Comforts of Home

What comes to mind when you think of the comforts of home? 

For some, it may be memories from childhood that they think of first.  For others, it may be what they most look forward to when they walk in their front door after a long day of work. 

For me, the comforts of home are a meal made from scratch (and the scent that floods from the kitchen), old music playing, fuzzy socks, a fireplace roaring, and sometimes a glass of wine or a mug of something warm to drink.  A candle burning.  Family photos on the wall.  A game of monopoly.  Opening a jar of home canned cherries from summer.  That big blanket I’ve had for decades. 

But even more, the comforts of home are not things.  They're the people we share that home with.  Laughing, dancing, playing, talking.  What defines “home” for you may be less about the four walls that surround you or the stuff you fill them with.  It doesn’t have to be about the money in your bank account or the newest and best of everything.  These comforts are not complicated, but rather, they tend to be the simplest things.

When I think of the home I want, I picture the atmosphere I hope to have.  One of functionality, yes, but more so of contentment.  A home that is inviting and cozy.  One that is always a pleasure to visit…not because of what is in it, but who is in it and how it makes you feel.  A home filled with laughter, love, and simple comforts that cannot be purchased from a store.  Comforts that take time to build and nourish, but that build you up and nourish you in return, right down in your soul.

On that note, I am announcing that we are moving!  We have been blessed in so many ways to be able to buy a home of our own.  It will be a bit of a downsize from our current 1200 square foot rental that we have loved so much over the past two and a half years, and we are so excited for that challenge.  So many memories built in this lovely space, and so many more to build in the next lovely space.  I am very grateful for these upcoming changes, and even more grateful for who I get to share them with.  

I will be sharing more details in the near future, but as for now, I will be taking a couple weeks off to focus on moving and unpacking our new house.  Thank you for reading.

            

Stale Bread

Do you ever wonder what to do with stale bread?  Or bread that comes out of the freezer and sounds like a brick when it hits the counter, even after it thaws?  If you are like me and prefer to make your own bread, you know that it is really only great that first night and maybe the second day.  But who eats a whole loaf in twelve hours?  Ok, maybe we have done that once or twice, but certainly not every time.  Here are my suggestions for bread that is less-than-fresh:

Egg in a basket.  This is my favorite (and my daughter’s favorite) thing to make with day old homemade bread.  Cut thick slices, butter each side (Earth Balance for dairy-free peeps), and use a round (or other fun-shaped) cookie cutter to cut out the center of the bread.  Place the bread, both pieces, into a frying pan on medium heat.  Crack an egg into the cut-out part (the one with the crust) and cook the egg, flipping once, to your preferred texture.  By the time the egg is cooked, your surrounding bread and the cutout piece should be a nice golden brown.  

The second thing to do with stale bread is to tear it all up into crouton-sized pieces and fry it in a pan over medium heat in a generous amount of olive oil and salt until golden brown.  Best.  Croutons.  Ever.  And so simple!  Top salads, soups, or just eat as a snack- these babies will last a week in an airtight container, unless you eat them all first. I particularly like making them in a scallion infused olive oil, but plain or other infusions would be great too. 

If you don't want to make croutons before your bread seems unusable, toss it into a blender or food processor and make homemade breadcrumbs.  Store these in the freezer until needed in your recipe.  

And if the bread has no hope in transforming to something edible in your kitchen, you can always take a trip to a park and feed the birds.  Just make sure it isn’t moldy.  

I hope these ideas are helpful the next time you think your bread has seen its day.  Thanks for reading!

Overhaul

Whew- Friday blew by me this week and it wasn’t until this morning that I realized I forgot to post a blog entry.  However, it may have actually been good timing since I spent this evening working on something a little unconventional for the capsule wardrobe world: a mid-season overhaul.  I decided that the Spring capsule that I have been wearing since March 20th was much too scattered.  In trying to plan for the unpredictable weather we have throughout the season, I ended up with a few of each type of clothing (pants, tees, sweaters, etc) and no real depth or personal style in my outfits.  Having too few of each item made for wearing the same few outfits over and over again in a week if the weather stayed at a constant temperature. For example, I had one pair of jeans and a few tees.  If it was cool weather, I would end up wearing the same jeans and tees over and over again, while the other thirty pieces in my closet sat untouched. 

