Falling off, getting back on, falling off, getting back on.....

Despite my lack up updates, I have not fallen off the planet. The kids at home this summer have taken a lot of extra time - well spent - but I certainly lost some of my forward momentum. Yesterday I went up to Germantown and had lunch with the former CEO of Brio trains who has started a new wooden toy company called Little, Little, Little company and was once again reinvigorated. He's struggling a bit with the new company, getting it off the ground in this economy, but really believes in the value of toys to help shape kids' lives and I suspect that passion will carry his company a long way.

I haven't done so well on my "spend money only on food and toiletries" for July challenge. As I look to my expenses tally to date, I see a lot of garage sale or thrift sale "bargains" that crept in including books, plants, basement shelves, iron planters for the deck, two lamps, a pair of shoes and two gifts (one purchased new). I didn't really "need" any of these things and while the total was under $50, that doesn't include the gas money and the time spent finding the deals;-). The hours I say I'm having a hard time finding are staring right back at me on this list. If I'd eschewed all shopping I would have had a minimum of 15 hours to spend on writing and working on my company. Thus, I dust myself off, and climb back on the wagon of staying focused on my goals.

Good wishes to all! Hope you're goals are coming to fruition, even if it's in bits and starts like mine.

Day 148 - Nightly Roundup

A good day for parenting, garden, spirit, FI - other categories got a bit behind. Good wishes to all.

Day 149 - Nightly Roundup

A wee bit discouraged tonight. Ironically, I've felt like I've been a better mom lately, partly just due to spending more time with the kids because of summer. But that has brought my writing/business/blog almost to a halt. Today I got an email from the lawyer doing my trademarks and almost found myself thinking - did I really expect to have things to trademark in an honest to goodness business? What are we spending on these trademarks?!! Very much the yin and yang of life I guess.

I read an article on Michelle Obama recently from Reader's Digest I think - it was in the free magazine bin at the library so it was probably a bit outdated. In it she said she learned from her mom that she could indeed have a career, be a mom, and still find time to work out and "do her own thing" (I'm paraphrasing here). She said she felt her mom had given everything to them - her children - without holding back enough for herself and that her mom had also encouraged her not to do that.

I have to believe there is something to that, but it isn't easy to find the right balance. I love my kids so much, but when they hit middle school, I don't want to be a third wheel hanging out at the basketball hoops with their pals because I don't have a life of my own;-). I do want to accomplish something that only I can, and not just through my kids. But at the same time, I don't want to shortchange them when I realize daily how needy and young they still really are. Anyway, thus ends my introspection with no resolution, but it was good to write.

In my dream world, five years from now, June 8, 2015, Greg and I and the kids are sitting at a dinner, with happy, healthy kids, I'm a published author and my company is financially successful, I have a great marriage, good relationships with friends and family, have inner peace, have achieved FI, am healthy and fit and feel beautiful, and my gardens have been photographed for some magazine and given a lot of people enjoyment on mini-garden tours and maybe laugh more in general - sometimes I'm way too serious. For all my own parents had their issues, we grew up with a lot of laughter in the house - my mom has a great sense of humor - and I was just telling Greg the other night how we don't laugh a lot here. We smile, are content, but need more true belly laughs.

Above are pics of my incredibly supportive mother in law waiting with Kai for Kirk's basketball camp to get over. Then Kirk looking at the high school trophies, perhaps dreaming of future days? Then my whoops - I've actually done really well not spending on anything but food and toiletries for four days now, but stopped at a garage sale on the way to the library and was handing over my dollar for the book and t-shirt when I realized these items didn't fit my challenge. But I was a bit too embarrassed to put them back;-). I will say even these short few days make me very conscious of how often I find myself thinking I need to buy x or y and how much time shopping takes!

Good wishes to all. A bright, wonderful world just keeps on coming! Eileen

P.S. I just took about 30 minutes to look back through the blog, which I realize I've been keeping a bit more than a year - first post June 25, 2009, and feel lucky and blessed for all the good moments and beauty the year has held. Many thanks to each of you who read this. I think of you as friends on a journey. Eileen

Nightly Roundup

Doing well day 3 of the no spend other than food/toiletries. Kirk had his first day of basketball camp and didn't like it - he was a bit lost compared to the other kids. Grandma is up visiting so that is nice. We went to the beach tonight which was fun. Good wishes. Nada on the business/book. Very sleepy and off to bed!

