Intentional Living

  • Teaching Our Children: Is it Really Clean?

    The older the girls get the more responsibilities they are taking on around the house.  One of the cleaning projects they have tackled this year (and have done really well with it) is their bathroom.  To get them started I purchased a small bucket at Dollar Tree, put sponges, rags,scrub brush, and other cleaning supplies into it.  Since they are still pretty young I didn’t want them using any harsh chemicals for cleaning so I put in a box of baking soda.  Whenever they clean their bathroom they put a little bit of baking soda into a bowl, add some white vinegar, and a little bit of water which gives them a cleaning solution that works well but isn’t harsh on their skin.

    The other day as I was finishing up some projects and cooking dinner I noticed this sign posted on the outside of the girls bathroom door “cleaning do not enter”.  It made me laugh that they would think to hang a sign!  I was curious about what they were doing in there with the door was shut but I could hear the conversation going on inside the bathroom which made me just let them be.

    “Do you think I scrubbed the sink good enough?”

    “Where’s the blue sponge?”

    “This is so nasty!”

    After listening for a couple minutes I decided to let them clean in peace and recheck in a few minutes.  They seemed to have it under control.  When I went back later to check on the bathroom I was pretty impressed at how well they were cleaned it.  I went over the basic rules and system with them once several months ago but for the most part they do the bathroom all on their own.

    I think it’s great that they have practice cleaning their bathroom as well as realize the amount of time and energy it takes to keep the house clean.  Sure they don’t always do everything perfect but every time they do it they get better.  Lately there are very few things I have to correct after they have finished cleaning the bathroom.  I am thankful for the girls willingness to help.  Many times they will volunteer to clean the bathroom before I ask them to do it which is even better.

  • Fresh & Healthy: Simple Creative Summer Snacks

    Our girls love to eat a snack outside on the front porch, at the picnic table, jungle gym or really anywhere outside especially during the summer months.  They always love it when I bring out something special and creative for them to eat.  It is so sweet hearing their comments as they are munching on their goodies.  I don’t do anything too elaborate or time consuming so it doesn’t take any extra time but the kids get so excited about their “super cool” snacks you would think I spent hours putting it together.  The key is to use food items you already have in the cupboard or refrigerator and lay them out on a plate so they look appealing.  Here’s the items included in this snack:

    • 1 Decorated Star Shaped Ginger Snap Cookie
    • 5 Strawberry Malt Balls
    • Black Olives
    • Puffed Cheese Balls

  • Song: “I See You” by Michael W. Smith

    When I look around at the amazing creation it is not hard to see God’s handiwork.  I am thankful for so much beauty around me in nature, people, and animals. My favorite line in this song is a great reminder – “And everywhere I go I see you”

    And everywhere I go I see you
    Everywhere I go I see you

    And You take my hand
    And You wash it clean
    I know the promised land
    Is light years ahead of me

  • Intentional Living: Weekly Goals

    The girls are officially out of school and on summer break now we have two 2nd graders in our household!  I am super excited to spend some extra time with the kiddos and have a lot of fun activities planned.  This week didn’t go quite as planned….Jake got in an accident so I am a little behind on some of the goals and had to rearrange other ones but thankfully he is okay and healing well.

    Last week’s goals:

    Family Goals

    1. Connect with each family member at least once a day
    2. Final Prep for Summer Break
    3. Read at least one book to the girls every day
    4. Listen to the girls read at least one book to me or Jake every day
    5. Spend some extra time catching up with family and friends
    6. Confirm the Schedule / Flights for upcoming Family Reunion

    Personal Goals

    1. Exercise – walk at least 5 days this week – didn’t get this one done
    2. Update my goals
    3. Finish reading  Am I Messing Up My Kids by Lysa TerKeurst – time was spent in other areas this past week

    Home Management Goals

    1. All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day
    2. Weekly Dinner Menu & Schedule planned out for the week
    3. Spend 30 minutes every day picking up & cleaning the house

