Letting it go

I cleaned out my kids rooms and anticipated a bit of whining, begging and upset from removing so much. But instead I got happy playing noises, clean rooms and laughter. The baby can play in the bedrooms now. They have been sleeping in a fort for a week and they have voluntarily picked up their toys before getting out a new one. I am almost amazed! Then I started thinking... I lived in a 1930's home several years ago and was amazed at the lack of storage. Before that, we lived in a home built in the 1950s. It, too, lacked storage. But we were only the second owners of that '50s home. The first owners raised 3 daughters in that 2 bedroom, one bathroom house! I remember, as a middle child of 3 girls, asking "HOW!?" Now I get it... They didn't have the STUFF! I could hear my grandmother, "Shopping was a treat! A time to get dressed up and go 'downtown'. It was an event. Now a days, people throw on the nastiest garb they have to run into Walmart." So, here's my revelation... Each generation takes pride in providing their children with what they never had. Bigger, better things than they grew up with. My dad was raised in what is now the slums of Ft. Worth, a small house with little money. He then provided for me a much bigger house in the country and here I am trying to 'outdo' whatI had. So here's my chance. I will provide my kids with something I didn't have, but it won't be bigger. It will, however, be better. I will be home to nurture my kids. Their dad won't have to work overtime to buy them the latest and greatest toys, instead he will be taking them to campouts and car shows. We will enjoy family time, vacations, and making memories. What do you remember from childhood? The best memories? Was it getting a toy or the time you spent with a special loved one?

near and dear...

And we're back! I am entertained by all that I have tried since starting this blog. No microwave, no trash service, etc. What makes it so fun, is that we still have no trash service! I relented on the microwave during a rough pregnancy, but it isn't something I use daily. As I was reading our daily science lesson with my 9 year old, I was pleasantly suprised by his reaction as he read about food and chemicals. I showed him a brief clip of Food, Inc., to which he begged to watch the rest. It seems the little things we are doing is having an impact on my kids! One or two little things can make a bigger difference over time!! Our next big change will be coming within the next year! We are selling our 1850 sq.ft. house and down sizing. After looking at many house plans and renderings online, we have drawn up what works best for us, and I couldn't be more excited! Our new house will be a whopping 880 sq.ft. As you pick your jaw up off the keyboard and think how crazy I am, or ask where my things will go, I challenege you to think about the space you live in. How much of it do you use... I mean REALLY USE, not for storage. I have recently cleaned out my 4 years olds room. I removed 90% of his toys and went through them. I returned the costumes, legos, cars and a few other things. He has a shelf with five bins, each holding one type of toy. Legos, cars and Ben 10 things are in small container up high in the closet. Today he asked if he could play legos. I told him his room had to be clean. This was not a happy moment for him, but he did it. He even hung up his own shirts in the closet and it took him 15 minutes!! That's it! He didn't seem overwhelmed by the amount of junk on the floor. It was really a painless process! I will be doing this in the 9 year old's room soon!! No worries, though... we aren't just throwing things away and adding fuel to a future fire of questions that are sure to come. "Mom, where is..." I have stashed them, for now. He had 6 months to ask where specific items are. If he has a place to put them, unless they are broken, he can have them back. All that said, it is hard to think about the mortgage, especially the interest, we pay for storage... If we NEED the stuff, it would be cheaper to rent a storage unit or to build our own metal building to keep it! My home is where I live, not my stuff! In the next few months, I want to keep a careful eye on what I use and don't use. When the time comes, I will be having one massive yard sale!