Thursday, May 28, 2009

Wednesday - Where have these days gone??

I can't believe that it is Wednesday already!  I have had a great week!  I have managed to do alot of cleaning and organizing and I feel so good!  Randy and I have been working as a team when he is here, and then I have been taking "baby steps" to get other stuff done.  I still have alot of work ahead, but I am so much better than when I started.  I think I just might pull this off!  I am still a little uncertain about my food shopping, but I am working on that.  Have some new pics of the kids that are just adorable.  They are growing like weeds.   I am having them down for a few days next Thursday.  I can't wait!  They are so sweet, and Brian is my best bud.  We tell each other all of our secrets, and we talk about everything.  He helps me in the house and yard, and always helps take care of his sister.
love ya'll~

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Hard Work

I have always heard that hard work never hurt anyone, but I am here to tell you that I am hurting really bad.  I have a backache, my feet are hurting and I am tired.  This scrubbing and cleaning is hard work.  Not mention the puppies, who are like taking care of 6 babies.  But, hey, I feel a sense of accomplishment that is worth all the pain.  I can see a big improvement in my house, and that is enough to motivate me to continue.  I am having a hard time trying to figure out this food thing.  It seems that I have been spending more at the store, and getting less.  I did have $17 worth of coupons yesterday, but I am still not convinced that I did a good job at shopping.  This simplifying is much more difficult than I thought it would be.  I need help!

love ya'll~

Monday, May 18, 2009

Monday Morning Update

My first 2 weeks were not as productive as I had hoped.  It seems that I have had so many interruptions, and not only that, but I have been a bit overwhelmed as well.  I seem to have been spinning my wheels, but not accomplishing much.  So, today is brand new day and brand new week, and I am hoping to do much better with my plan.  I have been away for almost 4 months, and though things at home haven't really changed, I have.  This week will be a planning week.  I am going to try and get a plan into place so that I can accomplish my goals.  I know what my goals are, I just need a way to get to them.  I think that because I have been feeling so overwhelmed by the goals that I have set, I have not looked at it from a "one step at a time" viewpoint.  That is what I am going to try and do this week.  Wish me luck!

love ya'll~

Friday, May 15, 2009

Food

I have been trying to find the most economical way to shop and cook for Randy and me.  Since we have had no structure at all for the past who knows how many years, it is difficult.  I have looked at several options and still can't decide which is the best.  I want it to be as easy as possible, but still save money.  I really like method of cooking 30 days worth of dinners in one day and freezing them, but Randy doesn't like that idea very much.  I really like purchasing the food each day because I like fresh food, but that is time consuming and you also pay more if what you want that day is not on sale.  I have a huge freezer, but it seems that we have let alot of food go out of date and that is totally unacceptable for me.  I do think that we did that because of our hectic schedules and that we would not do it since I am not working now.  It is a major decision to figure out what is best.  I am thinking that I should try each method for a week, and see which one saves me the most money and takes the least amount of time.

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

GardenLynn Herbs

Now that I am in the process of simplifying my life, I am also starting my herb business back again.  I think it could be a way for me to make a little etra money and hopefully, help me toward my goal of working less and spending more time at home.  Please check out my blog GardenLynn Herbs.
I am adding things daily, so please check back often......

love ya'll~

We Are Back!

Finally, we are back and running smoothly!  Due to so many other commitments, I had to take some time off from the blog.  We have soaps in full production, as well as dream pillows, potpourris, sachets, tussie-mussies, and many other wonderful products.  Over the next few days, I will be adding pictures and ordering information to the blog.  I will also have FAQ's, so please visit often.

