Home Sanctuary

It's Never Too Late to Join In!

Welcome to Home Sanctuary, where my theme for 2008 is "Sanctuary is in the Small Things!"  Each weekday, I am posting one simple activity you can do along with me and a few hundred Company Girls to help you make your home a sanctuary for your family.  Just click on the Company Girl button in my left sidebar and you'll find all the information you need to join in the fun!  There's even a cute tally sheet Download TallyMay.pdf to help you keep track of points you earn.  And check out our prizes this month. We aren't working too hard, but we are making just a little bit of progress every day to make something wonderful happen at home! 

Whatcha waitin' for??  C'Mon!  Be a Company Girl!!

Rachel Anne Ridge

This invitation will stay at the top of my site...just scroll down to see new posts!

Tot Janes

I had a hard time understanding the Texas drawl when I first moved to this great state.  I'd have to have people repeat themselves to get what they were trying to say.  Someone gave me a small book, titled "How to Speak Southern" that I found extremely helpful.  It defined such words and phrases as:

Lot Bub: a glass orb powered by electricity for illumination

Ahl:  a black substance that comes from the ground, used to run machinery

Ay-rabs: people who own most of the ahl

Janes:  pants made of denim

"Janes" used in a sentence:  HooEEE! Them'r sum tot janes!

Translation:  HooEEE! Them are some tight jeans.

Today I'd like to discuss Tot Janes.  As I was digging through my closet to find a suitable pair of jeans to wear in public, I noticed that I have a whole stack of jeans I never wear.  Most of them have been retired because of paint splatters, one has a hole from climbing through a barb wire fence ("Bob War" in Southern-speak), and a couple are....well, too "tot."

As much as it pains me to think that they are too "tot" because I'm carrying around more junk in my trunk, the sad truth is that I may need to go up a size (TEMPORARILY).  Jeans are probably the most important staple of my wardrobe and I find myself dire straights without them.

Jeans and heels?  Upscale.

Jeans and tennis shoes?  Practical.

Jeans and bare feet?  Heavenly.

Paint-splattered grungy jeans?  Sloppy.

Too-tight jeans and any of the above?  Not a look I'm proud of.

A good pair of jeans is essential for those "I don't know what to wear" days.  You can pair them with a cute top and heels and look like you're ready for a hot date with your man.  And who doesn't want to look like that??  Or you can put them with some flats and a comfy shirt and look classically casual.

Today's Small Thing is to take stock of your jean selection.  Do you have pairs that are two sizes too small because you're hoping to get back into them?  Are you still wearing jeans in a Junior size that doesn't fit your "Mommy" body?  Are you hanging on to your favorite jeans even though they are so threadbare we can see your flowered underwear through them?  It's time to let them go.

POINTS:  40 for weeding your "Janes"  down to the pairs you should actually wear.

BONUS:  20 for weeding the "Janes" in a family member's closet (with their permission, of course)

Company Girl Poll: what's your favorite brand of jeans and where do you get them?

Go Clean Your Room. Now!

I wonder how many times I've uttered THOSE words.  "Go.  Clean your room. Now."

I said, "Now."

I mean it.  Get going.

Go clean it.

Stop dilly-dallying.

Fine, if you want to take all day, go right ahead.

But you're not coming out until it's clean.

I mean it.  Get going.

My kids got to be pretty good room cleaners as they got older, but there were many times they would stand in the middle of a messy bedroom and not even know where to start.

Kinda like what I still do sometimes.

I found the best way to help kids learn to clean their rooms is by breaking the job down into Small Things.  Big surprise there, huh??

For children who are readers, a short checklist with boxes that they can check off can do wonders to keep them on track.  For younger children, it works best to give them one job at a time.  And you'll most likely have to help them at that.

Teaching children how to break big jobs into manageable pieces is an important life skill.  Most kids don't enjoy having to work very hard, but all kids like the feeling of pride that comes from a job well done.  You can help them by offering lots of encouragement, letting them overhear you brag about their efforts, and giving them appropriate rewards.  Well, sometimes discipline comes in to play, I'm not gonna lie to ya, but it's worth the effort to keep expecting cooperation.

