Written by Christine @ So Domestically Challenged, contributing writer

A few weeks ago, I was invited by Rachel to be a contributor here on Day2DayJoys.  I read her invitation.  I got excited.  I closed my email and made a mental note to get back to her…and I did get back to her a few days later.

She invited me to do a post.  Immediately, at least 6 great ideas popped into my head.  I was thrilled.  I was energized.  I was ready to go.  But here I sit, in the last few hours before my first post is set to go live, and I have nothing.  Those half-dozen great ideas have betrayed me: each one seemingly fantastic until I realized that I couldn’t find the words or it just wasn’t so interesting after all.

Here I am, a blank.  I’ve spent days analyzing my life and motivations, reading notes I’ve written, mind-mapping, reviewing books, magazines, Pinterest…and nothing.  Have I truly lost my mojo?

The truth.  I turn my focus inward to look for reasoning.  The truth, though I hate to admit it, is fear.  I have procrastinated since day one because of fear.  Not that I have any kind of real fear for my own well-being.  No, my fear is distinctly first-world.  My fear is of disappointing, failing, not being good enough.  My fear makes me feel like a child, but is a fear I always tell my own children they have to push through.

The reality is that I procrastinate because I’m scared of failing and scared of the unknown.  I figure this is an issue that probably faces a lot of us, so for my first post, my introduction to you, I’m going to share 5 ways to stop procrastinating and get things done (in the future).

5 Ways to Stop Procrastinating: 

Commit

Saying “I’m going to do this later” or “I’ll have time after work on Thursday” are open-ended and set yourself up to keep moving the day or time you’re going to do something.  Instead, make a “To Do List” every day, and write in how much time you’re committing to the task and when, just like an appointment: “I’m going to write my post from 5:45pm-6:30pm on Tuesday night”.  Writing it down has the added bonus of somewhat tricking your brain into believing that the task absolutely has to be done at that time.

Reward Yourself

As I write this, I’m craving my three biggest vices: a cup of coffee, a coconut Outshine bar, and a book….okay, not a book.  I want to play spider solitaire online.  Guilty.  I know that I’m going to enjoy doing those things a lot more when I don’t have anything else hanging over my head, stressing me out.  I’m not going to allow myself any of those things until this post is complete!  Not only does the reward give me something to look forward to, but it also takes away my ability to use any of those things to procrastinate: “I’m going to get back to working after this ice cream”.  Bam!  A two-fer.

Visualize the Future

This is actually something I do with my family and my Girl Scouts when they’re stressed and it works great for both long-term and short-term issues.  Take a minute, relax, breathe and go through the steps of what is going to happen next.  Work it out.

I’m going to keep typing.

I will get to the end of what I want to say.

I will read it back to myself.

I might hate it.

I will make sure it’s correct and of good quality.

I will submit it.

Some people might not like it.

I might be asked never to write again.

I will keep breathing.  I will keep living.

Tomorrow, I will write about something else.

In a week, I won’t even think about it anymore.

Break a Job Into Tasks

Sometimes a job can seem stressful and overwhelming because it’s got several steps to it that don’t immediately sort themselves out in our minds.  Try breaking a job down into various smaller tasks and write out a checklist.  Even if you don’t have time to do an entire task, you can look at your list and get a few parts done.

For example:

Brainstorm talking points
Type up post
Review & edit
Format post
Add links
Take photos
Edit photos
Add photos to post
Submit post

Stop Being Your Worst Critic

Where did we all learn this?  Every day is like one long Dove commercial, but instead of just criticizing the bags under my eyes or my flabby middle, I criticize my entire being: “I just did that because I’m an idiot” or “I could never understand that” or “I’m a terrible housekeeper” or “I wish I was better/smarter/more comfortable with myself”.  Sometimes even confident-sounding statements to yourself can be undermining you: “I’m just going to fake it until I make it” or “I’ve still got it” or  “I was great at that when I was younger”.   All of these statements have an implied “there’s something wrong with me”.  We send ourselves these constant messages that we are somehow less than our full potential, and worse than that, we quietly start believing it.  Instead, make statements that are inherently true and non-objective.

I am a mother.
I am a wife.
I am a mentor.
I am a writer.
I am enough.
My words/actions/abilities are enough.
And they are all perfectly me.

