Home Sanctuary

Your Own Little Corner

Our old cat, Buttons, used to have his favorite spots to curl up in.  Mostly, he loved places where the sun came in and warmed his soft fur.  The back of the couch, the girls' bed, a window sill.  There, the light was just right for inspecting paws for dirt and for giving himself a bath.  He could think clearly about the state of the world, and contemplate whether to sleep or simply rest.

I've long admired the way cats "own" certain pieces of territory.  We could learn something from them.

Do you have a special place in your home that is "your own?"  I've never had the luxury of a pretty sitting room, craft room, or a reading nook, but there are a couple of places that I think of as "mine."

1) My side of the bed, where my stack of magazines, hand lotion and reading glasses live.

2) The end of the couch by the table and lamp, where I like to read and blog on the laptop.

3) The upstairs loft, my "office" which is currently a mess of photo boxes and stuff I don't know what to do with.  I dream of really making it "mine" with pretty furnishings....someday.  For now, it is simply functional.

Today's Small Thing is to stake a claim on some real estate in your own home.  You may not have any "extra" space for a personal area, but find a spot where you like to be and pay a little attention to it.  Set out some hand lotion, a pretty coaster and bring a soft throw to make it comfy.  Dust off your nightstand, organize your books, and set out a candle. 

My nightstand on a good day:

Carve out a little corner that speaks to your soul, even if it's right in the middle of a busy living room or bedroom.  You've got to nourish your own need for sanctuary before you can truly make it happen for everyone else.

POINTS: 40 for paying attention to your own little corner

BONUS POINTS: 20 for enjoying it for at least 10 minutes today! :)

Where is YOUR little corner and how will you make it special?

I Fell off the Housekeeping Wagon. Help Me.

I had a wonderful weekend at our women's retreat.  Oh my, those church girls know how to have some fun!   

But re-entry into motherhood/homekeeping/working is always a shock to the system after a weekend of relaxation and no cooking.  I could get used to that lifestyle REAL fast.

The truth is, I haven't been keeping up with my own housekeeping schedule.  I've taken a "who really cares" attitude because I've had so many other things on my mind.  But I realized instantly, when I walked through the door, that my work would be cut out for me just to catch up on the basics.

The biggest "basic" to catch up on is the laundry.  Two weeks of solid rain made me loathe to wash, for fear of backing up ye olde septic system.  See, I like having a dependable potty flush, if you know what I mean.  It's just TOO MUCH drama to have to worry about the risk of flushing when you really need to. So I skimped on the laundry loads in favor of the other kind of loads. I knew I was behind on the wash when my husband announced that he was out of "U-trouse" (his term), which is almost impossible because the man has like, two dozen pair.

Wait, that means I haven't washed whites in.....24 days???  That can't be right.

Anyway, I've got a LOT of laundry to do, and I'm not happy about it.

Just as I was about to descend from my Retreat High to the Depths of Laundry Despair, I noticed my lonely Housekeeping Schedule on the refrigerator door.  Instant relief flooded my soul when I realized that I don't have to do ANY laundry today!  Why, that's not scheduled until Tuesday!  And even then, the sheets and towels will wait until Wednesday!

Hallelujah! My salvation cometh!  All I have to do today is a quick pick up.  I can do this.

Do you have a Housekeeping Schedule that you've fallen away from?  Are you overwhelmed with the disaster in every room and don't know where to start?  

Wipe your tears, I'm right there with you today.  If you've never made a little schedule for yourself before, I've got some good instructions here, here and here.  But today's task may be enough for you to just get your head above water so you can function.  See, we're going to be just fine!

Today's Small Thing is to make 7 boxes in a row:

Now, plug in the major things you need to get done....one per day (or 1/2 per day!) You can even skip days that you know you'll be too busy.

Laundry can be broken up into categories (kids clothes, linens, etc)., Vacuum/Dust, Bathrooms, Bedrooms, Kitchen, Grocery Shop.  You choose the tasks that are most important.

If you've never done this before, keep it simple.  Break things up.  Don't think you have to perform a miracle on the very first day.  Just do the ONE task for each day and feel the load being lifted from your shoulders.  Let's do it together!

