I have noticed this happens to me a couple times a year. So it is not a new feeling nor is it new to this blog. I am feeling completely overwhelmed with stuff. Stuff is over taking my house, my life and I feel like I am drowning. I know it gets out of hand when I start out my day and end my day crabby because I have to spend time picking up stuff and putting it away.
So. Saturday morning I announced to the family we are going to play a game. The game begins today and ends August 4.
Here are the rules:
1. we must all participate.
2. we are pretending we are preparing to move to a SMALLER house and are not able to take everything with us.
3. Each family member is responsible for their own area. ie bedroom closet dressers etc. IF mom has to take care of someone elses area they will LOSE a lot more STUFF than if they do it themselves.
4. we will have designated piles. 1. throw away (if it is broken or unusable by others) 2. donate (if it is in good shape and someone else could use it. 3. keep (it must be something you use currently, wear or need)
5. no complaining meet the deadline August 4. (or mom will take care of it for you)

As I was laying in bed last night and again this morning while I was getting ready for the day, I imagined all the things I was going to accomplish in this game today. I was going to set the pace and example for the kids to follow and we were going to get this project done WAY before the deadline.
HA! double HA HA!!
I have found that my imagination is in great shape! I can accomplish many things while laying in bed or standing under the warm rhythmic stream of my morning shower. In my imagination the children are all cooperative. In reality?? not so much!
I was awakened this morning at 6:06am to the insistent cries of Spuds who was hungry and wet and wanting to be held. I dragged myself out of bed asking myself every step of the way why I had stayed up so late. I stumbled to the kitchen made a bottle (it was the regularly scheduled time for the bottle, the only difference between today and every other day is that I always have to WAKE him to feed him at 6 which gives me the opportunity to wake myself up grab a cup of coffee and have a little chat with God before I wake him, today for whatever reason he was awake and cranky before my alarm went off) I skipped the coffee, changed his diaper, and snuggled on the couch to feed him. praying he would drift back to sleep so I could have a bit of time to myself....NOPE. out trots Burrito at 6:18am. and so my day began....
I really wanted to get through the kitchen this morning Baby J was crabby from the moment he woke up, his crabbiness is partly due to the fact that I broke him completely of his bottle and what he really wants first thing in the morning is a bottle. so we endure about 30 minutes of screaming until he finally gives in to the cup.
So my morning consisted of extra cranky babies, poopie diapers, fighting children, naughty puppies blah blah blah.........needless to say I did not accomplish any of my imagined tasks.
Please do not be mislead by this post, I love my children, I love being the mom of a large family. I chose this life, I love this life. but some days I just want to get the things on my to do list done! I want to run my errands, make my list and check it off with out stopping to deal with tantrums, fighting, screaming, crying etc.
I am not sure how this project of mine will turn out. My hope is that we will find a way to be successful. I have to come again to the place where its alright, it is alright if the reality is not as good as the imagined. It is alright if the house is not perfectly clean and organized at all times. (or any time) the most important thing is focusing on the treasures I have in the house. it would just be nice to find some organizational peace in the middle of it all.