The Intentional Life

Growing up, I was in 4-H.  Most of the time I took projects for cooking and sewing, and an occasional woodworking.  I desired to have an animal, but that one never materialized. But one year I took Laundry. Yep. I don't really remember why I chose that direction. It could be just because I didn't want to take on another sewing project that year. Unfortunately, the joke was on me, because now my mom fully expected me to help with laundry. I could no longer plead ignorance and put the red sock in with the whites. I was without excuse. At the time, I most likely saw that as a big bummer and a cramp on my 'schedule.' Today, I'm glad to have helped out with that area because it kind of came without even thinking, the necessity of my kids helping out with this chore.  This picture has nothing to do with laundry, but as I have next to nothing for laundry pics (who does?!) so I posted a throw-back pic instead. circa 2011 As a wise friend once said, "...

I've moved out of the kitchen. Sounds like something I should shout at the end of the day when all the supper dishes are done.  It sometimes feels like that is where I spend the majority of my time. But I digress. I've moved out of the kitchen and into.....the laundry room. The other place where I spend a large portion of my time... Doors can be a blessing....and a curse. They are so nice to be able shut and not have to look at the crazy on the other side. But they can also be a curse because you can shut it and pretend you don't know about the crazy on the other side and then you open the door and BAM. There is it. And I'm supposed to be able to sort and fold laundry in here? I love this little room in that it can be closed off. I love that Paul converted our old kitchen table into a long counter. I love that there is a little nook for my sewing machine and crafting assortment. Unfortunately I can hardly do much folding or sorting on that counte...

You have a pork loin. You don't know what you want to do with it. You type it into Google or go to your favorite blog and find a recipe that sounds good. You make said recipe and love it. 6 months later you have a pork loin. You can't remember what that recipe was that you loved 6 months ago. So you go to Google..... Sounds familiar? When we started working at Gateway and I found myself going from cooking for 4 up to cooking for 12, I found myself doing this quite often. I hardly ever perused cookbooks, finding it easier to just type in my request and go from there. I didn't have a tablet or smart phone to read off of so I was always printing off the recipes. These recipes found there way into a specific drawer in the Cypress House kitchen and became a large pile of unorganized recipes. Both the good...and the flops. I don't have a picture of the drawer full of recipes, just a 2 year old Madeline in the kitchen where said drawer is at (behind...

Ah, January.  The first page in a story of a year.  The promise of new habits, better health, and grand horizons. We try not to feel jaded by it all mid month..... I love a clean slate: mornings, Mondays, New Year. The start of something new. Reboot. Do-again.  A New Year's tradition: making homemade noodles I don't know if anything grand will become of 2017. But, I hope that I can grow closer to my Jesus, more firmly rooted in Him, by the time 17 rolls to 18. But this month. January.  It gave us some cold, not much snow, and even a few days that hit the 60's (what?!?) We stayed busy with Owen's basketball, Paul's basketball announcing, and an assortment of commitments that kept us hopping just about each day of the week.  Last day of break consisted of building all of the Legos they got from grandparents For the most part, that's OK, as long as we are doing it together, and we have a chance in the middle of it to enjoy a meal together....

You've counted down to this day for about the last 6 months, even making a chart to cross off each day as it passed. And now, finally, you are 7. A 7-year-old full of spunk.  As the youngest, you fit that role to a tee. I don't like to put people in boxes, or label then as "such and such", but I do have to call it like I see it with this one. You love the spotlight, dancing your way through the day, throwing out a joke to make us all laugh.  Even at a very early age you had the ability to tell a joke way beyond your years. I try my best to not let you get away with things, but I think some days, when I'm feeling a bit vulnerable seeing my baby grow up, you may just get a little more leeway than normal. I love that you still want to snuggle on my lap. And, although my back is starting to complain a bit more about it, you want me to carry you, too. You have an excellent ability to read people's emotions. Often observing out loud how yo...

If there was ever a place that needed purging, it is the refrigerator (and my closet, but that's another post....) Despite our best efforts of using up all that is in the fridge, some things get pushed to the back, or passed over with the thought, "I'll get to that...." And suddenly it's weeks later and it's way past doing anything with it other than tossing it out. I despise it. Food waste. And I'm disappointed when it happens. So, I've implemented a few things to try to keep this from happening with any frequency. It was a good day to clean out the fridge. It was my off day from work, the kids were in school, and I had to go to the grocery so the fridge wasn't nearly as full. I started by pulling everything out, wiping down shelves, and setting aside anything that was past it's prime. Things that didn't make the cut: -1/3 of a bottle of salad dressing that had expired. We didn't like it anyways. - Bottles that...