No shopping except food for a month?

I just finished watching the final part of Oprah's Debt Diet. Author Judith Levine of - On Not Buying It - My Year Without Shopping - was on and talked about how her year without shopping was one of the most peaceful, relaxing ones she's had.

This was very timely as I probably spent over five hours today getting a set of "bargain" living room drapes off Craigslist, a steal on two Leapfrog games at a thrift store, and a deal on a Gap sweater. But as I drove home, I couldn't help but wonder if I really needed any of that stuff and how I could have used those five hours to a more productive end.

Earlier this year I read "How I lived a year on Just a Pound a Day" by Kath Kelly and she wrote of a similar experience - just having lots and lots more time and peace.

So here's the challenge if you want to join me. Try to make it to the end of July buying NOTHING other than food and toiletries. Starting midnight tonight. Let's see how it goes. Hoping that abundance of extra time and peacefulness really sets in.

Good wishes! Eileen

Day 155 - Nightly Roundup

Busy, but productive day.

Marriage - check.

Parenting - Still reading lots of books on sibling rivalry. Kirk and I had a really nice time today out to breakfast and a trip to the library.

Bus./Book - Got about five more books on the revolution and vikings for research.

Spirit - Nice long chat with a dear friend on the phone tonight.

Garden - Decided to dig out some garden areas to put more lawn in the middle for balance - never thought I'd type that;-)

Finance - Doing good not throwing out food.

Health - passed on the Dr. Pepper calling my name...

House - Cut out some pictures of a magazine for ideas - will put them in a file folder I'm starting -

Bus. Vocab. Nada

First "reading" of a chapter to a book club....

A friend was kind enough to invite me to read a chapter of my book to her book club. I was a nervous wreck going there. But I kept reminding myself this was my year for taking chances, going beyond my comfort zone, breaking new ground. I imagined as I drove along that if I just kept walking in the direction I wanted to go, under the fog of insecurity and worry and fear, a walkway or road would rise up to meet me. - This thinking in terms of metaphors is a by-product of too much time in my head;-).

I read my chapter and it felt a bit like bearing my soul to strangers (other than my friend). There were things they liked and didn't like. I came home rather exhausted, though I appreciated their feedback. Going to bed, I turned to page 51 in writer's book, "Most Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them" and had to smile when I read tip number 24 -"Don't listen to opinion and criticism from spouses, friends, and people on the street. If it's good, an editor will recognize that and it will be published." I book marked the page and may take that advice going forward;-).

I realize how much I need to work on my writing and have been thinking of taking writing classes. But the book I'm reading said beyond maybe one good class or a few how-to books on dialogue or character development, the time is better spent just doing the writing. I think that's true. I spend so much time reading about writing or researching the history - those are much easier than actually sitting at the computer and making the story appear.

Signing off for tonight. Good wishes to all. Eileen

Day 158 - Progress moving along!

Kids had a blast at my parents this weekend. Fishing with Grandpa off the dock and cruising around in the little car my mom got them at a garage sale.

Obviously I haven't done the best keeping up with the daily updates as I calculate its been about 15 days since I posted. Kirk home, summer time mowing and gardening, book writing and general living take a lot of hours;-). I am starting a time log based on the book 168 hours by Laura Vanderkam- there's also a website with a time chart you can download for free. I know I could be a lot more efficient with my time and hope the time chart gets me there!

Goals update.

Marriage - Going very well here. We've had a LOT of long talks about our goals, our lives, what we want, where we're headed both individually and as a couple, what we need to do to accomplish those goals. We're are definitely more in tune with each other here.

