The Joys of Blitzing Home | Profile | Archives | Friends
Thanks to Meredith Sonson for allowing me to use her photo! www.meredithsonson.com Christmas booklistsPosted at 03:20 PM, Thursday, November 27, 2008 in Book and Movie ReviewsLast year, my Mum wanted to read Christmas stories during December. What a wonderful turnout!! Although it didn't happen every year, we read quite a few books. For any of those Mums out there looking for some books, here's a 'list' of some we read last year... Enjoy! Jess { 1 comments } { add comment } { Permanent Link }
Fruit FliesPosted at 01:59 PM, Wednesday, November 5, 2008
For the last two weeks, I have been testing Home products vs. Store-bought ones. What works better – Talcum powder or Stain remover? Gumption or Bi-carb soda and vinegar? This week I am going to talk about those pesky little flies: Fruit flies. If you have never experienced them, I am telling you – the kitchen becomes 10 times less enjoyable, because the fruit flies stick around! You have to be excruciatingly careful not to leave any food out on the bench during lunch, as well as ripening fruit. We have stationed several tactics to kill the flies throughout the kitchen. A) Spray – underneath the kitchen sink! B) Sticky fly catcher thingy – on the window C) Secret weapon – in a glass jar.
A works well, B has been up there for about six months and caught perhaps one fly, where as C has excelled without a doubt. Secret Weapon: two inches deep white vinegar and one squirt dish detergent. Not much seret now though! Mum actually found it on The Homeschool Lounge. The vinegar smells a little, but it kills unbelievable amounts of fruit flies! Advent CalendarPosted at 05:32 PM, Tuesday, November 4, 2008 in Christmas Minus Trauma and Drama List, HolidaysSo sorry this is so late for the next Christmas minus Trauma and Drama activity’!
Have you finished all your presents? I will be honest with you… I haven’t! Next year, I’ll make room for five weeks instead of four.
The next two weeks are all about Advent Calendars. I am going to show you a few other ideas for family Advent Calendars, if you are in need of some ideas, that
2005 we tried the wreath with candles idea. We used live leaves pushed into those foam-flower thingy’s, which you can see in the picture. They lasted for ages; over the whole of December, I only had to change the leaves once in the middle of December. It was also really easy to make!
In 2006, I made a small Christmas tree with about eight different flaps for throughout Christmas. That didn’t work so well, I think mainly because there wasn’t one for every day. The next year, I made a more colourful board, with a flap for every day. I think this worked better because of that – there was one for every day. Under each flap was a scripture to read.
I think it’s important to have a purpose for an advent calendar. If all you do is stuff a lolly under there each day, or simply rip off a chain link, then what is the point? Advent means, ‘coming’. Jesus is coming for Christmas! I think an Advent calendar is a great way to get our minds churning and pondering about Christmas from Jesus' point of view. Some ideas...
