Thursday, May 28, 2009

3 Weeks, 5 Hours, 32 Minutes (But Who's Counting?)

Just that long until I leave for home. I feel like a little kid who physically cannot wait any longer. So, what do I do when I feel that way? Make myself insanely busy with projects. So here's a quick update on my life:

Kids

Margarita arrived without incident from Knoxville Monday morning. It's so nice to have a complete family again. It's been a 4 days now and Juan Carlos keeps saying, "I'm so glad she's home." So cute.

Along with getting her home (which was the biggest prize), I also got lots of goodies from my mom. The most important goody was a big box of Tide. I'm sure it will only last a couple of weeks as the maid just can't accept the power of concentrated soap and uses way to much, but at least I have it for now. Pedro got enough diapers to last him til we leave enabling me to fulfill my strange goal of never buying a diaper here. I guess that's where Margarita gets it from. And some new American candy, of which I am partaking even as I type this post.

The end of the year is crazy; we've got 3 music programs, portfolio sharings, 2 graduations (kinder and 5th grade), and who knows how many other things before it's all said and done with.

Running

I had my worst long run to date this week.

I was supposed to run 1 hour and 45 minute. Guapo was out of town so I had to wait until the maid got here which put me leaving 30 minutes later than normal. When I started my run at 7 am, it was already 82 degrees out, not a cloud in the sky. Not good. I had to take a break after 1 hour 25 minutes and if you know me, you know that's not like me. I rather be sick or injure myself than quit a run early (stupid, I know, but true). I made an exception this time because I really started to worry that I was about to have heat stroke or something so I stopped and sat down for a few minutes and then started again, DETERMINED to finish.

I only made it 10 more minutes at which point my body utterly refused to go on.

I spent the rest of the day feeling like crap. And, now I'm worrying about next week's run. :(

Organizing

I think I have some kind of organizing sickness.

Is that a thing?

Not like obsessive compulsiveness, because I'm not like this all the time. A couple of times a year I get in this mood and it's like I am only happy if I am organizing something. Last night, I was slightly stressed out (probably from trying to organize with 4 kids at home) so Guapo offered to bathe the kids and get them ready for bed while I "relaxed". So what do I do? Sit and watch TV, or read a book, or get online? No. I snuck downstairs and organized 3 drawers and a little cupboard that had been bothering me all day. Today I organized all of the pens, pencils, markers, colored pencils into their own designated holders. That will last all of 10 minutes.

In the last week I have:

-sorted through all the kids clothes and shoes
-sorted through all the school work from this year
-scanned important documents and special school work
-cleaned all closets out
-organized toys and games
-gone through all medicines, sunscreens and bug sprays looking for expired products
-gotten rid of all cruddy looking picture frames
-gotten rid of all old magazines

Agggh! I'm driving myself insane. I lay in bed at night and think of what I want to organize the next day. I think there's something wrong with me.

Photo Book Project

(An extension of the organizing problem)

Last year I made a goal of making a photo book for each kid for each school year. They loved getting their book last year and look at them often. But, it is pretty time consuming to find all relevant pictures of each kid from the last year. And, I finally finished a book from our Christmas trip.

Piano

Did I mention I started taking piano lessons again? I have the greatest teacher here- I just love her. She has several adult students and holds a "recital" for them every 2 months. My first one is in two weeks. I loathe playing in front of other people, but I will do it because I really want to get better.

So, there you have it. That's what I'm up to and why I haven't been posting more. I'm trying to keep myself so busy that the next three weeks fly by and before I know it, I'll be drinking cold, fresh milk and visiting Target twice a day.

11 comments:

nikko said...

I so NEED to be in an organizing streak. The boys' clothes all need sorted and too-small stuff put away. And I need to go through their toys, and my fridge needs cleaned out, too.

I am so freaking impressed with your running. I wish I had that kind of stamina. I'm almost up to the point where I can run a whole mile without stopping to walk.. ;o)

k-squared's mom said...

I got really tired after reading your post. I needed to lie down and take a nap! Hahaha....I wish I had your organizing streak. The schoolwork that my kids have done all these years are in 2 big suitcases - unsorted and unfiled. Oh well....I will just vicariously experience your organizing triumphs!

Good luck on next week's run!

Janice said...

Sounds delightful. I am getting our life better organized as well.

I did a three mile run on our treadmill this morning and forced myself to do the last 1/2 mile at the almost max incline. I was so exhausted afterwards that I literally laid down on the treadmill.

andalucy said...

Gabriela dear, could you come to Minneapolis and organize me?

Ballerina Girl said...

Ok my friend...
I am so with you in READY to leave...I want school to be out YESTERDAY! Why is it just dragging this year.
We should call each other as we are walking through Target, hahaha!

Next point...don't be so hard on yourself with the run. I know you will do great. It has been really humid this year.

Now, if you run out of things to organize in your house, can you PLEASE come to mine...I need just a stitch of what you have and I'd be 10x better. I so need a new person to do a deep cleaning too...maybe someone from book group knows someone?

And last but not least...can I come to your recital?

love, BG

Gabriela said...

Nikko: thanks but it's not really a big deal-anyone can work up to it-I started out with a mile too!

K-squared's mom: I know what you mean, it makes me kind of tired reading it too.

Janice: Way to go on the running.

Calandria: I would love to. Seriously, I think I could organize as a job.

BG: Yes I'll come to your house to organize, and NO WAY can you come to my recital! I'm dying enough with people I don't know. And I'm so glad Guapo will be out of town so him attending is out of the question.

Kari said...

Gabriela-
I'm with K-squared's mom...I'm WAY tired after reading that!

But congratulations, and don't apologize for not posting...you're busy LIVING, which is much more important--:)

(That is not to say I don't love to read your posts--daily would be fine for me! But LIVING takes precedence.)

Janet said...

I have the organizing bug too but cannot get to it before all the end of the year craziness is over and it's driving me insane.

Sis Lewis said...

Glad it is time to come back to Boulder, Colorado. Your kids are so fun to teach in Primary and it is ALWAYS great to see you.

Does you maid come EVERY DAY?

Gabriela said...

Sis Lewis: we can't wait to see you either! We'll be at church on the 21st. :)

misswendy said...

Hey!! I've been wondering for soooo long how your life has ended up, especially since all of the old roomies are now on Facebook, so I've caught up with them. Here's my email address if you want to catch up

utahtexans@yahoo.com

My husband spent four years of his life growing up in Brazil (Porto Alegre) and LOVES it there.

Wendy (MacNair) Olsen