Today is my first day participating in the MAYbe blog challenge (if you remember, I just finished the April blog challenge and the Bible in 90 day challenge-- I'm big on challenges... )
Every day, we are supposed to write on a certain topic. Today's topic is: May I tell you something about myself?
Well, I'm doing the 'easy' thing and doing Kelly-- A to Z...
A is for Author (so do you actually have to have a book published to be called an 'author'?)
B is for birthday (2/15)
C is for Color, favorite (purple)
D is for dancing (because it's what my oldest daughter is doing right now... )
E is for enter (I love to enter writing contest and submit stories)
F is for fanfics (yep, I used to write them... )
G is for Google, Dr. (because I have ever ailment ever invented when I use that certain 'physician')
H is for headache (when someone taps something repeatedly, it gives me a headache).
I is for interesting. (which I'm sure... someone... somewhere... thinks I am... maybe... )
J is for juggling (Mamas... and Daddys you know what I'm talking about.)
K is for Kelly (my name).
L is for lavender (a smell that makes me sneeze).
M is for marriage (I've been married for almost 9 years... to the same feller)
N is for "No." (Because I have an almost 2 year old).
O is for October (my favorite month. I've always wanted a baby born in October-- alas I got pregnant in October-- twice.)
P is for printer (because it was broke and I was all upset because I couldn't print my book-- turns out it had a Chex Mix stuck in it.)
Q is for Quiet (because that's what it will be when my kids go to bed)
R is for read (because it's something I want to do more of this summer).
S is for special education (because I'm a special education preschool teacher).
T is for three (because I have three kids)
U is for unique (because I'm trying to break into Christian Young Adult novels-- one of the most unique ie small genres there is).
V is for victory (because of Jesus)
W is for write (have I mentioned I like to write?)
X is for X-ray (because I've never had one.. unless you count ultrasounds).
Y is for yellow (a color I don't like to wear).
Z is for Zelda (because she zoomed off to Mars-- It's a song we sing at school).
So... that's it.. me from A to Z. Next Tuesday, I'll have more about me.
Wednesday's topic is: May I ask something about you?...
It doesn’t matter where you are in your writing career, the doubt monster will strike.
You read books by your favorite authors and decide your writing will never measure up.
While you’re in queryland, a friend lands an agent and you start questioning if that will ever be you.
While your book is out on submission, someone you know dances around and screams that she’s signed a 3-book deal with a major publisher, and you wonder if you’ll even get a one-book deal with anyone. Period.
You self publish your book and look longing at the list of NYT and USA Today bestsellers, many who are self published in your genre (NA contemporary romance authors, I’m looking at you). Heck, you do this if your book is traditionally published, too.
You start freaking out as doubts slither in as to whether or not you’ll meet your publisher’s deadline.
As you approach your book’s launch date, you go through emotional outbursts similar to those experienced during pregnancy.
You book does better than expected, but now you worry that you’ll be a one-hit wonder and your publisher and agent will dump you after the sequel turns out to be lame.
No matter where you are on your publishing career path, the doubt monster will strike. Don’t be afraid of him. Embrace him. Let him help you push your writing to a new level.
And while you’re at it, sign up for the monthly support group hosted by Alex Cavanaugh. The Insecure Writer’s Support Group meets the first Wednesday of each month (I’ll be joining it in the fall).
GIVEWAY NEWS: Adventures in YA and Children’s Publishing blog is doing a HUGE giveaway (well, several actually) for both readers and writers. The giveaways run this past Saturday and Sunday and next weekend. You’ll want to check it out!
Today is a real treat :) I have Marsha Ward here today to talk a little about herself, how she writes, why she writes, and if she's a pantser or a planner... How did you become interested in the Civil War? Author Robert Newton Peck once said that every historical writer has their favorite war. While his was the French and Indian War, mine turned out to be the Civil War. I don’t know what sparked my passion for it. It could have been reading some of historian Bruce Catton’s work, or Gone With the Wind, during high school. My interest certainly did not stem from a personal or family issue, since none of my relatives fought on either side. If they had, they’ve have been Union soldiers, and my characters fought for the South. That said, my current novels actually have post-Civil War settings, dealing with the aftermath of that great struggle, so they fit more in the classification of Western Migration novels, or Settling of the West. Very cool. Tell us about your novels. The Man from Shenandoahbegins as Carl Owen returns from the Civil War to find the family farm destroyed, his favorite brother dead, food scarce, and his father determined to leave the Shenandoah Valley to build a cattle empire in Colorado Territory. Crossing the continent, Carl falls in love with his brother's fiancée while set to wed another girl, but he might lose everything if the murderous outlaw Berto Acosta has his way. Carl battles a band of outlaws, a prairie fire, blizzards, a trackless waterless desert, and his own brother-all for the hand of feisty Ellen Bates. Ride to Ratoncontinues from there: after losing the heart of his fiancée to his brother, James Owen leaves home to make a new life for himself. The turbulent world of post-Civil War Colorado Territoryis fraught with danger and prejudice that increase his bitter loneliness as personal setbacks threaten to break him. Then James's journey brings him into contact with another wayfarer, beautiful young Amparo Garcés, who has come from Santa Fe to Colorado to marry a stranger. Through a twist of fate, their futures are changed forever when their lives are merged in a marriage of convenience. James and Amparo undertake a hazardous horseback trek over Raton Passto Santa Fe, battling their personal demons, a challenging language barrier, and winter's raging storms. My third novel, Trail of Storms, goes back to tell the tale of a peripheral character from the first novel. Jessie Bingham and her family flee post-Civil War Virginia after her sister suffers a brutal attack, and together endure a perilous trek to New Mexico Territory. When she hears her former sweetheart, James Owen, has taken a wife, Jessie accepts Ned Heizer’s marriage proposal on the condition they wait until journey’s end to wed. But then Jessie encounters James again... and he isn’t married now! Spinster’s Follyis the fourth book in the series, and tells Marie Owen’s story. Marie lives in a land that is long on rough characters and short on fitting suitors. Her desire to get married before she winds up a spinster propels her into making hasty decisions that drive her into the arms of a sweet-talking predator, landing her in unimaginable dangers. Wow, all of those books sound like they would be great reads. How much research was necessary to make your books so historically believable and where did you conduct most of your research? Did you visit the locations where you set your novels? I read 150 books to research my first novel. Some I bought, but most came from the library. Over the years that I’ve been writing the series, I have been able to do some on-the-ground research, and I recently took a trip back East to visit Civil War battlefields and other areas in preparation to write my next book. I’ve also been amassing books on the Civil War in the last year. Lots of books! In the earlier years, I conducted several interviews with people familiar with the areas I wanted to learn about. Photographs were also helpful, as were the state guides produced as WPA projects during the Great Depression. I’ve found several very good online sources for research on my later books. Are you a pantser or a planner when you write? I definitely write by the seat of my pants, once I have an idea for a story and know who my characters will be. I’m doing more planning now than I used to, though, so I don’t spend way too much time rewriting. However, I’ll never again write a complete synopsis early-on. That doesn’t work for me, because my brain then thinks I’ve already written the book. While I’m writing, I make various charts and spreadsheets to help me analyze the number of occurrances of different points-of-view, and events within scenes. This helps the revision process goes faster. I now use a great writing software program called yWriter5, which allows me to focus on one scene at a time. This is important, so that I don’t become daunted by the vastness of the project. A huge upside to using it is that the software is free! I'm a writer too, so I like to ask other writers. 'What's your writing schedule like?' Very fragmented. I’m easily distracted, but when I’m white-hot in the initial draft, I can write for up to eight hours, broken up by short breaks. This is only possible because I live alone. I wish I had a better schedule. Almost every writer I know wishes the same thing!
