Ephesians 4:19

Ever heard the saying give them an inch and they'll take a mile? Or if B is an exception to A, then no part of A is true? Or let the camel stick its nose in your tent and pretty soon the whole thing will be inside? Well, me either on the camel one. But how about this one?

It's like they think it doesn't count as porn because it's mainstream and lots of people have read the book. They're wrong. It is porn, and it's just as bad as whatever XXX garbage you wouldn't want your husband (or wife) to peruse on his (or her) laptop late at night while everyone's asleep. 

I won't rehash the blog post I'm sharing today, but I will paraphrase one part of it . . .

“Dear Lord, will your children become self-aware? Will they show they have… standards? Will they take a stand, be obedient and not devour this trash being shoved into their face? Will they speak up to say "Alright, Hollywood, we won’t play your game any longer. As humans, we often disagree on pretty much everything, but we do agree on the fact that we’re too smart, too moral, and we have too much character and self-respect to support you and spend our hard-earned money watching this trash. Sorry boys, your jig is up!”

Like Mr. Walsh, here's hoping!

And as for my movie money? I'll take the four unlikely outcast brothers who rise from the sewers - and not vice versa.

Later ;)
Shelia

Prove it . . .

This will be the shortest post I ever do.

But I could not ignore the opportunity to share the journey of a truly humble servant heart . . .

Prove It

Prepare to be changed . . .

Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you.

Watch over it willingly,

not grudgingly—not for what you will get out of it,

but because you are eager to serve God. 

1 Peter 5:2

Later,

Shelia

GOD Bless America . . .

This year we'll be celebrating Independence Day with family, good grilling and the annual neighborhood fireworks. Of course we'll also be making special memories as Bennett gets his first introduction to the spectacular friendly competition. That's assuming Mr. Sandman doesn't get him first.

I found myself reflecting this morning on how blessed we are to live in the greatest country on earth. A country where, even though things go amuck regularly and other people (aka people we - or 'they' - put in office) make stupid decisions on our behalf, we at least have the freedom to voice an opinion about it - both verbally and/or through social media. A small freedom that we take for granted, yet so many people in the world long for on a daily basis. A freedom that could mean possible death for others.

Much like our freedom to worship. Another one we often take for granted.

I was caught off guard with the thought of this freedom this morning. As I drove to work on auto-pilot (up since 4:00) I had WAY-FM cranked up pretty loud. Like most mornings my mind was elsewhere when one of those songs came on. You know, one of those that just reach right out there and grab you? The kind that make you reach over and turn the volume up even more? Because in America we can do that. We have full freedom to do that. Also to gather, to worship and to pray at will. We don't have to hide or fear the consequences of doing so. Another personal freedom that so many people long for and are denied throughout this world. The full freedom to sing, to praise and to worship God - silently - or at the top of our lungs.

I proudly admit that I enjoyed that freedom pretty loudly this morning. :)

I hope as you celebrate Independence Day, whether it be with family, friends, good food, firework displays or on the couch with a movie marathon, that you spend a little time loudly enjoying and thanking God for the freedom that you have to do so. Make a mental note of the bounty of blessings that he has blessed you with.

May God continue to bless America . . .

Later ;)

Shelia

"When couples love God first they love each other better."

Dun dun dun dun GUM . . .

Just a quick post to ask if any of you have ever opened your dryer to remove a load of freshly washed CLEAN clothes only to find the dryer drum streaked with (dun dun dun dun) GUM??

Uh, yeah. It's happened yet again.

I have spent hours over the years melting, freezing (yep), scraping and sweating with my head stuck in our dryer trying to remove sticky, gooey, stretched streaks and blobs of gum that failed to find it's way out of pockets before or while in the washer.

And at that moment it really becomes a mute point as to who should have checked the(ir) pockets, right? Ughhh!

Anyway, I love Pinterest, but I often forget to make that my first go to place for tips or information. That will probably change because I am so glad I thought to do so this time. And as much as I wish I could take credit for this ridiculously BRILLIANT trick, I can't. But I will however share. ;)

This time, as in the past, there were globs and there were streaks. Blue. SO blue. Trust me these photos taken by a deranged woman holding a cellphone do not do the damage justice  . . .

