Free Homemaking Book (an Old One)

If you enjoy old, free homemaking books, you might want to see this one.  In past years, there have been several books published about keeping the home. I have not read this one, so I cannot say whether it is good or not.  I will leave that up to you.

This book was first published in 1915 and is entitled Household Engineering; Scientific Management in the Home, and its purpose was to help women run their households more efficiently.  Of course, some things won't apply to us--such as servants (smile), but it may still be an interesting read.


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When Mommy's Unwell, and How to End 2018

I had the best plans for this little holiday break, from Christmas to New Year's.  My husband was going to have time off from work, so we would firstly have some lovely time together as a family.  We were finally going to have a nice break from homeschooling, which I really don't mind doing--school is part of our daily routine, and it makes the day seem "normal" and put together.  But, I was looking forward to this short break to spend with the family.  We would spend quality time together as a family, probably playing some games, reading, having Bible studies, and other things.  I was going to spend some time catching up on checking the children's school work.  I was hoping to take the little ones aside to the kitchen with me at different times to make some sweet goodies that I have been meaning to make for some time for the family.  We normally have dessert only once or twice a week, but this was to be a special time of celebrating!

I had spent lots of time shopping for special gifts for the children and my husband this year.  I was anticipating everyone opening their presents, hoping they would like what they received.  Everything went well on Christmas Day, with the family opening their lovely gifts from each other.  But in the evening, I started feeling unusually tired and had a funny feeling in my throat.  I fell asleep while we were watching a creation video and felt even worse when I woke up.  It was during this night of sleep that I knew something was very wrong!

I woke up feeling just horrible, after a restless night of sleep.  I soon determined that I had come down with the flu.  There went my plans!  I have stayed in my room most of this time, not wanting to spread my sickness to the rest of the family.  When part of me feels better, I will have another symptom worsen or a new one crop up, so I stay longer in my room.  When I've been feeling a little bit better, and no one else has been at home, I have had to go down to the kitchen to get myself a cup of tea or some water.  Then I have seen the state of our kitchen--it is just not the same when Mommy is not around!  Everyone has their own chores to do and set chore times during the day, but it is quite different when the "head housekeeper" is not around to check on what sort of job everyone has been doing.  I have older daughters, but they don't always do the very best job they could do.  I have been training them up in order to help out at home and to be prepared when they, Lord willing, have their own homes and families.  But they are not fully grown yet, and some are better than others at cleaning thoroughly and taking care of extra messes.  I long to be down with my family, back into routine, the busyness of keeping the home and looking after the children, but the Lord has other plans for me.

As mothers, there's not much we can do when we fall ill.  The home will not be in as good of shape as when we are around and feeling well.  Some times, it seems as if these interruptions just keep coming, and that we will never catch up on our work.  Each time we make a little headway, it seems that something else comes along to take us backwards and get us more behind.  So it is with life on this earth, isn't it?  We are working against the tide of decay and of sin, that forever gives us work to do.  This is how it will be as long as we are here on this earth.  Each day is a gift from Him, and we never know which day will be our last.  Instead of fretting, we must remember to ask the Lord every day to help us with what each day brings.  Even when we tire, and feel weak, He never does, and He is always ready to hear our cries for help.

I am thankful and hopeful that my sickness will soon be over.  My time here in bed and in my room has not been wasted, because the Lord has ordained it.  I hope you all are doing well and feeling better than I am (smiles).

Now, How to End 2018
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The following is an excerpt from the diary of James Smith: December 31, 1855.  The last day of the year 1855--a year characterized by . . . many severe trials, many sore temptations, and innumerable mercies. In some things, it closes differently to what I expected--but how differently it may have closed! I might have been in Hell! O terrible thought! I might have been on a sick bed, tormented with excruciating pain, or reduced to a state of infantile weakness. I might have been in great and sore troubles, tossed with tempests, and not comforted. I might have been without a pastorate--and without a loving people. Or I might have been guilty of some heinous sin, lost my character, and been a fugitive and a vagabond on the earth! Blessed, forever blessed be the Lord--that such is not my case! My health is good, my hope in Christ is steady, my congregation good, and I trust the Lord will yet work a great work by me. And now, Lord, I desire to confess before you the sins of this past year: I have sinned with my tongue--and with my temper. I have sinned in my heart--and in my life. I have omitted duties. I have committed sins. My motives have often been impure. My aims have not been sufficiently high and holy. I have been impatient, fretful, irritable, rash, jealous, envious, discontented and ungrateful. O may the blood of Jesus wash out every stain! I renounce all hope--but what centers in Jesus! I have no refuge, no hiding-place, no strong tower, no place of safety--but Jesus. Christ in His person, Christ in His finished work, Christ in His glorious intercession-- is all my hope, all my confidence, all my joy! I am His servant--and wish to serve Him alone. I am His subject--and wish to be ruled by Him alone. I am His purchased property--and wish to be consecrated entirely, eternally, and altogether to Him! ~ ~ ~ ~ from Grace Gems 2nd painting by James Clark Smith

