Morning Into Evening

I've been managing to awake with the husband the last few weeks. I like to do this so that I can braid his hair for work. It's gotten quite long, and he's promised not to cut it until after our tenth wedding anniversary - which is in May. I love the feel of his hair in my hands... over, under, over, under... as I weave his hair into a long plait. It's become a simple morning ritual that I enjoy, despite feeling groggy at times.

Getting up at 5 a.m. has it's benefits, as I get some quiet time. I used to use this time to exercise, but now I use it to work. I finish up my lessons, and just when I ponder making a cup of tea and curling up on the sofa with a book or crocheting, my eldest wanders out. Their timing is impeccable.

She is wearing her flannel PJs, and she comes to me so that I can hold her in a morning hug. I breathe her in - she's so big now. We chat for a bit, and then my youngest wanders out, wiping the sleep from her eyes and squinting at the light. I give her a squeeze as I prep her morning bottle.

I ask my eldest if she wants to eat now, or wait until I've exercised. She decides to wait and curls up with a book. I opt for no music today, as I work out and stretch, while dodging a little miss who comes in for hugs and imitates my movements. I've been trying to do this at least 3 days a week, and I can feel the difference in my moods. Eventually, I hope to fit in walking... we shall see, as we are still getting used to the autumnal rhythm of our week.

I make breakfast for all, then start the soup for dinner tonight. I love making it. It connects me to the earth and motherhood - the sheer act of nurturing my family with food grown in the earth. I rinse and chop the onions while the olive oil heats in the pot. I add in the onions and garlic, and when they become iridescent, I add in the chicken broth.

My eldest has offered help (she is a part of this soup ritual of mine). I let her stir the pot, lifting up my youngest to watch. "Was-in here?" she asks in her squeaky voice. Her face is alive with curiosity. My eldest proudly explains to her that we are making soup. One day, she will make it on her own, she tells me. I secretly hope that day will be a while away, as I enjoy doing this with her.  She's growing so fast already.

Eventually, I am able to continue chopping the vegetables to add in: celery (fresh from my friend's garden), carrots, potatoes and swiss chard (also from my friend's garden). I let them add the lentils - green, orange and indigo ones. The smell is intoxicating, and as I'm adding the last ingredients, my friend arrives to do yoga. I set it to simmer and join her.

My eldest has set up the mats, and after a bit of chat we fall into the rhythmic poses. Well, my friend does. My beginning is a challenge as my youngest is clingy and wants to be held. I scoop her into my arms and try to calm her, longing to be in downward dog pose feeling my calves stretch. Instead, I am focused on the wee one in my arms, who is still processing the sensory integration from yesterday's class. I can tell by her mood.

Eventually, I'm able to complete an asana or two. My eldest started with us, but decided she was having balance issues today. Thus, it's not long before she is cozied up on the couch with a good book. She's read through two Magic Treehouse books this morning.

I do a few of the poses while holding my youngest at the end. This comforts her, and causes her to laugh. For the last pose, she needs her own pillow, then lays down imitating us. Namaste. I love the Savasana at the end. I could lie there all day, but that is simply not to be.

A bit more chat, and my friend is gone. The girls are hungry so we eat lunch. My eldest complains about the smell of my veggie burger, and my youngest is wearing most of her yogurt. I long to eat my meal in quiet, and savor my hot tea. Just as I finish, and am trying to enjoy my warm tea, the youngest announces she is done. I clean her up, load up the dishwasher, and wipe the table.

After lunch, we start math with eldest. Youngest is fighting sleep. I get my eldest started, and lay down with the youngest. We read a book about three times. She pushes for four. I give in. Finally, I use joint compression and massage to calm her. It's not long before she drifts to sleep.

I return to eldest who is doing a math assessment to check in. She's progressing well. I check into work to see my other students have been active. I take a glance at Facebook to see what's happening. I linger on Soulemama's post. She's recently moved, and found a place she calls home. The happiness I feel for this woman I've never met (but long to) is overflowing. She's inspired me in so many ways. Her photos and writing is a soft balm to me on those days when life proves challenging and rushed. Her blog forces me to stop and breathe for a moment during the day. Thank you, Amanda. Thank you.

