Balancing Life...

I don't know how you feel, but sometimes it seems like there is a never ending stream of things to do and not enough time. I'm not talking about just the normal daily chores that fill our day -- laundry, dishes, moping floors, vacuuming, etc. That's enough in itself. Often I get brilliant ideas to start new programs for the family and it seems like the energy is shortly taken over by stress and not enough time to really implement them, so it goes down the tube. Here are a few examples:

1. Coupons - I started a coupon program (second time doing it -- first was with grocery guru) where you subscribe to 5 newspapers, cut them out each Sunday (or sometime during the week) and organize them in a nifty binder by categories. You then receive emails from the "Savvy Shopper" on the excellent deals for 9 stores for the week. I then print them out and go shopping before the week is up. It's a great way to stock up (as you get 5 of the same coupon packs) and gradually build your food storage. It's a great high after each shopping trip when you look at your receipt and see how much you saved -- last week I bought 41 items for $28 -- and they were good quality name brand foods. It definitely saves money, but one more thing on my list.

2. Organizing Storage Room - Of course after I purchase these items and I'm unloading them in my storage room, I get the idea that I need to find somehow to organize and track my food storage. So I find a website: trackmyfoodstorage.com and subscribe for a year for $15. You then have to type in all your food, the ounces, cost, and when it expires. It's great because it tells you when something is going to expire and you need to use it by. It tells you for your family what exactly you need for a 1 year supply (3 months, 6 months, etc. you choose) and how much more you need of that one item. I then bought a clipboard to put my printed list on the storage room door to check things out when we use them. So far it's working -- I hope we can keep it up.

3. Job Charts -- I made a cute magnetic job chart to put on the fridge for my kids a while back and it was working great, until they started fighting over their jobs. They either didn't get to be the first to pick their jobs or they got stuck with the job they did a couple days ago. That lasted about a month and now it just sits on our fridge cluttering it up. Before that I found a website online that I could customize for my kids, add their pictures, put on different jobs for each child, and then they could go on the computer themselves and check off their jobs they did. They enjoyed that for about 2 weeks and then it fizzled out. I want to find something that works for my kids, but something that is easy for me and them. I want them to be excited about it (who am I kidding, it's jobs!!). :) Any ideas??

4. Sprouting -- So I went to an enrichment class this past week on sprouting. It was awesome to see what you can grow in a jar! She taught us how to grow 4-5 different kinds of sprouts -- bean sprouts, broccoli, lentils, etc. This sister is amazing with everything she knows about food storage, health, solar cooking, dehydrating and anything that has to do with survival. She talked about how healthy sprouts are and especially when that time will come when we won't have access to fresh vegetables (especially since I don't have a garden). I am going to attempt to do it a few times and see how it goes and if I don't ever do it again, I will at least know how to do it when I need it. It's just overwhelming to think of EVERYTHING we should know and be doing.

These are just a few that I can think of. This is all piled on top of being Enrichment Leader, assistant yearbook designer, making sure I read to my kids everyday for their homework (not happening), remembering to take the car in to get oil change (usually 1-3 months late), making sure I get my book read for book club, remembering to pay my traffic ticket (oops, due today!), and my two minor side jobs...Mary Kay and Usborne. I definitely have a bigger list, but this isn't a pity party. I just want to know if everybody feels the same way I do or if I'm swimming by myself. I know it gets worse the more kids you have...or maybe it's because I feel like I NEED to do everything. Last night at book club my friend re-emphasized the fact that Satan's biggest job is to make us, as mothers, feel guilty. We all know how easy it is to go down that road. He knows that once he's made you feel guilty he's beaten you down so you will give up. Satan works on us mothers because he knows when he gets us, he's got the heart of the home that will destroy the family.

I think the important thing to remember is we are only required to do our best, not to be perfect.