Working at 11:00 pm again

"Seems like there's just not enough hours in the day anymore." I remember hearing this phrase used before yet it didn't really start to have meaning in my life until recently.

I am worried for my computer chair. The imprint of my backside surely can't be good for its daily wear and tear. I just looked up at the clock on the computer screen and about fell over. It's already 11:28! How does this keep happening to me?  I cannot get to bed before midnight though my body needs it so desperately.

I think the most exhausting thing about the work-home balance is the knowledge that tomorrow's schedule looks just the same. Quite possibly even a little worse for what good am I really on 5 hours of sleep? (enter crying baby. wait it stopped)  At least I wasn't in a deep, restful sleep being awakened by this 9-month old love of my life. He's teething bless his little heart. He can be forgiven. I have slightly less tolerance for the 4-year old who a little too cheerfully crawls into my bed around 6:00 am every morning just to ask the same question. "Is Daddy at work?"  And in my head it's always the same answer, "How can it be 6:00 already? I just went to bed a minute ago!"  But the actual answer that comes off my lips is "Yep. Daddy's at work. Wanna lay beside me in bed and see if we can sleep until 7:00?!" I try to make it seem like a fun challenge. He doesn't take me up on the challenge very often.

(Since when did 7:00 am mean sleeping in?)....For me, I can count back 7 years.

I have thoughtfully planned out my day tomorrow. This done, I can now turn to the comfort of my bed and hopefully fall into blissful sleep without concerning myself over the details of my Tuesday itinerary. Just to do it all over again.

Feeling Too Materialistic at the Moment

Do you by chance have too many clothes and toys and nonsense stuff in your house?  I know I do. And it's ruining my mood. I look at it daily and want to bag it all up. Or burn it.

I remember reading a story in Reader's Digest from a family who lost everything they owned to a home fire. What has stayed with me years later is remembering their attitude. The husband and wife both mentioned how it was 'rather like a blessing.' Their old house had been full of stuff accumulated over the years, many of which was just plain junk. Post fire, the husband now owned 7 work shirts and that's all he planned on owning. Similar thing with the wife. Story moral in a nutshell: "There's more to life than having material possessions."

I'll be candidly honest when I say that this is something I struggle with. Thou shalt not covet. I know that, but....aaaaagh, there's the bigger house that's for sale, and the jeans that are so cute, and the shoes that I could get at 1/2 price and....

I sort through my clothes about 3x every year. I bag up the unwanted clothes and donate them to our local Salvation Army. I do the same with my kids' clothes. But the end result is that I'm really just cleaning out to make room for some new ones. Kind of counter productive.

This time I'm about at the breaking point. I am picturing what my house could look like without 1/3 of the stuff. That's motivation to get me going, but how to get started?  I would love to know if other moms feel that it's best to simply donate it or to consign or what. Our homeowners' assoc. doesn't allow yard sales. I'm kind of relieved actually. I hear that it's a lot of work and the whole concept of bartering on prices is just a nightmare.

If I can wrangle my family into this project, I am going to do it. There will be light at the end of the tunnel.

Proud Child, Prouder Parent

This image is of a magnet that's for sale through The Little Gym. I like the message, though tonight I decided  that I'm the Prouder one.

My first grader son is bright and fun and loving but he can also be forgetful, lazy and unfocused. So when he proudly announced a few weeks ago that he wanted to do his school's science fair, I was trying to smile on the outside while quietly grimacing on the inside. I grew up despising the science fair. It was like some teacher's cruel joke on parents to test how much patience they really had. I was an abominable science fair participant. I vividly remember waiting until 2 nights before and then crying my eyes out because of the stress.  Now hindsight is 20/20 of course and thinking back on it, I believe my parents had it worse because I was a temperamental time bomb and my older brother who just totally lacked focus would also procrastinate until the day before. Then the day would arrive and all the kids would be carrying their display boards and contraptions and moldy pieces of bread and my mom would breathe a sigh of relief. One more year down. So that's my experience with science fairs. Not the most positive memory.

So, we're coming full circle and my firstborn son is sort of a science fan. He knew the project that he wanted to do and I'll be honest with you, I think he's going to be smarter than me in a few short years. So he says, "Let's do an experiment on how color affects heat absorption. Okay?"  Ummmm.....(short pause)....."Good idea buddy. Or we could do something with yeast and do some baking in the kitchen to test stuff?" (I threw out this idea since I personally love to bake) I got a no-go for launch on that one.

Well, long story short, we scheduled several days that we would work on the project and display board together. In 15-30 minute increments so as not to overdue a good thing. And you know what? It wasn't stressful for me or him and I enjoyed it. There, I said it. I enjoyed the science fair.

The expo was today at his school. He was one of 6 first graders who did a project. The other 5 kids are all close friends of his and kids that I appreciate for their friendliness and manners. He sat with his buddies during the presentation portion. I sat 2 rows back. Proud parent.

But you know who's going to give me difficulty about science fair? His younger brother Isaac. I guarantee it because the kids' just like me. Should be fun in a few years.

Are You Kidding Me?

I'm guilty. I bragged about my family's ability to avoid any sickness this year. And like a guaranteed jinx, it came. The stomach bug came. And hung around for the 2 days before our spring break vacation and 5 days into it.

I am a mighty warrior and chose to approach battle armed with Clorox wipes, carpet cleaner, and some faith. Thank goodness we stayed in a condo versus a hotel room. I couldn't have survived in a hotel room that first night with the amount of cleaning my husband and I had to do. We transferred our son from the bed to the couch to the kitchen floor, and finally after he was (fingers crossed) finished vomiting, to the floor near the bathroom. Cleaning up kids' throw up is a thankless job---the kids are too sick to thank you and your spouse who's trying hard not to gag himself doesn't realize that a quick, "Oh honey you're such a good mom" could go a long way.

I have worked as a teacher for enough years that I have built up a resistance to most strains of any illness that works its way through our house. It's a good thing. My husband is an engineer (and great at his job) but he works in a cubicle in a building with only adults. Enough said.

So the illness started on Thursday with the 4-year old. Threw up on the sidewalk right outside of swim lessons. And then in the van on the way home. I was on duty both times. Two days later it went to my 6-year old first night of vacation. Me again. Son of a gun! Then, two days later like clockwork, my husband felt it coming on. We were scheduled to go to Busch Gardens that day so I tried to do some Jedi mindtrick on my husband by telling him, "It sounds like it's not so bad. I bet you just need some Tums & ginger ale." Well, he's a great husband and could've used some choice words on me, but he didn't. He agreed to keep to the vacation itinerary and proceed to Busch Gardens. He was absent most of the day. But, me and the 2 older boys had a great time! (picture above) Did I mention that he's a very selfless individual. Thanks honey, I love you.

Back home from vacation now and wondering why schools need to be off again tomorrow. That just doesn't work out into my plan for getting work done or for unpacking. Lord give me the patience...