Renaissance Festival and Just One Baby

For a few years, I have wanted to go to the Maryland Renaissance Festival.  However, the timing never seemed quite right.  This year was the year.  Thomas had no interest, in fact, he didn't want to go at all.  However, he is a good husband and once I said it was something I really wanted to do, he was on board. We tried to explain the concept to the kids, but I don't think they quite knew what to expect.

I wanted to get there when they opened, which meant leaving the house around 8:30.  We got there shortly after 10 and the place already seemed very crowded.  All the kids were free, which was nice (under 7). I had mapped out what shows I wanted to see. Actually, I had mapped out which shows I thought would be good for the kids.  It is amazing how things change when you are a parent.  I think there is a lot Thomas and I would have enjoyed, but it would not have been entertaining for the children. We saw about 5 shows. When we got in the car to leave, we asked the kids what their favorite was.  They each chose a different show, which was unusual, but gratifying, because it meant almost everything we did was special to someone.  Kara liked a Fairy Tale themed show, Anna chose an acrobatic one, and Jack liked a Human Chess Match.  The best part for Thomas was the food, he had a meat pie that he absolutely loved.  I liked the Acrobatic show and just walking around.  It covers a huge area.  We were there for about 6 hours and I could have stayed much longer. But, the kids were getting tired and I was getting tired of feeding Luke on public benches.

Watching the human chess match while enjoying some ice cream

Jack and Kara both tried rock climbing (Anna wasn't interested)

Jack on stage during one of the shows.

Kara in the same show, poor Anna didn't get to volunteer.  Oddly enough, this wasn't anyone's favorite

Luke alternated between his stroller and the carrier

This magician was pretty awesome.  He is the same guy who does the library shows in the summer, but he was much more impressive at the Festival

Enjoying a snack

When we had Jack and Anna, we basically stayed at home, unless we were going to a park or the zoo or similar a place. Then, we had Kara a short 16 months later and there was no way we were taking any trips!  It was difficult to bring them places and generally not worth the hassle. I can probably count on one hand the number of times we went to a restaurant in those first few years. Life seemed to revolve around nap times, which was fine because it made all of our lives so much easier. We really did stick to a very strict schedule. It is amazing how different it is with just one baby. Poor Luke gets carted about like an accessory. Fortunately, he likes to be out doing things. The poor guy still doesn't have a regular nap schedule and the only thing I can say we are consistent on is when he goes to bed each night. Such is the plight of the youngest child, I suppose. Often, we have to pause what we are doing to feed Luke and I am sure to the older kids it seems like a huge adjustment, which of course it is, but really I am pleased with how easily we were able to incorporate him into our family. 

One of my friends made a comment about how the older kids will be better people because they will have to learn to compromise and adjust more because of Luke.  With 3 kids who are the same age, their interests are very similar. They are all in the same stage of life, which makes it easy to entertain them and find fun things to do as a family.  Now, we have Luke who is going to be in the Sesame Street stage while they have moved on to Nickelodeon (or whatever preteens watch).  I think it will be good for all of them.  I felt like it was good for our kids to have each other.  Out of necessity, they have learned what it means to share and how to take turns.  Having each other has taught them a certain degree of patience and I think that having Luke will expand upon that.  Luke will make us all better people.  And, it doesn't hurt that he is just so darn sweet!

Jack and Anna Turn 7

Yesterday, October 3, was Jack and Anna's 7th birthday.  As always, we gave them lots of choices on how to celebrate.  Jack chose a night at Great Wolf Lodge and Anna wanted to visit Busch Gardens. We did Busch Gardens last weekend and have a reservation for GWL in about a week.

I imagine there will be a separate blog for our Williamsburg Weekend, but in the meantime here's one shot from Busch Gardens

But, yesterday was the real day.  We told them the story of their birth (about 6 times) and expressed how truly happy we were that they were born and how great it was to celebrate that moment. Thomas hung balloons and a birthday sign and I made them pancakes and sausage for breakfast.  We also presented Anna with a birthday shirt and Jack with a birthday pin.  Then, we sent them to school.   Thomas was off, so we got to spend the day together.

