Tuesday, November 18, 2014

The treadmill of parenthood

Runnes by nature hate treadmills.
Nothing to look at.
You are just on running in place no forward motion.

If that isn't parenthood I'm not sure what it is?

Yesterday marked another "get crap done day"

I woke up way to hear my husband running the vacuum....why? oh there is water coming in the basement
I begrudgingly get out of my nice warm bed to start my never ending day
Husband wakes up the first oldest and he is in the shower. Once he's out I wake up 2nd oldest to get him in the shower and ready for school.
I throw in my first load of laundry knowing full well that's not the end of that
Youngest son wakes up on his own and at full volume and energy as usual.
I start tinkering with the dishwasher to see if I can fix it (it wouldn't yesterday). Well apparently I did something right because it started running (just call me MacGyver or lucky....either way ill take it)
Get 2nd oldest out the door to the bus reminding him it's cold and yes coats are mandatory.
Call my dad and ask him to drive oldest to school since I have way to much happening to get him there (I am so lucky to have my dad, he is a huge help for me....lesson 1 I am not super mom and know when to call in reinforcements)
Get the youngest son out the door to the bus he is happy to stand in the rain dispute the fact our bus stop is our driveway and he can stand nice and dry on the front porch or in the garage.
Now my youngest has finally decided to get out of her nice warm bed (um why is it when I want to sleep in she is up at 7am but oh no today it's a leisurely roll out of bed at 830am day)
Time to make my bed and clean my dresser and nightstand. It's full of my children's stuff (I know one day I will miss the frozen lip gloss,ds games and kids books cluttering my furniture)but for now it's clear and clean until the kids get home from school.
Now it's time to vacuum. That's a daily thing here...with 4 kids the dog and the cat and the fact we have more leaves on the ground outside than a national park....well there is no way I can skip even one day.
Time to rush to the store to pellets for our pellet stove. Nothing like running errands in the cold rain
On the way home get a call that 2nd oldest threw up at school.
Derailed my plans to pick him up. He feels fine and he has a nervous stomach but home he is for the rest of the day
Now it's off to take oldest son to his orthopedist appt
It's official he needs surgery on his knee
There is never a good time for surgery especially around the holidays but we are all scheduled for Dec 4th
Now to drop him back to school
Then to rush home and put 2nd oldest in bed and feed the youngest
And then it's a mad dash back out the door to take her to preschool
Then it's home to switch the laundry, wrap a few Christmas and birthday presents
2.5 hours are over in a flash and it's time to pick up the youngest and the oldest at there schools.
I quickly drop them at home and pick up 2nd oldest as it's time for his doctors appt.
That lasts an hour and it's the mad dash home to get the youngest as she has cheer tumbling
Thank goodness the oldest got him dressed for me
But since I'm mom of the year it's McDonald's for dinner.
And then a 2hr class. And then it's home for bath and bed.

It's another treadmill day......


Monday, November 3, 2014

GCDD 11/3/14 (Getting crap done day)

Mondays are my day off from work (I run a home daycare Tuesday-Friday). It's been a little over a year since I switched to this schedule and I couldn't imagine going back to working 5 days a week again. With 4 kids life is a never ending hamster wheel. My Mondays are my saving grace. They are my catch up day. This day allows me to get done the errands and chores I've neglected or meant to get to. I try and get the drs appts and school volunteering on this day as well.
Needless to say Mondays aren't a "day off" I am busier on Mondays than I am any other day hands down.
Today's getting crap done day consisted of...
1. Waking up in a panic as the clock said 730 and we need to be out the door to get the oldest to school. Run screaming to the 3 youngest to get up and throw on sweatshirts and and shoes (they are off school today). Run to turn car on and oldest is like "what are you doing it's only 630" crap guess who forgot to change her clocks???

2. Well now all the kids are up at the crack of dawn demanding food. I bribe them with a muffin or donut at the grocery store if they leave me in peace to take a shower

3. Morning shower....this is unheard of because without bribery it's like a world war 3 the middle I step inside

4. Time to tackle the laundry we just went away this past weekend camping so it's quite the mountain (keeping track I wash, dried and put away 5 loads of laundry over the course of my day

5. Now it's actually time to drop the big one off at school

6. Since I don't function without multitasking I take the 3 youngest to the grocery store to grab the few items I need. They each collect there bribery for the shower and I'm picking up 2 muffins and a donut

7. Realise I'm now running late and it's time for school conference for youngest boy. Okay no time for electronics or books we are going as is..... manage to keep 3 kids entertained with 1 iPhone. Mark your calendar that's one for the record books

8. Back home to put away the groceries. Decide to make banana bread because I have a touch of Martha Stewart and add.

9. Start baking chicken, baking potatoes and steaming broccoli to make my husband and my lunches for this week. We are both trying to eat better and it involves overlooking and having it all ready.

10. Clean middle son's room, organize his closet and rearrange his furniture

11. Clean youngest son's room, organize his closet and clean his bookcase

12. Clean and organize linen closet cause now I'm on a roll

13. Clean and organize daughter's room....this takes no time as she's only 4 and hasn't become a hoarder yet like her older brothers

14. Crap it's 1pm and I haven't fed kids.....order pizza because if I stop what I'm doing to make lunch I will loose my steam and nothing else will get accomplished

15. Clean, organize and rearrange the playroom

16. Pu the oldest at school

17. Get the middle kid to practice his guitar

18. Get the trash taken out for tomorrow's pu

19. Got so focused on getting crap done i forgot my son's 4pm drs appt...thank goodness dr is understanding and we pushed the appt back an hour so he can still make his appt today

20. Unpacked some boxes and organized the basement (still a bunch more work to be done down there)....kids have big plans to turn it into there man cave

21. Took middle son to his drs appt

22. Take middle son to his guitar lesson. While he's in his lesson I unpacked/sorted.and put away the 600lbs that were picked up at the Maryland food bank today for the food closet at my church that I'm the coordinator for.

That's it I quit nothing else is happening today. Husband handled dinner and finished moving some stuff in the basement for me.
Another manic Monday in the books....

I always dream of being a stay at home mom with no job. But there is no way I can keep up this pace every single day
I'm just lucky to have a day a week to try and knock a few things off the never ending to do list