I know I do lol... actually, I wish my fingers and eyelids kept up with my brain lol. Have you held a "day job" in addition to your writing? Yes. Through the years I mothered my children, and then worked as a journalist, an educator, and in a retail store. I’ve also volunteered with several organizations, doing websites, newsletters, and a multitude of other chores.
Something I'm always curious about... How do you promote your books? I have a website and a couple of blogs, I’m active on Facebook and other social media venues, and I’m always looking for ways to let people know I’m an author, such as giving talks and networking with various groups. I find that word of mouth from enthusiastic readers drives the most sales, though.
Advice to anyone contemplating writing a Civil War novel? Do thorough research, keep accessible notes, then let the fingers loose.
Finally, How would you like to be remembered? As a kind person who could write a little. Thank you so much, Marsha, for being on my blog today... and HAPPY RELEASE DAY!!!!!!
~*~*~*~*~
(I love that book cover!!) What exactly is Spinster's Folly? Marie Owen yearns for a loving husband, but Colorado Territory is long on rough characters and short on fitting suitors, so a future of spinsterhood seems more likely than wedded bliss. Her best friend says cowboy Bill Henry is a likely candidate, but Marie knows her class-conscious father would not allow such a pairing. When she challenges her father to find her a suitable husband before she becomes a spinster, he arranges a match with a neighbor's son. Then Marie discovers Tom Morgan would be an unloving, abusive mate and his mother holds a grudge against the Owen family. Marie's mounting despair at the prospect of being trapped in such a dismal marriage drives her into the arms of a sweet-talking predator, landing her in unimaginable dangers. This fourth book in the Owen Family Saga is infused with potent heart and intense grit.
Marsha Ward is an award-winning writer and editor who has published over 900 pieces of work, including three previous novels in the Owen Family Saga, numerous newspaper articles, and sections in books on the craft of writing. She is a member of Western Writers of America, Women Writing the West, and American Night Writers Association. Born a while ago in the sleepy little town of Phoenix, Arizona, Marsha grew up with chickens, citrus trees, and lots of room to roam. She began telling stories at a very early age, regaling neighborhood chums with her tales as they snacked on her homemade sugar cookies and drank cold milk. Visiting her cousins on their ranch and listening to her father's stories of homesteading in Old Mexico and in the Tucson area reinforced Marsha's love of 19th Century Western history. After many years in the big city, Marsha now makes her home in a tiny hamlet under Central Arizona's magnificent Mogollon Rim. When she is not writing, she loves to spoil her grandchildren, travel, give talks, meet readers, and sign books. Here are links to my author pages at Smashwords and Amazon: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/marshaward http://www.amazon.com/Marsha-Ward/e/B003RB9P9Q/ And links to my Social Media sites: Website: http://marshaward.com Author Blog: http://marshaward.blogspot.com Character Blog: http://charactersinmarshashead.blogspot.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authormarshaward Twitter: http://twitter.com/MarshaWard Online Book Release Event at Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/333393153425853/
Enter to win a free ARC of THE DECEPTION OF DEVIN MILLER coming July 23rd, 2013. CLICK HERE...
Can he show her the world like she’d never seen it before?
Melinda ‘Mindy’ Caldwell had everything she could want. Nice house, high-end clothes. The only thing she doesn’t have is a life…outside her house that is. An incident when she was four left her an agoraphobic-a prisoner within the sanctuary of her home. Besides her sister, she finds companionship in the form of handsome delivery man Jack Eberley. Jack Eberley’s woman of his dreams won’t even leave her house. That does little to tamper his feelings toward her. He finds himself wanting to deliver more packages to her house and help her breakdown the walls she’s built around herself. One night will change each of their lives. Will they find love in the first blooms of spring or will they let their love slip away? “You have a... ” he paused for a moment as if searching for the right word, “liking for the man.” "No. Yes. Maybe,” she replied reluctantly. “Which is it?” His gentle tone did little to ease the churning in her stomach. If she wasn’t careful, she’d give herself an ulcer. Mindy curled a leg underneath her on the buttery soft leather loveseat, tucked long strands of hair behind her ears, and then nervously wrung her fingers together. No sense in hiding what was so obvious. Dr. Stamko’s face reflected infinite patience. He wouldn’t rush Mindy and would give her time to think the question through. “Yes,” she finally stated. Once the word left her mouth, a torrent followed. “I don’t know what to do. He’s so vibrant, so full of life. Jack deserves a woman who is equally spirited as himself. What am I?” She forged on, not giving Dr. Stamko time to answer. “I’ll tell you what I am. I’m broken.” Her hands lifted into the air and dropped again. “I’m defeated.” “No, you aren’t. One can’t be defeated before they’ve even tried. This gentleman might be what you need to draw you out. You need to give him the chance.” “What could I offer?” Pain etched her voice, making it break slightly. Tears burned and stung the back of her eyes. She fought valiantly against the torrent threatening to unleash itself. “Why are you fighting it?” His still gentle tone broke the dam. The first streams of wetness fell from her eyes. With hands covering her face, she shook with body racking sobs. After what seemed like an eternity later, she wiped the last of the tears away and raised her head. Dr. Stamko was smiling. “Feel better?” he asked. “I’m... I’m not sure. I just had a near nervous breakdown and you’re smiling.” “You didn’t break, Melinda. You merely chipped. You see your tears as a form of weakness?” “Why yes. Don’t you?” "No. Trapped emotions eat away at you. They can make you physically ill. Everybody has a different way of releasing those pent up feelings. Some can go through their whole life without shedding an emotional tear. Others find tears are their only course of action. You’re good at holding in the tenseness and stress. But you aren’t totally immune. Honestly, do you feel better?” The question gave Mindy pause. Never would she have guessed bawling her eyes out would leave her feeling cleansed, renewed, and invigorated. She smiled because she indeed did feel better. “I do. It feels like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I’m no closer to solving my dilemma but I feel lighter.” “Good. Now we need to figure out what you intend to do about Jack.” Dr. Stamko sat back in the wing chair and crossed one leg over the other.
Author Bio: I live in South Central Pennsylvania with my wonderful, loving husband and my beautiful daughter. I also have a son who is currently serving in the U.S. Navy. I have a cat named Kolzig and a dog named Cede who allow us to live with them. I love to write and read. I also make jewelry when the mood strikes. I'm a huge sports fan. I love football, NASCAR, and hockey. I'm also a bit of a game show freak. I love old game shows from the 70's and 80's like Match Game and $25,000 Pyramid. Television shows like Criminal Minds and The Voice are also favorites of mine.
Don't forget to enter to win one of five free advanced review copies of, THE DECEPTION OF DEVIN MILLER. CLICK HERE for details...
During her junior year, sixteen-year-old Maggie Reynolds expected to shop for prom dresses not maternity clothes. Now, instead of studying for the SATs, she’s reading, What to Expect When You’re Expecting. Maggie’s ‘Mother Dearest’ lives in fear that Maggie will somehow taint the family name, so Maggie can’t turn to her for help. Meanwhile, her father is oblivious to anything but his 9-9 job. And her boyfriend, Justin? She’s pretty sure he’ll stay by her side. While Maggie wrestles with her options, Justin offers a solution: abortion. It would solve all her problems quickly, easily, and effectively. And her parents would never know, which means they won’t throw her out and cut her off like they’d always threatened if she got herself knocked up. But an easy decision becomes difficult when Maggie’s aunt discovers her secret and sets out on a mission to stop the abortion, putting a kink in Maggie’s plan. Now Maggie must decide which choice she can live with: abortion or teenage motherhood. Either way, it’ll be a tough road to travel.
