Ultra Organized Kitchen Part 1

I wanna share about how I'm being frugal with our grocery bills while, keeping my sanity in the tiny, and dated kitchen that I'm working with LOL

xo

1. Only buy what you truly use. Keep it simple. I know we love to try new recipes that call for random ingredients, but don't! Like Pearl and Serene say, "what's your sweats?!" If you are craving for an exotic dish - eat out. If you make exotic dishes all of the time, well, these are your "mundane and simple" ingredients.

As a mother of a larger crowd, I need to keep things pretty basic. Basic doesn't mean bland. I've gathered our favourite meals and their ingredients and that's that!

2. Lazy Susans! Not only do they prevent you from stacking your cupboards full of random bags and boxes, they help you access the ingredients you have, too! I have one next to my stove for utensils, cooking oil and spices as well.

3. Don't label your products unless you're seriously suffering from dementia. There really is no need to. It's "visual noise", I don't care how pretty it looks like, just don't. 
By keeping your products to a limit, you can tell the difference between the ingredients, trust me. If you still want to, use labels that you can erase like chalk board stickers. I got mine long time ago, before I realized, in my case, it was a waste of time.

4. Keep spices that you use more often, closer. I got my home made seasoning mixes in previous spice tubs I've purchased, and I use them OFTEN. They are so versatile & used in many different types of recipes. I love simplifying spices by mixing them together.

Firstly, if a recipe calls for e.g garlic, onion and salt - what's the danger of adding a little bit of parsley in there too? Hence, the Ranch seasoning mix!

Secondly, do you really want to open 4 to 7 spice tubs, when you can cut the hassle in half or even more? I guess I don't...?? 😒

Thirdly, organize your spices by "themes".

Not only does this save you money!! But it keep your life a bit less chaotic. Especially your kitchen.

Anyone else on instagram sharing their journey???

The Struggle Is Real (Part 2)

In my previous post HERE, I went over some issues that are bothering me in my home, that I believe are hindering us as a family to live a "happy" home life. On this post, I am going to point out a few factors that I think may be the "culprits", the hindering factors.

• We get upset with our kids when they create a tornado in every room they pass through. "Pick that up, see you left this, that...do you have to touch everything?!" In some ways, I believe that we as parents are to blame. First of all, if we didn't have "all of that stuff" in the home in the first place, then our curious little children would not be leaving a trail of stuff while they lived in our home. If we had less stuff, working on chores and keeping up with bits wouldn't be so overwhelming to them, and we would yell less. Did that make any sense at all?? We are the ones who bring endless stuff -games, toys and books, crafts, clothes, and bits and bobs into our homes, the kids don't. We do. We allow the kids to. Who's in charge? It's only the natural curious nature of our kids who explore everything and anything around them. What is our home supposed to be like for us, and for them? Secondly, accumulation of things and stuff isn't coded in us, it's learnt. Tell me if I'm wrong (I know, genetics...)? Does accumulation happen through social pressure, in the society we live in? "Everything must be tried, and experienced!", "Taste THIS, craft THAT, sleep on THIS!" We must do EVERYTHING. We become secret hoarders. Always wanting more, because it is an endless sea of possibilities and upgrades. One thing I read somewhere that hit home was this, "You can do ANYTHING, but not EVERYTHING" If only, we could apply it to everything in our lives. We cannot keep up. 
• (This may be a small factor of stuff in your home, but it's still a factor) I have a cupboard full of supplements. What could be wrong with that? It's healthy! Oh yes, yes they are, BUT! Firstly, what if we spent that $$$ on organic nutrient dense foods instead, -or at least half of it? It's starting to make sense to me. I have bottles upon bottles of pills, that are very much good for me, yet I would sometimes second guess on purchasing organic eggs, vegetables, and beef! Yet I would still spend $$ on vitamins. We wouldn't need supplementation if I was focusing on nutrient dense foods.  Secondly, I carry stress over remembering to eat my pills, so I can be healthy, I'll be doomed if I don't. Right? "So many pills to swallow, at these times of the day, with these meals. After my workout" "Oh shoot! I shouldn't take these now, they'll keep me up all night!" 

It's not meant to be a prison of anxiety of healthy living. Healthy living should be liberating, not the opposite wherein we become so fixated on what goes into our body. I tend to lean towards stressing more about my physical health than I do about my spiritual well being, unfortunately. You see? This is only one example of the things around us, in our homes that we imprison ourselves with. Let me list a few things that imprison me. 

• Family "heirlooms".
• Unfinished craft projects, albums.
• Potential craft projects. (Good ones!)
• Books.
• Potential school books. (Where do I find the time, to teach it all?!)
• Games, puzzles etc. (The fun family fun nights, coming up?!)
• China. (Other kitchen stuff that I can't seem to choose what to part with)
• Baby related blankets, linen. 
• Stuffies. (Every stuffy has a story, to each child, how can I get rid of?)
• Furniture. (What if we need these pieces later?)

My list goes on and on and on.

The truth is, I will never have enough time to enjoy them all as frequently as they should be, in my mind. Are they worth the space? Are they worth the visual noise, the guilt ("I still haven't played that game with my kids", "One day, bla bla bla with these"), the reminder that you are incapable of delivering? Incapable of making things happen, incapable of following through with regimes, unwritten rules, potential hobbies and then the images you've created in your mind with all of the stuff that's in your home. No, this has to stop. We can do ANYTHING, but not EVERYTHING. Now is the time to figure out what that "anything" is, and what the rest are that can be let go of. Are you following what I'm trying to put into words?

