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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A Surprise in the Wash

 Today was a busy day with teaching my children and some errands to run as well.  I need to do laundry every day to keep up with our large amount of washing.  After dinner and an impromptu Family Movie Night, I went to get a load of laundry out of the dryer and put the load of clothes from the washer into the dryer.

You will never guess what I found in the washer!

A lizard.  It was right at the edge of the washing machine when I opened it.  Its tail had completely come off, but it was still moving slightly.  I picked it up and put it in some dirt in our plastic critter house, hoping it would revive.  But I doubt it will survive.  I had put that load on "heavy soil" and even "extra rinse" too.  I feel bad for it.  I have always had a fondness for God's creatures (well, most of them).

I am not sure how it got in there.  What's the most interesting thing you've found in your washer?

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Morning in the Kitchen

I am thankful for a new day.  In the morning I boil the water with some sea salt for the oatmeal that has been soaking overnight.  I drain the water out of the beans that will be our dinner--nothing fancy tonight.  Two crock pots full to feed my hungry family for dinner and lunch tomorrow.  I will make some brown rice to go along with it.  I rinse the beans and clean them, put them back in the crocks for their hot water bath.  Season with salt, pepper, and garlic.  Switch to high, and they will warm there and cook all day until supper.  I thank God for slow cookers that cook your food all day and have it ready for your evening meal.

I'm still waiting for the oatmeal water to boil.  We don't really have a "laundry room" but just a doorway to where our washer and dryer sit.  I sort some laundry and put a load of colors in the washing machine.  Pour in the lightly scented detergent and the vinegar and start the cycle.  The clothes will come out clean--what a blessing.  Later some will be hung and some dried in the drying machine.  I think of the homemakers before me who worked so hard for clean clothes.

The oatmeal water is boiling.  Cherished of God comes in, all dressed and groomed, and takes over the breakfast-making.  She's adept at cooking and likes to help with it.  She pours the milky oats into the boiling water and stirs.  She lets me know she'll finish the job, and I exit.  Life changes with seasons and my children grow.  It happens too fast--savor the moments before the time has passed. ♥

Even if you missed the pre-registration for the Homemaking from Scratch Conference, you can still register now and have access to all of the recordings.  Learn more and register here.

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A Kitchen...
European School...
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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. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Professional Homemaking for Only $7

I am always on the lookout for tools to help me be a better homemaker.  Managing a home is a full-time job, and one that often calls for a higher level of commitment and dedication than any career. This week's bundle offers the resources that every homemaker needs to get things done. Discover tools for simplifying your life, organizing your day, showing hospitality to those around you and more. Whether you're looking to climb Mount Laundry, declutter the toy room or organize your storage area, this bundle is for you!

This week only, get all five of the ebooks below plus a bonus app for more than 85% off their regular price:

Professional Homemaking

GTD for Homemakers by Mystie Winckler
GTD is an acronym referring to David Allen’s books and system, Getting Things Done. And if anybody needs to get things done, it’s mothers managing a home. GTD for Homemakers shows home managers how to streamline routines, alleviate stress, and increase productivity. GTD for Homemakers is all about putting into place effective habits so that the routine administrative details of life do not cause undo stress and we, as mothers, can peacefully and intentionally make good choices about what to do without feeling like we have a million details pulling us in a million directions at once. GTD for Homemakers will help you reclaim calm self-control and self-possession, so that you can fulfill your roles and responsibilities to the best of your ability.

31 Days to a Heart of Hospitality by Edie Wadsworth
In her hospitality manifesto, Edie shares the role that her faith plays in hospitality and leads you into more meaningful relationships with all the people in your life, not just your occasional guests! She shares the secrets she's learned about welcoming people into her life, after many years and much trial and error, as well as a few of her favorite recipes and loads of photos. This is hospitality, on purpose. On the practical side, this ebook explores everything from how to set up a baking center in your kitchen to how to set up your guest spaces, and even some tips on what to wear to be a well-appointed hostess.

Sweet Life Organizer by Laura Smith
This is not your mother’s organizer. Forget drab and boring! Part of having a sweet life is feeling inspired, motivated, and excited for the challenges ahead. Why expect anything less from the one thing designed to keep you on track? The Sweet Life Organizer is your all-in-one, everything-in-its-place planner to help you plan ahead, identify your top goals, develop rock-solid habits and have more fun!

{The Busy Mom's Guide} Taming the Laundry Monster by Angi Schneider
If you are regularly overwhelmed and frustrated with laundry, there's hope. Maybe your family has changed and your system needs to change with it. Or maybe you are looking at too many online photos of magazine quality laundry rooms and you have a skewed sense of what "laundry" is all about. Whatever the reason for your frustration, this book will help you think through your schedule and systems and develop a plan that is unique for your unique family.

