know this is tough, but it was worth it, when my daughter came home from school and was so excited about how her room looked!

Here are a few before shots!

One Last "After" shot!

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie

2010-09-30T13:12:00.008-04:00

I love the book, "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie"! The children's book, that snowballs after a mouse eats a cookie. Well, that is how I feel right now with my organizing and sorting in my own home. It has started to snowball!!

Since, I purchased some loose spices at The Seasoned Home, I realized I needed some containers to put them in. This started me on a search for some cute and inexpensive jars. I found these tins here! They hold 4 ounces, which sounds like a lot, but they are about the size of a 1/4 measuring cup. Now, I need to find some cute and mini labels. Does anyone have a great source?

Next, I brought some of my seasonal decorating tubs to the living room. I dumped everything out to see what I have used, what I think I will use, and what I can get rid of. No sense holding onto things that haven't been used in a while!

I still have a long way to go, on sorting and organizing all my stuff! Hopefully in the end I will be like the mouse with another cookie!

I will be posting some of my organizational updates. However, I'm afraid that I won't have many "before" pictures! What fall projects are you working on?

Nesting

2010-09-13T08:17:00.005-04:00

I know I'm stealing this title from a couple of you and I also know I'm a little behind in posting some fall pictures!! However, last week I was gently reminded that it is still summer! I just can't wait for fall. So, between the weather and football, I am in the mood to celebrate this season.

Here are a few snapshots of my fall decorations. I'm trying to "weed" through any old decorations and also "change" things up from last year.

My hope is to be posting about some of those great fall foods in the near future!!

Drying Basil

2010-08-22T16:37:00.005-04:00

Our garden hasn't been producing like I hoped it would. However, our basil has taken off like crazy!! This is our first year growing basil and I'm so excited to be cooking with it!

I have made a couple of batches of pesto (and I will be making more)! I've also used some fresh basil in some pasta dishes and on this vegetable tart. My entire family loved this recipe and I will be making it again in the near future!

One thing I wanted to do, was preserve some basil for future use. So I "googled" and found some advice on how to dry basil. Apparently basil has a very high moisture content, so it takes a long time to dry.

First, I rinsed off my basil and tried to dry it with paper towels. Then, I layered it on paper towels. The recipe that I followed, said you could stack the basil five layers deep. Here is what mine looked like.

Then, I placed it in an oven that had been preheated to 200 degrees. Next, turn the oven off. I repeated this process, of turning the oven on and off, for over 24 hour. This is what it looked like after it was all dried out.

I placed my basil in a zip lock bag, trying to keep it as whole as possible. It is to keep its flavor at a higher concentration when it remains in leaf form.

How have you used basil? What would you do with a bumper crop?

Guest Room Updates

2010-08-16T18:47:00.004-04:00

Earlier this Spring, I had shared how I was working on our guest room. The key part of the working is that it had to be inexpensive! So, I found my Pottery Barn quilt and shams at a garage sale.

Since then, I found this adorable night stand for $5 at another garage sale.

After some cleaning, sanding and painting it now looks like this!

I also purchased a new headboard at my favorite decorating store, the Cottage Corner. Unfortunately they don't have a website, so here is a picture from the last time I was in the store!

I'm still looking for some decorations for on the wall, but it has already welcomed a few different guests this summer!

Today I'm linking up with Layla over at the Lettered Cottage!

Girls in the Kitchen

2010-08-09T13:59:00.004-04:00

It is one of those rainy and humid days. My girls wanted "something" to do! I was feeling a little guilty that I haven't been in the kitchen with them, as much as I wanted to be this summer, so I asked them if they wanted to make some cookies!

I game them the recipe for my first no bake cookie that I learned in 4-H! I still have the recipe memorized and I thought this would be a great recipe, for them to make on their own! They did a great job with just a little supervision from Mom!

Here is the simple recipe:

1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 cup oats
1 cup dry milk

Mix all ingredients together, shape into 1" size balls and place on a cookie sheet! Enjoy!!

Good Enough Schedule

2010-08-04T07:14:00.004-04:00

Our summer is drawing closer to the end, and I feel like I never got into a summer time routine or schedule. Can anyone else relate? During the school year, I had a daily schedule that got everyone ready for school, out the door, and some house cleaning done. Summer has had a schedule all its own, with vacation, VBS, sports camps and visitors! I think that is what summer is all about!

I did want to share with you my "weekly household schedule". It works for me and I must say it falls into the Good Enough category!! I don't follow this exactly, but it is a good guideline that I try to follow:

Sunday: Meal plan and create grocery list. Based on sales flyer, coupons and food in the house.

Monday: Laundry (darks & lights). Grocery shop.

Tuesday: Clean bathrooms & Dust. Wash towels.

Wednesday: Clean floors.

Thursday: Laundry and any "special" cleaning / organizing jobs!

Friday: Update finances & pay bills.

Saturday: Give the dog a bath.

*** Everyday - work on clutter control, especially in the main living areas!

I hope this helps as you try and come up with a plan to "maintain" your home! It works for us, and I need to let you know that our home is NOT spotless! What schedule or plan has worked for you?

Splurge or Save?

2010-07-29T11:19:00.005-04:00

I'm calling all the "foodies" out there, when do you splurge and when do you save on ingredients? I'm always trying to save money, especially at the grocery store. I'm getting better at purchasing items when they are on sale AND using a coupon for them. (This could be another post all together)! However, I want to know, "What is a must splurge item for you?"

I have some food snob friends! They would be proud to admit it! Parmesan cheese in the container is a big "no no"! They've persuaded me to shred my own Parmesan. I have found it to be cheaper that way! Other friends use a vanilla bean instead of extract. I'm still using my big bottle from Costco.

What about chocolate or olive oil? What do you purchase that is generic or from a discount grocery store? Have you noticed a difference?

Recently, I purchase a "grown up" olive oil and balsamic vinegar! Our community has a new store called, Fustinis! One is able to sample all these wonderful oils and vinegars and create her own combination! This is the first time I've enjoyed my own dressing on a salad!

What have you found in the food world?

Blueberry Time

2010-07-22T07:05:00.010-04:00

I love picking blueberries!! I was so excited when I heard our favorite blueberry picking location was open! As a family we typically pick between 20 and 25 pounds over the summer. Then, we freeze them and enjoy them all year long.

