Our Stay at Gatlinburg Falls Resort

This year has been so busy and stressful for our family, and we really needed some time to get away and just be together with no other distractions.

We could not have been happier with our accommodations in Gatlinburg, Tennessee!

The quiet setting was just what we needed to focus on spending time together and unwinding from some of the stress we'd been under.

Special thanks to Gatlinburg Falls Resort for providing a cabin for us in exchange for this review.

The location

Gatlinburg Falls Resort is just a few minutes away from the main part of Gatlinburg.  It was nice to be able to drive out to the cabin and feel like we had “gotten away from it all”, yet be super close to food or other activities when we felt so inclined.

We also drove into Pigeon Forge a few times during our stay since it was only about half an hour away and there are tons of activities to do there too.

The Cabin

The cabin we stayed in was perfect for our large family (if you consider 4 little ones and a baby a large family – most people seem to!)

The only thing that would have been nicer is if it had more property where the kids could have gone outside.  However, the inside of the cabin was so large that the kids didn't have any problem with “cabin fever” while we were there.  They had plenty of room not to feel cooped up inside, plus the arcade games kept them well occupied!

When we arrived, we found that there was a large stack of coupons provided for area attractions.

Having a large kitchen made my part of the vacation so nice!  We saved a lot of money by bringing our own groceries and doing most of the cooking at the cabin rather than going out.  The kitchen was well stocked with everything I needed to prepare healthy food for lots of hungry mouths.

The upstairs also had a living room, master bedroom, and master bathroom.

This was the view from the master  bedroom deck!  It was sooo relaxing to wake up and go sit out on our porch and look at this every morning!

The downstairs had another bedroom, a separate bathroom for the kids, and a large game area.  This is where the kids spent most of their time (of course!)

Also, not pictured is the hot tub out on the downstairs deck.  I forgot to get a picture of it because we were too busy enjoying it!

Our Overall Impression

We are a pretty laid back family who prefers our vacations to be slow-paced.  We don't need to run around to a million attractions and restaurants, though we enjoy having options available to us.

Our family's personality made Gatlinburg Falls Resort the perfect location for us to spend time as a family.  We could spend lots of time just hanging out at the cabin doing pretty much nothing.  It was bliss!

Yet we were close enough to both Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge to eat out a few times and do a few activities together (like riding Go-Karts!)

We found everything in the cabin to be clean and in good working order.

The staff in the office were helpful when we needed extra linens.

I can't think of any problems that we had during our stay; everything was taken care of for us.

Although we were provided with a complimentary stay, my husband and I were both impressed with the prices listed on the website.

When you follow their Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram feeds you can see that they often have 50% off or buy one get one free specials, which is an awesome deal!

I hope our review has given you a good idea of where your family might stay next time you're looking for a family friendly vacation spot!

One Simple Way to Bring More Peace Into Your Home

“Something's got to change.  Something has to change NOW.”

I was completely overwhelmed and defeated as a mother.

Oh, sure, I had made a lot of changes in my mindset and overall I was happier and less stressed.

But things at home were still not flowing terribly smoothly.

A lot of that stemmed from my battling of chronic fatigue and other health issues (more on that in another post) and the fact that we just could not get into a routine because of it.  Some days I'd be up well before the kids, some days found me sleeping until embarrassingly late hours of the morning because my body was too weak and tired to get up any earlier.

4 kids and a sleeping-in mother DO NOT mix well, let me tell you.  They could get breakfast for themselves, but they sure couldn't clean it up very well.  🙂

We managed to get a lot of the chaos under control by instituting a rule that no one was allowed to come out of their rooms until mommy was up.  For the most part they obeyed (other than the toddler who would just come snuggle with me and I sure didn't mind that.)

But regardless, on the days where I slept late we all felt behind all day.  It was frustrating to both me and the kids.  I tried so hard to get up earlier because I knew that it would reduce a lot of my stress and in the long run help me to feel better.  (Reducing stress is a huge component of battling chronic fatigue.)

