Family Room - Camping Fun

............................................................................................

H ..... F a M i L y ... R o O M ..... H

.............................................................................................

Camping Fun


There's nothing I enjoy more than when our family gets together. Whether we are reading a book, playing a game, working on a project, watching a movie, or just sitting around reminiscing tales of days gone by; we have a blast together. We laugh and carry on like there's no tomorrow.



My list of FUN things to do together is very long, so I"m going to stagger my ideas throughout my blog posts and try to limit it to the not-so-obvious suggestions. (Feel free to contribute your ideas too. Email me at gates-of-elloree (take the hyphens out) @ yahoo.com with your suggestions. Include your contact information.)


Camping! NOT the kind that requires hours and hours worth of preparation, but the easy kind - with indoor plumbing. ;-)


We had a four person pop tent that we used to set up in the family room on occasion. We'd pile all the sleeping bags and pillows in there, put our jammies on, make sure the answering machine was turned on and the ringer and volume turned OFF. We'd turn all the lights out and tell stories, jokes, etc., for hours. When the kids got older we graduated to a larger tent... and the back deck (still with indoor plumbing), where we'd go to sleep with all the critter sounds (bugs & frogs mostly) and awake to the sound of the birds singing. We have some great memories of those fun times.


Here's a link to a good article on indoor camping:http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art28349.asp

Here's a link to a website that will give you some great indoor family game ideas:http://familyfun.go.com/games/indoor-outdoor-games/specialfeature/cabin-fever-games/


Enjoy every moment together. Time passes SO very quickly. H

Master Bedroom - A Retreat or a Retreat

...................................................................................................

H .. M a S t E r .. B e D r O o M .. H

...................................................................................................



A Retreat or a Retreat

When unexpected guests pull up in the driveway do you make a mad dash to close your bedroom door? That's the first sign that your bedroom is not a welcome retreat. Wouldn't you like to think of your bedroom as a place to retreat TO, and not a place to retreat FROM?

Well, it's not that hard, but it will require a new attitude and a little daily maintenance. Here are a few ideas that will turn your master bedroom (Where you leave the lights OFF and use your arm like a machete' to hack your way in the general direction of the bed.) into a master suite. (Where you hope to turn the light on and linger to admire the beauty as it bids you enter for a restful night's sleep.)

1. It starts first thing in the morning. DON'T leave your bed without making it up - even if you are the only one that will see throughout the day. This is HUGE! The attitude you will have throughout the day as you go in and out of your bedroom is directly associated to the appearance of the main focal point in your room (the bed). If you leave your bed with an inviting appearance then you will enjoy the retreat at bedtime.

2. Keep the room tidy. Like the bed, your room's appearance affects your attitude. If clothes are picked up, shoes put away, clutter managed, etc., even in a little room, it relaxes you every time you enter and will be a welcome site at the end of a busy day.

3. Make it smell nice. My husband loathes strong scents, but I have found that the linen scented plug-ins aren't as offensive to his sense of smell. It smells like fresh sheets and a clean room.

4. Have a night stand on both sides of the bed, preferably the kind with drawers, and a small lamp on each one. I like to do a little reading before going to sleep, so having my own little spot for reading material is a treat. During the day the material can be tucked into the drawer, leaving the nightstand clutter free.

5. Keep your dresser top free of clutter. Don't allow your dresser to be the catch-all for small items that belong elsewhere in the house (rubber bands, paper clips, toys, dishes, etc.) Keep a basket or some other kind of container in your room that will hold these kinds of items until you have time to put them away. Use your dresser top to display things that are enjoyable to look at. I keep a cross-stitched picture that my daughter made me when she was little, my jewelry box, and a picture of my husband and myself on mine. My husband has similar, personal items on his. The key is to evoke a smile every time you walk by.

6. Remember, this is your husband's retreat too. Unless he likes a pink room with a floral spread and frilly pillows, choose a look that will blend both of your tastes. Save the deer head for the game room; or better yet - the garage, where a dead animal can be useful by scaring any would-be intruders away. ;-)

This is step one in creating an inviting master bedroom retreat. I have some wonderful ideas for developing the romantic element in your master suite, but that will have to wait for another post. Stay tuned! H

Garage - Two Things You Never Run Out Of

.........................................

H ..... G a R a G e ..... H

.........................................



Two Things You Never Run Out Of

When you live 30 minutes from the closest town and something breaks on a Sunday afternoon, you better have two things on hand... duct tape and WD40. They're all any real man needs to qualify as a mechanic, plumber, carpenter or electrician. Most kids know that Daddy is the invincible man if he has WD40 for his squeeky bike tire and duct tape to patch his inner tube. With these two staples on hand, any man can be a hero; and without them, well, he's just another guy. ;-)

If you Google various uses for duct tape and WD40 you will come up with hundreds of ideas. Some of them are very inventive, some are practical and useful, and some are just down right hilarious. I'll post a couple links for you to peruse at the end of this article.

Here's a list of the funniest duct tape uses I read ...

Repair holes in jeans. (I think this is our son's favorite.)
Tape it to your butt - makes a great sled in the winter. (Glad he never thought of this one.)
Handcuffs
Fix the toilet seat
Wrap it (sticky side out) around furniture legs to keep cat from clawing. (You could start a new decorating trend with this one.)
Use for contruction when nails are in short supply. (That makes me feel safe.)
Hair remover (Ouch!)
Waterproof clothes
Secure your dog at a picnic (How about a cat? "Here, Fluffy!")
Repair expensive clothing, from the inside, of course
Use as sticky notes
Attach multiple layers to bottom of doors to prevent drafts
Use to secure partially severed limbs (Ouch, again.)
Makes a great gift for any man who wants to be his kids hero

And, here's my favorite... use it for what it was made for: to repair heating ducts! (Go figure!)

Now, what about WD40? How many uses might it have, you wonder?

Here's a list of the funniest, though some useful, ones I read...

Spray on new leather shoes to prevent blisters (Who knew leather could blister?)
Unstick Lego blocks (See, I told you Dad can be a hero.)
Removes super glue from fingers
Spray on your finger if you can't get your ring off
Insect repellant and roach killer
Unstick wobbly shopping cart wheels (What every mom carries in her diaper bag, right?)
Spray on joints to relieve arthritis symptoms (People swear by this around here.)
Relieve bee sting pain
Keeps flies off cows (I'm sure the cows appreciate it.)

And my favorite...
Use to remove stuck prosthesis

Duct Tape Links
http://thezac.com/ducttape/
http://www.gomestic.com/Do-It-Yourself/35-Great-Uses-for-Duct-Tape-and-Counting.33854

WD 40 Links
http://www.wd40.com/uses-tips/
http://www.rd.com/advice-and-know-how/extraordinary-uses-for-wd-40/article24059.html
Have fun exploring the many uses of duct tape and WD 40. H

Garden - Harvesting Quiet

...........................................

H ... G a R d e N ... H

...........................................

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Then the land will yield its harvest

and God, our God, will bless us.

Psalm 67:6

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Harvesting Quiet

Sometimes the best thing I harvest out of my garden is the quiet time I get to spend with the Lord. I enjoy being in my garden, not because I have wonderful produce (not even close), not because weeds are fun to pull, or because I like fighting the bugs and chasing snakes away, but because it slows me down and stills my heart.

The flurry of activity and the busyness of managing a home can rob you of that restful quietness we all need each day. So, whether your place of solice is a closet or a spot between the carrots and cucumbers, I encourage you to take the time to harvest some quiet in your day. You might be surprised at how it cultivates a better attitude and enables you to be a better wife, mother and friend. H