Making Changes

Due to a runny nose, Mason has not been feeling well this afternoon so we spent some time cuddling on the couch watching t.v. (Gilmore Girls reruns -me) and youTube (Micky Mouse - Mason) and eating popcorn.  Yes, Mason likes popcorn.

Now Mason is napping and Berkley is at the groomer so it's just Pete (the dog) and me hanging out and so I get a minute to think.  

I recently read a book called "7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess" by Jen Hatmaker.  Honestly, it has completely changed the way I think about all of the possessions (including food) that I have been blessed with.  I would love to write more about it but I am having a hard time with the words.  It would probably help if someone else (I am looking at you: all of you girls I have mentioned this book to who said that they would probably read it...don't make me name names) would please read the book  so I could talk to them about it.  FOR THE LOVE, SOMEONE PLEASE READ THE BOOK! Then call me.  By that time I will have to read it again because I will forget what I thought about it in the first place.  (Ben doesn't read, I have already tried.)

                       

After reading the aforementioned book, I decided to make some changes.  I am starting small so here are my changes:  

1. Get up early (I mentioned this before) for quiet time and exercise.  This is going great and I wish I had been doing it forever.  The only set back is that I have to take this week off from running because I have been running in 4 year old (at least) tennis shoes and they have wreaked havoc on my ankles. My dad has insisted on buying me a new pair so hopefully after a week off and some new shoes, I will be good to go.  I have noticed that my day starts out so much better and I am much more productive when I get up early.  

2. Recycle - "The earth is the Lord's and all that is in it." Psalm 24:1 I was really convicted about this when I read the chapter on waste.  It blows my mind just how much garbage my household/street/neighborhood produces and then multiply that by a million and think of all that trash!  Trash that just gets buried. Yuck. So, the least I can do is reuse, reduce, and recycle, right?  Pike Road doesn't have pick up for recycle so I am collecting it and then dropping it off.  Ben loves it (sarcasm) but he is recycling too.  I bought bins to put plastic and paper goods in and all this, but I haven't really gotten organized yet and milk jugs and such are collecting on the dryer and the kitchen counter.  Hmm, guess I'll go take care of that in a minute....

3. Cook more and use more local and organic (non-processed) foods.  I sort of started this before the book just because I wanted to make sure Mason was getting healthy meals.  Do yall realize how many servings of fruits and veggies we are supposed to eat per day??  An average person on a 2,000 calorie diet needs 9 servings (4.5 cups) of fruits and veggies per day.  Oh, and potatoes don't count. Boo ya!  So, to the farmer's market we go about once a week.  Farmer's market back up = Publix.  Sorry Wal-Mart. I still love you but let's be honest, Publix has better produce.  I have to add here that Mason and I LOVE organic gala apples from Publix and they make a great snack! 

Anyway, yes, I know that organic foods etc can really do some damage to your bank account so I only buy organic when it comes to most of the "dirty dozen" fruits and veggies; the ones that absorb the most chemicals.  You can google Dirty Dozen and it should pop right up.  I think they change from year to year.

 

So, there ya go.  That is my little starting point of changes I am trying to make these days.  Hopefully there will be more to come but it will take a little planning and thinking on my part.  I will keep you posted.

In other news, our house is still on the market but we are trying to decide if we should take it off or leave it on as the listing has just expired on almls.  We love our house, neighborhood, and neighbors but would like to eventually have a little more room and a little more land to go with it.

Also,  childcare has been a thorn in my side this past month.  It is causing me A LOT of anxiety.  A LOT.  This morning Kathy (Ben's mom) kept Mason for a couple of hours so that Ben and I could visit Montessori Academy.  I just don't know, yall.... I just don't know.  Please pray for us.

I would also like to request prayers for Sara Pigg Walker and her family.  I don't know her personally, but you may remember that I shared her website on here a while back.  They have stopped treatments for her cancer and her family and friends are praying for a miracle.  I learned a lot from her about savoring every moment of your life and not taking the time you are given for granted.  I will always be thankful for that and I pray that she is healed.

All the pictures from this post were taken a few weeks ago when Mason discovered bark for the first time.  He was playing in the back yard (in his pajamas) and I heard him yell, "Mama" "Mama" from behind a tree.  I went to see what he wanted and he was back there pointing at the bark.   He spent a good 10 minutes analyzing it.  However, he was not into the cicada shell we found attached to the tree.  Oh, and did you notice how dirty his little face was?   Little boys are so funny!