quick tip: little socks

Today I have to share a tip with you that is quite simple, yet quite profound: how to make laundering, folding, and not losing smaller socks an easier task! I'm sure many out there already have good systems, but I felt this worth sharing for those in need :)

When I was pregnant a couple friends shared that their washing machine had to be worked on by a repairman because a little sock escaped the basket. While this is not common, it can happen! Therefore, I always put my son's socks in a lingerie bag! I have discovered, though, that this not only protects the washer, but it makes everything easier!

• When socks come off, they go in the bag, reducing loss. (Often socks just end up in the laundry hamper and I put them into the sock bag as I sort laundry.)
• When socks move from washer to dryer, then dryer to laundry basket, they stay in the bag, reducing loss!
• Since we line-dry in the summer, it also makes that easier, all the socks are right together to clip up easy-peasy without digging, or getting flung into the grass when I pull a shirt out of the basket.
• When folding clothes, the socks wait in their bag, not getting lost or flung in the shuffle.
• For those with multiples, each can have their own sock bag if they don't share socks. Less sorting!

february/march madness

The busy-ness of life has been quite overwhelming for me lately. Part of it is legitimate busy, part unnecessary. Lately I've been spending a lot of extra time on saving/earning a little more money for our family. Also, really working on ways to de-clutter and better organize/run our home. With our jobs, Josh's seminary classes, and the extra work I'm doing (and the time I waste doing nothing online when I could be sleeping...), well, it's been madness at our house this semester! :)

It has been exciting, though, as Josh and I both grow personally in our relationships with the Lord and each other in much-needed ways. I in my Bible reading, and both of us in prayer. As we are becoming better disciples of the Lord, it helps our marriage, and I believe our parenting, too.

the pastor's wife.

I'm a pastor's wife, and I love it. I grew up as a pastor's kid, as did my pastor husband.

We've been through a lot on both sides of the pendulum and knew a lot of what to expect going into church ministry full time. But, being prepared with reasonable expectations does not translate to making every situation easy to encounter. 

Not that anything bad has happened or that everyone needs tips on how to better support their pastor's wives... but some do. So, either way, if you want to know some ways to best support the wives of your pastors, here are two great articles I would love for you to read:

What Not to Say (And What to Say) To Your Pastor's Wife

Common Struggles of Pastors' Wives

Next up: the pastor. :)

quick tip: receipt organization

I used to keep all my receipts together, in one giant unorganized pile, like I can imagine tons of people do! I filed bills and statements, but receipts were a mess. For multiple reasons, I really wanted to get that under control. My idea may not be original, but I thought of it and it works great!

friday five 2-7-14

{I know it's not Friday (though I DID write this for Friday!)
and there's more than five, but I like calling it Friday Five! Ha!}

I can't believe it's already February. Where does the time go?
{Speaking of February, the youngest I nanny turned 3 on Sunday. Un.Real.}
Thankfully, as the minutes fly by, everything slows down for at least a few moments as I relive the joys of roller-coaster-filled weeks.

friday five 1-24-14

Two weeks of family joys might be more the norm now. I can't seem to keep up with weekly, as you know, and I'm okay with that now! :-) I'm going to go with five for each week this time!

all in a day

The last few weeks have been filled with a lot of the same over and over. I think we all enjoy the predictability and familiarity :) But, I realized as we did it all over again today, that I want to remember and share this season. I love the creativity.

Also, in the midst all this we had some terrible, horrible, no good, very bad days. Ok, so not THAT bad, but enough I was crying most days. But, thankfully, God's mercies are new each morning, and He helps the wonderful, awesome, not bad, very good moments usher in and overpower.

2013 family letter

We got our Christmas New Years letter sent out this last week to some people, but we couldn't send paper copies to everyone, so here's a digital copy! Happy 2014, friends and family!
(It seems to be loading funny the first time the page loads it, so if you see a bunch of squares or characters instead of words, reload :))