New Year's Resolution

What's your resolution for the new year?  My resolution is not to have new year's resolutions any more...LOL!  Seriously...I want to be a person who grows ALL year long, not just the first two weeks of the year.  That's why this year I'm focusing on the S.I.M.P.L.E. plan.

It's gearing up over there so join us for a S.I.M.P.L.E. New Year!

In love and recovery,

ThereO

Merry Christmas!

May you all have a very blessed Christmas. Enjoy this special time with those you love most and be thankful for all the blessings... I know I am!!!

In love and recovery,
ThereO

The Mommy in the Mirror

For many years, I wanted to be the perfect mom. Then I had kids... and what I wanted most then was just to survive the day. Not one single desire to be the perfect mom came even close to preparing me for all the details of real life. And just when I think I've survived the diapers and bottles, along comes the teen years. Now my prayer may have to be that MY KIDS survive having me as a mom!

Why does it seem that things are rolling along, life is being lived and then BAM! God decides maybe mommy needs a wake up call. My wake up call came today in the form of a teenage daughter (and you have no idea how I struggled to type that!) who is just a little bit too much like her mom.

The reflection I saw in my daughter today was that I...
...really want to do the right thing, I'm just not so good about putting that into action.
...find it much easier to do the things "I" prefer to do, not necessarily what has been asked of me.
...want to please my parent (God) but I just really don't like doing some of the stuff He wants me to do.
...think maybe God doesn't notice if I take the shortcut but He does (DARN!).
...find it really easy to lose my purpose and direction.

My heart is heavy. I want to reflect the love of Christ and if my children are to reflect me, then that is what I want to see in them. But I am human and unfortunately I reflect my human-ness pretty well. So my prayer as I close this post is that, as we draw closer to the birth of our Lord, the mommy my children see will be one of the ACTION of LOVE. That what they see in me will draw them closer to Christ and not farther away from Mom.

In love and recovery,
ThereO

So What Is S.I.M.P.L.E.?

Well, I'm glad you asked.  I had this great post planned about our "SIMPLE" Christmas, even had most of it written but that wasn't what was on my heart.  Guess I'll have to save that one for later this week... I'm sure you can't wait...LOL!

The dear husband and I have had many talks over the past two years or so about developing a "simple" lifestyle.  We live almost in the center of a city that whole-heartedly endorses a "More Is Better" philosophy (the more activities your kids are in the better, the more rooms in your house the better, the more toys you have the better... you get the idea).  Well, we've been down that road and it is just not OUR philosophy any more.  So what do we do??? We work on making things S.I.M.P.L.E.

Somewhere along the path, I began to see that "simple" was more than a lifestyle I wanted, S.I.M.P.L.E. stood for the areas of my life that I want to focus on.  And amazingly enough they line up in order of importance.  So let's take a look...

S - Spiritual... this would include my prayer time, bible reading, learning more about my faith, spending time with God, time at church.

I - "I" (well, that would be me...LOL!)... this includes hygiene, health, hobbies, activities that I enjoy.

M - Marriage... these are goals that I have for my marriage, improving my relationship with my husband, activities with him.

P - Parent... these are the goals I have as a parent, ways to improve my communication with my children, activities I want to do with them, discipline, and habits I think they should have regarding hygiene, health and hobbies.

L - Living arrangements... this is the one that includes cleaning, paying bills, menu planning (if I ever did that), laundry, vehicle maintenance.

E - Education... this is important to me because I educate my children at home, but as they grow older, it will probably evolve to my own education or to a career of some sort.  If you do have children, but don't school them at home, then this would be for the "Extras" like sports, homework, and things like that.

I've already begun working on these this year but am just now beginning to give this idea a voice.  If you read this blog, I hope you will follow me over on S.I.M.P.L.E., as well.  And I'd love for you to give it a try and comment on your S.I.M.P.L.E. plans.  My hope is to have some planning sessions before the new year and then begin with a more formal S.I.M.P.L.E. plan in January.  Hope to see you there!