*Young Adult RONE finalist award and the USA Best Book Award finalist in Youth Issues
* Special Note: At What Cost can be purchased for 99 cents at Amazon and Barnes& Noble for this week only!
“You’re pregnant?” It was a harsh half statement, half question punctuated with clenched teeth.
“Wha—?” Maggie was too shocked to realize what had happened, but when she looked back to where she stood, she spotted a sheepish looking Lauren mouthing the words, “I’m sorry.” “Ugh.” “Well, are you?”
His grip on her tightened. “Justin, you’re hurting my arm.”
He let go and motioned for her to sit with a quick thrust of his hand toward the table, but his eyes revealed his anger. He was furious, but then she saw a hint of fear hidden behind his golden irises. In those moments, she was five years old again, the day she’d broken her mother’s favorite vase. Her mother had loomed over her, drilling her for information. Pointed and yelled.
This time, it was Justin. “Are you, or aren’t you?” His eyes crinkled, his brow furrowed, and a deep crease appeared on his forehead.
Trying to control his reactions proved to be impossible, and soon, his leg bounced under the table, and he wiped the nervous sweat on his palms off on his jeans. This still wasn’t the place to talk. The cement walls of the school were beginning to feel like a jail cell; anywhere she went, Maggie felt trapped.
“Can we talk about this after school?” Maggie said, trying to be assertive. His knuckles turned white as he clenched his fists.
“No, we can’t. If you’re pregnant, I need to know.”
This wasn’t how she had pictured it. She was supposed to plan the conversation and the place. Definitely not in the corner of the cafeteria with people walking by who might hear her secret, a secret she hadn’t decided how to handle. Thank you so much, Lauren!
Justin grabbed her wrists from across the table. “Maggie, it’s a simple yes or no question. Are. You. Pregnant?”
She could feel the rage rolling off him in waves, and she knew stalling was not an option.
“Yes.”
The silence grew louder, and Justin didn’t move. He stared at her, his eyes shifting across her eyes in a quick staccato. She didn’t know she could feel so uncomfortable, so she tried to ease that discomfort by looking away. When she met his gaze again, he glared at her, not saying a word. He never spoke. Not when he let go of her wrists, not when he got up from the seat across from her, not when he left the room. Not a single word.
Author Info: Jessie Andersen lives in a small town in Western New York with her husband and three kids. A former English teacher, she now spends her time writing while the kids are at school and the baby is sleeping. She volunteers at the local library and sings in the church band. You can find information about her books at her website, and you can follow her blogs at her personal blog and her book blog. You can also follow her on Twitter and on Facebook.
I started singing this song out of the blue in the kitchen tonight... and had to laugh.
Do you know the song?
Our piano player, Faye, used to play it at church when I was younger. I sing it sometimes when it pops in my head.. wonder if that's random???? (Nah, I don't think so either.)
So, if you have never heard the song it goes... He's still working on me. To make me what I ought to be. It took Him just a week to make the moon and the stars The sun and the Earth and Jupiter and Mars. How loving and patient He must be... He's still working on me.
The 'He' of course is referring to God.
So, I have sung that song for years and years... never really thought much of it. But tonight I started singing it out of the blue and started just laughing. Not crazy laughter (because that would be weird lol), but more like "How did I not see this before???" laughing. I'm a bit slow...
Ok, follow me here... It only took God a week to make the Moon... the Stars... the Sun... the Earth... Jupiter... and Mars...
BUT He' s STILL working on me...
Think about it.. It only taken Him a week to make the other things.. but he's been working on me for the past 30 years (and hopefully 80 more to knock some sense into me... ).
So, the sun, the moon, huge planets, solar systems... GALAXIES... THEY were the easy part for God. They only took a week!
But the people... OH the people... they take constant work, correction, love, kindness, and sometimes a kick in the pants. Just like our own kids. Making a home is the easy part. Four walls, a bed, toys, and food and you have the basics (of course us, like God, want our kids to have the best so we have those 'Glow in the Dark' stars in their rooms and 'Ocean Wonder' night lights so they can go to sleep watching fishies swimming on their ceiling... ). But if you are a parent.. or if you've been around kids... you know that *THAT* is the easy part.
God has more kids than Jim Bob Duggar (and I so love the Duggars), and He cares for, provides, and loves all of us. No favorites... none barely scraping by. And He loves us so much that as HARD as he worked to give us everything (and lets face it.. sometimes we aren't very appreciative), He STILL makes time for each of us.
I have a hard enough time making time for THREE kids... how about billions???? (That's why I'm glad it's God's job and not mine.. have no desire to be Evan Almighty... I liked that one better than Bruce Almighty, but I digress)
Anyway, just some thoughts that made me laugh with "Well, duh Kelly, it only took you 15 years to figure that song out." tonight. I wanted to share them with you... so it wouldn't take you as long lol.
Now, go sing that song... WATCH THIS VIDEO! You can't deny a song sung by a sweet little 6 year old (I don't know this kid, but thought it was cute.) Watch it a few times and get it stuck in your head...
If you have read this blog in the past, you know that I absolutely LOVE my homemaking binder. (Mine looks a bit different now. I guess I need to do a new photoshoot with it in its current glory lol).
I had never heard of a "homemaking binder" until one day I was watching youtube for coupon binders and this video showed up under suggestions. I watched. I loved. I made myself one lol. It really is a handy little thing. I keep my daily chores, daily to do, weekly to do, monthly to do (because I have to write something down at least 3 times to remember it lol), my meal planning, my bills, school stuff, and some personal things I've added. I use the Bills section, daily section, and calendar section the most. If you don't have one, you really should make one :) They are really handy (I have made 2 pages you can use for yours.. look under the Free Printables at the top of this page.)
Other binder templates I love are at http://www.moneysavingmom.com/ actually there isn't much at moneysavingmom that I don't like!!!
http://clutterbug.me/ has some really cute organizational pages too.
Anyway, I saw this next tip on youtube and I can't for the life of me remember which video I saw it on (sorry). However, I've started using it and love it.
I usually get Parenting magazines every month and sometimes some recipe books... ALWAYS the "All You" Magazine from Wal-mart (coupons!! :) ). Anyway, the point is what you can do to make your binder more "You" and more inspirational is to tear out magazine pages that either inspire you, have recipes you love/want to try, have parenting ideas that you want to remember, etc. I have several pages in my binder now. I have a few parenting ones, one or two relationship pages... one page I have is my dream kitchen lol You tear them out of your favorite magazines, place them in sheet protectors, and throw them in your binder. It really does add a very nice personal touch.
You get the idea. I've also seen inspirational notebooks used alongside homemaking binders if you don't want to put them together. It 'can' start looking cluttered after awhile (I don't care. I like all of my things together in one notebook.)
It also cuts down on magazine piles when you tear out what you find important and throw the rest away. I've went through this week and purged lots of old magazines (yes, I had Life & Style s from 2007 lol.).
Anyway, that is your tip today. Make your binder something you WANT to look at... not something you HAVE to look out. Just like cleaning.. make it something you WANT to do... not something you HAVE to do. WHO wants to HAVE to do something?... I *have* to go to the dentist tomorrow... what fun is that??? I CHOOSE to clean up tonight because I quite enjoy a non-cluttered house (well I assume I do.. I haven't completely decluttered yet lol)
So, there is your tip. I hope it helps you out. Remember... tomorrow is Friday. The big Korraling Kitchen Klutter reveal... I hope some of you have joined me on this Quest. It took me all of an hour and a half (of course.. I made my kids help ;) ) and I really like the results... you be the judge tomorrow.
