Too Many Irons...

What is that saying about having too many irons in the fire?

This time of year I feel that way.

It probably doesn't help that I started the big chore of switching out clothes. And it is a chore. I have said before, it isn't a matter of just taking old clothes out and putting the newer clothes in. I have different piles for the old clothes (garage sale/donation, consignment sale, save for another child, possibly wear next year...). The new clothes require the trying on process which can be excruciating for all of us, especially me when I listen to "I have to try on something else???" in that really whiny voice.

That being said, I am SOOOO thankful we have clothes left from our big kids to pass on. I am so thankful we do not have to buy a new wardrobe for all four kids each year. I am thankful my kids have clothes to wear for every season.

And just in case it sounds like the little ones ONLY get leftovers...they don't. We buy them a few new pieces too.

I actually like going through the "new" clothes. It is like Christmas. I get to pull out outfits I haven't seen in eight years. I pull out a shirt and instantly remember how I visited several Old Navy stores in search of this one shirt just for the oldest. Now the youngest will wear it. I watch Child 3 pull on a dress that Child 2 wore just a few years before. I also discover clothes I got on clearance last year that I had forgotten about. And I find out how much the kids have grown when I pull out clothes I am sure they will fit into only to find out they are much too small now. You don't realize how much they have grown until they put on a pair of jeans they wore in February and find out they are now two inches too small!

So much of my day yesterday involved going through boxes and boxes of clothes. (Believe it or not, Child 4 was the most cooperative about trying on clothes!) The big boys went to the Razorback game. I stayed home with the rest of the crew. (Child 3 is doing just fine.) Thankfully for the most part they played nicely together, freeing me to work on the clothing stuff. As I sorted the clothes, I made clothes piles which meant I had a lot of laundry to do too. I am not finished yet, but all kids have at least a few outfits to wear this year.

Oh, I will admit, it was hard to not want to escape by going somewhere like we have the last two weekends. I had hoped we would visit the pumpkin patch. Unfortunately, Child 2 was still "contagious", and I had too much to do. So we didn't. We stayed home. The fun part was staying in our pajamas. I think Child 3 would have worn hers all week had I let her!

I did fit in a nap yesterday afternoon (which I felt like I deserved :). It was much needed!

After I woke up, I also did a little fall decorating. When we first got married, we decorated for every holiday. When the craft fairs came (coming up this weekend), we visited them in search of holiday decor. These days, I don't decorate as much except for Christmas, mainly due to time constraints. However, after Christmas, fall is my favorite season/time to decorate. This year I was determined to do it. Against my husband's wishes. :) He has apparently moved on and doesn't want any kind of fall/harvest display. And while I am usually somewhat submissive, I decided that a few decorations (nothing gaudy, nothing cheesy...just a few colorful leaves, scarecrows, and ceramic pumpkins) would be okay...he can live with it.

We ended the night with chili. It was much appreciated after a fairly cool day!

So, here it is a day later, and I am still dealing with piles of clothes to launder. There are a couple more boxes to go through for the girls. Child 4's clothes still need to be officially switched out. And I have some piles I really need to deal with. It is easy to be overwhelmed. And I am at times.

Too many irons!!!

Reba