SUPPORTING our small Christian school by helping to create some fun projects for the Gala live auction. The Wood burned ‘signs of the cross’ mirror was created by the 7th and 8th grade students. Even though they were nervous to work with the wood burning tool at first, they were able to finish a beautiful work of art!
This adorable ‘God’s work of art’ chair was something all 100+ students from grades K-8 had a part in. Each was given a small teardrop shape to decorate any way they wanted. It turned out amazing!
RUNNING on a daily basis. The weather has finally been cooperative enough for the adults to run outside two to three days per week. School track practice has also begun.
{D} is running for his first year with the middle school, and is really being pushed hard. He is in the middle distance group, which means he focuses on the 400m and 800m races. High jump is also something he is learning. At his first track meet of the season, {D} was able to race to a 2nd place finish in the 400, and a 6th place finish in the 800.
We are proud of his commitment to the sport, even though he claims to not like running very much.
Angela is also once again helping to coach track at our school. It is a much smaller program that focuses on the younger grades, teaching them the basics of proper running and jumping form, and learning how to encourage one another. There are about twelve participants, including {I}.
PREPARING the land to build. We had a bit of a shock at the beginning of April, when our house building estimates came back much higher than we anticipated. After talking with our contractor, material supplier, and the bank, we were able to get the overall numbers down to a reasonable level.
There is still one more major hurdle to cross before we can break ground though. The appraisal will need to meet a certain dollar value for this project to make sense. And, although we need to wait another week for the results of the report, we are moving forward with the hope that we will be able to break ground mid May, as scheduled. In the meantime, we have been out to the site and have begun clearing trees.
We do have a peace about the entire situation, and if the numbers don’t come back as we hope, we will be going back to the drawing board to work it all out. We are committed to building something on this site of ours!
CELEBRATING Easter! Our family had such a blessed Easter together. In the week leading up to Easter, we were able to view our church’s Passion Drama and really take in the true meaning of this all important holiday.
Easter morning we woke early for the sunrise church service. It is always such a beautiful service. The church is filled with white lilies and the brass quartet plays all of the amazing victorious hymns.
After the service we attended a brunch of egg bake and fruit, served by the youth. Once home, we had a small egg hunt for the kids. They all seemed to really enjoy working together to gather them all! In the evening we visited grandpa and grandma Jackson at their house for a delicious ham dinner.
It was such a special day!
This is just a glimpse at what our family has been up to. If you’d like a closer look, be sure to check out our weekly ‘mini vlogs’ on our family YouTube channel ARROW HILL FAMILY. Be well everyone!
Today I am excited to share with you a few of the design elements we are planning for our new cottage. Hopefully, by the end of this post you will have a good sense of what our finished interior space might look like.
OUR FOREVER HOUSE
To be honest, I haven’t given a ton of thought to the interiors of any of the houses we have lived in. I think, in part, it is because I knew we would only be living in them temporarily.
This house though, being our forever house, has caused me to think more critically. We want to be very intentional about what we surround ourselves with.
MIXING OLD WITH NEW
Though we are building a brand new home, we feel it is important to incorporate items that have seen a bit more life, and wear and tear. The reason for this is twofold. Number one, we don’t want to feel that we can never touch anything, or be worried that our kids might break something.
Number two, we feel that a new house can seem a bit bland and stark if everything is perfect and new. A mix of found items can really help to give the interiors a casual, comfortable, and lived-in and vibe.
MAIN DESIGN ELEMENTS
There are four main categories of inspiration that I will be discussing: geometry, color, texture, and specialty items. They all work together to form an overall design style that is simple and orderly while also comfortable and casual.
Geometry
As an architecture major, I am fascinated with geometry. I love how simple lines and shapes can come together to form something interesting and beautiful.
One example of how we plan to incorporate geometric design into our new cottage is the five panel doors we have chosen. They mimic the pair of wooden doors we refinished last summer. I think they have a classic look that will pair well with the simple lines of the cottage.