Do you procrastinate?  Why do you think you do it and what do you do to fight it?

The post 5 Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get Things Done (in the future) appeared first on Day2Day Joys.

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Written by Lydia @ Frugal, debt free life, Contributing Writer

A school bus rolled by my house this morning. I was sitting at my desk reading my emails, sipping a cup of coffee when I heard the tell tale sound of a diesel engine rumbling down the road. Is it back to school time already?

A quick glance at my Facebook feed filled with smiling faces in fresh school uniforms or holding up newly-minted backpacks confirmed it. Even for those of us whose children aren’t yet school-aged (or in my case I am preschooling at home this year) back-to-school season can still be crazy.

Our calendars become packed with activities, lessons, practices, church events and life can just feel out of control. Today I wanted to share a few things you can do to bring sanity to your household when things get busy.

5 tips for Smoother, Happier Mornings

1. Plan to eat.

Do a quick scan of your pantry, freezer, fridge, etc. and make a meal plan for the week. This not only saves money, but it also saves you a lot of sanity. There is no 5:30 p.m. rush when you’re totally deprived of energy and order a pizza or make spaghetti… again.

2. Plan to dress.

Even if you’re a stay-at-home mom and your children are home with you all day plan to get up and get dresses in the morning. Layout something to wear that makes you feel good that isn’t yoga pants (unless yoga pants just make you feel special. Then rock them sister, rock them).

Lay out a skirt and a cute top or a stain free shirt and a pair of jeans. It’s so much easier to face the day when you know what you’re going to wear and it isn’t covered in vomit or breast milk stains.

3. Clean your kitchen.

I know, I know. It sounds like I am telling you to do MORE housework than you’re already doing, but trust me. When your day is hectic the last thing you want to do is walk into a dirty kitchen first thing in the morning. Load the dishwasher, wipe down the countertops and set out your coffee mug the night before.

4. Make a prioritized to do list.

Grab a notebook or your phone and make a simple list. Write your list according to most to least important. I actually do this the night before. That way when I start the day I already know what needs to get done.

5. Pack a snack.

If you’re hauling children from library time, a church meeting and then to the grocery store someone is going to get cranky. So pack a snack. I usually grab an apple, some string cheese and some pretzels and throw them in my purse or the diaper bag. That way I am prepared for a cranky hunger meltdown, even if it’s my own.

Don’t stress this can be a really fun time of year.

In what ways do you make your mornings run smoother?

The post 5 tips for Smoother, Happier Mornings appeared first on Day2Day Joys.

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Written by Kelly @ Eyes On The Source, Contributing Writer 

On the 6th day of Christmas, day2day joys gave to me…

A cute and roomy tote from 31 Gifts by Tiffany!  A festive bag to carry all of your goodies to and from holiday events (and more)!

Thirty-One is a tote/purse company developed to help women bless each other through beautiful products and friendships. The faith-based company not only offers quality products that can be personalized, but also income opportunity for women wanting flexible work hours, more family time, etc.  
There are so many styles to choose from and each one can be personalized by pattern, size, wording and more!  Really something for everyone to meet every purse, storage and organizing need.  I could look at the product catalog for hours, they’re all so PRETTY! You have GOT to check out these products!!

Features of 31 Gifts by Tiffany Totes and Purses:

• Quality material
• Sturdy, strong handles
• Personalize-able
• Limitless options in bags and storage
• Beautiful patterns and materials

Now for my review:

I was given a Large Utility Tote in the Penguin Party Print.  It is a generous sized bag with a metal frame in the top seam to offer added support for larger items to be carried and to keep the bag from closing as you are loading and carrying items around.

Cute, huh?! The possibilities of what this bag can be used for are endless!  Carrying, organizing, storing and so on!  It can be filled with gifts/food as you travel to and from holiday gatherings.  You can fill it with blankets by the book shelf/fire.  Fill it with groceries or holiday shopping items.  Save yourself several trips to and from the car!

 I have purchased other bags especially for carrying grocery items and each bag before has ripped or had handles broken.  I LOVE that the handles on the Large Utility Tote are wide, tough straps that go down the entire side of the bag for super durability!

