Camp and Clutter

So Garr is working another long weekend of nights and of course, it is almost 10 o'clock and I don't want to go to bed. You would think I would be used to going to bed alone, but I'm not, and I still don't like it!

The girls (well, Eme and Abby) are going away to their first sleep-away camp on Monday. They will be staying there through Friday. I'm not sure if this will be harder on them or on Garr and I. (especially Garr!- he hates having the kids away from us) The girls are vascilating between excitement and being nervous. I'm sure, though, that they will not want to return home on Friday! They will be having too much fun! It brings back a lot of memories for me, having grown up spending 3-4 weeks each summer at our church camp. There were many times that I thought of Chambers Camp as my home. We moved so often, but every summer I could return there and it would be the same. It was a steadfast part of my childhood. It was also a very special place for me to grow closer to Christ. I'm excited for the chance my girls have - for the wonderful experiences they will have at camp. I hope it is wonderful for them and I can't wait to see if God touches them in a special way while they are there.

In the meantime, (while they are gone) I have a goal of getting the basement cleaned up and organized (well, as much as possible anyways!) Anyone else feel overrun by toys and stuff? I feel like my kids have so much stuff, and yet I continue to buy them more! I was very proud of myself today. I stopped at a yard sale and they had a Fisher Price Rainforest Jumperoo (EC) for only $35. These are $90 new. But I resisted! Daniel already has a jumperoo, an older style, but it works just as well. I have struggled over the years with the issue of clutter. I want my kids to have everything, but so many of their toys just sit! So often I see them using their imaginations and making things from boxes and ropes and blankets. The more stuff we have, the more time it takes away from us - working to buy it, working to maintain it, working to organize it. Is it really worth it? I'm hoping to sell some things in a yard sale or on craigslist. And the rest I am thinking of just packing it up, hiding it away, and seeing if the kids even notice. Anything they ask for, I'll take out and anything else, after a certain amount of time, will move on to someone else's house! Anyone who wants to comment on how they deal with toys and clutter, feel free!