52 Week Marriage Challenge Week #4: Kiss Like You Mean It

I know many of you give your spouse a kiss and hug goodbye as they leave for work in the morning, a kiss in the evening when they arrive home and one before you go to sleep at night. If you are like me, you are probably usually in the middle of something and the kiss may be a bit...um...rushed. I will admit that I usually give my husband a quick smooch and then go on with my business.

Week #4 Challenge: Kiss like you mean it.

 

Some of you may already do this, but I know that this is something that I need to work on. I want to challenge you to take a few extra seconds this week when you say goodbye in the morning, when you say hello in the evening or when you go to bed at night to kiss like you mean it. Drop everything that you are doing and take a few extra seconds to really connect with your spouse.

 

Something a simple as a genuine, loving kiss can make a big impact on your relationship. I am sure that the first time that you do it, your spouse will be pleasantly surprised.

 

With Valentine's Day rapidly approaching, I would love to hear any great ideas that you have for your spouse. Please leave a comment or link.

Books to Read: February 2013

One of my top 6 priorities for 2013 is self development. One of my goals in this area is to read at least 4 books per month. These are the books that I plan to read during February:


Remember (Redemption) (second book in the Redemption series. I read the first in January)

 

 

Better to Be Broken

Prayers Of An Excellent Wife: Intercession For Him

Simple Living - 30 days to less stuff and more life

Reach; How to Use Your Social Media Influence for the Glory of God

 

 

What are you reading in February?

Some of the links on this website are "affiliate links." This means that if you click on the link and purchase the item, I receive a commission.

My Goals: Week of 1/28

Last Week's Goals
God

• Read daily passage from One Year Bible plan (ongoing)
• Weekly couple devotional time with Derek (ongoing)

Marriage

• Weekly couple devotional time with Derek (ongoing)
• Schedule and have 30 minutes of quality spouse time daily
• Plan at home date night (we actually went on a date outside of the house, so I will count it) 

Children

• Spend 30 minutes one-on-one time each day with each child (ongoing)
• Take time to respond to children even when I am in the middle of something *Still working on this 
• Read to each child for 15 minutes per day 

Others

• I don't want to create a "goal" for this area. I will be open to opportunities to minister to others in need at any time that God calls me to do so.

Self Development

• Read In the Shadow of the Banyan: A Novel (book club book) *See the other books that I am reading this month here
• Work out for 30 minutes each day (even if it is just a walk around the neighborhood with the kids)
• Drink 8 glasses of water a day (I just can't seem to ever do this one) *I downloaded an app on my phone to help remind me. Hope this will help next week.

Household Management

• Keep up with my new daily cleaning schedule
• Complete this week's Home Challenge task

This Week's Goals

God

• Read daily passage from One Year Bible plan (ongoing)
• Weekly couple devotional time with Derek (ongoing)

Marriage

• Weekly couple devotional time with Derek (ongoing)
• Schedule and have 30 minutes of quality spouse time daily
• Make Derek lunch at least 3 days this week.

Children

• Spend 30 minutes one-on-one time each day with each child (ongoing)
• Take time to respond to children even when I am in the middle of something
• Read to each child for 15 minutes per day. Read one chapter of The Boxcar Children Mysteries Box Set: Books One Through Twelve to Haley each day.

Others

• I don't want to create a "goal" for this area. I will be open to opportunities to minister to others in need at any time that God calls me to do so.

Self Development

• Read In the Shadow of the Banyan: A Novel (book club book) I have a week left. Hopefully I can get this done!
• Work out for 30 minutes each day (even if it is just a walk around the neighborhood with the kids)
• Drink 8 glasses of water a day (I just can't seem to ever do this one)

Household Management

• Keep up with my new daily cleaning schedule
• Complete this week's Home Challenge task

How did you do with your goals for last week? Please share your progress from last week and any goals you have for this week.

Some of the links on this website are "affiliate links." This means that if you click on the link and purchase the item, I receive a commission.