What I Liked:

1. The amount of stuff I can fit in the bag
2. The festive pattern
3. Sturdy handles
4. Print choices

What I didn’t Like:

Nothing! Never met a Thirty-One Bag that I didn’t like!

 You can Buy It!

Tiffany would love to help you figure out the perfect product for you or help you cross off a few names on your Christmas list! Contact her for personalized shopping! 

You can Win it!

Enter this giveaway! If you win, you will get a Large Utility Tote in the Penguin Party Print from 31 Gifts by Tiffany. Use rafflecopter below!a Rafflecopter giveaway

The post 12 Days of Christmas {Day 6: Thirty-One Gifts} appeared first on Day2Day Joys.

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More and more mothers are turning to working from home in order to maintain the family budget but still stay home with their children. Whether it’s working for a network marketing company or hand making goods for an Etsy store, mamas across the country are finding ways to be home with their little ones- but it’s not always easy!

I am one such mama, and I am here to tell you- it is NOT all rainbows and butterflies and paychecks here in Work-At-Home-Mamaland. It is quite possibly the most difficult and taxing thing I’ve ever taken on- but it has been so worth it.

Today, I want to share with you some of my top tips for increasing productivity and joy as a work-at-home-mama! I hope that integrating these attitudes and routines graciously into your family will be as much of a blessing to you as it has been to me.

Top tips for increasing productivity and joy as a work-at-home-mama:

Make a priority list

It has been paramount to finding harmony within my home for me to really, honestly decide what my priorities are in my life. Once I declared that my daughter and her happiness and development were more important than my business, that helped me make daily decisions about where to spend my time. I have a written list of my priorities in my office, and it has really helped me focus on what matters most.

Take strategic planning retreats

Once a month, or perhaps once a quarter, carve out an afternoon or a day to plan your next weeks/months out ahead of time. Consider big events and goals that you will need to attend to, and things that may distract you from them as well. Being prepared will help make your day-to-day life run more smoothly.

Set measurable and attainable goals

This is key to feeling successful and keeping yourself motivated! Whether it’s a certain number of sales, a rank advancement, a number of blog posts, or releasing a new product, set goals for yourself. Then, break that goal into smaller goals! In our house, we ask: how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time…

Set business hours.

This is another really important part of being a wahm. For you, setting aside business hours might mean hiring a babysitter for a few evenings a week or asking a friend to watch your kids in the mornings. Like me, it could mean that your business hours are simply “naptime”….whatever that looks like for that day! You can be as flexible or structured as you need to be, depending on your schedule and priorities, but having these set hours enables you to turn off “work mode” and focus on family during the other parts of the week, and truly be present with them!

Look for “harmony” rather than “balance”.

Work and life balance is a buzz phrase these days, but I want to challenge you to take it further- prayerfully find harmony in integrating your work into your family. If your kids can help you stuff the pillows you are sewing, or your husband can help you talk through a business proposal, let them! Seek to let everything you do be done out of love.

Be willing to throw it all out the window.

One of the most important traits of the happy and successful wahm is the ability to be gracious with herself. Some days, business just doesn’t happen because family and homemaking need to come first. And that’s okay! We are blessed to be able to make those decisions.

Do you work from within your home? What steps do you take to increase productivity and also be present with your family?

The post Finding Harmony and Productivity for the Work-At-Home-Mama appeared first on Day2Day Joys.

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Written by Contributing Writer, KT @ One Organic Mama

My oldest son started school two weeks ago.

To say the transition was seamless… would be a lie. A big lie.  He is tired, testing boundaries, but loving his school day.  He has wonderful teachers, is making friends, and has a smile on his face when he gets off the bus everyday.  We have created a few things to help us get ready for school in the morning successfully and almost independently, as well as transition back to home in the afternoon.  

Here is what is going on in our schoolwork station:

1. Chore lists  

For some perhaps 5 is too young for ‘chores’ but our lists help us to get ready in the morning and keep organized in the afternoon.  They include both words and pictures, a spot to check each item off when we are finished, and are placed in a picture frame (so we can use dry erase marker to wipe it off each day).  They include tasks like: get dressed, brush teeth, eat breakfast, put message folder in bag, etc.  He is quite happy to be empowered to follow them himself and to contribute to our family routine.

