Five steps to make your day run smoother.

Constantly feel like you're running behind?

Never enough hours in the day?

Hiding in the bathtub from your family?  (Is that one just me?)

I hear ya!

Being a grown up is hard sometimes.  Ronnie and I have an ongoing joke that the housekeeper didn't show up again - that makes 15 years in a row.  We may have to fire her soon.

Sadly for most of us, no one is showing up to cook or clean or run errands or pay our bills for us.  (Although I won't say no to any of these if you want to stop by). 

These are five things that I try to do each day to help our home run a little smoother:

1.  Get up before everyone else.

       I need a little bit of alone time for me before I start this race each day. 
       This alone time usually involves me, my Bible and copious amounts of coffee
       with coconut creamer.  Just a little bit of time to get myself on track so I don't
       feel like I'm waking up in the middle of a madhouse.

2.  One load a day.
       I do at least one load of laundry a day.  Now listen closely - I wash and dry
       one load of laundry a day.  Folding and putting away may or may not happen. 
       It's awesome when it does, but sometimes I just can't be awesome.  Sometimes
       we wear clothes out of the laundry basket.  And somehow we all survive. 
       I do get everything into drawers at least twice a week so that's a win.

3.  Set a timer.
        I use our Amazon Echo all the live long day.  I use the timer feature to keep me
        on track with my social media time.  I have reminders set on my phone for when
        I need to wake Ronnie up for work, to get up the boys in the morning, and for any
        appointments I have or anything important I need to get done.  That may seem a
        little crazy to you, but I'm easily distracted - especially by all things online. 
        (No one can fill up an online buggy and then not buy any of it better than me).
        All these little timers keep me on track.

4.  Afternoon cleanup.
      Pretty much what it sounds like.  I don't make all the mess in the house.  I shouldn't
      have to clean up all the mess in the house.  We take about 10-15 minutes in the
      afternoon to put things where they go - laundry to the laundry room, dishes to the
      sink - and run the sweeper.  With three boys, two dogs and a husband who comes
      home dirty each day, daily vacuuming is a must. 

5.  Family dinner.
        This one is so hard, but oh so important.  It's too easy to be pulled in 10,000 directions. 
        If I don't make an effort, it ends up being the boys and I at some event or class and
        Ronnie working.  We need this time - even if it's just 20-30 minutes - to connect as
        a family.  It would be a lot easier and quieter to let the boys eat upstairs in front of
        the XBox (and we have on occasion) but we  need that time on a regular basis to
        connect as a family. 

Please don't read this and think if you come over to my house you'll be walking into perfection.  My goals are set much lower than that.  The sweeper will probably be sitting in the dining room, a clothes basket in the living room that needs folded and a coffee cup by the computer if you stop by.  That's OK because this is real life, not Pinterest.  But by trying my best to keep with these five steps I feel less crazy. 

And that works for me.

Make Over Your Mornings.

Let me start by saying that I loved this course!

At the end of June, I was talking with my friend Tracey about how I just couldn't seem to get on track.  I was accomplishing what had to get done in my life - feeding the tribe, basic cleanliness - but I just couldn't get motivate like I used to be.  I felt like I was always rushing around from one thing to the next but never actually in control of my days.  Just putting out fire after fire. 

Imagine my surprise when my I got an email from my favorite blogger, Crystal Paine at moneysavingmom.com with a new e-course.  Tracey & I decided to take this course at the same time to encourage each other and, if I'm being honest, so that I could be accountable to someone to actually finish it.  Make Over Your Mornings was just the encouragement I needed to get back on track.  The videos were just 5 minutes a day followed by a 5 minute or less read in the accompanying e-book and a 5 minute challenge.  The best thing about this course is that it wasn't a "one size fits all" type course.  It challenged me to think about what I needed to do to make my life run smoother. 