Much love... Happy cleaning... and Cheerful Chores.
Ok, I admit (I admit things a lot) I love listening to gossip. And it's not just normal gossip, it's celebrity gossip magazines. It's msn.com. It's the yahoo gossip section. Heck, its even Facebook, Twitter...
Gossip is EVERYWHERE. Checkout lines at Wal-mart (did you know that Leo and Blake Lively are dating??? I KNOW!), on T.V. (Inside Edition is all about the Gossip), even the news. They don't call it gossip per sa, but I'm sure some respectible news media reported about Arnold's new love child (and if you know what that means, you are as guilty as me lol).
I was flipping though the Bible tonight and came across this... Proverbs 11:13: A gossip goes around telling secrets, but those who are trustworthy can keep a convidence.
Proverbs 25:23: As surely as a north wind brings rain, so a gossiping tongue can cause anger.
(Side note: The next verse says, "It's better to live alone in the corner of an attic, than with a quarrelsome wife in a lovely home." The Real Housewives of Jerusalem popped into my mind lol... but I digress ;) Basically, if you are going to clean... at least be happy about it! I wasn't happy about it for years.. I finally got my happy on lol)
Back on track now... sorry...
The point is... we have to watch our tongue. When it goes flapping, I... er... we get in trouble. And watch our ears... if someone is talking, don't take every opportunity to listen in. Gossip is the easiest thing to fall into because it feels (to us) like the most innocent. "I'm not hurting anybody." Yeah, because none of us have ever been on the receiving end of gossip about us... doesn't feel very good does it?
Ah, those 'life lessons'... sometimes they are killjoys lol.. Necessary none-the-less...
Much Love,
Kelly
*I wanted to thank all of you who voted for this blog at circle of moms (button to the right). I really appreciate it. I want this blog to be inspirational, fun, and helpful. I hope you feel it is :)
*ALSO, don't forget about our Third Summer Quest :) It's due Friday. I'm really looking forward to talking about it. It was seriously like those American Picker guys when they go through other people's stuff. Who knew I'd find.. well, you'll just have to read Friday to find out (dun duh dun).
Seriously, though, thanks so much for taking the time to read. If you like what you see, please favorite it or push the follow button to the right. And happy cleaning!!!!
So, this summer quest thing was started to give myself (and hopefully you all) some motivation to get to cleaning. Sort of a motified "Spring Cleaning" only in the summer.
So far, we have completed the Shoes and the Toys (click on the Summer Quests page above if you are new and want to do these with me... I really want to be inspiring to people.. plus I SO need the motivation.)
This week, we are cleaning out out kitchen cabinets. I had completed part of this before (there is a blog post here). But I have an island that I haven't touched in years...
This is where this "Quest" turned personal... and touching... and tearful... and American Pickers-ish (ie... finding treasure in places you wouldn't expect).
I found lots of things that I had even forgotten I had. I won't get into it all because I will have my normal post on Friday (and I'm not finished yet), but I wanted to give you a preview with this...
See that adorable baby?
Yeap, that's me!
It's my Mama holding me when I wasn't even a day old yet. I had forgotten I had that picture (even though it's one of my favorites). That lead to tears when behind it I found a picture of the first time my Daddy held me (he died 8 years ago). He looked so proud. I looked awe-struck (of course it could be because he had a green surgical mask on... ). I miss my Daddy...
There were lots of cool things of mine (and my girls) that I found while cleaning out my cabinets and I can't WAIT to show you on Friday.
Who knew cleaning would be such an emotional thing?
I love a good backstory. Orgin movies are some of my favorites. X-Men: Wolverine and Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith are my favorite origin movies. I quite enjoyed watching Wolverine getting his metal skeleton and Anakin Skywalker FINALLY becoming Darth Vader (Yes... I'm a nerd)
So, I got to thinking. Maybe this blog needed a bit of a backstory. It's not as dramatic as losing ones memory, I assure you.
(Get comfy... grab some popcorn.. and in... 3... 2... 1... )
Dun Dun Dun... Duuuuuuuu dun dun... Dundun dun du... dun dun dun dun duuun dunnnduuuudna
A Long Long Time ago... In a bedroom far far away...
Ok, so it wasn't exactly a long time ago... it was more like 2 months. It was around March 2011 to be exact. My friend, Rachel, who is also a July 10 Mama posted a vlog entitled, "How I organize coupons for EASY in store use." (Here is the link... watch and subscribe to her.. she's awesome! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzpulo11Rvs ).
Anyway, so basically this all started from a coupon post on Youtube. That's right... How random is that? No big revelation (yet)... just watching a youtube video in my messy room... and wanting to save some money.
That video lead me to start couponing. I LOVE it! I'm not an extreme couponer by any means, but I do love to do it. I started looking up Coupon Binders/Notebooks on youtube (because I'm nerdy and boring that way ) and found this... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eQg0AY5eyE&feature=channel_video_title I don't know why I love this video so much... maybe it's her voice, but I do. Its where I first became introduced to term 'Homemaking Binder'.
I'd never heard of one before... but I was intrigued! I should say that I can't remember anything. I used to stress out over bills that I was afraid I'd forget to pay, or something at school for K that I'd forget and she'd be left out. I thought this Binder Idea was all that!
SO, I made myself one...
And have loved it since!
Here is my first post about it... http://ohthatmomagain.blogspot.com/2011/04/home-making-binder-day-1.html
So that binder (which I started for bills and for me to remember) evolved into something that involved a 'cleaning list'.
I didn't clean...
That's a lie..
I DID clean. I didn't live in a pig sty, but I didn't go out of my way to clean.
Here is a backstory to my backstory (A Flashback if you will)... Who was going to clean our house was always a point of argument between me and the hubs. We both work full time so it was hard to figure out who was going to do what. We have had our fair share of spats over who was going to wash the dishes. When I was pregnant with #3, there was a 6 months span when I didn't vacuum (I KNOW!... I'm kinda ashamed about that). So don't get the idea that my house has ever been emaculate. It HASN'T... and don't think that it is now... its MUCH better than it was... like 100x better, but I still have small kids and we still have messes which is ok. I'm not seeking perfection here :) Just tidiness. The point being... I never put much stalk in cleaning. My sister has already asked "Who are you and what have you done with my sister?" lol and my mother wanted to know what has came over me... because *I* was the kid at home who never dusted under anything because, "No one is going to look under it anyway." (Oh, I'm sure my poor Mama cringed). I'm telling you this to say that I TOTALLY understand not wanting to clean. However, something has changed inside me where I actually LIKE doing it.
Basically after searching and watching numerous youtube videos on homemaking binders, I went to http://www.moneysavingmom.com/ (which is an AWESOME SITE!) and printed off the sheets for the binder. On the sheets, it had chores to do for the day... and I DID like lists so I found myself completing them.
Then I started blogging about it...
And people started commenting...
And that made me want to do more...
And now its just something that I really do enjoy doing. Its part of my routine.
If you are wondering about my husband and what HE does... let me say that since *I've* started cleaning more HE'S started cleaning more. I found him windexing the windows in the laundry room today WITHOUT ME ASKING (*THUD*).
I truly want to inspire you all to do at least one cleaning/organizing thing a day. I hope you join our weekly Quest (Found here... http://ohthatmomagain.blogspot.com/2011/05/heads-up-our-summer-quests.html ). This week's Quest is to organzize your shoes. I'll post about how I did on either Thursday or Friday. (Congratulations to Kathi-Ann for already finishing!!!!)
