Monday, March 28, 2011

I Love This

I love how this video was done! It makes me wish so badly that I had Ruthie's birth on video. I definitely need a photographer at my next birth! Not that I am planning to have a baby any time soon, definitely not. But some year...



EDIT - Here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoSjlDaO2yw because it doesn't seem to show up properly on my blog...

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Ouch

I have been kind of wiped out by an ear infection since Friday night. It was the first one I've ever had. Seriously, I totally sympathize with babies now, they are BRUTAL! The pain and pressure is gone now, but there is still an intense ringing that is driving me completely bonkers. Especially when the kids talk or scream, it resonates really weird in my ear and sounds awful. This whole weekend was kind of a blur, I hope it gets better soon so I don't go completely crazy. I am heading out to the Dr soon to see if it is better or if there is any damage. Seriously, it really sucks. And obviously nothing was done with the house this weekend...

But anyway, just for fun, and in case anyone misses me on Facebook, here are some photos.

These were taken first thing in the morning, on Friday I believe.







Hahahaha, Ruthie thinks she's so cool. =)

Friday, March 25, 2011

This Moment

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Progress

I did a lot of work yesterday! The basement and living room are both beautiful right now. Today I have to do the kitchen and bathrooms and then this house will be back in business! Well, upstairs still needs to be tidied, and I need to sort through/purge mountains of clothing of various sizes, but that will come. At least my house looks normal now, and is visitor-friendly. It's almost eerie! I forgot to mention in my last post that I also finally got around to disinfecting the whole house and washing all of the walls and everything. I had been meaning to do that since the kids got over the pox, and it feels good to finally have that done!

I got rid of an entire garbage bag full of stuff yesterday too. I probably purged over 150 items in the last 4 days alone! But I will keep going. I am going to peg myself as on track with the Purge. So today would be Day 16. As far as the Shred, I am GOING to do it for 30 days! Even if it takes me until June to do it 30 times! Today is Day 3... I know, shameful. But whatever. I need to learn to not stress about what I haven't gotten done, and just focus on right now and what I can do in the present.

I know that this entire thing hasn't really gone as planned, but I'm rolling with it. I feel like I am pulling myself out of a deep, dark pit. In so many ways. This winter was pretty hard on me mentally/emotionally/spiritually, and that was reflected in my house, as it always seems to go with me. But I feel like as I am finally getting things cleaned and organized and sorted, the same thing is happening inside of me. It's kind of a circular thing. If my house is a disaster, it gets me down, which makes it so hard to try and get myself and my house organized again. But now that things are orderly and look nice, I feel more capable of continuing with my work. It probably sounds silly to those of you who are naturally organized, or are clean-freaks, but I know a lot of you out there can also relate to me! Some days, just getting out of bed is a victory for me, honestly. So I am super proud of myself right now that I have made such progress in the last few days. I hope I can continue! It's nice when things are in order, it's easier for the kids to do stuff (they are painting right now). I feel more inspired as well, and not burdened under the weight of all the things I *need* to do and how shameful everything is.

Random Fact: It is 4310 Kms from my city to Kaffeklubben Island, which is the closest bit of land to the North Pole. In case you were wondering, as Judith was.

Monday, March 21, 2011

It's a New Day

Just checking in to give a quick update. We had a very busy weekend working on the house. We rearranged a lot of stuff, and it looks great! We moved the bookshelves/craft cupboards to the landing on the stairs, which will hopefully help keep the living room free of all the little bits that seem to always surround the cupboards. The living room is a lot more open now too. We hope that it will help Judith to learn to just take 1 thing out at a time, and put it away before getting something new, since it's kind of separated from the work space now. I also completely organized everything in the cupboards, which was quite the ordeal, but now it's all in order and things aren't spilling out anymore. I got rid of a garbage bag full of stuff too, which I think makes up for my week of slacking... I hadn't even looked in the cupboards for probably a year, I always get Judith to put her own stuff away, and she has learned the fine art of shoving stuff in and quickly closing the doors. She learned that from me, though, so I need to stop doing that before I can expect her to.

