Simple paint pots
Simply painting
Showing posts with label simplicity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label simplicity. Show all posts
Monday, January 11, 2010
Simply painting
Another aspect of simplicity I didn't mention the other day was finding new ways to solve problems that don't involve buying a specialty item. I am trying to be more creative. The first challenge before me was Isabelle's paints. I had purchased larger paint bottles but now never wanted to get everything out because it was such a hassle. I wanted to buy the fancy paint cups that I could just open up let her paint and then close up but knew they were several dollars each and didn't want to spend it. Enter baby food jars. While I am beyond this stage I know a few people who are empting a few jars a day and found a friend who happily passed on about 20 jars to me. They are working great. I used a few for her paints and plan to use a few for the house paint to make touch ups a little easier for me.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
What is Simplicity to me?
I have been talking about simplifying my life for a while. I really like the concept. I would like my life to be simpler. I love reading blogs of people who have "simplified" their lives. People who sold their homes to prioritize family, shop at thrift stores, make their own apple sauce, soap and clothes. People who live on farms and grow their own vegetables. I love reading about all that imagining that simple and relaxing life.
Lately though as I have read some of those blogs I have pesmistically wondered if those people weren't just irresponsible members of society who were living in denial of the world they live in and really just mooch off those of us doing the very things they scorn. And how long can they really live like that? Didn't the flower children of the 60's turn into the power brokers of the 80's? Eventually you realize you do have to work, we live in a culture that costs money, a culture where we meet friends out at restaurants, it costs $400 for your child to get a driver's permit and he needs money for some school activity practically every week. Are all these people dreaming of sustainable farms and simple living really just putting off the inevitable need to get a full time job and join the rest of us in our culture of consumption?
Maybe there can be a balance. For me there will need to be a balance. As much as I like the idea of making everything from scratch, I just don't have the skill, patience or desire to do that regularly. Interestingly as I want to pesimistically say that some striving to be simple are simply irresponsible I found in trying to define what simplicity would mean to me that it was all about responsibility. I desire to be responsible with the gifts and resources God has blessed me with.
Initially as I wrote a list trying to define simplicity for me I found myself writing about an idealistic family life where we all sat around the living room each evening working on projects, reading to one another and becoming better people. I suspected my family might not be on board with that plan and when I brought it up one night they confirmed a complete lack of vision for my vision. However, I think taking responsibility for my family by prioritizing spending time with them each day rather than focusing on myself and expecting family time to just magically happen is a more realistic definition of simplicity for me.
Along with that vision I was imagining us learning new things. I gave them the vision of us all sitting around the living room with me knitting or sewing something while John was reading a book, Jake was learning to play some instrument and Isabelle was working on a puzzle. That would be our regular evening activities (because we would never be on the computer or x-box, we would want to be together and work on improving ourselves instead.) I can still learn to take responsibility for my own learning, still work on those projects I was going to do while listening to Jake play piano but instead I will listen to a cd (or I could go watch him kill things on Halo while knitting.) I will encourage my family to learn new things but won't try to remove them from the culture in which we live to do so.
I tried to sum up the family part of simplicity with this, "living a life prioritizing God and family. Helping my family and myself learn new skills, over come fears and obstacles to fulfill the purpose God has for our lives."
I also envision simplicity creating a sense of contentment with what we have in our life and valuing our possesions enough to maintain them rather than see everything as disposable. My family was with me a little more on this one. We have already begun to work on changing our attitudes in this area and be more responsible with all that God has given us. When I asked John what came to mind for him when I said simplicity his words were, less clutter and more self-reliant. I think both of those fit into this part of simplicity. Getting rid of what we don't need and doing for ourselves what we can. I believe the other side of that is hiring out what we can't. John hires people to do parts of a remodeling job he either doesn't know how to do or knows others can do better than him. We have learned to appreciate both the better turn out of a job for us and the client when he knows his limitations and the appreciation of a subcontractor looking for work. While hiring out work might not seem to fit in with simplicity and self-reliant, being responsible to know your own limitations does.
As I thought about my romanticism with the idea of making all my meals from scratch or making my own butter or soap or other staple item I had to ask myself what was the real attraction. I don't really want to make butter. It might be fun to make soap for gifts sometime but not to meet my daily cleansing needs. I realized what really attracted me to those things was the planning that went into them and the preparation it creates in your life. If you can't just run out and buy butter at the grocery store then you need to watch your butter supply and plan a day to make it before you run out. That planning is what I like. Not reacting to an empty butter dish but anticipating the inevitable need for more. I want to anticipate the fact that my family will need to eat dinner every night, my children will need new clothes every fall and Christmas will be on December 25th AGAIN. These are things I need to take responsibility for and not act surprised when they come up.