The Struggle Is Real -2016

I know that women in developing countries have serious struggles of their own, but can you imagine what our struggles might look like in their eyes?

• Having to endlessly pick up after our kids around the house, I can't take it!
• You can't find your shoes, where are your socks??!
• I'm having to trip over stuff to get to where I am going!
• The sink is overflowing of dishes, again.
• This (food) is out of date, ugh!  my life is so hard!
• The laundry just keeps on piling, I can't keep up with it..:(
• Who left all of the books strewn all over the floor, -pick them up!!?
• It's been nonstop all day for me, I just need to take a bath.

I could go on and on with our "struggles" but the more I think about it, the more ashamed I am. Oh the guilt! So, I'm turning my shame into motivation to seriously purge my home.

I feel like I'm always purging my home. Is it just me or does anyone else seem to be donating boxes or bags of stuff after a huge purging episode?? I swear, the enemy knows my weaknesses. After 8 bags of purging, feeling that much lighter and free, someone brings me boxes of hand me downs of stuff. The hoarder within me, says "yeah, sure I'll have a look!" and guess what, EVERYTHING has potential. I should learn. If I can't see it, I won't miss it and even if I see it, I probably will not miss it. A fact.

How then do I de-itemize my home for good and is "for good" even a realistic expectation? Looking up at those struggles listed, could I swap those struggles for things that matter eternally? Let me break them down for us.

1. Having to endlessly pick up after our kids around the house, I can't take it! Our homes in westernized countries are so full of stufffffff. We think we need it, we hoard it, we save it, stack it, storage it and we keep accumulating more stuff. I cannot even wrap my head around the sum of $$ we would save, if we were not so easily swept away with things. The things we buy, we end up purging anyway sooner or later. The things we own, end up binding us, they end up owning us in one way or another. We lose precious time for instance, we become around the clock cleaners, maintainers, and hunters (hunts for the missing {insert here}!).. It robs us from time for ourselves, as mothers. Our kids go to bed and you have so much to prep for in order to survive the next day, and then you're done for the day. Would you not want to curl up and read your favourite book? Read those blog posts that you bookmarked for a quiet moment? Could this be your quiet moment, where you work on a project you've been thinking about for months? Does motherhood and you time have to be a balancing act? Can it not just be the journey you are on and there is no seperation of the two? How would it be, if instead of STRIVING, we could be THRIVING in the coming days? Would the shouts and arguments over toys scattered around the home be swapped into talks and cuddles and outdoor walks? What steps must we take, in today's society and the areas we live in to make this a reality? 
2. You can't find your shoes, where are your socks!? How many pairs of shoes does one child, never mind woman have? YES, there can be too many shoes. This is a nuisance in my home. My kids never seem to find their shoes, always one shoe missing. I see them trying to leave the house with sandals in the middle of winter, and it drives me bonkers! "Where are your shoes?!" How many pairs do kids need, as they are growing up fast anyway, and don't get a chance to enjoy them long enough? A few "shoe cultures" I admire are the Finnish and Koreans. Finns never walk inside the home with their shoes on and leave them beside the front door. Koreans always seem to take their shoes off in the most respectful way possible. Say what? Yes, have you ever seen anyone place their shoes away in such a symmetrical manner, I have! Koreans :) If I had the shoes I need, (which I actually have fewer than I "need"), my kids would live by example. If they had just the right amount of shoes for designated weather, they would be lost or mistreated, especially when you have multiple kids! I can't help but think of Little House On The Prairie, when the girls would cherish everything they had as it was gold. Their corn husk dolls, special laced up shoes.. polished, ready for school. Could we adapt that mentality? How can we, when we live in this society. how can we fight the strong winds of today's capitalism and pass that onto our children? I'm talking about shoes, but this goes for every piece of clothing.
3. I'm having to trip over stuff to get to where I am going! What would your life look like if you were not swayed by Walmart or Pinterest? Would you walk into a temple instead of a westernized, asthma risk house? Would our homes be a place of rest and worship? Would you be aware of your surroundings, instead of being drowned in visual noise? Picture this for a moment...What would your home look like? I have purged so much, yet I still have too much stuff I have a hard time parting with. I guess I don't have the answer for that, yet. Yet.
4. The sink is overflowing of dishes, again. Well, how many dishes do we need? Most of us have a dishwasher, how crazy is that. We tend to talk about how back in the day, they had house servants, and how we have to do everything by ourselves. Well, we have house servants too! We got a dishwasher, laundry machines, most of us have a coffee maker, fridge, the endless kitchen appliances - list yours! We even have a vacuum cleaner! How cool is that! A machine that sucks up dust and bits and good Lord, is that not a praise worthy privilege? Not to forget, the toilet! We have running water, electricity.. it's just mind blowing when I think of the stuff we have, yet we moan about our "load". Can you picture that the developing world mothers face, when she sees your list of "servants"? Embarrassing! Turning my shame into motivation-turning my shame into inspiration! What can we do, to own less dishes. Every dish has a story, a potential- how can we minimize our cupboards? Keep on purging, I know I'll get there! And, so will you!
5. This (food) is out of date, ugh!  my life is so hard! I read this thing on the "time-wasting-book" page once, "When I buy a lettuce, I usually bin it right away. Saves me doing it in a weeks time".. I chuckled, but it's so true! Not only do we have this gadget in the kitchen that keeps our food fresh, we forget about our food. We take the food for granted in some way or form. Take the time to look at this video below. I'm on a mission. I would like to go back to basics with 'food'. Simplify the ingredients and the source of food, so that it gets the respect it deserves. Genesis 1:29 and 2:9 and much much more... Read the THM Plan book!! HERE is my aff'link, check it out! (For those who do not know, this is the reason for my cleared up complexion! read about it HERE) 
6. The laundry just keeps on piling, I can't keep up with it..:( So my girlfriend and I were daydreaming about what our laundry piles would look like if all of our kids and us, had 2-4 sets of clothes. The loads would be smaller, and it would be a small load to carry (ha ha pun intended!). The kids wouldn't get bored, they're growing kids! The turn over would still happen, correct? And, we would always have something to wear! No longer would we have mismatch items, speaking gibberish to us. It would all make sense.
7. Who left all of the books strewn all over the floor, -pick them up!!? Sometimes I catch my kids using the books in their plays, as chairs or whatever. They're on the floor instead of where they belong. I hate the fact that the baby gets a book and manages to rip out a page or two. A lot of book mending going on in my home, it sorrows me. I love books. Books used to be irreplaceable. Now we get most of our information online. I would like to keep this art very much alive in my home. The smell of pages when you open the book, I love it! How can we, in today's tech savvy world, pass on these things to our kids? Put them behind locked doors, watch over them as they read -not in my house hold. Is this just a lazy-mother syndrome, or do you see where I am going with this? I cannot stand over them and watch them put away each book. Is there another way to pass on the value of books on to my kids?
8. It's been nonstop all day for me, I just need to take a bath.  What if we didn't have all the stuffff to do everyday that having a moment to yourself that gets interrupted, wasn't such a big deal after all? Get what I am saying?