One of my favorite capsule wardrobe bloggers suggests that when you get in a bit of a wardrobe rut, sometimes it is better to take things away rather than to add things.  So that’s what I did- I switched out some of the tops and skirts for dresses, and removed items that I had not touched in the past 6 weeks.  I ended up going from 40 items down to 32 items- a 20% decrease that I am happy about.   

You may be wondering why I chose to swap out some items for dresses, and my reasoning is that I believe dresses to be very versatile.  A little bit of layering, like leggings and a sweater or jacket, and they are a great cool-weather option.  But by themselves, they are also a complete outfit.  A complete outfit, and it only occupies one of my 32 spaces?  Awesome.  When I think about my long term goals for my capsule wardrobes, I really see a handful of nice quality dresses, a few layering pieces like cardigans, leggings, and a jacket, and a pair of jeans with a few tops, all of which I hope will total under 16-18 pieces per season.  I feel like this little revamp will allow me to experiment to see if that is a feasible goal for my current lifestyle.  I really love how Jennifer over at the Daily Connoisseur Blog structured her 10-item Spring wardrobe; eight out of her ten core pieces were dresses.  I would LOVE to have a ten item wardrobe…I hope to get there someday.  

Have any of you started your capsule for a season and had to give it a makeover before the season was over?  I’d would love to hear what you did.  I hope you all have a great week, and thank you for reading!    

Spring Capsule Check-In

I want to check in with you about your Spring Capsules and see how you are all faring.  I know several of you have begun to take on the capsule wardrobe challenge, and I have heard fantastic feedback about how it’s been going so far.  I can’t tell you how ecstatic I am that so many people are getting excited about this more minimal and, over time, more frugal way of dressing.  I have had the great privilege of helping several of you with the beginning stages of clearing out clothes and planning for shopping trips, and it is so encouraging to see the piles of cheap clothes move out to make way for fewer, but better quality, staple pieces that you have carefully chosen to represent your personal style.  I love seeing clothing in our closets that are all color coordinated and lined up neatly rather than all crowded together and shoved willy-nilly onto bowing, creaking rods.  And I hope you have been enjoying the freedom from shopping and the ease of dressing yourself that comes with creating your capsule wardrobe. 

On the home front, the weather has been starting to warm up a bit, and most of my warm, cozy winter sweaters and my down jacket are tucked away in a storage bin, and my lighter layering pieces are taking the spotlight in my airy closet.  I have decided that I needed more color this season, not only because everything is in bloom around me, but also because I have gone so neutral in my Fall and Winter color palettes.  So in addition to the grey, white, and ivory hues that usually occupy my hangers, I have added jade, olive, navy, and more blush pieces to my color palette for Spring.  I hope to carry these same colors over to Summer too.  I am so excited to have a full year of capsules under my belt after Summer so I can focus on maintaining what I have now.  I am sure there will be items each season in upcoming years that I will want to purchase as new core pieces, and I am sure my style will change too.  But I have a much better grasp of my likes and dislikes, what fits and what’s not for me, and what my personal style really is.  And instead of work, I am hoping that maintaing my existing capsules will become fun.  I also hope to challenge myself in cutting down my number of forty pieces (including shoes) for each season; I would love to eventually see the twenties or even (gasp!) the teens.  

Here’s what I learned after putting my Spring capsule together:

-Because the weather is so unpredictable in Springtime, it was harder to incorporate enough of each type of piece so that I can layer and remove pieces as needed each day.  And this goes for shoes too- I needed to keep a range from warm rain boots to summer sandals.  I found that I used all 40 of my slots this Spring.  I hope to learn a lot after the season is over so I can adjust what I did and didn’t need for next year.       

-Choosing timeless colors that are also flattering is very hard.  When I commit to a piece now, I am committing to wearing it for years to come, so I know if I choose a color that I will think is crazy or boring in future years, it will mean more work.  Jewel tones seem to be pretty safe for every skin tone and they also seem to be somewhat timeless in the fashion industry.  We will see how it works- only time will tell.

-I have a desire to be more bold this season, but I have found that accessories can sometimes be all I need to accomplish this.  A belt, hat, or bag can be just the ticket to get the overall look I want.  I hope, as I get into future capsules that I can find a statement piece or two for each season that is a little edgier (I love Marissa Webb’s line, for example).  