Those are a few of the ways I am going to "Simplify in 2010". What are you going to do this year to simplify your life?
Lately though as I have read some of those blogs I have pesmistically wondered if those people weren't just irresponsible members of society who were living in denial of the world they live in and really just mooch off those of us doing the very things they scorn. And how long can they really live like that? Didn't the flower children of the 60's turn into the power brokers of the 80's? Eventually you realize you do have to work, we live in a culture that costs money, a culture where we meet friends out at restaurants, it costs $400 for your child to get a driver's permit and he needs money for some school activity practically every week. Are all these people dreaming of sustainable farms and simple living really just putting off the inevitable need to get a full time job and join the rest of us in our culture of consumption?
Maybe there can be a balance. For me there will need to be a balance. As much as I like the idea of making everything from scratch, I just don't have the skill, patience or desire to do that regularly. Interestingly as I want to pesimistically say that some striving to be simple are simply irresponsible I found in trying to define what simplicity would mean to me that it was all about responsibility. I desire to be responsible with the gifts and resources God has blessed me with.
Initially as I wrote a list trying to define simplicity for me I found myself writing about an idealistic family life where we all sat around the living room each evening working on projects, reading to one another and becoming better people. I suspected my family might not be on board with that plan and when I brought it up one night they confirmed a complete lack of vision for my vision. However, I think taking responsibility for my family by prioritizing spending time with them each day rather than focusing on myself and expecting family time to just magically happen is a more realistic definition of simplicity for me.
Along with that vision I was imagining us learning new things. I gave them the vision of us all sitting around the living room with me knitting or sewing something while John was reading a book, Jake was learning to play some instrument and Isabelle was working on a puzzle. That would be our regular evening activities (because we would never be on the computer or x-box, we would want to be together and work on improving ourselves instead.) I can still learn to take responsibility for my own learning, still work on those projects I was going to do while listening to Jake play piano but instead I will listen to a cd (or I could go watch him kill things on Halo while knitting.) I will encourage my family to learn new things but won't try to remove them from the culture in which we live to do so.
I tried to sum up the family part of simplicity with this, "living a life prioritizing God and family. Helping my family and myself learn new skills, over come fears and obstacles to fulfill the purpose God has for our lives."
I also envision simplicity creating a sense of contentment with what we have in our life and valuing our possesions enough to maintain them rather than see everything as disposable. My family was with me a little more on this one. We have already begun to work on changing our attitudes in this area and be more responsible with all that God has given us. When I asked John what came to mind for him when I said simplicity his words were, less clutter and more self-reliant. I think both of those fit into this part of simplicity. Getting rid of what we don't need and doing for ourselves what we can. I believe the other side of that is hiring out what we can't. John hires people to do parts of a remodeling job he either doesn't know how to do or knows others can do better than him. We have learned to appreciate both the better turn out of a job for us and the client when he knows his limitations and the appreciation of a subcontractor looking for work. While hiring out work might not seem to fit in with simplicity and self-reliant, being responsible to know your own limitations does.
As I thought about my romanticism with the idea of making all my meals from scratch or making my own butter or soap or other staple item I had to ask myself what was the real attraction. I don't really want to make butter. It might be fun to make soap for gifts sometime but not to meet my daily cleansing needs. I realized what really attracted me to those things was the planning that went into them and the preparation it creates in your life. If you can't just run out and buy butter at the grocery store then you need to watch your butter supply and plan a day to make it before you run out. That planning is what I like. Not reacting to an empty butter dish but anticipating the inevitable need for more. I want to anticipate the fact that my family will need to eat dinner every night, my children will need new clothes every fall and Christmas will be on December 25th AGAIN. These are things I need to take responsibility for and not act surprised when they come up.
Those are a few of the ways I am going to "Simplify in 2010". What are you going to do this year to simplify your life?
Sunday, January 3, 2010
A Simple New Year
I love the new year, a new season, start of school, Mondays...any time that marks a new beginning, a moment to start fresh and go forward improving yourself in some way. I wrote last year on my love of resolutions...twice. As talked about in last years second post, 2009 was a theme year, the year of Africa. I hadn't really done a theme in the past but it was a special year. Of course in reading about creating goals many people suggest having a life goal or some over arching concept that guides all other goals you make. As I wrote out some of my goals this year I found myself writing at the top of the page, "Simplify in 2010" (I did spend some time trying to think of a way to make that concept rhyme but couldn't come up with anything.) I am also turning 40 this year and so am thinking about how I want to end this decade of my life and start a new one.