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Nine Reasons Why it is Important to Keep a Clean House

Today's post is a guest post from Stephanie from Training Keepers of the Home.

A clean home should be a priority for all homemakers. In Titus 2:5, women are called to be busy at home. One way to be busy is to maintain a clean home. It is not about perfection, but the heart of the home is the people who live there. Do all that you can with what the Lord has given you.

   

 As a homemaker, it is imperative that your home be clean and organized. However, why is it so important?* 

 *A chaotic house = chaotic life: The world is chaotic enough. Why should your home be crazy? Your home should be your sanctuary where your loved ones can find rest. Be the calm in this world. Let your home be a peaceful tranquil place for your family. Your home should be an oasis in the storm. A dirty, unkempt house is not calm nor very relaxing. It creates a feeling of being out of control. If you have no control of your house and the state of cleanliness, there is no control for your family. 

 *Sickness Control: An unclean house is a breeding ground for germs and viruses that can cause your family to become ill. Maintaining a regular cleaning of your house can dramatically decrease the amount of illness within the four walls of your house. 

 *Save Time: A clean and organized home is an efficient home. In an cluttered or unclean home, time is wasted when spent looking for lost items. Or if items are dirty, time is spent having to clean them up. 

 *Save Money: In an organized home you will not have to replace lost items because you will know exactly where they are. Also, in a clean home items tend to last longer because they are being properly maintained. 

 *Hospitality: If your house is clean, you’re more likely to be hospitable and invite others over. What is more inviting than a clean house, snacks, and great fellowship? 

 * Less Stress, Less Anxiety: It has been proven the clutter, chaos, and the level of cleanliness directly affects your mental state. Keeping your house clean and organized will help to eliminate unnecessary stress and anxiety 

 *Sleep Better: Your family will be able to sleep better because you’re happier in a clean room. Your mind is not being cluttered with anything but rest and a good nights sleep. A feeling of accomplishment will add to a restful nights sleep, too. 

 *Good Stewardship: The Lord has blessed you with a home, whether it be big or small. It is still a blessing. Providing your husband and children with a clean home is a way to demonstrate good stewardship in the Lord’s provisions. 

 *Creativity Abounds: By providing your home with a clean atmosphere and no clutter taking up precious space; your family will have the space to be creative. Creativity thrives in an organized environment.

HOW TO EFFECTIVELY CLEAN YOUR HOME IN 12 STEPS

1. Create a List of Zones

Every room in your home becomes a zone. For example, the bedroom, living room, and kitchen are each a separate zone. A large area, such as a garage or full basement may need to be broken up into two different zones. Write these zones down on a list.

2. Determine Your Cleaning Schedule

Let’s say that you have 12 zones, and plan on doing one zone daily; this would give you 12 days of cleaning. Now you need to determine the time each day that you will be cleaning. Do this when it best fits your schedule.

Be realistic about this and don’t overextend yourself, it is easy to get too gung-ho and think that you can tackle the entire house in one day. This will result in becoming burnt out and not completing your cleaning.

On your calendar and schedule include the following:

• Time of day to clean, ie : 8:00 – 10:00 a.m. spring cleaning in the Master Bedroom
• Days you will be cleaning
• How long per day you will be cleaning (how many hours a day)
• Starting and ending dates

3. Make it Visible

Post your zone list and cleaning schedule in a highly visible place so that it can be seen.

Hiding on the back of your child’s closet door probably won’t work well, but putting in the area where you eat breakfast certainly will.  

