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Bent Arrow Challenge 2018: Eat Local

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Y'all know how important local food is to me.  I'm all about gardening, farmers' markets and supporting local agriculture.  So last year when my friend Claire over at Bent Arrow Acres challenged herself to eat only local for the month of August, I was in awe!  And I planned to try to do it for a week this summer.  BUT Claire is doing the whole month again this year and has created a challenge (with prizes) for others to join her.  So we're going to give it a go and join in.

Concerns

My biggest concerns are: Our oldest starts kindergarten this year, and I have no idea how this will affect our schedules and daily life yet.  My husband will continue classes for his masters.  And I have small kids that eat what we eat for meals...no short-order cook here.

As a perfectionist, I have already identified that I could easily let the challenge overwhelm and stress me out.  I DO NOT want that!  To prevent this, I'm already speaking grace over myself.  The challenge does allow for people to pick some "freebie" items and I'm probably being more lenient with our family than I would if it were just my husband and myself or if we had older kids.  And if I fall off the wagon for a meal or a day, I'll just do my best the next.

My Plan

My plan is to visit Lucky's Market and Bloomingfoods a couple of times during the challenge.  While they are a bit further away, they have a great variety of Indiana produced foods and products.  There are also a few things that I'm allowing as "freebie" items that I'll only allow if I get them from either of these stores' bulk sections.  Partly because I'm excited about how this challenge can help us reduce our waste and partly because doing this will keep me from being too quick to grab things off the local grocery's shelves.

Obviously we have the garden and our own eggs, so we will try to eat a lot from there.  We also have locally raised beef, pork and one of Bent Arrow's chickens in our deep freezer that will take care of any meat we eat.  Things from the garden that we will definitely be able to eat are tomatoes, eggplant, green beans, carrots, shallots, garlic, peppers and maybe corn (It isn't looking too hot.).  Hopefully my zucchini, summer squash and watermelon plants will do something this month too!

We also have access to two farmers' markets, one on Tuesdays and one on Saturdays.  We will shop here frequently as well during the challenge.

Baked goods are something that we already make homemade most of the time.  All bread will be homemade and I'm excited to try to make tortillas and hamburger buns this month!

Our Freebie List

Freebies are things that you can't find local or can't easily make yourself.  HOWEVER, this list should not allow you to buy everything you normally do.  It's a CHALLENGE, remember?  That being said, I do have a few items that are freebies for the kids and not for my husband and myself because I'm just not going to make a 7 month old, 3 year old and 5 year old go completely without some of their favorite things like bananas and shredded cheese.

  • All flours (bread, all-purpose, whole wheat, etc.)
  • Sugars
  • Additional baking items (baking soda/powder, salt, etc.)
  • Cocoa powder (bulk only-we make our own chocolate syrup for the kids' milk and my coffee creamer)
  • Spices (although most herbs dried or fresh will come from my garden)
  • Butter
  • Heavy Cream
  • Cultured Buttermilk
  • Milk (do plan to try to get some from Traders Point and Oberweis, but won't be able to get it all from them)
  • Peanut Butter (bulk only-my kids love PBJ sandwiches and my husband takes them to work a lot)
  • Coffee/Tea
  • Dry pasta
  • Cooking Oils (plan to purchase California Olive Oil and Healthy Hoosier Oils when at all possible)
  • Cheeses (This is mostly for the kids.  I plan to try to avoid cheese as much as possible.  And I do plan to try my hand at making mozzarella!)
  • Lemons
  • Condiments (ketchup and mustard mostly.  I plan to try to make my own ranch dressing and always make my own mayo)

As far as restaurants are concerned, I'm saying that all are fair game.  I know this is an area that Claire is really good about choosing only locally owned places, but one request of my kids when we have to go to Bloomington is Chick-Fil-A.  We also occasionally grab a pizza when I'm single parenting for the night while my husband is in class.  So the plan is to TRY to avoid chains, but I'm not going to beat myself up if its been a crazy and I breakdown and get a carry out pizza from Pizza Hut.

I'm also giving myself a pass on anything already in the house...and no, I'm not going out to stock up on items before the challenge so that I can use this as an excuse.  However, I haven't planned a cleaning out of the pantry this week because of other stuff going on, so if it's already here, its fair game until it runs out.

And my new kindergartener will eat in the cafeteria at school on some days.

How You Can Join

If you think this is something you want to try, even for just one day or one meal, you CAN make a difference!  Visit Bent Arrow Acres's website for more information and to get on their mailing list for tips and rules for the prizes!  I hope to be able to share weekly posts about what we ate, but at the very least, you can follow along on social media.  Use the hashtag #bentarrowschallenge2018 to see what I'm cooking as well as what everyone else is trying!

 

Erika

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Virtually Effortless Ways to Reduce Your Waste

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A week or so ago I placed a poll on my Facebook page asking what you all would like to see next here on Full & Simple and you overwhelmingly choose "how to reduce your waste."

As I started thinking of all of the ways we've been working towards reducing our plastic use and waste, I found that this post will be the first in a series of at least three.  I'm categorizing the habits and swaps we're using currently into different effort categories.  All of the suggestions in this post are things that I think you can start today and maintain with as little as 5-10 minutes a day of effort.

But before we get started, here is my disclaimer: I AM NOT PERFECT.  We still have plastic in our house.  We are not zero waste by any means.  There are days when my desire for a gas station fountain pop outweighs my desire for zero waste (but then its usually followed with guilt).  I truly believe that any move in the direction of less waste is better than saying, "I can't do zero waste perfectly, so I won't do it at all."

Ok, with that out there, here we go!

Just Say No to Produce Bags

While I'm guilty as the next person to think that I need super cute "bring your own" produce bags like these, really all you need to do is skip the bag.  You don't HAVE to bring your own.  Yes, people may look at you strangely when you put four loose lemons on the checkout belt, but I got over those looks long ago when we started using the Dave Ramsey envelope system.  And I've never had a cashier tell me that I had to get a bag before she'd sell me the lemons.

