Tuesdays

Tuesday.  I'm pretty sure there are going to be a lot of whiny posts about Tuesdays here until I get used to the new schedule.  It definitely takes me a while.  I'm not sure how single moms do the morning, afternoon and bedtime, all on their own.  I am struggling with just the afternoon/bedtime stuff myself, and I'm really not sure why.  I put up my little schedule for the kids as they get home.  We go through backpacks, immediately after walking in the door (which has had a profound affect on my relationship with their backpacks and folders and books and homework assignments and even.... get this.... their READING MINUTES!!!!  So really, that is all very pleasant.  They get their snack, their homework and slowly, their jobs done (with little nagging too, for the most part, thanks to our new "checklist" system I recently devised).  They all helped with getting ready for dinner, and actually thought to do a lot of it on their own INCLUDING NOAH!!!  And that was exciting, they all got to color in a square on their chart.  Then they got ready for bed quickly, reading time went pretty well, even though I think Erika's not too keen on being read to by the kids yet.  We even read scriptures!  And they all listened and participated.  It's crazy that things went south at all, and I really can't pinpoint when they did........

I think the part I'm struggling with, is my tiredness to be honest.  Yeah, I'm just so dang tired right after all of this!  I want so badly to maintain our rules about the tv and the wii, but they are just so EASY!!  And frankly, so much fun for the kids.  But Tuesday is one of our No TV, No Wii days (or was, before I decided tonight I am changing that), so there was a lot of "what can I do?  Can I have a friend over?  Nobody can play... what can I eat?"  To which I just get overwhelmed (it is times 4 or 5 at least).  So anyway.  I did decide tonight, I need to revamp the "Screen time" issue, and the friends over issue as well.  I'm going to buckle down on the having-the-room-clean-before-the-friends-can-come-over part for real now.  Their rooms are getting way too messy way too fast, and really, I just hate listening to their friends tell me how messy our rooms are and how clean theirs are.  Kids can really kill the mood for me, when they're not my own.  No offense.  So anyway.  This evening just really stunk.  I got too frazzled with the things I had planned on getting done.  Erika screamed a lot, and my house is still messy.  So there. 

The upside (nope, you're not imagining this, I am actually going to be positive here!) is the mornings with my Sweetie!  Things are so pleasant in the morning with him around.  It's so nice to have someone to fill in all the gaps I leave.  We've been trying to walk the kids to school and/or go on a little walk after we take them.  And that has been SO NICE!!!  It's been a while since a walk seemed like an enjoyable thing.  I'm not sure why.  But I do love the cool weather in the mornings.  I love seeing neighbors and friends, I like hearing the kids talk about what they do on their way to and from school (even if I have developed a new anxiety about whether or not- or should I say WHEN- Bradley is going to hit someone's car, house or head with a rotten apple).  I love the talks with Nate, I love listening to the two little ones open up as soon as the big kids are gone and they are no longer enthralled in observing their every move.  It's really adorable.  In fact this morning, we took the two littles to IHOP for some breakfast.  They were so sweet and cute and fun and HAPPY~~  not to mention obedient and polite!!! I. LOVED. IT!  I wouldn't trade the moments we share as a whole family for anything, but these ones with just a few, two on two, are just so priceless as well.  I love giving them that attention.  And I can't say I don't love the NON-looks from every person in the store, as I push only 2 kids around in the shopping cart!!  LOVE that!  I miss my kids, miss having them with me every second, and miss their fun personalities, and it's really nothing against my kids, or our situation, they are really quite good kids at the store, it's EVERYONE ELSE!!!  Feels like everyone is staring when you have more than three kids with you.  Sad, but so true.  And I don't love it.  So anyway.  Tuesdays will have a different feel, and hopefully Wednesday can be my recovery day.  The day where I try to redeem myself.  Fixing all the mistakes from the day before.  We'll see :)  And there goes another Tuesday.