. . . Breathe . . . Breathe . . . Breathe

This Christmas season I read this suggestion in two different places as a stress reliever. I've been thinking about this word lately when the stress starts to build. It helps some even if just for a little bit. This week the stress is building . . . bad weather, kids being home from school, lots of stuff to make, lots of gifts to wrap, activities to be done and time running out. It goes with the time of year, it goes with having little kids, it just goes with me!

Everyone was home yesterday . . . it was like 4 degrees outside and we had freezing rain the night before. I thought for sure the kids wouldn't have school but they did. We couldn't get any of our van/truck doors open. Aaron decided to not even try to mess with going to work and I wasn't walking 3 kids 2 blocks in the freezing snow and cold to school and neither was he. Needless to say I didn't get to do what I had planned: working on my homemade gifts. I did get most of the Christmas cards addressed (by the way the post office didn't think my wrapping paper envelopes would make it, I mailed one and it did but that was only 3 hours away so I ended up using manila envelopes instead, wrapping paper ones were much cuter though). Aaron and I cleaned out the playroom closet too. I should have taken before and after photos. We found lots of forgotten and lost things. I sure hope it stays clean. My dad came over for supper -- he brought take out which was nice. Once again at 9pm I was cold and I just called it a day . . . that really cuts into valuable accomplishing time when I do that but it's so hard to stay up when I'm freezing and tired.

Today I wanted to go to the Quad Cities and shop but Aaron said the roads weren't so good so I ventured to Galesburg instead. I almost have all the shopping done but then it started to snow and it was time to pick up Ethan. I just picked them all up because they were getting out early anyway. Of course, they wouldn't nap (except Ethan) and I was trying to do Christmas stuff but it just doesn't work. I need to get the house picked up in case the cleaning lady makes it tomorrow but that bed is calling my name again and I sure do feel a chill in the air . . . breathe . . . breathe . . . breathe