forgetfulone923

July 1 - Housekeeping goals - 50
July 2 - Dust a room - 40
July 3 - assess first aid kit - 40
July 4-5 - weekend
July 6 - exercise for 5 min. - 50
July 7 - counters 40 for one plus 30 for second

I haven't participated in Home Sanctuary's small things since December, and haven't posted about it since November, so it's time. It's overdue. So, here it is.

June 1 - washed up, laundry - 50
June 2 - summer reading list - 40
June 3 - pick up the floor 40 + 10 = 50
June 4 - desktop clean and clean - 30 + 10 = 40
June 5 - no small thing - 0
June 6-7 - weekend
June 8 - savor something - 50
June 9 - 0
June 10 - shortcut - paper plates, kids eat at church - 40
June 11 - act of kindness for my children - 40
June 12 - foot pampering - 40
June 13-14 - weekend
June 15 - check pantry, plan snacks - 0 (I wasn't home)
June 16 - delight in something - 50
June 17 - 0
June 18 - shine the sinks - 40 + 20 = 60
June 19 - trash - 50
June 20-21 - weekend
June 22
June 23
June 24
June 25
June 26
June 27-28 - weekend
June 29 milieu - 40
June 30 turn in points 30
530 total for the month of June

I have been a "company girl" since January, participating in daily "small things" challenges as often as I can. I am so excited that I am going to be able to say I participated all year! If you haven't visited Homesanctuary.com yet - please join us! You'll love Rachel Anne.

1-2 weekend
3 - true grit 50
4 - change 60
5 - no points
6 -- trash-talkin' 100
7 - skin 50
8-9 weekend
10 - no points
11 - your own corner and bonus points - 60
12 - 5 min blitz and bonus room - 90
13 - clean out fridge - 40
14 - fun with my guy - 50
15-16 weekend
17 - clearing table - 40
18 - no points
19 - no points
20 - no points
21-head start - 60
22-23 weekend
24-be a company girl - 40
25-enough-40
26 - use a plate - 50
27 Thansgiving
28 Free Day
29-30 weekend

730 total, unless my math is wrong.

My goal is to do the very best I can to achieve my mission that I set in January, and to participate in every day's small challenge, if possible.

October 1 - pockets of time - 50
October 2 - review mission - 40
October 3 - consider questions - 30
October 4-5 - weekend
October 6 - pinching pennies and sharing a tip - 60
October 7 - verse - 40
October 8 - counters - 30
October 9 - no points
October 10 - no post
October 11-12 - weekend
October 13 - no post
October 14 - pizzazz 40
October 15 - stitch in time - 50
October 16 - no points
October 17 - no points
October 18-19 weekend
October 20 - spices - 40
October 21- no guilt 50
October 22 - no points
October 23 - uncomplicate - 40
October 24 - no points
October 25-26 weekend (only 220 points so far)
October 27-sporking - 50
October 28-help child clean room - 50
October 29-no points
October 30-power suckers - 40
October 31-points and comment - 40

A friend of mine, Laura, whom our children carpooled to school with last year, lost her home due to fire. The home withstood the hurricane, and although they didn't have electricity, Laura's sister, her two neices, and her mother, the kids' grandmother, came to stay with her. (Above is an aerial view of her home prior to the fire.)

The neices had some candles lit in the back room. They think they blew them out. The grandmother was fixated on that room. She's a manic-depressive, and she was in a manic state over the clutter in the room. She went in and started tossing things around, then went outside again. Everyone was outside sitting near the pool enjoying the cool front we were being blessed with. Grandmother would not let it go - the room. Finally, Laura went to check on it just to get her mom to calm down.

The door knob burned her hand, fire singed her arm and part of her hair. The room was in flames. By the time the fire department got there, nothing was salvagable. The ceiling fans had melted, as had the sheetrock, and there is smoke damage to everything in the home, not to mention that much of their belongings are now in ashes. They literally have the clothes on their backs.

Laura is single. Her husband died in a motorcycle accident while she was pregnant with their son who is now 12 years old. She had finally bought her own home just a little over a year ago and was proud of the improvements she was adding to it. Now, it's gone. My heart aches.

I have things to donate, as I'm sure we all do, those of us that know her and live near her, but now I'm reaching out to you, my Internet friends and your friends and their friends. I am hoping to raise some money to apply toward her accomodations over the next few months. Will you help me? She'll need a place to stay, food to eat, furnishings, clothing, and deductible to pay the insurance when they finally get to her after all the hurricane victims get taken care of first. YES, she has a decent job, a good job, but these are all unexpected expenses that will really weigh her down. Everything was destroyed. I want this to be a welcome surprise for her in the next few weeks.

If you have the ability to donate ANY amount of money, please pray about it, and consider it, and if you feel it's a worthy cause, please click the donate button below and fill in the details. We will all be so grateful for any help getting her back on her feet with as much of her pride left intact as possible. Thank you for reading this.

