I'm Back

Wow, almost a month since my last post. School began almost a month ago is there a connection hmm, this is my fun new schedule.

5:30 AM wake up, stress, worry, doze and watch the clock until I need to wake up the first group.

6:45 AM Wake up #1,#2, #3.
#1, "Jacob wake up", no movement. "Jacob time to get moving", nothing. "Jake now!" eyes open rolls over to face wall. "Jacob, now!" mumbles, "ok", thirty minutes later staggers up stairs.
#2 "Josh, wake up", he opens his eyes looks at me, looks at the clock gets up and gets ready.
#3, "Miah wake up", I rub his legs and arms, "Come on sweetie time to get going".
Eyes open wide he stares, "What?" he asks.
"Time to get ready for school"
"This isn't working for me", manic stare continues,
"Umm, what isn't working for you?"
"Morning Mom is it time to get up?" Seriously folks, I don't know who I wake up in the morning but for at least 30 very long seconds it's not Jeremiah.

6:50 start a load of laundry, promise myself I'll get the laundry done today.

6:55 Begin lunches, 18 slices of bread, half a jar of peanut butter, jam, a bag of carrots, seven mini chip bags, (let's see Jacob likes BBQ or Cool Ranch Joshua wants...forget it) and 7 frozen Gogurts to maintain cool, homemade, freshness.

7:05 pour cereal, or make toast for # 2 and #3. Ask #2 if #1 is moving, attempt to translate mumbled, muffled reply into yes or no, (#2 talks about as much as #1 moves in the AM).

7:10 Hug #3 good-bye.

7:15 #1 staggers up stairs, shoes in hand, hair, well, we've agreed to disagree on the hair, it's a rebellion I can live with.

7:20 #1, #2 head out to the car, I stand outside in bare tootsies to supervise the backing out. #1 glares at me from under his mop of hair, not trusting any aspect of his driving skills is the height of parental betrayal.

7:25 Clean up from lunch making and breakfast.

7:30 Head out on walk, I need to cover three miles, stretch, and get in a few sit ups or lunges, or push ups, by 8:15 when it starts with group two.

8:30 Come in from walk, pee (very important if you've birthed seven children)

8:35 Wake up #'s 4, 5, 6, and 7

8:36Answer questions.
#4, "Can you help me with my homework?"
"Yes, dear last night when it's supposed to be done I can help you".
"Mom, I had football".
"Groan, hurry and get dressed I'll help you."

#5 "Do I have to go to school today?"
"Growl, No dear it's a special little holiday just for you and I woke you up so that you won't miss a single minute."
"Really?"
"No!"
"Do I have to wear clean clothes?"
"Yes"!
"Do I have to stay at school the whole day?"
"Yes!"
"Do I have to eat my lunch?"
Yes!
"Do I have to eat that for breakfast?"
"Yes!
"Can you pick me up after school?"
"No"!
Last year I actually tried to logically, lovingly answer these questions... @@ yeah, I know.

#6 Mom, is it a school day?
"Yes!"
"OK!" He rolls his eyes in unspoken disdain at whomever came up with the five days a week schedule.

#7 "I loves you Mom, I has my school today?"
"Yes!"
"Yay! I loves my school". Aww, that makes the whole morning worth it.

8:38 -9:12 "Get Dressed, eat, finish your, homework, leave him alone, eat, get your shoes on, get dressed, turn off the TV, eat, where is your homework, how many times do I have to tell you to come home eat a snack and do your homework? I don't know where your shoes are do I look like a closet? leave him alone, get dressed, eat, get in the car, get in the car! did you get your home work, did you grab your lunch, where are your shoes, we're late, why didn't you finish your homework and find your shoes last night? quit touching your brother, yes you have to go to school! no you can't come home after lunch! Good bye, love you have a super day?" Exhausted sobbing.

9:15 We're alone for three whole hours, in our own home, for the first time in 17 years! Alone with nothing to do but...3 sink fulls of dirty dishes 17 loads of laundry, mow the lawn, wash walls, vacuum, pay bills, blog, you get the picture. We're only alone on Tuesdays and Thursdays but ohh the joys of ignoring everything and canoodling with Adorable Hubby.

11:30 Shower, dress.

12:00 pick-up #7 and #6,

12:15 Lunch, ahhaa, I made them a sack lunch I have never felt so brilliantly organized as when I pull out their pre-made lunch and hand it to them. I even make Adorable hubby a sandwich.

12: 30 Begin calling friends so # 6 will quit pestering me with, "Who can I play with?"

12:35- 2:30 chores, bills, errands, mommies work is never done.

2:30 The first group comes home, minus #2 who is at football.

2:35 The kitchen went from clean to catastrophe, and #3 needs his afternoon counseling session. I hear every detail of seventh grade life and we go over what homework he has and how he is sick of football and how his brothers are mean to him and how he is the only one who cleans up around here @@!!, OK I do somethings.
3:05 Counseling session ended by hungry little brothers.

3:20 Get snacks for #1, 3,6 & 7

3:45 #4 & #5 come home. They need hugs and a snack. Trying to get a snack for #5 goes something like this.
"Do you want a sandwich?"
"No"
"A burrito?"
"No"
"Cereal?"
"No"
"Cheese and Crackers?"
"No"
"Hot Dog?"
"No"
"Pop Corn?"
" No"
"Ramen noodles?"
"No"
"Argh, what do you want?"
"OK, I guess I'll have a sandwich"
"Umm, so the first thing I ask if you wanted."
"I didn't hear you!"
If I'm still giving him more then two snack options next month, shoot me!

4:00 Clean up from snacks and start dinner. Dinner must be done by 5:00 because thats when football starts. This also begins the nightly Did you get your homework done chant.

5:00 Gather boys, send friends home, eat.

5:30 Send #3 and #4 down to get dressed for practice. Can't clean up yet #2 isn't home from his football practice.

5:45 begin yelling at #4 to come on because he's going to be late.

5:50Yell at #4 to quit watching Sponge Bob and get his water bottle.

5:53 Fill water bottle and march #4 out to the car.

5:55 Leave for 6:00 O'Clock football practice in Lindon, the next town over.

6:05 Drop off #4 yell at him to run because he's late.

6:06 Watch #4 wander over to his team.

6:07 #3 begins the hurry I'm going to be late chant.

6:08 Head back across town to drop off #3 at 6:30 practice.

6:20 Drop off #3, he's the first kid there. Pick up #2

6:25 Return home

6:30 Feed #2 and clean up dinner.

7:00 Go down and change that load of laundry I started this morning, resolve to get all the laundry done tomorrow. Ha!

7:30 Sit down, watch whatever Adorable Hubby is watching on TV.

7:45 Leave to pick up #4

8:00 Wait 15-20 minutes for coaches to finish talking. Wonder if coaches are speaking English.

8:20 Leave to pick up #3 across town.

8:30 Phone rings, #3 is waiting.

8:33 Phone rings again, #3 is getting anxious.

8:35 Phone Rings again, #3 is still waiting.

8:36 Pick up #3.

8:45 Arrive home and begin the get to bed chant.

9:00 Make snack for hungry football players and little ones who refused to eat dinner four hours ago.

9:30 Get #5, 6 and 7 washed up in jammies and in bed.

9:45 Clean up kitchen again send #1,2,3,and 4 to bed.

10:00 Collapse next to Adorable Hubby on couch.

Now factor in three football games a week, Scouts for #1-4, therapy for Adorable Hubby, couples therapy, church responsibilities, friends, holidays, family get- together's, birthdays hair cuts. Wow! loving our oh so busy life.