a little inspiration

Today I got rid of 4 trash bags of stuff.  Last night I spent my time from dinner to bed time clearing up our office space.  I got rid of so much, but there is a lot left to go.  For now I am basking in the ability to walk around and open all the closet doors (I kid you not.)  When my fabric table and area is cleared up I'll take a picture.  I feel so close to that happening (now that I can get there.) We moved from a 2160 square foot house to 1180 square foot apartment in November.  I've already mentioned we got rid of a lot of stuff , but it wasn't enough.  Many will see that as a huge down size (and they are right!  Half the space.) I wanted it though.  I knew the place we were in before was just too big.  In jettisoning the junk I've learned that I had attached all these silly rules to ownership of things that I had no idea of before I read Everything That Remains . I had no less than 4 sets of place mats and probably 6 table...

Four weeks people- FOUR.  I'm still a little surprised.  The last week has been the hardest for some reason with strong urges to quit and have a doughnut or whatever I wanted at that moment.  An iced mocha. A caprese salad.  A cookie of any sort.  (After seeing this list perhaps I can blame hormones?) Anyway today, on the last day of week 4 I messed up.  We were out running errands and up against a schedule and I hadn't brought anything with me, not expecting to be out so long.  There was an Indian restaurant that I thought would be safe.  Not one menu item without a nightshade veggie... Not one.  John had already gotten a plate from the buffet by the time I figured it out and so I just went with it.  Dairy is the first thing I am introducing back in so I chose some palak paneer and saffron rice and pakoras and just enjoyed it.  We'll see how it goes.  I was so hoping for a perfect record and have been diligent.  Tha...

You: :Sign bird, cat, swing, car/truck, wash, water, all done, more  and "I hear" by tapping your cheek near your ear. :Are getting frustrated with things and scaring me a little with your temper. :Will climb stairs all day long - big steps. :Love doggies a lot and all the other animals too. :Want to be outside. :Like to stick our keys in the crack in the door, over and over.  You laugh each time as if this is the most hilarious thing on the planet. :Love the swings. :Are giving out kisses. You click your tongue to get just the right sound. :Cry every night at midnight. :Love motorcycles and trucks. :Were frightened by the drive through car wash today. :Love to meet new people but also feel a little shy when they engage you full on. :Are practically running. :Are past the "easy" part of babyhood.  You are constantly on the go and into everything. :Have a great big brother whom you adore. :Are enjoying the magnadoodle at quiet time. {You weight...

I am still sewing over here.  Does anyone come here to see those kinds of things anymore?  It has been a while since I was able to share anything about making things.  It is an interesting place to be, moving so much out of my life and loving a craft that creates more stuff.  The Cooper bag is still going strong after a couple months constant use.  I love it and my husband doesn't even mind carrying it. Most crafters have a "stash."  This is just a nicer word to use than hoard I think.  At least, in my case.  I'm struggling to figure out how to balance.  My goal for the rest of this year is to only use fabric I already have.  I can buy a pattern or the notions but no more fabric for a little while.  I have many ideas about what I'd like to create in the coming weeks and months, especially since I am trying to set up a capsule wardrobe. In trying to start this right away I noticed that there is a huge imbalance in my clos...

Can you believe it?  Three weeks without sugar.  This mornings breakfast was sweet potatoes cooked with walnuts and cinnamon and then avocado on the side.  It was amazing how the sweetness of the potato came through.  I almost asked if someone have put sugar on it. I still miss nightshades the most.  I've found a few places to grab food when out and stopped freaking out about leaving the house without food.  I can be hungry or I can find something if I have to.  I'm not very nice hungry so I've always avoided it.  Now I am just practicing being with the hunger.  I say to myself, "You are hungry, it is okay.  You will be able to eat again soon.  There is no need to be angry or snap.  You are hungry, breathe deep."  

At OT It is interesting that, like many health issues, no one knows where sensory processing disorder comes from.  There is some suggestion of it being hereditary and I almost laugh out loud at the irony.  Of course, each and everyone of us carries around a list of sensory issues.  Experiences we'd rather not (ever) have and things we'd really, really like to happen every second of every day.  The difference between us and my son is that we (mostly) know how to handle our own issues. In the interest of fair play I thought I'd share a couple off my list: 1.  I really care about how what I am holding feels.  This manifests in a few ways.  One is silverware.  In the days before I got rid of all the mismatched pieces of silverware and bought a set I actually liked I regularly got up from the table and exchanged my fork or spoon if it was the "wrong" one(and most of them were.)  No way would I suffer through dinner with an offensive pi...