Cake:
2 sticks butter (melted) 2 cups flour
½ cup buttermilk 1 cup water
2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla
4 tablespoons cocoa 2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon soda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Add all ingredients into a large mixing bowl and beat on medium speed. Pour into a greased 9 x 13 baking pan and bake for 40 minutes or until done. Cool cake completely before preparing frosting.


Frosting:
1 ½ cups sugar 6 tablespoons butter
½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips Chopped walnuts (about ½ cup)
6 tablespoons milk

Add butter, sugar and milk to a saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat stirring frequently. Bring to a rolling boil and boil for 30 seconds. Make sure you don’t cook it any longer than 30 seconds otherwise it will turn into fudge. Remove from heat and add chocolate chips. Stir until all chocolate has melted and the frosting is starting to thicken. Then stir in walnuts. Once frosting has thickened some (this should take a little bit), pour over cake and spread evenly.

I'm back with my points for September in Home Sanctuary's Small Things challenge.  I am so proud of myself for participating every month since January.  I even had the most points in July.  I may not have the most points in any other month, but I congratulate myself for the effort.

September 1- holiday
September 2 - none
September 3 - none
September 4 - focus (uni-task) - 40
September 5 - no points
September 6-7 weekend
September 8 - print and post verse - 40
September 9 - no points
September 10 - pick up the floor 30 one room plus 10 each extra - 50
September 11- no points
September 12 - be silly 30 + 20 for linking up - 50
September 13-14 - weekend
September 15 - corners - living room sweeping - 40
September 16 - bake from scratch?  Still thinking about this.  No flour, sugar, etc.  (hurricane)
September 17 - soap and tissue dispensers - 30
September 18 - no points
September  19
September 20-21-weekend
September 22-butter - 30
September 23-ask hubby a question, discuss - 50
September 24-shoes - 40
September 25 - squares - 50
September 26 - round of applause - 40
September 27-28-weekend
September 29 - Nursery rhyme - 110
September 30 - points - 30

It's back to school time, and I'm really going to need help keeping up since I go back to work on the 18th and the kids return to school the 25th. What better way to keep a handle on things than to do Rachel Anne's small things challenges each day? I may not be able to top my win for most points in July, but every little thing I do makes me feel good.

Why? It helps create an orderly and peaceful home, and she also reminds us to take care of ourselves. Plus, it's easy and doesn't take a lot of time to do the small tasks she suggests. Won't you join me in becoming a Company Girl? http://homesanctuary.typepad.com/rachelanne/

August 1 - Take stock and organize school supplies - 50
August 2-3 - weekend
August 4 - kitchen towels - 40
August 5 - Isaiah 43, download verse - 30
August 6-8 - no points
August 9-10 - weekend
August 11 - make beds, 30 plus 10 for each bed in the house. - 50
August 12 - finishing well (dishes and file cabinet) - 40
August 13-14 - no points
August 15-17 - 100 points for getting my planner in order.
August 18 - no points
August 19 - morning routine - 30
August 20 - no points
August 21 - plan school lunches - 40
August 22 - no points
August 23 and 24 - weekend
August 25 - divide and conquer - 40
August 26 - naturally neat - 50
Ausust 27 - 40 paper and 20 for sharing - 60
August 28 - no points
August 29
August 30
August 31

It's never too late to join Rachel Anne at Home Sanctuary and become a "Company Girl." Check it out! http://homesanctuary.typepad.com/rachelanne/

My goal this month is to complete each and every "small thing" she suggests. Here is where I keep track of my points.

July 1 - look at your home the way a guest would look at it - 50
July 2 - listen to the sounds in your home and take action - 60
July 3 - Take care of the plants - 40
July 4-6 - Days off.
July 7 - catching up on bills - 30
July 8 - toaster - 30
July 9 - spots, laundry and floor - 50
July 10 - Sweet dreams-linen spray - 40
July 11 - getting real gone - 50
July 12-13 - weekend
July 14 - clean the lids (6 salad dressings, mayo, syrup, ketchup) - 90
July 15 - print and post verse - 40
July 16 - get a lid on things organize and blog about it - 50
July 17 - minimum maintenance - 50
July 18 - weekend challenge and leave a comment - 60
July 19-20 - weekend
July 21 - fem stuff - 30
July 22 - launder bathroom mats - 40
July 23 - Summer treat - 30
July 24 - desktop and wipe screen - 40
July 25 - eyebrow management - 40
July 26-27 - weekend
July 28 - sandbagging an area - 40
July 29 - ceiling fans - 70
July 30 - serve someone else's needs 50
July 31 - email point total & leave a comment - 30

children’s book giveaway

Come visit me at http://forgetfulone.blogspot.com !

