Saturday, May 15, 2010

My day off...

As a parent who works outside of the home, I have often had conversations with others about how much easier things are for me, you know "not being a full time parent and all." I  cannot even begin to explain to you how that statement angers me beyond belief. It strikes me right at the deep part of me and it takes all self-control to just nod and walk away. For one thing, why do women do that? Why do we feel this need to one-up each other, to make us questions ourselves, to feel the need to comment negatively on choices we all make???? I simply don't get it. But that is a post for another day and since I have about 43 pictures (okay, perhaps a slight exaggeration) to show today, I won't write much... Just know that women who work outside of the home for whatever reason-be in financial, because they are single moms, or even aghast, they actually like working, are also in every sense of it-FULL TIME MOMS. I am on call 24-7 as any other mother-I just have one different responsibility thrown in there, being work. I cannot even count the amount of times I have been in meetings, with three more scheduled that day, and have dropped it all because the school has called, the daycare has called-someone is sick, someone is sad, someone is being suspended....I do it because I am mom and that is what mom's do-we respond when our children need us, whether that means we leave our desk or leave the playgroup. So, please if you ever meet me in "real life" please never comment that I am not a full time mom, that somehow my parenting responsibilities are less because I work outside of the home. It is offensive, hurtful and well....wrong!!!

So, some pictures of my most recent "day off". My daycare provider needed some time with her own children, so I used a vacation day from work and too the "day off." Because I am not home throughout the week to accomplish a lot of home stuff-with the exception of still doing laundry and cleaning floors at 10:00pm-I take these days to get it done... so-my life in pictures for 1 day...


The day started nice and early. Not captured by the camera because quite frankly I was too busy to take pictures of the morning routine around here. I prepared breakfasts, made Seamus' lunch, ensured all was in the school bag, put a load of laundry in, showered, gave a kiss good-bye to Seamus and Gary and then....found Mahone in my bed "hidings"-his most favorite idea of a good time-"find me mama, find me!!"




I put toast down for my breakfast. You see somehow I can feed my children and yet, not feed myself. So when Seamus and Gary left, I thought I should eat. I wish this picture was time stamped because you see, it was taken just before supper-YES, SUPPER. I guess I never got around to that....




Outside to play for an hour or so. We played hockey, on the trampoline, the fun new game of weeding flowers!!! By this point, Mahone is now shooting me with a hockey stick-look at that mouth as he makes the noises "shhhshhshhshh-you are dead mama, you are dead!!!" Really how does this happen for a child who rarely watches any TV, certainly nothing violent, we don't have guns in the house-the real or fake!! Welcome to life with BOYS!!!!




Snack time.......




Off we go to the car wash. You see my vacuum just doesn't cut it with the amount of ....well everything.. on the floors, seats, roof of my car. What do we do in there??!!?? 




Then off to the grocery store. Just needed a few things, but you know how that goes-7 bags and $150.00 later.......Mahone was super great in the store. He loves to grocery shop!! I noticed not going on Saturday was so much nicer-a lot less people and we could take our time and look at everything. That was great!




We ate lunch, watched a show, had some version of "quiet time" (Mahone does not nap, so if he is somewhat quiet and in one place for even the briefest amount of time, we call that quiet time!) After our rest, off to have an oil change and I also returned a mat at Cosco, shoes at Reebok, shoes at Payless (which meant the mall, which meant an ice cream cone at Laura Secord of course!!). I also dropped shoes off at the shoemaker for repair. My mother-in-law came with me for the afternoon trip so that was great. 


As an aside, isn't is nice to do things with other women around. I think so. I love to housekeep and grocery shop with other women. My mother-in-law is always around. I almost always grocery shop with my neighbor. When my mother visits, I so enjoy just cleaning through the house and cooking with her. I understand why in the "olden day" women worked side by side. 


Moving on.....




Because I was out and about for most of the day, this is what greeted me when I returned-keeping it real here!!Lest you think I am always on top of things.... To be honest, this pile stayed there for a number of days actually growing and growing.....




Gary is unbelievably helpful-when he is home. He has a crazy job schedule, along with being out with Seamus two nights/week at sports, so he is not home near enough, but when he is, how sweet it is!! I am sitting, because quite frankly I am tired. Lots done today, lots played today. Gary came home and swept into gear-he made supper for the boys (and by made, that means warmed up left over kraft dinner, opened yogurt and washed fruit), then started the muffins for us for the week. Nice isn't it!!! How do single mom's do it-saints I say, they are all saints.....




And to end the lovely day, Gary put Mahone to bed (which is rare, so really nice) and Seamus and I went with our neighbors and friends to the library. So so so much fun. I love the library. 


It was so nice to spend the time with Mahone; nice to have a change in routine sometimes.. dreaded working the next day.

A glimpse of my day off

Me

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