August 10, 2007: I couldn't fall asleep last night so I stayed up late. We're trying to start back into the school sleep schedule, so Sean got me up at 7:00 this morning. I got my sourdough sponge started this morning. Afterwards, we went to the thrift store. Sean had commented on Julia needing bedding. I had made sewing plans for ...

Straightening up after the entire family is too much for one person. So the trick is to find the right time for the family to all pick-up together, daily. This makes such a huge difference--by the end of the day, the whole house is tidy and ready for the new day. When we homeschooled, the kids and I all cleaned together every morning after ...

After years of feeling guilty about the little bit of housecleaning I do (or don't do), I've finally realized that I'm not likely to change in any major way. So I've decided to shed the guilt, realize that yes, in a lot of ways I am lazy and unmotivated, but I also have many strengths so let's get on with life. Part of ...

Of course, there’s no way I can do this extreme version, so I’m trying to figure out how far I can go, without throwing off my husband and kids too much. Also, it will take time to phase out all my clothes, CDs, and other stuff, so I’ll take it one step at a time. I started making a list of the things I can do, and that ...

          Also in the extreme picture, I imagined we’d get rid of our TV/VCR/DVD player, as well as all but one music player and all but one alarm clock. We could then also get rid of all of our movies and CDs, and the entertainment center in the den. I imagined getting rid of the clothes washer ...

That movie started making me yearn again for a more ascetic lifestyle myself. I spent some time imagining what it would be like to live that way, in our home and family, as close to that extreme as possible. (I tend to figure out the highest ideal first, then work backwards to what’s actually doable.) It was actually quite an amazing ...

We’ve all heard of Family Movie Night where the family snuggles up to watch a movie together. But how about adding another element to this special time—do a craft or an activity together after the movie, based on the movie. Here’s one you can do for this Christmas season, and it’ll give you some free decorations to ...

This looks like it came right out of Harry Potter. This guy created his own working Weather Clock, hooked to the internet, to show current and upcoming weather. Unbelievable!! I want one!!! Peter’s Weather Clock

They’re making one that will actually work!!! Using computer technology, the clock will display digital faces for each member of the family on everyone’s own clock hand. The computer will track where family members are by checking their cell phones, and the hand will then move to point to ''Home'', ''School'', ''Work'' or ''Mobile''. It won’t be ...

   Of course, I don’t recommend getting rid of the kids’ stuff without their permission, but you may be able to get them to go with one of these options (try using a prize for extra motivation): Declutter: Once in a while, you as a parent can make your kids go through and get rid of anything they no longer love and enjoy. This is a ...