It’s Finally Friday

…and kids everywhere are out of school for “fall break”… but, it’s raining… it’s cold… and James has a football game tonight…

So for fun this morning we went out to breakfast and went to Wal-Mart shopping.  I am sure glad that it is “fall break” because those things are always so much more fun when you can drag many children with you!!

Do you ever bite off more than you can chew??

Kiahna did this week…

She had so many skittles in her mouth, a few went flying when she laughed with them in…

I feel like a few of the things I have been trying to chew this week have went flying!!  Mostly not because I was laughing! 

I feel like my “to-do” list is never done.

I have too many things I want to do.

Too many things I need to do.

I made a list… then I accidently threw it away…

I started managing my children better this week though…

Scenerio #1:

Me:  Would you please fold this laundry while I am gone?

Child #2*:  Yes.

Me:  Thanks, bye.

(three hours and two counseling sessions later, I return)

Child #2:  Can you take me to youth and my friend’s church tonight.

Me;  Sure.

Take Child #2 to youth.

I return to find 1 of the 3 laundry baskets folded.

Child #2, calls to be picked up.

As we travel home,

Me:  You didn’t finish folding that laundry for me.

Child #2:  Yes I did! 

Me:  No, there were 2 more baskets sitting there.

Child #2:  Oh, I didn’t know you wanted me to fold ALL of them… you didn’t say that.

Me:  Who do you think will fold them if you don’t?

Child #2:  You.

Me:  Yeah… (trying not to cry or pull out more of my fine, thin hair!)

…Silence…

Child #2:  Can I have Dalton and Issac over tomorrow?

Me:  Grrrrrrrr….

Me:  Do you see anything odd about this conversation??  (biting tongue, clenching steering wheel)  I am in the midst of driving you back home from somewhere YOU wanted to go… YOU didn’t do what I asked you to do at home… and NOW YOU are asking ME for yet another privilege?!

Child #2:  Yeah… I’ll fold it when I get home…

Me:  Grrrrrr….

Child #2:  So can they come?

Me:  Let’s see how the folding goes.

Child #2:  I’m gonna do it… you didn’t tell me you wanted them all done.

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Scenario #2

Child #3*:  Do I have to go to the ball game?

Me:  No, you can stay home with Kiahna, and I will pay you to clean the house.

Child #3:  Okay.

(three hours and one football game later)

I walk into the house.  Mentally prepared for things to look less than my standard.

Me:  did you clean?

Child #3:  Yeah, I picked up the living room.

Me:  Picking up and pushing things to the sides doesn’t count as cleaning.

Child #3:  Oh, I didn’t know you meant THAT kind of cleaning?

*********************

Apparently we have a communication problem in this family…  Apparently in all the years we have lived together my voice has begun to sound like the parents on the Peanuts movies…

Me:  whooo…waaaa…woooo…whallll….woooooo….

Them:  uh, huh, sure…

Me:  whaaa….wooooo….whallll….

Them:  uh, huh, yeah… i heard you…

Me:  wahhhhh….WHHHHAAAAA…..WOOOOOOO…..WHALLLLLLLL….

Them:  Oh, did you say something?? 

I love fall break…

Pam

*The names in this story were changed to protect the not so innocent.  These stories were based on real-life events that happenend in my house this week.