POINTS: 30 for giving your child(ren) one or two manageable tasks in their rooms.

Let your kids kids help you earn bonus points!  10 points for each child who completes their assignment!

For those of you with no kids in the house (or with babies who can't clean yet), earn 30 points for assigning yourself one or two manageable tasks in your own room.  And don't come out until it's done.

Blame Game

Who could resist these two gorgeous hunks of the 80's? Love that sequined vest, Fab.

It's too bad that Milli Vanilli went down in history as the Musical Group that Really Wasn't.  I guess the real singers weren't as hot as Rob and Fab, who lip-sync'd their way to hit songs, then disappeared when the truth came out. There was a lot of blame going around, not to mention lawsuits.

The Blame Game is one that many of us are pretty good at.  Even small children quickly learn how to point the finger at a sibling or circumstances beyond their control as reasons why they can't comply with instructions or why something got broken.

I often use the Blame Card to come up with plausible reasons for my own shortcomings.

My house doesn't look nice because I can't afford new furniture.

I can't get a "real" job because I don't have a college degree.

I can't be a good mom because my kids are too needy.

I'm not a good cook because I don't have nice pots and pans.

I don't have many friends because I have to work so much.

I don't manage money well because I wasn't taught how to.

I can't fix that because it's not my job.

All this stress is making me short-tempered and irritable.

My house is messy because no one helps me.

The only problem with playing the Blame Game is that it leaves me in a state of inertia.  It blocks my mind from thinking big thoughts.  It binds me to the past.  It makes me bitter.  It affects my home sanctuary negatively.

But I don't want to be like that.

Today's Small Thing is to think about something in your life that you're blaming someone or something for - that's keeping you from taking responsibility and moving on. 

It might be as small as refusing to apply WD40 to a squeaky drawer because "it's your husband's job."  Or it could be that blaming your man for not taking leadership is keeping your from being a proactive parent?  Maybe you're thinking that if only you had a little more help around here, things would be different. Or that if your parents had been better examples you'd make better decisions.

I've got two things I want to work on today.  One is simple:  I've been blaming my droopy climbing roses on my husband for not helping me tie them to a trellis.  I'm going to stop blaming him and just get my son to help me.   The other is a little more personal and spiritual, but I'm ready to stop blaming and start taking some responsibility.  And you know, I feel freer already! 

I tell you, there is POWER in letting go of blame.

POINTS: 40 for Naming your Blame.  Perhaps write it down or verbalize it.  Bring it to the Lord.

BONUS: 20 for taking action. Decide to let it go by tearing up the paper, forgiving the person who's wronged you, and taking some kind of action that shows you're going to get past this thing.

What will Blame will you let go of today?  Enjoy the freedom that will come!

Keep on Smiling

I have a confession to make. 

I have FOUR active toothbrushes. 

I have one in my master bathroom (my favorite brush because it feels the best), one in the girls' bathroom (because I often get ready in there, now that they've moved out), one in the "guest" bathroom (for that last-minute brushing before heading out the door), and one travel-sized brush in my purse for emergencies (like removing an errant poppy seed from a restaurant lunch.)

Is that excessive?  I don't know.  All I know is that I love the just-brushed feeling that a stick of gum just can't give you after you've eaten garlic and onions. 

But as much as I love my toothbrushes, I hate to clean the toothbrush holders.  Maybe because I'm a "neat" brusher and don't have foam running down the handle when I brush, while others in this household jam their wet, drooly handles into the receptacles without so much as a thought.  All that crusty toothpaste that collects at the bottom doesn't belong to me so I don't want to be responsible for it.

Is it me, or is that crust just nasty???  Blech!

Today's Small Thing is to clean your toothbrush holders (or wherever you store them).  You might need to let the years of saliva sediment soak in warm water for awhile before you can face scrubbing them.  It will feel great to see those holders looking all shiny and pretty again!

POINTS: 30 for cleaning one holder

BONUS: 10 each for any other holder/drawer/countertop your toothbrushes may rest

More confessions:  when was the last time you replaced your toothbrush?

Step by Step

We had a very full weekend here at the Barn House. 

