Small little people, inward focused, hunched over computer screens. We run around all day (figuratively, not literally…we sit literally. We’d be a lot better off if we ran more) worrying and stressing and trying to control every.little.thing. that can’t be controlled. We do it all in vain.

Instead.

Take a deep breathe. Relax your shoulders. Breathe again.

Now watch this beautiful video. The whole thing. Without doing anything else. Do it.

Isn’t the earth amazing? And beautiful?

Sometimes I think remembering our seeming insignificance sets us free a little bit.

I hope you’re well on this dreary day! Matt and I both came home from work absolutely exhausted today. We had a 1.5  hour task come up for a friend so we ruined our dinner with Tim Tam cookies and Bits and Bites (healthy, I know). So here’s what I made for dinner instead. YUM. Trust me, looks gross- tastes awesome.

I also made this for breakfast tomorrow.

We’re also going to eat these recipes:

Spinach and feta clafoutis

Chickpea curry (check out the fun recipes on this blog)

And and made this already and it was delicious. Oh and we made this last week and it was quick, summer-y tasting and yummy.

Have you made any great recipes lately? I have lots of my favourite recipes on pinterest if you’re interested in seeing more.

When Cait asked me to write a guest post for her Simplifying Series, I was super pumped and excited to be asked!  I think Cait (or Pips, as she is known to me) is an excellent writer and thinker and I love to read HER blog (and she better keep this part in!)  So, I’ve thought of how I try to apply the concept of simplifying to my life, and I’ve had a harder time with it than I thought I would, because it applies to many different areas of my life, and some areas I do better than others.  Let’s see

School/work: I’m a teacher, and I definitely love my job.  I’m happy to go to work and I enjoy what I do all day.  Its not perfect (administration politics drive me crazy, piles of marking make me feel blobby and weary, and filling out forms and reading up on policies isn’t all that exciting), but getting to make music with teenagers all day and teaching them about events in history is pretty wonderful.  One thing we learn in teacher’s college is that we have to set boundaries with teaching; essentially, our job could never be done.  We could always be perfecting a lesson, trying to come up with new ways to teach something, changing things, adding things, etc.  I’m now in my sixth year of teaching, and I’m slowly starting to figure out what this means – this boundary setting is actually a simplifying strategy for me.  I try and go strong during the week, and leave the weekends for me.  During the week, I try and set goals for marking and planning, and have church activities in there as well, play rehearsals and other things, and its very busy, so I think a way I can simplify the busy-ness is to try, as much as possible not to bring work home on the weekends (exceptions apply when exams/report cards are due!)  I’m trying to devote weekends to friends, family, God, and downtime!

Home: Since I’m trying to make my weekends freer, I’ve been trying to get errands, cleaning and other “must do” tasks done by Saturday at noon.  I really want Sundays to be a Sabbath – I’ve been learning lots this year about what that means, and I’m by no means there (especially not this past Sunday).  I want to be more intentional about taking a real rest on Sundays, and spending more time with God (outside of church) on Sundays.  I always feel better when I do and I’m able to entrust my busy life to God more when I do.  I’ve been trying to plan meals better and use ingredients I already have – again, definitely still a work in progress!  And, because there is just one of me, I get sick of leftovers!  Pinterest and Kraft: What’s Cooking? have come in handy in helping me with this!  Why stress to think of creative meals on my own when they have already done it?

Family: I love my friends and family, and love spending time with them all.  My entire family lives about two hours away from me, so when I go “home” for the weekend, I try and make it worthwhile.  I used to drive back and forth a lot more; however, that was exhausting both mentally and financially.  My folks have come up to see me more, which they’ve enjoyed, and I try and make the most of a weekend down there when I do go.  While sometimes it ends up being a busy weekend, it’s always great because I can see so many people and do lots of things and it ends up being less hectic in the long run.  Does that make sense?

There are lots of ways I want to be better at simplifying!  I always feel much calmer when I take time with God and just have some quiet time.  In the midst of chaos, I honestly think this can be the most productive thing.  For me, that sometimes looks like just spending time at the piano, just me and God and the 88 ivories.  I want to be better at de-cluttering; my Mom came up right after New Year’s this year and we purged a ton of stuff from my tiny apartment – did that ever feel good!  I need to do that much more often – think about what I need, and what I want to keep with me long term.  I love Cait’s philosophy that when something new comes in, something old has to go.  I also want to be better at prioritizing – what needs to get done and what can be put off to another day (without it being a procrastination technique, of course).  I want to spend less time worrying and more time trusting God with my problems (man, does that EVER simplify things!), and spend more time focusing on what is truly important to me, and who is important to me, over wasting time with senseless things and people who make me feel bad.

Thanks Kim for sharing. I am so grateful that you’re my people. xo

Simplify: 1 Work-Life Balance

Simplify 2: Incorporate

Simplify 3: Have Less, Live More

Simplify 4: Eat Well

 Simplify 5: Keep Lists

Simplify 6: Practice Minimalism

My heart is so full.

Here’s a few things I’ve found (often through others) this week

How hugs and cuddles for babies can help eradicate poverty

You can do good things in the world no matter where you work

How other cultures prevent postpartum depression

One of my favourite blogs- this makes me want to visit Winnipeg even more.

I’m a fast reader, but I only have this beast for 3 weeks from the library. Eeeks!

A video from the Ontario Midwives about Birth Centres. I’d to have the option to catch babies there one day

Cheese love

Nursing covers- and interesting article

A poem and a sleeve.

Have a great day!

And a song that I love written in honour of MLK.

This Simplify post is well over due, but I hope you find it remotely helpful.

I wanted to call this post “Get Rid of Stuff” but I read a friend from tree planting’s blog yesterday and she led me to another neat blog ( hello, internet timehole…) where minimalism is defined as owning less than 100 things! While living with only 100 things seems “radical” they write about their 21 day journey into minimalism and I found it to be quite real and rather inspiring.

Tara and her handy husband are going to live in a yurt…which is extraordinarily cool. Yurts are small and don’t have a lot of storage space. But do you know what else is small and doesn’t have a lot of storage space? Our apartment.

Matt teases me about being a bit of a pack rat, but like any teasing there is a bit of truth to that sentiment. Especially after the holidays, it’s been important for us to take a big trip to our local thrift store to donate items we know longer use.

*tip: I read some where that you should turn all of the hangers in your closet backwards. As you wear your clothes, turn the hangers the “proper” way. After a year, donate the clothes on the hangers that you haven’t turned around (because you haven’t worn them in a full year).

Our rule is when something new comes in, something we no longer use goes out. This helps us feel sane in our wee apartment and ensures that when we one day move, it won’t be the move from hell. Also, it keeps us accountable to our desire to not be consumed by consumerism. And reminds me especially that I want to be beautiful (from the inside) instead of buying beautiful.

So, maybe this week consider downsizing in a way that feels right to you. There is something really freeing about being able to let go of stuff that somehow seems to have a hold on us.

Miss the other Simplify posts?

Simplify: 1 Work-Life Balance

Simplify 2: Incorporate

Simplify 3: Have Less, Live More

Simplify 4: Eat Well

 Simplify 5: Keep Lists

Enjoy!

Cait’s 2011 Favourite’s Playlist

ps: talk about team work here…and a beauty song.