This window also displays basic, yet interesting geometry. I saw it out of the corner of my eye one day when I was browsing through an antique shop. Though it was priced higher than I wanted to pay, I could not get my mind off of it. Eventually came home with me, and we have loved it ever since.
Color Scheme
When it comes to color theory, I am definitely one who prefers a mostly neutral palette, with pops of interesting color. Knowing what colors to ‘pop’ with has been something I have slowly learned through the years.
In fact, the realization of the color scheme for our new house came to me a bit by accident. A few years ago I purchased this simple pillow. It kind of spoke to me, even though I couldn’t really put my finger on why. The pillow has been a mainstay in our living room since that day, and every time I look at it I smile.
It wasn’t until recently that I realized that the pillow brings a couple of my very favorite design elements to life. The geometric pattern is simple, and pleasing to the eye. But also, the colors themselves are those I tend to gravitate toward. With the exception of the tan color, which I would replace with a mustard yellow.
Without even knowing it, I have been accumulating items with these colors and bringing them into our home.
This rust-red pitcher, for example, adds just the right amount of color. And the small lithograph print features many of my favorites.
Texture
I am a huge fan of texture. More specifically, neutral texture. It is one of the reasons I am a sucker for a woven basket or a macrame wall hanging.
This pillow is one of the ways that I added a bit of texture to our home decor. I created a blog post a while back which details the steps to make one for yourself. I will be re-doing the video link in the near future. There have been people who have tried to make the project and have commented that the video could use a few more step by step instructions.
Other textured items might be really subtle. This pair of white bowls, for example, have a small bit of ribbing around their rims. I think this tiny bit of detail really adds visual interest to an otherwise ordinary piece.
Special Items
A house filled with generic, store bought items will not have the same feeling as one adorned with well loved items. Displaying items that bring you joy or remind you of someone you love is the perfect way to make a new house feel like home.
We have special items of all types that we plan to utilize at our new cottage. The cabinet in this vignette, for example, is one of a set that my husband painstakingly restored this past winter. He put so much effort into them, and they are absolutely stunning!
A cream can, saved from the run down farmstead of my great-grandparents, will become a special conversation piece in the cottage.
This crate has been used as a toy box for many years by our children. We plan to bring it with us when we move. Although it may eventually be filled with different items, it will forever hold the memories of a time when our kids were younger and enjoyed it as a toy box.
We are so excited to see all of these design elements come to live in our new home! If you would like to be the first to know about the construction timeline, be sure to subscribe to my email newsletter. I will be sending out house information there first. Also, consider subscribing to the Arrow Hill Cottage YouTube Channel. There, I plan to post a house building update once per week, as soon as we break ground.
Thanks for stopping by! I enjoy sharing this journey with all of you!
TAKE A CLOSER LOOK
In this video, I do a little walk-through of each piece in the vignette. I describe the design elements and talk about each piece and how they represent the elements.
This simple recipe creates a cashew chicken dish that is healthy and delicious. Full of flavor, and low on carbs, it is sure to become a family favorite!
This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. See my full disclosure here
SIMPLE CASHEW CHICKEN
I am constantly on the hunt for family friendly dishes that can be made quickly. Let’s face it, with five kids to care for, I don’t have time to mess around with overly complicated recipes. This meal can be ready in less than 20 minutes, and all in one pot – which makes cleaning up a breeze!
Both of our daughters are Chinese, and we also try to include meals that reflect their birth culture. This recipe is very flavorful and fragrant. It also has a wonderful nutty texture that makes it fun to eat!
HOW TO MAKE CASHEW CHICKEN
Watch the step by step video for instructions on how to make this delicious recipe, and read below for details on ingredients and kitchen tools needed.
CASHEW CHICKEN INGREDIENTS
This combination of healthy ingredients pack a high protein punch – to fill you up, without the extra calories you might get from takeout Chinese.
