thinking, spring cleaning & randomness

How is that for a title :-)? Kind of random huh? I have just been thinking a lot about life & the families each of us are given. I am so grateful for the little family that John & I are raising. So very thankful for the opportunity that I have to be their Mom. I carry a HUGE weight on my shoulders(on a daily basis) knowing that I am responsible for these little boys. I am in charge of making sure that they are given a good home & an even better upbringing. In the throws of life, this task can often seem very daunting. We get slammed with things from all directions. Things begging for our attention & time. We take it day by day. I am so grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who has great faith and trust in me, in hopes that I can raise these boys right. Along the lines of family, I am also so very grateful for the home that I grew up in. Thankful for wonderful, loving parents who gave me a stable home & lots of love. I was blessed to grow up in a home with a Mother & Father who taught me right & who simply led by example. I find great comfort knowing that I have 2 sisters & two brothers who will always be there for me. That's what family is about...having a connection with the people you love & respect. Again, I am just so very thankful for my family.

This past week has been a week filled with Spring Cleaning. I came across a blog that posts daily challenges & tips for cleaning certain rooms in your home. I have been on board & have accomplished so much. I have been cleaning & organizing the cupboards & drawers that are often over looked. It feels so good. Out with the old. With this challenge, they even have you take before & after shots of each area that you clean.

Here is an example. This is what I call our junk drawer. This is where my boys deposit their important school papers & folders. I use it to store place mats, linen napkins, & holiday themed dish towels. As you can see, the boys papers(and a few of my coupons) have taken over this drawer.





















After 10 minutes of purging & throwing things out, I once again,have an organized drawer. I am really enjoying the process of Spring Cleaning & getting rid of the things that aren't needed. The things that add chaos & stress to my day.





















I am accomplishing so much & am really feeling good about the changes & progress I am making in our home. So I have been thinking a lot about this concept, getting rid of the things that aren't needed. The things that may add stress or simply do not bring me happiness. I am going to take my spring cleaning one step farther. I am going ELIMINATE those things in my life that do not bring me happiness. The things that are not positive or uplifting. All of those things will be heading out to the trash where they belong. Oh, how I love spring & the encouragement it gives me to start clean & fresh!

In other news...my camera cord has been found. Happy days! I had even offered the boys a cash reward earlier this week. Who ever found the cord would receive $5.00. They looked for a minute or two & then quickly lost interest. Well, low & behold,Tanner found it today in his room. I have no idea how or why it was even in there. That little bit of information probably tells you that their room needs to be next on my spring cleaning spree. It is pretty bad :-). Life with boys!

I'll leave you with some photos from our field trip to the zoo.

I love this picture of Garrett. I have one of Carter from a few years back that looks very similar to this one.






























All of the preschool pals were getting their photos taken with this prop & Brody wanted his taken too!
































My little monkey loves to climb trees.




















Have a wonderful weekend & don't forget to spoil your Mothers rotten. They so deserve it!