31 Days to Clean

Have you heard about 31 Days to Clean?? It's currently the #1 on Amazon's Home Cleaning, Caretaking, & Relocating section! Sarah Mae is a writer over at Raising Homemakers. I love the content over at Raising Homemakers! I was not raised to be a homemaker, so I have been learning "on the fly" the past few years.

I have been really excited about this book coming out!! Right now anyone who blogs or tweets about the book can receive a free copy (today only)!!

I am so excited about this book and even more about the 31 Day Challenge!!



What People Are Saying About 31 Days to Clean

“31 Days to Clean is just what we all need—refreshingly motivating and gracefully real. This encouraging book makes you truly feel like you can do it– conquer your home while keeping your heart on your family, renewing your vision for cleaning while keeping your motives and life in balance. There is an inspiring word for everybody–I highly recommend it!”

-June Fuentes, A Wise Woman Builds Her Home

“This book has already given me the push that I needed to clean my house not only for my family and myself, but for reasons beyond that. I love that there are small do-able tasks each day to clean but also a task to give inspiration to keeping a clean house. Love everything I have read!!! Thank you to Sarah Mae for such an amazing resource. I will be giving this book to each of my girls as they move out, so that they will be blessed with this great book as well!”

-Angie, Amazon Review

“What do you think of when you consider doing laundry, washing dishes, and cleaning the dreaded bathroom? Are you discouraged? Do you feel overwhelmed? I have to say I feel that way … often. In all my live-long days I haven’t seen my home as a ministry. Can I serve Jesus and others as I clean my home? Sarah Mae proves I can. As a wife, mom, mother-in-law and mentor to teenage moms I’m going to cherish this book and share what I learned. Cleaning is more than just fighting germs. It can be a ministry of the heart!”
-Tricia Goyer, author of 25 books, include Blue Like Play Dough: The Shaping of Motherhood in the Grip of God


“Whether you need to be more like Mary and approach housekeeping from a God-pleasing heart, or you need to be more like Martha and get your physical house in order, this book is for you! In addition to thoughtful, authentic reflections on they why’s of keeping a house up, Sarah Mae gives specific, actionable tasks each day to get you started. Do this for 31 days and not only will your soul be refreshed, your house will be sparkling, too!”
-Angela, Homegrown Mom



“This is no ordinary “how to clean your house” book. In 31 Days to Clean – How to Have a Martha House the Mary Way, Sarah Mae goes beyond the “how-tos” and gets straight to the heart of the matter. Why is it so hard to keep up with the day-to-day tasks of running a household and what can we do about it? Each day will challenge your thinking and drive you to The One who offers grace and comfort.”

-Kimba, A Soft Place to Land



“Sarah, thank you, from the bottom of my heart for this wonderful resource! God bless Flylady – she’s a tough cookie – but I just cannot keep up with her, and I cannot find motivation in her methods. This book, however, with the Mary and Martha approach, gives me not only motivation to clean my home, but also to haul out my Bible and spend time in the Word, searching out scripture to go with the daily devotional… My mother and I are doing this book together. She lives 8 hours away from me, and we’ve found this to be something to do together. We can challenge and encourage each other in this area, and your book is a wonderful guide for us.
Thank you, once again, for your obedience in writing this book! God bless you!”

-Val, Amazon Review

Beginning of Lent

So I've been a little slack keeping up with the goings on. Here is a catch up of our Lent.

Well, I just deleted my first photo by accident. I am not going to go through the hassle of uploading it again, so I will keep going.

The beginning of Lent is Ash Wednesday. The day before is referred to as Mardi Gras/ Fat Tuesday/ Shrove Tuesday

We spent the day in preparation of Lent with a few school activities. The first was working on our Alms Cross and the second was our Mardi Gras masks.

Here is our supplies laid out on our kitchen table which is where we do our school work.

I needed an alms box. I had JUST gotten rid of an oatmeal container that would have been perfect. So I went looking and found this container. My dad buys these drink mixes for himself for while he is visiting. I removed the wrapper and had my cylinder. :)

 

 

 

Our Alms box covered in purple construction paper which was hotglued. In the background you can see our Alms Cross. I found this great project over at Catholic Icing. Please check out Lacy's blog and all of the great ideas she has!

 

 

 

 

 

Our completed Alms Box

Joshua working on his Mardi Gras mask.

The boys chose their sequins and the position of the feathers. I hotglued the feathers on, Joshua glued his sequins, and I helped John-Michael glue his. He chose which ones and I stuck them in the glue and he pointed to where he wanted them stuck.

Joshua's finished mask. He insisted on the feathers "on my nose."

Our finished Alms cross. This hangs in our school area and the boys take turns counting the pennies and removing them for the Alms Box.

He was very proud of his mask :)

Did you know you can suck a paci AND wear a mask at the same time?? Poor little guy was tired, this was taken just before bedtime. His arm is behind his head because he is twirling his hair. :)

For the rest of Mardi Gras, we had our "Aunt S" over for pancakes (in olden times, fasting and abstinence was strict and most people gave up butter, flour and eggs for Lent. So they used them all up for pancakes the night before.)

On Ash Wednesday we went to Mass at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist and started our Lenten Season. 

Click HERE to see our Weekly Lesson Plan that we used for the week of Ash Wednesday.

I will upload more from our schooling as I have the chance.