40 Days

Recently I went on a 40 day television fast... actually I haven't watched TV since so I guess it's a 42 day fast now.

I really felt convicted that I was watching too much television, and decided I'd like to focus my attention on other areas of my life: like my family, and friends.

I thought I wasn't going to be able to do it- but it was easier than I thought!! I missed all the premiers of my favorite shows, and I didn't even care! I now spend my evenings talking to my husband, playing bored games and reading. I'd like to invest time into sewing- something I LOVE doing, but don't have much time for.

We're not sure what the "TV future" holds for us... but we're very close to canceling cable.

Pumpkin Patch

Saturday we took the kids to the pumpkin patch to pick out the perfect pumpkin for carving... we ended up taking home 5 pumpkins and one gored. I couldn't help myself! I love this time of year (even though it's still 90 degrees outside) and watching my kids frolic in the hay made my day!

After the pumpkin patch we headed down to the near by mall to go for train rides and dinner.

It was an awesome day!

Pictures!

I'm so excited right now, because we're finally able to upload our pictures onto our computer again!! You see, my hard drive was full- what with 20,000 pictures and all (no joke)- so I haven't been able to upload pictures from my camera to the computer.

BUT, we got a new computer, cleaned up my old hard drive AND voila! pictures again.

Soon, I will be able to have posts with pictures.

It's the simple things in life ;)

It's not just the garage...

I wish I could blame all my, ahem, clutter on my wonderful Mother in law, but the truth is it's a problem we've had since moving here 6 years ago.

I'm an "everything in it's place" girl, and the fact is we just don't have a place for everything. And, I believe, that's because we simply have too much!!

So far, I've gone through each closet and got rid of clothes that don't fit/have a stain/or damaged. I've also gone through the kids toys, and if it was broken it got thrown away. Any unnecessary toy got given to family with little or no toys. Since then, my kids are actually playing better! They enjoy the toys they have, and can find them (imagine that!).

I've filed all paperwork and have a place for unpaid bills- I'm finding it less stressful because I know where everything is!!

By nature, I'm a "piler". I make a pile for everything... I'm working on that! At the end of the day, I have a pile for Lily's stuff, Logan's stuff, unpaid bills, laundry, stuff that needs to go in my car, etc. But, each night I'm taking 15 extra minutes to clear the piles (well, the one's that can be cleared). This makes my mornings easier and less stressful. I think once I find a home for every orphaned item, that task will be easier, too!

For now, I'm enjoying cutting the clutter. It's cathartic!

Less is MORE

Alternately titled: Out with old, in with the... well NOTHING hopefully.

We have too much stuff. We live in a beautiful home, 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, and adequate living space. Our problem, however, is we have too much stuff!!

I am a purger- I always have been, always will be. I do hold on to somethings for sentimental value, but my hard and fast rule is "if it hasn't been used/worn in 6 months (with the exception of seasonal items) it's going to Good Will". My hubby on the other hand has clothes that he wore his senior year of high school... no seriously he does. Which would be totally fine if he wasn't adding to his collection- but he is... and it's craziness.

My mother in law is a self proclaimed "stuff girl". She knows how to place it, stack it, pack it, fit it, and organize it. She's an interior designer and her home is beautiful; it looks like a showroom for a magazine. However, it's not functional for a family of 4 and not functional for a stay at home mom with two small children.

Anyway, in love, she passes down stuff to me. I in the past, have purged the things I don't want- then she says "I see you don't have the [insert purged item here] out anymore. May I have it back?" Me "uh....."

So now, after being questioned several times, I have kept things I'm not using in order to ahem avoid having an awkward conversation. Now I have a garage full of stuff I don't want. FULL.

Today, I'm purging. Out with the old, in with the... well NOTHING.

I'm learning to be content with what I have.

Playgroup

When I was pregnant with Logan, I joined our local MOMS club. I didn't know anyone else that was having a baby, and I really wanted to connect with people in the same life stage.

For a time, it was the perfect fit. We went on field trips, had monthly meetings, had Holiday parties, and made friends (that were all with in 5 miles!). But the great thing about the MOMS club was the weekly playgroup. We met every Friday morning at 10am and would have 2-15 kids at any given time! Each person on the "playgroup roster" would take a turn hosting in their home.

But, as time went on an the children got older, our chapter of the MOMS club got very small. Many members were phasing out because their older children were school age, and wrapped up in other actives.

Logan and I were very involved in the club. I even served on the board two years in a row, VP the first year, President the second.

There were some negative things about the club- but overall it was so much fun, and kept us busy for three years.

The last year I was in the club, my very close friend (and fellow MC member) got pregnant with sextuplets. A member of the club, E, came to me and asked if I would like to help her with an event she was putting together to help raise money for sextuplet's family. Of course, I was eager to help!!

As I got more involved in the "Baby Shower", I started to witness something I've never seen before. My partner, E, wasn't doing this shower for the family- she was doing it to glorify the Lord. The more I got to know her, the more I wanted to be around her. I was a "lost Christian" when she found me, wondering around the same mountain for years until she picked me up turned me around and put me on the right path. She became (and still is) my "Spiritual Mother".

We held the event at her Church. It was perfect- AND we raised over $1,000 for the family!!

Over time "her Church" became MY Church, and I'm so happy it did.

Anyway, after the shower, our friendship continued. We had SO much in common, and we were spending lots of time together.... and when we weren't together, we were talking on the phone.


Our friendship grew, and so did our bellies! We got pregnant at the exact same time!! We were only eight days apart!! It was so wonderful experiencing such a special thing with someone so special to me.

Now, we get together with another sweet friend and our little ones play while we have playgroup. It's the BEST set up EVER!! No MC drama, no gossip, no negative talk. Just slightly inappropriate jokes, Starbucks coffee, and friends.

Football

It has been an incredible summer for us! Our family truly enjoyed spending the hot summer days (and nights, and mornings, and afternoons) together.

But, now it's time to get back on track and on a schedule... or somewhat of a routine.

One day while Logan was watching a movie, he expressed interest in "joining a team". Excited, I signed him up for the next available sport. Football.

Practices are once a week in the evening, and he has 8am games on Saturday morning- which probably sounds awful for y'all, but here on the surface of the sun it's actually the BEST time for a game, cause it's only 94 degrees outside at that hour.

This is Logan's first exposure to team sports, and all things considered he's done really well. He has a young coach, and he's so patient with Logan- and all the others. We have the smallest team, so the past two games we've "borrowed" a player from the other team ;)

In the beginning of the game, Logan's excited and running; but the end of the game he's chasing dragonflies. He even ran the other direction when he had the ball last week ;)

I just love spending my time watching my kids grow and learn.