If you haven't checked out Home Sanctuary, what are you waiting for? Rachel Anne gives her readers a small task to do in our homes each day, some necessary, some for fun. Taking these small steps is a way to bring peace, order, and beauty to your home and your life. And, boy, do I need all the help I can get! www.homesanctuary.com

Here's where I will keep track of June's points.

June 2 - print and post verse - 40
June 3 - degrease the stove and sing along 50
June 4 - crack the whip and follow through 50
June 5 - check out the pantry and menu plan 50
June 9 - compliment my husband 30
June 10- filters are in good shape 50
June 16 - spruce up bedroom 40
June 17 - summer goals 40
June 23 - free points 50
June 27 - mis en place = 50

June total 450

Better than I thought I would do considering I was out of town for almost a full week, and considering some days I just didn't need or want to do the "small thing."

I have found a website called Everyday Kindness at http://theopengrove.com/everydaykindnessblog/
and I've made a committment to try to do at least one small act kindness daily. I am hoping this will help me with my depression.

Here is a start gathered from the last few weeks:

I gave the last bit of Bath & Body Works bubble bath to my step-daughter - the really yummy smelling stuff - so she could enjoy a hot soak with her new book. I have not been particularly generous with her lately, so this was a small way for me to get back in the habit.

Giving $2 to a homeless person. I don't always give money to the guys on the corner, but this one struck a chord with me, and I don't know why.

When a neighbor's car was in the shop, I let her borrow mine to make a delivery - she provides the most elegant desserts to two area restaurants.

I took a neighbor's daughter to church with us. She reciprocated and picked them up after youth group, so the kindness doubled.

Every other week, I rush from work to pick up several kids and take them home from school so their moms don't have to worry about them walking home with their band instruments. Another mom takes the week I don't have.

I helped a lady out to her car because she had two full shopping carts of items from Mardel.

5/11 - Today being Mother's Day, I was kind to my mom through gifts, dinner, and the company of myself and my kids.

5/12 - Gave solicited advice to a co-worker and researched a problem for her to help her achieve her own solution. Offered to cover a class for another teacher. Typed a paper for my daughter and her friend for a project due tomorrow.

5/20 - took my oldest step-daughter to get a membership card at the Y. And I let my neighbor borrow our printer to print color photos for her son's school project. I also took her son to his baseball game.

5/21 - Volunteered to go out in the heat with students and let another teacher stay inside in the AC.

5/22 - Helped my husband clean up an accidental mess. He wasn't expecting help, so he was pleased and surprised. It felt good.

Since I've been in such a funk the last six weeks, and there has been a lot of conflict in my house, I haven't been regularly doing my "small things" tasks recommended by Rachel Anne at Homesanctuary.com. If you haven't checked out her website, click on over. Each day, she posts a small task to do in order to bring peace, order, and beauty to your home. I need all the peace, order, and beauty I can get, so with May, I am getting back on track!

May 1 - save the day in a small way. 50
May 2 - pencil in "me" time. 30
May 9 - Girlie-girl. 40
May 12 - sweep plus bonus sweep - 60
May 14 - name your blame & do something - 60
May 19 - count fat grams and share something healthy - 80
May 21 - invitations and sharing - 50
May 23 - general cleaning and enlisting help - 60
May 27 - clean off coffee table - 30
May 28 - retro points for dusting - 20
May 30 - posting point total and comment - 30
May total - 510

Are you a Company Girl? Check out homesanctuary.com Rachel Anne will encourage you to do a daily "small thing" to make your home more comfortable, peaceful, orderly, and beautiful. You can earn points, if you choose to keep up with them, and she's giving away a great prize for April! A $25 gift card to Mardel. I love that store. Here's my progress:

April 1 - doing something silly - 50
April 2 - beginning a larger task - 30
April 3 - clean out the car - 40
April 4 - sweep entry way and clean up the welcome mat - 40
I also worked on the big job that I started April 2. Made a big dent in it.
April 7 - April's verse - 30
April 8 - pens and pencils - 30
April 9 - clean out my purse - 40
April 14 - finding your "beat" - 30
April 28 - cleaning the freezer of old or gross stuff - 30

March is a new month, and I am going to try my best to particpate in as many of Rachel Anne's "small things" as I can. I will be gone for most of spring break, and I won't have computer access, but I'm definitely going to participate while I'm at home this month.



If you're not a "company girl," won't you join us? Just go to www.homesanctuary.com. Rachel Anne provides a "small thing" challenge every weekday. We tally our points, and she gives lovely prizes to two lucky winners at the end of the month. Come join us!

