eating chips in bed...

The static crackled audibly as she stripped off her black stretchy pants to finally lay down in bed, exhausted.

She first had to beat the potato chip crumbs off her side of the bed while wondering aloud, why exactly did they eat chips in HER BED?

This was after she'd laid out clothes for the next day, dreading getting back to the routine , the daily sprint or drudgery of the school week.

While having 7 children home and mess making all day was a different type of torture she still faced the upcoming week with definite loathing. Their week off together, full of adventures and fun, made the week pass too quickly.

It wasn't until Sunday night after they'd all fallen asleep or at least weren't within her view that she reflected on her mixed emotions and prepped for the following mornings rush.

The noise and their constant consumption of food was exhausting , not to mention expensive.

but the memories made countered the expenditure , all was deemed worthwhile.

Her lack of preparation for the week ahead became increasingly apparent. Minimal laundry had been done while the kids were home. extra clothes and dirty towels were created with every attempt at swimming. It was her own fault and she regretted that no laundry was done on the zoo day or the day they enjoyed themselves at Pump It Up, the inflatable party place or the day the baby had surgery.

She'd read a book Saturday afternoon and most of Sunday and while the book was the best she'd read in recent years she regretted the time wasted enjoying herself.

Although is time spent enjoying yourself ever really wasted? she chalked it up to being a good example to the kids to encourage a love of reading and summarily dismissed the ounce of guilt she had considered feeling.

she'd told herself she just had to get through the first day back, just one morning at a time. She'd have time once they were back to school to do laundry and attempt to tidy the wreckage left in the aftermath of a week of fun.

She went to sleep dreaming of a clean home , a money tree and strawberry cheesecake she didn't get to have because she'd stormed out during dinner after a few too many annoying behaviors from the kids.

Edit:

the next morning the alarm didn't go off because she'd failed to turn her assorted alerts and alarms back on. 5 kids had to shower and wash hair that morning because she'd been reading and forgot to enforce baths and showers the night before. The elementary school aged kids were 40 minutes late to school, and the Jr. High kid volunteered to miss first period because, he didn't want to do push ups for being late to his martial arts class. As it turns out, it's the eldest that is the distraction, making everyone hyper and fighting instead of getting ready.

Once they were all gone, she was left to chase the baby on her own, having a breakfast of dry lucky charms right out of the bag, and a slice of cheesecake with strawberries.

Back to the grind it was...

Published with Blogger-droid v2.0.4