My plate is overflowing

"Wow,your plate is full!" What they don't say, but is implied, that when your plate is too full, you start dropping stuff over the sides. December has presented me with a too full plate and I've begun to drop stuff unintentionally, like updating my blog, staying current with facebook, even reading my emails and listening to voicemail. It's not that I don't care, it's I haven't had the time.


In addition to our "regularly scheduled activities" in the last couple weeks:

• My boys have done a great school project of creating, drafting, proofing,writing and illustrating a picture storybook plus practicing how to present it.


• They've also been practicing reading yet another picture book focusing on tone, emotion and cadence all done within a certain time frame to participate in the annual literature circle competition at school.


• Add to that, playing in the soccer tournament in freezing temperatures 3 x/week


• Attending an all day chess tournament on Saturday


• Practicing lines for the 4th & 5th grade play auditions coming up Monday,next week


• Practicing their saxophones for the Winterfest concert next Thursday


• Preparing for the advanced Math Champs geometry test tomorrow

All which takes my time as well. Then add to that, the complication of having one son home sick for several days.

So, Christmas prep is a little late this year as I have yet to decorate the house, put up the Christmas trees, make a wishlist for shopping, buy and wrap presents, draft a Christmas letter, take photos for a Christmas card, have our annual Santa photo taken or do any of the Christmas baking.


Is it a wonder, that the "normal" day to day tasks are feeling a bit neglected? I think not. And I'm sure I'm not the only one who is feeling just a wee bit stretched at the moment. But this too will pass. And I still try to make sure I have some "me time" each day where I can sit and scrap for an hour just to reflect on times less hectic. So please forgive me if I've spilt a bit on you in my haste to carry a much too full plate. I'll carry extra napkins.

Last year we had an early snow to start off the Christmas break. This is just a quick layout showing my boys in their winter finery heading out to build a snowman.