Baking Bread and Finding Purpose, Personal Musings of a Domestic Sort

It's amazing what different seasons in our lives can teach us. The more I look back on my life, the more seasons I recognize, and the more I appreciate different and new growing periods in my life.

As I currently adjust to living in a new place, working only part-time (if you can even call it that), and being home the majority of the time, I'm beginning to realize this period as another season. And, as I realize it, I am trying to learn from it...Yes, trying is the keyword. 

You see, I am used to being fairly independent (however with my still recent marriage, I have gladly accepted a position of more dependence as well as submission), busy, and hard working. I have always been described as a go-getter and found pride (probably too much) in that status. In this current phase, though, I am spending more time at home, taking care of things around the house, and supporting my husband in a more subtle way. While I gladly accept this position, I will admit, it has not been easy for a "doer" to adjust to what seems like "not doing." However, I came across this scripture this past weekend (again, as I stayed at home while my husband hurried the opening of his new hotel), and it gave me some new found direction and peace of mind. Psalm 115:1 reads, "Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name goes all the glory for your unfailing love and faithfulness," (NLT). This scripture reminds me that our purpose is not our own. All that we do should be to the glory of God, for his will not ours. I realized that with all of the reflecting I had been doing on "not doing as much as I could be" that I was completely missing the point. God has granted me with this time of serving in a different way. If nothing else, I need to do all that I can do in my home to honor God. So, as I love my husband, I am honoring God's purpose. As I make healthy choices for my family, I am honoring God. As, I look for and apply budgeting tips and tricks, I am being mindful with that which God has blessed me. And, yes, I am honoring God. 

Whether you are in a period of busyness or calm, I hope you can apply this concept to your life as well. All that you do, do it for his glory.

All that being said, I have taken up using this period as a time to work on healthier, more sustainable, and more cost effective living. One aspect of this endeavor has included finding different ways to shop as well as different meal and food prep options. (This attempt has really been threefold--helping us budget, living more practically, and making better food choices.) 

My most recent adventure involved taking on the task of making homemade bread. Tired of not knowing exactly what is in our food and excited about being able to make things myself, I am trying to take on tasks that allow us to control what we put in, on, and around our bodies. (I've even made our own cleaning supplies but more on that in another post.) 

I am happy to say that with a little recipe tweaking and committed kitchen time, I was able to produce two lovely and extremely tasty loaves of homemade bread! Woohoo! (The mister continues to reconfirm how much he is enjoying this latest recipe too.) Check it out, these loaves are gorgeous (although I'll not be entering any bread baking contests just yet)! 

Are you interested in trying your hand at homemade bread, check out my recipe and let me know how it goes. This Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread is delicious and super easy (as far as bread baking goes)!

Whether baking bread, putting in time at a difficult job, or just loving those around you, I hope you can find your purpose just as I have in glorifying God in all that you do. And, as always, make it, Tote-ally Wonderful!

--Leesha

DIY Front Door Letter, Simple & Rustic

Who doesn't love a simple, DIY project? What about a project that can be completed in one sitting and that

adds instant character to any home? Exactly, everyone loves a project like this! So, when I was looking for a fun easy project to add a little charm to our front door, I couldn't pass on this one. It requires little investment in materials and time and turns out sooo cute! Read on to check it out, and make your own!

DIY Front Door Letter

Materials Needed:

• Jute Twine (any color, but I used natural), $6.99
• Wooden or cardboard letter, $3.00
• Artificial flowers or other embellishment, $5.00 for 2 sets
• Ribbon, $3.00
• Hot glue gun and glue sticks, already had
• Wire cutters

