Making Your Home Sing: Get Out Of The Same Old Routine

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.

So how did your last week go? Mine went fast!

We had some snow and were snowed in a bit but it was sort of like a mini vacation, so I was o.k. with it.

I made potato soup and enjoyed the beauty of the falling snow. Sometimes it's just nice to step back a bit and relax, read a book, take a bubble bath, or whatever.

Do you ever feel like you're in a rut (a.k.a. same old routine)? You cook the same meals week after week? You do the same cleaning week after week? You wear the same clothes week after week? You neglect to clean the same thing week after week?

You wear the same color eyeshadow or wear the same hairstyle week after week (or in my case, year after year!)?

You spend time with the same people week after week (not including family because that's a bit difficult to change)? Do the same routine week after week? Drive the same way to work, the store or church week after week?

I think we love vacations or mini-vacations because they get us out of our "normal" routine. Even if we have a stay-cation we find ourselves loving the change of pace.

Sometimes we like our "ruts." We like the people we spend time with so we don't get to know someone new at work or church or wherever.

We don't like cleaning something (such as the toilet) so instead we will clean something else. That way, we don't feel guilty for not getting around to the "yucky" task because it's not really our fault, right?

We drive the same road to work, church, the store or soccer practice so often that we don't notice the beauty of our surroundings. The seasons start to change or the beauty of a sunset is lost to us, because we are so focused. (Obviously SOME focus is necessary when driving a car but hey, there are stoplights!)

This last week I did last week's makeup challenge and made sure I stepped up my game for at least three days. I even *gasp* wore a different colored eye shadow than I usually do. In fact, instead of reading blogs or writing my own blog I actually *gasp* read a book. A real live book.

Well, I haven't read the WHOLE book yet but I've actually held it in my hand and read several chapters. It was fun! Who knew?

So, peeps, this week I encourage you to get out of your rut and try three new things. Try a different hairstyle, cook a brand new meal that you've never tried before, put flowers on the table if you never do that, clean something you haven't cleaned in six months to a year, wear something you haven't worn in awhile (instead of your "favorites"), write a real live letter instead of an email, or call up someone you don't know as well and meet them for a coke or better yet, lunch!

Don't wait for a vacation to change things up a little. Get out of your rut and make your 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

Mom Gets Ready For A Night Out

(Note: Last week I accidentally published this post BEFORE it was finished, so I figured I'd finally finish it for you! So if you've already read the first part then just skip to the ending!)


When I was in high school I went to prom twice. Once in my Sophomore year (with The Captain) and once in my Junior year. I did not go my senior year because the guy broke our date at the last moment because he got a new girlfriend (a new girlfriend?) and she objected. But that's a whole 'nother story.

Anyway, "back in the day" getting ready for a prom or a date was a Big Event. I made a whole day out of it if I could. I didn't know I was supposed to do that but my mom said I should so I did. Apparently this is a time honored tradition that moms pass on to their daughters.

Well, that and cramps and chocolate, in no particular order. Although if you eat too much chocolate you probably will get cramps so there you go.

I have no daughters and the only other female in our household is my dog. She already thinks she's a princess so she needs no lessons in pampering herself. She is a pampering fool.

So, the morning of the Big E (as in "event") I would wake up late and have a leisurely morning. I would do nothing more strenuous than lifting a can of pepsi to my lips (no "diet" pepsi for me back then), or maybe a morsel of breakfast or lunch and flip my way through a book or magazine.

Later on I would indulge in a bubble bath and shave my legs. Yes, I know this is TMI but you know you all did it too, so don't be hatin'.......

Eventually I would do my makeup, hair, nails, put on some perfume and get into my outfit. Finally I was ready for the Big Event!

Fast forward several years to marriage and then eventually motherhood.

Suddenly, getting ready for the Big E became stocking the diaper bag, nursing the baby, changing the baby's diaper, getting the preschooler fed and ready to go to the grandparents' house, changing the baby's diaper again, instructing the preschooler who was chasing the dog, and trying to pick up the house.

I run into the bedroom to change my clothes followed by an angry dog and a crying preschooler. I try to slap on some makeup and the baby is pulling things out of drawers and the preschooler is giving me a running commentary on everything.

I do a less than five-minute hair and makeup job which is slightly hampered by holding a baby on my left hip while I try and apply makeup with my right hand, at the same time avoiding baby's grabbing hands. The preschooler is now destroying the part of the house that I just picked up.

Then it's another diaper change (!), feed the dog, fish the baby out of the dog's water dish, change his wet clothes, let the dog outside, keep the preschooler from trying to run out too, and try and pick up the house yet again.

