Please raise your hand...

[LenaGardner]

if you feel like you don't have it "together". I know I can't be the only one. I'm struggling lately with that NEHID syndrome. (not enough hours in day...I hope one day to coin this term, I came up with it on my own )

I do dumb things because I feel like my head isn't screwed on straight.

Examples:

Run through a drive through only to find out my wallet is on the table in the entryway. (I put it there because I have to go fish it out of my purse every day to get Parker off the schoolbus. They require photo ID every day even if they know you.) When I come back in, I distractedly sit it on the table and then forget it's there. It doesn't help I'm wrangling a Parker and have picked up the mail on my way in, too.

Have to run through the drive through because I've forgotten (again) to put dinner in the crockpot.

Lose things. Keys. My lanyard for work. Etc.

Forget to charge my phone until it's dead.

These are just a few examples, there are eleventyseven more. You know those commercials where people are trying to quit smoking and they can't figure out how to put their pants on or drive a car? That's what I feel like but I feel that way about my new house. We moved two months ago and we've long since been unpacked but I don't feel "settled". I feel like I walk in the door and try to hang my keys on the hook that's no longer there because we're in a new place. (Silly example but ykwim). I know the obvious answer is hang a hook there but it's not an option here, there's a window there. )

It doesn't help that this house NEVER feels clean. It's bigger and has all these hardwood floors that are the bane of my new existence. It feels like ALL I do is clean and yet I never feel "done."

IDK I'm rambling. But I find myself every day saying, "Once I get caught up I'll be fine." Then I never get caught up.

[adrianka]

What you describe is my default mode. :-)

[NatalieKW]

I'll raise my hand...

[MamaBee]

*both arms waving in the air*

[taracotta7]

So me. I could give you so many stories. Let's just leave it as.....I totally understand!

[MandaT]

^^ pretty much ALL of that.

[robinforman]

Hi Lena, we moved in January and I am still struggling with this issue. I describe it as 'growing pains' to my husband- meaning that everything is in its place, but that is not necessarily the BEST place for it to be in THIS house. I work continually to evaluate where stuff is and if it is in the most optimal location, but I am still working on the routine for this new house. I think this adds considerably to the "stuff everywhere" feel, and having that makes me crazyyyy! Hang in there!

[*Celeste*]

waving hands here. that's me! that's me!
then i think i'll take a day off from work and catch up. but i don't even think that will help.

[scrapweaver]

Originally Posted by MamaBee

*both arms waving in the air*

definately this

[rachaelsscraps]

omg, I can sooo relate. It doesn't help that I work at home so I have very few deadlines (just ones I make for myself) besides getting my son to school on time.

[emmasmommy]

I am SO there.

[Penny Springmann]

Did you read my mind...seriously...I feel like NOTHING is ever finished or the way I want it, and I don't have the time to get it there.

[isaacsmom]

Me me me!!!!!! I thought maybe it was just that since I turned 30 a few years ago, that my brain was starting to turn into old age mush....... Glad to hear I'm not alone!

[Shawna]

Yep me too...husband + three kids + two pets + laundry + dishes + small constantly cluttered house + doing FT daycare for my 2mo old nephew + my photography biz = one crazy stressed mama!!

[kscwgirl]

yes, yes and yes.

[nun69]

yes yes and yes...or how about going through the drive thru and HAVE your wallet, but left your debit/credit card ont eh sink in the bathroom beacuse it was in your pocket yesterday and you just KNEW you wouldn't forget it because you had to brush your teeth...yep, been there, done that!!!!!!!! and I don't feel like my house is EVER clean either and I have all hardwood downstairs except one room!

[annieworm72]

*both hands in air* I'm so glad it isn't just me! Sometimes it feels like it is.

[jacinda]

Yep, that's me exactly. The other day I got half way to work before realising I'd left my work keys on the kitchen bench. Returned to get them, then stopped at the supermarket to get something for work, only to get into the store and realise I'd left my wallet in the car. Ugh. The rest of my day wasn't a whole lot better.

