Time to revive the blog

We visited some friends of my husband this weekend. They are living my dream, and I hadn't realized how much I had strayed from it. I am reviving the simplicity blog to keep myself on track for a bit! Last time, it really helped to have somewhere to record progress.

I become more and more disheartened daily with society and what is considered "socially acceptable".

I need to first do another "spring" cleaning of my house and restore it's easy-to-clean, clutter-free state. I haven't gotten *that* off track, but I do see it sliding in that direction, so I need to catch it before it totally derails. I'll be posting daily progress reports per room as I did before.

Slowing Down

I was reading the other day about slowing down. Driving slower. Living slower. Taking everything in instead of racing past life.

As I sat in the pick-up line at my childrens' school yesterday, I saw a prime example...
There are 2 women who take turns directing traffic at the school. All parents have a card w/a # on it. Our kids have the same # and come out when it is called. One of the women rushes around. I used to think she really takin' care of business and doing a fabulous job. But now I realize, that she's just frantic and stressed. She races down the line taking numbers 1/2 way down the street. She yells at the cars that don't move up fast enough to "move up! squeeze in!" trying to get as many cars as she can out of the road and into the school's driveway. She actually directs traffic like a police officer! And like I said, I always think she's doing a fabulous job.
Then there's woman #2. She is laid back, calm, and relaxed. She NEVER walks to the street, she just takes numbers as you pull into the driveway. She walks slowly and talks softly. She *never* yells. I've always thought she was lazy and didn't like bus duty.
And then I read a chapter in Elaine St. James' book, Simplify Your Life: 100 Ways to Slow Down and Enjoy the Things That Really Matter. So I timed the ladies. It takes me the EXACT same amount of time to get through the line, regardless of who is out there working. Ms. Frantic is just stressing herself out for nothing. I want to tell her to calm down, relax, and smell the roses now :) And I want to tell Ms. Blah "Right On" and apologize for thinking Ms. Frantic did a "better" job just because she LOOKED more busy.

I stopped speedracing in the car long ago. I realized when I was in my early 20s that cussing, flipping people off, and getting fuming angry behind the wheel did nothing to change the traffic but only made me feel nervous and stressed. I'm a much more relaxed, and I think better driver now. In the past, if someone pulled out in a parking lot w/o looking and almost hit me, "Moron". Now...well, I still think they are a moron, but I don't get *angry* about it because I figure they were obviously distracted and not intentionally trying to hit me. So many people I know that things so personal. My ex-husband used to think everyone on the road was intentionally trying to wreck with him.

Slow Down. Enjoy.

Yesterday, I took the baby and preschooler to a Nature Preserve. It was so nice and peaceful. Nothing but the sounds and smells of the wetland. We sat there on a bench talking about what we heard and smelled. It was so refreshing and a wonderful reminder to me to slow down and LISTEN to the world around me :)

The Holidays

I'm getting simple this holiday season, too. No more buying crap because I "have to" give a gift. And I somehow need to spread the word to return the favor. I'd rather get no present than something I don't need. It's insincere and ridiculous.

So what am I doing for gifts this year? Well...I've taken up crocheting, so I'll be making some toys and clothes for the children in my life. I'm working on a cute baby bunting doll right now that I'm hoping will become a gift. I've been practicing my Dandelion Dreamers teaset to hopefully make a set for my niece. I actually ordered one set by the DD owner for my own children because 1. Patti is an AWESOME artisan, and my work could never compare, and 2. Now I have a perfect set to look at and try to get my skills 'that' good knowing what it is *supposed to* look like LOL.

I've also gotten really good at trading with other crafty mamas, so I've already set up a trade for a little bag for knitting supplies for my sister (and yes, she may be reading this and spoiling her suprise, but oh well). I have my end of the trade complete, just waiting for the other party to finish and then we will ship together closer to the holidays. I'm pretty excited about this one, it's going to be something I want to keep!

My niece has several smocks by me that she wears as jammies. Her dad commented that he wanted some flannel jammies to match hers (not smock, though LOL), so for Christmas, I'll be sewing them up a coordinating set!

So all my presents will be various handmade crafts by either myself or my friends. That makes me feel good :) And for the hubby...well...he'll just get the same present he's gotten the last few years...sex. What more could a man want? Seriously.

I've come so far, and yet...

...I still have so much further to go! In fact, I don't think this is actually a journey that EVER ends. I think the simple lifestyle is always evolving and changing within me.

I haven't been posting with as much frequency as in the beginning, because I have already done so much of the major 'start up'. At this point, I feel like I'm just maintaining and fine-tuning my life/home.

I still have several projects that need to be done, but they aren't top priority, so I'm procrastinating. For one, I need to get all the pictures in the house together in ONE spot! I've been putting them in a box as I find them, but I still need to take that box, the other boxes, and the various albums and get them all sorted and organized. I'd like to have all my photos in albums by date (or a general timeline). I'd also like to do some kid-specific scrapbooks with blank pages to keep updating through the years.

I feel like I"ve done a great job maintaining the laundry, living and bed rooms, but I'm really slacking in the kitchen. I only have enough dishes and silverware as we need, but with a family of 6, just one meal racks up a TON of dirties! I feel like the kitchen is a constant battle, so I'm posting it here to get my ass in gear again. I *need* to be more diligent about cleaning as I cook as well as cleaning up RIGHT after meals.

I also have too much fabric. I've tried selling it cheap, I've tried ebay, and I've sold some but still have more. It's not a ton compared to some of my friends, but it's a lot to me. Anyone know of a charity that sews? I'd love to donate it to someone who will actually sew for charity. I tried a diapering company that donates diapers to low-income families, but they said they didn't need it. I gave some a while back to a friend who was supposed to sew and then donate the diapers to that same charity, and I'm fairly certain it's still sitting at her house untouched :( There's a great sewing room at the center in Oaxaca, but customs likes to steal packages- nice, huh?

So those are my 2 new goals: Maintain the kitchen better & get this fabric out of here!

Major Thing Happened Today...

Okay, so it won't seem major to most anyone else, but to me, it was huge.

A friend emailed me today to say she would be in town tomorrow. She wanted to meet up somewhere, but my very first thought was 'just come hang out here at my house'.

