Not a good day.
I’m grumpy. I didn’t sleep well. Clark is fussy. Which is a lot of the reason I didn’t sleep well. The house is a mess. As usual. My frogs are dead. I’m not losing any weight. And I’m going to whine.
If you don’t want to hear it, I don’t blame you. Come back next week.
I’m trying to exercise, but it’s so difficult to get the opportunity. I have to do it when Nate isn’t working in the office, because that’s where the treadmill and weights are. I have to do it when Clark’s asleep or someone else has charge of him. In the morning when Nate isn’t working in the office, I’m getting the girls ready for school and tending to Clark. After Nate’s workday is done, I’m standing over the girls like a vulture so they get their homework done and I’m making dinner. And tending to Clark. After bedtime, I’m tired, and the house is trashed, and leaving the housework to go and work out is really hard for me. As much as I try, I keep feeling like I need to get the house tidy, the dishes done, the clutter picked up before I exercise. Which translates to never getting to exercise because I JUST CAN’T DO IT!
It’s so distressing to spend a day sorting, cleaning, and organizing, only to go to bed with it looking like I didn’t do anything. Do that for days at a time, and finally in frustration, I spend a day playing with yarn instead, all the while feeling guilty for not sorting, cleaning, and organizing. Then I’m so behind, there’s really no catching up. And I still don’t exercise.
I realize I’m being dramatic. Not every week is like this, but this one was. And I hate it. So I’m a big, mean, grumpy mom and wife today and heaven help me we’re going to get this house clean.
And Abby is going to miraculously get all of her school projects that she’s way behind on done, and study for a make-up test on forensics she’s taking on Monday. She’s going to be self motivated and get it done without me standing over her like a vulture because I’m going to be cleaning the freaking house.
And then, since we’re dreaming, all of the horrible, despicable people that are spamming my blog into oblivion will go away and get a life and leave my old posts alone. My email accounts will stop actively eating my emails, most of which I can’t retrieve on webmail. And the daisies will sway in the fragrant breeze on a warm summer’s day. Do you hear the little birds?
229.6. That’s my weight this morning. This is the second week now that I spend all week in the low 227’s, maybe even in the 226’s, but on Saturday, back up to 229.
I really wouldn’t mind if I knew I’d done my best to eat well and exercise. And drink water. (Wanna know what I had for lunch yesterday? Potato salad and pudding. Tell me I’m not depressed) But I haven’t. And the opportunity to do so eludes me.
February 3rd, 2007 at 10:11 am
We could be twins. You life sounds like mine.
Hang in there. This too shall pass (so they keep telling me). Go hug your children and know that you are blessed. :o)
February 3rd, 2007 at 2:11 pm
I feel for you!
A mere suggestion: go to Flylady.net; join up; get the daily emails for a week or so, print out a copy, then un-join, just check the site when you have a chance.
Don’t stress about what you must, must do; on this routine, you just jump in where you are and go from there.
Monday’s “home blessing hour” keeps the place looking presentable. (I do it on Fridays.)
(No, I don’t have kids, so feel free to ignore my comments!)
February 3rd, 2007 at 2:27 pm
Laura I think it is time for a roster. You need to get the girls to do little chores with a reward at the end of each week for them. You cant do it all by yourself, and it does teach your kids responsibility too. My son does chores each week, make his bed, clean his shower, (yes his 13 so he can), take out the kitty litter to be cleaned, and dry the dishes every night. Maybe you can get the girls to dry the dishes together, or maybe do some other little things like tidying rooms to help out. You will find the extra time helps you a lot. Good luck with it.
February 3rd, 2007 at 8:15 pm
Hey listen, don’t freak about the house…usually putting most things at right angles makes it look clean enough.
If that doesn’t work, invite someone over for coffee…that’ll put a fire under you to pick up the public rooms anyway.
I agree with putting your kids to work early…mine started making their own breakfasts and lunches in 5th grade, and doing their own laundry at 10. Now, at 11 and 13 they vacuum, empty all the garbage and recycling, do their laundry, mow the lawn (push mower) and keep up their rooms–at least they’ll know how to survive when they move away from home someday!
The school projects and stuff are ultimatly Abby’s responsibility, not yours. She’ll have to learn eventually that she needs to keep up with her work without your interference–as hard as that is for a parent. It might mean a few bad grades until she gets the message, but she’s not going to have you to “motivate” her forever…I still struggle with this issue regarding my own kids, so I know it’s not easy to be “hands off”.
As for the healthy eating part…well, I’m still afraid to even step on the scale for a baseline number, so count yourself lucky that you’re over that hurdle.
Next week will surely be better!
