Christmas is over, and we all know what's next...

Everyone knows what comes after Christmas. You knew it was coming before Christmas arrived, but now it is staring you in the face. No, not the post-holiday clean up (surely you are all cleaned up by now anyways, right??? Riiiiiiight???!?) and not the inevitable looking around the house in bewilderment and wondering what do do with they sudden influx of stuff your house has to deal with. Not the sugar detox, not the decoration putting away party. While all these things are coming or have come, I am talking not talking about these. I am talking about the new year. Ah,  2015, its been fun, but her is a bright, shiny, yet untouched New Year!

For the longest time, I didn't take new years resolutions seriously. In fact, I had the same new years resolution for many years running that I could break and keep all at the same time. "I resolve never to make another new year's resolution." And I kept it until the next year when I would break it by making the resolution again, but I never really broke it because it was the same one. See the way my mind was working here? I was about... 17 or so when I came up with this and thought myself desperately clever. My 26 year old self rolls her eyes.

I still take new years resolutions with a grain of salt. Yes, I am sure you will lose 100 pounds. Of course you will go to the gym every day of 2016. Naturally, it will be the easiest thing in the world to write a book about... what was it you said again? Yes, if anyone is going to solve the problems of string theory, it will be you. Lured by the promise of something new, people try to remake themselves every single year, and every single year they are disappointed when they fail. Many start off the new year determined, but still with a seed of resignation in their heart, knowing that they will trip up all over again. I know that not all people out there are total defeatists, but come on, y'all, don't we all feel that way a little bit sometimes?
There is also the matter of what do you most want to change? Will this year be about health? (lose some weight? start working out? become a vegetarian?) Will this year be about your artistic passion? (write that book? paint a masterpiece? learn to play the bagpipes?) Or maybe it will be about personal growth? (meditate daily? do a year long devotional?) There are literally infinite possibilities- infinite categories in which you can better yourself.

But this year, I am once more hopping on the new years resolution bandwagon. And I have decided to work on improving not 1, not 2, but 12 different areas!

Whoa, now, slow down! If doing just 1 thing for 1 year seems impossible, how can you possibly expect to do 12 things for 1 year?

Well, the goal isn't to start off all at once on January 1st, trying to change my spending habits, AND my sleeping habits, AND my workout habits, AND my eating habits (you get the idea) all at once. The idea isn't to change all at once... that would be exhausting and defeating and there is just no way, people. There is. Just. No. Way.

But according to research (that I haven't done, but I think I've head or read about somewhere) says that it takes (about) a month to create a habit. So what I would like to do is spend one month working on a change, integrating it as a part of my life, and then the next month, try to integrate different habit, so that by the end of the month, I'll have made 12 changes in as many months.

I have been thinking about what I'd like these to be, and while I have a good idea, I haven't totally planned it all out yet... So while my husband and mother-in-law are taking the kiddos to look at alligators in the everglades (we're on vacation in Key Largo... did I mention that? Its so nice out you can positively taste the sunshine! What a change from rainy Pennsylvania!) I am going to have a think, work on a plan and write some more tomorrow. Till then!

Christmas Tradtitions (The Davidson Side)

Now that Christmas is over and I am on vacation, I have time again. And I promised myself that i would write a bit about the Christmas Traditions coming from my side of the family.

With the Davidsons, tradition centers more around Christmas Eve and Christmas day, as opposed to the events leading up until Christmas.

There is the Christmas Eve party where everyone in my family (and I do mean EVERYONE, aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, boyfriends and girlfriends of all involved...) crams together into somebody's house where we eat delectable food and exchange gifts. After everyone eats we crowd into a room and the younger children read take turns reading the sections of the Christmas story. Its really a beautiful thing to have the whole family together in one room and reading together the whole reason for Christmas. (somehow this didn't end up happening this year, which was really really sad to me). After that, the under 16 crowd do a "Secret Santa" (the names for which are typically exchanged at Thanksgiving). But the adults do a somewhat cutthroat version of white elephant gifts.

If you don't do a white elephant gift exchange, you totally should. Its the best. Here is how it works: Everyone brings a gift with no name on it and puts it in a heap of other gifts on the floor. The participating crowd draws numbers, and the fun begins. The first person picks a gift, which is fairly boring. But when number 2 gets his turn, he can choose to pick a gift from the pile OR steal the gift from the first person, who would then have to pick again. If a gift has been exchanged 3 times, then it is considered "dead" and can't be taken again. Compounding the interest is huge variety in gift quality. From bright pink mini tool sets, to "snuggies" to hand crafted pottery, to family heirlooms, you really could get just about anything. In one particularly well remembered exchange, my uncle unwisely picked a gift brought by my husband... a "Peruvian bar-b-q Set" which included a giant spatula, and Guinea pig bedding, among other things. This year, a 12 pack of beer went strangely quickly. This game gets rough, you guys. Bribing is common, and stealing is encouraged. Don't get to comfortable with that apple pie in the beautiful polish pottery dish. It won't be coming home with you.
After this, we are brought back around the table where a birthday cake sits. After singing happy birthday to Jesus and eating our cake, we start to pack up and go home. (AGAIN, something that didn't happen this year. How? How can this be?!?!)

