Love Is All Around

Trying to go green, but having trouble justifying the cost of green cleaning products, not to mention finding products that work as well as their caustic counterparts? Check out this article for helpful tips.

These are my thoughts.

 

Simple Journey Ministries Presents

I Can’t Live Simply Until…

Simple Time for You

One issue I have struggled with is making time each day just for me. Seems like I get up each morning (still exhausted from the previous day’s activities), my feet hit the floor, and I keep moving until it is time for bed late into the next morning. Then I start all over again. It’s a well known fact that if I stop for any reason, my eyes will shut and I will be slumber mode for several hours. Oh, you think I am kidding? One of my family members’ favorite sources of laughter is getting me to agree to watch a movie. Yes, they pop in the little video watch me stop moving and time how long it takes for me to start snoring.

My life is busy, but with rewarding simple activities. Having a large family, it takes much time to be certain that I am spending time with each family member each day. Those simple activities are wonderful and I wouldn’t trade them for anything. However, I also had to learn to schedule time for myself. Those periodic times of refreshment are wonderful. Having quiet time with God each day is the best source of daily encouragement to accomplishing the goals for each day. Yet I have learned there is another important part of the day that is crucial to my mindset, and it is so simple.

I try to be certain to schedule five minutes each day just for me. Because my family is busy and we are LOUD, I make those five minutes silence. Mostly, I go outside (by myself) for 5 minutes. There are times that I may have to use my bathroom as my area of respite. But I can sit on the edge of the tub and soak in the silence. It is AMAZING how much that silence helps me to be a better wife and mother! So, don’t wait until you can schedule time to do something simple. Take a few small minutes each day to refresh yourself!

Now, this all makes me sound as though I have had some mental breakthrough or God given revelation, but I haven’t. I learned this from my friend Kathy. She has taught me so much about silence and solitude in a way that I never thought I had time for. God has truly blessed her with a heartbeat for helping. If you like this idea, I HIGHLY encourage you to visit her site and sign up for her free e-zine and e-votional. Her words will get you thinking and help you move towards a more simple life.

These are my thoughts.

Steps for Successful Boiling-Water Canning

 

Green Cleaning Tips

In an effort to discover greener cleaning products, I have found that they don’t work as well on the toughest of dirt and grime. Not to mention that green cleaning product often times have a steep price tag comparatively to their caustic counter parts. This has had me on a mission to discover green cleaning methods that are effective and inexpensive.

Two ingredients I have found to be the most consistently effective are hydrogen peroxide and white vinegar. Both are inexpensive, but I will warn that the smell of vinegar has taken some getting used to for me.

As a little aside, I have been asked about cleaning products that claim they have oxygen based “bleaching”  action. The fact is that these products contain natural ingredients that when mixed with water produce hydrogen peroxide. For this reason those products ARE safe and green, but demonstrates the effectiveness of hydrogen peroxide. One of the best assets of hydrogen peroxide as a cleaning agent is that it is not dangerous. The reason that it comes in brown bottles, is because when touched by light it changes into regular water. What could be safer than that?

Here are a list of some of the methods I have found to be effective and the cost is PENNIES!

·         For the Bathtub & Shower stall: To remove soap scum use hydrogen peroxide and the netting from citrus fruit. Pour on the HP and allow to work for a few seconds before using the netting to scrub away the soap scum! Need to disinfect your bathtub or shower? Simply use a vinegar rinse before rinsing with water.

·         Toilet: Add 2 cups white vinegar to toilet with ½ cup baking soda. This will bubble and foam. Once the bubbling stops, scrub with brush as usual. Have stubborn hard water stains? Plunge as much water out of your toilet as possible. Pour 1 gallon of white vinegar into the toilet, scrub with brush, close lid, and allow to sit for 2 hours or overnight. Scrub once more and flush.

·         Sink: Sprinkle baking soda around sink. Pour or spray white vinegar. Allow to bubble for a few seconds. Use scrub brush or citrus netting to scrub clean.

·         Faucet: Soak a cleaning rag in white vinegar. Ring out. Wrap rag around faucet and secure with rubber bands. Leave on for 3-4 hours. Remove rag, and scrub the crannies with an old toothbrush. Then wipe clean with a clean dry rag.

