Life ... It's How You Live It.

All I can smell around here is the Jasmine. It is so beautiful. It covers the back fence on our "tuscan patio". This is the first spring that we've lived in this house and the first time we've seen it in blooom. It is glorious. Every time I open the window in this office, the smell just wafts in. It's not overpowering, just subtle and very soothing. Can you smell it ??

I've been making a few changes around here over the last couple of months. I like the results I am seeing. I'm sure I told you about our new nighttime routine. That is STILL working so well ! I'm thrilled.

Another change I've made is going to bed earlier. I had found myself in a pattern of not going to bed at the same time as Rory which left me staying up WAY too late. I'd be on facebook or reading blogs or playing games and the time would just get away from me. All fun stuff, all stuff I still do, but MUCH less now. And I'm in bed by 9:30 at the latest during the week. It's not that much later on the weekends though ... if we try to watch a movie, I inevitably fall asleep !!

I've made myself a basic morning routine that I've been able to stick to quite well. I get up at 5:00 and do my computer stuff until 6:30. I like getting this out of the way first ... otherwise, I'm wondering about it and distracted until I can get to it. Email and facebook are how I communicate with most of my family (since they live on the other side of the planet !) and I just love waking up and finding notes from them !!

At 6:30 I sit down with the rest of my cup of coffee (stone cold by now !) and my Bible. The kids are not usually up yet. But if they are I have them get a book or go do some coloring so the house is still quite quiet. I read until I'm finished. We don't have to leave the house until after 8:30 so I'm usually left with at least an hour. Since lunches are already packed, I just have to get them out of the fridge. I try to empty the dishwasher, water the garden, sometimes I do a load of laundry, make the bed, that kind of stuff. Oh yeah ... I also shower and get ready ! It really is so nice to not have to run around like a crazy lady. And you know ... I'm not grumpy either. You might think that I would be getting up that early, but not so. I love the slowness of our mornings ...

I decided too that I needed to NOT be on the computer as much as possible when my children are awake. I've really started making an effort to do stuff with them after school. I've only just started that this past week and I'll tell you, it has made a huge difference. Coupled with not letting them watch TV during the school week, I've seen incredible changes in both of them. What sort of stuff do we do ? Well Monday we sat at the dinning room table for a couple of hours writing snail mail (watch your mailboxes, I put FOUR letters in the mail to some of you just yesterday!) and playing with Alia's new spotz machine that she got for her birthday. Tuesday I took them to the toy store to spend Alia's birthday money and the money they got recently for washing/vacuuming the cars. Then we came home, put all the toys together and played. I can't tell you the last time I sat in the toy room and played with them ! It was fun. Wednesday it was raining and they hadn't watched the weekly movie they rented last week before I decided no TV. So ... I let them watch that. Yesterday we had some friends over for a play. Today ... well, Rory is usually able to come home early on a Friday afternoon so hopefully we'll get to do something fun with him !!!

It works well to spend an hour or two hanging with them. Talking. Just being together. I still have time to cook dinner while they are having baths and getting themselves ready for bed. After dinner, it's pretty much brush teeth and head towards bed. 7:30 is their bed time. Not their start to get ready for bed time ... but their in bed, lights out, done talking, going to sleep bed time. That leaves Rory and I two hours before ours ...

ANYHOO ... my computer time is up for this morning ... I've actually gone a bit over this morning writing this ... but that's ok. I do have the ability to be flexible too ... BUT, I am going to get off NOW.

Chow.

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beautiful {silence}

Needing to be quiet this morning ...

