I love Thanksgiving. I love the food, the family and the reminder to stop and be thankful for all of my life. For the last couple of years, our family has done a Thankful Tree as a reminder to be purposefully thankful during the month leading up to Thanksgiving. But this year, life got in the way (and I procrastinated) and we haven’t started yet. Since Thanksgiving is next week, I went on the hunt for some meaningful Thanksgiving traditions that us procrastinators still have plenty of time to do.

We’ll be making Gratitude Rolls from Jen at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam. So simple if you use a tube of crescent roll dough.

Silverbox Creative Studio has created a beautiful, FREE printable that you can use to make napkin rings, a paper garland or paper tags. Each strip has a spot to write what you’re thankful for.

Here’s another free printable from Sissy Print! You can use it to play the “I am Thankful For” Guessing Game!

How about making a Thanksgiving leaf garland with your kids on Thanksgiving morning?

I love this Blessings String from Southern Living. You could just wind the string around the tabletop and let people add tags with their own words during the meal.

Get a jump start on your Christmas paper chain garland by putting out strips of scrapbook paper and asking everyone to write down what they’re thankful for. Thank you Little Birdie Secrets! What a wonderful way to tie the two holidays together!

I love the Thanksgiving Journal tradition shared by Just Something I Made. What a great way to see how your family changes and grows over the years.

I got tears in my eyes when I saw this Thanksgiving Tablecloth shared by From Glitter to Gumdrops. What a precious treasure.

Does your family have any special Thanksgiving Day traditions?

The Procrastinators Guide to Meaningful Thanksgiving Traditions is a post from: A Soft Place to Land

I spotted this on Pinterest a few weeks ago and tracked down the original source for the artwork. You can download the free printable version over at Sweet Blessings. I’m thinking that I need to wallpaper my kitchen with it.

My weak little heart must be constantly reminded that I don’t need to compare myself to other people. It sucks the joy right out of living.

Can I Get an Amen? is a post from: A Soft Place to Land

I have a confession to make. There was a time in my life when entertaining at home stressed me out. A lot. And it was my own fault.

I made entertaining too complicated.

Every gathering turned into a major party, because I didn’t understand the joy that comes from connecting with just a few friends over dinner. I pulled out my fancy cookbooks and tried out fancy new recipes that didn’t always work out. I scrambled to finish complicated decorations and my mood always suffered. I smiled on the outside, but by the time my guests arrived, I was stressed and tired. It was impossible for me to relax and enjoy my company.

The more I tried to entertain this way, the more reluctant I became. It was too hard.

Then something began to change. People came into my life who made it look easy, so I studied them. And I began to realize that the best hostesses weren’t the ones who cooked a fancy meal or had an immaculate home. The best hostess was the one who enjoyed connecting with her company. All the other stuff was unimportant.

In July of 2008, my husband and I moved into a new house. We were convinced that the Lord wanted us to be very open with our home. We needed to connect with our family and friends in a more personal way.

I knew that I had to keep it simple if we were going to open our home to company more frequently. Summer has become my favorite time to entertain and this is my go-to meal. It lets me spend my time focused on my guests and not myself.

Hot dogs on the grill. That’s all. Not hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken and kielbasa. Just hot dogs. I’m a bit of a hot dog snob, so I get the all meat ones from the butcher. But they’re still just hot dogs.

A big bowl of juicy watermelon. Sometimes it’s cantaloupe or honeydew depending on that I find at the store. Not fancy tropical fruit salad with lemon basil dressing. Just a big bowl of cut fruit. Delish!

Corn on the cob served straight from the stove. Nothing screams summer to me like yummy corn on the cob rolled in butter and sprinkled with salt. And nothing could be easier to make. Just shuck it on the back porch (I sometimes ask my guests to do this) and steam it in a big pot for 5-6 minutes. Done.

The condiments go right on the table. No sense dirtying up more dishes for serving ketchup.

Dessert is easy too. I let someone else bring it. Someone always asks “What can I bring?”. So I ask them to bring dessert and I always have popsicles in the freezer for the kids. Easy as pie…or cake…or pudding.

And, in case you’re wondering, that lemonade up there is Country Time.

Keeping things simple has made all the difference for me. I love being able to connect with my guests when I’m not stressed and tired.

Linking up to Centsational Girl’s Summer Linky!

Check out Sandy’s 30 Days of Summer Entertaining for lots of beautiful inspiration.

What’s you’re favorite summertime dinner?

It’s Summertime and the Entertaining is Easy is a post from: A Soft Place to Land

I’ve shared before that I’m a major magazine junkie. I have so many subscriptions that I love and enjoy. This Old House, Southern Living, BHG, Coastal Living, and on and on. My problem is that I can’t part with my magazines once I’ve read them! Same goes for home decorating catalogs like Pottery Barn, Restoration Hardware and Ballard Designs.

