Friday, August 31, 2007

Mommy's Little Helper

Yesterday morning and afternoon were low key. I took the girls and had lunch with the boys (I was dying that I left my camera home next to the computer when I saw Matt had a little 'sweeper' necklace and then swept the floor as I was leaving. Too cute!), the girls took and nap and a friend picked up the boys and took them home to play.

The evening was totally opposite. Rich was on call at the hospital, so I was going solo. After I grabbed the boys from the Badgers we headed over to the pool for a little swim since it's closing on Monday (so sad!). As we drove there was thunder which means they close the pool for 30 minutes. The thunder continued making the 30 min. start over and over which means I was trying to corral five little ones in one little playground as we waited out the storm. Jonni arrived with her three kids and we played tag team keeping them close until finally the storm passed and we got to swim for an hour. The boys are little fish and the girls tolerated the big pool for a while, but love the kiddie pool most of all.

We got pizza for dinner and finally sat Trey down to complete his night's homework way too late. He still had to review his spelling words, take a pretest, do math and read for 20 minutes. I still had to get the girls to bed, make my bed (washed sheets after Brynn and Kaitlyn happily smeared lip stick all over the fitted sheet. Nice, really nice!), empty the dishwasher, clean the kitchen, start laundry... you know the list.

I got the girls down while quizzing Trey on his spelling words (prairie: it has 2 r's and 2 i's and the trick is iri) and told Josh and Matt the could watch Pirates of the Caribbean in my room with the door closed IF they sorted the laundry into piles. Trey finally got 100% on his list, zoomed through his math and I sent him up to read on his bed. When I walked in my room this is what I found.

Matt was in my bed watching the show and Josh was busy on the floor, hard at work making perfectly sorted piles all neatly folded. What a little helper! Sometimes I am amazed he is only 6 years old. What a kid. Thanks Josh for making my night a little easier.

Today Matt told me he loved me and gave me a big hug. He then said, "Josh does all the working, and I do the loving." I'd say they all do bits of loving, but Josh definitely wins the hard worker award every day, hands down!

3 comments:

Tiffany said...

Matt says the cutest things. I hate those solo nights too -- although we are both used to them by now aren't we?! On those rare nights when I'm able to get the kids in bed by 8 I love it. But the chaos leading up to it is exhausting to be sure.

I think you're amazing! I don't know anyone else who can do as much as you do with your 5 kids and not only keep their sanity but still smile through it all!

Count us in on the 29th!

Cheryl said...

Thanks Tiff for your encouraging words. Hard to believe we both have been doing this medical wife thing for so many years. Thanks to my home alarm system and children, I never worry when Rich is away.

We are so excited to see you for the baptism. There will be four kids getting baptized. It's kind of slowing coming together with all the mom's planning it.

Rich told me you are going to Stanford in October for the big football game. He said you would get to see Mark and Sarah. What fun. You'll have to give me info and dates.

Enjoy the long weekend.
Cheryl

Marcie said...

Sound to me like Matt has got it all worked out in his best interest.

I need Josh around here, I never even thought to think that Hayden could fold laundry...I'm going to try that.