240 Hours

Today is the day...my husband comes home!!  For the past 10 days I have been a single mother, while Carlos was in Los Angeles attending a training class for his new job.  He was recently hired by the IRS as an auditor.  So yes, he has the thrilling job of being disliked by just about everyone he has the pleasure of working with. :)  I have never been on my own this long before, so I knew I would have to keep myself busy in order to keep my sanity.  My goal was to accomplish a few minor projects from my To-Do list.  But in addition to that, here's how I made it through:


Day 1 (Thursday):  I tackle laundry from dawn until dusk.  I discover what happens when a pull-up sneaks its way into the washing machine.  Not recommended.


Day 2 (Friday):  Between getting my weekly coupon deals, running errands, and taking Ava to a birthday party, I manage to survive getting the kids in and out of the car 9 times.  I also manage to overlook eating breakfast or lunch.  Maybe I need to add "eat meals" to my to-do list.


Day 3 (Saturday):  Ava's dance recital this morning marks the end of dance until Fall.  I have a rough night babysitting my nephew.  Trying to keep two cranky babies content is not an easy task.  Songs with the word "crazy" keep popping into my head.


Day 4 (Sunday):  I am prepared for chaos, but surprisingly only experience a few moments that cause me to exhale super loudly.  The "day of rest" lives up to its name when I get a much needed 15 minute nap.  This rarely happens.  The girls and I spend some of the afternoon on the back patio reading books.  I even start a real chapter book for the first time since college. (Is that bad?)  The rest of the afternoon includes swinging, Junior Mints, synchronized tantrums, "Go Fish," and "Guess Who." 


Day 5 (Monday):  More errands and a T-ball game that actually makes it through a few innings without being interrupted by a literal downpour.  


Day 6 (Tuesday):  I finish my book ("The Hunger Games"), ignoring my children in the process.  I finally get around to a couple of my small projects.  I hem up the drapes in the family room, which are only slightly, yet annoyingly too long.  I also paint one of the frames I got from a yard sale last year.  Wow. I feel like a real go-getter. (sarcasm)

 Before

After 

(I know you are all so impressed that I spray painted a frame white)

Day 7 (Wednesday):  We have a picnic in the backyard (PB&J of course) and clean up the house until my church meetings.

Fiona must have smelled Cheetos, waking her from her insufficient nap

Day 8 (Thursday):  I spend the morning at The Calico Cat (thrift store) with the girls and my mother-in-law, followed by McDonalds for lunch.  I have never seen a classier McDonalds.  Classy McDonalds.  That may be an oxymoron, but seriously, the bathrooms are immaculate, and they even have those disposable changing pads available at the baby changing station.  Maybe I'm just easily impressed.  Ava's T-Ball game this evening is the last of the season.  Way to go Angels!


Day 9 (Friday):  Yawn.  Today is pretty mundane, other than picking our first batch of fresh strawberries.  

Day 10 (Saturday):  Maybe it's one too many graduation parties.  Maybe it's one too many spouseless days.  I can sense all the stresses of the past week building up and I know that a meltdown is imminent.  Maybe it's because I'm running late to the church party.  Maybe it's Ellia's incessant wailing.  Maybe it's Ava's refusal to carry her own plate to the table when I clearly don't have a third arm to do it for her, or the tortillas falling to the floor.  Whatever it is, the camel's back has been broken.  Cue meltdown.  Tears ensue.  Thank goodness my family is there to help me out while I collect myself.  Thank you, family.  It's amazing what a little cry can do.  Feeling much better, I'm able to enjoy the rest of the evening.


So I didn't get all (hardly any, really) of the projects done that I had hoped to, but I did survive these 240 hours, which is a project in itself.  Welcome home, Carlos!  It's your turn! :)