POINTS: 50 for making (or dusting off) a Housekeeping Schedule for this week. 

What will be on TODAY'S schedule?

My Cheatin' Heart

I've been feeling restless.  Dissatisfied. Bored.

So I cheated.

Yep, I stepped out on my old love. And the new relationship makes me feel young and vibrant.  Hip and alive!  I'm shimmering with golden delight!

Then why do I feel so guilty?

I've cheated on my hairdresser.

My hairdresser, whom I've been faithful to for years now, just hasn't been doing much for me lately.  I've been unhappy with my color, annoyed with my last few haircuts, and found faults where I used to see perfection in my service. The relationship had grown stale.

So when I was presented with at "$15.00 off a hair color service" coupon for a new salon in town, my heart skipped a beat. Could this be my chance to see what was out there?  Maybe I'd missed out on the glamorous life other people had and I just didn't know it!  I'd have to sneak around.

I made the appointment and went in.  I was highlighted, lowlighted, trimmed and shaped!  How I'd neglected my own needs as my old relationship waned.  Hope that this was The One bloomed in my heart. Then I was spun around to look in the mirror.

Wow!  Amazing!  Miraculous!

Oh. I look exactly the same as I did with my old hairdresser:  A highlighted forty-something lady trying to look hip.  With the same issues with the back of my hair as before.  Can't anybody get it right?

Well, I don't think this affair will last.  It was probably just a one-time thing.  But I can't help but wonder if someone else might be able to give me some satisfaction.  Maybe I'll find hair-love on the sly.  If I can get over the guilt.

Link up for coffee, ladies!  I was a bad girl and didn't get around last week because of the Big Anniversary party.  And this weekend I will be at our Women's Retreat, so I don't think I'll be by to visit until after Sunday.  But don't let that stop you from having fun!  Enter your name and URL below to invite people to your blog...or simply leave a comment so we can get to know you.

Cheat Sheet

Since we're on the subject of cheating, why don't we just go ahead and go all out?

Today's Small Thing is all about cheating. In a good way.

Do you have a sly short-cut, a sneaky slight-of-hand, or tricky move that helps you get your housekeeping done?  Or maybe a clever substitution when you're cooking? 

Then all you have to do to earn your points is spill.  Rat it out.  Come clean.

Leave your favorite housekeeping/baking/entertaining tip so we can all become better cheaters!

POINTS: 40 slick points for sharing a homemaking "cheat!"

Here's mine:  instead of air freshener, spray a furniture dusting spray into the air before guests come and your house will smell wonderfully clean.

UPDATE:  Hop on over to visit Marie at her lovely site, Emma Calls Me Mama!  She is celebrating the holidays AND her 100th post.  Poke around her blog and you'll find all kinds of inspiration from a very creative woman!

A Place for Everything

I once had a friend who knew where every Barbie shoe and Polly Pocket comb were.  I just hated to see her kids bring their toys with teeny tiny accessories over because I knew there was a real good chance that those accessories would never be seen again.

I've never been the type to keep up with micro-organization.  I like to think of myself as a "Big Picture" type of gal: chucking things into general categories works for me.

Most of the time.

But I find that there are daily frustrations when I don't organize enough to keep me from digging through the same piles over and over...for the same things time after time.

Tools.

Keys.

Papers.

Permission slips :)

Paintbrushes.

Pens that work.

Remote Controls (good luck)

Today's Small Thing is really pretty simple:  Make a permanent spot for something that gets misplaced by elves or Other People (surely not YOU!).

Hammer a nail into the wall to hang your keys on.

Put a basket by the phone for pens.

Make a file folder for school papers.

Set out a bin for shoes by the door.

Label a toolbox.

Mamabug sent me a labelmaker this summer and it revolutionized our tool area!  Wow, does it feel good to know where my philips screwdrivers are.  No wonder organized people have a superior air!

POINTS: 40 for creating a permanent spot for something you regularly misplace or have to search high and low for.

BONUS POINTS: 20 for making a label...give your item an address!

Permission Slippers

A few weeks ago, I found myself at home alone.  All evening.

