as Jules is DIYing Archives - Page 41 of 45

Thanks Hershey’s

June 5, 2011 by Jules 3 Comments

How many of you have laundry stories? You know, the ones that involve pens, markers, wallets stuffed with valuable recites, gum, pictures, anything non-launderable. Yep, I have even washed a diaper! For real! The hubs apparently carries them in the cargo pockets of his shorts...so much for going the extra mile to checking the top 4 pockets for the infamous wallet (washed at least 3x before). But today's shout out goes to Hershey's!

THANK YOU Hershey's Krackel Miniatures for making(apparently) washable and inpinatraitable wrapping! My load of laundry was saved! How anyone could forget a Krackle in their pocket I'll never understand.

Filed Under: Cleaning, The Ones about...Stuff Tagged With: candy, Hershey's Krackel Miniatures, inpinatraitable, laundry, pocket, stories, wrapping

Taco Soup

May 31, 2011 by Jules 5 Comments

Hubs walks in at 4:15 from work. We usually eat around 5ish. I have not started dinner...TACO SOUP!

2 lbs hamburger meat (we use lean ground beef)
2 cans whole kernel corn (we use 1 large family size can)
2 cans rotel diced tomatoes
1 pkg dry taco seasoning
1 pkg dry hidden valley ranch dressing mix
1 small chopped onion (we use ~3 tsp of onion pwd- don't like the texture of actual onions)

Brown meat with onions and then drain. Combine all ingredients (can add water if you want it soupier), bring to boil, then walk away and let it simmer about 30 minutes. Make a bed of fritos, pile on the taco soup, and top with shredded cheese!

There is always more than enough for a couple rounds of left overs and this reheats fabulous!!! I didn't say it was healthy but it sure is quick and YUMMY! Enjoy!
*Thanks to Sally Hudson for this amazing receipt!

Do you have any favorite receipts you can share. Love to hear'm!

Filed Under: Baking and Cooking, Being a Help-Meet Tagged With: fast, feeding, grocery list, home, julie rothacher, kid friendly, little time, meals, taco soup, yummy

31 Days to Clean: Day(s) #27-31

May 31, 2011 by Jules 1 Comment

31 Days to Clean Having a Martha House the Mary way

Day 27 - Becoming Friends with Goodwill

Mary Challenge: Get a box ready for Goodwill. No wait, get boxes ready for Goodwill.

We, as family, are HUGE fans of get rid of unnecessary things. BUT we have chosen to donate some of our extras in a different way. See:

Martha Challenge: Utility Room – Wash inside of windows and clean window treatments. Wash walls and dust ceilings.

LOVED THIS! My laundry room has one tiny windows and now window treatments so this went fast. The walls and ceiling were recently painted to I skipped the dusting part.

Day 28 – Who Are You Trying to Please

Mary Challenge: Are there areas in your life where you are experiencing a burden of guilt? Ask your husband what he thinks about what you are feeling guilty about.

Relief! LOVED this story and to read the tons of insight in this book get your copy at http://31daystoclean.com/.

Martha Challenge: Utility Room – Scrub sink and clean drains – use Drano or some other drain cleaner.

Once again, YAY for no sink in the UR!!! Check!

Day 29 – To Hire Help or Not to Hire Help

Mary Challenge: Spend some time in prayer thanking God for all that you do have. The areas in your life that you feel like you’re drowning in, ask God to show you where you can find some help.

Martha Challenge: Utility Room – Clean out and organize closet.

Weirdo Alert! LOVED this breezy last week of cleaning and of course the organizing!

Utility Closet Before:

Drug everything out to sort...What I found...

After:

Day 30 – Contentment in the Season of Your Life

Mary Challenge: Write down 10 things you are thankful for today.

1. My Lord who saved me from what I deserve and who desires a daily relationship with silly, mixed up me

2. My God-fearing Husband who is leading my family toward Jesus and loves me in ways I didn't know I needed

3. Magdalen Reese- my "3-in-June" preschooler whose brain won't slow down long enough for her to spit those newly learned big girl words out

4. Isabella Ruth- my ~1.5 year old who is the goofiest kid I've ever met, never siesting to make me laugh and smile

5. Benjamin Ryan- my 4.5 month old who is a physically strong baby with personality to keep up with his boisterous older sisters

6. My family in blood and law, for raising me, shapping me, and guiding me to be who God is calling me to be

7. Long distance forever friends- always picking up Right where we left off!

8. My church family, Central Baptist Pine Bluff, AR (esp- Journey Sunday School Class): friends chasing after Jesus together-

who knew it could be so much fun!?!

9. My home- HUGE (3000 square foot) BLESSING! Using it to host to the fullest of our ability

10. My Health- not just in a cheesy generic sense but for reals! I have the capability to physically and mentally enjoy the above blessings!

Martha Challenge: Utility Room - Trow away any expired cleaning products or bottles you have lying around. Sweep and mop floors.

Did this while cleaning out and organizing

Day 31 – Balancing it All

Mary Challenge: Kiss your husband, giggle with your kiddos, and soak in the Word of your God.

Martha Challenge: Rest. You’ve done a great job!

I WIN!!! I finished in MAY! Maybe not the way I thought I would but technically done! Thank you Sarah Mae for this amazing challenge!