I guess to sum up... I've always wanted to be more organized, but had no idea how to start. Because of Rachel and her youtube channel (again subcribe!! She has awesome giveaways!), and searching coupon binders, and then homemaking binders, I have found a system that REALLY WORKS for my family and I sincerly SINCERLY hope it does you too.
I love the south... I do. I love the trees and the flowers and the people...
But..
I hate the south. I do. I hate the trees and the flowers and the p... Pollen.
I had been doing so well this year. Claratin was my friend. I've taken it every other night starting in February. Thanks to my handy dandy coupons, it was always here in stalk.
And then Mother's Day Happened...
All of those flowers at church. The pollen... the sneezing... the coughing... ARG!
It's been a week and I'm still sick. Not like deathly sick, but I can't sleep because of the coughing and actually don't want to sleep because of the Claratin (strangly if I take it a few nights in a row, I can't sleep).
I've been wanting to blog, but blogger hasnt' been my friend. I've had lots of things I wanted to write about. 1 being my top 10 favorite moments EVER of Smallville (that is what I was trying to decide yesterday while doing my Saturday cleaning... *IF* I had of posted that, it would have been Epic. Truly.)
However, something has been bugging me... bugging isn't the right word. Maybe something that has stuck in my head. The other day when I posted my Top 10 daily cleaning list, I don't think I took into account the moms with small kids (I have 2 older kids to help keep my 10 month old entertained) or moms who have felt bad for a week (yeap, I'm SOOOOOOOO paying for my 'clean even if you don't feel like it' comment lol..you can all yell, "I told you so." Now... I'll take it. READY. 1... 2... 3...
*Hangs head*
I have done all of my lists every day since I've been under the weather but like I've said before, I have too. If I get off of the wagon, I'm off lol (Ask my poor exercise bike that is gathering dust now).
SO I decided to make an absolute Top THREE list or things that should be done daily. If the 10 things are just too much. If you have small kids, feel horrible, or just don't have the time (bigger kids with ballgames etc), then here is an essential top 3 list for you.
My Daily TOP THREE Cleaning List: Revised ;)
1. Wash one load of clothes. NO matter how horrible you feel... you will feel worse 7 days later when you are all ready to go out because you feel better... and you can't because you have 10 loads of laundry to do.
2. Wash the dishes. A clean sink makes even a semi clean kitchen look 10 times better. You could have a kitchen so clean you could eat off of the floor, but it won't look it if you have dishes to wash.
3. Wipe down countertops (both in bathrooms and kitchen) Using the Clorox or Lysol wipes, it takes less than 5 minutes, and helps the sense of accomplishment gene glow inside you (did I really just type that? ;) I need sleep... )
I still feel overwhelmed at times. Yesterday, I had just finished my Saturday cleaning (it had taken about 2 hours because, like I said.. under the weather... thankfully the hubs helped watch the girls so I could take my time), and someone spilled coffee all over my newly cleaned floor... And the baby has spit up more than usual this weekend... and just lots of little daily things that happens with a family that has to be cleaned and dealt with. So yeah, even with every list in the world, I can still get overwhelmed at times... but it's not as bad as it was before and I really like that. I encourage each of you to make a daily list. It could be as little as 2 tasks and as many at 20... up to you! Put it somewhere you can see it... either on the refrigerator or your Notebook. Make yourself accountable for making sure it all gets finished. If you are like me and my family, your house will never be 'clean'. But it can be manageable if you choose to make it that way.
Tomorrow, this year's Grace Awards will be announced. My first book, CROSSING THE DEEP, has been nominated for Best Young Adult Christian Novel...
I'm BEYOND excited!
Instead of writing and doing something productive tonight, I got to thinking about 'what if the Grace Awards were like the Oscars'? Honestly, I'll probably never get to go to a big awards show (though it is on my bucket list) and this Grace Award might be the only award I'm ever nominated for (let's just be real here... )
SO, I decided why not go all out and pretend I was getting to go an awards show tomorrow... what would I wear? Who would give me the award if I won? How would I react?
Well, friends... take a peak into my brain...
FIRST is the dress... the very important dress.
I'm torn..
OR
It would help if I told you that this is my favorite red carpet person...
HELENA BONHAM CARTER (LOVE HER!)
Anyway, so I'd probably pick the red dress (but covet the black and white one... )
And I'd wear this bracelet...
(I looked.. it's $45,000 from Zales.com That's more than I make in a year, btw... )
I'd have my hair styled like this...
Get the picture?
My husband would walk in with me...
OKAY, now for the awards...
First of all... these men would be announcing the winner in my category...
Being this is my 'perfect' awards show, CROSSING THE DEEP would win (yay!) and I'd be all...
Then I'd be all... HEEEEEEEEEYYYY I won!
Then the tears would come...
NO, I mean REAL tears...
It would be the BEST. DAY. EVER!!!
NOW, if I were to lose to two amazing novels I'm nominated with, I'd be a little sad--- maybe even a little crabby...
But, I'd get over it and be happy for the winner because it is TRULY...
... an honor just to be nominated :)
FINGERS CROSSED!!
CHECK out the other nominees in my category...
Chosen, The Amish Bloodsucker Trilogy Volume 1 by Barbara Ellen Brink
Seventh Dimension – The Door by Lorilyn Roberts
GOOD LUCK LADIES!!!
Check out the Grace Awards Website tomorrow to see who won in all categories. You might find your new favorite novel!
I'm so excited to announce that Monday will begin a one week blog tour for SAINT SLOAN put together by the AMAZING Megan from Reading Away the Days.
I'm so excited for this tour because these are blogs I've never visited before and can't wait to find new favorite places on the web. We will have reviews and book spotlights. I haven't read the reviews yet, so it promises to be an interesting week ;)
ALSO, I'm so excited and nervous because May the 10th, the winners of the Grace Awards will be announced!! (*squee*) Crossing the Deep is up against two amazing books and it truly is an honor just to be nominated... however... I've never got to say an acceptance speech so I'd love to win and type one out to put on the blog lol. (Who am I kidding? I'll probably write one anyway ;) )
AND Crossing the Deep is #13 in Teen Religion on Amazon today!!! I nearly fell over. It has never been so high in ranks! Head over and check out what the fuss is about.
CROSSING THE DEEP ON AMAZONCROSSING THE DEEP ON B&N (NOOK) Here is the blog tour schedule for next week! HUGE thanks to Megan for setting this up. If you have a YA book, I highly recommend her :)
Saint Sloan Blog Tour Schedule 6th May- Book Spotlight @ http://www.bethannmasarik.com/ 7th May- Review @ http://www.sheiladeeth.blogspot.com/ 8th May- Review @ http://www.authorstowatch.com/ 9th May- Review & Excerpt @ http://www.fatedparanormals.blogspot.com/ 10th May- Review @ http://www.mydevotionalthoughts.com/ 11th May- Book Spotlight @ http://www.readingawaythedays.blogspot.com/ 12th May- Review @ http://justinevandale.blogspot.co.uk/ Giveaway- Win a $25 Amazon Giftcard Giveaway is open to everyone that can receive amazon giftcards Giveaway Ends 31st May 2013 Giveaway will be put on all blog stops!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Megan McDadehttp://readingawaythedays.blogspot.com- YA review blog http://readingawaythedaysblogtours.blogspot.co.uk/ - FREE YA blog tours available TWITTER: @Teamwolf1988
Ok, I'm going to post my binder with one rule: Please don't laugh at it. It's not professional... it's not even pretty. But it seems to be working (I'm not wanting to throw it in the trash as much as I was lol).
