Unfolding Moments

New Site (sort-of) Up and Running!

2007-06-18T20:22:00.000-05:00

Last night, Micah and I finally figured out how to load the blog portion of my new website. But then I discovered that the blog template I had already modified within blogger wouldn't work when hosted elsewhere (apparently, all the new automatic template "layout functions" in blogger are only available to blogs actually hosted by blogger! Aack.) So I stayed up late last night editing the html of another template manually. Oh well...good practice, right?:o)

The site's not perfect yet, but it's launched, and I'm ready to get back into blogging! Come visit me: www.simplyhomemaking.com/blog

I'm excited! Updated

2007-05-29T17:24:00.001-05:00

I've been working on my new site, and I'm really happy with it! Can't wait to unveil it in the next day or two. I prefer to stay simple with my website layouts, so it's not anything really fancy...but I MADE IT ALL BY MYSELF(!) so please excuse my amateur enthusiasm:o)

EDT: Well...because of problems setting up the hosting, it may take a couple more days than expected to have it up and running:o( They originally told us it could be as many as ten days, but I'm hoping it won't be that long! *sigh*

Announcement!

2007-05-21T13:44:00.001-05:00

Quoting from a post I made on our other website, Frugal Living Journal...

Sometimes you begin something and realize that it's turned out to be more of a challenge than you expected. At least that's what's happened with Micah and I and our online ventures!

After some discussion over the past couple of days, we've decided that Micah needs to preserve his time for focusing on his income-earning businesses/job. I, on the other hand, need to be able to streamline my online ventures. With all I have to keep me busy at home and other writing projects I want to be able to do, I really don't have the time to spend on multiple online projects right now...at least of the kind that require consistent creativity and originality!

We've decided that I will combine my two websites (this one and my personal blog) into a new website/blog, which will center largely on homemaking and domesticity, with emphases on creativity, beauty and frugality. I'll still share all about our attempts at living frugally and the things we learn doing so, but--considering the other emphases I mentioned--you may find the new site to have a decidedly more feminine approach. (I actually tried to restrain much of that while writing for this site, in an effort to keep things more "gender-neutral";o)

So that's the deal! I've learned that I can't spread myself too thin...better to have one (hopefully) decent site than multiple mediocre ones:o)

Unfolding Moments began two years ago as a sort of personal journal/place to write about my interests. Largely, I think I began it as a way to connect with other ladies who were doing what I wanted to do but couldn't at the time! (Be a full-time homemaker/work from home.) It was almost a survival technique...a way to live vicariously:o)

Now that I can live out my dream, I really want to focus in on doing that well. I want my new site to focus on all the aspects of living out my chosen career (As my site, it will probably very much reflect my own personal "homemaking flavor"! I think there many flavors, so many opportunities for sites to express them!:o) I want to celebrate the opportunities for personal and creative growth that homemaking can provide, as well as the opportunities to give of ourselves to our families and others. I also hope to encourage other women with the same dreams that they can get there too...the same way I was encouraged:o) I know I could probably just keep writing here on Unfolding Moments, but I really think I'd like a fresh start. (However, I do plan to transfer my favorite posts over to the new site:o)

So, the plan is to leave this site open for a bit, while I get the new one going. I'll let you know all the info. when I do!

Well...

2007-05-18T10:35:00.000-05:00

I decided to follow Mrs. B's example and delete my last post. I guess there's too much trash out there to be able to safely google some names (Sorry, Trixie!:o( )

Random Facts About Me

2007-05-17T00:50:00.000-05:00

Mary Ann tagged me for this meme! (Yeah...it was kind of a while ago, but I AM finally getting to it!:op )

Here are the rules: Each player starts with 7 random facts/habits about themselves. People who are tagged need to write on their own blog about their seven things, as well as these rules. You need to choose 7 people to get tagged and list their names. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them that they have been tagged and to read your blog!

1. I took ballet lessons for about eight years when I was little, but now cannot dance worth anything! (Oh well...at least it was a lot of fun for me then:o)

2. I like bananas, but I cannot eat them (unless they are mashed up like in banana bread, or cut into very small pieces like in a fruit salad). It's something about the texture. It makes me gag. (Lovely, I know!)

