Perfectly Sliced Cheese {Kitchen Tip Tuesday}

We stopped buying sliced cheese quite a long time ago. We just don’t use sliced cheese very often.

This past Saturday we decided to have fried egg sandwiches for lunch. My mouth started watering at the mere thought, but then I remembered that I would have to slice all of the cheese by hand.

Instead of using a knife which always leaves me with varying thicknesses of cheese, I decided to put another kitchen gadget to the test.

I broke our our vegetable peeler and within minutes I had a beautiful stack of uniformly sliced cheese.

How do you slice cheese? Have you found any other uses for common kitchen gadgets?

Linking up to Kitchen Tip Tuesday.

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Endless Gifts

 

# 424. Amelia’s sweet laugh.

 

# 425. Castle building.

# 426. Perfecting a soaked whole wheat bread recipe.

 

# 427. PJ snuggles.

# 428. Receiving our set of What’s in the Bible? DVDs in the mail.

 

# 429. Watching Lassie reruns on hulu.

 

# 430. Jonathan’s improvement in color recognition.

# 431. Being excited with Emahry as she read her first Bob Book.

 

 

Today's Question: What is one thing you are thankful for today?

 

Will Also be Contributed To: Gratituesday, intentional gratitude Works for Me!, Things I Love Thursday, Finer Things Friday

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Weekly Goals

Do you write down goals for your week? Do you have set categories or create a certain number of goals? Do you think weekly goal setting would help you? Let’s discuss ideas about weekly goal setting in the comments!

Last Week's Goals

Spiritual

1. spend time in God's word at least 6 days (Mark 1-6)  someone moved my bookmark and I actually read from Matthew one day, but I read all 7 days, so I still finished through chapter 6
2. complete Chapter 4 days 1-3 of Lies Women Believe workbook 
3. pray specifically for my husband and each of our children daily
4. continue listening to the Love to Eat, Hate to Eat

Marriage/Mothering/Homeschooling

5. write a love note to Tim
6. continue to focus on using the red light to get up from naps completely failed at this last week 
7. make a list of quiet time activities for Emahry and begin to compile them into quiet time boxes
8. take the time to let the kids help with household duties
9. complete Funnix Reading Lessons 15-17 and Math Lessons 15-17
10. have Bible time after breakfast each morning Tuesday-Friday we missed one day in there 
11. mail the postcards the kids made for their grandparents last week I addressed them and put the stamps on, does that count? 

Personal

12. get dressed each morning (no sweats and no t-shirts)
13. do 4 days of The 30 Day Shred I only did 2 days
14. write in my 10 Year Journal every day I missed a couple days

Home Management

15. follow and check off my to do list every day I had a couple of anti-list relapses, but did fairly well
16. clean the downstairs on Friday and the upstairs on Saturday I had to make a grocery run on Saturday, so I cleaned the upstairs bathroom on Sunday 
17. plan meals for the week
18. begin collecting printables to expand my home management binder I couldn’t find what I actually needed, so I started making my own 

Blogging

19. stick to my computer schedule and allow my computer time to benefit my life

This Weeks Goals

Spiritual
1. spend time in God's word at least 6 days (Mark 7-12)

2. complete Chapter 4 days 4 & 5 of Lies Women Believe workbook

3. pray specifically for my husband and each of our children daily

Marriage/Mothering/Homeschooling
4. write a love note to Tim

5. continue to focus on using the red light to get up from naps

6. read more about teaching sight words and get 3 activities/tools ready for next week

7. take the time to let the kids help with cooking and laundry

8. complete Funnix Reading Lessons 18-20 and Math Lessons 18-20

9. have Bible time after breakfast each morning Tuesday-Friday

10. mail postcards I didn’t send last week

Personal
11. get dressed each morning

12. do 3 days of The 30 Day Shred

13. write in my 10 Year Journal every day

14. dye my “new” shirt and Emahry’s khakis

Home Management
15. follow and check off my to do list every day

16. clean the downstairs on Friday and the upstairs on Saturday

17. plan meals for the week

Blogging
18. continue to focus my time online and allow my computer time to benefit my life

Today's Question: What three things would you most like to accomplish this week?

Visit Money Saving Mom for more weekly goal setting encouragement.

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Weekend Links

May all your wanderings be blessed!

