Summer is killing me. The kids are loving summer with action packed adventures, staying up late every night, and sleeping in late every morning. I’m a working girl. My day begins at 6 AM every day, just up enough to make coffee, wash my face, brush my teeth, get dressed and start working by 6:30 AM. My commute is two laps through my house with repeat visits to the kitchen for coffee refills. As simple as my mornings may be, I need my 8 hours of sleep in order to function. Without my 8 hours, I am forgetful, grumpy and short-tempered. Ok, maybe I’m forgetful, grumpy and short-tempered even with my 8 hours of sleep, but any less than 8 hours definitely worsens my mood and makes my day incredibly long. Something’s gotta give and the kids aren’t budging. I’m waiting for my left eye to pop out on a spring.
The kids can not realistically sleep until 10 or 11 (yes, 10 or 11) then be expected to go to bed at 9 when I want to go to sleep. The Inland Northwest doesn’t think 9 is a good bedtime either, the sun does not completely set by then, who could possibly sleep. Me, for one, I could sleep.
No such luck. Our schedules are all out of whack. Correction, my schedule is all out of whack. Don’t tell anyone but there is only 47 summer days left until the kids go back to school and my life regains normalcy. Don’t get me wrong, I love summer days, summer nights and summer fun. I just struggle with summer exhaustion.
If you can’t beat them, join them, right? We’ve already addressed this old nag ain’t what she used to be so I don’t want to beat the proverbial dead horse. I’m not a night owl, I’m a morning person. Vince is a night owl and mans the night shift with these rowdy boys. He returns tonight from his first LA commute to maintain his day job. My lack of sleep for a few nights is a small price to pay for this privilege.
I just wasn’t ready. Sure, I can defend the fort while he’s away but I forgot about the gift of sleep that he gives me every day. I’m on the boy shift from the time they wake up until the time dinner is over and the kitchen is cleaned. Then he’s in charge. Divide and conquer. There is overlap to be sure but this is our program. Basically, I attach the feed bags, he puts the animals to bed. It works for us, like modern-day farmers.
Since we moved, this is his first commute. Did I mention I wasn’t ready? It’s a nice break, because, you know, having your husband and your kids in your zone 24/7 since school was release mid-June, has been a bit of a shock to my system. [No joke, my left eye is going to pop out on a spring at any moment]. Now, with lack of sleep, I’m spinning senseless.
And now Vince has returned. Welcome home. Your 8-hour girl isn’t getting her 8 hours again tonight, no thanks to your late flight and my late night posting. Yes, these late night blog posts are taxing me too.
Fear not, for there is hope. I am BFF’s with Fast Company on Facebook. Today they posted “Arge’s Work Play Fit Push Weekly”. I’m not sure who Arge is, but the work-play-fit-push is a Stephen Covey-esque, Zig Zigler-esque get your shit together plan to get on and stay on track. Exactly what I need, sleep or no sleep. For each section, for example “work”, list three things you want to get done each day. Sure this needs to be multiplied by 10, but for Arge’s sake, we’ll keep it to 3 top priorities. Vince and the kids keep the “play” section full without concern. The first thing to go, next to sleep, is my fitness. I enjoy working out, I just put me last. Getting my shit together plan puts me back in the lead with my running shoes on. The “push” section is easy and could be multiplied exponentially to address my blog, my projects, my plans, and my dreams. At the bottom, a short list of priorities. Top of my priorities is going to bed on time to get my 8 hours.
Love you all, but I need to sleep. Good night.
multi-hyphenated-me 