Pay Attention to Packaging

So you need some more (insert product here)?  Pay attention to the packaging.  When you are shopping try to avoid plastic packaging as much as possible.  I used to be the person that said, "It's ok.  I recycle," but as I've started this waste reduction journey, I've found that recycling isn't good enough anymore.

Why?  Plastic can only be recycled so many times before it can no longer be recycled, at which point it just becomes trash.  Plus, with China's ban on taking recycling from the U.S. and other countries, many stateside recycling companies are no longer taking plastics, OR they're taking them but then shipping them to a landfill anyway.  Here is a great article from the NY Times on the problem we're facing.

For the purposes of this post and for when you first start your waste reduction journey, remember that when buying the grocery items you need, choose the product in metal or glass packaging--which can be recycled infinitely--over the same item in plastic.  I'll talk more about avoiding plastic while shopping later in this post series.

Shop Secondhand

Confession: while I aspire to minimalism and zero waste I still LOVE to shop!  Life seems so much more exciting when I know I have a package on the way...even if it's just mundane household items.  I get giddy placing a new item in its place in my home.  Now when I get the shopping bug, I usually try to look for secondhand first (again, I'm not perfect).

Shopping secondhand not only allows you to save financial resources, but it also allows you to save natural resources which have already been expended to make said item.  And with online sites like ThredUP, eBay, and all of the Facebook selling groups, shopping secondhand first is easier than ever.

Use this link to get a $10 coupon on your first ThredUP order and give me a $10 coupon for referring you!

I love Goodwill baskets!

Cloth Napkins

Buy and use cloth napkins.  They are not as hard to maintain as many of us believe.  Here are a few tips that I have found to make them virtually effortless.

  1. Buy them in a dark color to hide stains.
  2. Use one napkin for the whole day (unless you get it super messy) and just drape it over the back of your chair between meals.
  3. Kids get wash cloths because they can be wetted down easily and kids are messy.  My kids have color-coded wash rags so they know which one is theirs to use all day.
  4. Hang them to dry to avoid most wrinkles, but we're not a five-star restaurant so some wrinkles are OK!  Don't mess with ironing.
  5. Throw them in with clothes you're already washing.  You do not need to do a separate load.

Beeswax Wraps

Use beeswax wraps to replace plastic wrap.  They really only need a good rinse between uses unless you get them very dirty.  I've even sealed a bowl with the beeswax wraps while baking bread and the dough rose just as well as if I'd sealed it with plastic wrap.

You can make your own, buy them online or see if any local beekeepers have made some with their own beeswax.

Bar Soap Over Body Wash

I get that bar soap can seem gross to some. Heck, I used to be one of the some and still sort of am.  I don't use bar soap for everyone to use while washing their hands...partly because of the sharing germs thing that I'm still mentally not able to get passed and partly because I'm not sure a three year old won't be dropping it all over the place.  However, I have replaced my plastic bottle of body wash with bar soap.  Don't want to share bar soap with others?  Give everyone their own bar and you'll still be reducing plastic and waste!  You get extra points if you find a local soap-maker!

I have these bamboo holders, which are compostable, to keep my bar soap from just sitting in a pool of water in the shower.

Buy Compostable

When replacing items like loofahs, tooth brushes, and dish brushes, replace them with compostable items.  Brushes made with natural fibers and wooden handles can easily be composted.

Now here is another disclaimer: We don't compost.

I tried creating a compost pile, but my chickens and cats eat all of the scraps and spread it out to the point of things not actually composting.  So until I can build some sort of containment system, the chickens and cats take care of our food waste...which is still a good system in my opinion.

HOWEVER, we have a woods near us that I can toss that wooden handle into along with all of the other fallen trees and sticks and it will eventually break down.  Whereas packing it into a landfill will not allow it to break down.  So if you are going to buy compostable items figure out a way to get it back to nature when it's served its purpose and don't throw it in your regular trash.

My favorite sources for wooden cleaning tools are:

Get a Reusable Coffee Filter

Yes, we still use a coffee maker.  No, we aren't cool hipsters that have a French press or Chemex.

Buying a reusable filter really added no extra time for us.  We were already hand-washing the pot and insert anyway.  Cleaning the filter literally takes less than 2 minutes.  The grounds usually get added to the food scraps or I'll dump them by a plant or bush, like our blueberries, that like acidic soil.

Reusable Nursing Pads

Reusable nursing pads are probably one of my favorite changes so far to reducing our waste.  I wish I had known about them three kids ago!  I would have saved at least $80-$100!

I purchased my pack of 10 from Marley's Monsters on Etsy and customized them to be mostly white.  Now I just toss them in a lingerie bag and wash them any time I'm doing a load of towels or light colored clothes.  There is no extra worrying because I'm already doing the laundry anyway.  And I found a really cute basket at Goodwill to store them in.

Wool Dryer Balls

Stop using fabric softener sheets and get some wool dryer balls.  A clothesline would be best, but the weather doesn't always permit outside drying and a lot of the time we still use our dryer.

Wool dryer balls do speed up drying time which saves energy plus they reduce the waste of the dryer sheet...which contain nasty chemicals.  I leave mine in the dryer so I don't even have to think about adding them in each time.  If you still want to have a fresh scent when your clothes are done, experiment with adding drops of essential oils to your dryer balls.  I personally love lavender on mine.

And for the month of June you can get a FREE set of dryer balls when you sign up for Grove Collaborative!!!  Just use this link to find out more about this offer!  And if you want to hear why I love Grove, visit this post.

Slow Down

My last piece of advice in this post is to simply slow down.

Do less.  Be less busy.  Commit to less.

Living a busy and frantic lifestyle makes it much easier to choose the disposable items over reusable or the prepackaged, processed food over whole foods.

