the cool mom

There is a time and a place for everything.  I know that, and I try to remind myself of that often.  Sometimes though, there isn't really time to wait for the right time.  Did that make any sense???

I have mom guilt with some things.  One of which, is not being able to do more stuff at the school with my kids.  Things like, volunteering in the classroom, attending field trips, helping with red ribbon week, or reading week, or whatever it is.

I know that right now, with 3 babies at home, and no family around for babysitting, it just isn't the time, but my older kids aren't getting any younger, and I don't get a "do over" to help in their schools when they are older.

It isn't that I don't want to, it is the fact that I honestly don't know how much "help" I can be dragging 3 children along with me.  Ages: 4 (curious), 2 (crazy and runs on fast forward and loud), and 8 months (crawling and wiggly). 


This is Mary's last year attending her current school, and my mom guilt in this area hit an all time high.  I REALLY wanted to do something school related with her.

Then, a field trip came up, and Mary came home with a slip that volunteers can fill out, to attend the trip and be in charge of a group. 

I tried to coordinate with Ben, so he could take the babies, but no luck.

I took a deep breath, and signed the slip.  Mary was beaming!!!

The day came, and I loaded the car with the stroller, snacks, more snacks, blankets, toys, and every possible thing I could think of to help entertain the 3 littles, while I tried to tour "This it the Place" monument with the 4th graders.

It was definitely crazy, and we only lasted about 1 minute at each "stop" the kids made in separate buildings to have a person talk to them and show them stuff.  Basically, we would all go in, my kids would get hungry, tired, or bored, and I would take my little crew out, until we moved on to the next place. 

It was pretty nuts, but the field trip was very cool, and the place was amazing!  I was able to kind of be with Mary and help a little.

It was chaos for me, but I could tell that Mary was just so glad I was there. 

She didn't care that I was bringing in the monkeys, or that I was the mom way behind everyone pushing the double stroller full of bags, kids, snacks and water bottles, or that we missed the "train" due to a diaper change, and had to follow behind on another one, or that her siblings were the loudest ones there, or that her brother spilled two containers of chocolate milk during lunch in the building where we weren't supposed to make any messes, or that her sister pooped up to her neck in the Arrow Head making building.

She was just happy for the moment.

And that, made it worth it.

learning what it felt like to push a handcart

making pictures on leather by hammering a nail in to it

Sometimes, chaos is worth it.  Love you Mary.