Homemaker in Training Thursday #2
January 24, 2008
A Homemaker’s Notebook
My momma, sister, and I have kept a notebook for about a year now.
Starting out with a three-ring binder, we’ve filled it over time with all sorts of things that we don’t want to lose, or things we’ll use at a later date. Most of the time we put things in plastic sheet protectors, so that the papers won’t be damaged.
I haven’t stuck with this as much as I should because it’s a wonderful tool to keep everything organized. If you’re interested in making one here are some category ideas that are included in my notebook. (I don’t have all of these sections filled, don’t feel overwhelmed, they’re just some suggestions to get it started.)
Calendar — yearly, monthly, daily, whatever fits your need. Schedules can be added here.
Devotions — yearly goals, monthly goals, daily Scripture reading schedule, study notes, journaling, books of the bible study, memory verse pages, prayer request and answer journals, how I can minister to others.
Scripture and Quotes — favorite Scripture passages to keep you going through the day, inspiring quotes that remind you of what is important or to lift your spirits. You can even put some jokes in this section.
Goals — interests.
Homekeeping — daily, weekly, monthly chores (also known as home blessing activities), seasonal chores, room detail lists, housecleaning tips, errands list.
Phone & Address lists — phone and address list, email addresses, and websites.
Emergency Info — Emergency numbers, emergency preparation, first aid checklist, 11 Points for Evacuation.
Health Records — personal medical history, family medical history, dental history, eye history, medications list, pet medical history.
Special Days — date book for special days, Christmas card list, gift ideas, birthday party ideas, gift record, thank you list, holiday ideas and traditions, holiday memories journal, holiday debriefing.
Reading — books read, books to read, books to remember, inter-library loan books, Dewey Decimal system, movies to rent or recommend.
Hospitality — menus, activities, shower ideas, games, encouragement ideas, letters to write.
Cooking — breakfast, lunch, and supper menus, favorite food of the family members, pantry items, weekly or monthly menus, recipes to try, goals to learn certain cooking techniques, freezer inventory, measurements and other helps, lists of herbs and their uses, grocery lists, information on freezing and canning.
Gardening — garden almanac, calendar, harvest times, plant descriptions, garden plans and layouts.
Purchases — lists of needed or wanted items to save for (to discourage impulse buying), non-grocery needed items, hope chest inventory.
Camping — packing list, maps, meal ideas, menus, games or activities, future camp ideas, debriefing after camping, list of camp sites.
Home Crafting — simple sewing instructions, embroidery stitch instructions, patterns for home items, patters for knitting and crocheting, seasonal home decoration ideas.
Finances — budgeting, price books for common items, personal and family budget, list of sales patterns, insurance information, expense record.
Home Maintenance — care for appliances, car maintenance, lawn care, mower care, furnace and ac care, refurnishing instructions.
Child Care — homeschooling books to read, children’s activities, rainy day helps, special recipes for fun things, favorite baby names.
Family Records — genealogy, home inventory of each room.
Info For Personal Interests — information on personal likes (such as caring for livestock, computer information, art, grammar rules, writing tips, decorating ideas, card making tips, color combinations, scrapbooking tips, etc.).
Ideas For Time — rainy day ideas, field trip ideas, what to do with 15 minutes.
For other’s Homemaker In Training posts, please visit Eyebright’s blog.
Homemaker In Training Thursday #1
January 17, 2008
My friend Eyebright has started Homemaker In Training Thursday, which is designed for ladies of all ages to learn how to be better homemakers. This is Week #1.
My cousin, sister, and I came up with this basic list of how to prepare for company, I’ve tweaked it a bit for this post.
How To Prepare For Company
- Make sure your rooms are clean. You want them to be “clean enough to be peaceful, and messy enough to be happy.”
- Check the corners of ceiling and windows for cobwebs.
- Clean the floors, make sure there are no pummies or dust bunnies playing in the corners.
- Wipe down the kitchen counters, put dishes away, mop or spot mop the floor, and replace the towels with fresh ones.
- Wipe down the bathroom counters, clean the toilet, and put new towels out.
- Check to make sure your front entry way is tidy.
- Keep the pets contained so that they do not bother or slobber on the guests, but if they ask to see or play with the pets, and when it is appropriate, you can let them out.
- If they are coming for a meal, be prepared and have everything ready in good timing, usually within 15-25 minutes after they arrive. If you have the chance, check with the guests before they arrive to see what kind of food they like, you wouldn’t want your guests to have a hard time choking down their least favorite meal.
- When they arrive, make sure they feel at home and that they are comfortable, but do not bug.
- When they say it’s about time to leave, don’t bring up another subject or try to get them to stay later, this might make them feel bad, and cause them to stay, which might end up throwing off their schedule.
We don’t do this perfect, we’re still in the training process. We’ve had people over that came to our house unexpectedly, and they still wanted to stay and visit, even though the house was a wreck.
