The One Question You Should Never Ask A Mom (especially me)

The number one question I’ve been asked since both of my kids have been in school is “What do you do all day?”  Whether it’s meant to or not, it’s by far the most offensive question you can ask a mother.  I’ve been asked the same question by everyone from my relatives to my girlfriends who work full-time outside of the home (and also have people who do their laundry and clean their house.)

So for those of you who question what I do all day, here’s a little rundown:

I work from home during the week writing, creating and social media marketing for AquaSeventy6. I have a weekend job outside of the home, and during the week I blog and social media market for that job, as well. I also actively volunteer for a local charity.

Along with the above, every single weekday my alarm goes off at 6. I get the kids up, make breakfast, pack lunches, make sure they take their vitamins, that their teeth are brushed, hair is combed, that they have clean PE clothes and that they are wearing deodorant. I drive them both to their schools (it takes one hour to do both drop offs). 

I then run errands (groceries, bank, post office, pharmacy, etc.), do laundry, sweep, mop, dust, clean the bathrooms, and feed the dogs. I pick them up from school (another hour+ depending on car line), schedule and drive them to all medical and orthodontic appointments. I  help them with their homework, attend evening functions at school, attend meetings for work and for the charity, make sure the kids shower, have dinner and brush their teeth again  (although I pawn dinner off to my husband whenever possible).  I load the dishes, clean up the kitchen, and tuck the kids into bed.When I finally crawl into bed, hubby has been snoring for a good hour.

Are you tired, yet?  I am.  During the week, I rush out of the house without showering or eating breakfast. I’m a hot mess, to say the least. In the 5 short hours I have between drop-off and pick-up, I barely even have time to eat lunch. Then, instead of sleeping in on the weekends, I go to work.  I only take days off for special family events, which means I don’t relax on those days, either.

I am with my kids every day over the summer, I am home with them any day they have off of school, and I am with them after school and all night long. 

Here I am on-the-go with my kiddos…what do I DO all day?  Hmf!

But even so, I still get asked “What do you do all day?”

When you work from home, it is assumed that you have time to chat on the phone all day or that it’s no problem to do someone a favor (usually requiring a drive across town).

There are times, even when I am not sidetracked by phone calls or favors, that I simply can’t get to it all and  leave the dishes for the next morning or unfolded laundry in a basket for a few days. Those are the things others see…not what we do, but what we couldn’t get done.  That’s not very fair, is it?

So, the next time you are curious as to what I (or most other moms, for that matter) “do all day”, take a moment to re-read this article, or simply open your eyes, because I promise that if you ask, I won’t have a very nice answer.

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Time Flies When You Have Ombre Nails (or something like that)

Ever since school has been back in session, it’s been so hard to manage my time.  I’m pretty sure it’s because I haven’t been able to thoroughly complete my errands in the last two months. All summer, any time I pulled into a store parking lot, my son’s shoulders would slump and within minutes it would start:

Son: “Mom, I’m getting tired.”
Me: “It’s 10 in the morning.”
Son: “How much longer?”
Me: “We’ve been here 5 minutes.”
Son: “It feels like an hour.”
Me: “I’m almost done.  I just need to look at one more thing”
Son: “You said that an hour ago.”
Me: “If you would stop complaining I would have been done by now.”
Son: “What’s for lunch? I’m hungry.”

Then I would leave the store, annoyed and forgetting half of what I had originally come in to get. My daughter on the other hand would spend every shopping trip admiring and directing my attention each bit and bauble in the store.

Daughter: “Mommy, these nail polishes are sooo cute!”
Me: “Yes they are.”
Daughter: “I don’t think I have this exact shade of aqua.”
Me: “No, but I’m pretty sure you have every other shade of aqua.”
Daughter: “Mommy, look at this shirt!  It’s so adorable!”
Me: “Yes, it’s cute, but we are not looking for clothes right now.”
Daughter: “Mommy, don’t I need Post-Its for school? Because, these are SO COOL!”
Me: “I’m not sure, honey.  Let’s wait for the supply list to come in.”
Daughter: “OK…I was just saying that they are cool…and I really like them…and they are probably on the list…and they are only $2”
Me: (sighing in my head) “OK, put them in the cart. But hurry, we’ve got to go.”
Daughter: “What’s for lunch?  I’m hungry?”

Then I would rush to the check out lane forgetting 3/4 of what I had originally come in to get.

So I guess it’s no surprise that with the kiddos back in class, I will walk into Target at 9 a.m. and walk out at noon.  No joke.  It’s not that I wander aimlessly, either.  Without my little time keepers with tired feet and growling tummies the hours fly by–that is on the rare occasion that my shopping trip isn’t interrupted by a phone call….but that is a blog for a different day.

So, all of this is just to tell you that I meant to share this photo with you yesterday, but it just wasn’t possible without staying up past midnight again.  But now that you know a little about my daughter’s nail polish obsession, it ties right in to this post.

Here’s a photo of my daughter’s Ombre Nails.

Since she has almost every shade of her favorite colors, I decided to paint each of her nails a different shade from light to dark starting at the thumb. So easy, and too cute!

Thank goodness she isn’t a nail biter like me!  She’s my perfect little hand model!

Are you into the nail polish trends?  Tell me in the comments!

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