Trip to Wisconsin

We took a last minute road trip with my parents to Madison, Wisconsin this last weekend and it was amazing. My parents wanted a weekend away from work, home, etc. and planned the trip. We hadn't planned on going, but the thought of Carson going to this amazing hotel with a cute little water park won all of us over and we tagged along. Carson and Dean did amazingly well on the trip. They were both so well behaved and had a blast at the hotel pool. The hotel also had family friendly rooms which was fantastic. The boys could sleep peacefully in another part of the room while Andrew and I hung out in a different part.

On Saturday, we got up early for breakfast and then headed out for a nice walk on one of the MANY walking/biking trails in the city. We picked one over by the University of Wisconsin and Lake Mendota and it was one of the best little walks I've ever taken. It was so lovely, and the weather was perfect. I've always loved Madison, but fell in love with it even more after this weekend. It was also super fun listening to the marching band practice for the upcoming game! On Wisconsin!!

Throwing rocks in the lake

After the walk, we had lunch at one of the many vegan friendly restaurants in town and it was superb. To have such a large selection of restaurants to choose from was awesome. That's not something that happens much in Springfield.... if at all.

Then, my favorite part of the trip happened. We went to a Farm Animal Sanctuary. Talk about an eye opening experience. We got to meet, pet, and hang out with some of the most amazing, kind, loving animals I have ever met. Cows, numerous pigs, goats, sheep, ducks, geese, chickens, ponies, donkeys..... my heart was so full seeing all of those amazing animals being cared for, loved, and saved from a horrible fate.

Before our Sanctuary Tour

I think the most amazing part of the visit for me was a 700 pound pig named Winnie. Winnie was saved because she escaped from a semi that was transferring pigs for slaughter. She got out of the truck, fell onto the highway, a couple took her and then gave her to the sanctuary to heal from her road rash and injuries. She was so sweet. A 700 pound pig is intimidating, let me tell you, but to get that close and look her in the eye and have her nuzzle you while you pet her...... so wonderful. The cows were the same. They were both over 1600 pounds but loved attention and being pet.
I did not take any pictures or videos while I was there because I wanted to truly be in the moment. I wanted to experience every second of the sanctuary and give my attention to the animals who fought for their lives. ♥ Some of the animals had way happier stories than others. Some were left blind, broken, bruised.... but they survived and are living happily in their forever home and that's what matters.

After the sanctuary, it was time to go back to the hotel to rest and have dinner. There was a pizza place that delivered amazing vegan pizza to our room and after that we all crashed hard.

The not so fun part of the trip was the day we left. We thought everything was fine. We were going to stop at Whole Foods and Shopko before we left town. Once we got to Whole Foods, Carson threw up in the parking lot. We didn't think much of it because he hadn't eaten at all that morning. He refused. So, we got him to eat some cheerios and saltine crackers and he seemed to be OK. At Shopko he was also fine. I got him some Tylenol though because he felt warm. We then headed home. We stopped in Janesville for lunch and he drank some Gatorade and had something to eat. We got back in the car and that's when things got bad. He threw up all over himself, his blankets, and Andrew. We immediately stopped and got him cleaned up. The rest of the ride home went OK since I wouldn't let him eat or drink.

Dean modeling a lovely cheesehead hat. 

Once we got home, we tried Gatorade again (a very small amount) and he threw up again. This time all over my mom. So, I put him to bed without anything else in his belly and he slept almost 12 hours, woke up, drank a little, kept it down, and slept for another 3 hours. Then another nap for almost 5.

Today, you would never know he hadn't felt good. Kids are insanely resilient. I didn't feel so well today and spent majority of my day in bed. Passing a sickness around is never fun.

Anyway, it was an amazing trip and I'm so glad we went. I really enjoy taking the boys to different places and I truly adore Wisconsin. I guess it's just in my blood. I would definitely love to live up there someday if ever given the opportunity.

Sunday Updates

I'm not having the best day since I woke up sick. I blame my coworker Nancy. She's had a sore throat and no voice all week..... and now I have it. Damn you, Nancy! My throat is on fire and I feel like absolute garbage.
However, moms don't get sick days so I'm just drinking lots of green tea and hot lemon water and taking DayQuil as I need it.

Not feeling well isn't stopping my minimizing either. I've posted some stuff on FB Marketplace for sale as well as started a donation pile.

