Wake at 5:15 - "Great just 45 minutes before the alarm will go off." Grrr. Make a plan, out of bed by 5:40, color hair, while hair is timed for 30 minutes - start looking for homes for client. 6:15am Kids are up, kiss the kids, start their breakfast, jump in the shower, get out, get dressed. Grab Andi, "Time for your shower" get her started. On to dry my hair, flat iron, and make up. "What? Is the water off? Did Andi stop the water and is now drying herself off - ALONE!?" Bless my 6 year old - she's getting so big! And thank God, because I don't have time right now to do it. Get kids ready for school, listen to Andi read a book, quiz Tyler on this week's spelling test. Find the kid's shoes and backpacks, where is my cell phone? 8:20am Organize lunches into sacks (Thanks Wayne for lunch!), get Tyler on the bus, get Wayne and Andi out the door for the field trip on time. 8:35am Grab keys, lunch, purse, shoes, off to work. Crap forgot to turn off the coffee maker, oh well. 11 minute commute - arrive at work, damn, "Down time is over, just 11 minutes later." Arrive at SSSC with a smile. Answer incoming emails, voice mails and organize today's list of work orders to complete. Write income update requests, contact clients, compose environmental review packets for two homes, finalize 8 completed work orders, invoice receipts. Wow it's 1:00, nibble on lunch while compiling labor hours for 11 jobs, update payroll, contact snohomish county environmental review auditor for missing FEMA map requests. Leave work. 2pm Quick call on the ride home to check in on Wayne who's taking care of my dad (post knee-surgery) and see how the kindgergarten field trip went. Eleven minutes later arrive home, change clothes, invent another after-school snack, wait for the bus - hugs all around as the kids get off the bus, listen to stories about their day, serve the after school snacks of the day 'Icy Strawberry Soy-shake'. "Mooom, I'm still hungry", serve two bowls of cereal, get outside with the kids. Today's plan: mow and edge the lawn. 3:15 Unpack the shed, move the old mower, move the new mower, get out the weed wacker..."Yes, Andi I'll take out the yard swing if you guys help me carry it and set it up." "Yes, Tyler I'll teach you how to start the mower and weedeater". Mow the lawn, edge the lawn ("Yes, Tyler put on the goggles and I'll let you hold it this year for just a minute."), pull some weeds. Grab the yard waste can and put it away, grab the hose spray down the mower. Everything back in the shed. Whew. "WHAT is that?!" Dead rat full of magots. Nice. "Back up kids, I've got it"...ew! 5:45pm run in for another shower today, while in the shower start planning Mother's Day dinner, get dressed again. While drying my hair (again today), "Tyler, come plunge this toilet that you clogged." (Why is watching an 8 year old plunge a toilet more work than doing it myself? Ew, again! Back to the make up...again. "Tyler come quick, I've got a minute to show you how to change the furnace filter." Take apart the furnace with Tyler and learn about wires, blowers, and air circulation. Dispose of the dusty old filters. Grab dinner - already on the table (Thanks Wayne! Hey when did he get home?). 6:21pm "Andi come read to me, it's almost bedtime." Listen to Little Red Riding Hood - wow, she's really reading well!!! Grab a belt...Why is Andi crying? Help Andi get to the potty on time. Find my shoes, Why is she crying again? "No I'm not staying home tonight, Mommy is going on a Mommy Play Date. I need to take care of myself and have fun too. You look really tired today, that trip to the Children's Museum at school today really wore you out early." 6:45pm Tuck in Andi - good night sweetie, rub her back while I sing another made up song (I've been doing this for the kids for 8 years and I'm running out of song ideas), kiss Tyler goodbye, kiss Wayne goodbye, run out the door to Bible study. 7:03 Arrive and breathe and laugh and learn and laugh some more. 9:15pm, leave thankful and refreshed. Rush home, taste Wayne's delicious home made bread, start Gray's Anatomy that we taped and log on to the laptop while I watch TV. Start the show and start checking client emails. "Wayne, I need to show houses tomorrow at 2:30." Start searching for real estate homes, compile final list to show to clients tomorrow. "What was so funny?", missed another funny on Gray's. Answer another work email. 10:35pm Sign Andi up for swim lessons. 11pm, print out real estate findings, map the listings. Jot in blog. 11:29pm Go to bed. Do it again in a few hours.
