Greetings from Gringa Land....

If yesterday's little preface didn't clue you in that today I'd be blogging on my recent "home invasion" - well then you're surely in for a treat.

I'm being totally sarcastic...  While, yes - I do have extra people in my home - it's really not so bad.

Three quarters of the stress and anxiety, along with stress related illness, is completely and totally brought on by the pressure I put on myself for everything to be absolutely perfect.


That's me - I flip out and stress and get all wound up, my husband yells at me for being such an uptight biotch and then I cry.  It's really a vicious cycle brought on by me, myself and I in the quest of mere perfection...

Why after all these years is this not understood yet??

The only acceptable statements are yes dear & how can I help?  Any questions or further comments will only drive me further into the self created tizzy which I'm already deeply caught up in.

I digress... If you've been traveling through my little bloggie world - you've noted that we've got familia in from Costa Rica for the next couple of weeks.  Truth be told, they are a delight & their little one is just the cutest thing.  BUT - yo no hablo espanol.  Soy GRINGA!  I do my best, but you can only say - "Quiere cerveza?" so many times before the non drinkers get annoyed with the question.  -- No, no, I'm not that bad, lol...  But close!

I'm a little punchy today (I'm writing this on Monday morning for Tuesday).  I've had lots of people in my house consistently since Saturday.  About 9 extra total & at random with an increasing number of people at any given moment.  I really do love to have everyone around, but strive continually for the line of perfection that is just slightly beyond my grasp UGH!

Did I mention that I am out of my element?  I do not come from a big family.  We didn't have big family gatherings & I spent more time taking my brothers away from the dysfunction than hanging around to watch it.

Large gatherings are still a lot for me to take on, but I never say no & deep down - I want to be good at this.

Luckily, I was not instantly alone in my Gringa-dom.  My beautiful sister in law came to my rescue with muffins & extra fixin's, as well as an ear for Americana when I needed to drink & freak out a little.

I am still a little totally stressed as I type this.
My mornings are rushed with the girls as it is, and I do still have to work.  I had depended on my other sister in law to pick up the family for the day today while I'm at work, but got a text at 8 am saying she wasn't going to make it.  So in the midst of breakfasts for the girls, dressing for school, lunches for the girls, prepping for tonight's dinner, tossing in a few loads of laundry while I am able, getting coffee / breakfast set up for our guests when they wake & straightening up to have things so they can be comfortable in my absence, I mentally melted down a little bit.
And again....I work!

...which is where I realized.... I have not set out or prepared anything for lunch for our guests.  I did not expect them to be unattended to....  Hubby's not so worried.  No food, noooooo problem..  They'll make due.  UGH..


So here's where I am at this very second...

At work, stressing over dinner in the crock pot, trying to remember to stop off at the grocery for last minute dinner crap, get the short one off the bus, pick the older up from Girl Scouts & somehow remember to provide an interim meal for my day long starving house guests at my return home.

Regardless of how this may sound, I do truly enjoy them, and they are very good guests.
Let's see where my stress will bring me tomorrow.

Stay tuned....  This is only Day #2

Thank you for reading my blog!

~Jenn

PS.  Thank you to my wonderful girlie, Patty, for coming to my rescue & delivering subs to my poor starving family yesterday :)  Love you!!  xxoo