Then daddy comes home from work and asks "Are you ready? How was your day?" and I stare blankly at him. We drop the kids off at my parents and go out to dinner, where I try in vain to stick a napkin in the neckline of my husband's shirt, wipe his mouth for him, blow on his food for him, cut his meat for him, and wonder why the food is so hot......

......for I am a mother and I haven't had a hot meal in years.

Making Your Home Sing: Is Motherhood And Drab Synonymous?

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.

My 87 year old mother lives with us. She is slow and unsteady on her feet, but she has an interest and joy in life that is steady and unchanging. She loves to go places and do things if she feels up to it.

My mother will not leave the house without putting on her lipstick. One time she was having trouble breathing so I called the medics, but my mom insisted on putting on her lipstick before they got there. It was 1:30 in the morning!!!

She will not leave the house without making sure her clothes are neat and attractive. She will not leave the house without putting on her perfume and checking to make sure that her hair is neatly combed.

My mom is not vain. She is of the generation that dressed up in dresses, hat, heels and gloves whenever you left the house. But she also looked nice around the house. She wore pretty frilly house-dresses to cover her clothes whenever she needed to clean something.

But you know, I think my mom's generation had something there. Sometimes after we marry we are much to comfortable with ourselves, especially after the kids come.

My hair went up in a pony-tail the moment my oldest was born and did not come out of one for years and years. For that matter, it still hasn't come out of one when I am cleaning!

Then, there are my "every day" jeans and "every day" shirts. Those are the ones that my family sees me in day in and day out. Not my "cute" clothes. Nope, those are saved for leaving the house. Those are saved for other people.

After all, the store clerk really needs to see me in cute jeans and shirt, with makeup on my face and neatly combed hair. Right?

Just who are we dressing for, anyway?

Sometimes, we moms get up, stay in our pajamas and sweats all day (or on weekends if we work), and then sleep in them too. We forget or neglect to comb our hair and forget about the makeup because I'm a mother now and I have to look the part. Right?

Since when is motherhood and drab synonymous?

Sometimes I think the mom generation is not vain enough!

So what do you say, girls. You up for a challenge? Do you remember the days when you were dating and "fixed yourself up?" Do it at least three times this week. Comb your hair, put on makeup if you wear it, change out of your jammies into a comfy but "cute" outfit and put on some perfume, a necklace or maybe earrings. Get out of your clothing rut.

Do something for yourself. Be "vain" enough to take care of yourself this week. Maybe the only one to see you will be you, or maybe your children or your hubby. But after all, don't they matter too?

Is motherhood and drab synonymous? No! Go from drab to fab and make your home sing this week!

(By the way, last week the linky was a bit slow but hopefully this week it will be faster. Last week people wrote me that it was taking too long to link up. I hope this week goes better!)

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

"Yes" Is The New "No!"

Oops, I did it again! You ever accidentally hit "publish post" before a post is ready?

Yeah, me neither.

If you subscribe to my feed you will notice that I recently did just that. When I get an idea for a post I like to open a new post and label it "Draft" and then title it with whatever I want the post to be about.

Then, within the body of the post I will make a few notes on whatever idea I had. Later, if and when I have time or more ideas, I will pull up the post and begin to write some more on the subject. Then I "save" it.

I never publish it because it is a draft and not finished yet. But I live in fear of accidentally posting it every day. Every. Single. Day.

Until today. I don't have to live in fear of it anymore. Because I accidentally published it.

Aaaaaaaaaacccccckkkkkkkkkk!

So, those of you who subscribe get to see my "draft: prom and mom" post in all its glory. Including the draft "outline" at the beginning of the post.

Including my ramblings in the middle of the post, and then the ending where the sentences don't make sense because I didn't finish one thought before starting another one.

Except that it's not really the end because I never got to finish the post.

So this post is the post that explains the other post and if I accidentally press publish again I am going to slap somebody.

Did you know that once you put something out there in a feed it can't be recalled? It's out there forever. You can remove a post from your blog but not from your feed.

Sniff.

So, I am going to finish the other post, the "real" post, and then finish it so that all you "feed" people can read the ending.

Because I know that you are dying to know what happened and haven't been able to eat, sleep or work until I write the ending for you. So don't forget to come back tomorrow and read "what's left" of it. But don't get too excited, it's not THAT great........

For the rest of you, don't worry, you didn't miss much and it really wasn't all that exciting.