My girls have mixed feelings about picking, but they definitely enjoy the taste testing part! Olivia must have said at least ten times, "this is my last blueberry!" We are learning that if we have sand on our fingers, then all the blueberries will also have sand on them. This is a reminder for the first picking of the year. We've also learned to wear old clothes, especially shoes. Some have been permanently stained blue on the bottom. Which reminds me to mention, bring an old towel along to "clean up" before you get into your vehicle!

Two recent recipes have caught my eye include Edie's blueberry cake and Sour cream blueberry bread from Raising Homemakers! Of course, once I have zucchini growing in our garden I will make zucchini blueberry bread.

One recipe that I will share is for Blueberry Pie:
1 cup water
1 cup blueberries
1 cup sugar
3 Tablespoons corn starch
1 Tablespoon butter
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
3 cups blueberries

Dissolve corn starch in water, then add sugar and berries. Heat and boil until thick (for a few minutes), stirring constantly! Remove from heat, add 1 Tablespoon butter. Cool then add 1/8 teaspoon of cinnamon and 3 cups of blueberries. Place in pie crust. (Note I like to use a shortbread crust with this pie). Chill and enjoy!

Copy Cat

2010-07-20T07:37:00.009-04:00

I'm not good at coming up with new ideas. However, I have learned to "copy" (and give credit), ideas that I can incorporate into my own home, and in this case my own kitchen!

Recently, I found Natalie's blog, The Busy Budgeting Mama. She had a post about individual apple pies in a jar, that she found here! Well, I had a number of small jelly jars from my canning, and I thought this would make a good use for them!

To make this tasty treat even easier, I used some of my canned apple filling from last fall! All I added was a simple crumb topping of brown sugar, oats, butter and cinnamon! My apple pie filling comes from Sandy at the Relutant Entertainer. By the way, Sandy has a new book, "The Reluctant Entertainer"! I'm loving it! It can be purchased at Amazon!

Repeat

2010-07-18T08:06:00.005-04:00

My last post dealt with being back. I could repeat, and say the same thing about this one! We were gone for ten days the end of June and early July. My husband and I celebrated our 10 year anniversary with a trip to Mexico!! Our girls went to Pennsylvania to visit the grandparents.

Here we are snorkeling on our anniversary!

I have done a couple of home projects! This is our newly painted front door. After seven years of white I decided to add a splash of color.

Finally, planted some flowers in our window box. It is the small things that add beauty to our home. I am working on some new projects that I hope to be posting about real soon!!

Father's Day

2010-06-20T15:36:00.005-04:00

Happy Father's Day!!! I'm blessed to be married to a wonderful husband, who happens to be a great father. I tell everyone, "He is a better father, than I am a mother!" It is so true.

Also, want to wish my Dad and Father-in-law a "happy day"! You are both awesome!!

Here is the picture that my girls gave my husband. I borrowed the idea from another blog and used Picasa 3 to make the card.

I'm Back!

2010-06-14T15:55:00.005-04:00

We are in the swing of summer activity! Our first full week of summer vacation has started and we are in the midst of Vacation Bible School and swimming lessons. Hopefully now that I'm getting into a routine, my blogging will be back on track!

Here are a few pics of the last couple of weeks!

Our youngest graduated from Kindergarten!! Time is flying!

We spent a couple of days in Chicago. I would recommend checking out your local museum and zoo to see if they have any "free days" during the summer. We were able to go to the museum of Science and Industry for free!!! (This was a $50 savings for a family of four).

Little Things

2010-05-25T08:09:00.003-04:00

Sometimes it's the little things in life that makes us happy!

Summer To Do List

2010-05-17T07:45:00.010-04:00

Summer is quickly approaching and I'm already thinking of my "to-do" list! Even though I have a chunk of time in the afternoon (when I'm finished teaching and before my girls get home), I still think of summer as the time to get a number of things checked off my list!

I decided to visually show you what I hope to get accomplished!

I want to paint the front door! For the past seven years it has been white. Our sididng color is a light green, even though some might think it is a soft gray. I'm thinking about painting it a dark green. However, some have suggested a chocolate brown. Any suggestions?

This is my sewing and craft room! I need to organize this room and maybe make some curtains! Hopefully I will be able to spend some time using this room!

Here is the quilt I started last fall! It is still sitting in the same position, hasn't moved much! I need to get this together. I've also learned that I need to spend the money and have someone else "quilt" it for me!

Here is my vulnerable shot! This is the room that we close the door and hope nobody opens it! Do you have a room like this? It is suppose to be our "office", but it has been used as the catch all room! I've already straightened it up a little, but I wanted to be real and show you what it looks like most days! Can anyone relate?

This is the dresser that we purchased before our girls were born. We used it as a changing area and now it is used for clothing. It needs a new paint job and I'm heading to Hobby Lobby today to purchase new handles. Hobby Lobby has 50% off their handles this week.

What do you hope to get accomplished this summer?

A Party Like No Other

2010-05-14T07:57:00.005-04:00

Last week I hosted a WAR Party! WAR stands for Women At Risk. The women are taught a trade, mostly jewelry making or sewing. Their work is absolutely beautiful!! All the money goes back to support these women.

Here are some pics of my basement turned into a jewelry shop!

Lovin' It!

2010-05-10T16:26:00.007-04:00

You know how I was struggling with my fireplace mantel?

Well, I didn't love the picture that I was trying out, and it was more money than what I wanted to spend. So......

Guess what I found at a garage sale? These old shutters that were $1 each!!! I bought three of them.

Then, I got some spray paint. I did use an oil base primer, that I sprayed on as well. Followed by the blue spray paint. By the way, if you haven't tried spray paint, you don't know what you are missing! I think I am hooked!

Here is my mantel and I must say that I'm Lovin' it!!

Paint

2010-05-04T21:20:00.004-04:00

I like paint! I like how it transforms a room or an object! I have done my share of painting over the years. I painted my dorm room within one week of being at college. Don't worry, I did ask for permission! Since then I have rolled dozens of gallons of paint! I've also been known to change my paint color after living with it for a "short time"!

This past Saturday I painted our guest room. Since, I had just purchased the new quilt and shams on Thursday, I used Friday to pick my paint! I must say, this was my fastest paint decision. My new color is Benjamin Moore's Grasshopper AF-415.

These are just a couple of "wall shots" of the new color. I'll be sure to post new pics as the room comes together!

Score!

