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Minimum Choice

I hope you had a wonderful Mother's Day yesterday.  I loved getting to spend the afternoon and evening with my kids - my daughters and their husbands came over so we had everyone all together....this was during the 15 minutes that their visits overlapped. It was sort of a tag-team Mother's Day but it was great because it lasted longer that way! I feel so very blessed by these terrific kids. I just love them so much.

(left to right) Lauren, Me, Grayson, Meghan

Well, I've got a very busy day ahead of me today and I'm not quite sure where to even start. I enjoyed not thinking about work and projects AT ALL this weekend, but now I'm wondering if it would have been a better idea to at least make a list for today! Oh well, it was fun while it lasted. :)

So rather than getting bogged down, I've decided to take my Minimum Maintenance and choose two items from my daily routine to focus on today. I mean, I don't know how I could do LESS than MINIMUM, but hey I'm going to do it! That's just how I roll sometimes. We reviewed MM last month so it may be fresh in your memory, but just in case you need the 8 simple points, here they are:

 

1. Spend 5 minutes per room, picking up and straightening. NO MORE THAN 5 MINUTES! (Except the kitchen, which gets 15).  When your friendly timer goes off, you move on.  Oh, good!

2. Don't start cleaning too deeply during your morning run-through.  Save that for later.

3. Don't let the needs of others control your life.  (ex. telephone calls, volunteer requests etc.)

4. Make the dinner decision early. (By 10:00)  Deciding early give you more choices, even if you are deciding to eat out.  It gives you control.  Try an easy monthly menu plan.

5. Start from the outside in.  Clean off the top of the counter before you attack a drawer.

6. Categorize items as you go:  start grouping stuff as you pick up.  Don't get bogged down in specific, precise categories, just simple groups so that when you begin to really organize, half the job is already done.

7.  Learn to pick up before the mess becomes monstrous.  We often don't pick up a little piece of paper because the rest of the house is so messy. For today, just pick up the stuff you took out and used TODAY.

8. Make the picking-up process a habit.  At first it will take great effort, but soon it will become a second nature.  Clean as you go.  Having paper towels or pop-up wipes handy in each bathroom makes it easier to do a quick swab o' the deck.

 

The two items I'm choosing are #1 and #4. A quick 5 minute pick up per room and deciding on dinner. Easy.

Today's Small Thing is to choose two Minimum Maintenance items and do them today. If you've got a super busy day like I do, maybe #3 will be your lifesaver: saying no to the telephone and last-minute pleas for volunteers to bake cookies. Maybe #8 will inspire you to put some paper towels or wipes in the bathroom. What an easy accomplishment!

Pulling MM out of your bag of tricks is the best way to remain in control when things are spinning into a vortex of chaos. Rather than being a victim, make a couple of decisions that will put life back in order and give you power to be the kind of woman you want to be! 

Which two items will you choose today??

Song of the Day: The Way You Do the Things You Do, The Temptations

Lamentations 3:22 - New Prints

My thanks to Leah, who put in a request for this scripture on a canvas. I love the black and cream background - it's a little artsy, and yet still classic enough to go with just about any decor. This looks GREAT printed up on canvas...I am delighted with how this turned out.

 

Lamentations 3:22,23

New print - available here

 

 

And I can't lie...I made one for myself too, but with my favorite Mother Teresa quote. I thought I'd go ahead and make this option available as well. 

Small Things with Great Love

New print - available here

On a personal note, I'm giving this second print as thank you gifts this month. I have so many people to thank....teachers, helpers, friends....and this is a perfect quote for those special people who give so much of themselves and who have made my life so rich. It seems like the people who give the most, do so from their hearts and don't realize the impact they have around them. They simply do lots and lots of small things with great love. I appreciate them.

If you'd like one for yourself, (a Mother's Day gift to yourself?) I'm offering these at 15% off through Monday. THERE IS NO CODE TO ENTER...SIMPLY SELECT - the price is already listed in the store.

I want to thank everyone who has purchased already and made my first few weeks successful. It has been so exciting to ship boxes around the country and know that people are enjoying their prints already.

Company Girl Coffee 5.11 and Mother's Day

Being a mom is.......well, being a mom is........

I tried to think of a word that summarizes motherhood and felt a rush of words hit my head all at once. Wonderous, miraculous, amazing, hard, frustrating, exhausting, incredible, confusing, sacrificing, tough.....it is all those things at the same time - and more.

I remember my first Mother's Day, and the feeling of being on the threshold of an amazing journey. I held my baby Lauren, with her fuzzy red hair and blue eyes, and couldn't imagine anything more beautiful. I had no way of seeing what was ahead of me, but I wish I could have caught a glimpse into the future so I could see how that baby turned into a beautiful young woman. How my other two children would grow and we'd all make it through the rough patches to the other side. How in spite of my inadequacies, these kids would become amazing people.

