Purging, that is. This is a constant activity for me. I really try hard to make tough decisions and not relocate things to the basement when I purge other rooms in the house but I think it’s inevitable. I have decluttered my basement more times than I can count and always, it goes back to looking like this……..

I had prepared a post related to the horrific events in Tucson, but then decided I didn’t want to add to the chaos and inflammatory discourse. Instead, I thought I’d relate how I’ve decided that January has been a perfect time to transition toward a new year.

I didn’t come by this concept naturally. I often feel like the week between Christmas and New Year’s is the time to purge, organize, wipe the slate clean, so to speak. I did that last year and it felt right. This year, though, inactivity during that week brought peace and calm.

It was tempting to feel as though Jan. 1 came and went and I missed the opportunity to reboot.

I decided that February is just as good as January for that purpose and January is a good time to prepare for it. I’ve adjusted my morning prayer routine a bit and am liking it. I’m trying out some new ways to keep everyone on track to do their school work. I’m trying new things in the kitchen. I’m thinking about some goals I have for the year. The weather has cooperated. When it’s snowy outside, normal life gets put on hold. Yesterday brought a houseful of kids who were off from school. Math and some writing was the only official school that happened for my family. Not to worry, play and snow shoveling in the fresh air fire those synapses, too. Not sure if Wii does, though. Oh well.

If I can articulate specifics, I’ll post about them because I have found that accountability motivates me and hopefully you, too-if you need it.

I’ve always wanted the house to be clean before Holy Week and have never been able to make it happen. This year, I did it and the house actually feels bigger. I don’t know if I made it to 40 bags over the 40 days. I may even have gotten more out of here. But the house is considerably lighter and getting rid of all that extra clutter really made it easier to clean.

I’m anticipating that it will make the house easier to keep clean.

The surprising result of decluttering-and this happens everytime I do a good one-it makes me less tolerant of any extra stuff. This doesn’t bode well for the Easter baskets this year-sorry kiddies. I’m enjoying the clear spaces and ready to go another round after Easter. I haven’t been bagging things up this week. I’m ready to exhale in anticipation of Holy Thursday through Sunday. I’m looking forward to spending some relaxed, quiet time with Mark and the kids and with my brothers and their families on Sunday. That’s a first since “spagetti Wednesday”(our annual night-before-Thanksgiving gathering).

I’ll be writing more about simplifying after the holiday.

Happy Easter.

I’ve been thinking a lot about how I’ve been approaching everything related to food for my family. I finally got around to watching Food, Inc. and I hate to say it, but I wasn’t all that surprised. It’s a “I don’t want to know how hot-dogs are made” kind of mentality. It was gross and it made me furious at big companies that control family farmers. It has inspired me to be a more conscious voter with the dollar and I’m opting out of buying factory-farmed meat products at the supermarket and looking for other sources. Luckily we have a “Right By Nature” about 15 minutes away and it carries affordable options.

Before I dive in, I should tell you we’ve never eaten out very often and we don’t eat a lot of convenience foods but my attitude toward making meals for the family has been pretty utilitarian. As long as I’ve been preparing meals for myself and then for my husband and now for all of us, my approach has been to streamline the process to get it done. Feed them something mostly nutritious that they’ll eat. I don’t mind food that requires a lot of preparation but this isn’t my preference on most nights.

I’m beginning to rethink this and am realizing that the act of planning, preparing and eating a meal together may be the most important of all my duties. Aside from sleep, a healthy, balanced and predictable meal schedule is the physical cornerstone to wellness of each of us and affects every other facet of our days together.

Since my kitchen isn’t attached to our main living area, I got into the habit when the kids were little and would be underfoot, to prepare meals in solitary confinement. When they were small enough to take naps, I’d do prep work ahead of time and let them watch TV while I finished. Mark works 3 evenings a week and doesn’t get home until close to 7 on Sat. and Sun. so I flew solo for meals when the kids were little. Now, they’re old enough to wait for him on the weekends so we eat with him more often than not.

For the most part, I still am in the habit of being in the kitchen by myself while making dinner but I’m realizing that I’m missing an opportunity to

I love when you come across something that demonstrates by data what you know intuitively. This article explains the pitfalls of multitasking, a practice at which,  admittedly, I stink. When I was younger, I was ashamed of my inability to do more than one thing at a time really well. This, coupled with my interest in many things….sports, school, fun with friends and family, working, I accepted early on that I’d never be the highest scorer, but I’d be decent, I’d never be the valedictorian but I did well enough. For me it was a matter of what gave me satisfaction and joy. It was never only one thing. Maybe I also wasn’t willing to make the sacrifices to be the best at any one thing. Laziness? Maybe but I think the article makes a good case for the idea that it’s best to apply yourself singularly to the task at hand. I’ve always been pretty good at that.

I can remember all through high school, college and even graduate school longing for the day that I just could have a job because finally, I’d only have one thing to do. I played sports and worked through high school and college. Worked though law school. I really thought it would be so easy to just have a job after law school, but I got married the month before I started my first job-so there went testing my theory.

I admire people who can do many things and seem to do it well but I always wonder whether they’re really joyful or content. Since I’ve been home with the kids and began to view the role as a vocation rather than a job, I’ve been completely content.

While being home requires many tasks, I’m still no good at performing more than one at a time. I read blogs where moms can make dinner and minister the hearts of the children. Knit and listen to their teens spill their guts. Meet the needs of their children and their husband simultaneously. Paint the living room and organize a school fundraiser. Sometimes I envy those moms who can meet the needs of many and do a lot of things at once, but usually I remind myself that I am the way I am and I do the best I can. And the article above gives me reason to be accept my limitations.