End of the week

Today the kids woke up early, and thus I was awake and trying to function before I really wanted to. However, I have gotten a lot done as a result.

- read 2 stories to Princess (Little Bear and Riptide)

- set Princess up to paint with her tempera paints

- started the laundry (again, since I forgot to change it last night and it smells now)

- unloaded the dishwasher

- mostly re-loaded the dishwasher

- started clearing the mess of the dining room table

- cleared out one side of the kitchen sink

- made oatmeal for breakfast

- got Princess her snack (chocolate graham crackers, banana & milk) at 10:30

- fed & the baby several times

- checked my email

- deleted a ton of stuff

- researched Girl Scout-type organizations for Princess to join this Fall

Lots more to come, but I suppose even if I stopped right now, I would have accomplished a fair amount. Sometimes I need to give myself more credit. It is so easy to get discouraged about the amount of work to do and how little time there is to do it.

"You are doing the best you can, and that best results in good to yourself and to others."

- Gordon B. Hinckley

Falling Short

You are successful the moment you start moving toward a worthwhile goal. - Chuck Carlson

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So, it's been a couple weeks since I wrote, and I'm trying not to beat myself for flaking out. I'm trying really hard right now to figure out the juggling act that is parenting 2 kids and running my house and doing stuff I like to do. I'd gotten into a good groove just before Baby Bear was born, and now I feel overwhelmed and struggling again.

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Physically I feel great (except for lack of sleep), but the day to day stuff is driving me nuts. You've seen one of my "to-do" lists, and I know that I can be a little...ambitious when it comes to deciding what needs to happen in my life. At this point, I'm attempting to look at what is really important to me - what HAS to happen each day - and, well, shorten the list.

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To me, shortening the list feels like falling down on the job. It feels like watching a ball you only took your eye off for a millisecond drift out to sea, knowing you'll probably never hold it again. If I take it off the list, will I ever be able to justify the luxury of putting it back on?

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I wish I could do more. I wish there were more hours in the day. Last night, Princess & I were cuddling on the couch for a bit after Baby Bear fell asleep and she said to me in this adorable, drowsy, 4-year-old voice: "I wish I never had to take time to sleep". I know the feeling.