Do all of your errands on one day instead of constantly running out of the house to do this or that.  Resign from clubs, committees or roles that don't fulfill you or that no longer align with your life goals.  People grow and change, it is okay to move on to make room for who you are now or want to become.

Well, that's it for today.  I hope that you can find one or two options here that you want to start implementing today or this week.  The next post in this series will include habits and suggestions that may take slightly more effort to implement, but that are still easily doable for anyone trying to live more eco-conscious.  I hope you'll come back and read that post as well!

Find Post Two Here!

 

Disclaimer:  The above post does contain referral and affiliate links.  This means that I may be compensated if you purchase using this link at no additional cost to your self.  This compensation allows me to pay for the maintenance of running Full & Simple. 

Erika Bault is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com

Erika

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Stop Allowing Clutter Into Your Life

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Two months into the new year and I still haven't completely settled on my Word of the Year.  I kept thinking about the word "less," but I don't really feel like it is much different than "simple" for 2016 or "contentment" for 2017.  I still find myself immersed on this journey of simplifying our life and home and trying to learn to be content in the everyday...before all of my "simple" projects can be complete.

Clutter is an antagonist to all three of those words and I'm constantly in a battle against it.  But no matter how hard I fight, it seems to find its way to my countertops, closet, van, etc.  Why?!  Why, when I have given so much away and simplified so many aspects of our life, do I still have to battle clutter everyday?

And then it hit me.  I'm losing the fight because I'm fighting the war on the wrong battleground!  I try to fight clutter once its inside my home, but the battle needs to begin before it gets here!  I need to stop ALLOWING clutter to infiltrate my life.

That's right, ALLOWING.  There is so much clutter and noise that we are allowing and even INVITING into our lives and homes!  And most of the time, we don't realize its happening or that we have the option to say, "no, thank you!"

While this will take some effort in the beginning, like all good habits do, the following things can help us have simpler, less cluttered spaces and minds.

Unfollow and Unfriend

Unfollow Instagram accounts or businesses that no longer appeal to you, especially if you only followed them as part of a giveaway.  Unfriend that person you added on Facebook because you had one class project together five years ago in college.

I've been going through my friends lists and editing frequently.  Basically on Instagram, I want to see pretty pictures and be inspired.  I rarely follow a close friend on both Instagram and Facebook because I realized that many were posting the same picture on both sites.  I don't need to see it twice.  My personal Facebook is reserved for mostly close friends.  If I'm not comfortable with the idea of you seeing pictures of my kids in underwear, then I'm not adding you.

If you aren't seeing posts and announcements from pages and people you like hearing from the most then make sure to use the "See First" option on Facebook.  You can find this under the "Follow" option on their page.  Interact with posts by people you enjoy seeing and hearing from on Facebook and Instagram.  The way that these two sites set up their algorithms, posts with a lot of interaction are more likely to be seen by you and others.  Interacting includes liking, commenting and/or sharing that post.

As we allow social media to take up more and more of our lives, let's make sure that we are at least seeing the content we want to and stop wasting time scrolling past things we don't care about.

Unsubscribe

Either subscribe to a business's email list or follow them on social media.  There really is no reason to do both.  Most of their sales are listed in both places so a follow AND an email subscription is redundant.  I only have a few businesses that I make an exception for because they offer different content on each platform.

You can find the "unsubscribe" button on the bottom of most emails where you have joined a list.   But to make this and my inbox even simpler, a friend told me about a free service call Unroll.Me.  I literally just signed up about 5 minutes ago.  It appears to be a service to help you unsubscribe to emails you no longer want to receive, but also allows you to "roll up" marketing emails that you still want to receive into ONE email.  You no longer have to read separate emails for Nellie Taft, Pottery Barn, The Laundress, etc.  Get all of their emails in one quick easy to read email.  It sounds amazing, and I'm hoping that this will clear up my inbox anxiety!

Opt Out of Catalogs

I have started to use Catalog Choice to unsubscribe to catalogs that I no longer want to receive in my mailbox...which is basically all of them.  With daily emails from companies that I shop at, I no longer need to waste trees and time on catalogs.

Catalog Choice does not have the means to unsubscribe you from all catalogs, so for those I go to the company's website and use the contact form to email and ask to be removed from their mailing list.  I'm already seeing a big difference in the amount of catalogs we receive.

Full-and-simple-stop-allowing-clutter-in-your-life

Current view of the mess in our office. So. Much. Paper!

Opt Out of Junk Mail

There are two ways that I know of to reduce the amount of junk mail you receive every day.  The first is DirectMail.com's National Do Not Mail list.  This is a free service similar to the Do Not Call List, but is not sponsored by the government.  It is a private company that actually creates "junk mail" for companies.  Their thought is that it is a waste of company money to send you something you won't respond to.

The other is OptOutPrescreen.com.  This is provided by Experian, the credit reporting agency.  You can opt out of prescreened offers for 5 years online or permanently by mail.

I personally have signed up for both of these, but make sure that you do your research on these (and the Unroll.Me) and make your own decision.

Accept Email Receipts

I love this option from CVS and other stores.  I created a receipt file in my email inbox and now I don't have the paper clutter of receipts, but I still have access to the receipt if I need it for a return.  The Walmart app is great way to save any receipts I get from there and to use their Savings Catcher option.

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Another view of our office. This room is a catchall for clutter.

Say No to the Toy in the Kids' Meal

Everywhere we go, someone is offering our kids a cheap toy, whether its the dentist, fast food restaurant or even church.  You can say no.  I have done this with kids' meals frequently.  My kids don't even realize that all fast food is "supposed" to come with a toy now!

The same goes with free samples.  I buy a lot of my hair products from Sephora online.  I used to ALWAYS get my three free samples. No. Matter. What.  But then I ended up with a box of stuff I never tried or had a desire to try.  Now, I only get the samples of stuff I already use daily so that I have "travel size" options or the samples of products I really do want to try.