Project Steps

1. Plan your wrapping and practice. The very first thing you'll want to do is analyze your letter and
   decide what is the best method for wrapping and completely covering. (If complete coverage is not  the look you're going for here, then proceed to step 2.) As anal as I am, I wanted my letter symmetrically and completely covered, so I did a couple of practice wraps. Typically it's best to start on a flat edge and then curve around. You might also have to "rewrap" some sections to cover everything, but more on that later. Test some of the lengths of you letter and see what direction will work best. 
2. Anchor your twine. Once you've decided where you want to begin, it will help tremendously to anchor the first several "wraps" around your letter. This is where the hot glue comes in. Put a dot at the very beginning edge of your wrap and then on several flat sections of your first piece to keep the jute strands from spreading too much.
3. Wrap and cover. After anchoring your initial pieces, just continue wrapping. Again, you might find it easier to wrap a flat section, cut your twine, begin again, and rewrap sections for complete coverage. That is what I had to do here for the angle on the end of the "C". I actually had wrapped the end to a stopping point and then restarted it in the very beginning "round part" of the "C".
   
4. "Seal." After covering the letter, you'll want to do like in the beginning and glue several of the last "wraps" around your letter. This again just helps to keep the jute in place and makes for a cleaner look. Then finish it off with a last dot of glue to hold the end of the jute twine in place.
5. Decorate. While you may choose to leave your letter unembellished, you'll at least need to add a ribbon to hang it. This step is the last that you'll want to do. At this point, I cut the artificial flowers for mine and placed them with hot glue to add an extra flourish to the design. I then measured the ribbon and practiced tying the bow, so that I'd have a good length when hanging. (You'll want to judge yours based on how you want it to rest on the door.) After measuring, I secured the ribbon to the letter with a thin line of glue underneath the "open side" of the letter. Once you have added the ribbon, you've got a great finished product. All you need to do now is hang it and enjoy!

This is a great DIY project that costs less than $20! I think you'll have a hard time finding a wreath or other door decoration for any less than that. Plus, you get the pleasure of saying you made this yourself and it looks Tote-ally Wonderful! (I made mine with my sister, too, which made it even better!!)

--Leesha

(Our Tote-ally cute front door!)

Three Tips to Get Organized (and a Few Products to Help You Get There)

Whether heading back to school or not, many of us still take advantage of the end of summer and beginning of fall (Wow! How did we get here already?!) as one of those "refocusing" times in the year. It gives us the opportunity to look back on what we've accomplished in the first 3/4 of the year (Another shocker, right? We're already 3/4 of the way through 2013...) and decide what changes we need to make to make those last few months count. I don't think I know any better way to do that than to get organized! So, today I have for you 3 simple steps to help you get organized and a few of my favorite products (if you're interested) to help you get there! Read on and let's finish this thing strong together!

1. Compartmentalize. One of the first steps toward getting organized is finding a place for everything. This could be as simple as getting a few totes, separating a few items, labeling them (of course!), and neatly fitting them into a closet. However, if you're more focused on "organizing life in general," this may be a bit more difficult. Let's make it easy on ourselves, though, and consider it with the same mental picture in mind. If you can simply section your day, your time into neat "labeled" chunks, you'll be a lot more efficient and much more organized. Think of it as stuffing your hours into "totes" labeled with their respective responsibilities--relationships, health, work...Once you have some of the major sections of life compartmentalized, consider breaking it down even further.

2. Minimize. I don't know of anyone who doesn't have a little extra of something. So, the second step toward organizing? You got it, minimize! If you don't need it, get rid of it. (A good rule of thumb is if you haven't used it in the last 6 months, you aren't going to.) This step applies to "stuff" just the same as time. I think we're all guilty of devoting our time to unnecessary things, so think about it, and decide what you need, and ditch the rest. You'll be amazed how freeing this is!

3. Utilize. The final step toward organizational perfection is utilization--using what you have or what you're best at--to maximize you're capability. If you have a system for organizing your home, put it to use. (Personally, I like to revert back to compartmentalizing here. Our home is organized by purpose and design. My business supplies are organized using folders, totes, etc.) In terms of work or business, structure your time, so you can "divide and conquer." For some, this may mean completing the tasks that aren't your "strong suit" first, while for others you'll need to complete your favorite projects at the beginning of the day to get your focus going. At this stage of organization, you're simply finding what works for you and applying it.

