Make Your Home More Welcoming - Challenge #8

Foof up your entry way door.

Today's "welcoming" idea came right from one of my readers, Lynda from Ramblings of a Sports Mad Southern Girl.

I spend a lot of time making wreaths and pretty things for my front door. I love doing it and it makes the front of the house look great. I can't believe it never occurred to me to give the same treatment to the door that our family uses.

Today, we're going to hang something pretty on the door that our family usually uses. For me, that's the door from the garage into our kitchen. Maybe you use your front door and you already have something pretty hanging there. In that case, yay you! Now go hug someone. :)

I have no shortage of wreaths, so that's what I'll do. I also have my eye on a vinyl Welcome sign like this one from Back 40 Life.

You can browse all of our challenges and join in any time. Just click here to see the whole series.

~~~~~~~~~~

Make sure you check out the beautiful collection of Christmas stationery items and stamps that Purple Lemon Designs made just for A Soft Place to Land readers! There's a giveaway!

~~~~~~~~~~And DIY Day is still going strong! You can still enter your project and be in the running for our prize!

photo credit: Puzzler4879

Broken Sugar Bowl

I have a broken sugar bowl. My caffeine-deprived fingers fumbled its lid one morning as I was getting my coffee. My oldest son was nearby and said, "Don't worry mommy. You can get a new one."

Simple words that were meant to comfort me. Instead, they broke my heart.

My kids don't have a spirit of thankfulness. Things like toys, games, books and clothes come easily for them. They have generous grandparents, aunts and uncles. And they have a mom who is an uber-bargain-shopper. This has all lead to too much stuff.

And not enough gratitude. When something breaks, we just get a new one.

I decided that moment would be a teaching moment. We talked about being grateful for what we have and caring for our things because sometimes, when something breaks, it can't be replaced. Sometimes we fix what's been broken and sometimes we make due (do?) without.

And so we carefully pieced back together the lid of my sugar bowl. We found each little sliver of ceramic and super-glued it in place.

Nearly 2 years later, I still have my broken sugar bowl. I could run to Target and buy a new one for $6. I could probably find a nearly new one at Goodwill for $1. But the lesson that is remembered every single time we use that sugar bowl is worth more than a new one.

We still have too much stuff and not enough gratitude. We also have a bunch of friends who probably wonder why I have a busted sugar bowl. But now we also have a reminder. Even if it's only me that gets the reminding.

~~~~~~~~~~

I don't pretend to be a writer. But Emily from Chatting at the Sky IS a writer. And she has written the most beautiful post on brokenness. Trust me. You want to read it.

~~~~~~~~~~

Keep scrolling down or click here to read today's Make Your Home More Welcoming Challenge.

Make Your Home More Welcoming - Challenge #7

Use the good stuff.

Do you have a china cabinet full of wedding china (or Grandma's china or thrift store china?) that only gets pulled out for a holiday or special occasion? How about some pretty glasses that don't get used because they're fragile? Is it REALLY the end of the world if one gets broken?

What's the point? Let's get out the good stuff and use it for our own family. Now, I'm not telling you to use Grandma's china if that's going to mean hours of hand washing afterward, but if it can go in the dishwasher...why not?

Me? I'm going to pull out some fun appetizer plates that I only use for parties and use them to serve lunch to the kids. Fun, right? And easy.

And I'm going to pull out my fancy goblets and use them for dinner.

Do you have something special that you don't use. Get it out and give it a spin! Maybe there's a bottle of champagne in the back of your fridge that's just waiting for a special occasion.

I say Monday is a special occasion. How about you?

