Gifts and Goals for the Week

Let me take care of a little business first…

I hope you all will excuse the complete randomness and odd posting schedule on this blog for the next little bit. It seems that my blog has decided to stop working on a schedule and function on its own time. I am hoping to teach it the benefits of scheduling and how much easier it makes life in the next few days, but until then, bear with me if I post at like 6am or midnight or something, ok?

Now, back to the normal stuff (if anything around here is normal! :)

It seems like every time I turn around, the Lord is blessing me in an area or by a means that I didn’t expect. Anyone who says the Christian life is boring is SO WRONG! It is SO exciting to see God work each and every day! He continues to prove Himself faithful even when my faith is weak.

Here are the things I added to my list of blessings this week:

303. Patience
304. Sound of our waterfall
305. Business picking up
306. Catching up w/ a friend
307. God’s provision
308. Rocking Judah to sleep
309. “Working” in my pj’s :)
310. That blogger is free (I’m choosing to think positive thoughts, ok?)
311. News of a new baby! (NOT in our family, so send your thoughts elsewhere!!!!!!!!)

I did *ok* with my goals this week:

I wanted to get outside and get some more yard work done, but most of the week was rainy and cold. I was hoping to get that outside project finished before the bugs came out, but I think I missed my chance. :( Oh well. I have taken a large chunk out of this project already, though. More on that later in the week!

What I really, really need to do is make those phone calls. I am putting it off, can you tell? I really hate talking on the phone, and these types of calls are the worst. I am afraid I am going to sound like an ignorant foreigner trying to figure out Canadian ways. Oh wait….

Next week we are taking a little trip across the ocean to attend a wedding, so this week will be primarily spent getting project done and gearing up for that. I’m playing the piano for the wedding, so piano practice is like my #1 priority this week!

I’m still having a blast setting weekly goals and striving to get them done! How about you? What plans do you have for this week? Any major projects going on?

And the Winner Is...

...Amanda Cunningham! Congratulations! Amanda, email me with the info for the personalization - names for the shopping lists, menu plan, and book labels, plus address for the address labels.

Thank you so much to all who entered! Don't forget, you can still get a discount on these and all the other printables in my shop through Monday, April 30th. Just type in ALS15 as the coupon code during checkout to get 15% off your entire order of printables! (See this post for more details.)

Thanks to everyone who entered!

Guest Post: Our Adoption Jouney

I can not even begin to tell you how thrilled I am to be introducing today's guest blogger.

Ever since meeting this family 3 years ago, I have become increasingly interested in adoption and the difference it makes in the lives of so many children. I have since talked to others that have adopted children and read blogs about the hope that is being given to so many children because of the opportunity to adopt. So when I was contemplating and praying about who to have as guest bloggers for this month, I knew Denise had to be one of them! I am so thrilled to read a brief recap of her personal story, and I know you will be personally blessed by it.

My desire to adopt started during the Vietnam War.  I would watch the news and feel so sad for all the children who had lost their parents in the war.  In 1975, I believe, President Ford had a campaign of sorts called Operation Babylift which was an effort to bring Vietnamese orphans to the States to find them adoptive families.  I  was only nine years old at that time and my mother, my brother and I were Catholic.  I can't say I had a spiritual burden for the children, just a compassionate heart.  I wondered why those children were in a war-torn country and had lost their parents while I was safe in America with my family and my home.  Around that time, the year was 1973, the state of Ohio started the children's protective/foster care division of family services.  And....I begged my parents to become foster parents!  (I must have been so annoying!)  My mom finally broke down and called the mother of one of my classmates who was a foster parent.  Apparently she asked a few questions and let me know that she didn't feel any more led to be a foster parent than she did to be an adoptive parent- my brother and I were her personal limit and she DID NOT want more children- especially through adoption!

Fast forward eleven years- Denise meets Ken!  A match made in heaven- for sure.  I was so thrilled to find out that Ken's older brother was adopted!  So, we were both open to adoption. After being saved at seventeen years old, my interest in adoption became a spiritual burden.  I wanted to see children who were born into bad or godless situations have an opportunity to know my Lord.  As a young girl, I believed I would be unable to have biological children because I had such a love and passion for adoption.  I also believed if I did have children I would have one who was mentally challenged or disabled because I've always especially loved to work with children and adults who are delayed or disabled mentally.  Well, our first child was born just sixteen months after our wedding.  After having four children in six years we were pretty sure my concern about not being able to have biological children was unfounded!  However, the desire to adopt never left us.  When our youngest biological child was about six or eight years old, we began to pursue adoption.  We did not really have a number of children, gender preference, or national versus international preference.  We did hope, at first, to adopt either an infant or very young child(ren).  We did start out trying to adopt internationally.  We changed course for a number of reasons- too many to list them all.  Basically, we felt it was cost prohibitive and since we were "older" with four children already, we were disallowed in some countries. 

