A Day in the Life

I know a lot of people have this preconceive notion that us stay at home moms pretty much don't do jack squat during the day except eat bon bons and watch soaps.  I know this because I used to be one of those people that thought that.  My BFF and I swore we were going to get married, live in the same town, raise our kids together, run on the treadmill while gossiping and watching the Young and the Restless.

Let me give you a glimpse of bon bons and soaps....

Monday, June 30.

Wake 8:00am.  Now, this is a little earlier than normal for us :)  I set my alarm....yes, I have to set my alarm to be up 8am.  It's summer, we have no bedtime!

Ok, so actually, I think I woke around 8:12 ;)  I knew I needed to get some things done this morning because a) I'm already behind and b) it's only going to get worse with our busy day.

I get breakfast for the littles, start laundry, snap a few pics of my Bows & Bands inventory, and begin getting myself ready.  I also had to call the dentist to reschedule my appointment for the morning, which turns into needing to reschedule the kids' appointments for the afternoon since their hygienist was gone.

Phone calls while being a stay at home mom >>> IMPOSSIBLE!!!

Somehow nearly two hours have passed, and now it's time to head out for swim lessons.



We had to make some different arrangements for lessons this summer because our teacher from last summer was currently full.  Lessons were to begin at 10:30am at the Country Club.  Each kid had a 20 minute lesson.  The girl teaching called as we were on our way out there and said she would be a few minutes late because her dentist appointment ran late.  No biggie.  We waited for a few minutes, and Reese said she had to poop.  I told her to run inside.  Doors locked.  Country Club is not open on Mondays.

Sh*t.

Literally.

Our instructor gets there, and I suggested she go ahead and start with Cru, who was very nervous and did not want to participate, while I run Reese back into town to the bathroom.

Meanwhile, Cru is peeing by the tree....

25 minutes later, we are back.



Everlee and Reese get their lesson.  We head back home.  It's now 12:22.  I have to be at the dentist at 1:00.  We were supposed to be done with lessons at 11:30.

Kids fly in the house, change, we briefly say hi to Chet, then fly to Grandma's so she can watch the kids during my appointment.

I finish up my appointment 45 minutes later, swing by the post office to pick up a package, and I'm told it won't be there until after 4:15.

The kids earned a special reward, so I decided to surprise them with a milk shake from Sonic.  Off to Sonic I go!  Hey, Mac peeps - Sonic upgraded their menus and card machines!  While ordering milk shakes, I realize wow, I'm starving!  Then I start to wonder when was the last time I ate???  I know I didn't have supper the night before.

After picking up the kids, I honestly don't know what time we got back home.  But I remember thinking, we should have some time to relax before Reese's softball game at 6.

I had to send an important email, a friend stopped by, laundry was EVERYWHERE, and the next thing I know, it's 5:00.  Reese's game starts in an hour, she has to change, pack her bags (she was going to a sleepover afterwards), etc.



Again, when was the last time I ate???  Usually, this isn't a problem :)

6:00pm game on a hot sunny HUMID day = a sweaty, sweaty mess of a mama!  But so worth it!  We are loving softball!















































































































After the game, Chet dropped Reese and I off at her friend's Grandma's to swim.  The four girls were swimming there first, then headed to another girl's house to spend the night.  I told Chet to take the littles and pick up something for supper (not sure when I last cooked??), and I would walk home.

It's now 8 or shortly before, I start walking home....Reese was so sad to see me leave....NOT!!! :)



I got home around 8:20....I may or may not have chatted with others I saw out on my way home.

I was headed out to run with the girls just shortly after 9.  Still haven't eaten, so I finally sat for a second snacking on some almonds and Gatorade.  Give the littles a quick bath before I leave.

Run under a beautiful lightening show.

Then, it's off to Walmart.  I hate that place late a night.  I try not to draw too much attention to myself since I'm alone, and wouldn't you know, 10:45pm and my printer ink cartridge set the alarm off.

Awesomesauce.

So, here it is 12:59am.  Still starving.

Tomorrow, I get to wake up and do it all over again.  Only this time, my Tuesday alarm is set for 5:12am.

And I wouldn't trade any of it for anything else in this world.

Oh, and what was that about just being a stay at home mom.....

Moms need breaks. Working moms, stay at home moms, we all need breaks.  Dads too, but this is about us moms :)

We all need time away to laugh, to vent, to share stories.

Time away to pee in peace.

Time away to get pampered and to have sore muscles deeply massaged after a 5:30am body pump class. #hurtssogood

Side  note - I haven't had a manicure since my wedding....nearly nine years ago!

