by Guest Blogger | Jan 30, 2017 | Guest Blog, Home, I Need Some Help Here |
I feel like I’m running in circles and accomplishing nothing!
As a newlywed, 23-year-old first year grad student, I found myself constantly repeating this refrain.
I was working a part-time job, getting my toes wet in ministry at my new church, and sharing a vehicle with my husband who just started his first full-time job.
Add household chores and trying to make new friends to the list, and I was one busy lady.
Do you know the feeling?
Always doing and going and then you close your eyes at the end of the day and think, “Surely I accomplished something…” Then as you lay there you discover your primary accomplishment was making it out alive!
I certainly felt that way. And I still do sometimes.
The acknowledgement jar
Which is why I created an Acknowledgement Jar.
It’s a repurposed vase, which I sat on my desk next to a stack of notecards and a pen.
At the end of each day, I challenge myself to think of at least two accomplishments for that day and write each one on a notecard, fold the cards into squares, and drop them in the jar.
These can be small victories, like completing my daily workout or avoiding late fees at the library.
Other times I write down bigger accomplishments, like landing an internship or earning a bonus.
Some days my only accomplishment is just making it through the day. And you know what? That’s okay!
The longer I’ve done this, the more accomplishments I am able to think of. I even have moments now where I’ll think to myself, I can’t wait to add this one to my jar!
Pull out your own vase
Maybe you’re learning to be an adult like me (hello bills!).
Perhaps you work over 40 hours a week and come home to children, hungry for your food and attention.
Or maybe you are a stay-at-home mom, making sure your home stays a haven.
Regardless of your routine or stage in life, I am confident that acknowledging your daily accomplishments will be encouraging!
This one simple habit has given me an eye for noticing all the little victories. I am thankful as I linger in these feel-good moments.
One Small Win: Create an Acknowledgement Jar today and be motivated by your own every day accomplishments!
What you need:
____Container (I used a vase I found under my sink, but a box, mason jar or basket works)
____Notecards
____Writing utensil
Kelsee Keitel is a graduate student and blogger, living in Indianapolis, IN, with her newlywed husband. She is passionate about cultivating sisterhood through vulnerability and introducing young women to the freedom and abundance of life in following Christ. When Kelsee is not snuggled up with a book and sipping tea, she can be found experimenting in the kitchen or chatting with her mom.
You can read more about how Kelsee experiences divine moments in the midst of ordinary life over at kelseekeitel.com or on Instagram and Facebook.
by kathilipp | Sep 6, 2016 | Home, Podcast, Recipes, tips and ideas |
Buy The Made from Scratch Life
Do you long for simpler days? Do you wish you had the time to offer your family home-grown meals? Does your heart cry for a quiet place in this fast-paced world?
Blogger and homesteader Melissa K. Norris inspires with practical and easy methods to help you cook from scratch, garden, preserve your own food, and see God’s fingerprints in your everyday busy life. You’ll learn how to
plan, plant, and harvest for eating and preserving
troubleshoot common gardening problems with natural solutions
improve your family’s health with natural cooking and cleaning methods
Whether you live in the middle of the asphalt jungle or on the side of a mountain, you can experience the pioneer lifestyle and start your own homesteading journey. Because when you surround yourself with things made from the hand of God, you can’t help but see Him.
Melissa’s Canning Applesauce Recipe
Start your canning with this delicious recipe from Melissa K. Norris! Click on photo for free download.
Does the idea of canning your own food scare you? What do you need? What CAN you can? Will I give someone botulism and kill them???? Today I talk with Melissa K. Norris, author of The Made from Scratch Life, about how to get started with canning. We talk about which foods get canned using different methods, what the basic equipment needs are and did you know there is a difference between Pressure Cookers and Pressure Canners??? Melissa teaches us about all of these things and more! Let’s all give canning a try and post pictures in the comments! Mentioned in this podcast: Online Canning Course: Live Home Canning Class Presto Canning Kit Melissa’s podcast: Pioneering Today Podcast Win a copy of Melissa’s book The Made from Scratch Life by leaving a comment telling me one step you are going to make towards homesteading!