On Friday, our daughter Em invited her college roommates to camp out in the back pasture, so we had the fun of 5 beautiful girls setting up a tent and making a campfire and s'mores, and trying to sleep in between the braying of ol' donkey boy Flash and the incessant whipoorwills . 

On Saturday, we hosted a party for the Hockey Team and their families.  It was an intensive barn-cleanup, mowing, setting up, hanging lights, 3 trips to WalMart, and then the actual party day of activity.  I could barely stand up by the time the last guests said good-bye. 

On Sunday, we hosted a Mother's Day dinner with the family, which was awesome, but I left most of the mess for today to clean up.

After a weekend of festivities, I notice that there are a few things that need attention.  Come to think of it, those things need attention even when there are NO festivities.

One of the biggest things that takes a beating on weekends is my kitchen floor.  Maybe it's because we're around more and snacking more, but I don't recommend walking barefoot unless you like the crunch of crumbs and fallen debris under your toes.  Being that yesterday was Mother's Day, I really didn't feel like getting out the broom and doing any actual work.

Today's Small Thing is to sweep or vacuum your kitchen floor.  That's all you've got to do!

Now, if you feel so inclined to mop it, I will generously offer a bonus.  Mopping is a bigger job that takes about 15 minutes, start to finish, and that may be too much for one day.  But I'll let you decide that, since you know what's on your plate already today.

POINTS: 40 for sweeping and/or vacuuming the kitchen floor

BONUS POINTS: 40 for mopping or "swiffering" (wow!)

Hey, how about Bonus Bonus Points?  I'll give you 20 more for sweeping and/or vacuuming one other area of the house, like maybe an entryway or something.

Man oh man, you could earn 100 points today!

It's Good Being a Girl

I was going to title this post,"For All The Moms Who've Jeopardized Their Mother's Day Celebrations by Losing It With Their Kids This Week," but many of our Company Girls don't have children yet or have grown children so it wouldn't have applied to them.  So I decided to expand the circle to include everyone, because we're all Company GIRLS!

I feel a little bit bad for all of our newcomers, and we've had about 20 new girls this week. (Welcome, girls!)  You're going to think we never do any real work around here.  It's just all fun and games.  Shirking our responsibilities, yukking it up, being silly.  And you thought you were coming here to get organized.

Well, you're HALF right.  I can help get you organized to some degree, but Home Sanctuary is not really an "organizational" site, per se.  I wouldn't really know how to classify what goes on here, except to say that we like to have fun and we love to make home a great place to be.  And that's so all-encompassing, there's never any end to the things we can do together!   

That being said, let's get to our Small Thing for today, because today is all about fun!

Today's Small Thing is to celebrate being a girl! OK, you can celebrate being a WOHMAN if that makes you feel better, but today I'm thinkin "GIRLY!"  We girls shoulder a lot of responsibility: life is full of work and care taking and serving.  Those are good things, important things, serious things.

But underneath it all, we oughta be wearing a pretty bra and fancy panties!  I'm speaking metaphorically because we all know you can't smile all day in a push-up bra, but I'm saying we oughta remember that our femininity is what makes us who we are.  We bring intelligence and practicality to the table, but we also bring warmth and beauty and softness to it, too.

Dang it, we should smell good, look fine and feel pretty! 

So your assignment today is to do whatcha gotta do (take care of the kids, work, run errands) but take a moment to slather on some yummy lotion, spritz on some perfume, get out of those god-awful sweatpants, put some lipstick on, or part your hair on the other side...you choose what you'd like to do!  I know it doesn't make sense to wear clanky bracelets when you're cleaning toilets....but then again, since when does being a girl have to make any sense?  Wear the bracelets if it makes you feel good.

Celebrate being feminine!  It's good to be a girl.

POINTS:  40 for digging deep and finding the girly-girl inside!

Let us know:  what are you doing today?

P.S. I'm laughing because my day includes cleaning out the barn, jump-starting an old vehicle and pulling weeds.  Not very feminine work, but hey, I'll be wearing lipstick!

 

I Pray That Thou Wouldst Wake Me Up, Almighty Cup O' Joe

I married a man who does not drink coffee.  He says he doesn't need that crutch to get through life, proving once again that he is one tough dude.