I spent time thinking about what my families priorities are and what my personal priorities are and came up with a daily plan that helps me to accomplish what's important to running this house and making my life less stressful.  Since July, I've been following a morning and evening routine that wasn't just something I found on Pinterest that works for someone else.  My routine needed to include time for running a rental business, homeschooling three active boys, finding time to spend with a consistently busy husband who basically is doing two full time jobs, serving at my church, caring for a small house that with five people in it quickly gets messy and finding time to take care of me - spiritually and physically.  Something that frequently gets tossed to the wayside. 

And yes, I probably could have came up with a plan on my own.  But here's the thing - I didn't.  And I hadn't.  And what I was doing wasn't working.  By taking just 15 minutes a day for 14 days, I was able to get back on track in little bite size increments. 

Interested?  Check it out at makeoveryourmornings.com.  There's a one day sale on August 25th.  You can get the 14 day course for $10.  This is not an affiliate link for me.  I get nothing from it.  I just know how it motivated me to get back on track. 

And maybe I'm not the only one needing some motivation. 

Ministry from Home.

You know all those "Work from Home" ads.  Well, today I'm going to tell you how I minister from home.  Although I just recently realized it is a ministry. 

I make three meals a day on most days.  If we're home, I'm cooking.  It's ok. I like to cook.  According to my family (and some of you) I'm not that bad at it.  And that's where my ministry comes into play.

I love to take meals to people.  I may not be able to do much due to the time contraints of homeschooling or working or running the business or raising children - but I have time to cook.  I cook for my family.  It's really not that big a deal to make a little more and take it to someone who needs it.  And it's really not hard to find someone who could use a hot meal and the knowledge that someone cares. 

Why do I like doing this?  Well, because I know first hand how great it is to have someone drop off dinner during a crazy season of life.  When I had the boys, someone from our church dropped off dinner for us every night for the first week we were home.  It was glorious!  I still make several of the recipes that were brought to me eight years ago, including Selena's chicken and peppers and Jennifer's chicken enchiladas.  So very good! 

It means a lot for someone to know you care.  And isn't that really what it's all about?  Caring for others?

Here's the practical tips for taking meals:

• Make something you're good at.  Don't try a new recipe.  Just pick a meal that you like to make.
• Use disposable dishes.  I usually buy the big stack of aluminum pans at Sam's. 
• Try to take a main dish, at least one side dish and a dessert. 
• Don't forget your own family.  Just make a double batch of what you're taking so your family has dinner as well.

So this Sunday as your sitting in church and the needs are being prayed for, ask God to show you who you can bless with a hot meal and a kind word. 

It really is the little things that can make a big difference.

Homeschool Blog Hop: My biggest frustration.

This is an easy one.

What's my biggest frustration?

Me.

Yep.  Me.

Maybe I should say my vision of my "ideal".  You know, my ideal school day, my ideal home, my idea ministry. 

In my mind, things are so perfect.  So well planned and executed.  But you see, that's only in my mind.  Then there's reality. 

In reality sometimes we play the xbox for three hours and then fight about doing school instead of coming downstairs like the VonTrapp children in matching curtain outfits ready to learn.

Ideal.  I - deal.  Idol. 

My ideal can be my idol.  And that is my biggest frustration. 

I can blame it on the boys behavior or on being busy, but it all boils down to things not going according to my ideal plan.  Like I really know what's going on. 

When will I learn that it's not my plan to start with? 

I didn't plan on not working full time.
I didn't plan on having more than two children.
I didn't plan on homeschooling.

Needless to say, God knows better than I do.  You'd think I'd have learned this by now. 

Check out my friends to see their biggest frustration:

Clockwise, from top left:

Lorrie @ Life and Lessons Learned, Selena at Campbell Clan, Kathleen @ Positive Adoption, Audrey @ Everything Beautiful, Charli @ WV Urban Hippies, Tracey @ Building My House, and Maria @ The Joyfully Frugal Home.  Not pictured is Jessica @Redeeming the Home.

Be My Valentine: The final week.

Alright girls, we're at the final countdown for the Be My Valentine challenge. 

Did you have fun last week? 