2. Homework/schoolwork items

Whatever your student needs to complete work at home.  We have jars with markers, pencils, glue, etc.

3. A folder for school messages

This is used to put all of the handouts and communication from his teachers

4. A bin for graded/completed work

Use this for after it is displayed on the fridge

5. A quiet place to sit and practice

Creating a fun. inviting learning space that is specific for homework, art, etc. encourages a child to grow. 

How do you manage back to school time in an organized way?  What’s in your schoolwork toolbox?

The post Schoolwork Station appeared first on Day2Day Joys.

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Last year I shared with you how we “do” school, which is a combo of a co-op and homeschool. And this year we are following the same system.

We take time to reevaluate each year (and pray) to ensure this is the best way we should school our children, plus this works best for our family’s schedule.

I’m so excited about this year because we have a new school room and I have two school-aged kiddos. I have one year under my belt now so I know a little bit about the structure needed as well as understanding the curriculum we’re using. 

*This post is super long but I hope you enjoy checking out how we “do” school!  I’ll be answering these 4 questions: 

1. Where do we “do” school?
2. When do we “do” school?
3. What do we “do” in our homeschool?
4. Why do we “do” school this way?

Where do we “do” school?

At the beginning of the year, before the homebirth of our 3rd baby, we became homeowners for the first time and knew we would have a designated area for our school room, as well as a play room and “work” room for me. 

This room was FULL of boxes, with no vision in sight up until about mid-May when I was finally adjusting to the new baby and ready to tackle it. That Spring we completed our schooling in the kitchen which worked well but since we had the space I decided I would work on it throughout the summer. 

And a little secret about me… well, you know how some women are into purses or shoes, or some like to get fabric like my mom and others collect scrapbooking stuff or books, or whatever, mine are crafts and school supplies. You definitely do not need a homeschool room to homeschool but my background is elementary education, so I like it all “school-ish” looking. I can’t help it!  

Anyhow, I’m sure you can tell that we don’t live in a regular home with white walls and carpet. We live in a log-home nestled right in the middle of the city yet hidden away. Although I didn’t have to think about painting the walls to add color, I did think about adding color by the items we chose, especially the rugs. 

We were blessed to be able to budget Trofast shelving from Ikea to use for organization as well as implementing a workbox system. (It can be a bit pricey, you could try and make it yourself using this DIY Tutorial) 

If you are unfamiliar with a workbox system hop on over to pinterest, there are tons of resources, but in short– it promotes Independence, helps keep a child organized (and mom might I add), on task and to know what is coming up.

We also use the trofast shelving for supplies and books. In the three white storage boxes we have books. The top shelf is for readers. We got most of them at a discount resale store called McKay’s for 75 cents each. Next we have picture books and at the bottom are baby books for my youngest. 

Beside the Trofast shelving and the cabinets you’ll see in just a bit, we got most of the other furniture pieces from craigslist and consignment sales. Throughout the years and last school year, I had purchased a lot of things from the Dollar Tree and on clearance or after the initial back to school season when everything is marked down. I always stock up during that time.  

I also try to find deals at garage sales. One day after I dropped my kids off at co-op early last spring, I went to one of the houses down the road having a sale. I ended up buying a stainless steel pot and while I was checking out I saw a huge coffee can full of pencils, maybe around 150. The lady pretty much gave it to me for nothing but I told her to keep the 50 cent change from the pot. 

Ok, confession time. I am so happy I saved money for all those pencils but can anyone else relate to giving a monthly donation to the library? I.am.the.worst.libaray.mom! Alright, now I feel better now. All joking aside, I really AM going to work on getting the library books back on time. That’s why I decided to have an established area. We’re using a burlap wired basket. 

These desks were also an A-mazing craigslist find. These desks were only $8 each. They are the types of desks that were in my college classes, however, they seem to work well for my kiddos. Plus we have a table we use for bigger projects. 

A few of the items did cost a bigger chunk of change. The rug under the desks, the trofast and the storage cabinets. (I got the idea for these particular cabinets from Sarah @ My Joy-Filled Life) I would have loved to find these items used but after searching for a while, I couldn’t. However, I am glad we purchased them because they will lasts us a LONG time and are great for storage, even if we ever decide to not homeschool one day. 

