The Steady Stream of Summer Activities

Looking at my calendar from this past week, I realized that the steady stream of summer activities has begun. Birthdays, short trips to visit family, camp, vacations, VBS, etc. Was your last week as busy as mine?

Here's a rundown of our last week.....

My daughter, Elizabeth, turned 15 last Thursday (May 21st) so we celebrated by inviting six friends to spend the night on Friday. Only four could come so we picked them up and we all went out to dinner. Then the fun started.

They hung out and talked for a while (this was a staged photo, lol)....

We play flashlight tag for two hours. We had intended on playing some other nighttime games, but one team had a hard time finding the other cheating team on 17 acres. Go figure.

Three of us in the household (Wade, Andrew, and I) were asleep by midnight but I think the girls were up to almost three a.m. so that made for a late morning for them. They skipped breakfast and waited until our family came at lunch for the party.

My girl is fifteen. Boohoo! This is her smirking while we were singing the birthday song.

She has always had a "I really don't want to hear you singing this song" reaction. Age four.

About the staying up so late. I told them they could stay up as late as they wanted AS LONG AS I did NOT hear them. Last year, when they all spent the night I was telling them to be quiet at 12:00 a.m., 1:00 a.m., and 2:00 a.m. You can bet that by 2:00 a.m., I was not a happy camper (no pun intended).

Walking down to the den where they all had their sleeping bags laid out, I still had my mouth guard in as I yelled, "Goeth to sleepth now! Elizabethth, you willth noth have anyone spendth the nighth again if youth cannot obey!" (Remember, I had my mouth guard in which makes me sound like I have three pieces of Hubba Bubba in my mouth.) Yes, it was my daughter I had heard cackling the loudest. I don't know where she gets it.....

The party and guests were all gone by about 1:30. The rest of the day was very relaxing since my house was clean! Yay for a clean house on the weekend!

That evening, Jax, our dog, and I took a walk. (He made his debut here when I shared one of his favorite homemade dog treats.) As I was trying to snap a picture of this large branch that had fallen from a tree a couple nights prior, we happened upon a turkey. Doesn't it look cool?

However, after the turkey flew off, he started going wild in the brush where the turkey had been hiding. With all his doggy hysterics, I realized the turkey must have had a nest. Going in to get Jax out of the way, I discovered nine eggs. There had been ten but he had already got one and broke it open before I realized what was happening. This was exciting for me to discover. We have had baby turkey poults on our farm before and they are fun to watch.

Wade, my husband, is a big Vanderbilt fan, so he watched the SEC Championship baseball game that afternoon they were playing in. Oh, and he also checked on his "boys."

Meet 172, 176, 289, 219.....

And meet "Eyebrows." I promised I wouldn't name the steers but....can you say you blame me??

This is not the best photo because I had zoomed in with my phone.
I haven't been able to get him to eat out of my hand yet like some of the others.
We're getting there though.

By that evening, Wade had told me he wanted to drive down to Alabama the next morning to watch Vanderbilt in the playoff game. In our 19 years of marriage, my man has not asked for much. Granted, when he does ask for something it has a pretty high price tag (Scag mower, tractor, ten head of cattle....).

Wade and Andrew were on the road by 7:30 Sunday morning for the game. Elizabeth and I left that afternoon heading toward middle Tennessee to visit Wade's family. See, we had plans to work cattle on Monday. The boys got there late that night (after Vanderbilt had lost but isn't that how it always goes?).

Monday, May 25th was our 19th anniversary! And as I mentioned, guess what we did to celebrate?

We worked cattle at the family farm starting at 6 a.m.! I told him he must have married a good woman who will spend her anniversary doctoring cattle. Thankfully, we only had about 60 cows to come through the head catch so it was an easy morning. In fact, we were done by lunch. An easy day of working cattle for sure. Plus, we had a couple extra guys working with us this year. Plus, the weather was amazing with a constant breeze, overcast, and mild temperatures.

This was the first lucky cow. Really, it IS best to be first and get it over!

