Sunday, January 31, 2010

I need some ideas

Since today is the last day of January and I am pretty sure this makes a blogging record for me I thought I would post.

I am not buying anything and that is great and all. But now I don't ever leave the house. When you have been awake for 40 minutes, your kids are driving you nuts, and it is only 8 in the morning there is definitely a problem. I need to get out of the house to do something. Brian and I were talking about my hobbies. I have a fair amount of hobbies they just all happen to be things I do at home. Sewing, gardening, craftiness. Okay so that is apparently all of my hobbies. At least that I can think of. So if any of you have any great ideas of hobbies that you have you do away from your children let me know. My sister said she was taking voice lessons. I need something to do for some serious sanity.

I got my bike on Friday and Saturday morning I got up and went for a ride, right in my basement. It was nice. I saw some garden seeds in Lowe's the other day and it made me so happy. I should make a bouquet of garden seeds and put it on my table.

I want to know if you want to develop some hobbies with me or if you have any great ideas for me. I will take either.

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Yes, I am still not buying anything

I am almost one month into not consuming. Has it made me happier? I think it has started. I find myself enjoying my day more and not thinking that I need a new picture or a new shirt. I did just purchase a bike and I may have to get a new washer and dryer. My washer is not spinning my clothes out so it is still soaking wet when the cycle is done. I buy diapers and food but have not purchased clothing. My sister was telling my about her friend that is doing a operation appreciation with her kids. I think she might be onto something. She has given her kids a limited amount of clothing, toys, and a few things. I was thinking about that and what an easier way to live. After all do we really need 15 shirts and 8 pairs of pants? Or how about 10 pairs of shoes? Reagan wears about 3 pair of pants because she doesn't like the others. They just sit in her drawer. This has made me think that we all really live in excess. We have way too many things.

In Stake Conference on Sunday, Elder Porter of the seventy told a story of a woman coming in to his office as a Bishop saying she just wasn't happy. They talked about some changes she could make and met again in a month. When they met again she was beaming. Elder Porter asked what she had done to change to be happy. She told him she had stopped looking at catalogs. She said when she looked at them it made her realize how much more the people around her had and she wanted that. But when she stopped looking at catalogs she no longer wanted those things that other people had because she didn't see them. I thought, if it were only that simple. Well, maybe it is that simple, maybe if we could not look at the things that neighbors have or that is seems so much easier for them we would be a happier people. Those neighbors may be the ones struggling with debt or spiritual problems or a variety of other things that are unseen to us.

What I have realized by not buying anything is...we just don't need anything. Our basic needs are met by shelter, food, clothing, and most importantly love. The rest of the stuff we have is simply just stuff. It doesn't define us, make us a better person, make like easier, or make us happy. I am also learning I need different hobbies. If I needed time by myself I would go shopping. I don't need to shop for a hobby, I need to find something else to do, take an art class, go to the library, play the piano. The same sister, I called last week and interrupted her voice lesson. I thought that was a good thing. As we become mothers, he develop children not hobbies. I think that sometimes we get lost after we have children. We know what we need to do we just don't do it. We need to be active participants in our lives and not just in our childrens lives. So I am going to take an art class and maybe this summer I might take tennis or golf lessons. Let's all be proactive in doing things to enrich our lives and the lives around us. I think when we do this and stop looking at catalogs we will all be happier people.

Good Things:
1. Sisters
2. Developing talents
3. Making progress.

I hope this gets us all thinking.

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Going So Far

So far in my effort to not consume, it has gone pretty well. I did purchase a couple of things but they were not clothing or home decor items. Something for the computer and something for the car seats. I probably have save a lot already. I am planning on purchasing a spinning bike in an effort to be healthy. I am thinking about finding a hobby or a class to take to find something else to do with my free alone time. I figured since I am not consuming wandering the mall is not such a great hobby whether I buy something or not.

Good Things
1. Heading to Grandma's
2. Clean kitchens
3. Free time

So how are all of you doing with your goals?

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Can Mothers Really Be Happy?

Can Mothers really be happy? I ask this because at my house their is fighting children competing over toys and other really dumb things. The mother is constantly saying "pick up your toys, leave him alone, knock it off, and probably a hundred other phrases that many of you say yourself. I know that I am not the only saying more like screaming these little phrases. Is it all blissful and happiness at your house or are you all in denial? In my effort to be more happy, it is hard not to lose it with the kiddos. Considering that I am about the least patient person around this is my daily routine. I hope at some point in life it will be blissful and I can look back at these ornery days of childhood and say that I missed those days. It is hard for me to think at this point in my life I will. I read on someone else's blog that her goal for 2010 was to find joy in Motherhood and not look so forward to 8pm when the kids are in bed. I am not sure I am there yet. I would like to be there but realize I have a long ways to go but I hope I can find the day where I can say this is fun and I love being a mother. I know that motherhood will not always be blissful but hopefully I can find a part of my day that is bliss and that it is not after 8pm.