Pinterest gave me my mission, so I first tossed in some dirty damp towels to heat up the dryer while I prepared my weapons. As instructed I soaked dryer sheets (yep, you read that correctly) laid out flat in a paper plate of water (that was my idea) for approximately 5 minutes. I was still playing DoubtingThomas at this point so I just placed an entire sheet over multiple streaks and let it set for 10-15 minutes.

Then, still doubting, I went back to check things out and found that this supposed little miracle remedy had actually WORKED!!

I mean look at this!

So once I stopped jumping up and down and dancing around like a happy deranged woman, I put a little more thought into my particular predicament. I took more dryer sheets (I use Snuggle - not that I think that mattered) and cut them into squares that would fit and cover the multitude of gummy streaks I still had left to deal with. I did not do the towel and preheat thing this time, but I did let this batch soak in water for the suggested 5 minutes as well. But instead of placing them and then waiting to let them sit for 15 minutes - I placed a square on each of the 10,000 streaks and immediately began wiping and rubbing the gum.

And wah-lah!!! It all came off - with barely any elbow grease! 20 minute chore tops! Every. Single. Bit. Came. Off. Aaaamazing! Do yourself a favor and store this bit of information somewhere. Lol! Pinterest maybe??

Now before you judge my excitement as a little bizarre or think I'm over-reacting just a little bit here . . . if you have ever tackled this chore as many times as I have over the years I'm pretty sure I can see you doing a slight little dance of your own about now . . . right? ;)

Later ;)
Shelia

"God designed husbands and wives to complete each other, not to compete with each other." ~ Jimmy Evans

Thumper says . . .

Oh my gosh, life can get so darn messy at times. (And before you go there, ours is peachy.) Sometimes the mess is due to something we've done ourselves to cause it, but other times it's a direct result caused by the actions of others. It's the latter of the two that can be an even tougher pill to swallow. And if you're like me it's also when I find it harder to take Thumper's advice of  (clearing throat) . . .

'If you can't say something nice... don't say nothing at all.'

This week has found me extremely heavyhearted for others, deep in thought and yes, quiet. At first it bothered me that some might mistake my silence as ignorance or acceptance, which are both SO far from the truth. But as a result of keeping a lid on it I've had a lot of time to think. And I have been reminded that Satan shows himself in more shapes and/or ways than we can imagine. So many more than the devil-horned, red caped wearing version we might have been terrorized by as a child (and/or adult). But most of us already know this.

Unfortunately that doesn't stop us though, with our vast amount of human frailties, of allowing ourselves to become so complacent that we let him get his hooks in us or a situation and take it over. In fact we often realize too late that we perhaps even opened the door and invited him in. Sometimes he dwells like a quiet little mouse and others he just goes directly for the jugular. But either way is destructive to say the very least. And I for one find it extremely heart-wrenching and hard to stand by and watch as he destroys marriages, families and lives around us. Particularly the innocent ones who are mere pawns in the whole situation. So as I've struggled to be quiet (and those who know me know how hard it's been) I've been reminded in that silence that God sees all, knows all and we humans make plans, but the Lord has the final word. (Proverbs 16:1 CEV) 

My prayer for those who find themselves there is that they remember God's desire for them.

And that the Bible reminds us ~ 

He renews our hopes and heals our bodies.
He decided how many stars there would be

in the sky and gave each one a name.

Our Lord is great and powerful!

He understands everything.

The Lord helps the poor,

but he smears the wicked in the dirt.
(Psalm 147:3-6 CEV)

I AM

Later,
Shelia

The burning truth . . .

I saw this today and thought it was hilarious!

( The Glow)

I'm proud to say my desire for a 'glow' was never that drastic. Thankfully. But I do remember learning at a young age what a tan was. Who doesn't remember the Coppertone kid showing off a tan? That was when my siblings and I would spend pretty much all day outside (back when kids knew how to be kids) with absolutely no sun protection on at all. I remember adults commenting on how 'dark' we were, that we must play outside all of the time and insinuations that tan meant healthy. But I also never remember hearing terms like 'sun protection' or 'sunscreen' or skin cancer . .

