This was Week One Of Making Your Home a Haven Challenge

It was week one of the Making Your Home a Haven challenge with Courtney at Women Living Well. I meant to put this up earlier this week, but I have be down with the flu. The idea of the challenge is that as we create the physical environment of our home, we are also creating the spiritual environment that can bring a sense of peace and calmness in our homes.

We are encouraged to keep a big candle lit in our home this week, and each time that we glance at it, we are encourage to pray for the peace in our homes. This week, I'm going to light a candle mid afternoon and pray for my family. The candle can symbolize many things. My candle to me will remind me to pray for the peace in my home but also will remind me to:

~ keep up with the cleaning and tidying up of my home
~ to pray for each of my children specifically
~ pray for guidance in my eldest child's high school question at the
moment, catholic or public.

Next week, she suggest bringing calming, peaceful music into our homes as an element in making our homes a haven for our families. If you you have time, I have the link above to her website, it worth checking out!

Making Your Home a Haven Challenge

A wise woman builds up her home, but a foolish women tears it down with her own hands Proverbs 14:1


I saw this woman on Rachel Ray a week or so ago, and stopped by to see her blog early yesterday morning. Found this challenge and loved it, thought it was worth posting for you to see!!

Recipe Perfect for Fall, Pumpkin Roll with Cream Cheese Filling

Not only is Pumpkin Roll guaranteed to be a crowd pleaser, but this is a recipe that you can make ahead early in the fall and throw in the freezer for future use (I wrap mine first in wax paper, then in aluminum foil). When I buy the bigger can of pumpkin, I have enough to make a couple rolls at a time. I like having them on hand, so then with the craziness level picks up and I need a dessert to bring along to a back sale or get-together, I can just simply pull one out of the freezer, thaw it out, and sprinkle some powered sugar on it.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup powdered sugar (to sprinkle on towel)
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup canned Pumpkin
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
• 6 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar (optional)

Directions:)

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Grease 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan, I use a deep cookie sheet; line with wax paper. Grease and flour paper. Sprinkle towel with powdered sugar.
2. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt in small bowl. Beat eggs and sugar in large mixer bowl until thick. Beat in pumpkin. Stir in flour mixture. Spread evenly into prepared pan.
3. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until top of cake springs back when touched. Immediately loosen and turn cake onto prepared towel. Carefully peel off paper. Roll up cake and towel together, starting with narrow end. Cool on wire rack.
4. Beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter and vanilla extract in small mixer bowl until smooth. Carefully unroll cake; remove towel. Spread cream cheese mixture over cake. Re-roll cake. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving, if desired.

Getting Ready For Fall

I am so ready to welcome the season of Fall here in Ohio. This is my absolute favorite time of year, I find the coolness invigorating as the weather changes from the long, hot summer we have experienced this year. I love the Fall colors and comfort food that I love to make.

To me, call Fall brings to my mind how I will be working on my "nest", getting my home ready for my favorite time of the year. Here is a little look at what I have been doing around our house the past couple of weeks.

First of all, I have been doing some deep cleaning. I want my home to be inviting, comfortable and clean so my home can be a place of hospitality, and and cozy place to cocoon in the winter for my family.

I have began a grand mission of organizing my home. I have started with my linen closet, took absolutely everything out, with all goal of weeding out unwanted items.. The garage will be next before it gets too cold. It would would be great if we could get two cars in there this year! I have done my own closet, and was able to give away an entire garbage bag of cloths. I intend to empty out my kitchen cupboards, wash them out and get rid of items I have too many of. Our basement and attic will be last, getting rid of things I have been holding on to that should really be pitched or given away. I am on the lookout for some more totes and easy shelving to organize everything.

As I was cleaning my own closet, I am in the midst of bringing everyone's wardrobe up to date. Out with the summer gear, in with the nice fuzzy sweaters and warm flannels! My daughter alone got ready three trash bags of cloths for donation. Now, we know what we need when we go shopping. I like get some sort of update for each of our wardrobe each year. It is not always financially feasible to do so, but it always is best when we know what we actually have that fits and what we needed to get rid of because we had outgrown them or simply have worn them out!

Outside, I have been pulling out my garden. The snow will be flying before you know it, so I have been pulling everything that is done in my garden, and taking my deer fencing down. I am thinking about trying to grow some salad greens before the winter gets here.



I absolutely love bringing out all of our fall decorations. I got a hay bale and put pumpkin out top for our front door. I have nice burgundy mum that I have next to it. I LOVE mums, and have them all around the outside of my house. I have much success with them coming back year after year. I usually like to buy one a year to have in the house, and when I am done with that, I just put it in the ground. Next year, it will usually bloom in the Spring and in the Fall. I have brought out my big orange tote full of Fall decorations, and have begun decorating for the season. Already, I can smell the aroma of pumpkin & spice candles burning in our home. I suppose I should have waited until my cleaning and organized were complete, but I get too excited and seem to always but the buggy before the horse when it comes to decorating!





Now that the cooler season is upon us, I have been putting much thought into our menus. We adjusting from our Summer B-B-Q menu to the comfort foods that we love so much. Soups, pies, and homemade bread is now on my mine for the upcoming weeks ahead. I have already made a pear pie from the tree that was growing in my parents yard. I have frozen several "pear pie in a bag", so in the winter all I have to do is to make the pie crust, throw the pears in, and bake!

Lastly, I want to make some fun family memories this Fall. It is so important to make warm memories for your children that will last. This weekend I hope to take the kids to our yearly trip to the apple farm. In a couple weeks, we will be looking forward to a hay ride and some warm apple cider!! I just purchased some new candy molds with my 40% off coupon, so my children and I will be making some fall chocolates together this year as well. This wonderful season will be over before you know, take advantage of it while you can!