Vacation Day 3420

6:50am The day starts. Happy 8th birthday, DeeDee! Wake the kids, feed them, don’t have to dress the older two because it is pajama day at school. Yell at least a dozen times for them to hurry up, finish eating, brush their teeth. Issue multiple reminders about lunches and feeding the dog. Let DeeDee open one small gift before heading out the door.

7:35am Older two kids are off to school. Get Monster dressed. Put together activity sheets for the Children’s Worship Bags at church this Sunday.

8:30am Drop Monster at preschool. Leave activity sheets on the church secretary's desk to make copies when she gets in. Come home, decorate DeeDee’s cake. Answer a call from one of the Sunday School teachers who doesn’t understand the Easter program for the kids this weekend. Take a shower in peace!

10:00am Pick-up an oversized cupcake at one location, then stop at the drugstore for a bow to put on top of the box. Post office to mail my brother’s birthday card. Head to church to collect my copies and stuff the worship bags.

10:30am Help out with Monster’s preschool Easter party.

11:00am Monster and I rush over to the Elementary School to surprise DeeDee during lunch with her cupcake. She begs me to stay for recess and it breaks my heart a little bit to tell her I can’t.

11:30am Poor Monster, must feed him now! He had to watch DeeDee and her friend scarf their lunches (and the cupcake) and all I had for him was a sucker in my purse... nevermind the 3 cupcakes he devoured at the preschool party.

Noon Time to knock-out DeeDee’s birthday pajamas: Tie-dye fabric with a funky peace-sign ribbon hem. Maybe I wouldn’t have forgotten about making these until last minute if DeeDee had picked a fabric/theme I was more excited about.

2:30pm Pajamas are done, need to wrap them and hide them in DeeDee’s overnight bag which I still have to pack. Husband strolls in the door early. Yea! He helps me find gift wrap in the crawlspace and keeps me company while I pack the birthday girl for her overnight with my in-laws.

3:30pm They’re home! DeeDee spots her suitcase and asks what kind of pajamas I have packed her. I don’t know if I should be flattered or annoyed. I’m flattered that my daughter has so much faith that her mom doesn’t forget things like making special birthday jammies, but I’m annoyed that *she* didn’t forget and is expecting them and I did, in fact, almost drop the ball. Anyway…

3:45pm Bathe DeeDee because it drives me nuts that Mother-in-Law doesn’t make her wash her hair since it’s a pain to comb out when it is wet and even worse if you let it dry and then try to brush it. Comb out DeeDee’s hair, blow it dry. See, not so hard.

4:30pm Husband’s grandma and aunt are here. Rearrange the carseats and standard seating positions with minimal protest, managing to fit all 7 of us in our car. Off to the restaurant we go for DeeDee’s birthday dinner.

5:00pm Meet Husband’s parents at the restaurant. Our table is ready thanks to the in-laws getting there ahead of us. Why do restaurants print the kids’ menu on the back of the activity sheets they give to kids? My kid is busy trying to solve the puzzle or color a masterpiece while all I’m trying to do is sneak a peak at the back page to see the options. And forget trying to get the kids to actually pick something as they are much to busy to be bothered. Is it any surprise that 90% of the time, when our waiter comes to take our order, I haven’t even looked at my menu?

6:00pm After dinner and a wonderful rendition of Happy Birthday by the restaurant wait-staff complete with birthday sundae, all 9 of us head back to our house.

6:30pm DeeDee opens the rest of her presents, teaches Husband’s aunt all about Monster High dolls, and is treated to her final round of singing and cake. FirstBorn and Monster demonstrate Xbox 360 Kinect for Husband’s aunt.

7:30pm Street Lights must be on because everyone is heading for the door. Kiss DeeDee goodnight and send her off with the in-laws for the night since the kids are off school for Good Friday tomorrow.

8:00pm Clean up the kitchen and rest of the house. Bathe the boys despite their protests.

9:30pm Put the boys to bed despite their protests. Husband pulls out all of the Easter eggs and baskets from the crawlspace because the Easter Bunny has always hidden eggs for the kids and is apparently going to again this year… despite *my* protests. Scrape up a few dollar bills and enough candy to fill the Easter Bunny eggs. Why is it that my kids have more skepticism for the existence of a fat, jolly old man than they do of a bunny who totes Easter baskets and eggs around?

