Acting Balanced: Friday Fragments

Friday Fragments

Once again, it's Friday and it's my day to be Heather instead of Mommy for a few hours - It's honestly really great to be able to get out and volunteer - even if it's only for a few hours a week - I love that I get to interact with adults and kids in a different way and that Erik gets to spend quality time with Daddy...

This week was a week of strange Facebook statuses on my part... here's one from yesterday

"Gotta love getting this text from Liam's teacher this morning: Liam came off the bus with one shoe... can you drop off a new pair? Luckily I had an extra pair in the car with me so I didn't have to come all the way home after driving Robyn to school..."

"Update to the shoe incident from this morning... it appears that Liam got ON the school bus minus one shoe... at least the shoes have been reunited ... Daddy will be doing a morning shoe check from now on..."

On a related note: Wayne does an excellent job of getting Liam up and out the door - he makes three lunches and also has to deal with the surly teenager, but he's now added an official shoe check to his morning routine... (and yes I did just rip off one of his FF things... sue me

It's been tough getting used to the new schedule for this semester - Wayne is back to work after his sabbatical and he's teaching four nights a week, which makes it tough for him to see the kids since they're asleep before he gets home... just means that our weekends will be more precious...

The other tough thing has been that I am now doing the school pick up run - Liam gets picked up at 2:45 and we need to meet Robyn's bus at about 3:45 PM - not long enough to go home... but too long to stay in the car... it's been an interesting adjustment... and I've forked out $$ for french fries...

I think the hardest thing about Wayne heading back to work is this:

I actually went and hid in the bathroom for almost 10 minutes when I got home from the school run, just because I could ... Robyn was there to supervise the boys and put the groceries away and I wanted to have a few minutes to myself before the boys worked themselves back up into a frenzy...

Well I've whined enough for one day... I'm sure there are much better frags floating around in the blogosphere... all waiting to be caught at:

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Keetha · 653 weeks ago

I do remember a few times "escaping" to my bedroom and closing the door for a wee bit back in the days when I was raising four.

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byclaudya 69p · 653 weeks ago

Love your bathroom break photo. Although I'm wondering if you always have a camera on you. I guess a blogger on the go has to be prepared.
My recent post A Mother’s Train of Thought (Fragmented Fridays)

1 reply · active 653 weeks ago

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actingbalanced 78p · 653 weeks ago

Thanks. It's not my photo... I just borrowed it... but the idea is the same.

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sanityor 68p · 653 weeks ago

I know what you mean about the length of time between pick up stops! I run into it when I have to do all the various pick-ups. Whenever we're down to one car and Pete's got Parents' Day Out, my pick ups are like this:

Drop Rich off at work by 7:30, drive back toward home (about 15 minutes) to drop Teddy off at school by 8, drop Pete off at PDO at 9. If we go home, Pete gets naked and I have to fight to get him dressed again.

In the afternoon, I have to pick Pete up at 2, Teddy at 3 and Rich at 4. Between Pete and Teddy, I wait in the pick up lane with a book for almost an hour. Between Teddy and Rich, I stop by McDonald's to get drinks for everyone and take the long way to Rich's work to still get there early and hope security doesn't tell me to move.

All this to say that I feel your pain! :D
My recent post Friday Fragments

2 replies · active 653 weeks ago

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actingbalanced 78p · 653 weeks ago

It was much harder when we were a one car family - I think I spent 10-12 hours a day in the car.. but it's been a while since our schedules were this far out of whack.. and I'm feeling it.

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sanityor 68p · 653 weeks ago

I know what you mean. We're only temporarily a one car family - I let my dad borrow my van while I was unable to drive and got the ability to drive shorter distances before I was able to get the Van back. (Tomorrow, I can't wait for tomorrow.) I'm trying to readjust to schedule changes myself, coming back after the holidays. Rich works three jobs (his day job at Vanderbilt, teaching one night a week at University of Phoenix and tutoring 3 or 4 nights a week) and he hadn't been doing much with the tutoring or Phoenix over break. Now he's back full force with everything so it's all me, morning to night, for much of the work week. We live for the weekends and family time as well.

As much as a pain it is missing him, it's kinda nice knowing that I'm not alone with it! :D
My recent post Five Question Friday

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Nancy · 653 weeks ago

I had the same pick up problem when I had one in elementary school and one in middle school......it could be torture at times!

My granddaughter once came home from school (I just happened to be visiting) with two different shoes on and when I asked ??? she looked strangely and said she and a friend exchanged one shoe and forgot to exchange back! The other mother was quite upset! We laugh about that to this day and she's 20

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teguzchica 44p · 653 weeks ago

I love the bathroom break photograph. So true. Sometimes, it's good to be single. I leave the kids at work, but they find me in the bathroom many times, too.
My recent post Gumbo Mix: Friday Fragments

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doreen mcgettigan · 653 weeks ago

I know it sounds crazy but I do miss shuffling my little ones around. I do remember thinking back then when they grow up and leave I am going to sleep in all the time. God has a sense of humor because I swear I wake at the crack of dawn every day.
I am a bit ridiculous at times with my grand children and have driven an hour to take one to get a taco and silly things like that. Its all fun now!!
I hope you get some private bathroom time over the weekend:)

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Kay · 653 weeks ago

Oh why is the bathroom not a sacred place??? I can't find peace even in there, I love that picture!!!

Having your teammate suddenly switch schedules is just rough!!! I hope you make it through the transition, that can really suck!

On a good note, you did get the time away to be Heather. I would love time like that!!
My recent post FF My How Time Does Fly

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@DealinandDishin · 653 weeks ago

My kids don't do that when I am in the bathroom. They like to ask me for things especially snack. Um I'm kinda busy at the moment.
Now I have a cat who think when you are trying to use the bathroom is the perfect time to bust in and try to rub on ya.

I love the shoe bit. I am sure he wasn't the first kid to get on the bus missing a shoe..such a classic kid moment :)
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