Actually 39 could sort of be a parallel to today...This is the last day before we go back to a new routine and official launch into life in 2010. My plan for today is to finish up a bunch of loose ends and then go to bed early so I am ready to launch into my life and discover all the new things I will learn and adventures God will take me on. If today is that day for 2010, this year is that for my 40's. Finishing up those last minute projects of my 30's and preparinto enter my 40's ready for all the new life experiences that next decade will bring me.
I actually just came up with that thought as I was sitting here typing this up but interestingly most of my goals for this year do revolve around finishing up or improving things I am already doing. Crafts and home projects that have been filling up my closet for years, solidifying a consistant work-out schedule, continuing with a second year focussed on prayer, finally figuring out a system to put dinner on the table for my family every night...
These are also a reflection of my desire to simplify my life. I don't want to run around trying lots of new things, making lots of changes or reinventing myself in any way. I want to simply go forward in this new year continuing to grow and become the woman God created me to be. Some years are about change and big happenings, 2009 certainly was, but some years are about stepping back and simply living your life, taking stock of how God has blessed you and reveling in those blessings. That is what 2010 will be for me.
One of the things I continue to work on is my health and healthy eating habits. As I am being challenged by my sister to begin the year with a detox, an extreme healthy food week to jump start my commitment to healthy eating, I have decided I am also going to detox from electronics in my life, no spending WAY too much time on my computer emailing, blogging, reading blogs, playing solitare, etc. Time that could be better spend working on those neglected crafts, maintaining my home or simply enjoying my children and husband. So for the next week I will be keeping my thoughts to myself, or sharing them in person. I will be checking my email as I have created a life where all communication comes through it but won't be responding unless absolutely necessary.
I am going to try one new thing, I am going to try to write a blog post and schedule it to post in a couple days. If it works out I could bang out all my thoughts once a week for you all rather than spending WAY too much time contemplating them each day. Just another way I am thinking of simplifying my life in 2010. As a teaser...you can look for a post on what Simplicity means to me later this week.
Happy 2010. Let the Games Begin!
ps I have a new set up from blogger which I mostly like but can't seem to find the spell check button, I count on that button to make me look more intellegent than I actually am. If anyone knows where it is please tell me, in the mean time, ignore the spelling errors.
Actually 39 could sort of be a parallel to today...This is the last day before we go back to a new routine and official launch into life in 2010. My plan for today is to finish up a bunch of loose ends and then go to bed early so I am ready to launch into my life and discover all the new things I will learn and adventures God will take me on. If today is that day for 2010, this year is that for my 40's. Finishing up those last minute projects of my 30's and preparinto enter my 40's ready for all the new life experiences that next decade will bring me.
I actually just came up with that thought as I was sitting here typing this up but interestingly most of my goals for this year do revolve around finishing up or improving things I am already doing. Crafts and home projects that have been filling up my closet for years, solidifying a consistant work-out schedule, continuing with a second year focussed on prayer, finally figuring out a system to put dinner on the table for my family every night...
These are also a reflection of my desire to simplify my life. I don't want to run around trying lots of new things, making lots of changes or reinventing myself in any way. I want to simply go forward in this new year continuing to grow and become the woman God created me to be. Some years are about change and big happenings, 2009 certainly was, but some years are about stepping back and simply living your life, taking stock of how God has blessed you and reveling in those blessings. That is what 2010 will be for me.
One of the things I continue to work on is my health and healthy eating habits. As I am being challenged by my sister to begin the year with a detox, an extreme healthy food week to jump start my commitment to healthy eating, I have decided I am also going to detox from electronics in my life, no spending WAY too much time on my computer emailing, blogging, reading blogs, playing solitare, etc. Time that could be better spend working on those neglected crafts, maintaining my home or simply enjoying my children and husband. So for the next week I will be keeping my thoughts to myself, or sharing them in person. I will be checking my email as I have created a life where all communication comes through it but won't be responding unless absolutely necessary.
I am going to try one new thing, I am going to try to write a blog post and schedule it to post in a couple days. If it works out I could bang out all my thoughts once a week for you all rather than spending WAY too much time contemplating them each day. Just another way I am thinking of simplifying my life in 2010. As a teaser...you can look for a post on what Simplicity means to me later this week.
Happy 2010. Let the Games Begin!
ps I have a new set up from blogger which I mostly like but can't seem to find the spell check button, I count on that button to make me look more intellegent than I actually am. If anyone knows where it is please tell me, in the mean time, ignore the spelling errors.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Randomness
Tea Party
Enjoying tea in mom's new tea cup.
Me trying to be fancy with my photography. I notice Julia does crooked pictures successfully. I think I might be too crooked but it is still cute.
