This is the worm she brought in from playing in the mulch. She held that little guy for ages. Her expression is not one of stress, but the new “smile” she gives when I want to take a photo. We started with one worm but he went back outside as two. . .
KB has taken ballet this year and says she really enjoyed it.
The recital was last night and it was so fun. 99% of the participants are seminary students’ children and so all the parents are friends. The atmosphere at the performance was relaxed and fun.
Thankfully, one gentleman sat on the front row and put a video camera on a tripod to catch every lovely minute. Here’s the 3/4 year olds’ minute:
(KB is the last gal on the right; the lone girl on the other side of the little boy.)
When I get a sandwich at Subway I like to get a 6 inch roast beef on wheat with cucumber, extra tomatoes, bell peppers, and red onions. It’s filling and yummy and 330 calories.
Yesterday I had lunch with KB at . . . Chickfila. . . and we ordered one of their new desserts, a chocolate chip chunk cookie. As she and I split the cookie and took our first bites, I looked on the back of the tray liner and saw nutritional values were listed. The cookie? 330 calories!
OH MY STARS!
All this cleaning out has got me to thinking and, as we head toward Mother’s Day, I have compiled a short list of things I do NOT need/want.
1. Return address labels – St. Jude’s and State Farm keep us in good supply and since I write so few letters, I still have not used up them1000 my mom gave me the year we moved into this house.
2. Cookbooks – I just have to face the fact that I am not a cookbook person. I have my dear friend the Internet and we are quite happy together. (it also takes no shelf space!)
3. A writing utensil of any kind – I have a sickness in this area. You heard me, I have a pen sickness. There are a gazillion pens in this house.
4. Flowers. They die and it reminds me that there are so many things I am not good at; not a good trail to go down on Mother’s Day.
Don’t even think that I haven’t given equal thought to what I DO want, though (I am an equal opportunity egocentric). I have actually used the lessons learned at the Holocaust Museum in March to maximize “training opportunities” with the children and, if you ask KB what I want for Mother’s Day she will answer, “a clean car”. And just so there is no confusion, I took it one step further and prepared her for the clarifying question, ” the inside or outside?” feel free to quiz her. She’ll say inside. So,. . .
1. A clean car on the inside.
2. My husband to drive carpool one Thursday morning.
3. My children to sit still all the way through dinner ONE night.
See how simple I have become.
I got an email today that told me I could make a gloomy Monday better with the great sale going on at their website. I clicked through and had to laugh. . .
This is a Chloe Women’s Saskia Jewel Green Leather Satchel. This bag is adorable. . . I love it. It is also capable of holding only one’s wallet, cell phone, and keys; it is sassy AND SMALL (13″x5″). Suggested Retail Price: $1,320.00!! That’s $101.54 per inch of purse.
Don’t be upset, though. . .this is only a suggested price. It’s on sale on the aforementioned website for $910.89! That’s a 31% savings, folks. I love me a bargin!
Don’t be offended yet. If you press the “Buy Now” button (which I accidentally did since I was balancing my iPad on my knee and coughing uncontrollably in shock) you are offered what they call the “No brainer” price: $583.00. You read that right folks.
I don’t know how many they started out with, but there is only 1 left.
NOW you can be offended.
Joshua Becker’s book, Simplify, has been a life affecting book. I am praying that it will be the instigator of a permanent lifestyle change.
Ruthlessly cleaning out the kitchen was step one and I can’t tell you how much I have enjoyed using my kitchen over the past two weeks. Not having to reach past four dishes I NEVER use to get the one 9×13 that I use constantly, well it is freeing each time.
Problem is that I have no staying power. In the past this kind of thing lasts a few weeks and then “plop” – it’s over. I am praying that this time it will be different. I am praying that the Lord will work in me so that eliminating stuff becomes an act of worship and an expression of love; worship of the one true God and love for my husband and children.
The living room has been a natural second step since we removed everything for the carpet cleaning. I put the last drawer back into this dresser just now.
I walked away with a black trash bag full of stuff and a shoebox of stuff to put in other rooms. The only thing left is this :
Can you believe all these cords were crammed into the bottom drawer with a portable cd player and screwdriver? Well, I’ve laid them out so all Honey needs to do is look and divide them into the black trash bag or small storage box.
Which room should I do next?
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