I quickly check on the soup, remember to finally turn on the dishwasher, and that there is laundry down stairs. Checking in with the eldest who's finished the assessment, I get the clothes to fold them.

I am amazed at the amount of pink and red clothes that I am folding. Most belonging to the kids, although I confess that there are a pair of pink pj's, red fuzzy socks, and two tops that are mine. My thoughts wander to the floor that we need to put in this weekend, and how we'll be moving the clothing that I'm folding into another room. I shove the clothes into the drawers, hang up what is needed, and smile at my sleeping angel. Which reminds me I need to prep her snack for when she wakes up.

Back into the kitchen, I prep a snack, check on eldest (who's been decorating her worksheets), and sit in front of the computer to fit in some work while keeping an eye on my little artist. I sit down and take a breath as I stare at the screen.

I can smell the soup wafting through the house. I hear the gentle lull of the dishwasher, and the tune my little artists hums while figuring out math problems. I can feel autumn's chill drift in on the air through the open window. I see the green trees sporting bits of red here and there. And I see that yet another student considers me to be his favorite teacher. I breathe deeply. I can do this.

I begin to tackle my work, ignoring the urge to check email and Facebook. My eldest wants to talk about America. She's decided to learn a bit about California (where she gets to design her own surfboard) and Colorado today.

I finish up what I can for work, and check on the soup. Hubby will be home soon, or not, as the phone rings and he informs me that he's stuck in traffic. Bummer. I stir the soup while chatting with him. Grabbing a handful of almonds to eat, I put the Kuerig on (as opposed to the kettle), and settle in to check math while snuggling eldest who's trying to figure out California's nickname (which was encoded). Oh, yeah, I wanted to make tea.

I hop up to make a cup, pop in tea to steep, listen to see if Sleeping Beauty has awaken, grab more almonds, and return to check math. I find a few things to see if she can fix them, and she recognizes the errors right away. I clear up the sheets and start prepping for tomorrow's lessons.

Hubby calls to inform me of the traffic situation. I ponder if I should clean the bathrooms, or check email. I opt to tackle a few more work posts after skimming Facebook. As I finish up a post, I hear what sounds like a tea kettle sound. I go in and gather my little one for her snack.

Holding her in my arms, I opt to gather the kids on the couch and feed her there. I call forth the eldest, to snuggle while finishing her work up. I gather the food, and remember my tea - which is now warm - and hit play on the CD player. The girls are snuggling together, so I grab the opportunity for a photo before the eldest makes a run for it followed by the youngest. Which ends back on the couch in a fest of giggles, at which point hubby calls and is coming home.

I empty the dishwasher with my usual rhythm, and my littlest helps me set the table.  I set out the bowls; she set the spoons. I feel my body relax into the calming music. Hubby arrives and I spoon out the soup. We sit at the table chatting about the day, smiling, relaxing.

I will not clean this evening. No, I have finished up work for the evening. I'm going to log off, and settle in with the family. I need more snuggles I think. Maybe, I'll make time to read or crochet or watch a movie. I'm looking forward to the next chapter of The Wind and The Willows at bed time.  It's a good book that reminds us of dear friends, and the perfect way to settle down before bed. 

This is my life. Peppered with moments of all kinds. I need to stop, to put this into words, so I don't forget.

Summer on its Way

Yesterday, we picked daisies growing in the grass outback. We opened the windows and let the outside in. The fresh air cleared the staleness from the house.

I love the change in light throughout the year. Especially when in winter I want to hole up and embrace the darkness and curl up in soft blankets. In summer, I love the longer days of light. And how I wake earlier with the light. The yearly rhythm brings me joy.

Today, my youngest made her way out to me, where I sat clearing out my computer. I held her in my arms, planting kisses upon her sleepy head.

