Live Love Serve 01 15 11

Live

The Benefit of Living in a Small Home: I Dream of Clean – We are moving into a small home soon. I am SO EXCITED about our new house. It is just the space we need. However, it is going to take some getting used to. I love this list of benefits.

Make a Household Notebook: Life As Mom – In an attempt to get us ready for our new home, I am trying to get us organized. I love the Life As Mom site and the helpful mom tips she has. This post is PACKED with resources for making a household notebook.

6 Containerizing Rules to Consider: Organizing Your Way – With the small house will come the need to containerize to the max. Guest poster, Orgjunkie, has some great tips in this post.

Love

Fostering Independence in Kids: Simple Mom – I LOVE LOVE LOVE this post. There are so many things in this post that we’ve done with the Princess. And, yes, we have an INDEPENDENT KID. And, yes, it’s awesome – most of the time.

Cheap Ways to Beat Cabin Fever: The Thrifty Mama – With all the snow in the country, there have been many families that have been spending extra quality time together. This is a great post that lists several frugal ways to spend family time while stuck inside!

Serve

Mercy Benefit Day Preview: We Are That FamilyTHIS MONDAY there is an amazing fundraiser for Mercy House Kenya. This post previews everything that is going to be auctioned. Check out the amazing stuff with all the proceeds going to a GREAT cause.

Operation Christmas Child 11 Months Away: Impress Your Kids – Amanda’s tub of fun looks like the one I’ve already started. It’s never to early to start preparing for Operation Christmas Child.

Linked to Saturday Stumbles at Simply Staci.

Live Love Serve 01.08.11

Live

Roll A Chore Soft Block: She Wears Flowers – @LivingOrganized tweeted this link this week, and I thought it was BRILLIANT! My Princess might be a bit too old for this method, but then again maybe not. And, the how to is SO GREAT I think I might even be able to do it. If you have preschoolers, be sure to check this out for help with chores.

The Back-Seat Clean Up: Small Notebook for a Simple Home – This is a new to me blog that I will sure to be reading more of. GREAT tips. I loved this one, and we SERIOUSLY need to do this in the van! Start the year with a clean back-seat and organized car!

Put Together a Snowman Kit: Simple Kids – It’s no secret that I LOVE Simple Kids. Always great stuff over there. I came across this post this week, and we need to get on this! A huge winter storm is predicted for the ATL, and we need to be prepared for the fun!

Love

Miniature: We Are That Family – Grab some tissues and read this. BEAUTIFUL post. Stirred my heart.

How to Pick a Kid Friendly Movie: Impress Your Kids – If you love your kids, you want them to only see what is appropriate. That is SO HARD to do in today’s world. Amanda gives great resources for helping you determine which movies you feel your kids should see.

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January Collection Drive: The Mercy House Kenya – The Mercy House has really found a place in my heart over the last few months. I just can’t imagine being pregnant by force in a land where there is no decent medical care. Oh my! They are having monthly collection drives for Mercy House. This month is Prenatal Items and Pregnancy Tests. Can you spare a few dollars to help someone you’ll never meet, but NEEDS you?

Linked to Saturday Stumbles at It’s Come 2 This.

Live Love Serve 12.18.10

LIVE

The Rice Krispies Recipe Box Circle: The Motherhood – This is the group of bloggers that are making AMAZING holiday Rice Krispie Treats. Rather than try to link to all of them individually, I am just telling you to go look at the list. AWESOME ideas there people. AWESOME!

Gift in a Jar:Chunky Chocolate Cookies: The Savings Lifestlye – I love gifts in a jar. They are fun, easy, and the kids can help. This looks like a yummy one!

Grocery List Tear Off Pad: Money Saving Mom – This is another fabulous gift idea. And, I’m making one for myself!

LOVE

Christmas: Thinking About Who’s Birthday It Is: A Holy Experience – This post REALLY moved me. As I’m wrapping presents for everyone and running from one party to the next, am I taking the time to celebrate whose birthday it truly is? This family has decided to give presents to the real birthday child, and I love it!

Impress Your Kids – While we’re talking about loving Jesus, be sure to jump over to Impress Your Kids. Amanda has so many FABULOUS advent crafts over there that I couldn’t just choose one. There are some for all of us with different craftiness levels. You are sure to find one to do with your kids.

SERVE

How Many Hands: Ohamanda.com – I love this post because it shows what happens to an Operation Christmas Child box once it leaves your hands. It has such a journey before it lands in the hands of a child who needs it. It was wonderful to see what happened to all the boxes we made during my birthday party! If you made a box this year, you need to read this post.

