Welcome to Bugs and Brooms!

It has been a few days since my last post.  I have been struggling with time management for the past week: trying to entertain DD, keep my house going, work in time for homeschool, chores, fun.  Blogging is a great way for me to stop for a few minutes and get my thoughts down on paper.  I have started a list of topics that I want to write about but the list gets longer instead of shorter.  I work to try to balance my responsibilities to family and still have a few moments in the day to come here and write about things that are happening in my life and/or things that are important to me.  I have not found the balance, yet.

So why can others seem to manage this so well and still maintain their homes, families, etc.?  And some do so under enormous stress and family crisis.  How can I squeeze in 20 minutes (or less) to blog, read my blogroll, clean house, do laundry, cook, play with DD, instruct DD, spend time with DH, take care of pets, etc., etc., etc.?  This morning, I spent 2 hours (that’s right, 2 hours!) of my day reading blog posts and making a few simple comments.  Yes, it has been a few days since I checked-in with my favorite writers but still - 2 hours?  Good grief!  And that was before DD woke up - there is no way I could have spent 2 hours on the computer while she was awake.  Of course, I didn’t get anything else accomplished and, trust me, there is plenty to do around here.

But what do I really want to accomplish each day?  I want to spend time with my daughter, maintain my home so that it is comfortable (no, not spotless or ready for the next cover-shoot of Martha Stewart Living - have you seen my house?).  But I also want to learn about how I can improve our lives, improve the world around us, and take steps to do that - and that, takes time.  I want to spend time in my garden, preserving food, learning to knit and sew, and I want to have time to read!  I love to read but I seem to only be able to read a paragragh at a time (usually when I sneak away to the potty)!

What about the computer?  Well, there is email to check, blogs to read, posts to write.  Maybe the weather, the news, etc. (though I rarely look at either of these).  Then there is the phone.  I am not a big talker - at least not over the phone, but there are days when I haven’t spoken with friends in ages that I spend too much time on the phone.  My daughter is quick to remind me that it is time to ‘get off’ when she tries to take the phone away from me, covers my mouth with her small hand, or, as a last resort, starts whining (that eventually leads to crying if I don’t respond quickly enough).

The technology age was supposed to make life more simple for all - give us more time to do the things  that we really wanted like spend time with family.  But I don’t think it has worked that way.  Yes, we can stay in ‘touch’ with friends and family that are far away much easier than the previous generation but do we spend so much time staying in touch and updated that we lose sight of the real purpose?  I know, at least for me, my computer and telephone are not much better than the television for many others.  I spend too much time on it reading the latest on peak oil and climate change when that time (at least for me) should be spent reading to my daughter or playing hide and seek.  Yes - I do do all of those things now (I spend countless hours reading books with DD as well as many other wonderful things).  Probably more than most since I stay home.  But does that fact make it ok that I take advantage of the few spare moments that I can grab to ‘play’ on the computer or catch up on the happenings of friends in family?  Well, probably.  I mean simplifying your life also means building new relationships and nurturing old.  But I am struggling with this - a lot.  Should I spend my spare time posting to my own blog about things that are important to me or reading other’s blogs?  Not to mention all of the other things that consume my day.

I know that many of you have found that balance that I am seeking and I am sure it will come to me in time.  I look at Green Bean and her eloquent posts about simple things like benches and I am reminded that time doesn’t stand still for anyone.  I can spend hours writing words on my computer that may or may not be read by anyone but that time does give me some sense of pleasure.  I marvel at Crunchy’s ability to balance her life and find time for posting very serious, inspiring, educational, and entertaining information in the midst of her hectic life.  And I hope to find that balance for myself - soon. 

This was actually a post about 2 topics: blogging being very time consuming, and the not too time saving technology that has transformed our lives.  Any suggestions that you have for how I can find balance my own desires to be the best wife and mother that I can be and still post meaningful information on my own blog would be greatly appreciated.  Time is precious.  We only have so much.  I want to spend each moment living my life to the fullest.  When I am gone from this earth, I don’t think people will remember me for my blogs or anything really.  But I hope my friends and family will know that I loved them and that I tried to use my time wisely to be the best person I could be - my computer certainly won’t know that I am gone. 

