tips: streamlined & perfect blog reading

Ok, this is a little off-topic of normal house & life topics, but a tiny little button has just made my reading experience 100 times more enjoyable!  I thought I would share....


When I first started reading blogs, I would use the reading list on the right side of my blog and click on each blog checking to see if they'd updated.  It was time-consuming to say the least.

More recently, I've started using Google Reader which is definitely an efficient way of seeing new posts, but I missed seeing each blog's webpage design.  My commenting decreased (sorry!) because I didn't take the time to click over to the author's actual page.


Now for the good news!  I just discovered the Next bookmarklet, which goes through my subscription list and with one click I can see the original post as intended by the author.  It has all the efficiency of Google Reader, without using the ugly Google Reader page.  It is so easy to "install" too.  Beautiful.

And when you've read all new posts....this page comes up:

 
Here are the two posts that showed me how to add the Next bookmarklet....

• whoorl, Reunited (with blogs) and it feels soo good
• rage against the minivan, if you read blogs you should read this

So, tell me...did you already discover this?  Are you happy with the way you read blogs?

may flowers

Last May in the chaos of moving into our house, I completely missed the tiny lily of the valley growing under our (enormous) pine tree.  They are sort of hidden, but this year I could smell them before I could even see them.

My Big Grandma (a.k.a. great-grandma) was the only person I've known who had them growing in a garden, and as a little girl they were my absolute favorite.  I picked one stem as we walked to church this past weekend and, giddy with excitement, kept making Husband smell the delicious scent.

Lent and Easter, revisited

We spent Easter in a far-away land without our usual Easter basket treats, deviled eggs, family lunch, and familiar worship songs.  Instead we found ourselves surrounded by nature and worshipping beside a catholic church on the Mediterranean Sea.  It was quiet, peaceful and we both read through the Gospel accounts of the crucifixion and resurrection. 

During a trip that was very busy and eventful, this was our little bit of serenity and focus.

Now that I'm back home, I am planning to continue my Lent commitments because of the simplicity it brought to my life.  Officially, I'm done with twitter and facebook (at least on a daily basis).  I've fallen in love with investing and communicating with people, in person, face to face.  I'm not zapped of emotional energy from surfing the web, and I can put the computer away more quickly.

However, I'm trying not just to rid myself of these habits, but continue with positive ones in their stead.  Here's what I'm doing with my time:

• being creative - cooking, gardening, painting, and a tiny bit of crafting
• reading - especially reading through the Bible and also reading for fun
• loving well - intentionally loving God, my husband, and those around us

I know it isn't rocket science, but it is working for me.

in my spare time

During the last month, I have had an abundance of spare time on my hands.  I mentioned earlier that I have been trying to use it in more productive and beneficial ways and it has thoroughly changed my perspective on the way I use my time.

Here are the highlights:

1. I love, love, love not being on facebook and twitter.  This was part of my Lent commitment, but it has freed up so much time.  A month ago, I would have secretly thought it wasn't possible to do without these in my daily routine.  In retrospect, I think both of them were overall negative influences on me - becoming more about gossip, popularity, and self-promotion. 
2. Reading is a daily part of my life again.  It is such a satisfying part of my day to hear the pages quietly turning, soaking in someone else's knowledge, following a story from beginning to end.  Purposefully reading through the Bible has been softening my heart and reminding me of my first love.
3. Practicing creativity is an accomplishment at the end of the day.  Rather than frittering my day away looking at other people's achievements on blogs, I've made time to purposefully complete something.  For example - I made this bracelet, cooked a double batch of marinara sauce, and worked on cleaning up my flowerbeds for hours (plus, anything outdoors is lovely after such a long winter!)
4. Committing to building real community.  In the absence of online communities (see #1) and my sweet husband, I've felt a deep need to strengthen friendships and depend on others.  It is easy to get trapped by the mindset of "newlyweds" (when you focus solely on your spouse), and I am often paralyzed by the idea that everyone is so busy.  However I've found that once an effort is made, community quickly follows.  I've discovered that we are richly blessed with thoughtful, caring, Christ-like friends.    

bracelet

 

So, that's what I've been up to in the last month.  Small changes are adding up quickly and changing my perspective in a healthy way.  It feels appropriate with the season of Lent - the spiritual practice of simplicity leading to renewal and change of focus. 

tips: thriving in winter

"One kind word can warm three winter months."

If anything, winter has only intensified since my last post.  This past week has been crazy: sleet wars, fluffy white snow, and ice that is persistently caking our driveway. still.

One of the perks of teaching is the loveliness of snow days, and the giddy feeling you get when the day is called off.  However, faced with six days of no planning, grading, students, or errands - even the best of us can easily succomb to cabin fever.  I tried to stay up to the challenge of soaking in the simple moments (and not leaping ahead of myself).