The birthday boy and girl

Because Jack was allergic to eggs as a small child, I always made our birthday cakes.  He has outgrown the allergy, but the tradition has continued.  This year, he asked for a Lego cake and Anna wanted a Frozen-themed cake.  They both wanted to be surprised.  I scoured the web for ideas and decided on Olaf for Anna and a cake covered in chocolate-molded Legos for Jack.  The mold made 10 Legos at a time, and I estimated that I needed 125 of them.  Therefore, I began prepping on Monday.  I made the cakes on Thursday (I made two cakes for each of them, so 4 cakes total). Then, on Friday all I had to do was put things together.

Cake prep.  That one is Jack's, an orange layer cake on top of a vanilla 13x9 cake.

Thomas and I went and had lunch with the kids.  I always feel like a celebrity when I visit their school.  All the kids want to talk to me and share their random thoughts ("I broke my arm when I was two," "this is a new shirt...it has buttons," "I have an ATV," etc).  Fun times for all of us.  It was also stuffed animal day and the kids had brought candy bracelets to hand out to their friends. They wanted to do necklaces, but we couldn't find any (and, I went to or called 6 different stores). With all of that going on, they were obviously having a fabulous day at school.

After lunch, a nice neighbor offered to watch Luke so I could devote my time to the cakes and Thomas could mow the lawn.  It took us about 3 hours to finish them (Thomas helped).  Neither cake was particularly difficult, just a bit time-consuming.  I was pretty pleased with the results and I was hoping the kids would be too.

The kids got home and played outside with their friends for a bit.  While they were playing, my father called to wish them a happy birthday.  At that exact moment, Kara lost her very first tooth.  The excitement was overwhelming and not for the faint of heart (or ear).  There was lots of screaming and hugs and pronouncements to anyone who would listen.

We had invited our neighborhood friends, Jennifer, and the Darrows over for cake after dinner and the kids were super anxious clock-watchers. Another tradition is to let them choose their birthday meal.  Jack wanted BJ's pizza (still a step up from the canned Ravioli of last year) and Anna wanted homemade chili and cornbread.  We decided on the easy meal for Friday night and Jack and Thomas went and picked it up.  After dinner, we let them open the presents from us and each other and then sent them out to play.

Finally, it was time for the cake.  I don't think the kids were nearly as impressed as I was and I have to admit that I was a little disappointed.  Unfortunately, I didn't really get a good picture of the Lego cake because as soon as I set it down, the kids started picking off the chocolate Legos and minifigs.

I know it's blurry, but it shows both cakes

Right before the minifigs got taken and eaten.

We let the kids stay up until 8:30 to enjoy their new toys and then set them happily off to bed.  Kara put her tooth under her pillow and the kids proclaimed that it was "the best birthday ever!"  After all the excitement, Luke slept for 11 hours straight!  It was the longest he had ever slept and his first time sleeping through the night in months.  Thus, it was truly a banner day/night for all of us!

The super sleeper

Luke is 6-months!

Love that smile!!!

On September 17, Luke turned 6 months old.  It is hard to believe that he has been with us for half a year already.  It seems like yesterday that he joined our family.  I periodically find myself remembering that moment when he was born and the instant, overwhelming love I had for him.  It was such a special moment and I love the bond we share.

Luke is the first child that I have exclusively nursed for 6 months.  Because I stay at home, it has been much easier to manage then it was with the others and I feel proud that we have never had to supplement with formula.  Obviously, I don’t believe there is anything wrong with giving formula—all my others had it, but I feel proud of myself for reaching my goal. Thomas is encouraging me to go for a year, so we'll see what happens.  He says it's because Luke's immune system seems so strong, but I think that not having to get up at night at least partially weighs in on that...