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We went to the drive-in last night to take DD to see the new Disney/Pixar movie Wall-E.  I was a little concerned the first 15 minutes or so - there were few words and those were in a techno-robot dialect making it difficult for little ears to understand.  DD busied herself playing with my phone and I hoped that the words would start flowing from Wall-E and grab the attention of my imaginative toddler.  And, so it was.  She became entranced with Wall-E, his romantic interest Eve, and his best friend - a lovely cockroach (she is familiar with roaches as I have ranted about in previous posts, but I digress).

The story was about a lone robot left on earth to single-handedly clean up the landfill that the planet had become thanks to the endless consumer habits and unsustainable living practices of its previous inhabitants - humans.  The human race had to abandon their once beautiful and life sustaining home in search of other planets to ‘take-over’ and destroy and were still searching for a place to plant some roots after over 700 years in space. 

What is worse is that the entire population had become even lazier, more gluttonous, and more waste generating than their ancestors when they left the earth.  Overweight, eating liquid food, moving around in high-tech wheelchairs and being waited on 24 hours a day by robots only continues to create a society that doesn’t understand the consequences of their actions.  They don’t even know what plant-life is as they just veg day after day on their luxurious spacecraft!  We didn’t seem to learn anything!!

Fortunately, some robots on this mammoth inter-galactic cruise ship, were created to visit other planets in search of some sign of life - Wall-E’s love interest, Eve, is one of those robots.  Wall-E takes the earths’ trash and compresses it, little by little, into small cubes which he then uses to show his creative side.  But he also collects items that interest him and keeps them in his ‘home’.  On one of his clean-up routines, Wall-E finds a small little plant that he adds to his collection.

But enough about the plot of the movie.  It is cute and has a great message - check it out with your children.  But I really don’t know if people will ‘get it’.  I mean, it wasn’t like the earth was completely wiped out - we just went away for several centuries on a high-tech vacation.  Do we really believe that we will be able to do that?  Honestly, my own family thinks I am losing it - they have even asked if I am going to come home one weekend driving a Volkswagen Van!  I just laugh at them and say ‘maybe’.  Does it get good gas mileage? 

Many people don’t believe in global warming.  Ok.  But shouldn’t we still live responsibly and take care of what we have?  Shouldn’t we teach our children and grandchildren that life is precious in all forms and that everything we do has consequences that we may not be able to see right away?  I know that I don’t want to leave my daughter with a dried-up, lifeless planet.  I don’t want to keep adding to the problem with mindless consumerism and unsustainable living practices. 

I really wish this movie would have been released earlier.  It has a similar message to An Inconvenient Truth and Affluenza but it is presented in an easy-to-see format for those who just don’t believe we are making a big mess of the earth.  Although it is a children’s movie, it should really hit home with adults.  Maybe this animated movie will show a few viewers that we have to change our habits.  If not to save the planet, just to do what is right.  They go hand-in-hand.  And one person doing the right thing can have a big impact.  Everything takes baby steps and has to start somewhere.  For my family and my community, it starts with me!  It starts with YOU!

Tags: Community, Family and Friends, Frugal Living, Green Living, Homeschooling, Parenting, Simple Living, Simple and Green by
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I am thrilled to report that our garden has been planted!!  It was no easy task and DD made it almost impossible to complete, but we did it!  We have 10 beautiful rows of vegetables and herbs!  Putting all of those little seeds in the ground was so much fun!  That is where I have been the past few days - tilling and planting!

It was hard to keep DD from stepping on our newly buried treasure and she kept laying down and rolling in the dirt!  She is a little tomboy!  She loved playing with the dirt and holding the seeds!

