3 Steps to Gobble til You Wobble
Thanksgiving is next week! Let’s look at three steps to gobble til you wobble. I love a good numbered list. It keeps me on track. Here’s another numbered list for how to decorate for fall.
1. Consider your audience.
As you begin to prepare for Thanksgiving, think of who you will be entertaining or who’s house you will be attending for the holiday. What are their likes/dislikes? Are there any food allergies? What are the ages of your audience? Toddlers and littles may make it worth considering to serve finger foods. Do you know your uncle’s favorite dish? Is there a certain recipe that seems to be a family tradition? For example, I typically bring a pecan pie. I can still remember one of my first Thanksgivings at my in-law’s, I made a homemade Kentucky Bourbon Pecan Pie with a made-from-scratch crust. During baking, the crust bubbled up into the top of the pie! It looked more like some type of cobbler and was very doughy. Since then I have nixed the bourbon and the made-from-scratch crust – ha! Pillsbury does a fabulous job with their ready-made crusts.
A nice table setting sets the mood for Thanksgiving. 2. Divide and conquer.
Once you’ve determined how many Thanksgiving meals you will be attending (we will be attending my husband’s family dinner one day and my family’s dinner the next) and who your audience will be, hatch a plan on who’s bringing what. If “what can I bring?” gets you nowhere try, “what are you making?” When your family members respond, then add in dishes that you know will compliment what is being brought.
For my in-law’s side, this will be a new experience. My mother-in-law, who always put on a big spread, passed away in December 2020. This will be our first Thanksgiving without her. I am feeling that void in more ways than one. For my husband’s side, I needed to talk to the other family members to decide what will be the main course, what the other family members are bringing then adding in what food I will bring. Having one member bring the appetizers and drinks while another brings dessert and side dishes helps to evenly distribute the work load on cooking.
Give thanks. 3. Plan a cooking schedule.
After your menu is set, plan a cooking schedule in order to know how many days out from Thanksgiving you need to start. For example, my father-in-law is providing the ham and turkey for the meal; however, I am going to pick them up this week in order to prep and have them ready for next Thursday.
For my side of the family, I am working with my mom and sister to see what is on the menu and deciding when I need to start my prep work. I can make my pies at the beginning of next week and let them sit for a day or two. Personally, I believe pecan pie tastes better the longer it sits. Other parts of my cooking schedule will include: purchasing my supplies a week before, making a cheese ball over the weekend and storing it until Thanksgiving, and prepping any side dishes a day or two ahead of the big day.
In planning your cooking schedule, are there any decorations you need to prepare ahead of time? Will you be in charge of setting the table or can you bring a floral arrangement for the host?
This pin from Pinterest shares a pretty good prep schedule for having your dinner ready or at least prepped for the weekend before Thanksgiving. Like any other event in life, taking a few moments to map out a plan of action will help the event run more smoothly. What dish are you bringing to your Thanksgiving meal? Whatever it may be may you gobble til you wobble!
(One year my sister-in-law gave me a Mud Pie dish towel. It was the cutest accessory to my kitchen. This towel I included above would make a cute hostess gift. *As an Amazon Associate, I may earn a commission off any viable links.*)
3 things my family did at Lake Guntersville State Park
Camping is a hobby our entire family enjoys. Recently there were three things my family did at Lake Guntersville State Park. Our fall break was held in mid October and we took full advantage of the break from school by visiting Lake Guntersville State Park. We camp in our pop-up camper that we recently renovated. You can check out the transformation here.
1. We camped.
Lake Guntersville State Park offers an amazing campground. Not only are there camper/RV spots available, there are also cabins and tent camping spots. We selected a prime location for our pop-up camper – next to the bath house and across from the playground. Even with a portable potty, you cannot go wrong with parking your camper near a bath house. Our stay was four days and three nights.
2. We toured the property.
The Lodge at Lake Guntersville State Park boasts some of the best views in the entire area. Views from the back deck of the Lodge overlook beautiful Lake Guntersville. Fall colors shine bright next to the blue water. Views of sail boats and fishermen give off tranquil vibes. This park also has a reputation for being a nesting spot for many an American Bald Eagle. These amazing birds are quite a sight to see.