    Business Goals

    1. Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
    2. Keep up with the day to day items that need my attention
    3. 1o minutes a day Cleaning / Organizing my desk

    Ministry Goals

    1. Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch
    2. Email the updated schedule to our Community Group – didn’t get the email out this week

    Financial Goals

    1. Stay within Budget on Groceries $40 for 4 – went over budget again
    2. Emergency Fund – save 6 months worth of living expenses – still saving up
    3. Save money for upcoming trips – put on hold with the accident this past week
    4. Put cash aside for 1 year of Jake’s College Classes – temporarily put on hold with the accident

    My goals for the upcoming week:

    Family Goals

    1. Connect with each family member at least once a day
    2. Enjoy time doing one fun activity with the girls every day
    3. Read at least one book to the girls every day
    4. Listen to the girls read at least one book to me or Jake every day
    5. Spend some extra time catching up with family and friends
    6. Finish 1/3 of the Summer Reading Program
    7. Spend time at the pool playing with the kids

    Personal Goals

    1. Exercise – walk at least 5 days this week
    2. Spend quality time with my kids & Jake
    3. Finish reading  Am I Messing Up My Kids by Lysa TerKeurst
    4. Finish reading More Than Enough by Dave Ramsey

    Home Management Goals

    1. All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day
    2. Weekly Dinner Menu & Schedule planned out for the week
    3. Plan Summer Organizational Schedule
    4. Pay all upcoming bills

    Business Goals

    1. Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
    2. Keep up with the day to day items that need my attention
    3. 1o minutes a day Cleaning / Organizing my desk

    Ministry Goals

    1. Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch
    2. Email the updated schedule to our Community Group

    Financial Goals

    1. Stay within Budget on Groceries $40 for 4
    2. Emergency Fund – save 6 months worth of living expenses
    3. Save money for another vehicle to replace the one that was totaled
    4. Put cash aside for 1 year of Jake’s College Classes

    I think it is important to share and encourage each other as we seek to improve our lives and the lives of those around us.  I want to live intentionally not just hope all my dreams and goals come true.  When I focus on small steps of improvement I am able to see results as I get closer to my goals.  Some weeks I get closer to the goals I have in my life and other weeks a take a few steps back (life happens, emergencies occur, people get sick).  Once the goals are written down and shared it provides a guideline for what I aim to accomplish this week.

    Why Share My Goals?

    • To keep me accountable
    • To share a piece of my life with you as I strive to be a better Child of God, Wife, Mom, Friend, Homemaker, Entrepreneur and the many other roles I have each week
    • To have my goals consistently written down so I can gauge progress more accurately
    • Create healthy habits in my life
    • To encourage you to share your goals with me as you continue to grown and learn

    How did you do this week on your goals?  Feel free to share or link to your list of weekly goals.

    The picture above is one that I created for my own purposes, however, The “SMART” acronym was originally coined 30 years ago by Peter Drucker in his classic work, Management by Results

  • Fresh & Healthy: Our Garden – Cherry Tomato, Zucchini, Summer Squash and Green Beans!

    Our first pick from our garden…..a red cherry tomato!

    We are super excited to seeing the fresh vegetables growing in our garden again!  So far we haven’t had to water too much because we have been getting so much rain, now we need to get a little sun to help balance things out.  Our first produce was ready to be picked the first day of June, one little cherry tomato!  Since then we have noticed more veggies starting to pop up.  We got our garden planted late this year with all the traveling, but we are hoping that it will be a fruitful year.  We split the “first” produce of the year but cutting up the cherry tomato and putting it in a meal for the whole family to enjoy.

    Zucchini, 2 for 1 Summer Squash, and a handful of Green Beans

    We have started to slowly see the fruits of our labor in the garden this year.  It seemed to take longer with us plant much later but we hope to have plenty to share with others.  We have picked lettuce a few times for salads but since it is usually at dinner time when I busy prepping for the meal I have been forgetting to take a picture to share.

    What are you eating out of your garden this week?

