I'm not sure if it's my ill-equipped parenting skills, but this idea of perfect balance has never been an outcome of any of my parenting plans.

I am in a constant state of being pulled in a million directions looking for the "easy button" that sends me into a state of blissful balance.

Mmmm nope, I don't think so.

I am constantly asking myself critical questions:

• Did I plan in advance?

• Do I know what I need?

• Do my kids get enough?

• Do they get too much?

• Am I invested enough in all the areas needed to make it turn out OK?

Ughhhhhhhh—to say the least.

I just had a day/night and a half with my 3 boys. They seemed to be un-pleaseable today, and that is beyond frustrating. Where I live being the second coldest place on Earth today perhaps having something to do with it, we are all a bit stir crazy.

I did my best to fight the fever and I had us put on layers and layers to head outdoors and get a warm drink and go to the snow hill for a couple tumble-downs. The intense cold didn't let our discount sleds slip at all. In fact they basically froze to the hill.

Plan B was to come back and make some of my famous HULK soup (blended spinach—the key to make the liquid green instead of leafy—plus ground beef, barley, kidney beans, sea salt, and a bit of Italian seasoning). How disappointing to find yet again that my domestic diva efforts went unnoticed  with complaints and crying throughout.

The result = a bad day for kids not rectified by my good intentions. It was a militant 6:30 bedtime where all bounding boys were told to read and be merry (or at least that was my plan since that plan derailed as well).

So my most meaningful minute was found in my locked bathroom with a stick of incense and a candle. Nothing like a quiet moment when I am able to step back, breathe, and remember if these are my problems, then my life is truly blessed.

A minute is all it takes to make your life for meaningful. And yes, every second counts.

Cheers,

Andrea

Andrea Page