3. We hiked and biked.
Besides the playground, tennis courts, basketball courts, and nature classrooms, Lake Guntersville State Park offers, the size of the campground alone provides a lot of area to bike through. Bringing our bikes is a regular habit for us when we camp. Even if the entire family does not take a bike ride together, the kids love the freedom of being able to jump on their bikes and go throughout a campground. Meeting new friends while camping is a common occurrence. The following image shares a link to some inexpensive bike lights that we use while camping. The lights have three different settings: one is a steady stream while the other two are a variation of blinking light patterns. They are easy to add to your bike handlebars or wheels. As an Amazon Associate, I may earn a commission off any usable link.
Lake Guntersville State Park is a favorite camping destination for us mainly due to the volume of wildlife we are able to view here. Deer are in abundance within the park and do not shy away from onlookers. Our kids loved seeing the many deer.
Such pretty scenery and beautiful creatures can be seen from the seat of a bicycle. The campground has an on site Camp Store with guide pamphlets for a variety of hiking trail choices. We gave our first attempt at geocaching. Let’s just say, we have a lot to learn. We could never exactly understand what we were looking for; however, memories were made as we trekked along a trail that ran beside the lake. We hiked on Seale’s Trail, an easy trail that covers up to two miles. We hiked awhile and turned around when we were ready to move on.
The sunsets each evening were incredible. Other activities available at Lake Guntersville State Park that we did not participate in are ziplining and horseback riding. Between the three things my family did and the other activities nearby, Lake Guntersville State Park is a wonderful camping location.
How to Clean
That’s quite the bold statement to just throw out there as a blog title. In fact, that directive has taken me YEARS to try and master. Even now, I am uncertain if mastery is the level I have obtained. However, here I am willing to share what I have learned over the past nearly 20 years and teach you how to clean.
The Helms House kitchen Cleaning Experience
As far as cleaning experience goes, my concept of cleaning and level of action taken has evolved over time. When I think back to my childhood, I can remember having specific chores to do: sweep out the garage and dust the furniture. Beyond those two tasks, I can not think of any structured cleaning I had to do. It is my understanding that my mother did it all. Fast forward twenty years and how to clean my home has been a task that lands squarely on my shoulders.
Key Influencers
The feelings of “how do I clean?” are still vivid in my memory from when I was a newlywed with a new-to-me home. I would come in from work and the house would be a wreck and I would think, “what do I do?”, “where do I start?” I believe it was my sister (she is five years older than me) that introduced me to The Fly Lady. Going from chaos to a set routine was like water to the dehydrated.
Learning how to clean helps keep your home in tiptop shape. Slight Evolution
While FlyLady got me on a routine, the need for consistent deep cleaning continued to perplex me. My next cleaning “influencer” that inspired me was/is (she is currently a big inspiration to me) Toni Hammersley with A Bowl Full of Lemons. Toni has a gift for taking any task and placing it into a step 1, 2, 3 format. Personally, I love a listed format of what to do. Her home, business, and books are some of the most beautiful areas and items to view.
My final step in the construction of my cleaning routine came from a pin I pinned from Pinterest. From the site The Simply Organized Home, I found a cleaning routine that I could tweak and implement in my daily chores.
Toni Hammersley from A Bowl Full of Lemons does a wonderful job of outlining how to clean and organize your home. Current Cleaning Routine
Nowadays, I typically spend 2 hours and 15 minutes a day on my house and laundry. Creating a timely routine keeps my home running smoothly. Roughly 30 minutes a day is spent on throwing a load of laundry in the wash then taking the previous day’s laundry out, folding and putting it away.
After laundry is tackled, I spend time cleaning the kitchen, vacuuming, mopping, cleaning the bathroom, and focusing on a specific “zone” for the day. Zones for me are set areas of my home that I can rotate out cleaning and deep cleaning. Currently, I have designated 22 zones for my home. These range from the front porch to the master bedroom to the stairwell to the launch pad. Curious as to what a launch pad is? You can check mine out here. Each day I spend 15 minutes either picking up in a zone or deep cleaning a zone. This method helps keep my entire home in an orderly manner.
