No going back. Becoming a minimalist.

They don't fight as much.
They are more content and play longer.
They are more creative and imaginative.
They "read" even more than they already did.
There is WAY less mess which in turn makes our home more peaceful.
They enjoy not spending as much time picking up every day.

What's the magic trick?? 

I took the kids' toys away.

All in the same week I came across three different things that inspired me to make this change in our home. The first was this super old-school book I got for free titled The Real Book of Games by Joseph Leeming, published in 1953.  It's full of simple games that...here's the kicker for me... require NOTHING or next to nothing.  Games that kids used to play decades ago. Games like I Spy,

number/letter guessing, question games, thumb war, battleships (on paper), duck-duck-goose except with a newspaper, those song clapping games, and alllll these other games like "we stand this certain way and push on each other and see who falls over first" sort of games. They're amazingly simple and again require nothing but fun and imagination! The book includes active games, quiet games, inside, outside, ice breaker type games, and games just for two. And I love it all. And almost all of it are ideas that have been lost through the years. Because of technology and things with bright color and noise.  And our need to be entertained by SOMETHING, even us adults. And it's sad. So that was the first thing that really got my heart stirring.

The second was a blog post titled "Why I took all my kids' toys away and why they won't get them back".  The results this mom had were shocking and inspiring and I immediately wanted to take action.

And another article AGAIN, titled "Why Fewer Toys Will Actually Benefit Your Kids". It explains the value of toys and how kids learn thru play, but at the same time it re-emphasizes the idea that less is more.  Keeping it basic. And again all those wonderful results of doing just that.

I figured, why not at least give it a try? So I went for it. And it has been glorious, amazing, wonderful, and I'm becoming very passionate about living this way and sharing it with others! I hear so many friends talking about how they need to figure out a way to organize their spaces, and my simple solution is really to just have less stuff!!!

Now here are the details. I've always been very reserved about the amount of toys we gave the kids, but still our home was very full on every corner, it seemed. It was organized but it still took a LOT to maintain that, and the kids were always overwhelmed at sorting everything back into their spots. Fighting was a constant, and while that is a heart issue that also needs dealt with, sometimes you reach a point where you just want to diminish the battles altogether.  So I did. One by one I packed up the stuff from the playroom and hauled it to the basement so that all that remained was a full bookshelf of books, a shoe box of Hot Wheel sized cars only, Trio blocks, art supplies, and the play kitchen (minus all the kitchen STUFF) but left a set of tea party stuff. And guess what, the kids never said a word about where everything went. It's been three weeks maybe and still not a word, not a single complaint. They did ask for something specific a couple days ago so I brought it up from the basement, and when they were done, back it went.  I've done much of the same with their bedrooms, pulled out the miscellaneous STUFF and left the basics. For Eli and Carter's room, it's the under-bed bin of Legos, the box of wooden train tracks, and art supplies. The kids mostly love having the closet empty so they can pretend it's an office and play school. And for Hannah's room, it's her jewelry-making set, small set of legos, books, art supplies, and one small bin of baby doll stuff for her one doll. Again, no comments, no complaints. It's amazing.

For now it's still a trial. Everything is neatly stored in basement shelving and not yet gone forever. And I do hope it gets asked for or cycled in in place of something else or whatever. But there is definitely no intention to stuff the rooms full again. Ever.

Simpler is ALWAYS better. Try it.

YOU matter.

We live in a time now in which we basically say to one another via technology, "Want to know about me?? Here I am!!" So we continuously spew about ourselves and go and secretly spy in on one another. Daily. Hourly. Cuz it's so easy. But there's hardly any actual interaction, hardly any real connection. It's just us secretly spying and knowing all about each other's lives. Without genuine thought of I am thinking of you today. How are YOU?

And I'm tired of it.

I want YOU. The real you. And I want you to make a real effort for me too. I want actual relationship. And less mess.

So I unplugged. Without warning. But not without thought.

You know I've struggled with this for a long time.  With the balance. But it's not just that. It's also the sin. And the feelings it causes within ME as I read post after post of people praising themselves for their parenting, their kids, their accomplishments, yada-yada. And at the same time I feel shame because I surely have done that too. So here, right now, I apologize if I have ever publicly patted myself on the back.

Not everything needs shared.  It just doesn't. Technology doesn't need to be ME-focused.  Words always ALWAYS need to be chosen carefully and cautiously and tenderly because in one way or another we are ALL hurting. But oh our thoughts need ever to be reigned in. Why exactly are we sharing all our "thanks" with each other and not simply and earnestly with the Lord?? Can we simply have a good day and relish in the peace it brings?? Are we capable of doing good for another person without broadcasting it?? Humility. It needs to be re-found. As well as peace. And simplicity.

