Simplifying

I realized today how I needed to write more often here. Just short little thingies when there isn't much time too. Which is often;)

Anyway, my husband & I started on a big step in the direction of our family yesterday. We worked on simplifying our lives some more. This may sound extreme, but that's what we needed, something extreme. We started packing up all of our kids toys. Now all of them aren't up yet. Still working on it while wearing Tallulah in my ergo. Their outside toys are still outside. We put stuff in the attic & on shelves in the garage.

 We have been discussing our family's happiness a lot lately. Well, for awhile. This constant growth we are doing together. Part of our, as a whole, happiness was being interrupted by bumping heads over cleaning. We always agreed our boys were great kids, but what were we doing wrong. They didn't appreciate their toys, they were always "bored" (we are very hands on parents too) & it was always a huge issue trying to get them to clean or for me to straighten up the house. It all consumed our days & stressed everybody involved, way out. We would take toys away for them to earn back. They didn't care. They had many more. Blah blah blah, after enough fights, we decided we would pack up the toys. The boys eventually helped even. 

We realized our boys were missing out on too many valuable lessons. We were too! I put up more stuff with Boone while Luke was at his nature day camp today. When I told Luke what we had been up to he smiled (possibly not believing me). I explained there would be less cleaning. Better yet, less fighting over cleaning. He was very pleased with the thought of that. John & I too! Not sure what I'd been thinking all this time. My expectations in our kids were insane! I also have to add that they had WAY too many toys. It was insane! I plan to still let them play with toys, but it will be one thing at a time. Like blocks or trains. Whatever they want, but I have to get it. Books will also stay out. I haven't really figured out exactly how I'll do it, but I'm already stoked. Today the boys just played outside & no fighting over toys & no fighting with my boys;) First day of no arguments in awhile. This all seems so silly, but I'm way stoked. More crafts with less cleaning!!