4. Prepare Yourself

The thought of cleaning is often overwhelming to many, let alone the thought of actually doing it. As a homemaker, it is our responsibility to ensure that our home remains a haven. In order to have it remain a haven, we must remain motivated to clean our homes. Dirty homes more often than not lead to a chaotic and stressful environment that breeds sickness and lack of sleep. In the long run, a dirty home costs more money and time for your time as well.  

5. Prepare the Cleaning Solvents and Gather the Necessary Tools,

*Stock up on the proper cleaning supplies such as a multipurpose cleaner, window cleaner, vinegar, and so on.

*Keep the solvents and tools close by and in a convenient location so that each day you can just grab them and go.

*Wear an apron with pockets. This has been the biggest time saver for me. Often when cleaning I will see the missing piece to puzzle or game, coins, or other random loss toys and I can just place them in my apron pockets until I am done. Then I can place them in their proper spot. The apron pockets also have ample room for holding tools, a small spray bottle, and a few cleaning rags.

Discover the biggest timewasters for homemakers

6. Don’t Waste Time, Instead Plan Your Route

You are only given so many hours in a day, thus it becomes imperative that you spend them wisely. Don’t fall into the time suck that many do by allowing distractions to cause you to lose your focus, and eventually your momentum, which results in nothing becoming accomplished.

*Instead of becoming distracted, devise your route as to how you will clean each zone.

*Work from top to bottom: Ceiling, lights, walls, fans, to the floor.

*Create your system: Dust, wipe, scrub, rinse, and in some cases dry off with a clean microfiber cloth.
 

7. Declutter

Before you begin cleaning in your designated zone for the day, declutter the zone.

*Pick up visible trash

*Have a trash bag handy to put trash into.

*Go through drawers, boxes, totes, under beds, shelves, and such. Every single major area should have a quick once over.

**This is not the time to go through clothing or file drawers, which is too time intensive for now, but that is covered more in detail in my seasonal chore chart.

If you looking for more tips on how to declutter click on the following links below: Cutting the ClutterHow to Keep a Clean Home

8. Organize

Titus 2:5 calls women to be ‘workers at home.’ We are to be ’employed’ at home. Because we are employed managing our homes, we must not sit idle. In Proverbs 31:27, it states that “She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.”

By managing our homes we are bringing order to our homes. By bringing order, it is then that our homes become a place of tranquility and peace. Our children and husbands can relax and feel loved. How do we make our homes tranquil and peaceful?

By establishing routines and schedules our homes become organized and clean. An organized home is uncluttered.

Disorganization tends to breed chaos, which causes stress. Stress then can easily overwhelm us and in many cases almost causes a paralysis of sorts, which prevents us from even attempting to clean or organize our homes.

The central aspect of becoming organized is to put things back in their place.

**Everything should have a home**

Read below on how to become organized:

Stay Organized as a Homemaker

Biblical Homemaking and Organization

9. Pray

*Pray for each zone that you are cleaning it. Pray for peace and love to fill that space.

*Pray for the hearts of the ones that will fill up that room.

*Pray that the Holy Spirit becomes a discerning voice in their life.

*Pray for inspiration as you work along, pray for contentment in what you are doing. Not many may appreciate the hours that you spend on your hands and knees cleaning, but know that the Lord sees your hard work and dedication. You will be blessed.

10. Stay Motivated and Encouraged

It is easy to look at a large or even small house and easily become discouraged at the thought of starting a cleaning routine, let alone completing it. However, below are a few ways to stay motivated as you work along.

*Enlist the help of your children

*Keep the music on

*Open the windows to let that fresh air in

*Listen to an encouraging podcast or sermon as you are working

*Pray as you work along

*Promise yourself a reward when you are done for the day

*Take a picture of your progress as you work along. Compare before and after pictures.

*Realize that you are working for the glory of God and that there is a greater purpose in this.

*You are doing this because you love your family.

11. Visualize the End Product

*This tip is simple because you just have to imagine how clean and fresh your house will be when you are done.

*Having the spring cleaning schedule posted will allow you to see the end date and stay motivated as well.

12. Follow these Tips and Tricks for a Super Clean House

By now you have probably figured out that is not a get ‘er done cleaning list, instead, it focuses on more how to become better organized and prepared for cleaning. Cleaning your home involves your mind, body, and spirit. It can be a tough job, and I am not promising an easy-to-do list, but one that focuses on a good work ethic and logically preparing yourself to look ahead for your household.

