Minnesota Here We Come

In a few hours Curt and I will be boarding a plane headed for Rochester MN for the Hearts at Home conference, where we will share our story about becoming debt free as well as tips for raising financially savvy kids. We appreciate your prayers as we offer encouragement and information to those who are on their own journey towards becoming financially free. Also pray for the awesome young couple who will be with our kids while we're gone. They have sat for all six kids several times and keep coming back for more! We are so glad they do!

I shall return on Monday with a post about doing those little things God asks of you. I'll see you then!

Yeah, I'm Gonna Go There

Are you a planner by nature? I am. Or maybe you aren't a planner by nature, but you want to be or know you need to be. Well the holidays are a great time to get into planning mode. Maybe by aiming to plan for this time of year, you can apply what you learn all year round! And if you are already a planner, well have I got some goodies that will make your nerdy heart smile!

My friend Molly Gold is doing a great video series on what you can be doing now to plan for the coming holidays-- Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's too.

Go here to see the list of her videos (parts I and II are up and she adds one each week):
http://bit.ly/9Tzee

And you can download her free holiday planner here. I don't know about you but just looking at that checklist makes my heart feel all fluttery!
http://www.gomominc.com/holidaychecklist.pdf

And here's a countdown for what we can be doing now to get ready for Thanksgiving at the end of this month:
http://bit.ly/47N2Ng

Finally, don't forget to order my ebook A Recipe For Christmas Joy. This book takes you from Thanksgiving all the way through New Year's and is filled with recipes and fun ideas to make your holidays wonderful. There's a planning countdown in there written by Lysa TerKeurst, ideas for saving money at Christmas, and instructions for gifts you can make, along with new traditions you can begin with your family. Just go to my resource page at P31 to place your order and within minutes it will arrive in your inbox! http://shopp31.com/marybethwhalensresources.aspx
Get it now so you can start PLANNING to have a memorable, wonderful Christmas!

Karen Ehman's Weight Loss Wednesday

My friend Karen Ehman is doing a Weight Loss Wednesday feature on her blog and asked me to answer some questions about my weight loss journey. It's up today if you guys would like to read more about how I lost 30 pounds, going from a size 12/14 to a size 6/8 in just 3 months' time. It is possible! You can do it!


For a long time, I thought that those extra pounds were just part of having six children, that the weight was part of my sacrifice to bring them into the world. (I wore the martyr mantle well.) But that wasn't true at all. With commitment and determination and a LOT of God's help (My mom has named this diet the "Jesus help me diet." She's lost 40 pounds doing the same program I did. Go mom!!) I did lose the weight and I am SO glad I did. Check out Karen's interview with me here:

http://karenehman.com/home/2009/11/04/weight-loss-wednesday-with-my-friend-marybeth

Now to just muster up the determination to take the dieting plunge one more time and lose those last pesky 5-10 pounds... I guess we know what one of my goals for 2010 will be!

Is Blogging Making A Comeback?

I liked this post by Jennifer James (a fellow Disney Mom Blogger!).

http://jenniferjames.tumblr.com/post/230435682/good-blogging-is-making-a-comeback

I agree with her that blogging is making a comeback-- or could if those of us who blog are focused and intentional about our blogging efforts. I hope I do that here. I continue to balance the tightrope of social media-- Facebook and Twitter and blogging oh my! Not to mention my other writing-- books, devotions for P31, the occasional article. Oh, and blogging for She Reads and our financial blog too. Ack! What do I do first?

I try to make this blog my first priority-- I like Facebook and Twitter but I can't communicate there to the degree that I do here. Who I am and what I believe are best displayed in this format. I don't want blogs to die out because I am one who has benefitted greatly from women who have shared information, inspiration and ideas with me via their blogs. The community of blogging is still a powerful one. I intend to do my part to keep it a vital part of the social media landscape.

The Simple Woman's Daybook Monday November 2, 2009

Outside my window... the rain from yesterday has cleared but the cold has stayed. I keep hearing this is going to be one of our worst winters in terms of snow and cold. I am not into cold weather. I hope it's not true.