2010-05-02T17:52:00.004-04:00

Well it didn't take me long! I checked out some garage sales Thursday morning before I headed into school. (Yes, I have a "cushy" schedule that allows me to get a few things done before heading into work). I've learned my lesson that I need to get there early! This time it paid off!!!

Mostly I've been looking for some decorations and bedding for the guest room. I mentioned in my last post that I wanted to be thrifty with my decorating. This is why I'm trying to take in the local garage sales!

I found this king size Pottery Barn quilt and shams for $50!! It is still in the current catalog. I ended up getting it for $45!!! This is my latest inspiration for the room and it has been the spring board for the new color!

Stay tuned for a revealing of the latest paint job!!!

Guest Room

2010-04-28T08:37:00.005-04:00

We had guests last week. My parents were here for five days. Before they came, I wanted to surprise them, we bought a new mattress for the guest room! I don't know what your philosophy is for the guest room, some people place their old, lovingly warn mattress on their guest frame. I admit, we did that for a long time! Our mattress was so bad, that my Dad got a piece of plywood to put between the mattress and the box spring! Can anyone relate?

Well, I figured it was time that we invested a little money into our guests! When we built our home, we knew we wanted to have a guest room and bath. Thankfully we were able to put it in the plans and we have gotten a lot of use out of it! This summer we are hoping to have some more guests stay with us. This leads to my "snowball"....

Now that we have a new mattress...... I wanted to decorate and freshen up the guestroom. This has been a low priority for me, but after I re-did our master bedroom last year, I'm inspired to work on the guest room! Hopefully, since I put that in print, it will encourage me to make this goal happen. I will be thrifting as I look for different bedding and I'm planning on hitting some fabric stores. Also, I have an idea for the headboard. Hopefully I will have some new pictures to follow up with this post!

How have you made your guest room inviting to others?

In The Kitchen

2010-04-21T06:42:00.005-04:00

I spend a lot of time in the kitchen! Maybe if I had one of these cute aprons, I would feel dressed for work! One thing I tell my students is that food preparation takes more time than you likely have planned for it! They have a class project in which they need to do all the shopping, planning, preparation and cooking for at least four people. Most of them say, "it was a lot of work"! This is not news for most of us who seem to take up residence in the kitchen.

Today I'm linking up with Sandy, The Reluctant Entertainer. She is so much fun and encouraging, so please check out her blog.

The memory that sticks into my mind is making Christmas cut out cookies with my family. We were even able to make cookies as a large group this past Thanksgiving that we froze until Christmas. Cut outs aren't my favorite cookie, but they do bring our family together, since so many jobs are involved in the baking process. My girls are finding that they enjoy the cut outs because they can be involved with this hands on recipe.

The Whys

2010-04-19T08:58:00.006-04:00

This past weekend I had the chance to help a friend "set up" her new home. As we were unpacking boxes and moving things into her new home, I really started thinking about all the things that we do to make our house a home!

I know many of us are all across the board when it comes to decorating, meal planning, organizing and cleaning. We all have different ideas on what it means to have a well decorated home or an organized closet! Plus, some of us don't care if meals are planned out for the week, while others have the entire month figured out!

We are all different! I know as women, we can sometimes get rather opinionated when it comes to our homes! Yet, I hope we can enjoy the differences and encourage one another!

This brings me to my title, "The Whys"! I was thinking, "Why do I care about my home? Why am I so passionate about the home and all that happens here?" Yes, it is because of my family and the calmness that it brings, but I believe it is more than that!

"By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures." Proverbs 24:3-4

Wow! I feel like this answers so many of my deep questions about the home. Or at least gives me an explanation about my passion. Now the goal is to keep the balance of the home, not allowing it to consume me! After all, the verse starts out with, "by wisdom"!

Let me know your thoughts about "home"! I love to hear about others purpose and passion for the home!

Please Help!

2010-04-17T07:35:00.006-04:00

I have been working on my mantel for a few weeks. Nester had a mantle party a couple of weeks ago, while I was away on Spring Break. Those who linked up with her mantel party have really inspired me!

For a while I had this big empty space in the middle of my mantel. The last couple of years I had one of my old windows propped up against the wall. However, I was ready for a change, but I just didn't know what to put up there. I thought about a picture, and over break I spotted one, but the husband and I couldn't agree on it. (Yes, he does have some decorating input!)

Well, yesterday I was visiting my sister-in-law, the accessorizing queen. Yes, she is that good!! Anyway, I spotted this picture in her stash of goods. So, for now I'm trying it out. I like it. It works. But, do I love it?

Let me know what you think!

Home

2010-04-14T21:05:00.008-04:00

My family is back from Spring Break. Actually we have been back for four days, but it has taken me a while to get caught up. Hopefully this will explain my long absence from the blogging world! As much as I enjoyed the warmth, water and exploring over break, I was excited to get HOME! Does anyone else feel this way? There is just something about being at home that is good for the soul!

Since, I'm so passionate about the home environment, I worked hard at getting our home ready for our return from break! Before we left I made sure I was caught up on laundry, cleared off the counters, cleaned the bathrooms and did an overall straightening up of the home front. It just made it so nice for our return, to come home to a clean home! It kind of felt like we were still on vacation!

On break I was able to visit a Homegoods store! The closest one to me is two hours away. How I wish we would get one of these stores in Grand Rapids!! I limited my purchase to some new kitchen towels. They fill that attractive and useful criteria for fitting into my home. Plus, they are relatively inexpensive! I'm always looking for a few items that can add aesthetic value to the home without breaking the bank! Having a welcoming and comfortable home for family & friends is my goal!

Retreat

2010-03-23T21:45:00.009-04:00

This past weekend I participated in a Young Life (YL) Women's retreat. I don't know if you know anything about YL, but one thing you need to know is that their camps are incredible!! We were able to meet at one of the YL properties in Michigan called, Timber Wolf. Every detail is important and they put the "best foot forward" motto into practice.

The retreat focused on renew and reconnect. It was great to get away and meet some incredible women, worship, eat, talk and eat some more! Did I mention we ate? We even had a chocolate bar! It is amazing how much chocolate and women seem to get along!

Now, I must mention that if you aren't familiar with YL camps, you might think these pictures look more like a resort, rather than a camp, but this really is a camp!Where we stayed was called the Bunkhouse and was created to be a "home away from home" for the families that work at camp over the summer! It is so beautiful and one could easily get spoiled being there!