That carried over into my later years when it was perfectly acceptable - and normal - to slather your body with straight baby oil and lay out in the blistering sun for hours and hours. Now maybe you weren't as interested in a tan as that, and if so, kudos to you. But you may fall into the category of this next way to get that 'glow' . . .

Even after I decided I didn't have the time for, or couldn't handle the heat of, all those hours in the sun - along came the tanning bed. The latest and greatest way to get a tan, without the inconvenience. Hook, line and sinker. And I chose that way up to just a few years ago. Just during the summer, but still we're talking months. And I never had a second thought about it. Now I do.

But that's not even the bad stuff. The way you look at and think about things changes as you age, or they often do for me. For one, I know that based upon hard rock evidence I will always regret letting my kids slide by without sunscreen just because they hated the application and re-application process that took time away from their time swimming. But particularly now that I know the risk of skin cancer doubles if you've been sunburned 5+ times. And then there were those teenage years when I let them think that tanning beds were ok simply because they saw their mom using them.

And if you pay attention to the news, especially this time of year, you hear all about the increase in reports of skin cancer. If interested in more info, or if you too are beginning to consider the long term and/or deadly effects of baking your body, you can find and read all the confirmed research and statistics such as this for yourself. But here are some facts from a short report I heard last week:

• Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) is a proven human carcinogen. 
• The International Agency for Research on Cancer, an affiliate of the World Health Organization, includes ultraviolet (UV) tanning devices in its Group 1, a list of the most dangerous cancer-causing substances. Group 1 also includes agents such as plutonium, cigarettes, and solar UV radiation.
• Currently tanning beds are regulated by the FDA as Class I medical devices, the same designation given elastic bandages and tongue depressors.
• Tanning beds are linked not only to melanoma, the deadliest skin cancer, but also basal cell carcinoma.
• More than 170,000 cases of non-melanoma skin cancer in the US each year are associated with indoor tanning. 
• One indoor UV tanning session increases users’ risk of developing squamous cell carcinoma by 67 percent and basal cell carcinoma by 29 percent. 
• The risk of basal cell carcinoma is increased by 73 percent if one tans six times per year. 
• Indoor tanners have a 69 percent increased risk of early-onset basal cell carcinoma. 
• Approximately 25 percent of early-onset basal cell carcinomas could be avoided if individuals have never tanned indoors. 
• Frequent tanners using new high-pressure sunlamps may receive as much as 12 times the annual UVA dose compared to the dose they receive from sun exposure. 
• One minute in the average indoor tanning machine in England is twice as cancer-causing (carcinogenic) as one minute in the midday Mediterranean sun. (That's stout, as we all know how hot the midday sun is!) 
• Just one indoor tanning session increases users’ chances of developing melanoma by 20 percent, and each additional session during the same year boosts the risk almost another two percent. 
• Of melanoma cases among 18-to-29-year-olds who had tanned indoors, 76 percent were attributable to tanning bed use.  
• People who first use a tanning bed before age 35 (that would be me . . .)increase their risk for melanoma by 75 percent. (No do-over here either. Ugh . . .) 
• Nearly 30 million people tan indoors in the U.S. every year. Two to three million of them are teens. 
• The indoor tanning industry has annual estimated revenue of $5 billion. 
• People who use tanning beds are 2 1/2 times more likely to develop squamous cell carcinoma and 1 1/2 times more likely to develop basal cell carcinoma. 
• Seventy-one percent of tanning salon patrons are females. 
• On an average day, more than one million Americans use tanning salons.

Now with all of that being said, I admit I still don't do pale very well in the summer. I don't strive for over-baked anymore, just a 'glow'. So I use a self-tanner. A personal choice. Because I also know now that wrinkles and sun spots are irreversible regardless of all the hype the cosmetic companies throw at you. Read the small print. Well, maybe if you used their products every day for the rest of your life and lived in a closet or cave. But there's no documented evidence of that either. So if you've also decided against further skin damage you might be interested in the self-tanner I discovered through a blog I follow. Because I've decided sunless is the way to go.

