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

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!

I found the help I needed!

I was perusing facebook earlier today and saw a friend mention cleaning her house while her kids were down for a nap, yes Hannah, I am talking about you. Anyway, she mentioned doing a Flylady emergency clean. I, and a few others, had never heard of this, so I looked it up. It is a great site. I love the ideas of cleaning and the general encouragement to get you house clean. I thought this went great with my goal of cleaning out and getting my house organized this month! We can all use a little help and encouragement when doing these daunting tasks around the house! So check out the website and see what the fly ladt can help you accomplish.

www.flylady.net

A beautiful fall!

*Stuff* what we really don't 'need' but can't live without! I bet any of us could look around and see at least a dozen things that fall into this category without leaving our seats. There are things that definetly make life easier and more enjoyable! I love my decorations, my books, my new jacket I bought last weekend... but I really don't need any of it! It feels so nice to make your house a home by decorating and hanging memeries on your wall. It makes it cozy and a nice place to relax. But when it overwhelms you and keeps you cleaning continuously, there may be too much stuff. I have watched my 7 year old's toys accumulate over the years, until he was 4 or 5. That is when I began cleaning them out every 6 months. If he didn't play with it, it disappeared. If he asked for it within the next few weeks, I would give it back. If he didn't ask, it went away. This was great until I realized I wasn't doing this to my own toys. I have been accumulating things for years and haven't stopped often enough to clean out and get rid of. I see something I haven't used in years and think, it could come in handy one day. So my piles grow and my attic becomes full and overflowing.

Honestly, I am not in the state anymore. When we moved 3 years ago, I purged a lot of stuff and at one time was quite organized. But with so many changes in the last 3 years, there has been more stuff coming in and not enough going out! So my 'get rid of' goal for October is NO MORE STUFF! But the real goal for October is having a place for everything. If there isn't a place for it, it isn't needed anyway. So, I will be spending my extra time at home, cleaning out, organizing and getting rid of stuff. This, I pray, will keep me busy enough that I don't miss the little shopping trips I enjoy every so often.

On a side note, this morning I finalized our September budget. I was super suprised to find we barely went over. I don't want to go over, but have been trying to get rid of enough, so my water softener payment doesn't come out of our savings. I was not sure this could happen when I started in July, but so far our savings is in tact and our budget is being met! I thought about how much we saved this month and questioned how. I don't remember having to 'go without' this month, but we didn't spend near as much on groceries, gas and so many other things. We actually made less this month than last month, but saved more this month. I am beginning to see the fruits of my labor! And I am not feeling that we are without. What a great feeling to know we have all we need and are happier now than we were a few months ago.

This is why I am doing all of this! Paper towels, cell phones, a microwave... stuff... these are things so many say 'I couldn't do without'. I know many people that need their cell phone for work, so to them I say, turn it off... at least 1 day out of the week. Each thing we have given up works for us. It has lessened the burden not only in our budget, but in the stuff we have to keep up with. It has lightened our load and given us more time to spend talking to one another. You will be amazed at how quickly you realize you don't really need any of the things you have!

One of the greatest things I have gained is the confidence to complete my goals. I have set goals for our budget, for our house and for our family. Some have to be modified every now and then, but for the most part, we are meeting them. It has given meaning to my life to have something to work for short term and long term.

Sorry for the ramblings today... hope you have a great one!

what else, then?

What would you do if you lost everything? What could you live without if you could only take a few things with you?

These are the questions I ask myself when I think of all our culture regards as necessary. We live such a blessed life in this country, even during a recession! I have heard and said I will not. or could not, go without 'that'! since I started this mission. I understand things like air conditioning on a hot Oklahoma day! I don't want to do without that, and, thakfully, I don't have to.
But I do know- I don't need it all! We have done without the extra for years! I don't need a new car, a boat, or any of the other expensive toys that would go so well in my neighborhood. I don't need new or better of anything. I will still wake up and live. I will still wear the clothes in my closet and make what I have great!
So, my goal for October is going to be--no new stuff, for me or my family! I was thinking how this may work for Christmas and other holidays. I hope to buy only practical and functional gifts this year. I have several ideas already! Things my kiddos can make for those we love! Rather than running to the store to buy a new 'whatever' for someone, my kids can hang out with me and we can make something special!