Close up of the tea cup.
Simplicity
Isabelle saw a pancake mix at the grocery store and wanted to buy it. What-the-heck I thought and tossed it in. We have been enjoying pancakes the past few days with it but it has gotten me thinking about the simple life. On the one hand pancake mix is incredibly simple. Add water to mix and pour on the skillet. Voila pancakes. So simple. But really are pancakes that complicated? Add water, flour, sugar, oil and an egg an you have pancake mix. We are talking about another minute of work. Why are we simplifying already simple tasks?
Pre-School
I am already bored with pre-school work stuff. See how easily I am distracted. Of course the fact that Isabelle wants to plan the curriculum might have something to do with my frustration. It is time to abandon the more structured stuff for the learning activities I am so much better at. Today we are weeding the garden. I am sure there will be some opportunities to learn something in there.
She LOVED the nature center program she did on Tuesday. Another child in love with animals. Apparently she kept telling the people about animals she saw in Africa and they thought she was just making it up as 4 year olds tend to do. No we assured them, she really had seen all those animals in Africa. Ha ha. I suppose they don't get that very often!
Africa
If you haven't seen enough of my Africa pictures I put 646 pictures onto a shutterfly web site. You can click here to see them.
Enjoying tea in mom's new tea cup.
Me trying to be fancy with my photography. I notice Julia does crooked pictures successfully. I think I might be too crooked but it is still cute.
Close up of the tea cup.
Simplicity
Isabelle saw a pancake mix at the grocery store and wanted to buy it. What-the-heck I thought and tossed it in. We have been enjoying pancakes the past few days with it but it has gotten me thinking about the simple life. On the one hand pancake mix is incredibly simple. Add water to mix and pour on the skillet. Voila pancakes. So simple. But really are pancakes that complicated? Add water, flour, sugar, oil and an egg an you have pancake mix. We are talking about another minute of work. Why are we simplifying already simple tasks?
Pre-School
I am already bored with pre-school work stuff. See how easily I am distracted. Of course the fact that Isabelle wants to plan the curriculum might have something to do with my frustration. It is time to abandon the more structured stuff for the learning activities I am so much better at. Today we are weeding the garden. I am sure there will be some opportunities to learn something in there.
She LOVED the nature center program she did on Tuesday. Another child in love with animals. Apparently she kept telling the people about animals she saw in Africa and they thought she was just making it up as 4 year olds tend to do. No we assured them, she really had seen all those animals in Africa. Ha ha. I suppose they don't get that very often!
Africa
If you haven't seen enough of my Africa pictures I put 646 pictures onto a shutterfly web site. You can click here to see them.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Simplicity...again
I knew I had several posts on this subject in me.
Last week my mom and I took the darlings (Isabelle and her cousins Sofie, John and Lilia) to the Arboretum for a picnic and nature fun. It was one of the more enjoyable times as we wisely decided to drive from place to place rather than walk 3 miles with the kids. My mom packed simple sandwiches she had cut into star shapes along with frozen gogurt, a bag of potato chips, a bag of ice, a bottle of juice, cups and napkins. I am special so I packed my own salad. :) The kids loved the star shaped sandwiches and everything else. But they quickly ate everything up to get on with the running around and playing. Neither of us had a camera with so I had to pull out the phone for some documentation during our picnic:
We had a great time and "no rules" auntie encouraged the kids to go off path to get a closer look down a ravine, to find a stick to poke in the duck weed on a pond, to climb the rocks around the man made waterfall and cool their feet in a large fountain. Yes I am that mom. :) Some parents walking around scolded their kids for trying to follow our lead and others gladly joined in.
Part way through the afternoon the kids started getting thirsty. Grandma had suggested that we could walk up to the main building and buy a "special" drink but the kids didn't have time for that. Instead we ended up back at the car popping open the back and pulling out a cup, left over ice and pouring more juice. The darlings loved it and were back playing as fast as they could slam down their juice.
It got me thinking about the treats we had as kids. There wasn't a place for us to get a coffee, smoothie or ice cream cone on every corner growing up. When we were little we begged to go to Dairy Queen every time we went to the cabin but more times than not we drove right by. And when we did stop we were restricted to a simple dipped cone not a big fancy treat like a banana split. And note that we only asked when we drove up to the cabin because we never went to Dairy Queen just because it was a hot day and we were bored. It was always attached to another special event.