3. I remember when I bought my first car, gas only cost about 89-95 CENTS PER GALLON! (It wasn't even THAT long ago!) I really miss those days!

4. My first job (besides babysitting) was as a cashier at a small, local family-owned grocery store when I was 17. The family was proud of their German heritage. Every October, they had "Oktoberfest", when they would discount all the sausage and sauerkraut and play polka music non-stop. They made all the girl employees wear embarrassing (for me at the time:o) frilly German apron costumes, but the guys had it slightly better with just feathered hats!

5. I've taken a tour of the British parliament building, but never been to any of the DC governmental sites. I've been to London several times, but never to NYC. I'm looking forward to touring OUR OWN COUNTRY'S famous landmarks someday!

6. My ancestors first came to America in the 1600s, and some of them fought against the British in the American revolution. I'm a complete European mutt (Scottish, English, Irish, French, Dutch, etc.), with a little bit of Jewish thrown in.

7. My current favorite Starbucks drink is a Green Tea Frappuccino without whip. Just had one tonight! Mmmm.

I know this one has been going around the blogosphere for a while, so I don't know who's already done it! If you haven't yet and you want to...consider yourself tagged! And let me know if you do so I can come read it!:o)

My weekend reading recommendation

2007-04-28T22:23:00.000-05:00

From a new-to-me blog I've been enjoying very much:

Sara does a wonderful job condensing Proverbs 31 into its key points, and then shares practical down-to-earth encouragement for those of us striving to live these verses! This is a long read, but I highly recommend it when you get a few moments.

I think my poor little blog needs a fresh post

2007-04-25T23:18:00.000-05:00

I'm still around, as some of you know who have been following our other site, Frugal Living Journal! I'm just taking to heart the encouragement I received a while back that I shouldn't feel pressed to post something just to be posting. Perhaps a little bit too much to heart! :op

Since only posting every two weeks is kind of ridiculous, I suppose I need to become inspired a bit more often. It's either that or reevaluate continuing to post on this blog at all...but at this point in time I'm not ready to give it up! I enjoy having a place to write about anything I want...something that our topical website doesn't provide. So I hope you'll forgive me for the neglectfulness that unfortunately surfaces from time to time when life becomes busy. Please know that I always appreciate your readership and comments, even when I fail to respond to them in a timely manner! And for my part, I will try to become--at least a little bit--more timely:o)

Lately, I've been dividing much of my time between home projects (cleaning, cooking, organizing, etc.) and "frugal research." Yes...when you publish a frugality website, you must do research! But much of what I'm doing is stuff I would probably be doing anyway, site or no site. I'm researching and seeking to implement new ways to manage our resources better, and getting to share them with others is an added benefit! And yet, there's never enough time to do all I would like to in this area, as in so many others. Is life always this way? Too short and too full to accomplish my never-ending list of aspirations? Again, I marvel at the idea that homemakers could ever be bored.

Discussing this with Micah recently, he asked: "How did we do all this stuff when you were working full time?" I reminded him, "we didn't!" We rarely had home-cooked meals on weeknights, excepting eggs or spaghetti. We spent weekends (partially) cleaning the house and completing other projects and errands, which was frustrating since both of us just wanted to rest and have some fun time together! And forget a simplified, frugal lifestyle, or any type of serious organization. We were doing good just to get bills paid on time!

That was then, and I am so thankful for now...though I'm amazed at the way time just continues to slip through my fingers. Bored? Never! Could I please just get my time to stand still for even one day?

How do you moms do it, adding children into the mix? Despite the fact that mothering is about as time-consuming as you can get, I hope that God sees fit to give me that challenging privilege someday:o)

An Unfortunate Incident from an Easter Past

2007-04-12T11:26:00.000-05:00

Don't ever buy me a chocolate Easter bunny. My mom confesses why. (Except, I don't think she fully expresses the scope of the trauma which accompanied the Easter Bunny Incident. There was wailing. There was tear-soaked chocolate.)

Studying God's Word

2007-04-04T23:21:00.000-05:00

As I wrote about several weeks ago, I'm trying to find the best way (for me; I believe different people have different "best ways") to spend daily focused quiet time with God.