Except to me when I realized I accidentally had pushed "publish post." By the way, saying "No! No! No! No! No!" has no affect. Apparently "yes" is the new "no."

Making Your Home Sing: When Is Good Enough Not Good Enough?

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.

Hello. My name is Nan and I am suffering from "good enough" disease. My kitchen sink is empty of dishes but the countertops and table is cluttered with "stuff."

A greeting card, an old calendar, pet stain remover (thanks, dog!), a bath towel (a bath towel??????), an empty cardboard box, a calculator, a snickers bar (hmmmmm), an empty milk carton, etc.

My bathroom sink and toilet are shiny clean but the counter, again, is cluttered. My living room is "clean" but again, there are papers and books lying around.

It's funny how you can deep clean something so that the room may be fairly dirt-free, but all that clutter lying around can still make it look messy. Not to mention make it harder to clean. But you call it clean because deep down it is clean, only it's not........because of the clutter.....only it is, but it's not......

Then the "good enough" disease rears its ugly head. "You don't need to clean that room. It already looks good enough! Why don't you go watch t.v. or read a book?"

There is some truth to that. Sometimes, we do have to stop and say "that is good enough" and move on to our next important priority. Sometimes we have to just stop, take a break and play a bit. We have to know when to quit and call it good.

But sometimes I know that I get lazy and call it "good" when it's not good. When it's not all about keeping my priorities organized, but instead I am unorganized and out of balance, and I am calling it "good enough" because I don't want to invest my time in keeping my home neat for myself and my family.

Instead, I just want to play. Playing is not a bad thing, but really it needs to balance out with my priorities. It must not be my top priority. And when I am calling the same thing "good enough" every day and letting things pile up further and further, then I know that it is no longer good enough.

When is "good enough" no longer good enough? When I start making excuses for it. When I keep neglecting or avoiding it.

So, what are you calling "good enough?"

This week, I am taking my "good enough" one step better and making it "good." I am going to stop making excuses that "It's really not all that messy around here" or "It'll only take five minutes to clean up, I'll do it later" or "I'll clean it tomorrow" (which never comes) and tame all the little clutter messes I've got going around here.

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

I Hab A Code.......sniff.......

I hab a code. And by doze is stuffed up. *cough* *cough* My doze is running too. *sniff*

Don't know how it can be stuffed up and running at the same time. I guess I am just talented that way.

Not to mention the fact that I thought I was getting over a cold from last week and now I either have a new one or the last one kicked it up a notch.

Just what I need, a cold with an attitude problem.

Don't you love having a cold and knowing that someone graciously shared it with you, so that you can graciously pass it on to others?

I'm all about spreading the love. Maybe I should have sanitized the keyboard. Be sure and wash your hands after leaving my blog. I do apologize for any germs that snuck out.

Ya gotta love blogging. You can blog with greasy hair and no one will know it (not that I'm doing that, of course). You can blog in your ratty ole' t-shirt and sweat pants that have seen better days and no one will see it (not that I'm doing that either, you understand).

You can blog with a bright red nose that would give Rudolph a run for his money and chapped lips and nobody will know. You can even blog with a runny nose and no one will be the wiser.

So just picture me wearing some $$$$$$ expensive outfit with a fantastic clean hairdo and a pale nose. That isn't running.

Making Your Home Sing: For Valentine's Day

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.

In case you're wondering, Valentine's Day is right around the corner. It's not like we need an excuse to show someone that we love them, but sometimes it's just fun to do a little "something extra" on that day.

Wouldn't it be fun to do something special this week that's leading up to it?

I was thinking of making pancakes in the shape of a heart and surprising everyone. If you like pancakes but you don't have a heart shaped cutter, how about making a smiley face or writing "I Love You" with the syrup?

Another cute idea would be to buy some of those special candy hearts and spell out a message and leave it on someone's dinner plate.

Do you love to play scrabble? Take the letters and write out your own special message and leave it by their spot at the dinner table.

You can go here to my bloggy friend Angie's business website and send a card to someone you love. They are beautiful cards and you don't even have to leave your house to do it!

You can buy a couple of red roses or carnations and put them in a white vase on the table. Don't have the money for flowers? Light a candle! Fold the napkin into a heart shape.

You can buy a red plate (or red and white hearts or polka dots) and put it at a different spot each night at the dinner table. Each night one family member will have their turn to feel "special" and have the other family members pay them a compliment.

Make some cookies or cupcakes for a treat. Take a heart-shaped cookie cutter and cut their toast or sandwich with it. Put an "I love you" note in someone's lunch, on their mirror, or on their laptop. If hubby comes home and goes straight for the newspaper stick a flower in it or wrap it with a bow, or stick a note in his favorite slippers.

