Cleaning schedules

Young Girl Cleaning and Tidying


I have been a long time follower of Candy's blog, http://www.myblessedhome.blogspot.com/ and I'm happy to see that she's in her new home and blogging again! Yea, Candy!

Today she posted about her cleaning schedule and how it works for her. I have purchased almost all of Candy's e-books and they have all been very informative, helpful, and inspirational. And one thing that she has mentioned was to find a system that works for you.

I have tried a day by day schedule, but for our home and family that just didn't seem to work for me. I made the HMB (home management binder) and it came out great, but after some time, I found that I still needed to simply my cleaning routines.

Having five children, here's what's been working for us:

The youngest is only one, so he's not in on chores yet, but for the other four, here are their responsibilities (ages 13, 10, 7 and 7):

Each child does their room chores each morning.
-make bed, put any laundry away, straighten up room, bring down dirty laundry.

Then their big chores are:
-Two little ones--- take care of sorting and bringing up everyone's laundry. They love this! Long ago, I got rid of folding. We did it for so long, but by the time the folded piles made their way upstairs, a stack (or two) inevitably ended up falling over, thus wasting so much time and causing a lot of frustration. Instead, they just "throw" the clothes into piles for each person, bring them upstairs, then the following morning each person is responsible for folding and putting away their own clothes. Works very well for us. I do one load of laundry per day, alternating one dark load, then one light. Sometimes I'll need to do an extra load or two each week to account for unexpected washing or extra stuff (wet towels from yard play, nose bleed in middle of the night--dd #2, etc.)
-Two big girls---kitchen duty. Basically assisting me with clean-up, including scrubbing pots, loading/unloading dishwasher, wiping down counters, putting away leftovers, etc. They also take care of garbage and recycling.

Shared chores with me:
-vacuuming (they all love to vacuum), sweeping, wiping down appliances, wiping windows, mirrors, etc. We do these on more of a weekly basis. Sort of the "Saturday" clean-up. Or it becomes a mid-week big clean when we're expecting guests.

Overall, I have reduced the number of toys downstairs and relocated them to their rooms and to the play space in the attic. Really helped in our living area. Now we just have the baby's toys downstairs, wooden blocks, a couple of child-safe games, and knitting supplies. Moving all choking hazard toys and games upstairs eliminated the stress and worry to constantly be making sure that little pieces weren't misplaced.

So, with our system our house is usually company ready in a moment's notice. Maybe not upstairs all the time! That area is a challenge for me. You know how it is...as soon as you're out of site, little ones want you. I can't seem to be able to really spend a whole lot of time upstairs otherwise my little guy misses me!

One of my biggest jobs is clothing transfers. I have saved all of my daughters clothing from when my oldest (now 13) was a baby. I took very good care of their clothes, so we got to reuse mostly everything. Now that our youngest dd grows out of something, I am now getting rid of stuff. So strange...after all these years, to pass on something that has seen so much play. Then to pass on my little guy's clothing after only a couple of months as he grows into the next size feels so alternately strange. We're kinda sure that we're done with planning for any more children, but if the Lord chooses to bless us with another child, He would provide for the clothing as well. We have always been overly blessed in this area, receiving bags and bags of clothing from friends. Anyway, the big season transfer of clothing usually lingers on for a week or two, depending on how much I can get done between homeschooling, cooking, cleaning, nursing, etc. etc.!

We occasionally use Choreganizers as well. They love the novelty of the cards, but sometimes, if you can believe it, they spend way too much time doing their chores! I need to get on with our day so I'll eventually return to a more simple routine. Their main chores of kitchen detail and laundry, then clean as needed works most of the time. Summertime I sometimes go back to the Choreganizers.

Hope this helps someone!
May the Lord richly bless your day,
Lisa

Makeup Design by Lisa

Summer Blossoms IV

Well, I've been busy ordering products for my makeup kit. Most of the makeup I'll be using will be Pure Skin Minerals from www.littlestuff4u.com . Sandra is great and her products are beautiful and very affordable. She was very willing to work with me to get this done. Just have a few more notecards to fill out offering makeup to the six families getting married in our church. I just got my business cards on Friday, so I'm almost good to go!