Reorganized Home Challenge Week 4: Declutter Kitchen Cabinets

I am a week behind on the challenge, so I am going to post two challenges this week. Last week, I got completely off task. I decided to clean out my garage. We have a two car garage, but half of the garage was filled with junk and my husband had to park outside. That's right...was. In trying to live a more simplified life, I am getting rid of everything we don't need and use. Since my husband and I aren't going to have more kids, it is time to get rid of all of our baby stuff. The baby girl items went to my brother who is having a girl in June. The baby boy clothing that my son has already grown out of went to a friend. All of my maternity clothing went to another friend. We could have sold many of the items, but since we have been so blessed, I am focused on passing on our blessings to others.

Although it is great to have goals and a game plan, sometimes you have to be flexible and deviate to take care of something that really needs to be done! Now, back to our challenge.

This week's challenge is to declutter your kitchen cabinets.

*Don't focus on your pantry at this time. That will be a later step.

1. Focus on one cabinet at a time.
2. Pull everything out of cabinet.
3. Throw away any food/items that are expired, broken or won't be used.
4. Set aside items to giveaway. In general, anything that hasn't been used in the last year should be donated or thrown away.
5. Put items back into cabinets. Don't focus too much on the organization this week. We will tackle that another week.

One of the books that I read this month was Heart of Simplicity: Foundations for Christian Homemaking. It is an expensive eBook, only $2.99 at the time of this post, and has some great ideas about how you can simplify many different aspects of your life.

How are you doing on your Home Challenge?

Some of the links on this website are "affiliate links." This means that if you click on the link and purchase the item, I receive a commission.

Preschool Plans: Valentine's Week 1 (Week of 1/28)

I thought that we would take a short break from our normal preschool schedule to do some fun Valentine's activities. This week and next week will both focus on Valentine's Day and then we will resume our normal schedule.

Two Year Old Lesson Plans:

Monday

1. Bible Verse: 1 John 4:8 "God is Love" (Preschool Printable)
2. Valentine's Line Tracing Practice (Preschool Printable)
3. C is for Cupid Coloring Worksheet (Preschool Printable)

Wednesday

1. Bible Verse: 1 John 4:8 "God is Love" (Preschool Printable)
2. H is for Heart Coloring Worksheet (Preschool Printable)
3. Love Butterfly Craft

Friday

1. Bible Verse: 1 John 4:8 "God is Love" (Preschool Printable)
2. Valentine Handprint Heart Wall Hanging Craft
3. Make Rice Krispies Hearts

Three Year Old Lesson Plans:

Monday

1. Bible Verse: John 15:12 "Love each other as I have loved you" (Preschool Printable)
2. Sight Word Flashcards Practice (purchased from $1 spot at Target)
3. Letter C and Cupid Word Tracing Worksheet (Preschool Printable)
4. Beginning Letter Sound Worksheet (Kindergarten Printable)
5. Candy Addition Worksheet (Kindergarten Printable)

Wednesday

1. Bible Verse: John 15:12 "Love each other as I have loved you" (Preschool Printable)
2. Sight Word Flashcards Practice (purchased from $1 spot at Target)
3. Letter V and Valentine Word Tracing Worksheet (Preschool Printable)
4. Valentine's Pattern Worksheet (Kindergarten Printable)
5. Love Butterfly Craft

Friday

1. Bible Verse: John 15:12 "Love each other as I have loved you" (Preschool Printable)
2. Sight Word Flashcards Practice (purchased from $1 spot at Target)
3. Candy Addition Worksheet (Kindergarten Printable)
4. Valentine Handprint Heart Wall Hanging Craft
5. Make Rice Krispies Hearts

Meal Plan: Week of 1/28

Here is my menu for the week:

Breakfast

Breakfast Burritos (freezer)
Egg, Toast, and Turkey Bacon
Overnight Cinnamon Apple Oatmeal (Slow Cooker)
French Toast on Homemade Cinnamon Swirl Bread
Pancakes (from freezer), Fruit

