Day 16 & 17

Today Alyssa asked me how much longer until they can have their toys back. That's the first I've heard about toys in several days. I'll admit it's getting harder for me not to cave. It's been rainy, and we've been inside too long. Tomorrow is our cookout, so that should help entertain us and wear the kids out.

Yesterday and today we spent trying to get everything ready for tomorrow. Sweeping and mopping and putting things away that have hung out on the pool table way too long. The kids colored some Independence Day themed coloring pages to hang from the mantel, since I didn't bother with decorations this year. Yeah yeah I know, I'm supposed to be the one who decks everything out for every holiday! lol I just didn't have the patience this year. I have been working on a lot of little raindrops for Alyssa's party though. I've cut out hundreds by hand and now I am working on glittering and adding rhinestones to some. The kids have have spent time riding in boxes. I wish I had gotten pictures, but I didn't. They ripped the fronts of the boxes down, and then drove them to Walmart and Disney World. We've played "simon says" our way a few times and spent a lot of time singing songs to Laikon together and reading our library books, which we will be trading out in the next few days.

I've been thinking on how we will go about bringing the toys back. I'm not sure if we'll do a few at a time, or bring it all down and go through it all at once. Also we are thinking about using the hall closet as the toy closet. Everything will have its own labeled drawer or box and only one thing per child will come out at a time. I'd really like to weed out most of their toys, and then stock up on more creative play things. Wooden toys, dolls that look less real and leave more to the imagination, bowls and spoons, a bin full of odds and ends for crafting (toilet paper rolls, paper plates, cotton balls, etc.-"Barney bag", anyone?), and I'd really like to bring back the rice box. (sorry Alan:) ) Maybe this time we could fill it with dry beans instead. I plan on putting their craft supplies and play dough in there too. The way we approach toys will definitely be different from here on out. No more huge bins of a billion tiny plastic pieces, and more treasured play things that they really love. Less is definitely more!


And since I have no new pictures to share...here's Laikon in a pink dress!

Just kidding! But wow! We always say he looks like Landon but now I'm thinking he looks more like Alyssa!!