{Double Digits}

I didn't think he'd ever fall asleep last night. Way too much excitement. But he finally did, and I was at last able to tip-toe into his room to leave a "pillow present" for my almost ten-year-old.

A note slipped under our door this morning (much too early, I might add) confirmed that he not only received the gift, but that he loved it. Such a simple note, but I love what it captures about our Aidan: his spontaneous heart of gratitude, the joy he finds in simplicity, and a bit o' wit to boot.

Last night, as he fidgeted and squirmed in anticipation of the big day, he reminded us every few minutes that this was his last such-and-such as a nine-year-old. His last dinner. His last bite of dinner. His last good night. And his last bedtime blessing. Then, as I blessed my still nine-year-old, he, in his sweet, comical wisdom advised me, "Savor the moment, Mom!" And so I did:

The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. 

The Lord lift up His countenance on you and give you peace.

This morning as I looked through the birthday pictures, Phil Wickham's Beautiful started to play in the background. Tears threatened. I thought of the beauty that it is to raise a child. The beauty that it is to be loved by a child. And the beauty in knowing that it's happening. Right now.

Once again, I find myself heeding my son's advice: Savor the moment, Mom.

{Operation Simplicity: Why I'm Laughing}

The Lord has a wonderful sense of humor. He knew all along! He knew that as I organized my home, cupboard by cupboard and drawer by drawer, it would prepare me . . . to move.

Just a few short weeks ago we were presented with the opportunity to purchase the home that I grew up in. The kids are beside themselves with excitement, and Jamie and I are, of course, thrilled to be moving into a home of our own.

So my efforts to simplify have already paid off. It should be a fairly easy move (if one can use the words "easy" and "move" in the same sentence). Our soon-to-be home is already vacant, so we're able to move loads over at our convenience. It really is an ideal situation.

The official move will take place toward the end of March. In the mean time, I'll continue to simplify, purge, and pack, eager to bring a sweet little home to life.

We've done it before, and we can't wait to do it again.

{Operation Simplicity: Enthusiasm}

I had planned on saving the kids' rooms until later when I could really focus on tackling the big project. But when the girls saw how much I enjoyed working in my newly arranged and simplified kitchen, they decided that we really shouldn't wait.

They wanted to tackle their room ASAP.

(I may have also casually mentioned that we'd have a garage sale. I may have also hinted that they could keep any money they earned from selling their stuff. This was extremely motivating because I may have also suggested that they could use the money toward the dolls they are saving up for.)

I've noticed that the children use this coloring area in the school room so much more
now that it's tidy and there's an easy to use space for everything.

So we took all day Saturday and whipped that room into shape. We went through every single silly band, book and bracelet, every doll, feather boa and shoe. We simplified the furniture arrangement so that the only large pieces are their daybed and dresser. The doll cradle and laundry hamper are the only other items taking up floor space.

It was a huge project, but so worth it. The boys are green with envy. I bet we'll be getting to their room much sooner than anticipated.

Already I've witnessed a number of benefits to having a simplified living space:

1. It's much easier to tidy up. There's a place for everything with everything in its place. The girls know where to put their feather boas and tea cups. They each have a small basket for the extra little pieces that don't seem to belong to any other collection. Everything has a place. There's no guess work, they can easily reach the storage spaces, and the room can be cleaned in a flash.

2. The space is inviting. The girls couldn't wait to use their "new" room. The open space left plenty of room for dancing and exercising, both of which took place all Sunday afternoon. (The downside: they were very noisy.)

3. They find more enjoyment in the toys they decided to keep. The girls essentially kept a dress up box, a bin of stuffed animals, their dolls and a few doll accessories along with a few other trinkets such as their tea set and meaningful figurines. We eliminated the toys that they never played with or had outgrown. This means that when they enter their room, they see only the things they enjoy and value.