I realized that getting freebies, just because they're free, is really wasteful and isn't free.  These things cost space in my home and peace of mind when I'm trying to get things organized!

Don't Accept Things You Won't Use

I have someone in my life that loves to thrift and discount shop.  And they are constantly on the lookout for gifts and things that they can give to us and others.  However, there have been several times that we have been on the receiving end of something that we already had, wasn't useful to us, or that we simply didn't like.  A few people told me to just accept these things and take them to Goodwill later, and for a while I did.  But then I realized that this did a disservice to the giver and to me.

They were wasting their money on something they thought I liked, and by accepting it, they could then go on to waste more money in the future on similar items, thinking that they were helping.  And I had to take time out of my schedule to deal with the item...moving it from place to place until I finally dropped it off at the thrift store.

Now, I don't suggest being rude.  Kindly tell the person that the item isn't needed or your style and that perhaps they could get better use out of it themselves.  Or suggest they consider someone else who may need it.  The most recent thing we turned away was a baby swaddler.  We already had plenty because we've already had two other babies, but a cousin was having a new baby.  She might actually need the new swaddler when we didn't.  It worked out for everyone.

I will say that I only do this when it is a gift without occasion.  I wouldn't do this with a Christmas or Birthday gift as I feel that more thought goes into those than these "I saw this and thought of you" type of gifts.

Be Conscious of Packaging

While I've always felt that by recycling, I'm not really wasting resources, I recently learned that isn't true.  China has stopped accepting most of our plastics for recycle so they are ending up in the landfill anyway.  You can read more about it here.

But even if avoiding plastic and excess packaging for the sake of the planet doesn't entice you, think about the time and money we spend dealing with recycling and trash.  You open a box from a recent online order.  How long does that box and packaging sit on your counter before you put it in the garbage bins?  Then you have to empty your bins in your home to the larger bins in the garage.  Then, if you're like us with no trash or recycle pick up, you have to drive your waste to the recycling center.  That's a lot of time and effort.  Buying veggies and other items in bulk (without the provided plastic bags) can save time and the planet.  Win-Win!

Keep a Donation Box Near the Door

For all of the clutter we didn't fight before it arrived in our homes, make sure to keep a donation box.  This way you have one place to put items that you find in your home that are no longer serving you.  DO NOT put an item back in it's original spot if you've decided that you no longer need/want it!  It should got straight into the box.

OK, this was a really long post.  If you made it to the end, you are a true warrior against clutter and waste.  I hope that you found at least one or two new things you can implement today in your own battle to lead a simpler, less cluttered life!

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Erika

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Quiet: Finding True Contentment

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Quiet.  What does that mean?  I've started writing this post close to a hundred times in my head.  I've been thinking on it daily almost all year.  When the New Year came, I was prepared to go full-out on the blog again.  I had a schedule and plans for the year on what I would post and when I would post it.  I had a list of to-dos and goals.  I was going to keep up with my weekly newsletter.  And then I read this verse while I was reading Nothing to Prove,

"and make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands..."  1 Thessalonians 4:11

Photo credit Ball-Spencer Photography

A Quiet Life

"Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life...."  What is a "quiet life?"  I think that a quiet life could mean a lot of things to a lot of people.  It could mean slowing down.  Maybe moving from a fast and loud city to the country.  Maybe it means speaking less and hearing more.

For me, when I read this, the Father whispered to me that I have to learn to be content being a nobody.  (In this world at least, because I know that I'm somebody to Him.)  I have to let go of my ambition to be "someone" or "special" or "famous" or even "well-known."

You see, I've always wanted to be special, to be seen.  I want to be recognized.  Every year, I was so heart-broken and disappointed when I wouldn't win Teacher of the Year.  I didn't enjoy my senior prom when I didn't win prom queen.  And now, I am frustrated that this blog isn't growing above a certain number of readers.

All of that is embarrassing to admit, but there it is.

And the truth is that I know God will not bless this blog and my writing until I'm completely satisfied with the followers I already have and readership never growing.  When that happens, when I find my worth in Him and where I stand in His Kingdom and when this is ALL for His glory, then He MAY bless the blog.  Maybe He won't though.  But when I reach that point (or at least get nearer to it), it truly won't matter anymore.  That's the funny thing about God's blessings.  Only when we don't need them, because we know the only thing that we do need is Him, will He give them to us.

Mind Your Own Business

Again, this can mean a lot of different things.  I do not believe it means to turn a blind eye to troubles surrounding us.  In this season, for me, it means to get my own act together before trying to save the world.  It means, turning off social media when I feel that discontent rising up.  It means, quieting all of the "should" voices out there in the world.

Who are we to judge, preach or write, if we don't deal with our own crud first?  Glass houses, right?  I can't expect to be used for God's glory if I don't take time to study, pray and deal with my own baggage.  And I want to be used!

So, I'm trying to deal with these demons of mine instead of sticking to the blog schedule I had.  Because as much as I hope for this blog to someday be a true income-producing job, my relationship with God and my joy in this life are not a game.  Soul things, those are the things that matter, and I'm trying to embrace that and live it out better.

Work with Your Hands

When I've been feeling discontent or bored or "itchy,"  I've been trying to do something instead of continuing down the rabbit hole and scrolling Instagram.  Baking bread.  Trying a new Pinterest idea for cleaning.  Hand-sewing felt eggs for the kids.

Our grandmas didn't have time to be discontent because they were always busy.  And I don't think that we need to stay busy to avoid our feelings or that busy means living fast-paced.  Working with my hands, staying busy, means turning from things that are causing my discontent or envy and refocusing them on my present by being productive.  What can I do right now to make a difference right where I am with what I have?  That has been my thought instead of fixating on the things that she has or the followers that she has or how thin she is.  Sitting on the couch pining for these things will not make me get them or make me happy, but getting up, doing something (however small) usually does lift my spirits.