There are so many pictures that I didn't get this weekend! Oh, I wish I could show you how nice our rooms were set up. And the natural beauty of the camp. When we arrived, eight deer were "greeting" us at the entry into camp. I still can't believe that I didn't get a picture of the chocolate bar, hopefully next time!

Spring Fever

2010-03-18T15:00:00.004-04:00

I know it won't last! 60 degree weather in Michigan! One has to love it, even if the forecast is calling for snow by the weekend! Just makes you appreciate every day that we have.

Here are a few snap shots of Spring around my home.

Enjoy the beautiful day!!

3 Ring Binders

2010-03-14T17:38:00.006-04:00

In my quest to get organized, I headed to Costco for a bundle package of three ring binders. Sandy, from the Reluctant Entertainer, introduced me to the concept of using this tool to hold kids papers and memorabilia from school. I thought, "I have a lot of things that I could organize with these binders in addition to my kids school work!"

So, I have started off using three binders in my pursuit of organizing my recipes, decorating ideas and schedule!

Last summer I typed out all of my favorite recipes! I was tired of looking in different cookbooks, magazines, and clips from the newspaper to try and find my favorite meal. So, in addition to having them saved on the computer and an external hard drive, I now have them in a hard copy, filed in a 3 ring binder. I'm not finished with this project. I hope to create a master meal schedule and grocery schedule based on my favorite recipes. Stay tuned in the future for an additional blogpost!

I started a folder of decorating ideas years ago! I had this before I even purchased my first home. However, I just through all the clippings into the folder. I had paint samples, pictures of kitchens and house exteriors all thrown together. Now, I have them filed nicely in my binder. I have sections for Christmas ideas, exteriors, kitchens, craft ideas, living rooms, etc. It is so much nicer to leaf through the binder compared to sorting through papers in a folder!

My last binder is very much in process! All those school schedules, important contacts, neighborhood numbers and daily list are located in my family binder. I have a lot of work to do in here as I organize my categories and increase the materials that I want to add. In the short time that I have had this binder, I've used it a number of times to look up a phone number or contact information. It was much easier to find in here compared to looking up a number in the phone book.

Hopefully, I'll be able to share the exterior of the binders and give you an updated content in the future! Let me know how you use your binders and how it helps you stay organized!

One Week

2010-03-08T07:50:00.006-05:00

I had great intentions of not letting this happen! One of my unwritten goals was to post a few different times a week. Notice how vague that sounds! So, here are some pictures from my week!

My husband and I attended the local Home & Garden show. Just a little Spring to shine your way!

My oldest daughter was home sick today with strep throat. I know she doesn't look sick, and I might add she didn't act sick. I need to be thankful about this! We got out her "Easy Bake" and she made her own dessert!

My youngest lost her second tooth in two weeks! She is so excited and feeling so grown up! I might add we didn't have to "pull" either tooth out. One came out while brushing the teeth and the other one came out in art class. Not sure how that one happened!

Lastly, Flurry had his first haircut! He did well and enjoyed the grooming!

Simple Things

2010-03-01T08:38:00.003-05:00

Some days you just need a beautiful bunch of tulips to brighten your day! Especially when it is March 1st and your outside is covered with white snow!

Wide Open Spaces

2010-02-24T08:30:00.007-05:00

Wide open spaces is more than a country song! It describes my upper kitchen cabinets. Since we have been in our home, I never put anything above my cupboards, except for some Christmas garland (that didn't make it up this year), and the dust bunnies! I really have no excuse for this. I'm not sure if it is laziness, lack of decor, or not wanting to contribute to any additional clutter in my home! By the way, this is what my typical lived in kitchen looks like! I didn't bother to "spruce" it up for the before pics!

However, I was encouraged to try decorating this space after reading, "The House Always Wins" by Marni Jameson. I blogged about this book recently and I'm looking forward to getting my hands on her newest book, "House of Havoc". Hopefully, the library will be notifying me that it is ready for pick-up!

One thing I decided to do was shop my own home! You know the concept, where you look around your home for items that might be in storage or could be used in a different location. This doesn't cost a thing! It gives some "new life" and variety to those items. Here is the possible collection that I came up with!

I also realized that decorating above your cabinets is a great work out! I was up and down on a kitchen chair, placing items, stepping back and taking a good look, and then repeating the process! Here is what I came up with....

Just a few items. Not a lot of clutter. And, I'm also looking for a couple of additional accessories, possibly a sign or "kitchen word". Any ideas? Do you decorate above your kitchen cabinets? What has worked for you?

Half Birthday

2010-02-20T22:50:00.004-05:00

Today is my oldest daughter's half birthday. Which also means it is my half birthday! Yes, she was born on my birthday! How cool is that?! She wanted to "celebrate" with sundaes from McDonalds! You can't beat that $1 dessert!

I'm not sure if I was celebrating my half birthday, or not. It could be that I know what is coming on August 20. You see, I will be turning the big "40"! There, I said it! According to Edie, "40 is the new 30"! She just recently reached this milestone. Hopefully I will be taking her philosophy. I've also thought that I might make a list, similar to what Meg did, but I would need to change it to "40 things I would like to do before I turn 40"! Does anyone have any great ideas that I might add to my list? I'm sure if I decide to come up with a list, that I will make it public and blog about it!

Solutions Seekers

2010-02-18T08:25:00.012-05:00

The other night I went to a very unique gathering called Solutions Seekers. It was the brainstorm of three sisters who wanted to gather with other women who were interested on how to better their homes, family life and self! So, they put together five mini seminars on topics that were of interest to them. They sent out emails inviting all the women in their circles, to see who would be interested in gathering, to share ideas and network together. Over 25 women attended this initial meeting!! I'm passionate that we, as women, have a desire to learn more, and simplify how we can make our house into a home!

It was a brilliant idea to have all of our contact information ahead of time, which included any areas that we specialize in and any "tips" that work for us. Plus, it included where we were at in life (married, children, career, areas we struggle with etc.). Our plans is to meet as a large group in six months, with the possibility of smaller interest groups meeting on a regular basis.

Here are the topics that were included:

1. Meal planning! We looked at the Cooking Among Friends approach.
2. Organizing and cleaning! From the flylady.
3. Finances and budget! Dave Ramsey
4. Being a better wife! Looked at the book, "Love & Respect"
5. Keeping & building memories with your family! Helpful ideas with Creative Memories photo keeping system.

