7 Quick Takes

1. When you're parenting alone for the week, the key to survival is keeping busy and mixing it up.

For example, you can't put a price on a well-timed trip to the zoo.



(The actual price of this well-timed trip to the zoo was $9 to rent a stroller because I forgot ours at home and a $25 tab for chicken strips and a burger at the rip-off, er, lunch counter by the elephant exhibit.)

2. Or a well-timed stop at Starbucks before you hit the grocery store.

 

 

3. Or getting little hands involved in lots of projects to keep them from driving you crazy when you're trying to make dinner and tidy the nest at 5 p.m.

L helped me hull apples, mix together brown sugar, currants, walnuts and butter to make baked apples one night. (45 minutes covered with foil at 350 degrees, then another 30 without the foil. Top with Breyers vanilla bean ice cream. Mmm.)

 

4. Also, giving tots free reign over the art supplies each morning means they get to be creative when their brains are fresh and I get to write, sip coffee and put off my shower for an hour or so.

 

5. I have a new respect for Trader Joes' frozen mini-pizzas, pre-washed salad ingredients and bananas. These provided quick routes to filling the always-rumbling stomachs around here.

6. Despite my best attempts at keeping us busy, I absolutely fell apart yesterday. We had a physically demanding morning with a midwife visit in the city and groceries. I was exhausted by noon--not just from my morning, but from the whole week, I think.

I flopped on the couch upon our return and the whining started. C refused a nap. It got ugly around these parts.

The best survival-based decision I made all week? After tears, apologies and a little quiet time, I canceled our evening plans for dinner with friends. Instead I quickly prepped a much simpler dinner of pasta and bottled sauce, set out pajamas, scooped the kiddos into the stroller and headed to the playground until dinner.

We played until we were all strung out and came home for dinner, a bath, a short movie and an early bedtime.

As a result, I feel today we have a fighting chance at my staying sane, I hope.

7. Papa comes home tonight. Can I get an amen?

These quick takes are probably a lot less self-indulgent. Enjoy your weekend all!