On Christmas Morning after opening gifts, everyone gets their choice between baked oatmeal or oatmeal a la mode. We also eat some kind of egg dish and "monkey bread" If you don't know monkey bread, I am so so sorry.

I have to say, now that I am comfortably on the other side of the holidays; Christmas, while really lovely this year, lacked some of the traditions that I have come to depend on and love... Singing happy birthday to Jesus, reading the Christmas story all together as a family... I love that part of Christmas and looked forward to it. I missed it this year, and I truly hope that this doesn't mark the beginning of a trend in the family.

That type of person...

Today I was having a bit of a crisis over yoga. I know, I know. YOGA. For crying out loud, yoga is supposed to be relaxing, right? Well today it caused me some little bit of stress.

There is a gym near my house that is giving free yoga classes during the month of December (score!) and my friend invited me to go on Monday. It had been aaaaages since I had last been to a yoga class (Years. Ages=Years. Before Amelia was born. Ok, ok. before she was even conceived.) but I went with her and another friend, and loved it. I've always had some degree of insecurity about my body and I've never been at all sporty (tangent: I played field hockey and basketball in school because my friends did. I lived in absolute dread that they would actually make me play in a game.) and I have no natural talent for those kinds of activities. But at the yoga class, I was astounded to realize that even though I hadn't stepped into a gym in ages, even though I didn't stretch out or do anything at home, I was already pretty good at yoga. I have next to no muscle to come to my aid, it is true, so I need to up my strength, but I am naturally very flexible and I was able to do more advanced poses that I thought would be impossible for me to do. (Put my head where? It doesn't reach... what? Wow, ok, never mind. I guess it does.) The idea that you are naturally good at something is a powerful force!

This all sounds like a good thing! Why the stress, Emily? Honestly, its partially because I don't know a whole lot about yoga: its history and its background, but sometimes yoga gets associated with mysticism and beliefs that, as a Christian, I don't subscribe to. I wonder whether I should be doing yoga when it doesn't necessarily align with my beliefs. That is the crux of my difficulties, and certainly the most important and weighty part.

There is also a part of me (a more vain part to be sure) dreads becoming a certain "type" of person. Oh, gosh this sounds so stupid, to write out, but its true! Over the past couple of years, I have been getting more environmentally conscious (the words "crunchy" and "hippie" have been used MANY times), more minimalist in my ideas, and more liberal on a political scale. I use reusable grocery bags, make my own laundry detergent, wash my hair with baking soda and vinegar, use essential oils, have gotten rid of a crap ton of stuff and am constantly on the lookout for more to donate to goodwill, buy secondhand, research companies before I buy from them to ensure that they don't encroach on human rights, only eat fair trade chocolate... this is just a taste, the list goes on. I'm not bragging or anything, these don't make me a better person, they are just things I do. It just seems uncanny how seamlessly yoga fits in. My husband says he's been "waiting for this to happen for awhile now" (along with me getting rid of all my bras it is true, but however comfortable that would be that is so not happening. This girl cannot go about with the ladies hanging free.) Its just one more piece that would make me "that type of person" (whatever "that type is") and it bothers me that maybe I'm not terribly unique.

OK, so that was my rant. And some parts of it read as badly as I feared it would, but there you go. Oversharing, maybe. But a real look into my head. Make of it what you will.

Oh, one more thing though... I'd be remiss if I didn't say how grateful I am to my husband for being my sounding board with all of this madness. Talking with him always makes me feel a bit better, and even a bit more sane. Love you, Andy!

Overfed

Me: (after listening to the dog whining in the next room) What on earth does she want?

Andy: Either assistance or reassurance. Probably assistance. Our pug is not the spring chicken she once was.

Me: ...

Andy: Now she is 2 spring chickens. 

Ok, so our dog is a bit overweight. Its not my fault! Its the children! Really! No, really, it is! They feed her (on purpose or not), at every single meal. I think maybe we need to back off the dog food...

Also, on a tangential note...  I may have a bit of a girl crush on Madeleine of www.sweetmadeleine.ca So if occasionally the content of my posts looks a teensy bit like hers... Well, now you know why.

Christmas Tradtions (On the Warren Side)

By the power of youtube, a damp microfiber cloth, and compressed air, my space key has been fixed. And I don't mind telling you that I feel pretty accomplished now. I could totally work in the apple store, fixing space keys.

The family at Longwood Gardens

One of the beautiful things about folks getting married is that it combines 2 people with different family traditions, and together you get to pick and choose your favorites, and even start some new ones. Andy and I already have adopted a bunch of traditions in the 5 years that we have been married, some old, some new. Initially I was going to just combine them all in one post, but each family just has its own flavor, and I thought deserved their own posts.

From Andy's side of the family, the biggest traditions mostly come before the day itself. The highlights are picking the tree, going to Longwood Gardens to see the Christmas lights, and decorating the house.

