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Showing posts from December, 2013

Dreaming of Land

Lately I have been savoring the idea of downsizing. The thought of living more simply and with less stuff is, to me at least, intoxicating.  When I compare our house with what I see at garage sales or organizing tv shows, we don't have nearly as much stuff as the average American. But we probably have more than we actually need and could do with some paring down.   I don't know if I want to have a garage sale or just donate it all to the local thrift shops. But the pile of stuff in our basement that we don't want/need anymore seems to grow larger all the time.  We are also excited about the upcoming prospect of moving! My husband's work  contract in the next couple of months is supposed to pay quite well which  might give us the opportunity to put a down payment on a new home or some land.  (*giddy dance*) Just the thought of owning our own home again with some decent land is SO exciting.  The last 6 years, we've lived in homes with basically unusable outd

Is There Room in Your Heart for Hospitality?

I just want to encourage you that even if you are not a confident hostess (I am not either!) you can still open your home to guests and make them feel welcome and wanted.  Our homes don't have to be perfect — just clean and open. Inviting friends to come and "sup" with you and enjoy fellowship together is part of the mission of homekeeping. It's part of the delight, too.  Hospitality begins in the heart. Neglecting the opportunity to welcome guests into your home actually does your husband and children a disservice.  The children especially. Kids need to see hospitality in action so they will be able to replicate it in their own homes and hearts someday. There are far too many families who hole up and never invite people over. They do not feel their homes are worthy. And that might be true. If they've arranged their home only for themselves, then it's no wonder they don't invite others over.  If that is true for you, you can change that if you want t

Latest Happenings Around Our Home

Things have been busy around our house these days. The holidays always add extras that take up more time but are fun nonetheless. Last month, just days before Thanksgiving, our 14yo came down ill with the flu. Soon after our 17yo became ill, followed by yours truly.  Unfortunately, for our family the day of Thanksgiving was a blur. Our boys recovered fairly quickly but I was bed ridden for days.   But the following Sunday, the last day of what was supposed to be four glorious days off together as a family, we  had our little Thanksgiving. A golden  roasted (organic!) turkey with all of our favorite trimmings - dressing, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole and homemade cranberry sauce with apple pie for dessert!  This was the first time anyone in our family has been sick on a holiday so it was quite the bummer.   I'm just thankful we were able to celebrate Thanksgiving at all this year. December arrived in a hurry for us. We were blessed to kick off the holiday season wi