31 Days

I'm getting ready to take part in a focus group for the book 31 Days to Clean: Having a Martha House the Mary Way. I'm excited. And a little nervous. But the author (the lovely Sarah Mae) promised it would be doable, even with small children.

So I'm working on my motivation. (like the actors do?)

I want my house to be beautiful and organized. I want my family (including me!) to enjoy our home's environment, surroundings, whatnot...every day because it's regularly maintained. I want to keep up with the laundry. Rather...I don't want to see piles of folded laundry sitting around because I don't like putting it away. I want to be more disciplined so I can feel like a real grownup. I want my relationship with God to thrive because I'm pursuing Him and my calling as Mother and Keeper of the Home with dedication. I want the order in my home to reflect the peace and purpose I feel in my relationship with God.

Let's talk about some quotes, shall we?

"I think housework is the reason most women go to the office." ~Heloise Cruse

"I'm not going to vacuum until Sears makes one you can ride on." ~Roseanne Barr

"Cleaning your house while your kids are still growing is like shoveling the walk before it stops snowing." ~Phyllis Diller, Phyllis Diller's Housekeeping Hints, 1966

Even way back in 1966 (and before, surely) women were trying to escape work. Do you know what society labels a man who doesn't want to go to work and provide for his family's security? Lazy. Bum. But it's acceptable for women to shirk their duties and complain that they have to do all the housework...when that's their job? We wives, we mothers...we provide for the emotional security of our families when we do our job well. So what I'm hoping for is a dramatic shift in my attitude towards housework. I'd like to focus on the eternal effect of what I do. I'd like to be able to focus on "bringing life to the mundane in order to love well." (Sarah Mae)

Let's replace those quotes with some life-bringing ones, shall we?

"Peace - that was the other name for home." ~Kathleen Norris

"The light is what guides you home, the warmth is what keeps you there." ~Ellie Rodriguez

"I am thankful for a lawn that needs mowing, windows that need cleaning and gutters that need fixing because it means I have a home.... I am thankful for the piles of laundry and ironing because it means my loved ones are nearby." ~Nancie J. Carmody

I start Monday with my 31 days of challenges. Hold on to yer bonnets!

Spring Fever

I'm not really deeply enamored with St. Patrick's Day (Sorry, Sasha) but at the moment, I just have to keep reminding myself that the world will turn green again. After several blissful days of weather in the 50s, I'm just not ready to go back to the real February. So I shan't. I'll keep believing that Winter is merely taking its last, gasping breaths before Spring descends upon us.

And hopefully, it won't snow into April this year.

No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn. ~Hal Borland

O, wind, if winter comes, can spring be far behind? ~Percy Bysshe Shelley

It's spring fever. That is what the name of it is. And when you've got it, you want - oh, you don't quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so! ~Mark Twain

See? There's plenty of hope for us all.

My New Friend

Yum.

If you like eating ice cream for breakfast...if you love honey...if you love anything thick, creamy, sweet, and amazingly delicious...do yourself a favor and go buy a cup (or if you're feeling bold, a bucket) of this yogurt.

I felt like I was getting away with something when I tried it at breakfast this morning. I kept peeking over my shoulder to see if the children would try to steal it from me. But lucky for me, it appeared I was eating my regular bowl of yogurt and there were no takers. Bliss!

Stirred

I just finished watching Julie and Julia. It reminded me why I love to write. How could it not? An entire movie based on a woman who gives herself a year-long blog challenge and cooks (and blogs) through Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking.

Many of the blog entries are narrated, which I love. And I got to see Julie typing them as she narrated, which I loved even more. Reading the written word aloud is delicious to me.

I'm not an amazing cook. I don't love it with all of my being. I am not inspired to follow in Julie's footsteps and blog about a cooking adventure. But I have been nudged to pick up where I left off.

It's the middle of the night. Our family has been battling a variety of illnesses over the past three weeks and I have spent a lot of time inside my house. I am currently unable to chew very much, due to some sort of tooth/sinus infection...so I'm a little hungrier than usual. None of these issues lend themselves to eloquence, but my creativity has definitely been stirred.

Perhaps in the morning I'll have something more interesting to say. And just maybe I'll plop myself down on my tomato red stool and type it out for you.

Until then, my friends.

My Name Is Not Madeline

And my husband's name is not Jacob. But I want this necklace. Just with different names, savvy?

If you too desire beautiful jewelry procured through dreamy Lisa Leonard Giveaways, please pop over to my farmgirl's blog and leave her a comment. (And for those of you who go to HPC with me, isn't it a little wild that this isn't our Lisa Leonard? The first time I heard about Lisa the Jewelry Designer, I thought she was one and the same as the HPC Lisa and thought she'd been holding out on us.)

For those of you readers who are men and might not have your heart captured by cute clustered necklaces, let me remind you that Valentines Day is right around the corner and that this is jewelry I believe any woman would love. Lots of different styles. Just a thought.

Footsteps in the Snow: Following God

It's not a new idea, I know. But it hit me afresh last night when I took the trash out. Isn't it funny how the divine can strike you right in the middle of mundane tasks?

I cracked open the back door and peered out into the frigid black night, then noted with relief that there was a trail of husband-sized footprints leading out to the garage. Oh good. I wouldn't have to change into boots.

Of course, sometimes when one is cautiously stepping into deep footprints in the snow, one might not step perfectly into the print and wind up with snow in one's shoe. But one is more careful on the next steps.

Of course, it was my own fault that I got snow in my shoe. The footprints were plenty big enough to see, and there was plenty of room for me to put my foot inside the boundaries. But I wasn't careful enough. After several steps that worked out for me, I got careless and didn't pay as much attention. And yes, I learned from my mistake. It was too late to salvage my socks, but I could keep them from getting wetter.

Such it is with God.

Thank you, Lord, for giving me a path that is easy to see and follow. Thank you that the boundaries are clear and that if I am mindful, I can stay safe walking with You.

The Top Ten Things I Love About October

Yes, I know it's December. A mere less-than-two-weeks from Christmas. But in my harried mind, it is still October. The last two months have kind of gotten away from me. The days are zipping by at all-time record speeds this year. And the only post I really cared about getting up for October was the one in which I declare the many things I love about that orange-y month.

I think it will be easier for me to transition into December-themed blog posts if I don't leave any unfinished business.

So without further ado, I present you a throw back to our first lavish, glorious days of fall this year:

10. The leaves: on trees, falling through the air, gathered and tucked around my house for fuh-reee!

9. The pumpkins: on front porches, on dining room tables.

8. Apples...and the apple orchards. And the fresh honey.

7. The crisp air.

6. Autumn sunlight.

5. Woodsmoke.

4. Cookouts.

3. Bundling up in scarves just because I finally can!

2. Halloween candy.

1. Beginning my personal countdown to Christmas.

Thank you for bearing with me. I'll try to catch up to real time now.