Thoughts??? Please do share!

Managing Your Home Part 3

A little while ago I wrote this:

..."Organizing your home is quite the task. It takes a super mom to herd her little monkeys and get everyone and her home in order at all times. This, however is unrealistic and will only bring frustration and disappointment to those mothers who thrive on this.

But there is hope for us all, even for me as I write this in the midst of a chaotic moment in my home. I write down lists for my kids of chores that need to be completed before we begin our day. "Build the home, before we play in it" is somewhat what we are after. Well, I have my eldest back chatting and rebelling, my daughter in cloud 9 dreaming of butterflies and singing, and my littlest one, causing havoc as she trots along. Not the haven, I was hoping for.

I put KLOVE on for motivational music, to help us focus and plug in, only to find out it's just adding to the chaos. I really am starting to feel hopeless now, how does anyone teach their children to contribute to the family life"...

And now, finally! 

We're done scheduling for now! It took some time, figuring it all out because no day in the week is the same for us. But we're done for now. We're on trial mode right now, just to see how well the master schedule will work out and I already have a feeling, that I'll be doing a few minor changes here and there, but all in all, I'll say it again - We're I'm DONE!

Here's an example of a day during our week. Oh yes, I went to dollar store and purchased 7 frames and some magnetic strip to minimize our fridge clutter. It looks nicer...

I've noticed better behavior in the kids and especially in me, holy moly, less of that tensed up wicked witchiness! The kids have been back chatting less, and it seems that they cannot argue with a schedule on the wall, but they can argue with me. If it's written, it goes and I've noticed an attitude change in them, I really have.

We get bible time each morning, and it can last from 15 to 30 minutes. I'm using this book with them, and we're enjoying it. The kids sit still, even our youngest who is 2 and these lessons lead to some deep conversations and it has really helped us bond. It gives a good start to the mornings and focuses our attention to the one who gives us time. Jesus. 

I must admit, I'm more flexible than maybe some other mothers are, using this method, and it's ok. Sometimes we decide to do other stuff instead of what's on the list, however, I've still noticed that everything gets done and we have plenty of rest too. It takes practice and consistency to create a new habit, a new schedule. We'll get there, I know it!

Another thing I have noticed is that the kids argue and bicker less. One, they don't get too bored and end up in each others faces, and two, I have the time to teach and take the time to guide them when I see a problem arising. I also believe that our bible time in the mornings places our hearts in a way that our minds are tuned with doing what is right. This is my opinion.

One thing I like about colour coding the schedule is, that my middle child doesn't yet know how to read, but by knowing the theme of the colours, she memorizes them quickly.

More on Organizing your home and scheduling HERE!

More on Fun With Kids HERE

More on Managing Your Home HERE

What are your tricks for keeping on top of things, or semi? :)

De-Itemize In July!

De-itemize in July is already here! 

De-ITEM-ize your life for once and for all! Remember, decluttering isn't de-itemizing! De-itemizing is a major step. It means to get rid of things that you can use, or want. It's giving away posessions to gain more time -quality time- with you and your family.

De-itemize in JULY can start NOW!

Don't know where to begin? here's a few ideas:

• Own one brush.

• Bless someone with your favourite craft supplies and books.

• Even if it's pretty to the eye, give it away, and your eyes will rest on minimalism (less visual noise) and you won't need to dust it.

• You'll do well with less clothes. Keep your absolute favourite pieces, give away the rest. Let your closets and wardrobes breathe. Wouldn't it be nice to see air flow through those places?

• Own only 2-3 sets of bed linen.

