Home Sanctuary

Turn in May Points

Can you believe it is the end of May? Next to December, May is the month that is usually chock full of activities and events - and this one was no different.

Today, our Small Thing is to tally up the points you earned this month by playing along with Home Sanctuary's easy tasks. It is very simple.

There are two steps:

1. Email your point total number to me at [email protected].  Just sharpen your pencil and add up what you've done this month! Please be sure that you only give yourself points for the tasks you completed on the days they were assigned (or within the timeframe given). No cheating and "catching up" all at once on the last day! That would defeat the whole purpose of daily Small Things, right??

If you simply want to be entered into the Random Drawing, let me know in an email as well. Anyone is eligible for the drawing...no adding of points required.

2. Leave a comment, letting us know which Small Thing you enjoyed/needed the most this month. I love reading which things you liked....and I think everyone else does too!

You even get points for doing today's Small Thing.

POINTS: 40 for the two steps: sending your email, and leaving a comment...good toward May's total. If you've already won for Most Points previously, you won't be eligible to win again, sorry. I'll collect points/emails until midnight Wednesday, June 1 CST. 

As a reminder, here is what we are playing for. The Most Points Winner will receive this:

And just for fun, how about if the Random Drawing Winner receives a smaller version of this same art piece? All you have to do to enter is send in your name and leave a comment. Don't forget you have until midnight on Wednesday, June 1.

Song of the Day: Some Kind of Wonderful

 

Company Girl Coffee 5.27

This week, I finished that painting project I told you about - the wainscot in the stairway that never got done. I was HORRIFIED to see the date on the paint can: 2004.

That wainscot has sat unfinished for SEVEN years! What??? I thought it had only been about three. It goes to show you how little you notice things after awhile....and I'm so ashamed. But it feels GREAT to have it done, and it inspired me to bring in a small lamp and set it on a wooden stump that we dragged home from Colorado one year. This is the landing.

One thing leads to another, and then I brought in a framed art piece that my daughter Lauren made (framed Colorado Aspen leaves) for the top of the stairs. Lovely! I feel like I'm living in a new home....just with those simple changes.

It's a holiday weekend - that starts now! There is no Small Thing today since many people take advantage of a long weekend by going out of town. We have family coming over on Monday for a cookout and possibly a spirited game of volleyball or two.

Link up for Company Girl Coffee below!! Share your blog with friends - it's easy!

Bloom

(photo source: Wikipedia)

"Look at that iris," my friend Bridgette said, pointing out the window to her flower bed. "What in the world is it doing, blooming NOW? It's way too late in the season for that."

We admired the huge purple bloom, standing all by itself among the roses and verbena. Bridgette's irises normally show off in early April, announcing the arrival of Spring with their frilly petals and distinctive shapes, but this one apparently decided to hold off until now. And it was a show-stopper.

"Late bloomer," I said. "Gotta love the late bloomers." We looked at each other and started laughing.

"Hey, I'M a late bloomer!" she said, and I chimed in, "So am I!" We high-fived in agreement. See, we are both just now finding our strides in life, setting our eyes on fresh goals and realizing new joys - even in the midst of some pretty tough struggles.

Bridgette has completed chemotherapy in recent months and has never looked more beautiful or radiant. She inspires everyone around her to celebrate each day, and I love being her friend. And I've decided that 47 is a great age for me to take some new chances and try some different things, instead of just sitting and wishing. 

We're blooming. Choosing to bloom, despite the odds. Opening up our frilly costumes to the sun and not caring about whether or not it's too late in the season to be show-stoppers.

It's better to bloom late than never to bloom at all.

Today's Small Thing is to do some blooming. Whatever you're doing today, do THAT.....except better. Be the kind of mom you imagined you would be before stuck-on Cheerios made you too discouraged to keep trying. Turn in that work project, knowing you did your very, very best on it - and didn't just mail it in at the end. Be kind to the checkout lady, doodle in your journal, walk barefoot outside or sign your name with extra flair. Add sprinkles to the cupcakes, wildflowers to the table, and garlic to the sauce. Today really is a gift - and it will be what you make of it.

So bloom.

100 POINTS!

POINTS: 100 - for living deliberately, on purpose, and delightfully - no matter what, even for just a little bit today.

How are you choosing to bloom today? Are you a late bloomer too? Let us know about it!

Song of the Day: Put Your Records On, Corrinne Bailey Rae 

Oh, Crumb!

I was cleaning up the kitchen last night and I knew EXACTLY what I needed to post for Today's Small Thing. The crumbs in there started attacking me....and then I remembered that we'd fought off said crumbs awhile back. How is it that they are baa-aaack?

It's scary. There are:

Crumbs in the silverware drawer.

Crumbs under the toaster.

Crumbs on the floor.

Crumbs under the bread.

Crumbs on the refrigerator shelves.