As for me, I go to sleep at night looking forward to my next first cup of the morning, often served to my bedside by my non-caffeinated husband.  For a guy who doesn't know the thrill of caffeine coursing through one's veins, I think that's pretty thoughtful.  But he does know how much a junkie like me needs that first fix of the day.

My coffee habits have changed over the years.  I used to have to slam back a cup of brew after dinner in order to face the nightly homework-getting-ready-for-bed-I-forgot-my-paper's-due- can-I-have-one-more-drink-I-don't-wanna-go-to-sleep routine.  I needed every ounce of caffeine to make it through the last bedtime story and spanking to get those kids to stay in bed.

These days, I can't drink the stuff after 6 pm or I will be guaranteed a fitful night's sleep after tossing and turning for hours trying to get some rest. 

But that first cup....well, I can't live without it.  Or the second.  I can survive on half of the third.

Today's Small Thing begs the question: when was the last time your cleaned your coffee maker?  I wash the pot out each day, but I checked out the reservoir in back and it looks a bit grotty.  I noticed that the outside is pretty splattered and dusty.  Now that I think about it, my coffee this morning doesn't taste as fresh as it should.  I think it's time for a good, thorough cleansing.

POINTS: 30 for unplugging your coffee maker and washing it inside and out.  Now, for instructions on the BEST way to do it, read on:

Ever wonder how to clean a coffee maker the right way? Drip coffee makers need to be cleaned at least once a month to keep your coffee tasting good.

Cleaning your coffee maker takes away hard water mineral deposits, old oils from previously brewed pots and other impurities that can make your coffee taste bad.

A mixture of 1 part vinegar to 2 parts water is the best way to clean a drip coffee maker. Mix a full pot of the vinegar and water mixture, pour it in your water reservoir and turn the coffee maker on.

Once the mixture has run completely through, it's important to turn the drip coffee maker off and let it cool for 15 to 20 minutes.

Pour the vinegar and water mixture down the drain. If you are cleaning a coffee maker that hasn't been cleaned regularly, repeat this step again with a fresh vinegar and water mixture.

Next, rinse the pot out thoroughly with warm, plain water. Then, fill the water reservoir again with clean water and turn the coffee maker on to start the rinsing process.

To make sure all of the vinegar and water solution is completely gone repeat the rinsing process one more time after letting the pot cool for 15 to 20 minutes.

This is how to clean a coffee maker the right way. Cleaning your drip coffee maker on a monthly basis will make it last longer and keep your coffee tasting the best it can possibly be.

Copyright © 2005  Best-Coffee-Makers-Online.com.   All Rights Reserved.

Sick Humor

You know how sometimes you see something that you know you shouldn't laugh about, and as much as you try not to, you just can't help it? 

Well, the other day my man and I were driving on our country road up to town, when we rounded a corner and saw the corpses of at least eight squirrels--all laying within a few feet of each other!  One after the other, there they were. All sprawled out in various stages of impact...some were pretty obliterated while others looked fairly intact.  As we passed by, I couldn't tear my eyes away from one of the squirrels who was laying flat on his back, arms and legs outstretched (obviously dead) as if his last words were, "Jesus, take me home!"

We looked at each other, then back at the massive roadkill, then at each other, and then my man said,

"What's with the squirrel carnage???"

We busted out laughing.  The CARNAGE!  Oh, Lordy, it was sick to laugh at such tragedy but even now, I keep picturing that last little guy with his portly stomach, belly-up to heaven like maybe he saw the massacre and just couldn't take living any more.

What was it, a mass squirrel suicide?  What could possibly be so awful in their nutty lives that a whole group of them would commit the ultimate act of despair?

Or maybe it was a case of incredibly poor judgment.

"OK, coast is clear, everybody cross NOW!"  Oops.

(wiping tears) I'm so sorry, girls.  I know it's horribly inappropriate, but it was just one of those moments that you wished you didn't find funny. 

Because it's not funny. 

Because it's sad. Yes, it's sad, that's what it is. Sad.

If only we could have set up a mobile triage unit, we might have been able to save one or two of them.

