Christian Homekeeping™

FYI: Smart Phone Users Posting Photos Online

2012-02-11T17:28:00.000-08:00

Gifts from Israel

2012-02-07T22:33:00.000-08:00

My husband's parents went on a week-long trip to Israel and brought us back some gifts. They also said they want to send us!!!!!! Ok, just a bit excited, but it will be a few years away and hopefully that region will still be able to be visited by tourists. They want to let our daughter get a little older so she will enjoy it more. My husband offered to send me to Israel a few years ago but

Let the Walls Come Down - New Friendships on the Horizon

2012-02-06T17:33:00.000-08:00

I came across this post this past weekend and made me realize that there are so many women out there looking for friendships too and I wasn't alone. I've kept my friendship circle so small and limited the past few years, but I'm branching out and it feels good. We don't have any family within 3,000 miles of where we live and even though we attend a large church there are limits on who we can

Notice: Firefox Blog Loading Issues

2012-02-04T00:49:00.000-08:00

Please let me know if you are using Firefox browser and having trouble with my blog loading or the page getting stuck. Also, let me know if it is related to a post with a Scribd document or where exactly the page freezes or doesn't load, thanks.

What About Socialization?........And Other Mythical Questions

2012-02-03T16:34:00.000-08:00

Even though I stopped volunteering that we homeschool, thanks to all the condescending responses we have received by sharing that fact, I still can't escape the looks and comments. The biggest one that most homeschoolers are used to is "what about socialization?" I want to know if anyone could please tell me just what social skill it is that my child should mimic from the public school halls?

Before/After 3rd Bedroom Closet Organize/Declutter

2012-01-27T22:27:00.000-08:00

These are actually from the first week of January but I'm just now getting around to editing and uploading them. I did a video, but with my new camera that is HD, it takes a loooonng time to upload them and it just isn't worth it. I am thinking of just uploading a lower quality version, so maybe later. In the meantime, here are pictures. You will notice that I removed the black storage unit

A True Friend

2012-01-27T00:15:00.000-08:00

A True Friend A True Friend knows your weakness, But shows you your strengths; Feels your fears, But fortifies your faith; Sees your anxieties, But frees your spirit; Recognizes your disabilities, But emphasizes your possibilities. William A. Ward

Snow/Ice Storm Photos & Update

2012-01-22T14:53:00.000-08:00

God really blessed us through this whole storm. While others went days without power, we had power and also while other's yards are filled with debris and trees and branches, ours wasn't! I had prayed that God would shield our lot and not let any trees or branches fall on us and He answered my prayer! Thank you Lord! We only lost power for a few hours and it was actually a fun time for our

Snow Storm & Ice Storm

2012-01-19T12:19:00.001-08:00

In the almost 6 years that I've lived in the Seattle/Tacoma area, I've never seen it this bad. First we got hit with about a foot of snow. Then last night and this morning there are layers of ice so thick, I've never seen anything like it before. We just watched part of a tree break in half and fall and its leaning and possible going to fall on a trailer a few doors down on the next street.

Well-Arranged Time

2012-01-14T23:39:00.000-08:00

Got this the other night in a fortune cookie, thought it was awesome and had to take a pic and share:

Prayer Request

2012-01-12T18:02:00.000-08:00

Hello readers, sorry I've been missing for a week or so, besides turning another year older this past week, I also have been battling some health issues. The good news was 2011 was the first year I haven't been hospitalized in 7 years!! I also haven't seen my doctor since 2010! The bad news is I've been sick for a few weeks, but this past week I've developed some new symptoms and today being

Eating Organic - Almost 90%

2012-01-05T15:37:00.000-08:00

It's been a journey for us as we've gradually switched over to organic foods. In the past few months, we finally made the switch to organic meat and cheese. It was the most expensive switch but one that I think was the most important. We immediately noticed the better taste and quality, especially with the grass-fed beef and cheese! We are now about 90% organic and eating meat only on

Declutter/Organize - Homeshool Room Video

2012-01-02T21:32:00.000-08:00

I finished the homeschool room today as the first room on my declutter/organize mission. It feels SO good to have it all very organized! The papers are what took the longest, but now I have a better paper system I'm implementing. At the end of the video, I did a demonstration of what I was talking about in this post of using a sheet protector and dry erase marker for the to do list. I

Happy New Year 2012!