Just writing all this is getting me thinking and excited! These are only 18 ideas… you need to come up with some yourself here! I’ve inspired myself… hey, we could all use some inspiration, right? I hope I’ve inspired you to think about SQEEEEEZING out all you can about Jesus’ Christmas! Dry Cleaning Fluid and Talcum powder vs Stain removerPosted at 10:24 AM, Wednesday, October 29, 2008 in Cleaning
What works better? Home products or store-bought ones? I put it to the test, with five different experiments. Last week, I tested bi-carb soda and vinegar vs. Gumption on mould in showers. The home products won. This week, we’ll test what will get the stains off clothes better. Dry Cleaning fluid and Talcum powder Vs. Stain remover Before you Mum’s start freaking out, I didn’t actually try it on clothes. Although that was the original plan, Mum suggested it be better to test it on one of Dad’s old hankies. I agreed to the plan. Although, it’ supposed to work, right!?! The first step was to get some ink onto Dad’s hankie (an event that a hankie doesn’t normally experience). On one, I wrote my name and ‘hi’, and to the other, ‘HOSEA 10:12’ (my memory verse), all with a whiteboard marker. I also scribbled in ballpoint and felt-tip. What fun! When I was ready for the ‘chemicals’ to go on, I dabbed cotton wool in Dry Cleaning fluid and tried rubbing it onto the ink-stained hankie to get it off, as the Spotless authors told me to do. It didn’t work. After checking the instructions, I bombarded the hankie (which was semi-wet) with talcum powder! Thankfully Domino didn’t show much interest in it. Now it was ready to go into the washing machine. For the other hankie, I simply sprayed stain remover spray onto the hankie, and popped it into the washing machine. When it came out, whom do you think won? Stain remover, or dry cleaning fluid? Dry cleaning fluid and talcum powder: Fades the ballpoint pen ink Removes felt-tip pen ink Stain remover: Hardly works on whiteboard marker Removes the ballpoint pen ink Fades the felt-tip pen ink A Homemade ChristmasPosted at 03:48 PM, Saturday, October 25, 2008 in Christmas Minus Trauma and Drama List, HolidaysONE MORE WEEK TO GO. I have a lo-ong way to go on my Christmas presents! How about you? I have done seven of my presents, am half way through seven and haven’t really started at least two! However, I will get there. A large applaud to you if you have already completed all of your presents! (((Clap))) 
While we are on the topic of Christmas presents, a blog-friend of mine has started this awesome meme on homemade Christmases: A Homemade Christmas, hosted at simplyvintagegirl.com. You can go visit Emily Rose’s blog and participate by checking out here introductory post: A Homemade Christmas. Also, you can see her first Christmas craft: Practical Perpetual Calendar.
My Homemade Christmas this week is these coasters I made last year for my Mum, both my Grandparents, and a dear neighbour. You can make a set of four in a day or two without a problem. Check out the instructions! Home-made products vs. Store-bought products: You know you're homeschooled when you clean the bath for school!Posted at 03:57 PM, Wednesday, October 22, 2008 in Cleaning
Part one What works better: home-made cleaning products or store-bought ones? There are books and websites out there packed with tips on how to use home products for cleaning. As a science experiment, I’ve decided to test home made products vs. store bought ones. Using a control group, I will test five different experiments on five different cleaning problems: 1. Mold 2. Fruit Flies 3. Fingerprints on walls 4. Windows 5. Ink on cloth
I am using the book Spotless by Shannon Lush and Jennifer Fleming as the home product resource.
Are you ready? Who will win? As Ms. Frizzle would enthusiastically insist: Take chances, make mistakes, and get messy! First Experiment: Mold Store-bought product: Gumption on Enjo cloth Home-made product: Bi-carb Soda and vinegar Mum’s shower was in definite need of a clean; the problem was, Mum had never been able to get some of that mold off. I took it to the test: would gumption work better than bi-carb soda and vinegar?  BeforeAfter spraying water everywhere on the tiles, I split the tiles roughly in half. Then I started off with the gumption. The mold came off quite easily. When I finished doing my part with the gumption, I tested the bi-carb and vinegar. Surprisingly, it cleaned just as easily.
Then, I noticed the curtain. Extremely moldy! I had to try this one out... does it work on material too? Surprisingly, yes! They both work well!
