the crappy craps

Last week was really crappy for me. Most days I felt like poor Baby Ray Ray looks in this picture. I wasn't physically sick (except for a headache here and there). I just wasn't very happy. And all the mom stuff was totally kicking my trash, as usual.

I think spring is hard. The time changes. The weather changes. One day kids can go out and play and the next, well, they can't. That's no fun. Makes me grumpy. Makes them a little grumpy too.



I didn't say anything about all the crap to anyone except Dan. Poor guy. Or I didn't say anything and just acted like a big grumpy pants. I've got a good man, I tell ya. A really good one.

I did get Cate to wear jeans last week. That was a happy spot in my otherwise grump filled week. Most of it's my fault. I didn't do much to make myself feel happy. Not a lot of trying. Just wallowing and grumping and bemoaning life. Oh, and quite a bit of eating chocolate in preparation for the no shugs starting.



Sometimes I'm sad for my poor kidlets that have to grow up with a mom who's grumpy a lot. They could help me out by going to bed early (without protest), less puking, way less diaper usage and more playing nicely together. They're trying though. One day last week Cate slept in until 10:00 and Danny and I slept until 9:00. That was nice.

I went to bed way too late and way too sad most nights last week. Don't you just get sick and tired of cooking, cleaning, bathing, clothing, feeding, filling sippy cups and what not? Would it kill them to just go get in their beds and take a nap all on their own? I mean really? How many grown-ups would love the chance to take a nap in the middle of the day? These kids don't know how good they've got it.

I was changing into my pajamas on Thursday night and saw this.


Danny had tucked his little puppy into my bed for me to snuggle with. Good grief. He's a good kid.

Maybe that little puppy was what I needed. Most of the grumpy crappy feelings were gone on Friday (it helped that Dan had the day off work). I had a good weekend. Swimming with Danny and pizza for dinner on Friday. Baking, Chick-fil-A and a win for BYU on Saturday. Church and family visits on Sunday. A new garage door, homemade meatballs and pleasant kids (despite no naps) on Monday. Windy, snow flurries and a cooperative preschooler yesterday.

Then last night I read a blog post written by my friend and neighbor. She wrote it Thursday and called it a "light a match and walk away" kind of day. Exactly what last week was for me. She's got a way with words.

Then she listed a bunch of stuff she's sick of. We're allowed to do that once in a while right? Who really wants to read post after post all full of sunshine and flowers? Not me. I want to feel like I'm not the only one who has crappy days (even weeks) sometimes.

Then she finished off the post with the stuff she's not sick of: a good husband, cute kids and gratitude for the blessings in her life (even though she neglected to mention me by name, I think she lumped me in the blessings section).

So I called my friend this morning and told her to bring her cute hellions (her word) to my house for a few hours. I was already tending the 6-year-old nephew and his baby brother. What's 3 more? Seriously, once you've got 4, 7 is a walk in the park. Of course she was hesitant but I insisted. You are not allowed to write stuff on your blog about the crappy crap and then not accept a morning off. You're just not. My rule.

So there we were, ages 37,6,6,4,3,2,1 and 8 months. I didn't know we had so many toys. Somehow they all manage to be out at once when extra kids are here. And you know what? It's ok. The kids were happy and it gave me a chance to take inventory.



Maybe 5 extra kids for the morning added to my crazy. If it subtracted a little from hers, who cares? The level of crazy in the universe is still balanced. I'll take one for the team.

So here's what I'm thinking:

I'm hoping this will keep the crappy craps at bay. I'll go ahead and let the clean laundry sit in a pile, the ironing too. The bathrooms will probably get cleaned some time this month. The dishes will get washed, even if they have to sprout hands and wash themselves.

I'm going to do the stuff I can and not worry about the rest.

Plus, Grama Bama will be here in 6 days, I've got to get my garden ready, my kids are stinkin' cute and Cate is on the verge of getting the whole pee in the potty, not in your pull-up thing figured out. Finally.

Mold-free bathtubs and couch cushions void of smooshed fishy crackers are highly overrated.

the end.