First Day of First Grade and PreK 3

Jocelyn started First Grade at a new school this year.  Since we moved, Jocelyn had to change from Massey Ranch to Rustic Oak Elementary.  I was a little worried it was going to be a tough transition but she is so resilient and she didn't miss a beat.  She had made lots of friends by the end of the first day and was already on the teacher's radar for being an super star student!  Seriously, the note the teacher sent home after the first week was glowing with praise of how kind and generous she is - helping all the other kids in class feel included.  I think it's going to be a great year!


Liam and Lizzie started Pre K 3 at Eagle Heights.  Last year they only went Tues/Thurs but this year its all day, every day! They seem to be doing very well and are really enjoying their classes and teachers (they are in separate classes).  Liam is impressing his teacher with his reading skills, although he's also making an impression with some non-listening to direction skills.  Lizzie is a delight for her teacher and tells us everyday how much she loves her school and how happy she is. What awesome kids!

Artesian Lakes Weekend

This past weekend, we ventured off for a two-night stay at Artesian Lakes with the cousins...and their parents.  The whole crew consisted of John, Jocelyn, Liam, Lizzie, myself, Jennifer, Kenny, Thaden and Owen.  We have visited Artesian Lakes once before and had so much fun that we knew we had to go back when it was warmer and we could enjoy the pool and lake. 


We stayed in the Hall House and it was perfect for our family.  Lots of beds, a full kitchen and living area complete with 2 1/2 baths and a HUGE deck area!  Of course we were visited by the local alligators within the first few moments of arrival.  No worries - they cannot/do not come up the stairs of the dock and up the stairs to the upper deck where we were.  We viewed them from afar and named them obvious, alligator-esque names like Chomp. I voted for Chocolate Cookie and Crunch but that was probably my stomach talking.


We loved the pool area and the lake with the giant slide.  Jocelyn and Lizzie enjoyed the slide; Liam tried it once (well, was forced to go down once with John) and that was good enough for him.  We can't wait to return some other time!  It is really nice to get away from home for a few nights and not take forever to get there - Artesian Lakes is only 1 1/2 hours away!  Perfect!

Our first trip to Artesian Lakes was back in March with our good friends Kelly, Jeremy and Will.  The kids had a blast - they played on the playground, we hiked, we went on a hayride, Jocelyn canoed and they swam in their cloths in the pool!



I Don't Need More Space I Need Less Stuff

Over the past year, I've been doing a lot of thinking about where I want to spend my time and energy. First and foremost, I want to spend my time and energy on my family, after that comes my hobbies like traveling and improv, and of course I want to have time energy to spend with friends - old friends, new friends and future friends.  I know what you might be thinking, where is God on this list? Shouldn't God be first?  Here is my thought about that - I don't think God has to be a certain number on the list but rather to make room for God within each category.  

The last thing I want to spend time on is maintaining way too much stuff.  Notice that I didn't include my work on this list.  My work hours aren't going away - they are pretty much set.  I'm more focused on what I want to do when I'm not at the office...because let's face it, for the foreseeable future I'll be a working girl.  Don't get me wrong, I love my job - the work, the schedule, the people, the location - all good things. 

There are so many amazing blogs and books out there about decluttering and downsizing.  It is so true when the experts talk about less stuff in our lives means less things to clean, organize, and maintain, leading to more time to focus on the things that should be priorities.  Our current house is 3440 square feet and we love our house.  It is a one-story, 4 bedroom home on a 1/2 acre.  It has high ceilings, large rooms and closets and high end finishes.  But I still feel like I'm constantly playing catch up in terms of upkeep.  There is plenty of room in the current house for all the things I own.  But when I look at the things I own, I think about why I even have it?  Because I have the space for it or because I actually like it?  

This is where the title comes in - I don't need more space, I need less stuff.  I actually need less space and less stuff.  

John and I made a huge decision about 9 months ago.  We have decided to sell our house and downsize in square footage, but increase our outside space.  Yup.  We purchased 2 acres of land (think lots and lots of trees!).  We closed on it and are now land owners.  

It's been a long process, but we're getting close to the "move out" portion of the process.  During the process, we have boxed up only the things we absolutely want to keep and will have room for in our "to be built house," finally trashed a lot of paperwork and miscellaneous useless things from the past, and have sold quite a bit of the things that have meant something to us in the past but we no longer want or need.  I mean, goodness, gracious, our kids have a lot of toys.  One of the hardest categories to address and downsize, is the kids' artwork.  They get so attached to the things they make. 

The Things I've Learned....

1.  If a child has played with a toy, even for a few months, they've probably got their monies worth and it's okay to move on if they no longer play with it. 

2.  You don't have to keep every birthday card, anniversary card, Christmas card, baby announcement that you've ever received.  Throwing a card away does not mean I am discarding the sentiment behind the card.  I still love your child and celebrate their birth, I did have a Merry Christmas and a Happy Birthday thanks to friends like you for sending me a card!  It's the meaning behind it and not the paper itself that is meaningful. 

3.  I don't need to decorate for every holiday.  I love Christmas.  I go all out decorating for Christmas. It's okay if I don't have a wreath for every season - I hardly remember to put them out so what's the point in keeping each one.  Don't force yourself to do things or keep things that just aren't that important to you.  I don't like Halloween that much...so, that box of decorations that has been in the attic is gone! 

4.   If someone gave you a gift that doesn't fit with your style, whether that's because it never did or because your style has evolved, don't feel like you have to keep the item just for the sake of the fear of hurting someone's feelings.  You probably won't hurt their feelings.  I'm not talking about things that have real sentimental value - your Grandmother's clock or your favorite aunt's tea set.  Just those items that someone gave you that you used for a bit, kept for a couple of years, but now doesn't fit in your life.  It's okay. Parting with the item does not mean parting with the memory. 

5.  The collections you started as a child and things you loved as an adolescent does not have to carry over into your adulthood.  I collected unicorns as a small child and then penguins as a young adult (I had a thing for Adam Sandler and the penguin thing came from his movie Billy Madison).  For a long time, I accumulated a lot of penguins - as gifts from others and knick knacks I bought here and there. I have too many penguins for a 35 year old woman.  Time to part with most of them.  I allowed myself to keep a few things.  This same thing goes for childhood memorabilia - I allowed 1 tub of things (awards, pictures, etc.) from my childhood.  I allowed myself to fill that up but once it is full, that's it.  

Next up....what we'll build and where we'll go in the meantime.