In love and recovery,

ThereO

This is my brain... on overdrive!

The good news... my online time has decreased.  The bad news... it still needs to decrease a lot more.

The good news... without being online so much, my brain has had time to think about things.  The bad news... now my brain is on overdrive thinking about too many things... LOL!

So since this is MY blog, I'm going to use a little piece of it to share what is now clogging up my brain cells (those who are squeamish may want to look away NOW...LOL!)

Thankful Project - This is a project I started because I desire a family focused on Thanksgiving (the act not the holiday).  It's a nifty little idea and I can see a big difference after only a week.  My thoughts are here wondering if I'm going to be able to do this another 358 days!  I know, I know one day at a time.

S.I.M.P.L.E. - Another blog???  I know... why have 2 when I can have 3???  Actually, I've had this brain child spinning around in my head for about a year now.  I just decided to get it out there and see what happens.  It's hiding out in my brain right now because even though I've started it, I can't quite decide what I want to do with it now... LOL!

The Homeschool - I've got so many plans but that seems as far as they get.  Putting it into action has just not been my strength.  So how do I move from the great plans I have to activity?  Hmmm, that's what I've been wondering too!

The House - There is a phrase in Overeater's Anonymous... "ACTING AS IF."  Friday after I posted about my depression, I decided to try it and "act as if" I was in a cleaning mood.  Surprisingly, it worked!!!  Okay, I'm not done, but this weekend was amazingly productive.  In fact, I'm really stunned at how wonderful the kitchen looks... one of my major trouble spots.  Of course, I still have much to do and hence, more brain clog.

The Kids - Well, I'm a mom, they are always on my mind.  Four kids, four times the brain traffic... need I say more???

The Husband - My dear husband has many things on his mind, therefore, I do too.

ME - Oh gosh, where do I begin???  I'm really wanting to get into digital photography and digital scrapbooking.  I want to learn languages.  I want to read.  I want to play hockey (okay, that one even throws me for a loop... might actually be a good blog topic).  I want to play the piano.  I want to travel.  I want to write.  I want to start cooking nutritious meals for my family (I really do, dear husband).  I need to make use of the tools of Overeater's Anonymous and get rid of the weight that is keeping me unhealthy.  I want to spend time on the hobbies I already enjoy... knitting, crochet, quilting, sewing, smocking, scrapbooking, cross-stitch, music and singing, crafting, painting, I guess the list goes on and on.  And some new hobbies... the digital photography and scrapbooking, play station games, bread baking, green products, Russian history, lots of computer stuff (programming and blogging and design, oh my!), and it seems that list is ever-growing as well.  And the two biggies on my list (for those of you that didn't doze off by now), I desperately want to start a business of some sort that I can do while I continue to homeschool yet raise enough money to put us in a position so we can do missionary work.  Whew!

The Church (God) - This one is pretty much covered in the mission work...LOL!  I want to hold those babies in the orphanages in Romania.  I can't think about it too much because it just breaks my heart but every time I see a baby, I think of those sweet, unheld babies in orphanages around the world.  I want to hold them.  I want to let them know that they are not alone, that God loves them and will always be there for them even when we humans fail them.  I want to teach our children the blessing of loving those that others have abandoned.  I am very fortunate to be part of the community of saints known as the Orthodox Church... I want to not only teach my children the blessing of being an Orthodox Christian but to share that blessing with others.

Oh, did I also mention that I've got Christmas and travel plans and gifts on the brain.  Wait, it may have exploded!!!  Nope, I think it's just EMPTY now that I've gotten it all out on the blog  

:-)

In love and recovery,

ThereO

Rhythm Song - Week 3

It has not escaped my noticing that the third week of moving towards a rhythm has begun.  I've been occupied with the NEW project but I'm still plugging away at this one.  This week's focus is some parenting issues that I need to get in place. 

I have definitely not succeeded this past two weeks as I had hoped.  I still have some things to do before the homeschool list is complete.  And, let's just say, in regards to the house stuff... ewww, not enough time in a year to get that one done...lol!  So I will keep moving on with my weeks but still try to wrap those up as well.

