My Safe People

I'm a driven person. 

I work 80+ hours each week (comprised of 14-17 hour work days), and my work is never ever finished.  I go to bed each night believing that I did my very best and satisfied with how I worked today.  However, I don't sit down at the end of each day feeling like I accomplished everything I could have done, and as an entrepreneur and small business owner, I am not happy or satisfied as a person unless I'm inventing, creating, or challenging the status quo.  When I go to bed at night, my mind swirls with ideas and visions from the Lord.  It's not exhausting most days because I do everything (live, love, cry, laugh, trust God) will fullness and passion.  I never want to change that about myself.  I would get so bored (I'm not kidding).

Don't get me wrong...I make sure I take rest times, too.  They are equally important.  But I am a perfectionist as well.  I'll admit it. 

I will bend over backwards and do everything I possibly can to make sure things are running smoothly (read: the best you have ever seen).  And sometimes that hurts.  Especially when the inevitable times come where I fail and let people down.  For a perfectionist to fail--especially other people--is devastating.

And during those times I turn to the Lord first.  I'm so grateful for my relationship with Him.  I go right to my knees, I cry, I ask for forgiveness.  The Lord is my strength and my song, and through the whitewater rafting trip that is my life, I've learned to rely solely on Him.  I have learned to be okay when it's just me and Him because He is all I need.  "He alone is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold; I will not be shaken." -Psalm 62:6 (HCSB)

I've also learned that you need safe people, too.  You need people who you can cry to.  You need people who you can let your hair down with.  You need people who are trustworthy.  You need people who will listen to you.  And it's okay to need people...as long as you're not needy and co-dependent.  Relationships are a gift from the Lord. 

I'm grateful for my safe people.  My husband is my number one safe person.  My parents and grandparents are others.  Then, I have a few close girlfriends who make up the complete circle of my safe people.  I'm so thankful for them and how they've invested in me.  Because of them I can be a safe person for others.

Who are your safe people?  Why don't you tell them how grateful you are for them today?

And so, my dear, sweet sisters, I leave you with the following blessing from God's Word...

"The amazing grace of the Master, Jesus Christ, the extravagant love of God, the intimate friendship of the Holy Spirit, be with all of you." -2 Corinthians 13:14 (HCSB)

On this journey with you,
Kirsten

Date Nights on a Budget

We live on a pretty tight budget so date nights aren’t extravagant for us.  In addition, often by the time we both get done from a long week of work, sometimes a night out consists of us looking blankly at each other across the table because our tired brains don’t seem to have anything exciting to say.  

We’ve learned not to let the tiredness deter us from spending consistent time together though, because simple companionship can be a calming salve in the midst of busy and stressful lives.

Dates for us are usually Friday night or Saturday morning, depending on our schedule and commitments for the week.  We don’t always feel like going out, but we try to set it aside to be “our” time, even if that means falling asleep on the couch halfway through a movie. 

If we decide to have dinner out, we often end up with a pizza or go to Qdoba where we usually have a buy-one-get-one-free coupon.  After dinner might be errands, a walk, or home to watch a movie.   The local coffee shop also has frequent BOGO coupons so sometimes we switch it up and go there to talk and decompress.  

When Saturday morning ends up being our time away, we sometimes go to Panera where we can each get a bagel, split the cream cheese, and enjoy limitless coffee.   Usually these trips are when Mike has homework to catch up on.  We can talk for a while before he pulls out his books, then he studies while I read or blog.  Makes for a nice variation in scenery for him.  We sometimes do the same at the local library; I peruse stacks of books while he studies. 

Nice evenings after work we often walk one of the trails that adjoin our neighborhood, or grill dinner and eat outside at the picnic table.  We’ve found that making the effort to have focused time together is worth far more than finding something exciting to do.  Sometimes we’re spontaneous in the summer and drive to the beach with our mini-grill and a cooler of ketchup and hot dogs.  We set up near the parking lot and feast on our dogs and watch the seagulls play in the sand.  There are also the times we just need to hear the sound of the waves even when it’s cold out, so we drive there with our chairs, books, and piles of blankets to read, relax, walk the pier, and watch the sun go down. 

Don’t limit yourselves to traditional “date nights” and feel like it has to look or feel a certain way.  Find what you love to do together and embrace it.  We both love music, so sometimes we just enjoy picking different songs and listening to one after another on iTunes, or finding a great mix to crank up in the car.  We love going for long walks, exploring unique grocery stores, watching a football game, reading outside in the sunshine, looking at beautiful plants in the many greenhouses in town, seeing new exhibits at nearby museums, or venturing through the local farmers markets. 