  • Song: “This Life” by MercyMe

    This is a great reminder of what our life should look like to others “this life was meant to shine.”  Our life on this earth is not forever so we need to make the most of each day.  May we continually look for ways we can make a positive impact on the lives of others.  Love this phrase –  “Every moment is a chance  to let your light break through”!

    This is not my home
    (this is not my space)
    This is not my style
    (this is not my place)

    Can’t get comfortable
    (cant get settled in)
    Simply don’t belong
    (cant get used to this)

    But I’m here right now
    (I can hear you say)
    Make the most of Me
    (this wont go to waste)
    If I’m out of my mind
    (yeah its all for Christ)
    If I’m making sense
    (then get it right)

    Every moment is a chance
    To let your light break through

    This life (oh oh oh oh)
    This life was meant to shine

  • Intentional Living: Weekly Goals

    The girls were wrapping up their last full week of school so we had a lot of extra activities now we just need to get through the next few days and it will be summer break!  It was hard to get everything done last week with all the year end activities therefore I am hoping to catch up this week.   We have a lot of really great activities planned for this summer.  It will be fun to travel a little and catch up with some family and friends too.

    Last week’s goals:

    Family Goals

    1. Connect with each family member at least once a day
    2. Prep for Summer Break – I got their summer reading wall put up now need to finalize all the other little details
    3. Read at least one book to the girls every day – didn’t get a chance on Monday night it was packed full with KOH, 1 John Ministry – Homeless Dinner, Girls 1st Grade Program and Swimming Lessons
    4. Listen to the girls read at least one book to me or Jake every day – we missed Monday night but otherwise did well
    5. Attend the Girls First Grade Program
    6. Spend some extra time catching up with family and friends
    7. Swimming Lessons for the Kids
    8. Confirm the Schedule / Flights for upcoming Family Reunion – schedules confirmed just need to get flights arranged

    Personal Goals

    1. Exercise – walk at least 5 days this week – getting closer
    2. Update my goals – didn’t get to it this past week
    3. Finish reading  Am I Messing Up My Kids by Lysa TerKeurst – I keep leaving the book in random places so getting behind
    4. Finish The Hunger Games by Susan Collins (recommended by several friends) – while the book captivated my attention I have a lot of mixed feelings about the book…..

    Home Management Goals

    1. All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day
    2. Weekly Dinner Menu & Schedule planned out for the week
    3. Spend 30 minutes every day picking up & cleaning the house – had a couple days I let it go with all the activities going on this past week

    Business Goals

    1. Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
    2. Keep up with the day to day items that need my attention
    3. 1o minutes a day Cleaning / Organizing my desk – I ended the week with a stack of papers that need my attention

    Ministry Goals

    1. Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch
    2. Email the updated praises, prayer requests, and schedule to our Community Group
    3. Feed & Serve Homeless – 1 John Ministry

    Financial Goals

    1. Stay within Budget on Groceries $40 for 4 – so close but went over by $1.76
    2. Emergency Fund – save 6 months worth of living expenses – getting closer
    3. Put aside cash for upcoming trips – on hold momentarily
    4. Save money for 1 year of Jake’s College Classes – working on it

    My goals for the upcoming week:

    Family Goals

    1. Connect with each family member at least once a day
    2. Final Prep for Summer Break
    3. Read at least one book to the girls every day
    4. Listen to the girls read at least one book to me or Jake every day
    5. Spend some extra time catching up with family and friends
    6. Confirm the Schedule / Flights for upcoming Family Reunion

    Personal Goals

    1. Exercise – walk at least 5 days this week
    2. Update my goals
    3. Finish reading  Am I Messing Up My Kids by Lysa TerKeurst

    Home Management Goals

    1. All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day
    2. Weekly Dinner Menu & Schedule planned out for the week
    3. Spend 30 minutes every day picking up & cleaning the house

    Business Goals

    1. Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
    2. Keep up with the day to day items that need my attention
    3. 1o minutes a day Cleaning / Organizing my desk

    Ministry Goals

    1. Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch
    2. Email the updated schedule to our Community Group

