Atmosphere Thursday ~ Sounds & Melodies

*Ergo Baby Carrier ($105 value) giveaway ends tonight! Enter here!*

This week, I've been noticing the power sound has in our home atmosphere.  Our four kiddos are all recovering from sickness.  Now this week, our cabin has all the symptoms of fever -- stomping feet, volatile shrieks when 20-month old tries to reclaim from 4-year-old what she believes is rightfully hers...  Our cabin has been spiked with way too much whine.  It's energy-sucking, I tell you; definitely not the home atmosphere I'm going for.

It never ceases to amaze me how quickly music can change an atmosphere.  Within minutes, our home can transform from hair-pulling madness to quiet playfulness.  After a quick flip of the switch, suddenly edifying melodies are filling our ears and things start to calm down.  I began to do some sound inventory throughout the past few days.  What kind of sounds was I releasing?  Was I too lazy to get up from where I was to instruct my 8-year-old to lay out her clothes for the next day that I yelled from across the house instead?  And did I have to yell extra loud so I could be heard over the tantrum 20-month-old was throwing because she wasn't allowed to use scissors?  How much am I tuning out in attempt to maintain sanity?  How does what I allow to be released in our home effect the atmosphere of a friend's house when we come over and my kids continue to manifest... not fun behavior that I haven't yet dealt with?  These are honest struggles in our home and I feel like I just gave myself a new mental workout regimen that feels appropriately strenuous.  What I do know is I can play a whole lot more music, for starters.  We don't have a TV, so we can't trim the fat off of that electronic conduit, but we do have a computer with kid's programs, and my son got a DS for Christmas, and I have loosened up on the amount of time the electronics we do have are being used in the name of recovery from sickness... and convenience... and faux peace.  Sure, my kids are quiet when they're engaged in a game, but what happens when they're unplugged?

Wow, I just got way more personal than I planned to.  That was an awesome self-pep-talk, though.  I'm actually glad we just went there.  I'm going to go turn on some peaceful tunes now...

Before I do and while we're on the subject of music, my next giveaway is a homespun offering of sorts.  From our home to yours, we're giving away a 3-CD collection of my husband's albums!  The giveaway should be up momentarily. :)

~ Take a gander at more Katie's Quick Home Keeping Tips Here. ~