Now, I promised you 3 Tips and a few of my favorite products, so I'd  be remiss not to include both. My favorite products focus on the three same premises as my tips, and this, honestly, is how I organize my work (and life). I like to call this set "My Mobile Office." It is composed of the Organizing Utility Tote, Fold'N File, and Zipper Pouch (three of my favorite Thirty-One products), which come together nicely to help me compartmentalize, minimize, and utilize.

The Organizing Utility Tote has lots of pockets to carry pens, glasses, snacks...or anything else you'd need in a day. Even better? It has enough pockets that you can compartmentalize everything!

Another aspect of this set is minimizing what I have to carry but maximizing my efficiency. The Fold'N File does this perfectly! This product is designed to carry hanging file folders (which I love), but it is also spacious enough that I can also stick some binders and other folders in the back half. So, I can carry everything I need for my business and for teaching all in one place and everything still has it's section. Score!

Finally, the Zipper Pouch is perfect for all the extras. This product can be utilized as a bit of a catch-all, but for me, it actually carries my computer and other technology needs. (I have a netbook, so it fits perfectly!)

Put the three together, and you have one very organized set! What are you waiting for? Get organized! I promise it'll make life Tote-ally Wonderful!

--Leesha

Looking for your own "Mobile Office" or interested in creating your own organizing set? Visit my website at www.mythirtyone.com/leeshachamberlain or connect with me on Facebook. I have a great special going on right now that I'd love to tell you about!

(Disclaimer: I am an Independent Thirty-One Consultant. The views expressed here are mine alone and do not reflect those of Thirty-One Gifts.)

My Inspiration...

New wife. Teacher. Thirty-One Party Planner. DIYer. Budgetista. Yep, all of the above apply as well as many others. And, all of these aspects combined create what I like to call my Tote-ally Wonderful Life, one founded on faith, love, direction, hope, and purpose. That being said, I am asking you to join me, come be a part of my life, and hopefully I'll be able to share with you some of what I have. At the very least, though, I intend to provide you with periodic ideas for living a fuller, more fun and organized, better budgeted, more focused...life. Along the way, I'll also provide you with links to great deals, freebies, party options, and other fun tidbits. So, what are we waiting for? Let's go live life together!

(Disclaimer: I am an Independent Thirty-One Consultant. The views expressed here are mine alone and not reflect those of Thirty-One Gifts.)

Easy Lamp Makeover

Thankfully my husband and I have inherited a handsome set of home furniture and furnishings through various means--family, friends, previous apartment living, etc. (And really, we've been really, really blessed as all of our furniture even "goes together" right from the onset of being married. It would have driven me bonkers otherwise.) However, even with this collection, the further we get into establishing our home, the more I'm left wanting to tweak what we have...In steps my moderate DIY-self, thinking, "Yeah, yeah, I can do this."
I often shudder just slightly when this "self" takes over as I have had some (very) unsuccessful DIY attempts in the past. Nonetheless, I typically go ahead and make the attempt anyway. Today was no different.

After making our most recent move, I decided I wanted to add a "pop of color" to our living room and had decided to do so with the very neutral-colored lamps we had acquired. (I think these were honestly a "hotel hand-me-down" from my husband's former job site.) So, the Easy Lamp Makeover idea was born, and, I made a go of it. And, I must say it was extremely SUCCESSFUL! If you are wanting to makeover a room, or at least a lamp, easily, cheaply, and quickly, do this!

Materials Needed:

• two lamps (or one, really however many you want to makeover)
• plastic wrap, paper towel, plastic bag, or some other material to cover metal parts of lamp
• tape
• spray paint in an exciting new color (I used Valspar The Perfect Finish in Gloss Exoctic Sea.)
• cardboard or some other usable spraying surface
• a well ventilated space

Steps to Makeover Perfection (or close to)...

