Homemaking With Intention

Remember last week when I took the kids to the fair by myself? On the way out of the fair I was stopped by a guy at a booth who asked, "Would you like a chance to win a years supply of organic meat?" What I should have said, "No thanks." What I did say, "Sure, why not?"   I mean who doesn't want to win free food right? Well, they called. Not because I had won the food, but because they want to set up an in home appointment with me. What I should have said, "No thanks." What I did say, "Sure, next Wednesday would be fine." He came to my house and talked me into buying 3 years worth of organic meat people, 3 YEARS! And because we have no where to store all this meat, he conveniently sells a sub zero, best-on-the-market, indoor or outdoor freezer. For only $3,000. At this point he had been in my house for 2 hours, my kids were tired of sitting quietly and it was dinner time. I wanted him out of the house! So, sure ...

"Do you want me to tell you the story about the fourth of July?" "Sure baby, I would love to hear that story."   I have only heard it 1.7 million times since the holiday 6 weeks ago. It always starts the same, "We were at a place and...." The details change a bit here and there, but it is basically the same every time. I have heard it so many times I know just when to say, "oh wow!" or "no way!"  Then she says something new and it catches my ear and my heart off guard: "We were playing with glow sticks  and you have to break them so that they will glow.  And you have to do it in the dark,  because you know mom,  glow sticks wont glow the same in the light." So much insight for such a young girl.    "You have to break them so that they will glow."  So that's it Lord. That's why we bend and break. That's why we are given more then we think we can handle.  So that we can gl...

"How do you ever get a brake?" "Don't you want some 'me time'?" "You are crazy!" "I would drink heavily if I had that many kids." These are all things that people have said to me in the recent past. All in front of my kids by the way. The fact of the matter is that I don't want any 'me time.' I get the primes behind it. I have heard over and over- "you will be a better mom if you get some time away." But the truth is, I just don't agree. Well, I kinda don't agree. OK, hear me out- don't stop reading just yet.  I have taken 'me time' and it just doesn't seem to work out that well. I get away and half the time I don't know what to do with my self. Then, when I do come back to my kids- I am more easily angered by them.  Even though I had a 'break' my heart is not in the right place!  I yell quicker and react harsher. If 'me time' is so great, why doe...

Every where I go I get some form of this question. To me it seems like a non- issue. I mean, you do what you have to right? God entrusted 4 little people to my care all with in 3 years. I have two choices; I can lay down and cry because it's just too hard, or I can have fun and enjoy it! I choose the enjoy it one. Because I get this question so much it got me thinking that maybe people really do want to know how I do it. So here we go.... My hubby works a lot. He runs his own company (*insert shameless plug* anyone need an house built or kitchen remodeled?). He leaves early and gets home late. He always works 5, but usually 6 days a week. Because he's gone most of the time, that leaves me with the kids on my own the majority of the week. It is my job to run our home while he provides for us. If I wanted to get anything done or have any fun, then I had to learn to live life with my kids. Here are a few of the things I do to make our lives function and have fun at the same...