A Look Back: A Little Inspiration

Photo by RellyAB

I love inspirational quotes, so back in the early days of this blog I published A Little Inspiration highlighting some of my favorite quotes relating to homemaking (or that can be applied to homemaking). Here's a sample one of those favorites:

"Some people regard discipline as a chore. For me, it is a kind of
order that sets me free to fly." ~ Julie Andrews

Continue reading A Little Inspiration . . .

Thank you for joining me each Friday for A Look Back into the archives of With Heart and Hand!

My Favorite Homemaking Apps

When I last blogged here, two years ago, I had no idea what an app was. Of course, I had heard people talking about apps in relation to i-whatevers, and I kind of looked down my nose at all the Apple devices because I thought they were too expensive. They're still too expensive, but one day my husband brought home an iPod touch
 . . . and I was hooked. He bought me one shortly thereafter, and I quickly learned what apps were and began using them myself.

It didn't take me long to begin looking for apps to help the homemaker with scheduling and housework. I discovered two apps that I love and use: Home Routines and Cozi . . .


Home Routines - This app easily integrates lists from such home-organizing structures as FlyLady, Organized Home, Totally Together Journal, and Brain on Paper. I use it to keep my FlyLady zones in order and running smoothly. You can follow daily and weekly routines, give yourself a daily focus, add to-do lists for today, this week, and later, and review your day to see how much you got done. This will show you how silly I can be, but I really love to see all those items with stars by them before I go to bed, and I love seeing how many tasks I got done that day. Crazy, I know, but apparently giving myself stars works for me! At $3.99, it's cheaper than when I bought it earlier this year, and I feel it's well worth the price!

 

Cozi - A free online calendar and app with a shared calendar, to-do lists, shopping list, and family journal. This one is great for busy families! I haven't used the app extensively, but I do like the shared calendar, which makes scheduling easy for each member of the family. The family journal is nice too. The online calendar, journal, etc., are accessible by your entire family, so each person can check to see what's coming up and schedule accordingly. And the Cozi app is free. Nice!


Have you discovered any apps that are great for homemakers? Feel free to share them in the comments or via email!


Disclosure: With the exception of the iPod touch*, I have not been compensated by anyone affiliated with either of these apps or any company or system mentioned in this post. These are my own opinions and suggestions only!

*The link to the iPod touch is an affiliate link through Amazon.com, which allows me to earn an advertising fee when someone orders an item through a link listed on my blog.

Easier Meatloaf

While at a ladies' retreat several months ago, the speaker mentioned that she mixes up her meatloaf in her KitchenAid mixer. I'd never thought of that! So I tried it. Works like a charm! No messy hands! I'll use mine the next time I make meatballs too.

Incidentally, Pioneer Woman Ree Drummond mentions using her KitchenAid to mix up meatloaf and meatballs in The Pioneer Woman Cooks. We're in good company!


What other things, besides the normal breads, cakes, and cookies, have you found mix up great in your stand mixer?


Disclosure: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
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Menu Plan Monday: November 28, 2011

Since this blog sat idle for two years, it's been well over two years since I've participated in Menu Plan Monday, so let's jump back in!

Monday

Meatloaf

(from The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Recipes from an Accidental Country Girl)

Creamed Potatoes

Peas

Tuesday

Beans (ala Tammy's Recipes) & Rice

Veggies & Dip

Cornbread

Wednesday

Chicken Pie*

Corn

Ranch-Style Beans

Veggies & Dip

Thursday

Hot Dogs with Chili

Fries

Coleslaw

Friday

Chicken Alfredo Pizza*

Salad

Saturday

Scalloped Potatoes & Ham*

Peas

Rolls

Sunday

French Toast*

Sausage Links

Fruit

*My recipe posted on the day scheduled on the menu

The Homemaker's Inspiration: Weekly Links

Photo by davesag

Each Saturday, I'll be sharing links that I feel are worthwhile reading for the homemaker. I hope you'll find some inspiration for your homemaking journey each weekend!

Why and How To Become a Morning Person - five simple ways to kickstart your day

Praying Daily For Your Husband - a PDF calendar featuring a different way to pray for your husband each day

Gingerbread Pancakes - I made these hearty, spicy hotcakes last week; the orange zest is the perfect finishing touch

Home Manual - Routines - Kelli at The Sparrow's Nest tells about her routines and includes a free download to make your own

The Power of Incremental Change Over Time - a businessman who recognizes the power of baby steps

Join me every Saturday for The Homemaker's Inspiration!

A Look Back: Confessions of a FlyBaby

Photo by RellyAB

Each Friday, I'd like to take a look back into the archives of With Heart and Hand. This week, I'm going alllllllll the way back to the beginning and why I started this blog. Here's an excerpt . . .

I first joined FlyLady in January, 2000. My parents had just left after a quick visit, and I was overwhelmed with the condition of my house, not because of my parents' having been there, but because I'd been so stressed about having a clean house. I'd stressed about it, but didn't know how in the world to gain any control over my home.

Read the rest of Confessions of a FlyBaby here . . . 

Join me each Friday as I take A Look Back!

Two Years Later . . .

 It's been over two years since I last posted on this blog. I couldn't bring myself to delete it, but I didn't have the motivation to write here for quite a while. Lately, though, I've been reading through the archives and was bitten with the bug to write on homemaking once again.

I am not a Martha (Stewart or otherwise), and I don't keep a spotless home. I don't even keep an overly clean home. We live in our house and it shows. I could definitely stand to spend more time cleaning and organizing. But my heart is in my home. I know this is God's calling on my life, and I want to share with other women that we can indeed be good homemakers. We can show excellence in our homekeeping. We can be happy as homemakers. We can have full, rewarding lives at home. The world in its great wisdom says that homemaking is not a worthwhile pursuit for women today, but the eternal Word of God, which never changes and is as current as today's news, teaches that homemaking is a high calling. It's my desire to share the joys of homemaking and ways to make homekeeping easier. Many of us weren't taught how to keep our homes as children, and many of us were not born organized or knowing how to make it all work. So I want to share things that I have learned and continue to learn, to come alongside and say, "This works for me . . ."

I hope you'll rejoin me in the journey!

Are You Bored?

I found a book recently that caught my attention, The Country Life Book of Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother. I've always had an interest in Britain's royal family, and I've especially admired the Queen Mother (who is now deceased) because of her charm, warmth, and dignity, so this book sparked my interest right away. As I was reading about her early life, the author was relating information about the Queen Mother's own mother, pictured on the right in 1923, who was apparently quite an amazing woman. She used to tell her children,

"Life is for living and working at. If you find anything or anybody a bore, the fault is in yourself."

What a lesson to us in these days! The Queen Mother was born in 1900, almost 109 years ago, yet her mother's words are still applicable today. If I find life boring, or the people around me boring, it's not their fault; it is mine!

Are you bored today? Get up and live! Work at finding interesting things to do. Look at your children. They are definitely not boring! Look around your home at all the little things you could do to make it a haven for your family, no matter what kind of house you live in. Think about the meals you cook - all the possibilities before you in making a variety of meals for your family. Refuse to be bored; learn to be content. Be thankful for all the interesting things and people in your life!

"Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice . . . for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content." Philippians 4:4,11

Photo courtesy of Life; permission granted for personal, non-commercial use.