Ingredients
4-6 Chicken breasts (cooked + cut into 1 inch pieces) OR 1 bag of precooked frozen chicken strips
1 cup natural cashews
1 red bell pepper
4 dates (pits removed)
1 bunch spring/green onions
1/2 cup gluten free soy sauce
4 TBSP apple cider vinegar
4 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
Kitchen Tools
cutting board + knife
large saucepan
wooden spoon
RECIPE INSTRUCTIONS
Making this cashew chicken recipe is super simple. Follow these instructions for a perfect dish every time!
In a large skillet or saucepan, add cashews and allow them to toast for 5 minutes over medium heat – stirring frequently
While cashews are toasting, dice the onions and pepper
Add olive oil to the pan, then diced vegetables. Saute’ for 5 additional minutes
Cut dates into small pieces. Be sure to remove the pits!
Add precooked chicken to the pan, then soy sauce, vinegar, and dates
Let the entire mixture simmer on Low/medium heat for 5-10 minutes until sauce thickens
If desired, cook rice or cauliflower rice to serve mixture over
This cashew chicken mixture is delicious on it’s own. But if you need to make your meals stretch further, as we do in our house, serve over white rice or cauliflower rice. An additional, delicious option is to use the mixture to fill lettuce wraps. Yum!
If you love the taste of Chinese take-out, but want to cut down on calories, try this healthy cashew chicken alternative. It is easy to make and oh-so flavorful!
In a large skillet or saucepan, add cashews and allow them to toast for 5 minutes over medium heat - stirring frequently
While cashews are toasting, dice the onions and pepper
Add olive oil to the pan, then diced vegetables. Saute' for 5 additional minutes
Cut dates into small pieces. Be sure to remove the pits!
Add precooked chicken to the pan, then soy sauce, vinegar, and dates
Let the entire mixture simmer on low/medium heat for 10-15 minutes, until sauce thickens
If desired, cook rice or cauliflower rice to serve mixture over
MAKE IT HEALTHY!
There are a few tips that will help you make this recipe as healthy as it can be. First, be sure to use all natural, non-salted cashew pieces. The salt will not be missed, I promise!
Also, look for non-sweetened dates. There are many varieties of dates that come pre-chopped for convenience, but it is likely that they contain quite a bit of additional sugar.
Gluten free, and reduced sodium soy sauce is also a healthy alternative to try for this recipe.
Today I want to share how I tackled the spring cleaning of our back entryway / mudroom space. With speed. This Spring speed cleaning means that we are now set up for the warmer weather ahead. Bring it on!
SPRING SPEED CLEANING
It’s that time of year. When transitioning from one season to the next, you are never quite sure which items to keep out. Will snow boots be necessary, or will flip flops suffice? How heavy of a coat will be needed? This questioning creates a major clutter problem, at least at our house. Essentially, everything is left out, ‘just in case’ it might be needed.
I finally got tired of tripping over all the excess left out by our five children, and set to work on cleaning up our back entryway / mudroom space.
This is quite possibly the most awkward space I have ever been tasked to organize. It is small, and filled with stairs. The one little bit of flat floor space that it has just happens to be in the path of the door swing. Not a great setup for a functional mudroom; But we are renting this house, and there isn’t much we can do about it.
Thankfully, this should be the last season change we make here, and come next winter we will be able to utilize the mudroom at Arrow Hill Cottage!
MUDROOM SPACE BEFORE THE SPEED CLEANING
We have done our best to maximize what little space the mudroom has to offer, by putting up coat hooks and using a shelf as a shoe organizer. It seems to never fail though, after a few weeks, this space needs to be organized yet again.
Because have five small children who use this mudroom on a daily basis, I know full well that my efforts to clean and organize it will only last a limited amount of time. That is simply the nature of this type of space. Thankfully, it isn’t an area that guests typically see.
Instead of using an entire day to deep clean, as I have done in other rooms, I opted to practice speed cleaning. I set my timer for sixty minutes, and got to work.
SPEED CLEANING TIPS
For a successful speed cleaning in your own house, consider these valuable tips.