Eventually, we began to look at the foster care system in our state.  We had several friends and acquaintances who had or were currently foster parents.  They were Christians and seemed to do fine with it, so we took a closer look.  Our local agency's training schedule was not compatible with our family's schedule, so we looked into a private foster care agency about 40 minutes away in a different county. We became therapeutic parents after participating in about forty-eight hours of training.  During this time, we became open to older children and sibling sets or groups because they can be harder to place.  We were also open to mental delays- which goes back to my early years of loving to work with delayed children. Because we were licensed (by choice) foster to adopt, we were able to have "first dibs" on any foster child in our care who became available for adoption.  It really is a neat program, but that's not how we met our first adopted children. 

We got a call one day, after we were licensed to adopt.  It was from one of our friend/acquaintances who was a foster parent.  This is a neat family we knew in Ohio who had parents (in their 60's) and several of their adult children who were foster and/or adoptive parents.  This call was regarding three little girls who were being fostered by a member of this family.  They were coming to the end of their time in foster care and were going to be placed for adoption.  This family had a lot of pull with their local agency and said if we wanted the girls, they would work to see that we were able to adopt them.  So, about five months later, after several weekend visits and one week-long visit, they moved into our home on a foster-to-adopt agreement between the agency and us.  In Ohio, children have to live in the home for six months before a family is allowed to adopt them.  So, we did adopt them six months after they came to live with us. During this time, we switched from the therapeutic agency to the local agency that had custody of the girls.  It was amazing to us that these little girls, ages four, five, and seven when they came to live with us, were raised in America and did not know Who Jesus was or that Christmas had something to do with Him!  It was sad and I still find that amazing.  One of the reasons I was pulled toward international adoption was that I felt THOSE POOR KIDS NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE LORD!  I really did not realize how spiritually empty some American children are, too.  The very day our adoption on the first three girls was finalized. our second set of siblings came in foster care for the last time.  They had had a very rough beginning.  It's a truly heart-wrenching story and when I heard it my heart just ached for them.  These two little people- ages one and three at the time were offered to our friends as a possible foster to adopt placement.  The wife called me that day to congratulate us on our adoption and also to ask us to pray about these two little ones they were considering.  A few days later we spoke again and she really hadn't made a decision- she was so focused on the challenges.  I told her if it were us, we would take them, but we'd continue to pray for their decision.  We found out they had decided against the  children joining their family and we immediately told our agency we would be interested in adopting the children.  In our hearts, we knew they were our children.  However, Ohio law and agency regulations do not allow another adoption so close to one that had just finalized.  So we waited, and sure enough, eventually, they asked us to adopt the children, which we did.

Each of our adoption stories has its own amazing miraculous details- the kinds of things only God can do.  Even our caseworker (she worked all five of our adoptions), once told us, I was sharing your story with a friend who is also a caseworker and we are just amazed at how things have fallen into  place with these adoptions.  She said "I believe I have actually seen God work".  She went on in great detail about things that "just don't happen....you don't understand, I've done this work for years, and these things JUST DON'T HAPPEN"!  We understand, we serve a great God!

Adoption is not without its challenges, for sure.  I don't want to be misleading.  It is a tremendous blessing, though, to those who are touched by it.  To us, it is the greatest earthly picture of the spiritual truth of salvation- being made a joint heir with Christ through the adoption of sons.  We were without hope and the Lord made us His own children.  I will never get over that.  I was so unworthy, yet He took on Himself my sins and gave me His righteousness and now I have a home in heaven with Him.

