I have failed to share my journey to this point, mostly due to lack of internet service. But now in our new "little" house, I can get internet and actually use my computer! Yeah!!
We listed our 1850 sq ft home in May and by July 5th we had moved out and began shopping for our next adventure. We were quickly led to a 1290 sq ft home on 1 acre in town. It was exactly what we were looking for! A smaller house with a big back yard, a shop for my husband and closer to our friends! We moved in this past weekend (August 3rd) and are working like crazy to make it our own.
Our recycling plant, that we have used for quite a while, shut down, so I am very thankful our town has the option of recycling with the trash service (a perk to being forced to have trash service).
If you ask my friends that helped us move, we still have too much stuff! :) But after having so much in storage for the last month, it is even more clear that we don't need what we have.
On a side note, our new house payment is nearly half of what it was! We are already planning an anniversary trip and starting to look at family vacations, etc. I will post pictures of our house and the many projects ahead of us as soon as we get a bit more settled.
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
Friday, October 19, 2012
Letting it go
I cleaned out my kids rooms and anticipated a bit of whining, begging and upset from removing so much. But instead I got happy playing noises, clean rooms and laughter. The baby can play in the bedrooms now. They have been sleeping in a fort for a week and they have voluntarily picked up their toys before getting out a new one. I am almost amazed! Then I started thinking... I lived in a 1930's home several years ago and was amazed at the lack of storage. Before that, we lived in a home built in the 1950s. It, too, lacked storage. But we were only the second owners of that '50s home. The first owners raised 3 daughters in that 2 bedroom, one bathroom house! I remember, as a middle child of 3 girls, asking "HOW!?" Now I get it... They didn't have the STUFF!
I could hear my grandmother, "Shopping was a treat! A time to get dressed up and go 'downtown'. It was an event. Now a days, people throw on the nastiest garb they have to run into Walmart."
So, here's my revelation... Each generation takes pride in providing their children with what they never had. Bigger, better things than they grew up with. My dad was raised in what is now the slums of Ft. Worth, a small house with little money. He then provided for me a much bigger house in the country and here I am trying to 'outdo' whatI had. So here's my chance. I will provide my kids with something I didn't have, but it won't be bigger. It will, however, be better.
I will be home to nurture my kids. Their dad won't have to work overtime to buy them the latest and greatest toys, instead he will be taking them to campouts and car shows. We will enjoy family time, vacations, and making memories.
What do you remember from childhood? The best memories? Was it getting a toy or the time you spent with a special loved one?
Thursday, October 4, 2012
near and dear...
And we're back!
I am entertained by all that I have tried since starting this blog. No microwave, no trash service, etc. What makes it so fun, is that we still have no trash service! I relented on the microwave during a rough pregnancy, but it isn't something I use daily. As I was reading our daily science lesson with my 9 year old, I was pleasantly suprised by his reaction as he read about food and chemicals. I showed him a brief clip of Food, Inc., to which he begged to watch the rest. It seems the little things we are doing is having an impact on my kids! One or two little things can make a bigger difference over time!!
Our next big change will be coming within the next year! We are selling our 1850 sq.ft. house and down sizing. After looking at many house plans and renderings online, we have drawn up what works best for us, and I couldn't be more excited! Our new house will be a whopping 880 sq.ft.
As you pick your jaw up off the keyboard and think how crazy I am, or ask where my things will go, I challenege you to think about the space you live in. How much of it do you use... I mean REALLY USE, not for storage.
I have recently cleaned out my 4 years olds room. I removed 90% of his toys and went through them. I returned the costumes, legos, cars and a few other things. He has a shelf with five bins, each holding one type of toy. Legos, cars and Ben 10 things are in small container up high in the closet. Today he asked if he could play legos. I told him his room had to be clean. This was not a happy moment for him, but he did it. He even hung up his own shirts in the closet and it took him 15 minutes!! That's it! He didn't seem overwhelmed by the amount of junk on the floor. It was really a painless process! I will be doing this in the 9 year old's room soon!!
