Marriage Monday Maintence

Yesterday, I began to look around my house and see all the maintenance that needed to be done. The laundry vents need to be cleaned out, the air conditioner needs to be switched over, the weeds need pulling, the doors/base boards need touching up.

When you own a home you know all the repairs/fix ups that need to be done and the often maintenance that it takes to keep the house in tip top shape, and in some cases just looking decent.

Likewise with a a vehicle. The oil needs changing, it needs tuning, new filters, spark plugs, tire pressure all need to be checked and changed out. 

So much to do, when you own a home or a vehicle. If you don't maintain either then it will decay faster and break down.

Our Marriages also need maintenance. We need to maintain them. One way to do this is by doing monthly evaluations of your marriage.

You and your husband can keep a log of goals and things you want to accomplish.

As a helpmeet to my husband, I often ask him to tell me 3 ways/ areas I am doing good in my role as his wife and helper  and 3 areas that I am not doing well in, this gives me a balanced approach.

Another way to maintain your marriage is by having Date Nights. These can happen in many forms:

1)Hire a sitter for a couple hours if you can afford it

2)Leave the kids with grandparents

3)Offer swap babysitting with friends/family (you babysit for their date night and in return they babysit for you)

4)Put the kids to bed early and you and your spouse have time together.

5)Ask a close friend from Church or work someone you trust to come over for a couple hours to watch your kids (to show a thank you get him/her a gift card)


Another way to connect and maintain your marriage is through communication. This can happen in many ways:

1)Sending friendly texts and flirtatious texts to your husband is a fun way to maintain and communicate to your husband.

2)Leave cute notes around the house for your husband to find redeemable coupons of sort, one that says "this entitles you to a massage", or "this entitles you to a kiss", or "this entitles you to a .." let your imagination take over, be creative.

3)Send him a email

4)Use social media as a way to communicate your love,adoration and appreciation for him


Another way to maintain your marriage is by being Spontaneous. there are several ways you can do this:

1) Have a overnight day surprise him with a date somewhere overnight without the kids

2)When all the kids are sleeping light some candles and put some soft music on and give him a foot massage 

3)When the kids are sleeping go outside and have a tent ready with a small fire to look at the stars together (if you have a trampoline you can have blankets on the trampoline and watch the stars laying down)

4)Have a romantic dinner prepared when he gets home



No matter what you do just remember that if you want something to last forever you must shield it and protect it. You must maintain it!!!

I hope these ideas help you on this Marriage Monday. Id love to hear how you maintain your marriage...Post your comments below

Furgal Friday Homemade Chapstick

HOMEMADE CHAP-STICK 
 

 Lip Balm Recipe Do It Yourself

 

Ingredients:

•  Beeswax (about 3 Tablespoons of the whiter beads, but you can use a white/yellow bar too)
•  Cocoa Butter or Coconut Oil (about 2 Tablespoons)
• Sunflower Oil (1/4 cup) you can use jojoba oil or avocado oil
• 8 drops Vitaman E oil (4 vitamin E oil tablets worth)
• 2 drops Rosemary essential oil
• 12 drops  Peppermint essential oil (or you can use any oil if you dont like mint/rosemary) I sometimes add Tea-Tree oil to mine)
• Pea-sized drop of Lanolin

 Get containers / chapstick molds here: http://www.bulkapothecary.com/categories/containers/lip-balm-tubes-jars-and-tins.html

Get beeswax/lanolin/oil here:  https://www.mountainroseherbs.com/ 

Get Essential oils here:    http://living-essential-oils.com/?gclid=CMuz5ei_jb4CFewRMwodm14Acw
http://do-essential-oils.com/?gclid=CLjIt_S_jb4CFa1FMgodCkQAjQ

Instructions:

1. Measure out all your ingredients except essential oils into a heat friendly cup or pan. You can use a glass dish in the microwave also. 
2. Open the  Vitamin E tablets and squeezed  into the cup.
   
3.  Melt all the ingredients, and stir. Give it a minute or two the beeswax takes the longest to melt (Do not move on until its all melted)
   
4. Once it’s all melted add your essential oils and mix it up.
5.  Test it out, to make sure it has the flavor you want by letting a tiny bit cool on your finger. Rub it on your lips and check if its just right. If you feel it needs more mint or other flavorings, add more!
6. Then use a dropper to add the liquid into chapstick tubes or
   
   small metal containers. (If it cools too quickly before you’re done filling your tubes, just pop it in the microwave till it melts again.)

ALL DONE YAY!!!! YOUR OWN HOMEMADE BURT'S BEES CHAPSTICK 


*******The upfront cost of making chap-sticks may cost around $30-$60 (This can be cheaper if you use cheaper essential oils) but you will be able to make chap-stick for many years to come and give them away as gifts. Cost per chap-stick is around .25 (est. high) *****

Herb Talk Tuesday

 

This is one of my favorite Herbs the  possibilities with this herb are endless. 