Foster care adoption is definitely worth looking into for anyone who is interested in adoption.  As Christians, we are so against abortion.  We always say, someone would want that child.  Maybe that someone is me or you!  We have a social worker friend in the state of South Carolina who told me if one family from every church in SC would adopt a child from South Carolina's foster care system, it would shut down the whole system!  The little people in care need a family, but most importantly, they need the Lord.  It's a full time ministry opportunity.  It has its challenges and its rewards.  My kids have brought out the good, the bad, and the ugly in me!  It keeps me on my knees and I am so thankful for the opportunity to be "Mom" to five little people I didn't give birth to!  (Ephesians 1:1-14)

James 1:27- Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. 

Denise is mommy to 9 children: 4 biological and 5 adopted, with her first grandchild is the way! She and her husband live in the beautiful state of North Carolina where they are striving to raise their children to love and serve God.

Did I not tell you that you would be blessed? Certainly the Lord has been at work in their lives every step of the way. I feel so privileged to know this family and see first hand what God is doing in their lives!

You can download a printable version of this post by clicking here. 

Perhaps someone reading this today feels led to pursue the adoption or foster care system. What are your thoughts concerning adoption? Any questions for Denise? Feel free to leave them in the comments section!

April DIY project: Getting my Paint On

I was asked by a friend to help her with a little painting project this month, and I couldn't have been more excited. I actually really like to paint, and don't often get the opportunity to do it! There is just something so rewarding about seeing a project come together and the difference a little paint can make!

You've heard the saying,

"A little caulk and a little paint will make a carpenter what he 'aint."

Yup, pretty much true. :) I'm not carpenter or painter, but we managed to get 'er done and it turned out pretty well, if I do say so myself!

Here are a few pictures of the process:

The house is a split-level, and the area we were tackling was the entry just as you walk in the front door. If you've been in a split-level, you may be able to picture this area with its high, high walls!! Good thing I am not afraid of heights! I started by taking off the existing border and prepping the walls for painting. I used this miracle gel to get the border off:

Even with this stuff, it was no easy process, let me tell ya. That border was going nowhere! But we managed to get it all off after a while.

We used this spackle in a tube to fill some holes and cracks:

That stuff was great. It was quick drying, we could have painted over it in 15 minutes. And it was very easy to use!

Here is the paint color she picked...

Not too much different from what was already there, but enough to give it a serious facelift!

Before we could paint the walls, we I had to paint the trim boards all the way around. They had been painted the same color as the wall previously, but we wanted to change that to a sharp looking white. Even just that step made a HUGE difference!

There are those high, high walls!

Next, cutting in. Can I just say that is my least favorite part of the process?

Finally...covering the entire wall with that beautiful new paint!

But that wasn't the end of the newness. Did you notice this light and its awkward position on the wall?

It is hard to tell from this angle, but the light was off centered. We think it is so you can reach it from the stairs to change the bulb? Who knows. Anyway, it clearly needed and upgrade, and my friend had just the thing!

The picture is a little dark, but we obviously couldn't have the power on while we were installing a light, now could we? Oh, and just for the record, I had the difficult job of holding a flashlight for this part of the job. Aren't I a hard worker?

There was one more detail to add, and that was in the form of a vinyl wall art! I had actually bought this for my friends birthday, but shes been waiting for this painting project to be complete before hanging it. She is smart, isn't she? I just love how it turned out in the space! The blurred part is just the first names of each member of their family. (For those interested, I had it custom made from here and got a coupon code from here {but don't tell my friend I'm cheap like that ;) })

Here is the light and art together:

I think it all came out superb!

Since I took these pictures, they have added new flooring, baseboards, and some other details to the area, plus there are more to come! I'll be sure to snag a "its completely finished" pict for you when the entire area is done.

It was a fun project, and now we're hard at work revamping the kitchen! It is fun to work hard and get dirty like this, especially with such amazing results!

What DIY projects have YOU been up to recently?

New Printables and a GIVEAWAY!!

I've been working hard on some new printables for my shop, and if you can believe it, this time they are NOT Home-management-binder related! Yeah, I can't believe it either.

I decided to put feet to our planning endeavors by creating a line of printables to help you better organize your home and your life. And because I believe in being functional and cute at the same time, I decided to design them in an "Americana" or "Country" theme. What I came up with is a Home Organization Packet.