At least for me anyway. 

And I'm striving for that in so many more ways than just that surrounding Facebook. But you will hear about that another day.

So this is my mission: 

To seek out my dearest friends and make real, heartfelt connection with them. I'm old-fashioned and LOVE snail-mail. Do you?? And I love real, inbox messages that aren't junk!

To be present and spend in-real-life facetime with my locals.

To reign in my tongue and my thoughts and spend earnest time in thanks with the Lord himself.

To free myself of relationship clutter and stress that is technology.

I intend to share pictures with close family and friends, but please know this: it in no way portrays all of my life! There is more to my story than that. And a hundred bucks says that's the same for you, so take the time and ask. Make a connection with someone today. When's the last time you really asked, "How ARE you?"

What are you gonna DO??!!

...is the question I get all the time when I tell people that all three of the kids will be in school this year.  Eli's in 2nd, Hannah's Kindergarten, and Carter will do morning preschool two days a week in the same school as the big kids.

Did you hear that?? For the TWO mornings a week, I will have FOUR (blessed) HOURS to myself!  In 7 years this a first. A whole new beginning of something [I hope to be] wonderful.

It sounds like I'll be soaking in a bubble bath or at the spa. LOL. But here's the reality, folks...

I plan to...

Work out.
AND shower.
At normal times of the day.
Do laundry.
Actually CLEAN the house.
Do Bible studies.
Pray.
Free reading.
Volunteer
At the school
Or with childcare
Or at an organization
Or with meal deliveries.
Do errands
and grocery shop
ALONE.
Finish house projects.
Sew.
Scrapbook the last 7 years and more.
Catch up on my shows online.
Prep meals.
Maybe even FREEZE meals.
Do laundry.
Fellowship with friends. =)
Hang out with my husband when he's off during the week.
MOPS planning and functions.
Practice new music for church.
Chores.
Organize.
Declutter and sell items.
Yard work.

And more.

This is the reality. Not that it makes it any less spectacular. But there are always things that need done. And then when there's not, I will sit on the porch swing with my sweet tea and BREATHE....

Until the school bus rumbles down the road. And the crazy begins once again. =)

Summer.

School is now out and today is the kids' first day of summer vacation! Growing up (in Iowa) we always went to the very end of May and if there were snow days to make up it sometimes went into June. When we lived in Connecticut, the school I worked at went to the END of June! So I'm thrilled that here we get out in mid-May. We don't get many breaks during the year, but it's worth it if this is what comes of it!  

This summer....

I can turn off the alarms on my phone that dictate the rhythm of our day. Shoes on NOW, Go out to Bus, Bus is coming home, etc

I can part with my phone altogether. I usually feel like it's one of my limbs for fear that the school child will get sick or hurt and the school will need to reach me urgently.

I can sleep in if I want.

We can stay up til sundown.

I can take the kids on TONS of adventures.

We can READ.

We can utilize ALL of daddy's days off, not just the ones that happen to land on actual weekends. 

We can have picnics outside almost every meal and I won't have to clean the dining room as much.  ;)

We can see our friends any of the day of the week because we don't have a list of obligations!

I. Love. Summer.

We have a vacation planned at the end of June but we otherwise don't have much of anything on the summer schedule whatsoever. Just tons of local adventures. Last summer was amazing so we will follow much of that same pattern. We organized activities weekly to do together with our friends.  We will do some service oriented projects, we will have story times at the park so the kids can practice reading aloud to each other, we will hike and stay active, we will try to do a craft/project each Monday, and we will just kick back and have fun.  We now have two little ones that can ride on two wheels so I want to get a bike seat for Carter and go for family rides-- we have a great trail here we haven't yet explored.  There's too much fun to do to waste any opportunities!! 

Have a great summer!!

Life is dessert. Take time to savor.

I was deeply inspired by this the other day.  Take time to read the full post by Ann Voskamp.  

To consistently step back, breathe deep, focus — and know Life is dessert — too brief to hurry. Too delectable to be distracted through. You don’t wolf it down.
Life isn’t an emergency. Life isn’t 20 open screens and one flickering attention span. Life is a gift. 

This has been on my heart for the entire past year. Just tired of technology and the beautiful parts of life it steals from us. Things like focus and contentment and the simplicity of nothingness. The beauty of being still.

