Sending them Back

It's barely the middle of August, and although it will be another month at least before cool Autumn breezes grace my spot in the world, the kids are back at school. This morning two rode the bus off to intermediate school and two walked down the the elementary school. The other two start preschool tomorrow.

Tomorrow.

Tomorrow, for two and a half hours I will be alone. I will have the house to myself. I will have my thoughts to myself. I can open the pantry or fridge without someone declaring they are hungry and need a snack. I can sit on the couch without having someone ask me to read them a book. I can walk out of a room without someone instantly calling for me the minute I step out. I can even go to the bathroom in peace. For two and a half hours, I will be alone.

I used to feel guilty about the sigh of relief I let out when school starts up again, wishing I was a mom with the talent to always be "on" as a mother: homeschooling, letting the kids climb in bed with her every night, never too busy to read a book or listen to a complaint or work on a messy art project. But I know myself better now, and I know my kids. School is good for the kids. And me, I'm not anti-social or anything, but my personality has always leaned towards spending time alone with my thoughts, needing space to regroup and organize myself. Going for long periods of time when my thoughts are constantly interrupted is jarring to me. The school year brings balance, gives me enough space that I can feel collected enough to give my children more of myself when they are home than I am able to when I feel constantly bombarded by their needs.

I admire those women who homeschool and are with their children almost 24/7, and I admire the mom's who send their kids off to school every day with a hug and a kiss, and the knowledge that they are loved, priceless jewels that their mothers could not live without.

I'm not behind on my ironing, just ahead on my laundry.

Ha, Ha. Neither of those statements are true, but it sounds good. It's my new favorite saying.


Following a long tradition of woman sweating over a hot iron, tonight I must tackle my ironing pile, smoothing out the wrinkles in the clothes my husband works in to support our family, and smoothing out some wrinkles in my mind. I do not have an affinity for ironing. It is usually last on my list of chores (too often I find my husband has had to quickly iron a shirt before heading off to work). As a child my mother paid me something like 5 cents a shirt to iron my father's collared shirts. Even then I would cheat by tucking one shirt inside of another and doing two at a time.

But I have found if I can iron when the kids are busy playing and I have few interruptions, it is a great thinking chore. Meaning it doesn't take a lot of brain power to iron so my mind is free to work over a problem or plan dinner or just daydream. In fact, I find a lot of chores are like that: folding laundry, mopping, gardening, as long as I are not pressed (no pun intended) for time or have a ton of interruptions. I guess you can stop and smell the roses even when you're hard at work.

So here is my job for the evening. It looked like a lot more when it was all bunched up in my laundry room (I know, bunched up is not very conducive to quick ironing). The kids will be in bed soon and I will tackle this pile with zeal, while planning in my head the sewing project I get to do when I am finished :).

Mother's Day Stash

Stuff from all my sweeties.

Except the flowers on the left, Tim (4) is keeping them for himself.

I got the same thing from his sister, why would I want two?

Poem by my 10 year old son:

My mother is kind,
My mother is loving.

My mother may be orderly,

but is never outgoing.

My mother is thoughtful,

My mother is giving.
My mother is generous,

And is very knowing.

My mother is hardworking,

My mother is helpful,

And I think my mother,

Is very careful.

I am my mother's treasure,*

My mom is the best.

My mother,

Beats the rest.

*My favorite line. You truly are my treasure!!!!

Whoa Mama!

I just saw this over at Dandelion Mama .

It makes me not feel so bad about all the *other* crafts I never get

around to doing/finishing.

Happy Mother's Day!

I did a little research and found this picture is available on pins, magnets,etc at Mutha Crafter at http://www.muthacrafter.etsy.com/ .

Mother's Day Gifts

I read a post on yahoo that listed the five worst gifts you could give on Mothers day. It had a beautiful picture of one of these:

and claimed any appliance should not be given as a gift on this ever so sacred day honoring mom. Frankly, anything that will make my life easier or more pleasant as I go about my day being a mom is something that I would love. I have taught my husband, who originally balked at the idea of buying me appliances as gifts, that something I use is something I love. In spite of his coworkers warnings about ending up in the dog house for these kinds of gifts, I have received electric skillets, extra large crock pots, wheat grinders, etc. for birthdays and anniversaries. A few years into our marriage, when cordless phones were not common, all I wanted for my birthday was an extra long cord for my phone so I could reach the fridge at one end of the kitchen, the high chair at the other, and peek around the corner to see what was going on in the other parts of the house. I don't remember anything else I received that year, except that I got that cord. And I was happy.

I guess it would be different if I just went out and bought these things for myself, but I don't. I make do as long as possible. I also suppose if it were something that was broken and we were going to replace it anyway, that would be kind of a let down.

I may feel differently when I am in another stage of my life, when I don't spend the majority of my time trying to keep the household running smoothly. If there will ever be such a time:)

I recently read in the Cricket magazine (for kids) a little article about how Mother's Day was created. Surprise - it wasn't invented by Hallmark! A woman who wished to honor her mother and all mothers for their hard work and sacrifice petitioned the government to have the second Sunday in May be a special day to honor mothers. Later in her life she became angry and disappointed as she saw the commercialization of Mother's Day growing. (I wonder what she thought of Christmas!) I don't care if I receive anything by way of gifts this year. Sleeping in, not having to cook dinner, and having a houseful of kids that behave "perfectly" for one day would be plenty.

Mommy's Moods

My husband and daughter drew this on our chalk board today. Can you guess what kind of mood I was in?