I know many things have not been accomplished because, well, there are just too many things to be done... LOL!!!!  But I've really been struggling these past few weeks with depression as well, and let's face it, who wants to do something(or anything, for that matter) when it takes every ounce of energy to get a diet dr. pepper?  I have realized however, that I have the desire to get things done, just not the physical initiative to get going.  My OA program is lacking, my spiritual fire has fizzled, my joy and peace are non-existent.  So now what?  So now I pray and I ask God to show me how to find that joy and peace.  I hear Him already but do I want to obey? And what if disobedience just leads to more depression... probably shouldn't go that route.

Oh, I just hate it when God wants me to spend less time on the computer...LOL!  But, yep, that's what I hear.  Darn!  And improve my emotional connections with the kids... geez, how convenient... on parent week  :-)  And of course, God wouldn't forget HBD - perhaps I should listen more and talk less?  And I definitely know he wants me to find some quiet time.... HELLO?  Do you know what time of year this is, God?  Do you know what my to do list looks like???  Hmmm, yep, You probably do... on all accounts.

If I honestly listen, it really sounds like God wants me to listen to the music before I try to set a rhythm.  May the songs of your life bring you joy this week.

In love and recovery,

ThereO

Thanksgiving-Inspired

I've been busy working on my "Thanksgiving" project. It's not exactly as I want it yet but I'm almost there.

But first I want to share my plans for helping my children to keep "Thanksgiving" in Christmas. I've been busy finding ornaments for the kids to make. In fact, I've got one ornament planned every day from now until Christmas. 24 ornaments...yikes!... but before you head for the anti-anxiety medicine (or perhaps guess that maybe I've had too many of mine...LOL) let me share that most of these are very SIMPLE. Most need only a few items that I found at the dollar store. So where does "Thanksgiving" come in? As we create our ornaments, each of the kids will have to pick one thing to give thanks over and then explain why they are thankful for that particular person or thing. I want them to dig deeper than "I'm thankful for the trees." Then each ornament will be hung on a tree in their room. SIMPLE (some of you may not know that is one of my very favorite words).

Now, on to the project. I have created a second blog. For the next 365 evenings, I am going to post what each member of our family is thankful for and why. I'm hoping I can get the "old folks" to participate as well. I'm hoping there will be a difference in my family next December 1st that I will be... well... THANKFUL to see. Please join me and the family as we make 2009 the Year of Thanksgiving. Hope to see you over at the Thankful Project.


In love and recovery,
ThereO

A Song of Thanksgiving

So while the rest of mainstream America celebrates Thanksgiving with the traditional turkey and ALL the trimmings, our family has opted out of the custom. Why you may ask? Several reasons... 1-my dear sweet husband is a vegetarian-wannabe vegan, 2-our family is orthodox and we are in a time of fasting, 3-I'm a compulsive overeater and this day FEEDS (pun intended) into that, 4- we are quickly moving away from being a "traditional" American family, 5-I'm wanting to create a family life that celebrates "thanksgiving" every day!

Soooo... I've already begun looking at ways to keep the family focused on thanksgiving on a daily basis. One of my ways to incorporate this will be to begin posting "A Song of Thanksgiving" on Thursdays... beginning today of course. And my hope is to post very soon on my plan to keep "thanksgiving" happening during the Christmas season.

My Song of Thanksgiving...
1. For my God, who loves me and has given me this beautiful life on a daily basis (whether I am thankful for it on a daily basis or not).
2. For my dear sweet husband, who challenges me and who wants to show me on a daily basis that the "road less travelled" is usually the one worth following.
3. For princess, who teaches me WAY more about myself than I really want to know.
4. For rosebud, who has shown me how to be enthusiastic.
5. For stinkbug, who STILL likes to hold my hand and sit by me, even though he is 8.
6. For sugarcake, who keeps me younger than I should be while making me feel REAL old!
7. For Overeaters Anonymous, who has taught me what this disease does to me AND has also shown me what true thanksgiving is.

