simply Tuesday

We were supposed to get a snowy mix today.  Or last night.  We did not.  I'm rolling my eyes at the weathermen in the area that usually seem to get it wrong.  I would love a good snow during this winter.  I don't know if we'll get it or not, but Memphis is crazy enough to be cold today and high fifties/low sixties by the weekend.  Watch it dump a huge amount of snow in middle March.  

While I love the snow, I don't want it to last too long...because I like to be able to get out and go places, but it is pretty to look at for a few days.  My sisters in Denver have snow right now, and it's so beautiful.  I'm not sure they feel the same way...I don't know if I would either, if I lived there.  

So today, on this beautiful, snow-less Tuesday, I have one who is missing his classes today, and possibly work, because he feels horrible.  I'm guessing it's sinus related, because it always is for most of us.  Good thing for him, he had an antibiotic that he never finished when he had this before, just a couple of months ago, so he started that again yesterday, along with sinus medicine.  The other two will be doing school work as usual.  I reported grades and attendance for them this morning, and plan on doing other mundane things today, like laundry, cleaning my bedroom and bathroom, more laundry, and reading the book I started on Sunday night.  I have nowhere to be today, and I'm okay with that.  

(Pictured: my new lamp from Homegoods.  It has a removable top so that you can fill the base.  I added red bulbs for February.)  

I even know what I'm having for lunch already (the same as yesterday), and I know what I'm making for dinner tonight (salmon, roasted potatoes and steamed broccoli).  I love days like this.  After an extremely busy past three weeks, this feels good.  It always takes me a while to ease back into routine, but I've been having to figure out scheduling issues as well, because I'm sharing my car with Drew for at least three days each week.  I think I have finally figured it out, and I am so glad.  When he takes my car, I have his truck here to drive, which I did last week, but it made my back hurt, getting into and out of that thing.  It's tall!  I'd decided that I wasn't going to do that this week, and so far it's working, although he is at home today.  

Well, I supposed I'd better get started with this day.  Thanks for reading!  Love to all.  

weekending

I'm so excited about this Monday!  There are so many reasons why.  First off, the grocery shopping FOR THE WEEK was completed yesterday after church.  My hubby and I had a Costco shopping and lunch date afterward, and got all the things to get us through most of this week.  We may run out of a couple of things, but it feels good to be done.  I usually do this on Monday, but since Drew started back to school and I'm letting him take my car a few days each week, it has hindered that.  That means that after church yesterday, I never went back home until after five thirty last night.  It made for a long day, but it was so worth it.  Secondly, I get to stay home all day!  I am semi caught up on all the laundry, I have no bible study homework this week, so after some cleaning type chores around the house, I plan on reading the new book I started last night, and doing my nails.  And the last and BEST reason I am so excited about this day is that I get to see one of my very best friends tonight!  It's been a little over a month since we last saw one another, and I couldn't be any more excited.  We could go to McDonald's to eat, I don't even care where we go, I just really need to see her. 

Now, about that weekend thing.  It was a good one!  On Friday night, Todd and Graham worked with the sheriff's department, and Drew had made plans, so Jonah, Noah and I went and had dinner with my mom, stepdad and sister.  It was really good, and it was a fun night.  It seems like it's been forever since we've been out there, because we've been unusually busy, but also because my mom hasn't felt great for several of those weeks.  Good old Memphis weather messes with everyone's sinuses these days, and thanks to all the rain and jumps in the temperature outside, everyone has been battling this.

On Saturday, also because we have not done this in forever, my sister, mom and I went out for the day.  We just ran around, looking for nothing in particular (except for nail polish) and enjoying each other's company.  We shopped, ate lunch, and shopped some more.  I bought a shirt for Jonah (that needs to be returned), a candle from Homegoods, and with the last of my Christmas money, I bought a fun new lamp.  It's really cute, and one that you can remove the  top and put things inside the base.  The base is clear, the shade is light linen color and it goes great in our living room, and with the other lamp in here.  It was only $29.  Bonus! 

That night was the company "Christmas" dinner at one of our favorite places.

It was so good, and by the time we got there and started eating, I was so hungry.  My favorite things there are the Parmesan crusted chicken and the garlic sirloin steak.  That makes me hungry, just writing that.  We usually go to The Peabody afterward, but nobody was in the mood. 

We came home afterward, and after a shower, I went to bed early, because I was stuffed from dinner.

