August 31

More organization/purging projects. We finally got some more storage for our garage. We were so organized in our AZ home and have not had the kind of storage we needed since we left. I was going crazy never being able to find anything I needed in the garage so we got serious about it this weekend. Allen installed this overhead storage bin and I can get all TWENTY boxes of my seasonal decor up there now. We're making good progress but have lots more to do!

August 30

At a scout BBQ last week someone slipped Emery a cheese puff and she was in HEAVEN. She ate about 50 that night. I found some "natural" puffs at Trader Joe's and she has loved them. My big kids are jealous because I save them just for her because it is hard to find things she can eat with no teeth!

August 29

I know I always have a few laundry pictures in my 365 book every year. It just takes up SO MANY hours of my time every week to manage the laundry situation around here. Most Mondays I spend the ENTIRE day washing, drying and folding. It's my least favorite chore but represents so much of my daily grind.

August 28

We have instituted a new allowance system for this school year. So far it is working out great and the kids are really motivated and independent because of it. It is just what we've all needed. The kids can earn $1 per weekday by completing certain tasks. They each have a "bank account" through us and we deposit their money at FHE each week. The kids are now in charge of buying bday presents for their friends and for their own spending money for our trips. They are being much more careful with what they ask for and buy with their money.

August 26

This week's RS lesson was on personal history. I am good about scrapbooking and blogging but have not been good about writing down things my kids say and do for their own personal records. I went out and bought journals for them today and hope that I can stay motivated to write in them at least once a week.

August 25

I've been putting together some toddler busy bags for Addison for the past couple weeks. I LOVE this idea and wish I had used it with my older kids. Each bag has an activity in it. I love that I can grab one or two bags and keep Addison busy while I am running errands, at appointments or nursing Emery. It is working great for my nursing time because Ems is at the "getting distracted by everything" phase. The bags keep Addison quiet. I also love all the fun homeschool/education blogs I have found while looking for bag ideas!

August 24

Since the kids have been back in school I've been cleaning, organizing and purging like crazy. It feels so great. Today I worked on my pantry and got it way more organized and I love it. I have these bins all throughout the pantry for different things - snacks, baking supplies, pasta, etc. Basically if I can get it in a bin, it is!