Abandoned Blog? Not so fast...

We continue to be swamped pretty regularly around here.  It's a crazy, crazy time with four kids, three theater-practicing adults and...well, Skippy, I suppose.  Summer travel and multiple productions already this fall have kept us on our toes and have made taking time to document any changes or progress seem like time that could be better spent elsewhere.

There are days when "just spend 15 minutes________" seems seriously laughable.  Lots of days.

But then during one lull, I made up this job wall - it works pretty well when, you know, we're paying attention.  And when Mitzi, our loaner toddler, doesn't rearrange all the post-its that she can reach. 

Things haven't devolved into total and utter chaos - the kitchen continues to stay largely functional and fairly clean, thanks to the efforts of multiple individuals. 

Our Scott came up with a name for the adult who is home with the kids when the others are out ...well, really, it's always theater isn't it?  It is.  He calls that person PPOD - like BMOD (Board Member On Duty) at TRP and some other theaters, but stands for Primary Parent On Duty.  Some nights we have to designate an RPOD - Roving Parent on Duty, so the kids know which adult to call or text first because they're not performing or sitting in a performance.  Even when it's not me, that doesn't necessarily stop someone from calling to ask where the cinnamon sugar is and do we have any strawberries and when are you coming home anyway?

The yard is kicking us hard as well  - we filled 15 lawn bags this weekend and the leaves haven't even fallen off of the trees for real.  Also, we're doing a bad job of roping the kids in for yard work duty, mostly because we dread an "exhausted" attitude toward it.  Andrew said "That's what childrens are for."  And I said "But that's not what childrens think they are for.  They think they are for video games and eating food.  And parents are for providing video games and food, and driving around and whatever other stuff they think needs to be done, too."  And my 10 year old son just started shaking his head.  Apparently he does not hold this belief, even if he appears through his actions to hold this belief.  He also willingly and gladly stocks every bathroom in the house with toilet paper, and sometimes even remembers to do it on his own.  So that is something.