Lunch

Peanut Butter and Honey Sandwiches, Fruit, Yogurt
Macaroni and Cheese, Carrots, Applesauce
Cheese Quesadillas, Fruit
Chicken Nuggets, Carrots, Fruit
Leftovers

Dinner

Taco Salad
Easy Chicken Fried Rice, Vegetable Egg Rolls (Pre-made/Freezer)
Honey Mustard Mozzarella Chicken, Salad, French Bread (Freezer)
*I like to make the french bread recipe, which makes two loaves. I slice and put in freezer and just pull out as many slices as I need. This lasts us 4-5 meals.  I reheat at 350 for 5 minutes.
Grilled Cheese and Tomato Basil Soup
Pizza
Leftovers
Out

Snacks/Freezer Cooking

Clean Eating Slow Cooker Brownies
Good For You Peanut Butter Freezer Fudge
French Bread

What is your menu for the week? Feel free to leave your link in the comments.

My Goals: Week of 1/21

I am posting this a day late because my husband was off yesterday and we spent the day as a family! Last week, I wasn't feeling great a couple days, so I fell behind on a few things.

Last Week's Goals:
God

• Read daily passage from One Year Bible plan and catch-up on readings from last week (ongoing)
• Weekly couple devotional time with Derek (ongoing) *We still didn't do our devotional this week :(

Marriage

• Weekly couple devotional time with Derek (ongoing)
• Schedule and have 30 minutes of quality spouse time daily
• Write love letter to Derek

Children

• Spend 30 minutes one-on-one time each day with each child (ongoing)
• Go on an adventure walk through the neighborhood
• Read to each child for 15 minutes per day

Others

• I don't want to create a "goal" for this area. I will be open to opportunities to minister to others in need at any time that God calls me to do so.

Self Development

• Finish reading The Heart of Simplicity: Foundations for Christian Homemaking and start reading In the Shadow of the Banyan: A Novel (book club book) *I didn't start Shadow of the Banyan, but I read all of The Air I Breathe
• Work out for 30 minutes each day (even if it is just a walk around the neighborhood with the kids)
• Drink 8 glasses of water a day (I just can't seem to ever do this one)

Household Management

• Keep up with my new daily cleaning schedule
• Complete this week's Home Challenge task

This Week's Goals
God

• Read daily passage from One Year Bible plan (ongoing)
• Weekly couple devotional time with Derek (ongoing)

Marriage

• Weekly couple devotional time with Derek (ongoing)
• Schedule and have 30 minutes of quality spouse time daily
• Plan at home date night 

Children

• Spend 30 minutes one-on-one time each day with each child (ongoing)
• Take time to respond to children even when I am in the middle of something 
• Read to each child for 15 minutes per day

Others

• I don't want to create a "goal" for this area. I will be open to opportunities to minister to others in need at any time that God calls me to do so.

Self Development

• Read In the Shadow of the Banyan: A Novel (book club book) *See the other books that I am reading this month here
• Work out for 30 minutes each day (even if it is just a walk around the neighborhood with the kids)
• Drink 8 glasses of water a day (I just can't seem to ever do this one)

Household Management

• Keep up with my new daily cleaning schedule
• Complete this week's Home Challenge task

How did you do with your goals for last week? Please share your progress from last week and any goals you have for this week.

Some of the links on this website are "affiliate links." This means that if you click on the link and purchase the item, I receive a commission.

Meal Plan: Week of 1/21

Here is my menu for this week:

Breakfast

Breakfast Burritos (freezer), Apple Oat-Muffins (freezer), Oatmeal with fruit and or yogurt

Lunch

Macaroni and Cheese, Fruit, Carrots

Cheese Quesadillas, Fruit
Peanut Butter and Honey Sandwiches, Carrots, Fruit
Leftovers

Dinner

Pasta w/ Meatballs, Salad and French Bread (from freezer)
Chicken Fried Rice
Healthified Ground Beef and Noodles
Grilled Chicken, Beer Bread, and Salad
Turkey Burgers, Sweet Potato Fries and Fruit
Pizza
Leftovers


Freezer Cooking

Beer Bread
Apple Oat-Muffins
No Bake Granola Bars

What is your menu for the week? Feel free to leave your link in the comments.