Here’s my 40-item breakdown:

4 pairs of pants

2 skirts

3 dresses

2 layering tanks

2 tanks

7 tees

3 short-sleeve sweaters

4 long-sleeve shirts

3 long-sleeve cardigans

1 chambray

2 jackets

3 pairs of booties

1 pair of knee-high boots

1 pair of flats

2 pairs of sandals

I decided to purchase another handbag, which is not included in the capsule number since it is an accessory.  I had only one (my brown tote) but I decided to get a black satchel that zips closed; it will be better for travel too to have something that closes securely.  I also added a leopard print clutch- I have always loved how they finish a look and I found a great sale on a good quality one.  

What I am currently ISO (in search of): a floppy hat.

Thank you for reading, and please don’t hesitate to reach out with questions or comments!   

Excitement!

Exciting things are happening!  Like the arrival of a sweet little "honorary" nephew within hours from now, a potential move (and downsize!) for our family, clearing out of even more of our belongings, and planning...lots of planning.  And all while spring has finally appeared to have sprung here in our beautiful city.  More to come on these things in the near future, but for now, we relish in the beautiful changes that are happening all around us.  And we are thankful.    

Game Changer

I love coffee.  And I used to be one of those people who bought a coffee every day, maybe twice a day.  I was that person who charities would be talking to in their commercials when they said “for less than the cost of one coffee a day…”  Yep- I was a guilty coffee consumer, all day, every day.  I didn’t like that I had this habit, both because of cost and also because (being dairy-free) that meant I was consuming soy every day.  But we had owned almost every kind of home coffee maker- regular drip, keurig, french press, espresso machine, and a chemex, and I still couldn’t seem to make the perfect cup at home.  The espresso machine was the closest, and by the time I got the machine cleaned after using it, my coffee was cold anyway.  

But then our friends introduced us to the little contraption that saved our bank roll: the aeropress.

Photo: Firebox.com

The aeropress is not only the easiest coffee maker to use and clean up, it is also plug free.  All you need is your favorite ground coffee and boiling water.  It is small too, so it takes up very little room in the cupboard (less than your bag of ground coffee).  It is very portable, so it is perfect for taking on trips, especially camping.  It’s paper filters are reusable- the inventor of the aeropress has reused his paper filters up to 20 times, and a deployed navy seal used his up to 30!  Or, like I did, you can buy a reusable metal filter for about $7 on amazon.  The aeropress costs only $29.95, so it is one of the most affordable forms of making coffee.  And, what was probably the biggest benefit to us, it is now my only coffee maker; we freed up so much space in our cupboards when we purchased the aeropress, aiding in the minimizing of our possessions.  

On top of all of these awesome benefits, the aeropress is self-cleaning and best of all, it makes my perfect cup of coffee.  I use Peet’s house blend coffee- it’s not organic, but the company uses fair practices and I just can’t top the flavor.  Since I prefer to drink lattes, I use heated organic almond milk with a touch of organic honey, and then I froth the milk just a tad with the $2 ikea milk frother.  Pour the almond milk over two shots of coffee, and hello perfection in a cup.  The coffee that comes from the aeropress is just so smooth, and I don’t even need to leave my kitchen.  You can make espresso for lattes, but you can also make regular black coffee.  The invention of the aeropress is pretty awesome too.  I will share the link below so you can read about it for yourself.  I hope it is a game changer for you as it has been for me.  

https://medium.com/backchannel/first-alan-adler-invented-the-aerobie-now-he-s-created-the-perfect-cup-of-coffee-c5e94ccc538e

Thank you for reading!

My Favorite Breakfast Smoothie

I have been really enjoying my morning smoothie (that is, what I actually get of it after my daughter drinks most of it).  I thought I would share the recipe with you, although these measurements are just an estimate.  Also, I love how well the Vitamix blends this into such a smooth treat.  

Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie

1 tbsp organic chia seeds

1/4 scoop Garden of Life Raw Organic Green Super Food powder

1/4 scoop Garden of Life Organic Raw Meal (vanilla flavor)

3 tbsp organic peanut butter (make sure there are no hydrogenated oils)

2 tbsp Organic Cacao Nibs 

1 large frozen organic banana

Enough original unsweetened organic coconut milk to cover the ingredients

Put all ingredients into a blender and blend on high until smooth.  Add more coconut milk if needed to reach desired consistency.  Enjoy immediately.  