I can't remember a time when I WANTED someone to see my house. Normally, my first thought is what I can do to be sure someone WON'T see my house. For example, at my old job, I would meet up with co-workers to visit clients. Sometimes, if the clients were near one of our homes, we would just meet at someone's house and go from there. When it was MY house, I'd make up some reason why we had to meet at the first appointment because I was deathly afraid someone would want to come in to use the bathroom.

Not anymore :)

C'mon Over! Anytime!

My 9/11 Story.

So today's the day we all remember. I'm going to take a break from my usual posts and share my story. Everyone has a 9/11 story, and here is mine:

It was my 2nd day in the new office. I'd been working for the same company for 4 years but moved to a different location, so I was already familiar with everyone. Our Sales Manager had her radio on and heard the first reports of a plane. She and I hovered at her radio listening. More reports. More planes. So we headed next door to the office with a TV. That entire office of 25ish people here all sitting there. watching. completely silent. eerily silent.

And then I remembered my sister. She had just taken a new job in Manhattan. I knew it wasn't at the WTC, but I didn't know where or how close. I didn't even have a number. So I called my other sister. She was in a meeting, but they got her out. She had a number, called, everything was fine. But for about an hour there, I had a creepy, dark feeling, and it was pretty freakin' scary. I talked to her that night, and she told me about it all. She saw the 2nd tower fall. They had gone to the top of their building to watch the commotion after the first one fell. She started to walk away, heard a crash, turned around, and the 2nd one was gone.

She and her boyfriend, to this day, still consider themselves to have post-traumatic stress disorders because of it. But thankfully, they did not know anyone who was a victim. They had one friend who worked at the WTC, but he was late for work that day and spared.

At my work, we sat there the rest of the day in silent shock. We did our duties, but no one really spoke. No laughing, just everyone thinking. Which, if you knew about me and my co-workers, you would know how serious that is.

When I got home, I couldn't stop watching CNN. It was all the same thing over and over again, but I just couldn't look away. When I went to work the next day, my boss told me that he had had the same thing happen when he went home.

It was just complete and utter disbelief.

Interesting Read about Diapers

I think a lot about diapers. Lately, I've been thinking a lot about the overall effect of cloth vs. disposable. Yes, using cloth- natural fibers in particular- will lessen what I leave on this planet. And for me, that reason is good enough.

But...I read all these websites advocating FOR cloth, and it makes me wonder. Overall, how do they REALLY compare? You know, it takes pesticides to grow conventional cotton. It takes energy to produce the fabric, gas to get the fabric to you, energy to run your washing machine, etc, etc, etc. The argument that has always bothered me is the "disposables are filling our landfills" statements. When I was in college a thousand years ago, I got a degree in Anthropology. During my stint as a student, I did a report on something called "Garbology"- taking garbage and landfills and using their contents in anthropological studies. I remember reading that a common misconception is that disposable diapers are filling our landfills, that in fact, they are a very small percentage of what is found.

So that's the history of what lead me to do a search today for "Garbology + Diapers" to see what I could come up with. And here's what I found: Beyond The Pail. It's long, but a very interesting read.

That said and read, I still think cloth is better. Hands Down. :)

Commercial-Free Parenting

I hate TV. Well, mostly I just hate commercials. I try to stick with PBS and Boomerang since they have cartoons but no commercials. PBS has added a few here and there between shows, but nothing flashy or blingy. I loathe Nickelodeon. I swear, it seems like every commercial is about how to make your little girl more like a teenage ho. And in that train of thought- who was the evil person that created Bratz dolls????? Not only is is offensive to refer to them as "brats", but they look like HOOKERS. Plain and simple. And I used to think Barbie was bad! She's a respectable woman now compared to those little sluts!!!

And Cartoon Network? Uh yeah...they advertise WEIGHT LOSS products between shows. Nice.
But back to commercials....They really hurt the simplicity quest. I get the toys all streamlined and basic. Good for creativity and thoughful play. Then they are bombarded with commercials for useless junk and convinced that they "need" it. I guess in reality, though, it's my responsibility to police the TV better, so I guess I'm typing this "out loud" in an attempt to hold myself more accountable and DO SOMETHING about it.

Fair Trade ?

What makes something "Fair Trade"? I get the concept, paying a fair wage to farmers/workers, right? But who governs this? Who says what is fair?

NO MORE CARPET! and more ramblings...

Woo Hoo! This has been an ongoing project over the last few years. We had only one room left with carpet: ours. Monday, the hubby pulled it all up, and we went to Home Depot for some wood laminate flooring. He's been working on it 2 nights now, and it should be complete tonight. After that first night, I could tell a HUGE difference. I didn't wake up but one time, and that was to nurse the baby. Last night was the same. You just don't know what that means to me! I'm the kind of person that wakes up EVERY morning with a stuffy nose and sore thought. Not the last 2 mornings, though :)

On a different note, we all know the W Mart controversy. But, I just wanted to say that I was there yesterday, and they had a pack of Cushies cloth diapers in the baby section. I was totally shocked.

Since the bombardment of holidays is almost upon us, what are some of you doing to combat the crapalanche that happens because of family?

I've been practicing my crochet skills. They are pretty non-existent, but I completed my very first diaper cover this morning! It is ugly as heck, but I'm proud of it! I bought some cheap acrylic yarn to start out with and practice before I dive into some soft, nice wool for the babe.

The ease of Simplicity

Well...I had a nasty head-cold the first part of the week and that set the mood for the whole week: SLACKER. My daughters are having a friend spend the night tonight, so I got up knowing I would have to clean today.

Thanks to the purging and cleaning of the past, it was a BREEZE. Even after not maintaining through the week, I was able to get the kitchen, Living Room, and Bathroom looking just fine for company (I had the kids clean their own rooms last night).

It was also interesting, because I was able to pinpoint some areas that still need more work. Like, I have a set of coffee cups and then saved 3-4 of the old ones, too. I now realize we don't need that many. All we did was let them pile up in the sink.

The childrens' clothes are looking GREAT. I narrowed it down to 10 outfits per kid, so I only have to wash 2X a week, and really only once if I want. I washed all their dirty clothes this morning in ONE load!!! There are still some stragglers in my hamper, but I'm getting through those now. I don't put anything in the drawers until it is ALL clean and can be paired up in outfits before going in the dresser.

Now just as long as no one decides to open MY door, it's all good.