1. Prep lamps for painting. I started by wiping down the lamps with a damp cloth. (This was a necessity to remove dust balls and tiny dust bunnies. I definitely know where my house cleaning is lacking...) After cleaning, separate the lamp base from the shade, typically by simply unscrewing the attachment at the top. You'll also want to make sure to remove the bulb, if you haven't already done so. At this point, wrap the metal casing with the plastic wrap. (I enlisted the mister to help here, and he also suggested a lining of paper towel to make sure we kept everything clean.) Secure with tape as necessary. You also might want to cover the cord to protect it from any stray paint.
   
2. After covering everything, it's time to set up shop. We carried everything outside and laid cardboard underneath the lamps to keep from painting the grass as well as to keep any and all grass off of the lamps as I painted.
3. Then, the fun part. Begin painting. You'll want to use short, light sprays and do multiple coats, with at least 5 minutes between each coat. I used one very light coat, followed by a second "covering" coat, and a third "touch-up" coat. This allowed me to get a nice, even color on the lamps without any drips. (Note: Valspar The Perfect Finish is a two-in-one product that serves as a primer and topcoat. I chose this paint so I didn't have to purchase an additional "primer.")
   
4. Finally, let the paint cure. Within 30 minutes, we were able to move the project, but I let both lamps sit outside for 2+ hours to allow them to "air out" and completely dry.
5. Finish! After drying, I carried the transformed lamps inside, removed the wrap, replaced the bulbs and shades, and added them back to the living space.
   

This project was a total success! I was able to makeover the two lamps and successfully transform our living space (at least that's how I feel about it, haha) with a simple spray of paint. On top of that, I got 2 brand NEW lamps for $7!!! I'll take that for a Tote-ally Wonderful makeover! Check it out!

--Leesha

Tote-ally Wonderful Saturday Morning (Breakfast)

Okay, so don't unsubscribe yet, but here is another post about, you guessed it--FOOD! We have a bit of a Saturday morning tradition in the Chamberlain household. Every (or at least almost every) Saturday morning we do a special breakfast, compared to weekday breakfasts at least. These range anywhere from just eggs and bacon to french toast. With some fairly recent health concerns, though, we are trying to make some small changes to our diet to facilitate better health. With this as a focus, I have been doing a lot of research, reading, and hunting for different recipes to try, specifically for Saturday mornings. (While tasty, french toast is not one of the most health friendly treats...)

When I came across this recipe at Minimalist Baker (big shout to Dana for a wonderful blog and tastefully simple recipes!) for Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Pancakes, I couldn't help but think this was a perfect Saturday morning breakfast. With an easy-to-follow recipe and all whole food ingredients, I just had to try it. (I literally texted my husband a pic on Wednesday telling him we'd be trying them on Saturday morning! He was just as excited.)

Ergo, I woke up this morning and headed straight to the kitchen. Following the recipe exactly as written, I had quickly whipped up this interesting looking concoction...

At this point my determination began to wane just slightly. I was afraid I might have been wrong in so readily trying a new "treat," but nonetheless, I carried on. To my great surprise, as I glopped a fair-sized dollop on the pan, I began to see the promises of the Minimalist's "cookie."

It looks exactly like an oatmeal cookie, right?! Shwew, that was a close one...I proceeded to measure and cook the rest of our cookies, er pancakes, and I quickly had two tasty plates for our Saturday morning tradition!

(I added a small glass of almond milk for each of us too. I mean really, who eats cookies without milk?!)

Thanks for sharing in our Saturday morning tradition! Are you thinking about starting your own? My personal suggestions--make it simple, enjoyable, and together, and it's sure to stick. We don't make a lot of fuss over Saturday morning breakfasts, but it's something we know we can look forward to each week. It's a welcome reprieve after the week--time spent enjoying together. It's Tote-ally Wonderful!

--Leesha

2 Tips for a Tote-ally Wonderful Evening

Okay, so this post will be a slight contrast to my previous (really old) posts, but nonetheless, it'll help you get a feel for the vibe I'm hoping to achieve with a bit of a "blog redesign." Let me know what you think!

So, focusing on living, leading, and sharing a Tote-ally Wonderful life, I'd have to say this evening was beyond a success! Now, you may be slightly different than me, but I think we can all appreciate a tasty, easy, healthy meal. Let me tell you, this meal qualifies as all three plus some.

