Why I Gave Up Caffeine

I loved soda.  I drank at least one at each meal, which ended up being at least 3 a day.  I ordered specific sodas with specific meals.  Chinese food required a cola, sub sandwiches required a mt. dew.  It was bad.  Every food at a restaurant was connected to a certain drink.  

I had tried giving soda up a few times previously and failed miserably.  I would have severe caffeine withdrawals.  Headaches that felt more like migraines, I was always so tired but suffered from insomnia , and I would feel achy.  I never struggled through the withdrawal symptoms I would always give up and start drinking soda again. 

I was a hypocrite.  I refuse to let my children drink soda, except for Root beer when we visit A&W, and here I was drinking a 24 pack in a week.  

So how did I do it?  Well truthfully, I got sick.  I had some type of throat illness.  Everything I swallowed hurt enough to bring me to tears.  Soda was the absolute worse, but I kept trying it. On the second day of my illness I forced myself to drink a whole can of soda to try and combat the withdrawal symptoms.  My throat burned so badly, it felt like I was drinking battery acid.  It was at that point I decided no soda was worth the pain I was enduring. I have always known that soda is bad for me and it was time to give it up.  

I fought with the withdrawal symptoms even after my throat symptoms went away.  Each day got a little easier, the thing that made it the worst for me was being so tired each day but also having insomnia. My boys were so supportive and helpful while I was going through withdrawal.  My middle guy would tell me at each meal "Good job mom! Your drinking juice!"  The fact that he noticed made the struggle worth it. 

After recovering, the first two weeks I missed soda so badly.  I kept two left over cans in the back of my fridge, just in case I told myself, but I really didn't want to let myself give up this time.  I took it day by day, meal by meal.  I worked up my courage and gave the two cans of soda to my husband to drink at dinner one night.  Since giving up soda I have turned to mostly juices, water and lemonades.  

I was concerned about the first time we went out to dinner.  I am a creature of habit and I was worried I would let myself fail.  I kept strong and ordered a water and didn't regret not having a soda.  Actually the food tasted better when it wasn't masked by the sweet syrupy drink. 

My husband drinks lots of caffeine, at least a two liter a day.  When I was first battling my withdrawal I didn't keep any soda in the house except for my two emergency cans.  He was a good sport and drank juice and water with me, but as soon as he was out of the house he was drinking any form of caffeine he could get he his hands on.  I am to the point now where we have soda in the house and it doesn't tempt me at all.  

I have always bought 100% juice for my kids, but now make sure that I can read and know what each ingredient on the label is.  I personally feel that more and more additives and chemical preservatives are being put into our food with our our knowledge.  It was recently brought to my attention the brominated vegetable  oil is used in numerous citrus drinks, is also used as a fire retardant.  Yes the FDA says it is okay to use in about 8 parts per million but I personally do not want any of this in my body.  

Caffeine is a drug, granted it is not a narcotic, but it does still have addictive qualities.  Anyone who has gone through withdrawal can tell you difficult it is. I feel wonderful now giving up soda!  If I did it believe me you can do it to! 

The Nonminimal Husband

Oh my dear husband, Lunchbox.  He is so far from a minimalist I would classify him as a minor hoarder.  He is getting better, however, it might not be by choice.  A little background about Lunchbox and I.  We met in high school and we were high school sweethearts an have been married 9 years this summer.   

Lunchbox is a collector.  He loves sports cards, comic books, hats, t-shirts, books and so much more. In high school and college I would often go with him to sports card shows.  Not exactly my cup of tea, but I would go to spend time with him.  Not to mention we were always the youngest people set up at the show. He had cases and boxes full of sports cards that he would display proudly. Typically he would end up buying more cards then he sold and I didn't mind because they weren't coming home with me, I didn't have to store them. 

Shortly before we were married we purchased our first place, three bedrooms and a smaller office/craft space that was divided.  We had to remodel the craft/office space and we each got one half of the space.  Lunchbox used his space to house his collections, mine ended up holding all of our remodeling materials   His was a small room just big enough for a desk, chair, and his collection.  After a few weeks the room was a mess.  Cards covered every open space.  I just ignored it.  

Life got busy.  We both were working full time and parenting our oldest son.  Lunchbox's room just got messier and messier.  Cards would make their way out into the hallway and I would pick them up and throw them into the room.  Then life changed.  We were moving, closer to Lunchbox's new job.  All of the cards got packed up or thrown away.  They were stored at my father in-laws house for years.

We  moved a few more times, had two more kids, and the cards were still stored at my FIL's.  We finally settled down, or so we thought, and the cards were moved back to our house.  Lunchbox continued to buy more cards and would sometime sell a few online.  However, they were all confined to the back of our closet in a box. 