But, enough about me, on to the main attraction!  One of the best things about Luke is that he is a wonderful traveler.  He still loves to be out and about.  He is generally very happy to sit in his stroller and observe the world around him.  I am writing this from our Williamsburg rental; we have spent the past two days carting him around and the only times he’s even whimpered (not including nights, but we’ll get to that) is when he is hungry or tired.  Even those moments are few.  He is pretty good at entertaining himself and loves playing with his feet and blowing bubbles, especially when he is outside.  He is an avid people watcher and will stare at someone until they make eye contact.  At that point, he flashes them a toothless grin that could melt even the surliest Grinch’s heart.  More than one stranger has called Luke a flirt.

At home, his favorite toys are his laptop and a little ball.  He also really loves his jumper.  When we found out we were having Luke, Thomas and I decided we weren't going to buy as much stuff for him as we did for the others.   However, that has gone out the window and he is a typical, spoiled, youngest child.  In fact, he has more stuff then the others, and they had to share it amongst the 3 of them!  We have 8 different choices when looking for places to put him, an insane amount for any family.  But, on the positive side, we could host one heck of a baby play date for Luke and 7 of his closest baby friends!

Luke and his laptop, I tried to take a picture in his jumper, but he wouldn't stop jumping, so they were all blurry.

Luke’s sunny disposition is sometimes tested at home.  He still doesn't really like to just relax at the house; he wants to be out where he can see people and he isn't afraid to make his displeasure known. I think the highlight of his day is going to the bus stop, where many of the children will give him a hug and/or kiss before they get on the bus.  He also likes to watch the cars whiz by and it is fun to see his little head moving to and fro.   One thing he does enjoy at home is pounding the keyboard if I am trying to do something on the computer.  That is probably one reason I am so behind on blogging.

Luke still adores his siblings.  All 3 love him in return, but I believe he and Kara will share a special bond.  She never misses a chance to talk with him, sing to him, and just generally show her love.  It is very sweet to see.  Jack and Anna are also very good to him, but it is a bit different with Kara. 

The only thing I would change about Luke is his sleeping habits.  I believe the last time I blogged about him, he was sleeping through the night.  That ended abruptly in late July.  Now, he gets up anywhere from 2-4 times a night.  I am exhausted!  He still sleeps in a pack and play in our room, but we will be moving him to a crib in his room in the next week or so.  I think that will help.  If he hears Thomas or I moving, he wants to be up with us.

Luke also likes stuffed animals, particularly little beanie babies.  He will laugh if someone makes an animal “come to life”.  He has a very hearty and wonderful laugh.  He also loves to have his belly tickled and will laugh almost every time.  His laugh is my current, favorite sound.  One other Luke likes is pulling hair, a habit I am not quite as fond of. 

Luke talking to "Tracker" on the deck.

We have started giving him some baby food.  He really likes to eat and seems to enjoy the different flavors we've offered him.  So far, his only dislike has been avocado.  He is still strong and sits up very well.  He can roll, but almost never goes from back to stomach, probably because he still hates being on his tummy.  

One other like that we recently discovered--the swing!

In summary, at 6-months I would describe Luke as agreeable, friendly and cheerful.  He is a wonderful baby.  I think the only reason he doesn't sleep at night is because then he would be too perfect and where would the fun be in that?  

First Day of School 2014

I've sat down to write this blog numerous times and have never been able to finish.  With Luke's 6-month appointment, Jack and Anna's birthday, the start of t-ball, and all the Fall activities looming on the horizon, I am determined to get this done.  Since it is now so untimely, I am going to make this primarily a picture post.


School started on a Wednesday.  After going to bed on Tuesday night, I realized I hadn't made their signs.  I decided to get up a few minutes early and add that to my already busy morning.  Feeding Luke is a new addition to the routine and the morning went by very quickly.  I first wrote Kindergarten on all the signs, so I had to redo Jack and Anna's.  Somehow, we still managed to head outside a few minutes early to do the pictures.

After I took the first picture, I realized I had put the year 2015 on them!  There was no time to redo them again, so I had to resort to a sharpie fix.