Maybe the word I'm looking for has to do with trust. Each day, a mom has to trust that God will help her do her best to raise her children, and trust that He will fill in all the gaps that she misses. She has to trust Him to keep those kids safe from harm and trust that He will give them wisdom as they grow. A mom has to trust that God knew what He was doing when He put her family together.

This Mother's Day, I pray that you will rest in that trust. Know that the One you have put your faith in is TRUSTWORTHY and will make something beautiful out of your family. No matter where you are on your motherhood journey, take time to sit back and appreciate how far you've come....and know that whatever lies ahead, you'll never go alone. The Lord is with you, sweet Momma....you can trust Him.

 

If you'd like to join up for a virtual coffee time, today is the day to do it! Simply enter your blog post URL to invite others over...and then go visit as many as you can! Have fun and enjoy your weekend.

NO SMALL THING TODAY!!

 

So Sweet

Vanilla Cake with Strawberry Cream Frosting - go get this recipe

 

Do you have a sweet tooth? I do! I love cake, cookies, ice cream, candy, chocolate, french vanilla creamer, puddings, pies and ice cream.

Oh, I guess I said ice cream twice, but maybe that's because I love it twice as much as every other dessert.

I love sugar sprinkled on cereal, honey on toast and sweet, ice-cold tea.

I really try to limit all of the above, but hey, when you're trying to keep a teenage boy's weight up, there is always some calorie-laden sweet thing around to tempt me. (Banana cake is on my counter as we speak. Get thee behind me...)

Today's Small Thing is to tidy up your sweeteners.

Do you have those pink, blue or green little packets on hand for tea and coffee? Stevia in a jar? Honey in a bear-shaped bottle? Sugar in a bowl? Today is the day to wipe up the stickies and organize the jumbled packets that await to satisfy your sweet tooth. Make those sweeteners look as good as they taste by giving them some sugar-love today!

What is your favorite sweetener? Do you have a good substitute for sugar in baking? How have you tamed your sweet tooth? Please tell me....after I've had a piece of that banana cake.

Song of the Day: Sugar Sugar, The Archies

 

Sports Analogies

Although I'm not much of an athlete myself, I've been around sports all my life and really appreciate the discipline, finesse and skill that goes into them. Sports can be incredibly valuable in teaching life lessons, such as losing gracefully, winning graciously, working hard, having determination, teamwork and playing fair. You just can't teach those skills in a bedtime conversation the same way they are taught on the field, or on the court, in the water or on the ice.

Our son Grayson, finished his high school hockey career this year. He plans to attend the Texas A&M training camp in the fall, but for now...a big part of his childhood is over. I'm so proud of the leader he became out there on the ice. Not our biggest scorer or hardest hitter, he made his mark as a defenseman - a position that requires a lot of skill but gets you little glory. He earned his captain's "C" with his hard work and calm leadership.

I thought you might enjoy seeing a couple of videos my husband put together for the team. The music is great, so make sure your speakers are on.  Gray is #4 and our team wears either white or blue jerseys with the big "M".

 

You can see Gray best at 1:17 and 2:59.

http://youtu.be/tcSMVmjXoEQ

 

Gray is at :34, nice hit at 1:28. Lots of players getting crunched in this one :).

http://youtu.be/7Xbj_1xVA7E

 

And this one you might enjoy because the first part of it is from photos taken at our place. It was spring and the bluebonnets were still in bloom and the lights from the wedding are still up. It was a gorgeous day and everything looked beautiful outside. Tom created a dryland training area in our pasture and the boys got together for an afternoon of puck shooting, pizza and football.

Most importantly to you Company Girls is Flash, who LOVED having the boys in his field. He wanted to be part of the team sooooo badly, but resigned himself to watching from the sidelines with his horse-neighbor.

You can see Flash and friend at :48 and 1:34.

Gray is in the Aero shirt...I love the pics of him at :30 and 3:37.

 

http://youtu.be/GOAZj1QqVMY

Today's Small Thing is to incorporate a sports analogy into your day.

Maybe you are "third and long" in turning in a work project, or having to "sprint to the finish" to meet a deadline. Perhaps you are "behind the eight-ball," or "crying foul" over something unfair and you might get an "unsportsmanlike conduct" call for your reaction. Demonstrate true sportsmanship today and find the determination to keep going when the odds are against you and it's the bottom of the ninth. Dig deep for the will to win, to leap over hurdles, and experience the thrill of victory.

What sports analogy will you use today to help you press on? Can you use sports phrases with your kids/spouse/co-workers? I'd love to hear!