Resourceful Guide
To help you form your own cleaning routine, I have crafted a version of my daily cleaning routine. Subscribe to my blog and you will receive my daily outline for how to maintain your home. Comment below if you have subscribed. Tell me how you like the cleaning routine!
I Bleached My Furniture!
I bleached my furniture! Who does that? Shouldn’t bleach be avoided at all cost? Well, I had an idea and I carried it out this week. While social media has its flaws, one thing I love about it…inspiration is to be found in spades. With the typing of a specific hashtag on Instagram or a few keywords on Pinterest, you can find quick, how-to’s.
Some Inspiration for Bleached Furniture
Run, don’t walk, to follow @vintageporch if you do not already. She is amazing and funny! Her feed is filled with beautiful pieces that I would like recreate for my home. A quick search of #bleachedfurniture can turn up some beauties like this or this .
Steps to Bleach Your Furniture
Outlining steps to bleach furniture has actually been a work in progress for me. Not knowing what exactly I’m doing leads me to try a variety of steps. At the beginning of this week, I simply took a paint brush and standard bleach and brushed it onto my desk. While it did lighten the furniture a bit, it was not the light color I desired.
Applying a coat of bleach. Once my desk, the furniture item I bleached, was dry, I sanded the entire desk lightly then wiped it with a clean cloth. After wiping with a clean cloth, I applied another coat of bleach and allowed it to dry in the sun. Again, the desk was lighter but still not the look I am trying to achieve. You know what they say, “if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again!”
The image on the left is after one coat of bleach. The image on the right is after sanding and a second coat of bleach. I believe after using acetone to strip down my furniture, I applied three different coats of bleach to the desk and sanding between coats. Once the final coat of bleach was dried, I washed the entire piece with water. My final step, I put a coat of clear wax on the desk in order to seal it. As with my chairs I painted last week, I used the Waverly Clear Wax sealer to give a final coat to my desk.
This is a great how-to video to watch for using bleach to change your furniture. My Philosophy
I have jokingly told other women my spiritual gift is to make them feel better about themselves – meaning, I usually do not do a task to perfection or there is room for improvement. My philosophy with my home decor is, “use what you have or get creative with a frugal project”. I share this to concede there are better pieces of bleached furniture out there. However, as this is my first attempt at bleaching furniture, I am proud of my progress.
My desk after three applications of bleach, without clear wax. The Results for Bleached Furniture
Well, learning as you go has its own set of pros and cons. Cons are: it is time consuming to figure out what you are doing. The pros are: you are learning a skill you will not easily forget. After working a little each day on this desk, I am excited to show you the results. This desk will be used to hold our daily mail and bills.
The final result – with a coat of clear wax on it. Now, what type of chair/stool should I use at this desk? Let me know in the comments. I’m thinking some type of stool would be nice. What are your thoughts? You can see how I previously styled this space here. There was a small end table between the chairs; however, now I have this desk in the space.
3 Easy Steps to a Furniture Refresh with Chalk Paint
Three easy steps to a furniture refresh with chalk paint sounds too good to be true. In fact, for years I have had friends talk to me about this paint but I thought “who has the time?” and “that will take too long”. I am glad to share I was wrong on both counts. Putting my style on a set of chairs was as easy as 1, 2, 3. Rolling up my sleeves and giving DIY projects a try are becoming more of a habit for me. Check out my first shared DIY here then read on for my easy steps to a furniture refresh.
Step 1. Clean your furniture
Our area has a few community Facebook groups. Thankfully, a set of four chairs was placed up for grabs in one of these sites. Four matching chairs for free? I’m on it! (Actually, my husband went and picked them up – he’s the best!) Borrowing from my wonderful cleaning mentor, GoCleanCo, I placed one teaspoon of Tide into two cups of hot water and scrubbed down each chair. Cleaning and drying your furniture helps paint to stay on it.
The original look of my freebie chairs. Step 2. Paint with Chalk Paint
After cleaning your furniture, paint with chalk paint. Again, I have been told about the joys of chalk paint but until this week, I was a skeptic. It IS amazing. My neighbor gifted me the remaining portions of her Chalky Chics. At my neighbor’s recommendation, I ordered the chalk paint and wax brush set below. (*as an Amazon Associate, I may earn a commission from any valid Amazon links*)
Using the larger brush, two coats of paint was applied. Drying time for chalk paint is relatively quick. I was able to paint all four chairs within an afternoon.