 After
When I showed it to my Mum, she had to have a go too. This is the interesting part… when she cleaned some of the seal with bi-carb and vinegar; she cleaned more off than it ever had with gumption! In conclusion, I can only state that bi-carb and vinegar work equally as well as gumption, although for those extremely tough ones, try with a little bi-carb soda and vinegar! Presents: Week 1Posted at 09:45 AM, Saturday, October 4, 2008 in Christmas Minus Trauma and Drama List, HolidaysPresents: you have to admit it; you’re kinda attracted to the subject. Why wouldn’t you like to get more stuff? In our family, Christmas presents are something very special. Although some families we know have something like an ‘open floor’ time where everybody opens up all there presents in one shot, we don’t do it that way. Actually we do quite the opposite. On Christmas day, we are allowed to look into our stockings at our own pleasure, but we open presents one at a time – in an orderly fashion. Before Church, Mum and Dad give us our presents from them and to each other. After Church, each of us kids will give all of our presents to everybody. We enjoy everybody's gifts. When Daniel received a Pirate Ship a few years back, we all helped and watched it be assembled. We shared Joshua's excitement when he was given a real model railroad. If we leave some gifts until Boxing Day, it doesn't matter. It’s not about getting, it’s about giving.Personally, I find it quite strange to write a want list for Christmas. Actually, we are drowned in the busyness of giving gifts and giving lists. I love to give gifts. I am very thankful to Mum and Dad who have made the quote It is better to give than to receive come to life... from the heart. True, we still love to receive our presents, but giving is what makes our Christmas so special. What makes things even more special is when I try to make them. Obviously, my C.M.T.D (Christmas Minus Trauma and Drama) list focuses on that; I have provided four weeks to make them – are you up for the challenge? ;) You should have all of your supplies at hand because you bought them a few weeks back. Let's go!
Take every opportunity to work on family and friend’s presents when they are out of site. Try working on little brothers’ present at friends’ house and Mum’s when she’s out shopping. Have fun, and Merry Christmas! Jess Lil' notebookPosted at 11:22 AM, Wednesday, October 1, 2008 in Fun and Questions
Recently, I went over to Miss Emily Roses' blog and found this fantastic craft idea; this notebook works well for everything and anything, she claims, and, being the organizing geek and notebook freak that I am, I couldn't resist making this cool project!
The instructions for this notebook can be found at: http://www.simplyvintagegirl.com/blog/index.php/2008/09/08/notebook-easy-to-make-easy-to-use/ (her pictures are heaps better than mine are!)
Just previous to making this book, I was using a small notebook I had been given for Christmas one year that I wasn't using. I wrote (and now do with this book) simply everything that came to my mind. I am eternally attached to lists! I make lists of lists of lists, if I'm desprate!
Avoid stress at all costs, that's my motto!
I highly reccomend carrying around with you a small notebook everywhere you go for when that brainstorm comes pouring down. I've met lots of children's authors, and when you ask them, 'where do you get so many ideas for your stories?' he will reply, 'Oh, I always carry a little notebook around with me for when I see something interesting or a story coming along, so I don't forget it. Why don't you try it?' Why don't you? You'd be surprised how much it helps you!
Jess
PS: How are those cards coming along? I had my birthday over the weekend, so I haven't had a whole lot of time to do them, but hopefully, I'll get some done before the week is out! Christmas minus Trauma and Drama #2: Cards, paper, addresses!Posted at 12:46 PM, Saturday, September 20, 2008 in Christmas Minus Trauma and Drama List, HolidaysShopping – don’t you just love it? When I turned ten, Mum took me up to This week’s assignment was to shop for all your supplies you will need. This list presumes that you are intending to make your gifts, so have a rummage around town for any supplies you might need. Check the instructions first. If you need some supplies that you don’t have or aren’t available in town, go online for supplies. If you are an Aussie, check out Spotlight: Next weeks’ assignment is:
If you are not finished cards or wrapping paper by the end of the week, buy some cards! Again, if you are from Australia, check out www.koorong.com.au for some Christian cards ('Aussie' because it will take Americans longer to order from here, and they can probably find Christian Cards somewhere else!) Well, that should keep you very busy! If you refer to your sheet, THIS week (14-20th Sept.) we were to find a Christmas Carol to start learning, if you play an instrument! This year, I am learning ‘Mary’s Boy Child’, using music from Colin Buchanan’s bonus material on his wacky and totally awesome CD, “King of Christmas”. Check it out! You’ll have so much listening to this CD! If you don’t play an instrument, but can sing, why not see if there is a Christmas choir you could join? Nomi and I love to sing (and aren’t too bad at it, if I may say so myself!) and have enjoyed joining the Have a fantastic week, and merry Christmas! Jess Christmas minus Trauma and Drama!Posted at 06:59 PM, Friday, September 12, 2008 in Christmas Minus Trauma and Drama List, HolidaysWhew, Christmas is coming up fast! In four months time, you will be hanging up Christmas decorations, sending off cards, shopping for all you're worth, and altogether running around like a chicken with her head chopped off, right?Not any more! Not since the Christmas minus Trauma and Drama list has been released! Unfortunately, I am a tad late in getting this out, so you may have to improvise to catch up a little. Basically this list will give you an 'activity' to do weekly, all those things that make a home-made Christmas: making Christmas cards, presents, wrapping paper, decoration and an advent calendar! AND, all this finishes by the 6th of December, so you will have plenty of time to bake and relax! Sounds pretty cool, doesn't it? To download the file, simply click on this link: Christmas minus Trauma and Drama! and you will go directly to the PDF file for you to dowload! I am going to go bob my head to the Beach Boys, which my sister has so lovingly put on, and is also bobbing her head to the pretty cool music! I wish you an early merry Christmas! Love Jess New Blog ButtonPosted at 05:53 PM, Wednesday, September 3, 2008 in NoticesHere is my new blog button:
 If you want the code, go to 'Comments' and look at the first one! Sorry this isn't much of a post; what I was working on didn't turn out today! Thankyou Meredith Sonson for allowing me to use this picture! Her website is www.Meredithsonson.com Love Jess FilesPosted at 02:58 PM, Wednesday, August 27, 2008 in Kids Organizational Strategy I went through my folders on the computer today and blitzed it. Currently, until today anyway, my system didn’t make any sense. Although I was working with it, I had far too many excess files; in some places, I even had up to three of the same documents stored in different places! Unfortunately I don’t have any photos to show you, but I’ll explain what I did anyway. Please bear with me. Starting with my schoolwork file (the most important one), I sorted the folders out so I only had one place for Bible, Science and History, and so on, instead of two. For some odd reason, I had started a file called ‘Notebook Pages’, in which I had folders labelled ‘History’, ‘Bible’, ‘Science’, for example, even though I had those folder subjects already loose in School Work. I think it was because, when I started, I was putting ‘text on paper’ in one place and ‘creative notebook pages’ in the other. I don’t understand myself sometimes. Now, all of my History, Bible and Science are going directly into their ‘loose’ folder. Although if you go to History, you’d see something like this: 1800 Asia Australia [and inside that] Australian History CDs’ Australians at War My Story Egypt
Rome Greek Alright, so it’s not completely ‘loose’, but at least now I only have one folder per subject! I have several other folders too. This is what the ‘home page’ looks like, titled ‘Kids Jessica’: Blog Free Work Interest [items such as cooking, craft, music] Letters Photos and Images School Work
What do your computer files look like? Do you have too many? How about your inbox, if you have one? Is there a more effective way of storing your documents? I have, partially because I couldn’t resist, added to my Bible sections a folder for each section of the Bible; Law, History, Poetry and Wisdom, Gospels, and so on. Whether you choose to do the same is entirely up to the way your brain uniquely thinks. But tell me – are your files accessible? Top Ten Tips for Organizing, Blitzing and CleaningPosted at 02:12 PM, Wednesday, August 20, 2008 in Fun and QuestionsTop ten tips for Organizing
And last but not least…
Jess Lil' brothers make great cleaners!Posted at 01:46 PM, Thursday, August 14, 2008 in Kids Organizational StrategyThis is a day late (I’m trying to write every Wednesday) but I had a full day yesterday and I changed my template around. (what ya think?) Today I wanted to share with you my experiences with little boys and cleaning. When I write ‘little’ I mean 2-9yo; you try it on your little brother and see if it works! Earlier in the year, we had some boys come over with their Dad while Mum went to their house for a Mum’s homeschool retreat. (for you Mums to read more about Mum's homeschool retreats, go to: http://www.lifestyle-homeschool.com/homeschool-mums-support-corner.html) They had played Kings and knights, trouble, pirates, soldiers, cars and horses – lots of mess at 4:30! After moaning to me about being bored and refusing the suggested game ideas, I put them to good work and cleaned up the family room! Well, as you might guess, they didn’t initially like the idea, but after a little persuasion, I found out that boys are great cleaners – if you put a time on it! We set a timer for fifteen minutes and – whamo! It was clean! Mary Poppins couldn’t have done it better!
