Originally this was going to be a post about a day in the life of a stay-at-home mom. But the next two days following the day in question (Wednesday at the doctor's office) were just priceless. It won't seem that way to you. But it is to me. This is the kind of week I want to remember because something tells me it's one I might want to go back to over and over again years down the road when my children are not so little anymore, not so much under-foot and the house is quiet.
Earlier this summer, Mason asked me one day, "Mom, what are you going to do when Hannah and Connor go to school? I guess that means you'll have to get a job."
A JOB?!? Well, excuse me, but what do you think I've been doing your entire life?
Hannah Kate will begin kindergarten in 2013 so I still have two more years. I honestly haven't thought about "what I'm going to do." There are several reasons for this. First of all, it's two years away. Second of all, I can't even imagine the day when Hannah Kate will go to kindergarten. And last, but certainly not least of all, I have no idea. It just stresses me out. I mean, I have been out of the workforce for over six years now so it isn't like I'm very marketable to Corporate America anymore. Besides, I can't exaclty say I was on a particularly lucrative or desirable career track anyway. So, just like Scarlett, I will think about all of that "tomorrow."
In the meantime, here is a typical, or maybe not-so-typical, week in my life.
Monday - Mondays are always errand days, meaning grocery shopping. Since we live nearly 30 minutes out in the middle of nowhere away from everywhere, and I drive the most fuel efficient Tahoe in the days of the most reasonable gas prices ever (sarcasm), I do my best to limit my trips to town to one a week or two if absolutely necessary. Yes, that means I plan all meals a week in advance and get everything I need in one trip. Besides, this week would find us on the road a lot due to meetings and doctor's appointments and such so I needed to get everything done on Monday anyway. Connor was really tired so I let him take a morning nap before we headed out. That means we were on the road a little later than usual. But I had only a very few errands to run so it really didn't matter. During Connor's nap, I started laundry and finished sewing a pair of ruffle pants I was working on for a customer. We finally loaded up and left. I picked up a birthday present, and we had to go to two different grocery stores to get everything I needed for the week's meals. Yes, it's true. There is not one grocery store in Baton Rouge that I can go to that has everything I need. Since we were running behind, we ran through the Chicken Flay (Chic-Fil-A) drive thru. When we got home, I had 45 minutes to put the groceries away and also feed Connor before the bus arrived. When Mason got home, we began the homework routine. A quick review of his weekly sheet held the encouragement that perhaps this week's homework could be done in 30-45 minutes instead of the hour we spent each day last week. And then there were mouths to feed and bodies to bathe. The rest of the day is usually a blur once Mason gets home.
Tuesday - Tuesdays are my cleaning and heavy laundry days. So all of the bed sheets and towels were washed, dried, folded and put away, all the bathrooms were cleaned, the furniture was dusted and the floors were swept. I didn't have time to get to the mopping or vacuuming today. I began cooking supper right after lunch - homemade turkey meatballs with homemade tomato sauce and spaghetti. This was nearly finished by the time Mason got off the bus. We started the daily homework routine and finished that and supper just in time for me to go to the first PTSA meeting of the year. It was a really long meeting so I didn't make it back home until after Mason and Hannah Kate were in bed.
Wednesday - I needed to pay a few bills and balance the checkbook so I did that first thing this morning. I also had to finish an applique/monogram for a customer so her order would be complete. It took a little longer than necessary to take care of a few loose ends because I was having problems with my computer and internet connection. This is an everyday ordeal. Once that was done, I decided I couldn't stand it any longer. Hannah Kate's closet was begging for attention. Somehow during the past three months, every single thing she owns found its way into the bottom of her closet, in the depths of purses and backpacks. In her closet. There were no more toys in her toybox. Many of the books were "missing" from the bookshelf. Our crayon stash was depleted. And it was all in the bottom of her closet. So, with her help, I decided the task must be done. We also had a good lesson in putting things back in their special place. After all, everything has its own special place. So that task took way longer than I anticipated, and it was already past lunch time when I looked at the clock. It wouldn't have been a big deal except that we had to leave to pick up Mason from school for a doctor's appointment (just his 6-year check-up). So I hurridly prepared lunch and got everyone cleaned up and ready to head out the door.
