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.