"Hell Hole to Haven in One Week Flat!"

Ok so, as I moped around the house last week, asking the inevitable "Why Me?" questions, something came to me.. My home, my balance, my life is in the chaos it is in because of something I am doing. right? So I scoured the internet in search of answers.. hours upon hours, I spent, searching. (those of you who know me, KNOW that I can research the hell out of anything!). I looked high and low for answers, how do I bring it all back under control.. the house, the laundry, our schedule, my business.. It took DAYS of research and in the end, I came to no further of a conclusion then where I had began.. But the answer DID come! it was a light bulb moment that hit me days after the research and inquiries were far gone.

THERE ISN'T ONE.

That's it. What had I been searching for? A magic pill.. a formula of some kind that I could mix in a bottle, sprinkle across my kitchen and watch the haven I have been looking for appear?! that wasn't happening. I had researched, and researched.. and the truth was, I knew it all already! I hadn't learned anything new. I read and re-read the same answers I had read 2 years ago, when the same boat capsized! I know about flylady, I know every group on yahoo, every homekeeping site on the web, every book, every method, I have been there.. done them all and failed at each and every one! :-) SO, what was the answer?

IT wasn't WHAT I was doing, it was what I WASN'T doing!

fatigue. kids. lack of sleep. over-scheduling. yada, yada, yada.. if there's an excuse out there, I've used it! well, clearly the problem is that NOTHING is getting done.. no, the problem is that I am DOING NOTHING! (don't fight me on that, I have plenty of proof!) Everything I read tells me to take it slow..15 minutes here, half an hour there, baby steps... Right? for me? Wrong! I'm no good at baby steps, so for the next week, I will be taking this hell hole I call my life, and making it into the haven I want to be a part of. With Gods guidance, this 1 week boot camp, will put me back on track and keep me there.

WHAT'S DIFFERENT NOW!?

I know, I asked the same thing? What will make this time any different then the other times. This time.. I have MY answer..

It wasn't WHAT I was doing, it was what I WASN'T doing!

I've learned that every bit of it boils down to discipline! Yep, DISCIPLINE! That's the difference! That's the one thing that not too many homemaking sites and methods talk about, and you know what? THATS what it takes. The discipline to get up when your body says no. The discipline to shut up when you wanna say what's on your mind. The discipline to keep on going when all you want to do is stop. The discipline to shut it down, when you want to keep on going. The discipline to Do what I say I will DO. The most successful people in the world, are that way because they have disciplined themselves beyond what the average joe cares to deal with (a very difficult place to be for a naturally un-disciplined person).

SO!

THIS week, I will get up off of my lazy butt, EVEN when I don't feel like it and do the things I have scheduled to do. THIS week, if I am too tired because I stayed up too late - SUCKS to be me! THIS week, NO excuse will be enough. THIS week - By the power of God, I will BE disciplined, i will commit to making it happen.. because frankly, that's ALL. IT. TAKES.

Tackle it Tuesday!!!

.. begins again!  with.... CLUTTER.. oh, the big C word is my home's greatest downfall!!  So, I have NO choice but to take part in the big declutter.. I'll pick a spot later and DD and I will knock it out and post our before and after pics.  Wish my luck! I'm gonna need it! 

ps:  Thank You, 5 minutes for mom for motivating me to this end!  (can you tell where I spent time this morning? she has some awesome pics of her cluttered zone destroyed!) 

Playsilks, Puppies & Soap, Oh my!

So what on earth have we been up to?? So much!
Making homemade toys, soap and getting our little pug Pinky re-adjusted to being home. (See previous posts below for details on each)

In an effort to rid our home of plastic-blinky-blinky-blinky-non-imaginative toys, we are on a quest to make new, fun, natural material toys to replace the ones we're just gotten rid of. One of which are these lovely playsilks! What is a playsilk -- hmm.. here's a good definition. We had so much fun dying them with koool aid yesterday, and dd and son began having fun with them almost immediately.


In addition to the playsilks, we've been playing around with wool roving, making felted balls and fairies. What fun that was! Click below to flip through the pics to see the felt ball making fun!

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The kids had a ball! And it was a most impressive science project!


Many of our toys are typical Waldorf inspired toys ~ very simple toys, faceless dolls (to make way for imagination) and natural materials. DD has also been on a very big Fairy kick and added fairies to our list toys to make. Here is her first Waldorf inspired fairy, named Angelica. We plan to make more very soon, and with each go, we plan on getting better at it! ;-)

All of the wool roving for this project and the felted balls, was given to us by some dear fellow ravelers, who read about our interest in natural wool toys, and donated some wool to experiment with! From color dyed, to natural combed wool to raw wool straight from the sheep! This little play has provoked some kind of a desire to play with wool (oh no! Could the spinning bug be hitting home!), and as such we have 2 LB of roving on order from The Sheep Shed Studio. Maybe I won't spin it.. {clearing her throat}, I simply DON'T have time...
...TO BE CONTINUED.

