Aprons, Heels, and Yoga Pants

So this is what my Monday looked like this week……It was after lunch when I shot these pics. I take very good care of my children, but given the fact that I am not a morning person, we sometimes get moving pretty late around here. I’m up before them, but I’m not feeling friendly until about 10am. To add to my excitement over Monday morning, a kitchen project which was begun over the weekend did not get finished, leaving the emptied cabinets on the table. I’m pretty laid back, and that can be helpful when you are home all day with children. When it’s all caught in a photo though, it makes me wonder what the hell kind of a ship am I running here?

My two youngest are still in their pjs. I know what my children had for breakfast because the giant Mrs. Butterworth is still out on the counter. Frozen waffles I assume…..hopefully toasted. Can’t hide the fact that my caffeine comes in the form of a soda, since it’s right there on the counter. How else would I wash down our healthy mozzerella sticks we had for lunch?

I came around the corner to find my son happily scooping ice cream for all of his fans. Being the grown up in the house I asked, “ice cream for a snack?” He eagerly replied, “Yes! Thanks for buying peppermint ice cream!” Aww shucks…..I am such a great mom.

This was not an ordinary day. It’s true, I clash with mornings and Mondays, but usually by noon my kitchen is clean and I have successfully told my children a hand full of times, “please get dressed.” Are we not strange enough because we home school? Let’s at least look like we have our act together!

I also am quite health conscious. Even more so since my current rise in bad cholesterol. But I fail….often. I enjoy the excited squeals from my children when super mom, (that’s me), serves mozzerella sticks for lunch, or brings home pretty, pink peppermint ice cream from the store, because they’re special treats. I promise we eat our veggies and mostly non processed food.

Are you cutting yourself some slack, mommies? Especially this time of year? We do our best so very often. Sometimes our best is when we give in to the fun stuff, like pink ice cream.

I only know the pressure home school mothers face, but I am sure the pressures are just as bad if not worse for moms whose children are in school. That pressure of doing everything right. I still remember the relief I felt and how impressed I was when reading a book written by a prominent home schooling mother years ago. (hard to recall the days I had time to read!)

She raised 11 children I believe. What I took away from that book all those years ago, was her description of the top of their refrigerator…..it was lined with cereal boxes, and not all healthy cereals. I breathed a sigh of relief when she said she wasn’t a morning person and they started school around 10am. And her kids were all turning out great!

It’s just a good reminder sometimes. I can do my best where I can do my best, then give myself a break in areas where I need it.

Today is Tuesday and already better. I even have homemade bread on the agenda. Not because anyone is watching, but because I feel like it, and I’ll be pleased with the excited squeals this time. 😉