Our garden is not very big but it should give the three of us plenty of food to put away for the winter!  But planting is just one of the many milestones or gardening.  Here are the challenges that we will be facing:

• Rain - I don’t think it will ever stop raining here.  I have plans ready to start building our ark!
• I don’t have a green thumb - actually, it is BLACK.  Hopefully DH has some growing skills in him!
• Rain!
• Critters - in addition to the ones I have already posted about, we also have a ton of deer, raccoons, wild turkeys, and other great creatures that we will have to keep out of the garden - somehow.
• Did I mention rain?
• Other pests that I am clueless about.  I am sure I will have more to post on that later.
• DD - She loves the garden but I am afraid she will want to ‘help’ a little too much!  She is really bad about ‘picking’ flowers.  I am hoping that we can make the garden a great little classroom for her as we have with most things we do inside and out.  She is a sponge at this age and it is fun to watch her explore and learn!  I just hope we will have something to harvest at the end of the season.
• Rain - it has started raining again!  I hope it doesn’t wash our little garden away - or the little seeds that we planted.  It is coming down really hard!  Good grief!  Where did I put those ark materials?

And those are just the few I can think of right now.  We definitely have our work cut out for us.  I think our summer will be spent tending the garden but the payoff will be worth it if we can just get something to grow.

Here is a list of all our veggies that we planted:

Herbs:

• Sweet Basil
• Parsley
• Chives
• Cilantro
• Thyme
• Marjoram
• Sage

Veggies:

• Spinach
• Lettuce
• Onions
• Carrots
• Tomatoes
• Green and Red Peppers
• Kale
• Broccoli
• Jalapenos
• Peas
• Chard
• Cantaloupe
• Cucumbers
• Zucchini
• Squash
• Beans
• Corn

We are also going to pick up some tomato plants at the Farmer’s Market to add to our seed tomatoes.  Just in case.  And I have some lavender and dill that I want to plant on the edge of the garden.

We weren’t really sure about the design that we used and this is certainly a learning process for us.  We did some research online and found some ideas but we will see if they will work for us. 

I can’t wait to reap the fruits (or veggies) of our labor!  Yummy!

Tags: 'Farm life', Frugal Living, Gardening, Homeschooling, Simple Living, Simple and Green by
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Last month I posted the banner for Green Bean Dreams’ Be A Bookworm Challenge!  The challenge ran through the month of May but is back by popular demand!  Of course, I love to read so this is right up my ally!  In May, I read Affluenza (HIGHLY recommended) and Voluntary Simplicity (good but on the philosophical side of simple living).  With the challenge continuing through June, I have selected Against the Grain and Living Simply with Children as my choices. 

If it has been a while since you cracked the binder of a book, visit your library and check out something to read (preferably something from list Green Bean has put together but ANYTHING to get your mind thinking).  And I am not talking about those old magazines that you may have stacked up in a basket in the bathroom - you know, those that are there to provide a little entertainment when nature calls.  And for you guys, sports magazines and online articles do not count!  I mean, get a BOOK!

If this challenge is too difficult for you or reading just isn’t much fun and you can’t even open the first page without drifting off to sleep, then check out the audio version of the book you choose (not available for all selections) or, if that too is more than you can manage, how about getting a video version?  Definitely not in the same category as the REAL thing but you might learn something and be inspired to look a little more deeply into the subject.  This was the case for DH!  He isn’t much of a reader - he likes to tinker more than anything.  So, after I read Affluenza, I checked out the VHS version that PBS created and made him watch it.  The video was less than an hour and he made it through without complaining - I think it even got him more on board with my No Trash Challenge and other attempts to change our lifestyle to a greener, more simple approach.  But we have a LONG way to go and reading a few of the books Green Bean recommends is a step in the right direction.

Here are a few of the books recommended:

Tags: 'Farm life', Family and Friends, Gardening, Green Living, Homeschooling, Parenting, Simple Living, Simple and Green by
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It has been a while since I did ANY type of exercise. This is pretty unusual for me - I have always been a fitness freak - running, cycling, hiking, yoga, Pilate’s. DH and I have worked-out together for years but his favorite sport is basketball. He is on the sidelines right now since he had knee surgery in April - this was the second surgery on the same knee in 2 years! But back to me and my attempts to get off the couch!