Items I'm selling/have sold:
Breville Juicer
TV Trays
Glass Top Desk
TomTom GPS
Amazon TV Stick
Kitchen Table & Chairs

Items I'm donating:
A few wallets
Purses
Ulta Bath Robe
A glass roasting dish
Some toys
Clothes I haven't worn or don't even really like
Some Tupperware
Random dishes
Board games we never play
Hats&Gloves
My Cat

Ok, totally kidding about that last one. Maybe......
No, I didn't donate my cat. He's peacefully sleeping on the couch and so is the dog. They will always have a forever home here. ♥

Getting rid of stuff is so freeing. Even though I don't feel very good today, my mind is getting clearer and clearer. I want more stuff gone. Seriously, Andrew thinks he's next. It's not because I'm crazy, I promise, I'm just upset that I spent so many years putting the value of my life into the stuff I had. Keeping up with the Jones's. Why? I'm not trying to impress anyone. The only person I want to make happy is me and my family. I could care less what other people think about how I live my life and what I own. I'm passionate about things that other people aren't and that's ok! For me, owning less and having a more meaningful life is top on my list of priorities. And like I said yesterday, I can already tell a difference in my relationships and my daily life. It feels good.

Plus, selling stuff means money. Money in my pocket means more stuff (diapers & food) for the boys and more money to go into savings and pay off my school loan. Talk about something I wish I could sell. Ha! I'll sell my college degrees. Any takers?! They're damn expensive and were a complete waste of my time. I say that because I'm not passionate about what I went to school for and I don't use either of them. I have experienced and learned WAY more from working than I have from those degrees. College is great. I think everyone should have the chance to go if they want to. I, however, shouldn't have gone until I was sure what I wanted to do and that would have saved me tons, and tons, and TONS of money. Ugh. Lesson learned.

What are some things in your life that YOU could get rid of?
What would you do if you had more TIME?
What are you PASSIONATE about?

Minimalism

Lately I have been very interested in minimalism. I watched the documentary Minimalism: A Documentary and even before this documentary I was interested in a minimalist lifestyle. I also listen to their Podcast and am currently reading their book Everything That Remains: A Memoir. These two men have brought a lot of value to my life by educating me on what a minimalist life can do for me and my family.

Most of you know Andrew and I live in a very small house. It is a slab house (no basement or crawl space), 3 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, and is 864 square feet. We have two children, a dog, and a cat. A lot of people would think "Holy shit! I could never live in a house that small with that many people." But you can. In fact, I've entertained in this house and have done it comfortably because I don't own a lot of STUFF. I've been selling and donating quite a bit of stuff recently too which makes Andrew a little nervous because I am sure he thinks he is going to be next.

I want it to be known that every one's minimalist journey is different. What is minimal to me is not minimal to the next person. Some people are more extreme, while others can find joy with a little more stuff. That is fine! Every person and every journey is different. I have been going through our things since June and so far I can tell you the number one benefit for me from getting rid of stuff.

More time for the important things.

My kids. My husband. ME.

Not having so much stuff means I clean less. Like really. Think about how much you clean and "put things away". I don't really do that anymore because there's not much to be left out in the way. Everything is put away and what isn't takes me seconds to put up. Mostly toys.

Speaking of; kids don't need a ton of toys. I have been monitoring Carson's behavior and that little guy plays with the same 10 toys over and over again. Something new comes out and he shows interest.... but goes right back to his favorites. So, I've been boxing up the stuff he's not interested in. This is one of the reasons I have been telling family and friends not to buy any toys. I would rather my kids have books (not a lot...), clothes, experiences, or money put into a college fund. Hell, at this point I'd be happy if people bought me diapers and formula once or twice a month. We don't NEED more things. I NEED diapers. I NEED formula. I NEED groceries. Carson doesn't need a new toy or gadget that will end up lost, broken, or in a pile in his room to be forgotten and then donated.

I have empty shelves in my hall closet and in Carson's room. My closet shelf is also empty. I have no desire to fill it with more stuff. It's clean, it's not cluttered....... it's less stress.

Minimalism also goes really well with working Dave Ramsey's financial peace plan, weight loss, and being vegan. I've been saving so much money by cutting back on things we purchase, being mindful of what we do purchase, and using everything we purchase. I rarely throw food out anymore and I'm spending less because I'm buying food in bulk. Food that you can make stretch and is healthy and filling. Brown/wild rices, quinoa, barley, pasta, beans, frozen fruit & vegetables, nuts, and seeds.

I know this kind of living isn't for a lot of people, but if you're feeling overwhelmed.... take a look around you. Are you surrounded by things that bring you immense pleasure and joy? Things that make you go "I love this space and everything in it!" or "What could I do instead if I didn't have to worry about all of this stuff or have all of these distractions."

I will keep everyone posted on how our journey goes and things we have found helpful.

And since I haven't updated on our debt free journey in awhile, it's worth being noted that we have paid off over $10,000 of my school loan in a year. That makes me very proud. Especially knowing that I only work part time and we are still able to kick some major ass because we live within our means.