:: Training Our Boys to be Men ~ Part 1 @ Passionate Homemaking

:: Home is What You Make It @ Simple Mom

:: Homeschooling for Failure @ Mamascouts

"Pin"spiration

(Need an invitation? Leave a comment with your email address and we'll send you an invite.)

:: Such a cute way to repair a hole in your child’s jeans.

source: Refashion Co-op via Jessica Turner on Pinterest

:: Use a small photo album to store all of your seed envelopes.

source: Flexy Fare via Whiterock on Pinterest

:: I love the idea of a fitted tablecloth. (You could easily use the same idea on a rectangular tablecloth as well.) 

source: Resweater via me on Pinterest

linking up at Simply Staci's Saturday Stumbles

Today's Question: What good reads or great ideas have you come across this week? Please share a link in your comment.

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Finished Friday: Keepsake Embroidery {come link up your finished projects}

Okay, I have to admit that this project is not actually finished, but I’m posting it today anyway since:

1. the nature of the project makes it unending (I’ll never really be finished)

2. I have finished several pieces of the project

3. I need some encouragement and motivation to continue

 

Just before Christmas I stumbled upon the wonderful idea of a keepsake family tablecloth (I wrote about it here.)

 

I promptly went out and purchased a white tablecloth on sale for around $10. Then, once I had the tablecloth back home I realized that the texture of the fabric would make it very difficult to write on, which would completely defeat the purpose. I returned the tablecloth and decided to search for a white twin sheet instead.

 

Before heading back to the store, I thought I might as well check our linen closet, even though I was sure I didn’t have any white twin sheets.

 

Well, what do you think I found? That’s right, a white twin flat sheet. Perfect! (Even more perfect was the fact that I didn’t have the fitted sheet, so using the sheet for my new project wouldn’t separate a perfectly functioning sheet set.)

 

I already had an embroidery hoop and a bag full of embroidery floss, so this project turned out to be completely free!

 

When we went away for Christmas I packed the sheet in a bag along with a Ziploc full of embroidery floss, a mechanical pencil, and my embroidery hoop. During downtime at the cabin, each person took time to write their name. Some added little pictures, too.

 

I embroidered in the evenings when everyone was gathered around the television and at nap time while I sat with the kids until they fell asleep. I also embroidered in the van on the long drive back.

 

When we came back home, I toted the same “tablecloth bag” to each of our family holiday gatherings.

 

By now, all of our parents, siblings, nieces, and nephews have signed “The Tablecloth.”

 

I’ve decided to pray for each person as I embroider their name. I love doing this! I often get into a rut only praying for my immediate family, so this has been a wonderful challenge for me.

 

Now, I just need to keep going…

 

Then everyone will sign it again next year, and I’ll begin again.

 

Today's Questions: What projects have you finished this week? Are you working on a project that seems like it’ll never be finished?

I'm trying to hold myself accountable to finish some of the projects on my to do list by posting each Friday about a project I've completed.

Would you like to join in? Link up to your own projects below.

1. Link to your project post, not your blog's home page, so we can find it easily.
2. Let us know what project you are sharing in your title, for example: Spring Wreath
3. We'd love it if your post links back here so that your readers can come join the fun. Feel free to copy & paste our Finished Friday Button into your post. (Just copy the text in the box below the button, click on the "Edit HTML" tab for your post and paste it there.) <center><a href="http://a-heart4home.blogspot.com/search/label/Finished%20Friday"target="_blank" ><img border="0" src=" http://i443.photobucket.com/albums/qq160/aHeart4home/checkmarkgray2.jpg"/></a></center>

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Thanks for visiting and we hope you'll be back often!
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Free eBook: Healthy Recipes for Your Nutritional Type

Download your FREE Healthy Recipes for your Nutritional Type eBook from Mercola.


This post contains affiliate links. When you download this free ebook you are helping to support our family, at no cost to you...thanks!

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What's In the Bible? DVD 1 shipped for Only $5 (Coupon code still working)

Our kids love What's in the Bible? So I was excited when I saw that the What's in the Bible? Vol. 1 Valentine coupon code is still working. Use code Love 2 to get $10 off the first volume of What's in the Bible? DVD. That makes it only $5 shipped!

These DVDs are wonderful! In fact, Tim and I just purchased the DVD bundle to use with the children of a small group Bible study that we are beginning.

This post contains affiliate links. When you make a purchase through our link you are helping our family, at no cost to you...thanks!