The photo on the left is after one coat of chalk paint. The photo on the right is after two coats of chalk paint. Step 3. Wax
With the smaller, wax brush, apply quick strokes of clear wax to your furniture. The beauty of chalk paint is it’s design is to be shabby chic – meaning perfection is not the desired result. I love the charm of some natural “distressing” to the furniture. I purchased a chalk paint clear wax coat from Walmart for only $6.54! What a deal! The wax helps seal in the paint and prevents it from flaking or scratching off in the future. For the brand I used, waiting 24 hours to buff the wax with a lint free cloth was recommended.
The products I used. The Result
I am so pleased with my “new” furniture. My sunroom work station had a mismatch of chairs. Now, I have a beautiful set of black chairs that make the room so inviting. Who knows? Maybe I will get more work done!
What do you think? Have you used chalk paint before? What are your thoughts? If you have yet to use it, I strongly encourage you to join in the fun! For around $25 I got a beautiful new space!
All four chairs around my farm table in the sunroom. Tackling the Garage
Tackling the garage was a little more intense than I envisioned. While I have visions of a space similar to the one below, alas, my reality looks much different. An entirely new magazine-worthy space is not what I have but, I did clear out the clutter, implement a system I can use, and clean up our garage. Just as I tell my kids, focus on “progress not perfection”.
Start in a circle
I love following GoCleanCo ‘s feed. She gives an abundance of cleaning motivation. Feeling overwhelmed at the task of the garage, I reminded myself of Sarah’s advice, “move in a circle”. Beginning by moving in a circle helps keep you on track. I began in a circle in the garage and quickly realized I would need to narrow down my task. Therefore, I chose the storage room as my main focus.
Our garage like many others I am sure, houses not only my car, but our camper, camping gear, bikes, Jeff’s tools, tool boxes, toys, my children’s keepsakes, and seasonal decor. The main portion of our garage holds items that I would classify as “Jeff’s”. The storage room built within our garage I can easily identify as mainly “my stuff”.
A progress shot. Pulling all the items out in order to sort and clean. Pull Everything Out
After I swept and cleaned what I could in the garage, I started working in a circle inside the storage room: pulling out one storage container at a time. Being able to go through each container allows me to see what needs to be culled and tossed and what items I still use. Identifying labels on the fronts of each container helps to easily identify what I need when I go into the storage room throughout the year.
Organize Like Items
Once you have worked in a circle, pulled all items out, then organize like items. I had no clue how much Christmas decor I had. My fall decor was lost amongst all the Christmas. There are three main categories within my storage room: Christmas decor, fall decor, and keepsakes. (See how I recently decorated my home for fall here.) Once the front of each tote was labeled (I had to skip the stack right next to the wall due large Christmas decorations. When Jeff helps me get all Christmas decor down this year, new labels and totes will be assigned to this stack), I placed them in stacks together with labels facing out. One problem I had been running into was my labeling was on top of the totes. I had no way of knowing what was inside unless I took everything down from its stack – so time consuming!
Totes are neatly stacked with labels on the front. What I’ve Learned
From my garage experience, I believe my take away is: there is always some cleaning and/or decluttering to be done in your home. While I would love to be able to have all matching storage totes as seen below, I am super pumped that I was able to go through three boxes that I had yet to unpack from our last year’s move. Cleaning out this garage space brings peace to my mind. The ability to walk into this room and easily identify what tote holds what I need is a huge win in my book. Maybe future garage projects will include swapping out mismatched totes with matching ones.
Now to decide, how much Christmas decor is too much Christmas decor???
How about you? Do you clean out your garage regularly? What tips have you found helpful? Let me know if my life lessons in tackling the garage have been beneficial to you! Including some posts from women who have organized their garages like professionals hopefully provides some inspiration for you to tackle your garage!
What to Do and Bring When Camping
Growing up, I believe I remember camping exactly one time, maybe two. Trips as a child were often only to visit extended family not for the pure enjoyment of travel. Fast forward to married life and a husband who loves to camp. By association, I am loving it too. We have camped in tents, pop ups, fifth wheels, and bumper-pull campers. Currently, we own a pop up camper. To fully appreciate camping, there is some preparation that needs to take place. Follow along in this post to gain knowledge on what to do and bring when camping.
