I did it.

In the ultimate act of letting go, I popped my fitball and threw it in the trash.  Despite the fact that it’s so easy to use~ you can work your abs and watch television.  Despite having a friend that teaches fitball who would willingly give me her routine, I had to finally concede that I will never, ever use it.

Ever.

We’ve had this ball for at least four years.  First, it was in the corner of the room.  It made it’s way to the closet over the last two years.  The boys bring it out to play with fairly regularly.

The past week I’ve had to move it several times to find something in the closet and enough was enough.

I found a pair of scissors and stabbed it.  It felt great to stab it a few times.  Have I mentioned I’m uptight lately?!

Getting rid of this ball helped me realize how much I have slacked in getting serious about getting rid of the crap.  Making hard choices about what we need and don’t need in our lives.  I see areas where I have done well, but many where I’ve failed.  (No new clothes for Sunshine since last spring, meaning no fall clothes!  WIN)  (New saint dolls Sunshine had to have for her birthday. Fail…)  Books that I feel are worthy for the home library, even though I can check them out from the library, WIN and FAIL (?!).  It’s always a challenge to take a hard look at yourself and your habits.

It’s hard to live with less, especially in this country.  Yet it’s important to remain detached.

I’m in a bit of a funk with this new schedule of Lance’s.  In theory, we should have the same amount of time together.  In reality it is much different.  I need to figure out a new routine that works for me and the kids.  And then we’ll purge again.  A sort of fall cleaning to get ready for Advent.  See?  I’m giving myself until Thanksgiving to purge.

I have promised myself I won’t buy any new Halloween decorations, but instead use natural items.  (A bag of gourds from the grocery does not count as a new purchase.)

And Christmas decorations?  Another fail already, I purchased the Snoopy ornaments for our main tree in September.  BUT…I am going to try and make a nativity decoration this year so there’s that.  Of course, with my recent attempt at making a fall banner a huge fail, we’ll see how that goes.  I might be calling on some of my more crafty friends for help.  Before Christmas shopping, I’ll reread Simplicity Parenting.  Such a great book that brings all of this into focus for me.