It was just a great evening and I'm looking forward to see what happens with this group in the future! I'm always looking for tips and ways to improve our home life!

What have been some of your greatest "tips" or pieces of advice from these areas? Also, if you are on facebook, check out the Solutions Social!

2010-02-15T16:34:00.005-05:00

Remember this chicken? Well, I put it to good use last week! I made this "chicken casserole." The recipe doesn't have an official name. Sometimes I call it Mexican chicken casserole and other times I call in Enchilada casserole! Either way it is great and very simple! Plus, it is easy to switch up the ingredients.

Here is the official recipe:

1 fryer chicken cooked and cut up (I used the shredded chicken breast cooked in the crock pot)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup (I used a 2nd can of chicken soup - I was out of cream of mushroom)
1 - 10 oz. can tomatoes with green chilies (I used a jar of homemade salsa)
1/2 can chicken broth (I used water with chicken bouillon)
1 dozen corn tortillas, cut into bite size pieces (I used soft taco shells, flour & corn tortillas, whatever I had left)
1 onion chopped (I used onion flakes)
2 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese

Directions:

To make sauce, blend until smooth; soups, tomatoes and chicken broth. Set aside.
In a 9 x 13 pan layer 1/2 chicken, 1/2 tortillas, 1/2 onion, 1/2 cheese and 1/2 sauce. Then repeat.

Bake uncovered for one hour at 350 degrees.

Valen-Time

2010-02-11T07:09:00.006-05:00

No, I didn't miss-spell my title! What started out as a simple post about writing out Valentine cards, has become a little more heart felt! My girls were so excited to purchase, and write out their cards for their classmates, that I had to hold them back! I kept thinking, we have a lot of time before your class party!

Where did my girls get there task oriented thinking? Could it be from me? Is this a good thing? What am I teaching them? What do I really want them to learn? I am passionate about the home, but what do I want my girls to take away from this? Do I want them to be good organizers and know there way around a kitchen? Or am I more concerned that they have a heart for those who are in the kitchen? How are my own actions and words teaching this?

I believe that being a Mom is one of the greatest and hardest jobs out there! Who agrees with me? I have so much to learn and growth to do in this role. Our children pick up so much from us - every sigh, rolling of the eyes, and raising of our voice. To just name a few.....well, not so great traits of mine! I'm thankful for the grace that God gives me with this position and that my girls are learning some "good things" and not just picking up on the bad.

Snow Day!

2010-02-10T13:29:00.006-05:00

I love a snow day! Being a part-time teacher, who is also married to a teacher, I love snow days! There is just something so sweet about a break from the normal routine! Living in the Mid-West we get our fair share of snow, but this year our snow totals are a little on the short side. It must be because of all the big storms in the East!

Anyway, our family has enjoyed a day of playing the wii!

Drinking to much of this!

And, I've been trying to study this - digital scrap booking! I'm preparing for a weekend of Creative Memories "catch up"!

I hope you are enjoying your day! And if it is filled with snow - have a great SNOW DAY!

For Mom!

2010-02-08T12:51:00.006-05:00

Yesterday I was talking with my and soon our conversation headed towards the Superbowl. Most importantly, we talked about the food that we would be serving. I was between making two different dips and my Mom said, "could you please post your white pizza dip on your blog?" So, here is the recipe Mom and for anyone else who is interested!

8 oz. sour cream
8 oz. ricotta cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 package Lipton savory herb & garlic soup mix
Package pepperoni cut into small pieces

Mix and place in a pie plate. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Note - Recipe can be doubled and placed in a 9 x 13 pan.

I know the recipe sounds a little fattening (and it likely is), but please notice that I did use all "low fat ingredients"! Serve with bagel chips, crackers, bread sticks,or cubed French bread.

Valentine Decor

2010-02-07T15:10:00.003-05:00

I put up a few decorations for Valentine's Day! I don't do a lot of holiday decorating, with the exception of Christmas, but this year I decided to put up a few of my things! Since, I'm a "seasonal decorator" I had plenty of red that I was able to stretch through for a number of the holidays!

Insecure?

2010-02-05T13:25:00.003-05:00

Have you bought this book yet? I got my copy on Tuesday. I'm planning to join in the cyberspace discussion here at the LPM blog! Currently I'm not in a regular Bible study, and I'm not suggesting that this take the place of a regular study, but I'm excited about this topic!! Can anyone else relate?

Homemade?

2010-02-01T06:43:00.007-05:00

I made pizza for dinner last night. So, I thought I would throw out the question, "Do you make your own pizza, buy frozen, or takeout?" To answer my question I usually make it or purchase takeout. It has been years since I bought a frozen pizza, but there are some great deals on those frozen staples!

I have a number of pizza dough recipes, but my latest one comes from the Pioneer Woman's Cookbook. The beauty of this recipe is that it makes 2 large crusts!

You might have noticed that we have cheese topping only eater in our family!

Three Things?

2010-01-26T14:46:00.008-05:00

I picked up the book, "The House Always Wins," by Marni Jameson. It is very entertaining and takes a light and humorous approach to decorating your home!

One impact from reading this book (no, I'm not finished with it yet), is how important it is to pick a style and stick with it! Oh, how my style has changed over the years! You likely have heard about collecting pictures out of magazines that you are drawn to, but here is something new: Ask yourself, "What three material objects in your home could you not depart with?" Apparently this will help define your true style!

So, I started looking around my house to find my three objects and I realized that I'm not that attached to my decor (I guess this can be a good thing)! Well, here is what I came up with......

I love this picture frame! It is hard to tell by the picture but, it is cream colored with a red roughed up background. I have had different pictures of my girls in this frame, but I can't imagine not using it.

This stand has sentimental meaning for me. It belonged to my grandfather and then my Dad made a new wooden top for it. I likely wouldn't have chosen this style, but it fits nicely in our informal dining area and it holds a lot of stuff! Our favorite games and craft activities are housed in here.

These are awesome candlestick holders! I love the design! They are big and chunky, and best of all they are red! Currently, then are on the fireplace mantel, but I have had them in different locations in the home.

I know I was to only pick three items, but I wanted to share one more! This is a pic of my recipe box. I chose this because I love the colors in it. I have mentioned more than once that I like red! (I even had our island painted red.)However, most of my "reds" are on the darker, muted side. But, I think the color in the recipe box is just vibrant and I'm drawn to it!

