Making A Home And Family

Since we have moved into a new home (a rental), that is very nice and has awesome energy since it isn’t cluttered and messy, I would love to keep it that way.  In the process, making it a habit to be organized and tidy.  So I have been FLYING.

My major accomplishment thus far has been shining my sink.  Do you know how wonderful it is to wake up in the morning to a clean sink and counter?  It’s like a breath of fresh air.  No task weighing on you the minute you walk into the kitchen to get tea or get the kiddo some breakfast.


You can get emails daily, follow on twitter, or even become a fan on facebook to keep you motivated.  The tasks are usually short and simple, so it’s not overwhelming.


I have just stumbled upon the Baby Steps page so that is my main focus now, and I think this would work great for others since it’s working for me!


For more WFMW, visit We are THAT family.

I have learned that when I’m looking for something, that I should tell people around me that it is on my need/want list.  A few months back, I told my mom that I would really like to make my own bread, but didn’t feel equipped to do it correctly in the oven.  You know what she told me?!  Since she has her Kitchen Aide mixer, she has been making all of her bread in the oven and I was offered her bread machine.  Score!

Then on Monday, while I was shopping at Wal-Mart with my mom and sister, I said to them that I should really buy a juicer.  I am addicted to Naked Juice, and it’s really expensive.  I could make my own and eventually it would be way cheaper to do so that way.  You know what my sister said?  She has one at her house, still in the box, that I can have!  Woohoo!

Now if someone near me were to mention they need a toaster or a microwave, we have nice ones that we no longer use because of our toaster oven discovery.  Sharing and passing along things that we are no longer using totally works for me!

For more WFMW, visit Rocks in my Dryer.

 As I was digging through the cupboard one morning last week, I found 3 cereals that were really low and I was just really sick of eating.  So I took it upon myself to dump all of them into the same bag (which was a nice cereal bag with a plastic closure on it), and I shook it up.  It made for a great new cereal and none is going to go to waste.

I think this would also be a great way to use up snacks that only have a tad left in the bag.

It works for me!

For more WFMW, visit Rocks in my Dryer.

I had noticed that I just wasn’t keeping up with my chores lately.  It wasn’t because I was busy or even because I was entering my third trimester of my pregnancy.  It was because I was completely bored with my routine.  I have it written on a dry erase board that is attached to my fridge, and I would read it but ignore it.

So I decided the routine needed a face lift.  I erased my board and started over.  Now it looks like this:

Monday ~ Clean bathrooms (sweep/mop floors, scrub toilets, clean tub and sinks)

Tuesday ~ Clean family room (sweep/swiffer and dust)

Wednesday ~ Turns into a day when DH has his chores (do kitty litter, clean backyard of doggy doodoo, take trash to road)

Thursday ~ Clean basement (sweep, organize laundry area) and vehicles (remove trash and vacuum if needed)

Friday ~  Clean living room (vacuum and dust)

Saturday ~ Clean bedrooms (vacuum, dust, and wash bedding)

Sunday ~  Clean kitchen (sweep/mop floors, water plants, clean fridge)

A new schedule like this makes cleaning a little more exciting and keeps me motivated.  It works for me!  For other WFMW posts, visit Rocks in my Dryer!

I am expecting my first baby in February, but the issue of toys has come up many times during discussions with my DH and I.  As we are trying to live more simply, we want to make wise choices when it comes to the toys Sprout should have.

I was very grateful not to receive a whole lot of toys at my baby shower because first of all she isn’t even here yet, and second of all, I’d really like to be the one to make the toy choices (or at least help by making Christmas/Birthday lists).  I did receive a few teether rings (with the liquid inside) that were made in China, and I am going to be donating them to Goodwill.  I have purchased Sprout a wooden teething ring from a local couple who is living off the grid and homeschooling their children right in my home state.  Baby Sprout was also blessed with a homemade wooden toybox that is painted like a horse and carriage and inside contains alphabet blocks that are also handmade.  Those are the types of toys I’m talking about!

Being a teacher, I am also an advocate of toys that produce creativity and imagination for older kids such as building blocks, legos, magnetix, play scarves, musical instruments, or even just a big old cardboard box or big sheet for a fort.

For other great toy ideas, visit WFMW.