Other free dates nights could be bike rides, playing games, working a puzzle, driving around looking at Christmas lights, perusing shelves at a bookstore, or cooking up something new in the kitchen.  Dates are about intentional reconnection and quality time.

These are often the moments we find out the most about each other.  We might discover an affinity or appreciation one person has for something we didn’t even know about.  Spending focused time with my husband is like an adventure book I don’t want to put down.  Each chapter is full of wonderful conversation and insights into the incredible person that he is.  I love getting to know him better and better as the years go by.  In turn, it is such joy being able to immerse myself into things I love and have him try to enjoy or appreciate them as well.  This is how he started to enjoy theater, and I discovered my enjoyment of sports.  Who knew? 

How do you spend your date nights, or strive to get to know your husband better?

You can find more of Anne's musings at Sincerely, Britches

Ho To Have A Better Day

Having a day that starts off good and ends even better is the best way to get a lot accomplished! Here are some easy tips to get your day going in the right direction:

• Try to start your "day" the night before by writing down a to do list.
• Spend time reading the Bible or devotional first thing every morning.
• Keep an inspiration journal or blog where you can jot down your #1 blessing for each day.
• Read inspiration quotes in the morning. Like the one above!
• Have an accountability partner: ask for them to pray for you each day.

What are some of your favorite ways to make your days more productive? 

FREE Nook Books: Lauraine Snelling and more!

 Right now, you can download the following books for free! However, keep in mind that the price could change at any moment!  Don't have a Nook? Read this article on how to make Nook format compatible for other reading purposes.

You can also read our "quick" explanation of making Nook & Kindle files compatible here! Happy Reading!

Download it here.

Download it here.

Download it here.

The Ultimate Homemaking Bundle

I stumbled across something the other day and got really excited. It is the Ultimate Homemaking Bundle. I've seen a lot of eBundles lately, and a lot of them have been good. But this one? This one is epic.  Here's why.

For 6 days only, more than 75 widely-known bloggers and authors in the homemaking sphere have joined together to offer 97 of their most popular eBooks and eCourses, valued at just over $600, for the incredibly low price of $29.97! If you do the math, that comes out to just about $0.30 a book. Thirty cents a book! That's what I call a steal of a deal.

 The goal of this eBundle was for it to be THE ULTIMATE Homemaking bundle. I am fairly sure you will not find a more comprehensive collection of homemaking resources anywhere on the web, and particularly not in this price range.

 For $29.97, you gain access to every single one of these resources, so that you can customize your own collection to contain exactly the ones you want and know you'll use. You can share the ones you don't need with someone else. They make awesome gifts!

This library of homemaking helps include topics such as mothering, organization and cleaning, recipes and kitchen helps, home education, spiritual growth for both moms and kids, home décor and DIY, pregnancy and baby care, frugal living, health and fitness, and even work-from-home and financial tools. To sweeten the pot, 10 companies teamed up bring you over $140 in bonus offers, giving you an affordable opportunity to get products you’ll use and love for only the cost of shipping, or in some cases, entirely for free!

When I read through the titles, and saw so many that I had on my wishlist or that I wanted to gift to friends and family, I couldn't wait to get my hands on one. I'm guessing some of you will be excited about it too. Here's the whole (long, but exciting) scoop on this Ultimate Homemaking Bundle.

What's Included in the Sale?

When you purchase The Ultimate Homemaking eBook collection, you will get instant access to any of the 97 eBooks and eCourses listed below.

PLUS over $140 of FREE Bonuses

The Ultimate Homemaking eBook collection comes with more than $140 of FREE Bonuses from 10 companies that a lot of people are loving right now.  (There's More on these bonuses below.)

Please note: This collection is only available from 9 a.m. EST on April 29th to 11:59 p.m. EST on May 4th. There will be no late sales offered. So if you are interested, you'll want to get it this week!

This is long, but here's the titles that you'll find in the eBundle.

Home & Property {Cleaning, Organizing, Decor}

• 31 Days to Clean by Sarah Mae @ SarahMae.com ($4.99) 
• Getting it Together: Your Guide to Setting Up a Home Management System that Works by Kayse @ kayse pratt ($3.99) 
• Pulling Yourself Together: Implementing a Cleaning Routine that Sticks by Becky @ Clean Mama ($10.00) 
• Simple Living by Lorilee @ Loving Simple Living ($2.99)
• NOT a DIY Diva by Melissa @ The Inspired Room ($3.99) 
• One Bite at a Time: 52 Projects for Making Life Simpler by Tsh @ Simple Mom ($5.00) 
• 28 Days to Hope for your Home by Dana @ A Slob Comes Clean ($5.00) 
• Organizing Life as Mom by Jessica @ Life as Mom ($9.00)
• Clean Enough: Simple Solutions for the Overwhelmed by Jenni @ Live Called ($4.99) 
• 10 Steps to Organized Paper by Lisa @ Lisa Woodruff.net($5.00)
• Handmade Walls by Jamin and Ashley @ the handmade home ($9.95)
• Easy Peasy Chores: An Easy-to-Use Chore System That Brings JOY Back Into Family Chores by Alina Joy @ The Good Old Days Farm ($17.99)