"The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way: but the folly of fools is deceit."  Proverbs 14:8

Cleaning Tips and Tricks

*Use natural ingredients whenever possible

*Use multipurpose cleaners

*Eat a hearty and healthy meal prior, one that will sustain you for the task ahead

*Avoid distractions

*This is the time to go a little deeper than your normal daily, weekly, or monthly cleaning chores. For example, pull out the refrigerator and clean behind and underneath it, as well as the washer and dryer. Pull everything out of your cupboards and pantry and clean them thoroughly, too. Move your furniture and clean under them if you never include this in your regular cleaning routine.

*Don’t forget to clean your ceiling lights and fans. Using a ladder remove all the parts and pieces, and the ones that be cleaned immerse in hot soapy water. By the time you are nearing the end of cleaning that particular zone, the fixtures should be clean.

*To clean walls: First take a broom or duster and wipe in a downward motion. Then using a spray bottle of cleaner, spray along the top near the ceiling, and allow to sit for 3-5 minutes. By now the all you need to do wipe down with a microfiber cloth or a Swiffer-type broom.

*To clean mop boards or trim, use the same method, but instead you will be on your hands and knees.

*Wash the windows inside and out as well, this gives the finishing touch to each room.

*Wipe down all wood furniture and polish

*Thoroughly vacuum each cushion on a couch or chair and also inside the couch with the vacuum attachments, too.

*Clean cobwebs out of each corner and hard-to-reach areas with a long-tailed feather duster.

*Use a steam mop if you have access to one in areas with large amounts of tile to save time.

*Hang out blankets, rugs, and pillows for the day. Shake off the winter debris and dust, allowing them to freshen up in the sunshine.

*Clean air vents

*For more tips and inspiration, check out. Cleaning Tips and Helpful Hints

    

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Women are Blessed at Home

Home is a wonderful respite from the world.  It's a place to rest, to relax, to feel at peace.  It's a place to feel safe and sheltered from the world.  It's a place to make as close to Heaven as possible.

What a beautiful occupation the Lord has given us.  What a holy calling, to make our homes a bit like Heaven on earth.  What a joy to wake up every day and minister to our husbands and children here in the safety and security of home.

How the Lord cares for us in telling us to "be keepers at home" and to "guide the house".  We have a special calling that a man cannot and does not have!  It is to us women, and us only, that the Lord gave this task.

I feel so blessed to be able to be at home, taking care of it and all the occupants here.  Each day brings its new challenges, and sometimes surprises, but how wonderful when we can start our days in thanksgiving to God that we have a home here on this earth, and to ask the Lord for His help with the day ahead as we serve Him as we serve our families.

We can bless our families by making home a peaceful place.  We can play lovely music, read God's Word, have a pleasant and lovely voice and demeanor.  We can speak with kindness and smile at our husbands and children.  We can make our homes lovely with decor and keep them clean and tidy.  We can cook lovely meals for our families that also nourish their bodies.  We can train our children up in the ways of the Lord, teaching them to love Him with their whole hearts.  We can be a loving support to our husbands, giving them our appreciation and admiration, and of course taking care of the things at home is a great relief to them!

What a wonderful job we have, that we don't have to go out to work to bring home the living, nor do we have to deal with co-workers, time clocks, nor bosses.  We are very blessed, indeed, ladies.  Let us wake up with these thoughts in our minds every day!

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Christian Living and Good Housekeeping

Guest post by Sally

For each one of us, home is the place where we feel comfortable and secure. Women, as the traditional homemakers, work hard to provide an environment that is loving and pleasant. Proverbs 31:27 indicates the role of a woman: “She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.” As keeper of the home, you offer a safe sanctuary for loved ones and visitors. It is up to you as the wife to nurture a home that serves as a refuge for your husband, children, family members and friends.

Keep Your Homes Neat

The bible makes several references to keeping your homes neat. Luke 11:25 states, “When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order.” 1 Corinthians 14:40 say, “But all things should be done decently and in order.” A house that is neat is pleasant to live in and will provide its residents with calm, peace and relaxation.

Clean Living Spaces

As a homemaker, keeping your abode tidy is not the only important thing to do. It is also essential to clean living spaces. Matthew 12:44 sums it up, "I will return to my house from which I came. And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order.”

