Well it’s Monday…again and I’m suffering from high expectation syndrome. It’s the start of the week so I’m always thinking/hoping I’ll get a serious leg up on all the tasks needing attention. Thankfully, the big jobs got done last week. But now it’s after noon and I don’t feel like I’ve gotten much of anything done - partially because there’s not as much looming in front of me. *sigh*

Tonight we’re having a little party at our house with some neighbors for the season finale of 24. I hope it doesn’t disappoint. So far this season hasn’t been as enticing for me. It started with a big bang (literally) but they took out the main terrorist just past mid season and the last several weeks have been drawn out story lines that don’t seem to be connecting. I’m really hoping they can tie it all in for me tonight in a way that doesn’t leave me going “eh” and if they kill off Chloe I’m done. She’s one of only two main players left for me. It is this viewer’s humble opinion that you can’t mess too much with an original cast or you lose the emotional investment of the audience. Worse case scenario is still good though because I know the Heroes finale won’t disappoint and we’ll be able to watch it later thanks to the technology of the DVR.

I had high expectations for our Phoenix Suns too and so the last game with the Spurs was a big disappointment. They really are an amazing team and poured their hearts into it. Oh well, one less thing to plan time for. Besides, I have family coming to town this weekend and the kids can’t wait to see their cousins and have them at their house. So I suppose I should find some form of motivation to keep moving today. Too bad I gave up my Mountain Dew, that might just have done the trick….LOL.

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Housework Blogging TV Talk

It’s time to take a moment and recognize/enjoy the good things at the present moment. This is something I’m learning to do more often. It’s so easy to wish your life away thinking “When……then I’ll be happy - or - get to that - or - take a moment.” The time to live, remember and enjoy is now. Tomorrow never comes because there’s always another tomorrow to procrastinate to. Experience has shown me that no matter how bad today seems for whatever reason, years later I’ll look back and wish I’d appreciated how good it was or seized the moment to do something with my kids. So today I’m enjoying:

Beautiful flowers from my wonderful hubby.

My poem being published - and being the FIRST one in the book!

Watching my son enjoy Zathura for the thousandth time and baking him cookies.

And last but not least, LOVING the fact that my sink is finally being installed.

Plus, tonight is The Office and the final showdown on American Idol includes my two favorites. My floors are clean and I still have time to blog. Life is good.

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Sharing Motherhood Housework Success Blogging TV Talk

Yesterday was a good day. I didn’t get as much done as I wanted (I never do) but some big things did get done. Like shampooing my family room carpet - blech!, having dinner ready by the time hubby got home (I even duplicated my best corn salsa), getting the dishes done and even swimming with my son. But the cherry on top was finding the long lost gameboy under my bed and the missing “Zathura” movie disk. My son got this movie last month and watched it several times before losing it. We looked everywhere with no success. Yesterday I noticed one of the small portable DVD players by my husband’s nightstand and thought to myself “I wonder” and sure enough there it was inside. My daughter’s gameboy has been missing for several months and she’s been praying that we could find it. Needless to say most everyone was happy yesterday!

One of the biggest lessons I’ve “found” of late is the recognition that balance doesn’t mean perfection or everything being finished. I’m amazed at how much better I feel as long as I’m getting a few of those back burner projects finished. They recharge the determination batteries just enough to keep you going and make you smile. Now whenever I feel like I’m going under I’ll tackle one or two things that have been pushed off for forever and find an amazing amount of balance restored.

Tomorrow is my 15th wedding anniversary. I’m not sure where the time went - that is definitely something I’ve still not found! It’s hard to wrap my brain around the concept. I still feel much the same way I did when I was 20 years younger, I wonder if that inner spirit ever catches up with the physical aging?

So what have you found this week?

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Organizing Marriage Housework Balance Success

Well yesterday was a long but very good day and it ended on the perfect note for me. Sanjaya finally went home. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t have a personal issue with the kid. I just hated seeing the level of the talent pool he was dog paddling in, watching the others swim circles around him yet they were the ones getting eliminated before him. It just wasn’t right. I know it’s American Idol and popularity is a huge factor but I’m glad for the other contestants that he finally went home.