• Keep only your absolute favourite beauty products. And then half it again. You can do it.

• You don't need 2 cake pans.

• Give away 80% of your board and card games. You'll have family game nights more often. It really works.

To learn more on what de-itemizing is, read THIS!

More on Organizing your home and life HERE! ( must read )

Drop me a line, tell me how you are doing!

Menu Planning

I've tried several ways to menu plan and be frugal. I've only menu planned once I know what's on offer, I've menu planned according to our cravings, I've menu planned for boosting our immunity and now I am menu planning for the summer.

I don't write down every detail, some things are just a given in our diet, i.e vegetables, salads, super foods, hemp hearts etc. So when I write down a week or two week menu, I keep it simple.

First I plan out our weekly schedule. I need to know when we're home and out. Since I've booked a few evenings a week to hit the gym, and the kids in gym care, I plan out a "lunch box dinner" and iltapala (evening snack) for them to have there.

I will be using my crock pot a few times a week, just so that I can organize and de-itemize the house a bit more during the day. Since it's summer, the bbq will be used quite a bit as well. 

I guess this menu is more for my kids than it is for me. I am not a big fan of hot dogs or other stuff I have on the menu, so I will make a few dishes just for me (which the kids usually don't like) during the week.

After writing out our menu, I write out the shopping list to go with it. Besides fresh produce, I think one shopping trip will do.

In about two weeks, I'll throw in a few new dishes and take out a few.

How do you plan your menu, and how do you shop for your groceries?

More on 'Cooking on a Budget' HERE

Recipes HERE

Managing Your Home Part 2

I am almost there. Figuring out this master schedule has really been a challenge. It's a lot of work, it takes a lot of thinking and planning and praying about whether our decisions are the right way to go for our family. I haven't yet completed the weekly master schedule, and one reason is that I have to make 7 schedules for 5 people. That's a lot of brain work, and usually by the evening my brain is fried already. Well this is what I've done so far.

First, I've listed all the norm activities and homeschooling for each child, for each day. This gives me a clear picture of the 'slots' for the other things that need doing. I'm trying not to over crowd the days, but also, I'm trying not to give them too much time to get bored and misbehave either.

I've also made a list of house work that needs doing daily, weekly and monthly. Finding the right slot for it and the right person to do it, assures it gets done and nothing piles up. When stuff piles up, it can get so overwhelming, and we often find ourselves at each others throats and rushing around, because we were not prepared. Unfortunately, relationships suffer and there is not enough time left for one on one time or family time, when its all rush rush "I can't read you a book now, because mum is doing EVERYTHING!!!!!!!" I don't want that. My desire it to spend a lot of time with my kids and investing in their lives. We're working towards that.

When there are clear slots for i.e dishes, quick tidy ups and everyone is involved and in training, nothing should pile up and there should be enough time to fellowship and do other activities. the laundry piles up and you find yourself doing several loads a day, without having the proper time to fold them away, on top of that you still need to do your basic daily chores and activities. And usually we got more on our plate "to do" than just one thing. I end up trying to do more than I can handle and "mum just turned into the wicked witch" to top it off! Oh, and when will you find the time to fold those several baskets of laundry? When your kids are asleep, cause you didn't want to sit down and relax anyways?

So, I made a chore list for each kid according to their age, and scattered it throughout the week. This allows me to do my chores too in scheduled slots, while supervising the kids. Hopefully, the training will go well and they absorb the new schedule well. 

Like I said, it isn't ready, I'm nearly there... Once I got it together, I will post a pic of one complete day and then follow ups on how the new schedule training is going for all of us.

More on Managing Your Home Part 1 HERE

How to de-itemize your home HERE

 How do you schedule?

Daily Lists

I have a tendency to make lists upon lists, of some which I might forget about and some that I carry with me at all times. I make lists on what lists I should make. I make grocery lists, garden planning lists, menu lists, to do lists, some day to do lists, summer activity lists, monthly lists, book lists, homeschool lists, diy lists, you name it. Oh and blog about lists!

I haven't completed our new master schedule as of yet, but I have worked on a fraction of it. It's a quick over view list of Mon-Fri, of what needs to get done, or maybe of what we aim to get done. I might plan a quick menu on the side, which to be honest, rarely goes to plan, and I might add a few must do tasks that come to mind as the week progresses.

Let me warn you, it's not pretty -but it works! It's just to map out the day for me, I'm a very visual person and I like to see things on paper :) 

Here it is. Oh, right, one of my kids stuck stickers on it to make it more attractive....

 I check things off and usually cross them out as a double check. I know, it's silly.

 

So basically, I write down the homework that needs covering and also the amount of time I want them to invest in it. I have a timer on my phone, on silent (only for me to see), so that I can decide whether we need to work on a topic a few more minutes or such. I have the errands needing to be done listed afterwards, the menu for the day on the side and a few "wishes" that would be nice, if it got done.

This is my little crazy list, simple yet keeps me and my household "on track". Of course, I am working on a simple binder which will be visible to me at all times and as well looks pretty, won't be as easily misplaced.

What are your lists like?

Do share!!!

More on Home Making and Managing Your Home HERE!

Managing Your Home Part 1

Since having more than one kid, fourth one on the way, I feel like I need to invest in training my children to be proactive and contribute a bit more to this household.

Lately I have been quite overwhelmed with keeping this home in a semi clean state, while homeschooling and living the basic daily life, you know, needed grocery shopping, meal making, diaper changing, nose wiping, hobby driving- life. Something needed to be done.

