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As a mom of two young girls, I sometimes struggle with not seeing the forest for the trees. I get caught up in every day life and chores, and household tasks. While my oldest daughter is always keen to help with any task I’m working on (and has quite a few of her own to do) it’s also important for some strictly play time. She’s a curious and intuitive child after all!

All across pinterest and Facebook I see beautiful sensory trays. A rainbow of colored rice perfectly laid out for little ones. I thought it would be so fun to try that at home and give my daughter something to focus on for a little while… because let’s be honest, just washing dishes alone can feel like a break to a stay at home mom!

I decided to use quinoa instead of rice because my family isn’t too willing to eat quinoa. I LOVE it, but have to give it up for my diet. If you decide to try a sensory tray for your own child, I would recommend rice or some other larger medium. The quinoa is so tiny and it bounces when it inevitably hits the floor. Haha! We spent the afternoon vacuuming up every little grain that filled my cracks in the wood floor. I turned that into a fun activity as well! Who can vacuum up the most!

We started by filling 7 small bags with a 1/3 cup each of dry quinoa. Then we added a few drops of food coloring to each bag. I tried to stick with rainbow colors, because those are what she loves! Make sure the bags are closed TIGHT then let your child squish the quinoa (or hopefully rice if you’re smarter than I am 😂) into the coloring until it’s evenly distributed. When you’re happy with the color empty the bags onto a baking sheet and let dry. Once you can touch the grains without coloring coming off on your hand they’re ready to go!

We used some small ocean figures and small spoons/medicine cups for playing. My daughter is so interested in colors and matching right now, this was perfect for her. She matched her animals to the correct colors (other than the white beluga whale, who she said “Loves all the colors even though he is just white”) Matching didn’t take too long, and she quickly started using the small spoons to scoop and fill the medicine cups. This simple activity kept her occupied and focused for the entire afternoon.

Now something you may be wondering is what does the end result of this activity look like? No way will these colors stay separate and stay in the tray! You would be correct. It’s a mess on your floors, your chair, your table, your child, your ceiling somehow. Only kidding on the last one. Mostly. You will be left with a small sea of brightly colored grains. Instead of just tossing them out I used a funnel and filled a quart mason jar with the mixed colors. But now what?? What on earth can you do with a jar of colorful quinoa?? Initially the plan was to let my daughter keep it in her room because she thought it was so pretty. After showing my friends, one of them had an even better idea!

I took her advice and turned the collection of quinoa into a sensory jar. I gathered up some small trinkets (buttons, a ring, a tiny clothespin, a rubber bumper, a pearl, a small blue spool of thread, and a tiny black clip) and pushed them into the jar making sure to push them down as far as I could. Gave the jar some good shakes to mix everything up and it’s done! It’s an awesome calming down tool. My daughter can spend some time looking for the individual items inside the jar. Sometimes it’s just fun to watch (and listen to!) the quinoa rattle around in the glass jar.

This was a super simple, fun activity that ended with no waste- which I love! Using items and accessories I already had in my house I was able to create hours of fun for my toddler. That feels pretty great!

I’ve learned that minimalism isn’t about what you own, it’s about why you own it.

-Brian Gardner

Modern minimalism

It’s something we see everywhere thanks to social media. Perfect houses and beautiful possessions. Simple yet sophisticated aesthetic. I have spent so many hours on Pinterest looking at these gorgeous staged photos of a “minimalist” home. It’s impossible not to feel a twinge of envy. It’s made me think : someday, when I have more money, I’ll be able to buy those beautiful things. But is that really what being minimal is about?

Is it really minimal to replace everything you own with more aesthetically pleasing possessions? Even if they are more sustainable versions?? I have so much passion for being sustainable and contributing less to waste…. but I lack the funds to buy the trendiest replacements.

As I’ve gone through everything we own and use in our own home I’ve really come to see how much we have. And while yes, some things are better replaced with a more sustainable version, many of the things we use are fine the way they are. Remember back in the 90’s (and maybe 80’s,too) when all we heard was “Reduce Reuse Recycle”? Somehow as the years have gone by it’s become more about trends and consumerism. The first step is supposed to be “reduce”. That is becoming more of my focus.

What reducing looks like

For me it is really about assessing what I already have. Getting creative with the functions. It’s so tempting, especially with online shopping, to just buy whatever we want on a whim. And it’s easily justified by looking at it as an eco friendly alternative to something we already have. But anytime we purchase something- we create waste. In one way or another. I absolutely believe reducing our consumption should be the main focus in becoming more minimalist.

I was inspired one day to make an experimental soap. I wanted to try piping roses for the top. Now I’m order to pipe something on top I needed a loaf type mold. My usual creamer container (at least the way I’ve always used it) wouldn’t work because the top of each bar wouldn’t be exposed in the mold. It would have been incredibly easy to hop on the internet and order a loaf mold. But I’m so glad I got creative and thought of a way to make what I already had work. I took the cream container (the same I always use) cut one side and the top off, butted up another cream container to the cut off end and taped in place. It cost me nothing. It’s not the prettiest set up…. however, it worked perfectly for what I was making!