Sun Laboratories in Medium

This stuff is awesome. You can get it through Amazon if you choose (I do). Application is super easy. And youtube has all the help you could possibly need on application techniques. This one gives a natural looking tan. No streaking or nasty smell. And no. You will not look like a Tennessee orange version of Thelma & Louise with this. Not to mention it's much safer than their Orange Glo stuff. Now I make no promises though if you over do it. But why would you need to? It's a simple, quick process. I use the medium, but they do offer a 'very dark'. Be careful though. Sunless tanner is one of those 'less is best' kind of products. Plus, no goggles are required. :)

I recommend you do yourself a favor and at least give this or another one of your choice a try. Trust me, it's the way to go. For your safety, your health, your skin, your wallet, and of course . . . your family.

And if you're someone who loves the outdoors and/or spending time outside with your kids, that's great. Because a little vitamin D is good for you, within reason of course. Just remember the sunscreen when you're soaking it up - for you and for those little ones.

Later ;)
Shelia

Disclaimer: Not intended as 'preachy' - but my blog, my opinions.

It's the little things too

I just love my Mr. to death. The man should have been a comedian because he's always making me laugh. Often unintentionally . . .

One of the many times this week was today. He dropped his phone at work the other day and it saw the light, so to speak. And like everyone else (yeah you know it's true) he relies on it heavily so he had to get another one. He took both phones into AT&T for them to switch things over. And as usual they apparently did as little as possible (go figure), so I received the following message

 

Gosh I love that man! 

 

Even though we never readily admitted that we didn't know squat, we often pretended that we knew as much as our kids did about technology. Which naturally they knew was a total farce. I'm pretty sure that was evident by the fact that we usually managed to have the same phone that one of them did so they could conveniently give us a crash course on how to use the thing. That may or may not still happen . . . Lol!

 

So sometimes, particularly if they don't answer their phone, this season of  just us...life after kids can be technologically challenging. But I'm proud to say we mostly manage. ;)

 

As for the new phone, the first thing I did was set the spell check on it . . .

 

Later ;)

Shelia

Don't cry over burnt bread . . .

I've got to begin this post by sharing a devotional I received today. I hope you'll read it:

Why I No Longer Cry Over Burnt Bread 

Much like labor pains, I don't really remember being in the throes of poopy diapers, viruses with endless vomiting, sleepless nights of teething or days filled with coughing, hacking and breathing treatments - although I do know they existed. I do however remember running myself ragged trying to 'do it all' simply because I not only thought it was expected, but I was sure that no one could possibly do it as well as I could. So yes, I learned too late that striving to be good at all things caused me to miss the joy of so many small things. Instead I was crying over burnt bread.

I've told my kids often that if I had it to do over again I'd trade every single minute that I spent trying to maintain a spotless, orderly house for outside play, tea parties, fort building, coloring and/or just sitting or rolling around on the floor with them doing absolutely nothing. No one forced me to forgo those precious moments and they grew up way too fast. I find myself aching for those missed moments. Part of empty-nest maybe? I just know that there will never be one, but I would so much love a do-over . . .

This past week has been a tough one for our Little Boog. He's doing his best to cut multiple teeth, but they are being extremely stubborn and just causing him fits. Literally. He's been fussy, whining, clinging, not sleeping at night and just plain miserable at times. All he knows is that he hurts. And as you moms out there know, when our children hurt we're immediately on point to find a fix. That's what we do right? Well, his mom is no different. But unfortunately during times like teething, sometimes there's just nothing you can do. No amount of Tylenol, frozen washcloths, teething toys or even Tow Mater will do the trick. Sometimes the only thing that works is letting them wear themselves out by wearing your out. So, trying not to overstep the Nana boundary, I reminded her of the blessing she has of being a stay-at-home mom, her sweet nurturing ability to soothe him as no one else in this world can do. And again, I shared the lasting regrets I have for the times I didn't just sit down and 'be' without stressing over all the stuff I felt that only I could do. She gets it. She knows. And she's an absolutely awesome mom.

I came across this yesterday. I think someone actually shared it on Facebook. So I shared it with her.

