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Getting Back Into A Routine

I wish I had some fun witty post to take us into the weekend, but I am coming up short. My blogging schedule has been anything but normal this week because going back to school week is exhausting!

It’s mentally and physically exhausting.

I’m drained. Tapped out. I have lost all focus.

The good news is that the kids are off to a fantastic start at school.

The bad news is that the dogs and I are having issues getting back into a set routine.

In the summer I get up whenever the spirit moves me, or when Sherman starts to pathetically breathe hot air in my face.

During the summer I don’t have to add in extra time to pack lunches, get the kids dressed, fed and happy before I send them out the door, so I set my alarm 30 minutes later. I have to be at work at various times throughout the week. One day it’s ten o’clock, the other it’s eight thirty. So a set in stone routine is not what we have during the summer.

Look Sherman I know I got up at 6:30 yesterday morning but today is Wednesday and I don’t have to get up until 7:45. How many times do we have to go over this?

Now, any good, organized mother would of started the new routine earlier in the week to get everyone accustomed to the change.

Yeah, not me. I sucked every last second out of my morning sleep that I could. The first day of school was the first day of the new routine.

The new routine involves getting up at a set time every morning, which means the dogs are let out and fed at the same time now everyday instead of trying to guess when I was going to feed them.

“Oh, she’s walking by the food bowls! Do you think she’ll feed us now?”

“Maybe now?”

Oh shoot I forgot to feed the dogs!

Stop it! I never forget to feed the dogs!

Anyway, the dogs are kind of being hit with a double whammy right now, because not only are the kids back at school my husband has also gone back to work after being laid off for a few months. So that means that when I am at work they are alone.

Poor, poor doggies. All alone.

Have no fear though, I have managed to make that transition a little easier for them.

When summer started I dropped one of my short days at work to spend more time with the kids.  Since it was my shortest shift of the week I decided that I am just going to leave it as dropped so that I can spend time with the dogs. On my longer work days(8-12 hours) I am able to come home for lunch for an hour. I’m able to let them out for a potty break and sometimes we even share some lunch.

Our nighttime routine will be even tighter since the kids have homework, after school sports and the days are getting shorter. The dogs will accompany me to more football practices to get them out and about and walks will be done strictly at 8:00.

I’ve also decided that on my days off, when the weather gets cooler, I will be focusing on doing one on one activities with the dogs. Sherman and I will practice our draft work and I think that Leroy and I might start doing some hiking. I’m trying to figure out what intrigues Leroy. I know he”ll do the draft work I just don’t think he will enjoy it so I figure I might try something new.

The thought of Leroy and I hiking somewhere together, alone, scares me a bit. You know, all of a sudden he might get the urge to push me off a cliff or lead me down the wrong path on purpose.

You never know with him.

So yes, I’m exhausted. The hustle and bustle of back to school and settling into a new routine is tiring. By next week I’ll be fine. I will have gotten accustomed to waking up with the other crazy people who get up when it’s still dark out and the dogs will have gotten accustomed to being fed at the same time everyday and being abandoned for several hours three times a week.

So about you? Do ever find it tough to get back into a routine?

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lauren

Wednesday 29th of August 2012

This post made me feel two things: jealous of your fries and relieved to hear about your routine/schedule. All this time, I thought that you were working standard full-time, and taking care of the kids, and taking care of the dogs, and going to shows, and doing the blog. At the same time somehow. I was always like, how does she do that?? I do only 1.5 of those things and I can't get it together!

Misty Shores Chesapeakes

Tuesday 28th of August 2012

Absolutely!! And it isn't getting any better...LOL

2 brown dawgs

Monday 27th of August 2012

My routine (especially blog reading) has been a mess since hunt test season got into full swing. I will be happy when it is over...lol. Love the pictures. I think I am going to quit complaining about the brown dawg drool.

Jen K

Sunday 26th of August 2012

lol @ Sherman! Moses does the same thing - he won't directly wake you up, but if he thinks I should be up by now (lucky for me, that's pretty late, but it does happen), he'll just sit beside the bed and look at me. Breathing. Breathing heavily. It's like a serial killer from a movie is watching you sleep; it's hilarious and a little creepy all at once.

Mango Momma

Saturday 25th of August 2012

When we had kids at home, I got into the habit of taking the week of labor day as a vacation week. It was great to be able to have time home alone to help me adjust to the new routine. Even though the kids are long gone, I still enjoy my labor day holiday whilst everybody else is getting frantic to find their school year groove.

Great news that your husband is back to work. Losing a job in this economy is so scary.

It's wonderful that you can get home at lunch. There have been times when I have had to do that. My dogs never really got the hang of "mom is home now and we better hurry up and have some fun" as lunch time is typically nap time for them (they usually snooze until early to mid afternoon).

Special one on one activities on the weekend will be great fun for all of you. I'm sure the boys will adapt.

Mango Momma

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