Author Archives: Beth

Congratulations to Luke!

Leave a reply
Luke Phillips WPIAL

Luke (right) with his coach after winning his match

I’ve written about Luke’s tennis before. After 2 months off for an undiagnosed stress fracture that had been dogging him for more than 18 months, Luke was released just in time for his high school tennis season.

Unlike some other states, Pennsylvania has an equal access law which allows homeschooled students to participate in interscholastic athletics and other extracurricular activities.

Luke will be representing the school district when he competes in the PIAA State Championship tennis tournament for boys at the end of May.

He’s disappointed that he didn’t win the district title but qualified for the state tournament by beating a senior (also homeschooled) to place 3rd.

In case you’re interested, here are 2 articles written about him. One in the Post Gazette and another in the Tribune Review. (He has a cute quote at the end of the Post Gazette article). So far, he’s pretty good at interviews. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised since he’s been listening to radio broadcasts of the Pirates and Panther basketball almost as long as he’s been playing tennis.

Thanks for indulging my shameless brag and good luck, Luke!

DIY Slipcover Repair + Joy for teens!

Leave a reply

I realized after last week’s major slipcover catastrophe that I never posted photos of the finished slipcovers. Without further adieu……………………

TA DA!

DIY slipcover "after"

 

Here’s another view of both pieces of the couch….

DIY slipcover "after"

I was able to make a few minor repairs and the covers look pretty much the way they did before the washing machine chewed them up. There are some spots by the zippers that could use some attention, but since they aren’t visible, I’m not worrying about it now.

I actually shot video of almost the entire process of making the slipcover. I still intend to publish the video in a series of steps but boy is it time-intensive to edit and upload. Mark was my cameraman and makes a few cameos. He’s far more natural in front of the camera and I actually considered using him as a stand in for the entire series.

So, you’re probably wondering how the white’s working out? To be honest, the main part of the cover could use a bath but I’m a little hesitant to throw it in the machine. I will try gentle. I might try to secure the edges before I toss it in. No matter what, I’ll use less bleach on the gentle cycle. I’ll report back on that.

In case you were wondering, the couch is in our recently remodeled basement room. That remodel was the first step in my plan to repurpose my house to accommodate our growing (in size not number) family.

The plan is just one element of my intention to “MOVE” in 2014 and so far, things are progressing.

A joy plan for teens

I wrote last week about “40 Days to a Joy-Filled Life” by Tommy Newberry. I ordered the teen version for one of my children and we sat down last night to begin the study. I can tell that it’s going to be a productive read for both of us. As impressed as I’ve been by the action plan for adults, I’m just as convinced that the plan for teens will be just as effective.

The first day’s lesson talked a little about the power to choose thoughts and their effect. The drill suggests identifying thoughts which are opposite of  the person you expect to be and the person God intends for you to become. Then, Newberry suggests preparing a joy-producing thought to replace it and sharing it with someone. We decided that we would text each other our joy-producing thoughts. It’s just a proactive plan to push negative thoughts out of the thought loop.

Our plan is to go through the book during lent but I’ll be recycling these exercises forever.

Linking up to Elizabeth Foss‘ blog:

needle and thREAD

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase something through the link, I’ll get a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you so much. Even if you don’t use these links…..these books are GREAT!

Best pepperoni roll ever

Best Pepperoni Roll (It’s easy, too!)

1 Reply
Best pepperoni roll ever

Photo credit: Hannah Phillips

Remember I posted a recipe for easy homemade french bread? I use the french bread recipe to make the best pepperoni roll. If you don’t feel like making the dough from scratch, you can use Pillsbury French Bread refrigerated dough in a can. My way is cheaper and probably healthier.

In addition to your dough, all you need is SANDWICH pepperoni and provolone cheese. You can use any meat, veggie and cheese combo you like. I found that the provolone was less gooey than mozzarella, but I substitute or mix them depending on what I have on hand.

Once the dough is kneaded and divided in half, roll one at a time into a rectangle that isn’t longer than your cookie sheet.

Layer 3-4 slices of cheese, then 8-10 slices of pepperoni. I generally do 3 layers of cheese and 2 layers of pepperoni. Cheese first and last.