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{one very wordy post}

During my much needed rest on Friday, I did a lot of thinking. I love my life. I love all of the things that we are each involved in. I love being a wife, and a mom, and taking care of our home. I love planning and preparing great meals. I love that my husband plays sport, and that our son does too. I love watching Jono as he develops that passion. I love having special mommy-daughter nights with Alia when Jono sometimes goes to watch Rory play. I love managing Jono's soccer team (ok, I don't love it, but I do it because he loves soccer!!) I love where I work three days a week. I love that I don't have to work there but that I can. I love that I feel like I am contributing to something great. I love that the kids are big enough now that Rory and I can both be involved in the music team at church again. I love taking the kids to swimming lessons. And watching Alia develop a special friendship after school while Jono plays AFL each week. I love all of the extra bits and pieces that happen each week. The coffee's with friends, the occassional having someone over or going to someone's place for dinner. I love re-connecting with old (like, from the first grade old !) friends on facebook, and blogging, and playing the Wii with my family.

But sometimes ... and last week, was one of those sometimes ... it all gets too much. I start to feeling overwhelmed and just need to stop. I am glad that I am able to do that from time to time. Of course, it meant that my cleaning schedule didn't get finished. My bathroom sinks won't be cleaned until tomorrow which means they didn't get done last week. I didn't do the mopping ... and that only happens every TWO weeks ! But ... I'm not going to beat myself up about it. I'm not going to try and kill myself to get it all done just so I can tick it off on my chart ! I'm just going to start this new week and two weeks of my cleaning schedule a fresh. (and yeah, those will be the first things I do !!)

During these days that I spend thinking and refreshing and recharging and ensuring that I am able to continue on with all of these things that we love, I always wonder if there is something I need to change. Maybe something we need to stop doing. This time, I didn't feel like it was something we needed to stop doing but rather something I need to change.

I've been feeling lately like I've been neglecting my most important relationship. In the business of life, I can sometimes forget to spend time with the One who gave me life ! And that is never good.

So anyway ... on Friday, I was contemplating this. I was reading some blog and I was struck by the similarity of two post. Two posts written by two of my friends. To my knowledge, these guys don't know each other. I knew one of them in high school in Spain and the other one after high school in Japan. They both live in the States now but with one of them in Alaska, I doubt their paths have crossed.

Both of their posts hit me right where I'm at ! I have their permision to share them with you ...

Here's the first one, written by my friend Alex ...

During our visit to Richmond last weekend I was perpetually trying to connect with people that we were trying to meet up with. So my cell phone was constantly buzzing with text messages and calls.

At one point my wife looked at me as I again glanced at my phone and said, "You've been looking at that thing all weekend long!"

That's made me think this week about my eyes, my thoughts, how I can so easily get fixed on something that makes me look down, that narrows my perspective.

I so easily get caught up in small annoyances or inconveniences in my life and think that they're major catastrophes.

Or maybe you'll resonate with me on this: I get so focused on scheduling for tomorrow that I miss what's happening right in front of me. I spent all day yesterday scheduling for the today that I'm now mentally dis-engaged with because I'm so focused on looking ahead to tomorrow! What a fool I am to never actually get around to living because I'm so busy planning on living in the future!

So I've been thinking off and on all week: where are my eyes fixed? what does this tell me about my heart, my thoughts, the things that shape me most?

Then this morning I was reading Psalm 25 and came across this line: "My eyes are ever toward the Lord."

When there's the convergence of a comment from my wife and a word from Scripture, that generally means that there's something here for me to pay attention to.

So I'm thinking about this today, thought I'd invite you in. Where are your eyes fixed? What does that tell you about your heart, your thoughts, the things that are shaping you most right now?

And the second one, written by my friend Khrista ... (and Oswald Chambers!)

While reading this morning, this really struck me...it is relevant to all, maybe some in particular, more now, than ever...

Keep Recognizing Jesus
. . . Peter . . . walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid . . . —Matthew 14:29-30

The wind really was boisterous and the waves really were high, but Peter didn’t see them at first. He didn’t consider them at all; he simply recognized his Lord, stepped out in recognition of Him, and "walked on the water." Then he began to take those things around him into account, and instantly, down he went. Why couldn’t our Lord have enabled him to walk at the bottom of the waves, as well as on top of them? He could have, yet neither could be done without Peter’s continuing recognition of the Lord Jesus.

