DISCOURAGED

I am not sure if the headline really gets across how I am feeling about this at the moment. I tried to get the kids to earn ice cream but they whined and lamented about 7 min blocks of cleanup being too long and that 5 would be all they can handle. I did what every evil mom would do. I got some work out of them and then decided that if any of them really want to go, they need to show some initiative. None of them did.

James is suffering severely from allergies and the week was just simply too much for both of us. We both crashed more than once and it feels like one of us was always napping. James made the kids work some more so they all have a little more than half an hour under their belt but no reward. Ella seemed to be the only one genuinely sad about it. I think I will support her in earning it a little more next week as she wasn't complaining.

I felt like crying tonight but gritted my teeth. Now that the day is up I will be honest. We got a lot more done then I thought at first. We even finally got my zucchini, tomato and  pepper plants planted. The cucumber doesn't look like it will make it, but we will see.

I have laundry to keep me busy for the rest of the night. It is such a struggle to keep going at the moment and it has been for weeks, but I refuse to give up. I am not sure what I am doing wrong. Maybe I just need to take a step back and find out how to be more efficient. Maybe things just have to stop going wrong. Leaking dishwasher, emergency pick ups and stuff like that really doesn't help. Tomorrow is Sunday. I'll take it easy.

THE EARLY BIRD SLEPT IN

Mind you, I was up by 7:15 am but that is 1 h 15 after I want to be up and 45 min after I should be up at the latest. I also took a nap at lunch time and fell asleep at 6:30 pm right after dinner. I am not sure why I got up again, maybe because I thought it wasn't that late yet. I might have been completely out of energy, but I did get a few things done. Tiny steps but I feel good about it. I just need more sleep.

I DON'T CARE

I wish every day was "I don't care day" like yesterday but alas, it can't be. So I decided to swallow some worms, like them or not. It is kind of hard to keep picking worms when one child reappears at the doorstep crying the moment first period starts telling you he had trouble with the bike and then plan B to take the bus failed, as he didn't make it to the next stop in time. Never mind the torn backpack. When the next child tells you as they are about to leave the house they need the bike today at school you just sigh. You'd rather have your daughter keep drawing in the mean time but she isn't ready for school yet, oh and don't even mention that the other one is barely dressed. 

So once it is all sorted out, your husband, picked you up after he took the crying child to school (you drop him off at the office) and you barely made it to the doctor's office on time you think your only worry left for the day is piano lessons. So as you are wasting your life away in a waiting room, the receptionist looks at you and tells you, you have a phone call. It is your husband telling you that your son was smacked over the head by accident with a gym bag containing soccer cleats and he is at school right now and they recommend the child see a doctor and are you able to pick them up? Well. At least this gets you bumped to the front of the line. (silver lining!!!)

We skipped the doctor as he was starting to feel better at lunch time. Forgotten textbooks for homework were only a small nuisance and picking up James was a pleasure and I am oh so happy there is such a thing as frozen pizza. I even found a way to make progress in 2 rooms! So all in all I guess it is still all good. Now I'll kick into hero mode and finish the ironing!

I DON'T LIKE WORMS

At least I was more or less wide awake without an alarm by 5:40. As this week's Taxi Tuesday provided me with an additional appointment, 2 additional drop offs and one additional pick up I decided that anything besides taxi duties and feeding children was bonus.

Such a good feeling. For one you don't feel bad about sitting on the couch reading your emails, and you feel really good about yourself after you, sorted laundry, processed a load, went shopping, started cleaning out the car and ironed a pile of stuff. 

Yes. I am awesome. A bucket full of worms for me!

EATING WORMS

The early bird catches the worm they say. I have noticed that I get most of what I do get accomplished during the day done before 10 am. The only way to increase productivity is to get up earlier. Well.

My day was lousy. 107 little things messing up my day. There was slight progress on the project and I think I was able to pick a new room for this week. I am going for the guest room. Not much to declutter in there. Mostly clean and dust and then actually fill it up.

I refuse to surrender. I don't care how much there is to do. I don't care how hard it is. I will simply GET THIS DONE!