I know I keep talking about this but one of the biggest sources of stress and distraction for me is Facebook. I simply don't have the energy to CARE about every single one of my friends and all of their families every single day and still achieve and live the simple and rich life I want with my own family. I have spent the weekend disconnected from Facebook. I've popped on here and there to check messages and notifications, but I haven't spent ANY time browsing the feeds. And there's definitely a peace that comes from that.  No guilt over lists other people are accomplishing and I'm not, no angst over things I disagree with, no threads of conversation continuing thru the day. Instead, I've truly enjoyed my kids, letting them splash in water on the sidewalk, reading books and books and books, taking walks, being outside, enjoying quality time, creating spontaneous adventures, and finishing up some of my own projects. THAT is the life I want. 

* Just gotta add, when I stick to my filtered feeds of my core Facebook people, it's really limited and nice but sometimes it's still just so needed to disconnect altogether.

I {heart} Spring. There are just too many better things to do.

Love.

Love is patient.
Love is kind.
It does not envy,
it does not boast,
it is not proud.
It is not rude,
it is not self-seeking,
it is not easily angered,
it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil but
rejoices with the truth.
It always protects,
         always trusts,
               always hopes,
                     always perseveres.
Love never fails.

(1 Cor. 13:4-8)

Lord, help me to be patient with my children this morning and not easily angered. Help me to lay down pride and put them first. Help me to hold fast to the truth that these children are a wonderful gift. Help me to forgive and not keep a record of wrongs that I can tell to Kevin when he gets home from work. Help me to persevere and seek Your strength throughout all of today's challenges. Help me to love with my actions and attitude. Fill me with your Spirit that in me they see YOU. Amen.

Sunday Psalm

Psalm 104:33-34

I will sing to the Lord all my life;

I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.

May my meditation be pleasing to him,

as I rejoice in the Lord.

Thankful Thursday

Bus send-off was good today. {no crying}

We didn't even have to wait in the barn like we normally do, because it was so nice out already. {32 degrees!}

And he waved at me as the bus drove away. He doesn't always do this, but I love when he does.

I'm on a roll with chores today and cleaning even more things OUT!  

Kids are already outside playing.

Today is this week's Friday.

I have incredibly understanding and supportive friends. So grateful.

Our MOPS group is growing and changing and really becoming something great.

Also thankful for... super easy, yummy recipes. free printable organization sheets.  calendars.  MACHINES that wash and dry my clothes. and a beautiful home to live in.

I'm still feeling not fully awake today, but I am thankful. For so very many things.

"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful." Colossians 3:15

Monday Meanderings - Mar. 25

Bible Study... going thru various things, depending on the day

Memory Verse...Ps. 141:3

"Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips."

Husband Encouragement...
♥ Quality time evening activities.  This is more for me. But if it's a need of mine then I need to take more initiative with it and make suggestions. Excited for his days off this week.

♥ He's done a LOT of fixing things lately, so encourage him in that.

Train Them Up...

* Eli -- working on attitude lately

* Reading with Hannah.

* Regular chores and cleanup.

* Patience with Carter's fits.

* Watch my tongue.

* AWANA verses. Want Eli to finish his book before the end of the year. He's allllmost there!! 

* Easter lesson with the kids this week.

Personal Goals...

* mad abs

* morning Bible reading (going well lately!!)

* want to do at least 3 days of running.

New Habit of the Month...  {march}
daily routines.  morning, meals, chores, homework, cleanup, bedtime. 

MUST Do... 

* MOPS -- newsletter

* Mail ring back for repair.  Grr... I can't find it anywhere!!!!

* Bills.

* Thank you notes.
* Birthday gift for Eli's teacher Tuesday.

Zone(s)... packing away of things

 

Menu - oven's not working

M -  cabbage chicken salad

T - pinwheels

W - meatball soup

Th - butternut squash soup, bread

F - grilled cheese

S - TBD

Su - Easter dinner: ham, sweet potatoes, fruit salad, rolls

FUN THINGS!

* Long weekend surrounding Easter AND Kevin is actually off this year for the first time in at least a couple years!

* MOPS pizza party play date on Tuesday

3 things I'm thankful for today...

1. quiet in the mornings

2. Kevin's been running again lately. So proud of him.

3. the Bible. There's always something encouraging to take from it.

Sunday Psalm

Psalm 5:1-8

Give ear to my words, o Lord,

consider my sighing.

Listen to my cry for help,

my King and my God,

for to you I pray.

In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice;

in the morning I lay my requests before you

and wait in expectation.

You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil;

with you the wicked cannot dwell.

The arrogant cannot stand in your presence;

you hate all who do wrong.

You destroy those who tell lies;

bloodthirsty and deceitful men

the Lord abhors.

But I, by your great mercy,

will come into your house;

in reverence I will bow down 

toward your holy temple.

Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness

because of my enemies--

make straight your way before me.