10:30pm Since we’re already in Easter-prep mode, Husband and I drag all of the church goodie bag stuff upstairs in front of the TV. while attempting to clear some space on our Tivo, Husband and I fill 200 more eggs with candy and trinkets and assemble 40 goodie bags.

12:30am Husband heads to bed. I want to, but have consumed way too much caffeine this evening. I decide to do a little internet surfing and blog.

2:30am Should I even be posting this here since it is technically tomorrow? I have a lady coming at 9am to by the gazebo that we bought 4+ years ago and is still new in the box so I must get to bed. Good Night!

Vacation Day 3419

6:50am The day starts. Wake the older two kids, dress them, feed them. Yell at least a dozen times for them to hurry up, finish eating, brush their teeth. Issue multiple reminders about lunches and feeding the dog. Send Monster back to bed because he is in a mood. Neighbor Lady rings the bell and asks if I can get her daughter on the bus because she forgot about late start and is running late.

7:35am Send the older kids (and Neighbor Girl) off to school. Feed and dress the youngest child who has re-emerged with an adjusted attitude.

8:30am Drop Monster at preschool. Pick-up donations from church for Easter goodie-bags, clean out the Children's Worship Bags. Come home and work on the blog.

11:00am Time to get Monster. Where did the morning go? Come home and feed him lunch because he is now whining about his empty belly since he didn’t eat enough at breakfast and he “didn’t like” today’s snack at school. Print off 120 eggs for this coming Sunday's Easter craft at church.

11:30am The Great Winter to Spring Wardrobe Switch… for all three kids. And I made their beds…again.

3:00pm Start dinner.

3:30pm They’re home! Feed the kids then ask them to start their homework. Persuade DeeDee to try on a pair of FirstBorn’s old cleats that I found while switching out the closets even though they have “no girl colors” on them. They fit... as do Monster’s so now I only have to pick-up one new pair this season. Score!

4:45pm Get the little guy ready for his first ever T-ball practice and send him off with Husband. Threaten DeeDee and FirstBorn with no church tonight if they don’t settle down and finish their flippin’ homework. For real. That’s a legit threat around here… especially since tonight is “store night” and my kids love them some junk.

5:30pm Check homework, do spelling. Get the kids ready for church, not necessarily because they’ve been behaving, more because I’m ready for them to be gone.

6:00pm Drive the older two kids to meet Husband and Monster at the drugstore because it is between our house and the baseball fields and on the way to church. Run inside for cake mix and a birthday card for my brother (Thanks for the reminder, Mom... too bad the card's still gonna be late).

6:30pm Bake DeeDee’s birthday cake; hard boil the eggs for Monster’s preschool party and for whenever I find time for our family to color eggs. Write-out and address my brother’s card.

8:10pm Jump on Facebook. All at the same time: Neighbor instant messages me looking for a headcount for her kid’s party next weekend, then proceeds to hound me about why I can’t make it when the rest of my family can; Internet Friend, who I have been to busy to chat with, wants to catch up; Church Acquaintance calls looking for help at the school for Kindergarten Round-up and realizes mid-sentence that I will be attending with Monster and am not available, settles on a 3dozen cookie commitment from me before switching subjects to our new church (which his her old church) and her current church (which is our old church); Husband and the 3 kids burst through the door, home from church completely amped up.

8:30pm Issue multiple requests for the kids to put their stuff away and get ready for bed. Apparently, I have gone mute again and am just imaging that there are words coming out of my mouth. They obviously don’t hear me.

9:00pm They are not asleep, but they are in bed, and I am content to leave it at that… they’ll be sorry come morning. Wrap DeeDee’s birthday gift. Realize that I forgot to make her birthday pajamas which I have to do since I made FirstBorn a pair for his b-day last fall and now, of course, must do for all. Crap. Where did I put that retched fabric she picked out?