Camper
After selling our last camper, we have camped mainly in tents. Due to our desire to be outdoors but not totally roughing it, we purchased a pop up camper towards the end of last fall. With all the quick-fix and easy application materials available in today’s market, camper renovations are wildly popular. This Instagram feed is full of camper reno inspiration! To join in the fun, I have given our camper a little refresh. In order to fully appreciate it, you need to view the original look of our camper. Thankfully, there was nothing wrong with our camper and it was maintained by the previous owners in near perfect condition. Aesthetic changes were all that was needed for it to truly become ours.
The overall appeal was low when we originally purchased our pop up camper
.Our camper can sleep six comfortably. One pop out side holds a king size bed, the other pop out side holds a full size bed, the dining table converts to a twin bed, and the L-shape couch converts to a twin size bed. Since we do most of our cooking and hanging out outside our camper, once we updated the look, we keep all its beds ready for sleeping.
Now, for what activities we like to participate in while camping, places we like to go, and what products I believe make camping more enjoyable, read on. I’ll intermingle pictures of our updated camper throughout.
Our camper looking from the full size bed towards the king size bed. Activities
On our most recent camping trip, we went tubing at Big Wills Creek Campground. Any type of outdoor activities multiply the fun of camping. Fortunately, our campsite was situated next to the creek and made for an easy commute from camper to tubing trail. Other activities we enjoy while camping are: sitting around the campfire, riding bikes, making s’mores, playing card games, and hiking nature trails. When visiting a campground, check out their website or their front office. Plenty of activities on site or nearby will be advertised. Many campgrounds include playgrounds, community activities, and nature programs available to participate in.
The left side view of our camper. Campgrounds
In addition to Big Wills Creek, we have visited several campgrounds nearby that do not require long hours on the road. Our longest road trip to go camping thus far has been to Grayton Beach State Park. The good news of owning a camper? Air conditioning! I’m uncertain I would camp anywhere without a little air conditioning running in the background (and a heater in the winter). Grayton Beach has some of the best trails to go biking due to its connection to all 30A communities.
Tannehill State Park is another favorite campground of mine as well as Guntersville State Park. While Tannehill has a beautiful creek and a cool trade day once a month, plenty of deer can be seen typically at Lake Guntersville. Obviously, Alabama campgrounds are what I am most familiar with; however, your vehicle can take you anywhere you want to camp.
Looking to the right of our front door of the camper. What to Bring
Time and experience has helped me accumulate a nice little “Must-Have” list for camping. I am all too happy to share my knowledge with you. Here are nine items that I feel make our camping experience a little more enjoyable. These items are linked in my LiketoKnow.it link included in the right sidebar.
Must-Have List for Camping
- Solo Stove – Jeff received this for his Father’s Day gift this year and I must say, I am loving it! It is light weight, easy to get a fire going, and once it is cooled off and emptied, it can be carried in its own carrying case. Perfect for a cozy campfire or some impromptu s’mores.
- Shoe Rack – Camping attracts a lot of dirt and debris inside a camper. To reduce the amount of dirt, I do not let my crew wear shoes inside the camper. Instead, shoes are housed neatly on a two-tier shoe rack.
- Outdoor Rug – Isn’t it rough to step out of your camper onto the ground with no shoes on? Good question! Me and my crew do not have to experience a rough or dirty ground when we come out of the camper and put our shoes on because we have a nice outdoor rug placed in front of our door.
- Mini Fridge – Some people say this item is cheating on camping and if that is true, I am totally okay with it. Jeff picked up a mini fridge at Bargain Hunt and at first I thought that was crazy because we have a tiny one inside the camper. Boy, was I wrong! This mini fridge has been amazing. Jeff simply plugs it up and sets it right outside our camper. It has been the biggest help with meal prep and storage.
- Stringed Lights – You know how amazing it is at Christmas time when you can drive around and see all the beautiful lights on display? I’m telling you, you can experience the same thing in a campground. Each camper, RV, and tent seems to have its own calling card when it comes to outdoor lights. We like to string one set of our lights inside our pop up tent where we house our table and another strand of lights around the awning of our camper. I’ve linked up an extra long set so you might want to get a shorter length but I think the long string looks better.