You could change up these ingredients.  Try almond or sunflower butter instead of peanut butter.  Or use another non-dairy milk, like almond, hemp, or rice. You could even use flax seeds instead of chia.  I just love chocolate peanut butter cups, so I prefer this particular recipe.  It tastes like dessert for breakfast, but it is so healthy.  Of course, you don’t NEED to use organic ingredients, but I prefer it for our family.  Here is a picture of the powders and cacao nibs that I use, just for reference.  

I hope you enjoy, and thanks for reading. 

On Loss

If you had told me at any point in the last 30 years that I would be sitting next to my grandmother as she took her final breath, I would have told you that I don’t think my heart could handle it.  And for just a moment, I can still swear that my heart stopped right along with hers.  That day, exactly one month ago, was one I had dreaded for as long as my mind can recall; I could not imagine a world without that sweet woman in it.  In the days that followed, I grasped at anything that she had ever given me or written me and any photo that she was in, and I tried to fit it all into our already overstuffed fireproof safe.  I failed.  I cried.  No…I sobbed.  

Some people say, after they lose a loved one, that God must have needed another angel in heaven.  I see their sentiment, but I would politely disagree.  You see, God doesn’t need anything- everything is a gift from Him.  It’s us that need those kind souls that He places in our lives, be it for years, decades, or just a few moments.  For 93 years, He gave us one hell of a woman that I got to call Grandma, and I’m so grateful.  Because someone like that never really dies- their legacy lives on in our memories, and hopefully, in the people that we become. 

To my Grandma- you did well.  You lived a life to be proud of.  Thank you for the love.  Thank you for the memories.  Thank you for the example.  Thank you for sticking around to meet our daughter- she loved you instantly, as most people did.  You are thought of often, and with joy.  We miss you and we will love you always.

To my readers, my friends, thank you for your kindness during this difficult time.  Your kind words, encouragements, and prayers, along with the unwavering support of my husband, were my therapy.    

A Break

Hello Dear Readers,

On Tuesday of this week, my family suffered a deep loss with the passing of my Grandmother.  I will be taking the next several weeks away from blog-writing.

In the meantime, go tell those that you love just how much you love them and cherish your time together.  And don't forget to take lots of pictures.  These things, you will never regret.

Thanks for checking in.

Capsule Wardrobe Follow-Up

Hello all- I hope you are all doing well.  I have heard some great feedback about the capsule wardrobe post that I wrote several weeks ago, and a lot of people have decided to try it out- hooray!!  For some, the beginning of the capsule wardrobe will be easy.  But for others, looking into a full closet will feel very overwhelming, both because of the task of trimming it down and the fear of doing it wrong.  But let me just ease your mind and tell you that you will make mistakes.  See, don’t you feel better (wink, wink)?  But as you learn more about your signature style and your clothing preferences through those mistakes, you will gain more confidence in your decision making processes, and eventually the mistakes will be fewer and fewer.  I heard one of my favorite “capsule experts” say that each piece you choose for your wardrobe is a case-study; some will not wear well or shrink after washing, some items you just won’t wear much, and some items you will wear quite a bit but you will realize that they don’t, after all, reflect your true style and they should be donated.  I have had all of these things happen.  

I think one of my biggest mistakes to date with the capsule is when I stray from my comfort zone to try the latest fashion trends.  Let me just say, boyfriend jeans are super cute on some, but really not made for everyone.  Also, women who wear a larger-than-average shoe size may feel like pointy-toe heels will make your feet look even bigger.  And the combination of the two, which is a super-hot trend right now, is probably (um, ok, definitely!) not for me.  But these are lessons you will want to learn about yourself, and it’s great- everyone is different, and that is a beautiful thing.  These lessons are learned by making mistakes, so be encouraged.

Another lesson I’ve learned is that stores that I used to love may not have what I am looking for anymore.  I used to love Anthropologie…like LOVE it.  Now, I can’t find anything in their current selections that will work for my spring/summer capsule.  That is so strange to me, but I love knowing exactly what I want and not settling for something different.  I still plan on shopping at Anthro- they have great quality clothing and their selection is always changing.  But I find that I now favor the stores that I used to consider “boring.”  So know that if you are starting out with your capsule, it might be helpful to “forget” what you think you prefer and you may be surprised at how much more there is to choose from out there in the retail world that suits your true style and body type better.  I am also still a big advocate for second-hand clothing stores- they carry so much variety, they cost less, and it’s like recycling clothing- win-win…win.       