We step right out with recognition of God in some things, then self-consideration enters our lives and down we go. If you are truly recognizing your Lord, you have no business being concerned about how and where He engineers your circumstances. The things surrounding you are real, but when you look at them you are immediately overwhelmed, and even unable to recognize Jesus. Then comes His rebuke, ". . . why did you doubt?" ( Matthew 14:31 ). Let your actual circumstances be what they may, but keep recognizing Jesus, maintaining complete reliance upon Him.

If you debate for even one second when God has spoken, it is all over for you. Never start to say, "Well, I wonder if He really did speak to me?" Be reckless immediately— totally unrestrained and willing to risk everything— by casting your all upon Him. You do not know when His voice will come to you, but whenever the realization of God comes, even in the faintest way imaginable, be determined to recklessly abandon yourself, surrendering everything to Him. It is only through abandonment of yourself and your circumstances that you will recognize Him. You will only recognize His voice more clearly through recklessness— being willing to risk your all.

-My Utmost For His Highest, Oswald Chambers...emphasis added

And then this morning at church ... the sermon was about knowing Jesus. About getting back to basics. All the fluff and nonsense of 'religion' needs to be ignored. It's just about Jesus and becoming like Him.

Where are my eyes ?
Where is my focus ?

How do I live life ... in all of it's business ... and keep my eyes focused where they should be ?

This is what I'm thinking about ...

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{thinking again}

i have a post brewing but it's going to have to wait til tomorrow

today
i
am
resting

i cleared my schedule
have played countless games of farkle on facebook
soaked in the bath
read books
and
blogs
and now
i'm going to go make some lunch
and think
and evaluate
and try and make some changes

i do this
from time to time
when life gets out of hand
and
i start to feel overwhelmed

it works

better than what i used to do as a teenager
which
was
to
keep going
until
my body stopped
and
i got sick

not good
no, not good at all

this way is better

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{charts}

it's happened ! finally !! they are doing it all on their own !!

my jono is 7 and my alia is 5. they have always been early risers. me, not so much. or not at all. my alarm goes off at 6:30 and i'm usually up by 7:00. the kids are up looooooong before me ! a couple of years ago, i had the brilliant idea to let the kids get their own breakfasts. it drove me nearly insane to be woken every morning (if you can call 5:00 morning and not the middle of the night !!) to "i'm hungry". i started by telling them they could have a piece of fruit when they got up. but, they'd have the fruit and then at 5:02 (still the middle of the night) i'd have a little person standing beside my bed saying "i'm hungry". so, i moved the cereal down low in the pantry, taught them how to pour it and the milk and voila ... they are no longer hungry and i am no longer waking up grumpy ! it's a win win for all involved !! but ... that has been happening for a couple of years now. what i'm talking about is the next step ... something i didn't know would happen this quickly !

i've recently set up a new home management station in our new house. i did it to help me keep everything in one place and to properly manage my cleaning (something i felt needed improving). i did up some charts ... a big one for me and a small one for each of the kids with daily things they need to do. their lists are the same except that one of them feeds the cat in the morning and the other feeds her at night.

before school they need to : make beds, eat breakfast, get dressed, brush teeth, brush hair, feed the cat, and get their bags ready ... not forgetting to include their library books, home folders and lunch boxes. these have always been their responsibilities but many mornings we'd leave the house with beds unmade and more often than not teeth unbrushed.

my kids love ABC kids, the morning cartoons that play before school. my rule has always been they can watch it once they are totally ready for school. but ... it was always up to me to remember what needed to be done and remind them and check and on and on and on ...

things have been improving since i made the charts. they looooooooooooooove ticking things off. alia cannot read but jono and i helped her at first. now, i think she has the thing memorized because she knows where each item is and ticks them off properly. they come to me and say "mommy, can we put on ABC kids?" and where i used to have to ask if they had brushed their hair ? made their beds ? etc etc etc, i can just say "have you done your charts ?" it's been a great improvement.

but ...

yesterday morning (!!!) ...

i was in the shower and jono came to me and said "mommy, we've finished our charts, can we put on ABC kids ?" (!!!)

it's finally happened ... they've got ownership of what they need to do. responsibility is being learned. and this is one happy mommy !!