Step number one in that process was to focus on an earlier bedtime for the kids.  They were often up late because we started our day late, which then pushed every activity of the day back by a couple hours, which pushed bedtime back way too far, which kept me up late, which exhausted me and stressed me out, which left me with that “I've-been-run-over-by-a-truck” feeling the next morning, continuing the vicious cycle.

I'm learning that the biggest changes come when I learn to focus on one small thing.

So getting consistent with bedtime was my first “small thing.”  And it had a domino effect.  The earlier bedtime allowed me to be more rested, which helped me start getting up earlier, which helped me stay on top of my days better, which helped me to have the kids ready for bed earlier, which reduced a ton of stress, which made me feel more rested, which continued that positive cycle.

And all I had to do was one simple thing.

It made such a drastic difference that I was telling all my mom friends about it when they would talk about how exhausted they were or how stressed they were.

They probably thought I was weird, because don't most moms put their kids to bed at a normal, decent hour?  But I wasn't doing that.  So I figured that even if most moms have the bedtime thing down, there are probably some that don't.

We still don't have the bedtime thing down perfectly.  Things happen.  But when we get off track, I go right back to shooting for that early bedtime the next night.

In the beginning, I literally had to focus on bedtime all day long.  The focus of the entire day was on how I could get everyone in bed on time.

And it was great!

By focusing on one thing, my organizational skills improved in so many other areas as a natural result.  I got meals served in a timely manner because I knew that a late supper would mean a late kitchen cleanup and a late bedtime (or no kitchen cleanup if it got to be too late which would definitely increase the stress of the next day!) I got baths given and laundry put away sooner rather than later so it could be done before the kids went to bed.  This one focus area affected so many other things, but yet I didn't feel like it went against my naturally disorganized personality because I wasn't trying to think about a bunch of stuff every day.  I only had to be good at one thing, but it automatically made me good at other stuff.

(Full disclosure here: by the phrase “good at”, I really mean, “a lot better than I used to be, but still not even close to perfect.”)

Once I had the earlier bedtime down fairly well, I began to work on a morning routine for all of us.  I knew I needed something that would work regardless of what time we got up in the morning.

And I have been SO PLEASED with how things are going.  (Here is an update on the Morning Routine for Kids that Changed Our Days.)

We still have a lot of progress to make in our pursuit of smoothly flowing days.  And I realize that with a bunch of little kids, “smoothly flowing” is always going to be a pretty relative term.  But I can handle the hiccups with a lot less agitation now that everyone knows where they're supposed to be and what they're supposed to be doing.

Here's the really cool thing: this concept works no matter what your “one thing” is. For me, it was getting the kids to bed earlier. For you, maybe it's getting yourself to bed earlier. Maybe it's preparing your dinner first thing in the morning. Maybe something else entirely. But the key is to choose one simple thing to focus on that will have a domino effect on many other aspects of your day.

I've created a workbook that will guide you through the process of finding the thing that you need to tweak for your unique situation. Check out 7 Days to Calm for easy-to-follow instructions that will help you figure out how to eliminate the chaos in your own home.

I understand what it's like to feel like life is never-ending chaos.

It's depressing.  Boy, do I know.

I'm so thankful the Lord has given wisdom and help to come up with simple solutions that even someone as disorganized as I am could implement.

Friend, if you're struggling through that vicious cycle of staying up late, being tired and grouchy, feeling behind all day long, and going to bed late yet again, can I encourage you to not be afraid of the simplest solution?

Can I encourage you to focus on just one thing?

For me it was the earlier bedtime for the kids.  For you, that may be preparing supper first thing in the day because it will in turn reduce the evening chaos.  It may be something else.  But pinpoint one small thing.  Stop trying to fix your whole life all in one shot, and just narrow it down to one thing.

You may be surprised how much of a difference it will make in your home.

I've been a mess for so long, and I know how miserable it is.  I also know how relieving it is when the tornado-like winds start slowing down.

If you're still in the middle of the chaos, I want you to feel that relief.  If I can find a little calm amidst the chaos, I think anybody can!

I Finally Figured Out How to Schedule a More Fulfilling Life

My life is flying past, and I feel like all I am doing is just trying to keep up with living!