So, I decided to show my gratitude to these generous wool-giving ladies, by sending them some handmade soap we recently made. That was another fun venture. Click through the stack below to see the process (you can also click to enlarge and see a description.:

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In more news ~~ Pinky is home and settling in just wonderfully!


She did have a vet appointment yesterday for a small imperfection we spotted in her eye. All is well, however, and we left with some eye drops to administer 3 times a day.... oh joy! But hopefully, this will mean clear, beautiful eyes for a long time to come.




Until later..

n

I turn my back for 10 seconds....

So, here's why I should NEVER turn my back on the kids to ask the sales person a quick question, right?

I turn my back for just a quick question, and I turn back to my baby boy dressed like the missing princess from YMCA! Oye Vey! My poor baby.. do you see the eveil fairy godmother back there? Yes, she's the culprit!

Needless to say the people around me thought this was hilarious, Daddy? ~ not so much.. LOL


We are very close to starting our new school year, our Sonlight curriculum is here and looks VERY interesting! We're really excited to get started. DD had such a great time putting together the castle box that the books came in! All we need to get now is our handwriting from Abeka and Math U See and we're all set!

Listen In:
Birds? chirping? Yes! Early morning bird songs are so pretty.

View from the front window:
Kids at play, must be spring break?

Supper Plans:
Fish

In the garden:
Gardening Plans: We will begin out Square Foot porch garden any day now! Hubby bought the wood, now I wait!

Beauty in the common things:
We are so blessed to have a home, our health and so much of everything we take for granted!

On the Needles:
Silk Sleeves, Koolhaas hat, and finally, my Shetland Triangle! (Thank YOU Trudi!), Socks and Chevron Scarf.

Something New:
Baby boy is walking! (he's actually been walking for about a month, but I forgot to tell you.. hehe) and Video Podcasts!!! LOVE Vcasts, and this one --> Lets Knit2gether, in particular!

n

Hats, Scarves Bags, and Boxes

Boy, what a bunch of updates I have! I have been so bad at keeping everything updated, but I will truly try much harder to stay up to date here. Our horrible HughesNet connection is partly to blame, and the rest is simply time. I think if my connection as faster, my time issue would probably resolve itself. But, until then.. we carry on.. :-)

First, a FO:
My dear sons new hat, scarf and mitts set! Isn't he a cutey pie!

And a WIP:


Chevron Scarf
Pattern: Scarf Style by Interweave Press
Yarn: Bernat Softee Chunky

I've wanted to try this pattern, and being a new knitter, decided I would do this in a solid color first time around, not expecting much.. I L-O-V-E it! The pattern is really very, very simple, and produces such lovely results ~ even in a solid color. Can't wait to see it some to life in color!


We are gearing up for our new Homeschool year (yes, we start just about anytime during the year!). Our Sonlight curriculum just arrived in the mail and it looks like so much fun! Now, we await our Math U See Beta and Abeka Cursive Handwriting and we're off the the races! It's also time to get our reading list in for the six flags 6 hour reading program and time to sign up for the Pizza Hut Book It! program.

On the home front:

Listen In:
Momma's sweet baby crying sleepily as he learns to fall asleep on his own..

View from the front window:
Nippy, nippy.. wait! Is that snow?!

Supper Plans:
Cabbage and Ground turkey (Yum!)

In the garden:
Gardening Plans: We will begin out Square Foot porch garden any day now!

Beauty in the common things:
The peace of sweet baby boy finally falling asleep (yes, that quickly!) and the quiet time between then and the moment I lay my head down (The ONLY few tranquil minutes I have all day!)

On the Needles & Hooks:
hmm, lets see: 2 hooded scarves that are just draaaging on.. , socks, sleeves & a Chevron scarf. In the next week: Another diaper soaker for the baby, Tiramisu Baby Blanket (gift), Koolhaas hat and the Hemlock! (Yes! Can't wait!)

Something New:
My beautiful new Lexie Barnes Lady B knitting bag! Love it! All the room I need, I can get a few small project, a couple of large projects, all my needles and all my every day stuff (including a diaper!) in this bag! It's water proof, has sturdy, non-slip shoulder straps, double zipper, matching needle cases, TONS of pockets, and is absolutely gorgeous to boot! (see pics below!)

n

Breakfast in Bed... :-D

DD decided that she would make Breakfast today, since I've been under the weather the past few days. She decided toasted Blueberry Bagels and butter were in order, and a delicious cold cup of milk. She also decided that this pretty serving plate would make a grand compliment to her breakfast plan! Pretty decisive for a 5 yr old, I think! So we sat in bed together and ate our bagels and shared our cup of milk. It was a delight!

n

Favorite Breakfast recipe!

