"Mommy" and her many hats

Ok guys, this was a post request from earlier this week (Kristen) ....so, here it goes.

Like all Mommies, I am a wearer of many hats - first, I am a wife, a mother of 3 precious boys, a kindergarten teacher (to only 15 little 5-6 year-olds) , and a DI (developmental interventionist to 6 precious little ones, ages 9 months to 2.5). And, now that my sister and Adalyn are back in town, I am a full-time sister and aunt. So........., how do I manage to get anything done? Well, I honestly have no idea. I do have three very special people in my "back pocket" who help me out tons - my husband, Will and my parents (more on them later). I, for sure don't have all of the answers, but I might just have some tips that could be helpful.

1) I have a fantastic husband! He will do anything - run errands, clean bathrooms, pack lunches, unload the dishwasher, you name it and Will has done it! His job is somewhat flexible; he is able to go into work early and get off early, which helps tons! He usually uses his break to run errands (the bank, quick stops at Kroger, just whatever). Did I mention that he was wonderful? Because he sure is!

2) My parents are a huge help! Ok - so how many moms would show up at your house at 6:10 am to watch your little kiddos during the day? Mine does! Luckily for her (most of the time), all of the kiddos are still sound asleep. I do compensate Mom some, but sometimes I'm not sure if it's quite enough. When the little ones are napping or happily playing, she does all of the things I hate - laundry, dusting, making beds.........the list goes on. Dad is able to take and pick up Big C from kindergarten, which is a huge help! Dad is more of a rough-and-tumbler than Mom, so I'm sure Little H enjoys seeing him some during the day!

3) For those of you who know me well, you know that I live by my calendar. I don't use my IPhone, I have to write it down, with pencil and paper. After it's done, it's then crossed off. I love crossing things off of my list! It makes me feel like I've accomplished something.

4) We do many of our tasks as a family - Family Bath Time and Family Haircuts are my favorites! Two of the kiddos will bathe in the big jacuzzi tub, while Big C or Little H will take a shower. When it's done at the same time, it goes 3x as fast! All boys get haircuts on the same day, and many times, I get thrown into the mix too. Tomorrow, I'm getting a cut/color and Big C is going with me and getting a cut.

5) A lot happens after 8:00. Big C and Little H go to bed around 8, and this is usually when the baby is taking his last nap before being down for the night. This is a chance for Will and I to just relax together, for me to do my nightly quiet time, Will goes to the gym twice a week at 9pm, clothes are laid out for the next day, lunches are packed, blogs are written, and mindless TV is watched.

5) Chores during the night - The dishwasher runs through the night, every night. Many times, clothes are being washed or dried during the night and finished the next morning. So, I don't have the "right out of the dryer" warmness. Oh well, I have three kids under 6.

6) Plan ahead - I plan birthday parties, showers, etc. for several months, planning details, and organizing specifics. I have little checklists of the things I need, so it doesn't hit me all at once.

7) Set 1 big weekly goal - I try to accomplish one big thing per week. This week's big task is to wrap 15 valentine boxes for my school kiddos. Maybe next week, order the 400+ pictures off of my camera and organize those? Who knows.....

I sure don't have all of the answers, and would welcome any tips. But, these are a few things that help me keep my sanity!