It includes:

3x5 and 4x6 recipe cards

Personalized Address Labels (fits standard Avery labels)

Personalized Book Labels (fits standard Avery Labels)

Labels (fits standard Avery Labels)

Round Labels (fits standard Avery Labels)

Personalized Weekly menu plan

Personalized Detailed Shopping List

Personalized Simple Shopping List

When you purchase these from my shop as an entire set, you will receive all of the above printables in both the blue and the red design. Basically you are getting two for the price of one! You will also get an instructional sheet with all of the Avery label numbers for handy reference, and ideas on how to use these printables around your home to get the most use from them.

Each of these printables are also available separately, so don't feel you need to purchase the entire set. Pick any of the individual listings from my shop, or pick and choose a select few and put together your own set of the ones you will use the most!

But before you run over and purchase these...how about a little giveaway?

To bring a little celebration to our month-long challenge (and because I love giving things to my lovely readers!) I am going to give away a Complete Home Organization Packet to one lucky reader!

The Prize:All of the printables listed above in the Home Organization Packet (in both the red and blue designs)
How to enter: Leave a comment on this post (mandatory)
Who can enter: Anyone with an email address!
Giveaway closes: Friday, April 27th at 5pm. EST

For additional entries, do any or all of the following:

• Like our page on Facebook and leave a comment on this post stating that you did.
• Share this giveaway on Facebook or Twitter and leave a comment on this post for each action.
• Blog about this giveaway and leave the URL in a comment on this post.

I for one can see so much potential and so many uses in these printables! It is important to not only plan, plan, plan, but put some action behind our words and get 'er done! I am so excited to be able to give away one of these packets to you, and hope that even if you don't win you will check themm all out in my shop.

But don't go away yet, there is one more thing...

From now through April 30th, you can get a 15% discount on all of the printables in my shop! Just to further help meet your planning needs, and because I truly love doing things for you guys. You seriously make me smile every single day, so its the least I can do!

Just use the coupon code ALS15 during checkout to get 15% off any printables. Remember you can create your own packet from those printables too. Just see the "Printables" tab up above to see everything that is available. You can also see my planning binder for ideas of how to put your own together.

So, happy organizing! Remember, just leave a comment on this post to enter the giveaway. Tell me how you would use these printable if you were to win! Don't you just love the fun and flexibility of organizing?

Gifts and Goals for the Week

I’m panicking.

April is almost over, and I haven’t gotten everything done.

How on earth did it go by so fast? One more week people. ONE MORE WEEK! In less than 3 weeks I have a wedding to play for, and I don’t feel ready. By the time I get home from that trip, May will practically be half over, and at the beginning of June I have another wedding to be at. A week and a half after that, I have a music conference to be at and right on its heels is another wedding. (Seriously! Whats with all the weddings, people?) Then June is over. July is VBS month. And in between all that, I’ll be gardening, getting ready for all the above activities, and still trying to squeeze in my normal, daily activities.

So all that is to say, I’m not ready. I don’t want April to be over yet because I don’t feel ready for all of that to start. My summer is going to be OVER before I even knew it began, and I don’t want that to happen. I love summer. I want to enjoy every minute of it. I want it to last a long time!

I really don’t know where I’m going with all of this. I guess just to light a fire under my…. myself and be intentional about not only getting things done, but also taking time to stop and smell the lilacs. Which I hopefully won’t miss out on this year, cause they are my favorite, and last year I was in Florida when the bloomed here. But I digress.

Here are the blessings I received this week and added to my 1,000 Gifts list:

295. Getting my paint on
296. Heat! Like, from the sun!
297. Finding my flash drive (been looking for months, only to find it in the pocket of a coat I haven’t worn since fall.)
298. Getting 2 projects done
299. The salvation of a young cousin
300. Pet show
301. Visitors at church
302. New friends

(And yes, I did hit the 300 mark this week for real this time. Wa-hoo!)

Here is my failure of a list of goals from last week:

Ok, so I didn’t fail completely, I guess it just felt like it. I worked on the bag I need to sew, but didn’t finish it. I didn’t even touch my purged items yet. And I didn’t find out much about the recycling and garbage that I needed to, but I did do some research, so I went ahead and checked it off to make me feel better. Forgive me.

Here is my list for this week:

I think I can, I think I can, I think I can...I know I can get a lot done this week! Thanks for cheering me on!

Anyone else completely shocked that it is already the end of April? Do you have a busy summer ahead? Tell me about it! (No literally...like in the comments section.)