I know their eyes are all closed, it was still the best picture of the 5 or so I took.  

After doing the pictures at home, we headed to the bus stop.  Although this looks like a lot of kids, it isn't everyone.  I think when everyone is there, there are 19 kids that get on the bus from our neighborhood!  

Finally, the bus came and they were off!  The year is off to a good start.  All of the kids like their teachers and find something positive to say each day.  No one has really complained about going to school.  Jack has even proclaimed that first grade is better than kindergarten, although he misses his teacher and still visits her daily.  In Anna's class, they get to sit on exercise balls, which is perfect for someone like her with lots of pent-up energy.  

On an unrelated note, Jack received his first love note.  It is from a girl in his class: 

We can make out, "Dear Jack, I love you.  You ????,  You are sweet to me.  I love you."  Her name is Kaitlyn.  Jack said that whenever it's carpet time, she always tries to scoot and sit next to him. But, he said he doesn't really mind.  Although, sometimes, he lamented, he would rather just be able to sit with Savannah.  Our little Romeo!

End of Summer

Today was the first day of school.  There will definitely (well, maybe) be a blog devoted to that at some point.  But first I have to conclude the longest summer break of my life.  Actually, that probably isn't true, but I can say with a fair degree of certainty that it was among the most dreaded.  I was really worried about having the older kids (6, 6, & 5) and a newborn.  Luke was only 3 months when school got out and I had no idea how I was going to manage him and the other kids all day, every day.  Like most things I dread, it wasn't nearly as difficult as I expected.

The kids spent 3 weeks at camp.  Two of those weeks were mornings only, the third week Thomas was out of town, so I let them stay the whole day.  Another week my sister and her family were here.  So, that really only left 6 weeks to fill.  So, how did we fill them?  The usual ways: the pool, park, library, crafts, and playing with friends.  At this point, I need to give a shout-out to our playset.  It was a huge investment for us and now, four years later, I can say with surety that it was one of the best purchases we've ever made. Possibly, even the best.  The kids use that thing virtually every day.  They play imaginative games, get fresh air, and have a spot that they can enjoy with their friends.  I love it!

A LPS town

Back to summer.  I am trying really hard to make sure that the older kids have no reason to resent Luke. The three of them are so close in age that their interests generally intersect and having a baby has been a huge adjustment for all of us. I didn't want them to have to sit at home all summer because I didn't want to nurse in public or because it is too much work to take a baby someplace.  As yet another aside, that nursing in public thing is no small task. At the start of summer, I was lucky if Luke went 90 minutes between feedings.  So, we got into a routine. We would have breakfast, do some schoolwork (because I am the meanest mom ever), and then do something fun.  In the afternoons, we would have lunch, quiet time, and play some more.  Jack became an avid reader, spending hours with books he chose from the library (almost always with a Star Wars theme).  In fact, he would routinely follow me around the house with a book asking me things like, who do you think would win in a Lightsaber battle, obscure character #1 (that I've never heard of) or obscure character #2 (that I've also never heard of)?  When I told him that I didn't know who he was talking about, he informed me that I could get some books to read to "become smarter."  Anna and Kara's favorite things to do was create a town for their Littlest Pet Shop toys to live in.

Here is something that may surprise those who know us.  One of our children was incredibly difficult this summer.  Which one did you think of?  Okay, not that one.  Who is your second choice?  Yeah, not that one either. Suprise!  It's Kara!  She has been awful.  Like, really rotten. Tantrums almost daily.  We had to take everything out of her room, because it was just too much work to repeatedly clean up after her.  She has been mean to me, mean to Thomas, mean to Anna, mean to almost everyone she came in contact with on an almost daily basis.  Honestly, dealing with her has been the hardest part of the summer.  It was just so unexpected. Gotta love how kids can continually surprise you!  She went from being the sweetest child ever, to the sassiest and we definitely didn't see it coming.  On a positive note, Jack and Anna have been amazing. For the most part, they have been patient, agreeable, and cooperative.  Of course, they had their days too, but nothing outside the normal realm for a 6-year-old.  Overall, I would say they were outstanding.  Some kids have the terrible twos, other suffer the tyrannical threes.  I think ours just have the Fitful Fives.