Since we moved here at the end of January, my desire to exert my body has been, well, lacking. We joined the local YMCA first thing, but after the miscarriage, I just didn’t want to do ANYTHING. I made myself go a few times and walked/jogged around the indoor track but just couldn’t get motivated. My heart and entire body just weren’t into it!

It has been almost 4 months since the miscarriage and I am finally starting to feel like doing something physical. Now granted, the depression following the loss was probably the main reason I became a couch potato but the weather here has also played a BIG factor. It seems to have snowed, rained, or just been plain cold almost everyday since we moved here. The locals have told us that this has definitely been an unusual year in terms of weather. Of course, DH loves it but I have been more than a little miserable and the cabin fever has played a toll. The rain and cold just won’t seem to let go and let spring really set in. But I have had enough. Today was the day that I decided I didn’t care about the weather anymore and the day that I felt like getting my life back to normal!

So, I found a 5K training program for those who have been worthless for some time, and DH and I got started at a local trail! It was a beautiful afternoon. The morning wasn’t very promising with VERY cool and windy temperatures until after lunch. Then the sun really heated things up and we were in the upper 60’s by 5:00pm! DD and I had school outside and then we met DH for the start of our training.

We did a total of 4 miles with mostly brisk walking and some slow running incorporated throughout the routine. And, it felt GREAT! DH needed to work his knee and I needed to work both my body and my spirit! I was euphoric at the end of the workout but feeling the early signs of muscle fatigue and soreness that will be mine to enjoy over the next few days! But, I did it! I can still feel the endorphins running through my body and I already seem to have more energy! So, farewell couch and hello running shoes! Let’s get reacquainted!!

What do you all do to keep your minds and bodies in shape?

Tags: Health, Homeschooling, Miscarriage by
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I usually enjoy teaching my DD.  I have been working on preschool lessons and activities with her since she was about 27 months old.  She will be 3 in July and everyday she amazes me at how much she has already picked-up!  Some good - some bad (mommy and daddy need to do better)! 

I have started teaching her to read this week and it has been both fun and very challenging!  Learning to read takes a little more focus and a longer attention span than she has been willing to provide this week.  We are going to visit family in NC this weekend and maybe she is just excited about the trip.  Of course, it rained ALL day today and that is NEVER a good thing!  Too much energy and not enough activity.  Granted, there are ALWAYS chores to do: dishes, laundry, cooking, etc.  And, there are plenty of toys, games, and activities that we do together indoors and that DD can do on her own, but being out in the fresh air and sunshine seems to make the days much shorter, brighter, and enjoyable for both of us!

So, when the reading lesson wasn’t going smoothly, I decided it was craft time and we started working on Mother’s Day gifts for the grandparents.  Needless to say, there is paint all over my kitchen table and DD painted herself too - nothing unusual - she is often covered in markers, pens, paint.  She loves to get messy!

Really, for a toddler who has been inside ALL day, she had done quiet well.  I am the one with cabin fever!  I was actually hoping DH would call and want to go out for dinner but we ate out Monday (too late to cook after we had our garden plowed) so we really can’t go out again so soon.  Luckily, he could hear the exhaustion in my voice when he called and offered to pick up a pizza on the way home!  Thank goodness!

So back to school!  Although there are some really bad days in school (you know, not paying attention, not cooperating - the same for most activities involving a toddler), I must say that I feel totally blessed to be home everyday with my DD!  And spending an hour or two each day in a makeshift ‘classroom’ is extremely rewarding.  So no matter how bad the school ‘day’ is, it is ALWAYS better than any day away from my little one. 

We have spent a lot of time looking out the window today watching the birds and the squirrels.  My DD already knows numerous species of birds including the Northern Cardinal, Blue Jays, Red-Bellied Woodpeckers, Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds - both male and female!!  Even I, with my perfectionist personality, think that is impressive!  And those are things she has just picked-up during the day!  No schooling involved in those ‘lessons’.