Am I Enough?

This week my husband walks in the door after a long day at work to find: dishes piled in the sink, laundry all over the living room, the beef for dinner still in a frozen block, and me…looking like Frump Queen. He is gracious. And tells me to take a nap. I instantly obey. (Inwardly rejoicing.) And while I am sleeping for 45 minutes, he manages to clean the whole house…while watching our daughter. (A feat I clearly was incapable of accomplishing today. Many days.)

One part of me feels grateful the house is clean. I can relax now, right? But the other (bigger) part of me feels guilty and defeated. He just worked the whole day at his job, and then came home and did mine, too. Isn’t this why I am staying home?

Every day I have this desire to accomplish something. But every day it feels I accomplish nothing. I try to clean something, but I don’t finish. I want to do a house project, make my space more beautiful, but all those gorgeous pics on Pinterest look like something from another world. Not mine. I leave to buy something, but roam aimlessly around in the store. Nothing to bring home. I try to write, but this little person cries for all of my attention when I sit at the computer. I clip coupons and price match, and still go way over on our budget. Aghhh. At the end of the day, there’s nothing to show for the last 9 hours of exhausting effort. Of doing what?

When it feels I didn’t accomplish Super Tidy Housewife, or Spiritual Sage, or Fun Mommy, or Adoring Wife, or Betty Crocker, or the Likeable Friend…when I’m none of those titles, and all the opposites. I have to wonder: “Am I enough?“

I lay my head on the kitchen table, cheek against wood, and cry. I want my days to be of worth. But feel like they are all so: Unsuccessful.

As I lay, frozen, I hear a whisper, my daughter’s whisper:

Dear Momma,

Do you remember the nights you cried on the bathroom floor in the dark? When the pregnancy tests sat negative in the trash can? Remember when my nursery was just a storage room? A place for you and Daddy to throw your junk? Remember how you longed to brush my hair with your fingers, to sing me lullabies, to hold me close? And now I’m here.

Am I enough?

When there’s dishes in the sink, and your skinny jeans sag from all the bending, and dinner’s ingredients still sit on the shelves of the supermarket, because your days are full, full of me. Am I worth your attention? Am I an accomplishment?

Am I enough?

You kept me safe today Momma, you kept me alive. You kept me fed, and rested. You played with me, and made me laugh. Does that count Momma? Am I one of your goals Momma? Just to be together? Even if no one sees it? Or knows it?

Am I enough?

Tell me Momma, did you think I’d be different? Did you hope I’d be different? Do you see me? I’m right here Momma, the answer to your sobbing prayers. But now that I’m here, is there something else you want Momma, to feel good? Do I make your day count Momma?

Am I enough?

And suddenly, the voice changes. My heart wrenches. The Spirit of God begins to whisper, making the table under my wet cheek feel more like the chest of God. And suddenly I know He’s near.

Do you remember when I said, “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for Me?” (Matt. 25:40) “And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward?” (Matt. 10:42) Do you not see it here Child?

All these days you live at home to serve this fragile girl, what you really are doing is serving Me. For whatever you do unto her, you do unto Me. So let me ask you: Am I enough?

What is My worth to you? In the secret places, where no one sees? Look deeper Dear One.

Can you find Me in this place? In her face?

Every diaper, every clean, dry pair of clothes,

cups of water, Cheerios, all the laughter, every tear,

each soothing whisper in her ear.

In doing so, you so clothe Me, feed Me, hear My cry,

soothe Me with your lullaby.

If all you do is spend your days, your self, on Me.

Am I enough?

I think I was not only meant to share that post with her, but was intended to allow it to rid my own heart of some type of grief I had allowed to form there. We all live with regrets and/or desires for some much needed do-overs. And like the author of the devotion I shared, I learned the hard way that I missed all sorts of sacred and significant moments because I lived with the exhausting insistence that I could do all and be all at all times.