February 4th, 2007 at 12:00 am
Hi laura…
oh men life sucks sometimes doesn’t it??
Hang in there and sometimes just be a ***** who cares??? You’re not alone.
What i was thinking of is…perhaps you can do your excersise (hope i wrote that ok) during your home working??
Instead of once the stairs up and down do them twice for just one thing…and the same when you lift your sweet kiddie..lift him twice where one time would do and then repeat that whenever you feel like it??
It might give you a small satisfaction that you do your fysics and not feeling quilty so much…
Hope you don’t mind me saying this.
Do take care,
greetings Valeria
February 4th, 2007 at 12:13 am
I’m so sorry you’re feeling down this week, but I agree with Miriam and Sue. Have a family meeting and put those girls to work! My boys have a sticker chart and anytime they help by picking up their own mess or do things like empty the dishwasher (this is usually a team effort) then they get a sticker. This not only teaches responsibility, but it gets them in the habit of helping others. When they each have a full sticker chart (so they cheer each other on) I take them down to Fred Meyer to pick out a small Lego set or something. I even have them show the check-out clerk their chart so they know why they are getting cool new toys.
As for the exercise issue, here’s what I’m going to tell you: You need to forgive yourself for making excuses and move on by changing the way you prioritize. Think of it this way… You’ll be able to get more done around your house and be in a better mood if you’re a more healthy you, right? So schedule in your exercise, think about when you are going to do it, and even write it on the calendar (in ink!) if you have to. Treat it like an appt that can’t be missed. That’s what I’ve been doing, and has it ever paid off…. I’ve never really liked exercising, but it’s now becoming a routine because I’m ignoring all my old excuses (It’s too cold outside, it’s too late in the day, I’m too tired, it’s raining, the kids are cranky, I’m cranky, my house is a mess…) And you know what? I always feel better afterwards. Thirty minutes a day isn’t much time if you think about it, and you my dear are worth it!
February 4th, 2007 at 4:32 am
I second Flylady.net. And don’t be hard on yourself. You had young children and I can tell you, that is the way it was for a lot of mom’s I know. I hear your fustration and it’s valid, and it’s also so normal with all you have on your plate right now. I also agree that you need to have the girls do little chores. My biggest deal was letting my kids and my husband help me – and not caring if they did it the way I would do it. My hubby will help if I tell him what I need. I hope you’re feeling better after a good nights sleep and some you time.
February 4th, 2007 at 10:46 am
Two words help loads– cleaning lady. Even if you can only get help a couple of times a month, it is such a relief to know that the bathrooms will be cleaned and the floors mopped. Makes all the difference in the world. Bev
February 4th, 2007 at 5:50 pm
I firmly believe that ranting is good for the health. We’d all explode if we couldn’t rant, eh? Hang in there, it’ll get better!
February 5th, 2007 at 2:44 am
Your health and well-being is more important than a clean house. It is time to put yourself first in line!
What about putting the exercise bike behind the kids when they are doing homework, if you MUST watch them? or go out and jump rope with them or something?
And yeah, I think the kids should start helping out a little. Makes a big difference for you now, and for them later in life.
February 5th, 2007 at 5:56 am
You poor dear. I feel the same way often, and love the knitting because it STAYS DONE. Not to mention that I’ve created something pretty, and that gives me a good feeling. The laundry, dishes, sweeping,etc all come undone before you can turn around. I have used Jorge Cruise’s 8 minutes in the morning exercise routine because I can only manage 8 minutes of exercise. I have hand weights and can do some of the exercises while hovering over the kids schooling (we home school). At least that way I’m improving my muscle tone. I also second flylady and distributing chores. I finally figured out that if I give my kids their chores fri pm (they pick up, dust, clean the bathroom counters and mirrors) then I can sweep/mop/vacuum and do the bathrooms on sat AM while the kids are sleeping in and then it all gets done. This has worked MUCH better for me than trying to get everyone to work together at the same time. Also critical at my house was writing down each kids chores and posting it. They are responsible for checking the list to see if they’ve done everything.
February 5th, 2007 at 1:18 pm
Laura, do get the kids to help you. If Clark is cranky you can hold him while talking the girls through their job or jobs. Two different rooms, walking and carrying Clark, isn’t that exercise? Three jobs at once! Go for it!
February 7th, 2007 at 6:27 pm
Do you have a pedometer? It clips on your waistband and show roughly how many steps you take in a day. The current thought is that 10,000 steps/day is best. I just got one and was pleasantly surprised at how many steps I was actually taking just living my life (which includes house cleaning and child care). Then you can see how many steps you need to add to your daily routine.