Sweating the Small Stuff

What a roller coaster ride being a parent is.

Maybe it's more like an obstacle course.  Wearing a blind fold.  You just do not know what is lurking around the corner.

Just when you think you cleared the last obstacle, something else pops out at you, and you have a 50/50 chance of handling in the right way.

Or at least that's how I feel at the moment.  I have this constant inner...and outer struggle, and it's this: "Am I making the right decisions as a parent?"

I tend to be very emotionally driven, which sometimes leads me to get carried away to one extreme or another.  On top of that, I also tend to be a "jump to the worst case scenario outcome" kind of a person.

Real life example #1:  Drew has trouble following directions during preschool one day.  That's the scenario.  In my mind, this can easily spiral all the way to, "What will we do when he gets expelled from preschool?  What am I doing wrong as a parent?"

• In this case, it pays to be able to bounce these irrational thought off of close friends (thank the Lord for my lunch group peeps today) so that I can be brought back to reality.  He's a boy...a 4 year old boy...and that's the end of that.  Just be consistent, lead by example and he'll be fine.

Real life example #2:  Jordan goes for day 2 without eating anything other than noodles or bread for dinner.  Now, I can't stop feeling like she is going to become malnourished from an all carb diet.

• Pretty much, just like everything else, it's a phase, and it will pass.  It will be funny to say, "Hey, remember when Jordi only ate bread for a whole week?  Hahaha, that's so funny!"  As long as she is eating healthier food throughout the day, she'll be fine.

Real life example #3:  Kent wants to take the kids to the park at 6:45 on a school night.  I ask him to be home at 7:30 because it's chilly, they need a bath, it may rain, they need to be in bed early...

• This one I can remedy myself.  They'll have fun at the park.  Get over it.

I could really worry myself sick about all of these things that really are just growing pains, and everyday obstacles of life.  What I need to do more of, is to just be thankful for what I have going over here.  An awesomely perfect little family, with 2 happy kids and a husband with a heart of gold.  Worrying myself into a tizzy is not helping anything, or anyone...

Take a deep breath, and remember that most of your worries are not worth the effort...focus on the good stuff!

On another note, I've taken the past 2 days off of running...or any exercise-ish activity at all.  Oh, I did my pushups the other day, and today starts my Week 2 of the Challenge.  So far so good with those.

Also, I found this totally delicious treat and made it just now right after the 3 amigos left for the park.  It is sa-weeet!  It was easy too.  The only thing I left off were the sprinkles.  This is because most bottles of sprinkles I have come across have some link to NUTS or PEANUTS, and my poor DMan has allergies.  Lots of allergies.  That will be another post for another time.

I made this White Chocolate Cake Popcorn....and I got the recipe HERE...mine doesn't look quite like the picture in the recipe, but I'm sure it tastes just as devine!

Since I've spent the last hour mowing on popcorn on steroids, I definitely MUST run tomorrow.  Not just because of the popcorn, but because my legs and brain are begging for the open road!

Are there times you find yourself obsessing about things that are most likely Not worth obsessing over?


Do you ever crave a workout?