Making Your Home Sing Monday

Welcome to the Making Your Home Sing Monday meme! Every day you are doing something to make your house into a home for yourself and your family (if you have one). My point with each Monday post is, what are you doing or going to do today to make your home sing?

It can be an attitude or an action. Motivation, our attitude, baking, encouraging our husband or children (if we have either one), organization, cleaning, saving money....the opportunities are endless.

Today's post is basically no post. Lucky you!

I am so behind in my blog reading, blog commenting, and even in reading all of last week's meme entries. Last week was a very busy week for me. You all have those, so I'm sure you can relate.

I was going to bore you with everything that I have going on or that happened last week that kept me busy but decided to spare you. Aren't you glad?

This week, I am going to update my to-do list with some new things, and see if I can finish some of last week's things and cross them off. That will make my home sing!

What are you doing or going to do today to make your home sing? Please go here for instructions and/or ideas and come back here to link up to join us today! Please do not put your own "Making Your Home Sing Monday" Linky on your blog. As always, please don't forget to link to this post. Also, please don't forgot to leave me a comment!

If you want to use your blog header or profile picture, use the "from the web" button on your right (after you click to link up). If you want to use a picture from your computer use the button on your left (unless the picture is on your blog). Please let me know if you have any problems with linking up

Making Your Home Sing This Week: The Storm Is Not You

Welcome to the Making Your Home Sing Monday meme! Every day you are doing something to make your house into a home for yourself and your family (if you have one). My point with each Monday post is, what are you doing or going to do today to make your home sing?

It can be an attitude or an action. Motivation, our attitude, baking, encouraging our husband or children (if we have either one), organization, cleaning, saving money....the opportunities are endless.

I'm not trying to rush anybody or anything but I can't believe that January is nearly gone. I mean, seriously?

I love a lot of light which is fortunate because we have a lot of windows, especially in the living room. Yesterday I was looking out the window walls and I just had to call my son to come look.

It was January and yet you wouldn't know it by the weather. The sun was streaming in and it was beautiful. I said to my son "Just think, soon it will be spring and summer and it will look like that all the time." Well, all the time except for the rain.

Sometimes we have "rain" in our lives and we forget that it's helping us to grow. Sometimes we have rain and we get mad and we storm and we rage and we forget that we don't have to live in the rain.

We forget that we can live inside, where it is always sunny and warm and bright. We forget that we can live inside where our families are, and make beautiful memories, hold and snuggle with our babies, and hear our children laugh and make our husbands smile.

We forget that we don't have to live in the rain.

Are YOU living in the rain this week? If you are, come in from the cold. Come in from the constant, wet rain that dampens your heart and puts weights on your feet and makes you feel cold inside.

Make the choice to let the rain do its job, knowing that the beauty of springtime is right around the corner. The storm may rage but the storm is not you. You don't have to rage.

When I was a teenager I wrote:

As I'm walking through the rain

I've got the sun behind me and the rainbow before me.

Keep walking. Don't stop.

You've got the sun (Son) behind you and the rainbow (God's promises) before you.

Remember that you don't have to live in the rain. The storm may rage but you don't have to live in the storm. Come inside.

What are you doing or going to do today to make your home sing? Please go here for instructions and/or ideas and come back here to link up to join us today! Please do not put your own "Making Your Home Sing Monday" Linky on your blog. As always, please don't forget to link to this post. Also, please don't forgot to leave me a comment!

If you want to use your blog header or profile picture, use the "from the web" button on your right (after you click to link up). If you want to use a picture from your computer use the button on your left (unless the picture is on your blog). Please let me know if you have any problems with linking up.

Driving Miss Crazy

You ever lie down in bed, all warm and comfy and cozy and then you remember you forgot to do something? Arrrrrgh!

Then you lie there and debate with yourself. Did I really leave the door unlocked or do I just think I did? Did I or did I not turn the heat down? Are the dogs still outside or is that my neighbor pretending to bark at my door? Did I turn the oven off?

Do you wiggle around and cough and "accidentally" kick your husband until he's awake so he can check?

Yeah, me neither.

But hey, what's the big deal? He has to get up in six or seven hours anyway.

It's no fun to have to drag yourself out of bed and go check, only to find that yes you did turn it off and all is fine. Well, except for the fact that you are now wide awake.

Then there's the inevitable trip out of town.

We start to head down the driveway and I say "I think I left my curling iron on."

Now, I don't really use a curling iron much anymore, but sometimes I do.

If it's not the curling iron, it's the oven. Or the stove burner. Or the space heater. Or the clothes iron. Or the door, maybe I left the door unlocked.

So hubby stops the car at the end of the driveway and says "Do you want to go back and check?" and I say, "No. It's fine. I know I turned it off."

