I want a simple life...

As I get older, I find myself wanting a simple life.  At the ripe ol' age of 33, I'm still learning what that means.  I look around at our house, our beautiful things and our junk, and I realized how blessed we are.  We are over blessed.  So much so that we take advantage of it.  I'm so tired of all this stuff!

So, over the next month or so, I'm totally going to simplify our lives, as much as I can and as much as I understand it.  I know there are a lot of other bloggers out there that have come to this conclusion, and I may read in on how they do this how "simply life" thing.

I know for sure that we buy stuff just to BUY stuff all the time.  That is stopping.  After Christmas.  I swear it will be done.  Not only that, but I have this desperate need to get rid of stuff.  The stuff is coming out of our ears.  It's coming out of our closets.  It's falling off our shelves.  It's totally crazy.

I've already started!  In the last month I've made three trips to Goodwill.  I've cleaned out my closet {twice, I still need to get ride of more} and the pantry and some of our kitchen and our guest bedroom {gracious, no one even LIVES in that room, how is there stuff in there??}  I even made Ashley clean out her room, she really can't handle the amount of clothes she has anyways.  I know Dave was inspired to clean out his closet.  I clean out my jewelry and am left with only the things I absolutely wear or can't bear to part with.  My life feels more simple with that little task.  I have less to choose from.  It's wonderful!  It's still way too much.

I'll slowly get rid of more of it, if I can.  But for now, it looks really pretty on our dresser, with the sweet picture of a Tiffany's box that Dave drew for me on our anniversary last year.

What is it about me that I have needed all this stuff?  And now I've changed all of a sudden?  I guess I'm learning that less is totally more.  To know that I have a dozen earrings to choose from, instead of 3 dozen, makes life SO much easier.  To know that my linen closet holds only what we need on our beds, and towels that we use for bathing and swimming, is like gold to me.  I used to cringe when I opened it, with everything falling out and messy.  Ugh.  Now I know what is in there, exactly.  Victory!

There's a pile of pure junk sitting in our basement that has needed to go to the dump since June 20th, when I cleaned out the basement.  Since then, the pile has grown, and it could still grow.  We will take it to the dump over Christmas break.  I swear it will be done.  

One day I will be able to say we live the simple life.  One day.  Until then I'll clean out my house and learn what it means to be simple.

Cheers!

Happy Friday!

Good morning!!!  My head is so full of words, even at 6:40am, so I thought I'd give them an outlet!!

How was your Thanksgiving?  Mine was so awesome!!  Dave had off all weekend, we spent a lot of time with our families, enjoyed some football, did some shopping and saw TWO movies {Catching Fire since Dave didn't go the 1st time, and FROZEN which is Disney and adorable!}  It went by way too fast, but don't all good times?

My lovely family, ready to eat!

Dave and Ash having a good time...

Cheese!

Babe, please let me have taste while you are carving!

I can't believe Christmas is so close!  Where did the year go?  Didn't we just go back to school yesterday?  Sometimes I feel that time is racing by, and I turn around and realize I have to sprint after it to catch up!  But then, I get so busy getting caught up with life that I forget to enjoy it.  Whew!!  Someone tell me how to slow myself down?!

We have been enjoying this Christmas season so far.  We bought our tree last weekend {real, it's the only way we go!} and decorated it.  It's so pretty!!  We officially started Christmas shopping and making our Christmas plans.  We have been watching some Christmas movies too!  We even when to the Bel Air Christmas parade.

'Trimming the tree!'

Don't mind my outfit.  Isn't it lovely?  I look so fresh while hanging around the house;)

Awww...Frodo!!  You are so cute! Except for when you knock over our tree.  Yeah, that happened.  It was crazy!

We brought a little Disney into our decor.  Renesmee the Elf brought us Mickey and Minnie stockings!  Yipee!

Christmas pillows are a must when you have Clifford the big red couch;)

Last night Ash & I watched the live version of Sound of Music, which was on as a family holiday event.  It was really sweet!

Watching it made me think of my old, forgotten dreams to become a Broadway Musical actress.  I am definitely glad I didn't go that way in life, but it really is fun to watch things like this because I enjoy them so much.  Musicals really get to me, I get goose bumps and I cry.  Actually, I cry a lot when singing or hearing a beautiful song!  In church, that happens A LOT, or if I hear something beautiful on the radio {which sadly doesn't happen so much anymore} or on a stage.  Some people were so very critical of the show last night, saying it doesn't add up or that it was bad.  I don't see those things I guess?  I know how hard they have worked, and I appreciate the product I saw.  I don't think they were trying to redo the original Julie Andrews movie...this was the Broadway version that has been done hundreds of times.  It was like they gave us a free ticket!!  I really enjoyed it!  Musicals are always cheesy and awkward to some point, maybe that's why I love them so much;)  I am a bit cheesy and awkward myself!

I need to go to Broadway and see more shows.  It's been way, way too long since I've been!

I've been doing some major organizing here at the house.  I think I have a car load of junk for the Goodwill, and a truck load of trash for the dump!  It feels good to clean out and simply.  I've been meaning to do this for SO long!  When did we start the craze and need to have so.much.stuff?  I think my motto used to be "hang on to this in case I need it one day" whereas now my motto is turning into "if I haven't used it in the last year, it's going.  If I need it again, I'll buy it" but I doubt I will.  So far I've tacked our kitchen cabinet that holds our spices and cooking herbs, our pantry, and our linen closet.  I'm updating old, yucky kitchen utensils, and getting rid of lots of things we don't need.  It is refreshing!!

The mess of organizing, but it's so worth it...

We bought mason jars for everything, and now my spices and cooking herbs have never looked so pretty!!

A nicely organized pantry.  I think I do this twice a year.  Our pantry NEVER stays clean!

Anyways, life has been good!!!  I can't wait for the Christmas vacation to begin, I'm ready for a nice looooooong break of sleeping in {yeah right}, seeing family and just being off work for a while.

Hope you have a delightful weekend!  Cheers!