Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Not so Lazy Days at home

I remember when I used to think it was nice to just have a lazy Saturday with nothing planned to do.  Well, that wasn't the plan for this past Saturday but when babies are sick with yucky coughs and snotty noses, plans change.  We called it a stay at home day.  While we were at home with nothing planned, it was anything but lazy.  In fact, I felt like it was actually a lot of work.  Everybody needed something. 

Read me a book.  Play a game with me.  Can I have a snack?  I'm thirsty.  Who stinks?  I'm ready to do something different.  I don't want to watch football.  Can I? Can I? Can I?  I want. I want. I want.
It was wet and cold so I couldn't just boot them out the back door to play.  It was impossible to keep cleaning up after them.  It was impossible to get anything on my to do list done.
 yand go for a LONG drive with them all tied down in one spot just to keep from losing my sanity.  Confession. I have done that before.  Probably more than once. Then I realized that the chaos was mostly my fault in the first place.  I already know that my 5 year old, 3 year old and 15 month olds are needy individuals.  This should not have caught me off guard.  I know that they are so much less trouble when they've been given a project to do.  Especially Kade and Ryne.  Projects for Tesa and Tyce usually just include keeping them busy with errands to run. You know, go get that book.  Good, now can you go put that car in the bucket?  Great job.  Go check on Daddy and make sure he's good.  The keep em going in different directions kind of errands.

Anyway, instead of falling back on the long drive option I just wised up and busted out a craft for the big boys to do.  I had found this little project on pinterest a few weeks ago and this seemed to be the perfect time to make it happen.

Paper lunch bag.  Fall colored crayons. White paper to color. Scissors.
Viola!....
 A couple of lovely fall trees.
  A nice addition to the fall decor on the mantle.
 It was fun.  And the boys were nice and occupied.  Kyle could watch that football game as long as he kept Tesa and Tyce running those errands.

So I learned my lesson.  Don't count on a lazy day at home with these four kiddos anytime soon. 
So thankful they are mine, I wouldn't give them back for anything...not even a lazy day at home.  Now, shipping them off to stay with some grandparents would certainly be an option if they didn't all live thousands of miles away.  I could see myself doing that occasionally in order to get one of those lazy days worked into the schedule.  Oh well, a girl can dream, right?

1 comment:

kapjones said...

I'll dream that dream with you Terry! But you are right, when I am prepared and have projects (and structure) our days go much smoother. Sadly though I am not that much of a think ahead girl (although I used to be). Anyway, for future reference, when I do mini homeschool in the summer we have MUCH better days!