Don't get me wrong - I am especially ready for spring now, but here are some of the things that helped me stay occupied for four days in my house.

step #1 - go thrifting (at home).  find those boxed up items that can cover up unsightly nail holes and redecorate.

step #2 - keep warm.  brew some spicy hot tea (my mother-in-law introduced me to this) and curl up with a book

step #3 - winter colors.  clean all the dishes and admire the snowy white dish collection.

step #4 - forgotten projects.  reattach the ribbon on those pretty little shoes, so they'll be ready for spring outfits

p.s. all forms of chocolate have been major spirit-lifters lately - hot cocoa, brownies, and 70% chocolate bars (all eaten way too quickly to be caught on camera).  hope you are all staying warm and cozy!

tips: thriving in winter

 It snowed again last night....

Are you sick of winter and ready for all those spring catalogs to start popping up in your mailbox?

Normally, I would be right there with you ... but I'm trying to be present, soaking in each day (and not jumping ahead to what's next).  I suppose this includes the seasons too.  I don't want to simply survive this winter, I want to thrive.  To enjoy.  As Nichole said so much better than I could, "Don't write off the season, waiting for the next."

Let me be honest with you.  It is all a mind game.  I'm focused on being immersed in the wonder of winter -- without becoming cynical about the weather, or melancholy from the darkness, or sick of staying indoors. Want to see how I've managed it so far?

step #1 - change up the colors in our living room pillows (see the ousted color here)

step #2 - my parents generously updated our 1930s fireplace for Christmas.....genius!  I turn it on every day.

step #3 - invest in cute winter accessories since you'll wear them every. single. day. for months

step #4 - read.  minimize overdosing on TV and crack open a book on dark winter nights.

Surprisingly, these small steps have made a big difference in our attitude.  Any other tips for reveling in the moment (especially a wintry one)?

p.s.  I might need to do another post like this for February and March.  We have a ways to go until spring in Indiana. :)

one resolution for 2011

Chicago lights and snow

In the wake of the holidays, a deep calm has taken over our house.  Traditionally we schedule very few commitments in January, we don't travel much, and the weather keeps us tucked in our snug house most nights.  Even taking down our Christmas decorations was liberating - the house became more simple.  We both breathed a sigh of relief with the much-needed space. 

During wintry nights, I've been reading my favorite bloggers' posts and a line from Joslyn's post leapt out at me: 

"I want to dive into a few things and get really good at them, I want to 'specialize' a little more and 'generalize' a little less." 

...along with this bit from a "genius" little article: 

"I frittered away my brainpower on everyday problems because they felt safe, solvable, and significant -- those bills do have to be paid, after all. I had no space left for things that really matter to me, the ideas that need time and wonder to come to fruition."

  
...and all of a sudden, I have my first resolution ever:

Be Focused.

Somehow in the last five years, I've been lost between finishing school, finding a job, moving cities, getting married, and moving to three different homes.  2011 is a year of adventure for us, and I don't want it to slip by unnoticed.  Speeding through life - doing everything, but succeeding at nothing - is not the life I choose.  Instead, here are my "specialties" this year:

• Cooking - While owning the fact that I am not a craft queen or talented artist, I am making this year about creating in my kitchen.  My mantra? Try new recipes; plan grocery lists; don't let those dirty dishes discourage!  
•  Reading - I never feel more like myself than when I'm reading (if you're wondering, I was definitely the nerdy, skinny girl in huge glasses with her nose stuck in a book).  So I'm limiting my blog reading, tv-watching, and keeping my library stockpiled.
•  Introspection - Although I've always been an introvert, that doesn't necessarily translate into self-growth and reflection.  I know the role I play as a teacher, but so many other areas of my life haven't had the same attention.  I want to spend time with a journal discovering who I am as a woman, wife, and daughter of the King.  Also - lose the "teacher hat" when I'm not at work - loosen up, laugh more, be merciful and more spontaneous.  Focus on celebrating each adventure.  (Oh boy, I saved the hardest one for last....!)

currently reading:

During the first big snow last weekend, we spent a couple of days cozied up inside reading.  Zach is making his way through the Harry Potter series after seeing the most recent movie (I am stoked that he is finally reading the books!).  I picked one of the classics I had never read - Tess of the D'ubervilles.  To be honest, I had no expectations for this book, and it has been a surprising, heart-wrenching story so far. 

I'm almost to the end and I can't wait to see what happens. 

the pre-Christmas spending freeze is OVER!

a cozy Christmas farmhouse from an article full of holiday decorating ideas

As today is the 1st of December, we are officially finished with the pre-Christmas spending freeze.  I'll give an account of the weeks 6 & 7, but be warned - Thanksgiving break was full of online shopping.  Most of it was for Christmas gifts, but a little of it was breaking the rules (oops!).