So, what does all this mean? I'm not sure! But, I think I have a thing for red! Any input would greatly be appreciated!

Weekend Cooking

2010-01-24T15:43:00.005-05:00

It amazes me how much time I spend planning, shopping and preparing meals for my family! I know this is nothing new. Many blogs that I enjoy reading, deal with food preparation and trying to answer the question, "how can we make meals easier?" In addition to the time element of cooking, I also want to be frugal!

This weekend I felt like I did both! I tried to make my meal planning easier and I scored in the money department! Split chicken breasts were on sale this week for $1 a pound. I purchased 12 pounds of chicken breast, realizing that there would be some waste from the skin and bone. Yet, this is still a great deal on chicken breast! If you are one who isn't fond of removing the bone, I found that by cooking the meat first, it is much easier to remove from the bone, and there is less waste.

I divided up my chicken breast. Half of it was placed in the crock pot. After cooking for four hours I shredded the chicken. My plan is to use this for enchiladas, hot chicken sandwiches or casseroles.

The other half was baked with a little olive oil and seasonings. I chose some dried onion, parsley and salt & pepper for this batch. I cubed this chicken and I plan to use it in soups, lasagna and casseroles.

Here is the freezer with my newly cooked & seasoned chicken. Hopefully this will help with the meal planning!

What are your favorite time saving or money saving tips in the kitchen?

Change

2010-01-21T19:02:00.004-05:00

As I'm making small changes to my blog, it hit me, that my title is, "The Art of Domestic Living!" When I chose this title I thought it was clever and it symbolized my heart. Truly making a house a home!

It is so fitting this week! Both my husband and youngest daughter have been hit with strep throat. I learned, or more it was brought to my full attention, that I am a teacher and not a nurse! Yes, at times I can be nurturing and sympathetic, but I really just wanted them to get back to full health.

So with my blog title in mind I was wondering where does the domestic living fall in relation to my family? How can I be more nurturing? How is our home comforting to those it holds, when they aren't feeling well? What is my role in making it comforting for those I love and those that come into our home?

These are just some deeper thoughts that I'm asking myself as I minister to my family.

Here's Daddy and the girls when they were feeling a little healthier!

Generation to Generation

2010-01-19T06:54:00.002-05:00

I have my students create a cookbook for class. I do this for a couple of reasons. First, I want them to keep all the recipes that I give them in class. Secondly, and likely more important, I want them to collect their family recipes. I think there is something important about connecting with family and sharing recipes! If your family is like mine, food is such a key part of our traditions!!

Before Christmas, I called my Nana and asked her about a recipe that I remember her making when I was little. The recipe is called, "Gouchodips" and it is a cross between chocolate fudge and candy. I treasure the fact that I now have this recipe in my Nana's handwriting and that she was able to "walk me through" the steps of this recipe. Hopefully this will be one that I pass down to my future generations!

Doesn't my Nana look great for being 93 years young!!

Flurry Love

2010-01-09T13:46:00.004-05:00

We interrupt this normal blog, about the home, to introduce the newest member of the family, FLURRY! I still can't believe we have a dog!! I've never had a dog and I never thought I would have one! However, my husband and I have talked about it off and on for the past couple of years. We came across this litter of puppies and, well, we just kind of fell hard! We have only had this Maltese for one day and so far he is doing great! Only one minor pee pee incident and he slept all night! We have decided to crate train him and we have some house rules that we are all trying to follow!

So, if you have any advice about puppies, any great tricks or things that you have found to be helpful, please pass them along!

Winter 2010

2010-01-05T08:10:00.004-05:00

The presents are put away, the Christmas decorations are packed up and we are all back to school! It is time to slow down. Normally in January I am tired of the cold and the snow, but this year I'm embracing the quiet and beauty of winter! I'm savoring this time and enjoying the gift of this hibernation period!

My chair is ready for some reading, knitting, drinking hot beverages and enjoying the warmth of my blanket. I'm also planning on getting to some organizing projects and planning for the year. However, my main goal is to enjoy each day and enjoy the company of my family and those around me!

Embrace the winter time as a gift!

One Tradition I'm Keeping

2009-12-22T16:54:00.004-05:00

I have been reading some incredible posts about "Simplifying Christmas" and "cutting back" whether that means spending or just doing less. I am in complete agreement that it is so much nicer to simplify Christmas and enjoy it more!

However, one area that I have not "cut back" is my neighborhood cookie exchange! I enjoy these women and the time that we get to spend together, just socializing during the Christmas season! I believe that relationships are a priority! So what did I "cut back" when it came to the cookie exchange? I made one type of cookie, I cleaned less and I cut back on the breakfast menu that I served!

Here are some pictures of the goodies that were brought! By attending a cookie exchange is one way to simplify your Christmas. You leave home with one type of cookie, but you return with a great variety!

If cookies aren't your thing, try hosting an ornament exchange! What other ideas have you heard of that will build your friendships over the holidays?

Easy Project

2009-12-15T21:41:00.007-05:00

Here is my inexpensive, but cute, centerpiece that I previewed in my last post! First, I purchased three glass containers at Hobby Lobby while they were 50% off! That placed these little beauties at $1.50 a piece! Love Hobby Lobby!!!

Then, after seeing this post, I went out and purchased some Epsom salt for my "snow". Just for your information, you will find the Epsom salt in the health care portion of your grocery store, not down the baking isle! Trust me, I learned from experience.

Then, I used some words from Uppercase Living and attached them to the glass container. I finished off the project with a thrifty candle.

The great thing about this project, is that they are beautiful by themselves, or in a group setting. They would also make a perfect gift! One thing, by using the words, "believe", "faith" and "joy", I can use them all year long, and not just during Christmas time!

Christmas Tour

2009-12-13T15:34:00.011-05:00

I'm linking up with some of the Christmas blog tours, so I thought I better post some pictures!

A couple gave us our Nativity set as a wedding gift! I thought that was a great idea, and one I would have to "tuck away" for someone else's wedding gift.

This year I tried to simplify our Christmas decorating by using less and including incorporating natural materials!

Here are a couple of shots of our Christmas tree. I'm kind of a traditionalist! I like white lights and I use a lot of red and white ornaments. My tree skirt is an original tablecloth that I purchased from Target a number of years ago.

