You Have to Start Somewhere...

Have you ever gotten so sick of something that you just can't not do anything about it anymore? Gotten so fed up that you finally just dig in until it is taken care of or fixed? No? Just me then? Hmmm...okay. Well, this weekend, we started evaluating just about every process in our home from budgets, to meal plans, to schedules, even down to which bathroom our diaper sprayer should be located for better efficiency in diaper rinsing. What needs to change in order for life to run more smoothly? What needs to go in order to pay more on student loans? What processes need re-assessed so focus on family isn't lost in a sea of tasks and/or piles of junk?

Overwhelmed yet? I was a little bit. But I am feeling much better now that I have processed through a lot of it. I decided to tackle something small first. That is, small after already writing out a new budget for the month. I needed to step away from the harder task and have instant success rather than waiting all month long to see how the budgetary goals played out to feel like I actually accomplished something.

The target? Our Entryway. I was sick and tired of dealing with an ugly gross pile of mail, keys, coupons, receipts, and other junk that accumulates on my entryway table. I mean seriously...this is ridiculous. Not only can I not find bills that need paid in this mess, someone is bound to get strangled with that lamp cord -- which has never been plugged in by the way. In 2 years. How's that for awesome? (please hear the sarcasm there) ha ha ha! And it's a wonder I ever know where my keys are since I "try" to put them on this table when I come in, only usually to lay them someplace else where I think they will be less apt to get stuff thrown on top of them...only to forget this said new location when I need to leave the house. Just me again? Hmmm...Okay. ha ha!

So what's a girl to do besides dump everything in the trash can and wish for the best. First things first. Decide what I really want on this table. Since my desire is for a welcoming yet organized/functional entryway, I decided to start with a new "mail center" with folders for specific items like incoming mail, outgoing mail, bills to pay, receipts, coupons, and individual folders for each member of my family. This meant I could pull out the old label maker and have a bit of fun, too. Score!


I am hoping that by having an incoming mail folder, I can just throw mail in it when I don't have time to actually stand there and sort it via person or put bills in the "to pay" folder. We'll see how it goes. The other folders that I think will come in handy are the receipt and coupon folders...we are always losing these so having a centralized place for them seems to make sense. Every month these should be sorted and either filed or discarded.


Next up, my keys. Several months ago, I found this little sign, but never knew where to hang it until now. My hubby gave me some little hooks that I screwed into the bottom and ta-dah, the perfect little key holder for this space.


Lastly, I added a nice little plant to replace the lamp that never was. I think indoor plants really add that special something. We don't really have a lot of plants inside because our light situation isn't that great, but I came across the perfect "low light" plant to set on the table. Overall, this is a great improvement and I can't wait for my next organization/re-evaluation project.

Do you have spaces in your house that could benefit from some organizational change? Try doing a little makeover on one thing this week...You won't be sorry you did -- believe me! :)

Wordless Wednesday: Out on the Line

Week 1 Review: The Big Picture

Overall, last week went really well! Beginning each day early allowed me to spend time reading God’s Word and praying, which left me feeling renewed and motivated throughout my day. I found that not only was I doing challenge activities, but I was actually going above and beyond with other needed tasks. And here’s the most awesome part…I enjoyed it! Yes, you heard that right. My husband actually had me repeat it when I told him.

I ENJOYED IT! Hooray!

I enjoyed my tasks, but I also enjoyed the layers of stress and anxiety melting away with each wipe of the baseboards and each sweep of the mop!There were tasks that have needed done for a LONG time and this week I showed my home some love by actually getting them done. It feels so incredibly good! Sure it took a bit more time than I would have normally wanted to spend on these tasks in particular, but I recognize that the extra time also is a consequence of not taking care of these things on a consistent basis.

My husband encourages me regularly that if I would just do things consistently, a little bit at a time, it wouldn't build up and be as big of a pain in my booty. It is only when I let things go and get out of hand -- because of laziness and procrastination -- that I feel most overwhelmed. I know he is right. I just don’t function like that naturally. I wish I did…so that is what I am working towards. Baby steps.