They’re so full of great ideas that I hate to throw them away. And so my house is becoming overrun with old magazines. They’re on shelves, in boxes, on end table and in those magazine organizer thingies. Hoarder, anyone?

Since I subscribe when Amazon has a super sale and I pay with gift cards earned from Swagbucks, they’re usually really cheap or free, so I view my subscriptions as an inexpensive treat.

But I began to see images of my children being crushed by stacks of falling magazines.

This weekend, I finally accepted that I’ll never go back through all my old magazines to find the great ideas. By the time I get to that job, the ideas would probably be so ridiculously outdated. Shag carpet, anyone? Besides, I’m much more likely to get online and search for ideas than I am to browse through old catalogs.

It would have been great if I had been cutting out the inspiring pictures and articles along the way but that didn’t happen. Do I really think I’ll find the time to go back through hundreds of old magazines and do it now? Probably not.

So, I let them go. I pulled out the big garbage can and put them all together for recycling. I wish I had weighed all the bags but I’m willing to bet that I got rid of at least 200 lbs of magazines. That’s an entire person!

The only ones that I kept were my favorite cooking magazine…Cook’s Illustrated. The BEST cooking magazine, in my opinion. And the only one that I happily pay full-price for.

Going forward, I’m going to start cutting out articles and pictures that I want to remember. And I’ll try to organize them in binders like We Are Not Martha recommends. Or maybe I’ll use this simpler system from Org Junkie.

If you’re a techie, you could try organizing your magazine clippings digitally.

I’ve got to tell you…it felt so freeing to finally get rid of that excess clutter! Is there something in your home (or your life) that’s taking up space? If you don’t use it, let it go!

Magazine Junkies, Avert Your Eyes is a post from: A Soft Place to Land

A couple of days ago, I lamented the excess “stuff” we have in our house. It’s making me crazy and I was toying with the idea of having a garage sale to get rid of some stuff.

But I had all sorts of reasons why I couldn’t do it…It’s September (not exactly prime yard sale season in PA). No one will come. I can’t get ready in time. It might be windy (rainy, snowy or too sunny).

Most of my “stuff” was bought for a steal (cause I’m a killer thrifter, y’all), so it all feels like some sort of retail victory. I can’t sell all my prizes!

But the real reason I feel compelled to hold onto my stuff…Even when it’s making me crazy…is that I find myself thinking about all the “what ifs”. What if I find a space for that stuff? What if we move? What if I rearrange and want to use different stuff? What if someone else can use my stuff? What if a herd of marauding zombies rampages through my house and breaks all the upstairs stuff and I need to fill in with the basement stuff?

All valid points, I suppose (except the zombies, of couse). But in exchange for all this excess stuff, I’m giving up my time, peace, contentment, space and money. I’m not being a good steward of what I have and I’m filling my (somewhat limited) brain space with too much unimportant “stuff”. It’s not worth it.

A tiny bit of the “stuff” I’ll be selling.

The Nester is writing about “stuff” this week too. There must be something in the air…or ON the air. Have you all watched Hoarders on A&E yet. GAH!

One quote from Nester’s post brought it all into focus for me. She said…

If I’m so great a finding a deal, I’ll find it again later, right?

DUH! Right? I don’t need to exercise my thrifting prowess in anticipation of some need (or want). I can wait until that need happens and THEN look for a bit of stuff.

So now I’m loading up the garage with my stuff and I’ll be trying to sell if next Saturday (September 18th). If it doesn’t sell, its going into the van and straight to Goodwill. I’m breathing easier already.

Attn locals!!! If you’re in SW Pennsylvania and feel like checking out my sale, friend me on facebook or email me or something so I can see you’re a real person and not a marauding zombie. If you can do that, I’ll give you my address and you can come get some of my stuff.

You Convinced Me! is a post from: A Soft Place to Land

It’s no secret that I like stuff. Mostly pretty stuff for my house, but I’m an equal opportunity stuff-lover. And I’m gifted at finding good stuff. Cheap. I find stuff in the clearance aisle, at the Goodwill and the antique store. And occasionally, by the side of the road.

I love the things that I use to decorate my home. Most of them have a story and I get real pleasure out of making my home pretty.

But sometimes it becomes too much. All my pretty things start to look like this. I start to feel suffocated by the stuff. I look around my house (and my basement!) and all I see is too much stuff. It all looks like clutter and junk.

My soul (and my inner housekeeper) becomes restless to be free of excess stuff. It’s a cyclical thing with me. I gather, collect and save. Then I purge, eliminate and simplify. My hubby is a big fan of the second part of this cycle.

I am so blessed that I have the luxury of too much stuff. But too much stuff can be a curse. Too much stuff can weigh you down and sap your energy.

So, all of this naval gazing leads to one question…Is it too late in the season to hold a garage sale? (We’re in Pennsylvania.) If not, do you think I can get ready by this weekend?

photo credit: Steven Snodgrass

The Stuff of Stuff is a post from: A Soft Place to Land

I have a confession to make. There was a time in my life when entertaining friends and family stressed me out. A lot. And it was my own fault.