The cabinets hold curriculum we will be using throughout the year, extra workbooks, art supplies, school supplies, spiral notebooks, construction paper, and my own craft supplies, etc. I also got a lot of learning games on zulily for 50% off recently. 

My wonderful husband put the storage cabinets together and I filled them up.  

Here’s a video tour:  

When do we “do” school?

As I mentioned earlier, my kids go to a co-op. Their school days are Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 8:45am-1:45pm. A Lovely employed teacher and assistant are there each day to teach, guide and inspire the children, and parents volunteer a lot! There are approximately 18 kids in the combined kindergarten and first grade class. 

Here’s a picture of the first day at their co-op:

Our homeschool days are on Tuesdays and Thursdays. 

This is our tentative hourly schedule, which may change as needed. The state of Tennessee requires four our hours of instruction for 180 days. 

Our Schedule

8-8:30-  Wake up, eat breakfast

9:00- Start lessons

10:30- snack, play outside

11:00- school work

12:30- lunch, a couple chores

1:00- finish up lessons

2:00- quiet reading time 

What do we “do” in our homeschool? 

Well, that’s a lot to answer lol! And I am a little nervous about having two children to teach but I am sure it will work out just fine! (I don’t know how some of you with several kids do it??) 

Since we school alongside a co-op, we use the curriculum they select. We can supplement or add subjects as we wish. I will mostly stick to what’s been assigned and add things as I see fit, like Bob Books and Hooked on Phonics for my kindergartener.

Or art or a calendar notebook we’re trying out this year or even field trips to places like the zoo, nature hikes or museums as well as helping around the house and cooking. 

 We also do some other enrichment classes like Taekwondo and we’re starting piano lessons this year. 

Here’s our curriculum for the 2014-2015 school year:

The curriculum is what we use for a prepared syllabus that is the “itinerary” of the required lessons each day that allign with the co-op days. 

Kindergarten Curriculum List

• The Word Family Activity Book
• Word Patterns to Become Successful Readers & Writers (Professional Books)
• Explode the Code Books 1, 2 & 3
• Now I’m Reading!: Animal Antics
• Now I’m Reading!: Amazing Animals
• Now I’m Reading: On the Go
• Now I’m Reading: Let’s Play
• 25 Read & Write Mini-Books
• Jump Right into Reading
• Horizons Math K 1 & 2
• McGraw Hill Science: Grade 1
• Handwriting Without Tears: Letters & Numbers for Me

First Grade Curriculum List

• Right into Reading Book 2
• Explode the Code 5
• Explode the Code 6
• Words I Use When I Write
• The Young Reader’s™ Bible
• Grammar and Punctuation, Grade 1
• Horizons Math 1st Grade 1 & 2
• Challenging Word Problems for Primary Mathematics, Level 1
• Handwriting Without Tears My Printing Book
• McGraw Hill Science: Grade 1
• And several at home readers

For both of my kids, I plan to use Grapevine Studies: Stick Figuring through the Bible for Bible.

Why do we “do” school this way?

Lastly, I wanted to share why we do this kind of schooling. It’s really simple…. our two main reasons are: being a part of our children’s learning environments and time. 

Our co-op coordinator puts it best in a recent email to the parents… “I am prayerful that this year, with all its highs and lows, will bring both you and our children deeper into relationship with your loving Father.  I want you each to know that, no matter what, this year will not be perfect.  Along with our  successes, there will be miscommunications, there will be horribly frustrating homeschool days, there will be decisions that are second guessed.  It is inevitable.  However, through all of that, through our highest points and our lowest lows, we have a Savior who is using us to guide and direct our children to Him.  Our mistakes can be used by Him just as powerfully as our successes.  God has placed you with these children, in this role, for a purpose; for His purpose.”

For our family, we want our children growing and learning in an atmosphere that we find helps point them to Christ and I also agree with all of these reasons as well. 

And then there is time. Time is short and indefinite. We only have 18 short years to help guide our children and we feel being a part of their life, learning and growing is important. 

Plus, our family doesn’t have the normal 9-5 hours like the majority of families. So our family time is often during the mornings of our homeschooling days as well as the weekends. Homeschooling also allows us to take mini-trips where we can work on our lessons and workbooks as we explore. 