Educational Children's Resources

• Princess Training by Richele @ Under the Golden Apple Tree ($3.99) 
• The Armor of God by Richele @ Under the Golden Apple Tree ($2.50) 
• My Bedtime Learning Book by Richele @ Under the Golden Apple Tree ($1.00) 
• Think Outside the Classroom by Kelly @ Generation Cedar ($6.97) 
• Raising Rock Stars — Kindergarten Bundle by Carissa @ 1plus1plus1equals1 ($10.00) 
• The ABC's For Godly Boys Curriculum by Lindsey @ Road to 31 ($8.00) 
• The ABC's For Godly Girls Curriculum by Lindsey @ Road to 31 ($8.00) 
• K4 Curriculum by Erica @ Confessions of a Homeschooler ($15.00) 
• Write Through the Bible (print) by Trisha @ Intoxicated on Life ($5.00) 
• Write Through the Bible (cursive) by Trisha @ Intoxicated on Life ($5.00) 
• Balcony Girls (books 1 & 2) by Sandy @ Reluctant Entertainer ($19.90) 
• The Dig for Kids: Luke (Volumes 1 and 2) by Patrick, husband of Ruth @ The Better Mom ($5.98)
• Music: An Essential Ingredient for Life by Ryan @ Resound School of Music ($6.99)

Budgeting {Finance & Time}

• From Debtor to Better by Barry @ From Debtor to Better ($10.00) 
• Tell Your Time by Amy @ Blogging with Amy ($2.99) 
• The Homemakers Guide to Creating the Perfect Schedule by Amy @ Raising Arrows ($4.99)
• Your Grocery Budget Toolbox by Anne @ Authentic Simplicity ($7.99) 
• Finding Financial Freedom by Kelly @ Generation Cedar ($5.97) 
• Become a Frugalista in 30 Days by Susan @ The Confident Mom ($3.99)

In the Kitchen {Recipes and Cooking}

• Crock On by Stacy @ Stacy Makes Cents ($5.00) 
• Real Food, Real Easy by various bloggers @ The Humbled Homemaker ($9.95)
• Wholesome Mixes by Kristy @ Little Natural Cottage ($4.00) 
• 20-Minute Meals by Leigh Ann @ Intentional by Grace ($4.99)
• Restocking the Pantry by Kresha @ Nourishing Joy ($9.99)
• Money Saving Mom's Guide to Freezer Cooking by Crystal @ Money Saving Mom ($3.99) 
• Simply Summer by Kate @ Modern Alternative Mama ($7.95) 
• Do the Funky Kitchen by Laura @ Heavenly Homemakers ($4.95)
• Real Food Kids: In the Kitchen plus 1 month access to select Real Food Kids eCourse videos by Wardeh @ GNOWFGLINS and Jami @ Eat Nourishing ($20.00) 
• Seasonal Menu Plans on a Budget: A Month of Meals from My Humble Kitchen to Yours by Diana @ My Humble Kitchen ($4.99) 
• Just Making Ice Cream by Marillyn @ Just Making Noise ($12.00) The Curative Kitchen by Susan @ Handy Pantry ($20.00) 

Pregnancy & Baby Care

• First Bites by Hilary @ Accidentally Green ($9.99)
• Confessions of a Cloth Diaper Convert by Erin @ The Humbled Homemaker ($9.95) 
• Stress-Free Baby Shower by Sara @ Your Thriving Family ($4.00) 
• Unbound Birth by Jenny @ The Southern Institute ($2.99) 
• My Pregnancy Journey by Mindy @ Simply Designs ($9.99) 
• My Buttered Life Baby Edition by Renee @ Made On Hard Lotion ($5.00) 
• The Minimalist Mom’s Guide to Baby’s First Year by Rachel @ The Minimalist Mom ($5.00) 
• Redeeming Childbirth: Growth & Study Guide by Angie @ Redeeming Childbirth ($3.99)