Time away to sip on delicious cocktail(s).

This week, I took a break.

It's been planned for weeks but couldn't have come at a better time; rough parenting week.

Thank you to my mom and Chet for making it possible.

Tomorrow's A New Day

Today, I feel like a failure.

As I sat at the front desk of the bank, the lady telling me to sign here, Chet needs to sign here, I kept hearing this background noise....kids arguing, kids slapping, little flip flops slapping against the floor as little feet went running from one end of the bank to the other end MULTIPLE times, high-pitched laughter, which sounded more like screaming.....I literally wanted to crawl into a hole.

Or strangle them.

Kidding.

Kind of.

And the whole rest of the day was like that, even at Cru's tball game - our happy place.



I was definitely happy while watching our little guy and his teammates, it was the kids' behavior after the game.

Chet and I just looked at each other, speechless and wondering what the hell did we do wrong?

What did I do wrong?

At this point, I'm just thankful tomorrow's a new day.

Hopefully, I do better....

The Weekend

in a nutshell....

A new do!



He was way overdue for a cut, but he did not want one!  He likes it long, mainly for spiking and stylin' purposes.  I strongly dislike shag over the ears!  So we made a deal...mohawk.  Then I kind of made a deal with the barber....fauxhawk :)  We all win!




































My Aunt Becky invited Reese to spend the day with her in Lindsborg.  Midsummer's Festival was going on, plus they went for Mexican food, pizza, and swimming!



































































































Reese made her flower halo with REAL flowers!  It was gorgeous!  And when it dies, she's supposed to put it under her pillow and make a wish ♥

I spent so much time with my Aunt Becky growing up!  It's where my love for Grease was born as well as learning how to drive...at the very young age of 12...or maybe 10 ;)  I've shared many memories with Reese, so I'm pretty sure as she left that morning, she had it in her head she would learn to drive by the end of the day!  Give it time, Reesee!

While Reese was doing her thing in Lindsborg, the rest of us were enjoying the perfect sun-filled day by Grandma and Grandpa's pool!



































Cru is doing a great job swimming in the deep end!  We aren't currently in swim lessons, so Chet has been working with him as much as possible.  He's fast, which makes him tire easily, which makes him quit after just a few down and backs.  But still doing great!





Everlee is pretty timid in the water just likes floating!  But something clicked while swimming with Aunt Cheyna!








































































































We swam from 1:30 until 7:30!

And we went back for more on Sunday!

Evee is a jumping machine now!

Cru had soccer practice Sunday evening as a storm was rolling in....

 

Felt a little eerie out there!  We made it a half hour before coach called it.

Beautiful night for practice tonight though (Monday).  Also, a beautiful night for a softball game and a golf tournament!



Evee wanted "tall" socks like Reese (softball) and Cru (soccer), but "not boy ones!"

All that makes this mama feel how Everlee looks....

slightly crazy!  Just wish I were cuter ;)

Very early this morning, I attended my first body pump class at our local YMCA.  I'm nearing two years of fairly consistent running, however this is something I would have never imagined myself doing.  Entering into uncharted fitness territory...heck no!

I am so thankful for that little push I got from a friend.  I honestly thought of every excuse not to go.  None of them valid; all out of fear.  Really what the hell did I have to lose??? 

Besides sleep?!

I LOVED IT!

I honestly didn't sleep all night worrying about how I would fit in, would I get my ass kicked, would my stomach cooperate (it doesn't like early morning workouts). 

Yes, it was hard, but no pain, no gain, right?  It was a good hard.  I like that kind of stuff.  The instructor was fantastic!  She suggested what weights I should start with and asked me how I felt afterwards. 

I am a lightweight, but a) gotta start somewhere!  And b) I can only go up from here!

#musclesmakeyourunfaster

My goal is to continue attending and in turn, the new muscle strength will improve my running and possibly relieve some of the swelling in my knees.

#iworkout

Thank you, Chelsea!

The Birthday Boy

Chet turned 34 years young yesterday!

The kids helped him celebrate....


Relaxing ;)  Yeah right!




































































































































Reese's friend, Izabel, partied with us!



















I'm guessing he could have thought of a bajillion other ways to celebrate!

At least he enjoyed his cake!



"Happy Birthday Hot Stuff"  Seemed appropriate :)  Complete with peppers made of frosting, of course.

When he came home from work, the kids greeted him with big hugs and happy birthdays....except for Everlee.  "We got you a hot cake!"

We love you, Daddy!