In keeping with my two tips...

1. Make really (really, really) great food! Like I said, maybe you're a bit different than me here, but personally, my husband and I love cooking (and eating). However, what I really love is cooking easily and successfully. One of the ways I achieve this is by meal planning (but more on that in another post), and on the plan for tonight was Crockpot Pork Tenderloin. Super easy, extremely delicious, and simply healthy! I tweak the recipe a bit using more seasoning, our favorite apples (Granny Smith), and local honey, but I must say, this is simply the best tenderloin recipe we've tried and all I did was toss it in the crock. Step #1=successful!

2. Stay on budget. Yep, I said it, the dreaded "b" word...While most people don't really enjoy budgeting, I enjoy making a bit of a game of it, particularly with grocery shopping--I like to see how low I can get our costs. With a renewed fervor for budgeting as I am not working full-time this year, I've been looking into different options for cutting costs. This week's new tactic was a definite success. To score this delectable meal, I collected my weekly ads from various stores--namely Kroger, Target, and Aldi--and perused them prior to planning our meals for the week. On opening the Kroger ad, I saw the sale on pork tenderloin. Score and Double-Score! (It's one of the mister's favorite meals.) On shopping day, we made our way to Kroger, picked our prize tenderloin (and other groceries) and checked out, using our Kroger card. (It definitely pays to take the time to get store loyalty cards and use them.) That being said, we got our beautiful meal for under $7.00, normally over $12!!

Add some fresh veggies, and you have one fabulous plate of food. Check it out!

So what are my 2 best tips for a wonderful evening together? You've got it. Make deliciously simple food and do so budget-consciously. We didn't have to sacrifice anything here, and it was Tote-ally Wonderful! Enjoy!
--Leesha

A Bit Of Rest...

As I prepare to take advantage of an extra day off tomorrow, I am reminded that even God rested. As I was overtaken by a pretty ferocious cold this weekend, I likewise was reminded that I often do have to be just completely knocked down to allow myself to take a rest. This has been a constant struggle for me, but as I reflect on the concept of balance in life more and more, I recognize that balance is what God has intended for us. Yes, he wants us to be diligent, hardworking, persevering…but He too wants us to have rest and peace. So, I am focusing on this verse this week as well as the concept that even through all that we have to get done, I still need to rest. “And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation” Genesis 2:2-3 (ESV).
--Leesha

Two Are Better Than One

The concept of relationship has been brought to my attention and has been a focus of my studies time and time again. Nonetheless, I find myself returning to it yet again. And, finally, I think I am realizing why it is a topic that keeps surfacing. It is that important. God doesn't just keep laying things on our hearts that are unimportant, right? So, relationship is going to be another one of the things that I focus on this year. Relationship with my husband, my friends, my family, my coworkers...

In all aspects God tells us, “Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor.” Ecclesiastes 4:9 (NIV). Now, I would clarify that to mean two working together to further his kingdom and his will, but nevertheless, two that come together can get twice the work done in half the time! God has provided us with a variety of people in our lives to serve as vital resources to us and us to them. Bottom line, He is a relational god, and we are relational people (because He made us that way)! So, as we progress throughout this thing we call life, let's not go it alone. Call on God, call on people, and let others call on you.
--Leesha

If You Believe It...

In my personal and professional life this week, I aim to focus on this key verse--Matthew 9:29, "Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith let it be done to you...” My pastor's message the past few weeks has been entitled "The Forces That Form You," and has discussed the different ways that what we expose ourselves to, meditate on, and allow in our lives shapes the people we are today as well as who we are destined to become. It's truly been a powerful message, and I cannot wait to see how the rest of the series continue. The key concept that I really pulled from this week's message was the idea that "If you begin to believe you are a failure, you will fail. But, if you begin to believe you are a success, you will succeed." That being said, we need to consider and select what we believe, and likewise, we need to have faith in that which we forsee for our lives. Matthew 9:29 gives us hope and a belief that if we truly do have faith, God will bless what we do. So, by focusing on what promises God has given us and believing we do have a purpose and a design, we believe it into being.  Let's hold onto that faith and bring into being the things you desire for your life.
--Leesha

A Different Perspective and a Few Things I've Learned...

