Summer Challenge Week 2! The kids' room (or spare room).

The Kids Room or spare room

(just one)

--if you don't have kids, choose a room of your choice, spare room, perhaps?--

This week I'm choosing my yongest two son's room.

which smells funky

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and looks awful

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and is partially painted

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and has no curtain

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and was going to be AWESOME with camouflage style paint...

but never made it past that one day I worked on it.

So...

we're moving on.

We're decluttering

removing extra shelves 

(that just have JUNK. JUNK! on them)

and streamlining.

*And now the horrible, swallow my pride and post the pics time*

I'd love to be able to do a bunch of stuff here, but I'll feel successful if we 

R E A R R A N G E      AND     D O W N S I Z E 

 (note the worried look on his face as he surveys the destruction and awaits the decluttering...)

D E C L U T T E R     AND    D E S T I N K 

(this is the area my youngest was looking at as I took his picture... all his STUFF!)

O R G A N I Z E 

This is the pathetic window that had mini blinds up,

that the boys broke,

that made our house look like a slum,

that we took down,

that I was going to replace with a simple curtain,

that I didn't want to spend money on,

that I never made.

For. TWO. YEARS.

So, here we go!

Let's do this!

Summer Challenge Week 1: Master Bedroom

Summer Challenge Week One is here!

This week we will prep our Master Bedroom as if we were going to sell it.

We'll get to all the clutter

 little touch-ups we should have done years ago

and fun projects you've been putting off.

Mainly for me this means 

*removing clutter from under the bed

*culling bookcase

*deep clean vacuuming

*touching up paint and trim

*cleaning the blinds

I'd love to completely gut the room

and remove about 3/4 of the items...

but, this is one room that Mr. Measure likes to have his way...

which means storing all his stuff

and having his maps, posters, etc out.

And since I pretty much have all my stuff in ever other room in the house,

this is one concession I'll give him.

So there will be no dramatic

Before and After pictures from me

because it'll be pretty unimpressive.

But my goal is to accomplish those main points this week!

What do you need to do in the Master Bedroom to get it ready to sell?

Summer Challenge: Prepping to Sell Your Home (even if you're not selling)

T H E   C H A L L E N G E:

Prep your home to sell this summer

T H E   C O M M I T T M E N T:

This summer let's finally get to all the little projects around your home 

that you keep putting off,-- projects that you would make sure got done--

 if you were selling your house this fall.

For example:

Declutter and dump

Touch up the trim in the rooms

re-caulk the tub

repair any dry wall holes or damage

clean or replace light fixtures

repair or replant the lawn

clean out the flower beds

remove any eyesores that you've been meaning to get to

etc

T H E   R E A S O N:

Because if you're anything like me

you'll ignore all the junk that needs to be done,

look right past it,

or look at it and wish it was done,

and never get to it....

unless you're getting your home ready to give to someone else.

So this summer, it's all going to be different.

I'm getting my home ready to be enjoyed and beautiful

for me.

And my family.

T H E   T H E M E:

Do what you can

With what you have

For those you love

T H E   D E T A I L S:

Each week we'll work on a room.

See it with new eyes.

As if we are getting ready to SELL. 

Then we'll get to work.

Post back here with what you've done

or link to your blog

and by the end of summer, 

we'll all have a whole new house.

You can be as expensive, or cheap as you need to be.

The majority of my projects will be taken care of with elbow grease and paint.

Though I would love to, I doubt this summer we'll do the major renovations

like windows and fence, but I'll do what I can.

So, who's in??

What we're reading...

The boys and I just finished the audio version of this book:

The Fast and the Furriest by Andy Behrens

It was a great book, fun ride and huge character development and change.  

There were true laugh out loud parts, and parts we still quote

"Seriously, Cromwell, gross."

Very fun read.

(There is one curse word, used late in the book about someone being Bad-***)

Lots of fun. We listened to the audio version, which was very well done.

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We are now on night 75 of our consectuive nights read-aloud promise and finished 

Lemony Snicket's Who Could That Be At This Hour.

Weird little book, but good story line.  Lots of loose ends, but there is another coming out.

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And we just finished Jack Blank and the Imagine Nation.

It was a long, thick book, but the boys loved it.  I think it was probably written to a little younger audience, but even my 14 and 15 year old enjoyed it.

Story full of superheros who live in the Imagine Nation and the an orphan boy who finds out he is part of the nation too.  Part Harry Potter, part Comic Book, and a great adventure.