There are some changes in the air... some changes that I need to make and that will be better for our family. I can "see" them, through the fog... and part of me admits to being a bit scared to make them. It's time to make them though.

Taking steps after the unraveling and the leaves have fallen

Falling leaves and yarn - what could they possibly have in common? Well, both are present come fall, as that's when my yarn addiction kicks in, and also, when the leaves change and let go. There is usually a lot of color. Yay! Both of these activities involve letting go - the yarn with patterns that don't work and the leaves to prepare for winter. And, both completely apply to our family at the moment.

We've been unraveling here and there - those things that haven't been working. In some cases we've started over, only to realize that doesn't work either. Some parts that are left, have a good foundation, and we've kept that. Other things, are being unraveled completely. And there are still those favorite project that are finished and just right that are being kept. It's all good.

It's time for a change. There are only a few trees left with their leaves, and soon those too will change and fall, leaving the trunk of the tree bare and easy to see. In many ways, I feel that in our own family, we've been shedding our "leaves", and now we are getting a clear look at what has been under them. And, in order to grow, we realized we'd benefit with a bit of pruning and going within.

Hubby and I have been taking a good look at our lives, and we've come to a few realizations/revelations:

• We aren't eating as healthy as we could be, and the affects are showing.
• We also need to start seriously looking into recipes for Squeak. Right now, she's still working through her eating issues. Eventually though, she'll be eating real foods. Which means we're enjoying eggs and wheat while we can. Eventually, it'll be banned from the house.
  
• When things get to us, we have turned to food or material things. This has not benefited our finances in the least.
• We've not been keeping up with the decluttering - and it's showing.
  
• It's time to be more aware of our spending. This year, we've not been keeping track, and it's showing. It's time to reel it in.
• Our attitudes have been, as of late, not the best they can be. Lack of sleep has left us a bit snippy, and it's reflected through our house. So, it's time for a shift.
  

On the positive side,

• We've discovered (or rediscovered in many cases) a positive and supportive network of friends who have been incredibly amazing, helping us to grow and change in many ways.
• We are realizing what's most beneficial for our family, and taking steps to make it happen.
  

So, I'm posting them here for accountability, for you dear readers to see.

Moments 17

I don't think that words are really needed for this:

Perspective, Pause, and Awareness

As you may or may not know, we live a full life. I don't like the word busy - it's a little too negative for me, and doesn't embody the richness of the word full. My days are filled with feedings, fixing meals, home schooling, working from home, playtime (with kids and hubby), and sleep. On the occasional day we need to go out for activities, play dates and classes. There is a lot going on, and by the end of the day I’m one tuckered mama.

I love it though. There have been times when I’ve been totally overwhelmed and stressed out. I’ve hit the chocolate and any other sugary concoction within reach. There have been days that whizzed by, leaving me wondering what happened, and wondering how my children have grown so fast. And then, every so often, I’m blessed with those days that leave me feeling loved and full, regardless of how the house looks and how things didn’t go according to plan.

This year, the importance of being aware of my perspective became crystal clear. I started to pay attention to how we were spending our time. I’m still working on this, and I’m much more aware of what I need, and what my family needs. And then I noticed, that by simply being aware of my thoughts and how I perceived things, made all the difference.

When I feed the baby, I remind myself that I am nurturing and loving her. I take in her scent, what she looks like, how she feels in my arms. I am focused on her. When I homeschool, I remind myself that I am nurturing my child’s mind and heart. I focus on her, give lots of snuggles and hugs, and take her in. When I am cooking dinner, I remind myself that I am nurturing and loving my family. When I am cleaning up the dishes, I remind myself that I am nurturing my home. When I am working, I remind myself that I could be making a difference in my student’s life, and that through working I am blessing my family with my income.

Life really is what you make of it. Choose to see the world through rose-colored glasses, and you'll be a lot happier in the long run (in my humble opinion that is). Take the time to notice things - precious baby toes, a child's soft skin, the feel of a strong hug, the tender life of a snowflade - and you'll find that things slow down. Be aware, and be amazed.

