This School Year I'm NOT Going to Suck...Too Much

Today officially marks the last day of summer vacation.  My kids have been on leave from their schooling duties for 85 days.  Sure, we have two more days with the weekend, but it's Friday.  The last week day they will be home for an extended period of time until Christmas.  We've had a fun summer filled with baseball, playing outside, two LONG family vacations, swimming, and bumming around the house with no schedule.  It hasn't always been sunshine and roses, but I think it's safe to say we made some serious memories and had plenty of fun along the way.

Monday will be here before we know it and I'll be sending my first two kids off to school.  Thursday my third will join his older siblings and we'll be off and running.  This school year I am making a vow not to suck...too much.

I'm going to get up before my kids in the morning and take some time for myself.  Reading, running, exercising at home.  Something.  Just for me.  I would like to replace overtired, stressed, crabby morning Mommy with tolerable, pretty nice, rested Mommy who has started the day off on the right foot.  Kids, take note.  That means you need to stay in your rooms until the time your dad and I have set as an appropriate time to start your morning.  Please, life will be so much better if you do.

We're going to walk to school (well at least until the weather stinks).  That means we'll need to be prepared for school.  Clothes out the night before, homework done and put in backpacks, and lunches prepared.  Joining our friends for a brief walk before the school day begins will be a great way to start off our day.

I will spend my time pursuing my passions.  This is the year I will finally start my very own business (wahoo!!!) and the charity I co-founded will officially be a 501(c)3 organization.  The future looks bright and filled with promise.  My bucket will be filled with these two endeavors and I cannot wait to get at it.

I'm going to say "no" to outside commitments.  Stepping down from the PTA board was my first step (may I say I have not regretted that decision once!) and now it is time to take it just a step further.  I will carefully offer my time to volunteer in activities I enjoy, those that fit my schedule, and most importantly, will not cause crazy amounts of stress.  If all else fails, I will write a check.

I will be organized.  Weekly menus will be planned, grocery shopping will be done while the kids are at school, and meal prep will be done before they get home.  Well, most days anyway.  I am hoping this will restore some sort of peace during the late afternoon and early evening after they've arrived home from school.  With everyone getting into the routine and being a bit tired and crabby, this could make or break our evenings.

 I'll be open to suggestions for fun family activities and extracurricular activities.  If they fit our schedule, don't cost a fortune, and provide exercise or improving a skill, we can talk about it.  Don't get me wrong, we're not going to overload our schedules, but as the kids age I would like to consider their interests and suggestions with an open mind.

Perhaps most importantly, we'll schedule social time for the whole family.  Time with friends, for the young and old, is good for the soul.  Our fall calendar is already filled with fun for the old.  It might sound a little crazy, but our sanity depends on it.  Mama needs to get out of the house and have some fun.  We have been blessed with a great group of neighborhood friends who all have younger kids, too.  We're all eager to break free now and then to refuel our tanks.

 I suppose I should take a look at some things for the kids, too.  Time to bring back the movie nights and throw in some outings to the local museums, parks, and indoor swimming pool.  

There it is.  My plan filled with good intention to not suck this school year.  Last year I was stressed out, overcommitted, out of shape, and tired.  This year IS going to be different.  I'm going to make sure of it.

Here's to more rest, more fun, and a more pleasant household for all!  Welcome back school (and a much quieter house!).

The Next Chapter

Summer is winding down and I must admit, I am looking forward to a little less chaos and noise around the house during the day.  I love my children to death, but they are a force to be reckoned with when they are all together day after day.  By the end of every summer I vow to enroll my kids in some fun activities the next summer, but I don't.  Make a large note, girl...do it!

This particular fall brings about a big change for our family.  Three of our kids will be in school full-time, which means a huge shift in dynamics for me personally during the day:  I will just be left with my youngest.  I haven't had just one child at home in years.  One would think I would want to take full advantage of this and soak up the sanity that is bound to come with this change, but this will not be the case.

I continue to find myself restless.  In fact, if I'm brutally honest, I have been restless since I was home alone with just one child all of those years ago.  It is simply my personality and as hard as I try to stay in the moment and not look ahead, the truth of the matter is I can't.  By nature I am a doer.

For years I have poured myself into different projects to feel fulfilled in a different capacity other than wife and mother.  I frequently question if staying at home was the right decision for me and my kids.  Most would say yes, but there is always that creeping doubt that maybe I would be a better mother if I had chosen a different path.

This staying home gig is no joke.  It is exhausting and tries my patience in ways I never knew possible.  There are days I just want a break from the tantrums, fighting, and noise.  A job outside of the home, though it comes with it's share of challenges as well, seems so very appealing.

We recently returned from an extended road trip and while staying at a hotel I saw so many career men and women gathering in the lobby for breakfast.  There must have been a big national meeting for some company, as they all seemed to know each other.  As I watched these people exchange pleasantries and share updates about their families, I couldn't help but picture myself in their shoes.

What would life be like if I had a career which involved traveling and meeting new people?  Would I feel less restless if I was out there pursuing this path or would I miss my family terribly?

For now, I won't know the answer to these questions anytime soon.  I have no plan to join the corporate world where national sales meetings occur or a job which requires me to travel.  I do, however, have plans to pursue the business venture I started working on several months ago.

If all goes well, I'll soon have a career other than stay-at-home mom, and perhaps those nagging restless thoughts will finally dwindle.  While I'm not ready to officially share what this business venture is just yet, I will say it certainly capitalizes on my job experience over the past 8 years.

In just 13 days the noise level in my house will decrease ten-fold.  There will not be toys strewn all over the floor, sports games being played, and towns being built of blocks.  Lazy mornings in pajamas with breakfast being eaten whenever, will soon give way to the hustle and bustle of getting ready for school and packing lunches.

I know a few weeks after school starts I'll miss my kids.  Such is the cycle we are constantly living.  This time, though, I'll be busy working on starting a career of my own which will hopefully benefit our family in more ways than one.  Only time will tell, bit I'd rather take the risk and get the game rather than watch from the sidelines.

It is the year to get sh*t done.  This next adventure is pretty big sh*t.

Cheers to another chapter closing and new beginnings!