I am thinking... about our pastor's challenge to fast from complaining for 7 days. I did good until last night when I got home and my husband's car was blocking my way in the drive. I came in the house complaining and by the time I was done Curt informed me I owed "The Ugly Jar" $3. (We put in a dollar every time we complain.)

I am thankful for... the month of November-- a whole month to focus on thankfulness! (And not complaining.)

I am wearing... black track pants and a blue polar fleece New Balance sweatshirt, fuzzy blue socks. The height of style.

I am remembering... how great our weekend was. The Nester's yard sale on Saturday morning. (Didn't buy any cute decorating stuff but I did find a very cute apron with my initial monogrammed on it and some clothes for my 7yo boy.) A "Sweet Treat" cake decorating class for my girls followed by lunch that afternoon. A party at our church on Saturday night after the service. Writing at Barnes and Noble on Sunday followed by a movie with a friend.

I am going... to be working on plotting my next novel this week while my first one is with the editor. Also getting ready for Hearts at Home this coming weekend!

I am reading... After You by Julie Buxbaum, Stein On Writing by Sol Stein and Write It Down, Make It Happen by Henriette Anne Klauser

I am hoping... to watch Castle tonight... if I can stay up that late. With the time change, 10 is really 11 and that is WAY past my bedtime! If not I can catch it on Hulu on Tuesday.

On my mind... my new novel. How can I say what I want to say through the characters' lives? How can I add layers so the story is not too linear and straightforward? I was writing with a friend who writes nonfiction yesterday and she kept shaking her head at me. She decided that fiction writing is too much work. She is probably right. But I have a compulsion to do it anyway.

From the learning rooms... time to reserve books at the library on Thanksgiving-- the traditions, the history, the attitude of gratefulness. These will make up our nightly read alouds.

Noticing that... I complain more when I am in the car than anywhere else. This morning my son reminded me that I am lucky to have a vehicle at all. Who teaches him this stuff? :) He also reminded me I owed the ugly jar a dollar.

Pondering these words... Happiness is a symptom of circumstances but joy is a product of perspective. God is still good, so I will be grateful. (Quote from my pastor's sermon this weekend.)

From the kitchen... baked potato soup for dinner tonight. Per several requests, the recipe is at the bottom of this post. We top ours with bacon bits or crumbled real bacon and shredded cheese.

Around the house... catching up from a weekend of being gone a lot. It was worth it.

One of my favorite things... books. Be sure and check out She Reads this week. We are announcing our new picks for winter!

Baked Potato Soup

2 Tbsp. butter or margarine
2 Tbsp. all purpose flour
1 lg onion chopped
1 can chicken broth plus 1 can of water
3 large potatoes
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup milk

Peel and cube potatoes. Cook in boiling water until tender. Drain and set aside potatoes.
Melt butter in Dutch oven over low heat. Whisk in flour until smooth. Cook, whisking constantly for 1 minute. Stir in onion, cook for 2 minutes or until tender (should be translucent). Add chicken broth and water. Stir. Add cooked potatoes, salt and pepper. Stir in milk and cook until heated through and thickened.

(I double this recipe for our family. I use a whole bag of potatoes and it makes plenty but we need plenty because this is a soup my whole family goes back for seconds on!)

Scripture For Sunday

Psalm 73:28, "But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all Your deeds."

This verse breaks down into 3 parts that all speak to me:

1. It is good to be near God. Earlier in this same psalm, the psalmist describes how he messed up-- he had a bitter spirit and was senseless and ignorant. Anyone relate? He says he was "a brute beast" before God. Been there! And in the very next verse he says, YET (emphasis mine) he is always with God-- God holds his right hand. (Psalm 73:21-23) I love this picture-- no matter how we act, we show Him our worst, YET He is right there, sticking by us. He doesn't drop our hand and retreat from us. "It is good to be near God" has two meanings to me: 1) I need to spend time with Him, to be refueled by His presence and 2) He is near me even when I don't deserve it. Either way, it is good.

2. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge. Please see my devotion from last week about what it means to make the Lord your refuge. I need to have Him to run to because everything and everyone else will most assuredly fail me, but He never will.

