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Does anyone else get depressed reading their favorite craft-related blogs? Or even just regular parenting blogs?
Some of the bloggers I read seem to have such perfect lives. You know, after they make all the beds in their adorable, clean, and uncluttered houses, they serve their children a nutritious breakfast of made-from-scratch biscuits served with fruit preserves they canned themselves using fruit they grew, herbs they harvested wild, and locally-grown sweetener. After breakfast, the whole family spends the morning engaging in creative endeavors - sewing, or playing with capes and helmets, or painting, or whatever. After their made-from-scratch and nutritionally-balanced lunches eaten on a handmade quilt under the tree in the backyard, they spend some time learning about the parts of plants while they work together in their spacious and well-weeded gardens. (Their lawn is, incidentally, mowed.) Some time, and I’m not sure when, they also have an opportunity to make wonderful things for their Etsy shop. Evenings are spent with their spouse after, of course, a made from scratch dinner.
Their kids are always really good, and when they’re naughty, they’re naughty in funny ways. The parents never lose their tempers, and always have the right answer. Nobody has bad habits, or does anything like let their kid have frozen pot stickers for lunch 5 days in a row.
Sigh.
I wouldn’t turn down a life like that.
But it’s not my life. And, truly, I do not think that that is what THEIR lives are like, either. It’s just what they appear to be, because I, as the reader, only see glimpses of their lives. Highly controlled glimpses, at that.
So, in an effort to make you feel better about yourself, here is OUR typical Monday.
Get up. Lounge in bed until everyone is good and awake. Get out of bed, make bed, make breakfast. Breakfast choices are the same every day: oatmeal, cereal, toast with peanut butter, toast with cinnamon sugar, eggs. Some days we add pancakes to the list, some days we have bacon. wahoo. Get dressed. (We always get dressed on Mondays!) Wash dishes, clean in Zone. Homeschool, starting no later than 9:15, preferably 9. Story time is at 10:15. (except tomorrow, there is no story time.) After story time, grab a snack and head down to my office (or my apartment, as Wally calls it). Work. Process orders, process shipping, sew, cut, whatever.
While I work, Wally can watch a movie (2 times a week), play games on the computer, draw, paint, playdough, or do whatever strikes his fancy. He will spend a significant amount of this time asking to watch a movie. Genna will sleep for an hour if I’m lucky, and be happy playing with toys for another half hour, and will fuss or need to be held the rest of the time. Sewing with a 6 month old presents some challenges!!
Finish up work as soon as humanly possible, but no later than 2. I aim for 1 every day, but don’t usually make it. Eat lunch. Lunch is usually sandwiches, leftovers, soup, or spaghetti. Soup is usually chicken noodle. From a can about half the time, though I’m trying to cut back on canned soups. I have never served us from-scratch rustic country breads with fresh-from-the-garden vegetable soups for lunch.
After lunch, mommy wants to rest, but usually ends up doing crafts or playing games with Wally. We always plan to read books after lunch, but usually forget. (We read books during homeschool time and in the evenings, so it’s not a huge deal.) Playing games usually means on the Wii, but with the return of nice weather, we’re heading outside more and more often.
Daddy comes home in the evening, and at least usually offers some books or other one on one activity with Wally. (this helps prevent obnoxious begging for attention later in the evening.) Monday is rehearsal night, so we eat dinner and then have dance team practice at our house for an hour or so before bed. Wally watches a movie while we practice.
So there you have it. If I ever give the impression that our life is more glamorous than this, well, I’m sorry.