Home Keeping

Kara’s Collection: Bread and Wine by Shauna Niequist

Kara’s Collection: Bread and Wine by Shauna Niequist

From an article originally posted March 31, 2014…

"The heart of hospitality is about creating space for someone to feel seen and heard and loved. It’s about declaring your table a safe zone, a place of warmth and nourishment."
― Shauna Niequist, Bread & Wine: A Love Letter to Life Around the Table, with Recipes

Alright, I’m a new fan. I’m only a few chapters in, and I’m ready to sing from the mountain tops that I love this woman. This book is at the very heart of how I want to live, try to live, and hope for my well days to be lived.

Kara’s Collection: Quirky, Quirk, Quirk!

Kara’s Collection: Quirky, Quirk, Quirk!

From an article originally posted January 13, 2014…

I have more than a few quirks; I have shared them here, and I’m compiling a list for yet another post exposing the oddities of me, and I can hardly wait to hear more from each of you. It was by far one of my favorite posts I wrote last year. I learned so much about each of you.

Kara’s Collection: Laundry Love Unfolded

Kara’s Collection: Laundry Love Unfolded

From an article originally posted August 30, 2013…

I’m not sure I know many people who love doing laundry; I certainly don’t. I was given the task of my own laundry at a rather young age, which meant that I mostly wore dirty clothes. As I entered domestic life, I knew this was an area I wanted to love my family. I will not mind if I have to teach my children to do laundry as they leave for college. I feel this is an area I’m happy to love them. Not simple love, but love that pushes through a task I don’t really love. Shoot, I can snuggle-love all day, but laundry love, that costs.

Kara’s Collection: Projects, purge, and a slow mind

Kara’s Collection: Projects, purge, and a slow mind

From an article originally posted July 31, 2013…

Yesterday started with such promise and might have sputtered along in a few hormonal outbursts. But I will say, the day ended well. Before Jason headed off to work, he hung up the clothesline he had gotten me. With a little one trying bedtime without a pull-up, I needed the line to save our electric bill. It was up in all its glory. I was tickled.

Then it fell, clothes, blankets and all.

Kara’s Collection: Overcoming Stereotypes

Kara’s Collection: Overcoming Stereotypes

From an article originally posted July 24, 2013…

Each of us has some kind of stereotype to overcome, break free from, and find strength where only weakness is felt. For me, this area is home keeping. I actually keep a pretty tidy home. I have come a long, long way. But this is an area of extreme self-loathing for me. I once hated myself for almost a year because my front coat closet was a wreck. One day I decided I would face it. Guess how long it took? 15 minutes. Seriously, 15 minutes. I couldn’t believe it. I hated myself over that closet. 15 minutes was all it took.