A bit about the family farm....it's in the Sequatchie Valley and is about 320 acres. It's a beautiful piece of property. There are two old homesites on the farm as well as an old family cemetery where Wade's three times great grandfather is buried. His family has been farming there for 175 years, possibly longer but I have his great-great-great grandfather living there as early as 1840.

I think the old head catch is almost as old as the family farm. I jest. BUT as you can see above, we got a new one for the farm. Well, Wade wanted the old one to take back home to our farm. Can you tell I was none too thrilled? He thinks it'll be just fine for our small operation.

After cooking out that evening with the family we decided the traffic would be easier at night than in the morning so we headed back home. It took just a bit longer since Wade was pulling a trailer with the heavy head catch. It weighs about a ton. I followed far behind in case it decided to jump off the trailer. ;)

He and I unloaded it the next day. You see it took about five the day before. But alas, when a woman is involved, she can do the work of four. Ha ha ha. Just kidding, to all my men readers.

This week has been fairly low key. I put on makeup for the first time since Monday. To me that is an awesome week. On a walk with Gaby and Dory today (the cats), I went to check on the turkey nest and found all the eggs had been broken. :( I was wondering if it would make it with all the opossums and raccoons we have. The mama in me makes me sad for the hen. Who even knows if the eggs were fertilized though? I told Wade I should have taken them while they were available for some omelets. He made a funny "yuck" face, and I told him, "What you don't know, won't hurt you!"

If you have read this far, I thank you. I thought I would take the week "off" and do what I'm thinking of as a "personality" post. It's a chance for you to get to know us better. If you follow us on Instagram, you may have seen some of these photos.

Next week we'll resume some type of informational something or other so that maybe I can show you something I made (food or DIY) or something I discovered that I hope you like.

How was your past week? Do you have any plans for the weekend? Life is getting busied back up tomorrow after a few days of rest. I will have to put on makeup again tomorrow. *sigh*

Using Essential Oils to Make Car Travel Easier

It is that time of the year when traveling is gearing up for many families with kids being out of school. The ocean waters have warmed up, the trees along hiking paths have grown leaves for shade, and distance relatives know you no longer have an excuse to not visit. (We are about to go see some of ours finally!)

I have something to admit regarding all this. I am not a good traveler. Ask my friends. Ask my family. Ask my husband.

This probably stems from my childhood and my problem with getting carsick. Like seriously carsick.

We had a Subaru station wagon during my childhood. With me being the youngest of three kids, I sat in the back middle. That was advantageous being one who was carsick frequently since I needed to see out the front window. It was NOT advantageous to my brother and sister on either side when I told my dad numerous times he needed to pull over because I felt sick.

Soon he decided he was not going to pull over anymore and made me keep a plastic bag under my seat. True story.

So there were times I would feel like I needed to throw up because I grew so sick. I would take out my bag, do my business, and my parents would throw it away. (I wonder if my carsickness had anything to do with any particular parent’s driving???)

There are things that do make traveling easier for me though. I love a good audio book. I love having someone to talk laugh with during the trip. I love a comfortable ride (perfect temperature, seat at the right angle, etc). Really, it’s best if I can sit in the front seat too.

I have found essential oils can be beneficial to traveling, making that trip much easier whether it’s to the grocery store with a fussy child or driving cross-country with your family.

Fatigue (or Tired or Sleepy)
Are you feeling tired and you are the driver? Try Peppermint, Joyful blend, Invigorating blend, Basil, Lemon, and Rosemary.

Stress (or Road Rage)
Are you feeling stressed in traffic? Try citrus oils (Grapefruit, Bergamot, Orange, etc), Joyful blend, Balance, or Invigorating blend to help reduce stress.

Carsick
For general carsickness, try inhaling Peppermint and Ginger. Also, keeping the car cooler inside helps with carsickness. Make sure anyone who suffers from it can see out a window as well (sitting in the front or middle so they can look straight ahead out the window). The two mentioned oils along with Digestive blend can also be put in water or on your abdomen to help with that queasy feeling from nausea as well.

