Sort of....
That is to say, I'm back.
Maybe...
On occasion.
I hope.
I really thought I'd get more in before Soccer hit the family, but somehow the beginning of August gave way to the middle of August all too soon - and that, for anyone who was not aware, was the beginning of our fall.
See, every year we start with soccer - in mid August - then school & dance & violin in late August.
Doesn't sound too bad, yet, right? Well, consider this:
Bob coached 3 soccer teams this year (we bumped Peter up so the boys were on a team together). Each team typically played at least two games a week - plus there were practices.
My job in all this: warm up the boys while Beth was playing so Bob could just put them on the field on time. Oh, did I mention that was done with Jacob either on my back or in a toddler harness, and sometimes just on my hip. Thank goodness Gabi jumped in with some of that drag around adventure too. And that doesn't count the one game I coached when Bob was gone to 6th grade camp. Thank heaven's for one of the other boy's dad who offered to help - he ran on the field and I worked the subs (though I'm sure I messed that up along the way too) - all the while with my little monster too tired (from not napping well and from having already watched one game - that thankfully a different parent had coached) and dragging me, and Beth, and Gabi all over the place, the boys going crazy (can we say Peter was a perfect Animal - from the Muppets), and extra soccer balls and kids floating onto the field. There is a reason Bob coaches them all and I play mom on the side lines.
Anyway - soccer was the biggest part, but everything else required time and energy too - and, like I mentioned, Bob had 6th grade camp to plan and execute. And I had a house (still have a house) in serious need of reorganization (it's coming) and a strong need to find a schedule that worked for everyone (we're still working that out too).
Then, as if it weren't enough, Youth Orchestra and Beginning Band started up a couple of weeks before soccer finished. Beth is in the first, having had violin lessons for just over a year and having advanced quickly due to her back ground from piano lessons (thanks grandma) and Gabi was just starting the Clarinet with me, so we put her in beginning band. Who knows if she'll stay there the whole time or move over to the Orchestra - we'll have to see how that works out later on. Don't want to push too fast.
Okay - so you get the picture. We were busy, crazy, nuts. And the blog has been fully neglected - on purpose even - for shame - gasp - yeah, I know - but I think we can start to come back. Don't expect too much right off as I'm still a little swamped with Sutter's Fort around the corner and Halloween in two days and all the normal stuff. But with soccer completed for another year, we're back to finding the true normal in our home for the school year.
So I'll leave you with my favorite Jacob saying of the last month - as he noted I was frazzled once again with the boys and he comes out talking to me as we join up with Bob and loudly announces (though I think he was trying to ask a question):
"I'm driving me NUTS!"
Yup - I think that about sums it up!