I tried to get a picture of the front cover, but photobucket hates me right now... so instead imagine the most awesome, awe-inspiring, greatest thing ever... now think of the opposite. THAT is my cover...
**On to the front page:
If you want to know what it says, click here: http://ohthatmomagain.blogspot.com/2011/04/home-making-binder-day-1.html
I love that it's my first sheet because it keeps me remembering what is IMPORTANT. A clean house and paid bills are a bonus, but happy kids and a great outlook are key.
**Ok, next we have the daily sheets (and again, sorry for the quality of the pictures):
I know that is hard to see, but that's my daily sheets that I have customized from http://www.moneysavingmom.com/. LOVE THEM!
**My Daily To Do List is next...
Bad picture but here is what it says: *Load of clothes before work *Load of clothes after work *Clean table and high chair *Sweep *Fold Clothes *Wash Dishes *Five Minute pick up *Read Bible
And I have added a few things to my chore chart since I've started, so this page needs re-vamping.
*Saturday To-Do List
This is my big Saturday to do list and I usually add things to it as needed. Saturday is my big cleaning day. I try to add one big project to it (like clean a closet or drawer... but it depends on how well my kids cooperate).
*Meals, Menus, and Recipes
Pretty self explainatory, ain't it? lol
*Calendars
This is my favorite section. I didn't take a picture of it, but I color code my calendars. The girls' events are in pink. Unpaid bills are in yellow (when I pay them I roll over them in blue to make green... I know! Awesome! ;) ). This has been one of the most helpful tools in this entire notebook. I love it. Behind it, each bill has it's own sheet protector so they are all there and I know when they are due... it also cuts WAY back on the cluttered counter space that used to be devoted to bill paying.
*School Stuff
This is the section where I put my oldest daughters school notes/menus/ etc in so I can remember it. It's a work in progress.
On the back of my binder, I have our weekly menu so its easily accessible and ready to go. That picture wouldn't load (sigh).
**Things I WANT to do to "T.N": 1. Make it pretty... of course! This is honestly kind of embarrassing to post these pictures, but I don't care. I want to show you a before and hopefully (some day) an after.
2. I want a tab for birthdays. I'm horrible at remembering birthdays... heck, I'm horrible at remembering ANYTHING!
3. I want to organize it a bit better. Its working now, but I want to organize my organizer lol (how sad is that lol)
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the trip through my notebook. Hope it wasn't too boring and that you got some ideas from it... and HOPEFULLY, in a few weeks I can post my new and improved version. Notebook 2.0
Lets just start off by saying that I've never been much of a cook (ok, if *that* doesn't make you want to try these recipes, nothing will lol). BUT (stay with me), I found these 2 recipes on http://www.allrecipes.com/ a few months ago, and they are wonderful! I tweeked them because, well frankly, I couldn't remember everything, but the point is they work and they are awesome! My picky family really likes them.
These are 'Sunday Supper Favorites' because Sunday is the only day I have time to make them. During the week, if it doesn't cook in 15 minutes, I can't/won't make it. Simple as that. At the end of the day, my kids are hungry. I'm hungry. And I just don't have time to make a meal that will take an hour to cook. (I'll post my weekly meal plans sometime if anyone is interested.) SO, I have my simple/easy/easily-prepped foods during the weekdays, but on Sundays I try (*TRY*) to make one of these more time consuming (aka longer to cook) recipes.
Also, these are SUPER easy! Sometimes I'll read 'Easy' recipes in a magazine and there will be 14 ingredients! NO, that's not 'easy' (not for me anyway)... so here are 2 ACTUALLY EASY recipes.
Ok:
First off is Meatloaf (I know, I'm not inventing the wheel here lol)
2 pounds of hamburger meat 1 can Rotel 1 sleeve Ritz crackers (good and crushed... that's the fun part lol) A pinch of: garlic powder, Seasoning salt, pepper (and when I say a pinch, I really mean it) ketchup (for after it's cooked)
Mix together and put in a loaf pan. Cook at 400 degrees for about 1 1/2 hours. (I always check mine at around an hour to see what's up. At around 1 hour 15 minutes, I drain the oil, cut into slices, and add ketcup on top. Then I put back in the oven. Check every 5-10 minutes to make sure it's not pink any more). I know... I know... not the most detailed recipe, but that's just how I roll). PLEASE try this if you love meatloaf! The Rotel does wonders for it! My family loves it. I serve it with mashed potatoes (instant lol) and green peas (from a can).
Second meal is Baked Ranch Chicken.
1/2 bottle of Ranch Dressing Chicken breasts (I use 3 bc it comes in a pack that way) bread crumbs
Marinate chicken in ranch dressing in refrigerator for at least an hour (I put dressing and chicken in a freezer bag and mix well). Take out and coat with bread crumbs. Place in a glass 9 x 13 dish. Cook on 400 degrees for at least an hour. I start checking it at 30 minutes just to see the progress. I'm not going to tell you an exact time because if you are like me, I'll read times for recipes and my food is either under or over done. So, I'll give you an estimate. Ours is USUALLY done at around the 1 hour 10 min mark. I serve with mashed potatoes (instant... of course) and green beans.
Ok, so there are 2 of my family's Sunday Night Favorites. I hope you try them and they turn out super for you! Let me know if you do... and how they turned out.
Today's sweet Saturday Sample-- “Rachel, are you going to hate me forever?” Sid asked as he draped his arm around her shoulder. His dark red coat matched his hat so perfectly that Rachel wondered how long he had searched for a coat the exact same shade as his favorite headpiece. “I don’t hate you,” she said, shrugging him off. “Sure you do. You both do. Carly told me you did.” “She did what?” “Yeah, in the van. She said both of you royally disliked me, and I wanted to hear it from you.” The soft sound of the running water echoed through the trees. It sounded peaceful, tranquil. If only Sid would be quiet long enough for her to enjoy it.