Yesterday was church in the morning, our Costco trip and lunch date, we went to Lowe's so that my hubby could get some quotes for new garage doors and the installation (!!!), and we came home to unload the groceries.  I helped, then went straight to church for choir practice for the next two and a half hours.  After that, I came home and snacked for dinner, and was in bed by nine. 

I told you, it was a long day.  (Of course, I'm always in bed by nine, because I get up at the crack of dawn.)

Today this is on my agenda.  I plan on sitting and soaking in some time with Jesus.  I love mornings like this, when I have nowhere to be and nothing else to do.  I also plan on lighting my newest candle.  (I know I keep buying them, but it's because I use them all up, and I was in need of another one to replace the one I finished off last week.  Also, I'm finally tired of the evergreen scent, and went with something entirely different this time. 

 This smells heavenly!  Also, how cute is that jar?  I love the D.W. Home brand of candles that Homegoods sells, they smell the best and they burn evenly, as long as you don't trim the wick.  (I had always heard the opposite, but now that I've done both ways, not trimming the wick makes it burn the most even.)  Some of you are rolling your eyes, I know. 

Well.  I'm going to stop for now.  I'll see you back here tomorrow.  Thanks for reading!  Love to all. 

Friday Favorites

Good morning, and happy Friday!  I'm linking up with Andrea from Momfessionals, and her friends for this blog post. 

I think this was another week that was not only busy, but one where I started and erased several posts.  You know the days when #allthethings are rolling around in your brain, and you don't know quite what to do with them all?  That was me. 

I thought I'd share some favorite things and moments from the week, and one that is not so much.  ;)

I'll start with that one, for fun.

This thing intimidates me!  I won't say that I'm scared of it, but I kinda think I am.  My husband was here for me when we made dinner in this on Monday night.  It wasn't my favorite dinner (it was bland) and this is not my favorite way of cooking.  I know people rave about the Instant Pot, but I just don't get it.  I have time to cook regularly, so I guess I feel like I don't need this, or that I ever have a need to make dinner quickly.  It's just another gadget to me.  I'll keep trying it (maybe), but I will take the Crock Pot any old day. 

I appreciate my husband buying this for me to use, but I'm glad he didn't pay a lot for it, in case I continue to not use the thing. 

On a much more fun note, I got some fun things last Saturday!  The book you see, for one, that I can't wait to read as soon as I finish my current library stack.  Speaking of books, I'm doing a book review next week, on all the books I read in the month of January.  The other things I bought last Saturday is the makeup you see.  I keep having weird skin problems, and I keep on feeling like it was the good makeup I was using.  I was washing my sponge and making sure to keep the brushes I use clean, but my skin continued to break out.  I've also had rashes, but those stopped after I stopped using the expensive department store brand moisturizers.  (Isn't that weird?  The cheap stuff is better for my skin.  Go figure.)  The lipliner and  black tube of lipstick are one of my favorites I have ever used.  I tried them for the first time last summer, and the color and the quality are great.  Ever since last summer, I've taken to wearing nude colored lipstick.  That is a first for me, I have always loved a good lip color.  The brand is NYX. 

I love this L'Oreal blush that is an old favorite, and I like their powder, too.  I also love Physician's Formula bronzer, but I use that in the summer.  The eye shadow palette you see is by Elf, which is a new favorite for me, and I bought a beauty blender sponge thing in the same brand.  I also use a face primer and illuminating lotion all in one by Elf that makes the makeup feel like it stays in place.  I start with that, then I use the under eye age rewind, concealer if I need it, then I do the new Fit Me foundation by Maybelline.  I wasn't sure if I liked that, but I do!  I set it all with powder and then I do blush and the rest of my face.  All these things can be bought at Walmart, Target, Walgreens, or CVS.  And none of this is heavy, if it was, I wouldn't use it.  I like the coverage of makeup but I don't like the heaviness I would sometimes feel. 

I'll stick with this for a while and see if my skin problems go away, and in the meantime I will hang on to the better stuff, in case I want to go back. 