Holidays & Special Events

• Festive Traditions by Jill @ Modern Alternative Kitchen ($7.95)
• Holiday Mixes: Gifts in a Jar by Kristy @ Little Natural Cottage ($4.00) 
• Flourishing Spring by Michele @ Frugal Granola ($5.95) 
• Family Camping Handbook by Katie @ Kitchen Stewardship ($6.95) 
• Truth in the Tinsel by Amanda @ Oh, Amanda! ($7.99) 
• Plan a Fabulous Party by Mary @ Giving Up on Perfect ($4.99)
• iPhone Photography: The Visual Guide by Alli @ Alli Worthington($9.97)

Spiritual Growth

• Pursuit of the Proverbs 31 by Amy @ Amy Bayliss ($3.99) 
• The Best of Visionary Womanhood by Natalie @ Visionary Womanhood ($5.00)
• God’s Word in my Heart: A Scripture Memory Learning Guide with Verses {all 4 versions} by Jenn @ The Purposeful Mom ($3.99)
• Kept: a 13-Week Inductive Study on 1 Peter by Lara and Katie @ Quench Bible ($4.99) 
• Love Like Him: an 8 week Inductive Bible study on 1 Corinthians 13 by Lara and Katie @ Quench Bible ($2.99)

Marriage & Romance

• Rekindling Romance by Jason & Jami @ A Biblical Marriage ($4.99) 
• Good Wife’s Guide by Darlene @ Time-Warp Wife ($2.99) 
• 31 Days to Build a Better Spouse by Ashley @ Ashley Pichea ($4.99)
• 31 Days to Great Sex by Sheila @ To Love, Honor and Vacuum ($4.99) 
• Entangled: Recognize Your Emotional Affair by Amy @ Amy J. Bennett ($4.99)

Motherhood

• The Heart of Simplicity by various authors @ The Heart of Simplicity ($9.99) 
• True Christian Motherhood by June @ A Wise Woman Builds Her Home ($7.00)
• Hula Hoop Girl by September @ One September Day ($4.99) 
• When Motherhood Feels Too Hard by Kelly @ Generation Cedar ($4.97) 
• Mindset for Moms by Jamie @ Steady Days ($4.99) 
• From Cube to Farm by Heather @ From Cube to Farm ($2.99) 
• 4 Moms of 35+ Kids Answer Your Parenting Questions by various authors @ 4 Moms, 35+ Kids Parenting E-book ($7.99) 
• That Works for Me! by Kristen @ We are THAT Family ($8.00)

Health & Fitness

• 100-pound Loser by Jessica @ Muthering Heights ($4.99) 
• Honoring the Rhythm of Rest by Danielle @ Domestic Serenity ($2.99) 
• 42 Days to Fit by Brandy @ The Marathon Mom, Emma @ Real Fit Moms and Stacy @ A Delightful Home ($4.99) 
• Healthy Homemaking by Stephanie @ Keeper of the Home ($12.95)
• Personal ePlanner by Jennifer @ ListPlanIt ($5.00)

Beauty

• Frumps to Pumps by Sarah Mae @ SaraMae.com ($4.99) 
• The Cottage Mama’s DIY Guide by Kristy @ Little Natural Cottage ($4.00) 
• Simple Scrubs to Make and Give by Stacy @ A Delightful Home ($3.99) 
• The No Brainer Wardrobe by Hayley @ The No Brainer Wardrobe ($7.99) 
• Embracing Beauty by Trina @ Trina Holden ($9.00)
• Reuse, Refresh, Repurpose by Kristen @ The Frugal Girl ($3.99)

Working from Home & Blogging

• Your Blogging Business: Tax, Talk and Tips by Nikki @ Christian Mommy Blogger ($4.99) 
• The Bootstrap VA by Lisa @ The Home Life {and Me} ($12.99) 
• How to Grow Your Blog and Manage Your Home by Jacinda @ Growing Home ($4.99) 
• How to Have Your Cake and Eat It, Too by Mandi @ Life Your Way ($12.00) 
• Simple Blogging: Less Computer Time, Better Blogging by Rachel @ Small Notebook ($8.00)

Ecourses

• Learning in Love: The Preschool Years by Renee @ FIMBY ($7.99) 
• Homeschooling from the Heart by Renee @ FIMBY ($7.99) 
• Grocery University by Carrie @ Colorado Bargains ($24.95) 
• Vibrant Living Strategies for Moms by Lisa @ Well-Grounded Life ($59) 
• You Can Do This! The First Five Steps to a Real Food Kitchen by Laura @ Heavenly Homemakers ($5.00)

PLUS, You will receive FREE Bonuses from these companies...