No worries, though... we aren't just throwing things away and adding fuel to a future fire of questions that are sure to come. "Mom, where is..." I have stashed them, for now. He had 6 months to ask where specific items are. If he has a place to put them, unless they are broken, he can have them back.
All that said, it is hard to think about the mortgage, especially the interest, we pay for storage... If we NEED the stuff, it would be cheaper to rent a storage unit or to build our own metal building to keep it! My home is where I live, not my stuff!
In the next few months, I want to keep a careful eye on what I use and don't use. When the time comes, I will be having one massive yard sale!
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Giving In but Keeping Up
Well, I gave in... I am now the proud owner of an iPhone. But in my defense, I had good reason!! Our internet provider went down and could get a signal to us. Homeschooling and being trapped in the house with 3 kids all day warrants time to socialize and sometimes all I get is a few minutes on facebook and a few emails to satify this need. So after nearly 2 months without internet, I found a deal and my hubby and I are back online and carrying cell phones again.
But even though we gave in and got cell phones, we have found that doing without trash has become easier and easier to deal with each month. We have a great recycle center and a friend that allows us to use one of his recycle bins, since our town doesn't offer recycling, and the little bit of trash we do generate, we drop at my in-laws or in a public trash can when we get gas. What makes the no trash service thing even easier with a new baby is our cloth diapers. This is the first baby I have attempted this with and I am loving it. It is actually "fun" to cloth diaper! As crazy as that sounds, it is! All the cute covers to choose from and not having to add the extra money to my grocery budget each month to buy disposables and then paying to dispose of them makes it so worth it! It really isn't as gross as so many think!
We started out using simple prefolds with a PUL cover that i bought online at Sweet Little Blessings (www.sweetlittleblessings.com). The covers come with snap in inserts that I use also. Then we tried Thirsties duo wraps pocket diapers. So far I like the prefolds, but have found the pocket diapers to work almost as well. I found Sweet Little Blessings through a blog I read 'Keeper of the Home'. It teaches a simple way of life and the different ladies contributing easch have a new perspective on raising kids. I have found it extremely helpful!
With all that said, having three boys has made life interesting and introduced us to so many new things. I am still trying to adjust and figure out how to handle it all in public and get it all done at home, but with the help of other blogs, an awesome husband and God, I am handling things quite nicely!
But even though we gave in and got cell phones, we have found that doing without trash has become easier and easier to deal with each month. We have a great recycle center and a friend that allows us to use one of his recycle bins, since our town doesn't offer recycling, and the little bit of trash we do generate, we drop at my in-laws or in a public trash can when we get gas. What makes the no trash service thing even easier with a new baby is our cloth diapers. This is the first baby I have attempted this with and I am loving it. It is actually "fun" to cloth diaper! As crazy as that sounds, it is! All the cute covers to choose from and not having to add the extra money to my grocery budget each month to buy disposables and then paying to dispose of them makes it so worth it! It really isn't as gross as so many think!
We started out using simple prefolds with a PUL cover that i bought online at Sweet Little Blessings (www.sweetlittleblessings.com). The covers come with snap in inserts that I use also. Then we tried Thirsties duo wraps pocket diapers. So far I like the prefolds, but have found the pocket diapers to work almost as well. I found Sweet Little Blessings through a blog I read 'Keeper of the Home'. It teaches a simple way of life and the different ladies contributing easch have a new perspective on raising kids. I have found it extremely helpful!
With all that said, having three boys has made life interesting and introduced us to so many new things. I am still trying to adjust and figure out how to handle it all in public and get it all done at home, but with the help of other blogs, an awesome husband and God, I am handling things quite nicely!
Friday, May 27, 2011
Preparing for life's suprises
I was on here last in October last year with a disappointed attitude of what was accomplished. I kind of gave up for a while and then spent a few months in bed and pretty sick from the joyous suprise of my third child. I am due September 1st with my third boy! As I put it, I am adding to my collection. Although I am sure girls are amazing and a daughter would be a wonderful gift from God, I like my boys and feel better equipped to manage them.