    Financial Goals

    1. Stay within Budget on Groceries $40 for 4
    2. Emergency Fund – save 6 months worth of living expenses
    3. Save money for upcoming trips
    4. Put cash aside for 1 year of Jake’s College Classes

    I think it is important to share and encourage each other as we seek to improve our lives and the lives of those around us.  I want to live intentionally not just hope all my dreams and goals come true.  When I focus on small steps of improvement I am able to see results as I get closer to my goals.  Some weeks I get closer to the goals I have in my life and other weeks a take a few steps back (life happens, emergencies occur, people get sick).  Once the goals are written down and shared it provides a guideline for what I aim to accomplish this week.

    Why Share My Goals?

    • To keep me accountable
    • To share a piece of my life with you as I strive to be a better Child of God, Wife, Mom, Friend, Homemaker, Entrepreneur and the many other roles I have each week
    • To have my goals consistently written down so I can gauge progress more accurately
    • Create healthy habits in my life
    • To encourage you to share your goals with me as you continue to grown and learn

    How did you do this week on your goals?  Feel free to share or link to your list of weekly goals.

    The picture above is one that I created for my own purposes, however, The “SMART” acronym was originally coined 30 years ago by Peter Drucker in his classic work, Management by Results

  • Living on a Budget: Groceries $40 for 4

    I apologize it has been so long since I have posted my $40 for 4 grocery update!  It has been a fun, amazing, wild, memorable several months with a trip to India, Charleston, Disney, Kennedy Space Center, Sea World, family staying with us on and off for a month as well as many other wonderful activities! I have been doing my best to stay within budget but having you alongside of me and reading my regular post definitely keeps me more accountable because I have blown the budget several times since I last posted!   Here is my weekly update on our Groceries $40 for 4.

    Groceries from Save A Lot | RiteAid and Ingles

    Save A Lot | RiteAid Groceries:

    • $4.87 at Save A Lot | RiteAid for 1 gallon Milk and 1 bag Brown Sugar (ran out of milk and used the rest of my brown sugar for the homeless dinner our Community Group hosted on Monday evening so had to restock these items)

    Ingles Groceries:

    • $11.79 at Ingles for 2 loaves Bread,  1 gallon Milk, 1 Yellow Sweet Onion, 1 container Pina Colada Yogurt (on clearance & so delicious I almost didn’t share it), 1 bag Fresh Green Beans (clearance $0.99), 1 bag Fresh Cauliflower, Broccoli, and Carrots (clearance $0.99), 1 container Mushrooms (clearance $0.99), 1 container Dill Veggie Dip (clearance $0.99), and 1 package Wholly Avocado Dip (clearance $0.99).  Everything was marked down, on sale, or on clearance at Ingles.

    Groceries from Ingles and Save A Lot | RiteAid

    Ingles Groceries:

    • $7.77 at Ingles for 1 container of Dill Seasoning, 1 loaf French Bread, 1 container Peach Yogurt  (on clearance), 1 container Fresh Pink Lemonade (clearance $0.99), 1 container Veggie Dip (clearance $0.99), and 1 container fresh Chicken Salad  (on clearance) Everything was marked down, on sale, or on clearance at Ingles.
    • Save A Lot | RiteAid Groceries:$17.33 at Save A Lot | RiteAid for 1 package Flour Tortillas, 2 multi-packs Trident Gum (clearance $0.74), 2 Ham & Cheddar Lunchables, 1 bag Chicken Breasts, 6 packs Sandwich Creme Cookies (clearance $0.69), 1 pack Powdered Donuts (clearance $0.84), bags of Cheddar Cheese Balls, and 1 Watermelon.

    I was able to get a few great items this week. Thankfully, I was able to make it by the store and pick up some items that we’ll need over the next couple of weeks even if a couple of unexpected items got added to the list.  Thanks for helping keep me on track even in the midst of this busy season!  I don’t anticipate life slowing down too much though since the girls will be getting out of school next week and we have a lot of exciting adventures planned for their summer break.