Make a big banner or poster that says "You are special" or "I love you" or have the kids make one. Surprise dad at work and take him out to lunch or a picnic. Have the kids make grandma and grandpa a card or give them a call. Buy a $5.00 Starbucks card for someone!

Make a "care" package for someone with all sorts of little things that say "I'm thinking about you" (I know this is one thing that I will be doing for sure for our oldest who is currently attending college in another state).

There are lots of fun things to do and several days to do them in. You could do a little something every day! I will have to get busy and plan some special fun things that I can do to make my home sing this week.

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

My Husband Is A Chocolate Enabler

Today I am joining my friend Kim over at Homesteader's Heart for her Friday Funnies meme. Please pop over there for more fun!

My husband is a chocolate enabler.

I love that man!

Sometimes, ya just gotta have chocolate.

So my hubby has spots in the house in which he hides it, and when I really, really, REALLY need it I call him and ask him where it's hidden.

He hides is because he is smart. He knows that I buy some chocolate for myself, but eventually I will eat it.

He hides it because he can see into the future. He also knows that after I eat the chocolate, it will be gone.

Apparently I haven't learned that lesson yet, otherwise I would buy more when I run out. But I always assume that I will never eat chocolate again. It's a delusional thing.

He hides it because he is afraid. He knows that I can get grumpy at certain times.

He hides it because he needs to stay at work and make money to buy more chocolate. He knows that after I eat it, I will eventually want some more and I will want him to get it for me. Because it's inevitable that I will want it during the day when he is at work and I am to lazy busy to go out and buy it myself.

He hides it so he doesn't have to listen to a whining woman. What woman hasn't called her husband in the middle of his workday and begged him to bring her some chocolate?

What? You've never done that?

Me neither.

As I said, he is a smart man.

He hides it because he is a visionary. You see, we've been married a long time and my husband knows "happy wife, happy life."

The Pimple Goes To Church

Recently, I was getting ready for church and found an ooooops! on my nose that needed some concealer. Y'all know what an ooooops! is.

It's that "thing" that we've been dealing with since we were teens and ate one to many french fries. It's that "thing" that always popped out before a big date, a big event, or a big holiday party.

It's that "thing" that pops out on your nose, forehead, or your chin that you try to hide. Because of course, no one else gets 'em. Just you. Also, it's either hide it or name it and pull up a chair for it at the dinner table.

So, I put on some concealer because that is what my mama raised me to do. Put on the concealer, blend and finish off with a little foundation and powder. (For your information I never powder but that may be way to much information for some of you.)

Only I forgot all the stuff that comes after the "put on the concealer" part.

It's really not my fault. I put on a dab of concealer and thought I'd better let it dry a bit before "blending" or it would all rub off again. What is blending anyway? I mean, does anybody really "blend?"

So I got busy doing other things. And I forgot.

Then I went to church with a big ole' dot of concealer on my nose. No blending. No "concealing."

At some point you have to wonder, if I wasn't blending then I wasn't concealing, so what conceals the concealer?

No one came up to me and said "Why do you have a big beige dot on your nose?" I suppose by now they are used to me. Sigh.

Goodness knows I give them enough to talk about at church. One day I walked out of the bathroom with toilet paper stuck to my shoe.

Another time the elastic on the waistband of my slip broke just as I stood up, so I had to sit back down and perform a slip-ectomy underneath the table during a church potluck. Fortunately the tablecloths are very long.

That day I decided that being frugal was wonderful, but there comes a time in the life of every elastic waistband when you just have to say it's been fun and thanks for the memories but it's time to let go and move on.

Then there was the time I had buttoned up my blouse in a hurry and the buttons were uneven, so one side of my shirt was longer than the other. I was hoping they might find it "interesting" and think that I was trying to set a new fashion trend.

Oh, and the morning that I drank my pop so fast that I burped right in the middle of teaching my women's Sunday School class. Not to mention the whole poppy-seed in the tooth thing (drat those morning muffins!).

Let's not forget the whole ugly-nail episode that occurred before church one morning either.

Do you even want me to go on? This is what happens, throughout your life, when you are a mom of young children. Or, your children are older, but you are busy rushing around and trying to get ready, and you don't look in the mirror long enough before you leave.

Or you look in the mirror but you are only checking your hair. That is my downfall sometimes.

So if you see someone at church that looks "together" from the neck up (except for the ginormous dab of concealer on her nose) that will be me. Please stop and say "hi!"