Not Christmas! Yep. Sorry.

Ok. It is a strict rule of mine that we cannot do anything Christmas-y until Thanksgiving. Well, I'm breaking my own rule because I'm just so darn excited. Really.
Three years ago, Stephanie from Stop the Ride posted Four for Christmas. I've been thinking about it for that long...and this year...I'm actually doing it.
Now, I've never really gone too overboard at Christmas for Isabella...basically because I've always been a single mom with little extra money, but I've gone a little bit overboard a couple times. I'm lucky though. Isabella really doesn't expect much. She's very happy with very little. I am grateful for that.
Still, every year it's the same. What to get her??? This? This? That? WHAT???? And then I feel a little frazzled.
This year she's getting Four for Christmas. Stephanie suggests something they want, something they need, something practical, and something spiritual. I may change one to something educational or something that goes with a hobby or interest...but the basics will be the same.
I just love this and I can't explain how very excited it makes me to be doing this! I know now that I'll stay within my budget AND have fun doing it! Thanks Stephanie!

Snazzy Girl

She must get it from me. I'm such a fashion expert.

Such a snazzy dresser.

Getting There

Over and over. Every day. I wonder. How do I actually get to the place I want to be? The place I feel in my heart I need to be. Where do I begin? I feel like I'm running out of time.

So Fortunate

Sometimes it feels like I'll never get ahead. I'm 33. I rent. I have a very small, inexpensive car that I pay too much each month to have. I'm still paying off student loans from 1994-1998. I loathe my couch...it's ugly and old and uncomfortable and I want a new one, but don't really have the money to get one My paycheck is often gone before it's even in the bank.
Sometimes I think I'm actually making progress. For example, I will be completely credit card debt free in 2 or 3 months. I think, "Wow. I may actually be able to save some money". Then, I remember that Isabella will be going to the orthodontist in a month or so...and there goes that savings money.
Then, right when I'm about to start my own giant pathetic pitty party, something happens that promptly puts me right back in my place. This happened just last week. I was thinking about my small living space and lack of extra money and I was ALMOST to the pitty party part when a co-worker asked me a question. It went something like this: Do you have any size 6 warm clothes that Isabella isn't going to be wearing this fall and winder? We have a need in kindergarten. Suzy (not her real name) and her mom were evicted from their apartment a couple weeks ago, and we don't think they got their stuff out, so she doesn't have any warm clothes... The conversation continued for a couple minutes, with my friend explaining the whole situation to me. Of course Isabella has clothes she won't be wearing this year. She has extra things. We have extra things. So many. So many luxuries when there are so many who have nothing. What a slap in the face! Who in the world am I to feel sorry for myself? We are loved, warm, clothed, and fed...and although we may not have alot of extra money to spend on things we want, we do have enough to buy the things we need (and then some). We are so very, very fortunate. I need to remember that.

Voluntary Simplicity

So...I've begun my annual Fall Spring Cleaning. For some reason, Fall seems more like a "new beginning" to me than Spring. Go figure. Anyway, I've been reading up on Voluntary Simplicity (AKA Simple Living), and I think I'm ready. I've been sort-of getting ready now for a few years, but never really went anywhere. But this time? This time I'm ready. I'm ready to get-rid-of. I'm ready to let-go-of. I'm ready to Simplify. (Baby steps, Amy. Baby steps.) I know my job doesn't help any. It is very stressful. I can't do anything about that just yet, but I can simplify in other areas. Which is what I plan to do in the next two weeks. I'm excited. I'm afraid. I'm ready. Let's go!

Don't Let Go

I put Isabella to bed a few minutes ago. Sunday through Thursday, I read her a story (or a chapter of something) before she goes to sleep. Friday and Saturday nights are my "nights off". For a week or so, she's been asking me to lay down with her for just a few minutes. This evening, I told her I would lay down with her for just a "very few minutes". How happy she was! Such a little thing, that I could have done...any night...if only I didn't have so much to do. So much to do.

We laid down, foreheads pressed together, with Bear snug between us. Smiling. Giggling. Laughing at silly girly nothings. Something we don't do enough of these days.

While we're lying there, she loops her skinny, little, bug bite splotched arm through mine. That alone fills my heart with joy. She still likes me. She does. As much as we bicker and fuss already...at the age of 6...she still likes me. And then she says something that nearly makes my heart explode. "I am not going to let go, Mommy. Ever. I am going to hold on, even when you say you have to get up." Me too, Isabella. Me too.

This picture is from a few years ago...but it's really stinkin cute.

Summer

Three months? Really? Well, not quite...but almost. Sorry. I have the same old excuses. We've been busy. We've been tired. Yada, yada, yada. Mostly though, I've just been lazy and neglectful. Oh well. Now for a quick rundown of the summer's happenings.
First, June 8? was the last day of school. YAY!!! After that was four weeks of fun!

First- We went to the beach. Hatteras Island to be exact. We tried camping, but after 2 nights in an absolutely no shade, mosquito infested campsite, we packed our bags...so to speak...and found a lovely room overlooking Oden's Dock on the beautiful Pamlico Sound. Air conditioning never felt so good!

Back at home...Isabella decided that this was the best outfit for relaxing after a day at the pool.

She also swam on the swim team. It was her second year, and she's getting very good! She loves backstroke (just like her mommy).

At the beginning of July, we went to the annual Mountain State Arts and Crafts Fair . It's an annual tradition for us...just like when I was a little girl. There are so many local artists, so much to see, so much to listen to, and so much to EAT! Obviously, we had to have some roasted corn.

Then...on July 8, I had to go back to work. BOOOO!!! But, a couple weeks later...we were on the banks of the Greenbrier River.

Ahhh...what a view.

Isabella spends practically every waking hour (when she's not eating) in the river.

So, that's what has been going on for that past, ohhh, 6-8 weeks, or so...