Category Archives: Uncategorized

Say Goodbye to Survival Mode

Say Goodbye to Survival Mode. I loved this book. It spoke so much truth and encouragement into my life.

Have you ever read one of those books

  • Where you continuously find yourself saying, “yes, yes”?
  • Where you are affirmed in a lot of what you are doing?
  • Where you think, “I’m so glad I’m not the only one that thinks that!”?
  • Where you get the kick in the pants that you need?

Crystal Paine’s new book, Say Goodbye to Survival Mode, was one of those. She talks about how she went from simply trying to keep up with everything to passionately living on purpose. In the 10 chapters of this book, Crystal will give you the steps you need to “say goodbye to survival mode and hello to a life that matters. A life that makes a difference. A life on purpose!” Just take a look at the chapter titles:

  • Stop Trying to Do It All 
  • Say Yes to the Best
  • If You Aim at Nothing, You’ll Hit It Every Time
  • Discipline Is Not a Bad Word
  • Be Intentional with Your Bank Account
  • Manage the Home Front
  • When You Feel Like a Failure
  • Yes, You Can Make  Difference
  • Sometimes It Is about You
  • Kick-Start Your Success

As a part of the launch team for Say Goodbye to Survival Mode I was able to read a review copy last month. I loved it and found myself writing down quote after quote. In fact, I loved it so much I purchased a copy. If you know me, that’s saying something. Spending money isn’t something that comes easily to me. I can’t wait to receive my hard copy in the mail and reread it and have my husband read it as well. I’m sure that every person won’t be able to apply everything in the book, but I’m pretty confident that everyone will be able to find encouragement and advice that will help them. Reading this book is like sitting down with a friend. Crystal shares her story and lessons she’s learned (often the hard way) over the years. She will help you:

  • feel healthier and more energetic by setting priorities and boundaries
  • eliminate stress with savvy management of your time, money, and home
  • get more done by setting realistic goals and embracing discipline
  • rediscover your passions—and the confidence to pursue them

Say Goodbye to Survival Mode. I loved this book. It spoke so much truth and encouragement into my life. I love quotes, so I have to share with you a few of my favorites.

  • Time doesn’t expand limitlessly. When I yes to one thing, I must say no to something else.
  • The problem was that I was trying to be someone I wasn’t created to be.
  • Getting up early is not rocket science. You just have to do it.
  • You have to be willing to cut back, give up things, spend your time differently, and say no more often.
  • Here’s the beautiful thing about a budget: while it’s hard and limiting at first, over time, you’ll realize that it’s your means to enjoy life without headaches and worry. Ultimately, it’s a pathway to freedom. And when you tell your money how to work for you, you can be intentional about how you use it.
  • You have to feed your soul before you can be a great leader, owner of a company, daughter, sister, wife, friend, boss, manager, or mother. You may think you do not have time to feed yourself spiritually, but I assure you that you cannot afford not to.

That list could keep on going, but I’ll let you start your own list of quotes that spoke to you when you read the book and read it you must! So many things spoke true to me and helped and encouraged me. My stage of life right now is one of exhaustion and I needed this book. I needed to hear that it’s okay to do even less and simplify even more than what I’m already doing. I needed the freedom to not feel guilt over those decisions. This post that I wrote last week talks a little more about some of the ideas in the book and 5 things I have to do to go from surviving to thriving. If it’s not in the budget to purchase another book right now, I’d highly encourage you to ask your library to add it to their collection. SPECIAL, LIMITED TIME OFFER: To celebrate the release of her book this week, Crystal is offering a collection of amazing prizes for those who buy the book. Simply go to www.GoodbyeSurvivalModeBook.com now for details. You can also pick up the book anywhere books are sold, including Amazon.

Say Goodbye to Survival Mode. I loved this book. It spoke so much truth and encouragement into my life.