As for September, I am doing okay. I bought some clothes at a consignment shop, later to remember and realize they are from Bangladesh and other similar places. But since then, I am, again, aware.
What I am suprised about is the dishwasher, or lack there of. I haven't really noticed it's absence. I was already rinsing my dishes, so I just added a sink of soap and hot water and a scrub brush. And the dishwasher rack works great for a drying rack!

Think positive!

September 3rd... and so far, so good!
Jon and I, in the midst of 85 mph winds and rain, went grocery shopping. The most entertaining part was standing at the door of the store waiting with a large crowd of people, helpless, patient for the weather to let up just enough to dash to our cars on the opposite end of the parking lot, hopeful we would not get soaked! Then laughing at the impatience of others, shoving their way through with 3 children in tow saying, "IT'S JUST A LITTLE WATER!" Then nearly being knocked over by the force of the winds as they stomp into the torrential downpour, with the poor sack boy, head drooping in dread, following close behind. Most people were kind enough to let the grocery workers wait at the door while they drove up to the building.

Anyway, after all that fun... I have to tell you how simple and yet frustrating my grocery trip was. I have never paid so much attention to the food I was buying until now. The trip was simple because I recognize some of the packaging from local businesses, knowing they are US made. What made the trip difficult was the lack of labeling. When you find things with muliple ingredients, the package will only claim processing or distribution in the US. And I never realized how much of our food comes from Thailand and Guatamala.

On and up note to the US purchases, they were the store brands, the cheap brands... for the most part.

Crest, my store of choice last night, has their store brand that is US made. As I looked over pasta, though, I found that each brand, differing in price by $.10 to $2.00, all came from the same manufacturer. But I managed to find some healthy, whole wheat pasta claiming 100% made in the USA.

I also found that if you look down, you will save money! Kraft Mayo in a small jar was 2 for $5, Kraft mayo in a large jar was 2 for $4. Eggs were $2.79 for 18 or 2 1/2 dozen for $2.50, same brand!

Really, I don't mind the imports so much. I just don't like the toys and plastic junk from China. But this was an eye opening experience and gave me a desire to find out more about where the things I use and eat come from.

On a different note, I was talking with some people about all that we had given up and when they asked why, I had to pause to remember why I started this. It wasn't to make a political or environmental stance, to conserve electricity or be green. It was mearly to see what I could live without that our society deems necessary to live. I can honestly say, each thing that lessens my load of stuff has made me happier. I have found myself living each day with a new sense of awareness. I do things on purpose and have found more time and money to just relax and enjoy my kids and life. All in all, I have put so much less thought and energy into the "stuff" of life and so much more into the sustenance so that my extra time and money can be put where it needs to be!

September is here!

Well, September first... what a lovely site after a sweltering August. I am thankful for the approach of fall weather. I am looking out my window and wishing it felt as cool out there as it looks! I love fall!

I am looking forward to my challenge of buying US made products! Today will be a true test as I go grocery shopping. We are out of so much and on a tight budget this month! I'll let you know how that goes.

Since I had to open up the purchases to the western hemisphere in oreder to buy bananas and other fruits, I decided to add on another challenge for myself. I thought long and hard about what I have that I could do without. After seeing friends do without, I have decided to try the 'no dishwasher' thing. This will be a challenge since I despise dishes! This may end up being more for a challenge on Jon... but I am going to give it a go, especially since we have to pre-rinse them all due to a lack of water pressure!

My grandfather wouldn't use his dishwasher after my grandmother passed away. He, instead, used it as storage for his plates and cups and freed up cabinet space. So, with the goal of having more cabinet space and using less energy, I want to give this a try.

Here comes September

The end of August is quickly approaching! If you read a few posts back in August, I wrote about giving up imports for the month of September. WOW!! What a challenge! I have researched this and paid a lot of attention to what I normally buy in a month and found that this is going to be close to impossible! We also looked into only buying things from the western hemesphere; Canada, Mexico, South America, etc. That seems much more doable, since we like fresh fruit and veggies so much! But one other thing has come up this month that is standing in my way. I am starting a new business. I am selling Cookie Lee jewelry, which I love!! Although it is a US based business, like most US businesses, the product is manufactured in China.

So, my goal for this month, where imports are concerned, is to be aware of what I am buying. If it is possible to purchase a US made product instead, I will!

