10 little things I've changed in order to keep my sanity

1) Removed all news apps from my phone - I found myself scouring news and financial items during my 'down time' and, amazingly enough (sarcasm), since the majority is negative, I found that it would affect my attitude the rest of the day, I felt serious relief when I deleted them. And honestly, if something noteworthy happens, I'll find out about it on Facebook.

2) I stopped reading about celebrities. I confess, I love the snarky websites like 'What Would Tyler Durden Do' and 'The Superficial'. I also liked the celeb portions of the Daily Mail (I have a weakness for UK celebs) but it was giving me a false impression of how life should be.

3) I started reading blogs from women and men that I admire. Who live a simpler, less materialistic and consumer-based lifestyle. Blogs like Soulemama.

4) I also started reading fewer blogs. Without my face buried in my phone, I find have more time for things I want to do. Writing this blog included.

5) I stopped reading the blogs that instantly made me dissatisfied with what I had or that made me feel like I needed something new to be happy. The Daily Connoiseur is one of them. While I've really enjoyed her blog, it seems every other post had been making me feel like I need to buy something.

6) I give myself a break. So I didn't clean the whole house yesterday, so what? J and I had fun at a pizza party and I managed to get a tasty dinner made. This house isn't going anywhere and neither are the toys and dust.

7) I stopped posting my entire life on Facebook. Like the French I'm maintaining some mystery. Ok, I really just want to post only the really exciting/interesting/joyful things. No one cares that I'm going grocery shopping. Along those lines, I'm doing my best to not check Facebook constantly. It gets a lot addicting.

8) I've turned off the tv and turned on the radio (Big Band or Jazz). I've also stopped recording sports events or movies that I'll never watch. Very freeing to not have the tv on at most times.

9) If I don't feel like making dinner, I freezer dive. That's the point of freezing our leftovers anyways, to have on those days (or weeks) when cooking just isn't going to happen. And I feel zero guilt for doing so.

10) I'm learning to let go of expectations of how things should be and am just enjoying the moment while I'm in it.

Waking Up in a Rotten Mood

Today I woke up on the wrong side of the bed. Technically there's only one side of the bed I wake up on since it's pushed against my son's day bed but, this morning, it was the wrong side.

I knew it wasn't going to be good when my son woke up early and my brain reverberated with a shrill, screechy voice screaming NO NO NO!!!! For some reason that voice is always an acid green. I don't know why but it's like acid green flames flicking inside my brain. I didn't think 'extra snuggle time', I thought ARGH.

I'm not sure if it was the long list of errands that need running, or the end of month checkbook balance or what, but I want this mood GONE. And because it's so often the little things that add up to a big mood change, I'm going to list a few little things that made me happy this morning.

1) Hanging my clothes on the line to dry. Last summer my husband hung a single line on our upstairs balcony for me to hang clothes on. I underestimated how much I would love hanging clothes out to dry.

2) J pushing his trash truck up to me and asking me "are you so excited?!" as he shows me what he has tucked in the back of the truck (milk flat car and a passenger car this time).

3) Blackberry jam on homemade whole wheat toast.

4) Drinking hot tea.

5) Sunny, warm winter days.

6) Emails from friends.

7) 10:30 and J and I are still in our pajamas.

8) Cleaning the kitchen - not that I love the cleaning but I sure love the way it looks when it's done.

9) Three of my orchids are re-blooming - I love it when that happens.

10). Skipping running errands - that definitely makes me happy!

There, I'm feeling better already.

How I Spent A Crafty Monday

One of the things I love about the spot we vacation in Boonville is the oaks covered with the lichen Old Man's Beard. It's wispy and rather romantic and I love the way it covers the oaks around our cabin. As we took walks and hikes, I collected small branches and twigs covered with the lichen. I was feeling particularly clever and crafty thought about making a wreath from it. Part of my new life changes - to get more creative and crafty. I did however, have the forethought that I had never made a wreath, attempted a wreath or thought about making a wreath before. I went in with high hopes and no clue.

I started by buying a round wire wreath form from Michael's and green 24 and 20 gauge wire. It seemed right and wasn't too expensive. This holiday morning, with my creative juices flowing, I  decided to tackle the project. I'm really happy with how it turned out and, wonderfully enough, I chose the perfect medium for my first wreath. Old Man's Beard is very forgiving stuff. It tucks in and sticks where you want it to, its great at covering the green wires and wire form and it looks really pretty when done. Now I just need to go back to Boonville to collect more....



 

I organized the sticks and twigs by size

I started wrapping the larger branches with the heavier wire. Videos weren't much help but they did show me to keep the wire going in a continuous spiral. Unfortunately I don't have pictures of the middle of the process (there was a kiddo needing attention at the time) but I used the smaller wire  (using the same spiral wrapping around and in between) to wrap the smaller twigs over the larger sticks. I finished the wreath by tucking small bits of old man's beard and small twigs into the spaces between the sticks and twigs in order to cover the green wire.

 

Hanging on the front door - this isn't the greatest picture. I'll try to get a better one. I think it needs sunlight or a better camera.

Details 

 

Simple idea to make our life better.

I had an epiphany this morning as I sat at the table and wrote in my journal while J played with play dough (a repeat of yesterday morning). Being at the 'adult' table together made it so much more enjoyable for him and for me, it really opened my eyes to how things are situated at home. At home he has a little art table that's tucked into a corner of the breakfast room. The chair faces the wall. I usually set something up for him and watch for a little bit while he starts the project but I rarely sit with him while he does it. It's just not comfortable and I have a sudden feeling it's not comfortable for him either. I'd never really thought about it until we shared the table here.

I'm going to try something new, when he does art, it's at the breakfast room table with me. I may be doing something else (writing or crafting), but I will be with him. I have a really good feeling about this - and all it's going to take is a simple move.