Once we get the house all in order again (it's almost there, which is super exciting!), I'm thinking of having a family meeting and coming up with some basic rules. I'm not a huge fan of lots of rules, or being The Enforcer, but I think a few standards that we can all agree on would be helpful. Right now our basic rules are No Food in the Basement and No Feet or Bums on the Tables/Counters. Judith seems to obey those just fine, and with the others I have to watch them and make sure because they don't really understand yet. I want to start tidying up before bed, and getting the kids to put their own stuff away all the time (toys, crafts, dishes, etc). I should probably make a rule that food stays at the table too, not in the living room or at the computer. That would probably be helpful for my carpets. The kids always willingly help with chores because they think it's fun, so I don't want to put rules in that area which would probably wreck it. Bed time is never an issue too because it's routine and consistent.

Are there any other rules/routines that you have found to be helpful?

Now that the weather is nicer I feel like I have more energy and ability to have more control over my life. I just want to have some more order, so that there is less work for me, and my brain (and therefore my house) is less cluttered and chaotic.

Friday, March 18, 2011

This Moment

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Another Failure Success Story

I attempted to take Gideon to his swim class on Sunday. It was a big fail. I should have known better, really. He has never liked swimming, and the pool usually freaks him out (he likes lakes better, but even so, he doesn't like going in the water he just likes playing on the beach). I think all the noise bothers him. Even in the change room he was screaming like I was ripping off his toe nails or something. Simply because he didn't like his socks being off. I remember a time when he refused to wear socks, when he was little. Then last winter something flipped a switch in his head and he realized socks = warm, and ever since then he has been very pro-socks. Now to the point where he will not go sockless, even in bed he MUST have socks on (and the world ends if one of his socks gets twisted!). I also realized when we were in the change room that Gideon was not going to be able to take his Blankie in the pool (duh), and that was probably going to be an issue too.

I was really patient and super gentle and tried to coax him into letting me put his swim suit on him. No dice. So then I just started doing it, I had sacrificed my sleep and got up early and got him ready and out on time (despite daylight savings!), so I wanted to at least try. But it was just bad. I took him out and let him see the pool (with his Blankie), I thought maybe he would change his mind, but no, he didn't want to be near there at all. He even calmed down for a while and looked out over the pool, and I pointed out the kids having fun, and the toys, and how he could splash and play. He paused for a moment and thought about it, then calmly said "No, I want to go back to the van." I knew it would be a bad idea to force him, so we just went back and got changed and left.

He was very happy to get his socks back on, and then he was good to go! I took him to the observation area by the pool, and we watched the kids swim and play, and even watched his own class for a while, but he still DID NOT want to go in there. So I guess that's that. I really really should have known, I feel kind of stupid now. That's a total waste of $44. I think I just signed him up because I felt bad that Judith has been to so many classes, and even Ruthie has been to swimming classes with me, but he never has. Obviously there is a reason I never took him!

I have taken him swimming at the pool a couple times with Judith (before and while I was pregnant with Ruthie), and he didn't scream those times, but he did cling to me. I guess now that he's older he can fight me a bit more, and before I could nurse him in the pool, but of course now he's more attached to Blankie, who can't come too. Maybe he would be ok if Judith was there, but obviously she can't come to his class.

The only thing I am really upset about is the money. I know it was an honest mistake, and I'm trying to learn to embrace failure as an opportunity to learn, but I don't like when it costs us financially. I will call and cancel if I can, but I doubt I will get any money back. I really do want to do something special with Gideon, I feel like he gets shafted a lot. I just wish I would have been smart enough to sign him up for a music class or something instead. Something sock-friendly.

Anyway, after our big ordeal, we left the pool. I was super calm the whole time, I'm surprised that I didn't get angry or frustrated at all despite my lack of sleep the night before. I think it's just that I understand Gideon, I just finished reading The Highly Sensitive Child, and it not only helped me with Gideon, but also showed me so much about myself, as I am definitely highly sensitive too. It really validated me, and also reaffirmed what I have been doing with Gideon all along instinctively. I don't feel guilty about "coddling" him anymore, I am just being sensitive to his sensitivity. Hopefully I can teach him to manage his intense emotions and navigate through all of the overwhelming things in life instead of just shutting down all the time like I do.

I knew it was the best decision, even though I was upset with myself for wasting money. I didn't really want to leave, though, since it took so much work to get there. Then I remembered that there are always a lot of school buses parked out back, so we went and checked those out. Gideon was really excited. We have been watching episodes of The Magic School Bus from the library, and Gideon has started to notice and love school buses when we are out. He was thrilled to run up to a big bus, the wheel was bigger than him!