Open Your Hand

When I was studying 1 Thessalonians 4:11, I stumbled upon this verse in Ecclesiastes,

Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind.   Ecclesiastes 4:6

I don't know what all of this means for the blog.  I know that I don't want to stop writing and I don't think that is what God wants for me either.  I enjoy sharing ideas, recipes and our farm adventures with you all.  But I HAVE to learn to let go of the toil and striving to make the blog into "something."

My heart just can't keep up with the striving.  For now, I'll write when I feel like it or when I have time.  I'll post on Instagram when I want without worrying about what time of day it is to maximize likes.  I'll definitely still be here, but I might be quiet from time to time to mind my own business.

Even writing this post has me in tears because this is the least "businessy" thing I could do.  Putting this out into the world feels like letting go of a dream, but it also feels like letting go of a burden.  Now maybe blogging can be fun again and less weighty.

If you've stayed with me this long, thank you!  I hope you'll stick around because, like I said, I'm not quitting, I'm just trying to let God pilot this blog and my writing instead of co-pilot from now on.

Erika

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Nothing to Prove

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Once again Jennie Allen's words have wrecked me in the best possible way.  In her new book, Nothing to Prove, she shares why we can all stop trying so hard.  Full of personal stories and scripture, this book is sure to be one that I will come to again and again for inspiration and guidance.

A while ago I read Anything by Jennie, with the Influence Network book club and it too completely tore me up.  Jennie's fears and thoughts always seem to be pulled directly from my head, but with a seminary background and a much better track record with Bible study, she can also share the truth found in God's word to fight those battles.

You Are Not Enough

That hurts doesn't it?  We try so hard to be enough (whatever that is).  But we aren't and we won't ever be.  "God already knows you are not enough, but He's not asking you to be.  We are the ones who have chosen to walk through the desert with enormous packs strapped to our backs full of everything but water," (pg 32).  There.  That. That is the reason we can stop trying.  Our trying will never EVER measure up, but it's okay because He has already taken care of the lack on our part.  When we accept that we are not enough, we have nothing to prove!

"...to get to the place where God can be enough, we have to first admit that we aren't." pg 39

My Sin

I've always known that comparison was a thief to my joy.  I knew that feeling like I wasn't good enough was detrimental to my ability to step out in faith and for my sanity for that matter.  But when I read the words, "I am realizing it's not my curse that I believe I am not enough; it's my sin that I keep trying to be,"  that I absolutely lost it.  I wept hard.  We're talking full-on ugly cry, people.

Honestly, these have probably been the most powerful words in the whole book for me.  My sin is trying to be enough, trying to go it alone, trying to not need His sacrifice.  Because if I am enough, then I get the glory.  If I do things all by myself, I get the credit.  But none of us are self-made.  We are made by the Potter's hands, fashioned in His image for His glory.  I have nothing to prove because I'm not the one that will get the glory anyway!

They Aren't Enough Either

As a stay-at-home mom, there are times I can feel lonely.  I get used to not talking to another adult all day that sometimes I still don't say much to my husband in the evenings.  OR I can get time with another mom during a play date and end up talking her ear off because I don't remember talking to another human outside my family.  But often, even after a great girls' night or one of those play dates, my soul is still lonely.  "Loneliness is meant to be an invitation to draw closer to God.  But our tendency is to try frantically first to meet that need in people, to prove to ourselves that we are lovable and funny and worthy of attention," (pg 106).

I'm going to admit that I crave and fear being known by anyone.  Vulnerability scares the living daylights out of me.  And even if we are vulnerable with others, nobody can completely know you or me the way Christ can.  He hears every thought (scary, I know) and knows all of your secrets (even scarier).  BUT! BUT He loves you anyway.  Our friends have nothing to prove because they are not meant to be our everything; He is!

"The lie is that good things like community, authenticity, confession can take the place of connecting with Jesus." pg 106

Your Turn

I could go on and on about the truths in this book.  I could share quote after quote.  But then I'd be writing a book too.  Instead, I want to tell you to RUN out and buy this book.  Grab a bunch of women you love to read alongside you.  And I promise you will be changed.

I want to share one last quote with you from the very last chapter. "As we step into His streams of abundance, we live in freedom and peace.  No more bondage.  No more striving.  No more performing," (pg 232).

Get your copy of Jennie Allen's brand new book, Nothing to Prove, here.

Disclaimer: I received this book for free as part of Jennie Allen's launch team for the book.  Erika Bault is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com

Erika

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2017: The Year of Contentment

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Happy New Year!  There are so many people talking about how rough 2016 was, and when I stop and think about it, 2016 was a rough year on my heart and spirit as well.  Yes, there was "THE election," racism, violence and celebrity deaths.  And yes, all of those things took their toll on me, but more than that, I just felt under attack spiritually.  The more I tried to grab a hold of simple, the further from my reach it seemed to get.  My 2016 was supposed to be "simple," but in 2016....

Simple Got Complicated

I wrote in the middle of the year about how I basically let "simple" get the best of me.  I wanted to do all of the "simple" things...all at one time.  I tried the KonMari method.  We got chickens to increase our own food production and self-reliability.  I not only increased the size of our garden, but I added another garden plot over on our 20 acres for pumpkins, zucchinis and two types of squash.  I canned and preserved more than ever.  And then I started following all of these wonderful "simple living" ladies on Instagram. That's when I started trying to buy all of the reusable/sustainable items they seemed to be using.

All of it got the better of me.  There was just too much "new"at one time.  I felt overwhelmed and completely inadequate.  Listening to the Erin Loechner (author of Chasing Slow) episode of The Happy Hour last week made me feel a bit better when even she admitted that we can get caught chasing slow living just as much as we chase fast living.  That's why....