Next pull the broad sides together and pinch together being careful not to rip. Pinch the ends closed and flip seam side down onto the lightly oiled (I use olive oil) cookie sheet.

Make 3-4 slices across the top of the dough to vent steam. Then repeat the whole process with your second half of dough.

Preheat the oven to 450°. While the oven is preheating, the dough rises slightly. You can let it rise a little longer but I wouldn’t go more than 30 minutes. This just gives you a puffier roll out of the oven.

Bake for 15 minutes. At about the 10 minute mark, I spread the top of each loaf with butter for a nice golden brown color then return to the oven for 5 minutes. It also makes the crust a little less dry but this step is optional.

This is an easy meal for a busy night or a quick lunch for a big crowd of kids. Start to finish, I can bang these out pretty quickly because I’m so used to making the bread dough. If you use the refrigerated dough, I think you unroll it from the can and it’s already the shape of a rectangle. Naturally, this would be quicker with less cleanup.

Enjoy!

How NOT to wash a slipcover

How NOT to Wash a Slipcover! (And a book recommendation for lent)

1 Reply
How NOT to wash a slipcover

This is what happens when you throw your DIY slipcover into the washing machine

 

Shame on me for NOT getting around to taking a photo of the slipcovers I made by myself. I will post a photo after I repair them. I still hope to publish a slipcover tutorial because I learned by reading and watching other tutorials on the internet and I want to encourage you to do it, too.

One reason I chose white instead of gray was so that I could wash them with bleach if necessary. I was surprised that they were beginning to get very dingy (in spite of the winter season and the kids not playing outside much). Maybe it’s a clue as to how dirty our house is….blech!

I put the cushion covers into the washing machine on the soak setting. This machine is new to me (but used) because our fancy, schmancy Fisher and Paykel washing machine needed yet another motherboard and I wasn’t having any parts of that. I wasn’t aware that the soak cycle was manual and maybe it’s not supposed to be. Like I said, this machine is used.

The slipcover was soaking in bleach water over night. That ain’t good. I ran it through the spin cycle to drain the water. They were in pretty decent condition after that and I decided to just run them through a normal cycle. As you can see by the mangled, frayed, hot mess above, I should have taken a few precautions.

If you took the time to make your own slipcovers, you might want to follow these steps in order to minimize damage during the laundering process

#1 Zip your slipcovers closed

I’m pretty sure this one simple step would have minimized the fraying and protected the zippers. Instead, nearly every edge frayed into a tangled pile of string. The underside of one cushion completely came apart in the middle. Boo.

#2 If you’re planning to use bleach, minimize the soak time

Bleach is pretty potent stuff. It can be brutal on fabric, thread and seams. Have you ever accidentally spilled it on something? I have and it burns holes through fabric.

I know, I should have used a chemical-free, natural whitener. Honestly, I haven’t found any that work as well as diluted bleach. I know I’m weird, but the smell also makes me think it’s really clean.

#3 When you’re making your slipcovers, serge or bind the edges if possible.

I don’t have a serger (they kind of scare me) but I know you can protect edges manually by using a zig-zag stitch. This would have minimized the fraying and the piles of thread and fabric I ended up cutting off the covers.

#4 Use the gentle cycle

Again, I’m not sure this would have prevented fraying and tearing altogether but I think it would have helped. Had I zipped the covers first and washed them on the gentle cycle, I don’t think I would be forced to repair the covers.

So, I learned my lesson. Of all the slipcover tutorials and tips I’ve read, none has ever warned about the dark side of laundering them. I did read one post about PREWASHING the fabric to prevent shrinkage after the slipcover is made. I hope these tips will help you avoid the same mistakes I made and preserve your handmade slipcovers.

Although I wasn’t planning to sew this week, I’ll be getting the machine out to try to salvage the cushion covers until I can spend more time replacing some of the parts that lost too much.

Now for the book recommendation….