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Tri-Moms: Romancing Your Husband

Let’s just say it…married life can be tough. It’s easy to forget about romance when you’re up at all hours with babies and small children or when jobs are demanding or the budget is tight.  But, other than your relationship with God, your relationship with your husband is the most important one of your life. Nurture it.

source: Money Saving Mom via me on Pinterest

 If you allow life to crowd out time for your husband, one day you may find that you are living with a complete stranger. Grow together. Live life as one.  While I thinks it’s wonderful to be able to go on periodic dates with my husband, I know that those dates can’t be the only times we connect. 

It’s important to look for small ways to let him know he’s still the one I’d choose all over again.

source: ExLibrisJournals via Etsy

1. write him love letters2. call him in the middle of the day just to tell him you love him3. leave his favorite snack on the front seat of his car4. next time you get out of the shower, write “I love you” in the foggy mirror (after he takes a shower it will show up again)

source: Mama’s Musings

5. read through The Five Love Languages together to find out what speaks to your husband’s heart6. get out of your sweats even if he’s the only adult you’ll see all day7. listen when he talks (actually put down what you’re doing and look at him)8. meet him at the door with a smile not a list of what went wrong all day9. praise him in public10. pray for him (and with him)11. hold his hand

source: Poppies at Play via Kidlet Occupation on Pinterest

12. make his favorite meals13. pull the nighties out of the back of the closet ( he probably won’t even notice if they fit a bit tighter than they used to)14. catch him at least once a day for a real kiss (longer than 5 seconds)15. listen to his dreams or better yet have your own dreamstorming session16. don’t expect him to do your job17. go to bed at the same time18. receive his compliments with gratitude (no disagreeing when he says you’re beautiful)19. thank him for the little things 20. let him sleep in21. forgive quickly and don’t give the silent treatment22. dance together (in front of the kids is great, too)23. be interested and get involved in his hobbies (but don’t take over)24. make a choice to not let his habits irritate you (I know if he was gone, I’d miss picking up his socks every day)25. sit next to him or on his lap
For even more great ideas check out my Loving Your Husband board on Pinterest.

Today's Questions: What is one simple way you let your husband know he is still the love of your life? What ideas from the list above would you like to try?

Please visit my fellow Tri-Moms, Kristin @ Bits & Pieces from my Life and Christy @ A Living Homeschool for more on romancing your husband.

There's also still time to enter the great giveaways from last week’s Share the Love event:

Crochet Patterns from Knot Sew Cute Etsy Shop (3 Winners)

Mornings With Jesus 2012 Devotional

A is For Abigail by Lynne Cheney

Don't Make Me Come Up There by blogger Kristen Welch (2 Winners)

Speak by Laurie H. Anderson

American Family of the Colonial Era Paper Dolls

Up next:

March 6: Celebrating Spring

Coming Soon:

March 20:  Gardening with Kids

April 3: Celebrating the Meaning of Easter

April 17: Spring Cleaning

May 1: Reflecting on the Past School Year

May 15: Summer Learning Plans

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Thanks for visiting and we hope you'll be back often! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Weekly Goals

With all of the wonderful giveaways of the past week, I completely missed setting my weekly goals.

 

Now I know for sure that establishing weekly goals is a good exercise for me, as I didn’t accomplish quite as much last week as I have been. So, back on the horse I go…

 

This Weeks Goals

Spiritual

1. spend time in God's word at least 6 days (Mark 1-6)

2. complete Chapter 4 days 1-3 of Lies Women Believe workbook

3. pray specifically for my husband and each of our children daily

4. continue listening to the Love to Eat, Hate to Eat series on Revive our Hearts

Marriage/Mothering/Homeschooling

5. write a love note to Tim

6. continue to focus on using the red light to get up from naps

7. make a list of quiet time activities for Emahry and begin to compile them into quiet time boxes

8. take the time to let the kids help with household duties

9. complete Funnix Reading Lessons 15-17 and Math Lessons 15-17

10. have Bible time after breakfast each morning Tuesday-Friday

11. mail the postcards the kids made for their grandparents last week 

Personal

12. get dressed each morning (no sweats and no t-shirts)

13. do 4 days of The 30 Day Shred

14. write in my 10 Year Journal every day

Home Management

15. follow and check off my to do list every day

16. clean the downstairs on Friday and the upstairs on Saturday

17. plan meals for the week

18. begin collecting printables to expand my home management binder

Blogging

19. stick to my computer schedule and allow my computer time to benefit my life

Today's Question: What three things would you most like to accomplish this week?

