I Am (Sometimes) the Overwhelmed Mom

I aim to do a lot more than I should, and that is why I am overwhelmed.  I have tried schedules, lists, chore charts, and work books etc.  It is an endless cycle.  I feel like I am walking on a treadmill.  I am constantly moving but not getting any where. 

Getting the Children to Help
My oldest is 4 (Hermione).  She is actually very helpful these days.  She will get cereal for the baby and towels for all the spit up and has an attention span long enough to finish cookie recipes.  I recently bought her a responsibility chart which was going very strongly for the first two days now we have already been slacking off.  Please, LORD, help ME be disciplined enough to keep up with the day to day things that need to get done.  See how this doesn't help an overwhelmed mom very much the weight is again put on my shoulders.  Ariana (2) is slowly learning.  We changed things up at home recently that has her in tears almost every day.  I want us all to be dressed for breakfast and they want to be in pjs.  I want to change this around because of all the appointments we seem to have (especially in the morning).  We have daily battles right now, again, another overwhelming thing to deal with.  The baby has reflux and obviously can not help except to make cute faces, which do brighten my day.  In the long run, I know all the overwhelming stuff can't compare to the joy of teaching every day lessons and learning to work together and instructing in righteousness.

Let my yes be yes and my no- no.
Usually not a big problem, but Hermione is a good negotiator and sometimes I actually have to be flexible on this because she can often come up with something more important that needs to be done that mommy forgets about.  I don't love to see my children cry.  I hope I am doing the right things.  Right now I am battling the television.  I praise God that we do not have cable or any tv channels at all.


Stop excusing your child's inappropriate behavior
I guess I don't know how this helps with not being overwhelmed.  What am I SUPPOSE to do when my daughter won't say anything to her teachers or people who are passing her at church?  Stop right there and discipline or instruct (talk about super overwhelming)?


Ask Others for Help
This I do not think I have a problem with.  I am not afraid (any more) to ask for help though sometimes I don't know the right people to ask.  My neighbor has definitely been one of the most helpful with last minute baby-sitting and bringing over coffee when I have run out.  I am not above anyone in asking for help.

Me Time
Ahh...the ultimate balance in life.  I never know if I am just plain lazy or do I really need all this me time.  Take last night for example.  We had spent the day making some cookies and Lucy was having a very rough reflux day (a lot more spit up than usual).  The kitchen was a mess but it was beautiful outside.  My husband was not home.  I just heated up a can of chili, plopped in their bowls, let them watch T.V., bathed, and read to them and sent them to bed.  It was almost 10 o'clock by the time I got this all done.  Now do I go clean the kitchen?  spend time with my husband?  take a me time bath and read for fun?  I chose the last one.  And now my kitchen is still a mess and my husband and I spent time watching a couple shows he likes.  I didn't get to bed till 12:07am.  Now was that right?  Should I just clean the kitchen and go straight to bed?  I just have so much guilt over "me time".

Well that is me-  one overwhelmed mom.  I pray that I can become more disciplined so my children will follow suit.

These tips were given from Far Above Rubies.  I was just giving my responses to feelings to the list.  




  

What Is At The Top of the To Do List

After reading this devotion this morning during a week in which I have so much going on really put things into perspective for me.  On the top of my new to do list this week-

#1.  Love God with all my heart, soul, and mind.
#2.  Respect and Honor my husband.
#3.  Instruct my children in righteous conduct.

I am so very blessed and hope that I can spread the joy.

Growing Home Give Away

The Confident Mom is giving away the summer boredom package!

Just Sitting in Anticipation

Since Lucy has to go into the clinic twice a week to get weighed and she wants to be held- often, we haven't done much.  I probably shouldn't be blogging but I needed to get some words out.  It is helpful during stressful times and there is plenty of that to go around here.

Ariana and I worked on our All Kinds of Eggs Lesson this week.  Sadly didn't prepare because I only had one egg in the fridge but she had loads of fun with an egg hunt in which I hid words inside for her to learn.  She is only 2 years old, but I thought she might like the activity.  I should have just put the word EGG in all of them but we had recently been working on the letter Q so it was just some easy words like- quilt, queen, and mom, dad.  I think she had fun.

Hermione and I have Kindergarten registration today.  Mama, of course, is a little nervous and still unsure that this is the right decision for our family so I am taking a step of faith.  

We caught up with a tiny bit of laundry and went to the library.  I ate a little bit of ice cream (I know, I know that is a no-no), but I am a stress eater and there has been some extra unmentionable problems right now.  Please pray for my husband and our church right now.  Here are some pictures of my 5 month old 10 lb. 11.5 oz baby to make us all feel a little better.  She is itty bitty.

Priority Shift

I have to put some goals on hold and switched to some new ones.  My youngest daughter, Lucy, is almost five months old.  A couple weeks ago we took her to the doctor and found out she wasn't gaining any weight.  She has been spitting up most of mama's milk.  The doctor put her on some medicine for GERDs, but from the advice from some real moms I decided to lay off the dairy.  I am on week two of no dairy.  At first it was very difficult because I had to wait for pay day to replace some of my snacking habits with nondairy items.  But my husband went to Costco and came back with a nice big box of Larabars.  He was so very thoughtful and encouraging to me while making the no dairy switch.  So in between feeding her every 3 hours plus supplementing with formula to make long story short Lucy has gone from 9 lbs. 3 oz to 10 lbs. 5.5 oz in about 2 weeks.  The doctors goal with her is for her to gain at least one ounce a day.  Just to recap because I don't know when I will have time to post again-

Old Goals (put on hold)-
*52 Weeks to an Organized Home
*Reading 12 Books this Year (I usually read a lot more than this but I figured I would make the goal VERY attainable because of the craziness of life and it obviously was a good decision seeing that the health of my family has taken center stage.)
*Keeping the cookie jar at least half full with HOMEMADE cookies

New Goals-
*Lucy needs to reach 12 lbs by the end of the month (to make doctor happy)
*The 21 Rules of this House Project (this is long over due)
*Keeping up with no dairy diet

I am excited for the new goals but sad about not being able to bake or read as much, but sometimes priorities have to change. 

Week One: Kitchen organizion: countertops and sink

These are before pictures.  It makes me realize I need to decorate too.  Is there a decorate challenge for next year after it is all organized?  I should look into that or maybe I can make a list for next year.  I need curtains, candles, art, towels, etc.  I also keep forgetting about the broken drawer and the plug that doesn't work.  Will add some sink pictures next time too.  

Passover is Being...Passed over?

I wanted to celebrate Passover this year.  But was blocked by the fact that the store I shop at regularly did not carry the specific Passover things I wanted- matzo or matzo ball soup or the bottled grape juice.  Any way I was disappointed.  Tomorrow the plan is to call around before I go searching endlessly because after such fruitlessness I just got tired.

I love Passover Seder.  I am not Jewish but I love celebrating it for the Christian symbols.  I just don't know how you can NOT see Christ in the Passover.  We have celebrated at our church from time to time, but it had not been planned this year so I was hoping to have at least a meal and the Seder plate prepared.  My husband will probably think I am little cooky if I start bringing out the Haggaid and start singing Dayeinu plus my kids are so young I don't know how much of an actual Passover Seder they could sit through.  Ahh...wishful thinking...

Started the 52 Week Challenge to Organize the Home...I am super excited!!!!!  This week is organize the kitchen counter tops which I have a new idea about what to do with all the tons of cereal we have plus maybe I will remember to tell the maintenance at church to look at a plug that doesn't work.  Pictures?  I hope so.