Laundry

Tuesday is Laundry day. I know it's not anywhere near Tuesday now, but I started writing this post while doing laundry...

Laundry is really hard for me to get done in one day. While I start on Tuesday, but often it's Saturday before all the laundry is washed. And putting them away? Let's just say there have been many weeks where I've had to dig the laundry baskets out of clean clothes so I can pick up the dirty ones off the floor for wash day.

Not a pretty picture at all! Not at all where I want to be as far as taking care of my castle.


A couple of weeks ago, I gave myself a challenge. On my way to bed that Monday night, I hadn't cleaned the bathroom (That day's task) and I realized that I hadn't been using my time very efficiently that day. I decided that $50 said I could get both Monday & Tuesday's chores done in one day.  I got it done though- and learned a few things on the way.

I thought I'd share a few of the laundry tips that I've got floating around in my head while I'm working on it... and if you've got any to add, please let me know! This is a work in progress, and my one success a couple of weeks ago does not make me anywhere near close to having mastered this beast.

The tips:

             1) Start with the loads that have small stuff.
 This way, the first loads to come out are the most painstaking of them all- you can get them out of the way while you've still got your head in the game. I like to start with the whites (Lots of little things to fold- it takes some time) and end with sheets or towels (big items = not as many things to fold. :D )
             2) Fold & put them away right away. I really struggle with this part. Clothes are easiest to deal with while they are still warm from the dryer. At least take them out, dump them on a chair/bed and pull out the things that wrinkle easily.
            3) Make a list
This is what I did the day I completed my challenge. It helped to have a list of things I want to get done in between the loads of clothes. I get more things done that way, and the laundry is more like a timer for my other work. A 30 min wash is the perfect amount of time to tidy a room up, or start supper, or wash the dishes...
            4) Fold small towels lengthwise first
While this doesn't have anything to do with making Laundry day go faster, I find that folding hand towels and dish towels/tea towels lengthwise first saves me a step when I get them out to use them- they are ready to hang over the towel rack, with no re-folding necessary
            5) Wait until the very end to match socks
I know- this sort of contradicts the first point of ordering the loads so that all the small things are out of the way first. If you're always really careful with your socks, this probably won't help you any. But if you're like me, somehow those socks get their mates thrown in a different load of laundry than they are- so waiting until all the laundry is done to fold all the socks increases their chances of finding each other again (how romantic)
.

I'm sure there are many more laundry tips than the ones I've just shared, but these are the ones that were floating around in my head while I was working on the laundry. To be perfectly honest, I didn't get all the laundry done in one day this week- like I said, I'm still a work in progress.

Anyone have more ideas for me?

It is a New Year

It's a New year, with new goals, new hopes, and new dreams.

I'll admit, I'm a little slow getting some things started this year. Budgeting and record keeping one of them- I really need to work on that soon.

But let me tell you a little bit about what my plans & goals are for this year. Let me share how I am approaching things.

I have four main areas that I am focusing on this year, with the most important listed first:

1) Grow in the Lord
    a) Daily devotions- reading His word & praying.
    b) Get plugged in at our church
2) Care for my Family
    a) David- make sure his needs are taken care of (meals, rides to school, etc)
    b) DJ- Make sure his needs are taken care of (feeding, changing, loving him. Hard job eh?)
    c) Keep our home as a castle- Be a good steward of what God has given us- keep it clean & tidy
3) My body as a temple
    a) Eat healthfully
    b) Exercise regularly
    c) personal upkeep - Even if I'm not going anywhere or doing anything that day, still get ready just in case
    d) Music
4) Etsy
    a) weekly updates
    b) keep good records
    c) keep everyone up-to-date via Ravelry, facebook, twitter, and my new blog.
    d) Other mis. business goals.

I'm approaching things backwards from the way New Years Resolutions often go. Instead of making a huge list of resolutions, implementing them all at once, and then watching them swirl down the drain, I'm starting slow. I've got one thing I focus on each week. The rest of them, if they happen, great. If not, no biggie- I'll get to them one of these weeks. If I mess up on one week, I'll repeat it- not always the following week, but probably within a month. (P.S.- this is inspired by Benjamin Franklin's 13 virtues and how he approached self-improvement. More info here.)

To show you what I mean:
In the back of my journal, I've got 52 lines set aside. 52 weeks in a year right? Well, so far,
1) Daily devotions
2) Get into a daily schedule, including preparing 3 meals/day, on time
3) Better dental hygiene (Start using a water pic, etc) [I failed at this one- it'll be a re-do in a couple of weeks]
4) (this week:) Smoothie or fresh fruit + a cup of tea every day

As I think of things, I add them to a list of things I'd like to work on this year. Some goals I've already got in place fairly well, without having a specific week to work on it. Some goals wouldn't fit into the one week system since they are once/month goals- like reading 2 books/month, knitting a pair of socks a month, participating in monthly spinning challenges.

What were your new year resolutions? How are you approaching the hope that this new year brings? If you feel like you've failed already, may I encourage you with a phrase I used last year: "February is my new January" Hey- for that matter, ever day is a new day! A new chance to start working on something good. Why does it have to only be once a year that we evaluate where our lives are headed?

If you've read this far, you deserve a little treat:

Goodnight all!

Why hello!

Hello Blog world.

Its been a while.

Too long, some would say.

