That Elephant Sure Looks Awful Large...

It's the second week of January.




I am still working on how to put the rest of the year together amidst the daily hustle and bustle of life that needs sorting too.



I got up early and got myself going. I mean I took out my 'Home Blessing Hour' to-do list and went to town!




I tried not to obsess-honest I did, but some of the details proved too hard to ignore. So I spent a good hour in my room and the master bath-obsessing. But it looks good and my sheets went through the wash, dried on the clothesline and are back on the bed.




On to the kitchen, which for me is Zone 2. I didn't worry as bad in there since it's Kitchen Week and I'll be in there doing all the little extras that get overlooked on regular weeks. I did get all dishes done (the soaking pans), the counters wiped, the washer and dryer washed off and the floor mopped. Hopefully, I will get to work on those curtains I've been trying to get going for a few weeks now. Just trying to dress it up in there until we can get to the remodeling project we always talk about.




That was the extent of my Home Blessing Hour (which took more than an hour). I had to take my Mother-in-Law to her Doctor appointment. That cut my day, but I got to spend time with her, which is something I enjoy very much.




I got home at 4:15 and set to making dinner-leftovers for the most part. I know some people who throw all their leftovers away. That does not happen here! We try to be very frugal and not waste any food. If something is not finished, which does not happen very often, it goes to the chickens or pigs, if we have any growing.




I did manage to get two more loads of laundry done to hang down in the basement by the woodstove. Clotheslines, racks and hangers. I love hanging laundry. We stopped using the dryer for the most part, unless there is a very random emergency we don't even think about it. Propane is way too expensive and we use it for hot water and the stove. Dave put in sufficient clothesline for me and I can easily do many loads if necessary. I love to iron too-I know, I'm strange!




So...I am still working on these hourly activity sheets, daily activity sheets, monthly activity sheets, yearly activity sheets, print outs, downloads, ebooks, planners, binders and the like! Whew!!! I hope I can get it all together before June! This is just so new to me and waaaayyyy over my head. I am sort of a 'spur of the moment' type girl.




So, knowing my thirst for the latest life-changing reading material, I'd like to mention another read I can't help myself over.


I got a little tidbit in my email from Crystal Paine at Money Saving Mom. She's offering an ebook that appeals to my ever growing collection of life-changing ebooks. It's called 21 Days to a More Disciplined Life. Most likely I can glean many things from it and apply them. Since I'm in the middle of major-life-overhaul, I may as well go for the gusto!




BUT...what I'm really looking forward to is her book coming out The Money Saving Mom's Budget. I have never had a budget. There I've said it. And yes, my finances show for it. And yes, it's even harder since we decided I would be a keeper at home (but well worth it I might add)! Still, on top of that, all overtime at work has been squashed. And we still have 6 of us here at home! So, it's something I am looking forward to reading too. Crystal (and some other bloggers that I will mention over time I'm sure) has been a Godsend to me. She is generous and shares her information quite freely. She is truly a blessing. So, click the link and go pre-order. The book comes out on January 10th, 2012-that's tomorrow!




Tomorrow I hope to really sit down with what I've accomplished schedule-wise so far and get it on here to share with you all. Nothing will be set in stone and things may move around, but it will be further than I've ever been, and I'm totally thrilled about that!




So many things to get in order! I'm tired of winging it! Can't wait to see all we accomplish this year! We have lots of plans and ideas, so many things have changed in our lives that it makes it necessary to do things a bit differently than we've done in the past. But with the Lord's help, we can do anything!

Father, I praise you for your order and discipline in this life, that we may be all the more useful for your Kingdom as we live out those principles here, for all the world to see.

Praise Him for the grace and strength to be honest with yourself as you are called to die, fall in the ground and grow to a strong tree, able to bend with life's storms and yet grow fruit fit for the Master's use. It is no small thing to serve God in the Home-Sweet Things.