10.10.10

Nothing much to write about, but I took such a long Sunday afternoon nap that I'm not tired enough to hit the sack!

I'm considering a trip by myself in a couple weeks. My kind husband tells me I'm overly scheduled and stressed and need some time to myself. I'm considering this, and might just book me a ticket. I want to read, sleep, ponder and have complete silence. Yes, I'd say that husband of mine is very wise in knowing when I need a break from reality and responsibilities. Some people would probably find it odd to take a vacation by themselves. I would love and savor every moment.

Book Club started up again a few weeks ago! We have an awesome group of girls this year, and I'm so excited to discuss our first book, The Hunger Games. I just finished the final book in the series, Mockingjay, and feel like the black sheep in my family because I loved it almost as much as I loved the first two books. I won't be a book spoiler, but I loved the war and peace theme.

Tomorrow begins a whole new week. Sometimes I want to strangle the person who coined the term "stay-at-home-mom." It must have been a working man.

Women in general are just so dang busy. I look at my friends who work full-time jobs and then go home to a houseful of kids, and am amazed. I look at my friends who are single moms and feel like bowing down at their feet. After having Ryan travel much more than usual lately, I've realized I am just not single-mom material. I look at my friends who spend all their time and energy serving their communities and church groups, and am so grateful that they seem to have an unlimited supply of energy. But at the same time I look at my friends who are "SAHM" like me, and realize that society can often give us a bad rap. I've had times where women tell me how it must be so nice to relax during the day because I don't have a "job." Wow. My busiest days are Tuesdays and Thursdays. This is what the calendar says I did last Thursday:

6:15 Awake. Wake up Brevan and prompt him to start getting ready. Get in a quick shower.
7:00 Typically we start homeschool at this time, but on Thursdays Brevan has Beyond Basics (gifted and talented program) at the Middle School in the morning. Wake up the girls and get them in the shower.
7:10 Drive Brevan to school (10 minute drive each way).
7:30 Get breakfast ready for everyone while doing a telephone parent-teacher conference with Brevan's online "homeroom" teacher.
8:00 Wake up Logan and get him fed.
8:10 Quick prayer and scripture study. Get the girls on the bus. Smile as they blame all their problems on me.
8:15 Give Logan a bath and get him ready for the day. Calmly ignore many temper tantrums.
8:45 Drive Logan to preschool.
9:00 Get the prescriptions filled at the pharmacy, do a little grocery shopping for the essentials, pick up the Book Club book from Pam and take it over to Jen's house, stop by the church to make a few copies for my upcoming Sharing Time.
10:00 Pick up Brevan at the Middle School. Take him to the public library so he can use their computers to get some homeschooling done.
10:20 Get to the Elementary School where I volunteer at least once a week.
11:20 Leave the Elementary and pick up Brevan from the library.
11:30 Pick up Logan from preschool.
11:45 Drive through Sonic to get the boys some quick lunch (on good days, I pack lunches for us to eat during this time).
12:00 Take Brevan back to the Middle School for his elective classes. On the other days of the week, we have finished homeschool by this time and I drive him to the Middle School for the first time after he eats lunch.
The afternoon is spent making phone calls for Primary, cleaning the house and trying to give Logan some undivided attention before the other kids get home and we start driving to all their activities.

A typical Tuesday evening of activities goes like this:
3:30 Pick up the girls from school (because I won't be home at the time they would typically get off the bus).
4:00 Pick up Brevan from computer club. He has this special club on Tuesdays and Thursdays. On the other days he gets out of school at 2:20.
4:15 Drop off Brynlie at home and arrange for someone to drive her to choir, because I will in South Liberty when it starts.
4:30 Have Lindsey change into her dance clothes while I'm driving.
4:45 Lindsey has dance class.
5:30 Lindsey is done with class. Make sure Brynlie got picked up for choir. If not, drive the 20 minutes home and get her there.
6:30 Pick up Brynlie from choir and drive to the church.
7:00 Brevan has Scouts at the church for the next hour. I usually stick around during this time and tackle some Primary work.
8:00 Scouts is done. Take my troops home.
8:15 Super quick dinner of something easy.
8:30 Read book to the girls. Prayer time.
9:00 Lights out for all the kids except Logan, who fell asleep in the car on all my driving and will be up late.
10:00 Have Ryan call from his business trip and tell me he's lonely and wishes he were home with everyone. I sigh and wish desperately to switch him places.

It's no wonder the prophets are always telling us to slow down. I look around at the wonderful women in all sorts of situations and I'm in awe at the amount of things we accomplish.

Well, it's technically not 10-10-10 anymore, because I've stayed up far too late and will regret it in the morning. Off to bed . . .