This week is Valentine's Day.  Despite my enthusiasm for this challenge,  I actually have kind of ho hum feelings about this day.  While I think it's a great idea to focus some passion on the one you love,  I also feel it's a financial racket designed to take my hard earned money. 

That being said, here's my plan for Valentine's Day:

I'm making pizza with pepperoni cut into hearts along with a strawberry spinach salad that is his absolute favorite.  After dinner, we'll play a game or two of Uno with the boys then send them off to bed early at 7:30.  I have a movie from Netflix that he's wanted to see - the new Bourne movie - and we'll settle in for that.  When the movie is over, he'll find a heart shape across the bed made out of his favorite, Reese's cups.  Needless to say, you don't need to know the plan after that!

I know that everything you see right now is telling you that unless he is spending a fortune on roses and diamonds and dinner he's a loser, but come on.  You're smarter than that.  I'd rather have a whole year of thoughtfulness and passion than one big day in February. 

If you haven't planned your night yet, go do it.  And most importantly, have fun!

One of the trials of living on a rural route.

I have been anxiously awaiting a package this week.  New curriculum.  You know how that is.  I had a four hour block carved out for tomorrow to look through my new books.  I worked very hard to keep that free time this week.  Imagine my disappointment when once again I was let down by my not so dear friends from Fed Ex. 

Here is the letter I sent today:

Although once again I have a problem with my package
that has been shipped via your service, my complaint is about your shipping
services in general.  I will admit that we live in a somewhat rural area, but on
an amazingly regular basis Fed Ex is not able to deliver my package to my actual
address.  I frequently get packages for my neighbors and vice versa.  My
neighbor across the street has even taped a written description of her home to
her mail box to help the drivers find the correct address (it hasn't helped), 
When I called last week to let you know that once again a package for my
neighbor had been delivered to my home, the gentleman had the driver pick it up
to re-deliver in hopes that it would help with the address confusion.  (It
hasn't). 

I was aware today that my package from Sonlight was unfortunately being
delivered by Fed Ex and I awoke bright and early, wrote in big black letters
with a sharpie on a piece of poster board "Fed Ex!  This is 3##!" and nailed it
to my front porch.  Imagine my surprise when I checked my tracking # only to
find that my package was not able to be delivered because they couldn't find my
address.  Really?  I live directly on the X Rd (RR #).  Directly on the
road.  No turns, not behind another house.  Directly on the main road.  If you
stopped the truck on RR # by the giant sign nailed to the porch that said "Fed
EX! 3##!"  you would be there.  We were home the entire morning waiting for this
package.  What makes this most frustrating is that UPS NEVER messes up my
delivery.  If they can find my home every time, why can't you?

Today, I called your 1-800 # to make arrangements to pick up my package by
driving the thirty minutes to the Bridgeport center only to be told that while,
yes, they are to be open until 3pm, it would appear they were already closed at
2pm.  Now it apparently won't be delivered until Tuesday 2/5.  

In the meantime, I will leave my Fed Ex sign up and hopefully see my package on
Tuesday.

My response so far:  "We will attempt to find the most appropriate person to help with your problem."

Arrrgghhhhhh!

Oh, sorry.  I meant thank you. 

Thank you very much. 

Making your home a haven: Week 3.

Turns out, lighting a candle and playing soft music really does help create a peaceful environment.  In my house, it makes all the kids play upstairs away from my music.  Peaceful for me at least.

This week we'll be focusing on the kitchen, the heart of your home.  Focus on making meals that show love to your family.  Bake something with a great aroma.  I'm planning on making homemade rolls and brownies. 

We're also going to focus on being thankful for the home we are blessed with and being content where we are.  Make a haven with what you have now.  I will admit that I struggle with this one.  I love my little old house, but many times when I go over to a friend's home that is newer or has more than one bathroom, I can start feeling like my home isn't good enough.  Yes, our home is very old.  Yes, it only has one tiny bathroom and not enough bedrooms.  But we are blessed with a home to raise our family in and make memories.  It's important to remember what we have, not what we lack.