When it comes to trees, there are 2 tree picking methods, the new and the old. The new method is the one currently in use by Andy's family. His parents have an exceedingly high ceiling in their living room, you see, and they always take advantage of its height by getting the biggest flipping tree they can possibly find. These trees have been given up by the tree farms as impossible to sell, because no one wants or can fit a 20 ft tree in the living room. They somehow break the laws of physics to get it through the door, and get many ladders to decorate it. One year, they only managed to string lights on the bottom two thirds of the tree. That's all they could reach people. I tried to find a picture to post, but I can't find one for the life of me.
Andy and I, who have normal ceilings in our house, adopted the old Christmas tree tradition in picking out a live tree, with a bulb intact so that it could be planted once Christmas was over. We even added to the tradition in a way. We always pick a white pine now, because they do the best in our soil. The other trees that we picked in previous years are a bit stunted, where they survived at all. So while a white pine may not be the most traditional of Christmas Trees, it has become our go to. We picked out our tree yesterday, a feat made easy by the fact that they only had 3 white pines bulb-d. Amelia wasn't terribly interested in the tree-picking. She liked to play in the mud and to look at the big tree grabber that loaded the tree into the truck that we borrowed from Andy's dad.

Behold, our tree, trussed up and ready to take home.

Longwood Gardens is about an hour and a half away from our house, and every year they decorate the whole park lavishly for Christmas. Lights everywhere. It is tradition for the Warrens to go around Christmas to freeze our little tails off watching the fountain display and admire the outside lights, to walk around to get some hot chocolate, cider or mulled wine and then to walk the conservatory look at the displays in a warmer setting. Longwood Gardens has become one of the favorite things that we do each year... and this year we are planning on doing it twice. 
 Quick (adorable) note: Amelia really loved the musical fountain display in particular. She just so happened to mix up the word "fountain" with "mountain" and was talking about the "fairy mountains" all evening. So cute! Now we went this year when it was relatively warm but it is usually freezing cold out, so bundle up for the outside lights! 

"Look at the pretty flowers!"

As for the decorating with the Warrens, the Christmas decorations aren't anything extravagant. just a few lights and some personalized stockings and all, but the thing is... my family never really decorated for Christmas. One extraordinary year, my mom hung a wreath on the door and put those fake candles in the windows, and this attempt blew our minds. Now, my family does a tree and stockings and always have, but that is IT for decorations. So we went with the Warren tradition of... you know... actually decorating. 

Oh, one other tradition that we adopted from the Warren side is that they got to pick out one small gift from their stockings on Christmas Eve. We all love the little taste before the "big day". 

So that's it for the Warren traditions that we are carrying on. Later, I will have to tell you about the Davidson Family traditions. 

What are some of your favorite holiday traditions?

 

Sticky Keys

I have a sticky space bar at the moment. It doesn't look like it now, but I tell you it is sticking. I have to make a concentrated effort to push the space bar in, or no space will appear. It is most inconvenient, as I have things I want to type, and refuse to carry on in this way. Idon'twantallofmysentencestoenduplookinglikethisone. For real though. That was with me hitting the space key normally. Now I have to take this bloody computer apart and figure out what on earth is wrong. This could get messy.

On failing and of holiday stress.

So I have come to the conclusion that I made a foolish decision basing a blog off of a 3 month no buy challenge. Especially one that takes place OVER CHRISTMAS for crying out loud. Total epic fail. *Sigh.*

This is why people do year long no buying challenges. Because they get to practice before all of the really hard stuff hits. I thought that this would be possible for me to do. I really did. And if I had all the time in the world, then it totally would be. I had plans to finish Victor's quiet book and make a cute little doll for Amelia, and do a more experience gift for my husband (I had a Mutemath concert in my sights.) But people, I do. not. have. the. time. Not when I've essentially promised paintings to my mom and dad this year too. There is no way I will get this quiet book done, especially when I was hoping to finish crocheting Bini's Christmas stocking, but still I press on. Amelia may or may not even like a doll. Andy preemptively bought concert tickets. Haven't started the 2 paintings. I haven't even thought about my in-laws. Yikes.

I know that in the grand scheme of things this is so not a big deal. As an aspiring minimalist (lets all face it, that's what I'm aiming for, isn't it?) I shouldn't care about the stuff part of the holidays. But I kinda do. And that in itself bothers me. Its ridiculous.

So I am trying to keep two things in my head at the same time.
1. I am trying to concentrate on what really matters this Christmas and that gifts are such a small part of it. How it began with God's gift to us, and how that is what we should be celebrating. I'm trying to concentrate on the fun family traditions that add to the seasons instead of detracting from it.
2. I'm trying to figure out what the heck I am going to do for gifts. (Sigh)

Anyways, I will freely admit that I am going to epically fail at the buy nothing challenge that I arbitrarily set for myself. But you know what? I don't care (or at least, I only care a little). Up until this point, after all, I've actually done pretty good. But also because so far I've actually kinda enjoyed the blogging aspect of it. Its... cathartic. I see why people do it. So the blog has been worth is, despite not having many entries. Who knows? I may even make it a more regular thing.

Though I am not sold on the whole title. "The Shelf-Help Monologues" has a ring to it, but I feel like it promises some sort of assistance for... um... shelving? Though the monologues part is certainly true. Ramblings might be more like it.

