Missing It

I used to be a very scheduled person. Not sure why I have drifted away from it lately. I guess because in ways you tell yourself it's freeing. It's a deception. Life is not easier without a schedule, it's way more stressful.

Life is all about balance. The same goes for schedules. Have it there, but also be flexible and change it if you need too. Very important with little kids, otherwise a schedule can lead to more stress.

When the kids were babies we were very scheduled. I'm talking down to when we planned on glueing macaroni to construction paper. I know, a little extreme. But, at the time, it really helped me keep my sanity. We were a "babywise" family. If you are not familiar with babywise and you are expecting or have a child with sleep issues, I highly recommend it.

Now that the kids are older, for some reason, I have let the schedule sort of fall by the wayside.

What has that done?

It has caused me to become very lax in the things I hold dear to me.

Lately I have been struggling with time-management. Starting a business = lots of computer hours. I wouldn't trade being a stay-at-home mom who is starting a business, over going to work and putting my kids in daycare. Any-day. Even if some days I am very pre-occupied, I am still the one tending to their needs, giving them their snacks and hugs throughout the day.

With that said, I still feel things right now are out of balance. I have been loosing sleep with life the way it is now. Something is just not sitting right with me. I want more time with my kids. I get very emotional when I think about them growing up so fast and I want to cherish these days. I don't just want quantity time with them, but quality time.

I need balance back in our day to day life.

That means a schedule. Something to help me keep the things I want to do well-balanced with the things I need to get done.

I love these precious babies

I want more time with them. Doing nothing more than building blocks, reading a book, playing dress-up, or fighting the bad guys in our super hero voices.

You might be wondering how those words could leave a stay-at-home moms mouth? Isn't that what you do already?

It's very easy to get lost in the tasks you have before you. Especially if you are like me and feel like you can't rest until the goal of accomplishment has been achieved. It's hard for me to give up and walk away from a "to do" until I see it crossed off my list. I need something to help me walk away and put it down. Something to tell me that it's okay to let it be, whatever it is, it will still be here when you get back. It's easy to miss the mark and not have your life balanced.

Many things can distract you in this thing called "life."

I don't want to miss it anymore.

James 4:14

whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.

Days at home

5:00- wake-up call
5:15- coffee and quiet time
5:30- work
7:30- enjoy breakfast with kids and help girls get ready for school
8:30- girls on bus
8:45- school with jon
9:15- activity with boys
9:45- snack time
10:00- boys separate playtime alone, work for me
10:30- one hour of tending to the house, boys help
11:30- 30 min show for boys, work for me
12:00- lunch
1:00- nap for boys and work for me
4:00- get girls from bus, snack, talk about their day, time with kids
4:30- erik home, work-out
5:30- dinner, homework, family time
7:30- stories and bedtime
Adult time the rest of the evening, well until this old couple hits the hay around 9:00!