Getting Ready . . .

Are you beginning to plan for holiday dinners and parties?
At our house, that means making sure the good dishes are ready to use -- clean and accessible. But the good dishes aren't just for everyday use. It's fun to surprise your family, and use them on a more everyday basis.
Of course, that means something might be broken, but it's worth it to see the look on your family's faces when they realize you did something so special just for them.
And it gives them a chance to practice their best manners.
Read more about good dishes and other graces in this post from Blissfully Domestic.

Hymns, Again

I love hymns. I've loved them ever since I was a little girl sitting in the midst of a congregation of people who loved to sing them, who sang them well, and who loved to share their passion for hymns with anyone who listened.
Since then I've found a lot of different ways to enjoy hymns. Valerie, who blogs about music for Inspired Bliss, recently highlighted Bart Millard in her Music Video of the Week.
I wasn't particularly familiar with Bart Millard, but I'm a fan now! Check out Millard and his band with I Saw The Light! Hope you enjoy this as much as I do!

Something Old, Something New . . .

It's always exciting to start something new.
For me something new is a new weekly column on the Blissfully Domestic website, on the Inspired Bliss channel. You can find my first Grandma on Board column here, and a new column again each Thursday. You can also use the Inspired Bliss button on the side column of Notes from Home to find the Inspired Bliss website and explore all the other excellent posts on that channel.
Oh -- the something old?
That would be me!

One Fun Thing for the End of August . . .

Now that the kids are back in school and summer seems to be considering her exit strategy, my natural inclination is to take a look at my surroundings. There is something about this time of year that makes me want to freshen things up, cook something delicious, even clean!
Not knowing how long this nesting instinct will last, I don't want to waste it; those freshening, cooking, cleaning impulses usually come under “discipline” so it's nice when they seem like just the things I want to do.
I found a website to encourage me: Blissfully Domestic -- Everything You Need to Make Family Life Easier. And they're not kidding! Today there's a feature on mismatched chairs, as well as one about health myths. And if you scroll down you'll find a great recipe for pumpkin dip as well as ideas for box lunches -- this is a fun site to explore!