And my bonus verse...
8. For the Dallas Stars, who won last night....YEA!!!!

In love and recovery,
ThereO

TIME to get real

Okay, I'm coming clean. The TIME for school post is just NOT me. Well, not what I'm wanting from this life, at least. Reading back over it (and thanks for your comment Pres. Kathy) I realize that it is just not realistic to get all of that done this week, nor does it lend itself to the rhythm that I'm seeking. It's basically a to do list. I'm always going to have a to do list but it is HOW I accomplish the to do list that I did not address and that is where I am wanting to find the rhythm.

So back to the drawing board. The time slots for school activities went well today and I definitely want to continue with that. It really seemed to give us a rhythm and although the kids really balked at first, by the end of the day, they did seem a bit more joyful knowing what to expect. I'm tossing the plan for the week in yesterday's post and instead I will focus on papers and finances until those are done... then I'll worry about what to tackle next on the HOME list. Just as with the SCHOOL week, I'm hoping that once that area is complete I'll be able to see where that component of my life fits into the rhythm.

So for now the rest of the house will just have to be as it is (sorry dear husband...LOL) until the papers are done. But I have a feeling this will all be worth it.

Blessings to you all!
In love and recovery,
Therese

TIME for School

One week down... five to go...LOL! So how did school week go? Let's just say the inside area is awesome. The outside area... not so much! But I feel organized going into Monday for the first time since beginning this journey. Schedules have been made for the children. Books are sorted and organized and papers for our history unit are in their notebooks. Our schooling lately could best be described as "unschooling" but I'm hoping this past week will move us more towards a happy-medium eclectic.

So as I embark upon the next week of tasks, I'm so wishing there were 12 weeks until 2009. This week finds me at the "HOME" area of my life. And probably the area that needs the most attention. This area consists of not only the actual house but also finances and papers. So the plan for this week...

Monday - finances, bedroom, bathroom, living area.
Tuesday - papers, bedroom, bathroom, living area.
Wednesday - finances, bedroom, bathroom, misc areas (washroom, hallway, etc)
Friday - papers, bedroom, kitchen
Weekend - garage and yard

This is where things already begin to get tricky. "Scheduling" the tasks of the coming week within the schedule developed from this past week. So with that thought, I should move on to bed and get a good night's sleep. It sounds like a busy week... LOL!

In love and recovery,
ThereO

An Idea for Christmas

(Click on the title above to see what I'm talking about)

How cool do these games look? I'm hoping to win one for Christmas but if I don't, I might have to get one anyway! I'm sure someone on my list would want one of these.

In love and recovery,
ThereO

Finding a Rhythm

As I've struggled with making sense of time and how to use it wisely or efficiently, I find that I'm moving toward wanting a RHYTHM. It makes sense, doesn't it? Our days have a rhythm and we can tap into that or fight against it. I've been fighting against it. Why... back to the drawing board... didn't really know about rhythm or how to create it, too much to do before I can even see a rhythm, distracting children,...hmmm, I bet you get the idea.

We've got 6 weeks left of the year. Eeewwww! But the good news is, I'm making my resolutions now so I can begin 2009 with a rhythm in place. I'm very encouraged and motivated. Wouldn't it be great to start the new year in a good place instead of feeling so behind on January 1? Will it be easy??? Heck NO, I'm already feeling exhausted and it's only Monday of the first week...LOL! But I can see this being good for me and for this family. What if our 4 little darlings were to learn this now? What if our little darlings found the rhythm to their days and got started now... they wouldn't have to deal with excess and not enough time. They wouldn't have to deal with the struggles of "time."