2017's Word is "Contentment"

Contentment was my goal all along with my word choice of simple.  To me, simple living means living with less stuff, obligations, and busyness in order find joy and contentment in everyday life.  Being content doesn't mean not trying to live better or differently, but it does mean finding joy where you are, with what you have.  Last year, I let too much of my identity be defined by how we were living and what we had.  Clearing clutter and growing my own food were as much status symbols to me as a brand new Gucci bag is to others.  I felt that if I didn't use the same green cleaners or light beeswax candles at dinner that I was doing "simple" wrong.  But what I was doing wrong was letting my outer life, determine my inner, spiritual life.  I have shared this quote from Richard Foster multiple times here on the blog and I'm going to do it again and again until I fully grasp it!  He says, "The Christian discipline of simplicity is an inward reality that results in an outward lifestyle."

Plans for Contentment

This year, I don't plan on sharing monthly goals or updates necessarily like last year.  Honestly, doing these posts added pressure to my "simple" year and left me feeling even worse when I didn't get them finished or done the way I had set out to do them.  However, I do plan to share with you some of my inner discoveries and book reviews throughout the year.

Today I started Nancy Ray's Contentment Challenge, where I will try to go three whole months without buying anything that is non-essential.  That means no new home decor, clothes, craft projects, books, etc.  I'm honestly terrified of admitting to doing this challenge publicly, lest I should slip or give up.

It's only the first day and I'm already "itchy" knowing I can't buy anything.  The other day I saw new stuff at the Target Dollar Spot (my kryptonite) and I bought a few things just because I knew I was going to work on this challenge.  The challenge is meant for us to look at our lives and to find meaningful pursuits in place of using shopping to fill any emotional void we have.  If you want to hear about my progress, sign up for my newsletter, where I plan to share most of the thoughts I have about the challenge.  And please pray for me y'all!

Later this week I will also share with you my reading list for this year.  I have about 16 books that I'm going to work through this year that focus on contentment and simple living.  I honestly could have chosen so many more, but I think these are the ones I'm most excited about.

Adding a Memory Verse

And I'm adding a Bible passage to commit to memory this year as well:

" I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.  I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength." Philippians 4:11-13

I didn't do this in 2016, so I hope that by finding scripture to ground me in my word choice will keep me from veering off of the path I want to pursue this year.

Your Turn

I'd love to know what word you've chosen for the year or what goals or resolutions you have.  Do you have any book or Bible study suggestions?  Let me know in the comments!

Disclaimer: Erika Bault is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com

Erika

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The Rewired Brain

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By nature, I am a pessimistic person.  I usually see things glass half empty and will jump to the worst case scenario when things don't go exactly as I have planned.  This is why I was interested in The Rewired Brain by Dr. Ski Chilton.

The Negatives

Like I said, I'm negative by nature, so I thought I'd start with the things that I didn't love about the book.

This Rewired Brain is a mixture of science and faith, but the science language is what dragged me down.  Dr. Chilton did a good job of not using science-specific jargon where he could, but there are times when it is simply unavoidable.  This was not a book to curl up with an hour before bed when you were tired.  You needed your full brain to be engaged in order to truly understand what Dr. Chilton was explaining.

Only a third of the book really tells you HOW to rewire your brain.  The other two-thirds is background on the brain and then examples of what can cause you to be negative or react without thought in the first place.  I got bored with the book, honestly, before I got to the HOW part so I didn't spend much time trying the tips out.  I was excited about them by the time I read through them.

the-rewired-brain

The Positives

I do like how Dr. Chilton tried to marry the idea of science and faith when dealing with changing our behavior.  He did a thorough (maybe too thorough) job of explaining brain circuitry and the WHY of many behaviors.  Realizing why we act the way we do is the only way we can truly find it in ourselves to want to change.  But we need help to change, and Dr. Chilton shares this as well.  He talks a lot about prayer and how we must lay down our negative behaviors at the feet of our God and pray for Him to change us.

The stories, examples and imagery that Dr. Chilton used in the book were also helpful.  They helped to keep me somewhat entertained in the book.  Dr. Chilton is also very vulnerable in his own struggles and why he chose to pursue the research needed to be able to write this book.  You can tell when a writer believes in the work and is being honest with you, and I felt that with Dr. Chilton.

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All in All

I rated The Rewired Brain as three stars on Goodreads.  It was okay. This isn't a book that I will probably refer back to often, if at all, but I'm glad I read it.  There are things about my negative behaviors that I understand better now.  If you are a chronic pessimist or have anger issues, I would recommend this book, but if you're just trying to change some minor habits, I would look elsewhere.

Disclosures:  I received this book from Bakers Books for Bloggers for this review. Erika Bault is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com

Erika

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Turning 30 Final Goal Check-In

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Full & Simple Turning 30 Featured

I'm back after a long hiatus to share my final check-in of my ten turning 30 goals.  The time away was needed.  I needed time to renew my mind and remember what Full & Simple meant to me and why I started.  In order to live out what that means for our family will take a bit of time. In the next couple of months, I'm going to be finishing up some projects and transitioning off of a few committees and things like that, so I will still probably blog a little less than I had been.  It is my plan to come back in 2017 full force with a renewed vision for Full & Simple and our life here on the farm.  I think you'll be excited about some of the things I'll be able to share with you next year!

In the meantime, on to the check-in!

Goal #1: Read More

Progress: I have surpassed my reading goal for 2016, which was 25 books, by reading 28.  Since I set my goal last October, I've read 31 books.  Honestly I'm a little surprised by how big that number is!  I don't know if I've ever read so many books in a year.  I have slowed in my reading these last few months.  From the time we start canning until after Christmas usually seems like a blur.  I'm ready for snowed in nights of reading with little stress of "busyness."

Some of my favorite books from the past year were:

Full & Simple Turning 30

Goal #2: Continue Going to Yoga

Progress:  I've been going to yoga every Monday night when I can.  There was a span where I was in Hawaii and then my husband was on travel that I didn't attend, but other than that, I love it too much to not go.  I really hope to be able to start attending regular classes and figure out a way to practice at home without kids thinking that plank position is "climb on momma" position. LOL!