4. Anticipation of a little extra cash. I'm looking forward to all of their hard work paying off. We'll label their toys separately and keep track during our spring garage sale. Their earnings will be stashed away with their savings until they've saved enough to purchase their dolls.

The girls are loving their room, and so am I. It's no longer scary to walk in there or impossible for a six-year-old to manage. It's downright pleasant.

So you'll forgive me if I show up some Sunday morning in a feather boa. I'm not taking a walk on the wild side. I'm simply enjoying my girls' room.

{Simple is Beautiful}

This morning when I woke up, I had a feeling of excitement about me. I tried to think through the day's events to determine what was worthy of this anticipation. I finally realized that it wasn't an event I was looking forward to. It was a lifestyle.

The more I read Organized Simplicity, the more eager I am to live intentionally, deliberately, fully.

Yesterday the afternoon sun began to dip toward the west, spilling light over the kitchen table. Bethie had placed her book next to the centerpiece, and my eyes couldn't get enough of the beauty. Light and shadow danced through the crystal. The flowers and greenery took on new shades and heightened vibrancy. I kept smiling and glancing back at the display, praising the Lord for that moment.

It was so simple, so perfectly beautiful.

I've been keenly aware of the way I use my time lately. I want to live simply and beautifully in this area, too. Last night I chose to avoid the computer in favor of spending time with my little Miss Kate. I told her it was her night. We played a silly game and laughed and giggled until the others begged to join us.

So simple. So beautiful.

Yes. This is what I want.

{Operation Simplicity: Almost There!}

I'm nearing the end of January, and, barring unforeseen obstacles, I should be able to finish my kitchen organization in time. Yippee! Let me tell you, this has been a revolutionary experience. Even the children have noticed a difference. ("Mom! I can reach the plates!")

I'm also thoroughly enjoying Organized Simplicity. If you have a chance to read it, please do. Tsh draws our hearts to the importance of determining what our family's purpose is. From that frame of mind, we choose the events, activities and purchases to which it is appropriate to say "yes." If it doesn't support the goals we have for our family, we say "no." It's that simple.

On Saturday afternoon, Jamie and I visited with the girls over hot chocolate and coffee. I asked them what some of their favorite family activities are. They listed things like hiking, camping . . . and going to JJ Jump. (Guess which one was Avery's.)

Our goal is to simplify the clutter so that we can enjoy more of this family and people time. Although we haven't yet sat down to determine our "official" family purpose, I know it will center on serving the Lord and His people. I want room in our lives for people. Not things.

In my de-cluttering efforts this weekend, I tackled the pantry and baking "center." (It's not so much a center as it is a corner. Here's the "before" version to the left.) It was helpful to take everything out and view my spaces with new eyes. I could rearrange the shelves! I could lower them or raise them to serve a new purpose! I could put the canned goods in an entirely different cupboard! And I did.





I transferred the baking goods I use most frequently into one cupboard. I can stand in one spot and easily reach my flour, oil, sugar, etc. My oil used to be above the microwave and therefore a bit hard for me to reach. Since I use it daily, that seemed rather inefficient.

I adjusted the shelves in the other cupboard to accommodate the height of the oil bottles. I can now reach them with ease. Funny how such a little thing can make a difference. I whipped up our Sunday scones without leaving that one little corner of the kitchen. It was lovely.

I also decided to try out a little turntable for my most frequently used baking items. I love it! It's cleared up and simplified the space significantly. I transferred my baking soda to a jar since it fit a bit better in there than the box did, and I like the nice, clean look it creates. Ta-da!

We took a load to Goodwill this weekend and ran a few errands. Although we are trying to purge rather than accumulate, I did find something at TJ Maxx that I just had to buy. A step stool! It's a lovely, compact little folding thing that fits right next to the fridge.

Avery can easily use it to wash at the sink, and I can grab it when I need to reach the up-high stuff. I can even reach that crazy cupboard above the fridge! I really love it. Ask my family. I've been raving about it non-stop.

