Wednesday 12 January 2011

Car Thief

So Mack really hates it when I blog funny things about him, but this morning was so typically "us" that I just have to. I set my alarm for 5:30 this morning with grand intentions of going to the Y to work out before the rest of the family had to be up. I do this frequently, but I NEVER actually get up, so I did not mention my intentions to Mack, knowing that he would tease me if I didn't follow through. But about the time I was due to get up, Little One came crawling into bed with us, and I certainly wasn't going back to sleep with her knees pressing into the small of my back. So, I quietly slipped out of bed, got my exercise clothes on, and made it out the back door without anyone in the house awakening. I even had the presence of mind to text Mack and let him know where I was, thinking that if he woke up to find me gone, he would try to call me, and see that I had texted him. So, I raised the garage door, started the trusty mini-van, and was fumbling with my seat adjustment as Mack came busting through the back door in only his shorts. He looked at me in bewilderment and hollered, "What are you doing??" I told him where I was going, then followed him back into the house because he looked a little pale. He leaned over and rested his head on his hands on the kitchen counter, trying to collect himself. In his state of slumber, he assumed the body in bed with him was mine rather than Kendra's, and thought someone was stealing our van out of our garage! So much for not waking anybody up...

Friday 7 January 2011

The Simple Life: Step One:

So, in my pursuit of Simplicity this year, one of the things I mentioned was downsizing our digital media diet. So, my first initiative of the year was to re-institute "No Media Thursdays." For the kids and me, this means no recreational computering, video games, or television. We did the same thing last year, for a few months, but let it slide once summer vacation came around. There was some minimal complaining from the kids yesterday about "having nothing to do." They got over their whining when they received little sympathy from me. After homework was done and rooms were neatened, they conducted races with their Zhu-Zhu pets and played a game involving imagined hot lava in the family room. We've had a lot of those games in our house since we vacationed at Mount St. Helens...

Anyway, I requested that Mack join us, and received a bit of mocking in return. He did, however, refrain from turning on the TV until after all the kids were asleep. I read while he watched, and was further mocked when I chuckled at the Office re-run he was watching. I think I need to find something recreational that we can do together besides watch TV if I'm going to get him on board. Any suggestions?

Wednesday 5 January 2011

It's a New Day

So, I don't know if anyone reads my blog. Oh wait, there's nothing to read, because I haven't posted in almost a year. But I do enjoy writing, if blogging can actually be called that. And my husband encourages me to do it, so with new resolve, I shall blog this year.

Last year, I gave up on traditional New Year's Resolutions. I decided that I was just setting myself up for failure. We all know that I'm not really going to lose 3o pounds this year, or get my entire life completely organized, so why pretend? Rather, I adopted the "One Word" philosophy- I chose one word that I want to typify my life for the year. In 2010 I chose the word "LIVE." Simple, I know. Now, my intent was not just to continue breathing and sustain consciousness, although I was grateful at the end to have accomplished that. Rather, my intent was to LIVE life more fully. After 9 years of feeling like I was in survival mode, just trying to keep my sanity amidst toddlers, diapers, and multiple awakenings nightly, I decided it was high time I focused on THRIVING rather than SURVIVING. Some general thoughts surrounding my word choice were 1) Stop worrying about trying to be or appear perfect, and just enjoy my life for what it is, 2) Stop worrying about trying to make my children be or appear perfect, and just enjoy them for what they are, and 3) Try new things, be less uptight, take chances, go with the flow!

My word for 2011 is SIMPLIFY. I am coming to the realization that much of the chaos that I feel in my life is of my own creation. I overcomplicate, I procrastinate, and I don't delegate. I believe that a huge piece to feeling less pressure, more peace, and less chaos is to just simplify life as much as possible. I'm still thinking through exactly what that looks like with skin on, but here are some general thoughts: 1) Unplug more often- make a conscious effort to keep digital media, cell phones, etc from encroaching upon my time and stealing the childhood of my children 2) Purge and declutter- if you have ever seen my basement or garage, we are only a few years away from an appearance on "Hoarders." We have too much stuff, and it's not well organized. Changes must be made, and a more simple life must be had. 3) Simplify our food choices. This use of the word "simplify" does not denote "easier," but truly "more real, less artificial, foods that are simply food rather than chemicals." While this choice might actually complicate my life, I think it is important. 4) Learn to say "No." I don't think I need to explain that one.

One of the reasons I am trying to commit to more frequent blogging is to force myself to update about the process of simplification. What are you working on this year? What is your One Word?