52 Week Marriage Challenge Week #3: Letter of Thanks

At one time or another we all take our marriage and our partner for granted. My husband does so many things for me on a daily basis, but I have become accustomed to many of those things. Most of the time I just simply forget to give him a genuine thank you for the things that he does.

 

Week #3 Challenge: Write a letter of thanks to your spouse.

 

When I take the time to sit down and write my thoughts, I can communicate my thoughts much more effectively. I encourage you to sit down this week and write (not type) a well thought out letter of thanks to your spouse.

 

Here are some things I will be including in my letter. Hopefully this will help give you some ideas on where to start.

 

I am thankful for my husband...

• Being a man of God
• Providing financially for our family
• Working hard everyday at his place of work
• Taking out the trash (his daily "chore")
• Giving our kids baths
• Helping with bedtime
• Taking the time to share and listen on a daily basis
• Making our family a top priority
• Always being willing to give me a back rub on a hard day
• Making the kids breakfast in the morning

This are just a few things I will be including. I want my husband to know that I do not take him for granted and that I appreciate all of the "small" things that he does on a daily basis that make a big impact on me.

 

What are some amazing things that your husband does on a daily basis that you are thankful for?

 

 

Homemade Baby Food Stage 1: Avocados

 

 

If you are new to making your own baby food take a look at Homemade Baby Food: How to Get Started.

Avocados are a great Stage 1 food for your baby and they are always one of the first solid foods that I give to my children. Avocados are full of nutrients and good fats. The texture is smooth and the taste is mild. Making avocado puree is very simple.

Introduction Age: 4-6 month *Check with your pediatrician about when to start your baby on solid foods

Avocado Puree:

1. Cut avocado lengthwise and remove pit
2. Scoop out "meat" and put in bowl
3. Mash (I like to use a Pastry Blender, but you can also use a fork)
4. Serve or freeze

To Freeze:

Spoon avocado into ice cube trays, cover with plastic wrap and freeze. Place frozen cubes into Ziploc freezer bag or freezer safe container. Note: When freezing avocado, there will be some browning, this will not hurt the quality of the food, only the appearance.

To Thaw:

Remove cube from freezer and place in container in refrigerator for 12-24 hours. Heat if desired and serve. Use thawed cubes within 24 hours or thawing.

*Remember to use the 4 day wait rule when introducing new foods. Feed your child only 1 new food for a 4 day period to wait for any possible reaction.

Food Combinations:

Once your child has been introduced to several foods using the 4 day wait rule, you may begin trying different food combinations. Here are some foods that pair well with avocados:

• Apples (Applesauce)
• Bananas
• Peaches
• Pears

Nutritional Information:

Click here for the nutritional information and benefits of Avocados.

*Remember to check with your pediatrician regarding your baby's readiness to begin solid foods and discuss any foods that may have an allergy risk for your child.

Some of the links on this website are "affiliate links." This means that if you click on the link and purchase the item, I receive a commission

Homemade Baby Food: How to Get Started

 



When I had my daughter, I made the decision to make my own baby food. It seemed like it was going to be a complicated process, but after a bit of trial and error I found that making baby food is really quite simple. Making your own baby food is also a great way to save money.

 

My son just turned six months and I am beginning to introduce solid foods. As I go along the process, I will be sharing my recipes with you. If you are contemplating making your own baby food, I hope that you will find this helpful.

 

Materials Needed:

• 2-3 Ice Cube Trays
• Food Processor or Food Mill
• Ziploc Bags or Freezer Safe Storage Containers

That is it, those are all the materials that you need to get started. Most of you probably have most if not all of these things in your home already. There are more expensive sets out there like the Baby Bullet Complete Baby Care System, but I have found the basics work just fine.