For Bible study, I decided that some in-depth expository commentaries would be very helpful, because:

a) Reading through passages on my own often raises questions that I--with my relatively limited knowledge of biblical language and culture--find perplexing. While I think the most important points in the Bible--namely, those related to the Gospel message--are very clear, I want to make sure that my interpretations of the more minor points are accurate; that I'm understanding contexts correctly, etc.

b) I am weary of "devotional books" that ask lots of surfacey questions, like "Name five times you failed to trust God this week" (Good grief...I wish it were only five!) or "Why do you think God instructs us to forgive?" (Umm, because He-first-forgave-us. Can we get past the sunday school questions now? Thanks :op ) Again, this is just my opinion. I'm not necessarily saying some of these books don't have their place...especially for new Christians or those just beginning to study the Bible. Perhaps the biblically-accurate ones can be a good starting place, but aren't meant to nourish someone who has been a Christian for 20 years.

So, I've borrowed a couple of John MacArthur commentaries from my dad. Right now I'm beginning to work my way through 1&2 Thessalonians, and I think I've found what I wanted! From the preface:

It continues to be a rewarding, divine communion for me to preach expositionally through the New Testament. My goal is always to have deep fellowship with the Lord in the understanding of His Word and out of that experience to explain to His people what a passage means. In the words of Nehemiah 8:8, I strive to "give the sense of" it so they may truly hear God speak and, in so doing, may respond to Him.[...]

This New Testament commentary series reflects this objective of explaining and applying Scripture. Some commentaries are primarily linguistic, others are mostly theological, and some are mainly homiletical. This one is basically explanatory, or expository. It is not linguistically technical, but deals with linguistics when that seems helpful to proper interpretation. It is not theologically expansive but focuses on the major doctrines in each text and how they relate to the whole of Scripture. It is not primarily homiletical, although each unit of thought is generally treated as one chapter, with a clear outline and logical flow of thought. Most truths are illustrated and applied with other Scripture. After establishing the context of a passage, I have tried to follow closely the writer's development and reasoning.

From what I've read so far, I highly recommend MacArthur's commentaries to anyone wanting to study the Bible in-depth. I like how his entire focus is ON THE SCRIPTURE instead of extra-biblical application, because I think the ability to apply God's Word to our daily lives must first grow out of our proper understanding of and internalization of that Word. Life application comes later, when the fruits of hiding God's Word in our hearts spring forth naturally. This cannot be manufactured.

I'd love to hear what helps you in your study of Scripture!

Brag Moment

2007-03-28T14:19:00.000-05:00

I just want to brag on my mom for a minute: she's a great example of how being a homemaker--far from squelching one's potential--can allow for the time and opportunity to use talents and gifts!

My mom is a fabulous photographer. She's always loved taking pictures, but recently has had more opportunities to do it on a larger scale as her gift has become recognized: photographing weddings, bridal portraits, engaged couples, graduation photos, children, and various other people and settings.

It's been neat to witness her gift gradually and naturally develop through the years. It began with taking pictures of family and an interest in geneology and scrapbooking. When I was little, she was a Creative Memories consultant for a time. Recently she has taken classes and apprenticed to professionals to learn even more, and is doing SO well!

The picture above is hers, and you can see other pictures she's posted on her blog here and here. And these are just her day-to-day normal-type pictures. I wish you could see her portfolios!

The Swish and Swipe

2007-03-25T23:14:00.000-05:00

I'm gradually refining my routines. After reading up on FlyLady for inspiration, I've started including the Swish and Swipe in my morning Housework Hour. I used to pretty much only touch the bathroom (beyond picking up the floors) once a week, when I'd have to spend the better part of an hour really scrubbing everything. When the bathroom was becoming "due" for a cleaning, believe me, you could tell! (And it was embarrassing to have unexpected guests at such a time!)

Now only the tub and floors will need a good weekly scrubbing (which is always scheduled to take place after our dog Peaches' bath:o) The more frequently-used sink, countertop, mirror and toilet are a cinch to keep up with on a daily basis! I never dreamed that doing these daily would take ONLY THREE MINUTES (I timed it) of my time!