9:30pm Fill 20 plastic eggs with candy for Monster's class, fight with my stupid printer which won't print the cute labels I want to seal the eggs with. Continue to over-think, over-analyze, beat-to-death the summer vacation plan with Husband. Finally agree on an itinerary and where to stay. Book it immediately so I don't have to talk about it again for at least two more months.

10:30pm Schedule tomorrow’s insanity and give myself over to TV/I-don’t-want-to-think-about-one-more-thing-today time.

11:30pm Better go to bed because I’m not completely confident that I am going to survive tomorrow’s to-do list, but I’m pretty sure that a decent amount of sleep might help. Good Night!

Vacation Day 3418

6:40am The day starts. Wake the older two kids, dress them, feed them. Yell at least a dozen times for them to hurry up, finish eating, brush their teeth. Issue multiple reminders about lunches and feeding the dog.

7:35am Send the older kids (and Neighbor Girl) off to school. Feed and dress Monster who has decided to join the land of the living. Listen to him brag about Tuesday being his “day off”.

8:00am Run the dishwasher, make beds. Work on the remaining 20 Easter crafts for church. Round up all snowpants, boots, scarves, and winter coats and pack them away. Dig out soccer, baseball, and softball gear.

12:00pm Lunchtime for the little guy. Is it just me or is he always hungry?

12:30pm Fold all of yesterday’s clean laundry and put it away. Work on re-planning our July family vacation since Husband didn’t seem too excited about the first draft. Unload the dishwasher.

3:00pm Start dinner. Layout baseball/softball clothes for the older two kids because it is 80 degrees out and I dressed them to warm this morning.

3:30pm They’re home! Feed the kids. Beg them to stop chattering and eat… we’ve got to go. Ask First Born and DeeDee to change, find their cleats, and fill their water bottles… at least 3 times. Discover that DeeDee has outgrown her cleats. Instruct her to “deal with it” until I can get new ones for both her and her brother. How much do you want to bet Monster’s cleats won’t fit come practice tomorrow? Tell FirstBorn to brush his teeth.

4:10pm FirstBorn’s orthodontist appointment. One month past scheduled treatment and the braces are still not ready to come off… come back for a check-up in 7 weeks. Blah. Swing by the house for sweatshirts before practice; wind is picking-up.

5:00pm Baseball/softball practice… and we managed to find both teams and coaches. Temperature is dropping rapidly as DeeDee runs around in shorts and my toes beg for more protection than flip-flops can offer.

5:30pm Husband shows up at the fields after work and I run home for pants and jackets for the older two kids. It is now 52 degrees! Take the warmer clothes back to the fields, pick-up Monster, and head to the Science Fair Open House to buy a display board for our family science project.

6:00pm Stop by the drugstore on the way home for Easter candy and basket fillers. Run into everyone I know in town which means trying to hold multiple conversations while keeping Monster from digging in the cart and seeing all that I have hidden.

6:30pm Monster goes straight in the bathtub when we get home so I can stash all of my Easter Bunny purchases while he plays.

7:30pm FirstBorn and DeeDee are home from practice. I instruct them to get started on homework before sharing my new and improved Family Vacation Itinerary with Husband. He likes this plan even less than the first and proceeds to go on a rant about gas prices and credit card balances… which will be paid-off as soon as he writes the check and has no bearing on our ability to pay for this vacation.

8:00pm Check homework, go over spelling words, correct a note sent home from FirstBorn’s teacher (I’m sure she’ll love that). Get the remaining two stinkers bathed. DeeDee still has shampoo in her hair when she’s done, but it’s late and I don’t feel like sending her back to rinse it out… again.

8:30pm Kids are off to bed while Husband and I “discuss” the vacation itinerary. He goes to bed frustrated. I spend two more hours reworking the plan, researching inexpensive hotel options, and calculating gas mileage/costs.

10:30pm Crawl into bed, hoping tomorrow is better... thankful I was much less crabby today. Good Night!

Vacation Day 3417

Why am I starting with Day 3417? Because that his how many days FirstBorn has been on this earth and his birth officially signified the beginning of my life as a SAHM.