Just yesterday, Mum had people coming for a Scrapbooking workshop and asked me to blitz through the house. Also she asked me to take Daniel under my wing. If we were down before 3:00, we could watch a movie. Daniel’s legs started to hurt after a while, but every time I caught him sitting or lying down, it was: “Come on Daniel! Get up; we’re not done yet!” And every time, the reply was, “aww I was just getting comfortable!” (Well, nearly every time anyway!) I kept him moving with jobs to do; I picked everything up, I gave stuff to him, and he delivered it. He did a wonderful job! Honestly though, I wonder if it was because there was a movie coming on?! Jess The Chinese Transcontinental Railroad BuildersPosted at 06:45 PM, Wednesday, August 6, 2008 in Book and Movie ReviewsLast week, we watched one of the ‘Seven Wonders of the Industrial World’ documentaries, about the transcontinental railroad in While group B (the desert side) was laying down about 15k’s worth of track a day (although they probably weren’t working everyday), group A (the But, what may surprise you is that after five years of cutting through, these perseverant Chinese men, actually reached the top, and after another year of laying track, reached the halfway point – first! Apparently, that day, the weather was in their favour, not in group B! Why I wanted to write about this was because I found the Chinese men amazing. Surprisingly, they worked longer, harder and for less money than the original hired men. In the end, their hard work paid off. They put their hard work first, forgot about themselves and just did the job to other’s sastisfaction – eventually satisfied themselves. The original men gave up, and went searching for gold – they only thought about themselves. What’s your attitude when you’re told to clean? Recently I’ve learnt a lesson that is very important. Every Tuesday I get paid for doing jobs for Mum. It doesn’t always happen, partly because I don’t put the effort in to do it. Mostly I’m ironing or cleaning. I don’t like doing that much! However, for the rest of the year, Mum has promised me that I will organize those messy areas for the rest of the year (that’s how long it will take!), which I’m only too happy to do! Being happy to do that made me feel guilty about feeling unhappy about not wanting to do the other jobs Mum wanted me to do. Although I don’t mind cleaning, I don’t like doing it nearly as much as I do organizing. Shouldn’t we be happy to do our delegated chore no matter what it is?
Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Jess The J.O.BPosted at 10:24 AM, Saturday, July 26, 2008 in NoticesI've tweaked my blog title a little - last night I realized that... The Joys OF blitzing (instead of the Joys IN Blitzing) form the acronym The JOB! How appropiate!
Jess Spit Spot!Posted at 09:16 AM, Saturday, July 26, 2008 in Book and Movie ReviewsLast night we watched the classic ‘Mary Poppins’, acted by the famous actress Julie Andrews. You know, ‘A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go do-wn, the medicine go down.” and, ‘supercalifragilisticexpialidocious’. As I was watching the ‘Well begun is half done’ game, I had to write down her words of orderly wisdom down.Well begun is half done, in other words, let’s tidy up the nursery. You see, to every job that must be done, There is an element of fun. Find the fun, and SNAP – it’s a game! So, what are you waiting for? Spit spot! Click your fingers, and go get ‘em! Jess Did you know that...Posted at 03:48 PM, Tuesday, June 17, 2008 in Fun and Questions50% of homeowners rate the garage as the most disorganized place in the house and a place the entire family uses regularly.
