Just the beginning...

It seems like everyone used to blog, and I loved reading all of those blogs! Now almost no one does. I have lots of things in my head that I want to get out and since no one even reads this, why not here?

Decluttering. I just discovered the Purposeful Housewife. And I have read Marie Kondo's book. And for some reason it is the two combined that have finally gotten me to the point where I am saying "Enough!" with clutter. I want more time to do fun things and important things, versus picking up and being overwhelmed by my house. 

Ava wanted me to help her decorate the fireplace the other day and I told her mom needed a rest. And she told me that I always have to be doing cleaning or taking a nap or taking lots of pictures and then they have to go have fun with dad, but she wants to have fun with mom too. And that's what I really want. To be a mom who is here, who is present, who plays and laughs with my kids and isn't a yelling exhausted basket case in a dirty messy house who is always grumpy at dad for not helping because she can't keep up. And I really do think that a part of that is just having less to pick up and clean. Less laundry to do. Less stuff to organize. Just less stuff. 

So I have begun this journey, of what you might call becoming more minimalist. I have gone through kids clothes and donated a few bags already. And I have emptied a large box of stuff out of my kitchen. And cleaned a large pile of junk and garbage and recycling out of my garage. And removed  a pile from my closet of clothes and shoes I don't love. And I am starting to feel a little lighter! 

I read in a book (Eat That Frog I believe) that you should make a list of ten things that you want to accomplish in the next year, then choose the one that will have the most impact if you do it, and work on it every day until you accomplish it. And I think cleaning out my house is that. I want my house to be a haven for my family. And for me! I want to be able to have people stop over and not be freaking out that it's a mess. I want it to be a house of order. It won't ever be perfect with little kids living here with us, but with less stuff to organize and pick up and clean around I think we'll be so much closer to my goals. 

I want my kids to be able to feel loved and for our home to be warm and inviting. I think we can better feel the influence of God through the Holy Ghost when we are in a clean, orderly place, and I want my kids to feel that. It is one crazy world out there and I want them to have a safe place. I want to still have my sanity when I am done raising these little humans! 

So here I go. I'm on a mission to declutter my house. And my life. I'm basically on a mission to organize my entire life. Get it together. And I'm starting now. :)

December 7, 2014

What do you feel guilty about right now?

I feel guilty that Ava is watching a show right now because I am supposed to be working. Oops! :( I always feel guilty when I am sitting in front of the computer working and the kids want me. Ava tries to climb on my lap and tells me, "I want you to hold me, mom." I feel like I am neglecting them. A girl I babysit a couple of days a week told me that she wished her mom and dad worked like me, at their house, instead of at their work. But I'm not sure it's my favourite - being home with kids and trying to work is hard. And when I work during nap time, I feel like there goes any progress in the cleaning department for the day. So I feel guilty about the state of my house, too. It's not the worst ever but it's not what I want it to be.

December 6, 2014

Name a song that triggers emotions from the past and describe those emotions.

The whole Alabama Christmas CD - memories of decorating the tree every year with my family. December 1 was always the night - my dad would bring home the real Christmas tree bought from the Scouts, and we all helped haul out all of the Christmas decorations in boxes from under the stairs. We each had a shoebox with our special ornaments. As we got older, we ended up with two. Every year on Christmas Eve my mom would give us an ornament, and with all of the school crafts we amassed quite a collection.

The tree was hauled into the house and my dad would have his saw to make sure it was short enough to fit. I remember helping to hold the tree up while my mom gave us directions to make sure it was straight, and my dad would anchor it into the tree stand. I can almost smell the tree right now. My mom loved the smell of a real tree. We would have Alabama Christmas playing as we all placed our ornaments on the tree. After my mom hung the lights, of course. She wanted to make sure they were all evenly spread out and that was always her job.

Along with decorating the tree, we would put up the ceramic Nativity on top of the piano, on blue silk. And the advent calendar with the little mouse that moved over a pocket each day, and the special candle my mom would have ready with dots on it we so we knew how much to let it burn every night as we read a Christmas story and moved the mouse.

