Guarded Excitement and De-Cluttering!

It's raining here today. After days of unseasonable joyful sun we have been visited by oppressive grey clouds heavy with a persistent surly rain. Enough to drive you indoors for the duration . A pleasant relentless noise. 

A navel gazing sort of day.

Maybe it is the rain, which seems to induce introspection  or maybe it is just the timing. Yesterday we signed a contract on a new family home . 
A lovely old house with more than enough bedrooms, a cupboard under the stairs, a big gas cooker and butler's sink in the kitchen a cubby at the bottom of the garden and an old disused well. It is in a little town 15 minutes from the city and next to the library which is across the road from two big parks. The front was a former cafe which allows for some interesting possibilities.

The bank is positive but they have been positive before and delayed  and delayed and then said no. 
We planned everything and they said no. 
I can't feel content until the contract is unconditional and the finance approved. 
The feeling has echoes of waiting until you are twelve weeks pregnant before telling everyone and feeling safe. 

In the meantime we are de-cluttering which is really just throwing away junk rather than clutter. I tend to walk the fine line between "that will be useful one day." and "hoarder" but watching those shows on TV have kept me alert to the signs and as a positive result we don't have that much to clear! (I don't want to die under a pile of egg cartons and have my corpse eaten by the cat.)

Baby clothes are my worst clutter though.
I tried to keep on top of them. A couple of years ago I sat down to organise and donate all the tiny clothes my sons had worn and my dear beloved found me in the boys' room sitting in a see of musty onesies with tears rolling down my face. I couldn't bear to get rid of them. He assured me we had the room and could do it later if we wanted.
 Of course they have been sorted and washed and used for our surprise little baby girl afterwards but she is outgrowing so many clothes and I can't bear to get rid of them either. I don't know if I will ever say "This is our last baby" and cleanse the place of baby gear. My main argument against more than three children was the awfulness of people mover vehicles for large families but our old Mercedes estate wagon seats seven and the new house will have spare rooms...we will have to play it by ear, but the tiny clothes stay for now!

Life is becoming more manageable, it has been really hard graft getting it to this point. Light is shining at the end of the tunnel now.
I had better get packing for when it arrives.

Keeping it at a Dull Roar

I have to try to balance things carefully at the moment, they are really going well enough but at the back of my mind is a lurking awareness that it could all fall in a screaming heap what with the newborn, recovery from pregnancy and birth, two boisterous sons, a business to keep going, rental properties to try to rent and manage, blogging, trying to stay healthy and unstressed oh and a predisposition towards  anxiety and depression.
It's a challenge but it is going OK so far. Multitasking is the bomb right now. Breastfeeding and blogging, breastfeeding and meditating, breastfeeding and paying bills, breastfeeding and sleeping. Bubby goes in a sling which allows a bit of batch baking (biscotti, fruit bread, gingerbread). walking to the markets gets me exercise (for health and mental wellbeing), keeps the boys entertained and bubby soothed and the shopping done. Housework has always been minimal but I have found that many tasks only take 5 minutes and you can fudge some (sweeping the carpet under dining table when I do the kitchen floor anyone?). So far I haven't done more than 15 minutes at a time but Yoga is very important for my stress management and strength. I have found that the boys like to eat vegetables in front of the TV whilst I am making dinner, this suits me, if their appetite is spoiled it is spoiled by vegetables and makes me feel like I am trying to keep them as healthy as possible. They like to snack on frozen corn kernels and carrots as a rule and even ask for them if I don't hand them over but cherry tomatoes, cucumber and red capsicum go down well as well. 
I am tired now but honestly our little girl is pretty good at sleeping for a tiny girl so I am not complaining!

The sun pops out periodically and that makes things easier and lets be frank the odd Pizza doesn't go astray either.
I wonder what thrifty tips you could give me to make my life easier for now?

So Many Reasons to Smile

I have been a bit of a whinger of late. I have felt very sorry for myself but really I haven't got the right. (No- no gratuitous mummy guilt- bear with me!) So I am joining in with Kate Says Stuff with Thankful Thursday.
 Obviously anyone reading this has a lot to smile about compared to some of the (much smilier!) people in third world countries. what with having Internet access and all which assumes you also have shelter, can read and have access to clean water and easily accessible food. But really I have much more to smile about than my basic needs being met.
Today it is sunny which is beautiful and I intend to toddle about gratuitously in said sunshine shortly. Yesterday it was dismal and raining and I spent the afternoon wracked with pain in the hospital not having a baby, she was in the wrong position apparently but the good news is she is strong and hale and hearty and not in any distress and I am healthy too. I have beautiful funny, clever healthy strong children (who have started behaving like lemurs- did you know lemurs are VERY noisy?) that ask for vegetable and love reading books and doing physical activity (they also like having baths however I am less sold on them bathing when I see the state of the bathroom afterwards!). My husband is my best friend and is just wonderful- I get to spend each and every day with him as we run a business together. I can blog when I want in the quiet times.
Our CD player started working again so I can listen to all my old Cd's and dance which helps position baby and makes me feel good (Woo!)!
Here is a daffodil the boys planted:

All in all a lovely Spring is nearly upon us and we are about to welcome another strong beautiful child to the family. We are all healthy and well and resilient enough to take what life throws at us. There's a lot to smile about!