March 3 - kitchen sink - 30
March 4 - print and post inspirational verse - 30
March 5 - clean up coat/shoe area - 40
March 6 - tidy up nightstand - 30
March 7 - doing something baaaad - 50
March 12 - rounding up cups, plates, - 60
I haven't done very well this month!
March 26 - fragrance in the home - 40
March 28 - show appreciation for someone - 30
March 31 - email and leave comments - 40

Have you checked out www.homesanctuary.com? Come on! What are you waiting for? We could use some more "Company Girls." It's so fun, and it helps you create beauty, order, and peace in our homes. The author of the blog, Rachel, gives us a "small thing" to do each day, and we keep track of our points. Even if I don't win, I'm making a difference in at least a small way every single day!

February 1 - do something to feel like a woman and FLIRT - 50
February 4 - print and post verse - 30
February 5 - clean shower, throw away empties and toys - 40
February 6 - clean off filthy door knobs with antibacterial stuff -30
February 8 - do your own small thing and post about it - 40
February 11 - clean the toilets, 30, 10, 10 - 50
February 12 - Connect and make memories - 40
February 13 - Teach life skills, chores, and encourage - 40
February 14 - 5 love languages - 70
February 18 - straighten desk - 40
February 19 - homes for items in the junk drawer - 60
February 21 - trash cans - 30
February 22 - make light of a situation and leave a comment - 50
February 25 - clean counters - 30
February 26 - light bulbs on the list - 20
February 27 - clean up a danger zone - 40
February 28 - wash and straighten towels - 40
700 points for the month of February! (not including Feb. 29)

I am participating in a challenge sponsored by Home Sanctuary http://homesanctuary.typepad.com/rachelanne/
and I need a way to keep track of my points. Rachel Anne, the author of the web site, suggests doing small things each day to create peace, order, and beauty in your home. I suppose I will come back to this post each time I complete a small task in order to keep track of it.

January 1 - read and post prayer - 20
January 2 - clean a loo - 20
January 4 - Mission Statement - 10
January 7 - 2 bagsful of things to recycle or give away - 40
January 8 - ask someone how you can help; make someone happy. - 30
January 10 - two loads of laundry, start to finish - 50
January 11 - get out of a rut, do things differently - 40
January 15 - storage under the bed - 20
January 16 - straighten shoes - 30
Subtotal - 260 points so far!
January 18 - light candles - 40
January 21 - bubbles! - 30
January 22 - sweep, 30, mop, 30 - 60
January 23 - get rid of stuff in the frig - 40
January 25 - tidy pet area - 20
January 28 - declutter a pile of bills and do freedom dance - 50
January 30 - clean out medicine cabinet - 30
January 31 - leave comment with points - 20

As a teacher, one of the perks, actually one of the FEW perks, is getting holidays when the kids are out of school. Ten days off, and I've had a lot to do. What did I accomplish?

Put away all the Christmas stuff
Steam Clean the Carpets (this was a rough job! I don't recommend DIY)
Clean the wood floor
Wipe the sofa and loveseat with leather cleaner
Clean the inside of the Forerunner windows and all the leather
Clean my bedroom
Mop the tile floors
Take the dog to the vet
Give the dog a bath
Update my weblog
Wash and iron the curtains and the tablecloth
Take down my daughter's curtains (awaiting new ones)
Make the kids' beds
Grade papers
Have housekeys made
Have a few soaks in the bathtub
Check out a book from the library and read
Clean all the bathrooms (one of them three times!)

What I still need to do:

Grade more papers
Plan lessons
Grocery shop
Purge clothes from my closet

Wow! I did a lot! I'm off to get more accomplished.
Update! I did the grocery shopping and got the papers graded. It's now 11:10, and I don't expect to get anything else done until tomorrow.

I want my home to be neat, clean, and inviting, one that offers warmth and acceptance to all who enter. Chores are shared by family members, and we have a feeling of peace at the end of a long work or school day. My family and I will prioritize home improvements and work toward reaching those goals, one small step at a time.

I've been awake since 4:30 AM. I'm ready to go to bed right now, but I'm waiting on hubby's phone call. I don't like to be wakened by the phone as I find it hard to go back to sleep, and I know he's going to call. I had to get up so early this morning because I had to take him and his two daughters to the airport to fly to COLORADO. Yes, separate vacations this year. Supposedly, I'm taking D and A to Orlando this summer, but we'll see. It's a looooooong story which I'll save for another day.

I'm kinda sad to be alone right now. They're off having fun in the snow, and I had to go back to work today. We didn't get the usual two weeks off this Christmas. The students did, but the teachers didn't. And D and A are at their dad's house, and have been for almost a week already, and I won't see them until Sunday.

I also feel like crap! (I almost wrote carp. I don't feel like a fish, though.) It's a woman thing, but I am in such pain right now. Not only THAT kind of pain but a terrible headache as well. I wish I could stay home tomorrow.

So, not feeling so chipper. Physically. Emotionally. I hope I feel better tomorrow.