My Calendar Just Laughed At Me

I’m pretty sure my calendar just laughed at me.  This inanimate object is taking on a life of it’s own, I swear I can hear it giggling as I try to fit just ONE MORE THING into those super tiny squares.  I finally sat down last night with stacks of e-mails covered in post it notes marked “super important”, my fancy phone with it’s calendar schedule thingy, and my own date book,  and attempted to put all dates and commitments onto one big family calendar.  The result….I had a bit of a panic attack, and the calendar laughed. “Not possible” it seemed to scream!! I diligently wrote out all commitments for the next three weeks, and then truth be told I might have teared up a little.  If wine didn’t give me a screaming headache I would have reached for that, instead I grabbed the cookie dough from the fridge and ate a heaping spoonful.  (must not forget to add *contract salmonella to my calendar because I’m sure that will come next ) That’s how I roll. 

How did this happen?  How did life get so busy?  We are just a normal average family with two girls, a dog, and a cat.  How is it that we don’t appear to have time for even one family dinner from now until February?  Can it be right that we have plans every single night for the next three weeks and only one night those plans are about me?  Err a PR event, but that is as close to “me” as I’m going to get!

When I was a kid I clearly remember taking swimming lessons in the summer and being a Brownie (you know a baby Girl Guide) in the winter.  I think that’s about it.  I sure didn’t feel like I was missing out on anything. So how has our society evolved into one that requires kids to take swimming, piano, dance, cheer, volleyball….pick your poison extra curricular’s and insert here.  Just make sure there are a ton of extra activities, each is scheduled multiple times a week, and that each child is never in the same sport because that would be too easy.  Don’t even get me started about how much all this costs!

I know I’m blessed, I also know our girls are in far fewer activities than most of their friends.  I really have no right to complain but seriously, we have PD Days, March Break and Summer Vacation.  Could someone please pass a bill to declare a week of “No Extra Curricular’s Allowed”?  During this week children must stay home with their family, get outside to play with their friends, and parents are not required to carpool anywhere.    

Sometimes these spoiled life in the Suburbs require you to take things one day at a time.  So until a most coveted vacation in February I shall just keep swimming, just keep swimming.  Hope you are all keeping your head above water during these crazy over scheduled can’t catch your breath days of winter!