Keeping Afloat

Life is out of control right now. In my head, that is a huge understatement. Today Paul left for Florida. He will do a Blend Bar training for Salts, then fly straight to Arizona, do another training, then fly straight to California, do yet another training and have some meetings, then fly home next Friday, only to leave again on Sunday for Hawaii (at least I will be joining him on that venture!) Craziness!! There is so much to do at Salts. It is a huge blessing that things are kinda exploding there, just makes for some over-worked, exhausted people. My mind is fried with trying to remember and do all of the things I need to. Paul has put me in charge of training videos at Salts, which I am trying to teach myself from scratch. That in and of itself makes my brain want to explode. But then I am trying to help out with the everyday stuff and am spending the majority of my day at the warehouse or running errands.

My poor children, I feel like I am dragging them all over the place. Half the time, Stew's naps are in his car seat to and from who knows where. Or when he is super sad at work, I go for a drive until he falls asleep, head back to Salts, and he naps in the parking lot while I finish working. Sad to admit, but Lily is over-working the iPad. Noodle soup is becoming a staple item, and I can't even think about the last time I really cleaned the house. (Putting this all in a list is not as therapeutic as I was hoping it would be...it could go on, but I'll stop)

I just feel so stretched and thin right now. Like I have all of these things I am trying to do: be a good wife, mother, nurturer, employee, build an artistic bone... But I am not excelling, or even doing well, at any of them. I am sinking...slowly. When I think about going to Hawaii, or even Christmas, I am not even excited. Which is CRAZY! But I am too stressed out and exhausted, to have room for the excitement either of those deserve. So until life settles down, or I figure out some way to pull it together and handle every thing, I am just trying to keep afloat.

Halloween: part 3

With all the excitement and anticipation for Halloween, the night finally came! Lily has been loving her costume and was ecstatic to put her pretty dress and hair back on. And she was a trooping for wearing her hair all night - that thing was heavy for such a little head to support it! Speaking of her tangled hair, that wig took hours to make, it was full of two giant rolls of yarn which were each hand-cut and sewn into place. But I wanted my little girl to have a good costume this year, so it was worth the time to see how happy she was to have real tangled hair. 

Pascal on the other hand, was quickly and sloppily sewn together as fast as I could do it. It is a miracle that it actually fit him because I barely measured or pinned anything. But he was the most adorable little green chameleon. And every day he wore that costume, he kept his hat on the whole time too! My kids are amazing...

After a stop by the Brown's for some delicious BBQ and the best canned salsa I have ever had, we made our trek around the neighborhood. We figured we would just stop by a handful of houses, but Lily and Stew were loving it so much that by the time we were heading home, the streets were pretty bare! My little ones are already milkin' it out to the end.

Last year we went around with the cousins and we had to keep telling Lily what to do and to keep up with the other kids. But this year, she caught on so quick. She was literally running from door to door not wanting to miss out on a single piece of candy. I'm so proud of my little trick-or-treater.

While we were out, we ran into the Torres family. Little Jack was Flynn Rider...how cute that it ended up being Rapunzel and Flynn walkin' around together. They were adorable!

At home Stew and Lily each got to pick out one treat to enjoy for the night's hard work. Now we all get to enjoy the "treat bag" for weeks to come!

Halloween: part 2

I love this time of year because it is full of PARTIES! It is crazy and hectic and busy, but it is so fun to create these memories with friends and family. Grandma Stewart's Halloween party is always a blast for the kids. She always has creative crafts and fun treats for them to make and take home. And I love that she dresses up right along with them every year. All these little ones have the greatest Grandma in the world!

I love this time to mingle and laugh with my brothers. I think that I have the greatest brothers ever and I always enjoy when I get to hang out with them. They have the quirkiest quirks, and I think that is makes people. And little Stew Stew was looking up at me with those precious eyes most of the night. He was holding as tight as he could. Sometimes it is hard to have a mama's boy, but sometimes it is fun :)