April Pinterest Project: High-end Coffee on a Budget

It is no secret that I like me a good mug of coffee. If I had to pick my absolute favorite, a Caramel Macchiato from Starbucks would probably be my #1 pick. But you know the problem with that? It costs a lot of money. Well actually, the real problem is we don't have Starbucks here in Canada (at least not in our area) but even if we did, I wouldn't be able to afford it. So I'm always on the lookout for ways to create some yummy, not-your-average-Maxwell-House in my own kitchen.

I actually tried a couple of different Pinterest inspired coffees for this month's project. Here was the inspiration pin for Homemade Cinnamon Lattes, from Alicia's Homemaking:

Source: aliciashomemaking.com via Nicole on Pinterest

This came out pretty good! ( Go over to Alicia's blog to get all the details and instructions!) I am still working on getting the perfect milk/coffee ratio, since I like my coffee a little strong, but its pretty good. I have used maple syrup and brown sugar to sweeten it, and I think I liked the brown sugar better in this case. (More on maple syrup in a minute, though!)

Coupled with a cookie, it was fantastic.

The second thing I tried was homemade Peppermint Mocha Creamer, found on Deliciously Organic via this pin:

Source: deliciouslyorganic.net via Nicole on Pinterest

This link has a bunch of homemade, natural creamer recipes, but so far I only tried the Peppermint Mocha one. (Another thing we can't get in our area...very many coffee cream flavors! So to me, Peppermint Mocha Cream is high end, ok?)

It came out really yummy! Mine wasn't quite as sweet as regular creamer from the store would be, so I have to add a little brown sugar to my coffee. I can't wait to try the French Vanilla one next!

I planned to make this on Wednesday, but then just never had time during the day. I was so excited and didn't want to wait, so I ended up whipping this together at 10:00 at night. And then of course I had to make a cup of coffee to try it out. Yup, 10:00 at night. It was nice to curl up in bed with coffee and my Bible before going to sleep!

I am very glad that that recipe uses all natural ingredients. I actually used fresh Jersey cream instead of the heavy cream it called for, because Jersey cream is quite heavy itself!

I have enjoyed trying to use some natural ingredients to come up with flavors of my own. One I tried (not inspired by anything Pinterest, mind you...this is a rabbit trail) I flavored my regular cup of coffee with fresh Jersey cream, maple syrup from the woods behind our house (from our neighbor) and real Mexican vanilla. Can I just ask one thing...how come Maple hasn't been patented as one of the yummiest coffee flavors ever? It was sooo good, and knowing that it was all so fresh and natural made it even better!

So there is my Pinterest Project for this month! This is probably one of those ongoing projects...I will continue to try new flavors and come up with new things in the weeks ahead!

Now if someone would tell me how to make a perfect Caramel Macchiato, I'd be all set.

Guest Post: The Deal Scoop

 As part of this month's challenge I have recruited the help of a few guest bloggers to share some new information for us to learn about. Today's guest touches on a subject that many people today are concerned about... saving money.

I enjoyed delving into the world of couponing and deal shopping when I lived in the Sates, and have done some research on this subject before. (Go here, here and here to read about my system and thoughts in the subject) I am so thankful to have this post to add to my files as well! Take it away!

I have always been frugal,  and I enjoy finding the best deals possible on whatever it is that I need to buy.  I got seriously into couponing and deal hunting back in 2008.  I was browsing the web trying to find the best price on a Christmas present for my husband when  I stumbled across a forum where people were talking about all the free stuff they were getting with coupons.  I had heard of people using coupons to get free stuff, but I never believed it was really true.  I thought it was just TV sensationalism.  I was intrigued to see that people were discussing not only what they were getting free, but how they were getting it.  I began to read…and read and read and read.  I honed in on figuring out how to work the deals at one store, and I did not attempt a shopping trip until I was quite sure I had mastered the concepts behind their reward system.

Finally the day came when I ventured into my local CVS, coupons in hand.  Everything I planned to get was in stock, and I came out of the store approximately 5 minutes later, having spent $0 in cash and actually earning $30!  Needless to say I was hooked!  I proceeded to visit 3 more CVS stores the same day, and I came home with a van full of products, and I still had $30 to spend the next week.

I had proven to myself that couponing really works, and I began researching how to use coupons at the grocery store.  Then I proceeded to learn how the rewards systems work at the other drugstores in my town.  As I read and researched these things online, I became aware of a whole network of couponing and deal blogs.  They dredged up in-store deals, online coupon codes, free samples, money-making opportunities, etc. and posted them multiple times a day on their blogs.  It seemed the number of deals one could snatch up both online and in the stores was unlimited!  I ended up starting my own blog to share my finds with family and friends.

