One of THOSE Days

It is 7:16 PM. All the monkeys are in bed, and two-thirds of them are asleep. The last one I'm not sure about, but right now I don't care. He's quiet -- that's all that matters. It has been one of those days. And really, I'm worried. School has been out for only 2 days (not including Memorial Day since J was around all day) and I'm feeling crazy!?! Will I survive the summer? It remains to be seen.

Our summer days schedule goes something like this: Before breakfast beds must be made and all things picked up off the floor of their rooms. Has gone well so far. After breakfast we transform into "The Weed Warriors" and go to battle on behalf of our helpless tomato, pepper, cucumber, and corn plants for at least 30 minutes. Then we play. Today I was starving at 11 so I made myself a sandwich. The monkeys munched on homemade granola bars (so yummy, by the way. If you want the recipe, email me). When it came time to feed J, who was working from home, the monkeys weren't hungry, so I forgot to feed them lunch until 3:30. Big mistake. That may have been the beginning of the end of my patience. I also had gone and donated blood at 1 and should've nourished myself better upon returning home, but forgot. Why do I forget how eating well makes everyone a little happier? After their late lunch we cleaned the playroom. That room almost never gets clean, and it drives me insane!!!! Today we tackled it. The complaining and throwing of toys into brothers as opposed to the toy box further depleted my patience. Every whine, cry, scream, unpleasant noise issuing forth from a son of mine dipped into the patience reserve. By the time we ate dinner (hot dogs. Yeah, I know -- eating crap doesn't help, but it did make me feel a little better) I was longingly looking forward to bedtime. Then the clincher: J and I came inside with some dishes (after all, how can you not eat hot dogs outside on a lovely day?), we hear H scream and look out the window to see S and O stalking towards a supine H. They arrive at his body and O promptly stomps on his back. Cue mom to SNAP! I go outside, grab O by the wrist and say,"Jammies, brush your teeth. You are going to bed." Then the pointing finger makes its move (because, after all, if you know S, it was definitely him egging O on to tread upon H),"S, you too. Jammies and brush your teeth. Everybody is going to bed early today!" Scoop up H (who is perfectly fine, of course) and march him up the stairs to his room to get him ready for bed. S is screaming about the sudden change of plans, O is resigned, and H is happy because he loves to brush his teeth and have his by-nah-nin (translation: vitamin). O goes to bed, gladly, I imagine, since he's worn out. H, not understanding the thin wire mommy's treading forfeits his stories just by being 2. S, in bed 1 1/2 hours before his accustomed bedtime, is doing his best to earn the privilege of going to a friend's birthday party tomorrow.
The funny thing is, once O and H were asleep, my well of patience became as deep as the sea. Calmly, no anger, just stating the facts, I laid out the game plan for S and how he could go to the birthday party. Then we lovingly discussed the need for him to be a great example for his brothers who think he's so cool ("Because you are, S!"). He went upstairs, with one look askance at the clock, and has been quiet in bed ever since.
It's funny what the quiet of bedtime will do for my perspective. (That and a bowl of ice cream) I'm really looking forward to this summer and the time with all my monkeys at home. They are fun, fantastic boys. Anyway, that's how I feel until the "Another One of THOSE Days" post.