P.S. I may have read this on FlyLady's site, I can't remember: You know how nice it is to enjoy a spotless bathroom each day during a hotel-stay? Why not give ourselves and our families the same pleasure at home? Now that I know how little time it takes, I hope I never go back to the only-once-a-week cleaning. (Imagine if that was the policy at hotels...ick!)

Happy Birthday to my Love and Best Friend!

2007-03-12T12:23:00.000-05:00

Ten Great Things About Turning 25:

1. Our car insurance is now cheaper:o)

2. When we rent a car, they'll assume we're normal, staid adults, not reckless-driving-deviants and won't charge us extra fees due to age-bias.

3. You're old enough to run for congress.

4. You've now been around for a quarter of a century!

5. You've been my one-and-only for an entire one-fifth of your existence.

6. This is the 6th birthday that I've had the privilege of celebrating with you. I'm hoping for many, many, many more to come!

7. Metal detector. Enough said.

8. You've accomplished much in the past few years, but this year promises even more. Don't be discouraged in going after your dreams, Honey! I'm very proud of you!

9. I love you more and more with each year that passes.

10. "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future." Jer 29:11

The latest in my time management saga

2007-03-07T20:46:00.000-06:00

In my efforts to learn how to be a good manager of my time and our home, I've tried many things and failed many times. Are some people just born with this gift? Well, I was not. I'm just too good at ricocheting between hardcore effort and having-fallen-off-the-wagon-melancholy. It's a perfectionist thing.

BUT ALAS! There are a few glimmers of hope on the horizon for one such as I! First off, I have somehow managed to begin early-izing my bedtime and wake-up time. For me, this is quite a feat: to give you an idea...for a while I was having trouble falling asleep any earlier than 3:00 am. I'll leave it to your imagination what that did to my mornings. I'm now regularly retiring around 12:30-1:00 am, with the ultimate goal being to have lights off by midnight. This is surely an act of God.

Secondly, I have recently instituted--and successfully executed for a period exceeding two weeks--my "Housework Hour": This concept is basic enough to you expert time managers, but actually PRACTICING it is a revelatory experience for me. I bought a timer (my old one had broken some time ago). Every morning, after taking my shower and getting dressed for the day, I turn on some music or a radio program, set my timer for an hour, and try to see how much housework I can get done in that amount of time. Here's what I've discovered:

1. This timer method works much better for me than mapping out an hourly schedule (i.e., "9:00-10:00 : Housework"), because I can start it at 8:47 or 9:32 or whenever I'm ready to. This is a huge psychological boon to a perfectionist: All's not lost if I get started "late". I'm in control of my schedule, and it SHALL bow to me when I need it to be flexible:o)

2. Same deal, if I get interrupted by a phone call or something. I just pause the timer and come back to it when I'm ready. If I was on a "9:00-10:00 : Housework" type schedule, interruptions throwing me off track might possibly discourage my productive intentions for the entire rest of the day. Moms...the ability to "pause time" and still come back to finish your hour (or however long) of housework is of especial benefit to you!

3. Limiting myself to an hour forces me to prioritize. My most important housekeeping priorities in the morning are making the bed, making sure the kitchen is spotlessly clean (I hate going in there to make something and finding it messy!), and picking up clutter around the house. My Housework Hour is usually enough to do these and one or two other things, such as sweeping the floors, or starting some laundry. Today, I spent 30 minutes of my hour clearing clutter out of the garage! (Since I have to go out there regularly to do laundry--yes, our washer and dryer are in the garage--the dirt and clutter out there had been bugging me for a while! It's amazing what difference a few concentrated minutes can make!)

My Housework Hour mostly takes care of that daily-maintenance stuff that makes our home livable. I usually spend more time on cooking, cleaning and other various household projects later in the day. But even if I'm gone or extra-busy on something else that day, at least I got the most important stuff done!