In all this, I have now been up and going at almost regular pace for about 4 weeks. In that time I have accomplished more than I could have ever imagined! Call in nesting or making up for the boredom I found in not being able to walk through the house without getting sick, but I am cleaning and clearing out this house! A new beginning to simplicity with a new life.
With a new little boy to add to the other 2, I have gone an unconventional route for their bedrooms, but just in the 2 days we have been in the arrangement, I can already tell it will be a success! I can say as a child, I had everything I could ever need and want, although I always thought I needed more! My boys are in the same state!! My oldest, who turned eight last Monday, loves to share a room with his 2, almost 3 (14 days) year old brother. I tried to seperate them to no avail. Then I realized what a blessing this could be. So, I seperated the stuff instead! Toys in one room, boys in the other! For 2 days I have had peace, their rooms have stayed clean and I have spent more time enjoying their giggles rather than induring their screaming!
In this opportunity to move the toys to their new play room, or 'my baby woom' as Paxton calls it, I went through their things and took out over half of what was there. Broken toys, trash, thousands of silly bands, and toys to hide away and pull out on a rainy day. Too much stuff caused hardship for these boys. They would rather sit in front of the tv or play video games than play with the 1000's of dollars worth of toys in their room. Now, they are playing peacfully and enjoying the little things they have. And last night, it only took them 8 minutes to clean up the mess from the entire day!
Beyond my boys, I have cleaned out every room and every cabinet in the house. Amazingly, I have found some great stuff to decorate with or to repurpose. I have a great pile for donation and a pile waiting to go to the dumpster. I am excited to see so may of my cabinets empty or close to empty... When you live simply, who needs extra storage!?
I am learning so much about simple living as I prepare for this new little boy. I am looking into alternatives to so many things. I have been led to an amazing blog www.keeperofthehome.org. She spends time talking about natural and simple living. I have been encouraged to try cloth diapers and wipes, to continue recycling and find new ways to challenge my family to daily live in a way that pleases God.
I am thankful God is blessing me with this new life. It is giving me new purpose to change the life I live with my famiy and a new challenge to be watchful of my time, money and other resources so we can live to best life for Him! And it is all worth it to see the stresses begin to deminish and the laughter return with abundance!
In all this, I have now been up and going at almost regular pace for about 4 weeks. In that time I have accomplished more than I could have ever imagined! Call in nesting or making up for the boredom I found in not being able to walk through the house without getting sick, but I am cleaning and clearing out this house! A new beginning to simplicity with a new life.
With a new little boy to add to the other 2, I have gone an unconventional route for their bedrooms, but just in the 2 days we have been in the arrangement, I can already tell it will be a success! I can say as a child, I had everything I could ever need and want, although I always thought I needed more! My boys are in the same state!! My oldest, who turned eight last Monday, loves to share a room with his 2, almost 3 (14 days) year old brother. I tried to seperate them to no avail. Then I realized what a blessing this could be. So, I seperated the stuff instead! Toys in one room, boys in the other! For 2 days I have had peace, their rooms have stayed clean and I have spent more time enjoying their giggles rather than induring their screaming!
In this opportunity to move the toys to their new play room, or 'my baby woom' as Paxton calls it, I went through their things and took out over half of what was there. Broken toys, trash, thousands of silly bands, and toys to hide away and pull out on a rainy day. Too much stuff caused hardship for these boys. They would rather sit in front of the tv or play video games than play with the 1000's of dollars worth of toys in their room. Now, they are playing peacfully and enjoying the little things they have. And last night, it only took them 8 minutes to clean up the mess from the entire day!
Beyond my boys, I have cleaned out every room and every cabinet in the house. Amazingly, I have found some great stuff to decorate with or to repurpose. I have a great pile for donation and a pile waiting to go to the dumpster. I am excited to see so may of my cabinets empty or close to empty... When you live simply, who needs extra storage!?
I am learning so much about simple living as I prepare for this new little boy. I am looking into alternatives to so many things. I have been led to an amazing blog www.keeperofthehome.org. She spends time talking about natural and simple living. I have been encouraged to try cloth diapers and wipes, to continue recycling and find new ways to challenge my family to daily live in a way that pleases God.
