Been there. Done that.

I just haven't been feeling it lately.

I honestly feel I don't have a thing to say that might interest any one.

I've given up "the popular social networking site known as Bookface" for Lent.  (Name that show.)

Ever since Ash Wednesday, I've not felt the urge to be on the computer.  I've been doing things instead.  I know, weird right?

I've been cleaning.  My 40 bags plan is not going to equal 40, but I'm up to about 3-4 so far with more than half the rooms to go.  It's been a gratifying experience.  I recently read a quote from a blog I follow that said "Am I really going to miss that thing/shirt/sock/toy/book?  What's the worst that could happen?  I have to go spend $3 on it again?"  And it got me thinking.  I keep things "just in case".  But when I need it, I can never find it because I have so much "just in case" crap around the house.  So, I've been plastic-bagging it.  I'm even going to try to make money off it in my garage sale.  Take that, crap.

I've been cooking.  Lots.  Homemade oregano french bread, homemade corn bread, turkey chili, baby food, peanut butter cookies, and chocolate oatmeal cookies.  Yum & yum & yum.  Let's just say David has not gone hungry.

I've been couponing.  Like a crazy person.  That you could make fun of.  Because of my coupon binder.  That comes in the store with me.  And rides around in my cart.  Laugh all you want.  Because I am saving LOADS of money.  I usually see my total go down at least 40% with my coupons, and that's a low number.  I've saved up to 97% on a bill once, and I bought 30 boxes of pasta that day.  I will never pay a penny for toothpaste, deodorant, or dish soap again in my life.  It's been awesome because the money we save has made it easier to buy the more expensive organic food I want to feed my family.  I get the last laugh.

I've been yoga-ing.  A co-worker talked me into taking a yoga class after work on an especially stressful day.  I've never done yoga.  I would not consider myself a flexible person.  But I was very open-minded because of the wonderful things I have heard about it.  I've always been curious and this was the perfect opportunity to try it out.  I loved it.  I really loved it.  It's a beginners course that was relaxing and introduced basic poses and stretches.  It was the most relaxing hour I have had to myself in a long, long time.  I walked out immediately looking forward to the next weeks class.  Once I learn the basics, I am strongly considering taking the next (less relaxing) level.

I've been sleeping.  Last week, I was alseep before 9 pm two nights in a row.  Every time I do that, I wake up and think "Why don't I do that more often?"  Sleep is too important to put off for the internet, or tv, or the crossword.  I consistently do all of the above.  And I bet I'm not the only one.  Go to bed at 9 tonight.  You'll thank me in the morning.  Promise.

I've been planning.  We planted seeds in starter pots.  It's our first time using the starters, and we're hopeful.  We started a compost bin (great big checkmark on my to-do list) and are going to mix it with our garden soil.  We don't have much yet, but it's nice to know it's started.  Peppers, green beans, tomatoes, and herbs.  I can't wait to pick all the fixins for a salad and eat it for dinner.  These are the moments I'm the most proud of being a mama - when I have the chance to teach a 3-year old how plants start as seeds and grow into food for our bodies.

I've been happy.  Things are going well.  I'm noticing a change in the way I am.  And I like it.

'Tis the Season

To be completely fair, I am absolutely stealing this idea from another blog. (Clover Lane)

But it's such a great idea.

It's exactly what I've been searching for.

It's what this house needs.

It's what this mama's brain needs.

It's...

40 Bags in 40 Days.

During Lent (40 days) rid your house of 40 bags of stuff.  Things you don't love, don't use, junk, accumulated stuff, clutter, garbage, toys, makeup, clothes, towels, rugs, lamps, etc, etc, etc, forever and ever and ever.

Make a list of the rooms/closets in your house.

Rid those rooms of junk, day by day.

As you dispose of the junk, also clean.

(Yep, I'm sneaking in some spring cleaning.)

By Easter, I'm hoping to have a clean, simplified, organized house.

I'm going to need some gloves for this one.

boy, oh (crazy) boy.

Emma:  Easy.  Great sleeper.  Good eater.  Easy-going.  Smiley.  Good learner.  Good teacher.  Good manners.  (for the most part)  Sometimes throws fits, but learns very quickly that it doesn't work.  (except with softie Daddy.)

Dean:  Moderate.  Bad sleeper.  Great eater.  Easy-going until he's hungry.  Cries.  Does not create habits.  Easily falls out of any routine in one day's time.  Loud.  Mischievous.  Has dimples.  Defiant.  Selective hearing.  Handsome.

Dean crawls EVERYWHERE he shouldn't.  He already does the whole "I'm-gonna-crawl-away-from-you-faster-because-you're-coming-after-me" thing.  You know, when he's crawling towards the trash can, and you stand up and start chasing after him so he won't eat, well, trash...so he see's you coming, and crawls faster than you've ever seen him crawl to get to that darn can.  That sneaky little guy.  He crawls over to my silk curtains, sits his little body upright, and grabs/pulls/eats them.  Then when I firmly & loudly say "No!", he looks at me like "Whah?" and then continues to pull down the metal rod above his tiny little head.

He also is re-lent-less.  As in, I will steer him away from the computer cord 5,239 times in 3 minutes, and he'll still go after it.  Not the greatest at listening, that boy.  When I'm changing his diaper is also a challenging 10 minutes.  I say 10 minutes, because that's how long it takes for me to properly change a diaper on a wiggly, busy, would-rather-be-crawling, little munchkin.  And the cloth diapers are even more difficult.

On a positive note, I am happy he's crawling and not just a lump of baby laying on his boppy.

(He was a cute baby lump, though.)

Lord help me when he learns to walk.

Home, home on the range.

I'm a regular ol' frontier woman.

Sure, as I type, my tv is on, I just answered my cell phone, and I'm bloggin' away, but that still doesn't mean I haven't done some little-house-on-the-prairie-type things today.

I currently have homemade whole wheat dinner rolls rising to bake for dinner.

Deaners is struttin' the cloth diapers.  Oh, and crawling....everywhere he shouldn't.

I cut his hair today too.  I didn't want to pay some stranger $15 + tip to cut his tiny baby hairs, so I figured I'd give it a go.  And I did alright.  Not great, but decent enough with the resources I was given.  Those resources being a squirmy EIGHT-MONTH old baby who would rather grab the scissors then let me snip his hair.  A high chair that wasn't quite high enough for me to get a great view, but still a good seat.  And banana-flavored puffs - the ultimate for him.  He tries to eat all the puffs at once.  Too cute, that kid.

I fed him homemade baby food!  So far, he's only eaten it 2 days...but he gobbles.it.up.

Recipes include:
Bananas & Avocado
Apples & Bananas (Neeners as we like to call 'em)
Peas & Formula
Mixed Veggies
Sweet Potatoes & Organic Vanilla Yogurt

Feeding your baby organic, made-from-scratch, baby food is insanely gratifying to say the least.  Yesterday, I blended the Neeners & Avocado and let him try it right off the spoon.  Just, awesome.

And for the work of about an hour each, on two seperate nights, I have 4 BAGS full of baby food in the freezer.  Besides cloth diapers, this is the second most economically sound decision a parent could make.  (in my opinion)  We will see the results immediately.

As for now, I think I'll go use my indoor plumbing and drink my filtered water.  Yes, technology is convenient sometimes.