It all adds up...eventually

Whenever James deploys, I have so many plans and grand ideas of things I want to accomplish before he gets back. Why do I do this to myself? I have no clue. It's not like I have extra time in which I need to fill it. It's more like I have less time and twice as much to do. Anyway, I have all these things which need to be accomplished, but now it is more a list of just the regular household items.

1. Clean the house
2. Mow the lawn
3. Weed the gardens
4. Help the kids with the homework
5. Go to Soccer practice/games
6. Run/Train for the half-marathon
7. Have some quiet time
8. Take a Nap

There are always more to add to the list and prioritizing is something that is difficult for me. I try to put the kids first, but I need to make sure to email/phone James, then something with the job comes up, or the dog, or I need to socialize just so people still remember who I am. Crazy, I know, but these are the things that go through my head, all as I sit at the computer or on the couch just trying to get motivated to do something besides just take a minute and enjoy the quiet.

Tonight as we ran errands after a full day at school, we stopped at Bath & Body Works. I needed some new scents for the house since the other had long since burnt out. I looked at the options and decided on the lavender vanilla. It is supposed to have a calming/stress relief effect. That's what I felt was the most necessary for me (and the kids right now).

We are all so ready for school to be over and summer to begin. Logan is very ready for the testing which they have been prepping for since Jan./Feb. to be done. I also am taking tests for my teacher certification to upgrade to a regular license instead of a provisional. I suppose I should have spread it out over the last 2 years, but hmm, yeah, that just didn't happen. So another thing to add stress. At least with this, it sets an example for Logan of how it's not just kids who have to test and study.

Also, with the arrival of summer that means we should have James home. He should be home before school is out, but I try to prepare for the unexpected and say "should" just in case things change.

The kids are already making plans for all sorts of summer activities. It will be hard to get them to narrow it down to one family vacation. Logan has Paris, Lego Land, Yellowstone, New York, San Francisco, Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon, and several others on his list. Aurora's is pretty similar. I think you will see why we will have to just sit down and plan on one.

Ok, I have finally updated my blog, yet, I don't feel like I really said anything. Maybe complained a little, but nothing super fantastic with which your lives are now enriched for reading. Oh well, I guess there will be time for that the next time.

While I'm making list I have a few more things to add

1. Send Christmas Thank you notes
2. Send out kids pictures
3. finish unfinished projects (especially the one that is almost 10 years old!)
4. and the list goes on....

In all planning you make a list and you set priorities.

Alan Lakein