What are you up to this fall? Right now I'm in the middle of a "fall purge" with some friends. I've done this about 4 times now. For the entire month I trash/recycle/donate a certain number of items depending on the date of the month. So October 1st I got rid of one thing. The 2nd, two things. October 3rd, three things. In total I'll get rid of 496 items. But of course I'll do 4 bonus items thus relieving my house of 500 items this month. WOW! I wouldn't say I'm a minimalist, but definitely close to it. Each time I do this little monthly purge I get better and better at not keeping things in my house that we don't need.
For example, Lee had a budget folder from when he was a teenager. It was senitemtal and he didn't want to part with it. But the only time he looked at it was when I asked him if we could get rid of it. Maybe this all sounds harsh? Then I also brought up that when we die and the kids go through our stuff, they won't have any idea of what to do with Lee's childhood budget folder but to throw it away. I'm also getting rid of things that I do like, but I NEVER use. There are a few things in my kitchen that I parted with that fit that description. They are cute and whatnot, but I just haven't used them in a couple years or months on end.
I really like the books "The More of Less" by Joshua Becker and "The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning" by Margareta Magnusson. I also love the YouTube channel Minimal Mom--she's from Minnesota and a twin. What's not to like?! I'm trying to only keep items that I use. And of course love. For a long time I've been keeping things because I think we will need them. Like these two rain ponchos. They have sat outside in our laundry room for a couple years without anyone ever using them. But what if...? I finally donated them. The Minimal Mom also teaches to get rid of stuff that you aren't currently using but can be easily replaced. And rain ponchos are easily replaced! I'm working towards having only things that I use in my house. And the things that I use will be the things I love. Of course there are a few containers of keepsakes, but they have been paired down to the most treasured items and are minimal in number.
When my kids leave for college and missions they can keep two bins of things at our house. But they have to clean our their room completely of all their things and get rid of stuff keeping only the most precious keepsakes. In high school when I moved into my then bedroom, there was random stuff in there already that I didn't know what to do with. So when I moved out I left the same junk in there because again, I didn't know whose it was or what to do with it.
The other biggest motivator behind determining what my kids can keep at my house is from an experience with my youngest brother. Before he left on his mission my parents were getting ready to move several states away and he'd be gone for two years. I suggested to him that he take time to pack his items up since my parents would be moving and he would be gone. He didn't do that and my sister Lois ended up packing his room. His room was a complete mess with lots of random stuff and garbage in it. Geuss what happened? After his mission and when he got married he would ask, where is this item? Where is this game? He had no idea where his stuff was and people had a hard time finding his stuff.
Then last summer there were some boxes set aside from his bedroom all those years ago that he finally went through at my parents new house--they had moved again. He went through the boxes which were filled with his items and a lot of random stuff. Apparently he wasn't happy about that but what did he expect? He didn't take the time to pack his own things, and label the boxes. Granted he was a teenager at the time, but I did tell him. It wasn't because of lack of information. He left a huge mess at my parent's house with all the random stuff leftover from the boxes. I am determined to not have this happen with my kids! I want to take time to go through their things with them and help them pack their treasured keepsakes, and bring to college only what they will use. And what they will use will naturally be what they love. I don't want them bringing loads and loads of stuff (aka junk) to college. It makes moving from apartment to apartment so much harder. And if they go on a mission first it will be so much easier to have fewer pieces of luggage as well! Of course if they go on a mission first we'll let them store their regular clothes and what not until they get back. Okay, enough said. On to the pictures.
Sister's weekend finally came! The night before I guided Clark so he could sew his dress pants up before I left. I figured he can do this.
I left early Thursday morning and picked up Lois at the Moline airport. We got to Deb's after 11pm--in Iowa. Steph and Lena arrived earlier that evening.
Deb had a lady do this chalk art on her front window---so fun!
