Sunday, February 21, 2010

Some days are harder than others!

It has been a busy and eventful week, as this photo below testifies! My girl, snoring her head off under the kitchen table at 4pm Monday afternoon - I mean where else does one have forty winks? Wish I could have traded places!



Monday I was at the office and then I was lucky to spend the next three consecutive days with each of my family members. Tuesday Den had a sort of RDO and we had lunch together - child free! Wednesday (two more to go!) of Katie's day off in her adjusting to life at school - obviously still needing it given her effort in the above photo. Thursday Hugh had his hospital appointment and I had intended to take him to school afterwards. Den suggested it might be nice for him to have the day off to spend just with me. Although he loves school and it was a close call considering he had sport on that day but I still won out - for now. Gosh we had a lovely day together, might have something to do with me buying him Subway for lunch - my boy, always thinking of his stomach! My mother and I used to always have what we called "you and me days" - I think the tradition will continue. Then Friday I worked - Grade 1/2 this week. All good ;)

This week I wish to voice my opinion - for what it is worth - on the plight of the working mother - how do they do it? Now bear in mind I worked one day this week - might I repeat ONE day! LOL! Let's take Monday as an example: get home from the office and collecting children 3:30pm; feed vultures/children afternoon snack; work for next hour on Hugh's art homework 'Asian tiger'; Katie bugs me and I tell her to wait her turn; hear loud snoring from under the kitchen table (it's hard work being a prep you know!); wake Katie at 5pm and carry her to bath and wash hair; prepare dinner; listen to reading; eat dinner; go for 'pod walk'; clean up after dinner; have milk and stories; put children to bed; check emails; time = 9:00pm! Okay ... so in the "real world" (whatever that might be!) I would then be expected to start thinking about my work (which would of course be teaching) for the next day???? I have two words for you "not happening". I thank my lucky stars (daily) that my time is my own and I invest it where I choose. I choose to be the mother that I am and create the home I have. To all those mothers out there that try and do it all - I take my hat off to you! For me ... for now ... substitute/relief teaching suits me down to the ground right now.

Wednesday Katie had her day off and told me she was going to the beach. Took me a while to catch on. As she was prostrate on the blue towell (see below) and I asked what she was doing, her reply, "swimming silly"! So here is my girl's day at the beach! She is such a dag - what would I do without her!




Denis is really into "star stuff". So when he got a telescope on "fly by" points and said it was for Hugh, I quietly questioned that in my mind. Still being daylight savings here, it does not get dark until late, so Friday night with a beautiful sky and a new moon, we went out and had some fun.



Overally it was a nice quiet weekend. Weekends in the Hancock household are all about lazing about - got to love that. We usually have two meals - brunch and dunch! I was excited to see brunch this morning would be outside! Den always makes a cooked breakfast on Sundays and it was wonderful! He even put a flower centrepiece on the table! Love ya babe! The rest of the day was lazing about - Den on computer, Katie wanting to paint and Hugh in his room organising his army!



Photo challenges this week: PCF52 is meant to be one photo a week. Well it is my photos so I guess I can do what I want. So this week I think two events were worthy to be included in this category.


First photo above of my girl sound asleep under the kitchen table at 4pm Monday afternoon. Hard work being at school you know!


Second photo this week is of the mobile phone we got Hugh. With me working the odd days in a week, it's just the reassurance you need should an emergency arise and we need to get in touch with him. He of course was over the moon, though after the third text from three feet away I told him I loved him too - verbally! LOL!
PCF Challenge this week was set by Amy - Olympic Spirit. Now I have a confession to make - we have watched no Olympics! None! I don't even think my kids know its on! Is that bad? I guess no snow, no interest - poor excuse I know. So I went to the files and adopted a Michael Phelps approach and went with the summer Olympic theme:



Scrapping this week! (remember to click on all images for credits)
Oscraps - Sue Cummings has some fabulous collabs out. One with Ashalee Wall:

A second collab with Angel Work Designs (aka Sally):



I just love this mini kit by Joanne Brisebois as part of the 52 Week Inspiration package. Great fun doing pages like this:




Oscraps challenge this week - tilt a page:




Oscraps colour challenge this month:



And one more page with the fab kit of Leiko's and Nini's wonderful template:


Catscrap news:
Love Peppermints new goodies ....



