Relax

Are any of you all perfectionists? I don't just mean "type-a" I mean the nut-jobs like me who want everything organized, cleaned, and on schedule. Let me give you an example. I have a routine at work that is functional. It helps me maximize my time with optimal results. Sometimes things happen and that routine changes, and I'm fine with that. It is not dictated by a clock, but is merely a TENTATIVE rotation of events that gets me through the morning.

After work, I go to the gym before getting Eli. Mondays I clean. Tuesdays I go grocery shopping. Fridays I pay the bills. I also do one load of laundry a day to keep the piles away. Simple enough right? I mean these are basic household chores that need to be done, and I have found a simple way of achieving the tasks.

HOWEVER it's not as simple as it may seem. Somewhere along the way I became a Nazi about it!! Not only did I do the chores, but suddenly I had a deadline in which to complete them. Let's take Tuesdays for example:

Go To Gym ~ 12:15 - 1:15
Grocery Shopping ~ 1:30 - 2:30
Pick Up Eli ~ 2:45 - 3:15
Put Groceries Up ~ 3:15 - 3:30
Daily Chores ~ 3:30 - 4:00
Laundry Started ~ 4:00 -4:10
Play With Eli ~ 4:10 - 4:45
Start Dinner ~ 4:45 -5:30
Eat Dinner~ 5:30-6:00
Clean Up~ 6:00-6:30
Family Time~ 6:30-8:00
Bath Time~ 8:00-8:30
Eli Bedtime~ 8:30-9:00
Free Time~ 9:00-9:30
My Shower~ 9:30 -10:00
Bedtime ~ 10:00

Don't try to make small talk with me at the grocery. And when the light turns green your foot better be on the gas. I'm a women on a mission to get all the things checked off my list!

Who lives like that? Seriously? That is not normal!! I think it stemmed from my lack of organization early in our marriage. You see, I worked part time three days a week and the earliest I had to be at work was 9:00 am. So, I slept until 8:00 every morning. I took my time getting home. Dinner happened sometime before bed, and it may or may not have been fast food. I swept the floors only once a week (I do twice a day now), I could take a long bath and then jump straight in bed!There was no 4:30 am wake-up call, no toddler feedings, and no bathing another human. There was no organization, and I could go for about three weeks before doing laundry! Ha! It was bliss..but it was far from functional.

When Eli came along I knew I had to fix the problem and become more productive. But, I went too far the other direction. I have a tendency toward extremes in case you didn't notice. I've mentioned it before on here, but it was a mini identity crisis. I wasn't a young, careless newlywed anymore. I was a mommy so I had to act like it, jeans and all! Ha! Maybe not that bad, but I let my interest, hobbies, and body fall the the sidelines and focused all of my attention on play dates, home organization, and cleanliness. Things I don't give to hoots about!

Now, two years into motherhood I am finally finding the balance. Obviously there are things that need to get done like cleaning, grocery shopping, laundry and bills. For me, there has to be some organization and structure. I still clean on Mondays, shop on Tuesdays and pay bills on Fridays. You'll also find me making the beds and throwing a load of laundry in the washer as soon as I get home with Eli. Bedtime is non nogiable, but we roll with the rest of it. Sometimes I cook and clean up immediatly. Sometimes I cook and clean up after Eli goes to bed. Sometimes Eric does it all. Sometimes we eat early and other times it's late, but it all gets done.

I also take time for me. Obviously more often than not, that time is at the gym when I get off of work. But I also take hot baths, paint my toes, go shopping (thifting) and just relax on the couch. This new balance has brought so much joy and freedom to our home. Sometimes you could eat off my floors, other times you can't find my floors. It's not perfect and I'm just fine with that because perfection is not attainable and trying to get there is just too darn stressful!!

So this Friday..RELAX...and enjoy this beautiful journey of life!!