The Best Of PA

Christmas has come and gone, but we so enjoyed the season.  We have created some new traditions in its honor.  We still have some favorite traditions we have continued onward such as: -Read A Christmas Carol every night till it is finished -Re-enact the Christmas Story on the Eve -Have a Caroling Party What we have kicked: -Santa, he went Bye Bye last year and the girls now know the truth.  we have read the story of Saint Nicholas, so they know he was a Christian man doing good.  Grandparents gave us Santa stickers for the windows and they enjoyed decorating with that, snowflakes and other festive things.  But Elly knows, she has gotten tired of telling all the adults who ask her that Santa is not real.  She just looks at me like, don't these people know??  However that cute three year old with the chubby cheeks does not get the concept yet.  Her cute line of the season: "Santa isn't real.  He bring me...

If you recall, about a year ago...or two, I was ever so zealous of becoming a Minimalist.  I was on a de cluttering rampage, and was convinced I would be living the star Minimalist lifestyle I desired by my six month mark.  Well, that didn't happen. I mean I DID get rid of a lot of "stuff" I never used, and it felt good.  The house was better than it had been in a long time.  And I have maintained that.  Danny is not exactly on board, and I think I got a little distracted with life. Then, guess what I decided to homeschool, and went to a homeschoolers convention this past May and bought a TON of fun books to read with the girls and classics and curriculum.  I was a bit over zealous.  I get that way.  I do not regret getting any (okay well maybe a few) of those books, but suddenly the house felt a bit more cramped.  And then birthdays come and go, and toys take center stage.  In June I became pre...

My posts may not be as long or informative these days.  I feel my heart stretching and yearning for the simpler things in life.  The sweet tunes trickling out of a blue bird, the golden sun gracing us with it's warmth and light, the tiny giggles that rumble out of my darling little girls mouths.  Simple pleasures is what I am seeking, not some grand display of the quirky dates I give, or preschool ideas complete with a zillion pictures, nor a full exclamation of every family date we have.  Just the silver lining of all, highlights of the best things in life, and more time to focus on the already fleeting time I have with my ever changing family.  Hope this is okay with you. The Highlights of past weeks -Peering up at the blue sky with Elly and her taking noticing of the nature about her: "Mommy, Look at The Tree, it's like going up to heaven" -Having a family date completetly focused on the value of a Virtuous Princess....

Before           Danny and I are slowly attempting to de clutter our lives.  Are you doing the same?  Do you need a little help with this?  There is still time to win the free ebook by Lori Lippincott.  you can check out her website at http://lovingsimpleliving.com or her book at http://321-stop.com/ The contest ends the 21st of March, so you still can submit your entry.  How do you do this?  One of two things-or both- 1) Publicly follow me-really I would love this, please!  and 2) Write a comment below why you derserve this free ebook.  I have read it and loved it.  I am on the path to truly decluttering all aspects of my life. After Continually I am cleaning out and getting rid of "stuff" from closets, drawers, cabinets.  It is an ongoing job.  We are also attempting to create a little less distraction and noise in our lives.  We don't have cable, but we have ...

It is March!   Spring is just around the corner.   I love this season, it’s a time when the weather warms up, flowers begin to blossom and we get ambitious about doing some spring cleaning.   Yes that’s right, spring cleaning- I know you are all anticipating and dreading the ordeal.     Thankfully, my fellow blogger friend, Lori, has written an eBook, to help take the stress away.   I don’t know about you, but when I take a look around the house about this time of the year I am sort of disgusted.   With the whole family being cooped up in our little cape cod, life gets messy.   And even with promises to minimize my life, more stuff seems to be creeping into our humble abode, faster than I can get rid of!!   Does anyone else feel this way?   Do you feel like there is suddenly no time to take care of this problem?   Okay, so I definitely feel this way.   Something MUST be done! Enter a new Ebook:3-2-1 Stop You can check out the ...