Dawn Inskip came up with fabulous kits - one boy, one girl ... here is my effort - loads of fun!




Finally some pages with the wonderful Ange! LOVE this new kit collab - I am really into non photo pages of late ... another form of self expression I guess. Here I am getting all philosophical:




Last but in no way least ... my fave girl Val who designs over at digiscrap cafe had this fabulous template for FREE on her blog and I used it with her wonderful new collab kit. Be sure and check out Val's goodies.



Have a fabulous week everyone!

12 comments:

MariaT said...

I couldn't imagine working outside the home full time and then coming home and trying to get things done. I get to do bits of stuff here and there while the kids are napping or having tv time so at night or the weekends we can mostly relax. I like your idea of subbing a few days which is how I'm probably going to get back in the field some day :)

Kim H. said...

I just started working full time again in November and it is CRAZY. But I am happy...for me it is not about "doing it all" as much as feeling complete, I need both work and kids for that--I have just accepted that my life will always be hectic, but it is my hectic:)

Jodie Redman said...

Oh Helen that photo of Katie asleep under the table is just too precious! You really can see why they need to have Wednesdays off. I don't know how mum's who work full time do it either... Have been laughing at Katie's trip to the beach - just too cute!! Amazing scrap pages as always - I don't know how you do it!! Have a wonderful week!

Sue said...

How tired do you have to be before sleeping on the floor seems like a comfy idea??? Seriously. LOL!!! I've said it before [& I'll say it again] mums who work are SUPERWOMEN in my mind!!! It's great that you get to spend individual time with the 3 most special people in your life, love those sunset photos ... beautiful colours! Katie's imagination is so much fun ... who knew swimming on a beachtowel could look like so much fun! Love your LO's (as always) ... hope you have a fabulous week too!!! Hugs, sue.falstaff

Nancy said...

ha, we haven't watched any olympics either, although keith and vinny did watch the hockey game last night (of course). love the telescope shots, that's a great idea, something fun to do with the kiddos. oh, and katie sleeping under the table, what a crack up, she looks passed out!

Lenore said...

I've always been sooo envious of you and any other SAHMs!! To have been able to be home with my son and truly watch him grow up, would have brought me such great joy! As I was spending time with him this weekend, I was thinking, "How in the world did we get to nine years old already!?" There have been times when I did feel like I missed a lot, but since he started school that feeling isn't as sharp.

We all do what we have to do, within our family, to make things work. I don't feel like "superwoman" just because I'm a working Mom. I try not to stress over the "small stuff"....my husband, son and my sanity come before other things. The laundry gets done, but maybe not the vacuuming as much as it should! :) Somehow it all works out! As long as everyone in the household knows that they are loved....THAT'S the most important thing, right??

I love your picture of Katie asleep under the table! She is so sweet!! And if Mum can't take her to the beach....well, she'll just figure that out on her own! What terrific kids you've got there!!!

Val said...

helen,
You are doing amazingly perfectly good!
I love Katie and her "get fully into everything" style... school, until she litterly falls asleep... beach... ( take care of sunburn sweetie) lol
How is Hugh?
Hope Den will find a "way" ( if not milky) in the stars, but he knows, his star is rocking!

You as always scrapped beautifully... but this is not a news, right

take care
val

Unknown said...

life is crazy, working is NOT fun, hyper hectic - but then I 'relax' with scrapping, - but i need to work - or there would be a serious food problem! Love the photos

Heather Landry said...

I adore the photo of Katie sleeping under the table, and her day at the beach totally cracked me up. She's my kind of girl! You sound as busy as I am Helen! I really loved reading your blog and catching up with you. I don't know how Mom's who work full time do it either. I am a SAHM and wish I could get more hours in a day!

Amy said...

Well, it is "work" and they do have to pay me to go there, but over all I think I would loss my mind as a SAHM. I have great respect for those of you who do that and can do it so well. Looks to me like you're a master,Helen!

Ange said...

gorgeous pages Helen !!

Life in Colors said...

Aww, poor Katie! Totally exhausted from school, does it sleep better under the table as on the couch or in bed ?? I've never tried it. And love the photo's from the moon watching, great colors, the one with the birds is great.

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