I made entertaining too complicated.

Join me at Reluctant Entertainer today to read about my simple summer entertaining philosophy.

It’s Summertime and the Entertaining is Easy is a post from: A Soft Place to Land

Someday, when I’m independently wealthy (a girl can dream), I’m going to have fresh flowers in my home every day. Until then, I’ll have to settle for the occasional Sam’s Club bouquet. But there’s something so welcoming about flowers, don’t you think? Flowers are good for the heart and soul.

One of my goals for this spring is to plant a small cutting garden in the backyard. A cutting garden is a small (or large!) garden grown specifically so that you can have cut flowers for fresh bouquets.

Here are a few great articles on the topic:

Canadian Living: How to Plant a Cutting Garden
BHG: Best Perennials for Cutting
BHG: Best Annuals for Cutting

Don’t have room for a garden? How about a container garden on your porch or balcony? Life on the Balcony wrote a great series on Cutting Flowers in a Container Garden.

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Catch up with our Make Your Home More Welcoming Series. Like so many other things, I got off to a roaring start with this series. Then I got distracted by something shiny.

Challenge #1: Greet them the right way
Challenge #2: Clean up YOUR entryway
Challenge #3: Turn on some music
Challenge #4: Get them a drink
Challenge #5: Make it Smell Good
Challenge #6: Make Them Something Yummy
Challenge #7: Use the Good Stuff
Challenge #8: Foof Up YOUR Entry Door
Challenge #9: Turn on Some Lamps

Make Your Home More Welcoming With Flowers is a post from: A Soft Place to Land

Remember all those candles from yesterday. I pulled some out and, for about 10 minutes, they looked like this in my dining room. Pretty, right?

I think my boys like when I start moving things around. In their eyes, any new display is just a new playground for Star Wars guys. I’m ok with that.

Sometimes they put things back the way they found them. Sometimes they sprout wings and fly. (I was still fooling around with the display when Luke and Vader arrived.)

I’m not, by nature, one of those super layed-back moms. My instinct is to say things like “stop! put that back! clean it up! don’t mess with that!” I have to work on being relaxed (that sounds funny doesn’t it?) But it’s worth it because I like to think that they’ll remember Epic Battles in The Forest of Tall Candles.

They definitely won’t remember that mommy had the prettiest candle display on the block.

Decorating WITH Children is a post from: A Soft Place to Land

Random pretty picture because I can’t stand
starting a post without a picture.

This is a re-post from 368 days ago. There isn’t any Christmas yakk on my chandelier and I made the paper chains using staples this year, but the sentiment remains the same. It seemed appropriate to share this again today.

Today’s post is all about being real. With all of you and with myself. I love blogging. I love sharing my life and my home with you, my dear friends…And getting to know you through a glimpse into your lives. But it’s just that. A glimpse.

As much as I love blogging, I think it has one major danger (aside from being the cause of hungry children with no clean clothes). The danger is that we begin to think that everyone else is doing “it” better than we are. “It” is whatever we’re struggling with. Everyone else has better behaved children, is a sweeter, gentler mother and wife, is a better housekeeper, decorator, whatever.

It’s the power of the edit and the zoom lens.

So in the interest of encouraging you before we all spin off into the business of celebrating Christmas, I’m going to get real.

Do you remember these adorable children who were sweetly waiting for their blueberry muffins? As I am writing this post, the older one is enjoying some time alone in his room because he SCREAMED at his younger brother and shoved him off the couch. But don’t you go feeling sorry for that baby boy. He spent some time in the naughty chair earlier today for clonking his big brother on the head with Thomas the Train.

And these beautiful scrapbook paper chains that you all raved about? The scrapbook tape that we used isn’t holding. Every few minutes, I hear a flick and a shuffle as a loop pops open and part of the chain falls to the ground. Repairs will be made with staples.

Allow me to share my dining room. It has looked like this for a month. Actually, this is pretty good. I cleaned up for an hour last night. The dining room becomes my dumping ground for all my projects. At Christmas, that gets a little out of control.

And that Christmas yakk on the chandelier? My failed attempt at creating something beautiful. It’s OK. I know it’s a hideous mess. And I have no intention on trying to fix it. I am done. No more decorating. I’ve got plastic bins that haven’t been opened and another tree that will have to stay in it’s box until next year. I’ll enjoy what is done and that’s that.

And in case you think I’m all sweetness and light…let me assure you that Monster Mommy has been hanging out at our house a little too much lately. And what’s worse is that Witchy Wifey usually travels with Monster Mommy. Let this be a pledge to my dear family that I will banish that evil duo.