I think we'll listen to the other books (four in the series) on CD though, because it took all the 

library renewals allowed to read aloud through it.

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I'm still working through 

Give Them Grace

Though there are parts I roll my eyes at (the long, long talks in the heat of the moment), so much of the information is eye opening and really helping me see that it's not about the boys' outward behavior, but inward heart, and who is ultimately responsible for that change (not me, not them, but God).  Good stuff, but thick reading and a lot to digest.

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For my biography reading, I'm currently enjoying this huge book on Walt Disney

I picked it up on our vacation in Disneyland and have enjoyed it so far, but am only up to where is is about 18, and there's the WHOLE book left to go.  Great so far though. I really long for that small town life that he had growing up, though not ideal, I can see how he formed such a love for art and hard working personality.

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For Bible Study, I'm working through Crazy Love by Francis Chan

That link is to the workbook I'm going through with a friend.  It adds a whole new level to the book, but the book is great on its own too.

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I'm not sure what is next on our read aloud list (we had to put aside Kidnapped by Robert Lewis Stevenson because it was just too hard to read through aloud... I was tongue tied, the boys were disinterested.  Maybe we'll re-visit it later.)  We have this book, so maybe we'll try it. Next year in school the boys will be reading The Iliad, so having a different version may help them understand it a bit more when they're in the thick of it.

That's it for now.  If you know of any great read-alouds, let me know!

Thanks!

Err on the side of mercy

Mercy: n. a refraining from harming offenders, enemies, etc. 

 A disposition to forgive or be kind. 

 Kind or compassionate treatment.

Mercy received thankful from my Jesus.

Mercy so often not extended to my boys.

Oh how I pray I will err on the side of mercy more often.

It's a hard HARD road to parent teen boys, 

especially in today's ugly, sinful, in-your-face culture.

I often err on the side of LECTURES,

... of long sighs

...of looks of anger

...of irritated body language

...of raised voices and raised eyebrows

and today

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right in my face

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"For judgement will be merciless to the one who has shown no mercy;

MERCY TRIUMPHS OVER JUDGEMENT."

I'm praying to err more on the side of mercy,

...more on the side of quiet prayer,

...of a soft touch,

...of a gentle hug and leaning in,

...of whispering and smiles.

Even in the ugly and muck of hormones and teenage attitudes.

ESPECIALLY in those.

Lord, grant me the ability to show mercy to my boys,

as you have continued to show mercy to me.

I am learning through these struggles

and Holy Spirit knockdowns

That relationship is what matters.

RELATIONSHIP.

How can I guide, love, lead, teach

someone who I don't have relationship with?

What does relationship building look like 

with my teen boys right now?

-It is realizing that one of them learns the hard way... which means it's going to be hard to watch him go through painful experiences from his choices, but it is HOW he learns.  I've yet to see real learning/change happen based on one of my many, many lectures, no matter how brilliantly I speak.

-It means giving up the battles that aren't directly related to God, relationship, or character.
I cannot fight every. single. battle.  Right now, I'm choosing to step back on a few areas and instead relinquish them to prayer--grades, food, room cleanliness, etc.

-It means I'm taking up my sword and armor and running headlong into other battles.  

Battles over his soul.

Battles over his mind.

Battles over how he treats others.

Battles within myself when I want to lash out in anger.

Lord, help me remember

that it all

ALL 

comes down to 

RELATIONSHIP

and
MERCY.

Mercy truimphs over judgement.

"Ruining" my Bible. Slowly. And on purpose.

I have been (slowly) reading through my Bible, cover to cover, for a year now!

I've tried the 'read through the Bible in a year' programs and got STRESSED out and gave up after I fell days, then weeks, then months behind.  So I just never felt pressed to do it.

But on May 3, 2012, I committed to reading just 3 pages through at a time. 

Just 3 pages.

And when I would read those 3 pages, I would MARK up my Bible.

I used to be against marking up my books/Bibles because then I would ruin them...

Then I got over it.

And started 'ruining' my Bible.

And you know what?  I LOVE it even more.  

Through my reading and studying and post-it notes inside, I've learned more than I ever have before.  (Even through Leviticus!)

I have absolutely LOVED each book of the Bible I've been through so far.

(I think the hardest are the big genealogies, but I can skim those.)

But there is a method I've been using that I think really enhances my learning, making it more than just read-through-the-pages-trying-to-stay-awake-then-I'm-done sort of thing.

I mark off each section of the scriptures when the topic/idea/subject changes, then write what that section was talking about in the margin....

