Do You Know Your ABC’s…?

…of housework, that is!

I found this meme at Housewife Hiccups…so fun!  If you are a housewife, like me, join in the fun and share your ABC’s of Housework on you blog.

aprons - y/n?
No.  I’d love to say YES!  But, sadly do not own any.  Ah, but I keep trying to win them at The Apronista.  Hey, I should just make my own.  There is this old and too small shirt of my husbands I have been eyeing for possible apron material.  What do ya think?  If I decide to alter it into a sassy apron, I will be sure to blog about it with photos…I promise…perhaps, a tutorial, too!

baking - I love to bake!  I’m a member of The Daring Bakers, though have not been able to participate in recent challenges due to a nonfunctioning camera.  Hallelujah!  Praises all around!  I now have a camera that works!  Daring Baker’s here I come…again!

clothesline - y/n? Yes!  I love hanging my clothes outside to dry!  Not only is it energy efficient and environmentally friendly, there’s that fresh-air frangrance…Mmmmmm….AAAAhhhhh!

donuts - ever made them? Yes, but not recently.  I should soon.  My husband would love them!  Okay, okay, I will share my recipe here and photos.  Let me find the recipe first.  “Oh, MOM, Help!”

everyday - one homemaking thing you do everyday? dishes

freezer - do you have a separate deep freezer? Yes, but it’s not very full.  That reminds me, there’s some chicken drumsticks waiting for me to take them out and thaw them for my next meal.  How does some Cuban Chicken sound?  Oh, would you like that recipe, too?  All you have to do is ask!

garbage disposal - y/n? Nope.  Trusty ol’ trash cans.  Friday’s Garbage Day around here.  Hubby takes the trash out.  I’m so thankful for his help with this domestic duty!  Kisses, Honey! xoxo

handbook - y/n? Ha!  Ha!  Ha!  No.  I was happy to put my lesson planners away for awhile.  It’s nice to have a break from planning all the time.  I’m happy to wing it for now!

ironing - love it or hate it? Shiver….I’m not too keen on ironing.

junk drawer - where is it? Ha!  Ha!  Another funny!  Better question is “how many?”  Honestly, the kitchen is where the junk drawer is…though that is the only place in our little space where you will find any drawers.

kitchen - design and decorating? Renting doesn’t allow for much of either…boring sterile cream/white nothingness.  But, oh the dreams I have of the kitchen I hope to one day have!

love - what is your favorite part of homemaking? Making home a haven.  A place where the stresses of the day roll off my husbands shoulders as he walks through the door.  A place where guests feel welcome and sense love and peace abiding in this home.

mop - y/n? Sponge mop.  Though, sometimes I do the Cinderella thing…by hand.

nylons - wash them by hand or in the washer? Avoid wearing them…no washing then.

oven - do you use the window or open it to check? Always open it.

pizza - what do you put on yours? ham, pineapple, cabana, hamburger, red pepper, mushrooms, olives (mush rooms & olives are hubby’s choice) LOTS OF CHEESE

quiet - what do you do during the day when you get a quiet moment? Blog or sew.

recipe card box - Cook books, food blogs.

style of house – townhouse apartment

tablecloths and napkins - y/n? Yes on special occasions…holidays, birthdays, anniversary, romantic evenings.

under the kitchen sink – Cleaning supplies.

vacuum - how many times a week? once

wash - how many loads do you do a week? ten

x’es - do you keep a list of things to do and cross them off? No.  But, I should.  I did this before I married…why am I not doing it now?

yard - who does what? We live in a gated community.  So, whoever is hired to do all the lawns by the coorporation at large does the yard.  Hip-Hip-Hooray!

zzz’s - what is your last homemaking task for the day? dishes…right now it is just the two of us, my husband and me…so few dishes…I wait until the end of the day to do them…so I am only doing them once a day.  Something for me to enjoy now…before children.

Have a homemaking tip you’d like to share?  Leave a comment.  Happy Homemaking!

Aloha Friday - I Meme Do You?