After that we went to a park and he played for a little while. He really wanted to go on the big slide, but had to go across these "treacherous" steps to get there. He wanted to give up right away (like me when I have to try something new), but I held his hand, and he did it! Then he went down the slide and loved it, and climbed back up with confidence, but then when he got to the top of the slide the second time I think he realized how high it was, and he started to freak out. I couldn't reach him, he was too high, so I put my hand up and coaxed him to sit and come down the slide. He had to push off before he would reach my hand, so it took some courage, but he did it! He caught my hand as he was sliding (it was a super slow slide, and he had done it before just fine, but his feelings of fear were valid and I wasn't going to belittle him), and then he was so proud of himself! That was definitely a better lesson for him than if I would have forced him into the pool. If I would have forced him in the water, it probably would have done a lot more damage than good. Not to mention how difficult his screaming would have been for me and annoying for everyone else. I honestly don't really care what the other parents thought of me, even in the change room when he was apparently dying. But still, I wasn't going to push it. I'm really proud of myself for staying calm, trying my best, and then making a wise decision.

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Failure

So... normally I am really good at keeping my word and doing what I set out to do, once I make the effort to set out, of course. It's that initial effort I usually lack. Anyway, I have been excellent with my fasts. I haven't touched facebook in a week, and I don't even miss it. I like focusing on the everyday life of my family, without everyone else I know's lives on top of that (no offense). We are also doing really well with the gluten-free diet. We decided not to fast sugar completely, I need honey in my coffee, but to limit it and only use natural sugars (you know, besides the box of chocolate covered almonds I ate the other day, but it was for a good cause! And gluten-free!). When we do our re-introduction-to-gluten test we will not consume any sugar, as to not interfere with the possible symptoms.

Everything else has basically failed. It seems like I am better at giving up stuff, than actually doing stuff. Well, I've kept up with my laundry as usual, as if I even needed to say that. And some of my cleaning. Just not the floors, STILL. I actually plan on doing that today, though. I managed to get the kitchen clean yesterday, so hopefully that momentum will carry on to today. This morning when I looked out the window it was snowing, so that means it's a great day for staying in. =) I heard it was supposed to turn to rain, which would be wonderful. I've been craving rain lately. I don't normally like the rain, unless it's in Australia, so that's kind of odd. But maybe I am just so sick of the snow that other forms of precipitation would be most welcome. It would wash the snow away, and bring that wonderful Spring smell! Judith and I have been counting down the sleeps until it is officially Spring! You know the winter has been rough when even Judith, my snow-lover, can't wait for it to be over!

I haven't done the Shred or the Purge since I last posted. I think I might just start over with those. At day 4 or whatever I was at. I've got lots of time I guess, Lent is more than 30 days anyway. I'd rather start over than give up completely!

On a semi-related note, I have been reading The Continuum Concept, which has been really eye-opening. I find I often read books at just the right time in my life, and I really do feel like God had this one for me right now. I know my problem with cleaning, and everything in general that I struggle with, stems from emotional issues. Like really, how hard would it be to just clean up? Ok, I have 3 kids age 5 and under, so it's pretty hard to keep up, but still. I seem to have all of these hurdles in my head. The book is helping me a lot to understand some of these hurdles. It's actually kind of a tough read emotionally. It's hard to start to see why our culture is the way it is, and it breaks my heart for everyone. I see the same issues in my kids, which I have always known deep down were "wrong", but were told that they were normal. It's hard not to feel guilty, I feel like I should, but really I don't. And I'm not interested in blaming anyone either. I'm just satisfied in having some information that backs up what I have felt instinctively all along. And THAT gives me hope. I know if my instincts are still intact, and merely just buried under all of the social intellectual garbage I have been fed, that they can be resurrected in me and our society. I feel like I have a lot of de-cluttering to do in my heart and my head, as well as my house. I also recently read Hold on to Your Kids, The Highly Sensitive Child, In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts, The Mood Cure, and Unconditional Parenting. All of these had the same effect. I feel like God is giving me these tools so I can piece together the roots of the issues I struggle with, so I can heal and move on. I read all of these books in the hope that I could help others, especially my kids. But in reality, it has helped me with myself the most. I highly recommend these books to everyone, they have been a really helpful part of my personal journey. At the same time, I think part of my problem is that with this new information has come a season of grieving for me. But I know that is important and necessary. Once those emotions are purged, I will be able to move on with more clarity and intention than before. Just as my life will hopefully be a lot smoother and more organized once I have purged the clutter from my house.