Remember how I said I wanted to follow through with sponsoring a student in Oaxaca? Well, it's in the works! Officially! I had a big sale on my website and sold ...are you ready... $750 in cloth diapers. So, my treat to myself is to send $150 to Oaxaca Street Children Grassroots. My husband says that's not much of a personal treat, so I also bought some rugs for the bathroom. LOL. He says I don't know *how* to buy something just for me. So I had him make reservations for Sunday to eat at the hotel we got married at :) Now I think he's pleased.

And here's the best part- I've already put $250 in savings. That might sound like pennies to you, but I've NEVER been able to save, so to see to that is great for me. I'm making it a challenge to see how much I can have left at the end of the month. I read a tip in a book to write down your goals and keep them near your money. Everytime you start to spend, look at that list and decide if it's worth it, or if you would rather save the money to get closer to your goal. I don't have the physical list, but I'm mentally thinking that EVERY time I make a purchase. I've logged on to a fabric store online about 5 times in the last 3 days and then "x" out when I think of my list :)

~~~~Healthy Eating Update~~~
We've decided to go Organic/Freerange/Humane/Whateveryouwannacallit on our meat from here on out. It's going to take a little adjustment at first- finding places to buy from, so we won't go 100% from the get-go, but within a few months, we should be. We found some farms nearby that do beef, poultry, and pork. We just have to get a freezer so we can buy large quantities to save money. We can get Grassfed Beef at Publix now, but it's $6.99/lb. OUCH. So we are also going to reduce the amount of meat we eat overall. The less but more concept. The "supersize me" mentality we have been raised on is a hard one to beat, but it's our goal. It's especially hard for my husband who is 6'4" and 300 lbs, but I know he can do it. He has a willpower that I could never comprehend. I guess it comes from hardcore Buddhist training. We also feel the Organic meat options will do our Karma some good, but I won't go into our philosophies on that here ;) (they're pretty wierd to most, a mix of Buddhist values and Evolution).

Have a great day!

Excessive Spending

really irks me. Yes, I've done it, and yes, I will most likely do it again in my life. But, it seems to me that it is a norm in our society, and it's just disgusting.

"I really don't *need* it, but it's on sale", "It was really cute, so I bought it even though I don't *need* it"...blah...blah...blah.... Running up a credit card debt for things that are completely and totally unnecessary because you are bored or want to impress your friends. I throw "bored" in there because as a stay-at-home-mom, I know how easy it is to get sucked into the computer and tempted to buy things for the thrill of it.

I know people who consider shopping a HOBBY. What the ... ??? How about reading? Writing? Playing an instrument? A sport? Crafts? But no, shopping. Spending money. I just don't get it. I seriously think anyone who considers shopping a hobby needs a psychiatrist. Now.

Go to the mall. Walk. Get some Exercise. Window shop. That's cool. Enjoy looking at new things, but you don't have to actually buy them all!!!

I find it harder and harder to live in normal society as each day passes.

I need inspiration

You know when you are rolling good and then just hit a brick wall? This is how I've felt 2 days now. Not sure what happened, but something has thrown my off my groove. The Living Room is a wreck, but the rest of the house if clean enough, the laundry is under control, the sink is clean. And yet, I feel like something is 'wrong'. I'm stressed and fussy for no reason.

Well, maybe there's a reason. The baby is cutting 3 for sure, possibly 6 teeth all right now. He is pissy and fussy, and I think it's wearing off on me. I have a slightly big order I need to get cracking on of diaperpail liners and wetbags, I have another order lined up for washcloths and breastpads. Geez.

My husband got in a car wreck yesterday morning, nothing major, no injury, truck is drivable, but maybe that's what started this?

Whatever it is, if anyone has the 'right words' to get me back on track, I'd appreciate hearing them ;) (well...reading them).

On a positive note, I'm almost finished reading a great simplicity book by Elaine St. James. Are the rest of you doing any reading? If so, I think we need a book swap lined up for when we finish books so we can rotate them to each other instead of taking up more space on our shelves.

My answers!

I saw this on my friend's blog, and instead of answering in her comments, I thought I'd put them here ;)

1. Have you ever been searched by the cops? No, but I've been "questioned" LOL
2. What color are your eyes? Brown, dark brown.
3. When was the last time you went sledding? Never.
4. Would you rather sleep with someone else, or alone? Depends on who's offering.
5. Do you believe in ghosts? Yes.
6. Do you consider yourself creative? Not really.
7. Jennifer Aniston or Angelina Jolie? Jolie.
8. Who was your first crush? Matt James
9. Do you have a secret that no one knows but you? Probably.
10. Have you ever been ice skating? Yes, once as a child.
11. How often do you remember your dreams? ~3X a week
12. When was the last time you laughed so hard you cried? Don't remember, but not very long ago.
13. Can you name 4 songs by The Beatles? Hard Day's Night, Blackbird, Fool on the Hill, Help
14. What's the one thing always on your mind? Nothing.
15. What talent do you wish you had? Knitting
16. Do you know anyone in jail? Not right now.
17. Have you ever stood up for someone you hardly knew? YES. Several times.
18. Have you ever been punched in the face? Yes.
19. Do you own any stuffed animals? Yes.
20. Do you have a major crush on someone? Not right now!
21. Do you miss someone right now? My Granny.
22. What are you listening to right now? Spongebob Squarepants
23. Has the death of a celebrity ever made you cry? Princess Diana
24. What color underwear/boxers are you wearing? White
25. Where do you work? Home
26. What ended your last relationship? My common sense.
27. What food do you crave right now? White Turtle Ice Cream from Brewsters
28. What was the last TV show you watched? Before Spongebob? Wonderpets. Sad, huh?
29. What is the last thing you ate? MAc and cheese
30. Are you on any medication? No.
31. What side of the bed do you sleep on? Right if you are facing the bed.
32. What color shirt are you wearing? White with Orange and light blue stripes
33. What is your favorite frozen treat? Ice Cream
34. How many tattoos/piercing do you have? Ears pierced. That's it.
35. Can you imagine yourself ever getting married? I guess so...since I've done it twice.
36. Have you ever done something to instigate trouble? Yes. I'm kinda a shit-starter.
37. Do you like your nose? Yes.
38. What color is your bedroom? Blue
39. Where do you live? Georgia, southside of ATL
40. Are you an aggressive driver? Sometimes.
41. What color is your car? Bright blue.
42. What do you smell like right now? Sweaty kids.
43. What is your favorite color? All earthtones
44. What character from a movie/TV most reminds you of yourself? The mom from Malcolm in the Middle.
45. Do you enjoy giving hugs? Yes
46. Do you own a digital camera? Yes
47. What books, if any, have made you cry? Where the Red Fern Grows. Odd Thomas.
48. Are you a jealous person? Yes.
(deleted 49....it was kinda naughty)
50. What shoes are you wearing right now? none