But if you ever feel like making this monologue a dialogue, feel free to chime in!

Help! My Little Kid is Turning into a Big Kid... And I'm not ready for it!

It all started with a trip to Chicago...

Amelia at the Brookfield Zoo near Chicago. 

Ok, no, it all started long before that. The whole thing started when we had kids. When Amelia was a newborn, people assured me that I'd miss my baby when my baby turned into a toddler. But here's the truth... I haven't missed a single SECOND of babyhood. I feel like a horrible cold-hearted person for saying it, but there you go. I am not a fan of the newborn and little baby stage. But let me tell you guys... I have been loving this toddler stage with Amelia. I love talking with her and listening to her developing vocabulary, watching her learn, admiring her drawings... it is harder in many ways, yes. She is in the "terrible" twos (come on guys, who came up with that name? They are more challenging yes, but not terrible. What a horrid thing to say.) so she is pushing boundaries, we've had to start real discipline, but the bad times are so worth it for the good ones that come along.

 

So I have been loving this stage with Amelia, and I have been really looking forward to Victor getting closer to this stage as well. Not hurrying him, but I'd be a liar if I said I wasn't excited.

But chaaaaaange is here... a couple of weeks ago at Amelia's 2 year old check up, our pediatrician recommended that we get rid of Amelia's pacifier (or in our house, her "bobble"). I knew this was coming, so it didn't really even throw me. But we decided to wait until after visiting my brother-in-law in Chicago to work on transitioning them away. I had already made my declaration that I was done buying replacement bobbles for any that may be lost, so when we couldn't find the ones we came EXTREMELY close to being done while on holiday in poor, unsuspecting uncle Pete's house. We found one, however, and were going to not give it to her, but she started running a fever and we melted a bit at how miserable she was. But the first day we were home (Tuesday) we took her bobbles cold turkey. This wasn't the plan. I was going to have them just for bedtime, but my confident husband voted that we just take them. So we did. And now, she has been bobble-less for several days. She has been taking it like a champ. Today, she didn't mention her bobble even once! The story is that her bobbles heard that she was so big that she didn't need them anymore, so they went to find a little baby who needed a bobble. That's the story, and I am sticking with it.

The lack of bobble has spawned another change and one that I SURE AS ALL HECK was not ready for... Amelia has stopped napping. I am trying to hang on to a quiet time at least... clinging to the cliff's edge by my fingernails. But I will win this one. I need a break in the afternoon, I just do. I am a happier, pleasanter mommy if I have had an hour to myself. So we are trying to establish a quiet time. More on that later, maybe. For now, that's all I can really say about it.

The other change that threatened was "the big girl bed". This didn't end up being a permanent thing, thank goodness. But the facts were that we had one "pack-and-play" at Pete's and it was big enough for Victor, and too small for Amelia. So, she was in a big girl bed for the weekend. It didn't go horribly, but it could have been better. I am not looking forward to this transition, which I am sure will come at the most inconvenient time possible. But the second that she starts trying to climb out of her bed, I don't have a choice. (Well, technically yes, I do have a choice, but chaining your children in bed tends to be looked down on.)

And now, after just a few days after one big change in her little life, we are staring down the barrel of potty training. Oh lordy... I don't want to give up diapers... but the facts are these... She has gone on the potty before, therefore, she CAN do it, but mostly she has been taking her diapers off by herself and going commando... Diapers, as I am sure you are aware, are only useful when they are being worn, child! Come on! But I am so torn, because I have asked her so many times, and she flat out doesn't want to sit on the potty, but this diaper-less-without-the-benefits-of-the-potty thing has got to stop. And it starts tomorrow. If she isn't ready, she isn't ready, and I know and I understand that, but we are giving it a go this weekend. Pray for our immortal souls.

Mostly, this post has all been about Amelia, but she isn't the only one growing up. Oh my goodness, you guys, my son's babyhood is on fast forward. When he came home a little over 2 months ago, he was underweight, he only wanted his bottle, would refuse anything offered by spoon that wasn't a paste (and didn't eat much of that) and could barely sit up by himself. He's already gained several pounds, officially putting him on the charts (he was too little to even have a percentile on the growth charts before). Now, he won't have a hearing for anything that he doesn't see on everyone's plate (though he still takes his bottle whenever he can.) Now he can not only sit up by himself, he went straight to belly crawling, to crawling, to pulling himself up on things, to trying to walk and stand independently all in a little over 2 months! People, my son is incredible! I am so proud of him, and so blessed and honored to be his mommy. I just can't even tell you. But he's still such a little baby to me... and that's why this post is titled as it is, even though maybe it should be "Help! My Little Kids are Turning into Big Kids... And I'm not ready for it!"

Halloween... or the day everyone eats themselves into a sugar coma

I know that this is coming a bit late (I have an issue with posting things in a timely manner,) but bear with me.

I am more or less the Halloween version of Scrooge. I don't really like the whole eating yourself sick with (individually wrapped) pieces of candy business or the ghoulish, evil looking characters running around... the random acts of vandalism... The closest I'll get to watching a horror movie to get into the festive mood is watching Phantom of the Opera for the umpteenth time... are you getting my drift? Halloween isn't really my thing.