Grumpy Kids
Lavender is very soothing for kids helping to calm and relax. Rub it on their feet or give them an empty bottle that still has enough residue so they can hold the empty bottle but inhale for aromatherapy benefits. Other recommendations to help calm and soothe is Calming blend, Grounding blend, Geranium, Ylang Ylang or Cedarwood. Be careful not to diffuse some of these oils as they can make everyone in the car relaxed or drowsy, and we do not want the driver getting sleepy! It’s best to let them have something where they can personally inhale it or rub it on their feet, behind their ears, back of the neck, etc.

Other Issues Like Mine!
I think I suffer from some sort of personal syndrome while traveling. lol If I barely go over two hours in the car, I usually get a fuzzy head accompanied by a headache and pressure in my sinus area. Anyone else get this? I thought there with all my wonderful “miracle” essential oils, there HAD to be something that would help this.

I tried Respiratory blend to help maintain clear airways and breathing. It helped but did not prevent it or make it go away completely. I tried Peppermint because it often helps to soothe my headaches. Same thing. So then I tried a combination of Orange and Peppermint. IT DID THE TRICK!

You could use a car diffuser or do like me and just wear a diffuser necklace. (Those things actually work!) If I feel like I’m getting a little fuzzy headed, I just pick it up and sniiiiiiiffffffff! It has brought several laughs from my family when I do it. But it works and it has made my traveling so much better. I still have to be careful on the carsick thing though (no reading or looking down much).

Diffusing Oils in the Car
* You can use a diffuser necklace as I mentioned above. I found mine on Etsy.
* There are plug in car diffusers such as this one on Amazon. Here is another brand on Amazon.
* Kristy also shared an easy-peasy way to make a diffuser for your car.
* Or just stick a cotton ball in the air vent with some oils dripped on it.
* There are cotton inhalers you can buy where you put a few drops of oils on it and put it just inside your nose to inhale. Here are some on Amazon.

* Another idea is to buy a little spritzer bottle (available at Wal-mart for less than a dollar in the travel section) and add a few drops of essential oils with distilled water. Be careful not to spray it where it gets in someone’s eyes. Follow my directions from my post, Room Spray Alternative, to make a simple spray for the car.

Other things to consider packing while traveling are essential oils that act as natural insect repellents, help ease sunburn, support healing, relax/calm to help with sleep issues (because there’s no bed like YOUR bed!), help with digestive issues from all that eating out while away from home, immune support in case you feel like you’re coming down with something while away, and oils to help cool you down in the summer heat.

Do not forget to pack your diffuser if you love yours like I do mine. It has come in handy while staying at hotels that seemed to smell stale or had a chemical smell from the cleaners. I have two from an essential oil company that I like and can personally recommend, but I also have this one from Amazon and it has worked wonderfully.

Essential Oil Etiquette
Remember to be respectful of others when using essential oils. Even though they are natural, some people are sensitive even to those smells. For example, Patchouli and Ylang Ylang give me headaches. Just keep that in mind when using them around people who you may not have used them around before.

Essential Oil Storage
Also, be cautious of leaving your essential oils in your hot car. Over time the heat can break down your oils and possibly cause chemical changes. Put them in your purse or backpack if you are leaving your car for long periods.

Here’s what I usually carry when I am traveling with my essential oils. I would love to bring more. I used to carry an eight vial key chain but upgraded to this because I wanted MORE!!

This is the size of a check book so it fits great in my purse.

There are also some tips I would like to share in the future on using essential oils when you are flying including how to get through the airport with them in your carry on. As with traveling by car, they can make your travel by air much more relaxed and enjoyable!

What are your must haves while traveling? Do you have any tips to share with me for when you are traveling? Please do either below or find me on Facebook!

P.S. If you are interested in purchasing essential oils, please email me with questions!

Natural Disinfectant Cleaner

Over the last couple of years I have shared with my friends several of my favorite recipes for natural cleaners and other natural recipes (lip balm, deodorant, etc). Most I have posted on here, but one I have yet to share is for all purpose disinfectant cleaner. You will find other versions and altogether different recipes that people use, but this has become my favorite.

