Simplicity

The other day, Mere sent me an article about FOMO (fear of missing out) that went into detail about how the role of social media has led us to believe that almost everyone around us is living a life that is SO! MUCH! FUN! (and way more amazing than our own). This isn't a new theory by any means, but I liked that the article pointed out ways to counter FOMO....of course the most obvious way would be to cut out social media, but I'm not there yet and let's be honest, I probably won't ever be, so I appreciated the other ideas offered. One of my favorite ideas was coming up with alternative definitions of FOMO, such as "Find One Magnificent Object. When FOMO strikes, let it prompt you to experience amazement wherever you are, just by truly contemplating something wonderful: the sun, a bowl of soup, your own hand." Silly, yes, but also helpful!

In the spirit of slowing down and enjoying the little and simple things more often, I thought it would be worth jotting down a few things that are basic, I love, and I'd like to knock off the list this fall. I feel like I always look at my calendar this time to year and wonder how in the world all of those commitments found their way on there, but I'm also committed to taking time to just be at home these next few months (even though I can't wait for many exciting things coming up, like a couple of trips to Charlottesville!). Anyhow, here we go!

Things to do at home this fall:

-Finish Catching Fire. CP and I started this a few weeks ago and we made it about thirty minutes in before I fell asleep and we have yet to finish it. Whoops.

-Crock pot cooking!! I am going to master short ribs in the slow cooker this fall.

-I'd like to make everything (okay, maybe five things) on this list. Since I don't actually like professional football, I figure I'd rather be spending time in the kitchen.

- Have a yard sale. This is actually happening this weekend at my mom's house, and it's going to be EPIC.

-Get back into the habit of taking Sloan on a long walk at least three times a week. Being gone for most of the summer we fell out of this routine and it's one that we enjoy, so it's worth making the time for....especially on these crisp evenings!

-Continue sending a few handwritten cards a month to friends and family. I really enjoy doing this and there's nothing like getting a piece of snail mail!

-Print more wedding photos. I'm not going to put make the album on here because it's just not going to happen unless I somehow find a) ten hours of uninterrupted time b) the energy to spend that long organizing photos and adding embellishments to the pages, but a few more printed ones to put in frames and hang around the house is doable.

-Lastly, CP and I are committed to purchasing a new light fixture for our dining area and it's going to happen this fall. We both like the look of this style, and I also think that something like this would be a great accent to the room.


"If we knew each morning that there was going to be another morning, and on and on and on, we'd tend not to notice the sunrise, or hear the birds, or the waves rolling into shore. We'd tend not to treasure our time with the people we love. Simply the awareness that our mortal lives had a beginning and will have an end enhances the quality of our living. Perhaps it's even more intense when we know that the termination of the body is near, but it shouldn't be."
 -A Ring of Endless Light, Madeleine L'Engle