I will, however, confess to a soft spot for the dressing up to go trick or treat-ing bit... who didn't like to dress up as a kid? But even then, when I was little, I hardly reserved "dress up" time for Halloween and trick or treating. It was more or less an all the time thing.

So even while I do like the dressing up, I wasn't going to forgo my buying stuff ban for Halloween. But I'll admit, I felt guilty about it. So I tried (rather hopelessly) to come up with some ideas for costumes that didn't involve me buying stuff. I came up with a few, but as most of them required me making something or other and the fact that I didn't start thinking about it until the night we were to to trick or treating... well... it wasn't looking good for Amelia and Bini.

Enter Josie (my mom) to save the day. Unwilling, I assume, to let her grandchildren out in halfhearted attempts at costumes, she sallied forth to The Fancy Unicorn (the best children's consignment shop in our area) and found 2 costumes that exactly fit my kiddos. Bless. So thanks to Josie, my children are saved. And I must say, they had a really fun time. Victor Bini debuted as an adorable little kitty cat, while Amelia was a bit more fierce with a leopard costume.

Amelia in her leopard costume.... She didn't have much patience with the hoodie part with the ears, no matter how adorable it was.

  

 Its always so much easier to get a picture when the subject is sitting still, wouldn't you agree?

I really think that Amelia and Victor would have been just as happy in the (not really) costumes I would have provided. Victor Bini I am sure would have been, he was mostly pushed around in a stroller all night and didn't take part in the actual trick or treating at all. Amelia would have too, but (and maybe I am projecting a little bit here...) I think it was really special for Amelia to have a costume that looked like it was trying.

Am I saying that she needs a special-for-the-occasion Halloween costume every year? No, of course not. I am fairly confident in saying I will never buy a brand new costume. (I am more of the make it yourself or buy it secondhand type of person.) But putting forth a little more effort and interest in something that your kids will clearly enjoy makes a big difference in how you see it too. Something for me to keep in mind next year... and more than a few hours before Trick or Treat. 

Of Weddings, Car Rides, and Kangaroos

 I got to pet a kangaroo. No, really, I did. Look at the picture. Look at it, I say! Kangaroos are precious and shockingly soft. Ok, now I will continue...

On Monday, my family and I returned from Nashville, Tennessee, where my brother and (now) sister-in-law held their wedding. I wouldn't have missed it for the world, but I have to admit that getting my whole family down there was quite an ordeal. 2 kids, one of them 1 year old and the other just 2 years old in the car for 12 hours is a mighty undertaking. It involves many stops, car toys and snacks, and more than a little bit of fussing. But we made it!

Andy's parents (so, my in-laws) are incredibly wonderful and generous people, and decided to rent a 4 bedroom house a few days in Nashville so that we wouldn't have to rent a hotel. ("We" included my family of 4, Andy's brother and his wife, and Andy's other brother and his girlfriend. And Andy's parents of course.) This was wonderful in theory, of course, but we forgot to account for the generous spirit of each of the other family members in turn.

You see my brother lived in Pennsylvania (where we are now) before he moved to Tennessee, and a lot of friends that he invited came from here. So when we had a house and a group of people who couldn't afford to both travel to Tennessee and stay there too, a house to fit 10 rapidly was accommodating 14 instead. Which doesn't seem like a lot more, but let me tell you, it made for a full house.

The wedding itself was lovely. An outdoor ceremony moved indoors due to weather. It was a little tight maybe, but ultimately great. I wish we could have stayed for the reception. Also I wish I had pictures, but I had no camera. So there is that. Sorry, Ben and Jordan. I can't wait to see what other people took!

Then it was off to home. This drive was not to be like the first. The first was at night. The kids slept somewhat. The drive home was to be a brutal 12 hour trek through daylight with kids who would in all probability be awake. For the love. So finding rest stops was absolutely imperative. That is how we made it to Kentucky Down Under Adventure Zoo . And this, friends, is where we got to pet kangaroos.

Oh, also we fed rainbow lorikeets.

Anyways, the not spending money wasn't perfect this month, with weddings and trips and such, (Lets face it, I probably overspent my normal budget on stuff, in the end,) but the fact is that the money we spent went to things and people that we care about, not on random stuff. I have to tell you, that feels really great. And having a little leftover cash for a trip to the zoo was pretty great too.

I meant to post this yesterday, but we lost power last night, so it didn't happen. I'll have more to say about that a little bit later.

Thank Goodness for People Who Give Away Clothes For Free

The title gives the gist of what I am gonna say here, but I will say it anyways. THANK GOODNESS for free clothes!

It became apparent almost immediately that knit leggings aren't easily repaired. I tried, people. I really did try. It just didn't work. So I was left with... one pair of jeans. It wasn't gonna happen. I was this close to caving and buying another pair of pants or leggings (one to wash, one to wear...  you know the drill) when my darling, fabulous, sporty, suddenly skinny aunt announced that she was having a yard sale and that I could go through her stack of clothes before she sold them. Score! So now I have my grey jeans, a pair of black leggings and a pair of black pants from Athleta. Its going to be possible after all.