6:40am The day starts. Wake the older two kids, dress them, feed them. Yell at least a dozen times for them to hurry up, finish eating, brush their teeth. Issue multiple reminders about lunches and feeding the dog. Threaten half a dozen more times that they are going to miss the bus, argue about the need for jackets/sweatshirts as it is too cold not to wear one. Run after FirstBorn who forgot his lunch.

7:35am Send the older kids off to school, drag the youngest child out of bed, beg him to eat something and put socks on.

8:30am Drop Monster at preschool. Come home to sort the mounds of Spring Break laundry. There is something (or multiple somethings) foul in FirstBorn’s pile. Gross. Start the laundry.

10:00am Gather all of the tools scattered through the house and garage because they do not have a home and, even if they did, no one can put anything back where it belongs. Organize all of the fasteners, tools, and tapes in the laundry room cabinet. Now everything has a place… until items start wandering away. Switch loads.

11:00am Time to get Monster. Where did the morning go? Pick-up donations from church for Easter goodie-bags. Come home and feed my youngest lunch because he is now whining about his empty belly since he didn’t eat enough at breakfast and he “didn’t like” today’s snack at school. Switch loads.

1:00pm Realize I forgot to make beds this morning on my way to take a shower. Make the beds. Get interrupted numerous times while in the bathroom trying to groom and bathe. Shower with Monster standing outside the curtain telling me all about the new sport he invented… “Awesome Ball”. Why does my upper lip feel like it’s on fire? Chemical burn from leaving the hair-removal cream on too long because someone needed “help” going to the bathroom. Switch loads.

3:00pm Root around for FirstBorn’s soccer gear which has been hibernating for the past 5 months somewhere. Start dinner.

3:30pm They’re home! Feed the kids. Beg them to stop chattering and eat… we’ve got to go. Ask First Born to change, find his cleats, practice piano and gather his books… at least 3 times. Discover that he has outgrown his cleats, but instruct him to “deal with it” until I can get him a new pair. Head out with my oldest, leaving Husband with the younger two and evening reminders.

4:30pm Drop FirstBorn at piano lessons. Run over to the hardware store since Husband wouldn’t go yesterday because I “would be right there” today to pick up hooks to hang the extension ladder. Good thing, too, because now we also need special batteries for the car remotes as there actually is something wrong with garage door and I wasn’t just hallucinating.

5:00pm Grab First Born from piano and off to soccer we go. FirstBorn can’t find his team. I drive to the alternate practice field and back. I tell him three times to ask the multiple coaches on the fields where U10 Travel is practicing. He doesn’t ask convinced none of the teams are his. His coach did this to us last season on the first day of practice so I leave a not-so-friendly message on her voicemail about being stood up once again.

5:45pm Make a pit stop at home before FirstBorn’s batting practice to trade kids with Husband as I’ve now had my fill of sporting adventures for the day. Garage door still won't open, even with new battery in the remote. Discover that someone "locked" the garage door opener which is why it wouldn't open/close. Check DeeDee’s homework. Work on a template for Easter craft at church.

7:15pm FirstBorn is home from practice. I instruct him to get started on his homework then go out to the garage to help Husband hang the extension ladder. Get out to the garage to find Husband messing with the bikes we had hung the day before. Apparently, we need to make the brackets more secure. What happened to hanging the ladder? I pre-drill the ladder hooks, utter some not-so-nice expletives, and storm into the house.

8:00pm Most of his homework is done, but FirstBorn is now in tears because I have no patience left to deal with his lack of concentration. Manage to mop up the waterworks and finish going over his spelling words. Soccer coach calls back to inform me that the team was in fact on the field. God forbid FirstBorn had listened to me and ASKED SOMEONE.

8:30pm Plead/yell/whimper for the children to get their jammies on, Monster to go potty, and Get In Bed!!! Listen to Husband tell me that he doesn't understand why I didn't look for FirstBorn's coach because, if it was him, he would have coddled FirstBorn holding his hand the whole way. That is not a direct quote, by the way.

9:00pm Make 20 Easter crafts for church while trying to explain to Husband why the garage thing and his comment about how he would have handled soccer practice differently aggravated me so much. He doesn’t get it, so I give-up and agree to watch TV with him instead.

10:30pm Crawl into bed, hoping tomorrow is better... with a much less crabby me. Good Night!