Now let’s talk about a topic that I hear most minimalists/capsule wardrobe enthusiasts talk about: minimalism looks different for everyone.  This carries beyond the closet.  What’s minimal for you and your family situation will be completely different than what is minimal for someone else.  What your minimalism looks like will be dependent on your lifestyle, where you live, your hobbies and interests, family size, if you work or not, and even sometimes gender.  Here’s what you need to remember: if you have things in your wardrobe or in your home that you use daily, weekly, monthly, etc, then keep it.  Don’t feel like you need to get rid of something because your friends/family have less in their home.  That is not what minimalism is about.  It is about living with YOUR minimal.  So if you need more in your capsule wardrobe than what I have or what your friends have, then you’ll have more.  And that is just fine.  As time goes on, you may even find that you can trim down- and that is the beauty of it; minimalism is a continual process.  

An example of how minimalism looks different for everyone is my husband’s capsule wardrobe.  He has two capsules: a Fall/Winter/Spring and a Summer.  Some people will have one for each season.  I fall somewhere in the middle, with what I like to call “Capsule Overlap.”  I do not have four distinctly separate capsule wardrobes, but rather, I have pieces that I wear through two or more seasons, or even year round.  For example, my layering tanks and my utility jacket are worn year-round, while my down jacket and sandals have specific seasonal capsules that they fit into.  This, again, will look different for everyone, but it is nice to know that if you are on a budget, you can have overlap and get more use for your money.  Moment of total transparency: I have 77 capsule items, including shoes, in my current and off-season capsules (most of those items are in a storage bin because they are off-season).  I have a handful of items to get for spring and summer when that time comes, but I hope the number of items in all four of my capsules never exceeds 90.  If my limit for each capsule is 40 items and there are 4 seasonal capsules, (40x4=160) you can see how much overlap there truly is.  Ninety is a number that I am very happy with, especially if that is 90 items of clothing/pairs of shoes that I actually wear and love.  But 90 may be way too high for some people, and it may be way too low for others; it is all dependent on your personal needs. 

I mentioned above the topic of getting more use for your money, and I don’t know that I have discussed my long term capsule goals.  My goal is to stop creating new capsules each season after I have completed one full year, and just maintain/tweak the core that I have on hand already.  This will probably take a lot more mistakes as I discussed above, but I have hope that I can get to a point where I love everything in my closet each season, and the only time I shop will be to replace worn out or damaged items.  I am hopeful that I will be able to trim down to my necessities, but also have enough good quality and well-fitting clothes to be really happy with that minimum.  To say that I will never shop again would be a total lie- I know I will age and my figure will change, and so will my tastes.  But I hope by that time I will know my signature style well enough to shop smart, and keep considering quality, fit, style, and longevity of what I purchase.  I feel hopeful that I am on the right track.  And having a great core that only needs maintenance instead of total overhaul will be when the capsule wardrobe really starts working for me, instead of the other way around.  To love your clothes and only spend a small amount of time and money on your wardrobe?  I’d take that any day!    

I hope your transitions to a more minimal wardrobe are going well, and please let me know if there are any specific questions you would like to discuss on the topic (or other topics, for that matter).  And as always, thank you for reading!           

    

When It Rains...

Hello friends.  Please excuse my absence these past couple weeks.  I’d love to be able to say that I’ve been off traveling or doing research for the blog or something really awesome, but the truth is, it’s been a hard couple of weeks for my extended family, and we have been doing our best to be present with them whenever possible.  I’d hate to bore you with details, because honestly, everyone has tough weeks, challenges, stresses, lack of time, and a whole array of hurdles to overcome.  That’s life, right?  But how we deal with these difficult times determines how we will get through them.  For us, we are just praying for opportunities to serve our family and each other.  Period.  No drive is too far, no favor too small (or large), and we are learning that just being present and showing love is sometimes the most powerful gift of all.  We all need it that kind of support.  And we can all give it.  

Wishing you a lovely week ahead, and thank you for reading.           

Aging

Hello readers, how are you?  I hope this past week has been a good one for you, and if it hasn’t been great, I hope you are headed into a nice, relaxing weekend.  Since my last entry, our family has been very busy.  So, I am going to keep this short. 

There is something a little personal that I would like to ask you about.  So let’s take a moment to talk about a hard topic, shall we?