However, as my kids grow up there is nothing special about going out to eat. Isabelle knows what drinks she likes at Caribou and regularly ask for a "coffee drink". We can barely go out without stopping to pick up a snack of some kind. I heard a woman speaking when Jake was little and Caribou and Starbucks were just beginning to boom talk about how the Caribou at the mall had just combined her two loves making shopping an even more glorious experience. Considering the success of these companies I don't think she is the only one that feels this way. I have noticed I can't do anything these days without a $4 drink of something in my hand.
The novelty has worn off for our children. There is an expectation that we will stop at Caribou or buy ice cream when we go to the mall. There is no hopeful anticipation that I MIGHT buy a treat. There is the expectation that I WILL buy a treat. But if my children find having a glass of juice out of the back of grandma's car to be an acceptable treat maybe it is time I re-thought my approach to "special" treats. It takes a little more planning to bring your own treat but ultimately it is simpler, healthier and cheaper to bring your own. I read a little blurb today about improving our health and they mentioned simplifying your life in ways like this improves your health by lowering your stress. And I am all about living a stress free life.
This summer was already planned as a low spending summer. But I think that realizing how much fun and special the simplicity of food from home rather than a restaurant is for my children will give me the motivation and enjoyment to persevere and do the extra work this summer. And when we do decide to treat ourselves to a little Dairy Queen it really will be a treat and maybe they will appreciate it a little more too.
Last week my mom and I took the darlings (Isabelle and her cousins Sofie, John and Lilia) to the Arboretum for a picnic and nature fun. It was one of the more enjoyable times as we wisely decided to drive from place to place rather than walk 3 miles with the kids. My mom packed simple sandwiches she had cut into star shapes along with frozen gogurt, a bag of potato chips, a bag of ice, a bottle of juice, cups and napkins. I am special so I packed my own salad. :) The kids loved the star shaped sandwiches and everything else. But they quickly ate everything up to get on with the running around and playing. Neither of us had a camera with so I had to pull out the phone for some documentation during our picnic:
We had a great time and "no rules" auntie encouraged the kids to go off path to get a closer look down a ravine, to find a stick to poke in the duck weed on a pond, to climb the rocks around the man made waterfall and cool their feet in a large fountain. Yes I am that mom. :) Some parents walking around scolded their kids for trying to follow our lead and others gladly joined in.
Part way through the afternoon the kids started getting thirsty. Grandma had suggested that we could walk up to the main building and buy a "special" drink but the kids didn't have time for that. Instead we ended up back at the car popping open the back and pulling out a cup, left over ice and pouring more juice. The darlings loved it and were back playing as fast as they could slam down their juice.
It got me thinking about the treats we had as kids. There wasn't a place for us to get a coffee, smoothie or ice cream cone on every corner growing up. When we were little we begged to go to Dairy Queen every time we went to the cabin but more times than not we drove right by. And when we did stop we were restricted to a simple dipped cone not a big fancy treat like a banana split. And note that we only asked when we drove up to the cabin because we never went to Dairy Queen just because it was a hot day and we were bored. It was always attached to another special event.
However, as my kids grow up there is nothing special about going out to eat. Isabelle knows what drinks she likes at Caribou and regularly ask for a "coffee drink". We can barely go out without stopping to pick up a snack of some kind. I heard a woman speaking when Jake was little and Caribou and Starbucks were just beginning to boom talk about how the Caribou at the mall had just combined her two loves making shopping an even more glorious experience. Considering the success of these companies I don't think she is the only one that feels this way. I have noticed I can't do anything these days without a $4 drink of something in my hand.
The novelty has worn off for our children. There is an expectation that we will stop at Caribou or buy ice cream when we go to the mall. There is no hopeful anticipation that I MIGHT buy a treat. There is the expectation that I WILL buy a treat. But if my children find having a glass of juice out of the back of grandma's car to be an acceptable treat maybe it is time I re-thought my approach to "special" treats. It takes a little more planning to bring your own treat but ultimately it is simpler, healthier and cheaper to bring your own. I read a little blurb today about improving our health and they mentioned simplifying your life in ways like this improves your health by lowering your stress. And I am all about living a stress free life.
This summer was already planned as a low spending summer. But I think that realizing how much fun and special the simplicity of food from home rather than a restaurant is for my children will give me the motivation and enjoyment to persevere and do the extra work this summer. And when we do decide to treat ourselves to a little Dairy Queen it really will be a treat and maybe they will appreciate it a little more too.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Simplifying my life?
So I am at playgroup a few weeks ago and one of my neighbors had just been with a friend who coupons. She started talking about what she had learned. Her friend only spends about $20/week on food for a family of 4. She knows all the tricks. Always use a coupon but only use it when the item is already on sale. She gets many things free with this trick. And then things like if it is buy one get one free you can use 2 coupons. So if it is buy one for $4 and get one free and you have 2 coupons for $2 off then both would be free. Well the idea of saving money on food, which after my mortgage is the biggest expense we have, and some months they come pretty close, sounds very interesting to me.