KNOW WHAT YOU ARE WALKING INTO
Survey the space you want to clean, and think about all of the tasks needed to get the job done. It might be helpful to write out a list, which you can reference while cleaning.
Understand that during a speed cleaning session, you may not be able to cross off every item that is on your list. Prioritize which are most important, and start with those first.
SET A TIME LIMIT
More importantly, be sure to stick to it! I recommend no more than one hour of efforts in any one space. It is quite motivating to know that once the timer rings, you can put away the cleaning supplies and be done. Having a time limit is also likely to keep you moving at a good pace. You may subconsciously try to ‘beat the clock’, so to speak.
STAY FOCUSED
Speed cleaning should aim to improve the overall appearance of the space, without fussing over minor issues and unnecessary details. For example, organizing shoes in a mudroom might be a good use of time. Removing dirt from the bottom of shoes, on the other hand, could stall your progress.
DON’T BE A PERFECTIONIST
Just as you can’t buy everything you might desire when you are living on a tight budget, you won’t be able to perfect a space that is cleaned in a short amount of time. Again, the point of speed cleaning is to do something, not everything. Even small improvements matter when it comes to cleaning, decluttering and organizing a space.
WATCH ME SPEED CLEANING
I recorded the process of changing our mudroom over for the season. Notice how important it is to make quick decisions. While cleaning and organizing the mudroom, I was also thinking about decluttering. There were plenty of items that I was able to toss or donate!
I came across rain boots with giant holes, gloves that looked like they had gone through a shredder, and outgrown snow pants.
Following my own advice, I stopped after my pre-determined hour had expired. That meant that I wasn’t able to get to everything I had hoped. The items that are left-over can be tackled easily on another day.
THE RESULTS (AFTER)
Considering only sixty minutes were invested in this space, I am quite pleased with the end results. My main objective was to free the steps of clutter. Gone are the boots that we constantly tripped on, as well as the box of snacks. Success!
The second priority I had was to switch out seasonal items. Winter snow pants, boots, hats, gloves, and ice skates were all cleaned quickly and packed away. The summer towels and swimming suits were brought out of storage, and each child’s rain boots were given a specific spot.
Shoes are now neatly placed on the shelf. As mentioned before, I am not fooled into thinking it will stay looking like this for long. I will, however, surely enjoy the clutter free space while I can!
Of course, I also did a quick sweep, and mopped the entire floor. In addition, the muddy parts of the walls got a spray down. The room has a nice, bright feeling to it now.
There was not enough time to tackle the shelf closest to the door. This shelf houses many partially used cans of paint. I have a feeling that most of them will need to be disposed of, when we move. And so, I feel comfortable leaving the task for later.
ADDITIONAL CLEANING RESOURCES
Do you need more motivation to get started on your own speed cleaning? These resources might be helpful.
Raising a family is difficult enough without having to worry about money challenges. Today I share the money saving tips that our large family uses to relieve the pressures.
We are a fairly frugal family. In part, because, for many years we have relied solely on one income for our day to day expenses. My husband has been the primary bread-winner for our family. Any additional money that I am able to bring in, through designing homes or other various small business ideas, has always gone toward debt payment. Or, applied to any ‘extras’ that we are saving up for, such as Christmas gifts.
This financial set-up has allowed us a lot of flexibility. I have been able to be a stay at home/ work from home mom for over twelve years now. It has also meant that we need to be very careful with how each dollar is spent. We are big believers in the importance of following a budget, which I will discuss a bit later in this post.
First though, I want to share with you some of the most effective money saving tips that our family uses, to live on one income comfortably.
CUT THE CORDS
Technology really seems to be king, and they know it! They like to lure you in with introductory prices, and then increase your rates once you have gotten comfortable. Advertisements from technology companies leave you feeling that you need their products, when in reality you may not.
