Christmas has come and gone and we're at Boxing Day.
We're staying in. The neighborhood is quiet. Julia seems perky and happy enough to play on her own and I'e done a little cleaning and some paperwork. Now I'm just hanging out, resting, thinking.
I wish we had more days like this at weekends, and if I want to make my wish come true, I have to make more of an effort to protect our family time like it is something sacred.
Monday, December 26, 2005
Thursday, December 15, 2005
Simplicity isn't always simple
As New Year's inches along I've considered tangible resolutions like "Cut utility bill by 10%" or "Put 20% of income in savings."
While the utility bill goal doesn't affect anyone but us in our household, the other on puts a cramp on how we socialize with family and when and how we chose to entertain or gift.
How do I come out of the "voluntary simplicity closet" so people HEAR ME but don't take offense where none is meant?
I'm moving along a path that is very different from what I grew up with. I'm fortunate that my partner generally feels the same way about things even if he doesn't choose the exact same way of executing or practiving it. (ex: I went veg. and he did not).
I don't sense the same sort of support from family.
While the utility bill goal doesn't affect anyone but us in our household, the other on puts a cramp on how we socialize with family and when and how we chose to entertain or gift.
How do I come out of the "voluntary simplicity closet" so people HEAR ME but don't take offense where none is meant?
I'm moving along a path that is very different from what I grew up with. I'm fortunate that my partner generally feels the same way about things even if he doesn't choose the exact same way of executing or practiving it. (ex: I went veg. and he did not).
I don't sense the same sort of support from family.
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
Hot Cocoa
Paul came to preschool on his lunch break for a bit. When Liz got back from her meeting I took Paul over to Barnes and Noble for hot cocoa and a treat. Carrot cake for me and a huge sugar cookie for him.
He laughed how it wasn't quite the same as lunch breaks from our early days. I told him we could move closer to work and revisit those lunch breaks from yesteryear. We wouldn't eat a thing. :)
It was nice to see him -- totally made my day.
Julia had fun playing at school. She was getting Elden and Cammie to pull her around in the wagon. She was also trying to feed Anne Marie.
Had an intersting converation with Lori towards the end of school. She combats the same things we do with the holidays -- excess gifts, the whoel circle time gift opening, unflexible grandparents, etc.
I'm glad to have a sympathetic ear but I'm sad that other young moms have to deal with that crap.
He laughed how it wasn't quite the same as lunch breaks from our early days. I told him we could move closer to work and revisit those lunch breaks from yesteryear. We wouldn't eat a thing. :)
It was nice to see him -- totally made my day.
Julia had fun playing at school. She was getting Elden and Cammie to pull her around in the wagon. She was also trying to feed Anne Marie.
Had an intersting converation with Lori towards the end of school. She combats the same things we do with the holidays -- excess gifts, the whoel circle time gift opening, unflexible grandparents, etc.
I'm glad to have a sympathetic ear but I'm sad that other young moms have to deal with that crap.
Sunday, December 11, 2005
Savoring
Sunday morning.
In a little bit I have to round up the family and troop off to church.
Mom called three times since Friday and left me an email. Part of me is annoyed at the frequency and the other part of me thinks it is sweet that she's worried about Julia's pinkeye (cleared up already.)
We took Julia to see Mom B. yesterday and Paul helped Whit go get a Christmas tree. It is HUGE. We also took her to see the Christmas parade over there and it was cute. A small town parade, it was about an hour and low key. Just the right size and length for Julia. At first she was clutchign on to Paul's shirt tightly and staring with huge eyse and her mouth open in an "O." Occassionally she's chew on a finger, which I haven't seen her do in a long time. I suppose the police sirens made her feel anxious.
After a while though, she got into it and by the time it was over she was a pro at waving and shouting "May Chris-miss!" at the flaots going by.
Friday before we left for school she found a lizerd on the front stoop and announced, "lizard, Mommy! Lizard!" At school I found one on a branch so I carefully picked up the branch and gave it to Julia to hold. Anole-on-a-stick. Of course, she tried to grab him and he scampered off.
