to sort or not to sort, that is the question...

Every evening {well almost every evening} my two, wonderful, older boys, Brennan and Caleb, and I tidy their room for bed. And every evening {yes, every evening} their room looks like a bomb went off in there. Brennan's bed is covered in toys -- this amazing story and set -- and there are boxes half empty and overturned and piled.

And honestly? I get so incredibly frustrated.

You see, at night, I'll spend a good 30 minutes with them sorting through their toys and putting the right stuff back in the right boxes. Playmobil here, legos there, army men here, animals there, magnets here, and so on.

And every morning those sorted boxes get mixed up. Within minutes.

They don't really care about keeping the animals separated from the castle guys. All they see is this grand story incorporating all those toys. So they look for the perfect lego man, and the tiger at the bottom of the animal box and the piece of string that happens to be in the corner of the closet. For them, it's a story. Not a mess.

It gets me wondering.

Do I really need to have them painstakingly sort through each object every night? Does my love of organization and order apply to this room? Would it just be easier to purchase several bins and <gasp> let them just put the toys in them? We could still keep large categories {ah the organizing part of me just can't let it go} -- like legos, and animals, and then well, the rest could just get mixed. They can totally clean it -- but the sorting is overwhelming.

They're great boys. Make that awesome boys. I know that when they play in their room they're not pulling toys out to "frustrate mom and make a mess" -- no, they're using their imaginations, and playing with each other, and creating things, and letting their little brothers come in -- those little guys who enjoy emptying boxes -- to play with them.  And every night clean-up becomes this long and tedious and frustrating process.

I think I need to let go. And simplify their room. And their clean-up. And praise them for their play and for their work in cleaning. And just not need it to be "perfect" in my way.

How about you? Toys sorted? Or semi-sorted? Or the giant "just throw it all in there" toybox?

Let this organizing loving momma know so that I can breathe. It's just one room, right?

Next thing you know I'll be putting unfolded clothing in their drawers...

lift up those feet

A short post tonight.

who can resist those baby feet?
--------------

I love this progression of photos that Hannah took of my little Samuel.  It's a precious thing for a mother to see the bond between her children.  Little Caleb was pushing Samuel around in that old, red and yellow, Little Tikes car that I found at a garage sale years ago for only $7.  Samuel felt safe with Caleb -- he just let him guide that car around our back-yard.  His feet were up, and he was ready to go.

Lately, I've noticed a tendency to want to keep my feet on the ground questioning life -- not trusting as much.  It's almost as if I think I know a better way than the Lord.  So I plunk my feet down and try to determine my own path.  Then my freedom wanes -- and bitterness or worry or discontent or fear creeps in. I forget the verse in Jeremiah talking about how the Lord knows my plans and instead I insert my plans as the plans.

Then I'm reminded of the apostle Paul's journeys -- about the time it took him 4 years to get where he thought he could get in months.  Can you imagine?  Knowing the destination, and yet the path looked nothing like what he thought he had planned. Hmmm....it sounds suspiciously like life.  So instead of fighting the journey, I'm now in a place of trying to keep my feet up when I need to -- and trusting that He knows the route.

I love it when my children can teach me. 

Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul. Psalm 143:8

i love my ergo, the one-way pic, and the P's

Samuel asleep in my Ergo

As my family has grown I've found the need to babywear more and more. We're busy. Seven children under 14, homeschooling, yardwork, cooking, laundry, housework, playtime and more. And my sweet baby Samuel wants to be held. Who can blame him? A couple of years ago I invested in an Ergo babycarrier and wow...what a difference. I can carry my babies for longer spans of time without hurting my back! I had shoulder surgery twice when I was under twenty. Curious? I played basketball and had a shoulder that chronically dislocated. Grossed out? Nah...however, it still bothers me as an adult so I've had to be quite selective with what I placed my precious babes into. And I can tell you...this is the only carrier that works.

my ergo

Plus---
I love having my babies next to me.
I love having both hands free.
I love feeling them sink into my arms...feeling safe.
I love that I'm holding them, not just a swing.
I love that my baby can hear my voice as I read. Maybe "The Story of Ferdinand" to the youngers or "Johnny Tremain" to my olders.
I love that I can share this short time of baby-hood with him secure...next to me.

Baby wearers: what do you love?

________________________________________________

the one way

Ok. Here's a pathetic looking picture of our lone, small-town one-way. I took it on the way to my daughters ballet class. Which, by the way, we have many, many times in one week....so I drive this one-way many times as well.  See the post one ways for more info!!

___________________________________________________

I've been convicted to re-establish order and routine into my home. I'm a pretty laid-back person, but every once in a while, like when my baby turns about six months old, I start to realize that the "winging it" phase of newborn babies needs to be replaced with a tad more structure. But, I can tell you that I don't seem to have enough of "me" to go around. It seems as if I have 32 hours of things to accomplish in a 24 hour day.

I'd love to start a conversation about planning and priorities. Overwhelm is an emotion that tells us that something needs to change. But what? Do I get up earlier? How do I get all the needs checked off of my list and continue to have the flexibility needed to manage a larger family.

When I'm right with the Lord it is easier. Anytime I start to attempt to live this life based on my own strength I'm quickly reminded that I can't do it alone. Oh, sure, I can plow through for a while, but eventually overwhelm and discouragement set in. So, I need to sit at His feet. Plan, prioritize and pray. What is truly important and urgent? What needs to be accomplished today? Who needs attention? What routines need to be established? Or changed? Those are my questions.

Perhaps in the days to come I'll develop a weekly P's thread. It could be based off of Prioritize, plan and pray. Any interest? I could pose a question and we could join in discussion. I'd have my Hannah make a linky blog button as well. Production, especially rightly ordered production, simply cannot come only from self. I've been shown that...again.

So now, I'm going to dust off the discouragement and keep moving. Thank goodness for fresh starts every day. Or, in my case, every hour!

Official Tracklist for New Moon Soundtrack Released!

The official track list for of the Soundtrack for New Moon has been released, and it is an absolutely doozy! This is quite possibly the soundtrack of the year.

Even those who thumb their nose up at the Twilight phenomenon are going to be checking this one out. Critical darlings Grizzly Bear, Radiohead legend Thom Yorke, rockers The Killers and Muse are just some of the treats awaiting the