I'm a Mom who has the day planned out before I go to bed the night before. The Benson's run like a well oiled machine (most days) and when something unexpected something that throws off the plan, I can get a bit frazzled.
To understand our lives here is a "normal" weekday for us: James and I each get up and take turns getting ready to get out the door, including getting the kids dressed. We have a set time I need to be out the door with the kids to get them to daycare and me to work on time (8AM). I schedule my workouts in during my lunch breaks (because my boss is awesome and gives us an hour instead of 45 minutes if we workout) in between meetings and day to day things. After work I pick up the kids (by 5PM) and we head home to color, do puzzles, mess up the house, convincing them to eat what I made or hold them off until James gets home so we can eat as a family (which I prefer). This, all while I emptying lunch bags, loading the dishwasher, making lunches for the next day, and doing what ever it is I have on my daily cleaning chart (which by the way has made my weekends more enjoyable because I'm not spending hours cleaning on a Saturday or Sunday). Once James gets home from work and the gym, I'm usually heading back out the door for a second workout (or a first if the work day got hectic). Then, back home and dinner is on the table (James is an amazing cook if you haven't already heard), wash the kids, read stores and put the kids to bed hopefully by 8 or 8:30 at the latest. After this it is quiet time for James and I which we usually spent watching TV or reading. Then its bed to get up the next day and do it all again. Now some people like variety in their day and it may not sound like we have much but we get plenty of that from the kids. No two days are ever the same.
So to the title of this blog, adjusting for the unexpected. It has happened to all of us, we have our day planned and we get a phone call them makes us juggle a little bit and make adjustments. Today that call came at 10:30AM. Daycare called and told me she needed to close by 3PM. Now, I wasn't upset, things happen but I needed to scramble a bit. I looked at my schedule and was happy to see my day was mostly free of meetings so I could leave at 2PM to pick up the kids by 3PM. I made sure everyone knew when I was leaving and started working like a mad women to get done what had to get done. I had to skip going to the gym to do my strength training for the day, but figured I could get in a quick run tonight.
I got out on time and on the way to pick up the kids I thought, "What are we going to do with our extra time together?" As I thought of simple activities, maybe go to the park but the weather looked iffy, I remembered we were going to get the kids haircuts this weekend. If I could get them today we could free up some time this weekend, but did I really want to take both of them to a hair salon. It was a possible mayhem hour I was willing to chance.
I picked up the kids and went home for the afternoon snack. I called a salon in the area, Shearly Unique, that I had never been to before (hey, its just the kids hair) but had seen their booth at the South County Festival a few weeks before. When I told they had two openings at 4:45. So I kept the kids busy playing until it was time to head out so I could get the lunches made for tomorrow and straighten up the kitchen. Paige and Ian were both were in great moods, listening and following directions wonderfully. I crossed my fingers and put them in the car.
When we arrived at Shearly Unique the kids held my hands walking in, had smiles on there faces, sat down and waiting for their haircut. The hairdresser took Ian first and he got right up in the chair, giggled the whole time, and was a perfect angle. Then it was Paige's turn. She got her first shampoo and laughed the whole time saying it tickled. She got right into the chair, sat still and followed direction as the women cut her hair. Ian in the meantime played in the front of the salon, flirting with the women there and playing with the fan (he kept lifting up his shirt to show his belly which always gets him a laugh). The women in the salon both mentioned they had never seen two children so well behaved and so happy. I was so proud of my kids. They both said thank you and good-bye as we left. I will definitely be going back for their next haircuts and probably mine as well. The staff was so wonderful, prices were AMAZING and the kids look great. (I should have taken a picture to post but they are already in bed).
When we got home I made them dinner. When James got home I asked Paige if she would like to go for a short run with me. She has been asking me a lot lately to go running. Paige can only make it down the block but it is fun and special time for us. She put on her sneakers and came with me for a 14 minute walk/run, all while holding hands I should add. I dropped her off and did a quick 2.26 mile run and then James had a fun new exercise for me to try - walk up and down the stairs in the house five times carrying two 25 lb. dumbells. Now that may sound like a lot but 2 years ago I was 69 lbs heavier so it really wasn't that bad. It just hurt my shoulders a bit with the weight pulling on my arms...but my legs rocked it!
So adjusting to the unexpected today was wonderful. I got more time with the kids, they have nice haircuts, I got to run with Paige and I still got a small workout in. Everyone had a fun day.
Hopefully tomorrow we will be back to normal.
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