Lavender has been used by both the Greeks and Romans for ritual and relaxation purposes, lavender is an easy plant to cultivate and grow at home – this means you too can reap the blessings of  its many benefits. Here are my uses for Lavender. 

• Add lavender flowers to baked goods for sweet floral taste here is a good recipe http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/lavender-cookies

• Use it as a natural sleep remedy and aid – its efficacy has been scientifically shown to help relax promoting good sleep

• Add lavender to your honey makes a wonderful lavender honey crush leaves and add to honey

• Brew dried lavender flowers with your  tea for delicate  flavors or add it to coffee for herbal lavender coffee  

• Use lavender oil as a natural antiseptic soak lavender leaves in olive oil or jojoba, avocado oil then strain the herbs for a great herbal oil

• Dried lavender flowers make a beautiful  homemade potpourri

 

• Put lavender oil on an insect bites or burns for quick and soothing relief

• Bundles of lavender flowers can ward off stinging bugs and spiders

 

• Adding lavender to you pillowcases or a little oil to your wrists will keep you happy and relaxed

• Forget stinky mothballs – for clothes in storage, packets of lavender should also ward off moths, while keeping your clothes smelling great, you can also hang bundles of lavender in closets or drawers

You can purchase this wonderful Herb Here:

 https://www.mountainroseherbs.com/

 

"And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat."   Genesis 1:29

Marriage Monday" Your canvas, Your master piece, Your work of Art, Your Marriage"

              Marriage is hard work, but I am learning little things                                    add up and make a difference.

The small things we do in our marriage should be done with Great and Big love.
 It really does matter and it really does make a difference.



When you make his breakfast, lunch, dinner or pack his lunch. It matters, do it with great love.


When you wash his laundry, pick up his dirty socks, sweep his crumbs. It matters, do it with great love.

When you make his bed, clean the bathroom he used, put the trash bag in the trash can (because he forgot again) It matters, do it with great love.

When you look into his eye do so with adoration, when you smile at him do so with gratitude, when you  hold his hand do so with appreciation.

It all matters so do it with great love

Life is short and the days are passing, turning into weeks, and the weeks turn to months and the months turn to years, the years turn into decades and the decades turn into a lifetime.

It all matters so do it with a great love. Dont miss the opportunity to love your spouse greatly. Yes, he may have his quirks, his funny way of doing things, he may annoy you at times as Im sure you do him, but in the end He CHOSE YOU to be His FOREVER FRIEND, LOVER, AND SOUL MATE.

You are His and He is Yours. Together you are a masterpiece. Your  marriage is a piece of Art.

So how do we create and or add to our masterpiece, our work of art? What if you look at your marriage canvas and see a huge blob of a mess? What now? Is there any hope you might ask?

Certainly, I am no expert, my canvas is a bit messy, but its a beautiful mess, that my husband and I created together. Sure, the shading is all wrong, and its a bit abstract looking and those who have no appreciation for Art probably gaze with no gratitude for such a canvas. But, it is ours and I am proud of what we have painted together.

We as wives can certainly be thankful for such Art. Here are a few things we can do to add to our canvas.

 I hope that you enjoy your beautiful canvas on this Marriage Monday display it proudly and Rejoice

Frugal Friday Homemade Body lotion/whipped body cream butter

                     
One way we have tried to save money is by making our own lotion and whipped lotion butter. The possibilities are endless and you can create some amazing scents. 

 
                      Homemade Do it yourself Body Lotion

You will Need:

• 1/2 cup of oil (olive oil, avocado oil, jojoba oil, or almond oil)
  
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 1/4 cup beeswax
•  1 teaspoon Vitamin E oil
• 2 teaspoons of Shea Butter or Cocoa Butter
• Essential Oils, Vanilla Extract or any other natural extracts of your choice, You could even use dried herbs if you want.

*you can get ingredients here:
https://www.mountainroseherbs.com/





Directions:

1. Combine ingredients in a pint sized or larger glass jar. I have a mason jar that I keep just for making lotions 
2. Fill a medium saucepan with a couple inches of water and place over medium heat.
3. Put a lid on the jar loosely and place in the pan with the water.
4. As the water heats, the ingredients in the jar will start to melt. Stir occasionally 
5. When all ingredients are completely melted, pour into whatever jar  you will use for storage.
6. Use as you would regular lotion. This has a longer shelf life typically about 6 months.
7. (You at this point could also whip it in a mixer for a whipped body cream lotion/butter)
   

 All done store your finished product in glass jars or containers! 