Looking at the ingredients, you can see why it is such a powerhouse for cleaning…

Borax
“Borax and other borates clean and bleach by converting some water molecules to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). This reaction is more favorable in hotter water. The pH of borax is about 9.5, so it produces a basic solution in water, thereby increasing the effectiveness of bleach and other cleaners. In other chemical reactions, borax acts as a buffer, maintaining a stable pH needed to maintain cleansing chemical reactions. The boron, salt, and/or oxygen of boron inhibit the metabolic processes of many organisms. This characteristic allows borax to disinfect and kill unwanted pests.” source

For those who have maybe heard that borax is not safe, please read this post by Crunchy Betty on “Getting to the Bottom of Borax: Is it Safe or Not?”

Essential Oils
Our readers quickly learn of our love for essential oils. We use them for a lot of things. A day almost does not go by when I am not using an essential oil. For cleaning solutions they are the perfect choice because most have antimicrobial, antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, etc qualities. My favorite choices for my cleaners include citrus oils (Lemon, Orange, Bergamot, Lime), clean-smelling oils such as Eucalyptus, Cleansing blend, and Rosemary, and other favorites such as Lavender, Protection blend, Melaleuca, and Peppermint. Let me know if you are interested in purchasing essential oils.

Castile Soap
I use Dr. Bronner’s unscented liquid soap for this recipe. I like the unscented because I can use whatever essential oils I want to add a natural fragrance. Castile soap does not contain any synthetic fragrances or ingredients so it is a safe cleaner for those who are sensitive to those factors. (Read Natural Enzyme Cleaner and Synthetic Fragrances.) It is concentrated and produces a light lather to help with cleaning whether you have hard or soft water.

Water
If you use distilled water or boil your water then your cleaner will last longer. With the other added ingredients and their anti-everything (antimicrobial, antibacterial, antifungal, etc) properties, I do not think mold would grow very easy in your cleaner. I do recommend using hot or very warm water as it will help dissolve the borax. It can have a hard time dissolving and breaking up if it is in little chunks.

While I do like using vinegar in cleaners for its natural cleaning ability, I know this is safe to use on most surfaces because it’s not present. (Try the Homemade Dusting Spray and Furniture Polish for wood.) Vinegar can be harsh on some surfaces such as granite. I have a special DIY granite cleaner I use to keep mine shiny and polished. Plus, when you mix vinegar and castile soap you can get a crazy chemical reaction that resembles curdled milk. Yep, it is true. It has happened to me in the past plus I have read of many others’ issues with the same thing. Acidic ingredients such as vinegar (and lemon juice) do not mix with castile soap!

I use this natural disinfectant cleaner when wiping down cabinets, my laundry room countertops, spills or spots on my tile floor, my shower/bathtubs, and toilets to name a few places.

This is an upcycled glass vinegar bottle that was the perfect size for a regular spray nozzle.

Here’s how to make it!

Natural Disinfectant Cleaner

2 cups hot water
3 teaspoons borax
1 teaspoon Castile soap
20-30 drops essential oils

Add the borax to the hot water and stir/shake until dissolved. Add Castile soap and essential oils. Mix well. Just spray and wipe off to clean surfaces!

Other favorite natural cleaning recipes:
Homemade Dusting Spray and Furniture Polish 
Hand Cleanser Gel (Alcohol Free)

Below is a simple label I made for mine that I thought someone may want to print and use themselves. It's available in teal and green. I just print mine on copy paper, cut it out, and using packing tape, I cover the paper and attach it.

Do you make your own cleaners? What is your favorite? Please share in the comments below, on our Facebook page, or Instagram! I hope to hear from you.

Mother's Day Printable

With Mother's Day being in a few days I wanted to share a FREE printable. It would make a nice last minute gift if you print and frame it for your mom or to go along with a gift card or whatever. You could also size it smaller to print, cut, and place it on the front of a card to use as your Mother's Day card. So there are lots of options!

Here's one version matted with cardstock and on a simple folded card.

If you have photo editing software, open the JPEG, and change up the colors to what you want. I made some various color options for you that are printable as a 8x10....

