The routine

How does it all get done?  I mean, the scheduling of life as a working mom.

Meals.  I’m trying to use my Saturdays to work on meals for the week. So far one of our staples has been this pizza crust dough from the Pioneer Woman.  I freeze it in two hunks and take it out the morning of for pizza making that night.  My kids love creating their own pizza and it takes about 15 minutes total to make!

Exercise. I don’t like to call it running any more.  My legs are shot by the end of the school day so runs are painful.  Weekends are spent running. Week days?  Cross training.  And Matthew, my amazing husband, takes the kids home from school a few days a week so I can head to the gym for an hour.  I TREASURE that time alone.

Time with my kids.  I admit this has been one of the biggest struggles for me.  I’m pretty tired by the end of the school day.  Our dear sweet Desta is ready for bed at 6 pm.  Up a few times at night (AGAIN!) and then up for good at 6 am.  Time with her is limited. Thank God for weekends.  The other two?  We are fitting in soccer now. And homework.  And learning to read with Tobin. And…the list does not end with the academic load kids have these days.

TV and computer time.  This has been a challenge.  My kids LOVE all their school computer games. The new tv love:  Electric Company on PBS and Sesame Street.  So the new deal is. After Tobin finishes his homework in the afternoon, he has computer time.  After dinner, Tobin reads or works on letters and Lego’s and Caroline has computer time.  The new deal is working so far.

Date nights.  This is a work in progress. Matt has been away the past two weekends. Madeline and I have been holding down the fort here in Lauderdale.  I’m hoping that very soon we can resume our weekly date nights.

We are most definitely in a routine.  Some days click along perfectly. Other days?  Well, this control freak has to let go.