The funny thing is that while I haven't posted in a while, I've actually been contemplating starting a second blog. You see, I started this one to be an encouragement to others in regards to home & marriage & kids & time management, and the big stuff, or little stuff, of life. I also have a tendency to want to blog about knitting - especially since I've opened an etsy store selling my hand dyed yarns. I have this feeling in the back of my mind that many of my non-knitting friends don't really need to hear all the technical details, so I don't always include them. Then I feel badly for all my knitting friends who would love to hear my tales, full of so much knitter lingo that the average person would think I started speaking German.  It would be nice to have a blog where knitters can hear about all my projects & what's going on in the store, and that would leave this blog (for the most part) knitting (or a least knit-speak) free! I'll still post my finished products, but I won't go all knitting-ninja on you.

So what do you say...

Would you like to head on over to Ourhumblecastleyarn and follow my knitting & fiber business adventures, or would you like to stay here and be encouraged as I continue to tell you tales of being a stay at home wife & mom? Or, if you please, follow both! :)

Holiday weekend

We journeyed up to Canada for the weekend- David only had Thursday & Friday off, so it was rather short. We left Wednesday from GR and got back Sunday night.

The weather wasn't very nice when we arrived, and we had a 4 hour (in ideal conditions) trip to make- we ended up arriving on the farm at 3:00 in the morning.

Thursday was a busy day- it was both American Thanksgiving and my birthday! After sleeping in, we went out for lunch at Save Room for Dessert- I used to work there back in the day. After lunch DJ went home with Grandpa & Babi, and D & I explored the town. We had a big supper that night, and I got to see a great group of friends who I hadn't seen in almost a year. We also celebrated "Christmas" (aka opened the gifts that  D and I had brought up for everybody)

Friday we had a relaxing day, and in the evening there was a baby shower for DJ. He is so loved, and I am so blessed! We bearly had room to fly home all of the wonderful gifts we were given. The shower had a ducky theme- the auditorium was decorated so beautifully- unfortunately I don't think I have any pictures on my camera- they're all on my mom's. In fact, I think most of the pictures from the trip are either on mom's camera, or D's phone...

My dad's youngest brother & family came up for brunch on Saturday. We had a wonderful visit, and I got to meet my cousin's amazing fiancee.

A visit to Canada wouldn't be complete without tea with my best friend. I guess I can't speak for her, but I know that I feel so refreshed after catching up with her face-to-face over a nice cup of tea.  This was Saturday night- and after she left, David & I gathered up our things and packed up our bags. By that I mean I got out some music books I wanted to take with us, sat down to play through a song or two and ended up not leaving the piano, while my amazing husband played tetris with our luggage and got everything we needed to bring home packed.

We got back late Sunday night, just in time for a little bit of sleep before D's 8:00 am classes on Monday.

And there you have a summary of our weekend! I apologize that I don't have any pictures- I was letting my hubby take pictures for us, and I don't have access to them off his phone yet.

God bless!

Check in on October/November goals.

I've got a crazy day today- we're getting ready to head up to Canada tomorrow. One more sleep! (as my mom would say). DJ has his first two teeth in- the bottom two- and he's being fussy & grumpy & tired today- which just makes trying to pack & prepare for leaving all the more... fun.

I wanted to report back on my list of October goals- now that it is almost to the end of November. We'll just pretend it was the list for both October & November. (which is true- I did still have the same main goals for this month too...)
If you remember the list:

1) get a good chunk of my Christmas knitting done- particularly the gifts for my Canada family & friends, as we're going to visit in November.



2) I've been trying to do some organizing & streamlining of my life and things (Remember project 333?) and I'd like to continue with that. A closet or drawer or two a week perhaps?


3) As the leaves start to turn, I'd like to keep up with raking them.


4) I think that's about good for now! I'd rather have a few good goals that I know I can reach than a huge long list that I'll be discouraged by when I read it at the end of the month
 
Well, I did get most of my Christmas knitting finished. (I have everything done for Canada minus weaving in ends on a few things- which is a good thing cause we're leaving tomorrow)  
I am working at organizing things. In fact, that's what I've requested for my birthday- either nothing, or organizational tools (Rubbermaid's, storage drawers, labels, post it notes etc. :P) I sometimes feel like it is a never ending battle... I organize room by room, and by the time I get to the last room, the first room is a disaster again. :(
 
As for leaves... I haven't raked any... yet. I have thought about doing it a couple of days, but of course those were all extremely windy days, and it seemed a little counter intuitive to be raking leaves only to have them blow all over the yard again. When we get back from Canada...
 
To sum up: I feel like I have made good progress on my goals, but there is still much more to do. It's a work in progress!
 
P.S. I typed the web address for Etsy wrong the last time, so here it is again: http://www.etsy.com/people/ourhumblecastle 

Etsy!

I'm full speed ahead working at developing an Etsy business. My shop name is ourhumblecastle (surprise surprise... )

I'll be doing weekly updates to my shop on Mondays, so keep checking back for new products! Right now I am focusing on hand dyed yarns and hand stamped or up-cycled cards.

I just finished an update, so head on over to

www.etsy.ourhumblecastle.com to check out the goodness! Just a fair warning, some of the yarns I listed today are already spoken for.

Group photo of some of my yarns

Of course, I must leave you with a picture of little DJ- he came outside with me on one of the photo shoots-

DJ, enjoying the warm fall weather.

Grandpa M look-a-like?

 Just stopping in with a couple pictures... what I know you've all been waiting for.



DJ sitting on the couch with some of his favourite toys





hard at work pushing buttons!

Doesn't he look like his grandpa M in that first picture?