A post-it a day keeps the nagging away.

 Picture in your mind a second Pinocchio saying,
"I'm a real boy now!" That's the line that has been playing over and over in my mind the last two weeks since school began again, only mine says, "I'm a real MOM now!"  Holy cow.  Am I ever a mom.

I know I'm not the first woman to raise four children. Nor am I the first person to juggle 6 human lives and their schedules. But this is the first time I have ever done it. And it ain't easy! I'll tell you that much.

How my mother raised five. And my mother in law. And the Duggar woman raising 19. It's impressive.
That's all I have to say.

So school started last Monday and I thought my busy season was over. In fact that's what I intended my back to school post title to be. Wrong. Summer was busy but only because every days' entertainment was up to me. I had eight blue eyes looking up to me for a plan. Now it is the opposite. In the blink of an eye I became the facilitator of everyone else's life. No longer am the children's whole world (like I was when they were little like our Claire Bear). My life is now their lives. I am the mom-taxi. I am officially a soccer mom. 

So it goes like this. Since last week was a train-wreck and I felt like a fool on more than one occasion being late for, missing completely, or dropping off the wrong kid at their activities, I've developed a plan:

1- Electronics are gone. Again. No-can-do Monday thru Thursday.  It simplifies my life not battling with them and keeps the house quieter. The kids sleep in later and play with each other more. Done.

2 - My giant white board in the kitchen is no longer for knick-knacks and notes. It has be transformed into a gigantic at-a-glance family calendar. Color coded and broken down by the half hour once school lets out. I need to see clearly and often where we are headed next. Major improvement.

3 - The constant after school nagging had to end. It was only a week and a half - but that was enough. I got myself some post-it notes and told the kids to expect one written for them each afternoon.  I highlight their to-dos (piano, homework, dishwasher) and expect them to be done by bed-time. No nagging. Peace on earth.

And thank goodness it's working! Now I feel like I can at least resemble the duck upon the water: graceful above water while paddling like heck underneath it. Graceful...

Beyond raising the 4 children, I do have a few extracurricular activities. I'll admit, I have a few of my own interests... (wink, wink). I am teaching swim lessons (which I love), running the babysitting co-op (which I need), and trying to gut this house (which is therapeutic, as is writing this post). I was also just called into Young Women's so that is a big adjustment and time demand I wasn't originally planning on for this fall (but what a blessing). And in my spare time (which is only about one time every two months) I do a workout video. And I'm trying to be off white sugar and flour (but that's only when I'm not really hungry).

I love to climb into bed at night. Exhausted as always because I've poured myself into my family, my home, my life. Because I am a MOM! A real, bonafied M-O-M. Lucky am I. And happy to have my health!! 

Can I just say that much? So happy to have my health!