Posts Tagged ‘Home Tips’

• “I Just Want to be a Mommy”

  Date: 2009.02.02 | Category: Christian, Home Tips, Homeschool, Life, Train up a child | Response: 0

  This article spoke to me and encouraged me when I was feeling overwhelmed as a homeschooling Mum.  I have been busy with the beginning of our school year and thought to post this as my blog entry for today. Enjoy.

  Our first year of homeschooling, I had a seven-year-old, a five-year-old, and a three-year-old, plus a constant struggle with depression partly rooted in a lack of spiritual growth. At this time, I found another Christian mom, with children my children’s ages, in whom I saw wonderful spiritual maturity. This other mom agreed to spiritually mentor me. For a year, we met together, did a Bible study, memorized Scripture, and discussed the practical aspects of our spiritual walk as Christian women. I was so grateful for the investment this woman made in my life. That year my friend’s children were in a Christian school, but the following year she decided to homeschool them.

  Although our mentoring time lasted only one year, we continued to maintain a friendship. After a year of homeschooling, my friend chose to put her boys back in a Christian school. I can still remember her words to me that afternoon as I sat in her home, and she justified her actions, “Oh, Teri. I just want to be a mommy. I want to welcome my boys home in the afternoon as their mommy. I don’t want to have to be their teacher too. I just want to be their mommy.” I recall driving home that afternoon in tears. “Lord, I just want to be a mommy too. I want all the happy, fun things about being a mommy with none of the difficulties.”

  In my mind, I pictured my friend’s children coming home from school in the afternoon. She would have spent the day in personal Bible study, prayer, exercise, housecleaning, reading, ministry, sewing, and cookie baking. As the children bounced in the door, they would be met by a beautiful, smiling mommy. I was sure she would have taken a long shower and blown her hair dry too. The children would smell the freshly baked cookies and scramble for a seat at the table. There they would happily discuss the excitement of their day in school. Finally, they would head outside to play while my friend started supper in peace and quiet. I just want to be a mommy too!

  As I prayed about my heart-wrenching discussion with my friend and my personal feelings about wanting to “just be a mommy” too, the Lord soon began to show me some things. He made me realize that my homeschooling lifestyle was “just being a mommy” in its fullest sense. As we begin a new school year, perhaps you are struggling with feelings of not wanting to tackle another homeschool year. Maybe you have even thought the thoughts of my friend when she told me she “just wanted to be a mommy.” It could be that this is your first year of homeschooling, and you are concerned about being both a teacher and a mommy. Perhaps your role as a homeschool mom has lost the joy it once had. Together let’s encourage one another in the direction the Lord has led each of us in homeschooling. After all, I just want to be a mommy!

  What does being a mommy really mean? Titus 2:4 tells the old women to “teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children.” Easily seen then, my role as a mommy is to love my children. Practically speaking, how is this done? Do I have more chance to love my children when they are away from home at school for seven or eight hours or when I have them home with me all day? The answer to this one is obvious: when they are home with me. By loving my children, I just want to be a mommy!

  During those extra hours I have to “just be a mommy,” I can tell my children over and over again how special they are to me, how much I love them, how wonderful they are, and how blessed I am to “just be their mommy.” I have seven more hours a day to give them hugs, pat them, put my arm around them, smile at them, kiss them, laugh with them – opportunities to “just be a mommy.” The bottom line is, “I just want to be a mommy!”

  What about the time we spend in homeschooling? Have I taken off my “mommy” hat and replaced it with a “teacher” one? I am taking the place of a teacher in a classroom in my children’s lives, but I am still “Mommy” in the fullest sense of the word. My mommy role as a teacher began from the first words I quietly whispered in each newborn baby’s tiny ear. Almost everything my children have learned in their young lives, this mommy has had a part in teaching them. Being an official teacher in our homeschool is simply an extension of this natural teaching relationship that exists between a mother and her child. Really and truly, I just want to be a mommy!

