Paddling..Spinning...Flying...

 When you talk to most moms these days they will say...Ugh, May is just so busy and it is flying by.  The calendars are overwhelmingly busy with the end of the school year fast approaching.  Spring sports are now in full swing.  The weather is nicer so outside play and parks are drawing friends to gather.  Kids are dirty and that means bathes have to happen nightly rather than every other night or so.  Everyone is worn out, sun kissed, but wanting to not settle down for any down time.  It is just busy. 

And lately I feel like I am paddling so hard to stay afloat and just can't get into a nice rhythm that allows me to feel like "not a failure."  We have been eating far too many hot dogs and frozen pizzas.  The kids drawers are empty and the laundry baskets are too full.  Ed scrounges for a pair of clean work pants.  I forget that I have children arriving at my house relying on me to be there.  The boys are pushing limits and challenging our parenting skills. 

My list of errands grows...making meals for friends, getting packages in the mail, reading books that have come in at the library (not to mention the pile I have borrowed from friends), paying bills, answering emails, getting my online class homework done, buying end of the year teacher gifts, getting the boys haircut, getting my bangs trimmed, and the list goes on and on.  It is like running through the non moving sprinkler and getting sprayed in the face and not having it swing in the other direction to give you a chance to breathe. 

But yet, life is wonderful and fun.  It is full of spur of the moment adventures...like the clouds clearing, the humidity rising, and the moment you turn on the sprinkler for the first time this season.  Henry loved it.  Our days continue to be filled with play dates and outings.  Last week I overdid it and things were too scheduled.  And I think it all culminated on Saturday morning when I woke up with Vertigo...which got officially diagnosed on Monday.  I swore that I would not schedule any play dates or outings this week and take the week as it came...however, then I had Dr. appointments to get to on Monday and Tuesday and bam - the week filled up and once again I am paddling. 

So May has us running and paddling and literally spinning (vertigo) crazy at times.  But it is a blast!  And it is fun!  But it is also overwhelming.  It makes me really look forward to summer.  Not having to be anywhere.  I have really not scheduled us for much this summer...an occasional tennis lesson and then a park program for Charley twice a week...if he feels like it and the beach isn't calling.  I can't wait to not have to get out the door for school. I do worry about the boys being entertained and expelling their energy on a daily basis.  But I think that their ages and stages are ready to jive for a summer full of outside play, spur of the moment fun, and relaxed living. 

So as May wraps up we end Henry's class today.  We get ready for my whole family's arrival on Friday night.  We continue to push through an overwhelming and stressful month of work for Ed ultimately leaving us craving moments with daddy.  But we have nothing but gratitude for health, wealth, happiness, friends, family, and nights that leave us all crashing early.  The green grass, the bare feet, the scraped knees, dirty fingernails, red cheeks, and sticky Popsicle hands and faces are worth the paddling...Surviving May and looking forward to the summer moments come June. 

And note...Henry still swings that left arm with force and strength when he races about. 

And I am SO loving my photography online class and I am starting to feel more and more confident with my DSLR camera...however, the colors are still surprising me...notice the grass in all these shots are different colors.   I am taking chances and playing with the aperture, white balance, manual mode...etc.  So it leaves things a little off from picture.