Crumbs on and under the place mats.

Holy cow, there are crumbs in the butter!

I feel like I'm in an Alfred Hitchcock movie titled, "Attack of the Crumbs." They are EVERYWHERE and I'm going crazy!  (insert scream here)

I suppose you don't have any crumbs at your house, and I am alone in this horror flick.  Please tell me you have some. Pleeheeheeze, sob sob!

Today's Small Thing is to take on some crumbs.  The kitchen is a good place to start, but you might find crumbs in, oh I don't know, the bed?  Or the coffee table. Or your lap, if you are snacking while reading this.

Let's get you some good points today for eradicating crumbs from at least one area of the house....a drawer, a tabletop or toaster.....you choose!

 

POINTS: 40 for seeing how this cookie crumbles. Get rid of crumbs today!

Song of the Day: Psycho Theme, Hitchcock

Fresh Water

I've been really trying to watch my calories and get more exercise lately. Unfortunately, I've noticed my clothes getting a little snug and I don't like the direction I've been headed. I probably already told you about the cool app for my phone and computer called MyFitnessPal because it has been very helpful to simply keep track of my progress (or lack thereof) each day. The numbers do not lie.

MyFitnessPal has a spot for tracking water intake as well, and I admit I haven't gotten that far. But since I cut out most sodas (my mom is cheering) I've noticed that I'm more thirsty for water than I ever used to be. In fact, the more water I drink, the more water I crave. Which is perfect because.....

Today's Small Thing is all about water.  For example, think about the water you drink. Our refrigerator's water dispenser broke recently, so we are having to buy bottled water, and/or filter our own these days. (Our tap water tastes awful.) I've got one of those Brita jugs with filter cartridges, and I need to change that filter. You really can tell a difference in the taste of cleaner water.

You can do anything with water today.  Drink your recommended 8 glasses. Or change your water filter. Or clean out your water jug. Or rinse your water glasses with vinegar so they sparkle. Play in water if you want. Meditate on water. Find verses that talk about water! Take a bath in bubbly water. If you look at your day, you'll probably know which activity will work for you. Most importantly, have fun with it!

POINTS: 40 for doing something with water

BONUS: 20 for getting someone else to join in some water activity with you

What are you doing with water today?

Song of the Day: Washed by the Water, Needtobreathe

Photo Anguish

If you heard cries of despair coming from Texas last night, that was from us....when we discovered that hundreds of photos were deleted from Tom's phone during a sync'ing process.

794 of them.

Can you say "horrifying?"

His phone was full of special memories like this:

 
Father/Son Fishing Trip 2010

Somehow, the step that backs up the photos got skipped, or the phone got unplugged before it was finished. Either way, the photos, many of them priceless, are gone.

It's sadly ironic because Tom recently spent days backing up years worth of pictures in our computer onto a hard drive. Thankfully, those aren't the ones that are gone. But it just never really occured to us how easily the phone photos could be erased.

Today's Small Thing is to save your phone photos to your computer. Follow all the steps and don't click "delete photos from phone" unless you really want to...or until you know that they are safely stored on your hard drive. I don't want ya'll to experience the anguish we have.

40 POINTS

POINTS: 40 for sync'ing, backing up, or saving your phone photos (and video) today

Song of the Day: Banana Phone, Raffi

Company Girl Coffee 5.20

I know why I fell in love with my man, Tom, 28 years ago.

Because he is the most kind-hearted person in the world, that's why.

Last night, on our way home from Meghan's concert (she did an amazing job!) he stopped to help a lost driver of an 18-wheeler find a place to turn around on our winding, narrow country roads. He had to drive on ahead, find the spot, then go back and have him follow... and then get out and direct him. It was a bit of an ordeal, but that's just Tom for you.

Then, knowing that storms were approaching, he worried about a mama cardinal, who made her nest in our rosebush.....directly under the eave of the garage. Because the water comes pouring off that eave, he figured the nest would be flooded or wrecked - and there are four perfect little speckled eggs in it. Tom found some aluminum flashing and rigged it to divert it around the nest. If you have Quick Time on your computer, you can see a few seconds of the process....kinda cute. It was after 11 pm at that point, but he got that little mama all safely squared away. He is a big softie.

See clip by clicking here: Download IMG_0576

Well, I've got some spruce-up projects planned for this weekend. I uncovered what we THINK is the right can of paint to finish painting the wainscoting up the stairs that we started oh, three years ago. It's about time we got that done. Ya think?

What are YOU up to? Let us know by linking up for Company Girl Coffee! It's fast, easy and fun. Just enter your URL below and people will stop by and visit you. :)

There is no Small Thing today - enjoy your weekend and I'll see you back here on Monday!

Rachel

PS - Guess what??? I just found out that I'm a Black Woman!! Woot!