Because I can't possibly write about everything we did, and even if I could, no one would want to read it,  I will summarize with the last week.  I asked the kids what their requests were for the last week of summer. Anna asked to go to Dairy Queen and swimming.  Jack requested the library and a specific park.  Kara chose Rita's and a park (we like our ice cream in this house).  So, that's what we did our last week.  We saved the swimming for Saturday, so Thomas could go with us and had an awesome day.  We went to the beach, then to a park and then to Rita's. Finally, to conclude the summer, we had a backyard potluck party with our bus stop friends. I have been so thankful for our neighbors this summer.  We would have never been able to make it to the pool without their helping hands.  Sitting with the moms watching the kids ride bikes or play on the swing-set made the summer fun for all of us.  So, for me the potluck party was the perfect end to a (less than) perfect summer!

I'm not going to say it was easy or that I'm not breathing a sigh of relief that it's over, but overall I would have to say that Summer 2014 was pretty darn good.

And now, the pictures.  Because most of the stuff we did was so routine, I didn't take very many.  But, here are a few from my phone:

Face painting at a neighborhood party

And, here's Kara.  Jack opted not to get his face painted.  He didn't want to waste the time when he could be jumping in a bouncy house or running around.

Luke loves sitting on the deck.  This time, he had a friend with him.

Movie night!

Ryan's birthday party

Very random shot, the kids wanted their picture taken with the headless mannequins.

Luke's first beach trip

The water was cold, but nobody seemed to mind.

Dutch Wonderland and a Visit from the Mottas

We have done a lot of fun things this summer and I am a bit disappointed that I haven't done better with blogging.  However, my choice is generally to blog or to sleep.  Sleep has been winning.

Luke recently turned 4-months and I would like to do a dedicated blog for him, but just in case I don't get to it, here is a summary:  He is kind of a high-maintenance baby.  He really likes to be a part of things (who can blame him?).  So, he gets mad if you try and put him down to tend to other tasks.  He cries whenever he is unhappy, which is pretty often.  He also cries when he is overtired, but since he doesn't like to take naps (again, doesn't want to miss anything), this is also pretty often.  Those are the negatives, of course, there are plenty of positives: he sleeps well at night, generally going down at 8 and waking at 5:30, with one feeding in between.  He LOVES being out and about. This is why others can't believe it when I describe him as fussy. For example, when we went to Dutch Wonderland, he didn't cry once the entire day.  He was so thrilled to be outside with so much to look at.  He likes going just about anywhere and seeing new things, so he is very easy to do things with.  He is still super strong; the doctor told me I needed to hurry up and baby proof, because she suspects he'll be crawling soon.  Finally, he is absolutely adorable.  Everywhere we go, someone comments on how cute he is, particularly when he throws them that toothless grin. That concludes the Luke summary, more about our favorite baby another day (I hope!).  

So, summer fun.  What have we done?  Besides regular day stuff, like trips to the pool and library, the two biggest adventures have been our overnight mini-vacation to Dutch Wonderland and the super-fun visit from my sister's family, the Mottas.