40 Days to a Joy-Filled Life

If you’re looking for a lenten devotional, this book might be perfect

I’m currently reading a great actionable study of Philippian’s 4:8. “40 Days To a Joy-Filled Life” by Tommy Newberry is kind of the workbook to his first book called “The 4:8 Principle“. The first book explains and makes the case for taking Paul’s advice to set your mind on what is true, noble, praiseworthy and excellent. The companion book breaks it down and suggests daily “drills” to help you practice joy-producing thoughts.

I’m about half way through the book and it has helped me maintain peace and even joy in spite of some challenging circumstances. It’s definitely a book that I’ll refer to repeatedly but it’s been great to help me identify joy-reducing thoughts and practices during my days and replace them with joy-producing thoughts.

Newberry has worked as a life coach for years and has such a clear way of explaining and supporting his ideas scripturally, spiritually, practically and physiologically. Not only does he effectively convince the reader that joy is a choice regardless of your circumstances or environment, but he gives you a plan to experience joy as a habit by controlling your thought patterns.

I highly recommend both books and even got the teen version, “Think 4:8“, for one of my daughters. We plan to make our way through it together during lent.

On that note, I think these books are excellent devotionals for lent. You can start “40 Days” without having read the first book, but if you’re not convinced that joy is a choice, you might want to take the time to read “The 4:8 Principle” first.

Linking up to Elizabeth Foss’ blog. If you’re looking for inspiration for sewing or something to read, head on over there.
needle and thREAD

Also linking up here:

The Shabby Nest

Go BE INSPIRED!

 

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click on a link and make a purchase, I’ll receive a small commission at no additional cost to you.

 

Nikon D3100 on Clearance!

Nikon D3100 on clearance at Target stores!*

Leave a reply

If you’re in the market for a great entry-level digital SLR, Target has an incredible deal on the Nikon D3100. It’s available in stores only for $299.00! I’ve been pricing this model for a couple of years and it’s never been this low. In the past year or so, it’s been hovering around the $450 range (depending on the lens package).

I’m guessing Nikon is discontinuing the model. I checked other sites to compare. Amazon is selling the same kit (18-55mm DX VR zoom lens) for $409. B&H Photo is currently selling this package for $389 (B&H always has the best deals, a great warranty program and typically has a few extra accessories with their products-like SD cards and/or cases). Target’s website is selling it for $429. So, $299 is really a steal.

My daughter has used this camera for almost 4 years and loves it. Don’t get me wrong, she’d love to have a more expensive camera but this one has served her well. She’s taken tens of thousands of photos and has even produced some finished videos with it. It’s held up great with a lot of use.

The D3100 has a light-weight, easy-to-handle body compared to other DSLR’s

There are more expensive Nikon models with higher megapixels, to be sure. Unless you’re a professional, though,  14.2 mp is plenty. As you can see by the shot below, the D3100 takes professional quality photos:

Rafa Cincy Tennis

Western & Southern Open Champ

This would be a great entry level camera for a kid who’s considering photography as a hobby.

If you end up picking one up, let me know. I haven’t been this excited about a bargain for a while.

 

*You might want to call your local Target stores to check if they still have any left. Also, the card in front of the display model indicated a price of $429 for the kit to match the price online. The display camera, itself, had a “clearance” sticker on it with the $299 price, which is why I originally thought the price was for the floor model. I have not called other Target stores to confirm that they also have this model for the “clearance” price but I don’t see why they wouldn’t if they have it in stock.

 

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.

Second Firsts by Christina Rasmussen

Are You in “The Waiting Room”?

Leave a reply

Second Firsts by Christina Rasmussen

I heard Christina Rasmussen interviewed on “The Unmistakeable Creative“, a podcast that boasts insanely interesting guests. So far, it hasn’t disappointed, but Christina is one of my favorites. I knew I would buy her book, “Second Firsts“, even before the interview was over. I also knew that this would be a book that nearly everyone I know should read.

Since I can’t do justice to Christina’s journey to this place where she helps people take the steps necessary to live beyond unbearable grief and loss, I won’t attempt to. She is a gifted storyteller and you’ll relate to her own painful experience whether the source of your grief is the death of a loved one (in her case, her husband in her 30’s), divorce, illness or some other trauma.