Parenting - Kirk's morning hour of home school is a blast - at least for me. We do a wee bit of reading, math, science, Spanish, spelling and writing. It takes about an hour without breaks, and an hour and a half if we do 2 mini-lessons, then take a break, then two more, etc. His reading and spelling and math are going really well, not so good with the Spanish. We've just been trying to learn words here and there with workbooks and neither of us is retaining much. Will have to see if I can find a game or something. He definitely prefers the board games and card games as learning tools to the flash cards or workbooks so I try to mix it up a lot. The biggest battle now seems to be the bickering between the two boys. I got three books from the library on sibling rivalry yesterday and will start reading to day for ideas and insights into this.

Business - We found a company that will we can use to offer the Revolutionary War set. It's a very, very small profit margin, but will at least allow us to test our concept of the books being acted out. I'd hoped to have it out to market by this Christmas, but now that I'm writing, I'm not sure it'll be done by then.

Book - I go to a friend's book club tomorrow night to read my version, at least the beginning. I was tempted to cop out and just tell them about it or reschedule, but I don't want to be a wimp;-). Also found the headquarters of the Midwest Book Review is located here and called the editor in chief for my search for a professional editor and illustrator and he had lots of good ideas.

Health/beauty - Signed up to run a 5k in August after I read in one of the 10 Shape/Self/Health magazines that I hauled home from the free bin at the library yesterday that you can do this in 5 weeks by following their plan. I'd also read if your goal is more than 6 weeks out, it can be hard to follow through. So I went home, did a Google search and signed up for the first one that popped up. Tried to run a mile last night to no avail, but I will get there! I also told Kirk if I drink more than one Diet Coke a day, I have to pay him $2 and after adding $6 in three days to our $126 a week food budget (which was already tight) I have been doing well at this - other than the last two days when he and Kai were at the grandparents and I could drink as much as I wanted;-).

Spirit - Upped my positive input. Now listening nightly to various C.D.s on creativity, peace by Kelly Howell and that is enormously helpful to keep at bay worries, concerns and stress.

Garden - Looks gorgeous - but so many mosquitoes now in WI that I mostly enjoy from inside until August when the bugs will abate.

FI - Did a few good things. Finally called the gas company about why our summer gas bill is still so high - over $50, and she told me to turn off the gas to the pilot light on our fireplace and that could save as much as $10. She said most of the cost was coming from our hot water heater likely, so I did a quick search and found the biggest user -- clothes washing 32 gal, showering 30 gal (likely higher as we take long showers) dishwasher 12 gal. and so on. I posted this on my fridge to remind us to reduce our hot water usage. Our electric bill was up to $150 from $105 last month despite the fact that we haven't even turned on the air conditioning this year, so I may call for an energy audit. We are also doing pretty well following our budget.

House - Hit or miss on any given day:-) Still boxing up clutter!

Good wishes to each of you on your journeys! Five months to go! Eileen

Day 174 - Nightly Roundup

Marriage - check

Parenting - kids in Iowa, I did create a shelf for this summer divided into Math, Reading, Spelling, Science, Spanish, Writing for Kirk's summer learning. We are going to try to spend 10 to 15 minutes per subject each day, which I'm excited about. I used to love "playing school" as a kid and just hope Kirk enjoys our mini-lessons as much as I hope to. I also did a big calendar of fun things to do, mostly free this summer. There's Tai-Chi for kids and parents at Monona Terrace overlooking the lake, many festivals, an Old World village, and many state parks.

Bus/Book - Did an hour of research on the Vikings - it's a fascinating area!

FI - Stopped by a garage sale and got three pairs of winter boots for the kids for $1 for all. Great bargain! And at a thrift store got about 10 videos - all science and learning for 25 cents each. Then paid $1.70 for a single 20 ounce Diet Coke and the irony of the "value" proposition didn't escape me;-). Also finishing a great book called, In Cheap We Trust, by Lauren Weber, which is a good reminder about the great qualities, environmental, personal, spiritual, about not being wasteful.

Garden - Spent two hours at the lovely Olbrich Botanical Gardens just wandering and enjoying their gorgeous gardens, then came home and weeded in the rain for almost two hours.

Spirit - Got a Deepak Chopra cassette set, also 25 cents, about spirituality that I will start listening to tomorrow.