I keep tellgin myself to savor moments like that because she's growing like a weed and in the blink of an eye, these first discoveries will be over.
She says "Flowers" now instead of "flafla." I miss the flafla's.
[...]
Today's sermon was about upcoming holidays, the need, feed, and greed of them, and the 30 Acre Footprint. Basically to carefully consider the impact of consumerism, esp. at holiday time when shopping frenzies abound. I'm probably not doing it jsutice, but it was very interesting and I came away from it considering a "technology fast."
The other stuff along a voluntary simplicity line I've already been doing all year but I hadn't yet arrived at doing a technology fast and abstaining from using high-tech stuff and seeing what I can and can't really do without.
We had lunch at Sweet Tomatoes and then went to drumming circle. That was fun. I'm glad Paul enjoyed it even though he's feeling sick.
Got calls from some ofthe in-laws -- MIL, FIL and then I called SIL.
MIL is trying to work out Christmas Eve and she said Christmas should not be such a PITA. I agreed, but privately was thinking that the one who is making it be a PITA is her. She's hung up on this opening presents thing.
FIL called just to say hello as he does most weekends.
I called SIL because she emailed me and I didn't feel like typing at the time so I just called her up to answer her.
In a little bit I have to round up the family and troop off to church.
Mom called three times since Friday and left me an email. Part of me is annoyed at the frequency and the other part of me thinks it is sweet that she's worried about Julia's pinkeye (cleared up already.)
We took Julia to see Mom B. yesterday and Paul helped Whit go get a Christmas tree. It is HUGE. We also took her to see the Christmas parade over there and it was cute. A small town parade, it was about an hour and low key. Just the right size and length for Julia. At first she was clutchign on to Paul's shirt tightly and staring with huge eyse and her mouth open in an "O." Occassionally she's chew on a finger, which I haven't seen her do in a long time. I suppose the police sirens made her feel anxious.
After a while though, she got into it and by the time it was over she was a pro at waving and shouting "May Chris-miss!" at the flaots going by.
Friday before we left for school she found a lizerd on the front stoop and announced, "lizard, Mommy! Lizard!" At school I found one on a branch so I carefully picked up the branch and gave it to Julia to hold. Anole-on-a-stick. Of course, she tried to grab him and he scampered off.
I keep tellgin myself to savor moments like that because she's growing like a weed and in the blink of an eye, these first discoveries will be over.
She says "Flowers" now instead of "flafla." I miss the flafla's.
[...]
Today's sermon was about upcoming holidays, the need, feed, and greed of them, and the 30 Acre Footprint. Basically to carefully consider the impact of consumerism, esp. at holiday time when shopping frenzies abound. I'm probably not doing it jsutice, but it was very interesting and I came away from it considering a "technology fast."
The other stuff along a voluntary simplicity line I've already been doing all year but I hadn't yet arrived at doing a technology fast and abstaining from using high-tech stuff and seeing what I can and can't really do without.
We had lunch at Sweet Tomatoes and then went to drumming circle. That was fun. I'm glad Paul enjoyed it even though he's feeling sick.
Got calls from some ofthe in-laws -- MIL, FIL and then I called SIL.
MIL is trying to work out Christmas Eve and she said Christmas should not be such a PITA. I agreed, but privately was thinking that the one who is making it be a PITA is her. She's hung up on this opening presents thing.
FIL called just to say hello as he does most weekends.
I called SIL because she emailed me and I didn't feel like typing at the time so I just called her up to answer her.
Thursday, November 17, 2005
Grouchy
I'm all grouchy lately.
Basically because I'm knee deep in holiday season and once again... I'm not spending it how I want to be spending it.
Instea do fmakgin myself happy and letting everyone else go hang, I'm pleasing other peopel and putting my own needs on the back burner.
And that never goes down well.
Ho, ho, fucking ho. Bleah.
Basically because I'm knee deep in holiday season and once again... I'm not spending it how I want to be spending it.
Instea do fmakgin myself happy and letting everyone else go hang, I'm pleasing other peopel and putting my own needs on the back burner.
And that never goes down well.
Ho, ho, fucking ho. Bleah.