Daily Distractions

Yesterday morning was feeling very ambitious. I made myself a to-do list.
#1 on the list - Call the orthodontist.

Did I call?
Of course not.
Why?
I don't know.
I was busy all day, but somehow managed not to complete a single task on my list.
This seems to be happening to me quite a bit lately. I just can't seem to focus on one thing long enough.
I remember thinking that I needed to call and make the appointment with the orthodontist. I took the phone into my office and went to call, but then realized that the phone # was in the kitchen, so I went to the kitchen, got the orthodontist's business card and on my way back to my office, I noticed that Max smelled funny.
I took Max into his room to change his diaper, and noticed that his clothes hamper was full, so after the diaper was changed I took his clothes and put them in the washing machine. While I was in the laundry room, I found Brielle's sweater that she was looking for last week, so I took it to her room as I started to walk back upstairs, I saw the other cordless phone laying on the floor of the family room, surrounded by toys. I picked it up and started towards my office to call the orthodontist. As I sat down to make the call, I noticed the phone was dead, so I started toward the kitchen to put the phone in the charger, and Max was wanting me to put together a puzzle with him. I sat down on the floor to help him with his puzzle, and he got up and left. I started to go back in the kitchen.

Why was I going into the kitchen?

I went back to my office, and then remembered "Oh yea, the phone is dead."
But I didn't have the phone. Where did it go?

I head back to the kitchen, and Max wants to watch TV. I put in a nice video for him, and he asks for popcorn.

O.K.

I put a bag of popcorn in the microwave, then notice the dirty dishes in the sink. Apparently whoever was on dishwashing duty the night before had emptied the dishwasher, but failed to fill it up.
I start putting the dirty dishes in the dishwasher.
The microwave beeps. I take the popcorn to Max.


What was I doing?

I don't know. So I go check my e-mail. I have an e mail form a friend I haven't heard from in a while, so I start to type a reply letter. I get stuck and can't think of anything to say, and I notice a few work projects that I need to finish this week, so I start working on one of them.

20 minutes later Max comes in. His movie is over. He is hungry. He wants Mac-n-cheese for lunch.
I go back towards the kitchen, but as I pass the TV, I notice some popcorn spilled on the floor. I clean it up, and go to put it in the garbage can, and notice that the garbage can is full, so I take the garbage bag out of the can and put it in the garage where I will take it to the outside garbage later.
In the garage, I see the freezer, and remember that I'm making enchiladas for dinner, and I need to defrost the meat.
I get the hamburger out of the freezer and take it into the kitchen. I notice the dishes still aren't finished, so I continue loading the dishwasher.

Max comes up and reminds me that he wants mac-n-cheese for lunch. I offered to make him more popcorn, but he didn't like that idea, so I made the mac-n-cheese.

I go back in my office to finish the letter to my friend.

Max comes back in. He has mac-n-cheese all over his face. I take him into the bathroom to wash his face, and notice a toothpaste mess in the sink.

I wash Max's face.
I wash out the sink.
I notice how dirty the floor is around the toilet.
I make a mental note to make the boys clean up the bathroom floor today. (now you didn't really think I was going to clean that up did you?)

I go back to the kitchen to.............What? Hmmmm. I can't remember.
I start back to my office, and see Max's puzzle still in pieces all over the floor. I sit down and start to put it together so we don't lose any pieces, and Max comes and helps. We have a fun time with the puzzle. (The kid is really good at puzzles.)

I go to the kitchen and notice the dishes still not done, and the now semi-frozen hamburger on the kitchen counter.
I put the hamburger in the microwave to finish defrosting it.
I put a few dirty dishes in the dishwasher.

Lucky for me, when the microwave is finished, it beeps periodically to let me know there's something in there.

I start cooking the meat.
(sidenote- If I don't have dinner fixed before I pick up the kids from school, it usually doesn't happen, so I make it a point to at least get some of it done before I get the kids)

I realize I haven't had lunch so I make myself a sandwich.

I close the dishwasher, because the door is in the way.

As I'm sitting at the kitchen table, I count 3 pairs of Brielle's shoes on the kitchen floor.
I get tired of looking at them, so I take them down to her room, and notice that she has left her ballet clothes and shoes sitting on her bed.
I take the clothes upstairs and out to the car. I pass the bag of garbage I took out earlier, and make a mental note to take it out to the can later.

I come back in the kitchen, see the cooked hamburger in the pan, and make the enchiladas, and put them in the fridge.

I start to go in the other room and notice that Max has dumped out the 48 piece puzzle and is getting a bit frustrated. I get down to help him.

I look at the clock, and realize that it's time to go pick up the kids from school.
I put Max in the car, and we go get the kids.

We get the kids home.
Brielle goes to ballet
I try to convince CJ and Aaron to do some homework.

A while later, I notice a call on the answering machine.
It's the orthodontist's office.
"Hi! This is Ruth receptionist from Dr. Orthodontist's office. Dr. dentist sent us C.J.'s x-rays, and after looking at them, Dr. Orthodontist wanted me to call you and make an appointment"
How bad do you think this is going to be when the orthodontist is calling US?
I call them back and get an appointment for next week.

So it's now 5:00, and I've finally completed the first thing on my list. :0)

When DH gets home, he wonders why there's a bag of garbage in the garage.
Why the cordless phone is dead, and sitting on the couch?
Why Max's puzzle is all over the floor?

I ask the kids to set the table for dinner, so they go to the dishwasher, and the dishes are still dirty, because I didn't finish filling it, and they didn't get washed.

I am exhausted. I was busy all day long, but didn't seem to accomplish anything.

WHY?