2007 February

Feb 28, 2007

If keeping a home is really THAT involved…

I was wandering through Barnes & Noble the other day (and yes, I stuck to my guns and didn’t buy a single book) when I found myself in the “home building and maintenance” section. I usually have no use for this area of the bookstore because a) I am not a “handy type” who can fix things or succeed at home improvement projects (I can’t even paint a wall very well) and b) housework is not exactly my favorite hobby.

But anyway, there I was, and on the bottom shelf, I spied a book that I had seen advertised somewhere. Martha Stewart’s Homekeeping Handbook. There’s Martha on the cover, looking all happy and stylin’. (I can assure you that I don’t look nearly as happy or stylin’ when I’m cleaning, but I realize that some people reap great joy, stress-relief, and/or a sense of accomplishment from housekeeping, so they too might look thrilled to be holding a bottle of Windex. To each her own.)

For a brief moment, I had the thought that if I bought this book, perhaps I could streamline my housekeeping, find new and better ways to keep things looking spiffy in less time, and maintain my home effortlessly while actually increasing my blog-reading time. And that, as Martha would say, would be “a good thing.” So I bent down to snatch it off the shelf and examine it more closely.

I underestimated Martha.

Rather than “snatching” that book up, I ended up dropping it on the floor. Because it weighs about 20 pounds. Okay, maybe that’s a slight exaggeration, but seriously, the book is h.u.g.e. According to Amazon.com, it has 752 pages. 752?! And this is no pocket-sized book; it’s a 9.3 x 7.5-inch tome. And did I mention that it has 752 pages?

Here’s the thing: If housekeeping is really that involved, if I have to read 752 pages to do it right… then I want nothing to do with it. Seriously, I’m thinking that it would take me longer to read that book than it would to clean my house (with my special “minimalist cleaning style,” of course) weekly for a year or so.

I put the book back on the shelf without even cracking open the cover. Sorry Martha, but a 752-page book on maintaining my home just isn’t “a good thing.” I can’t make that kind of commitment.

Before I left the home maintenance section, I spied another book on the shelf above the smiling Martha. The title? How to Cheat at Cleaning: Time-Slashing Techniques to Cut Corners and Restore Your Sanity. Now, that is more my style. I’ll have to check that one out next time I’m there. And since it’s a mere 240 pages, I might even be willing to read it.

Filed Under: Fun, Home stuff 15 Comments

Feb 26, 2007

Of stoneware and parenting

written by katrina · 19 Comments

Something very sad happened to me a couple weeks ago. Okay, maybe not honestly and truly sad, but it was a bummer nonetheless.

My all-time favorite, most-used, best-seasoned, perfectly-browned, complete with a hard-earned non-stick sheen (I’m just seeing how many hypens I can use in one sentence) Pampered Chef stoneware item shattered. Into many, many pieces. Oh, the horror.

[For those of you who have never used Pampered Chef stoneware, I highly recommend giving it a try. I haven't been to a PC party in ages, but back when it seemed like I was going to 3 or 4 a year, I built up my collection and (unlike some kitchen gadgets that I just "had to have") I use all my pieces regularly.]

The piece that broke was the “Large Bar Pan” and I used it all the time. It served me well in baking everything from cookies to chicken nuggets to meatloaf to jelly rolls. Of course, I immediately ordered a new one.

And here’s the thing about the stoneware. When it arrives at your home, it looks like this:

Pale, huh? Yep. Pale and kind of rough-surfaced. It does the job, I suppose. But let me tell you, the more it’s used, the better it gets.

Here’s my smaller bar pan after about 4 years of occasional use:

Dirty, you say? Nope, just well-seasoned. As time goes on, the stoneware develops a smooth, dark patina that makes it an excellent baking tool. My brownies never burn in the stoneware; my cookies get that perfect brown doneness on the bottom without becoming overdone; my cakes come neatly and cleanly out of the 9×13. It’s just a beautiful thing.

I wish I had a picture of the piece that shattered. It was truly a thing to behold, with all its well-earned nonstick goodness. Alas, I must now start over. I know it will probably take years for it to become “perfect,” but I also know that it will do a good job in the meantime. I just need to get going with it — baking biscuits, reheating leftovers, creating yummy desserts. And I know it’ll be worth it.

I was thinking about this stuff the other day as I changed a diaper. Of course, since I spend a good chunk of my day changing diapers, I can get a lot of thinking in then. Anyway, I was thinking that, as a mom, I’m like that stoneware. As time passes, I can get to feeling like I’ve been used hard, I can (and often do!) look a little messy, I can feel like I’ve been stuck into the heat of the oven or like I’m being scraped under hot water. But I hope that in the process, I’m becoming better at what I was made to do. I hope that the rough spots are being worn smooth, that I’m even more useful and helpful, that I develop the beautiful patina of a beloved “Mommy.” Because I know…it’s all worth it.

Filed Under: Etc., Family 19 Comments

Feb 25, 2007

Author Sharon Hinck stops by

written by katrina · 13 Comments

Have you ever found yourself neck-deep in projects, overwhelmed with commitments, bleary-eyed from all that you’ve gotten yourself into? Then you’ll appreciate Sharon Hinck’s latest novel, Renovating Becky Miller.

From the author’s website:

“Becky Miller believes in fixing things: children, friends, mother-in-law, sister, church . . . and her husband. So renovating a run-down farmhouse is right up her alley–the perfect antidote for the pressures of modern life.

“But Becky’s pursuit of the simple life is soon threatened. Her mother-in-law moves in, her son finds trouble at school, her sister arrives for a visit, her best friend is acting weird, all while work stresses mount. Worst of all, her marriage is in need of some major remodeling of its own.”

