it could ALWAYS be worse....

I could have 4 kids 5 and under!!!!

Let's recap the day.

Wake up. The day starts off great. Feed the kids breakfast. Listen to some tunes and dance around the kitchen with 2 of my little besties. Shower, give the kids a bath. Have a nice relaxing cup of coffee. I know... you are all jealous right?

Then. Oh then. Pull out the parka. the mitts. the scarf. the boots. the shovel. the scraper. and enjoy the frozen north. By that I mean shovel all the snow. I also had to search out my car. And shovel the street. We seem to have a TRAILER that is NOT going to be used ALL WINTER taking up my parking space. So I have to shovel the street... just so my kids can get in the car without getting a boot full of snow. About an hr goes by and my kids come out. Dressed in their full on winter gear ready to play. Kade lasts about 5 minutes. And heads back indoors. She has NEVER liked the snow ever. Rohan lasted the whole time I shoveled and stayed out while I got his lunch packed and called my sister to see when she would be arriving. And yes.. he was a popsicle by the time he got to school. I am sure he was a little wet in school today. But he doesn't care. That boy loves the outdoors in any weather!

Because.... I watched 2 of her crew today. Which means she drove my car and I got the van. Good thing, RIGHT? Or not. Because 4 kids under 5 means 4 buckles. 4 FREAKIN BUCKLES!!!!

So anyways... she arrives. We switch the car seats and I take the older boys to school. (after pinching Kade while trying to buckle her in to the car seat. Which resulted in a COMPLETE breakdown and a flood of tears. Car seats and winter apparel. What fun.) Which means me crawling into the back of the van to unbuckle 2 the 2 at the back. put hats back on. putt mitts back on. Awesome. So somehow I get the kids there in one piece. With the help of another mom. You see.. these kids are opposites. Mine take off running as fast as their little legs can go and Jenny's stop to check everything out. You add to that the waddle of the snowsuits, sidewalks that are not shoveled and cars everywhere and you get one frazzled mom!!!

So then I take Kade and Keag back to the van. Rebuckle. Go to Blockbuster. Unbuckle. put hats back on. put mitts back on. Go in to the store. Grab movies and head out. Rebuckle the kids. Drive home. Unbuckle the kids. put hats back on. put mitts back on. Head inside. Grab snacks. The kids play and I do a bit of cleaning.

Then it's time to pick the boys up. Seriously... kindergarten is a freakin PITA!!! Dress the kids up. Go to the van. Buckle them up. Get to the school. Help the boys get dressed. Go through the same ordeal with running/waddling children. Back at the van. Buckle everyone in. Drive home. Unbuckle everyone. Get everyone inside and settled. Head outside to shovel again.

And then it continues... there is still supper, cleanup, laundry.... and now it is 11pm and I just want to be in bed and my comforter is STILL IN THE DRYER!!!!!

So as much chaos as my life is AS IT IS..... I am always reminded. It could be worse. I am EXHAUSTED. I don't normally complain about snow - I mean why bother. It is still going to snow. Plus I really love it.

But snow+children all who are to young to dress themselves totally and buckle themselves....that have to get to kindergarten..... I AM NOT DIGGING IT. But I wouldn't have the day any other way. I love love all the kids together and they had so much fun playing today. TOTALLY worth the effort. I just now *get* how hard life is with kids. And snow. tricky tricky!

I had planned on getting to a park today to take pics. But it was actually quite chilly out. And my daughter... well she doesn't really love winter. And honestly... just too much freakin WORK! So I went to the backyard!!!