Since I have changed the September challenge quite a bit, I am adding a second challenge for the month. What that will be? I don't know yet, but I have a day and a half to figure it out! :) Any ideas?

air conditioning consumption

There are a few things I refuse to give up! During an Oklahoma 105 degree summer day, my air conditioner is running strong to cool my house! But we just found a great, and FREE, monitor to tell us what we are using each day! We contacted our electric company (Oklahoma Electric Cooperative) to question our last bill and they offered a daily usage monitor email each day to tell us what we used the day before.

So, yesterday I took the boys to the zoo and was out all day. Today we got the email showing our usage dropped 20 kwh because I turned the air conditioner off while I was gone!

I have never turned it off for a day because I was told it wasn't worth it. But I see now that it is! If you are gone during the day, turn off the a/c unit! It really will save you on your electric bill!

One more electric savings... the dryer. I use my dryer twice a week (about 4 loads). I noticed a spike in the usage on those days of about 10 kwh. To run the dryer twice, it takes half the kwh of electricity that it does to run your a/c all day! So today, my laundry day, will consist of hanging my clothes to dry, just to see what the savings is.

first drop

Jon made the first recycle drop on Friday. It went well! They take a lot more than I expected and were very nice to help sort between plastic types and such. They had a bin for cardboard and a different one for junk mail! So we will be sorting things a little better this time! What was really great about it was talking to my mom-in-law and hearing her scolding my husband for taking it with out her! She has a pile out in her garage of things to take! So I know I have had a little impact somewhere!

I have had several people approach me this last week to tell me I have inspired them through this journey, and it is really nice to hear! But each one has followed up with, "... but I couldn't do it!"
I tell them that each one of has things that we use all the time that we could really do without. We just have to choose what they are and try.

I was asked last night why we got rid of the microwave. She thought it was some health reason. I think she was in shock when I said, "It broke. And I am too cheap to buy a new one when I can do everything on the stove or in the toaster oven with a little patience." This hasn't been a journey to save the environment, but it has been a plus to do something. It hasn't been a political stance or a statement of anything, well- maybe against the materialism and commercialism of our culture, but it didn't start that way.
I just want to encourage anyone that wants to save a little money or learn a little patience to try doing without a few of our cutural necessities, even if just for a few days!

what's missing

I have been spending a lot of time lately trying to figure out all the things in my life that aren't necessary. It is fun to see what I can actually live without and what things I don't want to get rid of! But in all this seaching, I am beginning to see all the things in my life that I need. Some of them are obvious, my home, my car, etc. But some of these things have gone unnoticed or absent from my life until now.
First of all, I need a positive attitude. With so much negativity around me in the media, tv and facebook posts of the terrible days people are having, I get a kick out of the positive feedback here, the positive facebook status' and the smiles from my kids. Which leads to my second need, my kids. I love homeschooling! I need to have my kids around me to teach me to let go sometimes and find the kid in me. They show me that sometimes we just need to back out of the moment and spend time laughing and playing. I also know that I need encouragement to get through each day. I am blessed with a great family that supports and encourages me in all the crazy things I do!

So, what I have learned from this revelation of needs is, as I rid my life of the unecessaries, I need to fill it with what is necessary. Positive encouragement that will give a smile to someone that may need it.

On a side note, my 7 year old has noticed the changes we have made and has asked few questions. He has been great to go along with what we are doing! But tonight was the best! I made fish tacos for dinner, which usually have consisted of frozen fish sticks with the trimmings. I decided this time to try a healthier version, so I used fresh tilapia. As I was cooking, he came to me and the conversation went something like this:

Gavin: That doesn't look like fish!
Mom: Well, it is.
Gavin: But it doesn't look like fish!
Mom: But it is.
Gavin: No! They are shaped like sticks! That isn't fish!

The great part about it, he loved the tilapia and was still snitching pieces out of the bowl as it was being put away!

Living everyday deliberatly

Since starting this purge of the unnecessary, I have come to realize just how unintentional my everyday is. I may have a 'to do' list sitting on my desk, or a plethora of errands to run, but at the end of each day I fell tired and somewhat unaccomplished. This is something I think about a lot as a stay-at-home mom. What am I doing with my life? What do I accomplish each day? I can clean all day and it is messy again by dinner. The laundry is a never ending battle. But usually I stop and remind myself what an impact I am having on my own children and smile because I am blessed to be able to stay at home and raise them each day.