Sound familiar? I’m sure many of us can relate to the state Becky finds herself in:

And I was off and running. Well, limping. Chased by the panic that I’d forget something important or let someone down. The odds of that seemed to grow each day.

Will Becky be able to handle all the obligations that are piling on top of her? Pick up Renovating Becky Miller and find out!

——————————————–

I’m very happy to welcome the author of Renovating Becky Miller, Sharon Hinck, to Callapidder Days today.

Hi Sharon! Thank you for stopping by Callapidder Days.

Hi, Katrina! Thanks so much for inviting me to visit your blog! I really appreciate it!

To start, could you share a little bit about your writing career and how you got started in writing?

I’ve always been captivated by stories, and the way God can draw me closer to Himself through books – both fiction and non-fiction. I’ve always loved to write, but once I was out of college, much of my writing was “utilitarian.” I wrote scripts for an art organization I led for many years, newsletters, press releases, patron letters, etc. And I did some freelance magazine articles over the years. But I was busy raising my family, and working in music, drama, and dance. Then four and one-half years ago, God stirred a story in my heart and I began writing novels. It was so fun to let the story run free and see what would happen. Very different from writing non-fiction articles. Now I have the two Becky Miller books in print through Bethany House Publishing, the first three books of a fantasy series releasing this year with NavPress, and two stand-alone novels completed that will be released with Bethany House in 2008. Whew! It’s been an intense journey! It’s like God flung open a door I’d been leaning against all my life, and I came tumbling out.

Wow, that’s wonderful! What would you say is the hardest part of the novel-writing process? The most rewarding?

It’s all hard. Way too hard. Banging-my-head-against-the-wall-daily hard.

But when a scene manages to ALMOST capture some specific truth of God’s wonder, and love – and the way He steps in to our hurtful situations – it’s like standing on the threshold of heaven and peeking in for a minute.

Was there something specific that inspired your Becky Miller novels, or Renovating Becky Miller in particular? Any parallels to your life or circumstances?

I was inspired by lots of listening. Hearing hundreds of groups of women talking about some of the same struggles and questions. Most of Becky’s trials have been common to either myself or my friends in some way.

You mentioned earlier that you have a 3-book fantasy series coming out soon. Can you share a little sneak-peek into that series? What can readers expect?

I’m super excited about these books! The Restorer releases May, 2007. It’s about Susan, a modern-day soccer mom who longs to be a heroic woman of God, and is pulled through a portal into another world, filled with swashbuckling battles, alien mind poison, and a profound spiritual journey that will change her life forever.

Finally, on a more personal level, I read on your website about a wonderful thing you do with your kids — Back-and-Forth Journals. Can you share a little bit about that with my readers?

That was a COOL project . . . And various kids and I kept it up for various lengths of time (although we aren’t doing it right now).

When my children were old enough to read and write comfortably, I made them each a special journal. Using a spiral bound notebook with plenty of pages, I sewed a fabric cover with their name appliquéd on the front. Any blank book or notebook would work, but decorating it helped to make it special. I began the notebook by writing a letter to each child, explaining that the notebook would be completely private, and a tool for us to write back and forth to each other. They could ask me any questions they want to, and share anything on their minds. Some topics are hard to talk about, and sometimes in a large family, it’s hard to catch mom alone. The journals ensured that each week they are guaranteed some extra personal time and attention. Every Sunday after church, I gave them their notebooks. During the afternoon they answered questions I had written, commented on things going on in the family, and asked their own questions of me. They returned the journals before bedtime on Sunday. During the week I answered their questions as I wrote back to them.

I love that idea and I’m thinking about starting a similar project with my 8-year-old.

I have a few other fun “Family Life Ideas” on my website, as well as a goofy “Becky Miller Quiz” (to find out which of her friends you are most like), and I do a free ezine each month with a devotional/inspirational article, inside info about the writing life, and info on upcoming books and events.

Folks can go to my “Contact Sharon” page of my website and leave their name and email to become a “Book Buddy” and receive the monthly email from me. Book Buddy’s have also gotten some special offers, treats, and drawings for prizes over the past year.

Thanks again for chatting with me!

Thanks, Sharon!

Filed Under: Books/Reading 13 Comments

Feb 21, 2007

WFMW: Family Audio Library

written by katrina · 14 Comments

In our house, we have a lot of books. A lot. We love to read, we love great stories, and we share a passion for the written word. But sometimes, we need something other than a book. And that’s when our family audio library comes in handy.

Years ago, my husband and I began to collect CD sets of family-friendly radio broadcasts and audio books. Today, our collection takes up a full shelf on our bookcase and continues to grow. Some of our favorites:

The Adventures in Odyssey series from Focus on the Family — Odyssey CDs make up the majority of our collection, and we all really love them. Great for kids age 6/7 and up, Odyssey episodes are entertaining, amusing, and teach valuable life lessons. Our 8-year-old, C., feels like he knows the characters personally and can often be heard quoting them!

Jungle Jam series — C. loves this series with it’s wacky jungle animals and for a while, I think he had every episode memorized word-for-word. A fun, slightly bizarre, collection of stories that always have a positive and important underlying message.

The Chronicles of Narnia on CD from Focus on the Family — Yes, we have the books, and we love them. But listening to the CDs brings a new enjoyable aspect to this fantastic series. C. loves the fact that the CDs have all the different voices and regularly asks to borrow these audiobooks from our family library.

C. has a CD player in his room and always has a few CD sets at a time there to listen to while he’s getting ready in the morning, cleaning up, or just hanging out in his room. We also love to listen to these sets during long drives and family vacations. And sometimes, we just like to hang out together in the evenings and listen to some good stories.

While our audio library will never quite replace our books, having family-friendly audio options is something that really works for us.

Visit Shannon’s blog for more Works-for-Me Wednesday tips.