I know that I'm a good mom. And I like to think my kids would agree. I've always done everything within my ability to be sure they're safe, well, fed and clean. I had the nickname from the neighborhood kids as O.P.M. (over-protective mom) and the Mr. reminded me just the other night of the many, many nights I would be up till the wee hours of the morning with a sick child. But even with that being said, I know that like me, there will undoubtedly be times that my own children will feel inadequate during their own years of parenting. So my prayer for them is that they discover early that nothing will ever be accomplished by crying over burnt bread . . . 

For now this sweet little blessing is my do-over ...

“So since we find ourselves fashioned into all these excellently formed and marvelously functioning parts in Christ’s body, let’s just go ahead and be what we were made to be, without enviously or pridefully comparing ourselves with each other, or trying to be something we aren’t.” Romans 12:5-6, (The Message) 

Later ;)

Shelia

Regardless, everybody is somebody's child . . .

Planned AND accomplished!

Yep. Got it done!

I went home on Friday and immediately began purging my closets. Primarily because I knew if I didn't I'd come up with another excuse to postpone it. Gosh it felt good!!

I tackled the definite no-no closet first (baby steps, you know). This was one that held stuff that had not been worn in so long it should have been covered in cobwebs. This closet also holds the Mr.'s winter clothing that he needs mainly for work. He's an all season, hard-working kinda man!

Next I tackled the closet in what is now known as 'The Nursery.' :) This one held everything from casual, to winter, to the dreaded 'might have an excuse to wear this some day yet' pieces. This was the tough one. I actually found myself falling into the trap of trying a few things on again because ______ (you fill in the blank), which is why they were hanging in there in the first place! But after a few mental smacks to the head, I continued the purge.

I checked everything out to determine which destination it would end up at - outside of our house. The next step was to hang what was going to a better place - the next day - fold and bag what was going to be donated - the next day - and hang and cover items being transferred to the attic for winter trip to consignment (out of sight, out of mind) - the next day. I didn't have any shoes or purses to deal with, as I had taken care of donating or trashing those items when I switched out winter and summer clothes a few months ago. So after moving everything out of the house, I spent the rest of my evening feeling pretty darn proud of myself!

The next morning, just as I'd promised myself, I put the future consignment duds in the attic and got those out of the way first. Then later that morning we, and yes - I talked him into it - headed to the consignment shop. I mentioned Wee Cycled & New to You in my previous post. You guys should really check this place out. They have everything (in season). Anyway, I was almost beaming as I took in the clothes that I half eagerly, half painstakingly, purged from my overflowing closets. If you've never done consignment, the way it works is they look at the clothing and determine what they feel can be resold and I'm proud to say that everything I took in was deemed worthy (yay!). So of course while they were doing that I managed to find a few things to take back home with me also. Don't judge! I got . . .

These shorts.

Now I'm not a 'brand name' person, so I really don't remember what brand these are, but they were both brand new and with tags. Score! These are just a little long for my liking (see 'someecard' on previous post) and I am so NOT a cuff person, so those definitely have to go. But the thing about consignment is that the prices are so great I can easily justify alterations like hemming and cuff removal if and when needed. 

Then I got this cute top and pair of khaki shorts. Again, cuffs to be removed. 

And this summer purse and cap to protect The Boog from the sun this summer.

And while I was doing my 'browsing' the Mr. was doing a little browsing of his own. I rounded a corner to find him holding a cool version of Mickey Mouse that crawled. Super cute and with Boog crawling - everywhere - he thought it would entertain him (mmhmmm . . .). I shot a glance at the huge corner of toys they have and something extremely familiar on the top shelf caught my eye!!

Now I realize it might not be Tow Mater, but how stinkin' cute is this??
Poor Mickey didn't stand a chance. ;)

The odd thing is, we had just had a conversation on the way to New to You about 'me' spoiling Boog rotten. Me? Never . . .

Mmmm . . .this came today . . . ;)

Guess it's time for Nana and Papa to reconnect with the Spurtlegurgles, Jingleheimers, Bitty Booties and Twirleypops! Lol! ;)

Ok, so last weekend's mission was planned and accomplished! Now, what can I plan for this one . . .?

Later ;)
Shelia

Regardless, everybody is somebody's child . . .

All together now - PURGE . . .

