All My Spare Time

I often feel like people expect more of me because I work part time. Many people think because I'm off in the afternoons I have time to do all kinds of "extra" things. Others think I spend my afternoons shopping or watching tv. The truth is, the only tv I watch anymore is "Dora" and "Phineas and Ferb".  

I don't know why, but tonight I really feel the need to share the events of today.. and to prove that I really don't have time to watch soap operas.

7:00 am - I wake up, an hour late. Oops.
7:05 am - Morgan wants to eat. Crap. I don't have time for this. As I feed her, I watch the clock, thinking, ok I still have 30 minutes to get ready. I can do this. Crap. Now I have 20 minutes.
7:30 am - Morgan finally finishes eating, and goes back to sleep. I go downstairs to wake up Lexi, who has also overslept.
7:32 am - I turn on the light in Jake's room, and try to wake him up. He doesn't move.
7:35 am - I hop in the shower. No time to wash my hair though.
7:40 am - Fastest shower in history, done. Now I sit down to pump a bottle for Morgan for later. Times like these I really wish she was on formula. I count down the days til her first birthday (47 days, if my early morning math is correct) while I pump.
7:50 am - I make sure Lexi is up and get Jake out of bed. When I tell Jake it's 7:50, he hops up and exclaims "crap! I thought it was like 6:50!". I can so relate, buddy. He gets in the shower. I get dressed, fix my not-washed hair and put some makeup on to cover the dark circles under my eyes
8:00 am - Lizzy and Morgan are still sleeping, and at this point, it's best they just keep sleeping. Lexi picks out clothes for them and I find shoes and speech homework (we'll need that later and won't have time to come home before speech)
8:10 am - We are out the door. Lexi buckles Morgan into her seat, I buckle Lizzy in. Jake runs back in to get all the things we forgot.
8:15 am - I drop the big kids off at school...and Jake exclaims, again, "crap!". He forgot his cello. Orchestra isn't until 2:00 pm. I should have time to bring it by before then.
8:20 am - I drop the little girls off at daycare.
8:30 am - I arrive at work. During the next four hours I shoot, write and edit a vosb and a pkg. I somehow find time to eat a banana (thank goodness I threw that in my purse earlier... I am starving) I really have to pee, but there's no time for that.
12:30 pm - I leave work and pick up the little girls at daycare. They are still eating lunch, so I hang out for awhile.
12:45 pm - We leave daycare, and rush home to grab Jake's cello and a Diet Coke. I know, I should grab something to eat too, but I forget.
1:00 pm - I get the little girls out of their seats, and drag them into school, along with Jake's cello. The office is busy. We stand and wait for about five minutes (five minutes I don't really have to spare). Finally the secretary nods at me, I leave the cello and we are out of there.
1:10 pm - Lizzy, Morgan and I arrive at Lizzy's speech. Five minutes early! That's a first! We even beat the teacher there! I celebrate a little, then kick myself. I totally had time to make a sandwich, or pee.. maybe both.
1:15 pm - Lizzy's speech class starts. Morgan and I spend the next 45 minutes trying to be quiet and not distract Lizzy from this super important speech therapy.
2:00 pm - Speech is done. We have 55 whole "free" minutes before we have to pick up Jake. I take the long way home, hoping Lizzy will fall asleep. No such luck.
2:15 pm - We arrive home. I nurse Morgan and Lizzy plays. At this point, I've given up on a nap. If she falls asleep now, it will not be pretty when we have to go pick up Jake.
3:00 pm - Once again, the little girls and I load up in the van and drive to school. We just have to pick up Jake today, Lexi has basketball practice.. which means we'll have to go back later and get her.
3:15 pm - Home again. I pay Jake $2 to watch the little girls for 20 minutes so I can take a quick nap. I don't sleep, but the fact that I get to sit down helps me recharge.
4:00 pm - Surprise! Brad got rained out and is home from work early! We are all in shock.
4:20 pm - I go to pick up Lexi from basketball practice. What a treat... no little girls to tag along. I savor the peace and quiet while I wait for her in the parking lot.
4:40 pm - Jake has football tonight. Usually we leave straight from basketball practice, but with Brad home early, he offers to take Jake to practice. I am thrilled.
4:50 pm - Crap. We're all going to be home for supper, and I'm home now, so there's no excuse for mac and cheese or frozen pizza. I had actually planned to make sloppy joes, and now I even have time to make them. I spend the next hour making sloppy joes, french fries, cucumber salad and helping Lizzy make rice krispie bars (a project to keep her from falling asleep. A nap at this time of day is never good). Morgan sits in her high chair and eats for about an hour straight. Lexi sits at the counter and does homework. I also do the dishes,clean the kitchen floor and switch the laundry during this time.
6:10 pm - The boys get home from football and we sit down as a family for supper. So strange, and so nice. I'm glad I took the time to cook something.
6:40 pm - Brad goes outside to mow the lawn, Jake is sent to his room to clean, Lexi continues with her homework, Lizzy plays, and Morgan eats more while I do the dishes. Again.
6:42 pm  - The doorbell rings. Crap. Totally forgot we babysit Jorja on Monday nights. Bless her heart, Lexi takes Jorja, Lizzy and Morgan outside so I can finish the dishes.
7:15 pm - Lexi and I give all three little girls a bath. Talk about challenging.
7:30 pm - Lizzy is near meltdown stage. Such a long day, and no nap. I sit down to feed Morgan and put her to bed. Lizzy goes downstairs with the other kids.
8:00 pm - Morgan is asleep, so I put her to bed. Lizzy comes upstairs, begging for someone to hold her. I sit back down and rock her. Morgan wakes up, so I rock them both.
8:15 pm - Jorja is sleeping, so Lexi brings her upstairs and puts her on the couch so she can finish that pile of homework.
8:30 pm - Jorja starts stirring, Jake lays down with her. Jake falls alseep, Jorja wakes up.
8:45 pm - Brad comes inside, showers, and takes the little girls off my lap. I rock Jorja.
9:00 pm - Lexi comes back upstairs and takes Jorja. We visit for a few minutes, then Sheena and Jesse arrive to pick up Jorja.
9:15 pm - Finally, everyone is sleeping. I should really switch the laundry, or shave my legs. Instead, I brush my teeth and head to bed.

Yet, as productive as today was, I can think of a dozen things I didn't get done today. I didn't schedule an ENT check for Lizzy. I didn't make it to the Girl Scouts office. I didn't make it to the Y. Oh well. There's always tomorrow. Today is in the books...and for those who think I have it made, working just four hours a day, I challenge them to live one afternoon in my shoes. Still as overscheduled as my life is, I wouldn't change a thing....

Crap.. Morgan is fussing.. maybe the day isnt done....