The Same Thing Happens Every Day

Wake up around 7ish. Usually late. Hurry up, hurry up the kids to get dressed, fed, washed up, bags packed. Waffles for Joshy, cereal for the girls. All the while the dog is whining and Ally is probably whining too: needs a binky, doens't want cereal-wants waffles today. Rush out the door...usually Ally won't walk by herself she has to be carried. Joshua needs a hat and can't carry his bag becuase he must put his hands in his pockets. Buckle the kids, ask Paige to help buckle them too. Pick up Emma. Rush the kids to school, probably running to the door as the bell rings. Get a guilt trip for not walking them in to tell the principal I am a slacker. Drop little kids off at daycare. Go home. Take the dog out, make coffee and usually an english muffin. Finally now I can start work. It's just 9 am.

Some time during the day I manage to pick up the kitchen, possibly run and put away the dishwasher, make our bed, do some laundry which all gets folded into neat piles on my bed for someone to put away, pay the bills, take the dog out a few times, oh yeah, and work.

Paige gets home a little after 3 and starts demanding a snack while she watches tv. At 4 she starts her homework. I rush around to finish the chores before the family gets home and the work before the day ends.

Go pick up the kids. Must put on the prescribed DVD or CD in the car on the way home. Drag them and their stuff into the house. Now there are 3 kids and 2 pets begging for food, demanding entertainment. Make dinner, argue with Joshua about what he won't eat. Clean up dinner. Give the kids baths, make Paige take a shower. Pick up the laundry scattered all over the bathroom and Ally's room. Pick up the toys and the couch cushions off the floor for the millionth time.

Walk Paige up to "tuck her in" or she won't settle down. Put Ally in her crib. Argue with Joshua about where to sleep, threaten to take his bed away if he keeps refusing to use it. Now Ally is crying and needs to be settled down again. 2 kids up. Eventually one parent takes a toddler and settles them down somehow. Although frustrating it is now finally quiet and we can take a temporary break from work and snuggle with the kids. Once they are alseep they are carried into their beds. Any final clean up is done. Possibly enough time for a snack and a tv show before we go to bed too late. Because we have to wake up late again tomorrow to start it all over.

There has to be more to life.