Productivity in a sense

Hubby is fast asleep. I can hear peeps from Pook, but know that if I peak in, she'll be awake and want me. And, I'm pretty sure she's awake.

Today has been a long day for me. Starting at 5:30 am, I've been on this computer over 11 hours today. Yes, really. No, not all at one time. How do I know this? Because for the next two weeks I've made myself accountable for how I spend my time. (And, I know that for many of you - 11 hours is nothing.)

Why? Well, you can thank Julie Morganstern and her book on Time Management from the Inside Out.

Oh, and, for those of you who were concerned, about 5 1/2 of them I got paid for. The other 5 1/2 were spent checking and responding to email, but the bulk of which was spent reorganizing and designing a new spreadsheet to gather work and expense information, of which, I'm mighty proud of. Alas, if only I could bill for that!

Tomorrow is All Hallow's Eve. Pook is going to be a cowgirl, complete with stuffed horse, hot pink cowgirl boots with matching bandanas, and topped off with a turquoise hat. I hope the weather holds out.

We shall see.

I'm hoping to be on this wonderous machine less, and maybe get some reading in. It is library day after all. :)

A Quiet Friday

I am coming to love the quiet of Fridays. It's the day of the week when we don't have to run out to go to school or activities (unless we're off to the farm and, well, that's just fun!).


Today, it's a gray and rainy day. It's perfect for napping and resting. Although, we've opted to do computer work (me) and school work (Pook).


It's also a great day for reflecting. Pook is four and a half. In the last year, she's come so far. Each day she is learning and absorbing new things. It is incredible. Each age brings such amazing discoveries for her (and me).
She's no longer a baby, no longer a toddler. She's a bonified kid, a little person.

Every day, she gains more independence. Every day, she grows more. She is amazing.

Gray days

It is a beautiful gray morning here. Rain drops have danced about, some choosing to make temporary homes on my window panes. It's the kind of morning that is good for staying in bed, dozing in and out, watching the sky from your bedroom window.

I, obviously, am up, not dozing on and off, though I am looking through a window. :)

It's been a full week of work. There's more to go, but today, I just needed to write about the rain. And, the flashes of red leaves in the trees - so beautiful. It may feel like spring (a frined of mine has seen violets blooming!), but the leave rell us other wish. Two days ago, I looked out my window to green. Now, I see splurges of those colors that bring me such joy.

I am filled with wonder and joy. Such little things; such big gratitude for them.

Autumnal Bliss

The scent of soup on the stove wafts through our home. It's lentil soup, and today, it's a very special soup. You see, it's because Pook helped to cut the veggies, add the veggies and stir. A dear friend of mine gave me a knife that is not sharp that kiddos can use to cut things. Although, she doesn't quite have the strength yet. So, she sat on my lap and helped push my hand down.

It was one of those sacred moments. It's been one of those sacred days.

She woke up from a bad dream, so I brought her from bed, and kept her in my arms while working. She dozed off and on, then looked up at me, put her hand on my face, and told me I was wonderful. Then, she told me how much she loved me. My heart blossomed.

There were many things I'd wanted to do today, but I put them aside to plan a picnic to the park. She helped to pack up the foods. When it was time, we drove to the big park. We sat on a rock and ate our hardboiled eggs, then we played for a bit on the swings, and sat on the slide to drink and eat a bit more.

We climbed ladders. We explored the sound of crunching leaves, and wondered about which birds sang for us. We slid down the slide together. We laughed. We hugged. We had to rest on a bench on the way back to the car. She told me that when she gets bigger, and can use the stove, that she will cook soup and dinner for me.

I asked her if she'd move away when she got older, or if she'd stay nearby. She informed me that she would live nearby. I sighed, and told her that if at that time she wanted to live far away, it would be okay. In my heart, I hope she'll stay close. But, that's a long time away. For now, I only know that she thinks I am wonderful. That she loves me. That right now, she needs me, and that she is so very precious to me.

I am so eternally grateful for this day.

Mother Nature, are you listening?

