The million dollar question - where to start? I spent some time in my craft room yesterday, sorting through shelves of planned projects, half-finished projects, and good intentions that I can't quite remember. I'm usually good about putting projects in Ziploc bags but in several I had all the fabric but no pattern. Or the yarn but no needles (and if the project is almost complete, that's a problem if I want to maintain guage). For the ones I remember, I hunted down patterns which lead to more than a few rabbit trails on the computer. I had already made one circle wrap skirt but I cannot find the pattern anywhere, not in my room, not on the vast internet. There are plenty of others so I can make due but it's befuddling, to say the least.
On a positive note, I found $20 in an envelope inside a magazine. Bonus!!
So many of my projects are so near completion that it's easy to lose focus and want to finish them all right now. I'm not sure that's the best route so I practiced restraint as best I could. My day and mind work better when I have a plan, a framework to work within so I accomplish something. For instance, I usually run all my appliances first thing in the morning to get a jump on chores - I LOVE having the dishwasher, clothes washer and dryer all running at the same time. It's the best! I feel like I've accomplished something and so while they're working, I can move onto other things, like eating breakfast.
True confessions: sometimes I get sidetracked by the computer or reading blogs while all my machines are working. And that's what I need to fight. It happened this morning and I'm frustrated with myself. I have a day free of meetings or obligations until after school and I'm almost paralyzed with all the possibilities. Cue framework. As my kids learn, first things first. Quiet time should be first - I'll have to work on that soon. Next is chores: check. Then I need to be working out. So when I hit publish, I'm putting on my sneakers and getting a workout in. No excuses. And CGN will love the time outside. After that? Find one project I can finish during naptime and knock it out.
Slow and steady, right? Time to go get laced up ...
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
Monday, September 23, 2013
Exactly
I had a nasty bout of insomnia last night, my brain running down a million different bunny trails. I couldn't find the peace to get to sleep with an endless to-do list mounting and no way to check things off. I finally meditated on a mantra-type phrase that I learned in my Bible study a week or so ago. I drifted off eventually and I'm so thankful I did.
As I mentioned in my last post, I've been reading and consuming lots of encouraging, uplifting, instructional blogs about living a better, more focused life. So often it's so easy to acquire knowledge but the key is to do. And at this point in my life, that will look different than when my kids are all in school or eventually out of the house. I am learning so much about seasons in life and how so many good ideas are ok to put aside until it's more appropriate and better lined up with my priorities. This post today from Simple Mom is exactly my next step.
I'm finding that I love the idea of things. I see the potential in so much and want to dig in, but spread myself thin. I love being creative - sewing, knitting, scrapbooking, etc. - and I've accumulated a lot of supplies but if I'm not producing, then I am likely falling short of the goal. My Bible studies are like that, I think. I'm storing up a lot of knowledge (God willing!) and then the next step is to live out my faith. However, I'm learning that I don't have to be involved in everything to do that. I think doing a few things really well might be better for me and whatever I'm involved in.
So, good intentions abound in my life. Whether crafting, volunteering, parenting, it's all worthwhile but focusing and doing is where I need to be. Not just preparing (like all the craft supplies I have), not just studying up, but now actually doing. In all likelihood, I'm as equipped as I need to be to get going. Now it's time to get on with it. And this blog post will hopefully keep me accountable to just that.
As I mentioned in my last post, I've been reading and consuming lots of encouraging, uplifting, instructional blogs about living a better, more focused life. So often it's so easy to acquire knowledge but the key is to do. And at this point in my life, that will look different than when my kids are all in school or eventually out of the house. I am learning so much about seasons in life and how so many good ideas are ok to put aside until it's more appropriate and better lined up with my priorities. This post today from Simple Mom is exactly my next step.