I'm always motivated on Mondays to kick it into high gear. Today I was a whirlwind of activity, especially since my January goal is within reach. I listed out the few spaces I have yet to conquer and will take this final week to finish them up. Which, unfortunately, includes going through forty-one place mats. I'm not kidding.

{Operation Simplicity: The Kitchen}

You can tell a lot about a person by going through their kitchen. When Jamie and I moved into his grandparents' home as newlyweds, it was an honor to sort through his grandmother's kitchen and learn more about her.

It was clear that she had grown up with a bit of the Depression Era mentality along with the 50s concept of plenty. As a result, she had put up jars and jars of beautiful peaches, and her pantry was well stocked with anything and everything a coupon could get. Like Jell-O. Lots and lots of Jell-O.

This month, as I'm going through my kitchen in an effort to purge and simplify, I'm wondering what a person might think about my own life. Based on the unusual hoarding patterns I've developed, I've compiled a list of assumptions that one might make:

1. She must be planning to open a daycare or have several more children. For some reason I never parted with the bibs and baby washcloths and sippy cups. I even found an old pacifier. My youngest is six. So clearly, I must be hoping for just one more baby or anticipating a new business venture in which dozens of toddlers suddenly arrive on my door step.

Now, it's true that I still have young nieces and nephews, and it has been convenient to entertain family and whip out a bib. But four bibs? Not necessary. Needless to say, I've significantly pared down my baby provisions.

2. She's a very crafty and resourceful person. This is not true. I don't like to sew and, as I've mentioned before, I only like projects that can be quickly and easily completed in an afternoon. With glue. But, based on the number of cracked china pieces that I've set aside, it looks as though I have great plans for transforming them into shabby chic mosaic flower pots or quaint little garden stones. I have yet to do such a thing. I probably never will. It was very liberating to toss those puppies.

3. She has an affinity for jars. Okay so this one is true. My sister and I discovered that the Trader Joe's peach and pear jars make perfect water bottles and storage containers. Raw sugar looks so pretty in a jar, and I love opening my baking cupboard to see the chocolate chips, sea salt and popcorn all lined up in a row.

And then there were the jam jars. Jam jars are perfect for mixing dressings and sauces. They also make great drinking glasses for kiddos.

The problem is that I just kept on saving jars. And lids. Because aside from sealing the jars, lids also come in handy for holding dip-dip. You know, ranch dressing or maple syrup for small little people who are dining with us. Which brings me back to #1.

I tossed a whole bunch of jars and lids. Goodbye, dip-dip.

4. She's planning on storing lots and lots of bread. It never occurs to me to throw away bread clips. I just toss the little clip in a container with the others, and before I know it my drawer is overflowing with bread clips and twist ties. This is ridiculous. I found a much smaller container than the one pictured here in order to keep just a small handful. Because it is nice to seal up a bag of frozen peas every now and then.

* * * * *

So now that I've successfully purged and rearranged several areas, a person might come into my kitchen and come up with a new set of assumptions. Such as:

1. She must really like to cook. Well, this isn't actually true. (Shocking.) But I do like to eat. I also find great pleasure in serving my family. The beauty of working in my newly-arranged kitchen is that my pieces are much more accessible.

I've thought through the appliances and dishes and gadgets I am most likely to reach for and have made sure that they're easy to grab. As a result, I enjoy working in there. Which means I'm more likely to cook and bake and whip up a little smackerel of something. Which in turn blesses my family. Which is the whole point.

2. She must be short. This is true. I'm just over 5' 2", so I can't reach the back of the top shelf without dragging over a chair (or my husband). So the things that I don't use very often are way up in the nose bleed section of the kitchen.

3. Yikes. Her food pantry needs a lot of help. Another truth. Hence this week's goal: tackle that pantry and make it a thing of beauty. (Or at least a thing of efficiency.)

Since I've managed to free up a bunch of cupboard space (adding shelves has really helped), I'm re-thinking the way I store the ol' provisions.