In case your missed some of my earlier posts about Christmas decorating, here are a few previous pictures!

I will be sharing about this Christmas decoration later this week!

A Girl & A Dad!!

2009-12-10T08:44:00.007-05:00

I have mentioned that we went to Pennsylvania for Thanksgiving. I've also mentioned that you should see what I came back with from this most recent trip! You see I had an idea that involved a birch tree. My parents live on 10 acres and they have a lot of "natural beauty"! So, I asked them if I could have a birch log. I had some ideas and my Dad was game to help out his girl. This turned into helping out his other daughter and wife as well!

First, I just have to say my Dad is AWESOME! He would do anything for his family!! I'm so thankful for the parents that God has given me. I hope they read this blog post!!!

Anyway, here are some pictures of our afternoon craft session! My Dad started out with his chain saw, cutting down the log and then cutting it into sizable working pieces. I wanted to help, but for the most part, I just stood back and let the handy man get to work.

"We" ended up making seven different candlestick holders, four yule logs (which I still need to decorate), and cutting up some logs for decoration.

Here is a look at what our craft session produced! Just a couple of simple accessories added to my birch logs and I have a simple, inexpensive way to add to my Christmas decorating collection. More importantly, I had a great memory building time with my Dad! I joked with my Dad that it is a good thing we don't live closer or I would have him going into the craft business!

Building Memories

2009-12-08T06:47:00.007-05:00

Are you finished with your Christmas shopping? I'm not! My husband and I have been discussing what to get our girls and how we can "scale down" the gift giving. I'm always telling my students, "live a life of balance!" I'm finding this to be true when it comes to gifts at Christmas time.

Thinking back to my childhood there are a few gifts that I can remember receiving, my yellow 3 speed bike, a stereo and a kitchen set. However, I'm sure there are more gifts that I can't remember. That is why we are focusing on building memories with our children!

Living in the West Michigan area, we have some darling towns that have great Christmas traditions! This past Saturday we headed to Holland to do some outdoor shopping. Looking at the 23 degree temperature on my mini-van, made me question our activities for the day! However, it was so much fun!!! We did some in-door shopping as well and then headed to the 8th Street Grill for their soup bar!

Then, it was on the road again to Saugatuck! We arrived just in time to see the Christmas parade. It is such a combination of Christmas spirit and funny entertainment! Where else can you see the shovel brigade and the peppermint stick ladies?

The girls and I even took a carriage ride. This was my first and it was a great way to tour the town. Throughout the day, the girls said, "Mom & Dad thanks! This is so much fun!" Hopefully they will remember these memories for a long time to come!

Advent Calendars

2009-12-05T08:18:00.005-05:00

There are some beautiful advent calendars out there! I have been amazed at the talent and creativity many of you have posted about in blog land! I purchased our Advent calendar at, an after Christmas clearance at Pottery Barn outlet (for $5), two years ago.

I love the concept of an Advent calendar as we prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus! So, my question to you is, How do you use your Advent calendar?

I have purchased some small gifts for my girls (chap stick, colored pencils, etc.). However, they can add up, from a dollar amount! I also question, how many "little objects" I want floating around my home. So, we have turned some Advent days into a scavenger hunt or written out clues that might end with a family game or movie night. Some times it is just a passage of Scripture that prepares our hearts for the birth of Jesus! I'm also finding that the girls enjoy the "doing" as much as receiving a little gift!

What does your family do for advent?

Old Doors

2009-12-04T14:45:00.006-05:00

This past summer, when we were visiting my parents, I came back home with some "goodies"! One thing that I found in my Dad's shed, was an old door. This wasn't any old door, but one that was only 4 feet in length! My Dad wasn't sure where he got it, but he said it was mine if I wanted it. I assured him that I could come up with some sort of project that incorporated the door!

Here is the original view of the door just hanging out in the garage!

Well, the door sat in my garage the last few months until I decided to get to work on it. After cleaning, sanding and three coats of paint, I thought it would make a nice Christmas decoration. I added a "Christmas word" from Uppercase Living and topped it with some artificial greens that I had in a box. Instant homemade Christmas decor!!

Wait till you see what I came back with after my Thanksgiving trip to my parents!

Hallmark Holidays

2009-12-02T08:21:00.006-05:00

I heart looking at pictures of Christmas decorations! I literally could spend hours flipping through the pages of Better Homes & Gardens, Pottery Barn and every other glossy publication that features the beauty of Christmas! However, one thing that I have come to realize is that I will never have the perfectn decorated home. I'm so thankful that I realize this, because it is so easy to feel like I come up short when I compare my home to these staged prints!

With all this said, I'm still trying to create a beautiful and inviting home for my family and friends, but the emphasis will not be on an unrealistic perfection! I don't have the time, energy and money to create something that isn't real life. So, I encourage you today to embrace the beauty and simplicity of your own home this Christmas season and leave the perfection for the glossy prints!

Over the next couple of weeks I hope to be sharing some of my frugal, use what I have decorations, that I'm using for this winter season! My window box featured above uses my fresh holly cut from our bushes that are two feet in front of the window.

Bring Back the Red!!

2009-11-30T06:47:00.005-05:00

You might remember over the summer I redecorated my bedroom! I love it, but I was missing my red. Over the last few years, red has become my favorite color. Whenever I see "red" I get so inspired! So, I've been looking forward to adding some red, especially with the upcoming winter holidays!

I added a red berry wreath to my window! I've decided that I can't have too many windows or wreaths for that matter.

Notice the extra pillow! Or I should say, notice that I have removed a number of pillows from over the summer. I did make a pillow with some of the extra fabric that I found from this summer.

Here is another view of the same fabric. I've already posted about how I recovered my hope chest. This is a picture of the finished project, along with my newest Uppercase Living wall decor.

Seasonal Decorating

2009-11-20T08:28:00.006-05:00

It has been a while since I had a post on decorating (for that matter, it has been a while since I posted, period!)Anyway, I'm getting excited to decorate for Winter!

I mentioned decorating for Winter because I typically change my decorations three times a year. Once for Spring / Summer, Fall and Winter! Now, I must admit, that I decorate the most for Winter and I do have a number of specific Christmas decorations, but I try to include decorations that will last all Winter long! Over the next couple of weeks I will be posting about some of my decorations!