 

The dollar store usually carries ice cube trays. A food mill, like the Boon Mush Manual Baby Food Processor costs around $20 or your can opt for a mini food processor or a regular food processor for anywhere from $20-$100+. The total cost to get started can be as minimal as $25. You will easily save this much money within the first month of feeding your baby.

 

How to Make Baby Food:

1. Steam or Bake fruit/vegetable
2. Puree in food processor or food mill
3. Spoon into ice cube trays
4. Cool and cover with plastic wrap
5. Place in freezer
6. Once frozen, pop ice cubes out and put into freezer safe Ziploc bag or storage container (use within 3 months)
7. Take out cube 24 hours before using and thaw in refrigerator
8. Warm and serve

These are the basic steps for making any type of baby food. Some fruits and veggies have to be prepared differently (for example bananas and avocados don't need to be cooked and all you have to do is mash them with a fork), but for the most part you can follow these steps each time you make your baby food.

 

Average Savings:

 

The amount of money that you will save will vary depending on the type of food that you are making, but I will give you an example of the avocados that I made today.

 

Cost of Beech-nut Stage 1 2.5 ounce baby food jar = $0.59 (based on price at Fry's)

Cost per ounce = $0.24

 

Cost of Avocados = $0.25 ea (on sale) x 12 = $3.00

Total Ounces Made = 25

Cost per ounce = $0.12

 

Based on the cheapest brand of baby food found in the store, you would save $0.12 per ounce. At 6 months babies can eat up to 8 ounces of solid food between 2-3 meals per day (your child may eat significantly less than this to begin with). Based on the savings of $0.12 per ounce in the case of our avocados, you could save up to $0.96 per day.

 

The goal is to buy fruits in veggies when they are in season and on sale to maximize savings.

 

Click here for more baby recipes.

 

*Remember to check with your pediatrician regarding your baby's readiness to begin solid foods and discuss any foods that may have an allergy risk for your child.

 

Some of the links on this website are "affiliate links." This means that if you click on the link and purchase the item, I receive a commission.

 

Reorganized Home Challenge Week #3: Declutter Your Kitchen

I hope that you have been able to follow along with our 52 Week Reorganized Home Challenge. I have a fairly small kitchen with a minimal amount of counter space. When I am in the kitchen, I get frustrated when I don't have enough work space.

This week's challenge is to declutter your kitchen.

Challenge Steps:

1. Take everything off your counters, refrigerator, wall, etc
2. Clean your kitchen counters and stove and wipe down the outside of your refrigerator, dishwasher, microwave, and cabinets
3. Put only the things that you really need back on your counters and on your fridge
• Think about the appliances that you have on your counter. Do you use them everyday? If not, store them in a cabinet or in your pantry.
• Keep the outside of your fridge as clutter free as possible. I still have a few magnets on mine and usually some artwork, but I keep it to a minimum.

Additional Ideas:

 

 

Declutter your counters by putting your fruits in a hanging basket, like the one pictured above. I like the hanging baskets because they still free up counter space, unlike the freestanding variety. I purchased this Wall Mount Planter , removed the liner and mounted it using two screws. As you can see, it holds quite a bit of fruit.

 

 

Minimize the items on and around your kitchen sink by utilizing your under sink cabinets. I found this Over the Cabinet Basket this is the perfect size to hold my dish washing soap, sponge, and bottle brush so that they aren't using counter space. I also have my disinfecting wipes and air spray close at hand.

 

What other ideas do you have for decluttering your kitchen? If you have missed any of the prior challenges, you can find them here.

 

Some of the links on this website are "affiliate links." This means that if you click on the link and purchase the item, I receive a commission.