Linking up to Fabulously Frugal ThursdayThe Pin It PartyThriving ThursdayHouse to HomeMommy Brain MixerLet’s Get RealThrifty Thursday, Fellowship FridaysFaith Filled Friday, Essential FridayThe Weekend ReTreat,  Let’s Get RealStrut Your StuffWeekend Wind DownLink Party Palooza, Happiness is Homemade, Mindful Mommy Monday, Pin It Monday, Motivation Monday, Mama Moments Monday, Living Proverbs 31, TGIM, Natural Living Monday, Good Tips Tuesday, Share Your Stuff Tuesday, Babies and Beyond, Titus 2 Tuesday, Tending Home Tuesday, Teach Me Tuesday, Lovely Ladies Linky, Welcome Home Wednesday, Homemaking Link Up

 

Menu Plan and Goals

Once again, it’s Monday. I wish I could drag out the weekend just a touch. Yesterday was our first small group since May. We had it at our house and kept it simple with pancakes and waffles. The nice thing about hosting is the extra motivation to get things picked up around the house. 🙂 It was a fun evening for a few nice families from church.

The need to declutter has been coming on strong. The plan is to keep on chipping away at it. First up was our bedroom. A bit more to do, especially in the closet, but sizable progress was made. This next week appears to be fairly uneventful so I’m hoping to tackle another project or two.

On the baby front, we now have 4 teeth. Two on the top and two on the bottom. He’s pretty cute, but is still working on his two other bottom teeth. Ugh. I wish they’d hurry up and come it so he’ll sleep longer than a 2 1/2 hour stretch. Soon. (I hope.) It’s crazy waking up in the morning feeling more tired than you did going to bed.

Menu Plan and Goals at From this Kitchen Table

Starting back eating big salads for lunch last week was fabulous. I’ve missed it, even though sweet potatoes were pretty tasty too. Something about lots of fresh veggies that makes me happy.

Menu:

Suppers:

  • Crockpot pinto bean and chicken tostadas
  • Small Groups at our house (I’m making pancakes and waffles)
  • Homemade pizza
  • Leftovers: tostadas, skillet lasagna, pizza

Lunches:

  • Salads
  • Skillet Lasagna (recipe coming in a few weeks)
  • Leftovers

Breakfasts:

  • Leftover pancakes and waffles
  • Sweet potato hashbrowns

Snacks:

  • Fruit
  • Don’t have this planned well. We’ll figure something out though, my daughter loves her snacks (and actually if I don’t eat between meals I end up starving too)

Goals (affiliate links used):

  • Read the last 4 chapters in Primal, 8 chapters in Pride and Prejudice, and start a new book.
  • Type up the last layer dip recipe (didn’t happen last week) and 1 more recipe
  • Finish Christmas thank you cards
  • Continue memory verse with my daughter and make verse cards
  • Go through clothes in our closet

Linking up to Menu Plan Monday

How to go from Surviving to Thriving

affiliate links may be used

5 steps to go from surviving to thriving

Photo Credit and License

[See a link to a post on what to to if surviving is the only option at the end of this one!]

I know that I’m not the only one so exhausted I want to go to bed at noon (thanks to a teething baby) or with a never ending to do list (thanks to working, being a wife, mom, trying to get projects off of the ground and so forth). Some things will pass. (I know those teeth will finally come through, right?) Other things I might have to let go of.

Living life feeling like you are barely afloat isn’t much fun. In fact, it can be pretty miserable. When I am overwhelmed and exhausted, I tend to not enjoy life. I also snap easier and am crankier. Sometimes my family doesn’t want to be around me.

Living life simply surviving can be necessary for a short time and for a specific purpose: working hard to get a business off of the ground, taking extra classes so you can finish your degree early, lack of sleep because of sick children or a baby.

It’s not how we should want to live for any length of time though. Give me simpler and more relaxed any day. I’d rather enjoy my family, take last minute trips to the park, read some of my favorite books, excitedly plow through projects around the house than live life so overwhelmed that I don’t actually get satisfaction out of doing anything.

How do we stop living this way?

1. We have to admit to ourselves that we can’t (even shouldn’t) do it all!

“I stopped believing the lies that I could do it all, be it all, and have it all. I wanted to be free to enjoy life.” – Crystal Paine in Say Goodbye to Survival Mode: 9 Simple Strategies to Stress Less, Sleep More, and Restore Your Passion for Life

Our time is a limited resource just as our finances our. Dollar bills don’t grow on trees and neither do minutes. I have 24 hours in a day 7 days week and no more. When those hours are filled, I don’t get more. I can’t do it all.

2. We have to prioritize

First, what stage of life are you in? This will help determine your priorities.  Young children, homeschooling, kids in school, new business endeavors, retired etc. When I know there’s going to be a newborn in the house, I need to prioritize differently – focus on the bare minimal.

