What we have been up too

Well it seems that things are finally sorted out here with our computer. Fingers crossed.

Hooray!

So what have we been doing with ourselves over the last month, you ask?

• The camellias have bloomed in the garden, making me catch my breath every morning when I open the curtains.

• We received free tickets to a magic show. It was a fun way to spend a Sunday afternoon. Afterwards we sat in the sun in the almost deserted main street, eating old fashioned ice-creams - a magnum, a drumstick and a have-a-heart. We don't do that much.

• I have cleaned, culled and tidied 16 cupboards and drawers, but can you believe it? There is still more to do!

• We have had 4 dentist visits and 7 doctors visits... and guess what? There will be more of that too.

• I have made my own laundry detergent. I've had the ingredients in the cupboard... waiting... for nearly 6 months. I love it. I am converted for so many reasons.

• Instead of calling my daughter by her name, I have started calling her 'my memory'. For example:

"Where's my memory? Oh there you are. What was the name of that person/show/place.....? who was that person who said/did/went...?"

She remembers everything, while I am either rather sleep deprived or showing my age, or both.

• This brings me to bedtime. I haven't been to bed before midnight in over a month. I am not a late night person and our household wakes with the sun regardless of what time I went to bed. I am trying to shift this disagreeable sleep pattern. It does not make for a very happy or productive Mummy.

• Because of the said waking hours I have been drinking lots (lots) of homemade cappuccinos. I usually only drink coffee at home on a Sunday morning. The rest of the time I can be found drinking way too many cups of tea. But cappuccinos have been getting me through lately, sprinkled with cinnamon instead of cocoa, the way my Mum and I drank them in Turkey almost 20 years ago.

• I have washed and repacked all of my children's saved baby clothes. It was a nice trip down memory lane.

• The children marched with their school on ANZAC day. We almost passed out with heat stroke and ate way too many ANZAC bikkies.

• Our printer broke down, the vacuum cleaner died and the toaster caught on fire (just a tiny spark - don't worry)

• We have had 4 visits from the tooth fairy.

• I have halved the contents of my wardrobe and I know I can half it again. It's all about mindset. It feels good.

• I have been spending way to much time on Pinterest. I keep telling myself that it is just another way of organising my life. And it is. Instead of things filling up computer space or having piles of paper and lists laying around, I have been pinning things instead. But it is true, that every now and again, I go off on a little tangent. It is a fun place to be.

• The kids ran their cross country.

• I have completely lost count of how many boxes I have taken to the op shop, or brought home from the op shop! I think it's pretty much an even swap so far. I'm not sure if that is what you would call good de-cluttering, or not. Out with the old and in with the new, that's what I say.

• I have finally found an inner strength at the library. Right now I have only 3 books out from the library. Yes! 3! And 3 dvd's. The norm is to have maxed my library card with 30 books, dvd's, cd's, children's books and magazines. And then, if there is no more room on my card I use the kids cards - always. Usually, nothing gets read. At best I might flick through the cooking and homemaking books, but any serious reading books are returned with only the first chapter read! This was not ideal. I have turned a corner, and I am excited.

I have also been thinking a lot about how I want to live my life, right now and in the future. Changing my mindset, taking a step back and re-evaluating things.

Life keeps moving at a very fast pace. I am trying to keep up with it. How about you?