Life is busy

2007-02-23T23:22:00.000-06:00

We've been putting lots of time into Frugal Living Journal lately, along with our other various and diverse projects. I just have to laugh that some people think women at home have nothing to do. I can't for the life of me fathom what boredness must feel like!:op

Life hasn't been all work. This is my younger sister, Megan, and I at her celebratory 23rd birthday lunch recently. I bet you couldn't tell we were related until I mentioned it...right?;o)

After lunch, my mom and I indulged Megan by accompanying her on her favorite activity...shopping. I was excited to find a great deal on this khaki-colored corduroy skirt at one of my favorite stores (that I can rarely justify the prices at)...Ann Taylor Loft. The skirt was marked down to $14-something. It was my splurge of the day. (Well, not exactly a splurge, because I need more skirts I can wear in the winter, and I'm sure I'll get some good use out of this one next year!)

My grandparents are in town for the next three weeks, so we'll be spending a lot of time visiting with them. We're also taking a quick jaunt to San Antonio to see Micah's sister while she's there for a conference. (She lives across the country from us, so we have to take advantage of this opportunity to see her!)

Is it weird that I like to read cookbooks cover to cover? I was very excited when my mom donated a stack of her old cookbooks to me! I've started reading through them, trying to glean some helpful info and also find some new recipes that look good enough to try.

I have many other things I've been wanting to blog about lately! Unfortunately, the wee hours of Saturday morning aren't the time to be delving into anything that takes too much thought. Thus the activities run-down. I wish you a wonderful weekend, and I'll try to conjur up some brain cells for my next post!:o)

Introducing...

2007-02-16T16:16:00.000-06:00

Our new website!

Micah and I have been talking about starting this website for months (maybe years), and we've finally got it launched! There may still be a few kinks to work out, and there's A LOT more content to add, but everything's a process:o)

We're especially excited about the blog portion. That's where we'll regularly be sharing all of the frugal/financial/creative income/get-out-of-debt info that we've learned and continue to study. We'll also be sharing more of our own frugal living journey there. I'll still be blogging here about all my normal homemaking and randomy stuff, but Frugal Living Journal will definitely be more of a theme site, and we're planning to take a more business-approach with it. I'm so excited to be working on it as a team with Micah!

One thing we'd love to do with the new site, is to eventually have lots of Frugal Success Stories from other people. I don't know about you...but I LOVE hearing about the successes of others who are doing what we're trying to do! So if you have any successes to share (about becoming debt-free or learning to live more frugally), or you're just interested in these topics, come on over! (The site is still pretty lonely right now, as this is our first announcement about it!:o)

Oh, and we'll be trying to add new content almost everyday!

My Valentine

2007-02-14T15:55:00.000-06:00

I love Micah because:

~He's kind, tender, and unusually patient with me when I don't always deserve it:o)
~We like to be together. I don't get tired of his presence. Quite honestly, I'm miserable when I have to be apart from him for more than a matter of hours!
~I have a sense of security and peace when he's nearby
~He's thoughtful of others' needs and feelings
~He's my best friend

Micah came home with this beautiful gift for me last night:o)

I made this cookie cake for Micah this afternoon:o) Just don't pay too much attention to the icing artistry...I didn't have a real icing bag:op

I respect Micah because:

~He's willing to work everyday doing a job he dislikes in order to take care of us.
~He is working hard toward his dreams and doesn't give up!
~I look around at other guys his age and am amazed at how many of them act like they're still in college (or even high school!). Micah took on the responsibility of marriage at a relatively young age, and has shown a tremendous growth in maturity and responsibility over the past almost-four years. He's the provider for our family, and a wonderful, faithful husband. He's become much more willing to sacrifice to achieve important goals.

In Memory...

2007-02-06T18:55:00.000-06:00

...of two special doggies, Puffin and Muffin, my beloved first pets. They came to live with my family when I was ten years old and lived long and happy lives:

11-09-91 - 02-05-07

It was time to say goodbye, but they will never be forgotten.

Babies, I loved you and will miss you!

Amazing Grace

2007-01-30T15:24:00.000-06:00

The movie Amazing Grace, opening in theatres this February, looks like it's going to be an excellent movie about William Wilberforce and the beginning of the anti-slavery movement in England. The director also hopes to spark some indignation and action concerning the current ongoing slavery problem in much of the world.

Micah and I will definitely be seeing this one! It comes out on February 23rd in theatres nationwide. Check out the website to find a theatre near you.

