Permission to Purge

Our recycling can is full to the brim with papers. Papers that were until yesterday filed in the file cabinets. And cupboards. And drawers. In our office. When I couldn't fit one thin piece of paper that I was hurriedly trying to file on Friday, I made time to purge.

I'm pretty good at not saving everything. But I do save lots of things. At least for a few years until it's not so sentimental anymore. Got rid of science reports and triplicate baby announcements. Threw away some drawings and some art projects--especially the ones bedazzled with bumpy beads that took up space.

Almost threw away a math paper of Chris' and then, wondering why I saved a 2nd grade math sheet anyway, I read the teacher's note at the top. After the space for "Name" my then second-grader had written: "bil." And his teacher's note was, "Good work!  But next time please put your real name at the top of your work!" Ha, ha! I remember that phase.  But it back in the keeper file.

And finally after filling 2 garbage bags with papers, I set in on the blank paper cupboards. And gave myself permission to finally throw away all the scratch paper I had accumulated when I was PTA President... 5 years ago... "The back of all these parent surveys is blank. I can't just throw them away! We'll use them for scratch paper! Look at all the Christmas Choir flyers. What a waste to just throw them away. I'll save them and use them for scratch paper!" Through that line of thinking I'd been storing reams of "scratch paper." So I gave myself permission to not feel responsible for the waste taking place and the trees that were sacrificed and tossed them into the recycling bin. 

And now everything is so clean!

And I was getting so liberated, I also threw away the stacks of The Friend magazine I'd accumulated and never thrown away because sometimes when you're doing sharing time you really need a certain picture and if you have dozens of past issues, you can usually find it!!  But I'm not the Primary President anymore and probably won't be for a very long time and The Friend keeps coming, month after month! And someday someone will categorize all those pictures and maybe we'll have a "Picture Search" on LDS.org and we'll be able to find just the right picture online. So for now...goodbye!  Aaaaahhhh.

Also this weekend, Chris went Paintballing for the first time and had a blast. They were a little nervous about how much it would hurt, but they prepared with sweatshirts and long pants and are dying to go back!

Courtney got asked to Homecoming.

Marty and Courtney went boating. The whole family had a picnic in Sugarhouse Park. Dan and Angela went to Crazy, Stupid, Love with friends. My family came over for a Sunday BBQ and to celebrate Michael's birthday. Christopher bore his testimony and said, 

"I want to bear my testimony. I know this Church is true. 

I know the prophet is called of God and I know St. John still walks the earth." 

(Primary lesson was on John's choice to remain on the earth. So glad he was listening!) 

Got ski passes at Sniagrab so everybody is ready for ski season!