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{bath}

wish i could chat

but i can't

well, i guess that technically I could ...

but i've got a bubble bath and a good book waiting

what would you chose ?

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Sharing Tiny Teapots

A few days ago I mentioned feeling like I needed to make some changes.
I've been doing lots of thinking.
Processing.
Planning.
Yesterday I got the kids involved.
I'll post about that later in the week ...

One of the things I've really been feeling is the need to SLOW DOWN.

Life is busy.
That probably won't change.
But do I need to be running around at a hectic pace ?
Constantly frantic ?
I don't think so.

In the midst of the busyness, I'm scheduling in slow times.

One of the things I have decided is that I will walk the children to and from school everyday.
They ride their bikes. I walk.
The weather will be cooling soon so it will become quite pleasant.

It's not a long walk.
Probably takes us 10/15 minutes to get there.
That makes a 30 minute walk for me ... twice a day.
And half of that walk, I'm on my own.

This morning, I just looked at all the flowers

and birds

and clouds

and blue sky ...

It was nice.
Cleared my head.
Got my blood pumpin'.
A perfect way to start the morning.
Slowly ...

I've got more to share but it's time to head out to the school !
We'll talk more tomorrow.

For now though, why don't you tell me how you handle the busyness ?
Do you have intentionally slow times during your day or do you just go go go ?

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Sharing My Favorite Bits ... YSM ... Chapter Three

I took a break from reviewing this book while we were in the States from Thanksgiving through to the beginning of the New Year.

If you missed my reviews of chapter one and chapter two you may like to go back and read them now.

Chapter Three ~ A Simply Beautiful Life

I'm reading through this chapter again as a refresher. It's been a while since I first read it and the notes I made aren't making a whole lot of sense ! At least, not enough sense to be able to write a decent review.

I'm amazed at the words I am reading and how timely they are. It was just yesterday that I was thinking about my life. About balance. And here Jodie is talking about 'inviting balance into your home' !!

She talks about financial challenges, quality of life, over spending, Christmas, getting back to basics, and embracing technology ...

Sometimes I think I embrace technology too much but we won't go there ! Not now, anyway !

I love the bit she shares about 'turning chores into blessings.' About 'understanding the significance of what you are achieving' ... Do we really know the value of what we do ? Sometimes I think not. And that's why it's good to re-evaluate. Nothing says that you have to do today what you did yesterday. Change is good and I mean to embrace it.

One thing that I love about this book and about Jodie's style of writing is the amount of information and topics in each chapter !! She continues on in this one to talk about the home, your wardrobe and different aspects of parenting.

This is a short one, I know. I think though that it's all you need. Just a taste !

Jodie has got a great website where you can get heaps of information, order the book and even sign up to receive her community newsletter. This week's letter just arrived and it was amazing. Talks about making a vision board. Simple. Effective. Great stuff !!

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"Show Me Your Systems" said Shay (Garage)

I had another mocha caramel latte yesterday ... I said I was going to !
It was not as delicious as the first one ... they never are. I need to remember that !
I hope you've got yourself a cuppa, this will have lots to look at.


Remember the before and after pictures of my garage ?
Go have a look if you need to.
I'll wait.

do do do do do do do

do do do do

do

do do do do do

That's jeopardy music if you couldn't tell !!

This first little section stayed pretty much the same except that the rubbish bin and recycle box didn't used to be there. They fit much better there then they fit in the other place. Oh ... the vacuum cleaner. It used to be farther in but this is much handier access. You may be wondering why my microwave is in my garage ! Well, there's not really room in my kitchen ... the door to my kitchen is right there, beside the rubbish bin. Having the microwave here is almost like having it in the kitchen ... plus, I don't use it all that often anyway. I didn't take a photo of the open cupboard because I didn't change anything inside it ... but, it contains my bigger kitchen appliances. Pop corn popper, sandwich press, juicer, stuff like that ....

