And I have MOPS, a moms group at my church and also Jack's baseball practices and games to travel to and from, but beyond that, I have to have snacks prepared and packed, cups ready, diaper changes to consider, etc. Jack, Jordan and Addie are in preschool this year so twice a week I am committed to getting them there and home. And, let's be serious: we all know how I feel about laundry. especially when that budget excludes disposable diapers and you consider the amount of laundry that goes into have 3 kids in cloth diapers full-time. And that's fine! I'm doing what I have to for us! But that certainly doesn't leave any time for blogging. Lunches include apple slices that I have to peel, slice and soak in lime-juice instead of purchasing ready-made bags of them. However, that also means that I buy whole chickens instead of boneless-skinless breasts and nearly double my prep work for one dinner. That has translated to added hours of pouring through grocery-store circulars, writing menus, compiling lists and coupons and trying to weigh cost-savings against healthy eating choices. So we had to instantly pare down our budget and, while we've always lived well within our means, it has meant attempting to feed our family on $100 a week.
But that's better - finally! However, we found out in August that the gentlemen who were renting our other house (which we were unable to sell in 2008 - thank you, economy) were leaving. We lost easily a couple thousand dollars worth of stuff to mold, not to mention the lost time, wasted opportunities, etc. After 20 weeks of dealing with the mold/water intrusion, we finally got it back. We just got full-use of our basement back. Let me back up and explain a little bit - not because I want sympathy or am trying to bitch, but because maybe it'll comfort some of you to know that no, not everyone's life is smooth-as-silk all the time: the being-a-good-wife-and-household-manager thing. the having-a-small-business-to-run-and-grow thing. it's the four-kids-who-deserve-my-best thing. Ya know? It's the living-within-a-Nazi-budget thing because we're carrying two mortgages right now.
It is simply life as an adult with mind-boggling mounds of responsibility that sometimes makes me feel like I'm trying to run in quicksand. what's another babe? I'm already out-numbered!" But now, a year after that announcement, I'm facing the reality that it isn't just the 4 kids.
When we found out we were expecting a fourth kiddo last year, I shrugged and said, "Meh. It's a beautiful, exciting, rewarding struggle, but there is no way I'd be doing anyone any good if I pretended it wasn't a battle. I'd love to be able to keep up with this and balance everything perfectly.īUT the truth of the matter is this: Folks, I'm getting my ass kicked.ĭudes, it's a struggle. I'd love to be able to tell you that it's because I'm just too cool for school or that I'm working on something really, really big. (I know - you're all in rehab and going through therapy because you miss me so much I'm sorry!) Let's face it: I've been largely absent from the blogging world for quite some time.