So off we drive for a bit, and I say, "Or maybe I didn't turn it off. I think it's still on. No, no it's off. I think......"

So hubby slows down and says "Do you want to go back?" and I say, "No. It's fine."

So we drive for awhile longer. And I say, "It's on. I know it's on. I left it on."

And hubby says "Are you sure?" and I say "Yes. No. Yes.....no....maybe....." and we go alllllll the way back home.

And everything is fine, already turned off or unplugged and I make sure the door is locked as I leave.

Then we start on our way again.......until I start wondering if I left a window open somewhere.

Making Your Home Sing: Passing On Bad Habits

Welcome to the Making Your Home Sing Monday meme! Every day you are doing something to make your house into a home for yourself and your family (if you have one). My point with each Monday post is, what are you doing or going to do today to make your home sing?

It can be an attitude or an action. Motivation, our attitude, baking, encouraging our husband or children (if we have either one), organization, cleaning, saving money....the opportunities are endless.

Ever so often I get obsessed with something. My hubby calls it a kick, such as "this health kick that you're on" or "coupon kick" or "exercise kick," etc.

He will say something like "How come you're the one who's on the exercise kick and I'm the one who has to exercise?"

Because when I become "obsessed" with something that I think will make our lives healthier or better, or save money, etc., then I like to spread the wealth of information around.

Some people call that nagging.

I prefer to call it just spreading the love around. Loudly, if need be, and with much repetition.

Have you ever thought about the influence we have on our families? We have the ability to pass on good habits or bad habits.

We have the ability to serve healthy food, or unhealthy food.

I was talking to a nurse recently and she was talking about a disease that I had often heard was genetic. She said that recent findings were showing that it wasn't something that was passed on genetically so much as the unhealthy habits were passed down. It wasn't so much a genetic thing as a diet thing that was handed down.

The siblings were raised on the same diet. So, the eating habits were learned at home, and then the siblings grew up, became parents and handed down their eating habits to their own children. So you would often see the same disease within siblings and family groups and just assumed it was in the genes, when instead it may be in the habits.

Most parents I know strive very hard to make sure that their children have a good, well balanced diet. Interestingly enough, I know some of these parents do not eat fruits or vegetables themselves.

Many parents insist that their children go to bed at a decent hour, but then stay up way to late themselves. Many parents get annoyed if their children are late for school, but think nothing of showing up to church a half hour late themselves.

Have you ever insisted that your child keep their room clean? What does your home or bedroom look like? Is your bed made?

One time I insisted that my son make his bed that day because it was part of his daily chores. I failed to notice that my own bed wasn't made, however, until I walked by it later in the day.

Oftentimes I expect my son to have discipline in his life and I could find several areas in my own that I am sorely lacking in discipline. Such as going to bed on time and getting up on time.

So this week, I am going to make my home sing by making sure I am eating enough fruits and vegetables and going to bed (and getting up) at a decent hour. If I'm going to pass on a habit, I'd rather it be a good one!

If you want to use your blog header or profile picture, use the "from the web" button on your right (after you click to link up). If you want to use a picture from your computer use the button on your left (unless the picture is on your blog). Please let me know if you have any problems with linking up.

What are you doing or going to do today to make your home sing? Please go here for instructions and/or ideas and come back here to link up to join us today! Please do not put your own "Making Your Home Sing Monday" Linky on your blog. As always, please don't forget to link to this post. Also, please don't forgot to leave me a comment!

You Can't Be Sick If You Don't Admit It

Have you ever heard someone say that men act like babies when they are sick?

Well, not my men. My husband has the stomach of a garbage disposal. He can eat anything and not get sick. Now, I ask you: does that seem fair to you? I don't think that's fair at all, and it especially wasn't fair when I went through morning sickness.

Now let's talk about how my children handle it when they feel sick. One son can tell you if his stomach feels funny but can't tell you how or when he got that gash in his leg.

The other son likes to ignore the fact that he's sick. If he lies down, with a blanket over his head, you will know that he is sick.

However, do not walk by him and ask him if he is sick.

(Are you getting sick of seeing the word sick? Are you sick of it yet?)

After sleuthing around and going all 007 on him and establishing that he is indeed sick, do not walk by him later and ask him if he's feeling better.

Do not ask him if he's feeling anything at all. In fact, just ignore him. You have my permission.

When he is sick he prefers to ignore the fact that he is sick. I don't know how you manage to do that, but if I did know I would sell it on e-bay for a million bucks.

Thus, he blissfully ignores the fact that he is sick. Apparently, you can't be sick if you don't admit it.

So there he is, looking like a turtle all covered up with his head under a blanket. Not sick.

Until you, his mother, walk by and lovingly ask him "How are you feeling, sweetie?" and burst his bubble and all is wrong with his world again and he is annoyed. Because you came along and somehow reminded him that he is sick. Because apparently, he forgot.