·         Countertops: Mix hydrogen peroxide (about 1 cup) and white vinegar (about ½ cup) in spray bottle to clean and disinfect countertops or any surface.

These are my thoughts.

Leslie Valeska

~Contributing Writer

Leslie Valeska is the lucky wife of Thomas.  With children ranging in ages from 4-16, she has had a lot of time to learn and experience much of the fine art of homemaking.   Simple Journey Ministries was established to encourage, support, and inspire women, from all walks of life, to engage and continue on a path of Godly Womanhood. You can visit her at her blog Journey to Simplicity (www.leslievaleska.com/blog), Simple Journey Ministries (www.leslievaleska.com), and Simple Journey Bookstore (www.leslievaleska.com/bookstore)

Hello Friends!
The Wood family has a new blog name as you might have noticed. Since we were no longer on property we thought AB-Ranch wasn't an accurate description of where we were at the moment. After much discussion the children came up with this name, "Bought with a price." as a reminder to us that no matter where this journey in life takes us we should remember that we have been bought with a price we are not our own. It is our desire to live each day for His purpose not our own! The children came up with other names and voted on them. The winner, Elisha, gets to make cookies with mommy tomorrow and since Sammy was his helper... Sammy gets to pick which cookies we make! It was fun coming up with a blog name that represents the entire family. We will continue sharing our lives with you and the good work the Father continues to do in our lives. We hope you all know how much you mean to the Wood family. We consider your friendship priceless! If any of you should ever find yourself in Kansas know that we will always have room for you!

Oh, and something that my Joe mentioned the other day.... we use to live in the exact center of CA. Now we live in the center of the United States! Fun!!!

On behalf of the entire Wood family....
Mrs. Joseph Wood

Today the cleaners arrived.  And Oh, my!  They set out their plan and we either agreed or didn't agree. And for the most part, I think we got on the same page. 

We did agree to wash the kitchen items inside the cupboards, which we had originally asked them... they said they figured 12 hours to clean the contents and today Dh and I spent nearly 15 hours (our hours together) cleaning and only got the upper cupboards done inside.  I have twice as many lower cupboards, so I am like... 12 HOURS??? what were they thinking??? 

Today they got the upstairs walls and ceilings done and they cleaned a few things that was nice to see... they cleaned off the girls' bathroom sink and the toilet and really the entire bathroom... it just sparkles.  The girls' rooms don't really look all that different... they basically cleaned walls and worked around the mess that the girls had left... I don't think they did the upstairs screens however... and I will maybe ask them to do that... as I got soot on the back of my hand checking...(Will I be brave enough to ask???  LOL).  They did wash the downstairs screens which was SOOO nice!  The big deal about the  screens is that for several days, my daughter Chelsea, 16yo, would come up with soot smeared on her face and we couldn't figure out where she got it... well she loves to look out windows and see as much as she can see and often she hits her nose on the screen... and so the nose smudge began and continued until just the day before she left for camp.  We figured it out that she was too "nosey" about what was going on outside.

Anyways, upstairs I wasn't super impressed... There are two rooms done real nice and two rooms done OK.  The one gal was very particular about her cleaning and she did the two nice rooms.  One was just learning and was working with the man who was the boss of the project, I guess you call him??  He says he likes cleaning walls and ceilings, but isn't interested in the details... and it kinda showed.  Not that it was horrible, it just didn't sparkle like the other two rooms.  And the one room my girls bunk bed in... that room just didn't shine... I offered to move stuff, but they just cleaned around it... so as soon as I pick up the stuff off the dresser, I'll have to clean it again... that kinda clean.  Why clean???   Oh well.  At least the ceiling is done... I hate doing ceilings!  

Downstairs they had a guy working solo in our front room... absolutely love that guy!  And he's not coming back!!!  He has other work to do the rest of the week... but he was so thorough and that room really shines as well.  I still have to clean inside the cupboards and clean the stuff ON the cupboards, but the doors and walls and everything shines!  He knows his stuff!  One thing we learned is this cleaner just sucks the life out of the wood and he says you have to follow it with murphy's soap to add some oil back into the wood to give it shine.  I would have to say that wasn't done upstairs on our railing as it is rather dull... but downstairs, our pantry doors just glow... love it!  