However, there was one thing that I did end up having to buy. It turns out that not many people have a pair of size 10 gold flats that they could lend me for my brides... er... matron? (Is a brides-matron even a thing?) position in my brother's wedding on Sunday. Thrift stores were just as unhelpful, somehow. So now I am the not-so-proud owner of a pair of size 10 glittery, gold shoes that I will wear all of one time and never wear again. Not to mention a dress with an eerily similar description.

So, I'll need them till Sunday, but after that... anyone need some gold shoes?

Of Blenders and Birthdays

Yesterday, my daughter, Amelia, turned 2 years old. Oh my goodness people. I don't even know what to say on the topic... Can my baby really be 2? 2!? Heaven forbid.

Well lets face it... Amelia is incredibly bright and fabulous, and in actions, attitude and mannerisms, she's been essentially 2 for awhile. But yesterday made it official. I have a 2 year old. And I may be a bit in shock.

Andy and I bought her birthday presents before this buy nothing experiment even started... (by the way, my little challenge is almost 2 weeks old today! Hooray!) and we got her what I am sure every 2 year old wants... a pillow and a blanket. The pillow is one of those "husband" pillows with the little arms on the side that you can lean against and the blanket is actually just a piece of material that Amelia decided that she loved when we were at the fabric store one day. For my son's one year old birthday less than a month ago, I made him a pillowcase and bought him an interesting little wooden toy. We didn't do all that much.

But people, we didn't need to. Now, I don't mean this in a "kids don't need as many toys as we think they do" (though this is certainly true) kind of way or that our kids have enough toys already and we didn't want to buy them any more (ok, this is true, too...) What I mean by "we didn't need to" is that we have the first 2 grandchildren on both sides of the family and even if we actively tried to prevent people from giving Amelia and Victor toys it wouldn't happen. They would still get toys

So on their birthdays, my kids get a whole heck-ton of toys. In many ways, I am really touched by this incredible display of affection for my daughter and son. They spent hard earned money on them after all, and gave them things that they thought that they would like.

So what is the problem here?

For a while now, I have been following blogs like Joshua Becker's www.becomingminimalist.com and Leo Babauta's zenhabits.net... There are so many other great bloggers on minimalism, that it is a travesty to just name two, but those are the one's that come first to my mind. The minimalist lifestyle appeals to me greatly, and I can't honestly say that I am thrilled about adding more to our already cluttered house. I have been battling clutter for just about forever, and I am sick of it. It is one of the reasons I am doing a little "buy nothing for a quarter year" challenge for myself. With a 1 year old and a 2 year old, time for serious decluttering sessions are slim pickings, and I think the only real way that my 5 or 10 minutes here or there will make a difference is if things stop coming into my house.

Why I thought this would work with Christmas coming up is beyond me. I am clearly a crazy person.

On the subject of toys... my poor blender broke yesterday. This was no small blow to me. I use my blender for everything, and I use it hard. Shakes, mayonnaise, icing, pancake batter, you name it, and my blender has blended it. (Possibly this is how it got in such a state.) And yes, the canister is being held together by gorilla tape. It has a massive crack down the side of it and it leaks horridly, even after the masterful tape-up. Actually, I thought that would be the first to go, but you can always get a new canister for a blender, and I was counting down the days until I could ask for one from my husband and reasonably call it an early Christmas gift. What I didn't count on was black, vile smelling SMOKE pouring out of it while it was running, and the engine refusing to stop until I forced it to by unplugging it. I legitimately thought it was going to blow up. So... now its been declared dead.

Which is a shame because I used my blender all. the. time. and I can't buy a new one lest I break a self imposed challenge rule. Never fear, though, I am now borrowing one from my mother-in-law, so I won't be breaking any rules. Yet. But I want to. Oh, do I want to.

As the Seasons Change

I thought at first that I would have a pretty easy time on the clothes front. I don't enjoy clothes shopping, you know, so I figured I'd be pretty safe from temptation on that front. But now the weather is starting to cool, and as the seasons change, I am realizing something... I have next to no winter pants. I have... 1 pair of jeans that fit (and 1 pair of jeans that I am hoping to shrink into... ever the dreamer...) and 2 pairs of shockingly holey leggings. In addition to 2 pairs of just-past-the-knee length yoga pants, I will admit. But this isn't exactly wear on the go type stuff, people. So I am counting the pair of jeans and the perforated leggings. 3 things. 3. Oh dear.

I thought I had so many more cold weather clothes than this... what happened? I'll tell you. My cold and warm weather wardrobes are shockingly out of balance. In the warmer months, my preferred leg covering is skirts. Shorts just don't cut it for me, man. I don't have the legs for them. Skirts are breezy, comfy, and cute. And I have several of them. So I do ok on the bottom half... on the top, I have a very few not really exciting t shirts or tank tops. As for cold weather... I have a fairly impressive (for me) amount of sweaters, cardigans, long sleeve shirts... you know the drill, but as we have discovered, a pitiful amount of lower body coverage.