Herb Tuesday "Homemade cough Drops"

                HOMEMADE HERBAL COUGH DROPS 

 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of water infused with herbs. I used elderberry, lavender, chamomile, wild cherry bark, slippery Elm, lemon oil, mullein, etc.  I get herbs here:https://www.mountainroseherbs.com/   
• here: http://www.bulkherbstore.com/
• 1 1/2 cups of honey (I use local raw honey)
• A candy thermometer 
• a  sauce pan
• Silicon candy molds you dont need this but it helps

Instructions:

1. Boil 2 cups of water and infuse with desired herbs. I used about 1/2 cup of each herb for a really potent cough drop, but 1 tsp. of each herb will work also. 
2. To infuse: Pour boiling water over herbs. I put herbs in a cheese cloth bag to make straining easier. Let steep for 15-30 minutes and strain out herbs
3. Pour 1 cup of the herb infused water and 1 1/2 cups of honey into a medium saucepan and turn on medium high heat
4. Stir the honey/herb mixture over medium high heat until it reaches 300 degrees. If you don't have a candy thermometer, this usually takes about 30-40 minutes and can be tested by dropping a drop of the mixture in to ice water to see if it  hardens. It should harden to the point that it breaks if dropped on the counter. You can also tell because it will start to foam and separate. It is real important to move  it from the heat quickly so it does not burn. Trust me it burns easy
5. Pour into candy molds, or pour into baking sheet that has been greased with coconut oil or baking mat, I have even used parchment paper
   
6. Let cool until it can be touched and molded and quickly form into balls cough drop sizes with your hands
7. Put finished cough drops on a silicon mat or piece of parchment paper to cool down be careful its hot.
8. When completely cool, I coat them with stevia to keep humidity out of them 
9. wrap them in parchment paper or a zip lock bag

USE FOR COUGHS/COLDS SORE THROATS MY KIDS LOVE THESE!!!!

           **You can also use the remaining syrup as a cough syrup just store in the fridge

Marriage Monday "Your Husband Your Friend"

                       How would you finish the above quote? 

Many times as women we look to other women to meet our needs of deep communication, deep fellowship and deep friendship.  Not that having women fellowship is a bad thing, in fact its a great thing. But when women become our best friends and our Husband takes the back burner, then it becomes a bad thing.

Our husband should be our Best friend, the one we run to in times of trouble, the one we call to tell everything to, the one we run to for prayer, counsel and help. 

Is your husband the one you call when your having a bad day? Is he the one you run to for prayer, counsel and spiritual encouragement? Do you tell him everything? Is he the one you want to spend all your time with?

If not, you might be missing out on some great fellowship time!

There is no one who better understands me than my husband. I love him so much that Id rather be hanging out with him than a bunch of other women at a retreat somewhere or a ladies meeting. 

Id rather be laughing with him, flirting with him, talking and even just the comfortable silence we share is such a comfort.

I hope you take time to build your friendship with your husband,

Start by thinking of all the things you enjoy and love about your husband

Frugal Friday "Homemade Cleaning Supplies"

There are so many ways to save on cleaning Products.  Besides, most cleaning products have nasty chemicals in them that are not safe for you or your families health. 

Vinegar is a natural disinfected, it kills germs, bacteria and is all NATURAL...

The problem is most people really dislike the smell . 
So here are some ways to clean your house naturally without it being too stinky.

Ingredients:

Distilled Vinegar or Apple Cider Vinegar
Orange peels or lemon peels
Spray bottle 
water
Soak lemons/oraange peels in vinegar for up to a month to allow vinegar to extract scent and vitamins from peels
Pour in spray bottle and use

*another option is you could add Borax or baking soda with vinegar and essential oils mix and add in spray bottle. 

Works great on windows and hard to clean spots

Frugal Friday Tip Reuseable means frugal

                                 Re useable means frugal 
                      Homemade paper towels do it yourself

I dont like to buy un necessary items or things that dont give back. 

To me conventional paper towels and paper napkins seem like a waste. I use to buy them all the time but after braking down the cost it seemed our family could use the extra $10 a month and $120 a year on something else. 

This meant we would have to use cloth napkins and cloth paper towels.

The upfront cost on fabric is a bit costly but your saving in the long run.

I went to the fabric store bought the cheapest terry- cloth fabric (this fabric is like a towel and absorbs alot, I wanted to use this for my paper towels as I wanted something strong) I could find and picked out another cute fabric to match my kitchen.

I then cut both the terry cloth and printed fabric to the length i wanted my paper towel.

I sewed them wrong sides together and left a small opening at the corner for closure. 

I made about 25 for our size family.

After, you could add these neat snazzy snaps on the corners so they snap together 

I did not add snaps on mine.


After you have now just made paper towels

The snaps allow for you to roll them together and place on a holder, like the above picture.




We now save every month on having to buy paper towels, I made some matching napkins also to go with it.

The kids think its real special to eat with cloth napkins.

It does add to your laundry load, but it saves on buying and you waste very little water laundering them.

Its a huge savings for us.


Enjoy!!! Let me know how yours comes out!

Thankful Thursday There is always something to be thankful for