Saturday, January 9, 2010

Clarification

I decided not to consume but as I was thinking about this I decided it needed more clarification. By me not consuming does not mean that I am going to stop purchasing things entirely. I will still grocery shop as we do need to eat. I will still buy pampers diapers because this is all about an effort of being happier. Cloth diapers is not going to take me there. I will not though purchase clothing, shoes, home decor, books, and the likes of those type things because lets face it...I already have plenty of those things. I will try to spend less of grocery shopping by using coupons. This really may be more of an effort to spend less. This may really be a challenge for me. I will probably have to find a new hobby or something to do. Good Luck to me.

Denmark: The Happiest Place on Earth - ABC News

Here is the link:

http://abcnews.go.com/2020/story?id=4086092

Here's to Happiness

Here's to Happiness
So after watching Julie and Julia, I decided I wanted to something similar. So here it is. I have been thinking a lot about what it takes to be happy. Is it the stuff we have, our relationships, our spirituality or a good balance of all of those plus probably a thousand other things. In my quest to become a happier person, I have and will continue to consult all sorts of books, shows, whatever it really takes. Here is the first result.

Yesterday, I happened to tune in to Oprah. She was discussing this very topic of happiness. Studies have shown that the people in Denmark are the happiest in the world despite paying nearly 50 percent in income taxes. As I was watching this, she went through 2 families houses, went through a market, and met with a group of women. My conclusion: People in Denmark live very simply. There houses are small, modern, and very simple. They didn't have wreaths, and picture groupings on their walls. Basically is what I saw was a sofa and perhaps a table in their family room. No television, basically no distractions to take them from what they really need to do, which is family. I did not see piles of toys in the kids rooms or mountains of clothes hanging in the closet or in my case that would by lying on the floor. Most of them do not own cars because they bike everywhere. What a way to stay fit. That means no gym membership. The thing that struck me the most is when one of the women said: we are happy because we don't consume, we live.

So I decided that is exactly what I want to do. Live not consume. So I told my husband today that normally I would buy the kids clothes if they were on a good clearance. I am not going to do that anymore. If they really and truly need it then I will make the exception. That goes for me as well. I don't want to feel like I have to have that sweater when I already have 5 sweaters. This is going to be challenging for me. But I think I can do it. I will have to remind myself of this often I am sure. Doing this will save probably a considerable amount of money.

I think that is going to be step 1. I am unsure as to how many steps this will take but that is a good start,

Here is to being happier!


The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy, amidst the simple beauty of nature.
ANNE FRANK

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Goals for 2010

A couple of things. First, last night I watched Julie and Julia. I really liked it except for one very blatant naughty word and a little less clothes at a brief part. What I liked about it was that it was inspiring. If you have not seen it check it out. Julie does something kind of crazy but turns out to be very good for her. I wish I was more like that. It would be fun. You probably won't know what this is until you watch it. But it inspires me to do something different, something that i truly enjoy and something I haven't thought of yet.

Second, I was reading on the blog, Apron Girls (aprongirls.blogspot.com). On the blog many of the contributors wrote what they would like there new year to be like. Most of them chose one word to describe there year like: joy, focus, organized. You get the idea. Can you think of one word that you would like your year to be? I am still thinking on mine because I think as I was looking over there ideas I need all of those things. Here is a list of my b's for my year.

Be healthy. What that really means is lose weight.
Be joyous in all things
Be more spiritual by attending the temple more often and taking part in prayer and scripture study
Be Clean and organized
Be Done, my house that is
Be happy.

All of these things really entail more than one thing. So I guess my word is Better. Just to be a better person, wife, mother, to be better at those things that I really need to be better at. Let's be honest I don't need to be a better shopper. But I do need to be a better mom and a better teacher, and so many other things. I want this upcoming year to be about improvement. Self, house, however it works. What is your year going to be for you?

Good Things
1. Reevaluating
2. Knowing I need to change
3. Knowing I CAN change

Here's to 2010! Enjoy

Monday, January 4, 2010

THankful

Today I just got back from the funeral of dear John Young. It was a sad but good funeral.

Today I am thankful for many things:
1. That the Youngs were so willing to care for my kids on Thursday
2. To have such a good family
3. Proud to wore the orange and blue.


Today is also the Fiesta Bowl. Brian is in Arizona and I want you all to wear your brightest, best orange and blue today so we can teach TCU a lesson. Go Broncos!