During this time my husband's Uncle, who shall remain nameless because I'm not sure if I have forgiven him, gave Lunchbox his whole comic book collection.  This collection included lots of comic book cards and boxes on top of boxes of comics.  This reignited the want to collect comics for Lunchbox and he started buying new comics. 

Our house was quickly being overrun with toys from the kids and Lunchies collections.  Two years after we thought we had settled, we moved to Wisconsin.  Most of the collection came with us, but whatever didn't fit in the moving truck was stored again at my FIL's house.  We thought the majority of the collection had come with us but it hadn't. 

Slowly, Lunchie started selling the collections.  After lots of discussion he realized that he doesn't have time to really appreciate his collections and we do not have space to store it.  We live in a house with a moisture problem and he knows putting them into our storage closet would damage them.  We came to the agreement that things that were really important to him would go to work with him where he could display it.  He ended up selling almost all of the cards, I believe he only has one box of cards that he wants to keep because they are valuable under our bed.  The comics were much harder for him and almost all of them went with him to work.  I  know he has given some to co-workers who are also collectors, some are framed and displayed, and the others sit in boxes behind his desk. 

When we went to visit my father in-law at Christmas we were greeted by the leftover collection we had left at his house.  

I feel bad about forcing him out of collecting things he enjoys but I personally do not understand having something just to have it.  I knew he was a collector before I married him but I don't think I understood the magnitude of his collecting.  This past year of my moving into minimalism we have had many conversations about the money and time that goes into collecting.  Lunchbox works a crazy amount of hours and any free time is spent with family, so his amount of time to enjoy his collection doesn't exist.  

Lunchbox still buys sports cards and comic books from time to time.  Over Memorial Day weekend we even went to Cherry Capital Comic Con where he got two really awesome books drawn just for him. 

 Here is his Spiderman by Ryan Stegman 

And His Batman by Ryan Browne

I believe Lunchbox is starting to understand my belief of quality not quantity. He has said to me many times "eh, sometimes I really want things, and sometimes I miss things, but I don't dwell on it. I don't have time for it".

We are working on finding our happy middle, we will find it one day, hopefully.

-TMW

Falling off the Wagon...head first

I have only been living a strict minimal life for around a year.  Anyone who really knows me can tell you that I have had minimal tendencies since I was a teenager.  I drove my friends crazy any time we went shopping because I would have something in my hands that I was going to buy but by the time we had made it to the cashier I had put it back.  I still do this and it makes my husband insane.  I have a hard time buying things for myself, my family on the other hand, not to much.  

There are still times when I loose sight of my goal to not be a mass consumer.   Lately I have been checking out Goodwill on a regular basis and leaving with a new pair of shoes.  Not sensible shoes but high heels, wedges, and peep toe shoes.  Some with the original store tags on them.  I try them on, walk up and down the isle, admire them in the mirror and then they become mine. They are always a huge deal, I think the most I have paid for a pair of shoes was $1.50 and they were almost new! I know I am weak.

I think this new found obsession with shoes has recently developed because I no longer have to wear sensible shoes to chase down my children.  They are all now old enough to listen for the most part.  When we go out I don't have to worry about a toddler scampering off after a toy and ending up in the road. This never happened to us and I give credit to my sensible shoe choices allowing me to keep up with the boys.  The shoes I bought at my last acquisition would not allow me to chase anyone!  

I think I have also convinced myself that it is okay because I am buying donated items and not from a chain store.  The shoes, once they are sold are not be reordered which means that the company isn't making more shoes to stock the shelves.  Plus they are cheap and not making a huge impact on my wallet.  I failed to see until recently that my shoe purchases are adding up, slowly, but they are.  

I have gone from having five pairs of shoes, including winter boots, to 12.  I know for many people 12 pairs of shoes isn't going to seem like a lot, but for me it is too many.  Yesterday I wore a pair of wedges to my son's Kindergarten graduation and they gave me a huge blister.  So they are going back to Goodwill. So I will be down to 11 pairs. 

Minimalism for me is a conscious choice to limit the amount of things that I own.  Typically I take the time before purchasing anything to ask myself 

• Do I need this?
• When/how will I use this?
• Do I love this enough to give up something I already have? 

Lately I haven't been taking the time to ask the questions.  I've been impulse buying.  Now I am jumping back on the wagon and avoiding Goodwill unless I am donating.  I have a Rubbermaid bin full of clothes that the youngest has outgrown that will be heading to Goodwill by the end of the week.  

This is my new mantra!

