Company Girl Coffee

Good morning girls!  I don't have much time to post today because today is a big day for us!  We have been dabbling in an on-line business on the side for a while now, and decided to take the next step this weekend.  We sell close-out spellbinders and we have an e-mail/ad campaign going out to 20,000 people today plus it will be on the Paper Craft facebook page.  I am so excited and hopefully this will bring in a lot of business and add to our customer base.  We stumbled upon this popular product quite by accident and I can't believe it has grown this big.  It has helped us get through some tough financial binds, that's for sure.

If any of you own a spellbinder machine and love to craft/scrapbook, we have the best deals around!

Check us out at http://saveonhobbies-com.myshopify.com/ .

Thanks for stopping by for coffee today! Hope your weather is as nice as ours...I think Spring might finally be right around the corner even though it's only 40 degrees out there.  Have a great weekend!

Melissa

A question from my phone

I took my daughter to a gi specialist this week.  She has been having problems with constipation most of her life.  I have two other kids that have similar problems.  So my main goal of this visit was to be sure we are still on track with the right treatment.  It was a good visit and I feel as if I am helping my children by educating them about good eating and bathroom habits.

However...I do need to change and add a few new healthy things to our diet.  Fruits and veggies are essential but so expensive.  My question to you is how do you feed your family healthy snacks and meals on a budget?  I need some fresh ideas!

Thanks for you input.  I appreciate it!
Melissa

Siesta Scripture Memory Verse 4

Goodness!  It's already time for another memory verse.  I knew a few days ago which one I was going to pick.  I was listening to a program while I was folding clothes, and a verse caught my attention.  I don't really have time to elaborate right now, but someone may need to hear this truth today as much as I needed it this week.  The words come directly from Jesus and I heard them loud and clear ringing through the depths of my heart as I folded my children's clean clothes on my bed that morning.


“You did not chose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.”
-John 15:16 NASB

"I chose you, and appointed you..."

Whew!  I don't know if I'm the only one, but boy did I need reminding of that this week!  I think sometimes we believe that it's the other way around.  That we chose Him.  We invited Him into our heart and that was that.  But no, HE chose US.  He pursued a relationship with us and is still pursuing us on a daily basis.  That is worth memorizing and repeating and shouting out loud, if you ask me! 

But not only did He choose us, He appointed us to go and bear everlasting fruit.  If that means I need to fold the laundry one more time, then that is exactly what I will do!  And while I'm at it I will be praying and asking for Him to pursue the five little blessings He has entrusted to me with the love and passion that caught my attention so many years ago.

I hope you know how much He loves you and is pursuing you today.

Blessings,
Melissa   

Simple Spaces - The Linen Closet

Is it Friday already?  Time for some coffee!

I lost track of the days this week.  Partly because it is conference week for my kids so they haven't had school yesterday or today.  I went to four conferences back to back yesterday morning.  I really enjoy all of the kids' teachers this year.  They are fantastic.  I am happy to report that aside from a little handwriting neatness that we need to work on, they are all doing great!  We are approaching the 100th day of school and I can't wait to see what is in store for my kindergartner this week.  Should be lots of fun!

I have been without my computer this week and I am working from my husband's now...I can't believe how much I rely on my computer for my schedules and meal plans!  I have gotten so used to making a grocery list from my meal plan and then not looking at it until I wake up each morning.  This week it has been a challenge to remember what I had on my plan without being able to look at it.  I guess I will go back to either posting it here, or just keeping a hard copy printed somewhere.  My hubby took my laptop to the shop and apparently there is something wrong with the mother board, which means bad things.  They may not even be able to recover everything I have stored on it.  (Which also includes our finances, so that's not good.)

All computer problems and wacky schedules aside, I did get to my simple space this week so I wanted to share it here with you today. :)  I chose the linen closet this week because it has really been bothering me.  Since we moved in here over a year and a half ago, it has become the stashing ground for just about everything!  But no more!  It is now "simply organized," and I am loving it!

Before - A Cluttered Mess!

 

After - "Simply Organized!"

The bottom half -used for spare linens, pillows, and sleeping bags.

The top half - used for overstock items (lotions, toothpaste, medicines, etc.) I am still searching for more containers to store these items and simplify even more.  There's nothing like a good container to help organize things!