This year marked our third annual trip to Dutch Wonderland.  It has not lost any of its appeal.  The kids are still firmly in the age group that can appreciate the "Kingdom for Kids." We drove up on a Friday morning, went to some Lancaster outlets, swam in the hotel pool and then went to the park for the evening preview. When you buy a ticket, you can get in for 3-hours the day before to "preview" the park.  We love this, because it is generally very empty and we can accomplish a lot in those 3 hours.  Like, pretty much every ride.  As is typical, the kids (except Luke, whose bed is transportable) did not sleep well in the hotel.  I am guessing that Jack and Anna got less than 5 hours sleep.  Fortunately, Kara did a bit better.  Thomas and I feared the worst, but they all did really well on Saturday.  In the morning, we took them one at a time to the hotel lobby for breakfast (more because that was how they woke up, then for any particular strategic reason).  Then, we went back to Dutch Wonderland and let everyone choose their favorite rides again. Jack's must-do was the large roller coaster.  I had gone on with him the day before, so Thomas did the honors, while the girls went on the large slide.  Anna chose the "Superman" ride as her favorite.  You lay down and they close this cage-like thing over you and you fly around in a circle.  Kara's favorite is a mini-whip (she calls it the bumper cars). This has been her favorite ride 3-years running!  We did all the favorites a couple of times, and several others and decided to call it a day.  The drive home was relatively uneventful, although Luke was not as content in the car as he had been the day before (two 3-hour drives in two days is a lot to ask!).  

The "Bumper Cars"

A new addition this year

Kara was the only one who was still small enough to enjoy this "ride"

Luke's first ride!!!  A boat ride in the back of the park.  He was thoroughly thrilled.

"Superman"  Yes, it's true--we have no idea on the real names for any of the rides.

I didn't get a shot of him on the roller coaster, so this one on the slide will have to suffice.

The next big thing to happen this summer was a visit from my sister and her family.  We hadn't seen them in over a year, so everyone was very excited.  They arrived late on a Saturday night, so we took it easy on Sunday.  Monday, we went out Geocaching.  The kids loved finding "treasure".  I am not sure I am ready to take on the hobby, but it was pretty fun.  If you aren't familiar with it (I wasn't), people hide boxes or papers someplace and then put the coordinates and clues on a website or app.  Then, you get to find it.  If it is a box, many will contain toys and the kids can exchange one of their small items for one in the box.  The parents fill out a paper log that is kept with the box, and mark it off online as well.  We only did easy boxes that had toys to exchange, but from my (limited) understanding there are some that are much more challenging to find.  

Tuesday, we went to St. Mary's City.  It was fantastic!  We have been there a few times and really enjoy it, so it was fun to share the experience with our extended family.  The kids always love going on the Dove (replica ship). And this time, we went down to the tobacco plantation of Godiah Spray.  Unlike the other living history characters, the people on that plantation stay in character.  So, we met Master Spray and two of his servants and got to ask lots of question.  We also saw a musket firing demonstration, which was thrilling for Jack. Thomas and I went out to dinner Tuesday night to celebrate our birthdays while Kim and Dave watched the kids.  It was nice to leave the kids with them and not worry about a thing.  Even though I completely trust our babysitter, family is just different. 

With their cousins on the Dove

Wednesday, we went to the pool at Solomon's Rec Center.  Jack wasn't quite able to pass their swim test, so he couldn't do the diving board, but was able to use one of their slides.  Luke enjoyed being carted around in the pool and the girls loved swimming with JD and Amanda.  I know that JD said this was his favorite day of their visit and my kids would probably agree.  After the pool, we went to Rita's.  It was a fun-filled day!

Luke loves being in a pool (no sarcasm here, he really, really loves being in the water)

Thursday, the Mottas went Geocaching in Virginia.  They wanted to check another state off their list. My kids were a bit bummed that we didn't go along, but I didn't want to make the longish drive with Luke without Thomas.  I appeased them by letting them paint on some canvases I got on sale at Michael's.  The girls took the process very seriously and spent over an hour planning and painting,  Jack was done in about 15 minutes.