2012-01-01T00:00:00.000-08:00

I'm excited to start a brand new year and leave the past one behind us! Isn't it amazing how so many feel that they really can "start over" again on New Years? It gives us some sort of renewed spirit and power to try again at whatever we may have resolved to do and failed at. I wish you all a wonderful New Year 2012 and pray that for all of us, it is a wonderful one! A New Year With

2012 Goals

2011-12-31T23:12:00.000-08:00

Call them resolutions or goals, pretty much the same thing in essence. I suppose you could say that I'm resolved to reach my goals this year. Or how about, I will set a goal to meet my resolutions? =0 In thinking of a phrase or word for 2012, I thought of a few words that describe what my hopes for this year will be: Happy, Efficient, Strong Here is my personal list of goals for 2012:

A Look Back on 2011

2011-12-31T22:49:00.000-08:00

As this year comes to a close, I wanted to look back on what all happened in 2011 in my life. My daughter prayed for salvation this year! Our family also finally became DEBT FREE! We paid off the last medical bill in February and rejoiced in God's goodness! This was also the year that I started being able to talk with my Pastor about some deep things and get deliverance. I bettered

Free Printable - To Do List

2011-12-28T22:42:00.000-08:00

Here is a to do list I made that includes tasks, errands, calls and purchases and then a box for miscellaneous. You can put this in a sleeve protector and then use a dry erase marker so you don't have to print one each day. *Scribd sometimes jumbles up the preview. Not sure why some of my uploads look weird in preview, but if you download them, they will correct themselves. To Do List Blank

Free Printable - Room Plan

2011-12-28T22:21:00.000-08:00

I got this idea from this book, however, I didn't like the way she set up essential and necessary columns, so I made my own. You can use one of these for each room of your home as a task list of what needs to be done in that room at various times. I made 2 different versions, depending on preference.Room Plan Blank (function() { var scribd = document.createElement("script"); scribd.type = "text

Free Printable - Things I Want To Change

2011-12-28T21:39:00.000-08:00

I was making myself one up and made a copy for anyone to print as well, enjoy! Things I Want to Change (function() { var scribd = document.createElement("script"); scribd.type = "text/javascript"; scribd.async = true; scribd.src = "http://www.scribd.com/javascripts/embed_code/inject.js"; var s = document.getElementsByTagName("script")[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(scribd, s); })(); Things I

Complete Notes PDF - "Homeschooling at the Speed of Life"

2011-12-28T19:46:00.000-08:00

For those who want to print these out or read them all in one spot, I created a PDF of all the notes combined: Notes From Homeschooling at the Speed of Life (function() { var scribd = document.createElement("script"); scribd.type = "text/javascript"; scribd.async = true; scribd.src = "http://www.scribd.com/javascripts/embed_code/inject.js"; var s = document.getElementsByTagName("script")[0];

Part 5 - Notes from Homekeeping & Homeschooling Book

2011-12-28T19:19:00.000-08:00

Chapter 9 - A Hospitable Home Genuine Hospitality - True hospitality consists of who you are and not what you have. When you are hospitable, you are obedient to the Lord. Romans 12:13 GUEST = Give Graciously, Understand Usual Needs, Educate for Etiquette, Simplify Your System, Take Time Give Graciously - Cultivate a gracious and joyful heart that is focused on others. Understand Usual Needs -

Rearranging Bookcase & Adding Cabinet

2011-12-27T23:59:00.000-08:00

I need some opinions on this and I figured the easiest was to video and describe what I did. I took the black bookcase I had in the kitchen and moved it to the homeschool room to house all of our games/puzzles. Since we play them at the table anyway, it seemed more efficient to have them near it. However, I'm not sure I like seeing them all lol. In its place in the kitchen, we put a white

Just a Note

2011-12-27T19:44:00.000-08:00

I had a change of plans after we found out my husband got 11 days off work. I haven't even begun to do a deep cleaning on the house and I may not because we are enjoying spending time together as a family. I may not get to do all the posts I thought I would seeing how my husband is home. I got a new camera for Christmas that does HD videos, so I can't wait to do some videos with it!

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T00:00:00.000-08:00

We Are Not Alone

2011-12-19T13:08:00.000-08:00

When Elijah was boohooing in the cave thinking he was the only one left serving God, what did God tell him? Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him. ~ 1 Kings 19:18 We are not alone today either, although there are many that name the name Christ and aren't true followers, there are those which haven't