Song of the Day: ABC Wide World of Sports

You Look Good, Girl

This is not me, BTW. This is a professional model.

Ever just KNOW when you look extra good? I don't have those days real often, but I remember one in particular way back in my twenties. It was back when I had to use a laundromat to do my laundry. There I was - I was feeling good, wearing shorts and sporting a good 80's hairdo with lots of big tall bangs. While my clothes were in the cycle I popped over to the next-door grocery store to pick up a few items.

Oh I was rockin it. I knew people were turning to look specifically at me as I passed by, and I walked with confidence and delight. Wow, it feels great to look so good. Even the checker at the register gave me a long admiring look.

It was just a few moments later that I caught a glimpse of myself in a display mirror. What I saw made me stop in my tracks.

There was a great glob of lint stuck on my eyelashes!

WHA????

I hadn't felt it or noticed it, but there is was. A white chunk of laundry lint above my right eye. NO WONDER PEOPLE WERE TURNING TO LOOK AT ME! I looked ridiculous, not rockin!

My ego was obviously bruised because I've never forgotten this embarrassing incident in all the years since. Whenever I start feeling real proud of myself, thinking I'm "all that," well, the ol' Lint Incident comes to mind and I'm instantly brought down a notch or two. Man.

So I ask you: do you have lint where it shouldn't be?

Today's Small Thing is to de-lint. It will be delightful to remove lint from the dryer filter....and empty the trash in the laundry room. Sometimes that trashcan gets overlooked and begins to overflow....but not today. Lint likes to show up on dark clothing, corduroy, and knits in particular, but it can be anywhere that dust and fiber particles gather.

And since we are looking at lint (excess fibers), today is a great day to remove excess hair from your dog with a good brushing, and take a lint brush to your furniture to get rid of said pet hair.

De-Lint De-Light! You look good, girl. Have you ever had an embarrassing moment like mine??

Song of the Day: Never Know, Jack Johnson

Come Away

It was a busy weekend around here, with a graduation party for my niece Abby on Saturday, and a Hockey Banquet on Sunday. My husband always puts together a major presentation for the banquet, making several videos out of the hours of footage I take during the season and the thousands of photos taken by parents. It is a huge undertaking, and we were really grateful for amazing help from our daughter Lauren and her husband. We were burning DVD's until the last minute!

Needless to say, we dragged ourselves home last night and went straight to bed, ignoring the mess from the frantic activity. We will have to deal with the aftermath today, but I find that in the middle of it, my soul is longing to steal away to spend some time with my Lord.

"Come away," he whispers. "Be with me."

 

Dishes can wait. And so can the laundry and the clean up. When your heart is being pulled, it is time to stop what you're doing and and answer his call.

Today's Small Thing is to "come away."

Silence your phone, put down your To Do list, and spend a few moments in quiet solitude with the One who loves you with an everlasting love. He longs for your full attention and full affection...but so often we come with our lists of needs and wants instead. We unload them and then boom! We're off to the next thing.

Today, take your Bible and find a quiet spot to do some meditating and listening. Share your heart with him - not just your lists - and let him share his with you. Strength, healing and grace are found in those still moments....and he is waiting there for you.

 

Song of Solomon 2:10

My beloved speaks and says to me: "Arise, my love, my beautiful one, and come away."

Song of the Day: No Sweeter Name, Kari Jobe

Creature Comforts

 

It takes so little for my favorite creature, my donkey Flash, to be happy and comfortable.

 

Fresh water. Green grass.

Bluebonnets.

A scratch behind the ears.

OK, a butt scratch too.

Neighborly companionship.

Here he is with one of the horses next door. He totally has a man-crush on this one. Isn't this a cute pic? I love it.

I've been thinking about creature comforts - the things at home that make our senses say "aaah." You know, the niceties....the lovelies...the sights, sounds, smells, tastes and things that feel good and make life wonderful.  Sigh. Sometimes I get so caught up in just keeping the wheels on daily life, that I forget how important it is to look beyond the "necessities" to the "luxuries" I have all around me. Do you do that, too?

Now, by "luxuries" I don't mean thousand-dollar sheets and fresh pineapples flown in from Hawaii. I simply mean "thoughtful appointments" that make your home feel good.

Fresh, clean sheets - maybe even line-dried in the sunshine. DEEE-licious!

Plumped pillows with pretty pillowcases.

Flowers cut from the garden or picked from the floral aisle.

Fruit, daintily places in a sorbet dish.

Doilies on tables.

Baked bread.

Baked anything.

Today's Small Thing is to come up with a Creature Comfort for each of your five senses...and thoughtfully appoint them into your home this weekend. Need ideas? Here are a few...

Sight: Set out something lovely, rearrange a bookshelf, open the blinds, set the table with china.