In my constant search for inspiration I've stumbled onto Zen Habits  and can't believe it has taken me so long to find it.  I have no idea why I chose to read Everything that Remains  in the first place but what a revelation it has been.  Leading me to so many new places.  Zen Habits is definitely up my alley.  He sounds a bit like the voice in my head already. And, of course, I like that.  Who wouldn't want to hear advice and ideas that sound like you only wiser and more concise? We should all read his book The One Skill : The Letting Go eBook and then go on from there and read all the rest of his words.  It is such a powerful little book, an idea that will serve you in every facet of your life.  Every. Single. One. Go check it out.  Tell me what you think.  Tell him too.

I'm not going to lie.  This week I am bored with my options and ready for some cheese or tomatoes or salsa.  I opened the calendar to June and wrote on each week what food is going to be re-introduced.  I am so happy that dairy is week one.   I saw the doctor today and am actually up a couple pounds which I am super surprised about.  He said it because I am actually absorbing the nutrients.  After talking about how I have been feeling he suggested also cutting out eggs.  So many foods to miss at one time!  The evening is when it is hardest. I always used to load up on calories after the kids were in bed to make up for what I missed during the day.  Now I just have my smoothie or a rice cake with almond butter, coconut and raw cacao.  The other night I drank four glasses of water after the littles went to sleep and did feel much better the next day. But- two more weeks and then the fun part starts.  Anything is possible!! (ps...

Each day more things go out the door.  I cleaned no less than the ten items off of the windowsill in front of the sink and that entire counter is free of any "extra" items.  Suddenly I find myself washing dishes in the middle of the day just to keep that area clear.  (This, my friends, is totally unheard of and my husband may be in shock about it.)  The sideboard is also nearly there.  Things don't get put away in my home simply because I can't think of anyplace better to put them.  It seems the only way to clean up is to clear out.  Some books left the house today.  The kitchen is on my list for tomorrow.  The excess is moving out. All this is leaving room for more thought (hence all the writing.)  A few weeks ago I looked at my husband and asked how I got to age 33 and still had no idea what I wanted to do with myself.  Anjali won't be so little much longer, I'd say I have two more years tops that I'll be home with her ful...

This weekend we went to the LEAF Festival and spent the day enjoying the weather and music and fun a huge festival like this can provide.  It was a good test for me in a couple ways: 1. Sticking to the diet with so many fun foods and drinks around.  2. See all the items for sale from vendors and not buying anything. In preparation for the diet challenge I packed a lot of food.  We planned to be there from lunch time till bed time and I wasn't expecting to be able to find anything to buy and eat for myself.  Emerson also can't have gluten so we always pack all his food (which is extensive as the boy is always hungry.)  Being the kind of festival it is and in such a food conscious place (seriously Asheville is about the best town to have a food allergy or sensitivity) I thought we might be able to find something but didn't want to take any risks. Somehow we all ate all day and only bought one plate of curry (the was eaten mostly by John.)  What a s...

Already it has been over a week since I started this elimination diet . I have felt well over all and not starving too much.  Although I haven't figured out easy things to take along yet (but really, what is simpler than grabbing a couple carrots?  It just seems so boring...) My mind, however, seems to be clearer, lighter.  I've been on cleanse type diets for this long before and had the feeling of lightness in the body but never so much clearness in my thoughts.  I'm eager to see what foods are responsible for the brain fog.  For years I've been blaming it on the children.  I almost feel like I should write an apology!  It's been amazing to see the brightness of the sky, the sparkle of the water this week.  Like I am coming up for air after too long under water.  I've been able to complete work and think through things with out getting bogged down, you see how much I've been writing! I miss tomatoes the most right now.  It mus...

