The 21 rules of our home

Several years ago, our close family friend Pam gave me a copy of "The 21 rules of our home" by Gregg Harris. I was struggling with 4 kids under the age of 5. I wanted to teach my kids to pick up after themselves, but it was hard. I wanted to teach my kids how to follow the rules, but it was hard. I was kind of lost. What she gave me changed our family. The 21 rules of our home had pictures that we could copy, color, laminate and stick on our fridge or door. We picked 8-10 that we really wanted to focus on.

The great thing about this program was the pictures! Even a 2 year old can look at a picture and listen when you say "Do you see this? This is what you did, and we do not do that". When we first started, we picked one rule a week to work on. The kids colored thier own copy and put in a notebook. For the kids who could write, they would write it out as well. For the kids who could not write, they would just color while we talked about the rule.

We have continued to use these for almost 10 years.

I also have a small clipboard that I use for my grocery shopping, on that, I keep small pictures of the rules so that the younger kids can be reminded, when needed of how we act when we are not at home.

Here are a few more close ups of the rules we have hanging:

Even Emma, who is almost 3, understands these. Here is the link to Gregg Harris, where you can find a copy of the rules, in sentence form.

http://greggharrisblog.blogspot.com/2009/12/21-rules-of-this-house-by-gregg-harris.html

You can probably find the book, with pictures on Amazon for fairly cheap. For us, the 21 rules of our home are the rules to live by! They saved my sanity while my children were younger and I still use them today! (Gregg Harris, if you find this blog, THANK YOU and feel free to send me free stuff)

All pictures and rules came from the 21 rules of this home by Gregg Harris. Please do not copy them, as they are copyright protected.

Martha Stewart, Pinterest, What's a Gal to do?!

Martha Stewart kind of annoys me. She really annoys me. But it's mostly in the "I can't believe what a crafty, organized, gardening, over the top amazingly good chef she is!" I'm not Martha Stewart. But that's ok. I've got Pinterest!!!

Pinterest. Oh my. It's good and bad. It has great ideas, but it can be so time consuming! I spent the better part of last year 'pinning' ideas. I used some of them, but a higher percentage of my pins are still sitting there. Waiting. Waiting on me to find culinary and domestic design awesomeness (is that a real word?). They are also waiting for me to fail. EPIC FAIL, like those stupid rainbow cakes baked in Mason jars. I feel a twinge of anger just thinking about that......moving on.

About 8 months ago I saw a Pinterest idea of storing your spices in empty baby food jars. The idea looked great b/c honestly, I hate looking at my spice shelf. I basically buy any brand of spice. I'm not really picky, until recently, which means that my spice's were in all sizes of containers. I'm not OCD, but I am trying to be a little more organized and I'd like to atleast LOOK like I am organized. (We can all dream right?) Anyway, so here was the first step in my organizing the spices (in alphabetical order, no less):

Just getting this done took me, well, I don't know. A few hours because kids need to eat, and they make messes, and I have to work and teach them so you know, it was an off and on thing. And don't judge the masking tape labels b/c like I said, I'm not Martha Stewart. I do things like this to give the rest of the regular people hope. Anyway.......moving on......

I started buying spices in bulk this past weekend b/c it is SO much cheaper. Well, we've been buying natural peanut butter for about 18 months now so I've been using the jars to store things, mostly leftover soup, since then. I was cleaning this weekend and thought these jars would be the perfect size for my bulk spices! (Note: I am still using masking tape and a marker because I want to feel normal. All those pinners who do this and print out those cute little labels, you make me sick. Really. Stay normal. Use the tape)

Now this, I've been doing for awhile. Using old gallon size pickle jars to store different types of flour and beans. It looks so purty! (Plus, I can see when I am running out on something):

This is my newest, just started yesterday kitchen organization project:

The INSIDE of my cabinets! We don't buy much in boxes or cans anymore since we eat organic, but things like cocoa powder, nuts, oatmeal, etc can clutter up a cabinet pretty quick. I actually was lucky enought to snag about 150 old mason jars this summer from a lady who was trying to just clean out her garage. I want to have a garden this summer and then be able to can my veggies, but until then, most of the jars are just sitting in my cabinets, empty. Empty and Waiting. UNTIL NOW!! So far I've got flax seed, walnuts, sunflower seed, oatmeal, homemade cocoa mix, chick peas, black beans and shredded coconut. This looks so much better than different size boxes and bags. I can also see what I'm low on with a quick glance. (I think I pointed this out before, I'm doing it again so you will remember. This is great b/c you can see what you need to stock up on with a quick glance! Repeating myself again. You get the point)

What's the point of today's blog post? The point is this: Pinterest has some great ideas, but if you're always looking on pinterest for more, you're never going to actually USE the ideas you've already found. My kitchen project gives me hope. Hope that I might really make turn that old closet into a desk area or make old pallets into awesome patio furniture. Hope that a Mason jar cake will turn out or a *2 ingredient cake* will really turn out to only have 2 ingredients in it. Oh well, my kitchen is starting to come along so I better just be happy with that and call myself Martha, heaven knows no one else ever will!