So, on the off chance you thought that I had it all together, I hope this is an encouragement to you. We’re all just doing the best we can. Some days are better than others and I pray that my Lord will cover my failings.

~~~~~~~~~~

In case you were wondering, DIY Day will start tonight as usual (10 pm eastern time). I may not get around to a recap but please share any projects you’ve done recently!

Being Really Real is a post from: A Soft Place to Land

We’re trying to remember to be purposefully thankful this month so we made a Thankful Tree.

We started with a branch from the backyard.

Note: No living trees were harmed in the creation of this project.

Of course, I had to hit it with my favorite red spray paint…Krylon Banner Red. (It would have been fine au-naturale too. If you’re ok with naked sticks in your house.)

Then we put it into my Jute Twine Vase. There’s a piece of floral foam hot glued to the bottom. And some rocks for stability.

We’ll use the little paper tags to write down things that we’re thankful for throughout the month. This would be adorable if you have paper leaves to write on. But I was using what I had…paper tags. I’m hoping this will keep us in the habit of being grateful.

For the expected things…

For the sweet things…

For the things that bring tears to this mama’s eyes…

For another great idea for encouraging intentional gratitude, check out this post that Robin at Pensieve wrote for (in)courage.

And if you missed our Make Your Home More Welcoming Challenge from this morning, scroll down or check it out here.

A Thankful Tree is a post from: A Soft Place to Land

Yes! We’re still doing this series. I just got a little sidetracked by my move to WordPress.

Today’s challenge is a simple one…Turn on some lamps. Even during the day. And turn OFF those overhead lights, whenever you can.

Your home will feel warmer and more welcoming. And you’ll look even prettier by lamplight. Thinner too!

Click here for the whole Make Your Home More Welcoming Series.

You can browse all of our challenges and join in any time. Just click here to see the whole series.

Make Your Home More Welcoming – Challenge #9 is a post from: A Soft Place to Land

Foof up your entry way door.

Today’s “welcoming” idea came right from one of my readers, Lynda from Ramblings of a Sports Mad Southern Girl.

I spend a lot of time making wreaths and pretty things for my front door. I love doing it and it makes the front of the house look great. I can’t believe it never occurred to me to give the same treatment to the door that our family uses.

Today, we’re going to hang something pretty on the door that our family usually uses. For me, that’s the door from the garage into our kitchen. Maybe you use your front door and you already have something pretty hanging there. In that case, yay you! Now go hug someone.

I have no shortage of wreaths, so that’s what I’ll do. You can browse all of our challenges and join in any time. Just click here to see the whole series.

photo credit: Puzzler4879

Make Your Home More Welcoming – Challenge #8 is a post from: A Soft Place to Land

Use the good stuff.

Do you have a china cabinet full of wedding china (or Grandma’s china or thrift store china?) that only gets pulled out for a holiday or special occasion? How about some pretty glasses that don’t get used because they’re fragile? Is it REALLY the end of the world if one gets broken?

What’s the point? Let’s get out the good stuff and use it for our own family. Now, I’m not telling you to use Grandma’s china if that’s going to mean hours of hand washing afterward, but if it can go in the dishwasher…why not?

Me? I’m going to pull out some fun appetizer plates that I only use for parties and use them to serve lunch to the kids. Fun, right? And easy.

And I’m going to pull out my fancy goblets and use them for dinner.

Do you have something special that you don’t use. Get it out and give it a spin! Maybe there’s a bottle of champagne in the back of your fridge that’s just waiting for a special occasion.

I say Monday is a special occasion. How about you?

You can browse all of our challenges and join in any time. Just click here to see the whole series.

photo credit DeusXFlorida

Make Your Home More Welcoming – Challenge #7 is a post from: A Soft Place to Land

Make them something yummy.

Even if you regularly have a homemade dinner on the table at 6pm sharp (I don’t!), there’s something extra special about having a little something sweet made for the one’s you love.

It doesn’t have to be some takes-all-day project. I’m a huge fan of popping some break-and-bake or slice-and-bake cookies in the oven. It makes the house smell divine and when you serve them with a glass of cold milk, you’ll get no complaints.

If you’re looking for something a little more special (but still easy), try my Apple and Pear Crisp Fake Out. No one will EVER guess how easy it is.

You can browse all of our challenges and join in any time. Just click here to see the whole series.

photo credit: ilmungo

Make Your Home More Welcoming – Challenge #6 is a post from: A Soft Place to Land

Make it smell good.

I don’t know about you, but in our house we have 2 young boys. That means our house can smell like all sort of funkiness if I don’t keep a breeze blowing.

Today’s challenge is so simple…just make it smell good. That could mean lighting those fancy candles (what are you waiting for, anyway?) or maybe you could bake something yummy.

It doesn’t get any easier, right?

You can browse all of our challenges and join in any time. Just click here to see the whole series.

Make Your Home More Welcoming – Challenge #5 is a post from: A Soft Place to Land

Get them something to drink.

Such a simple thing to do. It’s one of the first things that I do whenever a friend comes over. It’s usually the 3rd question I ask a guest…right after “How are you?” and “Did you bring me a present?”. I ask “Can I get you something to drink?”