Of course, they are still doing road construction between here and school so I would get stopped and have to wait for the pilot vehicle. But at least we didn't have to stop at the draw bridge over Bayou Grosse Tete. By the time I got to school, the buses had already lined up so I had to basically create my own parking space and run inside to get Mason before we got stuck in the crowds of dismissal. When we get back to the Tahoe, Mason tells me he forgot his reading book. So he has to run back inside and get that. We manage to beat the buses. And then, of course, traffic is stopped on the bridge going into Baton Rouge. Even with all of that, we make it to the doctor's office just in time. Here's the fun part. Mason's appointment was at 3:00. But Connor also had an appointment at 3:50 for a weight check with a different pediatrician in the same group. I told his Mommy to just let me take care of it since I would already be there with Mason anyway. I checked Mason in and explained to the front desk that I had Connor also. They told me to come back when I was done with Mason. Mason's check-up was fine except that Dr. K decided to order a vision and hearing screening. She wanted us to go down to the lab for testing. I knew we couldn't do that until after Connor's appointment. So I checked Mason out and checked Connor in.
This would be the time that they tell me Connor's insurance coverage has been dropped. I knew that wasn't true and had his insurance card with me. They confirm again that he has no insurance coverage. So now I'm calling Kayla at work to let her know there's a problem with the insurance. I didn't want to leave without Connor seeing the doctor so I told them I would private pay until the issue could be resolved. We take another seat in the waiting room. Kayla calls me back and says the issued is taken care of with the insurance company - their "mistake, " of course - so I got back to the front desk to ask them to process Connor's insurance coverage again. They were hesitant to do that and then the nurse called for Connor. So I told them I would be back.
Connor's weight check took about 10 minutes and then I headed back to take care of the insurance ordeal. They saw me coming and met me halfway. They, too, had taken care of the matter and assured me everything was fine. So we checked Connor out and headed downstairs to the lab. By this time it's 4:30, and I have three children who are really tired of sitting in the doctor's office. We're finally called back and squeeze into the testing room. Mason passes both tests with flying colors, and we head out the door. I call Kayla back yet again to let her know that everything went just fine and was taken care of. I call Bonnie (Connor's mawmaw) to let her know that we're running late and not to come to my house to pick up Connor because I'll bring him to her.
After all of that, I decide that we all need a treat. So we go to Sonic. And, of course, traffic on Perkins was bumper-to-bumper. We finally make it to Sonic. Mason and Hannah Kate both want a chocolate milkshake. That sounds really good to me, too, so I order three of them. And, guess what?! The ice cream machine is broken. Figures. So we settle for slushes and a Dr. Pepper. I drop Connor off, as well as a sewing order for a customer, and we get home at 5:45. My goal was to finish homework and supper in time to be at church at 6:30. A la Rachael Ray, I decided supper needed to be really quick, yet really good. What can be quicker than a pizza? But not the frozen ones, of course. I decided on a caramelized onion, sundried tomato, black olive, spinach and feta pizza with our favorite salad. No, I didn't make my own crust. There wasn't time for that. The reality of the situation was that homework wasn't finished until 6:30, and supper wasn't on the table until 6:45. I missed church.
Thursday - Well, this was almost the last day of the week, and the last busy day of the week. Besides tidying up, laundry and preparing my Sunday School lesson, it was smooth sailing. Mid-morning I began resolving some issues I had with a video we were trying to show during the worship service at church. Hannah Kate and Connor were playing. At first they were upstairs but then they came downstairs. I knew they were in the music room. It wasn't long before I heard my metronome. Hannah Kate knows she isn't supposed to play with it so I immediately got up from my spot at the computer to remind her of such. And this is what I found:
So after I took a picture, I ushered him off my baby grand and moved the piano bench across the room. I finished what I was doing, and we all went upstairs to play. Can I just say that I'm so tired of playing The Tea Party Game, Fancy Nancy Dress Up Game and Candy Land?! Oh my, this is an everyday occurance at our house, and I just don't like telling the little princess no, but I'll be just fine if I never have to play these games again. It was time for lunch so I came downstairs to make sandwiches. The phone rang. While I was talking, I noticed Connor head down the hall to either the bathroom or mudroom, which is never a good thing. But I was too late. He was in the bathroom. And he'd taken everything out of the trash can and put it in the toilet.
So I cleaned that up and finally got lunch on the table. I went to the bathroom and came back to find Connor sticking a piece of his PB&J up his nose. I didn't get a picture of that one because I just honestly didn't think I had time to get my camera. After lunch I began supper preparations. As soon as Mason got off the bus, we loaded up to go to Hannah Kate's dance lesson. We came back home, finished homework, ate supper, got baths and fell into bed. I fell asleep thinking how wonderful Friday was going to be, not to mention a four day weekend for me. Sort of.
Earlier this summer, Mason asked me one day, "Mom, what are you going to do when Hannah and Connor go to school? I guess that means you'll have to get a job."
A JOB?!? Well, excuse me, but what do you think I've been doing your entire life?
