4th of July and other things...

Happy belated birthday, America!!

I have to say I am a sucker for large crowds parked in big open fields, local bands, and funnel cake.  It feels just the right amount of festive to me.  And Ada and John are suckers for large, inflatable, bouncy things.  And then of course, the big fireworks show at the end, way past the kids' bed time.  So, I would say that we properly celebrated our Nation's birthday.

In the middle of the fireworks, I leaned forward, explaining to Ada that this was like a birthday party for America.  Which, she then logically concluded that she should have fireworks at her birthday party.

In other big and exciting news, I got rid of a whole plastic tub of toys yesterday, and our toy shelves and Ada's play kitchen is much more organized.  There is a fine line in those toy bins between what actually qualify as toys and what is just pure junk.  Ada and I tend to disagree on that line ;)  Also, my children love a plain white sheet of paper and some crayons.  And throw in some kid size scissors, and Ada is in Heaven.  The problem is that little scraps of paper end up all over my house.  It drives me CRAZY.  (and Scott, it drives him crazy as well).  So, after my big toy overhaul yesterday, I put a manageable stack of paper on Ada's little table in the play room, put a shoe box full of crayons on top of the stack of paper, and officially made it a rule that all coloring and cutting had to be done while sitting at that table. So far, so good, but we are only one day in.

I even attempted to organize the bins of toys that are on the shelves.  I am sure that they will not stay organized, but maybe for a little while?  And I plan to do another overhaul in a month or two.  I can't get rid of too many unplayed with toys at once or my children start to notice and protest.

Again, Lord willing, we will be moving a year from now, and I want to get rid of much stuff as I can to make that move easier.  I know myself, and I know that starting a year from the move is probably for the best.  Organization is not really my "thing," which is an understatement of the highest degree, so I need to give myself plenty of time.  The book shelves are next on the list.

However, I am off to Scottsboro for a week to stay with the Barbers while Steve is out of town, so the books will have to wait.  It's going to be one big cousin camp, so to speak, and Ada is fired up.