How did they do it?

How did the women before me do it?

My Nana raised three children, loved her family, and kept an immaculate beautiful clean home.  She cooked, from scratch, every single night, and had dinner on the table when my Popop got home.  She was one of the happiest people I have ever known.
My Grandmother was also able to accomplish all of her domestic duties in an efficient, artful way.
My great-grandmother, my Baba, was the same as my Nana.  Cooked, cleaned, loved her family, and was happy to do it all.

I struggle to get dinner on the table three nights a week, my house is generally a wreck.

How did they do it?
Now that I am a wife and mom, I wish that I could ask them.
Was it that they had a single focus in their lives?  Did they get married before they found themselves as individuals?  Before they realized their love of rock climbing and art?  Did they sacrifice their wants for their families?

I got married and became a mom at the older end of the spectrum.  I already had a whole life behind me: moved a bunch of times, hobbies explored and discarded, jobs explored and discarded, two bachelors and a masters degree crammed into my brain, and many years of living on my own.  Am I not focussed enough on the art of being a stay at home momma and wife?  Maybe I am scattered?

I do not sit in front of the television all day watching soap operas.  We actually don't even have a tv in our home.  Nor am I in front of the computer all day.
I don't go for the whole salon thing... no "mani/pedi" ever (even if I wanted to it, is pointless as a rock climber), and my hair is cut about once every six months.  Haven't been to the 'mall' in years, so I am not out shopping for stuff.
Why can't I get everything accomplished?  No, really... why can't I get anything accomplished?

Sigh... figuring this out is one of my New Year's Resolutions.
But it will have to wait... someone just woke up from his nap...
'Hello my little son, did you sleep well?'

Six of Me

If there were six of me... would it be enough?
Let's imagine...

1 - This 'me' would be the Wife and Partner.  I would get to give my wonderful husband the attention he deserves.
2 - The Mom.  Technically there could be two of these "me's" - but let's not be greedy.
3 - The House Wife 'me'.  A semi-clean home, dinners prepared (hummus twice a week does not count), and the yard looking good would be killer.  No, I am not talking house beautiful or Martha; but it would be great to find my clothes when I need them, be able to walk through a room without kicking toys, have a few options for healthy dinners, and not look out into my yard and feel overwhelmed.
4 - This 'me' is the Badass Rock Climber.  My core still needs work (a baby and emergency c-section will wreck your core, in case you didn't know that), actually everything needs work who am I kidding.  I could hit the climbing gym when I want, go out for sessions on our wall, and skip out to the beach boulders... whenever the mood strikes.  Start sending V4 and 5.12.... sigh.
5 - Artist 'me'.  With all of the projects rolling around in my head... there could be two or three of these 'me's'... but again, we won't be greedy.
6 - The 'me' that would actually take care of me.

Yeah, I think six would be enough, at least to start.