Before long, however, I was shopping at so many stores and getting so many deals that deal hunting actually became a burden rather than a blessing.  I have had to find the right balance between using the deals to my family’s financial advantage and being downright ridiculous.  I have developed three simple rules to follow that have helped me to keep that balance.

• Make sure the deals you are seeking out are relevant to your particular situation.  Maybe you’ve found that you can get 10 boxes of instant potatoes free with coupons, but your family doesn’t eat processed foods.  Don’t spend your time getting things just because they’re free.  Instead, determine what your own family’s needs are and research how to get the best deal possible on those things.

• And with that in mind, my second rule is this: A little research goes a long way.

1. Are you trying to eat whole foods?  Spend time talking to people in your area who have a similar style of eating and find out where they get the best deals.
2. Are you needing to cut down on your toiletry expenses?  Research online how to “work the deals” at the drugstores.
3. Do you have particular grocery stores at which you like to shop?  Find blogs with the best weekly deals at those stores.   
4. Never buy anything without checking to see if you can get it at a better price.  Check store prices against online prices.  Check to make sure there are no coupons for the item you need to purchase.  Look at multiple stores because one of them is bound to have the item on sale.  Combine a sale with a coupon for an even better deal!
5. When shopping online, always check for coupon codes or cash back sites to lower your price.  You can almost always chip a little bit off of your total that way.
6. If you can wait a while before purchasing something, you may be able to find it on Craigslist, ebay, or at a yard sale.
7. If you’re buying local food, could you barter goods or services of your own to bring down the actual cash payment you would have to make?

• Finally, Deals are my last priority.  I guarantee you I will be doing my best to never pay more than I have to for something.  But there are times when it’s just not worth it. If I have to ignore my children and leave my house a mess in order to get a deal, that is one deal I’ll be passing up. Although I would love to get the best price on everything 100% of the time, my family is more important than any money I can save. 

 MaryEllen is a wife and mommy to three littles in the beautiful state of North Carolina. She enjoys saving money, buying deals, living frugally, and helping others do the same! She blogs at The Deal Scoop, where she gives daily deals, free samples, and product reviews.




Thank you so much, MaryEllen, for sharing your thoughts with us! Click here to get a printable version of this post for your files (or save it in one of the ways we discussed yesterday!)

I love the practical solutions to saving money, such as simply waiting. I think you can never go wrong by waiting, researching the best options, both in price and quality, and getting the best deal that you can! By waiting, you may even find that you don't need it at all. Not spending is the best deal advice there is. :)

I also loved that MaryEllen mentioned that she puts her family and her "high calling" first. That is so important when you feel you are getting sucked into the couponing game!

What saving or couponing tips do you have?

5 Fat Files: The Other Files

I hope you are enjoying this challenge as much as I am! Seriously, it has been great to learn new things and develop a way to better save them for future use. I feel like I am being a better steward of my time by having this system in place...saves me from searching and researching for information I already have!

Today I’d like to branch out a little bit and talk about the other files you can build beside the virtual ones. Because really, in today’s day and age, who is going to limit themselves to some file folders? Not me!

This is a step in the challenge that you can pick and choose what works for you. If you want to just fill your literal files, go ahead! Or, find other ways to build virtual files to make this process even easier than it already is!

Here are just a few suggestions and ways to build other files:

::Pinterest:: obviously this has to be my first option. :) I have recently added new boards on Pinterest that match my 5 file topics. This is perhaps the easiest way to build files solely from internet content. I still do print off certain things, however...if it a series or something that can’t be exhausted in a single pin, or if it is something that really spoke to me that I want to be able to read again and again. If you aren’t on Pinterest and would like to be, let me know and I’ll send you an invite!

::Computer files:: here is what mine look like on my Mac:

Under “Documents” I created a folder called “5 Fat Files” (imagine that!) and inside that are 5 more folders for each of my topics.

To create a new folder, just click the button indicated by the red arrow. A drop-down menu will pop up, and the first option will be “create new folder.” Easy-peasy.

