Little treasures

Its the little things in life that make all the difference to the big things I think. This Mama often looks to the big and bold when things become a challenge and seeks to fix or change or throw something out and then 'it will all be better'. But time and again this proves me wrong and I see that its the little treasures, the small efforts, that make the difference. All that is required is a little shift in perspective and suddenly is seen afresh by this tired Mama's eyes.
This is how it has been for our home these holidays. Our $21 challenge finished up a couple of weeks ago and finally, finally, dear readers, I finished going through all our expenses for the past financial year.
And my what a shock! I knew that my penchant for books probably meant that I spent too much there. And I knew deep down that the delightful Sassy Road in Mount Beauty probably received too much of our loving cash (but oh my the clothes are amazing). But $1000 on books? No! $1700 at Sassy Road? Wow.
And that doesn't include the money I spent on my daily visits to our little supermarket or the coffees and 'cinos and treats...
*ahem*
All these little treasures certainly added up to a big overspend last year.
So the talk around our home lately has been about shifting our perspectives just a bit more. A bit more of a focus on relationships with people rather than things. A bit more love. A bit more homemade and upcycled. A bit more mindfulness and a bit more organisation. And all these little bits...well they might just shift the budget back in the black too. Its baby steps for us again - just like Bethany.
Further to this week's budget blasting are the challenges we help our own little treasures through on a daily basis. Like our overspending on expenses, Rosie often overspends her energies and is overwhelmed by emotions and how things feel on her skin. Her path through life is often complicated by her sensitivity - sometimes a blessing and sometimes a challenge - very much like this Mama herself. And sometimes we look (again) to big and bold changes and things to 'fix' Rosie so that she may feel calm and confident. AND again these are surprisingly dead ends that lead nowhere. For its little treasures that make this difference - a smile here, a cuddle there, reading a chapter of a book together, a hot drink or some fresh popcorn. These little things can break a stalemate and release the pent up emotional friction so that she may breathe freely again, even if only for a moment. Its these little treasures that this Mama works on each day.
And in her own way, Bethany struggled to breathe last week. As a virus took hold she was a miserable little one who needed lots of cuddles, help sleeping and multiple trips to our wonderful local doctors. And as we made our way through this illness together, it was the little treasures and attentions that brought us closer together and slowly brought her back to health.
Wishing you days full of little treasures with your little ones...

Our little treasures creating art together

Our budget spreadsheet - very exact and organised, but its what this Mama needs to take control of her spending!