CLICK ON THE IMAGES BELOW TO DOWNLOAD A HIGH RESOLUTION JPG TO PRINT!!

Here it is printed and framed!

If you have the time, then you can whip up this simple hand embroidered pattern and either frame it in a 5x7 frame or just leave it in a wooden hoop you used to embroider, tie a ribbon bow on top, and voila! You can size it for whatever you want in either Word or your favorite photo editing software. The DMC colors I used was 817 (red), 775 (blue), 704 (green), and 727 (yellow). I backstitched the words, stem stitched the green flower part and used French knots on the yellow flower parts.

Just FYI, I am very much an amateur at embroidering. Maybe you can tell?!? lol Anyways, I was able to stitch this up in about two hours. Transfer the image to your choice of fabric and get stitching. (I do wish I had picked a darker blue for the words. Still learning!)

Here's the image.

Please share where you found the printables and embroidery design if you use it and feel free to backlink to this post! I would love to see your version of it so share on our Facebook page, Instagram, or wherever but let me know so I can check it out!

In honor of Mother's Day, here is my mama and me in summer 1985. :)

Whether you are celebrating Mother's Day this year or not, I am hoping you have a beautiful day! And whether you are a mother or not, then you can still strive to be the attributes below! <3

Prepping For Guests

Last weekend we had four ladies from a Bible college stay at our house while we had a teen-family weekend retreat at our church. They made up a traveling trio and their pianist who are starting to travel to churches this summer. I was so excited to have them as was the rest of the family. Growing up, my parents kept college students when singing groups visited our church. Wade and I have also kept multiple guests over the years from college students to families to missionaries and guest preachers that were visiting our church. Our kids already have great memories of those we have hosted.

Getting ready for their visit, I have some set things I like to do to make sure our guests feel welcomed and comfortable. I thought I would share a list of the things that help ready the guest room for our company.

1. CLEAN ROOM.
I know this is NOT a very profound statement. However, it is ideal to make sure the room is dusted and vacuumed and that the bathroom they will use is very clean. We all know how we feel when we stay at a hotel and find a hair in the bathroom upon arrival. Yuck. Make sure there is extra toilet paper close by as well. I am not saying you have to clean the baseboards and windowsills but how tidy the room is will be a reflection on you and your family.

Be sensitive to fragrances when cleaning the room. See my post discussing Synthetic Fragrances to find learn a bit about how they can hurt people. I did not think to bring this up until my husband mentioned I should. We stayed at a hotel recently where they sprayed Febreze every day when they cleaned our room. We both got headaches. Synthetic fragrances are in cleaners, plug-in air fresheners, candles, room sprays, etc. You can make a super easy, inexpensive, and natural room spray yourself which I shared on Room Spray Alternative. I also have a recipe that fits the same description for dusting spray on Homemade Dusting Spray and Furniture Polish.

2. FRESH SHEETS.
Our guest bed stays made up when we do not have company but the sheets are not on it. That way when I am preparing for guests to arrive, I can be sure the sheets I put on are fresh. If it’s been a while since we have had someone stay, and they have sat in the closet for several months, then I will often throw the clean sheets in the dryer and fluff them for a bit to freshen them. Sometimes I even throw in my dryer balls with a drop of nice smelling essential oil to help.

My husband and I love fresh sheets. In fact I have told him that one of these days (probably when the kids are out of the house), I want to change the sheets every other day instead of once a week like I do now. I feel like I sleep better on fresh sheets. How about you? I think it’s nice for guests to have as well.

3. FRESH PILLOWS.
I could have very well included this with sheets but I think it deserves its own point. When we travel, I almost always bring my own pillow. I know when we stay at hotels they clean the pillows, but how well? I do not want to lay my face on a pillow someone else has slobbered on. (Am I getting too gross today? Just the truth.)