You'll be happy to know I did indeed clean my rubbish bin after the embarrassing photo in the stinky story post ... I just couldn't not post a photo of it nice and shiny clean !!

Storage is a HUGE problem in this house. We have very little of it available. Case in point, there is no linen closet. We bought this one and it lives in the garage. It had been driving me crazy though. As you can see in the before shot, it was way too full. So ... I moved the extra blankets and pillows ( you'll see where they are stored in the next photos) and just rearranged the rest. Now my linen closet is just sheets, towels, pillow cases and table cloths.

We have this old entertainment unit in the garage as well ... for storage. It works well except I've never known what to do with the big 'tv section'. It's too big to work effectively. So ... that big target bag ... it's got all the extra blankets and pillows in it !! Perfect. On top of the unit, I've got an old computer than I'm giving to a friend, our Christmas tree and the red/white/blue bag has got the fleecy under covers that go on the bed in winter ... plus my electric blanket.

The kids shoes live in the garage. In that white basket. We always come in this way and it's nice to have their shoes right there for those mornings that we are in a rush. We rarely have kids running around trying to find their shoes ! (it's me who runs around trying to remember where I took mine off !!)

This space on top of the dryer has always felt like wasted space to me. Not any more. I moved those stack able white things. I don't know what they are called. They used to be in the entertainment unit but they weren't convenient to get into because I always had it covered with the sheet ... just looked better. But, here is perfect !! Want to know what lives in them ? Hopefully not mice. ha

The top one on the left is those plastic bags that you get from the grocery store when you leave your 'green bags' in the car ! They are good for garbage bags and carrying wet swim suits though so I keep a good supply of them on hand. Next shelf down houses a few 'green bags'. I keep the majority of them in the car but I do like to have a few in the house too. The third shelf down is all of our goggles and caps for swimming. And a box with a few bits and pieces of cat stuff. You know, brushes and junk. The bottom one on the left side has a box of clothes pins. I hang our clothes in the house ... I'll share my laundry system with you soon too ! On the other side of the clothes pins is all the single socks ....

Ok ... the three shelves on the right. The top one has all my cleaning supplies, including rags, for easy access. Middle one ... a box of candles and the bin liners. The bottom one has the phone books. I'd like to throw them in the bin but Rory uses them from time to time so ... not yet !

Moving around the garage a bit ... next to the washing machine. More wasted space. A box holding a water noodle ?? Hello .... !? Now, it houses all of my spare organizing materials. Or ... my stash !! I rarely throw out things that can be used to organize ! Systems are continually changing ... developing ... improving. It's good to have a little stash !! Just make sure you have somewhere to keep it !!!

The last two shelves are closest to the roller door in the garage. The blue shelf houses all of the kids stuff ... except their bikes ! The other one is tools, fishing tackle boxes, Rory's sports gear, the tent, the radio controlled plane, the roller blades and up top ... the water noodle ! Much better home for it !!! *sigh of relief*

In every organizing session ... there must be stuff that LEAVES your home ! We accumulate so much and we just don't need all of it. I am a hoarder by nature. I've had to teach myself to let go of things. After years of teaching (!!) I do it quite naturally and very regularly.

But what to do with the stuff ??

If I know of someone who needs something that I'm getting rid of, I always offer it to them first. I love to give stuff to an organization here on the coast that gives things away free. You know, like a second hand shop ... except they don't sell it. They give it. I love that. As well, I give stuff to my favorite second hand stores. The ones that use the money they make to put back into the community ... I like that too.

The big items of furniture that need to go ... again, if I know of someone who has a need, I offer to them first. Next step ... freecycle.

Our communities are so full of people with needs. I'm constantly overwhelmed by it, by the feeling of 'where do I start' ? How can we ever help all these people ???

"What is in your hand" ? -- something I heard in a sermon that has stuck with me ever since.

What is in my hand ? What am I good at ? What do I love to do ? I'm wired that way for a reason ...

I'm good at systems, paper work, filing, databases, spreadsheets, etc ... I believe in the purpose and vision of the place where I work and want to be part of it. That is why I volunteer as an administrative person.