In these folders I can put web archives, pictures, or anything I type up online. You can also copy and paste content from a site in to a Word document and save it in these folders. Just be sure to include the url from the site so you don’t forget where you got it! I used to do this a lot before Pinterest made my life easier. :)

::Bookmarked Folders:: This is going to be different in whatever browser you use, but right now I use Firefox, and this is how it works:

Just right-click on the bookmarks bar at the top of the page. This menu will pop up:

Click on new folder. Now this window will come up:

Type in the name for your bookmark and click "add." Do this for any folders you want to create.

Then your folders will be nicely displayed at the top of your browser window:

To add a web page to the folder, just click on the url and drag it down to the folder and drop it in. I do this a lot, too!

::Email folders:: Again, this will look different depending on what email provider you have, but if you are smart use Gmail, this is what it looks like:

In the right sidebar of your gmail is a list of all the folders you have. Actually, they are called "labels" but basically they are folders that your emails can be sorted into. Click on "create new label" at the bottom...

Enter your new lables name. I called mine....wait for it....5 Fat Files.

Once you create that label, go back and create the ones for your actual files, nesting them under the main label of 5 Fat File.

Having these 5 email folders will be a big help if you subscribe to any websites having to do with your files and receive regular email updates. If one of your files is on "couponing" or something similar, this type of folder is almost a must!

Those are the other folders I thought of. I use most of these regularly to keep things organized anyway, but adding those spots specifically for my 5 files is a must. The bonus is the nice, organized feeling you have when its all said and done. Pat yourself on the back! :)

Stay tuned in...tomorrow we'll hear from another guest blogger that I am sure you won't want to miss! (anyone want to save some moolah?)

For now, chime in with your thoughts about this project. How are you doing with your files? Which of these "other" files are you going to implement into your system? What other files can you think of that I missed?

Guest Post: A Few of my Favorite Herbs

As part of this month's challenge I have recruited the help of a few guest bloggers to share some new information for us to learn about. Today's guest has me at a hello with all of the info and life-changing facts!

Healthy living has been a subject of interest for me for a couple of years now. That is why I dedicated one of my 5 Fat Files to "Whole Foods Diet." This post reflects that this is also the heartbeat of the author, and I feel so privileged to be able to learn from her and glean from her wisdom! Without further ado, lets talk about herbs, shall we?

 Hi! My name is Lauren Lockhart and I’m a farm girl-at-heart who lives in the city and longs for the country! I grew up on an 85 acre farm among the rolling hills of Middle Tennessee so farming and living minimalist is something I’m very familiar with! My husband and I are currently living in the foothills of the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of NC and have three children.  I love farming, animals (horses in particular) and herbs!

I remember my first introduction to herbs was my Mom’s herb garden that she planted every year. I remember the beautiful lavender flowers, the spicy smell of basil and oregano, and the sweet smell of sage. She used those herbs in sauces and such, but never grew any for medicinal purposes. I began researching herbs three years ago when I had a very bad car accident one week to the day of going through a miscarriage. The two did not mix well for my health and many debilitating issues arose from that combination. I visited Orthopedic Surgeons, sought Chiropractic Care especially tailored to my specific injuries, and even consulted with a Naturopath. Nothing helped.  Then, through Shoshanna Easling over at the Bulk Herb Store, I was introduced to Comfrey. Another name for Comfrey is Knit bone. Aha! Maybe this would help? It did! I was hooked!! I then began researching herbs for EVERYTHING! My favorite research aid for a good breakdown on any herb is the Bulkherbstore. Shoshanna never ceases to amaze me and her energy just spills over into everything that she does! Researching herbs can be very time consuming and you can get bogged down quick. Their research aid at the Bulkherbstore helps me to quickly locate the right herb for specific ailments quickly so that I can get a remedy made up quick! I love it! Once I’ve read Shoshanna’s info on the herb, I do more web searches to gain more information so that I’m making sure that I’m using the herb in the best way possible. One nice thing about herbs is this, unless the herb is noted for extreme poisonous effects upon the body, you can’t overdose someone by accident. :) That’s always nice to know! You can always sign up to receive weekly updates and tips from them and Shoshanna has bunches of YouTube videos on how to make everything from a simple smoothie to an incredible hairspray using those incredible little plants! Just go to youtube and type in “Bulkherbstore” in the search bar and her videos should come up!