  I thought about what it meant to be a mommy teacher beyond simply teaching my children facts and figures. What teacher in a school loves their students like I love mine? What teacher’s main goal in life is to see their students grow up to love the Lord Jesus Christ with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength? What teacher is going to cuddle a sick student on the couch, tucking that student in with extra pillows and blankets, while loving and consoling him through his misery? Hey, I just want to be a mommy!

  Perhaps I should consider the time spent in disciplining or correcting my children during school hours. Maybe I am not being a “mommy” then. Once again Scripture assures me that this is part of my mommy role. “My son, keep thy father’s commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother” (Proverbs 6:20). My friend didn’t like to have to make her children do their schoolwork. Sometimes they cried about what they were to do for school and this was part of why she abandoned homeschooling in favor of “just being a mommy.” One of my most important “mommy” responsibilities is to prepare my children for life. If they face a difficult task in their school and choose to cry about it, this is my chance, as their mommy, to encourage them to pray about it, to put forth some effort, to try again, and to rest in the Lord. What opportunity these hours my children are home with me during school time afford. Wow, I just want to be a mommy!

  Every day I have a choice set before me. I can look at my homeschooling with resentment and think, “Lord, I just want to be a mommy,” while sending my children away to school and doing what I want to do all day. I might think these same thoughts without acting on them but all the while wishing I could put them in school. It will still affect my attitude toward my children and my homeschooling. Alternatively, I can view homeschooling with rejoicing in my heart and say, “Lord, I am so grateful to just be a mommy. Thank you that homeschooling is part of the mothering I can give to my children. I know there are moms who want to homeschool their children but can’t. I know there will be difficult days for us as we homeschool our children. Yet, it remains with me as to what I will allow in my thoughts.” May we be mothers who relish our roles as homeschooling mommies. Let’s never forget, I just want to be a mommy!

  Written by Teri Maxwell, co-author of Managers of Their Homes, Managers of Their Chores, Keeping Our Children’s Hearts: Our Vital Priority, Just Around the Corner, and author of Homeschooling with a Meek and Quiet Spirit.

  Teri Maxwell is the mother of eight children and began homeschooling in 1985. Three of her children have graduated from homeschool, two are still living in their home and one is married. Teri is a homeschool conference speaker and has been writing monthly articles of encouragement for homeschooling moms since 1990.

• What is your real age?

  Date: 2008.11.23 | Category: Home Tips | Response: 1

  I found this site a while back and whilst sorting through links I decided to go back and redo the quiz.  It doesn’t take a long time but it’s not a short quiz.  Find your Real Age. Associated with this site is another worth taking a look at Eating Well.  Full of good balanced tips for eating.

  Live long and Prosper!

• Unrecognised Sport

  Date: 2008.11.20 | Category: Fun and Trivia, Home Tips, Life | Response: 1

  I want to bring into recognition a sport that is under appreciated.  Most people would have played it at one time at least in their lives.  The sport of clothesline wrestling.  The involves trying to hang washing on the line whilst it is windy.  A hills hoist is a must as this allows the clothesline to play too, making it a competitive sport.  Some keep their pegs in a basket near the washing, other have them strategically aligned on the wires, others give some advantage to the clothesline (or wind, depending on your philosophy) by putting them in a rather large container and hanging it on the end of one of the posts.  This of course allows you to be knocked out as it goes by at a rate of knots!  The enjoyment of playing this sport is neverending.  You get to duck and weave, perhaps holding on to an already pegged item with all your strength to reach for another, toning for the whole body.  I’m sure gusty conditions favour the clothesline much more than the person, this allows the clothes to whip and splat you in the face and or head.  In saying this I’ve just finished a round whilst competing in somewhat hazardous conditions, gusty wind, bright sun and wasps added for extra danger!

  Phew! – Time for lunch me thinks.

• Poptropica and Australian Girl Dolls

  Date: 2008.11.02 | Category: Home Tips, Life, Train up a child | Response: 0

  Today I’m going to talk about these two things.

  The first I heard about from a friend.

