Stressed Spelled Backwards is Desserts

So I have kinda been all over the place lately.  I have been stuck somewhere around 15 pounds down.  Some mornings I get up and weigh myself and I am a little more and other mornings a little less. (lesson learned- don't weigh yourself everyday).
This week has been high high stress for me which in turn equal high high calorie intake.  You see I am a stress eater.  Well, and a lonely eater, and a bored eater and a celebratory eater and pretty much every other reason there is to eat other than hunger.  This is why I have gained 30 pounds in the past 5 years. 
Now that I am back to work full time after a wonderful summer off, the stress is beginning to pile on.  The stress falls into 2 categories- Money and children.  Thankfully work hasn't been a major source of stress, at least not once I walk out the doors- I have become exceedingly good at leaving work at work, always have been since Anna was born. 
 So that leaves money and children. Oh where to begin.  First with the big green wads of bills that I am lacking- I have successfully figured out how to live a full week on $50.00.  When that is ALL that you have to your name you just figure it out.  Let's just say that I hope to never have to relive this week again, EVER. With the cost of EVERYTHING going up and my paycheck staying the same I have found that just paying bills and feeding my family is a major struggle that is requiring much thought and planning on my part to just make ends wave at each other, arms outstretched, hoping to one day meet. It is so frustrating to have the equivalent of 2 masters degrees and not be able to support this little family of 3.  But as the saying goes- "Put on your big girl panties" or is it "This, too, shall pass"?  Maybe I am looking for the one that says "God doesn't give you more than you can handle."  Whatever cliche I am looking for I haven't quite found the one that puts 5,000.00 more dollars in my checking account a month.  Hence stresser #1.
So now on to stresser #2 (have I lost you yet?  Are you rolling your eyes at me and my complaining yet?  I do have a point and will hopefully get to it soon so hang in there). Children- my 2 lovely, amazing, beautiful children that I made (in the dark haahaa).  How is it that these wonderful creatures can cause me so much anquish and frustration?  Oh let me count the ways:
1. The refusal to lift a finger to help around the house creating more mess for the Mama.
2. The endless questions and need for "things" that I must buy (see stresser #1).
3. The sicknesses and the attention that requires.
4. Homework (The Bain of My Existence!!!)  If you have ever tried to help your child through math homework when they have given up, are tired and just don't want to hear another word from their "teacher" mother then you know what I mean on this one.  Oh the fights are nasty and I struggle to squash my inner teacher voice constantly.
5. Dinner- planning it, making it, cleaning it up, fighting my picky child who refuses to eat what I make.
I think I will stop there but could go on and on and on.....
So this week has been pretty stressful (have I mentioned that?)  and when Kristin gets stressed Kristin eats.  Period, end of blog, point made.
SO I can hear you out there in blog land saying to yourself- "Walking is a great stress reliever." Yup I know, I know and I have walked this week, maybe once, but between the rain, After school activities, Grace being sick, me catching her cold and everything else that has piled on I haven't been able to walk as much as I would have liked which = more stress. 
So what's my plan?  Cause this stress sure ain't going anywhere, and wait, what is that I see around the corner?  More stress of the unknown, as yet undiscovered, variety?  Yup I am sure it is just there lurking.  So (if you have stayed with me thus far, and I am not really sure at this point why you would have, but if you have) here is my plan:
Wake up tomorrow and figure it out all over again.  Walk if I can.  Count my calories and take a breather when I have to.  Think about everything I am putting in my mouth and above all- forgive myself if I go astray and then get back on the proverbial horse and ride on through. There will be days that I just eat to make myself feel better and I cannot let those days cause me more stress by beating myself up because then it becomes the viscious circle of stress>eat>stress>eat and so on until I step on the scale and wonder how I possibly put all that weight on.  This is my journey and there will be mistakes, there will be stress, there will be setbacks but one thing I can guarentee you- I will NOT be giving up.  No one is without stress.  No one is without trials and setbacks.  And no one or nothing will destroy the power, the will and the detemination I have to keep moving forward!!!!

Until Next Time,

Passing on the Pie