You know what you guys??
This next 12-day slog? Is a MINI SEASON. Welcome week (which has expended to Welcome TWO Weeks, thanks to the growing realization on campus that incoming graduate students need to learn how to teach before the semester begins) has ALWAYS been a difficult epoch in our lives because it is the one time when both if us have the same busy schedule but we still also have FIVE KIDS to deal with. Phew!
Of course I had to go to WW as a grad student, but I had Harry so late into my career that is was NBD and I barely had to be on campus. I just brought him with me, breastfeeding and all.
The first year I had my current job was 2008, and Jack was a bebe and we had a former student who was the best nanny ever and also, I was in my role as interim while I finished by PhD, so the stakes were lower (and probably higher, but I was ignorant). My most vocal complaining was 2012 when we had a mere 3 kids, and WW was only a single week. My parents came to watch Dorothy ON CAMPUS in 2013 because I had not ability to bottle feed her, so I needed them to sort of hover near my classroom. I was full of complaints in 2015, even though Ben handled the kids. LOL to 2016 me marveling about 3 days in a row of work, but by 2021 I was thrilled be on campus (with matching kn95/Rothy's even). I have literally no idea what we did with the kids in 2022. Left them home? But Minnie was so little? Ditto 2023. Ben WFH all week in 2024, and last year, that also seems to be the case.
This year, it is dance tryout week, so Harry is driving the carpool. Cooper is working at the pool. Minnie is Harry's responsibility, and Ben and Jack are in Peoria, Ben because he works there and Jack because he is getting read for the speech team season.
My expectations for the first week:
Laundry is going to be a shit show
The house is going to be NOT CLEAN when I get home
Sunday will be a huge cleaning and errand day, and nothing house-related is so urgent that it can't wait until Sunday
Food this week:
Sunday: BBQ chicken sliders with cauliflower and corn
Monday: Chicken noodle soup with crusty bread and roasted borccoli
Tuesday: Tacos with fajita veggies (zucchini, peppers, mushrooms, onions) on the grill because raw produce is poison RN
We are going to have leftovers Wednesday and Thursday and whatever Jack wants for his last dinner home before college (he's gone with Ben from Tues-Thurs, comes home Friday and works his last shift and the pool and then goes back for official dorm move-in on Sat) on Friday. We already bought burgers and buns for Saturday and have frozen fries and those Chef Hack Costco frozen veggies to go with them because we knew if we didn't plan something for Saturday we;d have takeout, after eating out all day in Peoria.
Treats this week:
Lisa Gardner on audio for my drive
Brand new weekly planner just waiting to be planned in
OMG
ReplyDeleteSARAH. I need to sit down after merely *reading* this.
ReplyDelete(This is Suzanne.)
Quick note to say that this confirmed something I've wondered as a 8:30-5 mom who grew up with two parents in academia. Now that I'm a parent, I've been wondering how the hell they did everything and if their flexibility was the difference. (I think part of it was that I don't remember being a toddler, but the flexibility was a big help.) Anyway, I appreciate that other people find this 9 (or uh, 8:30) to 5 thing tough!
ReplyDelete"When we had a mere three kids"... haha. I laughed out loud at this.
ReplyDeleteCRAZY, friend. I don't have nearly as much going on but am feeling really swamped right now. We have nonstop company for about two weeks and I'm less than 24 hours into it and feel tired already!!!