Stress, Stress and More Stress

A couple of weeks ago I wrote about our crazy, busy calendar for April. You can read about it HERE. Now that we have been home from our Arizona Vacation for four days now I am in the middle of the craziness of this month and feeling the stress from it. This post is going to be a rant which is what I do to help deal with life when stress tries to take over.

In nine days my in-laws arrive from Sacramento, California. This time my sister-in-law and her family are also visiting. When I have company it is important to me that I have a neat, tidy and clean home. Letting people in the door when my kitchen is a mess, toys are scattered all over and the bathrooms are dirty is embarrassing.

I try my best to keep up with the housework, but three out of my five kids are walking tornadoes and it is so hard to find the time to clean up their messes. They understand that I expect them to keep their rooms clean and pick up their toys, but sometimes they get lazy. When they do clean it rarely meets my standards.

If I didn’t spend so much time blogging I would most likely do housework all day long. But I can’t. I have nine days to clean and organize every single room in this two story, four bedroom, 1800 square foot home. This afternoon I tackle Goose’s room.

So far I am sticking to my house cleaning schedule and am very proud of myself. But in the process I have sacrificed time away from other normally important tasks. I haven’t worked out or gone for a run since before we left for Arizona. I’ve cut back on commenting and reading blogs and feel extremely guilty about this. Also, my page views have suffered as a result. I’ve been going to bed a little later than normal and haven’t been watching as much television. “Me-time,” has shrunk from 1-2 hours a day to 45 minutes to an hour a day.

On top of all the house work to prepare for my in-laws I still have other tasks that must get done. Parrot’s Cub Scouts banquet is next Friday. They are doing a cowboy theme and I need to glue his school photo to a “Wanted” poster. His den leader sent us an e mail with other information about the banquet and I haven’t even taken the time to read it completely yet. I sure hope there isn’t anything real time consuming in it.

Parrot and Kitty are auditioning for their school’s talent show. Auditions are on May 7 and I still need to find jokes for Kitty to learn for her comedy skit and transfer the karaoke version of Yakko Warner’s Nations of the World on a flash drive for Parrot. Then I need to spend time practicing with both of them before the audition.

Next Saturday (the same day my in-laws arrive) is prom. This Friday after school I am taking Goose shopping for her dress. It is humiliating for me to do this on that day because I am a devout Catholic and Friday is Good Friday. I might have to do a penance and say the rosary. But this is the only day before prom that I can take her.

May 5th is Kitty’s First Holy Communion. The Spokane diocese also has the second graders get confirmed on that same day. This year it is our parish’s turn to hold it on a Monday night. This is the only time the Bishop is available. I still don’t understand why they confirm second graders here. I was a junior in high-school when I got confirmed. I think second grade is way too young. But I couldn’t opt Kitty out of Confirmation.

My parents are visiting for a couple of days when Kitty receives the sacrament. After my in-laws leave I will have to re-clean the house to prepare for my parents.

Oh, I forgot, this weekend is Easter. I still need to write a letter to the Easter Bunny so he remembers to visit us and hide some baskets for my kids *wink*. Saturday I am planning on dying Easter eggs with the kids. I also have to clean the bathrooms, dust and clean the windows that day.

I wish I could just wave a magic wand and everything on my to-do list will get taken care of on it’s own. Maybe I’ll crawl in a hole instead. Maybe that is not such a good idea.

If I don’t visit your blog this week, I am so sorry but I just do not have the time to read and comment on as many blogs as I would like. If your blog is listed in my left sidebar under “Friends of The Talbert Zoo,” I promise I will visit you as soon as the craziness slows down. Please don’t forget about me!