I really didn't intend to write that last paragraph, but it just kind of came to me, and I'm glad I got it out! I love writing, it helps me so much. I need to start writing more (you know, besides all of the huge comments I always leave on Facebook and in forums!). I will keep everyone posted with my progress, I intend to start Shredding and Purging today!

Also - Don't forget to check out my new blog http://cyclopschicken.blogspot.com I can't get it to import to Facebook until I am back on Facebook at the end of April, so you will have to actually GO THERE to check out what hilarity the kids are up to. I also made the kids new tickers for that site and I love them!

Friday, March 11, 2011

She Knows What She Wants

Here is a great birth video I was watching the other day. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zgb7AL7kFbg
The midwife didn't make it in time, and the baby needed resuscitation, but mom knew what to do and everything was fine.

Judith heard the grunting and came running downstairs. She stopped at the landing and asked "What is that noise?" (She knew what it was though)

I said it was a birth video, and then she ran the rest of the way down and looked very eagerly around the corner to see the screen. Then she said "Phew! There's a tub. I was scared that she wouldn't be in water. I am definitely having my babies ın water." Then we sat and watched it together. =)

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Days 2 & 3

Oh my, I'm falling behind already! I have to admit, Day 2 was kind of a fail. It was my last day on Facebook and I took full advantage of that. I did do my daily laundry, come hell or high water I seem to be able to keep up with that. Laundry is proof that schedules help me. I have had the same laundry schedule since we moved to this house over a year ago (I do 2-3 loads every week day, doing different things each day), and it's rare that I fall behind. The schedule has become second-nature and it's really helpful. I'm trying hard to get my basic chore schedule to be the same. My love for laundry is genetic, though, my grandma is the same way. =) If only I loved doing the dishes and tidying up! I don't get a lot of pride or satisfaction from having a clean house, I kind of don't care either way, so that doesn't help.

So Day 2 I did laundry and that's it. I was supposed to vacuum the main floor, which would take about 15-20 minutes if I didn't have to tidy up first. But it's really bad right now, and tidying up would take forever, so I kind of just avoid it all. Maybe today I will get Judith to help me and we'll get it done. It's today's chore too, I honestly should vacuum every day, but my still-lofty-yet-more-realistic goal is every Sun/Tues/Thurs. It's just discouraging that it takes so much work, but doesn't last. I should probably make a no-food-in-the-living-room rule, but it would be hard for ME to obey that, let alone the kids. There is carpet in the dining area anyway, which is the dumbest idea ever when you have kids, IMO. Back when we got this place I thought of getting a big area rug. I had no success with freecycle, and new/used ones seemed too expensive, so I gave up. Now in retrospect, the cost of a used rug probably would have been less than what it may cost us to get the carpets cleaned, but there isn't much I can do now. The carpet is full of all kinds of stains... yogurt, tomato sauce, coffee, hot chocolate, paint, paint water, play dough. Mushed in bananas are the worst. I usually put some dish soap and water on a scrub brush and do my best to get it out, but you can still see them. The carpet has also been vomited on twice, which baking soda and vinegar is good for. And then I actually used a carpet cleaner machine thing for those. It really makes me miss the laminate we had in our old apartment! If I ever own a house, I know for sure that there will be NO CARPETING.

Day 3 was better. I cleaned the bathrooms and even washed the front window which had a beautiful yogurt mural smeared across it. I tidied up the kitchen counters quite a bit and washed the pots and pans that were piling up. I did my laundry as usual. I had everyone dressed first thing in the morning (usually that doesn't happen until noon or so), and I even wore a skirt! Oh, and I made my new blog, and caught up with all of the blogs in my Google reader and on Xanga. Hm, I guess it does make a difference when I'm not on Facebook!

All 3 kids and I did the Shred at 8pm. Dave was out at his computer class. The kids were hilarious and adorable, maybe I will try to get it on video some day when *I* am a little more fit so it isn't so embarrassing for me. Judith did the whole thing with me, Gideon jumped around, and Ruthie mostly spun in circles with her hands up. It was great.

