Too much to do!

There’s a lot happening around here right now, which is making my belly seize up when I contemplate how it’s all going to happen. Today, I knew I had to run a couple of important errands, and I had to get both kids to school. There was a direct conflict between my MOPS meeting and any hope of running, and that was still up in the air…until we had one of the most spectacularly bad mornings we’ve had in a while, and I spontaneously decided that the run would do more for my sanity than any motivational speaker ever could.

See, Gabe apparently didn’t get enough sleep last night, because my usually cheerful morning kid had to be hauled screeching from his bed. He yowled, “DARK! DARK! I need to sleep!” over and over, and he thundered that his “heart [was] going to die!” if he didn’t get back to bed right that minute. It was awful. Took me almost twenty minutes to console him enough to get him dressed. On top of it, everybody else was having difficulties, and it wound up as a screaming match between three of us, with the fourth (guess who) sobbing on the stairs about not wanting to be awake yet. Apologies have been given, but the morning was ruined…so I ran 11.5 miles and didn’t regret a step of it.

Now, more on the pile. I have to find costumes for Eric and me by Saturday night. I have to finish the boys’ costumes by next week. I have to make some Halloween treats (this falls into the category of “have to” by virtue of the fact that when I saw the treat in mind, I was taken with an immense need to create them, and I’ll go nuts if I don’t), preferably in time to take some of them to Saturday’s party with us, and that will involve hitting a store by then. I also have to help Eric with the grocery shopping he needs to do, since he’s “catering” the party with his pizzas. I need to clean up this godforsaken place (new sitter coming; you know how it is).

I need to practice violin with Sam tonight. I need to convince him that we do not need to try to do the Scouts roller skating event tonight, since I hate skating (so does Sam, for that matter), and Gabe would be with us (Eric works late), and Gabe would be horrified at the notion of putting wheels on his feet. I need to figure out what the heck I’m feeding the three of us tonight. (Eventually, I NEED to get back onto the meal planning routine.) I need to carve or paint a pumpkin with Sam sometime before Monday night, so he can take the picture of it to school on time.

I need to continue strong-arming persuading Sarah to come running with us on Saturday (rain, rain, go away!), and I need to find the paper with the number of the woman I need to call to let her know that Sarah’s coming. I need to register for the Wisconsin Marathon and figure out how best to train up for that. I need to get new running shoes; these ones now have well over 400 miles on them and are starting to give me small aches in the forefoot. Ideally, I’d replace them before Saturday morning, but…

I need to call my grandma, who was in a car accident this week and broke her sternum. I need to figure out where we’ll be for Thanksgiving. I need to figure out what we’re doing for the holidays.

I need coffee. I may need something stronger.