Milkacalypse and Curtains

Today feels like a week.  On Monday, (scarcely two weeks ago by my calculations) I began scribbling on a fresh page of my book of lists, optimistically titling it "Goals For This Week."  I put too many words under those first four. 
The Man of the House thinks that I need to lower my expectations.  He doesn't read very many Mommy Blogs.  I think I am about to give them up too, although I tell myself that I just read them to ridicule the preposterous glaze of perfection that coats everything in them.  Was I more at peace with piles of laundry and unfinished projects before I read these {mostly Mormon} SAHMs?
Anyway, my expectations are about to experience a decrease in number.  Tomorrow morning I'm going to slash through my "Goals" and pare things down to necessities.
Problem: in the moment, everything feels like a necessity.  What can I cut?
Shop for Groceries. 
I made it half-way through this errand today when an emergency halted my gathering at half-cart full.  We will run out of milk tomorrow and the end of the world may just arrive.  Milkacalypse.
Move the Little Girls into their New Bedroom. 
Another chore that is started, but not completed.  Will the chaos of belongings littering our upstairs hall kill us before the Household Dairy Shortage?
Various Preparations for my Youngest Sister-In-Law's Bridal Shower. 
I cannot let go of these 4 or 5 combined tasks.  I cannot let people outside our house know what an unachiever I am.  If 50+ female friends and relatives show up at the shower location on Saturday and find the tables undecorated, they may just keep their gifts.
Sewing curtains.
Yep. I can let go of that.  Since I'm pretty sure that curtains are an annoyance of questionable necessity.  Plus there's the whole not-really-moved-into-their-new-bedroom thing that's going for me.  Although the fabric I've picked out is pretty much perfect.
Finish Baby Gift for new Nephew.
Oh pook.
See? This is why I don't like slashing and paring down.  I want to do this. 
I want to do it all.  I want to be just like the glossy Mommy Blogs in their unachievableness.

Except I'm not Mormon.

I am very much ok with that, so I guess I'll be ok with slashing my list.
Maybe the Man of the House is on to something.

Sickie Poo

I've heard bad things about strep throat before.
But I never realized that it could take this bit of sunshine...

And transform it into this sad little urchin.

It has been a week of many cuddles.
And much whining.
And coaxing.
It will be better soon, right?  I miss my little girl with the quick and ready smile.  I miss her willing toddler-sized appetite.  I am trying to appreciate these moments of extra-neediness, but we're both more than bit worn out.

We Break for Spring

Spring Break was last week. 
We were busy.
We played with friends.

Ok... so this picture was from N.Belle's class Easter party - the day before Spring Break. Apparently, I didn't take any pictures of the four play dates we actually had at home!

We built ramshackle structures with scraps found in the barn.

 We read a lot of books. In really odd settings. Odd, ramshackle settings.

We put on concerts.

We cooked a little here and there. But not with this strange assortment of ingredients WBeans set out when she wanted to help Mommy make dinner.

We put on pretty new dresses and went to church.

Only some of us did that. A few of our family were sick. Sad {Easter} day!

We did not go anywhere, but we never had one of those "I'm bored and don't know what to do with myself" days.  It was nice.  We were not really ready to go back to school yesterday.

But we did.

And by "We" I of course do not mean "me."