It is quiet…and it is 11:30 in the morning. Pie Pie is sleeping in his crib, Mini Mister, I think, is saying his Pledge of Allegiance, and Little Miss is probably outside with her pre-school class riding bikes. And I am here, with a clear mind, breathing consciously, and writing in this little space.

With three children, I can still enjoy stillness, quiet, and tranquility. No TV, no radio, no phone. No driving, no laundry, no e-mail. A cup of hot tea is to my side, a keyboard is in front of me, and many words are floating in my head just waiting to flow out through my fingers and onto the page. (It should probably be “screen,” but “page” sounds so much better doesn’t it?)

In this moment of peace, I still feel the urge to do something. To DO something. That is, to be productive. ”Where is my to-do list?” ”What will I need to prepare for later?” ”What can only be accomplished with two hands?”

But I push all that away. I drag those thoughts of doing to the back of my mind and I breath. I listen to the cars floating by on the road. I listen to the chicken crackling under the oven broiler. (See I am multi-tasking!) And I welcome in the calm. Just for a moment.

Sometimes calm is a found moment. Sometimes it comes upon you by surprise. Sometimes you can force it to come. But small moments of peace should be noticed, captured, and savored.

P/S

This photo is just me playing around with a new-on-loan camera lens. It’s a pineapple. And pineapples really don’t give me any added feelings of relaxation or peace. I just thought it was an interesting shot.

I credit my mother for having taught me many of the skills I use today. She sat by my side as I overcame sheer frustration with the sewing machine. She let me sniff, poke, and peek at her pots and bowls all the while she cooked. She taught me to knit. She taught me how to put my thoughts to paper. She taught me that organic gardening, recycling, raising chickens, and composting aren’t novelties, but simply a responsible way of life.

But there are a few things she didn’t teach me. I don’t know why this is…but I do know I would have liked to have learned them. Waste not want not is one of them. That being inspired to reinvent what you have on-hand instead of aspiring to more is just responsible. And how to budget, and stick to it, is another.

I never remember my mother saving buttons and snaps to sew into other projects and garments. I don’t remember my mother reinventing dinner leftovers so that nothing went to waste and our palettes didn’t fall asleep. I don’t remember my mother saving scraps of paper, containers and bottles, or upcycling anything.

So at 34 years old, with a young family to care for, I am learning on my own here. It is never to late to start learning. With the internet, a thoughtful community of bloggers, and the library, I am sure there is a deluge of information about frugal living to be discovered. And I am eager to start.

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In the vein of New Year resolutions, I hope this year will be a year of creative conservation.

Using less.
Wasting less.
Wanting less.
And needing less.

Personally, I think this may be a radical change for our family living in the midst of a commercial consumer-driven suburban community. There are so many out there who live this way everyday with beauty and grace. I think that we might be able to do that too.

And onto why I am taking this on? I am considering educational options for my oldest, Mini Mister. He will be of kindergarten age in the fall and we are checking out all schooling options for him, some of which are rather pricey. I really would like to have the flexibility to offer him the education we choose is best, and not have to go back to work outside the home. I’d also like to finally be able to live within our means in one of the more expensive suburbs in the country all the while, keeping our family as healthy and happy as possible.

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Maybe my mother didn’t teach me about frugal living because she felt she didn’t know the golden rule, the key, or the ticket to success. Maybe she thought this kind of life lesson is better turned over, pondered, tried out, and mastered by the learner. Perhaps learning first-hand that wanting comes from wasting is the best way to really understand and value this life lesson.

P/S
So if you have a favorite frugal living resource would you mind sharing it with me? Many thanks to you in advance!

I am feeling a little caught up in the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. My holiday list keeps on growing even though we are trying to pare down a bit this year and I find that I am constantly trying to remember to “breath, relax my shoulders, and not worry so much.”

Every blog  I read is filled with holiday cheer; filled with wonderfully beautiful traditions, stories of family and joy, and reminders about how to “get back to basics.” Nevertheless, I feel stressed thinking of the gifts I still need to create, the hours I need to set aside to decorate cookies with the children, the dates by which I need to ship off gifts to faraway friends and family, and which charity I am to donate to. Where did all of this come from? How did I get into this hamster wheel? And how do I get out?

I am starting with the children. What do I want them to remember as adults? I want them to understand the true meaning of Christmas. I want them to remember togetherness, generosity in their hearts, excitement about special shared traditions, and a sense of self in the whirlwind of buying, blinky lights, and social obligation all around them.

I want to remember others at this time. Returning from Mexico really got me thinking about others in this world who simply have nothing. Nothing to eat, no where to sleep soundly, and no clothing to keep them warm. I have so many things and access to so many opportunities.   I often take more than I need, and waste more than I should. Taking a bit of advice from my friend Marci who writes about Overcoming Busy, I am trying to overcome busy in my life, live what is true and real, and roll with the punches a bit.

To start getting my family “back to basics” we are beginning with a simple Christmas meal. I love to cook with extravagant, special ingredients like lobster, saffron, and premium chocolate. But this year with uncertain economics it seems prudent to scale back on the food, eat simply, and share our wealth, love and time, with others who have less.

I am hand-making most of the gifts our family is to give this year. Although this adds to the stress level a bit, I feel it puts a little bit of my soul into each gift I give, and offers my children the chance to give something they have created with their hearts.

I feel we own entirely too much plastic in the way of toddler toys, dishware, containers, acrylic clothing, light fixtures, furniture…I think we must be swimming in a sea of petroleum. What happened to natural materials like fabric, wood, and metal? I am aiming to make, select, and ask for gifts that are made from natural materials with love and care.

And lastly, I am remembering to question. Question what I am doing, why I am doing it, and if what I am doing will build spirited family traditions and joyful memories, or if it will just drop us off at the curb of “going through the motions” again.