Domestic Goddess

Do you work? What do you do all day? Those are fighting words for some... If I choose to I can hear the judgment in those questions. I, however, choose to hear the innocent curiosity and to give the speaker the benefit of the doubt. After all, there really isn't an easy way to ask the first. 'Do you work?' seems to knock down those who don't earn a salary and 'do you stay home?' seems to judge those who manage to work for pay and care for the family. I like to answer with the same description you will find under -occupation- on the numerous forms I fill out every year... I am a domestic goddess. It says so right on my tax returns; just ask anyone at the IRS.

What do you do all day? That one is harder to reply to with so few words. (It is also harder to smile through the response...) So, for all of you who really want an answer to that one, this recap is for you.

Today was an easy day with few crises and lots of help, relative to most days.

4.45 awoke to tossing/turning child in my bed and a loud TV from downstairs

5.00 fully awoke to apologies from aforementioned child for peeing in my bed, sent child to bathroom, covered wet spot, found clean blanket, reassured child, turned off random TV, went back to bed, got back up to turn on fan and went back to bed

5.45 still awake, have contemplated going out for a run (ha!, a walk) multiple times, have considered what might get the blue goo off mom's white carpet, have considered my next blog entry, have realized that I didn't cancel my holds at the library in Franklin

6.00 asleep, finally

6.30 awoke to mom walking through my room (very quietly!) looking for the shoes she needs for work - the ones the girls put away for her yesterday

6.45 awoke to thunder and hoped it wouldn't wake the kids and scare them

7.15 John is wide awake and so am I

7.45 all 4 are up and moving; I attempt a chat with Patti which I give up on after only a few minutes

8.45 I am showered (hopefully I will get to my makeup before the day is done), breakfast is served, Allison is melting down because her vitamin is not the shape she desires

9.45 dishes are done, laundry is going, kids have pottied three times and are climbing in their carseats with water bottles and a few complaints

11.30 home after 4 stores visited, 2 nasty rashes found, 4 swim lessons scheduled

11.45 lunch served, dog poop cleaned off bedroom carpet

12.15 more laundry, more dishes, a short chat with Mema

12.30 called library to cancel hold so I am not charged, went to computer to Google how to clean silly puddy from carpet, was distracted and still haven't Googled it much less cleaned it, wondered if rashes might be impetigo - YUCK!

1.10 swimming! which requires dressing all of the kids and putting sunblock on everyone (it isn't just about grabbing a towel and heading out the door), lifeguarding (not sunning myself with a good book and an iPod on my head!), dog ick removed from yard

2.15 can't identify nasty rashes, at ED with 4 kids so 2 can be seen, playing games and trying to keep them entertained

3.00 done in ED (nasty rashes = nasty bug bites), looking for treat for kids who were FABULOUS for me (well, Claire did pitch a fit about who took the wrapper off a lollipop so I should qualify that... they were fabulous based on my expectations and mine was the one that mattered)

4.00 smoothies eaten outside by fountain, went window shopping for Daddy's welcome home party cake, back home getting ready to swim again

5.15 bidding adieu to friend, speed cleaning back yard while dodging rain drops, finishing up dinner, cleaning dog vomit from kitchen floor

5.25 find Claire hiding behind shower curtain pasting herself with bandaids

6.30 sitting down for an episode of Wonder Pets, I can't stay awake through this

7.30 baths done, nails clipped (including the removal of one whole toenail), beds made, kids in jammies and tucked into bed

8.30 checkbook balanced, bills paid, texts sent, blogging

And that doesn't include cuddles enjoyed, discipline doled out, frogs and crabs saved, deer searched for, teaching moments taken advantage of, potty breaks attended to...

Off to bed I go so I can wake up tomorrow, content with my life and rested well enough to enjoy every moment of my work. :)

Did I mention that this was a 'vacation day'???