I had a lot to do around the house, and it was my chance to get some things done.  I cleaned up the kitchen and looked at my list.  Then I glanced at the coffee table and saw two DVD's sitting there.

Chick movies.

Good ones.

I debated for a moment, and then finally gave myself permission to relax on the couch in my jammies and slippers, and watch BOTH of them.  With popcorn, no less!

Well, my list was still there in the morning, but I didn't care because I felt like I'd just taken an all-expense-paid cruise.  It was so worth it.

I know this about myself: I literally have to give myself permission to do something for me.  Like right now, I'm trying to convince myself to get my hair cut when it's already about four weeks overdue.  I won't allow myself new tennis shoes, and Lord have mercy, I'm making this bra last until it falls apart!

Self-sacrifice is good.  Necessary, even.  But sometimes we all need to give ourselves permission to live like we really want to.  I'm not talking about splurging on material things, or livin' like a loose woh-man, but doing things that feed our soul.  We should give ourselves:

Permission to cry. To mourn when we've lost something or someone important.  Why do we keep a stiff upper lip when an event calls for tears?

Permission to play.  Oh, we should take a cue from children, who just don't seem to know when to stop being silly. Who really would care if we skipped down the sidewalk, or turned cartwheels in the grass?    

Permission to laugh.  Our problems and burdens are so heavy.  But if we set them down for just a moment to have a good laugh over something, we might just decide to leave them there.

Permission to love.  Letting someone get close to your heart is a surefire way to get hurt.  It's tempting to build walls, to be defensive, to stop caring.  But that's a lonely, colorless way to live.  Giving yourself to relationships is risky, but so very worth it.

Permission to fail. To try something new, even if you fail miserably.  Fear of failure keeps us from stepping out into the life we want to have...the life God wants us to lead.

I've only listed five "permissions," but I'll bet there are a hundred more.  Today's Small Thing is to write yourself a permission slip to do something that's hard for you to do. 

Really.  It's OK.  You can do it.  Just say yes.  You know you want to.

POINTS: 50 for slipping into some permission today.

What will you permit yourself to do?

That's a Wrap

Do you have a Gift Center at your house?  It's a drawer or area that stores gift wrap, tape, ribbons and maybe even some gifts that you may have on hand.

Last year at about this time, we straightened up our Gift Centers and I enjoyed the feeling of luxurious organization every time I reached in for something. See, I store gift things into a small, dark closet, which has plenty of room but really gets messy from me digging around in there.  All those gift bags!  The ribbon and boxes!  The teacher candles!  It gets out of hand REAL fast.

After several months I fell back into my old ways and now I'm once again seeing the fruit of my folly.  Though not as bad as it was last time, it is definitely not an area I'm proud of. 

But here is what I was able to accomplish last year in about 15 minutes:.

Before:

After:

I didn't have the right sized containers for things, but I made do with what I had.  I threw out the ragged gift bags and the tissue that was really crumpled.  Grouping the small gifts made it easier to see what I had and what I needed.  It's nice to have "little somethings" on hand for last-minute gifts!

Today's Small Thing is to straighten up your gift wrap area.  In just a few minutes it could look so good that you'll be calling it an official "Gift Center!"  With Christmas and fall birthdays coming up, we'll all be prepared to be generous and happy to get the gifts ready!

Would you like that in a gift bag or a box?  I've got it right here....:)

POINTS: 40 generous points for spending a few minutes (limit yourself!) organizing

This might be a great idea to share on Friday for Company Girl Coffee!  Let's see your Before and After pictures, or share what your favorite gift to have on hand is!

Legacy in the Making

My husband's parents celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary on Saturday.  It was wonderful.  We'd wanted to throw them a huge party and invite all their friends, but they insisted on keeping it to the kids and grandkids, and a brother and his wife who live close.

We made a fancy dinner: Garlic and rosemary Cornish game hens, wild rice, green beans almondine, waldorf salad, and a beautiful wedding cake for dessert.  We asked them questions about their life together, listened to stories and laughed and reminisced.  We'd gathered family photos and made an amazing slideshow to watch after dinner.  Then we thanked them for the life they've lived together and for blessing their children and grandchildren by passing on their faith.  We all wiped away tears of gratitude and appreciation for the legacy they've given us.