Hooray! It’s Aloha Friday! Play along with me and Kailani!

Today’s Question:

Do you enjoy participating in Memes?

My Answer:

It depends on the Meme.  Here are three of my favorites:  Girl Talk Thursday, Aloha Friday (of course), My Walk Monday.

Visit An Island Life and sign up with Mr. Linky to play along!

My Walk Monday - Pit Thoughts vs. His Thoughts

I’ve been reading What Women Want: The Life You Crave and How God Satisfies by Lisa T. Bergren & Rebecca Price.  Sound familiar?  I’ve posted about this book before. I’ve really been enjoying this book.  It has been challenging and encouraging.  Lately, I’ve been thinking about the first chapter which addresses Pit Thoughts.  You know them.  You have them.  We all do.  Thoughts from the PIT…they creep in and badger us all day long…sounding something like this:

I’m nothing.  I’m not special.  I can’t do anything right.  I can’t do anything well.  I’m worthless.  No one cares about me.  I’m not worth caring about.  I’m a failure. (p. 16, What Women Want:  The Life You Crave and How God Satisfies, Bergren & Price)

Yes, you aren’t the only one with those thoughts.  The Enemy would like you to think that you are unique in that way, making you feel isolated.  Take heart, sister, you are not alone!  Good news!  Victory can be ours for the taking!  Lisa and Rebecca suggest this activity for squaring off with our Pit Thoughts:

Pit Thoughts vs. His Thoughts

Materials needed:

- two different colored paper (one a horrible color, the other a happy color)

- pen, pencil, marker (something to write with)

- Bible (if you don’t have a Bible, visit BlueLetterBible.org and search by keyword)

Directions:

• Write Pit Thoughts at the top of the horrible colored paper.
• Write His Thoughts at the top of the happy colored paper.
• On the Pit Thoughts paper, write down the negative thoughts you have…yes, those that keep you from believing you are loved and a wonderful work of God.
• On the His Thoughts paper, write down Bible verses, quotes, thoughts, song lyrics that tell you God’s thoughts about you.

(p. 238, What Women Want:  The Life You Crave and How God Satisfies, Bergren & Price)

Here are some Pit Thoughts common to us all and His Thoughts to conquer them (found on page 15).

- I can’t forgive myself.  I feel so guilty.

He forgives me.  I need nothing more than that (I John 1:9).

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

- My life is so hard; he must hate me.

He loves me and I can learn more about his love, even through these hard times (Hebrews 12:11).

“Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous:  nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.”

- He doesn’t know the real me.

He knew me in my mother’s womb (Psalm 139:13)

“For thou hast possessed my reins:  thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.”

- I am unworthy.

Christ has made me righteous.  (Romans 3:22)

“Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe:  for there is no difference.”

- I do not deserve love.

I am loved and forgiven and worthy in Christ (I John 4:9).

“In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.”

(p. 15, What Women Want:  The Life You Crave and How God Satisfies, Bergren & Price)

I urge you beloved to God, think on these truths!

For more of My Walk Monday, visit Carolyn and Mr. Linky at Scrapping Servant.

A Hug for Your Funny Bone

Cozy and warm! Am I absolutely bananas?  Could be!  All I can say is . . . this tickels my funny bone and makes me laugh! Join me in the laughter . . . click on the laughing donkey for more fun!

Aloha Friday - Just Relax

Aloha, Everyone!  Join me in Aloha Friday with Kailani at An Island Life.

Today’s Question:

What do you do to RELAX?

My Answer:

Here are my top three:  Read a book.  Take a hot bubble bath.  Lay in the sun.

Join in the Aloha Friday fun.  Add your name and blog to Mr. Linky at Kailani’s post for today’s Aloha Friday.

Sweet Caroline by Rachel Hauck & Contest!

I loved this book!  Such an enjoyable read.  Of all the books I have read in my lifetime, some have made me cry…some have made me laugh…some have sent a chill down my spine…this one made me hungry!  Each chapter begins with a delicious mouth watering menu.  Let me tell you, it was Bubba’s Buttery Biscuits that made me drool.

