Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Today:: The beginning of 2011

(Ayla took this picture! This is my new haircut to start out the new year!)

Today is the beginning of the year for me. I know, you say it is the 4th; what are you talking about?

Well... The doctor told me today that I can walk on both my legs now. My knee is healing beautifully he said, and even though I have a lot of physical therapy ahead of me, this news makes me oh-so-happy.
I haven't been able to hold my baby boy in 4 weeks and walk him to soothe him to sleep. I have felt so helpless in the whole realm of the house because all I could really do was crutch around. I know, many others have way more obstacles to overcome. This was mine though. Being responsible for 3 little ones and not really being able to meet any of their needs is hard. Really hard. I am so thankful for my husband and all the work he has put into this family in the last 4 weeks. He has been truly amazing.
I can only hope that I can repay him someway. I try to be very easy going and handle things. He has been going at least once a week to the gym with the neighbor to climb the rock wall a couple times, also a weekly soccer game is a recent thing too. At least it is something.

So having all this time to sit and stew... I have made a couple of personal rules to live by for at least the next 6 months; maybe a year.

#1:: No buying clothing for any of the immediate family members, unless they fit in this criteria :: have to be handmade in the USA :: or second-hand.

(this is huge. I have a problem with buying clothes. well, not all the time, I go through spurts, but it is never pretty :)

#2:: Try really hard to hand-make items for people's special days (i.e. birthdays, christmas, etc.) I don't think this one will be too hard, but this will help me use up the fabric and yarn that I already have, plus, people love hand made stuff, right?! HOWEVER, I will give myself an out here and give the option of buying something hand made if it comes to crunch time. I don't want myself to go crazy! So etsy will surely be a place to look.
These afore mentioned people include my hubby and kids. Kids are not a problem, but Tyler is another story! He did mention he would like a robe.... but seriously, not easy!

Let's hope I can at least remotely stick to these rules. One of the tabs I have open right now is a clothing shop that does not meet this criteria... and I have 13 items in the cart! So this is going to save me money for now... until I make that purchase from Gaia Conceptions :)

Have a great Tuesday! this week sometime, I am going to list some of my favorite shops that are either local (for me, that means Oregon or Montana) or just plain awesome. Maybe I will make some shopping matches :)

5 comments:

Leecia said...

I love the new haircut! And Ayla is a really good photographer...so cute!

Anonymous said...

Hair cut looks great that is a super cute picture Ayla took!

And I think maybe you could sort of bend your rules for Tyler's bday by maybe getting him a gift card to like Home depot or something for a DIY project that he has been wanting? IDK. Jake is hard to make things for but he LOVES wood working and building things so getting some supplies isn't totally cheating right?

I am strict on Second hand clothing But I am in an Area that makes it really easy, and I have great hand me down chain going with the boys. There is a line at Fred Meyers Called "lilly bleu" for girls made in the US! so that is a good place to get a little retail therapy guilt free for Ash.
My struggle is buying toys for Jack cause he is Obsessed with Marvel Super heroes..so how do I hand make those?? lol ♥ your blog

Seaworthy said...

You look beautiful! Are you wearing both of your Seaworthy necklaces?? Yay!

Brooke said...

I think you are right, Brenda.. bending the rules for Tyler might be better for me in the long run... a robe only goes so far!!
Marisa, those are my Seaworthy bling! I just love them together. So does Kellen!

Thank you everyone for the kind words on the haircut... I still have yet to wash it, and we will see what happens then!
Marisa, you were actually the inspiration for the haircut... your cut is so cute, and although I could never cut my hair like yours (I have both a widows peak and a cowlick in the front hairline) I knew I needed a change!! So thank you!

Heather said...

I love the haircut, and way to go Ayla on a great photo! Happy New Year to you Brooke, may it be full of joy.