Then ask yourself the following questions:

  • What are the have to dos? (Be ruthless, volunteering in the church nursery isn’t a have to, feeding and clothing your children and being a kind mother are.)
  • What are the want to dos?
  • What passions and gifts do you have?
  • What is the mission of your family?

Using the lists and thoughts from the above questions, prioritize what’s important to you and your family for this stage of life!

“Living with purpose means wisely choosing and committing to a few of the best things for the season of life you’re in.” – Crystal Paine in Say Goodbye to Survival Mode: 9 Simple Strategies to Stress Less, Sleep More, and Restore Your Passion for Life

3. We have to learn how to say no!

It can be hard. I worry about offending people or hurting someone’s feelings. I feel guilty saying no. I want to say yes so that people will like me.

I have to get over it. I have to get over myself and worrying about what other people are going to think of me. (And let’s be honest, most of them probably aren’t going to care.)

“Living with intention means saying no to the things that aren’t important to us so we can say yes to what matters most” – Crystal Paine in Say Goodbye to Survival Mode: 9 Simple Strategies to Stress Less, Sleep More, and Restore Your Passion for Life

4. We have to remember everyone is different

What is right for me and my family is going to be different than what is right for you and your family. We have different strengths, talents, personality types. Our husbands and kids also have different needs and strengths.

“The problem was that I was trying to be someone I wasn’t created to be.” – Crystal Paine in Say Goodbye to Survival Mode: 9 Simple Strategies to Stress Less, Sleep More, and Restore Your Passion for Life

I can’t be someone else. The sooner I come to terms with that fact the sooner I can stop putting on fronts and stop wasting time trying to be someone God isn’t asking me to be.

5. We have to plan

Know where you want to end up. Envision what it’s going to look like for your family to thrive – to truly enjoy living.

Make goals and action steps to help you get there. Imagine them as your road map to help guide on your journey.

“If you don’t know where you are going, you’ll never reach your destination.” – Crystal Paine in Say Goodbye to Survival Mode: 9 Simple Strategies to Stress Less, Sleep More, and Restore Your Passion for Life

Start your journey!

You’ll never start to thrive if you don’t begin. It’s okay to stop and make changes along the way, but doing nothing will keep you in survival mode. Crystal Paine’s book is a great encouragement and fantastic resource as you begin your journey. I highly recommend you purchase it or if your budget doesn’t allow ask you library to add it to their shelves!

UPDATE: There is a new post on When Surviving is the Only Option here! What can be do if our circumstances aren’t going to change and we’ve already said no to everything and planned and organized like crazy? Head over to find out!

How to Go From Surviving to Thriving!

What advice do you have to go from surviving to thriving?

Linking up to Simple Lives Thursday, Thrifty Thursday, Mommy Brain Mixer, Let’s Get Real, The Weekend reTreat, Fellowship Friday, Faith Filled Friday, Essential Fridays, Strut Your Stuff, Link Party Palooza, Weekend Wind Down PartyMindful Mommy MondayHappiness is HomemadeMotivation MondayPin It Monday HopMama Moments MondayTGIMNatural Living MondayGood Tips TuesdayBabies and BeyondTitus 2 TuesdayShare Your Stuff TuesdayTeach Me TuesdayTending the HomeWFMWWelcome Home WednesdayLovely Ladies LinkyHomemaking Link UpFabulously Frugal ThursdayAll Things ThursdayThe Pin It PartyPin It ThursdayThriving ThursdayHouse to Home, Family Fun Friday, A Wise Woman, Wednesday Link PartyTitus 2sday

Pincentive Blog Hop

 

 

 

How to Organize Owner’s Manuals

 

Genius way to organize all your owner's manuals. You can find what you need in seconds!

Affiliate links used

Every time you buy a kitchen gadget, appliance, lawnmower, power tool etc., you have a manual that comes along with it. You also need to keep handy the receipts showing proof of purchase and warranty information for those major purchases as well as for other items such as furniture or bedding.

Over the years, all of this paper piles up.

One day the washer starts leaking and you need to find the manual. In our house that meant one of two places: the junk drawer in the kitchen or a file in the office. The piles of paper get pulled out and you start rummaging through. It starts getting slightly annoying.

Genius way to organize all your owner's manuals. You can find what you need in seconds!