But I still feel like I don't get much done between 8 am and 10 pm. I end up being wired at night because I have spent my day lollygagging around the house finding little things to do that don't amount to much.

I had a brief conversation with a friend recently about all this, a fellow stay-at-home home schooling mom. She told me about a book, "Shopping For Time", and lent me a her copy. It appealed almost immediately, using shopping as a guide to finding more time. It got down to the nitty gritty quite fast and without a lot of fluff... get up earlier and accomplish more. Not what I wanted to hear! I am not a morning person! Getting up too early makes me sick just like staying up too late. The thought of being up before sunrise gives me the shivers!

I am in a season of change in my life. Not just with recycling or composting, but in so many other things. So I have decided, to make my days intentional! To add to the time I have by getting up by 6 am. To find purpose in each day by asking things like "Did I hug my husband before he left for work?" "Did my kids get a healthy breakfast before we ran out the door or did they eat at all?" Have I spent too much time on facebook?" Have I spent each moment of the day doing something to glorify God? to help others?

Each of the things we have gotten rid of has seemed to touch someone around me. I have a friend that took the challenge to get rid of her microwave, I know others that are recycling more. It is an amazing encouragment to me to hear that others are taking an initiative to live life deliberatly! And, hopefully, by the end of each day I will realize what I have accomplished!

And I will start getting up earlier!! :) 6 am, here I come!

next month

I have enjoyed the scoffs, laughs and encouragment from people reading this blog and joining my journey... The question I have been asked the most is "whyare you doing this?" The next most asked is "what does Jon think of this?" (Jon is my husband) I would ask him, and like most men he would say "Whatever... it's fine" or wouldn't say anything at all. I have questioned if he is really excited about the challenge of giving things up. But I got my answer this last week.

Jon was sent an email titled "One Light Bulb at a Time" and sent it on to me. It talked about paying attention when you shop for basic things. It said that we have been programmed to believe if we buy things made in the USA they will be more expensive than things made in China or other places. And then went on with brands that are actually cheaper and made right here in the US!

So he challenged me to give up imports next month. To only buy products made in the USA! I laughed and thought, sure! I can do that. So I have started looking around, being aware of things when I shop. I soon realized that this may be my hardest challenge yet, but I have a few weeks to practice before I give it up completely.

So, for September, we are giving up imported goods and putting our money into domestic made items!

Here goes nothing

So the trash is gone! We had our first real test this weekend with company for dinner. It went suprisingly well! Getting rid of our trash service has not only made me more aware, but has caused so many others to ask what I'm doing and make them aware of what we all could be doing! It had also had me thinking of new ways to do so many things. Yesterday was Jon's birthday, so we went out to dinner twice over the weekend. It was fun, but both times we ended up with leftovers to carry home in those polystyrine containers that really have no place in my no trash efforts. So I have been trying to come up with a plasible plan for these leftovers and have come up with an idea. So many of us have the reusable bags for groceries sitting in the trunk of our cars waiting for the next grocery trip, right? If they are like mine, they sit, forgotten on most trips (except Target-which gives a 5 cent discount for each bag you use!!!) So I figure I can do one of two things... I can add a couple boxes of recyclable sandwich bags to my trunk to carry in with one of my reusabe bags for the extra food or I can carry some glass container from home. I wish I had thought of this last week since now I have 3 containers sitting on my kitchen counter with nowhere to go...

On a different note:

This past weekend I had a garage sale to help purge the house of the piles of extras. Thursday morning my 2 year old had to check it all out to see what we were getting rid of and found a toy replica of the Old Navy truck, still in the package. He loves anything that can say vroom (including some stuffed animals!), so I opened it for him. He was so excited to find the doors would open! But when he opened it and then handed it to me, he was not happy to find the 'metal' had popped off and it was now broken. Jon and I giggled at it being made in China and discussed the process they use to press metal shavings together to make things cheaper. Paxton vroomed the truck around the garage floor until something else caught his inattentive eye. He stood up with his hand hanging all of 12" off the ground and let go of the truck, as he does with most toys. As it tumbled to it destiny, we watched. It hit the ground with very little force and slightly bounced as each and every piece of the truck shattered and spread on impact. The truck was a total loss. So with tears in his eyes, Paxton picked up most of the shattered pieces and said, "Mommy, fix!" Luckily his attention span is a great tool at ditracting his sadness, so we gave him a different toy while the truck pieces were picked up and put in our pile of metal recycling. I guess the upside is we taught him a little about recycling!?

