Every Day Can't Be a Disney Day

I've been trying to get back on track with my psycho "in a perfect world" schedule. This particular day that meant taking the two little girls to the library. (That's what good moms do, right?) Part of getting back on track is also getting everyone on a better sleep routine which was disrupted by the previous night's Little League game. I pressed forward though, waking everyone up early in the morning so they would conk out early that night. If only it were that easy. The baby was kind of spacey and whiny at the library. While I was trying to pay my big fat fine she started to throw a royal fit on the floor for a completely unknown reason. This is a new development happening more frequently than I would like. Bee line to the frozen yogurt store (a promise to the five year old) where she has another tantrum I am able to properly de-code: I want my gummy bears ON THE SIDE, Mom! NOT ON THE FROZEN YOGURT!!!!!!! Okay, deep breaths. I managed the rest of the frozen yogurt store without incident and she fell asleep as I pulled into the driveway around 12:30. Perfect! "She'll nap and wake up before 3 when the kids get home" I think to myself "and I can take care of the jury summons, the overdue tax payment, medical bills, the check list for my daughter's Valley Forge trip, sign ups for soccer before it's too late, etc. etc. etc." (LONG nasty list of paperwork that has built up.) While transferring her to her crib, the person that is building me a kitchen office (I have no office space right now, hence the paperwork build up) shows up unexpectedly (which is better than NEVER since this project is taking FOREVER) and wakes up the baby enough that she remembers her recent goal of resisting sleep in any way, shape or form. She spends the next hour hollering in her crib as I try to occasionally go in and help her back down. Did I mention a friend and her two children under 3 came back from the library with me and I'm also trying to make them lunch and set up a slip and slide? That's when the plumber showed up. Then a sales dude from Utah. I'm not making this up. It was a circus. I finally gave up, got the baby up and committed to not let her sleep until at least 6:30 when she could feasibly go down for the night. The friend went home and I spent the next 20 minutes going through the automated phone system for the LA court system to try to get excused from jury duty. (Please tell me 4 young children is a good enough reason!) When I was finally transferred to a person I hear "all circuits are busy" and to try later. Click. Now it's just about time for the older kids to come home from school and they showed up at the door with my sister in law's two older kids who asked if they could come over to play. I know my sister in law has been a little sick and since I am suspicious I gave it to her and I have a very very strong and active guilt complex, I say . . . YES!! Shoes off, backpacks open, snacks please, slip and slide, I want to go first, she hit me on purpose, can I have more snacks, do you have a different swimsuit, can you tie this, I need to use the bathroom, do you have a towel, turn the water down, will you get me some milk, it's time to come in - GASP! - it's 4:20 and the baby has fallen asleep in the highchair!! Argh!!!!!! My sister in law arrives and takes her kids after I explain to her older daughter 5000 times that I am not comfortable having my 11 year old "babysit" her at my house, and I leave sleepy head and the five year old with Kate while I take Will to a quick orthodontic appointment. This is by far and away the highlight of my day. To feel comfortable enough to leave Kate in charge for a bit and go alone with Will to that appointment where I sat for 20 blessed minutes mindlessly sifting through a magazine was wonderful. (I regretfully left my beloved planner in the car.) Back home at 5:30. Everyone is starving despite the 23 snacks they ate after school 2 hours ago. I pulled together some gyoza, rice and strawberries for dinner. Brandon got home around 7 at which point I had totally given up the fight! A wise woman knows when she has been beat, and I was beat! Just burn me at the stake, kids! Brandon let me have a minute to myself back in our bedroom where the laptop is today but then he started a robot building project with Will. Why is this happening at 7:30 on a school night? I have no idea. All I know is Elizabeth is now sitting on me "practicing" her recorder in my ear for the concert I will have to attend in a few minutes I am told. I have no more will to resist. "Where's the concert?" Next I'm in her bedroom watching the concert, the baby (who refused to wake up until 6:30) is racing wildly around the room with glee at the sound of the recorder which is driving me out of my mind. You know at this point the house is a wreck, but the missionaries from church don't mind that OR the time (8:00) when they show up unannounced just to "see how we are doing". Thanks, guys! (I know sarcasm is NOT a good virtue.) By 9:30 I am hiding out in my bedroom trying to make the day go away by going to sleep as dear Brandon plans to endure the baby's shenanigans until she goes to bed. Right at the moment I assume everyone else is in bed and I can drift into blissful oblivion I hear a HUGE clang from the bathroom. Sounds like a towel bar broke and fell. Sweet! Just another day in paradise.