Rachel held on to the flimsy, wooden handrail as she started across the swinging, single person bridge across Deep Creek, which ran perpendicular to the trail. Deep Creek wasn’t very big; maybe fourteen feet across, and appeared more of a trickle than a creek. She didn’t even see a waterfall. It kinda bummed her out. “Deep Creek,” Sid read the sign at the beginning of the bridge and followed behind her. “Original. Misleading, but original.” Rachel couldn’t argue with that. A few boulders were scattered across the creek basin. To Rachel, it looked like if something bad did happen and the water actually covered those rocks, then the creek would live up to its name. “I don’t know what Carly told you, but I don’t hate you. Carly is her own person and can think or feel what she wants,” Rachel said once she reached the other side of the bridge. ”But I don’t hate you. I don’t like what you did, but I don’t hate you.” “Look, I know I messed up. I more than messed up. I screwed up and hurt someone I care about. I know that. If I could take it back, I would. Can you just please talk to Carly when we get to the picnic area? Make her see that I’m not a bad guy.” Rachel didn’t know what to say to that. She had always heard once a cheater always a cheater, but she also knew it was her Christian duty to forgive. “Come on. Help a guy out,” he added in a pitiful voice. “I told her I was sorry. What more does she want?” “You’ll just have to figure that out yourself,” Rachel said, unsure of how to help him. “Just talk to her. Pleeeeeeeeeeeease…” “Okay!” she said just to shut him up. “Thank you!” His face lit up like a Christmas tree, and he kissed her on the cheek before running up the trail toward Asher, who was leaning on a tree. “You’re the best!” he yelled back at her. Rachel stopped walking. What had she agreed to, and what was Sid thinking kissing her like that? It wasn’t like he was letting his intentions be known, as her grandma liked to say. But still, being kissed — even in a chaste way — wasn’t something that happened to her every day. She watched as Sid slapped Asher on the shoulder before running by him, and without thinking, her fingers went to the little spot on her cheek where his kiss had landed. “If you get that riled up from a little peck on the cheek, I’d hate to see what would happen if you got a kiss on your lips,” Asher yelled, folding his arms with that same smirk he’d had at the snack machine. Rachel’s cheeks burned like fire, knowing what she must look like, staring all swoony-- ‐‑ eyed at Sid. When did she start swooning? “On second thought,” Asher said, narrowing his eyes, “maybe it would be a fun thing to see.” “That would imply that I’d let you.” Rachel made her legs move again. “Very true.” Asher laughed, falling in step beside her. “What are you doing on this trip anyway?” Rachel asked, harsher than she meant. Her mouth was in defensive mode. He shrugged, not seeming to take any offense. “Didn’t have any other place to be.” Awkward silence filled the space between them as they walked. Rachel just wanted him to run ahead with Sid and leave her alone. “You should cut him some slack, you know?” “Who? Sid?” “Who else? Yeah, Sid. He messed up, sure. He cheated. We all mess up. Even perfect little Christians like you.” He had a lot to learn about her. “I’m by no means perfect,” she said, her voice hard. “And neither is Sid.” “I’ve never cheated on a boyfriend.” “Have you ever had a boyfriend?” Ouch, that stung. “That’s none of your business.” Sure, she had never had a boyfriend, but she knew without a doubt she wouldn’t cheat on one. “I’m sorry,” he said, almost like he meant it. “Whatev—” “And Sid’s sorry too,” he said without skipping a beat. “Making out with Easy Emily wasn’t the smartest move. One, because her lips should be retired for excessive use, and two because it hurt someone he cares about a lot.” Rachel knew he was right. She’d even used the same argument with Carly. For some reason, she just wanted to stay mad at Sid, more so after he thought it wise to buy her help with a little peck on the cheek. The kiss had irked her. And her reaction to it irked her even more. Asher spoke when she didn’t. “You Bible types are all about forgiveness,” he shook his head, “until it'ʹs you who has to do the forgiving.” “What do you know of the Bible, Asher?” she spat. “Do you even own one?” Without warning, Asher stepped in front of her. She could either stop or run over him; she chose to stop. Her eyes came up to his chest, and she tilted her head up to see his face. That close, she could see how blue his eyes were and the little moon-- ‐‑ shaped scar on his chin. He didn’t look amused anymore, and the twinkle was gone from his eyes. “You think you know it all, don’t you? It’s all black and white with you. No gray areas. All or nothing. Well, guess what?” He moved his hands to her shoulders and pushed her windblown curls back. “The world doesn’t work like that.” Asher lingered a moment, staring into her eyes. He stared so long, Rachel wondered if he was going to kiss her too, but that was stupid, because he obviously didn’t like her. Without a word, he turned and walked away. Watching him go, her mind raced and felt completely empty at the same time. She had no idea what in the world was happening on this trip. ~*~*~ Want to read more? BUY LINKS: AMAZON: http://www.amazon.com/Crossing-The-Deep-ebook/dp/B009NWGMMQ/ref=pd_rhf_se_p_t_1 BARNES AND NOBLE: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/crossing-the-deep-kelly-martin/1113215706?ean=2940015565096
I've had some requests (ok, that makes it sound like more people read this than there is lol... )... Um... I've had one or two requests to post the sites where I get my inspirations, ideas, printouts, etc for my homemaking notebook/binder (I'm not sure what I'm calling it yet... Any ideas on a good name for the 'ole girl'?).
First of all, there are LOTS of good websites if you are interested in this stuff... I, however, haven't had time to look and search for many of them. So here are my favorites of the ones I have looked at. If you know of any more, please send me a link in the comments:
*I found one that I absolutely adore. http://www.moneysavingmom.com/
~It has lots very good printables on everything from daily to do lists, weekly to do lists, to meal planning And the best part is that you can customize the sheets right on the site before you print them! So far, I haven't seen a downside to this site.
~Here is a link to the youtube video explaining her sheets and such. It's actually one of the first videos I saw that talked about the homemaking binders. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEGCT6dgDb4 If you are interested in this topic at all, please click on both the video and the moneysavingmom link. Both are very VERY helpful and informative.
*Another site I found was: http://clutterbug.me/
~This site is a bit more, I hate to say 'professional' because that's not exactly the word I'm looking for, but more... busy I guess. It has more graphics and a few more recources than moneysavingmoms. There is a part where you pick which bug you are (get the title 'clutterbug' GENIOUS! :)) and it tells you how to organize your house based on your 'bug' personality. That was pretty cool and pretty accurate for me. I'm, apparently, a butterfly. I have to have everything out in the open for me to see or I will forget it. That's why I have more things on my island than INSIDE my island. I can't even tell you what is in there. Same for my cabinets. Most of my cereals, chips, etc are on my kitchen counters because, like I said, I'm totally a butterfly. I have to SEE it... which, is kinda a bad habit to have if you want to "clean"/ "Uncluttered" house because that by design is CLUTTER! SO, the site gives some tips on how to deal with your specific bug. (I think I'm going to save my 'How to stop being a Butterfly' thoughts for another post)...
~Anyway, the owner of the site also does daily 'Organizing Tip of the Day' videos on youtube. I love them! She is bubbly, upbeat, exciting to watch, full of great information... but the downfall is... well the downfall is... my next point...
~The downfall of this site is that, though VERY informative and VERY well put together, I found the woman "Too Perfect". I mean, she runs a daycare, has 2 small kids, lives in a 900 sq. ft. house and it is spotless! She deserves a metal... seriously. I admire her and loathe her all at the same time ;)... no, 'loathe' is a harsh word, but she is a very organized person and that can be daunting sometimes to see when first starting out. She's very nice and very fun to watch, though, and her website has lots of good printables.
*The last site is http://www.flylady.com/
~Ok, so a few years ago, I heard of 'flylady' and I didn't know what it was... I still am not quite sure lol. It seems like a lovely place, and I was gung ho about it, but when she started saying "Don't get overwhelmed." well, I got overwhelmed... The benefits of the site is that it goes slow. A nice snails pace to get you worked up to the 'big events', however, I found it too slow actually. I'm a do-er. If I decide I want to do something, I want to do it THEN, learn all I can about it THEN, not shine my sink and then be done with it. Again, I totally understand why you do it and I still read it every day, but while I still recommend it, it's not my favorite of the three.
So, there you have it. My 3 top homemaking/organization websites. I'd love to find some more just to keep going with this and learning everything I can. I actually cleaned the top of my hutch tonight! I mean, REALLY!?! I don't just clean on a whim... but I did :) :) (HAPPY FACE!).
If you have any questions, please let me know. I really want to get a few pages of my own homemaking notebook posted (although, to be fair, they are print outs of http://www.moneysavingmoms.com/ so just go there and you can have your own lol).
Hope this helps!
MUCH MUCH LOVE,
Kelly
PS, I'm not a homeschooler, but I watched this video while looking for notebook ideas and I thought she had a really pretty one. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eQg0AY5eyE Plus her voice! Oh man, she should read children's books. SO Soothing!