Smell: Light a fragrant candle, wear perfume for no reason, (for goodness sake clean out the kitty litter box), put something yummy in the oven.

Taste: Try a new recipe, linger over coffee, savor a fancy chocolate. Add melted cheese.

Touch: Soft pillows, lovely throws, warm bubble bath, cool shower, swaying hammock. Snuggling with someone you love.

Sound: Play fun music, fix a squeaky door, listen to leaves rustle, enjoy the sound of your children laughing. Use a softer tone of voice.

Creature comforts are those "extra" touches that say "I love you dearly" to your family. Thoughtful appointments remind you that you are worthy of taking care of yourself. They are the things that people remember, the things they will cherish.

Have fun with this Small Thing...and I hope you'll share your five things! PS your kids may have a great time helping you with this one....share it with them too.

Now, may a get you a virtual cup of coffee? It's time for our weekly meme, Company Girl Coffee. Sit back, relax and join up by linking your blog below. Even if you don't link up, I hope you stop in and visit the lovely bloggers who do!

Iron Maiden

Ironing does not rank high on my list of favorite chores. For those of you who keep track of such things, you might have noticed that ironing has only ever ONCE been a Small Thing in the five years I've been posting them!

Because it isn't a Small Thing. It's a Big Task that's hard. And not the least bit fun. But as I was looking through my closet for something I could pull out and immediately wear, I could find nothing that wouldn't need a bit of pressing. It reminded me of the last time I posted this.....

Case in point: One of my most beloved blouses, seen here in this photo, is a tuxedo style shirt in my best color - black.

I was aware, when I purchased the shirt, that there were problems ahead in our clothing relationship. All those little tucks and pleats were screaming "trouble! you'll regret this! walk away!" but I was swept up in the moment and whipped out my checkbook before I could talk myself out of it.

Oh, the shirt is entirely responsible for the romantic moment you see in the picture. My husband could not resist me in my feminine pleats, slightly starched but alluringly splayed. He was captivated, and I was heady with the thrill of magnetism. That's what a fitted tuxedo shirt with a stand-up collar will do for a girl.

But all that came to a screeching halt when I made the mistake of putting that blouse through the wash...and as I pulled it from the dryer I knew I'd made a monstrous error. All those charming tucks had become a mess of ruffles so disastrous I knew it would be the end of my love affair. A relationship that takes too much work to maintain can never last, no matter how beautiful it once was. Our differences were just too great to iron out.

My shirt now hangs in the back of the closet with the rest of my ex'es. I often gaze at it longingly, remembering the good times, but I just can't bring myself to deal with the troubled chaos of fabric I'll have to untangle in order to make it work.

Today's Small Thing is to iron something out. 

You might have a whole basket of rumpled clothes that have been sitting there for days/weeks/months, or you might use the "as needed, and only under great duress" system like I do, but take a few minutes to iron up a garment or two today. It will feel wonderful to see a pressed item of clothing on a hanger, won't it?

How many things can you iron today? Who can do the most??

Speaking of ironing things out, do you have a relationship that's developed a few wrinkles? Try sprinkling it with kindness and pressing it with warmth - and be sure to do the necessary mending first for best results. Today is a perfect day to do it.

Song of the Day: Wrinkles, Diamond Rio

Counter Buddies

I'm not a big fan of having lots of things sitting out on counters. You know... the appliances, cookbooks, decorative pots and cookie jars that are usually found in kitchens. Maybe it's because I have such a small kitchen, but I just like not having a lot of clutter on them.

Now, there ARE some things I can't live without - they are my "Counter Buddies," as you can see from the picture above.

Coffee maker. Oh yes, he's going NOWHERE.

Toaster

Utensil jar - for easy access to spatulas

Knife holder thingy

And a few decorative plates and things.

The other day, as I was waiting for some toast to pop up, I noticed how dusty the counters were around and behind all my buddies. I moved the coffee maker to the side for a closer look. EEEEW! Really?

I disappoint myself sometimes. It was not a good scene back there.

Now, a few weeks ago we focused on the kitchen sink as our Small Thing. Today we expand our vision to the real estate beyond.

Today's Small Thing is to wipe down the areas behind YOUR counter buddies - the things you have sitting out on your counter. This will literally take less than 4 minutes - I promise! Simply pull that bread maker out from its corner and clean behind and under. Move the coffee maker, the toaster, the cookie jar.....and let me tell you:

IT FEELS AMAZING!

To know that things are nice and clean EVEN BEHIND THE SMALL APPLIANCES makes you feel like you can conquer the world.

What's on YOUR counter? Who are your Counter Buddies...the things you can't live without?

Song of the Day: Coffee, Copeland