-TMW

   

Minimalism verus Birthdays and Holidays

We have a birthday coming up this week.  The baby of the family is turning 5. Holidays and birthdays can be the hardest time for anyone who is trying to live minimally.  A birthday party with a huge influx of gifts is enough to make any minimalist shutter.  So how do you handle it all?

I have read many blogs where people have no gift parties. Yup, no gifts from any of the party goers.  I can see this being a positive thing but I think it is something a child has to be born into.  All three of my children are use to getting gifts and I can't imagine they would be happy to not receive anything on their special day. 

Other minimalist deal with birthdays by having specific rules to what gifts can be given.  Such as book only parties, out door toys, art supplies or clothing.  This fills a specific need in the birthday child's toys.   I think this is an awesome way to go! 

Personally, I am still trying to make balance our birthday and holiday gifting.  
When buying birthday or Holiday gifts we use the mantra: One thing to wear, one thing to read, one thing they need, and one thing they want.  4 gifts and only 4 gifts.  We did this last year at Christmas and it was difficult.  I did find that only buying each child 4 gifts they enjoyed each gift more then the years where they each got too many to count. 

Since moving to Wisconsin we have not thrown a birthday party with guests besides our family.  I am a rather private person (aside from this blog) an do not enjoy the thought of having a lot of people I don't know very well in my home.  So we have not had a huge influx of gifts from party goers in a few years, which I like.  Not once has one of the boys, so far, asked to have a birthday party where they invite friends from school.  We will cross that bridge when we get to it.  

I do not limit the amount of gifts my family buy the boys for the holidays.  My family know how I feel about having so much stuff but with all of our family living hours away and not getting to see the boys very often I do not feel like it is my place to tell them not to send gifts or to limit the amount of gifts they do send.  Having said that, because our family does live so far away, many family members send cards with money. 

This year we will be getting rid of somethings to make room for the new things.  I purchased a new batman shirt for the youngest to replace a well worn a loved one that is way too small.  We will be going through the toy boxes and getting rid of any "junk" or broken toys to be replaced with a birthday toy.  

Birthdays are a time to be celebrated! You have made it another year, learned more than last year, seen new sights, and experienced new things.  For parents, a child's birthday means that you kept another human being alive successfully for another year while, hopefully, teaching them how to be a good human. 

 I have been to many birthday parties where the child opens one gift and throws it to the side, sometimes when it isn't even unwrapped all of the way, to see what is next.  I've experienced children crying when they didn't get the specific toy they wanted or the gifts have all been unwrapped.  I want my children to celebrate their birthdays with the understanding that they are important and are not measured by the amount of gifts they receive.  Before we implemented the 4 gift plan we discussed it with them, they now know what to expect at their birthday and we have never had any issue with a sad or upset child. 

Solid advice
-TMW

My Old Fashioned Reel Lawn Mower

I enjoy doing lawn work.  I have as long as I can remember.  I believe it is a learned behavior from spending a lot of time with my Grandma L who loves to garden.  Gardening with her is one of my fondest childhood memories.  My grandparents had a big yard sweeper, to sweep up all of the grass once it was cut.  I spent so much time pushing the sweeper around their yard, following behind my grandpa on the lawn mower. I always found it rewarding to work out in the sun. 

As a teenager I always offered to mow the lawn.  The issue for me was that I could never start our push mower.  I still as an adult have a difficult time starting our push mower.  I had always wanted a reel mower, the type people used before the invention of the fancy gas powered mowers. 

Last fall I found an old fashioned reel push mower for free on the side of the road.  I pulled up and checked it out when an older lady came out of the garage.  He told me that her kids bought it for her and she found it too difficult  to push up the steep hill at her house.  It had only been used one time and she just wanted it gone.  I offered to pay her but she refused.  So I loaded it as quickly as possible into my car.  I was more excited than a kid at Christmas. 

Unfortunately, it was fall and our grass never grew enough to allow me to mow.  This spring, as soon as all of the snow was gone, I had it out lowering it to my liking.  It works beautifully! I do not have to fight with the pull start or worry about running out of gas. I can talk to my kids while I use it and the best part in my opinion is that there are no emissions! 

Yes it does use more man power than a standard small engine push mower to maneuver it around the yard.  I consider it to be a good work out.  We still have our gas powered lawn mower to appease Lunchie.  He figures that one day he might have to mow and he would rather use the gas mower.  If it were up to me I would sell the gas mower or give it to someone who needs it.  

I love the simplicity of the reel lawn mower.  When thinking or living minimal it is definitely the way to go!   

Quality not Quantity

Over Memorial Day weekend we loaded up our van and headed to see our family who lives eight hours away.  While visiting we attended a Comic Con,  Lunchie is a collector of comic books.    