Note that cleaning a home properly means that you do not expose your loved ones to harmful and toxic substances that can affect their health. There are many deadly chemicals released in the air by household cleaning products. You might want to think of natural ways to disinfect and sanitize homes without the use of chemical-based cleaning products. Homemade remedies are easy to prepare, inexpensive, effective and safe. The Bible does not want us to use poisonous things. Psalm 104:14 attests to this, “He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth.”

Organize Your House

Not only does a home need to be neat and clean, it has also to be well-organized. It is easy to find things in a house if it is well-arranged. Habakkuk 2:2 summarizes it, “Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it.” Organizing things reduces stress, saves you time and money, increases productivity and enhances the beauty of homes.

As a great homemaker, you can transform your dwelling into a lovely and cozy place where you can raise a happy and healthy family. In so doing, your calling as the light of the home is explained perfectly in Proverbs 31:10-31: “An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels. The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life. She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands.”

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Motivated Moms Planner Giveaway!

It's a brand new year, and that means it's a great time to get organized in the home and get on a cleaning schedule if you don't already have one.  How good the Lord is to give us a brand new year, and each new day is a gift from Him.  We should recognize this and give Him thanks for this every new day.

If you want an easy way to manage and keep track of your home duties, there's a wonderful planner available that comes ready-made with all your cleaning tasks already made up for you.  Please visit me on Raising Homemakers today to learn more about this helpful tool and also enter our giveaway!

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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Disclosure: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog. Please note, I only endorse products that are in alignment with Blessed Homemaking's ideals and I believe would be of value to my readers. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fun with Cleaning

This might seem like a sort of silly post to you, but I thought I would share some of the little delights of cleaning I got today.

I was going through my bedroom this afternoon, cleaning things out and getting rid of things I didn't need, when I found a free sample of a Swiffer Duster that I had gotten some time ago.  I forget how I had gotten it, but there it was, in a yellow envelope, still fresh and new in its packaging.  I had actually been looking at this very item at the store earlier this week, thinking how it might help to clean our blinds that always collect a lot of dust and dirt, but decided to forgo the added expense.

We live in an area with a lot of sand, and it seems that no matter how we dust, we are always met with a new layer of dust the moment we turn around!  It is rather discouraging, and I suspect that if I could have the vents cleaned, it might cut down on our dust problem.

Anyway, enter the fluffy, Swiffer Duster.  I opened its package, and put the duster on the handle it came with, and set to "work".  I put work in quotations, because it was actually quite fun!  Having this fluffy duster on the end of a stick made dusting quite easy and enjoyable.  I could easily dust the walls, the door frames, the furniture, the bookshelves...everything.  And instead of having to run repeatedly outside to shake off a dust cloth, all that dust stuck nicely to the Swiffer Duster, which I just threw away when I was done.  I could much more easily dust things with this nice little duster than I could with my usual dust cloth.  I have also tried ostrich feather dusters and lambs wool dusters.  I like this duster much better though for how easy it is to use and for how the dust really sticks to it.

(I am not getting paid for sharing this with you--I just really liked it!)

So, I may just pick up some of these some time, if I can.  There were some in the Great Value brand--I wonder how well those work?  Please share in the comments if you've ever used them, and/or what your favorite cleaning tool(s) are.

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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Disclosure: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog. Please note, I only endorse products that are in alignment with Blessed Homemaking's ideals and I believe would be of value to my readers. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spot Cleaning Tips for Carpets

Guest post by Ella

Before you decide you can’t deal with this and you call in a cleaning company to take care of a mess with professional level carpet cleaning, you should first consider the fact that you can handle this alone. The following examples will explain what you can do to make your carpet cleaning easier and safer for the environment as well:

Vinegar

Using vinegar for spot treatment and cleaning for your carpets is one of the most flexible ways you can do this. You can use it by rubbing it on the surface of the stains with a bit of salt added or dissolved into the mix. You can also mix it with borax for an equally good solution. Mix it with cornstarch and you have an excellent, non staining compound that gets the dirt between the fibers of your carpets and helps remove stains. If you need to you can let it stay out for about a day or so before you rub the stain off and vacuum the remains. If you have managed to spill paint, then you will need to use a mix of laundry detergent, water and vinegar to get rid of the paint before it manages to set in and dry off. Rinse it with cold water when you’re done cleaning and you will have no trouble at all, depending on the type of paint of course.