I have also enjoyed how this challenge has opened the door for great conversations between my husband and I concerning expectations we have for one another, struggles we each have, and what makes us feel loved or unloved in regards to the upkeep and care of our home. I think we are more understanding now of where the other one is coming from and how each one of us feels when things around the house are or are not done. I was most encouraged to hear that what makes him feel the most loved is my self-sufficiency which allows him to focus on what he does best…work. I don’t bother him throughout the day with calls and emails, freeing him from distractions about what is or is not going on at home. The biggest thing I need to work on for him, I think is to not leave things lying around (ie: cups of tea, piles of dishes, clothes) or have a plan in place for when certain things will get done. If there is a pile of laundry on the floor, it is okay if my plan is to wash it tomorrow, but if it sits there for days…well, that is not good. I have learned that he understands and expects that not everything will get done – that our house should feel and look “lived in” – but he does like to see that I have a plan in place to take care of things so that they aren’t piling up all around us. I think that was a good reminder.

Because the reality is, I don't want cleaning, housework, schedules, and lists to be what my children remember about me. I want them (when I have more than one -- ha ha!) to remember laughing, playing, learning, and loving. I want them to feel valued. I want them to know that my greatest joy in life is being their mother and caring for them. I want them to know they are special and more important than any chore or task that I could spend my time on. I don't want to miss a single moment of life with my family because I am too focused on doing the dishes. Instead I want to be diligent in doing what needs to be done to facilitate more quality interactions that aren't tainted with thoughts about what else needs to be cleaned.

The Big Picture, for me, is that I clean so that we have a place to connect as a family. I want to provide my husband a space to come home to and not have to ‘work’ – a place of refuge, a place to rejuvenate after a long day at the office. I also want to provide a space for my little one and I to be able to do fun activities together without the clutter/mess distractions. Thinking through the ‘whys’ of cleaning and caring for my family and home this week has really helped me see this bigger picture rather than the small mundane tasks that I normally focus on.

I'd call that a very successful first week,wouldn't you? :) Let's see what week 2 has in store for me...

Finding Purpose

Day number one of the 31 Days to Clean challenge kicked off with writing a mission statement...well, what was supposed to take a day, actually took me all week. I really needed to think this through before trying to put it into words. I'm also a little behind on the actual cleaning tasks now, but it was worth it to spend the extra time on this first heart task. (Not to mention, I have had a sick kiddo...which slowed some things down this week, too.)

You see, I struggled with the question of why I want a clean home and realized a mission statement for me needed to be a bit more broad. There are other things besides cleaning that I need to focus on like the emotional and spiritual health of my home and I wanted those included as well.

After jotting down some thoughts and then reading some of the other statements people wrote, I ended up with what I think is a very challenging and yet accomplishable mission statement. (A couple of phrases are based on others' statements because they said it so well and concisely - which I struggle with.) I also added verses to each of the sub-statements as a reminder of the Biblical foundation of what I am setting out to do.

my mission is to first spend each day pursuing God so that His character is reflected in my work and interactions (Matt. 6:33, James 4:8), and second, to attend to the needs of my family by intentionally creating and maintaining an organized and peaceful home (1 Cor. 14:33), working consistently at those things that need to be done every-single-day (Prov. 31:27, Prov. 14:1), building up my husband and children through encouragement and affirmation (Luke 6:45, Eph. 4:29, Prov. 31:26, Psalm 139:4), and slowing down so I can "be all there" -- giving each person and/or task the quality time they deserve (Psalm 39:6).

What will this require of me?? Discipline.

No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. (Hebrews 12:11)

Seriously, writing this mission statement out was painful...let alone, actually putting this stuff into practice. But, oh, how I want to experience the peace and the joy that comes from it. I want to know what it is like to not worry about what needs cleaned next so that I have more time to work on intentional activities with my girl...or that I can feel good about sitting on the couch and reading a book without that guilty feeling coming over me for the 5 tasks that I know need to be done.

