There is no such thing as a mom who has it all together.
In America, we live within the borders we see on maps. Lines drawn across vast stretches of land define futures, with no regard to circumstance. Where I live, in Northern California, I can drive for a few hours and cross the border into Nevada. There is no wall, no physical border between us. I just … Continue reading A City With No Walls
I once read in a book that if you're feeling like you need a vacation, you should try building a life that you don't need a vacation from. When I read those words for the first time, I stopped and pondered for a moment what that life might look like. Then I went about my … Continue reading Paradise is a Lie
You may have clicked the link today to see how many things I purged from my home, but the only thing that was purged from me this week was hope. As I have purged things from my home, the items that remain have become illuminated. These precious things that made the cut somehow feel more … Continue reading Purging Hope
I am not sure if it was dumping the heavy weight of that empty hope or the promise I now can see, way off in the distance, but today, I woke up energized. It's Monday, which recently became family day in my home. It also means chores, laundry, shopping and errands, but it is a … Continue reading Things Too Special to Use
What is the deal with flat surfaces becoming collection spaces? The more I de-clutter, the more I realize that every inch of flat surface area in my home is covered with stuff - books, hats, papers, flashlights - a variety of items, most of which don't have a home. I have learned on this journey … Continue reading Candles Were Meant to Be Enjoyed
Somehow the holiday didn't feel the same this year. When you're on a mission to rid your home of excess, it is difficult to receive gifts. You find yourself analyzing each package as you're opening it, evaluating which pile this gift will end up in. Is this a gift that you're going to love and … Continue reading The More of Less
My favorite mornings are the ones where my husband makes us coffee. Oddly enough, since we became the owners of our local coffee shop, those mornings are few and far between. Most days, my husband makes me coffee at our shop, but rarely does he make us coffee at our home. I treasure the mornings … Continue reading But First…Coffee
All of this sorting through stuff has me on the hunt for the root cause of my mild case of hoarding. I have read through #Fearhunters by Noah Elias enough times to understand that most often when we are trying to figure out the root cause of something we should look to the child within. … Continue reading I Might Need This Someday…
I arrived home yesterday from several days camping at the beach. With just hours to clean up and get ready for a Christmas party, I knew if I was going to make any headway on my plan to remove one thousand things from my home, I had to do it quick! As soon as the … Continue reading The Journey of One Thousand Things
It has been seven days - that's one hundred and sixty eight hours or, more dramatically, ten-thousand and eighty minutes - since my last encounter with sugar. Last Saturday night, I savored those Nestle Tollhouse chocolate chip cookies, topped with coffee ice cream, knowing it would be the last time I partook of such an … Continue reading Silencing the Flesh
Uncommonly Common Mom 