America the Beautiful
January 14, 2008
In September 2005 I was shopping at Hobby Lobby with my aunt Lou, Maggie, & Breezy. Auntie found a cross-stitch pattern of the USA in a clearance section. I didn’t see the pattern until after we left the store, and when I did see it, I felt like it would be the perfect project for me to work on.
So we turned around and went back into the building, walked straight back to the area Lou had found her’s. We searched and searched, but it seemed like we were just wasting our time, there just wasn’t another pattern like it in sight.
At this point, you can probably imagine the distress I was feeling. Suddenly, one of my companions exclaimed, “I found it!” I was completely over-joyed. I took it up to the register, checked out, and headed home with a long and exciting project ahead of me.
Later that week I bought the material, and the embroidery floss I didn’t already have. Right away I began to cross-stitch, starting in Minnesota. I’m not quite sure why I started there, probably because it has such a pretty shape. After I did all the state outlines, I continued on to do the water, icons, state names, and their capitals.
On April 15, 2006 I finished the last stitch. I spent a little over 350 hours working on this. Later that year, when the 4-H fair rolled around I entered it, and from there it went to the state fair, and did quite well.
In the bottom right corner I embroidered my name and the date of completion.
It now hangs on our living room wall. The frame is 36″ x 24″.
Here are a couple photos of the work in progress and the finished product.
*As you can tell, Alaska and Hawaii are very out of proportion, I just followed the pattern on those, so please excuse that*
Wrapping my brain . . .
January 10, 2008
. . . before long it’s going to get twisted beyond repair.
This afternoon I had an art lesson from a dear friend. We went over perspective, and I believe I actually have my brain wrapped around the subject . . . most of it. Breezy took lessons from her on drawing and watercolor painting. I am now taking classes from her on perspective and color theory, so that I can apply what I learn to my graphic designing.
I had my first piano lesson after a five year break. I have taken piano lessons from three other ladies, but I never wrapped my brain around the theory part (they actually didn’t even teach theory). I had taken a break from it, because I had some bad experiences, and then I began violin lessons. My violin teacher was the best that ever lived, but sadly she moved away. So now I’m back to piano . . . to learn more theory. Then I hope to start the oboe, and continue on my own with violin and piano.
Algebra. So many thoughts pop into my head when I think about this word. I like algebra — quite a bit actually. I’ve always enjoyed math. Of course there have been those day where my brain just isn’t working properly and I don’t get it, or I just can’t seem to focus. Lately I’ve been doing the word problems, with the four analysis questions that make the problems so much simpler. But I sometimes have trouble remembering what to do once I’ve come up with my open sentences. Today I worked with motion problems, and I think it’s pretty neat how you can figure out the distance from the rate times the time, and all that good stuff.
I‘ve been studying in health about keeping a sound mind. One of the things the chapter touched on was the ear. It is so intricately designed (by God!), I can’t believe that anyone could think we evolved from random chance! When Breezy and I were 5 and 7 we studied the ear, and did a three-dimensional model of it. Here’s a photo of us and the model (Bre-right, me-left). It doesn’t exactly look like one, but it is.
Bre and I have been going through Systematic Theology by Wayne Grudem with the Rebelution Forum. I have really enjoy the study, and learned a good deal about the Cannon of Scripture, God’s Attributes, the Trinity, the Inerrancy of Scripture, etc. Mr. Grudem explains the subjectss quite clearly, there will be upcoming posts about some of these topics. We were inspired to read Systematic Theology when we were at the Rebelution Conference, and I’m extremely glad we’ve gotten in on the study.
I shall leave you with a passage that has encouraged me. God’s forgiveness is so amazing! God is SO good!
“If You, Lord, should mark iniquities,
O Lord, who could stand?
But there is forgiveness with You,
That You may be feared.” – Psalm 130:3-4
2008
January 1, 2008
A new year has begun. All the time that has elapsed in the previous year is now history.
Ah, the beauty of a new year. We have no idea of what’s around the corner, no idea of what’s to come. We, as Christians, need not have a fear of the future.
“The Lord will guard your going out and your coming in
From this time forth and forever.” – Psalm 121:8
As I look back on what the Lord has done in my life and in the lives of my family, it is amazing to see His hand working out every little detail.
Breezy (my sister) and I have had the wonderful opportunity to work on a major project together that could take off at any time. But even if it doesn’t take off, we know that this has been a part of God’s sovereign plan.
God’s sovereignty is so amazing! He has our whole lives planned out, and He planned them before the beginning of time.
“Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
And in Your book they all were written,
The days fashioned for me,
When as yet there were none of them.” – Psalm 139:16
May God Bless you all in the coming year!!! I hope you have a wonderful 2008!
While living the life my Lord has blessed me with, I am at home with my family enjoying being a daughter, homemaker and artist. My highest goal is to give glory to God and enjoy Him forever. It is He that has saved me with His amazing grace and is continually molding me; to Him I owe everything. Read more . . .