Then when I'm done reading through my 3 pages for the day, I write what the main topic was for that page.  I don't even use complete sentences, just a few words... there's no rules, just something for me to glance at and remember.

 and if there's ever something that I just DO NOT understand, I'll put a big ? next to the passage or use a post it to mark that area.

This was so cool when I had just read through Genesis and our pastor was going through the book of Genesis and he directly answered TWO areas that I had but big question marks on.

Another cool benefit is that I'm kind of making a Bible Study guide too. When a passage is mentioned I can flip to that verse and have an instant view of the context it is used in.... and if you're like me, you retain a lot more if YOU do the work yourself.  In an age of instant 'google' answers, doing it the old fashioned way has helped my retention and understanding way more than anything else.

Even when it got to the tricky parts in 2 Kings with all the kings of Judah and Israel and who was ruling who at what time... I was able to keep track for the most part.

Later in my reading I found a great guide online to kind of help me think through what I read even more, but I cannot for the life of me find it anywhere online now!

But if you were wanting to add that to your reading, I've started keeping a notebook/journal and answering these questions (that were on the original worksheet I had found) after I read for the day:

Date:

Passage:

1. Summary of passage:

2.  Is there an example to follow?

3.  Is there an error I should avoid?

4.  Is there a command to obey?

5.  Is there a sin to forsake?

6.  How can I apply this to my life today?

Have you read through your Bible entirely?

Is there anything that has helped you stay focused to the end?

Let me know!

Thanks,

Kari

Oven Roasted Veggies... a blog post. Really.

So for the last few months I've been eating a TON of veggies.

I used to only eat canned or frozen veggies because, well, I'm lazy.

But that all changed a few months ago when I really looked at how bad my diet was.  Lots of carbs, very little protein, and even less fresh veggies.

So I started experimenting and roasted a whole cookie sheet of veggies to see what I could do with them already partially cooked and waiting in the refrigerator.  

And I LOVED it!

LOVE.

Big pink junior high school TLA TLF kind of love.

And I've learned a few tips over the months to share with you to see if you *heart* them as much as I do!

FIRST, I browse the veggie aisle at my WinCo grabbing everything that even remotely sounds good and/or is in season.  Lately its been asparagus, which is divine.  Plus the usual of tons of mushrooms, zucchini, cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, snap peas, cabbage, onions etc etc etc.

When I get home, I rinse and drain and dry them.

DRY is the key.

Bone.

Dry.

THEN after they are dry, I cut them up into small bite sized pieces.  

Don't get lazy here, I have left them in big chunks and regretted it.  

They need to be small so they can roast and get all toasty and roasty delicious.  

Big is bad.  

Big bad veggies.  

(Keep your hard veggies separate from the softies--the broccoli, cauliflower, carrots need longer roasting time than the others).

NEXT I place the HARD bite sized chopped veggies in a big bowl and toss with salt and pepper and a dash of olive oil (and if I have it, Montreal Steak seasoning YUM!)

TOSS those bad boys on a big cookie sheet and roast in the oven at 425 for about 6 min 

for crisper veggies or 8 min for softer.  

WHILE those are roasting prep all your softer veggies 

(squash, mushrooms, asparagus, etc) and toss them with the oil and seasonings.

WHEN the first batch is done, I add this second one right on top of the first, stir around, and put back in the oven for another 6-8 min.

FINALLY when they are all done, you pull them out and let cool.

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NOW is where the magic happens.  When you are ready to eat, I toss the veggies in a lightly sprayed cast iron pan and sizzle with garlic and olive oil and some fresh spinach on top.

For protein, I add any kind of meat or fish. I LOVE it with salmon on the side, or with Costco's frozen grilled chicken strips, or steak or leftover whatever meat you have.

I usually eat it with 1/2 cup of rice or pasta too (whole wheat angel hair pasta is my favorite, I cook a bunch of it up before hand, rinse and keep refrigerated for super fast lunches) or place it on a huge bed of shredded cabbage and fresh spinach.

You can toss these with any kind of sauce you like, curry, teriyaki, pesto, etc.  

Top with a sprinkle of cheese (Parmesan, feta, Gorgonzola, etc) and ENJOY.

(Today I found a bag of sun dried tomatoes and I added a sprinkle of and WOW, what a POP of flavor!)

Hope you get a chance to try them.  They are pretty much life changing, 

and maybe even life saving when you don't have a dinner plan, 

your husband is STARVING and you can whip these up in about 5 minutes.

TLA

TLF

<3