- Folding Table – A totable, folding table comes in handy while camping. We mainly use ours to house our microwave, toaster, and coffee maker. Hey, we never said we were roughing it while camping!
- Mini Keurig – As mentioned above, we place a coffee maker on our folding table. Jeff purchased a mini-Keurig for me when I was teaching a couple of years ago. Now that I am back at home with the kids, we use the mini-Keurig on our camping trips. I love it!
- Plastic Totes with lids – Storage totes are a huge help while camping. I like to use the ones that have a lock on the sides. We place storage totes under our camper in order to clear up space inside the camper. Non-pantry items such as ziplock bags, citronella candles, marshmallow skewers, tablecloths, aluminum foil, and so on are stored in one tote, another tote holds pantry items that we do not want racoons or other critters getting into, and another tote holds extra bedding. Thankfully, our camper has storage under all the seating areas to hold cooking utensils, small appliances, pots, and pans.
- Wedding Tent – Why my husband and I call our outside tent a wedding tent is beyond me. Maybe it’s because it looks like one of those tents you would see at an outdoor wedding. Jeff sets up this pop up tent right beside our camper and we call it our “living room.” It holds our folding table, small appliances, and camp chairs for us to sit around and hang out.
- ****BONUS**** I did not list this item on my LiketoKnow.it link but one item that Jeff purchased this year that has been a game changer for the middle aged woman that I am is… a portable potty. This may sound unpleasant; however, a portable toilet keeps you from trekking across a campground in the middle of the night to find a bath house.
Check out my LiketoKnow.it link in the right sidebar. If you have never attempted to camp, I hope this blog post has peaked your interest. If you are already a camper then I hope I have given you some ideas on how to improve your camping experience. Did I miss anything? Is there another facet of camping you would like to know more about, comment below. I would love to hear from you! And if you would like to read more about our travels, check out my blog post here for our recent trip to 30A!
5 Ways to Add Touches of Fall to Your Home
Changes in the seasons is such an exciting time. The anticipation of what a new season brings welcomes joy into my heart and home. Now fall just happens to be my absolute FAVORITE season of all. I love the weather, the color, the activities that fall brings. While my taste and aesthetic has changed as I’ve aged, my love for this season has not. I want to share with you five ways to add touches of fall to your home.
1. Select a Color Theme
Taking the time to peruse Pinterest or Instagram will give you a wealth of examples on fall scenery and décor. Notice what your eye is drawn to. Do you prefer yellows to oranges? Do you like additions of color or is a neutral palette (check out this stunning fall display) more your style? Decide what you like then implement those colors in your home.
As I age, I am learning to not be sidetracked by anything that catches my eye (i.e. signs that have the word “fall” in it) and am cultivating decorative pieces that keep in the color scheme or theme of my home. With that being said, I am not made of money! I cannot run out and buy all new items that hit the shelves. Learning what items I need to get rid of and what I need to make due with until I can purchase something new, has been a great decorating lesson. Pausing to consider which colors I am drawn to and keeping those few colors in mind that I truly enjoy, helps me pump the brakes on trends that may quickly go out of style. For example, last year, blush was a big color used for fall. This year I am not seeing that color as much. Admittedly, I have collected more pieces that include the color burnt orange than I realized. Now I am focusing my future purchases on more subtle fall colors.
2.Determine Which Areas of Your Home to Decorate
Your budget may come into play when determining which areas of your home you want to decorate. Budget may not be an issue; however, selecting high traffic areas to decorate will prevent your home from looking like the fall season has thrown up in it. Not the best visual but hopefully you get my point. By taking the time to think about what areas of your home you want to decorate, you can be intentional about the items you love that are placed on display. In my home, I decorate the foyer, living room, and den with a few signs mixed in the kitchen and dining room. If you only have enough decorating items for one or two spaces, then make them count! Select the areas of your home that will be seen the most. You want people to enjoy the beauty of your fall décor.
