We've Moved!

It's Time!

You can now find me writing at Intend to Live

It's full of great ideas, recipes, and ways to make the most of every day.

In the meantime, you will still be able to find old content here, but for even more entertaining and helpful posts, be sure to head over to 

Intend to Live

and see what's going on!

Dear Readers

Dear Readers,

Thank you, friends. Thank you for encouraging me to write. Thank you for commenting, for checking in, for coming back to see what I have to say. Thank you for pinning my posts, and thank you for sharing my links.

Source: etsy.com via Erika on Pinterest

I know the most faithful of you will follow me to my new home, so again, thank you.

I'm excited for the move, and I am looking forward to sharing with you the dreams that have culminated in the creation of Intend to Live. A lot of thought and preparation have gone into the creation of this new place, and yet there are still unknowns. I appreciate your support of our new endeavor, despite these unknowns.

Intend to Live will be a new and improved version of Control the Chaos, so I hope you will continue to be the fantastic readers you are and tell all your friends.

Final Challenge: Why Intend to Live

Hi ya'll.


You've been introduced to me bit by bit over the last several months, and I am chomping at the bits to get to know ya'll better.  And that's just one of the reasons that I am so excited about Tracey's and my new blog, Intend to Live, that is launching on Sunday.


Some other reasons?


A few weeks ago I told you about my dream of being a writer.  With a blogging partner, I can spend more time on other writing.

Plus it will give me more time to focus on a few other VERY important "projects" I have: 

Okay, so they aren't exactly "projects", per say, but you know what I mean.  

Plus, I got into this blogging world because on top of holding myself more accountable, I wanted to be able to enrich other people.  So with Tracey by my side, we have such a great chance to give ya'll tools {and have you all share them with others, because you probably have a lot already!} to live more naturally, simply and now.  

So, new friends, look forward to talking more next week!

Intend to Live: Upcoming Topics

No Pin It. Do It. project today. Instead, I obtained permission from The Management to share a few upcoming topics at our new site, Intend to Live.


I have done some great pinterest projects recently:

• sauerkraut 
• chicken stock. 
• updates to my winter sowing experiment
• simple organizing  ideas

I will be discussing some time and sanity savers, and I have a few excellent book and product reviews coming up as well. I will share some of my new favorite recipes. Well, the successful ones, anyway.

Jenny will cover bucket list updates, her adventures in healthy living, and some of her own pinterest projects with journals and photo organization.

There *might* even be a giveaway or two - you'll just have to wait and see!

Funday Monday: Details, Details

I am very excited about the launch of our new website, Intend to Live on April 1. In case you missed the announcement, I am joining forces with Jenny @ A Drop in the Bucket to bring the best of both worlds into one place. It seems like a natural fit for two girls who are trying to simplify our lives so we can spend time living.


I would like to share a few details about what you will can expect from this new venture. While I will no longer be writing Control the Chaos, I will be writing similar content at Intend to Live. Below is a weekly schedule of topics, so you can always be in the know.

You will usually be able to find me writing with my crunchy slant for Making Time and Simplify. Every other week I will share a Pin It project from Pinterest, and the off weeks will be my turn to share Favorite Finds, which may includes books I've read, products I love, and other things I usually share on Funday Monday.

Jenny will contribute to Making Memories and Living Well. She is perfectly suited for both of these topics, with her dedication to capturing and living in the moment (she has some serious photography skills), and with her quest to shed some pounds and live a healthier lifestyle.

We might pop in for guest posts, but for the most part, this is what you can expect.

I know the anticipation is killing you, so stay tuned for more details as we get closer to launch.

Five Minute Friday: Loud

Want to play Five Minute Friday? It’s easy peasy! 

1. Write for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking
2. Link back here and invite others to join in.
3. Meet & encourage someone who linked up before you.

OK, are you ready? Give us your best five minutes on:

::

Loud…

GO:


It's not just loud; it's deafening. The kind of noise that would alarm some people. Mainly people without kids.

But it's joyous, spontaneous, and real. The kind of noise I would never stop, no matter how much my ears shatter. The sound of innocent childhood memories being seared into the brains of the precious little people playing happily in the garden.

When did loud get so bad? When did we start having to use our "inside" voices all the time?

Probably around the same time when we just wanted to blend in. Never stand out. Never be placed in the center of the room with the spotlight on us and everyone pointing and jeering because we aren't the same as all the other people in the room who are all terrified because there is something about them that is so very different.

Sometimes I wish for loud. Mainly when I need an answer to something. Because I haven't trained my ears enough to listen for the quiet subtle voice. I need the screaming voice. GO THIS WAY! TAKE THIS PATH! DO THIS NOW!

Other times I wish for quiet. In the literal sense. But I know that soon enough those joyful screams will be replaced by the sullen, "I'm going to my room. Leave me alone. I don't want to talk." So I bask in the loud, I make no judgements, and I pray they will have the courage to [not care about blending in].

STOP.


Go see what others have to say about LOUD. Hop on over to The Gypsy Mama, read, and share your own thoughts.

::

Why and How I Fail

I love love love this simple, natural life we've got going on, but I'm gonna be honest: there are many times I fail. Miserably.

There are only so many hours in a day, and even though I want to only eat the best food and make all my own cleaners and waste as little as possible, the bottom line is when I run out of time, my priorities lie elsewhere.

There, I said it.

Consequently, sometimes

• the dryer gets used more often than the clothesline
• french fries are eaten for dinner (Dutch french fries are the best!)
• the TV is turned on to entertain 
• paper gets thrown into the trash can instead of recycling
• the car gets driven on a "bike only" day
• lights get left on upstairs
• money gets spent out of convenience rather than frugality

Unfortunately, I could go on and on. Here's the thing: every effort I make, no matter how small, means I'm taking the responsible path. My intentions are sometimes drowned by my actions, but more often my intentions create actions.

I fail. Because sometimes life needs to be lived, and people need to be loved. And each day is a new chance to do it better.