One other thing that I try to do is use what I already have! I change the color of my candles, I put up a different colored wreath, I use glass containers and fill them with different seasonal materials.

The other thing that I must mention, is that I struggle putting up Christmas decorations before Thanksgiving. No offense to anyone who has!!!! We already have our outdoor Christmas lights strung, just not turned on, because we've had a mild fall, and my husband is in charge of the lights! I just don't want to miss the importance of Thanksgiving! This year we are traveling for Thanksgiving, so I will likely take down my fall decorations before we leave, so I will be ready to put up my Winter / Christmas decorations when we get back.

Here is a glass vase that I can't wait to use and decorate with some fresh holly! Cut right from our front bushes! Free decorating by updating and using what I already have!

What are your favorite pieces that you like to use for year round decorating?

Hospitality on the Go!

2009-11-04T20:43:00.006-05:00

I have lived in Michigan for over nine years! AND I'm so excited because a friend of mine from Pennsylvania, just moved to Michigan!!!! She moved just an hour away from me and I couldn't wait to go see her and meet her six kids!

Today was the day that I loaded up my van and drove down to see her. Since she just moved here three days ago, I wanted her to feel welcome and make her transition as easy as possible. Currently her family is renting a home until their house in Philadelphia sells. The positive of their rental is that it is fully furnished, so they were able to just move "right in"!

So, how can I bless this family? Instantly I thought of food! I prepared a couple of meals that they can just "pop" into the oven. Also, I was so excited that I had a number of my canned goods from this summer all ready to go!

The second area that I was able to help with was bringing some of my "extra" home accessories for her to use. Since this is a fully furnished rental, my friend is in need of some Christmas decor. It is amazing what a couple of simple decorations can do to transform a house into a home!

Here is my friend Jen and me! I'm so excited to continue this friendship!

What meals do you like to share or give to others? I'm always looking for friendly meals that are freezer and family friendly! Please leave a comment on your favorites!

Comfort Food

2009-11-01T14:43:00.005-05:00

I have likely mentioned that I love to eat breakfast! Most mornings I typically eat cereal or English muffin bread, but when I have a little extra time, I like to eat something special!

Recently a friend of mine game me a recipe for oatmeal pie and I must admit that I have made it twice in the past two weeks! It is just perfect for those cold mornings!

Oatmeal Pie (soooo good!)

3 cups oatmeal
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 c. nuts (optional)
1/2 c. raisins (I used craisins)
1/2 c. oil (I used a 1/4 c. oil and little over 1/4 cup apple butter)
1 c. milk
1 peeled and chopped apple

Mix all together and put in pie plate. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Serve warm with milk over top.

Canning is Done!

2009-10-25T16:41:00.004-04:00

My canner is put away for the season! After countless batches of jam, salsa, applesauce and others, I am finished! This is my second year of canning and even though it is a lot of work, I so enjoy the finished product!!

With our three bushels of apples, I've been busy canning the applesauce, apple butter and the apple pie filling. A number of my apple canning recipes have come from Sandy over at the Reluctant Entertainer!

All the hard work now, pays off in the future. It is wonderful, come Christmas time, to grab a couple jars of my homemade goods and package them for gifts!

Small Changes

2009-10-19T14:47:00.005-04:00

I have had this "Hope Chest" for over 20 years! It is one of those pieces of furniture that I can't get rid of. Mostly, just because it is a great storage unit. However, it is quite dated!!!

So, I made some quick changes! The first thing that I did was change out the handles. So long brass! The next thing that I did was change the fabric top. This was so easy!! It only took about thirty minutes to unscrew the top, cut out some fabric and staple it on. No sewing involved!!!

This is actually the second time that I changed the fabric. I found this print at the Calico Corners outlet and I was so excited, that it had the red that I love! I'm still thinking about possibly painting the wood cream, but at this time, the fabric change makes a new statement!

Fall Food

2009-10-12T19:53:00.006-04:00

First there was strawberries, then blueberries, followed by raspberries and now apples! Our family loves to pick and consume fruit!!! I'm almost embarrassed to admit this, but this was the first time we picked apples! I can't believe it, especially since they are so easy and FAST to pick!!

A friend told me about this great place to pick apples and they have so many great fall activities for the kids. We even got to take a tractor ride out to the apple fields. My girls thought this was just awesome!

Here is my youngest, helping with the applesauce! I'm sure this will be the first of all the great apple foods including apple pie, apple crisp, apple cake and just plain snacking!

What is your favorite type of apple and what is your favorite recipe? Currently we are big fans of the Gala apple.

BHG & Christmas

2009-09-22T21:26:00.004-04:00

Did you see it? Better Homes & Gardens has their special Christmas ideas magazine on the store shelf! I picked up a copy of it today, and I must say, it has a number of great craft and decorating ideas! Maybe this will be the year that I get my crafts and gifts made early!!

I Heart Fall!!!

2009-09-21T14:58:00.007-04:00

This my favorite time of year!!! I love almost everything about fall! The cooler temperatures, the beautiful leaves, wearing sweatshirts, watching football and the food!

Here are a few of my fall decorative changes!

I can switch the wreath on my front door and it just seems to inspire a change in the season! This is one of the easiest changes you can make for seasonal decorating.

I have found that just a few different accessories for each season can make a big difference. Most of the fall items on my mantle were purchased at Hobby Lobby for 50%off. All I needed to do was switch out some candles and I'm ready for fall.

The last thing that I mentioned about fall was the food! Here is my salsa that I cooked down for hours! I so much enjoyed the fact that I used the tomatoes and peppers from our garden.

In the near future I will be posting about some more of my favorite fall foods!

Leftovers

2009-09-12T08:10:00.011-04:00

Earlier this summer I struggled with decorating our master bedroom. I finally figured out some new bedding, accessories and wall color. I must say I'm really enjoying the changes and it is almost complete!

One of the added benefits of re-doing our bedroom, was leftover paint! I had enough to paint to cover our main bathroom! This room was my least favorite, in our entire home. It was painted the same yellow as the majority of our home and I struggled with the counter top and flooring.

However, once I added the Sherwin Williams, Sleepy Blue, it made it "pop"! Because my girls use this bathroom, I wanted to add their personality to the room. Which means we added some pink!

I debated what to put over the towels, since it was such a large area. Thanks to a friend, I was able to put up a wall decor from Uppercase Living!

Next time you want a little change in your decorating, try a gallon of paint!