Just roll with it

Days like today remind me why I don't even try going out.

Today I thought I'd  bend the schedule and have a little outing. Nothing too fabulously exciting, just running some errands to get out of the house.

My plan was to load up all the children, go to Target to grab a few grocery staples and some craft supplies, then get some lunch at Sonic. We'd wrap the trip up with a visit to the car wash place to vacuum out the suburban and run it through a wash. It sounded like a good plan: I'd only have to get the kids out once, they could eat grilled cheeses while I cleared out the trash and toys, and by the time they were done eating I could do the vacuuming, run through the washer and be done.

Wrong.

On the way to Target the kids are already way fussy and crying that they're hungry. The last time we went in was fairly successful and I'd been wondering if it was just a glorious beam of light for that one moment in time... or if I am, in fact, super mom. A shrill scream from the backseat snapped me back to reality and knew I shouldn't push my luck at Target. So, change of plans. We headed to Sonic first. They can eat in the car, then we'll do Target (maybe they'll be happier if they're full), then the car wash.

Wrong again.

I get to Sonic, order enough food for the 7 of us and realize I don't have my debit card. And I don't have the first clue where it is. So I push the button again to tell them that I need to cancel my order because I can't find my card. "Hang on" she says. Then a girl pops around the corner and in a casual, cheery voice tells me, "We've already started making your food, so we're just gonna bring it out and you can come by later to pay for it. Once you've found your card." "Oh my gosh, are you sure?!" "Yeah definitely!" So they bring out my $27 worth of food and I told them that my 6 hungry kids and I were extremely grateful and I promised to be back later. Is that not so cool?!

So then I make a phone call to Jake to help me remember when I would have used my debit card last. We decided it was Kroger.

Thankfully our Kroger has those spiffy shopping carts where the little cozy-coupe-looking-car is down in front and the back (facing me) has two seats. So Micah and Abby can sit in the car, and Mabry and Kate can sit in the top part facing me. Ashley and Emily linger on either side of the car to be sure that Micah and Abby keep their arms and legs in. And that Micah isn't pulling on peoples pant legs as we go by or anything. So long as everyone is quiet, people don't stare too much.

In we go to Kroger and no, they don't have my card either. Weeeeeeell, awesome. I'm so glad I just got my whole crew out of the car. I should have called first.

Determined to accomplish something, we go over to car wash because I have a few ones in my purse. This is a process that takes lots of strategic planning, but it is, in fact, possible. Wanna hear how? Well, you're still reading, so I'm gonna tell ya.

I took 2 trash bags with us. Ashley went around with one, it was the "keep" bag. Toys, cups, etc. Emily went around with the other gathering trash. Meanwhile I unloaded the stroller out of the back. Then one by one, I unbuckled the "triplets" and put them into the back of the suburban. When Ashley and Emily were done, they joined them. Then last I took Kate out and handed her to Ashley. Then I could take all the carseats out and line them up next to the stroller. All the kids played in the back (because to them, its like some sort of super cool fort) while I vacuumed out the entire suburban. Once they got bored I passed out baby wipes and they each "scrubbed" some seats. Then I'd put the car seats in one at a time, and its occupant in right after it. I had to make sure never to leave any doors open but the one I was at, lest a child escape. But it was also 88 degree's outside, so it helped keep the A/C inside anyway. So that whole process wasn't bad.

Imagine with me, for a second, what this looked like from the outside. A big suburban and next to it is lined up: 3 pink floral car seats, two boosters, and a beast of a stroller. The vacuum machine is howling, the back hatch is packed with children, a couple of them making strange growling/yelling noises (which were really happy noises... I don't know how to explain this to you if you don't have kids with special needs) the rest just squealing and laughing, and the mom is sweating to death- half in the car/half in the summer sun- holding a mammoth vacuum hose. And some woman still decided to approach me and give me her phone number in case I ever wanted to sell any of their car seats. Seriously lady?????

Anyway.

Because I used up $3 vacuuming, we didn't have enough left to do the car wash, but... whatever.

2 hours, 6 tired-but-full kids and 1 clean-inside suburban later, we got home. Not terribly unproductive, but ya know? Just a reminder that when things don't go as planned, you've got to roll with the punches.

Tonight my husband is taking me on a date. (With a pit stop by Sonic to pay our bill. God bless 'em.) AND apparently I need to cancel my debit card.

The moral of today's story is, juggling children and chores is not too difficult if you take your time and be strategic. And when it all falls apart anyway, just roll with it.

Daily summer schedule

I like schedules. I'm a firm believer that kids are happier and more obedient when they know what's happening next and what's expected of them. I think I mentioned in my last post that I was tweaking my spring break schedule for the summer. Well, I've tweaked it and expanded it. A few people have asked me about my schedule, so I'm posting it here.

It won't be on my chalkboard the way the last one was because I need the chalkboard for my weekly menu, reminders, and the big girls' memory verses. So I've taken a screen shot of my schedule (that I made on Excel) and I think its going to be the "desktop" on my computer. For easy reference. So here it is. Spencer Summer Schedule 2012. Say that 10 times fast.

(Click to enlarge)

Other notes:

~Anything with a slash "/" means different thing on different days (ex. some nights I'll give Micah a bath while Abby and Mabry are reading)

~Free playtime for the littles: playroom or backyard

~Free playtime for the bigs: inside or backyard

~Outside playtime for all: playing in the culdesac, bikes, park or pool (should we be so adventurous). Or this will also be our time for "outings". Activities like the zoo, library, big park and such.