3. Use Symmetry
Decorating a space such as a mantle or a console table, requires a little bit of math. Let me explain. Decide where you want the eye to travel. Do you want an equal, balanced look? Symmetrical placement of lamps, pumpkins, or candles can keep a balanced look. What if you want the eye to be drawn to one side? Asymmetrical placement will do the trick. For example, on the console table below, the height of the arrangements trend to the right. Check out this space filled with fall décor inspiration. In that Instagram example, notice how the heights of the floral arrangements and candles give a balanced look.
4. The Power of 3’s
Have several canisters but not certain what to do with them? Cluster them in groups of three. The power of 3’s has a strong appeal in decorating. Different items can become cohesive simply by grouping together by 3’s. In the image below, objects with a similar color scheme look better clustered together in a group of 3. When looking for inspiration, see if you notice groups of 3’s.
5. Use a Variety of Texture
A variety of textures in your décor, draws in the eye. Texture breaks up any monotony that a monochromatic palette might create. Texture in decorating invokes emotion. An invitation of coziness and atmosphere can be created through the powerful display of textures. Blankets, architectural pieces, natural elements such as wood, all add texture to your space.
With September underway, now is the perfect time to plan and start decorating your home for fall. Take the time to incorporate these 5 ways to add touches of fall to your home! Which tip will you use? For more information and happenings in The Helms House, check out my home page.
Dinner is Served!
Guess who’s back? Back again. School is back! The fast pace, steady rhythm of back-to-school routines are here. Family meal planning can be a challenge. Needing some inspiration for meal time? Does the thought of getting all the little people to all the places they need to be then starting dinner overwhelm you? Let me offer you some assistance through a few meal planning ideas. Making quick and easy meals helps me keep the ball rolling so to speak. With sports practices, music lessons, church, and community events; long preparation meals are just not feasible for my crew. Getting supper out and on the table should be as easy as 1, 2, 3! For instance, my 3 step process is listed in the next paragraph. On a side note….do you call it dinner or supper? I tend to lean towards the word “supper”.
3 easy steps for Family Meal Planning
- Make a list of your family’s favorite meals and search Pinterest for some quick meal ideas.
- Consult your calendar as to what events are coming up and how much time you have to get a meal on the table.
- Don’t be afraid to utilize your crockpot because it can be a huge time saver. Throwing ingredients in a crockpot in the morning then walking in the door in the evening to a deliciously smelling meal is a wonderful treat!
Some nights dinner needs to be just quick and easy. Over on @thehelmshouse_ , I have been sharing several accounts that are highlighting easy to fix meals to help families transition into the back-to-school swing. I have enjoyed learning what other moms are making as their go-to quick meal. Mine is Chicken Tortilla Soup. I can throw all ingredients into the crockpot and walk away. It is SO good.
Family favorite meals
Some family favorites in our house are: orange chicken and rice; verde salsa chicken enchilladas; the chicken tortilla soup I mentioned above; and lasagna (although it is not a quick meal unless you use a crockpot recipe). I am also completely game for finding local restaurants that have a kids-eat-free night. Additional quick and easy dinner options: first, check your local church – ours offers meals on Wednesday nights for cheap; and also, stop by a ready made store front. Meals by Misty is a great little shop near my home that has freezer meals and on-the-go meals ready made for customers to swing by and pick up to feed their families. With just a little planning, you can have nice list of meals to eat for the week night.
A crockpot can be your best friend! Consulting your calendar helps in knowing which nights are best to eat out, grab a ready made meal, or use your crockpot. For instance, instead of stressing as to what I can have fixed in time to eat before Wednesday night church activities, my crew is going to eat at church. The cost is relatively inexpensive (somewhere around $5 a person). Another example, knowing the football game is on Friday night may help me decide to throw a pizza in the oven and scoot out the door in time to make it to kickoff. In my house, during the week, there are two nights currently that have evening sports practices. For those nights, a crockpot meal comes in handy! Read below to add a quick meal to your recipe list.
An easy crockpot meal you can make now!
