Cutting Back
Nothing too crazy. I’m deep in the trenches of budgeting and re-budgeting and finishing my last couple of weeks at work. Sad, so sad, to leave everyone, but so looking forward to getting back to a new normal for us(just in case I haven’t mentioned that yet.) My job was a Godsend for us that we needed desperately when I started. But I work in retail and our store is closing and the timing has worked out well. I worry much much more for my co-workers who are losing full-time incomes that they depend on for their families and it puts our own needs into perspective.
We can cut back and figure things out and we will. We’ve had over 2 years now of not having dinner together in the evenings and me missing out on putting my kids to bed. It’s well worth juggling some budget categories and re-prioritizing some goals to make it all work for now. I don’t know too many people who aren’t doing that in one way or another, one income or two, so I think we’re definitely in the boat with the majority.
I read 7 recently and the timing was perfect – cutting back has been on my list and progressively we’ve been giving away many things and simplifying. So it’s been on my mind, but reading the book re-framed things for me and gave me so much to think about in ways to use all of these ideas and bring a purpose to all of the minimizing – much more so than just arbitrarily getting rid of “stuff.” Things I’ve had in my mind for a long time, since the college days I spent in Haiti and my eyes were opened in ways I never could have imagined to the ways that we live with so.much.stuff and so many live with so little.
I don’t know where I’m going with this. I guess I’m just saying that I’m not complaining. Just sharing what we have going on right now. We’re cutting back on some income, but we’re also figuring out ways to give more away with intention. Focusing on fewer wardrobe pieces and simple eating to save us money but to also free up some mental space to focus on more things that matter. I know this is personal, but I thought I’d throw it out there – what ways do you simplify your everyday life? Not just for money-saving, but also for peace of mind, to be able to give more to others, to emotionally simplify, for your health and to have more breathing room. Whatever the reason, it fascinates me to hear how everyone makes things work for the things they value – what do you do?
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Almost Spring
This sunshine is doing amazing things for all of us. Getting outside, running free, digging – so much goodness. We even grilled dinner last night! Plus, today marked my last full weekend of work EVER! I am so looking forward to weekends with my family again:) We might be a little more broke until we figure out all of our re-budgeting a bit and get to a new norm, but right now it feels so worth it to know that we have a whole spring and summer ahead of weekends together again for the first time in two and a half years!
p.s. In case you couldn’t tell, these pics are half film, half digital. Kind of crazy to see them side by side, isn’t it?
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Ruminating
There’s so much sunshine around, but it feels like there’s a bit of something dark looming around me. I can’t put my finger on it because it’s not all-consuming like it has been at many points for me, but it’s there. I can feel it looming. I’m trying to be proactive and take good care of myself and eat well and move my body and get lots of sunshine, but it’s still there and I’m not sure where I want to go from here. I’m losing my job at the end of this month, so less than 3 weeks left seems suddenly more real. I’m thankful that I only work part-time and that it’s not a massive hit for us, but it’s a hit all the same. It will require changes and pulling strings tighter on an already tight budget.
Please don’t get me wrong – I’m just plain thankful for a roof over our heads and food on the table. But it feels like the worry is creeping back in. I made major film and camera mistakes lately that have brought me to tears when I know that friends were hoping for beautiful images of their precious families and the work that I delivered is just not the work I want mine to be. I don’t know where that leaves me except in a learning mode that makes me feel tentative about scheduling more sessions right now. I know that I have so much to learn, but it’s disheartening to work so hard and feel like, almost a year later, I’ve finally gotten the hang of this film gig only to have it go completely wrong. Especially when I have been hoping that I can slowly grow this business into a bit more income for our family and I begin to questions whether or not I really should do that at this point. Am I really ready? Is it fair to charge? Do I have the skills I was feeling I had finally started to learned with confidence? I manage shots that I adore for our family on a regular basis, but is that enough?
I don’t know. Just kind of thinking tonight and I’ll probably feel self-conscious and regret putting this all out there tomorrow, but it feels good to be honest and real sometimes. Everybody’s got their something and worries permeate all boundaries in their own way. I think everyone can relate to some level of financial or job or future plan worries, don’t you?