Health - Did 20 minutes yoga.

house - Not too bad.

Bus. Vocab. Nada

Day 175 - Nightly Roundup

What is the use of living if not to strive for noble causes and to make this muddled world a better place for those who will live in it after we are gone. Winston Churchill, 1874-1965

Marriage - check

Parenting - Kids in Iowa, but I did use the time to clean out Kirk's room and reorganize it.

Bus/Book - A little bit of paperwork

Gardening - Big time - Four happy hours!

Spirit - Nice dinner with friends and good talk with my mom today.

FI - No spending

Health - A wee bit of ab work to be done tonight.

House - Doing pretty good downstairs.

Bus. Vocab. Nada

Day176 - Nightly Roundup

Toasting a happy date night and a good long conversation!

Marriage - Check

Parenting - Kids are off to the grandparents for a few days. This left Greg and I open for date night and a long overdue heart to heart - which always reminds me why I gave him my heart;-)

Bus/Book - Got a bunch of books on the Vikings from the library for more research on the characters of the villains (which is not to say there weren't a lot of great qualities among the Vikings).

Spirit - Listened to Dennis Waitley on the drive downtown for dinner and recommitted to my goals.

FI - Dinner out puts us over budget for food this week, but as Greg likes to say, "Lots cheaper than therapy;-)" Did make a casserole to tide us over for the weekend.

Health - About to go to the basement and do some cardio and watch Oprah.

Garden - Spent an entire free hour weeding, much needed, among the biting flies and humidity, but truly loved it. I got a book called the English Gardening School at a rummage sale on the drive back from Iowa today for $1 and will enjoy it tonight.

House - Slipping......

Bus. Vocab. Nada

Day 175 - Nightly Roundup

Hello! Horribly cranky tonight for no good reason. Tomorrow will be a better day! Picture is of snacks set out for the garden club, complements of the local bakery on the drive back from swimming lessons. All was well until one member suggested I email the entire group the recipe;-)
Marriage - check
Parenting - Today was Kirk's last day of kindergarten - we ordered a small Star Wars action figure and he's quite happy about this. Both kids go to Iowa tomorrow for a few days with their grandparents.
Bus/Book - Keep plugging away. I did have a dream the night before last in which I handed over my manuscript to a professional editor, who read it for about three minutes, looked up and said, "Oh, you can't write can you? You don't even know how to do action scenes!" So some subconscious worries there;-).
FI - Doing fairly well on the day to day stuff, but the gutter estimate came in at $450 to replace just one long gutter and install a bigger downspout. As our dryer went out four days ago, another $550 or so, that area of the budget is not coming in so well. Drying things inside - though it's been a bit too humid for things to dry well.
Health - Eating fairly well - Watermelon is wonderful now and takes the place of other sweets.
Spirit - Got the blues/crankies, so maybe a good book tonight.
Garden - garden club came and toured last night, and said some very nice things to hear about an "enchanted garden". Some members, the tidiest of them, were a bit appalled at all the weeds, but to each his own;-).
House - Not too bad. Lately if stuff is left out, before I put it away, I ask if I can just donate it instead, and that works at least 25 percent of the time.
Bus. Vocab. Nada

Day 177 - Nightly Roundup

My friend Linda and I did a long walk around Madison on Sunday as part of the "Keep Madison Streets Bike Friendly Ride" - we were one of the few on foot.

At the end of your life, you will never regret not having passed one more test, nor winning one more verdict or not closing one more deal. You will regret time not spent with a husband, a friend, a child or parent. Barbara Bush

Had an oven fire tonight, due to my not sufficiently cleaning the bottom of the oven from old bits of cheese from pizzas and bread crumbs, etc. The fire dept. sent two giant trucks and a police car - by the time they got here, it was just a bit of smoke and an embarrassed me, but I was grateful that it all turned out fine. Note to self - clean out oven!!





Marriage - check.


Parenting - Doing a much, much better idea listening and giving direct eye contact when the kids talk.


Bus./Book - Did about an hour on the book. The villains in the book are loosely modeled after the Vikings, which is a fascinating area of history too. I now probably know more about Paul Revere than 99 percent of the population;-)


Health - The oven fire put an end to our french fries for supper, so we ate a healthier fare of hummus and pita and veggies and fruits.