Yay!!!! Standing ovation if you made it! I hope you enjoyed learning how we “do” school. I would love to hear about your experiences! 

How does your family “do” school?

Note: This post contains affiliate links, read full disclosure here. 

The post A Sneak Peek into How We “Do” School 2014-2015 appeared first on Day2Day Joys.

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Written by Steph @ Living Surrendered, Contributing Writer

When was the last time you got some photos printed? Maybe it’s been a while and you’re realizing you need to back up your iPhone while you’re at it. You’re not alone. Smart phones make it easy to snap, post, and share about our lives in milliseconds. But, what about printing the photos you love to share?

I’m a photo collector. Not a collector of random framed art, but a person who captures photos everywhere I go. I like to think of it as collecting moments… mostly in my iPhone. But, I do carry my DSLR with me too.

It’s surprising that I’m this way, because my family isn’t the biggest on taking photos and most of them avoid being on camera like the plague. I guess this is what caused me to want to capture every moment I could. I literally have tens of thousands of photos from years of hitting the shutter button and exploring new places. But I didn’t want them to just stay locked up in my iphone, computer or cardboard boxes. I wanted them on display!

So, I started making my own photo books a few years ago when I discovered Shutterfly and other sites that let you design your own. I made a photo book for every trip and major event in my life. I also started making yearbooks that illustrated what was happening in our lives that past year, collage walls of artistic shots I took and hanging gallery wraps. I have many of the photo books in my living room book shelf and they are often pulled out and looked through during visits with family.

One of the reasons I love to digital scrapbook is that they are neatly designed and preserved in professionally printed book. No glue, glitter or ruined originals. They are stored online for reprints if something happened to them (like a fire) or if Grandma sees your book and wants a copy.

So, if you haven’t ordered any prints recently… here are 7 reasons why you should!

1. It’s the most personal way to decorate your home

Updating your picture frames even twice a year brings a fresh look to your home. It’s a great way to show off your photography, show of those adorable kids (or pets!) and give you a visual of the happy moments your family enjoys.

2. Having a hard copy is essential

Iphones, cameras and websites are great, but they are not fail-proof. I usually back my photos up to an external hard drive, a website, a DVD and get copies printed. If one fails, I have other options. I actually back my photos up from my cell phone to the Shutterfly app just in case. What if you lost your phone before backing it up?

3. Sharing with family

Some of my family know that when an important day is coming up, I will be there with my camera… and I will make a photo book or have them printed in some way. They know that I will be gifting some sort of photo creation. These gifts are awesome because they are personal and unique to each occasion.

4. You can get creative

Whether it is a photo book, canvas or gallery in your home, the options are endless. I love being able to tailor each project to my home. I love seeing unique wall art made from snapshots in people’s homes. It also gives me a reason to get crafty and try some of those Pinterest ideas I see every day!

5. Having only professional prints on the walls is expensive and boring

How often do you get family portraits done? Not often, if you’re like most families. That doesn’t mean the candid photos can’t be hung. And honestly, they will probably strike up more conversations than the brown-backdrop-studio shot you had done 4 years ago.

6. They are inspiration

Having photos hung in your home serve the purpose of reminding you of a memory or to inspire you for the future. I love to hang photos of my family, but also places I’ve been or would love to travel to. Use them to inspire you!

7. Evoking emotion with the real deal

There’s something awesome about holding the print and remembering the day it was taken. There’s nothing like a hard copy to hold, pass around and archive. It’s also the best way to scan a copy. You can’t scan a copy of a photo book and get good results.

Ready to print some memories? Here are a few of my favorite tried-and-true sites (not affiliated, just really love them!):

Photo books:

• Shutterfly – This site is the most user-friendly out there. It’s loaded with beautiful designs, pre-made templates and endless design options. If you create an account, they will send you coupons for discounted photo books or even free books often. I have ordered many, many books from them and have yet to be disappointed.
• Blurb – This site allows you to create photo books of your Instagram photos. It’s fantastic and fun!
• MyPublisher – This site is less user-friendly, but still offers quite a few options. Their prices tend to be a bit higher but they run special deals all the time, like buy 1 get 2 free.
• Snapfish – This is another budget friendly site with plenty of options. I don’t prefer the restrictions on design (I’m a designer at heart) so this is not my favorite site. But, most people aren’t looking to do the things I want to, making this a great site for people who want easy, pre-made options.