51. What is your major weakness? pajamas
52. Do you suffer motion sickness? only when reading in the car
53. What's the best pizza? pepperoni and black olives
54. Longest relationship? 5 years, my ex-husband.
55. Are you afraid of thunderstorms? No
56. What do you want to be when you grow up? I am grown up, and I think I'm doing pretty good as it is :)
57. Have you ever given or been given an engagement ring? Yes, twice.
58. What was the last gift someone gave you? A gift card to Joannes fabric
59. Who would you call first if you won the lottery? My husband
60. Can you cook? Yes, very well I think
61. What is your favorite jelly/jam? Elderberry
62. Can you swim? Yes, very well.
63. What is your first memory? Getting stuck in the bars of my crib.
64. What item would you like to have buried with you? I don't know, I want to be cremated.
65. What are three things you're dying to have right now that would make everything just about perfect? 1. a Million dollars, 2. a clean house, 3. Calm kids!

Cloth Diapers

Today I made big boy (the kid...not the hubby LOL)a new long-sleeve shirt for Fall. It came out amazing, I'm really proud of myself! I condensed the girls' wardrobes down last week to 10 or less outfits each. The oldest, who isn't privvy to all the hand-me-downs has the least, about 6 outfits. I paired it all up in their drawers in outfits to make getting ready in the morning quicker and easier. It seems to be working very well so far. I kept all the leftover seperates. For now, they are on top of the dryer, and I hope to make a few pants/shirts to match them up with. If they are still sitting there in 2 weeks...they go to a thrift store. I promise.

I worked on the playroom today. We acquired a free very nice full-size mattress last week, so we took the computer desk out, put it in the free corner of the living room, and set the "playroom" back up like a guest bedroom. My oldest gal slept in there last night, so we hope she is moving towards getting her own room and a little more independence from her sisters. Anyway...hubby set the bed up this weekend, and today I went through the toys and crapola on the floor. Throwing away the pissy-smelling rug. After I cleaned through all the toys week-before-last, I've been watching the toys and which get *really* played with. I put those that have had zero activity in a big black bag for Goodwill.

It's really AMAZING how much we have gotten rid of in the last month. Amazing, and frankly- DISGUSTING. With what I have given away, an entire family could cloth their children and set up a small house. It really puts in in perspective for me. Have you ever noticed my link over on the right for Oaxaca Street Children Grassroots? I went there 2 summers ago and volunteered. Every year at tax time, I've said I'm going to sponsor a child, and something has always come up. NOT ANYMORE. This will be the year. I've slacked on it, too, because it's a true commitment. It's a sponsorship that you really need to maintain until the child graduates. But no more slacking- this is the year! When I think of all the money I have wasted on crap in my lifetime, it makes me want to cry. There are people in this world starving of hunger and living on the streets, I don't "need" a freakin' laptop (my last big stupid purchase that I regret).

We all have those big buys that we regret later on- the car we traded in on a whim, the laptop when we already had a perfectly good desktop, the extra tv because "it was a sale I couldn't pass up". Do you have big purchases that you are PROUD of? I do. My sewing machine. Best damn investment I've ever made. I got my first machine at age 12. JCPenney's store brand basic, and I used that baby through High School. I graduated, went to college, and thought more of boys and weed that the domestic life and forgot my love for the sewing machine. After college, I got pregnant and married. Still missing "something", but not sure what! When I became pregnant with my 2nd daughter, I realized that diapering 2 babies at the same time was going to be REALLY expensive, so I had the idea to sew my own cloth diapers. Well...I never sewed the diapers, but it did bring me a new sewing machine for some holiday. Basic Kenmore this time. After a few more years, I DID actually sew that diapers, and thousands more on that machine. When it finally pooped, I bought another basic $200 machine, and it broke 3 times in the first 2 weeks. Figured I had a lemon, so I traded it. Nope, apparently, they all sucked. So I returned it and made the biggest investment aside from house and car of my lifetime- a Viking sewing machine. The first thing my Father asked was "where was it made?", I replied "Sweden", and he said, "That sonofabitch will outlast you." It was then that I KNEW I'd done the right thing ;)

So when I get depressed over all the waste I've caused in my life, I try to remember the good things, too, the smart choices...which as luck would have it are waaay farther apart than the dumb ones.

Of course the BEST purchase I ever made was that $50 membership to eHarmony ;) Best $50 I ever spent.

It's been a week

since I posted. Oops. Progress has slowed down around here. The girls started school last week, so I've been taking the time to do some sewing and some website/advertising duties for my businesses.

As far as cleaning and purging, the Living Room and playrooms are now complete :)

Fortune cookies

Some of the best advice I've ever gotten has been from fortune cookies. Here is today's: "Even if you are on the right path, if you don't keep moving, you will get run over." I thought that one was especially appropriate considering what I'm trying to do with my life right now!

My all-time favorite was "The truly generous give even to the undeserving."

And then there was the great confirmation of "Someone is watching you from afar."

Hello Goodwill!

My husband took an entire truckbed FULL of things to Goodwill today!!! And he doesn't have one of those shorty beds, it's a full-size truck bed. I've been collecting things up for 2 weeks now from all over the house, and today it is GONE! I know the smarter thing would have been to have a Garage Sale, but let's face it...I'm a serious procrastinator, and it would have been sitting here this time next year.
I feel like I just lost a bunch of weight. It feels good. And there's still more to come, only the kitchen, kids' room, and front closet are 100% done. What went today was from all over the house, but I've been concentrating on one room at a time but still doing *something* on every room most days. I have left:
Living Room
Sewing Room (all extras have been scrapped, just needs to be organized again)
Bathrooms (2)
Playroom
Master Bedroom
Not necessarily in that order :)

Smallering

I love this article. I read it every so often to remind myself.
Click Here

Today's accomplishments

Closet by front door- done. Took some of the winter coats out for Goodwill, cleaned the floor of fabric- saved some, some to Goodwill.

Business Inventory- done. Took a good count of what I have and sent a "liquidation" email to my retailers to buy them cheap and get 'em outta here. Everything left at the end of next week will go public on my outlet site.

Got the pool cleaned and drained. One more fill for the summer then it's retired.

Watched a Veggie Tales movies on "Being Thankful" and talked to my girls extensively about what they have to be thankful for and the material things that they have being nice but not necessary. We aren't Christians, but man, those Veggie Tales sure are cute.