Over time I have bought a pillow cover for every bed pillow in the house including the pillows for guests. Because I use them, I feel confident that they are clean. No stained pillows lurking beneath those pillow shams! I have on occasion fluffed the pillow in the dryer. Extra pillows are optional but nice if you have them! I make sure there is a soft and firm pillow for guests so they have their choice. I only do this because I sleep on my stomach usually and like a soft pillow whereas my husband sleeps on his side or back and likes a firmer one. (Experience IS the best teacher!)

4. EXTRA BLANKETS.
Some of us tend to get hot at night and some of us could wear sweats and keep three blankets on us and still be cold. When we go on vacation we will set the thermostat at the house on what we keep it at home, but it seems it does not feel the same. We are either hotter than usual or cooler than usual. Make sure you have an extra blanket and point it out to your guest so they know it is there to use.

If you live in a cold area or it is winter time, then several extra blankets or an electric blanket would be helpful. And likewise, if it is summer or you live in a warm climate such as sunny Florida, you may want to offer a ceiling fan or an electric fan to keep guests comfortable.

5. CLOCK.
Many people nowadays use their mobile phones as an alarm clock, but if they do not, then offer an inexpensive clock with an alarm they can use.

6. NIGHT LIGHT AND/OR LAMP.
Keep a lamp or night light by the bed so they can get safely in and out of bed when it is dark. You know the feeling when you are staying somewhere new. They may have luggage laying in the floor or just not know the setup of the room so to keep toes and shins free of stubs and bruises, it’s nice to have a lamp to help with navigating.

In the bathroom I keep a nightlight that has an on/off switch so they can decide if they want it on.

7. SNACKS.
This is an area that I went a bit overboard on last weekend. I thought it would be nice to get the girls some snacks to have in their room. I started out thinking peanut butter crackers, cereal bars, and bottled water – all things I already had in the pantry that I could spare. However, I thought it may be nice to get some fruit…and peanuts…and chocolate of some sort (they were girls, after all!)…and chips.

Like I said, I got a little crazy. (Surprised?) Just having some bottled waters and fruit or some snacks (like crackers or cereal bars) is nice to offer. You may have family staying at your house and this is not necessary because they feel completely at home, but if you have first-time guests like we were, it is polite to offer something like this as most will not feel comfortable rummaging through your pantry or refrigerator to find a snack if they get hungry at eleven o’clock at night or wake up at six in the morning and need to stave some hunger pangs.

The chalk pen below is the one I used to write the "Welcome" on the little chalk label on the basket. It was my first time using one, and I was okay with how it came out. (I am far from being one of those chalk artists though!)

You could go the extra mile and include a small coffee pot or electric tea pot with cups if you know your guests are coffee or tea drinkers. We kept our old four-cup coffee pot when we bought a new one several years ago, so I have that as an option if needed.

8. EXTRA TOILETRIES.
There have been several times we have visited family, and I have left my shampoo at home. Sometimes guests forget things like that or a toothbrush or toothpaste. Have a drawer or basket or someplace where you can keep some extra toiletries to offer guests if they do forget. I keep normal sized bottles of shampoo and conditioner in the shower but also have some of those small bottles from hotel stays I keep in a drawer along with some extra toothbrushes and those small tubes of toothpaste the dentist gives when we get our teeth cleaned. Buy sample sizes or keep the ones when you travel to use for guests.

Things to include but not limited to are toothpaste, toothbrushes (you can get them for less than a dollar at Walmart), dental floss, shampoo, conditioner, lotion, cotton balls, cotton swabs, disposable razor, lint roller, small first aid kit, etc.

9. FLUFFY TOWELS.
Do you enjoy a nice, fluffy, thirsty towel like I do? When our towels get used over and over, day in and day out, they get a little thin and worn. Maybe even stained from cutting yourself shaving. (raised hand) Keep a few newer, fluffier towels for your guests if you can. Lay out clean (unstained) wash cloths to use as well. Make sure they are available and visible so they know where they are when they go to take a shower!

10. CLOSET SPACE AND/OR DRESSER FOR CLOTHES.
You may not have closet space to offer but you could put a hook over the door for them to use. If you do not have dresser space then just have a small stool or place where they can keep their suitcase easily accessible. If you do have these to offer then keep extra hangers in the closet and make sure those dresser drawers are clean!

