#itsawonderfulcrazylife

I thought I would document this day, because I know that one day I will look back and instead of feeling completely overwhelmed, I will miss this chaos.

After being off for the last three weeks, Christian went back on track.  I always have big plans for the three weeks I have all the kids in school--lots of organizing, lots of finishing up projects.  The reality is that those 6 hours go quickly, and I don't ever quite get done everything I had planned.

Reflections were due today, so, we skipped carpool to finish filling out the forms and putting the finishing touches on their projects.  Christian and Jessi were a few minutes late for school.

Jessi drew a picture of her with a "dreaming bubble."

Christian had his idea planned out for a week, but here we were going to shoot pictures the afternoon before.  He has been very curious about photography, and with some guidance, took these pictures. He also learned how to make a photo collage in photoshop.

I am really trying to stick with my new laundry plan: start washing Sunday night and get it all done by Monday night, folded and all.  I am not to go to bed until the laundry is folded.  Well, last night I was really tired, so I just moved most of the pile of 6 loads of laundry back into the laundry baskets and went to bed.  Today, I would catch up.  So, after dropping off the elementary school carpool, I headed to my bedroom to fold laundry and watch the finale of Breaking Bad. (I cannot recommend this program to my loved ones.  I got addicted, just like all the junkies in the show.)  I got most of the laundry done before I had to jump in the shower to get ready for the day.

At noon, I picked up Jessi from school for a doctor's appointment.  I was feeling good that we were going to be on time.  I got on the freeway at 106th south and got behind, what first appeared to be a slow driver.  Then I noticed her braking, then speeding up. Then she started to swerve inside the lines. Then she crossed the line a few times. I pulled around to pass her and Jessi said, "Mom, her eyes are closed."  I looked over and confirmed that her eyes were indeed closed, and she had two kids in the back seat.  I honked and she opened her eyes.  Then, I called 911. I decided to follow her off the freeway. She pulled into a gas station and passed her kids on to a waiting car. Just as she was about to leave, two police cars pulled in. I took off and immediately called the doctor's office to see if we could still come. We were going to be 20 minutes late.  The receptionist went to ask the doc if we could still come, when I got a call from 911 dispatch. I hung up on the doctor's office and answered for 911. The dispatcher said that the officer wanted me to return to give a report. I went back to learn that they suspected she was under the influence and were doing a breathalyzer.

So, after catching a drunk driver, we got on our way to the doctor's appointment.  After the appointment I bought Jessi a cheeseburger at McDonald's and then got her back to school.

I got home and checked my email, sent some PTA and community council emails, and finished a report for work. I also had to prep for my Cub Scouts.  We were going to complete the writing requirement by making a to-do list and writing a short story. I also brought Blackie and talked about being nice to animals.

Bev texted, asking me to come to a meeting after school for an advanced math group she is in.  I told her I would.  As I neared the school, I saw her walking away from the school. She got in the car and told me that she was going to look for Drew to tell him that she wouldn't be riding the carpool home. She couldn't text him because during 6th period, her phone fell out of her back pocket. She burst into tears.  I took her back to the school for the meeting only to find out that parents were not needed at the meeting. I checked for her phone at the office--no luck.  I tried calling it, and left a text saying, "I know you have this phone, turn it into the office." We didn't get it back:(

As I got home, my friend was dropping off a bunch of yard signs and flyers for our Jordan School District Bond campaign.  I am coordinating efforts in my area to get out the vote.

Tuesdays after school are the busiest time of the week.  It has been Mike's night to work late, but a few weeks ago I figured out that I physically couldn't get the kids where they needed to be, so he switched nights so he could help me on Tuesdays.

The kids get home from school after 4:00.
I teach Christian's Cub Scouts at 4:30 (I take Jess with.)
Bev gets picked up for soccer at 4:30.
Drew gets himself to piano. Tuesday is the day for him to play catch-up, so he gets extra reading, piano and chores in.
After Scouts, I get Jess to tumbling at 6:00.
Mike takes Christian to lacross at 5:30, then runs to pick up Bev from soccer at 6.
I usually stay and run errands while Jess is tumbling. Today, I decided to get a Diet Pepsi and then sit in the parking lot and read. I only read for 20 minutes, then fell asleep. I woke up and found myself surrounded by other parked cars with waiting parents inside. I also realized that during my slumber I had drooled on myself.