 

My Goals: Week of 1/14

Last Week's Goals

God

• Read daily passage from One Year Bible plan (ongoing) *I am a couple days behind, but I hope to catch up this week
• Weekly couple devotional time with Derek (ongoing) *We had a couple of rough nights with the kids and fell behind on this

Marriage

• Weekly couple devotional time with Derek (ongoing)
• Schedule and have 30 minutes of quality spouse time daily

Children

• Spend 30 minutes one-on-one time each day with each child (ongoing)
• Create treasure hunt for Friday's preschool time
• Read to each child for 15 minutes per day

Others

• I don't want to create a "goal" for this area. I will be open to opportunities to minister to others in need at any time that God calls me to do so.

Self Development

• Finish reading The Heart of Simplicity: Foundations for Christian Homemaking and start reading In the Shadow of the Banyan: A Novel (book club book)  *I am way behind in my reading.
• Work out for 30 minutes each day (even if it is just a walk around the neighborhood with the kids) *I did this a few days, but because I was so tired, I didn't get up early
• Drink 8 glasses of water a day (I just can't seem to ever do this one) *Uggghhh...nope

Household Management

• Keep up with my new daily cleaning schedule *Fell behind on this one too
• Complete this week's Home Challenge task

With a couple days of having sick kiddos, I fell way behind. Truth is, that I was NOT disciplined enough and I need to do much better this week.

This Week's Goals

God

• Read daily passage from One Year Bible plan and catch-up on readings from last week (ongoing)
• Weekly couple devotional time with Derek (ongoing)

Marriage

• Weekly couple devotional time with Derek (ongoing)
• Schedule and have 30 minutes of quality spouse time daily
• Write love letter to Derek

Children

• Spend 30 minutes one-on-one time each day with each child (ongoing)
• Go on an adventure walk through the neighborhood 
• Read to each child for 15 minutes per day

Others

• I don't want to create a "goal" for this area. I will be open to opportunities to minister to others in need at any time that God calls me to do so.

Self Development

• Finish reading The Heart of Simplicity: Foundations for Christian Homemaking and start reading In the Shadow of the Banyan: A Novel (book club book) *See the other books that I am reading this month here
• Work out for 30 minutes each day (even if it is just a walk around the neighborhood with the kids)
• Drink 8 glasses of water a day (I just can't seem to ever do this one)

Household Management

• Keep up with my new daily cleaning schedule
• Complete this week's Home Challenge task

How did you do with your goals for last week? Please share your progress from last week and any goals you have for this week.

Some of the links on this website are "affiliate links." This means that if you click on the link and purchase the item, I receive a commission.

Preschool Plans: Green Eggs and Ham Week (Week of 1/14)

 

Two Year Old Ongoing Focus: Letter Recognition, Word Recognition, Shapes, Colors
 

Three Year Old Ongoing Focus: Pre-Reading (Sight Words, Word Families), Days of the Week, Months of the Year, Geography, Beginning Math

Two Year Old Lesson Plans

Monday

1. Letter Flashcards (purchased from the $1 Spot at Target)
2. Read Green Eggs and Ham
3. Green Eggs and Ham Letter Matching Activity (Letter G/g)

Wednesday

1. Letter Flashcards (purchased from the $1 Spot at Target)
2. Number Flashcards 1-5 (purchased from the $1 Spot at Target)
3. Green Eggs and Ham Letter Matching Activity (Letter E/e)

Friday

1. Letter Flashcards (purchased from the $1 Spot at Target)
2. Green Eggs and Ham Letter Matching Activity (Letter H/h)
3. Green Eggs and Ham Coloring Sheet

Three Year Old Lesson Plans

This week's theme: Green Eggs and Ham ("am" Word Family Week)

Monday

1. Pledge of Allegiance
2. Days of the Week and Month Review
3. Sight Word Flashcards (purchased from the $1 Spot at Target)
4. "am" Family Word Week  
• Flashcards
• "am" Family Matching Worksheet
• Read Green Eggs and Ham
5. Green Eggs and Ham Pattern Worksheet
6. Map Time (using $1 U.S. Map purchased at Dollar Tree)