Here's the plan for the rest of the week as far as the cleaners go... Wednesday, they will finish the kitchen (walls, ceilings), dining room (walls, ceilings) and the master bedroom (walls and ceilings).  Thursday they will clean the carpets and the floors... which he said they'd clean the wood floors, but I'm guessing they are going to leave that to me, because we have so many items that need to be inside because of the outside dog... that he suggested moving those items to our dining room and kitchen area... well, we are moving the stuff and moving it back... so they aren't going to be able to clean under them... so that's another thing added to my to-do list.  

Thursday when they clean the carpet, they do not want us in the house at all... especially with Paige... as she will run on the wet carpet, get it dirty and it would just be best if we weren't in the house... he even suggested we sleep in the camper on Thursday night... too bad that is plum packed FULL of blankets and laundry that I have been doing for the last week!   Maybe I can find one of the beds... what an ordeal!  So after 3 days they will be gone!  GONE.  

That will leave me with alot of work!  I figured the kitchen will take me two more days, even with some help!  The entry room is like the kitchen as far as cupboard cleaning... so say 2-3 days in there.  The dining room... not so bad, maybe a day, the bathroom... likely a day, the living room... a day (want to polish that wood so it isn't dried out... and I think the piano is my job... they won't touch it... not sure how you clean soot out of a piano!).  My bedroom... likely two days.  Upstairs... 1-2 days in bedroom 1, 1 day in bedroom 2, 1day in bedroom 3.  Bathroom2 - 1/2 day.  And the storage areas they are not touching at all... and that will take me at least a week.  That's nearly 3 weeks of straight cleaning YET to be done!  I think we will make the deductible!  I will not be able to do much cleaning the next two days the cleaners are here... being banned from the house one day... and banned from downstairs tomorrow.   My girls also thought they might miss out on cleaning being at camp... well they didn't miss out on much!  LOL.  Perhaps with their help it can go a bit faster... I hope so!   

I am beginning to wonder about how the fire is helping me to get my house cleaned in one big swoop... because it isn't going to be one big swoop!  I will be cleaning the house until we are ready to start back up with school... no summer break for this MOM!  I am still plodding on... the house is getting decluttered.  I have one van full of items ready to go to the church garage sale.   I'm sure I will have more as I enter more rooms;  I've only gone through just the laundry room and part of the kitchen!   And the big storage area upstairs... which is the area I NEED to declutter... they aren't going to even try to clean... they even suggested I move everything into that area... now wouldn't that just make the area worse again???  CRAZY! 

Well, I better go work for another hour or so.  I hope to clean off the kitchen counters and the dining room furniture so that they can move items around and clean.  Tomorrow morning I will be emptying bookshelves to my bed so they can clean our bedroom.  I then will head upstairs to likely Paige's room to "finish the cleaning", doing the detail work.  I'm so tired and so very sore! 

Now... you know your house is big when the cleaners joke about hating to break into our house because it is so big and there are so many rooms... even a burglar would get lost!  One said that after a lady got lost trying to figure out where to go and she says... there's too many rooms in here!   Dh liked the comment... he loves his big house.

Warmly, ~Melissa

 

  

The Wood family is doing well! I have posted photos above of our trip to the park today. It started to rain and we thought we might have to turn around and go home however, we decided to pray that the Lord would hold off the rain till we were done with our trip. And guess what?!?  THE LORD DID JUST THAT! The Lord held off the rain until we got in the car and started out of the park... at that time the rain started coming down in buckets and lasted for hours. The children cheered and thanked the Lord with HUGE smiles! They witnessed the Lord answers prayer! I love moments like this when He builds their faith and let's them know He is listening and cares... even about trips to the park!

Funny moment of the day: Elisha and Timothy were talking about the Ark of the Covenant and its contents. When Timothy informed Elisha that the reason why God had the 10 commandments put in the Ark of the Covenant was because He didn't want Moses to break them again! LOL!!!!!!! Funny how children think of things isn't it?

