Ok I am going to try something...

... this may come as a shock to some of you but...
I am not an organized person.
But I want to be one.... so... I am going to try a schedule.
It has to be a loose schedule though.  Here is my plan:

Monday: Errand day. It's good to get out after the weekend right?  Plus errands are exciting and chase away the Monday blahs.

Tuesday: Baking / clean the bathroom / wash the floors.  By Tuesday I should have come to terms with the fact that the week has started and I will be able to focus on some house wifey things to do.


Wednesday: Small bulk writing day.  This includes blogging, adding to my shop, and finding items for my features.


Thursday: Declutter / sew.  Not that I will only sew on Thursday because that would be a tragedy.  I will just make time to sew especially on Thursday.  I found a great tip for dealing with clutter from Amy
over at New Nostalgia.

Friday:  Big bulk Writing day.  Similar to small bulk writing day just more of it:)

Well I am off to toss some stuff and perhaps cut out a sewing project!  Have a productive day!

Wordless Wednesday- Squishy Toes

For more WW head over to 5m4m

Motivate Me Monday- Answer The Call

I am resurrecting this post originally written on July 26 2009 due to a tummy bug that has suddenly hit me.
Do link up below and don't forget I am still looking for a name for my new Dream House.  Have a great Monday!

I have debated whether or not to write this. I really don't want this post to be about me. So as you read this know that God is the one to be glorified in this story.

Yesterday as we were headed to church there was a man in a winter coat sitting on the side of the road near the beginning of a bridge we have to cross. It was very hot outside. As we crossed the bridge the holy spirit spoke to me.
"Invite that man to church."
I turned to my husband and said "Do you think we should go back and invite that man to church?"
Craig said "If you think so."
I begged Craig to talk to the fellow so i wouldn't have to. I wrestled with my flesh. I feared rejection. My heart beat a mile a minute.
We turned around and pulled up beside this stranger. I rolled down my window and out of my mouth came the words "You look awfully hot sitting there. We're headed to church. Would you like to come with us?"
To my complete shock he said "Well I am waiting for a ride to Northside church from my cousin."
Northside is our church. Turns out his cousin is our good friend.
So he got in our car to catch a ride with us.
I don't know why God had us give this man a ride instead of his cousin (who happened to be right behind us). However I do know that by answering the call God worked through me in spite of my fears.

Another really cool part of this story is that I was reading Proverbs 31 Saturday night. Often we think of this as being the ultimate woman proverb. However Proverbs 31:8-9 (Message) reads:

"Speak up for the people who have no voice,
for the rights of all the down-and-outers.
Speak out for justice!
Stand up for the poor and destitute!"

I wrote in my bible (yes I wrote in my bible) beside this passage of scripture:

God show me these people and give me compassion and courage. In Jesus name.

Look how faithful our God is! The very next morning He gave me what I asked for. I am in awe of what our Father does.

Dream House

Well yesterday I mentioned that I would be looking for a new name for my blog(s) and Zibbet shop.
Here's why:

Are you in love yet?  I am smitten!  We are in the process of purchasing an 8.7 acre former grow op. (Which means we are paying very little for this property)

Here is my favorite part:

The upstairs room. This will be half playroom and half my studio. (there's more room behind the camera).

I imagine this place having a fantastic name like Green Gables but something more my own.  We will have chickens and a goat.  There will be a guest cottage in the loft of the workshop/barn.

God truly does give us the desires of our hearts.

So please leave me comments with name suggestions for this house, your favorite home decor and design blogs and your prayers as there is a lot of tearing down and rebuilding to do.

Yours Faithfully Sarah with an H.

Linking up with:

I Need a Name!

I am on the hunt for a new blog name as well as a new Zibbet shop name. I will reveal why tomorrow! In the mean time leave me a comment with your creative ideas!
Sarah

Gratituesday- Blessings in Difficult Situations

It started on Thursday night. My went into Meadows room to check on her and there was my baby girl sleeping in puke. Gross! She was better by Sunday morning... Then Hudson loses his breakfast!

By Sunday night Hudson is very dehydrated and starts complaining of back pain. Off to the Out Patient we go.

Sitting there was sooo boring... but I am blessed with a husband who texted me several 30 second videos of himself reading Green Eggs and Ham.

We arrived home at about midnight. Exhausted boy and exhausted mommy.

Meadow was chipper in the morning though. So alas I dragged myself out of bed. And then... there was a knock at the door. I opened it to this face:

... and breakfast. Coffee and a sausage and egg biscuit for me, yougurt parfait for Meadow and a muffin for Hudson should he feel better and want to eat.

Thanks Anita!

The other blessings were the extra naps and snuggles sick children give you.

For more Gratituesday join Laura on her blog Heavenly Homemakers.

Motivate Me Monday- Bloom Where You are Planted!

Today I am going to do something a little different. I am going to share an interview with one of the most inspirational families I know. They are not famous, or rich, they are regular (except God made them special)folk using their gifts to bring joy to their neighborhood.

