I enjoy making fairy/gnome houses for my kids to play with. Because of this, we seem to have a small fairy village starting to grow in our house. I love offering my children handmade toys which spark their imaginations. Here is my latest creation, which my daughter really likes and is antsy to play with. I made the roof removable so that she could easily move her dolls and furniture in and out.
fairy table and chair
My kids keep my inner child alive and well. They both have beautiful imaginations which nourish my own. On this warm Read the rest of this entry »
Yesterday began like any other Tuesday. Then, a friend called and told me her happy news. She’s expecting her third child. Immediately following my excitement for her, I was slapped in the face with my own disappointment. Why? Can I be honest and vulnerable here? Last year, I was given a wonderful gift. I became pregnant. It would have been our third child and I was elated (after the initial shock wore off). Sadly, I miscarried. It crushed me and I cried for days. I felt like my heart had been Read the rest of this entry »
My son wanted to say one last “goodbye” to the car
We are officially a one-car family as of today! For months, we’ve discussed the idea of going from two cars to one. Here was our thinking: Dan already commutes to work by bike or bus during the week. We live on a bus route and are conveniently close to downtown, which makes the commute easier. I stay home during the week and use one car to run errands and go on Read the rest of this entry »
my daughter walking with her aunt
I love taking long leisurely walks. I suppose I’ve always enjoyed walking and seeing the world at a slower pace. It is a time to collect my thoughts, exercise my body, stay grounded, and maintain my overall well-being. Like many people, though, I am also guilty of being too busy to “stop and smell the roses” at times. I hope I never forget how wonderful a stroll can be. When Read the rest of this entry »
As part of my journey of simplicity, I have been chipping away at my wardrobe…slowly but surely. Participating in Project 333 has helped me tremendously. Each season, I count up all of my clothing and accessory items to be sure the overall total hasn’t increased. The tally had been hovering above 100 for months. I kept whittling away, focusing on the goal of a simpler, tidier, more streamlined wardrobe filled with the clothes I actually love wearing. Gone is the habit of stashing an unadored shirt or Read the rest of this entry »
Garages are meant to store vehicles, right? It also makes sense to store other items there such as tools, bicycles, folding chairs, and trash cans. I get that, but when did we decide to designate the garage as a permanent storage space for household stuff? I’ve seen plenty of garages that can no longer accommodate the cars they were meant to store. Rather, the cars are parked on the street, rain or shine. Does this describe your situation? If so, you are not alone. Do you want your Read the rest of this entry »
At our house, each of us has a plastic bin labeled “keepsakes” which we keep on a shelf in our basement. Periodically, I revisit my stash of old birthday cards, letters, and other mementos so that I can weed out the items which no longer pull at my heartstrings. This takes time. Once I open the bin, I get lost reading old letters (yes, actual snail mail) and reminiscing. It is interesting to spend time getting reacquainted with my 15-year-old or 21-year-old self. I enjoy having letters to reread, but I don’t feel that I have to keep them all. Letting go of letters and newspaper articles won’t magically erase those events from having happened to me, right? Of course not! After about an hour of sorting through my sentimental papers, I was able to toss a great pile into the recycling bin.
goodbye pile of keepsakes
I even threw out a journal (big step for me). Oh, did I forget to mention that I have an entire separate bin of journals? What I was able to do was downsize my two boxes into one keepsake/journal bin. Read the rest of this entry »
I think I have a young minimalist on my hands (at least, one in the making). I’m speaking of my creative, energetic, chatterbox 8-year old daughter. One morning this week, I stumbled into the kitchen, half-awake, to make myself some coffee. Before I could reach the teapot, this sprightly daughter of mine bounced into the room announcing she had a pile of stuffed animals she’d like to part with. “Uh….ok…that is great!” I mumbled, caught off guard by her radiating energy so early in the morning. I Read the rest of this entry »
I enjoy flipping through photo albums. I like having tangible photos around when I feel like reminiscing. That said, I had too many. Every time I glanced at the shelf of albums, I thought to myself I should really get rid of some photos. Then, I’d distract myself with an unrelated task. Logically, I know that delaying a task will only add stress. Well, I decided to roll up my sleeves and take on the photo challenge.
pile of albums to deal with
Honest Simplicity 