There’s something welcoming and sociable about getting someone a beverage.

So today, I challenge you to pour a drink for the people you love without them even asking. The Hubster has a long drive home and usually grabs a can of Diet Coke with Splenda when he gets home. Today, I’ll pour it over ice for him before he walks in the door.

I’m thinking that I should change the title of this series to “Make Yourself More Welcoming.” But, we’re kind of committed now, so we’ll stick with what we’ve got.

You can browse all of our challenges and join in any time. Just click here to see the whole series.

photo credit: DRP via flickr

Make Your Home More Welcoming – Challenge #4 is a post from: A Soft Place to Land

Turn on some music! Really. It’s that simple. Just turn it on!

What does your home sound like? I’m a big believer that music soothes the savage beast. Whether that’s my kids or me, I’ll leave to you to decide.

I just know that when we reach the witching hour (that hour before dinner), turning on some music makes things a little better.

There are times when I’m cooking dinner and I can feel the tension rising. If I stop to listen, I’ll usually realize that I have the news on the TV (loud enough to hear it in the kitchen) and the kids are ramping up their noise to compete with it. Everyone is hungry and we’re ready for daddy to get home.

My irritation is rising by the minute and The Hubster usually walks in the door just as I’m about to explode.

I have found that the simple act of turning off the TV and turning on some music changes the mood. My mom bought us one of those under cabinet cd players like this onefor our kitchen a few years back. Thanks Mom! And I like to think that walking into a house with some tunes playing feels really welcoming.

I’ll leave the tunes selection to you but two of our faves are:

Jack Johnson – Sing-A-Longs & Lullabies for the Film Curious George (The kids remember the music from the movie and Jack Johnson chills me right out. A total crowd-pleaser.)

and

Louis Armstrong – All-Time Greatest Hits (Fun enough for the kids. Cool enough for mom.)

Photo credit: Ian Hayhurst

You can browse all of our challenges and join in any time. Just click here to see the whole series.

Make Your Home More Welcoming – Challenge #3 is a post from: A Soft Place to Land

Clean up your entryway.

I’m not talking about making a beautiful wreath to hang on your front door. That’s for your guests…and for yourself, if you’re a wreath-loving fool like me.

I’m talking about getting rid of the clutter and mess that’s going on in the entrance that your family uses. For me, that’s the door from our garage.

We’re lucky that we have a little mudroom area between the garage and the kitchen. The problem is that it becomes a dumping ground for shoes, book bags, grocery bags, library books, stray dogs and pizza boxes. It makes me cringe every time I walk into it.

We have big plans for a wall unit with a bench and hooks and shelves. Plans, but no funds. In the meantime, I’ve done nothing with it.

Today, I’m going to clean it up. I’m going to find places for all of the clutter that has made it’s permanent home in our entry way. I’m not usually one to show you the “before” without the “after” pictures, but we’re in this together. This is what I’m doing today too.

What if you don’t have a mudroom? I know most people don’t. So how does your family get into your house? What can you do to make it more welcoming? Does it need picked up? Can you add a little table with a bowl where you can drop your keys on the way into the house?

Do you have room for a little chair where you can stop to take off your shoes?

How about a hook on the wall for a coat?

Need a little inspiration?
Key Catcher @ The DIY Show Off
Informal entry way checklist @ Pure Style Home
Solution for lack of an entryway @ Apartment Therapy
DIY coat rack @ My Backyard Eden

You can browse all of our challenges and join in any time. Just click here to see the whole series.

Make Your Home More Welcoming – Challenge #2 is a post from: A Soft Place to Land

The topic of having a more welcoming home has been on my mind lately. When I think about having a warm and welcoming home, I usually think about how guests feel when they enter my home.

But lately, I’ve been wondering how my own family feels when they get home. There’s nothing wrong with wanting guests to feel welcome and at home. In fact, I love doing that! But sometimes I wonder what would happen if I consciously spent that same time and energy making my own family feel at home.

For the next couple of weeks, I’m going to be issuing you some challenges. Simple things that you can do to make your home more welcoming to your own family. Don’t worry. You won’t be alone because I’ll be doing these things in my home too.

This means I’ll probably be posting multiple times a day on some days. I hope you can stand it.

So let’s get to it!

Make Your Home More Welcoming – Challenge #1

What if we greeted our own family with the same attitude and and enthusiasm as we greet our guests? With a big smile, a welcoming hug and a warm “Welcome Home”!

I’ll admit I’m often busy or preoccupied when The Hubster gets home from work. On a good day, he may get a quick “Hi Hon” and not much more. What’s worse is on a bad day, he might get that “Hi” accompanied by snarling or sighing and a barked order to take care of this kid or pick up that mess. I’m a real charmer on those days.

So today, I’m going to make a purposeful effort to greet my own family with the same love and enthusiasm as I would greet a guest. For me, that will probably mean a big smile, a hug and an undistracted conversation. And this doesn’t just apply to The Hubster. I’m going to give the kids this same treatment.