And I don't want my life to be constantly run my a list...by a set of tasks. I want flexibility and I am learning that flexibility comes with discipline. Sigh. Maybe discipline should have been my word of the year instead of humility? :) Either way, I'm learning humility by even admitting that I don't have it all together and need to work on certain aspects of my homemaking and attitude.

So what is the answer? How do I live this mission statement out?

Part of the answer is new habits...the mission statement I have written down can only be accomplished if I create new habits. Accomplished effectively and consistently that is. And the first one has nothing to do with housework specifically, but about addressing and getting my heart right at the beginning of each day. If my focus begins with God, how can my day not go a little better? How can my attitude towards the needs of my family and the tasks of the day not shift to one of joy and service if I start my day laying down everything to Him? Oh, and did I mention, dying a little bit to self?? Yeah, that too...

Goal #1: Wake up early (before the baby), shower, and read my bible and journal.

The second part of living out my mission statement effectively, will be to keep it in front of me as a reminder. It is so easy to come up with an idea like this and then walk away from it, forgetting what you are setting out to do after a week or so. I am going to try to come up with some way creatively to display mine...I still don't know where to put it yet, maybe in my Home Management Notebook so that I look at it every day? That might work...

Finally, I think in order to live out this mission statement, I need to be open to critique. I need to allow my family to share if I am "too busy" and not giving them the time they need, or if I am "too busy" and not keeping up on the laundry, etc. I also want them to be able to share their ideas of how to make our home a more peaceful environment without getting defensive. Open communication and sharing -- checking in on what is working and what is not working.

Goal #2: Make an effort to regularly ask my family what I can work on and what is going well. How can I serve them better?

Do you think you would have better consistency in your homemaking if you had a mission statement to focus on? I encourage you...whether you are doing this challenge or not, consider writing a statement. What a great reminder to have to guide you through some of those mundane tasks of the day!

Menu Plan Wednesday

Has a week really gone by already? Goodness! Well, I didn't do too hot last week on my menu at all...probably because I never actually made it to the grocery store to do the whole kit and caboodle. We ended up piecing meals together using what we had at home and over the weekend I ran to get a few things including a pot roast for Easter Sunday. Crockpot to the rescue! Thankfully we had lots of leftovers so that has been nice too.

This week is kicking off to a much better start considering I have already been to the grocery store today and made a meal - whoo hoo! I am also doing better on my goals this week in general, but that is a whole 'nother story. :)

Here's what's on the docket for this week:
Tuna Noodle Casserole & Fruit
Tandoori Chicken & Veggie/Salad
Mexican Pasta Skillet and Fruit Salad
Mushroom Swiss Turkey Burgers & Salad
Dijon Chicken & Brown Rice/Veggie
Grilled Tilapia & Mango Salsa with Sweet Potato Fries
Eat out using Restaurant.com gift certificate

Menu Plan Wednesday Made Easy

Menu planning. Meal planning. Cooking magazine perusing. Ahhhh, all things I LOVED doing pre-baby! Post-baby, it just turned in to a chore. A chore that I became to hate and drag my feet on...which in turn caused a lot more eating out than necessary. I wasn't happy. I'm sure my husband wasn't happy (even though he really enjoys eating out...it's the cost of the eating out that gets ya!). I was doing just enough to get by as far as shopping for the baby, but that wasn't good enough. At this stage in my life, I needed help, I needed a solution and I needed one fast...

Enter E-mealz, my current meal planning saving grace.

Back in 2009, I tried this out and wasn't that impressed with it because a lot of the meals used canned soups and processed foods. To be honest, I think I was being a little bit of a food snob. However, over the past couple of years they have done a really good job of creating menus that combine easy cooking with fresher ingredients. So I decided to give it another go...and I am happy to report that I was able to go shopping and cook 7 dinners this week!! yahooooooo! I still do a little subbing based on our likes and dislikes -- and of course, I modify recipes all the time so that is no different here either, but the great thing is not only do they give you a menu for the week, but they also provide the shopping list! :) Most menus are based on the weekly sales and it is meant to save your family some money as well...and really? who doesn't want to save some moolah??