Print sites:

• Shutterfly – Again shutterfly is a fantastic site for prints because they offer storage of your albums, the ability to import from Facebook and the ability to share albums with your friends and family who are also on Shutterfly. And again, they send coupons often.
• CPQ – If you’re looking to have some professional quality prints done for very reasonable prices, this site is one of my go-to sites. It takes an initial set up, test print order and account confirmation, but after that it’s a gem. I shoot with my DSLR camera a lot and want high-res images that are high quality when printed. Using this site I get exactly that. They too run specials often (Like BOGO on gallery wraps)!
• Easy Canvas Prints – This site is the most budget friendly for gallery wrap prints. I recently ordered a 24×36 photo of our wedding photo and got it for $55 with shipping. That is ridiculously cheap… and yes, the quality was perfect for hanging. They run specials constantly and offer a variety of sizes, options and layouts.
• StickyGram – This site is pretty awesome. They sell a grid of 9 Instagram photo magnets for $15. This is a great way to pop your favorite Insta photos on your fridge.

Anyone else a camera fanatic like me? What are your favorite ways to display your memories?

The post 7 Reasons Why You Should Print Your Photos {and where to do it} appeared first on Day2Day Joys.

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Written by Karli @ Feed Me Mama, Contributing Writer

One of the biggest investments I have made in myself as a homemaker is purchasing a really nice, well thought out planner. The most useful part of my beloved planner is that each day has it’s own page, with it’s own “to do list” section. At night before I go to bed, and then again in the morning, I add to and edit my to-do list for the day, adding things I didn’t accomplish from the day before making sure I am not forgetting anything pertinent for the current day. Most days, I add many more items than I know that I think I can accomplish- but some days, I end up getting them all done anyway!

A few days ago, however, I got a serious kick in the pants from the Lord about my to do list.

It wasn’t a particularly busy day, mostly filled with laundry and random errands, but the list was full. Soon after waking, my mother called me with an emergency and needed me to come over to watch my brothers for a few hours- and I needed to be there in ten minutes! I quickly dressed the baby, started a load of laundry, and hopped into the car.

Flash forward to the end of the day- the laundry was still in the dryer, the to-do list was totally unchecked, and dinner was bought from the store. I felt like a failure as I apologized to my husband for not getting the sheets onto the bed after washing them early in the morning. I felt like I hadn’t don’t my job that day, as I carefully re-wrote the to-do list for the following day.

It was in that moment that I felt the Lord whisper his approval to me, reminding me that I had done His work, that I had served my mother and family and has still gotten things done around the home.

In the Lord’s eyes, I had accomplished what I needed to for the day simply by being obedient and willing to serve.

Maybe I didn’t feel like the supermom I wanted to, checking off the entire to-do list and starting with a blank slate the next day, but I had helped build the Kingdom by blessing my family.

How often do we chain ourselves to a to-do list, chores, or activities that we feel like we need to do in order to be a successful homemaker? Do we put this list before the actual, present needs of our families? Are we so busy “keeping the home” that we neglect to mother, to be emotionally and spiritually available, or even to be supportive wives?

To-do lists are beautiful things- they can increase our productivity, keep us centered and focused, and even bless our families with their results. But as homemakers, we must hold ourselves to a standard of grace, not perfection, as we set out to do the Lord’s work above all else.

Have you ever felt guilty for not completing your to-do list? I hope you offer yourself grace today!

The post Are You a Slave to Your To-Do List? appeared first on Day2Day Joys.

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A New Year always brings new hopes, dreams, plans…We’re gonna climb that mountain, lose that weight, change that character flaw.  Hopes and dreams flying about in our heads, but it’s overwhelming, we don’t know the process to get there and so by mid-January we’ve already forgotten or given up.  Aren’t New Years resolutions made to be broken anyhow?

Do you have big plans for this New Year?  Have you put together a list of goals?  I have a horrible tendency of starting off with a bang and then quickly getting distracted and fizzling out.  So how to keep this from happening?  How to keep the sparks flying throughout the year?

