The Toys...

...are outta here! Okay, certainly not all of them, but a trash bag full! If any of you have known me for any period of time, you might know that I am not the best housekeeper...but then again, if you read the post before this one, you might get an idea why I am not so good- I AM NEVER AT HOME! Anyway, one night last week before Brenly went to bed, I asked her if she could please clean her room while I was at work (Ray was staying home with them)...She mentioned something about "trying" to do it, and I just left that comment alone. The next day Ray asked her if she needed to start cleaning her room and she said, "I need to get warmed up first" (WHAT?!?!?!) And then when I arrive at home, I asked if she had picked up her room...She looked at me when this puppy dog face and with her arm on her forehead and a long dramatic pause she says, "Mommy, I have just been way too tired!" Oh my word...She may be a tomboy, but she has a little bit of Drama Queen in her as well...(thanks NayNay) So I told her after dinner we were going to her room with a trash bag and whatever was on the floor, was going to give to little kids that don't have any toys...She was so confused and started crying thinking that I was going to throw ALL of her toys away...That was never my intention- I just feel that both of my girls have been spoiled rotten and they have so many toys that they can't keep them all picked up...And if they do get picked up, half of them remain on the floor for lack of storage space...So I saw a teachable moment and went with it! we went to her room and were both sitting on the floor and I continued to pick up toys and ask if we could give them to children who don't have any toys...At first everything I picked up, she immediately screamed no...that's my favorite toy...After about 15 "NO's" I finally talked to her again and told her there were alot of children who would love to have nice things, but their mommy and daddy's couldn't afford it! So she went to the floor and pick up these necklaces and said, " I think that they would like these" and puts them in the trash bag! NOW, before all of you start "AWWWW-ing" on me...we MUST remember that this is the biggest tomboy you will ever meet and for her to give up necklaces is NO skin of her back. She was quite thrilled to get them out of her room! So then I went to the bin that holds all of her cars, trucks, dinosaurs, frogs and snakes and asked what we could give away...Now this wasn't such an easy task for her, however after a moment to let it sink in, she slowly starting picking out a few of her favorites and put them in the trash bag. After spending about 45 minutes with her, we had a whole trash bag full of things...even some really nice things that some children are going to love! It was hard for her to part with some of the "material things", but I hope the lesson that was learned is one that she will hold onto forever!