Is every single recipe a home run? No, but they are still pretty good. And let's face it, not every recipe I was making on my own was a home run either so that's not much different. But what is different is the amount of time I am not spending meal planning and cooking, which means more family time...and I'll take that any day!!

Wanna check it out? They have quite a few sample menus that you can peruse and try out recipes for your family. There are even portion control meal plans that coincide with systems like Weight Watchers as well as low-carb meal plans. We currently do a meal plan for 5 meals a week for 2 people and it is plenty of food for us and the little miss -- but if you have more than one kiddo, I would probably recommend the 4-6 people menu which gives you 7 meals rather than 5 meals per week.

Here's what's on the menu for this week: (Some from e-mealz and some regular staple meals)
Buffalo Chicken and Salad
Honey Garlic Pork Chops and Veggies
Taco Salad
Spaghetti and Salad
Potato Soup
Sweet & Sour Chicken
Orange Marinade Steak and Salad/Veggies

Menu Plan Wednesday

Since one of my goals for the week is to actually do some grocery shopping -- with an actual menu plan, ha ha! -- I am keeping track of it here. Now just so you don't think I am starving my family or anything, I have been shopping lately, I just haven't actually planned out a whole week's worth of meals and shopped only once. I have had to make multiple trips to the store or my husband has graciously stopped by the store on his way home from work to pick up the couple items we might need for that night's dinner. All in all, it works...but it isn't the best option.

For this week, I have seven meals planned in the hopes that it will keep us from eating out. Usually, I plan at least one night a week for eating out as a reward and a break, but I think this week, we're gonna try it without! Wish us luck!

So here's what's on the menu for this week: (in no particular order so I can decide on the day which one we feel like although the fish might come soonest so it doesn't go bad.) :)
Braised Porkchops and Asparagus
Spicy Tilapia and Salad
Greek Chicken and Creamed Spinach
Jerk Pork Tenderloin and Rice Pilaf
Italian Chicken Breasts with Angel Hair Pasta and Spinach/Strawberry Salad
Southwest Pot Pie and Salad
Crockpot Minestrone Soup

Changing My Mindset

Sometimes my to-do list is too overwhelming. The mess (self-inflicted, by the way) that piles up and surrounds me becomes equally overwhelming. So much so that I become paralyzed. There is so much to do and to keep up with that I get disoriented and don't even know where to begin...so I end up not doing anything...and the mess and the list keep growing and growing. And along with it, so does my anxiety and the cycle continues.

There are moments of reprieve as I kick into high gear and try to do everything in one day, but let's be honest, that's just not a realistic way of living (especially with a toddler). So I have had to ask myself...what is the solution?

Find joy in serving God and my family in the mundane. Be grateful for the position God has given me in my home. Learn to love "my job." Do what I can when I can and be okay with however big or small that may be. Do things the right way the first time. Don't take shortcuts, which makes more work for myself in the long run. Embrace imperfection. Be honest when I need help. Do a little bit each day to lighten the load. Take it one day at a time.

The truth is, I don't want to my life to revolve around the list of tasks that need done. I want to spend time with my family...pour into my little one...invest in relationships with others around me...and to be honest, just have some fun without "the work" looming over my head. The interesting thing? When I don't do my tasks a little at a time, that is exactly where my focus stays...on the tasks...on the list....the never.ending.list.

So realistically, what can I do to change this? I am going to start with four goals this week relating to my most troublesome areas. Four little goals. Little...uh-uh...yeah right...ha ha!. Maybe at the end of the week, I will be able to add new goals, but if not, I will continue to work on these goals until they become habit.

1. Do one load of laundry a day (if needed).
2. Wash dishes after every meal. Or rinse and put in dishwasher.
3. Clean off the office desk every night and prepare list for the morning.
4. Go grocery shopping! Cook at least five meals this week.