  

  Poptropica

  I explored it on Friday while the International Rules Footie was on. I found I couldn’t open it on explorer, only firefox. Poptropica is a game for 6-15yo children. It’s designers have intentionally made it so that you can’t input anything that may be explicit or questionable. The first thing your child (or you) would do is choose a automatically generated character, complete with a cool name like Sleepy Leopard or Hungry Jumper. Then they can customise the look by changing skin colour, hair style and colour and clothes. The character then has to go into the virtual world and explore, find and learn. As you go through you’ll be prompted once to save the game, at this point you choose a screen name and password that is never seen by anyone but you have to remember it to login to your character again. To leave you just close the window and it automatically remembers where you were and you go on from that point. In the “cafes” you get to “interact” with other real people but all the conversation is pregenerated like “What is you favourite colour” and the answers are pregenerated. You can “battle” as well, by playing soduko, paintwar, skidiving, hoops and many more games. TIP: As you go through always click on the people and they’ll tell you helpful stuff.

  Australian Girl Doll was created by a frustrated Perth Grandmother who couldn’t find a nice doll for her granddaughter.

  

  They are to be released in a few days. All dolls come with a pair of thongs (for Americans, they’re for your feet! You call them flipflops!) how Australian is that! They aren’t movie stars or catwalk models, they’re girls. They like animals, music and sport and are just like your children. So if you’re sick of the Barbie and Bratz invasion, check them out at Australian Girl Doll.

  I found out about it through one of Dave’s Blogging Friends, Wayne.
  

• The Climate Change Diet

  Date: 2008.07.14 | Category: Home Tips, Life | Response: 1

  The Climate Change Diet 

  ~ Buy fresh, locally-produced food, which has less distance to travel and therefore uses less fuel.

  ~ Eat fewer processed and refrigerated foods, which take more energy to manufacture, transport and store.

  ~ Waste less food – about one-third of the food we prepare is thrown away uneaten. Don’t over-order in restaurants, and eat smaller portions.

  ~ Drink tap water, not bottled water, which uses large amounts of energy to produce.

  ~ Reduce the amount of meat and animal and diary products we eat. Meat is much more energy intensive and requires proportionally more land to graze animals than crops. Instead, eat foods lower down the food chain – grains, fruits and vegetables that are cheaper to grow, use less energy and less land space.

  ~ Buy foods in season – seasonal products generally use less energy to produce.

• Easy dinner for four – $4.85 total (Aust)

  Date: 2008.07.11 | Category: Family Journal, Home Tips, Life | Response: 0

  I just worked out that dinner for our family tonight cost a grand total of $4.85!  I bought Black and Gold Spaghetti and Cheese for .59c each today.  Heinz Baked Beans is $1.73 each (salt reduced!) and a loaf of bread is $2.20 which contains 22 slices so that is .10c a slice – so

  a half a can each for the girls                   0.59

  and a can each of beans for Dave and I      3.46

  plus 2 slices of toast each                        0.80

                                                           = $4.85

  A cheap, easy (Friday night, not gonna cook) filling meal. 
  And WAY cheaper than takeaway (that costs $20 at the very least).

• Avoid debt by being content

  Date: 2008.07.05 | Category: Christian, Home Tips, Life | Response: 0

  I read this small article in the May edition of the Challenge newspaper.  Some good advice. 

  Family Finances

  So many of us get trapped into a discontented life by adopting needlessly excessive goals. These goals always boil down to more, bigger, best. And as soon as we accept these sky-high standards, indulgence, greed, and pride can rule our lives.

  In our society it is not normal to “step down.” Instead, once a certain level of income (or spending) has been attained, it is considered a failure to step down. But, is the concept of conservation and moderation really a loser’s attitude? Not according to God’s Word, the Bible.

  To find true contentment, some basic guidelines must be established.

  1. Establish a reasonable standard of living.

  Since there is no universal plan that is suitable for everyone, this must be a standard established among husband, wife, and God. Just having an abundance is not a sign of God’s blessings.