The weekend is here and I have big plans for it. My #1 goal is to get serious about ridding my closet of crap.

I have really good intentions of accomplishing this, so this post will act as some sort of mental accountability on my part. Here are a few thoughts on how I plan to tackle it and keep it under control:

I'm going to purge ruthlessly. All sentiments out the window!I'm keeping only those pieces that I absolutely love and know that I will wear on a regular basis. If something doesn’t fit, has holes, missing buttons, out of style, etc., it's going. All those 'Oh, I might wear this with . . .' pieces are gone. Tossing them!

Each piece will have a fate. Just because I'm pulling it out doesn’t necessarily mean it'll meet the garbage dump or wind up at Goodwill. And if you’re like me, you might have a couple of different sizes you're hanging on to, some stuff that you just really, really liked at one time and have dreams of fitting into again. Well, regardless, they're still taking up space. If I come across something that I'm determined to hang onto for memory sake then it's going into a storage bin of ‘used to fit me' clothing. Likewise, any torn or stained pieces in need of a little TLC that I know I will truly spend time salvaging, will go in another bin. No exceptions. None.

Minimizing my losses. Purging my closet won't be a complete monetary loss. Because you know what they say. One gal's junk is another gal's treasure . . . Hopefully most items, even some shoes and accessories, can be taken to a consignment shop (wash, pressed if really wrinkled and hung), sold in an upcoming yard-sale, or if my tech savvy daughters are willing, sold on Craigslist, eBay or Facebook. And speaking of consignment . . . my sister-in-law, Kristi, has a shop in town called Wee Cycled & New to You . Wee Cycled is for the kiddos and New to You is for you ladies. So if you're ready to undertake a little purging yourself or just ready for new piece or two at a great price, check it out!

Making sure it's worth my time. Once I've tackled the beast I'll have to continue to keep things in order. This will be the long term goal. The plan this weekend is to create a no-fail system that will be easy to maintain. Things like color matching will help for sure. And hanging tops here, pants there, etc. will help also. For example, I already do that with my black pants and jeans. I’ve heard it said that I tend to wear ‘funeral attire’ to work. But for me personally, I feel black is super easy to coordinate and work with when striving for a professional office atmosphere. So it’s easier for me to separate work attire (black pants) from my tops and my weekend/casual items. Also, I keep my clothes in a closet instead of dresser drawers. This creates an easier visual of what I actually have and makes it easier to grab something, plus helps prevent wrinkles and ironing.

Being persistent with the contents. Once I've managed to purge and trim things down, keeping things I truly love and will wear repeatedly, I need to keep it that way. And when I do buy something new I normally try to choose quality over quantity already. I mean I love a sale as well as the next person, but I try really hard to resist the urge to buy into the latest ‘fad’ or a 'this might work' piece simply because it’s on sale. I've found that I'm much better off buying ONE piece that I  really, really love than TEN that are cheap and out of style before the next season rolls around. Yes, been there - done that. This helps explain the need for my weekend to be spent purging.

Re-evaluate regularly. Yep, the idea will be to re-assess, re-sort, and re-evaluate my closet every season to see what still fits, what's in good shape, how much dust it's accumulated, etc. And as the seasons shift I'll likely need to remove and/or switch out some items based upon our wacky Tennessee weather. But most importantly, I'll need to keep reminding myself why I purged in the first place and stick to my guns!

So? What about you? Do you ever buy things just because they’re irresistible or on clearance only to find that you don’t really like them after all? Have you ever been brave enough to purge your own closet down to the bare essentials? Do you manage to keep your closet organized? If so, what’s your trick? I'd love to know. Besides, surely I’m not the only one with a closet FULL of clothes I haven’t worn in ... a while?

And just one more thing ladies - a friendly reminder . . .

Later ;)
Shelia

Hitting close to home . . .

A beautifully written letter from a mother to her daughter ...

“My dear girl. The day you see I’m getting old, I ask you to please be patient, but most of all, try to understand what I’m going through.

If when we talk, I tend to repeat the same thing a thousand times, don’t interrupt me to say “You said the same thing just a minute ago.” Just listen, please. Try to remember the times when you were little and I would read the same bedtime story night after night until you would fall asleep.