So where does this six week journey begin? Our Homeschool! I'm only 2 and a half years late in doing this... but hey, I know what it's like now... right? So this week will focus on organizing, planning, cleaning and creating the homeschool that all of us in this family dream of... Well within the confines of our home. Our homeschool is divide into two areas. The breakfast area is the heart of our homeschool. This is where the children keep their assignments and I keep planning materials and supplies. This is also where we do our table work. Our storage area is in the garage. That's where we keep last years books and activities and future books and activities. Monday's task consisted of moving everything out of the breakfast area into the den. A very thorough cleaning job was done and now the big furniture has been cleaned and moved back into the area. Okay so I would have loved to have gotten more done but this is where I stopped. I do have supper in the oven so that's a major difference between this week and all the weeks before.

The plan for Tuesday...
Do the supper thing again. Find all notebooks, books and activities that the children will be using for the rest of the school year. Put those away in the breakfast area. Update lesson plans and grading. Basically get that area complete. The rest of the week will be devoted to the storage items in the garage and making decisions on selling/donating items and/or organizing and documenting all the items we keep. I'm also hoping to get our library books organized and finding a rhythm to that process.

I'm feeling the "rhythm" already...LOL!

In love and recovery,
ThereO

Oh Yeah, Baby!!!

This is Mr. Turco... Dallas Stars goalie

Modano... nuf said!

My #3 man... Robidas (oh, and my #2 man is in the picture too)

#2 Grossman... Sugar Cake just faints every time his name is mentioned!

This is actually my second attempt at this. The first failed miserably and didn't make it to a post. My "STARS" I think I've got it. Took the pictures... downloaded them to the computer... found them on the computer (LOL) and posted them here. YEA!!!

I Agree

Yep, you heard it here first... I agree, Louis. In fact, I was thinking about it today as I was going about NOT doing what was on the list. After writing it down, it really sounds silly to try and accomplish THAT much. Especially with all the "day to day stuff" NOT written down. Soooo.... just like the food, I need to cut WAY back.

The plan for Friday....
HOPE - group school, organize, update lessons for all 4, library
HOME - return cabinet, find game cabinet, papers/mail
OTHER - get pictures developed, quilt baby blanket, the old folks

I would still like to cut the list a LOT more. In fact, here is what I am aiming for...
HOPE - group school, princess school, rosebud school, stinkbug school, sugarcake school, ONE THING
HOME - supper, laundry, ONE THING
OTHER - the old folks, ONE THING

So my goals for this weekend are to do some organizing of school, meals, and house so that I can begin my new "time diet" on Monday. Wish me luck!

In love and recovery,
ThereO

Time Update

So how did I do??? Well, considering it was a trial, I guess it would be worth continuing. I ended up accomplishing about half of the list. Now, I'll be honest... there are two things on the list I haven't done but will be doing after my update... when those are done then I'm at about half. I know I would have been able to accomplish more if the family outing had not taken longer than expected. But that is a part of life... some things take longer than expected. On the other hand, I was able to finish assembling the cabinet in NO time because a piece was broken...LOL...which in the long run will take MORE time because now I have to return it. Arrrggghhh!!!!

The plan for Thursday...

HOPE - group school, organization, Princess school, Rosebud school, Stinkbug school, reference books
HOME - papers/mail, glue puzzle, return cabinet, get seasonal decorations
OTHER - sew/quilt baby blanket, Ipods, sew pillows, digital camera, visit the "old folks", get pictures developed

We'll see if being home more will be helpful or if I need to look at cutting down what I'm hoping to do in a day. Only TIME will tell...LOL!

In love and recovery,
ThereO

Time... again!

I must say, I have a very exciting post planned. But I just can't post it until I have figured out how to download my pictures to the computer. DARN!!! Guess, I'll have to post on time... again!

It occurred to me this afternoon that using the tools of OA has really helped bring about a huge change in which foods I eat. The number one tool I use is turning in a food plan to my sponsor. So, I'm going to turn in a "time plan" to my blog. Not sure if it will work out the same way but I hope to find that by giving myself a sense of my day on the night before that I will be able to use my time in a more efficient way.

So what's on the agenda for tomorrow...
HOPE (our homeschool) - group school, Princess school, Rosebud school, History book list, History craft list, some organization
HOME - papers/mail, laundry, put cabinet together
OTHER - sew and quilt baby blanket, Ipods, Digital camera, visit the "old folks," a family time field trip

Okay... we'll see what happens.