I'm finding that I love the idea of things. I see the potential in so much and want to dig in, but spread myself thin. I love being creative - sewing, knitting, scrapbooking, etc. - and I've accumulated a lot of supplies but if I'm not producing, then I am likely falling short of the goal. My Bible studies are like that, I think. I'm storing up a lot of knowledge (God willing!) and then the next step is to live out my faith. However, I'm learning that I don't have to be involved in everything to do that. I think doing a few things really well might be better for me and whatever I'm involved in.
So, good intentions abound in my life. Whether crafting, volunteering, parenting, it's all worthwhile but focusing and doing is where I need to be. Not just preparing (like all the craft supplies I have), not just studying up, but now actually doing. In all likelihood, I'm as equipped as I need to be to get going. Now it's time to get on with it. And this blog post will hopefully keep me accountable to just that.
Saturday, September 21, 2013
Overload
I'm suffering from "good idea" overload. The kids are back in school and all summer (as I did in previous summers) I dreamed of all the things I would do during all my free time. Almost comical, because laundry, dishes and tidying up fill up most of those school hours, even after dropping some volunteer commitments.
Never fails. I think "this year will be different". And it is. Usually because the kids are older, I've added a baby, and other various things.
This year has been a bit different. I feel like I've hit my stride a bit earlier. There's a weekly plan for dinner, homework is getting done on time, more lunches are from home than bought and I'm completing my Bible studies before they're due, not the day of. It feels pretty good. And it should - it's hard earned. Why am I not satisfied? I feel like I need more recharge, creative time for myself. So I'm working towards that. One way is to clear out the clutter in my email inbox (I've unsubscribed from many, many emails) and just leaving the good, soul-filling stuff.
It's been refreshing to read emails and blog posts that are uplifting and encouraging. But there is the overload - I'm fighting to maintain balance. I need to keep straight what my priorities are, what feeds those and advances those goals and what is "nice to have" but maybe later.
So, I plan on using this space to help me sort out my thoughts, keep focused on my priorities and recharge a bit. Fight the overload!
Never fails. I think "this year will be different". And it is. Usually because the kids are older, I've added a baby, and other various things.
This year has been a bit different. I feel like I've hit my stride a bit earlier. There's a weekly plan for dinner, homework is getting done on time, more lunches are from home than bought and I'm completing my Bible studies before they're due, not the day of. It feels pretty good. And it should - it's hard earned. Why am I not satisfied? I feel like I need more recharge, creative time for myself. So I'm working towards that. One way is to clear out the clutter in my email inbox (I've unsubscribed from many, many emails) and just leaving the good, soul-filling stuff.
It's been refreshing to read emails and blog posts that are uplifting and encouraging. But there is the overload - I'm fighting to maintain balance. I need to keep straight what my priorities are, what feeds those and advances those goals and what is "nice to have" but maybe later.
So, I plan on using this space to help me sort out my thoughts, keep focused on my priorities and recharge a bit. Fight the overload!
Sunday, July 7, 2013
VBS Decorating
VBS ended on June 28th but I thought it would be helpful to post a few pictures of what our decorating looked like. Our church modified the Group curriculum to fit our needs so each Oikos was a grade level, with several groups within each Oikos to keep them a bit smaller (about 8-12 per Oikos). Then we rotated the groups between music, crafts, games, drama, snack and demonstrations. Our main decorating areas were drama (unfortunately I have no photos of that) and our sanctuary where the opening and closing were. I hope this pictures are able to help someone else also prepping for Paul's Dangerous Journey to Share the Truth: Athens 2013
Main Sanctuary - we used torches for each group leader to carry (the kids then knew which group leader to stay with)
Altar area where our celebration leader spoke from
Narthex decorations
Pottery and Basket shop
Backside of Pottery shop (so those leaving the bathroom would still seem something fun)
Extra poster decorations
Textile Shop
Food Market
More of food market
Still more of food market
Backside of textile shop
Decorating the doors
We had costumed vendors welcoming attendees to Athens and we played the marketplace soundtrack in the background.
Again, hope this helps someone!
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Photo Book
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Wednesday, January 23, 2013
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