I am thankful God is blessing me with this new life. It is giving me new purpose to change the life I live with my famiy and a new challenge to be watchful of my time, money and other resources so we can live to best life for Him! And it is all worth it to see the stresses begin to deminish and the laughter return with abundance!
Friday, October 22, 2010
busy work
This month was a bust, at least in my eyes. I was hoping to rid myself of the 'stuff' and get my life organized. What I have realized, though, is no matter how hard I work to organize the stuff, I have to organize my mind and my time for it all to work. I have been so busy the past few weeks. I feel like I haven't stopped. There has not been one day in the last 3 weeks or more that I have been able to just relax and focus. I have missed out on a great Bible study with my blog girls, I have let my house go and it is time I fight back!
My goal for the month of November is to stop and refocus on my family. Each day I will spend time letting everything go and just spend time with my boys, doing something they want to do. No more "I'm too busy" or "hang on, let me finish"
I have gotten rid of so much and it is truely a releif to feel less dependent on the stuff... so now I am going to become less dependent on doing and focus a little on just 'being'.
I still have committments that can not be forsaken, but I will take the time out each day to organize my time to best serve the committments and spend time with the family.
**on a side note, some great friends of ours have a 2 year old son, Elijah (Paxto'ns best buddy!). He had neuroblastoma and will be, Lord willing, having surgery on October 29th in New York. I ask your prayers for the Fowler family and this precious little boy. If you want to read more of his story, you can find it at
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/elijahfowler
My goal for the month of November is to stop and refocus on my family. Each day I will spend time letting everything go and just spend time with my boys, doing something they want to do. No more "I'm too busy" or "hang on, let me finish"
I have gotten rid of so much and it is truely a releif to feel less dependent on the stuff... so now I am going to become less dependent on doing and focus a little on just 'being'.
I still have committments that can not be forsaken, but I will take the time out each day to organize my time to best serve the committments and spend time with the family.
**on a side note, some great friends of ours have a 2 year old son, Elijah (Paxto'ns best buddy!). He had neuroblastoma and will be, Lord willing, having surgery on October 29th in New York. I ask your prayers for the Fowler family and this precious little boy. If you want to read more of his story, you can find it at
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/elijahfowler
Friday, October 8, 2010
For my composting friends, I am always trying to figure out what to do with things I would have normally thown in the trash. Since I don't have a trash service, I need to find other ways to get rid of things that can't be recycled. I have looked at other lists before, but found this list and wanted to refresh my list of compostables.
Coffee grounds and filters
Tea bags
Used paper napkins
Pizza boxes, ripped into smaller pieces
Paper bags, either ripped or balled up
The crumbs you sweep off of the counters and floors
Plain cooked pasta
Plain cooked rice
Stale bread
Paper towel rolls
Stale saltine crackers
Stale cereal
Used paper plates (as long as they don't have a waxy coating)
Cellophane bags (be sure it's really Cellophane and not just clear plastic -- there's a difference.)