So I went right out and bought a Sunday paper to get coupons. I was amazed by how many I could actually use. Now I might not always use some of the brands I cut out but if they are cheaper than what I would normally use I am for it. I have no brand loyalty. Then I went through the Cub foods ad to find out if anything I cut out was on sale. There were a few things but my best deal was hot dogs. There was a store coupon for buy one get one free and then I had $2 off. Then when I got there it had a $1 instant coupon on the package. So I was able to use 3 different coupons and paid less than $1 for 2 packages of hot dogs. Hurray for me. Of course I almost never buy hot dogs but I knew Memorial day was coming up and it would be a time I would consider eating them. I am hoping to get that kind of deal again on something I use regularly but didn't get the coupons this week. I need to re-subscribe to the paper if I am going to make this happen.
I wish I had figured out how to master this technique earlier in the month. There is a week left of the month and I have $10 in my food budget and an empty pantry. So I guess we will be going over a little. Next month my goal with coupons and sale flier reading will simply be to stay within my food budget. I don't know if I have ever done it before. In June I am going to have money left in the food category by the end of the month. You heard it here first people! Can't wait to see how it goes.
Now the question is, am I simplifying my life? Is it easier to cut coupons and read sale fliers all the time. Plus what I am reading says I need to become aware of what is a good deal on foods I buy. So if I saw a sale on chicken breasts for $2/pound I wouldn't know if that was a good deal or a bad deal. Should I stock up or just buy my one package for the week? I need to know what my target prices are in order to know if I should stock up or not. This is going to take more than a little time and effort to learn, process and organize.
I was reading through the Frugal Granola blog this weekend back when she was first describing their decision to simplify their life. She commented on the fact that making all their food from scratch is not simple but that simplifying their life was really about having a focus on family, health and time together not on actually doing simple things or doing nothing.
Somehow simple/family time seem to go together with budget/spending less. Why is that? I guess the goal is to live within our means and have savings so that every moment doesn't need to be spent wondering if we can continue living the life we have created. How long can we keep all these balls in the air? So John and I are learning to live on our income and are finding life to be so much more fun and simple as a result. Not that we are anywhere near mastering it. John still worries about whether he is makign enough money, we still spend more than our budget some months and we still sit in seperate rooms at the computer rather than sitting together as a family more nights than I care to admit. But we are trying, one step at a time, to create a simpler life.
So I went right out and bought a Sunday paper to get coupons. I was amazed by how many I could actually use. Now I might not always use some of the brands I cut out but if they are cheaper than what I would normally use I am for it. I have no brand loyalty. Then I went through the Cub foods ad to find out if anything I cut out was on sale. There were a few things but my best deal was hot dogs. There was a store coupon for buy one get one free and then I had $2 off. Then when I got there it had a $1 instant coupon on the package. So I was able to use 3 different coupons and paid less than $1 for 2 packages of hot dogs. Hurray for me. Of course I almost never buy hot dogs but I knew Memorial day was coming up and it would be a time I would consider eating them. I am hoping to get that kind of deal again on something I use regularly but didn't get the coupons this week. I need to re-subscribe to the paper if I am going to make this happen.
I wish I had figured out how to master this technique earlier in the month. There is a week left of the month and I have $10 in my food budget and an empty pantry. So I guess we will be going over a little. Next month my goal with coupons and sale flier reading will simply be to stay within my food budget. I don't know if I have ever done it before. In June I am going to have money left in the food category by the end of the month. You heard it here first people! Can't wait to see how it goes.
Now the question is, am I simplifying my life? Is it easier to cut coupons and read sale fliers all the time. Plus what I am reading says I need to become aware of what is a good deal on foods I buy. So if I saw a sale on chicken breasts for $2/pound I wouldn't know if that was a good deal or a bad deal. Should I stock up or just buy my one package for the week? I need to know what my target prices are in order to know if I should stock up or not. This is going to take more than a little time and effort to learn, process and organize.
I was reading through the Frugal Granola blog this weekend back when she was first describing their decision to simplify their life. She commented on the fact that making all their food from scratch is not simple but that simplifying their life was really about having a focus on family, health and time together not on actually doing simple things or doing nothing.