I got back on track with my purging, I got rid of 10 things to make up for the previous day.

1. Broken 18L water bottle - Recycle
2. Glass storage jar with a broken latch - Recycle
3. Dead flowers from a while ago - Tossed Outside
4. Bucket full of random plastic bits that aren't useful - Recycle
5. Water dispenser jug - Donate
6. Oil burner - Donate
7. Ugly plastic covered serving platter - Donate
8. Vegan cookbooks - In a box to send to a friend
9. Other cookbooks I never use - Donate
10 Broken car seat toy - Trash

I haven't done anything yet today. I had a crappy night, yet again, and am trying to muster up some motivation to get at my stuff. I'll post back later if and when I get things done. Thanks for following my journey!

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

New Blog!

Don't worry, I am still keeping this one too. But this one is going to be for my thoughts on parenting and stuff (STUFF! I love stuff!).

I am creating a new blog where I can post all of the hilarious things that the kids say and do. Mostly because I want to have them all saved somewhere for future blackmail purposes. I mean... for the sake of the memories. I know that some of my readers enjoy these too, so here you go: http://cyclopschicken.blogspot.com/ Go check it out, and subscribe! I am still working on the site, but will try to post every day or so. Enjoy!

Monday, March 7, 2011

Day 1

Today Judith and I did the Shred at 4:00. My arms are jelly. My butt and legs are ok, I guess all those stairs do help. But seriously, I can hardly even pick up Ruthie! And the cardio killed me too, I actually had to stop a couple times, and normally I'm pretty good at pushing myself. I think it may have to do with the fact that between Gideon and Ruthie, I was up most of the night. It was a two-coffee morning!

I purged:

- A magnetic board (it's totally bent and all of the magnets have gone missing/drove me nuts anyway). TRASH

- A broken stick horse. TRASH

- A home made pillow (made from scrap materials) that didn't turn out well. TRASH

- A broken butterfly net. TRASH

- A plush banana from Calaway Park. DONATE

Laundry is done, and my chore will be done after the kids go to bed (assembling and putting out all the garbage and recycling).

I also talked to my mom on Skype, and took Gideon out and got his hair cut today. And Judith has told me that we are making cupcakes after dinner.

I'd say that Day 1 = Success.

Sunday, March 6, 2011

March Madness: A Quest for Sanity

Hahaha, I just came up with that off the top of my head.

Basically, I have realized as of late that I need to at least attempt to regain control over my life. Things have been a little rough lately. I think most of it just has to do with this merciless winter (and lack of summer last year!). I do take vitamin D, and it helps a lot, but it's not the same as getting some sweet sunshine. I don't feel depressed exactly, but my mental and emotional health still is not well. I think my problem is simply being perpetually overwhelmed and discouraged. My kids also had the chicken pox last month, first Judith, and then Ruthie and Gideon 2 weeks later. It was hard for sure, but we made it through fine. The only casualty was the house. And my sleep, but I'm used to that. Now the children are all better and back to normal, but I could definitely use a week or so of straight sleep (never going to happen). The house is also at the point where I don't even know where to start, and when I do work on something, suddenly I am overcome with anxiety and can barely get anything done. I have been having stomach cramps, and headaches (which I haven't had in YEARS!), and even tightness in my chest. It's not like the house hasn't ever been this bad before, but I just don't seem to have the energy to conquer it now that the kids are better. My body and brain are too burnt out or something.

Normally, I am the type of person who totally procrastinates, and then goes mad doing everything at once. I am a big fan of pulling all-nighters to clean the house, and then totally leaving it for a week or so before I repeat the process. I really thrive on finishing things, and I have a hard time starting something that I can't see myself finishing in one sitting. Which is probably why I don't really do any crafting anymore, it's pretty much impossible to do anything without being disturbed, and if I do walk away for a minute, the whole thing gets destroyed. And I do best with once-a-week chores, not daily stuff. De-cluttering is really hard for me, even though the end result is always great. I just hate the process, and am not good at parting with things. Purging also causes Judith a lot of anxiety, and Gideon and Ruthie just like to do whatever I'm doing (which basically means making a mess of what I am trying to do), so it's not something I can easily do during the day. The only time I have without kids is a couple hours at night, which is usually spent either with Dave, folding laundry, doing dishes, and/or going online. My family isn't here to take the kids for me every so often, so I have to work with what I've got.