Using shaving cream

Spilling juice or other sugary drinks on your carpets can be a serious issue, especially due to the fact it will make a nasty, sticky mess you need to wash away before it sinks in and becomes worse. There are ways you can solve this and all with a pretty unexpected substance – shaving cream. Just blot the stain right away and follow that up with shaving cream on top of the water. Once you are done with this you will need to allow it to dry off, wiping it with a soft damp cloth.

Making use of cornstarch

To make cleaning easier for ink spots, you will need to make use of cornstarch and milk to make a fine paste. Use that and apply it to the ink stain to lift it. The mix needs to dry off and it will be on the carpet for a few hours and then brush and vacuum the location to free it up. Do that and your carpet cleaning will be much easier to handle overall.

Utilizing salt

You should never panic if you spill red wine on a light carpet. Even though this may look like a strange decision, the truth is you can use it without any issues at all. Clean the spot with cold water and a sponge by blotting it then sprinkle some salt on it and let it stay for about ten minutes. Once that is dry you can vacuum it. If you have greasy food stains on the carpet then you should use salt and rubbing alcohol to get rid of them. Simply rub the mix into the grease stain and that will eliminate it after a while.

Read more cleaning tips at: cleaners-docklands.com

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Taking Note of Things Accomplished

I woke up early this morning.  It is so good to wake up early, before your alarm goes off.  I had gotten into an unpleasant habit of staying up too late and getting up too late, so this was a blessing.  I think it was partially Miss Kitty that woke me up.  She is always a very hungry kitty, and meows rather impatiently any time she feels it is her meal time.  But regardless, I was awake, and thankfully stayed awake, with energy for a new day.

I wanted to make a list of the things  I have already accomplished today, as sometimes we homemakers get so overwhelmed with our looming to-do list that we don't think we are getting anything done.

I had my quiet time.
I had my breakfast and my morning supplements.
I gave kisses and hugs to my children.
I put away food that was cooking.
I made Finnish pancakes for the children's breakfast.
I put a chicken in the crock pot to make homemade broth.
I took out the kitchen trash that was full.
I got my littlest one dressed.
I got rid of unwanted emails (this is something I want to minimize even more--the unwanted emails that have to be deleted because I don't have time to read them).



This list does not look like much when I glance over it.  But it happened in a short time.  I have a full list of things to do today.  We have our home learning, which will take up most of the day.  There will be sandwiches on homemade bread for the children at lunch, and for dinner we will have peanut chicken poppers with some roasted vegetables.  In between all that, I need to tackle our mountain of laundry that sprung up out of nowhere, and attend to other housecleaning.

Two of my daughters switched rooms yesterday.  It seems the "Spring Cleaning" bug is inherent in us girls, and they get that urge around this time of year to make some changes and tidy up their little living areas.  This created a lot of extra laundry, but it is nice to have a fresh, clean start in a small way.

I hope you all are well and enjoy this new day, this gift from the Lord.

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Housecleaning Planner Giveaway for the New Year!

Are you always looking for new ways to be more efficient in your homemaking job?  I know I am.  There are so many things we have to do as homemakers!  We have to do the cooking, the cleaning, the laundry, making lists, doing paperwork…the list of our tasks goes on and on.  I like to find new ways of doing things and try to improve upon them.  The new year is a perfect time to start a new habit–a habit of keeping on top of household chores and responsibilities as much as possible!

Head on over to Raising Homemakers to learn about one of my favorite tools to help me with this and enter to win one of your own!

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Hello

Hello Dears,

How is everyone?  I hope well.  I have been so very busy (busier than normal), and the computer is being wonky.  It's getting "old", I guess.  Don't you wish you could buy something once and it would last your lifetime?  That would be nice.  Oh, and our vacuum also stopped working--about three weeks ago, I think.  Yes, our house is not a pretty sight.  The Vacuum Man said he's waiting for a part for it to come in.  Hopefully that fixes it!  We all miss the vacuum so! When we get it back in working order, Lord willing, we shall have a big vacuuming party!

I hope to write more soon.

Many blessings ♥

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Homemaking from Scratch~LAST Day for Bonuses & $5 Off!

Have you signed up to polish your homemaking skills in a Titus 2 setting yet?  Today is the last day to get $5 off the price of the Homemaking from Scratch Conference and receive over $200 in bonus resources!  I didn't want to let you forget.  This is such an exciting opportunity!
Here is the original information on this conference in case you missed it:
 
Do you want to improve your homemaking skills and grow with other women in a Titus 2 setting? 

