On a Roll

Apparently, I needed a good frustrating day to motivate me to get stuff done!  Because since my minor meltdown about all the projects I had looming, I've been really getting stuff done.

Today, with all the kids' help, I got the whole loft playroom cleaned up, sorted and agreed upon toys put aside for the yard sale Saturday.  The kids were actually more willing than I thought to give up their stuff. 

However, Z did have some tears about giving up 50% of his stuffed animals (he has so many, so that was the goal I set for him).  He's so attached to them, too.  I hugged him and talked about his feelings.  He said, "It's just that each animal has its own story and I feel like their story ends when we give them to someone else."

So I had a light bulb moment and knowing he is one of our kids who actually seems to like writing, I suggested he write some of their stories down.  I told him that I would take pictures of each of his stuffed animals as we set them out at the sale and then we can make an album with pictures and stories (a lot easier to store than puffy animals).  He actually liked the idea.

Within minutes, he'd written a story about one of the bears.  It was cute.  If I can get his permission, I'll post it here on the blog with a picture.  After reading the story, I said, "What if I typed this up and we clipped it to the bear so that the next kid who gets him will know how this bear's story began?  Then he can continue the story instead of having it end."

Z's eyes lit up like I'd just given him a cup of hot chocolate on a cold, snowy day after he'd been sledding.  It was like new hope for his stuffed bear's new life.

Phew.

L and K asked if they could come over today.  I told them we were just cleaning, but they offered to help.  So K took all the little kids to the nearby park (they were bored while I kept sending them away from the loft -- they tend to undo some of the stuff that I do, faster than I can keep up).  L did the monotonous job of sorting Barbie stuff into bins and tossed stuff that was broken or torn.  So nice and helpful -- and she actually enjoyed doing it.

Of course S was a lifesaver monitoring E and all the younger kids till K came.  I had H and Z upstairs in the loft helping me clean and sort.  It worked out great.

After dinner, I had another burst of energy and tore into the closet under the stairs.  In there I found a lot of good sale stuff that we'll never miss.  I was able to clean the closet in the process and I was able to file away some of the things in the kids' "special boxes" that live in there.  Someday, I'll have to post about the special boxes, but not today.

I'm too tired today.  But it was another job complete and I feel really good about accomplishing more off the list.  Somebody out there must be praying for me!  It's working.  I'm working.