I'm good at organizing. I love doing it. That is why I help as many of my family and friends (as will let me) organize their homes ...

I cook. I cook well. I love to cook. I love to cook well. Our dinner table ... it's in my hand. We open it often ...

I give rather than sell things I don't need ... it's in my hand.

What's in your hand ? What are you good at ? What do you love to do ?

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Sharing Re-Establishment

(Alia's bed during one of her little organizing sessions ! That's my girl ... !!!)

Do you find that after you've been away for an extended period of time, there are habits and routines that fall to the way side ? I am finding that. After six weeks in the States there are a few things that I'm going to have to work hard to re-establish.

It's funny. I always have this un-realistic idea that I'll be able to keep normal routines happening while we're away. BUT WE NEVER DO. We don't read to the kids before bed when we are away because we let them stay up late visiting and then, well, it's too late. TV gets watched (by all of us) a whole lot more than at home. That's a hard habit to break the children (especially) of. Doing dishes together didn't happen at all. Rory and I helped my Mom or my cousins or whoever was cleaning up but the kids didn't do any at all. They still made their beds (most days) but that's about it.

We had a good system happening before our trip. I really want to get back to that.

It's been a bit tricky though. If you've read this post I wrote last year, you'll know that everything in my house has a home. If I can't find it a home at my house, I find it a home at someone else's house !! Going to the States for Christmas and coming back with three suitcases more than we went there with presents me with a lot of "home finding" objects ! I've spent days working to get things re-organized. Having said that, I'm still left with a few "piles" that are driving me crazy.

Let me show you my piles !! The first one is on my desk. Not the desk that has my computer on it. The other one ... where I can spread out, do craft and whatnot. It's got the school bags that I'm sorting out with school supplies. A box with the travel pillows, scale and games that I need to find a home for. A hammer and nails because I was being a handy man yesterday ! And a basket full of the last bits and pieces that don't have a home. The second one is the buckets of water so I can clean the fish tank. Need to get to the pet store to get some plants but just don't feel like going. I will though. Tomorrow. Maybe.

The third one is on the dresser in our bedroom. Gifts that I need to deliver. And the fourth one is an enormous pile in the garage. The one that's driving me the most crazy ! It is the suitcases and the pile of stuff I'm getting rid of that I need to sort through and figure out who to give it to !!! It will take hours. I am waiting til the kids start school. Until then, it just sits there irritating me.

I find myself very occupied with trying to get the house put back together (and cleaned !!) that it's just easier to let the kids keep watching tv ... and not re-establishing the "everyone helps clean up after dinner" routine. We have started reading out loud to the kids though ... last night we started back with that. And I guess, next week, when school starts, we'll get a more established routine and it will be easier to start up with the other things again !!

I've also started back to work. I work two days (soon to be three once school starts) a week doing admin stuff. I love it. LOVE IT ! But there is a lot of work to catch up on since I was gone for so long. I'll be glad once I get that all sorted and can get back to business as usual.

I also HAVE GOT TO, do not pass go, do not collect $200, HAVE TO (!!!) start working out this year. I've got no excuses left. My youngest baby is now, eh-hem, five. She starts school next week so I've got an appointment with a trainer ... it's all happening !!

I plan to spend at least a few hours a week in the studio painting. I'll be swimming twice a week. I need to find time to study Spanish on my own. I want to learn to sew and have a friend who is going to teach me the basics.

Plus the things I always do anyway ... like, keep the house clean and friendly. Plan, purchase for and prepare new and exciting meals. Spend time with Rory and the kids. And friends. Read. Photograph. Blog.

What was I saying about balance ? Reading over this, it really sounds like a lot. We'll see. I can, and will, scale back if I need to. I am just so excited about FINALLY being able to do lots of the things I haven't been able to do since I started having babies !

On a different and final note ... I read a good book on the plane home ! Rory has since read it. We both loved it. I'll tell you all about it ... TOMORROW !!

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