Sharing My Favorite Bits ... YSM ... Chapter Two

Chapter Two ~ Creating An Authentic Home

I loved this chapter ! It is bursting at the seams with inspiration. I'm just scanning it now and my eyes ran over this ... " If your days feel chaotic and you are constantly running late for everything then you need to rethink your strategy." Strategy ... Systems ... Organization. I love it all !!

My best friend Shay and I have a little joke, completely at my expense, about my systems ! I ALWAYS have a system. Years ago, she and I took a totally spontaneous road trip from Colorado to Nevada and then onto California and back ! Single, both jobless, armed with credit cards we hopped into her old jeep and headed out for, well, truth be told, I don't remember how long ! At one stage, I was driving, and she was laughing about my system (or my set up, I think she called it then) ! I had a box of Bugles resting on the dashboard and a can of Squeeze Cheese on the steering wheel - it made it easier to squeeze the cheese into the Bugles so that I could eat while I drove ! Multi-tasking never stops for me ! Don't tell Rory I was doing that while I was driving !! (or the police !) (or my children !) I promise I don't do it anymore !! I can't get Bugles in Australia !!

Oh dear, I'm totally sidetracked ...

There are so many facets to this chapter. You'll have to read it for your self but one thing that rang true with me is that my home should be an extension of who I am as a person. I love that. I think that my home comes pretty close to doing that ... with different parts reflecting the different family members.

My home looks lived in. It isn't immaculate. It's organized, but not spotless. I like that. I hope it makes people feel comfortable when they visit. I should do a little blog tour of my home. I will. But don't expect it any time soon ... Maybe after the new year ! If you feel like touring a beautiful home in the mean time, you can visit my friend Khrista and the recent blog tour of her home in Alaska. I think that Khris's home reflects who she is ... in so many ways ! I love it ... I can't wait til I can visit her home in real life one day !!

And I'm sidetracked again. See how easily that happens ?

Jodie talks about something I'm sure we all are guilty of ... saving things for "sometime special" ... but does that sometime special ever come ?? This is something I have to remind myself of often and I loved being reminded of again as I read this chapter. I'm trying to change my mindset to this ... "EVERY DAY IS SPECIAL !!" And you know, I really believe it is, so why not treat it that way ?

She talks about special spaces in the home - for you, for the kids. Gardens, organization, loving and using what you have. It's all there !!

If you know me well, or even if you have been reading my blog for a while, you'll know that I love a good quote. Well, I'll leave you with a gem from this chapter ! Something we all need to start doing ...

"Count your blessings daily and resist the temptation to look around you for evidence of lack in your life." Jodie Hedley-Ward

All for now. I'll be back with Chapter Three soon ...


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Chapter One ... The Real, Most Wonderful You
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