Ahhhh.....Summer Break.....

`
`
`
It goes something like this......


Monday


6:00 am

I stumble through the house to wake up my two middles--they still have a couple of school days left.  The little one is already out of school for the summer and due to our late night, I'm struggling and he's snoozing.  I head to the kitchen to start breakfast and gather daily vitamins and meds.

6:15am
Round two of waking up the middles.  Trying to yell quietly so the little one can keep sleeping.  (Lord, let him sleep until the others are gone!)  

6:30am
Try again with breakfast and meds in hand.  Curse myself for staying up so late and vow to stretch out with the little one once the big boys are gone.  I turn on the tv to help get them up and going.  I turn on my tv to see the morning news.

 7:00am
Make lunches, comb hair, help with tying shoes...Chop chop!  Let's go!  Shh......   Someone's still sleeping.


7:15am
Push half-grown boys into separate bathrooms and beg, boss, and threaten them to brush teeth and get.a.move-on.  Now.

7:30am
Grumble out the door about leaving 5 minutes late.  Leave sleeping little one with sleeping daddy and head out to the van.  Grrrr.....

8:00am
Each boy prayed for and delivered to school and now I'm back home.  Ahhhhh....   I sit quietly on the sofa for all of 5 minutes before the little one pops up like a daisey.  Now the day truly begins.

8:05am-12:00pm
Daily chores, dishwasher, laundry, make beds, think about dinner.....how about soup?  Throw vegetable beef soup makings into the crockpot AND cook a box of mac-n-cheese for the little one's breakfast.  (I know, but he wanted mac-n-cheese!)  Clean up the mess I just made.  Clean up the confetti the little one created (again).  Put tops back onto 54 colored markers and charge the Wii controllers. 

12:00pm-2:15pm
Watch parts of two Toy Story movies, two Shrek movies, and most of Over the Hedge.  My little one is running a fever and coughing.  Not good.  :o(  However, it doesn't keep him from dragging his toy box from his room through the family room and into the dining room.  Toys are everywhere.  And the tiny pieces of paper are back on the floor.  What the heck???

2:20pm
Time to get the boys from school.  Already?  I leave the little one with daddy (again) and take off.  At least I'll get to sit and listen to the radio and drink my Coke Zero for 20 minutes in the pick-up line.  Zone out for a minute.

3:00pm
Home with the boys.  I realize that it looks like I sat on the sofa ALL day.  Dishes, toys, paper, markers, shoes, candy wrappers.....  How can one little boy make such a huge mess???  I sit on the sofa and take it all in.

3:10-4:40 pm
Time to get busy.  I send the boys outside or to the Wii and get to work.  Trash bag, laundry bag, ant spray (hate those lil buggers!), Pledge, vacuum.  Check, check, check, check, ANNNDDD check.   Clean like a mad woman for about an hour.  Tackle the little boys' room, wrestle the big boys' door shut (yikes), tidy up the family room, dining room, and kitchen (again).  Clean and vacuum under the sofa cushions.  Worked up a sweat.  But it looks great.  Makes me wish for a new coffee table, carpet, and that I'd get off my duff and paint that art piece I've had planned for about 2 years.   Oh, well.  Baby steps.

4:45pm
More laundry.  More snacks and drinks for the kids. (and me.  Ahem.  I worked hard!)  Gogurts and Capri Sun for everyone!  Think about cleaning the bathrooms.  Oh, wow....just LOOK at the time....

5:00pm
Tune in to WREG for the evening news.  Okay...I love the news.  I get teased about it, but I want to watch the news.  Personally, I think it helps you stay on top of current events and freakish happenings alike.  All good fodder for conversation.  I fold some laundry while I watch.

6:00pm
Dinner?   I throw some cornbread batter together and skewer the chicken that's been marinating all day.  In 30 minutes I have garlic chicken, veggie beef soup and cornbread ready to serve.  Yummo. 

7:00pm
Settle down to watch House.  I turn the volume up and down to correspond with the activity and noise level in the room.  I think I caught about 20 minutes of the show.  That's okay.  That's what Hulu is for....

8:00pm
Time to clean the kitchen (again) and start thinking about tomorrow.  Baths, which means more laundry, nighttime meds and a little free time for everyone. 

9:00pm
Bed time!  Cajole, plead, and threaten until everyone is in bed for ONE MORE school night.  Just one more....   Prayers, conversation, and finally.....lights out. 

9:30pm
Whew!  Veg time.  Couch, laptop, tv, sweet tea.  I'm all set. 
 
11:59pm
O.M.G.  I did it again.  Seriously need to be sleeping! 

6:00am
And.....here we go again.  REPEAT.  


Just a day in the life.  This crazy, happy life.  :o)