We celebrated Christmas with my husband's brother and his wife and family last weekend at my in-love's house, and this letter board was my gift.  How cute?!  But then, look in the corners.  Life with boys.  I'm rolling my eyes, as I write that.  "Boah" is my youngest son's nickname...his friends started calling him Young Boah a while back, and it stuck.  Even though they make me roll my eyes all the time, they also CRACK ME UP, and having a house full of boys is my favorite part of being a mom.  It's a little different with them all being teenagers now, but I love every minute.  God has given us the gift of loving every stage of life with them, and whatever stage they're in currently, it's our favorite.  I not only LOVE them, but I really, really LIKE them.  There is a difference, and you know what I'm talking about.  They are incredible guys.  I am so proud of them all.  In a few short weeks, the oldest will be twenty, then the middle one will be nineteen, and the "babies" will be sixteen. 

If you know me, you know I love Jesus and the word of God.  I love to write it, learn it, study it, memorize it.  It is probably my favorite thing to do during my quiet time each morning. 

And another favorite is bible study.  These chairs had some beautifully sweet and kind ladies sitting them on Wednesday night during our small group time in the bible study we are doing at church on the book of Malachi.  I loved that whole day...we are doing this twice every Wednesday, and during both small group times, we had such great discussion over the homework we had completed that week.  I'm so thankful for that!  I love sharing and hearing about all God is teaching me through His word, and these precious ladies shared a lot, as well!  There is nothing better than a group of women who are hungry for the Word. 

Well, my dad is coming over today for lunch, and I'm cooking for us, so I had better run.  I have a list of things I need to get done before eleven thirty!  Thank you for reading my blog!  Have a great weekend.  Love to all! 

Dinner Ideas on a Simply Tuesday

Happy Tuesday!  I will forever think of Emily P. Freeman every Tuesday.  If you've never read that book with the title Simply Tuesday, I recommend it.  It's such a great read, and I love her style of writing.  She has a blog, too.

Is anyone else in a major dinner rut?  Come January, I only want soups or stews, but the people in my house do not agree.  That being said, dinner is sometimes a struggle.  I thought I'd share what I made last night, and what I'm making tonight, and then give you a few ideas of what I do when I need a quick, go-to meal.

Last night, I pulled out the Instant Pot my hubby bought back before Thanksgiving.  Until about a week ago, it had been sitting, unused and in the box, in our tornado closet.  Todd pulled it out a week ago, though, read the instructions and did a trial run, then he made some hard boiled eggs.

He'd been wanting to try it, so I figured I'd make something with it last night.  After a quick search for Instant Pot meals, I found one for orange chicken and rice.  Here's a link for you.  

First, I remember reading that it always takes longer than just the recommended time the recipe says.  It has to pressurize (I think?) and that takes at least fifteen minutes.  We added all the chicken, covered with the sauce and started it up.  All in all, I think it took thirty minutes.  And look how pretty dinner looked!

It was just okay.  One boy loved it, and five of us thought it was good, but not great.  I think there needs to be salt added into the recipe, because though all the sauce ingredients pack a major flavor punch, flavor and salt are not the same thing.  I would definitely add salt.  And maybe adjust the sugar amounts.  I'm not sure.  I threw the recipe away this morning.  

Tonight is one of my family's very favorite meals: beer cheddar Joe's.  I got the recipe from Shay at Mix and Match Mama.  Here's a link for you.  My whole family loves this meal.  When I make it, I serve it with just plain old white bread.  I do make one adjustment to this  recipe, and again, it's salt.  I add about half a teaspoon of salt to the mixture when it's cooked, but start small and adjust, if you need to do that.  It may sound like a lot, that half a teaspoon, but I usually make a double recipe of this.  I also add in a little dash of hot sauce at the end, and I shred my own cheese.  I never buy the bagged stuff, thanks to the inspiration of The Pioneer Woman.  

Tomorrow night is church, so Todd and I will eat leftovers of something, and my boys will eat out after church.  On Thursday night we're going to my in-love's for dinner, and to help them put some things back into their attic, so I won't be cooking then, either.  I'm not sure about the weekend yet.  

My family loves breakfast for dinner, but last week, I made a breakfast casserole, instead, and then we had chocolate chip pancakes as well.  Here is a link for the one I make.  The only adjustment I make is that I leave out the peppers.  Nobody likes bell pepper in the house, except for me.  For the pancakes, nothing beats them made with Bisquick.  