And if you’re the one arriving home to your family, what if you made a purposeful effort to come home with a loving attitude, a cheerful smile and a warm greeting?

Let’s get to it. Go hug somebody.

You can browse all of our challenges and join in any time. Just click here to see the whole series.

Make Your Home More Welcoming – Challenge #1 is a post from: A Soft Place to Land

This inspiring, motivating and comforting guest post comes from Sandy at 4 Reluctant Entertainers.

Sandy began encouraging me to practice hospitality before she ever knew who I was. You’re going to love her too.

Kimba’s like my sister, so when she said, hey can you guest for me? I was on it! That’s just what sisters do for each other. I’d love it if Kimba could bring her family out to Oregon for dinner at my house, but living across the United States from each other, it’s hard to make that happen.

In the meantime, as summer winds down, we’re still enjoying outdoor dinners and entertaining in our backyard.

One of my favorite tablecloths, made from oilcloth, is perfect for outside entertaining. You can make a mess and it wipes right up. It also doesn’t fade in the sun, which I love, and it’s bright and cheery!

Last week my daughter had her soccer team over and we made the Ice Cream Trough. It was messy – the girls diving in and whipped cream going everywhere – but it wiped right up! You don’t even have to throw the tablecloth in the washing machine. It’s that easy!

Since we’re in the middle of a kitchen remodel, I’ve taken a very simple approach to entertaining (yep, paper cups!)

And our summer garden goodness is always the best hot off the grill!

Veggies

Potatoes

Parsnips

Simple tomatoes and basil

Thank you for sharing your encouraging post with us, Sandy. If you can still entertain and practice hospitality while your kitchen is in your garage, I can do it too. I am so blessed to know you and I can’t wait till you fly your pretty self across the country to visit.

Sandy’s mission is to help reluctant hostesses become confident and gracious and to inspire the experienced hostess who is stuck in an entertainment rut. She does both of those things beautifully.

Simple Entertaining is a post from: A Soft Place to Land

Please welcome Rachel Ann from Home Sanctuary. In Rachel’s own words, “”Home Sanctuary” sums up a lot of what my life is about. As a wife and mom, I’m always looking for ways to make our home life a refuge and place of grace for the ones I love most.”

‘And remember one thing, my darlings, and never forget it: that no matter where we are, know that as long as you have each other, you have your family. And you are home.’
~a letter, A Series of Unfortunate Events

I borrowed my daughter’s car, which has no air conditioning, to run some errands the other day. The blistering trip to town immediately transported me back in time, to a series of unfortunate events that happened almost sixteen years ago.

We’d found ourselves in desperate straits: Health issues and emotional stress forced my husband to abruptly leave the company he’d built for 10 years. With no college degrees, a mortgage to pay, two small children and a baby on the way, we had no idea what to do next.

And did I mention that we had only one car….with no air conditioning?

When our money ran out, we did what we never thought we would do: we rented out our house and moved in with my husband’s parents for a year until we could get back on our feet.

Stuffed into the two spare rooms my in-laws graciously offered, we were humbled, yet grateful for the chance to start over. They gave us sanctuary.

My husband drove me to and from my temp job in our un-airconditioned car (because I’d managed to wreck our other one), the catalyst for my sweaty reverie that day. He’d load the kids into the blazing hot vehicle and get into traffic for the hour and a half round trip so I could bring in some money. On the sweltering ride, I’d rest my head and wonder how we would ever get out of this predicament.

It was a year of uncertainties, with fears of the future whispering to us each night as we lay in the dark, in our borrowed beds, in those spare rooms.

Everything we’d worked so hard for was gone. All our sacrifices to build a company meant nothing. We struggled to stay hopeful. It all just seemed…lost.

Except that we still had each other. And we discovered something about the word “sanctuary” that year.

My in-laws had offered us sanctuary, but the the refuge we needed so desperately was much more than a simply a roof over our heads. We learned that sanctuary wasn’t so much a place as it was a choice.

We had to choose to turn to each other, even if the other person had disappointed us. We found refuge in our imperfect marriage. We had to circle the wagons, so to speak, wrap our arms around our little family and trust God in the midst of it. We closed our bedroom doors and read stories, had tickle fights and braided hair. We talked. We prayed. We took walks and made plans. We found pockets of joy to cherish and remember in family stories that are already legendary.

We learned that sanctuary is where you are. It’s what you make of the moments, even when all around you seems bleak. Somehow, there is grace and beauty in the hardships and uncertainties you face, because you choose to find it. And there is hope, even in the dark.

“Sanctuary… is a word which here means a small, safe place in a troubling world. Like an oasis in a vast desert or an island in a stormy sea.” ~narrator, A Series of Unfortunate Events

Note from Kimba: Whenever I have to write a few sentances about ASPTL, I always say that it is a place for practical and inspiring ideas for creating a sanctuary at home. But the reality is that I’m often distracted by spray paint and shiny things and I forget to write about the things that really matter. If you are looking for true inspiration for creating a sanctuary for your family, please visitm Home Sanctuary.