FREE DOWNLOAD
Start your canning with this delicious recipe from Melissa K. Norris! Click on photo for free download.
Hey, there, I’m Melissa K. Norris. I’m just a plain country girl who loves Jesus, playing in the dirt, stuffing food into Mason jars (after I wash my hands of course), and hunting down as many traditional old-fashioned skills as I can to put into use on our homestead.
Occasionally I chase down a chicken and I’ve been known to wrangle a cow or two back into the pasture when they get the hankering to leave our field.
Visit www.MelissaKNorris.com for heirloom gardening, preserving the harvest (all forms of canning, dehydrating, and any other way to preserve food at home), raising critters aka livestock, from scratch cooking, frugal living, and any other kind of old-fashioned skill I come across and am determined to master.
P.S. I love to chat, so you can visit with me and listen to my podcast at www.MelissaKNorris.com/podcast
by kathilipp | Aug 2, 2016 | Home, Podcast, Recipes, tips and ideas |
Buy The Made from Scratch Life Do you long for simpler days? Do you wish you had the time to offer your family home-grown meals? Does your heart cry for a quiet place in this fast-paced world? Blogger and homesteader Melissa K. Norris inspires with practical and easy methods to help you cook from scratch, garden, preserve your own food, and see God’s fingerprints in your everyday busy life. You’ll learn how to plan, plant, and harvest for eating and preserving troubleshoot common gardening problems with natural solutions improve your family’s health with natural cooking and cleaning methods Whether you live in the middle of the asphalt jungle or on the side of a mountain, you can experience the pioneer lifestyle and start your own homesteading journey. Because when you surround yourself with things made from the hand of God, you can’t help but see Him. Home Made Citrus Cleaner Recipe The full recipe and instructions here! Ever dreamed of being like Laura Ingalls Wilder, living off the land? Or at least being able to grow your own tomatoes without the squirrels getting them before you do? Today I talk with Melissa K. Norris, author of The Made from Scratch Kitchen, about living the pioneer life in modern times. Even if you are a city girl, she shares tips for gardening, cooking, and cleaning with wholesome ingredients that you can make today. Mentioned in this podcast: Melissa’s podcast: Pioneering Today Podcast The $64 Tomato (book) Win a copy of Melissa’s book The Made from Scratch Life by leaving a comment telling me one step you are going to make towards homesteading!
FREE DOWNLOAD
The full recipe and instructions here!
Hey, there, I’m Melissa K. Norris. I’m just a plain country girl who loves Jesus, playing in the dirt, stuffing food into Mason jars (after I wash my hands of course), and hunting down as many traditional old-fashioned skills as I can to put into use on our homestead.
Occasionally I chase down a chicken and I’ve been known to wrangle a cow or two back into the pasture when they get the hankering to leave our field.
Visit www.MelissaKNorris.com for heirloom gardening, preserving the harvest (all forms of canning, dehydrating, and any other way to preserve food at home), raising critters aka livestock, from scratch cooking, frugal living, and any other kind of old-fashioned skill I come across and am determined to master.
P.S. I love to chat, so you can visit with me and listen to my podcast at www.MelissaKNorris.com/podcast
by kathilipp | May 10, 2016 | Home, Podcast, Recipes, The "What's for dinner?" Project |
Wouldn’t it be great to come home from a busy day and know that dinner is already planned and prepped?
With a little work ahead of time, meals can be A LOT easier and less stressful.
In this episode, Erin and I talk about delicious meals and easy ways to have a freezer full of meals ready to go, including LOOP (Left Overs On Purpose) and the Six Chicks Freeze and Fix co-op strategy.
