" Whoa! What did we put in that
recylcing can... it weighed a ton!?"
This is what I heard after he dragged the big blue can to the street for the regular Thursday pick up.
What did we put in there? Okay, what did *I* put in there? EVERYTHING! I decided it was time to
de-clutter. I love flat surfaces... they're good for sitting vases of flowers on, they're good for rolling out cookies and rolling buns (see related post), they're good for looking great when you're doing nothing with them.
But... they're also good for stacking piles of 'I don't know exactly what to do with this' on.
I had finally had enough, so I rolled up my sleeves and decided I was going to make some real progress with it. (Just in the kitchen/family room area, mind you. The office is another story!)
I studied and sorted and make smaller stacks out of bigger ones. I tossed and trashed and agonized over this and that. When I was done, I filed a few things away, and then set about shredding a gazillion pieces of
unneeded ephemera and minutia.
Then I tackled the smaller stacks again. This time I got rid of just about everything! Magazines that I haven't yet read, but really meant to... cards from people I love
... wedding and baby announcements ... paid bills... old insurance papers... coupons for stuff I think I might want... JUNK MAIL... papers, papers, papers... every everything that I possibly could.
When all was said and done, I loved it!
I could tell a difference - a real difference. My flat surfaces were flat once again, and my big blue recycling can was full of a hundred trees that needn't have died on my behalf! If only I could convince Edison and the water company and the bank and the cable company (and, and, and...)that I don't need or want all the extra papers they send along with my bills. I shudder to think how many trees I throw into that big blue can every year. Sigh.
However, I think I have figured out a way to never have to deal with this again: I'm seriously considering attaching my paper shredder to the mouth of my mailbox!
Done!!
Oops... I guess I better go attack the office!
Playing "balloon stomp"
We went to Ashton's shark party in celebration of his 6th birthday today.
Yup... It was quick and painless, too! 
Waiting for Papa
Rebekah came and spent the day with Yaya so her mom could just veg...
" Whoa! What did we put in that recylcing can... it weighed a ton!?"
It is not what we take from this world, 
It's very summery here today... Waaaaaayyy too summery! I like the pool, but not the hot weather. Wish I could work it out to where I could have the former without having to deal with the latter. I'm gonna have to work on that!
While driving around one day when I was in Florida, my Dad missed a turn and we used the parking lot of a little community church to get turned back around. As we were leaving the parking lot to get back on the road, this is the sign we saw! I said, "Dad! Wait - I gotta getta picture of that!" I can't help but think how very right they are... Anytime we leave the church parking lot, we are indeed entering the mission field. This is where OYM comes in - "OPEN YOUR MOUTH"! After all, are we not all missionaries?
When I was in Florida over Easter week, it was time for the Sandhill Crane hatchlings. We saw a few sets of parents with their long-legged chicks. Although I didn't get to do much formal sight-seeing this time, it seems that when you're in Florida, nature comes in search of you!
