Summer Parenting

The kids have been out of school for a couple of weeks now and I am already losing my mind. We bought them a big pool, but can't seem to get it set up. We moved and our whole yard is nothing but mud. We haven't been able to put up the playset or any outdoor play equipment yet. This leads to boredom. Boredom is contagious and destructive. Here is what I experienced yesterday (thank goodness I work outside the home or I would have had at least 2 of my children in straight jackets by yesterday afternoon)

Camp is out at 3 pm. 3:10 the phone rings. Ashley: Mom, Katie is being rude. Don't let her do anything tonight.

While on the phone, the other line beeps. It's Katie: Mom, don't believe anything she says, she's a liar. (Ashley screaming in the background)

I tell them both to quit, no one gets to do anything and I will be home at 4:45.

Phone intermittenly rings up until I walk out the door of work. Conversations revolve around who gets to do what tonight and how the other sister is evil, mean and should be grounded.

4:30 I am at the grocery store, picking up pull-ups (for camp pant-wetting issues) Phone rings. Do I answer it? I opt not to and ignore it. It continues to ring and ring and ring. Finally after I pull out of the parking lot, I answer it.

Ashley: (at the top of her lungs) Mom, Katie locked me out of the house. She is evil. You never punish her. You have ruined her. You have to do something RIGHT NOW!!!

I tell her I an hanging up and calling Katie to see what is going on and to get her to let you in.

Right now the bottom falls out of the sky and I can hardly see the road, the wind and rain are blowing so hard. I dial Katie.

Katie: Hello?
Me: Did you lock your sister out of the house?
Katie: Mom, she is so stupid. The door isn't even locked. She's just to stupid to come in.
I can hear Ashley screaming bloody murder in the background. I tell Katie to open the door. I tell Katie again that no one is going anywhere, they are both stuck at home until they can act like civilized human beings and I hang up.

I walk into the house, drenched, not in the best mood, to arguing. Loud arguing. I have had it. Be quiet! Right now! Sit down and listen up. This is not going to fly. As long as you two can't treat each other nicely, you will both be stuck at home with nothing to do. The choice is yours. Then I got them busy doing things.

The rest of the evening was much better. Thankfully!

Last night I made spaghetti and meatballs for supper. I usually buy frozen meatballs but I decided to make home-made meatballs. Now, if you don't know me, you wouldn't know that I grew up in the midwest where the only spices utilized are salt, pepper and garlic powder. Every recipe starts with a can of cream-of-something soup. Plus, I don't have one drop of italian blood in my body. So meatballs? A bit of a stretch. I love to cook and I try to learn new things all the time. So, I made meatballs. I made a large double batch so we would have enough for another meal. It turned out the meatballs were a huge hit and so few were left after dinner that I will have to make more to have another dinner. Levi ate 4 all by himself. He has never eaten that much before. It was amazing! So woot for me!