 

If you are looking for some other great posts, click on over to Saturday Stumbles at ItsCome2This. So many amazing bloggers link up each week with their favorite reads. I could spend hours just clicking through.

I have one final link for you. It’s one of mine. If you haven’t checked it out, you will want to. It will put you in the Christmas spirit for sure. MERRY CHRISTMAS from the House of Hills.

LIVE LOVE SERVE 10.30.10

I keep a running list of posts I read throughout the week that I think my readers might enjoy. Often, when I look back at the list on Saturday morning, I kick myself because I missed a few. I’m pretty sure I missed a few this week, but there is a long list of ones to share since I’ve missed a couple weeks of doing this post. I hope you enjoy! And, be sure to go to Saturday Stumbles for more great reads.

LIVE

Halloween Breakfast Food: Hoosier Homemade – Read this one first! There are some great ideas for breakfast for tomorrow, Halloween. Such fun!

Candy Bar Cookies: Cooking During Stolen Moments – I found this recipe a few weeks ago and book-marked it. I can’t wait to try it. In fact, I might make it today to take to a Halloween party tomorrow. Or, better yet! I’ll wait until after trick-or-treating and use all the candy bars the Princess brings home and doesn’t eat to make them. PERFECT!

Pumpkin Recipes: The Blog Frog – This is a running list of pumpkin recipes. Since there is no pumpkin shortage this year (Thank God!), I’ve been making quite the few pumpkin treats.

Stock and Organize Your Freezer For Last Minute Meals: Food Your Way – An AWESOME post for those just getting into freezer cooking. Freezer cooking doesn’t have to be a cook all day event. It’s all about being prepared to eat from your freezer at any time. A must read if you’re trying to start this lifestyle.

LOVE

Gingham Lunch Note Cards: Executive Homemaker – The Princess loves when I put a love note in her lunch box. In fact, last year when she cleaned out her desk at the end of the year, I found ALL the notes I had sent her during the 2nd grade. It warmed my heart that she had kept them all. This free printable is a fun way to send a love note to your special someone.

The Sibling Relationship: Simple Kids – Having spent last weekend with my Bubba (younger brother), I can attest the power of the sibling relationship. We don’t get together nearly as much as we’d like to but the bond of love is strong and powerful. This is a great post on nurturing that bond and dealing with the sibling rivalry – it will pass.

SERVE

Preparing for the 30 Day Give: Keeping the Kingdom First – I am SO EXCITED about the 30 Day Give. We have big plans here at the House of Hills of ways we can give throughout the month. Our biggest event is my BIRTHDAY PARTY where we’ll be giving gifts away. In this post, Alyssa gives a bit of the history of the 30 Day Give.

Linked to Saturday Stumbles.

Live Love Serve: 10 09 10

I know I haven’t done one of these since July. However, that doesn’t mean I haven’t been reading blogs. It means I haven’t had time to share what I’m reading with you. I have been keeping a list of things I’d like to share. So, here you go. A few of the things I read over the last few months I thought you would enjoy.

LIVE

Ways to Save this Summer: The Thrifty Mama – Well, it’s no longer summer, but the majority of this list still applies. The Thrifty Mama has compiled a huge list of ways to save money on you food budget – both at home and dining out!

LOVE

Creating Routines: Simple Kids – Nothing shows kids you love them more than making them feel safe. One thing I’ve learned through being a parent and a teacher is that routine equals safety to children. They need to know what’s going to happen next and then what’s going to happen after that and then after that. Creating a simple routine that allows for flexibility will create an environment where your child can thrive.

SERVE

Soups, Stews, and Chilis: Life As Mom – It’s fall, and fall means soup, stew, and chili. These also happen to be the items that ALWAYS freeze well. Therefore, they are perfect for bringing to that new mom or that family that is going through a rough patch. They are also great for Bible study groups and impromptu get-togethers.

Linked to Saturday Stumbles.

Live Love Serve: 07 03 04

LIVE

Batch Grilling at 5 Dollar Dinners:: This is a concept that I heartily buy into. In fact, I’ll often have My Sweetie pick up a big pack of chicken breasts at BJs and then grill them all on the weekend. Sometimes I’ll use my favorite marinade. Other times I’ll just salt and pepper them. FishMama has some yummy looking marinades too.

Feeling Festive? 4th of July at 4tunate:: A fun list of Fourth of July fun with several other blogs linked up. Check out some last minute crafts, recipes, and other ideas.

