What it's really like

I thought having the kids back in school was going to change things. I thought I would have a bit more time to accomplish things, since there would only be 2 kids at home half the day. I thought that with the kids being busier with school and homework, they would bicker a bit less since they would spend less time with each other. Ha ha ha! Why did I ever allow myself to live with that crazy assumption?

Reality check: It is around 9:00 or 9:15 by the time I get back home from dropping kids off at school, depending on if we drive or walk. I really only have 2 1/2 hours at this point to get something done. Cleaning is good, except I have to 2 most destructive kids at home still, so leaving them to their own playing while I tidy is somewhat unproductive, but at least the mess changes rooms and form. And then there are other activities too!

Tuesdays Joe has his Music Makers class at 10. So we get home from dropping kids off and hang out for about 30 minutes, head to class, and get home with about 30 minutes before we get Lily. Nothing gets accomplished, really.

Being in 5th grade, Alexis has the option of playing an instrument in school this year. She chose the violin. We purchased the book and planned on renting the violin, which we thought was available through the school. Nope. Miscommunication. This is what happens when teachers don't send actual notes home, but leave children to relay the information. We have to rent the violin from a music store in town. So I make a few phone calls and realize that the rental for the school year will be about $150! SO, I hopped on Craigslist and found a practically new violin for $70 out in Sacramento. Guess what I spent my Wednesday morning doing (when I suppose I could have been at park day)--driving to Sacramento to purchase a violin. A good activity, money and time well spent, but another morning of not being too productive--plus Evie cried nearly the entire 1 1/2 hours of driving! Yum.

A few moms are going to be doing a home preschool on Thursday mornings, which will be great for Joe. Today was our planning meeting, essential, but there went my Thursday morning!

I have gotten little accomplished this week! Evie has napped terribly and so is going to bed at night terribly! The kids find new things to fight about--David was mad that Lily was telling me all of her Zoo Phonics sounds while he was doing his math. He was also upset that he had so much homework in one evening--but that is what happens when you don't do enough out of the homework packet during the week! Alexis got mad at David that he got the green goggles in the pool, even though she swore she wasn't going to swim today and came out 20 minutes after we had started! It is hotter than I would like (104 today), so we are all a bit grumpy. On top of that, our air conditioner is getting tired of working I think. It cools off the house fine during the day, but I looked at the thermostat at about 7:30 this evening and it was 86 in the house! At 8:15 we were all too grumpy and so I piled everyone in the van, cranked up the air, and went on a nice drive to cool us all off. I am so ready for a new weather season!

And on top of it all, Ez started his new 12 hour shifts, so he leaves at 4:15 in the afternoon! That is an adjustment as well.

So, things are busy. I am trying to come to grips with the reality that life is just busy and hectic no matter what. I think this new school year is just going to take me a bit longer to adjust to! Bummer, I was really hoping to be doing better on those school year resolutions by now! Maybe in another few weeks...