While you’re there, you can start participaing in Today’s Small Thing. Each weekday, Rachel posts one “Small Thing” that you can try to do to create a little more sanctuary in your home.

Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful story, Rachel Anne! I want to be you when I grow up!

Creating a Sanctuary at Home is a post from: A Soft Place to Land

There was a moment this weekend when poster board, marker and “Mom, I’m bored!” collided. I decided it was high time for a summer list.

This wasn’t my idea. Meg from Whatever has shared her family’s summer list for the last two years. If I wasn’t super lazy, I would go get you the links to her two posts. Sorry Meg. Instead, you can go browse around over there until you find them. Trust me. Her site is worth the browse. I want to be Meg when I grow up.

So there’s my summer list. If nothing else, the kid’s will use it to nag me until I try harder to make summer fun. They’re little accountability machines, they are. I had to add a couple for myself. “Sandbox” is easy and requires no planning, thought or effort on my part. We’ll do that one many times.

I’m thinking it will help me do a lot less of this….

And a lot more of this…

In the spirit of “It’s my blog and I’ll brag if I want to”…Yum! This picture of my man with our youngest makes me want to have 10 more babies.

What are you doing this summer?

Let’s Get This Summer Started is a post from: A Soft Place to Land

A Guest Post: Welcome Tanna Clark from Complete Organizing Solutions. Tanna is a professional organizer with a hubby and 3 kiddos.

She offers practical ideas and inspiration for getting organized as well as professional organizing services at Complete Organizing Solutions. Oh, how I need her help!!!!

First, I just want to say thank you to Kimba for the opportunity to share a few thoughts on her blog. I love the idea of “Building A Soft Place to Land”.

For me a soft place to land is home, when all is calm, the sun is pouring in, there is a gentle pitter patter here, a giggle there, everyone is happy and the house is orderly.

I’m a mom of three and a small business owner. I know it is NOT calm and pleasant ALL the time. We all have our moments. If you ever need a good verse to read when things are feeling a little out of control, read Ecclesiastes 3:1-8. Halfway through verse 3 it says, “a time to tear down and a time to build.”

Chaos happens, we get grumpy, we get behind, we get frazzled, it feels like our houses are being “torn down.” For some of us these days last much longer and everything starts to compound and get worse. Have you ever caught yourself saying…

I hear this quite often in my line of work and the number one question I always hear is where do I start?

When tackling a project like this, always start with a plan. How do you want to “build up” your home? Let your mind wander, what does your ideal space look like to you? Begin at the front door and start taking notes. Examine what is going on around you and what is going wrong. Have a trusted friend (or an organizer) help during this process. You would be surprised at some of the ideas an outside party can bring to you. They are not wrapped up in the emotion of the problem so they can give an honest opinion about what they see happening. A warning of advice, be prepared for that honesty.

Clutter and chaos do not happen over night. It builds up over time. Don’t expect to be able to fix it over night. By starting with a plan you are giving yourself time to really think it through and find solutions that will work for you and your family. If you jump into a project without having a plan to guide you first, you will be setting yourself up for overwhelm and frustration.

Now what does your soft place to land look like?

Thank you, Tanna! You hit the nail on the head when you said “where do I start?” The job of organizing feels overwhelming so thank you for the encouragement.

You can get more organizational inspiration, ideas and services at Complete Organizational Solutions.

By the way, today is Tanna’s BIRTHDAY! Happy Birthday, girl!

Help! I’m an Organizational Disaster!!!! is a post from: A Soft Place to Land

I’m thrilled to welcome Amy Clark from MomAdvice.com. MomAdvice is packed with money-saving advice, recipes, home management inspiration, and creative parenting ideas. In other words, it’s awesome!

In light of the current economic situation, I asked Amy to share her experience during her month-long No Spend Challenge.

This February our family decided to embark on a No Spend Challenge for an entire month. When I say that we did not spend money, I only mean that we bought the necessary items needed to keep us fed for the month and our budgeted amount for gas in our cars. Anything above that was considered spending and was not allowed for our family’s No Spend Challenge.

I realize that a No Spend Challenge is not a unique idea. Many personal finance advisors encourage families to take a break from spending to shed light on your spending patterns. I have seen other bloggers take on the challenge for longer lengths of time or even part of their yearly routine. Still others are forced into No Spend month because of the loss of a job, a low paying job, or have no spouse to rely on to get you through those lean times. When my husband was unemployed our No Spend Challenge went on for years it seemed and that was not by choice, but because it was simply necessary.

How lucky am I that I can choose to not spend money for a month? How rich is my life that extra spending has even been a part of my life? I feel quite blessed to know that I can make this choice and I approached our challenge with enthusiasm and excitement.

