Wash, Rinse, Repeat

The other day I was tackling laundry. It never ends. And seriously, where do all those missing socks go? Every now and again it hits me how monotonous it can get being a stay-at-home mom. I wash the same clothes and dishes, clean the same rooms, and prepare the same meals over and over. 

I think the Winter months in Utah are particularly hard. When it's too cold, icy, or it's snowing; you're often stuck indoors. So days will pass when I don't talk to anyone besides my kids and my husband. Sometimes by the end of the day when we get everything done and the kids in bed David and I are just so tired that we crash for the night.

I miss the days when we were newly married. We lived in apartment, easy and fast to clean. We didn't have to worry about home maintenance. I only did laundry once a week. We had 1 or 2 small children with no school schedules or extra curricular activities to keep track of. If you wanted to go to St. George in the middle of the week and David had vacation, we could totally be spontaneous and just get in the car and go. We had 1 cell phone that we didn't really use. We didn't text, we didn't Facebook, or Instagram. Truthfully, there was a time we didn't even have a computer, so we hardly emailed. To some degree life was easier.

I miss the simplicity of that special time. I felt present in the moments. I didn't worry as much. I actually talked to friends more. I was more carefree. I wouldn't change the course my life took. I am grateful for each of my children. I just wish that simplicity could have continued forever.

The First Mistake

As a parent you find yourself saying things that you never imagined you could possibly say. You also hear things that you could never have imagined in your wildest dreams.

There is also something about getting in the shower when you have young children. You think you have kids settled down for naps, quiet time, play time, or maybe a movie. That moment when you first step in the steamy shower is so heavenly. You take a big breath. Finally a moment to yourself. And as quickly as you had that thought, something always happens. The baby wakes up, the phone starts ringing, 2 or more kids start fighting. In my case, it's often all of those things. All too often before you have even rinsed the shampoo out of your hair, someone is inevitably in the bathroom. You knew they were coming you heard all that screaming along with thudding footsteps running up the stairs. The heavenly shower is officially over and you scramble to get out quickly. If I'm lucky, I will be in my robe before someone bursts through the bathroom door.

Today was no exception. I heard 3 kids running up the stairs with tales of woe "He did..." and "She did..." and "MOM!!!!" I shouted that I would be out of the bathroom in just a minute. So as soon as I emerged, I asked what in the world had happened in the last few minutes. My oldest daughter was the first to try and explain. "Well, we were playing Hunger Games...". I told her that I was going to have to stop her right there. Clearly I had recognized my first mistake, I let the older 2 read the first 2 books and watch the first 2 movies. I mentally face palmed myself.