Spirit - Going to finish a short chapter in a workbook tonight that accompanied a tape set called the Psychology of Achievement.


FI - No spending today, though I did call a gutter company to come out and see if we can put in an additional or bigger downspout since we are still getting water in the basement with heavy rains.


Garden - Tomorrow the garden club comes to tour, but it was rainy and cold and I got nothing done out there. The peonies are also done and it's a bit of a lull in blooms. But I did plant some seeds for sweet alysum.


House - Got the downstairs nice and tidy as I had two friends over for lunch and dropped off five bags of donations.


Bus. Vocab. nada.

Day 178 - Nightly Roundup

Marriage - check
Parenting - Stayed calm while Kai shrieked the entire 30 minute ride home from the grocery store because he didn't get a treat (having been naughty at the store). Kirk and I completed number 68 of his reading packets that we've been doing on our own.
Bus. Found a possible company for the toy soldiers to accompany the books. I went on toysoldiers.com on the discussion forums and several people gave me suggestions.
Book - Did more research for my draft.
Spirit - Finally found a place to recycle the computer Kai had dumped the full glass of water on and destroyed. Glad to have it out of the garage and out of a landfill.
Health - Told Kirk starting tomorrow, if Mom drinks more than one Diet Coke a day, she has to pay him $2. I'm hoping my frugality will lead to healthier habits with soda;-).
Garden - Got a six pack of tomato and a six pack of pepper plants at Walmart.
FI - Our dryer gave up the ghost after about 15 years and I found a pretty good deal at the local appliance shop that included delivery and taking the old one. I also cleaned out the gutters - we've gotten water in the basement twice now in a corner where the gutters over-flow. Also called to find out if we need another downspout.
House - Not looking too good, but I have two friends coming for lunch and a garden tour tomorrow so I'll be forced to do a good cleaning tomorrow morning.
Bus. Vocab. Nada

Day 179

Kirk's new favorite game - G0Gos.

Marriage - check.
Parenting - Trying to do more focused attention. I notice a clear coorelation between the kids not getting enough positive attention and acting out.
Bus/Book - Read my story to Kirk and a friend of his. They told me what they liked and didn't - a true sample target audience.
Health - 30 cardio and lifting.
Garden - Got a wonderful fountain for my garden at a garage sale for $35.
FI - Keep eating those supplies at hand. No eating out for the whole family, not even Greg lunches for a week - congrats!
Spirit - The focused attention on the kids can be a bit of a spiritual exercise.
House - getting a wee bit messy again.
Bus. Vocab - nada

Day 180 - Nightly Roundup

Kirk graduated kindergarten tonight. It's hard to believe. It seems just a little bit ago that we brought him home from the hospital. He's a great kid!!! We are blessed. Way to go Kirk! Mostly took the day off. Good wishes to all.

Day 181 - Nightly Roundup

What can be added to the happiness of a man who is in health, out of debt, and has a clear conscience? Adam Smith - 1723-1790
Marriage - check.
Parenting - Good story time with 7 Little Rabbits for Kai and a nice walk with Kirk.
Bus/Book - Spent about two hours doing research for my version of the Revolutionary War story. Will submit mine and Jack's anonymously to my mentor group late this month for feedback.
Health - Stopped at the farmer's market and got snap peas, strawberries, salad and a cow cookie (this is WI) for the kids to split.
FI - Organic produce above not cheap, but we're wasting very little food these days so it'll be interesting to do a final numbers tally at the end of June.
Spirit - Helped out a friend.
Garden - Planted a pretty climbing plant called a cardinal vine that I got for $3.50 today at the farmer's market. The woman who ran the stall told me it attracts lots of hummingbirds.
House - Still looking pretty good!
Bus. Vocab. nada - need to get started on this again.

