This morning its Brrrr cold in Alabama at 28. I’ve got daughter snuggled in our old antique bed where it was piled with quilts, her room has so many windows its cooler on days like this, so when Daddy left for work, in she trodded at 12 to snuggle in.
This morning I am up for cleaning out our Master closet. This is stage two, where more ruthless sacking up is needed, giving away that which isn’t used and needed to those who can use it. I dislike a crowded closet and grew up with hooks on the wall in an antebellum home, so I do not see use for more than five or so outfits if they are chosen well. Currently there are still too many.
Dh and I had some difficult talks this weekend. We had done a good job of slowing things down during family time, but there was more to do. It culminated in a family meeting before church and the teens were given a chance for input on the stress causers. It was a good family meeting and we all left in better shape.
This week I am packaging Christmas for Oklahoma family so that Dh can take it when he leaves Friday. We did a shop yesterday to finish 4 presents we didn’t have yet and had a wonderful experience with 50% off sales and then additional coupons to get each gift for $6.99 or so. I was so thrilled. The teen boys 3 piece Joe Boxer flannel sets (shirt, boxers, pajama pants) were 5.99, usually 29.99 and our boys love them so that was very good. We have $200 budgeted for individual gifts for all ($200 total for 6 of us) and then we are buying one family gift for $300. We also have 8 extended family that will come out of that budget. Some of it is homemade (like Christmas dresses) and other things are purchased carefully. One purchase yesterday gave us a $25 gift card as a bonus, so that became a present purchaser. Another store had a free $25 card, so we found a $30 item and the $5 difference was our cost. That kind of thing. We’re almost done, two more things we have to find for son1 on the list at the price we want then its done. Christmas is 3 items or less per child at our home and usually one per mom and dad. Its about the gathering, food and fellowship of celebrating God, not anything else here.
We are changing our plans for Thanksgiving. Friday through Wednesday the younger boy and girl will be at their natural dad’s in Arkansas hunting with family there, and Dh will be in Oklahoma then I’ll pick up the littles enroute through Arkansas we will all meet at my dad’s for Thanksgiving lunch on Thursday. Chase will most likely return to his natural dad’s through the weekend to hunt, but my dad is 75, has cancer, and we want to get home when we can. Dh needs to be at his Grandad’s in OK as well, but grandpa is in the care center this week, so Dh will spend Fri- Wed in his town. A busy week to be sure…I hope Fri through Wed I get alot accomplished at home alone and at least a little down time as well.
I am planning, since our Christmas buying is over, that the weeks in December, I can take advantage of holiday sales and stock up food supplies with our grocery budget each week. I usually spend $55 a week, and right now have bought ahead, so I can use December 1-15’s money for stocking. Coupons have been great combined with sales. Yesterday libby cans were 50 cents, and I had a coupon for 3/50cents, so that got them down to 33 cents apiece. Aldi had a $10 off coupon, everything helps, then we have the cupboard to share as we find folks who need help.
God is good, I am thankful and that closet is waiting!

8:53 Five bags later and wallah! the closet floor DOES exist and its in perfect condition from all the protective layers of clothes, quilts! Man its hard to let go of things you know are “good” but you never wear….I am sticking to three rules:
1. I must feel wonderful and look flattering in it.
2. It must be matchable to more than one outfit
3. It must be without damage (well, unfixable damage)

that narrowed down 70% of the things I was iffing on.