Saturday, August 28, 2010

This, That, and a Million Other Things

So about 3 weeks ago, my babies started back to school. :(  They enjoy it and I do have a few minutes of peace or time to run errands and not have someone asking "When are we gonna go home?" That is nice and I have high hopes that at some point, I will have my schedule down pat and make the most of the time I have with no kids in the house on MWF.

I am doing better about treating my "stay at home mom and wife" gig as a real job. Too many days I felt like I  hadn't accomplished nearly enough. Well, I ran across a website that included forms for planning out your day. They have been a huge help. I am a big fan of a list anyway. I love the feeling of crossing off things and feeling good about it. Sometimes I even write in all the extra things I did in a days time just so that I can mark them off! Weird I know. Now I plan out my days and the things I want to accomplish and what I am cooking for dinner each night. This has helped me. I get more done and feel better about myself. Planning my meals helps make less trips to the grocery store and I am prepared for nights where we have commitments or activities.

Everybody thinks that stay at home moms have all this free time if their kids go to school, even if it is just a few hours per week. Well, everyone except stay-at-home moms that is. If you have lived it - whether you are lucky enough to do it full time or while juggling your paying job as well, you know that there is more than enough to keep you busy 24 hours a day! (I find it is usually men who are of this opinion. You can't really blame them...they are just uneducated about what life as a mother, caretaker, wife, chauffeur, nurse, cook, cleaning lady, organization specialist, and personal assistant to two other people is like.)

This year is shaping up to be a busy one. I have a first grader and would like to have a day to volunteer in her classroom. I have a son who is enrolled in the preschool at our church and I am teaching two classes of Early Learning there this year. (I have so much I need to do for this class!) I am also picking up and dropping him off at another preschool 3 mornings a week. I have done pretty good exercising this summer and am trying to work that in some days while the kids are at school. So far, not so good. I am usually having to do it after Jeremy gets home in the evening. That is about to be a problem because we are quickly heading for a time change and it will be too dark when he gets here. I am joining a MOPS group too this fall. It puts me out of my comfort zone, after all it is on Friday mornings (one of the days Jack is at preschool) and I really love just having quiet time to myself. But I need to do it, I need to get outside my comfort zone and meet other women at my stage in life. Maybe even make some friends and get the name of a good babysitter so that before my kids turn 18 the hubs and I could go out some night! All this in addition to the "normal" stuff. You know church, cooking, cleaning, car-line, homework, birthday parties, etc. Oh, and did I mention as of August 31 we will own 90 acres! (I am sure that won't add to the workload!) I have to say, lately I have been happier, more content, and more at peace with my life than in a long time. I still have worries, mainly the impending events involving relatives in Tennessee and the financial changes associated with owning our farm, but everyone has something to worry about and I am truly blessed to have this wonderful life I have!

Thursday, August 19, 2010

A Big Day!

I'd like to say Wednesday, August 11, 2010 was a big day because my little girl started 1st grade! It was big because my son started a new preschool! But I'd have to say the BEST thing that made Wednesday, August 11, 2010 a BIG day around the Whitman household was....






It was the day we got our first University of Tennessee season football tickets!!!!


As my husband said, " We have arrived!"

Monday, August 9, 2010

Summer is over in just a few hours!

I can not believe that it is over! This is the last night we have with no school in the morning. This time tomorrow we will be doing the early bedtime routine for real! It just doesn't seem possible. M got out of school exactly 2 months and 1 week ago and now we have exactly 1 day left! I hate large amounts of snow! We have bought all the school supplies and uniforms for warm weather. (I had to do that a few weeks ago since the last full week of summer vacation was spent ... away on vacation!) We have crossed most of the things off my summer "to do" list. We did orientation tonight and saw who was in the class and met the teacher. She is even ready to go back she says. I love that about her; she likes school. I hope it lasts forever. I was like that. Other than the nervousness that pervaded my very soul right before school started, I didn't mind going back.

Not only will she start Wednesday, but Big Jack will start a new preschool that day too. He will go Monday, Wednesday, Friday for half days. Plus he will attend preschool at church on Tuesdays. So he (and Mrs. Mama the bus driver) will be super busy. I hope I am not too sad. I went back and forth about whether or not to send him that many days. I hope I can get alot done around the house and exercise during his time at school.

I may have more to do than I can handle since we recently purchased a 90 acre farm! I have no idea how to drive a tractor, but I guess I will be learning. I may have to teach at the church preschool too. I have escaped this until this point and in all honesty, I need to help. I am bad though...I will help when drafted. I may be from Tennessee, but I am not much of a volunteer!