Another go-to dinner is spaghetti with meat sauce, salad, and garlic bread.  (For the picky eaters, I also make some Alfredo sauce.)  I use the Barilla brand for everything.  For the bread, I like to buy a loaf of French bread from the bakery at my grocery store, slice it, then add butter and a sprinkle of garlic powder.  I bake it at 350 for about five minutes, then I turn the oven off and let it sit inside there for ten more.  (We like it softer.)  We also do pizza nights on the weekends usually, and French dip sandwiches with au jus.  (Slice the hoagie rolls, add the meat and cheese, bake for about ten minutes, and I use the packets of au jus.)  There are other meals I make on repeat, but I figured this would be a good start, if anyone is looking for a little dinner inspiration.  

For the rest of this day, I have a bunch of texts to send out, I have a meeting at church at ten with some sweet ladies, I have bible study homework to complete before we meet tomorrow, I'm having lunch with my friend, Eileen, and I have laundry to finish.  It's a bit of a busy day!  

Thanks for reading my blog!  I hope your day is great.  Love to all!  

Hello Monday/Weekending

Happy Monday!  I am trying a new linkup today, with the blogs you see listed in this photo above.  I am joining in via The Other Side of the Road.  As I write this, the sun is pouring in through the living room doors, and it feels so good!  I've been cold for the last week.  Just in general, I mean, and I keep thinking I'm getting sick, but I feel fine.  (Usually I'm always hot.)

I am so glad to have survived this weekend.  For an introvert like me, it was a busy, people-filled weekend, and I am looking forward to today and being low key.  It was a great weekend, just busy and go-go-go.  We had Christmas with my husband's family on Friday night, even with a full Christmas dinner.  My husband's brother and his family live near Nashville, so they were here for two nights.  My boys always love being with Nathan, their oldest son, because he is the same age as Jonah and Noah.  We've always kind of considered them as triplets, because there are only about three weeks between their birthdays.

Aside from the marshmallows catching fire in their oven, it was a pretty mild night.  (Seriously, there were flames leaping from the oven.  It all turned out fine, though, so no worries.)  Then, on Saturday night, we attended the annual mini-reunion we have every year with all of my dad-in-love's side of the family.  Again, it was a fun night, but that is a lot of people.  I like to find a spot in the corner somewhere and just hang out there, talking to anyone who comes near.  That night got off to a rough start, because I didn't feel great the whole way there, and then as soon as I stepped out of my husband's truck, I stepped into mud and it went IN MY SHOE.  I had to wash it and my foot off in the bathroom, but it was fine.  Then, they had a propane heater out in the garage to warm the area as we ate out there, and it accidentally got turned off, releasing an odor that made me sick again.  Like, I really thought I was about to get sick and had to hurry out of the room.  Aside from the dramatic start to the night, it all calmed down from there and we were able to enjoy ourselves.

Yesterday was church all day, and it was so good!  It always is.  After choir practice last night, I came home and put on pajamas, ate a dinner that consisted of my go-to comfort food, and watched a couple of my shows.  I went to bed pretty early, because weekending is hard sometimes.   Today I have to grocery shop before Drew leaves for work.  He has a part on his truck that needs to be changed, making it a risk for him to drive it, so I'm sharing my car with him for the day.  I also want to spend time reading.  I started a new book on Friday night, and I think it's going to be really good.  I plan on starting a monthly book review post, so you'll want to check back here for that sometime next week.  Aside from the things I've mentioned, I need to do bible study homework, read in the book of Matthew, and I have a TON of laundry to catch up on, and I need to put together an idea of meals for the week.  My house feels gross, so we'll be working on that sometime this week, but I may get a jump start on that today.  For now I'm going to go drink my second cup of coffee for the day and work on the rest of the pot.

What are you up to today?  I'd love to hear from you!  Thanks for reading my blog.  Love to all!

Friday Favorites

Happy Friday!  I'm linking up with Andrea from Momfessionals, and her friends, for this blog post.

I'm also trying a new linkup with a couple of ladies (Liberty and Shelley) on a post called Best of the Weekend.  Click the link with that title and you can go see what that's about. 

It has been a week!  I think this is a new season of being busy for me.  I'm not complaining, either, I really like it, after months of not being busy.  It feels good to have somewhere to go, though, and I've enjoyed getting to know several new friends recently. 

I have some favorite things from this week I thought I'd share with you.

First up is this amazing soup.

