Monday, August 16, 2010

MamaHen's Laundry Day

Scene: Our house, overflowing with dirty laundry. Our washing machine and dryer are in a detached garage right by our house. MamaHen has decided that today will be THE DAY when every hamper is empty by the end of the day. And we all know that once MamaHen has decided to do something...

it will all start to unravel.

Time: Early morning, before breakfast even.

MamaHen takes the first hamper out to the washing machine and starts a load. She is so proud of herself. She is going to make this happen.

The kiddos awake and we start our morning routine. MamaHen remembers to switch out the laundry and to start another load. Out she goes with the hamper. She gets to the washing machine and realizes she forgot to press the START button. Okay, deep breath, no big deal, these things happen. She presses the START button and heads back inside.

On the way inside she notices the chickens are still in the hen house and the cats need feeding. She breaks up the boys from their wrestling match and sends them out to take care of the animals.

She then~
  • fixes breakfast
  • breaks up an argument between Child Fuss and Child Fight
  • decides which child will load up the dishwasher
  • listens to said child try to talk me into letting another child do it
  • cleans up the mess from the overflowing toilet because James thought it would be fun to fill it with paper
  • thinks about switching out the laundry
  • starts school with a Bible reading on being kind and loving and patient to our family
  • hears a crash from where James decided to climb up on top of the table to reach the black Sharpie some other child left there
  • gets each child started on their individual school work
  • looks for three year old who has snuck out and is playing in the muddy sandbox
  • gets three year old cleaned up and gets him busy playing with his Toy Story set
  • realizes it is time to start lunch
  • sees a hamper in passing and thinks, "I need to switch out the laundry"
  • fixes lunch
  • assigns child lunch clean up duty and get a repeat of child who wants someone else to do it
  • sees James and realizes he is covered in black Sharpie marker (that I forgot to put up) and get him into the bathtub
  • sees a dirty towel on the floor and thinks, "I need to switch out the laundry"
  • listens as Matt comes running in saying something is wrong with the chickens
  • investigates and realizes this is Daddy Duty and heads back inside
  • settle an argument over Gilligan's Island vs Brady Bunch
  • realizes it is time to start supper
  • starts supper and directs kids to start their 5:00 Clean-Up
  • goes out to switch out the laundry
  • realizes that the wet laundry has been sitting out in the 100 heat all day and now needs re-washing
  • starts the laundry again
  • goes inside and starts to tear up as some child yells that they don't have any clean underwear

Rinse and repeat.

14 comments:

  1. Uhhh, I don't know what to say but I think it makes me want to cry! I gave Mark your rooster bag with some prizes inside - maybe that will cheer you up some!

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  2. I think it's time that Abbie learns how to do laundry and gives you a break! Or maybe Mark pay for you to get delivery laundry service??
    Wow. I feel your pain.

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  3. Actually Rachel, its not that bad...

    The kids do help with the laundry a lot.

    This is really just a composite of soooo many of my days when I get distracted by too many things going on here. I wouldn't trade it for anything though:)!

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  4. Jill, I had just put it on my to-do list to call you about the rooster bag. Now I can cross it off! Thank you. And prizes . Woo-Hoo. Love me some prizes.

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  5. a delivery laundry service ?!??!
    i got three of those at home.
    named Tyler Matt and Abbie.

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  6. Clean underwear is overrated ;).

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  7. So glad it's not just me who has days like that.

    I have had so many times where I think about switching the laundry (like say right now), but don't.

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  8. I'm with Rachel, teach Abbie to help with the laundry!
    Today was my laundry day, and most of it is clean, but it's all lying in a huge pile in my bedroom floor, b/c I'm too tired to fold it & put it away.

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  9. funny I always forget about the laudry on days when I have sooo much of it to do. I started setting a timer and it helped out a whole lot. Reminds me to go and change it out. Try it you might like it :)

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  10. LOL! I wish I had read this Monday. I can feel your pain, Mama Hen! So far this week has been a blur of me trying to do laundry, food, run errands, plus cover all school subjects with 4 kiddos while keeping my own 2 1/2 year old from all the mischief he's been up to.

    Oh, and I have been known to offer up a pair of my own socks to my now 12 year old son whose feet are just now larger than mine. Shhh! ;)

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  11. WOW! Busy busy busy!!

    I have a mountain of laundry on my love seat. My husband told our daughters that they will be folding it tomorrow. YAY! Of course I have plenty (plenty) of other stuff to do.

    Have a wonderful weekend!

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  12. I found you through Alabama Bloggers and yeah - that sounds like my laundry day... I often have to "rinse and repeat" because it was sitting there WAY too long due to other distractions! LOL

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