Simple Living

As I type this I am sitting in my recliner, blanket on my lap, hot cup of tea next to me, first fire of the winter in the fireplace and my family all around. 3 of us are cuddled up with blankets watching The Two Towers, a fourth is laying on the floor in front of the fire - playing with Star Wars toys.

I find myself wishing I could just get a picture of this moment. A snapshot of a simple, yet memorable time in my family life. However, the camera coming out would upset the moment, so instead I choose to let the moment continue.....

Spending time together... enjoying a shared experience... these are the highlights for me! Sharing with my son a movie that I LOVED when it came out... that I waited in line for hours to see.. and having him enjoy it as much as I do each time... that creates a wonderful feeling in my heart.

See, I am a simple girl. My girlfriend was here today helping me set-up for a tea we hosted this afternoon...and she kept saying -wow, you sure take the simple road. Tablecloth -don't own one, just wipe down the tables and call it good. Can Opener --mine's old fashioned and manual -she couldn't believe it. My tea cups don't match..but I love every one of them that I have collected over the years at thrift stores and flea markets. Each has a memory or elicits a sensation -much more than if I just bought a matching set. The food was mostly home-made and certainly easy.. brownie bites (just mix a box of brownie mix and diet coke, then bake.. yummy!), chicken salad and egg salad sandwiches, pumpkin cake and cookies. I tried to keep it simple and I think everyone still enjoyed the food.

This same friend is often amazed that I cook meals for my family everyday. I find it to be: simpler as we always know what we are eating; easier than going out; quicker than take out; healthier usually and definitely more cost efficient. The hour I spend menu planning/grocery list making and 2 hours grocery shopping is time well spent in my opinion. Over the last year I have simplified our meals also. We eat the things we all like more often as no one minds. I try to keep the meals healthy and stocked with a good variety of grains and vegetables. Knowing we are having a meal everyone likes that is healthy brings a sense of peace for me too.

I find that the clutter of life overwhelms me. I am much happier with less stuff around me. However I cling to some material things because of what I paid for them, thoughts that I may need it or just fear of getting rid of it. Then the clutter builds and I am miserably overwhelmed by it. I am not an organized person by nature, but I am slowly finding my way.....

So I joined the Oprah Clutter Crew challenge. 10 minutes a day and I am on my way to a more organized house, waaay less stuff and more peaceful living.


7 years ago I first read The Simple Living Guide by Janet Luhrs. We have come a long way since that time.. although there is still a long way to go. But the path is there and I am doing my best to keep us on that path. One of the first things I simplified was the holidays. I went from crazy, over the top gift giving to simple. We each receive 4 gifts: something we want, something we need, something to wear and something to read. Everyone is happy on Christmas.. just spending time together, the presents are by no means the focus of our day.. just a part of it. This year I have completed my shopping and plan to stay out of the stores.. I am not going to be drawn in by the advertising or the decor.. I am just going to stay home. I don't want to be tempted as in years past.. buying another gift, then returning an earlier purchased one.. a never-ending cycle. I have put lots of thought into the gifts that have been purchased and I am sticking with my first choice, not second guessing myself.. that will be a first for me, but I am certain that I will stick to it.

In fact, I am putting a 30 day moratorium on shoppping in December. I am going to not spend on anything that isn't a budgeted item (food, gas, tournament) the entire month. Anything I see that I want to buy.. I will put on a list and if after 30 days I still feel likeI need to buy the item,then I can... but not before the 30 days has passed.

Well this post is longer than I expected, but I have been wanting to write it for awhile...so I am happy to have the thoughts down in writing, instead of rolling around in my head.