This morning in my women's Bible study, we were discussing the topic of self image and how as women we face the challenge to not focus outwardly or to base our self image on the way the world views beauty. There is a study by Laurie Cole whom I saw recently on Life Today that I would really like to get. It's called Beauty by the Book, found here: https://www.priorityministries.com/shop/prodcategory.php?c=22
It goes through all of the women of the book of Proverbs, not just the Proverbs 31 woman that Christian women are so familiar with. I have heard many a Christian woman sigh with exhasperation at the high goals of the Proverbs 31 woman, that she sounds too perfect and not obtainable, but I disagree. Why shouldn't we as Christians strive for the very best? Sometimes we settle for good when the Lord has his best waiting for us. Wouldn't that also apply to our role models? Why would he give us a mediocre woman to aspire to? Anyway, I think this would be an interesting book study to do at this time in my life of returning to the field of makeup. Keep me focused. Maybe I can bring some of what I learn to my clients, helping them to realize their true beauty in the eyes of the Lord.
May the Lord truly bless your day...
Lisa

One of my first loves...

Victorian Girl Putting on Eye Makeup
I have decided to return to doing bridal and special occasion makeup. I received my cosmetology license about fifteen years ago and had worked for years in salons doing hair and makeup. But since having children and choosing to stay home, I have left salon work and only did brides and prom makeup when requested. Well, I have been pondering and pondering for the last two years about having a home based business but I just couldn't figure out selling what. I wondered recently why I was trying to reinvent the wheel. Makeup was always my first love of occupations, prior to being a mama of course! So, I'm going to establish an LLC under the name of Makeup Design by Lisa and possibly sell whatever line I decide to go with. I'm leaning towards a mineral line, and today I ordered a starter kit from Bare Minerals. I'm very excited to try it as I am sure I am going to love it. I have been using a hodgepodge of makeup with some of it being mineral makeup. This is something that I love, that I am good at, and can bring in a little extra money. So I'm excited about this opportunity and giddy about trying out my new makeup when it comes in. I'll keep you posted about how I like it.

May the Lord richly bless your day,
Lisa

Gerberas I have loved...

Pink Gerbera I

There's just something about this flower. I first discovered them when I was picking out flowers for my bridesmaids' bouquets. I had found this great long simple dress from Betsy Johnson's in NYC. I purchased four dresses: one large, two medium's, and one small, with only one bridesmaid with me. They all fit the girls like a glove. It was a beautiful crepe material in a plum color with tiny bunches of flowers dotted here and there. I know that one of the flowers was a pale blue so our florist had suggested a gerbera daisy in light blue with some other flowers mixed in for their bouquets. I just loved them. So cheery. Classic shape for a flower really. Something you draw as a child. The round center with the long spear-like petals. But I love all the colors that gerberas are available in.

The next time I used gerberas was for our first daughter's first birthday. We heard about a great photographer in the town we lived in so we had a photo session for her big day. I purchased a half dozen or so of hot pink gerberas to match the dress she had on and with a clean white background. Well, they were just beautiful photographs.

I had forgotten about this simple childlike flower and how it has appeared in my life on occasion until I found this photograph. I'll have to see how they will mark another special day for me.

My current knitting: with my little guy turning one this weekend, he steals a great deal of my attention during the day, happily so by me. No complaints there. I just have the evening to knit, so during this season of my life, I spend more time reading blogs, books, and ravelry about knitting than actual knitting. I can nurse him while I do those things, but knitting while nursing is getting a bit trickier than when he was an infant. Especially a lace shawl. Noooooo, no, no, no. I don't think I'm going to risk having it ripped out by those cute dimpled fingers. The shawl I am plugging along on is Wrapped in Comfort's Julia shawl. I need to finish and block by late April for a wedding I'm attending. My yarn is Lisa Souza's Petal (50/50 silk/merino) in the Tropical Pink colorway. I'm also working on a simple triangle prayer shawl for a dear friend who just returned from the Mayo Clinic for testing. Next up is working on a sweater for my hubby, Sally Melville's Einstein coat and casting on for a pink pair of simple socks for me. I already have a lacy pair that I'm working on, but the color is very autumnal and I need to see spring colors! The other two projects are both darker colors, and I think I've decided that I need to have something pink going on at all times. I just have to.

