Busy Mom - Full Schedule

Recently I had a request for a blog post.  How wonderful!  ... Except I have no answer for this request!

"Someday you should do a post about how you stayed organized and on top of things for all of those softball practices and places you had to be!?"

Right!!!  (insert the music from Jeopardy) .... A week or so  (or three) later I'm still trying to think about whether I was ever "organized".  I mean - we survived didn't we?  All my kids had at least acceptable grades??  They were able to function well even with lots of activities right?!?  We actually ate around the supper table more often than we ate out because I'm a nut about family time around the table. And yet all I can think of is how often we were in the big ol' middle of chaos!  Controlled Chaos I like to call it.  I was in control but JUST barely!

So - I'm going to list maybe the top 5 things that made me successful in this venture of raising 4 athletic very busy girls needing to be at practices and games all while dragging a much smaller little sister to every event!  Of course this is a parody of how the "Pinterest Mom" would have done things, but Hey!  I'm the Poster Girl for the Pinterest Fail ... Maybe even the Queen!!

From least to greatest ...

5.  The ability to tune out the chaos of the house.  You have to be able to move the clothes from the washer to the dryer - to the couch.  You have to be able to walk past them for several days in a row while grabbing things from the pile each morning!  You eventually wear everything off of the couch and wa-la!  The living room is (semi) clean again!!  Sort of.  You can't sweat a messy house.  I just got to where I told everyone -- "It will probably always look like this - but you're always welcome"  I'm looking forward to seeing if I can do a better job of this now that there's just one little at home.  We shall see.

4.  Multi-tasking is a must!  I can't tell you how many times I would be at a softball game/practice and I knew exactly where all of my kids were while changing a diaper, answering a phone call from my mom, purchase a drink at the concession stand, and stop everything to Ring My Cowbell!!  When the girls hit a home run or made an amazing play I have this same cowbell that I've carried for years.  It's been shaken - dropped - beat on the bleachers or dugout, and maybe the back stop.  Success deserves recognition! Mama's gonna bring it!

3.  A comfortable vehicle!  This box on wheels will keep you warm - cool - dry - and carry everything precious and valuable to you.  We have changed clothes, eaten, taken naps,  laughed, cried, celebrated victories, and bemoaned losses in our vehicle.  It always contains - extra Ketsup, plastic silverware, straws, antibacterial lotion, and wipes in the cubby between the two front seats! In the glove box you would find a cosmetic case with Advil, Tylenol,  bobby pins, hair ties, maxi pads, tampons, fingernail clippers, safety pins, fingernail file, Chapstick, Tiger Balm, and Rolaids (this is for Mom!)

 And if you don't understand this picture then I probably can't explain it well.  It's universal for - I didn't know what uniform we were wearing until 4am this morning and we only had time to wash it - not dry it!!

2.  The Memory of an Elephant! Or a really great day - planner ... whatever works for you!  But seriously - keeping all of the practices and games and performances and birthday parties should have handed me a degree in Event Planning!

Speaking of elephants - this was me more times than not after putting the kids in bed and trying to get a bath!


1.  A Really Cute Man To Share In The Chaos! 

Yah yah for all of you "I Am Woman Hear Me Roar" types - I guess I could have survived alone, I'm just saying - I'm so glad I didn't have to! This picture was actually taken  AT a softball game where he met me in the parking lot to help get the "baby" and the lawn chairs and the cooler and the cowbell -sunscreen - umbrella - bag of toys - iPad - sunflower seeds - extra softball socks - sports bra - money (crap where did my purse go)  - and sunglasses up to the field before the game started because sometimes my kid was lead-off and if I ever missed an At-Bat ... It turned out to be a home run several times and you just can't live with the guilt of THAT!! 

He loves that I could remember everyone's schedule and things they needed so he would say "just tell me what you need from me" and together we would get it done. 

This picture was taken at the All-State games the summer of 2015 as we watched our second daughter (daughter #4) play at the All-State games. 

So that's it -- there was no secret weapon, no list or product to buy. There was a lot of prayer - a lot of teamwork and a lot of controlled chaos.  Seems like there should be more to it than that but there was just life! 

Note to self - never agree to write a blog that puts you as the example trying to give ideas ever again!!! Whew!!

Blessings for today ya'all, we need 'em every day! 

Heather