  2. Establish a habit of giving.

  Find out how your family can be directly involved in contributing to the needs of another family. There are many Christian charities and organizations that act as a funnel for such funds. If you can’t be personally involved, this is the best alternative.

  3. Establish priorities.

  Many people are discontented, not because they aren’t doing well, but because others are doing better. Too often we let the urgent things take priority over the important things.

  4. Develop a thankful attitude.

  Thankfulness is a state of mind, not an accumulation of assets. We will not have true contentment until we truly thank God for what we have, and willingly accept that as God’s provision for our lives.

  5. Reject a fearful spirit.

  We can get trapped into hoarding because we fear the “what- ifs?” of retirement, disability, unemployment, or economic collapse. Obviously, God wants us to consider these things and even plan for them, within reason, but when fear dictates us to the point that worry becomes the norm rather than the exception, then we need to rethink our priorities and seek God’s wisdom.

  Finding contentment is the solution to reversing the growing debt levels in our society. Contentment does not mean complacency or living according to strict rules. Contentment instead requires a personal relationship with God and finding His plan for our lives.

  Lloyd Woodrow – Crown Financial Ministries – crown@crown.com.au
  Copied from Challenge Newspaper May 2008 edition
  http://www.challengenews.org/showstory.php?i=2008/may&s=story_4&r=2008/may/&l=AU&f=NKNE

• Declare War on the Mortgage!

  Date: 2008.06.09 | Category: Home Tips, Life | Response: 0

  I receive a newsletter from Simple Savings. Some may have heard of this site by seeing it on Australian current affairs programs or just from friends/family.  The following story is written by Colin Cook.  People are always adding creative ways to this website on how to save money.  Some are more helpful than others.  If you apply only a handful you can still save money. 

  We decided to get rid of the $96,000 mortgage on our home within three years.

  The massive load of interest we would pay to the bank was over the top and we felt that the bank owned us. The entire family bought into the project one hundred percent.

  1) We replaced the nice modern cars with older, less costly ones. The net difference and any savings we had and $700 from a garage sale were paid off the mortgage.

  2) We agreed to budget as if we were in a life and death war and the war had to be won in three years. I developed an Excel budget spreadsheet and we tweaked the numbers until we had a ‘do-able’ weekly saving of $220 extra to pay off the mortgage. Clothes purchases would be done exclusively at ‘Harrods’, our Salvation Army shop, until the war was over.

  We decided to run any item not budgeted for over three ‘hurdles’.

  The first hurdle was ‘could it shorten the mortgage war?’

  The second hurdle was ‘is it a health issue?’ and if so what was the least-cost workable solution?

  The third hurdle was ‘could it wait until the end of the three years?’

  3) As time progressed we became pretty smart at reassigning money to reward ourselves for enduring the war. This meant we could have a low cost take away sometimes, or spend on an out of budget item we had set our hearts on.

  It took nearly four years to knock off the mortgage. Yes, we won the war a little later than hoped, but we won. If it had taken eight or nine years to win, it would still have been worth it.

  The legacy of our war against the mortgage is that we have developed great money saving skills for life. And life is great.

  Simple Savings is an Australian website offering information on how to save money in simple practical ways for a minimal cost.  I’ve been a member for 3 years now and have more than paid off the initial $47 (for 12 months, subsequent renewal is cheaper) in the first year, or even first shopping trip, I’m sure!  Check it out, there are menu planners, calendars, a monthly newsletter and weekly hints like the one above.  The website has forums where you can discuss ways to save and what others are doing as well as question recipes which have been posted etc.

• Make up and Flylady

  Date: 2008.05.17 | Category: Home Tips, Life | Response: 0

  I am a part of the huge Flylady.net group.  I follow her principles in my own little way.  I received this email the other day and thought I’d share as it’s one that may apply to alot of people (unlike myself, I don’t actually wear makeup).

  Dear Flylady,

  As this week’s mission is the bathroom, I think I need to share a
  story and add a request to the week… at least twice a year. Please
  toss old make up.