And seeing 50 years of photos made us all appreciate both the dailiness and the timelessness of their commitment.  They've weathered some big storms, but they've also weathered the little ones: irritations and differences that can be like a burr under a saddle if you let it.  You couldn't find two more opposite people, but somehow they carved out a life that is rich in love and genuine enjoyment of one another.  It is quite an example.

Bob and Esther Ridge - don't they look great?

I'm pretty sure Bob and Esther didn't set out to make some kind of marriage record.  Those two young kids did just what we are doing....the best they could with what they had.  And they just kept going, day by day.

Today's Small Thing is to think about YOUR legacy.  I know it doesn't feel like you're making much of one, but slowly and steadily you ARE.  Most people will not get to have a 50th anniversary, but everyone will leave something behind: memories, time spent, faith passed on, handmade quilts, photos.  The minutes and days of caring for children, working at jobs, making dinners and cleaning up messes add up to something important. Even the peanut butter sandwiches add up to something pretty sweet, because they are made with love.

As you move through your day, take time to cherish the story God is writing.  Even if you are in one of life's valleys, remember that He is working.  Pause to pray for your children (or future children), for your spouse (or future spouse).  See the things you do today as an investment in the legacy you are leaving.

POINTS: 40 for praying for your family, and seeing the dailiness of your love as a legacy for the people in your life.

As Promised, the Fashion Past that Haunts Me

I love how the sunlight captures the essence of fried 80's hair.

Casual in my roomy shorts. I remember wishing this lime green T shirt had shoulder pads. 

If only.

Could these shorts be ANY bigger?  Seriously, this was the 90's and I should have known better by then.  Those babies are almost up to my rib cage!

I'm still looking for a photo of me from when I was in a fashion show, proudly showing off the  late-80's casual wear.  It's just funny on so many levels.  I'll keep looking and will post it when I find it.

The Unfortunate Waste of My Youth on High Waisted Jeans

I know, TWO fashion posts in one week!  That brings my total fashion posts to um, two in over three years of blogging.  Stop me, I’m on a roll.

So I’ve been sorting through our family photos for a slide presentation for my in-law’s 50th anniversary.  It’s been really fun to look through our family’s history and see our children's lives unfold, envelope after envelope of photos. (Yeah, they are all in envelopes.)

And though I am but a mere shadow of existence in our photos, one thing is abundantly clear: my youthful figure was horribly wasted on the styles I wore.  The high-waisted, pleated pants that tapered to the ankle were a cruel joke of eras gone by.  Back then, I weighed a waif-like 115 pounds (cry) but the oversized tops and unflattering pants did nothing, NOTHING for my figure!  Oh, I choke back the bitter tears when I realize now how I glibly took a flat stomach for granted.  How I hid my skinny arms in billowy sleeves and my thin thighs in yards of pleated denim.  And the little crocheted Peter-Pan collars did not help the look, I’m sad to say. People, my skinniest years were a complete tragedy of style choices!

Let’s not even discuss the hair disasters, which also mar my past. Suffice to say that the years I spent with a “good perm” brings new meaning to the term “oxymoron.” 

My grief consumes me. 

Since I am much too bitter to even THINK about a Small Thing today, help me by doing something about terrible waste. I believe we should keep things easy by simply emptying waste cans.  

I know we’ve done this many times before, but really, couldn’t we do it every week and still have trash to throw out?  My kitchen trash gets taken out regularly.  It’s the office waste cans and the bathroom waste cans that overflow with stuff.  We can lift our spirits (because I know you all grieve WITH me today) by getting points for each waste can emptied.

EACH!

Points: 10 per waste can that gets emptied today.

And let's commiserate about our checkered fashion past, the angst of fashion present, or simply the sorrow of having nothing to wear over coffee today.  Well, actually, you can talk about ANYTHING that crosses your mind, because that's what Company Girl Coffee is all about.  Meanwhile, I will try and post some photos of my haute couture for your viewing pleasure.