Um, hello, Mother Nature? The leaves are changing, but the weather is not. I'm looking forward to chilly mornings starting with a cuppa or hot cocoa, and soups. I want to wear pants without sweating. This 80 and 90 degree weather, this prolonged Indian summer, I'm really ready to let it go now.

Hmmm... maybe Persephone and Hades are having some issues, or Demeter isn't cooperating. ;)

Anyone else out there ready for Autumn weather? This warm weather wouldn't be so bad if the pools wer still open! ;)

What comes next?

This past weekend, the new curtains went up in the guestroom. This past weekend, I realized that aside from painting, the fence, and the space that needs to be cleared in the back... I was done with the house projects.

I've been through my books, and until I start reading through my shelf of books "to read", I'm really happy with most of those that are left. There are small projects I could do - a personal scrap book I could work on, painting a picture frame, reading those books on the shelf, plotting out Christmas gifts (I have some, but it just doesn't feel right to wrap them until November at least!).

But, in regards to the house, I'm pretty much done with the rearranging and decluttering. And, you know what? It scares me. (Okay, I know that some of you are snickering while you read this! ;) )

But it does. What do I do next?

For so long, decluttering and rerranging, and planning have been such a big part of my time and schedule, and now... I'm almost not sure what to do with myself?

Oh, I'm sure I could find more things to decluter or rearrange, but I don't want to. On the same level, I'm not sure what I want to do. I feel weird, almost empty not working on the house in some way. And yet, at the same time, I am sort of excited, almost anxious, yes, anxious not having something to do.

This makes me wonder, how will I be in a few months? Will I start seeking out things to declutter or house projects? Or, will I get comfortable with just settling in?

Only time will tell. For now, I'm just hoping the anxiety will pass. I'm trying not to come up with more projects... as is my usual custom. Why does this feel so unsettling?

Ah... sweet Friday!

Finally, a day to stop, rest, and regain my footing. It's been a splendidly full week, but full nonetheless, and for those of you who know me, I like being laid back and not having a lot going on.

Many of you might think what I think of a full week as being rather tame, but for me, it's full. :) It was fun too, but full.

Today I'm looking forward to being able to do laundry, putter about the house, snuggle on the couch with Pook, and not have to shower until the afternoon, when we'll go grocery shopping. I'm thinking of baking leaf-shaped sugar cookies later. Yum!

Tonight, I get to watch Another Thin Man movie from NetFlix and snuggle with hubby. (I'm all about the snuggling.) Tomorrow, we've planned a picnic at Valley Falls with the ILs. Lovely, just blissful!

And this is an aside, but I came across this post on How to do it with kids today, and it's so true. Being a parent, you can choose what to focus on, be it the positives or the negatives. And, in focusing on the positives, it seems like you've got it all together. Even though, in reality, you probably don't have it ALL together. :)

Hardboiled Eggs and Sticky Kisses

Today, we took the car in so that they could figure out and fix the lovely grinding noise coming from the right front of the car. Turns out it was the rotors. Bleh. And then, since the brakepads were getting down, they needed to be replaced as well.

Now, I'm not going to mention about how many times I've been in to get my car fixed this year - both cars have had their fair share of work. I'm hoping this will tide us over for a while. Really. Or, I'll need to win the lottery to help pay for all this stuff!

This week has just been amazing for me. It really has. I've discovered that running all over the place has given me a new appreciation of my home. :)

I did manage to find inspiration to hardboil some eggs, and we got a bag of mixed beans for Pook to play with. She's already glues about half of them to two pieces of paper. Daddy's going to love it. Really. :)

Next week is looking fun too, with a princess tea on Monday, the usual school stuff, and on Wednesday, we get to celebrate SUKOT with friends. And, it's supposed to be outside. And, it's supposed to rain. Friday, we may or may not get a visit from the ILs. If they don't come up then, they'll be here Saturday.

And then, it's into October. And, the official beginning of fall. Whoo hoo.

