Win Win Baby!

Most of you who are reading my blog - for now - are already members of my FB group also called Among Mother Things.  Today I posted a shipment I just received of MaxMara boots, gloves, and accessories at huge price cuts just for my Among Mother Things friends.  That would include you, my dear, faithful, loyal and supportive blog readers.  So check it out and indulge with Neiman's items at Marshall's prices! 

I haven't posted anything since last week for entertainment purposes and for that I do apologize.  I have been completely overdoing it.  At first, it was the re-entry into "normal" life after the sudden loss of my mom, which happened the second day of school.  And not just any second day of school, the second day of the first year my kids were in Penn Valley Elementary and separated into three classes!  So not only did their mom basically disappear the day before school started, but the second day of what was already a huge transition (but not nearly as traumatic for them as it was for me embarking into the world of separate classrooms!) they lost their MomMom who they were very close to.  I spent two weeks playing catch up - while trying to navigate our new schedule and take care of myself and my profound grief.  Just when I thought *maybe* I might be doing ok, I would do something so scattered - like going to the bus at 8:45 convinced it came at 8:47 only to be told by a mom who took pity on me that it was 8:36 - and I was put back in my proper place of destroyed and barely maintaining for the sake of my kids.  

THEN I decided I needed to GET.INVOLVED.  YUUUUUUUP.  I started signing up for all sorts of activities and events.  Not just at school, but in the community, for myself and for my family.  I signed up for school events to bake AND volunteer at.  I organized a neighborhood meeting at my house with our commissioner and a traffic control representative to discuss the speeding cars endangering our kids. I became instantly addicted to Bikram Yoga - an hour and 30 minute commitment 3 x's a week minimum.  I became a Thirty One consultant and within 5 days signed up for two BIG vendor events - Main Line Reform Temple's Sisterhood Fall Kickoff event "Ladies Shopping Night and Bingo" and the Lower Merion Fall Fair benefiting the LMHS class of 2014.  And within a week had started the ball rolling on my own vendor show November 8 with 10 and counting vendors kicking off holiday shopping - remember, Hanukkah is early this year!!!!!  Let's also not forget the kids soccer - 2 nights of practice a week, 2 soccer games each Saturday.  Sunday school on Sundays from 9-11 - and a whole LOT of holiday services that we all went to participate in.  

Last week I realized I was losing my mind slowly (and I really don't have a lot left to lose to begin with!).  So I started to slow down.  Then Ryan complained that I was doing too much and instead of me thinking, "Seriously? What does he expect me to cut out?  One of the kids?!?!?!" I realized "Damn, even HE is concerned."  So I stopped signing up for things.  I said NO to things.  And I also didn't let anyone GUILT me into giving them more time than I have.  Yes, two people in my life have actually given me grief over things I don't have any control over like the kids soccer schedule, their school schedule and other extra curricular events - did I mention Charlotte started Hip Hop last week?  Every Wednesday from 4-5 pm.  It was presented in the "I'm concerned you're not taking care of yourself you're so busy" way, but was in response to "I'm sorry I don't have time to cater to your thoughtlessly scheduled visit/request for time with the kids/invitation to participate in some event that is not even on my list of priorities in my NEXT life" and these unnamed people not appreciating that I am no longer free to spend time with them at their convenience.

After a weekend in DC spent with my nearest and dearest friends and getting hugs and love that I didn't even realize how much I needed - and some serious binging on sugar and carbs! - I am home and trying to make things more manageable.  HA.  But really.  For now I have to cut out going into the city twice a week during the school day.  There is just way too much to do between 9 & 3:45 and 3 hours in the city smack in the middle of the day is just not going to help.  I'm juggling that commitment to Wednesday evenings for now while Ryan is in town.  I only signed up to be Lunch Parent once or twice a week here and there - although after my first lunch today I'm scheduling an appointment with the HSA person in charge of this and the principal because it is out of control!  No self respecting mom with or without the rigid structure needs of a triplet mom should be ok with this - and thank God I was approached by just that mom who can't believe the insanity of it all!

And now I'm posting my F-A-B-U-L-O-U-S new items so you can support my new enterprise and indulge yourself without feeling one iota guilty!  WIN WIN!  And I'm all about the WIN WIN baby!