Americans spend 9 million hours each year looking for things.
Statistics have shown that 80% of all papers filed are never looked at again and 50% of all filed material going to storage has no retention value and should have been destroyed. Secretaries have estimated that 20% of their time is spent on filing and retrieving. That is equivalent to one work day each week. The average American receives 49,060 pieces of mail in their lifetime; one third of it is junk mail. For every hour spent in the planning phase, three to four hours are saved during the execution stage. Save yourself time by being proactive. **Jaw drop** How do your areas look on average? Don’t worry, it’s ‘human, but disorder is our greatest enemy’. Solider, we can’t let our enemy get to our strong point, but it will, if we let it gnaw at our weak points. Strengthen the fence, would you, and do it quickly, efficiently and systematically, no matter the cost – 'an hour saved is an hour earned.'
Jess and Repose Organizing
Up to the Work, the Standards, and the HeartPosted at 08:58 AM, Monday, June 2, 2008 in Kids Organizational Strategy
Know and Do Your Duty ‘Recognize how your job contributes to your organization’s goals and fits into the organizational structure’b 1 Corinthians 12: 21, 27: “The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I don’t need you!’ and the head cannot say to the feet, ‘I don’t need you!’… You are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” In everything, we have a part to play; in God’s kingdom, our home, and our commitments’ area, whatever – we are needed. Who’s going to pray for their next community project? The bins require emptying thoroughly. Jesus wants a willing, humble heart, ready for any small task – what’s more though; he will assign us a job we are uniquely designed for. Be Accountable ‘Work as though you are being watched. Inspect your own work according to the highest standards.’c “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.” Psalm 139:7.8 Throughout every moment of our day, the Lord is watching us; not for a millionth of a second will he turn his eyes from us. “Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether slave or free” Ephesians 6:7, 8 The Lord is watching, and you never know if someone else is watching too, but regardless of our circumstances, we need to meet up to our own standards; what we expect of others, being honest with ourselves. When we’re faced with the question, ‘did I do my job to the best of my ability?’ we can look ourselves in the face knowing we have. Honor your Word ‘Tell the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth’ - traditional Know your boundaries. When you know you can’t keep up to what has come out of your mouth (meaning everything), change it. Being a responsible person includes living completely up to your words (without being legalistic), and staying faithful to your commitments; if that’s not possible, showing accountability and accepting the consequences for the moves you make. Oh God, Grant us the serenity to accept what cannot be changed, the courage to change what can be changed, and the wisdom to know the difference. – Reinhold Neibuhr Make No Excuses Another word for responsibility is faithfulness - when the going gets tough, the tough keep going! Carry on; finish every job. Give it your Best ‘Reject the temptation to think in terms of ‘getting by’.’d Genesis 39:2-4 “The LORD was with Joseph and he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. When his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD gave him success in everything he did, Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant… and he entrusted to his care everything he owned.” Humbly coming into Potiphars home, Joseph worked his very best to live up to what was expected of him – if Potiphar expected so much of him, Joseph would do that much; and more; he lived up to others standards, and if he could do better, he did it better. So make high your standards – you have a choice for everything you do; nothing anyone else tells you is ok can dictate how high you expect of your actions. Although making sure you completely complete your task to your authorities’ standards, continually choose to do the job – no matter how small – to your upmost abilities and standards; like Joseph, show what God wants you to show – your best. “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:13 What do you expect from yourself? What do your authorities expect of you? What does God expect from you? The little things are the foundations for the big things – Joseph started off as the lowest household servant, doing the littlest jobs, and ended up running 12-15-2008
Character First! a, b, c, d -Experts taken from Responsibility Character First Bulletin Preventing Unmuddledness!Posted at 04:50 PM, Friday, May 30, 2008 in Fun and Questions“Organization is what you do before you do something, so that when you do it, it is not all mixed up.” A.A Milne Think about it!
Jess
{ Last Page } { Next Page } |
After
Before
Tip of the week:
