Box of Chocolates

Yeah, never know what or when you will get a post. I really wish I would keep up with this blog but I don't. I sometimes wonder if starting a new blog is what I should do. Box of Chocolates was my first attempt at blogging and served a purpose many years ago. Now I find it to be my younger self neglected with age. I recently started a math blog thinking narrowing down the topic would help but I never post there. I also have craft blog and hardly post there too. I love to write, I crave writing time. I am about to start a new writing project but I needed to write today. I just wanted to write words, type my thoughts, publish the outcome. I started a book in November. I signed up to do NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month. The goal is 50,000 words in 30 days. I think it is a great nonprofit organization and if I was teaching in a classroom we would do it as a class. I wrote 50,000 words plus a few in one continuous story line. I really enjoyed the intentional sitting down an...

I didn't get a ton of work done today.  I did empty two medium rubbermaid bins of Play Doh tools.  Yes, not one but two boot shoebox sized rubbermaid bins of Play Doh toys.  Once upon a time I hosted play groups.  Those days are long over and it was time to find new homes for the five different sets of tools. My Mother-In-Law is in town and we went shopping to return some Christmas gifts or exchange for the right size. At one of the stores my husband found a live simply shirt.  He asked me if I wanted it.  NO! Isn't that kinda against my goals?  I don't need another tee shirt but at least he gets the message. Today I was reading minimalist views on what your wardrobe should look like.  The funny thing is that I actually should buy some things according to some lists I have read.  I am not a true minimalist but as a whole my husband and I are very minimal in our current assets.  We share a regular sized closet, not a walk in and he pr...

Today it was raining all day. It was a great day to stay inside and purge, purge, purge! Today I had help from my lovely assistant and the man of my dreams, the Mr. to my Mrs. What a sad state of affairs we ran into today. Today we tackled a few things. Some more successful than others. One was my middle daughters dresser, one was my oldest daughters closet and then the piles and (sadly) boxes of papers. I did start the craft room but that is going to have to wait for tomorrow morning. I am am purged out for today. From yesterdays purge I cleaned out the book closet/office. We converted a big closet in the common hallway to a book nook and printer/office area. Somewhere central to everyone. All that to say we are gifting books to three families. It feels good to give things away. I would never be able to go buy 18 books for a beginning reader I know but I have 18 easy readers that we don't need anymore. This was a bitter sweet moment for this mom but I am so glad that my kids a...

Box of Chocolates, never know what you are going to get or when you are going to get it.  I once read you should never apologize for not posting or bring up how long it has been since you posted.  So let's just say I am a busy girl.  With that though brings me to my newest realization in life, less really is more.  I have always said this without really acting on my belief.  2015 is going to be different. I am reading into minimalism a lot lately.  For a few reasons.  One reason, I hate cleaning my house.  I am very thankful for my home that has more than enough space for the five of us to frolic and play but after 12 years of being a stay at home mom I am plumb fed up with house upkeep.  This year, less is more. My husband recent read a book called "Making Room for Life".  He told me I should read it and I will.  The little he said to me about the book, I get it.  Less is more, prioritize what is important. I have posted ...

Last night I was with a group of ladies that I cherish dearly. On the way home we were chit chatting and I said something about my oldest not wanting to lose at anything against her siblings. I then made a comment that she stays in her room a lot and reads. To which both ladies made comments along the lines of, "What a horrible problem to have." Jokingly but still it bothers me today. Maybe I am being over sensitive to my feelings. I often feel like I am bragging about my kids but I am not trying to brag. They are who they are and I can't change the fact my middle child skipped a grade and is still above grade level or that my oldest reads a lot. I often feel like I shouldn't talk about my kids and how they are accelerated in academics and that they love to read.  Well, except my youngest he can read, but hardly ever reads at home. I wish he loved reading half as much as my oldest.  Just half! I am tired of feeling like my complaints or concerns are not valid. I l...

I am a proud mother to two gifted students and my third child has just been tested. We will know this year if he is in the program or not.  I wonder how I could have three gifted children when I feel so average.  There is a lot to being a mom to a gifted child, I am on the horizon of three gifted kids.  My kids challenge me daily.  Don't they all?  Life as a mom of gifted students is not easy.  I am not complaining.  Just hear me out.  Every child has some need, some gap to be filled. My children read years above their grade levels.  That alone has many challenges. They are reading on or above an 11th grade level at ages 11 and 9.  Finding books that are age appropriate, yet challenging are not easily found.  They could read just about anything in the library but Hunger Games is not appropriate in my opinion.  They could read Pride and Prejudice but would they understand the relationships and the sacrifice of the characters...

I have never been on for New Years resolutions but I do like the pick a word or theme for the year so I am going with, love.  I am working on a home decor project for a Valentine's Day decoration and wanted a saying about love.  Today I decided to start my day off right and in THE WORD.  Not sure why I don't stick to the habit but I digress. Today I read a few verses in Colossians I immediately thought this is what I want, this is what I want to display for Valentine's Day, this is what I have been searching for.  Funny how one decides to seek ye first the kingdom and she find what her heart wants to say on canvas.  So much for Pinterest. Colossians 3: 12 -14 Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.  And over all these virtues put on...