The Trials of a Busy Mom

oops, I forgot to give this post a title

Lisa asked a good question. She said, “Fun! Now, how come you didn’t get to go with him??” referring to Ryan’s trip to Denver last week.

Well, let’s think about that….I did think about going with him, but with the scheduling nightmare that our lives are right now, it would never have worked. I don’t have self sufficient kids who would watch the other kids, nor do I have parents who live around the corner and LOVe to watch my kids. I really don’t know how Lisa manages to get away so often, except that she’s got a good system there, and lots of help in place. She hardly acts like the mother of two three year olds I would be. She’s out there running marathons, for heaven’s sake! (And I am so proud of her! Who decides to run a marathon when they are 40? Not me, that’s for sure!) I could barely manage the week’s events by myself, what with the 3 soccer games, three soccer practices, three nights of marching band and four piano lessons. Add to that a birthday party, pre-school starting up, and Young Women. I DO have a 14 year old and a 12 year old, but for some reason, they forget about all that being responsible and helpful crap when I leave them in charge. I came home from bells rehearsal last Wed night, and the MILK WAS STILL ON THE COUNTER and the pan of macaroni and cheese (yes, I do fix nutritious meals for them–all the time! just not that night) was still on the stove. I guess they think it’s ok to watch tv and play wii all night as long as they get the kids in bed. I think I actually need to TRADE kids with my neighbor, as they would all be more responsible and helpful at someone else’s house–but that’s another subject right there.

We are, however, sneaking down to St. George this weekend to see Les Mis. I’ve always wanted to see that show and have not had the chance until now.

Ryan’s parents are coming on Friday, and then after the kids’ activities on Saturday, they will take them all down to their house in Spanish Fork and stay there until Sunday (so they can do their own jobs in their ward on Sunday). And even that is a big shedule thing. I have to arrange carpools, make lists, and pack for them all, plus clean my house so that it doesn’t look like I’m a huge slob when my in laws come to my house. And they brought me a bunch of beans on Tuesday that I’m supposed to bottle. Do I know how to bottle beans? Um, not really. My MIL assures me that it’s very simple, but I think to her, everything is very simple.

Speaking of domestic activities, yesterday I picked all the remaining peaches off our tiny trees, and picked up the salvagable ones from the ground, although I left plenty for the bees and hornets and birds who were obviously happy eating them. Since I don’t know how to bottle peaches either (yes, I know I’ve done it once before, but for some reason those ones went bad because I guess they didn’t get sealed properly), I cut them up and laid them out on trays to freeze. Then I put them into gallon bags and we can have peaches for smoothies in the winter. Hooray. But I’ve still got a lot more peaches to cut up, even though I was covered in peach juice from my efforts yesterday. And, this week I even made bread! And zuccini cake. Two of them. So, really, I have actually been quite domestic this week. I should give myself a little credit.

Speaking of questions from friends, I got a call from Melinda yesterday. She sometimes calls with lyrical challenges for me, and this one was a doozy. “Paige,” she said, “I need to know the words to that Ode to Joy song we sang in American Problems.”
Immediately I’m taken back to senior year in high school, wearing the arm bands, and saluting my chairman.

Thou sparks from flame immortal
Chairman brought of noble birth
Born with fire a mighty
(salute here) leader
guide thy peoples of the earth

Let they magic bring together
all whom earth born laws divide

With courage, strength and unity
arise now and forever reign.

Hail!
Chairman!
Hail!
Chairman!
Hail!
Chairman!

Oh, that was such a fun class. Really. You had to be there.

If you think I have a lot of unnecessary lyrics and other such nonsense filling up my brain, you would be absolutely right. Just don’t ask me where I put my keys.

(and here’s an update for you. While I slept off a headache, Ryan snapped and canned all those beans!!! What a guy!)

5 Comments

  1. Amy

    You should know that it’s hard to finish reading any blog entry that doesn’t have a title, cuz there’s nothing to click on. I eventually found it by clicking on “Comments.”

    As far as peaches, you’re perfectly welcome to just give me whatever you don’t have time to take care of, and we’ll make cobbler out of them. Of course we all know you’re fantastic at being a mom and domestic at the same time. One of these years your kids will be responsible enough to let you go on vacations. We’re not as close to that goal as you are.

  2. Melinda

    Thank you for coming to my rescue!! I couldn’t have survived another minute without those lyrics!

  3. Amber

    Nice explanation. It still doesn’t excuse you from skipping out on Denver. 🙂

  4. Kristy

    Bummer! It would have been fun to see you. Maybe next time, when your kids are older and they can fend for themselves!

  5. Lisa Adams

    In my defense, when I do manage to get away it is in great thanks to my mother and my older kids. They are okay in the responsiblity department – I mainly ask that they keep track of the twins and try to feed them something. Sometimes I come back to a disaster (usually after Wed night YW activities like last night when I came home and the dinner I’d made was still sitting out on the stove) and sometimes I come home to a clean house that the kids had worked hard on.

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