Two years ago I began growing some herbs in my flower beds to see how they, and I, would do. :) I grew basil, oregano, comfrey, chocolate mint, peppermint, Echinacea, tansy, and Stevia. Everything was a complete success and I grew enough to put away for almost an entire year! This year my herb garden is going to be quite expansive as I will be growing certain herbs for medicinal purposes and some to keep unwanted pests from my garden and others to attract bugs, butterflies, and bees for proper plant pollination! My blueberry bushes have done so well since I planted Echinacea right by them. The butterflies and bees just love both sets of blossoms. :) Herbs are so easy to grow and if you’ve never done any sort of planting or growing of anything, start with herbs. :) You almost can’t kill them, well, unless you burn them I guess? :-)

I also have a favorite local resource that I like to use every year. Mr. Ron over at Plantwise Nursery in Spindale, NC has a diverse edible landscaping business that provides locals with edible plants, bushes, fruits, vegetables, and herbs that are native to our area. He is genius in this and I’ve learned so much from him! He teaches local classes, but I’ve learned so much more by just visiting him, picking his brain a bit, and then coming away with many new plants to try!

Some of my favorite herbs, roots, and dried berries that I use on a regular basis are comfrey, plantain, arrowroot, rose hips, pomengranate green tea, jasmine green tea, orange peel, licorice root, fennel, basil, oregano, chocolate mint, peppermint, Echinacea, tansy, stevia, cinnamon bark, diatomaceous earth, elderberry, blueberry, ginger root, red raspberry leaf, autumn olive berry, archangel …to name a few!

I love to make herbal teas, tinctures, salves, poultices, and astringents. All this I learned by getting Shoshanna’s DVD’s from the Bulkherbstore. I’ve also bought a book or two on recognizing edible plants in the wild and in your own backyard! I don’t have a specific title for this area. Really, any book on the subject will be informative, just make sure it has colored pictures! Sometimes the only difference from an edible wild plant or herb and a poisonous one is a variance in the color. You will be amazed to learn all the wonderful things that are all around you that you just don’t “see”!! The past two years I’ve discovered, now remember I live in the rural city, that I have Autumn Olive berry bushes that are super high in Lycopene growing all around my house, little purple archangel herbs growing in my yard, and several kinds of wild plantain! All of these are super charged herbs and plants that can be used for a variety of purposes.  I also discovered that elderberry grows in abundance here as well so while driving around town and in the country, I keep my eyes open for those beautiful bushes, mentally make a note of their location, and then come and harvest the berries when they are ripe! Elderberries are a must have when it comes to keeping everyone free of sickness! I use it with all my children and we’ve been flu free for 10 years. No one has had it, nor have any of had any respiratory infections, colds, or any other ailment to boot. Those little berries are potent!!

It all starts with a good resource and the Bulkherbstore is an excellent one! If you ever have a question about an herb, email them and they will get right back with you and will do their best to help you in any way that they can! To me, that is worth a thousand books!

Herbs are also a good family project! My kids love the mints and stevia that we grow. They call them their “chewing” gum. They simply pull off two leaves of chocolate mint, roll them around a pinch of stevia leaf (very very sweet plant) and chew away! We grow chocolate mint in hanging baskets on the porch and the minty smell just wafts over you every time you come and go from the house! Love it! My middle daughter helped me plant Chamomile this week and she checks every night to see if anything is growing yet. :)  Children will love what you love and we want them to love good and healthy things!

I am so happy to be able to be a part of this “Five Fat Files” and I’m going to be doing this myself! This is a really great way to get yourself motivated to learn and also to teach! Enjoy!

Please tell me that I am not the only one sitting here with my mouth gaping open (there may even be some saliva starting to form). I am awed by what a benefit and help to our bodies these little things called herbs can be! I really had no idea they were this important. I am so glad I chose to add this to my files, and excited to learn more as the days go on! Thank you again, Lauren, for sharing your wealth of information with us!

Click here to get a printable version of this post for your files. I for one have added this to my "Whole Foods Diet" file!

I hope that this post was a help to you! I'd love to hear how exactly you are going to use it to your advantage. If you have any questions for Lauren or would like more information, you can pop over to her blog, or leave a comment right here for her to answer.

We'd love to know - what was the most interesting part of this post for you? For me, it is reading how easy it is to grow these herbs right in your own yard. It is amazing to me how God has given us the ability and resources to care for our own bodies...without it costing almost anything! What especially stuck out to you?