Hannah Kate will begin kindergarten in 2013 so I still have two more years. I honestly haven't thought about "what I'm going to do." There are several reasons for this. First of all, it's two years away. Second of all, I can't even imagine the day when Hannah Kate will go to kindergarten. And last, but certainly not least of all, I have no idea. It just stresses me out. I mean, I have been out of the workforce for over six years now so it isn't like I'm very marketable to Corporate America anymore. Besides, I can't exaclty say I was on a particularly lucrative or desirable career track anyway. So, just like Scarlett, I will think about all of that "tomorrow."
In the meantime, here is a typical, or maybe not-so-typical, week in my life.
Monday - Mondays are always errand days, meaning grocery shopping. Since we live nearly 30 minutes out in the middle of nowhere away from everywhere, and I drive the most fuel efficient Tahoe in the days of the most reasonable gas prices ever (sarcasm), I do my best to limit my trips to town to one a week or two if absolutely necessary. Yes, that means I plan all meals a week in advance and get everything I need in one trip. Besides, this week would find us on the road a lot due to meetings and doctor's appointments and such so I needed to get everything done on Monday anyway. Connor was really tired so I let him take a morning nap before we headed out. That means we were on the road a little later than usual. But I had only a very few errands to run so it really didn't matter. During Connor's nap, I started laundry and finished sewing a pair of ruffle pants I was working on for a customer. We finally loaded up and left. I picked up a birthday present, and we had to go to two different grocery stores to get everything I needed for the week's meals. Yes, it's true. There is not one grocery store in Baton Rouge that I can go to that has everything I need. Since we were running behind, we ran through the Chicken Flay (Chic-Fil-A) drive thru. When we got home, I had 45 minutes to put the groceries away and also feed Connor before the bus arrived. When Mason got home, we began the homework routine. A quick review of his weekly sheet held the encouragement that perhaps this week's homework could be done in 30-45 minutes instead of the hour we spent each day last week. And then there were mouths to feed and bodies to bathe. The rest of the day is usually a blur once Mason gets home.
Tuesday - Tuesdays are my cleaning and heavy laundry days. So all of the bed sheets and towels were washed, dried, folded and put away, all the bathrooms were cleaned, the furniture was dusted and the floors were swept. I didn't have time to get to the mopping or vacuuming today. I began cooking supper right after lunch - homemade turkey meatballs with homemade tomato sauce and spaghetti. This was nearly finished by the time Mason got off the bus. We started the daily homework routine and finished that and supper just in time for me to go to the first PTSA meeting of the year. It was a really long meeting so I didn't make it back home until after Mason and Hannah Kate were in bed.
Wednesday - I needed to pay a few bills and balance the checkbook so I did that first thing this morning. I also had to finish an applique/monogram for a customer so her order would be complete. It took a little longer than necessary to take care of a few loose ends because I was having problems with my computer and internet connection. This is an everyday ordeal. Once that was done, I decided I couldn't stand it any longer. Hannah Kate's closet was begging for attention. Somehow during the past three months, every single thing she owns found its way into the bottom of her closet, in the depths of purses and backpacks. In her closet. There were no more toys in her toybox. Many of the books were "missing" from the bookshelf. Our crayon stash was depleted. And it was all in the bottom of her closet. So, with her help, I decided the task must be done. We also had a good lesson in putting things back in their special place. After all, everything has its own special place. So that task took way longer than I anticipated, and it was already past lunch time when I looked at the clock. It wouldn't have been a big deal except that we had to leave to pick up Mason from school for a doctor's appointment (just his 6-year check-up). So I hurridly prepared lunch and got everyone cleaned up and ready to head out the door.
Of course, they are still doing road construction between here and school so I would get stopped and have to wait for the pilot vehicle. But at least we didn't have to stop at the draw bridge over Bayou Grosse Tete. By the time I got to school, the buses had already lined up so I had to basically create my own parking space and run inside to get Mason before we got stuck in the crowds of dismissal. When we get back to the Tahoe, Mason tells me he forgot his reading book. So he has to run back inside and get that. We manage to beat the buses. And then, of course, traffic is stopped on the bridge going into Baton Rouge. Even with all of that, we make it to the doctor's office just in time. Here's the fun part. Mason's appointment was at 3:00. But Connor also had an appointment at 3:50 for a weight check with a different pediatrician in the same group. I told his Mommy to just let me take care of it since I would already be there with Mason anyway. I checked Mason in and explained to the front desk that I had Connor also. They told me to come back when I was done with Mason. Mason's check-up was fine except that Dr. K decided to order a vision and hearing screening. She wanted us to go down to the lab for testing. I knew we couldn't do that until after Connor's appointment. So I checked Mason out and checked Connor in.