As a parent of a young child, as many of you may also be, my time is completely occupied with the day-to-day task of taking care of my growing daughter.  But for some parents who's children are grown and out of the house, their focus may have to shift toward taking care of their aging parents.  That has been the story of my family over the past couple of weeks as my grandmother, at age 94, struggles with dementia.  

I’d rather not bore you with the details about what we have decided to do as a family.  But standing here now, looking forward, I have to ask myself what I plan to do if my own mother or father, or my in-laws struggle with the same things.  Have you had this conversation with your parents?  Have you asked them the tough questions about their preferences should their health decline so much that they become a danger to themselves and others?  What if they need 24 hour care?  What if their finances don’t allow them to bring someone into their home to provide that care?  In a culture where we spend so much time planning for our own future with finances (retirement funds, 401k, Roth IRA, etc, etc) wouldn’t it also be worthwhile to figure out how we will care for our aging parents should they need care?  It’s a very difficult topic to discuss- it is family, after all.  I have no wisdom to offer on the subject other than to just brave it and have the talk with your parents.  Someday, you might be very glad you did and that you have a plan everyone has agreed upon.  Good luck to you as you prepare for your future, and thanks for reading.   

Beauty Products (Sorry, Men)

I’m a big fan of the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep program.  You can go to the EWG Skin Deep website and see how the ingredients in your favorite beauty and body products rate on a scale of least to most harmful.  It is a great way to screen what you buy in order to avoid toxicity by way of exposure to harmful chemicals.  After all, chemicals applied topically are still absorbed by the bloodstream.  I check the Skin Deep website before I make any skincare or cosmetic purchases so I know which brands are going to be the safest to use daily.  Although the EWG has reviewed over 70,000 products, there are still some newer products that are not yet rated, so keep that in mind when searching their database.  Although there are men’s products on the Skin Deep website, this blog post is targeted toward women.  However, all Honest Company products are co-ed, so they’re fair game if males are interested; my husband loves their shave oil.  Note: a few of these items may seem costly, but I use them very sparingly so they last quite a while.  

 Photo: sgirlbybay.com

Make-up: (Even though I only wear make-up once or twice on a normal week, I still feel much better about not using products that are chock full of harmful chemicals.)

Concealer, blush, bronzer, eyebrow pencil, and highlighter- Physician’s Formula (Organic Wear) 

Eyeliner- Stila eyeshadow (with a damp eyeliner brush)

Mascara- Boots No. 7.

Lips- Burt’s Bees lip balm or Honest Company lip balm  

Skin Care:

Cleanser-100% Pure Organic Lavender Seafoam Facial Cleanser

Toner- Pure Luxe Apothecary Rosewater Hydrating Face Tonic

Moisturizer- Medicine Mama’s Apothecary Sweet Bee Magic All-in-One Healing Skin Cream

Eye Cream- Acure Organics (I LOVE Acure Organics- they make wonderful products) 

Mask- Aveda Tourmaline Radiance Mask 

Body Care:

Body Wash- Dr. Bronners Pure Castile Soap

Body Moisture- Herbivore Botanicals Luminous Body Oil or Honest Company Body Lotion

Deoderant- Honest Company

Shaving- Honest Company Conditioner (Yes, I meant to say conditioner- try it instead of that chemical-laden shave gel and you might just love it as much as I do.  Plus, there’s the added moisturizing.)

Bath- Herbivore Botanicals Coconut Bath Soak

Hair:

Shampoo- Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Retention Shampoo 

Conditioner- Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Restorative Conditioner

Leave-In Conditioner- Honest Company

Styling- Got2b POWDER’ful Styling Powder

Teeth:

Toothpaste- Honest Company

Mouthwash- Honest Company

Photo: Hometalk.com

Fancy Pants:

Nails- Jamberry Nail adhesives (Chemical and BPA free, easy and quick to apply, long-lasting, super fun, and all around awesome.  Check them out at www.berrysweetnailz.jamberrynails.net)

Fragrance- Jo Malone Wood Sage and Sea Salt (This is not rated on the Skin Deep website, but my nose doesn’t care.  Not one bit.)   

Let me know if you have any suggestions- I would love to hear them.  Thanks for reading.

Simplify Your Days

My husband and I are always looking for ways to simplify.  That may mean having minimal possessions, yes, but it also means simplifying the many processes fill our days from the menial tasks to how we think about them.  When you simplify some of these tasks, you may find that you can focus more on your priorities.  Here are some tips that may help you, if only a tiny amount.  You probably do many, if not all of them already.  Disregard them if you choose, or add some in the comments if you’d like.