Not a ton of accomplishment today, but enough, and a good day :)

One of my very favorite songs of all time

Just thought I'd share :) It's by Chuck Brodsky.

The Ballad Of Me & Jones

Jones & I were classmates back when we were kids
He lived around the corner, had the same friends as I did
I traded my Marv Throneberry for his Yastrzemski and his Mays
Now he can't believe what those baseballl cards are worth these days

Jones & I ran neck & neck in almost every race
In every high school track meet we took first and second place
I'd have to say he's faster now, but strictly off the cuff
Long gone are the days when I was trying to keep up

Jones went to the Ivy League & me I went to State
We got the same degrees, but they don't carrry the same weight
Jones, he climbs the ladder & he's almost to the top
Me, I ride the elevator up & down & up & down & up & down & up...

And now I can only guess if I might ever cross Jones' mind
Does he ever stop to wonder, does he ever look behind?
Me, I'm looking forward to that place around the bend
When we can catch up with each other's lives like a couple of long-lost friends

Jones, he got married early on in life
He's got beautiful children, he's got a beautiful wife
And what more could I ask for than to know that kind of love
Well...maybe just one or two things from some of Jones' stuff

Jones has all the gadgets, gets his electronic thrills
Remote control on everything in his house up in the hills
Me, I'm like that tortoise, carrying my shell
I keep on moving, but it's sometimes hard to tell

And now I can only guess if I might ever cross Jones' mind
Does he ever stop to wonder, does he ever look behind?
Me, I'm looking forward to that place around the bend
When we can catch up with each other's lives like a couple of long-lost friends

At our 25th reunion, if Jones & I should meet
Over by the punchbowl with the dips & stuff to eat
I wonder how he'd take it, and the look upon his face
If I'd write my name & number on the back of Willlie Mays

The Hubby is Officially On-Board!!!!

My husband agrees with the concept of Voluntary Simplicity and has been supportive in all this for me, but he wasn't really that "into" it. Until yesterday.

He bought me a book- "Living the Simple Life" by Elaine St. James for my birthday. My birthday isn't until next week, so he took it to work to read before giving it to me. He called me after lunch all excited telling me that he just HAD TO go ahead and give me my present. He gave it to me when he got home and said he had read it on his lunchbreak and was totally into it now. He started giving me ideas and suggestions, and we looked at some web pages together. He said that after reading that book, he made a mental list of the things he is going to work on first: 1. Getting more "fit" physically and spiritually/mentally, 2. Looking for a job closer to home to shorten his commute. He was sitting here holding our baby and telling me that he realized that he drove for 3 hours every day- time wasted in the car that could be spent with us, and 3. Not staying late at work just because someone "expects" it of him and everyone else does it. He stays late because everyone else does, and he says he's going to stop. He'll do what he has to do and go home- nothing above that.

We decided that our first goal financially is to get an adequate savings account in case of disaster. After that, we will stop saving for a little while and pay off the cars as soon as possible so that our only debt is the mortgage.

I feel totally different now having him on board. I *thought* I could do this before, but now I *know*.

So....My house purging is slow but steady. We haven't brought new things into the house, so as long as I continue purging, I'm making progress, even if it is a slow journey.

I worked on the kitchen a little more this morning. We have 4 types of coffee cups- a nice set my mom just gave us, a set my husband brought when he moved in, the set that came with my dishes, and random novelty cups. I put everything in a box except the set my mom gave us and the cute novelty ones. I took all the "specialty" serving stuff (like Chinese soup bowls & a pretty tea set) and put them in a cabinet up high, for use only in special occasions. My kids had 4 sets of plates, I decreased it to 3. I could go further, but they are pretty destructive, so they will whittle away on their own over time. I breastfeed, but I used to work outside of the home and had bottles. I boxed them all up except one, for emergencies. My son refuses babyfood and purees, so I boxed up all the baby bowls. We had 2 sets of glasses. I put one in the box. I have another set in my car that my mom gave me, so I'll be going through that later.

Now I see how much wasted space my kitchen has because of cabinets and storage! After I post here, I'm going back to do these things:

Go through pots and pans and get rid of what we don't use. Put the "specialty" ones in a seperate space under the counters.

We have about 8 of each bowls, plates, little plates- I'm keeping out 4 of each and putting the rest up high in the cabinets in case of company.

Yesterday I also washed ALL the kids' clothes and started going through it. I matched up pants and shirts and put the rest on top of the dryer. I'm going through that today to see if I can match up any other sets. Everything left will go to Goodwill. Or Shana- do your girls *need* them? It would be mostly sizes 3,4,5. And Kamrin- I still need to send you some unpaper towels! I don't know anything about your kids and what their ages/sizes are, so if yours need anything like that, let me know. My children have a "unique" clothing situation. Their Grandmother has an obsession with shopping. Seriously. When she visits, she will bring EACH of them at LEAST 5 new outfits. At Christmas and birthdays, double that. I once told her I needed some onesies in size 6mos. She sent me TWENTY TWO onesies. All brand new. All namebrand. CRAZY!!!!! So when I offer clothes, I am serious!!!!!!!!! Their Dad has an entire closet of dresses they've never worn.

My progress thus far

Money: I will be almost debt-free at the end of the month. All doctors/hospitals have been paid as of this month. We will have mortgage, utilites, cars & car insurance.

Clutter: I still struggle with this. I just can't maintain. I'm trying, I swear, I'm trying, but I keep falling off the wagon. This morning, I realized the Living Room has been bombarded yet again with toys. I recently have a toy clean-a-thon and thought progress had been made, but they made their way back to what was not their space. Anyway, I took care of that this morning.
I also cleaned the kitchen cabinets partially. We had an entire shelf of medicine. What? 90% of it was expired or something that would never be used. So I threw it away :)

Fuck the Joneses.

'nuff said, right? Of course not!

I went on a mini-road trip today and had lots of car thinking time. I was thinking how I don't think it's important to keep up with mainstream society. I started thinking about some of my friends who would agree with me, but then if I really think about it...their "Joneses" still exist, just a different breed. The Joneses who need to impress each other with their "naturalness". You know the ones, uber-crunchy to the point of ridiculous. They are all about impressing their other crunch friends with how "against the norm" they can be. It's not about living deliberately and like they want to live, it's living to impress others. The others just aren't what we normally think of. Getting in a pissing match over who breastfed their babies longer, who buys more organic food. I know someone like this. They talk all about how "liberal" they are. But you know what? They are wearing their hippy clothes and going "au natural" JUST LIKE ALL THEIR FRIENDS. But when it really comes down to the natural sides of life, what do they do? Well, they don't cloth diaper. They don't breastfeed past 6 mos. They gag at the thought of cloth menstrual pads. And they drive a freakin' Tahoe even though they only have one small child.