What’s different about Rasmussen’s method to help people step past grief and emerge from loss is that it combines brain science with actionable steps. In other words, she shows you how you can literally change your brain in order to change your life. She describes how we can physically change neural pathways and create a new mind map by making small but definite and effective changes in our behavior. But it’s not all science and cold pragmatism. She’s compassionate and thoughtful and mindful of the sensitivity all along the journey. I appreciate her admission that it’s impossible to prepare a person for loss.

This book offers hope to anyone who feels stuck between two worlds and are living comfortably (or in quiet desperation) in what Christina so appropriately identifies as “the waiting room”, that place of familiar identity, safety and protection from the confusion, suffering and pain that life inevitably serves up.

I think so many of us are recovering (or still suffering) from loss of some kind and get so used to functioning after loss but fail to truly live and thrive.  The busyness of a distracted life tricks us into thinking that we’re healthy and productive but we have a sense that something is around the corner.

I know this book is important and can help so many people walk through the most painful experiences to a loving, happy, hope-filled life.

If you’re not quite ready to buy the book because the work and the walk out of the waiting room is terrifying, I encourage you to click around Christina’s blog. She’s active there and you’ll feel safe in that small space on the web. You might find the courage you need.

Linking up at Elizabeth Foss‘ blog:

                                                                                                                               needle and thREAD

 

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through a link on this blog, I receive a small commission at no extra charge to you. I appreciate it. Even if you don’t use the link…BUY THIS BOOK! It’s awesome

 

 

Kate

The Best Excuse for Breaking a Promise to Yourself

Leave a reply
Kate

Kate on her birthday

Since committing to the 500 word challenge, I have been setting the alarm earlier and only hitting snooze twice (I can’t conquer all the bad habits at once) in order to write before the rest of the house wakes up.

If I’ve had a restless night’s sleep, I’ll skip writing in the morning if I expect a chunk of time later in the day. (I’m a shrew when I’m tired).

Friday was one of those days where I knew I would have at least 3 hours of down time after dinner in order to write my 500 words. Three of the kids had plans and Mark always works late on Fridays. Kate, my 13 year old, likes to watch the “Modern Family” marathon on Friday nights so I knew I would have uninterrupted time to write. (I know I’m going to hell for all the TV this family watches since we upgraded the cable from basic only).

I was all set to take the laptop into our new finished basement room for some quiet when Kate asked if I wanted to watch “Modern Family” too. I really didn’t but I knew it was important to spend that time with her. I could have brought the lap top with me when I plopped myself on the couch next to her, but then I might as well have been alone in the basement typing away.

You might be thinking, “That lady’s just rationalizing, who wouldn’t rather watch ‘Modern Family’ than stick to a commitment?” Well, you may be right on point A, but not point B. I may be rationalizing but I don’t enjoy watching TV that much-even “Modern Family”. Oh, it’s hilarious, but there are a hundred things I’d rather do than sit and watch TV.

Here’s the thing, though, my first priority is always my family, especially while the kids are still here. First on my list of responsibilities is nurturing relationships. As you can imagine, life with almost 4 teenagers (11-16) can sometimes be…..volatile. A 13 year old girl is often in the eye of whatever storm happens to pop up. Kate’s been feeling picked on and misunderstood lately and she needs all the relaxed interaction she can get. Although TV is a passive pursuit, when a person wants company, it becomes an opportunity to connect and relate.

I’ll never regret being intentionally present with any person in my family. To be honest, I probably don’t make time for it often enough. Which is ironic because the kids are home all day for school. If writing suffers for it, I’m totally fine with that.

Kate and I laughed together, talked about other things and when she asked if I snored like Gloria while I was pregnant, I admitted a symptom much more embarrassing that horrified and amused her at the same time. She may use it against me one of these days in the heat of a teen microburst but it’s worth it if it strengthens our connection.

As I wrote before, I made the 500 word challenge a priority. Obviously, I’m hoping to improve my writing skills but I honestly think making time for it will make me a better everything….wife, mother, friend, sister-you get the idea. The practice of writing must light up a part of my brain that helps me be more organized, calm and focused. I credit the act of writing an ebook this summer with helping me to truly enjoy an unusually chaotic 3 months. I typically don’t deal with chaos and extended time away from home very well.