December 5, 2014

What can you see outside your kitchen window?

I can see my little garden boxes covered with snow, a few leaves peeking out that I hadn't dug up and worked in. Our little row of trees with snow on the tiny branches. My neighbour's window to the North, where in the summertime her little girl watches us in the backyard after she has been put to bed, and she waves at us. :) I can see our trampoline covered in snow, and the backyards of my neighbours. We all have small little trees, and I often think how different our yards will look with big trees when our kids are grown up. It makes me a little sad to think that will come sooner than I want it to. I can see across all of the backyards on the streets to either side of us, the big building behind us that they use for Farm Safety classes and in the mornings I can hear the kids running to the bus. Every time I do I am thankful that I have no kids in school yet, that I don't have to have anyone ready that early. They pop in and out of the backyard of the empty house behind us with holes in the fence around it. I wonder if we will ever have neighbours. It's been 2 or 3 years now, since the family moved away, I forget how long.

December 2 - Life Captured Project

December 2 - What is your favourite chair in the house and why?

My favourite chair in the house is our big white armchair. Clark found it in the sale section of the Sears Home store when we were newlyweds living in a tiny basement apartment, and it barely fit in that apartment, but it was leather and white (win for me) and a good deal so we bought it. It is big enough to fit me and Ava with Emma on my lap. I like how the leather on the cushions is quilted or pieced together so the leather doesn't get stretched out and sag like a cushion covered with just one piece of leather. I can turn sideways and have my back against one arm and my legs over the other and read or look at my iPad and it fits me just right!

December 1 - Life Captured Project

A moment from today that I want to remember always...

1. Shopping at Superstore for Family Home Evening. We were at the very back of the store and Ava had to go potty. I was frustrated because it was late and the kids needed to get home and go to bed. I wanted to get groceries and get out of there. Off we went to the bathrooms. Ava lagged behind so I kept having to slow down so she could keep up. In the bathroom, after we washed our hands, I put mine in the high-tech super-powered hand dryer that scares her. She looked scared for a second so I made a funny face and said something about how awesome it was and acted all excited that it was drying my hands. She smiled and put her hands in with mine, then giggled as it blew her hands dry. As we walked back down the hallway to go find Clark and Emma, she was making big two-footed hops along the tiles and saying, "Hop. Scock. Hop. Scock." That's how hopscotch sounds coming from Ava. It was just a tiny thing and a tiny moment but I just felt incredibly lucky to be this girl's mother and just enjoyed walking through the store with my little girl and a full mama heart.

10 on Tuesday

I just read a few entries and looked at the pictures and realized I am so glad I blogged so I thought I would blog a little more.

1. I got to watch my nephew yesterday and I love that I have a sister close with kids. And that my kid likes her kid. :)

2. I just went to a family reunion with my mom's family and it was great! I didn't check emails or Facebook; I took the whole week off, and I needed it. So fun to see some family I only see every two years. 

3. I still find two kids harder than one, but it is so fun to have a baby in the house. We are so blessed to have two sweet girls. And I squish and kiss Emma's baby chub all day long.

4. Emma does not like formula or bottles and refuses to eat when mom isn't home. We're still working on that!

5. I have a massage today and I need it so badly. I can't wait.

6. I am feeling a bit panicked that summer is almost half over already and I haven't done very many things on my "summer bucket list." Why does it go by so quickly? 

7. I can't believe how big Ava is. She went from a baby with no hair to a little potty-trained girl who talks and has her own opinions about things in no time at all!

8. I am grateful for women who are my role models. Women who are amazing and inspire me to do and be better.

9. I have a cousin visiting next week and staying with us one night and he and his family will be our first house guests. Ever. We've never needed a guest room before! I have been clearing out my studio to convert it back into a bedroom because I just don't do very much studio work.

10. Emma has started eating solids this week! So far so good - it goes down! :)