Filed Under: Cleaning Tagged With: 31daystoclean, clean, complete, done, finished, I WIN, julie rothacher, organize, sarah mae, trash, utility room, wash

The “Monica” Closet

May 31, 2011 by Jules 2 Comments

{reference for the title}

I am an admitted, recovering, HOARDER!

It's hereditary. Everyone's trash is my families treasure. Don't get me wrong, we don't save things like banana peels or something...well, unless we can come up with a great use for them. We are organized in our clutter. We have piles of scrap metal, appliances, clothes, non-perishable food, movies, furniture, cars, decorations for every holiday. The list goes on and on. We share our piles when someone is in need, it just might take a little digging.

I digress...as a RECOVERING hoarder- God Does call us to be a good steward of the things he blesses us with and I am NOT slamming my family or the billions of people who life this way but I believe He has called me, in my life, to live like the birds, depending on Him day-to-day to provide our needs.

This is our attempting to live a hoard-free life of "poverty", according to most of American standards, so that we may (Matthew 28:19 NIV) ^"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, we have abundantly basic needs and even wants for our entire family."

The "Monica" closet may be under control right now but my next task it the guest room closet where I am storing all our things we intend to "get rid of" via giving to friends/family, a yard sale, consignment sale, and ultimately the good will.

These are just a few scriptures and or websites with godly insight that I've refered to before in our journey.

Abraham's Promise: Genesis 21:1-7, Genesis 22:1-19, Hebrews 6:15

Joseph's Preparation: Genesis 41:41-57

Rich Man's Store House: Luke 12:13-21

David Platt's Radical, the book

Gospel Poverty mentality

That being said...I now attempt to organize every space in my home to make it comfortable and super functional as well as keep my heart in check and out of the "stuff mart". Because of the physical goal, just like in the '90s sitcom "Friends" Season 8 Episode 14 "The One with the Secret Closet", I have over organized and this closet is where all the stuff goes that doesn't fit into an already existing category. Just another area I fail in my life as I am trying to fix things my own. I will praise God in these times to because when I am weak He is strong. When I have the false sense that I am somehow "handling" things without Him the destruction and fall come as a result of my pride and haughty spirit (Proverbs 16:18).

~Confessions of a Recovering hoarder~

*To see the newest attempt at this challenge click to see the original post.

**Friend me on Facebook to see the 1st attempt at the "Monica" closet.

***Insight in to the life of true Hoaders

Filed Under: Being a Help-Meet, Cleaning, The Ones about...Stuff Tagged With: 31 days to clean, calling, clean, gospel poverty, hoarders, julie rothacher, organize, Radical

31 Days to Clean: Day(s) #22-26 Martha Challenges

May 31, 2011 by Jules Leave a Comment

31 Days to Clean Having a Martha House the Mary way

Day 22 - Developing a Workable Schedule

Day 23 - Dealing with Distractions

Day 24 – Organization

Day 25 -The High-Low Cycle

Day 26 – Laundry

In case you were wondering why I am posting so many days together it is because we don't technically have a home office and this series of days was devoted to that space so I've decided to use these days to work on my "craft" closet. Sounds simple enough, right?

These are the listed challenges:

Martha Challenge: Home Office – Wash inside of windows. Wash window treatments. Wash walls and dust ceilings.

Martha Challenge: Home Office – Steam-clean carpet or area rugs, wash hard -wood floors.

Martha Challenge: Home Office - Clean out your desk. Clean out and update files. Organize office supplies and drawers.

Martha Challenge: Home Office – Clean off and organize shelves. Shine and protect wood furniture.

Martha Challenge: Home Office – Carefully wash computer and printer (and any electronics) with a damp cloth. Use cotton swabs to clean out the crevices in keyboards. Clean screens with soft cloth.

but this closet has no windows, the floor had already been mopped when the bathroom was done, has no desk (the desk we have is in our bedroom and was cleaned during that challenge), the files were cleaned out and updated when we "closed out" Dec 2010 and started Jan 2011. So for the Martha challenges I skipped straight to the office supplies, drawers, shelves, computer, and general organization.

Ok, I started this project on a Thursday while my preschooler was as "Nanna Day" and the toddler and babe were taking their naps~ 10am

The Befores...I know- GROSS!

Yes...that is a floor under that pile of stuff I like to chunk in the closet behind the door.

Pile on floor Shelves

My discombobulated 1st attempt at simi-organizing this closet.

*anyone in need of a wedding gown or formals, I'll take the best offers! FOR SERIOUS!

My piles out in the playroom...trying to sort

Overwhelming Scrapbooking materials. Pretty sure more than 2/3 of this will be in my Aug. Yard Sale. Come on over!

AFTER!

On Going Scrapbook Projects Bow-making Supplies Gift Wrapping Center

Close-ups

Shelves Scrapbooking tower Random Pics to be sorted

I am hoping to finish these 2 scrapbooks by the end of summer, become disciplined at making more quality bows and paci clips to market, sale most of the sb tower, and find homes for all of the random pics so the hanging basket is obsolete.

warning: If you have ever made a single memory with me that happened to be photographed, you may have pictures coming your way, hehehe

Books Craft Supplies Scrapbook Tower on top of the filing cabinet