Okay, don't send me messages that tell me how blessed I am to have three wonderful children, just let me rant for one second. I can't possibly imagine how they could drive me any crazier than they have today. Nothing more to say except I need a vacation far away from the kids for a day. Well, at least in the next town. Maybe even just down the street a bit. It's just one of those days when you can't see the light at the end of the tunnel. Breathe. Go to that special little happy place in my mind. One good thing, though, it that I haven't felt the urge to snack. That's a breakthrough.
Today's semi carried out plan:
b-kashi w/ soymilk, strawberries (fresh from the garden)
s-almonds
l-cheesestick
s-baby carrots
d-ww pasta w/ fresh basil, touch of olive oil and a few pine nuts (kind of a lower fat version of pesto), turkey sausage, salad
s-blueberries w/ soy milk

Exercise today was Kathy Smith's fat burning breakthrough (50 minutes) and I have to catch up on my water intake.

That's all for now. Have a great day everyone.

Heather, hope you have a better day today. If not, go ahead and rant and rave... need some outlet... I have been dealing with 3 kids w/ a stomach bug.. the 2 year old, has no clue to try and throw up in the toilet... (her other end is even worse, won't even go there) I feel guilty because I know it isn't their fault, but we have had no sleep for 4 nights and by 10 o'clock I feel like if I hear Mom, or Mommy one more time I will scream... well this morning I am getting paid back... guess who has it now? Hang in there... people are right, it does go quickly... I have the age span of 24 to 2! But somedays seem like a year in themselves!!! Cindy

Here's just a little different perspective....when my boys were little we lived in a small apartment. Their father slept days and worked nights... talk about 24 hours..ugh! I thought I'd never get them into school....then it happened the first graduated from HS and went away to college...(tears) and now the junior in HS is away for 48 hours with buddies to the "big" city...and I am alone. I could do all those things I dreampt about when they were little...but there seems no purpose to them now....they grow so fast, drive you nuts for only so long, and then they are gone.
I'd give anything for smears on the windows, a "mommy" scream, and pictures of dump trucks on my frig rather than girl friends. My point, take the time for you as you can...all the suggestions from the younger moms are great...
and then remember in the back of your mind, that in no time you will be packing them off to college and you'll have all the time in the world...and nothing to do with it.

Heather,
Been there. Felt that way too. All the romance about having young children doesn't encourage us to rant and to complain once in a while. Of course you adore your children, but they drive you crazy sometimes.

When my daugher was quite young I felt like I was being held prisioner- like I could not come, go, do my own life. She is nearly 7 and things are much easier.
The 24 hours per day job is tough- so tough. Take good care of yourself.

I went on a church retreat when my son was about 1 year old. At that time he was still nursing 2 or 3 times a night and sleeping in our bed. The dog and cat also slept in our queen bed. It was kind of crowded with the 5 of us.

A question was asked "If you could travel through time and have dinner with any person or persons who would you choose to spend an evening with?"

Everybody else answered Jesus, Einstein, Mozart, etc.

I just wanted to go to a hotel room by myself and sleep by myself in a king bed for an entire night. How wonderful to sleep all night and not be woken up to nurse or to have a cat step on my head several times a night. Everyone at the retreat probably thought I was so shallow.

ds is 12 now and just finished sweeping and mopping the kitchen floor. How lucky am I?

Going for a soda break and then ds is going to wash living room windows.

I'm really fortunate!

Heather,

Yes, you are blessed to have 3 wonderful children, just as I am also richly blessed to have the 4 wonderful children that I have....BUT there are days that I would MUCH rather be anywhere but here! There are days (esp. when you homeschool, and don't have time away from them at all) when I just can't take one more touch, one more "MOMMY" call from the back of the house, one more sticky fingerprint on the sliding glass door. It is those days that I put everyone down for nap time (Yes, most of my children are "too old" for naps, but they know that if I'm putting them all "to bed" that they'd better stay there! ) and I go to my room with a good book, a glass of something cold to drink, and just escape for a while. If "naptime" won't work in your house, I do have a few more suggestions...
* put in a DVD for them and bribe them to be quiet so you can go to your room for some much needed quiet time
* call a friend or family member to come sit with them for an hour and go for a walk or go get a cup of coffee or whatever
* take everyone out for a long walk, then try naptime again

I'm sorry that you're having a bad day, but trust me, I know exactly what you are feeling!

Hugs!