Nothing to Show

I can't seem to get anything done these days. My list is unchanging; I don't ever seem to get anything crossed off. Thinking productively, what have I done lately?

Over the last two weekends, I cleaned the garage. It was truly a nightmare. Clint hauled the ruined piano and lots of other junk off to the dumps. What a relief!!! That piano has been bugging me for ages. Of course, there's still a big pile of Clint's work tools in the middle of one bay, so I can only park one car inside. But at least I can move around in there now. I have a terrible habit, once the garage starts getting disheveled, of just stepping in the door and flinging, instead of trying to find an actual spot to put something away. So, it's my own fault really. But I really, really hate cleaning the garage.

I took the girls to the mall. They've been asking for months, and I just haven't had time. I realized I was never going to have time, so I just did it anyway. Now they want to go to Wal-Mart.

I tried out Entrees Made Easy. It's taken a month to get over the guilt and become comfortable with what semms like a lot of money for a meal, but I'm pretty sold on it now. My family loves the home-cooked meals and trying different menus. I'm so grateful about the time it's saving me I could just cry. Funny thing is, even with half our dinners taking half the time, I still don't seem to be getting to the stuff I'm supposed to be doing.

I caught up on job costing for all Clint's work since January. Oh, and I'm still doing payroll every week, although that's about it for me and business work lately.

Homeschooling. Tamzin just finished with her math for this year, and she is so excited. She also just finished her first grade reader. She is so proud of herself. We're now reading the Spiderwick Chronicles, recommended by Chelee. She loves them. It's her first foray into chapter books, which she had always been to impatient for before. I'm working with the older girls on writing and history a few times a week, and now Shelby wants me to read her Environmental Science book so we can discuss the concepts together. It's fascinating, but it takes time! I do the same thing with history, and we have great conversations together, but it means I have 'homework', too.

Gave the girls their annual "test", required for homeschooling. It's a pain in the neck, but at least it's done now, and the girls are happy with their scores. They feel they accurately reflect where they are at, for the most part.

Cleaned the house a few times, with help from the girls.

Went to the park a few times. Hosted a play date.

Took the girls to Portland for Dance Competition. Definitely a worthwhile experience. Went to OMSI, too. The girls had a great time there.

Nursed the family through a round of the flu, and then a bout of colds.

Threw a birthday party for Gillian at BounceArena. Definitely a fun way to go.

So what am I not getting to?

The taxes. I'm 80% done, and stuck. Knowing I'm going to owe a fortune, since I underpaid my estimated taxes last year, makes it hard to feel motivated to get it done. But I've got 3 birthdays and another out of town dance competition to think about in April, so I shouldn't be putting it off like this.

Fashion Revue. If I don't get the girls started soon, we will be so crowded later. It's not so easy to "help" 3 girls sew cool outfits. It's harder than doing it myself.

My Blog. My Photos. My Scrapbook Table, which seriously has not been cleaned off in a year, and has papers and photos piled high (another fling spot). The dishes, which is what I should be doing right now. Gotta go!