stress-free zone

We finally have our desktop computer back. I have really missed it. My pictures go up so much easier and it is more comfortable for me to type at. It also has more of an "office" feel to it, which can be nice. So, now I'm catching up on things. I put all of my pictures off my camera onto the the computer. I am in the process of adding them to blog posts. I am also catching up on other things online since our lap top decided to have issues with me.

So, what have I been up to? Well, besides all the family camping and stuff, not much. I've been thinking lately about the way some people react to stress. I know some people who just face it head on and work their way through it. I know others who would like to ignore it and pretend that everything is normal, there's no stress, and still others who run and hide. I am somewhere between the ignoring and running and hiding variety. I know that the best way to get through something difficult is to just face it and get it over with, but that doesn't always make it easier. When I am faced with something unpleasant my first thought is "where can I hide so I don't have to deal with this?" Depending on the task I can quickly talk myself into just getting it over with, or I do "hide" by playing computer games or getting absorbed into a book. In the end, though, both of those things end. A game doesn't last forever and I've yet to find a never ending book, so I'm back facing the real world. Sometimes my respite is enough for me to put things in perspective, but most times all it did was delay the inevitable.

I'm sure knowing all this will help me someday, but all the knowing in the world does no good unless it is put into action.

Getting through the Summer

This summer has gone way too fast! It's already July and it feels like it just started. I don't think I've done half of what I wanted to get done this summer. I do feel better that we have a lawn and our garden is in. I only hope that we can get something from it. The cooler weather has slowed the growth of a lot of the garden. As for me, many days I feel like I'm just trying to keep my head above water. I try not to compare myself to other moms, but a lot of times I do. I wonder "how do they keep their houses so clean? How do they seem to have time to do x, y, and z? How do they have it all together?" Of course, I don't see their day to day and many of the mom's I'm comparing myself too have children that are in different stages than mine. The other day I spent probably 8 out of 10 hours in the kichen/dining room area of my house. I tell you what, when Robert got home, I wanted nothing to do with that room! Between dishes and cooking and trying to find where the funny smell was coming from in the pantry, I was tired. I also spent time helping Taylor with a project at the kitchen table.

I have been trying to de-clutter my house. I have come to the conclusion that we have too much stuff and it's taking up space and making my house feel cluttered. I don't know what to do with it and it is seriously stressing me out. If things don't have a place and they get piled on the counter, or table, or dresser then my house looks cluttered and that is not a peaceful feeling. So, I went through my books. I took out a lot of books. Ones that were good, but I'd probably never read again, ones that if I wanted to read I could check out from the Library, but maybe didn't need to have. I also went through a lot of the kids books. They are growing older and I think they should have more advanced books. One or two books on counting is good, we don't need 5. I can point out objects in all kinds of pictures, so I don't need books that say what pants are or what a tree is. Rachel loves to look at family pictures and I can point out just as many things in those that I don't need an extra book on the shelf. Robert also went through a lot of his books. We went through our movies and took a lot out. Honestly, I don't want that much t.v. and I don't like the kids watching too much because then they get mean if I turn it off. The kids also have too many clothes. When they can't close their drawers and won't put their clothes away because they have no where for the clothes to go, then there are too many. So, we went through and picked out the things they wear the most and got rid of the things that they don't ever or hardly ever wear. Now they have more room in their dresser to put their clothes away and I have less laundry to wash. We still need to go through their toys. I am hoping that by selling their toys at a yard sale and letting them get something with the money then they will be less hesitant to part with their things. Something that we have been enjoying lately is audio books and I would like to encourage them to put their money towards that, or to save it for a big family trip sometime in the future.

Monday Miracles

1. Boxes- Do you know what you can do with a box? Depending on the size, you pack stuff in it, or empty, a box can become a boat, a rocket, a house, or a dolly swimming pool. Yes, boxes are wonderful.

2. Q-tips- So good for so many things.

3. Marble- You can take this rock and make countertops, cutting boards, rolling pins, use it in architecture, and besides being strong, it's beautiful.

4.Trees- You get paper for books, wood for the fire, logs to build houses, yes, trees are a miracle.

5. Cherries- Yum

Racing

So, I'm kinda thinking that I want to run a 5K. I want to have something to work for and I want to improve my cardiovascular health, and I've heard running is good for that. I have some friends we recently ran a 5K and I really admire them and wonder if I even could? I think I could. We usually go down to Utah for the 4th of July weekend and they have a 5K and 10K race in the morning and last year my SIL ran the 5K while her husband ran the 10K. I was very impressed. Of course, if I'm really going to do this, I probably should do some running before then, right? Looking at my schedule, that means probably in the mornings before Robert leaves for work. Luckily it is light then, but man, I am not sure about getting up earlier. It would probably be good for me, though, so I think I should just suck it up and go for it. Yeah, that's what I'll do, just go for it. Anyone have any advice?

My Coffee Table

One of the goals that I've had for a while is to re-do my coffee table. I didn't like the color of the design and I wanted to make it more my own to fit my tastes. I had this idea in my head, but I needed Robert's help with it and we finally found some time for him to do what I needed. I think it looks pretty good. I didn't have enough of the resin that fills in the middles of the tables, so I'm waiting on some of that, but it is usable now and I like it!


I didn't get any of the resin on the matching end table, but it is all ready. I think they are going to look so amazing when they are all done.

Media Diet

Listening to some talks a while ago and also reading some things I realized that I spent way too much time with my electronic media. Too much time on the computer, too much time on the phone, too much time with the radio and the t.v. So, I decided to go on a media diet. I allowed myself a few minutes in the morning and at night to get online, but I cut out a lot of the fluff stuff that I used to do, including any games that I played. I turned off the radio in the car and didn't turn on my itunes in the house. T.v. hasn't ever been really big, so we didn't do too much changing there and the same goes for the phone.

I started this a few weeks ago and it has been interesting. The first thing I noticed is that I went through withdrawals from my music. Now, I know many people who will say music isn't bad and what is the harm of having it on during the day? Also, much music can be uplifting and inspiring, and I completely agree, but with all the background noise of the music, I was missing a lot of what my kids were saying and doing. I began to hear other things that I hadn't noticed before. The same thing went with traveling in the car. It was a lot easier to hear what the kids were trying to tell me and I didn't have to say "wait until this song is done" or "I just want to finish listening to what they have to say on the radio". Instead, we talked and sang songs. It was more of a bonding experience than previously. And then in the quiet moments, I had time to think and reflect and that was nice.

The computer ended up not being has hard to let go of as I thought it would be. I have just kept myself busy doing other things. Things like reading books to the kids, picking up the house, putting together puzzles, and going outside if the weather is nice. I found that I really haven't missed out on too much if I only take a few minutes in the morning and evening. There have been a few times during the day when I have needed to look something up and I've turned the computer on, but those times have been the exception rather than the rule, and once I'm done, I turn the computer off. Our home has been better since I quit ignoring the kids so that I could play a game or mindlessly surf for things I didn't need.

This has been an interesting experience. I think it is something that I am going to keep doing. I guess if we want more music in our home, we will have to make it ourselves, maybe that will inspire me to practice the piano a little more ;)

Monday Miracles

1. Hot running water
2. Kitchen Tables
3. Warm Sweatshirts
4. Fuzzy socks
5. Pillowtop mattresses