Why is everything I do just a pointless cycle of taking care of the urgent?  “Oh, sorry kids.  No park today.  Gotta get this taken care of.  I know we'll have time another day.”

But we never do.  There is always something else that has to be “taken care of.”

I was tired of it.

I grabbed a pencil and a piece of paper and started feverishly writing all the things that were swirling in my mind.

I want:

TIME

-time to spend with God in Bible reading and prayer
-time to spend with my kids, undistracted
-time to spend with my husband nurturing our marriage
-time to be a real face-to-face friend
-time to minister to others
-time to stop and smell the roses
-time to quit feeling frantic, rushed, and always behind
-time to stop feeling grouchy due to that frantic and rushed feeling

HEALTH

-so I can have the energy to take good care of my family
-so I can be the one ministering rather than always needing to be ministered to
-so I can enjoy life more fully

And that was it!

All I really wanted was two things.

Nowhere on the list was earning money, because that's not what is going to bring fulfillment in life.
Nowhere on the list was watching a great movie or laughing at the latest meme going around on Facebook or browsing Pinterest.

I just want time and health for the important things in life – PEOPLE.  MY PEOPLE.

I determined that if an activity didn't help me meet those two goals, it was out.  Gone. Removed from my life.

At the same time, I knew that there are “necessary evils” in life – the bills have to be paid, we all have to eat (even though I hate cooking), and we need to clean up the house because we can't really enjoy one another's company very well in a filthy house.  But I figured that even though those had to stay, I would still be able to enjoy doing them together with my family as long as the other unnecessary things were no longer allowed to steal my time.

As I began to try to place these two goals into a nice, neat, scheduled box, though, I realized that they just didn't fit.

I wanted to have some sort of schedule detailing exactly how I was going to find time for the things that really matter.

But life doesn't fit into a box.

I scribbled and scratched, crossed off and re-wrote, and it just seemed pointless.

“Even if I get this all laid out, it's still going to be different every day,” I thought to myself.

I knew some days I would need to spend more time cleaning. Some days the right thing to do would be to drop everything and go play outside with the kids.

So I did away with the schedule and adopted a new rule for living.

Each activity I do during a day must be preceded by this question:”Is this helping me reach my life goals?”

If I'm debating between two things, that question provides much-needed clarity.

For example, when I pass by my husband's workplace on the way home from the store, I debate to myself, “Go home and clean the bathroom or stop and say hello to my husband?”  I must confess that often the urge to spend time with the dirty bathroom is stronger than the urge to spend time with my husband.  I feel like I need to “accomplish” something, so I opt for a tangible thing that I can cross off my list.

But is that really what I want?

When I think about “the list” – I realize that no! It's not!  I want more time with my people!

I've been living with this mindset for about a month now, and oh! I can't tell you how much more fulfilling it is!

Update: Over time, I've developed a planner that keeps me on track doing the things that really matter. Not only do I have plenty of time to spend nurturing relationships with the people I love, but there is almost always time left over for me to cross a project or two off my list to give me that sense of accomplishment that I did something. Never in my life have I spent so much time with family and friends, kept my house so clean, and accomplished extra side projects to boot. This is the planner that makes it all happen!

What is it that will give you a fulfilling life? When you focus on the things that really matter, you may just find there will be time for some of the extras too!

My Simple Morning Routine

As a busy homeschooling mom, I am learning how important it is to have a morning routine in place.

I've never been one to enjoy strict routines – variety is the spice of life!

But, I am having to learn that winging it every morning is just not conducive to a smoothly flowing day.  If I'm not careful it will be 11 am and everybody is still in their pj's.

I know some people may say that's the beauty of homeschooling – to spend all day in your pajamas and get school done when it's comfortable for you – but I personally just find it frustrating.  It will end up being a beautiful day outside, but we can't go out because we're just getting started on school.  It also makes me feel stressed because I feel like I'm one step behind all day and can't quite catch up.  Finally, I feel that allowing things to just “happen as they happen” is not really teaching my children good habits of personal discipline and that it won't be doing them any favors when they're grown with households of their own.

