Now that school is back in session, I am, for the first time in probably three weeks, sitting in my living room and surveying the impact of the holidays. They were a bit of a tsunami for us, and not just due to the tidal wave of gifts the kids received.
The flu took hold upon our house the day after school was out and still hasn't fully shaken its miserable grip. On Christmas morning I woke up in a fevered state. Never mind the gift opening, I was convinced the one and only place I should go was to the hospital. And then the girls came in and were so excited to give us their presents - and of course open their own - that I downed a couple of ibuprofen and stumbled out of bed and landed solidly on the couch, where I stayed for the next three days.
Christmas dinner and its sequel were both cancelled and the tree stayed up far longer than usual, not only because no one had the energy to take it down but also because by the time I started feeling better, it remained the last piece of the holidays that I could passively enjoy.
Now that we are back into our routine and firing on a few more cylinders, I can fully appreciate how much effort it's going to take to whip our home into shape! A few decorations still need to be packed away; newly acquired crafts and toys need a home, and the kitchen seems to need cleaning. Again. What is it with kitchens?
So, my resolution for the week (it's about all I can handle at the moment) is to really deal with all the extra stuff we have swallowing our living space. The kids' closets will be weeded now that we've got some great new pieces, games and toys and stuffies will be sorted and only the truly loved items will remain, and I am committing to tackling the never-ending bin of scarves, mismatched gloves and hats that have become the bane of our mornings.
I have one more day to pull out all our extra linens, towels and clothes that get little to no wear as my dear friend Kirsten Gagné is shipping three huge boxes of donations to the Philippines to help with the relief effort. This initiative, by the way, is the birthday gift she asked of her hubby Derek, who was more than happy to grant his wife's wishes. What a team!
Not only are the Gagnés helping families overseas recover from a natural disaster, but they are helping my family recover from our holiday disaster! The phrase "first world problem" never rang louder for me than it does right now.
Parting with items is always a challenge for me. The voice in my head threatens me with "what if you need it?" on a moment-by-moment basis whenever I delve into purge mode. However, my heart wants to help more than my mind needs to hang on and the New Year seems like the perfect time to wipe the slate clean.
And here's wishing you and your family a very healthy New Year!
Kirsten Andrews offers Simplicity Parenting courses, workshops and private consultations in the Corridor and Lower Mainland. Visit Sea To Sky Simplicity Parenting on Facebook or www.SeaToSkySimplicityParenting.com.