You can browse all of our challenges and join in any time. Just click here to see the whole series.

~~~~~~~~~~

I have 1 or 2 spots left for holiday advertising. If you'd like information on reaching ASPTL readers with your fabulous goodies for Christmas, email me and I'll send you all the details.

photo credit DeusXFlorida

Make Your Home More Welcoming - Challenge #6

Make them something yummy.

Even if you regularly have a homemade dinner on the table at 6pm sharp (I don't!), there's something extra special about having a little something sweet made for the one's you love.

It doesn't have to be some takes-all-day project. I'm a huge fan of popping some break-and-bake or slice-and-bake cookies in the oven. It makes the house smell divine and when you serve them with a glass of cold milk, you'll get no complaints.

If you're looking for something a little more special (but still easy), try my Apple and Pear Crisp Fake Out. No one will EVER guess how easy it is.

Just joining our Make Your Home More Welcoming Challenge? Click here to read all about it and join in.

photo credit: ilmungo

Make Your Home More Welcoming - Challenge #5

Make it smell good.

I don't know about you, but in our house we have 2 young boys. That means our house can smell like all sort of funkiness if I don't keep a breeze blowing.

Today's challenge is so simple...just make it smell good. That could mean lighting those fancy candles (what are you waiting for, anyway?) or maybe you could bake something yummy.

It doesn't get any easier, right?

Just joining our Make Your Home More Welcoming Challenge? Click here to read all about it and join in.

Make Your Home More Welcoming - Challenge #4

Get them something to drink.

Such a simple thing to do. It's one of the first things that I do whenever a friend comes over. It's usually the 3rd question I ask a guest...right after "How are you?" and "Did you bring me a present?". I ask "Can I get you something to drink?"

There's something welcoming and sociable about getting someone a beverage.

So today, I challenge you to pour a drink for the people you love without them even asking. The Hubster has a long drive home and usually grabs a can of Diet Coke with Splenda when he gets home. Today, I'll pour it over ice for him before he walks in the door.

I'm thinking that I should change the title of this series to "Make Yourself More Welcoming." But, we're kind of committed now, so we'll stick with what we've got.

You can join our Make Your Home More Welcoming Challenge any time. Catch up by reading:
Challenge #1
Challenge #2
Challenge #3

Stay tuned! DIY Day Recap coming in a little while!

photo credit: DRP via flickr

Make Your Home More Welcoming - Challenge #3

Turn on some music! Really. It's that simple. Just turn it on!

What does your home sound like? I'm a big believer that music soothes the savage beast. Whether that's my kids or me, I'll leave to you to decide.

I just know that when we reach the witching hour (that hour before dinner), turning on some music makes things a little better.

There are times when I'm cooking dinner and I can feel the tension rising. If I stop to listen, I'll usually realize that I have the news on the TV (loud enough to hear it in the kitchen) and the kids are ramping up their noise to compete with it. Everyone is hungry and we're ready for daddy to get home.

My irritation is rising by the minute and The Hubster usually walks in the door just as I'm about to explode.

I have found that the simple act of turning off the TV and turning on some music changes the mood. My mom bought us one of those under cabinet cd players like this onefor our kitchen a few years back. Thanks Mom! And I like to think that walking into a house with some tunes playing feels really welcoming.

I'll leave the tunes selection to you but two of our faves are:

Jack Johnson - Sing-A-Longs & Lullabies for the Film Curious George (The kids remember the music from the movie and Jack Johnson chills me right out. A total crowd-pleaser.)

and

Louis Armstrong - All-Time Greatest Hits (Fun enough for the kids. Cool enough for mom.)

Photo credit: Ian Hayhurst

~~~~~~~~~~

Are you on board with our Make Your Home More Welcoming Challenge? You can start whenever you're ready. Check out Challenge 1 and Challenge 2.

Stay tuned. Fun with pumpkins and gourds coming later today.

Make Your Home More Welcoming - Challenge #2

Clean up your entryway.

I'm not talking about making a beautiful wreath to hang on your front door. That's for your guests...and for yourself, if you're a wreath-loving fool like me.

I'm talking about getting rid of the clutter and mess that's going on in the entrance that your family uses. For me, that's the door from our garage.

We're lucky that we have a little mudroom area between the garage and the kitchen. The problem is that it becomes a dumping ground for shoes, book bags, grocery bags, library books, stray dogs and pizza boxes. It makes me cringe every time I walk into it.

Actual, un-retouched photo. I'm so embarrassed.

We have big plans for a wall unit with a bench and hooks and shelves. Plans, but no funds. In the meantime, I've done nothing with it.

