Unorganized & Overwhelmed with motherhood.

I have adult A.D.D. Since having two children come onto the scene very quickly together, my world has been spinning out of control. Prior to kids, I wasn't very good with the day to day simple crap like actually hanging my freshly bought, or freshly laundered clothes in the closet. They'd just get put in piles on any available surface. However, it was liveable. Can you imagine what it's like when I have two children also? Previously if I couldn't find the black pants I wanted to wear out that night, I'd just run out and buy a new pair. Have you tried navigating a clothing store with a double stroller, much less the two children that are supposed to be sitting in it?

My favorite store has become Target - I can one stop shop there. I go in, and hit the toy dept first, allowing my kids to choose as much stuff as they want to keep them entertained in the cart, and then I start sprinting around the store. First stop toiletries, next cleaning products, then the pet dept, food market, and back to baby stuff for diapers, wipes, and clothes. I feel like I'm in a race against time. As I make my way to the checkout, I'm strategically removing the "borrowed" expensive toys from the cart, or prying them out of little fingers, and in a good day I'll get out with just one new toy each. Candy would be cheaper, but the sugar moods are too much for one human person to deal with.

Then there's this whole new concept of meal planning? What's that? Hubby & I had choices galore of where to go to eat dinner - sushi, cuban, seafood, italian, vietnamese, you name it, we tried it -- something new almost every night. Living in the suburbs of Washington DC makes that easy to do ~ however, now with two kids I don't want to subject anyone else to the horror that's called dining out with toddlers. Instead, I have to struggle and figure out at least 3 healthy meals per day, & get to the grocery shop with them in tow.

We did actually make it out to our local & un-interesting Out Back Steakhouse last night. We hadn't been out since the in-laws were with us at Xmas. Unfortunately, they sat us next to this couple who immediately rolled their eyes as we tried to get the kids into highchairs, and because they put us at one of those tables that has a stationary booth seat against the wall, and two chairs on the other side of the table -- we had to sit opposite our toddlers. I was up and down like a jack-in-the-box reaching across the table to remove whatever offending object my son was trying to wield on my daughter. It was a nightmare. My boobs kept popping into the glasses of water on the table, as I tried to contain my kids in their chairs. The fact that we kept getting stony stares, and sighs from the peanut gallery, did not help matters. I barely ate, and I certainly didn't order a bellini, or any other frozen swirly pretty drink from the bar, although I desperately wanted to... I also wanted dessert badly, but I didn't dare stay long enough for that.

It seems in most areas of my new life, I now desperately need help. Living on one income is a challenge to say the least, much less trying to support two growing toddlers, who grow out of their stride rite shoes every 8-10 weeks. Our moms group are great with advice, and it's clear, even though we were once definitely "hip", many of us clearly need help in our new lives.

Our DC Frugal moms are going to meet every month or so to discuss getting "fitter" financially, emotionally & physically this year! We want to get our homes organized, our souls refreshed, and more money in our bank accounts! If you live in the DC Metro area, and would like to learn more about becoming part of a "smart cookie" money group, as seen on Oprah with Jean Chatzky, please join our free yahoo group!