[Julie Billingsley]

oh yes. One hand in the air.... I'd raise the other one as well, but that would be too organized for me. I have a million examples like yours. The one that plagues me daily is simply showering. I'll pop in the shower and 5 minutes later I can't remember if I've washed and conditioned my hair or only washed it. So, I'll condition it again. Then I'll forget if I've already shaved my legs or not, so I'll have to check. seriously. I'm so busy planning my day and thinking stuff out in the shower that it's like I'm not even in my own head. But then I get out the of shower and similar stuff happens all day... I'll load the dishwasher and not start it, etc. Like I said it's like I'm not in my own head. I think it's all the multi-tasking that us moms do. I love your term NEHID syndrome.

[Nettio]

Originally Posted by Julie Billingsley

oh yes. One hand in the air.... I'd raise the other one as well, but that would be too organized for me. I have a million examples like yours. The one that plagues me daily is simply showering. I'll pop in the shower and 5 minutes later I can't remember if I've washed and conditioned my hair or only washed it. So, I'll condition it again. Then I'll forget if I've already shaved my legs or not, so I'll have to check. seriously. I'm so busy planning my day and thinking stuff out in the shower that it's like I'm not even in my own head. But then I get out the of shower and similar stuff happens all day... I'll load the dishwasher and not start it, etc. Like I said it's like I'm not in my own head. I think it's all the multi-tasking that us moms do. I love your term NEHID syndrome.

LOL, Julie, I totally have that problem in the shower too.

My DH is actually worse than I am though. Several times now he's spent like an hour putting together a meal plan and grocery list in Excel (yeah, he's fancy, haha) only to realize once we've driven the 20 minutes to the store that the list is at home. Or he'll forget his military ID card at work or his wallet at home...he has lots of moments like that.

[nun69]

ohh leaving your military ID card at home SUCKS...cause even if you can get on base, you can't do anything on your computer or work related!!! can you tell I've been there done that too!

[Starlight-Princess]

Totally agree with all of the above examples x

[Nettio]

Originally Posted by nun69

ohh leaving your military ID card at home SUCKS...cause even if you can ge ton base, you can't do anythign on your computre or work related!!! can you tell I've been there done that too!

LOL, yep! Luckily this time he'd actually left the card at work IN the card reader but the ironic part was he was taking the next day off, so he actually needed it at home. And since it was right around Sept 11, all the gates had heightened security so I had to drive him to post just so he could run in an get his card from his office.

[Kjersti]

Yes--me, me, me!!!

I'm still getting used to being a working mom - it'll be a year in December and I'm still in TEARS about 99% of the time. Last month I paid my car payment twice! Who does that? Hello?

Oh, and when I unloaded the groceries, I put the FROZEN FOOD in the pantry. Didn't realize it until yesterday.

[pewtertm]

Well, have you ever gone through the drive-thru, paid for your food, and then drove off...without it? And by the time you are halfway home, you realize it, and don't have time to go back (and are too embarrassed to do it anyway? LOL)

Suffice it to say, both of my hands are in the air on this one!

[rach3975]

Raising them high! I'm generally good with my wallet and keys, but yesterday I spent a few panicked minutes when I needed to drive the boys to school looking for my keys. Where did I find them? In my HAND! How could I not realize I was already holding them?

There are never enough hours to get it all done. And by "all," I mean the bare minimum. This summer was AWFUL like that--I was miserably stressed by the end of most days. Now that my 2 older kids are back in school my mood is much better, but I still never even get close to getting through all the housework. I feel like I'm constantly telling my kids I can't play with them because I have housework to do. And it's not because I'm a perfectionist or need everything in my house to be perfectly clean. Ha--so far from it. I'm just talking about getting basic meals made, keeping clean clothes in the drawers, and keeping the kitchen clean enough that the ants leave us alone. How can those few chores take up so much of every day?! I have a long list of all the other things I want to get to someday, but someday is never going to come. I keep my sanity by refusing to do any of it after the kids are asleep (9-ish) so that I can have some time to play.

