Tank Farm

Even though we were stuck inside (again), the bickering has finally stopped. Well, it didn't really stop entirely, but it certainly slowed down. At this point, I'm calling it a victory and moving on. 

This week has left me feeling defeated. I have been chasing my tail, working countless hours and trying to help the boys whenever there is a free moment. I'm tired, and I want a break. I hate feeling this way!

Tomorrow, Robby and I are heading to the Tank Farm tomorrow, which is hosting its annual open house. He is hoping to interview various reenactor groups that he is considering joining. I never thought I'd have a kid who wants to be a World War II reenactor, yet here I am, living the dream. (Insert sarcasm.)  

Other than the Tank Farm, I have no concrete plans for the weekend. I'm hoping to relax and recenter myself. Hopefully I can make my relaxation dreams a reality.

Bickering

 Bleh!

I am so tired of the grey skies and muggy rain. It feels like a steam bath and it smells like worms outside. I know that the boys are feeling just as antsy being stuck inside. If we can't get outside to play soon I am pretty sure one, two or all three of us will break. 

The boys have been nonstop bickering. I am amazed at the squabbling between a 15 year old and a 7 year old. I really thought that the age difference would minimize the teasing and fighting. I could not have been more wrong!

I feel like yesterday I spent the majority of my energy breaking up brotherly conflicts. Neither was especially upset about anything in particular. I suspect that the conflict was really the result of being couped up for too long together. I think they have reached the limit of brotherly togetherness for awhile.

When I wasn't breaking up fights I was able to trudge through work. Crossing the last item off my to-do list, I felt like a weight was lifted off my shoulders. Rainy days might be lousy for morale, but they work wonders for productivity!

Floor Is Lava

I woke up early, fully anticipating spending the afternoon playing at the farm. Unfortunately the weather did not cooperate with my plan. Yet again, I was defeated by the rain. Undeterred in the quest for fun, Timmy and I hosted an epic dance party in our kitchen. 

Today we are going to be dealing with even more rain. Ugh. I am so tired of this weather! I should have taken full advantage of the sunny day earlier this week. Looking for the bright side, I am caught up on work and the boys are actually ahead in their classes. 

It looks like another dance party is in my future. Fingers crossed this weather lets up. I really miss being outside, and I'm not sure that my leg can handle much more impact from jumping to the endless verses of "The Floor Is Lava."

Early Hours

After staying up late and waking up obscenely early, I finally feel like I am back on track. Yesterday Timmy was content to play quietly, which was a welcome respite from the dance parties that have been monopolizing my kitchen. I love playing with him, but the constant dancing has become exhausting! 

Not only was my body happy for the rest, but I was able to concentrate and focus on my work. I continue to be amazed by my productivity when the house is quiet. I think I need to revert to my summer schedule. While I hate getting up so early, I appreciate the reduced stress that I feel when the bulk of my work is complete by lunch. 

I was hoping that the boys' schoolwork would settle into a comfortable (and independent) routine by now. Unfortunately, I was wrong. While Robby is fairly independent, he still requires help with some of his subjects. Timmy is independent during circle time, but I need to sit next to him when he is working on his academics.

After waking up early today, I think I will be able to unplug for a few hours this afternoon.Today is going to be gorgeous, and I think that we could all use some fresh air and sunshine.  Fingers crossed that I can convince Robby to join us for a trip to the farm. Soon we will be stuck indoors because of the cold, so I want to take full advantage of the crisp weather opportunities!

Behind

Another weekend went dancing by- quite literally. Timmy and I spent several hours skating and dancing around the kitchen and living room. It felt like every time I sat down to get some work done his little radar was tripped. He came running out and begged for another dance party. I didn't get as much work done as I had hoped, but I certainly had a lot of exercise.

When I wasn't dancing with Timmy I was canning tomatoes, cleaning the kitchen and working through mountains of laundry. I know that we will enjoy the tomato sauce this winter, but my goodness, it is a lot of work.  I would have delayed the saucing if I could, but the tomatoes were going to rot if I didn't take care of it immediately.

Ready or not, another week is beginning. I feel like I am already behind, primarily because I wasn't successful carving out time to focus on work. It looks like I'm in for early mornings and late nights for the foreseeable future. It is a good thing that I have a large coffee pot!