Breeching the brain fog

I am still reeling from the past three weeks which included prepping for our county fair submissions, my parents visiting, and a week in St. Paul visiting family and friends.  It was a wonderful time, but now I am wallowing and feeling like I will never be able to catch up again.  I hate the transition back into "real life".  It makes me never want to leave the house again. 

I've had 4 different obligations this week and the boys ask every morning, "Where are we going to go today?"  Finally, today I was able to answer, "Nowhere!" with sweet relief.  I would say that it feels so good, except for the fact that I look around and see nothing but all the work that should be done.  Rubbish and mess everywhere.  Not to mention the 40-some cabbages, 30+ peppers, and 46 tomato plants staring me in the face.  How will I ever get it all done?

Though . . . I did grit my teeth and try to ignore the sandbox-like kitchen floor this morning while I had a tea party and several un-birthday parties with my boys, complete with "birthday presents" in festive bags or tin boxes.  How could I miss out on that??

I say "birthday presents" because they were just items lying around the house wrapped up with love and innocent glee.  Truen was the promoter of this party and when he opened up his "World's Best Mother" trophy and the tiny wooden-handled party knife that we use for play-dough, he was as bright and happy as if he had gotten a real gift.  "Ohhhh . . . a knife!" he said with a smile.  I got 2 plastic checker pieces, a Bionicles claw, and a worn-out Star Wars mini-book.  My favorites. ♥

Meanwhile, the baby is waking up and I owe you a bazillion pictures.

[Written with one-and-a-half hands while nursing the babe] I've been thinking about starting a gratitude journal to record all the little happy moments in daily life.  Because they are there.  In spite of anything or everything else, they do exist; and I really need help trying to remember that.

(This post with quite cathartic in that sense.)