Herbs Make the Difference~

Monday, May 11, 2009

Cooking


I made this applesauce bread today and it is yummy!  The ingredients are simple and very low cost.  It makes a great bread for breakfast, or for a coffee break.  I also made a new recipe for chili.  Chili is a dish that sometimes turns out good and other times doesn't, at least for me.  This is a new recipe that I tried, and though I haven't tasted it yet, it smells good cooking.   Kroger had bone in chicken breasts on sale today, so I bought several.  I am going to roast them and put them in the freezer.  I really like to make things ahead and then all I have to do is take them out and warm them.  Tomorrow I am making chicken salad and egg salad for mine and Randy's lunch this week.  I love to cook, and I think I am a pretty good one.  I have really changed my cooking from down home Southern, to healthy Southern.  I have replaced many things in my cooking to cut the fat and sodium, and to make them healthy, but still delicious.  It can be done, I am proof of that.  I am famous in my family for my potato salad and for my dressing, or stuffing, as some call it.  And, I make pretty mean apple pie.....oh, I am getting hungry....

love ya'll~


Monday

I am working on the kitchen still today.  I am also working on a plan to get my soap business back up and running.  I had put it on hold because I was never at home, and couldn't really work at it.  So, I decided that I will start back working on it, get my Etsy shop back up and start marketing to places here in Atlanta.  I am also working on a brochure.  I found this great blog, Click Here that has a ton of information about simplifying.  Her name is Angela Barton, and she has inspired me to find a way to make enough money to live on less, and spend more time with my husband and family.  I have been brainstorming with myself (don't laugh) about ways to actually re-use and recycle.  I have some great ideas about doing some really substantial things toward my goal.  So, I am off to simplify!

love ya'll~

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Family

It is amazing how time flies and families never see each other.  My favorite aunt, Inette, passed away on Thursday.  I went to Greenville yesterday to be with the family, and some of them did not even recognize me.  I don't think I have seen most of them since my Dad died in 1994.  That is such a shame.  I was so happy to see them, and they were all the same, just older.  We all seem to be caught up in our own lives and one day just seems to fade into the next.  I want to find a way to get them all together for a family reunion.  I have been working on our family tree for several years now, and I would love to share all that information with them.  I am going to put that on my list for simplifying and getting my life back together.

love ya'll~

Friday, May 8, 2009

The Rest of My Life

In the past few months, I have been trying to figure out how to simplify my life. I have found that it is a much larger project than I thought. It seems that things aren't as easy to change as I thought. For quite some time, I have wanted to stop running around trying to do more than any one person is capable of, and really have peace and contentment. It seemed to me that the more I tried to do that, the busier I became. I have spent the last 3 months working in Alabama, and that has been a very stressful time for me, to say the least. I came home last week, and was told that I was being laid off. It came as a surprise, even though I knew that something was going on. At first, I was so distressed and felt hurt and sad. But after a few days of thinking and soul searching, I realize that it was a good thing! I truly feel that now I can start my plan to simplify my life. All these years that I have been doing this job, I have slowly stopped doing anything else. I don't clean my house the way I used to. I only do laundry when I have to, hardly ever work in my gardens, and basically have done nothing except eat too much junk food, sleep and gain 30 pounds. The commute was herendous most of the time,(I live in Atlanta, GA), the job was so stressful all day long, and by the time I got home, I was too tired to do anything. I spent all my at home time, worrying and fretting over things at work. Then to make matters worse, as the chores at home were not getting done, I started feeling guilty and overwhelmed about my house and all the money I was spending. I was upset that I didn't have time to do the things that I wanted to do, but at the same time, I was too tired to do it. Does this sound like some kind of downward spiral? Let me tell you it was and is. Since I have been home for a few days, and started to really look at my life, I have realized that I have been hurting myself.
So, now on to bigger and better things! I have been reading and looking for ways to simplify on the internet and I have found some really good stuff. I am also working on an exercise plan and eating better. I am going to post my progress each day. I want to see it on paper (so to speak), and of course, if I find any good tips and tricks, I will pass them along as well. I want to be happy and healthy again. I am in my 50's and it is time to take control of my life. In addition, I am also going to look for ways to make money without working a full time job, which I know will be difficult, and I may have to take another job, but I will not take another job like the one that I had. I want to be a new person, and with God's help, I will succeed!

The future is bright!

love ya'll~

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Brian's Birthday

Went to Kate and Richard's last night for Brian's 4th birthday.  He is growing up so fast.  And, not only is he growing, so is Anna.  I could not believe how big she is and how beautiful.  I am one lucky girl.  This week has been very unsettling for me, but seeing those babies made things so much better.  I love this "Mommo" thing.