Mission Accomplished!

Well, sort of...do the projects ever really end for us Homemakers?

I keep thinking I should do something really big to celebrate.

So far I've only made me a batch of these...

I LOVE Muddy Buddies!

I just finished emailing a letter to D--thanking her for all her help and inspiration this past year. Before I post the letter I also want to THANK ALL OF YOU for your encouragement and support!
I especially need to thank The Husband for all his help--he's been my right hand man through this entire year! He's always been my biggest supporter and I love him more than anything--even Peanut M&M's, Candy Corns and The Outback!

As for the Dirty Little Secrets blog...this is my final project post!

You are welcome to join me at our family blog...
WHAT MATTERS MOST
where I will be doing
PROJECT 365
throughout 2011.
I'll be posting a variety of family stuff including a few projects here and there.

And finally...my letter to D

Dear Daryl,

My name is Becky Beck and I just wanted to write and thank you for all the help you’ve given me.

I came across your book The Art of Homemaking 9 years ago while visiting my sister and her husband in Seattle. They have a very large home library and of all their books I was drawn to yours. Back then I was the mother of 4 children and in a bit of a rut when it came to homemaking. Your book inspired me to be a better homemaker and to find greater joy in that role.

About a year ago I found myself in another rut of sorts. I had experienced several hectic years in a row, leaving many areas of my home neglected. It seemed everywhere I looked there were projects to be finished, areas to be organized and just about everything needed to be cleaned. I was so overwhelmed that I became somewhat immobilized. I was frustrated and began to pray for help.

On December 30th my “project” blog (Dirtylittlesecrets2010.blogspot.com) was born. I decided to do one project a day—I cleaned, organized or worked on finishing something and then blogged about it. I’m a big believer in “moderation in all things” and not “running faster than I have strength” so I didn’t do any projects on weekends, holidays, or vacations. As I was putting my blog together I remembered your book—it just so happened that I had borrowed it to my aunt and she had just returned it to me a few days before so I decided to incorporate your book into my daily projects. I quoted from it every single day and it proved to be great advice and motivation, not just for me but for others who follow my blog. On my blog I refer to you as “D”—I hope you don’t mind!

I also read A House of Order and The Joy of Homemaking this past year and loved both of them! Although written several years ago, your ideals are just as relevant today as they were back then.

This past year has been busy! I’ve accomplished more in 12 months than I ever thought possible—today, everywhere I look things are clean organized and finished! I have developed new habits in my homemaking endeavors that should keep me from ever getting so behind again. I’m expecting my 7th child in March and I’m looking forward to bringing this baby home to a house of order—where I can focus all my attention on it and the rest of the family.

Thank you again for all your help and inspiration. I couldn’t have done all this without you!

Love,

Becky Beck

D's final words to us all...

May you truly be successful and happy in the greatest of all careers, and may someone someday write about you as was written of "Grandmother"--listing the numerous worthwhile accomplishments of your day and then recording that at nightfall you were able to play "When You Come to the End of a Perfect Day."
This will surely be so, because as John Ruskin said, "When love and skill work together, expect a masterpiece".