I think my journey towards minimalism began long before I identified the term.  When we were moving down here I started to switch from loving and looking for color to fill our bedroom to searching for white and calm.  There could be details, but subtle, simple was what I looked for.  White sheets instead of patterned, a single white blanket.  A dark wood bed frame to give contrast but also to fall away visually. I love the feeling of that bed now.  The soft texture of the blanket, the cool feeling of the sheets.  One painting, painted by my love for my Christmas gift this year, sets the meditative tone.  A place of peace. But all around it, the clutter.  The noise of life I wouldn't give away, but the stuff I can never find a home for?  Ugg.  I see pictures of rooms without stacks of things everywhere and yearn for that but never knew how to make it happen.  There simply isn't room to put away everything we have in this sm...

This morning we went to a new (to us) park just a few minutes away.  We don't venture to nearby parks much because we have a playground where we live and a park with in walking distance but this morning called for something special as we had multiple errands to run (which is a recipe for disaster with us.)  In Trader Joe's I had several women mention, so sweetly, how they loved his energy or wished they woke up that happy and full of life.  This was before 8:30am.  Did I mention I'm not drinking coffee any more either?  And I greatly dislike loud noisy wild mornings even if I am caffeinated? So I am just trying to smile sweetly and keep up with him because I know there is no way he can get down to my level... (For the record this is what it is like everyday.  We love each other but we are different from each other in fundamental ways that really interfere with us enjoying each other.  I'm pushing myself, struggling, to be more 'up' instead of tryi...

It is funny to be doing a minimalistic diet in conjunction with a clear out of excess physical stuff in my home.  It has got me doing a whole lot of thinking, of seeing the cross pieces of my life as it currently is.  Looking at the change while it is happening in a very intentional and cathartic way. Yesterday I thought I was doing very well with the diet, I even attended my first food oriented outing in the morning with great success.  I attended a brunch where people have a very clean, holistic style of eating and living and so I wasn't too terribly tempted.  However, I could only eat from three dishes there and by the end I was hungry. When we got home I made kale chips and consumed them all (okay, I shared a few with everyone else, E in particular.)  John made grilled cheese for himself and Emerson and that was fine until I was sitting across from them and had a little cartoon like daydream of myself ferociously attacking them and eating their sand...

Next up? Minimalism.   This is an exciting topic to me, one with many, many branches and sprouts growing off of it. I hope you'll explore it with me. At the time that we moved from the first house we rented in Asheville to the apartment we are in now we threw out so much stuff I can't even begin to describe it all.  I wish there was a picture.  A 12 foot box truck would have been full.  And this was after a move just one year before!  Some of it was forced because of a moldy basement and some of it was baby things outgrown, but much of it was just too much stuff.  Too much!! I am the type of person who remembers where almost everything in my house came from.  I know which of Anjali's clothes came from which person, I think of them every time she wears them.  I know who gave us the shower curtain for our wedding (10! years ago) and think of them when I see it.  I remember who sent each toy, where I bought each shirt and piece ...

Good morning!  How are you all?  Is anyone still here?  The last couple months have been busy and then this last one has just slammed us all with many new things.  There are several that I'd like to share with you and then I am hoping to share the journey too.  At the same time, since it is not all about me, I need to maintain some boundaries (which I quite admit I am not great at.)  I hope you'll find the journey interesting and you'll share it with other friends who might be going through something similar.  I'd love to start an actual dialogue here instead of just hearing my own voice, so if you have a comment or idea or story to share, please do. The first big change is my diet.  You know I am trained as a Health Coach and many of you know that before my son was born I struggled with Ulcerative Colitis.  Pregnancy and nursing somehow delivered the perfect cocktail of hormones to stop the disease in its tracks but in the last few mon...

You: :Are so full of life and love.  You want to give everyone hugs and want to play all day, every day. :Are an amazing big brother.  You let Anjali play with your things, help her eat, share your food and give her lots of hugs. :Have an insatiable mind.  You love math and science, you want to know how everything works. :Love to build and build and rebuild again. You make a great sarcastic fringehead out of magnaformers. :Are playing soccer. :Love school and your teachers. :Have been diagnosed with Sensory Processing Disorder and we are all working through that with you right now. :Have to find homes for your animals every night at bed time. :Still love to dig in the dirt and play in the water. :Love ocean documentaries,  dinosaurs and magic school bus.