Thanks to my brother in law (who I learned last night actually reads my blog), my house is clean today. A ton of little projects that have been building were eliminated yesterday in preparation for his coming to spend the night with us. Apparently it was the missing motivation for my getting things done. Thanks Ryan! I was actually excited to get up this morning because I knew I had a massive head start on the day and awaiting chaos.

The restoring balance continued in the yard too. My hubby replaced some necessary pool elements that have made a world of difference. It never ceases to amaze me when noticeable and large changes come about by small and simple things. We knew our pool vacuum was on its last leg. But I don’t think either of us understood the difference it would make to have one that really worked well again.
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According to wikipedia Procrastination is the deferment or avoidance of an action or task to a later time and is often linked to perfectionism. Okay, who knew me when they wrote this?

I’m always sharing with others my view of the big wheel that goes round and round. It applies to everything I can think of. Sometimes you’re on top, others in front, sometimes squashed and a few rare times behind pushing it forward but the point is the wheel is always moving and you can’t stay in the same place 100% of the time. I seem to be in a season of running in front right now.

It’s interesting to note some important changes. As I’ve focused on simplifying and finding balance much has changed. I’m spending less time worrying about the little details and perfect to do lists in my head and that’s wonderful. I’m spending more time doing things for me than I used to - even learning how to say no occasionally. But I still struggle to let go of many of the old demons that would rob me. I’m constantly amazed at how hard it is to replace those old files in my computerized brain with new ones. The old files are worry and perfection.

My biggest challenge right now is the need to feel that I’m getting back in control and on top of my wheel for so many things. For example, Father Time has finally begun to take a noticeable toll on my physical nature. That metabolism that for years was set to super speed has now begun to slow. For the past year I’ve been saying I need to counter the changes with more exercise and better diet but the attempts have been feeble at best. Similarly the basics of household running are being accomplished but the detail projects, organizing and cleaning are remain undone and that’s starting to wear on my mind too. Then there’s the motherhood aspect which always leaves me wishing I were doing more consistently to be a better mom and raise the best kids. What’s a girl to do?

I’m trying to step back today and find a game plan to answer my question. I’ve got to find some solutions to motivation and goal reaching. Anyone have anything that’s really worked for them? I’m all ears.

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I like new things. I like new weeks that start off right, new growth that comes with spring and new determination that comes from the adrenaline of starting or beginning something. Today was the beginning of normality again for me after a week of spring break. This morning marked the end of mounting house demolition and return of order and cleanliness. After a week of kids out of school and a weekend to boot, the place looked like it’d been attacked by the Cat in the Hat. I determined to stay off the computer until I could relax with a clean home. Now it’s done, the kids are at school and I’m ready to dig into some computer time. And it’s been a slight break on my blog too with crazy things happening and the kids out of school, so it’s nice to dig back in. *wink*

I couldn’t help but look around my home yesterday and wonder if anyone else’s looks like mine with “regular” use. It seems I’ve been picking clothes up (not to mention myself after missing a few of the stairs on the way down - yipes), wiping down counters and bathrooms with antibacterial wipes and running the washer and dryer all day…oh wait, I HAVE been doing all that. *laugh* My son was happy to have some help finding his room this morning. He does an okay job picking things up but he really appreciates having mom come and help go through all the toys and get everything back together. Funny how those toys are so much more fun to play with when all the pieces are together. It was like a trip to the toy store for all the stuff we found together. And I think he went through at least a half dozen wipes helping me clean his bathroom. I love that he loves to help.

The yard got some serious attention this weekend too. We had really hot weather (broke records even) last week and the unusual heat wave really brought new life to a new level. We got rid of all the dead stuff and everything is flourishing. I’m sure it will unrecognizable in another couple of weeks. I was so happy to see green buds in my ficus tree that was hit so hard with frost this winter, and blossoms on our citrus tree this year. Yay! And of course more roses!

So what’s new in your neck of the woods?

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Focus Is Everything

So I’m sitting here at approximately the half-way point of my day. I’m able to look back and what’s been done and forward to what’s left. I never get as much done as I want, but it’s nice to see progress.