One thought that keeps coming to mind is how to deal with the flour and sugar containers. Should I store them neatly away in the cupboard in their current plastic containers or display them on the counter in pretty glass jars? I have the space on my counter, but will they look sad when they're not full?

Where do you keep your flour and sugar canisters? What would you recommend?

Thanks for following along, my friends. With love,

Petunia June (aka The Non-Crafty, Jar-Loving Short Girl with a Really Messy Pantry)

{Today's Project}

My kitchen is coming along, one drawer at a time. I'm realizing, however, that a kitchen is a tricky thing. Because when I clear out one drawer, I quickly see the wisdom in rearranging and mingling other drawers and cupboards with each other to make the spaces work more efficiently. It's almost like I'm moving in again. So it's a (sometimes messy) work in progress.

Even so, my kitchen already feels much more user friendly. I actually like working in it. Which is the goal. (And I kind of get a kick out of watching Jamie open cupboard after cupboard to find a bowl which is no longer in it's original spot.)

I'll share more about my kitchen endeavors next week. But for today, I decided to attack the creepy Tupperware drawer (and even allow you to see a picture of it). Why is this always the one to cause so much trouble? It must be those lids and mis-matched pieces. It took longer than the 15 minutes I allotted, but since it's a quiet Saturday that's okay.

Do you have a terrifying Tupperware success story? How have you solved the problem?

I don't have cute or spiffy organizing bins, but this already feels so much better. I moved the plastic kid cups to this drawer (they had previously been in a cupboard) since Miss Kate was prone to ascend the counter tops to reach for a glass when thirsty. I think this is a much better option. I also paired off the lids and containers to see how many superfluous lids I'd accumulated. Quite a few. They got tossed. Operation Simplicity . . . success!

A number of you have updated me with your various clutter-clearing efforts. A drawer cleaned out, a closet spiffed up, a bag filled and dropped off. Hooray! It's so fun and encouraging to work on our homes together.

What have you been working on today?

{Operation Simplicity: Making a Plan}

A friend of mine recently commented that she had organized her entire home. She actually touched every single thing that she owned. Needless to say, I was very impressed.

And then I thought of my closet. And my kids' closets. And the garage. I swooned.

When I came to, I gave myself a little pep-talk. I can do this! This is a great time to make a plan! A plan to simplify and clear out the clutter! The start of a new year is good for things like that! Yippee!

As I was thinking these uplifting thoughts (with my eyebrows raised, of course), I came across the book Organized Simplicity via Small Notebook. It looks like a great resource. Another friend recommended it, saying that it has some very helpful ideas. She shared with me the plan for simplicity that she is adopting this year for her family, and I love it. The goal?

Get rid of excess.

This doesn't only apply to the tangible clutter like the silly bands, hangers and band-aid wrappers that mysteriously accumulate throughout the home. We're talking about excess in everything. Time wasted in front of a screen. Too many outside commitments. Unhealthy eating habits. The things that distract. The things that consume. Everything.

Blaise Pascal wrote, “Distraction is the only thing that consoles us for our miseries, and yet it is itself the greatest of our miseries.”* I find myself too often surrounded by this type of "misery," and it's discouraging. There are far too many distractions, and I believe they often prevent me from growing into the woman that God wants me to be.

So I'm making a plan. It's still a work in progress. In fact, it will take all year. That sounds rather daunting, doesn't it? But the plan is to first tackle the physical clutter that so insidiously accumulates. Here's what I'm gonna do:

1. Divide the house into 12 areas.
2. Tackle one area each month.
3. Divide each area into smaller sections.
4. Work on one section each day (except Sunday) for 10-15 min.

When that breaks down to just 10 or 15 minutes a day, it seems much more manageable, doesn't it? (Continuing to give myself pep-talks with eyebrows raised . . . .)

As I go through the items we've accumulated over the decades, I'll keep in mind the helpful words of William Morris:

Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.