Although writing is a priority, the burden is on me to carve out time for it that doesn’t interfere with my primary vocation as a wife and mom.

So, I’m forgiving myself this time because I was reminded that life, especially with kids, is unpredictable. Clearly, I need to be more disciplined to wake up early if I want to write.

If you want to establish the habit of writing, check out Goinswriter.com. In addition to the chance to join in the challenge, there’s lots of inspiration and practical advice to help you write better.

My 500 Word Challenge and an epiphany

2 Replies

 

500 word challenge

 

Photo Credit: PublicDomainPictures via Pixabay

The 500 Word Challenge

I accepted the #my500words challenge, invitation, inspiration, whatever you call it, issued by Jeff Goins over at Goinswriter.com. Basically, it’s a challenge to write 500 words a day during the month of January. Write….every….day….for 31 days….fun, right? I jumped in when I learned about it on January 3rd.

As a result, I’ve been waking up earlier or otherwise making time to write 500 words every day. Some days, it’s been easier than others. I love to write and look forward to any opportunity to sit down and do it. I haven’t dreaded it yet but these past couple of days were disappointing because I wrestled with what to write and struggled for words.

I figured out that my approach was all wrong. I was treating this challenge the same way a high school kid might view a writing assignment with a minimum word requirement (which, by the way, is absurd). The fact that I was approaching it like an assignment turned it into a chore.

But now I get it. The purpose of the challenge and the reason I accepted it was to get me back into the habit of writing. Making a point to write every day puts it back on the radar and I’m telling all those other things that take up time in my day that writing is a priority. I don’t need to convince anyone else but my own brain needs to get a clue.

At this point, (with no boss or other work obligations) I have complete freedom to make writing a priority.

I don’t have a job outside the house and as the manager of our home, I have a lot of discretion to decide which tasks and activities take priority. Ideally, those are ordered for optimal wellness for each member of the family. Naturally, that will shift for everybody and there will be conflicts but overall, the biggies will take precedence. I can put writing on the priority list and practicing the habit will help me remember to do that. If I had a job, admittedly, finding time would take more discipline and I admire people who squeeze it in to more demanding or less flexible schedules than mine.

The content of what I write is irrelevant within the suggested guidelines of the challenge (emails don’t count). It’s just important that I write….everyday.

I was sabotaging this new habit before it had a chance to take hold because I was forcing myself to engage in productive writing. (Sometimes being practical can be a curse). If I didn’t have a blog post or an ebook chapter planned for the daily session, I was struggling to get around to the writing or not motivated to make time to do it at all.

I took the advice of another participant who suggested opening a word, text edit or drive doc and just start typing away. More specifically, he suggested typing with my eyes closed (which I might also try) but just writing whatever comes to mind with eyes wide open is working fine for now.

Whether I end up putting those words to work isn’t important. If it’s junk, I can either edit later or ignore it. The point is to…as they say…get #assinchair and get the words down.

Practicing the habit of writing will help me discover things about myself and the craft of writing that will propel me forward and help me understand when I’m most productive, how to brain dump without editing and how to write even when the conditions aren’t ideal, among many other things, I’m sure.

If you’re reading this, you must have some inclination to write. It’s not too late to jump into the 500 word challenge. Thousands of people have been motivated by it and are sharing their progress, which is inspiring. Formally signing up adds an element of accountability and you’re more likely to follow through. Check out the details at Goinswriter.com.

Laws of Motion

My “Word” for 2014

4 Replies

Laws of Motion

In the past few years I’ve chosen “simplify” and “fearless” and those words were perfect at the time. I don’t think I chose a word for 2013 but I seemed to accomplish a lot so I’m fine with that.

It always takes me a while to decide and I never put the pressure on myself to choose something by January 1. I’ll continue to simplify and confront my fears. My new word feels right and appropriate for all the areas of my life and I can’t explain how it sort of just popped up, but it did.

“MOVE”. That’s my word. For my 2 friends who might still read this blog, I’m not referring to my household. I’m staying put in my 1800 sq. ft farmhouse. I love it here. But in nearly every other category of life, I need momentum.