I am fortunate to stay home and I understand that there are millions of moms who would love this opportunity.  Our family has made a lot of sacrifices so that I could afford this luxury!!!  It is far more important and special to me than any top-of-the-line vehicle, the nicest home in the neighborhood, or the latest fashions in clothes and accessories.  But that is me and I truly know that some mother’s simply can not do this as the cost of living continues to spiral upward.  Two-income families are almost necessary just to survive in this country.  And I won’t even go into single parent financial struggles.

Don’t get me wrong, I do miss some material things, on rare occasion.  But I am learning much more than the value of my time with my DD and, for me, that is what is truly priceless.  So, as I stated earlier, a ‘bad’ day at home-school, is better than a great day anywhere else!   

Tags: 'Farm life', Frugal Living, Gardening, Green Living, Homeschooling, Parenting, Simple Living, Simple and Green by
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This coming Tuesday is May 6th: Primary election day here in Indiana as well as my home state of North Carolina!  This will be my first time voting in Indiana and I am very excited!  I am not sure why voting gives me such a sense of power and involvement in my community.  It may stem from the fact that my parents and maternal grandparents are and were very strong supporters of politics.  They believe that people are the true voice of this country and that by going to the polls to vote for the candidates of our choice, we are using that voice to it’s fullest strength. 

I remember going to the polls with my grandparents and later with my mother.  It was an experience that continues to drive me to exercise my own right to vote - and this is MANY years later!  When I was 18 and going to vote for the first time, my mother accompanied me in the booth.  Not to give me advice on the candidates or to persuade me to choose a particular candidate.  It was at my request that she be there to help me learn the process.  Even though I had been in the booth with her many times, it was a little different when I got to hold the pencil and the ballot (yes, it was that long ago). 

Granted, I am not a big fan of politics.  Really, it almost repulses me.  All of the dirt slinging and sucking up makes me wonder if our politicians really do put on their pants one leg at a time.  My grandparents have passed away but my parents are still heavily involved in politics and take it very seriously, as we all should, but I believe that there is a balance and that you can get ‘too’ involved in the political process as with anything in life.

Since we moved to Indiana in the middle of January, it was cold out and not much for me and DD to do during the day besides unpack boxes and home-school.  During this time, I became somewhat obsessed with the presidential politics.  So much so that I had FOX News on most of the day.  Even while I was giving my DD a preschool lesson, the news played in the background.  At some point, I realized that the constant negative verbiage from the television was impacting my personality.  I had to end the obsession and stated cutting back on the news a little each week by having daily news fasts - no news for the entire day!  I added another day each week until I wasn’t watching any!  It has really helped my attitude!  I now check the headlines on yahoo and leave it at that! 

But now it is time for us Hoosiers to hit the polls.  And one thing that I am thrilled about, is that I can decide who I want to vote for based on their standings instead of the mudslinging that is constanting going on in the media!  I still have some research to do on our local candidates but I am excited about going to my voting location in a few days to cast my ballot!  I hope that you are excited too!

Remember, this is our right.  Many people in many countries do not have this choice.  Voting is our chance to be heard.  But it shouldn’t stop there.  Get involved in your community and continue to make a difference on a more local level.  And, one more thing, take your children with you to vote if you can!  That is one memory I will cherish and that has influenced me in a very positive way and it will do the same for your my DD and your children too!  I will be taking DD with me as I have since she first arrived (even if it gets uncomfortable for me - and those around me)!  Getting a toddler to behave in any environment is a challenge but she is very intrigued by the atmosphere (or has been at previous polls) and I know that she is learning something new with each voting experience.  On Tuesday, I plan to have our own ’primary election’ for our homeschool lesson!  What fun! 

So get out and VOTE!  Your ballot can make a difference!!!!

For more information on the candidates on this ballot, visit the following links:

http://bloomington.in.gov/documents/viewDocument.php?document_id=130

http://www.wbiw.com/election/archives/2008/03/2008_may_primary_election_comp.php

 And for those of you in NC, here is a link for you (thanks Mom):

http://www.sboe.state.nc.us/content.aspx?id=29

Tags: Homeschooling, Parenting, Politics, Voting by
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