Bubba’s Buttery Biscuits

3 cups self-rising flour
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces and chilled, plus 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted for brushing the tops
1 1/4 cups buttermilk

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Place the flour and chilled butter in a medium mixing bowl. Work the butter into the flour with a pastry cutter, a fork, or your fingertips until the butter pieces are a little larger than an English pea, but not larger than a lima bean. If you are using your fingers, work quickly so that the heat of your hands won’t melt the butter.

Pour in all of the buttermilk and, using light pressure, fold the mixture a few times with a plastic spatula until it holds together. Do not over mix. In order to make light biscuits, it is important to work the dough as little as possible.

Turn the dough out onto a floured board and knead it quickly and gently 6 to 10 times or until it begins to be almost homogenized. There will be large pieces of butter throughout. Sprinkle a little flour under the dough so that it won’t stick to the board and lightly dust the top of the dough so that it won’t stick to the board and lightly dust the top of the dough so that it won’t stick to the rolling pin. Roll the dough out to about 1/2-inch thickness.

Cut the dough into 2-inch rounds, place on an ungreased baking sheet, and bake in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes. I like the biscuits to be crispy and brown on the top and bottom, but not dry in the middle. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and brush the tops of the biscuits with the melted butter. Serve right away. (recipe from Louis Osteen)

About the Book:

Caroline Sweeney has always done the right thing–the responsible, dependable thing–unlike her mother who abandoned her family. But when her best friend challenges her to accept an exciting job adventure in Barcelona , Spain , Caroline says “yes” to destiny.

Then, without warning, ownership of the run-down cafe where she’s been waitressing falls right into Caroline’s lap. While she’s trying to determine the cafe’s future, handsome Deputy Sherriff J.D. Rand captures Caroline’s heart.

But when her first love, Mitch O’Neal, comes back to town, fresh from the heat of his newly-found fame as a country music singer in Nashville , Caroline must make some hard choices about love and the pursuit of the sweet life.

About Rachel:

I’m a forty-something, a child of the ’60’s, ’70’s, ’80’s, ’90’s and ’00’s.

I roller skated through the ’70’s into the ’80’s with Farrah Fawcet hair and a three-speed orange Camero.

Born in Ohio , I lived several years in Oklahoma and Kentucky before my parents moved the family to Florida .

I graduated from Ohio State University (Go Buckeyes!) with a degree in Journalism. As a member of Phi Mu sorority, I partied my way though the last few years of college.

But, the truth is, and always will be, I belong to Jesus. At the age of six, I knelt at the altar of a Tulsa Methodist church and gave my life to the One who loves me.

After graduation, hired on at Harris Publishing as a software trainer, determined to see the world. And I did it without a laptop, a cell phone, an IPod or portable DVD player. Those were hard times.

But, I traveled to Ireland , Spain , Venezuela , Mexico , Australia , Canada and the U.S. from California to Maine . But, life on the road is difficult. Working twelve to fourteen hour days, one doesn’t get to see many of the sites. In Ireland , our company’s distributor drove me around at night so I could see something of Dublin .

I met Tony, my husband, in ‘87, at church, of all places. We got married in ‘92. Tony has been a pastor for twenty years. I’ve worked with him in eighteen of those twenty. Our heart is to see teens and adults passionate, radical and whole hearted for Jesus.

Tony and I don’t have any children of our own, lots of kids-in-the-Lord and we love them all. However, we do have a very spoiled dog, and an even more spoiled cat.

I’ve always wanted to be a writer. My dad used to tell me, “You’re a writer.” I have letters he wrote me post college, exhorting me to write. In this, I believe he had the heart of God.

In ‘93, I started an epic WW2 novel with two plots. It was well rejected. After that ordeal, I took a break and put efforts into my job as a software project manager. But, I missed writing and in late ‘ 99, I took up the craft again.

With a little help from my friends, my first book was published in ‘ 04, Lambert’s Pride, a romance novel. I love writing chick lit and romance. I love writing. What an honor.

