We really need to create some comfy seating near our campfire so I can do the same...

I have some gray in just that shade sitting in my yarn stash... I am thinking faux knight chainmail for my son...

If we can pick up in 15 minutes before each meal & bedtime, that seems to be the right amount of toys to keep in rotation. It is too overwhelming to just say "pick up your toys". So I will pick up the toys in a certain spot (with the toddler- and I will tell her one toy at a time to pick up and put away), Child A will pick up the blocks, Child B will pick up the figures, etc... they get a look of sheer overwhelm if the task is too general. Small manageable jobs, done together while singing our clean up song. Occasionally we have a case of the whinies but being silly helps- like pretending I am a certain toy and saying "OH NO! HELP ME! I am going to get stepped on and I am SCARED!!!" Making them laugh usually snaps them out of their ill humor. And when there is a horrible mess and I know I can't handle orchestrating the clean up without losing my temper (some days it is just like that) I sweep them up into a pile, put them in a garbage bag, and put them in the basement until we can calmly and cheerfully put them away.

Trying to avoid the melt down process with positive affirmations taped all over the windowsill above the kitchen sink! Shared on facebook, thanks!

I already like her on facebook and would *love* to add her Valentine gnome to our nature table this year!