Smiles, sparkly red shoes, and the first week of many

This had been a wonderfully full week. I started the week off with one of those lovely fuzz-headed colds, and, mind you, it was the first week that Pook started Montessori and Kindermusik. Add to that my delightful influx of new students (more hours means more money!), the homeschool activities (phonics, numbers, etc.), weekly (bi-weekly at least) adventures to the library, - it means that this is going to be one fun fall.

I refuse to see it any other way.

I get to recoordinate my schedule. I get to see the joy on my child's face as she spends time with other kidos, and builds confidence in herself. We are beginning to explore the library (once she gets past the stuffed horse... ), the seasons (she knows fall is coming, and can make the connections about the leaves now - it's so cool), the calendar, the weather, and then, there are those moments when she hears a word, then tells me what it starts with. "Mommy, lion start with L! La la la la la la la!" :)

It's an amazing time for her and for me as her parent. And, having these activities is forcing me to really make the most of my time. (I am SO glad we rearranged the house this summer!) It's all good. And, yes, I know it's only week one - but if I made it through in a good mood (for the most part) while being sick, I think that's pretty darn good.

I have realized, that I really need to figure in more things for myself throughout the week though. Which, will be fun figuring out what I can do for me, how I can fit it in with the time I have, and make the most of it. And, I think I'll need to take relaxing a little more seriously too. :)

Today, I'm up for the challenge.

Tomorrow, I've got to take the car for repairs they've got to seek out, with Pook.

This should be fun. :)

Life goes on...

It's strange to realize that it's been a month almost since my last post. Time's been flowing slowly by. I'm living in a virtually "new" house. Almost all has been rearranged; even the basement has been cleared and cleaned out.

I've had time to pitter and putter about. I've had time to let my thoughts wander. I am enjoying moments with my family.

Mid-August is here. Fall will be arriving soon. And, this is the first summer in a long time, in which I've had the time to slow down and ENJOY it. It's been lovely. I've treasured it immensely.

So, not much to say, really. Although, I have been thinking of revamping this blog a bit. I'm not sure how though, or what I'll do to it. I've the strange urge to reorganize it, maybe even put it out there a little more. Who knows?

Delighting in the Simple Things

I've been delighting in summer: cool breezes, the swing on our back deck, in the summer's sun, the song of the birds in the backyard, and time to relax.

This summer is the first summer in a long time I've been able to slow down, that I've let myself slow down and just relax. I've found time to focus on simple things, and to just enjoy the dailiness. (I know, I'm weird, I've been finding comfort in laundry, cleaning, and organzing. But, we knew that, eh?)

I've also been taking up the challenge of using what we have full force. My sweet hubby and I measured out rooms and furniture this past weekend, and I've been having a blast arranging and rearranging to my heart's content (and his, as he doesn't have to move it!). I thought it would be a while before we did any serious moving of the furniture, but then, my amazing hubby announced that it was possible to do it this weekend.

First of all, I'm estatic because he WANTS to do this. Second, as of this weekend, we'll hopefully have a new playroom/family room in the basement, new guestroom (C&A - are you excited?), newish living room, and a rearranged masterbed room - practically a new house in a sense. Third, did I mention my hubby is amazing and wonderful?

Best of all? All it will cost us to do this is the time, and the new dehumidifier we'll need to get for the computers.

How's that for using what you have? Yay!

Official Birthday Weekend is over

Well, it looks as though Pook wasn't the only one celebrating this weekend. A dear and charming friend of mine is now officially a dad of yet another simply sweet and marvelous little girl who's birthday is the day before Pook's! Congrats to the family!

It's Monday, and we survived the birthday party. You wouldn't think 2 hours is a long time, but guess what? When playing party games with 4 year olds, it's very long. Almost too long.

We also got to enjoy the company of the twins and Aunt K, who, we are hoping will make a return visit in August so that we can actually explore some of the local sites (and maybe, just maybe, stay a little longer then Friday evening to Sunday morning). ;)

In any case, it was a full and wonderful weekend. But it doesn't stop there, as my mom is due in this Thursday to continue the birthday celebrations. Is Pook lucky or what? She celebrates the whole month!!!!