Well guess what!? Sometimes I rock out in the car to Britney Spears. And the Def Leppard Greatest Hits CD may be one of the best things I can think of right now. LOL.
I might wipe my butt with flannel, but I'm not above marrying a dude from the trailer park. And I LOVE bacon. What would my Buddhist brethren think?

Sometimes mainstream is just fine.

Be who you really are :)

A Loan we can feel GOOD about

My hubby got a truck a few days ago. We've been needing one to haul crap around for a while now, as we don't really have a friend who has one we can borrow. My hubby prefers a truck anyway, so we replaced the Civic for it. No biggie.

The best part about it is that I'm proud of how well we did with the loan. The hubs previously worked for a company with a Credit Union. A real Credit Union with only 2 employees where the interest is dispersed among all the accounts. They gave him a good interest rate, and we aren't giving our hard-earned cash to "the man". I'm happy to give money to a bunch of foundry workers, screw that CEO with a mansion and a multi-million dollar salary.

I'm so glad that he remembered that he was still a member of the Credit Union. It warms my heart to know that any future *necessary* debt will be to them. When I say debt, I mean like if our AC unit breaks in July, and we need $1000 to fix it. I don't mean debt because I want to go to Red Lobster and charge it or I think I need a new iPod. I'm done with that crap.

Living within my means. Priceless.

Step one on time management

I've long known that my time arch-rival is the internet. It's an addiction. When I don't get online for a few hours, I feel like I'm missing something. Like someone might send me a million dollars to my paypal account, and I'll miss it.
My real nemesis is a chat board. I go there and just 'browse' to waste time. Read some, post some, but usually just a time-catcher. I took myself off of it today. Took away the temptation. The hubby says I will just replace the time with reading blogs. I disagree, I think that with a discussion board, you can click "new posts" throughout the day and see new things to read. With the blogs, people post once a day. I read a new post, I'd done until the next day.
So in 1 month I'll report back and report whether or not my husband is right :D

Homework for Lesson 4

I'm taking this online course through Barnes & Noble, and there are just too many people there. When I started, I thought it was so great. I thought I'd be able to follow along with the post and get insight and ideas from other students. Now there are so many participants that I just can't read it all. I scan through for posts from the instructor and friends who are on there, but that's about it.
I figure it's part of my simplification....spending less time on the computer! I read what I need to and get off. (and for the record, I'm typing this as my children have a snack)

Anyway, here's my "homework" for journaling:
The introductory quote at the beginning of the work chapter is "What is at the center of your life? Carefully examine where you spend your attention, your time. Look at your appointment book, your daily schedule…. This is what receives your care and attention—and by definition, your love." When you look carefully at your daily schedule, what do you see?
I see chaos. I see someone who spends too much time on the computer "playing" just to waste time. I've started making progress on this. I realized that I compute because the baby is crabby & needs to be held, and I can't possibly get any housework done lugging around 22 lbs. That's okay, though, he needs me, and I enjoy the cuddly time. But what I DON'T have to do is sit here at the computer. I can be sitting in the floor interacting and playing with my other children as I entertain the baby. I've been doing that a lot today, and it feels great.

Consider these two rules from Janet Luhrs's dad: 1) Find something you love to do and get paid for it. 2) Live under your means. If you followed those two rules, would you spend your time in a different way? How?
Well, I'm pretty much there. I quit working outside of the home, and I sew to make money. I enjoy sewing. A lot. I already live at or below my means. It's a work-in-progress, but it's almost there. I don't "need" all the things that others think are necessary to live. I've lived above my means for a loong time, and it doesn't feel good. Where I"m at now is in limbo in between, but for once, I can see light at the end of the tunnel, and it feels GOOD. I spend my time doing what I need and want to do as opposed to trying to figure out how to get the next bill money. Now, when I sew, I enjoy it more. Before, when I sewed, I felt stressed and pressured to get things done because we needed the money.

Do you feel that you are spending as much time as you'd like with your family? If not, what changes do you need to make in your life?
Yes. One of the reasons I strive to simplify our life and live below our means is so that my husband will be able to do the same.

What is your definition of success?
Enjoying what you do.

Homework for Lesson 4

I'm taking this online course through Barnes & Noble, and there are just too many people there. When I started, I thought it was so great. I thought I'd be able to follow along with the post and get insight and ideas from other students. Now there are so many participants that I just can't read it all. I scan through for posts from the instructor and friends who are on there, but that's about it.
I figure it's part of my simplification....spending less time on the computer! I read what I need to and get off.

Anyway, here's my "homework" for journaling:
The introductory quote at the beginning of the work chapter is "What is at the center of your life? Carefully examine where you spend your attention, your time. Look at your appointment book, your daily schedule…. This is what receives your care and attention—and by definition, your love." When you look carefully at your daily schedule, what do you see?
I see chaos. I see someone who spends too much time on the computer "playing" just to waste time. I've started making progress on this. I realized that I compute because the baby is crabby & needs to be held, and I can't possibly get any housework done lugging around 22 lbs. That's okay, though, he needs me, and I enjoy the cuddly time. But what I DON'T have to do is sit here at the computer. I can be sitting in the floor interacting and playing with my other children as I entertain the baby. I've been doing that a lot today, and it feels great.

Consider these two rules from Janet Luhrs's dad: 1) Find something you love to do and get paid for it. 2) Live under your means. If you followed those two rules, would you spend your time in a different way? How?