Speaking of triage, hey, what do you have for First Aid supplies?  Fema encourages us to have a first aid kit at home AND in each car.  (Now wouldn't that have been handy?) A quick look tells me I've got enough band-aids and such stashed in different places all over the house.  But it's not necessarily readily available.

As far as having kits in the cars, we do pretty well when we go on road trips, but never think of it in the day-to-day travels.  Even a ziplock with a few items in the glovebox would be a good idea.

Today's Small Thing is to assess your First Aid Supplies.  Look at the list in the link and then add what you're missing to your next shopping list.  There's never a fun time to buy anti-diarrhea medication, but it's even less fun to have to run to buy it when you are desperate.

You can get pre-made first aid kits here, and most drug stores.

POINTS: 40 for assessing your triage unit and putting what you need on your shopping list. 

Wow!  This is one. easy. week.

Entertainment Containment

I don't know about you, but we have a problem with stacks of DVD's and videos at our house. 

We have all the old Disney Classics and kids' movies on video (but where is the VCR???) that do us no good because technology has passed them by.  But there they sit in the TV cabinet, caught between shelf life and a land fill, whiling away their final days.

Then there are the DVD's, which have outgrown their rack and have spilled into piles in various locations in the TV area.  You couldn't wedge another skinny spine into their cabinet if your life depended on it. 

And let's not forget to mention the DVD's that have become separated from their cases, like homeless orphans collecting dust.  Those are stacked on top of the stack of cases that don't fit into the rack.

It all adds up to entertainment clutter.  Very Unsanctuary-like.

It will only take a few minutes to do Today's Small Thing, which is to straighten up the DVD's and Videos. Make them look a bit more presentable by reuniting the shiny discs to their cases and putting them away.  I may have to find another shelf to house the ones that are currently stacked up, but I have a feeling they'll enjoy standing up at attention again.

POINTS: 30 for straightening up the DVD's and videos--EASY!!!

May's Verse

The photo for this print was taken by my husband and made even more incredible by our daughter, Elle (Lauren), a digital artist extraordinaire.  It is a Texas wildflower in bloom, the Antelope Horn. 

Ecclesiastes 3 is one of my favorite Bible passages.  It begins with a famous verse,

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven....

and it goes on to list almost every important activity that's undertaken in this world.  It's the scripture that every mother clings to as she cleans up the umpteenth spill or separates two bickering children.  "Lord, please get me through this season of life..."

But I love what this passage goes on to say.  Take verse 11:

He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.

Would you spend a few minutes to think about it with me?

He has made everything beautiful in its time...even in the midst of a heavy, hard situation, there is beauty to be found somewhere.  I know that some of our Company Girls are walking on some very difficult paths right now.  No one would ever choose illness, or divorce, or loss, but sometimes we find ourselves in the middle of a life experience that defies understanding.  There are no easy answers. This verse reminds us to look for what God is doing:  watch for how He will undertake for you, provide for you, comfort you, strengthen you.  He is there, working.

He has also set eternity in the hearts of men...He's placed a searching desire to know God within our heart.  It's as real as the blood that pumps through it and the soul that surrounds it.  We can't escape it, we can't forget it and we can't ignore it.  God beckons us and calls us to Him.  Can you hear Him?

We cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end...but He can see the whole spectrum of eternity and knows just where we are.  I can't count how many times we've experienced something and then realized how God had orchestrated things long beforehand.  You can follow a string of "strange coincidences" and see that He was involved all along, and it strengthens your faith to know that He hasn't forgotten you.

With Mother's Day approaching, I've been thinking a lot about my journey as a Mom.  This scripture has been a wonderful source of comfort and help as I've wandered through both the desolate, lonely times and the wonderful times of great joy.  Motherhood has had plenty of each...and everything in between.

Today's Small Thing is to print Ecclesiastes 3:11 and post it up somewhere you can see it.  I put mine on my refrigerator so I can think about it many times each day.  Use it throughout the month to remind you that God is watching over you and will make everything beautiful in the right time.

POINTS: 40 for printing and posting May's verse

Let us know:  what beauty are you finding in your life right now?

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