11. IRONING BOARD.
When I go places, I do not pack things that need to be ironed. Okay, who am I kidding? I do not even buy clothes that need ironing (or I will wear them wrinkled or my husband irons them for me). However, our guests have very often needed an ironing board. In our last house the guest room and bathroom were right beside the laundry room so it was easy to use.

Now the ironing board stays in Wade’s closet (told ya he did the ironing!). It would be a bit awkward having a college girl ironing her clothes in my husband’s closet, so about a year ago we purchased an extra ironing board and eventually an extra iron to keep in our guest room closet. It is not necessary to have an extra of these but just have an ironing board with iron available for them to use.

12. TISSUES.
This is something so simple, but yet I always want need a box by my bed. Wade grew up using toilet paper to blow his nose, but my mama always had a box of tissues in practically every room in the house. You will find it that way at mine. lol Maybe my family tends to have stuffy/runny noses? Whatever the case, I like to offer this simple thing in the bedroom or bathroom for my guests.

13. TRASH CAN.
Is a reason needed for this one? Just make sure you have emptied before they arrive.

14. WI-FI INFORMATION.
There are lots of cute and neat ways to display it on Pinterest. If you run out of time to do something like that, just writing it on a sticky note and putting it the room will suffice.

15. FRESH FLOWERS.
So fresh flowers are not necessary, I realize. And if we were having only men stay, then I would probably not do it. For the four ladies who stayed with us last weekend, I bought a bunch of fresh flowers at the local grocery store and divided it into two vases so there were flowers in the bathroom and flowers in the bedroom. Fresh flowers always make me smile and can make a room feel cheery. Would it not make you feel welcomed to walk into a guest room to see the hostess had bought fresh flowers for you?

Plus, when your guests leave – if they are only staying a couple of nights – you get to move the flowers into a room where you can enjoy them a few more days. ;)

This list is not exhaustive nor are they all a necessity. We have been fortunate to have an extra room for guests in our last two houses. However, in our first house we did not and that meant we either had guests stay in our bedroom or on the fold-out sofa in the living room (which meant we slept on the fold-out sofa bed). We made do with what we had and did our best to make our guests feel welcomed and allow as much privacy as possible.

I also do not expect you to go out and buy all the things on this list. As I have noted on several things, we have slowly acquired these things over the years. In the past I have taken a clock or lamp or trash can out of another bedroom to be used in the guest room for the extent of their stay.

Other ideas: brochures on area attractions, paper and pen, magazines or books to read, chair to relax if there is room in the bedroom, hairdryer, robe, extra house key (and house alarm code, if applicable) if they will be coming and going, and you may want to leave a bottle of DIY Poo-Pourri Spray in the bathroom!

When we have guests I feel like I need a checklist of everything I need to tell them. For example, last weekend I forgot to show them where the extra blankets were. I was lying in bed going to sleep and started thinking about this and consequently, began to worry a bit. Now, I have this list on paper to help me remember what to do. I can also use as needed to remember the things I need to tell my guests when they arrive (such as where the extra blankets are, the extra toiletries, where they can put their clothes, etc).

No matter the size of your house or what you are able to offer your guests, you can always make sure they feel welcomed and comfortable. For my family, we know the Lord has blessed us with an extra guest room so that we can show hospitality for family, friends, and when the church calls to see if we can keep visiting missionaries or Bible college students. (By the way, college students are my favorite! They are so fun!)

When the ladies stayed with us last weekend, my daughter also had invited a friend to spend the night. So my poor husband and son had seven females in the house Friday night. We girls were up to almost midnight playing the piano and singing and laughing. It was fun and made great memories.

The fact that my daughter has a desire to be part of a group like this makes me want to be especially warm and hospitable to girls like this, because I realize one day it could be my daughter staying at someone’s house. My wish is that the homes or churches she stays at will desire to make her feel at home.

What about you? Do guests ever stay at your home? Is there something I completely missed that you think is a must or at least a good idea? Please share with me below by leaving a comment or find me on Facebook and let me know!