    This week I spent $41.76  on groceries.  I was bummed that I went over on my budgeted amount for the week again but thankful I was only $1.76 over!  I would have made it but I was asked to provide snacks for the girls field day so it was extra items I wasn’t planning on for the week that helped me slide past my goal.  I was happy to find a few items marked down on clearance and provide snacks (watermelon, cookies, and cheese balls) for 20 students while staying pretty close to my budgeted amount.  I hope that next week we can come under budget!

    It is my goal to give you regular updates on this budget section so you can celebrate the good weeks with me and thump me on the bad weeks!  As always you are welcomed to join the journey with me.  I would love to hear your story and how you are doing too.  The purpose of our family doing this it to watch our grocery spending while allowing us to feed our family, enjoy life, share with others, and yet stay on track with our budget.

    Living on a Budget is a series of ways our family uses a budget to help keep us accountable with our finances.  Life doesn’t always go as planned.  We have used some of the ideas I will be sharing for years while others are ones we are just starting to implement as we continue finding ways to be creative and have fun with what we have been given.  Having a plan in place allows us the freedom to be smart with what we have been given, get more creative when it is a tight (week, month, year or a season) and when necessary live a much more simplified life.  A budget helps us stay on track so we have more opportunities to enjoy the many blessings we have been given as well as share what we have with others.  There is so much more to life than having all the stuff.  We may not have the newest or greatest items in our house, we drive used cars, and wear hand-me-down clothing…..however, if our family is taken care of and have love for each other and others we have more than all the riches in the world.

  • Travel & Vacation: Trip to the Pirate Park & Charleston Creamery

    Stopping to refuel…..so thankful the girls both travel so well!

    We have been on some long trips with our kids (over 40 hours of drive time) which makes us very thankful that they both love to travel.  They get excited when we tell them they will get to “sleep” in the van.  The girls love it when the road trip is more than 5 hours because that means Daddy will put in the DVD player for them to watch movies while we drive.   They stay entertained when we we take the 2 or 4 hour trips as well with books, games, music, and more.  It is always an adventure no matter where we go and the girls love exploring different areas as well as going back to our favorite parks or places we have visited in the past.   The pictures in this post are from our winter trip to Charleston, South Carolina.  Love seeing their smiles, watching them play, and thankful that they had a chance to relax for a few days.

     

    Karlie relaxing on the bench and blowing some bubbles.

    Brina checking out the pirate treasure chest full of sand at the “Pirate” Park on Daniel’s Island.

    Karlie (she is wearing the black shirt in the middle of the ship) is checking out the big sunken pirate ship

    Brina climbing the lighthouse at the pirate’s park

    Look out…..here comes Karlie!

    Look out BELOW!!!  I can hear Brina giggling as she comes zipping down the slide.

    Getting ice cream from their favorite ice cream store – Charleston Creamery!  In this picture Karlie is choosing her 1st topping.  After they select their ice cream flavors and toppings a robot puts it together for them.  The girls LOVE it!

    The robot is getting ready to make the ice cream.

    Mesmerized by the robot making the ice cream!

    Ta….Da……the ice cream treat is now ready to eat!  Thanks Robot! 🙂  The robot only serves soft serve ice cream but you can get one of their many homemade flavors in a cup, cone, or shake!

    Charleston Creamery has a place for the kids to sit and play with toys while you enjoy your treat too.  It’s a great family owned ice cream store.  It is one of the girls favorite places to visit while in the Charleston area.  For more information about their store, location, upcoming events, specials, or their newest flavor of ice cream you can find them on Facebook!

    The “Travel and Vacation” series is an insight into our trips together as a family and ways we relax.  Life is short and we were thrilled to have the opportunity to build memories with family and explore of of the most amazing places during our time away.  Explore with a good attitude, look for fun, and it will be an awesome trip jammed packed with positive memories.  It is refreshing having some time away from the regular routine.  Make it a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet new people and learn.  You just might see or try something new that takes your breath away!