About: Sylvia Britton

Sylvia Britton is a Clarksville native and owner of the Christian HomeKeeper™ Network website and ministry. She and her husband Mark are the parents of 5 children and grandparents to two little girls.  She enjoys reading, mentoring women, writing articles for several magazines, gardening and Tennessee history.

Web Site: http://www.christianhomekeeper.org
Email: sylvia@christianhomekeeper.org

Sylvia Britton's Articles:

Sweet Potato Twist

By Sylvia Britton | November 18, 2009 |
 

Here is a great tasting casserole that is on my new Healthy Eating Menu. The taste of sweet potatoes and bananas go together so naturally.  Its a tropical twist on the old sweet potato casserole.  Try this recipe this Thanksgiving. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Arts and Leisure | No Comments
 

Preparing Your Home For Winter

By Sylvia Britton | November 16, 2009 |
 

As the cold weather approaches there are some things you can do to prepare your home for winter.  Clarksville temperatures have been known to get into the single digits in the winter so don’t get caught in the cold without getting your home all tucked in.

In preparing your home for winter there are several steps to be followed in order to ensure a warm, clean environment for your family during the coldest months. Not everyone reading this will have to contend with wood stoves and woodpiles, drafty windows and doors and an overabundance of “stuff” to deal with. But it is all included here in case you need it.

«Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Arts and Leisure | No Comments
 

You Can Make Yeast Rolls!

By Sylvia Britton | November 12, 2009 |
 

Thanksgiving is nearly here and then Christmas will sneak up on us before we have a chance to turn around. If you are like me, you cook quite a bit during the holidays. One of the things that takes a lot of time and effort is yeast rolls. I am going to show you a way to make old fashioned yeast rolls, freeze the dough, and have them all ready to defrost and rise on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.

It is very handy to have these rolls in the freezer. You can pull them out whenever you want to make a meal special. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Arts and Leisure | No Comments
 

Transitioning to the role of a stay at home mom

By Sylvia Britton | November 7, 2009 |
 

More and more young women are choosing to leave the workplace and make a home for themselves, their husbands and children. While it may look like an easy move, it does have its challenges. I can’t possibly solve all your transition problems, but here are a few suggestions to help you make it as smooth as possible.

Transitioning from the workplace to staying at home with a child can sometimes be stressful and frustrating. You aren’t alone in your struggle if you are learning how to manage your days and fill your hours productively at home.  Here is a letter from a young mom who had lots of questions about her new role as full-time stay at home mom.

I am a new sahm  (Stay At Home Mom) after seven years of teaching. I want to continue being at home. I want for my home to be clean and comfortable, to have an idea of what I am doing each day, to build relationships with God, my husband, my new baby,and others, and to take care of myself. I never knew that being a sahm would be so overwhelming. Before I quit teaching I used to get up a certain time of day, know what I was doing that day , had a time period to complete my tasks, was around other adults, enjoyed coming home to relax and went to bed around the same time. Now I feel overwhelmed. I do not know what expectations I should have for myself every day. What things should I be cleaning daily? What things should I only do occasionally? During the time that I am not cleaning what should I be doing? I have a 5 month old daughter. I do not want to be so devoted to cleaning my house that I miss time with her. I also need time with other adults. Any suggestions?

«Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Commentary | No Comments
 

Home-Canned Apple Pie Filling

By Sylvia Britton | November 6, 2009 |
 

Apple season is pretty much over in Clarksville, but you can still find a few bushels of apples here and there for sale.  If you find them for a great price, you can do lots of things to preserve them.  Some of the ways I preserve apples are:

1. Drying
2. Wrapping and storing fresh
3. Apple Butter
4. Canning with a pie filling

I’ll show you how to dry apples, make apple butter and even make decorations with dried apples in future articles and how to store fresh apples all winter in another. Today I want to share this delicious pie filling recipe. You’ll love having it in your pantry this winter.

If you have never canned anything at home, you will want to find and purchase a Ball Bluebook Guide to Preserving before you attempt these instructions. Home canning is fun and helps save money, but it must be done correctly to keep your family safe from botulism and to keep yourself from getting burned or injured in the process. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Arts and Leisure | No Comments
 

A Visit With Martha

By Sylvia Britton | November 4, 2009 |
 

There’s a certain something in the air when its cold. Something crisp and sharp. Whatever it is, it sets my mind to thinking about the bakery and farm we left behind some 6 years ago.  I miss the farm and the life we had there. I even miss going out to put wood on the fire that warmed our house. I  miss the orchard. I miss my friend Martha.

It seemed so much colder there than here in the winter, even though we were only 20 miles further to the north than we are now. And I do miss the friends we made while we were there. Surprisingly, the only friends we made were Amish people. They seemed to think we fit right in the community. I don’t really know why. We don’t dress like them, talk like them or think like them. That leaves me to think that we connected on a spiritual level, something deeper than clothing or hair; a faith connection that centered around Jesus Christ that not one of us really understood or could account for, but knew that it was there. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Commentary | No Comments
 

Harvest Table Decoration

By Sylvia Britton | November 3, 2009 |
 

Do you decorate your home for Autumn?  I just love the Autumn colors, and I like to bring those colors into my home to add warmth and beauty.  I begin in September full of anticipation and hope that the trees in Clarksville will provide a gorgeous show of color.  Then, I bring that color into my home with inexpensive, easy decorating ideas.

These little gourd candle holders are easy and look great sitting on my dining room table or across the mantle. They’re easy to make; my 11 year old had a great time making them and didn’t want to stop.  They are inexpensive too.  One bag of those little gourds costs about $5 at local markets.  You could split the cost with a friend and both have several gourds to make into candle holders for your Thanksgiving table. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Arts and Leisure | No Comments
 

Get a handle on cleaning

By Sylvia Britton | November 2, 2009 |
 

Having a room cleaning system for your home is a great way to make the chore of keeping a clean house easier.

When the children get up to about 8-10 years old or so, I use these written out plans for cleaning rooms that are their responsibility to clean each week. Room Cleaning Systems are handy! Not only do they help a child remember what to do first and next, they can be a great check list for moms or dads who are cleaning.

If you’re anticipating company for the holidays, Room Cleaning Systems can be a great help in getting it all done.

These are two of my Room Cleaning Systems. If you use a RCS, just tailor it to your own room and your own style. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Arts and Leisure | 6 Comments
 

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