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A Warm Day
I keep thinking of how free it must have felt for their little feet to hit the cool grass today. It was so warm that I decided to plant peas and organize the rest of the seeds and make a legit garden plan. But then I went outside and got out the pretty sheet and felt the sunshine and chatted with the neighbor and my kids started digging in the dirt. And I looked into our sad little garden boxes and realized how much the dirt has settled and that they need a little love before I go and plant in them again.
Plus, I had to get an ingrown toenail removed along with a bit of my nail this morning, so I figured it might not be the best idea to be out in the dirt with my toe all bandaged and all. I know – gross.
Huevos rancheros for dinner, one specific child who just won’t nap, almond flavoring in iced coffee, so much laundry, reading a good book that is rocking me to the core, meeting a friend for some much-needed chatting, being a jerk to my husband about his lack of toe bandaging skills, ignoring the filth that is our floors and other such necessities for another day. That’s what’s happenin’ here – how about in your neck of the woods?
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Meeps!
I don’t do a ton of plugs, but I have to throw this one out there! My brother-in-law and his team have spent countless amounts of blood, sweat and tears developing a new app. It’s called Meeps and they’re officially in the app store TODAY.
In their words:
Meeps is a place to share and talk about your interests with others around the world. People connect because of shared interests, not shared offices or high schools. Meeps allows you to find real people that share real interests, in real time.
If you like to be in on the action, you can check out their Every Share Counts contest and you’ll be entered to win an iphone 4S!
{Don’t worry Android users, the app is on the way for you(and me!,) too, soon!}
It’s March!
It’s March! And we’re getting to where we want to be. One more month until some major changes around here in a whole lot of areas.
Taking away: Going to work, having to bring diapers everywhere we go, time spent driving and away from home, Computer screen time (time wasted on the internet, time spent reading so many blogs,) spending in ways beyond most necessities, eating out, the tv(at least for the kids and me during the day), my diet soda addiction
Adding: So much more water, more family dinners, being able to put my kids to bed every night again, reading more books, more photography, gardening, so many more flowers than I planted last year, hours and hours outside, moving my body more every single day, more cleaning, more cooking and learning to cook well, growing enough food to have some to preserve or preserving from the amazing amounts of produce available locally, more park and picnic time with friends
Things we all say every so often. I’m working on it and really looking forward to spring and summer. A lot.
p.s. The Apartment Therapy Homies are here! This list is amazing, just in case you need any new blogs to read! Also, I’m on there if you want to throw an extra vote into the hat!
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The Best Hour of My Day
It was just a quick trip. We hopped in the car to go to my parents’ to borrow their printer because mine is all messed up. Nick fell asleep and he’s been napping so rarely that I didn’t have the heart to move him. When we got home, I sent Mia inside with John, grabbed a book and a notebook and headed right back. I sat in the car with the windows cracked, listening to birds and kids outside playing. I read. I worked on some bills and budgeting. I just sat there, everything quiet. It was so nice.
Right now, there’s regular work. There’s also figuring out a new business and all of the details. There’s preschool and potty training and giving up pacifiers and sisters job hunting and a friend’s little one in my prayers constantly. There’s making pizza for dinner and grocery lists where I try to figure out how to stick to the lowest budget possible while keeping everything fresh and healthy and also quick and easy right now.
There’s spring coming and summer, too. Warmth and planning for first camping trips and swimming lessons and skipping the pool and instead opting to get passes to a lake that’s a bit farther but worth the drive. A garden to plan and to plant, outdoor work aplenty. There are yellow crocuses(or is it just crocus?) in every yard and daffodils on the way. Deeper breaths outside and kids with feet itching to hit the grass.
It was good to spend that hour alone. (Well, he was in the back seat, but you knew what I meant.) Quiet. Feeling the breeze and reading a book. I needed it and it reminded me of just how much I’m ready for the warmth that’s coming.
p.s. The watercolors at the top? They have nothing to do with anything. I haven’t had an excuse to use it yet and I just love all of the colors and didn’t have a relevant picture to otherwise add. That’s how I roll, I guess, when I’m blogging on the fly and not over thinking every post. I have to say, it kind of feels good:)