Today, I'm going to clean it up. I'm going to find places for all of the clutter that has made it's permanent home in our entry way. I'm not usually one to show you the "before" without the "after" pictures, but we're in this together. This is what I'm doing today too.

What if you don't have a mudroom? I know most people don't. So how does your family get into your house? What can you do to make it more welcoming? Does it need picked up? Can you add a little table with a bowl where you can drop your keys on the way into the house?

Do you have room for a little chair where you can stop to take off your shoes?

How about a hook on the wall for a coat?

Need a little inspiration?
Key Catcher @ The DIY Show Off
Informal entry way checklist @ Pure Style Home
Solution for lack of an entryway @ Apartment Therapy
DIY coat rack @ My Backyard Eden

Did you miss Challenge #1? Check it out by clicking here!

Another post and the winners of the DiscHanger giveaway coming later today. Stay tuned...

Make Your Home More Welcoming - Challenge #1

The topic of having a more welcoming home has been on my mind lately. When I think about having a warm and welcoming home, I usually think about how guests feel when they enter my home.

But lately, I've been wondering how my own family feels when they get home. There's nothing wrong with wanting guests to feel welcome and at home. In fact, I love doing that! But sometimes I wonder what would happen if I consciously spent that same time and energy making my own family feel at home.

For the next couple of weeks, I'm going to be issuing you some challenges. Simple things that you can do to make your home more welcoming to your own family. Don't worry. You won't be alone because I'll be doing these things in my home too.

This means I'll probably be posting multiple times a day on some days. I hope you can stand it.

So let's get to it!

Make Your Home More Welcoming - Challenge #1

What if we greeted our own family with the same attitude and and enthusiasm as we greet our guests? With a big smile, a welcoming hug and a warm "Welcome Home"!

I'll admit I'm often busy or preoccupied when The Hubster gets home from work. On a good day, he may get a quick "Hi Hon" and not much more. What's worse is on a bad day, he might get that "Hi" accompanied by snarling or sighing and a barked order to take care of this kid or pick up that mess. I'm a real charmer on those days.

So today, I'm going to make a purposeful effort to greet my own family with the same love and enthusiasm as I would greet a guest. For me, that will probably mean a big smile, a hug and an undistracted conversation. And this doesn't just apply to The Hubster. I'm going to give the kids this same treatment.

And if you're the one arriving home to your family, what if you made a purposeful effort to come home with a loving attitude, a cheerful smile and a warm greeting?

Let's get to it. Go hug somebody.

Little boy fingers

See this bird's nest? It used to hold the prettiest wooden eggs that I painstakenly painted and speckled with my own little hands.

See this birdhouse? It was sitting on the shelf directly below the bird's nest. Note that there is only one point of entry or exit from the bird house.

See this little hand? It belongs to my 20-month old who discovered that all my pretty speckled eggs fit perfectly into the hole in the bird house.

My four-year old claims that the bird house also now contains a kleenex, a small plastic screwdriver and a tube of chapstick.

And so goes the process of making my home pretty while living with little boys.

Living on the roof

I've been thinking for the past few days about what it means to create "A Soft Place to Land" for my family. I know that I want our home to feel like that huge comfy couch that you can't wait to collapse into at the end of the day. The one that makes you go "Ahhhhhh".

So how do I do that? What are some ways to make our home a sanctuary from the outside world? A place to feel peaceful and at rest even if the outside world is spinning out of control. I started thinking about things like...

• Keeping our home reasonably tidy. Not in a freaky "nobody-lives-here" kind of way but enough that I'm not scrambling around like a crazy woman to hide the clutter in my dryer if someone shows up unannounced.
• Planning and cooking healthy meals. Luckily, my family isn't terribly picky so if that just means sandwiches and canned soup some nights, no problem. I'd just like it if my kids didn't scream "PIZZA MAN!!!" every. single. time. the doorbell rings.
• Making sure the coffee pot is set up every night. Seems like a little thing but I know Alba (my dear hubby) loves a hot cuppa joe as he's leaving our little sanctuary at 6:00 in the morning.

