Toys

Day 128: Oh toys. We spent four hours going through and purging the toys that have managed to overrun our house. By the time I was finished I had over five bags of things that were leaving our house plus some big things that did not require bags. It was something that we have been talking about doing for months and just in the past few weeks got serious about doing. The kids are so much happier and less overwhelmed (they had to be overwhelmed by it because I sure was) and have been so much more interested with what is left.

When we moved in late last summer I was seven months pregnant and I did not have the energy or the capability to unpack and organize us like I would have liked to. We have a goal to get everything organized and in it's place -- room by room.

Along the way I think it is crucial that we also do this in our marriage. I think there are some places that are a bit cluttered and disorganized. Some areas could use a good purge and some others that need just a light dusting.

The trick, I know, is maintaining the organization once it's put into place. The same is true in our marriage. I definitely see areas that had been left to collect dust before that are now being very well maintained. I am hopeful that we can continue adding other areas that need some more attention.

Day 129: I finally got some more things to get my sewing area in order (my toys!) so I was working on that until a bunch of my family showed up for lunch and catching up. What a fun afternoon we had.

My husband is always so great about making sure the food comes off the grill tasting amazing (yes, even in freezing weather) and so we ate well. Eventually it started snowing (after a few short days of a break) and ran everyone off. Once everyone was gone, we decided to get out of the house before it got too bad out.

Well, we've been tv free by choice for nearly two years but finally all of those months and months and months and months and months of my husband planting seeds about getting another one and a Wii to go with it paid off. I agreed to go to the electronics store but told him that we weren't buying anything. (I must admit that I had already decided that I was going to give in and let him get one.) We went in and looked around and he was just being patient and nice and even said at one point that we could leave because I was getting so overwhelmed -- seriously with all of those HUGE tvs...it was getting to me -- but we walked to a different part of the store and I pulled myself together.

After I composed myself I decided to pull the trigger -- only there was a catch. There were two sizes that he was eyeing and I knew that he wanted the bigger one (who wouldn't, right?) and so I told him I had something to ask him but he had to answer honestly. (I repeated this several times because, again, I knew he wanted the bigger one but I was afraid that he was just going to tell me what I wanted to hear -- the smaller one which was obviously less expensive.) After making sure that I was perfectly clear I asked him which one he would rather have. He kinda giggled and said that of course the bigger one but that he wanted to go over and look at them again to be sure.

We walked back over and he looked at them and then I just got close to him and hugged him and told him to get whatever he wanted. It's not something that I do often, especially when there is a lot of money involved but I really wanted to bless him.

Day 130: He went and picked up the tv this morning and stopped on the way home and got a Wii.

Oh my! Have you ever tried to hang a tv on the wall? No.small.task. But...since we have small children it was completely necessary for their safety, my sanity and the longevity of the tv. He had to leave for work right after we were finished so the game did not get set up (and I was not going to even be bothered with it). He's been really excited about this gift since last night and for all of the bursts of anxiety I've had over reintroducing a tv to our life it is totally worth his appreciation and happiness.

So tonight when he gets home (hopefully soon and safe since it's been snowing for hours without a break with near white out conditions and four hour commutes for some) I'm sure he'll get it all set up and give his new toy a try.

235 days. We all are happy about our toys!