Feeling convicted and a little Etsy pondering

Last week after I wrote my goal for April of spring cleaning, I started panicking a little at the thought of it.  I already feel a little overwhelmed with my normal list of activities that I do, so adding this big project started scaring me.  But then I started thinking about how much time in the day I waste.  It is really easy for me to get on the computer and spend my day away.  Some of that time is legitimate: researching things, buying gifts, looking up recipes, paying bills...but some is pure waste: checking facebook, checking email, rechecking email, looking at blogs.  All of that is fun, but it definitely takes me away from other stuff I could and should be doing.  I am really praying about this and hoping I can walk away from the computer more and accomplish the things I really want to this month!
So today, was my first real day to start my spring cleaning and I did waste more time than I should have on the computer this morning.  But I was determined to do better in the afternoon.  I ended up getting 4 cupboards cleaned and rearranged in my kitchen.  It really isn't enough to get me to the finish line at the end of the week but I was also making dinner, making muffins for breakfast, sweeping, taking care of dogs...you get the idea, general life stuff.  I will keep you posted on how it goes.
The other thing I have been considering is selling some stuff on Etsy.  I have been feeling a little stressed about money lately and I have been trying to think of things I could do to help pay for our Disneyland trip, to cover swim lessons, and extras for school and stuff like that without actually working more hours. 
At the same time, I just finished crocheting 2 baby blankets for friends at church and I made them in a whirlwind b/c their due dates were coming.  I worked on them every night for several weeks.  Now that I am finished with them, I am feeling a little lost at night.  I love relaxing in front of the tv at the end of the day but I am finding more and more than I want to multitask whether it is the crocheting, or blogging, or cutting coupons.  It has been really hard to just sit. 
My friend Kelleigh just posted something about her Etsy shop selling cash envelopes and she has sold 50 in the past 2 months!  That is amazing and they are super cute too.  I am not good at that sort of stuff but I can make a pretty good baby blanket.  So I am thinking and praying about making them and selling them.  I don't have quite the reach that Kelleigh does when it comes to selling stuff, as I just don't know that many people but it wouldn't hurt to try.  I will keep you guys posted on that as well.

Are you PMS'ing?

Yes, that is the question my husband asked me when he got home from work tonight.  Was I crying?  Was I in bed with the covers pulled over me?  Was I yelling at the kids?  Was the house too much of a disaster?  Was I standing at the freezer with an open container of ice cream digging in?
No.  To all of those things.  Typical things women might do (and I have done, okay maybe not the ice cream at the freezer as that would waste electricity) when we are going through this hormonal craziness.  So, I am sure you are wondering what I did that made him ask that question...
     I dropped a knife.  Yes, that is all it took for him to figure it out.  Okay,that is all he witnessed.  I also did mention something about spilling chicken guts all over the kitchen.  I was pounding chicken and the bag broke and it's contents flew.  Fun time.  You see, when I am PMS'ing, along with all the crazy emotions, candy and ice cream cravings, and complaints of not fitting into my clothes come things I never hear women talk about.
     1. I drop things.  A lot.  Food, groceries, kids, you name it.  It is like my fingers just stop working.
     2. I burn things.  Or overcook.  Or add the wrong measurements to a recipe I have made a hundred times.  Basically I ruin food.  I should just know this, and order pizza.  Sometimes this is actually my first hint that it is that time of the month.  Not that I don't ruin things on other occasions, but I am a decent cook and I don't make the mistakes I do when it is this time of the month.
     3. I get nothing accomplished.  It's not for lack of trying.  It just seems that when I try to do something, it doesn't work.  Today I went to Target, needing a couple of basic things, soap for my kids, PJ's for my son, printer ink (to print all those coupons!) and what did I walk out of the store with?  Nothing.  Sometimes I forget what I am looking for but I actually made a list.  I just spun my wheels there.  Not just that, but all the plans I had for today, just vanished.  Nothing accomplished really other than things that were absolutely essential like taking my daughter to her well check.  But nothing extra that I was planning on doing.
I actually was in a pretty good mood for most of today.  Even with all of that going on.  I didn't cry or yell more than normal to my kids.  I probably did eat a little extra chocolate.  My house while not clean is at least picked up.  2/3 of the kids got baths.  But, now that I look back on my day and my lack of accomplishments, I am feeling the emtional part kick in.
And I am really looking forward to some ice cream tonight:-)

TV

I have such a love/hate relationship with that box.  I let my kids watch way too much tv.  Especially when they are cranky or I am cranky.  But getting ready for school has become a challenge because of it.  My oldest when he was younger would get up at 5 am every morning.  And my middle girl went through a spell where she insisted on getting up at 4:30 and there was nothing I could do to convince her otherwise.  So what did I do? I put the tv on for them because I cannot really function that early in the morning.  But now, they are sleeping until 6 or 6:30 (believe me that is a huge blessing for me).  So I was still letting them watch tv but making them turn it off at 7:30.  That's when the whining began and the yelling and the threatening.  Until I had an epiphany.  Don't let them watch tv until they are absolutely ready for school.  Why did it take me so long to come to this conclusion??  I have no idea but the last 2 mornings have been bliss.  I tell you it is such a relief to not have that box on first thing in the morning.  The best part is that they have been okay with it.  My daughter asked me this morning if she could watch cartoons and I when I told her not until she is ready, she did not even complain.  Now the kids are ready for school, there has been no yelling, no whining and I am a happy camper.
I hope it lasts...