Simple Joy

As, I have said before, Motherhood can be messy but it is a beautiful mess if you ask me. Along with the beautiful messes of motherhood also come some simple, yet joy filling pleasures. Fresh flowers like the ones Nathan brought home for his girls (me included) were simple and brought me great joy.

On a different scale of simple pleasures, I finally discovered what was making the bedroom wing of the house smell like poop. You would think I should have been annoyed at discovering my husband's smelly basketball clothing still soaking in the tub of our guest bathroom, but I truly found great joy in solving that smelly mystery (the joy probably came from how humourous I thought it was that I had mistaken his sweathy clothes with a poop smell).

What simple things fill you with joy? Take pictures of them, write about them, share it with someone... it just makes the joy last a little longer.

Confession: I Used To Organize My Socks!

It's true, while some people partied away their college years, I was rolling socks up into neat little balls and organizing them. I might still be doing such strange things if I hadn't had children.

Now, I often consider how and why we all do certain things around the house. For example, please, please stop folding your underwear! Stuff them in a drawer or a basket and use that time to do something much more important.

As you do things around the house or in your work day, consider how necessary certain routines and tasks are and consider changing them up to be more helpful and less work.


Finley's "art drawer" in the kitchen is a space I created for her. I don't spend much time cleaning it unless it won't close or when she starts having meltdowns about not being able to find things.

This is my dirty kitchen that I wanted to clean so badly but naptime was over and the sun was shining so I reminded myself that messes are beautiful but time in the autumn sun with my girls is even more beautiful.


Leaving that messy kitchen meant laying on a blanket outside and getting to welcome Daddy home from his trip with a snuggle on the blanket.

That's Not How You Use It!

I love finding new ways to use old things! Our bottle rack is a great way to dry plastic bags we reuse!





For Christmas I asked for used frames I could put to work in new ways. My brother Glen found some great ones at thrift stores. I filled this one with a white piece of paper and added a border with some leftover scraps of decorative paper. Now it's a cute little whiteboard on the kitchen counter. I plan to write all sorts of interesting things on it!

Look Mom!

Finley and I sculpted a lot of playdough figures last winter and she always had requests for certain animals, but snowmen were the most popular. While I was getting dressed the other day, she called for me to come look at what she had made all by herself. As you can see, it is definitely a snowman! Playing and creating together is so positive for many reasons. One of the reasons I was reminded of this time is that by creating together grows confidence; the pride sparkling in her eyes was priceless.

A Little Less Waste

I will abstain from getting on a soap box and just assume that we can all agree that a little less waste in the world is a good thing. Without being obsessive, there are so many ways to reduce waste. Check out the blog on my list there on the left called "Crunchy Chicken"- she has tons of green living tips.


I bought towels at the Goodwill, cut them up and serged the edges. Wah-la! Paper towel replacements. I used to neatly roll everyone of them until I realized that was INSANE! There is such a thing as wasting time too. We keep a bucket of light bleach water under the sink to throw them in.




I use soft baby washcloths for wiping the dirty face of a sweet little girl I know. Instead of using 5 washcloths a day for various food encounters or runny noses, I use 1-2. I wash them out well and hang them until the next use that day.


Although not pictured here, IKEA does sell inexpensive cloth napkins or you can make your own from second hand fabric. My friend has a napkin in a napkin ring for each family member so they can be easily identified. She washes them when they are dirty which can take more then one meal.

Just Like Me...

It's so sweet when we see these little people imitating us...when it's the positive they mimic. I didn't mind catching Finley sorting her hair clips by color; sorting is a great skill. I also don't mind her using some of my lines on me during the day. She recently reminded me in her sweet three year old voice, "Accidents happen" and "Maybe if you carry just one thing, that won't happen" after I dropped everything in my arms. However, it wasn't so flattering when she rather harshly reprimanded me with, "Please don't ever do that again" after I had put one of her toys in the wrong spot. Her words echoed in my mind and heart. In that instant I was glimpsing what it must feel like for her and my husband to be on the other end of my words.

Organizing and Hiding- both are helpful.

Organizing doesn't always mean everything has to always be sorted, labeled, and perfectly folded. Sometimes organizing requires creating spaces for "hiding". Now, I am not quite talking about the idea of using your snow shovel to move your heap of laundry into a closet and quickly shut the door with the force of your body weight. However, there are times in life when that method of hiding is entirely appropriate and should be thoroughly enjoyed.

The hiding I am referring to is for those piles that keep showing up in the same places all the time: mail, shoes, jewelry, car keys, phones, and miscellaneous items from the far and distant land of the garage or basement.

Baskets are a great place to hide things. You don't have to organize or sort what's in the basket until you have time. Even better are used baskets from thrift stores. Get creative and start hiding!



Shoes don't seem to like being in neat rows.

Our Lost & Found baskets for things that need to make their way back to a different part of the house.

Mittens, scarves, and hats hiding out in picnic baskets.