Have a wonderful week dear friends!
Mrs. Joseph Wood

Outside my window ~ it is raining and very very windy. I almost feel like I am back in the Windy City of Chicago.

I am thinking ~ of how awful some people can be to go as far as trying to scam a vonerable 16 year old. We are praying for you Vivian!

I am thankful for ~  The Lord who gave us the wisdom to know a true scammer, for my husband who works so hard to give us the things we long for, my children, my dear dear friends, the freedom to homeschool, the open fields for my furry friends to enjoy, the air I breath (which by the way isn't always easy with Asthma) I am thankful for the gift of creativity that the Lord has blessed me with.

I am creating ~ hand made recipe cards with my own original drawings on them, and more Note Cards.

From the kitchen ~ I can hear the beginning stages of dinner being prepared. Tonight Mariah is making Chicken Enchilada's. YUMO

I am going ~ to town today to get some advice about this scam. Praying all the way of course.

I am reading ~ Proverbs for parenting.

I am hoping ~ that I will find a way to bring peace into our home and to get back into a routine.

I am hearing ~ the very annoying sound of my dogs toe nails clicking and clanking on the floor as she walks from one room to another. Gee we have got to get them clipped.

Around the house ~ we are organizing the homeschool shelf and the office to prepare for the upcoming school year.

One of my favorite things ~creating cards, painting gourds and drawing. You really didn't expect me to just list one today DID YOU??

A few plans for the rest of the week ... ~ continue organizing and preparing for the school year, drawing, packing for my trip that is coming up!

A picture thought to share....

Our dolls are ready for this years adventure!

I'm not kidding!  I am seriously going bananas!

I picked up a huge, huge, huge, (boy, do I wish I had a picture to show you), huge box of bananas at Save-a-Lots for $8.00.

I gave a bunch to my father, the kids have eaten bunches and bunches, and my oldest daughter made batches and batches of banana bread.

I am trying an experiment I heard about that said you could freeze bananas.  I wrapped 12 bunches of bananas in aluminum foil, then put them into freezer bags.  I read that the skins will turn black, but the bananas will stay good.

I still have many bunches left!!!!

Any banana recipes you would like to share?!?

Please!!!!

Tea and Honeycakes

Every Monday, Wednesday, Friday

"

"Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with his mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me [ceased from fretting].

Psalm 131:2 amplified version

"I've kept my feet on the ground,
      I've cultivated a quiet heart.
   Like a baby content in its mother's arms,
      my soul is a baby content."

The Message version

 

Have you ever watched your children? I have 7 and one on the way, so I have many to watch and at different stages in life.  But what I have noticed in my baby who is 10 months old and in my 5 year old, they have the ability to go with the moment.  They just enjoy life.  Even in my 7 and 9 year old, their imaginations just seize every opportunity to enjoy whatever little joys they have come upon.

In their eyes nothing is too small or unworthy, or even insignificant for their little wondering minds. They enjoy nature with such suprise.

With my children, they are easily entertained by the smallest wonders. A beautiful "weed" in the yard, a small ground worm digging in the dirt, a pile of fresh, crispy fall leaves (I enjoy these too), or seeing our mourning dove preparing for life in my flower basket.

Watching my children, I am reminded that they are fully dependant on me.  They have no worries over bills, food, or even clothing.  They know that when they get done they will still have a roof over their head to sleep under.

The heart of children seem to also show forth all that God finds best about humankind. What greater image of contentment than that of a young child resting with complete trust on the shoulder of the one who loves him best. His parents, and for us, our Father in heaven.

"Yet You are He Who took me out of the womb; You made me hope and trust when I was on my mother's breasts.

 

    I was cast upon You from my very birth; from my mother's womb You have been my God."

Psalm 22:9-10 amplified version

"Dear Abba Father, I am in complete awe and wonder of your presence everywhere I go. I like my children, will dance in your goodness and sing a new song every morning.  I am thankful for the grace you supply me new everyday.  Thank you for Your creation and thank you for my children who continue to teach me how to rely and trust in you.

Your Daughter,