3. I will tell of all Your deeds. How can I tell of all His deeds-- the ones I witness in the lives of others, the ones that happen directly to me, the ones I read about in the Word. I have chosen to tell through speaking and writing, but am I telling in my daily life, my one on one interactions? I need to keep telling of all His deeds and offering hope to those He brings into my life who need to hear about it. They need to know that He will do the same for them.

This one verse spoke volumes to me this morning. I intend to post it somewhere visible in my house (my dresser mirror, my bathroom mirror, my refrigerator) and meditate on these valuable truths all week long. Hope it ministers to someone else out there!

A Welcome Home Feeling

Creating a welcome-home feeling is every woman’s challenge. As the makers of our home we want the hearts of our loved ones to feel hugged as they walk in the front door. We want the sights to be warm and cozy, the sounds to be calming and joyful, and the smells to be yummy. We want to create a comforting environment that will help melt away the stresses of the day.

Source of quote: http://www.sugarpiefarmhouse.com/

I am taking some time to go over some of my favorite homemaking blogs, getting inspired in this area as I confess I have let my creativity and love of home slip a bit in the frenzy of my novel edits. But on a cozy cool afternoon it's fun to sit and dream of ways to make home feel more "homey." So I sat and sipped Zen tea, scheming and dreaming of ways I can create that welcome home feeling this fall. After perusing blogs and soaking in "homeyness," I have come up with some things I intend to do starting now:

• I put George Winston's "Autumn" cd on hold at the library and expect it to come in some time this week. (As I type this, I am listening to my George Winston station on Pandora. So soothing.) I plan to play it in the afternoons while the children work on homework, have their snacks, and play. With the cooler temperatures and the darkness coming on earlier in the day, their outdoor playtime is limited. I would also like to have it on in the evenings. I have a picture in my head of all of us gathered around a candlelit table with soothing music playing in the background. (FYI: the pictures in my head never match my reality but it's ever so nice to dream)
• I bought a big canister of hot chocolate, several different kinds of teas, and some apple cider to offer the children in the afternoons after school or in the evenings. They absolutely love hot drinks most anytime. Cold mornings are great too! Some styrofoam cups enable them to take their hot drinks to go!
• I am including a big pot of soup in our menu for each week-- white chili, regular chili, chicken tortilla soup, vegetable soup, and baked potato soup are all favorites at our house. Served with some crusty bread or homemade yeast rolls and we have a filling meal.
• I have all of our fall decorations out thanks to my mom stopping by one day in the midst of my edits and making me stop long enough to drag everything out. I was SO glad I did it once it was done. She was a huge help and made the work go fast. It makes our house look so homey and brings a smile to my face.
• Light candles more often. I like the soft glow they bring to a room, plus the scented ones make the house smell great! My favorite this time of year is "Autumn Leaves" by Yankee Candle. Last week at an event I won a set of two candles-- one banana bread scent and one green apple scent. I have these sitting out now and am reminding myself to use them up and quit saving them for special occasions and company. I want my family to know they are special, too and worth going the extra mile for!
• Make desserts. My family absolutely loves when I make something for dessert. The funny thing is, I remember being a kid and being SO excited if I knew my mom had made dessert. Even if it was just instant pudding served in special cups, it felt out of the ordinary-- something to be savored. This week I have plans to make homemade vanilla custard in the crockpot and a chocolate cherry dessert for our small group, which meets tonight!
• Keep the house clean and not just tidy. My house is always tidy (I am a bit OCD about keeping things put away.) but not always clean. I bought a new duster that has refills you can use and have been dusting more ever since I bought it. Dusting is one of those chores I don't think about til company comes and I notice in horror that you could write your name on the table they are sitting beside! I find that investing in some convenience-type housekeeping products like the duster really does help make cleaning easier, which means I will actually do it.

How do you create that welcome home feeling? I would love to hear what you are doing... or want to do (that counts too)!

And, speaking of homekeeping, I did a little sprucing up on my home here on the web. Can you find what's new? Some of you already have-- thanks for noticing and for your nice notes and comments!