52 Week Money Challenge

Most of you who know me realize how often the word "budget" comes up when I discuss money or any type of financial matter. I've noticed that my kids will ask me "Is this in the budget?" instead of "do we have money for that?". (This proves they listen. Sometimes.) Anyway......I came across this picture on fb and thought it was an interesting concept so I should check it out a little more.

It's so easy you wonder, what's the catch. There isn't one. Really. Except for maybe just being disciplined enough to leave the money there until the end of the year. AHHHHH!!!!!! There is the hard part. That's the part I struggle with the most. I can stay on a budget. I can say no when the kids want a game. I can say no the the hubby when he wants to eat out. I can do that. But saving, especially once it starts to add up is hard because is seems something ALWAYS comes up.



Although we are 9 days into 2013, and I do not like "New Year's Resolutions", I'm calling this my 2013 Fifty-Two Week Money Challenge. This is totally something I can do! So how exactly does it work. Well, it's pretty easy. The first week of the new year you add $1. That is it. Yep. Stay with me people. This is the second week of the year, and since I get paid on Friday's, tomorrow is my day, I'll be adding $2. Next week is the third week of the year, so $3 will go into my jar. Get it? Follow the chart people. Stick with it and you will see the result of your saving!

Who's with me? Who wants to have $1,378.00 in their pocket by this time next year. Since we missed last week, dig in the bottom of your purse, couch, van seats, jean pockets or sock drawer. Get out $1.00. Tomorrow is Friday. You'll need to dig again because tomorrow you add $2.00 to your savings jar. This is perhaps one of the easiest things you can do for yourself this whole year! Good luck and happy saving!

More Like Falling In Love

As I may have previously mentioned, until a few months ago I was NEVER a morning person. Never. Ever. Never. No way. No how. But for years, and I do mean YEARS I would go through periods of time where I desperatly wanted to be the type of woman who would get up in the early morning hours and read her Bible, pray for her friends and ask for God's help to prepare for the day. However, for years I was the type of woman who fell asleep with make-up on, which produced the ever sexy racoon eye in the morning. I was the type of woman who would wake up to voices and feet and think to myself, "it's pretty quite out there still, I think only 3 of the 6 kids are up, I've still got time to sleep". In my defense, when my oldest was 7, I also had a 5yr old, 3 yr old, 1yr old and another one on the way. However, I continued to be a night owl. Part of that was because it was quiet at night. And I could eat ice cream without sharing. And I could watch something on tv which didn't require me to "say it with me". (Hello, Dora the Explorer).

I'm not complaining, I love my life. I love my kids, at all the stages they have been in and are heading into. However, the one thing I would change is that for all those years, I did it all in my own strength. I considered myself too busy to truly have a relationship with Christ. I had one. And it flourished.....at times. But it was never consistent. Most Sundays I would tell myself "TOMORROW'S THE DAY!". Tomorrow would be the day I had planned to start my morning early with God and Coffee. Or coffee and God. Probably would need the coffee first. And every Monday morning I would wake up to the alarm and go right back to sleep. 2 hours later, the kids were climbing on me and I was beating myself up with disappointment for another failed attempt.

Fast forward to 2012. Life is busy. Our 13yr old is active in Boy Scouts, which requires a 64 mile round trip and 4 hours of our time on Monday nights. Our 11yr old is in ballet which requires 46 miles round trip and 2 hours of my evening AFTER I have worked the afternoon. The next 3 girls have ballet Wed. night. Same place. Same mileage. Same timeframe. Thursday. Whew! Home in the evening after work. Friday the kids want a friend (or two) over. Saturdays is catch up with chores, friends and shopping. Sunday we fellowship and worship with other believers. Sunday evenings is slow as can be. Movie time. Games. Hang out.And it all starts again. But it's different now. I don't start my days with my own strength anymore.

Nearly 3 months ago I began getting up at 5:45-6:00 every day. I began reading a devotion book, my Bible, praying and watching 2 of my favorite tv preachers every morning. Through this time God has showed me things about myself that are in desperate need of change. In fact, just a few days ago, he revealed a very hard thing to me. My favorite tv show. The ONLY tv show I watch was displeasing to him. It was a PERSONAL conviction. As the day went on, and I really understood that he was calling me to give this up, I knew it had to be done if I wanted to walk in complete obedience. Two days later, as I was driving, the image of a man proposing to a woman came to mind. The man makes the offer of a new life, together. The woman joyously accepts. This is like the initial acceptance of Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. After the woman accepts, she eagerly sets her sights on working out, eating healthy and making herself "fit" for her bridegroom. She does not thank him for the proposal and go on about her old life. She starts to make changes. She wants to be the best on her big day and wants him to look at her with complete and total approval. Does she need to do this? No. The man has already accepted her. He loves her with all his heart. He wants her, only her, just the way she is. This is exactly how it is with God. He loves us for who we are, where we are, in the exact place and condition we are in at this very moment.

