Organizing My Home

For a Godly wife is organized and works at building up her home.  That is what I want to be!  I am being convicted.  I love to sew and play with my kids, but really do not like to organize my home.  I clean it, it is not dirty, but it is not organized.  I love baskets because you can just dump everything into them and then the room has the appearance of being organized.  Right now I am reading every book I can find to help me get moving in the right direction.  I have started by first making our bed in the morning.  This is something I have never been good at.  I used to think if I made my bed a new quilt then I would make it, but that only lasted a week or two.  So I hope and pray with God's help this can become a habit in my life.  I am now trying to keep on track with keeping an orderly and clean home.

The next thing on my list is a tip I have been given, to keep the kitchen clean and don't leave the home or go to bed until it is.  Ooops!  I have lots of work to do.

My refrigerator!  The mess just keeps pilling up on the top of the fridge.

This is where I am starting today!  I am going to clean the top of the fridge!

I did it!  Only took 15 minutes.  It was really dusty up there.

I put a basket on top to keep the little things that need to be up there organized.   Also put a filing folder up there too for the papers that are important and couldn't be thrown out.  And the never ending candy basket for the kids!  It makes the whole kitchen feel clean!  Tomorrow I will work on the island and the kitchen hutch.

My bible verse for the day is Proverbs 31:27, "She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness."

***UPDATE***

I cleaned my island the next day and still had a pile of papers that I didn't know what to do with.  I couldn't throw them away and they couldn't be filed.  I took a trip to Hobby Lobby and found this great organizer.  It keeps my papers organized and out of the way PLUS it has 3 more compartments for pencils and stuff.

Now my kitchen island is clean and so is the sideboard cabinet.  Very happy.  

It is amazing how clean the whole house can feel when just the kitchen is organized.  Even my husband is super happy about it all.

Cowgirl Vest And Doggy Saddle

I found this cute tutorial on how to make a frontier vest with fringe.  I thought it would be cute in pink for a little girl.  My friend was interested in one so I made her one today.  Another quick project with great directions from Dana Made It!

 

 

**UPDATE**

My friend, whom I made this vest for, also wanted a saddle for her Great Dane to match the vest.  I just finished it today.  It was fun to make.  I gave it a heart saddle, two pockets with fringe and a circle for the horn.  I hope she sends me a picture of it on her dog!  I would love to see it!

Her dog is 41 inches around and 26 inches from shoulder to hip!  She almost is a horse.  

Monster Tooth Fairy Pillow

My son Brian's tooth is getting really loose.  He is 7 and still has not lost a tooth, so needless to say he is very excited about it.  I found this pattern for a monster tooth fairy pillow at The Long Thread.  I thought it was perfect for a boy's tooth fairy pillow!  So cute and quick to make! Brian picked out the fabric and button eyes so it is exactly how he wanted it to be.  Now he just has to loose that tooth!

About a month later it finally fell out!  He is so happy!

**UPDATE**

I made a couple more for a friend and then 2 pink ones for my girls.  They wont be loosing their teeth anytime soon, but they wanted to have their own monster like their big brother.

Taking Care of Haley

Haley had her tonsils and adenoids removed last Wednesday.  Surgery went well, but now we are dealing with recovery.  Here is my little patient making her sad sick face.  Poor thing.  She really does hurt and has been having a hard time eating. 

**UPDATE**

A few days later friends from church brought over a get well sign from her Awana class.  She was really sick for 2 weeks and took awhile to start eating again.  She didn't even want ice cream or popsicles!  Here she is starting to really feel better.  I can't wait to have my Haley back.  She is usually such a happy little girl.

Chicken Sausage Cassoulet Recipe

Chicken Sausage Cassoulet Recipe
By Jan Kempf

I found this recipe in my mom's church cook book. Had a bunch of ingredients that my family likes so I thought I would try it. It was actually really good. I recommend it as a pretty healthy and fairly simple meal to make.

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast cut into 1 inch pieces
1 pound sweet Italian sausage (casings removed)
1 cup chopped onion
1 or more cups carrot slices
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 (16oz) cans cannelloni beans, drained and rinsed
1/4-1/2 tsp. poultry seasoning
1 16oz can chicken broth
Grated Parmesan for garnish

Brown chicken cubes, set aside.  Brown broken up sausage, add to chicken in casserole dish.  Cook onion, carrots, and garlic in a little oil for 5-10 minutes.  Add to casserole with beans, parsley, seasonings, tomato sauce, and broth.  Stir together.  Cover and bake at 350 for 1 hour.  Uncover and then bake for another 20 minutes.  Serve over rice with Parmesan cheese as garnish. 

So yummy!  Enjoy!

Chicken Taco Soup Recipe

I made this soup last night and only got a picture of what was left in the crock pot.  Everyone ate their dishes so fast I forgot to take a picture!  This is one of my families favorite crock pot meal and it is so easy to make!

32 oz chicken broth
2 cans chili beans
1 can of black beans
14 oz can Mexican style tomatoes
2 10 oz can diced tomato with green chilies
1 can corn (drained)
1 pound frozen chicken
1 package taco seasons
Cilantro
Garlic
1 can green chilies

Garnish with cheddar cheese, sour cream, and scallions

Combine all ingredients in the crock pot and cook on low for 8-10 hours.  Once chicken is cooked through shred it and add corn.

Serve over rice or chips and top with cheddar cheese, sour cream and scallions.  Enjoy!

God's Task

I love being a stay at home mom.  I get the privilege of being apart of my kid's days, to play, teach, and help them grow.  It has also helped me find my passion in, sewing, crafting, and cooking.  I really do enjoy all the things a domestic house wife is in charge of.  There are days when I do struggle with the importance of my life though.  It is so easy to become jealous and caught up in what others have or are doing.  I have to remind myself that one day at the task God has personally assigned me is better than a thousand days at anyone else's.  I know this is where God wants me to be. 

I hope I can share my ideas with others in similar situations and hear their thoughts.  I love using my sewing and creativity for my family.  It is so much fun making things for my kids that they can use or wear.  It is personalized and lasts so much longer than something from the store.  I am always learning too.  Writing this blog is a new and interesting adventure.  It is also a break from the daily laundry and dishes!