This is us all in second hand outfits. All the kids outfits came from Value Village, and my dress I bought at some consignment store in San Fransisco years ago. I've only just been able to fit back into it recently. The 'second hand shopping only' has proved to be quite difficult in some aspects. It is so hard to find shoes for my older three children that aren't old and gross looking. I have found quite a few cute pairs for Violet, but it is easy when they are that young. Leif really needed boots, and after repeatedly searching out assorted thrift stores, I finally bought him new boots at The Shoe Warehouse. I did get them in the sale section for just 10$ though, and they are fantastic, high quality boots. I later bought Lilli some runners at Walmart, when I noticed the hand me downs she was wearing were falling apart. So maybe I won't be so strict about this whole thrift shopping thing. I'll make my best effort to try second hand first, and then if I can't find our needs, I'll buy new. Really, what is important to me is trying our best to consume less and really think twice before making impulse shopping decisions. Needs versus wants.

It is becoming quite difficult to find the time to blog regularly. I think about it all the time, and what I would like to write about, but my life is so ridiculously busy I would have to cut back on exercise or my evening tv time. I need the exercise for my escape and mental health, and tv time is at night for maybe an hour or two at the most. I do this because I am far to tired to do anything that takes any effort by 9pm. If  I could type faster or could vocally blog while I was driving that would be good. I do spend a lot of time in the car. 
 I am so busy because Lilli is back in full time school, Leif is in pre school twice a week, and aside from Miete's regular studies, she is attending classes four times a week, plus there are field trips, groceries, laundry, all the regular house cleaning I like to do, service, trips to mission weekly and all the extras. I'm not running as much as I would like to, and I've stopped going to yoga completely. I really miss it, but don't know where I could fit it in. There are many days where my meals are eaten standing at the kitchen counter, my only breaks are to use the toilet,and I often have Leif and Violet in the bathroom with me, and my paper doesn't get read. (A subscription I stupidly paid for because the sales man was cute). This is my life, but I also enjoy it for the most part. I am never bored, and I enjoy my children more now that life has a good routine. I love doing home school with Miete and feel like I am learning so many new things. It is so much better just having one child to work with. Lilli is having a great time at school, but finds the days to be too long. I wish Leif could attend preschool 4 days a week, so I could get more done. He is happy there because there is a train set.
Violet continues to be as charming and happy as ever, filling our lives with sunshine. We are complete!