Mentioned in the episode: King Ranch Chicken Mac and Cheese
Soy Vey Teriyaki
Erin MacPherson lives in Austin, Texas with her husband Cameron, her sons Joey and Will and her daughter Kate. She is the author of “The Christian Mama’s Guide Series“, a staff writer for Dun & Bradstreet and a freelancer for publications like Thriving Family Magazine, MOPS MomSense, FamilyLife Magazine, Daily Guideposts and BEMag. She blogs about her life, her kids and her faith at ChristianMamasGuide.com.
by kathilipp | Apr 25, 2016 | Clutter Free, Home, Relationships, tips and ideas |
by Bethany of Kathi’s Clutter Free Academy Team
When I make the choice to control the clutter, I find freedom waiting in the living room. A lot of family life happens in the living room, and I want to make it a point to spend a lot of time in there with my hubby and three kids. But I can only do this well if I keep the clutter from sucking the life out of the living room. Our living room needs to be a place where we connect and laugh together, not trip over junk and shift piles of books to find a spot on the couch.
Here’s what I know: The kids won’t remember if the pillows, couch and rug coordinate but they will remember the tickle fights. Guests won’t remember if clean floors or dust bunnies greeted them when they crossed the threshold of your living room but they will remember your kind hospitality. Why? Because these are the things that actually matter, not sparkling floors and not throw pillows.
Contain clutter and gain freedom to live—really live—in your living room. [Tweet “Contain clutter and gain freedom to live #clutterfree”]
Here are seven ideas to get you started.
1. Dance Party
Turn up the volume on some of your favorite tunes and dance until you drop. Learn a line dance together and hilarity will follow.
2. Indoor Picnic
Spread out a blanket on the living room floor and break out the picnic foods, whether it’s 95 degrees or raining outside! Bonus: Dinner is easy peasy!
3. Game Night
Choose a night and invite a few friends over for pizza and games. The invitation and the fun are all that matter. Enjoy your guests. Repeat.
4. Lightsaber Fight
It just doesn’t get much better than a lightsaber fight. Get ready to watch the force in action—everyone is a kid with a lightsaber in hand. For extra fun, make it as dark as possible to stay safe and then record it. Everyone loves to see the action over and over again.
5. Coffee Shop
Make (or buy) a batch of cookies or muffins. Set out books, magazines, and candles. Brew your favorite cup and turn up some background music. Relish the blissful sips of clutter free life with family or friends!
6. Putt-Putt
We have a little putting mat that we bring into the living room now and then because…well, why not? Make a game of it and see who can sink the best out of ten putts. Winner gets to choose the snack.
7. Date Night Movie Night
After the kids are in bed, break out an appetizer extravaganza, whether its from your grocer’s frozen section or an exotic array of cheeses and fruit. You pick the food, fancy or fun, and hubby gets to choose the movie.
Q4U:
• What’s your favorite way to live — really live — in your living room?
• How does becoming clutter-free make it easier to enjoy life in your living room?
While you’re at it, how do you connect with your kids? Each of them has a different personality and each has different needs to feel loved. With 21 Ways to Connect to Your Kids, you’ll learn each of his/her personality traits and how to use that information to create real connection.
LEARN MORE >>>
by kathilipp | Dec 7, 2015 | Blog, Christmas, Clutter Free, Home |
When was the last time you served a beautiful Christmas dinner on a nicely decorated table with your favorite poinsettia table runner, nice silverware and glasses, pine cones to decorate each place setting, and Thomas the Tank Engine napkins?? (huh?!? Uumm yep it happened). Check out the full story in the book under Project 20 Tablecloths, Napkins and Foof, Oh My!
For More Details: Get Yourself Organized For Christmas – Page 106
Well my friend, today we are not going to let that happen to you, no sir-y we are simply finding all of our table decorations and linens and getting them ready all in one spot.
Assignment and Supplies: Find your napkins (the ones you intend to use), tablecloths (wash it if there are spots), runners, napkin rings, plates, silverware and stemware or glasses.
**Note** if you are striving for simplicity this year and are going the shabby-chic method of paper or plastic, make a list of the things you need to purchase and where. (There is some real cute stuff out there these days that make a table look great. Don’t feel bad about it, remember your goal of simplicity). Embrace it!
Did you know that Evite has a blog section all about planning for parties? They can help you get ready so you too, don’t serve Christmas dinner with themed birthday party napkins! Check it out here.
Share Your Thoughts
Share with us! When did you have your party all set only to discover the teeny tiny thing of having no ______ ? What did you do?? This year, join us in our vow to be prepared! Plan today what you will need for tomorrow.