  A few months ago, my face broke out in little itchy bumps along one
  cheek. This moved around my face a while, and stopped over one eye.
  My eye became puffy; my eyelashes itched. I broke down and went to
  the doctor, who told me that the culprit was an infection caused by
  old makeup. I had to toss everything out, give my face a rest, take
  meds, and go to the expense of buying everything all over again. (Not
  entirely unpleasant, until I got to the check out line.)

  Anyway, could you suggest to the other FlyBbabies that they throw out
  their old makeup? Unlike food, makeup doesn’t tend to look or smell
  spoiled, so we tend to hold on to it for months… and then years. This
  isn’t good for us. New makeup can get cross contaminated by the
  microbes in the older creams, powders, mascaras that we keep around.
  Older makeup actually drags our face down, clogs our pours, makes us
  look older, and can, as in my case, infect our skin.

  Thanks!
  FlyBaby B

  Kelly here: I am so sorry that this FlyBaby learned this lesson..but
  we can all thank her for sharing her story.

  So…..take a few minutes and head to the bathroom right now..and
  start tossing. Don’t get caught up in what you spent or how you might use it in the future..toss it….don’t end up with some kind of infection from old makeup!!!!

  Here is the link to Real Simple Magazine’s website and their information about how long to keep make up and other products.

  Beauty Expiration Dates
  Your products won’t last forever, but here’s a comprehensive list of cosmetics and how long you can expect to keep them

  Anti-aging and acne treatments: Three months to a year. Antioxidants are easily oxidized, so be on the lookout for any changes in color.

  Body lotion: Two to three years, particularly if it’s in a pump container.

  Shampoo, conditioner, and shower gel: About three years.

  Bath oil: One year.

  Sunscreen: Check the package for an expiration date.

  Mascara and liquid eyeliner: Three to four months. Make sure you’re diligent about replacing these items to prevent contamination and infections.

  Eye and lip pencils: Three to five years. Sharpen them before each use as a way to preserve them and keep them clean.

  Lipstick and lip gloss: Two to three years.

  Foundation: About two years. Most bottles are designed to last that long. And if you don’t use it, chances are you didn’t love it to begin with.

  Perfume: About two years. To get more mileage out of a perfume, resist the temptation to display a pretty bottle on your vanity. Instead, stash it away in a cool, dark place.

  Nail polish: One year.

  Hairstyling products: Three to five years. Most are alcohol-based, which helps preserve the formula.

  Bar soap: Up to three years.

  Shaving cream: About two years.

  Deodorant: Up to two years.

• International Weights and Measures

  Date: 2008.01.17 | Category: Home Tips | Response: 0

  Did you know that the American cup is 10ml smaller than the Australian?  I was looking at some American recipes and converting the lbs to kgs and thought I remembered hearing somewhere that the American cup was a different size to ours.  Well I googled it and saw on wikipedia that it is 240ml (actually 236ml but 240 is near enough for cooking) not 250ml like ours!While I was there I found a link a site where they had different household tips, some I’ve heard of, others I haven’t and others still I don’t think I’ll try!  Here is a couple.No More Sticky Garlic
  To avoid garlic from sticking to your knife while mincing, place a few drops of oil, olive or vegetable, over the garlic. The oil will coat the garlic leaving your knife free to do its job. Roll Cabbage Leaves With Ease
  Cabbage rolls are great, but take a long time to prepare. Next time you’re in the market for making some start by freezing a whole head of cabbage for a day or two before using it and then thaw it out. The leaves will be limpy and enable you to roll them with ease (and with out the mess of boiling).

  Slice Meat Thinner
  Instead of buying presliced meats at the grocer, buy it as a whole and slice at home. To help in slicing the meat at home place meat into freezer, but only partially freeze. Slicing meat when partially frozen makes it easier to get thin slices.

  All great ideas that can be used in the summer months while doing as little as possible in the kitchen!  I’m SO OVER this heat – bring on Autumn!