Getting through the Summer

This summer has gone way too fast! It's already July and it feels like it just started. I don't think I've done half of what I wanted to get done this summer. I do feel better that we have a lawn and our garden is in. I only hope that we can get something from it. The cooler weather has slowed the growth of a lot of the garden. As for me, many days I feel like I'm just trying to keep my head above water. I try not to compare myself to other moms, but a lot of times I do. I wonder "how do they keep their houses so clean? How do they seem to have time to do x, y, and z? How do they have it all together?" Of course, I don't see their day to day and many of the mom's I'm comparing myself too have children that are in different stages than mine. The other day I spent probably 8 out of 10 hours in the kichen/dining room area of my house. I tell you what, when Robert got home, I wanted nothing to do with that room! Between dishes and cooking and trying to find where the funny smell was coming from in the pantry, I was tired. I also spent time helping Taylor with a project at the kitchen table.

I have been trying to de-clutter my house. I have come to the conclusion that we have too much stuff and it's taking up space and making my house feel cluttered. I don't know what to do with it and it is seriously stressing me out. If things don't have a place and they get piled on the counter, or table, or dresser then my house looks cluttered and that is not a peaceful feeling. So, I went through my books. I took out a lot of books. Ones that were good, but I'd probably never read again, ones that if I wanted to read I could check out from the Library, but maybe didn't need to have. I also went through a lot of the kids books. They are growing older and I think they should have more advanced books. One or two books on counting is good, we don't need 5. I can point out objects in all kinds of pictures, so I don't need books that say what pants are or what a tree is. Rachel loves to look at family pictures and I can point out just as many things in those that I don't need an extra book on the shelf. Robert also went through a lot of his books. We went through our movies and took a lot out. Honestly, I don't want that much t.v. and I don't like the kids watching too much because then they get mean if I turn it off. The kids also have too many clothes. When they can't close their drawers and won't put their clothes away because they have no where for the clothes to go, then there are too many. So, we went through and picked out the things they wear the most and got rid of the things that they don't ever or hardly ever wear. Now they have more room in their dresser to put their clothes away and I have less laundry to wash. We still need to go through their toys. I am hoping that by selling their toys at a yard sale and letting them get something with the money then they will be less hesitant to part with their things. Something that we have been enjoying lately is audio books and I would like to encourage them to put their money towards that, or to save it for a big family trip sometime in the future.