Have you tried this stuff?  If you're a fan of Campbell's tomato soup, it's similar, but with WAY MORE flavor.  I don't think I'll ever go back to the Campbell's brand again.  I suppose it's that roasted red pepper part that gives it that punch of flavor.  My mom introduced my family to this stuff a few years ago, when we all had the flu.  She brought over several boxes of this stuff, and it was the only thing Drew could taste while he had his turn with the wicked flu.  So, thanks, Mommy!  This stuff comes in a box, like chicken or beef stock, so I like that you can refrigerate it if you don't want to make the whole container.  You just shake it really well, then pour it into the pan to heat, and you don't have to add anything.  I think I added pepper to mine, because I add that to everything I eat, just about, but that's all.  Easy, quick, and delicious.  If you're feeling extra decadent, try it with goldfish crackers.

Next up: my favorite thing from my birthday weekend in Jackson, Tn.

This key ring is called the Big O key ring.  I've been wanting one of these for over a year, but never could justify spending $40-45 on one.  I kind of gave up looking at them, because even on Amazon, they were pricey.  Then my bestie and I went to Jackson for my birthday one weekend in December, and in browsing cute shops, came across this one, for $25.  (Yes, that is still an expensive key ring, but what else does one spend birthday money on?  It's the one time a year I allow myself to be frivolous with the money I get as gifts.)  I was going to buy it and pulled out some of my birthday money, and then she snatched it out of my hand and bought it for me, along with one for herself.  I LOVE IT.  I still love it, even a whole month later.  I wear it on my wrist (that's the purpose) while I'm out shopping for groceries, or anywhere I'm not going to be inside for long, and it's so convenient.  Here's a link to another one that is about the same price, from Swoozies.

My sister Debi sent me this a while back, and anyone who knows me, knows that coffee mugs are my favorite.  I love this one so much, because every time I use it, I think of her.  Thank you, Debi!  It's one of those been there mugs from Starbucks.  It's also the perfect size that I prefer.  I use it, it gets washed, then I use it again.  It pretty much never gets put back in the cabinet.

This was also a birthday gift that I picked out from my mom and dad-in-love, this lamp, and it is still one of my favorite things in my whole house.  (I took this picture this morning to show my step mom, because she is in need of a small lamp.)  I love lamp lighting, and I had been wanting a small kitchen lamp for quite some time, and one day while we were out Christmas shopping, we stopped by a store that is new to me, that my mom had told me about.  It's called Home Centric, if you're local to me, and it's in the Forrest Hill shopping center, close to the movie theater.  Think HomeGoods, but even cheaper.  This one was only ten dollars!  And the shade came with it, which is usually how they get you, price wise.  I love that it lights up the whole corner of that area in my kitchen.  It takes a regular sized light bulb, and my hubby buys the warm lighting ones that are energy efficient.  Or, more energy efficient.  Like I said, I love lamp lighting, and he knows I like to leave them on while we're home.  I think it makes a space feel cozy.

Side note: the cookbook the lamp is sitting on is my favorite cookbook ever.  It's Southern Living Easy Weeknight Recipes, and a friend recommended it to me years and years ago.  Each recipe only has a few ingredients, and each one takes no longer than about 45 minutes, from start to finish.  You should consider looking into one for yourself.  All the pages are stained from all the love I've given it over the past decade or so, since I got it.  I think it was a gift, as well.

A few favorite moments of the week for me have been times of good discussion when I was in bible study on Wednesday, seeing my mom in person for the first time in about two weeks, being able to help my dad with a few things, reading a book that was so good that I couldn't put it down or stop thinking about it, catching up with a sweet young lady the Lord brought across my path, having good family dinners throughout the week (I LOVE having all my boys at home at night around the dinner table), and spending time talking to each one of them this week.  Like I said, it's been a really great week.

Today my dad is coming over for our weekly date, and I'm running errands with him.  I was up before dawn this morning and couldn't go back to sleep, so I ordered my groceries via Kroger Clicklist.  This is only the second time I've done that, and I literally thanked God for it right after I submitted my order, because today is a tiny bit crazy.  This shaved off thirty minutes of my afternoon.  I also have to run to the library for the third time this week, and to Target for some gift bags.  Tonight we are having Christmas with my in-loves and my husband's brother and his family, and aside from taking all the gifts, I'm also taking a couple of dishes as well, so I'll be cooking this afternoon while Dad is here.  Tomorrow night is our annual Goodwin family mini-reunion, and it's always a (crazy, crowded, chaotic) fun time.  Then I have to be at church early on Sunday morning, and that day is full, as well.  I know the weekend will fly and I'll be glad to have Monday to catch up on rest and house stuff, since we'll be gone a lot.