Cable tv
One of the first large sacrifices that we decided to make was to eliminate cable tv. We found that, out of the two hundred plus channels offered with our cable package, we watched only a handful. Instead, we switched to Netflix, which is just a fraction of the monthly cost. An added bonus is that there is a huge variety of kid programming, which allows our children to access their favorites whenever they want, and without the need for a dvr.
The blog Young House Love wrote a wonderful article about how they cut their cable tv. They tried out a variety of alternate options and compared them. If you are considering making the switch away from cable tv, I highly recommend you read this post.
Phone
We also cut our phone cord. It seemed to us that most of the calls we were getting on our home phone were coming from telemarketers or people who dialed the wrong number. Switching to a ‘home’ cell phone was our solution. When people ask us for our home phone number, we give them the number of that cell phone and nobody is the wiser.
This setup will be even more useful when our oldest son begins driving or attending activities away from home. We can simply hand him this dedicated cell phone to use, instead of getting him his own plan.
EAT AT HOME
Eating out is ridiculously expensive. Once the tip is added in, a sit down restaurant meal for our family can easily top one hundred dollars. Considering a weeks worth of groceries for our family of seven is just slightly over one hundred and twenty five dollars each week, eating out doesn’t make any sense at all. One of my long term goals for Arrow Hill Cottage is to grow a large portion of our own food, and learn how to preserve fruits and veggies through canning.
Meal planning
We have been following meal plans for a couple of years now. I started out with a four week rotation, then added a couple extra weeks into the mix, for variety. I have plans to feature my favorite recipes on the blog, complete with a video tutorial of each meal, so be watching for that!
Pack lunches
School lunch is another area where a lot of money can be saved. At our kid’s school, a meal is just shy of three dollars. Multiply that times five kids, and just one week of meals can run up a seventy-five dollar bill! Because of this, I am sure to pack lunches for our kids a majority of the time.
The rule at our house is that each child is allowed to pick their two favorite meals each week, to eat from the cafeteria. The remaining meals are brought from home, and the kids have a hand in picking out what goes into the lunch boxes. We also tell them to bring home whatever portion of their cold lunch isn’t finished at school, so that they can use that food as an after school snack. Less food waste means money money in our pockets!
BUY SECONDHAND
There is a thrill in buying a brand new item, sure. But, generally speaking, you aren’t likely to be getting the best value for your money by making this type of purchase all the time. In fact, one of the best money saving tips that I can offer is to buy items secondhand whenever it is feasible.
Vehicles you can afford
Surely you already know that new vehicles go down in value as soon as they leave the sales lot. And, besides your home, the vehicles you purchase for your family might be one of the largest purchases you will ever make. Because of this, it is very important to find a good deal.
Buying used can sometimes have a stigma; But I highly doubt that many people could spot a used, four year old vehicle over one that is brand new, just by looking at it.
Shop used items
Shopping at second hand stores for household items, clothing, and toys can also save a lot of money.
I firmly believe that second hand stores have really upped their game in recent years. Generally, they do a good job of screening broken, stained or blemished items. Those that make it to the store shelves have a lot of life left in them.
You can find some real treasures, and save a bundle!
DO IT YOURSELF
You can save your family a lot of money by learning to do things by yourself, instead of calling somebody to do the job for you. With online access, tutorials for just about everything can be found. From small car repairs to craft projects, a video reference is likely available.
Even basic daily chores, done yourself, can save you money. Simple tasks that we personally take on ourselves include mowing our own grass and washing our vehicles by hand, instead of going through the car wash. I also learned how to cut hair, which saves us at least $80 per month.
VACATION NEAR HOME
Family vacations, though wonderful for creating memories, can really put a dent in your pocket book. Instead of spending a ton on airfare, lodging, and restaurants, consider vacationing closer to home.
For example, we live in Minnesota’s lake country but personally do not live on a lake. Our kids are just as thrilled to stay the weekend at a local lake cabin as they would be to travel to Disneyland. Being able to play on the beach and put our toes in the sand is a change of pace for all of us, even if the location to home is close.