[LenaGardner]

I am so glad I'm not the only one. Thanks, ladies, for understanding! I'm sorry you are all dealing with this, too.

Now....what is the SOLUTION?

Does anyone have any ideas?

I'm determined to make next week better than this one. I was considering a schedule or something? IDK. Grasping here but .... I've gotta figure something out. My temporary solution for this week was skimp on sleep (got about 5 hours a night this week...as little as 4, no more than 6...every night). It's wearing on me.

[SmallMoments]

Oh honey. It's a way of life here. You get used to it. LOL

[sprauncey1]

Oh I'm so there.

Normally I am there with just activities and such and our house (big and never clean! It took me 45 minutes to sweep and mop the tile floors, seriously how am I supposed to do that daily?).

But now we have a huge impending move and I'm am a basketcase. The house HAS to be/get clean from top to bottom and somehow stay that way for sale! The boys have their school and two activities a week (Wednesday night church and gymnastics on Tuesday night) and that seems like too much at this point. Sigh. I have no idea how to make it work. Other than me burning the candle at both ends and winding up a stressball and sick. I have leaned more on DH but he's a stressball too at this point and still has to fly airplanes and stay safe.

And now the weather is finally decent (below 90) and I really want to just be outside in the fresh air!!

Oh and I want to scrap, but when I'm busy/stressed, I have no creative juices and am just tired and want to watch TV (brain dead). Sigh. So I haven't scrapped in months and I'm supposed to finish the Officer Spouse Club's yearbook for last year to send off to shutterfly soon! I have no desire, but I promised to do it when I took the job. Sigh.

I need a second me.

[Leah]

Originally Posted by Julie Billingsley

oh yes. One hand in the air.... I'd raise the other one as well, but that would be too organized for me. I have a million examples like yours. The one that plagues me daily is simply showering. I'll pop in the shower and 5 minutes later I can't remember if I've washed and conditioned my hair or only washed it. So, I'll condition it again. Then I'll forget if I've already shaved my legs or not, so I'll have to check. seriously. I'm so busy planning my day and thinking stuff out in the shower that it's like I'm not even in my own head. But then I get out the of shower and similar stuff happens all day... I'll load the dishwasher and not start it, etc. Like I said it's like I'm not in my own head. I think it's all the multi-tasking that us moms do. I love your term NEHID syndrome.

See mine plagues me in the middle of the night when I'm supposed to be sleeping, but I'm not, so when I get up I'm even more tired and scatter-brained the next day. It's a vicious cycle.

[breakingbrie]

*hanging my head with my hands in the air*

This is so me. I really didn't know so many felt this way!! I run around so much during the day to so many places, of course I do more running than needed because I always forget something - Now and then I've taken a time out sitting in the car to just cry. Ugh, I feel like I'm never done.

lol, I think I'm going to request next year that the girls are also in the same class at school... I don't know how many times I've confused papers brought home, homework to be done - they bring home the same homework every week, just on different days, and I keep misplacing papers with no name, can't remember who's book is who's, who brought home the book orders. I know it's lame, something I should be able to keep track, but I'm so disorganized lately. I feel like it's wrong to want them in the same class so homework time is easier on me, and what if doing the same homework at the same time is not what they need. I just want SOMEthing to be easier on me.

We're kind of in the middle of a big change right now. We just sold our business and we're looking to buy a house in another city. I feel bad making the girls change schools, but with our business sold, there's no other reason to stay in this city being so far away from both our families.

I'm gonna stop before I go on and on... lol, it's nice to vent sometimes, and realize you're not alone in feeling like this. I'm hoping to get some of those home/family organization binders made up before the move to help the transition and have a little way to keep some order to things right from the start.

[marnel]

Lena, story of my life!!!