~Quiet time: reading, movie, or computer. (Micah and Abby wear out easily, so there's a chance they will both fall asleep during this time. They just don't get naps at school so I don't want to schedule them in, making them used to a regular nap time. Also, TV will be limited to one hour. Then they'll have to switch to books.)

~Craft time: coloring sheets or organized crafts

~Table time: Flashcards, writing, projects

Of course there will be days when we need to be flexible. And I'm sure the weekends will be different. But overall, I feel really good about this schedule. We'll see how it goes.

Grateful gifts

Today I made end of year teacher gifts for 4 Homeroom teachers, 2 Occupational therapists, 2 Paraprofessionals, and one each: Special Education teacher, Teachers Aid, Physical therapist, Speech therapist, Art teacher, PE coach, Spanish teacher, Drama teacher, and Music teacher. Oh and 2 bus drivers and 2 bus aids. And believe it or not, there were more, I actually cut the list back.

But you know what? As crazy as it was putting together 22 gifts... each and every one of those people is special to our family. They go above and beyond for my kids and I'm grateful. As I wrote the cards, I literally teared up for over half of them.

I could sit and write about each one and what they've done for my kids but I don't have the time tonight because I'm about to enjoy an after-bedtime dinner with my husband and time with him comes first. And tomorrow's schedule is already packed.

But I don't want to pass the opportunity to write about and someday remember this crazy day juggling babies in and out of Target and 2 different Kroger's to purchase all the supplies. Then spending the rest of the day building and cutting and wrapping and curling ribbon... because it was an honor to do so. A drop in the bucket compared to what they deserve for such an amazing school year. I'm so grateful.

All that is within me, bless His holy name!

A lot going on the Spencer world right now. End of year school parties, performances, and field days. My kids are saying so long to 2nd grade, 1st grade, Kindergarten and Preschool.

But my heart is heavy because a dear friend of ours just went to be with Jesus, leaving a precious wife and grown son here on earth.

Another friend is going through the you-only-understand-it-if-you've-been-through-it labor pains of adoption. This is the final push. And boy do I understand.

But there isn't a thing I can do. Except pray. Which isn't actually the least I can do, its the best thing I can do.

Two scriptures have been on my heart this morning:

Because Your lovingkindness is better than life,
My lips shall praise You.
⁴ Thus I will bless You while I live;
I will lift up my hands in Your name.
⁵ My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness,
And my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips.
(Psalm 63:3-5)

103 Bless the Lord, O my soul;
And all that is within me, bless His holy name!
² Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And forget not all His benefits:
³ Who forgives all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases,
⁴ Who redeems your life from destruction,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
⁵ Who satisfies your mouth with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. 
(Psalm 103:1-5)

God's word teaches us to pray scripture and claim promises. I'm doing both today.

Operation Spencer Summer 2012

I feel like I'm getting a very small taste of what teachers feel like the week before school. Preparing schedules, getting the classroom ready, making charts...

Summer starts on Thursday and all the troops will be here, all day every day. Even if it were just Micah and Abby here all day, I would have to be at the top of my game. I can't turn my head for one second with either one of them. But throw in a rambunctious, fearless 6 year old who only wants to play with the boys outside (that should be fun in 10 years)... and an 8 year old who, while very helpful, will NOT STOP TALKING  is an endless reservoir of things to say and really wants me to listen to every last word. ;)

And mind you, I'll still have a busy baby who's learned she can crawl to the top of the stairs by herself but the only way down is falling... And an overly, ummm, "dramatic" 2 year old who can be running and laughing one minute and laying on the floor screaming with tears the next...

I have to have a plan. One that includes schedules, chores, charts, rewards, crafts, activities and books. Lots of books.

I'm tweaking my schedule from spring break (which you can see here). That one seemed to work really well. And I found some chore cards on Etsy that I'm going to replicate.

Click here for the Etsy listing

For rewards I'm deciding between a treasure box of goodies or sort of a coupon book of rewards. Like, "Good for one treat from the Ice Cream truck" or "Good for one bubble bath in Moms tub". Or maybe I'll do the treasure box for the little ones and the coupons for Ashley and Emily.

I also want to have an arsenal of craft projects up my sleeve. Pinterest is amazing for stuff like that.

And activities. I can't take them to the pool. At least not by myself, I'm way out numbered by kids who can't swim. (Micah alone will just jump face first into the water and sink like a rock.) The pool will have to wait for the weekend when Jake's home. But this list has some great ideas that we'll definitely do.

Click here for link.

Lastly, I'm making sure that we've got some good books for summer reading.

There will be some breaks. Like VBS. And later in the summer we're taking the big girls to the Dominican Republic to visit their Grandma and Grandpa. I'm super excited about that trip!

But that leaves 8 1/2 weeks, so I need to have this planned. Operation Spencer Summer is underway.

Adventures in Motherhood: diary entry #8956

Maybe... just maybe... someday I will be ahead of the game. As in... not baking cupcakes at 11:45pm and hot gluing sheep ears to hair clips at 6am the next morning. 

And now I've got a whole day ahead of me with its own adventures.

Its gonna be a coffee IV kinda day. 

Happy Wednesday.