Somehow simple/family time seem to go together with budget/spending less. Why is that? I guess the goal is to live within our means and have savings so that every moment doesn't need to be spent wondering if we can continue living the life we have created. How long can we keep all these balls in the air? So John and I are learning to live on our income and are finding life to be so much more fun and simple as a result. Not that we are anywhere near mastering it. John still worries about whether he is makign enough money, we still spend more than our budget some months and we still sit in seperate rooms at the computer rather than sitting together as a family more nights than I care to admit. But we are trying, one step at a time, to create a simpler life.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Spring Picnic
It is supposed to be sunny and 80 today. Not sure it is going to be either but still it is definitely 70's and partly sunny so a picnic is in order. Adding to the need is the fact that my mom found a cute antique picnic basket at a thrift store which she thought I would love and gave me. She was right. I am delirious over it.
I have friends who say they feel they were born in the wrong era because they so love the nostalgia of the past, the chivalry, dress, formality of the past. While I also love those things, every time they say that all I can think is of the practicality of that thought. No indoor plumbing, no blow dryer, no daily (Ok semi-weekly) showers, no modern conveniences in the kitchen or laundry room and as a woman no rights and likely a life lived in poverty. We all want to think we would have maids but the fact is we would probably all be maids. So I am very glad to be born in this era and instead collect and enjoy pieces that elicit the ideas and feelings of those days in which life revolved more around family and friends and the pace was a little slower.
I thought about that as I packed a lunch. Actually I think of Carolyn Ingells, I think those of us who grew up with "Little House on the Prairie" all see her as the epitome of the perfect mother and homemaker of the past. As I packed I thought of all she had to do in a day. Certainly if she didn't "feel" like making dinner her husband couldn't pick up take out on the way home. She had to plan and prepare and she worked hard. Yet I imagine she did have time to pack a picnic on a lovely spring afternoon. What I was struck by was that likely as she went off to picnic in the meadow down the road she was present with her children during that time. She probably didn't take her cell phone and a magazine to chat with friends or flip through pictures while her children went off. That was likely a time she was interacting with her children and letting the business of home responsibilities fall aside for a little while.
I spend alot of the day pushing Isabelle aside to get my "work" done. Sometimes actual homemaking, laundry, food prep, cleaning, bill paying,etc. but sometimes facebook, blog writing, emailing, magazine reading and just plain hiding from the responsibilities of my life. While I can't avoid the fact that tasks do need to be done I can occasionally step out of the business of my life and be present with my daughter for a picnic at the park.
Now in all honesty, despite these deep thoughts as I was making lunch I still brought my cell phone with and even answered a call from my SIL. However, if I hadn't taken it there would be no pictures to post and share with all of you. Further evidence that I really cannot live without a cell phone in my life anymore and just another reason I am glad to live in this era.
OK if any of you are antique experts, it might be an old sewing basket but it worked perfectly for our picnic.
I have friends who say they feel they were born in the wrong era because they so love the nostalgia of the past, the chivalry, dress, formality of the past. While I also love those things, every time they say that all I can think is of the practicality of that thought. No indoor plumbing, no blow dryer, no daily (Ok semi-weekly) showers, no modern conveniences in the kitchen or laundry room and as a woman no rights and likely a life lived in poverty. We all want to think we would have maids but the fact is we would probably all be maids. So I am very glad to be born in this era and instead collect and enjoy pieces that elicit the ideas and feelings of those days in which life revolved more around family and friends and the pace was a little slower.
I thought about that as I packed a lunch. Actually I think of Carolyn Ingells, I think those of us who grew up with "Little House on the Prairie" all see her as the epitome of the perfect mother and homemaker of the past. As I packed I thought of all she had to do in a day. Certainly if she didn't "feel" like making dinner her husband couldn't pick up take out on the way home. She had to plan and prepare and she worked hard. Yet I imagine she did have time to pack a picnic on a lovely spring afternoon. What I was struck by was that likely as she went off to picnic in the meadow down the road she was present with her children during that time. She probably didn't take her cell phone and a magazine to chat with friends or flip through pictures while her children went off. That was likely a time she was interacting with her children and letting the business of home responsibilities fall aside for a little while.
I spend alot of the day pushing Isabelle aside to get my "work" done. Sometimes actual homemaking, laundry, food prep, cleaning, bill paying,etc. but sometimes facebook, blog writing, emailing, magazine reading and just plain hiding from the responsibilities of my life. While I can't avoid the fact that tasks do need to be done I can occasionally step out of the business of my life and be present with my daughter for a picnic at the park.
Now in all honesty, despite these deep thoughts as I was making lunch I still brought my cell phone with and even answered a call from my SIL. However, if I hadn't taken it there would be no pictures to post and share with all of you. Further evidence that I really cannot live without a cell phone in my life anymore and just another reason I am glad to live in this era.
