Starting To Simplify

Since becoming a stay-at-home mom, I have experienced the difficulty of managing the house and the kids alone and all on a budget of a military wife. And I will not trade it for anything else. However, I must admit that I am still finding the groove.

I read in an article somewhere online that one thing a stay-at-home mom should know is how to get organized and start to simplify. In other words, get rid of stuff. With almost eight years of marriage, accumulations of life pile up and I find that we own a lot of things that we no longer need or use.

Yes, I confess, we still have a VHS, a laser disc and VCD player in the attic somewhere. I'm pretty sure there are other obsolete gadgets like my college beeper in there, too. Not to mention Betamax, VHS tapes and sets of encyclopedia just waiting to be rediscovered.

Now, I'm making a deal with myself to get rid of stuff before new stuff comes via gifts this Christmas. I'm starting to make a mental list of things give away like the encyclopedia set and a couple of books to the local elementary school, old clothes and shoes to the church. The rest I'm selling on EBay. And most will end up my planned yard sale that is a year overdue. (Yes, Hubby, it will take place his month!)

My watch tells me that it's 12:27 in the morning. Hopefully I'll remember this deal when I wake up later.

Good Start

I've been wanting to buy James Patterson's Double Cross since it was released last year. Somehow all the bookstores in the country were out of stock--for 9 months.

My Dad has been a James Patterson fan for about a few years. He loves the Alex Cross and the Women's Murder Club plus the few stand alone books that are out. So far, he's missing Double Cross in his collection.

I had planned to surprise him for his birthday with a copy of the book last September 9. But I was pleasantly surprised when Power Books told me they were all out of copies and were taking orders.

By some stroke of luck, as my sister and I were in National Bookstore, I saw it. It was a paperback copy of Double Cross and the last one. Wedged between Cross and Mary, Mary, Double Cross screamed at me. I just bought it immediately. And now my Dad's reading it in his favorite spot -- the toilet.

I think I get my love of reading from my Dad. I used to see his books around the house, Sidney Sheldon, Robert Ludlum. I remember reading for pleasure when I was in Grade 4. It was a hard-bound Nancy Drew mystery which I borrowed from the school library. From then on, I was hooked. I think I finished the whole Nancy Drew collection that school year. Not bad for a beginner.

Hopefully Kuya and Kowi discover their love for reading as well. We read aloud almost every day and Kuya has been saying he feels like "he's in another place" when we read. This is a good start.

sleep? game on

Last night was my first night to sleep 30 mintues earlier. As part of my break bad habits campaign, I did.

Now here are a few ground rules that I laid out to make sure I sleep 30 minutes earlier (I hope) for the next 21 days or until it becomes a habit, whichever comes first:

1. Go to bed the same time every night.
2. Lights and TV off at least 30 mins before bedtime.
3. No tea one hour before I go to sleep. Not really sure if the caffeine from the tea would affect my sleep habits, but I'm making sure.
4. Experts say lavender induces sleep. Maybe I'll try a little aromatherapy.

Hopefully, these will help me sleep earlier in the next 21 days. Do you have any other suggestions to a peaceful and earlier slumber?

i'm breaking bad habits

It's a few weeks past the middle of the year and I realize I haven't gotten far with my 2008 New Year's resolutions. Again, as in previous New Year's resolutions, they have been forgotten and will probably be recycled for next year. Arrgh!

This recycling of resolutions has definitely become a habit, a bad one, and it has got to stop. And I'm starting today, Monday. I don't want to wait until New Year's. Frankly, the breaking of bad habits should start this second.

I'm thinking of several good things that I want to turn into habits. Off the top of my head, they are:

1. Sleep 30 minutes earlier than usual. No more late night entertainment shows. Bye-bye.

2. Drink more water. It should be 2 liters a day, excluding juice and my daily 2 cups of tea.

3. Stick to grocery list and budget (Hubby would love this one).

4. Have at least one serving of oatmeal a day.

5. Stop buying stuff during sales. My logic: I will need this because it's on sale.

I'm starting with number 1. Will it be easier to do than the rest? We'll see in about 21 days. Experts say it takes that long to develop a habit. Good luck to me.