In love and recovery,
ThereO

I Had A Dream...

I really did! And I somewhat remember it. It was about how I spent my time. Hmmm.....

I was given an assignment... sort of a school type thing. And we had to use some clay materials. I spent all my time on trying to design the clay stuff for a very unique cover and did absolutely nothing on the assignment. By the time the project is due, I'm still trying to finish up the clay part and have done absolutely nothing on the actual assignment.

So, while I'm no dream analyst, I did have some of this type of stuff in psychology classes. And even if I didn't, I don't think the implications could be more obvious. I'm not focusing on the important stuff when I use my time. Well, I'm working on stuff, just not the right stuff. I'm wanting to look at the details. I'm wanting to do the creative stuff. It's a matter of putting the rocks in the jar first and I'm just not doing that now. The assignment probably would have taken 15-20 minutes... so why spend 8 hours on "designing" the cover? Why spend my days on reviewing all of my lists to do instead of just "doing" what needs to be done? Not that lists aren't important... many days I would have completely forgotten important tasks if not for lists. But why so much focus lately??? Perhaps my way of feeling in control???

And let's face it, our kids do WAY too much. Not that it's a bad thing but with everything else going on, the time away from home was constant. So, we are taking a break for awhile... no basketball, no theater. We'll see where we are after the new year... and how the old folks are doing.

And it could be I just didn't have a productive week last week because I was recuperating from the past three months! It's amazing how different I feel after a hot date with the hubby. And what I didn't learn from the dream, was something discussed on our date... it's not a matter of time, it's not a matter of desire/motivation, IT IS A MATTER OF CHOICE. Let's be real... even in the dream... I had time to complete the assignment, I had the desire and motivation to complete the assignment, what I didn't do was make the best CHOICE.

To be continued.... again......

In love and recovery,
ThereO

Time

Okay, so Louis has been doing some pondering and so have I. My ponderings have to do with time. Lately I find myself frustrated by the lack of time to do things that I really want to do. So my question is... why? Doesn't everyone have 24 hours? Doesn't everyone have 7 days in a week? If this is so, then why does it seem that some are powerhouses for getting everything done?

Is it just me, or do some people always have a clean house? How come some people cook supper for their family every night? How come some folks are really dedicated in their homeschool schedule? How is it some people have the time to do things they enjoy? AND my biggest annoyance??? How come some people seem to be able to DO IT ALL?

So I'm pondering this and perhaps you can help... here are the reasons I've come up with so far (besides the obvious... they have fewer kids, they don't have parents living with them)...

1. I spend too much time on stuff that doesn't matter.
2. I'm still playing "catch up" from not really being that good at all this "life" stuff.
3. They have some secret I'm not aware of.
4. They don't do as many activities as we do.
5. They don't enjoy doing as many things/hobbies as I do.
6. They stay home more.
7. I have too much "down time."
8. I don't have enough "down time."
9. I don't get up early enough.

For awhile there, things seemed to really click. Now they aren't. Not that it was great when it was clicking... I still had a messy garage, I still had piles of papers to sort through... So, I'm putting this out there... what are other reasons you can think of??? I know I can't fix the problem if I don't know what the problem is... so for now, what are the reasons YOU struggle with time crunch? Or what do you think my reasons are?

To be continued...

In love and recovery,
Therese

Pictures

OMG! I did it! How about that picture in the header??? Well, I'm not ready for a career but I'm totally pumped about figuring this out. Now I just need to get all my pictures downloaded to the computer...LOL! Where are you, hubby???

In love and recovery,
ThereO

WHEW!

Ahhhh! I can say that now because "hell week" is over. No, I'm not in college but I do have 4 kids in way too many activities. This week/weekend was the play of our oldest (well, 4 performances of the play). We also wrapped up soccer, soccer, and football. Guess I'll have to update the sidebars again...LOL! My dad returned to the hospital this week and the variety of other things that occur in a week are wrapping up.

