Ritz Peanut Butter White Chocolate Cookies --- Homemaking Weekend Link-Up

I'm making it short and sweet tonight because, honestly, I really just want to get out there and read whatever you've all got to share!

Here's one of our family's favorite Christmas cookies:  the Ritz Cookie!  I got this idea from my friend, Dawn, and they're so easy!

Just spread peanut butter between two Ritz crackers, dip in melted white chocolate (I use almond bark), and sprinkle with pretty colors!  You're done!  They set up in about 5 minutes and they're gone by bedtime....Ha!

Please feel free to link up your homemaking-related posts below!  Do you need an email reminder?  Let me know in the comments below and I'll send you a weekly reminder about our Homemaking Link-Up Weekend via email.  (Please remember to add your email address if you want the reminder!!)

Also linking to:
My Romantic Home: Show and Tell Fridays
Beverly's Pink Saturday 
Domestic Arts Monday at Vermont Sewing Cottage 
Homemaking Link-up @ Raising Homemakers

Peaceful Changes

A few days ago, I blogged about my New Year's Resolutions.  I told you how my main goal this year is to not do things that I don't want to do.  Of course, we all know that this is an impossible task, but let me clarify:

I, like most well-meaning women, have a tendency to take on way too much more than I can handle.  In my effort to do all the things I think God wants me to do, I end up doing a lot of things that he doesn't want me to do and I put off the things that he really does want me to do.  (Does this remind anyone of a Bible passage?  Romans 7:15, perhaps?)

This year, I'm resolving to stick to the plan:  God's plan.

God has created me to be a wife and a mother.  He has called me to homemaking and homeschooling.  He is encouraging me to prepare healthy meals for my family, to keep my home clean and beautiful, and to use the knowledge, creativity, and talents that he has given me to bless my husband and children.

God usually uses the Godly people in our lives to help encourage us in our walk with Him.  I have been blessed to find Godly counsel right here in my own home.  First and foremost, my husband is more than happy to help me find direction and steer me clear of things that would distract me from God's priorities for me.  Just yesterday he helped me out of an overwhelming task that I had taken on without first consulting neither the Lord nor him.

Secondly, God has led me to some very inspiring bloggers who have been springboards for positive changes.  You will see some of them listed on my sidebar under "Blogs That Inspire Me to Greatness".

Mrs. Jennie Chancey of Sense and Sensibility Patterns gave me the idea to honor my marriage by using my married "title", Mrs. Sarah Coller.  Another thing I did to honor my husband's name was to buy napkins monogrammed with a letter C at Christmas time.

This morning, I read a post by Darlene of Time-Warp Wife on boosting self-discipline.  One really great tip that I implemented today with great success, was to put a notepad and pen in my apron pocket for writing down notes throughout the day.  It really helped me not to stress out this morning as I came across things I keep forgetting to do---I just wrote them down and put them out of my mind!  My husband said this would serve to help me not get distracted as well.  I can continue with the task I'm on and just make a note to do the "distraction" later.

A third blog is my most favorite blog of all, The Legacy of Home.  I value that blog so much that I've made it my homepage!  Just about every morning, I wake up to Mrs. White's encouraging wisdom regarding running the kind of home that I desire and being the wife and mother that I want to be.  I've taken a couple of her ideas for making my kitchen a place that I desire to work in.  I recently rearranged my counters to make room for a pretty little lamp that I turn on in the evenings while I'm doing my kitchen work.  I also asked my husband for, (and received!) a kitchen stereo for Christmas.  Now I can listen to uplifting or soothing music while going about my kitchen responsibilities.  It's getting to be a really relaxing place to be!  Next, I'm going to make pretty tags for my canisters from the Victorian paper that Jamie got me for Christmas.  Then I want to paint the antique dresser that I've got in there that is holding my aprons and other kitchen supplies.  I even saw a blog recently where a girl had tole painted her microwave!  Hmmm.....maybe!

A final change that is blessing our family is the changes we're making to our diet.  My friend, Krystal from A Blessed Journey has been posting about some of the nutritious things she's been making her family and it's inspired us to get healthily creative in the kitchen too!

I hope you'll take the time to check out some of these blogs that I've mentioned here.  Maybe you'll be inspired too!

I'm praying God's blessings on you and your family today!

New Year Goals & Homemaking Link-Up!