Oh wow, I am SO excited about this--it looks great!!!  I wish this had been around when I first became a homemaker.  Keep reading to see how you can save $5 and get a bunch of free bonuses...

The first annual Homemaking From Scratch online conference is comprehensive guide to more efficient and effective homemaking! Join us October 7 - 9th, 2014 for the homemaking event of the year. 12 amazing homemaking bloggers and authors have come together to offer you a conference packed with Biblical homemaking advice, wisdom, tips, and resources on topics ranging from homemaking routines to Biblical motherhood to natural cleaning and more!


One of the beautiful things about this conference is that all the sessions are pre-recorded so that you can listen at your own pace! You can start a session when YOU have the time, pause it, or come back to it later - anytime, anywhere! The conference is "live" from October 7 - 9th with live Facebook discussions with the speakers and other attendees going on. But the sessions are yours to keep - forever! Once the session is posted according to it's schedule, you can watch it however and whenever you like.

Start the process to transform your homemaking today! Here's what you get:

• 13 video sessions on various aspects of Biblical Homemaking (See the schedule and all sessions)
• A Conference Notebook with session outlines, further resources, and more
• Access to a private Facebook group to connect with other women and grow together

And when you pre-register for the conference (Between September 29th and October 6th) you will get: 

• Over $200 in homemaking bonus resources (see the full list here)
• $5 OFF the ticket price!

The Speakers all came together and decided that in order to give you the most transformational conference ever, we needed to give you some resources to get you going.

Pre-Register Between 9/29 - 10/6 to get these Bonus resources for FREE:

• A printable daily disciplines check off list for the busy homemaker
• The Accidentally Green Guide to Cleaning Without Chemicals eBook
• A Wife’s Guide to Understanding Biblical Submission eBook
• A Gentle Answer eBook: Showering Your Children With Words of Grace & Cleaning Schedule
• 10 Steps to Organized Paper eBook: Helping You Organize Your Home
• Real Food Appetizers for Easy Entertaining ~ Printable Recipe Cards
• Teaching Kids to Clean eBook: Teach Your Kids Basic Cleaning Skills
• Homeschooling Day by Day eBook: A Thriving Guide for Mothers
• Grain Free Goodies: Grain-Free and Sugar-Free Treats from our Family to Yours
• See all $217.14 worth of the bonus items you will get FREE with your ticket HERE!

Titus 2 Mentoring

While online relationships in no way replaces real-life interaction, it is still possible to form real, Titus 2 relationships online. I have been so blessed by the online ministry of these ladies and I am so excited to share the line up of speakers for the conference! Find out more about the conference speakers here!

• Trisha from Intoxicated on Life
• Dana from A Slob Comes Clean
• Jolene from The Alabaster Jar
• Lisa from Organize 365
• Kristy from Little Natural Cottage
• Marci from The Thankful Homemaker
• Hilary from Accidentally Green
• Marlene from A Diligent Heart
• Christin from Joyful Mothering
• Katie from Embracing a Simpler Life
• Jami from Young Wife's Guide

Don’t Miss Out on the Homemaking Event of the Year!

Receive Blessed Homemaking in your inbox. Subscribe here.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Disclosure: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog. Please note, I only endorse products that are in alignment with Blessed Homemaking's ideals and I believe would be of value to my readers. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Improve Your Homemaking Skills in a Titus 2 Setting

 
Do you want to improve your homemaking skills and grow with other women in a Titus 2 setting? 

Oh wow, I am SO excited about this--it looks great!!!  I wish this had been around when I first became a homemaker.  Keep reading to see how you can save $5 and get a bunch of free bonuses...

The first annual Homemaking From Scratch online conference is comprehensive guide to more efficient and effective homemaking! Join us October 7 - 9th, 2014 for the homemaking event of the year. 12 amazing homemaking bloggers and authors have come together to offer you a conference packed with Biblical homemaking advice, wisdom, tips, and resources on topics ranging from homemaking routines to Biblical motherhood to natural cleaning and more!


One of the beautiful things about this conference is that all the sessions are pre-recorded so that you can listen at your own pace! You can start a session when YOU have the time, pause it, or come back to it later - anytime, anywhere! The conference is "live" from October 7 - 9th with live Facebook discussions with the speakers and other attendees going on. But the sessions are yours to keep - forever! Once the session is posted according to it's schedule, you can watch it however and whenever you like.