The convention hall was packed with table after table full of comics, toys, and collectibles.  I could see my husband's eyes light up like a kid at Christmas.  We walked slowly through each isle looking everything over completely.  At one booth there were thousands of comics.  People were surrounding the booth with arm fulls of books.  I could swear I saw Lunchie drool a little. 

Before we left for the comic convention we set a modest budget.  Once we got into the con it became apparent that our budget was really small compared to the prices.  We spent a few hours walking through the con with out buying anything before we left to get lunch.  

At lunch we discussed quality versus quantity.  After looking at prices, the quality option was that he could spend 75% of the budget and get an artist to draw a cover specifically for him and still have 25% to spend on other random items.  The other option was to spend the whole budget and leave with 50 or more comic books and other items.  

After much internal debate he decided to have a blank Superior Spider-man cover drawn for him by the current artist, Ryan Stegman.  He then had Ryan Browne draw a cover to another blank comic for him. This used 95% of his budget.  He then bought a few $0.50 comics to share with the boys as well as a few for himself.  

Watching the other people at the con walking around with their arms full of bags was hard for him.  I know he debated with his decision the whole weekend until we were leaving.  I think it was almost an "ah ha" moment.  He had two comic's that will never be recreated as well as the time he spent forming relationships with the two artists. 

Had he chose to buy the quantity option he knew the comic's would have ended up in a box not to be seen or read.  He is now looking to get two frames for the comics to hang in his office. 

I often wonder why we chose quantity over quality.  I believe that big box stores have lead us to believe that it is better to have more items than to have a few high quality items.  At a big box store you can buy a large number of bathroom towels for very little money compared to buying them at a department store.  However, the towels purchased at the box store are not the same quality and are not going to last as long as the department store towels.  I know this from experience.  

My grandmother was a stern believer of purchasing things from department stores.  When she passed away I inherited her bathroom towels.  These were added to my supply of box store towels.  Now 10 years later I still have and use some of the towels that were my grandmothers.  Granted they aren't beautiful and I hide them from guests, but they are still soft and free of holes.  My box store towels barely lasted me 3 years. 

With the cost of replacing towels every 3 to 4 years you could save your self money in the long run by buying the more expensive towels that will hold up longer. 

We've been trained to think more is always better, which isn't always the case.  I am always looking for a good deal, but when it comes to some things you just can't skimp on quality. 

Life without a Dryer

Oh a dryer!  Nice warm clothes and blankets!  As much as I do love those things we currently do not have a dryer.  I hang every item of clothing I wash on the line or on our drying rack.  I know you think I am crazy, right?  

When we moved to Wisconsin we sold our washer and dryer set with our house.  Our apartment came equipped with a full size washer and dryer in our unit. It was not a worry until we moved into our new place that didn't have a washer or dryer, just hook ups.  At the time we did not have the extra money to be buying a new set so I scoured local sites until I found each at a very cheap price, around $25 each.  The washer lasted us a little over a year and the dryer a year and a half.   

After the washer went out we bought a high efficiency washer from a friend who was getting a new set.  Her dryer had broken.  The washer is only a year old and runs like a champ.  Not to mention these new high efficiency washer get every last drop of water out during the spin cycle, I am impressed!  When the dryer died earlier this year I decided to hang all of our clothes to dry.  I was lucky enough to be given a folding drying rack, I have enough space in my laundry room to hang a line, and I also have a line outside.  

I know you are thinking why not fork over the money and buy a new dryer?  

Sometimes the idea of having a dryer seems nice, it would be convenient and much quicker.  However having said that, my grandmother always hung the laundry out to dry.  In many European countries people do not own dryers but hang everything year round.  I do not see owning a dryer as a necessity right now when I can dry my clothes for free in the sun.  When winter arrives I might be signing a different tune. 

Line drying takes time but has it's benefits.  We don't heat up our house during those warm summer months drying clothes.  I fold and put away each clothing item as it dries, I do not have clothes baskets full of clothes waiting to be folded or put away.  Our clothes seem to be lasting longer. Most of all we are saving electricity. 

Line drying isn't for everyone, though at one point and time it was the only choice.  I now stay on top of my laundry piles.  I typically do laundry every other day or twice a week for our family of five.  I always make sure that my boys sports jerseys are ready for their next game, not once has anyone wore a wet or damp shirt to a ball game. I don't have the option to forget or wait until the last minute which has eased a lot of the stress of getting three kids dress and out the door with matching socks, jerseys and pants on game day. 

Line drying or using a dryer, dirty clothes are one thing that we can all count on having to deal with!