So, I'm thinking of taking a wee sabatical for a bit. (Yes, I know that each time I usually say this, I end up getting a ton of ideas... we shall see.)

Thoughts on Clutter

I heard the birds singing again this morning. It's been a while. But then, it's been rather chilly here.

I've been pondering on my last post, about the decluttering going to the wayside. I have gotten rid of a lot of stuff. My basement has a pile ready for the good will, a bunch of old computers I need to figure out how to recyle, and for the most part, it's really quite organized.

I would like to go through my books, and get rid of those that I know I won't read, or don't want to read, and those that I've read but know I won't read again. Books are particularly hard for me to go through. I have more pages marked with those little sticky things, and yet how many times do I go back to them? Oi!

There are times when I feel I have too many clothes. (I actually wear almost all of them though! Save for the dressier ones, as I don't get to go out much.) In reality, I think I actually have just what I need. Though, I bet I could do without a few. Matters not, as come fall, I clean through them, and I do stick to the rule, that when I buy one of something, one thing is gotten rid of.

And then there's the furniture, where we actually use all that we have, save for my grandmother's rocking chair and a papsan chair in the basement; but they have sentimental value that we've not been able to part with yet. Our shelves, cabinets, desks, tables, chest and the like are all put to good use. Although, they do take up a bit of room in our home.

We go through our stuff on a regular basis, purging where and when we can. And now, we are down to the point where we use almost every thing. The knickknacks we have, we really like and aren't ready to part with just yet. Sometimes, I get frustrated when we get more stuff, as then I need to figure out where to put it, or what I'm willing to get rid of. My MIL tells me that she doesn't have an attachment to stuff or people. Ironically, my FIL is the opposite. :)

Mentally, I get better as it goes. I'm learning what nurtures me, what drains me, and what I really enjoy. I do my best to let go of worries, or bad thoughts about people. I am in the process of creating an absolute Yes list, so, if something comes up that's not on that list, I'll need to really think about it before agreeing.

Dealing with clutter is definitely a day-by-day process. It's good to look at things, see that I'm in a good space. I realize, I'm probably burned out, because I'm getting into the territory of having a lot of stuff, but it's used stuff or stuff I really like. So, that makes it a bit of a challenge. Thus, I think a break (until fall when I seem to get bit by the declutter bug again) is a very good thing.

Though, I really should make it a point to empty out that Good will pile, eh? :)

Decluttering - On the back burner

Well, as Phil brought up in one of his comments, weren't we decluttering? And yet, we now have a new kitchen set?

Friends, I've reached a burn out point with the decluttering. I really, really have. We did manage to go through Pook's stuff and clear out before her birthday. And the kitchen set has actually freed up space in the living room, although the doll house has been relocated to the study (great for when I'm working though).

There are times, when I just want to chuck everything. Other times, when I have a really hard time parting with what I have. So, it got to the point, where I just burnt out. Besides, there just seemed to be so much more that I wanted to do when the weather got warm.

We didn't hibernate like we usually do this winter, which is part of the problem. I do try to go through things throughout the year, especially before birthdays and big time before Christmas. So, I'm maintaining for now.

I'm sort of going through this phase in my life, where I just want to be doing other things. Oh, I'd love to decrease our "stuff" by half, but my sweet Pook wants me to play, or do writing and the like. So... until I get my absolute Yes list created, I've just added it to my procrastination list. :)

Weekend update

It was a good weekend visit with the parents of my husband, aka ILs. Pook got a gorgeous kitchen set, which I'll post pics of later, as I'm on the other computer this morning.

We also ate way too much candy, thus, next year, we'll need to get more creative with healthier options. Jelly Bellies are just wicked.

Not much else to post, save that this is proving to be a full month of activity. Perhaps that is why hubby and I have been so grumpy. We seem to be caught in a web of continually moving, never really recharging the batteries.

I suppose I'll have to start getting creative.