LOVE

Top Ten Ways to Support My Hubby at Alicia’s Homemaking:: We all want to be supportive of our spouses. But how often do we sit down and really think about what we can do to help them. This is truly placing our needs before theirs. Being selfless rather than selfless. Being as Christ called us to be in marriage. My Sweetie and I both work hard to speak each others’ love language. This post challenged me to actually consider writing it down!

Rolling With the Changes at Giving Up on Perfect:: Either everybody I read is working on their marriages or I’m just really in tune to it, because I’m always working on mine, but here is another good one. As your home situation changes – due to a new job, a new house, a new baby – it is CRUCIAL that you communicate with your spouse and make sure you have a plan for how to adjust your routines accordingly.

SERVE

Simple Desserts with Lots of WOW Factor at Cooking During Stolen Moments:: These look SO good and SO easy. Perfect for serving to guests.

10 Ways to Sell or Donate Items at I Dream of Clean:: A great list of how to help others as you clean out your house!

Red, White and Do at We Are That Family:: Kristen challenges me MONTHLY to DO something. Her heart is amazing, and I want to be like her when I grow up. Except I think she’s actually younger than me. Hmmm… Last month we participated in her Pillow Case Dresses for Africa project, and it was a blessing to go shopping with the Princess for supplies.

Linked to Saturday Stumbles

Live Love Serve: 06 12 10

LIVE

Cinnamon Roasted Almonds, Pecans, or Walnuts at Good (& Cheap) Eats: I’m always looking for a little something sweet to snack on in the afternoon. These look yum and they pack a protein punch! Might have to try them this week. Of course, I’ll have to cook them at 5am when it’s cool!

LOVE

The Problem with Romance Novels Part 2 at Giving Up on Perfect: I absolutely LOVED this post and the one the preceded it. I too was once addicted to romance novels. I thought that was how love as supposed to be. All that intensity and drama! Real love is intense but fulfilling. We need to remember that romance novels are FICTION!

SERVE

Shoes 2 Share: A Challenge at Impress Your Kids: LOVED this idea and plan to talk to the Princess about it when she returns from her trip. She is all about collecting things from the neighbors so I see this in our near future. I know she has several pairs in her closet that no longer fit.

Linked to Saturday Stumbles.

Live Love Serve: 05 29 10

LIVE

Organizing the Car for Summer at Organize and Decorate Everything: A GREAT post on getting the car trunk ready for summer fun. I have some of this stuff in my car already, but just not all organized like this. I LOVE to be organized.

LOVE

Making Time for Children at The Adventure of Motherhood: Anna discusses the three type of time we give our kids – All of Me, Part of Me, None of Me – and the importance of them experiencing ALL of these times on a regular basis. This is a GREAT reminder for me heading into summer when I have to work harder to balance being a Mommy and a Working At Home. It becomes so easy to give her Part of Me or None of Me, but I need to be purposeful to give her All of Me.

Countering Romantic Apathy at Betty Beguiles: You know those times where your marriage hits a dry spell – when the romance is not front and center? We all have them. This post has GREAT ways to combat the marriage blahs. Ideas on how to kick-start things back to the romance stage. Be sure to read the comments too. There are many great ideas there as well.

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Using Pillow Cases to Dress the Poor at We Are That Family: Kristen has done some amazing DIY projects for others. As in, they are a project that you can do at home pretty easily, but instead of doing it for yourself, you do it for someone else. LOVE IT! The June/July project is making dresses for children in Africa from pillow cases. I can’t sew – like it’s seriously bad, but I can shop! So, the Princess and I are hitting the sewing store after church tomorrow to get some supplies to send the Kristen and her sewers. Very excited to be involved in this project..

Linked to Saturday Stumbles.

Live Love Serve: 05.22.10

LIVE

Free Summer Ideas for Kids at Frugaldad.com – This is a great list of free ideas to do during the summer. Make sure you read the comments too as there are even more ideas there. We just finished calendaring all the Princess’s camps and such. Now it’s time to fill in with some of these great ideas!

LOVE

Top Ten Reasons I Love My Husband at Harms Family News – This post reminded me of my Top Ten post on why I love my husband. Have you told your husband that you love him today?

SERVE

Top Ten Ways to Love Someone in a Crisis at Foggy Days and Sunset Livings – This post brought tears to my eyes. As the BFF of someone fighting the cancer fight, this list rang so true. If you have someone in your life that is struggling with a long term illness or who has lost someone in the last year or so, they are still in need and will be for a long time. It’s always okay to reach out a helping hand. I put this in the SERVE category, because to LOVE someone during a crisis is to SERVE them.

Linked to Saturday Stumbles.