Pinterest has been my best resource for finding crockpot meals. Many mamas are willing to share recipes that help feed their family on a time efficient schedule which in turn, helps you create an easy meal. One of my favorite meals – Chicken Tortilla Soup can be cooked in the crockpot. First, start with your ingredients: 4-5 frozen chicken breasts, chicken broth, taco seasoning, a can of washed black beans, a can of whole kernel corn, and a can of Rotel. Secondly, dump all ingredients into your crockpot, then make certain your broth covers your chicken breasts. Follow up by adding any water necessary to reach your desired liquid amount. Cook on low for 4-6 hours. When serving your soup, feel free to add tortilla chips, jalapenos, shredded cheese, and sour cream. Tada, an easy family meal!
A yummy bowl of Chicken Tortilla Soup. To sum this up, take a little time to make a list, look at your calendar, and pull out that crockpot! Family meal planning can be as easy as easy as 1, 2, 3!
Back to School
Today was my children’s first day of school. I am uncertain if I have ever been more apprehensive about a first day then I have been over today. A post pandemic world is definitely worthy of being a little nervous; however, my concerns have not really been on health issues – at least not physical health issues. This year marks another milestone for us – two kids in high school and one in elementary school. While I am familiar with night-before-school jitters, this go around I had some of my kids experiencing some real sadness and fear over a new school year. Needless to say, I have spent much of my day in prayer over the peace in my kids’ hearts.
Open House for our youngest Three areas come to mind when I start contemplating a new school year: clothes, lunches, and routines. I am obsessed lately with Jessica Woo and her bento box creations! My kids laugh at me trying to replicate her intricate lunches. And to be real, most of my kids’ lunches are lunchables. These three areas help me to get a clear picture of how I want the school year to run.
When contemplating a new school year and getting your kiddos ready, consider their clothing options at home. What clothes are in their closet and/or chest of drawers? Is anything too small, stained, or damaged? Do you allow your kids to buy new shoes for the school year? What is your local school’s dress code? Once you have considered these questions, go through your child’s closet and/or chest of drawers and get rid of what will not be worn. Take the time to sort and organize your child’s clothing in order to readily see what you have and what you need. Once you are able to assess your child’s clothing needs, shop for the items to fill the gaps in his/her closet. I like to hang my children’s clothing by color order from light to dark in their closets. Do not forget to pay attention to your local school’s dress codes when shopping for clothing. Adding some new items to their wardrobe makes my children look forward to a new school year.
Lunches seem to be a hot topic in my household: what’s for lunch, how much should be packed in a lunch, who wants hot lunch and who wants a packed lunch? Keeping three kids well fed and happy is a tall order. Shopping in bulk at places like Costco or shopping the buy one, get one sales at Publix helps keep lunch costs low. Lunch items that are a big hit for us are: lunchables, yogurt, fruit, peanut butter crackers, beef jerky, and chips. For this year, I want to include more foods and possible leftovers from our suppers into the kids’ lunchboxes. Prep time is key to success when dealing with packed lunches. Clear a space (i.e. kitchen island), gather clean storage/food containers, and pack lunches all together. Filling lunchboxes the night before makes for smooth school day mornings. Don’t forget refillable water bottles!
.First day of school pic When heading back to school, keep in mind the power of routines. Routines help establish structure and stability in your children’s lives. Routines allow your children to know what to expect. In getting ready for each week of school, Sunday evening is the time my children and I set apart their outfits for the entire week of school. Knowing what outfit is for each day eliminates a lot of wasted time on busy mornings. A set time for departure on school mornings keeps me from yelling and hurrying my kids out the door. Another routine that we try to adhere to is keeping our car rides to school discipline-free. This means if there is correction to be made, I need to do that at home in a one on one environment, not in the car in front of all the kids. An older lady I attended church with years ago shared this jewel with me. The jewel of keeping your morning car rides discipline-free means those car rides can be a time of sharing and fellowship with one another. Worship music is on the radio and often times I am able to pray with my kids before I drop them off to school (and some of those times are my kids praying for my road rage – ha!). Before I implemented a set departure time and an intentional approach to not correcting my kids in the car ride, I would often find myself flustered and frustrated by the time I dropped my kids off at school. Now that we are a couple of months away from adding another driver in our household, I am thankful for these times of riding with the kids and getting to know them better to and from school.
However your school year finds you, I hope you are able to glean some helpful tips from these three areas I discussed: clothing, lunches, and routines. What tips do you have for a successful school year? Comment below with your tips and tricks.
