Day 17: Kid free zone...

It's Friday, hooray for Friday! Friday means 2 full days of kids and non-stop chatter, 2 full days of arguing, fighting, and yelling, and me going out of my mind. I know this is a bad way to look at it, but please understand, I am alone with kids all the time, no breaks, and sometimes I need a change of venue... I will admit, it has been soooo nice having my mom here, I was able to put my make up on this morning, and not have to stop Logan from digging in the garbage! But I need a real break, so the kids are going elsewhere, and I'm going to the movie with my mom, and dammit, I'm eating popcorn with butter!!! I can't wait, I don't even care what the movie is, I just want to watch something the whole way through with out hearing "MOM MOM MOM MOM MOM MOM MOM MOM... etc... etc..." The only way it would be better is if John was here, but that's only 9 days away, and hopefully that means another night with no kids! I think that, in some ways people tend to romanticize what being at home with kids is really like, they see wonderful, well behaved children, and mom happy to cook and clean and play, having no real cares in the world. Now zoom in on real life. I love my kids and they are really good kids, but like all kids the argue, they are sneaky, they don't listen, pretty much all of those things that we promise ourselves our kids will never do, but then reality comes and laughs in your face. Mom's can't wait to say "I told you so" and for good reason. I'm relieved that I have boys, because they have some drama, if they were girls I don't know what I would do. This one is friends with this kid but hates the one he was friends with yesterday, the other one hides notes from his teacher about homework not being turned in. They all think I love someone more, they all want something else for dinner, they all want toys and prizes and special things, and I want a nap. I am generally chasing someone from 7 am until 9:30 at night, if I'm lucky. Being in Billings isn't anything like Missoula either, I don't have the support system I did there, so I stay home. I would love to work, I would love to feel productive, and maybe make some friends, but that's just not in the cards, it would cost more for daycare than I could make, and it would have to be a strictly dayshift job. It just doesn't work. So naturally when an opportunity to do something as silly as see a movie with my mom comes up, I'm elated!!! I may get as many as 4 hours of adult time!!! And I get to watch a movie with out interuptions... (if you are sitting near me in the movie and talking loud or using your phone... yes, I will be the person who knocks you out, this is my night! respect!!!) Then this evening, after a few hours of peace, I will return to these wonderful boys and feel refreshed and ready for this weekend...