So without further ado let me introduce you to
Derek (the dad) Rye (the mom), and Haye.

Tell me about what you are doing to beautify your neighborhood:

We paint pictures and words on cardboard with acrylic paint and zip tie it to fences in the hopes that it will make someone smile or that people will take the art and give it a home.

Who is involved with your project?

Anybody who wants to be! Pretty much every person that comes to our house. If you check out the blog you can see that our friends have been contributing. We hope that people start doing similar things in their own towns.

Why did you start the Free Art Project?

It started as a fun family activity and then when people started taking the art we got inspired.

Any inspirational words for my readers?

Our town and this particular fence is not the only place where this project can take place! People have asked if they can send us art to hang on the fence and we have responded by asking them to put art up in their own neighbourhoods and send us photos. Actually, friends have even said they will have to make art and bring it to "the fence"...but it's not just this fence. We are still eagerly waiting to get photos for our blog from other people around the world.

To find out more about The Free Art Project check out their blog!

Link up your inspirational and motivational posts below!

Show Off Your Stuff- A successful Baby Outfit!

You may remember the post about the botched less than perfect skirt...

Well rejoice with me readers because I have sewn my first successful piece of clothing!

I used this Free Simple Baby Pants Pattern

And even appliqued a t-shirt to go with it!

Small successes are such big victories sometimes :) 

Wordless Wednesday - The Splendor of Mom and Dad's Bed!

For more WW head on over to 5m4m

What I Learned This Week

Yesterday, for Motivate Me Monday, I wrote about protecting your marriage from outside relationships. One of the people who linked up was Michele from My Live as a Wife, Mother and Christian. She posted an article about planting a hedge around your marriage.

One little tidbit I gleaned from that article was to have new information to talk to your husband about daily.  Put in the effort to have interesting conversation topics.  Here are some suggestions:

• Read the newspaper and discuss a current event.
• Go on an adventure with your children.  (With kids a walk around the block or a trip to the local dump can be an adventure).  This way you will hopefully have a story to tell.
• Start a project (hopefully you will finish it as well).  You can update your husband on various aspects of your endeavor. 

I'd love it if you shared some of your suggestions with me as well.  Good relationships take effort!  This is one area I had never thought of putting my time into.



Remember to head on over to Made on Fifth Street and enter my giveaway!

Motivate Me Monday - Can You Just Be Friends?

It's a slow fade when you give yourself away

It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray

Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid

When you give yourself away

People never crumble in a day

It's a slow fade, it's a slow fade

(Slow Fade ~Casting Crowns)

I am going to come right out with it and tell you, I do not believe, if you are married, that it is wise to be friends with the opposite sex unless they are your siblings.  I realize there will be some disagreement with that statement and that is ok.  I hope you will read on however.

Now I am not talking about being friends with couples who you invite to dinner and play monopoly with every Friday night.  I am talking about intimate relationships.  The sort where you call your friend just to chat, the kind of friend you go out for coffee with just the 2 of you, the friend you call in a crisis should be the same gender as you.

Here's why.  Rarely do you set out to sin.  You might even look at your friend and think "Romance? Not in a million years."

But there is one who is out there.  One who can subtly pull at your heartstrings. One who can influence your thoughts and feelings.

Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter5:8

There it is!  Do not let Satan get a foothold in your life, in your marriage.

Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. Proverbs 4:23



 Link up your motivational and inspirational posts below

UBP'10

Welcome to the Fifth Street Palace!

Grab yourself a coffee and sit for a bit.

My name is Sarah and I live in a small bungalow "palace" on Fifth Street.  This is my family/ life blog.

Here you will find Motivate Me Mondays where you are invited to link up any motivational or inspirational blog posts you may have.  I glean a ton of wisdom from the folks who share their hearts on Mondays.

Be sure to head on over to my other blog Made on Fifth Street and enter my giveaway!

Since I am sure you are just itching to know me better let me share a few of my favorites with you!

Favorite season: Spring (new beginnings)

Favorite holiday (and why): Christmas.  I just love the hustle and bustle of it all.

Favorite movies: Dirty Dancing and Anne of Green Gables

Favorite T.V. shows: The Office (I am addicted)

My favorite meal is: Sushi

My favorite snack is: Cheese and Crackers

My favorite dessert is: Ginger Molasses Cookies

My favorite fruit is: raspberries

My favorite vegetable is: spinach

My favorite people are:

You can also find me:

On Twitter: @FifthStreetMama

Other Blogs: Made on Fifth Street

                    The Fifth Street Academy

My Zibbet Shop: Made on Fifth Street

Facebook:  Fan Page

Get ready for the shameless plea...

Ultimate Blog Party '10

Have you heard about the ultimate blog party hosted by Five Minutes For Moms?
Head on over and check out the details! You don't want to miss out on this huge blogging event!