A few program notes over here.  First of all, thank you all for your enthusiasm regarding Camp Russell.  I hope to add all of your ideas to a post soon, so if anyone has any more, please send them over.  Camp is underway here, but we seem to be taking things a bit out of order.  Elliot saw some of the crafts I was planning in Martha Stewart Kids, and insisted that we start the rocket made of recycled materials right away.  So, it is in progress although it was originally intended for our recycling week.  Its all about flexibility, people.  Also, just so some of you don't think I'm freaky, it really only took a couple of hours to come up with those ideas, one night while watching TV I came up with the themes, and the next day during our one hour of quiet time, I plugged in the activities. 

Last week I got in a tidying frenzy, so much so that I joked with my pregnant next door neighbor that her nesting hormones must be flying across the driveway and in my windows.  I have been cleaning out like a mad-woman, and need to make a trip or two to the thrift store to donate.  I have been trying to escape some of the "rules" of household storage and make things work for my family.  It has already improved the clutter factor, so I wanted to share a few ideas with you all.  Not that exciting, but sometimes I just need to show you something practical, no?

First up, I was so tired of all of the clutter by the side door (the entrance to a side porch, patio and yard, that I grabbed three buckets that I purchased at IKEA during spring.  I filled them with sidewalk chalk, sunscreen & bug spray, and bubble paraphernalia.  Now, I just grab a bucket on the way out, no more counter full of clutter- yay!

And second, this little hutch in our front hall previously held extra serving pieces, candle-holders, and general junk, and I cleaned it out last week, replacing those items with Elliot's art and craft supplies.  They were previously housed in the basement, which means- 1) There was a constant clutter of art supplies on the kitchen counter waiting to be returned to the basement, 2) I sometimes avoided art projects so I didn't have to go to the basement, 3) He could never get anything himself.  Problems solved.  Obviously this will have to be baby-proofed when Lucie starts moving, but for now it is working great.

It's really the small stuff isn't it?