Taking it Easy

Christmas around the Cook house is usually a bit of a production.  OK, I'll be honest - we go way overboard.  We're talking one big (or giant depending on the year) real tree in the living room, a tree in the kitchen filled with kitchen ornaments, and a small tree downstairs with snowmen ornaments.  Not to mention the snowman collection, the outside lights, etc. etc.  All of this on top of the gifts buying, the wrapping, the baking, the parties . . . .it's wonderful.  An often exhausting.

This year the exhaustion set in early with the October arrival of Little Miss.  When December rolled around we were still getting used to her and our new life.  So we decided to take it easy this year and just focus on enjoying her and each other.  So the pencil tree from the kitchen made the big leagues and was put in the living room with the snowman ornaments because they were in the front of the pile of decorations.  A few wintry snowmen went up on the mantel and all of the other decor went back into the closet.

You know what?  I kind of like the more pared down look.  And I'm grateful that we can spend the holidays focused on what is really important instead of stressing over the mile long to do list.  Maybe we've started a new tradition . . . but probably not.

The Wake County Public Library

Today I took Little Miss to the public library for storytime for pre-walkers.  Yes, I know she is probably a little young, but we NEEDED to get out of the house and it was too cold to do much else.  What a wonderful program!  The children's librarian very clearly loved her job and was excited to see the kids get excited about reading.  This was a Holiday themed storytime and they hit them all.  We even sang a Kwanza song.  I didn't know there was such a thing. The only thing missing was a song about atheism.

We went to the Duraleigh branch, but I believe most of the branches offer some version.  If you have young children, check it out!

Watching Our Pennies

At first glance, this may seem like an odd topic for a gratitude post.  But its not. We have been watching our money a little closer lately, especially since we took Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University course at our church.  (Sidenote: I highly recommend the course.  Sidenote 2: You WILL at some point find yourself calling him Damn Ramsey.  I promise)

One of the reasons we are watching things more closely is due to the birth of our daughter.  My thankfulness for her far outweighs any inconvienences, financial or otherwise, that might come along because of her.  Somehow not buying that new whatever doesn't seem like much of a sacrifice.

Friends

Today I went shopping with one of those rare friends - one converted from a "work" friend to a "real" friend.  Regardless of how she came into my life she is one of the people I would call in the middle of the night with a problem and know that she would do whatever needed to help me. And I would do the very same for her. 

Spending the afternoon with her made me realize how lucky I am to have a circle of friends.  They come in all shapes and sizes. There are conservatives and liberals, marrieds and singles, accountants and artists.  I have friends to shop with, friends to share meals with and friends to call and bitch when things are not going my way.  This wonderful diversity is a blessing.  It keeps me on my toes and forces me to keep an open mind about things.  It also reminds me that sometimes it is best to just agree to disagree and move on.

Friends - get ya some.

Done!

Today was a big day for me.  I gave notice at my stable, full time job in order to spend more time at home with Little Miss.  I plan to work about 20 hours a week from home doing QuickBooks consulting and basic accounting work.  I am either brilliant or crazy - haven't decided which yet.  On the brilliant side, since I am a licensed CPA, I can get a good hourly rate doing the type of work that I really enjoy.  On the crazy side, well, just reread that second sentence.  The part about stable and full time. Yeah.  BUT - I am thrilled to being spending as much time as possible at home with our little miracle.  She will only be in daycare 2 days per week vs. the 5 days that would have been necessary for me to go back to work full time.  Not to mention that I would not see her awake from January until April 15th.  So it was the right decision for our family. But it still scares the crap out of me.

While it is scary, the gratitudes are many.

1. The decision is made - no more worrying and wondering.
2. The partners at my firm were GREAT when I gave them the news.  Very supportive.
3. Now I can move confidently in the direction of my new business- no more beating around the bush when people ask when I am going back to work.
4. I have the best of both worlds - spending time with Little Miss and continuing to work in a field that I really enjoy.

Closet Cleaning Blessings

Yesterday I decided I HAD to clean out my closet.  Several weeks of just throwing things in there because company was at the door had caught up with me to the point that I could not even open the door anymore.  Let me tell you - it really limits your wardrobe options when your clothes are being held hostage by the closet.  So yesterday was the day.  I put on my comfy clothes (the same ones I had been wearing all week), but the baby in the bouncy seat, got the dog settled in with a new bone and got to work. 

I started with the dresser drawers.  I was matching up lonely earrings, throwing out jewelry I haven't worn since my college days, getting rid of the socks with holes in them (note to self: buy more socks), I mean I was ruthless.  Then I moved on to the bathroom cupboards.  Out with the years old moisturizer and the barrets that had been in there so long they were covered in dust.

After a brief break to feed the munchkin and load up on caffiene, it was time for the final project: the closet.  Holy crap, what a mess.  But after a couple hours it was finally done.  When I looked around I couldn't believe how much room there was.

This was not a project I was excited about, but now that it is done I am so glad I did it.  Here is my gratitude list, coming out of the closet:

1. I am amazingly blessed.  I donated more "stuff" than some people even have.  And by donating, I can hopefully be a blessing to someone else.
2. It is so nice to open a drawer, or the closet and see only things that I genuinely love and will wear.  No more shuffling through stuff I no longer like to get to the good stuff.  
3. It made me realize that our house doesn't really have a storage problem - I have a stuff problem.  Lately I had been really focused on how little storage our house has, to the point where it was making me very unhappy.  Pricing storage options made me even more unhappy. Now that I have pared down the bedroom to just the things that I actually use and enjoy I suddenly have plenty of room. What an economical solution!

Thanksgiving Day

Whew.  Thanksgiving dinner is over, the company is gone and the day is nearly done.  I am sitting here listening to lullabies, waiting for my sweet little girl to nod off and thinking back over the day.  It was busy. And messy.  Very messy.  Think pumpkin pie on the bottom of the glass top table messy.  Potatoes in milk boiled over on the stove messy.  Baby going through 3 outfits messy.  Mom AND Dad going through 2 outfits messy.  Dog tearing up the Michaels' ad messy.  But you know what?  It was wonderful and I wouldn't change a thing. Except maybe losing the Michaels' coupon.

There is something special about a day when everyone is focused on gratitude. For me, my heart almost felt like it might burst with gratitude today.  First when I looked at my baby girl sleeping peacefully this morning.  Then again when I saw the look on my husband's face as he watched all three of his children together.  And again now when I think back on the day and how blessed we are.  Life is good - messes and all.