Now go make some brownies and be thankful!  And don't forget to keep your candle and music going.

Make Your Home A Haven: Week 1 Update.

Well, we're wrapping up week one of our challenge.  My candle is burnt down by about 1/3, how about you?

This week was about having a visual reminder to pray for peace in our homes.  I don't know about you, but catching that candle burning did remind me to pray for peace in our home as well for those we love.

This week we're going to play relaxing music in our homes and focusing on using peaceful words and maintaining peaceful relationships.  We're going to work on gentleness.  I tend to be rather loud and boisterous.  Gentleness is something I know I need to work on.

Here's some of what I'll be listening to:

George Winston, December

Scripture Lullabies

Precious Memories by Alan Jackson

Allison Krauss & Union Station Live

Lullaby Tribute, Third Day

Steven Curtis Chapman, Christmas



Amy Grant, The Christmas Collection



Kari Jobe

Continue to light your candle and let's leave the TV off some this week while we play beautiful music in our homes and pray for gentleness in our words and actions. 


Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.  Psalm 19:14.

Making Your Home A Haven: Week One.

Tomorrow starts our Make Your Home A Haven challenge. 

Here's our week one challenge:

Purchase a big candle and light it every day in your home. I place mine in the kitchen. Every time it catches your eye, pray for peace in your home. 

I have a Paula Deen Pumpkin Pie candle that I'm going to sit on the stove.

If you follow the blog I write for our Women's ministry at church, Woven, you know that I've been struggling with a lack of peace.  I've noticed worry creeping into my thought about the future, about our family and about our jobs and our business.  This is not God's plan for me.  I thought I'd share some verses that I like to reflect on when worry tries it's best to take over. 


Matthew 11:28-30  Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lovely in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden in light.”

John 14:27  Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.  Not as the world gives do I give to you.  Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

John 16:33  I have said these things to you, that you may have peace.  In the world you will have tribulation.  But take heart; I have overcome the world.

Philippians 4:6-7   do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Isaiah 12:2 “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the LORD GOD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.”

James 3:18 And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.


I'm praying for peace to dwell in our homes this week. 

Don't forget to check in with Courtney at Women Living Well to see how others are making their home a haven. 

Another Challenge? Why yes, I think I will!

Courtney over at Women Living Well has announced her Fall "Make Your Home a Haven" Challenge which begins next week.

I don't know how I forgot all about this, but I just love doing this challenge.  Why?  Well, it's easy and it really does seem to help calm things down in my home.

Each week has a new weekly challenge and focus. 

Week of November 5th: 
Purchase a big candle and light it every day in your home.  I place mine in my kitchen.  Every time it catches your eye, pray for peace in your home. 

Week of November 12th:
Play soft music in your home.  One of my favorites for this is George Winston's December:  Piano Solos.  I'll also play some worship music, like Scripture Lullabies.
The focus this week is using peaceful words and maintaining peaceful relationships.

Week of November 19th:
Focus on the kitchen, the heart of the home.  Use this week to make something special for your family, a favorite recipe, homemade bread, something that makes them feel loved.  This week is about removing discontentment and thanking God for the home he has given you in which you can create a haven for your family.

Week of November 26th:
Decorate!  Make a special place for your family this season.  Plan on ways to focus on Christ this Christmas. 

I really like this challenge because it's simple and it really works to promote a peaceful environment.

Why don't you think about joining me? 

Tis the Season for a Time Out.

I know the blog has been a little quiet lately.

Do you ever just feel like you need a time out in life?  That's what I need.  Just a little time to focus my priorities on what is most important.

I think that we all tend to get too busy at this time of the year with cooking, shopping, baking, decorating and all kind of things that are good things, but not really the best things for us. 

This year, I'm giving myself permission to slow down when everything around me wants me to speed up and pack our schedule till its ready to explode.

I'm reminding myself that Christmas doesn't have to be perfect.  It's OK if the tree isn't where I like it because my yard sale desk from this summer is there.  It's OK if I don't get as much baking done as I'd like.  It's OK to take a time out right now.  It's actually more that OK.  I think it's the perfect thing to do. 

