Thursday evening by numbers...

Life runs 200 miles per hour around here. Especially on the 3 days I work. Thursday right now is our "easy day" as we have no formal after-school activities. Tonight wasn't anything to complain to the world about but it was bus-y!!!!

Here is a rundown by numbers.....

5:00 I leave the office
5:15 I arrive to pick up Logan and Venice at grandma's
5:25 leave grandma's. Logan talks the entire way home. Barbie movie is blasting and we cannot reach the volume (it's on Sylvie's side)
5:50 arrive at Sylvie's friends house to pick her up from a playdate. Venice is crying at full-volume. She's mad we are not nursing. Logan talks right over here about  a game on his iPad.
6:00 get everyone and everything inside and run over to put the water on the burner and turn the oven on. Run interference between all 3 kids needs and making dinner. Pull 3 separate things out of Venice's mouth (she usually doesn't do that!)

6:40 sit down to dinner.
6:45 everyone is done with dinner and I have to be done as Venice is throwing things and making a mess. Jorge calls saying he's on his way out of the office.

7:00 get Venice settled playing with toys, get the tv off, and open up the folders. Logan's homework is hard so we work on it together. Meanwhile I'm pulling Venice away from 50 things she doesn't need to be touching, dealing with mini-tantrums, and her obsession with playing with the ice and water dispenser on the fridge.

7:45 Sylvie has been working on an art project that required my help, and she's downstairs so assuming Jorge is walking in the door any minute now (it's been an hour) I chance having 2 kids doing homework that require mom's help, and one very naughty toddler.

7:47 Venice goes over to turn the volume WAY up on the stereo and Logan's screaming and upset, Sylvie's trying to get my attention, Venice is crying and I'm in the middle of dealing with something in  that takes 2 hands.

7:50 Logan goes in the family room to read his chapter book for awhile. Sylvie and I finish up her homework while I hold Venice and she gets her finger stuck in something, rips open a packet of wet wipes she swiped with her teeth and gets us both wet.

8:00 We all move to the family room after making sure all that homework is in the folders. Still waiting on Jorge. Venice starts whining about the tv being off. Logan starts wanting to go to bed but we have one more assignment.

8:10 Start reading for the "One Book One Family" project. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE having the obligation to read and the kids have to listen. Love discussing the book, etc. But both years now Venice HATES this project!!!!!!!!! She whines. She bats the book away from me. She screams. She whines again.

8:15 she gets down on the floor to play.
8:16 she decides to hug Sylvie. And she gets her neck in a griphold and starts scratching with her nails. Screaming by both girls ensues.

8:17 Venice gets a time-out in the pack and play

8:18 We try again. Venice whines, I wonder where the heck Jorge is? We take a break from the book

8:24 We try again. I just read loud and talk over the chaos. I don't even know if the kids are listening. I just want this OVER. So do they. I try to summarize in meaningful ways so they understand it.

8:45 Jorge walks in the door, 2 hours after leaving the office. I'm trying unsuccessfully to put the baby to bed.

9:00 Get the kids to bed and try again for Venice.

9:15 Try again for Venice. Bring her to her room and rub her back and shush her until she finally. falls. asleep. Sylvie, on the other hand, is still awake in the same room. Sigh.

9:17 Do dishes, write a blog post, listen to Survivor.

10:00 Goodnight!!!!!

Tomorrow- is going to be even busier.