Goal #3: Lose the Baby Weight

Progress:  This did not happen.  Honestly, I've made very little effort.  We do eat a lot of vegetables, but we also like our cream and cheese.  I'm still a Mountain Dew addict, but I have found some La Croix flavors I like that I've been stocking at home to prevent my urge of making sweet tea since I don't buy Mountain Dew for home.

Goal #4: Learn Italian

Progress: I haven't done anything with my Italian since last month.  I've not been very productive honestly.  Busyness and just the emotional fatigue from social media and the election had me craving Netflix during my down time instead of anything worthwhile.  Hopefully, that will change soon!

Goal #5: Take a Cooking Class

Progress:  I didn't finish this for two reasons.  One was not having time when they offered classes that interested me.  The other was not liking the classes they offered when I did have time.  They do have a Christmas in Provence class in December that looks like fun!

Full & Simple Turning 30 (2)

Goal #6:  Make Time for Play

Progress:   This is a constant struggle for me as an introvert.  When I have time to do things other than the tasks that need doing, I usually prefer to spend some time alone.  I am trying to include the kids in my daily tasks more.  I'm also realizing that the kids don't necessarily need hours of play from me.  Fifteen to twenty minutes a couple times a day seems to do wonders for their attitudes.

My husband and I went on a date for my birthday.  We had sushi and saw Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, which I didn't love.  It was so different from the book!  I know that with the holidays coming, that date night probably won't happen much.

However, I am planning on reinstating pizza and game night now that its getting dark earlier and we aren't working outside as much.

Goal #7: Develop a Signature Style

Progress: I'm still working through Hayley Morgan's No Brainer Wardrobe course.  I've gotten rid of even more pieces since my initial purge when I was reading The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up.

I've also stopped my regular subscription to StitchFix.  Trying to create a capsule wardrobe has caused me to be extremely picky with my wardrobe choices.  I'm hoping to only have 35-40 pieces for fall/winter, with some of those pieces being wearable year-round.  I just seemed to be keeping nothing from my fixes because of that.  I would get pieces that I liked, but I was having a hard time getting things that I loved enough to include them in my 35-40 pieces.

Goal #8:  Master the Top Knot

Progress:  DONE.

Goal #9: Continue Making our House Our Home

Progress: I have made progress here.  Sometimes its hard to feel like it but I can see major differences when I look at pictures from a year ago.  I've had our great room painted.  We've sold the oak dining set and bought new chairs and are making a reclaimed wood table.  I've gotten a "new" TV stand.  I created a little office for myself and my crafting and blog projects.  And I've purged a lot.  I'm starting to be able to breathe with the open spaces.  We (meaning my husband) also built our gorgeous chicken coop.

There are definitely times I look around and wish we had more changed or finished.  I can easily get discouraged by the blue tile in my kitchen that probably won't get changed any time soon, but there is progress.  And sometimes we just have to force ourselves to focus on that instead.

Goal #10: Make Bible Study Part of My Daily Life

Progress:  "I blame my lack of staying on track with this on our lack of routine, but really its probably me just being lazy instead of intentional with the downtime that I have.  It's so much easier to watch another episode of whatever Netflix show I'm on than to open my heart and use my brain to study the Word.  Not pretty and a little embarrassing, but its the truth."

That was my update from last month and it's still sadly pretty true.  I did however finish the Seamless study by Angie Smith.  I HIGHLY recommend it to anyone that is looking to understand the Who, What, Where, Why and When of the Bible instead of just the meanings of texts.  Angie did a wonderful job of helping me learn lineages, authors and other factual information.  For so much of my life I listened to the stories, but never paid attention to who wrote them down, when they happened or why they mattered in the broad view of the Bible.  I will honestly probably go back to this study again and again, because there is just so much to learn from it.

Progress over Perfection

So there you have it!  I didn't accomplish everything, but I'm human.  I was talking with a friend about being disappointed that I hadn't met all of my goals and that I was embarrassed to share that with you all.  But she told me, "We don't want to read about someone who is perfect.  We want to read about someone like us."  So, to everyone that hasn't met a goal on time, let's keep trying and know that "Progress over Perfection" really is better than not trying at all!

Disclaimer: Erika Bault is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com

Erika

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Falling Free

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Falling Free by Shannan Martin reminded so much of Anything by Jennie Allen in the best ways.  And like Anything, it took me a while to get through Falling Free.  Both books are a punch you in the gut, step on your toes kind of wonderful and that takes time to process.  Allen and Martin offer up everything they own and everything they are to God and He does amazing things with them, through them and for them.  But while Allen's calling led her to lead a national women's organization, Shannan Martin and her family were called to a transitional neighborhood in a town in northern Indiana.

After selling their dream farm, Martin and her family move into their new neighborhood and learn what true community is.  It is here in this "mostly brokeness and decay" that she found her oldest son Robert, a boy with a record and children of his own, but with a heart for generosity.  It's here that Martin relinquishes perfect dinner parties in pursuit of true community in yoga pants with tacos.

The community that Shannan writes about scares me.  It's messy and doesn't always play by the middle-class rule book.  This type of community can feel like it takes more than it gives.  The people you surround yourself with may not, and probably should not, look and think like you.  But this is Jesus's type of community.

Outcasts, liars, thieves, and self-centered hypocrites to name a few.  These are the types of people that Jesus frequently had dinner with.  Honestly, Martin points out at one point that Jesus was the epitome of everything that a controlling hostess would NOT want in a guest.  He'd just show up and invite a few extra people.  The thought of this just makes me sweat!  And I realized how unprepared my heart would be if I was lucky enough to meet Jesus just walking in the grocery store.

"You want to come for dinner TONIGHT?!  And you want to bring how many friends?  Is this a pitch-in?  I don't have that kind of grocery budget!"

