I thought I was ready for summer. I had went out and bought water balloons, filled up a tub's worth and even bought a few little "summery" toy surprises. I staged them ever-so-insta-worthy so that when the kids got off the bus and ran down the driveway, they would be ready for the "fun" that I was sure summer was going to entail.
I feel like this is very similar to when you see those pinterest DIY's that look oh-so-easy and then you attempt it and realize what a moron you were to underestimate the deceitful world that is pinterest and how it lives to make people like you feel dumber with every attempted DIY project. That was my summer.
I had full intentions of baking cookies, going swimming at all the pools in town, taking hikes through the woods and basically living outdoors. Insert mother nature and her jokes. It was roughly 60 degrees and rainy for the first 2-3 weeks of summer. NO JOKE. And what do you do with children when it's 60 degree's out in the summer?? I HAVE NO IDEA!!!!! I tried painting, which was totally fun for all of 5 minutes. I tried the tents and movie days which basically turned into them wanting to be on their ipads all day and I'm very, very strict about that unless I'm ill and just don't have the willpower to live, let alone fight my children on technology. I tried baking, which was great until it came time to clean up the mess. No one wants that job. Surprise, surprise. I swear I'm still finding hardened cookie dough in random places in my kitchen. Then, I felt really smart and thought it would be a great idea to go shopping and get starbucks. Which that was a really great idea until I realized it's not cheap for more than 1 person to have starbucks and definitely not on a regular basis. My children also do not understand the idea of "window shopping." It's more like "window-I-want-to-buy-everything-shopping." I tried puzzles and games and nerf gun wars and all of the ever loving toys that my children own were not keeping anyone entertained for longer than 30 minutes. I don't understand why my children ever beg for toys because they do not play with them. Largest scam on parents ever!!!! I have an entire playroom designated for toys and overall fun-having and I'll be darned if our dog is the only person who ever seems to go in there.
I was defeated and tired and now I had so many dishes to clean. Why must the kids constantly eat??!?! Can they not just use paper towels or eat over the sink? And based on the amount of food that ends up on their faces and/or clothing, they definitely aren't using their utensils but somehow they end up "dirty" and in the sink. Lies. It's just lies. Summer is supposed to be fun they said. Summer at home with your kids "making memories." So. Many. Lies.
Don't get me wrong. I love my children. I love that I got to spend extra time with them, for the most part. I did not love the weather and lack of sunshine or swimsuit weather. I did not love the words "I'm bored" and "there's nothing good to eat here." Nothing can make a mom go from 0 to "I will cut you!!" faster than those words!
I learned a lot this summer and I gained lots of patience. Or at least I prayed a lot for patience. I had 0 time to myself and I'm not even sure I've fully recovered. But we made memories that I hope they will remember and that's all that really matters.
XOXO,
Ashley
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