Too much-I need balance!

Why do I think I can do it all?  I really don't know.  I also don't know many people who don't, like me, try to do it all.  I feel so many times like we rush from thing to thing to thing.  Sometimes I think we get signs to slow down, which at times we ignore and plow on through.   Last week was one of those weeks.  Monday we went to watch a helicopter land with my mom, then to dinner.  Tuesday we went to get our milk.  Wednesday I went to get a pedicure with my mom, sister, aunt Debbie, and friend Melanie.  Then we had dinner, I ran to the store, then back home.  Thursday we went swimming at the Y, then to dance that night.  After dance we rode to Target so I could get Henry a swimvest that the lifeguard at the Y recommended.  Friday we went to swimming lessons, then that night I loaded up the kids and took them to my dad to babysit while I went to a Perfectly Posh party for more pampering.  I did get pampered last week!  I'm sure we even did more than I'm listing, it's just all that I can remember.  Saturday I went to see my sister Abbey in all of her prom attire.  Literally, as I was driving home my throat starting getting scratchy and I started feeling bad.  I plowed through making dinner and bedtime routines.  I got myself in bed as quickly as I could and proceeded to cough all night.  Sunday, my chest was so sore from coughing.  I felt bad all day, but luckily Dustin was home and I got a 4 hour nap.  I didn't do much Sunday or Monday.  I finally started feeling better Tuesday, and today I feel even better.  I think sometimes we need to get sick as a wakeup call to slow down.  I know I need to slow down, I've always needed to slow down.  By nature, I like to go-go-go.  I'm starting to realize that this doesn't work for my body.  I need at least 9 hours of sleep each night.  Luckily, my job as a stay-at-home mom normally allows for this.  My kids are homebodies like Dustin, so that also slows me down.  We will literally leave to go somewhere, and they beg me to go back home.  They are just comfortable being at home, which is a good thing.  I just need to learn myself to slow down and not take on so much.  It's a blessing if I can get the dishes done, laundry washed, and some of those things put away!  Our closet has been in a state of being half-way done for months....I keep thinking I'll feel like working on it when the kids are asleep, but I fall right into bed myself!  I know the house isn't as important as my health, so I go with the sleep.  I think it's natural for moms to put themselves last, but I am going to try really hard to take better care of me, so I won't get sick.  I also want to be able to feel great and take good care of them.  It's very hard to take care of my family when I'm not 100 % myself.  I'm guessing what I have now is allergies, but maybe I should take an allergy medication if allergies are a problem for me.  I have taken the first steps by starting exercising again and getting good sleep.  It is hard not to stay up late reading!  I also like having a couple days a week to just stay home all day long.  I get more done at home if I actually stay there!  (Imagine that!)  There are some events I do like to go to- ball games, graduations coming up, etc.  A lot of these I will attend without the kiddos, which allows them to stay home (their preference), and me some time out to myself (important).  Dustin prefers to stay home with them, so it all works out.  I'm wondering how they'll do on vacation.  They are excited about it, but I don't know if they'll want to bail after a few days.  I hope not.  I want a change of scenery for the week!  Anyway, I really hope to find some balance and stop some of the insanity of running all over creation all the time!!  :- )  That's my ramblings for today.  I hope to keep this in mind as May is here- a very busy month indeed!