Yep.  That is what my side of the conversation would probably look like.

falling-free

Falling Free is the kind of book that forces you to make these realizations about yourself.  The problem is that now I know.  While listening to Joyce Meyer one time, I remember her saying something to the effect that God does not hold us responsible for the things that we don't know, but that once we know them...well, then He expects us to do better.

The good news is that Martin gives amazing advice  along with personal anecdotes to make doing better easier.  I love her sharing of imperfections and failures along with the lessons that they've taught her.  It is so much easier to accept a message from another human being instead of a perfect, spiritual robot.  If only I lived closer, I would totally buy Shannan a cup of coffee and hopefully talk for hours.

I know that this book is only the first of many for Martin, because I think we are craving this message of community.  More and more I think we want to throw off the Pinterest-worthy lives and just live together.  But we're afraid of the mess, of the vulnerability.  Books like Falling Free by Shannan Martin can help us to be brave, not because she shows that it isn't messy, but because she shows you that messy might just be what it's all about.

"My Jesus blesses the poor and spits our what the world values.

He demands that I love my neighbor--my orphan neighbor, my starving neighbor, my imprisoned neighbor, my living-off-the-system neighbor--as much as I love myself.

I want this, I do, but there are still days I try hard to convince myself I've let go of enough, that I've met my quota. [...]We all just want to feel something.  That' why we overeat, overspend, overcommit.  We're numbed by our antiseptic standard of what a "good life" requires, so we squeeze it's limits hoping to feel---respected, envied, cool, capable, smart, proud.  It doesn't really matter; we're just so tired of the status quo.  We're tired of this crushing restlessness.  Our bones and our souls ache with wanting, but our remedies are all wrong."

pg63 Falling Free

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Disclaimer: Erika Bault is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Erika

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Turning 30 Goal Check-In: Months 10 & 11

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I'm turning 30 next month!  What?!  How did this year go so quickly.  And how did I miss a month of updates?  Technically month 11 isn't over yet, but I'll be in Hawaii next week and don't plan to be blogging. (wink, wink!)

Things here have become so un-routined.  I think that this is worse than being busy.  There's no rhythm to the days really.  We've really just been in go-mode trying to finish up summer projects and get things ready for my in-laws to come and house-sit and stay with our kids, so that we do what needs to be done whenever.  The only thing that is really sacred in our day is when John takes a nap because I won't get anything done with a fussy, clingy toddler.

All of that to say....the progress is minimal.

Goal #1: Read More

Progress: Since I checked in last, I've finished The Light Between Oceans and Falling Free by Shannan Martin which launches tomorrow!

Three things made me want to read Shannan's book  originally.  1) Emily P. Freeman recommended it.  2) The cover is the perfect shade of green.  3) Shannan and her family live in Indiana!  And the content turned out to be fantastic.  I'll have a full review for you tomorrow!

falling-free

Goal #2: Continue Going to Yoga

Progress:  I've been to class every time these past weeks as far as I can remember.  I love it!  It's my plan that after we get back from Hawaii to get back into a routine and add in more "on my own" yoga here at home.

Goal #3: Lose the Baby Weight

Progress:  No gain or loss this month.  However, a tropical vacation may be in my future in September, so I need to kick the weightloss into gear!

Goal #4: Learn Italian

Progress: Duolingo says I'm still 9% fluent.....I've practiced like twice.

Goal #5: Take a Cooking Class

Progress:  I don't think that I'll have this completed before my birthday, BUT there is a Holiday Wines class in November and a Christmas in Provence class in December that look like fun!

Goal #6:  Make Time for Play

Progress:   I've been trying to not necessarily "play" with the kids during the day, but simply include them into what I'm doing more...which is a task for me the control freak.  It's more my style though.  I have a hard time making plastic ponies talk to each other...

Even though Hawaii is a business trip for my husband, it's just the two of us going and we have a few days to do fun stuff.  We're planning on visiting Pearl Harbor and I'm trying to convince him that we NEED to swim with sea turtles even though I'm not much of a swimmer.  Turtle are my FAVORITE!  Plus we wear life jackets the whole time.  And I'm hoping for a luau.

Goal #7: Develop a Signature Style

Progress: I have signed up for and started Hayley Morgan's No-Brainer Wardrobe Course (the class is closed until spring, but here is her ebook).  Again, planning to really dive in once we get back from vacation.

Goal #8:  Master the Top Knot

Progress:  DONE.

Goal #9: Continue Making our House Our Home

Progress: My office/craft room is pretty well complete for now.  I need a few more storage items, a piece of art to cover the ugly electrical panel and maybe a small bookshelf.  As soon as I can get over to IKEA, I will buy the desk I want instead of the folding table I'm using now, but I just can't justify $350 shipping for a $70 desk, so I'm making due.

Full & Simple Office/Craft Room

I'm still editing things out around the house.  I still fell like things need to be more minimal and clean around here.  It's just getting harder to part with things now that I did the initial purge.

Also, you can find all of my fall decor in this post.  I love being able to decorate for the seasons.

Full & Simple Fall Home Tour 2016 (7)

Goal #10: Make Devotions & Bible Study Part of My Daily Life

Progress:  I blame my lack of staying on track with this on our lack of routine, but really its probably me just being lazy instead of intentional with the downtime that I have.  It's so much easier to watch another episode of whatever Netflix show I'm on than to open my heart and use my brain to study the Word.  Not pretty and a little embarrassing, but its the truth.

Progress over Perfection

I could easily get discouraged about the lack of progress in some areas, but that won't change the past.  All I can do is to take a deep breath, realize that at least some progress was made in almost every goal on my list, and just keep trying.  I will never be able to simply check most of these goals off the list as "done."  They are goals about how I want to live, and hopefully, my life is far from done.

Disclaimer: The above post does contain referral and affiliate links which means if you use the link and decide to purchase an item, I receive a little money at no extra cost to you to help keep the blog going.  Thanks

Erika

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