Communication is Key

Today Scott and I sat down and had a talk with our roommate.  It can be hard to share living space, especially since Scott and I have children and a dog, and our roommate is a single guy, no pets.  We hashed a lot of things out, it was a good experience.  I certainly feel better about everything, and Scott says he does, too.  We have to work on being better about training the dog, and be clear with the kids and with our roommate about expectations.  Communication is key, as usual.  Sometimes it is just easier to focus on the negative, but then I have to live with the consequences of my negative energy, which in turn affects my family, which in turn affects me.  It can be a never-ending spiral of negativity, until someone takes a step to break it.  So even though it was hard for me personally to confront my roommate, afterwards, it was so much better!
     Scott and I are still working on cleaning the house today, focusing on getting the laundry all caught up and the dishes.  Well, the dishes are all done, since yesterday, actually, but I want to make sure they don’t get out of hand again.  We’ve done a good job on keeping up with them so far.  I’m just worried about what happens when we are both at work again. 
     Tonight we are going to have a chiminea.  We have a bunch of papers to burn, and an old cabinet that is falling apart for wood.  We invited over a friend, and we will have s’mores.  Yummy!  It’s not too awful cold outside.  I’m being deliberate about my activities today, choosing to have a relaxing evening before returning to work, instead of trying to cram in a bunch of meaningless tasks.  With my laundry being done, I will have clean uniforms, so will Scott.  The girls will have clean clothes all week.  Scott and I did plan a menu for the week, so we know what we are having for each meal, each day.  Shopping is being done by my roommate in exchange for cleaning. 
     I’m still excited about the yurt in the holler by our house.  We probably won’t be able to do any work on it today, but maybe tomorrow after work we can begin.  We did watch a video on vermicomposting and a video on the Loveable Loo.  Yea!  I’m kind of wondering if we could install a Loveable Loo on top of our existing toilet now in a way that would be easy to remove when we move, and would not be a permanent structure because we rent.  I guess we could just put some wood around the current toilet and put in a couple of stairs, and have the Loveable Loo on top of the old toilet.  Then we come to the next problem of not having a current compost bin to put the compost from the Loveable Loo.  We need pallets!
     It looks like Wednesday nights are going to be family meeting nights.  This Wednesday will the first.  Well, the first with Scott and Isaac present.  Tori, Abby and I have had meetings in the past.  We are going to talk about starting an electronics free time every week, starting with maybe an hour on Wednesdays.  We are so hooked on electronics, like me and the computer, the boys and their video games, the girls and their movies.  It’s a tough cycle to break, but we are making a step in the right direction.  I also don’t want the kids to feel forced into making these changes.  I want them to be as excited as I am to living a life that is fulfilling and fun and purposeful.  They are older, and they certainly have their own opinions about these things, but I want there to be a balance.  I don’t want to be the dictator of my family, and force them to do the things I want to do.  I also don’t want to encourage them to be little dictators and decide what is best for the family.  Communication is key, after all.  I suppose that is what I am learning about today.  Asserting myself, while still being attuned to the needs and desires of those around me.  Not only is my life a deliberate adventure, it is a permanently open school.  I love it!