Life gets crazy....and you let stuff slide.

So, a lot has happened in the last well....almost a year (hangs head in shame). Although I do say that I think the last time that I actually wrote in my journal was more than a year ago, so I am doing good!

Catching up, I've had a baby! What!? Yep, a baby girl. She was a chunky monkey! I ended up being induced and had so much fluid, it was crazy! She was out in one big swoop. Probably a surfer chick....

We also lost our dog, Atlas. Poor thing got hit by a car. It's awful but we are sure he's feeling better now and he has all four legs!

Hopefully I will be able to come back on and do my blog. My friends have been doing more to theirs and it's pushed me to come back to mine.... I just didn't realize it'd been almost a YEAR since I've written on it. Oh well.... it'll get better.

Living without WHAT!?

So.... I tried everyone. I did. I tried to get my kids to have fun and to do fun things every day but they revolted! They wouldn't do it and would whine and complain and be terrible the whole time. WHY!? A friend of mind made comment that maybe they are just used to me doing fun things. WHAT?! I totally understand though. My kids get bored with me playing the piano and dancing around the house.....does yours? Maybe I need to tone it down so my kids appreciate my FUNNESS....yes. I totally just made that up. So I guess for now, that list has become sort of a Summer Bucket List. I will throw out a few things that I wasn't TOTALLY looking forward to, but we will see. We just did Mind Jars and that went over well.... I will have to post about that soon.

Meanwhile, my Honey and I have come to a complete realization.....we have way too much stuff. AGH! This is nothing new people. I knew I had too much stuff and my friends all know I have too much stuff! That's just me, right? Wrong! We have decided that the stress and clutter and all that comes with it does not belong in our home.... or in our lives for that matter.

Doctrine and Covenants 88:119 (from the Doctrine and Covenants a part of the Book of Mormon)
"Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God"

We couldn't do it. We couldn't get ahead of the kids. I felt like I am constantly cleaning only to be left with a mess at the end of the day. Our kitchen was COVERED in dirty dishes.....

I don't think you believe me.....well, I'll show you just what our house looked like. Now, these are REAL photos....don't judge.

Doesn't it look like I set this room up to take a picture for the next I SPY book?

Those are clean dishes.....I know amazing....but still out on the table.

A whole lotta crap on the counter!

Lovely huh?

Um... I have no words.

The OTHER side of the room.

The front room.

The toy box.....for downstairs.

Dress up clothes.

Junk...why?

The hallway upstairs....you know, the one we "cleaned out."

Our bedroom

 Now looking at these pictures you are probably thinking... what a terrible mom? I know! I feel like it! I feel like a terrible wife and mother. I feel like I can't take care of my home like I am supposed to. But now? Looking at it with new eyes and a new mindset...no wonder. We have way more stuff than our family needs. So? We are going to adopt a "Minimalistic" mindset. Of course this could take years, but we are off to a good start and my Honey and I are BOTH resolved.....which will mean more in the long run. So for now, we purge and we purge. I have small fleeting moments when I would love to go shopping, but I must change.

I must change so my children will know what a clean home feels like.
I must change so my children will know HOW to clean.
I must change so we can save money instead of buying things I don't need.
I must change so that we can afford the things we DO.
I must change so we can afford to give our family more experiences.
I must change so I feel better about my role as a wife and mother.

Change will make us all happier. We know this to be inspired revelation to our family and I hope you feel inspired to do what fits YOUR family best!

For now....feed the URGE to PURGE! lol

Week 2: Didn't Happen

Well, I tried. I really did but then it all fell apart. How?! I wanted it to work! I even tried to do some projects and my kids REJECTED ME! Agh! My mom reminded me that I am trying to do too much. And? She's right. I just started another leg of my life changing eating style....to be Gluten AND Dairy free. It sucks....just so you know.

So....I will try to make up some things from this week, like the sharpie tie dye....just because I really wanted to do it. Also, I might try to combine a few in a day if I feel really good.

Ugh. I feel kinda crappy.....I feel like I'm just giving up! Well, here's this weeks "ideas."

Monday: Egg Geodes
Tuesday: Volcanoes - I will make a POINT to do this one.
Wednesday: Tree cookies....eh probably not.
Thursday: Bug Hunt
Friday: Hot Rocks Painting - THIS looks cool....um hot.
Saturday: Sand Playdough Castles - Sooooo excited for this one...... STORY TIME!!!

When I was little, my mother had this statue that would sit on her dresser. It was a sandcastle. It was BEAUTIFUL! At least I thought so because it looked like and felt like sand and it was SPARKLY! I love, love, love sparkles. I always wanted one... so I want to make one! lol The End.

 Count my blessings....at least my kids are happy.

Epic Fail....

So I tried sooooo hard to do everything this week and I didn't, I didn't do the milk art - which I WANT to do and I didn't even do the lollipops. We did make ice cream, taffy, potato stamps, and Popsicles....so 4/7? Ugh. Plus? We've started week 2 and I MISSED TODAY'S PROJECT!!! AGH!

Oh well.... this week is ART WEEK: Part 1

Sunday - Major Loss.....
Monday - Pony Bead Suncatchers
Tuesday - Glow in the Dark Painting
Wednesday - Window Art
Thursday - Japanese Hanging Koi
Friday - Sharpie Tie Dye
Saturday - Marbleized Paintings


Let's see how many I can DO this week! I'm 0/1.