            Well I completely forgot to recap on the 100 things challenge.  Naturally your thinking I didn't do it since I failed at my ONE WEEK CHALLENGE right?  But I get the last laugh, because not only did I disperse of 100 things, I also created a pile for a spring time yard sale.  Does anyone feel like this is going to be a never ending job?  I do.  I mean I live in a home no bigger than 1,300 square feet.  We only own one entertainment center with one tv, one table where we eat and my girls share a room.  Yet it still baffles me: How can I get rid of bags and bags of stuff and still feel like we have plenty?  I didn't think I was a pack rat before, at least I don't think it looked so.....but now I'm beginning to wonder.  The thought also crossed my mind that maybe, just maybe I am starting to realize that I don't need to own a zillion things to feel content.  I must say ...

      I saw a challenge online that Ive comitted to doing:  To get a rid 100 things in 100 hours.  I am currently at 68 things in 48 hours.   I am over half way!!  It's a good goal, since I was beginning to get burnt out and tired.  I would walk about my house and shake my head, thinking, wow, I am so far from the clutter free life I'd like.   I began to slack over the past week.  Then I saw this Challenge on the Internet and decided it was exactly what I needed.  I have to admit, at first I decided that it might be too much, until I began shuffling thruough closets, drawers and cabinets.  I figure this is maybe four trash bags worth, which I have been averaging since mid December anyway, so yeah, I've got this.         In addition to this I am making small changes in order to focus on what is important.  I set the timer everyday for thirty minute...

Let It Snow! We woke up this morning to flittering flakes and a blanket of white.   Danny typically works Saturday mornings for our neighbors next door, but with the snowfall he was able to chill with   the family a bit longer.   Actually “chill” is an oxymoron to what he really did.   With a couple extra hours on hand Danny was able to organize and get rid of stuff in the basement.    All the camping gear that once adorned and took over the air hockey table is neatly packed away in bins.   The laundry that sat in a monstrous pile on the ground has been placed in baskets and stands atop a table near the washer and dryer.   Food storage is placed in its correct shelf in neat little rows.             I told you I wanted to become a Minimalist by the end of the year, but I didn’t tell you I felt pretty much alone in this venture until today.    This felt like a BIG relief, seeing that th...

It was a BIG fire, this picture does it no justice.  Side note: MUST get a better camera                   So we feel lighter on our feet tonight.   Not because we ate any less, no no….but because we got rid of some “junk” in the garage.   You know how I mentioned that our kindly tenants left a boat load of things behind?   Yeah, well that “junk” made its way into our garage.   Hooray!   Yeah, not so much.   Lots of dressers, shelves, desks and toys have been crammed into our lovely two car garage.   There was just enough room for my van to barely squeeze in.   But that changed tonight.   How so?   Because of the BURNING!! What burning do you ask?   Why the giant flaming one in our backyard-where the garden normally dwells.             Tip # 1   A fun way to get rid of useless woode...

         I was always under the impression that More is MORE!!  Ever since I was a kid I counted my Christmas gifts.  Quantity was most certainly better than quality, right?   As I got older I zoomed in on the more will make me happier philosphy.  As a teenager it was about the clothes, makeup, cds, dates, etc.   I always figured that more of these things would definitley calm the craving.  But it didn't.  MORE WAS NEVER ENOUGH!!!    And then I got married, and it seems to me, that the big green monster grew inside me tenfold.  I would compare and compare.  So and so has a BIGGER house!!  I need a 3,000 square foot home!!  I WANT IT!!! How much acreage do they own???  That's how much I WANT!!  So and so is going WHERE on vacation?!?  NO WAY!!!  I WAANNNTTT TO GO THERE!!!  So and so has...

These are the four trash bags filled of goodies for our family This is all the gifts laid out.  Dann'ys gifts were not opened because he was unable to make it due to work                 Oh my goodness Second Christmas has come!!  And just as I predicted we went home with four full trash bags of STUFF!!!  Yes we are spoiled by the grandparents.  And I must confess, that I was much to blame.  You see every black friday for the past seven years, I have joined the Cooper Clan in thier tradtion waking up at the crack of dawn all in the name of a sale!  Well it's not really the sales that bring us out, that's only part of the equatuion, the other half is the thrill of carrying on the tradtition.  It's a chance for us to bond, AND to get spoiled by Grandma, which I took great advantadge of this year.  Sidenote:  This was before my A...