When I don’t want to or feel like taking a bath, don’t be mad and don’t embarrass me. Remember when I had to run after you as you made excuses, the whole time trying to get you to take a shower when you were just a little girl?

When I appear ignorant when it comes to new technology, give me the time to try and learn and don’t look at me that way ... because remember honey, I patiently taught you how to do so many things such as eating, getting dressed, combing your hair, right from wrong and dealing with life’s day to day issues.

The day you see I’m getting old, I ask you to please be patient, but most of all try to understand what I’m going through. So if I occasionally lose track of what we’re talking about, give me the time to remember, and if I can’t, don’t be scared, impatient or arrogant. Just know in your heart that the most important thing for me is just to be with you.

And when my old, tired legs don’t let me move as quickly as before, offer me your hand to take the same way that I gave you mine when you first began to walk.

When those days come sweetheart, don’t feel sad ... just be with me, and understand me with love while I get to the end of my life. I’ll love, cherish and thank you for the gift of the time and joy we shared.

With a big smile and the huge love I’ve always had for you, I just want to say ... I love you."

Love you too Mama .... 

Here we go again . . .

It would almost be unjust to not start this post with a 'where in the world has the time gone?' or some such segue. Sort of like I just did . . .

I have to admit the thought has flitted through my mind (the past 16 months) to attempt a short post, a paragraph, or at the very least put this poor blog out of its misery. I mean surely I'm using up some sort of mysterious data storage that could go to much better use. But obviously I've done neither. So here's my attempt to once again maintain a blog.

I don’t have anything profound to share today, but I have been thinking a lot recently of just how extremely good God is to me and how ridiculously blessed I am. So this post will be a quick look at the goings on of our life.

And it’s changed. A lot.

My Mom, who many of you may recall, suffers with Parkinson’s disease. Suffer is putting it mildly. It is a debilitating disease that shows no mercy. The goal, and the struggle, is to attempt to stay one step ahead of it. I’ve watched it take a woman who never understood the concept of ‘quit’ and force her to strive just to get up and go. Medications are a blessing. And the one thing it hasn’t been able to change is her heart and her love for her family. And we continue on.

Our son, Michael, is still living in Daytona and continuing his education as a full-time student. He found a love for body building while serving in the United States Navy, has carried it forward, competed in and won his first competition – his weight class, plus overall. Huge personal goal and accomplishment for him. He’s currently training himself for his third competition, completely solo, and will be a force to be reckoned with - because this was round one ...

But most importantly, he married our beautiful daughter-in-law, Kristina, in August with a hometown wedding adding another special member to our family. She graduated with her Bachelor’s Degree this month and will soon be headed back for her Master’s. I’m trying to bite my tongue and not lay the pressure on ‘too hard’ regarding babies . . . it ain’t working.

Our baby, Amanda, became a mom in September. I know! Still can’t believe it. She gave birth to our first grandson, Bennett Lane. He is 8 months old now, absolutely perfect and the true example of what can turn two grandparents into total mush. Oh my gosh. It is impossible to describe the love I have for this boy. You’ll definitely be hearing more about him…

Bennett’s dad, our son-in-law, Brandon, has been able to come home from the military life to work at home full-time. He is a Distributor for AdvoCare (a premier health and wellness company) helping others to improve their health and financial goals. So not only will his feet remain on American soil, but also in our home town. He’s made it possible for Amanda to become a full-time stay at home mom also and that definitely makes this mom and Nana happy.

Hold onto your hats for this one . . . our first grandchild, Samantha, is engaged! So when I ask ‘where did the time go’ I mean it - literally. It seems unfathomable that this child is grown, much less engaged! So this next year will be full of wedding plans and preparations. Here we go again!! Sammie also completed courses to become a CNA and is currently treating patients much like my mom. I am so extremely proud of the caring heart she has for others.

As for me and the hubs? We’re just keepin’ on keepin’ on. And where in the world we got the idea that ‘life after kids’ would be slower and more relaxed I have no idea. I just know I'm loving it. :)

Promising to be back soon,

Shelia