Newest pink find...very cute pair of pink cordoroy pants from a thrift store. Score!

We saw the movie, Fireproof, last night. It was written/directed/produced by the Kendrick brothers. The same team that made Flywheel and Facing the Giants. Fireproof stars Kirk Cameron who plays a fire chief having marriage difficulties. Just love all three films these devoted, very talented and FUNNY men have produced. Go rent them if you haven't already.



May the Lord richly bless your day,
Lisa

Think Pink

I have been totally pink inspired by the Think Pink group on Ravelry. I knew I have always loved pink since I was a little girl, but I never really considered how often I prefer pink over other colors. So I decided to change the layout of my blog...to pink. I'll add pink photos as often as I am inspired.

My most recent favorite pink item...the two dozen pink roses that my wonderful husband bought for me last Friday. My love.

May the Lord richly bless your day,
Lisa

I stand corrected...

Well, it did continue to snow all day long, accumulating to a good 7 or 8 inches. Hubby said on his way in to work (he leaves the house at 1 AM), his car did a 360 (or even more!) on a nearby road. Thank you, Lord, that he is safe.

Well, enjoy the brightness of this new fallen snow. Spring will come in its season!



Purple Tulip

Seasons...

We got hit with another last hurrah of snow last night. The weather reports changed all day yesterday as to the timing of this storm, and truth be told, I was really expecting it to turn to rain. As I drove to a wedding shower yesterday, I saw some boys playing basketball with no jackets on and I'm thinking, "Snow? Today??" Naaaaahhhh. Well, snow it did. But not quite the dier foot of it that was possible. I don't mind it. Yes, I was looking forward to spring weather and looking for shoots of bulbs popping up through the ground. But I also appreciate the change of seasons that the Lord provides for me. We go through so many different kinds of seasons in our lives. We have seasons of friendships, some lasting only a day or so at an event, some lasting a couple of years until one of them moves away, and some that withstand time and distance to carry us through a lifetime together. We have seasons of trials. Where the Lord carries us through the difficulties of life. Seasons of proserity. Seasons of creativity. Seasons of solitute. Seasons of great spiritual growth. And seasons of the desert, walking seemingly alone. But we are never alone. The Lord promises believers that He will never leave us or forsake us. So when my little fella woke me up at 6 am, a little early for this lady, I went downstairs, enjoying that early morning strangely cast light, and looked outside. He has given us one more snow this season. Such beautiful white beauty. White as snow.
Take time today to give thanks to the Lord for such awsome beauty. Imagine. Such pure brightness coming down from the sky. Spring will come soon enough. In its season.
May the Lord richly bless your day,
Lisa

Knittin' at the library

Thursday afternoons are our library day. Our oldest daughter volunteers there for an hour on Thursdays but it has gotten so that every time we run in there to pick up a book or a movie, she runs behind the desk to help out. Next to home, it is her favorite place to be during the week. She really enjoys the responsibility and the whole workings of the library system.

At 4:00, we head to the all purpose room for our knitting group that meets every week. I owe so much to the librarian, Wendy, and her predescesor, TaraLynn, for starting this group. Coming every week really helped to spark that love of knitting for me. My dear friend, Karen, also goes every week and we share our new projects and talk about the latest pattern book or notion acquisition. Too fun. Another good friend, Kelley, comes with her daughter who is knitting, but we've got to work on Kelley to learn!

Currently working on a beaded drawstring bag for my cousin's fiance for her bridal shower next Sunday. Beautiful pattern from Knitting Little Luxuries. I'm doing it in a creamy white angora with pearl beads. Hope she enjoys it as much as I do.

The girls are on the mend a bit today. Coughing is finally subsiding a bit. Hurray!

May the Lord richly bless your day.
Blessings,
Lisa

What was it I said about early mornings with sick kiddos?