Day 182 - Nightly Roundup

Marriage - Check
Parenting - Took a suggestion and quoted a parenting book directly today when I told Kirk I was sorry for the times I said things that made him feel bad and that he was a great kid and while I didn't always approve of his actions, I always know he's a wonderful person. He kind of lit up when I said this. Later tonight we had a run-in about an extra stop at Walgreens for additional Go-Go's so it was a short space of pure peace, but it was nice while it lasted.;-)
Business/book - Had my final meeting with my author today for his first draft and finished my own version. I will submit both to my advisor/mentor group. Greg thought mine had some good points and some weak points, so we'll see.
FI - Spent nary a dime and have been very good about not wasting food.
Spirit - Plan to read some positive stuff tonight for a little extra spirit vitamins. Got a nice thank you note from the woman we support in Rwanda for Women for Women International - which I saw on Oprah.
Garden - Put in my very small vegetable garden today. Had a lovely rain later in the day that the gardens just soaked up happily.
Health - Had vegan lentil soup for supper. Also cut out an article on which foods are most worth buying organic. Sorry to see grapes on the list as they are my favorite fruit and where I shop rarely has decent organic grapes if any at all.
House - Looking pretty good!
Bus. Vocab. Nada
Just don't give up trying to do what you really want to do. When there is love and inspiration, I don't think you can go far wrong. Ella Fitzgerald, 1918-1996

Day 183

Happy June!

Marriage - Check
Parenting - Listening to a book tape about the importance of building your children's self - esteem through positive feedback, hugs, focused attention and eye contact. Trying to do a better job on all fronts.
Business - Finishing up some account work.
Book - Meet my writer tomorrow for the final draft.
FI - Did well staying on budget. The plant and garage sale were fairly successful and as always, made me much more conscious of the value of a dollar;-).
Spirit- Becoming more adept at keeping my mind on the positive and what I want rather than free floating worries.
Health - Got lots of fruits and veggies at the grocery store last night and made a crock pot lentil stew today.
Garden - Looks beyond lovely as the peonies, many from my grandma, put on their show. The garden club tours on Tuesday so it's a mad rush to get some finishing touches on...
House - De cluttered a lot for the sale and feel good about that.
Bus. Vocab. Nada

Day 185 - Coming through to the light;-)

Hello and many apologies for being gone. I plan to keep up better for this last stretch. I'm now under 200 days and rapidly closing in on my halfway point. The first book is close to done and we will need to look into a professional editor and illustrator. I've spent the last few weeks decluttering, having a garage and plant sale and putting the final touches on our new budget - now posted on the fridge to encourage adherence;-). Kirk is finishing up his last few days of kindergarten and we're looking forward to the summer. I definitely had doubts about the whole company and my role in it and how things will work out, but I just keep plodding on. I feel like I'm in a good place and moving to an even better one. Good wishes to all. Eileen

Quick update

Apologies - the days are flying by with trying to get the first book done by June and the gardens all wanting attention and life generally busy. But all is very good and progress on each of the goals is coming. Wishing each of you success on your journeys. Will update more later. Eileen

Checking in;-)

Spent the last freezing three days helping run our church's plant sale. Will check that off my 100 plans list;-). All the houseplants are taking a break indoors on my kichen table as it may actually snow tonight!

Day 202, 201, 200

My kids and the neighbor kids all thought my little garden fountain was uber cool - They even got out their goggles and swim trunks. And I was happy as this was much cheaper entertainment than an inground pool;-)

Apologies for being so slow on updating. Summer means a large yard to mow and many flower beds to tend in addition to the usual routine. I get frazzled a bit here and there then remind myself my whole life is my thoughts and I can choose not to be frazzled - or so says my 1001 self-help books;-).