Progress on the Playroom So the playroom is making head way.    To be honest at this moment in time it is the one room I can feel peaceful.   It is the most organized room in the house at present.   I got rid of a kiddie chair that was hardly used-the squishy kind, gave my parents the toddler slide-that was NEVER used except for making inside tents and lots and lots of toys were dropped off at Goodwill.   The less toys the better, and now we are more likely to play with the forgotten toys that were hiding under the OTHER mounds of toys.    Why did we have so many toys?!?   But the days are creeping up to Saturday- the day of extravagance.   So I figured I should take some pics before second Christmas at the grandparents arrive so I can remember all the hard work, and be inspired to get it back to this.   To all you Minimalists, it’s not perfection, but it’s a million times better than before.    I’m going gradual consistency...

Welp, as fast as we are getting rid of stuff is as fast as we are recieivng gifts.  And the Cooper Christmas Celebration is not yet over!!  Good time to decide to declutter the house huh?!?  We still celebrate with the Cooper cousins and grandparents this weekend.  And that's the mother of all Christmases!  Were talking piles of glorious presents for each individual....piles!!!  For each person!!  Just had to clarify that, cuz we shall be going home with four monstrous piles of stuff this weekend. So how do I counteract this dilemna??  That is without having to get rid of all the fancy new stuff??  I'm up to the challenge and shall document.  The goal: To rid ourselves of five mountainous trash bags, filled with old clothes toys and other things that clutter and are just sitting there not being used.  Any suggestions?  Wish me luck.

"Mommy why are you giving away my Dora the Explorer pajamas?" A frown slid across her lips as I backed out of my parking spot at the Goodwill. I really, really need to get new trash bags. Why they make clear trash bags is beyond me. "Oh Honey, that's because Christmas is coming and your going to get new pajamas.". Note to self: buy Elly new pajamas for Christmas. "I am?" I nod vigorously and smile. "Dora the Explorer pajamas that are silky and pink" Oh boy, now were getting specific, and I really have no idea if I'll find any. " I think so". I lie, as I pray she forgets this whole conversation. "Yay! Thank you Mommy" Crisis reverted: now if I could just do something about this guilt. PS On the upside, at least she didn't notice the stuffed animals, dolls and train set that refuses to work any longer.

Do not fear even with all of my other obligations: preschool, motherhood, Christmas traditions, primary, bills, laundry, running, and all the other "normal" stuff a stay at home mom lives everyday I'm managing to remember that I want to simplify my cluttered house! To let you know that yes I am still on track I'm revealing the cabinet I cleaned this afternoon. Voila! My hubby will be so happy, really I mean it cuz it seems like the pots and pans cabinet is always the most disastrous....well that and the plastic containers, your feeling me on this one right? Yes I am one step closer to an organized home!

The after picture..PROGRESS My junk drawer after de cluttering

Hey well I've been reading a lot of simplifying blogs. You heard of the living on 100 things or less? Yeah not possible for us. Danny probably has a hundred items of tools. And I well, I'm a clutterific gal. Not that I want to be, I just mean sometimes I open a drawer and gasp because of all the junk we have accumulated. I love going to my sister in laws house because she's the exact opposite of me. Seriously I actually have gone through her closets and drawers and bathroom vanity to witness immaculate cleanliness and organization. I know rude right? Well I know I'm rude, but I just had to know if it was a phasaud....like my house. But it's not, it's clean and organized and comfortable. Yes people will come to my house and say, "oh it's so clean" when really clothes are stuffed into drawers, closets are overflowing with shoes and toys seep out of the toy chests. Enough is enough. Really, truly it is time for a change! So to make this easier on m...