This would be the time that they tell me Connor's insurance coverage has been dropped. I knew that wasn't true and had his insurance card with me. They confirm again that he has no insurance coverage. So now I'm calling Kayla at work to let her know there's a problem with the insurance. I didn't want to leave without Connor seeing the doctor so I told them I would private pay until the issue could be resolved. We take another seat in the waiting room. Kayla calls me back and says the issued is taken care of with the insurance company - their "mistake, " of course - so I got back to the front desk to ask them to process Connor's insurance coverage again. They were hesitant to do that and then the nurse called for Connor. So I told them I would be back.
Connor's weight check took about 10 minutes and then I headed back to take care of the insurance ordeal. They saw me coming and met me halfway. They, too, had taken care of the matter and assured me everything was fine. So we checked Connor out and headed downstairs to the lab. By this time it's 4:30, and I have three children who are really tired of sitting in the doctor's office. We're finally called back and squeeze into the testing room. Mason passes both tests with flying colors, and we head out the door. I call Kayla back yet again to let her know that everything went just fine and was taken care of. I call Bonnie (Connor's mawmaw) to let her know that we're running late and not to come to my house to pick up Connor because I'll bring him to her.
After all of that, I decide that we all need a treat. So we go to Sonic. And, of course, traffic on Perkins was bumper-to-bumper. We finally make it to Sonic. Mason and Hannah Kate both want a chocolate milkshake. That sounds really good to me, too, so I order three of them. And, guess what?! The ice cream machine is broken. Figures. So we settle for slushes and a Dr. Pepper. I drop Connor off, as well as a sewing order for a customer, and we get home at 5:45. My goal was to finish homework and supper in time to be at church at 6:30. A la Rachael Ray, I decided supper needed to be really quick, yet really good. What can be quicker than a pizza? But not the frozen ones, of course. I decided on a caramelized onion, sundried tomato, black olive, spinach and feta pizza with our favorite salad. No, I didn't make my own crust. There wasn't time for that. The reality of the situation was that homework wasn't finished until 6:30, and supper wasn't on the table until 6:45. I missed church.
Thursday - Well, this was almost the last day of the week, and the last busy day of the week. Besides tidying up, laundry and preparing my Sunday School lesson, it was smooth sailing. Mid-morning I began resolving some issues I had with a video we were trying to show during the worship service at church. Hannah Kate and Connor were playing. At first they were upstairs but then they came downstairs. I knew they were in the music room. It wasn't long before I heard my metronome. Hannah Kate knows she isn't supposed to play with it so I immediately got up from my spot at the computer to remind her of such. And this is what I found:
So after I took a picture, I ushered him off my baby grand and moved the piano bench across the room. I finished what I was doing, and we all went upstairs to play. Can I just say that I'm so tired of playing The Tea Party Game, Fancy Nancy Dress Up Game and Candy Land?! Oh my, this is an everyday occurance at our house, and I just don't like telling the little princess no, but I'll be just fine if I never have to play these games again. It was time for lunch so I came downstairs to make sandwiches. The phone rang. While I was talking, I noticed Connor head down the hall to either the bathroom or mudroom, which is never a good thing. But I was too late. He was in the bathroom. And he'd taken everything out of the trash can and put it in the toilet.
So I cleaned that up and finally got lunch on the table. I went to the bathroom and came back to find Connor sticking a piece of his PB&J up his nose. I didn't get a picture of that one because I just honestly didn't think I had time to get my camera. After lunch I began supper preparations. As soon as Mason got off the bus, we loaded up to go to Hannah Kate's dance lesson. We came back home, finished homework, ate supper, got baths and fell into bed. I fell asleep thinking how wonderful Friday was going to be, not to mention a four day weekend for me. Sort of.Friday - After I put Mason on the bus, I'll be honest. I crawled back into bed. Connor wasn't coming today so there was no need for me to stay up if I didn't have to. I layed down until Hannah Kate woke up. I wasn't sure what to do with ourselves, as there was a lot of uncertainty about Tropical Storm Lee. It had already started raining, and I didn't particularly want to go out in the rain. So the day started off kind of lazy. And then school called at 9:30. I'll not give you the details. But they called again at 11:30, and I had to go pick Mason up. Let's just say this weekend we're learning a big fat lesson about the "boy who cried wolf" at our house. I was not happy. In fact, I was mad. Real mad. The only thing I knew to do was clean. So that's what I did for the remainder of the afternoon.