Making more room around the house

So I have been on a decluttering kick for a bit now.  I have plenty of hoarding moments, so these decluttering spells are so refreshing.  I decided that the play kitchen in the girls room was taking up too much space.  I hated to see that fun toy removed from play (hoarding tendencies) : ), but realized I didn't have anywhere else for it to go either.

It's already in front of their bookshelf (not convenient).

When you open up the side table it takes up even more space!

It's cute, but I have found an alternative!
I know that this will not be the case for many people, but I realized that I have something around the house that isn't being used, and is somewhere else (out of the girls room) that could be used for the same purpose!  We purchased a wood burning stove several months ago and never have found a place to put it (being in Florida I can't see us using it as much as I dreamed when we got it).. so in the mean time I didn't want it getting ruined sitting in the yard or out in the shed, so I had my hubby put it in the laundry room (the only available space - out of the way - that I could think of at the time). 

Well, I just recently cleared some things off of it and decided this was the perfect "play kitchen" alternative!  : )  So I went and got some of the play pots and pans and let the kids give it a test run.

They can use the oven for playing and storage!

I hung the potholders above the stove on a hanger.

The new play kitchen looks like a hit!  : )

Now if I could find someone to give the old play kitchen too, then the girls would have a nice open space in there room.. let's just imagine for a minute what that would be like...  : )

Have to find somewhere for it to go!  This is so much better!  Less really is more.. I have to keep repeating that to myself.
If I get brave enough I might share some other decluttering projects.. my before pictures are pretty bad though.. Jesse Jr. said, "You don't want anyone to see those pictures" when I told him that I took some before pictures of my bedroom!  : )  It really was that bad!  We'll see.. you may just have to use your imagination on that one!  : )
Hope this idea helped to spark some creativity on how to use some other items in your home and let some other ones go.  Especially if your like us and could use the space!  : )

Sock folding changes

Just the other day we were watching a Duggar video and the younger kids were matching socks.  I saw the oldest girl (Jana) show them how to fold them.  It was different than I usually fold our socks so I thought I would try it.  I did and I liked it.  So I thought I would share with others.  Maybe you already fold like this.  I might just be the only one that this is new to.  : )

This is a pair of Jesse Jr.'s socks.  I could have looked for a really clean white pair, but this is real life, so you get to see the more realistic pair.  ; )

And this is how I would normally fold the socks.  I would just fold the top down and the feet would be floppy.

But the new way - you fold the pair in half first.. like this.

Then you fold the top down over the whole sock.  Which makes a small little bundle.. like this.

This just seems more compact and I like it.  : ) 

Maybe this will help other families who are looking for new ways to tackle the laundry or make socks take up less space.  I know that sometimes its hard just to find the matches though, let alone get them folded and put away, right!  : )

Slipped up today

I gave the kiddos those yogurts in a tube today.. and it wasn't the first time we have had these, but Hope can only get so much out of the tube and then she needs help pushing the rest up to the top to eat.  So here comes Mommy to help push the yogurt up the tube.. I guess I gave it too much Mommy muscles and my hand slipped right up the tube supper fast and the yogurt went flying out the tube!

Charity's such a great actress for the picture!  : )

Oops!  I'm so sorry Hope!  I love you!  We all "slip-up" sometimes.. he he.. I know.. it's corny, but what can I say!  : )

A Sweet Moment

I love when I see my kiddos sharing or hugging.. it just feels good.. and is much nicer than arguing (which happens more often than I prefer).  So I wanted to capture this sweet moment I saw the other day while we were out front watching a tractor cut back some brush across the street....

So precious!

And then they saw me....

Not only was Faith holding on to Hope so sweetly, but she was sharing her popcicle with her too!  : )  They love to share germs more than anything else, right?  : )

Thought I'd share!  But I'll keep my germs to myself!  : )  Hope you enjoyed it!

Chickens - like a house cat or the family dog?

Our chickens are so friendly that they could be discribed as being like a house cat or the family dog.  What I mean by this is that they are by the back door a lot (like a house cat).  They sit and wait for us to open the door..  like this:

By the way - this makes a mess of it's own at the back door. O_o

 and when we do open the door..  I mean how could you say no to a face like that.. Ha Ha!

Had to keep this picture.. what a face!  What a shot!  : )  Ha Ha!  Don't mind the messy back yard!

they become the family dog (they run in under the dinner table to eat any scrapes the children - mainly Hope these days - has left behind on the floor).  : )  Which I am thrilled with as long as they don't over-do their welcome and leave me something else to clean up instead (which does happen occassionally - but it is more centrally located and not scattered around the floor like the babies food mess, so it's still easier to clean up - yet still gross).  : )

Just thought I would share these fun photos and stories of our silly family birds.  Hope you enjoy!  : )

Riding Horses

The kids got to ride some horses this weekend and they each loved it!  : )

Jesse Jr. and Faith waiting for the horses to be let out of the ring to start riding.  : )

Even little Hope enjoyed riding which she did laying down.. he he.

Faith needed me to ride with her the first time she rode, but after that she was so comfortable that she kept getting back in line for another turn.

Jesse Jr. seemed to be right at home with the horses too.. He had to take off his cowboy hat and replace it with a helmet, but boy was it fun!

Charity could tell you all the horses names and what color the horses were and which one is her favorite.. every detail!

 They each had a great time riding and really didn't want to leave when I said I was ready to go.  The Lord has made some big and beautiful creatures for us all to enjoy.

Cinnamon Roll Pancakes

The other night I made this new recipe that a friend had posted on Facebook (thanks Sarah). ; )   It came from Texas Recipes on Facebook.  It's called Cinnamon Roll Pancakes.  It was delicious, so I thought I would share it.

Doesn't it look like a real cinnamon roll?

                                                
We all enjoyed it.. so I thought I would share. :-)