Through no method of my own, I have truly found and embraced (at least for now) a different perspective for this second half of my school year and first half of 2013. While I spent the past 5+ months chasing my tail, trying to stay afloat (professionally) on my own, and adjusting to life as a full-time teacher, wife, sister, daughter, friend...I didn't have time to look much outside of my own little box (or classroom door, haha). And, let me tell you, while I am please enough with how those months were spent, I am not satisfied with that as a so called life, and especially not one that is called by Christ. That being said, through a little R&R, I think I was able to catchup with myself a little as well as with God and have a renewed vision for what he wants me to do here and to be in life in general. The following is a list of realizations turned motivations for a life lived with a different perspective. Join me in reading as well as in living them.

1. Life is not just about me.--You may get tired of hearing that this year, but as it's a recurring theme I keep hearing in my own devotional time, I believe it's something that I need to keep reiterating for myself and most likely for those of you as well. So, this year is to be a life lived with an outward focus, one not just on me, but on those around me. We were all born to be world changers, so let's take up our charge and live lives that focus on more than just us.

2. There is plenty of time to not be wasted...--No, I did not make a typo here, that came out exactly the way I intended it. All throughout school and now even into my professional career, I have been super-organized, overly time-oriented, and unbelievably focused on getting things done ahead of time. Thus leading me to believe I needed to get everything done right now and, in turn, forcing me to periodically miss out on simply living life. Having a classroom and 2 different grade levels to manage as a first year teacher, I have done a great deal of this "over-planning and under-enjoying." So, nonetheless, I have decided (and figured out) that there is plenty of time to not be wasted doing simple tasks away from others. My focus needs to be on doing things with people, for people, and about people.

While I could generate an unending list of life learnings, I'll stop there. But, in doing so, I just ask that you join me. Let's make 2013 a year spent doing, being, and living a life called by God and focused on others.
--Leesha

Life Isn't Just About Me (Or Us)

With almost half a year of marriage and teacher under my belt, I've been able to take a great deal of the past couple of weeks (Christmas Break!) to reflect on what the past 6 months has held. While marriage has been exciting and blissful and everything I hoped that it would be, I have to admit that life has not necessarily been everything that it should have been. You see, through no one's fault but my own, I have been quite selfish and self-centered, which many would probably agree is to be expected when starting life as I have been doing in the past several months. Nonetheless, I have refocused a bit and hope to be able to share my new found focus and direction through this outlet. All to say that God is gently reminding me that life is not just all about me (or even us, my husband and I). There really is more to life than supporting myself, encouraging my husband, and teaching my students. Essentially through the encouragement of others, I have realized (and remembered) that God really does have an even greater calling for my life than all of those (awesome, wonderful) things! As such, while planning, organizing, teaching, and simply living (haha) is keeping me quite busy at this point, I hope (intend, plan...) to be able to share weekly (or possibly monthly) insights via blog. (Bear with me, as I am just venturing into the "blog world" and don't know all the ins and outs yet...)

So, hear goes for week one. My focus verse for this month comes from Proverbs 4:20b-22, ""Listen carefully to my words. Don't lose sight of them. Let them penetrate deep into your heart; for they bring life to those who find them, and health to their whole body." Proverbs 4:20b-22 (NLT). Like I previously mentioned, through the encouragement of others as well as personal study, God has been reminding me that He wants more for me, He wants me to be sharing with others as well as allowing his word to be seeping into my heart and life. So, I am taking the "new year" as a new opportunity to renew my previous endeavors to encourage others as well as to reaffirm my personal relationship with God. I intend to use this verse as a focus of my time, my work, my life, making it focused and centered on God and his word first. 

Please join me in posting this verse in my home, my classroom, and my heart! Much love!
--Leesha