HPIM4763.JPG
Originally uploaded by Ngabriel

After much trial (and gnashing or teeth!), I have finally completed my menu plan! And in celebration, I am exploiting my absolute favorite breakfast recipe ~ Dutch Puff! Have you heard of it, you probably have. I came to know it through a blog that I visit often, and it has become a lethal weapon in my menu planning arsenal (especially with baby around!). I love it because I can quickly throw (literally) together 3 quick ingredients, and beat up and store in the fridge overnight. Then in the morning, pre-heat the oven, pour and oven bake for a few minutes! It cannot get any easier. We have it with pure maple syrup, molasses, bananas or fruit spread or preserves! mmmm! If you haven't heard of it, here is the recipe, courtesy of Kim @ Large Family Logistics:

Dutch Puff

2 cups freshly ground pastry flour or what ever you have on hand
2 cups buttermilk, milk, or cream
8 eggs
1 stick of butter

Put all ingredients except butter in your blender. Blend until smooth. Let sit overnight. In the morning put one stick of butter in a 9x13 pan and place in oven while it is preheating to 425. Blend ingredients again and add to baking dish. Cook for 20 minutes. It will puff up real big and then deflate once it has set out a few minutes. Top with Blueberry Sauce or maple syrup.
Wheat free version: use 1 cup rice flour and 1 cup tapioca flour


Enjoy!

n

GoldenRod

While going through one of my DD's Prairie Primer lessons, one of the assignments was to draw Goldenrod and research it's uses. After gleaning inspiration from Like Merchant Ships (one of my favorite reads! :-D) , I came to realize that this herb is the same nuisance weed that grows abundantly along Ga highways & roadsides! And... after doing some more digging, I discovered the herbs wonderful therapeutic properties ~ a long time home remedy, often used as a tea to treat urinary tract infections & kidney stones. And, when in harmony with a few "roadside florals," I think it makes for an adorable arrangement!

n

Living Room Done! Yaaaaay!

I am done with my living room!




It took some time, and made for a very complicated week, but I am glad it is done. I wasn't able to do my curtains, because turns out the rod was too short, but as soon as I can exchange it, my curtains will be up as well! And I was able to give the gift of hospitality already this Sabbath! It was great to have people here, and so much fun. My house is finally feeling like a home. Now to move on to my other projects!

n

A Site to Remember : Lady Lydia Speaks

A lovely site that I am learning quite a bit from is Lady Lydia Speaks, a sub-site of Ladies Against Feminism [LAF]. Topics like Homemaking, Feminine Dress, Hospitality, Manners & The Arts are covered. Read one of the many articles, or visit the store or message boards. Here is one of my favorite articles on keeping the home tidy. Her website is fabulous as is her blog! Also be sure to check out her articles on the LAF website, by clicking on "Lady Lydia Speaks" in the left navigation bar after you enter the site. Enjoy!

Amazing Fabric Prices!

So, the color of our walls somewhat surprised us. See, they were to be a beautiful serene sand color. It is a textured paint, and has tiny black specks throughout. Well, we bought 4 gallons of it FIVE years ago!!! LOL (I know!) But, we opened it last week and it looked great! We painted and all was well, until it dried ~ at which time it took on a greenish tone. So now the room's walls are an earthy maroon and green! Ok! I'll work with that! I am going to make my own throw pillows and table cloths for end tables. So, I went looking for fabric. Of course Walmart's $1 fabric section was my first stop! But, to no avail, no upholstery fabric there. And their regular upholstery fabric was $8/yd. Yikes!!! So, a friend of mine mentioned a place, and took me there last week. PHENOMENAL! A warehouse, nothing particularly pretty, but if your willing to jump into the HUGE pile of remnant fabric, you will be rewarded with a "50 cents per pound" price tag!!! I was able to get these fabric remnants, all for $3.25! And an extra $1 for 2 lbs of fabric my DD picked out for herself. I'll never shop anywhere else for fabric EVER again! ;-D


I believe I will use the darker solid & rose print on the side end tables... the solid as table cloth, and the roses as a runner. I will be making 3 huge floor 'throw' pillows, for extra seating, from the lighter solid in the background.







And these will be my coordnating sofa throw pillows. I'll also be using the piping on everything to pull them all together a bit!

$3.25! Did I already mention, I'll never shop anywhere else for fabric EVER again!
n

Looky, Looky what I found!

Well, since the floors are finally done, I've decided that it's time to create an inviting atmosphere in the living room this time around, so I can feel good about being hospitable, instead of feeling like the room is bombarded with clutter. In the past, I had a lovely (but LARGE) table in the corner that has served as my office. Well, this time I really wanted something smaller that could fit in the corner, and not be so obvious. I prayed for guidance, and decided that an old desk downstairs, although big and tall, wasn't quite as big as the old table, so I'd use it! Then one night , last week, I went o church for an evangalistic meeting. and on the back of a church members truck was this beauty! In the middle of it was a sign that said "FREE to anyone who is interested!". I could have jumped for joy!!! A little cleaning up and polishing, and this baby will be absolutely quant in our *new* living room! Thank You Lord for your angel kisses!

n

Our floors are done!

I am so happy and grateful for our new hardwood floors. We decided to go with Hemse flooring from Ikea. VERY affordable and they look great down. Now I will say, that this seemed to be a 2 man job, although hubby did most of it on his own. A family relative came by for some time to help out a bit and the rest went down fine! We went ahead and painted to walls since the disgusting carpets were up anyway, and it all came out very nice!