May 13, 2009

Inside the Mind of a Hopeless Scatterbrain

Is it just me, or is this time of the year INSANE?
Somehow, the last month of school seems like shortest, as well as the longest!
Now, how does that make any sense?
If you have or had kids in school, then you know just what I'm talking about. So much gets crammed into that last month of school. I get so tired of running (usually in circles) that I long for school to end and it seems soooooooo far away. On that same note, there is so much to do during the last month of school that there is not nearly enough time to get it all done. Field trips, class parties, teachers' gifts, awards ceremonies, Open House, kindergarten graduation.....
CALGON! TAKE ME AWAY!!!
And, because we're sort of gluttons for punishment, we have two girls in softball. This is the last week of the season, so that means we also have games we cannot miss, end-of-the-season parties, coaches' gifts, trophies...AACK!
As if that's not enough, I'm trying to pull out summer clothes for myself and the girls. I am in currently in a larger state of girth than I was last summer so very little of what I wore last summer will work this year. It doesn't make a HUGE difference, since my P.A. scared me into wearing my compression stockings and tennis shoes every single day I can still wear the jeans I've been wearing. My legs really do feel better, but we'll see if I still feel that way when the temps reach 113! Yes, I'm 33 years old and I wear compression stockings. WHATOFIT??? Actually, you can talk to my parents about this one. They should have compared notes...then they might have decided to NOT BREED. From my dad's side, we get the spider veins and the swelling. (Not to mention the big thighs and the wide, flat bottoms!) From my mom's side, we get the varicose veins. (Not to mention the diabetes and the high blood pressure and all the lovely things that come along with them!) Seriously, what were they thinking?
Sometimes love just isn't enough, people!
Okay, so I'm kidding there. I HAVE to appreciate their marriage (and even their 'breeding') in the fact that I am here. I exist. Thanks to them, there is one more overwhelmed and mentally understimulated mommy spewing on pages all over the net with her sarcasm and whining. YAY ME!
Okay....where was I going with this again?
Oh. That's right. I was going to give you insight in what it's like to be a hopeless scatterbrain. And yet, you got to experience it firsthand as my train of thought derailed yet again!
13YO has a softball game tonight. Since I'm a little more on my game than usual, dinner will be ready on time. THANKS, CROCKPOT LADY! We're having THIS...and is smells divine! I will drop her off early and go home to brown some fideo on the stove and toss that and some other things into my rice cooker to make rice pilaf. My rice cooker and slow cooker both turn off automatically when done. They will be done and staying warm until we can get home and eat. So, at least that's done.
Tomorrow, I work in 6YO's class in the morning. 13YO might have another softball game tomorrow, but we won't know until after tonight's game. (STUPID PLAYOFFS! I still don't completely understand how they work!) Friday will be spent at the ZOO with 6YO and her class. Friday night is 6YO's last softball game. Her team is also having their end-of-the-year party immediately after at a local pizza joint.
Basically, we're pretty busy. Since this has been my year of gradual self-improvement, my list of things to get done is pretty long. I understand that not all of these things will be done. But still, I will breathe easier with every little accomplishment.
This morning started out okay enough. I got the kids off to school and the husband off to work, as usual. I then was able to eat my own breakfast and make something for 3YO, who just woke up after they left. I logged my breakfast on my new little 'food log' that I made up on Word. I am trying to get the correct amount of fiber, protein, and carbs. I'm not counting fat or calories, since things that are high in fiber and low in carbs aren't usually that bad for you in general. Plus, drinking almost a hundred ounces of water a day can't hurt! I needed to get some laundry put away and dinner started first things. OH! And my made my own fabric softener! It smells heavenly and it seems to work just as well as the Downy always has. Somehow, I managed to get dinner going during this time, but I can't exactly tell you when that was. It's all sort of a blur...
Well, I went back to put the laundry away and realized that I had not made my bed yet. I made my bed and started putting my clothes away. When I got to the stuff that needed to be hung, I realized that we were getting shorter and shorter on hangers. It then occured to me that so many of the things hanging in my closet are either ugly or too small. Or both. I started at one end of my side and started pulling things out. Before I knew it, quite a bit of time had passed and I had enough clothes piled up to fit into a large trash bag!
It was then that I realized that I still hadn't moved the clothes from the washer to the dryer!
3YO got into her own cleaning mood and grabbed a washcloth. She was wiping down everything she could reach. She loves to dust, so I spray a little Pledge on a piece of furniture and she wipes it down with a rag. Before I knew it, she was wiping the bathroom counters down with Pledge. WHATEVER! I have to make a mental note to wipe off those counters...AGAIN!
I quickly finished up my closet and dressers. I can now actually get clothes in and out of them without using a the jaws of life! I took all the jeans I've 'outgrown' and neatly folded them and stacked them on the top shelf of my closet. For now, I'll refer to it as my 'Pile of Despair.' Once I actually got into my cleaning mode, 3YO got out of hers. As I walked back down the hall to get a new bag to fill with all the discarded stuff, I heard 3YO playing in her room. With the door closed. (That can't be good!) She sounded like she was having a really good time in there. (Which is also a very bad sign when the door is closed...no matter what age they are, I'm afraid!) I open the door to find 3YO, a couple of plastic 'tools,' and a tub of green Play-doh cut into a billion little pieces all over the carpet. BOO! I am then reminded that I still need to put the girls' clothes away.
As I'm threatening her life, I run down the hall to get the rest of their clean clothes. I put all of their clothes away and decide to let the Play-doh dry before I try to sweep it up. (If you have a better way, please feel free to share! I'm always on the lookout for more tricks for cleaning things...or devious ways to punish the offenders!) I made her stay in her room (now that there wasn't any Play-doh in there anymore!) while I took a quick shower. We only had a few minutes to get to the school to pick up 6YO.
I've also taken a few things out to the 'Man Shed,' as we call it. (Remind me to tell the story of the man shed another day!) David finally handed the mad shed over to me...so I can fill it up with MY JUNK. Actually, it's nothing really fun...it's mostly kitchen appliances that I don't use every single day or have space for in my actual kitchen. I also have my large plastic bowls and things that take up too much cabinet space out there. I use it all, so I shouldn't get rid of it. Now I have a place to put it. HOORAY!
Anyhow, I still have so many things on my list that have not been done, yet I've been busy all day! What's even more daunting is that my new P.A. wants me to eat EVERY TWO OR THREE HOURS. All day long. Now, she may be small, but she's SCARY! I think I will listen to her, for now. If I don't, when I see her in a month she'll know I didn't listen. Even if I tried to lie, I'm not very good at it.
Well, I need to get to 13YO's game. And the clothes in dryer are needing my attention. And who knows what little Tweedledee and Tweedledum are doing while I sit here. They are a little too quiet, if you ask me!
And we all know how dangerous a quiet kid can be!

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