I've won something!

http://www.beaulieu.co.uk/

So it feels like I never win anything, and I'm sure that's mainly down to the fact that I never enter anything...but on a whim a month or so ago, I entered a competition with Families SouthEast (a local magazine with info on stuff to do with kids) and I got an email this week to say I've won a family trip to Beaulieu!  Hubby gets to see James Bond cars and a Top Gear exhibition, and I'll get a day out in the fresh air with the kids.  Brilliant...and all for the cost of the petrol to get there (think it would take a bit too long on the bike ;-)

So that's added some joy in an otherwise mixed week.

And lots of people are asking how no TV is going, and so far evenings are passing with me getting lots of stuff done.  I'm listening to a bit of Radio 4 (my general knowledge is going to increase lots...especially after a 3 hour ironing fest, and just listening to what happened to be on!).  I'm definitely noticing how much I would out of habit, pop it on in the evening, even if it's background whilst I'm doing bits on the laptop.  So it's not an easy thing to give up, but I think it's good.

And this is an interesting site with ideas on things to do in Lent that are positive.

http://www.40acts.org.uk/

This is also the week that I first discovered Pinterest.  A great way to keep track of cool things you find online.  Very useful as I can never remember where I've seen stuff. 

January Review

image from http://www.edupics.com.html

Firstly, I can't believe that January is almost over already, and for me that means heading back to work, but I thought it would be good to try and take stock of positives this month, and what I need to think more about for the coming months.

Overall the month feels like a bit of a fail, as there have been some mammoth expenses going out (although it's not really the amount, it's whether there's an alternative solution), however, perhaps I'm being a bit tough of myself when I actually look at what they are :

• a fairly large tax bill (part tax return and part NI missed payments from several years ago when I as setting up a business and not earning...was it worth filling the gap?  Will we ever have any government pension to mention? I really struggle with pensions as they really clash with the feeling of living with God in today, in faith...more pondering required!)  p.s. I don't have any issue with the tax paying...only on what my taxes are spent on!
• the car's MOT (it actually did very well, but still costs so much, for something that we don't actually use that much.  We've considered going car-less when it dies, but when we looked into the cost of hiring a car, or getting the train to visit relatives for a week or so in the summer, unbelievably it costs more than us having the car serviced, taxed & MOT'd for the whole year!!  And we can't quite manage Preston on the bicycles!)
• repairs on the house (the garden fence panels almost blew down in the recent gales, so needed sorting - the one positive, is that with some persuasion the guy fixing them managed to revamp them, rather than scrap them and just give us new ones, pretty much the same cost, and there was really nothing wrong with 95% of them!  A leaky roof and gutter that meant our front yard flooded in giant rain.  Both things that pre-kids I've have had a go at doing myself, but currently I only seem to manage to keep on top of the things in the house, I knew that realistically it would be months before I'd get round to sorting, and who knows what the winter water would have done in that time!)

And going into next month we have two outstanding possible expenses that are playing on my mind:

• we have a digibox thing which means we can record TV programmes, and the reality of life is that we never watch anything live anymore (other than kids TV).  The harddrive is going, and I know we'll end up getting a new one, but I do feel annoyed that we're all so desiring of TV (especially when you consider the quality of most of it).  Especially in the winter months, we use it to switch off, to iron in front of, and we love things likes Sherlock.  But really, is it the best use of hundred quid?
• and finally the nightmare of our small backyard!  It's the biggest challenge on the multi-use front ever: kids play/bike storage/clothes drying/food growing.  And the bike cover is on it's last legs, and with M about to get a little bike too, we just need more storage space.  So do we get a wooden shed?  If so, the only logical place to put it, is in the only good bit of sun space in the garden, where I was about to get lots of growing going!  Ahhhhhhhhhhh...............or do we just stick to plastic covers for the meantime, but end up replacing them frequently?  Just can't decide.  (Was hoping either a shed or bike cover would come our way and the decision could be made...but no sign so far.  And the four uses are good things...not making the decision any easier.)  Am I just overtired and thinking too much ;-)

On the positive front, January has been great in some little ways:

• waste is down to a minimum....once we eliminate disposible nappies at night next month, we'll be producing less than a kilo of non-recyclable waste each week (the small black bag looks ridiculous when I put it out...hooray!!!)
• all birthday cards this month have been recycled, and 90% of the gifts too
• we haven't thrown any food away
• the chores list has worked really well (for me at least)
• and I've made marmalade for the first time.

So let's see what February brings!

The reality of returning to work

As I start this new year, I also return back to work after my maternity leave, and although I don't start back properly until February, the reality of trying to juggle everything has been playing on my mind.

Before I tackle how to fit in all the extra things to make and grow that I've been thinking about, I have to work out how to manage the house as well as having great time with the kids when we're not at work and nursery.  The last thing I want is for all our time to be taken up with chores, but I do want a clean and safe environment for them to grow, and although my standards are definitely not where they used to be, the reality of meal planning, washing and cleaning are still there.

So my pondering on how to make sure that these chores don't overwhelm me and steal quality time and my thoughts, has lead to two things.

The first is a new plan, which of course includes a tick list!  I love having lists and crossing things off, but hate rewriting this kind of repetitive list, as it highlights the never ending cycle that I'm in.  So my latest plan (knowing me there will be a different one next year), is a list of weekly, fortnightly and monthly chores.  There is a plastic sheet over the top, so I (possibly we) can cross things off, but when the timeframe has passed, simply wipe off the markings and start again.  The theory of it being in view is that another adult in the house may also do some of these tasks, but by his own admission, I won't hold my breath ;-)

The second plan is to shift my attitude to these tasks.  An old uni friend of mine, Roger Bretherton, has recently written a book called 'the GOD lab' in which he talks about the Beatitudes and gives experiments for you to do at the end of each chapter.  On of these, is to pause in something that you're doing, and use all your senses to really experience the moment.  What can I hear, see, feel, smell, taste?  I've started doing it when I breastfeed my son, as I often spend the time thinking about all the things I need to do, coming up with ideas etc.  But the time I spend with him in these moments is really precious and going so fast!  This has really helped me to enjoy the moment, savour it, live in it, not in the past or the future, and thank God for it.  

So my plan, is to try and apply that to the chores too.  Some I'll do with my daughter (as she loves helping!) and are precious, some are just moments to pause in the now.  Having just done it a few times already, I've found myself being so thankful to God; thankful that I have the ability to do the tasks (have found the time, have the strength, the mental capacity, my health, have been blessed with the appliance that makes it so much easier etc), so already I'm finding a new richness in something I'd never have thought I could.

So thanks God and Roj!


(Here's another photo of the list, for those that requested the ability to read it all ;-)