A Day in the Life . . .

Here is a glimpse into a typical day in the life of the Castrataros. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed living it.  (Really . . . I laughed a lot today . . . I was SuperMom today!) 

6:30 am 

The kids awaken me.  (Note: This constitutes "sleeping in.")  I stumble into the bathroom only to find that one of the dogs had messed in the bathroom.  A lot.  Blackness.  At least it didn't smell.  I throw the dogs out and clean up the bathroom. 

6:45 am

I get my daughter out of her crib.  Before letting the dogs in, I notice Nyssa was the one who left her gift in the bathroom and she has some on her feathery legs and tail.  I grab the scissors and give her a haircut at the front step.  I wash the scissors and my hands.  

7:00 am

I'm trying to make coffee and determine what the kids want for breakfast.  My son rejects my 18 options in favor of the one thing I don't have.  I finally sell them both on egg sandwiches on English muffins (with cheese and bacon....yum!!!)  

7:15 am

The ex comes in from the barn and greets the kids.  Daughter runs around screaming like a banshee in delight.  He says something to the effect of "crazy morning," and I respond, "Every morning's crazy."  I find aphids on my new Angel vine--THAT explains the dead ends and general malaise of a plant that has been more carefully monitored than any I've ever owned.  I spray her with soap, trim her up, and feed her (per my ex's instructions).  She already looks happier.  I think.  I hope. 

 7:30 am

Ex leaves.  Kids eat, sort of.  They eat their muffins and pick the cheese off the eggs.  Leave the eggs on the plate.  (Query: Why is it that my daughter devours omelets and won't eat fried egg sandwiches which are the exact same thing with the added plus of carbs?)

7:45 am

Cleaning up breakfast, I notice disgusting wetness in my son's booster seat.  Yup.  Peed in it.  He's potty trained.  I swear.  He was also still wearing a Pull Up from overnight.  You try to figure it out.  I bleach the seat.  The kids do some artwork.  My daughter gets glitter everywhere.  I clean it up. 

8:15 am

Time to dress the kids.  Well, my son.  My daughter (the 2-year old) comes out wearing a striped shirt and a plaid skirt that somehow manage to look coordinated in an edgy non-traditional sort of way.  Without a Pull Up.  It takes five minutes of scuffling to make her understand that yes, she can wear the skirt and yes, she must also wear the Pull Up.  

I go in the bedroom to help the 4-year old and step in wetness on the bedroom carpet.  Yup.  The dog.  My son informs me he watched her do it earlier this morning.  Didn't think telling Mommy was necessary.  Out comes the Carbona 2-in-1 with the nifty applicator (an AMAZING invention, by the way).   I finally get my son dressed. 

8:45 am

Today was supposed to have been a pajama day, as it was the only day this week with nowhere to go.  But since we were all dressed anyway, I decide we should do some singing and dancing . . . while working.  So I put on the motion videos for the VBS I'm directing, and we all sing along with Yancy.  (My son is SO into these songs!  I'm so excited!)  It was very fun! 

9:15 am

My pastor's wife--dear woman!--stops by with goat's milk, eggs, and dinner.  (I feel a little guilty taking the generosity, but I have to say the pampering is like a balm on a deep and painful place inside . . . and I am so grateful to her.)  I do dishes and laundry. 

10:00 am

The incredible Secretary/Treasurer of the RI Ag Council stops by with items for Ag Day at the State House next Tuesday.  My son runs in wearing only a shirt and his Pull Up.  I no longer care where his pants are. 

10:30 am

My children are so tired and cranky that it defies description.  I put them to bed for a morning nap knowing my daughter will sleep, my son will not, and I will miss out on the afternoon collapse I had been looking forward to.  

I email my editor with story ideas, email a couple farmers about interviews, book one, call my mom to try to figure out childcare for next week which already requires three days of "working" on my part.  (I'd like to know what exactly I'm doing all day every day if not "working," but that's another blog altogether!)  

11:30 am

My son, who didn't nap, gets out of bed and wants lunch.  I make him and me roast beef wraps.  We drink goat's milk . . . with a little Ovaltine for kicks.  I clean up lunch. 

12:15 pm

I am in the kitchen.  I hear a crash in the living room.  Wailing.  This is not good.  My son is on the floor holding his face.  His brand-new glasses, 26.5 hours old, are on the floor with one arm broken off.  I hold him and examine his cut eye, swollen nose . . .all else seems fine. 

What happened?  I didn't even have to ask.  He'd been doing headstands and flips on the couch all day.  I had been scolding all day saying, "Stop doing that!  You're going to get hurt!"  Mother knows best.  I text the ex and tell him about the glasses.  NO EPOXY this time.  (Dr. Waterman cautioned me against doing that ever again!)  Fortunately, I had wisely kept the formerly-Epoxied pair as a spare . . . I didn't expect to need them quite so soon.  

1:00 pm

My daughter wakes up and wants lunch.  I make her a roast beef wrap . . . and goat's milk with Ovaltine.  She eats the lettuce, 1/4 of the wrap, and some roast beef . . . she says.  I continue doing laundry. 

1:30 pm

There's a break in the never-ending rain--are we living in England or Oregon or something?  What is this gloomy, cold, wet miserableness????  I pack up the kids and we go next door to give our neighbor their mail that had been left in our mailbox 2 days ago.  Our "we can't stay long" lasts about 2 hours.  The kids are happy, though; they get to watch Curious George and The Cat in the Hat.  

3:30 pm

There's another short break in the weather.  The kids run around while I pull Norway maple seedlings out of my garden.  My other neighbor, who I have not seen in days due to my crazy schedule, comes to the fence.  We chat. 

4:30 pm

The rain begins again.  Wet kids, wet dogs, and wet Mommy get into the house.  I heat up delicious supper from wonderful wife of the pastor.  We eat.  The kids clean up their toys.  I help them into pj's.  They brush their teeth and feed the dogs.  I do more laundry.

6:00 pm

We three snuggle on the couch and watch New Friends for Thomas.  

7:00 pm

I read the kids their Bible story, we pray, and sing, and I tuck them in.  I put off "working" to write this blog.  

8:00 pm

I finish my blog and begin working on the display for Ag Day that needs to get printed before next Tuesday.  Oh yeah, and the brochures, too.  Oh, and posting my post on social media, and ...