WTF!!! It’s Tuesday, and the rugrat routine is at a chaotic pitch already.
Just trying to keep my rugrats’ extracurricular activities straight, and
figuring out how I can be in two places at once, is driving me batty! I
really need a chauffeur and car at my disposal to send one kid in one
direction, while I administer to the other one’s schedule!

My darling Tayler brought home straight A’s this report card, and I
couldn’t be happier! She is a focused, disciplined young lady whom I admire
greatly. A couple of years ago, when neither she nor Riley were anywhere
near straight A’s, my wonderful husband offered up some ungodly amount of
money for a straight A report card. ( IMO ) Well here it is! She brought it
home. Her graciousness is such, that she let him out of his offer, willing
to take $50 for it, and, of course, an opportunity to take on another
extracurricular activity. Activities that I try to keep to a minimum, for
her sake as well as mine. All right, mainly for my sake, but the benefit is
that Tayler doesn’t get over-extended as well.

Tayler’s latest desire is become an actress. And I mean, she wants to go to
Hollywood, and become an actress! I have long been a believer in allowing
your kids to dream, encouraging them in their dreams, and teaching them to
set goals to make them a reality. The cynic in me believes that this goal,
not due to any lack of talent on her part, is lofty at best.(For the
obvious reasons) But I remember having the same dream as a young girl, and
immersing myself in drama classes, clubs, and many plays through out junior
high and high school.

A lot of my most prized memories revolve around those plays and getting
ready for them. Belonging to the high school Thespians Club gave me a sense
of belonging to a group of kids who shared my love and enthusiasm for
drama. And yes, melodrama too. Whether Tayler has decided to take this
avenue because of my own interest in this area, I’m not sure. What I do
know is it’s immaterial because when she sets a goal, she is relentless.
Thus the latest activity that has added more running to the weekly routine.
She now has two drama courses at the Mesa Theater Arts Center, in downtown
Mesa on Thursdays.

The classes are not quite back to back, with a half hour gap between the
two. Unfortunately, downtown Mesa, surrounding our beautiful new Arts
Center, is not what a parent would consider a good area of town. Knowing
there is a half way house for previously convicted pedophiles and sex
offenders, with a few side streets that have hookers and druggies hanging
about, doesn’t lend itself to allowing Tayler to read for half an hour in
between classes. I feel compelled to be there with her, until the class has
started.

Where it gets confusing is trying to manage my time adding Riley’s Kumon
class the same day, which is in another city. I have from 2:45 PM to 4 to
fit in Kumon, drive across town to drop Tayler at her drama class, be back
in one hour to wait with her for half hour before her improvisation class
begins, which doesn’t end until 7:30 PM. That’s just Thursday. The X
slipped in another inner city basketball league for both Riley and Tayler,
which involves practice for Tayler Monday and Tuesday for Riley, who also
has a Kumon class the same day. And Tayler has her broadcasting class until
4 PM on Tuesday. Each has a basketball game every Saturday as well. Just
explaining it has given me a head-ache. Now throw in 3 chiropractor visits
for me during the week. Where was I going with this? Ah Hell, I don’t
remember.

To the mommies out there, does this sound normal? How do working mothers
keep their kids’ activities organized and under control? When Robby was
young, I had one child’s schedule and activities to keep straight. Having
to track two kids at the same time is keeping me from anything resembling
organized thoughts. I feel like a child with ADD running from one
distraction to another. In between running, trying to ensure Riley is doing
his homework both for school and his Kumon class. And oh by the way,
“what’s for dinner mom?”

I need a vacation. Didn’t I just have one not long ago? I’m giving serious
thought to not taking the kids with us on the Hawaii vacation, for several
reasons actually. First, Riley’s grades and lack of effort in his school
work. Second, I want the time away from my kids. Yea, I know that sounds
bad, but it is how I’m feeling. When the kids are with me, I don’t feel I’m
capable of having a complete thought before it’s interrupted by one of a
hundred different questions or requests that have me doing there bidding in
one form or another.

OK, I’m done with this rant and would go on record as saying, I realize I
have a good support system in both my husband and the X. A lot of women
don’t, and still make it run smooth. For me, the pace just boggles my mind.
I don’t remember my folks running in so many different directions, although
I’m sure they did between three kids and their after school jobs and
activities.

For me, by the time I tuck the rugrats into bed, I just want to drop into
bed myself. And a lot of the times, that’s exactly what I do.

This post was going to be one of the many memes I was tagged for over the
last two weeks, but I needed to sort out the kids’ schedules and rant a
little. I’ll get to them, I promise. Unless I forget in between rugrat
running....