Marriage - check.
Parenting - Lots of play and reading and together time. Today Kirk had a dentist appointment, then we took Brandi for a walk around the subdivision and "rescued" several chairs and a garden ornament from the trash piles people put out for the once a year big garbage day. I was happy to see a truck come around later with a trailer and start taking a lot of useful things out of the piles. Waste not/want not...
Business - Had my mentor meeting and they had a lot of good ideas. One of them is rather than producing our own set (too expensive and time consuming and risky), or private labeling (usually 1000 minimum orders to private label and again quiet costly) since the main idea is to mix our historic stories with toys, to use what's out there and just offer it on our site, so I'm looking into that.
Book - Working on the backstories. It's been interesting to read more about women who fought in the war as well as slaves and the roles they played.
FI - Doing great on not spending. And have restarted visiting simpleliving.net most days for a daily dose of frugality and simplicity.
Spirit - Ebs and flows. Need to occasionally give myself a pep talk during the day.
Health - Doing a bit better on sugar, but then find that to fill that craving for sweets, I just tend to overeat other things that I don't necessarily even want - trying to fill that sweets void. Suggestions??
Garden - Looks awesome and brings lots of happiness this time of the year. It turns out one of the volunteer mentors on my team needs a lot of plants because he had an entire row of trees on a berm die, so it's nice to know I can share a bunch of perennials as a way to say thanks.
House - Tidied up house tonight. My mother in law kindly agreed to come up the next few days as I'm helping run the church's plant sale (something that has been on my to do list for three years - I finally brought up the idea and others jumped in)
Bus Vocab - Nada.
Good wishes and kind thoughts. Eileen

Day 203 and 204- Nightly Roundup

Greg has been out of town the last few days, back tonight, and we are so glad to have him home! Kai asked non-stop, often weepy, when daddy was going to be home.
My heart and admiration really go out to every single parent out there, doing it on your own is TOUGH work! And my heart and sympathy go out to every kid who has parents in the military. It's hard to miss mommy or daddy. We all owe a lot to those who wear the uniforms of our country.

Generally a productive few days.
Marriage - check - will count keeping the house standing and the kids fed and homework done;-).
Parenting - Lots of together time. Kirk and I are continuing with his reading and math for a bit each night and he continues to show progress. Even 15 minutes a day has a positive, noticeable cumulative effect.
Business - Continuing to work on website and blog about parenting and learning. I've taken a few articles I wrote here last year that I thought applied to the idea behind the company and posted those.
Book - Nada.
FI - Community Garage Sales in a neighboring town - can you say FUN!! And got Kirk's next few years of soccer shoes for $2 each, and a huge variety of household useful items all at great deals. Also sold $15 more in plants from the drive and have been doing good about eating at home almost solely.
Spirit - Did my kind acts each day this week.
Health - Last two nights I did cardio or yoga - tonight I my take off. Also eating far less sugar (decided to forgo several 20 ounce Dr. Peppers this past week).
Garden - Just loving selling plants each day and it forces me to focus on what I have rather than constantly searching for more.
House - Spent 10 minutes on the garage. Hoping to have a garage sale the week after next.
Vocab - cataclysm, cerebrate, clerisy, concomitant
Good wishes to all!! Cheerio. Eileen

Day 205 & 206

Happy, wonderful, good day!;-) Helps that the sun is out and I have oodles of flowers blooming in the yard.
Marriage - check.
Parenting - Swim lessons, trip to Noodles (last one for while as we're sticking to our budget).
Business - Worked on website. At Greg's suggestion, I posted at a few other parent sites and this helped. We had 16 views today.
Book - Will do some tonight.
FI - Used a 50 percent off coupon and saved up the dry cleaning for a long time and saved $30. Sold $20 in plants from the driveway last night. My mom gave me a gift of $70 - just because - when she was visiting - gotta love moms!
Spirit - Brought a lovely bouquet to a friend today.
Garden - Dug up three more plants - Siberian iris to sell.
Health - Will still do cardio yet tonight.
House - Nada
Vocab. affaire de coer, alacrity, animus, anthropocentric

Day 207 - Nightly Roundup

Hold on; hold fast; hold out. Patience is genius. Comte de Buffon

Marriage - check.
Parenting - Spent some time throwing rocks in our favorite pond today.
Business - Working on website blogs.
Books - will read a bit more about the English soldiers in the Revolution tonight.
FI - No spend other than $4.51 for a bagel and unlimited iced tea refills - which is overpriced for the nutrition value, but it is a quiet place with wi-fi and I got a lot done.
Garden - Sold $12 in plants from the end of the drive and dug more for next weeks church plant sale to benefit Habitat for Humanity.
Health - yoga and spinach pasta for a healthy dinner.
Spirit - Good deed today.
House - Brought in a huge lovely bouquet for the front hall.
Bus. Vocab - abjure, abrade, abrogate, abstruse

Day 208 - Nightly Roundup

Kai enjoying a light rain today on the deck.