So when I looked to see how I was doing in the cold weather clothes department, my too-few shirt self just looked at all the wonderful torso and arm coverings and said "This is cake! I am totally set! We're good!" completely forgetting that I have legs that can also get frostbitten.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some leggings to patch.

But at Least I Got a Ton of Applesauce Out of it...

I bought something.

"You were only 3 days in! You gave already?" "What the heck, lady!" "So lame!" "I could do this better than you!" (yes, you very likely could.)

Yes, ok, chill. Hear me out. Yes, I bought something. What did I buy? Mason jars. Why? Because every single year, my family buys an obscene amount of apples and we make massive quantities of applesauce which we then can and use to build massive towers in our respective panties. The fact is, my family has grown from the last year, and in order to store the shocking amount of applesauce, we had to buy more jars. 

The fact is this was a planned expense that I forgot to post about. And I more or less count it as a grocery. Kinda. Well maybe it isn't strictly a necessity. So I'm self justifying a little. But the applesauce was gonna happen either way.

For the past several years, my family has gone apple picking every fall in order to have some yummy, sweet, crunch-able, seasonal goodness to much on and to make applesauce with. My 6 siblings and I all grew up eating my grandfather's (to us) famous applesauce. What makes it so good? A secret ingredient... I'll never tell! (ok, the secret ingredient is vanilla extract. Make applesauce, right now, and add cinnamon and vanilla. It will change your life.) And applesauce became a family tradition.

So yesterday, my husband, me, Amelia and Bini climbed into the car with our canning supplies and drove to the market to buy apples. (We would normally pick them ourselves, but it was just gross out yesterday. Cold, rainy, windy... I am dedicated, not crazy!) We cleaned the surprised cashiers out of all of their "second class" apples (applesauce doesn't care if your apples are a bit bruised) and packed the bags and bags of them into the car and went to "Josie, Baba's house!" and began peeling, chopping and cooking 'em up. It is a lot of sticky, somewhat dangerous work (The peelers and knives present somewhat of a hazard) But it is a wonderful, cozy time of family togetherness. And I love it!

So, judge if you want. I don't care. At least I got a ton of applesauce out of it.

On a much more important, though shorter note... My son, Bini, who my husband and I adopted from Ethiopia, has been home for one month.. TODAY! We are so blessed to have him in our lives! Maybe one day I will be more comfortable sharing more personal family stuff on here (you know, if there is a one day.) But today is not that day, people. But I still want you all to know that Bini is wonderful and we all adore him! That's all for now, folks.

No Buying Challenge Rules

And so it has begun. Today is October first and so begins my little spending fast. I've been giving some thought to how this will work, and I am going to divide it up into some categories and make some rules for each category.

Food

I've decided not to buy any for the next 3 months. 

Ok, I lie. Obviously. We need food. You may be wondering why I even need this in this list. The fact is I do a lot of my impulse buys at the grocery store. Interesting new ingredients, stuff that I like to have around but don't really need for my grocery shopping this week, a thing of gum at the checkout... 

So trying to curb this impulse, I am going to be making a weekly menu, making a shopping list and buying ONLY WHAT IS ON THE LIST, DARN IT! Not a new and innovative idea, I know, but  something that I desperately need to work on...

Clothing

I believe that everyone has their own Achilles heel when it comes to shopping. I know for my mother it is undoubtedly clothes. I have not inherited this gene from her (there is a clothes buying gene, right?) and so theoretically it should be easy for me not to buy clothes for the next 3 months. But here is the little catch... I have an almost 2 year old daughter and a 1 year old son WHO GROW LIKE WEEDS! Seriously guys. These kids grow overnight. I put them to bed in jammies that are too big, I get them out of bed and lo and behold, what were long pants are now mid calf. So here are my clothing rules/ goals:

For the Kids:
1. Figure out how many clothes they actually need and buy only those things which are deemed absolutely necessary. (ie. Amelia's toes will soon burst through the front of her shoes, her feet have grown so much. We will need new ones in the next couple of weeks. Not necessary are snow boots for Bini, who cannot walk yet.) Sound fair? Ok moving on,
2. Buy second hand, where we need to buy at all.
3. Buy only the things which will fit them now, not that size 4T dress because it is just so cute and she will fit in it eventually. 

For Me:
1. Don't buy clothes
2. Unless I magically shrink out of my current clothes and actually truly need new ones (This is the goal, people. But I am not so crazy as to absolutely expect it. For diet and exercise commitment issues, see my previous post)
3. Clothes wearing out is not an excuse to buy new clothes, unless they are absolutely beyond repair. A button or a patch I can sew on, a gaping hole in the crotch continuing down the leg I can do nothing about.
4. If the unthinkable happens and I lose several inches, buy secondhand.
Exceptions: There is one thing that I know I need to buy... I am in my brother's wedding later this month, and while I have a dress, I have not got shoes. If I cannot borrow (my preferred method) I will have to buy.

Books

Books need their own category. I love books. I love to read. But for the next few months:
No new books. This includes digital (oh beloved kindle) and audio (audible, I adore thee) and real live honest to goodness books (oh the luxury of real pages to turn!)
I wanted desperately to think of some exception... but seriously, I have no excuses. I live less than 6 minutes away from our local library.

