Crazy Days

You ever have those days when you are running from dawn to midnight? Today was one of them! I know I don’t usually do a travel log for you, but just for today I’m going to make an exception. People are always asking me, “How do you do it???” Well, the answer is, “Barely!” Mostly I’m just good at delegating and I try to plan ahead when I have a particularly crazy day like today.

So I told you that it was CountryFest in our little hamlet and two of my daughters were marching with the band in the parade that started at 9:00 this morning.  Bossy got up early and staked out our spot on the parade route. Princess and Prima Donna had to be dropped off by 8:15, so the Drama Queen took care of that and then joined Bossy and her brood to help save places for everyone.

We had everyone else up and dressed (even Scout!) by 8:30. We pulled into the parking lot at the park right before they closed the entrance, so that saved us walking time and we joined Bossy with the wagon and the stroller by about 8:40. I’m pretty sure I’ve told you that Bossy knows how to do a parade! She had drinks and donuts and bags for candy. (OK, I know this is weird, but she even brings her own candy and tosses it to the kids just in case they don’t get enough…)

Crafty and Sport were both in their soccer gear since Crafty was planning to leave the parade and go to her game at 9:30. Except that she was having so much fun, we just couldn’t bear to drag her away…I hope her coach isn’t too upset. The parade ended at 10:30 and I slipped away to one vehicle while my sweetie took all the kids and headed for the other. I ran past the Home Depot and picked up our racecar kits so we could build them tomorrow at home, then I headed to the ball field for an 11:00 softball game. I played softball for an hour (we were trounced, by the way), then I headed home.

While I was driving, my sweetie called to tell me he was headed to the soccer fields with Sport for his game. I reminded him to take the treats. I then called the house and told Crafty to change out of her soccer uniform and put it on Scout since her shirt had gone missing. It’s a good thing they wear the same color. The girls had a pb&j ready for me and I snarfed it down five minutes before we headed out the door for the park. Bossy left about 10 minutes before us so she could check in the Pinewood Derby cars for the big race. Sport and Bean-Dip had each made a car and they were looking forward to watching them sail down the track.

The track is a beast!

We got there about ten minutes before the race was supposed to start, which was just enough time to reapply the sunscreen and get the kids settled. I sent the girls to the edge of the park to meet Sport as my sweetie dropped him off and then went in search of a parking place. We waited for about 20 minutes for the race to begin. Half an hour later, Sport’s car was out of the competition and Bean-Dip was still in the running for the Derby’s slowest car (he eventually won that distinction).

My sweetie kept Sport so they could walk through the car show and the rest of us headed back to the house. It was 2:10 and we just had time to get a drink of water, gather the soccer treats for Scout’s game, and she and I headed out the door. When her game was finally over (they won 3 – 6), we hustled back home so she could get ready for her dance recital. It was 3:50 and the kids had to be at the recital at 4:30. We sent her to the showers and started trying to pull together an early dinner (for 16 people!). By 4:30, most of the kids were fed and dressed and ready to leave. (Curly had fallen asleep, so he ate with Bossy's family and then rode to the school with them.)

Princess, Prima Donna, and Crafty had their recital right after the little kids, at 7:00, so they were responsible for having all of their costumes and paraphernalia in hand. Sport was also dancing in both recitals. We drove the short distance to the high school, staked out our usual spots and hunkered down for the show. We fed the kids apple slices and crackers during the intermission between shows. The second recital ended about 8:45.

Prima Donna

Princess

Sport

Scout

Crafty

We rushed from the school, got the kids home, changed from the dance clothes, grabbed blankets and jackets, and headed out the door by 9:10 to go back to the park. Teach, the Dog Walker, and Princess all had a Flash Mob performance to do after the concert. We walked a considerable distance from the parking lot to the stage area where we were able to enjoy the last half-hour of the concert, the Flash Mob, and finally the fireworks.

We got back home just before 11:00, sent all the kids to bed, and the Dog Walker and I ran off to the grocery store to get all the things I had forgotten for Fathers’ Day tomorrow. After putting all the groceries away, I finally sat down to write this blog and feed my sleepy, ornery Baby Doll. It’s after 1:00 AM and Teach will still have to download pics from her new camera. But I hope you noticed all the delegating I did all day. Without my entourage and personal assistants, I wouldn’t make it through a day like this. Thank goodness I did…barely.