I’m pausing for a moment to keep things from falling behind on my blog and reciprocal comments, responses and blog parties/carnivals. And I’m realizing as I do it how important focus is. My day has only been satisfactory to me because I’ve been shifting my focus on things with purpose. I looked at the list of household chores and organized them in order of the ones that would really make me feel good when done. Then I tackled the list with that direction. I also found that by allowing some focus on other tasks, a much needed balance was created for me. I can’t spend as much time as I’d like in any one area today without tipping over my productivity basket. Some days are just like that. Once and a while I find things caught up enough in any one area to spend a little more time in another, but on days like today when there’s a certain amount of catching up to be done, I find that a purposeful dibble here and dabble there make a very happy me at the end of the day. If everything goes to one area I feel robbed and miserable at day’s end.
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Well, this has been an interesting Saturday. And I find it fitting to sit down and blog for a moment. Normally, I don’t spend time at the computer on weekends because it’s family time for me and we keep ourselves pretty busy. But today was just weird and as I’ve seen Napoleon Dynamite so many times, I figure the family can finish watching it and I’ll just blog for a minute. Besides, I grew up in Preston. Been there, done that. LOL

I had such grand plans for today. I was going to get my garden planted, my house cleaned and maybe we’d take in a family movie or something too. But alas, the weather was windy and gross, I ended up making an unexpected trip to the doctor’s office with my daughter for an ear infection confirmation and prescription, Aunt Flo rudely interrupted my physical balance and by the time the family lunch outing was done I found myself with zero energy. In short, the entire day went on tilt. My solution: do nothing. *wink* I’ve dubbed today as my day of rest so I’m just not worrying about it. I figure all the work staring at me in the face will still be there Monday. So hopefully, no one will come knocking at my door until Monday afternoon. Besides, I have to get caught up by then or I won’t be able to enjoy 24 and that would be a sin. LOL

I feel a bubble bath coming on. I think I’ll adopt the phrase, “I’m not being lazy I’m just charging my battery.” That works right?

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Time is a funny thing. It seems to speed up or slow down depending on our current situation. I know it’s our perception but it sure feels real. When you want/need time to speed up it seems to purposely slow down just to aggravate you. I’m quite certain that when I was freezing my toes off supporting friends or family at some sports game in inclement weather that time was frozen too. Or like the many years wanting to be a mom and finding it ever elusive. Many of those years felt like time had nearly come to standstill. Or how about those minutes when you’ve got a few extra kids at your house and you know you only have to make it 15 more minutes…you get the idea.

Then there’s the speed problem. This happens when you want/need time to slow down and it just keeps playing against you. These are the days, seasons, times in your life when no matter what you try it seems you can barely keep your head above water and even while dog paddling you take in several gulps of water. This seems to be the case when household chores build up and try as you might there’s never enough time to get them done. Or time on vacation that seems to speed by at a very unfair pace when you’re certain it took double work and efforts just to get to it in the first place. And how about how quick your kids grow? That’s just plain unfair.

All I can say, is that it’s a darn good thing we don’t have a remote control over time. A very wise system was set in place that we would not be able to mess with - there are 24 hours in a day…period. So here I sit, looking at my kids wondering how on earth they can possibly turn 5 and 10 this year (and definitely in denial that I have a niece turning 19) and at the same time wondering how the first 1.5 hours of my day lasted an eternity. Hmmm, I just can’t seem to win.

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Sharing Emotions Perspectives Motherhood Housework Balance

I sat down to write something yesterday at least three different times and each time “something suddenly came up” keeping me from the task. I swear sometimes trying to blog something can be just like being on the phone for this mom. See, when I’m on the phone,they just KNOW. It’s as if a little alarm goes off in my kids heads and they’ll discontinue whatever they were doing to come bug me, start fighting or cause other painful and difficult to deal with distractions while I’m talking. To their credit, I don’t think I can blame them for the blogging distractions yesterday, although this morning I can’t say I remember what those distractions were. ‘Sometimers’ disease is getting worse as I get older. Memory slips used to only happen when I’d get to a room and not be able to remember why I’d come there, having to retrace my steps to jog the memory. Sadly, the retracing doesn’t always work these days! So here I sit, unable to recall exactly what I was going to blog yesterday, but clearly remembering how many times I tried. That’s got be worth at least a “C” grade right?
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