Nut shells (except for walnut shells, which can be toxic to plants)
Old herbs and spices
Stale pretzels
Pizza crusts
Cereal boxes (tear them into smaller pieces first)
Wine corks
Moldy cheese
Melted ice cream
Old jelly, jam, or preserves
Stale beer and wine
Paper egg cartons
Toothpicks
Bamboo skewers
Paper cupcake or muffin cups
From the Bathroom
Used facial tissues
Hair from your hairbrush
Toilet paper rolls
Old loofahs
Nail clippings
Urine
100% cotton cotton balls
Cotton swabs made from 100% cotton and cardboard (not plastic) sticks
**It might be a good idea to bury these items in your pile. Just sayin'**
Cardboard tampon applicators
Latex condoms
From the Laundry Room
Dryer lint
Old/stained cotton clothing -- rip or cut it into smaller pieces
Old wool clothing -- rip or cut it into smaller pieces
Bills and other documents you've shredded
Envelopes (minus the plastic window)
Pencil shavings
Sticky notes
Business cards (as long as they're not glossy)
Receipts
Contents of your vacuum cleaner bag or canister
Newspapers (shredded or torn into smaller pieces)
Subscription cards from magazines
Leaves trimmed from houseplants
Dead houseplants and their soil
Flowers from floral arrangements
Natural potpourri
Used matches
Ashes from the fireplace, barbecue grill, or outdoor fire pit
Party and Holiday Supplies
Wrapping paper rolls
Paper table cloths
Crepe paper streamers
Latex balloons
Raffia
Excelsior
Jack o' Lanterns
Those hay bales you used as part of your outdoor fall decor
Natural holiday wreaths
Your Christmas tree -- chop it up with some pruners first (or use a wood chipper, if you have one)
Evergreen garlands
Fur from the dog or cat brush
Droppings and bedding from your rabbit/gerbil/hamsters, etc.
Newspaper/droppings from the bottom of the bird cage
Feathers
Alfalfa hay or pellets (usually fed to rabbits)
Rawhide dog chews
Fish food
Dry dog or cat food
On this same note, I want to tell you... I have been without trash for more than 2 months now and I can't believe how easy it is. When you don't have the easy access to the garbage truck, recycling and composting is just something you do!
Coffee grounds and filters
Tea bags
Used paper napkins
Pizza boxes, ripped into smaller pieces
Paper bags, either ripped or balled up
The crumbs you sweep off of the counters and floors
Plain cooked pasta
Plain cooked rice
Stale bread
Paper towel rolls
Stale saltine crackers
Stale cereal
Used paper plates (as long as they don't have a waxy coating)
Cellophane bags (be sure it's really Cellophane and not just clear plastic -- there's a difference.)
Nut shells (except for walnut shells, which can be toxic to plants)
Old herbs and spices
Stale pretzels
Pizza crusts
Cereal boxes (tear them into smaller pieces first)
Wine corks
Moldy cheese
Melted ice cream
Old jelly, jam, or preserves
Stale beer and wine
Paper egg cartons
Toothpicks
Bamboo skewers
Paper cupcake or muffin cups
From the Bathroom
Used facial tissues
Hair from your hairbrush
Toilet paper rolls
Old loofahs
Nail clippings
Urine
100% cotton cotton balls
Cotton swabs made from 100% cotton and cardboard (not plastic) sticks
**It might be a good idea to bury these items in your pile. Just sayin'**
Cardboard tampon applicators
Latex condoms
From the Laundry Room
Dryer lint
Old/stained cotton clothing -- rip or cut it into smaller pieces
Old wool clothing -- rip or cut it into smaller pieces
Bills and other documents you've shredded
Envelopes (minus the plastic window)
Pencil shavings
Sticky notes
Business cards (as long as they're not glossy)
Receipts
Contents of your vacuum cleaner bag or canister
Newspapers (shredded or torn into smaller pieces)
Subscription cards from magazines
Leaves trimmed from houseplants
Dead houseplants and their soil
Flowers from floral arrangements
Natural potpourri
Used matches
Ashes from the fireplace, barbecue grill, or outdoor fire pit
Party and Holiday Supplies
Wrapping paper rolls
Paper table cloths
Crepe paper streamers
Latex balloons
Raffia
Excelsior
Jack o' Lanterns
Those hay bales you used as part of your outdoor fall decor
Natural holiday wreaths
Your Christmas tree -- chop it up with some pruners first (or use a wood chipper, if you have one)
Evergreen garlands
Fur from the dog or cat brush
Droppings and bedding from your rabbit/gerbil/hamsters, etc.
Newspaper/droppings from the bottom of the bird cage
Feathers
Alfalfa hay or pellets (usually fed to rabbits)
Rawhide dog chews
Fish food
Dry dog or cat food
On this same note, I want to tell you... I have been without trash for more than 2 months now and I can't believe how easy it is. When you don't have the easy access to the garbage truck, recycling and composting is just something you do!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)