I've got it!

I have figured out a great way to simplify our lives and build more free time into our day. And darn it if it isn't exactly what hubby's been saying for years. We move to a smaller house, one that is right down the street from the boy's existing elementary school. It also happens to be 20 minutes closer to work, a few blocks away from the baseball fields and closer to our parents. It is also nearly half the size.

Next year, the boy is zoned to a new school. This school happens to be 25 minutes from our house, in the wrong direction. His baseball field is 20 minutes from our house (with evening traffic). And the swimming school is a good 30 minutes away (with evening traffic).

So, let's add this up:
1 hour per day gain for work commute
30 minute gain per week for baseball
30 minute gain per week for swimming
1 hour gain per week for visiting folks

A total of 7 hours of extra quality time with the kids a week, we'll have to reduce our "stuff" vastly to fit in a smaller space and won't have the desire to buy more stuff, and the smaller mortgage won't suffocate.

I hate it when he's right.

Although, there are drawbacks. We probably won't be able to sell our house because there is glut of used homes in our area (still building new). We love our neighborhood. We lived in a smaller house before and I was stressed because of the lack of space. And the house I have in mind does not have a garage, but has been converted to another room.