101 Ways to Simplify Your Life by Laura Aridgides
In 101 Ways to Simplify Your Life, Laura shares 101 of her best tips for simplifying your home, family and work life, starting today. These strategies range from practical tips that can be used immediately to thought-provoking strategies that can lead to lifelong change. In this book, you will learn: ▪ How to use technology for your advantage, and not be sucked into wasting time
▪ One simple step that can save you hundreds of hours
▪ A quick and easy way to start simplifying your life
▪ The most important question to ask yourself about simplifying
▪ How to simplify your finances
▪ Why decluttering your home is important, and what you can do today to start
▪ The number one reason why our complicated lives need simplification, and an easy solution
▪ And MUCH MORE!

Bonus: BinZ Organizing App (iOS)
The first 100 customers to purchase this bundle this week will also receive the BinZ app as a FREE bonus! This app makes it easy keep track of the items you put in storage -- things like seasonal clothing, holiday decorations, family mementos and more -- and where the storage bins are located. Easily capture bin contents via text and/or photos, search and sort your lists to easily locate items, and email and print your lists for backup.

BinZ is compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch devices. Because of iTunes store limitations, this bonus offer is available to U.S. customers only. To claim your app, please look for the instructions in Part 6 of your download links. Limited to the first 100 requests.

Get this week's bundle here!


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Confessions of a Cloth Diaper Convert Just $3 Today Only!

If you don't have it yet, today is a great day to get Confessions of a Cloth Diaper Convert.

In honor of one of her daughters turning 3 today, Erin Odom is putting her popular and informative book on sale for only $3!  The regular price of the book is $12.50, so this is a great deal...the best that will happen for the rest of 2013!

This book was extremely helpful for me when deciding whether to, and then making the switch to cloth diapers.  Read more about that here.

No special coupon code is needed for the sale price.  Just go to this link to purchase it, but remember it is only going to be on sale Wednesday, October 23rd and then will go back to its regular price!

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Making the Switch to Cloth Diapers (and Special Today ONLY)

Have you ever thought of making the switch to cloth diapers but thought it would be too messy, too much trouble, or a whole lot of extra laundry?  Well I did!  I never thought I'd switch to cloth diapers, as I didn't really know anything about them--or at least I didn't know the truth about them!

With our first child we purchased some Chinese pre-folds as we thought we would save money by using cloth instead of disposables.  When we received them, I stared at them in disbelief.  They didn't look anything like "diapers" to me!  Unfortunately, I had no one around to explain how they worked, and so for years we have been using those diapers as burp cloths while diapering our babies in disposables.

(Purchasing through links in this post will support this site--thank you!)

Recently I had a few friends who had made the switch to cloth and had shared some things with me, but before I made the big decision to switch, I got Confessions of a Cloth Diaper Convert and was convinced of just how easy it is to cloth diaper.  Confessions of a Cloth Diaper Convert is an excellent ebook written by Erin Odom of The Humbled Homemaker that explains everything about cloth diapers.  And I mean everything!  I decided what cloth diapers would be best for us, purchased what I needed and have never looked back.  I do not miss going to the disposable diaper section of the store at all!  


I so much wish Confessions of a Cloth Diaper Convert had been around years ago!  My family could have saved thousands of dollars with all the money we wouldn't have been spending every week on purchasing diapers, and all my little babies would have been covered in cloth instead of chemically-laden disposable diapers (I really was shocked to learn what is in them that gets onto our babies' skin and into their bodies).  Erin's book is over 200 pages and covers

•  How and why Erin made the switch and why you might want to also
• All the different kinds of cloth diapers and their advantages and disadvantages
• What type of cloth diaper may be best for you
• How to clean the different kinds of cloth diapers when you first wash them and then after use
• Cost of the different types
• Building a cloth diaper stash
• Establishing a cloth diaper routine
• Cloth diapering from newborn to potty training
• Cloth diapering at night (you can do that too!)
• Overcoming any cloth diapering challenge
• Travelling with cloth diapers
• And more!

I have been cloth diapering for several months now and I wish I had done it with all of our babies!  I actually find it easier than using disposables, and more pleasant too.  My baby loves them too, as they are so much more comfortable.  So if you've been thinking about using cloth diapers instead of disposables, it would be much easier to have all the information you need in one place.  Confessions of a Cloth Diaper Convert made it really easy for me to find out all I needed to know about using cloth diapers, and I'm so glad Erin made this book!  She is having a special sale TODAY ONLY.  Today only, you can purchase Confessions of a Cloth Diaper Convert for only $5 by entering code 5BDAY in honor of her first's 5th bday!

Confessions of a Cloth Diaper Convert is also part of the Natural Mothering ebook Bundle.

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Taking Things for Granted

I knew something was wrong last night when the water pressure was very low.  I called the water company and was informed there was a break in one of the main pipes. No estimated time for completion.  Oh great.  Well, I hoped it would be fixed when I and all the children woke up in the morning.

Nope.

I had written a note for all the bathroom visitors last night: 

"There is a problem with the water, so the toilet may not flush and the faucets may not work.  There is hand sanitizer in the cabinet for you.  Try not to drink too much water (or we will run out).  

Love, 

Mommy"

Really I hoped it would be better in the morning!  I will have to call the water company again for an update.

It's things like these that remind you what a blessing it is to have running water!