Since we're already a week into January, I'm starting with my kitchen. I had already organized and rearranged some appliances after Christmas, so I'll use the rest of the month to continue tackling my kitchen: one drawer, one cupboard, one appliance at a time.

I'm also thinking ahead toward the busy vs. not-so-busy months. For example, I know that the kids' rooms will take quite a bit of effort. I'll probably save these for summer, yet start now in helping the kids eliminate things here and there so it won't be such a monstrous task. (I just shuddered when I typed that.)

If I keep a Goodwill box nearby to be filled and delivered regularly, by the end of the year I will have touched everything in my home. (I hope!) And we'll be living with a lot less clutter and a lot more us.

I want to remove the unnecessary distractions. I want to breathe deeply and feel content in my surroundings. If anything distracts me, I want it to be the laughter of my children, a wink from my husband or the beauty of a winter sunset. Because I'm pretty sure that I don't really need a dozen blenders.


As always, you're warmly invited to join me in my efforts. Operation Simplicity, here we come! Maybe you've already got this thing figured out. Any organizational tips you can send my way?


*As quoted by Pico Iyer in "The Joy of Quiet."

31 Day Challenge: Mat Sat. Sam Sat.

When my children were first learning to read, we frequently pulled out the Bob Books. The charmingly simple illustrations and silly escapades of characters like Mat and Sam made for a delightful introduction to the world of literature.

The first book in the series tells us (very briefly) of Mat and Sam's initial adventure. What did they do together? It's very exciting, so I'll tell you.

They sat.

And that's it. Mat sat. Sam sat. The book ends, and we don't know a whole lot about these guys. But we do know one thing for sure: They sat.



This month, I plan to sit. Like Mat and Sam, I feel that it's a pretty good way to begin. A good way to begin to sit quietly with my children, to linger with my husband during those evenings that are filled with a million responsibilities, to still my heart before the Lord, to make time for tea with a friend.

I sat with the Lord this morning, and He shared a special reminder from Exodus. Moses had just read the Book of the Covenant to the Israelites. Their response?

"We will do everything the Lord has said; we will obey." (Exodus 24:7)

My desire is to seek obedience as I listen to the Lord's prompting this month. It's hard to listen when I'm running about with hardly any time to sit and be still. Of course this is a life-long hope, not just limited to a thirty-one day challenge. But I trust that this will be a time of learning and growing.

I'm guessing it will probably be frustrating at times, too. October is filling up, and it will take discipline to find the quiet in those calendar squares that rigidly block out my month. I can already envision the post that will not exceed one line: "Today I sat because I was in the van taking the kids to their lessons and you pretty much have to sit down while driving."

But I know the Lord uses those times to speak, as well. To remind me that "good" can be the biggest enemy of "best." So what is the best way for me to spend my moments this day? It takes a listening ear to discern such things, and I want to be in that position. Ready to hear, ready to obey.

I want to be ready to sit at the table and color with Miss Kate. Ready to sit on the floor with Aidan while we play with LEGOS. Ready to sit at the sewing machine with Bethie. Ready to sit on the couch with Drew as he reads a Harry Potter chapter aloud. Ready to sit and listen to my husband's heart, to know his dreams, to share in his ambitions. Yes, ready to sit.

So here I go. It's time to let the sitting begin. Again, I'd love to have you join me. Let's sit together and find delight in the blessings that come to a quieted heart. Maybe I'll even write a book about it. In fact, I've already written a brilliant first line:

Julianna sat.

Chocolate or Vanilla

Wide-eyed and breathless with anticipation, my children approached the ice cream counter. They had but one desire: chocolate. But as they peered into the case, fingertips pressed against the cold glass, their convictions wavered. So many choices—so many different kinds of chocolate! Chocolate peanut butter, chocolate fudge, chocolate marshmallow, chocolate ripple . . .


(Would you join me over here at Rio to continue reading?)