The Miss Elaine-ous Life

random acts of life, family and photos

Breathless

by

Do you even just feel overwhelmed with all there is to get done?

And then you feel overwhelmed by all the overwhelmed-ness?

I hope I’m not the only one.

Right now the thing that’s weighing on me most is Christmas shopping.

I am not an early bird shopper and I used to LIKE to do it during the month of December but now, with three children and a husband who works A LOT, it’s more of a burden than much fun.

Yesterday Tim had to go to work for a while during the day and then back at night. It doesn’t help that December is a busy time for him at his job.

While he was gone at one point I looked around my kitchen and could hear the laundry going and thought of the next load that needed to be folded and put away and thought about the dishwasher needing to be emptied and all the shopping I had yet to do and how messy the house was and well, I was…

Breathless.

I found myself literally holding my breath while standing at the kitchen sink.

And then I took a big long, deep breath and thought,

“Why do we do this to ourselves?”

It just seems we’ve come to a point in our society when we’ve gone and made it this way, when it doesn’t have to be. It’s our own fault (although I’m also going to blame it on the television and media making us feel like we have to HAVE it all and DO it all and BE it all…).

I just WISH I could simplify my life some. I think one thing that would help is if my kids and even Tim and I had less STUFF and clothes. Then there would be less to fold! AHA! I’m so brilliant…

And I also think that at this time of year (as cliche as it may sound) we MUST stop and remember what CHRISTmas really is all about.

I’m doing my best to focus on it but it’s hard when I know that I’m expected to get my children certain gifts and their teachers even. (I hope they are good with peppermint bark because I think that’s what they are getting this year…).

And it’s just hard in general to not feel overwhelmed at times.

But then I also realize that I’m so, SO blessed to have these wonderful people in my life to wash and fold clothes for, and then things become more clear in my mind again and it’s easier to breathe…

photo by Christina

elaine

Comments

  1. I feel you. I seem to take on so much that I get overwhelmed. I think I need to learn to say no and not feel guilty about it. I work full time, still have to make heads or tails of the house and then I sew ad bake…blah blah blah! I need to slow down too. Thanks for the reminder, :o)

  2. I have the same thoughts. It makes me sad some days that we bought the house we did. It gives us room to expand…and that’s not always a good thing. I think about, in reality, how few toys my kids have but it seems never-ending at times. Clothes? Well, yes, they have a decent amount of those. I pare down at least 3 times a year, but stuff is like Gremlins. It multiples at night or someone must be feeding my stuff after midnight or hosing it all down with water when I’m not looking.

  3. I’m doing Starbucks gift cards and homemade Xmas cards for all the teachers- we have 9 between all of them. I purged the toys about a month ago and we have so much less stuff now. It’s is freakin’ awesome, so easy to clean and the kids don’t miss a thing. I gave all the really good stuff to my sons’ pre-school and they LOVED it. Everything else went to Goodwill. It was freeing, I tell you. I am *this* close to saying WTH cares about the presents but I can’t- the kids will get a few things and I am fairly certain that it will either be Amazon or Target that provides it, lol.

    I so get this post because while I wrote this comment, I started hyperventilating, lol.

  4. Order gifts online! It is too hard to take kids shopping with you this time a year. I’m also having my kids donate at least 2 of their toys to kids less fortunate. This will help them to be grateful, help others and get rid of STUFF!

    As for the laundry folding, I wish I could solve that one!

  5. I’ve had the same thoughts…. and this year I didn’t decorate as much, I’m only baking ONE weekend and I only put my favorite ornaments on the tree…. there, paring down!

  7. The truth is, I think this feeling of being overwhelmed isn’t new – it’s always been the case, especially for people with families. I’ve felt like this a few times over the last week, and it’s partly because I hold such high expectations of myself. I’ve no idea what the answer is, but I’ll bet by the time Christmas arrives things will begin to feel a lot calmer.

  8. I’m definitely overwhelmed. I tend to do it on purpose though. If I have time to stop and think then… well, I have time to stop and think. And this time of year that means I have time to miss and I just can’t let that happen.

  9. I hear ya! I have been feeling totally overwhelmed today. It is Christmas and the fact that I am due to have a baby in 5 weeks (or sooner)! AHHHH! I just keep trying to remember that no matter what, I am so lucky to have the life I do. But yeah.. overwhelmed is pretty much how I feel lately.

  10. Well, yes and no.

    I have done a lot of shopping online this year, which has made things very peaceful for me.

    Also, I am just okay with saying no and missing out on things. Sure sometimes I feel a little guilt that we might be missing something fun, but we need to slow down and spend time at home.

    And as for the part about the housweork: AMEN and AMEN.

  11. My heart’s desire is to make the season about giving to others. And yet there is so much to do for my family. It’s such a challenge. I keep getting frustrated because what I want doesn’t seem to match up with what I am doing. In other words, I can barely keep up with maintaining my house and taking care of my 4 kids! Great post- thanks for the reminders, encouragement and simple camaraderie (because it is great to know I am not alone!).

  12. I’m feeling a little overwhelmed myself. I’m having two Christmas parties at my house. The first one is this coming Sunday and the next one the following Tuesday evening. I haven’t even begun to get my house organized/cleaned. Ack. I wish I could afford to have someone come do it for me. THAT would be an awesome present.

    If it makes you feel any better, I haven’t purchased one Christmas gift yet. My little one has her fourth birthday on the 17th and I’ve been too busy buying stuff for that.

    I hope you’re able to get it all done without too much stress. =)

  13. Me too! Me too! I find myself all wound up about all that I’m supposed to be doing–many of these things bring me joy, yes–cards, gifts, decorating. But laundry? Bills? There’s less time for that.

    And I refuse to multi-task and get angry at my kids for being themselves. I won’t do it–again.

  14. I feel the same way….totally overwhelmed a lot of the time….but I feel like when I’m not overwhelmed anymore it will all be over and they will be grown up….I am done with my Christmas shopping…now wrapping…that is something I don’t look forward to…

  15. Amen Sister Friend.

    I am the grinch mom who doesn’t do gifts for teachers and piano teachers and the muffin lady at school and her dog’s mother’s brother.

    Instead, I will give them a card telling them how wonderful they are.

    Except for the muffin lady’s dog’s mother’s brother. He is grouchy.

    🙂

  16. Yep, I feel ya. Christmas gifts put so much pressure on me too – or rather, I LET them put pressure on me – because I have this thing about wanting to find the perfect meaningful gift for every single person despite being broke. LOL. Oh, and we’re doing choc covered pretzels for teachers, so we’re totally on the same wavelength. :oP

  17. You are very lucky.

    We’ve simplified the process quite a bit..shortened the shopping list, told people we were no longer exchanging gifts, and buying online. I’m not a mall person or shopper, so it works for me.

    Take a breath! You can do it.

  18. Great post! I totally relate to where you are coming from. We are cutting back a lot this year. Mainly just buying for the kids in our family. It just seems silly to buy gifts for adults when no one really needs anything. I really wish everyone would join together and boycott the whole consumerism element of Christmas. It really should just be about sharing time together–NOT STUFF!!!

  20. i read this post a few days ago, and then, ironically enough, life got in the way. this season isn’t supposed to be stressful, yet we always put pressure on ourselves. this is such a good reminder to just breathe.