Christmas is about Christ.  Period.  And while everything else that we do right now is a good thing,  spending time focusing on Christ is the best thing.

So, my posting will probably be sporadic this month.  And that's OK.

I'm focusing on the best this year, not necessarily the good.

My own little bubble.

I was walking through my church foyer a couple of weeks ago and walked by someone I knew.  Just as I passed her, I heard her friendly voice jokingly say to me "I think we can say hi to each other in real life since we are friends on Facebook".  I laughed and we talked for a little while and moved on into the sanctuary. 

But the thing is, her words stuck with me. 

And while I know she meant nothing bad by it, she was absolutely right. 

This is how I see it.  I'm in the middle of my own little bubble.  And in my little bubble, closest to me is my family.  And then my closest friends.  And then my other friends and so on and so on, like ever growing circles surrounding me.  The circles continue outward to the end of my bubble. 

I take great care of my bubble.  If there's a problem in my bubble, I'm there.  I'm praying for them, feeding them, whatever needs done....I'm your girl. 

But what about the rest of the world?  OK, not necessarily "the whole World", but what about my neighbor or my co-workers or the new homeschooler at co-op?  What about the people that I walk by on Sunday mornings or Wednesday nights?  Sure, I take the time to say "Hi" (as I keep on walking), but am I reaching out to them?  Is anyone? 

Am I doing all I can to make people feel welcome and loved in my church?  In my work?  In my life? 

Not just in my bubble?

I think about all the people who have entered and left our churches thinking that the church doesn't even care.  I think about the people who come week after week, who sit in pews beside us, thinking that the church doesn't care. 

Friends, the church is not pastoral staff or programs or women's ministries.  The church is you and I.  It's each of us getting outside our bubble and reaching out to others.  It's a kind word, a hot meal, a shoulder to cry on, a heartfelt prayer.  It's seeing a need and doing our best to meet it. 

Yes, it is harder than pressing "Like" under a post. 

But just imagine the impact if each of us would take the time to reach out to just one person outside our bubble each week. 

I honestly can't even imagine what that would look like, but I'd love to see it.

So can I ask you to join me in reaching out to just one person this week?  Find your prayer needs list and pick someone.  Anyone outside your bubble.  Send them a card, give them a call, ask them if there's anything you can do to help them or if you can pray for them.  Just let them know that someone cares. 


Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.

Colossians 3:12-15 

My housekeeping motto.

Image courtesy of Pinterest.

A good reminder.

Found on Pinterest.  Loving this.

Showing Big Daddy Some Father's Day Love!

Sunday is Father's Day.  The day we throw a card at Dad and slap a new tie on him to say thanks for all he does.  Maybe he deserves a little more than that?

You don't have to break the bank to make your man feel special at Father's Day, or any other day for that matter. 

Here's a few of the things I like to do for Ronnie to let him know how much we appreciate him:

• Make his favorite meals.  Remember the saying "The way to a man's heart is through his stomach".  It's true.  I know my hubby loves a great steak and my brownies.  This is usually the meal he requests for his birthday, Father's day, really any special occasion.

• Let him know you appreciate him.  Ronnie works over.  A lot.  I do appreciate that he provides for our family, but it's easy to get discouraged at being alone with the boys - with no break or backup for support.  I make sure to tell him as he leaves for work that I love him and appreciate what he does for our family.  I also make sure to get up with him to pack his lunch and make his breakfast.  Yes, he can do this himself, but it's just another way I choose to show my appreciation for him working and allowing me to stay home with our boys.

• Create a relaxing environment for him when he comes home.  Let's change relaxing to "less crazy".  Some days it's all I can do to not bolt out the door and say "Good luck with all that!".  Running a business from home, homeschooling  the boys, trying to maintain some level of cleanliness in our home...it takes it's toll.  I try to have a clean up time at 2 pm and then let the kids watch some TV so that when Ronnie comes home at 3, it's not pure chaos.  It's ridiculously hot where he works, so I make sure there is something cold for him to drink as well.  Simple, but I know he appreciates it. 