There has to be a better way.

My parents have been using a much simpler (and more organized) system for years! We just recently went through our manuals and converted to the same method. It’s easy and painless.

Supplies:

Lug out your stack of manuals and all the paperwork that goes along with them.

Label your binders however best meets your needs. My parents have three:

  • Outside: lawn, patio, and garage
  • Major Appliances
  • All other

Use your tabbed dividers to break into more categories: kitchen, electronics etc.

Then, use the following method as you go through all your papers (being sure to throw away the manuals for products you no longer have):

  1. Make a copy of the receipt (because the original will fade over time) and staple to the inside cover page of the manual.
  2. Place inside of a plastic sheet protector.
  3. If there are small extra parts place them into a zipped baggie and add to the same sheet protector
  4. Insert into the appropriate tabbed section of the correct binder.

Genius way to organize all your owner's manuals. You can find what you need in seconds!

That’s it! See how easy it was? Every manual you have is with its receipt and divided by category so you can find the manual for the washer in a matter of seconds.

(Just be sure to remove manuals from the binder when you get rid of the product. You might want to take a few minutes every year or two to flip through them and make sure they are up to date.)

What’s the best way you’ve found to organize your owner’s manuals?

Linking up to Fabulously Frugal Thursday, All Things Thursday, The Pin It Party, Pin It Thursday, Thriving Thursday, From House to HomeSimple Lives ThursdayThrifty ThursdayMommy Brain MixerLet’s Get RealThe Weekend reTreatFellowship FridayFaith Filled FridayEssential FridaysStrut Your StuffLink Party PaloozaWeekend Wind Down PartyMindful Mommy MondayHappiness is HomemadeMotivation MondayPin It Monday HopMama Moments MondayTGIMNatural Living Monday, Good Tips TuesdayBabies and BeyondTitus 2 TuesdayShare Your Stuff TuesdayTeach Me TuesdayTending the HomeWFMWWelcome Home WednesdayLovely Ladies LinkyHomemaking Link Up

Pincentive Blog Hop

 

Top Posts of 2013

Most read posts of 2013 on FromthisKitchenTable.com

Number 10: Losing Christmas Chaos. (Now is the time to sit down and talk about how your Christmas went and plan for next year. This post has some great ideas in it.)

3 ideas to help with losing the Christmas chaos

Number 9: Fanny Farmer’s Fudge Recipe

Fanny Farmer's Fudge recipe. Super easy and so rich and decadent. One of my favorites.

Number 8: Coming up with number 2

Number 7: How to Clean Grout

How to clean grout

Number 6: Gift Guide for Teenage Girls (Great ideas for birthday presents!)

Gift Guide for Teenage Girls - 11 ideas any girl would love. (Written by two teens)

Number 5: Gift Ideas for a 2 Year Old

10 Gift Ideas for a 2 Year Old. Fun ideas any child would love!

Number 4: Chewy Molasses Cookies (and the most commented on post)

Amazing chewy molasses cookies//Deanna Michaels @ Fromthiskitchentable.comNumber 3: Ultimate List of Quinoa Recipes (There are some good ones listed here!)

Ultimate List of Quinoa Recipes

Number 2: Keeping Kids in Church and Number 8: Family and the Church are part of a series:

The Importance of Family Time

Thoughts on Family and the Church

One mother's perspective and why her children stay with her during the church service and how she does it.

Ways to be a blessing to those with children in the worship service with them.

Number 1: Homemade Gift Baskets (Perfect for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Homewarming gifts, birthdays, etc)

Awesome list of Gift Basket ideas! Perfect for family, friends, coworkers, and neighbors. Can use this for Christmas or birthdays!

Linking up to Thrifty Thursday, All Things Thursday, Fabulously Frugal ThursdayLet’s Get RealThe Weekend reTreatFellowship FridayFaith Filled FridayEssential FridayStrut Your StuffLink Party PaloozaMindful Mommy Monday,  Pin It Monday, Living Proverbs 31Mama Moments MondayTGIMBabies and BeyondShare Your Stuff TuesdaysTeach Me TuesdayTitus 2 TuesdayWFMWWelcome Home Wednesday,  Homemaking Link-UpLovely Ladies LinkyPin It ThursdayThriving Thursday,  From House to Home

Pincentive Blog Hop