- no Target purchases:   check.  This has been so liberating and probably the biggest lesson for me is that I do. not. need. to buy so much from this store.  The bright lights and stocked shelves attract me, but rarely do I love the things I buy there.  True - there are exceptions (like this dress) but I plan to stick to the essentials from here on out. 

- no clothing purchases:   uhh...this is where the holiday shopping comes in :)  I could say they were presents, but really I just couldn't pass up the free shipping at Homage and bought some new tees for us.  (Plus, I fully intend to wear mine before Christmas.)

- Goodwill donation:   check.  I finally took in 2 boxes and a bag full of items to the Goodwill drop off, and subsequently organized our basement.  It looks so much better now. I get a serious high from simplifying my home. (am I alone in this?)

- no home purchases:   check - sort of.  I did buy a Christmas nativity set for our mantel on ebay.  It is the same set my parents have and I LOVE it.  I couldn't pass it up.  If you follow me on Twitter, you know I've also been eyeing a gorgeous vintage lamp.  So far I've resisted, but I still wish I could buy it.


Over the past 7 weeks we have saved a lot of money, and it has definitely been worth it.  The timing was perfect with Thanksgiving.  I have a regained contentment for what we have - but more importantly a decreased dependence on consumerism.  We will keep up all these "rules" in the future but just not quite as strictly.  Thanks for the accountability, friends!

Want to see the rest of the story?  Check out these posts:

The Rules
Weeks 1 & 2
Weeks 3,4 & 5

pre-christmas spending freeze, weeks 3-5



Christmas morning - circa 2005



- no Target purchases:  check.  This one has been surprisingly easy over the past few weeks.  I am probably saving us so much money in just this one area!

- no clothing purchases: ok - This super cute necklace was marked down last week and I sprang for it.

 

- Goodwill donation:  still working on this pile in my basement.  I add a few things each weekend, but I plan to drop it off right before the Thanksgiving holiday.

 

- no home purchases:  check.  However, we are investigating rugs for our living room floor.  I'm leaning towards a natural jute rug, while Zach prefers Persian rugs.  I think we may buy one of these before Christmas using some gift cards and cash back from our credit card points.  I'd also love another lamp in our bedroom (preferably a vintage alabaster lamp) but that is on hold for awhile.

 images found here.

 

 

On a side note:

 

Zach and I have yet to master the art of shopping for Christmas gifts.

We inevitably fall into the frantic dash for last minute presents. 

How do you avoid the hectic, frazzling pace of holiday shopping?  (or do you love the hustle and bustle?)

weeks 1&2 of our pre-christmas spending freeze



my current favorite Christmas photo (found here).



Ok - for the sake of accountability, here is a quick update about our spending freeze.  Abby and I are cutting back before the holidays (and in general). 



- no Target purchases: I had to stop by my local Target to pick up a prescription, and only bought some food and paper necessities.  However, I always end up regretting the food I buy there, as none of it is fresh.  I need to cut that spending out too.

- no home purchases: check.



- no clothing purchases: we did stop at JCrew in Chicago and bought a few sale items - two shirts for Zach and a scarf for me.  Other than that, check.

- find cheap date options: my family was in town on Friday and Saturday nights, so we haven't really had to do this yet.  I'm working on some fun ideas for this weekend though!

- drop off donation at Goodwill: not yet.  I need to work through the stuff in our basement and be in the mood to purge before this will happen. 

If you're cutting back too, link up with a post in the comments about how it's going.
Personally, I'm dreading all the fall sale markdowns - it's always my favorite time to shop.

a pre-christmas spending freeze

Last night my husband and I were talking about some large extra costs we've had during the past month (a year's supply of contacts, a hefty gym initiation fee, hotel in Chicago, work clothes for Zach...).  We're both feeling the need to spend less. 

We would love to enjoy the process of gift-buying and all the fun of the Christmas season without the need to worry about every dollar.  So in anticipation of the craziness of the holidays, we're proposing a spending hiatus until the beginning of December. 

Here are my rules:

- no Target purchases, other than prescriptions and necessities
- no home purchases
- no clothing purchases
- find cheap date options
- drop off a big donation to Goodwill

We have a few exceptions:

- our Chicago weekend trip
- recovering a cushion for our built-in nook
- a fun girly weekend with my best friend


If you would like to join us, make some rules for yourself and leave a comment below.

my home...