OK if any of you are antique experts, it might be an old sewing basket but it worked perfectly for our picnic.Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Simplifying Our Lives Part 1--repair
I have been thinking alot lately about simplifying my life. I read a blog called Frugal Granola and often will follow her blog to other blogs about people who are living a simple life. I am fascinated by it but also feel overwhelmed by it. I love the idea but don't foresee John and I selling our house, completely changing our lives and becoming different people. However, I have been thinking about how we can simplify our lives within the confines of who we are and what our goals are for our life and our family.
Today's thought centers around fixing things. I feel it is a lost art. We still think of fixing a few things, we fix our cars when they have minor issues rather than replacing them and we fix the homes we live in when they have things wrong but we just might buy a new car if we need a new transmission or completely remodel the kitchen when the counter tops get a scratch on them. We definitely don't put patches on our clothes, darn socks, re-wire a broken lamp or have handy the number for a repair man anymore. We don't fix things, we replace them. Once upon a time our grandparents fixed things. They bought something and expected to use it forever.
John was chatting with his dad recently who was telling him he found a great welder for aluminum if we ever needed one. Apparently, his office chair broke and he needed the base re-welded. Hello? The chair is old, ancient. Get a new chair, it is obviously time. Yet, for I am sure a fraction of the cost, he fixed the chair he already had which was working perfectly fine. Why don't we do that anymore?
Well John and I are starting. A couple weeks ago I did something to our blender. I think the problem is I didn't connect the blender on to the motor properly and I wrecked the thing on the motor part that spins (sorry to be so technical here). Well my first thought is, great, we need a new blender. It is a nice blender and since they make even nicer ones now we probably would be shelling out about $200 for a new blender. But I thought, maybe we can fix it. I went online and immediately found the part for $8, $12 with shipping. I bet when it comes I will even be able to figure out how to put it in myself. :) Then on Saturday we came home from a family outing, John went to open the storm door and the doorknob came off in his hands. Sort of like it does in tv shows at some funny moment. Of course when all your money is going to Africa a broken doorknob doesn't seem quite as funny. Actually we really had been wanting to replace both the knob and the door since we moved in. So I was a little excited and could tell John was too. Finally an excuse to spend money on this part of our home. Yet I found myself grudgingly asking if he could fix it and he reluctantly admitted he could. So we will continue on with a perfectly functional door and door knob without needlessly spending a fortune to get ourselves a new, trendier but totally unnecessary door and knob. (note the repair has not actually happened yet.)
I can't wait to see what we will fix next. The Gazebo? The siding? The computers? The loose buttons on our clothes? What will you fix?
Today's thought centers around fixing things. I feel it is a lost art. We still think of fixing a few things, we fix our cars when they have minor issues rather than replacing them and we fix the homes we live in when they have things wrong but we just might buy a new car if we need a new transmission or completely remodel the kitchen when the counter tops get a scratch on them. We definitely don't put patches on our clothes, darn socks, re-wire a broken lamp or have handy the number for a repair man anymore. We don't fix things, we replace them. Once upon a time our grandparents fixed things. They bought something and expected to use it forever.
John was chatting with his dad recently who was telling him he found a great welder for aluminum if we ever needed one. Apparently, his office chair broke and he needed the base re-welded. Hello? The chair is old, ancient. Get a new chair, it is obviously time. Yet, for I am sure a fraction of the cost, he fixed the chair he already had which was working perfectly fine. Why don't we do that anymore?
Well John and I are starting. A couple weeks ago I did something to our blender. I think the problem is I didn't connect the blender on to the motor properly and I wrecked the thing on the motor part that spins (sorry to be so technical here). Well my first thought is, great, we need a new blender. It is a nice blender and since they make even nicer ones now we probably would be shelling out about $200 for a new blender. But I thought, maybe we can fix it. I went online and immediately found the part for $8, $12 with shipping. I bet when it comes I will even be able to figure out how to put it in myself. :) Then on Saturday we came home from a family outing, John went to open the storm door and the doorknob came off in his hands. Sort of like it does in tv shows at some funny moment. Of course when all your money is going to Africa a broken doorknob doesn't seem quite as funny. Actually we really had been wanting to replace both the knob and the door since we moved in. So I was a little excited and could tell John was too. Finally an excuse to spend money on this part of our home. Yet I found myself grudgingly asking if he could fix it and he reluctantly admitted he could. So we will continue on with a perfectly functional door and door knob without needlessly spending a fortune to get ourselves a new, trendier but totally unnecessary door and knob. (note the repair has not actually happened yet.)
I can't wait to see what we will fix next. The Gazebo? The siding? The computers? The loose buttons on our clothes? What will you fix?
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