After school there was a period of time where all I heard was "Mom or Mommy or Mama."

"Mom, I need lunch money."
"Mama, you forgot to send my teacher an email."
"Mom, can you fill out this paper."
"Mommy, what does this mean, I don't understand this."
"Mom, what does the fox say?"
It was like Bob from What About Bob?  "Gimme, gimme, gimme, I need, I need, I need."

After we all got home, I heated up the soup I had made yesterday.  The kids worked on homework while they ate.  I had to google the term "associative property of multiplication."  I also had use the internet to find out what a multiplication array is.  Darned Common Core!  We then moved to homework round two in the front room. Blackie cat was all hyped up, running around with his favorite paper cup, making lots of noise.

For choir, Drew had to listen to a song and evaluate it.  He chose "What does the fox say?"

I was listening to Jessi read as Drew checked out his new Instagram profile.  He then started talking in hash tags. "#whatsupwithhashtags" and "#everythinghasahashtagonit" and then teasing Jessi with "#juniebjonesisnotthebestbookever." Jessi shot him a dirty look. He continued: "#jessihasnopatienceformyhashtags" and "#jessiwhyareyounotimpressedwithmyhashtags?" and "#whatdoesthefoxsay?" I told him to stop being sarcastic and to go read in his room. Jessi then asked what sarcastic means. I told her that in the dictionary there is a picture of Daddy next to the word sarcastic. (See what I did there?)

Drew let Freddy out in the front yard and then he came in with weedy stickers all over himself, so I picked them off as Jessi finished her book.

Bev and Kiki were finishing up a song on Just Dance and then begged to watch the fox video.  So, we all gathered around the iPad for a little bedtime song.

We got the kids all tucked in, church music turned on and had our end-of-the-day conversations with them all.  Mike headed to bed and watched the end of a football game he had recorded.  I went down to the craft room and prepared for my upcoming Meet the Masters assembly on Rembrandt.

When I got to our room, Mike was all tucked in with his ear plugs in and his eye mask on.  I have been bringing Blackie into our room at night. He is the cutest little dude, and he likes Mike. He went up and gave Mike kisses and then as Mike was sleeping, he started playing with/attacking him, biting and jumping on him over the sheet. It was hilarious.

I hunkered down in my comfy bed and watched the conclusion of the messed-up Walter White.  As I sat on the bed to apply my nightly lotion, my rear landed on a Harry Potter wand, which had been hidden in the covers.

After days like today, I am just so glad to be in bed, and to have the kids in bed.

I then think that there is no way I can do another day like today.

I think about how we have got to slow down our lives.

Then I think about all the good stuff.

How Christian was very grateful for my help with his Reflections project, and gave me a hug to go along with his 'thank you.'  (It was extra special because he is pretty stingy with his hugs.)

I thought about sweet Jessi, after I bought her that cheeseburger, and her saying, "Thanks for the delicious hamburger...and for taking me to the doctor...and for adopting me."  (She says that occasionally, and it always makes me teary-eyed.)

Then I thought about Bev feeling bad that she had me go to the school for a meeting I didn't need to attend and her giving me a sincere "thank you" and "I'm sorry."

I remembered Drew sensing my stress after school and offering to 'just stay out of the way' and then asking how he could help.

I thought about as I served up the leftover soup, Christian announcing, 'Mom, you are the best chef ever' and Jessi adding that I should be on Food Network.

I remembered a very rewarding text from a former client, who is making great changes in her life.

I thought about the emails I got from Christian and Jessica's teachers, feeling so grateful for such good, caring teachers.

I remembered how lucky I am to have a partner in Mike. He shares the parenting load with me. He bails me out when I have overcommitted myself.  He is patient and supportive when my commitments mean a messy house and more work for him.

#reflectionsarealotofworkformoms
#laundryisneverdone
#dontdrinkanddrive
#mykidsareweird
#imoneluckywoman
#blackiecatisdabomb
#istayeduptoolate
#dontwatchbreakingbad
#onedayiwillmissthis