Last week, the kids had three days of school, so we could dip our toes in the water of LEAVING THE DAMN HOUSE again. Minnie had gym class but not swim. Coop had hockey and swim but not dive. Harry was off of tennis. Jack still had dive but no early mornings. Dorothy’s dance studio was still on break. Ben had to go to campus, but I was still home with no work commitments.
This week, my adjunct online class started up (I should talk more about this—I have been doing it for almost 15 years, and I love the students and the perspective they bring to my academic life so much), and I started to get meeting requests and emails at my real work account. Plus I have a fun committee Zoom this week. Tennis and dive kicked back in. The kids had a full week of school. Minnie and Dorothy returned to swim. Dorothy tries cheerleading this weekend AND her dance team has a special Saturday practice. Captain’s tennis has started for Harry ahead of the season, so he’s playing more nights than he’s not.
Next week, all of the activities are back on, including dance 4 days a week after school for Dorothy, and I have all day on-campus commitments on Thursday. We get our first taste of a super, super busy weekend, too, with a hockey tourney for Coop and a speech tourney for Harry and Jack.
The following week, my classes start, and both boys continue to be in their busy season with dive and speech team, plus Coop’s 3 club sports are all traveling and practicing AND his baseball team is practicing on Sundays. Plus! Dorothy has another taste of competitive cheerleading with a day of clinics.
PHEW!
But. I really do appreciate the rolling start. We have a few days to get a rhythm before we have to add in another thing, and I think this is how we are going to stay sane. Or how we are not going to notice the water is boiling until we’re all cooked. Either way.
Using chicken tenders to make buffalo chicken wraps is my favorite easy dinner, especially when we cannot eat at the same time. I make the chicken tenders and air fry some fries. Then, I lay out a variety of condiments and veggies and wraps, and people can build their own. I do chicken, blue cheese, chopped celery, tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, ranch and hot sauce, personally. Then! I can stick the leftovers in a Tupperware for Ben to take to work and have a crispy chicken salad the next day.
I am taking both girls to a 2-hour dive practice of Coop’s on the UW campus today. Wish me luck.
OMG - so many activities! I am sure this is how my parents felt when we were all in activities. I remember how thrilled my parents were when another kid got their license! We were more spread out than your brood, though - there are 17 years between youngest to oldest. There were 10 years between me, child 4, and the oldest, though. My little sister got drug around to a lot of stuff when she was young, though!
ReplyDeleteI'm enjoying this stage of life when the activities are pretty minimal. We just have gymnastics (which is like what Minnie goes to, I think). Next fall I am hoping to get the kids back in swimming lessons. I did some classes with Will when he was baby but now I'm waiting until he's 2.75 so he can be in the pool without me - and hopefully Paul will be willing to take a class with him. I tried putting Paul in swimming lessons in the summer of 2021 and he refused to get in the pool. Like I tried EVERYTHING and the teachers tried everything and nothing worked. So I paid a ton of money for him to maybe stand on the ledge or kick his feet in the water... He's way more into the water now so hopefully by the fall I can talk him into it.
Cooper was like that too when he was 3 (which is the age our pool starts swim lesson w/o parents), and now he is an AWESOME club swimmer. :)
DeleteYou are giving me hope, Sarah!!!
DeleteWow. I am just... wow. That is SO MUCH. SO MANY ACTIVITIES. How do you keep track of who goes where and when? I am seriously asking this. My kid (the ONE kid) has stuff five days a week and I have to put detailed labeled alarms in my phone otherwise I would have no idea when to pick her up or which instrument to bring where.
ReplyDeleteTo be fair, we do not have a single kid with stuff 5 days a week, so just imagine your current routine scaled up LOL. It’s OK— I think if I were not home during the day most days it would be unsustainable.
DeleteOkay, well my head is spinning. I have two kids, but with a huge age difference. So I basically was able to focus on all the activities for one kid, and now that he's in college my daughter's activities are starting up. I cannot even fathom doing everything you're doing, all at once. Weird question, but would you consider yourself an extrovert? I've been thinking about this because I'm at a huge convention with my daughter right now and my energy is being seriously drained. i'm thinking it would be easier to deal with if I weren't such an extreme introvert. Well, whatever you are, you're good ate juggling all these schedules by now.
ReplyDeleteExcellent family planning LOL— when Dorothy is a senior in high school, and Minnie is heading into the club sports era I will give myself a similar cheer. I think I am an extroverted introvert. I am very good at being social but also I hate it.
DeleteI would die. Maybe literally. Gah! But as always, I love how enthusiastic you are about this and how you allow your kids to explore so many amazing opportunities.
ReplyDeleteAnd your divided snack tray arrived!! Yay!
The divided snack tray is everything I wanted it to be
DeleteLove the buffalo chicken wrap bar idea. Totally doing that next week.
ReplyDeleteCROWD PLEASER. I follow this, basically : https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/buffalo-chicken-wrap/
DeleteI had three social events this weekend. They were lovely and I enjoyed them, but I don't need another social event for two weeks. I don't know how you do it!
ReplyDeleteGirl, you need a personal assistant. How do you manage?
ReplyDelete