How I “make do”

When I first started using Pinterest, almost everything I saw was DIY projects. How to use what you had to make something else. It was so inspiring! Now it seems like my feed is mostly products to buy. And that makes me so sad! So many days I’m inspired to create something in my home and I don’t have the exact items. I love to be able to turn something that’s not being used into something amazing. One of the projects I took on was actually one of the simplest. I wanted a bed skirt for our bed, and didn’t have one. Bedskirts are pretty much available at any Walmart. It’s not like they’re difficult to find 😉 But I wanted to create a “farmhouse” feel while at the same time not go out and buy anything. Using some scraps of dropcloth I had leftover from another project I got the look I was going for! All I did was cut the strips into the right width and length and tuck them under the mattress.

Honestly, sometimes the hardest part about being intentional is telling yourself no. No, we don’t need to buy this or that. Make do or go without. It’s a hard lesson, but one I think is important to learn. Everything is so easy now- click of a button. When we have to really think about purchases and be intentional with our choices we really take a step back. What is necessary? What’s just an impulse?

Simple ways to reuse

One of my favorite ways to reduce waste is to reuse everything! I wash out ziploc bags to reuse. I cut up my husbands ripped and torn shirts to use as cleaning rags. One of the things I’ve recently begun reusing is the little ads we get in the mail. Seems weird, but it works. My three year old is fascinated by scissors, so I’ve made her a cutting station on our dining room table. She has a tray, her little scissors, and any mailed ads and used coloring books. She gets to practice cutting to her hearts content (which is sometimes hours 😳) and those papers which will be recycled anyway get to have a second life. I mean, it’s not a great life if you’re the paper… but it is what it is. Haha

Creating a calm space

According to the World Economic Forum- 275 million people worldwide suffer from an anxiety disorder. I am one of them. Having a lot of clutter in my life can really make that harder to deal with. I wanted to be sure to mention this, because I do love the minimalist aesthetic. Creating spaces in my own home that stay tidy and simple gives me some calm in my otherwise chaotic life. I really try to keep things simple and only use what’s necessary. But I won’t do that at the expense of having to repurchase things when I need them. There needs to be a balance and I really think that’s where being intentional in your life comes into play. If you can take a look at the things you buy and the things you use, really look at them, you can make a difference in your own life and ultimately in the world.

Why I chose to follow this tradition

If you’re here strictly for an Advent Calendar idea you may want to scroll down to the bottom of this post!

I’ve gone back and forth for a little while on what to post this week. We’re into December now- the busy season for most people. Holiday parties, family gatherings, endless activities and events make up this entire season. Just the thought makes me feel anxious! The work involved in making this season “magical” puts so much stress on me as a mom. Honestly, a part of me would rather do away with the majority of the holiday.

What is the reason?

As I began to mentally prepare myself for the job of providing endless holiday cheer for my children, I had a thought. Why?? Why am I doing this? Because I have to? It’s just expected of me? Because it’s Jesus’ birthday for crying out loud?? This is the first year in my life as an adult where I’m actively questioning the things that I do. I am really trying to get to the intent and the purpose. What is the reason? Maybe not surprisingly my answer wasn’t “because it’s Christmas!”

I was raised in a Christian home. My husband was raised in a Christian home. He grew up with Santa Claus- I did not. I struggle with the manipulation aspect of Santa. “Be good or no presents!” “Good girls get gifts, bad girls get coal” “He sees you when you’re sleeping….” ( Does no one else find that creepy??) I believe in being honest with our kids. I also believe it’s important for kids to have a sense of wonder and excitement. So this became a bit of a struggle for me.

My oldest is only 3 1/2, but she’s at the age where she is beginning to understand the reasons behind things. I think it’s so important that we nurture that in her! Instead of telling her just to behave for a reward, I am modeling the behavior that I want to see. Part of that included taking myself out of my comfort zone. Looking at the big picture and making a compromise.

So what does any of this have to do with anything??

Being intentional isn’t always easy. It doesn’t just come flowing out of you. I have needed to take a step back and sometimes take myself and my past experiences out of the situation. Whether or not the holiday season as it’s become causes me stress isn’t as important as I initially thought. What is the big picture? This is a time in the year where many different religions have some overlap. It’s a time for celebration! A time to be kind, to be grateful for the things you have, and to think of others before yourself. But it’s also a time to experience some joy and excitement! I didn’t want to be so focused on putting a message across that I lost sight of what this feels like to a child.

I started by writing out a list of “winter time” activities. Sledding, making gingerbread houses, decorating the house etc… all of the things you look forward to at Christmas time as a child. Then I began sprinkling in some activities or thought provoking questions (age appropriate of course). What does it mean to be kind to someone else? What is one thing you can do today to show someone you care about them? There is a family about an hour from us who lost everything in a house fire. My 3 year old doesn’t know what that kind of loss would feel like… but she’s capable of thinking of things we use everyday that they may need. So we have started making that list.

Making Christmas magical- and intentional

I decided to try my hand at making an Advent Calendar this year. It felt like I could combine the message and the joy best this way. I used regular envelopes I had at home and cut them in half so they were square. On slips of paper I wrote down an activity/ act of kindness for every day leading up to Christmas. A simple green velvet ribbon and some small clothespins keep the envelopes in order. My husband clipped a piece of an evergreen branch and I added a pine cone for the decoration on top. Very simple. Very minimal.

Every morning my daughter happily takes an envelope down and is so excited to see what’s inside, to find out what it is we’ll be doing today. And whether or not it benefits her in anyway doesn’t matter. She’s just as excited about building a snowman as she is making bird feeders so the birds who are crazy enough to stay in Northwest Wisconsin over winter aren’t hungry. There’s a bit of magic about it. And that makes my heart happy.