My favorite way is by creating a “Dreamboard!”

I am a very visual person.  If it’s not on my list or written on my calendar, it won’t happen!  So if these goals I want to accomplish are not constantly in front of me, they will most likely NOT be accomplished.

Where to start?

1.  Always start with your “WHY?” 

Pray hard about it! Why do you want to accomplish these goals this year?  Who are you doing these things for?  Your family?  Yourself?  Because you want to become a better… (fill in the blank).  It’s different for each of us, but what I always hear said and I know myself to be true is that your “WHY” should make you cry!  It should be very personal and dear to your heart.

I have goals this year in my family life, personal life and business life.  However, they are all very intertwined and one leads to another and if I talk about it in detail, the tears come every time.

2. Find your Inspiration!

Who or what inspires you to become or do these goals?  Do you have a support/accountability group?  Someone you look up to?  I love the quote, “Find someone who has what you want and do what they do!”  Surrounding yourself with likeminded people with similar goals will push you further and faster towards those goals.

3. Daily Motivation.

Our minds can be a dangerous weapon against us.  How easily we can fall into the trap of negativity.  There is a constant spiritual war against us!  We are much more likely to focus on the negative comments or events in our lives that the blessings we have received.  So print or write out positive words of motivation and plaster your walls with them!  Filling up your mind with God’s truth and words of encouragement will leave no room for defeating negative thoughts.

4. Be Specific!

Write down your list of goals and then break it down into bite size pieces.  What can you do daily, weekly and monthly to reach these goals?  Write it on your calendar and keep the appointment!  There will always be other things to distract us, so take these appointments very seriously.

5. Update throughout the year.

I suggest updating your board at least quarterly as you accomplish goals, get new ideas and see areas with a need for change or growth.

Will you use a Dreamboard this year?  What motivates you?

The post Creating a Dreamboard For The New Year appeared first on Day2Day Joys.

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*note from Rachel: This is Kim’s last post here, she has a busy family and life and I’d ask that you keep her in your prayers as she moves on to all God has for her!

Photo by Kim Wilson

I love bins, bottles and jars! And I’ve recently been taking advantage of the use of all three in making my kitchen storage areas more efficient.

Photo by Kim Wilson

It all began with the freezer a couple of weeks ago. Now, keep in mind, this is the same fridge I’ve owned for over eight years and this idea hadn’t occurred to me until now. We don’t use an ice maker, but I’ve kept the bin that would catch the ice in the freezer and kept bags of bulk items (seeds, flours, etc.) in it.

Then the thought came to me- why don’t I add a couple of more bins to the freezer. I “stole” some from our toy area and was blown away by how it improved my freezer storage. All the frozen veggies stood up nicely in one bin. Frozen berries and bananas filled another bin. On and on until everything was sorted and easily accessible in their own bins. Then I took a look at the door shelves and thought that could use some sprucing up too. I poured seeds, flours and grains into quart jars and lined them up neatly on the shelf. Yay!– space-efficient, tidy and handy!

Photo by Kim Wilson

My pantry (metal shelving from a membership warehouse store) had started bothering me too. Assorted bags, of various sizes and shapes, cluttered the shelves. I had roughly sorted things into categories of foods (snacks, gluten-free flours, nuts and dried fruits, etc.) and had used some bins to do so  but I realized most of these items were things I regularly kept on hand and could warrant their own storage vessel. I started pouring poppy seeds into a cute little jar, cashews into a quart-size canning jar and raisins into a pint jar. I debated about adding labels, but realized that the jars on their own were attractive and self-explanatory. Hurray!– another storage problem solved.

I’ve found that storing items in this way has helped me to keep on top of inventory as well. When a jar is getting low, I know to add that item to my shopping list. When they were in assorted bags I wasn’t really aware of where things were at.

It seems with each transition to a new year I’m always keen to find new ways to organize in our home. The kitchen is a common target with these efforts. Different years I’ve focused on different areas.

Maybe you’ll find one or two you’d like to tackle this year!

Bulk Items and Baking Tools

General Storage, Cutting boards and Cooking utensils

I’d love to hear some of your kitchen organization tips. I’m always looking for new inspiration!

The post Optimizing Kitchen Storage appeared first on Day2Day Joys.

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