Mark and I celebrated our 20th anniversary in 2013. That’s all good and I’m grateful to be with him but in some ways, I feel like we’ve let life happen to us.

When you’ve spent 18 years in a house and it doesn’t feel that much different than when you moved in, it can be a little discouraging. I’m determined to “move” on some big house projects so it functions better for our family. With the help of a local contractor, all of us are moving within the house. That plan to make our house more livable and functional for us includes creating a 4th bedroom for our family of 6 without an addition. We’ll be moving people and stuff from room to room. That will undoubtedly be the biggest change but at the end of it the girls will each have their own bedroom and the boys will have a bigger room. The boys don’t mind the room they’re in but it drives me crazy. Their current room will accommodate one person (Kate) much better. Hopefully, the new family room will comfortably seat more than 3 people.

I think it was last year at about this time when I had plans to finish painting the trim in my bedroom (and the rest of the house). Yeah, that still isn’t finished. I’ll be moving on that project. I think I’ve had blue tape on my bedroom wall for an entire year (unless it’s been two-yikes).

I literally haven’t committed to exercising since Hannah was born….16 years ago! I intend to do something to move and sweat on a regular basis. No excuses. If I need shoulder surgery as a result (one of my excuses), I’ll deal with that.

I’ve committed to writing 500 words a day in order to get moving on writing again. Last summer, I accomplished a goal of writing an ebook. I was able to write nearly every morning before the house woke up. I published the book on Amazon on August 29 and two things combined to sabotage my writing for a while. First, I was so sick of words I couldn’t think straight. Second, school started and Mark was up early for a class 5 days a week. I discovered that I have a hard time writing with distractions. It’s also hard for me to write at night.

I’m sure there are other areas which will benefit from some movement as well. I need to move money and move clutter out of the house and garage (that’s a given). I’ll keep you posted.

What are you doing for the new year for a fresh start? Choosing a word? Setting goals? Making resolutions? Starting a new habit? (Speaking of my new habit…I forgot to discuss this with Mark but I’ve been writing down my expenditures. I’m even including mileage to and from tennis -40 miles round trip-so we and Luke have a better idea of the cost). Sorry for the digression…I’d love to hear what you’re doing.

If you want to join the 31 day 500 word a day challenge, head on over to Goinswriter.com to get the details.

A New Habit for the New Year

Leave a reply
Habit

It’s the perfect time to begin this new habit

Habits are powerful. In fact, I’d argue that they are one of the most powerful influence in our lives.

A new year always brings talk of new habits, resolutions, words, goals. I think all of those things are great and I plan to do some planning of my own. I usually give myself the month of January to reflect and plan, though, since the holidays tend to be full of activity and wrapping up, literally and figuratively.

One common goal for people (including me) is to get control of finances. Mark and I are better at managing our money and saving than we used to be but we could do better.

This becomes even more difficult as the children get older and we find ourselves spending in response to some need, want or activity that we’ve committed to. Somewhat related to our family finances, it’s also important to us that the kids appreciate the value of everything. Not only material things but the resource of time and the importance of supporting and making sacrifices for others. Being open with them about how much things cost (especially things they ask for or expect) is one piece of that puzzle.

If Mark and I don’t know exactly how much things cost (especially when we fail to plan properly), it’s nearly impossible to expect the kids to have an appreciation for it.

Today I decided to keep better track of our expenses. I think this will be a great way to raise the kids’ awareness of where the money goes and how much things really cost. They have a general appreciation for it but not an acute awareness of it. (I can’t tell you how many times I’ve told the boys to turn off their bedroom light in the past 2 weeks).

January 1st is a great day to begin the habit of recording expenditures and putting them into categories (food, clothing, activities, entertainment, utilities, gas, etc.). I know it will be an eye-opener for all of us. I also think it will help us make better choices about our expenses and plan better, too. I don’t plan to judge or analyze, I really just want us all to see where the money is spent.

Even if you haven’t decided on your goals, a word for the year or made resolutions (most people claim not to do this, but I think it’s all related to starting fresh), you can write down what you spent today, then tomorrow, then the next day. See if this helps you set some goals for the rest of the year.

Happy New Year!