Simplifying

Time for a new start at blogging. I have been paring down my life so much in hopes of getting rid of things that draw too much attention away from my marriage and family. I said goodbye to Facebook as I found myself logging on 3-4 times a day (usually while nursing Henry) and I realized that I was missing out on being present with my baby son. I was close to cutting out Craigslist but decided to keep it since I am always able to find cool usable items in the "free" section. Just today the kids and I made a trip to another house on the other side of town to get a cool rocket tent for them to play in as well as a guitar video game (I am already planning for cold weather and 4 kids stuck in the house...eeep!) I got rid of lots of extra toys that the kids didn't really play with much but ended up strewn about the house and required too much effort on my part (cleaning or getting the kids to clean) them up. I am even getting rid of clothes that clog the kids' drawers. They have more than they really need and I am pretty good at doing laundry frequently that they never seem to get to the bottom layer of clothes in the drawer before the clean clothes are washed and put back on top of them. I have cleaned off my side table from the stacks of books I had sitting there waiting for me to read. It got to the point where I became stressed out just to look at them. Now I have my bible and my current escape, Diana Gabaldon's latest Outlander saga An Echo in the Bone. (LOVE that series!!)

I have a bag of clothes waiting for the next clothes exchange party that my friend puts on every six months or so. We all take clothes/accessories and lay them out to trade, try on and take home. The left overs go to a women's shelter or salvation army.
In simplifying and paring down, I am also adding a new element that I plan with great hope to maintain: blogging. I have always appreciated my friends; blogs and have envied the fact that they have taken the time to write and record this part of their life. I haven't given it priority but now will. Life gets so complicated and filled with clutter and distractions but there are things worth investing time in. My goal is to simplify my house and life so that I can spend more time doing what is most important: drinking wine and reading a good book by myself. Oh whoops! I mean taking care of, spending time with and loving my husband and children.