I ordered the Managers of Their Homes book, to get me organized once and for all. I have not gone through the whole book yet, but needless to say, I have picked up some valuable jewels along the way. I cannot, cannot, cannot, do everything in this home without sacrificing the relationships that matter the most to me, So, I have taken the very first steps to being more wise about the 24h we have been given each day.

There is freedom in structure, in scheduling, in rhythm. Yes there is. I've only tested a fraction of our new possible "master schedule" for the last few days, and we have spent more time reading, playing games, spending time together in general, while our home has kept afloat. *BIG SMILE* The house has not fallen apart! Which, to be honest, it usually does -one or the other suffers.

Sooooo, I'm so excited!!!! What are the few new (old but new) changes we have made?

Training the kids to be proactive.

Bathroom Training - Keeping the bathroom clean! No toys, no books and no toilet paper strewn all over the floor. No smudged toothpaste in the sink and no semi rinsed tooth brushes left out. 

First we tell them. Then we demonstrate. Then we supervise.....Then we remind them. 

I left a pack of wipes under the sink for the kids to give the sink a daily wipe if they see smudges. The bag of toilet paper is out of sight, so if the roll on the wall has run out (which they will learn how to change themselves) they need to ask for help. Otherwise, seriously, there will be several rolls and pieces strewn all over the floor. 

I wrote a temporary reminder on the wall saying,

"Bathroom Rules-

Keep it mess free! -No toys, no books, no papers...

Wash your hands with WARM water and soap. (My kids tend to be lazy with the tap and use cold only)

Turn off the lights, and close the door.

-------------------------------------------- 

The Dinner Table Training - 

1. No play No messing around, no toys on the table etc
2. Clean up after yourself Bring your dishes to the sink or dishwasher, wipe up after yourself and if needed sweep under the table.
3. Ruoka Rauha (direct translation food peace = dinner peace) 

--------------------------------------------

I purchased some pull out drawers for the cupboard next to our dishwasher, so that our kids could easily empty the dishwasher in the mornings. Usually it's been quite the hassle for them, since our plates and cups were directly on top of the washer and they had to get on and off the kitchen chair to manage the task. So for a while, it has been Simon and I doing the dishes. Well, after purchasing and after Simon installing the mesh drawers, the kids have easily been able to do this morning chore without frustration. This "small" chore has given me the chance to focus on getting breakfast done and changing baby Lucy's morning nappy, on top of other bits and bobs, that would usually leave me rushing around.

We have a long way to go yet, with finishing up a chore list for each family member, a daily schedule, a meal planner and making sure everyone gets enough one on one time with each other. We want to make sure, everyone -including the parents, get enough sleep each night, we want to plan and prep for healthy meals, we want to live a more stress free-rush free life, we want to teach the kids responsibility, we want to build relationships between family members and so on.

There is a pioneer family of 11, who inspired us to get this book. Have a look at her website! www.largefamiliesonpurpose.com

What are your ways of keeping your family afloat?

Routine -How It's Done (currently)

This is how I manage homeschool, housework and "us/me" time etc. 

2014 we will be focusing more on the heart issues rather than on how much we can achieve. Instead of reading a ton of books, we'll absorb in fewer books, fully. Instead of quantity in school, relationships, food -it'll be quality.

Is that me, or what!

And, that's okay. 

So, I'm back making schedules. I'm okay if this schedule works out for 12 weeks... I mean well, I'll aim high and I will be content with the outcome.

(( To be honest, I probably won't be attending the 6 a.m. Hot Yoga. I might do some Pilates at home, if I feel overwhelmed with my plan. Tuesday mornings is ladies bible study anyhooo :))

For those who are wondering,

L.A: Language Arts

Loru Piiri etc: Finnish Language Studies

Piiri: Circle Time

Jump: Daycare at the gym

S.T: Social Studies

TKD: Taekwondo

Ecclesiastes 3:1 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven; 

Sometimes our studies are stretched out throughout the day, so my intentions here are, that they are "done" by noon.  For those who do not homeschool, and are wondering why homeschool days are so "short" -have a read HERE! And many more answers to your questions!

Just for some inspiration and guidance,

Luke 10:38-42

New International Version (NIV)

At the Home of Martha and Mary

³⁸ As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. ³⁹ She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. ⁴⁰ But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”
⁴¹ “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, ⁴² but few things are needed—or indeed only one.^[a] Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

I repeat : "it will NOT be taken away from her!"

Out of Debt and From None to One

My husband and I vowed on a debt and loan free life after watching this seminar. We had experienced this miracle and knew that we were on the right track. We have three kids and live on a single income, so after making that decision, we knew that we had to save up cash for a car. With the income and savings plan that we had, it was obvious that we wouldn't be buying a car anytime soon. We were looking at 5 years down the line. I had already been strolling my kids around for 7 years and at times, I felt tempted to pick up that phone and "press #9", or apply for car financing. Thankfully we never did, and I am glad we didn't, because if we had done, we would have never got to experience the awesome-ness of God in this area. Keep reading!