Friday was our DC day.  We left the house around 9:30 and went to the metro station.  We first visited the Archives and then headed to the Capitol building for our scheduled tour.  It was very crowded, so it was a bit difficult to hear our guide, even with the headphones they gave us, but it was still amazing to see inside the dome.  We saw the spot where a young Abraham Lincoln's desk sat and got to experience the eavesdropping effect.  If you haven't been--go.  One highlight for Thomas was that the Rotunda contains 6 original Trumbull paintings.  Thomas has one of the pictures as the backdrop on his work computer and was thrilled to see the real thing in person (I had never heard of Trumbull, although the paintings were familiar and impressive).  From there, we had lunch in the cafe and then went to the Library of Congress.  Visiting the library had been on my to-do list for some time, so I was very excited to go.  The kids were good, but getting tired.  At this point, we separated from the others and made our way back to the metro.  At the end of the day, according to my Fitbit, we had walked over 6 miles.  I was really proud of the kids for their good attitudes and stamina.  We got home right around dinner time and picked up some Chinese take-out.  The Mottas arrived a couple of hours later and began the long process of packing their truck for the journey home.

Racing up the steps at the Archives to join Thomas in a picture.  The day was young and everyone was bursting with energy.

Look how fascinated they are.  I think the only time any of mine perked up was when our guide mentioned a painting that contained Pocahontas.

Thomas and the kids in front of the "Surrender at Yorktown", his work computer's background.

The final shot of the kids and their Motta cousins.  Once again, I do not have a single picture of the adults.  A picture of me with my sister would have been nice.  Next trip I suppose.

Thomas took this awesome shot of the reading room.

They left early Saturday morning and it was a sad day in our house.  We had really enjoyed their visit and weren't ready for them to go!

The Art of Appreciation

Like most parents, Thomas and I want the best for our children.  We will consider ourselves successful if they grow up to be happy, contributing members of society.  Sometimes, that feels like a pretty tall order.

About two months ago we instituted a toy ban in our house.  There are no new toys allowed until our kids show us that they can take care of the toys that they have.  This stems from the frustration of seeing how irresponsibly they treat their belongings. Recently, I saw an article that showed kids with their most valued possession(s).  The photographer had pictures from around the world.  You can imagine what the children in the poorest of areas looked like, kids who were smiling into the camera from a dirt floor holding a single item.  Then, at the other end of the extreme was a child whose room resembled an FAO Schwartz showroom.  I am sure that neither can imagine the life of the other.  Somewhere in that wide middle-range lies our family. We are in a position to fulfill some of our kids' desires.  In fact, on many occasions we have walked into a store and left with items that were not on any list.  Although relatively commonplace (before the ban) this is something that was rare in our own childhoods.  We have given in to our children's requests because we can.  It is fun to buy things for them, it is nice to see them happy. However, it often seems that the more we give, the less they appreciate what they already have.  (Just to be clear, I do not think our children have an extreme amount, my guess is that we are pretty average for their age-bracket.)

I am glad that our children do not have to experience abject poverty, but I still want them to know it exists.  I want to teach them to value what they have. When they carelessly break a toy, their first thought is that Mommy or Daddy will buy me another one and if not, then it doesn't matter, because there are others just like it (I know this is their first thought, because they guilelessly express it to me).

Recently, we told Anna and Kara to clean their room.  This is obviously a regularly requested task, but on this occasion, they fought and cried and made each other and us miserable with their inability to complete the simple task.  Two long hours passed and very little was accomplished.  Finally, we told them that we were going to set a timer for 10 minutes and when the timer went off, anything still on the floor would go into a trash bag.  Ten minutes later, they had made zero progress.  So, we went in with a trash bag and threw everything away.  Amazingly enough, they were happy. After a few initial tears, they expressed genuine relief at not having to worry about those toys anymore.  They liked having a clutter-free space to enjoy.  Of course, the majority of their toys are in the basement, so while we did fill a 13-gallon trash bag  (including all the trash that accumulates-- like some "priceless pictures" and random shoe boxes), it did not put much of a dent in their overall supply.

This clean-up was step one.  We also took them into the basement and put toys into keep, trash and sell/donate piles (this was around the time of the community yard sale).  Step two was the toy ban. We will make exceptions for birthdays and Christmas (but, we have already told them that if they have a party with friends, the invitation will specifically request no presents).  Step 3 will be buying them less when those special days do come around.  Step 4 will be trying to teach them to be charitable.  Wish us luck!