spring cleaning with a three year old.

I've been cleaning. And purging. And while this spring cleaning thing I have been participating in suggests taking before and after pictures, I haven't stopped to document my progress. The highlights:

Day 2-dropping junk at the Goodwill with kids in the backseat. Asking the attendant to distract Claire so she wouldn't notice the ripped books and free-with-purchase items that she needs.

Day 3- Finding the perfect treasure chest style box to store her princess gear. Ripping my skinny pants performing backseat tetris with the box, 2 kids and the usual car mess.

Day 4- Nate discovers the give/sell box. He simply must have my calculator from college. Also wants to know why we're giving away a box of lasagna noodles.

Day 5- Postal food drive in our neighborhood tomorrow. Our mailman is going to score!

She likes to say bandanna. Likes to mop the floor. Does not like to part with a single thing. We're practicing with her out-grown clothes. She'll suggest giving a friend a certain pair of pajamas or shoes. For the really special things though, she'll say, "Let's put it in the attic for my sister." I remind her that we have a brother in this house. She is steadfast. "For my sister, Mama."