One of our daughters was up at 5 am coughing up a fit. I brought her downstairs, got her all settled with an Albuterol treatment, and made some candy cane tea. My sister in law gave me a box of this tea from Celestial Seasonings which they only make during Christmas time. I love peppermint tea, but this also has some nice vanilla in it. Very nice and all the girls loved it. No more, though. I'll have to stock up next Christmas now that I know.



Headed to the doctor with daughter #3, and #4 thinking that dd#4 was worse, but lo and behold, dd#3 has bronchitis. Well, that was a shocker. Here I was thinking that her bout with this virus was on the tail end, but was lingering around just a bit too long.



This all started about 2 1/2 weeks ago when my little fella got bronchiolitis from RSV. Thankfully we were able to avoid the hospital with treatments at home. I'm a natural kinda mama when it comes to medicines and treatments and baby products and stuff, but sometimes medicine is just the only thing that will work.



Well, everyone has gotten some version of this nasty virus, all except dd#1. All in good time, I suppose.



Off to knit and listen to Kelley's weekly podcast in their Knitting Community section: http://www.knitpicks.com/
May the Lord richly bless your day.
Blessings,
Lisa

On the last day of Christmas, my true love gave to me...

Thought I would chat a bit about the projects that I finished for Christmas last year. Unfortunately, I gifted many of these without photographing them...a knitter's mistake that I will never make again. I'm not so great with downloading photos, but I have grand intentions to improve in this and I will be taking photos of my current works otn and posting them shortly. Now as for last Christmas...I knitted socks for hubby (Knit Picks Essential); mistake rib scarf in Thick and Quick; knitted a sweater for my little guy in a stripe pattern I made up as I went along with Peace Fleece wool; bobble ascot for my mom in Knit Picks Alpaca; felted hot pad and four coasters for my brother; random stripe large felted tote bag for my mother in law; felted knitting round "basket" bag for my sister in law; and last but not least, four crocheted aprons for my beautiful daughters. Pattern was from Anna over at Lullabies and Lace. Too sweet. As I began to purchase the yarn for these projects in the early fall, the sweat began to bead on my palms. Was I out of my mind??? To make all of these with a baby in my arms and homeschooling four children through the fall? Well, I did it. I did it. I did it. With about a week to spare. I just couldn't believe it. How, you may ask? I stole the time. Every knitting moment I could find. I never left the house without it. If my oldest daughter ran into the library to pick up an I Love Lucy that she had ordered, I would wait in the car and knit a round or two. I would knit for every car ride that hubby was driving. Yes, even the 8 minutes to church. Then, the sweet time when all were asleep. I would settle down to work with my coffee. Such tasks need high octane caffeine, no mild tea will do for midnight knitting. So, I'm very pleased with myself at the progress that I've achieved in the short time that I've been knitting. I would say it will be two years this summer, and I can say I'm a solid intermediate. Woohoo! Love it. Love it. Love it.



I adore my children and love every minute with them. I love homeschooling and I thank the Lord every day when we begin our day that He has drawn us to homeschooling. I wouldn't have it any other way. That said, there is something about the quietness of the night when all have gone off to bed. My little nursing fella stays down here with me until we go upstairs together later, but the girls head up around 9:00. I don't watch TV really, but I do visit my favorite blogs, research any latest query that has been mulling over in my brain that day, and to navigate around ravelry a bit. I just joined a month or so ago, so I'm still weeding through the vastness of the internet knitting world known as ravelry. Some very inspiring, beautiful, amazing knitters out there, along with some, well, odd people. As a Christian, I am careful with what I put in front of my eyes so I really dislike it when I click on someone's profile to see some of their other projects and there's questionable content and curse words, etc. :( Could really do without that! I've yet to really connect with a particular group yet, I just keep lurking and adding groups to my profile.



I have no other desire in my day to be away from my children. They stay with us during service in church, we don't get sitters for them, and we do most things together as a family. But, there is a refueling of energy and a quietness of my spirit I experience in the solitude of the night.



