Off to a Good Start in 2013

Well, January has come and gone. Thankfully, I didn't make many New Year's resolutions, therefore, I haven't broken any. *wink*

Pretty much the only resolutions I made this year were to continue doing what I can to live healthier, to be more frugal and resourceful with what I have, and to live a more simple life.

The Path Toward Healthy

I've been on a quest recently. A quest to live healthier. To live more frugally. To live more simply.

I've been reading several different blogs and websites, and have gleaned numerous ideas about how to achieve these goals. You might want to check these out: Holy-Spirit Led Homeschooling, Hidden Treasures, diy Natural.

I've been making my own laundry detergent, dishwasher detergent, fabric softener, all purpose cleaners/disinfectants and window cleaner for many months now, and I have to say I've been quite pleased with the results.

Not only have I seen significant savings in our grocery budget,

Simple Things

I just finished reading a friend's post over at At His Feet.... She has posted some pictures of her girls in a sunflower field. Simple things...that's what she talks about. How right she is! It is amazing how much joy we can glean from the simple things in life if we will only take the time. So many times I feel like I am rushed or on the go too much to truly appreciate life's little treasures (provided by God, of course).

Lately though, God has been speaking to my heart about this. You know from my previous posts how my children and I have been trying to make a little sanctuary in our backyard to attract birds. We have truly had a delightful spring and summer from that little bit of effort we put forth. We sit outside on the patio or at the kitchen table and watch the birds come to our feeders and birdbath. We keep a basket with bird guides and binoculars handy and when we see a different bird, we pull out that field guide and learn all about the bird. What joy we have found in this simple little act!

Another "simple" act we enjoy is just sitting outside with the puppies. They are so playful, we all sit and laugh just watching their antics...it's hilarious...and so good for us as a family. Laughter is good medicine...it bonds us together.

Another simple pleasure for me is a daily walk my husband and I take each evening down our dirt road. Sometimes the kids accompany us, sometimes it's just the two of us. And lately, the puppies have been tagging along. It's amazing how much joy I have received from just taking a walk! But really, it is more than a walk...the talks dh and I share...the flowers we see on the side of the road, the bugs we see (and try to identify, lol) scooting across our path, and lately the deer tracks that my husband stops and points out to me ("let me show you how to tell if it's a buck or a doe," he says). I don't know how much of our walk is truly exercise (lol), but I do know that it is definitely food for the soul.

God knows this, and He wants us to slow down and enjoy the simple things in life. It is His way of blessing us. I don't know about you, but I sure feel alot less stressed and alot more blessed when I use the eyes He gave me to enjoy the simple (yet amazing) beauty that is all around us.

Blessings!