We prayed about it, let God know our desires. We left it up to God to provide us a car if He saw fit. But one day, our neighbour had asked me whether we knew of anyone interested in buying a car, Dodge Grand Caravan 2003? I said that we didn't and that we are saving up for an Asia vacation to see my brother and his family. They told us what they would sell it for, if we were interested for $2,000. That was a great deal, if one would even have that kind of money saved up, but we didn't! I called my hubby right away and asked him whether this was another temptation or actually a gift from God. And if it was a gift from God, where would we find that money. It was a small enough amount, but still so large, for us. Are we going to miss out on such a chance like this, we wondered?? Because, we really didn't have the money. Borrowing was out of the question now, taking a loan was too... I was beginning to fret. Eventually we came to the conclusion that we had to trust God in this matter and if He saw fit, for us to have it, then we would have it. We had to have peace, that if I were to use strollers for the next 5 years, so be it.Not to mention that this car had been sitting in our neighbours driveway for the last year, what it really took was our hearts to be in the right condition to accept God's blessings.

Then soon after, it came to our knowledge that my husband had a bonus coming his way. This bonus was the exact amount of the car. HOWEVER, this was in June, and the bonus was to come the following August. We were surely going to miss this chance! We prayed ever harder...

Can we go and ask them to hold this car for 2 months until we got paid? Would anyone do such a thing for us? My husband approached our neighbour and asked if it would be ok for him to buy it at the end of August. Our neighbour replied that it worked out better since he had some work to do on it, but has to work in another province and wouldn't be back until END OF AUGUST to be able make those repairs!!!

This is how we have our very first car, debt free, within our budget, a perfect size... amen!! If we would've gone ahead and financed a car, taken on a debt, because of our impatience, we surely would've missed out on a super provision, a miracle. Our neighbours would never have asked us about the car, if we had had one in our drive way. Our declining financing of cars made sense. God foresaw this blessing and wanted to give us the best, debt free!

How We Got Out of Debt - Why and How We Manage Our Finances

My husband and I have not been brought up with a healthy relationship with money. We have both had "bad" role models on financial stewardship, but life isn't always so black and white. We were never taught to save, and money burned a hole in our pockets. If we had it, we spent it. If we wanted to buy something and didn't have the money for it, we simply borrowed or took loans for them. Some home items were bought on a monthly payment system, thankfully in Finland, but they too add up on bill day (The price tag doesn't change)! Anyhow, it seemed like our intentions were good, we tried to save up, but those savings too were spent eventually. We seemed to be eating our future paychecks and the pay was gone before we ever got to see it. We always tithed 10% regardless of our financial situation.

It wasn't until we moved to another continent that we were really put to the test. Money was sparse, we had a few maxed out credit cards (nothing major) that needed paying off and we were visiting the food bank on a regular basis. Our faith was put to the test. We even contemplated halving what we tithed until things settled a bit.

God was teaching us to trust in His timing with things that we wanted and needed. He taught us that His way would free us from our debts and loans. We watched the Financial Freedom Seminar (20h, 1h x 20 days) by Embassy Institute, in the evenings while the kids were sleeping. God showed us a lot, not just what the Bible says about finances, but also on other areas too. One major thing that I took with me was, "if you're moving in the right direction, it will be blessed", God blesses the right road. So my husband and I put that all to the test, what was there to lose?? First, we started to tithe from our first fruits, before tax. Secondly we made a promise to buy anything on credit. Thirdly, we aimed to pay off our debts and loans before we made any new purchases.

 We really needed a car. We didn't have money to buy a car and certainly not for another 5 years if we were to pay our debts off first and then pay the car in cash! Well, like I said -God DOES bless the right direction.

We had a few temptations along the way, to deal with the matter ourselves. One was increased credit on our credit cards. I had a letter and an email that said all I had to do is dial this number and press "9" for instant credit. Oooh that was tempting, especially because I wanted all our bills in one country (it would've saved us hundreds of over seas fee) which some of us know as "debt consolidation". But we were determined and we did recognize it as an attack, something good was coming and we were not going to blow it by accepting "worldly" ways. I'm so glad I deleted and threw that letter in the bin. Why?

Because, a few months later, while we had our taxes done and wishing for only enough to cover the service fee, God blessed our direction. We got enough taxes back to cover all the credit card bills and loans in Finland, and the sending fee -to the penny. Not kidding. It's true. It didn't make sense, and it didn't have to. We knew, it was all God!

So this is how we manage our finances. No living off credit. We have credit cards to pay for things that can only be paid by credit. If you can't afford it in cash, you can't afford it on VISA either. We will save up for everything. If we can't afford it there and then, then we don't buy it. We don't lend money, we give -if God puts that on our hearts. We tithe from our first fruits, not our seconds. We put some into savings, what ever we can on any given month. Our food budget is higher for a good reason. Quality over Quantity. Organic over Contaminated and so on... We are working on the savings part, we are still learning.

How did we purchase our very first car a few months later? Read all about it, here

The Big Fat Blah (Continued)

Okay, here is my previous post on "De-Itemizing". For those who have not read it yet, it's a must read!

So, here is an update on how well I have de-itemized my home.

It's been incredible! I have literally grabbed stuff that we do use and put them into black bags, bag after bag until I filled up 4 large Black bags and took them to our local thrift store. That's a lot of stuff.

This is how I did it. I walked around the house, analyzing each item and being quite brutal about it. "a brush! One of our 3... OK in the bag it goes!" / "bed sheets, rarely used, gotta go!" / "a board game, used, loved... time to move on -in it goes!" / "candle holders, pretty..but got to go"

I've taken out my coffee mugs and replaced them with my "special" tea set. I want to use beautiful cups to drink my tea/coffee from. I want my friends to enjoy them too. If we have more than 5 people visiting, I'll take out the mugs as a back up, not the other way around.

My kitchen surfaces are bare. Whatever doesn't fit into the cupboards must go. I really needed to prioritize. Some stuff is seasonal but they cannot have a temporary space in my kitchen, so some I have given away and some I have stored away-away.

We de-itemized our books as well. This is a thing, I never thought I would do. 1/3 of our books will be donated to BabyAnne's Mansion in the Philippines. This was really nice to do with the kids, they get it!

My home looks bare-ish, but we have a long way to go... I think we are half way there. It sure is liberating.

I'm feeling a lot better than this

You know, there are a lot of beautiful things in the world, a lot in your local shops, in the thrift stores...  it's okay to want them, and NOT purchase or receive them, even a fraction of them. Once owned, the beauty and excitement is not the same and it weighs upon your shoulders.

"Everyone wants to be happy; we make chasing this elusive ideal a lifelong pursuit; spending money, collecting things, and searching for new experiences. But if happiness depends on our circumstances, what happens when the toys rust, loved ones die, health deteriorates, money is stolen, and the party's over? Often happiness flees and despair sets in.

In contrast to happiness stands joy . Running deeper and stronger, joy is quiet, confident assurance of God's love and work in our life -- that He will be there no matter what! Happiness depends on happenings, but joy depends on Christ." - NLT Study Bible

Some of you might think, by reading this post, that I am breaking away from excessive shopping. This is not true however, even if I have wanted to shop I couldn't  (frugal living, budget issues). My "breaking away" is from the little (compared to most homes) existing items I have in my home.

I encourage you to de-itemize your home. For those who are already thinking about it or doing it, or even done it -tell me briefly how, what, when, where...?

More of home making here

Savour the Season -DIY Gift Boxes

Today we are savouring the Christmas Season by making our own gift boxes to give out. We got a ton of empty shoe boxes from the mall and some fancy contact paper. Walmart, you got it all! I cannot guide you in how to cover them since I am not a pro but I figured it out. I didn't cover the bottom of the boxes, I cut out strips which I first measures and then covered the sides and then a rectangular piece to cover the lids. All they need are our baking goods decorated by my kids and a big red bow on top! Merry Christmas!

The Big Fat BLAH!!!

Blah! Ugh! SIGH

The accumulated half empty shampoo bottles that clutter your shower and bath. The  pumpkins, from last Halloween, that are rotting on your front porch and strewn all over your lawn from a little soccer moment by the kids. The garbage from "that reno", sitting in your car port for everyone to see, that still is waiting to be driven to the dump. The dead bees from last summer that died on your window ledge are still there. The tightness of your clothes that discourage you and create self loathing. The hungry kids who want food now, and your kitchen surfaces that are full of piles of random things and papers that need organizing. BLAH! UGH! AAAAAAARGH!!!! The feeling of seeing your tidy home sanctum, become a messy-crummy-bitty-mess in matter of minutes and you get a unexpected visit at that very same moment. 

I have blogged about decluttering before. Many times. Today, I'm going to blog about de-itemizing your life. I think I just came up with that word. Yes, de-itemizing.

I have decluttered my home so many times, that I am beginning to realize that the problem lies in something else. How on earth, after decluttering a zillion times, do I feel like my head is still caving in, and my anxiety is still ticking within? What's bothering me? Why can't my soul rest? Each item that I have decide to keep I can really make use of. I'm seriously not a hoarder (denial kicking in!!), so I know whether I need it or don't. Usually my mottos are, "if in doubt, throw it out" and "if I have not used it within 12 months, I won't", and "if I need one, I'll just borrow one, or buy one then" etc. So, I know (think) that the stuff I have in my home is there to serve us. Yes, true.

So what if I really can find use for them, which would impact us in a positive way or impact someone else in a positive way. I'm sure these are great things, good things and practical things. We "need" them. 

However, if our house burnt down tomorrow, I wouldn't remember 80% of the things that we have in our home. I'd probably not remember 80% of the kids books, the stack of "tape and fix" kids books, half of our seasonal candle holders, half of our clothes, 75% of the things that are in our bathroom cabinet, probably all of the sheets tucked in a cupboard... all of those wires and gadgets, craft ribbon, baskets, jewellery,  nicknacks, bits and bobs.. and so on....sigh.

But why is it so hard to give these items up? Because my brain has been coded in a certain way.

I see a potential gift. I see a good opportunity for a family activity. I see a good homeschooling class. I see visitors. I see future recipes. I see quality time. I see a great sewing project, a rejuvenated living room. I see a hand written letter. I see a picture collage, a scrapbooking event. I see hospitality, a dinner party. I see a birthday. I see time to enjoy my family. But my time is limited. I don't have the time to experience these desires and ideas. I am a mom of small kids and my time is so sparse. 

I see rotting pumpkins and dirty skirting boards because I am too busy to do anything about them. I have decluttered yes, but I have not simplified my life truly. I am not talking about the other blogs that encourage a "10 steps to a simplified life", I'm talking about a complete freedom from the grasp of the way of the world. Is it possible?

There are so many beautiful things out there. There are so many inspiring and motivating craft ideas, clothing trends, sewing projects, bathroom ideas, books-books-books, party ideas, recipes, new gadgets, and lots of incredible and intriguing things. I cannot seem to walk into Walmart without buying something "which happens to be the coolest thing that day" and another addition to my "fun things to do" list. These beautiful things are actually robbing me, they are robbing my family and the time I have with my Lord. I can't fully create, I can't fully be present for my family, and I can't fully do a thorough job at home. Even though I have not done any of the 3 previously mentioned, I feel torn between them all and I freeze. I choose nothing. I watch my house become a mess, I see the dishes pile on top of an empty dishwasher, I did the minimal in teaching science lesson today, I see the organized craft projects on the shelf that I don't know how long it'll be before I can make them (maybe years?!). I basically freeze. My mind races, my ideas accumulate, I day dream. The home gets messy, my mind gets messy, the bathroom is messy, I trip on a toy and it sets me off. I'm shouting at the kids, I am yelling at the top of my lungs "GOD HELP ME!!!! I NEED YOU NOW, I CAN'T DO IT!" I don't want to be an angry mom that just drones on. On top of that, my nick name to myself had become "Comet".. I give a 100% on every project and new idea, diets, tradition etc..and it fades away in 2 weeks or so... on to the next new thing....and again, I go up and I go down....-Comet.

On top of managing the basics of the day, and as a homeschooling mom, I really don't have much time to tackle my ideas listed above or the time do bigger (and needed) clean ups or maintenance of the home. It's either tackle that sewing project I've been planning for 2 years or make dinner. Have a conversation with my kids or read the news online. Sit down with my hubby after the kids have gone to sleep, or organize the shed. I choose poorly and then I suffer. My home suffers and I feel anxious and uneasy. Because, I live in chaos. Decluttered chaos. Organized chaos. It's chaos.

I'm on a mission. I am going to de-itemize my home. I am going to give away, throw away, or sell a LOT! I don't know how much exactly, but all I know is that I will know, when I know, it is enough :)

I am going to get rid of things I love, I like and I probably will miss. It will hurt but I am determined.

I'm looking around now, and I see things I would hate to part from, but I have already made my decision to do it. A lot of energy is tied to items. Whether they are useful or not, they burden us. 

I encourage you to join me in de-itemizing-IN-December! Letting go, beyond the decluttering, beyond the organizing and labeling, letting go of the things around you. Become less, so He can become more in our lives. Lessen the things around you, even the beautiful things around you, so He can become more beautiful in your life.

More on De-Itemizing and De-cluttering HERE and HERE

Join me, this July 2014, on a 30 day de-itemizing challenge! Please share your experiences with me, I would love to hear!!!

Continues De-Cluttering

I have said it before. I have done it before. I have accumulated again. I am decluttering, again.

Not so long ago, I went through a 2 year decluttering process. It was hard, it was liberating, it was awesome! I got to spend more time with my family. I had less stuff to maintain, dust, pick up, clean, and re organize. It was an eye opener, a lesson, it was freedom.

After our BIG move, we started accumulating essentials. Well, we were surrounded by lots of giving people and before we even knew it, our home was bursting from its seams. Wow, that happened fast!

I began to itch again, to feel overwhelmed with stuff. Especially the little bits and pieces that were gathering and piling on top of kitchen tables and counters. It began to bug me. Random pieces.  I yearn for plain, for basics, for minimalistic living. Simplicity. 

Well I am half way there, emptying my home again. Getting rid of plastic, again.

Empty Fridge, Oh Bliss! No Unnecessary Organizing Part 3

When you go to your fridge to have look, you open the door, see it packed with tons of jars and bags of something, a few tupperware containers with something in them, left overs, bit and bats, but there's nothing for you to eat, or you cannot see anything you can cook with? You know, your door is filled with small jars, quarter empty, bottles of dressings and what not, but you can't see the wood for the trees? Not only that, but you see pieces of dried up onion peel in nooks and crannies? a sticky spill?

Here me out! This is the time for you to start fresh! No need to plan your next week's meals according to the random ingredients which have lingered in your fridge for months, ( really would you want to cook with a food" which doesn't go bad? ) Get rid of it, toss it out, start fresh! I am going to give you a few rules of thumb of what to chuck out and a recipe for a non toxic fridge cleaner!

Rules of thumb:

• If you haven't used it for a few months, chuck it out. When and IF you really really need it, make fresh or spend the penny to buy "fresh"... you don't want to store jars of random pickles and salsas for months. You'll end up with a hall of fame jar-landia.
• read the ingredients, if there is more than 2 ingredients that you cannot pronounce or know what they are, toss it, just toss it! Go back to basics, to ingredients which won't "cause cancer". Natural.
• If the food product has it own TV commercial, toss it, just get rid of the devil! 

Recycle the jars and containers according to your local recycling instuctions. Empty the fridge, Categorize in the simplest way that you can really, in all honestly, follow through with. Keep the meat away from your fresh produce. Make sure your fridge looks more colourful than "beige", this way you know you're eating healthy(er). Store in glass containers, see this blog post for why you ought to! 

Fridge Cleaner Spray

•  warm water
• 1 tbsp bicarb (baking, washing soda)
• 2 tbsp vinegar
• 2 drops of cinnamon oil (lovely scent, super bug killer, antifungal etc)

1. mix the oil and vinegar first in a spray bottle
2. add the bicarb
3. then fill up with water

Empty your fridge, spray scrub, wipe down. Fill up your fridge. Be picky, think twice. Cut a lemon in half and place it in the back of your fridge for freshness.

Enjoy!