Reality Check :)

So I have determined that my blog is one of the things that stresses me out. Not because I don't like to post on it but because it take to much time ( I really enjoy posting on my blog). So I have determined that for now I will only post pictures when I have more time. I can take a few minutes here and there to write about what is going on in our lives. What will probably happen is I will download a lot of pictures at once. If you couldn't tell I am stressing out to much. I have determined that I am going to try to find ways to reduce stress. With a baby in the house and 4 other children the work seems endless.
Here are some ways I am going to try to reduce stress or that I am using to reduce stress:
-Post pictures on blog only when I have time and it is not stressing me out.
-I have been trying to make extra of whatever food I am making (when I can) and freezing it etc. Like the other day I made waffles and made up the dry ingredients for 4 other times. I've also made up enchiladas, spaghetti sauce, and cooked up hamburger in large quantities and frozen them. It really doesn't take that much more time and in the long run it saves a lot of time! Our meals have been going a lot more smoothly since I started doing this. We were winding up eating dinners as late as 8 or 9 o'clock in the evening, because of when I had to feed William and all of the after school chaos.
-Another thing that I just started doing was using paper plates, cups and bowls. I know it can get expensive but I was having a tuff time keeping up on dishes. (If you like this idea but can't afford to do this you can always just do paper plates or only use them at meal time or as needed to keep your sanity.)
-I just recently started using my rinse cycle on my dishwasher. My sister Emily had told me several times how nice it was but up until we moved into this twinplex we didn't have a good enough dishwasher to try that. It is a lifesaver! I was doing the best I had ever done in my married life with dishes before I had William thanks to the rinse cycle. I can't rinse all of the dishes with the rinse cycle but it can sure help when you are trying to catch up on dishes or when you don't have time for dishes.
-Sew, sew, & sew some more:) One thing I learned very early as a stay at home mom was that I need to take time to do things I love and as you all know I LOVE TO SEW! I am a better mother for that time I take for myself! Although at times I have to remind myself that even I can can go a bit (okay a lot) overboard on my sewing time :) Moderation in all things.
-RELAX! I have been really bad at this lately (hence the stressing out part). What I am going to try to do is use my yoga DVD. It has 10 minute segments and at the very least I can do just one of those periodically. I won't say how often or that will stress me out.
-UNPLUG! In our world of technology it is so easy to let it over run our time and minds. I know, I am behind the times, I don't even have a cell phone (might I add that I don't miss having one either most of the time). My problem has been lately that I spend to much time surfing the web while I nurse William and then I wonder why my brain is on overload. To much information. Can we say moderation?
-Work with William and try to get him taking longer naps instead of short 15 minute naps here and there throughout the day. I just need to start putting him in his crib more for his naps. I just like having him close by me so I can make sure he's okay but he's gotten old enough he should do fine in his crib. I guess I better buy a baby moniter so that I don't worry so much.
The reason I am sharing this is because I am hoping someone else can benefit from my experiences and because it helps me to write things out.

This week:
We started the week with sick kids. Samuel and Joseph had the flu (the kind with lots of vomiting). We sent them back to school on Tuesday. On Monday Jon, Elizabeth, and Grace got it. Fortunatly William and I managed to make it through without getting it. (Knock on wood anytime I say something like this it comes back to haunt me.) We also had some really cold weather with windchills in the negative 20s and 30s brrrrrr! This week was hard because I stayed home from church last Sunday to take care of sick kids and it seems like anytime I do that I really miss being around people and of course the spiritual boost church always gives me. I also sewed this week probably a little more than I needed too. (I tend to hide behind my sewing and crafts when I am stressed out.) I also felt the need to get out of the house all week! I think I need to start walking more when the weather's nicer (you know in the 20s or 30's :) none of this below zero stuff!
Here are some fun things I want to share about us:
Jon: He did the taxes the other day and we realized we are going to be able to pay off our credit card debt with some to spair for a few other things. Heavenly Father has really blessed us this year. Hopfully we can keep Jon more healthy so that he doesn't miss more work. He has been sick a lot the last month. I have to say Jon does a lot for us. He walks to work and back a lot of the time (which is probably a 2 to 3 mile walk) so that I can have the car to pick up kids from school. Even when it is colder than I would be willing to put up with. Like below zero weather. When it gets too cold I do try to get the kids a ride home from school so that Jon can take the car. I would car pool with someone but we only have one extra seat in our car (when Jon isn't with us).
Ann: I made two adorable pairs of ruffled pants this week. It was so fun using my new ruffler foot for my sewing machine. Did I mention that I am obsessed with ruffles right now?
Samuel: I was able to go to Samuel's class on Friday and we made bookmarks. It was alot of fun!
Joseph: Joseph has such a generous spirit. It doesn't always come out but he is more giving than I am at times. Like this evening he did Elizabeth's job on dishes for her. One time he used his birthday money to buy something for Elizabeth and Grace. For my kids having money is a big deal. We aren't able to do any kind of allowance or let them earn more than a dollar or two once in awhile. They talk about what they are going to do with their birthday money they get from grandparents all year long. So buying something for his sisters was a big deal.
Elizabeth: The other day I was trying to get Elizabeth to clean her room and she told me "I have to many projects to do right now." Does that sound like anyone you know?
Grace: Grace is loving her Sunbeam class at church. She likes to sing "Jesus wants me for a sunbeam." Although her favorite song is still the ABC song. When we have family home evening she always wants to sing that.
William: He did the cutest thing yesterday. William and I were taking a nap together (I was holding him) and I woke up to him grabbing my nose. Apparently he was done sleeping!