Without it we cannot

• Wash our hands
• Flush the toilets
• Get a drink of water!
• Take showers and baths
• Wash laundry (thankfully I washed diapers yesterday)
• Cook the oatmeal or really much of anything (we don't eat cereal, and I don't have any)
• Wash dishes
• Clean
• Brush our teeth
• Get water for cloth wipes (I don't use disposable wipes anymore)
• Put in my contacts (good thing I've been getting used to wearing my glasses with a really old prescription) 
• Use our cooler to cool the house
• And I'm sure I'll discover more things when all my children wake up!

I guess we will be making a trip to get some water!  I hope everyone else isn't out doing that too.  Oh, the adventures we have with many little ones.

Remember to thank the Lord for your running water today!  Don't forget to enter to win Season 1 of Courage, New Hampshire.

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Mother's Secret

The career woman snubs that stay-at-home mother, thinking what a miserable existence it must be to change dirty diapers all day.  Washing dishes, doing laundry, cleaning toilets...what kind of job is that?  And all for free?  Career Woman feels so liberated as she clocks into work each day, thinking it's great to have to be on time and be needed.  She left motherhood way far behind in the dust.  Maybe one day she'll have a little "rugrat" or two if it suits her, but definitely not now.  She is busy out making a name for herself.

But the stay-at-home mother has a secret.  While she scrubs toilets, cheerfully humming a hymn, she is showing her children how nice it is to bless the family with a clean home.  When she presents the freshly folded laundry, she makes a household feel loved and comforted.  When she plans good, healthful meals, she is helping raise strong healthy children who enjoy the pleasures of a family sitting down together for supper.  When she patiently shows her children how to clean the home, organize it, and cook and bake, she is training future homemakers and some-day husbands who are willing to help.

When she reads her children those Bible stories, she is filling them with a love for God and for His Word.  When she admonishes them for wrongdoing and encourages them when they do well, she is training them in godly character and actions.  When she fills the home with love and joy and peace, she is creating memories with her children that will last forever.

When she stays home and serves and teaches her children, she is building future generations that will go on for eternity.

This is Mother's Secret!

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The Blessings of Keeping the Home

Keeping the home is not a drudgery.  It is a great blessing.  Cooking, cleaning, washing the dishes, doing the laundry, reading stories to little children, watching your children take their first steps, speak their first words, listening as older children tell you their thoughts and exciting things that have happened, are not to be taken lightly or cast off as "just chores".  While we work, we show our children how to work.  We watch over them, train them, and put the living God before their very eyes.  We serve our families with love when we do these things for them, things that they need done.  We love our children when we train them in things they need to know.

While we work, we can smile.  You can smile because you are right where God wants you, whether it be a "wonderful day" when many things go right, or whether it be a day when many things go wrong...You can smile.

You can smile while you hang up the laundry to dry (or put it in your handy dryer), giving your family clean, fresh clothing to wear.

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You can smile as you vacuum the floors of your house, giving your family a nice clean place to rest in.

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You can smile as you empty (or load) that great invention of a dishwasher, which gives you much less dishes to wash by hand.  Clean plates to eat on are always a blessing!

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You can smile as you serve up something delicious for your family to feast on...

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Or a dessert for a special treat!

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You can smile as you do those tedious tasks...Because it blesses your family!

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While we may not always be thanked for the work that we do, and we receive no paycheck...What better reward is there than to bless our family with good things and a good home?  What better reward is there than to train up children so that they will know His Name?  The Lord in Heaven above sees all that we do, even when others don't notice!  We are blessed beyond measure with a glorious appointment of duty!

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Shared with:

The Simple Joys of Life 
Domestically Divine 
Raising Homemakers
Women Living Well

Busy, Busy, Busy

I am so busy! I can't believe the immense responsibility that comes with having 6 children 8 & under, plus homeschooling them, plus a husband to help! (I can believe it, just some days I feel like I'm going to get buried under the avalanche of work there is to do.) A house to clean & take care of! Meals to cook 3 times a day. Wow. I just wanted to say that. I can only imagine doing it all without dishwashers, washing machines, and dryers (not to mention bread machines and food processors). (And I have actually been starting to use the dryer less to save money on our outrageous electricity bill). I really wish I had somewhere to hang a clothes line outside! I have a little fold up clothes drying rack but it doesn't even fit a full load of clothes. But I am thankful for what I have, and will try to come up with more solutions to save money. I wonder how the housewives of old did it all.

Well that is about it. Just wanted to "pop" in & say hello!






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How to Restore and Reuse Dryer Sheets

Did you know you can extend the life of your dryer sheets? Here's how: Don't throw them away. Find a jar or container that can seal tightly. Save all your used fabric sheets. Buy a small bottle of your favorite fabric softener. Collect all your used dryer sheets and put them in your container. Add 1 or 2 tablespoons of liquid softener, put the lid on tightly, and shake well. Then use them in the dryer. They will work every time. You can reuse them over and over again. Add liquid softener as needed. You will always have good smelling and soft clothes.



Laundry Day I
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