We certainly have days that are more relaxed and we take things slowly, but in my household I'd rather not create a habit of every day just being sloppy and thrown together.

But what is a creative, freedom-loving personality to do?  How can a mom nail down a routine and stick to it when it goes against all of her natural inclinations?

The answer I've found is to keep it super simple.

My morning routine keeps the household on track, while at the same time being totally doable.

Here are the 4 things I do in pretty much the same order every day:

1. Eat
2. Make bed
3. Read Bible
4. Get dressed

These are all basic things, but they are my special morning time.  If the kids are awake before I am, they know not to come out of their rooms until I am finished.

If I don't have a chance to complete these basics before the kids get up and around, things seem to fall into chaos pretty quickly.  Who knows what they'll find to get into in the time it takes me to get dressed?  And reading my Bible with everyone up and around?  Forget it.

So I guard this little routine carefully.  It doesn't take me long, but when I'm finished I'm ready to face the day, and I'm available to properly supervise all the little people in my house and take care of their needs.

A little more about the things in my routine:

1. Eat

This one is first on the list because I am working through some issues with hormones and blood sugar right now.  I often wake up too weak to get out of bed, so I have to eat before I ever get up.  My nightstand right now is a little mini fridge that I keep stocked with things like yogurt, homemade granola bites, cheese, and fruit.  I can just roll over and eat before I ever get out of bed!

It sounded crazy when my husband first suggested, but now I think it was a great idea.

And I'm finding there's an extra perk to it – I don't have to try to tiptoe out to the kitchen and hope I don't wake up the kids.  It's beautiful!  As crazy as it sounds, I think it is a great idea for any mom.  I've heard the complaint often about moms not being able to be up before their kids because any movement wakes them up.  Not having to go out to the kitchen would solve a lot of that!

This mini fridge from Wayfair is very similar to the one I have:

2. Make bed

I try to not to get too busy with housework until after we are done with school for the day.  Otherwise there is always something else to do and we can't ever get started on school.

But I do like to make my bed and straighten up my bedroom.  It gives me a small sense of accomplishment as well as a relaxing place to escape to if things get a little stressful during the course of the day!

I love my quilt set, which makes me happy to get my bed made so I can enjoy it.

Here's a quilt set that looks a lot like mine:

3. Read Bible

If I haven't had a chance to sit down and have some quiet time with the Lord before the noise of the day begins, things are probably not going to go very smoothly.  I need to focus my mind on the right things instead of mentally stressing about everything I need to get done.

My quiet time usually consists of reading my Bible, praying, and sometimes journaling. (Read: Why I Don't Do Bible Journaling, And What I Do Instead.)

I'm wanting/needing to get my things for this organized a little better, though. Everything is stored in different places around my room right now, and because of that I end up not using my prayer list or journal as often as I should.  I'm thinking just a basic basket where I can stack my Bible, journal, prayer lists, pens, and maybe a devotional book would be great:

4. Get Dressed

Finally, I get dressed for the day, including shoes.  Wearing shoes just seems to keep me moving faster throughout the day!  Plus, though I like the look of our wood floors, it seems like the dust and dirt just stays around no matter how often I sweep.  I don't really enjoy walking on it, so that's another reason I wear shoes all day!

One thing I'm trying is to get everyone into the habit of taking off their shoes at the door to reduce some of the dust and dirt coming into the house in the first place.  I am just using a big basket for now, but I'd like to get something that looks a little nicer.  I like this shoe storage bench because I think those little cubbies would help the kids put their shoes in their neatly instead of just tossing them (maybe?)

We are still trying to get into the habit of remembering to take off our shoes, so I don't know for sure exactly how much it will help, but the dirt issue does seem to be a little better when we do remember.

Those 4 simple things don't take much time at all and aren't too terribly restricting for someone who likes freedom and variety, but yet they make all the difference in how our day goes!

Do you have a morning routine?  I'd love to hear what yours looks like!

5 Ways to Make Spring Cleaning Fun

Do you dread the thought of getting started on your spring cleaning?

It doesn't have to be  drudgery!

Here are some ways you can actually make spring cleaning fun!

{Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Kimberly-Clark and the Motherhood.  As always, all opinions are 100% my own.}

1. Talk to a friend.

When you're ready to dig in to your cleaning, call up a friend for a chat.  The time will fly by as you enjoy catching up with a friend, and you won't even realize you're working!

How nice to look around at the end of a conversation and see everything that you got done!

2. Listen to music.

It is so much more enjoyable to clean when you're listening to some upbeat music!  Somehow it motivates you to keep moving!

If you get tired of music, a good podcast or radio show keeps things interesting too.

3.  Invest in good supplies.

Nothing makes cleaning more miserable than trying to work with the wrong supplies!

I made a stop by Walmart before I started on my cleaning to make sure I had all the things I needed.

One of the things I made sure to have was a good supply of paper towels and toilet paper.  I love being able to grab a paper towel for quick jobs.  Viva Vantage paper towels have a scrubby texture, so they are great for scrubbing everything from stovetops to patio furniture.  And Viva towels have a softer texture while still maintaining strength, so they are great for setting the kids to work on washing baseboards or for wiping out the silverware drawer.

And once I get the bathroom cabinet cleaned out, I want to make sure we're all set on toilet paper.  We seem to go through it like crazy, so keeping a nice stockpile is part of keeping my home out of chaos!  Scott  1000 and Cottonelle Clean Care or Ultra Care are all great options to keep on hand.

My local Walmart had plenty of everything that I needed, but you can also shop for all your spring cleaning stock-up needs online.

4. Make a game of it.

If your kids are cleaning with you, give everyone a baseboard to clean and tell them you're going to see who did the best job.

Or tell them you're going to have a race to see who can get their window washed the fastest.

If you're cleaning alone, pick a job and set the timer and try to beat it.

5. Learn tips and tricks to make cleaning easier.

Thinking you'll have to spend 3 hours scrubbing your oven?  Misery!  Finding out there's a simple way to clean it in minutes?  Amazing!

Pinterest is awesome for so many reasons – it's a nice way to relax as you browse through recipes and craft ideas, bu it's a fantastic resource for learning so many useful things too!

I've been collecting some helpful spring cleaning tips on a Pinterest board, and I know that many of them will save a lot of time and trouble!

You can follow the board right here:

Follow Imperfect Homemaker's board Spring Cleaning on Pinterest.

What other ways can you add that make spring cleaning fun?

Christ Centered Easter Decor

Last year around Easter time, I was thinking about how much time and effort we put into celebrating Christmas.

We decorate. We exchange gifts to represent the greatest Gift of all.  We spend weeks listening to Christmas music.  And we acknowledge all of these things in light of the fact that we know there is a bigger story.  The story that

“Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures;  and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.”  (I Corinthians 15:3-4)

We talk about how important the whole story of Jesus birth, death, and resurrection is.

But then when Easter time comes – the time of year when we acknowledge in more detail the rest of the story – it seems we often don't give it nearly as much attention as we do the Christmas story.

Many of us don't decorate our homes the way we would for Christmas.  We don't give gifts to one another, except for possibly meaningless chocolate bunnies.   We don't spend a lot of time listening to songs about the death and resurrection of Christ.

I was challenged in my own mind to try to drive home to my children just how important the rest of the story is!  I can tell them it's important all I want, but I need to show them by my actions.

I'll be honest and say that I haven't done an amazing job of it.  I want to keep improving in this area.  I want to try to place more prominence on the celebration of Christ's resurrection in my home rather than relegating it to a single Sunday morning service once a year.

We started by putting up some decorations.  We will probably keep these up for several weeks this spring.  Easter doesn't need to be over just because that particular Sunday has passed.

I used the printable banner I made last year (grab a printable version of it for yourself right here.)

I also used some letter press blocks from Dayspring to spell the word Alleluia!

(They no longer sell these blocks, but they have lots of other Christ centered Easter decor.

I have already found myself spontaneously singing out, “Christ the Lord is risen today, Alleluia!”

I LOVE having this addition to our decor!

Click here to shop more Christ centered Easter decor from Dayspring.