Friday morning we did a panel for their seminary class. Matt and Deb teach an early morning religious class called seminary. Deborah asked us what were some testimony building moments and choices that we made in high school that helped us stay true to the gospel of Jesus Christ. It was a really special experience. I looked at my sisters and thought, wow what powerful women these ladies are! There is real power in keeping priesthood covenants with God and Christ.
Deb's theme for the weekend was "My Favorite Things". So we did some of her favorite things. One was serving at the food bank.
We then headed to the university that Matt teaches at. They have a greenhouse there with fun plants and a parrot!
We also browsed a few shops--she has a really fun downtown--and hit up an outdoor jazz concert at the university. That evening we did a favorite things gift exchange. My mom had gifts as well and she joined us via Zoom.
Stephanie and Deborah were the recipients of my gifts--chocolate covered almonds and mystery book-The Pumpkin Roll.
Back at home that evening Haley made cupcakes!
And my sweet friend Katherine gave me some dark chocolates and popcorn. So sweet of her!
Saturday morning Lee took Elden and Haley fishing. They picked a good spot, had great bait and went early...but no bites.
Some people arrived soon after them and caught stuff right away. Hmm. Lee says it's a Robertson curse.
For breakfast Lee made crepes.
For breakfast in Iowa we walked over to the Waffle Stop. I didn't want anything for breakfast (I rarely eat breakfast) so I didn't order anything. I waited outside and their orders took a really long time to fill. Eventually we walked over to a park and my sisters ate breakfast there. We then went back to Deb's to do some etching on glass plates to create special sacrament plates. I'm not sure when I'll use them because we are now meeting in person.
We got this great picture before Stephanie left.
We did more crafts that afternoon and I also did some Relief Society things. Then we went on a walk, did an Aldi run, had dinner and watched some movies. I stayed through Sunday as well.
Back home on Sunday....
It was the first Sunday back at church with the entire ward! Some people are still at home that are high risk, but there was a great turnout. I went to sacrament meeting at Deb's ward as it was their first time meeting together as a whole ward as well. Right after the sacrament though I walked back so I could get on Zoom for our ward's sacrament meeting. We got a new Bishopric counselor and one of my new Relief Society teachers was speaking.
My friend sent me this picture that she took that Sunday of the temple. WOW! More and more progress in Richmond! Love it.
From walking home in my booties...ouch! Thankfully my blisters have been healing great.
Deb, Matt and Hyrum drove up to Minneapolis to drop off Lois at the airport Sunday night. I went to bed fairly early and left 4am Monday morning for home. I arrived home without any deer running into me! It was a good drive. I found someone's debit card on the ground at a gas station. Thankfully there was a cop parked in the parking lot because I didn't want to give it to the cashier. Yes, very untrustworthy of me. I felt much more comfortable giving it to the policeman. Before I got home I stopped at Aldi to get groceries for the week which worked out great. I arrived home after 9pm on Monday. Lee made these yummy pizza rolls for dinner that night.
After that it was a normal week with school, laundry, shopping, etc. I received this thoughtful note from my nephew:
Elden was able to pick up his saxaphone! I'm glad he can still do band and the kids can still do marching band!
Of course this year makes it so there won't be a primary program. But our primary put together a fun video of the kid's photos and a picture of a Book of Mormon story that they liked--and drew themselves. Some of the kids also sang which was so cute.
Lee gets some gorgeous pictures on his bike rides.
One example from my fall purge. I had these two containers of stuff.
All dumped out.
And this is all I was left with after going though it. YAY!
We watched our friends kids for a couple hours last week.
And Haley is going strong with some fun art work.
As I've been going through things I needed to do some work in the attic area. We have some great storage upstairs in our knee wall spaces. I found this:
It was so funny. Cal loves Nesquik, and Yoohoo is basically evil to him.
Ahh, fall. You are so pretty but winter comes after you which makes me sad. Only in the fact because it gets cold. I don't like the cold! But I need to keep enjoying our amazing fall weather. It's been gorgeous here too and quite warm!
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