Croptoberfest Day 10 - Monday. . .lack of inspiration

It's grey, raining and cold.  Big wind over the weekend has knocked almost all the colors out of the trees - remember the photo from last week of my trees in the front - yeah, almost totally bare now, save those hearty-I'm-not-lettin'-go leaves; I think there are five of them.  This kind of weather, combined with a carpet of gold on the lawn (hey, I'll cling to those gorgeous colors whether they're on the trees or the grass) would usually a banner day for me.  But over stimulation and chaos over the weekend has left me exhausted.  Too much noise, too much running and too much clutter in my house.  There's no sanctuary. 

Ever have that feeling?  I go along okay, and then I realize the noise and can't tune it out.  I turn around to find clutter in every corner of my house - costumes in progress, paper work avalanching off my desk, catalogs stacked in the family room, boxes of product in the living room, laundry that can't seem to make it past the threshold of the laundry room, soccer bags, volleyball gear, balls, shoes, a suitcase from DH's trip in the middle of the floor.  There's no place for my eye to rest that doesn't scream "clean me!"  So I try to deal with some of the clutter but all I see is what I can't get to.  Then some child announces they've lost an assignment ("It was right here!") and I'm detoured to scouring the house for it (never did find it.)  Three soccer games, two volleyball games, a trip to church and a trip out to the airport later and before I know it it's all just too much. I won't talk about the to-do list that continues to grow or the frustration that still lingers over arriving to play volleyball only to find out the team had to forfeit their first game because a coach didn't check email to find that the schedules were moved up an hour and none of the team was there.  Okay - deep breath in - slow exhale out.  Ahhhh. . .better.

While I may still be in my pajamas, I do have a bathroom cleaned, laundry well underway, main level floors are swept and vacuumed and the kitchen is set to rights, the flow of paper off my desk has been contained to a small trickle - kind of.  Two of the older kids have their pumpkins carved and those are sitting in the front room and the toddler is quietly playing with the vacuum.  I've had my coffee and those golden leaves on the grass and the bright cherry red leaves on the bushes that the wind hasn't gotten to yet are lifting my mood.  Slowly exhale.

Time for your Monday challenge:  incorporate a new technique into your layout.  Have some glimmer mist, but never used it?  Use it.  Been eyeing the paper strips that are accordion folded?  Get folding.  Wanting to try to make your own layered flowers?  Start cutting.  You've been too afraid to rough up your layout edges and ink them?  Get over it.  Go explore something new.  You'll love it!

I'm off to clean another bathroom, rotate another load of laundry, get myself and the toddler dressed and then get these costumes out of my kitchen!  Inspiring?  Not so much.  Mood lifting?  Sort of.  Necessary for sanity?  Definitely!!

Have a great Monday.