Shedding a few pounds...

No, I'm not talking about my quest to get in shape before the marathon, although I'm working on that.

This is all about an item that's been on my "to do" list since fall, when the kids went back to school. These are our toy cupboards. I love that the toys are behind closed doors.

But I hate opening those doors, and we have many toys the kids have outgrown. The toys they do still want to play with have been too hard to find in the chaos.
I knew this wasn't a job I could do with kids home, but leaving it until the last day and a half of school was procrastinating even for me.

Now that we have a little room to spare in here, I can move some of the girl's toys down and out of their already-crowded room.

I even tackled the huge pile of clothes that is always the result of growing kids and changing seasons.

I LOVE to get rid of things. It always feels good to simplify and organize. You'd think I'd get a clue and quit buying stuff. But even when I don't it seems to multiply and reproduce all on its own.
If only getting rid of my excess body weight were this easy...

Last week of school

Ainsley and I were in on the action at the school for about half the day. We saw Joey play the piano in the third grade talent show:

And then Robbie in the fifth grade program. They're all dressed to represent their states—Robbie had Arizona, but couldn't figure out how to make an illegal immigrant costume, so went with Native American.

Robbie LOVED his teacher, Mrs. Stott.

Waiting for the bell to ring:

This photo sums up how we're all feeling pretty well. FREEDOM!!
I did a pretty lousy job of getting my usual round of end of year photos. I've given myself a little vacation from the daily photo, and I guess I've taken it a little too far. Sometimes that happens. I'm excited to have the next 78 days to capture sunshine, flip-flops, vacations and fun.

Funky

After reading a few articles on the benefits of barefoot running, I ordered myself a pair.
And this afternoon I found the box from REI on my front porch! Yea! Except when I opened it, it was a pair of hiking shoes. Luckily, when I went to the store they had just received a shipment of them. Although they need to adjust the color on their website...
I'm excited to try them and will be sure to give them a review here later.