Today's post in the series, "How I find time to write" is from an awesome writerly lady :) Her name is Christi Corbett. Here's how Christi finds time to write
~*~*~*~ When I was young I pictured the location where authors/writers did their work. It was always some variation of the following…
The recently showered and fully dressed writer pads down a long hallway and opens a door to their own private writing space. Clutching a mug of tea/coffee, the writer sits down at a comfortable chair located behind a highly polished, very organized mahogany desk. There is a wall of books on one wall and a window with a completely astounding view of a lake, a mountain, or a field of wildflowers. Selecting a full pen from a drawer, the writer/author thinks for a long moment and at the precise moment inspiration hits, leans over a clean piece of paper and the words begin to flow. Then I became a writer. Here is the reality. On a typical day, when I’ve begged and pleaded for time to write, I can count on a minimum of five interruptions per hour. Last time I reserved a block of time to write I kept track of said interruptions for my own amusement (and for this blog) 6:30am Hubby wants to know where the flea powder–dog is scratching 6:41am Hubby comes in room for some clothes 7:01am Hubby brings me breakfast (OK-this one is great! Love him!) 7:09am Powdered, yet still scratching, dog is let into the room 7:25am Kids come in to see if I have any bacon left and can they have it 7:36am Boy twin comes in for a hug 7:42am Hubby needs toilet paper….where are extra rolls kept? 8:08 am Girl twin needs me to fix her hair 8:25am Knock at window reveals family showing ripened tomatoes 8:26am Boy twin can’t find toy army men…do I know where they are? 8:50 am Girl twin wants to weigh herself 9:01am Hubby needs jersey to watch upcoming football game 9:17 am Hubby wants to know if he can pull bread from freezer And so on…. So, that is a typical block of “writing time” for me. Now, lets move on to the instruments for said writing. My computer is ten years old, shuts off at will (usually when I haven’t saved in a while or I’m in the middle of a fantastic run of words), and is located in a peeling wood veneer cabinet that is shoved in the corner of my bedroom. My kids find everything in the cabinet fascinating and things disappear at will. (4-year-old twins find calculators, screen cleaners, coasters, my drafts, and notecards to be much fun to play with). Sometimes I don’t use the computer. When inspiration strikes I use anything that is at hand. Some examples… Sticky notes (they paste so nicely to the computer monitor don’t they?) Backs of envelopes Any kind of paper with a blank space on it anywhere. You get the drift. As for writing utensils… Our pens never have ink in them (my fault since I leave them clicked open all the time) so I’ve had to improvise at times. Crayons Lipstick Dry erase markers And my personal favorite–using the tip of an empty pen to gouge the words into the paper. Trust me, if you’ve got a great flow of words coming to you this will work! It is during these times that I try to remember it all comes down to this… How you write doesn’t matter, as long as you’re writing!
~~~~ You can find Christi, here: http://christicorbett.wordpress.com/
Christi Corbett is a Historical Romance author with Astraea Press. (Her debut novel, Along the Way Home, will be available summer of 2013) Addicted to coffee, hanging with my characters late at night, and the Oxford Co mma.
Ok, first of all, thanks so much for the replies to the last post. :) I'm actually really excited to blog about household things (My poor great Aunt, Lady, would roll over in her grave if she heard me say that lol... she used to laugh that I didn't do 'work'... anyway... I hope I'm making her proud)
So, basically, I got up 15 minutes early today to do task 1 on my list: Read my Bible. I'm such a Bible reading slacker so I wanted to do that first. I read. I wrote. I prayed. I was off for the day...
Then I did my normal morning routine, but instead of having to remember everything and worrying about forgetting something ("Did Katie need something?" "Did I remember to brush teeth?" etc.) I just had my notebook open on the table and when I went by I scanned and checked off. It made the morning go by so much easier. I wasn't frazzled. I KNEW what had to be done and we did it. The girls were happier. I was happier. Score ONE for the Home Making Binder (HUZZAH!). I put my load of clothes in the washing machine and headed on my way.
Dropped the littles at Nana's and took K to school with me. We did our daily things. When 3 o'clock got here, I was SOOOOOOOOOO tired and SOOOOOOO not wanting to deal with my "What the heck was I thinking?" Binder. I might have been cursing myself around that time *whistles innocently*
Got my little ladies and came home to "THE NOTEBOOK" (dun dun dun). So, I sucked it up and opened it... I had forgotten, but the quote I chose for today was 'Never Give Up"... so I sucked it up some more and started supper... which was SUPER easy...
Wanna know why?
Because last night I had planned ahead and cooked my hamburger meat and placed it in the refrigerator. Plus I had bought some Bob Evans Microwaveable Mac and cheese and Potatoes with a coupon so I was ready to go. I warmed my mac and cheese. Added it to my re-heating hamburger meat and added a can of Rotel (my family LOVES THIS!!!!). I heated up my potatoes and opened a can of green beans and I was finished. Total time today 20 minutes!. Score TWO for the Binder!!!
Got everyone fed. Followed my list to wash dishes, clean table and high chair. Then I gave my kids a bath and folded a load of laundry...
And it was just 5:30!
Now, this is the point in this where I should tell you that my evenings don't normally go this smoothly. I'm usually overwhelmed (I deleted the overwhelmed post, but I have felt that way for a while). I'm usually just trying to doggy paddle with my head above water trying my best to do whats best for my kids... get what they need... tidy the house... run this way... run that way... AHHHHHHHHHHHH! And by the time the last kid usually goes to bed at 7, I'm usually so run done... and nothing looks like it's been accomplished.
So, at 5:30, I looked around. I had 3 happy kids. I had a semi-clean kitchen (I DO still have a family so perfection is NOT a goal). And I had... time.
Yes, actual... time. Not time for me to get on the computer. Not time to be scurrying around...
Time.
Because I was almost finished with my list.
The 2nd load of clothes were washing.
The kids had been bathed.
The kitchen had been cleaned.
I was almost finished with my list.
So... do you know what I did?
I sat down...
... and looked at a magazine.
I mean, I had gone from having no time to even just sit down... to having time to sit and look at a magazine. Actually, it was one of those *All You* magazines from Walmart and the oldests were helping me clip coupons (their new favorite thing to do with Mama).
The baby got a bottle at 6 and went to sleep.
Right before my oldest 2 kids went to bed, we did a 5 minute clean. They loved it! My middle child asked if we could do it again tomorrow lol.
The oldest 2 went to bed at 7.
I looked at my list and folded the second load of clothes and made a gift basket for school tomorrow. I have tomorrow's meal planned for tomorrow... and I'm finished.
And it was only 7:15!
I know this is only the 'official' day 1, but I never EVER thought I'd have MORE time while DOING more. I have a semi-clean house. I have 3 happy kids... and I'm able to relax and not think about tomorrow or how cluttered my house is... or if I need to wash some clothes.
If every day with the binder is as good as today, it will be well worth it.
Lets just hope the other shoe doesn't drop...
Is anyone else doing this with me? How were your experiences?
Much love,
A newly energized (but still very tired) Kelly (who still can't wait for her printer... )
Today's topic is Blogging. I'm pretty sure that 90% of you reading this today have a blog (or two or three... ). We all blog for different reasons. I can't speak for you, so I'll speak for myself... I love to blog because it gives me a reason to write. I love to write. Sometimes, I know that what I write doesn't make much sense, and sometimes it might not get many comments (and those days hurt-- lets just all admit that now). But I do it because I love to have some sort of way to get my ideas out. And I love being able to link up with other bloggers and learn new ideas. Since this blog started, I've been interested in cleaning, homemaking binders, writing, the Bible in 90 days, etc. I've learned so much about these topics thanks to other blogs I've read. Some people make money on blogging. I'm not one of those people. I wish I knew how to make money on this lol, but I don't right this second. I'm sure I could use Google ads or something like that-- but, for now, I don't have it. It is a hobby-- a hobby that takes up a lot of time. Why do you blog? Why did you choose the 'topic' of your blog? What is your favorite part of blogging? What are the challenges?
Much Love, Kelly Linked with: http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/