Wednesday

1. Pledge of Allegiance
2. Days of the Week and Month Review
3. Sight Word Flashcards (purchased from the $1 Spot at Target)
4. "am" Family Word Week
• "Memory" played with 2 sets of "am" Family Flashcards
• "am" Word Family House Worksheet
5. Green Eggs and Ham Counting Worksheet
6. Map Time (using $1 U.S. Map purchased at Dollar Tree)

Friday

1. Pledge of Allegiance
2. Days of the Week and Month Review
3. Sight Word Flashcards (purchased from the $1 Spot at Target)
4. "am" Family Word Week
• Flashcard Review
5. Green Eggs and Ham Rhyming Worksheet
6. Green Eggs and Ham Addition Worksheet
7. Map Time (using $1 U.S. Map purchased at Dollar Tree)

Meal Plan: Week of 1/14

Here is my menu for this week:

Breakfast

Blueberry Muffins (from freezer), Oatmeal, Cereal w/ fruit and or yogurt

Lunch

Macaroni and Cheese, Fruit, Carrots

Cheese Quesadillas, Fruit
Peanut Butter and Honey Sandwiches, Carrots, Fruit
Leftovers

Dinner

Pasta w/ Meatballs, Salad and French Bread (from freezer)
Chili w/ Corn Muffins
Tacos w/ Refried Beans
Bacon, Ranch, and Chicken Mac and Cheese w/ Green Beans
Pizza
Leftovers
Dinner Out

Freezer Cooking

Banana Bread (w/ applesauce and honey instead of oil and sugar)
Buttery Soft Pretzels

What is your menu for the week? Feel free to leave your link in the comments.

My Goals: Week of 1/7

These are my goals for the week of 1/7 that fit in line with my top 6 priorities for 2013:

God

• Read daily passage from One Year Bible plan (ongoing)
• Weekly couple devotional time with Derek (ongoing)

Marriage

• Weekly couple devotional time with Derek (ongoing)
• Schedule and have 30 minutes of quality spouse time daily

Children

• Spend 30 minutes one-on-one time each day with each child (ongoing)
• Create treasure hunt for Friday's preschool time
• Read to each child for 15 minutes per day

Others

• I don't want to create a "goal" for this area. I will be open to opportunities to minister to others in need at any time that God calls me to do so.

Self Development

• Finish reading The Heart of Simplicity: Foundations for Christian Homemaking and start reading In the Shadow of the Banyan: A Novel (book club book) *See the other books that I am reading this month here
• Work out for 30 minutes each day (even if it is just a walk around the neighborhood with the kids)
• Drink 8 glasses of water a day (I just can't seem to ever do this one)

Household Management

• Keep up with my new daily cleaning schedule
• Complete this week's Home Challenge task

Some of the links on this website are "affiliate links." This means that if you click on the link and purchase the item, I receive a commission.

52 Week Marriage Challenge Week #2: Spouse Time

As we begin week #2 of our 52 Week Marriage Challenge, I would like to ask you a question. How much quality time do you spend with your spouse each day? I'm not talking about putting the kids to bed or watching TV together. I am talking about quality time where you talk, pray, and listen to one another.

We all fall into the daily routine trap. I know my husband and I do. We get so wrapped up in our day to day lives and we forget to share our lives with each other. For those of you that have children, I know this can be a struggle. We have three children ages three and under and it seems most of our day is spent taking care of their basic needs. What we tend to forget is the best thing that we can ever do for our children is demonstrate what a loving and God centered marriage is all about.

Genesis 2:24 says "Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh". In order to become "one flesh" with our spouse as the Bible intended, we have to spend time nurturing and cultivating our relationship.

Week Two Challenge: Find 30 minutes per day to spend quality time with your spouse.

So how exactly do you find 30 minutes of uninterrupted time every day?

Take a look at your current activities. For many of you, 30 minutes may seem like a stretch when there are dishes to wash, children to care for and laundry to be done. If you are struggling to find 30 minutes, I encourage you to make a list of things you do on a daily basis and take out one or two of the least important things. Most of us have plenty of time to watch TV, Facebook, or read a book.