Was the No Spend Challenge difficult for us? I will admit, it was more difficult than I expected… but also very rewarding. I discovered so much about myself, my spending habits, and the strength of my family to see a challenge through.
Let me share with you a little bit about what our family learned through our No Spend Challenge.

• I am more resourceful than I gave myself credit for. Committing to stay within our grocery budget was more difficult than I had expected. I did not realize how often I ask my husband to stop off at the store for one or two items for dinner. I found that many times I could whip up some really great cooking substitutes for the ingredients I needed or I was able to make those items I would have bought.

• Cooking every night is harder than I thought. I love working from home, but it can be challenging to get all my work done and get dinner on the table. Often I am in conference calls or working on a project until my husband gets home. I do love to cook, but I also love the occasional break so I can just relax. I realized during this month how often we actually do eat out. Trying to be inventive in the kitchen every single day was a challenge. I discovered that a box of macaroni or sandwich night was a wonderful way to still give myself a night off without spending money. I also learned the art of stretching a meal as far as it could go, reinventing it, or even double-batching meals helped give me the nights off I needed when I was working.

• I can still give to others. Do you ever feel like you can make very little impact on someone because you don’t have the money to do it? I can admit that I feel that way often. There are so many around me that are affected by job loss, medical problems, and depression. Many times I feel so helpless to these situations because I don’t have the financial means or connections to help someone out of these situations. It has been weighing very heavy on my heart these days. That is why I am so proud to tell you that I was able to provide five meals for others during this month and hosted countless engagements at my house caring and serving my friends and family. You don’t have to have a lot to make a positive impact on someone else. What seemed like small gestures to me means a lot more to someone than you might think. We are so hurried, so busy, so tired. I know I often feel like I have nothing to give anyone. I realize now that a woman of small means can still give with her whole heart and make a big difference to someone else.

• My social calendar needs some revising. I never realized how many of my social engagements centered around spending money. Meeting up with friends for dinner, grabbing lunch for a play date, sharing coffee with a girlfriend are just some examples of things that are typically on my calendar. I will admit that I was a little bummed to miss some of these activities, but I was determined to approach this challenge creatively. We hit the library, we went to our friend’s houses for play dates, we packed our lunches, and I hosted my friends at my home instead. What I found was that I had a deeper connection with the people in my life when I could sit at my kitchen table and our children played at my house than I would have at a play area where I am running around after my kids and dealing with crowds.

• I feel more grounded when I am home and not spending. Since we weren’t out spending money, we ended up spending a lot more time at home. I suddenly had the time to tackle all of those projects I didn’t think I had time to do. In fact, I had time for things that I loved to do. I haven’t read a whole book in probably a year and during this month I read four entire books in one month. I baked bread. I weeded through things that needed organizing in my house. I actually got caught up with laundry a few of those days. I hung out with my children. I finally felt centered. I felt like a calendar addict who was just given permission to take four weeks off. That first week I felt the withdrawals, but by the second week it began to feel wonderful. I used my “No Spend Challenge” as my excuse to detach myself from anything and everything so I could just relax and do the things I truly enjoy.

• The best things in life really are free. Comfort food. Homemade bread. Fresh clean towels. A delicious little library book. Giggling with my friends over coffee. Playing those dusty board games. Helping others around me. Snuggles from my sweet children. Good music. Dancing with my kids. Knitting. Soaking in the tub. Warm gooey brownies. A good movie. Snuggling up with my hubby on the couch. All free and all wonderfully perfect moments.

Although my No Spend Challenge is over, I look forward to repeating this challenge each February and making it a priority to get our finances in check. I did have readers who worried that I would overspend to make up for my month of not spending. I was happy to assure them that the first thing I indulged in was a $1 Diet Coke from McDonald’s and a $20 trip to Hobby Lobby to replenish my yarn supply so I could knit some gifts.

I encourage you to start your own No Spend Challenge today. Visit our No Spend Challenge for a little inspiration today!

Thanks Amy! Your article is inspiring. Is anyone else feeling pulled to take the No Spend Challenge? The idea has been nagging at me for a while. I’ll let you know what I decide. I’m pretty sure that The Hubster will do cartwheels around the yard if I decide to go for it.

Here is just a small sampling of my favorite articles from MomAdvice:
Finding Beauty in the Ordinary
The Only Corn on the Cob I Will Ever Make Again
World’s Greatest Homemade Slushies
Sponge Ball Fun

I’m linking this post to The Inspired Room for A Beautiful Life because I think not spending could help make my left more beautiful.

The No-Spend Challenge ~~ A Guest Post is a post from: A Soft Place to Land