Quick Run Through

My daughter, Meghan, is a brand new music teacher, just having graduated with her degree in December.

Golly, I love this girl!

For the past five weeks, she has been substituting for a middle school teacher who is on maternity leave. The task that was thrust upon her was to select all the music for the Spring Show, teach it, choreograph it, and conduct it - all within a very limited time frame. Tonight is the performance and her students are ready. They will have a last rehearsal during school, then a quick run-through of their music before the show. The review will calm their nerves, help them iron out last minute glitches and hopefully, will give them confidence to shine on stage.

You might think that Today's Small Thing is just an excuse to brag my daughter....and you might possibly be right. :) Because I AM super proud of her, yep I am. But it also gives me a chance to bring up an important task that everyone should know: How to do a Quick Run Through of the house.

Simply put, PRETEND PEOPLE ARE COMING OVER IN 20 MINUTES. What would you do first? Besides leaving the premises.

Today's Small Thing is to do a Quick Run Through of the house. Concentrate on the areas that a guest would see: entry, living room, kitchen and guest bath. You could stop there if you like, because even that much feels really GREAT! If you are so inclined, you can keep on a'runnin' through the rest of the house, picking up as you go. 

This is actually another name for Minimum Maintenance - the single most powerful housekeeping tool on the planet. Check it out!

POINTS: 50 for a Quick Run Through of the main "guest" areas

BONUS POINTS: 40 for continuing on to the bedrooms and other bathrooms - be QUICK!

Song of the Day: Nowhere to Run, Martha Reeves and The Vandellas

Personally Speaking

I was so proud of myself last spring, when I finally put drawer dividers into my dresser drawers!  Suddenly, my socks had their own space, my jammies could be neatly tucked away, and my undies....well, let's just say they'd never had it so good.

I could tell that the panties enjoyed having a place all their own.  Granted, it was still right smack dab next to those socks, but the saying, "Good fences make good neighbors," certainly seemed to be proven true.  I noticed right away that there was a whole lot less arguing and fighting for territory in there.

But recently, I've seen a discouraging pattern.  It's happened as I've gotten hurried and busy.  I've been ignoring those dividers I put in, and now everyone inside the drawer neighborhood has started sleeping around.  Sometimes the panties will have a slumber party over with the the crew socks, and the dress socks just mingle wherever they want to, like a bunch of swingers.  The bras tend to land anywhere they feel like, and it's been disappointing to see those girls hook up for one night stands like that.  You'd think they'd have higher standards.

Today's Small Thing is to straighten up your personal items.  The "intimate apparel," if you will.  Maybe your things are utilitarian in style and don't seem to care much about aesthetics, but deep inside, those cotton, hard working girls like having a soft place to land.  They appreciate a bit of attention just as much as the glamorous lacy ladies, who don't get out much but who think they deserve a drawer of their very own.  Those gals are a bunch of divas, but that's ok.  When we need them, they willingly do their jobs in style on those special occasions.

This Small Thing shouldn't take more than a few minutes.  But opening a drawer and finding your unmentionables resting in the comfort of their own neat space will give you a warm glow.  You know they deserve better than what you've been giving them, and today is they day they will get their dues.

40 Points

POINTS: 40 for organizing undies, panties, socks, bras and/or lingerie

Song of the Day: Soft Jazz, Kenny G

Paper Cuts

I missed ya'll yesterday! We had self-inflicted internet connection problems - due to a failed attempt to to hook up a booster to our wireless router so that we could get a signal in our BARN. No, Flash isn't on FaceBook (yet), but believe me, he would if he could. I only keep him off of there because I'm afraid he'd have more friends than me....and that would just NOT be right. Actually, my husband converted a stall area into a workshop/office, hence the need for internet. He got the booster working and we are back in biz.

Now, on to home organization. And please don't ask to be friends with Flash on FB. :)

Paper.  My ultimate nemesis.

  

Of all the forces of evil I battle at home, paper is one thing I have yet to claim victory over.  Every day there are receipts and bills, junk mail and magazines, school papers, art projects, tax forms....and it's difficult to know what to do with it all.  I've got battle fatigue.

Laura at Org Junkie has some great suggestions for organizing the office, and I really need those tips this week. With school coming to an end for the year, it seems like the paper piles are multiplying faster than a family of rabbits.

Today's Small Thing is to skirmish with some paper.  You might just take a few minutes to file things into folders, or maybe it's just a matter of throwing old junk mail away to make the pile smaller.  The other day, I stored loose receipts into ziplock bags and just doing THAT made me feel so much happier! It didn't make my paper problem go away, but it made it seem more manageable.

  

 

POINTS: 40 for tackling a paper problem...see if you can whittle away a pile!

BONUS:  20 for sharing your paper tips with us!  How do you deal with all the paper that comes into your house?

Song of the Day: It's Only a Paper Moon, Mystics