I notice that there is a similar feeling to the wee hours of the morning as well. I actually have fond memories of coming downstairs with my oldest daughter a few months ago. She was feeling sick, maybe around 2 or 3 AM. I brought the baby downstairs with us, I put National Velvet in, nice and low, and made some tea. These moments call for tea. Some nice English Breakfast or Earl Gray. We sat together and chatted, grateful for the private moments between a growing young lady and a mama. There is something about the mother in this film. Well, firstly, she knits AND she's a thrower like me. There is such a quiet strength about this character. She knows just when to let her daughter's wings fly and when to put her foot down. There is a beautiful scene when she gives Velvet the money for the admissions for the Grand National. It was her own prize money that she won years ago from a swimming race. What a moving scene up in the attic of their beautiful little cottage. This is a movie that we borrowed from the library, but whenever I think of it, I know it's one that we need to own. Just for the memory of that night.

I had to stop a minute because my little fella was giving me kisses...now he's off crawling to play with his sisters and explore the dog's food bowl.

May the Lord richly bless your day,

Lisa

Well, it's about time...

Well, I thought it was high time that I got around to keeping a blog as it was downright embarassing signing my name to other people's sites and leaving that url space blank. I did keep one when we went to China two years ago when we adopted one of our daughters, and I really enjoyed the outlet of writing, but I haven't written much since then. I used to write all the time, mostly journals. Years and years worth. But, life has gotten so very busy...I'll fill you all in bit by bit.

I have been a born again Christian for almost five years now and I'll share more about how that happened to me in some other day. I am very happily married to a wonderful, loving, blue-eyed man for 16 years and we have five incredible children, ages 13 to 11 months. Four of them are girls, and one little fella.

We are in our ninth year of homeschooling and I tell you, it has been the greatest endeavor my husband and I could have ever entered into. What began as a year-by-year basis has grown to become our identity as a family. We couldn't imagine any other way of educating our children. We love it so very much.

My blog name is Spring Valley Knits. Obviously I love to knit. I had crocheted for about 13 years or so, but it was an off and on hobby. Nothing too adventerous was ever undertaken and it was a neat thing that I knew how to do. Knitting had always scared me. The thought of one of my kids pulling my knitting off the needles sent me into a cold sweat. How could I save something like that? How do you pick up a stitch? Why do I have holes in my work? All these frightening questions kept me from this craft. Then almost two years ago, during my pregnancy, I firmly decided that I was going to conquer this knitting thing. There were just too many beautiful patterns out there for knitting...and there was just something "different" about a knitted garment compared to a crocheted one.

I bought me some dpn's (not so very brave...after all, I had knitted a garter stitch scarf and two children's hats in my lifetime) and some neutral sage green yarn and set to work to make an "easy peasy" baby hat. Pattern somewhere on the internet.

Well, months later, I learned a lot. I learned what a ladder is and why it is undesirable in knitting. Great for roofers. Bad for baby hats. I learned that I was knitting into the back stitch thinking that this was the normal way to do a knit stitch. So I got a nice twisted look to the hat. Couldn't really say "I meant to do that". I learned how to pick up a dropped stitch. I learned to ask a lot of questions to whoever might even look like a knitter. And I learned that I absolutely love knitting. Love it. Love it. Love it. Can't get enough of it, dream of yarn, read about yarn, research about knitting, listen to knitting podcasts, watch knitting videos, wake up dreaming about knitting kind of love. Crochet couldn't hold a candle to this kind of infatuation.

Almost two years have gone by and my passion has not cooled in the least. In fact, although I am a stay at home mama, I have been wanting to have some sort of home business for the longest time. We used to have one, oh, about six or seven years ago, called Ladbug Toys. We sold beautiful wooden, natural toys and dolls. So I have a little knowledge about wahm's, but I just couldn't decide on what kind of business I would want to have longterm. Well, enter knitting. I'm not sure yet what the Lord has planned for Spring Valley Knits, be it designing patterns, or selling beautiful yarns or handmade knitting needles, but keep posted and we'll see!

Well, I'm off to knit and listen to something on-line, maybe a Knit Picks podcast, or Knit Together podcast, or maybe a sermon or audio book. My quiet "coffee and knitting time". My husband just finished doing a "25 Things You May Not Not Know About Me" on his Facebook, so maybe I'll dedicate a future post to that.

May the Lord richly bless your day,
Lisa