Well, I'm pretty much there. I quit working outside of the home, and I sew to make money. I enjoy sewing. A lot. I already live at or below my means. It's a work-in-progress, but it's almost there. I don't "need" all the things that others think are necessary to live. I've lived above my means for a loong time, and it doesn't feel good. Where I"m at now is in limbo in between, but for once, I can see light at the end of the tunnel, and it feels GOOD. I spend my time doing what I need and want to do as opposed to trying to figure out how to get the next bill money. Now, when I sew, I enjoy it more. Before, when I sewed, I felt stressed and pressured to get things done because we needed the money.

Do you feel that you are spending as much time as you'd like with your family? If not, what changes do you need to make in your life?
Yes. One of the reasons I strive to simplify our life and live below our means is so that my husband will be able to do the same.

What is your definition of success?
Enjoying what you do.

Don't Gloat

'Cause then you will wake up one morning to a kitchen looking like
<---THIS. I posted last night bragging about how I had loaded the dishwasher and then used the same 4 plates all day. Well, the girls had gone to their father's house for the night. I made myself and Kevin a scrumptious Blueberry Cobbler from the blueberries my sweet neighbor brought me, and then we ate the ENTIRE thing. Apparently, good cobbler has the same effect as booze, because I must have blacked out about the sink. Have you ever read anything about "Flylady"? It's a site/book about organizing your life and keeping things nice and tidy.

One of the big things from Flylady is to always keep your kitchen sink sparkling. When I first read it, I did it pretty religiously for about a week. But you know how it goes- messiness is like an addiction, slip just one time and it all goes down the toilet. I remembered this morning and immediately shined my sink after making breakfast. Nice work, if I say so myself.

According to Flylady, if you keep your sink clean at all times, even when your house is really messy, and you are feeling depressed about it, you can go to your kitchen and admire your beautiful sink. And you know what? It really DOES make you feel better. So ladies....GO SHINE YOU SINK :)

I haven't been keeping up with the Barnes & Noble class, shame on me. I haven't even read the book in 2 days. When my girls leave tonight, I PROMISE I will read and try to catch up. Kevin was very ashamed that I wasn't able to "keep up with my homework".

I took a cleaning sabbatical the last few days too. I don't know what the deal is, I'm just sitting on my ass playing on the computer instead of doing "real work". BUT, I did finish 80 unpaper towels of various sizes, 40 bibs, and an organic cotton outfit to sell at this weekend's craft fair :) I guess that counts for something! I also cleaned and organized my sewing area a little.

So maybe I *have* been doing something!

I am very lucky indeed

I feel very fortunate that i have a hubby who is "into" simplicity like I am. We have some different ideas and thoughts on it, but we feel the same about the basic concepts. He has been reading the Simple Living Guide along with me and has had quite a bit to say about a few things in it. Some good, some bad, some eye-opening.

As for my progress of decluttering the homestead, I haven't made any progress the last 2 days. I've been sewing for a craft fair this weekend and playing with the kids a lot. Baby boy is in a "hold me now" stage, so I have to just sit around a lot with him in my lap. He's too big to carry around and do anything! I sure will be thankful when he can walk.

I do have one accomplishment today. The girls & I have been eating off the same 4 plates all day. I just wash them off after every meal and sit them aside for the next. I want to start doing this every day. I find myself running the dishwasher TWICE a day lately, and that's just ridiculous.

You get what you pay for

most of the time, that is. I don't know what made me think of this today, but I did. I think it's important in the simplifying process. It's one "lesson" my father and grandmother were very adament about. When I married, Granny said she was buying my washing machine. Why just a washer? As per Granny, because you can air dry anything, so a washer is more important. When I went to buy it, she told me to get a Kenmore because they were reasonably priced and long-lasting. Okay. And then she said not to get the most expensive just because someone else was buying. But also not to get the least expensive, because it won't be as durable, and I'll have to end up paying for repairs in a few years. So I took her advice and got the mid-priced washer. Not too many bells & whistles- soak mode and pre-wash cycle, extra-large capacity. And I've been washing the hell out of cloth diapers for the last 6 years with no problems.

You get what you pay for. Simple enough, but think about it. Buy some cheap-ass washer for say, $100. 2 years later it breaks, so you pay $50 to fix it. Again in a few more years. Well guess what? You could have spent $200 originally and saved yourself the trouble. (and I'm totally making up numbers here, I have no ideas how much washers or repairs cost right now). Obviously, it doesn't always work out that way, but you really should research what you buy and buy SMART, not just frugel. When I was a teenager, I had a friend whose dad was a mechanic. He would buy the shittiest, cheapest car he could find and "fix it up" for her. And then spend the next year picking her up when it broke down and "fixing it" again. Then buy another car and do the same cycle again. I figure by the time she was 20 years old, if you totally up all the quick fixes and supplies he bought, she could have had a freakin' Maserati.

I think our "Wal Mart mentality" in today's society hurts us. We look at most items as disposable.

I use as much cloth as I can in my home: cloth diapers, cloth baby wipes, cloth kitchen towels, cloth menstrual products, and yes...cloth toilet paper. I can't even imagine how much money I have save on paper towels alone. We still buy paper tp 'cause....well... there are some things I don't ever need to see, much less wash :D, but I buy less than 1/2 the amount of tp than I used to.

I'm not sure where I'm going with this post! Just rambling, so I'll end it here. Have a nice day.

The liquidation

How do you go about getting rid of your extra stuff? I like to give it to friends and family, but I feel a certain sense of guilt. I'm getting rid of it to simplify my home. Sometimes, I feel like people take what I have to quench their own "well...it's free" addictions, and they don't really *need* it. So my shirt is just going from one mama who doesn't need it to another.

Is that insane?

Multi-tasking

I was reading a lot in my book last night for my online course about how bad multi-tasking really is. Doing more than one thing at once usually means you are not doing your best at either thing. So today I go to the park with the children, and I see this: mom w/ stroller talking on cellphone. I was thinking of how many things she was doing at that one moment: exercising, spending time with her child, talking to someone, and "enjoying" nature (this was at a nice, woodsy park). Now, could she possibly have been doing any of these things well? No way. She looked to me more like someone on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

Children really complicate the whole "one thing at a time" concept. It's hard, especially with more than one child. I've been thinking about this today and trying to be fully involved in just one thing at a time. I realized that a lot of the time, I will be fully engrossed in something and a kid does something else that requires my immediate attention. I also realized that I still don't have to do more than one thing- when a child needs me, I simply STOP what I am doing and assist them with my full attention. Then I go back to the task at hand with my full attention, again.