{dresser}

Today I'm wishing for summer break, when I have more time to spend at home.  Tomorrow we're closing on our house!  I'll be sure to post a SOLD sign picture on here too - we can't wait to get settled in.

mason jars

{thrifted and washed}

We picked up a box full of mason jars this Saturday at a local garage sale for $4.   I already use some for storing marinara sauce, clothespins, and our leftover change.  I think I'll use some of these "new" ones for candleholders, more pantry storage, and vases on our porch.

Do you have these in your home? Any favorite uses?

shopping hiatus - week 4

I would say this week was a toss-up for me.  Although I avoided any clothes shopping (yay!), I did venture into a massive antique store while visiting my parents last weekend.  My mom came with me, and we found some superb items for the new house.  I reasoned that I wouldn't be back until after school is out, and these cute antiques are one-of-a-kind (and on sale!).  Also it was an adventure with my mom, which happens too rarely these days.  If only I had known when we got married how much I enjoy having well-made vintage items - I could have avoided buying 6 cheap lamps from Target. 

All that being said I have no regrets with my purchases, and maybe that is the whole point of the shopping hiatus in the first place.  But enough philosophy....here's what I found:

{his and hers nightstands}

{vintage necklace - $12}

And I found three more pieces to use as patio furniture that I'll show you later in a before-after post.  The weather here has been amazing and I can't wait to get them outdoors next to some big Boston ferns!

shopping hiatus - week 3

{winter's end painting}

Success! 

We did really well this week - no extra purchases and lots of extra activities.  Mostly these activities involved the house - finalizing our bid, meeting with lenders, daydreaming about ownership, praying for a good inspection, etc... We took a huge walk around the new neighborhood, and I am thrilled to move in soon.  Best of all, there is a sweet little corner of shops close by, just like our current spot. 

In addition to house things, I'm attending a women's Bible study each week, which I am loving.  It has become such a good way to get connected with other women who are trying to grow with each other and God.  I think a lot of us {bloggers} are searching for those relationships, due to moving away from loved ones or just the business of life and work.  I'm learning I truly need to schedule time to slow down and openly communicate with others and God.  Too often I tend to close up or just depend on Zach when I need to talk.

Hope you all are well - I love this way of communicating with each other, and I'm grateful for each of you that stop by.

P.S. Now we can talk on twitter too

shopping hiatus - week 2

{liberty finds}

I was really successful this week....except for buying the three things above. 

I had to check out the Liberty of London line at Target, but ended up not loving the women's items.  Instead I found some men's boxers in size small to wear as pajamas around home and on family vacations this summer.  Plus I picked up this girly stationery set - perfect for sending off notes to friends.

And.....a much bigger purchase:

Our first home.  We just found out the offer was accepted!  Good thing we're saving up this month, because I have a little list of things to find for our new, adorable Craftsman bungalow. 

craving light

{image}

Big things are going on in our neck of the woods, so the shopping hiatus update will be coming up tomorrow.

I love this painted dresser with light streaming through white curtains.  I have a six-drawer dresser that could be painted just like this. 

Hoping you all had a lovely Monday!

shopping hiatus - week 1

{two boxes full and ready to be given away}

Well, one week has passed without any non-essentials spending.  How are we feeling so far? 

Bored!

I hadn't realized how much time and energy I put into shopping, browsing, and hunting for new things.  I think about it a lot too.  Now each thought is followed by the fact that I am not supposed to be thinking about this!  It has been exhausting. 

Practically though, no extra purchases have made it into our home.  Yay!

This week I need to start replacing my time with something useful and productive.  I have a new series of books to start and a new bible study beginning.  Plus - the weather is improving, so I can start spending time outside exercising, and......wait for it...........house hunting!! 

How did you do this week, friends?

flirtation

Zach and I have been flirting with a couple of ideas that we are ready to try during the month of March. 

The first is to cut back on all shopping expenditures for 1 month.  The last three months have been a bit excessive, and I find that I am spending too much time searching without really needing anything.  I would like to reallocate that time towards productive and meaningful alternatives (reading, cooking, exercise, writing).  Thanks to Joslyn for the idea of the spending hiatus.

Our second idea is to try out some vegetarian options in our diet, and to begin approaching food in a more healthy way.  We are both concerned with building beneficial habits now, so they stick with us over time.  I am continuing to read through The Kind Diet, and I would highly recommend it to any of you who have some nasty food habits you want to kick. 

In summary, here are our main goals for this month - in a list, of course:

1. Cut out all non-essential shopping
2. Limit lunch expenses
3. Try vegetarian options at restaurants
4. Visit a health food store (without being intimidated)
5. Buy healthy food to see how we like it
6. Try one new healthy recipe per week

If any of you want to join in with cutting down on spending or changing your diet let me know!  I'll post weekly updates on our progress.