Visit Money Saving Mom for more weekly goal setting encouragement.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Welcome to A Heart for Home! We'd love for you to subscribe

to receive free updates through e-mail or our RSS feed.

Thanks for visiting and we hope you'll be back often! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Weekend Links

May all your wanderings be blessed!

::  The 5 Grossest Things You’re Eating (grain products, shrimp, salad dressing, jelly beans, and canned mushrooms) @ Yahoo! Health

:: Homemade All Natural Laundry Stain Remover @ Simple Organic

 

:: 15 Natural Solutions for Kid Messes @ Simple Organic

"Pin"spiration

(Need an invitation? Leave a comment with your email address and we'll send you an invite.)

:: I love this pantry. I think an inexpensive version could be made by salvaging the wasted space between wall studs.

source: via Andrea Dekker on Pinterest

:: I love easy chicken marinades. We really like this Asian marinade.

source: Life as Mom via me on Pinterest

:: We’ll be adding this shape journaling to our shape activities drawer. 

source: Kindergarten…Kindergarten via Amy Schol Ward on Pinterest

linking up at Simply Staci's Saturday Stumbles

Today's Question: What good reads or great ideas have you come across this week? Please share a link in your comment.

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Thanks for visiting and we hope you'll be back often!
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Tri-Moms Share the Love: Day 6

Welcome to the final day of the Tri-Moms Share the Love Giveaway Week.

Head on over to Kristin's blog @ Bits and Pieces from My Life to enter for your chance to win this beautiful set of historic paper dolls.

There's also still time to enter all of the other great giveaways from this week:

Crochet Patterns from Knot Sew Cute Etsy Shop (3 Winners)

Mornings With Jesus 2012 Devotional

A is For Abigail by Lynne Cheney

Don't Make Me Come Up There by blogger Kristen Welch (2 Winners)

Speak by Laurie H. Anderson


Also be sure to join us on the first and third Tuesday of every month for fun discussions.  
   

Upcoming Topics:

February 21: Romancing Your Husband

March 6: Celebrating Spring

March 20:  Gardening with Kids

April 3: Celebrating the Meaning of Easter
April 17: Spring Cleaning
May 1: Reflecting on the Past School Year
May 15: Summer Learning Plans

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Finished Friday: Celery Roses {come and link up your finished projects}

I first saw this idea on Pinterest and filed it away for a rainy day. Then this past week, the three older kiddos and I tried our hands at making roses with our own celery stamps.

source: Homemade Serenity via Shauna Williams on Pinterest

We found that the longer celery heart (about 3 1/2 inches long) made a better stamp because the stalks were spread out a little and kept the paint from making big globs on our paper.

All in all the kids had a blast painting (which they always do)! This summer I think we'll try the okra stamps I pinned. (Finally, something okra is good for.)

Today's Questions: Have you ever made stamps from foods or household items? Which ones?

I'm trying to hold myself accountable to finish some of the projects on my to do list by posting each Friday about a project I've completed.

Would you like to join in? Link up to your own projects below.

1. Link to your project post, not your blog's home page, so we can find it easily.
2. Let us know what project you are sharing in your title, for example: Spring Wreath
3. We'd love it if your post links back here so that your readers can come join the fun. Feel free to copy & paste our Finished Friday Button into your post. (Just copy the text in the box below the button, click on the "Edit HTML" tab for your post and paste it there.)
<center><a href="http://a-heart4home.blogspot.com/search/label/Finished%20Friday"target="_blank" ><img border="0" src=" http://i443.photobucket.com/albums/qq160/aHeart4home/checkmarkgray2.jpg"/></a></center>

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Welcome to A Heart for Home! We'd love for you to subscribe

to receive free updates through e-mail or our RSS feed.

Thanks for visiting and we hope you'll be back often! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Free ebooks: Gluten Free Breakfasts and Lunches

Right now you can download Gluten Free Breakfasts and Gluten Free Lunches from Amazon for free!
 

Each of these ebooks contain 52 quick, simple, and delicious recipes.

The price of each of these ebooks is currently $0.00, but that can change at any time. Make sure you double check the price before checking out.

 

These ebooks are sold for Kindles, but you can easily download this free application that enables you to read Kindle ebooks on your PC. This is how I read all ebooks, and it works really well.

This post contains affiliate links.

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Welcome to A Heart for Home! We'd love for you to subscribe

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