Start the process to transform your homemaking today! Here's what you get:

• 13 video sessions on various aspects of Biblical Homemaking (See the schedule and all sessions)
• A Conference Notebook with session outlines, further resources, and more
• Access to a private Facebook group to connect with other women and grow together

And when you pre-register for the conference (Between September 29th and October 6th) you will get: 

• Over $200 in homemaking bonus resources (see the full list here)
• $5 OFF the ticket price!

The Speakers all came together and decided that in order to give you the most transformational conference ever, we needed to give you some resources to get you going.

Pre-Register Between 9/29 - 10/6 to get these Bonus resources for FREE:

• A printable daily disciplines check off list for the busy homemaker
• The Accidentally Green Guide to Cleaning Without Chemicals eBook
• A Wife’s Guide to Understanding Biblical Submission eBook
• A Gentle Answer eBook: Showering Your Children With Words of Grace & Cleaning Schedule
• 10 Steps to Organized Paper eBook: Helping You Organize Your Home
• Real Food Appetizers for Easy Entertaining ~ Printable Recipe Cards
• Teaching Kids to Clean eBook: Teach Your Kids Basic Cleaning Skills
• Homeschooling Day by Day eBook: A Thriving Guide for Mothers
• Grain Free Goodies: Grain-Free and Sugar-Free Treats from our Family to Yours
• See all $217.14 worth of the bonus items you will get FREE with your ticket HERE!

Titus 2 Mentoring

While online relationships in no way replaces real-life interaction, it is still possible to form real, Titus 2 relationships online. I have been so blessed by the online ministry of these ladies and I am so excited to share the line up of speakers for the conference! Find out more about the conference speakers here!

• Trisha from Intoxicated on Life
• Dana from A Slob Comes Clean
• Jolene from The Alabaster Jar
• Lisa from Organize 365
• Kristy from Little Natural Cottage
• Marci from The Thankful Homemaker
• Hilary from Accidentally Green
• Marlene from A Diligent Heart
• Christin from Joyful Mothering
• Katie from Embracing a Simpler Life
• Jami from Young Wife's Guide

Don’t Miss Out on the Homemaking Event of the Year!

Receive Blessed Homemaking in your inbox. Subscribe here. 

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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Disclosure: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog. Please note, I only endorse products that are in alignment with Blessed Homemaking's ideals and I believe would be of value to my readers. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

How Much is Your Family's Health Worth?

 

So, for a while I've been promoting the Ultimate Bundles.  Why?  Well, it's certainly not because I make a ton of money from them, though sometimes I make a little.  One reason I get involved with these bundles is that I believe they provide tremendous value.  The products in this bundle are worth over $1,000.  There are several products I'm interested in that cost more than that, individually.

Another reason I'm promoting the Ultimate Healthy Living Bundle is because I am really interested in learning about health for my family.  After learning over the years that doctors don't usually provide cures but just treat symptoms, and experiencing the ill effects of that plus using chemicals in our home, I began the journey of learning how to treat my family myself (and have great success with it).  I always find it exciting to "further my education" when it comes to taking care of  my family.

I am passionate about sharing with others about health.  There are so many people suffering with illnesses these days, whether it be allergies or cancer, when I believe God has provided us ways to be healthy.  If you had the ability to learn how to help your family become more healthy, or keep the good health you have now, wouldn't you want to take that opportunity?  And what would that be worth?  Isn't it worth $29.97?

I have to be honest here and say that I prefer real, tangible, hold-in-your-hands books.  I guess I'm "old-fashioned" that way.  However, several resources these days are just not available in print books so I've had to learn to use ebooks for this purpose.  I don't think that makes the material less valuable at all.  Not to mention there are several ecourses included in this bundle.  Several of these are in video or audio form, which makes learning easy.

So I am going to take some time aside and learn some more to further my knowledge to help my family (and myself) be healthy and learn about some issues we still have.  I probably won't read every book or take every course, but I know the ones I want to read and take are regularly priced way more than $29.97!

I hope you will take this opportunity and get this great deal while it's available!  You will have many, many resources at your fingertips to help your family be on the road to health.

If you're ready for a health education...



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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Disclosure: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog. Please note, I only endorse products that are in alignment with Blessed Homemaking's ideals and I believe would be of value to my readers. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------