So anyway, these are the kinds of things I've been thinking about for the past week or so. Aaaaaand then I went to my women's bible study this morning. Ugh.

We're doing a study called "Managing Your Moods" from the Women of Faith series. Today's chapter was on PMS'ing. Now, I'm a pretty lucky gal because this isn't something that I have to deal with too much. I know some women who deal with tremendous PMS and it's a real burden. I figured I'd just follow along with the discussion this week and maybe next week we'd cover something that really applied to me.

Theeeeeeeen we read some bible verses...Proverbs 21:9 - Better to live on a corner of the roof than share a house with a quarrelsome wife.

Then this one...Proverbs 21:19 - Better to live in a desert than with a quarrelsome and ill-tempered wife.

Then this one...Proverbs 25:24 - Better to live on a corner of the roof than share a house with a quarrelsome wife.

And my personal favorite...Proverbs 27:15 - A quarrelsome wife is like a constant dripping on a rainy day.

SERIOUSLY???? The desert? The roof? That's better than being inside with me? There's no toilet out there! Or water! Or potato chips!

And that's when it hit me. The biggest thing that I can do to make my home "A Soft Place to Land" is to change my mood. Stop being a grouch! For the most part, I set the tone in our home. If I'm in a mood, then our home just isn't a peaceful place to be.

Now, don't get me wrong, I don't think I'm completely horrible. I'm pretty sure that Alba would choose to stay inside with me over sleeping on the roof. At least I think so. But I do have my days.

You know what I mean. It's been a long, busy day. I'm tired. The kids have been whining and arguing while I try to get dinner together. (I like to call that time of day "The Witching Hour") And what does my hubby get to walk into? A big hug after a long day? A pleasant "Hi sweetie!" Nope. He gets a big 'ole grouch. Me. Poor man. It's a wonder he comes home some days. I sure wouldn't want to come home to me on those days if I could avoid it.

Argh. Not exactly what I thought I was going to get out of my bible study today. Don't you just love it when God has other plans.

So, I guess I've got some work to do on my heart. I think I'm going to try setting an alarm for around the time the "Witching Hour" starts. Then I'll take a few moments to pray and read through the verses that I'm trying to memorize. I'll let you know if it helps.

When God has something to say

Do you ever have the feeling that God is trying ever so hard to get through to you? And you're just not listening? Today was one of those days.

A little background...We are in the process of selling the house that we're living in and building a new one. I can go into the details of why at a later time but, suffice it to say, we're more than a little stressed around our house these days.

I worry. A lot. It's what I do. I obsess. I stress. And, oh, I clean my house. Again and again. Every time we get the call that a potential buyer is coming to look at our current house, I turn into a stressed-out cleaning machine. My poor family.

Anyway, my point is that I've been praying about this and trying to leave the entire situation in God's hands on a daily basis. The problem is that each day after I lay my anxiety at His feet, I pick it back up and wrestle with it some more. I try and think of new and wonderful ways to make our current home more attractive to potential buyers.

Now, don't get me wrong, I think there is a lot of value in making my home clean and attractive but it's gotten to the point that I'm moving wreaths around the house because I think that might help. Because you know that putting the forsythia wreath on the front door rather than above the fireplace will really bring those offers rolling in.

So this morning, I was flipping through an old bible study (Women of Faith - Living Above Worry and Stress) when I was drawn to Psalm 18:2.

"The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold."

I read through it and began to hear God talking to my heart. Telling me to trust Him. He is in control. What I do in this situation doesn't matter. Things will be resolved in His time.

Then I realized that both of my sons were naked and we need to leave. I became a bit distracted.
We went to church and the sermon was based on Psalm 62. I again heard God speaking directly to my heart when the Pastor read verses 1 & 2.

"My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken."

OK! OK! I hear you! I hear you!

Why is it so hard to just let go and trust that God is in control. He has proven Himself faithful time and time again. Even if things don't work out exactly the way that I think they should, His plan is perfect and I can rejoice in that fact.

Sooooo....My goal for the week is to commit those two verses to memory and pray for complete confidence in God's plan and His timing. And be ever so thankful that God keeps calling to me even when I'm doing my best not to listen.