Win this wonderful basket!

About the Contest:

Sign up for Rachel’s newsletter and you’ll be entered to win a super cool apron, a signed copy of Pat Conroy’s Low-Country cookbook, a pie plate, rolling pin, and oven mit.

Contest Link:  Scrumptious Baking Basket Giveaway

One more thing… share your comfort food recipes here.  Leave a comment.  Thanks!

Aloha Friday - Sugar ‘n Spice

Welcome to Aloha Friday, Everyone!  I’m joining Kailani for Aloha Friday.  Won’t you join us?

Today’s Question:

What do you do to keep your sugar and spices from sticking together?  Add rice?  Add a bread?

My Answer:

I’ve tried rice.  I need to do something and soon!  Living in tropical Brisbane means sugar ‘n spice gets sticky with all the humidity.  Help!

Girl Talk Thursday - Book in A Bag

Thursdays are for Girl Talk.  I’m joining Mommie Daze in her Girl Talk meme on Thursdays.   You can join too…just add yourself to Mr. Linky at Mommie Daze’s Girl Talk post.

Girls, do we love books?  Oh, yeah!  I know I sure do.

Girls, do we love bags?  Mmmm hmmm!  I do!  I do!

I have bookshelves buckling from a bounty of books.  Do you?

I only wish I had a closet full of beautiful bags.  Let me think…how many bags do I own?  One pink purse, one brown hand bag…that’s only two.  I own two purses.  How many do you own?

Don’t get me wrong, I love purses.  I just love eating, being warm, and having a roof over my head more.  Good news, though!  Harper Collins is giving away stylish handbags filled with fiction!

I’ve entered to win one of these beautiful handbags filled with great reads.  What are you waiting for?  You’ll want to bookmark the page because Harper Collins gives a bag of books away each month!

My Walk Monday - Thoughts on Matthew 11

“Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am lowly and meek in heart:  and ye shall find rest unto your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”  Matthew 11:28-30

These are perhaps the most familiar verses in Matthew chapter 11, bringing must comfort and joy to so many.  Indeed, Jesus is the only ONE where we can find true rest.  These may quite well be the most recognizeable verses from Matthew 11…found at the end of the chapter.

Do you know how the chapter starts?

John the Baptist is in prison and hears about the works of Christ.  Yes, exactly, those I mentioned in the last My Walk Monday.  News had made it to John in prison about Jesus doing miraculous and wonderous things.  Sending two of his disciples to find out if all that he’d been hearing is true, John sat and waited in his prison cell.

“Jesus answered and said unto them, Go shew John again those things which ye do hear and see:  The blind receive their sight, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.”  Matthew 11:4-5

How exciting!  John’s disciples received their answer directly from Jesus! I don’t know about you, but I have often overlooked this part of Matthew chapter 11.  Always turning to the end of the chapter for the promise of rest from my weariness.  Verses 4 and 5 brought tears to my eyes as I read them last night, imagining Jesus confirming John’s hope.  Yes!  All that you have heard is TRUE!

Now, who is going to think twice about coming to Jesus when heavy laden?  Keep in mind verses 4 and 5 as you approach verses 28 through 30.  Oh, how He loves you and me

*****

For more of My Walk Monday, visit Caroline at Scrapping Servant and join us every Monday with your Walk!

Check This Page Often - “Joyful Finds”

Are you keeping up with the contests and giveaways I regulary post on my constests and giveaways page?  Were you aware that I had such a page?  Have a look there in my sidebar under “Pages”.  See “Joyful Finds (Contests, Giveaways, Etc.)” …click it.  It will take you to the many contests I find while browsing the blogosphere.

Enter these current Contests and Giveaways:

Win $Cash in July

Eden’s Boutique Giveaway

One Scheme of Happiness Contest

Great Cherry Blossoms Giveaway

$100 in Summer Money

Win $50 via PayPal

Sweet Treats Giveaway

If you have a contest or giveaway you’d like me to announce here, please leave the details in a comment.