Until I really thought about this today, I would just do 2 things at once. And you know what it did? Well, obviously, it made do neither the best I could, but it also made me aggravated, stressed, and angry. Trying to put a bandage on a boo-boo and read an email at the same time is just setting myself up for pissy. So no more. I will concentrate on this more and try to do better :)

Cleaning the Pig Sty...Stage 1

I'm starting with TOYS. I got the gals to bring all the toys from all over the house into the Living Room to sort through them all and organize. I felt like we were drowning in toys, but 'ya know what? Once they are all together and contained, there really weren't that many excess toys. I threw away all the little crap (like things they got in Kids' meals or freebies that were being handed out to kids somewhere/anywhere/everywhere). We put all stuffed animals in one big bin, all dress-up clothes in same size bin, and then everything else fit in 4 little baskets to be sat along the walls of the room/s. We have a "playroom" AKA place where we put all the toys, dollhouses, and desktop computer. There's a little twin bed in there for when the kiddos are fighting at night and we have to seperate them (.....now, now, you know you've had to do it too!) and for our occasional overnight guest. 3 of the girls all share the same bedroom, so it's really just beds and clothes.

I have an underbed storage box started for Garage Sale items.

I still have to better clean the room w/ the toys and get it like I want it. Next comes the kids' bedroom which shouldn't take too terribly long as there isn't much in it.

Next comes the kitchen- I want to put away all the extra plates, glasses, silverware. I had an awareness yesterday as I was loading up my SECOND dishwasher full- I use everything we have and then wash. Silly. If we only had 1 plate, 1 bowl, 1 cup, 1 set of silverware each, then I could just quickly wash them up after every meal, put them on the counter, and use them again for the next meal. Only run the dishwasher when I'm cooking alot and using a lot of mixing bowls, utensils, that sort of stuff. Sound good?

The other things will be:
My bedroom, my closet- the messiest of all because no one ever sees it.
Baby clothes and cloth diapers- get rid of what we don't really use
Photographs and scrapbooks/baby books- these are all over the house in no particular organized fashion.
Sewing Stuff- I've accumulated waaaay more "projects" than I will ever get to.

And last will be my garage with the finale being closing it in so we can make a spare room.

:)

Journaling

I started a course on Barnes & Noble University's website today. It's about Simple Living, and in the course description, the instructor recommends keeping a journal. So I guess I'm on the right track since I already started one ;)

Anyway, there will be questions and things to ponder during the course, so I will list them here and share my thoughts.

From Lesson 2:

What is the most important thing in your life? 1. Creating balance & peace in my life. That sounds like a pageant contestant, huh? 2. Raising my children against the grain of mainstream society. That might sound "wierd" to most, but I have very strong feelings about how our society thinks and functions, and it's way off track (in my opinion, of course). I want my children to feel an inner peace that does not come from material items. I don't want them to do as I have done- reach 33 years old and wonder what they have done with their lives and where all their time and money has gone.

What do you need to do to nurture your own awareness and personal growth? I need to stop procrastinating. I need to start "doing" instead of just "thinking".


What is the most recent item you purchased on "auto pilot"? How did you feel a few days after you bought the item? I can't remember. I have been consciously not purchasing things I don't need for several months now. I can pick something big from the past, though. A car. I had this huge impulse to get a "new" car. I had a job with insane driving miles, and one day I got it in my head that I "needed" a car with better gas mileage. I spent HOURS at the car lot getting the loan and all that crap. They haggled and stalled so long that I spent more than I should have just to get the Hell out of there. So, right away, I knew it was a bad deal. But I was so tired with being there so long after a long day's work already that I stayed and agreed to whatever. When I got home, I KNEW I'd made a mistake- higher payment, too long of a loan. I felt dirty and ashamed. I felt like an idiot.

How do you feel when you want things? Like a drug addict. I can't stop thinking about them until I get them at any means necessary. This is what I have been working on the past few months. I tore up all credit cards and started trying to pay them off. The debt was so bad, though, that to pay all the cards and keep my credit good, I had to charge more for the necessities (groceries). I made the decision to file bankruptcy and start over on my financial life. At that point, you can't use credit, so it actually helped me get rid of my spending addiction- if I wanted it, tough shit, there was no possible way to get it, so I've learned how to control that urge and do without. I've also been rudely awakened to what I need and what I want. I'm really proud to say today that I have gained this new awakening and am "on the road to recovery".

How would your life be different if you were fully aware of the path you have chosen? I hope that from here on out, I will be on the path I have chosen, so ask me again in 10 years.

The House...

Where the hell do I START???? With 4 kids and the crappola they accumulate, I'm just not sure where to start. I can spend an entire day getting the house spotless, but without CONSTANT attention, it is demolished w/in an hour. Seriously.

I gave 50% of the toys to Goodwill. I give clothes away as they grow out of them, and yet...it's as if I've done none of those things for the last year.

Is there a strategy I can use that is reasonable to accomplish the goal of simplifying my home efficiently?

Day 1

I want to live simple.

I have been hearing things here and there about the concept of "Voluntary Simplicity" for a while now. I am intrigued. I just signed up through an online course from Barnes and Noble to learn more. I got my book at the library today, and I'm ready.

So I've decided to share my journey as it progresses.

About me: Well. I'm simple. I'm a mom to 4 children. I have a great husband, a roof over my head, a car to drive, and food in my fridge. I suspect that compared to other Americans, my life is pretty simple already. But I know I can do better.
My nemesis is DEBT. I've been in debt since I was 17 years old. It all started with Macy's. I got my first job there, and they gave me a credit card. Today, I am 33 years old, and since that first Macy's card, I have held some sort of debt every single day of my life. And I'm TIRED. I don't need all this crap cluttering my life. What I need is to live each moment as fully and deliberately as I can. I've worked by debt up and down several times, but now it is going to stop. I'm ashamed to say it, but I'm taking the easy way out- I've filed for bankruptcy. Not the most noble way to "start over", but it was the best option for me and the hole I have dug for myself and my family. A fresh start. A new beginning.