TO DO LIST

Ever feel like when you have so much to do......you don't know what to do, so you do nothing?

That's me today...a To Do List a mile long and I am running around here like a chicken with it's head cut off.

For example, after the usual hectic morning of taking the kids to school, I was of the mindset of tackling the dreaded To Do List. Started with something simple, still feeling optimistic at this point.

A new candle sconce is propped up against the wall in the hallway, just waiting for me to hang it but first I need screws...okay, so I go out to the garage, grab a handful and put them in my pocket for safe keeping. Turn to go back into house and see that the dogs have no water, so start filling the water bowl, then notice that my unplanted plants sitting there waiting for me to do something with them (another item on my list!), need watering..okay got the hose out already, spray those...oh look, here comes the 3 year old...shoot! can't hide, he already saw me... His Turn to water the flowers. Sigh...okay, not too much water. Good boy, let's go inside now.

Oh no! He spotted his battery operated monster truck in the garage! that means we have to open the garage door so he can back up and re-park it "just so" six times.

Okay enticed him back into the house with his favorite cartoons. Before he can be settled we have to get the tv tray set up with his favorite snack -cut strawberries. Sounds easy right? Told you before, he is a "hands on" kind of kid. He has to first inspect and select each strawberry before I am allowed to wash & cut for him. There! Now what was I going to do...? hmmm...

Oh ya!...take pictures of my recent projects for my blog...okay...where's the camera...? Go looking upstairs...oh look at all the laundry! sheesh I swear it looks like I TAKE IN laundry for business...gotta put a load in.

Where was I?...that's right ! I was going to finish sewing my bedroom curtains! Tired of looking at paper shades in our windows. Sewing machine has been set up on the kitchen table for about a week, mocking me. Okay...who took the scissors...? Now on mission hunting down my good scissors that were supposed to be in my sewing basket. Must be that other person "Not Me" who took them again...darn him!

Cell phone ringing...where'd I put it down? I hear it...where is it? Found it in my sweatshirt pocket along with...screws? what was I doing with screws in my pocket?... "Hello.?" oh, just the Husband calling me to say"don't forget I need.....and.......also....." sigh...... "Sure dear, good bye"...sigh.....now what's with the screws in my pocket?

Oh that's right, I was going to install the curtain tiebacks in the dining room! sheesh...I am so forgetful! Go into dining room and struggle for 5 minutes with tape measure...need a pencil to mark the wall before I start drilling. Measure twice...drill once? So as I walk into the office to find a pencil, congratulating myself on taking the extra "pre" steps so my projects turn out right, I notice I left my computer on...won't hurt to check it for a minute right?

A few emails and a game of solitare later (you know just to clear my head so I can focus) the 3 year old comes and finds me. My 22 minutes of uninterrupted time is over. Now we are on the hunt for "the toy"...you know the one I mean...the one that never gets "found". Upstairs in his room, I see his horribly messy closet...clothes and toys tossed everywhere, wait a second, I need to go get a garbage bag and donate some of this stuff to goodwill. Head downstairs to mudroom in search of garbage bags.

Find instead the camera! Oh! Yes, I need to go out to the outside guest room and take a picture of the little dresser I just finished to post on my neglected blog! Silly girl...I would lose my head if it wasn't attached...

A few snapshots later, I am back in the office loading them into my computer... Three year old finds me again...now he sets up his little Thomas The Train Computer right next to me so he can be like Momma and sits on my lap...we play many rounds of "what letter sounds like..."

Three year old wanders off to terrorize his big brother's room. I am just happy that I can refocus on my gigantic To Do List. Let's see...what to do...? Make Lunch!...yes fuel for the body & mind...Dinosaur Chicken Nuggets it is! hey...remember I've got a 3 year old here! it's alot better than his request of popcorn for lunch and that was a battle.

After lunch I pull out my best friend ... the vacuum. My saving grace in more ways than one...when you hear your name being called by either your 3 offspring or the GROWN man you've married - quickly turn it on to drown out their requests and do the "what? I can't HEAR YOU, I'm vacuuming!" Forcing them to be self sufficient or most likely to give up on what they were hunting you down for.

So after vacuuming and digging out the kids socks from under the couch, also scraping off from the wood floor, the little tiny stickers that I bribed the youngest with yesterday while shopping at Michael's, I was ready to tackle my To Do List once again.

Find or make costume for 8 year old's book report on civil war hero for next week....sigh...only 3 more weeks of school...can't...take....much...more....

Did I also mention that we are having guests over on Saturday? Or that the following weekend I am hosting a 10 girl sleepover/birthday party? Still need to organize crafts, food, cake, BUY PRESENTS for my daughter....What was it the husband had called for again...? completely slipped my mind..

Focus! Focus! That's right...have to clean house, finish curtains, hang the multitude of "things" that are currently propped up against the bottom portion of each wall, clean youngest's closet, make costume, order cake, go food shopping for Saturday in between cleaning & picking up daughter from another party, plant now disengrating plants into new pots,

clean up backyard, laundry,take Daisy to vet,

figure out what the husband wanted, make dinner,

organize guest room for inlaws visit,

buy presents for Teacher Appreciation week, find & fill out:

Field trip permission slip forms/year book order forms/

school game day t-shirts

and any other "forms"

clean, clean and oh! Clean!

etc.

So what did I accomplish today....? Well you're reading it!

**Thank you to everyone who takes the time to read and/or leave me a comment on this blog. I don't deserve all your kindness and patience but your comments keep me going! I promise in a few weeks I will be back to normal and can visit with all of you! Much love to you! ~ Laurie **