-Put a basket or hook by the front door to put your keys in when you come home.  You will always know where they are.

-Keep a basket on top of your washing machine- this is to toss dish towels, cleaning rags, and sponges into, which typically come from a room that does not have it’s own laundry basket, like the kitchen or the bathroom.  

-Keep a recycle bin in your kitchen, preferably next to your garbage so your recyclables have a place to live that isn’t the countertop or in a pile by the door.

-Keep medicines and “sick foods” (ginger ale, saltine crackers, and other items that you can have in the pantry that don’t spoil) on hand so you are prepared for when you get a cold or flu and don’t have to run to the store while you or your loved one(s) feel awful.  

-Have flashlights by your bed in case the power goes out- you’ll always know where to find one if you need it.

-Have wrapping supplies and greeting cards on hand so you don’t have to worry about getting them when you buy a gift.  And don't forget to reuse the gift bags that are given to you on birthdays or other celebrations.

-Clean as you go- be it doing dishes, hanging up or putting away clean laundry, cleaning up with your kids, etc.  Then you don’t have to stare at a giant mess at the end of the day when your energy is already low.

-Follow a cleaning schedule.  I have a list with one chore each day except weekends.  Monday is vacuuming, Tuesday is dusting and cleaning surfaces, Wednesday is bathrooms, etc.  Just find what works for you and your home will always be clean and ready for unexpected visitors.

-Do a load of laundry every day or every other day.  One load a day seems like a much easier task that one day of 6 or 7 loads.

-Please, oh please, put your DVDs/CDs/records back in their correct cases.  Self-explanatory, but saves you a lot of trouble and time.

-Keep a small toolbox in your closet- just having the basics on hand like a flat-head and philips screwdriver, a hammer, and a pair of pliers means that you are able to fix things immediately rather than setting them in a pile until you remember to get your tools out of the garage.  

-Keep a stash of batteries and light bulbs on hand so you can replace them as needed instead of running to the store every time you need them.

-Put a grocery list in your kitchen (we use a chalkboard).  This way you can write things down as you run out of them (don’t forget household items) rather than standing in the aisles of the store wondering what you are forgetting.  

-Keep a donation box in a closet so you always have a place to put unwanted items until you actually take your donations somewhere.  My husband and I agree that this one is a game-changer.  It’s two-fold because you have a spot at your fingertips to put unwanted items, but it may also become the encouragement you need to actually get rid of things you don’t use anymore.  There is something very satisfying about filling a box and passing on its contents.    

-Keep your chargers (phone, iPad, laptop, etc.) in the same place.  Always put them back when you are done so you aren’t looking all over for them when they’re needed.

-Menu plan- weekly, every other week, or monthly; it doesn’t really matter- whatever is easier for you.  You’ll never have to wonder what’s for dinner, and making your shopping list as you plan will make for a very easy trip to the grocery store or farmer’s market.

-Clean out your email inbox each day and respond to what you can immediately so your emails don’t stack up.  Some of you may have a job that makes this impossible, so feel free to skip it.

-Keep a monthly family calendar posted somewhere in your home (we put one on our fridge) so you can each jot down important thinks like appointments, meetings, visitors, and fun outings that you have planned.  This will help eliminate schedule conflicts at the last minute.  

-Stay organized and keep clutter to a minimum.  Clear surroundings can mean a clear mind.

-If you’re a parent of young children, find another family with young children that you can swap childcare with.  You’ll always have someone you can call, and they will too.  Win-win.  

-I am a huge supporter of online shopping that ships products right to your doorstep, but especially the Honest Company.  They have helped simplify my life tremendously.  I get the diapers/wipes bundle delivered to my front door every 6 weeks, and the essentials bundle comes every 4-6 weeks with items like baby care, body care, and household cleaners.  They also offer a wellness bundle.  That’s right, they're not JUST for families with children- anyone can use their products.  You can choose what you need each month and you can choose when it is delivered.  The prices are better than you may think for what you're getting, and they take awesome care of new and existing customers.  Plus, the quality of the products and the safety of the ingredients is eases my mind so much.  Another plus- their delivery boxes make awesome on-hand donation boxes…double duty.  Here's a picture of our latest essentials delivery:    

-Shop for gifts online.  Save yourself the hassle of driving out, fighting crowds, and not knowing where to find what you’re looking for.  A lot of retailers offer free shipping, and you can find nearly anything on Amazon.  And since you already have a stash of wrapping supplies and cards (wink, wink) you are all set.