I always wondered where he got that from, until recently I was lying on the couch trying to ignore the fact that I wasn't feeling well and my mother walked by and asked me how I was feeling.......

Hmmmm. Seems the stomach doesn't fall very far from the tree.

With Apologies To Yogurt Lovers Everywhere

Have you ever had a craving at 11:30 at night and you're not even pregnant?

Yeah, me neither.

So, the other night I suddenly decided I absolutely, positively had to have some plain yogurt.

For the record, I have never had plain yogurt. I like my yogurt all sissyfied up with fruit and sugar and all sorts of yummy tasting chemicals (or whatever else they put in it to make it taste so good).

But that night I decided I had to try some plain yogurt as I have heard it's much healthier. And if you know me very well you know I am all about chocolate health.

My hubby was not yet home as he was returning from an outing. So I called him on his cell phone and asked him to go to the store and pick me up some plain yogurt. "You do know I am wearing a tux, don't you?" he said.

Hey, anybody wearing a tux at 11:30 at night deserves to buy plain yogurt, because you'd be overdressed if you bought fruit flavored yogurt, right? The plainer the better.

Well, hubby came home to change first. I suppose he wasn't eager to appear in the grocery store dressed to thrill.

Then my 22 year old son volunteered to run to the store and get the yogurt. Do any of you wonder why neither hubby nor son questioned my "need" to have plain yogurt at close to midnight?

Yeah, me neither.

Let's just say that they are used to my quirks.

So both sons made the quest into the night and after two phone calls ("Are you sure you want plain yogurt?" and "What size?") they returned.

I sat down and happily started in on my yogurt.

Gag! Gag! Gag!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh. My. Word. With apologies to plain yogurt lovers everywhere.

I can't even describe what it tasted like.

It tasted like eating sour cream - only sourer. (Is that possible? I mean, can sour cream get even more sour?)

However, I finished the small carton. How could I not, it being midnight and all? I also told my son "If I ever ask you to buy me this again, please say no."

So from now on, I am sticking to my sissyfied yogurt. One can only stand so much health, you know.

Making Your Home Sing: Making Some Space

Welcome to the Making Your Home Sing Monday meme! Every day you are doing something to make your house into a home for yourself and your family (if you have one). My point with each Monday post is, what are you doing or going to do today to make your home sing?

It can be an attitude or an action. Motivation, our attitude, baking, encouraging our husband or children (if we have either one), organization, cleaning, saving money....the opportunities are endless.

No, I did not fall off the face of the earth. Sorry to disappear like that. I have to admit that I hurt my back again.

Apparently, I am not Superwoman. Who knew?

I don't even have the guts heart to tell you the stupid thing that I did. However, I have done that "stupid" thing before and it didn't throw my back for a loop like it did this time.

Let's just say that it involved reorganizing, decluttering, cleaning, lifting and twisting and getting my storage area all reorganized.

It all started when I went over to my sister-in-law's house. She is Miss Immaculate all wrapped up in a big house with lots of room. Suddenly I felt tired of all the decorative knicknacks I had. All the cutesy clutter that I had adored in the past was now haunting me. The walls were closing in on me. Space. I needed space!

Since my mom moved in with us, things are a little more crowded as we've tried to make a home for her here and give her the space or room(s) she needs. I have a lot of our things packed away in boxes. The boxes are numbered and inventoried so I know what's in there.

So I tore through those boxes like the hounds of Clutterville were pursing me. Who knows, maybe they were! Anyway, the storage area is not very high and I had to do a lot of bending, twisting, etc.

So I did a number on my back. However, this was not as serious as the last time I injured my back, and with some pain pills and muscle relaxers I am on my way to healing.

I am, however, mourning the body of my youth. The body that could bend, lift, twist and stretch and apparently eat 14,000 calories in one sitting and not gain an ounce. Sigh.

So I now have a few walls in my home that are able to "breathe" again unadorned, and removed quite a few decorative knicknacks as well.

I even got rid of the bunny shelf, which has been knocked to the ground so many times by so many people that it had almost become a rite of passage in this family. It almost felt like giving away grandma, but not quite.

I still have a few more decorative stuff to do away with. They were great for a time but now seem a bit "dated." Either that or I have changed my taste. Maybe both. Either way, saying "goodbye" to to much decorative clutter is making my home sing!

If you want to use your blog header or profile picture, use the "from the web" button on your right (after you click to link up). If you want to use a picture from your computer use the button on your left (unless the picture is on your blog). Please let me know if you have any problems with linking up.

What are you doing or going to do today to make your home sing? Please go here for instructions and/or ideas and come back here to link up to join us today! Please do not put your own "Making Your Home Sing Monday" Linky on your blog. As always, please don't forget to link to this post. Also, please don't forgot to leave me a comment!