How do you feel about using containers/baskets around the house to organize? Do you like to use labels?  What is your favorite organizing tip?  I'd love to know!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Siesta Scripture Memory Team Verse 3

"Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude."
-Colossians 2:6-7 NASB

Normally I would not choose two verses to memorize at once.  In this case though, I couldn't stop at so walk in Him.  The second verse holds so much promise!  Firmly rooted...built up in Him...established in your faith...overflowing with gratitude...WOW!  Such strong words and powerful pictures of what happens when we receive Christ into our hearts!

So let the memorizing begin...I'm up for the challenge!

May you be blessed by His Word in wonderful ways,
Melissa

Simple Spaces - The Master Bathroom

I am so excited to introduce a new topic on my blog!   I was going to share my first post in February, but I got so motivated that I couldn't wait.  In keeping with my new Housekeeping Mission Statement for 2013, "This home is a peaceful, simply organized, warm and inviting sanctuary..." I am focusing on the "simply organized part.  Each week I will pick an area of my home to clean, sort, organize and simplify. 

Last week I chose the Master Bathroom.  It's been bugging me for a while.  The spaces under the counter were crowded and the drawers were overflowing with an assortment of things that have collected since we lived here.  The before and after pictures sort of tell all.

Before - under my sink

Before the simplifying process there were lotions and shampoos and other hair products and misc. items all thrown under the sink together.  I took everything out, wiped down the surface, and started sorting.  Honestly, a lot of it was garbage.  I had to really consider whether or not I was ever going to use some of it again and if not, get rid of it.  I gathered all the jewelry together and sorted through all the makeup.  I put the jewelry in a container that I bought, and the makeup that I keep separate for special occasions in a travel bag.  The basket holds all of my manicure items/hand lotions.  (I like to pamper myself from time to time.)


After - under my sink

One of my biggest frustrations in the morning used to be how hard it was to find anything in my bathroom drawer.  Hair bands, makeup, glasses case and more were all one big jumbled mess! (As you can plainly see.)


Before - my drawer

 Again, I took everything out of the drawer and wiped down the inside.  As I was removing things I put away any makeup that wasn't being used on a daily basis, found a home for all my hair bands and bobby pins, and threw out any garbage.  Then I began to sort through what was left.  There wasn't much to put back in the drawer.  I don't know why I didn't do this sooner!  MUCH better!


After - my drawer

As with my menu planning, I find inspiration from other bloggers.  Two of my favorite organizing blogs are I'm an Organizing Junkie, and the organizing section of Clover Lane.  Sometimes you just need a little extra encouragement to "jump start" the organizing process.  But once you start, I can tell you from experience, it's addicting! 

I can hardly wait to share my next simple space with you.  My goal is to de-clutter as much as possible in 2013.  What kind of organizing projects are you working on in your home?  I'd love to hear from you!



Homekeeping Mission statement 2013

We've been talking about setting up a "real world housekeeping schedule" over at Home Sanctuary.  Last week Rachel Anne walked us through several simple steps of putting together a reasonable plan that fits our current lifestyle and allows time to "breathe," which is her theme of the year.

I have to say, I've been tweaking mine, and adding to it, and moving things around to see where they best fit in to my own simple plan.  Every day I seem to realize something that I forgot to schedule in and I am tempted to make things more complicated and difficult on myself.  But I have to remember that it is not about having an immaculate house, it's about turning this place we call home into a sanctuary. 

When we were done creating our schedule at the end of last week, I asked Rachel Anne to re-visit the small thing of writing a homekeeping mission statement.  I wrote one years ago when I started following along with the Small Things, and then again in 2011.  That was before we moved here, so I wanted to make sure that mission statement still fit my current season.  I didn't change it all that much, just tweaked a few words and re-wrote it in the present tense.   I like how Rachel Anne did that with hers...it had a nice ring to it.

Here's my final draft:

"Our home is a peaceful, simply organized, warm and inviting sanctuary. It is a safe haven where relationships are valued and unconditional love and acceptance are shown. We strive together to maintain a reasonable housekeeping schedule and share responsibilities to keep clutter at bay.  It is creatively decorated and affordably furnished to provide a relaxing living environment for our family and all who pass through our doors."    


I think it really reflects how I feel about what I desire our atmosphere to be here at home.  When I wrote my mission statement two years ago, I had the "three legged stool" in mind that Rachel Anne so lovingly refers to on her blog: peace, order, and beauty.



(This artwork is courtesy of Rachel Anne Ridge at homesanctuary.com)

Now all I have to do is to carry out my mission statement one small thing at a time!

"By wisdom a house is built,
And by understanding it is established;
And by knowledge the rooms are filled
With all precious and pleasant riches."
-Proverbs 24:3-4