I don’t know that I’ve ever felt completely satisfied when I crossed the last item off of a to-do list. This is because I have another list—whether written down or in my mind—looming. This is the nature of life. If we’re going to eat, then we have to menu plan, grocery shop, and cook. If we’re going to wear clean clothes, then we have … [Read more...] about The Secret to Getting Everything Done
organized living
Finding Time for Friendship
A couple of weeks ago I was visiting with some friends about how busy life seems. We all agreed that when we were single and first married, we thought we were busy (and, to be fair, we did have many important things that occupied our time). However, now that we’re in the trenches of parenthood, we can’t believe that we felt so busy back then! … [Read more...] about Finding Time for Friendship
7 Tips for Keeping Your House Tidy Between Cleanings
One of the most frequent questions I get asked here on Of The Hearth is if my cleaning schedule really works. The answer is simple: Yes, it absolutely works. Every room in my house gets cleaned on a regular basis. However, once I clean a room, several days will pass before I clean it again. Due to the activities of everyday life, things … [Read more...] about 7 Tips for Keeping Your House Tidy Between Cleanings
Tips for Having an Enjoyable Hotel Stay with Your Toddler
Now that you’ve survived your flight or road trip with your toddler, you’re facing a new challenge: A hotel stay. Just like when you travel with your toddler, you don’t have to merely grin and bear it. You can have a genuinely enjoyable hotel stay. How? Check out these things that we’ve found to be useful. Having a good stay at a hotel … [Read more...] about Tips for Having an Enjoyable Hotel Stay with Your Toddler
Tips for Having an Enjoyable Hotel Stay with Your Baby
Now that you’ve survived your flight or road trip with baby, you’re facing a new challenge: A hotel stay. Just like when you travel with your infant, you don’t have to merely survive. You can have a truly enjoyable hotel stay. How? Check out these things that we’ve found to be useful. Having a good stay at a hotel with baby Create a … [Read more...] about Tips for Having an Enjoyable Hotel Stay with Your Baby
How to Have a Hospitality-Ready Home
This last summer, when I was 36 weeks pregnant, our AC stopped working. It was June and we live in southeast Texas, so you can imagine how hot it was in our house! I’ll never forget how two gracious friends invited us to stay with them until technicians were able to fix our AC. They had no warning, but these friends welcomed us into their … [Read more...] about How to Have a Hospitality-Ready Home
6 Tips for Getting to Church On Time
There are a lot of families with young children in my church. These families are generally easy to identify because we’re the ones straggling in after service has begun! Being prompt is important to me, so I decided to take action when I realized we were falling into a pattern of arriving late for church. If your family struggles to … [Read more...] about 6 Tips for Getting to Church On Time
Thriving Amid the Messes of Motherhood
Being a mother means facing one mess after another. There are poopy diapers, floors covered in toys, appliances covered in greasy handprints, backseats strewn with snack crumbs, and bedsheets soiled with vomit. When I work to get one of these messes cleaned up, you can be certain my kids are busy making the others! Literal messes are … [Read more...] about Thriving Amid the Messes of Motherhood