Do you have any goals for this new year?  I have quite a few but, above all else, my main goal is to not do things that I don't really want to do or that I know I don't have the time to do.  I want this to be a "no-obligation" year.  An obligation is different than a responsibility in this sense.  An obligation, as I'm referring to it, is something that I shouldn't have gotten myself into but, since I've gotten myself into it, I feel obligated to follow through.  I want this to be a simple year.  I need a simple life for a little bit! :)

Here are some of my goals for this new year.  Please scroll down to join weekend Homemaking Link-up!

Relational Goals

*Walk With Jesus*

1.    Work Through Elizabeth Prentiss Study

2.    Work through Proverbs---my notes on it’s wisdom for women

3.    Prepare for my turn to teach Women’s Sunday School weeks ahead of time

4.    Spend time with God out of desire, not out of guilt

5.    Listen to praise/worship music on my NEW stereo while doing kitchen chores

*Marriage*

1.    Remember that Jamie desires a sweet spirit above anything else

2.    Ask what the needs are instead of assuming---his expectations of me are far simpler than what I think they are!

3.    Pray for his goals:  weight loss, finishing Bachelors Degree this fall, looking for long-term work

*Children*

     1.   Homeschool consistently Jan-May; take short summer break; continue Aug-Nov

     2.   Prepare L, M, E for standardized testing this year; follow through on testing whether it’s “their year” or not

     3.   Be very choosy about outside activities; instead, focus more on building solid characters and obedience training at home :)

*Friends*

1.    No obligation friendships:  schedule “friend time” when and if it works for our family and stop feeling guilty when it doesn’t! :)

*Ministry*

     1.  Remember that my ministry is my family.  Anything else is extra and not mandatory.

2.  Prepare for ministry commitments in a timely manner.  Study and prepare Women’s Sunday School lessons and Bible Study lessons before the night before.

     3.  This year I will serve on the Women’s Ministry board at our church.  Remember that this is, for me, a no-obligation ministry.  I will serve when I can and when it works well for my family.

Hobby/Creativity Goals

*Writing*

    1.   Submit at least one blog post a week to Christian Home online magazine---I’m already an established contributor there.

    2.   Consider whether I have the time to pursue other freelance opportunities and possibly do so.

    3.   Continue with my blog, posting at least twice weekly.  Bring followers up to 300 by the end of the year.

*Etsy*

    1.  Continue adding crafty items and vintage/antique items. 

    2.  Try to phase out candy sales until the holiday season comes again as it’s too big a temptation to have in the house.

*Sewing*

    1.  Really focus on finishing up projects I’ve started and using up my stash.  Some ideas include:  marble bags, crazy quilts

*Crafting*

    1.  Work on using up stash.

    2.  Host a CTMH party in early spring.

    3.  Refine the art of the ATC! :)

*Musical*

    1.  Decide which instrument of my 3 that I want to learn first:  Celtic Harp, Cello, A/E guitar?  I think I’m leaning toward Celtic Harp.

    2.  Patiently accept Jamie’s help in learning it!

    3.  Establish routine of singing hymns with kids before bed.

*Reading*

    1.  Read 50 books.

    2.  Be more involved in BookCrossing.

    3.  Read regularly with the kids.

Homemaking Goals

*Home *

1.    Plan meals and grocery lists several days before shopping trip.

2.    Reassign chores to distribute the work a little better.

3.    Continue working on my kitchen to make it a more pleasant place to work.

4.    Focus more on healthy homemade recipes.

5.    Shabby-Chic my piano and hutch.  Do a good job so Jamie will let me do my dining room table and matching hutch too!  Also want to do the antique dressers in my kitchen and bedroom.

6.    Plant vegetables and flowers this spring.

7.    Buy a red geranium and put it in a green pot for my porch chair.

Health Goals

*Physical*

1.    Drink plenty of water daily.  

2.    Set up small challenges for myself and reward myself when I accomplish them.

3.    Ride my bike when weather is nice.

4.    Go for walks…by myself and with family.

What are some of your 2012 goals?  Please join me this week by linking up your homemaking-related posts!  *****Do you need an email reminder?  Let me know in the comments below and I'll send you a weekly reminder about our Homemaking Link-Up Weekend via email.  (Please remember to add your email address if you want the reminder!!)*****

Also linking to:

Beverly's Pink Saturday
L.A.C.E. Wednesday
Encourage One Another Link-up