Schedule it. It might make sense for the 30 minutes to be scheduled at the same time every day. This could be in the morning before other family members wake up or it could be at night after everyone else is in bed. Some of you may even be lucky enough to have 30 minutes available at lunchtime. If you can't find 30 minutes at the same time everyday, still make sure you schedule the time. When your scheduled time rolls around, if there are dishes in the sink, leave them there!

Ok, I have the time scheduled. Now what do we do?

Since we talked about this being quality time, you shouldn't be watching TV or reading the newspaper. This needs to be a time to interact and nurture your relationship. Here are some ideas for activities you can do during this time:

• Work through a devotional together (this was part of last week's challenge)
• Pray together
• Read a marriage focused book together (One of my favorite is His Needs, Her Needs: Building an Affair-Proof Marriage)
• Read the Bible together (Song of Solomon is a good place to start)
• Just talk
• Dream together, talk about the future and set goals for what you would like to accomplish as a couple
• Bedroom time (self explanatory, I hope!)

I would love for you to share ideas about what you and your spouse do during your quality time to build your relationship. Please share your ideas in the comment section.

If you missed the first week of our challenge, I encourage you to go back and start there:

• 52 Week Marriage Challenge Week #1: Devotional Time

Some of the links on this website are "affiliate links." This means that if you click on the link and purchase the item, I receive a commission.

Reorganized Home Challenge Week #2: Freezer

This is week two of the Reorganized Home Challenge! I hope that your year has started off great.

Our family received some great news this week. My husband has been working around 60 hours per week for the past few years. It has been difficult for me since we have three young children. My husband and I have both been praying for God to open up new doors for him so he would be able to spend more time with our family. For the last year or so, there have been numerous opportunities that have arisen, but one by one they haven't come to fruition. It has been discouraging for us both, but we persevered and continued praying. Last week, we received news that my husband is going to be starting a new position the beginning of February. The best part about this? It is a 40 hour a week job! I feel so blessed that God has granted this opportunity for our family.

A burden has been lifted. The thing that I am most looking forward to, is the fact that we will now be able to have dinner together as a family. Every night right now I dread dinnertime. I try and keep my children occupied while I throw dinner together. I then feed my two and three year old. Sometimes I eat with them, but sometimes I wait to eat until my husband gets home. I am so happy that he will now be home at this time so we can spend the time as a family.

I hope that if you are struggling with something in your life, that you will give it up to Christ. It doesn't mean your life will be perfect, but if you really let go and give it up to him, he will give you an inner peace about the situation. I love this verse from Isaiah 41:10 "Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand."

If I would not have struggled with the stress of managing a household with three young children, I would not have as much appreciation for the time that we are going to have as a family.

Back to the challenge...this week's task is the freezer. And yes, if you have an extra freezer in the garage, it is included!

Challenge Steps:

1. Start by pulling all of the food out of your freezer. Toss anything that is past the expiration date or has freezer burn. You will want to place your foods into a cooler so that they don't spoil while you clean.
2. Pull out the drawer(s). Rinse with soapy water and dry.
3. Mix 2 tablespoons of baking soda with a quart of water. Moisten towel with solution and wipe down the inside.
4. Finish scrubbing shelves and drawers and dry on large towel.
5. Replace shelves and drawers.
6. Reorganize your food by type as you put it back into the freezer. I like to have a shelf for breakfast food, one for baby food, one for desserts, one for vegetables, etc
7. If you have an additional freezer in the garage complete the same steps.

Optional Steps:

1. If you have a freezer in the garage and there is frost build up, you may want to defrost it. See instructions here.
2. Purchase bins and label according to food type to make it easier to find what you need.

*Follow me on Pinterest for more great Organizing and Household Ideas

If you are looking for more ideas about how to Simplify your life. Check out the ebook Simple Living - 30 days to less stuff and more life by Lorilee Lippincott.

What tips do you have for cleaning your freezer? Please share in the comments section.

Some of the links on this website are "affiliate links." This means that if you click on the link and purchase the item, I receive a commission.