Author: Melissa

Me: Stop stepping on your brother!

Grace: I’m NOT stepping on him! I’m just shoving him with my foot.

Oh, well in that case, by all means, please continue.

This morning we went to a playdate with one of Ellie’s friends. I carefully google-mapped the address, wrote out directions on a piece of paper – even wrote down the phone number in case I got lost.
I was so on top of things.
I’m driving there and reach for the directions. Where are they? On the washing machine. IN MY HOUSE. Not in the car, full of children, driving to the playdate.
By the grace of God and just two u-turns, I find the house. I get the kids out. Reach for Colin’s diaper bag. Where is it? On the washing machine. IN MY HOUSE. Not in the car, arriving safely at the HOURS LONG playdate at the home of a family we barely know.
Great first impression there, Girlymama! ("Hi! Nice to meet you! Please excuse the smell!")
I actually left the playdate early, pleading the need for a diaper, because I was so exhausted I could barely keep up with the conversation. I kept yawning HUGELY every two minutes. (Which I’m sure made the other mom I was talking feel extremely interesting.) I could have easily curled up on her couch and fallen asleep. I drove home, threw some lunch at the kids, put them in their rooms and fell dead asleep. For TWO HOURS. I could have easily slept at least six more, but Colin needed to eat.

So, to sum it up… I’m pooped. When you start your day chugging a cup of coffee… that’s cold… because it was brewed the day before… and then sat in the coffeemaker all night… (YUM!) because you’re too tired to make new coffee… That means you need to GO TO BED earlier.
Yet here I am! Blogging! Instead of sleeping!
Clearly, I have issues.

Friday night I went to the Philly Mommyblogger mixer! After suffering from SERIOUS anxiety about what I should wear to meet cyberfriends- you know choosing between the 3 outfits that fit me right now – I went and we had a terrific time. It was so fun to meet the people who I read about almost daily!

Lets just say that any preconceived notions you might have about a bunch of bloggers getting together? Like maybe we’re being quiet or antisocial?? WRONG! It was so loud that you could barely hear the person next to you. Seriously – picture three straight hours on nonstop conversation. And wine. And Italian food.

I left with more gifts than I could carry from Graco, newbaby.com, Smart Mom Solutions, Orville Redenbacher, Mom Central and the Handyguys Podcast.  And of COURSE there were giveaways. I won two adorable onesies for Colin!  And two ladies left with brand new Graco Nautilus carseats.  (Graco graciously picked up the tab for the yummy dinner.)

I didn’t really get any cute pictures, but you can check out everyone else’s blogs for those 😉

Tomorrow is the Philly Mommyblogger Mixer!  I’m so excited to meet these ladies in real life.
Colleen at Classy Mommy tagged me, so here goes!!

24 things about
me….

4 places I go over and
over
1. Target (shocker – I KNOW!)
2. JoAnn Fabrics (because I never start a project without forgetting something!)
3. Wayne (I moved away, but still end up there all the time….)
4. The kiddie pool at the Y

4 people that email me
1. my husband (Because I never answer the phone. Usually because I can’t find it.)
2. my aunts (forwards of forwards of forwards…..)
3. people trying to sell me Viagra or help them transfer large sums of money out of Africa
4. my family (We are HUGE fans of the "reply all" button. Every little thing requires at LEAST 37 emails.)

4 of my favorite foods
1. Pizza
2. Chex Mix
3. Indian food. 
4. Guacamole and really salty chips.

4 places I
would rather be right now
1. My bed. Asleep.
2. At the beach with my family.
3. Hilton Head, SC. In a lounge chair on the deck, with all my girlfriends, no kids and no husbands. Oh, and drinking margaritas!
4. In a house that comes with a nanny, housekeeper and gardner.

4 movies I could watch over and over
1. Pride and Prejudice. (BBC version, please.)
2. While You Were Sleeping
3. Dumb and Dumber (I seriously find this movie beyond hilarious….)
4. Cinderella. (And I have watched this over and over and over and over…..)

4 people I want to learn
more about, you are tagged…
I think all the Philly Mommybloggers are tagged already, so….

1. Heather
2. Every Chapter
3. Elena Jane
4. Megan

Wednesday went much MUCH better. Tuesday night, I was not doing well. I was frustrated, emotional, overwhelmed.
Then I remembered the wise words of my favorite author, Elisabeth Elliot:
"Do the next thing."
So that’s just what I did. I got up. Fed the baby. Went and led Bible Study. Took the kids swimming on a playdate. Ran errands. And – when I had some time in the evening – sewed. And finished up my wholesale order. And had happy (tired!) kids. Not bored, ignored kids clamoring for my attention.
I took things one at a time. And did my most important work first – I was a mama, taking time for my kids and serving at Bible Study. And everything else fell into place.
I need to do that more often.