• Be outrageous!  We've made him signs, wrote "I love Daddy" in Styrofoam cups on the chain link fence (my personal favorite), tucked notes or pictures in his lunch - the unexpected is a lot of fun for everyone.

• Pray for him, especially when he's with you.  I'm praying for him in my quiet time, but I love to pray for him and with him.  I know how much it means to me to know that he's praying for me, and I like to do the same for him.

• This is the PG-13 part of the post, so let me delicately say....we were created to be man and wife for a reason...enjoy it!  My mom told me growing up that I needed to know two things to keep my hubby happy....and cooking was the other one. 

• Lastly, make him a priority.  It's easy to get caught up in all you have to do - and you do have a lot to do.  Take some time each day to connect with him.  Even on the days he works 7am - 11pm, we still make a few moments before sleep to hold hands and talk about our day.  Some of the other things we do are family dinner, sitting together on the couch to watch TV or a movie, drinking iced tea on the front porch swing after the boys are in bed and just talking - without interruptions.  Remember, there's more to you family than just the kids.  He's very important too!

You mission, if you choose to accept it- do something to make your man feel special.

Oh, and don't forget to call him "Big Daddy". 

I'm linking up with Courtney at Women Living Well today.  Check it out.

Running in Mud

I'm a to do list kind of girl.  I wasn't always like this.  I was more of a fly by the seat of my pants kinda girl.  I have to admit, it's not because of the kids.  It's actually my husbands influence on me.  I used to think it was crazy.  He keeps a running list of more than he could ever accomplish and as he marks items off, he adds more on.  I approach my list a little differently.  I have been known to put items on my list that I have already finished so it looks like I've accomplished things.  Just makes me feel productive. 
Wake up
Brush teeth
Drink coffee
Check Facebook
Doesn't that look great.  I actually have 3 to do lists going right now. One for cleaning, one for school, and one for vacation.  I'm such a weirdo. 

The list is only a tool.  It can't help for days like yesterday.  Yesteday was a "running in mud" day.  No matter what I tried to do, it was hard.  Harder than it should have been.  Like trying to run in knee deep mud.   

So, what to do.  Part of me wanted to wallow....cry....kick and scream.  I'd love to be able to tell you I was a good little Christian girl.  That I prayed and asked God to help me with my attitude and my day.  I should have, but I didn't.  What I did was whine.  Complain.  I might have even pouted a little.  And, no, it didn't help anything.  It set a bad tone for our whole night.

Have you ever read about the Israelites wandering around in the desert?  Did you ever just think -  "Why are you acting like that?  Do you not remember what God did for you?  Really?".  Hmmm.  Ouch.  "Charli, why are you acting like that?  Do you not remember what God has done for you?  Really?". 

"Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed."

Proverbs 16:3

Here's to a new day.

Charli

Check out Mandisa's Good Morning here.  Loving it!

Why do I keep comparing?

Have you ever noticed how thoughts can creep up on you?  It's not like I've ever woken up in the morning and thought "Wow,  today is the perfect day to covet!"  That's not how it works.  Our thoughts wander, little by little, to places they shouldn't be. 
Ronnie & I both had very good jobs B.C. (before children).  And to be honest, we were not frugal back then- we liked new things, we like eating out, and that was fine.   Fast forward 6 years & 3 kids later and things are a little different.  I don't work full time at a demanding (and well paying) job.  I am a full time wife, mother, teacher, and homemaker.  And I know I'm right where God wants me at this time in life.  Yet, I still have to remind myself that it's not about shiny new toys like campers or Kindles - my items of covet this weekend.  So I come home.  I ask God to forgive my poor attitude.  I pray to desire Him more than these temporary things.  And I remember that I am here "for such a time as this".  I am here to be the best daughter of the King, wife to my husband and mother to our children, that I can be - with God's help.    And that's a pretty great "thing".
Have a great day!
Charli
"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."  Jeremiah 29:11