the phone

ok, i think i have to give in and get a new phone. it has gotten to the point of being extremely problematic. new phone...? anti-compact...?

my other compact issue, when my family (my mom) hears that i am going without or not purchasing an item, she really wants to get it for me. bless her heart, she means well, but i am filled with guilt....

i have also run into some folks recently who really cannot get what i am doing. i recently told a woman that i was in the compact and not buying anything new for a year. it turned into a comedy routine... i am not buying anything new for a year. what? i am not buying anything new for a year. what? i don't understand. i am not buying anything new for a year. what? i have never heard of that. and so on. thank goodness i have a sense of humor.

today the twin cities compactors are getting together. can't wait to meet everyone.

sometimes it snows in april

there is no spring in minnesota... not yet. snow in april. prince has a song about this. sometimes it snows in aprril.... i guess he is right.

i have been trying to be good. i have gone thrift store shopping here and there... curtains, aprons... odds and ends. and yes, sometimes, i wear my aprons. i love them.

i have been trying to get settled in, i don't know that i will ever feel settled. but i am getting closer to it.

i have found that the harder i try to live by the goals of having enough, i am tested. new cars, new toys, new clothes.... i have enough. more than enough. i am blessed. but i really want new fiesta ware and a new phone and new....? the most difficult part for me so far has been not buying into conveniences, like baggies and other items... and feeling very guilty when i do.

it has come to my attention that if i plan appropriately, i could be in the position to buy a house within 12 months. me, buying a house. not new, so i think i would still be good with the compact. so my goals have shifted to focus on that. i love imagining my house, my home, small but functional, with my family and i using all areas of it. i will keep you posted. and the countdown has begun.

my new find - aldi's. i have heard mixed reviews for some time. i am not certain if aldi's employees are union or not, like other grocers, but i went to one off the beaten path, and i had a great experience. it was clean. the employees were very helpful and i found bargains galore! i was able to snag cfl's for just over 2 bucks! seriously, it is worth checking out, i was pleasantly surprised!

other than that - i am sticking with the classics, coupons, unique, local crafters, and keeping it low key. trying to work as much as i can, and spending time with the fellas!

to my girls - thanks! you are so awesome! really.

green is the new black

good afternoon!

back to the blogging.... i am finally starting to feel settled, in the new digs, new routine of not going into an office... just with me.

this morning, even with the dst change, our morning went very well. i was able to pack the fellas lunches from home - which they looove and request. that step alone is helpful on getting back on track after the move. we are still buried in boxes, but daily tasks are becoming more manageable. dinners and lunches from home - yeah!

some developments--- my cell phone has gone completely wonky. it has been dropped too many times. the screen is wacky and i can't see calls coming in and can usually only dial out if i know some body's number. but i can make do. maybe i'll look at a refurbished phone. we also got for the first times in years a land line. it's great, but i have no actual phone. so it's off to unique to try and find a gem. also, i need a coffee grinder, and i think through some divine intervention i may have one previously used on it's way. sometime you really do need to tell the universe what you need. (yes, i needed a coffee grinder)

the boys have been doing awesome as compactors, with the exception of showers that are still going longer than they ought to be... they haven't been asking for much lately, and are used to the response of not today or wait until we can go to unique... i have to admit i am a pretty proud parent that the boys are dealing so well, i was prepared for some backlash.

i recently was able to have a coffee break with a gentleman who not supports my philosophy of simplicity, but lives it to the max, i was invigorated by the support, encouragement, and understanding of my goals to declutter the junk to make room for peace, serenity, simplicity... family, friends... god. (thanks, i look forward to more coffee breaks)

for the green-minded job seeker... http://www.greenjobs.com/

green is the new black.

it's about time.

moving right along

hello!

well we have made the move. now it's just time to start going through boxes. so far i am loving the new digs. it's working. now i can get back into my routine of eating in and coupon clipping. it's really been a nightmare eating out and still using the ,dreaded paper plates. i think i seriously have $7 and some purse candy left for the week, so that's pretty awesome. why is moving so expensive? when am i going to start seeing the savings of downsizing, not paying for parking, not eating lunches out, not smoking, and the rest??? in theory i should be building up quite a little rainy day fund. the problem must be it's raining every day.

a special thank you to all the folks (mom, k, t, j) that helped with the move. i know they had much more exciting things to do with their weekend other than to watch me have a melt down packing.

and another special thank you and much love to the benetton crew. just because.