Making your home a haven!

I have really been enjoying Crystal's [1] blog series this week focusing on making our home a haven! This post was one of my favorites [2] -- but all of them have been really encouraging and good, so be sure to go to her blog [3] and check them out! :)

I thought I would share a few pictures and write about how I've used this challenge in our home! :)

I seemed to have so much going on each day this week, that by the time I got on the computer, it was bedtime and I was exhausted -- and certainly not ready to start even a 30-minute homemaking challenge! ;) However, I read Crystal's posts and took ideas from them into the next day with me...

Today was "supposed" to be just as busy as any -- with a trip to see our midwife, and a stop at a friend's house -- but early this morning I got a call saying that our midwife was heading to a birth and that we'd need to reschedule my prenatal appointment. That cancellation actually made today the perfect day to get caught up... and take a few pictures! :)

Day 1 of the challenge focused on our home's entryway. Our front entrance wasn't too messy (because we usually use the back door... shhhhh! ) but the little windows on the door did need cleaned, and we cleaned the trim and floor, as well.

Here are Yehoshua and Eliyahu in the cleaned area. :) They both helped me wash the door! :) The stack of stuff to the right of the door is my pile of birth supplies for our upcoming home birth. :)

Crystal also motivated me to finally plan out a "morning routine", limited to 5 things I want to do each morning. Here is my list:

1. Family breakfast (I make breakfast and we eat together)
2. Bible time with the children
3. Make tea and take my vitamins
4. Put away clean dishes (I let them air dry overnight on the counter)
5. Start laundry

Now, on to the living room! :) What a mess!! The vacuum cleaner was out because I had been re-arranging the furniture and cleaning behind some things. There was dry laundry on the clothes rack, another dry load in a basket, and some winter coats on the floor from yesterday's playtime outside in the snow. ;) And toys... :)

First, I started another load of laundry. In the winter time, I try to keep one load drying on my clothes rack at all times. This allows me to dry almost all of our laundry on the rack, which saves money and adds moisture to the air. :)

While the laundry was washing, I folded and put away the clean laundry, and had the children help tidy the room. I hung up the wet load, and then took pictures! :) I didn't need to dust today, or wash the windows, because I had done that a couple days ago...

Much better!! :)

I figured that while I was taking pictures of the living room, I may as well get it from each angle. ;) This bookshelf has the childrens' books, coloring books, and some toys. We keep more toys on our enclosed porch and monitor which ones they get to bring in the house and dump. ;) This helps keep the mess contained, and makes the toys more interesting since they don't get them all every day, or even every week. :)

I also went ahead and did the "laundry room" part of Crystal's challenge. My washer and dryer are in the basement, and it's not exactly cozy down there. It floods when we get heavy rains, so everything needs to be well off the floor. But, I swept with a broom, wiped down the washer and dryer, and cleaned the laundry cart (I set my clothes baskets on that since the floor is so nasty!).

I used my hand-held vacuum to sweep the steps, and then I put post-it notes on the washer and dryer with instructions for our laundry. After the new baby's born, I won't be hauling heavy baskets up and down those stairs for some weeks -- so the instructions will assist whoever is loading the washer for me. ;)

Today's challenge was supposed to include the bathroom -- but I didn't get to that. Hopefully I will have the time for it tomorrow; and since we keep it pretty minimal in there, it shouldn't take long. :)

And lastly, three things I am thankful for:

My husband Joshua -- who is constantly amazing me with his love and care!

My two little boys and our baby-on-the-way -- precious blessings from Yahweh!

Our warm home -- warm because of our furnace, but even more importantly, warm because of the love and laughter we share here. Our Heavenly Father gives contentment and joy despite earthly cares, and I'm so thankful for that. :)