-Make a budget that is below your means, then stick to it.  Take it one step further by getting your emergency fund set up in a savings account (according to Dave Ramsey, that is six months’ worth of expenses).  You could even start a savings account for unexpected expenses, like medical bills or car repairs.  Want to go one step further still?  Set up a savings account for blessing others- friends in need, causes you support, etc.  

-Slow down and enjoy the process, even if the process is just cooking, washing the dishes or folding laundry.  If you’re not in such a rush, you may find that these little tasks are not so bad, especially when they are shared by the whole family.  And go ahead- play your favorite music while you work…you’ll be glad you did!  

Mother of the Year…or…Not.

In the seven months that our daughter has been home, I have learned a lot about myself as a parent.  Things that I don't like, it seems, more often than things I think I do okay or even well.  The truth is, it’s hard…like, really hard sometimes and kinda hard the rest of the time.  I can count on one hand the number of days in the past seven months that my husband has come home from work and I have had zero qualms about the proceedings of the day.  (I don't even need the whole hand, just two-fifths of it, really.)  I learn each day how much I need quiet, sleep, coffee, and Jesus.  And sometimes wine.  And sometimes chocolate.  What’s even crazier is that we want four children!  Four little Nya’s running around would be like the most awesome and scary thing that there ever was.  And I love that child so much that any arrangement of words to describe that love would pale in comparison to how much I actually FEEL love for her.  That is why we keep going as parents, right?  Because we love those little stinkers.  But it doesn’t make it easier…in fact, does it make it harder?  Do we love them so much that we don’t want to mess up?  So we research what all to do to be a “successful” parent and raise a “successful,” thriving child, and we judge the differing opinions of other parents and say we would “never do that!”  And when there is an exceptional child that can do things that our child cannot, don’t we judge ourselves a little bit too?  And we get stuck in the cycle of trying to figure out how to perfectly raise a child who is currently only 18 months old, and make sure they are hitting all of their milestones, and we only have three years and 6 months to figure out homeschooling versus public schooling versus un-schooling…

Whoa.  Hold on.

Do you ever get caught in this cycle too?  Do you feel like each day is a crapshoot (metaphorically and literally if your kiddo is still in diapers)?  Today I felt like mother-of-the-year for 25 minutes and for the following 25 minutes, I watched in awe and wonderment as my toddler in all of her pint-sized toddler glory had a meltdown that would knock anyone’s socks off.  I can make excuses in my mind about how she’s fighting a cold and how she’s only 18 months old, but that doesn’t erase that tiny thought in the back of my mind that always hangs around: am I doing something wrong as a parent that encourages her to act this way?      

Photo: cutebabygallery.com

I don’t know how you reason with yourself about similar issues (please tell me I’m not the only one who experiences these things).  In a world of opinions and options and theories, it seems we can go wrong in so many ways.  Can I just make a promise to you though?  I promise not to judge you or your decisions as a parent.  I promise to encourage you in those moments when your little angel has turned toward the dark side as they try to figure out self-regulation and how to control their emotions and whims.  I promise to give you a kind smile so you don’t feel like people are seeing your short-comings aired out like dirty laundry.  And instead of choosing sides, I promise to always assume that you are giving all that you’re capable of giving, and making decisions that are best for your children, EVEN when you don’t feel like it’s your best day.

 Photo: Today.com

What if we lived in a world where we all made these promises to each other?  Like we were all on the same team, trying our best to accomplish the same things.  Because, Mama, you’re doing great.  Dad, you’re doing great.  Grandparent, guardian, care-taker, sibling, foster parent…whatever you are to that child, you are doing great.  You’re figuring it out, day by day.  Children don’t come with instruction manuals; they are little blank slates that are impressed upon and influenced by the world and the people that surround them.  Even parents of very successful, well-adjusted children, who could argue that they did most things right for their children, will still tell you that it was only by the grace of God that their children turned out the way they did…how fascinating, right?  No matter how much you love them, or how much you study or research or prepare as a parent, it’s still a very brave thing, raising children.  So I must tell you that you inspire me.  

And you’ve got this. 

Thank you for reading.