Evenings at Our Home

2007-01-29T12:53:00.000-06:00

Ready for Our Starbucks Date

2007-01-29T12:38:00.000-06:00

Sunday Afternoon at the Park

2007-01-29T12:28:00.000-06:00

Want to win $1,000,000?

2007-01-27T12:35:00.000-06:00

Pillsbury's Bake-Off is going on now!

BTW, for what it's worth, I've tasted the recipe that won the $1,000,000 prize last time. Honestly guys? It wasn't that good. But the winner certainly got brownie points for creativity! (It was a chicken dish, served with stuffing made of pillsbury waffles of all things, and the syrup that came with the waffles was used in the chicken coating. Just a little strange:oP)

So my guess is that the judges are more interested in novelty. Or maybe they'll be more interested in taste this time, just to throw people off...who knows? Good luck to all the chefs out there!:o)

My Decorating Approach

2007-01-27T00:48:00.000-06:00

I don't know if you could tell from all the pictures: I gravitate toward a kind of vintage/cottage/shabby chic decorating style. My colors are blue, sage green, lots of white (though there would be less if I could paint some walls:o), and a little red or pink thrown in here and there to liven things up. I have these same colors throughout the whole house, though different rooms tend to emphasize different combinations.

My home is a work in progress. I buy things as I find them, always looking out for deals at thrift shops, garage sales and discount stores. I like to look for cheap (or free!) things that can be fixed up. Thankfully, this ecclectic approach suits my style...for instance, I don't like things that are matchy-matchy. I mix white and brown furniture, and would be open to throwing some black in there as well. I'm not the type of person to ever buy a furniture "set" of anything:o)

Because I gather things for my home from all over, I coordinate it all by trying to stay within my basic color scheme and general "style". Even if something is offered to me for free, I don't take it if I won't have a practical use for it (or if it's just a decoration, don't have a good place that needs it), or if it won't "fit in" with the rest of the house. So far, I've been very blessed to find very cheap or aquire for free everything we need. I have so many stories of how each need has been filled...even down to God providing me with a free piano through unusual circumstances!

I wouldn't want to decorate my home any other way. How boring it would be to bring in a decorator and have him or her fill my home with impersonal, expensive things. I much prefer having my own story behind everything! I like how so many things in our home have meaning to us or reflect something about us. I love having a "home in progresss", because there's always new little touches to add and the enjoyment of hunting for "that perfect thing" (at a great deal, of course;o)

Thanks for letting me share some of my home! This was a lot of fun for me:o)

Our Home - Creative lighting:o)

2007-01-27T00:17:00.000-06:00

This floor lamp was originally an ugly brassy color. (I prefer metals that are silver, black or white...anything but gold! That's just one of my things:op ) We were able to re-coat it ourselves with this pewter-colored coating very inexpensively. I'm sure that most metals can be re-coated for an updated look!
This "candle holder" is actually a plate. I received a set of four crystal dessert plates as a wedding gift. When one broke, I decided that there probably wouldn't be too many situations when I'd only need three dessert plates...so candle holders they became! There are so many different ways to use things...it's fun to try to think how they might be "re-purposed".

Our Home - Some Bedroom Details

2007-01-26T23:46:00.000-06:00

I don't like impersonal knick-knacks. I like to use special or meaningful things in my decorating. When I look around my home, I want to see things that make me smile, remind me of something meaningful, or uplift me in some way.

Several years ago, I gave Micah this wood box as a gift. (I got a good deal on it at Hobby Lobby, in case anyone's wondering:o) I wrote a personal message to him inside the lid, using a silver paint pen. The purpose of the box was to have a special place for us to "treasure our memories together"...special letters to each other, things like that;o) It's so much fun to go through it now and then and be reminded of our history together.
Just a peek now...;o)
This used to hang in my bedroom when I was little. I now have it hanging on my side of the bed as a comforting reminder.
This hangs on Micah's side of the bed as a reminder for him;o) I believe this is an old wood slat from a fence...I bought it at a flea market and hung it with ribbon. But I'm sure this would be easy to make with any old piece of wood, if you like the "shabby chic" look. You could make it say anything you wanted.