Gifts/Toys

It has not escaped me that I am doing this OVER THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS (forcryingoutloudwhatwasieventhinking?) So here is where I am with this... 

Gifts will be:

1. Consumable (candles, soaps, yummy food) or

2. Experience based (concert tickets, memberships, weekend getaway, etc.)

3. Homemade

4. Money. This is a last resort. Except for my brothers, possibly, who ONLY want money for Christmas.

Heaven help us all. 

Art Supplies and Crafting Stuff

I am an artist (watercolors and ink, for those who are curious.) I love going to a good art supply store and just walking around, stroking paper, ogling paints, running paintbrushes through my fingers. 

Now this could be a bit tricky (Thanks to my resolution not to buy Christmas from the store this year... for the love...) but I did come up with some rules:

1. I can replace any paints or brushes that I run out of/use into oblivion, but I cannot upgrade or buy new stuff just for kicks and giggles. Also I can buy more paper only when I run out.

2. Craft stuff with be for specific projects only... Example, felt for the quiet book I am making for Bini, material for the doll I am making for Amelia, wood for the chests that we are making for them both... you get the picture. 

3. Things found at the craft store that are clearly not actually crafts, they just want you to buy them for your kids (I am looking at you, stuffed animals) are a no-no. Sorry kids. 

That's all I can think of for the moment. I may think of more.

Miscellaneous

I know that there is so much stuff that I could make categories and rules for... music, games, electronics, home decor, pet stuff, outdoor equipment... I could go on and on and on. But mostly this is stuff that doesn't tend to intrude on my buying radar so often. So for now I am just going to let it be. This is the stuff that I deal with most often... someone else might have an entirely different list. I know someone, for instance who would need a whole category dedicated to cosmetics. If I think of something terribly obvious that I missed, I will happily add to this. 

Some last things to discuss:

I will probably mess up at some point here. I've heard somewhere that to err is human, so... yeah. I am going to TRY not to and to stick to my rules 100%, but we shall see. And if I don't, I promise that I shall plead your pardon and tell you exactly what I bought. And then you can all judge me and mock me and tell me I suck at life. I mean, if you are really that mean. I have a thick skin though, and I can deal with you thinking I'm flaky. 

Also in an effort to really be conscious of my consumerist thoughts, I am going to write down what I actually do purchase... as well as everything else I want to buy. I am hoping by seeing these things on paper, I can recognize how my mind is still in the "machine" and how I don't really need them. And then, if all goes well, I can, in the end, not even want them. 

After all, wanting less is even better than having less. 

I wish I had a blog. Oh look, here's one now!

Occasionally, I wish I had a blog.

There are so many reasons that I think they are kinda great... like a journal or diary with pictures and links and all that jazz. They are a record of thoughts, feelings, projects, memories, and I've wished that I've had one before.

But I haven't. For a few reasons. One is that I feel like all of the other bloggers out there have some... point. There are lifestyle blogs, fashion blogs, cooking blogs, ex-pat blogs, crafting blogs. There are farming blogs, sports blogs, science blogs, political blogs, animal blogs. Heck, I am sure that somewhere out there there is a blog dedicated to just about anything you can think of let me check... (opens new page). Yep. I just found a blog about salamanders. But that isn't me. I'm not very concentrated in one thing, and I guess I have felt silly starting a blog with no center.

Two is I am pretty positive that anything I could have to say on any given subject has already been tacked by about twelve dozen other people who are much more eloquent and intelligent than I am.  Why write about something when you have nothing new to say?

Three is that I am dreadful... no appalling! Appalling at keeping up with things. It is a miracle that my kids consistently have their teeth brushed, food in their bellies and clothes on their backs. Because you have to keep up with those things. But listen, I have done diaries and journals, monthly menus and workout plans, daily drawing challenges, and have any of them stuck? Noooooope. I am dedicated for a couple of weeks to a month or 2, then I get off track, and I have a horrible time getting back on the rails.

So that is mostly why I haven't started one.

But I'm still gonna give this a whirl. But if I am going to make this work at all, I am going to need a goal. A reason, if you will, to keep things going. And I love challenges. So I am giving myself a little challenge.

Awhile back, my husband, Andy and I did a "no buying new stuff for a whole month" thing. Which I thought would be hard, but was surprisingly easy. I can do pretty much anything for a month, and anytime I saw something that I wanted to buy, I could just be like "Oh, only 2 more weeks till I can buy that thing". This time, I wanted to extend it out a little bit, stretch myself a little more. Tomorrow starts the last quarter year of 2015. Seems like as good a time as any to go for it.

This is not a new idea by any stretch of the imagination, and people have done this and blogged about this and done it for a much longer period of time. But when I went to Andy, off whom I bounce all of my schemes, he said to start with a shorter time frame. So I am. Starting October 1st and lasting until December 31st, I am embarking on another buying and spending fast. I am going to write out my goals and rules tonight, and I'll post again tomorrow (the first test of my consistency, I guess) when my little challenge actually starts. This could be fun. Lets see if I actually do it...

Emily