Oh What to Do With all My Time?

The first day of school started officially last week, but since I've had nothing to do in my downtime since then besides sit on my butt and watch Oprah I haven't had time to blog. I mean really, those of us that stay home and don't work really don't have anything to complain about.

Here's Jack, SOOOO proud to be a second grader. I for one, cannot believe he is a second grader. Too big too soon. That's all there is to it. At parent orientation night at the school, I made it a point to introduce this little demon in disguise to the principal. I thought it the most prudent solution to our future problems.

She wants to go so bad. Not til next week baby,not until next week.

Next year at school this trio will be a sign of trouble.

So, why all the sarcasm earlier? Well, I just HATE when it is insinuated that I do NOTHING all day because I don't physically get out the door and head to a job on a daily basis, I have CHOSEN to be the mom who is up at the school all the time, right?

http://www.momontherocks.com/2010/04/sucka.html (please be warned that you will laugh so hard you'll wet yourself, I told you so!)

Contrary to popular belief, just because I am home doesn't mean I have all this crazy wild fun free time at my fingertips. Sure there is a bit of downtime, like right now, but I can't be on top of the kids all the time. I find that exhausting and unnecessary.

So, on a daily basis, we are out the door by 8 (especially if we are walking the mile to school) to be there by 8:30 (usually I am pulling Maddie in a wagon). Then there's the walk home. Then maybe we have some time for errands, or a trip to the library, but we have to start walking back to the school by 10:40 to get Nate by 11:14 (He enjoys riding his bike, and if you've ever ridden or walked a mile with a 4 year old on training wheels, it really does take that long.) So to sum up, I have a one hour and 40 minute window, which will close significantly next week when my runs look like this:

Big kids to school by 8:30

Maddie to school by 9

Pick up Nate by 11:14

Pick up Maddie by 11:30

Drive the 15 minutes home

Lunch

Pick up big kids by 2:30 (which, again if we walk or ride bikes means we leave around 2)

Wednesdays I have to have Nate at speech an OT by 1. We are done at 2:45, so I get to rush home because Jack gets out of school at 2:30.

Thank God for good neighbors.

Then let's add in Gymnastics for Maddie, Swim lessons, soccer practices and games for the boys (I really do only allow one activity at a time, and I don't count swimming as a sporting activity. My brother drowned at the age of 3 so I consider swimming lessons more of a life skill), AND all of my fabulous volunteer work and committee meetings.

I DO happen to volunteer on morning a week in Nate's class, and one morning a week in Jack's. With 30 + kids in the classrooms with no aids I feel it's more of a duty than a calling to volunteer.

I also somehow got roped into being the assemblies chairperson for the PTO this year, so I get to plan that.

Can't forget Boy Scouts either.

Hmmm... Then I'm teaching Sunday School, and on at least one committee for church, not to mention the parent group that meets once a month for "purposeful fellowship".

Oh, and then there's the preschool board I serve on as well.

AND to top it all off, I do have to work at least one day a week, mostly just to pay for all of my kids' activities and other interests.

At some point in there I have to throw in a workout or risk qualifying for the need to be institutionalized. Because, as every mom knows there is that which still must be completed on a daily basis, such as laundry, meals, laundry, more meals, bed making, homework doing, reading, showering, laundry, snacks, more meal planning, vacuuming, dishwashering (because at any given point you are always loading or unloading it, right?), grocery shopping, making lunches and packing snacks, (can you tell my kids have been eating me out of house and home lately?), playing Monopoly Jr. ad nauseum, and general daily living...in general.

Don't get me wrong. I am NOT complaining. In fact, I like being busy. I like being an active participant in my children's lives. I do NOT like when people think that I don't do anything because I don't "work", which technically I do, one day a week. And the other 2 mornings are spent in classrooms helping 'teach' kindergartners and 2nd graders.

I love doing what I'm doing. I feel fulfilled and satisfied and happily exhausted at the end of a day. I sleep really really well, and then get up the next day and start the grind again. And it is so so good to be able to do so. So, so good.