As the bride prepares herself, she does so out of love. Out of a deep, deep love for her bridegroom. She doesn't mind not eating the cake. She doesn't mind working out. She loves this man and wants nothing more than to please him. This is what my realtionship with God has become.

Over these past few months, I've realized that I am seeking to be better out of a LOVE for God, out of a deep, deep love. I know God loves me just the way I am, I know he has already accepted me and taken me into His family. But out of my love for Him, I want to rid myself of the things that keep me from Him. If anything comes between Him and I, I don't want it. If t.v. show, type of music or movie causes me to feel a separation, I don't want any part of it.  I am deeply in love with my God, and He desperatly wants each of you to be that way also. As a show of my love, I willingly gave up the tv show and willingly wake up early every morning to spend time in fellowship and communication with him. What kind of bride accepts the offer of marriage and then walks away from the man, only to call on him when she is in need of something after months of not even speaking to him?

God want each of us to be in love with Him so much that we are willing to give up ourselves to be closer to Him. He wants our relationship with Him to be more like falling in love than something to merely believe in.

New Year. New Beginnings?? Be a better you! Really.

So here it is. January 3rd and I've discovered that the blog I was sort of started about 8 months ago, the blog that I thought I never fully finished, the blog I thought I deleted is here. Here it is. You're reading it. So, I guess that's my cue to keep it going. I know this thrills you.

Remember in the days gone by when you would type out a HUGE, long status update and the friendly facebook police would tell you that your status was over 423 characters so it was unable to post? Well those days are gone, and I've been going through some major personal changes that fill up a few paragraphs each time I begin to update my status so I think a blog just. makes. sense.

"A new year. A new you" -- It's all over the news, blogs, facebook, commercials, etc. I have a problem with that. I guess b/c I just don't understand why you should wait until a new year to start or change. I guess it's a lot like someone starting a diet on a Monday morning rather than a Thursday. You want the last few days of the week to eat like a pig and not feel guilty. By November we are in full swing of "holiday mode" and we are eating ourselves silly and we figure that there is no point in starting until we finish the holiday fudge, cookies, pretzels and various other sugar coma inducing sweets. So I guess that is why everyone starts a diet on New Years Day. I'm talking about a spiritual change that needed to be made though. And the problem with waiting for Monday, or a new year is that none of us are guaranteed tomorrow. You can't waste time when you know you need to make a change. My "new beginning" started about 3 months ago.....

I began getting up at 5:45-6:00 every morning. I've never been a morning person, so there have been many mornings of puffy eyes and pots of coffee that have died at my shaky hand. I began to read the devotion book called Jesus Calling by Sarah Young. I read the scriptures that went along with it and then I finished my time by writing all my prayers in a notebook. I journal my prayers b/c if I don't, I will find myself thinking of what to make for dinner 20 minutes later b/c my brain works that way. Anyhow....one morning I came across Joyce Meyers on t.v. I'm not really one for t.v. preachers b/c well, they kind of make me sick. So many of them are like sharks. I hate the way they tell you to send your money and reserve your spot in "the prayer closet". What? I'd love to call in and ask what version of the Bible they found the verse at to support needing to PAY MONEY for prayer......I'm losing track again.....ok, so I grew up watching Joyce Meyers with my mom and I really relate to her b/c she was, and sometimes is still, a mess. She's honest about being a mess and she speaks from her heart about how God continues to work on her, even to this day. Then I found this other preacher, his name is Kerry Shook. He preaches from the Bible and believes that the Bible is the absolute truth given to us by God. So began my 2 hour morning "quiet time" with the Lord. Coffee. Check. Bible. Check. Notebook. Check. Devotion Book. Check. Morning preachers. Check. Finding out I'm a bigger mess than I thought. Check. What? Wait. What? What?

I'm a mess?? Really?? I mean, every Christian knows that we are in need of Christ to cover our sins, but don't we all, at some point, think that we will get to the point where we can kind of just, ride it out, coast a bit? I've been married almost 13 years (more on that later) and most everyone on his side of the friends and family has always said how lucky he is to have married me, how I was an angel sent to him, how I changed him, etc, etc. But you know, as I started growing closer to God, studying His word and seeking His will for my life, I realized how much I still needed God's help with. When my husband would hurt my feelings, I would hurt his ten fold. When he would not do something I asked, I would make sure he didn't forget it for a month. When he wouldn't let me have my way, I would make sure that he suffered. Surely that is not what friends and family referred to as LUCKY?? My attitude. My heart. The inside of me was still in desperate need of change!! And that is just what my quiet time with the Lord has done. These past few months have been a new beginning for me. A new spiritual year. This has affected not only my spiritual walk, but everything. The way I think, the way I treat others, even the amount of laundry I can get done in a day. This is not a joke. You're laughing. But I'm serious. Growing closer to God has helped me gain control of my messy, disorganized home. But I'll save that for the next post.

I'm on a journey, come back and read my blog if you want to tag along with me. Who knows, maybe your new year can start on a day other than January 1st.

God Bless You All.

Rachael