I had hoped this weekend to have a little bit of "mommy time" as we call it at our house. No such luck. No problem... just a set back on my chance to get my thoughts in order. As much as I want to live SIMPLE, it just isn't happening right now. And I need to think about that and figure out how I am going to turn this CHAOS of a life into a PEACEFUL existence... regardless of how many people are squeezed into our house right now.

So, I'll use my opportunity to blog for a little free thought... the first step is to recommit to the Overeaters Anonymous lifestyle. Strengthening my almost non-existent spiritual life. Committing my food plan to my sponsor each night. Delete those things in my day to day life which are keeping me from strengthening my almost non-existent spiritual life. Second step is to commit to my husband that we will follow our new homeschool schedule... and then do it. I say this bearing down on a week of complete unknowns, because I won't be able to determine when my dad is released from the hospital or if I will need to be there for any CT scans. But regardless, I guess the second step is not so much commitment to the schedule but commitment to the commitment to homeschool. Third step, perhaps, should be getting the house in order. I feel so out of sorts when the house is chaotic and that is definitely contributing to the chaos now. But where does that time come from??? Duh... the higher power... in my case, God.

Which I guess should clue me in on why things aren't clicking along in my life at this time... I'M trying to do too much, not giving it over to God to work it out for me. Oh yea, I pay great lip-service to the big guy... lots of thanksgiving, lots of SAYING "lead me day" just not allowing Him to do it. I guess saying it first thing in the morning isn't enough... perhaps I need to do that more often in the day. Perhaps that will be my game plan for Monday... well, if I remember... LOL! Going to bed... still trying to catch up on sleep after a night with dad at the hospital. Oh, and if God does a good job getting all my stuff done this week then perhaps next weekend I'll learn how to download those pictures... LOL!!!!

In love and recovery,
ThereO

Hmmm...it makes me wonder

Well... it makes me laugh a little bit too. Trying to find ANYTHING to do so I wouldn't have to do the 9 million things I NEED to do, I decided to post to this little blog here. As you can see, things are fine now but when I went to write my post, I kept getting a message that blogger was down. What are the chances??? It's not like I'm blogging ALL the time!

School was a bust today. Some cleaning did get done but there is soooo much more to do. Haven't been to the grocery store either but a very dear friend is in town and came to visit. That was a very pleasant surprise amidst the chaos. Reminds me that way too much of my life is spent doing things that don't move me along MY path. But then I begin to ponder exactly what that means... because realistically, if you know me at all you know that I don't like to do laundry. It is just a drag... especially with a 5 year old that thinks changing clothes is an hourly event. But is the quality of my life better for not doing the laundry??? Hmmm... things take on a different perspective when I look at them that way. So perhaps living the life I want is more about doing things that improve the quality of my life, not just doing things that I enjoy.

I did a good job procrastinating... I'm very good at that by the way. So I guess perhaps I should go and improve the quality of my life some more. Or I could look at houses on the internet since it looks like the "old folks" will be here LOTS longer, or I could read some blogs, or I could call my dear husband, or I could work on the puzzle, or I could....

Update

Okay, all the sidebars have been updated.
The "old folks" should be heading back to their home in less than a week.
Perhaps I'll be able to post more often than every 6 months :-)
And one of the days I'm gonna learn to post pictures.

In love and recovery,
ThereO

I'm back

Hard to believe that it has been 4 months since I've posted. I've been hard at "work" at the simple lifestyle. I've learned a LOT but there have been a few huge bumps in the road. Number one on the list is that we lost a beloved family member in January...only 14! We are all still struggling. Through all of the pain something amazing is happening though. Through all of this, I was introduce to Overeaters Anonymous. It has literally saved my life. It is definitely not just a diet...tried all of those! This is about so much more. It's already been a lot of work. But I guess saving my life IS a lot of work.

I guess I need to do some work on this blog as well...lol. Perhaps now that some pieces are falling into place I will be able to spend a little more time here....sharing some of the songs we've been singing :-)

Blessings,
ThereO