Anyway, enough about that. I HAVE A PLAN! I tend to come up with plans now and then, do it for a while, then abandon it. So, this is a 30 day plan. I don't expect that the house will be spotless and in perfect order, and I don't expect to be the happiest, healthiest person in the world by the end of it. But I do expect things to be better. This is a big step for me. I am starting to accept that things don't have to be all or nothing, perfect or complete failure. But if things are at least a bit better than now, it will be better than nothing. That's probably a no-brainer for most of you out there, but it's pretty revolutionary for me!

I know you are dying to hear it, so here's the plan:

1. Keep up with my usual basic laundry and chore schedule. I have always kind of hated schedules, but if I don't have them, I do nothing. I have to keep my schedules to a minimum though, if I put too many things on it, I get overwhelmed and boycott the whole thing (or stay up all night to do it). So, every week day, I have ONE chore I always do, and ONE type of laundry I always wash. If I can keep up with that, it will at least get the basics done so it doesn't get too overwhelming, while not consuming ALL my time trying to get EVERYTHING done. Most of all, it will allow me not to worry about all of the things that need to be done (which honestly, takes up more energy than actually doing it, while overwhelming me to the point where I can't do it), just focus on the couple things to do that day and let go of the rest.

2. Purge 5 things every day for the 30 days (starting tomorrow). A friend of mine did this last year, and it's a great idea. If I get on a roll some day, of course I won't stop at 5 things. But I must do at least 5 things, which should be easy enough. If I have a crappy/busy day, before I go to bed I can always at least run downstairs and grab 5 toys that never get played with, or go through the closet and grab 5 pieces of clothing I never wear, and toss them in the Donate box (or things that are ruined toss in the trash, I am terrible for not throwing damaged things out, even when I know I will never get around to fixing/mending it). If I run out of things to purge and my house is in perfect order before the 30 days are up, then great! If there is still a lot more to go once the 30 days are up, it's still a success because I DID get at least 150 things out!

3. Restart (and maybe actually complete?) the 30 Day Shred (starting tomorrow). It was really great when I did it back in December, even though I only did for 15 days. I know I will have more energy if I exercise every day, and NOT just little things like walking and taking the stairs. I run up and down the stairs at home endlessly as it is, often with a child or two in my arms. But what makes a big difference is when I actually push myself and get my heart rate up. I haven't had the time or opportunity to go to the gym lately, but I can still exercise at home.

4. Since last year was so great, I am giving up Facebook for lent this year (starting Wednesday). The whole family is, actually! I am totally addicted, and turn to Facebook to amuse me when I don't want to deal with life. But I really need to deal with a lot of things right now, so Facebook has to go. It was a tough decision to make, because SO many fabulous mamas have babies due over the next 2 months! But I will have to wait until Easter to see pictures and read birth stories. I need to put my own family and house first for now. But I WILL be stalking all the mamas as soon as I am back on Facebook! First thing for sure. And I will be praying for all of them while I'm away. If anyone needs to contact me my email address and phone number are listed on my Facebook page. Or you can always come to my blog and comment! I am not giving up the entire internet as I did last year, I am going to blog as a way of staying accountable with my purge and exercising.

5. And finally, Dave and I are going to do a 2 week gluten-free (GF) and sugar-free diet (starting Friday). Then we will add gluten back in for a weekend (but not sugar), and see if we have any health (mental and/or physical) issues. I have a feeling that gluten might be zapping my energy and slowing me down. There's no harm in trying and seeing if there is a difference! I know for a fact that sugar messes with us physically and emotionally, so we are fasting that as well, to eliminate that factor.

So that's it! That's my plan. I know there are different timelines for the different parts, but whatever. I am expecting this to help me finally gain a bit of control over my life and my house, and feel better.

For the next 30 days I will be posting the things I purged and when I exercised. It will probably be extremely boring, but it's not like I have actually been blogging lately! Might as well use the space for something productive. These blog posts also are imported to Facebook, so there will still seem to be activity there. Once that is over, maybe I will be refreshed and inspired to write REAL, THOUGHT-PROVOKING blog posts! Can you imagine?!

It has also been suggested to me that I start a separate blog for all of the fun and silly things that the kids say and do. It's a pretty good idea, that way I can still import them to Facebook, but then I will have a nice collection to look back on. I will try to get on that at some point soon.