Where it all begins

Three days ago, I told my sister I thought I should start a blog. Her comment was, "About what? The boredom of staying at home? :) ".

I follow that question up with one to my boyfriend who is currently 700 miles away. "Would you be ok with me starting a blog?". He made a comment that sealed the deal for me. He stated that it wasn't any different then me keeping a journal, with the small exception that anyone in the world could read it.

So, here it begins...

For the last 9 days I have been staying in my second childhood home keeping en eye on my nephews while my sister takes a vacation with her new husband. I am the only adult here and I consider myself to be a relatively social person, so I'm going a little stir crazy. Don't get me wrong, the time off work is nice. The time with my youngest daughter and my two nephews is amazing. But, I just don't know what to do with myself.

Even in the span of a few days I have already created a schedule. Wake up 6 AM, make coffee, look at my online masters program work (nothings ever new, since I completed it a week ago), check my phone, feed kids, play with kids, read a book, take the kids swimming, feed the kids, play with the kids, feed the kids, swim some more, feed the kids, make sure everyone showers, put kids to bed, PASS OUT!

A few things I have discovered.

#1 There is a reason that I work. Bless every stay at home mother in this world because I am not made for it. I love my children, I love my family, and I also love my time at work.

#2 Boys eat more food than anyone could possibly imagine. I have two girls. They eat 3 meals a day and snacks. These boys, and I am including several pre-teen boys in this number as my nephews friends are here frequently, never. stop. eating. I have ran the dishwasher 2 times a day for the entire time I have been here. It is literally incredible the amount of stuff they can pack away. Those tiny metabolisms zapping every calorie.

#3 Cleaning is an up hill battle. I decided to do my normal Saturday cleaning tasks; bathroom, kitchen, vacuum, floors. First of all, my house is not this big. Second of all, with this many kids by the time you finish you feel the need to run around behind them cleaning up, again. I now understand why some of my stay at home friends vacuum every day.

#4 You learn to laugh a lot. In my house we have two young children in school, two adults in school and working full time and all of the normal kid stuff, soccer, school events, and day care in the summer. We are pretty maxed out. Our life is very structured. We try and make time for game nights and movie nights and park time but it doesn't always happen. Staying here is the middle of all this kid chaos has taught me to embrace it all. It's good for me to have to let go a little.

With everything that has happened and all that I have learned in the last week, I'm excited to head home soon. Even my daughter who loves spending part of her summers here is ready to get back to her room, her friends, and her Buddy.

This has been an experience to remember...