Short on time? Read: Hushing the House: a routine to simplify home and life. It seems almost everyone we know is in Florida, headed to Florida, or just returning home from Florida... such is the life of Michiganders in winter! Truthfully, it would be really nice to travel during "off-season" but since we're tied to Dave's school schedule, we'll just make the best of our time here at home (something we've gotten very good at over the years!) If you're also sticking around home the next few months, you must try some of the recipes and tips below! Simple Food. This month marks 3 years since I started my whole grain adventure... and surprisingly, I've never looked back! The thrill I get from finding just the right combination of grains and grinding them myself at home is so fun! I don't talk about it much on the blog because it's not exactly "simple food" but I've shared several fairly simple ways to integrate more whole grains in your meals, how to substitute whole grains into your favorite recipes, how I store my grains, where I buy them from, etc. If you're interested in whole grains (even at a very basic level) I have several non-overwhelming resources for you. Get the recipes + tips --> All my info about Whole Grains Organized Home. The winter months are my favorite time to weed through the excess stuff in our home. If you also plan to do a little decluttering this month, make sure you tackle the sentimental stuff too (don't just save it for "later" -- whenever that might be!) I've got a handful of practical solutions to help you use and enjoy all that sentimental stuff that's just sitting in the back of your basement or attic. Read more --> Practical Solutions for Sentimental Clutter Intentional Living. Do you struggle to stay on top of everything you need to do each day? Are you constantly running late and playing "catch up? Do your mornings and evenings feel frazzled and hectic? In this week's new post (+ video!) I share how the simple routine of "hushing the house" each evening has hugely positive effects on our home and life! Try it --> Hushing the House In other news... We celebrated James' 1/2 birthday this past week (you know we love celebrating half birthdays around here!) And since his birthday is in the summer, he also got to bring his birthday treat to school. He decided on snake puzzles twisted into the shape of a 6, and we made a fun tag to go along with the "6" theme. Speaking of puzzles... Our church library now offers puzzles (our town library also offers them) so we've been doing 2 to 3 medium-size puzzles every week. We keep a separate table set up in the dining room and the kids pick away at it after school, or Dave and I work on them a bit each night. Some of our favorites are the Bits & Pieces puzzles because they have larger pieces that are nice for the kids. It's such a simple, tech-free, relaxing way to enjoy time inside during winter months. I know I've said this before... and I'll certainly say it again... but if you feel overwhelmed (or even just a little annoyed) by the state of your closet, your car, your pantry, your purse, your office, etc. set a timer for 15 minutes and devote your full attention to that space. Then stop and do it again tomorrow -- you WILL notice a difference faster than you think. I had a "sourdough first" last week -- my starter bubbled over. I've been plugging away at sourdough almost as long as I've been mixing whole grains... so it's just a part of my daily routine now, but I've never had my starter overflow. I suppose there's a first time for everything! I'll leave you with a Winston Churchill quote: "We shape our buildings (or our homes), and thereafter they shape us." And a question to ponder: How is your home shaping you and your family in positive or negative ways? Enjoy the week ahead... and let me know if you try "hushing your house" or if you already have a similar daily routine. Andrea |
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