Singleness of purpose is one of the chief essentials for success in life, no matter what may be one's aim. John D. Rockefeller 1874-1960 - American Millionaire and Philanthropist.

Marriage - Check.
Parenting - LOTS and LOTS and LOTS of one on one time. I think we're all ready for school/work tomorrow;-).
Business - Will work a bit more on our site tonight.
Book - Will read some back story tonight.
FI - Spent nothing, went nowhere!!! Woohoo!
Spirit - Will count family time and watching the video - Anne of Green Gables - cried when Mathew died.
Garden - Got some iris and mums during the city wide sales my mom and I attended and got most of them in the ground during a light rain today.
Health - Did yoga, stayed within 35 or so grams of sugar.
House - Brought in flowers for kids' rooms.
Bus. Vocab. - Got to get to this!
Good night and good wishes.

Day 209 - Nightly Roundup

Kai deciding he needed to wear curlers, just like mom;-).
My mom, Grandma, spending a few days with us.
Going to a conference with a speaker on Wisdom and Meditation.

It's been a really full last few days. Plugging along.
Marriage - check. Had a good talk about expectations and mutual goals.
Parenting - Lots and lots of one on one time.
Business - More work on website.
Book - Good meeting with writers on Thursday.
FI - Really watching our spending closely of late - which is a good feeling. Not only spending less money, but less time shopping.
Spirit - I found the meditation conference helpful.
Health - Really cutting down my sugar intake - goal is to get it down to 32 grams a day.
Garden - Mom and I went to citywide garage sales on Friday and I got some iris and some mums and some daylilies - fun!
House - staying pretty tidy these past few days.
Bus. Vocab. Nada - need to work on this.
Best wishes.

Day 211 Nightly Roundup

Kirk and Kai helping unload the dishwasher.

Only in growth, reform and change, paradoxically enough, is true security to be found.

Plugging along. Our website got all of 23 views, so I don't think we're about to break out there commercially;-). Days are busy with a series of highs and lows. I keep reminding myself that stress is all self-induced, but that doesn't make it go away. But I am grateful for all the great things in my life, and enough whining!
Marriage - check.
Parenting - Good quality time with each. Kai is having bedtime issues saying he's scared to sleep in his room so I've been letting our dog sleep there too, but between his requests for water, for me to stay, for the dog, etc. bedtime is stretched out to 40 minutes or more.
Business - Just a posting.
Book - Nada
FI - Did a great job at the grocery store staying in our budget.
Spirit - Posting here may be it for today. It's nice to think about even the tiniest of baby steps and to hope others are finding ways to inch closer to their dreams.
Health - will do 10 minutes of yoga tonight.
Garden - Sold another $8 in plants from the driveway and have had some nice conversations with my neighbors, who stop by to chat when they browse the plants.
House - Is actually very, very tidy and clean as I type - Hurrah!
Bus. Vocab. Nada

Day 212 - Nightly Roundup

Kai and Greg getting a much needed nap this past weekend.

Kindness is more important than wisdom, and the recognition of this is the beginning of wisdom. Theodore Isaac Rubin

The days are flying by, in a good way! Hope all is well with everyone.
Marriage - check - we each made a list of five things we either appreciate most or most would like the other to do so we could be more effective in being a good spouse to each other;-).
Parenting - Kirk is off school the next three days, so we'll have lots of good time together and my mom is coming up so that will be fun. It's after nine and I just heard Kai walking around upstairs in his room - he's having a hard time going to sleep lately. Any sleep easy secrets for an almost three year old would be much welcomed.
Business - Worked on the website blog.
Book - Ironed out the writer issue
FI - Eating out of cupboards more
Spirit - Did my one kind act today
Health - did 20 minutes yoga
House - Tidied up house
Bus. Vocab. Nada