ELIMINATE THE EXTRAS
If you are looking for a place to start for a quick money saving win, this is it. An extra is anything that you use to treat yourself on a regular basis, or something that you don’t use often but like to have available.
Though they aren’t typically large expenses, put together they tend to add up. For example, that morning coffee that costs close to five dollars at the posh coffee shop, could be replaced for a much more budget friendly home brewed cup.
Memberships
Memberships can be particularly luring because they offer up a convenience factor. Consider if you make it to the gym often enough to justify the monthly price you are paying, or if you could stay fit by working out at home.
Do you need the weekly food prep service delivered to your door, or would an effective meal plan do the trick?
Entertainment
Many people don’t think about the free forms of entertainment that are available. The library not only loans out books, but music cds and movies as well. Consider borrowing something for free every once in a while, instead of always rushing to the theater each time a new film comes on the big screen.
Take in the public park in lieu of paying an entrance fee to an amusement park or museum.
RESEARCH SPLURGES
There will definitely come a time when you will be purchasing big ticket items such as a new television, furniture piece, or appliance. These purchases should not be taken lightly, as they should be considered as an investment item.
Talk with friends who have recently purchased similar items and ask their opinions and recommendations. Do a bit of online research with company such as Consumer Reports.
It is also important to note that certain items do tend to go on sale certain times of the year. Find out when the sales happen, and save yourself some money!
JUST SAY NO
This might not be a popular tip to discuss, but it is very important. Saying no to ourselves seems to be particularly difficult, as it makes us feel as if we are denying ourselves of something we deserve. In reality though, by making a foolish purchase you could be denying yourself financial stability.
Don’t use credit
It is as simple as that. It is just too easy to buy something on credit with the intention to pay it off. And maybe most of the time you are able to do that. But what happens if there is an unexpected event that prevents you from doing so. The interest rates are going to bite you, and make you wish you had never made the purchase in the first place.
Don’t let yourself get into that type of situation. When you use the money that you actually have to buy what you need, you can feel confident that it won’t break you.
Stay out of stores
With almost one hundred percent certainty, I can predict that if you walk into a store to ‘just window shop’ , you will walk out of it with something you didn’t actually need. I know this is true, because it happens to me all the time!
When we had our month long No Spend Challenge, our eyes were opened to this phenomenon. By simply staying out of the stores entirely, we saved quite a bit of cash.
To kids
Sometimes saying ‘no’ also means saying no to our kids. Whether it is them asking for another toy, or wanting to sign up for an event, remember that it is your money that you are using. All the final decisions of where it goes will rest on your shoulders.
Likewise, don’t feel as though you need to sign your child up for expensive activities just to keep them busy or give them a chance to meet friends. If they aren’t that into it, it’s okay to skip.
For example, our oldest son was involved in soccer as a third and fourth grader. By the summer of his fifth grade year he was eligible for the traveling team. The cost of this program was two hundred and fifty dollars, and would require that nearly every weekend of the summer would be spent on the road in attendance of a game. We asked him if he loved soccer enough, to make that large of a commitment (both in time and money). He told us no. Kids are smart.
USE A BUDGET
If you get nothing else from this list of tips, please hear this. Budgeting is so, so important. Sure, it isn’t the most fun thing to do in the world, but it will make a world of difference.
We have used a budget for well over ten years, and I honestly don’t think it would be possible for me to go without one at this point. It is so helpful to not only see how much money we have to work with each month, but also to track our spending as the days go by. If we find ourselves overspending in one category month after month, we can re-evaluate the situation and determine if we have been foolish, or if that category needs to be beefed up.
Personally, I love the Everydollar budgeting software and app, which are both free! There are plenty of other popular and well respected options though, such as YNAB (You Need a Budget) and Mint. Check them each out, and determine which is a good fit for your family.
MONEY SAVING TIPS VIDEO
Listen to me discuss our families most successful money saving tips.
SAVE THESE TIPS
If you are looking for ways to cut everyday costs, and boost your savings, be sure to pin these money saving tips!