A FREE Two-Month Membership to Fit2B Studio (for new members) or $20 off a Yearly Membership (for current members), where their wholesome workouts for the whole family are tummy safe and particularly target Diastasis Recti (split abs). ($19.98 value. No shipping restrictions.)
  A $15 store credit to TruKid. With products like their aware-winning sun care, they are dedicated to providing all natural skin and hair care for kids, babies, and now pets. ($15.00 value. Standard shipping applies. International shipping available.)
  Your choice of incredible natural products like sea salt and clay for FREE. Choose from the Redmond Trading Earthpaste Bundle ($24.90 value) or the Facial Mud Bundle ($26.90 value). (Standard shipping applies. Continental US only.)
  Your choice of a FREE heirloom sourdough starter or FREE yogurt starter from Cultures for Health, the leading supplier of starter cultures and supplies for making cultured and fermented foods ($12.95 value. US & CAN addresses only. Standard shipping applies.)

Your choice of: a FREE 3-Month Subscription (for new accounts) or 30% off a One Year Subscription. Plan to Eat is an online menu planner that uses your recipes, scheduled for the days you want them. ($15.00 value. No shipping restrictions.)
  A FREE Culinary Herbs Assorted Seed Pack Check just in time for spring planting from www.wheatgrasskits.com, a living whole foods company. ($11.95 value. Standard shipping applies to all US states and territories- no international shipping for seeds.)
  Get $10 off Union28's original "my husband rocks" tee. Their marriage apparel lets you celebrate your spouse in style. ($10.00 value. Standard shipping rates apply. International shipping available, but free shipping only available within USA.)
  A $10 store credit plus 1 FREE lip balm from Bee All Natural. Their whole body products nourish and heal, and are made using only the highest quality, food grade, organic ingredients. ($13.49 value. Standard shipping applies. International shipping available.)
  A FREE 2 oz. bottle of your choice of liquid herbal formula from TriLight Health. They specialize in fast acting, great tasting natural herbal remedies. ($12.95 value or more. Standard shipping applies, within the USA only.)

Your choice of 3 FREE ePlanners OR a 3-Month FREE Membership to ListPlanIt, whose mobile lists will help to organize your life. ($15.00 value. No shipping restrictions.)

The fine print:

Bonus Offers

• Each bonus offer can be redeemed once only per eBook Bundle purchase.
• For each bonus offer, transaction numbers or proof of purchase may be required at the time of redemption.
• All bonus offers are free gifts from the bonus sponsors, are their sole responsibility to provide, and are subject to availability.
• All bonus offers expire at midnight on May 19th, 2013 (2 weeks from the last day of this sale).

General

• It is your responsibility to download and back-up your purchase within the 1-month download time-frame. With proof of purchase, we can renew download links up until August 1st, 2013. After this date we will no longer have access to the books and will not be able to provide any new links to download.
• Due to the nature of this sale, there will be no refunds available. However, we would invite you to read our Frequently Asked Questions page to learn more about the file types, the download process, how the bonus offers work, etc.

Please note: This collection is only available from 9 a.m. EST on April 29th to 11:59 p.m. EST on May 4th. There will be no late sales offered, so make sure that you get your bundle right away!

Particularly for those wanting to read these ebooks on their mobile devices (iPhones or iPads, Android, Kindle, etc.) you will want to learn more about the file types, how to download them correctly, and how to transfer them to your device. (Read about how to do that here.)

So that's it. What are you most excited about getting out of this bundle?

(This post includes some affiliate links)

Clean Tubs With Borax!

Wow! This was such an easy trick that I tried out on my own bath tub. We've resorted to expensive bathtub cleaners in the past, because nothing seemed to work. Then, I heard someone share that Borax is an awesome tool to remove all that nasty grime. I already keep Borax in my pantry because it's a great ingredient for homemade detergent, or you can simply use it as a laundry booster!

Here's what I did:

• Rinse Shower in warm/hot water for a few seconds to wet surface.

• Sprinkle shower with 1 cup of straight borax powder.

• Let it sit for 20 minutes.

• Scrub and rinse!

 It worked really well for me, so I can't wait to continue using it. Be sure to double check what items can be used on your own tub surface...sometimes different surfaces require special cleaners.

Simplify!

My calendar looks like life through one too many curve balls. I'm stressing myself, and my family out by not having a more simpler routine down. So, to help combat the business of life and to find more ways to simplify, I'm creating a list of steps to help me achieve my overall goal: "Simplify, simplify!"

• Set my alarm for half an hour earlier every day.
• Take something off my "to do" pile and delegate.
• Keep my calendar in my purse at all times.
• Initiate quiet time for 30 minutes every day (little one can read or listen to books on tape, etc.)
• Meal plan for 6 days of the week, rather than 5

These are just a few things that I'll be doing to simplify our routine around here. What helps you to keep your schedule and lifestyle more simplified?