Composting

As I mentioned yesterday, we are getting rid of trash in August. We have already started the process and are looking for ways to reuse or recycle what we don't use.
I started a small garden this summer with hopes to expand it with each season of new yummy vegetables and add a plethora of compost to the soil. I read a little about what I could use and what I shouldn't, which led to a brief disagreement with my husband over lettuce with olive oil on it... could it be composted? He said no, because of the oil. I asked if we could compost olives and on it went... So into the compost the lettuce went! (I always win!)
Anyway, I made a barrell for the compost. It spins around to turn it (quite a nifty contraption, if you ask me!). But now, in light of keeping more trash out of the landfill, what else can be composted?

Well, I found an interesting and entertaining blog that has added a great deal of items to my list of compost! I had really been wondering what to do with my dryer lint!

http://green.yahoo.com/blog/daily_green_cheapskate/57/how-to-compost-almost anything.html;_ylt=AvPv.v6gHHh8AlyaAdS7NB_IV8cX

Also, here is a picture of my compost barrell!

why is it necessary?

I have embarked on a journey of doing without! It is time I take my mom's long taught advice and ask myself, "Do I NEED this or do I just want it?"

Back in April 2010 I was given the opportunity to cancel my cell phone contract with T-Mobile. They were very kind and it was a simple process once they explained I was not living in a covered area. So, now what? The country has been pulling away from the home phone and texting is all the rage. But the $100+ bill a month, was it worth it? Was it necessary to have a cell phone? Maybe it is smart to have a cell phone, but to what extent? So, we stepped out of the 21st century and hooked up a basic home phone costing only $33 a month. I also picked up a prepaid plan with Net 10 that costs me $20 a month... So I am already smiling at my saving!

Then in May I ran out of paper towels. I had heard of a few friends that had decided to go without these kitchen staples and started using towels and cloth napkins. If they could do this, why couldn't I? A few little towels a week won't add too much to the laundry! So the challenge was on. My husband has continued to insist we had a package of paper napkins when guest come over, but I am working on that!

So my endevour to get rid of things comtinued into June when I called my internet provider and lowered my monthly bill from their highest speed to their lowest, saving $15 a month (which adds up!!) I realized the "really slow" internet service was only really slow when I download videos. So I start the download and go find something else to do, like dishes, while it is downloading... It is a NECESSARY lesson in patience!

And then came July. I was running out of ideas when one came to me. As I put a plate in the microwave to warm it up, it stopped working. Easy fix? Just a fuse? Or so we were hoping. But it still sits in the garage on the work bench waiting to be tinkered with. So I have decided no more microwave! The gas stove heats the liquids and the oven heats the rest! Thankfully I have a big and a small oven to work with. But I have cleared a shelf in my pantry and I no longer worry about the radioactive waves flying through my food as I stand and watch with my eyes glued to the spinning tray...

Now August is upon us and I have declared a challenge for myself. So far, the things we have gotten rid of have come to me without much thought on my part. But I can do more! I can get rid of these things around me that aren't necessary for my life to go on. I can save money and I can be more deliberate about how I live every day!
So my challenge is to find something to change, something to get rid of in my household each month for the next year.

What's first? Garbage!! This morning, July 26th, 2010, I called my trash service and cancelled my service. The biggest challenge in this is my diaper wearing 2 year old, but potty training and possibly cloth diapers are in the works. We have found a company in Oklahoma City, 'Greenstar', that provides free recycling to individuals. They take paper, plastic, metal and glass. This idea came from an article I read about a family that went an entire year without trash. They composted, recycled and in the end, had a 4 pound box of trash. They even moved in this time frame and had no trash!! What was their secret? Only buying products that are packaged in recyclable materials. Being conscious of what we are buying, eating, consuming!
If they can do it, so can I!!

Now I have a month to come up with the next one... any ideas?


Check out greenstar. Are they in your area? http://www.greenstar-na.com
If not check out a place that is at http://earth911.com

Or if you want to read the story of the family that went without trash for a year
http://news.yahoo.com/video/portlandorkgw-15751112/couple-s-experiment-trash-free-for-a-year-20840219