A Day in the Life: Tuesday

Today was much more a back to normal day for our family.


Hubs was back to work and it was just the boys and I, all feeling much better.  We desperately needed a catch-up day so we stuck close to home.  The day started early, as usual, at 6:40 (after a 4:00am wake-up call originally).  I managed to bribe them to stay in bed until 7:00 with a promise of a candy jelly.  I went straight for the coffee. The boys woke up ravenous and so breakfast was first on the agenda.  While I made some toast, the kids did their usual: went potty, asked for snacks, tortured the dog, played with toy cars, put on Batman/Superman capes, and ran outside to check for any ripe strawberries.  And they begged for a TV show.  I gave in so that I could run downstairs and do a workout before showering.  After that, they were a bit squirrely and already whining/fighting/throwing tantrums so I sent them outside with the hoses to water the garden.  I jumped in a quick shower and then joined them outside.  We puttered in the yard, picked the ripe veggies, hung a clothesline and ate popsicles (the summer rule is at least wait until 9am lol).  Meanwhile, I worked in organizing and throwing in laundry, cleaning up breakfast dishes, making a snack and packing up for our day.  Then it was time for swimming lessons.  The boys were extra brave today and got "dunked" under water for the first time after jumping off the ledge with their teacher.

At home we made a quick lunch and they ate while watching a show (the best way to get them to sit still and eat nowadays).  They were quite tired and after our early morning I decided to try put them down for a nap.  After stories, requests for water, a pee and a poop, and still them jumping on their beds, I gave up and told them to stay in their rooms for quiet time.  I went to lie down and fell right asleep for 30 minutes.  When I woke up, I heard noise in their room, but then realized that one was awake and one was asleep.  MJ was the culprit so I took him out and let RJ sleep for a bit longer.  We went outside but it was so hot so I joined him in the kiddie pool and we played sharks and fish.  He is super sweet to play with one-on-one.  I don't get to do that very often.  Eventually we had to wake up RJ.  He didn't want to get out of bed so again I bribed him with a candy and then we all had some homemade strawberry ice cream.  Then it was our usual "survive until dinnertime" when I am desperately awaiting Dan's arrival home from work.  Then it was dinner, dishes, bathtime, PJs, show, stories and bedtime.  Dan put them down while I took out the dog.  Since it was so hot we went to the beach and I ducked in for a swim alongside her.  It was a perfect swimming night!  Now I'm home, showered, and snuggled on the couch watching tv, drinking tea, and folding the last of the laundry.  We've had a little visitor 5-6 times (RJ), whereas MJ was out in minutes.  Again the bribe of the candy when he wakes up sent him back to bed and a few more tuck-ins and lullabyes did the trick. So there is the final sigh for the night.

Days like today make me feel satisfied.  The day was productive, but also slow-paced and I was able to meet the needs of my children and spend special time with them.  There were moments of them losing their cool, and stretching mine, and by the time Dan came home I was definitely in need of some reprieve.  Yet after a little break and a dip in the ocean, I felt revived and able to rest at peace for tonight so I'm ready for it all over again tomorrow.