May 7, 2009
It's Thursday.
February 7, 2009
I can't find all the answers or the energy to get it all done they way I would like. So I decided to ask my more sensible side and give myself a little permission to just be me.
Dear Sensible Side,
I'm struggling with my life. I'm juggling two jobs, two kids, a husband, church, weight gain, the bible study, the PTA, family obligations, housework, homework, yard work, and the number of hours in the day to do it all. How can I find the energy to be good at all this?
Sincerely,
Pooped in Pittsburg
P.S. I don't really live in Pittsburg; it just sounded better than Pooped in Lynnwood.
Dear Pooped,
Drink more coffee to wake yourself up. Drink more red wine to fall asleep.
Sit side-by-side when talking with your kids about homework. Look into their mind. Lay side-by-side when talking to your husband. Look into his eyes.
Put down the fork to reduce your waistline. Put up your feet to reduce their swelling. Allow your church to lift you up. Allow the Women's Bible Study to catch you when you fall.
In regards your housework:
Your home should be kept clean enough to be healthy and remain dirty enough to be happy. And in regards to your yard work...well, consider a condo.
Two jobs, my dear, is an understatement of the number of jobs you actually have. Know that your contributions and time spent in things like the PTA, client meetings, and family obligations are treasured by those with whom you spent that time because of your intelligent and heart-felt responses to real issues that they take with them.
Finally, make time for YOU: time for you to be alone, or out with your girlfriends. Time for you to excel at work, have fun as a mom, and for you to actually date your own husband. Know that, when they have grown, your children will not treat themselves as you treated them, they will treat themselves the way you treated yourself.
With strength,
Your More Sensible Side
January 31, 2009
Hakuna Matata
Worry. It seems to be a common thread among many of us these days. It appears that money is at the root of it for many people. Our 401k's, our jobs or lack of a job, how to find a job, even how to find time for a job, or just how to find a sitter that you can afford so you can go to that job; it all smells of money.
The stories I'm hearing from my dear friends and family these days root from money. Money is running out...or has run out. Credit is running out...or has run out. 401k's have become 101k's. Expenses are being cut: heaters are left off and sweatshirts are put on. Out to the movies is now in with Netflix. I heard "out for lunch" today was "10 cent Coke's at Dick's". Everyone is ok with Trader Joe's two buck chuck...I listen as you share how little you spent and watch as we all take note. I have received phone calls alerting me to a cheap gas station to hit today and emails on how to prepare inexpensive meals. Birthday parties at Pump It Up are now held at home. We have bragged about how much lettuce you can get at Costco for well under $3 - enough for an army! Girl's Night Out has become Girl's Night In. I've compared vacation stories this past year that were just miles away in a tent roasting dogs over a fire. I watched as each of us changed our driving behavior to combine trips and save gas when its cost doubled 2008. Over and over you told me how hard it is to afford health insurance and life insurance. Often I listened as a voice cracked in despair of what the coming months expenses will bring...desk fees, rent, renters who aren't paying, tuition, gas, babysitters, food, medical expenses, mortgages with rising rates, clothes for your growing kids, birthday parties to throw and to attend, the holidays and lack of income and credit to support it all.
Some of us are cutting corners and scraping for money more than others. Many of us are searching for jobs and for clients. All of us want what's best for our family and especially for our kids.
I offer each of you this, "Hakuna Matata".
Hakuna Matata!
What a wonderful phrase.
Hakuna Matata!
Ain't no passing craze
It means no worries for the rest of your days
It's our problem-free philosophy
Hakuna Matata!
May your worries of today, be just your memories of yesterday as we venture into a new year. Blessings to each of you.
January 29, 2009
The other side...
Hours later, in walks my husband from work and soon he makes me a serum that will make me ok, at least for a few hours tonight. Cranberry mixer, Mandarin Orange Vodka, and a splash of Ginger Ale. Ah, everything will be ok for now. I wonder why I don't do this more often.
January 25, 2009
Snowing again
Last night the snow began to fall. I was just thankful it didn't stick to all the roads.