I better get started with today.  Thanks for reading my blog!  Love to all.

how Marie Kondo motivates me

I can't remember if I've mentioned Marie Kondo on here.  I'm sure I have.  I found her show on Netflix about a week ago and I've already watched all eight or so episodes.  And she is now permanently residing in my head.  I want to clean out #allthethings and I plan on doing more, over time.  I've worked on a few areas already, and I thought I'd share.

But first, if you don't have Netflix, Marie Kondo is the author of a book that was trending for several months called The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up.  Her Netflix Original series is called Tidying Up with Marie Kondo.  She is cute as a button, but she does weird things, like introduce herself to the house and bows to it on the floor, and she says that before you decide to discard an item, you should thank it for the years of use it brought you.  I'm not planning on doing any of that, first, because an item is an inanimate object, and no, and secondly because it's weird.  I thank Jesus and people, and that's it.

She also says that when things you own don't spark joy, get rid of them.  Even though that's not how I word it, I see her point with this, because if I don't LOVE something, I won't keep it.  The areas she concentrates on are clothes, books, kitchen, miscellaneous and then she suggests different ways of folding clothes and new ways to store them, and she also suggests that storing things in short, thin boxes helps keep things tidy and easily accessible.  I want to go buy all the thin boxes now, too.  Or trays, those would work as well.  I see a trip to the Dollar Tree in my very near future.

Anyway, I love this kind of show (and have been known to watch other videos that are similar on YouTube), because though it is entertainment, it is the kind that motivates me to do things in my house.  Here are a few areas I've worked on.

This is how she teaches people to fold things in her show, even jeans and t-shirts.  I spent ten minutes on this kitchen towel drawer on Saturday.  Since then, I found a little white box I already had that was empty, and I stored all those stainless steel cup lids you see in the top right corner.

I already showed you this one the other day, but I spent about ten minutes on this cabinet as well.  It was a jumbled, hot mess before this picture was taken, and I couldn't read any of the labels on any of the spices.  I realize this doesn't look great in the picture, but trust me, it is a whole lot better than it was.  I could barely fit that blue container of salt into the cabinet before I cleaned it out!

My husband tagged me in this picture yesterday, and I don't know what nonsense this is.  ;)  I have a book problem, if you can even call it that.  I do plan on cleaning out some of the books I have (I do this one time every year) and I need to organize them better and redo my bedroom book shelf, but I will always have more than thirty books.  I reread them occasionally, and refuse to get rid of my favorites.  But I could definitely stand to donate some to my local library.

See?  Here I am, getting started.  I've read these and don't necessarily want to hang onto all of them.  A couple of these I will pass onto someone I know will love and read them.  These were only on this computer desk that you see.  There are more still up on the shelves, but those are keepers.  I also keep old bible study books I've completed, because I like to go back and look at them from time to time.  I just need to figure out a different place to keep them.  Right now, they're kind of all over the place.  I cleaned out the tupperware cabinet the other day, but I didn't take a picture.  I got rid of all the glass jars I had, because who needs all those?  If it's taking up needed space, it needs to go, because while we do have a good amount of cabinet storage, I need every bit of it.  Today I'll work on a few more cabinets and drawers in the kitchen.  And maybe my bedroom bookshelf.  Maybe.  That may take several hours, though, so it may wait until next week.

Jonah's and Noah's closet stays cleaned out, because it's small.  I just cleaned mine out before Christmas, so it's still nice.  Graham's is decent, though he needs to donate some shirts he no longer wears.  Drew's needs help.  We also plan on doing this in our attic before the warm weather returns.  We just need a whole Saturday, and so far we haven't had one since Christmas.  Maybe next week, we'll do this.

My other huge area that overwhelms me is our tornado closet.  As in, it looks like a tornado blew through it, but really, it is an actual closet under the stairs.  I need to clean off all the shelves and get rid of the games we no longer use, and the old books and school papers.  It stays messy looking because we also store extra things in there, and there are two safes in it, as well.

So, that's how Marie Kondo has motivated me.  Plus it's January, and a great time of year to purge.  I love doing this kind of thing, it is extremely satisfying seeing bags and bags of stuff being hauled out.

Anyone else doing this kind of thing?  I'd love to hear about it.

Thanks for reading!  Love to all.